“Goddammit, I forgot.”
“Forgot what?”
He twists in the seat, brushes my hair from my face. “I promised Sophia a photo opportunity with the press. You know, not everything is as it seems. And Athena, I’m not done with you yet.”
My heart does a flip, and my stomach feels like it’s filled with butterflies. Kris gets out of the car and jogs toward the marina, leaving me alone. Opening the door, I slide out and carefully walk across the parking lot. It’s not until I hit the docks that I see Kris and Sophia posing for photographs with the ever-present media, lapping it up. My heart stops, and those butterflies now feel like rocks weighing me down. A hand snakes around my waist, startling me. I yelp and try to move away.
“Jesus, Athena, calm down, it’s me, Todd.” He takes one look at my face, and his other arm wraps around me. “What’s wrong?” he whispers.
“I was beginning to believe him.”
Todd pulls back to look into my eyes. “Who?”
I look over my shoulder and stare at Kris and Sophia. “Him.”
Todd follows my gaze, his arms fall away, and he grabs my hand. “Head up, chest out, and smile. We are going to walk into the club, and you are going to look like you haven’t got a care in the world. You’ve got this.”
“I’m not so sure I do.”
Todd gently squeezes my hand and more forcibly repeats, “You’ve got this.” With a slight tug, he propels me forward. “Smile,” Todd hisses quietly.
With my eyes glued to Kris, I smile, grip Todd’s hand for dear life, and walk into the club. TB and Ashlea are on the far side of the room, and with Todd’s help, he guides me to them.
“That is the scariest fucking smile you’ve ever given me. What did I do?” asks TB when we finally reach him.
“What do you mean?”
“Athena, you look like you want to kill me or worse. I’m sorry I made you come with Kris. I won’t do it again, I promise.”
Scowling at him, I cock my head to the side. “Make sure you don’t do that again.”
“I won’t, I won’t,” he replies, emphatically, arms held high, then he looks to Todd. “Glad you’re here.”
Todd smiles with his arm around me and leans into TB. “You made her come with that low-life?”
“What in God’s name did he do?” TB shakes his head. “And Kris isn’t a low-life.”
“He didn’t do anything.” I shake my hair and mutter, “Except for bringing the Ice Queen.”
TB bursts out laughing. “Ah, now I get it.”
Todd leans in again. “I’m sure you don’t.”
Frowning at Todd, I grab his hand. “Come on, I need a drink. Do you want anything, TB?”
“For you and the deputy to chill out?”
I stick out my tongue and walk to the bar.
Ashlea puts a hand on TB’s arm. “Hey, Athena, I’ll have a soda, please.”
She looks up at him as though he put the moon in the sky. There is nothing but adoration on her pretty face. I give Ashlea a smile, scowl at TB, and walk away.
“Your brother can be a dick,” whispers Todd.
“I know, but he’s my brother, and I’m the only one allowed to call him that.”
Todd barks out a laugh. “Fair enough.”
“Damn, Athena, you look good!” booms Tommy Baker from behind the bar.
“Thanks, Tommy. Could I have a diet Coke for Ashlea, please?”
“Sure thing, and what about you?” he asks as he gives me the once over.
Todd says, “She’ll have a glass of bubbles, and I’ll have a Shiner Bock.”
Tommy looks from Todd to me. “Oh, didn’t see that happening.”
“What exactly?” asks Todd.
“You drinking a beer? Sure you don’t want bubbles, too?”
“If I’d wanted bubbles, I’d have ordered bubbles.”
I sigh. “For fuck’s sake, Tommy, do your job.”
Both men look at me. Tommy’s smile fades to a scowl as he pulls down glasses and begins to get our drinks.
Turning around, I take in the club. The carpet is red, and the walls are wooden as the original owners wanted it to feel like the inside of a yacht. Tonight, it feels like one big cliché. Mom and Dad wave at me from a table in the back, and I wave back. There are not many people at the yacht club tonight, and those who are, are friends. Except for a few people who I assume are press or came here to get a glimpse of Hollywood’s hottest couple.
“You want this on your father’s tab?” asks Tommy.
“No, I’ll pay for it,” replies Todd.
Picking up my bubbles, I throw it back and nearly choke on it. Spluttering, I look at Todd, who laughs at me, shakes his head, and slaps me on the back.
“Get the lady another.”
Tommy grins, pours another, and hands it to me. “We aren’t in high school anymore. Take it easy, okay?”
I nod, take a sip, and smile. “Thanks, Tommy.”
The noise volume in the club increases, and I turn to see Kris with Sophia walking in. Some of the locals walk toward them as do the newcomers. I groan and look at Todd.
“Let’s go sit with Mom and Dad.”
“Whatever you want, princess.”
“Who’s the princess?” quips Tommy.
Locking eyes with him, I state. “You always were a dick, Tommy.”
His eyebrows go up, eyes bulge, and his mouth drops open. Todd bursts out laughing, holds out his arm to me, and I link mine through it.
“Okay, princess,” says Todd with a grin on his face. “Smile, shoulders back, tits out, and let’s own this floor space.”
Clutching his arm for dear life, I navigate my way to Mom and Dad’s table, successfully managing not to break my neck or stumble.
“Shit,” I hiss. “I forgot Ashlea’s drink.”
“All good, I’ll go back and get it. It’ll be worth it to see if Tommy has shut his mouth.”
I look up at Todd. “How does he know?”
Todd shrugs. “Who knows? I don’t care. It’s not like it’s a secret. I just don’t announce it to everyone. To me, it’s a non-issue. I am who I am.”
I put my drink on the table and hug Todd. “And you are wonderful,” I whisper, then standing back I take in his outfit. “Your light purple shirt brings out your brown eyes perfectly.”
“Lavender. It’s lavender. Have I taught you nothing?”
I giggle and nod. “Right, deputy, lavender.”
Todd grins, kisses my cheek, and goes back to the bar.
***
The entire night I do my best to ignore Kris. I answer his questions when he directs them to me, but I’m actively trying not to engage him in any conversation. Todd has kept his arm around me, and from a distance, we look like a happy couple. It’s late, and Todd squeezes my knee under the table. Glancing at him, he tilts his head slightly, the universal code for it’s time to leave.
Standing, I hold up my glass and look at TB and Ashlea. “To the happy couple, may the sea be calm and still, may the fish be aplenty, and your home forever full of love, and lastly, may your troubles be nil.”
“Here, here!” Todd stands and also holds up his glass.
Walking around the table, I put an arm around TB and Ashlea. “Love you both, but it’s way past my bedtime. I kiss each of them on the cheek and look at the table, avoiding Kris’ eyes. “Night, everyone.”
Todd holds out a hand to me, and we walk out of the club.
“Thank the seven seas that is over.”
“Aww, come on, it wasn’t that bad,” replies Todd.
I stumble as we hit the parking lot. “Pfft! And did you have to park miles away from the front door?”
Todd laughs. “Not my fault you wanted to look all hot in your six-inch heels and figure-hugging dress.”
Grabbing onto his shoulder, I lean on him as I remove one shoe and then the other.
“Oh my God, this is heaven,” I breathe as I flex my toes onto the hard surface.
&n
bsp; “Need me to carry you, princess?”
“Nope, I’m pretty sure I could race you there now.”
With a shoe in each hand, we walk back to the car.
“You okay?” asks Todd.
“It’s been a weird night. I just want to go home and sleep.” Holding up the shoes as we walk, I continue, “And burn these.”
Todd opens his car door, and I slide into the seat. The drive home doesn’t take long, and we sit together in comfortable silence. Todd pulls up and goes to turn the car off, and I place a hand on his shoulder.
“No, don’t. Go home, sleep, you’ve got work tomorrow. I’ll be fine.”
“You sure?”
“Yes, Todd.” Leaning over, I kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you for tonight. And you looked very smart in your lavender shirt and gray pants.”
“Charcoal.”
I laugh and nod. “Right, charcoal.”
Chapter Thirteen
Kris
Athena didn’t so much as spare me a parting look on her way out of the yacht club. Next, to me, Sophia didn’t even bother with small talk spending most of the night either talking on her phone or messaging on it. To say Sophia has gone cold toward me is an understatement. She played the devoted girlfriend in front of the cameras, but as soon as there wasn’t one pointed at us, she didn’t even try to talk to me. Even when I drove us back to the motel, Sophia got out of the car and didn’t look back, her phone already attached to her ear.
A knock at the door surprises me. I crack it an inch and see Todd on the other side, so I open it fully and look at him. He has both hands in his pockets and rocks back on his heels as though he’s nervous.
“What can I do for you, Todd?”
“I, ah, knocked on the room next door, and Sophia told me to try this room. I think I need to talk to you.”
Turning around, I sit on the end of the bed, and he sticks his head in, hands still in his pockets, looking a little lost.
“Come in, take a seat.”
Todd closes the door and sits on the only chair in the room while I lean forward, elbows on my knees, hands clasped, and wait for him to speak.
“Y-You’re not sharing a bed?”
“No.”
Todd looks around nodding, and finally his gaze comes back to me.
“What do you want, Todd?”
“Athena…” he pauses. “Do you care for her? Or is she just a plaything you want back?”
I unclasp my hands, look at the floor, and take a deep breath. The air here is so much cleaner, I can taste the salt, and I’d forgotten how good it is just to breathe.
“She still cares for you.”
My head snaps up, and I narrow my gaze on him. “I’m not so sure about that. You and she seemed mighty cozy tonight.”
Todd shakes his head slightly and smiles. “No. But that’s a story for another time. I noticed that you and Sophia weren’t exactly getting along.”
He lets the sentence hang there, waiting for me to respond. Drawing in another breath, I sit up straight and rub the back of my neck.
“We aren’t together. I mean, we were, but we’re not now. I’m letting her end it publicly, so she saves face.”
His eyebrows raise, and he makes a strange noise as he sucks in air. “Oh, right.” Todd nods. “Is that normal? I mean, is that how you do things in LA?”
I shake my head. “No, but Sophia is a carefully constructed animal, I mean actor. I’m letting her break it to the world.”
“But you were the one who broke things off?” I nod. Todd leans back, eyes fixed on me, purses his lips, and asks, “Do you still care for Athena?”
My lips turn down, and I shrug. “I never stopped caring, Todd. But I’ve fucked things up pretty badly.”
Todd nods, I guess he probably knows her better than me now.
“Do you know what happened to her?”
Slowly I shake my head. “I asked and—”
“She avoided the conversation.”
“More or less,” I admit.
Todd stands and begins to pace. “If I tell you, you have to keep it to yourself. Athena is a very private person. Are you friends with her on Facebook?” I shake my head. “It’s a completely different persona. From what I can gather from her Mom and Dad, it’s what Athena used to be like… fearless.”
I smile as I remember a different time. “She was. Hell, she’d do things on a dare that I wouldn’t even attempt. When we were younger, she got me into so much trouble. I was always covering for her.”
Todd laughs. “You know her parents knew that, right?”
I quirk an eyebrow. “Did they now?”
“Yeah, her dad talks about you three a lot. Told me that you and TB were always keeping her out of trouble.” Todd sits down. “I think it’s part of the reason she never got over you. I think Athena was always waiting for you to come back and make it better.”
I wince at the thought of Athena being hurt and for me being the cause. Staring down at the blue carpet, I suck in a breath.
“Tell me what happened to her.”
Todd nods once. “You know she got a job with a network to cover a story in New York?”
With a heavy heart, I look up at him and shake my head. “No. I don’t know anything. I did my best to distance myself from her. Todd, I know I sound like a selfish prick, and I am, but if I’d kept tabs on Athena, I wouldn’t have been able to stay away. She was all-consuming, and I wanted out of this town so badly, I needed to prove myself.”
Todd looks at me and leans back. “Didn’t TB keep you updated?”
“No. He told me if I wanted to be with Athena, then I needed to do just that. I’d ask about her, and all he’d say is she’s fine.”
Todd frowns and cocks his head to the side. “I’m a shitty best friend, Athena is going to kick my ass.”
“Best friend?”
“Yeah.”
“So, you’re her boyfriend and her best friend?”
Todd narrows his gaze. “Something like that.”
“Right.” There’s something he’s not telling me, but I have a feeling he will in time.
Todd continues to stare at me, and just when I think he’s decided not to tell me Athena’s story, he folds his arms across his chest and stares at the carpet.
“She got a job working for a network, I forget which one. You have to understand that she worked hard just to get that job. There were a lot of people vying for the position, but they picked Athena. I mean, who wouldn’t? She’s smart, beautiful, and took risks. Do you remember that expose a while back on the elite who were using underage girls as sex slaves? Athena was the key to that coming to light. It was why they gave her the assignment that nearly killed her.”
I remember that story. It was everywhere. Many of the world’s rich and famous got tied up in that mess. Some were jailed, others took their own lives, and some fled to countries with no extradition. I had no idea Athena was instrumental in bringing that sordid mess into the public arena.
“Athena helped with that story?”
Todd gives a slight nod. “Athena was the one who found out about the girls, but she was new, so they gave it to a seasoned reporter. But that story opened the door to many more.” Todd unfolds his arms and scrubs a hand down his face. “She’d only been with them a short time, but she was so desperate to prove herself that she took risks. The next story took her to New York. Athena was undercover, trying to expose a drug ring. Except somehow, they found out who she really was.” Todd looks up and locks eyes with me. “They had her for three days. The things they did to her, I’m amazed she survived. Athena was…” Todd stands, puts his hands in his pockets, and looks out the window, “… raped, they took turns with her.”
My stomach lurches, and I run for the bathroom. I’m heaving, but nothing is coming up. Todd is beside me, turns on a faucet, and hands me a wet washcloth. With my hand resting on the toilet, I slide down to the floor. Todd fills a glass with water and holds it out to me.
“I didn’t know.” The words come out strangled, and I’m finding it hard to put a sentence together as I take the offered glass. I drink it all down, but I can’t look Todd in the eyes. “I-I didn’t know.”
“No one knows. I’m betraying her confidence. Not even her parents or TB know. I only know as I’m her friend and not a threat. Athena doesn’t date. Athena doesn’t leave this town. Athena stopped living, but tonight, when I saw her in that dress and heels, I knew she wanted to live again.” I glance at him, then the floor. “She still cares for you, but if what I told you is too much for you to handle, then fuck off now. Athena deserves better.” The harshness of his tone and the conviction that is absolute in his meaning, wash over me.
Can I handle what happened to her?
Am I man enough to help her?
Will she even want help from me?
Then I replay his words in my mind, I’m her friend and not a threat.
“I’m confused. Are you her boyfriend or only a friend?”
Todd holds out a hand to me. “Think you can keep your dinner down?”
“Yeah, it was a shock, that’s all.”
Leaving the glass on the floor, I grab his hand and let him pull me up. For a moment, I think I’m going to vomit, so I bend over and put my hands on my knees and breathe deeply.
“I’m gay.”
My head snaps up so quickly, I nearly do lose my dinner. “What? Does Athena know?”
Todd chuckles. “Yes, Kris, she knows.”
Closing my eyes, I nod. Of course, she knows. I’m an idiot. All I could see was this good-looking guy who seemed to have it all together and was with the one thing in this town I wanted, the one woman I’ve always loved.
Straightening up slowly, making sure I don’t feel nauseous, I give him a small smile. “Athena chose well when she picked you to share her story with. And I promise not to tell her. I’ll let her tell me when she’s ready, but why didn’t she tell her family?”
Todd turns and leans against the sink, crossing his ankles. “She knew TB would want to kill them, and she said she couldn’t handle the looks from her parents if they knew. Athena told them she was assaulted, apparently coming home black and blue. And afterward, she had plastic surgery to remove the scar on her side.”
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