Vacancy, p.23
Vacancy, page 23
How the fuck was I going to tell her?
Suddenly, all I could picture were her large, frightened, dark eyes as she peered up at me and said, There’s a blank space on your shelf.
With a wince of regret, I went to my bed and sat on the edge before leaning down and digging my hand between the two mattresses. When I pulled out the photo, it was still intact and in pristine condition.
Two faces grinned back at me. One was mine from back when I was ten. The other that was tipped lovingly against mine made my stomach clench. I ran a finger over her cheek and chin, memorizing the lines so I’d never forget them.
“I miss you,” I admitted in a choked voice.
Then I tucked us back between the two mattresses, out of sight, before I hunted up my phone.
But once I found it and opened Oaklynn’s contact, I didn’t admit to any big confessions. I merely texted,
I want to see you again.
Within seconds, three dots popped up, and I sucked in a breath, anticipating her response before, damn, there it was.
Okay.
Yes!
I bit my lip and demanded,
When?
Her answer was coy and teasing and left me antsy with yearning, yet it still made me smile affectionately and shake my head.
I’ll let you know.
So as I waited for Oaklynn to contact me and let me know when we could reconnect, the days passed in a blur of classes and homework. The only excitement came when I had to call a plumber for one of my rentals after a kid flushed a handful of Legos down the toilet.
I still had no idea how to tell her about Thalia—probably because I refused to think about all that—but I definitely didn’t seem to be under any kind of pressing timeline either because, by Saturday, I’d convinced myself that two nights had been her limit, and she didn’t want anything else to do with me.
I truly doubted I’d ever see her again.
Then, Alec made everything worse by asking if I had a problem with him meeting up with her so he could film her mock newscast. And that stung. She’d contacted him and agreed to meet with him, but I still hadn’t heard shit.
When it came time for them to have their session, I decided to distract myself with a paper I needed to write. I was so deep into the project I almost didn’t hear the timid tapping that came at my door until it turned into a full knock.
My laptop was perched on my bent knees, half a dozen opened books littered the mattress around me, and an uncapped highlighter was stuck between my teeth as I transcribed a book title into my bibliography.
“Yeah?” I said without glancing up. I slipped the highlighter free to mark the line I wanted to quote.
I was expecting one of my roommate’s voices to answer, so when a feminine one asked, “Too busy for company?” my head zipped up so fast I was surprised I didn’t give myself whiplash.
“Hey,” I said in shock as I blinked Oaklynn into focus, where she remained poised at the entrance. “What’re you doing here?”
She motioned to the mustard yellow suit jacket and matching pencil skirt she was wearing over a cream-colored blouse before she lifted a flash drive in her hand. “I just finished my mock news report with Alec. He said he had a backdrop and all his equipment here, plus I knew where he lived so…it seemed like the best place to meet.”
“Ah.” When she kicked the black high heels she’d been wearing off into my room and then followed them inside, stepping toward my bed, my gaze dropped to her legs and then back up again. “How’d it go?”
“Great,” she answered with a smile as she found a cleared spot on the mattress near my feet to sit. Lifting the flash drive, she added, “I talked about the missing girl flyers posted around campus and why the administration hadn’t done anything to address them.”
My eyebrows rose. “You actually asked them?”
“Of course. They said campus police investigated it and discovered that Hailey Junges—the girl—actually emailed all her professors saying she wouldn’t be back, so I guess she just dropped out and left without telling her roommate.”
“Really?” I exhaled in relief. “Thank God.” I’d been worried about her, to be honest. I’d started to think she’d met the same fate as Thalia.
“Yep,” Oaklynn went on cheerfully. “Then Alec edited the segment and everything right in front of me, and man…he wasn’t lying about his skills. That boy is talented.”
I nodded, murmuring, “Yeah, he is,” as she curled her feet around to tuck them under her and placed her hands in her lap.
“So…” she said when I didn’t contribute anything else to the conversation. “This looks fun.” She glanced at the thick textbooks surrounding me.
“Thrilling,” I agreed dryly before rubbing my forehead. “I’m writing a paper for one of my psych classes.”
Her gaze lifted back to my face. “What’s the paper about?”
I scratched my jaw when she scooted close to rest a hand on my bent knee. “We were supposed to address a psychological theory and then expound on it until we basically came up with a new one. And I chose the broken window theory.”
Oaklynn picked up a book and moved it out of her way so she could inch closer. “I haven’t heard of that before. What’s the broken window theory?”
“Well…” I blew out a breath. “It’s the idea that buildings with broken windows encourage more crime and civil disorder in that neighborhood, like loitering, vandalism, and breaking and entering. And I was building on that by exploring the idea that this might also be the case with humans, not just…buildings.”
“So, like… if someone has a black eye, it’s easier for the next person to come along and disrespect them?” Oaklynn guessed with a slight squint.
“Exactly,” I said, pointing my highlighter at her. “I was just reading about this performance artist named Abramovic from the 1970s, who did an experiment where she agreed to stand still, doing nothing amid a crowd of people for six hours straight. And in that time, they could do whatever they wanted. She had a table of over seventy objects set up, calling them objects of pleasure and destruction.”
Oaklynn grimaced, already guessing where the story was headed. “Do I even want to know what they did to her?”
I shrugged. “At first, it was fine. They would just reposition her arms, wrap her in string, and pour water on her. But then someone touched her—you know—inappropriately. And from that point on, it was like game on. Someone cut her neck and drank her blood. They tore some clothes off her, put her on a table, and stabbed a knife into the wood between her legs. Someone wrote END on her forehead. And a loaded gun was put in her hand and held against the cut on her neck.”
“Lord.” Lifting her hands to stop me, Oaklynn shook her head. “I don’t think I want to hear anymore. Did they kill her?”
“No,” I reassured. “But someone had to intervene and settle them down. It’s still freaky to me, though, how putting normal, everyday people in a certain kind of environment can totally change them into…”
“Monsters,” Oaklynn murmured, finishing the sentiment for me with a shudder. Rubbing her arms as if chilled, she shook her head. “I cannot comprehend why you want to examine the darker side of the human psyche for a freaking living. I’d have nightmares for life.”
“Honestly,” I murmured with a shrug. “I think I did it because I wanted the nightmares to stop.”
Lips parting in surprise, Oaklynn shoved more books out of her way and scooted right up to my side. “And did they?” she asked as she reached out to run her knuckles gently along my beard.
“Mostly,” I told her, closing my eyes briefly and turning my face in toward her hand. “Learning to understand what you fear most and giving it a name is the biggest factor in diminishing its power.” Then, I winced. “I mean, I still get them every now and again. But I know how to handle ’em better now.”
“It was pretty bad, wasn’t it?” she guessed with a cringe. “What you saw.”
I nodded. “It was the worst thing I’d ever lived through.”
And yet I was growing worried that having her hate me might rank right up there with it.
Running my gaze over her longingly, I admitted, “I didn’t think I was going to see you again.”
She sent me a confused frown. “I told you, you would. I just needed a minute.”
I knew I didn’t deserve even that from her. I had to tell her about Thalia, and let her decide where that left us. But I’d missed her so fucking much these last few days. And I was greedy. I just wanted a little more time with her before all hell broke loose.
“Well… It’s been a minute,” I said, tugging her into my lap.
She drew in a sharp breath and met my gaze. “Yes, it has.”
As she leaned toward me, I sat up from the headboard where I’d been relaxing to meet her lips. But before we could kiss, a knock sounded on my door.
24
DAMIEN
“Hey,” Hudson called from the doorway, still wearing his chef’s whites. With an amused grin plastered across his face as if he enjoyed cockblocking me, he lifted his brows in greeting.
I sent him a hard scowl, silently ordering him to scram, but all he did was lean his shoulder on the doorframe to get comfortable.
“Think you two can push pause for a bit?” he asked with a wicked grin. “I brought some leftovers home from the restaurant, and they need to be eaten now while they’re still fresh.”
“Ooh!” Oaklynn straightened with interest. “Did you just say food? Free food?”
Winking at her, he murmured, “You know it.”
“Count me in,” she started, only to pause and whirl back, finally remembering what we’d been doing.
Appearing torn, she bit her lip, so I sent her a soft smile. “Raincheck?” I murmured.
Relief flooded her gaze. Bobbing her head, she crawled off the bed to hold a hand down to me. “Just as long as it’s not for two years.”
“Deal.” I chuckled and took her fingers.
When we turned to head out of the room together, Hudson was still leaning against the door frame, watching us with a strange expression. We had to pull up short to keep from running into him.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, thinking he looked worried, which wasn’t an emotion that Hudson often entertained.
But all he did was shake his head as his gaze slid sympathetically to me. “Nothing,” he murmured as he backed away to let us out. Then, he grinned wide as he transferred his gaze to Oaklynn. “Go ahead and get started. I’m just going to change out of these real quick. I’ll meet y’all down there.”
“Okay. But no promises that there’ll be anything left by the time you make it,” she teased with a grin.
“Dimples,” he swore as he clutched his heart in both hands and continued backing his way across the hall toward his own bedroom. “For you, I would gladly starve.”
She only laughed as he shut the door between us and then returned her attention to me. “He is such a flirt.”
“Trust me, I’m aware.” I slid a hand around her waist and tugged her up against me to remind her that it was me she wanted as we started down the steps and toward the opening of the kitchen.
And thank goodness, she didn’t call me out for my possessiveness. She simply rested her head on my shoulder and cuddled closer as we entered the kitchen, only to find it already occupied.
“Mmph… Oh my God…” Alec called with his mouth already full. After waving us closer, he motioned toward the table in front of him where he and Keene were gathered around a buffet of sorts, stuffing their faces. “You need to try this. It’s actually pretty good for fancy shit.”
“What is it?” I asked, wrinkling my nose when I couldn’t immediately identify anything.
“Let’s see…” Keene answered as he pointed to each item. “I think Ivey said this was smoked salmon with red onions. And this over here is avocado toast, while that there is some kind of pasta… Shit, I don’t know. It’s just good, so sit down already.”
“Works for me,” Oaklynn announced, hurrying forward. But as soon as she sat next to Keene and started to fill a plate, she groaned, “Oh man, I bet this would taste awesome with wine.”
“Yo, Arch…” Keene motioned toward the cupboard where we kept the liquor. “Get some wine, will you?”
Since Oaklynn had requested it first, I complied. Except I had no idea what kind of wine people drank with salmon.
Thankfully, I only had to stand there blankly, staring at our selection for like five seconds before Hudson blew into the kitchen, changed into jeans and a T-shirt.
“Grab the Chardonnay,” he suggested, coming over to help without me even having to ask.
“We have Chardonnay?”
“Damn straight. I always keep some around. Here...” He slung an arm over my shoulder and reached past me with his free hand, snagging the desired bottle from the top shelf.
As he was pulling it down, however, he leaned close and whispered, “Dude, you are so fucked.”
I glanced over in confusion, and he sent me another sympathetic glance. “You two are already invested. At this point, it doesn't matter when you tell her; she’s going to fucking leave your ass when she learns the truth.”
I swallowed thickly, and agony plopped heavily into my stomach.
“I say put off the whole reveal for as long as you can,” he suggested quietly before turning away with the bottle and lifting it in celebration. “Who wants a drink?” he called cheerfully as if he hadn’t just ruined my life.
As he paused to collect some wine glasses from another cupboard, the three already seated at the table cheered. And Hudson went about serving them while I found a spot next to Oaklynn to quietly slip down beside her.
When she glanced at me with a smile, I tugged her chair against mine until our thighs pressed against each other, and I wrapped an arm around her waist, deciding to cherish what doomed time we had left together.
Around us, the other three were chatting as if life was great.
“Hey, try the chocolate on your toast,” Hudson suggested. “It’ll blow your mind how well chocolate pairs with avocado.”
While Alec grimaced and covered his avocado toast with his hand to protect it, Keene spoke up with a full mouth. “You know what else pairs well with chocolate?” Waggling his brows, he answered himself. “Sex.”
Alec glanced at Oaklynn. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I honestly thought he was going to say strawberries.”
She laughed and leaned back against me. “I did too.” As I tethered her closer and kissed her hair, she rested the side of her head affectionately against mine.
“And now I want sex,” Keene whined. “That’s it.” He tossed down his fork, finished with his salmon. “Let’s go out and hunt us up some women. Archer…” He glanced my way, then frowned at how I was wrapped securely around Oaklynn. “Never mind. Younger, Ivey…” Nodding at both of them with an encouraging grin, he coaxed, “Come on… You know you want to go with me. We can wingman each other.”
“Can’t, sorry,” Hudson said, dusting toast crumbs off his hand and picking up a napkin to wipe his mouth.
“What do you mean, you can’t?” Keene demanded irritably as Hudson picked up a glass of wine to take a sip. “You’re always game for a night of lady hunting.”
“Yeah, well…” Hudson shrugged apologetically as he swallowed and set his cup down. “I think I’m kind of dating someone now.”
“You’re what?” Oaklynn laughed as she lifted a hand. “You think you’re dating someone?” When she lowered her hand again, she rested it on my forearm which was wrapped around her waist as if my skin was where her fingers belonged. “How can you not know for certain?”
I had to agree with Hudson, though. I kind of thought I was dating someone, too, but I wasn’t sure how she viewed the situation. Hoping I could get an answer to that question before the night was over, I tucked my face in toward the back of her neck and burrowed my nose through her silken, dark hair until I found her nape. There, I kissed her flesh lovingly.
As she tipped her head back against me, letting me know she enjoyed the attention, Keene asked, “And who the fuck are you maybe dating?” at the same time Alec wondered, “Since when?”
“Since Monday.” Hudson didn’t seem invested in the conversation at all as he drizzled chocolate over a piece of avocado toast. “And her name’s Genesis. I met her at work.”
“Ooh, cool name,” Oaklynn said as she reached out to accept the slice when Hudson passed it to her. “I like it.”
Hudson sent her a half-grateful smile, half-wince while Alec wondered aloud, “So why don’t you bring her around some time and introduce us?”
With a shrug, Hudson went about fixing himself toast with drizzle. “Because I don’t want to.”
“Wow,” I spoke up, offended. “Sorry, we’re such an embarrassment to you.”
“Trust me,” Hudson said, glancing my way as he licked dripped chocolate off his finger. “It’s not you.”
Alec leaned toward me and Oaklynn, whispering, “It’s totally Dugger.”
“Hey.” Keene backhanded him in the gut. “Suck it, fucker. I’m awesome.”
Meanwhile, Oaklynn moaned in pleasure as she took a bite of her toast. “Oh my God. This is so good. Damien, have you tried this with chocolate yet?”
She held it up and slightly over her shoulder to offer me some, so I leaned in to take a bite.
“It’s not any of you,” Hudson assured us as I chewed and nodded my head in approval. “It’s one hundred percent her. She’s…simply put…a bitch.”
Oaklynn sputtered out a laugh, gripping my arm as she did. “Oh my God,” she said. “Wow. Why are you dating her, then?”
Keene snorted, choosing a piece of avocado toast for himself before drawing on it with chocolate. “Isn’t it obvious?” He flashed the letters S-E-X that he’d written with the chocolate. “Great sex.”
