Enemies and Playmates (2 page)

Lauren smiled, despite the storm raging inside her. She was much too attracted to Jesse. And he worked for her father. Of all people.

Jesse’s eyes narrowed, his attention focused somewhere behind Lauren’s shoulder. She turned to find Dean less than a foot away. She turned back, groaning. Jesse cocked his head. “Friend?”

Dean put a hand on Lauren’s arm. As she jerked away from his touch, Jesse stood. He took a slow step toward Dean, towering at least four inches above him. For a moment Jesse simply stared at Dean, his expression indiscernible. Then, his voice quiet and controlled, he said, “You touch her again and I’ll break every bone in both your hands. Do you have any idea how many bones that is?”

Dean glared defiantly, though he staggered back a step. When he didn’t reply, Jesse said, “Each hand contains twenty-seven bones. I’ll break each one slowly, give you plenty of time to count.”

“Damn,” Carrie muttered. “My last boyfriend would’ve let the guy maul me. The most I could’ve hoped for was that he’d call 911 after running away.”

Everyone laughed. Lauren heard herself talking, being part of the conversation, despite her growing need to protect herself by withdrawing. Jesse would have to be kept at arm’s length. If she could even be around him at all. She couldn’t explain it. But she felt it. He was one of those people who liked to be connected to whoever he was with. And that thought scared her more than anything.

Lauren searched her mind for a plausible escape. A good lie to get her out of this. “I have to make a call,” she said. “Excuse me a minute.” Before anyone could question her, she slipped off the stool and made her way toward the bathrooms.

A few minutes later she walked back to the bar. Her legs were weak. Jesse watched her. She tried to avoid looking in his eyes. “I have to go,” she said. “My brother’s got a house full of people. I promised my mom I’d keep an eye on him, so I have to get everyone out before my parents get home.”

Lauren slipped her jacket on. “No, really, I’m fine. You guys enjoy the rest of the night.” She briefly met Jesse’s intense, questioning gaze. Guilt and sadness swept through her. She said, “Thanks for the drinks. I had fun.”

Before Jesse had a chance to reply, Lauren was weaving her way out through the crowd.

***

Lauren shuffled up the walkway. She was grateful to be home. She never should have danced with Jesse. What a fool she was. She still felt the warmth of his hands touching her as she pushed open her front door.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Alex shouted.

Lauren winced. Her father’s voice boomed throughout the house. She stood riveted to her place on the carpet, feeling as if she’d stepped into the middle of a bad movie she’d seen one too many times.

With an exaggerated flourish, her brother Stephen switched off the stereo and headed up the polished stairs. Alex’s voice bellowed after him. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Stephen didn’t turn. He kept his head down. His shoulders slumped. Lauren wished he would hurry, get up to his room, get out of their father’s way. But, as always, Stephen became more defiant, refusing to back down or show fear.

Stephen turned away and trudged up the remaining stairs. Alex followed close behind, his face red, his hands balled into tight fists. On the top landing, Alex slammed Stephen against the wall. He ground out the words, “I know a great deal more than you could ever hope to know.”

“Like how to beat on women?” Stephen said.

Alex’s fist caught Stephen square in the jaw. Blood oozed from Stephen’s lip. “Stop it!” Lauren shouted. She stood on the top stair, glaring at her father. “Leave him alone.”

Alex noticed her for the first time. He glared for a long moment before saying, “Stay out of this.”

Lauren met her father’s icy blue stare without flinching. “Leave him alone,” she repeated.

Alex breathed a heavy irritated sigh. He gave Stephen one last shove. “Remember what I said or you’ll be history to this family.” Then he strode past Lauren without a second glance.

Lauren stepped closer to her brother. “You okay?”

“Fine,” Stephen snapped. “I didn’t need you to rescue me.”

“Sorry,” Lauren snapped back. “Next time I’ll let dad beat you senseless.” She strode straight to her room, closing the door behind her.

2

Lauren awoke to the sound of insistent ringing. She grabbed her cell phone, too groggy to bother checking the caller ID display, and mumbled a greeting.

“Not at all.” Lauren sat up, tried to get herself together. First she acts like a fool by running out on him. Now she’s barely coherent. What a way to make an impression.

“No, I’m not busy tonight.” Lauren couldn’t believe those words had slipped from her mouth. She clenched the covers in her free hand, pulling them up around her chin. She would have liked to pull them over her head and pretend this wasn’t happening.

Lauren gave Jesse her address, all the while thinking how insane this was. She couldn’t go out with this man. She was too attracted to him. She couldn’t trust him. She couldn’t trust herself.

Thankfully Jesse wasn’t one for long phone conversations. She hung up, torn between childish giddiness and a full blown anxiety attack.

“Leave me alone!”

Lauren’s mother’s voice broke through her thoughts and her walls. Lauren slipped out of bed and pulled on her robe. Then she cracked open her door and peeked out.

“Please don’t,” Kara sobbed.

Lauren stepped into the hall. Her stomach knotted. Hearing her mother’s pleas should be just another typical part of her life here at home. But it wasn’t something she’d ever get used to.

She took another step toward her parents’ bedroom. The sound of a stinging slap froze her. Kara’s cries were muffled but the beating was not. Lauren remained in the middle of the hallway. She wanted to help. She wanted nothing more. But calling the cops would be a farce. Her father had too many connections. Too many people who owed him favors. The only outcome would be that her mother would get a worse beating afterward.

She’d tried before, when she was younger, to break up the fighting. That also made things much worse for her mother. And so her mother had asked her not to get involved. They all pretended it wasn’t happening. As if they were a happy family.

The door across the hall eased open. Stephen stepped out, looked at Lauren, then at their parents’ door. Neither said a word. Soon the sound of skin being slapped eased off. Kara’s muffled cries continued. Stephen glanced at Lauren once more, then stepped back into his room and closed the door. Lauren rubbed the knot in her stomach as she headed downstairs.

Her thoughts were lost, jumping from her mother’s cries to her upcoming date with Jesse. Her emotions swirled in a tangled mess. She wandered through the large, gleaming kitchen in a fog.

“I’ll have scrambled eggs,” Alex said.

His voice jarred her. She pushed the filter into the coffeemaker, then turned toward her father. He stood there, salt and pepper hair neatly combed, his face clean shaven. His deep blue silk suit was without a wrinkle. Every piece of him, down to the silk handkerchief in his suit jacket that matched his tie, was the model of perfection. He radiated success.

Alex smiled. A hollow, contemptuous smile. He said, “I suppose I will be forced to disturb your mother then. She does make delicious eggs.”

“No,” Lauren said quickly. “Leave her alone.” Her defiance instantly deflated. “I’ll make your eggs.”

“Good. I’d like bacon as well.” Alex pulled a chair out and sat, careful not to wrinkle his suit. He glanced at his son. “Stephen, get me the paper from the front walk, will you?”

Stephen breathed a heavy sigh, though he did not argue. He left the room, returning minutes later with the newspaper. He tossed it on the table, then walked out without a word.

Lauren watched the bacon sizzling in the pan. She wanted to ask her father what he knew about Jesse. All those things a daughter should be able to ask her father. Absurd to even consider it.

What kind of work did Jesse do for him? Sure, law firms used private investigators all the time. But was the work legitimate? Or was Jesse simply another pawn for her father?

She’d long since stopped being naïve enough to believe that her father upheld the law. He twisted it to his advantage. He lied, cheated, and did whatever necessary to win. Was Jesse helping him with that?

The phone rang. Lauren poured the eggs into the pan. Her father didn’t make a move, so she bit back a snide remark and grabbed the receiver.

“Good morning, Lauren. This is Suzanne. Is your father in?”

“Hold on please.” Lauren handed the phone to her father. “It’s your secretary.”

Alex grasped the phone with a look or irritation. “Yes Suzanne?” After a pause, he said, “I realize that. I’m running behind this morning.” Another pause, then, “Tell Simmons to wait. He works for me, remember? I’ll be there in less than an hour.”

Lauren placed his breakfast in front of him as he clicked the phone off. She said, “You still have your secretary working on Saturdays?”

Lauren sighed. She couldn’t say what she was thinking, so she said nothing. She went up to her room, leaving her father to eat alone.

***

Three minutes past six. He’d be there in less than an hour. Clad in cream-colored panties and a matching bra, Lauren stood in front of her closet trying to keep her heart from leaping out of her chest. Her cell phone rang. For a moment she stood there holding her white jeans, staring at the intrusion. Then she picked it up and flipped it open.