Shadowed Strength: Shadowed Series Book One

by Wendi Wilson

  Melanie glanced over at her alarm clock and let out a groan. “My mom is going to be home in half an hour, and I still need to tell you my plan. I can’t let her find you or Ace here again. I just finished my house arrest.”

  “Okay,” he said kissing her one more time. “Tell me your plan to bring that bastard down.”

  Chapter 26

  The next morning, Melanie got ready for school and steeled herself to face her mom. Melanie had pretended to be sleeping when she got home from work because she wasn’t ready to talk about the changes in her body. She couldn’t explain it, and she knew her mom would freak out, thinking she was sick.

  So, after getting dressed in a pair of tights and a flowy shirt, she put her makeup on, drew a deep breath, and walked downstairs to the kitchen. Her mom was at the stove cooking breakfast.

  “Morning, mom.”

  “Good morning, honey. You want some breakfast?”

  The last syllables lowered a few octaves as she turned and got her first look at her daughter. Her eyes rounded out and her mouth fell open. Several uncomfortable beats passed before someone spoke.

  “You ok?”

  “Melanie,” she croaked, then cleared her throat. “You look nice today.”

  “Um, thanks? Is that all you want to say?”

  Her mom shook her head, as if to clear some cobwebs, then turned back to the stove. “The bacon is ready and the eggs will be done in sec. Get a plate if you’re hungry.”

  “Okay. I have time. Thanks.”

  They sat down at the table and ate breakfast in silence. Melanie couldn’t understand her mom’s strange behavior. It wasn’t like her to skirt around an issue, or ignore something as blatantly obvious as Melanie’s suddenly thin body. Melanie couldn’t stand the tension.

  “So, about that elephant…”

  “Huh? What do you mean?” She still hadn’t looked up from her plate.

  “Mom! The elephant in the room! My sudden and dramatic weight loss?” She stood up from the table in a rush and smoothed her hands down her sides. “You have nothing to say? You’re not going to ask me if I’m bulimic or something like that?”

  “For God’s sake Melanie, sit down,” she said in a huff. “I know you’re not bulimic. You hate to puke worse than anything.”

  Melanie sat back down in a huff. “You really have nothing to say?”

  “I knew you started working out while you were home last week. It seems to be working magic. I always told you it was baby fat that would melt off one day.”

  She reached for Melanie’s hand and gave her a weak smile. Melanie could have sworn she saw tears pooling in her eyes, but she quickly got up and grabbed their plates and headed for the sink. She told Melanie to have a good day at school and that she loved her, all without facing her again.

  “Okay, well, bye. I love you, too.”

  When she went outside, Tara was already waiting in the driveway, texting away on her phone. Melanie walked slowly to the car, still trying to figure out the weird conversation with her mom. When she reached for the door she mentally shook herself and decided she would think about that later. She had business to take care of today.

  “Woo, hot mama!” Tara squealed when she got in the car.

  “Shut up, you goof!”

  Melanie and Jeremy had decided not to tell Tara and Chris that they knew the identity of her stalker. Jeremy had wanted to bring them into the loop at first, but Melanie had argued that they would just be bringing them into danger. The less people who knew what they were planning, the better.

  “So, Chris is having another party Friday night.”

  “Really.”

  Melanie forced herself to sound gruff and sarcastic, but she already knew about this party. In fact, she and Jeremy had the whole night planned out. It was the heart of the plan. After Friday night, she would be free.

  “Mel, please come. I know you’re all sad about Jeremy, but I really think this would cheer you up. Besides, Chris said Jeremy won’t be there.”

  “I don’t know, Tara,” Melanie said glumly. “Let me think about it. Ask me again later, okay?”

  “Okay, well, I guess a maybe is better than a no. I’ll drop it for now.”

  “Thanks.”

  As they pulled into the parking lot, Melanie saw Jeremy walking from his truck to the school entrance. He looked up as they passed, and Melanie felt and electric shock as their eyes met. He winked at her and she cast her eyes down to her lap quickly, trying to suppress her smile. When she got it under control and glanced back at him, he was back in character, walking sullenly toward the door with his eyes on the ground and a sad look on his face.

  “You okay, Mel?” Tara asked quietly before they got out of the car.

  “Yeah.” She sniffed loudly for good measure. “I’ll be okay, I promise.”

  When they got to Melanie’s locker, Chris appeared out of nowhere and threw his arm around Tara’s waist, squeezing her to his side. After a hug and a few quick kisses, he turned to face Melanie like he just noticed her presence.

  “Oh, hey Mel. How’s it going?”

  Then he exhaled on a huff as Tara’s elbow met his side. She rolled her eyes at Melanie as if to say, “Boys!” Melanie shook her head with a small laugh.

  “It’s okay. I’m fine.”

  “So, I’m having this party Friday night. You in? Jeremy said he would make himself scarce so you could come. Why did you guys break up, anyway? He wouldn’t tell me.”

  Melanie took a breath, prepared to say she needed more time to think but she caught sight of a tall figure standing just a couple of feet behind Chris. Mr. Hughes was looking intently at the newspaper in his hand. To the casual observer, it looked like he had become engrossed in an article and had stopped to finish reading it, but Melanie knew better. She knew he was listening and it was perfect. Absolutely perfect!

  “Actually, you know what? Yes, I’ll be there. You’re sure Jeremy won’t be around?” She raised her voice slightly, just to make sure the lurker heard her.

  “Yes!” yelled Tara as Chris said “Yeah, he promised. Jeremy said he knew you wouldn’t come if he was there, and he wants you to be able to hang out with us when you feel like it. He still cares about you, Mel.”

  “Well,” she said, devoid of emotion, “too bad for him. I’m over it.”

  She nearly swallowed her tongue choking out that lie, but somehow they both bought it. Gauging by the smug look on Mr. Hughes’ face as he walked away, he bought it too.

  Perfect, she thought. Everything is working out just the way we hoped. This sick bastard is going down.

  Quickly, before the bell rang, Melanie pulled out her phone and sent a quick text to Jeremy.

  “He fell for it. Plan’s a go.”

  She hit send, then deleted it immediately. She couldn’t take the chance that Mr. Hughes would come up with some half-baked excuse to take her phone again and see it. She knew Jeremy would delete it from his phone as well, right after he read it.

  She smiled to herself. In three more days, this would all be over and she could be with the boy she loved. No more threats. No more fear. Just a normal life.

  “I can’t wait,” she said to herself with a smile as she walked to class.

  Chapter 27

  “Mom, what are you doing home?”

  Melanie expected her mom to be at work when she got home from school, so she was surprised to find her at the kitchen table, clutching her cell phone with one hand and a glass of wine with the other.

  Uh-oh. This is serious if mom is drinking, she thought.

  “Sit down, honey. I need to talk to you.”

  “Okay,” Melanie said. She stopped by the fridge and grabbed a soda before she sat down across from her mother. “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t really know how to say this,” her mother said, staring into her wineglass as if she might find some answers there. “I just…I didn’t know what else to do.”

  “Mom, you’re scaring me. What is it?”


  She dragged her eyes up from her wineglass and stared at Melanie’s face for a few seconds before drawing a deep breath and blurting out, “I called your father. He’s coming to see you on Sunday.”

  “What? What do you mean, you called my father?”

  “Melanie, calm down.”

  “Don’t tell me to calm down! All my life, you refuse to even discuss him, and now suddenly he’s coming for a family reunion? What the hell, mom?”

  “Watch your mouth, young lady, and sit down. Now.”

  Melanie had started to rise from her chair during her tirade, and sank back down with a plop. Her mother’s tone brooked no arguments. Melanie took a deep, calming breath before speaking again.

  “Why did you call him now, mom?”

  “There are things,” her mom said, pausing to take a breath and force back tears, “things you don’t know. Things you need to know, now that you’re older. I need your father here to help explain what happened between us, and why he’s never been in your life.”

  Melanie slumped a little in her chair. “Okay.” She drew the word out, like a question, because she didn’t really understand.

  “Melanie, I need you to understand that keeping him away from you was my decision. I had my reasons and it remains to be seen if they were good ones. I just don’t want you to hold it against your father and resent him for it. He had no choice.”

  “Why would you do that, mom? Why would you purposefully keep him away from me?”

  “Melanie, I’m sorry if this hurts you, honey, but you’ll understand on Sunday. I am not going to say anything else on the matter.”

  With that, her mom got up from the table with a sniff, grabbed her wine and went up to her room, shutting the door softly behind her. Melanie sat at the table for several minutes, letting this new turn of events sink in. She was confused and nervous, but also excited to meet the man who got her mom pregnant and disappeared. She pulled out her phone and texted Jeremy.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey, are you sure it’s safe to text me like this?”

  “I don’t care right now. I need you. Can you come over?”

  “Of course. I’m on my way.”

  “Come as Ace. He could be watching. Plus, my mom is home, so we need to be careful.”

  “Be there soon. ILY.”

  Melanie threw her phone on the table and waited. She was so lost in thought that when a scratching noise broke the silence a few minutes later, she nearly knocked her barely touched soda over with a start. She put it on the counter next to the sink and went to open the back door.

  “Ace! What are you doing here, boy?” she said in a loud stage whisper, in case Mr. Hughes was lurking in the woods. “Get in here, you silly dog.”

  Melanie shut the door behind Ace, turning the deadbolt before making her way up the stairs quietly. As she passed her mom’s bedroom, she heard music playing.

  Good, she thought. She won’t hear me talking to Jeremy. Hopefully.

  Melanie went into her room and shut the door after Ace trotted through. He went straight for the closet, the sweat pants from the night before still laying on the floor inside. She closed the door behind him, pulled the curtains tightly closed and flicked on the T.V. She thought the extra noise would help cover their conversation in case her mom left her room.

  When Jeremy emerged, she ran straight into his arms. She squeezed her arms around his waist and laid her head on his bare chest, breathing in the scent of him and basking in his warmth. Jeremy squeezed her tightly, holding her for several minutes before gently pushing her away so he could see her face.

  “What’s wrong, Mel?”

  “My dad is coming to see me this weekend.”

  “What? But I thought…”

  “I know,” Melanie interjected. “My mom called him. She was acting so weird. And she was drinking! In the middle of the day!”

  “Why did she call him now, after all these years?”

  “That’s exactly what I asked her. She said something about me getting older and that I needed to know why she kicked him out of our lives. It was her choice, Jeremy, not his. I don’t know if I can forgive her for that.”

  Jeremy pulled her back into his warm chest. “I’m sure she had a good reason, Mel. She didn’t say anything else?”

  “Nope. Just that she needed him here to help explain it and that he’s coming on Sunday. I just needed to talk to someone about it, and you’re the only person I’ve discussed this with.”

  “Well, you know I’m here for you,” he whispered into her hair.

  “Thanks, Jeremy.”

  “Anytime, Mel.”

  They stood like that in silence for several seconds before Jeremy slowly started backing her up toward the bed. When the backs of her knees hit the edge, she lost her balance and sent them both tumbling down in a heap of arms and legs. Trying not to laugh too loudly, they rearranged their limbs so that they were lying next to each other, face to face.

  “Just call me Grace,” Melanie said sarcastically.

  Jeremy ignored the comment and said “Are you scared about Friday?”

  “Actually, no. That’s weird, isn’t it? I should be scared to death, but I’m more excited than anything. I want to bring that jackhole down.”

  “You’re different. There’s a new strength in you that wasn’t there before. It’s like a new Melanie is coming out of the shadows and into the light.”

  “Is that a bad thing?”

  “Definitely not. I like it. A lot.”

  He leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss, barely brushing his lips against hers. As he pulled away, Melanie’s arm shot forward as she grabbed his neck and pulled him back for more. She heard him snicker into her mouth as their lips met again, but when she opened her mouth and shot her tongue out to lick his lips, his laughter dissipated.

  In an instant, Melanie pushed him on to his back and rolled on top of him, her knees straddling his waist. His eyes popped open in shock, then fell closed again as she lowered her body so there was no space between them. She kissed him hungrily, down to his neck and back several times, not stopping until he rolled them over so that he was on top.

  Jeremy slowed things down gradually, until their kisses were light and sweet. He pushed is weight onto his arms and rose above her. Melanie groaned in frustration and he chuckled. He teased her by leaning back down to lightly nibble on her neck then raising back up. He waited until she opened her eyes to speak.

  “What’s gotten into you tonight?” he asked quietly with a smile on his lips.

  “I don’t know,” Melanie replied with a blush staining her cheeks.

  She tried to turn her head to the side in embarrassment, but he leaned down and nudged it back up with his nose and kissed her cheek before pulling away again.

  Even though she was embarrassed, she held his stare as he looked down at her with longing. She didn’t understand why he had stopped her. Maybe he didn’t want her after all. Maybe all this drama was too much to ask him to deal with.

  “Nuh-uh,” he said, breaking her out of her tumultuous thoughts. “Don’t go there. I can see the wheels turning in your pretty little head.”

  “Then why…” She could not finish the question.

  “As much as I love this new dominant side of you, and I really do, by the way, I don’t want anything to go further while you’re under this much stress. You have too many things weighing on you right now. I don’t want this,” he waved his hands in the air, indicating their position on the bed, “to be about anything other than you and me. I definitely don’t want it to be about stress relief.”

  Melanie sucked in a deep breath and let it out with a huff. “You’re right, as usual,” she said with a pout.

  Jeremy kissed her again quickly before rolling off and resuming his position beside her. She rolled back onto her side to face him. They stared at each other for a while, smiling and holding hands.

  “Okay,” Jeremy said with groan. “I should probably go. It’s gettin
g late and I don’t want your mom to bust me in here again.”

  Melanie tightened her grip on his hand and said “I love you. Thank you for being there when I needed you.”

  “Always,” he said with a promise in his eyes.

  He kissed her once more before hopping off the bed and heading toward the closet. He grabbed the doorknob and turned before going inside. Melanie was still on the bed where he left her.

  “I love you, too. More than you know.”

  Chapter 28

  The next few days flew by in a rush. Melanie ignored Jeremy at school, while he sent her looks full of longing and regret meant to fool everyone, especially Mr. Hughes. It seemed to be working. Melanie hadn’t received any more surprises, either in her locker or via text message.

  It was Friday afternoon, and Melanie was in her room getting ready for the big party at Chris’s house. She decided to wear comfortable clothes because she needed her movement unhindered. She put on her yoga capris and a sports bra with a racer-back tank top over it. Tara was going to throw a fit, but she knew she could calm her down with a few tears and comments about heartbreak and not wanting to attract attention right now.

  “Anything from Mr. H?”

  The text from Jeremy came through as she practiced a few self-defense moves she learned from the internet. She wiped the sweat from her brow with towel as she read it.

  “Nothing. It’s like the calm before the storm. Tonight’s the night, Jeremy. I can feel it.”

  “Stick 2 the plan, Mel, and everything is going to be fine. I’ll be right where we planned, don’t worry.”

  “What about the other thing? Do u think u pulled it off?”

  “For sure. She’ll be there.”

  “Ok. See you tonight. ILY.”

  “ILY2.”

  Melanie deleted the conversation from her messaging app and threw her phone on the bed with a smile. She knew she should be scared out of her wits, but she was excited. She was most likely going to be attacked tonight by someone who wants to hurt her, degrade her, and take her free will and her innocence from her. She was ready, though.