Love's Cruel Redemption

by C. L. Stone

  “First, we need to get ready.” Gabriel picked out a couple of items from his basket, putting the rest aside. He pointed to me. “Go get on a bathing suit.”

  “Do I have a bathing suit here?” I asked. “I think I’ve only got one.”

  Gabriel considered. “Like I said, go find a bra and underwear that won’t get ruined in a bath. Those are close enough to bathing suits...And then remind me later to get you more bathing suits.”

  I considered the bikinis I’d seen in movies on occasion and was pretty sure he was right.

  I raced to the closet, leaving the boys to sort out all the items from the baskets.

  Victor’s closet was a small room in itself, larger than Kota’s bedroom. I passed a section of Victor’s white Armani shirts and dark pants. There were small sections around the whole room, each one had a display of various styles of men’s clothing. North’s was all black. Mr. Blackbourne’s mostly consisted of gray suits.

  There was a section in the back that was spaced off for my clothes. It was mostly noticeable because of all the pink. A large number of them were completely new to me. Victor did a lot of shopping for me.

  There were drawers below hanging clothes, and inside were various underwear and bras and other small items.

  I reached in, pulling out a pair of underwear that was black with a pink heart on the butt. Then I found a bra that looked to me more like a bikini, with a band going around my neck instead of over the shoulders.

  I got undressed, intending to go back after we were done and tidy the pile I left in the closet later. I put on the underwear and bra and then sought out a robe. I wore it but I left it open. Gabriel had pretty much seen me naked, and Luke had seen me in underwear before. I was just a little chilly.

  By the time I returned, the boys were hovering over the tub as it was filling up. Luke had his hair piled high in almost a bun on his head. Gabriel wore a stretchy band over his head to hold his hair back. They were both shirtless. Gabriel’s button on his pants was undone, partially revealing the gray boxers underneath.

  Luke held a cell phone to his face, watching a video. “Okay, wash our faces and then...” he waited as the video played on. The sound was really low, so I couldn’t hear what was said. “Then she’s...putting on the...” He looked at the pile of supplies on the corner of the large marble tub and selected one and looked at the packaging. “There’s an astringent? And then the black stuff.”

  “Clean our faces, got it. That’s what I needed to know, if we had to wash our faces before the masque part.” Gabriel turned when he noticed me and smirked. “What the fuck? I thought you said you didn’t have a bathing suit.”

  “It’s not a bathing suit,” I said.

  His lips twisted a bit. “God damn, I can’t tell anymore.” He motioned to the tub. “Let’s get in. We’ll do everything in the tub.”

  I put the robe on a hook near the tub. The heat from the water was steaming up the room, fogging the mirror a little.

  I climbed up and then squatted on the side of the large marble tub, looking into the water. I reached in, touching it. “Do we have bubbles?”

  “Let’s put the bombs in first,” Luke said. “I want to see them dissolve before we put the bubbles in.”

  We all sat on the edge of the tub, leaning over as Gabriel picked out three bath bombs he thought smelled similar enough. We probably needed so many because the tub was huge. He tossed those in together.

  We grew quiet, watching the bombs do small spins as bubbles fizzled up from them. Colorant escaped, making the water around them a purplish-blue hue.

  Luke stuck his hand in and felt the bubbles over top of the bombs. “You can kind of feel it.” He squinted at his hand in the water and then reached further in. “Hang on, what’s this? There’s something in the bomb.”

  Gabriel and I leaned in, and Luke pulled out a glowing cube, flashing blue green and yellow with an apparent LED light inside.

  “Whoa,” Gabriel said. “I didn’t know they put stuff in the bombs.” He reached into the tub. “Does this one have something?”

  When he touched another bomb, it didn’t have a cube, but it released something that looked like soap flakes. The flakes were shaped like little rose petals and they floated on top of the water. The more the bomb evaporated, the more tiny petals appeared.

  “Oh my god,” Gabriel said. “I know what I’m researching when I get home.”

  “You’re going to start making bath bombs?” Luke asked.

  “Meh,” Gabriel said. “I always collect kits for stuff I never have time to put together. I was just thinking I want a collection of bath bombs. I want a surprise every night.” He grasped the hem of his jeans and started sliding them down his hips. “Let’s get in already.”

  Seconds later, Gabriel and I were sitting together in the bath.

  “Put in the bubble bar,” Luke said.

  Gabriel did, keeping it in his hand and letting the falling water from the faucet pour over his hand. Within moments the bath was absolutely full of bubbles.

  “I don’t think I was supposed to use a whole bar,” Gabriel said. “But it is a super huge tub.”

  Luke stayed on the edge, pointed at me, and then motioned. “Look that way for a second?”

  I didn’t understand why, but I looked where he wanted. A second later, there was a whisper of clothing being removed and then the water shifted. I turned back just as Luke was settling down into the tub.

  “Ah,” he said and grinned. “I didn’t want to have to find underwear.”

  “Fuck...Luke,” Gabriel said. “I buy you shit, and you never wear it.”

  “I don’t like underwear,” he said and relaxed back, stretching his arms out behind him.

  Once we were in the tub, we became incredibly lazy. Gabriel put on one of the masques over his face, he said for testing purposes. Luke fiddled with different containers of bath salts, occasionally adding the sweeter smelling types to the water. I sat back, watching both of them with my head propped up on a bath pillow.

  I breathed in the smells, felt the warm water and was amused by Gabriel and Luke’s antics. Our legs occasionally collided in the tub, and eventually, I had my legs propped up just at Gabriel’s knees.

  He plopped a hand on top of my upper thigh as he picked at the black masque on his face. “Does this look dry yet?”

  “Shouldn’t you have pickles on your eyes?” Luke asked.

  “I think you mean cucumber,” Gabriel said. “Shit, we forgot cucumbers.”

  Luke laughed and leaned his head back, using a towel as a bath pillow. “We need one of these in whatever house we live in later.”

  “Fuck yeah,” Gabriel said. “I’ve been thinking about that. We need a huge fucking house.”

  “We do?” I asked.

  “Like Lily’s,” Gabriel said. He started peeling the mask off of his chin to test it and then stopped and smushed the stuff back onto his face. He refocused on me. “I’m hoping to move out, soon. Pam’s about to move her new stupid boyfriend in.”

  “Is this the last stupid boyfriend, or is there a new stupid boyfriend?” Luke asked.

  “I don’t even know any more,” he said. “She’s gotten into the whole ‘I can date who I want’ thing. But it’s getting weird. And I know Victor wants to pretend he’s off to some elite school soon so he can get away.”

  I turned my attention to the ceiling, noticing the elaborately carved ceiling tiles. “So I’m not going to be the only one between houses?”

  “That’s what I was saying,” Gabriel said. “We need a place for all of us.” He swished his arms in the water, drifting the bubbles in different directions. “I’ve been asking Lily how she works it out. Sounds like she’s got her own bedroom, and the others have different bedrooms, so everyone has their space. And some days Lily even sleeps by herself.”

  I blinked rapidly. “I haven’t even thought about where we’d all sleep.”

  “I like sleeping near Sang,” Luke said.


  “Yeah, me, too,” Gabriel said. “But we can’t all the time, I guess.”

  Luke grumbled. “We can if we have a huge bed.”

  “I’m okay with that sometimes,” Gabriel said. “Like when we do sleepover things. But let’s get real a second. Do you really want to be in the same room when Silas and Sang are doing...things?”

  “I don’t mind,” Luke said.

  Gabriel snorted and he turned his head to me. I turned on the pillow to meet his gaze. “If Luke had his way, he’d probably join in.”

  “Maybe,” Luke said.

  My cheeks were already warm from the water, but I was sure I was blushing. I had a feeling I knew what they were talking about. “We may need a house really soon,” I said. “The thing with Erica...and Dr. Green’s mom in town...I mean, we’re here now, but Mr. and Mrs. Morgan won’t stay away forever. Nathan has the only house to himself, doesn’t he?”

  “Mr. Blackbourne’s place isn’t bad,” Luke said. “But I’m still not sure it would hold all of us together.”

  “Where does he live, anyway?” I asked. “I haven’t been there yet.”

  “Downtown,” Luke said. “Not too far. But we rarely go these days.”

  Gabriel nodded. “He’s usually trying to shake Mr. Hendricks’s people.”

  Luke sat up sharply with bubbling suds sashaying off of his shoulders and chest. “Wait a second. We can’t...we have to take care of Hendricks like ASAP.”

  “We’re trying,” Gabriel said.

  “No,” Luke said. He blinked his dark eyes rapidly and then gazed over at me. “I mean, we can’t get a house for us with Hendricks still following us around. Like this morning. We thought someone was following us and tried to shake him. If he follows us, he may figure out Sang’s living there and then...” He trailed off. “I don’t mean to play the what if game, but I’d rather get him off our backs.”

  “We’re getting rid of that problem soon enough,” Gabriel said and waved his hand. “Let’s focus on the house. Let’s let Mr. Blackbourne worry about Hendricks. He’s the man with the plan anyway.”

  “Is that what they’re doing now?” I asked.

  “Yeah, something’s going on,” Gabriel said. “But let’s put us in charge of family shit.”

  “But...shouldn’t we help Mr. Blackbourne?”

  “If he needs us, he’ll tell us what to do,” Luke said.

  “But family first,” Gabriel said. “And right now, we’ve got a housing problem.”

  I wanted to help the others, including Nathan and Kota with Erica, but I considered what they were suggesting. Having our own place would eliminate a large amount of problems. “But if we get a house, what about when Dr. Green’s mother comes to visit? And what about...I mean what if Kota’s mom later wants to stop by where Kota lives?”

  “Uncle is going to want to check out any house we buy,” Luke said.

  Gabriel twisted his lips and picked at the masque on his face. “Should we all have two spots? Dr. Green’s mom doesn’t come by that often. He could keep his condo and just live there when she’s around.”

  Suddenly, there were noises coming from Victor’s bedroom. My heart bolted to life and I sat up, aware it could be security or the new maid. How would we explain all this?

  The bathroom door opened, and North appeared. He wore his usual dark clothing, T-shirt and jeans and boots. There were a few new bruises over his forearms. He was unshaven for more than a few days, which left his face scarier than usual.

  Once I realized it was him, my heart relaxed, but only a little.

  North lifted a dark eyebrow, gazing at the three of us in the tub. “I’d ask, but I’m sure I’d get a dumb answer.”

  “Team meeting,” Gabriel said simply and started to peel off his mask.

  “This isn’t a family meeting,” North said.

  “I didn’t say family, I said team.” Gabriel jerked the masque off his face, only it came apart at his cheek. “Ow, god damn...” He refocused on North, looking weird with half of his face covered. “It’s team three caballeros. Or amigos.”

  “I think he called us stooges,” Luke said with a smirk.

  “Right,” Gabriel said. “For the three stooge-amigos.”

  I grinned toothily at North, saying nothing. He started it.

  North just rolled his eyes. He looked at Gabriel. “I thought I was supposed to pick some people up.”

  “Sang’s here while Kota’s checking out another Hendricks stalker and other shit going on,” Gabriel said. “I got left here but now I want to stay.”

  “Yeah, we’re on stay out of trouble duty,” Luke said. “Want to join us?” He looked at me. “What do you say?”

  I couldn’t help thinking about Luke saying we needed to get back to how we were before. I imagined he meant moments like this. “I guess we can let another stooge in,” I said.

  Gabriel and Luke busted out laughing. Gabriel ended up nearly choking, snorting from his nose.

  North started to roll his eyes but stopped and shook his head, a smirk forming. “You’re all ridiculous. So, I don’t need to be here?”

  “Actually, it’s good you’re here,” Luke said. “We were talking housing logistics.”

  North paused and then an eyebrow went up. “For what?”

  “Sang needs a house,” he said. He stood up partially and then stopped. “Wait, hang on. Sang, look that way.”

  I did instantly, looking at the wall as Luke stood.

  “Were you in there naked?” North asked, his deep voice edging on irritated.

  “We’re all naked underneath our clothing,” Luke said, and I sensed he reached for the robe I brought in. When I was sure he had it on, I turned my head.

  North’s mouth was agape, and he looked over at me. “You, too?”

  “I’ve got underwear on,” I said.

  He pushed a couple of fingers against the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. “You all put a sock on the door next time.”

  “It’s not that kind of meeting!” Gabriel said.

  “Come on,” Luke said, tugging North toward the door. “I’ll fill you in on what happened this morning while we go get lunch.”

  “You just had breakfast,” I said.

  “I’m in the mood for pickles for some reason,” Luke said.

  A Need for Confirmation

  Nathan

  Kota called ahead, saying he needed to park at the restaurant and take the long way around so his mother didn’t see him coming back.

  It was early afternoon by that time, and Nathan absentmindedly went about cleaning up the house while waiting on Kota to show up.

  He needed backup in the house tonight, just in case Danielle and Marie were going to trick him. So he prepared his dad’s room with a laptop and double-checked the cameras around his own house. He set up microphones in different spots as well.

  His phone rang just as he was on a ladder checking out a camera angle in the living room. He put the camera back into position in the vent and changed the app over from the camera view to answer the call on the phone.

  “Pretend you’re on the phone with me for a minute?” Silas whispered.

  “How’s it going?” Nathan said, happy to play along with whatever situation Silas needed him for. He hugged the top of the ladder, ready to stay up if it this was going to be short.

  Silas’s voice was distant for a moment. “Sure, yeah. It’s Sang. Sorry. Have to talk to her.” Shuffling footsteps. “Sorry,” he said more directly into the phone.

  It was hard to imagine big, tall Silas trying to weasel out of anything, but apparently he needed to break free from someone. “Is this school or work?”

  “Personal,” Silas said. “My father wants me to go with him on another job.”

  “You don’t normally back out of those.”

  “In Columbia.”

  “Oh,” Nathan said. The capital of South Carolina was a good drive, a couple of hours away. “It’s not that far.”

  “For two weeks.
”

  “Oh. ... Yeah, you probably want to back out.”

  “I told him I had school, and that wasn’t good enough. He’s more serious than I thought about me taking over the family business. He said I should be going to trade school if anything.”

  Nathan stepped down the ladder, landing on the carpet. He glanced around the room at the set up and testing he wasn’t quite done with, but he had a few hours, he guessed, before Danielle and Marie might show up. He leaned against the ladder as he spoke. “Okay, well, do you want to come over to get away?” He paused and then smirked. “And why am I Sang? Nathan isn’t good enough for him anymore?”

  “If it isn’t her, he’s less...forgiving when I say I’m busy. Only she wasn’t answering her phone. She’s over with Kota, isn’t she?”

  Nathan straightened in a jolt. “What?” He paused. “Wait...well, there was a thing this morning. She kind of ran out with Kota.” He didn’t want to explain it all now. “But she could have left without her phone.”

  There was a loud, booming voice in the background on Silas’s end. Silas groaned. “Yeah. I’ve got to go over to her...Look, I can’t do it. There’s too much going on here.”

  “Let me know if I need to come over,” Nathan said.

  There was a bit of back and forth between Silas and his father. His father was upset. Silas started out strong, but after a couple of minutes, Nathan could sense he was relenting.

  And then his father said, “Someone needs to take care of your brother when I’m gone.”

  “He’s in therapy,” Silas said.

  “And who pays for it?” Charlie asked. “And what about when he gets out?”

  “We’re already doing that,” Nathan finally said. “You can go if you’d like, but I think we need you here.” He paused as he considered what else he could say to bolster Silas’s resolve in living the life he wanted. “Listen, Sang needs you, okay? Not me. The real Sang. We had some stuff this morning. If you want to come over, I’ll tell you about it.” He smirked to the ceiling as he said the next line. “Unless I need to go over there myself. Do I have to wear a skirt for him to take me seriously? Because I’ll do it.”