Dark Secrets Box Set

by Angela M Hudson

  I nodded, feeling pretty awkward.

  “So, how’s David?” she asked. “Have you two run up a huge phone bill yet?”

  “I uh… I actually haven’t spoken to him since he left.”

  “Why’s that? Has he lost his phone again?” She grinned, poised for a laugh.

  “Um, no.” My jaw tightened to hold back the quivering lip. “We broke up, actually.”

  “What?” she screeched, and a few kids nearby turned to look at us. “What do you mean? Why?”

  “He… he wasn’t really going on holiday when he left, Em. He… was moving away. Permanently.”

  Her face contorted into an illustration of her thoughts. “But… he didn’t even say goodbye.”

  “I know. He hates goodbyes,” I lied.

  “But, he was my friend!”

  Mr. B glanced up from his desk inside the classroom.

  Emily cleared her throat, blinking back tears. “He wouldn’t just leave without saying goodbye.”

  “I’m sorry, Em. He did.”

  Her lip trembled, her gaze shifting sideways to make sure no one could see her tears. “But… I knew him longer than you. Why would he just… that’s so mean.”

  “And you’re surprised? You know what he’s like.”

  “Yes.” She scowled at me, like this was my fault. “But he was never mean to me, Ara—never intentionally, anyway.”

  “Well, I don’t think he left to be mean, Emily.”

  “Why did he leave? Did he tell you?”

  I bit my teeth together and shook my head, angry with him for doing this. He said he avoided goodbyes to avoid questions being posed, but he was happy to leave everyone else to pick up his pieces. “His uncle got a call to move, and David had to go with him.”

  “His uncle?” She frowned. “David doesn’t live with his uncle anymore.”

  I was taken aback by that. “How do you know? Did you ever even go over to his house?”

  “House? Ara, he lives in an apartment.”

  My stomach dropped through my legs and onto the floor. “So you went there?”

  “Of course I did.”

  “Oh. Um.” Ouch. “Well, I’m sorry he didn’t say goodbye, Em. Maybe he’ll call you or something.”

  She looked down at her books, folding her bottom lip over her top one, her eyes awash with thought. “How are you coping then?”

  “Me? Fine.”

  She smiled, her eyes glassy. “Liar.”

  I laughed once. “No, really, I knew this was coming, so I’m okay.”

  “How long have you known?”

  I shrugged.

  “Did you know at the sleepover?”

  “Mm-hm.”

  “Oh.” Em nodded. “So, that’s what you meant when you said you weren’t planning to marry him?”

  I nodded.

  “I’m sorry, Ara.”

  “I’m okay.”

  “Ara, I’m your best friend. You don’t have to be strong around me.”

  Funny thing was, she had become my best friend, and I knew I could tell her about David—and she’d understand. “Thanks, Emily. But I really am okay.”

  “Did he say where he was even going?”

  “No. Only that he won’t be back. That’s why we broke up.”

  I could see the thoughts flickering across her brow, in her eyes and over her lip, changing, forming into questions. “Why didn’t you go with him? I mean, if I loved someone as much as you loved David, I would’ve just jumped in his suitcase.”

  I laughed. “Um, I didn’t really want to, I guess.”

  “Why?”

  “He… he wants a kind of life that I… I dunno”—I shrugged—“we want different things.”

  “Like?”

  I swallowed. “Well, I want a family one day, and he—”

  “He?”

  “He wants a career in…” Punishing naughty vampires. “Politics. He can’t have distractions, like a family.” Or food he’s in love with.

  “Kids?” Emily practically spat. “You let David go because you want kids?”

  I nodded, knowing it wasn’t as strong an argument as vampire versus human.

  “I don’t get you, Ara.” She dabbed her teary eyes with her fingertips.

  “Not much to get, Em. It is what it is.”

  “So…” A bunch of kids moved past us and into the classroom, where I should be. “Is Mike taking you to the ball then, or are you abandoning me like you did with our shopping trip?”

  “Shopping trip?”

  “Ara, you have the worst memory.” Emily sighed, shaking her head. “Remember we were supposed to go shopping for my ball dress?”

  “Oh, my God. Emily. I’m so sorry. I totally forgot.”

  “I don’t blame you, not with a hunk like that hanging around.” She elbowed me softly, hugging her books to her chest. “Why don’t we go tonight? Maybe have some dinner out?”

  “Yeah, you know”—I grinned—“that may be just what I need. What time?”

  “Six fine with you?”

  “Sounds… great.” Really great, actually.

  We parted ways then and I suffered the trials of obligation for the next seven hours in silence. When I finally got home, Mike sprawled out across my bed and sorted through the playlists on my iPod, while I fussed about in my wardrobe, choosing a dress to wear out.

  “So, what’s this shopping trip for again?” he called.

  “Um. Emily needs a dress for the ball. I was supposed to go with her last week, but…” I shrugged to myself.

  “Ball?” The words came from directly behind me.

  I spun around, cupping my hands over my bra. “Mike? Get out of here!”

  “Relax, kid, I’ve seen it all before.”

  “No,” I scoffed, shoving him. “Get out. You can talk to me when I’m decent.”

  “You look pretty decent now.” His smug grin made me smile, but common sense took over and I shoved him again.

  “Out. Now!”

  “Okay, okay.” He laughed as he backed away, palms raised. “So, are you going to the ball?”

  “Well, I—” I looked at the dress, hanging in all its glory on the hook beside me.

  “Was David supposed to take you?” Mike asked from right behind me again.

  “Hey. I said out!”

  “Just answer me and I’ll go.”

  “Don’t give me that cheeky grin, Michael Christopher White. I said out. Now, out.”

  He grabbed the finger I pointed in his face. “Make me.”

  “I shouldn’t have to. You should give a girl some respect.”

  “I do respect you.” He pulled me close, cupping his warm hands on my bare waist. “I’m also just very attracted to you. So”—he grinned, running his thumb from my rib to my hip—“can I escort you to the ball, since the flesh eater isn’t here?”

  Flesh eater? Oh, right, he was referring to the bruises on my neck. “Don’t talk about him like that, Mike,” I said. “Besides, I thought you hated getting all dressed up?”

  “Who me?” His eyes flashed with mischief. “Ara, I would like nothing more than to dress like a penguin and dance with the most beautiful girl in the room. Besides, we both know I look hot in a suit.”

  I glared up at him, making my eyes small. His hands clasped together so tightly behind me then that I couldn’t really move. I wanted to tell him to get out, but I also wanted him to stay. I just wanted it to feel right. But it wasn’t right. Not yet.

  “So, what d’ya say? Will you let this lowly Aussie hunk escort you to the ball?”

  “No, but I’ll let my best friend do it.”

  “Great. I’ll go buy a suit tomorrow then.”

  “Okay, thanks, Mike.”

  “No worries, baby.” He rested his head on mine, continuing his welcomed intrusion.

  “Um, Mike,” I said into his chest, my lips practically eating his shirt with each word. “Kinda need to breathe.”

  “Oh, sorry.” He let me loose. “I alway
s forget how fragile you are.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Okay, now out. I need to get dressed.”

  “Ara?” Vicki called. “Emily’s here.”

  “Send her up,” I called back and glared at Mike.

  “Okay.” He laughed at my ‘nose in the air’ stance, then turned around, but didn’t leave. “Maybe I’ll take Sam to another movie.”

  “You two are getting pretty close.”

  “Yeah. He’s a good kid,” he said, leaning on the wall, forgetting he was supposed to be looking away.

  “He’ll be sad when you go.”

  “Maybe I just won’t go then?” I could hear the question in his suggestion. He wanted me to ask him to stay.

  I shrugged instead, buttoning my jeans. “I’m not having this conversation with you right now, Mike. I have too much on my mind.”

  “Okay.” He nodded, then wedged both hands into his pockets, took one last long look at me, and left with a cheeky grin on his face.

  * * *

  A loud crack outside startled me, and a bright flash turned my legs white for a second. I froze, afraid to close my window in case the menacing storm noticed me here.

  It grew in the sky above the house, howling like the battle that had been raging in my heart since Mike arrived, stirring my emotions again with the force of a hurricane that threatened to reopen the overly traversed door of Mike versus David.

  Then, in a second attempt to demonstrate its power, the thunder ricocheted off the distant horizon with a sharp snap, receding to a dense growl. And I believed it. Like prey believes the hunter will kill, I jumped off my chair and ran from my room, my heart skipping with a beat of relief when I looked across the dark corridor to see Mike’s door open.

  I leaped toward his bed without touching his floor, and fell into him.

  “Hey. There you are.” He wrapped his arm around me as I snuggled up as close as physically possible to his bare chest. “I was wondering how long it’d take you to come in here.” His voice sounded so light. I could tell he was laughing at me, but I didn’t care.

  “I’m sorry, Mike. I—”

  “Shh, don’t be sorry, baby. I was actually hoping you’d come in.”

  “You were?”

  “Why do you think I left my door open?”

  I smiled, listening to each beat of that heart come as reliably as the next, letting my shoulders drop as he stroked my head, easing away the knot in my stomach. “Thanks, Mike.”

  “Any time.”

  And I knew that was the truth, more than an automated statement. Just like every moment in the past, Mike had and would always be there to comfort me through the storm. “Hey, Mike?”

  “Yeah, baby?”

  “Do you remember the year I told my mom I was too old to be afraid of storms?”

  “Yeah.” He laughed. “I’m not sure if she actually believed you or just wanted to believe you.”

  I snuggled my face into his bare chest. “I think she knew the truth.”

  “I knew the truth.”

  “I know you did,” I said.

  “Yet you always freaked out when I tapped on your window during a storm,” he mused.

  “Of course I did. How scary do you think it is to completely believe The Bogeyman comes out to get you in the thunder, and then see a face outside your window?”

  He laughed loudly. “But you knew it’d just be me.”

  “Yeah. Still scary, though.” I closed my eyes and let myself remember lying with him, safe and happy in his arms all those nights. “Mike?” I whispered.

  “Yeah?”

  “I… I.”

  He laughed and kissed the top of my head. “I know, baby. I know you’re scared.”

  “No—”

  “Ara, baby, we’ll talk in the morning. It’s after midnight. Go to sleep.”

  I swallowed my courage and stuffed the words I love you back down where I’d stored them all these years, then closed my eyes and let Mike’s heartbeat take me away to the peace and silence of dreamland.

  * * *

  A songbird announced the arrival of morning, waking my mind from the best sleep it’d found in ages. I inched one eye open, blinded by the glare of sunlight streaming in, its soft yellow glow making me smile because, finally, the rain had passed.

  If I could sleep like that every night, I’d make it my occupation to go to bed. But the bed moved under me, rising softly before warm, moist lips touched my brow.

  I pushed up onto my hands and knees. “Mike!”

  “Hey, princess. You slept well,” he noted.

  “Yeah.” I rubbed my face, checking to see if his door was shut. It was. “I did, actually.”

  “You okay?”

  I blinked a few extra times to focus properly on the way the morning seemed to make his skin look like honey and his eyes as warm as hot cocoa. He was very beautiful in the morning. “Um, yeah. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep in your bed.”

  He laughed, shaking his head. “And I’m sorry it doesn’t storm like that every night.”

  My cheeks lifted first, forcing my lips to follow.

  “Come here.” He placed a hand on my shoulder and tugged.

  My muscles were so stiff that I slumped down heavily on his bare chest, and every inch of skin that wasn’t covered by my tank top touched his, making me shiver inside—a good shiver. “Why did you keep me last night, Mike?”

  “Are you kidding?” His arms tightened around me for a second. “You snuggled up so close to me, Ara, with your face and your soft breath over my chest. Why on earth would I put you back in your room?”

  “Because my dad would kill me if he found me in here.” I moved my hand from his chest down to his firm stomach, gently thumbing the fine hairs around his navel. “What time is it?”

  “Um…” He stretched his arm out around my back and looked at his watch, forcing me closer. “Midday.”

  “Midday!”

  “Wait a sec.” He grabbed my arm as I leaped for the side of the bed. “It’s the weekend, baby. Just chill.”

  “Oh. Right.”

  “Here. Lie down. I’ll get breakfast. Well, brunch now, I suppose.” He grinned, and his unshaven, sandy-brown stubble did nothing to hide the sexy indent in his cheek—not even a little bit.

  As he gently pushed me back onto the pillows, everything from my heart down went numb. His kiss-me lips came toward me so slowly that I closed my eyes and held my breath, waiting for them to touch mine. But, he pecked my forehead instead and walked out the door, leaving me breathless.

  I rubbed at my face, as if maybe I could chafe off some of my awkwardness. Then I checked to make sure I didn’t have bad breath. I was certain he’d been about to kiss me—properly. So why did he pull away? My breath didn’t smell and I couldn’t think of any other reason.

  Except maybe that I hadn’t told him I loved him yet. And now I thought about it, I think maybe I wanted him to ask me again—to open the door to that conversation, since I was struggling to do it. But he wasn’t a mind reader, and having to speak my mind would take some getting used to.

  “What ya thinkin’ ’bout?” Mike asked, leaning against the door with a tray in hand.

  I hadn’t realized how much time had passed. “You.”

  He placed the tray on the foot of the bed. “Good thoughts?”

  “Mm-hm.” I nodded, warming my smile a few degrees.

  “Good. Then eat.” He patted my leg through the covers, sitting down beside them. “And if you’re still thinking those same thoughts that I just saw across your face, then we need to talk.”

  I bit my lip. He knew too well what I’d been thinking; he didn’t need to be like David to be in my head, which was as comforting as it was awkward.

  “Here.” He passed me a plate, and I swapped my lip for toast, closing my eyes as the peanut butter swirled around with the jelly on my tongue at the prefect ratio. It didn’t even stick to the roof of my mouth.

  “Mmm. You’ve always been the best a
t making toast.”

  “Must be the chef in me,” he joked.

  “So, if the chef in you makes good toast, what can the cop in you do?”

  “I could arrest you? For dangerously good looks.”

  I choked on the toast for a second, nearly losing it out my nose. “That’s the worst joke I’ve heard in ages.”

  Mike chuckled. “So, I’m still King then—of bad jokes?”

  “Right? I forgot about that,” I mused. “No one here gets it. They think you’re just trying to be funny and not succeeding.”

  “Don’t worry. I get ya.” His teeth showed with his gentle smile.

  “You always did,” I said sweetly, moving on quickly after. “So if you’re King, I’m Queen, right?”

  “To be my Queen you have to be in love with me.”

  “Who says I’m not?” I said with a shrug.

  “Ara?” Mike put his toast down. “Don’t joke about that, okay?”

  “I wasn’t.” I shook my head at him, my lips tight with amusement. “Come on, Mike. You know I do, otherwise I would’ve told you already that I don’t.”

  “Shit.” He wedged a hand into his messy hair, studying my face. “You’re serious?”

  “You thought otherwise?”

  “I…” His hand moved down to rub his brow. “I wasn’t sure anymore. I thought maybe you’d subconsciously rejected any feelings you have for me because they led to your mom and Harry dying.”

  I pouted at him. Poor Mike. “Did Vicki put that idea in your head?”

  Mike pressed his lips into a line, smiling. “Maybe.”

  “Well, it’s a good thing she doesn’t work in that field anymore, because she’s so full of it I would hate to think how badly she might mess up her already messed-up patients.”

  He let out a singular laugh. “I just… you have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear you say that.”

  “Don’t get too excited.” I bit my toast again, adding, with a full mouth, “It’s not like it can go anywhere now. You live in Australia and I live here, and—”

  “Come home with me, Ara.”

  “I can’t. I—”

  “Yes you can. If you wanted to.” He looked at me for a long moment. “You know I’d look after you, right?”

  He would. He’d take very good care of me; love me, protect me, and I’d never want for anything. “I know,” I said softly.