Exhibited_A Dark Romance

by Dahlia Kent

“Plastic.”

  “You make ugly things beautiful again. Any chance you can make an ugly life beautiful again too?”

  “That would require a change of career.” He smiled. Then his features became serious. “You still haven’t answered my question.”

  “I did something stupid a year ago. I avoided the consequences but it meant sacrificing the life I knew. The life I wanted.” I took a deep breath. “So I’ve been struggling ever since. Trapped in the past, resenting the present, worried about the future.” I paused, my voice becoming smaller. “I did something stupid again and I don’t think I will escape the consequences this time. I think my life will get worse.”

  After saying all of that, I regretted it. I barely knew this man, yet I was offloading heavy stuff on him already. I watched him, waiting for him to come up with some excuse why he had to go. I wouldn’t blame him. I would run away from me too if I could.

  “You were part of the art fraud that’s on the news.”

  It wasn’t a question. He said it as if he knew that was the truth. I looked at him, dumbfounded. Of all the things I’d expected him to say, that wasn’t it. I hadn’t expected he’d know what I was talking about. I’d been vague.

  “How did you—” I cut my words off before I could make things worse than they already were. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  He gazed at me, his stare sharp and like a spotlight revealing all my secrets.

  “It’s pointless to pretend. I saw you talking with the woman in the coffee shop. She might have been wearing sun glasses, but I know it was her.” He quirked an eyebrow. “You told me you were an artist when we last spoke. With these facts, it’s easy to—”

  “Jump to crazy conclusions?”

  “Crazy or correct?” When I didn’t respond, he drew closer. “If you are honest with me, then I can help.”

  “Help how?” I gripped the railing tight, the metal cold and hard against my palm. I battled with myself if I should tell him. But the words came out of me before I could stop them. “Eva offered me an opportunity to make a hundred grand by duplicating a painting. I said no at first. Then I learned my friend’s mom had a brain tumor that’ll cost seventy grand to remove. I didn’t know of any way else I could help. So I told Eva I would copy the painting. She never paid me. Now she’s blackmailing me. She wants me to help her avoid going to prison.”

  “How is she blackmailing you?”

  “She says she has a recording of me accepting the deal.”

  “How do you know if that’s true?”

  “I-I don’t.”

  He nodded then fixed me with an intent gaze.

  “Do you want my help, Angela?”

  I hesitated. Staring into his brown eyes, there was something in them that terrified me. A voice of caution rose out, warning me to say no. But what other choice did I have? If Maddix said he could help, I would be stupid to reject it. Not taking his help would be the worse consequence as far as I could see.

  “Yes, I want your help.”

  “Good.” He smiled, and there was something wolfish about it that made the warning bells ring even louder. I ignored those too. “She posted bail. I’m assuming she will be at home. Do you know where she lives?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t know anything about her. All I have is her number.”

  “Give it to me. Yours too.”

  I took out my cell phone, giving him what he asked.

  “What are you going to do? Are you going to hurt her?”

  He gave me a curious look. “Why do you care if she gets hurt when she has no qualms hurting you?”

  “I don’t want bad stuff happening to someone because of me. I’m still culpable in this. I did something wrong.” I frowned. “Look, if you plan on doing anything bad to her, then forget it.”

  “I will not hurt your friend.”

  “That bitch is not my friend.” I scowled. “Why are you doing this, Maddix? There’s no benefit for you in this.”

  “There is.” He gave me a heated look. “My help isn’t free, Angela. It comes with a price. One I expect you to pay once I’ve done my part.” He leaned in like if he was about to kiss me, confusing my emotions. I should be angry he’d tricked me. Yet what I wanted was for him to close the space between us. “I’ll be in touch.”

  Six

  —

  It’s done. Meet me at 245 Lydell Street, suite 709. 5pm.

  I reread the text message from Maddix. It’s done. What did that mean? What did he do? He didn’t reply when I sent a text with those questions.

  Whatever he had done to Eva was the lesser of my concerns. The last time we spoke, he’d said there was a price to his help. What would it be? The unknown made me anxious. But if ‘it’s done’ meant he’d saved me from prison time, then whatever Maddix wanted was worth his help.

  Unless what he wants is worse than going to prison.

  I remembered the look in his eyes. The heat in his gaze. Maybe his price was me having sex with him? It wouldn’t bother me in a regular scenario. Like if we’d had that coffee date, and it led to sex. I was attracted to him. I’d welcome it.

  But trading sex for his help? That felt dirty. It was not something I’d want to do.

  The address wasn’t far from where I lived. 245 Lydell Street was in the wealthier part of the neighbourhood. It was a boxy condo building made of black glass. The blue-orange evening sky and surrounding buildings reflected on its gleaming surface.

  It was polished and tastefully decorated on the inside. My voice sounded tiny when I told the well-dressed concierge I was to see Maddix Flint. Once he’d paged Maddix and confirmed my visit, he indicated the bank of elevators past the doors.

  My hands shook on the elevator ride up. I locked my fingers together to maintain control. The carpeted hallway on Maddix’s floor cushioned my footsteps, but my heart pounded loud in my ears.

  Maddix answered the door wearing a white shirt and faded jeans. His face was freshly shaved, his feet bare. My stomach fluttered when he smiled. But I had to remain cautious. I didn’t know what he had planned for me. I couldn’t let my attraction for him get in the way if I needed to escape.

  “Come on in,” he said, stepping aside to let me pass.

  I entered with trepidation I tried to hide. Dark leather and varnished wood populated the room. It had a masculine vibe to it, yet still polished and classy.

  The windows were large, the curtains pulled back to reveal a breathtaking view of Melbrooke City. The Timber River trail was visible in the distance.

  “Have a seat.” He indicated the black leather sofa, and I sank into it, grateful for the chair’s soft support. Hands in his pockets, he watched me. “You should relax, Angela.”

  I fidgeted. Was I that easy to read?

  He left before I could respond. From the sounds of glass clinking, I assumed he went to the kitchen. He returned with two wine glasses and a bottle of wine.

  “That’s OK. I don’t want anything to drink.”

  Better to stay as clearheaded as possible around you.

  “You should have some. You will need it.” He took a seat in the sofa beside me. There was space between us, but he was close enough for me to touch if I shifted my leg. He poured out the wine in both glasses and handed one to me. The dark red liquid swirling in the glass looked enticing.

  I frowned. “Why?”

  “Drink.”

  Scowling, I took a sip. Fine. A few sips wouldn’t hurt. Alcohol was liquid courage. But instead of a few sips, I drank half of the glass. Maddix eyed me with amusement.

  It irked me he found my nervousness around him funny. Meanwhile, he was calm and serene. He didn’t need to worry. He wasn’t the one in trouble.

  “What happened with Eva,” I asked, setting the wine glass down on the coffee table.

  “I convinced her to drop the blackmail.”

  “How?”

  He set his glass down next to mine. He’d been a lot less indulgent with his drink than me. He
leaned back, stretching an arm across the back of the sofa.

  “I paid her a visit and we spoke.”

  Is that all you did with her? I discarded the thought as soon as it popped up. Why should I care how he convinced Eva to drop the blackmail? As long as he got the results like he promised.

  “And the recording?”

  “I have it.”

  I felt relieved, yet not entirely so. It discomforted me the recording of me consenting to a crime still existed.

  “Give it to me so I can destroy it.”

  “I can do that for you,” he said. “But first, there’s the matter of what we discussed. That my help with your problem comes with a price.”

  “And that’s why I’m here, right? To fulfill my end of the deal?” I rubbed my lips together.

  “What do you want me to do?”

  “I want you to show me your real self.”

  I frowned. “You said that at the hospital. I still don’t know what that means.” I shrugged. “Besides, there’s nothing else to show. What you see is what you get.”

  “No one is what they appear. Even with your loved ones, those you might trust with your life, you still pretend. There’s always something hidden inside you don’t want others to see.”

  “It’s the ugly parts you’re hiding. The parts nobody should see.” My tone turned bitter. “You’ll be surprised how easy the people you love can turn against you when you reveal you’re not the person they want you to be.”

  “So you’d rather pretend to please others than be yourself and be happy?” He leaned closer. “What’s inside you isn’t ugly, Angela. When I look at you, I see so much anger and chaos and pain. But none of it is ugly. It’s powerful and I want to capture it.”

  I held my breath, overwhelmed by the intensity in his voice and his stare. It gripped me and left me frozen for a few seconds. I allowed myself to breathe.

  “What do you mean by ‘capture’? Take a picture?”

  “Yes.”

  “So that’s it? That’s your price for helping me?” I pursed my lips. “You don’t want sex?”

  His lips curved. “I didn’t bring you here to fuck you, Angela. Is that why you’re nervous?”

  “I… I’m not nervous.”

  “You look as if you’re about to flee.”

  I sat up straighter. “I’m not going anywhere. We made a deal. I try not to break my promises.”

  His amusement deepened. “If you came here with the assumption I wanted to take you to bed, should I assume that’s what you want?”

  “I don’t… I don’t want you.” My voice was too high, the words lacking conviction to them. My face burned from embarrassment. I reached for my wine glass and took another healthy sip. “Look, maybe we should get started on this picture taking… thing. I’d like to get home early.”

  “Of course.” He stood and extended a hand to me. “Come with me.”

  I took his hand, his warmth seeping into my palm as he helped me to my feet. But he didn’t move back to maintain any distance between us. His gaze held mine then slid to my lips.

  Only a tiny gap separated us. It would be so easy for him to close the space. And even though I’d done my best to convince myself anything physical was off-limits, I still wanted him to kiss me.

  The interest in his eyes was unmistakable, but he didn’t follow through. Instead, he led me out of the living room down a hallway. Irritation picked at me. It was foolish to say I didn’t want him to fuck me, then get disappointed when he didn’t try.

  We came to a door at the end of the hallway. He opened it and turned on the lights. Holding the door open for me, he indicated I step into the room.

  I slid past him, inhaling his minty aftershave. The room was sparse, only containing a leather covered bench and a camera atop a tripod. The room had entirely black walls except for one which was made of smooth, uninterrupted glass. Melbrooke City stretched out far and beyond, stunning in the late evening pink-orange glow now that the sun had set. It was breathtaking to look at that view and calming too.

  My gaze returned to the leather covered bench. I’d seen nothing like it before. There were straps appended to its sides which gave off a distinct ‘strapped down and tortured’ vibe.

  For a second, I imagined Maddix strapping me down to that bench. I fantasized him fucking me until I came so hard my screams threatened to shatter the one glass wall.

  I blinked to clear the fantasy from my head. The wine was getting to me. I shouldn’t have drank as much as I did.

  The click of the door closing drew my attention. I turned. Maddix stood at the dimmer switch and moved it lower. The lights became less stark and more moody and intimate. Only a light above the bench remained bright like a spotlight.

  Maddix turned away from the switch and approached the tripod. He picked up the camera and touched buttons on it. He was preparing it to take the pictures.

  Pictures of me.

  I didn’t know what to do with my hands so I rubbed my palms on my jeans. The scratchy texture soothed my rising anxiety.

  My mother was white and my father a black man. I had creamy brown skin and my hair was a mass of springy spirals. It looked tamed most days, and like a bird’s nest when it was humid.

  I’d been told I was photogenic on frequent occasions. Yet Maddix said he wanted to capture the real me. Not my beauty, but the ugly parts of me.

  The anger and the pain.

  I wasn’t sure I was comfortable revealing that. Those parts I liked to keep locked up for my sanity. Besides, what did he intend to do with the pictures?

  I was over thinking this.

  It was just some stupid pictures.

  If he wanted me to scowl or glare to show I’m ‘angry’ or something, that was easy. Then I’d be out of here. Away from him. Where I was safe. Because some intrinsic part of me believed Maddix wasn’t all he seemed. He’d said as much.

  No one is what they appear.

  Maddix set the camera back on the tripod and came toward me. In the moody lighting, it was harder to discern his expression.

  “Are you ready to take the picture?” I asked.

  “Yes.”

  “What do you want me to do?”

  “I want you to undress.”

  Seven

  —

  Stunned, my lips parted as I waited to find my voice.

  “You want me to take off my clothes?”

  “Yes. All of it.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “You said you didn’t want sex. Unless you changed your mind during the short trip from the living room?”

  “I did not change my mind. You will take the pictures naked.”

  “I don’t want to do that.”

  “You seem to have forgotten you no longer have a say in the matter.” There was a steely edge to his voice. “We made a deal. I have done my part now it’s time for you to do yours.” He advanced, his features stony. “Unless you don’t mind me going to the authorities and telling them of your involvement with the art forgery? I’m sure they’ll be interested in the recording Eva gave me.”

  I went still as shock and rage coursed through me. I’d wound up in an ironic situation. To escape one blackmail, I’d found myself in another one.

  Tears burned my eyes but I blinked them back. I didn’t want him seeing me cry. I refused to show him how powerless I felt.

  “You bastard.”

  He seemed unconcerned. He remained silent, expectant, waiting for me to do as he’d ordered.

  Reluctant, my hands shaking, I peeled off my jacket. Then I took off my shoes. His gaze scorched my skin as I grabbed the edge of my tank top and hauled it off. I refused to look at him.

  To think at one point I wanted him. Now all that arousal had converted to disgust and outrage. He’d taken advantage of me. He’d used my misfortune for his own selfish gain.

  Why did I end up in these situations? Why did I attract trouble like this? Unfortunate situations had plagued me long before the cocaine incident.

/>   As I removed my jeans, I realized that I’d been caught up in blaming everything and everyone else. I’d failed to stop and think. To accept that the blame lay with me. That I was the one who consistently made stupid choices.

  And I had to bear the consequences of every single one until I knew better.

  I wasn’t a virgin or inexperienced being naked in front of a man. Yet my cheeks burned as I reached for the front clip of my bra and unsnapped it. I peeled away the cups from my breasts, flinging the material down with the rest of my clothes pooled beside my feet.

  I hesitated for a second when I reached for the edge of my panties. Then I yanked my underwear off me angrily and flung it with the other pieces of clothing.

  I wrapped my hands around myself, Maddix’s gaze searing my skin. He moved closer until he stood in front of me.

  “Look at me, Angela.”

  I looked at him, letting all my frustration and anger shine through. But it wasn’t just aimed at him, it was at myself as well. I was the reason I was here.

  “I do my best on my patients, but there’s still no better craftsman than nature,” he murmured. He had a reverent look on his face as he swept his gaze over my body. There was nothing sexual about his gaze. Just honest appreciation. “You are very beautiful. I’m sure you’ve been told that before. But there’s so much rage inside you and that elevates you from beautiful to radiant.” He cupped my face, his warmth impressing on my cheek. His touch made me shiver. “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to capture you.”

  “I don’t have a choice, remember?” I sniped, recoiling from his touch even though I liked it.

  He smiled. “I want you to take a position on the bench.”

  I looked at the bench then back at him. “What position?”

  “Whatever that comes naturally to you.” He returned to the tripod. “I only want you to stare directly into the camera. I want you to relive the moments when you were most hurt by those you loved. Betrayed, disappointed. When your dreams were stolen. When you lost the life you once knew.”

  I opened my mouth to object, but I snapped it shut and moved to the bench. He wanted me to rehash all those memories I’d fought hard to suppress? I wasn’t sure I could do that. Wasn’t sure if I wanted to do that.