by Tabatha Kiss
I pinch my brow. “I’m just tired. It’s been a long day.”
“It’s one-thirty.”
“Remember naptime?” I stifle a yawn. “That was a fun tradition.”
“Go home and take a nap.”
“I wish. Need to head back to the office after this.” I take another bite of my sandwich and set it aside. “What are you up to later?”
“Well… I have homework. Lots of it. And an ungodly amount of reading to do. So, I am going to pack up all of my textbooks, plant myself in the library, and stay there with caffeine and a pizza until about… I don’t know, midnight?” She smiles. “Or do you need more time?”
“More time for what?”
Her smile drops. “Don’t make me answer that, man.”
“Answer what?”
She raises her brow. “Invite her over again.”
“No, Hal, it’s not that simple, okay?”
“Well, just in case, I’m simplifying it for you,” she says. “You’ll have a big, empty house all to yourself with the good silverware and candles. Do what you want. Have a guy’s night. Kick back with a few brews and watch the game. Or… you can invite the super pretty work thing over again and not have to worry about the kid because she’s already made herself scarce for the night. For real this time.”
I smirk. “What game?”
She slaps my arm.
“Thank you,” I say, leaning back. “I appreciate the gesture — but it is a complicated situation and I’m not sure if inviting her over again is the best thing to do right now.”
“Why not? Is she a client?”
“If I say yes, will you drop it?”
“Message received.” She smiles. “I just want you to be happy. That’s all. If it weren’t for me you’d probably—”
“No.” I look her in the eye. My baby girl. “I’ve made some mistakes but you are not, nor have you ever been, anywhere near that list. You know that, right?”
“Of course, I do.”
“I don’t want you thinking that. Ever.”
“I don’t,” she says. “And while I always appreciate random outbursts of love and devotion toward me, what I was gonna say was that if it weren’t for me, you’d probably have gotten laid the other night.”
I bite my cheek. “Oh.”
I watch her as she chugs a bit more of that giant coffee, simultaneously in awe and grief. Just yesterday we were practicing tying her shoelaces. That was yesterday, right? It couldn’t possibly have been more than a week since bunny ears but here she is. Tall, beautiful, smart, and on her way to take over the world.
“Hey, kid,” I say. “Remember how all of our conversations used to involve Harry Potter? What changed?”
She looks at me and grins. “You grew up. I grew up. Maybe not in that order, but…”
I chuckle. “Yeah, you’re right.”
“I know,” she says as she takes a bite of her sandwich.
I exhale and stare out across the room. “Yeah, she knows.”
Twenty-Six
Trix
I roll my hand into a fist and knock three times.
“Enter!” Melanie calls out from inside.
I walk into her apartment to find her sitting at her writing desk with her feet propped up and her laptop on her knees. Her fingers charge the keys, tapping so quickly I can barely keep up.
“Wow,” I say as I close the door. “Feeling inspired?”
She doesn’t look up. “A little.”
I drop my purse and jacket to the floor and collapse on her couch. “Well, don’t mind me. I’m just gonna... lay here for a while.”
“Hold on...” She types a bit faster. “Just a little... more... okay.” She sets the computer on the desk and turns away from it. “What’s up? How did it go with Papa ‘Gento?”
I stare at the off-white ceiling. “I quit.”
“Quit?” she asks. “Quit what?”
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “Being an Argento, I guess.”
Melanie hops out of her chair and stands over me. “What does that mean?”
“It means that he basically confirmed everything Marcus said,” I say. “He never had any intention of letting me work for him. Just kept stringing me along for two decades, hoping I’d change my mind.”
“Well, that doesn’t sound right. Are you sure you heard him correctly?”
I groan and push off the couch. “Yes, Mel, I heard him correctly. There are only so many ways I can interpret I thought you’d grow out of it by now and sorry, kid, but the answer is no.”
She winces. “Sorry.”
“No, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to snap at you, I just...”
“Hey, man. Snap away. I know you don’t mean it. Want a drink?”
“Sure.” I rub the back of my neck. “Something caffeinated.”
She gets up and wanders into the kitchen while I pace around the floor. After a minute, she returns with two Cokes and a bag of cheddar popcorn and sits down on the couch.
“He told me that he had my brothers keep me busy so I wouldn’t go visit him,” I say, still pacing. “Said that he didn’t want me to see him like that.”
She pouts. “Poor Papa.”
“Yeah, poor Papa. Once again, instead of just sitting down, having an adult conversation, and telling me the truth, he dangles a shiny object in front of me in the hopes it’ll distract me.” I sigh. “Almost wish I didn’t go at all. At least then I’d still have some hope left.”
“It’s better this way if you ask me. Knowledge is power and all that,” she says, sipping her can.
“Yeah, I guess.”
“What did Lance say?”
I pause mid-stride. “Say about what?”
“He helped you in, right? Wasn’t he there?”
“He wasn’t in the room. He stayed in the lobby to keep Jerry busy so we could talk in private.”
Her lips curl. “Well, that was sweet of him.”
“Yeah, he also shoved Marcus against a wall.”
She gasps. “Whaaat?”
I give a big nod. “Oh, yeah.”
“Why’d he do that?”
I smile. “To protect me.”
Melanie lays a dramatic hand on her heart. “Well, I do declare, Mr. Tyler,” she coos with a southern drawl.
“Right?” I fan myself.
“Protect you why?”
I drop onto the couch beside her. “After talking to my dad, I just rushed out of there as fast as I could and right into Marcus. He started shouting at me and pushed me and the next thing I knew, Lance was between us telling him to back off.”
“That’s fucking hot,” she says.
“Yeah.”
She leans forward. “Then, what?”
“I was pretty shaken up, so I asked Lance to take me home, and then he did, and then we...”
I let my voice fall as chills rush up my spine.
“Shook hands and parted ways like the professionals you are?” Melanie says, raising a knowing brow.
I nod. “Yeah, sure. Let’s go with that.”
“Okay, I’m gonna start here.” She puts her palms together in front of her and slowly starts pulling them apart. “You stop me when I get to how long his fingers are.”
I laugh, my cheeks burning. Melanie keeps her hands up, waiting for me to signal her to stop as the length stretches to ridiculous levels.
I grab her wrists and inch them back toward Lance’s actual size.
Melanie’s brow rises. “Really?”
“It was a bad idea, right?” I ask. “I left the jail feeling so angry, I just wanted to get back at my father. At all of them.”
“But you like Lance, right? This wasn’t just a revenge fuck.”
“I do. And it wasn’t.” I nod. “He’s... amazing. He’s clever and fun. He cooks. He seems like one hell of a dad.”
“Good kisser?” she asks.
“Great kisser.”
“Good in bed?”
“It was mostly a quickie bu
t... yeah. There is great potential in that area.” I sigh. “He’s the perfect guy to bring home... in theory. Assuming your family isn’t, you know... mine.”
Melanie rubs my shoulder. “Sorry things didn’t turn out with Papa,” she says. “But... you can kind of understand where he’s coming from, right?”
I grab the bag of cheddar popcorn off the table. “What do you mean?”
“I mean... you’re his daughter. He’s always treated you differently than your brothers. With them, he’s a hard-ass. But with you?”
“He’s Papa,” I mutter. “I get it. I do. I just always thought that someday he’d see me as an equal partner and not just... his baby girl. So, I told him I quit and I walked out on him... like a baby.”
“Not like a baby.”
“Toss me my rattle and binky. Muppet Babies is on.”
“Standing up for yourself doesn’t make you a baby,” she says. “And don’t you dare speak ill of a classic like Muppet Babies.”
I chuckle. “My apologies.”
“You’re not a baby, Trix. You’re a woman scorned and if you ever expect them to take you seriously, then you’re gonna have to unleash the fury.”
“Unleash the fury,” I repeat.
She nods. “Mm-hmm.”
“How?”
“Maybe you should stick to your guns,” she says. “Go no contact for a while. You said you quit, so quit.”
“Can I do that?”
“Yes. Trix, you have every right to feel upset. Good reasons or no, your dad lied to you. He tried to marry you off to a douche-nozzle. He made your brothers keep secrets from you. That’s not healthy family behavior. And also... distancing yourself from your family means you can get a little closer to Lance.”
I wince. “Does it, though?”
“Doesn’t it?”
I pause to think. “No. No, it doesn’t. As much as I like him, it doesn’t change the fact that he’s prosecuting my dad.”
“So, you’re going to keep putting the needs of your family ahead of your own,” she says. “In that case, you might as well just accept Marcus’ proposal and let him walk all over you while you raise his ugly babies for the next thirty years.”
“Well, I don’t want to go that far but I still have a responsibility. I can bring on the fury without being disloyal.”
“Trix, you are loyal to a fault. That’s a good thing.”
I nod. “It is.”
“But think about it,” she continues, raising a finger, “when is the last time any of your family members showed the same loyalty toward you? Try and think of one time in the last decade one of them has stuck their neck out for you the same way you do for them every day.”
I look down, hating that she’s right. And if there’s anyone I know who knows what it’s like to be in a one-sided relationship, it’s Melanie. Robbie took her for granted for far too long and he paid the price for it.
I squint in confusion. “I thought you were in the anti-Lance camp,” I say. “Yesterday you said he was playing me.”
“Eh.” She shrugs a shoulder. “I’m in a good mood today. And any man who stands up to Marcus can’t be all bad.”
“Must be some good mood.”
“It really is.”
“And you’re writing again,” I say with a smile.
“I am.” She sighs, her expression radiating with happy vibes. “I really am.”
“Does that mean things are going well with your secret admirer?” I ask.
“You could say that.” She wets her lips. “It’s so weird.”
“What is?”
“Just... the way we talk to each other. It’s like I’ve known him for years.”
I hold back a laugh. “I’ve heard that about people who meet over the internet. Things just... click.”
She snaps her fingers once. “Click!”
“Have you arranged to meet him yet?”
“No. It’s nice right now. Don’t want to mess it up.”
“Finish your book first, at least.”
“Oh, definitely. Not gonna waste this boost.”
I smile and raise my can. “Well, here’s to you. I hope he’s hot.”
“God... Me, too.”
She taps her can against mine and we take a drink.
Twenty-Seven
Lance
I tap my index finger against the couch cushion, bouncing it off my thigh as I stare blankly at the television across the room. My phone sits on the cushion an inch away from my hand but you’d think it was some horrible, hairy spider with how much I’ve avoided it tonight.
Just call her.
“It’s a phone call,” I mutter to no one. “Just a phone call.”
That’s all it is.
That’s all it should be but I were following should today, I would never have gone with her back to her apartment. We would never have had amazing, primal, animalistic, tension-breaking, satisfying sex.
As much as I want to do that again, I don’t want this phone call to be about that. Just moments before that blissful sexual episode, she was in tears. Today was about far more than us.
I pick up my phone, hitting the button to light up the screen. I stare at it until it shuts off by itself. I turn it back on again and tap into a little burst of courage to swipe open my contact back.
My thumb hovers over her name.
“Just a phone call,” I say again.
I clear my throat and tap the button.
It rings several times with no answer. Maybe she’s letting it go to voicemail.
“Hello?” I hear suddenly.
“Haurghl—” I spit out.
“… Lance?”
“Yeah, hi.” I turn the phone away and exhale before bringing it back to my ear. “It’s Lance.”
“Hi,” she says, her voice stiff with surprise. “What’s up?”
“Nothing. I was just sitting here watching some TV and I thought that... well, that I’d call you. See how you were.”
“Are you booty-calling me, Lance?” she asks, her voice dripping with amusement.
“No!”
She chuckles. “Because usually guys just send me dick pics when they want it. Getting an actual voice call is almost quaint.”
“No, this is not a booty call. I would not… call you for… that.” I cringe into silence.
She chuckles for a moment more. “Listen, Lance,” she says slowly, “I wanted to thank you for being there for me today.”
I nod. “It’s all right. I was happy to do it.”
“No, I really appreciate it. You didn’t have to set up that visit for me and you had no real reason to...” She pauses. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” I say.
“Turns out... you’re not nearly as big of a prick I thought you were,” she jokes.
I laugh. “You thought I was a prick, eh?”
“Well, with the way my family talks about you…”
“Fair enough,” I say. “Why would you bring me home with you if you thought I was some jerk?”
“Oh, if you think I wouldn’t screw a jerk then you are vastly unprepared for my dating history.”
I grin, feeling more at ease. “Hey, you wanna come over?” I ask.
“Oh...” She hums. “So, this was a booty call?”
“No. No, it’s more of an I was thinking about you and I wanted to know if you were okay... call.”
Her laugh carries through the phone, striking my chest. “I’m okay,” she says. “Just... curing the numb feeling with some wine and a smutty book.”
“Is it good at least?”
“Yes to both,” she answers. “The book is the new one from my friend, Melanie, so I’m immediately biased to love every word and the wine is some old stuff my dad gave me. Was saving it for a special occasion but fuck it, ya know?”
“Sounds like all you need is some chocolate and a Snuggie.”
“Oh, I’ve got the Snuggie, too.”
I smile. “Good.”
�
��Although... I could use the company,” she says. “Drinking alone has never really been my thing.”
“I could come to you if you’ve knocked back too much of that bottle already.”
“I’d love a reason to not be here, actually. Keep expecting my brothers to show up. They’re not very happy with me right now if the dozen strongly-worded texts from each of them are any indication.”
“Well, my door is open. You can hide out here tonight.”
“Then...” She pauses and I swear I hear a smile. “I’ll be over soon.”
I hold my breath. “All right.”
“Hey, Lance.”
“Yeah?”
“Nine out of ten on that booty call,” she says. “Not too shabby.”
“It’s not a—”
She hangs up and I curse under my breath as my smile spreads.
After a moment, I pause and bury my nose in my shirt. I inhale to test the smell in case I need a new one but it’s clean enough. Should probably straighten up around here, though…
And upstairs. Definitely the bedroom, right?
Slow down, buddy. She’s had a rough day.
But then again, she said yes. She's coming over here right now, despite knowing what your job is. She needs a friend to talk to, a place away from her family where she can be comfortable. Give her that. Expect nothing more... but if she happens to get a little closer. Hey, bonus. And Haley won’t be back for another five hours or so.
What’s the harm in making this place look presentable?
I stand and make my way upstairs.
Twenty-Eight
Trix
I can’t believe I’m doing this again.
I ease down the ladder of my fire escape as slowly as possible. First of all, it’s dark as fuck but this is the only way I can be sure that I’m getting out of here without Marcus noticing if he’s even watching me at all right now. Secondly, I’m a little tipsy and I don’t feel like dying tonight before I make it to Lance’s.
Behold, my fury.
Bad idea? Probably. But I’ll let Tomorrow Trix deal with that.
Tonight Trix wants to get laid.
I reach the bottom and rush out of the alleyway before my clothes start stinking of garbage. My phone chimes with a text message from my ride. Perfect timing. Things are already starting to look up.