Crossing Hathaway (26 page)

“Thanks,” I said as Denny drove us away from the hospital. “I really appreciate what you’re both doing for me. I’d have taken a cab, but I don’t want to be alone right now.”

Denny’s big, round head tipped, and his large eyes stared at me in the rearview mirror. “I told you, girl, I like the company.” He gave Brent a playful shove. “I’m tellin’ ya, we should all find a condo and move in together. It’d be fun.”

I managed a smile, and Brent giggled. He turned in his seat, amusement fading from his eyes. With a sigh, he rested his cheek against the upholstery and reached his hand back to me. I took it, gave it a squeeze, and held it until we made it back to Denny’s.

Once inside the house with the elaborate security system set, Denny trotted off to his bedroom to get ready for another night out while Brent followed me into the living room.

“Come here and tell me about it.” He wrapped his skinny arms around me.

My voice droned, emotionless, as I told him what happened with Ben.

Brent slumped down on the sofa with a blank stare. “So, Richard is going to keep coming after you and me.”

I sat beside him. “Was I right to get so angry?”

“What? Hell yes, he’s totally wussing out on this. I just can’t believe he’d lie to your face like that after everything.” He patted my knee. “I’d totally dump his ass to the curb if I were you too.”

Glad to know I hadn’t overreacted, I nodded. “I just—I feel so lost right now, as if someone carved a piece of me away. When I caught Jack doing my best friend, it hurt, but not like this.”

Brent sighed and shifted to face me. “Damn. You went and fell in love with him after all your talk. And the harder you fall, the worse it hurts.”

“I don’t love him.” I pressed my hands to my aching stomach and flopped back against the cushions. “I could have, I think, but I don’t.”

Radiating defiance, Brent got up, one eyebrow raised in my direction, hands on his hips.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “What? I don’t!”

“Now who’s lying to whom?”

Forcing a scowl, I grabbed up a cushion and hugged it. “Fine, I care about him, all right? Now leave it be or you and I’ll have words.”

“Uh-huh.” He started toward the hallway, talked over his shoulder. “I’m going to order a pizza, get us some wine, the tub of Häagen-Daz butterscotch ripple I bought last night, and two spoons. You so need ice cream right now. You find us a movie to watch and I’ll be back to give that broken heart some medicine.”

Early Tuesday morning I left Brent in the lobby and went to my office with a spinny head from all the wine and sugar I’d consumed the night before. I should have eaten breakfast, but just the thought of opening my mouth to food induced a gag.

I entered the IT office to Jeremy, Paul, and Cam hovering around my desk. “What’s going on, guys?”

Cam turned, a grin stretching across his lips. “Who’s B?”

Beyond him, on my desk, sat a huge crystal vase of the same orange roses Ben had given me before. My breath caught and I froze, realizing the surveillance camera would relay my every reaction back to Ben.

“I have no idea.” I strode over to them, snatched the small white card floating among the petals.

It read:
I’m sorry you’re angry. Trust me now, you’ll see I’m right. Forever yours, B.

I shrugged, holding my fury down with every ounce of strength I possessed. “Must be some mistake. I’ll take them back to reception.”

“Eva—”

I held my hand up to Cam. “It’s a mistake! They’re not for me.”

After clipping the card back into the plastic holder, I grabbed up the roses and glared at the smirking faces around me before I sped out the door.

I’ll see he’s right? Ha! What a crock. When pigs fucking fly.

Instead of going to reception, I went into the lunchroom and put them on the counter. I grabbed the card from the middle, held it up to the camera, crushed it in my fingers, and tossed it into the garbage. “Stop with the roses. I mean it.”

I’ll trust you the day you earn it, asshole.

Still fuming, I sat in one of the chairs for a while before heading back to the office. Cam’s laughter greeted me the instant I opened the door. Another bouquet, larger than the last, adorned my desk.

“This isn’t funny.” I snatched the card up.

For my Evangeline. You can remove my flowers, but I won’t go away so easily. I know you care for me. Trust me. I’ll explain soon. B.

Cursing under my breath, I crumpled the note into my pocket, snatched up my toolkit, and whirled around. Three sets of wide eyes stared at me, hints of laughter in their depths.

As I bolted past them and escaped into the hallway, I shouted over my shoulder, “Don’t you have work to do?”

By the time I made it ten feet down the corridor, I realized I hadn’t looked at the job list and would have to go back.
Damn
. It was going to be a long day.

I couldn’t bear the thought of sitting around at Denny’s for another night so he dropped Brent and me off at the movies to watch a
Lord of the Rings
marathon. After promising to wait in the lobby for us at eleven thirty, when the late show was scheduled to let out, Denny headed off to his boyfriend’s house for a little rough and tumble. I so didn’t want to know what he meant by that. Not that I had an issue with gay relationships, I just didn’t want the gritty details of anyone’s sex life, gay or straight. My mind had a way of searing self-concocted images and keeping them forever too.

The rumble of bass from the next theater vibrated the sticky floor beneath my sneakers. Brent and I shuffled along the second last row and plopped down in squeaky seats to await the start of
Fellowship of the Ring
.

“He’s so bold with you,” Brent said. “Maybe he’s not a lost cause, after all. Maybe he just needs a firm hand?”

“I just don’t know what to do. Cam already suspects something went on between Ben and I. If he makes the connection to the ‘B’ on the card, I’m not sure what will happen. I seem to recall something in the handbook about fraternization, but I can’t remember what. Aside from any rules against sleeping with the big cahoona, Cam’s going to feel weird around me because I’ve been doing his boss. And it’s as if Ben wants everyone to know.” Squirming with embarrassment, I passed my fingertips along the seam of my jeans until the churning in my stomach stopped. The heavy stench of Brent’s popcorn didn’t help. “The only place I can go at work to escape Ben’s watchful eye is the bathroom, and I can’t spend all day in there. And every time I get rid of his flowers, he sends an even bigger bunch. It’s intolerable.” I growled. “This is why I should never have gone on that date with him.” I slumped back in the lumpy chair and folded my arms. “How could I be so stupid?”

“It’ll pass, Eva. Once he realizes you’re not going to cave, he’ll stop. Just try not to let him see how much you’re hurting, and it’ll be over sooner.”

“And how am I supposed to do that? I suck at hiding my feelings, especially when I know he’s watching me.”

Brent heaved out a sigh, taking my hand in his cold ones. “I’m here for you, babe. Lean on me.”

I paused for a moment before smiling and breaking into song. “When you’re not stronnnng.”

“And I’ll be your friend…”

We sang the whole tune amongst some cock-eyed looks from the few other people in the theater. The opening credits rolled, and I rested my head against Brent’s shoulder to watch the movie. Through all the distractions, I still missed Ben, and I’d only been away from him for a day. I was so freakin’ screwed.

Partway through the film, something warm slid inside the front of my V-neck T-shirt. I jumped at the same time Brent yelped and stiffened against the back of his seat. I grabbed at foreign fingers in my collar and turned to look at my friend as he pried his fingers against a large hand wrapped around his throat from behind.

Hot breath hit my ear a second before Richard spoke. “Hello, kitten.”

“What do you want, Richard?” My words arrived between grunts while I pried at his hand pressed just above my breasts.

“Be still, kitten, or your little fruit pie over here will gain a better understanding of agony.”

Brent uttered a strangled gasp.

I dropped my hands and stilled my body, acid burning through my stomach. “Let. Him. Go.”

“That’s my good girl.” Richard nuzzled my ear, and Brent’s raspy breaths resumed beside me. “So predictable. You’re much more fun than Benjamin. You see, he has only one weakness—you. But you, on the other hand, have many.”

Tension vibrated down my arms. “What do you mean?”

“Brent for one. Dear Daddy lying so weak and vulnerable at the hospital. Mommy Dearest alone at home, so trusting. Lovely home she has.”

All the moisture evaporated from my mouth. I swallowed my heart out of my throat. “Ben’s giving you what you want. You’ve won. What do you want from me?”

“For now, walk out of this theater with me and do exactly as I say, or a call from me will send one of my good friends to visit your mother.”

Brent flinched, a whimper falling from his lips.

“Our little flaming friend is going to sit here as if nothing happened and watch the movie until you return. If he tries to call anyone or ask another for help, I’ll know it.” Richard leaned over and whispered something in Brent’s ear that I couldn’t hear over the noise of the movie.

When Richard moved back, Brent stared forward, his hands gripping the armrests. Even in the erratic flashes from the movie screen I could see the color had leached from his skin.

Richard shifted and draped both arms around me from behind, his fingertips brushing along my collarbones through the fabric. “Shall we go then?”

What could I do? By the look on Brent’s face, whatever Richard had said to him probably made him wet his pants. Even though I assumed Richard was bluffing about my parents, I couldn’t risk exposing them to his unpredictable whims.

On trembling legs, I rose from my seat and shuffled toward the aisle with Richard mirroring me in the row to my left. At the end, he held his hand out to me, and after a moment’s hesitation, I took it. A final glance back at Brent revealed him to be still frozen in place, lips parted, eyes wide in horror.

Snickering, Richard pulled me against him and wrapped a controlling arm around my waist.

“Where are you taking me?”

He pressed his lips against my temple. “Hush.”

A few jagged cuss words pooled in my mouth, but I kept my lips closed. He didn’t need to know how much his brush-off bothered me. A few people meandered back and forth in the hallway. One of the employees swept up stray bits of popcorn from the dark red carpet with a handled dustpan and broom. Harsh bass music rumbled my chest from the next theater.

As we neared the far end of the hall, my gaze fell over a uniformed police officer standing outside the women’s washroom. A closer look brought a twinge of recognition. “You fucking bastard.” Richard had a cop in his pocket?

“You recognized Bill, did you?” Richard said. “Yes, he works for me now and then.”

“Is he really a cop or did he just steal the uniform?”

“Oh, he’s the real deal.” Richard sniggered harder as we approached the other man.

When we came within punching distance, I lurched for him, but Richard caught me around the waist with both arms. “Dirty fucking cop! What did you do to my apartment?”

Bill looked me up and down and laughed like a drunken dog. “I’m beginning to see your fascination with this one. Bet she’d be a wild ride.”

“Fuck you!” I thrashed and pushed against Richard’s arms, but he picked me up—one hand over my mouth, the other around my waist—and whisked me through the door into the washroom.

Over his shoulder, he said, “Nobody in and nobody out.”

“Got it. Have fun with that, boss.”

Richard released me in front of the long counter of sinks. A glance at the wall of mirrors behind them reflected my wide blue eyes and flushed skin. Floral air freshener and urine stung my nose, and ancient spilled soda gummed up the bottom of my sneaker as I moved across the white tile. My gaze darted left and right, looking for possible escape routes. Had the guy with the broom seen Richard manhandle me like that? My shoulders slumped. Even if he had, that’s what Bill the crooked cop was there for.

Richard ran fingers through his hair and blew out a breath. “You’re much stronger than you look.”

“Go to hell!” I whirled around to face him. “What do you want?”

He shrugged, wearing a sheepish grin. “I want to play.”

“I’m sure you do that a lot with yourself. Now what does that have to do with me?” I eyed the door only a few yards away, but it might as well have been on the other side of the world with Richard in my path.

His upper lip rippled and curled over his teeth as he slammed me into the wall next to the paper towel dispenser.

I ignored the little white fairies that twirled in my vision and glared at him.

His face hovered close to mine. “Watch your mouth, kitten, or I’ll put my fist in it.” He smiled, bit his lip. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you for real—yet. I just like to torment my brother, and you’re going to help me put on a little scene for his benefit tomorrow to ensure his compliance. After I’m satisfied he’s good and riled, you’ll accompany me to his office.” His fingers toyed in my hair, brushed over my ear, and sent needles down my neck.

“You’re a big boy, Richard.” My voice came breathy but strong. “Are you scared of him? What do you need me there for?”

“So glad you asked.” A malignant grin arched his lips. “Insurance.”

Fuck! Ben, why couldn’t you have listened to me for once!

His heated gaze glued to my chest, Richard stepped back and patted his hand on the countertop. “Now, we’re going to practice our little game for tomorrow.”

I edged to the far wall, shuffled toward the door. “What game?”

Richard watched my every move with amused eyes, a lion following his prey.

At the door, I turned and pulled the handle, my pulse leaping in my neck.