by Anne Hope
And soon it would belong to her.
Outside, a sparrow serenaded the waning day. In the distance, a motor roared. The world kept on turning. Each newborn second fueled life, and humanity persisted and endured. But for this decrepit, old man, everything was about to stop. He’d reached the end of his journey, in more ways than one.
Diane leaned over him. Her anticipation was painful. He stank of old age and medicine, of sickness and decay. Before she could administer the kiss, his lids sprang open. Rheumy, cataract-ravaged eyes latched on to hers.
“Agnes, is that you?” His gruff voice scraped the air like sandpaper.
Diane lovingly stroked his cheek. “No.”
Disappointment clouded his faded gray irises as awareness trickled in to crowd out the lingering haze of a dream. “Is it time for my medicine already?”
“That’s not why I’m here.”
“Why are you here?”
The emptiness inside her pulsed. “You’ve got something I need.”
He watched her, surprisingly at peace. “Then take it.”
She bent over, touched her mouth to his. One breath and his essence filled her, a liquid heat that shimmered through her veins and chased the numbness away. His last thought before darkness claimed him was that he would see his wife and children again soon.
Diane didn’t bother to disillusion him.
The school cafeteria chimed with laughter and conversation. Everywhere she looked, kids sat in cozy groups, happy to be together, thrilled at the sense of belonging they experienced in each other’s company. But Lia sat alone, eating a stale sandwich, wishing she was invisible. She didn’t expect to be invited to sit with the others. Her presence repelled them. Whenever someone got too near, they started acting angry, whiny or just plain mean. Like her dad.
Being alone was a blessing, but as usual it didn’t last.
Justin walked in, his eye framed by a nasty bruise. The kid was cocky to a fault, always spoiling for a fight. His buddies happily rushed to greet him. Even bullies had friends.
“What the hell happened to you?” one of them asked.
Justin gave his trademark shrug. “Some shithead said something I didn’t like, so I used his face as a punching bag. He managed to get in a punch before I crushed his sorry ass.”
The guys all laughed, then each gave him a high-five.
A single glance his way confirmed what Lia already suspected. Justin was lying. Across the room, his gaze met and held hers, full of resentment and barely contained fury, as if he understood that she was the only one here who actually saw him. She quickly returned her attention to her sandwich. Too late. The bully headed her way.
“What are you looking at, loser?” He grabbed her by the dark gray jersey jacket she wore—the same one she’d used to conceal the pigeon—and effortlessly lifted her off the chair.
“A coward and a liar.” She should’ve known better by now than to run her mouth, but she couldn’t help herself.
Justin laughed, a cold, empty sound that made her spine tingle unpleasantly. She’d heard that laugh before, knew instinctively what would follow. Justin gave her a nice, hard shove. A loud clang echoed through the cafeteria as the chair she’d been sitting on crashed to the floor.
“What do you say, guys?” Justin turned to his buddies. “Wanna see what I did to the creep who gave me this shiner?”
His friends cheered, and a swell of defiance expanded in her chest. “Go ahead,” she dared. “Run and hide the way you did last night.”
Silence swept through the room. Everyone had gathered round, anticipating a fight. People were naturally drawn to violence. For some reason, watching someone get the shit kicked out of him excited them.
Lia didn’t care. She’d say what she had to say and let the punches land where they may. “Your mother was out late again last night. She came home drunk, with some guy. He was drunk, too. So drunk he beat you up, while she watched. That’s how you got that black eye.”
The color leached from Justin’s face. Hatred, bright and blinding, shone in his eyes. Beneath the bravado and false pride, the truth bled like a wound that refused to heal. This boy’s spirit was damaged beyond repair. She saw it as clear as day.
And somehow, Justin knew that she did. “Freak.”
She didn’t get the chance to reply. An iron fist slammed into her face, and the world dissolved in a shower of light.
Lia awoke with a start, her heart racing, her face throbbing. She could still feel the impact of the fist on her cheek, see the stars dancing along the edges of her vision. But the worst was the oppressive sadness that pressed down on her, born from the unwavering belief that there wasn’t a single person in the entire world who liked her. The loneliness that enfolded her was so dark and so deep, she nearly drowned in it.
Sweat pearled on her skin, cold and clammy. Pushing the damp covers aside, she stood and went to the bathroom, where she proceeded to sprinkle water on her face. Tears burned beneath her lids, but she refused to cry over a dream.
No, not a dream. What she’d just experienced was a memory. One that belonged to the lonely kid in the gray jersey jacket.
“Who are you?” she said, trying to see past her own reflection in the mirror to the ghost that had somehow taken possession of her spirit.
The only answer was the whistle of the wind against her window pane and the pitter-patter of the faucet she kept forgetting to have fixed.
She suddenly found herself thinking of Jace Cutler, of the memories he’d lost. A theory began to take shape in her mind, but she quickly crushed it. “You’re losing it, Lia.”
Perhaps insanity was contagious, after all.
Chapter Five
Cassie opened the front door, her eyes still glazed by sleep, her hair a wild tangle of gold curls framing her beautiful face. She wore a white tank top and a pair of silk boxers that exposed her long, sculpted legs. Lia couldn’t help the sting of envy that traveled through her. Like their mom, Cassie was the kind of person whose mere presence demanded attention. People were naturally drawn to her. Lia had always dutifully walked in her sister’s shadow, trying her damndest to keep her out of trouble.
“Don’t you ever sleep?” Irritation tinkled in Cassie’s voice. “The sun’s barely up.”
Lia ignored the less-than-enthusiastic greeting and quickly displayed the box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts she’d picked up on her way there. “I brought your favorite breakfast.”
Cassie softened a little. “Come in. I’ll get a pot of coffee going.”
Lia followed her sister to the kitchen, where Cassie fished out a bag of Seattle’s Best. “So what brings you here at this ungodly hour, sis? Your house burn down or something?”
“Happy to see you, too.”
“I’m always happy to see you.”
Lia tamped down a snort. “Yeah, right.”
“I’m cranky in the morning. You know that.” Cassie flipped open the box and grabbed a doughnut, which she promptly shoved into her mouth. “Sugar always helps,” she mumbled. “But you know that, too. That’s why you brought the doughnuts.” She joined her at the small table. “I’ll ask again. What’s on your mind?”
“I’ve had a really rough couple of days. I just needed to see my big sister.”
A dubious expression drenched Cassie’s features. “Why do I have a hard time buying that?”
“Because you were born to mistrust anyone who doesn’t have the benefit of a penis.” Where had that come from? Regret knifed through her. Like most siblings, she and Cassie often brought out the worst in each other. “Sorry. I’m a little edgy today.”
“More like bitchy, but I dig it. It sure beats that wilting flower thing you’ve got going most of the time. Have a doughnut.” Cassie slid the box across the table toward her. “It’ll cheer you up.”
Lia complied. There was nothing like freshly baked doughnuts to improve a girl’s mood. The sugar glaze coated her mouth, and she nearly gagged. “These taste awful.”
&n
bsp; “Okay, what’s up with you? You love Krispy Kreme as much as I do.”
She did, but her taste buds were apparently off this morning. “They’re too sweet.”
Cassie looked at her as if she didn’t recognize her. “You sound just like Jace. He can’t stand the things, either.”
Her sister’s observation made Lia’s stomach lurch more than the doughnut had. Last night’s dream returned to pummel her. “I was meaning to ask you, when you two were together, did Jace happen to talk about his childhood? Did he ever mention being bullied?”
Crystal blue eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Why the sudden interest in my ex? I thought you were happy when I kicked him to the curb.”
“I was. I hated the way he messed you up.”
“Don’t remind me.” Cassie stood and hastened to the percolator, where she poured them both a hefty dose of caffeine. She handed Lia a steaming mug.
“Thanks.” Lia was grateful when the bitter brew chased down the sweetness of the doughnut.
“Since when do you drink your coffee black?”
Only now did she realize she hadn’t spiked her mug with her usual three teaspoons of sugar and an impressive splash of milk. “I like it better this way.”
“Now you’re seriously creeping me out.”
She was creeping herself out, too. “Does Jace take his coffee black?”
Cassie reflected. “Yeah, actually he does. Black with a side order of slut.”
Last month her sister had caught Jace going at it hot and heavy with a waitress he’d met at his favorite diner. Things had gone south from that point on.
“Sorry you had to walk in on that.”
“I’m not. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.” Anger made blue fire spark in Cassie’s gaze, fueled by a heavy measure of pain. Her sister was still hung up on the guy; that was as clear as the day was bright. “Do you believe the jerk didn’t even have the decency to say he was sorry?” She raised the cup to her lips, took a hearty sip. “Now that he’s had time to reflect, I wonder if he regrets his actions, even a little.”
Guilt prickled Lia’s gut. Maybe she should tell Cassie about Jace’s incident, his memory loss. Cassie had a right to know, but Lia feared the news might send her racing straight into his arms again. Even though she was the younger of the two, Lia had spent her entire existence looking out for her sister, and old habits died hard.
Cassie snatched another doughnut. “He’s a contradiction, that Jace. Cold but deep, you know?”
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
Her sister hesitated. “I don’t know how to explain it. He’s distant, always turns everything into a joke, but underneath it all, there’s this intensity. It’s like he can read your thoughts or see things about you that you barely see yourself. But he’s like a blank page. No matter how hard you try, he won’t let you in.”
Cassie touched the doughnut to her lips, then put it back down without taking a bite. “To answer your question from before, the whole time we were together, he never told me anything about his life. Not a damn thing.” She shook her head. “Being with him made me crazy.”
“Then why did you stay with him for nearly three months?”
“Because I needed to. He was like a drug to me.”
“And now you’re clean?”
A beat of silence followed. “Yeah, now I’m clean.” Cassie flashed her Julia Roberts smile. “Quit cold turkey.”
Lia wanted desperately to believe her sister, but that slight pause before she answered kept her from rejoicing. Still, she prayed her instincts were wrong because she needed to be honest with Cassie.
“He was brought into the hospital two nights ago,” she whispered.
Cassie leaned forward, strained to hear. “Sorry?”
“Jace. I thought he was stabbed, but it turns out he’s okay.”
The white veil of concern that rolled over Cassie’s face convinced Lia her instincts had been dead-on. A sinking sensation gripped her. She should’ve kept her mouth shut. “Stabbed? Jace was stabbed?”
“No, I was wrong. He’s fine.”
“And you didn’t call me right away? What’s the matter with you, Lia?”
“I thought you said you cut him out of your life.”
Cassie ignored her. She stood and bustled around the kitchen. “I gotta go see him. Sandra can handle things at the shop today.”
“Cassie, relax. He’s fine. He’s not going anywhere. This is exactly what I was afraid of. The guy’s bad news. Now more than ever. Trust me.”
Her sister pinned her with a sizzling stare. “Trust you? How can I, after you kept something like this from me? My boyfriend is rushed to the hospital and you don’t even bother letting me know.”
“He’s not your boyfriend. You broke up, remember?”
Cassie spun around to face her, cheeks ablaze. “Do you have a thing for him? Is that what all this is about? Is that why you’re suddenly asking me all these questions?”
Indignation brushed fire-tipped fingers against Lia’s ribs. “I’m just looking out for you.”
“Well, don’t. I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”
“Right.” Cassie had lived her entire life like a runaway train on a collision course. Without Lia around to talk some sense into her, she would’ve crashed and burned ages ago.
Exasperated, Lia pushed her unfinished mug aside and rose. “I have to get to the hospital.”
“Do me a favor,” Cassie said in the commanding tone she adopted whenever she wouldn’t take no for an answer. “Give me a ride. I can be ready in fifteen.”
Despite her better judgment, Lia nodded. “Sure.”
Sometimes, no matter what you did, there was no stopping a runaway train.
Cassie was unnaturally quiet. Shadows played behind her eyes, and Lia couldn’t help but wonder what kind of thoughts sped through her mind. Sunlight spilled onto the pavement as they exited her Honda, but in the distance, dark clouds gathered. The weather had been erratic lately, with sizzling heat punctuated by violent thunderstorms and a sky that couldn’t decide if it wanted to weep or smile. Today promised to be another one of those crazy days.
They entered through a side door, and the walls of the Rivershore Hospital embraced them in silent welcome. Despite the commotion surrounding them, a pacifying sensation washed over Lia. It was like coming home. The only time she felt at peace was when she was here, in this place of healing, her veins flooded with adrenaline as she scrambled to help those in need. Whenever she catered to others, she forgot to feel awkward and self-conscious. Her entire life, Lia had shied away from attention, choosing to retreat to libraries and study halls instead of socializing. She’d found solace in books, pleasure in knowledge, and ultimately her calling in medicine.
Cassie had been the exact opposite. Her desperate need to belong had ensured her the starring role in every school play, the homecoming crown and a slew of dates with the most eligible boys in high school. Boys who’d often caused her more harm than good, stomped on her heart, then watched her come crawling back for more.
Lia angled a glance at her sister’s determined face. Cassie plowed ahead with single-minded focus, her concern for the man she claimed to hate hanging like a tangible mist between them.
Some things never changed.
As they approached Jace’s room, Lia grabbed Cassie by the arm. “Before you go in there, I need to warn you.”
“If you’re going to tell me how bad he is for me again, save me the headache.”
“That’s not what I was going to say.” Lia took a deep breath, held it for a second, then let it trickle out on a sigh. “Jace’s memory is a little hazy.”
“How hazy?”
“Completely wiped out. He doesn’t remember a thing.”
“Amnesia?” One corner of Cassie’s mouth twitched. “Well, isn’t that convenient.”
“I don’t think he’s faking it. The guy looks genuinely confused. I’ve scheduled an MR
I later today. Hopefully, we’ll get some answers.”
Cassie placed a tentative hand on the doorknob. “You wouldn’t happen to have some Valium on you or something? I’ve got some serious jitters going on here.”
“Everything will be okay,” Lia reassured her.
“Think he’ll remember me?”
“Maybe. What man alive could forget you?” Lia gave her sister a bolstering smile. “But if he doesn’t, don’t take it personally. He didn’t even know his own name.”
Cassie nodded. “Gotcha.” She began to turn the knob, hesitated. “Might not be such a bad thing,” she whispered. “A chance to start over, you know?”
This was exactly what Lia had feared would happen. Deep down in her gut, she’d always felt that Cassie’s unwavering drive to redeem the unredeemable would be her downfall. She hoped to God she was wrong.
Tamping down her escalating anxiety, she followed Cassie into the room. As usual, everything inside her began to resonate.
Jace Cutler sensed their presence and instantly gazed up at them. His movements were quick, his reflexes sharp. Certainly not those of a man suffering from head trauma. “Well, if it isn’t the good doctor. Here to try to drain my blood again? Brought backup this time, I see.”
Beside her, Cassie stiffened. “Hey, Jace. How ya feeling?”
“Great. But you look like you could use a stiff drink.”
A smile lit up Cassie’s porcelain-doll features. “I could always use a drink when I’m nervous.” The hope that gleamed in her eyes bordered on desperation. “Do you remember me?”
“Should I?”
Defeat made Cassie’s shoulders slump and her eyebrows droop.
“This is my sister, Cassie,” Lia quickly explained, her gaze riveted to his impossibly perfect face. He and Cassie were as well suited as Barbie and Ken.
Jace’s back instantly straightened, and he clambered out of bed. Thankfully, he was dressed this time. Lia wasn’t sure if the feeling that traveled through her was relief or disappointment.