by Holly Hood
Sam looked over at Delaney. Glad she was sleeping and not rustling around in the front seat. He knew he couldn’t keep her under his control for much longer.
He dug into his pocket answering his phone that vibrated in his grip. “What?”
It was Frankie, wondering where he was. “Are you driving?”
Sam sighed. “What a genius.”
Frankie laughed. “You never take advice. Where were you planning on doing, dropping her while you make your dashing escape?” Frankie wasn’t too happy about his brother leaving town. He was becoming quite used to the little town they called home. And even if he didn’t want to admit it, he was becoming used to his brother as well.
“The less people that know the better, now look I need to go.” Sam hit end.
Frankie shrugged, tossing his phone on his coffee table. He sat back, throwing an arm around Dylan as she ate some old pizza and watched some chick flick.
“Everything okay?” she asked, her eyes glued to the television.
Frankie thought about how to answer that. “My brother is taking off.”
This pulled her attention to him now. “Why?”
Frankie ran his hand up her thigh, nuzzling his face against her ear trying to seduce her into silence. “You smell amazing.”
Dylan smirked, pushing him away. “I’m serious. Why is he leaving? Who just moves so unexpectedly?”
“My brother.”
Frankie’s lips connected with her shoulder, he savored her scent, the taste of her skin. The undemanding way she was when she was under the influence. Unguarded.
“How does that make you feel?” Dylan asked, enjoying the warmth of his lips against her skin. She touched his face, searching for an answer. He only shrugged. “I would hate to be alone.”
Frankie pulled her close, resting his head on the top of her head. “I’ve been alone for a long time. I prefer it quite honestly.”
“That would be horrible.”
“Don’t knock it till you try it.” He sighed, after a moment he finally spoke. “You want to go for a ride?”
Dylan nodded. She would go anywhere with him. All he had to do was say the word, “Sure, where to?”
Frankie lifted his shirt from the couch, while Dylan wiggled back into her shorts. He loved the adoration she had for him whenever he was around. She was like a groupie. He wondered if it would ever get old. “I thought a goodbye was in order.”
Dylan smiled. Glad that Frankie was proving her right. He was bothered that his brother was leaving. Deep down he had feelings. And one way or another she would make him see he could have some for her too.
***
Mitchell climbed the enormous staircase of the old Petrakis Estate, the wood groaning underneath his powerfully built frame. Leaves scattered across the porch like little critters. The dingy numbers on the front of the house reminded him just how long it had been since he had been back. He adjusted his jacket, making sure he looked decent enough before he knocked.
He dropped his fist and waited to hear something. Hardly a minute went by before there were weighty footsteps coming from the other side of the door. Heavy and solid, and taking their time to get to the door. He looked over his shoulder out of complete paranoia. The wind whispered in his ear, fluttering his brown hair against his collar.
As if all sound escaped, he heard the lock grating, the wood whining, as the door inch by inch came open. The smell of dust and the aroma of some kind of mutton slipped by and met with his nose.
“What is it?” The man asked. His dark eyes bore into Mitchell without any recognition of who Mitchell was. He didn’t look well Mitchell thought to himself. It had been some time since he had seen him. He wasn’t sure if he would even remember who he was.
“Amarus. Amarus Petrakis?” Mitchell stammered. He stood a little straighter, trying to command some courage. “It’s Mitchell.”
Amarus Petrakis shoved the door. He motioned Mitchell in, locking the door behind him. Mitchell rubbed his hands together, letting the dry heat nip his skin. Now that he was standing in better lighting he noticed Amarus was a bit pale and lacked that once arrogant way about him. He was stiff and a bit slow moving. But he hadn’t aged. He was still the same as he remembered him.
“It’s been years, Amarus,” Mitchell said louder than normal. He felt as if it was necessary to raise his voice. He wasn’t sure why.
Amarus lead him down a dimly lit hallway with rotting wooden floors and a badly tore up runner, into a kitchen with really poor wiring. Mitchell looked around, the flickering bulbs making him a bit dizzy.
“Are you thirsty?” Amarus asked, gesturing to the curvy woman in the corner. She tapped the spoon against the side of the pot of soup and rested it on a potholder, her blue eyes drifting to Mitchell eager to please him.
Mitchell raised a hand. “No. I’m just fine.”
“What brings you back to town?”
Mitchell’s jaw jerked in excitement. He took the seat offered to him around the meager kitchen table. “I was in a small town in New Mexico recently. And I came upon a young man that reminded me of you. And I knew that was not a coincidence.”
Amarus raised his eyebrows deeply engrossed, “My son?”
Mitchell nodded. “I’m sure of it. He even swindled me and took my girl. Just like his old man.” This caused a smile to erupt on Amarus’ face, and brought back some life into his eyes. He scrubbed his chin, his fingers repetitively moving against his face.
“This might be the best news I’ve heard in a long time,” Amarus said.
“I thought you might say that. Any way I could be of help to you let me know. I owe you my life, Amarus.” Mitchell insisted.
***
The fog she was in had worn off, leaving her head unclear and sensitive. She pushed her fingertips into her temples. “Where are we?”
“Sunshine,” Sam said, turning his head and giving her a somber look. She could tell by the look in his eyes he was trying to read her, trying to figure her composed disposition out. It was the first time she had been awake the entire trip.
She drug her fingers through her hair. “That’s like three hours from home. Why are we so far away?” She held back a yawn, giving the most intense expression she could rally. She needed to pull it together if she was going to make it back home. As soon as she was home she could, she didn’t know what she could do. She wasn’t even that sure what was happening anymore. One minute she was poolside sucking down wine and the next she was seated in front of Vance in his home. One thing was certain she got a really creepy vibe from him. And she knew he was an impostor, a lying, cheating, man with this secret. If only she could remember exactly what it was, the cheating part wouldn’t leave her mind to give her the chance to figure anything out at all.
“I wanted to put some distance between us,” Sam said dryly.
Delaney stayed silent and carefully studied him.
“We will park. I will let you out and be on my way. Forget you ever saw me.” His words were icy, cold and distant. Nothing like the man she once had feelings for. Where were those feelings?
“You’re just going to leave me on the side of the road in a ghost town?” she said, breaking her silence. The man she knew would never do such a thing.
“That’s why it’s perfect. Sunshine has been abandoned for years.”
“Why go through all of the trouble?” She wanted to know. And suddenly it hit her, everything bursting back into her psyche in bits and pieces, fluttering back together like charred remains. She literally shook her head trying to settle her racing thoughts. “Are you going to kill me?”
Sam’s head jerked sideways. He slammed on the breaks, pulling off the deserted road.
“I would never hurt you. See this is what upsets me. You never saw me like this until I told you who I really was. Just get out of my car, Delaney.” Sam gripped the stick shift, staring at the floorboard of the car, afraid to look at her. His whole body was devastated at what he was doing, no part of him w
anted to let her go.
She didn’t budge. And this made him even angrier. “Delaney, get out. Do us both a favor.”
All the memories were there poking at her, messing with her, scolding her for the feelings that were eating her alive, feelings of something other than hatred for him. She reached out and touched his arm, her fingers wrapping around his wrist.
“I’m afraid to let you go,” she said in hardly a whisper, closing her eyes.
Sam swallowed. Maybe she didn’t remember. Maybe he had corrupted more of her mind then he planned on. “I’m the man who hurt Rose, the man who betrayed you and lied to you, the demon.”
“You said that wasn’t you. Maybe I’m wrong.” She sighed. “Maybe your right and I can forgive you.”
Sam pulled away. He leaned across her lap and pushed her door open, unbuckling her seatbelt with one swift poke of his index finger. “Go.”
“Why aren’t you listening to me?” Delaney asked, pulling at his arm, fighting against his withdraw, the fabric of his t-shirt in her clutch. “I want to believe you.”
“I’m not the man you need. I’m not the man you deserve. Just get out of my car.” He pleaded. “I don’t want things to turning out worse. So just do it.”
Sam dodged her stare down. He knew Delaney. He messed up, even if she was to blind at the moment to believe it. She would thank him later. She finally gave in, dropping her feet out on top of the sandy ground.
She didn’t bother closing his door. She couldn’t believe he had drove her three hours out of his way and left her with no shoes in the heat.
***
Dylan sat up at the sight of the brunette on the side of the road. Clearly this spiked Frankie’s interest enough to slam on his brakes and pull behind the car.
“Is this the reason you were speeding the entire ride?” she asked, studying the girl. Trying to make sense of what was going on. “Should I get out?”
“Just stay put. I’ll explain later,” Frankie said. He climbed out of his car. Impressed with how fast he caught up with his brother. He slapped a hand on the top of Sam’s car and leaned in.
“Good old sunshine. How did I know I’d find you here?” Sam didn’t have a pleased expression on his face. “The girl doesn’t even have a pair of shoes on, Sam.”
Sam drug a hand down his face. “Then give her the one’s on your little tag alongs feet. I’m sure she’d appreciate it.” He threw the car into drive.
Frankie stayed put. “You are aware your door is still open. Or do you want me to get that for you?” He wasn’t going to pity Sam. It wasn’t what he needed at the moment. Instead he stood up and located Delaney on the opposite side of the car. “So now the cats out of the bag, you know who Sam really is, doesn’t change anything between the two of you. If anything it makes it a hell of a lot better.”
Delaney crossed her arms, refusing to speak to Frankie. Now all her feelings toward him made sense.
“So he’s different then most guys. Why does it always have to fall into the category of bad or wrong with you people?” Frankie scoffed. “Still looks like the same guy to me. Only difference now is you know all his deep dark secrets.”
“He hurt my friend,” Delaney pointed out. She was sure Frankie was well aware of this. She was also certain he probably was capable of the same type of behavior.
“That’s who he is. He doesn’t fault you for drinking espresso and frequenting country clubs with your uptight family.”
Sam shot out of the car, pushing Frankie. “I don’t need your help!”
“It looks like you do,” Frankie insisted. “I’m trying to salvage this poor pathetic relationship for you.”
“There is nothing to be salvaged. Not everyone is like you. People don’t see things the way we do. Just let it go.” Sam turned to Delaney. “Forget what my brother is saying and just go.”
Frankie shook his head in disbelief. “So that’s that? We just go our separate ways? You take off to another state and try to move on. And she hitch hikes back to town and mourns the loss of her love life.”
Sam couldn’t believe he was battling Frankie over ditching Delaney.
Dylan watched the theatrics taking place on the side of the dusty road. Her phone chirped. She hit the button, putting it to her ear. “Hola.”
“I have to say this is the first time I have been ditched,” Mitchell said. Dylan sat up, her usual laidback way a thing of the past. “I bet you and your little boyfriend are having a good laugh at my expense.”
“No, not at all. He’s an old friend.”
“He’s the son of a very powerful man. I don’t think you know what kind of prize you just landed.”
Dylan raised an eyebrow interested. “What do you mean?” She knew Frankie was special. But Mitchell talked about him like he was even more than that.
“You owe me a lot of money, Dylan. And we can just forget about all that if you do me a little favor.” Mitchell’s voice took on a deadly quality. “Bring your little friend back to the bar.”
Dylan sighed. She could use a miracle at the moment. She was in a big mess back on campus. And Mitchell was part of that problem. “What do you want with him?”
Mitchell cleared his throat. “It’s not about me. I have someone very eager to see him.”
She weighed her options. Frankie probably would ditch her first chance he got. It wasn’t like he was looking for a girlfriend or even a friend. The guy ran solo. Well, besides his brother she thought. She nodded her head. “I will see what I can do. But you have to promise me he doesn’t find out I had anything to do with whatever is going on.”
“Of course, call me when you’re near the bar.”
Dylan hit end on her phone, tucking it back into her pocket. She drew up her legs, hugging them tightly, the feeling of dread washing over her. She knew from the moment she met Mitchell he was bad news. And now she was throwing Frankie to the wolves.
She felt pathetic.
Poor choices
“What do you think he did?” Dylan asked. “Do you think he really left her on the side of the road?” She was totally baffled. Frankie and his life just kept getting more and more interesting.
Frankie dropped one hand to his leg. His gaze fixated on the road ahead of them. He wished Dylan wasn’t so prying. He didn’t like to give up so much information to some girl he met in a bar. “I haven’t the slightest idea.”
Dylan nodded. “So I was thinking when we were back in town we grab a drink at Solo.” She innocently looked at Frankie playing it off quite well.
Frankie shook his head. “I have some things to do.” It wasn’t completely true. But it was better than a flat out lie.
“Just a drink. One drink won’t hurt anything.” She looked away feeling a bit fraught. He was already planning on bailing. “I wanted to spend a little more time with you. I’m sure I won’t see you again anytime soon.”
Frankie raised an eyebrow. “Look at you getting all sentimental. You know where to find me.”
Delaney nodded. “That doesn’t mean you want to be found. Come on. One drink.”
Frankie shook his head yes. “Did I ever tell you about the one time this old friend of mine got me jumped by about five people?”
Dylan’s head jerked up. And Frankie took notice. He wasn’t a fool. Something was off ever since he got back into his car with her.
“No, you never did.” She dug her nails into her palm, secretly hiding her nervousness. He wasn’t as stupid as she hoped for. She thought it would be easy to lure him wherever she needed.
Frankie nodded his head. “Yeah, I once trusted this kid from school, until he convinced me to take a run with him to this park to pick something up for his brother. Well, I got the shit kicked out of me.”
Dylan swallowed.
“But pain is nothing compared to death. Everyone can get over pain it’s all in the mind. That was the last time I trusted anyone.” Frankie returned his hand to the steering wheel. He was confident he got his point across.
/> Dylan shrank back into her seat, staring out the window. Had he just admitted to killing someone? Was this a warning to her not to mess with him?
She flipped her phone open, no good on Solo.
Instantly she received a reply back from Mitchell. It has to be good or consider your debt back on my list.
She sighed, shooting Frankie a quick look before she replied, her fingers trembling. Ok, but I think he knows what is going on.