“What?” I chuckle, her fierce words making me smile. “Are you serious?”
“Dead serious.” She lifts her gaze to mine. “You belong to me. No way could I allow her to touch you.”
I’m so overwhelmed with love for this girl I can hardly speak. “Revi…” I’ve never called her that before but the way she smiles when I say it, I know I’m going to start using that nickname frequently. Especially if I can earn another smile like the one she’s flashing me right now. “You don’t have to fight Krista for me. There’s nothing to fight for. You already own me. I belong to no one else.”
“And you own me,” she says solemnly. “Nothing and no one can keep us apart, Nicholas. I mean it. I love you.”
“I love you too.” I bend my head at the exact moment she tilts hers up and our lips meet in a lingering kiss that turns hot. Deep. “I should probably get you home,” I whisper when we break apart.
“No.” She shakes her head, her hair catching on the stubble on my jaw. “Evan sent me a text saying he told our parents that we were at his friend’s house spending the night. I thanked him for covering me.”
“Where’s he at really?”
“I don’t know but he reassured me that everything’s okay. And I believe him.” She pauses, her gaze dropping from mine. “He knows about us…sort of.”
“He does?” I can hardly believe it. “And he hasn’t tried to stop you from seeing me?”
“He says it’s my life to live. Evan may act like he doesn’t care and fine, most of the time he doesn’t, but he’s never stopped me from doing what I want. He feels just as stifled by our lifestyle and the image we have to maintain as I do.”
“You feel stifled?” I thought she liked being Reverend Hale’s daughter.
“Why do you think I’m not on the TV show anymore? Though that was more Evan’s doing. He was sick and tired of being paraded around like little perfect dolls. He didn’t want to be an example of a good Christian son. He just wanted to live his life, you know?” She’s stroking my chest again. I find her touching me incredibly distracting. As in, I’m going to attack her in the next few minutes if she doesn’t stop kind of distracting.
“Do you still feel guilty about what we’ve done? What we’ve—shared?” I grab hold of her wrist to make her stop touching me but she doesn’t. Instead, she curls her hand into mine, somehow interlinking our fingers together.
“No. We may have committed a sin according to the Bible for having sex before marriage but…” She clears her throat. “I love you. And I want to be with you. I don’t think that’s a sin, to become physical with the one person you care about more than anyone else. It’s the purest form of expression if you ask me.”
“You make what we’ve done sound almost poetic,” I tease and she lifts her head to glare at me, though I know she’s not really angry.
“It is. The way you touch me…what it feels like when you first—um, enter me.” She stumbles over the words. “It almost brings tears to my eyes. I know I probably feel too much or whatever but I love it. I love you.”
I cup the back of her head and bring her mouth to mine once more. She’s a complete romantic. She is the epitome of the fairy princess looking for her one true love coming to rescue her.
And I’m just the lucky son of a bitch she set her sights on. Somehow I’m the one who makes her happy. And that’s all I want, for Reverie to be happy.
“I want to try and bring tears to your eyes again,” I murmur against her seeking lips, making her smile. “You game?”
“Always,” she whispers as I roll her over so she’s beneath me. She wraps her legs around my hips, anchoring her body to mine. “Always…”
Disaster: a calamitous event
August 6th
I crack open my eyes to find flashing lights. Red and blue appear again and again on my bedroom walls, as if going round and round. I squint against the darkness, against the continuous lights, and I know in an instant what it is.
Police cars.
Turning my head, I check out the old alarm clock on my nightstand, the numbers 4:03 glowing red. Reverie is snug against me, sleeping hard, her back to my front, her perfect and very naked butt firmly lodged against my dick. I can still hear the rain since I kept my bedroom window cracked open. It’s lessened in intensity though still falling steadily.
And the red and blue lights keep flashing.
I try my best not to disturb her as I crawl out of bed and make my way to my window. Carefully I peel back the frayed curtain and stare at the parking lot. There are a couple of cop cars but only one with its lights on, though no siren blaring, thank Christ. Oh, and an ambulance is there too, its back doors spread open wide and a couple of paramedics pulling a gurney out of the back of it.
Someone’s been hurt. I scratch my chest and watch, nearly jump a mile when I feel a gentle hand touch me in between my shoulder blades.
“What’s going on?” Reverie asks quietly.
“I don’t know,” I say, never taking my eyes off the parking lot. “Couple of cop cars out there. And an ambulance. Maybe someone had a heart attack or something. Or they’re responding to a domestic violence call.” There have been plenty of those around here since we moved in. They’re a pretty common occurrence.
“Do they make you nervous? The police?”
I can’t lie, especially to her. “Yeah. I always worry they’re coming for me,” I confess.
She wraps her arms around me from behind, her hands settling low on my stomach. Just like that, everything within me comes alive at her touch. “I wish I could take away your worry,” she whispers, kissing my shoulder.
Reverie does. Just being here with me. Holding me and saying all the right things, I feel lighter. More at ease.
Until I see Krista’s dad being led to a police car, officers flanking either side of him and his hands behind his back. They must’ve arrested him. Or they’re taking him into custody. But for what?
“That’s Kirsta’s dad,” I say, moving closer to the window so Reverie has no choice but to let me go. “He looks like he’s being arrested.”
She moves to stand beside me and leans her head against my arm. “I wonder why?”
“I don’t know. Maybe something happened between him and…” I don’t need to finish what I was going to say. Reverie takes right over.
“Do you think he has something to do with Krista’s not showing up here tonight?”
“I don’t know.” I shrug, unease making me twitchy. I don’t like this. It doesn’t look good. Where are those paramedics with their gurney? Who are they picking up? What happened? Not like I can bust out there and ask them questions. They’d all tell me to fuck off. Krista’s dad would probably point an accusatory finger at me and make up some lie. He’s just as bad as his daughter. That’s where she learned all her best tricks.
The paramedics come back out pushing the gurney and there’s someone on it.
In a fucking black body bag. As in, the person is dead.
I hear Reverie gasp at the same exact time I mumble a curse. I can only imagine what’s going on, who that could be in the body bag. Without thought I move away from the window and go to my dresser, yanking out a pair of basketball shorts and putting them on. Reverie’s asking me what I’m doing but I don’t answer her.
I need to get out there and question them. I gotta know what happened. Because I can feel it in my bones it’s not good. I know it.
“Where are you going?” Reverie asks for what feels like the hundredth time as I make my way to the front door. She trails me the entire way.
“I need to get out there and ask what’s going on before they leave.” The red and blue lights have stopped. No need to keep them going if there’s no one to rescue. A dead body doesn’t merit a wailing siren and the flashing lights, right? Hell, I have no idea.
“Nick. No.” She grabs my hand, stopping me from reaching for the door. I turn to stare at her, looking sexy and tousled and only wearing my T-shirt. The panic
on her face is unmistakable though. “You can’t go out there. We’ll find out what’s going on in due time. You run out there and make a scene…you don’t want them to suspect you.”
“You think they would?” I ask incredulously. “Why, because I’ve been in jail before? So now I’m always a suspect when something happens around here?”
“No, of course not! If…if that’s Krista in that body bag or whatever, then you’re connected to her and they’ll want to talk to you. She’s your ex-girlfriend. An old friend. You make an appearance as they’re arresting her father or whatever, and they’ll take you away too.” She grabs hold of me, hugging me to her like she’s never going to let me go. “I’ll be so scared if they take you away. Please don’t leave me.”
I’m torn. I don’t want to leave her. But I want to know what happened to Krista. Despite everything, how angry I’d been with her, how much I loathed her in that moment out at the stables when she was trying her best to blackmail me and I caved like an idiot, I still care. I can’t help it. I’m scared she’s dead and I feel guilty about it.
She was supposed to meet me tonight. If that had happened, would she have been safe? Or is the reason she didn’t come over at midnight that she was already hurt? Or…dead?
“Please, Nick,” Reverie whispers, her voice pleading. “Stay with me. I’m begging you.”
“Okay,” I agree, nodding once. “I won’t go out there.”
Her relief is obvious. “Thank you.” She sags against me, her hold tight. “I love you. No matter what just happened, we’ll get through this.”
My suspicions were true. We went back to bed but I couldn’t really sleep. I tossed and turned, pulled Reverie close to me and held her tight. She slept fitfully and I woke her with kisses all over her body. I needed the distraction and only she could make me forget.
But it wasn’t enough. I fell asleep afterward and dreamed of death. Of finding Krista on my kitchen floor, her eyes open wide and full of fear, blood everywhere. I woke with a jolt, sitting straight up and panting hard, my body coated with sweat. Reverie was right there next to me, murmuring soothing words, her arms around me, her lips on my skin.
When we finally got out of bed so I could get ready for work, Reverie went to the living room and turned on the local news. The lead breaking story was the suspicious strangling death of a teenage girl and her father being brought in for questioning. She was found on her front doorstep by a neighbor, who called the cops. They didn’t name names but they didn’t have to. Footage from earlier in the complex parking lot was shown during the news report.
It was Krista. And she was dead.
Gone.
Guilt washes over me, and settles like a heavy cloud. My heart hurts. My head hurts. I hated what she did to me, hated what the two of us had become to each other these last few months, but I sure as hell never once wished death on her. Not even in my darkest moments when I was so pissed at Krista I couldn’t see straight.
“I’m so sorry,” Reverie says, rubbing my arm as if that could soothe me. I can hardly feel her touch. I’m numb. In shock. “I-I didn’t really like her or approve of what she did to you but no one should have to die at such a young age.”
I have no answer for Reverie because what she said is true. No one should have to die at such a young age. But Krista did. She was freaking murdered. Someone strangled her.
Holy. Shit.
“Do you think her dad could’ve done that to her?”
“I don’t know.” I stare at the TV, not really hearing what they’re saying. They’ve already moved on, talking cheerily about the weather. How this storm brought in some much needed rain to the west coast, though it was going to warm up again. An animated sun wearing black sunglasses flashes on the screen as they talk about today’s high temperatures and I want to punch my fist in its too-happy face.
Someone fucking died and it’s like no big deal. Let’s move on. What the hell is wrong with people? Have we become so conditioned that we talk about death and great weather all in the same breath?
“Hey.” Reverie’s voice brings me out of my thoughts and back down to earth. “You going to take a shower before we leave?”
“I’m fine,” I automatically say, though I’m not. Not even close. “I need some coffee.”
She exhales loudly. “Me too. Let’s leave in a few minutes and pick something up on the way there.” She stands, looking determined to make this as normal a morning as possible. Too late. That’s so not happening. “I’m going to get dressed.” We threw her clothes in the dryer last night after we showered and they were still in there. One of the things Mom loved best about this apartment was that it came with its own washer and dryer…
Sadness bears down on me and I try to shake it off. First Mom and now Krista. In six months’ time I lose two people close to me. Why?
Why?
“Nick.” Reverie shakes my shoulders. “I know this is tough. But you need to stay strong and make it through today. Okay?”
“Yeah. Okay,” I say with a quick nod. Reverie backs away from me and I stand, going to my room so I can change into my work clothes. I move like a robot, methodically doing the same thing I’ve done for the last few months but everything’s changed. Mom is gone and I’ve dealt with that. Somewhat. Now Krista is gone too. Reverie is in my house. She spent the night in my bed tangled up with me and we had sex multiple times while sometime out in the parking lot, someone killed Krista.
And now Reverie is riding out to her parents’ house with me while I go to work. How we’re going to sneak her in, I don’t know, but we’ll figure something out. We have to. No way am I going to get caught, not now. Though now would probably be the most likely time for us to get caught because I’m so damn distracted I’ll likely fuck something up.
I just…I can’t even think straight. I am in a serious state of shock.
She distracts me though. Reverie. She rides right beside me in my truck and indicates with a wave of her hand that we should pull over at the local coffee place so I do. I wait in the truck while she goes inside and picks up our order, bringing me a giant coffee exactly how I like it, full of creamer and a little bit of sugar. I sip it gratefully, down almost half of it in about five minutes before I fire the truck back up and pull out of the parking lot.
“You okay?” Reverie asks, lacing her fingers with mine and resting our joined hands on my thigh.
“Yeah.” Not really but I want to be, especially for Reverie. I can feel the slight tremble in her fingers and I know she’s nervous about…everything. What happened to Krista, what’s happening with us, what’s happening with her family.
As I drive with the windows rolled down, the fresh air blows over us, smelling of last night’s rain mixed with the scent of the ocean. The wind sends Reverie’s hair scattering, wild strands crossing my face and I bat it away, making her giggle. That rare sound lifts my spirits and I focus on it. Focus on her. The way she fits so perfectly against my side, how good her hand feels in mine. I remember last night, the way she felt moving beneath me, her breath in my ear, my name falling from her lips when I made her come…
I chance a glance at her, overwhelmed at her beauty even though she’s wearing yesterday’s wrinkled clothes, no makeup on and her hair a mess. She catches me looking at her and she smiles shyly, leans over and drops a quick kiss on my lips. “Give yourself time,” she says, her voice soft and full of so much understanding I wonder yet again how I got so damn lucky that this girl is mine. Because she is mine, we’ve established that and there’s no going back. “Death is difficult to deal with. We all process in our own way.”
“I feel like I’ve dealt with a lot of death lately,” I say, choking up a little. I clear my throat, getting rid of the lump that formed there. I feel like a baby, wanting to cry. I need to look strong and prove I can take it like a man. It’s not that I’m sad for Krista because I was in love with her or anything.
But I’ve known her for what feels like forever. It’s terrible tha
t she’s gone. And if her dad had anything to do with it then that’s fucked up times a thousand. Fucked up so bad, I can hardly wrap my head around it. I know her dad is an ass and they didn’t have the best relationship, but for him to kill her? I just…
Can’t imagine.
“You have. But you’re strong. I know you can handle it. You’ve handled a lot already.” She smiles at me. “And you have me by your side, so how can you go wrong?”
Her words are sweet, but are they one hundred percent true? Do I have her by my side? If her parents have their way, they’ll be gone in less than a week. Back to Southern California while I’m here alone. With no one, not even Krista.
Not that she was a big help but shit. I literally have no one once Reverie leaves, once Michael goes back to college.
Pushing my gloomy thoughts aside, I concentrate on driving and soon we’re turning into the Hale’s driveway. I slow as we cruise down the graveled driveway, unease slipping down my spine like ice cold fingers. Something’s not right. I can sense it. And when I see the police car sitting in the Hale’s circular driveway, I know it.
Reverie releases my hand to grip my thigh. “Why are the police here?” Her voice is sharp and high. She sounds scared.
“I don’t know,” I say grimly, pulling into the little graveled lot and parking the truck before I turn to look at her. “Do you think your parents are looking for you?”
She glances at her cell phone, her thumbs flying as she starts scrolling. “I have no messages or texts. They think I’m with Evan. Remember?”
“Maybe they don’t. Maybe they found out the truth, or maybe Evan ratted you out. They probably called the cops if they thought you were missing.”
“Evan wouldn’t tell on me. I know it,” she murmurs as she lifts her head and stares at the house. “I really hope they’re not freaking out.” She moves away from me and goes to open the passenger side door. “I need to find out what’s going on.”