Consumed

by Scarlet Wolfe

  “You know, the ones that cause you to work around the clock like a hamster in a wheel.”

  “Mom, I work for myself.”

  “Ha! No one works for themselves, dear. The government makes you think that, but you’re working for them since you pay them tax money, and then you have no control over what they do to you when you’re sleeping.”

  With a grimace, Mom lets me go and takes a seat in her reclining chair. She mumbles something to herself, so I look to Aggie, who appears unaffected by our mother’s comment.

  “Your yard looks good. I see you have it ready for summer.”

  She’s smiling again as she looks out the large front window of the living room. “I work on the flower beds daily. I have to, or someone tampers with them.

  “I swear they wait for the day I’m not well enough to do it. It’s an ongoing battle. I enjoy it though, and the doctors say the sunlight is good for me.”

  “Speaking of doctors, Agatha told me about your cancer. Mom, I’m sorry.”

  She waves her hand toward me. “Oh, I don’t even know if I believe it. I think they planted a device in me the first time I went to see them, and they cause these pains I’m having. They’re hoping to make money off of the treatments.”

  I swallow and sit quiet for a second as I think of the best way to respond. “The specialists don’t become doctors to hurt people, Mom. Aggie says they’re nice to you and believe the special treatments they’re recommending could help you live longer.”

  “All this technology hasn’t always been around. There was a time when if it was your day to go, you died. End of story. Besides, if someone wants you dead, they’ll find a way to make it happen. Your father is a prime example.” She begins rocking her chair and stares at the floor.

  I roll my eyes. I also want to argue with her that my father wasn’t a specific target during 9/11, but she’s ill, and it would be futile. Memories of that sick day flood my mind. Mom’s rambling and rocking, and I’m beginning to feel like I’m in a tunnel.

  Victoria.

  I place my right hand over my heart and hold it there while thinking of her.

  “Adrian … Adrian, are you OK?” Agatha asks.

  I flip my head up to look at her.

  “I met someone.” My eyes widen.

  Why the hell did I say that?

  Agatha smiles. “You mean Victoria?”

  “How do you know about her?”

  She shrugs her shoulders. “Theo and Simon have mentioned it.”

  “Yeah, I bet they did more than mention it.”

  “I think it’s wonderful, but is your chest OK?” she asks.

  Noticing I’m still holding my hand over my heart, I yank it down. “I’m fine. I was just thinking about something.”

  “Or someone?” Mom asks with a grin.

  “I love her.” Damn. I look to the ground. “God, why can’t I keep my mouth shut?”

  “Because you’re finally in love, silly. Don’t you find yourself wanting to tell the whole world about her?” Aggie asks.

  “Victoria’s amazing. She’s smart, funny, determined and hard-working. Most of all, she’s genuine and kind. Oh, and beautiful.” I point to my sister. “No, stunning. She’s definitely stunning.”

  Mom and sis laugh while exchanging looks.

  “OK, have your fun. I deserve it.”

  Aggie sits on the sofa next to me and pats my thigh.

  “We think it’s cute, and we’re thrilled, Adrian. It’s time you let someone in again. Theo said she’s a firecracker, and Simon’s exact words were, ‘She’s full of piss like me.’”

  All three of us burst into laughter, and I feel the warmth in my face.

  “Victoria’s bullheadedness reminds me a lot of Simon and Zev, but lord, it makes her so real.” I lean back against the cushion. “OK, I admit I got it bad, but enough about me.”

  I cover Aggie’s hand and squeeze it.

  “Can you give me some time alone with Mom please?”

  Her smile fades with her nod before she heads to the dining room. I watch her pass through it to the kitchen.

  “Mom, sit by me.”

  “I don’t know what the fuss is about. We’re all going to die at some point.” She continues to rant as she takes the spot Agatha was just in. I shift to face her and take her hand in mine.

  “Mom, you know you think things sometimes that aren’t rational. Believing the doctors want to hurt you is one of those thoughts. It would mean everything to your kids, especially Aggie if you got the treatments. I shouldn’t ask this, but will you do it for her?”

  “Dear, your sister is the exact reason I won’t do this. I know my cancer isn’t the only way I’m not well. Agatha has been taking care of me for far too long. I want you all together, and she’ll never go to Vegas as long as I’m alive.”

  “Mom, please. You’re her world.”

  She shakes her head no. “Adrian, I’m begging you not to make me. It should be my decision. I don’t want the treatments, and when I’m gone, I want your sister to join you and your brothers in that city of sin you all seem to love fornicating in.”

  It’s not a time for laughter, but her words have me chuckling. “Does it make you feel better to know I’m only fornicating with one woman now?”

  Her free hand covers mine, and she squeezes it.

  “Yes, very much so. Now, find your younger brothers some good girls.”

  My smile disappears. “You won’t know your future grandchildren.”

  “No, and that’s heartbreaking, but even the treatments likely wouldn’t keep me around long enough for that.”

  “You really have thought about this.”

  “Yes, now, go comfort your sister. If getting this cancer brings the two of you back together, then it is worth every painful minute.” Mom nods toward the kitchen. “Go.”

  The moments my mother is lucid make the rest of the times with her that much more painful, but I wouldn’t give them up. I’ve been a dumbass and a terrible son for staying away two years.

  Kissing her cheek, I leave her to find Aggie. She’s sitting on the kitchen counter like she used to do when we were young. Smiling bashfully, cookie crumbs drop from her mouth onto her shirt.

  “As I suspected, you’re raiding the cookie jar.”

  “Some things never change.”

  I hop up on the counter next to her.

  “You’re upset because you already knew the outcome of today when you came in here.” Holding my hand out to her, I raise my eyebrows, signaling for her to share.

  “It got you here.” Giving me a mischievous smile, her hand reaches into the brown jar, which is shaped like an owl, winking one eye. It has been a staple in this kitchen for as long as I can remember.

  Once she removes a chocolate chip cookie, I go to take it from her, but she holds it back.

  “Say it. If you want the cookie, you have to.”

  “First, you’re still as manipulative as I remember, and second, I’m almost thirty-six years old. I’m not saying it.”

  “You’re eating a cookie on the counter with me like we did when we were ten, so say it. You know you want to.”

  I grin and roll my eyes at her as the comforting feeling of having a twin washes over me.

  “Aaagggiiieee, Adrian want coookkkiiieee. Nom, nom, nom,” I say ridiculously like the Cookie Monster on Sesame Street. Laughing loudly, she shoves the cookie into my mouth.

  I bite off a piece and pull it out. Her forceful move leaves crumbs all over my face and shirt, so I dust them off. While I soak in the surroundings of my childhood, we sit quietly and eat cookies.

  It seems Mom has barely changed a thing. The paint on the white kitchen cupboards is chipping in places, and the massive stainless steel refrigerator from the nineties is still going strong. We were fortunate to grow up in an affluent home, but it has aged.

  “Some updates need to be done on this house.”

  Aggie shakes her head. “Mom won’t have it. You know that.
She barely let’s strangers in to fix things, and I can never lure her out, so I have to make apologies to them after for her harassment. Doing extras around here are out of the question.”

  I lean my head on her shoulder. “You’ve been left to deal with a lot.”

  “Your job is stressful, and so are our brothers’ jobs. We each have an important role to play in this family. Does Victoria know about your dealings at Submission?”

  “No, but I’m beginning to think I have to tell her. What we have is too honest to poison it with lies.”

  “Damn, that’s deep.”

  Lifting up, I look at my sister. “I want more, Aggie. I want her and maybe a family one day.”

  Her hazel eyes peer back at me. “Tell her what you’re doing, but most importantly, tell her why you’re doing it. Maybe then she can accept it. I heard she’s a tough detective.”

  “Yeah, but she’s a rule breaker, and this is one situation when that might be a good thing. I’m praying she can understand why we bend the moral compass.

  “Sis, we can’t make Mom get the treatments. I will pay whatever it costs to bring the best medical care here when things get bad. You know, when she can’t care for herself anymore.”

  Agatha’s hands squeeze the counter as she looks to the ceiling. “The doctors are saying maybe six months without chemo. I dread it.”

  “We’ll be here for you as much as we can. I’ll fly here as often as possible. I imagine Theo and Simon will, too.”

  “How is Zev?”

  I shrug. “He’s Zev. You never really know how he’s doing, but like a lot of things, that needs to change, too.”

  “Even though I haven’t met this Victoria, I love her already. She brought you back to us.” Aggie looks to the floor below her dangling feet. “I’m not with Jordan, so are you finally going to forgive me?”

  I blow out a breath that is carrying away years of anger.

  “Yes, and I would forgive you even if you stayed with him. Will you forgive me for taking so long to do it?”

  Aggie’s eyes dart to mine and crowd with tears. Arms go around my chest and back, and she squeezes hard.

  “Of course, you’re my twin. I love you and have missed my partner in crime.”

  Her ex, Jordan, has a brother named Josh, who was screwing my girlfriend, Kelly, when I was in Afghanistan. Kelly and Agatha were friends, and Agatha didn’t tell me. I came back to Jersey unexpectedly and found the four of them hanging out together right here in this house.

  Their awkward behavior and the guilty look my sister and Kelly were wearing that day gave it away in mere seconds.

  Still furious over my father’s death, I wanted someone to blame, so I took out my anger on Aggie for not telling me when I was away and for staying with the asshole’s brother.

  She was my twin. I felt her loyalty was to me before any of them, but she said she didn’t tell to protect me while I was at war.

  She also explained back then why she wasn’t mad at Kelly. Apparently, after Dad died, I wasn’t boyfriend material, completely checking out mentally from my relationship.

  Even though we had made all these future plans for a life together, I was obsessed with getting back at the terrorists, so I left Kelly to join the military with no warning.

  She was my first love, and falling for Victoria has opened my eyes to recognizing why it was so easy to leave Kelly. In a short amount of time, the love I feel for Victoria is stronger than anything I’ve ever felt.

  I stroke my sister’s hair as she holds onto me tightly.

  “I’m sorry, Aggie. I’m sorry for everything.”

  ***

  I’m checked into my hotel room, and being alone here feels too much like before I met Victoria. Mom and Agatha tried to get me to stay at the house, but I have work to do tonight from my computer, and the idea of staying in my childhood bedroom seemed odd.

  Now that I’m here alone, I somewhat regret that decision. After I have breakfast with them tomorrow, I will fly back to Las Vegas. I somehow have to tell Victoria about the illegal activity at Submission.

  Knowing that fact is why being in this suite alone is difficult. I’m terrified she will leave me, and my life will return to the way it was, except for it wouldn’t be only mundane like before. Living without Victoria would be a slow death of nothingness.

  I cover my heart with my hand. It hurts thinking about it. Pulling out my phone, I give her a call.

  “Hi, Juice Box.”

  “Hi, handsome.”

  “I miss you.”

  “I miss you, too. Did it go OK?”

  “It went well. Mom is pretty good this trip. The bad news is she refused the chemotherapy, and we’re not going to make her receive it. I hope it’s the right decision.”

  “I’m sorry, Adrian. And your sister?”

  “We worked things out, and I feel I owe that to you.”

  “Me? I didn’t do anything.”

  “You’ve made me remember what is important. I had lost sight of that before you came along.”

  “All I’ve done is love you, and you make that easy. I’m the difficult one.”

  God, if she only knew how difficult I’m about to make her life. “I love you. I’ll see you tomorrow evening.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Sadie

  My palms are sweating as I ride in the front passenger seat of Simon’s black Nissan GT-R. I see why he’s not impressed with my car.

  “Um, so you don’t drive the Escalade you kidnapped me in?”

  “No, that’s my friend Kruse’s ride. Listen, could you humor me and say you were on loan that evening?”

  Looking over, he flashes me a grin that makes my stomach flutter. He winks next, and shit, I think my panties are damp.

  “Uh, OK. You saved my ass at the strip club, so I guess we can call it even.”

  He glances over and winks again, his smile only widening. “Thank you, doll.”

  Entering a garage at Submission, he pulls up to the valet. He’s out promptly as I unbuckle, and I see him give a look, warning the guys working it to back off.

  He opens the door for me, so I hold the flowing skirt of my chiffon dress to my thighs and carefully step out in my white, strappy heels.

  I admire the mint green color of my dress as I straighten it. It’s the classiest one I own, with its sleeveless style and mixture of pleats and ruffles, yet it was still inexpensive.

  We walk through the wide hallway until it opens into a massive lobby. My eyes go straight to the floor, where squares with swirls of slate and black alternate with those of a white marble that give off an iridescent appearance.

  Some sections of walls are painted a deep purple, and the extensive space is splashed with accents of red, grey and black.

  Outside of it, I would imagine this color scheme to be tacky, but it’s pieced together magnificently and is seductive as hell, drawing my eyes to every inch of it.

  I hear a laugh and look to Simon. I’ve come to a complete stop as I stare at our surroundings.

  “This lobby is breathtaking and … sexy.”

  One corner of his mouth tilts upward before he looks around, too. “Yeah, I guess it is. I’m guilty of overlooking the details since I see it every day.”

  His raven eyes that are like mirrors in the lighting fall back on me as he slides a hand onto my waist. “You, Sadie, are different and seem to have quite a hold on my attention.”

  “Then I guess we need to be sure you don’t see me every day. I would hate for you to ever overlook me.”

  He takes a step closer, and the back of his hand grazes my cheek. I swallow, allowing my eyes to stray to see if we’re as noticeable as I feel, standing in the center of this lobby.

  “Look at me, Sadie Hart. Birthdate September 24th, 1989. iPhone password temporarily unknown.” My eyes flit back to his, and I smile bashfully.

  “I imagine someone blind and deaf could still sense your magnetizing presence. It would be impossible to overlook you, sweethear
t.”

  My face is searing, like it’s suddenly under a broiler, and my panties feel as if they’ve taken a dip in the pool.

  “I’ve been overlooked plenty, but thank you. You’re smooth, Simon Cassano.”

  He furrows his brow and brings his other hand up to cup my face with both hands. “I’m not trying to feed you a line, Sadie. I meant every word.”

  “OK,” I say between shallow breaths.

  “God, I won’t be able to focus on the scientific data leaving these ruby lips if I don’t have a taste of them beforehand.”

  Simon

  My hands on her hot cheeks feel the trembling of her head, and when our lips connect, I recognize the way hers quiver. I notice every little thing about the sexy scientist.

  Her obvious lack of experience and innocence turn me on, and fuck, now it’s going to be harder than ever to concentrate through dinner.

  I was going to keep our exchange short, but her arms slip around my waist, and when I hear her whimper over the noisy, crowded hotel lobby, I pull her even closer and deepen our kiss.

  Holy hell, this woman’s hand is on my ass, and I’m about to say “fuck dinner.”

  “Dammit, get a room, bro. We got hundreds of them,” Zev says before he swats the back of my head with some papers.

  Sadie pulls away and snickers. I knew this chick had a daring side. She wouldn’t have braved entering the strip club without one. Now, we need to find the time for her to give me the full-on presentation of her wild ways.

  “Shut up, man. Sadie, this is my older brother, Zev. Zev, Sadie.”

  “Nice to officially meet you, Sadie.” He looks to me, his smile disappearing. “Is this why D/s is opening late?”

  “Uh, yeah, but only an hour. It’s all good.”

  He barely shakes his head at me before he strolls away, but I know exactly what he’s thinking. He wants to ask me where I misplaced my balls and if Sadie has some magical pussy. Hell, there’s probably something extra special about it.

  I grab her hand. “Let’s eat.”

  We stroll into the back entrance of Club D/s, which is inside Hotel Submission and Casino. I walk Sadie down the hallway past my office and a storage room.