In Too Deep (Doing Bad Things Book 2)

by Jordan Marie

  “Do you mind not saying those words around my son?” she growls, and then after giving me a look to freeze icicles on my balls, turns her attention back to her son. “Jack, what did Mommy say? You don’t say those kinds of words,” she admonishes, but Jack’s not really paying her attention and instead his little hand is pawing at her breast.

  “Hungry,” he mumbles.

  I definitely know that feeling kid.

  I force myself to turn around and busy myself with putting the net back on the edge of the pool, trying to keep myself from watching the two of them—and pretty much failing.

  “Stop that, Jack. You know better,” she whispers quietly. I turn to watch as she pulls his hands away. She’s blushing. I’m not sure I’ve ever known a woman who actually blushes. Her cheeks turn a bright pink.

  “Mommy! Got to pee! Got to pee!” the kid yells, splashing the water with his hands.

  “Okay honey. Give mommy a second to get your toys,” she says, already stacking the toys in a bucket she has sitting close by.

  “Mommy pee!”

  “Okay. Okay little man, let’s go pee,” she laughs getting up. She picks him up easily. She leans down with one arm, in a move that I would have said that was impossible, but somehow she makes it look easy.

  She walks away, not bothering to say goodbye. I stand there watching them and the silence left behind them makes me feel strange.

  Almost… Lonely

  17

  Aden

  “What are you doing in the pool?” Hope asks, standing at the edge looking beautiful—upset, but beautiful. She’s not wearing anything but blue-jean shorts and a pink pullover t-shirt. Her caramel hair is piled on top of her head and she has very little, if any, makeup on, but she is breathtaking. I can finally admit that she’s beautiful, even if it’s a different sort of beautiful than I’m used to.

  “Swimming?” I answer, questioningly. I’m pretty sure I know where she’s leading with her question, but I’m not exactly positive how I’m going to answer or work around what she will undoubtedly demand.

  “It’s one o’clock!”

  “I’ve been out here an hour? Time flies and all that,” I shrug and I think I see her eye twitch at my answer as she huffs out a breath.

  “Check out time is noon.”

  “I’m aware.”

  “You were leaving today! We had a deal.”

  “I’ve thought about it, and I’m starting to like this place.”

  “You’re starting to… Are you insane?”

  “No, but I booked this place because I needed some peace and quiet. I can’t be assured I will get that if I leave, so I’ve decided to stay.”

  “Peace and quiet? You did hear all the workers around here yesterday, right?”

  “Yeah, that was a pain and if I was anyone else, this would cost you a bad review on Yelp. But,” I shrug, “they’re gone today so it’s okay.”

  “A bad review on… Yelp?”

  “Don’t worry. I didn’t do it.”

  “You didn’t do it,” she mumbles. Maybe I should worry about the way she keeps mimicking everything I say, almost like she can’t form complete sentences. The truth is I’m having fun irritating her. I mean… real honest-to-God having fun. Her forehead has that little curl in it that I’ve noticed she gets when she’s irritated. She’s looking at me like she doesn’t know what to do with me and for some reason I love that look.

  “You have to leave.”

  “No I don’t. You’re officially open for business today, right?”

  “What? I don’t know. Not really. I mean I was opening after the inspection, but you were the only guest…I hadn’t thought about it,” she says and she really does look confused about it.

  “Do you see customers lining up to check in today?” I ask, though perhaps fate is not on my side because the instant I ask that question another car pulls up. Some woman gets out of her car with an overnight bag on her shoulder. Luckily, I have Hope distracted.

  “What? Well, they haven’t, but—”

  “Then you can’t afford to turn down business and I’ve decided I’m staying my second week.”

  “But I don’t want you here!” she screams—loudly.

  The woman that got out of the car stops mid-step.

  “Are you the owner?” she asks, her voice unsure.

  I could almost grin, but I don’t think that would aid my cause right now, so I do my best to resist—mostly.

  “What? Yeah.” Hope asks, and I don’t think she’s caught on yet. Either that or I just bring out the best in her. Because, without so much as taking a breath she looks back at me. “Will you just leave? I don’t want you here. I don’t care if I never rent another room. I don’t want you here!”

  “Are you staying here?” the woman asks and this seems like a prime opportunity so I go with it.

  “Yeah. I paid her two weeks in advance and now she’s trying to kick me out.”

  “You’ve already paid her?”

  “Two weeks in advance,” I say doing my best to make my voice sound dejected.

  “That’s horrible!” she says, clearly upset on my behalf.

  “What? No you didn’t. You paid for one week and we tentatively agreed to the second and—”

  “I paid for this week this morning,” I supply helpfully. “As per our original agreement,” I add, again being helpful.

  “You paid for… How? You couldn’t have.”

  “I slipped it under your door this morning in an envelope. Cash just like you demanded.”

  “She demanded you pay in cash?”

  “She didn’t want to have to report the income I think,” I answer, feeling extra helpful.

  “That’s not it! I needed to pass inspection before—”

  “You haven’t passed inspection?” the woman asks, worriedly.

  “Who are you?” Hope asks, turning on her and I have to say, it seriously makes me a dick, but I’m thoroughly enjoying myself here.

  “I’ve been traveling all night and I was looking… has she really not passed inspection?” the woman asks, after stopping mid-sentence to look at me with the question.

  “Leave!” Hope, growls.

  “What?” the woman demands, clearly shocked. Her back goes stiff too. I can sense a catfight coming and I spend a brief moment wondering if I could gather up some mud and that bathing suit that Hope was wearing yesterday.

  “You heard me! I said leave! I’m not open for business! I don’t want your business and I especially don’t want yours! Both of you, just get out of here and leave me alone!” she cries.

  “I can’t believe this! You can be sure I’ll be leaving this place a horrible review online!” the other woman says, stomping off. Which is sad. Sad, because I know I’ve missed the perfect opportunity for naked-chick-mud-wrestling.

  “Yelp makes it easy to review!” I yell out after the lady, again because for some reason today I’m feeling extra helpful.

  “If you don’t shut up, I’ll be hitting you where you will be sure to yelp. Now get out of the pool, go to your room, pack your damn stuff and get out.”

  “I already paid you,” I shrug.

  “I’ll bring the money to you. I want you gone and if you’re not loaded up and out of here in the next twenty minutes I will call the law to escort you!”

  She stomps off, and I find myself watching her ass, even as I get up out of the pool. I watch as she gets to the motel entrance. She leans over to a small bench and picks up the toy trucks her son was playing with yesterday. They’re metal and large enough it takes both hands for her to hold them—one in each hand.

  “I’m not leaving, Hope,” I yell after her, before she can leave and go back in the motel.

  She freezes, looks up at me and she’s so pissed I should probably be worried. Instead I find myself wondering what make-up sex would be like with her.

  Sometime yesterday I had pretty much decided to stick around until I got Hope back in my bed. She’s on birth contr
ol and for some reason I find myself enjoying being around her—even when she’s bitching like a shrew. I’ll fuck her until I no longer wake up craving her taste on my lips and don’t miss the smell of vanilla on the sheets. Then I’ll move on. It’s simple.

  I won’t let her in on my plan. I’ve got a feeling she wouldn’t be receptive, at least not yet.

  “You are leaving!” she demands, standing about five feet away.

  “I’m not. Sorry babe. We had a deal.”

  “I’m not your babe. And you’re leaving.”

  “I’m not. I have your agreement in writing that you are renting this motel to me for an entire week for the agreed amount of one thousand dollars. You emailed it to me when I first contacted you. Remember? Therefore, you have my money, plus the twelve hundred I paid you last week. I doubt a cop around would escort me out of here. Actually, I rather think it would be you they investigate.”

  “Investigate?”

  “For shady business practices.”

  “Shady… You are despicable!” she cries and I know a moment of brief worry. I didn’t expect for it to play out quite like this. It might be harder than I imagined getting Hope back between my sheets.

  “I’m not leaving,” I reiterate, afraid to say much more. I don’t want to make a bigger hill for my dick to climb.

  “I hate you!”

  “That just breaks my heart,” I answer, and I want to laugh when she growls out in frustration. In fact, I do laugh. I can’t stop myself.

  In return, she throws her sons trucks at me. I side-step one of them, because I saw it coming. The other tags me on the side and it hurts, but not bad. Still, it causes me to flinch and my feet are wet on the concrete. I go back a step and I reach out for the railing to try and keep from falling backwards into the pool. My hand wraps around the fence and I throw my weight into it, pushing most of my body weight into it, instead.

  “Aden, no! Not the railing!” Hope cries, and too late I remember about the looseness of the fence. Too late because it gives way and my body is thrown over it, as it breaks to the ground. “Aden!” I hear Hope cry. That’s the last thing I remember before my head slams on the concrete. Then, pain radiates through me and the world goes thankfully black.

  18

  Hope

  “Oh God, oh God, oh God!” I whisper frantically as I flip Aden over. Then I’m panicking because I flipped him over. Would that cause more damage? Isn’t there a rule about not moving someone? Or does that only count in car wrecks? My shaking hands go to his chest and I feel tears stinging at the back of my throat and in my eyes. They explode when I feel his heart beat underneath my hand. I look at him through the streams of tears that are running unchecked. His forehead looks swollen already, bruised and there’s blood running from it.

  “Aden. Aden!” I yell, shaking him, even as I’m wondering if that’s the right thing to do. I have Jack inside. He’s napping but I can’t be out here this long. I have no idea if the baby monitor even carries this far! I don’t have my cellphone. I have to call the paramedics. Oh God. He’s going to sue me.

  Even as I think the words, I feel guilt. I should be worried about Aden and how bad he’s hurt—not about being sued. I can’t help it though. I feel real panic. Then I realize I threw something at him when he was close to the pool. I essentially caused this accident. After the screaming match in front of that woman, could they get me for murder if he dies? Or attempted murder? Assault? Oh my God! Could I go to jail? I have Jack! I’m panicking. Pure unadulterated panic. I know it. I feel it, but what I cannot do is stop it. If Daria was here she’d slap the shit out of me. I’m too much of a wimp to do that to myself.

  “I’m so sorry!” I cry as I get up and run back to the motel, leaving Aden alone. I have no idea if I’m doing the right thing—it feels wrong, but I also know that it’s the only way I’m going to get him help.

  I run all the way back, I can barely catch my breath by the time I push through the front door. I grab the cordless phone, still moving so I can check on Jack. It takes me three times to dial 9-1-1. It finally connects.

  “9-1-1. What’s your emergency?”

  “Aden! He fell by the pool. He warned me about that railing, but I hadn’t had time to fix it. I swear I was going to!”

  “Okay Ma’am. What’s the victim’s injuries?”

  “I don’t know! He’s unconscious! I couldn’t get a response from him. But he’s still breathing, I swear! I didn’t kill him!” I cry stupidly, and the panic is taking over by this time. “Why did I move out here to run a motel? I ruined everyone’s lives by moving out here! Jack’s, mine and now I’ve probably killed Aden, or he has some kind of brain damage. I was insane! I know nothing about running a motel! My mother told me I was too stupid to run a business. Why did I listen to my Aunt Ida Sue when she told me I should do it! She said I had my Aunt Edna’s genes! She said I’d be great! She said I’d take to it like a pig takes to shit! What does that even mean?” I cry out. I truly have no idea that I’m talking out loud, until the woman interrupts me.

  “Ma’am, I need you to calm down. Can you tell me if the victim is discolored at all?”

  “Victim? Why are you calling him a victim? This was an accident! Aden would tell you that himself if he could talk!” I yell in my fear-filled haze, even though I was pretty sure Aden wouldn’t agree at all. If he survives he’s probably going to sue me, or press charges and laugh when they hang me.

  Oh God. I just moved here. Do they still hang people in Idaho? I mean, that’s too barbaric right? They’ve had to give that up now. They protest these days if you breathe wrong. Surely hanging is out of the question. Idaho does have the death penalty though… I think. Shit. I don’t know. Can you get the death penalty for things like this if he dies? Probably. I mean I can’t afford a lawyer! I’ll get railroaded! What will happen to Jack?

  “Ma’am, did you hear me?”

  “What?”

  “I asked if the victim—”

  “He’s not a victim! His name is Aden!” I insist, really she’s starting to unnerve me with this victim talk.

  “Does Aden seem blue, or discolored at all?”

  “Not besides the bump on his head. At least not when I was out there. I came inside to get my son and to call you.”

  “Take a blanket and cover him in case he goes into shock. I’ve already dispatched an ambulance, it should be out there soon.”

  “Okay. I can do that. Please have them hurry!” I cry, suddenly being sued seems like the least of my worries. I can’t let him die. Jail would be bad…epically bad.

  I grab a blanket off my bed and then go back to get Jack. He’s still sleeping, but luckily he loves to be awake, so he doesn’t make a fuss at all when I reach down to get him.

  “Mommy pway wif Jack?”

  “In a bit, little man,” I lie. Mommy wants to crawl in a corner and cry.

  We make it outside and I stand Jack carefully on the ground.

  “Jack don’t run away. Stay right here. We’re going to take care of Aden.”

  “He sleeping,” he says as I cover Aden with the cover. Is it my imagination or does he look blue? I put my hand back on his chest and feel only mildly reassured when I find a heartbeat.

  “Yeah, he’s sleeping, sweetheart.” I hold Jack close, crouching down by Aden to wait for the ambulance.

  When it comes, they ask a bunch of questions.

  “Did you move him?” one asks, and that’s the question that bothers me the most.

  “I turned him over. I was afraid not to. Was that the wrong thing to do?” Christ, one more thing to worry about.

  “It’s fine. We’re going to take him to Parkview Central emergency,” he says. I nod, watching as they load Aden up in the ambulance.

  Jack cries immediately when they slam the doors shut.

  “Daddy!” he cries, causing both paramedics to turn around and look at me.

  “You can follow behind us to check on your husband.”

  I freeze.
At first I’m not sure what he is talking about. Then it hits me. They think Aden and I are married.

  “Oh I’m not. I mean we’re not…” I’m talking to air though because they’ve already jumped in the cab and are taking off, with the siren ringing in the air.

  “Pwitty!” Jack squeals excitedly clapping his hands as he watches the ambulance’s lights. I watch it going away with a sinking feeling of panic.

  I walk back to the hotel and dial Daria. I’m doing my best not to start crying again. I don’t want to worry Jack.

  “Daria? Can you watch Jack for me?” I ask, feeling horrible because she’s watched him more this week than she ever has.

  I don’t know what I’m going to do. I feel completely lost and like I’m barely hanging on. I need to get a grip and think about things logically, but right now I’m having a lot of trouble with that.

  19

  Hope

  “They brought a man in earlier. He had fallen at the motel. I need to check on him,” I tell the lady at the front desk. I was in a panic… no, I am just plain terrified. It took me over an hour to get here. I had to get Jack ready and then the inspector came by because today was to be my final inspection. I couldn’t tell him what happened, so instead I showed him the fence and told him the workers weren’t finished and it would be sometime next week. It sucked, because I had to pay his fee, but it got rid of him. Then I took Jack to Daria. She refused to let me leave until she felt I was calm enough to do so without wrecking my car. When she discovered waiting was only making me worse, she drove me.

  Now terror is flooding through me and I have all these “what-ifs” in my head. I’m scared and I’d be heartless if I wasn’t more than a little worried about Aden. He might be an asshole, but I don’t want him to be hurt. I was pushing him to leave this morning and I need him gone, but I would prefer he did it in good health. Not that he will believe me when I tell him that, I’m sure.