Dangerous Games

by Selene Chardou

  “He doesn’t have to make himself scarce, Mother. We are all grown ups. I do need to know that he respects my privacy and my decisions. I would slit my wrists before I’d sleep with him again. Nothing untoward will happen between us ever again. Not while I am upright and breathing,” I said as her vehicle was pulled around by a young guy from valet.

  “Goodnight, and I love you, my gorgeous daughter.” She kissed my cheek before she climbed into her expensive, 2013 black Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, and proceeded to drive off.

  When my Mini Cooper pulled up, I tipped the valet driver a fifty-dollar-bill and slid inside. I knew I should have been worried but at the same time what could I do?

  My mother had a way with convincing people everything was going to be all right and I believed her at that moment. Then again, how could I have fallen hook, line and sinker? It turned out she was a more consummate actress than I ever thought she could be, and that was the moment when my world came undone right before my eyes.

  My Ulysse Nardin buzzed on the bedside table, and I kept hoping it would stop ringing; I was so very tired and wanted nothing other than a good night’s rest.

  It didn’t.

  I turned over to see it was three twenty-one in the morning and by the looks of the world still dark and foreboding outside.

  I grabbed the phone and pressed answer. “Hello?”

  “Is this Ms. Elvira Sandstrom, daughter of Athena Donahue Fournier?”

  “Yes,” I replied with closed eyes.

  “Hello, this is Ruth Atwater—your mother’s publicist—and I am calling from Cedars-Sinai Hospital. I would like to let you know your mother is in ICU. She was brought in after her car hit an embankment on the Pacific Coast Highway. This wasn’t the closest hospital but her agent, and I insisted her insurance specifies she is brought here in case of an emergency.”

  “Ruth, what happened?” I inquired out loud as my heart thudded in my chest so fast, my ribs hurt.

  “Turns out that hubby and her got into a massive argument and she left the house. She wasn’t in any shape to drive and was far from sober. I’m only too happy she didn’t injure anyone. That would have been a mess given the fact her blood alcohol level was way over the California state legal limit for driving a motor vehicle of any kind.”

  “Where’s Etienne?”

  “He’s here at the hospital and you should be too.”

  “I’m leaving right now,” I said and hung up the phone.

  Finn managed to catch a red-eye to Los Angeles and although it meant getting in at the ungodly hour of six in the morning, he caught a taxi, took a shower and dressed. His body functioned somewhere between wired and tired but he couldn’t wait to see Evie again.

  The trip had been an absolute surprise. He and Brandon had finally managed to shut things down with the exception of Rich. They had an ongoing deal to supply his drugs but they’d also made sure they wouldn’t be hearing from him for a while. The man had a lot of stock, most of it hidden within the actual walls of the club and way past the point to where even if the police raided the place, it was unlikely their dogs would be able to sniff out the scent.

  Finally, he and Brandon had parted ways at Boston Logan International Airport. His best friend was taking his old lady, Fiona, to Ireland on a surprise vacation, and he had decided to join his wonderful lady in the City of Angels.

  After his shower and a venti coffee with extra cream and extra sugar from Starbucks, he drove over to Monika and Dylan’s. Evie had told him she’d been staying with them for a while but he never understood why. She was loath to tell him much of anything that was going on in her personal life but he knew they’d be able to catch up as soon as they were face-to-face.

  Not that he could blame her. She was lonely and tired of being patient waiting around for him. That much was certain but after the few initial skirmishes, there had been nothing from her on the subject in the past month. If he didn’t know any better, it was almost as if she’d given him a free pass, and as great of a situation as that seemed, he knew he didn’t deserve it.

  Of course her bitching and moaning had proven she cared about what he was doing, and the fact he wasn’t with her in L.A. Once Evie stopped broaching the subject, he knew something was wrong but if he was honest with himself, he hadn’t pushed her about it because he wasn’t sure he wanted to know.

  Monika and Dylan were up and promptly answered the door after just one knock.

  Monika embraced him tightly before she stepped back. “Aren’t you a vision? I know Evie would be delighted to see you right at this moment because she needs you—now more than ever.”

  They separated and he followed her inside. She looked far too casual, dressed in a pair of black jeggings, and an oversized UCLA sweatshirt. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a neat ponytail and she wore a black pair of ballet flats.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Evie went out with Athena last night—”

  “Oh Jesus, Mary, and Joseph—what the hell happened? Where is she?” Finn wondered out loud as his voice slowly rose.

  “She’s not here and it’s not what you think. I spoke to her before she went to bed, and everything was fine between Athena and her. They had a lovely dinner at Spago and that was it. She came home, we talked a bit and then she went to bed. Ruth, Athena’s publicist, called her at three-thirty this morning, and told her Athena was in ICU at Cedars-Sinai. Apparently things didn’t go too well between Athena and Etienne but we don’t know all the facts yet. All we know is it’s touch and go…and Evie might lose her mother.”

  I sat the allotted twenty feet away from anywhere near a door and smoked a cigarette in silence. I had officially quit once I’d gotten back to L.A. but now it was a case between whether my mother would live or die, re-acquiring my nicotine habit wasn’t exactly priority number one of issues that could destroy me beyond repair.

  I knew I looked like shit. I’d barely had time to jump in the shower before I quickly got out, slipped on a pair of black Juicy Couture sweats and a white Juicy Couture tee-shirt before I raced to the hospital in my Mini.

  Etienne was there of course and the doctors filled me in. The situation with my mother was touch and go; it could be for a few hours, days or weeks—they couldn’t be certain. I cried on Ruth’s shoulder as they told me the news though I avoided my stepfather like the plague.

  Finally, I decided enough was enough. I picked up my phone and called my father. He might no longer be in love with my mother but she was his first wife and the mother of his child. He might want to know she might not have very long to live. I knew after I finished speaking with my father, Finn would be the next person on my list.

  My father’s phone rang several times before a female voice answered.

  “Hello, Artemis, it’s Evie. Is my Dad at home?” I greeted without a hint of sarcasm in my voice.

  “Evie, it’s been a while. Sure, ‘old on a tick, I’ll get ‘em for ya!” she said in a thick Cockney accent that grated on my nerves in the worst way.

  Moments later, my father lifted the receiver and he answered with a regal, “Hello, Evie. How was your birthday? I hope the present you picked out from Hermès was adequate for the occasion?”

  “Yes, Papa, it was.” I dragged on my cigarette and allowed the smoke to tumble from my mouth in a stream as I continued, “Mom’s had an accident and she’s at Cedars-Sinai in ICU. They don’t know how long she’s got so I really think you and Artemis need to get the private jet gassed, and you need to make a much needed appearance here in L.A. I hope you get here in time…we might be talking about arrangements for her funeral when you finally arrive for all I know.”

  “Stop being so melodramatic, Evie. For God’s sake, if there is anyone who could kick death in its ass, that person is your mother. She isn’t going to go down without a fight—that I can absolutely guarantee.”

  I finished my cigarette and disposed of it in the trash receptacle before I looked up and imagined myself to be hallucinating.
>
  Finn strode right toward me.

  My mouth opened and closed as my father continued to drone on in my ear from the other side of the world.

  “Look, Dad, I have to go but if you need any more additional information, Ruth told me you should contact her.”

  “Believe me, I will. Love you, sweetheart.”

  “Love you. Bye.” I quickly ended my phone call, and ran to Finn before he placed his arms around my waist and embraced me.

  We separated only further enough to look into one another’s eyes. One of his hands still held me by the waist possessively, and the heat from his body filled mine with reassurance and warmth.

  “How did you…when did you come?”

  “It was supposed to be a surprise though this isn’t exactly what I had in mind. What happened?” he questioned, his voice sincere yet filled with worry.

  “My mom and I had a perfectly satisfying dinner at Spago but we discussed some things, and she assured me she had it handled. I guess it didn’t go like she thought. She crawled into her sports car drunk and crashed into an embankment. All of this is my fault you know,” I explained before the tears began to fall again.

  “Why would you say something like that?” Finn wondered as I grabbed a few Kleenexes from my Birkin handbag and dried my eyes.

  “What we discussed at dinner…and the incident between Etienne and I…my mother never gave him permission for anything…he was just bluffing. She didn’t want him to touch me at all.”

  Finn stepped back as his crystal blue eyes glared at me in an accusatory fashion. “What are you talking about, Evie?”

  “I slept with Etienne…about a month ago. It was awful and I feel terrible it happened at all. I couldn’t tell you on the phone because I thought that would be the worst way for you to find out. I have been so broken up about the whole incident I haven’t been able to stay at the guesthouse.”

  I watched as his gorgeous eyes went dark as he took yet another step away from me like I was suddenly a leper. “I’m sorry. I guess I am a little thrown but when did this happen?”

  “I told you almost a month ago.”

  He ran his hands through his hair and looked down before his eyes met mine again. “I can’t believe you couldn’t tell me this over the phone. All those times we spoke and…you never said anything. Did you plan to tell me at all?”

  My attitude changed as well. “I didn’t think it was appropriate to tell you over the phone but if it would have prevented this attitude you have towards me then I would have told you.”

  “I can’t deal with this right now—”

  “Now wait a minute!” I exclaimed in anger as I grabbed his left forearm and held him in a death grip. “We aren’t even a full fledged couple again because I wasn’t ready for it before you left but I am…now. I don’t love Etienne and I won’t have anything else to do with him. Please don’t do this to me now. I need you—more than I have ever needed you in my life. Don’t abandon me for God’s sake, I am begging you!”

  Finn snatched his arm from my grasp. “I told you I can’t do this with you right now. I am so disgusted. How could you profess to love me, and allow another man to touch you? Don’t give me some bullshit about you being lonely because I missed you more than you could ever know, and I managed to stay faithful.”

  He began to walk away, paused and turned back to me. “I know you wanted to go there, and you planned it the whole time, no matter who got hurt in the process. I am beginning to feel like you don’t love anyone as much as you love yourself. What you did to me proves it if nothing else does. Don’t call me or attempt to contact me. If I decide to forgive you, it will be on my terms, not yours.”

  I watched as he walked away from me, and I began to sob again. Not just quietly but stomach-quenching, aching cries that caused me to seek out a bench to sit down. I grabbed more Kleenex and blew my nose as the tears continued to stream down my face.

  What had I done and most importantly, was our relationship still salvageable at all?

  Finn climbed into his Mustang. He still couldn’t believe what Evie had told him and for the life of him, he had no idea why he was taking it so badly. She’d made a mistake but she’d also changed for the better. She really did seem like she was ready, willing, and able to dedicate herself to him.

  Why had he treated her so cruelly? Without an ounce of sympathy if that is what he truly believed? Perhaps it was because this time she would have to prove to him she was worth fighting for; he couldn’t keep trying to convince her.

  Her tears tore at his heart in a painful way he couldn’t quite understand but he also knew deep down he was doing the right thing. His timing sucked because her mother was in the hospital but like she didn’t think it would be a good idea to tell him over the phone. Her feelings were not his concern at the moment despite the amount of grief she was going through.

  She’d made her bed, and with the way he felt, she could lay in it too. He knew she was in love with him but she needed to truly believe that. Their relationship could no longer be had strictly according to her terms. She would have to put on her big girl panties, and become the woman he knew she was capable of being but that would only happen if he made her suffer.

  Every choice a person made in life had consequences, and though Finn knew many thought he had taken the easy way out with dealing drugs, it was fast money but drug dealers didn’t have long shelf lives, and usually died way before their time.

  He and Brandon had discussed it. Since Rich refused to trust any other dope runners, they would continue to supply him only. This seemed like a hardship but it wasn’t. He only had to make a trip back east several times per year, and that was it.

  No muss, no fuss.

  He knew without a doubt Evie might give him somewhat of a hard time but she had met the guy. She had to know it was in his nature to guard what he thought belonged to him, and for a very long time, Rich regarded Brandon and Finn as “his.”

  Finn immediately drove back to his apartment and promptly aired it out before he managed to take a shower, dress casually in a pair of black stovepipe jeans, a Marilyn Manson concert tee-shirt and a pair of black Converse with white socks hidden underneath his pants legs.

  Afterwards, he stopped by Monika and Dylan’s again, and somehow knew Evie wouldn’t be there. Monika busied herself by getting ready for her afternoon classes while Finn aggressively questioned Dylan on how much he knew about what was going on with Evie.

  “Listen, man,” Dylan began in a sober voice, “she told us what happened but she was all broken up about it. The man took advantage, and she is the one who is truly in pain right now, not you. Why can’t you give her another chance? It happened once, and it was a mistake. Aren’t we allowed to make mistakes or must we be as perfect as you?”

  “You know I am far from perfect, Dylan, but what I am supposed to think? She’s gonna seek out an itch every time she needs a scratch? I need to believe I can depend on her—”

  “And you can!” Monika exclaimed as she walked into the living room. “You have no idea what it was like for her when you were gone. She fell apart and that bastard manipulated her. I found her huddled in bed, and if I didn’t know any better or she hadn’t convinced me—barely—that what they had was consensual, I would have called the police and had his ass arrested. He did a number on her and all she knew was she never wanted it to happen again!”

  She stalked toward him and stood over him, her hands set on her slender waist. “You, Finbar Reilly—of all the people in the world—should be the first to be able to forgive her for what she did. Yeah, she didn’t want you to know over the phone. Is that such a big fucking deal? She knew you would freak out, and if it were up to me, she never would disclosed it to you at all. But she also remembered what you did to her, and she believed if she could forgive you for that then you would do the same.”

  “What are you talking about?” he shouted back.

  “The blowjob incident at Trevor’s house—does that ring a
bell? Yeah, she told Dylan and I about that. If you could humiliate her like that then why can’t you forgive her? You know how much she has been embarrassed by the incident between Etienne and her already. Give her another chance or so help me God, I will find a way to end you.”

  “You’re bluffing—”

  “You think so? Well just go ahead and try me. I only know some of the most influential people in this lousy town and…oh yeah, I’m Hollywood royalty—Evie is my best friend. I will make the name Finbar Reilly mud, and if you have any designs about reviving your drug business here, which would be quite lucrative, I will make sure you won’t be able to get product let alone a clientele. So you just go ahead and try me. Forgive Evie or you might as well leave town now because she doesn’t need to be reminded of your miserable face if you refuse to be with her.”

  Finn sat back and knew he had no choice. He had planned to forgive her but it was fun to watch Evie stir in her own juices for a while. Unfortunately, Monika had forced his hand, and he had a feeling he would have to act sooner rather than later.

  She’d proven a formidable enemy to anyone who did Evie wrong, and that was a tough pill for even him to swallow.

  Although my mother was in the hospital, I still kept up my school obligations and did everything that was expected of me when I wasn’t spending every other waking moment by her bedside.

  The various operations had gone well especially since she’d cracked several thoracic vertebrae bones, broke the femur in her left leg along with her right ulna and had a hairline fracture to her left wrist.