“Are you gonna be okay?” he whispered.
“I think so, but could you wait here for me?”
“Sure,” he replied.
She walked passed their father and ran upstairs. Evan stared at Sunny and didn’t budge from his position on the steps. Sunny thought it might be a good opportunity to try to reason with him.
“Look dad I don’t blame you for thinking I kill-“
“Shut up,” said Evan in a quiet voice. “I don’t wanna hear whatever you’ve got to say, you’ve let me down ever since you were born. Prison was the last straw; as far as I’m concerned you are no longer my son. And if you ever come back here agai-“
Before he could finish Sarah came back dragging a small suitcase behind her. Evan’s jaw dropped and he watched in shock, not sure if he was dreaming. She took Sunny by the arm.
“Don’t worry, I won’t,” said Sunny. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” replied Sarah, “but my heart is beating like crazy. What about you? Are you okay?”
“I am now.”
He took her suitcase and once they couldn’t hear Evan’s voice they slowed their pace to a stroll. Sarah felt excited, she’d never left home before and it felt like a fresh start. She was expecting to feel nervous but she didn’t, not even a bit. Being with Sunny just felt right. She knew he’d keep her safe, protect her, and look after her.
As they walked a cold breeze swept across the road. Sarah shivered and folded her arms. Without saying a word, Sunny took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. She looked at him with loving eyes and pressed her cheek against is chest as they walked.
“Wow look at the moon,” she said, “it’s so big.”
Sunny laughed.
“You’re like a child sometimes.”
As soon as the words left his lips he bashed his right shoulder against a tree.
“OUCH!”
Sarah laughed.
“I’m like a child?”
“Alright, we’re both children.”
They reached Sunny’s apartment and once inside Sarah stretched and yawned for a full minute before curling up on the sofa.
“Hey what are you doing?”
“I’m…sleeping,” said Sarah half awake.
Sunny watched her curled up, he looked at her face then her butt. He wanted to squeeze it so bad, to spank it.
That’d wake her right up! He thought.
He considered it for a few minutes and then decided not to. He picked her up gently and took her to his bedroom. He put her in his bed and then kissed her on the forehead. He went and fell onto the sofa, thinking about everything that happened in the last few hours. There was a persistent niggling feeling in his mind that he was missing something.
Jed, Jane, Eddy, my gun…what’s the connection?
Before he had any more time to think he suddenly realized that Sarah was standing over him, wide awake.
“Are you okay? What’s wrong?”
She didn’t reply and instead slowly made her way to the couch and sat on top of him. She lifted his shirt up and put her hands on his chest. She leaned in and kissed him.
“I’ve been thinking about it too,” she whispered.
“About what?”
“About making love to you. I’ve been thinking about you for a while now. I want you to take me.”
She pulled her dress over her head and started to unbutton his pants. Adrenaline was coursing through Sunny’s body and he was aching to touch her, to explore her. This girl that had always stayed by his side. That had always believed in him. She straddled him and he watched as her breasts bounced. She kept going, filling him with a strong yearning to take control, filling him with passion and a deep desire that he had not felt in what seemed like forever.
“Do it,” she said, as if reading his mind.
He grabbed her by the hips and threw her face down on the couch. She let out an excited yelp as he did so and he began to pound her. Sarah felt a wave of orgasmic pleasure and she screamed into a cushion. She loved the feeling of his hands, his big strong hands; she loved how they grabbed her hips preventing her from wriggling free.
“Spank me,” she said softly.
“Are you sure?” asked Sunny.
“I’m sure.”
He slapped her ass and she screamed, and then giggled. This was everything she ever wanted, not just to make love to Sunny but also to be with him, to feel him. It felt like it was too good to be true.
They made love through the night, sometimes slow and passionate, and sometimes rough and full of lust. They explored each other’s body, free of inhibitions and hang-ups. Not worrying what the other thought, just accepting each other as they were. After what seemed like a marathon session, they both lay on the couch naked. Sarah played with the tufts of hair on his chest.
“Could you stay like this with me forever?”
“Do you even need to ask?” he replied.
She smiled.
“What, you mean you can put up with my silver tongue?”
She licked his chest and he burst out laughing.
“You really are crazy aren’t you?”
“Yup,” she replied.
The next morning Sarah woke up to find the bed empty. She began to worry and quickly got up. She could hear voices coming from somewhere in the apartment. It took her a while to figure out it was the radio and she followed the sound. As she came to the kitchen she saw Sunny dancing and whistling with a frying pan in one hand and a wooden spoon in the other.
“Oh morning sleepyhead.”
She rubbed her eyes and yawned a couple of times.
“Erm…morning, what’s going on?”
“What does it look like? I’m cooking breakfast stupid.”
“Okay but why so happy?”
“Because I’m free!”
They both sat and ate the omelets that he overcooked.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Wait,” said Sunny, “the dress, the one you were wearing when you were at Eddy’s house, have you got it with you?”
“Yeah, but why?” she asked.
They both got dressed and headed to Jed’s house.
Jed was asleep on the armchair when he heard the knock on the door. The can of beer dropped from his hand and would have spilt everywhere, if it weren’t already empty. He slowly got up.
“I’m comin’ I’m comin’, hold your horses.”
He opened the door and once his eyes adjusted to the bright light outside he realized that Sunny and Sarah were standing there. As soon as he did he tried to slam the door shut, but Sunny stuck his boot out in the gap before he could. He pushed the door open and Jed fell to the floor.
“Hello Jed,” said Sarah with a smile.
“Murderers, you killed my son.”
He tried to get up, but was so drunk that he immediately collapsed again.
“Relax Jed, I promise you I didn’t kill him,” said Sunny. “But we are trying to find out who really did. We’d just like to ask you some questions.”
“Leave me alone, please, just leave me alone.”
Jed pressed his forehead against the carpet and began sobbing.
“Look,” continued Sarah, “if you answer our questions we’ll leave, it’ll only take a few minutes of your time.”
“And if you don’t we’ll be forced to call the cops,” said Sunny, trying to be the bad cop.
He eventually picked himself up and sat back down in the armchair. Sarah went over to the sink and poured him a glass of water. They all sat there in silence, until Sunny broke the ice.
“This is nice huh? Just three friends having a chat.”
“So, what is it you wanna know? Let’s get this crap over and done with.”
“Where’s my stuff?” asked Sarah.
“What stuff?” replied Jed, looking totally confused.
“Stop playing dumb,” she shouted as she grabbed his collar.
“Sarah, just calm down,” sa
id Sunny. “Lift your foot up.”
“My what?” asked Jed.
Sunny took his leg and raised it up onto the small table beside his chair. He then took out Sarah’s dress and held it next to the sole of Jed’s shoe. The print that was left on her dress didn’t match the pattern on Jed’s sole.
“It wasn’t him.”
“What?!” said Sarah, “then…then who?”
“Where were you last night?” asked Sunny, “why didn’t you show up?”
“I…I couldn’t go through with it, I texted you, didn’t you get my text?”
Sarah and Sunny both looked at each other. A moment ago they were almost certain that Jed was involved in all this, that he may have even been responsible for his son’s murder, but now they were completely lost.
“Well, back to the drawing board,” said Sarah as she collapsed on the couch.
Sunny scratched his chin and thought for a few moments. Then he stared at Jed. He looked at his unshaven beard, the cans of alcohol piled up next to his armchair, the messy hair.
“What exactly happened between you and Jane?” he asked.
Jed sighed, and then took a deep breath.
“I may as well tell you. What difference does it make now anyway? I was…having an affair.”
“With who? Asked Sarah.
“…Your mother.”
She was speechless.
“So you have no idea what happened to Eddy?” asked Sunny.
Jed began to cry.
“My poor boy. I don’t believe you would come all this way, after doing the time for it and face me, if you really had killed him.”
“Well that’s progress I guess,” said Sunny.
As he and Sarah walked out of Jed’s apartment they were no closer to catching Eddy’s killer than when they started.
“If Jed didn’t kill Eddy, and you didn’t kill Eddy than who the hell did it.”
“The same person who took your stuff,” said Sunny.
They walked in silence, both lost in deep thought.
“I think it’s time Sarah.”
“Time?”
“Yes, I think it’s time I moved on.”
“Are you serious?”
Sarah couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“I didn’t take you for a quitter Sunny.”
He laughed.
“I appreciate the help you’ve given me, honestly. Even though we never found out who was the real killer, the whole process has been surprisingly cathartic for me.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means it’s helped me heal, and move on.”
“Well, I’m not giving up yet,” said Sarah.
She had an angry look of determination on her face.
“You know,” continued Sunny. “Someone once told me that sometimes when you dig up the past, you often end up regretting it.”
“Wow that’s so deep,” replied Sarah sarcastically. “And do you believe that?”
“I don’t know what I believe. All I know is I’ve wasted too much of my life, and I need to start focusing on myself, on my future.”
They arrived outside Sunny’s apartment.
“Yeah I guess you’re right,” said Sarah.
“Coming?” he asked as he held the door open to the main entrance.
“I’m gonna go pick up a few more things from home.”
“Do you want me to come with you?”
“Nah, I’ll be okay,” she replied.
She felt disappointed. Not just for being unable to solve the mystery but for Sunny. She really wanted him to have some kind of closure from the whole thing. She wanted him to feel exonerated. In a strange kind of way he had been. That was the conclusion she came to as she reached the front door to her parent’s home.
“Mom? Dad? I’m home.”
There was no answer. Sarah was surprised to see that all the lights were off. She checked the lounge but there was nobody there.
They’ve probably gone out, she thought.
She didn’t want to wait for them. It felt like a relief not having to wait for them. She ran to her room, grabbed her suitcase from under her bed, and opened both doors to her wardrobe. As she packed her clothes she heard a floorboard creak outside her room.
“Mom? Is that you?”
There was no answer. She went back to packing and once she finished she started to drag her suitcase out.
“Sarah.”
She froze in fear. She turned around and stared at the corner of her room. A man sat there in the darkness. She noticed the moonlight reflect for a moment in his horn-rimmed glasses and then she let out a sigh of relief.
“Dad, you scared the crap outta me. What are you doing in my room? And why are the lights of? And where the heck is mom?”
“Your mother has gone to stay with a friend. I’ve been thinking Sarah, about your actions.”
“I’m not a little girl dad, you can’t dictate who I do or don’t see.”
Evan raised his arm and revealed a pistol pointed at her.
“Oh I think I can.”
She suddenly felt like she was going to faint. Her whole world was collapsing. Nothing made any sense. Evan started laughing.
“If you could see your face now, you look like a little lost kitten. Sit down.”
She did as he asked. It was then that it finally all clicked. It all made sense.
“You knew about the affair didn’t you? That’s why you killed Eddy. Are you gonna kill me now too dad? Where does this end? And why frame Sunny? He’s you’re son!”
“My, my, so many questions. I’m proud of you, I never knew you were such a smart girl. You’re almost there but not quite. You’re right, I did know about the affair, and I did kill Eddy, but it was an accident. His father was the one who deserved to die. But he wasn’t home that night, only Eddy was, and during the tussle the gun went off. And as for framing Sunny, that was just a lucky coincidence.
“Lucky?”
“Yes, he has always been a waste of space, always was, always will be. Sending him to jail probably did him a world of good.”
“And what about me? Can you really kill me?”
“Well you haven’t left me any choice have you? I told you to stay away from him didn’t I, but you just wouldn’t listen. You had to stick your nose in where it didn’t belong. Well, now you see what happens.”
Sarah began to cry.
“Please, dad, don’t. I won’t tell anyone, I promise.”
“Too little too late. I wish I could believe you.”
He got up and came closer to her. She whimpered as she felt the cold nozzle against her head.
“Shhh, don’t worry my love, it will be quick and painless.”
Before he could squeeze the trigger, Sunny came bursting through the door and threw himself at Evan. They both fell to the floor and the pistol bounced a few times and landed underneath the bed. Evan got on all fours and started to blindly grab for it but with no luck. Sunny grabbed him by the collar and threw him against the wall.
“How did you know?” asked Evan.
“You bought me these boots,” replied Sunny.
Evan’s brow crumpled in confusion and then he finally understood.
“You’re a clever boy,” he said with a psychotic grin. “Just like your old man.”
“I’m no boy, and you’re no father of mine.”
He punched Evan and fell he unconscious. Sunny and Sarah laid him on the floor and tied his hands behind his back with one of her belts. They both sat on the bed and waited for the cops to arrive. Sarah looked at Sunny.
“Thank you, you saved my life.”
He smiled.
“But I don’t understand something,” asked Sarah.
“What?”
“How did you know he was the killer? And what was all that crazy talk about boots?”
“While I was waiting for you to come back, I laid your dress out on the table. The footprint was the only real clue we had. I took off my boot just
to compare, just out of curiosity, and to my surprise it was a perfect match.”
Stepbrother Romance: Stepbrother Accused (Bad Boy Romance) (New Adult Suspense Taboo Romance) Page 3