Leverage (The Mistaken Series)

by Nancy S Thompson

  Roman’s broad shoulders sagged and his eyes turned misty. I put my hand over his with a reassuring squeeze. I feared I was about to hear a horrendous story of how they’d all died in a plane crash. He placed his other hand over mine and looked me in the eye.

  “Once Marina met her mother, she sailed for Cuba, and I did not hear from her for weeks. Then, a phone call. Marina said she was not returning to America. She said she was marrying another, and I would never see the children again.” Tears rolled down his face.

  I squeezed his shoulder as he clutched at my other hand. “Oh, Roman, I’m so sorry. How awful. Have you seen or heard from your children?”

  He shook his head. “I worked with the American government to get them back, but Cuba would not cooperate. There was no legal way I could recover them.” His eyes teared up again, but for only a moment. Then his powerful shoulders pulled back, and his once-gentle eyes blazed with the force of his memories. “I hired a team to abduct my own children and bring them home. It cost me everything, but well worth it to get my children back. But something went wrong, and Marina was killed. The man she had married whisked my children away. I searched for years, but could find no sign of them.”

  He loosened his grip on my hand and sat back in his chair, his eyes on the table. “Maya is a young woman now, seventeen years old, and Marco, fifteen. I missed their entire childhood.” He pressed his thumb and forefinger into his eyes and gathered himself together. His chair scraped against the old vinyl tiles as he stood and reached for me. “I am sorry, Hannah. I should not have carried on so. I hope you can forgive me.”

  I stood, took his outstretched hand in mine, and rubbed his shoulder once more. “Oh, no, Roman, please. There’s nothing to forgive.” I gave him a one-armed hug, and he began to lead me toward the entry hall.

  I felt bad, as if he were embarrassed and wanted to be alone. He opened the front door and I passed through, but Roman followed me onto his porch. He took my hand and helped me down the three concrete steps and onto the brick walkway, where he turned me around and clasped my hands in his.

  “You and your husband, you love each other very much. I can see that. He will come around, and you will be happy, no?”

  I smiled and nodded, as much to reassure myself as Roman. He glanced over my shoulder as a vehicle passed us on the street, then he looked back at me, a new smile, dimples and all. He leaned in and kissed both my cheeks before giving me a hug and a friendly rub on my back. He even tapped my cheek with his fingers. Then his smile melted away as his attention was drawn behind me. I looked over my shoulder and saw Tyler sitting in his truck in our driveway. The expression on his face was blank, remote even, as he stared over at me and Roman. I dropped Roman’s hands and offered one last smile.

  “I’m sorry, Roman. I should go. But thank you so much for the coffee and for sharing your story. Don’t you ever give up on those kids, you hear?” One more brittle smile, a small, civil wave, and I was off, traipsing through the lawn back to my house.

  Tyler watched my every step then withdrew from his truck as I approached. We stood face to face, three feet between us, and considered each other, our gazes fixed and determined. I broke first, dropping my eyes to the pavement with a shake of my head.

  “I’m sorry,” I said and peered back up at him.

  He closed the space between us and folded his arms around me in a stiff hug.

  “Me, too,” he replied. He pulled back and looked me in the eye then kissed my forehead first before placing another on my lips. It was tender, but conditional somehow. Tentative. He put his arm around my shoulder and steered me toward the kitchen door. “Let’s go back inside. We’ll start over. Okay?”

  I nodded and walked toward the house, Ty’s hand at my back. I felt Ty hesitate then turn slightly back toward the driveway. I looked over my shoulder and saw Roman watching us, his face unreadable. I watched them both, Ty and Roman, how they seemed to challenge each other with just their eyes. Tyler offered a curt nod and a neighborly wave, but Roman—even after his well wishes and proclamation that Ty and I would be okay—spun around without a reply and walked back to his house. Ty halted at the stoop, staring after Roman. He drew his shoulders up, stiff and determined, but to what, I wasn’t sure. I captured his hand and pulled him inside.

  Tyler closed the door, but stood stock-still, facing it, his fingers tight around the knob.

  “What were you two discussing,” he asked without bothering to turn and face me.

  I shrugged. “He heard us arguing. He was just, I don’t know, comforting me, I guess.”

  Ty turned around and stared at me, silent, still. Then he stepped closer and gazed down at me, his eyes suspicious. “And did he?”

  I shook my head, confused. “Did he what?”

  Ty’s brow scrunched together. “Comfort you.”

  An aggravated huff escaped my lips, and I turned to leave, but Ty grabbed my arm above the elbow, his grasp gentle, but unyielding.

  “Well?” he said calmly enough, but there was an intensity to it, and the way he looked at me made me nervous, bringing back memories of our first encounter.

  I twisted my arm in an attempt to pull free, but Tyler held firm.

  I threw him an angry glare. “Ty, stop. You’re hurting me!”

  He held tight for a moment longer before he loosened his grip. His hand stroked down the length of my arm, then his fingers laced through mine and he squeezed as his gaze dropped to the floor.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered then let go. He turned away and walked back to the door.

  “What is it, Tyler? What’s got you so wound up?”

  He froze, his body tense, and his chin low to his chest. His head turned to look out the kitchen window, and his jaw began to tic. Suddenly, he spun around and marched toward me. I jumped back with a startled cry as Tyler crashed into me, sweeping me back to the wall. His arms encased me, and his mouth came down hard against mine. He gathered me in tight before his hands began to explore my body in a frantic motion, up my back and over my shoulders then down across my breasts. Though momentarily stunned, I still moaned in response.

  He squeezed once, tenderly, even in his chaotic state, then let go, letting his fingers crawl past my waist, beneath the hem of my skirt, and back up my thigh. He ripped my underwear clear and found that sweetest of all places on my body. I gasped into his mouth before my head reeled back against the wall with a sharp thud as his fingers stroked then probed, deeper and deeper. I moved against them, my eyes closed and my mouth open.

  I couldn’t take it, the need in me. My hands slid from his shoulders down to his belt where they struggled to free him from his clothing. Once I did, he hauled me up against the wall and down onto him, his hands cupped beneath my bottom and my legs curled around his waist, not easy with a baby bump. I cried out and clung to his shoulders as he drove into me, again and again, but the moment, so frenzied and turbulent, so filled with inexpressible emotion, ended with a final powerful thrust as Ty raised his chin and moaned aloud.

  Afterwards, we panted into each other’s ears before our mouths met once more, this time in a kiss so tender, my body quaked and tears ran down my face. I wrapped my arms tight around his neck as he slipped from my body and lowered me to the floor. He stepped away from me and buttoned up his clothing while I smoothed my skirt into place and dipped to the floor to retrieve my ruined panties.

  Ty reached out and took hold of my hand, pulling it to his mouth where he kissed each finger before he closed his eyes and pressed my knuckles to his cheek. He cupped his other hand to my face and looked into my eyes with inexplicable love. He kissed me again, deeper than ever, then held his cheek to mine as he coiled his arms around me.

  “I’m sorry, love,” he said, his voice choked with something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

  Something profound was bothering him. Jealousy perhaps. Uncertainty. I didn’t know. And at that moment, I didn’t care. I just let it go and melted int
o his embrace.

  CHAPTER 10

  Conner

  The common room at Eastside Treatment Center was nearly empty, just a couple guys watching TV and a lady attempting to play Christmas carols on the piano in the corner. I sat close to the main entry vestibule that separated the reception area from the rest of the facility. The doors were locked to both sides, and entry or exit was strictly monitored and controlled by the guards at the check-in counter. Every time someone came or went, a loud buzzer sounded, and the doors whooshed open with a hydraulic hiss.

  My knees bounced and my fingers twitched at my thighs as my eyes remained pinned to the door, waiting for them to open and for my mother to rush through. A hand grabbed hold of my drumming fingers, and I looked over at Ms. Gonzalo. She sat next to me with her back ramrod straight and her knees pulled together. The woman was far too uptight. I looked her in the eye and gave her an equally uptight smile.

  She bent her head toward me and reminded me for the tenth time, “Relax, everything’s gonna be just fine.”

  I turned away with a shake of my head. “Doesn’t feel fine.”

  “Conner, we’ve been through this. You’re well-prepared. You’ve been through all the steps. You know all the exercises and the proper response to every conceivable situation. And you have support, lots of it, from your mom and stepfather, from the school, even your dad.”

  “Ugh, my dad.” I rolled my eyes and tilted my head back to stare at the ceiling tiles.

  “Yes. There’s nothing to worry about. He signed the lease papers last week, and I even went with him to check out the apartment. It’s only three blocks from campus and close to everything you’ll need. Your mom and Tyler will help you move your stuff from home to your new place. All you’ll need to do is attend class and get your work done. Okay?”

  I dropped my gaze back to Ms. Gonzalo. “Yeah, but—”

  “None of that, Conner. You’re ready,” she insisted.

  “What about, you know, Katy? What if she comes back? I may be better now, but… I’m not ready for her. I’m not. I know it.” I clenched my hands together into one tight knot.

  Ms. Gonzalo covered them with her own hand. “Katy’s not at the U-Dub anymore, Conner. She’s gone. No one’s seen or heard from her since you left. There’s no way she could find out where you’ll be staying as long as you don’t tell her.”

  I stood up and paced the floor. What Ms. Gonzalo didn’t understand was that some part of me wanted to see Katy. I needed to. At least to know how she was doing. But I feared being sucked into her vortex once again. No matter what my counselor said, I wasn’t ready.

  “I won’t,” I confirmed. “I can’t. She’ll eat me alive.”

  “You’re strong enough to say no. Just concentrate on your schoolwork and find a job. That’ll help keep you focused. I put those job referrals I told you about in that envelope I gave you. Start there. I’m sure one of them will work around your schedule.”

  Right then, the buzzer sounded and the doors slid open with a squeal. I swung around and spied my mom and Tyler walking through, hand in hand. They both smiled at me, but my mother broke free and ran the rest of the way with her arms spread wide. She wrapped them around my neck with a shriek of happiness. Ty stood behind her and caught my eye with a nod. I broke from my mother’s embrace and stuck my hand out.

  “Ty,” I said, smiling, “it’s good to see you.”

  His brow rose, obviously surprised at my abnormally affable greeting. He shook my hand then pulled me in for a fatherly hug. It felt sincere.

  “And you, Conner.” He pulled back with a friendly smack to the shoulder. “It’ll be great to have you home for the holidays.”

  Ms. Gonzalo interrupted with a tap to my elbow. “I’m sorry, I have to get back.” She turned to my mom and Ty. “I just wanted to give you all my best and let you know I’m here should you have any questions or concerns.” Then she turned to me and took my hand in both of hers. “You’re going to do great. I have all the confidence in the world in you.”

  I nodded and looked at her, and I mean, really looked at her. She understood and gave my hand an extra squeeze before taking her leave. Mom hugged me again and Tyler grabbed my bag.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  Mom and I nodded to each other first, then to Ty. I waved at the guard through the security window and the doors squealed open one last time, closing behind us with a hiss.

  ***

  Five days after Christmas, Mom and I packed up all my stuff, and Ty and I loaded it into the back of his pickup truck, along with some slightly-used bedroom furniture and a few other pieces my mom had purchased for me. Ty agreed to help me move in and set everything up, and Mom agreed to stay out of our way. I had a few things I wanted to discuss with him, and Ty seemed to concur. I got right into it as soon as we drove off.

  “Okay, we’re alone. I want to know everything. Where the hell is Katy?”

  He shook his head and shrugged. “There’s really not much to tell, Conner. Moody, my friend in the FBI, he searched for Katy all over campus, talked to other students, kids from her hall, from your hall. Nothing. Nobody knows anything.”

  “Or maybe they’re just not talking,” I suggested.

  Ty shook his head again. “I doubt it. Moody knows what he’s doing.”

  “What about the school? Did he check with them?”

  Ty’s fingers tensed around the wheel. “Yes, but they wouldn’t give him anything without a court order.”

  “So, he’s a fed, right? Surely he got one.”

  Ty’s knuckles whitened. He was hiding something, and I wanted to know why.

  “Ty, what aren’t you telling me?”

  He glanced over at me, an uneasy look in his eye. “Conner, did you ever have any classes with Katy?”

  I thought back over the last eighteen months. “No, not that I remember. Why?”

  “Because, son, she was never enrolled at the U-Dub. She never had a room at the hall you said she lived at. There’s no record of anyone named Katy Holender ever having been at the University of Washington. Period.”

  “What? That’s crazy. I saw her access her dorm a thousand times. She had a passkey. She walked in. No one ever stopped her.”

  “I don’t know what to tell you. Moody checked her out thoroughly. She lied to you, just like she lied to the police the night Leo died.”

  “That makes no sense.”

  “Look, Conner, I don’t know what her story is, but…she’s bad news, obviously hiding something. It’s a good thing she’s gone, that she’s out of your life.”

  I tightened my jaw and turned to look out my side window. “I know. It’s just… I need to know what happened to her, if she’s all right, you know?” I turned back to Ty.

  He glanced at me and agreed with a single nod. “I know,” he echoed.

  “So…have you told my mom about any of this, about Katy, I mean?”

  He stared at the road straight ahead and shook his head. “No. It’s pointless and would only upset her. She doesn’t need that right now.”

  I snorted in disgust. “You like keeping secrets, don’t you?”

  “No, actually, I don’t, but sometimes, it’s necessary.” He paused then put his hand on my shoulder. “Conner,” he said, catching my eye, “I need you to promise me something.”

  “I know. I won’t get involved with her again.”

  Ty raised his brow, silently asking if I was serious, if I was committed.

  I lied and said I was.

  ***

  It was two weeks into the winter quarter before I started to adjust. My classes seemed easy enough. I was committed to acing every one and proving I was healthy and stable. The health and stable part wasn’t as easy. I found it hard to fit in after everything that had happened last quarter. I’d become a pseudo-celebrity on campus, infamous, really, almost a pariah, someone everybody talked about and smiled at, but never approached. I felt isolate
d, especially since I no longer lived in the hall.

  My apartment was small, but safe, and I began to feel at home, not that I had much choice. Other than class, it’s where I spent most of my time. My neighbors were primarily grad students, busy and overwhelmed with their studies. I had no real friends to speak of, though I was in a few study groups, and they were all friendly enough to invite me to join them on weekends. But I wasn’t ready for that yet. I didn’t trust myself.

  So I sat at home most of the time, playing my guitars. I preferred my acoustic, but on days when I didn’t have class and everyone else was busy on campus, I hooked my electric up to my amp, my iPod to some speakers, and followed along with my favorite songs. It was a type of meditation my counselor had suggested, a place I could escape to, where there were hard-set parameters, yet I had total control. Some people went on walks. Others worked-out at the gym. I had my music. It inspired a whole new level of creativity in me. I even wrote a few original tunes in the vein of my all-time favorite band, local legend, Alice in Chains.

  I was completely absorbed in playing AIC’s Rooster when I noticed two of my cheaply framed prints had fallen from the entry wall. I stopped strumming, turned off the music, and heard a loud pounding on my flimsy front door.

  “Oh shit!” I disconnected my guitar, but left it slung over my shoulder. The pounding continued. The whole door rattled under the force. “Hold on!” I shouted as I approached.

  I yanked the door wide, shocked by who I saw. It was a girl, hardly more than five feet tall and all of ninety pounds. How could something so small make such a racket?

  “Do you mind?” she asked, her fists at her hips. “I’m trying to study.”

  I stood there with what I’m sure was the most stupid look on my face, staring at her, my mouth slack. This little mouse was not only mighty, she was the cutest thing I’d ever seen, with stormy eyes, hazel and speckled with gold, and slashed above with perfectly arched brows. And her mouth, even pursed in anger, was adorable in a pixie sort of way, all red and sulky above of a stubborn chin. Her jaw was clenched tight, the lines sharp and defiant, perfectly matched to a well-proportioned nose, even with the smattering of faded freckles splashed across it. She was both fierce and delicate at the same time. I almost expected her to curse me with a magic wand then flutter away on fairy wings.