A Sea of Smoke: A Dark Romance (A War of Hearts Book 2)

by Karen Lynn

  “I also remember how many times you betrayed me and lied to me after that. And how I covered for you with everything. But I’m done now, that part of my life is over. I’d say I paid my dues ten times over, wouldn’t you?” Raising her head to meet his gaze, she couldn’t stifle the anger building inside.

  Logan stiffened, surprised and affected by her words and the fire consuming her. Kristen picked up the spoon, too upset to pursue it any longer. Hoping to find some relief in her favorite dessert, she dipped into it until the tremors increased and the spoon clattered to the floor. Flustered even more, she took a deep breath, shielding her face behind her hands.

  “How come your lover boy isn’t going to prison for you, huh? Did you ever ask yourself that question?” He tried prying her fingers away, she clamped them harder to her face. Giving up, he sat back, waiting for her reaction.

  “Logan!” A man’s voice broke the spell, interrupting them. The instant recognition set in, Logan groaned. Like usual, Nick’s timing sucked.

  Kristen swiped her eyes with the back of her hand, lifting her head to see who it was. Nick’s smirk brought a rise of nausea into her chest. The tremors turning uncontrollable now, her eyes darted to Logan.

  “You invited him?”

  “No!” Logan shrugged, but the sheepish expression on his face, told her the truth.

  “You fucking bastard!” She leaped to her feet, creating a barrier between Nick and the baby.

  “Calm down Kristen. Can’t we just have a nice civilized lunch? After all, your husband’s about to go to prison.” He swayed back and forth, proving he was already buzzed.

  “Like you give a shit? You wouldn’t even bail him out!” Kristen’s hands gripped the stroller. Nothing would’ve made her happier than ramming it into his legs, breaking them into pieces. The vision blazed in her head and if she wasn’t so enraged, she would’ve doubled over with laughter. Without a word, she whirled around not sure if she should run into the street or disappear into the restaurant. On impulse she started inside, refusing to turn as Logan’s voice echoed after her.

  “Come on Krissy, forget about him!” Frantic, Logan shot to his feet, knocking the chair to the ground and charging after her. By the time she reached the restroom, he had caught up to her. When she felt the warmth of his hand on her back, she froze.

  “Please, Krissy, I swear I never invited him and I didn’t know he’d be here. Why would I?”

  For a second she considered answering him. Instead, she pulled the door open and entered the bathroom. Totally beside himself, Logan continued pacing in the hallway.

  “Kristen! What the hell?”

  He wanted desperately to storm right in, but one stupid bitch after another manipulated their way in front of him. The place was packed, and he wasn’t crazy enough to barge into a crowded lady’s room, at least not yet. Instead he knocked, texted and called her cell phone. Still no response. When he couldn’t stand it anymore, he darted back to the table, anxious for another drink.

  “What the fuck, man? I thought this was gonna be an easy ride?” Nick leaned back in his chair, nearly toppling over. Logan grimaced and sank down next to him, cowering behind his hands. When he recovered, he reached out for one of the drinks Nick ordered, draining it in a second.

  “Well?” Nick persisted, staring at him.

  “What the hell do you want from me? I didn’t know she was bringing the baby.” His words were muffled, but the anger was about to boil over. It was true, Nick had done nothing to get him out of jail. As usual, Kristen was the only one that came through for him. And in his desperation to repay his debt, Nick’s betrayal slipped his mind. Then again, he had been so drugged out since that day, mostly everything had.

  “Who gives a shit about the fucking kid? It’s not even yours! Lock him up in a closet while we fuck her for all I care!” A diabolical grin took over Nick’s face. He reached out to slap Logan’s back. Without warning, Logan latched onto his wrist, flicking his hand away. The urge to smash the beer bottle over his head blinded him; he slowly lifted it. Alerted by loud voices at the next table, he bounced back to his senses.

  “It’s not gonna happen, she won’t go for it, forget it.” Logan glared at him until something made him peer over his shoulder. Off in the distance he saw Kristen’s shadowy image next to the bar. He squinted, wondering why she was hesitating.

  “Fuck what she wants. I know she hates me. That’s why I brought these to fix the problem.” Nick waited for Logan to focus on him before opening his hand to reveal the roofies. Full of pride, he scanned the table searching for her glass.

  Unable to believe his ears, Logan’s eyes blasted open. Nick picked up on it immediately. “Why so shocked? You a choir boy suddenly? Come on, which one’s hers?”

  “She’s not even drinking” Logan shuddered, recalling the large amount of money he owed Nick and their agreement.

  “That ice tea’s hers then?” Not waiting for confirmation, Nick reached for the glass, his excitement preventing him from witnessing Logan’s confusion.

  “No, man, I don’t like it.”

  “Come on! Once I slip these babies in there, she’ll be begging for it. Just like before—”

  “—I said forget it!” Before Nick could react, Logan lashed out striking his outstretched palm. The pills clattered to the floor.

  “What the fuck?” Nick glared at Logan, a dark red hue raging across his skin.

  “I said it’s over! We’ll find someone else. It’s South Beach…” Right in Nick’s face now, a bad vibe made Logan’s voice trail off and his jaw tighten.

  Nick huffed in disgust, banging Kristen’s glass onto the table. As an afterthought, he fell to his knees, fumbling for the pills, when he heard someone standing next to him. Without moving a muscle, he tilted his head to look up at Kristen. Oblivious to his gaping, she stood rooted in place, her eyes glued to the pills rolling out of his reach. As soon as they were no longer visible, a wave of dizziness forced her to cling to the back of a chair.

  Logan panicked, jumping to his feet to steady her. The abrupt movement sent him wobbling off balance onto her. Shaken, she shoved him away, and took a deep breath.

  Maybe it’s a bad dream.

  She closed and re-opened her eyes. A second passed before her vision returned to normal and Logan’s face appeared as clear as day. It took another second to accept the fact—it hadn’t been her imagination running wild. Deaf to his cries, she unlatched the exit, pushed the stroller through and disappeared into the parking lot.

  JAKE

  His neck and shoulders were on fire, but he decided to surprise Kristen by stopping to pick up dinner. Whatever she had been doing all day apparently kept her so busy that she couldn’t find a minute to contact him. As disturbing as it was, in the end he decided not to put too much emphasis on it, since he had not made the effort either.

  But I had an excuse, I was working. What the hell was she doing that prevented her from calling me?

  The longer he stood idly waiting for the food, the worse it got. He couldn’t shut his mind down, couldn’t stop worrying.

  Enough of the ego trip and head games.

  He decided to text instead of calling, in case she or the baby were napping. Thirty minutes later, still no response.

  At first he thought no one was home when he barreled into the house. Then he spotted a tiny patch of red hair sticking out from under the blanket. He could hear the baby's soft gurgling and grunting noises as he tip-toed to his crib. Once he confirmed he was fine, he crouched next to Kristen, gently pulling back the blanket to touch her. She bolted up, her eyes popping open, a petrified look on her face.

  “Sorry baby, I didn't mean to scare you! Having another nightmare?” He sat next to her on the bed, embracing her. He could feel her shudders and the slight jerking movement of her head, but her eyes were closed again. “Are you okay?”

  She couldn't speak, just huddled into him, her teeth chattering.

  Becoming alarmed, he touched her fo
rehead. “You're warm, you could be coming down with something.”

  She didn't respond, just gave him another weak nod, her hair falling around her face.

  “I brought Chinese food. You want some soup?” His eyes narrowed as he gazed at her. Finally, she agreed and he helped her slide back against the pillows and went to the kitchen.

  A light knock on the door interrupted him just as he was about to bring the soup to the bedroom. Alicia greeted him with an uncomfortable smile. He tried to mask his displeasure.

  “Sorry to bother you guys. Kristen's here, right?”

  What’s up with this antsy behavior? “Yeah. Why?” He stared at her, squinting to get a clearer picture. She played with her hair, her expression immediately changing. When an embarrassed flush appeared on her face, he could see the wheels turning in her head.

  Yep, she’s struggling to come up with another bullshit story.

  “Good. I was just stopping by...” She shrugged, her face hot and feverish.

  Perplexed by her increasing agitation, Jake couldn’t tear his eyes away. “I just got home. Did you know she's sick? Apparently, she's been in bed all day.” His eyes bore into her, picking up every move.

  Something very weird is going on with her.

  “No. Not really. We didn't speak much today. Anyway, tell her I'll check in later, okay?” She inched back, unable to conceal the confusion.

  “Why don't you come in, you can check on her right now, if you want.” He took a step to the side, motioning for her to go in. It was painfully obvious she felt he was a serious threat and he was sick and tired of it.

  “No, that's okay. See you later.” For a second she considered it, then decided against it. Without turning back, she sprinted out of the yard.

  * * *

  “What's wrong with Alicia?” Jake set the empty bottle on the table and lifted Alex over his shoulder to burp him.

  “Why, what happened?” Kristen stiffened, the twitching in her stomach intensifying.

  “She was here a few minutes ago acting like you were in some kind of danger.” He peeked at her, his eyebrows raised.

  “That's crazy! I have no idea why.” She feigned surprise, aware it was due to the distress message she left for her on the way back from the café. She made a mental note to call her as soon as she had a free moment alone. Once she told her the whole story, hopefully Alicia would be proud of her for a change.

  “Hmm. That's strange, don't you think?” Odd how her proposed meeting with Logan had slipped his mind. Now it was back with a vengeance. And something told him this wasn't a coincidence.

  “Very. I wouldn't worry about it though. She's pretty unpredictable.” She continued eating, finally feeling recharged.

  “Like you? It’s great to have so much in common with your friends, isn't it?”

  When she raised her eyes, he was staring at her. Trying to change the subject, she raised her arms to take the baby. He hesitated at first, then handed him over.

  “I guess.” She cuddled Alex, hoping Jake would tire of his inquisition. Alex’s eyes fluttered closed. He was in limbo, but she didn’t want to put him to bed. Turning away from Jake, she prepared to stall as long as possible.

  “Why don't you put him down, Kristen? Then we can talk about your visit to Logan.”

  She flinched, the coldness in his voice terrifying.

  Her stomach was tied up in knots when she sat next to him on the couch. So far he was calm. Deadly so. She had to be straight with him. It was the only way.

  “All we did was have lunch at The Red Sun Café on the beach. I didn’t even drink…” She came to an abrupt halt, shocked he wasn't cutting her off. Her eyes fell on his scowl, holding steady. She could feel the Chinese food rising in her chest, and couldn't go on. After a few minutes of painful silence, he knelt in front of her. She couldn't avoid his eyes any longer.

  “Was this before or after you fucked?”

  Shocked by his blunt accusation, she leaped to her feet. “We didn’t have sex Jake! I never went to the condo!”

  “Right! And I’m a dwarf!” He smirked, his face on fire as he rose to meet her.

  “I swear Jake! Nothing happened!” Staring defiantly up at him, she stood her ground, but his eyes were far away. While he ran his fingers through his hair, his thoughts raged on, and he never heard a word she said.

  “And where was Alex then huh?” When he moved to her, his eyes narrowed. He already knew the answer—once again, she had abandoned him.

  Kristen blinked, stiffening. “He was with me...” The unexpected anger in his eyes stopped her cold.

  “You brought my son to him?” Pain filling his eyes, he stepped back a safe distance and gripped his head. Too surprised to speak, Kristen simply nodded but he didn’t see it. Struggling to contain the storm brewing inside of him, he sank to the couch, hunching over in silence. It didn’t take long before, he couldn’t take it anymore and left the room.

  In a state of confusion, Kristen stared after him. Once or twice, she took a few steps in his direction, each time coming to an abrupt halt. It never failed, whenever she told the truth things inevitably went south fast.

  What the hell am I supposed to do now? With a moan of defeat, she slid to the floor pouting.

  Jake stormed past her a few minutes later. He kept his eyes aimed at the door, knowing one glance in her direction would wear him down. Lost in dark depression, she wasn’t aware of his presence until a warm blast of air hit the room and the door slammed behind him. Stunned, she let him go, remaining frozen in place. The loud roar of the truck's engine brought her back to reality. By that time, it was too late.

  * * *

  The large numbers on the digital clock flashed 1:00 a.m. Her groggy head told her she must have dozed off for a while, but she wasn't certain. She got up to check on the baby. The little angel was still sound asleep in his crib. For a few seconds she stood mesmerized by the outline of his tiny face, the way the little dark curls fell across his forehead. With a sleepy smile she turned away.

  The glare of headlights lit up the room. Listening intently, she heard the truck’s engine cut and the door slam. A minute later the front door creaked open. Alarmed, she stumbled back into bed, threw the blanket over her head, and curled up in a protective ball.

  Several minutes passed before she felt his presence in the room. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to still the trembling. She heard the sound of his shoes thumping to the floor, followed by the rustling of his pants as he removed them and then tossed them away. Hardly a second passed, when she felt the blanket lifting and his body slide in next to hers. Paralyzed, she held her breath. His arm fell across her chest, pulling her back to him. She sighed with relief.

  “Jake, where were you?”

  After a pause he whispered. “Nowhere.”

  “Are you staying now?”

  “Do you care?”

  “Yes.” She waited for a response. He didn't speak. She turned to face him, their skin touching. “I'm done with him, Jake. I mean it this time. I even left a message for Steven to start the divorce.” She heard him take a deep breath, felt the bed shake as he shifted positions. Shivering, she brushed away a tear, to stare into the darkness.

  “Why should I believe anything you say, Kristen?” His eyes glistened with moisture.

  “Because it’s the truth. And I need you, Jake.” She slid closer, reaching up to stroke his hair.

  “You need me? That's it? I need lots of things, air, water, food. I don't understand what that means.”

  She absorbed the baby's soft breaths. Energized she brought her lips to his ear. “I love you. I don't want to be with anyone else but you.”

  He rolled onto his back, gazing up at the ceiling without speaking. She wasn't letting him get away and followed him to lay her head on his chest.

  “I gave you a chance, but you chose him. And now just because he's leaving, you need me. I warned you...” Without meaning to, his hand brushed her face. The warm sensation startled
him into silence. He nudged her off.

  “Jake, please, I told you why I went. Nothing happened. And I didn't choose him...” Her voice choked. Unable to cope any longer, her hands flew up to her face.

  “I can't do this now, Kristen. I have work in a few hours.” It pained him, but he couldn't give in to her so easily. Not this time. Her muffled sobs resonated in his head as he drifted into a restless sleep.

  CHAPTER 18

  THURSDAY, WEEK 14

  KRISTEN

  When Kristen rolled over in bed, panic set in. Jake was gone. It was 9:00 a.m. She didn't waste a minute, frantically springing from the bed. Trapped by the sheets tangled around her legs, she almost fell flat on her face. With an exasperated cry, she ripped them off and set out on her search. But it was useless. There wasn't a sound to be heard, other than the baby's soft breaths. Trying to ignore the rampant palpitations, she ran through the empty kitchen to the front door.

  Her eyes darted to the side of the house where he normally parked his truck. He sat in the driver's seat, his face long and forlorn. The rumbling of the engine meshed with the low rhythm of rock music.

  “Jake! Wait!” she called out, rushing to the passenger side, flinging the door open.

  Surprised by her presence, he looked down at her. Before he could say a word, she hauled herself onto the step, reaching up to him.

  “We were supposed to talk before you left. Why didn't you wake me?”

  All of a sudden he felt like a broken fool, speechless and dumb, her terrified face, eyes still sticky with sleep, lighting a spark in him. What he had to do wasn't going to be easy and the main reason he had snuck out of the house.

  “Well?” Her trembling fingers chilled his face.

  He tried not to concentrate on the yellowish-green twinkle of her eyes in the sunlight, but it was useless. With a reluctant sigh, he switched the ignition off.