**
Tissue crinkled under my butt and I tried to wrap the paper gown under me, but it was no use. The doctor came in, scrubbed her hands then told me to put my feet in the stirrups, which must be kept in the freezer, they felt so cold.
“I can’t believe I need an exam to get a ‘morning after’ pill.”
Marrying Michael may be out of my hands, but getting pregnant, remained mine to control. No way would I give birth to the “spawn of Satan.” Michael was an only child. I’d end the Barnes’s abusive blood line.
“It’s procedure, Miss Wilson.” Her mouth twisted funny when she touched my legs. “There’s some serious bruising here. Did Riley do this to you?
“God, this is a small town! No! Riley would never hurt a girl. He’s not like that.”
“Do you want to tell me what happened?”
“Nothing happened. Besides, I’m eighteen. Now, do I get my pill or not?”
“Yes, of course you do.” She scribbled something on a pad and gave it to me. “See the girl at the front desk.” She turned back before closing the door. “Taylor, tell someone.”
I slipped behind the screen to dress without answering.
**
Riley’s driveway appeared empty when I returned and I wondered if everyone in his family knew what happened, or at least Riley’s version. A line of pines shielded Riley’s house from view and Gram’s house sat far enough away, unless someone had high-powered binoculars, I wouldn’t be discovered.
I stole a pencil and some paper from the clinic to write Riley a note, or more like a set of instructions. I placed it under my cell phone on the floorboard by the gas pedal. I retrieved the pillowcase full of soiled laundry from the garbage can and shoved it under the passenger seat. Per Riley’s instructions, I tucked the keys in the side pocket of the door.
I debated whether to knock on the door and beg to see him one last time, but changed my mind. I’d already been gone too long. Michael would be out looking for me, or waiting impatiently for my return. Hopefully, I’d soften the blow, literally, by agreeing to follow him back to Boston. Maybe even move the wedding date up. No sense putting off the inevitable.
By the time I reached Grammy’s front door, I folded from sharp cramps. I doubted the pill worked that fast and when I did the math in my head, I realized I could have passed on the pill and embarrassing exam.
Michael sat fuming on the sofa. “Where the hell have you been?” he demanded. Grams wandered in from the dining room, surprise in her expression. She’d never had the privilege of seeing Michael’s evil side. Only his phony, charming personality.
“I went for a walk.”
“For two damn hours?”
“Yeah. For two damn hours! I needed to sort through stuff. Yesterday, was overwhelming, to say the least.”
Another wave of cramping hit. Stronger, catching my breath. “Shit. I’ve got to get to the bathroom.”
“Why?” Michael yelled after me.
“Because my period started!”
I heard his curse before the bathroom door shut.
Twenty-Four
REVELATIONS
Jaxson
I pulled the bill of my hat tight over my eyes and stared into the mirror above the bathroom sink. I was head-to-toe camouflage in my government issued gear. “Picture day.” Soon I’d be off to boot camp and my ankle shackle a thing of the past. The doorbell sounded in time with my foot hitting the last stair.
“I’ll get it,” I hollered to no one.
A tall, fairly good looking guy stood across from me. Crisp, pressed gray slacks, not jeans, and a black on black striped shirt. Not anyone from around these parts.
“Can I help you?”
“I’m looking for Riley Martin. Is he around?”
Something about his guy set my teeth on edge. He wasn’t a salesman. Door-to-door salesmen didn’t drive convertible Mercedes.
“Who are you?”
He extended his hand. The skin felt too soft and the handshake, limp. “Oh, forgive me. I’m Michael Barnes. Taylor Wilson’s fiancé. I know she’s friends with Riley, and well, she’s been gone a while and I thought perhaps she’d stopped by, or maybe he knows where I might find her?”
So this is Michael. The demon seed.
“Actually, Riley’s gone to work. I haven’t seen Taylor.
“Oh, well. Okay then. If she stops by, tell her Michael is looking for her.”
“Sure. Hey? You got a card or something? You know, in case she stops by I can call you, or if I hear from Riley?” Being a cop’s son paid off sometimes. Contact information would prove crucial in case Taylor or Riley ended up disappearing. We’d know how to contact the “main suspect.” Being a pompous idiot and not having a clue, he handed one over without questioning my motives.
“Thanks again, and, uh, thanks for what you guys are doing for our country. I appreciate you.”
Took me a minute to figure out it was my uniform that had him making assumptions, and probably why he handed over his card. His little sports car left an indelible black arc on the asphalt when he spun around and headed back from wherever he came from. Riley’s truck was gone, so technically, I hadn’t lied. I just knew I didn’t wanted this psycho finding my little brother or the so-called fiancé.
Riley walked through the patio slider, startling me. “I thought you were gone. Your truck is, so why aren’t you?”
“I borrowed the truck to Taylor. She supposed to have it back within the hour or I’m having her crazy ass arrested for stealing it.”
“Taylor? When did you see Taylor?”
“A while ago. Down by the pond. She left me a note to meet her on the milk order.” Riley poured the last of the coffee into a mug. “Is Mom or Dad here?”
“Nah, just me. Even the ‘squirt’ left. Why?”
“Got a minute? I could use your advice.”
“Now, I’m beyond curious. My advice? Must be something illegal.”
“No, but you’re more experienced with girls.”
I tried to not smile, but I couldn’t help it. My ego took a bow. “Fairly certain you’re right on that one.” I wet a paper towel and handed it him. “You’ve got blood all over your cheek.”
Riley wiped his face, then flipped a kitchen chair backwards and straddled the seat, hanging his hands off the top rung. He rolled his mug between his palms, staring out the sliding doors at the back yard.
“Let me guess. This is about Taylor?
He kept his gaze trained elsewhere. “Yeah. She, uh, claims Michael raped her. Said she had no idea he was coming and when he was done, he put the ring on her finger and told her they were engaged.”
I set my coffee on the table and drew a contemplative breath. “Do you believe her? I mean, rape is a pretty hefty accusation.”
Riley swallowed the last of his drink and put his cup next to mine. He scrubbed his fingers though his hair and scratched the back of his neck.
“I don’t know what I believe. She’s told me barely anything about Michael until today. I know they’ve been together for a long time, and well, she and I have kind of messed around, so I know she’s no ‘preacher’s daughter’. But on the other hand, she’s never lied to me. Not telling me isn’t the same as lying.
His arms hung from the hands clasped behind his neck. “I’m so confused, Jax. I do know that when I met the guy, I didn’t like him. He gave me the creeps.”
“Well, speaking of ‘creeps’, you had a visitor.” I laid Michael’s card on the table. “He’s looking for Taylor and when I told him I hadn’t seen her or you, he wasn’t happy. Left his signature mark on the street when he smoked the rubber off his expensive tires. Your truck was gone, so I assumed you were at work. Maybe you should tell Dad.”
Riley picked up the card and studied it. “I don’t know. I’ll think about it.” He put it inside his wallet. “I’ve got to get to Barney’s. Taylor better have my truck back by the time I change or shit will hit the fan if I’m late. I already took off earl
y yesterday when she….”
Riley stopped, pushing his fist against his mouth. “Shit! She must have known something was up, because whatever did happen, took place barely an hour from when she sent the text and I got to her house. He jumped up, tossing the chair sideways. Damn! What if she is telling the truth and I could have stopped it?”
I picked up the chair and leveled my eyes to his. “Don’t go down that road, Riley. You are not responsible for any mess Taylor’s gotten herself into. Don’t start feeling guilty because some chick had sex with the wrong guy. Not your choice or your consequence. Like you said. She’s known this jerk a long time. If he was capable of doing something like that, she would have known long before yesterday.”
Riley’s fingers nervously tapped the table. “Actually, she did have a clue.” He didn’t elaborate, just shoved his wallet in his back pocket and raced up the stairs.
When I opened the garage door, Riley’s truck sat parked in the usual place, but no sign of Taylor. The engine ticked, cooling off, so she’d brought it back within the last few minutes. I walked back inside.
“Riley, your truck’s back.” A faint thanks echoed back, but nothing more. “Not my problem,” I muttered before leaving to get my new “mug shot” taken.
Moving from one warzone to another.
Twenty-Five
EVIDENCES OF TRUTH
Riley
Dirk rolled into the driveway on his bike, skidding sideways just as I climbed into my truck. “Hey bring me home some fries, would ya?”
“I’ll see. You going to be all right for a bit? Jaxson had to go to town and I’ve got to get to work. Mom should be home anytime.”
“I’m not a baby.”
“Sure you are. I saw your secret stash of Pull-Ups in the bathroom.”
“You’re such a lying piece of crap, Riley!”
“Better ‘a lying piece of crap’ than a ‘baby’. Hey, I see you got the training wheels taken off your bike? Does that mean you don’t have to drink from a sippy cup any more either?”
“I hate you! You’re scum!”
“Whoa, easy with the names. I might get my ‘big boy feelers’ hurt.”
I ignored the raspberry he spit my direction and shut the door. The cab of my truck smelled sterile, a definite antiseptic odor tingeing my Mango & Coconut air freshener. The seat still held the hint of an indent from where Taylor sat, and my knees smashed the dash, reminding me of how petite…how perfectly she fit under my chin.
Damn.
My foot kicked something under the seat when I started the truck, and my heel slipped on some paper. It had been a while since I cleaned out my truck. I tossed the paper into the trash bag hanging off my cigarette lighter knob and rolled down my window to continue teasing Dirk.
“Get in the house and climb in your playpen until Mommy gets home.”
“You’re such a loser, Riley.”
“Later, baby.”
“Loser!” he yelled after me. I checked the rearview mirror and swore I saw a special single finger salute waving my direction. He was fast becoming one of “Martin’s finest.”
When I pulled into Barney’s parking lot, some punk in a low-rider truck that actually pulsed with heavy bass sounds, cut me off. I slammed on my brakes and leaned out my window.
“Watch where you’re going ass-wipe!” Another finger waved my direction. I’d like to break that finger off I thought, zipping into my parking space with barely two minutes to spare before I’d be late. When I climbed out, my foot kicked whatever had slid out from under my seat.
A cell phone. Taylor’s.
I flipped the face up and the wallpaper picture caused my throat to tighten. The two of us at the county fair, sharing cotton candy. Damn. I didn’t need that image in my head starting work. It was Friday and I offered to work a double for Andy, who, it turned out, had mono. It would be a long day and letting my feelings about Taylor tear me up, wouldn’t help.
I tossed the phone into the glove box. I’d return it to her grandmother tomorrow. Taylor and Michael would be on their way back to Boston by now, and Lydia could mail it to her. Like Jax said. I couldn’t feel responsible for Taylor’s messy life. The diamond on her finger changed everything.
Work proved a living hell. I swear everyone from high school came in. School started next week, so those who’d come home from summer vacation, camp, or just woke up since Spring, crowded the place. Barney and I worked side-by-side, with Cook and his daughter, Jenny, doing double time with the burgers and fries.
Two bowling lanes jammed with the pins suspended and I spent a lot of the night running behind and jiggling wires. Walking up one lane, I had the displeasure of running into Kaylee, who dropped her ball, narrowly missing my toe.
“Oops! Sorry.” She pressed her hand against my chest, letting it stay there a bit longer than comfortable. “Hi, Riley.”
“Be careful, Kaylee. Those things will break a foot.”
“Better than a heart.”
“Don’t start. I’ve got to get back to work.”
“Mind if I stick around until you get off?” She giggled, thinking I’d missed her innuendo. I hadn’t, and a vengeful thought flared in my mind. If I couldn’t have Taylor, why not have Kaylee? Maybe I’d feel better about Taylor screwing some other guy, if I was doing some myself.”
“Suit yourself. I work until ten. Just stay out of my way and don’t bug me.”
I walked off, ignoring her loud girlie squeal, which surely matched some stupid jumping fit. Maybe she’d get bored and go home with someone else. Maybe Taylor would walk through the door and tell me she dumped the asshole and beg my forgiveness.
Maybe I was just fucked up.
Ten o’clock came way too fast and I found Kaylee perched on the hood of my truck when I walked out.
“Damnit, Kaylee! Get off the hood. You’ll scratch the paint.”
She sat by the passenger door waiting. Sometimes I hated that my mother taught us manners. I opened the door for her.
“Thanks, babe,” she offered in voice dripping with sugar.
What the hell was I thinking taking Kaylee home? I thought I needed sex, that’s what. Hell, eighteen and still, technically, a virgin. I should be in a wax museum as the oldest teenage boy to have never experienced “the real deal.”
Kaylee’s hand found my knee, slowly working her way up my thigh. I kept my eyes on the road and made no effort to stop her. I took the turn off to the lake, to the same spot I’d spent many nights exploring Taylor’s curves.
Damn. Taylor. Just thinking her name hurt like hell. She had to be hundreds of miles closer to Boston by now, and hundreds of miles further from me. From us.
I rolled down the windows to let the night breeze blow through the cab. Kaylee didn’t wait for me to come around and open her door when I reached into the back seat and grabbed the quilt. I tossed her the blanket and checked the glove box, retrieving a couple of lozenges.
Kaylee lay back on the blanket, her hair fanned out behind her, the same way Taylor’s did. A halo of sexy silk around an angel’s face. I blinked to erase the image of Taylor and concentrated on the little vixen waiting, her chest heaving deep, sultry breaths. Riley Jr. twitched and already I hated myself. But the self-loathing soon dissipated when we started kissing.
Shit, she tasted good. Just what I needed. The lust burned through me like fire chasing gasoline. Every nerve ending in my body pulsated and I felt the familiar aching sensation pulling me to the edge of insanity.
Kaylee’s hands knew what to do. We were going down a well-traveled highway. I hissed when she squeezed too tight. “Shit Kaylee! Too hard!”
“Sorry! It’s just been….a while,” she murmured against my lips.
My hands went under her shirt and snapped her bra loose. Her jeans folded neatly at her knees, and my pants were pushed away seductively by Kaylee’s manicured toes.
Suddenly, I flew outside my body, watching this animal grab, taste, and take whatever he wanted from the inno
cent victim beneath him. I became a Michael.
“Damn!” I shrieked, flipping onto my back. When Kaylee moved to climb on top of me, misreading my loud declaration, I held her back.
“No! I can’t do this Kaylee. Not even to you.”
“Why? I want you to, please!” She lay her head on my chest and started crying. It wasn’t fair that girls could instantly turn on the water works and make a guy feel like crap. “What do you mean ‘not even to me’?”
“Kaylee…” I pulled her jeans up and patted her rear end. “Baby, we both know this isn’t going anywhere.”
She lifted her face, her mascara streaked cheeks shiny with tears. “You still hate me, don’t you?”
“No, I don’t. What you did with Jaxson is in the past. We can’t go back and change things.”
Fixing Kaylee’s and Jax’s mess didn’t even register on my priority list. If I could wave a magic wand to change anything, it would be me telling Barney to shove it when he wanted me to take Andy’s shift. Taylor and I would have gone on the picnic I planned to surprise her with down by the pond. We would have been gone when Prince Charming arrived in his sporty steed, and if life had gone according to plan, Taylor and I would have spent the night counting stars and making love until dawn. Our relationship would have been consummated, not theirs.
“Riley, I love you. I want you back.”
“I know, but I don’t want you back. I don’t love you, Kaylee and despite everything, you deserve better than this.”
I folded upright, zipping my pants and yanking my shirt over my head. Being part of the male species, I couldn’t help another slow look at the naked boobs staring at me.
“Get dressed, Kaylee. I’m going to ‘water a bush’, then take you home.”
Kaylee sobbed most of the way back to her house. I hated being the asshole hurting her, and I really didn’t mean it as payback, but she couldn’t see it any other way. The truck barely rolled to a stop in her driveway before she wrenched the door open and took off running for the house. First day of school should prove interesting. Shar would probably have my tires slashed by lunch.
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