“Cameras?” I asked. “Where?”
“Near all the entrances,” Fury said. His voice was gruff, but it didn’t scare me the way his appearance did. He spoke softly, and his dark eyes gazed over at me with the kind of gentleness that I saw in Maria’s eyes. Speaking of Maria, she shuffled around the table like a bee, making sure everyone had what they needed and that Daddy was pleased with the meal she’d served — thick, juicy steaks and baked potatoes — Daddy’s favorite.
“What about inside?” I asked, looking up at him, my head filling with questions. “Who will see the pictures?”
“It will be video footage,” Fury explained. “And only outside, not inside.”
“Oh,” I replied, letting my eyes fall again. Of course Daddy wouldn’t allow anyone to see what happens inside, I thought. If he did, then people would see how awful he was. They’d see how different he was at home, with us, the way he treated me and Mama. He’d never allow that.
Mama sat silently eating her dinner, avoiding looking at anyone. Daddy glanced over at her and I saw how annoyed he was. I tried to figure out why he’d brought Fury here, because he rarely had anyone over, but I could only imagine it was to impress Fury somehow. Mama was apparently failing at that task.
“This is a beautiful home you’ve got,” Fury said, to no one in particular. Daddy glanced over at Mama again and when she didn’t answer, he turned back to Fury.
“It’s been in my family for over a hundred years,” he said. “My great-grandfather had it built.”
“How many acres?”
“One-hundred and sixty-eight,” Daddy answered, lifting his chin. He was proud of his heritage, of this estate, just as much as he was proud of his business, even though I never really heard him talking about doing any actual work. Everything he had had been passed down to him and yet he was as proud as a peacock of all of it.
“That’s impressive,” Fury said. “A lot of land to manage.”
“It’s mostly forested,” Daddy replied. “It manages itself. I have a landscaper to take care of the grounds around the house and leave the rest to mother nature,” he said. “Will, my accountant, shares the property line on the west.”
“Will is my best friend’s father,” I said. I don’t know why I was interjecting, but just the thought of Benji being close made me feel better.
“Is that so?” Fury asked. “You must spend a lot of time together.”
“A little,” I shrugged.
“That’s nice,” Fury said.
“As I mentioned earlier,” Daddy said. “Will had a break-in at his home last night. I’d like you to go over and take a look at things tomorrow. He said he doesn’t want cameras, but just check things out for me.”
“Will do,” Fury said, cutting into his steak. “This meal is amazing, Maria, thank you so much.”
“My pleasure, Mr….Fury,” Maria murmured from the corner. She’d been staring at him, too. Who could blame us? He looked like something straight out of a comic book, larger than life.
We finished our meal with Fury and Daddy making small talk and I was just about to ask for dessert when Daddy spoke up.
“Molly, you and your mother run along now. Fury and I are going to have a drink in the den.”
I watched as Mama got up and nodded and smiled politely at Fury before leaving. I opened my mouth to ask about dessert, but then thought better of it. Daddy had that look on his face.
That look that I knew was a warning.
That look that sent fear straight to my stomach.
That look that I could go the rest of my life without seeing again but I figured would haunt me forever.
“Nice to meet you, Fury,” I said, smiling.
“Nice to meet you, too, Molly,” he said, standing up from his chair as I walked away. Maria was in the kitchen now and I looked over at her and she gestured for me to join her. When the door closed behind us, she pulled out a saucer with a slice of chocolate pie and handed it to me.
“For you, bonita,” she said.
“Oh, Maria, it’s my favorite!” I exclaimed.
“I know, sweetie, I made it just for you,” she said. “Don’t tell your father.”
“I won’t,” I said, grabbing a fork and sinking it into the silky meringue on top. “You’re the best.”
“I try, bonita, I try,” she said, ruffling my hair.
***
An hour later, my father started shouting at the top of his lungs. Mama was crying, her cries spilling out of their bedroom and into mine. I grabbed a pillow and blanket and then the jewelry box that Mama had given me for my fifth birthday, which now seemed so long ago, and snuck out of my room.
“Lucky, come on!” I called, as he wobbled along behind me.
I ran down the long hall that led to the staircase and climbed up to the third floor. Mama’s cries lingered in my ears even that far away, so I kept going, running through the maze of hallways and past the extra bedrooms that nobody ever went into, except for Maria, to dust occasionally.
The staircase to the attic was at the very end of the hall, and I opened the door that led to it, staring up at the darkness above. I flicked the light switch, climbed the stairs and closed the door behind us, finally drowning out Mama’s cries.
I flipped another switch that poured dim yellow light over the dusty attic. Filled with discarded rocking chairs, sofas and boxes of old books and art, I’d fallen in love with this space over the last few years because it was quiet and secluded and nobody ever bothered me in here. I was pretty sure nobody even knew I came here, but I didn’t consider myself as hiding, not really.
How could you hide if nobody was ever looking for you?
Slowly, I walked over to the small window that looked out over the back meadow.
In the distance, I could see the lights of Benji’s house flickering in the darkness. He was the only one I’d ever brought up here with me. We’d spent long afternoons picking through the books and art, reading funny passages and poems to each other for hours.
I sat on the small loveseat that I’d pulled over by the window a long time ago and wrapped the blanket around myself and pulled Lucky up into my lap.
My jewelry box was pink and white, with little fake jewels glued on top in the shape of a heart. I opened it up, and the sound of music filled the room. Inside, a tiny plastic ballerina twirled in endless circles without a care in the world, and I closed my eyes, just as I always did, pretending I was her, just for a little while.
Just until Mama stopped crying…
CHAPTER 24
BENJI
Mom and Dad were extra tense tonight. They kept giving each other looks, communicating silently with raised eyebrows and shrugs and occasional shakes of their heads.
“What’s up with you guys?” I asked.
“Nothing,” Mom snapped.
I shrugged and let it go. This wasn’t the first time I’d noticed how stressed they were recently. Whatever was going on, it was obviously an ‘adult’ thing, because they weren’t saying anything around me to let on to what was really going on.
“Dad, have you heard anything about Molly?” I asked.
“Molly?” he asked. “No, why?”
“I’m still worried about her,” I said. He already knew why. I’d told him several times that I was worried her father was hurting her, and I’d told Mom, too, but they just said it wasn’t their business. Didn’t keep me from trying again and again, though. “Nothing’s happened…”
“What do you think is going to happen, son?” he asked, shaking his head.
“I was just hoping someone would do something.”
“About what?”
“About Molly getting hurt!” I said, my voice full of exasperation.
“She said she fell down the stairs, Benjamin.”
“We all know that’s not the truth.”
“No, we don’t,” he said. “And even if Bodhi did something to her to cause her fall, I can’t do anything about it now.”
“But what if he hurts her again?”
“Benjamin, don’t you have homework?” Mom asked, flashing me a fake smile.
“I finished it in class,” I said.
“Well, finish your dinner and go upstairs. Dad and I have some things to discuss.”
“I’m done,” I said, putting down my fork and standing up. I pushed my chair back in towards the table and walked away. I was halfway up the stairs when I heard them start talking.
“What are we going to do, Will?” Mom asked, her voice low and urgent.
“I don’t know, babe,” he said. “I think we should just leave.”
“Green’s never going to let that happen. He told you as much.”
“I’m tired of living my life under Bodhi’s thumb, don’t you understand? This has gone on too long and now it’s all closing in on us. Someone broke into our house, Katie!”
“I know,” she said. My eyes grew wide. Someone broke in? They’d not told me anything about that. Who would do that? “And I want to get the hell out of here, too, but that means pulling Benji out of school. You wouldn’t have a job. I’ve been out of the work force for years, Will, it won’t be easy for me to get a job. And where would we go, anyway?”
“Somewhere far, far away, so I wouldn’t have to look at Bodhi Green ever again.”
“It’s a huge decision, Will. And, if we left, then how? We just sneak off in the middle of the night? And what makes you think he wouldn’t find us?”
“We can’t just accept this as our life, sweetheart. We can’t let him dictate our every move forever. There’s got to be a way. And if it means sneaking off in the middle of the night, so be it.”
“Let’s just keep thinking, Will. We’ll come up with a solution.”
“Alright,” he said. “Just make sure you keep the doors locked at all times, okay?”
“Okay, babe…”
I jumped up and ran upstairs, my heart racing. Greenville is the only home I’ve ever known. Leaving it was something I only imagined doing every now and then, something I figured I’d do a long, long time in the future. I couldn’t leave now.
I couldn’t leave Molly.
CHAPTER 25
FURY
Dinner at Green’s was downright weird and sad.
Molly was a delight, and Maria’s cooking was phenomenal, but the energy in that house creeped me out. Despite the beauty of the place, most of the rooms were kept dark with the drapes drawn tight, shut off completely from the outside world. Add that to the tall, iron fence surrounding the property and the way the house was perched high up on a hill, it was like a fortress out of a horror flick.
Marilyn, Green’s wife, barely said two words to me, she was so checked out. She was beautiful, perfectly manicured, but there was nothing but emptiness and sadness behind those icy green eyes.
Bodhi played the part of the man in charge perfectly.
Stern, stubborn and rigid, he didn’t give an inch. He didn’t display even a tiny bit of softness or affection, even to his daughter, Molly. His narcissistic air seemed to do the job of reminding everyone of the fact that he was the boss and they wouldn’t be there without him. Just like at work.
There was no difference.
He ruled with an iron fist, an uncaring asshole who only saw the people around him as servants in various roles. With each passing day, I hated him more.
He reminded me of my old man.
I thought of Asher, how easy it seemed to be for men like him to be kind and show love to others. They were the exact opposite of men like Bodhi and the father I’d run away from. They were the exact opposite of what I wanted to be.
That’s why I found myself on the way to Jack’s bar after I left, hoping like hell Jackie would be there.
I needed her softness. The comfort of her touch, the kind smile that kept flashing in my head all day, despite everything I’d done to focus solely on the job at hand. I could still hear her moans, feel her hips moving under my fingertips, feel her silky, warm flesh wrapped around me…
It was enough to bring a man to his knees, to be quite honest.
Remember that train wreck I said she was? I’m pretty sure at this point that I’m the one being run over, because as much as I try to steer clear of thoughts of her, there’s no way I’m in control of this ride.
In fact, my body was doing its damnedest to keep me abreast of that. My cock was twitching just anticipating her presence on that bar stool.
I opened the door of Jack’s Bar with a lump in my throat and a bigger bulge in my pants.
When I saw her long, black hair, shining under a red neon beer sign, and her sweet, pert ass perched on the same bar stool as last time, I couldn’t help but break out into a smile. She turned to the door and smiled back at me just as big.
“Hey,” I grumbled, shuffling over to her, suddenly unsure if it was okay to do what I desperately wanted to do, which was pull her into my arms and slide my tongue down her throat. Probably not just yet.
We’d slept together only once. Well there wasn’t much sleeping involved, but you know what I mean. We knew each other now. We’d been intimate and for god’s sake, I’d eaten pie off her nipples already, so what was the protocol for greeting each other in public after that?
An awkward hug would have to suffice, unfortunately. I pulled her close and she patted my back, the heat of her palm searing my back, even through my leather jacket.
I sat down next to her and nodded to Pete.
“Long day?” she asked, gazing up at me. I turned her way, my eyes landing on her lips, remembering the taste of them, and then raking down to her chest, drinking in the full tops of her luscious breasts. It took all my strength to refrain from dipping my head down and kissing them.
Instead, I nodded and ordered a drink from Pete when he walked up.
“A little,” I said. “Went to Green’s house for dinner.”
“You did?” she asked, her eyes wide. “That’s unusual.”
“Why is that?”
“They don’t have guests very often.”
“Oh,” I nodded, downing the shot of whiskey Pete placed in front of me. “I can see why. Creepy as hell up there.”
“I’ve never been,” she said. “Heard it was dark and cold, though.”
“That it is,” I agreed. “And really fucking depressing.”
“Why?”
“His wife…” I shrugged. “His daughter. Him.”
“Yeah, the whole family’s a mess, I guess. Marilyn rarely leaves the house anymore. Not sure why.”
“She seems pretty checked out.”
“I guess if I had to be married to that asshole, I’d check out, too.”
I nodded in agreement. She had a point. I’d only known Green a few days and I could tell he was an insufferable bastard already.
“You ever hear anything about his daughter?” I asked.
“Not really,” she said. “Good kid, I guess. Does good in school. Has a few friends. Seems especially close to that Benji kid. Seems kinda sad, though. Always sporting some kind of injury, so I guess she’s pretty clumsy. At least that’s the story Green likes to tell.”
I nodded, my fists balling up with anger, which was the last thing I wanted to feel right now. I was with Jackie, I’d come for her softness, her good vibes, not to rehash Bodhi Green’s sins. For now, I needed a big ass break from all of that.
“How was your day, Jackie?” I asked, taking the focus off of me. She looked over at me and smiled, licking her lips slowly.
“Pretty good,” she nodded. “I couldn’t stop thinking about last night.”
My cock twitched again and I nodded.
“Me, too. I’m never going to look at lemon meringue pie the same way again.”
Her laughter bubbled up and spilled over like water from a fountain and I reached over, throwing my arm around her and pulling her in close, kissing her forehead.
“You wanna go for a walk?” I asked, after a while.
“Anywhere
but here,” she said, glancing over at Pete, who was staring at us from the corner. I nodded at him, waved, and threw some money on the bar.
We walked out into the cold, dark night. It was snowing heavily tonight, big fat flakes that landed on our coats and stayed there as we walked hand-in-hand down the sidewalk, leaving my bike parked in front of the bar.
“Where would you like to go?” I asked.
“I know just the place,” she said, leading me through the town square. There were a few others out on the sidewalks tonight, since it wasn’t as late as last night. A few people closing up their shops and milling around as we slowly strolled towards the church. Jackie led me to the side of the towering white building and up a small set of stairs that led to an elaborately carved wooden door with a window made of colorful stained glass.
“Church?” I asked. “I might burst into flames.”
“Please,” she said, rolling her eyes. “If nobody else in this town has burst into flames walking into this building yet, then you won’t either. Besides we aren’t actually going into the chapel, so you’re safe, sinner.”
I laughed as she opened the door and led me inside. A small alcove led to a dark, steep stairway that she began walking up. I followed, my eyes glued to her sensuously swaying ass.
I was pretty sure that the thoughts I were having were completely inappropriate for church, but I couldn’t help it, it was right there in front of my face and I am not a strong man when it comes to these sorts of things. Luckily, the stairs were not only steep, but winding, so I was forced to concentrate on going up the stairs safely in the darkness, providing a much needed distraction to keep me from reaching out and grabbing the tempting fruit displayed directly in front of my eyes.
We reached the top and she opened another door that led into the top of the church’s steeple, a huge iron bell housed inside.
“It’s almost eight,” she said. “Just a few more minutes and it’ll ring.”
“Should we be up here?”
“It’s not as loud as you might think. It’s amplified throughout the town in a speaker housed just below us, so you won’t go deaf, I promise. Maybe just feel a few vibrations.”
FURIOUS Page 13