First Love: A Superbundle Boxed Set of Seven New Adult Romances (158 page)

“I’m almost glad you’re on vacation instead of here. Last night one of the waitresses at the cafe was attacked. I’m just so glad it wasn’t you.” She never liked me working at the cafe, and judgment oozes from her tone.

“No worries, Mom, I’m safe.” Enough, anyway. For now. I should feel worse for whoever got attacked, because the other servers there used to be my friends. But they haven’t talked to me since I was fired, and even before that they were pulling away because most of them couldn’t stand Nick. I’ve just got too much else to worry about, and so while I hope they’re okay, that’s as far as my concern can go. Not like I can call to check up on them. The less people who have this number the better.

“Are you going to be replacing your own phone soon?”

I know what she’s really saying is that I was irresponsible for losing another phone, and a little bit of leftover attitude from my days as a rebellious teenager tries to rise up in revolt. Keeping my voice as light as possible, I say, “Of course, Mom. Soon.”

“Okay. If I need to get word to you, I’ll just send it through Nick, since I’m sure you’ll be talking to him. He’s so sweet, Tess. Maybe I was wrong about him. When he stopped by last night he told me not to worry, he’d keep an eye on me while you’re gone, and he’ll come visit a few times a week until you get home to see if I need anything. He said since we’ll both miss you so much, we just have to stick together until you’re home.”

Fear for my mom’s safety is choking me, but I manage to force out an answer while terror burns in my chest. “That’s great.”

I know his words are really a message to me, and I’ve gotten it loud and clear.

“Where are you visiting anyway?”
 

“We flew to Myrtle Beach, and now we’re just driving from here to there, seeing the country as we work our way back West. I’ll be gone a few weeks at least. But hey, speaking of beaches: why don’t you go see Aunt Edith in Florida. Maybe we could meet up there.”

“I don’t know…”

“Mom, please. You don’t take nearly enough time for yourself.” I’ll say anything to get her out of town, away from Nick.

“Well, I am off for the summer. I guess I could.” My mom works as a secretary for the high school where I went.

I find myself nodding into the phone as if she can see me. “Go tonight, mom, before you can change your mind. Promise me you’ll do this for me.”

“Oh, fine, don’t be so melodramatic about it.” I don’t even have to be able to see her to know she rolled her eyes as she says that.

Hearing her agree, I’m already breathing a bit easier and the tension in my chest is loosening. “Just think, tomorrow you might be sunbathing on the Gulf.”

“That does sound nice. I guess I’ll call Nick and ask him to pick up the mail.” Her tone of voice suggests she’s already checked out of our conversation, and her thoughts are occupied with the details she needs to arrange for a sudden trip.
 

“Don’t worry about it; I’ll mention it to him when I talk to him again.” That isn’t technically a lie, since I don’t have any intention of talking to him again.

“Thanks, Tess. Well I guess I need to pack. Hopefully I’ll see you in Florida.”

“All right, Mom. I’ll talk to you soon. Love you.” I choke back tears, not knowing when I’ll actually be able to talk to her again. I wish I could tell her the truth. I’m not sure if she could handle it, but I know I can’t. I can’t face the sound of her disappointment, and I can’t face knowing that the more I tell her, the more danger I put her in.

“Love you, too.”

We hang up, and I lean back against the seat. I hope my mom goes right away, and I think she will. She sounded excited about the prospect. But I also can’t guarantee she won’t mention to Nick I was planning to meet her there. Which means Florida and my aunt’s, is the one place I definitely cannot go. If things don’t work out at Arion’s farm, I’m even more screwed than I was before.

Twenty Two

Arion

I’m walking through the halls of the hospital with Chelsea and Dougie, but my mind is down in the parking garage with Angel.

Vince was pretty out of it from pain meds, and he obviously needed to rest, so Dougie asked if we wanted to step out with him and snag a late lunch. I wanted to say no, because I want to take the girls and go home so Angel and I can be alone, but I agree for Chelsea’s sake. I don’t know how much time her and Dougie will have together since he’ll be occupied with Vince.

Chelsea and Dougie started dating a few months ago, and they’re great together. Chelsea is all heart and no brains, but Dougie somehow thinks everything she says is brilliant. He’s not at all the type of guy my step-mother wants her to be dating, but he’s exactly the type of guy she
should
be dating, so I’m thrilled for them. And I’m not just saying that because he’s my best friend. Dougie’s a good guy.

“I can’t believe the game girl is real. I figured you were making her up or something so you wouldn’t seem so lame.” Dougie slaps me on the back of my shoulder. “You hit it yet?”

If he isn’t careful, I’ll hit him. “It isn’t like that. She’s…fragile.”

“You two will get on great then, huh. Cause you were pretty
fragile
when she disappeared.” He grins beneath his surfer-style, bedraggled hair. We don’t have a beach for miles, yet he always looks like he just rode an enormous wave. The girls at the bar eat it up. Fortunately for him, Chelsea doesn’t seem to mind.

“Shut the fuck up.” I shove him back. I’ll show him fragile.

“Seriously, though, she just showed up with no warning? And she won’t tell you why?” Dougie’s eyes are wide saucers, looking for a juicy bone to run with.

“She’s told me enough.” Enough that I know her ex better hope he and I never meet.

“Yeah, just enough to get you to take her under the cloak of all-powerful Chadwell money. What’d your dad say when you told him about this new help you’ve gotten him for the barn?”

“I haven’t talked to him yet.” I turn to Chelsea. “And don’t you dare breathe a word of it to him or your mom, got it?” I’m going to tell him, and he’ll be cool with it. I just need to figure out what to say first.

Chelsea shrugs. “Whatever. Not like Mother and I are speaking much anyway.”

Dougie is shaking his head behind Chelsea’s back, so I suspect that is a sore subject. “Have you heard back from Kevin?”

“Nothing yet. But I’m sure he’ll find something.” Kevin isn’t something I really want to talk about in front of Chelsea, so I change the topic. “Where we going?”

“How about the pizza place down the street from my place? You remember how to get there?” Dougie asks.

He refreshes me on directions while we head out toward the parking garage. They have good pizza there but also good salads. I’ve eaten way too much junk food since Angel showed up. Generally, I just do a shake and a granola bar for breakfast, then salads and sandwiches from the bar for lunch and dinner. Vince gave me crap when I first started working out and eating healthy, begging him to cook me something other than our standard bar fare, but as I toned up and slimmed down, I think he took pride in his part in it. He definitely took pride in it once we added his new dishes to the menu.

“I’m gonna ride with Dougie, and we’ll meet you there,” Chelsea says.

“Sounds good.” That way I don’t have to listen to them paw each other in the back seat of my truck. Plus that means Angel and I will be alone, and I can ask her how her phone call went.

When I get to the truck, Angel’s still sitting in the passenger seat. She’s got her knees hugged to her chest, and she manages to force out a smile that can only be described as brave. It isn’t really a smile, more like a diversion. It says ‘I’m dying inside, but I’ll try to pretend I’m happy.’ It says, ‘I need you, but I’m too afraid or proud to ask.’

She watches me through the windshield as I walk to the passenger side and open the door, climbing into the seat without a word. Her hips scoot over a bit to give me room, and she leans into me as my arms wrap around her.

“Nick’s been at my mom’s. If I don’t come home, he’ll keep harassing her,” she mumbles against my chest. I can feel the warmth of her breath through my shirt.

There’s no way in hell I’m letting her go home to him. None. “Can you call the police? Get them to warn him to leave her alone?”

She lets out a short, acerbic laugh. “Half the police force is in his pocket. All it would do is help him find me.”

One thing every guy knows—or should know—is not to tell a crying chick she’s paranoid, so I just rub her back, trying to comfort her. But honestly? I wonder if she’s so afraid of him that she’s magnified what she thinks he can do past the point of rational. I just can’t fathom that Nick could have that much sway. He sounds like a peon, not a powerhouse. “I’m so sorry you have to deal with this.”

“I think I convinced her to go visit my aunt. I just want her to get out of town, you know?”

“Yeah,” I say, even though I don’t.

“Where’s Chelsea?” Angel turns big eyes up to me, and all I want to do is let myself get lost in them.

“Vince was sleeping, and Dougie wanted us to come with him to grab some lunch. She’s riding with him.” And maybe riding
on
him. I mentally shudder.

“She’s nicer than I thought she’d be.” Angel almost sounds sad about it.

A few minutes later, we’re on our way. Angel’s tiny hand is tucked in mine, resting on the center console, and she’s staring out the window. The corners of her eyes are pinched together, and I wish I could make everything better for her. It’s going to drive me nuts having to leave her alone in the apartment tonight while I work downstairs.
 

This is one of the few times I wish I could be my dad. He works hard, but he plays hard, too. He has enough people under him—like me—that can handle the running of our day-to-day business that he can just take off for a month-long cruise whenever he wants. Right now, I’d love to just whisk Angel away for a month at sea, away from everything. Maybe then she’d relax and actually feel safe.

And maybe I’d be able to stop worrying that I’m going to turn around and find her gone.

Twenty Three

Angel

Thoughts of my mom follow me the rest of Tuesday, past Wednesday, and into Thursday, hanging around me like a persistent shadow. I want desperately to know she’s safe, but a frantic call from me is sure to raise her suspicions.

Arion reaches across the breakfast bar and lightly touches the back of my hand. “Why don’t you go ahead and call her. It will make you feel better.” The tired lines around his eyes say it will make him feel better as well. Last night, I dreamed Nick killed my mom. I found her lying on the cold tile floor of her kitchen, the words ‘come back’ painted into the pool of her blood beside her. When Arion woke me up, his frantic hands shaking my shoulders, I barely made it to his bathroom before I vomited.
 

Neither one of us has gotten much sleep, and although I can think of several ways I’d like to lose sleep with Arion, nightmares aren’t one of them. Silver light spills in the window over the sink from the cloudy afternoon, illuminating soft copper highlights in Arion’s hair as he waits patiently for me to respond.

If I call Mom, it’s one more chance for Nick to track me. Surely it’s better to worry myself to death instead. “I shouldn’t.”

“You need to. Don’t you owe it to her? If she didn’t listen and isn’t in Florida, you need to know so you can try again to convince her. And if she is in Florida, then there’s less chance of Nick knowing you called. Right?”

When he puts it that way, it seems simple enough. I nod softly as a lump forms in my throat. Arion disappears into his bedroom, returning a moment later with my phone.
 

Mom answers on the second ring. “Tess?”

“Yeah, Mom, it’s me.”

I can vaguely hear my aunt in the background, muttering something about them being late. Knowing she’s away from Nick gives my chest the lightness of an air balloon preparing for liftoff.
 

Mom says something muffled, like she has her hand over the phone. “One minute, Edith. I swear you’ve the patience of a two-year-old.” I’m trying not to laugh when she asks, “Are you heading down here to see us?
 
Your Aunt Edith and I are just about to go to the pool. Did you know her neighborhood has a pool?”

“I didn’t, but that sounds nice.” Nice, and suburban and safe.

“Well you can see it when you get here.”

“About that… The other girls don’t really want to work back East toward Florida since we’d already started heading back toward the West coast. I don’t think I’ll be able to meet up with you there. But you stay, have a great time. Please.” My eyes are on Arion’s as I lie, and although his expression is unreadable, a chill shivers its way through me. Something about the way he’s looking at me is off.

Mom and I say goodbye, and when I hang up, Arion isn’t looking at me. Instead, he’s turned around, staring out the window. Cautiously, I creep off my barstool and go stand behind him. My arms slide around his waist, and for a moment, he doesn’t move. Then he lets out a long shudder, as he turns toward me, still inside my embrace. The tension of whatever is bothering him seeps from him to me, and I start to step away.

Arion pulls me back but cups one finger under my chin, tilting my face toward his. “You shouldn’t tell someone you’ll be somewhere and then not show up, Angel.”

His words are true in a world of black and white, but I’m drowning in gray. “I said whatever it took to get her to go, and I need to keep her confused about where I am. When the truth comes out, I hope she’ll forgive me.”
 

Cold absolution dominates his tone. “Don’t ever lie to me. No matter what. I need to know that you’ll always trust me with the truth.”
 

The intensity of his gaze is blinding, and I know without a doubt he’s more serious about this than I’ve ever heard him be about anything. “Okay,” I say, even as I know it’s a promise I may have to break.

Despite their questionable sincerity, my words seem to soothe him, and our bodies meld together, creating an entirely different type of tension. My breath hitches as I fight the urge to rock my hips toward him.