by Tenaya Jayne
He hung his head, tears burning his eyes. “Did I know her?”
“Yeah, Trish. You went out with her.”
A stream of obscenities came pouring out of him. “I don’t get this! She killed herself like Selena?”
“No. She was murdered. It was all staged. Someone is trying to frame you. It’s good you were out with Melina last night. The murder happened while you were in public. I think it’s important you keep that up. You need to be seen. And you need to act like nothing is wrong.”
“You mean I need to act like a dick.”
“Yeah. Redge is keeping news of the dead girl hushed up.”
“I don’t feel well enough to go out and play lothario. Look at me.”
She pursed her lips. “You have a point there. Here.” She held her wrist next to his mouth. “Drink my blood.”
He frowned. He’d never drunk his sister’s blood. “Um…why?”
“I can’t stop what Erin is doing to you, but I can give you the strength to get through today. Trust me. My blood will fix you up.”
He managed a weak smirk. “Cause you’re so awesome? The elixir of life flows in your veins?”
“Damn straight. Just drink. Not much, or it will go from being good for you to damaging.”
He bit into her wrist, her blood filling his mouth. He swallowed, his eyes bugging. “That is all kinds of wrong!” he exclaimed. Lightning raced through his body. He’d never felt stronger or healthier. Only one thing felt better…Connecting with Erin. “So not fair. I wish I just had some of what makes you…so awesomely freaky. Geez, Tesla. I feel like I could take on the world.”
“Good. Cause you kinda have to now. You have a murderer trying to frame you and a vengeful mate.”
He paced for a moment, looking at the floor. “Do I really have to go out tonight? I just want to be with Erin.”
“What does Mom always say?”
He huffed. “What you want is irrelevant.”
“If this story about Trish comes out, we’ll have to shift gears. You’ll have to make a public statement. If that happens, you need to convince Erin to make your status public. She could protect you, just by standing beside you.”
“She won’t. And I am not asking.”
Tesla shook her head. “I’ll have to repeat myself. Pull your head out of your ass.”
“Thanks,” he said acidly.
“I’m going. Don’t tell anyone about Trish.”
“What about Mel?” he asked.
“She knows. I called her before I came here. I’m sure she’ll be here later to play girlfriend again tonight. You really don’t deserve her.”
“I know it. I’m going to have to get her a really big gift or something…Thanks for the drink.”
“Sure. Let me know if I can do anything. You can come stay at my house if you want.”
“I appreciate it, but I’d rather suffer alone.”
She gave him a quick hug, tore open the air, and was gone. Alone, he tried to think clearly. Tried. It wasn’t working, but at least he wasn’t out of his head, writhing in pain. The pain was still there, oddly scratching beneath the surface. Thinking about what the night was going to have to be like, he decided he needed to talk to Erin. He messaged her.
I need to talk to you. It’s important.
It will have to wait till tonight. I’m on my way to see Jaris.
He ground his teeth as he typed. Something bad has happened. Because of it, I have to go out tonight and act the way everyone expects. I don’t want to. It’s not real.
That makes no sense.
It would if you’d let me talk to you.
Sorry. Jaris is more important than your trivial issue you want to try and manipulate me with.
He narrowed his eyes at her message and imagined slapping her ass. The mental image boosted his mood.
I’ll be out with Melina tonight…unless you’d rather be beside me.
He stared at his watch. It took her a while to respond. Too long really. Was she thinking it over?
Nope. I’ll meet you at your house for our appointment. That’s it…You been feeling me today?
Yes.
How does it feel?
Like shit. How does it make you feel, Erin? You enjoying what you’re doing to me?
Very much.
You’re lying.
He waited. It took her too long again to respond.
Don’t message me again today. I’ll see you tonight.
He smirked. You can’t block me, baby. It was time to move on her again. If she was going to see her chump boyfriend, she wasn’t going to do it with her head clear of him.
Your hair…like gold burning flame…brands me forever.
Stop it.
I want you, Erin…I’ll always want you. Even with a knife in your hand.
She didn’t respond. He smiled. Gottcha.
A few minutes later, she made him pay. Jaris was all over her. Gah, he wanted to die. The burning was blistering, but it was nothing to the rage he felt. Erin was his. Even if it was only for a few more days.
His anger mixed with sorrow. No, she wasn’t his, despite their connection. She wasn’t his, and she never would be. He focused on his breathing. The burning stopped abruptly.
He waited for it to start again. Nothing. Remorse hit him in the chest. It was hers. She was sorry. He jumped at the opportunity and messaged her again.
It doesn’t have to be like this.
Erin pulled into herself and read his message. Tears slid down her cheeks. Jaris knocked on the door she’d locked.
“I’m sorry,” she called. “Please just leave me alone for a few minutes.”
All day, she’d been after Maddox. Trying everything she could think of to hurt him and hating herself every second for it. She’d never sought to hurt anyone or anything on purpose. And yet, that was all that consumed her now. How could she hurt him more? And she was using Jaris at the same time to do it. But what would it say to Maddox if she stopped now? He would win. She couldn’t let him win. After everything he’d done…it was up to her to make him pay. Why wasn’t this job given to someone stronger?
Her thoughts and feelings went to war.
She splashed water on her face, her heart twisting with shame. She knew Maddox would be able to feel it. Her time with him last night came back into her head. He really could have coerced her into bed, easily. He knew it, but he didn’t do it. He didn’t want her to break it off. Why? Why would he want to be tied down to one woman at all?
She thought about the blonde, Melina. Her ego reeled back like it had been bitch slapped. There was no way she measured up to Melina. Not only was she gorgeous, she exuded a strong sense of self. Erin wasn’t anything like that. She could understand why he would want Melina. She couldn’t understand why he would want her. It had to be the connection and nothing more that made him say things.
The rain…and your perfect skin…under my hands.
Her heart trembled as she thought about his words last night. She’d never be able to forget them. She wasn’t equipped to fight against him. She was just another stupid girl. Her heart and ego sank together. Her watch pinged again.
Erin…I don’t know why you’re feeling this, but I wish you weren’t. I don’t want you to feel like this. Not ever. No matter what you do to me.
She winced. Yep. Just another stupid girl.
Leave me alone.
She waited. He didn’t respond. She sighed, pushed her long hair back away from her face, and unlocked the door. Jaris stood there, waiting.
“Oh, sweetheart.” He pulled her into his arms.
She buried her face in his shoulder and cried.
“What’s that bastard doing to you?”
“Nothing,” she sniffed. “It’s me. I’m striking at him.”
“I thought that’s what you wanted.”
“It is. It was. I don’t know. The reality is uglier than the idea.”
“Ugly?” his voice took on an edge she’d never heard from him before. “How
ugly were Selena’s cut wrists?”
She shuddered.
“That’s what I thought.” He pushed. “Put some steel in your spine.”
A chill swept through her. “Jaris…I just…”
“Maybe you weren’t as good of a friend to her as you’ve claimed…He’s getting into your head. You can’t listen to anything he says. It’s what he does, Erin. You know that. Don’t wind up like Selena, or any of the rest of his throwaways. Don’t listen to his lies.”
She nodded. “Yeah. You’re right.”
She spent the rest of the day with Jaris, but she couldn’t stand to let him kiss her again. It hurt too much, and all the pain she’d been heaping on Maddox now pushed back on her, sinking an ache down into her bones. The pain spread madness through her mind. She closed her eyes and saw Maddox. I want to touch you. I want the rain. I want the world to go away. Nothing but you and me and no hate in-between. My heart living in yours and yours in mine. Destined. Who am I to know better than destiny?
She shook herself. No! No! No! Stop it. Just hold strong for a few more days. Then you can walk away and never look back. Her watch pinged. She took a deep breath before reading his message.
I’ll be at the Main Street Club in Paradigm by dark. Come. I want to dance with you.
What about Melina?
She will be there, but I don’t want Melina. I want you.
“What do you think?” she asked Jaris, showing him Maddox’s request.
He snickered. “Idiot.” Then his eyes lit up. “Let’s go! You and me. This is the perfect set up. You can humiliate him publicly.”
Erin cringed inside. “I don’t know. What would we do?”
“You could tease him. String him along. Let everyone see how gone he is over you, and then you can make a scene. Tell him off. Make fun of him. Let everyone see.”
“I don’t like to be the center of attention.”
“He does. You can hit him right where it will hurt the most, in his inflated ego…You’ll need something killer to wear. Like a little black dress. Something like that.”
“I don’t have anything like that.”
He looked out the windows at the sky. We’ve got a few hours before it gets dark. Let’s go shopping and grab dinner.”
“I’m broke, Jaris.”
“My treat. Come on. Let’s go.”
It was the most uncomfortable time Erin could remember ever having. Every fiber of her being pulled away from the thought of what she was planning on doing. Yet here she was trying on a black slip of a dress with cutouts at the waist and a slit so high up one leg it was lewd. It wasn’t that expensive, but still…Jaris was paying for this. Everything felt wrong.
She stepped out of the dressing room, her cheeks burning. He didn’t seem to notice. Instead, he grabbed her and kissed her hard on the mouth, holding her a little too intimately. Her skin burned under his touch. She pulled away, feeling dirty.
“Sorry,” he said. “You in that dress…made me lose my head. It’s perfect. You’re a goddess, Erin.”
“It’s almost dark. I need a few other things, and I’ll be ready. Just a few minutes.”
He just nodded like he would have agreed to anything. She grabbed a pair of black stilettos and a gold bangle for her wrist to finish her look. She headed to the beauty counter. She sprayed some stuff in her hair, teased out some curls with her fingers, and put on a true red lip color from the samples. She turned to Jaris. He stared at her like he’d been bashed over the head.
“I’ll pay you back for all this. Promise.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
The night was pleasantly warm as they walked down the streets of Paradigm. Everyone they passed looked at her. She felt their eyes follow her. If her stomach wasn’t squirming, she might have enjoyed it. She tried to hold her head up and exude confidence and indifference. Jaris held her arm possessively. He seemed ecstatic, as if her being on his arm made him the emperor or something.
She heard the music of the club the closer they came. What am I doing? I don’t want to do this. How do I stop it? She pinched her eyes shut for a second. This is no big deal. It’s just a little salt in the wound. Think of Selena. Remember her wrists. Her anger surfaced again. She embraced it like an old friend. She needed it now.
Thirteen
Mel sat on the floor painting her toenails a bright red to match her dress, humming along to whatever she was playing in her earbuds. Maddox scowled at his closet. He didn’t want to look too overdressed, in case Erin showed up. She wasn’t going to. But in case. He wanted to be able to breathe. And he was fantasizing about dancing with her. If only she would. It was a fantasy. She wasn’t going to show, and if by some miracle she did, she wouldn’t dance with him.
He put on a black suit jacket over his jeans, leaving his collar casually unbuttoned. He felt stupid as he fixed his hair, remembering his dad fluffing it on top the last time he spoke to him. Tonight was about nothing but protecting his family’s reputation and keeping up his persona to aid Redge in his investigation. Secure your alibi. Keep things status quo…dance with your life mate, if only.
“So?” he said loudly to Mel to get her attention.
She pulled her earbuds out. “Huh?”
“Do I look, normal?”
She chuckled. “You mean do you look like a rich prick?”
“Yeah.”
She winked. “Spot on, M…Just kidding. You look fine. No one’s going to look at you and go, hey, he’s a killer! Or he’s found his destined life mate!”
“It’ll have to do, then. Are you ready to go?”
“Almost. Do I look like your hot date?”
“You’re a bombshell. But you already know that, don’t you?”
She smirked. “I know.” She looked at the new watch he’d given her. “I love this thing, M. It’s not as feminine as Erin’s, but it’s still very pretty. You’re lucky you got me something for my trouble tonight. Especially since Kendrick is going to be there.” She shuddered. “I will stomp him to death with my high heels if he gets handsy with me. Don’t try to stop me either.”
“Hey, no means no, love…I uh…asked Erin to come tonight.”
“Do you expect her to show?”
“No. I just wanted you to know, in case.”
“If she shows, will you trust me again? Follow my lead?” Mel asked.
“I will do my best.”
“Good. I won’t badger you for drinking, so long as you don’t go so far as to pass out or vomit.”
He chuckled. “Thanks. I really want to drink. This was one of the worst days I’ve ever had.”
He wrapped his arm around her waist and opened a portal for them to Paradigm. It dumped them out in the main square, thirty feet from the club. They were spotted almost immediately and swarmed by people taking their picture and asking questions.
Maddox kept his hand around Melina. She smiled smugly at them all and leaned suggestively against him. The same question was asked by numerous people at once. “Is she your girlfriend, Maddox? Are you a thing? You’ve been out together before. Is it serious?”
He just smiled and walked Mel into the club. People parted for them. Kendrick waved from the back, at the VIP table. Maddox felt Mel stiffen next to him as they walked over to Kendrick, and her smile grew fixed, her eyes cold. Kendrick put his fist out. Maddox bumped it with his own and slid into the oversized booth.
“What’s your poison tonight?” Kendrick asked. “This place is so overrated. They stick only to the legal stuff.”
“That’s fine. Nothing strong tonight.”
“What about you, Melina?” Kendrick leaned close to her, smiling.
“I’m not drinking tonight.”
“That’s a shame,” he turned to Maddox. “So, where’s Mystery Girl?”
He shrugged. “She might show. But this isn’t really her scene. And her name is Erin.”
“You still claiming exclusivity?”
Maddox gave him a warning look.
/> Kendrick held his hands up. “Hey, just wondering since you came in here with Melina on your arm. Mystery Girl doesn’t mind that?”
“Erin,” Maddox said through his clenched teeth.
Mel squeezed his arm under the table. He looked at her. “I’m going to get you a drink, M. I’ll be right back.”