Slow Burn - a Novel: The Elite

by KB Winters

  She didn’t sound convinced, but I knew she had way too much weighing on her mind as it was. She didn’t need me to point out the hole in her argument.

  “Why don’t you go upstairs and get some sleep, you know, in a real bed. Alesha will turn up.”

  She nodded, but there was a dark undercurrent in her eyes. When she didn’t move, I nudged her arm. “Whatcha thinking about?”

  “I just—this is gonna sound stupid…but I don’t want to be here…alone.” She dropped her eyes to the remaining contents of her mug, swirling it thoughtfully. “Would you stay?”

  “Of course. I’ll be right here,” I said, with a pat on the couch.

  She nodded. “Thank you.”

  After she polished off the last of her tea in one swig, she took my abandoned mug with a smile, and pushed off the couch.

  “Goodnight, Nick. Thanks for…everything.” She pressed a kiss to my cheek and then started off towards the stairs I’d seen from the kitchen.

  “Goodnight, Carly,” I called after her.

  Chapter Twelve

  Carly

  The crash of adrenaline combined with two mugs of chamomile did the trick and when I woke up the next morning, I could barely remember getting into bed. The moments leading up to going to bed came back in bits and pieces and surrounded me with warm comfort, knowing that Nick was sleeping downstairs on my couch. Protecting me.

  “What are you doing, Carly?” I whispered to myself, smiling up at the ceiling.

  I’d told myself he was off limits. A distraction. For all I knew, he wasn’t even going to be in town long term. There was no point in trying to start something up.

  And yet…

  I couldn’t get him out of my mind. It had been damn near impossible before the events of last night—but now—there was this new…layer…to our friendship. And I’ll be damned if it didn’t have me feeling all kinds of things I was trying to avoid.

  I smiled as my thoughts drifted to Nick. He was such a wonderful man—what I knew of him. And sexy. It was like for a split second, my heart opened up and was ready to try and let him in and then Alesha—I bolted upright in bed.

  Alesha!

  My phone was lost in the pile of clothes I’d shucked off the night before. I leaned over the side of the bed, thankful it was low to the ground, and rooted through the pile until I found it. I flipped it over and saw a text message from the night before that told me she was on her way home.

  I threw back the covers, slipped into a robe, and then decided to add a pair of pajama pants. Fully dressed, I ran my fingers through my hair, untangling some of the noticeable knots, and then raced downstairs.

  The smell of coffee hit me first, like a comforting cloud.

  I smiled and stepped into the kitchen, expecting to see Nick at the counter, preparing the coffee. But it was empty. Where was he? I searched the entire first floor and he was nowhere in sight. Circling back, I stopped in the kitchen and saw that my ancient, four cup brewer had been pre-programmed. And there was note on the counter in front of it:

  Figured you’d need this. I had to get to work so I called Aaron to give me a ride.

  See you later.

  Nick

  With a deflated sigh, I set the note down and poured a cup of coffee. Before I had too long to wallow in disappointment, I heard footsteps on the stairs behind me. I whipped around and saw Alesha strutting down the stairs in a black silk robe that barely covered her lady bits.

  “Leash! What the hell is that?”

  I’d never categorized myself as a prude, but since when did high schoolers buy lingerie?

  “Where’s Nick?” she purred, ignoring my question altogether.

  Well that explained the robe…

  I rolled my eyes. “Really? This again?”

  I dumped another inch of black coffee into the mug that Nick had set beside the machine. Looked like I was gonna need all I could get.

  “What?” She batted her lashes.

  “God, I don’t even know where to start right now…” I hadn’t been drinking the night before, but the pinched tightness at my temples was an eerily similar experience. I rubbed at the side of my head and sipped at the scalding coffee. “Alesha…” I opened my eyes and saw her crossed arms, pouted lips, and eyes ready to roll. “Ya know what, go change, first of all. I can’t even take you seriously like that.”

  With a huff, she spun around, flashing her ass cheeks in the process, and stormed back up the stairs.

  Cute.

  It had been a long time since I’d even thought about the possibility of having my own children, and after dealing with Alesha—I was more okay than ever with the fact that parenthood wasn’t anywhere on the horizon.

  “Happy?” I turned at the haughty question and faced Alesha as she marched back down the stairs, still wearing the black robe, but she’d added a pair of striped shorts underneath that were at least long enough to cover the basics.

  “Ecstatic,” I grimaced.

  “What’s your problem?”

  I braced my elbow on the counter and leaned back. “Where were you last night?”

  “Out,” she fired back, crossing her arms as she came to a stop a few feet away from me.

  I frowned. “I called you a million times.”

  “I know. Very uncool of you, Sis.”

  My knuckles went white around my mug of coffee. “Alesha, there was a man outside the shop last night. He was looking for you.”

  Her face brightened into a flirtatious smile. “Really? Who?”

  “A criminal,” I barked, snapping the glowing grin from her face.

  “What?”

  “I was locking up and a man attacked me. He was asking for you but decided he could have some fun with me since you weren’t there,” I continued, keeping my tone clipped and matter-of-fact. It was the only way to hold back the ball of emotions still burning in my chest.

  Alesha’s expression twisted. “Are you serious?”

  I nodded. “Luckily, Nick was coming up to the shop and was able to pull him off of me before…before anything more serious happened. The man has been arrested.”

  “Oh my God, Carly, I’m so sorry.” Alesha dropped her arms and raced to close the gap between us. I barely had time to set aside my mug before she threw her arms around me.

  I returned her embrace lightly, still too angry with her to fully drop my guard. Not yet.

  She pulled away and dropped her arms but stayed close. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, but Alesha, do you understand how terrified I was when I couldn’t get ahold of you?”

  She sucked in an uneven breath and nodded. “I’m sorry. I was…pissed. About before…”

  “I realized that, but we had a deal and you broke it…again.”

  In front of her, she clasped her hands and tugged nervously at her fingers. “So, when do I leave?”

  Despite all the drama, I still hadn’t gotten around to actually calling our dad to make the arrangements for her to fly to New Hampshire. I’d told myself it was because I was busy, or that one more day wouldn’t matter, but in the end of it, there was another piece I hadn’t been willing to admit yet.

  I didn’t want her to go.

  She drove me crazy and last night, she’d scared the shit out of me, but I’d come to enjoy working with her in the shop in the morning, and while she was certainly not going to win any employee of the month awards—ironic considering she was my only employee—she helped me in the day to day.

  I brought my eyes to hers and saw a sheen of tears coating them, making them glossy in the natural light from the window over the sink.

  “I haven’t called Dad yet.”

  A flicker of hope gleamed in her eyes. “So, I can stay?”

  “Alesha, I’m tired of this bullshit tug-o-war with you.”

  Kicking her ass out was my only shred of leverage—but I was getting tired of using it over and over again.

  “I’ll work more hours and stay out of trouble,” she pl
eaded, holding up her hands like she was praying to me.

  I considered her once more, my eyes lingering on the sheer edges of her robe. “And no more flirting with Nick, or any other age-inappropriate guy,” I added, bringing my eyes back to hers to make sure she wasn’t going to try and bullshit me.

  Instead, I saw a spark of mischief. “Well I can’t help if they flirt with me…”

  I contained an eye roll. “Right. Cause Nick has obviously been the one instigating.”

  She smirked. “He was last night.”

  “What?” An explosion of panic ripped through my stomach and I was glad I wasn’t holding my coffee mug. It would have dropped from my hand and shattered on the kitchen floor. “What are you talking about? Last night?”

  Alesha grinned more deeply. “When I got here last night, he was awake on the couch. I think I scared him, coming in like I did…”

  “What do you mean?” I asked, too quickly.

  Alesha shrugged. “I was a little tipsy and he sprang at the door and ripped it open while I was messing with my keys. Anyways, he told me that I owed you an apology—”

  “Good advice,” I muttered, a sinking feeling still heavy in my chest, but grateful for his attempt to repair the situation.

  “I don’t know why he didn’t tell me about what happened at the cafe. I guess we got off track…”

  “Alesha, for fuck’s sake, just tell me what the hell you’re talking about!”

  “We messed around on the couch.”

  My stomach turned inside out. Thankfully I hadn’t had time to eat so there was nothing to toss out onto the floor. Instead, I stood there, paralyzed, my eyes bugging out at her as she smirked to herself at the memory of her illicit night.

  “That can never happen again,” I said, the rasp in my voice startling Alesha from her dreamy, far off stare. “Never. Again. Do you understand?”

  She rolled her eyes, but after taking another look into my eyes, she backed down and nodded her consent.

  “I’m going to the shop.” I couldn’t stand still anymore. I needed to move, to breathe, to get out of the fucking house that felt like it was ready to collapse on top of me right there at the coffee pot.

  “Are you sure? You seem…off…”

  “I’m fine.” I turned in a jerking sweep, dumping the coffee from my mug and clanging it down with too much force.

  “Do you want me to come with you?”

  Although my back was to her, I shook my head. “No. Not today. I need some space.”

  “Okay…” a hint of apprehension tinged her voice, but before I turned back around, I heard her footsteps scamper back up the stairs, obviously eager to get in another hour of sleep.

  A warning rang in the back of my mind, reminding me that this was the part where I needed to tell her that she wasn’t to leave the house, that she needed to be to the shop by noon for the lunch rush, or that she was grounded for the rest of the summer. But nothing came out.

  None of it mattered anymore.

  All of my anger had been redirected like a channel of water. And that force was all ready to slam into a devastatingly handsome man with thick auburn hair, a mysterious smile, and warm honey eyes.

  I was going to fucking destroy him.

  * * * *

  The espresso machine had barely finished going through it’s warm up cycle, when a gentle tap sounded on the glass door. I looked up from the tray of scones I was arranging and scowled at Nick’s cheery face staring back at me. I dropped the tray, straightened, and dusted my hands on the front of my apron. With clipped, marching strides, I stalked to the front door, flipped the lock, and swung it open. “We’re not open yet,” I growling, thumbing at the vinyl lettering on the glass labeling the business hours. “You’ll have to come back later. Or not.”

  Without waiting for him to gather a reply, I pulled the door closed with a loud slam, flipped the lock, and made my way back to the counter, ignoring his knocking.

  After a little while, he called my name, but I didn’t look up or acknowledge it.

  I was done with Nick. And the sooner he knew it the better.

  He should just be glad I wasn’t kicking his balls in.

  “Carly? What the hell?” He was at the side window now, tapping on the glass, trying to get my attention. I considered my options. Within a few minutes, my first wave of customers—the early birds—would be assembling outside. There was enough gossip in this town without a major scene to fuel it along. Up until this point, I’d been fortunate enough to fly under the radar. I didn’t relish the idea of an entire town full of bored retirees and housewives making me their front page, hot item news for the next month or two.

  I planted my fists on my hips as I spun to face him. “Go away!” I bellowed back, knowing there was no way he wouldn’t hear me.

  He reeled back and his expression registered several layers of shock. “What the hell did I do?”

  “I talked to Alesha! Did you really think I wouldn’t find out? Leave, or I’m calling the cops!”

  Nick opened his mouth, ready to argue, but after a sweeping glance at me, he closed it again. I figured my eyes probably were blazing enough that they could have cut through the glass like some kind of super spy gadget. Another half a minute passed, our eyes locked together from our opposite positions behind the glass.

  A soft chirp called to me over my shoulder, a reminder set to go off each morning to open the front door. Often times I got so wrapped up in baking or writing down a new recipe idea that I got lost and forgot to go unlock the door and would be reminded by my customers knocking. My early bird clientele was a lively group of seniors who would go on for days if the shop was locked when they arrived.

  It was easier to set an alarm than to be reminded about my mistake for a week.

  I backed down from my standoff with Nick, flipped the alarm off, and went to the door to unlock it.

  When I turned back, Nick was gone.

  I breathed out a sigh and pushed back my hair. “Good riddance,” I told myself, wishing it didn’t have to be that way—but I wasn’t going to put up with a grown man trying to get to my sister. “Fuckwad.”

  * * * *

  The morning carried on like normal—other than the fact that Nick wasn’t there like he had been every other morning since arriving in town—and in the hour before the lunch rush, a different familiar face came to visit.

  “Good morning, gorgeous.”

  I glanced up at Aaron’s arrival and gave him my best smile, hoping it didn’t look as forced as it felt.

  He arched a brow as he strode over to the counter. “Damn, Nick was right…”

  I bristled at the mention of Nick. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You’re surly today.”

  My hands balled tight. Very few people could get away with calling my surly.

  Fortunately for Aaron, he was one of them.

  “I’m not.”

  He leaned against the case and stared down at me with a disarming look that was a blend between concern and amusement. “What’s up, buttercup?”

  “Nothing…” I growled.

  “All right, all right,” he conceded, holding up his hands. “Listen, seriously though, Carly, I heard about last night. Are you okay?”

  I nodded, the grumpiness fading slightly. “Yeah. It shook me up, but I’m okay now.”

  “I wish I’d been here. If I had been, even Gemma wouldn’t have been able to stitch that asshole back together again.”

  I couldn’t help but smile softly. “Thanks, Aaron.”

  “So, come on, tell me what’s wrong. Nick told me you wouldn’t even let him in the shop this morning. That doesn’t sound like you…”

  I blew out a sigh, my side swept strands of hair billowing away from my face. “He crossed a line with Alesha. Or, at least she says he did. I don’t know what to think yet, but right now, I need him to stay away from me until I figure it out.”

  “Are you serious?”

  I nodded. �
�I know she’s not exactly a reliable source of information, but I’d hate to think she’d lie about something like that.”

  “He forced himself?” Aaron hissed, his hands clenching into tight fists on top of the bakery case.

  “No, no, no.” I shook my head frantically. God, if I wasn’t careful, I was going to be giving Nick a death sentence. “Alesha’s been flirting with him since he stepped into town. If anything, he was the coerced.”

  Aaron didn’t look comforted. His face remained contorted with twisted rage.

  I sighed. “I’ll figure it out. I just didn’t want to deal with it this morning.”

  The bell tinkled at the front of the shop as a new customer entered. I smiled and called out a friendly “good morning” before turning my attention back to Aaron. “Your usual?”

  He shook his head. “No. I gotta go take care of something…”

  “Aaron!” I called after him as he stormed away, but it was too late. He was gone in an angry flash, his jaw set, eyes blazing.

  What have I done?

  Chapter Thirteen

  Nick

  “Adams, my office. Now!”

  Aaron’s roar echoed through the hangar, shocking me into dropping the bit I’d been fussing with. What the fuckin’ hell? First Carly, now this?

  Should have stayed in bed.

  Or rather, on Carly’s couch.

  I pushed off the floor and went after Aaron. A second later, I was in his office, staring into his nearly black eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  Aaron crossed his arms. “I’m only going to ask you once. You bullshit me and your ass is out of a job. Got it?”

  I nodded.

  “Did you fuck around with Alesha, Carly’s sister?”

  A laugh that bordered on hysterical escaped my lips. “What? No. That’s insane!”

  Aaron didn’t budge.

  “Rosen, come on. You know me. At least well enough to know I’m not out chasing jailbait to get my rocks off.”

  “Actually, I don’t know you that well. You just got here, remember?”

  “Fine. Then you’re just gonna have to trust me. Teenage girls annoy the shit out of me. I don’t want to hang out with them, and I certainly don’t want to bang them. The only woman I’m interested in is Carly.”