She

by J. S. Cooper

  “Stop.” She shook her head. “Don’t move any closer.”

  “Rosie.” My voice cracked as I gazed at her. “Why are you doing this?” As I stared at her, I couldn’t help but wish that Jakob were here with me, holding my hand, providing me comfort and poignant, loving glances to keep me strong.

  She looked away from me then, her eyes leaving mine in a sort of shame.

  “Rosie, please, let’s talk,” I called out to her, but she turned her back on me.

  “So, Bianca, was your only question to me am I following you?” Steve asked with a wide smile. I could tell he was enjoying the tension in the air and the sense of powerlessness I was feeling.

  “No, the question I want to ask you is if you were working for Jakob or David or Larry or someone else. And if you were working with Jakob, why did you disappear? And exactly what do you know about the kidnapping? And what exactly is your role in all of this?” I spoke to him, but Rosie was the one I really wanted answers from.

  “That’s a lot of questions.” His thin lips attempted a smile. “Questions I don’t have to answer. What did your boyfriend, Jakob, have to say to all these questions?”

  “Obviously, I don’t know Jakob as well as I thought I did,” I muttered, staring at the TV screen in front of me. The screen was now blank, but I remembered seeing Jakob and David on it just a few minutes ago. What had David been talking about? What had Jakob planned, and what was he still trying to do? Though I didn’t know what exactly was going on—and a part of me still struggled to trust Jakob fully—I knew instinctively there was more than met the eye.

  My head was spinning; I needed to speak to Jakob. Not only to make sure he was okay, but also to get as many facts as I could that might help me understand what was going on. After all of our back-and-forth, I had finally started to trust Jakob. Yes, there were still doubts in my mind—I mean, what kind of fool would I have to be if I just blindly trusted the man who had staged our kidnapping to a deserted island and then pretended to be someone else? Well, he’d been himself, but he hadn’t told me that he was also the son of the man I believed responsible for my mother’s death. A man my mother might also have had an affair with. A man who had ruined so many lives.

  “What are you thinking about?” Steve’s eyes narrowed as he surveyed my face. And I could see Rosie looking at me from out of the corner of her eye.

  “I’m thinking about how confusing this all is, and I’m thinking about Jeremiah Bradley.” I sighed. “I want to know what Jeremiah Bradley was like and who he was and how he could have caused so much damage in so many people’s lives.”

  “He was the devil.” Steve looked away from me then, his mind somewhere else. “He was the devil, and one day he will burn in hell.”

  “I thought he was your mentor,” I said, surprised at the hatred and vehemence in his voice. “I thought you loved him.”

  “Well, you thought wrong.” He looked at me, and his eyes softened as he took in my appearance. “You look very beautiful today.”

  “Thank you.” I didn’t know what else to say, though I wasn’t that grateful for him noticing my appearance. Rosie turned toward us then, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Steve. I realized then that she was wary of him; suspicious, even. Perhaps they weren’t quite the united front I had thought them to be.

  “Just think, if things had been different, we might have been together.” Steve took a step toward me, and Rosie took a step toward him. I knew she wasn’t concerned for me. She was more concerned that somehow I’d be able to flip a switch in his head and get Steve on my side. I looked at Rosie then, a deep, questioning look. A look that told her of how heartbroken I was by her betrayal—but she didn’t even flinch. I stifled a sigh and looked back at Steve.

  “I think that was never going to be a possibility,” I couldn’t stop myself from responding as my body gave an involuntary shudder. Hell no. There was no way I would ever sleep with someone like Steve. I had absolutely no attraction to him. None at all.

  “What’s wrong with me?” His shoulders hunched. “Am I not good enough for you?”

  “What are you talking about?” I said with a frown as his expression changed. I was aggravated, and I knew I was making the situation worse. “There’s nothing wrong with you,” I said, trying to smile and soften my voice. “It was just bad timing for us, Steve.” I choked the lies out, but I knew my best defense would be to butter him up.

  “I’m always being rejected,” he said, almost under his breath. I could see a flash of something looking like pain in his eyes. For a split second I felt sorry for him, but then I remembered the situation I was in. If I was going to feel sorry for someone, I knew that I was the only recipient I needed to care about.

  “I think you’re a good guy, Steve,” I said, almost pleading as I tried to make eye contact with him. I needed to create a connection with him. I needed him to trust me.

  “That’s funny. Rosie seems to think you don’t trust me,” he said bitterly. I watched as Rosie smiled slightly and rubbed his shoulder, and I wondered what she’d been telling him. She whispered something into his ear, and his expression turned cold.

  “What would you ask Jeremiah Bradley if you could talk to him now?”

  “What does it matter?” I said, annoyed. “It’s not like I can ask him.”

  “You know what I’d ask him?” Steve said softly, his voice tinged with venom.

  “What?” I said, my voice barely louder than a whisper.

  “I’d ask him why.” He looked into my eyes. “I’d ask him why he had to target my dad. Why he had to ruin my life. Why he had to be so greedy.” He clenched his fists. “But maybe I’ll be able to get my answers one day.”

  “What do you mean?” My heart thudded.

  “Maybe I’ll be able to figure out why Jeremiah Bradley ruined my father’s life,” Steve said, and walked to the front door, Rosie by his side.

  “How?” I followed behind him, not sure why I didn’t just let him leave.

  “Maybe the answers didn’t die with him.” He turned back and looked at me. “Maybe there is life after death after all.”

  “What are you saying?” I gasped, my face turning white as I tried to understand him. Was he saying that Jeremiah Bradley was still alive? Was he the mastermind behind my kidnapping?

  “I’m saying that this doesn’t start or end with your mother’s death, Bianca.” His eyes pierced mine, and the cold apathy in his gaze stung my very core.

  “Where does it start and end, then?” I asked, my voice a mere whisper as he took a step toward me. I looked over at Rosie, and a little whimper escaped my throat. “Why are you doing this, Rosie? What have I ever done to you?”

  “You would never understand, Bianca.” She shook her head.

  “You were my best friend. . . .” My voice trailed off. “I just don’t understand. Is this because of my dad dying? Is this because of David? Are you upset that I kissed him? Is that how all this started?” I pretended to be completely ignorant—I wasn’t about to reveal that I knew she was Larry’s daughter, at least not yet. I was going to keep all my cards to myself until she let something slip.

  “It starts with my father,” Steve spoke up, and his voice cracked. “It starts with a poor, young, brilliant student at Harvard University by the name of Oliver Case.”

  “And where does it end?” I didn’t want to tell him that I didn’t know who Oliver Case was, because that wasn’t exactly true. I vaguely recalled my father telling me about an old friend of his—an old friend called Oliver.

  “It ends with the destruction of the Bradley brothers.” Steve gave me a half smile. “And the destruction of everyone else that led to my father’s death.”

  I swallowed hard as I stared at him, the ringing in my ears becoming louder as my heart thudded. Who else had been responsible for his father’s death? How had his father died? And most important of all, was I on his hit list?

  “Where are you going?” I said after a few seconds of the thre
e us just standing there. “You’re going to just leave me?”

  “What did you think we were going to do?” Steve blinked at me, his face a blank slate and his eyes impassive.

  “I thought you were going to take me with you.” I bit my lower lip. “I thought you were going to kidnap me again.”

  “I didn’t kidnap you in the first place. Neither did Rosie.” He shrugged. “We just wanted to make sure you were watching the TV screen.”

  “Why?”

  “I wanted to make sure you saw the sort of men you were consorting with.”

  “I’m not consorting with anyone.”

  “You shouldn’t be with either of the Bradley brothers.”

  “Jakob is a good guy,” I said weakly.

  “Even you don’t believe that.” He laughed bitterly as Rosie snorted.

  “He is.” My voice was more assertive, even though I didn’t feel that confident inside.

  “Yeah, keep telling yourself that.” He gave me a disdainful look. “I’m not going to waste my time trying to warn you to stay away from him anymore. You can make your own stupid mistakes.”

  “What do you care?”

  “Your mother realized her mistake.” Steve smirked. “Maybe you should realize yours before it’s too late.”

  “What are you talking about?” My heart pounded as I gazed at him. Was he confirming that my mother had had an affair with Jakob’s dad? Had my mother really been Jeremiah’s mistress?

  “You don’t know?” He laughed, his eyes crinkling in a bitter way as he surveyed my face. “This all started because of her.” Rosie looked at me in disgust.

  “My mother had an affair with Jeremiah? So it’s true, then?” I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth as despair filled my heart. My mother wasn’t the woman I had thought she’d been. My heart broke for my father and the pain he must have experienced. How heartbreaking that must have been for him.

  “I’m shocked you don’t know about the Angelina, Nicholas, and Jeremiah love triangle.” Steve looked at me in pity. “Wars have been fought for less.”

  “I . . .” My voice trailed off as I stared at him. I didn’t even know what to say. I wasn’t sure how much heartbreak I could take in one day.

  “Isn’t it funny how love can turn the heads of even the most brilliant and powerful men?” Steve grabbed a small flask out of his pocket and took a swig. He chugged greedily, and I watched as a trickle of brown liquid streamed down the side of his lips and to his chin. He wiped it away with the back of his hand and then licked the liquid off of his skin, slurping it up. I tried not to shiver as he flicked his tongue at me perversely and then started drinking again. The room was quiet as he stood there, just staring at me. He took another gulp of the golden-brown liquid before speaking again. “Women can ruin everything. Absolutely everything.”

  three

  Nicholas London

  Decades Ago

  The music was booming by the time I made it to Jeremiah’s apartment. The lights were off, and the living room was filled with a myriad of people dancing, drinking, and laughing. I looked around to see if I could spot any of my friends. I wasn’t really one for partying, but I’d still come. Jeremiah expected his closest friends to attend his many events, and I was grateful to be in that circle. And I was also interested in seeing Angelina. I loved spending time with her, even though it was usually in the presence of Jeremiah. I wasn’t sure what she saw in him, or why she dated him.

  For that matter, I wasn’t sure what Jeremiah saw in her. She wasn’t his type; she seemed too quiet and shy for him. I half wondered if he was still dating her because she was the only girl who hadn’t slept with him yet. She was a challenge to Jeremiah, and he liked that. It was probably part of why I was so interested in her too. Okay, more than interested. I felt a connection with Angelina that I had never felt with anyone else. It was weird because we’d never kissed, never even really touched; yet I felt connected to her in a way that made my heart leap whenever I saw her.

  “Nicholas, you made it,” a soft voice said in my ear, and I looked around and saw Angelina’s sweet smile.

  “Hey.” I smiled at her and watched as she played with her long brown hair.

  “I wasn’t sure you were going to come,” she continued, and her hazel eyes looked uncertain.

  “I can’t miss a party of Jeremiah’s,” I said softly, and she nodded.

  “True, you can’t do that.” She moved closer to me. “So how are you? I haven’t seen you in a while.”

  “I’ve been busy in the lab.” I nodded and spoke into her ear, so she could hear me over the increasingly loud music. “I’m helping my friend Oliver with a project he’s working on.”

  “Oh, that scrawny freshman?” she asked curiously.

  “Yes,” I said in surprise. “You’ve met him?”

  “Yeah.” She nodded. “Jeremiah’s had him over a few times.” She shrugged. “I thought it was an odd friendship, but now I understand.”

  “Why’s that?” I teased her. “Is it because he’s my friend? Two odd ducks?”

  “You’re not odd.” She smiled and touched my shoulder. “And neither is Oliver. I was going to say I understand why Jeremiah has a new brilliant friend, because you’re brilliant as well.”

  “I’m not brilliant.” My face reddened.

  “Yes, you are.” She bit her lower lip and looked down. “That’s why I like you so much.”

  “You like me?” I said in surprise, my heart racing and explosions going off in my head.

  “Yes.” She nodded, shyly.

  “But what about Jeremiah?”

  She shrugged in response, and I saw a pink hue in her cheeks. I was about to ask her if she wanted to go on a date with me when Jeremiah approached us.

  “How are my best girl and my best friend?” Jeremiah grinned as he offered us two champagne glasses.

  “Good.” I nodded and took the glass from him, frustrated that he’d interrupted before I’d had the chance to ask Angelina exactly what she’d meant.

  “Not drinking?” Jeremiah frowned at Angelina as she turned down the drink and gave him her cheek as he leaned down to kiss her.

  “Not tonight.” She shook her head slightly and gave me a look.

  “So, nice party,” I said to Jeremiah. “Not afraid your neighbors will complain?”

  “Nope.” He laughed. “My godfather owns the building, and my uncle is best friends with the police chief. I think we’ll be okay.”

  “It must be nice to have friends in high places,” I said to him, and he laughed.

  “You should know, right?” He winked and then looked at Angelina. “You okay, babe? You look a bit pale.”

  “I’m fine.” She nodded. “Just tired.”

  “Oh, that’s not good. I have coke, if you want some. Give you the pep you need.”

  “No, no, that’s fine.” She shook her head quickly. “I’ll be fine.”

  “Jeremiah.” A sharp voice squealed. “Jeremiah.” The voice grew louder, and I saw Macy Vanderbilt headed toward us. Macy was a prissy blue blood who could trace her ancestry back to the Mayflower, and she very much wanted to be with Jeremiah.

  “Yes, Macy?” He turned to her with a small smile. Macy was an ice-cold princess, but she was also gorgeous with her long blond hair and clear blue eyes.

  “Why is Joanie Rosenberg here?” She turned her nose up at Angelina and me as she talked to Jeremiah. “How can you have the cafeteria girl at your party?”

  “Everyone is welcome at my parties, Macy,” Jeremiah said with a tight smile. That wasn’t the only place everyone was welcome in Jeremiah’s life. Macy and Joanie were both welcome in his bed as well. He’d been sleeping with them for the last six months, and I had no idea how he was stringing them both along. I also had no idea if Angelina knew he was cheating on her, and as much as I wanted to let it slip, that would be a fatal blow to our friendship. I still felt bound by a certain honor and respect for Jeremiah, even if I didn’t agree with his actions
—and even if I wanted Angelina for myself. As much as I wanted Angelina, Jeremiah was still my friend. Sure, he was a spoiled, superior brat, but deep down he was a good guy. He’d been there for me in ways that I could never thank him for. And I appreciated that he treated me like an equal—unlike Larry, who only seemed to tolerate me for Jeremiah’s benefit. We were an odd group of friends, and I often wondered what would happen when we graduated.

  “Well, I don’t think she should be here.” Macy made a face. “She’s not our kind of people.”

  “Who is your kind of people?” I asked her curiously, knowing she didn’t particularly care for me either. Macy didn’t deign to answer me. Instead, she just looked both Angelina and me up and down distastefully and then turned back to Jeremiah. I didn’t care if Macy hated me, and I always spoke up for Joanie. Joanie had had a crush on me before she’d started sleeping with Jeremiah, and I’d always felt guilty for not reciprocating.

  “Jeremiah, can we go to your room?” She rubbed his back. “I need to tell you something in private.”

  “Oh?” Jeremiah looked at her with a bored expression.

  “Yes.” She licked her lips slowly, and I watched as she slipped a finger into her mouth. “I need to tell you something very badly.”

  “Well, okay then.” Jeremiah grinned as he realized that what Macy had to tell him had less to do with talking and more to do with sucking, a fact that was unmistakable to all three of us standing there. “I’ll see you guys in a bit,” Jeremiah said with a quick smile, and he and Macy walked away. I looked over at Angelina to see if she was upset, but she just gave me a sweet smile and laughed. I raised an eyebrow at her, and she whispered in my ear.

  “I’m not a dumbo, Nicholas. Maybe I have my own reasons for dating Jeremiah.”

  “Oh?” I looked at her with a frown. Was she just interested in his money?

  “Maybe it was the only way I could get to hang out with you.” She winked, and my heart stopped beating. Was she kidding? “Want to get out of here?” she asked softly, and I nodded, not quite believing my good luck. Was Angelina Walker really interested in me? We headed toward the front door of the apartment, and I saw Oliver standing there looking at us with a frown as we were about to leave.