Arranged love

GRAVE

ANOTHER NIGHT IN my hotel room. Cross sits over on the couch across from me. “Let’s go out tonight,” he offers.

“Not in the mood.” I shake my head.

“I’m bored.” He stands

“Then leave.” I wave goodbye.

“I don’t agree with Titan and Bones, but this isn’t good for you either, Grave. It’s been over a week. You need to get out.”

No, I don’t. Too much temptation. Drugs, women. I don’t want either of them at the moment.

“What if I called some girls and had them come here?” He pulls his cell out of his pocket.

“Then you better get your own hotel room.”

He sighs and falls back down onto his ass.

A cell starts vibrating, and I look at the coffee table. It’s mine. I look at Cross. He looks at me, and after a second, he growls, reaching forward and picking it up.

“It’s a message,” he states.

“Yeah? Tell them to fuck off.”

His eyes meet mine. “That’s not the response you’re going to want to give.”This is property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

“Why’s that?” I can only imagine my brother texting me to get my ass to Kingdom. Again. He only sends me about five a day. For someone who gave me an ultimatum, he sure does want me back at Kingdom awfully bad.

“Because it’s April. And she received her drawing.”

“What?” I jump up off the couch and snatch my cell from his hand.

April: I got the drawing. Thank you. That was very sweet of you to frame it. I have plans tonight, but I was wondering if we could have dinner this weekend? If you’re not busy, I’d like to talk.

GRAVE

WHEN I WAS in high school, I stole a motorcycle off the showroom floor and took it for a joyride. I lost control going into a sharp turn and ended up driving it right off a bridge into the lake. I managed to crawl out and make it home. My father just happened to have been home at the time. He beat the shit out of me. I was in a coma for a week due to his hands. I’m not sure if the fractured femur and broken arm were due to him or my wreck.

But by the time I was released from the hospital, my father had pulled some strings and got me cleared. No arrest. I should have just done the time. He never let me forget what he did for me. Then he beat me some more. Said that I deserved to know what hell felt like. What he didn’t know was that I was already living in hell. And that’s why I did what I did, to feel alive.

That’s what April is to me. My hell. I knew all along it would end just like that day I stole the motorcycle. It was going to ruin me when she realized who I was and that she’d be better off without me.

I bring my car to a stop in her driveway and let out a long breath. I accepted her offer to dinner. I wasn’t going to pass up any chance of seeing her, even if it makes it harder to go without her tomorrow.

I exit my car and walk up to her door. Knocking twice, I wait for her to answer. I’m nervous. For once in my life I’m ashamed of who I am. But I know I can be better. For her. For us. I just need the chance to prove that to her.

The door opens, and she stands before me, her purple hair down and straight. Her makeup done how I like it with black lining her eyes and dark lips. She wears a pair of denim shorts and a black T-shirt that reads Always and forever across the chest.

It feels like it’s been years since I’ve seen her. It hasn’t even been a full two weeks.

“Hey.” She gives me a soft smile, and my knees almost buckle at the sound of her voice. She’s the best drug I’ve ever tasted. The best high I’ve ever reached.

“Ready?” I ask, unable to get out a full sentence.

“Yeah.” She steps forward, and I match it, taking one back to allow her space. She turns and locks her front door. The simple movement has the smell of her vanilla shampoo filling my nose.

I have to close my eyes and think of anything but her to try not to get hard.

Walking her over to my passenger side, I open the door for her, and she falls inside.

I go to the driver side door and remind myself. This is like that motorcycle I crashed. When I go down, it’s going to fucking hurt like hell and leave scars as reminders, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

APRIL

He’s acting different, and I hate it. I wish we could go back to that first day when I didn’t know who he was, and he didn’t care who I was. This is why I don’t date. Why I don’t allow anyone to help me or get close.

My mother always told me-you will get your heart broken, baby. It is inevitable. Part of life. It’s how you handle it that either makes you a woman or a child. I didn’t want to be the bigger person. I didn’t want to put myself out there again to him. But he did something that no one has ever done before-listened to me. And it felt good. So here we are.

I look out his passenger side window, avoiding eye contact with him. It hurts. There’s so much that I want to say but can’t get the words out. Emilee hung that picture I drew up in the shop, and I find myself just staring at it. Wondering if I was that April, would I be stronger? Would he love me covered in ink like him? He’d see me differently.

“I have to run by my house,” he speaks, and I jump in surprise.

“Oh, okay.”

“I need to grab something,” he goes on.

I nod, looking over at him. He has his left hand on the steering wheel of his Zenvo STI. The car starts at a little over one million. I Googled it after I first saw it. I had never even heard of this kind of car before. His black leather with gold stitching interior tells me he had it custom made just for him to match Kingdom. His right hand on the shifter. He wears a white long-sleeve shirt with holey jeans and black Chuck Taylor high tops. His face is freshly shaven. His long hair is slicked back away from his face. At first glance, he looks relaxed, but I see the tic in his jaw. His tight shoulders and the lack of his carefree laughter further proves my suspicion.

I hate that he’s hurting. And I hate that I care.

All I keep thinking is when was he high last? Or has he been with Lucy since I walked away from him? Of course he has. What man would pass on a sure thing?

I turn, looking back out the window, and let out a long breath. This was a mistake. Because it’s going to hurt even worse when the night ends and I have to walk away from him all over again.

_______________

We pull through the gate at the Kings compound. It’s black iron with a gold K in the middle of it. The place is just as extravagant as their hotel and casino. Four houses sit in a cul-de-sac like structure. But they’re not close enough that you could throw a rock at each one. A huge clubhouse sits in the center with a state-of-the-art outside kitchen, bar, fireplace with outdoor furniture and hot tub. I have a feeling that no one ever uses it.

He comes to stop in his driveway and parks in front of his four-car garage. Lifting his right hand, he presses the button and opens up one of the garage doors. “I’ll only be a minute.” He doesn’t wait for a response and exits the car.

I lean my head against the headrest and close my eyes. They sting. “Don’t do it,” I growl, trying to keep the tears from falling.

I open them up and let out a little scream of frustration. This is crazy. I should just get out and start walking back home. I look over at Titan and Emilee’s house. I can see the lights on through the front of their floor-to-ceiling windows. Maybe he’ll take me home. He’s done it before. Maybe …

A phone vibrates in the cup holder. My eyes drop to look down at it. It’s Grave’s.

It vibrates again.

Giving a quick look at the house, I see he’s still inside. I pick it up and go to open the screen, but it’s locked.

I know the code. I’ve seen him open it a hundred times whenever he gets a text.

It vibrates in my hand again, and I make up my mind. I punch in the four-digit code, and the screen pops up. His background picture is of his Charger sitting out on the tarmac at the Airport.

I click on the text message icon and open it up.

Lucy: I miss you, baby. I’m sorry for what I did.

My eyes shoot to the house again to check on him. Still no sign. What did she do? Is that why he’s mad? At her?

My hand tightens on the phone. Is that why he agreed to this date? Because she stood him up this time? I’m just a backup plan? That’s why it took him so long to say yes to me.

“That motherfucker …”

It vibrates in my hand again, and this time it’s a video. I hit play.