Glamour
Page 35
On long legs he came my way. I readied myself for fight or flight, his approach setting my heart into hyper-mode. “I get it. Your grand plan is to sit here and suffer until she’s old enough to legally leave with you. How fucking long is that, ten years? Until she’s eighteen?”
My shrug was heavy. “I’ll take the misery now if it means I get the future I want.”
“You’re wrong, weren’t you listening to me?” He slapped his chest with an open palm. “I suffered, I lost everything… my home, my own mother… that’s what suffering gets you. Life doesn’t care if you put in your dues, Harper. Hoping for a happy ending just because you went through hell to get it is a fool’s dream.”
His words smothered me, pulling at my confidence until I wondered if my path was the wrong one. Jack took another step; when he did, I saw past him, spotting Cena’s room. She’d covered the outside of it with music notes and pink flowers.
I thought about the mother she’d never known.
How that was all of my fault.
Calmly, I said, “I’m never going to put my sister in danger.”
“Not even if it gets you both away from that giant monster?”
I narrowed my eyes, staring at his stoic expression. “Tell me what happens if your plan works.”
Jack perked up, his arms flexing as he gestured over his head. “I’ll bring that bastard to his knees. I’ll chop everything out from under him until he’s got nothing to stand on, nothing to keep him above our heads. Then when he realizes he has to do as I say or he’ll lose more than his reputation, I’ll make him sign the Golden Goose over to me.”
“The club? Why do you want that place?”
“Because it belongs to me.” His fists balled up, knuckles straining, bloodless. “He promised it would be ours together. Then he betrayed me. After everything else, I’m getting what’s owed to me.”
“And then?”
Jack’s eyes were foggy, like he was somewhere else. His tone was pure acid. “Death is too good for him. He’ll go to prison, and with any luck, be tortured by people who learn how evil he is.”
The man in front of me wasn’t the one I’d tangled with in the club. Certainly not the man who’d emerged from the darkness to rescue me in the parking lot. Jack’s aura burned the color of death; there was no way he’d consider Cena’s safety or my own on his path towards vengeance.
I thought about the mantra Mister Big had spit at me since I began working for his club. No court will award custody of an eight year old to a dirty stripper. Just try me. I’ve got friends in high places.
“It won’t work. If anything happens to him, Cena will get put into the system. I won’t see her for years, I won’t be able to keep her safe. Leave,” I whispered. “Just leave.”
For a minute I thought he wouldn’t. He shot one quick look over his shoulder, towards the hallway bathroom. The wrinkles around his forehead deepened. Jack stood so still he could have stopped breathing, and I wondered what he was thinking about.
Finally he brushed passed me. “I’ll go, but if you think I’m done, you’re wrong. The only way this ends is with him in a broken pile at my feet.” He looked at everything in the hallway but my face. “You’re willing to let yourself be hurt in order to save her. But she’s not as safe as you assume. As long as he can reach her… she never will be.”
Then he was gone.
Chapter Six
Harper
Jack was going to kidnap my sister.
No—past tense was wrong. Why would he call off his plan? The guy was single minded; just thinking about him reliving his past as he told me it had my adrenaline racing. He’d been so passionate about destroying my stepfather. He’d made it sound easy. I was too smart to think taking down Mister Big was anything close to the word “easy.”
In the elevator, I tapped my hand on the metal wall. I’d never forgive myself if I assumed Jack would change his plan. Did Callum really take everything from him? Remembering Jack’s bloody body in the alley seven years ago, I shivered.
I understood his desire.
I really, truly did.
But Cena… she was my heart. I couldn’t put her in danger. Besides, I’d lasted this long, I knew what Callum could do to me. The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t.
And I didn’t know Jack.
The elevator dinged; I jumped out, scanning the lobby. The security desk was empty—that wasn’t strange, Hector was usually lax in his duties. What mattered to me was that Jack was nowhere in sight. Good, I wanted him gone. Even if I wanted to grab his hands and talk him out of his suicidal mission, to tell him to give up on revenge and just waste time with me… I knew it was foolish.
Breathing faster by the second, I stormed down the sidewalk in the warm air. I didn’t breathe easier until an hour later when, as I stood sentry outside her school, my sister walked outside. Her eyes lit up at the sight of me. “Hap! Look what I made!” She ran to me, lifting some sort of paper bag with hearts on it. “It’s a homemade kaleidoscope—oh!” Cena couldn’t finish because I’d crouched down, scooping her up and squeezing her tight.
She’s safe. For now, she’s safe.
“Hap?” she asked, muffled in my chest.
“Sorry!” I set her down, but my hand stayed on her shoulder. “Just happy to see you.”
She searched my face. The perfect pink bow of her mouth became a thin line. “Something’s wrong.”
“No, no, I’m just having a weird day.”
“Hm.”
Pulling her with me, I eyeballed every person on the street as we walked back towards the condo. “Tell me about school.”
“Wait, where’s lover boy?”
A tiny flutter corrupted my heart. “Jack is busy. Don’t worry about him.”
“I like him. He seems nice, even if he does have a lot of tattoos.”
A smile escaped me. The sickness in my stomach overwhelmed the small burst of joy. “Hey, how about we do some errands together?”
“Sounds boring.”
“Drat. I didn’t know ice cream at the Dairy Queen near the bank was boring. Guess I’ll have to think of something else.”
Whatever distrust she’d wielded faded away. “Wait! I take it back!”
Laughing, I hoisted her onto my shoulders. It was a quick jog to the condo, and as I passed the doors, I couldn’t keep myself from looking inside at the lobby desk. Is Hector STILL gone? The lack of security, in my current state, infuriated me.
“Can I get whipped cream?”
“Huh?” I asked, pulled from my thoughts.
“And chocolate syrup,” Cena said, buckling herself in. “I’ve been very good lately. I probably deserve it.”
Pursing my lips, I turned the engine over and drove my Taurus out of the lot. “You’re right, Cena. You deserve whatever you want.”
I meant it.
* * *
When I finished handing over my envelopes of cash to the scrutinizing bank clerk, I headed back to Cena. She was sitting in one of the fluffy chairs along the wall, trying to wrap two lollipop sticks together. Her tongue was blue when she smiled. “Was it still there?”
I knew she was talking about more than the money I was stowing away for our future. “Of course it was. As pretty as ever.”
“I can’t wait until I can wear it.” She hopped down, following me out the doors into the sun. “But I’m not supposed to until I’m older, right?”
“Right,” I said seriously. “It’s a necklace for adults.” Frankly, the emerald necklace wasn’t meant for anyone. Mom had worn it only twice that I’d seen. I was shocked to find it buried deep in her dresser, beneath her old pregnancy clothes. It had to be worth a fortune. I’d been uncertain about Cena’s future and my own back then, so stashing the necklace in a secret bank box was my only solution.
One day, Cena found a photo of mom wearing the necklace and cuddling a newborn version of her. Cena’s chubby hand was grasping an emerald. She’d thought it was beautiful, m
agical… so I’d taken her to the bank. When I saw how huge her eyes had gotten at the sight of the necklace… I’d promised it would be hers.
But she had to keep it a secret.
We had a lot of secrets.
Outside, the picnic table’s red umbrella turned everything pinkish from the sunlight. It made our vanilla ice cream look like it was really strawberry. Cena’s face was sticky; her smile gigantic. If anything hammered home how I’d made the right choice not to work with Jack, this was it.
I wanted to stay with her as the sun set. But I knew I couldn’t. “Come on, time to go.”
Cena wiped her hands on her napkin. Her voice was low, which wasn’t normal. “Work tonight?”
Standing, I watched her closely. “That’s right.”
The napkin twisted in her fingers, just like the lollipop sticks earlier. “Hap… what do you do for work?”
A spider of fear crawled through my chest. “I’m a waitress, you know that.”
“Mn.” She tossed the napkin in the trash.
“Cena… why are you asking this?”
There’s nothing sadder than a small child’s defeated shrug. “Daddy was talking to Manina.” That was our weekly maid. “She was cleaning the kitchen, and I heard him say to her that he could get her a job where you work. That didn’t make her happy.”
“Oh, that…”
“Are you happy there?”
I was lost for words. Kneeling, I brushed her hair from her face. “Cena,” I said, waiting until she looked at me. “Work is work. You do what you have to, it’s okay if you’re not happy. Lots of people don’t like their jobs.”
Resting her hands on my shoulders, she said solemnly, “But you should always be happy. I want you to be happy.”
Inside of me, the storm that had been boiling for hours broke apart. Cena was in my arms, crushed in a hug, before I thought it over. But why even think? Loving her was an instinct, and of all the things out there, I trusted it the most. “I love you,” I whispered. “You make me happy. Did you know that?”
“I love you, too.” Usually she struggled to get free. Not this time.
As we drove back home, my mind was a wreck. Cena wanted me to be happy, but did she know what that meant? Did she suspect my job wasn’t waitressing, but something more sordid? Her innocence was something I’d taken for granted. She was only eight, and I did my best to shield her, but the condo we lived in was frequented by people all touched in various degrees by my stepfather. Security, the maids, the women he took home, business associates…
How much longer could I keep Cena from seeing the dirty truth?
Chapter Seven
Harper
“Cena,” I said, knocking on the bathroom door. “You all done?”
“Just plucking my eyebrows!”
“What?” I sputtered, bursting into the room. Steam from the shower had turned everything hazy; she stood in front of the mirror, grinning at me. Her eyebrows were intact. “Don’t scare me like that!”
Giggling, she tipped her head upside down, drying her hair with a towel. She’d slipped into her long blue night-shirt, the length exposing her knees. She was going to be taller than me, at this rate.
Chasing her into her bedroom, I tucked her under the blankets. “Tomorrow is Saturday,” I said, killing the lights. “Maybe we’ll go to the zoo or something.”
“Can Jack come?”
I went stiff. “I don’t know. Why do you want him there?”
“He makes me feel safe. Like you do, Hap.”
Hovering in the doorway, I watched my little sister thoughtfully. Her eyes were wide; luminous in the night sky that drifted through her window. “Cena… is something making you worried?” An idea struck me. “Do you still feel like you’re being watched?”
She rolled onto her side. “Just ask Jack to come with us. Please.”
Her shoulder rose and fell. I wasn’t sure if she was already asleep or not, so I whispered, “Alright.” Something was plucking at me; what was making Cena so scared? Why did she think someone was watching her?
Shutting the door, I stared at it and the flowers taped there. It was impossible not to think about my encounter with Jack earlier today. He’d revealed so much to me, I’d done the same for him. No one knew I was keeping my voice a secret from Callum except for Cena, and she didn’t really get the why of it. I was lucky she respected the sanctity of sister secrets.
Moving to the kitchen, I looked at the island. The water glasses from Jack and I still sat there. He kissed me, I remembered, brushing my lips. He’d gotten so worked up, then he’d run away. It was only when he came out of the bathroom that he revealed his plan.
Staring at that room, a creeping sensation of unease moved up my body. On soft steps I entered the bathroom. The shower steam was long gone, but there were streaks on the mirror where Cena had written “I <3 Ice Cream.”
Grabbing a towel, I started to wipe it clean. My gaze wandered upwards. I saw my own tired eyes—knew I’d have to pack on the makeup thick for work tonight. Guys didn’t like when you looked exhausted.
Something glinted between the light bulbs. I spotted it in my reflection, squinting as I drew closer. On tiptoe I peeled the almost invisible black device off of the vanity. In my fingers it was cold; my heart grew colder as I studied it.
A camera?
Someone was watching this room… someone was looking at me in the shower. No, not just me. I nearly vomited; I gripped the sink, hunkering down as I fought a wave of nausea. Someone was able to see Cena showering, too.
And who did I know that could have put this here? Who had spent such a long time in my bathroom today?
I didn’t want to believe it; I didn’t know what else the answer could be. Jack had placed a camera here, and the best case was he was hoping to find… what? Evidence against Callum?
Something was making my ears hurt—I was grinding my teeth. Squeezing the camera, I looked at it closely. It was simple enough; it probably broadcast with a wi-fi signal, the photos uploading somewhere. It had a small on and off button, and to my surprise, I realized it was already off. Jack forgot to turn it on, I guess. But I had to know for sure. Deep down, I didn’t want to believe the man I’d kissed… the man I’d let myself get wrapped up in… was a perverted creep.
It didn’t make sense. I needed answers.
Checking on Cena once more, I grabbed my work bag from the closet. It was early enough that I knew I could do some searching and still get to the club on time. Locking the doors behind me, I took the elevator, bursting with a mix of anxiety and anger as I entered the lobby.
Hector was actually at the desk. He’d worked for Callum for years, was known for being a bit shady. I definitely wouldn’t trust him with my life. But maybe he knows something about remote video recordings. “Hector,” I said, moving his way.
His eyes shot up to spot me. “Harper, hey. Off to work?”
I ignored the way he grinned knowingly. “You ever seen one of these before?” Gently, I set the camera on the desk between us. Hector showed no reaction.
“Where’d you find it?” Frowning, he pinched the camera between two fingers and made a noise.
Abruptly, the idea of mentioning that there might be nude photos of myself floating around gave me cold feet. Biting my tongue, I reached to take the camera back. Hector let me have it, his thick eyebrows lowering an inch. “Never mind that, do you know much about how they work?”
“Usually they send pictures or video to some online server.” His fingers brushed over mine, his voice falling. “Listen, if something is going on, you know you can tell me.”
I knew the look of a man who was willing to trade favors. This was a bad idea. Putting on a sweet smile, I backed up. “You know, I realized I’ve got to get to work. See you.”
Hector nodded. He didn’t take his eyes off of me, not until I turned my back on him, and then I had to just guess. If I can’t find out about the camera from him… the only person to talk to is Jack
himself. But he left, where would be go? It was hard to picture him fleeing, not after his admission about wanting revenge on Mister Big.
I didn’t have a clue where to begin. Blind with the peaks and valleys of feeling like a fool for letting Jack close to my sister and I, as well as the desire to want to think he did nothing wrong, I drove around the city. I checked everywhere I could in a two-hour span. I even scouted out the airport, thinking it wasn’t entirely impossible for him to be abandoning his plan and vanishing to another country.
Jack was a ghost.
I can’t keep this up, I decided, noticing I was going to be late to work. I wasn’t a damn bloodhound; if Jack was still in this city I’d find him. It didn’t have to be tonight.
I was a zombie at the club. I moved through the motions, but I was too busy panicking in my head to focus. Most guys don’t care if you’re dead inside, though; they tossed money my way regardless of if I remembered their face or their name.
I didn’t notice my shift was over until the lights flashed on inside the empty club. “Come on,” Spider, the DJ, shouted at me. “Grab your damn ones and go clean up. I’m heading home.”
Nodding, I scooped up the crumpled bills and hurried downstairs. The dressing room was abandoned. Something crunched under my heel; a compact case of blush. The deep rouge looked like blood, I hurried to clean it off the floor.
Rubbing alcohol wipes over my body, I removed every trace of sweat and strange men. Looking in the mirrors reminded me about the bathroom camera. I’d never felt so sick before.
Changing into my jeans and a sweater, I wedged my sore feet into my sneakers and headed upstairs. In the dark hallway, my brain a giant knot, I barely heard him at first.
“Harper.”
Turning, I spotted Mister Big behind me. He was standing by the door to his office, and one small move of his wide jaw told me he wanted to see me in private. Fuck, had he noticed me come in late?