Exposed Affections

by Rene Folsom

  Aiden’s hand caught my arm, right where Vic had gripped me tight. I winced and jerked away.

  “Stay, Julia,” he commanded. It wasn’t a kind request—it was a command that one would say to a dog when it misbehaved.

  “Why? So you can yell at me some more before even hearing me out? I will not be treated like a child, Aiden. Please, get your hand off me so I may leave,” I said sternly.

  “Fine!” he spat.

  Without putting up a fight, Aiden let go of my sore arm and allowed me to walk out the office door.

  As soon as I was outside, I took in several deep breaths, filling my lungs with the humid afternoon air. Bracing myself against a wall with my hands on my knees, I forced myself not to shed any tears.

  I didn’t want to call anyone and contemplated how to get home to my apartment. Damn. My apartment wasn’t safe, but it was the only place I could go.

  Picking up my pace, I decided to take the bus. I used to take the city bus before I got my car. It was far from convenient, but alas, it was available. Luckily, I could see a few students already waiting at the stop, which mean the next pickup was soon.

  Just as I was climbing the steps, and handing my money over to board the bus, my phone buzzed. It was Coda.

  Julia, Aiden is extremely upset about something. Either that, or I am feeling betrayed by a donut. He is not answering his cell. Does he have class right now? Are you able to check on him?

  Well, shit. I guess I should respond and let him know I was the cause and that I was no longer at the school. No reason for him to drive all the way out here for nothing.

  I am the one he is angry with. He feels betrayed by me. No need to come get me. I’m taking the bus.

  I couldn’t believe this. Just this morning everything was perfect. I knew things were too good to be true. I knew my bubble would burst at some point. I just didn’t realize it would be over something so stupid.

  My phone rang. And, of course, it was Coda. I didn’t have the strength to defend myself, so I quickly pushed it to voicemail.

  I felt the vibrations of text messages, but I didn’t care. When I heard my phone ring again, I quickly shut it off and stuck it back in my pocket.

  The rest of the bus ride was bumpy and long. I was thankful to be home—nervous, but thankful. I made sure things were locked up tight before I wallowed in my own world of self-pity.

  Plopping down on my bed, I thought back through today’s events… invigorating pool workout, mind-blowing double sex with two twin Gods, escorted to class with pride, solidity and confidence in all my classes, and then… mean men.

  Men. They were the reason my day went to shit. Then again, they were also the reason my day started out so wonderfully.

  How could he yell at me about something he knew I would never do? And without even letting me speak? He had never been so unreasonable before. Then again, I didn’t really know him all that well.

  Seriously, Julia. You’ve known the man for a week. It’s obvious his true colors are beginning to show.

  I sighed and curled into a ball on my bed. I didn’t have any tears… I don’t think my body had any left. I just sprawled there, numb. It might have been a bit dramatic, but I felt like I had been slapped across the face for no good reason and reprimanded like a puppy who soiled the carpet.

  Begrudgingly, sleep finally took hold of my body.

  The car is a mess. It’s not the same. Something is missing from my Daemon’s car. I can’t quite figure out what the problem is, but it’s not the same. There’s a huge truck in my way. I need to get past this truck. I need to get to Daemon. He needs me.

  I duck under the truck, but it seems like it goes on forever. I’m squished under this truck, trying to get to my brother on the other side. I squat really low to the ground and continue to search for him, but I can’t seem to get any closer to the other side.

  Just as I am about to give up and turn back, I see him. I see the car. Daemon is in the car. I quickly begin a faster pace through the wreckage.

  Wait? Wreckage? What happened?

  My head hurts. Everything is getting foggy. I reach my hands out, trying to push the fog away. But it just gets thicker and thicker.

  I know Daemon is in the car. I just need to get to him. I try to call out his name, but my voice won’t work. I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.

  Panic sets in. I want my brother. I want Daemon.

  Determination flows through my limbs, and I begin to force my way through the thick fog and wreckage. It seems like it takes years, but I finally reach the car. My brother’s car. But, the roof is missing. There is no roof.

  What happened to his roof?

  I get up next to the car, and I see him. At least, I think I see him. I try to scream for Daemon. I try with all my might to yell for him. But, I can’t see his face. I know he’s there. I see his hands still gripping the wheel. But, I can’t seem to find his face.

  Oh, my God. I can’t find Daemon. What am I going to do without him? How am I going to survive without my only friend in the world? He’s my entire world, my life, my blood, my big brother.

  I scream. I can hear my scream. I need Daemon to hear me.

  Bolting upright, I gasped for some much-needed air as I realized my own scream woke me. The nightmare about my brother and the accident flooded back into the forefront of my mind, making me sob while I wiped the sweat from my brow. I still remembered the pain I felt in my body and my heart. I still remembered the smell of the accident and how I was covered in Daemon’s blood. I remembered trying to find help and no one was there. I remembered the medical team finally arriving and how they refused to tend to Daemon. Of course, I knew then like I knew now, it was a lost cause. But, I felt so helpless, unable to get anyone to make it better. Make him better. I remembered my parents, devastated, and wishing it was me who took Daemon’s place.

  Looking at the clock, I realized I had about an hour before I was scheduled to work. I decided I didn’t feel up to being cheerful for anyone tonight. Powering my cell, I called Lib and asked if it was crucial for me to be there tonight.

  “Nah, it’s Monday. We’ll probably be dead tonight, Jules. Stay home, rest up, and I’ll call you if I get my ass handed to me,” she joked.

  I thanked her and quickly hung up without looking at the barrage of text messages and voicemails I ignored earlier.

  I stripped down to nothing and climbed into bed. I didn’t care that it was only six in the afternoon. I just wanted to shut out the world and forget.

  The night terrors were bad. Very bad. I woke up so many times that night that I eventually lost count. It had to have been at least five or six times, if not more.

  Even though I was in bed for more than twelve hours, it took all the strength I had to scrape myself up and drag my happy ass into the shower. The night terrors usually drained me. I was probably lucky if I managed four hours of sleep that night.

  As much as I despised going into the photography lab this morning, I had to get my project matted and mounted. I spent the entire class time yesterday cutting the mat board. Now mounting and framing was essential if I planned to have it done by Wednesday. Unfortunately, I left everything at school, knowing I would be unable to tote and store it in my car.

  A headache began to form, and I thought of taking something to relieve the pain. But, realizing I hadn’t eaten since Sunday night, I decided meds would just make my constant nausea worse.

  I stood under the blistering hot shower and focused on how I would handle the day. First, my phone would stay home. Second, I wouldn’t entertain Aiden’s attempts to get me alone. Third, I would go to work today… I needed to stay active in order to feel alive.

  Just as I pulled my sneakers on, someone knocked at the door, making me jump with surprise.

  Chapter 13

  “Do I have a big kick me sign on my forehead?”

  Looking through the peephole, I frowned. On the other side of the door stood Detective Gowan and another lanky guy lingerin
g behind him, waiting patiently for me to answer.

  Opening the door, I said, “Hi, detective. Everything okay?”

  “Miss Petersen. I’m actually a little displeased you’re here by yourself. I couldn’t get in touch with you on the phone, and Mr. Stone said he hadn’t seen you all evening.” He paused and scratched his head. “Are you alone?”

  “Well, not now, thanks to you. Come on in,” I said kindly as I welcomed the two men into my home while hiding my annoyance for a certain Stone.

  “Julia, this is Detective Meadows. He specializes in stalking and harassment cases.”

  “Nice to met you,” I said as I held out my hand.

  “Likewise, Julia. Detective Gowan has briefed me on everything you have been going through. I just want to offer my sympathies and give you my word that we’ll try to do everything in our power to keep you safe,” Detective Meadows said as he shook my hand with a firm grasp.

  “Thanks.”

  “Your lawyer called us with several new leads and also said he will be pushing your restraining order hearing up through the ranks rather quickly. So, your hearing is scheduled for first thing Thursday morning. All you have to do is show up and your lawyer will do the rest,” Meadows said.

  “When did you last talk with my lawyer?” I asked. I was worried Coda may not want to be involved anymore. I honestly wouldn’t blame him.

  “Uh, I believe he called again last night to give us the date of the hearing. We would like to be present to support you, if that is okay,” Meadows offered.

  I just nodded and gestured for them to come sit in the living room, feeling like a robot going through the motions of etiquette.

  Gowan spoke this time and said, “The reason we’re here is because both your boyfriend and your lawyer are concerned for your safety at this apartment, and frankly, I am as well.”

  My skin boiled. I couldn’t believe those two pussies called detectives in to babysit me.

  “Before you get upset, I have a few questions.” He paused, waiting for me to respond. I just nodded for him to continue, unsure I would be able to speak without sounding pissed at the world.

  “First, I’m only assuming they are brothers, considering they share the last name. Am I correct?”

  Odd question, but not difficult to answer. “Yes, they are twins.”

  “Okay, which brings me to my second question. I thought you had a place to stay until the restraining order was in place. What happened?”

  I sighed. Was this really the job of a detective to dig into someone’s life? Well, I guess it was. It just seemed odd.

  “It’s a long story, but I felt it best to give myself a little distance at the moment,” I said honestly, not giving anything away.

  “I can respect that. Is your phone broken? I think it would at least be wise to have some way to call for help if you needed to,” Gowan scolded.

  “No, I’m sorry. I shut it off to get some sleep. I’ll make sure to keep it on from here on out,” I promised.

  “That sounds good. Now, final question. Please don’t get defensive and just remember we are here to help, not judge,” Gowan assured.

  Well, that sounded like judgment right there. But, okay. I just looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

  “Where did the bruises come from, Julia?”

  His question caught me completely off guard because I hadn’t realized my arms were uncovered. I quickly concealed both biceps with my hands and looked down at my lap.

  “Please don’t think I am the type to allow such abusive men to rule my life. I honestly just want to be left alone. What happened yesterday has stunned me, and I don’t even know what to do with it, or how to explain it,” I said as I continued to stare at anything but the two intimidating men.

  “Like I said, Julia. We’re not here to judge, and we do not think you’re weak. The fact that you’re trying to get help and keep yourself safe shows me how strong you are. I just need to know if Rob has actually touched you. If he has, we can arrest him for assault.”

  I shook my head. “No, it wasn’t Rob. I probably would be a lot worse for wear if it was. But it’s a bit more embarrassing that I now have another male pursuer.”

  “Another guy abusing you?” Meadows spoke up with surprise.

  “I’m not sure I’d actually call it abuse because I barely know him. I had a date planned with him last week, but chose to call it off because I was interested in someone else. He took it bad, called me a few names, etcetera. It wasn’t until yesterday he approached me full of anger, which resulted in these,” I said as I patted my arms just below the bruises.

  “Have you told anyone about this, Julia?” Gowan asked.

  “It happened on campus at the college. One of my former professors saw him grab me and intervened. He did not start anything with the guy, but later asked me for his name and said he would report the incident. He suggested I do the same.”

  “Well, did you?” he asked.

  I shook my head and looked a little embarrassed, as I said, “No. Something else came up and I just came home.”

  As the two men looked at each other, I lost my tongue.

  “Do I just have a big kick me sign on my forehead, begging guys to do this to me? Guys that are mean and abusive seem to be drawn to me, yet the two men I adore the most end up being pushed away because my life is so full of drama. I’m so sick of it all.”

  I dug the heels of my palms into my eye sockets in an attempt to push the tears back inside.

  “Two men you adore… I can only assume you mean the Stone brothers, considering one said professor shouldn’t be near his student with a ten-foot pole, and the other said lawyer is offering his services pro-bono,” Gowan said with determination underlying his pseudo-nonchalant tone.

  “I doubt you’ve pushed them away considering they practically lit up my phone all night to get me to check up on you,” he added.

  I looked up at him and thought to myself, This guy has no idea…

  “Just because they are gentlemen and they want to make sure poor little Julianna is taken care of, doesn’t mean they haven’t been pushed away. Like you said, Professor Stone could lose his job over all this. The last thing he needs is to deal with someone that not only will jeopardize his career, but is also a royal pain in the ass when it comes to emotional baggage.”

  “I understand how you feel, Julia. I don’t blame you for keeping your distance, especially considering the situation is far from conventional. Is there anyone else you can stay with? At least until after the hearing on Thursday?” Meadows asked.

  “Maybe. I’ll call my friend and see,” I lied. I didn’t really plan on putting anyone out.

  “I also worry about you driving your car. There is nothing stopping him from tampering with it. Is there somewhere you need to be right now? Would you like a ride?” Cowan asked.

  “No, thank you. I plan to take the bus,” I lied again. I didn’t need police escorts everywhere.

  “Very well. Thursday, eight in the morning at the courthouse. Your lawyer should be in contact to brief you about the hearing,” Gowan added.

  “Thanks, detectives. I really do appreciate you checking up on me,” I said honestly.

  “Just doing our jobs, ma’am,” Meadows said, like he rehearsed the line several thousand times.

  After letting the detectives out, I waited about ten minutes before leaving. I didn’t want them catching me getting into my car.

  Chapter 14

  “My inhibitions flew out the window.”

  Things seemed to be working just fine on my way to the school. Paranoia was getting the best of everyone. My car was fine.

  I ducked into the photography lab and quickly assessed my surroundings. I didn’t see Aiden anywhere.

  Breathing a sigh of relief, I swiftly went to work on mounting and framing my prints. Since the mats were already cut, it didn’t take me long to finish.

  We used the small gallery off to the side of the main public gallery as our
staging area for grading and presentations. I quickly gathered all the prints I could carry at once and took them over to the private gallery. On my way back, I saw Aiden storm out the rear entrance of his office. Knowing he would probably be back soon, I quickly hustled the rest of my prints over to the gallery and began hanging my work.

  Seeing him, even from a distance, had my skin burning like fire. I wanted so badly to make him see, to make him understand… what? What did I want him to understand? That I wasn’t some nutcase that asked for all the negative attention? That all I wanted was him and Coda to love and care for me? That nothing else mattered?

  His opinion of me mattered more than anything. But, the blatant disapproval in his eyes yesterday made the tears threaten to submerse me and make me drown.

  No. No crying. Bury myself in work. That was what I needed to do.

  Now that my project was mounted, framed, and hung, I decided to leave campus. Yes, I really did need to work on my mural, but I couldn’t stand to be there any longer.

  My apartment felt safer than it had in almost a week. I’m not sure why, but I wasn’t worried.

  I decided now was the time to go through all my text messages, missed calls, and voicemails. I had over thirty text messages, which was utterly ridiculous. My voicemail box was completely full, and I couldn’t even count the amount of missed calls because, half the time, I had my phone shut off.

  Sighing, I dove into the voicemails first. Most of them were from Coda, two from Detective Gowan, one from Sid… but I was surprised there were none from Aiden.

  Why is that surprising, Julia? He doesn’t want to deal with your drama anymore.

  Coda’s messages started out with what-the-hells and what’s-going-ons. Then he started in with the tell-me-you-are-okays and I-need-to-hear-from-yous. Then his final message before he completely filled my voicemail box said one thing, and one thing only. I need you.

  He nearly broke my heart with those three words. Maybe he wasn’t going to side with Aiden. Maybe I drew the wrong conclusion by assuming he would side with his brother.