by Simone Elise
“Kim.” Drake smiled at me. “Abby in?”
“You know she is.” I crossed my arms. I never tried to hide the fact that I hated him.
Drake was a cancerous worm that had wiggled his way into my sister’s life. I didn’t jump straight to hating him. It went from liking him, to not trusting him, to not liking him, to hating him. Drake looked at Abby as if she was his property.
“Going to let me in?” He put a foot in the doorway, and I didn’t budge.
“No.”
“KIM, LET HIM IN!” Abby shouted from the stairs.
Huffing, I stepped out of his way to let him in, and boy did he always manage to make himself at home.
“How are you doing, Trent?” I heard him ask Trent as I followed him into the dining room.
“Good, Drake, yourself?”
“Always good, mate.” Drake shot him a wink and pulled out a chair.
I moved across the room quickly and went to sit on Trent’s lap. I didn’t know how Abby could stand to be around Drake; he gave me the fucking creeps.
“So how has your night been?” Drake started a conversation.
“Please don’t ask them; they will bore you to death.” Abby walked into the dining room and like always, she was wearing that pissed-off look. “Kim, Four Eyes,” she shot at us. “Ready to leave?” She placed a hand on Drake’s shoulder, and he got up.
“So you’re going out?” I asked Abby.
“No, I’m walking out with a bag to sit on the porch.” She rolled her eyes at me and handed Drake her bag. “God, you’re dumb.”
“Well, have a good night.” I smiled faintly at her. I never thought I would miss my awkward, nerdy sister, but I did.
“I would say the same, but I really don’t give a fuck if you have a good one or not.” She pulled her leather jacket on.
Abby was thinner, meaner, and had this sharp edge to her. I would love to blame it all on Drake, but he really could not take all the blame. Abby had transformed into this mean bitch all on her own.
Trent’s fingers were drawing a small circle on my lower back. I knew he was doing it so I wouldn’t get upset.
It wasn’t till the front door closed behind them that the tension in the air disappeared.
“Sorry for what she said.” I kissed Trent’s cheek. I didn’t care that he wore glasses, he was a great guy, and the old Abby would have thought so, too.
“Don’t worry, babe.” He grinned at me, and I really don’t know what I had done to deserve him to stand by me. When Abby did make an appearance, she was always saying hurtful things, and it was always about his glasses, which I found kind of cute.
Dipping my head down, I pressed my lips against his. Trent was super sweet, and Abby’s mean comments slipped away quickly as my mind focused on more important things.
***
“Babe.”
“Babe.”
I groaned slowly, being pulled from my dreamy state.
“Babe, there is someone downstairs. Are you expecting anyone?”
I rubbed my eyes and sat up and looked across at Trent. “What do you mean someone is downstairs? Is it Abby?”
“I don’t think so; they sounded like men’s voices.” Trent got up from the bed and flicked the lights on. “Do you want me to go down?”
I was wide awake; nothing like the thought of someone uninvited in your house to snap you from a sleepy state.
“No, I will.” I pulled open the bedside drawer and tossed my undies around until my hand landed on the cold metal.
“Babe, really?” Trent shook his head in disbelief, eyeing the gun in my hand.
“Sorry, Trent, but I’m still a biker girl at heart.” I opened my bedroom door. Trent followed me, and I was kind of glad he was behind me. Trent had a thin build, and I’m certain he hadn’t thrown a punch in his life.
I flipped the hall lights on and listened for the voices. I heard footsteps in the living room and then noticed the light had been turned on.
Raising my gun, I rounded the corner. Dad’s eyes snapped to me, wide and shock-filled. A wide smile broke out across my face, and I flicked the safety back on and tossed the gun into the recliner.
I threw myself into the brick wall known as my dad. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he lifted me off the ground, hugging me back.
“Daddy, oh god, I’ve missed you.” I squeezed him tightly.
It had been exactly 55 weeks since I’d seen him and now that he was here, the feelings hit me hard. I had missed my dad and all his oddness.
Dad and I parted, and I realized Reaper was standing beside him. He was sporting a deep glare that was directed solely at me, and it really threw me.
The last time I remembered seeing him was when he left with my sister.
“And who is this?” Dad was looking over my shoulder at Trent. I spun around on my heel. Trent was standing in the doorway with a blank expression.
He knew about my family, but I think seeing them in the flesh for the first time was a bit shocking. Dad was intimidating.
“Dad, this is Trent, my boyfriend.” I put my hand out for Trent to take.
I swear I could hear Trent’s thoughts as his eyes locked with my father’s. He was freaking out.
“Trent.” Dad’s eyes narrowed and looked him up and down. “What the fuck do you do?”
“DAD!” I threw a hand into his chest. “Don’t speak to him like that.”
“I’m studying medicine.” Trent’s eyes flickered to mine. “That’s how I met your daughter at university.”
“Dad, be nice,” I hissed up at him.
Dad grunted something then looked over at Reaper.
“So why are you two here so late?” I looked at the clock behind them, which had just ticked three in the morning.
“Fucking police pulled us over on the way here. Went over the bikes then took us back for every fucking test known.” Dad walked over to the couch and slumped into it. “Getting too old to be on the bike that long.”
“Dad, don’t be silly. You aren’t even that old.”
I looked over at Reaper. “So are both of you staying here?”
“If that’s alright with you.” Reaper’s eyes were sharp and deadly. The hate within them really threw me.
“Um, yep, fine with me,” I muttered and looked back at Dad. “So Trent and I might just go back to bed then seeing as you two aren’t burglars.”
“Righteo.” Dad nodded his head. “Night, Abby baby; see you in the morning.”
My eyebrows shot up immediately. “Abby? Did you just call me Abby?”
I couldn’t be sure if I was insulted or just really pissed off that Dad had thought this whole time I was Abby.
“What, are you going by your full name now?” Dad challenged me, pulling his boots off.
“No, I’m going by Kim.” I placed my hands on my hips. “Because that is my name!”
“Kim?” Dad’s eyes shot wide, and he was quick to get up, pushing my blonde bangs from my forehead. He looked into my eyes for a few moments before he grinned. “Darn baby girl, didn’t recognize you without the red hair.”
“I’ve spent most of my life blonde, Dad.” I rolled my eyes. “Now that this is cleared up, I’m going to bed with my boyfriend.”
Dad looked stunned but nodded his head.
I shot a glimpse in Reaper’s direction, and that hatred that had been in his eyes moments before was completely gone. Looks like he and Abby had some unfinished business, which really stirred my interest.
“Kim, just one thing.”
“Sure, Dad, what?”
“Where is your sister?”
I dwelled on that question for a moment. I knew that wherever she was, she was up to no good and would be on the arm of one Drake Collins.
“You really don’t want to know. Night.”
I walked away, still holding Trent’s hand. I wasn’t going to blow the lid on Abby; she could face Dad’s outrage all on her own. She would need that attitude when she went up ag
ainst him.
Chapter 13
Abby
Drake and I were far from Romeo and Juliet. What we had was dark and if anything, downright sinister. I hurled my handbag into the backseat of his car, and he started up the engine.
“You been shopping, babe?” Drake asked.
“No, what makes you ask that?”
“Haven’t seen that bag before.” He indicated into the street.
“It’s old.” I glanced across at him. “So where are we going again?”
He shot that trademark grin at me, and I knew instantly I wasn’t going to like the answer.
“To the club, babe.”
So we have it; I was right.
I stumbled up the front steps of the house of horrors. High heels and alcohol were a bad combination for any female, and I was clumsier than most.
The door opened up after I forced my key in it. I hated this place. I hated my aunt. I hated Kim and well, I just hated everything.
“You’re going to wake everyone up.” Drake followed me in, closing the door quietly behind him.
“Does it look like I give a shit?” I pulled my heels off and flicked the foyer light on.
“Ok, that’s it.” Drake grabbed my wrist, causing me to fling back around and once he had me facing him, he backed me up against the wall. “What’s up, Abby? You're bitchier than normal.”
Had I been? I didn’t think I had been. If anyone else were in my shoes, I’m sure they would be struggling to find a reason to be pleasant as well.
“The door is behind you if you want to leave,” I snapped in his face.
He arched both his eyebrows as if I was proving his point. “Fine, I’ll go.”
“Sounds great to me.”
“You know what your problem is, Abby? You’re selfish.”
“You know what my problem is, Drake? YOU!”
“Oh, so it’s my fault now, is it?” He shook his head, hand on the front doorknob. “You can’t take responsibility for your own shit.” He pointed the car keys at me.
For someone who was concerned about waking the household up, he didn’t seem to be lowering his voice now.
“Maybe I’m just over this.” I gestured between the two of us. “One day you want me, the next you want nothing to do with me, and then fuck, you want me again, but only to help you out.”
“I told you I don’t like labels.”
“I’m not asking for a fucking label; I’m asking for some respect.” I crossed my arms, and maybe it was the bitch in me coming out or maybe I was just fed up with men thinking they could treat me like this. I took two long strides towards him. “You think you can keep me in the dark. You think I don’t know shit, but you’re wrong and tonight, I’ve had enough.”
“You’re drunk, Abby, sleep it off.”
“Is that your excuse tonight? When you had that stripper whore pinned up against the brick wall in the alley?” I shook my head at him, disgusted. “You honestly think that I don’t know what you get up to?”
He looked like he had been caught out, and he had. This was the first time I brought it up with him. I had always looked the other way, but tonight, I’d had enough.
“I never promised to be faithful.”
“And I never promised to be a ray of fucking sunshine.” I glared back at him. “So get off my case about my attitude.”
“Fine, whatever.” He raised his hands, surrendering. “Hate everyone then and act like a bitch. I’m done.”
“You’re done again, are you? Well, fuck me, what a surprise. I catch you cheating, and you’re done.”
“I’m leaving before you say something you can’t fucking take back.”
“Like what? That I really hate you?” I screamed at his back. I threw my handbag in his direction, but it hit the door. He closed it just in time with a loud bang.
Drake and I fought. Drake and I fucked. Drake and I made up.
This was us, poisonous and unhealthy. I thought briefly for a moment about just leaving my upturned handbag on the floor, but then the thought of Aunty Escort going through my stuff had me on my knees and retrieving the bag.
Maybe I was getting bitter. Maybe I was more of a bitch. But then again, maybe I was just growing up.
I started stuffing my belongings back into the bag. Why does this bag have so much shit in it? Honestly, I had only picked it up out of the back of the closet because it matched my outfit. I didn’t sort through it at the time, just stuffed in my purse and phone.
I nearly had everything back inside the coffin bag when I picked up the last thing. It was a crumpled, folded piece of paper.
I opened it up, expecting one of my old drawings.
‘Abby, be back soon. Gone to sort some shit, don’t leave. Kade.’
I read it. I read it again. Then I read that same sentence for the third time, frowning and confused.
Why did I have a note from Reaper? Why was it in my handbag?
I flipped the bag over, taking a better look at it. I was certain that the last time I used this bag was the same day I met Drake and the morning after Reaper and I... well, yeah.
I scooped my bag up off the floor and rose to my feet, my eyes still locked on the letter. It was like I was expecting it to disappear, or the writing to disappear. How had I not seen this that morning?
Maybe I was making this up. Maybe this wasn’t even a letter from Reaper, perhaps it was just my drunken mind playing tricks on me, and in the morning, I would wake up to it actually being a receipt from the supermarket.
I dragged my legs up the stairs and headed to my bedroom.
I was sure to wake up to that letter saying something or being something. I had drunk a lot, and that made sense—more sense than it actually being a letter from him.
I flopped onto my bed. Sleep was what I needed.
***
I had showered and washed away the previous night’s memories and makeup. Still, the crumpled piece of paper in my hand had Kade’s scribbled message.
How had I missed this? Did it really make a difference now? I went over that morning in my mind. I remembered waking up and not seeing him there. I was upset. I got dressed as quickly as I could and swiped the contents from the bedside table into my handbag, which explained why I had a coaster from the motel.
Kade could have left this note on my phone, in my purse; it didn’t matter because I hadn’t seen it.
It was late in the afternoon. I had slept the morning away and had spent a good hour looking at that stupid piece of paper. Twice I had thought about calling him, and just once I thought of apologizing to him. I cringed, remembering the first time he contacted me after that night.
I got up and placed the note in my bedside drawer. At least I wouldn’t have to see him anytime soon, if ever again.
That was the only thing making me feel a bit better about the situation; not having to face him. I closed my bedroom door and walked down the passage. I could hear Kim’s sharp laughter and Trent’s voice from here and by the time I got to the staircase, it was crystal clear.
I didn’t like Trent, but as Drake pointed out, I didn’t like anyone.
After Kim had her abortion, she seemed changed. To be honest, it was like she and I had changed roles. She threw everything she had into her studies and university. I just scraped through, and university really wasn’t for me.
I walked into the lounge looking down at the ground. I hadn’t come down to have a conversation with them. I had come down to get my jumper off the clotheshorse, and then I was planning on heading out and maybe seeking out Drake. But all my thoughts and plans for the day changed instantly when I looked up and my eyes locked with a familiar pair of eyes: my father’s. Shit just got complicated.
Chapter 14
Abby
Our story was never a love story. It was more of a cocktail of sorrows mixed with the odd good moment. It was short, it was bitter, and it left a permanent scar on my heart, not to mention a bad aftertaste.
I would never and cou
ld never deny it; Reaper changed who I was. As my eyes locked with his, all this time later, the memories flooded back to me, and the feelings that were attached to them floated through me. I was being pulled under quickly and going down deep.
I wondered how someone who had such godly looks could be so evil and cruel of heart.
“Abby.”
My name pulled me out from the state I had entered, and I looked back at my father. I couldn’t believe he was there—with Reaper.
“Dad.” I forced the feelings to stay out of my voice. I wouldn’t give Reaper the privilege of hearing anything but coldness in my voice. I would never let him get close again. Sure, I had found a letter, but deep down I felt like it hadn’t changed much.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
The timing couldn’t be worse. The night after I found the letter that could have changed everything, and Reaper was standing in Aunty Amanda’s living room the next day.
“I thought it was time I caught up with my girls.” He seemed to be telling the truth because he was able to keep eye contact with me. “Been missing my girls.”
Been missing us, has he? Then why didn’t he call? Why hadn’t he come sooner? Today’s world made it so simple to get in touch with someone if you really wanted to. There was no excuse for his silence.
“Well, that’s great.” A bitter smile crept across my lips. “I’ll leave you and Kim to it. Just let me know when you roll back out of town.”
I turned to walk out of the room. It looked like I needed to pack an overnight bag and would be crashing somewhere else for a few nights. Surely he wouldn’t be staying longer than that.
“Abby!”
“What, Dad?” I sighed and turned around with a deflated look on my face. I wasn’t interested in what he had to say, and I wasn’t interested in hanging around to listen to it.
“Come back here.”
“I really don’t see the point.”
“You can’t speak to me like that.”
“Sorry, Dad. I guess I’m just not used to speaking to you.” I crossed my arms and gave him a pointed look. “Last time I checked, your motto for being a dad is when things get hard, ship them off to the whore because she will be a great role model.”