《C.A.K.E》


 Chapter 1: Cant Stand the Heat

    Chapter 1: Can''t Stand the Heat


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Arden says with a coy smile.


    ¡°Pardon me.¡± The slightest whiff of an English ent is discernible in his voice.


    Arden and a rather attractive man have reached for a bunch of shallots at the same time. Now her


    hand is wedged underneath his. The pale purple of the tiny onions swirls about the stainless steel


    counter under the pressure of their palms.


    His deep-set dark eyes look her over and she feels naked. But she isn''t embarrassed. She''s happy to


    let him look. It''s only fair. Arden''s studying him, too.


    The heat emanating from her husband''s body at her side makes her conscious of the stranger''s


    lingering touch. He follows her eyes to their fingers and removes his hand. A nervous chuckle escapes


    him. He takes a look at his wife before smiling back at her.


    Their respective spouses don''t seem to notice the interaction. He hands the shallots to her. And Arden


    thanks him.


    ¡°No problem at all,¡± he says.


    His voice sweeps over her ears like a refreshing breeze. It''s a nice change of pace from the heavy


    syrup of the southern ents she hears every day.


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    British men always seem so suave. Like their entes with an ingrained refinement. And the


    specimen in front of her is no exception.


    She wishes he would say something else. Anything else.


    Arden lets her eyes wander over him in furtive nces, as she reduces the shallots to uniform oblong


    circles.


    As if he knows she''s watching, he licks his bottom lip and she gets a sh of his blinding, white teeth as


    his lip unfurls from their bite.


    His face has a rugged maturity to it. Its features are bold, but not menacing. A pristine goatee frames


    his thick lips. The softugh lines forming at his cheeks make him endearing. His heades to a


    slight point, which gives her the sudden urge to run her hand over its slope. The dark, silky skin


    nketing his six-feet-plus frame reminds her of freshly brewed coffee. Strong, ck, and twice as


    smooth.


    Elliott''s hand on her elbow interrupts her examination of the man across from her. She clears her throat


    and turns to look at him.


    ¡°Should I add the wine now?¡± Eli asks her.


    Tonight she and her husband, Elliott, are attending a couples'' cooking ss. He called her at the


    bakery and said they were going to do something different for date night.


    He wouldn''t tell her what he had in mind. Just that she should wear something a bit covered.


    Arden couldn''t have cared less where he was taking her.


    As long as they didn''t end up at their regr table at Luciano''s. The chef sees them walk into the door,


    and begins to fire up Eli''s medium-rare steak with the Gorgonz and chive mashed potatoes. The


    entire staff knows them by name.


    Hell, Arden would ridicule them herself, if she had to seat the same couple at the same table every


    Friday night. Familiarity isforting. But too much of it is suffocating.


    Now, she''s surrounded by plenty of local produce, an industrial gas range, and enough butter to sculpt


    a bust of the alluring Adonis before her. She is a tad annoyed that Elliott chose to center their date


    around an activity she does every day. But she''s thankful for the change of scenery.


    The open-air kitchen of the smaller satellite location of the L''Orange Culinary Institute is abuzz with


    sizzling skillets, and nging pots and pans. Arden feels a little less stale among the other chatty


    couples. And the presence of a broad-shouldered view doesn''t hurt either.


    She takes her eyes off the stranger and hands the wine to her husband. He pops open the bottle and


    pours a generous amount into the pan with the simmering shallots. She notices the heavy-handed


    ssh. But doesn''t say anything.


    Eli pours a ss for himself and offers to do the same for the handsome man and his wife. The couple


    epts. And the four begin exchanging small talk across their small workstations.


    The man introduces himself as Casper Caghan. His name suits him well, Arden thinks. It possesses


    a certain intrigue and uniqueness, much like his looks.


    His wife, Karma, is a wisp of a woman with lips that seem to overwhelm her slender face. Her brown


    eyes, give off a cold that makes Arden shiver. The gray of her structured midi dress dulls her caramel


    skin, making her look even less approachable. The cocky smirk on her face doesn''t help matters either.


    She doesn''t know much about Karma yet. But she already doesn''t care for her. Something about the


    way the woman carries herself puts Arden on guard. Maybe it''s the woman''s name that bothers her.


    ¡°Karma, your name sounds so familiar.¡± Arden''s brow furrows, as she tries to recall where she''s heard


    it.


    Karma purses her lips, cing a hand on her hip. ¡°Well, that might be because of my impressive 97%


    conviction rate with the DA''s office.¡±


    Now, Arden remembers. Karma Caghan is the shark assistant district attorney whose arrogant mug


    has been all over HLN for the past month. She''s one of the prosecutors on the Pord murder trial.


    The state is seeking the death penalty. And if anyone can get a jury to condemn a man to the needle,


    it''s Karma. Todd Pord would likely plunge the lethal dose into his own arm to escape the massacre of


    her cross-examination.


    The caption of the courtroom coverage often reads: ¡°Karma''s a bitch.¡± And the statement couldn''t be


    more urate. Her blitzkrieg style of questioning a defendant can have the presumed innocent so


    scared shitless, they stumble over their own lies.


    ¡°You are a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom. Bad news for Pord,¡± Elliottments with an


    appreciative nod.


    ¡°But great for my reputation.¡± Karma grins. ¡°He''s the Ted Bundy of my career. If I nail him to the wall,


    you could be looking at your next senatorial candidate.¡±


    ¡°And who wouldn''t love to see Karma in Congress?¡± Casper toasts his wife with a sarcastic glint in his


    eye. He smiles and nces at Arden.


    She catches the sh of insincerity andughs to herself.


    Karma cuts her eyes at Casper. He wipes the smile off his face. She snatches a tomato from its basket


    and ces it on the cutting board in front of him. Grabbing a knife from the butcher block, she impales


    the vegetable, leaving the de standing straight up in the wood.


    Elliott and Arden nce at the knife. Whatever that is about, they want no part of it.


    While Karma is ring at Casper, Eli and Arden take notice of the nearest emergency exit. It''s five


    steps to their immediate left. If Karma takes a stab at her husband, Elliott and Arden will be halfway


    home before the de has a chance to swing and miss.


    Elliott tries to diffuse the tension by keeping Karma talking about what must be her favorite subject¡ª


    herself. She seems to forget that either Casper or Arden is even in the kitchen.


    Casper yanks the knife from the wood and begins hacking away at the tomato. The result is a mushy


    mess of pinkish-red flesh and seeds. Arden cringes at his dicing skills.


    She selects the appropriate knife and slips it to him. Their hands touch again, as she ces the handle


    of the tool into his palm. A shared shock of electricity passes through them. Arden pauses a moment


    and meets his eyes. What she sees there rms her.


    Looking down again, she grabs another couple of tomatoes and gives one to him. Curling her fingers


    over the top of the tomato, she steadies it with her thumb. She angles the serrated de just above the


    ripened flesh, keeping the tip nted in the cutting board. Lifting her hand up and down at the wrist,


    she slices through the firm skin with speed and ease.


    He follows her lead, though with much less finesse than she does. But it''ll do. She gives him a quick


    nod of approval, as he tosses the neat slices onto a bed of romaine lettuce.


    He smiles at her¡ªagain. That makes one too many times now. Arden closes her eyes a second and


    breathes deep. Forcing herself to concentrate on more appropriate interaction, she asks Casper what


    he does for a living.


    ¡°I''m the CFO of Regent Financial.¡±


    Good. He has a boring, numbers job. Arden can talk about his work all night, and remain dry as a


    desert. There is nothing sexy about math. As long as he rambles on about it, he won''t be the least bit


    arousing to her.


    ¡°I''ve always admired people who can understand ounting.¡± Eli tips his ss to Casper. ¡°I can barely


    manage two plus two without a calctor.¡±


    ¡°Can''t take too much pride in it.¡± Casper shrugs. ¡°It''s alwayse easy to me.¡±


    His every word makes her shudder. Who is she kidding? Casper could read War and Peace to her after


    she''s worked a twelve-hour day. And his voice would still be verbal porn for her.


    ¡°Arden''s good with numbers, too,¡± Elliott smirks and nudges her. ¡°You can guess who handles the


    finances.¡±


    ¡°I''m just the lesser of two evils.¡±


    ¡°Don''t sell yourself short, love.¡± Casper winks at her. ¡°I''m sure your talents are more than satisfactory.¡±


    His gaze drops to her chest, before settling on her eyes again.


    Arden''s breath refuses toe to the surface until she can gauge Eli''s reaction.


    ¡°My wife is extraordinary.¡±


    She lets herself breathe again. As usual, Elliott is blind to the advance. Even if he did notice, jealousy


    isn''t his style.


    The green-eyed monster likes thepany of women much better. Karma downs her wine like water


    and refills the stemless ss. After burning a hole into Arden''s cheek, she turns her attention to Eli.


    ¡°What do you do, Elliott?¡± Karma asks. Her lips caress the rim of her wine ss like she''s greeting a


    new lover.


    Arden keeps her head lowered, focusing on the cucumber she''s cutting into a fine julienne. She


    eyeballs Casper''s wife in her peripheral.


    Elliott rocks on his heels a moment, a tick that shows when anyone asks about his work. He makes an


    almost apologetic gesture and takes a sip of wine. ¡°I am a forensic anthropologist.¡±


    He spends most days in ab piecing together the decayed remains of some unfortunate individual.


    Eli''s work either garners respect, awe or a mixture of the two. Which is why he is reluctant at times to


    discuss it.


    Karma and Casper look at Eli with interest. But he''s too flustered to borate in his usual easy diction.


    He can wax eloquent about Australopithecus afarensis in front of a hundred students, without so much


    as an awkward pause. But put him in a more intimate setting, with a couple new faces and ask him


    about his own evolutionary attributes, he gets stage fright.


    ¡°Well, I date dead people.¡± He shakes his head andughs. His blonde curls sway like pliable des of


    wheat in a gentle breeze. ¡°That came out wrong.¡±


    Arden hands Eli a wooden spoon to stir the risotto, letting her touch linger on his hand.


    ¡°Elliott is a professor of Biological and Forensic Anthropology at Birmingham Southern. He often works


    as aw enforcement consultant. He estimates the age and gender of human remains to determine


    identity, as well as the possible time and cause of death.¡±


    Arden rattles off the blurb without a hitch. It''s been burned into her brain, as many times as she''s had to


    repeat it to rtives who question Eli''s absence at family functions. But she likes telling people what he


    does.


    ¡°Wow, that must be challenging work." Karma stares at Elliott "How do you deal with handling...dead


    people...all day long?¡±


    ¡°I get toe home to this woman.¡± Elliott puts an arm around Arden''s waist, pulling her into him.


    ¡°Nothing can bother me when she''s around.¡±


    Arden blushes, trying to contain the smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She gives him a quick


    squeeze, before turning her attention to a bushel of t-leaf parsley.


    She''s not much for public disys of affection. It invites scrutiny. She and Elliott get enough sideways


    nces from people in the streets, without them being all over each other.


    ¡°A scientist and a romantic. You''re the total package.¡± Karma puts a hand to her chest and twists the


    diamond solitaire pendant hanging in the divide of her cleavage between her thumb and index finger.


    The small green leaves of parsley take the brunt of Arden''s growing annoyance with Karma''s not so


    subtle flirting. She minces the herb to within an inch of its bing dust. Taking her eyes off her work


    to grab a bell pepper, she looks up to find Casper''s gaze on her.


    She expects him to look away. But he doesn''t. His shameless observation makes her wonder what he


    might do to her if their spouses weren''t here.


    Arden tugs at the draped shoulder of her pale canary yellow dress. As she does, the chiffon slips lower


    on her opposite shoulder, exposing a scar about half the size of a stamp.


    Casper sort of chuckles, smirking at her.


    Arden lowers her head again, promising herself that she won''t look at him.


    Casper studies her like a mischievous child would his next mark, as he pops a slice of the pepper she


    just cut into his mouth. She watches his mouth beneath the cover of hershes.


    The heat in the room bes a problem. She reaches for the June issue of Cooking Light that''s


    disyed on a nearby shelf. The makeshift fan sends gentle gusts of air whispering through her silken


    strands, hurried and hushed like two schoolgirls sharing a secret. She tilts her head back and lifts the


    delicate material of her dress over and over. The action bares the buttery brown skin of her corbone


    and the crests of her breasts.


    Herplexion glistens, set alight by the steam escaping the stovetop. The blush she swept along her


    cheekbones bes a rosier hue. It enhances their steep structure, earning them easy entry into the


    ¡°Getting hot?¡± Eli asks her.


    Arden lifts her head. Casper is staring straight at her.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She nces at Casper out of the corner of her eye. ¡°Little bit.¡±


    Eli leans in and whispers to her. ¡°I''m usually the one who''s all hot and bothered around you. Didn''t


    realize you have the same effect on yourself.¡±


    He kisses her neck. She bites down on her lip. Nudging him, she whispers for him to stop. Elliott goes


    in for another kiss.


    Casper clears his throat loud enough for it to be heard over the pop and crackle of hot pans. The


    couple at the next range gives him a quick look. He tugs on thepel of his suit and throws a nervous


    smile their way.


    Arden smiles to herself, as Eli withdraws his hands. Someone other than her husband is appreciating


    the view. Her inner harlot just got its wings. But the Jezebel better not get any big ideas.


    Arden isn''t the least bit interested in testing the murky waters of another woman''s well. However, she is


    prepared to check her reflection in the darkened pool''s surface with her toes nted safely on the


    edge.


    ¡°So, Arden.¡± Casper slips out of his navy suit jacket andys it on a nearby chair. Loosening his


    iridescent cobalt tie, he undoes the top button of his shirt. ¡°How do you spend your time, while Elliott is


    rearranging skeletons?¡±


    I''m not going to look at him . . .


    As she tries to ignore Casper''s hard-earned physique, she gains another captivated audience member.


    This one isn''t quite so pleased with the show.


    Karma''s eyes travel from Arden to Casper and back, before deciding to shoot icy daggers at the man


    who shares her Egyptian cotton sheets.


    Just as Arden opens her mouth to answer him, a spray of orange mes shimmers across Casper and


    Karma''s cooktop.


    She shoots around the counter and pulls a stunned Karma back from the ze. Smothering the fire


    with a towel, she turns off the burner quicker than the other three can realize what''s happening.


    One of the instructors rushes over with a fire extinguisher. ¡°Is everyone all right?¡±


    Arden wraps the handle of the skillet in another towel and moves it aside to survey the damage.


    ¡°We''re fine. Just a little re-up.¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness.¡± The stout woman clutches at her heaving chest. ¡°It''s okay everyone. Everything''s


    under control.¡± She waves the rmed group of novice chefs back to their stations and then turns to


    Arden. ¡°You were great.¡±


    ¡°It''s nothing, really.¡± Arden flips her hair out of her face. ¡°I put out at least one fire a week.¡±


    The woman chuckles, making her starched white chef''s jacket crinkle like a paper cone. ¡°Well, we''re all


    grateful to have a professional on hand tonight.¡±


    As she heads back to the other end of the kitchen, she tells the others to feel free to torch the ce.


    ¡°I don''t know what happened.¡± Karma steps forward, eyes wide and mouth hanging half-open. ¡°One


    minute it was fine and the next, whoosh.¡±


    Arden nods and offers her an understanding smile. ¡°That''s usually all it takes.¡±


    She ces the pan back on the fire, then minces another handful of shallots. Spreading her hand over


    the skillet to test the heat, she drops in a pat of butter. When the shallots are introduced to the greased


    copper bottom pan, they scream in protest. Splitting her stance, she tosses the pan''s contents into the


    air a couple of times.


    ¡°Now you''re just showing off,¡± Elliott says with a smirk.


    ¡°All in the wrist.¡± Ardi winks at him and hands the reins over to Karma. ¡°Keep the heat low. It''s better


    not to rush the sweating process.¡±


    Casper makes the observation that her tip could also be applied to lovemaking. As Arden makes her


    way back to her husband''s side, she smiles at Casper''s remark. Elliott snickers, too.


    ¡°You''ll have to excuse, Casper.¡± Karma rolls her eyes at him. ¡°Some misguided soul led him to believe


    that he''s funny.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately for her, she was that misguided soul.¡± Casper kisses Karma''s cheek. She shoos him


    away.


    ¡°I was such an idiot at seventeen.¡±


    ¡°Best stroke of luck I ever had.¡± Casper grins at her.


    She relents and cheeses back at him. The first real sign of amusement his wife''s shown in a long time.


    He almost reaches for his phone to document it.


    ¡°Arden, you didn''t get a chance to answer Casper''s question.¡± Karma nces over at her. ¡°What do


    you do?¡±


    ¡°Obviously, she''s a volunteer firefighter,¡± Casper pipes up.


    ¡°Shut up, Casper.¡± She ps his arm.


    ¡°I''m a pastry chef.¡±


    ¡°And the best damn one in the state. Scratch that. The country.¡± Elliott steps behind Ardi and wraps his


    arms around her.


    ¡°No wonder,¡± Karma says. ¡°Isn''t this like slumming it for you?¡±


    ¡°I dragged her here tonight. She has this thing about making me happy.¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry. That''ll pass,¡± Casper smirks. ¡°So chef, at what establishment can we sample your wares?¡±


    ¡°SoHo Sugar,¡± Eli says, a touch too excited.


    ¡°Oh, the bakery in Homewood with the adorable staff?¡± Karma smiles at Arden.


    Casper stares at his wife. There''s a sudden fire sale on Karma''s pearly whites tonight. He really should


    pull out the camera.


    ¡°I love that ce. I''ve been dying to meet the owner.¡±


    Arden extends her hand to Karma. ¡°Arden Stone, head chef and owner of SoHo Sugar.¡±


    ¡°You''re kidding?¡± She shakes Arden''s hand. ¡°Your macarons and opera cake are the reason my skinny


    jeans are digging into my waist. My trainer has banned me from your bakery.¡±


    ¡°My apologies to your trainer. But I''m pleased you enjoy our food.¡±


    ¡°I told her those macarons shoulde with a warningbel. And she makes this lemon tart


    that''s...heaven on a te.¡± Elliott sneaks a kiss on her cheek, before releasing her. ¡°She''s addictive. In


    more ways than one.¡±


    ¡°Sounds dangerous,¡± Casper says.


    ¡°Oh, she is. I would eat her chocte ganache off a shoe.¡±


    They all share augh.


    Casper and Arden''s eyes meet for the umpteenth time tonight. For a brief second, they''re the only two


    in the building.


    She looks away first, going back to supervising Elliott''s cooking. But the other man''s every word and


    movement continues to steal her attention from the task at hand.


    An hour or soter, the ding of kitchen timers brings their little dance to an end. Once chickens have


    been rescued from their 400-degree hell, and the mushroom risotto is garnished with a touch of


    parsley, the two couples sit down together to enjoy their dinner.


    The conversation is easy and lighthearted between the four amid the crisp white tablecloths and tea


    candles. Punched tinnterns suspended from the ceiling cast intricate patterns on the toasted


    marshmallow walls.


    The air conditioning makes the metal stars and orbs sway like skirted Moran dancers, weaving a


    Charming ck and white pictures of Downtown Birmingham in its heyday bear the patrons'' reflections


    in the ss of their dark frames.


    Dim lighting, good food, hearty wine, and attractivepany. A treacherousbination, if not tread


    with caution.


    A bottle of Cabe Francter, Arden, Elliott, Casper, and Karma are making their way across the


    small courtyard of the school''s main entrance.


    Arden and Elliott walk down the sidewalk, both with an arm around the other. She''s resting her head on


    his shoulder. Their gait is slow. But neither seems bothered by the sacrifice of speed to be near each


    other.


    Casper and Karma walk arm in arm. But their stride is out of step. Hers is much faster. His steps are


    more subdued. She won''t slow down. And his polished loafers refuse to y catch up.


    When they reach the end of thewn, Eli turns to the other couple. ¡°This has been a very pleasant


    evening.¡±


    ¡°We should all get together again sometime,¡± Casper agrees.


    His eyes dart to the hem of Arden''s dress which hits her about mid-thigh. She catches him looking


    before he has a chance to right his gaze.


    ¡°Definitely.¡± Karma tightens her grip on Casper. ¡°How about next weekend?¡±


    ¡°Sure. There''s a new restaurant in Hoover we''ve been meaning to try,¡± Arden offers.


    ¡°I was thinking of dinner at our ce.¡± Karma nces up at Casper''s confused expression. ¡°It''s the


    least we can do, seeing as you saved my life tonight. Please, it would make me feel so much better.¡±


    ¡°How can we refuse, then?¡± Elliott says. ¡°What time?¡±


    They agree to meet at the Caghan''s home around eight the following Friday, and exchange numbers.


    The four go their separate ways.


    Eli and Ardi head for their Southside condo. And Casper and Karma make the drive to the two-story


    new construction they call home.

 Chapter 2: I Think Were Alone Now

    Chapter 2: I Think We''re Alone Now


    THE STONES


    ¡°Home sweet home, my dear.¡±


    Elliott opens the door of their four-bedroom condo and ushers Arden over the threshold. As soon as her


    heels touch the reimed hardwood floor, the motion sensor lights are triggered. The open floor n of


    the main living area is illuminated within seconds. She sits her clutch on the foyer table and Eli


    removes his jacket from her shoulders.


    ¡°Such a gentleman.¡± Smiling, she slips out of her shoes.


    ¡°Only for you.¡± He hooks his arm around her middle and scoops her up. ¡°I can be quite rough at times.¡±


    She squeals and pretends to struggle against him. Elliott carries her to the master bedroom and falls


    backward onto the California king bed with her.


    She sits up and swings her leg over his body so that her thighs are hugging his torso. Her dress glides


    up as his hands chase the thin material up her thighs, before cupping her round bottom.


    Moonlight rains down from the skylight above the bed, casting a sapphire glow over them. Arden stares


    down at him and runs her fingers through his dusky blonde curls. Still grasping a handful of his hair,


    she bends and whispers in his ear.


    ¡°Rough little boys need to be punished for their actions.¡± She tugs his locks. ¡°Now what should I do with


    you?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know.¡± He sighs and turns his head to face her. ¡°But I think it should hurt.¡±


    She smiles, devilment in her eyes. ¡°Can do.¡±


    Arden teases him, letting her lips get just within reach of his before pulling back. Elliott tightens his grip


    on her, making her soft curves press into him.


    Eli breaks their kiss to trace slow circles on her shoulder with his tongue. She whimpers, as he bites


    and sucks her skin. His hand finds the zipper on the side of her dress and tugs it down.


    Arden pulls the garment over her head, ruffling her hair. She leans down, seeking his lips again. But his


    touch on her stomach keeps her upright.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Just let me look at you for a second.¡± d in nothing but her nude strapless bra and matching


    seamless underwear, she''s a disheveled goddess.


    She smooths her thumb over the stubble of his forming beard, then tugs at his bottom lip. ¡°You know


    that''s not all you''re allowed to do.¡±


    Elliott pulls her down into another kiss.


    Arden yanks the cashmere blend shirt over his head. She trails soft kisses down his chest to the


    waistband of his jeans. She undoes the button and zipper with an urgency that isn''t easy to derail. But


    Eli manages.


    ¡°Baby, wait.¡± He catches her hands.


    ¡°What?¡± She lifts her head, brows furrowed.


    ¡°We both have early mornings ahead of us. And you know, we don''t do quickies.¡±


    Arden nods, continuing to undress him. He flips her over onto her back and holds her down by her


    wrists.


    ¡°I have a meeting at eight. And you need to be at the bakery by four.¡±


    ¡°You''re just stating facts right now. What''s the problem?¡±


    ¡°We should get some rest.¡±


    ¡°It will still bete in twenty minutes.¡± She blows a lock of hair out of her face and wraps her legs


    around his waist. ¡°The only difference is we''ll both be a whole lot happier.¡±


    He gives her a tender kiss then scoots to the edge of the bed to remove his shoes. Arden turns on the


    bedsidemp and pulls him back down onto the sheets. Straddling him, she grabs his chin and makes


    him look up at her.


    ¡°Hi. Elliott? Maybe, we haven''t met.¡± She smirks and gestures to herself. ¡°I''m Arden, your wife. And I''m


    trying to sleep with you.¡±


    ¡°I''ll make it up to you tomorrow.¡± He kisses her neck, then picks her up andys her on top of the duvet.


    ¡°I promise.¡±


    Arden watches his naked back disappear behind the pocket doors of their walk-in closet. She flings her


    head back on the pillow and closes her eyes.


    Every inch of her is craving to be touched. Casper''s image shes into her mind and the need is


    intensified. She dismisses it and sighs.


    Leaving her like this has to be criminal.


    THE CALLAGHANS


    ¡°What color do you think her underwear was?¡±


    Casper sighs. He knew the silent treatment in the car was too good to be true. Karma isn''t one to


    mince words and conflict is her middle name.


    He decides to y dumb like any man with a lick ofmon sense would.


    ¡°Whose?¡±


    She smirks. ¡°You know exactly who I''m talking about.¡±


    Yes, he does. She''s a hard woman to forget. Brown eyes . . . A wide, sexy smile with lips perfect for


    kissing . . . five-foot-seven with a healthy body and an ass that would have Casper at home every night


    with bells on. He''d sip Arden Stone''s bathwater through a swirly straw.


    But like a good husband, he''s resigned himself to touching her in the privacy of his dreams. Karma


    owns his ass for sure. But she has no im over the sexual yground that exists in his mind. His gray


    matter has stored the sensations of innumerable raunchy encounters with hundreds of women.


    ¡°The only woman''s underwear I''m concerned with are yours.¡±


    He puts his arms around her and is shocked by the way his six-foot-three and two-hundred-twenty


    pound frame engulfs her tiny body. She''s always been petite at just four inches over five feet and a


    hundred-twenty-five pounds. But her shape still had . . . some shape.


    Karma went crazy about losing ten pounds to fit into her wedding dress. But here they were, five years


    post-wedding, and she is still obsessive about keeping her weight in the low hundreds. She¡¯s obsessive


    about what she eats. Everything has to be organic, low-fat, or whatever new diet trend is flooding social


    media. He¡¯s convinced the only reason she still has sex with him is that she can burn off a few calories.


    A big part of him wishes there was more of her to hold onto. Casper was a self-professed ¡°ass man.¡±


    Thank goodness her backside imed the small percentage of body fat she allows to grace her slim


    figure.


    ¡°Better be.¡± She whips around and throws him back on the sofa.


    She unzips her gray structured dress to reveal a pair of ckce undies. No bra. Why bother? Her


    breasts were petite handfuls that defied gravity. The leather wrinkles under their weight as she climbs


    on top of him.


    Casper''s clothes are torn away from his body without much help from him. Ripping fabric is a turn-on


    for him. But right now this is just rough. And not in a good way. He shuffles out of his boxer briefs


    before she shreds them as well.


    He pulls her to him for a kiss. Karma presses her mouth to his like she''s trying to devour him, then


    shoves him backward onto the couch again. She strokes his shaft and teases the tip with her lips, as


    she warms herself up. Casper would jump in to help. But he''s sure his assistance would be seen as


    more of a hindrance.


    Once he''s hard enough to impale a brick wall she mounts him. He groans and winces as she grinds on


    top of him. He grabs her ass and cups her breast in his other hand. Karma knocks his hand from her


    chest and begins to rub her own nipples.


    Casper watches her im his manhood over and over in an aggressive vice grip. She''s getting close.


    He concentrates, trying to chase his own nirvana. If he doesn''t cum when she does, it''s going to be a


    blue-balls kind of night.


    She ascends the staircase to heaven just as he''s approaching the first step. Her body bucks hard


    against his, frozen momentarily as sharp gasps escape her. She slowly rides him, while she enjoys the


    She gives him a kiss on the cheek. ¡°Mmm . . . that was so damn good.¡±


    Karma leaves Casper and his half-limp dick to fend for themselves on the sofa and saunters into their


    bedroom. He pulls the decorative throw from the opposite arm of the couch and covers his lower half.


    Lately, it feels like she''s doing the deed just to get it over with. It''s all very mechanical and ordered, like


    a job. He always gets the impression she''d rather be doing anything else .... or anyone else.


    He brushes off his thoughts, not in the mood for any deep analysis. But the tension in his crotch can''t


    be ignored. He enlists the help of his best friend as a teenager--his left hand. As he and his palm get


    reacquainted, Arden wanders into his mind.


    He imagines his fingers skimming over her smooth skin. Her full breasts pressed against his chest and


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    his hands on her ass as he sinks into her. Casper can almost feel her lips on his, her legs wrapped


    around his back, and her muffled moans against his neck.


    A few strokester, he''s made the nket unfit for anything but the trash can. Slipping back into his


    boxers, he discards the cover in the garbage bin in the attached garage and washes up in the half bath.


    He heads for the bar in the living room and pours himself a ss of Jack. He sips the stiff drink and


    runs a hand over his hair. Her name bounces off the walls of his mind.


    ¡°Arden,¡± he whispers, thinking of doing much more than just looking.

 Chapter 3: Caspers Ghost

    Chapter 3: Casper''s Ghost


    Arden arrives home with a little over an hour''s time to get ready for dinner with the Caghans. She


    would have left the bakery earlier. But one of her employees had a family emergency. So Arden had to


    close the cafe alone, which means she had to handle a wedding cake delivery on her own as well.


    The bride and groom loved her three-tier, cherry blossom masterpiece of fondant so much, they invited


    her to stay for the reception. By the time she convinced them she couldn''t stay, they had promised to


    name their first child after her. The newlyweds were taking full advantage of their open bar.


    Arden smiles at the thought of being that young¡ªand drunk¡ªand in love. Just then, she receives a


    text from Elliott. He''s runningte. No real surprise there.


    Remains were found in the Pelham Cityndfill two days ago, and his services were needed. Her


    husband is good at what he does, which means she falls somewhere around third on his priority list.


    Ardi sighs and leaves the phone on the kitchen counter to walk farther into their home.


    She leans against the back of the turquoise leather sofa and runs her fingers across its grommet


    details. Arden stares out of the bank of floor-to-ceiling windows along the far wall of the living area at


    the impending sunset. The rays strike her brown eyes, making them glow a honeyed amber. She


    stands stock-still, letting herself be one with the silence in the empty apartment.


    Her approachable and somewhat offbeat style is evident throughout the space. The starkness of the


    exposed brick and ductwork of the high ceilings is softened by the plush chairs and settees in shades


    of coral, chartreuse, turquoise, and fuchsia.


    An entire wall has been dedicated to family photos in frames of various shapes and sizes. Eclectic


    chotskies live in every nook and cranny. Nothing matches, but everything coordinates. Their ce has


    character and warmth, just like her childhood home.


    The Stones own the top two floors of the Fifth Avenue Lofts on Birmingham''s Southside. They were the


    first to move into the renovated building, and the owners had no problem with them turning the two


    floors into a penthouse. The Stones'' million dor check, along with her father''s name, might have


    greased the wheels in that respect.


    When they moved in four years ago, she had been concerned that a condo wouldn''t be big enough for


    them. Now she wants to eat her words. Their home is plenty big. Especially, since she spends a great


    deal of time in its expanse alone. It''s May, and summers have always left her with more than enough


    time to herself. But soon the days will be just as long, no matter what the season.


    Arden sweeps that thought under the rug and forces herself to get ready. She''s reminded of the ache in


    her neck and back with every step she takes to the bedroom. The end of a long day and all she needs


    is a hot bath. It''ll have to be a short one.


    As she waits for the tub to fill, she copses on the bed and stares at the dove-gray walls. She focuses


    on the silver, crystal chandelier above the bed to keep her tired eyes from shutting her off from the


    waking world. The rushing of water ceases in the next room, stalled by the automatic valve designed to


    prevent an overflow. Ardi heaves herself from thefort of their white and periwinkle bedding and into


    the closet.


    She undoes her emerald, a-line dress, and steps out of her floral ts. Her jewelry is returned to the felt


    drawers of the built-in armoire in the center of the walk-in. Once she''s disrobed and tied a scarf around


    her hair, she closes the frosted ss doors that separate the closet from the bathroom. Arden adds


    rosewater to the near scalding bath and slips her body into the water. A tiny wave is disced as the


    water envelopes her, spilling over the sides and onto the bank of smooth pebbles surrounding the


    bathtub.


    She washes the day off her skin, letting the torrid water permeate her pores. Arden turns on the jets,


    and sinks lower into the basin. She rests her head on the lip of the tub, while a dozen tiny sprays pulse


    against her aching muscles. As the tension in her back lessens, a jet near her feet creates a new


    tension in her lower body.


    Ardi adjusts to find just the right¡ª¡°Ooh, shit. Right there.¡±


    Having found the perfect position, she closes her eyes and allows the purifying surge to relieve the


    frustration that''s guing her. Arden expects her mind to manifest her husband''s ruddyplexion, but


    Casper''s form materializes.


    His hands draw near her in the haze of the humid bathroom. She sumbs to the phantasm''s touch,


    moaning her consent. Casper''s ghost melds into her senses, leading her to the edge. The fogged


    mirrors bear witness to her cerebral tryst, reflecting a distorted image of the pleasure and pain riddling


    her sweet features. Arden grips the sides of the tub, as she''s driven to the brink of insanity.


    ¡°Arden, honey, you home?¡± . . .


    Casper''s lips are making their way down Arden''s neck on a direct path to her chest.


    ¡°Ardi?¡± . . .


    His fingertips trace a trail of fire across her stomach. She bites down on her knuckle. Arden is too far


    gone to hear the voice calling her name from the other side of the bathroom door.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± . . .


    Casper''s girth is between her legs, ying a sensual concerto. All her focus finds its way to her spot,


    leaving her other senses out to dry. Where she''s headed, she doesn''t need them anyway. She moans


    softly as delicate convulsions ravage her.


    ¡°Arden?¡±


    Her head still raised to the ceiling, she mutters, ¡°Fuck . . .¡±


    The rush of cool air from the adjoining walk-in added to the side effects of her orgasm, have her


    shuddering. For a moment she''s forgotten her own name and the name of the man who is standing in


    the doorway gawking at her.


    ¡°Am I interrupting something?¡±


    Arden bes aware of Elliott''s presence and shuts off her aquatic lover. She blinks several times,


    trying to will her body''s return to its normal state.


    ¡°Elliott . . .¡± Her speech falters. She takes a deep breath. ¡°When did you get in?¡±


    He kneels beside the tub and holds her chin in his hand. ¡°About the time you were sliding into home


    te.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, God.¡± Ardi sinks lower into the warm water.


    ¡°No need to be embarrassed.¡± Eli smiles and leans over to taste her lips. ¡°Next time I''ll be here to take


    care of that for you.¡±


    ¡°I''ll hold you to that,¡± she says with a smirk.


    Elliott strips down and steps into the shower, while Arden scolds herself. Nice, Arden. Getting off to


    another man just as your husband walks in the door. Very ssy.


    She collects her thoughts and pulls her body from the tub. Ardi wraps a towel around herself and slips


    out of the wet air of the bathroom into the closet to get dry. She applies shea butter to her skin, and a


    citrus vani musk to her pulse points, making herself smell good enough to eat.


    While still in her undies, she paints her face. She creates a subdued shimmer on her lids with a bronze


    shadow. Forgoing the falsies, she defines hershes with ck eyeliner and a couple of coats of


    mascara. Arden chooses a deep red with hints of orange for her lips. A dusting of bronzer along her


    cheeks and her makeup is done. Her hair is given a deep side part, before being swept into a low


    chignon.


    Arden hears the hairdryer on the other side of the double doors to the bath. Good. We might be on time


    tonight.


    All Eli has to do is run a little mousse through his hair, p on some deodorant and cologne, then throw


    on his clothes. She has yet to convince him to make lotion a regr part of his routine. Ardi is buttoning


    up her tuxedo shirtdress when Elliott emerges with a towel draped around his waist.


    ¡°Have you selected my ensemble for the evening, darling?¡±


    ¡°I figure you can dress yourself tonight.¡±


    ¡°In that case . . .¡± He rips away his towel. ¡°I''m ready to go.¡±


    Ardenughs. ¡°Unless you''re looking to make a couple of dors, I suggest you put that away.¡±


    He hooks his hands behind his head and begins thrusting his hips like a Chippendale. ¡°Cash and all


    major credit cards are epted.¡±


    She shakes her head. ¡°Why do I put up with you?¡±


    ¡°Crazy little thing called love.¡± Elliott bes a version of Elvis and winks at her.


    ¡°It has to be.¡± Arden gives him a kiss, and a quick p on the ass. ¡°Put me down for ap danceter.¡±


    ¡°I''ll reserve the VIP section.¡±


    They return to their respective sides of the walk-in to get dressed. Arden ents her petal-pink dress


    with a coral matte belt, statement earrings, and a ring to match. She grabs a pair of cream two-tone


    heels then takes a seat on the bed to slip them on.


    Elliott appears, dressed in a burgundy velvet zer, a white button-down, medium-wash jeans, and


    brown oxfords. With his hair slicked back, he looks rather dapper.


    ¡°Not bad, Elliott Stone. Not bad at all.¡± She grins at him.


    ¡°Thank you, all me.¡± He does a spin for her. ¡°I gave my stylist the night off.¡±


    She apuds him. He picks up her other shoe and slides it on her foot. After he secures the strap


    around her ankle, his fingers find their way up her leg. His hand flirts with the idea of lifting her silk


    chiffon hem.


    Arden leans down to caress his face. She tilts her head to kiss him, then pauses and raises an


    eyebrow.


    ¡°You know we don''t do quickies.¡± Sheunches from the bed.


    ¡°Touch¨¦, Mrs. Stone.¡± Eli catches her wrist and smiles. Getting to his feet, he steps in front of her. ¡°I


    must say, you do look incredible tonight.¡± His eyes run the height of her frame. ¡°But you missed


    something.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She nces down at herself.


    Elliott undoes three pearl buttons on her dress, exposing thece trim of her bra. ¡°Casper likes a little


    more cleavage.¡±


    Ardenughs and looks down at her shoes, then back up to smile at him. ¡°Not so blind after all, are


    you?¡±


    ¡°I''m not Ray Charles. But even he could have seen the way that guy looked at you.¡± Eli takes her hand.


    ¡°Can''t me him, though. Who could ignore these? ...¡± He kisses her lips. ¡°These ...¡± He trails a finger


    between her breasts. ¡°And especially, this.¡± Grabbing her ass, he dips her backward, supporting her


    weight on his left leg.


    ¡°That''s not all there is to me.¡± Sheughs. ¡°Maybe he likes my personality.¡±


    ¡°Nah, you''re not that interesting. Thank God, for your looks.¡±


    ¡°And thank goodness you''re educated.¡± She strokes his cheek. ¡°Only a mother could love this face.¡±


    ¡°See? There''s that shining personality.¡± Elliott pulls her upright.


    Arden stops at the door and gives him a smoldering look over her shoulder. ¡°Come on. We can''t bete


    for my date.¡±


    Elliott and Arden arrive at the Caghan''s home about fifteen minutes early. They approach the door


    hand in hand and ring the doorbell. Secondster Karma appears in the doorway looking like the


    picture-perfect beauty queen.


    ¡°You''re punctual. How polite,¡± Karma observes with a smile.


    Her former dancer figure is draped in a navy, quarter-length sleeve dress with a high-low hem. She''s


    wearing a pair of ck, studded booties and her eyes have been shrouded in a haze of metallic-gray


    shadow. Arden wonders if Karma owns any clothes in less somber colors.


    ¡°This is for you.¡± Elliott hands a bottle of Chianti to Karma.


    ¡°And thoughtful.¡± Karma steps back and opens the door of her home to the Stones. ¡°Come on inside.


    Casper''s in the great room.¡±


    She closes the door behind them, then leads Arden and Elliott down the hallway into a room at the


    back of the house.


    The realtor who sold the Caghans'' housebeled this ratherrge space as the bonus room. A room


    with no predetermined use which lends itself well to a fifty-two-inch, 3-D television, full wet bar, and a


    collection of basketball memorabilia.


    Lots of old leather, Cuban cigars, twenty-year-old scotch, and every gaming tform and tape of


    Richard Pryor''s stand-up has found its forever-home here. This is the one room in the entire house that


    reflects Casper.


    Arden and Elliott descend a couple of steps into the room. Casper pulls his attention from the game


    coverage on the t screen and greets their guests.


    He shakes Eli''s hand. ¡°Nice to see you again, Elliott.¡±


    ¡°Likewise. Thanks for having us.¡±


    Speaking of having . . .


    Casper approaches Arden, takes both of her hands in his, and ces a kiss on her cheek. ¡°Arden, it''s


    a pleasure.¡±


    A pleasure indeed . . .


    His touch and the spice of his cologne makes her close her eyes to enjoy it. As images of her


    encounter with Casper the Friendly Ghost in her bathtube back to her, she pulls away from him.


    ¡°As are you, Casper.¡±


    An awkward silence hangs in the air, while Casper''s gaze lingers over the flustered Arden.


    Karma steps between her husband and Ardi. She raises her eyebrow at him.


    ¡°Casper, why don''t you make our guests a drink, while I go check on dinner?¡± She pats her palm


    against his chest, before leaving the room.


    He does as Karma asks and offers a beverage to Arden and Elliott. Casper opens a temperature-


    controlled cab and produces a bottle of single malt scotch.


    ¡°Are you a scotch man, Elliott?¡±


    ¡°Whenever there''s a good one up for grabs, yes.¡±


    ¡°Well, this one is old enough to drink itself.¡± He pours the whiskey into a tumbler for Eli and hands it to


    him.


    Arden declines Casper''s offer of alcohol. He gets her a ss of ginger ale instead.


    ¡°Not a fan of hard liquor?¡± Casper asks her.


    Ardi stares down at the pale, effervescent liquid in her ss. A cloud passes over her dark eyes. ¡°Not a


    fan of what it can do to people.¡±


    Eli takes her hand and touches it to his lips. His way of apologizing for his unintentional insensitivity.


    Though Arden has never made an issue of it, he tries not to drink anything stronger than wine around


    her. Casper drops his hands to his sides and stares at Arden, a question on his tongue.


    Karma sweeps back into the room, her crepe dress fluttering around her toned calves.


    ¡°Dinner is served, everyone.¡± She catches Arden''s pained expression before it dissolves into a weak


    smile. ¡°Casper, have you managed to alienate our friends in the short span of fifteen minutes?¡±


    ¡°Oh no, Casper''s been the perfect host,¡± Arden assures her. ¡°It''s me.¡±


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Casper takes a step closer, his hand extended towards her.


    ¡°I''m fine. Really.¡± Arden smiles, this one much more convincing than the first.


    The others seem satisfied with her response and move the party into the dining room. Once they''re all


    seated, the Caghans'' personal chef serves the first course. They get to know each other better over


    an antipasto spread of fresh garlic bread, tomato relish, and shrimp.


    ¡°Do you two have any other family here?¡± Arden asks.


    ¡°I''m an only child.¡± Karma pauses a second to refresh her drink. ¡°My parents retired to Florida. But


    most of Casper''s family is here.¡±


    ¡°Yep. We have plenty of unannounced visits between my parents, and my younger brother''s family.¡±


    Casper chuckles.


    ¡°Those are good interruptions, though.¡± Karma smiles.


    Casper asks about Eli''s family. He exins that he''s an only child as well, and his parents live near


    Birmingham.


    Arden''s extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins affords him therge family he dreamed of as a


    child. Her older brother, Adam, is like his own sibling. When Elliott gets the chance, he enjoys being


    with her family even more than she does.


    ¡°Sometimes, I regret that my parents stopped at one.¡± Eli shares with a wishful smirk.


    Karma nudges his hand. ¡°Hey, why mess with perfection. Right?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± He grins and the two toast.


    The table is cleared to make way for the grilled pork loin and spiced carrots with a brown sugar ze.


    Casper opens the bottle of Chianti and shoots Arden a look. She nods at him. His consideration makes


    her smile.


    ¡°How did you two meet?¡± Elliott asks, gesturing to Karma and Casper.


    ¡°We were high school sweethearts.¡± Karma rolls her eyes. ¡°He was a lot better looking back then.¡±


    That seems impossible. How could he be any more attractive? Arden leers at Casper, watching his


    seductive lips like a perverted voyeur.


    ¡°And she was more of a sweetheart.¡±


    ¡°Oh, stop fawning over each other,¡± Elliott teases.


    Casper takes a sip of his wine and shrugs. ¡°She loves me.¡±


    ¡°That''s still undecided.¡± Karma sighs. ¡°Anyway, how did you and Arden get together?¡±


    ¡°We wereb partners in an Advanced Biology course back in college. She was a freshman and I was


    a first-year grad student.¡± He nces at Arden and smirks. ¡°She wouldn''t give me her number. So I


    stole her book, and held it for ransom until she agreed to have coffee with me.¡±


    ¡°He tore pages out of it, highlighted words from the text to spell out nerdy love notes, and left them in


    my notebook. It was very disturbing and sweet.¡± Ardenughs, grinning at Eli. ¡°ckmail and extortion


    just do it for me, I guess.¡±


    ¡°So he stalked you.¡± Karma scoffs, shaking her head at Elliott. ¡°You could have caught a case, man."


    ¡°Worth the risk.¡± Eli squeezes Ardi''s knee. ¡°Though, I did get a little worried, when I realized her father


    was Senator Mitchell.¡±


    Arden groans to herself. Her father''s political career is not her favorite topic. Politics tends to divide


    people with the strongest of bonds. It''s not the safest discussion for getting to know someone.


    But it is often a good indicator of how genuine a person''s interest is with Arden. There are those who


    think she might be a useful stepping stone to their own ambitious goals. She isn''t sure if her present


    ¡°Former bama senator, Mitchell?¡± Casper asks, his brow raised.


    Elliott nods.


    ¡°You were a brave one.¡±


    ¡°He just appears to be a hard ass.¡± Eli shrugs.


    ¡°How was it being the daughter of a senator?¡± Karma eyes Arden with a renewed interest.


    The greedy look in her eyes answers Arden''s earlier suspicions of her motives.


    ¡°He was elected when I was sixteen. So, I didn''t date much. Every boy was afraid he could have him


    arrested.¡±


    They allugh and wait to hang onto Arden''s every word. However, Ardi doesn''t borate. And if


    asked, she still won''t.


    To Arden''s relief, the subject of her father is a distant memory throughout the remainder of the main


    course and dessert.


    After dinner, they retire to the great room again to peruse Casper''s collection of vinyl records. Casper


    pulls an album from the shelf and flips the vinyl onto the record yer. With a gentle touch, he ces


    the needle over the record. Soon the walls are filled with Earth, Wind & Fire''s ¡°After The Love Has


    Gone.¡±


    Casper does a backward two-step away from the cherry wood built-ins that house his music collection.


    ¡°Oldie but goody.¡± Smiling and snapping his fingers, he asks Karma to dance.


    ¡°You can embarrass yourself without my help,¡± Karma says, sipping her drink.


    Unfazed, Casper shrugs and saunters over to where Arden is sitting. She looks up at him with


    butterflies fluttering in her stomach, waiting for him to ask her.


    ¡°Elliott, may I have the honor of a dance with your wife?¡± He''s speaking to Eli. But doesn''t take his eyes


    off Ardi.


    ¡°As long as you promise to bring her back.¡± Eli smiles. Arden looks over at him, and he waves her on.


    She takes Casper''s hand, and he proceeds to dazzle her with how light he is on his feet. His hand on


    her back and her hand in his feels nice. It feels right. And it shouldn''t. It can''t. Casper holds her a little


    closer, and she finds herself thankful that the sheer chiffon of her dress allows the heat of his touch to


    be felt. Ardi begins to panic.


    He''s beautiful. His voice is pure sex. He has impable taste in music. And on top of all that, he''s a


    great dancer. She isn''t strong enough for this.


    Before Arden has a chance to buckle, Karma suggests that the four of them take a tour of the house.


    Casper agrees and Arden and Elliott follow them from room to room of the expansive house.


    Ardi hangs onto Eli''s arm, trying to steady her weakened knees. Casper takes every opportunity to


    squeeze past Arden in the hallways. She prays for strength until the tour¡ªand her torturees to


    an end.


    Arden and Elliott thank the Caghans for their hospitality and head home. They are taking the elevator


    up from the covered parking garage of their building when Elliott turns to her.


    ¡°I should have refused the drink. I''m sorry, I didn''t think.¡± Eli''s baby blues beg her for forgiveness.


    ¡°Don''t be silly.¡± She hooks her arm around his and rests her head on his shoulder. ¡°That would have


    been rude.¡±


    ¡°Is that your excuse for dancing with him?¡±


    Arden''s breath catches in her throat and she lifts her head, guilt building in her gut.


    Elliottughs. ¡°I''m only kidding, honey."


    She pushes his shoulder. "Don''t y with me.¡±


    They exit the elevator in the lobby of the building. Arden walks ahead, and Elliott grabs for her hand.


    She pulls away.


    He steps in her path. ¡°You mad at me now?¡±


    Arden smirks and turns her head.


    ¡°Not talking, huh?¡± He shrugs. ¡°All right, have it your way.¡±


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    He hoists her over his shoulder and carries her across the polished concrete floor of the lobby to the


    resident elevators.


    The spectacle gets the attention of the concierge, Edward. ¡°He kidnapping you again, Mrs. Stone?¡±


    Arden lifts her head to answer him. ¡°It''s the only way he can get me to go home with him.¡±


    Elliott pumps his shoulder, making her body jump, as she and Edwardugh.


    In their apartment, Eli throws her on the bed and takes off her shoes. Slipping out of his own shoes, he


    climbs onto the bed and kisses her, undoing the buttons on her dress.


    The exhaustion from earlier in the day creeps up on her again, and she yawns.


    ¡°Am I boring you?¡± He stops kissing her neck and smirks.


    ¡°No, baby. That ...¡± Another yawn, longer than the first. ¡°That feels ... good.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. Talk dirty to me,¡± Eli says, full of sarcasm.


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Her eyes close, and her head lolls to one side.


    Laughing to himself, he gets her undressed, with very little help from her. He turns down the sheets and


    tucks her into their fluff.


    ¡°Goodnight, sleeping beauty.¡± He kisses her temple, and snuggles in beside her, cing his arm


    around her waist.


    Not long after drifting off to sleep, Arden awakes to Elliott''s gentle nudging. Still in a fog, she asks him


    what''s wrong.


    ¡°You''re talking in your sleep.¡± He leans his left arm over her. His blonde tendrils stick out from his head


    at odd angles. ¡°Well, writhing in your sleep is more like it.¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry. Guess I''m having trouble sleeping.¡± Ardi runs her hand over her hair. She twists, trying to


    untangle herself from a web of damp cotton. The sheets are clinging to her moist skin.


    ¡°I''m sure you are.¡± Eli kisses her forehead, then turns onto his side with his back to her. ¡°Doesn''t sound


    like Casper is giving you much time to rest over there.¡±


    Shit . . .

 Chapter 4: You Knew She Was Comin

    Chapter 4: You Knew She Was Comin''


    "Close your mouth, Casper. You''re drooling." Karma rolls her eyes, and breezes away from the front


    door toward their bedroom.


    They just walked Arden and Elliott out of their home. Casper has to admit, he did a horrible job at


    hiding his affinity for Arden. Touching her felt like shoplifting, a rush of guilt, and intoxicating adrenaline.


    Given the opportunity, he would make Arden his next five-finger discount. He stares at the door a


    moment longer, before going after the one woman who should have his concern.


    "I was telling her goodnight. I have to look at her to do that."


    "You were looking at her breasts." Karma res at him.


    "I was saying goodnight to a friend."


    She kicks off her heels and shoves them into their assigned space in the walk-in.


    "Here''s a word of advice, women''s eyes are above the chest area. Remember that, next time you''re


    touching another man''s wife."


    Casper shrugs. "All I did was dance with her."


    "But that''s not all you wanted to do. I''ve seen the way you look at her." A hint of wounded jealousy


    sparks in her expression.


    "Then you shouldn''t have invited her over here."


    "You''re not even going to deny being attracted to her?"


    "That is not what I ... " He drags his hands over the trimmed hairs of his goatee. "What was this¡ªsome


    sort of test?"


    "If it was, you failed with flying colors." She turns her back to him, while she removes her earrings.


    "Because you set me up."


    A sh of rity thates with several years of marriage strikes him. No, that''s not right. Be


    apologetic. Don''t make any more excuses.


    He grabs Karma''s elbow and asks her to look at him. "I was wrong."


    "Yes, you were." She lets him pull her into his arms.


    He kisses the crown of her head. "If she makes you that ufortable, we don''t have to see them


    again."


    "I didn''t say that." She lifts her head from his chest. "The Stones are the type of well-heeled people we


    need as friends."


    A revtion dawns on Casper, and he looks down into Karma''s brown eyes with a knowing smirk. "Her


    father ... You knew she was Senator Mitchell''s daughter."


    Karma moves away from his incredulous stare.


    "Former senator," she corrects. "But still very connected. And yes, I thought I recognized her at the


    culinary school. I wasn''t sure until Elliott confirmed it tonight."


    "You can''t just use people to get what you want."


    "Get off the damn high horse, Casper." She stabs his chest with her finger. "The only reason you want


    Elliott around is to lust after his wife. Can you honestly tell me you want to be his friend?"


    She''s right. Casper knows seeing Arden means seeing Elliott as well. He makes polite conversation


    with Eli because he''s trying to ignore how much he wants to take a long stroll through the forbidden


    garden of Arden.


    "Elliott is a genuine guy, and Arden is a charming woman. Friendship is as far as my interest in either of


    them goes."


    Karma turns her nose up like she can smell the bullshit on him.


    "You''re not attracted to Arden?"


    "Not in the least." He leans against the chest of drawers and crosses his right leg over the left.


    "Casper, I''m paid to know when a man is lying." She sighs. "And you''re terrible at it."


    Her quick hands lift his shirt over his head and undo his belt. Karma kisses him the way she used to


    when they were still in high school, and their Motel 6 was the backseat of his ''71 Dodge Demon.


    Shocked by her gentle show of affection, he forgets his train of thought. All he can concentrate on are


    the doe eyes looking up into his. What he says next is the truth, at least at this moment.


    "I can''t think of anyone but you."


    He holds the nape of her neck, letting his fingers get lost in the thickness of her hair. Karma smiles and


    an impish giggle leaves her parted lips. Seeing theugh lines crease her cinnamonplexion,


    makes him feel like the sun just decided to shine on the dreary parade of their marriage.


    He kisses her again, biting and sucking the blush pucker that is her greeting card for the world. She


    rxes, lets him lead. Casper lifts her andys her body on their bed with a feather-light touch. After


    some unzipping and unbuttoning, they''re both naked as the day they were introduced to the world.


    Casper showers her in kisses, starting at her toes and working his way up her dewy skin. She squirms,


    as he nears her warm, sugary center. He goes slow, tasting her. How many licks does it take to get to


    the center of a Tootsie Pop? ... a one ... a two ... a three ... He intends to find out. Karma ces an


    encouraging hand on his head, apuding his work with her low moans.


    Casper''s research is interrupted by the bombastic thundering of an orchestra from the next room.


    Beethoven''s Fifth Symphony in C Minor shocks the air with a power and presence that demands the


    undivided attention of the senses. Having lost his concentration, he lifts his head. Karma flies from the


    bed like she''s fleeing the Titanic.


    The first movement of one of the most significant contributions to ssical music is cut short with


    Karma''s whispered "hello." Her voice moves farther from the open door of the bedroom, its tone quiet


    and happy. Casper chases her vocal vibrations to the front of the house.


    Still naked as a jaybird, she stands with her weight resting on her left leg and her right foot arched like


    she''s ready to transition to en pointe. That dancer''s poise from her fifteen years of ballet training still


    lives in her limbs. Old habits die hard.


    Karma bites one of her ckcquered nails andughs with a ndestine gleam in her eye.


    "Give me twenty minutes ... Yeah, he''s here ... No, I''m on my way . . . I''ll make up something ... "


    Another sinful giggle. "All right, bye."


    She smiles down at her cell and begins to saunter back to the master bedroom. Her seductive simper


    disappears and her graceful gait halts, when their eyes meet in the hallway.


    "Who was that?"


    She slides past him. "Work."


    He sucks his teeth and eyeballs her. "At this hour?"


    Karma slips back into her flowy dress. Casper notices that she neglects to put on underwear. There''s


    nothing preserving her modesty, but the thin crepe garment. She answers without looking at him.


    "A new witness came forward. I have to get his deposition."


    "Can''t Frome do that?"


    "I''m not at the top of the totem pole. You know, I do all the grunt work."


    Casper nods. "Uh-huh."


    He watches her step into a pair of too-high-for-work (unless work is a street corner) ck stilettos, and


    pack a change of clothes into her YSL duffle bag. She slings the bag over her shoulder and kisses


    Casper''s cheek as she sweeps out of their bedroom.


    "Don''t wait up, okay? I could be on top of this all night." And with that, Mrs. Caghan is out the door


    and speeding out of the circr drive in her ck Mercedes E350.


    Casper stands in the doorway like a lost puppy, staring after the gravel kicked up by her hasty exit. The


    night air on his legs reminds him that he''s shing the neighborhood. Good thing it''s almost midnight,


    and their house sits at the end of a cul-de-sac several yards from their next-door neighbors. He locks


    the door and heads back to his empty bedroom.


    He pulls on a pair of cotton sweatpants and strips the sheets off the bed. In the bathroom, he sshes


    icy water on his face and gargles with a bit of mouthwash. After cleansing his wife''s taste from his


    pte, he throws himself on the bare, pillow-top mattress and closes his eyes.


    Though he''s alone in the darkened room, he feels the bed shift underneath him. The gentle weight of a


    satin leges to rest across his waist, and a soft armys across his chest. He reaches down and


    pulls her thigh snug to his body. Her hair caresses his dark skin like strands of velvet, as she settles her


    head against him. Casper buries his face in her locks, letting his olfactory memory take over. He


    breathes deep, remembering the vani and mandarin orange notes of her fragrance. Casper hugs her


    closer, wanting the warmth of her body to envelope him and never let go.


    Her fingers rub circles on the back of his neck, and he runs his hand along her back. She lifts her head


    and he opens his eyes. Arden and her scarlet lips are smiling back at him. She''s wearing one of his


    pinstripe dress shirts. Its starched fibers are the perfectplement to her feminine curves. Sienna-


    hued curls fall in her face, inviting his hands to send them bouncing and swaying in the wake of his


    touch.


    Then the angel speaks to him, her voice sweet as fresh lemonade on a summer day. "You don''t need


    her ... I''m right here."


    He cups her chin in his hand, letting his thumb smooth over the small scar on her right cheek. She tilts


    her head to kiss his palm.


    "I''m d you came," Casper whispers into the shadows, immersed in the intricate trappings of his


    mind.


    Arden lies down in his arms again and sighs. "Where else would I be?"


    Karma didn''t resurface until nine the next night, then vanished again Sunday morning. After she ran out


    of their marital bed like it was on fire, Casper saw her for a total of six hours.


    Her "disappearing acts" are bing more frequent, and the excuses are getting even flimsier. She


    didn''t even bother to spin a tale for canceling their ns to visit the Horizons exhibit at the Birmingham


    Museum of Art tomorrow. She and Frome, the chief prosecutor, need to prepare for Pord''s cross-


    examination on Thursday. That was all the exnation he got.


    Casper takes his thousand-dor, ergonomic chair for a spin. Then he throws a stapler and other office


    supplies at an annoyed, animated boss on his smartphone.


    It''s Monday at ten a.m. and he''s bored senseless. The annual reports have been reviewed, and he''s


    sent off all his evaluations for approval. What takes a lesser person a month to do, he managed in two


    weeks. And now he''s twiddling his thumbs for seven figures¡ªthat''s, not gross. Oh, the joys of


    working for a Fortune 500pany, and being skilled at the art of bullshit. Casper keeps his engraved


    shovel handy on this job. It''s the secret to his sess, plus the fact he''s a savant with numbers.


    So that he doesn''t feel so unproductive, and Big Brother doesn''t see just how much free time he has on


    his hands, he pulls out his Google tablet to work on a personal document. The words, "Lee walks onto


    the set of his first lorno, sweat and lube puddling in his palms ... " stare back at him from a sea of white


    surrounded by a couple of thousand other characters also swimming in its unsaturated depths.


    The screeny he''s been ving over for thest three months has not been a walk in the park. It''s


    been difficult to stay focused long enough to make any headway. The constant challenge it presents is


    what has him eager to finish it. He''s just about to write another line when his mobile rings.


    "I''ve been blowing up your phone all weekend, and you are just now returning my calls? ... What the


    hell, Cain?" Casper sounds upset. But he could never be mad at his baby brother.


    "I was about to alert Birmingham''s semi-finest. You''re worse than that stalker I had in college. And that


    girl was ten different shades of crazy." He chuckles.


    Casperughs along with him. "I was concerned. Thought Manali had finally killed your ass for that


    selective hearing disease you have."


    Cain and Karma being MIA most of the weekend, left Casper plenty of time to daydream about Arden.


    So he isn''tining too much about the unavability of two of the most important people in his life.


    "Ali could never take me out. My woman loves me." A smug answer as usual. "You and Karma on the


    other hand ..."


    "Karma would have to be around in order to murder me. These days a serial killer sees more of her


    than I do." Casper puts his feet up on his desk and almost pouts.


    "Quit bitching and moaning. She has bigger things to attend to than your separation anxiety."


    "It wouldn''t sting as much if my brother would hang out with me. How about tomorrow?"


    "I love you, but some of us have to work for a living. We can''t all be Rain Man like you, and just have


    things fall into ce on their own."


    "You''re a marketing exec." Casper scoffs. "You do five minutes of work a week. The ignorant nature of


    the general public does the rest."


    "Any other day, insulting my career would make me want to do your bidding." Casper hears him suck in


    air through his teeth and groan. "But I''ve got a lot lined up this week. Can''t spare a second."


    "I''mma remember that."


    "Remember it¡ªwrite it down, take a picture, I don''t give a fuck," Cain says.


    "Okay, Smokey." Casper cracks up, dropping his tablet. "Get off my phone, and make some money."


    "I make money in my sleep," Cain promises they''ll get together when work slows down, then leaves


    Casper to the silence of his corner office.


    Casper retrieves his device from the floor and goes back to staring at the same few lines that refuse to


    lend themselves to any further boration. His earlier spark of inspiration disintegrated with his


    brother''s phone call.


    He spends several minutes in a fog of writer''s block until a potential solution to one of his problems


    surfaces. Though this idea won''t add to his word count, it will give him more material for the nights


    when Karma jets off to rid the world of injustice.


    He relegates his script to the background, and types "Arden" into Google''s Omnibox. His fingers begin


    to input, "Stone," then decide to hit delete and form the surname, "Mitchell."


    Casper taps enter and waits the approximate 1.3 seconds it takes the search engine to cull every


    public record on his new obsession.


    Articles praising her impressive achievements in high school scroll like a digital trophy case. Arden won


    math tournaments, excelled at chemistry, and dominated on the volleyball and tennis courts¡ªall during


    her freshman year. Casper smiles at a fourteen-year-old Arden captured midair as she goes up for a


    spike. The power in her body is indisputable, even in a photo.


    He reads on about school ys, national honors, and rumors of qualification for the Olympic tennis


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    team. Casper is enraptured with Arden Elizabeth Mitchell, so much so that he begins to wish he had


    met her during his days of e and varsity football. Then he stumbles upon a headline on The


    Birmingham News'' website, al, that makes him sit as erect as a ruler in his seat.


    "Fatal crash on 18th Street South leaves 1 dead, 3 in critical condition." He clicks on the article, curious


    as to what this could have to do with Arden. He reads the deceased''s name, and the article''s relevance


    bes clear. The murky details of Arden''s behavior the other night at dinner are also illuminated.


    "The lone casualty of the ident was an African-American woman in her early forties, Lillian Dane


    Mitchell." Arden''s mother.


    The report lists Arden and her brother, Adam, as the two surviving victims. "Mrs. Mitchell''s son and


    daughter were lucky to escape the gruesome collision with their lives, but are still said to be in grave


    condition." The intoxicated driver also survived, but his name was withheld for obvious reasons.


    Casper expands the image of the crash and grimaces. A sharp pain shocks his constitution. He can''t


    even tell the make and model of the vehicles from their soot-tinged frames. No one should have made


    it out of that.


    He selects a link to a rted article at the bottom of the first archived story. It reads, "Drunk driver of


    the fatal crash that imed the life of local woman, convicted of voluntary manughter." A quote from


    the Mitchell family attorney cites the testimony of Arden, then sixteen, and Adam, eighteen, as the


    turning point in the trial that led to a guilty verdict.


    A photo of Arden on the witness stand with a pair of forearm crutches beside her appears on the page.


    Her hair is pulled back, and she''s dressed in a somber navy jacket with a simple white blouse. A tear


    hangs frozen in time on its descent down her face. The scar on her right cheek is more noticeable. Her


    visage is an amalgam of emotion and incredible poise.


    Another link below the picture of an anguished Arden states, "Olympic dreams of Homewood teenager


    dashed after a tragic ident."


    He stops his quest for all things, Arden, there and puts away his tablet. Knowing what he does now,


    there''s just one thing left for him to do.


    Casper picks up his phone again. "Arden? ... It''s Casper ... Are you free tomorrow?"

 Chapter 5: Horizons

    Chapter 5: Horizons


    ¡°Nadia, could you take these out front for me?¡±


    Arden hands a tray of mini chocte ganache cakes to her baking assistant, a twenty-three-year-old


    woman fresh out of culinary school. Naddy is still green around the edges. But she''s been a godsend.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Nadia takes the tray of desserts from her, and starts to back out of the double swinging doors of


    the kitchen. Then she stops and ducks her head around the corner to speak to Arden. ¡°Oh, and there''s


    a gentleman waiting for you at table six.¡±


    ¡°Elliott?¡± Ardi starts to breathe a little easier. Maybe he was able to move some things around on his


    schedule and will be joining her and Casper at the museum after all.


    ¡°No, ma''am.¡± Nadia licks her lips. ¡°This tall drink is of the hot chocte variety, and British.¡±


    ¡°And very married,¡± Arden adds. She needs to remind herself of that fact.


    ¡°What a waste.¡±


    ¡°Tell him I''ll be right out, please. And try to control yourself, Naddy.¡±


    ¡°No guarantees.¡± Nadia winks at her, before backing out of the door.


    Arden''s stomach goes back to doing backflips. What is he doing here?


    They agreed to meet at the museum. That would have given Ardi more time to prepare herself to be


    alone with him and his disarming charm. Instead, he''s caught her off guard at work.


    She can''t hide in the back all afternoon. There are things she needs to handle before she can leave.


    She considers not going, making up an excuse about being too busy. The bakery is always teeming


    with business. So that wouldn''t be too far fetched.


    Arden realizes that whatever she decides to do, she will still have to go out there and speak to him.


    See him. Be close enough to be ensnared in the seductive clutches of his smile.


    ¡°Get your shit together, Arden. He''s just a man.¡± She continues arranging macarons for a waiting


    customer''s order and ranting to herself. Soon, her anti-Casper pep talk takes a whole other turn.


    "He''s just an intelligent ... tall..." She sighs to herself. "Well-spoken, sexy ... man.¡±


    ¡°Well, you know. What can I say?¡±


    Arden jumps, dropping one of the macarons. She turns to find her brother leaning against the wall,


    stroking his chin. He grins at her with their mother''s hundred-watt smile, the same one Arden was


    blessed to inherit along with her defined, button nose. They have their father to thank for their deep,


    brown eyes.


    ¡°Look what you made me do.¡± Ardi gestures to the fallen pastry.


    Heughs and grabs something to clean up the mess. Then he kisses her cheek.


    ¡°I''m sorry. Just wanted to check on my sister.¡± He steals one of the little meringue cookies from the


    parchment-lined tray. ¡°And seems like I need to. You''re talking to yourself now?¡±


    She pops his hand when he reaches for another macaron. His surprise visits are the reason she makes


    more than she thinks will sell every day.


    ¡°I was thinking out loud.¡±


    ¡°Who were you thinking out loud about?¡± He leans on the counter and nudges her side. ¡°Eli? ...¡±


    Arden doesn''t answer.


    ¡°Oh ... someone else.¡±


    ¡°None of your business.¡± She bumps him with her hip. ¡°What are you doing sneaking up on me


    anyway?¡±


    ¡°Had a lunch date with Dad. Decided to stop by on my way back to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°And why wasn''t I invited?¡±


    ¡°Guess, he just doesn''t like you, Elmer.¡± He chuckles.


    Arden frowns. ¡°Stop calling me that, Adam.¡±


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It''s not my fault you talked like Elmer Fudd until you were seven.¡±


    ¡°But you''re the reason it stuck. Even Gran calls me that sometimes.¡±


    He grins. ¡°Mission aplished.¡±


    ¡°Get outta my kitchen.¡± She aims a bent spat at his face.


    ¡°Come on. Don''t be like that ... I was just ying.¡± He tries the puppy dog eyes.


    She ignores him and points to the back exit without looking up from her work. ¡°The door, Adam.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay. I''m leaving.¡± He turns and Arden calls him back.


    She pulls a cake box from the shelf ofpleted orders waiting for pickup and ces it on the


    industrial stainless steel counter.


    ¡°Don''t forget this.¡±


    Adam nces at her lowered head, as he examines the pastel package''s contents. A selection of his


    favorite sweets is tucked inside between sheets of parchment.


    ¡°You do love me.¡±


    ¡°Only because I have to.¡± She smiles.


    He taps her foot with his. ¡°Take those off as soon as you get a minute. Give your feet a rest.¡±


    ¡°Yes, doctor.¡± She sighs.


    Adam gives her another peck on the cheek and leaves the same way he came.


    She checks the order and carries the stack of boxes to the front of the bakery.


    Arden catches Casper''s eye and shoots him a polite smile, careful not to seem too pleased to see him.


    Ardi presents a smash cake, a sixyer strawberry cake, and a variety of macarons to a young woman.


    The order is for a first birthday party. Hence, the smash cake. Arden gets several requests for the small


    cakes a week. Though, she does consider it a waste to spend so much effort on baking and decorating


    a cake that will end up stered on a toddler''s hands and face.


    She takes one more look at her colorful creations, before securing the boxes with the bakery''s


    trademark seal.


    ¡°Lulu, is going to love this, thank you.¡± The woman is so pleased with Arden''s work, she even


    purchases a few items from the bakery''s lunch menu.


    After she finishes the transaction, Ardi makes her way over to the corner table where Casper is seated,


    staring out the window. He smiles and stands to greet her.


    His eyes travel from her nude heels, over her white pencil skirt, up to her turquoise cardigan and the


    bubble gum pink belt entuating her waist. He lingers over her lips, before meeting her almond eyes.


    Arden pushes a stray lock of hair back into the mass of curls pinned behind her ear. She wishes she


    had thought to nce in a mirror, beforeing out to meet him.


    His gaze falls on her shoes again. ¡°You work in those every day?¡±


    ¡°No, just for today.¡± She nces down at her leather mesh, t-strap heels. ¡°My brother would kill me if I


    did.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°Wearing high heels on a daily basis can cause permanent damage to the feet and leg muscles,¡± Arden


    smirks. ¡°Adam''s an orthopedic surgeon and virtual know-it-all.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, he''s right. You shouldn''t put too much strain on your legs. Especially, since your ... you know.¡±


    Arden is puzzled by the concern in his voice. Then it dawns on her that maybe he''s been doing some


    reading, and her heart sinks.


    She takes a trembling breath. ¡°Since what?¡±


    ¡°Since you''re on your feet all day.¡± He pulls out a seat for her.


    Okay, good . . . Maybe he doesn''t know about the ident. She smooths out her skirt and eases onto


    the hot pink wooden chair, crossing her ankles. Casper reims his seat across from her and sits


    gawking at her. A bit unnerved by his stare, she makes an attempt at conversation.


    ¡°So . . . change of ns?¡±


    ¡°No, I was looking for an escape from the boredom at the office.¡± He looks around the cafe, studying


    the collection of vintage tes on one wall. ¡°And this is anything but mundane.¡±


    She follows his eyes to the coral, wrought iron chair that''s been converted into a light fixture. Encased


    in an ivory cage of timber and light bulbs, it''s a consummate conversation starter.


    ¡°Yeah, that''s my fault. I decorated this ce like it''s my house.¡±


    The bakery is Arden''s second home. So, it seemed fitting to her that it should feel that way. Her shop


    sits at an odd angle, catty-corner to an intersection in the heart of South Homewood, SoHo to the locals


    (an attempt to seem more metropolitan. But try as they might, they''re still in quiet bama).


    The building''s triangr structure emtes the shape of the street, lending itself to the quirky and


    cutesy branding she had in mind.


    A pastel pink and gray, cherry blossom wallpaper ents the walls of the dining area. Tables and


    chairs in various bright colors, that were distressed by Arden''s own hands, give the space a casual,


    lived-in feel.


    Antique cake disys, side tables, and other things salvaged from the archives of the past are


    everywhere. Anything with a hint of old-school, kitsch catches her attention and ends up in a


    shadowbox on the walls of SoHo Sugar.


    Casper grins at her. ¡°I like it. It''s very inviting.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    They sit in silence, ncing at each other like two kindergartners too shy to exchange their Valentines.


    ¡°Would you like something before we go?¡±


    ¡°I offered ...¡± Naddy walks up behind Arden and rests a hand on the back of her seat. ¡°But he declined.


    I think he has a taste for something sticky and sweet ... Arden, isn''t that your specialty?¡±


    Naddy bites her bottom lip and runs her string of pearls through her gloved fingers.


    Arden shakes her head. ¡°Nadia, one of these days, I swear you''re gonna get me sued.¡±


    ¡°Oh, calm down. I don''t bite.¡± Nadia winks at him. ¡°Unless you ask me real nice.¡±


    ¡°Neither do I. It''s just good manners.¡± He winks back.


    ¡°Please, don''t encourage her.¡± Ardi sighs.


    Casper smiles at Arden, then addresses the young woman. ¡°So, Naddy, is that short for something?¡±


    ¡°Nadia.¡±


    ¡°That''s beautiful. It''s nice to meet you, Nadia.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± She grins, shing that endearing gap in her front teeth. ¡°And you are?¡±


    ¡°Casper.¡± His ent is undeniable, stronger than usual. It warms the two women like the smell of fresh-


    baked bread. Both are caught in his web.


    Ardi snaps back to reality first. ¡°Nadia, could you please go see what Joseph is up to?¡±


    Naddy continues to gaze at Casper, sweeping her hand across her neck over and over. ¡°Joseph is at


    home sick today.¡±


    ¡°All the more reason to check on him.¡± Arden peeks up at Nadia, who gives her an irritated nod.


    ¡°I should get back to work before the ve driver here gets upset.¡± She nces at Arden, who rolls her


    eyes.


    ¡°Casper, it was a pleasure. I hope to see more of you in the future.¡±


    Casper takes Nadia''s hand and kisses the white glove covering her ebony skin. ¡°The pleasure was all


    mine, mademoiselle.¡±


    Nadia saunters away with a smile wider than her swing skirt.


    Arden watches her leave, then looks at Casper. ¡°I can''t have you seducing my staff.¡±


    ¡°Seduce? ... Nah.¡± He leans back and grins. ¡°I have someone else in mind for that.¡±


    Certain her burnt sugarplexion just went beet red, Arden excuses herself before she says


    something she might regret. ¡°I''ll be right back.¡±


    Her fitted skirt, while of a respectable length, has a sizable slit at the back. She makes each step long


    and slow, hoping he''s watching.


    Arden slips behind the disy counter and reaches into a case full of enough sugar to rot the teeth of


    the entire neighborhood.


    She returns to Casper with a sampling of macarons and a pot of saffron tea. Arden sits the copper tray


    on the table and pours him a cup.


    ¡°I feel like I should have taken an etiquette lesson before I came.¡±


    ¡°Because of the gloves?¡± she asks.


    He nods, and Ardi smiles.


    ¡°Theyplete the look. The ''50s was a great decade for women''s fashion. Very demure and


    morous. ssic movies from that time period always fascinated me. And since I pay the bills, I get


    to treat my employees like paper dolls.¡±


    The uniform of the members of the SoHo Sugar team includes swing skirts kissed with polka dots, knit


    cardigans in bright solids, colorful jewelry, and their signature white gloves. Even her two male


    employees get a makeover in fitted pants, ssic button-downs, and colorful bow ties. Though, not


    everyone is as happy with the look.


    Leo, one of her waiters, shows up in jeans and one of the bakery''s more masculine branded tees most


    days. But her host, Joe, loves it. The standard dress is his everyday style. He even sports a long


    pompadour. Arden misses Joseph''s vibrant personality when he''s not here. He makes a long day seem


    so much shorter.


    ¡°It all works ... very well,¡± Casper says.


    His eyes are on her again. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees him studying her backside. It''s hard


    to ignore her curves in the snug material. The ensemble shows the slightest wisps of her skin. But it


    highlights her figure like a number from the pages of Agent Provocateur. Arden pours herself a cup of


    tea and sits down, putting a temporary end to the peepshow.


    Casper takes a bite of a macaron. The second the dessert hits his mouth, he closes his eyes. ¡°This is


    by far the best thing I have ever put in my mouth.¡±


    Arden sips her tea, trying to hide the satisfaction on her lips. ¡°Thank you. That''s sweet of you to say.¡±


    ¡°It''s the truth.¡± Casper takes another few bites, then settles his smoldering stare on her again. ¡°I know


    you can bake your ass off. What else should I know about Arden?¡±


    ¡°What would you like to know?¡±


    He leans forward with a flirtatious sparkle in his eye. ¡°Everything.¡±


    Arden adjusts her sweater and leans back in her seat. Her imagination is going wild with things she''d


    love to do with this man. And her resolve is weakening by the minute. She has to find something else


    for them both to focus their attention.


    "Maybe we should get going." She begins to clear their table.


    "Here, let me." Casper gets up and starts to help.


    His hand brushes against hers as they reach for a te at the same time. He''s a breath from her face


    and she has to resist the urge to turn and kiss him. She shakes her head, desperate to regain her


    "I''ve got it." She quickly takes the other items from him. "I''ll um... meet you at the museum."


    He licks his lips. And she takes a visible gulp of air.


    "All right, love. See you in a bit."


    Arden watches him leave, hoping no one catches her staring after him. She clears up the table and


    heads into the kitchen. Before Nadia can descend upon her again, she ducks into her office at the


    back. She takes a moment to touch up her hair and apply a little more lipstick. Midway through her


    primping, she realizes how ridiculous it is to be readying herself for a man who is definitely not her


    husband. She rolls her eyes at her reflection and slips out the bakery''s back entrance.


    Casper is waiting for her outside the Birmingham Museum of Art. Once she''s parked, he makes his


    bowlegged walk over to her car and open''s her driver side door. He extends his hand to her and smiles.


    "Ready?"


    She takes a deep breath and takes his hand. "Lead the way."


    They head inside the building and start in no particr direction. Casper sees signs for an African


    diaspora exhibit and guides them in that direction. They make light conversation, asking about each


    other''s home lives.


    ¡°Twelve years of marriage, and no kids?¡±


    Arden steps away from Casper, her focus pulled to an intricate African ceramic. She stares at its


    smooth lines, letting the ymunicate the artist''s emotions to her.


    ¡°Elliott doesn''t want any more kids.¡± Her voice is heavy, almost too low for him to hear.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Casper joins her at the disy. ¡°Do you want children?¡±


    A faint smile crosses her lips. ¡°I thought I did when I was younger. Before ...¡±


    ¡°Before what?¡±


    Before my mother was stolen from me.


    Arden continues down the long corridor, trying to keep her mood casual. This is not the time or ce to


    have a mental breakdown.


    Sheughs to keep herself at ease. ¡°Before I got old.¡±


    He leans into her. ¡°You have plenty of time.¡±


    ¡°I''m thirty-five, Casper.¡± She runs her fingers over a gold card with an engraved description of a


    vase. ¡°All eggs have an expiration date. And mine is fast approaching.¡±


    ¡°Women in their thirties and forties have healthy babies all the time. If kids are something you want,


    you should discuss how you feel with Elliott. I''m sure his decision isn''t set in stone.¡±


    ¡°Eli had a vasectomy a year before we met.¡± She smirks at Casper. ¡°I''d say that it''s pretty definite.¡±


    ¡°How the hell could he marry a woman in her twenties, knowing he couldn''t have kids?¡±


    ¡°Because that woman assured him that she didn''t want any.¡± Arden blurts out the statement with more


    force than intended.


    He stays silent a moment. ¡°Is that still the case?¡±


    She sighs. ¡°If it isn''t, what does it matter now?¡±


    ¡°The procedure is reversible.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but my decision isn''t. Why put him through that when I''m not sure?¡±


    ¡°What aren''t you sure about?¡±


    She stares at Casper, looking through him to a tapestry on disy behind his head.


    Ardi would love to hear the pitter-patter of little feet that share half her DNA. But she''s afraid the guilt


    and resentment would overwhelm her.


    Lillian has already missed her daughter''s wedding. Arden can''t bear to think of first birthdays, ser


    games, and graduations without her mom around to share it with her.


    She resolved the guilt she felt when she married Eli. There was a limit to her happiness with him. They


    would never have children.


    ¡°You wouldn''t understand.¡± Arden walks up a ramp into another level of the museum.


    Casper catches up to her. ¡°Now, you''re irvoyant?¡±


    ¡°I just . . . Why don''t we pull back the reins on my life for a while?¡± She turns on her heel to face him.


    ¡°Why aren''t there any little Caspers or Karmas wreaking havoc on the world?¡±


    He chuckles, stepping behind her to examine a collection of ceremonial pots.


    ¡°Karma''s career is her baby. And I''m her husband on special asions.¡±


    Arden stands next to him, studying him in her peripheral. A sadness tugs at the edges of his smile. She


    feels a connection with him then.


    They''re bothtchkey spouses, sitting in empty homes and waiting for that key in the door.


    ¡°Even though, your better half is out fighting the good fight. It''s hard not to feel abandoned.¡±


    ¡°Elliott miss a few meals a week?¡± He returns her understanding nce.


    ¡°Sometimes even when he''s home, his head is still with his work.¡±


    Arden notices the way Casper is looking at her like he wants to make up for Eli''s shorings. The


    urge to let him do so fights hermon sense. She forces her feet to carry her weakening resolve


    farther from him.


    ¡°What exhibit did you want to see, again?¡±


    They find their way to the outdoor Sculpture Pit where a number of the twelve figures thatprise the


    Horizons exhibit have been interspersed.


    Casper offers his arm to Arden as they walk. But she pretends to be too engrossed in the androgynous


    sculptures to notice.


    The life-sized figures watch in silence, as Arden''s heels y tag with Casper''s oxfords. His feet chase,


    while hers dodge.


    The mid-afternoon sun hits Arden''s white skirt, making her seem like a cloud floating among the


    shadows of Thorarinsdottir''s iron sculptures. But she''s more uneasy on her feet than her outfit would


    suggest.


    Each unique figure has one simrity¡ªa ratherrge piece of ss inserted into its center.


    Arden ambles between the impaled models, struggling to keep a very specific memory at bay.


    She''s doing fine until they reach the one seated figure. Her body bes as rigid as the iron casting.


    Casper stops next to her and cocks his head to the side. ¡°Wonder what the ss is supposed to


    represent?¡±


    His question doesn''t register. Arden is somewhere else.


    The sculpture makes her think about Adam. About the day they both had to grow up. The day the perils


    of the world became all too real.


    Arden ... sweetheart ... Can you hear ... me ... Adam ...


    A voice ys back in her head, muffled yet amplified.


    Adam ... Wake up, baby ... Arden ...


    The despondent chant reverberates through her, crowding out all other stimuli.


    She puts her hands to her ears and tries to shake the gurgling sounds that are choking the melody of


    her and Adam''s names.


    Casper puts his hand in the small of her back. She drops her bag. He retrieves it.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°No ...¡± She staggers backward.


    Blood on tanned leather. ss scattered across the pavement. Adam pinned and unconscious in the


    backseat. Her mother''s gentle voice in her ear.


    It all bombards her with a vivid ferocity like never before.


    Her legs begin to give way. Casper reaches out to catch her. She crumples against him. Frantic grief


    distorts her bright eyes.


    ¡°Arden?¡±


    ¡°Get me out of here¡ªplease.¡±


    Casper sweeps her into his arms and does as she asks.

 Chapter 6: Stealing Second Base

    Chapter 6: Stealing Second Base


    Casper hugs Arden''s half-conscious body closer to his, as he carries her through the museum past the


    concerned stares of guards and other patrons. He''s moving with as much urgency as histent desire


    will allow.


    He''s in no rush to put her down. Her wavy hair bounces with every step, as he tries to keep her head


    tucked against his chest. She hasn''t said another word since she folded like an ordion next to the


    sculpture.


    His primary concern is to get her some help, but that doesn''t stop the biological responses triggered by


    her stunning beauty. He looks down at her hooded eyes and her berry lips. Her mouth is parted like


    she''s about to whisper something, or anticipating a kiss¡ªhis kiss.


    From this vantage point, he also has a premium view of the cleavage bursting at the small ivory buttons


    of her cardigan. Distracted by her trembling flesh, he stumbles but manages to right himself.


    He adjusts Arden''s weight in his arms, firming his grip on her curves. With one hand resting on her


    ribcage just below the crest of her right breast, and the other somewhere along her upper thigh, he


    thanks the man upstairs. Casper doesn''t know what he did to deserve it, but he damn sure ain''t


    clothes.


    Onest set of stairs separates them from the entrance and his car. Each step brings him closer to the


    realization that in a moment, he''ll have to let go of one of God''s angels. Now that he''s held her,


    releasing her might as well be a death sentence. So he makes the most of it.


    He curls his hands around her, smiling when he detects the bounce of her breast against his palm.


    Hmm ... minimal padding. That''s all her. In his satisfaction, a reflex takes over and he squeezes the


    roundness in hisrge hand.


    Arden stirs against him. ¡°Casper?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he asks, ready to do whatever that beautiful voice requests.


    ¡°Your hand is on my breast.¡± She tilts her head back and her eyes shoot open.


    There''s indignation in her tone, but those pretty brown eyes are telling a different story. They don''t mind


    his roaming fingers, seeming to wee the touch.


    Casper apologizes but doesn''t move his hand. The longing in her expression reflects the near


    ravenous hunger brewing in him. If they weren''t in public, he''d do something about it.


    He steps through the ss doors of the museum, and onto the sidewalk. Casper, slow to relinquish his


    front-row seat at Arden''sing out party, sets her down on a nearby bench. He keeps a protective


    hold on her. One hand stays tucked across her waist, while the other pushes stubborn strands of hair


    out of her face.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Casper strokes her cheek.


    ¡°Yes, I''m fine.¡± She shifts her head away from his gentle hand.


    Undeterred, he takes her sweaty palm in his. ¡°You wanna tell me what happened back there?¡±


    ¡°It''s bama. Heatstroke is going around.¡± Arden shrugs.


    ¡°I''m serious. Are you all right?¡±


    Arden looks at him, her eyesced with aplicated cocktail of anxiety and longing.


    ¡°Just heat exhaustion.¡± She tries a smile and an uneasyugh. ¡°I''m fine.¡±


    Her breathing has yet to return to normal, and worry still wrinkles her brow. She''s not fine. And no


    amount of her hollow reassurance is going to convince him otherwise.


    Casper hooks an arm behind her back, and the other underneath her knees. ¡°I''m taking you to the


    emergency room.¡±


    She grabs his arm, preventing him from lifting her. ¡°That''s not necessary. Really.¡±


    ¡°Then I''m taking you home.¡±


    He produces keys from the pocket of his cks and taps a button. The doors of a cherry Bentley


    Continental GT utch with a polished click.


    ¡°I can drive myself,¡± she insists.


    A breeze has the audacity to brush past them, without imparting a hint of coolingfort. The rude


    gust of air blows Arden''s soft hair into her face again.


    Casper slips his hand into its depths and smooths it back until his fingers are resting at the nape of her


    neck. He exerts gentle pressure on her head, making her maintain eye contact with him.


    ¡°Emergency room, or my car. Take your pick.¡±


    She dips her head. ¡°Casper¡ª.¡±


    Before she can finish voicing her objection, he reiterates his position.


    ¡°The doctor ...¡± He points to the sleek machine. ¡°Or the Bentley.¡±


    Casper uses his thumb to lift her chin. A smirk and a small sigh apany her acquiescence. He nods


    along with her as she states her decision.


    ¡°The Bentley.¡±


    He takes her hand and opens the passenger door for her. Dirty things run through his mind, as he


    watches her settle into the seat and pull her long legs in one at a time. He shuts her door and takes his


    time getting into the driver''s seat.


    Casper takes a second to adjust the evidence of how strung out he is over Arden. Slipping into the car,


    he asks her address.


    ¡°1100 5th Avenue South,¡± she says.


    Arden clears her throat and ys with her wedding ring. She stares out of the window, angling her


    body toward the door.


    Casper doesn''t mind that she''s turning away from him. Her position allows him an easy peek at her


    thighs and generous backside. She can ignore him all she wants if this is the reward.


    As he navigates the streets of Birmingham, he steals nces at Arden. When he looks her way to


    check his blind spot, he finds her eyes are on him. She turns her head, and he smiles to himself. He


    makes what seems like two turns, and they''re pulling up to her building.


    Arden leans forward in her seat and reaches for the door handle. ¡°I can manage from here, Casper.¡±


    Casper doesn''t hear a word Arden says, because he''s already out of the car. He passes his keys to the


    valet and helps her from the quiet interior of his Bentley. She declines his offer to carry her inside. He


    insists on keeping an arm around her waist, just in case. Just in case she falters and needs his helpful


    hands to catch her.


    The lobby is empty when they enter, even the concierge is absent. He feels Arden''s body rx against


    his arm. She pushes the elevator button and tries once more to convince him that she will be fine on


    her own.


    Casper won''t hear of it. Her little episode scared him, and now that part of him that likes to swoop in


    and save the day has been awakened. She''s not going to get rid of him anytime soon. Inside the


    elevator, Arden punches in the passcode to the penthouse.


    After a swift ascent, the doors open onto the long hallway that leads to the Stones'' front door. Edison


    bulbse alive one by one with their every step.


    Abstract portraits of Arden and Elliott are suspended along the walls. Warhol-style selfies of a


    redheaded girl and boy catch Casper''s eye.


    Arden unlocks the door to the condo, and steps over the threshold. Keeping her eyes on her feet, she


    holds the door open and ushers him inside the spacious apartment.


    ¡°Come in.¡± She heads for the kitchen, prepared to y hostess. ¡°Would you like something to drink?¡±


    Casper shakes his head and guides her over to the couch. He makes her sit, while he searches the


    kitchen cabs for a ss and pours her some water. He hands the cool drink to her and takes a seat


    on the coffee table across from her.


    ¡°So this is where the amazing Arden Stoneys her head?¡±


    ¡°Yes, this is our home.¡± She rests the ice-cold ss against her cheek and peeks at him through


    loweredshes.


    She said "our." But Casper doesn''t care that he''s poaching Eli''s wife on his home turf. Some risks are


    just worth taking. He surveys the room. Bright colors dance on the walls and furniture. It''s almost a


    carbon copy of the bakery.


    ¡°It looks like you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, I guess.¡±


    ¡°That was supposed to be apliment.¡±


    She nods and takes another sip of her water. ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°Feeling any better?¡±


    ¡°I''m all right now.¡±


    Casper feels Ardi''s forehead with the back of his hand. Then he puts two fingers to her neck, just


    underneath the curve of her jawbone.


    As he checks the beating of her heart, he consults his watch. Arden licks her lips, making him lose


    count. They lock eyes for a moment before she averts her gaze.


    ¡°Do that often?¡±


    ¡°Do what?¡± she asks, still refusing to look at him.


    ¡°Scare the shit outta people.¡±


    Arden sort of giggles, and sets her ss down on the end table. ¡°I try not to make a habit of it.¡±


    She keeps her head turned, choosing to stare out of therge windows rather than look at him. Her


    profile, lit from the sun, has him mesmerized.


    The cute turn-up of her nose, coupled with her strong cheekbones and the re of her soft lips-


    everything about her. She''s beautiful from any angle. Casper smiles at the thought of waking up next to


    her sun-drenched face every morning.


    He slides his hands underneath her bottom and pulls her toward him until they''re close enough to


    breathe for each other.


    ¡°What else don''t you make a habit of?¡±


    Casper toys with the buttons of her cardigan, slipping his fingers underneath the smooth cashmere. He


    keeps his eyes on her, giving her an opportunity to tell him to stop.


    Her chest rises and falls in quick session. ¡°Letting strange men touch me.¡±


    Casper undoes another button on her blouse. ¡°Good thing, I''m not a strange man.¡±


    He watches as her eyes draw closed and drift open again. ¡°I barely know you.¡±


    ¡°What do you need to know, love?¡± He skims his finger over the cup of her bra, his touch within


    torturous proximity to that chocte bundle of nerves.


    She bites her bottom lip and takes a deep breath. ¡°Casper.¡±


    ¡°Tell me to stop,¡± he whispers against her neck.


    She doesn''t. Just groans like she''s fighting an impossible battle. Arden clutches at his biceps, as he


    nts a kiss on her smooth skin.


    Casper moves toward the lips that have been on his mind since he set eyes on her, stopping just shy of


    validating the attraction between them. He''s going to let Arden make the final decision, let her walk that


    As his breath mingles with her own bated respiration, she whispers, ¡°Kiss me.¡±


    She doesn''t have to tell him twice. Just before their lips meet, the shifting of a key in the door interrupts


    them.


    Arden moves away from Casper and tries to make herself decent again. She fiddles with her clothes


    but isn''t making much progress. Her fingers have forgotten how to maneuver the pearl buttons of her


    cardigan.


    He must see that she''s all thumbs at the moment because he reaches over and fastens the sweater for


    her. The door swings open, just as Casper''s nimble hands leave Ardi''s chest.


    Twin shocks of red hair stumble into the room, each juggling a mountain of luggage. Arden is still


    surprised, yet relieved. It''s not Eli. The two intruders are so busy arguing with each other, they don''t


    notice that Arden and Casper are even in the room.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why do you always overpack?¡± A young man with long limbs and a strong chin pulls suitcases inside


    and throws them at the young woman''s feet.


    ¡°A girl has to have options. I can''t possibly know what I will and won''t need.¡±


    ¡°It''s ny degrees here almost year-round. I''m sure you could have left the parka,¡± the boy scoffs.


    ¡°Maybe Dad will want to go skiing somewhere, or a freak blizzard might blow through. Never know.¡±


    Arden rises from her seat and clears her throat to get the attention of the bickering teenagers. ¡°Excuse


    me. If you two are nning to rob the ce, you might want to be a little quieter.¡±


    Their faces light up at the sight of her. They drop their bags and rush toward Arden.


    ¡°Mom,¡± they both exim, fighting to be the first to get to her.


    The boy wins the race. He hugs Arden, picking her up and spinning her around. Once he sets her on


    the ground again, she holds him at arm''s length.


    ¡°How is it possible that you grew a whole foot in two weeks?¡± She ruffles his fiery hair. ¡°Where is my


    little Ro-Ro?¡±


    ¡°Ammi, enough with that cutesy stuff.¡± He straightens his cor and sticks out his chin. ¡°I''m a man now.¡±


    ¡°Men don''t wet the bed.¡± The boy''s shorter counterpart with the same zing red locks and simr


    features shoves him aside. She wraps her arms around Arden. ¡°Hi, Ammi.¡±


    Ardenughs and kisses the girl''s forehead. ¡°Hi, Tea.¡±


    The young woman peeks around Arden at Casper. ¡°Who''s the skyscraper?¡±


    Ardi turns to face the man who minutes earlier was about to make her a dishonest woman.


    ¡°This is my friend, Casper.¡±


    The two smile and wave at Casper.


    ¡°And these are your ...¡± he gestures to Arden''s bookends.


    ¡°Her adorable, and talented kids,¡± the boy volunteers.


    The girl puts her face next to Arden''s. ¡°Can''t you see the resemnce?¡±


    With their milky skin and red hair, next to Ardi they look like two scoops of vani ice cream in a


    caramel sundae. Arden hugs the two closer and shakes her head.


    ¡°These are my ... stepchildren.¡± She nods her head toward the boy. ¡°Rowan.¡± Then the girl. ¡°And


    Teagan.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you both. How old are you?¡±


    ¡°Seventeen,¡± they answer in tandem.


    ¡°You''re twins?¡± Casper asks.


    ¡°Fraternal,¡± Teagan adds. ¡°Thank God. Who would want to look like this guy?¡±


    She points to her brother, who reaches around Arden to pop her on the back of her head.


    ¡°She''s just mad because the ugly stick beat her to a pulp,¡± Rowan smirks at Tea, and she sticks her


    tongue out at him.


    ¡°Though, they do share the same love of making snarkyments,¡± Arden says, telling them both to


    behave.


    Ro and Tea release their hold on Ardi and walk over to where Casper is standing. He tucks his hands


    into his pockets, as the two survey him.


    ¡°So how do you know our mom?¡± Rowan asks.


    ¡°My wife and I met Arden and your father about a week ago at a cooking ss.¡±


    The two nod at each other, and continue to circle him.


    ¡°Wife, huh?¡± Ro repeats. ¡°Does she know you''re here?¡±


    ¡°And just what are your intentions with our mother?¡± Teagan strokes her chin and raises an eyebrow at


    Casper.


    ¡°All right, enough. Leave him alone.¡± Arden takes Casper''s arm and pulls him from their interrogation.


    ¡°We''ll y nice. Promise.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, bring him back.¡±


    The twins continue to call after them, as Arden leads Casper into the hallway. She pulls the door up


    behind her, careful not to shut it all the way.


    ¡°You didn''t have to rescue me. I can handle a few questions.¡± He runs his fingers through her hair and


    caresses her face.


    ¡°Who said it was you that I was rescuing?¡± She catches his hand in hers and rests her cheek against


    his palm.


    Much to her relief, Casper doesn''t reach for her again when she lets go of him. Whatever this is


    between them has already gone far enough.


    ¡°They seem pretty attached to you,¡± he observes.


    ¡°The twins were only a year old when Elliott and I met.¡± She shrugs. ¡°Ro and Tea are easy kids to love.


    They''re as much mine, as they are his.¡±


    ¡°Why did they call you, Ammi?¡±


    ¡°It means mother in Urdu.¡± Arden smiles. If she''s not meant to have kids of her own, Rowan and


    Teagan have been more than enough to fill the void.


    ¡°They consider you their mother. Your rtionship with them can''t sit well with their birth mother.¡±


    ¡°Nope, it does not.¡± Ardenughs at a memory. ¡°One Christmas when the twins were three, everyone


    spent the holiday at Eli''s parents'' house-including their mother. They ran to me the instant they woke


    up that morning. Well, that already had her salty. Then Ro called me mommy in front of her.¡±


    ¡°Damn. That couldn''t have ended well,¡± Casper remarks.


    ¡°Yeah, she lost her shit.¡± Ardi shakes her head. ¡°So we told the twins they could call me Arden, or


    Ammi around her.¡±


    ¡°Has his ex never heard of Google?¡±


    ¡°Lucky for us, if it doesn''t concern her job, she doesn''t bother with research.¡±


    They reach the end of the hallway and stand staring at each other in front of the elevator. Another


    awkward silence adds itself to the multitude they''ve had today. Casper ces his hand on her elbow,


    drawing her near. She tenses but doesn''t back away. He leans in, and she closes her eyes. Ardi holds


    her breath, bracing herself for whatever he''s going to do.


    Casper kisses her cheek. ¡°Thanks for keeping mepany this afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Anytime.¡± She smiles at him until his handsome face disappears behind the steel doors.


    Anytime. Anywhere. He can get it. And that is why she can never be alone with Mr. Casper Caghan


    again.

 Chapter 7: Aiding and Abetting

    Chapter 7: Aiding and Abetting


    Arden steps back into the apartment, with the after-effects of Casper''s touch still clouding her thoughts.


    She presses the front door closed and leans her shoulder against it. When she turns, two freckled


    smirks are waiting for her.


    ¡°He likes you,¡± Teagan says in a sing-song tone. She swirls a lock of her auburn hair around her finger


    and swings side to side. The hem of her floral sundress swishes with her every move.


    ¡°A lot,¡± Rowan adds, his stance firm and Converse tapping the hardwoods.


    ¡°He''s a friend.¡± Arden wipes the smile off her face and walks past them.


    ¡°What kind of friend?¡± Teagan asks.


    ¡°A friend. No other adjectives to report.¡±


    ¡°How long has he been a friend?¡± Rowan eyeballs her.


    ¡°You heard, a little over a week.¡± Arden puts a hand on both of their shoulders and directs them over to


    the sofa. ¡°Enough of the third degree. I believe you two are the ones who owe me an exnation.¡±


    The twins plop down on the couch in a simultaneous flurry of fiery hair. They avoid Arden''s expectant


    gaze, by pretending to be too engrossed with the new artwork on the walls.


    ¡°Oh, you bought the Cezanne,¡± Teagan points out.


    Ardi rolls her eyes and addresses Rowan. ¡°Ro?¡±


    ¡°I thought you were leaning toward a more contemporary piece,¡± Rowan muses.


    ¡°I too was of this mindset. But the Cezanne is much more nuanced.¡± Teagan swirls her hand through


    the air like she''s flicking a paintbrush.


    Rowan runs his hand over the peach fuzz on his chin and crosses his legs.


    ¡°I concur, dear sister. Indeed, a remarkable piece.¡±


    Arden folds her arms across her chest and stares them both down. She looks at Rowan, before


    deciding to zero in on Teagan.


    Her green eyes peek at Arden, before finding a less intimidating focal point. Tea has never been a good


    liar.


    She scoots in between the two.


    ¡°Why aren''t you in New York, Teagan?¡± Arden smooths Teagan''s hair away from her face.


    The girl ys with her dress and refuses to look at her Ammi. Neither one is willing to answer Arden.


    They are supposed to be spending the summer with their mother in Manhattan. That''s been the


    arrangement since they were in elementary school.


    When they were five, Elliott asked for a custody review. Before that, the twins lived with their mother


    full-time. The judge asked them who they would like to live with, and they chose their father.


    They chose Arden.


    So she and Eli have primary custody of the twins. Once the academic year is over, they belong to their


    mother. Elliott and Arden put their babies on a ne, and count the days until August rolls around


    again.


    The twins will be starting their senior year of high school at the bama School of Fine Arts in the fall,


    which means soon they''ll be spending more than three months away from Arden. And Ardi is not ready


    for that yet.


    She''ll be rattling around in this house all by her lonesome. Elliott''s absences will be even more


    noticeable when they''re gone.


    Arden sighs deep and nces at the two silent teenagers. They want to y hardball. That''s fine. She


    heaves herself from the sofa and retrieves her phone.


    ¡°Since you two won''t talk, I''ll just give Melinda a call. Maybe she can tell me why you''re not in New York


    with her.¡±


    Ro and Tea abandon the statue act and scramble from their seats.


    ¡°All right, all right. We''ll talk.¡±


    ¡°Just drop the weapon.¡± Rowan pats the air, signaling her to put down the phone.


    Arden keeps her finger poised to dial Melinda''s number. She is in no mood to unleash the crazy that is


    Eli''s ex-wife. But she will. The kids need to know who''s boss around here.


    ¡°Let''s hear it first.¡±


    The twins look at each other, and sigh. Rowan decides to take the lead.


    ¡°Melinda has a new boyfriend, and he''s an asshole.¡±


    Arden raises her eyebrow at Ro.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± He shrugs and tries again. ¡°He''s not the easiest guy to get along with.¡±


    ¡°Did he do anything to you?¡± Arden searches the twins for any signs of foul y. They brush off her


    worried hands.


    ¡°No, he''s just a dick.¡± Teagan''s nose wrinkles and her freckles glow like embers leaping from a fire.


    ¡°They stay out all hours of the night. He smokes weed constantly. And the other night we heard him


    talking about shipping the rugrats back to their dad.¡±


    Ro chimes in. ¡°So we granted his wish.¡±


    ¡°Did you say something to Melinda about this?¡±


    ¡°Melinda hasn''t said boo to us, since her assistant picked us up from the airport and dropped us off at


    her office.¡±


    ¡°Two weeks and she hasn''t spent any time with us.¡±


    Ardi knows they aren''t exaggerating. Melinda has been known to ignore her own children, then


    remember they exist when she needs two smiling faces for her holiday cards.


    After the three seconds, it takes the camera to sh, Rowan and Teagan be life-sized dolls she


    thinks can be put on a shelf until she needs them again.


    Arden puts down her phone and sighs. ¡°Well won''t be long, before she''s calling here looking for you


    two.¡±


    ¡°Melinda will notice that her American Express is missing first.¡± Teagan dismisses Ardi''s concern. ¡°The


    fraud department will be her first call.¡±


    ¡°I''m aiding and abetting fugitives.¡± Arden scoffs. ¡°You should have called me.¡±


    ¡°You would have talked us out of it.¡± Rowan frowns, shaking his head. ¡°And there was no way we were


    staying.¡±


    ¡°Melinda hates me enough already, without you guys adding fuel to the fire.¡±


    ¡°You''re the sexy, trophy wife. She''s supposed to hate you,¡± Tea says matter-of-factly.


    ¡°Wouldn''t be right, if she didn''t.¡± Rowan grins at her.


    ¡°ttery will get you everywhere.¡± Ardenughs and gives them both a kiss on the cheek. ¡°Being on


    the run must have made you hungry. Want something to eat?¡±


    ¡°Is the sky blue?¡± Teagan smirks at her.


    ¡°All right, give me a minute.¡±


    Arden changes out of her skirt and cardigan, and into a pair of dark jeans with a cotton button-down


    shirt. By the time she makes it back to the kitchen, the twins have taken their luggage upstairs and are


    waiting for her at the kitchen ind.


    They help her make a couple of roasted chicken paninis and some fresh lemonade. After they eat, they


    sit around the dining table ying a high-stakes game of poker.


    Arden ys cards with them at least once a month when they''re home. The twins love it because she


    lets them y for real money. She tallies up their chips and converts it to cash. However much they win


    goes into a savings ount that only she and Eli can ess. But she lets them keep a third of the


    money to do with as they wish. Between the two of them, they''ve fleeced her for eleven hundred dors


    tonight.


    ¡°Straight flush, suckers.¡± Rowan throws down his hand like he''s at the Begio. He gloats, as he rakes


    in his winnings.


    ¡°Keep in mind, I still have to call your father. So don''t get toofortable taking all my money.¡±


    ¡°Don''t be a sore loser, Ammi.¡± He smiles behind the red stic of the visor covering his blue eyes.


    Arden smirks at him and reaches for her cell.


    Elliott answers on the second ring. No matter what he''s doing, he''ll always answer her call.


    ¡°Hello, my love.¡±


    Something in her heart starts to ache when she hears the affection in his gentle voice.


    ¡°Hi, sweetheart.¡±


    ¡°How was your day?¡±


    Almost kissing Casper, and her fainting episode earlier in the day shes through her head. She


    pushes the former out of her mind, and Eli doesn''t need to know about thetter either.


    ¡°Fine, until two very hungry packages arrived from New York this afternoon. I think they were sent here


    by mistake, but I didn''t have the heart to send them back.¡± She winks at the twins, and they smile back.


    ¡°Would these two packages also be the same ones, who will be costing us a substantial amount of


    college tuition next year?¡±


    ¡°That would be them.¡± Arden puts the phone on speaker and holds it so the twins can scream into the


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    receiver.


    ¡°Hi, Dad,¡± they yell in unison.


    ¡°What are you two doing home? You''re supposed to be with your mother.¡± Surprise and irritation are


    apparent in his tone.


    The twinsunch into a frenzied exnation of their exodus from the Big Apple. The result is three


    people talking over each other, and no one doing any listening.


    Arden raises her hand to quiet Rowan and Teagan and takes the phone off speaker. She steps out of


    the kitchen, and into the living room, out of earshot.


    ¡°I just wanted to let you know they''re here. We can discuss it when you get home.¡± She shoves her free


    hand into her jeans pocket, buying some time to prepare her nerves before she asks him a question.


    ¡°When will that be, by the way?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know, baby. I''m drawing samples to be Carbon dated, there areyers of soil and debris


    deposits to examine, and the coroner''s office still hasn''t faxed me their records yet ...¡±


    She butts into his rambling of reasons why she won''t see him before midnight.


    ¡°All right, Elliott. I understand. We''ll see you ... whenever.¡±


    If they owned a dog, she''d kick him right about now.


    ¡°I''m sorry, Ardi.¡± He groans.


    Arden imagines he''s removed his sses and is running his hand over his face. He doesn''t like this


    arrangement any more than she does.


    ¡°Don''t be. You have to work. What you do is very important.¡±


    ¡°So are you and the twins.¡±


    ¡°I know ...¡± She sighs and ys with a button on her shirt. ¡°We know.¡±


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah ... love you, too.¡±


    Eli hangs up and she feels even more alone than if she''d just watched him walk out the door. She


    stares at the phone in her hand like it''s the culprit that''s keeping her husband away from her. A couple


    of defiant tears escape her eyes, despite her trying to hold the waterworks at bay.


    Arden stares out the window at the cars and traffic signals that are painting the city''s shadows a


    mixture of red, yellow, and green with their blinding lights. Her eyes shift in and out of focus as her mind


    drifts, making the world outside her window seem like a blurred Christmas tree. She catches two pale


    reflections in the ss behind her. Wiping her eyes, she faces her children.


    ¡°Let me guess,¡± Rowan begins, taking a step toward her. ¡°He''s noting home, is he?¡±


    ¡°Not for a little while. Looks like it''s just us for dinner tonight.¡± She puts an arm around either child. ¡°You


    know what that means, don''t you?¡±


    ¡°We get to eat our weight in junk food,¡± Tea says with a smile.


    Arden nods. ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°And watch The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad.¡± Rowan throws that request in, hoping to strike while


    the sympathy iron is still hot.


    ¡°The Walking Dead is marginal. And you know good and well about Breaking Bad.¡±


    ¡°Worth a shot.¡± He shrugs.


    The twins decide to order a pizza, giving her a little break from the kitchen. Their bit of consideration


    earns them sundaes with homemade brownies.


    She sits between the twins on the sofa, while they pig out and watch desperate groups of survivors


    fight off the dead and each other.


    ¡°He''s just like Melinda.¡± Rowan throws the statement into the air, where it hangs for Arden to resolve.


    His sister adds her two cents to the already brimming jar of hurt, that their Ammi has to somehow put a


    band-aid on.


    ¡°They''re both too busy for us.¡±


    Teagan passes her bowl of ice cream to Arden, who takes a spoonful before handing it back to her.


    ¡°That''s not true.¡± She takes a moment to search for the right words. ¡°Both of your parents love you. It''s


    just that sometimes their careers get in the way.¡±


    ¡°You have a career, too.¡± Tea points out.


    ¡°Yeah, they could make time for us like you do. If they wanted to.¡±


    Rowan stabs his ice cream over and over with his spoon. Arden runs her hand over his hair.


    She oftentimes catches herself feeling the same as the twins do. Eli doesn''t have to spend half the


    night piecing together remains, or performing analyses. And Melinda damn sure doesn''t have to be


    such a vacuous bitch. But Arden doesn''t run the world. And wishes are just arrogant dreams.


    She tries to assure Ro and Tea with the same line that seldom helps her sleep in an empty bed.


    ¡°Your dad''s helping people. He''s bringing closure to grieving families. You can''t be upset with him for


    that.¡±


    The twins put down their food, and slide closer to Arden. They put their arms around her, linking them


    together. Then they rest their heads on her shoulders.


    ¡°You wanna know the real reason we came back?¡±


    ¡°And what''s that?¡±


    ¡°You.¡± Tea looks up at her, her emerald eyes sparkling in the dim lighting of the living room.


    ¡°Dad''s always working. You don''t deserve to be alone.¡±


    Arden squints and blinks, then holds her head back. Her eyes are stinging. She stops fighting and lets


    the salty tears streak her cheeks. She hugs them even closer.


    ¡°You''ll have to leave me eventually. You can''te home from school every weekend.¡±


    ¡°We''re not leaving for college,¡± Ro states, matter-of-fact.


    Arden straightens up. ¡°What do you mean you''re not leaving for college? You two are going¡ª.¡±


    ¡°Mom, mom ...¡± The twins take Ardi''s hands and interrupt her swandive off the deep end. ¡°Let us


    exin.¡±


    ¡°You''d better.¡±


    ¡°We''ve been epted at UAB. We can live at home¡ªwith you.¡±


    Rowan and Teagan have academic schrships to NYU. Both have brilliant minds, and giving that up


    for her is out of the question.


    "You''re not staying here." Arden shakes her head.


    ¡°The campus is five minutes away. There''s no point staying in a dorm when we live so close.¡±


    ¡°I''m not going to let you do that.¡± She asks both of them to look at her. ¡°You''re not giving up what you''ve


    worked so hard for, just to hang around here with me.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª.¡±


    ¡°But nothing.¡± Arden cradles both of their chins in her hands and divides her gaze between the two.


    ¡°Rowan, you''re going to be my Anderson Cooper. And Teagan, you''re my Picasso. Got it?¡±


    They nod. ¡°Yes, ma''am.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Ro and Tea settle their heads on herp, their hair tangling into a collective fireball. They sit in silence


    with only the sound of gunfire thundering through the room. Thanks to the high definition soundbar


    attached to the t screen, it sounds like every shot is hurtling toward them.


    ¡°What are you going to do without us?¡±


    Her softugh battles the beming from the television. ¡°I do have friends, Ro.¡±


    Tea shifts her head so she can see Arden''s face. ¡°Like Casper?¡±


    Arden sighs, and fans herself with the cor of her shirt. All of a sudden, she''s sweating like a woman


    going through menopause.


    ¡°Yes, the Caghans are friends. And your uncle, Adam, is always around.¡± She shrugs. ¡°I will be fine.¡±


    ¡°Why don''t I believe you?¡± Rowan asks.


    Rowan and Teagan might have honed their bullshit radars, while they were away. If so, Casper won''t


    be Arden Stone''s best-kept secret for long. But it''s not like there''s anything to tell ... yet.


    ¡°You can''t pretend you won''t miss us, being here all alone.¡±


    Arden lets go of the anxiety that took hold of her with Ro''s question.


    ¡°Of course, I''ll miss you. But I''m not going to be alone. Your dad will be here with me.¡±


    ¡°upying the same space isn''t the same as being here.¡±


    Arden smirks. She might have passed on too much of herself to these two by osmosis. Then again, the


    three of them may just be simr products of their shared situation. They''ve been getting lost in the


    shuffle together for years now.


    ¡°Look, I will make you a deal,¡± Arden says.


    ¡°No dice, if it involves me giving up my poker winnings.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Ro.¡±


    Teagan nudges her brother, which sparks a back and forth of pinching and hair tugging across Ardi''s


    The question is, what will these children do without her. They bicker with each other like they''re still five


    years old. She can''t unleash them on anybody''s college campus if they keep up this behavior.


    The twins stop hitting each other long enough to notice the stern look on Arden''s face.


    When that left eyebrow reaches for the rafters and those lips are pursed, they know it''s time to cut the


    nonsense¡ªand fast. Ammi''s trademark look is all it takes, and they be as docile as a breeze in


    springtime.


    ¡°As I was saying ... I will keep your father off your backs if you promise to stop worrying about me and


    ept the NYU schrships.¡±


    They look up at her, before turning their heads back to the dismal storyline on the television.


    ¡°Well Teagan, you know what that means.¡± Rowan sighs.


    ¡°Yep, looks like we''re getting our asses handed to us.¡±

 Chapter 8: Elis Choice

    Chapter 8: Eli''s Choice


    Elliott makes it back to his home around one in the morning. He hadn''t intended to be thiste getting


    home. But he hates leaving things half done. If he didn''t get the samples ready for testing, it could have


    been weeks before theb had another opening. This case has been dyed long enough already.


    He spends a few moments just sitting in his car and staring at the concrete wall of the parking structure


    in front of him. Aside from his constant work-rted stress, his personal life is threatening to strain him


    even more than usual. His kids are back in town much earlier than expected. Much earlier than the


    court-ordered agreement he and Melinda signed says they should be. It''s not likely Melinda approved


    their trip home. Otherwise, he would have gotten a call from her. And that can only mean that she''s


    gearing up for one of her legendary rampages.


    He runs a hand over his face, rubbing at his eyes. Exhaustion creeps through every part of him. The


    that this isn''t the calm before a massive storm.


    ¡°Good morning, Dr. Stone.¡±


    Edward, the night concierge, greets him. Though he knows the building has 24/7 concierge service,


    hearing the young man''s voice stops his tired trek across the lobby.


    ¡°Morning, Edward.¡± Eli adjusts the bag on his shoulder and catches his breath. ¡°Don''t you ever take a


    break?¡±


    ¡°Not for more than five minutes.¡± He shrugs. ¡°Never know when someone might need something.¡±


    ¡°Right. Then don''t let me distract you from your post.¡± He waves goodnight to Edward over his


    shoulder, as he steps on the elevator.


    The apartment is quiet when he steps inside. Eli expected the twins to be waiting up to exin their


    sudden runaway status. But nothing is moving in the moonlit darkness of their living room.


    Elliott puts his things away in the study, before heading for the master bedroom. He leans against the


    door frame to smile at the sight on the bed. His three favorite people are fast asleep on top of the plush


    bedding.


    Rowan and Teagan are sprawled across the bottom of the bed, while Arden lies at the head of it with


    her knees pulled toward her chest. They''re still dressed like they all passed out in the middle of a


    department store ad.


    Eli removes his shoes one at a time and sets them at the foot of the bed. He climbs onto the covers


    and moves toward Arden''s sleeping form. Thanks to the memory foam mattress, his arrival doesn''t


    disturb the slow breathing of his family.


    He rests his hand on Ardi''s waist. Then he lets his grip drift lower, excited by the way this particr pair


    of Levi''s is hugging her bottom. Eli slides closer so that he''s spooning her body, hooking an arm around


    her middle.


    Being next to her warmth flushes the fatigue out of his tired bones, recing it with another basic need.


    A certain part of him is now very much awake and knocking at the zipper of his jeans.


    Elliott brushes Arden''s hair off her neck and buries his face there. Nothing has the power to make him


    feel whole again like holding his wife.


    For a moment, he just breathes her in. Vani and brown sugar, with a hint of citrus¡ªher scent must be


    what heaven smells like. He takes another deep breath and tightens his grasp on her waist. He kisses


    her neck, tasting every glimpse of her skin.


    Arden stirs and ces her hand over the arm he has tucked around her waist. She sighs and arches


    her back so that her butt is pressed firmly against his crotch.


    ¡°I really hope your name is Elliott,¡± she whispers.


    ¡°Turn over and find out.¡± He nts another kiss at the back of her neck.


    ¡°What if I don''t like what I see?¡±


    ¡°Then keep your eyes closed.¡± He gives her hair a slight tug and grinds his growing erection against


    her backside. ¡°I know you''ll like what you feel.¡±


    ¡°A cocky one, huh?¡±


    He puts his lips to her ear. ¡°The biggest.¡±


    She stifles augh, turning her head into theforter. He tightens his grip on her waist, barely able to


    contain himself now.


    ¡°You seem very sure of yourself. But ...¡± Arden moves her hips in tortuous circles. ¡°I''m not convinced


    yet.¡±


    He flips her onto her back and positions himself between her legs. Their eyes meet and smile at the


    mutual desire reflected in them. He keeps his body raised above hers, by resting his weight on his


    forearm. Eli ces his other hand on her neck, making her hold his gaze.


    ¡°Doing a lot of talking for someone in your position.¡± He licks his lips, while his attention falls on the two


    buttons that have been left undone on her blouse.


    As she breathes, the fabric shifts. Her breasts y a mean-spirited game of peek-a-boo with him, from


    the cover of her thin shirt.


    ¡°Then shut me up.¡±


    He meets her eyes again and shakes his head. ¡°You got a mouth on you.¡±


    Arden pouts her lips at him, then skims the inside of her lip with her tongue. ¡°Wait ''til you see what I can


    do with it.¡±


    Eli ims her lips with his. Their exchange is desperate. Her chest rises each time their lips part like


    he''s stealing a piece of her with every kiss. He slips his hand underneath her shirt.


    She pulls away from his lips and smirks. ¡°I don''t know where your hands have been.¡±


    ¡°Me either.¡± He grins. ¡°But I know where they''re going.¡±


    Their lips meet again. She moans into his kiss when his grip greets one of the girls.


    ¡°Hey, Zack and Miri.¡± Rowan''s voice startles them. ¡°Y''all do realize we''re still in the room?¡±


    ¡°On the same bed?¡± Teagan adds. ¡°And we can hear you.¡±


    Rowan raises his hand in his sister''s direction. ¡°Did she mention that we can hear you?¡±


    Elliott and Arden separate like horny teenagers who just got caught behind the bleachers.


    They slide back on the bed, with the decorative pillows and headboard providing some much-needed


    support. The pair adjusts their rumpled clothing and smooths each other''s hair, in an attempt to regain


    some of the authority they just lost.


    ¡°All right, get up here.¡±


    ¡°I do not need a visual aid, Dad.¡± Rowan shields his eyes.


    ¡°Ro, Tea ... Come here.¡±


    Arden''s sugary sweet voice beckons them, and they obey. They''re helpless seafarers against her siren


    call. Though unlike those deceptive beauties, Arden is a safe haven.


    The twins settle in between Ardi and Eli. They ignore their dad''s stare, and that vein in his neck that''s


    thumping under his flushed skin.


    ¡°Does your mother know you''re here?¡±


    ¡°Of course. She''s sitting right here,¡± Teagan answers, pointing at Arden.


    Eli groans. Teagan knows what he meant. He doesn''t correct her, though. Arden is their mother. She''s


    nursed them back from every fever, and been there for every honor orpetition.


    He regrets the decision he made twelve years ago every time he looks at Arden. They would have


    made beautiful children together. Maybe that''s what burned Melinda up, made her be so vindictive.


    One of the conditions of their agreement was that he couldn''t tell Arden about the vasectomy. But he


    did. He couldn''t have her thinking something was wrong with her body when they didn''t get pregnant.


    She deserved to know.


    Being the understanding soul that she is, she said that wasn''t a deal-breaker for her. Arden imed


    she didn''t want kids. So his deliberate infertility was a blessing.


    That was the first, and to his knowledge, thest time she lied to him.


    Her bond with Rowan and Teagan was instant. There was no way she hadn''t dreamed of showering


    her infallible maternal instinct on children of her own. He knew she was settling for him, and he was


    selfish enough to let her do it.


    He starts his line of questioning again. This time he refers to the twins'' biological mother by her first


    name. As they do, when she''s not around.


    ¡°Does Melinda know you two are here?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Question is, does she care.¡±


    ¡°Rowan, don''t be flippant.¡± Eli rubs at his eyes. ¡°Unless Melinda gave you and your sister her express


    permission toe home, you guys can''t be here. This is her time with you.¡±


    ¡°She doesn''t want us there, Dad,¡± Teagan whines.


    ¡°Did she say that?¡±


    ¡°No, but¡ª.¡±


    ¡°Then stop searching for excuses, because you don''t like spending time with her.¡±


    Before the twins can respond, Arden steps into the crossfire.


    ¡°Elliott, it''ste. There''s nothing we can do right now. So let''s save this for daylight hours.¡±


    Eli nods, though his jaw remains clenched.


    Ro and Tea give both of their parents a kiss and say goodnight, before leaving the room.


    ¡°We''re putting them on a ne in the morning.¡± He stares straight ahead, choosing to burn a hole in the


    wall rather than look at her.


    Arden straddles Elliott and puts her arms around his shoulders. He rests his hands on her waist, letting


    his fingertips slip under her shirt to massage her back.


    ¡°Let''s consider that for a second.¡±


    He closes his eyes and throws his head back on the pillows. Then he frowns at her.


    ¡°There''s nothing to consider. They have to go back.¡±


    ¡°You know as well as I do, that Melinda can''t be bothered with her own children.¡± He turns his head


    away from her, and she grabs his chin to make him focus. ¡°They''re much better off here with us.¡±


    ¡°As far as the courts are concerned, Ro and Tea belong to her three months out of the year. That''s the


    custody agreement that we all signed.¡±


    ¡°She hasn''t even realized they''re gone. What''s the worst that could happen, if we let them stay?¡±


    ¡°Jail time. As in, ten to twenty.¡±


    ¡°You''re exaggerating.¡±


    He scoffs. ¡°We''re kidnappers.¡±


    ¡°And her ass is unfit.¡± Arden''s voice climbs another ten pitches.


    Eli sits up and hugs her to his body. She''s trembling.


    ¡°Baby, calm down,¡± he whispers into her hair.


    ¡°They came back to us, Elliott.¡±


    ¡°They came back to you. They love you.¡±


    ¡°I love them.¡± There''s no hesitation in her response.


    ¡°I know you do.¡±


    Elliott kisses her, and she rxes in his arms. She looks at him, smiling at the blue eyes gazing up at


    her.


    ¡°I''ll buy the tickets next month,¡± she says.


    He kisses her neck. ¡°Tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°All right, next week.¡± His lips go lower, and she sighs. ¡°Friday. That''s the best I can do.¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Eli unbuttons her shirt and pushes it down her shoulders. For a second, he forgets that he''s trying to


    persuade her. The sight of her breasts threatening to spill over the scalloped edges of her bra makes


    him lose his entire train of thought.


    ¡°What was I saying?¡± he asks, still transfixed.


    She lifts his chin, bringing his lips to hers. ¡°Friday.¡±


    ¡°Friday.¡± Eli nods like an obedient puppy.


    Heys her back on the bed and slips off her jeans. Then he pulls his shirt over his head and tosses it


    on the floor.


    ¡°Elliott, I need to tell you something.¡±


    ¡°Can we talk while you''re naked?¡± He manages to strip her of her shirt, and that magnificent


    contraption of underwire.


    ¡°About the other night, when I ...¡±


    He knows what she''s referring to, and she doesn''t need to apologize. Work has made him unavable.


    No wonder another man was able to sneak into her dreams. As long as that''s where Casper stays, he''s


    not threatened by the intrusion. Eli kisses her, catching her lip in a gentle bite before pulling away. He


    looks her in the eye.


    ¡°I know, and it''s fine.¡±


    Her brow furrows. ¡°You know?¡±


    ¡°Yes, baby.¡± He touches his lips to hers again. ¡°But you''re going to be screaming my name tonight.¡±


    She grins. ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    The apartment''s automated system dings. It''s the concierge''s desk. They both groan at the interruption.


    ¡°What is it, Edward?¡± The question rushes out in an aggravated grunt.


    ¡°Sorry to disturb you, Dr. Stone. But you have a visitor,¡± the young man stutters.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°Where the fuck are my kids?¡± Her grating voice roars over the inte.


    Arden sits up on her elbows and rolls her eyes. Elliott sees the disgust forming on her lips. He switches


    the system''s camera to the one in the lobby.


    A whirlwind of dirty blonde hair dances across the screen. Then a pair of frigid, blue eyes re up at


    the lens. He feels all the blood in his body transform into battery acid, burning his skin from the inside


    out.


    She must have sensed that Eli was about to be really happy. That woman feeds on sucking the joy out


    of him. Most of the time, she attacks him over the phone. Her levels had to be running low because


    here she is in the flesh.


    The woman screams into the camera. ¡°Get your ass down here, Elliott.¡±


    He watches, as she threatens a bewildered Edward with her six-inch heel. It''s too fucking early for this


    bullshit. Elliott rakes his hand over his face, cursing the day he told the crazy blonde downstairs, I do.


    Melinda Carven-Stone. The Wicked Bitch of the East ...

 Chapter 9: Wicked Witch of the East, Part I

    Chapter 9: Wicked Witch of the East, Part I


    Melinda Danae Carven-Stone ... The woman whose voice is ripping shreds in the usual harmonious


    fabric of the Stone household. Elliott''s first wife and Arden''s sworn enemy.


    Ardi is adamant that part of the reason Melinda married Eli was for the clever effect created by the


    pairing of hisst name and her maiden name, Carven-Stone. She''s just that superficial and tacky.


    ¡°Get your ass down here, Elliott!¡±


    Melinda''s blur of blonde strands whips across the screen, as she shouts obscenities at the camera.


    The anger dancing in her blue eyes transcends the barrier of the screen and freezes Elliott to his core.


    He feels his heart rate slowing down to a pitiful crawl.


    ¡°I know you and that bitch can hear me ... Where the fuck are my goddamned kids?¡±


    ¡°That bitch,¡± Arden repeats, rolling her eyes so hard they could pop right out of her head.


    Elliott looks from the indignant mug of his wife, then back to the raving face of his ex.


    ¡°This is not happening to me.¡± Eli drags his hand down his face.


    ¡°What is she even doing here?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know.¡± He shakes his head. ¡°I thought she''d at least call first.¡±


    ¡°I know they''re here, Elliott. They bought the fucking ne tickets with my credit card.¡±


    ¡°That''s what she''s upset about,¡± Arden smirks. ¡°The money, as usual.¡±


    Eli strokes the stubble on his chin and shakes his head again. He squints at the screen. The small


    wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepen with every second of Mel''s ranting.


    ¡°She could have phoned that in. I would have dly sent her the money.¡± He res at the blonde


    woman harassing the concierge. ¡°Melinda doesn''t inconvenience herself unless it benefits her in some


    way. She came here for a reason.¡±


    ¡°What else could she possibly want from us?¡±


    Arden kneels on the bed behind Eli and wraps her arms around his torso. He grasps her hands in his,


    as she rests her chin in the crook of his neck.


    ¡°I don''t know.¡± He licks his lips. ¡°I don''t know.¡±


    Dread fights his wife''s warmth, wrapping its frigid arms around Elliott, and letting its chilly breath choke


    his spine one vertebrae at a time. His breathing has reduced itself to sporadic sputters, like a car


    savoring itsst whiffs of gasoline before chugging to an exhausted stop.


    It''s never good to see Melinda. The sight of the first woman to bear hisst name issues a biological


    response from him that''s akin to a massive heart attack or stroke. It''s a wonder he survived being


    married to her.


    She likes to show up on asion, wielding an ax just above Elliott''s neck. Laughing the entire time, as


    she watches him squirm.


    ¡°The longer I have to wait, the worse things are going to get.¡±


    Arden and Elliott observe with their mouths dropped, while Melinda plucks a small vase from the


    concierge''s desk and hurls it at the stone wall. Edward ducks as the vessel sails past his head, just


    missing his ear. The porcin screams against the solid surface and shatters into a million opaque


    shards.


    ¡°I''m getting very impatient,¡± she screams.


    Melinda picks up a potted nt and sends it flying across the lobby.


    ¡°Oh, she is gone,¡± Ardi remarks.


    ¡°I''d better get down there before she starts ripping up the foundation.¡±


    Elliott retrieves his shirt from the floor and slips it over his head. Arden finds her bra and does up its


    hooks, before thrusting her legs back into her jeans. She pulls on her shirt and starts brushing her hair


    up into a ponytail.


    The noise of another piece of expensive artwork crashing into the polished walls of the lobby gets their


    attention.


    ¡°Shit,¡± Elliott mutters.


    Eli watches Edward rise from the cover of the expansive marble desk, peeking over its edge to make


    sure Melinda hasn''t found another object to transform into a missile. He informs her that if she doesn''t


    calm down he''ll be forced to call the authorities.


    ¡°Do whatever you want, hobbit.¡± She snatches the poor man forward by his cor. ¡°I''m not leaving here


    without my damn kids. So I suggest you find Dr. and Mrs. Stone for me.¡±


    Melinda addresses the camera again. ¡°You hear that, Elliott? ... I''ll be here all night if that''s what it


    takes. Now get your ass down here.¡±


    She releases Edward, shoving him backward. The young man stumbles over a chair and almost hits


    the concrete floor.


    ¡°Ma''am, I''ve alerted Dr. Stone. Please, just calm down.¡±


    As the melee continues in the lobby, Elliott notices that Arden has redressed and is sitting on the edge


    of the bed with a pair of Nikes at her side.


    ¡°Wait a minute. Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I''m going with you.¡± She nces at him, as she finishes doing up the buttons on her blouse.


    ¡°No, you''re not.¡±


    ¡°You are not going down there alone.¡±


    ¡°Arden, you know how she is. Seeing you will unleash the Kraken for sure.¡±


    ¡°Then call me Perseus.¡± She shrugs and stares him square in the eyes. ¡°You''re not going by yourself.¡±


    Ardi speaks like the subject is closed, so he might as well stop arguing with her. She slips her feet into


    her sneakers and springs from the bed. Elliott catches her arm, as she walks past him.


    He pulls her back toward the bed. ¡°Arden, please. Stay here.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she states, her response unyielding.


    ¡°Please, just let me handle this.¡±


    ¡°Elliott, no. You''ll go down there and roll over for her like you always do.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°And


    it''s not happening tonight. I''m not letting her take our kids.¡±


    ¡°We don''t have a choice.¡± His voice sounds a little gruffer than he intended.


    Arden doesn''t notice that Eli is almost yelling. Her tone has climbed to the same stressed pitch.


    ¡°We may not.¡± She gestures from his chest, then back to hers. ¡°But I do.¡±


    Arden pushes past Elliott and out the bedroom door. He runs after her. Eli hooks his arm around her


    waist, lifting her off the ground.


    ¡°Arden, wait.¡±


    ¡°Put me down, Elliott.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    She struggles against his grip. ¡°Put me down.¡±


    ¡°Not until you listen to me.¡±


    Her constant movement is making it difficult for him to hang on to her. He rights her but doesn''t let go.


    ¡°I''m done talking.¡±


    Arden cements her feet to the floor, grounding her weight. She bends, making him overextend his back.


    Eli moves right with her, tightening his grasp on her waist. He knows she''s either trying to flip him or


    force him to break his hold on her.


    His feet begin to lift off the ground until he''s standing on his tiptoes. Arden has always had strength.


    She is a former athlete, after all. But tonight she''s besting him like Hercules hopped up on Popeye''s


    spinach with a Red Bull chaser.


    ¡°Just ... listen.¡± He drags out his words, as he strains to maintain his leverage.


    While Elliott tries to convince Arden to leave the damage control to him, Melinda continues to harass


    Edward downstairs.


    Her ranting can be seen and heard over the main inte in the living room.


    Mel ignores Edward''s various warnings and picks up her one-sided argument with the surveince


    camera again.


    ¡°And wake up the Hershey''s kiss, too. I know the little bitch had something to do with this,¡± Melinda


    yells.


    Arden makes a sound that''s abination of a low chuckle and a growl.


    ¡°I''m not gon'' be too many more bitches, Eli.¡± A little bit of that hood girl who lives in every woman to


    some extent ising to the forefront.


    ¡°Arden!¡± Melinda climbs on top of the front desk so that her pale features are in superb focus. She taps


    the camera lens with her decrepit index finger.


    ¡°I know your thieving ass has my damn kids. Try having some crumb snatchers of your own for a


    change, instead of trying to steal mine.¡±


    ¡°Elliott ... unless you want to be on the receiving end of the first ass-kicking of the night, I suggest you


    let go of me.¡± Arden''s tone is low and controlled. Like someone who has resolved to do what must be


    done, consequences be damned.


    He has to rein her in¡ªand fast. She has never reached a breaking point where Melinda is concerned.


    But tonight could be one for the record books. It looks like his ex has finally pushed a woman with the


    patience of Job to her limit.


    He doesn''t know whether or not he can handle that. Eli knows what Melinda''s bat shit crazy entails. But


    seeing someone as quiet as Arden lose her shit would be like watching an F5 twister decimate a town.


    No warning. No escape. Just destruction. The only hope for survival would be to hunker down and ride


    it out, as you watch in awe at its raw power.


    ¡°Arden, baby.¡± Elliott puts Ardi in a bear hug and ces his hand over her heart. The adrenaline


    courses through her veins, pounding her heart against his palm at breakneck speed. It makes him


    tremble.


    He speaks to her in a voice so soft and sweet, even the most nefarious of viins couldn''t resist its


    charm.


    ¡°Calm down ... Ignore her.¡± Eli reminds her that the evil bitch downstairs feeds off anger, and she''s only


    seeking a reaction out of them.


    Arden knows this. She has be very well ustomed to Melinda''s modus operandi. That woman


    has been the bane of Arden''s existence for thest sixteen years. She knows Melinda says shit just to


    fuck with her.


    Ardi is aware that Mel has even referred to her as a whore in front of the twins. She is also privy to the


    scathing "anonymous" blog Melinda has dedicated to sting her ex-husband''s second wife. She


    remembers convincing her father not to lodge a civil suit against Mel for defamation of character.


    Ardi also recalls smiling while Melinda introduced herself as Eli''s wife at a Mitchell family function. At


    that same gathering, Mel managed to mention the absence of any little ones who bear a resemnce


    to Arden to everyone in attendance at least twice.


    Her exactment was, ¡°You have to wonder when a woman as ... striking ... as Arden hasn''t given


    her husband any children. Must be something wrong with her plumbing, or he''s found some other little


    slut to take care of his needs. Either way, I feel so sorry for her. A woman who can''t have kids isn''t


    really a woman at all. Elliott must be so disappointed.¡±


    At least that''s how Arden''s aunt, Wilhelmina, ryed the message to her in the kitchen of her childhood


    home. Arden cursed the ground that Melinda slithered on, as she bore a hole in the travertine tile floor


    with her Valentino heels. She gritted her teeth, as Wilhelmina urged her to set the maniacal ho straight.


    Arden refused.


    Instead, Ardi watched from the bay window while that bitch tossed her head back, cackling as she


    drank Dom P¨¦rignon in the backyard of the Mitchells¡¯ forty-acre estate. She didn''t say anything. Just let


    Melinda''s venom roll right off her back.


    Of course, Melinda picked up on Arden''s unwillingness to acknowledge her smear campaign and


    upped the ante. Yet, she still got no reaction from the current Mrs. Elliott Stone. Ardi remained mum, as


    she overheard Melinda make yet another reference to her perceived imperfection.


    ¡°The doctors must have misced something when they stitched her back together after the ident.¡±


    Melinda stared right at Arden as she spoke, daring her to offer some challenge to the bile she was


    spreading all over the beautifullyndscaped garden.


    Arden''s entire body shut down. Her hands lost their grip on the silverware she''d been holding, sending


    it crashing down onto the expensive china. Her brown eyes glistened, as moisture strained against her


    eyelids. For a second, she forgot how to breathe.


    That one hurt. It was a two-for-one punch. The barb almost made her lunge across the pristine white


    tablecloth, and bust Melinda dead in her throat.


    Even Wilhelmina was ready to light up Melinda''s pasty behind for that remark. Seeing the anguish on


    her niece''s face was all the motivation she needed to pull off her earrings and snatch a bitch.


    Any slight mention of the day she lost her mother sends Arden into an emotional tailspin. And everyone


    close to her is conscious of that fact, including her best enemy. She wanted nothing more than toy


    her ass out. But she wasn''t going to allow herself, or her aunt, to sink to Mel''s level.


    ¡°Mitchell women aredies first,¡± Lillian Mitchell''s gentle voice reminded her. Arden''s mom would not


    have approved of such an outburst. Especially not in thepany of most of her extended family. And


    she wasn''t about to disappoint her mommy.


    So she maintained her calm expression and made polite conversation with her sister-inw and


    cousins. When Elliott called to apologize for his absence for the third time, she made no mention of


    Melinda''s behavior. She didn''t put him in the middle.


    Ardi kept quiet. But that didn''t mean everything was hunky-dory with her on the inside. She did


    inhumane things to Melinda in the dark recesses of her mind.


    By the end of the main course, she had reduced her expertly prepared chateaubriand to a medium-


    rare, mangled mass of flesh. Arden did what she could that evening to refrain from choking the life out


    of Elliott''s ex-wife.


    She murdered innocent cuts of beef. mmed doors and cabs. Chewed the inside of her cheek


    raw. She prayed. Rolled her eyes, until her optic nerve threatened to go on strike.


    But she kept her mouth shut.


    That instance is one of many that has yed out over the years. So yeah, the Ardi and Mel soap opera


    goes back like babies and pacifiers. She doesn''t need Eli to remind her.


    Melinda is a conniving, jealous, old witch who is still in love with Elliott. And it seems the one thing that


    brings the bitter hag any trace of satisfaction, is making his current wife miserable whenever the


    opportunity strikes. Arden''s been nothing but cordial, though. Some might even say she''s been


    downright friendly to Melinda.


    But some days when the bullshit with Melinda is at an all-time high, she wants toy into that bitch with


    a baseball bat. Beat her to within an inch of her pathetic little life, then sip a fine chardonnay as she


    watches the loathsome demon take herst contemptuous breath.


    But then she remembers something else.


    Rowan''s firstpetition with the debate team. His induction into the English Honor Society. Or his first


    ser game.


    The first painting Teagan ever did. Her first starring role in the school y. Or the way her eyes light up


    when she sings.


    The twins.


    She thinks about the twins.


    Rowan and Teagan are caught in the middle of Melinda''s sick little game. And they did nothing to


    deserve it.


    So Arden invites their vile, subus of a mother to family events. She carries on conversations with


    Melinda and manages to convey a somewhat genuine interest in whatever mindless fodder she


    volunteers. She dodges Melinda''s underhanded insults with the same agility she used to exercise on


    the tennis court.


    The twins need someone who will never be too involved in her own shit to notice them. Arden has been


    that person for Rowan and Teagan as long as either of them can remember.


    She can''t let tonight be any different. But she also cannot allow Melinda to take the twins back to New


    York with her.


    They left her for a reason, just like Eli did. She''s a self-important, venomous fame whore. If she lets


    them leave with Melinda and something happens, she will never forgive herself ... or Elliott.


    Right now, she has to rx and convince Eli that she''s not out for Mel''s blood. She needs to remain


    Ardi is still annoyed. But she stops struggling in Eli''s arms. For now, she''s some imitation of calm.


    Though she would still give anything to knock the hell out of Melinda.


    Just then, the twinse downstairs and see their parents. They take in Arden''s wild expression and


    the desperation on Elliott''s face.


    This is new to them. Ardi and Eli have never so much as raised their voices to each other in the twins''


    presence. To see Arden and Elliott in what seems like a physical struggle is rming.


    ¡°Dad, what''s going on?¡± Rowan asks.


    Elliott takes a gamble and releases Arden before answering. ¡°Melinda is here.¡±


    Ro and Tea go wide-eyed. They both scramble backward into the stairs, tripping over the bottom step


    andnding t on their backsides.


    Melinda is here.


    That''s why their otherwise peaceful mother and father are in such a state. The woman who gave birth


    to them hase to im her property.


    ¡°She''s in bama?¡± they ask in tandem.


    ¡°She''s downstairs.¡± Arden is ring at Mel''s image on the camera. She directs the kids'' attention to the


    blonde who is still terrorizing the hapless concierge.


    The twins glimpse their mother and begin to plead for asylum like prisoners campaigning for a stay of


    execution.


    ¡°Please, don''t make us go back.¡±


    Teagan rushes to Arden and holds on to her for dear life. ¡°Ammi, we don''t want to go with her.¡±


    ¡°I know you don''t, sweetheart.¡± Ardi hugs her, stroking her hair. ¡°But it''s not up to me.¡±


    Arden switches her focus to Elliott, and the twins follow her gaze.


    ¡°Dad, please,¡± Ro begs.


    ¡°Now, I''m the bad guy.¡± Eli shrugs. ¡°There is nothing I can do.¡±


    ¡°Elliott.¡± Arden''s glowing eyes are on him. The three of them are looking at him like he''s withholding the


    cure for cancer.


    He rubs his eyes. ¡°Arden, don''t ... look at me like that.¡±


    ¡°We don''t have to hand them over.¡± She hugs Teagan tighter to her body. ¡°Just tell her they''re not


    here.¡±


    Rowan agrees and joins the death grip Teagan and Arden have on each other. Sheforts her


    children by whispering reassuring thoughts in their ears, and gently rubbing their backs. She keeps her


    eyes on Elliott.


    He avoids her scrutiny, ncing up at the exposed ceiling beams. ¡°Melinda already knows they''re


    here.¡±


    ¡°She doesn''t know anything. She assumed they came to us.¡±


    ¡°Well, her guess was right. Where else would they go anyway?¡±


    ¡°Your parents. A friend''s house. The moon, Eli¡ªI don''t know. But as far as she''s concerned, they''re not


    here.¡±


    ¡°We can''t do that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we can,¡± Arden says, an air of finality in her tone.


    ¡°And then what? What do we do when she insists upon filing a missing person report?¡± He starts to


    pace. ¡°Do we lie to the police, too? ... Let them waste resources looking for two teenagers who are


    holed up in our house? ... Who''s going to handle thatwsuit?¡±


    ¡°Dad has an excellent legal team on retainer. It won''t be a problem.¡±


    Elliott chuckles. ¡°You can''t be serious.¡±


    She stares at him, her jaw set.


    He sighs. ¡°Not even the great Warren Mitchell could get us out of kidnapping charges, and filing a false


    police report.¡±


    ¡°Don''t underestimate him and the lengths he''s willing to go for his family.¡± She releases the twins and


    goes to Elliott. ¡°If we start this, he will find a way to finish it.¡±


    ¡°What does that even mean?¡± He shakes his head. ¡°We''re not the mafia.¡±


    ¡°No, we''re politicians.¡± She folds her arms over her chest, resting her weight on one leg. ¡°And that kind


    of clout is far more dangerous.¡±


    A fire burns on the surface of her bronzed irises. Eli can feel the heated determination flow off her in


    waves. He takes an unconscious step backward.


    ¡°You see what you two have done?¡± He nods to Ro and Tea. ¡°You''ve turned your Ammi into a member


    of the Cashmere Mafia. Now she''s gotta wear red bottoms with everything, and get hair extensions.¡±


    Augh starts at the corners of Elliott''s mouth. But he''s the only one who finds that funny.


    ¡°Dad, seriously. What are we going to do?¡± Rowan asks.


    ¡°We are not spending the rest of the summer with her, and that dude.¡±


    He sighs and leans against the back of the sofa, still avoiding everyone''s eyes. Arden moves with him,


    following him with that exacting gaze of hers.


    Elliott can never handle that look. The one that''s a mixture of disappointment and burgeoning


    resentment. He''s seen that look on his wife''s face one too many times in the past year.


    If he''s not careful, another even more heartbreaking one could take its ce. The look of a woman who


    no longer cares whether her husband is up to par. By that time, she''s already found someone else who


    will meet her expectations.


    If she ever does leave his heart for greener pastures, she might as well put a bullet in his chest. After


    losing her, he couldn''t begin to know how to be.


    Elliott can hear Ardi ask the kids to go back to their rooms and give them some privacy. But he doesn''t


    notice when Ro and Teaply with her request.


    His mind is doing cartwheels between Arden, the twins, and the madwoman downstairs. The family he


    sacrificed so much to get needs him to protect that bond. But going against the woman who is


    threatening to put asunder the ties that bind them, could have the same devastating repercussions as


    giving in to her demands.


    And that''s just the way Melinda likes it. She knows anything she asks of him isn''t worth as much as


    what he stands to lose. So she milks that knowledge for everything it''s worth.


    ¡°Eli.¡± Arden takes both his hands in hers, linking their fingers.


    He looks up at her, his eyes darting around the room. Elliott absorbs his surroundings again, having


    been lost in his thoughts for a moment. He touches her hands to his lips, but still doesn''t focus on her.


    He nces over at the scene downstairs again. Melinda is still making high-pitched threats and yelling


    obscenities at the camera. His heart drops to his stomach and begins to cauterize in the new acidic


    environment. He winces, the difort feeling more physical than metaphorical.


    His eyes be shards of sea ss resting in a sparkling bed of sand. Arden raises his chin and


    looks into his zed expression.


    ¡°Honey, are you listening to me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I um.¡± He nods. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    He knows what she wants to hear, but he''s not sure he can deliver. Maybe he can find some middle


    ground that will appease Arden, and keep Melinda''s ws out of him. But there is a very slim chance of


    that happening.


    ¡°I''ll figure something out.¡±


    ¡°You''ll figure something out.¡± Arden dips her head.


    Elliott can see the tears forming on the fringes of her longshes. He reaches up to catch the tiny drops


    of frustration as they spill out of his wife''s eyes. Each one of her tears makes him even more upset that


    he''s essentially powerless in this situation.


    ¡°I won''t let her take them tonight. I promise.¡±


    ¡°And then what?¡±


    ¡°I can''t make any guarantees.¡±


    Her voice is thick when she speaks again. ¡°I don''t want her around them at all.¡±


    ¡°Me either, baby ... Me either.¡± He puts his arms around her waist and pulls her into him. ¡°But right now,


    it''s her ballgame.¡±


    His mass of blonde curls sprawls against her chest, while he buries his face in her stomach. Hugging


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    him closer, she kisses his forehead. She rests her head against his.


    ¡°I know.¡± Arden sighs from somewhere deep. ¡°It always has been.¡±


    Elliott feels her body sink into his and that just about kills him. Melinda has them both by the neck. And


    the way Arden just deted in his arms, tells him she doesn''t believe he''s capable of defending their


    family.


    He lifts his head from her chest and stands up straight. Eli holds Arden by the nape of her neck and


    locks eyes with her.


    ¡°Do you trust me?¡±


    Ardi starts to say something, then stops. She takes a breath. ¡°Yes.¡±


    He sinks his fingertips into the soft curve of her waist and kisses her. Then he takes one more look at


    his beautiful wife, before leaving the apartment barefoot.

 Chapter 10: Wicked Witch of the East, Part II

    Chapter 10: Wicked Witch of the East, Part II


    The instant his feet hit the cold lobby floor, he wishes he could get his hands on a DeLorean and a flux


    capacitor.


    He''d tell his past self to run for the hills when the red-headed step-daughter of his father''s golf buddy


    The one time he was depending on her to be herself, she chooses to y the role of a concerned


    mother and show up here.


    "Elliott Finley Stone." Melinda stops fighting Edward and saunters over to his side. "How are you, Fin?"


    Everyone calls him either Elliott or Eli. She''s the one person who uses his middle name, and she insists


    upon addressing him as Finley or Fin. Melinda says Finley is a much more distinguished name than


    Elliott. Truth is, she loves calling him that because she knows he detests it.


    He gulps down air and runs his hands over his hair. Eli blinks as his eyes adjust to her. Just looking at


    her takes everything out of him.


    The first Mrs. Stone is the captain and head coach of Team Too Much.


    Almost two in the morning, and she''s wearing ace Gi dress with a side slit that hits about mid-


    thigh, with a pair of sheer ck stockings, topped off with a pair of nosebleed heels. Her bleached


    mane has been coaxed into soft ringlets that frame her face. A blood-red lipstick tints her lips.


    Melinda couldn''t have been too worried about the twins, since she took the time to get dolled up like a


    high-priced call girl.


    She looks good. He won''t lie. But she still can''t hold a candle to Arden.


    Stripped down to her birthday suit, and not a touch of makeup, Ardi''s still beautiful. More attractive in


    fact. She''s not trying to impress anyone, and that''s what makes her so stunning. Somehow because


    she''s not asking for the attention, it makes her more worthy of it.


    Melinda on the other hand, needs theyers of makeup, the designer clothes, and the constant


    reassurance. So much so that she''ll bring up her appearance just so people canment on it.


    After about six months of dating, Elliott ran out of genuinepliments and would volunteer a half-


    hearted, ''yeah, that''s nice,'' whenever she went fishing for ttery.


    Nowadays, he keeps words with Mel to a minimum, and what she''s wearing tonight garners nothing


    more than an aggravated smirk from him.


    Elliott keeps checking the door for Melinda''s usual entourage. She never travels without hertest male


    conquest and personal assistant.


    With a nationally ranked television show under her belt, she is somewhat of a big deal. Dressed to the


    9s with Melinda Carven-Stone airs every Thursday night at nine eastern on the Stylework. The


    show has won several primetime television awards since its premiere three years ago.


    You have to give a simple girl from the backwoods of bama credit. It''s an amazing feat to be


    recognized for your talent in such a public manner. And Melinda is great at what she does, maybe even


    the best.


    But her goddamned attitude overshadows every positive thing about her.


    He''s never seen a stylist who''s more high maintenance than any of her clients, and she works with the


    best of young Hollywood.


    A whiny, entitled twenty-something would be a more wee sight for Eli than his ex-wife at this hour.


    "Melinda."


    "Three years of marriage, two kids and all I get is a dry, Melinda? I think I deserve more than that."


    She inches closer and runs her fingers through his curls. Then she lets her hand trail down the side of


    his face to his chest, heading further south.


    Eli catches her hand and throws it back at her. "Let''s not get into what you deserve."


    "Elliott, all these years and you''re still bitter. Let it go. I have ..." She strokes his cheek. "You got your


    little whore, didn''t you?"


    He corrects her. "I got my wife, Melinda. My wife."


    "Splitting hairs, Eli." Melinda shrugs. "Were you not still a married man when you met her?"


    Always the same shit, different day with her. They have some variation of this argument every time they


    speak.


    "I''m not getting into this with you. You know damn well what the situation was."


    "You weren''t single."


    "I wasn''t in a rtionship either. There''s a certain give and take to those kinds of things. But what


    would a parasite know about a partnership?"


    Her eyes be dark slits of Maybelline smoky liner and Very ck mascara.


    "me me, if that helps you sleep next to your little ck girl. Enjoy the jungle fever while itsts. I''ll be


    around when it burns out of you."


    She touches him again. And again he removes her offending appendage from his person.


    "Arden and I will be celebrating our thirteenth wedding anniversary this year. Whatever she''s doing is


    working. So you might want to ask my gorgeous, intelligent, thoughtful wife, who happens to be


    African-American, what her secret is."


    Elliott hears a minute crackling. Melinda must be grinding her capped teeth into powder. He just lit a


    match in an oil tanker.


    She creeps closer to him until he can see the touch of gray at her crown, defiant and ready to show her


    true age. The perfume she all but bathes in hits him in the face like a thorn-ridden bouquet of roses.


    "Has she given you any little swirly babies yet?" Melinda smiles at him, baring her fangs.


    Now it''s Elliott''s turn to grind his enamel into dust. His face strains to maintain an even expression.


    She just loves mentioning her handiwork. Melinda is the single reason there isn''t a tiny person with


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Elliott''s thick sandy curls, and Arden''s beautiful brown eyes running around their house.


    Melinda and Elliott separated six months after the twins were born. She was still trying to establish her


    career, and two screaming infants didn''t fit into her schedule.


    Elliott was in the midst of his doctoral thesis. So the twins ended up with his parents during the day and


    reading over anthropological theories with their dad at night.


    Whenever Mel did make it home, she ignored Eli and the twins. She couldn''t even be bothered to make


    a bottle of form. If Eli left Melinda alone with the children, there was no guarantee she wouldn''t leave


    them in the house to fend for themselves.


    After a while, it just made more sense for him and Melinda to stop pretending they were an actual


    family.


    He and the kids moved in with his parents, and his life revolved around school and the twins. Melinda


    was more concerned with the way all of this made her look, rather than her children spending very little


    time bonding with their mother.


    She made very few brief appearances to see her babies. The most she would do is pluck them from


    their cribs, give them a quick peck on the cheek, then deposit the children into the arms of Eli''s mother.


    She''d dash out the door as quickly as she''de, leaving two crying infants for someone else to quiet.


    She lived under the mistaken assumption that she had time. That Eli, Ro, and Tea would wait around


    until she was ready to include them in her life. Well, everyone knows what happens when one


    assumes.


    Elliott met Arden two days before the twins'' first birthday, and the four of them have been inseparable


    ever since.


    He knew he had met the one woman who was meant for him. All he had to do was rid himself of


    Melinda.


    Mel knew she and Eli were on the outs. She saw how he was with Arden, and realized he was a


    different person when the other woman was around him. He was a better version of himself.


    Whenever Arden spoke, he listened. Every time they were together, he couldn''t keep his hands off her.


    He held her hand, caressed her cheek,plimented her every move, kissed her like no one else was


    around no matter where they were. He wouldn''t shut up about her.


    Eli was in love.


    Arden was younger, cultured, and the daughter of a well-liked political figure. She already had it all and


    now she was taking Melinda''s husband. And the takeover was quick.


    Elliott filed for divorce one week after meeting Ardi.


    Within two weeks, Elliott had introduced Arden to his parents. And they too were smitten with her.


    He had wanted to make it work with Melinda for the twins'' sake. But there was no reason to be


    miserable when he could have everything he ever wanted with Arden.


    Elliott never told Arden that he was still married in the eyes of thew. To her knowledge, Melinda was


    his ex-wife, not his estranged wife. And for this reason, Eli''s head earned a permanent spot on Mel''s


    guillotine.


    Like everything with Melinda, she wasn''t going to make the divorce nice and easy for Elliott.


    She fought him tooth and nail on everything¡ªalimony, their house, investments. Melinda made a fuss


    over the littlest shit. Like who was going to get the crystal figurines his parents gave them as a wedding


    present.


    None of it mattered to him. She could have it all, even the clothes off his back. Eli would give her


    anything just to move on with Arden, and that killed her.


    So she hit him where it hurt.


    Melinda threatened to sue for full custody of the twins unless Elliott agreed to have a vasectomy.


    At first, he t out refused. But then Melinda made her ultimatum clearer. She threatened to go abroad


    with the kids, get lost in the European countryside, and never return.


    Eli knew she was just crazy enough to do it. It was either never see his twins again, or give up having


    kids with the woman he loved.


    Either way, he was going to lose something. But he had to protect his children that were already here.


    He couldn''t worry about hypothetical babies with Arden that might never have happened. That didn''t


    stop him from mourning for them, though.


    It was an impossible decision, but he made it. Melinda regained some of the control she felt she''d lost


    over Eli, and exacted a sick pleasure from hurting both of them.


    If Arden was going to have Elliott she was going to be getting damaged goods. She wanted the young


    woman to experience the inferiority and anguish that she felt when Eli decided to leave. In her mind,


    she had found a way to take Ardi down a peg.


    He has never mentioned to Arden the real reason he chose to have the vasectomy. He imed it was


    because he discovered he was a carrier for a gic disorder. He didn''t want to risk having any more


    kids who might develop the disease, or pass on the gene to their children.


    Elliott said he didn''t tell Melinda about the procedure right away, because she never would have


    forgiven him for deciding without discussing it with her first. Then other problems took the ce of that


    issue, and they separated before he got a chance to bring up the subject. After the divorce, he decided


    that telling her the news would only make her more vengeful.


    Arden believed him, apuded him for being so proactive. And even in the face of Melinda''s frequent


    put-downs about her supposed infertility, she has never mentioned a word about the vasectomy to Mel.


    She wouldn''t dream of breaking Elliott''s confidence, and he knows it.


    He hated lying to Arden. But telling her the truth didn''t seem right either.


    Arden already does an exceptional job at putting up with Melinda''s shit. This tidbit of information might


    break that incredible self-control, and Mel is not worth a life sentence in a maximum-security prison.


    Plus, he can''t stand how weak the whole arrangement makes him seem. Melinda couldn''t have him,


    and he couldn''t live without Arden. So he let Mel take his balls, in the most literal sense of the


    expression.


    He couldn''t tell Arden that he had let his vicious and vindictive ex dictate the direction of their life


    together. Besides, revealing that truth would also mean uncovering yet another lie¡ªthat he made Ardi


    the unwitting mistress. He didn''t want to take the chance that she''d leave if he told her the truth about


    his and Melinda''s rtionship at the time.


    Elliott cannot lose Arden. Not then, and damn sure not now. Not after waking up to her face every


    morning for the past twelve years.


    But every time Mel is around, that harsh reality bes a distinct possibility. Eli can only hope that if


    Melinda does decide to tell Arden, she won''t believe her.


    Elliott continues to re at Melinda, as his mind races down memoryne. The anger from so many


    years ago ising back, singeing his skin beet red. The rage is new every time he lets himself think


    about it.


    He collects himself, then answers her question.


    "Nope, no kids yet. But maybe that''s because she''s been too busy raising yours."


    Capiries break their thin walls and flush her cheeks a bright crimson. He''s hit another nerve with her.


    "That''s right, Fin. My kids. And she''d do well to remember that."


    "It seems you''re the only one who needs reminding of that fact."


    Before Melinda can pounce on Elliott, another nut adds itself to the fruitcake.


    A tall, slender man in a white linen shirt and pants storms into the lobby. He slicks a cowlick away from


    his face and takes a drag from a thin cigarette. Three buttons of his shirt are open, unting the dark


    hair on his chest.


    "I''m sorry, sir. You can''t smoke in here," Edward informs the young man.


    Edward extends an ashtray to him. The man smirks at Edward, takes another pull, then nces down


    at the ss receptacle. Keeping his eyes on the concierge, he puts the cigarette out on the polished


    floor.


    He smooths his hand over his slicked-back hair, lights another cigarette, and walks over to Melinda.


    "Did you get the little fuckers yet?"


    Elliott knew Melinda would never show up without a new piece of meat to dangle in front of him. But


    even this swarthy Latino isn''t enough to make Eli feel anything but contempt for her.


    "Armando, I thought you were going to wait in the car."


    His pale green eyes dte to twice their size. "In this neighborhood?"


    "Don''t you think you''re being a little dramatic, honey?"


    "I just found out this country ass state doesn''t even have a decent vegan restaurant. We need to catch


    the next ne out of this shit hole."


    "We will." She peeks back at Eli over her shoulder. "As soon as, Finley hands over my kids."


    "I''m willing to discuss that. Right after you tell me who the hell this is." Eli nods to Armando, who smirks


    and blows a puff of smoke his way.


    "This is Armando Christian. My fianc¨¦."


    "The model," Armando adds.


    Melinda snakes her body around the thin reed of a man.


    Elliott shrugs. "What is he, like twelve?"


    "I''m thirty-four, asshole."


    "You''re not the only one who can rob the cradle." She smirks at Eli.


    "That is your specialty, remember? You''re four years older than I am. So that means you''re over a


    decade older than the tiny tike here." Eli smirks and folds his arms across his chest. "Beats my record


    by a longshot."


    Melinda res at him. "Where are my kids?"


    "Upstairs ... with their mother." He couldn''t resist.


    Her face catches fire, rage burning in every pore. "That homewrecker will never be anyone''s mother."


    "You know, you did everything possible to make sure of that. But it didn''t work. She is Rowan and


    Teagan''s mother."


    "She is a ceholder for me," Melinda growls.


    "When they were eight months old, you left Ro and Tea inside a car for an hour in the middle of July."


    He scoffs and runs his hand through his hair. "I can''t imagine why the twins would prefer her over you."


    She steps into Elliott''s space. "Either you give me my children, or I''m calling the police."


    "Please do. And call Child Protective Services while you''re at it. I''d love to exin to them how yourx


    parenting skills allowed two teenagers to just disappear." He leans down to her level. "I bet Enrique


    over there has a little white girl stashed in the car. And I ain''t talking about Emma Watson."


    Elliott addresses Armando and asks how he feels about sausage and orange jumpsuits. Melinda


    thrusts her bony hand into Eli''s chest, and pushes him back from the model.


    She reduces her voice to a harsh whisper. "Do you realize that I could make your life a living hell if I


    wanted to?"


    "You already did once. I made it out just fine."


    Melinda nces down at Elliott''s crotch. "Let''s ask Arden about that."


    Elliott bites his tongue. He hasn''t been around his ex-wife for fifteen minutes, and he already has a


    splitting headache. Melinda heads for the resident elevators, pulling Armando after her. He doesn''t


    follow.


    "Why don''t we leave lover boy downstairs?"


    "Where she goes, I go." Armando stands defiant and takes another puff of his cigarette.


    She must be paying a pretty penny for this one to be so devoted.


    "Then you can both get the hell out of my building."


    "What is the big deal?" Mel asks.


    "I don''t want him near my kids. He''s the reason they came back home."


    "They just need to get used to Armando. To do that, they need to be with us in New York."


    "Ro and Tea don''t like him."


    Armando scoffs. "The feeling is mutual."


    Elliott switches focus to Melinda''s boy toy. "I know it may be difficult for you to tell. But the adults are


    talking."


    Armando smirks and goes back to his homemade cigarette.


    "Feeling threatened, Fin?" Melinda ys with the cor of Eli''s shirt. "Even a little jealous?"


    Eli tucks his hands into his pockets, and rocks back on his heels.


    "You would love that, wouldn''t you?"


    "Maybe it''s the truth. Maybe you''re ready to y in the big leagues again."


    "I left you, remember? And never once have I ever thought of looking back. So if you''re keeping your


    body Botoxed and plumped for me, you''re wasting precious time and money."


    "Even youth loses its splendor, Elliott."


    "And bitterness drains beauty. You can attest to that."


    Melinda gets quiet and sucks in a breath of air through her gritted teeth. Another win for Eli.


    "You are a pathetic little man," Armando smirks at Elliott.


    "Don''t you have a cousin to pick up at the border?" Eli quips.


    "My family was born here, motherfucker."


    Elliott fires another insult. "A squatter isn''t born, it''s hatched."


    Armando makes a move toward Elliott, and he justughs.


    "I''m sure she''s not paying you enough to fuck with me. Jump back."


    "Melinda is a separate matter. My problem with you just became personal."


    Armando infringes upon Elliott''s little bubble, bumping his chest into Eli''s. He uses Elliott''s shoulder to


    extinguish his blunt, singeing the delicate silk and wool blend fabric of his shirt. The touch of fire stings


    a bit, but Eli doesn''t take notice of any difort.


    "Dr. Stone, should I alert the police," Edward asks, phone in hand poised to dial.


    He should have done that twenty minutes ago when Melinda came storming in here. Elliott never


    should have put her on the authorized visitors list.


    Elliott waves back at Edward over his shoulder. He doesn''t take his eyes off Armando.


    "That won''t be necessary, Edward. He''s leaving right now."


    Melinda steps in between the two men. "He isn''t going anywhere, and neither am I. So deal with it."


    "I don''t want you here. Which means your continued presence is uwful. And you don''t need another


    trespassing charge on your record."


    Melinda''s wounded expression lets him know he''s onto something. Maybe Eli just found some much-


    needed leverage.


    He continues. "Bet the producers of your little show don''t know their star has a rap sheet. Wonder what


    would happen if they were to find out."


    "You don''t have the balls," she taunts him.


    "You''re right, I don''t." He sighs. "But I do have the studio head''s direct number."


    Melinda''s subsequent explosion is interrupted by the sound of the elevator descending to the lobby.


    The heavy steel doors slide apart, and an angel steps into the tense atmosphere of the marble


    ented space.

 Chapter 11: Too Close for Comfort

    Chapter 11: Too Close for Comfort


    Though Eli asked her to stay put, he''s so d she ignored him.


    Arden glides past Melinda and Armando, and into Eli''s eager embrace. She''s let her hair down, and her


    Nikes have been swapped for a pair of ck ts.


    With her back to the enemy, she surveys her husband. She puts her arms around his torso and


    whispers to him.


    "Are you okay?"


    Elliott cradles her chin in one hand and slips his other into her hair. Her wrinkled brow and the tears


    clouding her almond eyes, remind him of the reason he loves her.


    He smiles at Arden. "I am perfect."


    Then he bends his head and kisses his wife. He closes his eyes and slips his tongue between her lips.


    She follows his lead and folds her arms around his neck. They both rx into the space that belongs to


    them alone, a home that exists in their every kiss. Somewhere safe.


    Elliott rests his forehead against hers, and she notices the singed spot on his shirt. Arden''s jaw


    tightens, and she asks again if he''s all right. He nods and pulls her against his chest.


    Melinda clears her throat behind them.


    Elliott watches Arden roll her eyes, before turning to face Mel and Armando. A pageant grin worthy of


    the crown reces the disgust that turned down her lips just seconds earlier.


    "Melinda." Arden gives her the same stale greeting as Elliott did.


    "Arden, so nice to see you," Melinda says, eyeballing her.


    "Mm-hmm. Is this the boyfriend?" Ardi asks, ncing at Armando.


    "Fianc¨¦."


    "Semantics, Melinda." Arden shrugs.


    "Armando." He offers his hand to her.


    Arden stares at his outstretched palm. She gives him a quick wave of her hand, before folding her arms


    across her middle.


    He grins. "Another fiery one, I see."


    Arden shifts her focus back to Melinda. "Why are you here?"


    "You kidnapped my kids."


    "I did no such thing. They left of their own volition."


    "I find that very hard to believe."


    "Believe what you will, Melinda. Neither Elliott nor I knew they wereing back to Birmingham."


    "Fine. We can all pretend you didn''t lure them back here." She pauses to re at Arden. "I''m taking


    them home."


    "They are home," Elliott says.


    "Their home is with me."


    "Not tonight, it isn''t. It''ste. They''re staying here," Arden asserts.


    "Don''t you think that''s a decision they have to make for themselves?"


    Ardi nods. "You''re absolutely right. Let''s go upstairs and you can ask them yourself."


    Arden and Elliott apologize to Edward for Melinda''s oundish behavior and ask him to have


    management send them a bill for the damages.


    They also ask him to make sure that after tonight she is not allowed inside the building under any


    circumstances ever again.


    "Shall we?" Eli leads the way to the elevator and they all step inside the small space.


    None of them are too thrilled about sharing the close quarters, even for this short duration. All except


    one, that is. Armando leers at Arden. Elliott notices the other man''s eyes on her. He switches ces


    with her, eyeballing the model.


    Melinda nudges Armando''s arm. "Like what you see?"


    "You know I appreciate beauty in any form." He smiles at Arden, who groans.


    "Yes, she''s very pretty. But you might want to check under the hood first. Sometimes that new Ferrari


    turns out to be a lemon ... Right, Fin?" She raises her eyebrow at Elliott.


    "Don''t start, Melinda," he warns.


    She sets her sights on her real prey. "Still barren, Arden?"


    "For thest time ..." Elliott''s response is cut short by Arden''s hand on his arm.


    "Yeah, not much has changed with me." Ardi tilts her head and smiles at Melinda. "But I see you''ve


    managed to be even more of a bitch."


    "You still think that''s an insult. That''s cute."


    "I didn''t think it would be fair to point out that dime store dye job, and those crow''s feet." Arden sighs at


    Melinda''s bottle-blonde locks. "I was raised to respect my elders."


    "At least the sound of my broken biological clock doesn''t keep me awake at night."


    Ardenughs. "Oh, I''m sure yours stopped ticking twenty years ago."


    "Maybe. But I''m not the one still sporting scars from twenty years ago." She gestures to Arden''s cheek.


    "You know there are procedures for that now. There''s no need to walk around looking like a patchwork


    quilt."


    "I don''t see why not." Ardi shrugs. "You''re allowed to look like the crypt keeper in front of millions of


    people every week."


    Melinda is silent a moment, pretending to be too engrossed in her freshly manicured nails.


    "Speaking of my show, you would be perfect for a segment we''re doing next month. It''s called When


    Gics Goes Wrong." She looks Arden over from head to toe and sighs. "Guess, some people just


    never get past that ugly duckling phase."


    Arden bites the inside of her cheek. Then she kind of chuckles and nces down at her feet, before


    making eye contact with Melinda again.


    "I used to think you were just an insecure, fame whore." Ardi smirks. "But now I see that was a


    Mel res back at Arden. "I''d rather be a fame whore than a motherless one any day."


    The air in the elevator is set aze, sucking all of the oxygen out of the cramped space.


    "All right, that''s enough. Give it a rest, Melinda." Eli takes Arden''s trembling hand.


    Melinda raises her palms. "Wasn''t me."


    Elliott gives Arden''s hand a gentle squeeze, and she does the same. She''s okay.


    Finally, they reach their floor and walk down the long hallway that leads into the penthouse.


    Melinda takes a moment to study the artwork on the walls. A portrait of Arden, Elliott, and the twins is of


    particr interest to her all of a sudden.


    "I let you two live in rtive peace with my children." She''s all but snarling at the photo. "Bet everyone


    around here thinks ya''ll are a regr Brady Bunch."


    "Who gives a fuck what people think. We''re a family." Elliott takes a breath, keeping himself from


    saying more.


    "I do care about my kids." Melinda''s expression softens. It almost seems genuine. Almost.


    "There aren''t any cameras or press here, Melinda," Elliott smirks. ¡°Do me a favor, and drop the


    bullshit."


    "What are you talking about?" Mel asks.


    "Give your other face a rest. I''m sure it gets enough airtime on your show."


    "Well, which is it, Fin?" She turns to him. "Do you want me to behave, or not?"


    "I want you to be a slightly better version of yourself. One who doesn''t exact pleasure from crawling


    underneath other people''s skin and defecating on their internal organs. One who isn''t such a spiteful


    bitch."


    "You''re out of line, asshole. You can''t talk to her like that." Armando makes a half-hearted attempt at


    defending his woman.


    "Do you really wanna go there with me again?" Elliott charges up to him. "I can''t even understand why


    you''re doing so much talking."


    "Why not, Finley?" Melinda asks. "Your little mouthpiece has had plenty to say tonight."


    She narrows her eyes at Arden.


    "Everybody just take it down a notch. Fighting with each other all night isn''t going to solve anything."


    Arden steps into the middle of the fray and urges Eli away from Mel''s glorified escort.


    In less than three hours, she needs to be at the bakery. So it''s time for everyone to put the bullshit to


    bed.


    "Pardon me little Miss Muffet. But I''m not in the mood to hold hands and sing an old negro spiritual."


    "Let''s get one thing straight, father time." Arden addresses her. "None of your passive-aggressive shit


    in front of the kids. Whatever animosity there is between us, stays between us. Got it?"


    Melinda gasps and ces a hand over her chest.


    "Really, Arden. You''re so confrontational. Try to keep that ghetto girl attitude in check. This isn''t the


    hood."


    Melinda struts past Arden toward the door of the apartment.


    Elliott takes his wife''s hand again. She squeezes it, much harder this time. They share a quick look,


    before following the other two.


    Once inside the apartment, Elliott deposits Armando on the sofa and Arden heads up to the twins''


    bedrooms. Melinda calls after her before she can make it up the first step.


    "I''d like to talk to my kids alone if you don''t mind."


    Arden pauses with her left foot on the stairs, resting her weight on her right. She hangs her head and


    sighs. Then she throws up her hands and ushers Mel ahead of her.


    "It''s your world, Melinda."


    "d you can see that." She res at Arden like she''s the hired help, making sure to bump into her


    elbow as she passes.


    Arden''s hand reaches toward Melinda''s over-processed locks, as she starts up after her. Elliott catches


    her arm, hugging her body close to his.


    "Don''t do it," he whispers.


    "But I really want to," she whines, like a bratty kid in the middle of a toy store.


    "I know." He nces up the stairs. "And I wouldn''t me you. But you are not cut out for prison."


    "I''ll adapt," she says, still staring after Melinda''s shadow.


    "But you know how I feel about conjugal visits." Elliott kisses her cheek, and they share augh. She


    faces him and drapes her arms around his neck. "I need more than a few minutes with you."


    "What is it that you need more than a few minutes to do?"


    "It''s not really something I can put into words." He settles his hands at her waist and shrugs. "I''m more


    of a performance artist."


    "Uh-huh ... When can I see the master at work?"


    "As soon as these people get out of our house." He grabs her ass, then lifts her onto a nearby side


    table. "But I might be persuaded to give you a little preview. All I need to hear is that magic word."


    She wraps her legs around his back and pulls him closer by the waistband of his jeans. "Now."


    "Nope, try again."


    She undoes a couple of buttons on his shirt. "Right now."


    He grins, wagging a finger at her. "You are a delinquent."


    "You have no idea." Sheughs, and a mischievous smile lights up her face.


    Arden tilts her head, and Elliott meets her lips halfway. They''re lost in each other again when Elliott


    gets the feeling they have an audience.


    He pulls away from her kiss and turns to find Armando has joined them in the hallway. His lithe build is


    leaned against the wall, staring at Arden like she''s the newest installment on the Cinemax after-dark


    lineup.


    "Do you mind?" Eli steps in front of his wife, blocking the other man''s view.


    Armando chuckles and removes another cigarette from the slender silver case hidden in his breast


    pocket. He regards Elliott through his thickshes, as he lights up his imported west-coast weed.


    "I do hate to interrupt your little United Nations makeout session. But may I use your bathroom?"


    "You can shit in the street like any dog."


    Arden rests her head against Elliott''s shoulder. She can''t help but giggle.


    "Eli." She nudges him.


    Elliott nces back at her, and she shakes her head.


    "Down the hall,st door on the right."


    Armando struts past them in the direction of the bathroom.


    "Armando," Arden calls as he passes. He stops and turns on his heels. "You can''t smoke in my house."


    "Forgive me, beautiful. Won''t happen again." He smiles and disappears down the hallway.


    "Bastard," Elliott mutters.


    Arden gently rubs his back. "If I can''t kill Melinda, you can''t be an asshole to the underwear model."


    "That''s not the ..." He turns to her. "How do you know he''s an underwear model?"


    "I''ve seen a few of his ads." Eli smirks at her, and she shrugs. "I read the asional magazine. Sue


    me."


    "First Casper. Now Armando. I''m starting to feel threatened."


    There''s a slight flush in her cheeks. She takes a shallow breath and takes his hands on hers.


    "You have nothing to worry about. They''re not my type."


    "Then what is your type?"


    Arden closes her eyes for a second.


    "Hmm ... Smart. A genius intellect, actually. Devilishly handsome with a hint of boyish charm." She


    smiles at him. "Irresistible blue eyes."


    "I might know someone like that."


    "Have him call me sometime." She sighs. "Until then, guess I''ll settle for you."


    "Good ... Since I''m just a ceholder, that means I don''t have to be a gentleman."


    Eli pulls her forward and kisses her. He slips a hand into her shirt, manhandling her delicate curves.


    Arden whimpers but doesn''t object.


    "Think you two can tear yourselves away from each other for a moment?"


    Melinda is perched at the bottom of the stairs, staring daggers at them both.


    Eli helps Ardi from the table. They wait for Melinda to continue with their arms crossed over their


    chests.


    Mel leans against the banister, sping and unsping her hands. Then she looks Arden dead in the


    eyes.


    "They ... don''t want to leave," Melinda utters each word through gritted teeth. Like every syble is


    another knife tearing into her.


    "Melinda, I''m sorry you came all the way down here. I should have called you."


    "It was my fault. I should have said something the second they showed up here," Arden says, a look of


    pity on her face.


    "Save it. The teamwork thing is just ... nauseating." She ys with a thread on the sleeve of her dress.


    "They can stay here until Thursday, and then we''re leaving first thing Friday morning."


    "Melinda ..." Arden starts to object, but Eli touches her arm.


    "That''s more than fair, Melinda." He nods at her, ncing over at Arden. She shakes her head and


    looks away.


    "I know." Melinda struts past Elliott and Arden, and makes her way to the living room. She stands in the


    middle of the expansive room, looking around with her hands on her hips. "What did you two do with


    Armando?"


    "Nothing yet," Eli says.


    "He''s in the bathroom, Melinda." Arden nods her head down the hallway.


    Melinda wanders off in search of her convenient fiance, leaving Ardi and Eli alone in the darkened


    room.


    Elliott reaches for Arden''s hand. But she wraps her arms around herself and res at him. A bit


    uneasy, heughs and reaches for her again. She backs away from his touch.


    Melinda emerges with a more rxed Armando at her side before Elliott can ask what''s going on with


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    her. Ardi and Eli do the polite thing and show them out.


    In the hallway, Armando gives Arden one more lingering look, before stepping onto the elevator with


    Mel. She flips him the bird. He pouts his lips at her, as the steel doors put an end to that sideshow.


    "Thank God, that''s over." Elliott sighs and tries once again to hug his wife.


    She takes a couple of quick steps to her left, and sails past him back into the apartment. Elliott follows,


    with the confusion of a first-time parent putting together a piece of baby furniture riddling his face.


    He calls her name, but she doesn''t answer. She continues up to Rowan and Teagan''s bedrooms.


    Somehow, Elliott knows it might be best not to follow her upstairs. She''s already expressed a desire to


    throw someone down those same stairs tonight.


    Eli waits for her to appear at the foot of the staircase. A few minutester, she jogs down the stairs


    again and into the living room.


    "Ardi." He matches her steps into the room.


    Arden switches on a nearby floormp and asks Elliott to face her. She asks him to follow her finger,


    and repeat a quick phrase back to her.


    He does as she asks, with an amused smile.


    Then she walks over to a bookshelf, picks up a vase, and tosses it at him.


    "What are you doing?" he exims, barely saving it from a shattered fate.


    "Just wondering, if Melinda''s hand being shoved up your ass has affected any of your other faculties.¡±


    Elliott''s shoulders sink, and he groans like he wants to cry. "Arden, give me a break."


    "No¡ªyou give me one, Elliott." She plucks another fragile knick-knack from the shelf. "Every single


    time that woman shows up, your backbone . . . disintegrates. And you just let her run all over our lives."


    She toys with the object''s weight in her hands for a moment beforeunching it at Eli. The miniature


    y elephant hurtles through the air on a collision course with his chest. He shuffles the first missile


    into the crook of his arm just in time to catch the flying pachyderm.


    Before he can set the items on the end table, she fires another evenrger porcin dish at him. This


    onees within inches of making contact with the hardwood floor. He snatches the te from certain


    destruction in the nick of time.


    "Arden ..."


    "I was almost convinced this time would be different. For a moment, I thought you were going to put our


    rtionship before your irrational fear of angering her. But yet again, you did theplete opposite."


    Ardi picks up a couple of hardbound books and hurls one at Elliott. The volume is moving so fast, his


    best option is to duck. As he rebounds, she sends another soaring his way. This time he catches it ...


    with his forehead.


    "Jesus, Arden. Stop throwing stuff at me." He rubs the afflicted spot on his head.


    Arden puts down her stack of 300-page projectiles and storms off to their bedroom. If she can''t throw


    shit at him, then she''s done talking. She flings the door of the master closed as she enters. Elliott


    catches it mid-swing with his forearm before it ms shut.


    "Ardi, wait a minute."


    Elliott chases her into the walk-in. Arden unbuttons her shirt and yanks off her jeans, before slipping out


    of her underwear. She throws the clothes into a hamper and brushes past him.


    "Are we going to talk about this, or are you going to charge around the house like a two-year-old all


    night?"


    Arden res at him with a bobby pin clenched between her teeth, as she secures her hair into a loose


    bun on the top of her head.


    "Arden, seriously? You''re actually upset with me?"


    She ignores him, stomping into the bathroom and closing the door behind her.


    Elliott considers letting her be, but then he decides against it. If she''s upset, he has to find some way to


    resolve the issue. But he has to get her to talk to him first.


    He turns the door handle and realizes she didn''t lock it. She wants him toe after her.


    Eli enters the already foggy room with caution. As mad as she is, she could be waiting behind the door


    with another blunt object. He peeks his head around the door. No baseball bats or crowbars jump out to


    greet him.


    Arden''s in the shower, letting water that is almost as hot as her anger soak into her pores. Elliott opens


    the ss door. A rush of cooler air strikes her damp skin, making her shiver.


    "Arden."


    "Leave me alone, Elliott." She pulls the shower door shut.


    Eli opens the thick ss once more, and steps inside the tiled shower with her without stopping to


    undress. The downpour from the various jets and showerheads in the steamy enclosure drenches his


    clothes.


    "I can''t do that."


    "Get out," she demands.


    "No."


    "Elliott."


    "Arden." He stands firm and stares back at her.


    He''s not leaving, and she doesn''t have time to waste trying to convince him to do so. Arden groans,


    and turns her back on him. She has to be showered and dressed in less than an hour.


    As shethers her body with a vani and almond oil body wash, Elliott''s lips find her skin. He works


    his way from her ear down to her shoulder, softly biting and sucking as he goes. She dips her shoulder


    and moves away from him. But she''s not getting away that easy.


    Eli slips his arms underneath hers, letting his hands cup her breasts. He massages them in his gentle


    hands, while he continues to kiss her neck.


    After a moment, Arden turns and presses her lips to his. Their same desperate exchange from earlier


    returns. She helps him peel the wet clothes from his body, tearing the fabric from his form like she''s


    shredding the wrapping paper off a present.


    Elliott urges her over to the shower bench and makes her sit. He gets down on his knees in front of her.


    Then he starts to plead for her forgiveness, praising her body with his soft lips like his sole salvation


    lies right here between her thighs.


    Eli works his magic until she''s shuddering and tugging at his dirty blonde curls. Just when she''s ready


    to scream for her savior, he pulls back.


    He moves quickly before she can question him. Eli gets to his feet and lifts her. Ardi wraps her legs


    around his back. With one swift movement, he slips into her warmth. She melts like sugar in his arms,


    uttering his name over and over like it''s her new mantra.


    He makes his strokes slow and steady, relieving the rage and frustration that''s polluting her system.


    They chase that much-needed release, kissing and groping each other in a feverish rhythm. Elliott feels


    Arden tense around him and moves faster and deeper.


    He prides himself on knowing what she needs, without her having to ask. Sometimes he knows before


    she does. Her satisfied moans are confirmation of his acquired talent''s effectiveness.


    Their hurried motions reach a heated crescendo. Arden throws her head back and digs her nails into


    Elliott''s arms. He grips her tighter, as they both reach new heights where pleasure and pain exist on the


    same teau.


    A bit weak now, he settles onto the shower bench with Ardi still straddling him.


    While she tries to find her breath again, he kisses her. "Still mad at me?"


    "Of course," she says between gasps.


    "Round two, then."


    "Nope." She puts her hand on his chest. "I gotta go."


    He kisses her again, longer this time. "Stay home and y hooky with me."


    "Don''t you have an eight o''clock ss?"


    "Cancelled all my sses for the day." He looks at her, smug.


    "Well, look at you."


    "I''d rather spend the day looking at you." He leans back to better admire all of her naked glory.


    "As much fun as that sounds, I have to work."


    "Please." He dips his head and takes her breast in his mouth.


    "Eli ..." She runs her fingers through his hair.


    He nces up at her. Then switches his attention to her other breast. Eli alternates sucking and


    caressing, relentless in his effort to change her mind.


    His diligence begins to wear her down. "Okay ... maybe I can sneak out early."


    "Thank you." Elliott plunges his lips into hers.


    Arden pulls away from his eager kiss. They could be in here until next week if she continues to let him


    lead.


    "Now get out of here, so I can actually take a shower. You''re quite the distraction."


    "Let me stay. I promise I''ll be good."


    She smiles. "I already know how good you are."


    "Yes, you do."


    Elliott manages to behave long enough for both of them to use the shower for its designated purpose.


    Though he does steal a kiss here and there.


    Still looking for any excuse to touch Arden before she leaves, he insists upon making himself apart of


    her usual beauty routine. She''s swathed in a terry cloth robe, sitting on the edge of a white leather


    ottoman. He''s kneeling in front of her, rubbing a body butter into her toasted skin. He has such careful


    hands. Eli has to put real effort into being rough.


    Arden gazes down at him and smiles. They''ve had several arguments over the years, too numerous


    and often too trivial to count. What couple hasn''t?


    But their disagreements neverst for long. It''s difficult to be upset with a man like Elliott. He may say


    or do things that are insensitive. But Arden never gets the impression that his aim is to cause harm.


    Arden pushes a handful of thick curls off his face and leans in to ce a soft kiss just shy of his


    hairline. She lets her lips linger for a moment.


    Then she smooths over the small red mark on Eli''s forehead with her thumb.


    "I''m sorry about your head. It wasn''t my intent to hurt you."


    "I know." He kisses her palm. "But I deserved it ... You''re right."


    "Elliott, I was out of line to interfere with the kids the way I did." She sighs. "I put you in an unfair


    position and ..."


    "Arden, you have every right to intervene on their behalf. Everything that makes them the wonderful


    kids they are, is a product of you." He squeezes her hands. "Make no mistake, you are Teagan and


    Rowan''s mother."


    "When we met ... I never meant to step on Melinda''s toes. I didn''t want to take her ce in their lives."


    Elliott takes a seat next to Arden, then pulls her into hisp.


    "You can''t take what''s always been yours. They were waiting for you. We all were."


    Arden rests her head against his chest and puts her arms around him. He hooks his hand underneath


    her knees, bringing her body closer to his.


    She closes her eyes and listens to the beating of his heart. The muffled thumping in her ear is a


    soothing monotone symphony.


    Her anger for him has disappeared as suddenly as it manifested. All that''s left is the familiar anxiety


    she feels whenever Mel is anywhere near the twins.


    She still needs Eli to understand the reasoning behind her outburst.


    "We have got to have each other''s back where the kids are concerned. Ro and Tea aren''t babies


    anymore. But they''re still very impressionable. And Melinda''s ..."


    "Definitely not kid-friendly."


    Arden nods. "What are we going to do?"


    "We have two options. The first, sit down with Melinda and attempt to reason with her."


    "That''ll be the day." She scoffs.


    Elliott mutters his agreement and continues.


    "The second, and possibly the most difficult ... Let them go and hope that they remember everything we


    taught them."


    "I''m not ready for that."


    "Me either. But in less than a year, it won''t matter what any of us says. They''ll be eighteen and free to


    make their own mistakes."


    "Why couldn''t they stay toddlers forever?"


    "If they did, we''d never get to experience the empty nest syndrome. And I am very excited about that."


    Eli lifts her head and kisses her. Damn, he''s missed her lips. There hasn''t been much time in his


    schedule these days to spend with her. And now, he can''t get enough of her.


    "You are going to make mete."


    "But for a very good reason."


    "Elliott, please ..." Her protests are growing weaker with every kiss he ces on her neck. "I have to ...


    get dressed."


    Though very reluctant to do so, he eases up.


    "All right. But as soon as you walk in that door tonight¡ªyou''re mine."


    "Agreed."


    After sneaking in onest taste of her lips, he helps her tuck the tail of a sheer pleated blouse into the


    waist of her pink floral skirt. She decides to leave her hair in the high bun, and keep her face simple. A


    little liquid eyeliner, mascara, some blush, and soft berry lipstick, is all the makeup she needs. A pair of


    nude Valentino studded ts and she''s ready.


    Eli stands back and admires her like a dainty doll he isn''t allowed to touch.


    "You look sweeter than sugar, as usual."


    She curtsies and winks at him. "Thank you."


    Ardi turns to pull a pair of studs and a gold bracelet from her jewelry drawer.


    "Ardi, I''ve been meaning to ask. Where''s your car?"


    Arden fumbles with the sp on her bracelet. Elliott walks over and takes the piece of jewelry from her.


    He fastens the bracelet around her wrist and gives it a gentle squeeze.


    "Did you hear me, sweetheart?"


    "Uh ... yeah, I did ... It should still be parked at the Birmingham Museum of Art."


    She walks out of the closet and back into the bedroom.


    "What''s it doing there? How did you get home?"


    "I started to feel a bit under the weather. And Casper didn''t think it was a good idea for me to drive."


    "What happened?"


    "I just got a little light-headed, and maybe fainted. That''s all."


    "When were you going to mention this to me?"


    "Guess it just slipped my mind. It''s not a big deal, really."


    "It slipped your mind?"


    Her mobile rings. She asks Eli to hold that thought and rushes to the nightstand to catch the call before


    her voicemail does.


    "Come on, buttercup. The engine''s running and I''m all hopped up on a five-hour energy shot." Adam''s


    voice sings through the device.


    "Wow, that''s scary."


    "I''m totally fine to drive. The energy shot doesn''t make me jumpy at all." She can hear him fumbling


    with something in the car.


    "Not that. You just called me buttercup."


    "Well, if you''d prefer Elmer ..."


    "Nope. Buttercup is fine."


    "Good. Now saddle up, sugar britches. I gotta go see a woman about a monkey."


    "You have to do what?"


    "I don''t know, man. I''m tired."


    "I do love the ramblings of the sleep-deprived. Be down in a minute." Sheughs and tucks her phone


    into the side pocket of her handbag.


    Arden turns and is almost jolted out of her skin. Elliott is standing right behind her.


    "You fainted yesterday, and it slipped your mind?"


    "Yes, honey." She gives him a quick peck on the lips. "Adam''s downstairs. I gotta go."


    "You asked Adam to pick you up?"


    "He''sing off an odd shift at Children''s in the trauma unit and agreed to swing by on his way home.


    And he''s barely lucid. So I''d better get down there before his caffeine buzz wears off."


    "I can take you to your car. Call Adam back."


    "It''s already settled, Eli. Besides, you should stay here and get some rest. Spend some time with Ro


    and Tea."


    Ardi dashes around the room, throwing essentials into her bag and dodging Eli''s questions about her


    welfare. She grabs a mint green sweater from the closet, tosses it over her arm, and heads out of the


    bedroom. Eli catches her hand, halting her rushed steps.


    "Arden,e here. Just stop for a second." He touches her cheek and makes her look at him. "Are you


    alright?"


    "It was hot, and I was probably just dehydrated. I''m fine." She smiles, anxious to get out of the house


    and away from this discussion.


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes, I''m good."


    He holds her closer, searching her frame for any signs of wear. She seems fine, but he still feels there''s


    something she''s not telling him.


    "And nothing else happened yesterday?"


    Arden takes a breath before answering. "Nothing."


    "Don''t overdo it today. Promise you''ll call me if you start to feel funny at work."


    "I promise. Don''t waste your day worrying about me."


    "I do that anyway. And it''s never a waste." He hugs her like he''s afraid she might disappear and kisses


    her cheek. "I love you."


    Arden holds onto him even tighter. "I love you, too."


    He releases her and slumps down on the edge of the bed. "Now get outta here, so I can miss you."


    She smiles and leans down to kiss him. "Back before you know it."


    He lies back, rxing into theforter. Just as he''s closing his eyes, his wife yells his name from the


    other room.


    He rushes out of the bedroom and down the hallway, finding her in the half bathroom.


    "What is it?" He looks her over, thinking she might have hurt herself.


    "I''m fine. I''m fine." She directs his attention to the trashcan. "Look."


    Elliott leans over it and sees what has her so upset.


    "You have got to be kidding me." He ms his fist into the vanity''s white quartz countertop.


    Arden meets Elliott''s enraged reflection in the mirror. "Can I kill her now?"


    "Not if I get to her first," he mutters.

 Chapter 12: Somebodys Sleeping in My Bed

    Chapter 12: Somebody''s Sleeping in My Bed


    Casper retrieves his keys from the valet and sits in his vehicle''s leather interior for a moment. He stares


    at the entrance to Arden''s building, tempted to rush back inside. To put his arms around her, and


    reim his kiss that was interrupted by the twins'' arrival.


    Humph, reim.


    As if he has any right to Ardi. But when has that ever stopped a man from having what he wanted? And


    damn, if he doesn''t want her.


    He scratches at the neat hairs outlining his chiseled chin. There''s another itch that''s begging to be


    scratched. But that''s the thing with scratching. The itch spreads, calling out to be scratched harder and


    deeper.


    Once you start, you can''t stop. No matter what lies he tells himself, he knows that one kiss won''t be


    enough for him. Not with her.


    His frenzied thoughts are interrupted by a pale knuckle rapping on his passenger window. He hits a


    button and the window slides down so that a young man with brte curls can speak to him.


    ¡°Are you all right, sir?¡± The valet eyes him with concern.


    Most people tend to drive away once their car is returned to them. But Casper has been sitting in his


    Bentley, engine running, for almost five minutes. And since he is one of the rare visitors who offered a


    tip, which the man had to refuse due to building policy, he''s a bit invested in Casper''s current state of


    mind.


    He considers the gentleman''s question. ¡°As a matter of fact, I''m not ...¡± He nces up at the top two


    floors of the high rise and shakes his head. "Not at all."


    ¡°Can I get you something?¡±


    ¡°What I need, not even God could bring me,¡± Casper says with a dreamy gleam in his eyes.


    ¡°I''m sorry, sir?¡±


    Casper smiles and waves at the valet. ¡°Nothing, thanks. I''m fine.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Have a good day, sir.¡± The man tips his cap to Casper.


    He wishes the gentleman the same, before pulling away from the curb. Casper sails through the


    Casper''s route back to the office leads him through the University of bama at Birmingham. The


    university is not cut from the traditional college cloth. The campus is situated in the middle of the city,


    with the main artery of Birmingham''s Southside running through it.


    University Boulevard, formerly known as Eighth Avenue, is hazardous to navigate when one is


    coherent. But someone in a distracted state like Casper''s could plow through a sea of students


    crossing the busy street without even noticing.


    Casper is a skilled multi-tasker, but she''s demanding all of his attention. He gets caught by a red light


    across the street from Heritage Hall. sses must have just ended because young men and women


    are flooding out of the building and onto the sidewalk.


    Casper''s imagining Arden''s lips on his when something captures his attention in the crowd of students.


    He does a double-take, and blinks his eyes over and over. His mind must be ying tricks on him.


    But he swears he sees Arden crossing the street right in front of his car, her hair blowing in the humid


    breeze.


    Then he sees her standing on the concrete steps of the building, glowing and magnificent in that fitted


    white skirt. Then she''s standing on the corner, her nose in a book, headphones on,pletely


    absorbed in whatever melody is issuing from her iPod.


    When he nces over at the passenger seat, there she is. She''s staring out the window at the traffic


    whipping by his car.


    She turns to smile at him. Everything starts to move in slow motion around him. Nothing exists outside


    this space.


    An agitated orchestra of car horns sounds behind him. Of course, he doesn''t hear the cacophony of


    irritated drivers that surrounds him.


    Who could think about anything else, when a vision of beauty manifests before one''s eyes?


    Arden shakes her head and nces up at the green light that just made its transition to red. He follows


    her gaze and groans. Herugh fills the car, making him smile. Then she''s gone.


    Casper tunes back into reality and gives a weak wave to the perturbed drivers stuck behind his vehicle.


    He smooths his hands over his goatee. This is a sickness.


    Knowing he won''t be able to concentrate on anything at work, Casper decides to head home. It''s the


    middle of the day, and he''s looking forward to sitting alone in his five-bedroom house and daydreaming


    about Arden.


    When he pulls into the circr drive of his home, he''s surprised to find Karma''s car parked out front.


    Cain''s Jaguar is parked alongside it. He''s been trying to get these two to hang out with him sincest


    week. And here they are together.


    Karma is supposed to be so damn busy preparing her closing argument for the Pord trial. And Cain


    should be at the Young & Dunn ad agency, dreaming up new ways to con people out of their hard-


    earned disposable ie. Neither one of them should be here, putting a wrench in Casper''s ns.


    He intended to stroll inside, kick back with a fifth of scotch and a cigar, and contemte what voodoo


    he needs to work for Arden to be more than just a vivid hallucination.


    Then he wanted to take a break from plotting a coup against the sanctity of the institution of marriage to


    make some progress on his screeny. He doesn''t often get the asion to do so at home, without


    Karma preaching to him about writing being a grant misuse of his time.


    ¡°While you''re wasting your time with this pointless hobby, someone else is moving in on that vice


    president position. You need to stay focused. No one is ever going to read your little story anyway.¡±


    It always astounds him how she can dash his dreams with such ease, without even batting a false


    eysh. He can''t understand what more she wants from him. Every step he takes up the corporate


    She can congratte him on his achievements. But lurking behind that brief stint of satisfaction with his


    efforts is an even loftier expectation.


    A person like that, who''s always so concerned with the greener side of the fence, can''t ever be happy.


    There''s a better-looking patch of grass on the other side of every fertile pasture. Casper doesn''t have


    the stamina to continue bounding over fences for the rest of his life in search of something better.


    He wants tough now, andugh some moreter. He wants to experience the feeling of having


    nowhere to be except in the present moment. To just be content. And that''s something entirely foreign


    to Karma.


    Casper takes his time heading into the house. He walks to the end of the drive and pulls a stack of


    letters from the mailbox. He makes polite conversation with an elderly neighbor, Mrs. Reynolds, who is


    out walking her dog.


    He pets the ck french bulldog with the white patch of fur on his belly. The robust little dog''s coat


    makes him look like he''s wearing a tuxedo.


    This might exin why Mrs. Reynolds calls him Mr. French and likes to dress him in a top hat and prop


    a smoking pipe in his mouth. Her Christmas cards are always hrious.


    Mr. French doesn''t seem to mind being treated like her canine clotheshorse. He poses for every picture


    and doesn''t try to scramble out of whatever outfit she ces on him.


    Casper wouldn''t mind having a pup like Mr. French, but Karma detests anything that can''t clean up


    after itself. So she and young children often don''t mix. It''s a wonder she can tolerate Cain''s two kids.


    ¡°Casper, how are you dear?¡± Mrs. Reynolds asks.


    He gives Mr. French a final rub, then rises to tower over the petite woman. "I''m doing alright. How


    about yourself?"


    ¡°Well, you know me and this rheumatoid arthritis.¡± She twists the wrist of the hand that isn''t holding


    onto the dog leash. ¡°Sometimes I can barely get out of bed.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it''s time to consider taking your son up on that offer for you and Mr. Reynolds toe live with


    him.¡±


    ¡°Not a chance.¡± She scoffs. ¡°Junior''s in bed before ten every night. Moving in with him would seriously


    cramp my style.¡± She does a quick cha-cha. ¡°I like to cut a rug every once in a while.¡±


    Casper chuckles. ¡°I''m scared of you. Don''t hurt nobody with those moves, Mrs. Reynolds.¡±


    ¡°You oughta join me sometime.¡± She winks at him. ¡°Might teach you a thing or two.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I''m sure I couldn''t begin to keep up with you.¡±


    She pinches his cheek and he grins. ¡°Well, I''m sure you got better things to do than standing out here,


    entertaining an olddy.¡±


    He looks around and shrugs. ¡°I don''t see any olddy here. Just a woman in the prime of her life, with


    the understated elegance and beauty of a queen.¡±


    ¡°You''re such a sweet boy, Casper.¡± Mrs. Reynolds smiles at him and nces behind him toward his


    house. Her smile subsides into a deep sigh. ¡°You deserve every bit of happiness there is.¡±


    Casper nces down at his shoes. ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds.¡±


    She takes one more look at the brick home behind him, then she and Mr. French say their goodbyes.


    Casper waves as he watches their slow gait up the street toward her house.


    He turns to head inside, then stops to nce at Mrs. Reynolds again. She''s always been nice to him.


    But today there was a hint of something else there. It felt a lot like pity.


    Casper thought he had escaped that look of empathy a long time ago when he moved here from


    London.


    He never could get used to seeing the uneasy expression on the face of anyone who knew about his


    past. People couldn''t say hello to him without bringing up his sob story.


    His childhood hadn''t been the greatest, living on the ie of a single parent. But his father made


    their barely middle-ss existence afortable one. He doted on his son while managing to instill all


    the qualities a respectable young man should possess.


    Frederick Buhari was the kind of man who worked his fingers to the bone in order to forget. He


    operated under the belief that, if he kept moving, his mind wouldn''t have time to question why he could


    no longer sleep in his bed. Why he preferred the couch, to sleeping on a king-sized mattress without


    his wife. Why she had run away from life¡ªtheir life.


    Casper''s mother, Ophelia, leaped from London''s Tower Bridge to her death on his seventh birthday.


    Witnesses said one moment she was smiling down at the water and the next ... The murky waters of


    the River Thames owned the sweet personality of the Sierra Leonean beauty.


    She had promised to buy him a chocte cake from the bakery they visited every Sunday afternoon.


    He waited on the front steps of their home for her toe walking up the street, with that serene smile


    of hers, humming that ridiculous little tune.


    Then two officers drove up to his house and told him that the woman, who had made him toast and


    eggs that very morning, wouldn''t be rounding the corner with a three-tier birthday cake in her hands.


    She wouldn''t be confiscating hisic books at bedtime, before kissing his forehead and tucking him


    into his Superman sheets.


    His first love was no more.


    The memories she left behind unraveled like a braid that hade undone at the end, evaporating into


    oblivion. Casper''s days after her death was consumed with possessed cataloging of each moment that


    he had ever spent with her. He tried to capture every birthday, Christmas, and mundane afternoon


    down to the most minute detail before they slipped through his fingers like grains of sand.


    He wanted to remember his time with her, and at the same time, he was struggling to understand her.


    He examined the words and actions of the past, in search of some exnation as to why she had left


    him.


    What was going through her mind, that she could forget there were two people who worshipped the


    ground she walked on. And why had she chosen her only child''s birthday to say goodbye to the world?


    She had her pick of three hundred sixty-five days, and she picked that one. She had to be sending him


    a message.


    With no suicide note or any other obvious indicators of her mental state, Casper was left with only one


    person to me ... himself.


    He had no way of knowing that she got tired of trying to outrun the demons of a tortured past that she


    narrowly escaped. He had no way of knowing that her selfish choice had nothing to do with her


    precious boy. She would have given anything to continue being his mother.


    But Casper deserved more than a broken woman, masquerading as a well-adjusted adult. Years of


    unspoken abuse at the hands of her father had left her hollow inside. The bitter seed that had taken


    root in her heart and soul, left little room for the unending affection every child needs.


    The night before her baby''s birthday, she sat thinking of what she could give him. After hours of


    contemtion, she knew the greatest gift she could ever offer him was her absence.


    So on the day that marked seven years since a bundle of joy she named Casper came into this world,


    she walked to the middle of one of the most iconic bridges on earth. She wished her brilliant boy a


    happy birthday and fastened a big red bow to her head. With onest deration of her love for him,


    she put an end to her suffering and the pain she believed she would have caused her child in the long


    run.


    But Casper and Frederick didn''t know any of that. She had left them floundering in an ocean of grief


    without a life raft. Seven yearster, Frederick still hadn''t managed to free himself from the choppy


    undertow. A massive stroke ended his constant fight just to keep his head above water.


    Casper became an orphan at fourteen. A time in a young man''s life when his parents'' guidance is


    needed the most, especially that of his father. He was facing the possibility of four years in a boys''


    home. There wasn''t a line forming at the door to adopt a teenager.


    Lucky for Casper his mother''s sister, Leonora, intervened. She and her family had left the UK years


    before when her husband got an opportunity to start his own practice in bama. As a result, Casper


    had a rare asion to see his aunt, uncle, and cousin. Distance and time had made them a little better


    than strangers.


    The week after his father''s body wasid to rest next to his beloved wife, Casper hopped across the


    pond to another life. Thanks to his aunt''s nurturing, it didn''t take long for him to adjust to his new home.


    Leonora and Charles adopted Casper and raised him as their own. He and his younger cousin, Cain,


    were brothers from that day forward.


    Though the question of Casper''s pronounced ent and Cain''s clearck of one did surface on a


    regr basis. Those closest to the family knew the truth of their rtion. For others, Casper would put


    on his best southern gentleman ent. After he entertained them with his quick wit and impressions,


    no further mention was made of any differences between him and Cain.


    Casper shrugs off his thoughts of the past and continues his walk to the front door. He steps inside his


    home and calls out to his wife.


    Muffled sounds areing from the master bedroom down the hall. His feet follow the noises, as he


    shuffles through a few bills and junk mail. He calls Karma''s name again. Still no answer.


    A loud thump and a long scratching noise make him hasten his steps. He''s about to open his bedroom


    door when it swings open.


    ¡°Casper, what are you doing home?¡± Karma asks.


    She pulls the door closed behind her, keeping her hand on the doorknob and her back pressed to the


    doorframe. A smile that carries the same authenticity as a knock-off handbag from the swapmeet


    spreads across her face.


    ¡°Took a half-day.¡± He regards her with a raised brow and critical eye.


    ¡°You can''t just blow off work, Casper. That''s not the kind of attitude that will get you promoted.¡±


    She''s the one who is supposed to be so damn swamped with work, that she couldn''t take an afternoon


    to spend with her husband. And here she stands, disheveled and out of breath, outside their bedroom


    door in the middle of the day.


    ¡°I''m not blowing off work. All of my stuff was handled. So I left.¡± He takes a step back and shakes his


    head.


    ¡°You think men who want to move up in the world, just do the bare minimum and go home? It''s a


    wonder you''ve gotten as far as you have.¡±


    Casper studies Karma as she continues to run down the itemized list of his faults.


    The neat chignon she left the house with this morning is now a rat''s nest of ebony strands. The side


    zipper of her navy sleeveless dress is half undone. Her makeup is smudged.


    And he''s almost certain that she was wearing a pair of stockings earlier. Nope, she was wearing a pair


    of sheer, ck nylons with a back seam. He remembers because hemented on how great they


    made her legs look.


    ¡°Casper.¡± She snaps her fingers in his face.


    That crap irritates him to no end. But he''s learned to resist the urge to knock her hands away from his


    face. He tries to remain as docile as possible, so as not to discharge the loose cannon that is Karma''s


    personality. But he has a few questions for her.


    ¡°I thought you and Frome were working on your closing argument?¡±


    Her easy flowing words transform into a sputtering stream of sybles.


    ¡°I um ... uh ... spilled some coffee on my dress. Had toe home and change.¡± She hooks her arm


    around his and leads him away from the door back toward the front of the house. ¡°In fact, I''m on my


    way out again.¡±


    He makes her stop in the middle of the hallway, while he zips up her dress. ¡°You look like you''re in the


    middle of undressing.¡±


    She nces down at herself. ¡°I was just changing when you came in.¡±


    ¡°You said you were on your way out, though.¡±


    ¡°I am, as soon as I step into my shoes.¡± She shoots him an uneasy smile.


    ¡°What''s Cain doing here?¡±


    Karma nces down at her feet and runs a hand over her hair. She stares at him like she just forgot


    how to speak. Footsteps in the hallway behind them save her from the conspicuous lull in their


    conversation.


    ¡°I was in the neighborhood and saw Karma''s car out front. So I decided to stop by for a minute.¡± Cain


    appears from the opposite end of the hallway.


    If Casper didn''t know any better, he''d say his brother just came out of the master bedroom.


    He smiles at Cain. ¡°How long have you been here?¡±


    ¡°Not long. Few minutes, if that.¡± He shrugs. ¡°But I should get back to the office.¡±


    Cain gives Casper a pat on the back. He hugs Karma, and they wrap their arms around each other.


    Then he gives her a kiss on the cheek, his lips within close proximity to hers. The embracests about


    three seconds too long.


    Casper ces his hand on Cain''s shoulder. ¡°Ease up, little brother. You trying to push up on my wife?¡±


    Cain releases Karma, but not before letting his hands stray a bit on her modest frame. He turns around


    to meet Casper''s unsuspecting grin with a sly one of his own.


    ¡°Don''t worry, Casper.¡± Cain nces back at her. ¡°Karma screams every time Ie near her.¡±


    ¡°That''s because you''re so good ...¡± She licks her lips and smirks at Cain. ¡°At being annoying.¡±


    Cain chuckles and winks at her. ¡°I aim to please.¡±


    He tells Casper that he will call himter, and heads for the front door. Casper follows him outside.


    ¡°Cain, wait up.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Cain turns on his heels to face Casper.


    Casper takes a quick breath before broaching a subject that''s been bothering him for thest few


    months. ¡°Have you noticed anything different about Karmately?¡±


    Cain shrugs. ¡°Nope. Why?¡±


    Casper nces back at the house. Then he ces an arm across Cain''s shoulders and walks him


    farther away from the front door that''s been left ajar.


    ¡°I think she might be ... seeing someone else.¡±


    Cain clears his throat, and moves a couple of steps to his right, away from Casper. He looks back in


    the direction of the house, then back at his brother.


    He scratches at the back of his neck and coughs. ¡°What makes you say that?¡±


    Casper kicks at a stray pebble on the driveway.


    ¡°She''s lying about stupid shit. Saying she''s one ce when she''s really somewhere else. Taking phone


    calls at crazy hours, and disappearing for hours at a time.¡± He stares at his brother, faint moisture


    glistening in his eyes. ¡°What else could she be doing?¡±


    ¡°There has to be some other exnation. Karma wouldn''t betray you like that.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I am being paranoid.¡± Casper shakes his head and sighs. ¡°But could you keep an ear out? Let


    me know if you hear anything I should know about.¡±


    ¡°Yeah ... yeah, I will.¡±


    ¡°All right, don''t let me take up any more of your time.¡± Casper hugs Cain. And it''s not one of those


    bullshit I''m-too-busy-trying-to-be-macho-to-show-affection quick embraces.


    ¡°Nothing''s going on between Karma and some strange dude. Trust me.¡±


    ¡°I hope not.¡± Casper nods and shoves his hands into his pockets. ¡°That shit won''t end pretty.¡±


    Cain says a quick goodbye. Then he gets into his Jag and speeds out of the drive, paying no heed to


    the neighborhood''s 20mph speed limit. Casper watches until the sleek car is out of sight, then goes


    back inside.


    ¡°Karma, baby, what do you want for dinner tonight?¡±


    ¡°You and Bernard can decide.¡± She calls back from the bathroom. ¡°I probably won''t be home on time


    anyway.¡±


    Casper sinks onto their bed, resting his elbows on his knees. ¡°For a couple with a personal chef, we


    sure don''t eat a lot of meals together.¡±


    ¡°What, honey?¡± She pokes her head around the doorframe.


    Casper gives her a weak smile. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thought you said something.¡± She goes back to fixing her appearance. ¡°So anyway, I was thinking


    we should get together with Arden and Eli this weekend.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Casper''s shoulders perk up at the mention of Ardi''s name. ¡°What did you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know, yet. You can think of something.¡± Karma emerges from their bathroom. Her hair is back in


    its signature bun and her makeup is wless once again. ¡°Just as long as it gets me a step closer to


    that senators'' charity ball in September.¡±


    Casper ignores the fact that Karma''s ambition is showing. An excuse to see Arden is on the table.


    ¡°You sure you want to entrust that kind of responsibility to me?¡±


    ¡°I''m sure you know how important this is to me. You won''t disappoint.¡± Karma reaches for her wedding


    and engagement rings on the nightstand. He watches her slip them back on her ring finger.


    Casper catches her hand, as she turns. ¡°Think you can stay a few minutes?¡±


    ¡°No, baby. I gotta get back.¡± She extracts her hand from his. ¡°I''mte as it is.¡±


    He nods and tucks his hands between his knees. ¡°Yeah, you gotta go.¡±


    Karma looks over at his sunken posture and groans. She grabs her handbag from the dresser and


    heads out of the bedroom. Then she pauses in the doorway and nces back at her husband. She


    stands there a moment, tapping her heels on the hardwoods.


    She makes a hesitant walk back to Casper''s side and strokes his cheek. The gesture is rushed and


    awkward. He recoils from the ufortable touch at first, then settles against her attempt at affection.


    Karma bends to kiss his cheek. ¡°I''ll try to get home at a decent hour. Okay?¡±


    Casper only offers her a smile in response. She stands there, staring at him like she''s unsure of what to


    do next. Then she whispers goodbye and leaves him alone in the deafening silence of their house.


    He sits with his oxfords propped on the bed''s oak frame for several minutes. His mind is working


    through a couple of exnations as to why theforter is a wrinkled mess, and the sheets have been


    left tangled midway down the bed.


    Casper knows he made the bed this morning. He remembers Karma critiquing his hospital corners as


    he tucked the cotton sheets underneath the mattress.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    She can''t leave the house until the bed has been made with every decorative pillow ced just so.


    Which in turn means, he can''t leave the house until the master bedroom looks better than the Ethan


    Allen showroom.


    He pats the disheveled bedding. Casper examines the haphazard scene, shaking his head as he


    questions his memory of his movements earlier. He definitely made up this bed. He pauses to do some


    math in his head.


    Messed up sheets Karma at home in the middle of the day = Somebody''s sleeping in his bed ...


    Somebody''s taken his ce ... Somebody''s messing with Casper''s head ...


    As Dru Hill serenades the suspicions hurtling through his mind, he hops off the bed and begins ripping


    the sheets from the mattress. The little devil on Casper''s shoulder taunts him to drag the adulterous


    sheets andforter out to the backyard, and start a hateful bonfire. Then the angel on his other taps


    his shoulder, and extends a lighter to him.


    Casper can feel his heart beating in his ears, an angry drummer hell-bent on cozying up to a refreshing


    ss of revenge. He gathers the rumpled bedding and deposits it in theundry room.


    ¡°Not even worth the effort.¡± He tells the encouraging angels on his shoulders to take the night off. He


    has some serious business to take care of, and conscience would just get in the way.


    Casper changes out of his suit, and into a pair of jeans with an old concert tee. Then he makes a call to


    Bernard to inform him that Karma won''t be home, and there''s no need for him toe over just to cook


    for one person. With that handled, he retires to the great room with hisptop.


    As he sips a taste from one of his best bottles of scotch, he ces several orders for floral


    arrangements, chocte-covered strawberries, and pieces of crystal jewelry. Whatever he can think of


    that she might like, he has it overnighted to the bakery.


    He''s sure Arden isn''t the kind of woman he can ply with expensive gifts. The Mitchell family is old


    money. She won''t bat an eysh at him spending a few grand on her. But she will appreciate a grand


    gesture. All he needs is a foot in the door. His charm will take care of the rest.


    Day fades into the night in what seems like a matter of minutes. He''s managed to almost finish the


    bottle of scotch, spend a small fortune, and imagine touching every inch of Arden''s body. Fantasizing is


    getting annoying. The longer he''s deprived of the real thing, the stronger the craving.


    He wants to call her. Hear her voice. Coax her out of the house with a promise to have her back before


    midnight, like he used to do with the shy girls in high school. Crack a couple of jokes. Make herugh.


    Bathe in the sunshine that is her smile.


    Casper wrings his hands over and over. They''re burning, angry at this idleness that''s afflicting them. He


    searches for his cell. His fingers move across the phone''s touch screen, guided by an iron will.


    He selects Arden''s number from his recent calls list, and all of a sudden he feels like he''s sitting across


    from Laurence Fishburne in the Matrix. Blue pill ... or red pill? ... Should he hit that tiny green, glowing


    phone next to her number, or settle into the ring quiet and wait for Karma to acknowledge him.


    Choices, choices.


    Casper opts instead for the nearest thing to being around his obsession, without stirring up any drama


    ... yet. He calls SoHo Sugar, knowing he''ll get the answering service. It''s after nine at night. The


    bakery''s doors have long been closed.


    The phone rings once, and the outgoing message picks up. Just as he''d hoped, Arden''s alluring voice


    traverses the airwaves and takes the edge off his solitude. He settles onto the sofa and listens as she


    details the bakery''s hours and catering information. After instructions to leave a name and number so


    that she can get back to you, the message ends with a cheery, ¡°Have a sweet day.¡±


    A short tone sounds, prompting him to speak. He wants to leave Arden a message so that she can get


    back to him. So that she can erase the bitterness forming in him, and he can alleviate the pain that''s


    distorting her brown eyes. He wants her to trust him with that burden. To let him save her.


    Another louder tone shocks his ears. It feels to him that he just said so much to her, but the recording is


    filled with nothing but his steady breathing. Tomorrow, she''ll hear that nothingness. But it''ll be so much


    louder. Like white noise on a television. The intent behind his silence will be loud enough to make her


    cover her ears. Arden will understand every word.


    He hangs up and redials. Listening to her sultry speech, he imagines her lips kissing every word as it


    leaves her mouth. Casper repeats this process too many times to count. He''s lost track. A junkie never


    knows how often he''s chased that short-lived euphoria, just that he has to catch it again ... and again.


    Casper stops torturing himself and makes onest go-round of SoHo Sugar''s recorded greeting. This


    time he leaves something more than his breath on the message. He whispers Arden''s name, then ends


    his love affair with the taped vibrations of her beautiful voice.


    He stays awake until the wee hours of the morning, listening to every angry record he owns and


    stewing over the state of his marriage. He drank his dinner. And that''s done nothing, but fuel the


    thoughts of his wife giving another man free rein of her body. That vulnerability should be reserved for


    Casper alone. The more he thinks about it, the more restless he bes.


    Around three a.m., he hears a car pulling into the drive. Eyes bloodshot, and a little tipsy, he makes his


    way to the front of the house. He drags a wingback chair from the living room and ces it right in the


    front door. The first thing she sees will be the expression of a disillusioned husband.


    Karma tiptoes inside the house, pressing the door into its frame with a soft push. She turns and


    screams loud enough to wake the neighborhood. She''s just seen a ghost.


    ¡°What the fuck, Casper?¡± She clutches her chest, trying to trap fleeting gasps of air into her starved


    lungs.


    Her reaction doesn''t shake him. There''s one thing on his mind, and she''s going to give him what he''s


    owed. So she''d better get herself together quick because Casper wants an answer.


    ¡°What''s his fucking name?¡±

 Chapter 13: Blood Isnt Thicker...

    Chapter 13: Blood Isn''t Thicker...


    ¡°What took you so long?¡±


    Karma pulls her afternoon paramour into the house by hispels.


    She snuck out of her office over an hour ago. After giving Frome an excuse about having to check on a


    sick family member, she all but ran to her car. He calls and shees running. He''s just about the only


    man who can get her to ask how high whenever he says jump.


    He ms the front door of Casper and Karma''s home andes toward her. ¡°Since I''m sote, you


    should already be naked.¡±


    ¡°Now, why would I do all the work for you?¡± She smirks at him.


    He kisses her. ¡°Your husband called me yesterday.¡±


    ¡°You mean your brother.¡±


    ¡°I mean your husband.¡± He pushes her jacket down her shoulders and starts kissing her neck.


    ¡°What did he want?¡±


    ¡°To bitch and moan about you.¡± He picks her up, and she wraps her legs around him. ¡°Can''t me him.


    You are a handful.¡±


    ¡°Just a handful,¡± she asks, smiling into his brown eyes.


    ¡°You''re more than he can handle.¡± He grabs her ass, as their tongues collide with heated abandon.


    ¡°That''s for damn sure.¡±


    Karma and her lover make their way to her and Casper''s bedroom. He throws her on the bed and she


    kicks off her heels. She yanks off his suit jacket and tie and tosses them across the room. He helps her


    slip out of her jacket. She rips open his shirt, exposing his toned chest.


    He tears the nylons from her slender legs, then smiles at the discovery that she isn''t wearing any


    underwear. They grope and caress each other with a hectic urgency. He unzips her sleeveless dress,


    before slipping the garment over her head. Now naked before him, she can''t undo his pants quickly


    enough. She''s been thinking about him all day.


    ¡°Turn around,¡± he demands.


    Karma does as he asks, and kneels on the bed. He doesn''t touch her at first, just takes in her nude


    body that''s ready to do his bidding. Then he leans down to taste her. She moans as his tongue traces


    figure eights along her warm folds. He slips his fingers inside her, and she gasps.


    She doesn''t need any warm-up exercises. Karma''s been raring to go since he called. ¡°Baby, don''t


    tease me.¡±


    The bed shifts underneath his weight as he climbs on the bed behind her. He kisses her back as he


    continues to massage her erogenous zone.


    ¡°Beg me for it.¡± He leans over and bites her shoulder.


    ¡°Please, baby ...¡± She bites her lip. ¡°Give me that dick.¡±


    Karma surprises herself at the things she says and does with him. She would never let Casper take


    control in the bedroom. Not as if he would ever try to be the dominant one.


    She feels him rubbing against her. ¡°How bad you want it?¡±


    ¡°Mmm ... real bad.¡±


    ¡°You need this dick?¡±


    ¡°More than air, baby.¡± Karma continues to plead and stroke his ego.


    Then he obliges her requests and starts to move inside her. He pulls her hair as they grind against


    each other in a dirty rhythm.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Fuck me ... oh, shit ... Cain ... Fuck.¡±


    Her screams and moans echo off the walls of the bedroom, while she betrays her husband''s trust in


    their marital bed. As pleasure ripples through her body, there''s little room for remorse. But even if


    Casper''s brother wasn''t clouding her mind with his magic pole, she wouldn''t feel the least bit guilty.


    Cain is different from Casper. She can''t run Cain.


    She can walk into the room, and Casper is ready to obey her every whim like a lovesick puppy. Cain,


    however, couldn''t give a shit about Karma''s affinity for barking orders. He''s too busy handing out some


    of his own.


    Casper is considerate, sweet, funny. He can''t handle her. Never could. She married him because she


    could mold him. And because everything he touches seems to turn to gold. He looks good on her


    resume. Even in high school, she was more concerned with what dating the most likable guy on


    campus could do for her own image.


    During those school days, Cain was a couple of years younger than she and Casper. He was a


    freshman who still spoke with a slight stutter. And he was always just Casper''s little brother who hung


    around in his shadow. She hadn''t given him a second nce back then.


    But then Cain grew into his teeth, lost his speech impediment, made a name for himself in the ad


    business, and adopted a new, shier attitude. He was beginning to catch her attention. But he was still


    just a boy to her.


    Then innocent flirting transformed into something more. And before she knew it, she was sneaking out


    of work to meet up with Cain. Lying to Casper about her whereabouts, and bing more and more


    resentful of the yful ways she once found so charming about him. She''s been keeping up the


    charade for almost a year now. And the fact that Casper doesn''t seem to suspect a thing, just adds to


    the thrill for her.


    Cain is fucking her like it''s thest piece of ass he''ll ever get. And she''s singing his praises through


    every minute of it. She''s clutching at the sheets, and sailing toward a glorious orgasm when she hears


    something.


    Karma reaches back to grasp Cain''s thigh. ¡°Stop. You hear that?¡±


    ¡°I don''t hear shit, but you loving this dick.¡± He chuckles, still lost in his work.


    ¡°Karma?¡± Casper''s voice calls out to her. ¡°Baby, you home?¡±


    ¡°Shit,¡± she mutters.


    Karma pushes Cain away from her, sending his body crashing into the dresser.


    ¡°Fuck, woman.¡± He rubs his head. His forehead connected square on with the wood.


    ¡°Where''s my fucking dress?¡± She searches the pile of clothing strewn about the floor.


    Her fitted dress is in a crumpled pile near the door. She yanks it back on and kicks her shredded


    stockings underneath the bed. Cain is stepping into his pants again when the doorknob begins to turn.


    Karma rushes to the door, and into the hallway before Casper can see how much his brother and wife


    love him.


    ¡°Casper.¡± She clears her throat. ¡°What are you doing home?¡±


    ¡°Took a half-day.¡±


    ¡°You can''t just blow off work. That''s not the kind of attitude that will get you promoted.¡±


    She begins toy into him about the irresponsible attitude he has toward his work nowadays. He has


    this insane idea that he''ll be a screenwriter. She hasn''t bothered to read over anything that he''s


    written, because she refuses to entertain this newfound fascination of his.


    Casper is talented, and his kind of genius belongs on the front of Forbes magazine. And she belongs at


    his side on the newsstand, gracing the cover of Time. They are destined to be the world''s newest


    power couple. The next Barack and Michelle. Oprah and Stedman.


    They definitely have more of an Oprah and Stedman dynamic. Stedman and Casper both would be


    content to hold a handbag, while their women handle business.


    But Casper is doing everything in his power to fight her on that dream. She can''t be a member of the


    Senate with a husband who writes softcore erotica for the big screen. How would that make her look?


    ¡°And another thing ...¡± She continues to rant until Casper stops her harsh words cold.


    He asks why she isn''t with Frome working on her closing argument.


    She begins to stutter and stumble all over herself, like the guilty criminals who she tortures on the


    witness stand. A sad shuffle of her thoughts produces an excuse about spilling coffee on her dress.


    Casper''s brow wrinkles, as he looks her over. She ushers him away from their bedroom door, and back


    to the foyer. He continues to raise questions about the lies she''s feeding him. Any other time he would


    just ept what she''s saying without firing off any follow-up questions.


    Just as he brings up the presence of his brother''s vehicle outside, Cain emerges from the master


    bedroom. He''s cloaked his muscr form in that slick Keh Cole suit again and smoothed over the


    soft waves in his hair.


    He takes slow steps towards Karma and Casper, a smirk lighting up his face. He smiles at Casper, then


    exins that he was just passing through the neighborhood and decided to drop by.


    Cain makes an excuse to leave and starts to head for the door. But not before stealing a few good feels


    from Karma right in front of Casper. She tenses at his touch. But her husband justughs off Cain''s


    tant flirting with her.


    Casper tends to be a bit naive. Bute on. He had to notice that Cain''s hands near her ass were not


    a mistake. And he wonders why she doesn''t respect him. As Casper follows his brother outside, she


    sighs to herself.


    She watches them from the window for a moment. Casper ces his arm around Cain. Even hugs him


    like he''s the best friend he ever had.


    He would do anything for Cain. No one can mistreat you like family.


    Since this thing between them started, Karma has always gotten the impression that Cain enjoys it


    more than he should. She''s no saint by far. Her adulterous ways don''t keep her head from hitting the


    pillow at night. Spouses betray each other all the time.


    But Cain is Casper''s blood. It should at least cause him a few sleepless nights that he''s fucking his


    brother''s wife in his own bed.


    However, Karma is certain Cain sleeps like a baby next to his wife, Manali. She bets he goes home and


    kisses the kids, knowing he just disrespected their mother in the worst way possible.


    Karma takes her eyes off the two men talking outside and heads back to the bedroom to make sure the


    crime scene is presentable. She makes a cursory attempt to untangle the rumpled sheets, but then she


    hears footstepsing back into the house. So she opts to throw theforter over the bed, and toss


    a couple of fallen pillows on top of it. She dashes into the bathroom, just as Casper is walking into the


    bedroom.


    She smooths over her clothes and brushes her mane back into its polished chignon. Cain did a number


    on her hair and makeup. That man is rough, but that''s what she likes. She smiles at the lingering feel of


    his touch on her skin. Karma is so lost in her mind''s yback reel, that she doesn''t hear Casper


    speaking to her.


    ¡°Did you say something?¡± she asks, peeking her head out of the bathroom.


    He shakes his head. It''s likely that she would have skirted over whatever he said anyway. She rattles


    off her n to get together with the Stones this weekend. And it''s no real surprise that he agrees.


    There''s no denying he has a thing for Arden. But Casper is well trained. He wouldn''t dream of touching


    another woman. Her position as Mrs. Casper Caghan is safe.


    Karma exits their en-suite and glimpses her rings resting on the nightstand near Casper. In her haste to


    get out of the house this morning, she must have forgotten them. Lately, she doesn''t notice whether or


    not they''re on her hand. She slips the tinum back on her finger.


    Her husband doesn''t question why the symbol of their five years of marriage was left on the side table


    like an afterthought. She''s hoping that he didn''t notice when he catches her hand.


    The pained expression on his handsome features troubles her, but she''ste. And whatever woes


    Casper has at the moment are nowhere near her list of priorities.


    She married him because she thought he was a man. A man who would only need a slight nudge in the


    right direction, but who would also possess the motivation to drive home the goals that she has in mind


    for him. Here he is running out of steam when their political journey is just getting started.


    He asks if she can stay, with that look in his eyes like he wants to cozy up with his feelings. And that


    ain''t on the agenda. She''s sure Frome is minutes away from calling her cell to track her down. When


    her boss does call, she wants to at least be able to say ''I''m on my way,'' with some confidence. Her


    frequent two-hour lunch breaks are beginning to wear out the high tolerance Frome has for his star


    yer.


    Karma nned on making the most out of her stolen time today. But just when the getting was getting


    good ... Casper threw a monkey-wrench in her afternoon tune-up.


    She''s still irritated that he left work early. There''s been a serious ck in his worth ethic as ofte. He''s


    always looking for excuses to skip a workday and spend time with her. Throwing those puppy dog eyes


    at her, thinking that will persuade her. Much like he''s doing right now.


    Karma makes a half-assed promise to try making it home tonight at a decent hour. She knows as soon


    as the words leave her mouth, she has no intention of missing herte-night rendezvous with Cain.


    Especially, not tonight. She needs the younger Caghan brother to blow her back out at least twice a


    week.


    With debauchery on her mind, she gives her husband a kiss on the cheek and scampers out the door.


    She calls Cain the minute she''s in her car.


    ¡°Are we still meeting tonight, or did your brother spook you?¡± she asks.


    ¡°He thinks you''re cheating on him.¡±


    Cain''s statement takes Karma''s concentration off the road. The queue of cars stopped at a red light


    doesn''t register in her mind.


    ¡°What exactly did he say?¡± Her E350 continues to careen toward the halted traffic at a dangerous


    speed. The vehicle''s safety system starts to beep, alerting her to the hazard ahead. ¡°Shit!¡±


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Cain yells over the phone.


    The automatic brakes engage, bringing the car to a safe stop just behind the bumper of the Ford in


    front of her.


    She tries to steady her breathing long enough to respond to him. ¡°I''m fine. I''m fine.¡± She swallows hard.


    ¡°Does he know about us?¡±


    ¡°No, I don''t think so.¡± Cain chuckles.


    Hisckadaisical attitude puts her even more on edge.


    ¡°Cain, this isn''t a joke. If he finds out¡ª.¡± Her panicked speech is cut short by more of Cain''s amused


    posturing.


    ¡°He doesn''t suspect a thing. Trust me.¡± She listens as he takes a satisfied breath. ¡°I could take a


    steaming shit on Casper''s shoes. And he''d wipe my ass for me, and smile while he did it.¡±


    ¡°I don''t know why he loves you so much. You treat him like dirt.¡±


    ¡°Says the woman who''s cheating on him.¡±


    ¡°Right, I am ... With you. His own brother.¡±


    ¡°I''m so sick of hearing that bullshit.¡± His voice climbs another ten pitches. ¡°He is my fucking cousin. My


    mom forced him on me and Dad. But it wasn''t my damn fault his mom took a dive off London Bridge,


    and his dad stroked out yearster.¡±


    She sighs and shakes her head. ¡°Sometimes Cain, I swear, you make me look like Mother Teresa.¡±


    He scoffs. ¡°No one would ever confuse you, and that shriveled carcass you call a heart for anyone that


    pure.¡±


    ¡°You sure do know how to sweet talk a girl.¡± She smirks, as she makes the right turn into the parking


    garage of her office building.


    ¡°I don''t need to sweet talk you. Them panties drop when I walk into the room.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you, Cain.¡±


    Heughs. ¡°When and where?¡±


    ¡°The Hyatt. Room 321 at ten.¡± A wide smile spreads across her face, highlighting her thick lips.


    ¡°See you then.¡±


    She speeds back to her small office, her mind going wild thinking of every position she''s going to try


    with Cain.

 Chapter 14: Lies and Videotape

    Chapter 14: Lies and Videotape


    Two-thirty in the morning and Karma''s just now slipping into the hotel''s shower. Cain made his exit


    about fifteen minutes ago. She''s been lying in the middle of a rented bed, trying to recover from his


    eight-inch pleasure stick.


    After she''s washed Cain''s essence off her body, she gets dressed and does her makeup again. She


    dabs at her lipstick and smudges her eyeliner a bit. Then she spritzes her face with a little water. For


    her excuse that she''s been stuck in her office all night to fly, she has to look the part. L''oreal has some


    fantastic foundation, but even it wouldn''t look wless after twelve hours.


    She copses on one of the lounge chairs in the suite and flips through a couple of channels on the t


    screen. The urge to go home hasn''t struck her. In fact, she''s thinking about spending the night here.


    After all, she''s already paid for it. That seems like a far better option than creeping into her home at this


    hour.


    Casper must be going out of his mind. She checks her cell, expecting to see a host of messages from


    her husband. But there are no missed calls or frantic voicemails for her to listen to with an aggravated


    smirk painted on her face. Maybe he fell asleep.


    Or maybe he just doesn''t give a shit about where you are, bitch.


    She shakes her head and chuckles. That can''t be it. Casper probably dozed off watching re-runs on the


    sofa. He spent the entire evening waiting up for her. Yep, that''s exactly what happened.


    Content with her analysis of the apparentck of her husband''s concern for her whereabouts, she does


    one more check of the hotel room. Thest time she and Cain spent a few hours in a rented hideaway,


    she left behind a pair of diamond studs that Casper bought for her birthday. She touched her hand to


    her ears and found them bare in time to rush back upstairs to retrieve them.


    Karma grabs her handbag. After she''s checked its depths to ensure that she hasn''t left anything for


    housekeeping to find, she saunters down the hallway to the elevators. She smiles at another woman


    dressed in a power suit walking in the opposite direction.


    The woman gives her a knowing nod as they pass each other. Perhaps they''re both stalking the halls of


    this luxury hotel for the same reason. And it ain''t for the tiny hotel soaps and shampoos.


    She informs the front desk that she''ll be checking out early, and settles the bnce on the room. This


    little habit of hers is getting expensive.


    Cain can''t leave a paper trail for his wife to find. Manali keeps a close eye on her husband''s checking


    and savings ounts. Cain doesn''t inspire the most trustworthy of feelings in her, with his evasive


    answers and long absences.


    So Karma has to foot the bill for their rendezvous. She keeps a separate ount in her maiden name


    away from Casper''s eyes. As far as he knows, she barely buys a stick of gum every month. She does


    all her questionable spending on the hidden books.


    If Casper really knew about all the dirt she does, their five-year marriage would have been over a long


    time ago.


    She rushes to her car, checking over her shoulder the entire time. It''s well after midnight, and she''s a


    woman walking alone. Even if she hadn''t insisted that she and Cain not be seen leaving together, she


    doubts he would have stayed to see that she made it safely to her vehicle.


    Cain''s number one priority is Cain. His second and third priorities also happen to be himself. He makes


    her look like a saint sometimes.


    A light rain must have chosen to drench the city while she and Cain were indisposed. The few street


    lights reflect off the slick asphalt, making the dark streets glow like they''ve been scattered with copper


    pennies.


    She speeds through the near-deserted streets watching corners and crannies for any overzealous state


    troopers looking to reach their monthly quota. Thest thing she wants to do is answer that


    incriminating question, ¡°Do you know why I stopped you, ma''am?¡±


    It''s near impossible for a person to answer that damn question without admitting that one was indeed


    speeding, or neglected to perform a full stop instead of the standard California roll at that stop sign. It''s


    entrapment if you ask her.


    Karma pulls into her driveway and is relieved to see that there doesn''t appear to be any lights on in the


    house. She gets out of the car, and locks the sedan from the inside, then pushes the heavy metal door


    closed with her hip.


    She nces around the sleepy cul-de-sac. Not a creature is stirring, save for an adulterous spouse.


    Karma pulls off her heels, choosing to carry them in her hand as she makes her way up their front


    porch. She says a silent prayer that Casper forgot to set the security system, then pushes her key into


    the lock. The rm control panel next to the door shes the words ¡°not armed¡± in neon green.


    Good. The rm won''t be waking up half the neighborhood.


    Karma tiptoes inside and presses the oak door into its frame once more with a feather-light touch. She


    waits with her head against the door, not breathing. As if creeping around like a church mouse will


    make her entrance at this ungodly hour any less disruptive.


    She closes her eyes and makes a slow about-face, putting her back against the door. Karma takes a


    deep breath and prepares herself to dodge the creaky floorboards.


    She opens her eyes. And just as she lifts her toes to make that first step, she sees Casper''s imposing


    build staring right at her. Her breathing stops cold. A prickling sensation overtakes her body, as her


    lungs and other organs scream for air.


    ¡°What the fuck, Casper?!¡±


    He''s sitting in the dark with a vile expression on his face. His eyes look like they haven''t rested in days.


    His tall frame is still dressed in his Armani cks and Ralph Lauren shirt.


    ¡°What''s his fucking name?¡±


    She remembers Cain''s words from their earlier phone conversation. Nothing to worry about ... He


    doesn''t suspect a thing. Fuck, Cain.


    He skipped out of that hotel room, knowing full well that Casper has caught their scent and is busy


    sniffing out their lying trail. She finds herposure and sters on her best poker face. See what he


    knows first. Maybe she can talk her way out of his suspicion.


    ¡°Whose name?¡± she asks, cing her things down on the mirrored buffet in the foyer.


    ¡°The bloke you''ve been fucking.¡± He scratches at his goatee, then runs his hand over the dark hairs.


    ¡°What is his name?¡±


    ¡°Casper, honey, I don''t know what you''re talking about.¡± She approaches him and smooths over his


    wrinkledpel with her hand. ¡°You look exhausted. Let''s just go to bed.¡±


    He catches her hand in his and caresses the milk chocte skin covering her slender digits.


    ¡°Karma. You look plenty rested.¡± He kisses the back of her hand. ¡°And my eyes are now wide open ...


    Neither of us needs to sleep.¡±


    She sighs and ces her free hand on her hip. ¡°I was at work. You know that.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, really.¡± A little too much attitude is apparent in her voice.


    He ignores the bass in her voice and keeps his tone even. ¡°Someone should have informed your boss


    then. Frome thinks you''re at home nursing a sick rtive.¡±


    ¡°Casper ...¡±


    ¡°Which is funny for two reasons.¡± He holds up one of her fingers. ¡°One, because you haven''t been


    home for hours.¡± He raises another of her fingers and kisses it. ¡°And two ... You don''t have any


    rtives here besides my family.¡± He nces up at her. ¡°Last I checked, none of them are suffering


    from so much as a hangnail.¡±


    Karma swallows hard. Perspiration is soiling the armpits of her dress. She shifts her weight from foot to


    foot and avoids his gaze.


    ¡°I um ... just needed to take some time to myself. The stress of the Pord case is starting to get to me.


    And¡ª.¡±


    ¡°Please, Karma.¡± He lets go of her hand. ¡°We both know you thrive on that shit. The higher profile case,


    the more press, the more you get off on it.¡±


    She rolls her eyes. Everything he said is true. She loves the thrill her profession offers. It''s a high


    stakes game for her. And she loves charging into the fray.


    ¡°Maybe we should talk about this in the morning. When we''ve both had some time to think.¡± She


    attempts to pull him from the chair and towards their bedroom.


    Casper resists the slight force of her small frame and draws her back to him.


    ¡°I''ve had nothing but time to think. That''s all I can do when you disappear. I''ve done enough thinking to


    She tries another tactic. Karma takes a seat on hisp and cradles his face in her hands. She stares


    into his eyes.


    ¡°Baby, I know I''ve been really wrapped up in my worktely.¡± She kisses his neck, then nibbles on his


    ear. ¡°Let me make it up to you.¡±


    He pushes her away with a surprising amount of force. Karma loses her bnce and hits the floor with


    a thud. She stares up at him, her eyes wide.


    ¡°I''m not in the mood for a pity fuck. All I''m interested in at the moment is the motherfucker''s name who


    I''m sharing your pussy with.¡± He res down at her, making no move to help her off the cold floor.


    His vulgarnguage is something foreign to her. This isn''t her husband. Casper would never even blow


    on her hard. And he''s never referred to her in such a disrespectful manner. She decides to try some


    truth.


    ¡°His name isn''t important.¡± She kneels before him. ¡°He isn''t important to me. You are.¡±


    ¡°Cut the bull, Karma. And tell me his bloody name.¡±


    ¡°It doesn''t matter.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°You don''t know him.¡±


    ¡°Another fucking lie.¡± He chuckles, running his fingers over his close-cropped hair.


    Her brow wrinkles. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You and I both know him very well.¡±


    ¡°I don''t understand,¡± she mumbles.


    ¡°My brother, Karma ... My motherfucking brother.¡± He''s yelling now. His ent is amplified, making it


    difficult for her to discern his words. But thenguage of anger is universal and transcends the barriers


    of any cultural inflection.


    She gets up from the floor and backs away from him. Her breath chooses to hide in the depths of her


    petrified lungs, rather than encounter the strained environment she''s created for herself. How did this


    happen? They were always careful, or so she thought. How the hell did he know?


    ¡°Casper, I love your brother. But I assure you, there is¡ª.¡±


    He abandons his seat and heads off in the direction of the great room. Karma remains frozen against


    the front door, staring after his tensed form. She holds her breath, afraid to make a noise until he


    returns.


    A minuteter, Casper reappears with a portfolio full of Blu-ray discs and hisptop. He sits the items


    on the side table. Then he asks Karma to have a seat in the chair he just left. She doesn''t move.


    ¡°My darling wife of five years, please have a seat.¡± His cool tone unnerves her even more.


    ¡°I''m fine right here.¡± She tries to shrink further into the wooden door.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Sit the fuck down!¡±


    The rage boiling underneath the surface of his once cid demeanor, bursts through and warps his


    features. Twisting his face into something ugly, and not at all like his usual, handsome self. He takes a


    deep breath, then gestures to the chair again.


    Karma takes slow steps toply with his request. Once she''s seated, he ces theputer in her


    the bottom right corner of the screen. It''s today''s date. Her stomach begins to roil, as a sickening


    thought creeps into her mind.


    ¡°About six months ago, you did something that didn''t sit well with me.¡± He leans against the side table,


    as he flips through the catalog of discs. ¡°You opened a separate bank ount in your maiden name. At


    first, I thought you might be trying to hide a few extravagant purchases from me.¡±


    Heughs to himself.


    ¡°I thought it was funny that you felt the need to hide a couple of pairs of Louboutins from me. You work


    hard ... You''re entitled to splurge.¡±


    ¡°Casper, that ount is from a long time ago. Before we got married. I just never closed it. I hardly use


    it.¡±


    He continues as if she hasn''t spoken.


    ¡°But then charges for hotels and ... well ... How do I put this?¡± He taps his finger against his temple.


    ¡°Tools of a whore''s trade started to appear. And I couldn''t help but notice that I''d never been to these


    ces, or seen these new toys.¡± He shrugs. ¡°But I trusted my wife. Told myself I was just being


    paranoid.¡±


    ¡°I don''t know where you''re going with this. But I''m done.¡± Karma takes theptop in her hands and gets


    up.


    Casper steps closer to her, putting his lips as close to her ear as possible without touching her.


    ¡°I have sat for your shit for years. The least you can do is park your uppity ass for twenty minutes, while


    I get this off my chest.¡±


    He''s practically snarling.


    She does as he says, and parks her uppity ass in the chair again. Whoever this man is, he isn''t going


    to let her y him like a fiddle.


    The realization washes over her, ramping her physiological responses into high gear. She''s trembling,


    sweating and tears are brimming in her deep brown eyes.


    ¡°Cash, listen to me.¡±


    ¡°Only my friends call me, Cash.¡± He shakes his head. ¡°We haven''t been friends for a long time. And I


    thought I made myself clear that I''m not equipped to do any listening right now. Not to you, anyway.¡± He


    leans down to her level. ¡°Unless you want to tell me the bastard''s name?¡±


    She remains silent and stares straight ahead.


    ¡°Didn''t think so.¡± He continues his rant. ¡°As I was saying, I trusted you. Then you got bold. Stopped


    Started checking your ount activity every day.¡±


    He pulls a stack of papers from the back of the portfolio and shuffles through them.


    ¡°I was starting to face the fact that you were sleeping with someone else¡ªsome nameless, faceless


    stranger. Of course, I sought out my little brother. To confide in my best friend, my blood.¡±


    He reaches down and clicks y on theptop''s media yer. The foyer of their homees into


    view. The very same spot where this confrontation is ying out right now. She watches as a recorded


    image of herself rushes through the door, and throws her bag on the side table.


    ¡°But every time I reached out to my brother, he was too busy. Other times, he wouldn''t answer at all.¡±


    He smirks and emphasizes his words by tapping her arm with each one. ¡°Completely disappeared. Just


    ... like ... you. Care to exin?¡±


    Karma nces at him, but says nothing. She wishes he''d juste out and say whatever he''s going to


    say. This toying with her is taking a toll on her nerves.


    Casper pauses the footage at a point where a head-to-toe shot of her can be seen.


    The video is in superb focus. So there''s no denying the details of her appearance. He directs her


    attention to the immacte state of her dress.


    ¡°Now, I''m no Sherlock. But there seems to be a certain coffee stain missing from your dress.¡± He


    scratches his chin. ¡°It was coffee, right?¡±


    She grits her teeth. The tears that have been building in her doe eyes spill forth, streaking salty


    streams down her cheeks. Again she remains mum.


    ¡°Ah, doesn''t matter.¡± He tucks his hands into his pockets. ¡°We''ve got more important ground to cover.¡±


    He switches on a nearbymp. Then he pulls a sheet of paper from the stack and points out a


    highlighted charge on the bank statement. ¡°I can''t seem to figure this one out.¡± He kneels next to her


    and examines the paper. ¡°A charge for the Hyatt hotel appeared on your ount a few hours ago.¡±


    ¡°Where did you get this?¡± she asks, eyeing the printout of her private information.


    ¡°I have my ways.¡± He shrugs. ¡°So which is it, Karma? ... Were you at work. The hospital. Or screwing


    my baby brother?¡±


    She sniffles. ¡°How do you expect me to answer that?¡±


    ¡°I think it''s safe to assume my expectations aren''t going to be met tonight.¡± He bends to her level. She


    can see the putrid cocktail of anger and hurt swirling in his eyes. ¡°So I couldn''t give two shits how you


    decide to answer that.¡±


    She takes a ragged inhale, trying to breathe through the tears clouding her senses.


    ¡°Nothing happened between Cain and me. I swear.¡±


    Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? So help you, God?


    Karma has listened to countless witnesses and offenders take that oath. Here she is, an officer of the


    court, and she can''t live by those words. Even though it''s evident that she''s been caught in a lie. She


    can''t face the fact that her sweet and trusting husband has outsmarted her. That she''s been walking


    around thinking she was pulling the wool over poor Casper''s eyes. And he''s been watching her dig


    herself further and further into a hole the entire time.


    ¡°Karma, it may be wise for you to start telling me the truth.¡± He picks up the leather portfolio and flips


    through it again. ¡°There are six months of recordings here. Hours of surveince from all over the


    house. I haven''t watched any of it yet.¡±


    He pulls out a Blu-ray dated three months ago. Karma''s eyes get wide. She remembers that time


    period very well. She and Cain were sneaking back to her house five times a week. Little did she know,


    they were performing for big brother. Pardon the pun.


    ¡°You haven''t watched them?¡± she asks, ncing up at him.


    ¡°Nope, I have no clue what is on these discs. Could be four thousand three hundred eighty-three hours


    of dust bunnies for all I know.¡± He eyeballs the Blu-ray in his hand. ¡°But I was hoping one of you would


    grow a conscience and confess. So that I wouldn''t have to find out for myself.¡±


    ¡°Baby, believe me. It''s not what you think.¡± She rises from the chair again and attempts to get near him.


    He pushes her back down by her shoulders.


    ¡°Let''s y a little game.¡± He paces in front of her, wearing a groove into the dark hardwood floor. Then


    he stops short and smirks at her. ¡°You like ying games. Don''t you, sweetheart?¡±


    She swallows a thick gulp of air and swipes at her eyes.


    ¡°A game?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a game.¡± He ps his hands. ¡°More of a wager to be exact.¡± He stands at the back of the


    wingback chair, rubbing her shoulders. ¡°Let''s call it, Guess Who Karma''s Fucking. Catchy title, huh?¡±


    She sits dumbfounded as he releases her frozen image from the screen''s pixted purgatory.


    ¡°I bet I can guess bang on, who is about to walk through that door.¡±


    She looks away from theputer. He takes hold of her chin, making her watch the events unfold.


    ¡°I bet my baby brother, Cain, is on the other side of that door.¡± He leans closer to whisper in her ear.


    ¡°What do you think my odds are?¡±


    Karma looks at the scene ying on the screen. A man''s heavy build approaches the door, casting an


    imposing shadow through the decorative ss panels of the handcrafted, oak door. Her heart rate


    elerates to an rming pace. She pauses the yback.


    ¡°Enough. You win, Casper.¡± She shifts to face him, tears glistening in her eyes. ¡°You win, all right.¡±


    ¡°I win?¡± His deepugh echoes throughout the empty house. ¡°What the fuck do I win, Karma?¡± He


    throws his hands in the air. ¡°Hmm? ... How in the bleeding hell am I the lucky bastard in this situation?¡±


    ¡°I''ll tell you¡ªI''ll tell you the truth,¡± she stammers, near hyperventtion.


    He clicks y and res at his brother''s face walking into his home. He watches as Cain kisses and


    gropes Karma. As the two people whom he trusted most in the world betray him.


    ¡°Lot of good that does me when I''m looking right at it.¡± The tension in his jaw at the moment would be


    enough to crush boulders.


    ¡°Casper ¡ª.¡± She grabs for his hand. And again, he pulls away from her.


    He fishes through her handbag to find her phone, then hands it to her.


    ¡°Call your boyfriend. We need to have a littlee to Jesus meeting.¡±

 Chapter 15: 4 A.M.

    Chapter 15: 4 A.M.


    ¡°Karma, what the hell is your problem?¡± he asks, in a harsh whisper. ¡°Do you have any idea what time it


    is?¡±


    Karma nces over at Casper in the driver''s seat. ¡°I uh . . . I need to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°Can''t this wait ''til morning?¡± There''s a pause on his end. ¡°I''m at home . . . with my wife.¡±


    ¡°This can''t wait.¡± She sighs, skimming her hand over the simple ck portfolio that''s about to forever


    alter another four lives. ¡°We''re outside.¡±


    ¡°We?¡±


    Casper takes the phone from her. ¡°Open the door, little brother.¡±


    ¡°Casper?¡±


    He hands the phone back to Karma.


    ¡°Cain . . .¡± She takes a deep breath. ¡°He knows. Everything.¡±


    ¡°Now, did I ask you to share that bit of information with him?¡± Casper shoots her a lookced with


    enough venom to take down an elephant. ¡°Hang up the damn phone.¡±


    Casper exits the car, then walks around to the passenger side and helps Karma from the front seat.


    She stands beside his Bentley, unmoving. Her feet have be one with the paved driveway.


    Seeing that she might need a little incentive to move her ass, Casper reminds her that he could have


    copies of these home videos on the desks of her boss and everyst one of her colleagues. Her feet


    seem to recover their ability to walk in a matter of seconds. He follows her slow stride up the front steps


    of Cain''s home.


    Casper stands just behind Karma on the front porch of his little brother''s house. The gaslightnterns


    that decorate the garden flicker on, giving everything within a three-foot radius an eerie glow. A


    shudder runs through Karma when she hears voices on the other side of the double doors of the front


    entrance to Cain''s home.


    Secondster, Cain''s wife, Manali answers the door.


    Her deep umber hair is brushed up into a messy bun. Dressed in a thin satin robe,vender bra, and


    matching silk shorts, her fuller figure is a silken work of art. The caramel skin covering her petite frame


    sings against the delicate, pastel material. She pulls the garment closed over her more than adequate


    assets, as she greets her brother and sister-inw.


    ¡°Casper, Karma . . . What are you doing here? Is something wrong?¡± Manali searches their faces.


    Casper remains stone-faced, while Karma only has eyes for her feet.


    Cain appears behind Manali and tries to usher her back into the house. He tugs on her arm, but she


    shrugs off his grip.


    ¡°Go back to bed, baby.¡± He kisses her forehead, which makes Casper''s skin want to crawl off his body.


    ¡°I can handle this.¡±


    ¡°What is there to handle?¡± she asks Cain. Then she directs her focus to Casper. ¡°Did something


    happen to Mom and Dad?¡±


    Manali''s mind shoots to the one logical reason that would have anyone making an unannounced visit at


    this hour. Something must have happened to Charles and Leonora Caghan.


    She''s close to her inws. Even refers to them as Mom and Dad. With her parents living across the


    country in California, the Caghans are her surrogate mother and father. If any unfortunate event were


    to befall them, she''d be just as broken up about it as Casper and Cain would be.


    Casper steps forward into the house. He shoots daggers at his brother, before cing his hands on


    Manali''s arms. He smiles at her and gives her shoulders a reassuring caress.


    He looks into her dark amber eyes and the concern dancing in their depths. Her lids are still heavy with


    the slumber that was interrupted by his and Karma''s arrival. Casper almost reconsiders the pain he''s


    about toy at her feet.


    ¡°Everyone is fine. Mum and Dad are fine. How are my nieces?¡±


    ¡°They''re good, Cash.¡± An uneasy smile apanies her furrowed brow.


    He ignores the question on her face and continues to inquire about the lives of his nieces. ¡°Has Sophie


    started ballet yet?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she and Jillie will both be in the Dance Premierepetition in two weeks.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Casper takes Manali''s hands in his. ¡°Let me know what time and ce. Their uncle will be in


    the front row.¡±


    ¡°Of course, we will.¡± She nudges his side. ¡°I know you didn''t drive all the way over here, just to make


    small talk.¡±


    ¡°You''re right. I didn''t.¡± He nces back at Cain. ¡°I just needed to have a word with my little brother. He


    and I have something very important to discuss.¡±


    Cain taps his foot on the gleaming wood floor. ¡°What do you want, Casper?¡±


    Casper shes one more smile at Manali, then pulls a sniffling Karma into the house by her arm. She''s


    been standing frozen just outside the threshold, ying with the leather case that contains the


    evidence of her and Cain''s infidelity.


    Her lover''s wife inquires into her welfare, but she pretends to be hard of hearing. Karma refuses to


    even meet Manali''s stare.


    ¡°Karma, are you okay?¡± Manali asks, touching Karma''s shoulder.


    Hot tears begin to streak Karma''s cheeks again. ¡°I''m so sorry, Manali. I never intended for things to go


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    this far.¡±


    ¡°Sorry for what?¡± Manali takes Karma''s hand and wipes a tear from her cheek. Karma just shakes her


    head and lets her hand slip out of Ali''s grasp. ¡°Could somebody please tell me what''s going on?¡±


    ¡°Cain, I am sure you know why we''re here. So I''m going to let you exin the situation to your wife.¡± He


    takes a seat in one of the baroque chairs near the door, then props his right leg on his left. ¡°And tell her


    the truth.¡±


    Manali approaches her husband, with one of her thick brows raised. She folds her arms across her


    chest. ¡°Cain?¡±


    ¡°There''s nothing to tell, baby.¡± He gestures to Casper. ¡°This motherfucker is drunk. And I don''t know


    why Karma is letting him run wild.¡±


    Cain shoots Karma a look, but she avoids his eyes. She''s not prepared to make direct eye contact with


    either of them right now.


    ¡°Actually, brother.¡± The disdain in Casper''s voice permeates the air, making it as toxic as andfill. ¡°I''m


    not drunk enough.¡± He leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees. His dark eyes zero in on Cain.


    ¡°Tell Manali why I''m here . . . or I will.¡±


    ¡°Then spin your tale, goddammit,¡± Cain shouts at him. ¡°I don''t have shit to say.¡±


    ¡°Well . . .¡± Casper sps his hands together and chuckles. ¡°Sex, Lies, and videotape it is.¡±


    Then he signals Karma to set up theptop and cue the presentation. Karma does as he requests,


    though she''s taking her sweet time doing so.


    ¡°Sometime tonight, Karma.¡± Casper gives her an exasperated sigh.


    Karma nces back at the smirk that''s be a permanent fixture on Casper''s face. There''s no


    sense in her dying the inevitable.


    The ultrabook powers up. And within seconds, the footage of her and Cain''s tryst this afternoon


    appears. Karma leaves theptop on the foyer table and backs as far into a corner as possible.


    "What is this," Manali asks.


    Casper nods to the screen. "Just watch."


    Cain sees a captured version of himself approach Karma onscreen. His mouth hits the floor, as he


    watches his and Karma''s usual greeting traveling further and further outside of the PG-13 ballpark.


    Realizing the severity of the shit storm Casper just dropped in hisp, he rushes over and ms the


    "Get the fuck out of my house, Casper," Cain demands.


    Casper leaves his seat and steps into his brother''s personal space.


    "I will . . . Right after you answer one simple question for me." He stares down at him. His six-foot-three


    stature towers over Cain''s much shorter build. "How long have you been fucking my wife?"


    Casper''s words send shockwaves through the room, causing a sudden state of paralysis to overtake


    everyone in their path. The weight of his question settles on their shoulders like a fineyer of grime on


    porcin figurines.


    "What?" Manali shakes her head, rattling the disheveled bun at her crown. It feels like the entire


    Antic ocean is swimming in her ears.


    "I said get your drunk ass out of my house." Cain is shouting loud enough to wake the neighbors. He


    points Casper toward the door.


    "Casper, what the hell are you talking about?" Manali touches Casper''s arm.


    "Manali, I''m sorry to do this in your home." Casper nces at Ali, before turning back to Cain. "But if he


    has the balls to sleep with my wife, in my bed. Then he should have the decency to admit it to my


    face."


    Three pairs of eyes settle on Cain.


    One pair is begging him for some way out of this nightmare. Pleading for a solution that will save them


    both from the consequences of their actions. Another is full of a mixture of rage and disappointment.


    And thest is still in disbelief, ready to release stinging tears down her cheeks.


    Cain breaks. Every foul emotion within himes to a head.


    "A year." He looks at his flesh and blood in the eye. "I''ve been blowing your woman''s back out for over


    a year now."


    The room gets quiet enough to hear a cricket sneeze on the other side of the world.


    Manali''s pupils dte. The tears that have been waiting for their curtain call make their debut, streaking


    her pretty face with the pain pooling from her heart. She covers her mouth with the hand that bears the


    gleaming symbol of the eight-yearmitment she''s shared with Cain. The samemitment which


    Cain has just vited.


    Karma adopts a deer-in-headlights stare. She sps her arms around herself, trying tobat the


    rawness brought on by the exposure of their lies. It leaves her feeling like she just fell off a bike and hit


    the pavement traveling ny miles per hour, with nothing between her and the rough asphalt but her


    cocoa skin.


    Casper just nods.


    Then his right hook connects with his little brother''s left cheek. Followed by a one-twobination to


    his gut and left nk. Cain doubles over, trying to shield his midsection from Casper''s unyielding fists.


    Then Cain gathers his wits and returns some of the heat being thrown at him. Hends a right to


    Casper''s jaw, which staggers him. But not for long. Casper regains his stance and is ready to deliver


    another flurry of knuckles to Cain''s face and body.


    Seeing that Casper came to put in work, Cain resorts to a rather punk-ass move. He bends and angles


    his shoulder toward Casper. Cain propels himself forward and charges Casper. Cain pushes his


    brother''s towering frame back into the foyer table with enough force to lift Casper off his feet.


    The crystal vase of perennials that sat on the tabletop is disced. The priceless heirloom hits the floor


    and shatters into an infinite number of pieces. Flowers litter the mahogany wood, creating a wilted


    mess of petals and stems, intermingled with the glittering shards of ss.


    Casper grunts as his back meets the beveled edge of the wooden frame. A sharp pain radiates the


    length of his spine. It''s like someone has shoved a dozen needles into each vertebra, striking the


    sensitive spinal cord underneath. He sucks in a breath of air through gritted teeth, trying to ride out the


    stimulus that''s osting his nerves.


    Cain is still attached to Casper''s torso, firing off blow after blow to his side. He''s focusing his hits on


    one spot. The tactic is very effective. Casper''s muscles are taking a beating.


    Conscious of the damage Cain is causing, Casper musters the strength to lean up and bring his elbow


    down on Cain''s neck. This halts Cain''s lightning attack, allowing Casper to pull himself upright using


    the table''s edge as leverage.


    After a full sixty seconds of effort, Casper''s feet touch the floor again. The stabs of pain in his side


    make the motion seem tost much longer.


    His dress oxfords struggle to gain traction on the shards of broken crystal scattered across the polished


    hardwoods. Cain seizes this moment of unsteadiness tond another left to Casper''s weakened nk.


    Fueled by his growing rage, a surge of energy courses through Casper. He deflects Cain''s sessive


    attempts to strike him and wages a counter-attack. Cash locks his arm around Cain''s neck and exerts


    as much pressure as he can summon on the coward''s throat. With Cain''s head lodged in the crook of


    his arm, Caspernds several devastating blows to his midsection.


    Casper isying waste to Cain''s abdominals, when he feels a searing pain in his side, near his lower


    back.


    Two rows of enamel-d dentin sink into Casper''s flesh, prating the fabric of his button-down like


    it''s a flimsy sheet of paper. Cain''s teeth tattoo their emblem on Casper''s skin.


    Thank God, Cain had his wisdom teeth pulled years ago. Otherwise, Casper would have four more


    teeth gnawing on him. It takes several seconds for Cash to realize that Cain is indeed biting him like a


    middle school girl in a yground fight. What grown man does that?


    Casper chokes down the audible acknowledgment of the pain and strengthens his hold on Cain''s neck.


    Cash feels the energy draining out of his brother, as his air supply is cut short. Cain ms his fist into


    Casper''s stomach as hard as he can, trying to get him to break the hold on his vocal cords. But Casper


    doesn''t flinch or loosen his grip. His abdominals just absorb the shock of the hit withoutint.


    Sensing that he might be on the verge of losing consciousness, Cash lets go and shoves Cain away


    from him. Cash stands clutching his afflicted torso and keeps his eyes trained on the bitter man idling a


    few feet away from him. Cain res back at him, still struggling to catch his breath.


    Manali and Karma observe the standoff without objection to its impending esction. They know that


    any sort of interference from either one of them would be ignored. This is the way disputes are settled


    when an overdose of testosterone is present. Even if the brothers killed each other, the two women


    would just have to stand back and admire their chalk outlines.


    Cain makes yet another misguided decision and tries to take one more swing at Casper. His hit misses


    the mark, leaving him wide open for Casper to put an end to their altercation.


    Cash''s right fist lights up Cain''s chin like a match to gasoline fumes. The blow sends Cain crashing to


    the floor. Hends in a crumpled heap at Casper''s feet.


    He kneels beside Cain and yanks him up by the cor of his white t-shirt. "You''re my brother. My


    brother."


    "No, Casper. I''m your cousin. I am an only child." Cain dabs at the blood seeping from his lip. "And until


    you showed up, I was my parents'' pride and joy. But then the great and magnificent Casper pops over


    from merry old London. And you''re all anyone can talk about . . . How smart Casper is . . . How funny


    Casper is . . . I just disappeared."


    Casper releases Cain and allows himself to fall back onto his bottom. He sits with his elbows propped


    on his knees and hangs his head.


    "That''s your problem? You fucked with all of our lives because your ass is jealous?" Casper sighs at


    the man in front of him, who has be so small all of a sudden.


    "A small price to pay to bring down the mighty Casper." Cain narrows his eyes at Casper.


    "You used me?" Karma chimes in. "Just to get back at him?"


    "Please, don''t act so innocent." Cain res at Karma. "You were more than happy to spread your legs


    for me. You don''t give a fuck about Casper. Never did."


    "Fuck you, Cain." Karma leans over and puts her finger in Cain''s face. "I . . . love Casper. And I never


    would have cheated on him, if it weren''t for you."


    "Bullshit," the men mutter in unison.


    They both know if it wasn''t Cain, somewhere down the line it would have been someone else. Karma''s


    fake affection for Casper wore out a long time ago. Casper expected her to stray. But he never


    imagined it would be with a man he used to refer to as brother with so much love in his heart.


    Karma snakes back into the corner where she''s been hiding. The attempt to take some of the me for


    this clusterfuck off herself unsessful, she makes the wise choice to keep her mouth shut.


    Manali resumes yback on theptop and examines her husband''s technique from a whole new


    perspective. She watches without making a peep as Karma and Cain go at it like a couple of pornstars.


    A single tear hangs on her longshes like an icicle on the edge of a tree limb, poised for demise.


    Having seen enough, she closes theputer. The single drop of moisture severs its connection with


    her eysh. It crashes onto theptop''s slick surface, creating a tiny splinteredke.


    She takes measured steps toward Casper and Cain. They both stare up at her, then back at each


    other. Her expression is difficult to read. The tears would suggest sadness, but her eyes are harboring


    a darker emotion.


    "Casper?" Manali''s soft voice breaks the tension between the two men. "Would you help your brother


    from the floor, please?"


    Casper gets to his feet. He stares down at Cain with malice still on his mind but offers his hand to him


    anyway. Cain ignores the help and struggles to stand without assistance.


    Cash shakes his head. This motherfucker has the nerve to act like he''s the victim here. Unbelievable.


    Once Cain is upright, he starts trying to cover up his lies with new ones. "Manali, this is all just one big


    misunderstanding."


    "What don''t I understand, Cain?" Ali advances toward him with her hands tucked behind her back.


    "Ali¨D."


    Before Cain has a chance to utter another word, a freight train barrels into him. The force of Manali''s


    dainty body sends him reeling backward, throwing both of them to the floor.


    Quicker than anyone in the room can realize what''s happening, she shoves a letter opener into his


    face. Casper and Karma are struck dumb. Neither of them even saw her pick it up.


    Cain grabs Ali''s wrist, halting her hand just in time. The thin dees within a hair''s breadth of


    impaling his eye. The unbridled rage on her face grips his heart, making his breath catch in his throat.


    He struggles for the upper hand. But Ali, much like her namesake, is not going to make this fight an


    easy one. Perspiration beads on his forehead, as he tries to wrestle the weapon away from her.


    Tears continue to fall from her eyes, as she strains to drive the de into his widened pupil. The drops


    of saltwater draining from the cracked windows of his wife''s tormented soul traverse the minute gap


    that separates them, andnd square between his eyes. The wounded beads of moisture graze his


    skin, scorching it like pills of molten iron.


    Cain rolls her onto her back and straddles her. He ms her wrist against the hardwood floor. The


    letter opener flies from her grip andnds a few feet away. Ali knees him in the groin. While he nurses


    his afflicted manhood, Manali has the opportunity to regain her position on top of him. She jabs her


    thumbs into Cain''s eye sockets. He screams like an infant experiencing his first needle prick.


    Ali doesn''t relent. Even with him digging his stubby nails into her arms and squirming beneath her like a


    wild boar, she continues to dig for his optic nerve. She''s determined to make him the next recipient of a


    seeing-eye dog.


    Casper puts his arms around Manali and tries to wrench her off Cain. He had decided that she


    deserved to rough him up a bit. And he was going to allow her the space to do so. But it has be


    apparent to Cash that Ali might be trying to kill him.


    "Come on, Ali . . . Let him go." He strengthens his grip on her waist, but she won''t release her prey.


    Manali is a woman possessed. Casper''s words, or his hands on her, don''t register in her mind. She just


    wants the motherfucker beneath her dead.


    This motherfucker has stolen thest nine years of her life. This motherfucker who asked her to give up


    her career as an agent for some of the best talents that Hollywood has seen in years. This


    motherfucker convinced Ali to leave it all behind to move to this sleepy state, and be his picture of


    a good southern wife. She birthed his kids, cut the crusts off his bread like his mother used to do, hand-


    washed his funky underwear, clipped his crusty toenails.


    After all that, this piece of shit has the gall to make a fool out of her. And with her sister-inw no less.


    She wants him to bleed. Wants to watch every drop of life drain out of him, until the light fades from his


    eyes.


    Ali gives up on trying to gouge out his eyes and settles for a quicker injury. She thrusts the bottom of


    her palm into his nose with every ounce of energy that she can summon. When she hears the


    unmistakable sound of cracking bone and sees the red river flowing down his brown skin, she stops


    fighting Casper''s hold on her.


    Cash pulls Manali away from a bloodied and broken Cain. Her chest is heaving up and down in rapid


    session like her lungs are about to copse. Her eyes are darting back and forth, unable to focus.


    Adrenaline courses through her, making her amped-up muscles spasm from inaction. Casper keeps his


    arm around her, in case she decides to rush over and finish the job.


    "The fuck''s wrong with you, bitch?" Cain cradles his nose in his hand, trying to little avail to curtail the


    bleeding.


    "The fuck''s wrong with me?" Manali''s voice resembles a howling banshee''s call.


    She tries to dive for Cain again. And there''s no doubt she''s aiming for his jugr this time. Casper


    grapples with her sudden superhuman strength, almost failing at containing the five-foot-four tornado.


    "You broke my goddamned nose," Cain shouts back at her.


    "Good." The response escapes Ali''s lips as a low growl.


    Karma seems to check back into the melee and rushes over to Cain to help him from the floor. She


    pulls a scarf from her handbag, then kneels beside him.


    "Leave that bastard right where he is," Manali demands.


    Karma looks over at Ali, who shoots a stare cold enough to instigate the transformation of every ounce


    of water on Earth to its solid form in her direction. The nce prates her bones, freezing the soft


    marrow inside, before making its foray into the ossified matter that surrounds it.


    She backs away from Cain. Karma doesn''t need any more daggers being thrown her way. As a matter


    of fact, this night seems to be going rather easy on her. No one has hit her . . . At least, not yet.


    Cain manages to get to his feet without the aid of anyone else. He yanks off his soiled t-shirt and


    presses the cotton to his nose. A crimson blemish spreads across the fabric, staining each thread


    redder than thest like a hungry wildfire on arid terrain.


    "You''re going to take his word over mine?" Cain removes the shirt from his nose, letting his blood


    decorate the floor. "I''m your husband. You know me."


    "I don''t know what you are." Ali frowns and shakes her head. "But you aren''t my damn husband."


    "Baby, this is bullshit." Cain approaches Manali and Casper.


    "Get the fuck out of my house." The words leave her body like vomit. Ali chokes on each scrap of


    verbal barbed wire as ites up. The edges of every syble catch in her throat, ripping its fragile


    lining to shreds.


    Manali feels her muscles protesting all of the activity that she just requested of them. The beginning


    effects ofctic acid fermentation fester in theplex tissues, stealing their ability to support her


    limbs. Casper ces his arms around her, and she allows him to shoulder her weakened frame against


    his chest.


    "I''m not going anywhere. This is my house." Cain nts his bare feet, embedding tiny pieces of ss


    in his soles. He grimaces but otherwise doesn''t acknowledge the pain.


    "Mommy?" A miniature voice disrupts their vile discourse.


    The adults turn to find two little angels dressed in matching pink nightgowns standing on the spiral


    staircase. Jillian and Sophia, Cain and Manali''s eight and six-year-old daughters. Jillian clutches her


    younger sister''s hand in hers, as they walk down a couple more steps. They stare down at the chaotic


    scene with eyes clouded by heavy fatigue and childhood naivete.


    Manali swipes her hands across her cheeks and faces her kids. "Jillie, Sophie. Go back to bed babies."


    "Uncle Casper, Aunt Karma. What are you doing here?" Jillian regards Casper and Karma.


    Casper takes it upon himself to answer. "Just paying your mom and dad a visit."


    The two girls'' eyes find their father''s bleeding face. Tiny wrinkles form on their foreheads, distorting


    their still maturing features.


    "Are you hurt, Daddy," Sophie asks.


    Manali and Casper nce back at Cain.


    "Daddy''s fine. Do what your momma said." He gives them a weak smile, and waves for them to go


    back upstairs.


    "I''ll be up in a minute to tuck you back in." Manali offers her children a smile. The corners of her mouth


    twitch, fighting the genial gesture.


    The two girls make a slow turn and head back up the stairs. Once they''re out of sight, Manali speaks to


    Casper.


    "Make sure he leaves my house." She manages to get out the request before her delicateposure


    dissolves.


    "I will." Casper puts his arms around Ali. Then he ces a gentle kiss on her cheek. "I''m sorry," he


    whispers in her ear.


    "I know." She nods, fighting back more stinging tears. "But I''m not."


    Manali and Casper release each other. She directs her steps toward the bedrooms of her confused


    children, without taking a second look at the man with whom she shared a bed not even an hour earlier.


    Cash busies himself with packing up theptop and portfolio. He zips up the carrying case and faces


    Judas one and two.


    Not saying a word, he grabs a pair of Cain''s yard shoes and a jacket from the coat closet. He tosses


    the items to his brother. Then he retrieves Cain''s car keys from their designated hook by the front door.


    Cash identifies the three house keys, one each for the front and back entrances, and the door to the


    garage. Then he works them off the keychain, and tosses the rest of the keys to Cain.


    Casper picks up his bag and holds the front door open for Karma and Cain. "Let''s go."


    Karma files out of the house without a word. Cain stays where he is, staring at Casper. They re at


    each other in silence. After a few moments of tense stares, Cain makes the wise decision to walk his


    battered ass out the door.


    Cash locks the door behind him and strolls to his car. He unlocks the driver side door of his Bentley and


    ces his things in the passenger seat before slipping into the cockpit.


    Casper watches in the rearview mirror as Cain gets into his own vehicle. He takes his eyes off Cain to


    look over at Karma, who is standing at his passenger side door. Her hand is poised on the door handle.


    Cash lets down the window a sliver, just enough for her to hear him. "May I help you?"


    "Open the door, Casper."


    "Oh, no. He''s your ride." He gestures back at Cain sitting in his Jaguar, struggling to slip on his shoes


    and hold the shirt to his bloody nose. "You prefer Cain''s ride over mine anyway."


    She tugs on the door handle. "Casper, open the door."


    "No. I''m going home." He shrugs. "You no longer live there."


    "What?" Her bottom lip begins to tremble.


    "I figured since you spent so little time there in the first ce, you wouldn''t miss it."Casper smiles with


    every single one of his pristine white teeth. "I''m sure you two can find a nice hotel to spend the night.


    Pleasant evening to you."


    Casper taps a button, and the window slides closed again with a pop of finality. He pulls out his phone


    and starts scrolling through a few new emails. As he relegates a slew of spam to his trash folder, he


    feels her eyes on him. Cash allows an email boasting a product that will bring an end to erectile


    dysfunction to borrow his attention. Karma stares at him another couple minutes, before slinking toward


    Cain''s Jag.


    He waits until his new two favorite enemies make their exit. Cash nces back at the house and


    catches a glimpse of Ali observing from the window. He waves to her. She waves back at him, then


    disappears behind the heavy curtains.


    Casper pulls out of the driveway with a heavy heart. He didn''t have to bring this fight to Manali''s


    doorstep. But he couldn''t sleep on it any longer. Couldn''t ignore his wifeing home smelling fresher


    than a field of daisies at three in the morning. His breaking point had been breached, and all that


    frustration needed somewhere to go. Ali and his nieces were unavoidable coteral damage.


    He drives back to his empty house, fighting the images of his wife''s infidelity reying in his head on a


    constant loop. To see her giving his brother that same look of satisfaction that she''s been denying him,


    all but ripped out his battered and bruised heart.


    His car is left to navigate itself. His mind is plodding its way through a private hell. It can''t be bothered


    with mundane tasks like maneuvering a vehicle. Having been left to its own devices by its owner, the


    Bentley takes a detour that leads Casper past SoHo Sugar. The cares to a stop outside the


    bakery.


    He stares up at the storefront with its pastel and cheery facade. The gravity of the istion that awaits


    him at home weighs down his lids. He rests his forehead against the steering wheel. A sigh escapes


    his lips, releasing with it every indignity he has ever suffered at Karma''s hands.


    Then he feels a far more wee presence run her hand over his hair. She''s here. Of course, she is.


    His mind''s eye projects her likeness whenever his sanity is teetering on the edge.


    He doesn''t look up right away. He wants to rx in thefort of her touch for a moment. When he''s


    ready to let go of her, he gazes into Arden''s bewitching brown eyes.


    "What now," she asks. A faint smile rests on her lips.


    He takes a deep breath and returns her serene look.


    "I stop dreaming."

 Chapter 16: Crystals & Handcuffs

    Chapter 16: Crystals & Handcuffs


    ¡°What are we going to do?¡± Arden asks.


    Eli rests his hands on the edge of the vanity, hanging his head over the sink. He curls his fingers into


    fists so tight, that his knuckles begin to glow a pearly white.


    He shakes his head, then ms his fists against the quartz vanity. Arden flinches at the sound of his


    hands hitting the b of stone. Eli lifts his head and stares at the mirror. His eyes are hooded marbles


    of ice.


    Arden ces her hand on Elliott''s shoulder, keeping her focus on the reflection of the distant man in


    the mirror. He doesn''t acknowledge her touch. The growing tension in his jaw drains the anger from


    her, making room for another emotion.


    ¡°Eli?¡±


    Elliott rushes past her, out the bathroom. He grabs his keys and heads for the front door.


    Arden follows him, pleading for him to talk to her. Still no answer. He steps onto the elevator with a


    scowl painted on hisforting features.


    ¡°Elliott, wait.¡± She reaches for his hand. But he slips out her grip. So she steps onto the elevator with


    him.


    She asks where he''s going. Again, he stares straight ahead. He''s moving like a robot on autopilot. A


    shutdown like this doesn''t happen often. But when it does, he''s colder than an skan winter.


    Jamming the stop button with her index finger, she brings the elevator to a halt.


    ¡°I understand that you''re upset.¡± Arden steps in front of him and lifts his chin. ¡°But you''d better talk to


    me.¡±


    ¡°You know where I''m going, Arden.¡± He ces his hands at her waist and moves her aside. Then he


    starts the elevator on its way again.


    She does know where he''s going. But just as he reminded her not too long ago, that woman isn''t worth


    the jail time.


    ¡°I want to throttle her just as much as you do. But we''re not going to be much help to Rowan and


    Teagan if we''re both behind bars.¡±


    Elliott stares back at her like he''s trying to process what she just said. The elevator stops on the ground


    floor. Its doors open, revealing the underground parking garage that''s essible only to residents. He


    pauses on the threshold, leaning his back against the pocket where the elevator doors disappeared.


    ¡°You''re right.¡± He nods at her. ¡°You should go back upstairs.¡±


    He shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans and starts a very determined walk toward his car.


    Arden chases after him. Her eyes travel down to his bare feet. Their reddened state, and his apparent


    oblivion to the cold concrete floor, quickens her own feet.


    ¡°Elliott,¡± she screams after him. Her voice hits the bare concrete walls, before bouncing back to her


    ears.


    He keeps walking, even seeming to speed up into more of a trot. He unlocks his sedan and reaches for


    the door handle. Arden ces herself between him and the car, pushing the driver''s side door closed


    again with her back.


    A silent standoff ensues. His eyes stare down into hers, neither breaking the trance. Another minute or


    so passes, before he attempts to move her aside. He ces a hand on her waist, exerting a gentle


    pressure against her weight. She doesn''t budge.


    He sighs and scratches at the forming stubble along his jawline.


    ¡°Arden, please. Get out of my way.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°I''m not going to let you do something stupid.¡±


    ¡°She has been using drugs around our kids. Letting that anorexic piece of shit model shoot up in the


    same house where our kids sleep.¡± His voice drops to a darker tone, one that Ardi doesn''t recognize.


    ¡°Nothing is more stupid than that.¡±


    She takes a breath. ¡°No disagreement here.¡±


    ¡°Then, please . . . move,¡± he says through gritted teeth. Tears pool on the brims of his eyes, making


    them glisten like a moonlitke.


    ¡°No, Elliott.¡±


    Arden ces a hand on either side of his face. The tears in his eyes win the battle against the rims of


    his eyes. Hot, salty rivers begin to paint his face, marking her hands as well. She uses her thumbs to


    wipe away his heated tears.


    Arden''s mobile begins to ring, making them both flinch. The device announces her brother''s name,


    then begins ying the Ghostbusters theme song. She lets it ring, ultimately sending her sibling to


    voicemail.


    She rxes a bit as she watches the hint of a smile spreading across Eli''s lips. He folds his hands


    around hers.


    ¡°Does he know that''s your ringtone for him?¡±


    She shakes her head, and they both ease into a smallugh. As it fades into a shared sigh, Arden


    leans up and ces her arms around his neck. He pulls her closer, letting his arms settle at her waist.


    Arden tilts her head and kisses Elliott. The softness of her lips melds into him, imparting a calm as easy


    as a low country breeze. She pulls back and rests her forehead against his.


    ¡°She''s not going to change us, Eli,¡± she whispers, staring up at him. ¡°Ro and Tea deserve better than


    that.¡±


    He nods. She feels his hand tighten into a fist against her back. As he stares off in the direction of the


    other parked cars that surround them, she smooths her hands down his shoulders over and over.


    After a few seconds, he turns back to her. His eyes have returned to their usual vibrant blue. The


    tension in his muscles has rxed. She breathes. He''s back.


    He hugs her close, resting his head in the crook of her neck. Then he pulls back and kisses her


    forehead. ¡°Let''s go.¡±


    Eli taps the lock button on his car''s key fob and intertwines his fingers with Arden''s. The couple takes


    the elevator up to the lobby. They find Adam standing at the concierge desk about to ce another call


    to his sister.


    ¡°You two suddenly forget how to answer your phones?¡± Adam asks,ing towards them.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Eli nces at Arden. ¡°We were in the middle of something.¡±


    ¡°Oh God, I know what that means.¡± Adam makes a face.


    ¡°We weren''t ...¡± Arden tries to exin. But Adam puts his hands to his ears and begins humming. She


    tries to pull one of his hands away from his head. He resists, enting his humming with defiant


    grunts. ¡°Oh grow up, Adam.¡±


    He shakes his head and starts for the door. ¡°You two are freaks. I''ll be in the car.¡±


    She rolls her eyes at her brother''s back, as he exits the building. Sometimes, it astounds her that he''s


    the older child. No wonder her parents tried a second time.


    ¡°You sure he''s older than you?¡±


    ¡°I''m not even sure we''re rted. I think he followed my mother home from the grocery store one day.¡±


    ¡°That must be it.¡± Eli chuckles and takes her hand again. The smile fades from his face, while he ys


    with her fingers.


    ¡°You okay?¡± She takes his other hand.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He nods, staring down at their feet. ¡°Think I might take the kids to see my parents for a little


    while this afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.¡± She pushes a thick lock of honeyed curls away from his face. ¡°Then maybe we could


    all meet at Dad''s ce for dinner tonight.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he whispers, still transfixed by the floor.


    ¡°Hey, we''ll figure this out.¡± She lifts his head and locks eyes with him. ¡°With your parents and my father


    behind us, all of bama will burn before Melinda gets anywhere near our children again.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± He pulls her in close and kisses the crown of her head. ¡°See you tonight.¡±


    Eli agrees to meet her at the Mitchell estate with the twins and his parents. They share another quick


    kiss and whisper I love you, before parting ways. Arden nces over her shoulder, as she makes her


    way out to Adam. Elliott waves at her, before stepping onto the elevator. Sighing, she steps through the


    lobby''s revolving door.


    ¡°Everything okay?¡± Adam opens the car door for her.


    ¡°It''s fine. Why?¡±


    ¡°Well, you''re sporting the I don''t give a fuck hair bun. Eli looks like he could spar with Satan right about


    now and win.¡± He smirks at her. ¡°Wanna try lying to me again, Elmer?¡±


    She purses her lips and looks away from him. ¡°I''ll tell you in the car.¡±


    Adam helps her into his Porsche Cayenne and jogs around to the driver''s side. While he tries his best


    to navigate the downtown streets, she rtes the night''s insanity to him. He listens without much


    interruption, throwing in a whispered remark here and there.


    ¡°You call the police?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°And why not?¡±


    ¡°I don''t want to have their mother arrested.¡± She stares out the window at the silent structures passing


    by in a blur of stone and mortar. ¡°We''ll handle this as quietly as possible.¡±


    ¡°Melinda doesn''t deserve your discretion.¡±


    ¡°But Ro and Tea do. This arrangement has been hard enough on them. Thest thing they need is to


    find a TMZ article about their absentee mother''s drug abuse.¡± She chews the inside of her cheek, then


    shakes her head. ¡°I will not make them a headline.¡±


    Adam sighs and then brings the car to a stop behind Arden''s Audi S7.


    ¡°I swear, little sis. You some kind of saint. Any other woman would have taken a razor de to


    Melinda''s crazy ass a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Trust me.¡± She scoffs. ¡°I''ve murdered her in my dreams plenty of times.¡±


    Heughs and reaches over her to grab the shlight and his semi-automatic handgun from the


    glovebox. ¡°Stay in the car, killer.¡±


    Arden does as she''s told, watching as her brother checks the front and back seats of the sedan. He


    starts the vehicle''s engine and even goes so far as to survey the trunk as well. Finding no apparent


    threats, he signals to her.


    She steps down from his car and makes her way over to where he''s standing holding open the door of


    the sedan for her. Arden gives him a hug, and a quick kiss on the cheek.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°It''s nothing. You know that.¡±


    Adam hangs onto her even tighter and nts a kiss on her cheek as well. Then he takes one more look


    in the backseat before he lets her settle into the car.


    She watches him get back into the truck in her side-view mirror. She waits for Adam to sh his


    headlights, then they both pull away from the curb. They wave to each other at a stoplight, going their


    separate ways. Adam heads for his Vestavia Hills home, while Arden makes the short jump to


    Homewood.


    When Arden reaches the parking lot of SoHo Sugar, the limited space at the back of the building is


    deserted. Joe and Nadia are bothte ...again. She sighs and parks the car in her designated space in


    the far corner of the lot. Instead of going inside to begin her usual hectic day, she sits frozen in her


    seat. Her mind has other ns.


    She nces at the time illuminated on the center console. It''s 4:30 in the morning. Her father is often


    up by five every day. Though he''s essentially retired, he wakes every morning to greet the sun like he


    has a regr nine to five.


    The most Warren sees of the inside of an office is the monthly board meeting at the phonepany.


    He should be out of bed and making his customary cup of coffee in less than thirty minutes. The trip


    from the bakery to the Mitchell estate should take about that long, maybe a little less at this time of the


    morning.


    Exiting the parking lot, she heads for the highway. She takes 65 South toward Montgomery, keeping


    careful watch of her speedometer. Forty milester, she''s coasting up the tree-lined drive of her


    childhood home.


    One of the house managers, Ivana, appears in the doorway of the three-story house. Before Arden can


    reach for the handle, Ivana opens the driver''s door and extends a hand to her.


    ustomed to her father''s routine, the woman is already dressed in one of her smart sweater sets and


    starched cks. Her dark hair is in the same effortless fishtail braid she''s been wearing for years, a


    style thatplements her rounded face.


    ¡°What are you doing here so early? ...Is something wrong?¡± The older woman''s brow wrinkles.


    Arden assures her everything''s okay.


    Ivana eyeballs her, cocking her head to one side. She''s been with the family since Arden was six years


    old. So she can tell when one of the Mitchell children is telling a half-truth.


    ¡°I''m fine. Everyone is fine. I promise.¡± Arden squeezes Ivana''s hands. ¡°I just wanted to talk to Daddy.¡±


    ¡°And this couldn''t wait until the sun was fully awake?¡± The strength of her Russian ent lingers in her


    speech.


    It''s most apparent when she''s excited or angry. When they were younger, Adam and Arden would often


    y pranks on her just so she would yell at them in Russian. Hearing the familiar ent now makes


    her smile.


    ¡°I guess not.¡±


    ¡°Okay, don''t tell me.¡± Ivana sighs. ¡°Your father''s in his study.¡±


    She gives Ivana a quick kiss on the cheek and jogs up the porch steps into the house. She makes her


    way to her father''s study at the back of the house.


    ¡°Hi, tater tot.¡± A booming voice greets Arden, as she steps into therge oak-paneled room.


    Warren Mitchell looks up from his newspaper and beams at his little girl. Grinning just as hard as he is,


    she walks over to his desk. He stands and pulls her into a hug. She allows herself to be engulfed by his


    easy circle.


    ¡°Good morning, Daddy,¡± she says, her voice muffled by his starched button-down shirt.


    He holds her at arm''s length. ¡°You came to have breakfast with your old man?¡±


    ¡°I need some advice.¡±


    ¡°About Melinda?¡±


    ¡°How did you...?¡±


    ¡°Adam called me.¡±


    ¡°I should have known.¡±


    ¡°Never mind your brother.¡± Warren leads her over to the quilted leather sofa and sits down with her.


    ¡°What''s your head telling you to do?¡±


    ¡°Convince Eli to file for sole custody of the kids.¡±


    ¡°And I wouldn''t disagree with you if Ro and Tea were younger. But a legal fight with Melinda couldst


    for years.¡±


    Arden takes a deep breath. ¡°So what do we do?¡±


    ¡°Rowan and Teagan could have themselves emancipated.¡± Warren continues his point before Arden


    has a chance to be rmed. ¡°That way no one, namely Melinda, has a say in where they choose


    to live.¡±


    ¡°That would make them adults in the eyes of thew.¡± Ardi looks down at her hands. ¡°They wouldn''t be


    my babies anymore.¡±


    ¡°In another year, they won''t be babies either way. Children have to grow up. Doesn''t mean we have to


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    stop being their parents.¡± He kisses her hair. ¡°Isn''t that right, tater tot?¡±


    Ardenughs and rests her head on his shoulder. ¡°Where did you evene up with that nickname?¡±


    ¡°Took one look at you when you were born, and the name just came to me. Ever since then, you''ve


    been my little tater tot.¡± He scratches his head and smirks. ¡°I wish there was some grand story behind


    it. But I''m a simple man, sweetheart.¡±


    ¡°That''s good enough for me.¡± She smiles at him.


    The two are silent for a few moments before that gnawing seed of doubt in Arden''s gut voices itself


    again. ¡°Do you think this whole thing will work?¡±


    ¡°It will. I''ll make sure of it.¡± He gives her shoulder a gentle rub. ¡°Harrison will have the papers drawn up


    by the end of business today. Don''t worry about it.¡±


    Willing to breathe a little easier for the moment, she lets him change the subject. They spend another


    hour or so discussing simpler matters, like her Aunt Hiry''s annual gem social.


    Arden dreads going every year. But not going would mean snubbing one of the most powerful women


    in Birmingham. Not to mention, making things more difficult at home for her Uncle Sebastian. Hiry is


    impossible enough without feeling slighted. So Arden will suck it up for the sake of her mother''s


    brother, and the sake of anyone else who has to deal with that woman.


    Besides it also means she''ll have a chance to catch up with her cousin, Scott. Since he moved to


    Phoenix, life hasn''t left them much opportunity to see each other. He''s like the younger brother who she


    never wished she had. But much like with Adam, she wouldn''t trade her cousin for all the diamonds


    and pearls in the world.


    ¡°Hiry said Scott''s bringing his new fiancee, Prisci.¡±


    ¡°Well God help the poor woman if she''s going to have Hiry Nn for a mother-inw.¡± Arden rolls her


    eyes and frowns.


    Warren nudges her knee, smothering augh. ¡°Be nice, Ardi.¡±


    ¡°That was the censored version.¡±


    He shakes his head. ¡°You need to get to work youngdy. A bakery doesn''t run itself.¡±


    Warren rises and pulls Arden to her feet. They walk arm in arm toward the front of the house. As she''s


    stepping out the front door, Ardi tells her father she''ll see him for dinner. His face seems to light up.


    He kisses her forehead. ¡°Drive safe, darling.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± She stands on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. ¡°Bye, Dad.¡±


    Arden drives back down the manicured road, and out of the front gates. She takes advantage of the


    car''s voicemand and requests that it y an old Snoop Dogg track. Turning up the volume, she


    hits the interstate doing eighty.


    Half an hourter, Arden is pulling up to the bakery. It''s almost seven. She''s lost some valuable prep


    time. But her mood brightens a bit when she spots her employees'' vehicles. Joe and Nadia''s cars are


    in the lot, along with a UPS truck.


    Arden greets the gentleman and signs for the delivery. She unlocks the back entrance of the bakery,


    propping the door open for the man. As package after package is unloaded from the truck and into her


    office, she searches her brain''s inventory for any recent business purchases she might have made.


    Nonee to mind.


    She gets a look at one of the boxes and notices there isn''t a return address on any of them. A few of


    them are even gift wrapped in dark navy paper with bows of silver ribbon. By the time the man is done


    bringing in boxes, every surface in her office is covered.


    One of the smaller boxes catches her eye. The wrapping looks familiar. If she remembers correctly,


    Swarovski uses this same packaging. She opens it to find a pair of crystal earrings. A coy smile lights


    on her face. It gets wider with every package she opens. Something made of crystal or chocte rests


    in each one.


    Almost as giddy as a schoolgirl, she takes a seat at her desk. She reaches for the phone and notices


    that there are several messages waiting for her. Arden grabs a pen and notepad, then puts the phone


    on speaker.


    The first message is from a bride seeking Arden''s services for her wedding cake. Already inspired by


    the woman''s theme and colors, she makes a quick sketch. She jots down the woman''s information and


    files the drawing, before skipping to the next message.


    At first, all she hears on the other end is dead air, and maybe the faint sound of someone breathing.


    Then a symphony of baritone sounds and sybles kisses her ears. Arden recognizes the utterance as


    her name being whispered by one of the sexiest voices that she''s ever heard.


    She rises from her chair and backs herself against the wall. It''s him. The man who has invaded her


    subconscious, making her dreams his yground.


    The message ends and the phone announces the time and date received of the next one in the lineup.


    Again, nothing but silence. Nothing but him screaming his feelings at her without saying a single word.


    Arden puts her hands to her ears. It''s too loud. His longing for her is loud enough to drown out the


    entire world. She closes her eyes, wishing she had recognized the number and deleted them. All of


    them. All fifteen of his messages.


    She reaches forward and hangs up the phone. She takes stock of her surroundings again. All of the


    pretty packages wink back at her as if they knew all along. These weren''t gifts from her sweet and


    hardworking husband. No, these were bribes meant to entice something out of her. in and simple.


    Unable to breathe all of a sudden, she flees her office and runs smack into Joseph. The baking sheets


    he was carryingnd on the floor between them in a cacophony of metal.


    ¡°Woman, where the hell have you been?¡± Joe''s voice osts Arden as she bends to help him retrieve


    the fallen trays. ¡°I have been running this operation by myself for over two hours.¡± He folds his arms


    across his chest. ¡°Now, exins yourself.¡±


    His powers of exaggeration are staggering. If anyone has been ¡°running this operation,¡± alone, it''s


    Nadia. Joe might crack an egg every once in a while. But he won''t do the time-consuming baking


    required to keep this business running. Plus, he has a tendency to call her bitch a lot. So Arden


    decides to have some fun.


    ¡°Sorry, Joe. But I''ve been digging my way out your momma''s fat rolls all morning.¡± She smirks at him.


    ¡°That ain''t no easy task. You know how much that big bitch sweats.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you, bitch.¡± He narrows his eyes at her, then continues his walk to the prep kitchen.


    Ardi follows behind him. ¡°Ain''t enough penicillin or tequ on God''s green earth.¡±


    ¡°I don''t even have the time to turn you out.¡± Joe pats his coiffed hair with one hand and stacks the


    cookie sheets on their designated shelf. Then he gives Arden a quick kiss on each cheek. ¡°Now for


    real. Where you been?¡±


    ¡°Went to see my father this morning.¡± Arden sighs, and rubs her temples.


    ¡°I''m sure Warren Mitchell just loves social calls at the crack of dawn.¡± He folds his arms across his


    chest and raises his brow at her.


    ¡°Melinda is in town.¡± Arden lets the words rush out like air escaping a balloon.


    ¡°Oh honey, you need a drank.¡± Joe leads Arden over to a stool and holds it in ce for her to take a


    seat. ¡°Just hold on. Jojo will fix you right up.¡±


    Ardenughs. ¡°Joe, I haven''t even told you what''s going on yet.¡±


    ¡°Baby, you don''t have to.¡± He nces at her over his shoulder, while he raids his private stash of liquor


    that Arden pretends not to know about. ¡°Papa knows, chile.¡±


    ¡°Then you also know I don''t drink.¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± He nods back at her. ¡°But just saying that bitch''s name is enough to make a priest hit the bottle.


    Now, here. Drink this.¡±


    He hands Arden a shot of vodka. She refuses to touch it.


    ¡°No,¡± she says, with a firm nod of her head.


    ¡°Then I''ll get lit enough for us both.¡± He downs the shot and pours himself another. Once he''s properly


    hydrated, he pulls up another chair beside Arden. ¡°All right, boo. Spill it.¡±


    Joe crosses his legs towards her and props his elbow on top of them. He rests his head on one hand,


    then uses the other to take Arden''s hand.


    She''s silent for a moment, while she considers whether airing her issues at work is the best thing to do.


    But Joseph has been with her from the bakery''s beginning. He knows things about her that even Eli


    doesn''t know. Joe is a vault.


    Her reservations take a backseat, and she begins rying thest twenty-four hours. She details


    everything from the twins'' escape to Melinda''s unannounced and disruptive visit.


    ¡°And on top of that, her little boyfriend used our bathroom to shoot up.¡± Arden shakes her head and


    sighs. ¡°I don''t understand how Eli ever dealt with that woman.¡±


    ¡°Well, you know every man has one.¡± He smirks. ¡°That one ratchet bitch from his past who makes


    everybody question his sanity.¡±


    ¡°Then Melinda is definitely Eli''s ratchet bitch.¡±


    ¡°What you gon'' do?¡±


    ¡°Right now, I''m going to get started on the coffee cake, and the dough for the croissants.¡± Arden finds


    her apron and slips it over her head. Before heading to the sink to wash her hands, she gives him a


    hug. ¡°Thanks for listening to me.¡±


    ¡°I got you, boo.¡± He shrugs. ¡°Besides, you sign my checks. When the rent is due, I''ll listen to you all


    night long.¡±


    Arden rolls her eyes andughs. ¡°Joe, get out my kitchen.¡±


    Joseph disappears from the kitchen to relieve Nadia from her duties at the front of the cafe. She joins


    Arden in the heat of the kitchen to perform a small miracle. They open in less than an hour. And there''s


    still quite a bit to be done.


    But the hour passes, and the two women manage to make their usual breakfast pastries and six


    different types of bread. They even get the bakery''s desserts and lunch items prepared on time. Arden


    is putting the finishing touches on an anniversary cake by the time the lunch hour rolls around.


    Nadia bursts through the double doors that divide the kitchen from the dining area holding an empty


    tray.


    ¡°I think we might be able to take a breath. The rush is starting to thin out.¡±


    ¡°Thank God,¡± Arden mutters, spinning the revolving cake stand to study her work. ¡°Never thought I''d be


    happy to hear business was slowing down.¡±


    ¡°Me either.¡± Nadia grabs another tray of pecan sticky buns for the disy case and heads for the doors


    again. ¡°Oh, and Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome is back,¡± she adds with a wink.


    Arden groans to herself. Furrowing her brow, she pipes another buttercream rose for the top of the


    cake.


    ¡°Tell him I''m busy, please.¡±


    ¡°You got it, boss.¡± Naddy scoots out of the kitchen, leaving Arden to brood.


    She''s thinking of what she intends to say to Casper when she feels someone''s fingers tracing a trail up


    her arm. Her breath catches in her throat. The piping bag and the flower nail she''s been holding fall


    onto the counter in what seems like slow motion.


    The intruder puts his lips to her ear, and his hand on her waist. Then he whispers to her. His ent


    wraps every word in dark velvet, making each syble seem special.


    ¡°Good morning, love.¡±


    His breath on her neck and the woody scent of his cologne, have her ready to say yes to a lot of things


    that she shouldn''t even be considering. Refusing to face him, she attempts to calm herself.


    ¡°You¨D.¡± She clears her throat and tries again. ¡°You can''t be here.¡±


    Arden scrambles off her seat. In her haste, she loses her footing. A pair of hands reach out to save her


    from taking a nosedive onto the floor. Now cradled in his arms, she''s forced to look him in the eyes.


    ¡°Careful.¡± He smiles at her, bringing her body upright once again.


    Arden smooths her hands over her clothes. ¡°What are you doing here, Casper?¡±


    ¡°I came to see you.¡± He reaches for her. But she dodges his touch. He tucks his hands into his pockets


    and nods. ¡°Did you get the things I sent over?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± she answers, near breathless. ¡°Plus every one of your messages.¡±


    Casper licks his lips. He nces down at his shoes, and then back up at her. ¡°How did you like your


    presents?¡±


    ¡°You sent half of the Swarovski fall collection over here.¡± Arden shakes her head. ¡°That is not okay.¡±


    ¡°You don''t like the jewelry?¡± He takes her hand and kisses it. ¡°I''ll return them. Get you whatever you


    want.¡±


    An involuntary shudder runs through her. ¡°Casper, do you just refuse to see my point?¡±


    He nods and smiles. ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    She pulls her hand from his grasp. ¡°You cannot buy me gifts.¡±


    ¡°I can''tpliment you. Can''t kiss you. Can''t be alone with you.¡± He sighs, leaning against the


    stainless steel counter. ¡°I can''t kiss you.¡±


    ¡°You said kiss twice,¡± Arden whispers.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Arden is silent for a moment, trying to calm the rapid beating in her chest. ¡°We shouldn''t even be


    talking about this.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°We are both married.¡± She turns back to her work. Though she''s slow in doing so.


    ¡°On paper.¡±


    She faces him. ¡°Look, Casper¨D.¡±


    ¡°Call me Cash,¡± he says, stroking her cheek.


    ¡°Casper,¡± she continues her eyes stern. ¡°My marriage is very real on paper and off. It won''t go away,


    because it''s inconvenient for you. And you can''t just¨D.¡±


    Catching her hands mid-air, he pulls her into him. He kisses her, causing a charge to surge through her


    body. Her mind is screaming to push him away. But her body has no intention of yielding to reason.


    When his hands move down her frame, she checks back into reality. Arden breaks their kiss, stumbling


    backward like an alcoholic fresh off an all-night binge. Her handnds in the test batch of buttercream


    that she left on the counter.


    ¡°This is wrong ... This is so wrong.¡± Bracing herself against a nearby table, she tries to catch her


    breath. ¡°This is so wrong.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±


    He walks over to her and takes her hand. Bringing her fingers to his lips, he licks the frosting off them


    one at a time. He stakes his im on her lips again.


    ¡°Arden, the¨D.¡± Joe bursts into the kitchen. Arden and Casper release their hold on each other. Though


    they aren''t quick enough. ¡°Oooh, whee!¡±


    ¡°Joseph.¡± Arden swipes her thumb across her lips, before clearing her throat. ¡°Wh¨Dwhat is it?¡±


    Joe moves his hand away from his mouth long enough to speak.


    ¡°Just something about the POS system. But it can wait.¡± His eyes take stock of all six feet, three inches


    of Casper with unabashed interest. ¡°More importantly, who this?¡±


    She runs her hands down the length of her skirt and answers the question without making direct eye


    contact with him. ¡°Joe, this is Casper. Casper . . . meet Joe.¡±


    ¡°It''s a pleasure, Joseph.¡± He extends his hand, which Joe epts with a lecherous smirk.


    ¡°I''m sure you are, handsome.¡±


    Arden hides her face in her hands, screaming on the inside. Her cheeks are on fire.


    ¡°Casper was just leaving.¡± She nces at him. ¡°Weren''t you, Casper?¡±


    ¡°Right. I should get back to work.¡± Casper adjusts his suit. Then he leans down and kisses Arden''s


    cheek. ¡°I''ll um . . . call youter.¡±


    She just nods, too stunned to do anything else. Casper says goodbye to Joseph, and gives her onest


    nce, before stepping through the double doors of the kitchen.


    The second that the door swings shut again, Joe is on Arden. ¡°Who the hell is Casper? And how long


    has he been ringing your bell?¡±


    She ignores histe 70''s disco reference, and his questions, going to find herself a drink of water. He


    follows her around the kitchen, demanding answers. After Arden has done enough quick-stepping to


    qualify for a ballroom dance championship, she offers him an exnation.


    ¡°He hasn''t been ringing anything. We''re just friends.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Joe nods, narrowing his eyes at her. ¡°So you kiss all your friends like that?¡±


    She doesn''t look up at him. Instead, she surveys the cake she''d been working on before Casper


    interrupted her. She makes a few touch-ups, while he stares at her. He starts humming Biz Markie''s


    Just a Friend.


    Putting down the piping bag, she shakes her head. ¡°It is not like that.¡±


    ¡°Then honey, how the hell is it?¡± He grabs a box for the cake and passes it to her. ¡°Because he looked


    ready to put it on you good and right all night.¡±


    ¡°And I wanted to let him.¡± She takes a seat at the counter and hangs her head. ¡°I don''t know. I have no


    idea what I''m doing with him.¡±


    ¡°Well hopefully, you''ll get a little oil change and a tire rotation out of him twice a week.¡± Joe straightens


    up, ncing at Arden out of the corner of his eye. ¡°Hell, if you don''t, I will.¡±


    ¡°You''re not helping, Joseph.¡±


    ¡°Help?¡± He scoffs. ¡°When did I ever give you the impression that I was the ck Dr. Phil?¡±


    Arden rolls her eyes at him and rubs her temples. ¡°I can''t believe I let him kiss me.¡±


    ¡°Let me stop that delusion right there.¡± Joe removes her hands from her head and makes her look at


    him. ¡°The woman I saw looked like she was enjoying herself. So you kissed him, too.¡±


    She shrugs. There was nothing not to love about that kiss.


    ¡°Eli is busier than a horn in rush hour traffic these days. And I know, when you leave here most nights


    that you''re home alone.¡± He gives her hands a gentle squeeze. ¡°Sometimes when your man isn''t


    around to do the necessary repairs, you got to find an outside contractor to get the job done.¡±


    Arden takes a second to consider Joseph''s almostical analogies. A littlepanionship would be


    nice. And sometimes a woman just needs to be touched by a pair of hands that doesn''t belong to her. If


    Casper''s interested in the position, what harm could there be in just getting to know him better?


    ¡°Get to know him better.¡± She scoffs, murmuring to herself. ¡°Please, Arden. That isn''t all you want to do


    with him.¡±


    Nadiaes looking for the order she justpleted. Her soap opera love life can wait until after


    business hours. Ardi hands the cake box to the young woman, and the three of them head back to the


    front of the cafe.


    While Joe and Naddy decide on a new nickname for Casper, Arden busies herself with getting the


    bakery''s point-of-sale system back online. When they decide on the nickname, Mr. Goodbar, she


    smiles in agreement.


    ¡°He''s smooth chocte. And he probably has plenty of nuts to go with it,¡± Joe says, getting a high five


    from Nadia.


    Arden shakes her head and goes back to her office. She''s trying to decide what to do with all of the


    merchandise that Casper had shipped over here when Nadia knocks on her half-open door.


    ¡°Arden, there are two officers out front who want to speak with you.¡± Nadia''s voice cracks as she''s


    rying the message. The lines forming on her forehead make Arden''s pulse speed up a bit.


    ¡°What about?¡±


    Nadia shrugs. ¡°They didn''t say.¡±


    She nods. ¡°Be there in a minute.¡±


    Her baking assistant leaves the doorway of her office, and Arden begins running down a list of horrific


    scenarios. Something could have happened to Elliott or the kids, or her father, or Adam. She takes a


    deep breath.


    ¡°Maybe it''s nothing. Calm down, Arden.¡±


    She turns off everything in the office and grabs her handbag, before locking up the room. Then she


    walks briskly to the front of the bakery.


    Two uniformed police officers greet her, as she emerges from the kitchen. ¡°Arden Stone?¡±


    ¡°Yes. What''s this about?¡± she asks, trying to keep her tone even.


    ¡°Turn around and ce your hands behind your back, please ma''am.¡± One of the officers approaches


    her, producing a pair of handcuffs from his utility belt.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± A shortugh escapes her.


    ¡°You''re under arrest for the possession of an illegal substance and child endangerment.¡± The other


    officer takes her handbag and begins to read her rights, while the first cuffs her.


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Joseph tries to step between her and the officers. ¡°Ya''ll can''t just take her. This is


    some bullshit!¡±


    ¡°Sir, back off. Or we''ll be forced to detain you as well.¡± The one holding Arden''s bag presses towards


    Joe with a fierce gleam in his eye.


    ¡°Try it then, big boy,¡± Joseph says, starting a heated back and forth with the officer.


    ¡°Joseph, stop.¡± Joe ignores Arden and continues to argue with the boys in blue. ¡°Joe!¡± He looks at her.


    She continues in a harsh whisper. ¡°You''re a ck man in bama, arguing with two white officers. Just


    stop talking.¡±


    The one who cuffed her must have heard what she said because he yanks her arm. Which doesn''t


    serve to help his case, if he was offended by her statement. One thing her dad always told her, if you


    find yourself on the wrong side of thew, just shut up and don''t resist.


    ¡°Let''s go.¡± The officer urges Arden toward the door. He pushes her past the handful of customers who


    have been standing with their mouths hanging open during this whole ordeal.


    ¡°Joe, call my father.¡± Ardi speaks to Joseph over her shoulder.


    ¡°I''m calling him right now.¡± Joe pulls out his phone, as Arden is ced in the back of the officers''


    cruiser. He taps on the window of the vehicle and shes the ck Panther sign at her. ¡°Stay strong,


    boo. Fight the power.¡±


    If she weren''t trying to remain stoic at the moment, she wouldugh out loud at Joseph. That man


    doesn''t have a lick of damn sense. If this had to happen today, she''s d he''s here. Her nerves rx a


    bit more when she hears him rattling off the details to her father.


    The officers settle into the front of the vehicle and pull away from the building. Arden cranes her neck to


    look back at Joseph standing on the curb outside of SoHo Sugar until it bes too ufortable for


    her.


    She turns around and finds a spot to focus on in the back of the passenger seat. She picks a ce


    where the seat''s leather is starting to fray and tries to block out her surroundings.


    ¡°What''s a pretty thing like you doing using drugs?¡± The one driving stares at her in the rearview mirror.


    Arden doesn''t respond. Though the feeling of his eyes on her is bringing to mind plenty of smart-ass


    remarks. She turns her head and stares at the houses and trees passing by her window.


    The officer sucks his teeth and directs his attention to his partner. They amuse themselves by


    discussing how she''s one of the most attractive junkies they ever arrested.


    She lets them have their fun without anyint from her. They won''t be wearing those badges for


    much longer.


    Besides, she has more pressing matters to consider. Like which knife to use when she murders


    Melinda.

 Chapter 17: Bad Karmas a Bitch

    Chapter 17: Bad Karma''s a Bitch


    "Mum . . .Dad." Casper breezes into his parents'' home and shuts the door. Grinning from ear to ear, he


    makes his way into the front sitting area. "Where are you guys?"


    "In here, Casper." Leonora''s voice calls to her son.


    Casper follows his mother''s melodic tone toward the kitchen. The smell of her famous peach cobbler


    has him almost skipping into the room. "Smells good in here," he says rubbing his hands together.


    "It should," Leonora says, smiling at him. "I''ve been baking all day for you."


    He smiles, surveying the fruits of herbor. Leonora has certainly made the kitchen her second area of


    expertise. Anything prepared by her hands is nothing short of a culinary masterpiece. Years of medical


    training as a pediatrician have gifted her with an amazing amount of precision and finesse.


    When his parents decided to close their pediatric practice and retire eight years ago, they spent the first


    couple of weeks sleeping in and watching Jeopardy. Then Manali gave birth to Jillian a monthter and


    provided the two a whole other purpose in life.


    So they inserted themselves into the upbringing of Jillian and Sophia with all the subtlety of a bulldozer.


    But Ali would never dream of objecting to the intrusion. The way Leonora and Charles dote on Jillie and


    Sophie, it''s a wonder the girls aren''tplete spoiled brats.


    On days when they weren''t fawning over their grandchildren, they struggled to find a proper hobby to


    fill their new surplus of leisure time. After much trial and error, and an unfortunate brief foray into


    ballroom dancing, Charles settled on golf and Leonora became Julia Child.


    Casper couldn''t be more thankful that her chosen arena is the kitchen. There''s always a cake or pie


    waiting for him when he visits.


    He gives her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Leonora epts his silent thank-you with an enthusiasm


    that could rival the almost nauseating pep of a high school glee club.


    She cuts him a piece of cobbler and tops it with a scoop of vani bean ice cream. Still warm from the


    oven, the pastry begins to melt the soft serve into a delicious mess. Leonora grabs a spoon and feeds


    a bite of it to him.


    "You''re a goddess among women, Mum." Cash smiles and takes the spoon from her. He settles onto a


    barstool beside her and tucks into the dessert. "Still the best cobbler I''ve ever had."


    Leonora leans over and kisses the side of his head, letting her touch linger on his temple. As she rubs


    his back, she watches him eat. "How is my sweet boy?"


    "I''m good." A slight smile crosses his face. Having just stolen a kiss from the woman of his dreams,


    nothing can touch him today. He takes another bite of the second sweetest thing he''s tasted in thest


    few hours. Arden drifts into his thoughts again, making the delight on his handsome features even


    more noticeable.


    "Are you sure, sweetheart?" she asks, still making soft strokes along his back.


    "I''m sure." Casper nods, remembering the feeling of Ardi''s lips against his. He nces up at his


    mother. The worry on her face fails to recognize the sheer bliss written upon his. He gives up trying to


    convince her. "Where''s Dad?"


    "He''s out." Her answer is rushed. She makes a very audible sigh and scoots into the seat next to him.


    cing her hand on his arm, she gives it a gentle shake. "Casper, look at me please."


    Without a second of hesitation, Casper puts down the spoonful of cobbler and cancels its one-way trip


    to his lips. He shifts in his seat to offer Leonora the full attention that she deserves. While he''s looking


    into her green eyes, he finds something else hidden in their depths. He clears his throat and scratches


    at the back of his neck.


    "What is it, Mum?" he asks, taking a deep breath.


    "I talked to your brother this morning," Leonora speaks slowly like she''s attempting to introduce her


    words into a pool of water without disturbing its calm surface. Still touching his arm in that quiet


    reassuring manner of hers, her face fades into a frown. "And he told me what happened between you


    two."


    Casper groans and reaches for a napkin to tidy his hands, before pushing aside his dish. He gives his


    mother a tired smile. "So you didn''t call me over here just for the cobbler."


    "No, son. I didn''t." She looks away from him and stares out of the window for a moment. Then she


    grasps his hand. "Why didn''t you call me?"


    "And say what?" Casper leaves his seat and turns his back to her. Running his hands over his hair, he


    res at the vaulted ceiling. "This was between me and Cain. He never should have involved you."


    Once again, Cain has chosen to take the bitch''s way out and call their parents. They could have settled


    this like men withoutying their problems on anyone else''s doorstep.


    "Casper this is a family problem." Leonora touches the cuff of his jacket and urges him to sit. When he


    does, she takes both his hands in hers. "And as painful as it might be, the only way we''ll get through it


    is together."


    He can''t helpughing. "We can''t just hug this one out, Mum. He ..." The absurdity ofst night''s


    revtion and subsequent altercation leaves him at a momentary loss for words. He scratches at his


    goatee while he searches for a respectful reply. "Things between Cain and me aren''t going to be right


    for a very long time."


    "I know that, honey." She gives his hand a gentle squeeze. "But ignoring each other isn''t going to make


    things any easier. You need to discuss this like two calm, rational adults."


    "All right." After a full minute of quiet seething inside his head, Cash sighs, and shrugs. "I''ll call Cain in


    a couple days. I can''t promise anything else."


    They''re both quiet for a few minutes before Leonora decides to speak again.


    "There is no excuse for what Cain and Karma have done." She nces down at her hands and takes a


    deep breath. "But you have to understand your brother. He was an only child for twelve years before


    you came to live with us. He never quite adjusted to that change. And that''s my fault."


    "No, Mum. It isn''t." Casper shakes his head. "Whatever Cain has be is a result of his own


    choosing."


    "I made him resent you." Leonora strokes his cheek and gives him a weak smile. "When your father


    died ... and with Ophelia ..." Tears glisten in her emerald eyes. "I was so focused on making sure that


    you felt wanted, that I ..." She pauses to swipe at her cheeks, then meets his gaze again. "I could have


    done better ... by both of you."


    Seeing her cry brings tears to his own eyes. He puts his arms around her, hugging her so tight that he


    might crush her. "You did everything you could for me. Cared for me like a son. I''ll never be able to


    thank you enough for that."


    It''s true. Leonora has always treated Casper like her own. Some would even argue that she doted on


    him more than she did Cain. But both boys had the same advantages and the same benefit of Leonora


    and Charles'' unflinching love and support. Every family tree has at least one bad apple. At some point,


    you have to stop ming the roots for the wrongdoing of its fruit.


    Just like Casper''s sess is his own. The implications of Cain''sck of conscience are a product of his


    own depravity, not their parents.


    They continue to hang onto each other, both choking back the emotion that neither can find adequate


    words to express. Leonora kisses Casper''s cheek, then pulls back to look into his eyes. Cradling his


    face in her hands, she sighs and shakes her head. A sad smile nudges at her full cheeks.


    Cash nces down at the space between them. He''s never been able to tolerate that look from her.


    Thest time he saw it was at his wedding. That weak smile and the clouds in her eyes always make


    him think of the first woman to ever leave him. And even as a man in his mid-thirties, that wound still


    hasn''t found the time to heal.


    Before he can find his feet to run from the inevitable phrase that''s waiting on her tongue, she utters the


    dreaded words. "Your mother would be so proud of you."


    With one sentence, he''s that seven-year-old boy standing beside his mother''s casket with a single


    white rose in his hand. Your mother would be so proud of you. She would be. Not she is. The list of


    things that Ophelia will never be is long enough to fill countless pages a billion times over. Something


    new seems to add itself to the queue every single day.


    The walls are closing in on him all of sudden. He tugs at the cor of his shirt, desperate to break free


    of its now suffocating clutches.


    "I um ... I gotta go." An inexplicable pain cracks at his voice, stripping his deep tone of its usual easy


    confidence. He gives her a rushed kiss on the forehead and slips out of her grasp. "I love you. Call you


    tomorrow."


    Leonora follows him, her feet working double-time to match his long strides. She tugs on the edge of


    his jacket. "Casper, wait."


    He blinks several times, grinding his teeth into each other. The memory of his mother''s body being


    lowered into a six-foot hole in the ground torments him as he tries to block the vivid imagery from his


    mind''s eye.


    Just as he''s fighting with that painful bit of his past, another unwee recollection begins screaming


    for his attention. The unmistakable smell of bleach and human decay fills his nose. It''s seven years


    after Ophelia''s demise, and he''s at his father''s bedside. He remembers how helpless he felt watching


    the once invincible Frederick Buhari drift into death''s cold grasp.


    He reaches for the front door handle, trying tough through the tears that are beating against his


    eyelids. "I have some work ... to finish before tomorrow."


    Leonora puts herself between him and the door and presses the stained ss fortress of oak closed


    again. "Sit with me for a minute ... please."


    Giving no other acknowledgment of his acquiescence, he allows her to lead him into the living room.


    She takes a seat on the sofa and he joins her, choosing to sit with his elbows on his knees and his face


    half-buried in his palms.


    She ces her hand on his shoulder. "Sweetheart, do you remember her?"


    The question strains at the fragile grip he has on thest thread of hisposure. She''s still with him.


    Everything about her is etched into his memory with an eery vibrancy, like light shining through the


    negative of a photograph.


    Some details about her exist in x-ray, just bones without any substantial flesh. Details like herugh,


    how she always smelled of vani and cinnamon, or the way it felt to cuddle up with her in that worn


    nket and rx against theforting rise and fall of her chest. He loved just being near her.


    Sometimes he forgets what that felt like. But her face will always be with him.


    With skin like bittersweet cocoa and eyes like the sun, Ophelia was a sight to behold. Her features


    were rather ordinary. No one would have used her of being the most gorgeous woman to ever walk


    the earth. Most of her beautyy in the crooked smile that she didn''t show off enough, or her innate


    ability to makeplete strangers feel like they were old friends.


    She was simply ambrosial as his father had once put it. Just when he felt those memories beginning to


    lose some of their mour, another angel came along and breathed new life into them.


    But fate is still ying her cruel jokes on him. Karma''s for damn sure a bitch and she has a definite


    score to settle with Casper. So much so that she sent a petite package after her own name to st a


    wrecking ball through his life. His wife and brother have plunged a knife so deep into his back that he''ll


    never be able to extract the de. Plus the one woman he wants and needs more than air bears


    another man''sst name.


    As sophomoric as it might sound, sometimes life just isn''t fair. And no one knows that better than he


    does. He drags himself out of his thoughts and answers Leonora''s earlier question.


    "Like the back of my hand. Every smile. Every sight, sound, scent." Casper nods and fiddles with his


    fingers. "I remember ... all too well."


    "It''s okay to talk about her." She smooths her other hand over his hair. "It''s okay to grieve for her ... and


    your father."


    Bearing down into his skin until he leaves a faint mark on his chocteplexion, he pinches the


    webbed bit of flesh between his index finger and thumb. He shed all the tears he ever nned to weep


    for his mother a long time ago. His grief is resting beside two headstones in a Brighton cemetery, left


    there by a young man too weary to carry its full burden to another country.


    No, he doesn''t cry for her anymore. And he never wept for his father. Life had cheated Frederick of his


    one true love. Death meant the end of suffering so great that it was difficult for him to take a breath


    every morning because of its crushing weight. Mr. Buhari was free. He would no longernguish behind


    the bars of the prison created by Ophelia''s passing.


    Casper still had a lifetime sentence to endure without his cellmate who made the pain of her absence


    bearable. He''s been going it alone for years. Talking about their loss just makes pretending that he''s


    okay even harder.


    Bereavement for him is something that is best consolidated to a quiet corner of the mind and forgotten.


    Acknowledging the true depths of his ills scares him. There may be noing back from that dark


    abyss. And right now, he can feel himself slipping in way too deep.


    "Mum, I really don''t want to have this conversation." He nces over at her, quiet desperation written


    on his face. "Not now."


    Trying to stifle her own emotions, she nods at him. Neither of them utters another word on the matter.


    Even if they did have something further to say, it would be drowned out by the boisterous entrance of


    Charles and one of Casper''s least favorite people at present.


    "Nora?" Charles steps into the house, struggling to bnce the bag of golf clubs that are slung over his


    shoulder. "We''re back."


    "I smell cobbler." Cain sits down his things and takes the heavy bag from his father. "Winner gets the


    first piece. Sorry, Pops." He nudges Charles'' arm.


    "You only won by one stroke." He smirks at Cain. "Beginner''s luck is all. I''ll wipe the links with you next


    time."


    "Whatever you say, old man." Cain ces his arm around his father''s shoulders and proceeds to walk


    through the archway that connects the foyer to the living room.


    The jovial banter of father and sones to a screeching halt when they notice Nora and Casper on


    the sofa. Removing his arm from Charles'' shoulder, Cain shoves his hands into the pockets of his


    khakis. He steps further into the room, regarding his brother with a smug smile. That ass-whoopingst


    night must not have taken. Cash might need to administer a second dose.


    Casper rises from the couch and stands a few feet in front of Cain. The air between the two bes a


    charged minefield. One false move from either of the men and this whole house could blow.


    Charles braves the gap andes forward to embrace the other man who has be a source of


    immense pride for him. "Casper. It''s good to see you, son."


    "You too, Dad." Cash steps back and admires the older man''s physique. "Looking good. Losing some


    weight?"


    Thepliment makes Charles chuckle, his gut moving in time with his deep chortle. "Not with the way


    your mother cooks."


    Nora and Cash join his amusement, forgetting the tension that surrounds them for a brief moment. As


    the two continue their light back and forth, the heat radiating off Cain almost sets the room aze.


    Casper catches his re and returns the look of animosity.


    Theughter dies down and an ufortable silence takes up residence again. Charles and Nora


    stare at their children, unsure of how to defuse this powder keg. They''ve fought with each other on


    numerous asions. But there was never any evidence of bad blood between them. At least there


    never was on Casper''s end.


    Deciding to set yet another example of his emotional maturity, Casper attempts to revive the dead air


    between them. "Cain."


    The acknowledgment may not sound like much. But in a man''s world, it''s the equivalent of an olive


    branch.


    Cain remains mute. He either doesn''t recognize the invitation for amnesty, or he doesn''t care. The


    Crossing his arms over his chest, Charles regards his youngest with a mixture of frustration and


    disappointment. "Don''t you have anything to say to your brother, Cain?"


    The three of them wait for Cain to speak. Seeming to crack underneath the pressure of the stern stares


    of his parents, he recovers his willingness to piece together sybles.


    "I''m sorry, Casper," Cain utters the words in a harsh whisper, ncing over at his father for a moment


    as he does.


    "Let''s not waste our breath stating the obvious," Cash says through gritted teeth.


    Cain scoffs. He locks eyes with his brother and doesn''t let hisser vision waver. "You didn''t let me


    finish ... brother." Though it''s midday and the room is awash in natural light streaming in from its bevy


    of windows, a shadow overtakes his face. A chilling grin apanies the darkness. "I''m sorry ... that


    your wife preferred my dick to yours."


    "Cain," Nora and Charles exim in tandem. They gape at him, seeming to be inplete disbelief at


    their son''s crassness.


    "Have you lost your mind speaking to your brother like that?" Charles asks. "And in front of your mother


    no less."


    "No, Dad. It''s okay ... I''m sorry, too ..." Casper steps forward and ces a hand on his dad''s shoulder.


    He nods at Cain, digging deep to make the remorse on his face seem genuine. "That I didn''t shove my


    foot quite far enough up your ass."


    The men advance toward each other, snarling like two rabid dogs. They maintain eye contact, neither


    one daring to look away first. At this moment, they''re more alike than they realize. Both of them have


    the potential to let pride cloud their better judgment.


    "All right, that is enough." Leonora steps into the middle of the fray and urges the boys away from each


    other. "I know I raised you two better than this. So start acting like you have some shred of home


    training."


    Nora divides her infuriated gaze between Casper and Cain. The angered expression seems foreign on


    her otherwise docile features. She takes several shallow breaths as her elevated heart rate struggles to


    calm itself.


    Seeing her upset like this makes Casper so embarrassed at his behavior that he can''t meet her eyes.


    He apologizes to his parents and mutters a quick goodbye to them both before heading for the door.


    Paying no mind to the ignorant bastard who is burning a hole into the side of his head as he walks past,


    Cash makes his way out to his car.


    Once inside the interior of his Bentley, he slips on a pair of aviators and allows his anger to take the


    empty seat next to him. He peels out of the driveway, ready to push his endgame into high gear. Cain


    better be ready for the ride.


    He drives back to his office like an angry demon fresh out of hell. Forcing his usual smile with his


    colleagues as he stalks to his spacious corner of the office building, he decides to go ahead with the


    n he concoctedst night. Whatever shred of rationality he had left this morning, has been


    decimated by Cain''stest absurd demonstration of his jealousy for Casper.


    Taking a seat at his desk, he sets about making a couple of calls. His first will be a conference call with


    Arthur Young and Matthew Dunn, the partners of the Young & Dunn advertising firm.


    The same advertising firm that lists his brother, Cain Caghan, as a senior ad executive. Hispany


    bio details Cain as a promising talent, and an invaluable contributor to the firm. It goes on to name him


    as the chief executive handling such ounts as, Nike, New Bnce, Adidas, etcetera.


    "Art, Matt. How are you, gentlemen?" Casper greets the two men who have be old friends over


    the years.


    When Cash first began his career at Regent Financial, he handled a few personal ounts for the


    men. Arthur and Matthew became very fond of the young prodigy who devised a few clever ounting


    practices to keep the majority of their earnings out of the government''s grasp. And on top of that, the


    entire operation was legal. hical perhaps ... But legal nheless.


    "Buying our third vacation homes thanks to you." Arthur''s voice booms loud and clear over the phone.


    He''s arge presence even when he isn''t in the room.


    "Ilka and I are even looking into having a superyacht built next year. She can''t wait to sail to Monaco,"


    Matthew adds.


    "How is Ilka? She still twenty-two and Ukrainian?" Casper asks, with a smile creeping across his face.


    "Yes, she is." Matthewughs. "And she just started taking yoga sses. I am a very lucky man."


    "Luck ain''t the word for it," Arthur quips.


    "Sounds divine. I''m d to hear that life is treating you both so well."


    "How about you, Cash?" Arthur asks.


    Casper takes a pause. He reconsiders the decision he allowed the liquor in his system to make for him


    in the early hours of this morning. His hand hovers over the "send" button on hisputer screen. The


    doctored bank statements will form the crux of the n he''s devised to feed his heart''s hunger for


    revenge. ording to these documents, Cain has been receiving regr payments over thest six


    months from two of Young & Dunn''spetitors.


    By sending these pages to Cain''s superiors, Casper will be taking a sledgehammer to his little brother''s


    career. Cain could earn a permanent spot on the advertising industry''s cklist. Casper removes his


    fingers from theputer''s mouse.


    Then the image of his brother sweating and breathing harder than a fat man on a treadmill over his wife


    burns across his eyes. He sends the incriminating email on its way.


    The delicious feeling of revenge washes over him, leaving a smirk on his face. "To be honest, Arthur. I


    could be better."


    "Anything we can do to change that, you know all you have to do is ask," Matt speaks his offer without


    a moment''s hesitation.


    "I''m d to hear you say that, Matthew." Casper leans back in his ergonomic chair and props his


    loafers on the edge of the ss desk. "There is something that you and Arthur can do for me."


    "Consider it done," Art says.


    Cash smiles and takes a breath. "How is Cain''s performance these days?"


    "He''s cutthroat and imaginative." Matthew chuckles. "In short, he''s the best asset and biggest liability


    that we have."


    "Why do you ask?"


    "I want you to fire him," Casper says, his voice devoid of any emotion.


    "You want us to sack our best executive?"


    "I hope there''s a good reason behind this request." Matthew sounds like he''s on the verge of a


    coronary.


    Casper considers telling the two gentlemen the truth. That their best associate has screwed over his


    own family with a surprising amount of ease. But the truth doesn''t cast Casper in the most ttering of


    lights either. Not to mention the way this vengeful maneuver would make him look if anyone were to


    find out about it.


    "It hase to my attention that Cain has been ..." He takes a pause to allow the proper anticipation to


    build on the other line. "... less than loyal over the past year."


    "Are you saying he''s been trading ideas with thepetition?" Arthur''s voice adopts a harsher tone. "I


    knew that Asics campaign sounded familiar."


    Once again, Cain''s elusive behavior has made things easy for Cash. He shrugs. "I wouldn''t put it past


    him."


    "Just a minute," Matthew interrupts. "Not that we don''t trust your opinion, Casper. But do you have any


    proof of these allegations?"


    "I just sent Cain''s bank records to you."


    There''s a brief lull in their conversation as the two men locate an electronic device to pull up the email.


    "That little bastard," Matthew mutters.


    "He''ll be out of here so fast, his head will spin," Arthur exims. His once genial tone transforms into


    one more favorable of a tattooed brawler in a biker bar.


    "Just a moment, Arthur. Another possibility just urred to me," Casper says.


    "What''s that?"


    "If you let him go, he could walk into another agency and divulge yourpany''s proprietary


    information." Casper picks up the engraved paperweight given to him by Cain, tossing the silver object


    up into the air and catching it in his palm. "Then, of course, he could always take his clients with him


    and start his own firm."


    "So what do you suggest we do about him, son?" Art asks.


    "A six-month suspension without pay." Casper puts his feet on the floor again and sits up straight. "It


    would give him some time to reconsider where his allegiance lies."


    "Good idea. As long as he''s still a part of our staff, he can''t look for another job without viting the


    terms of his employment." Matthew sighs. Then a boisterous chuckle sounds over the phone. "Casper,


    we both are going to owe you our first grandchild for everything you''ve done for us."


    "He''s right," Arthur agrees. "How in the hell did you even catch this?"


    Casper rises from his seat and stares out of the floor-to-ceiling window of his office at the sunlight


    zing down on the downtown area. He smooths his hand over his goatee.


    "Well ..." He takes a deep breath "Let''s just say I''ve been making an effort to be more vignt as ofte.


    Never know who you can trust."


    "That''s the first rule of business, son. Either way, we owe you once again."


    "Gentlemen, I know this goes without saying. But ... Cain can''t know where you got this information."


    "Of course not. Discretion is our middle name," Arthur says.


    The men thank Casper once again, and the three end their conversation.


    Casper sits down on one of the white leather armchairs against the far wall of his office. Propping his


    feet up on the ottoman, he rxes into thefort of the chair. Then he rests his head on the back of


    the seat and stares up at the ceiling. A sick feeling still churns in his gut. Taking a cheap shot at Cain''s


    career has failed to satiate the anger dwelling in his bones.


    But he knows something that might help feed the beast. Moving over to his desk again, he begins the


    execution of the second half of his n. He locates the number of the Jefferson County DA''s office.


    "Yes. May I speak with Ephraim Frome, please?" Casper taps his fingers against the ss of his desk


    while an assistant transfers his call.


    "Frome speaking." The district attorney answers the phone sounding every bit as stressed as someone


    trying a serial killer should be.


    "Good afternoon, Mr. Frome. It''s Casper Caghan." He allows his ent to shine as he speaks. When


    Karma first introduced them, Frome mentioned how charming he thought it made him sound.


    "Oh, Casper. Hi." The faint shuffling of papers is heard on Frome''s end. Then the background is quiet


    again. It seems Casper has his full attention. "How are you?"


    "I''m doing well. Listen, I know your time is valuable. So I''ll keep this brief. I have a favor to ask of you."


    "What is it?"


    "Karma has been a bit stressedtely. She''ll never admit it. But I think the Pord trial is taking a toll on


    her." Cash sighs, trying to impart the anxiety of a concerned husband over the phone. "I was hoping


    you would consider assigning the case to someone else."


    "Are you sure? Other than taking a few long lunch breaks, she seems pretty enthusiastic about it."


    Casper has a good idea of how she''s been spending those "long lunch breaks." She has the audacity


    to criticize him for leaving work a couple of hours early when she''s been polishing his brother''s silver on


    the state''s dime. His resolve to wreck her world bes even stronger.


    "She''s been suffering from insomnia and migraines. I''m afraid she''s going to do serious damage to her


    health." Reaching deep into his infinite skill set, he puts forth his best acting. "I know her work is


    important. But ... I can''t lose my wife, sir. Karma is ..." A few four-letter words sh through his head.


    He quickly pushes them aside. "She''s my everything."


    "Say no more, Casper." He sighs. "I''m going to be losing my best weapon in this trial. But I''d rather


    rece her now than put her health in jeopardy."


    "Thank you, Mr. Frome."


    Fromepliments Casper''s concern for his wife''s well-being and wishes him a good day. Now that


    the legal equivalent of Shaq has been benched at the height of the big game, he is indeed going to


    have a great day.


    The rest of the workday is smooth sailing. He even volunteers to help a couple of his less efficient


    associates get up to speed. Just before he''s set to leave, a fewte reportsnd on his desk. The extra


    work keeps him glued to hisputer well past his usual quitting time. But his underhanded schemes


    today have given him an adrenaline boost. Finishing his work quicker than usual, he makes the drive


    home.


    When he arrives at the house around seven, Karma''s waiting for him. She''s seated in her Benz,


    stilettos tapping the acid-washed concrete of the driveway. A seed of regret sprouts on his shoulder as


    he exits his vehicle.


    He meant to have her car towed to the nearest junkyardst night. Once it was reduced to a block of


    scrap metal, he was going to have the remnants of the luxury vehicle sent over to her office. The


    emblem would have made a nice keychain. Sighing at his missed opportunity, he breezes past the car


    as if he hasn''t seen her.


    "Casper," she shouts as he passes. He continues to the front door without even a nce in her


    direction. She catches up to him and raises her voice. "I know you hear me, goddammit."


    When she resorts to pelting her fists against his broad back, he turns to face her. "May I, help you?"


    "You told Frome to take me off the Pord case?" Casper nods. The wounded and bewildered look on


    her face makes him smile. Tears begin to glisten in her eyes. "How could you do this to me?"


    He scoffs and ces his thumb on the keypad of the door lock. Though tempted to leave her sniffling


    on the porch, he allows her to enter the house behind him. This bumbling version of Karma might be


    entertaining. And he could always use a goodugh.


    "When did you get the locks changed?" she asks, examining the new high-tech security mechanism.


    "First thing this morning." He heads for his haven in the great room and she follows. Sensing that he


    might want to be a little inebriated for this conversation, he pours himself a drink.


    "So this is what we''re going to do, Casper, hmm?" She shakes her head and shrugs. "Treat each other


    like strangers after all these years?"


    "You have Capone''s ballsing in here acting like I''m the bad guy." He smirks at her and takes a sip


    of his scotch. "Karma gets a little taste of her own medicine and it''s too bitter for her."


    "I never fucked with your career."


    "No, just my brother. So that''s okay, right?"


    "Oh, cry me a river, Cash." She advances toward him, pressing her finger into his chest. "This


    preschool bullshit stops now."


    "You''re hardly in any position to be making demands, sweetheart." He res down into her doe eyes. "I


    still have those videos."


    That seems to remind her to take a couple of metaphorical and physical steps back. He walks away


    from her and settles onto the couch. Taking another long sip of his drink, he turns on the t screen. He


    must have left it on awork channelst night because the evening news is on. He leaves it there.


    Maybe it will provide some distraction from the banshee in the room with him.


    "All right." She steps in front of him and folds her arms over her chest. "What will it take to make things


    okay between us?"


    "Nothing short of time travel could reverse this damage," he states dryly, trying to look through her at a


    pair of newscasters on the screen.


    "I''m serious." Karma takes a seat next to him and forces him to look at her. Her eyes dart back and


    forth at a crazed pace. "A divorce is out of the question. I will not admit that defeat."


    "You know, counselor." Cash nces over at her, contempt written all over his face. "I can get a divorce


    without your signature."


    "I also know you wouldn''t do that to me." She slides closer to him and ces her hand on his thigh.


    "Deep down you still love me."


    A quick pain travels through his chest. He clears his throat and removes her hand from his leg. Without


    looking in her direction, he mutters an answer. "Don''t tter yourself."


    "Look, do whatever you need to do. Sleep with whoever you want. I don''t care as long as we''re still


    husband and wife." When he doesn''t respond, she decides to sweeten the pot. She leans in to whisper


    in his ear. "You could even fuck Arden."


    "She has nothing to do with this," he says through clenched teeth.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    "But she''s what you really want." She props her arm on the back of the sofa and crosses her legs


    toward him, allowing her long limbs to brush against his. "Let''s face it, Cash. If I hadn''t slept with Cain


    first, you would have cheated on me with her."


    That may well be true. But that''s not the reality they''re dealing with at the moment. Besides, Karma has


    been fucking Cain for over a year. He just met Ardi. And if Karma were up to snuff, he might not have


    even given another woman a second look.


    "Keep telling yourself that if it helps you sleep at night." He leaves her on the sofa to refresh his drink.


    "It''s the truth, honey."


    "Isn''t there a broomstick somewhere with your name on it?" Leaning his back against the bar, he res


    at her over the rim of his ss. "Maybe you should get the hell out of my house now. Wouldn''t want


    you to miss that full moon tonight."


    Before Karma can spout theeback that''s poised on her lips, something on the news captures his


    attention. She also takes notice of what has him mesmerized.


    "Daughter of former senator Mitchell and owner of popr bakery Soho Sugar, Arden Stone, was


    arrested this afternoon on charges of possession and child endangerment. Mrs. Stone was taken into


    custody after an anonymous call was made to Child Protective Services early this morning."


    Casper moves closer to the television, worry wrinkling his brow. A picture of Arden in handcuffs lights


    on the high-def screen. He blinks several times, unable to believe the scene before his eyes.


    "A search of the Stone household turned up drug paraphernalia. However, no other evidence of drug


    abuse by Mrs. Stone or her husband has been identified. The validity of the allegations is still being


    investigated."


    "Well, looks like little miss sugar and spice is anything but nice." Karma sits back and smirks at the


    footage of Arden being escorted into the police station.


    Casper ignores her and scrambles to find his mobile. Her number is still in his recent contacts, so his


    search is a quick one. The phone rings until her voicemail picks up. Cursing underneath his breath, he


    hangs up and tries again. This time it rings twice, before her voicemail answers. He tries one more time


    and it goes straight to her voicemail after one ring. Finally, he decides to leave her a message.


    "Arden, I''m sorry about earlier today. I got carried away. Just please call me back ... I just want to know


    that you''re okay." He ends the call and stares at it, feeling more helpless than an umbre in a


    snowstorm.


    When he turns around again, Karma is standing right behind him. She looks him up and down, tapping


    her heel on the hardwoods. "What happened with Arden today?"


    "Nothing that concerns you." Casper rushes from the room and heads for the front door.


    "Did you fuck her, Cash?" Karma follows him, continuing to question the reason he felt the need to


    apologize to Arden. "Did you?"


    He ignores her and grabs his keys from the decorative te on the foyer table. As he''s reaching for the


    doorknob, his phone rings.


    Recognizing the number shing across the screen, he can''t answer it quick enough. "Arden?"

 Chapter 18: Mugshot

    Chapter 18: Mugshot


    "Do you have any other piercings or tattoos, ma''am?" The female intake officer holds open an envelope


    for Arden to ce her jewelry into it.


    "No," she replies as she removes her earrings. The brilliant diamonds encircling her left ring finger are


    thest to go. She slips the rings off her hand, having to give the precious metal a little tug.


    The officer waves a metal detector wand along Ardi''s body. When the device reaches her waist, it goes


    crazy. The woman''s expression sours.


    "You sure you don''t have any piercings or weapons hidden on you?" She eyeballs Ardi when she


    assures her that she''s not concealing any weapons or belly piercings underneath her cotton skirt.


    "Lying to me is only going to make this harder on you."


    Arden takes a breath before exining why she''ll set off every metal detector within a hundred-mile


    radius.


    "I have metal imnts in my hip and both knees, along with titanium rods in my left femur and tibia.


    There are also several pins in my right leg and ankle."


    She pauses to let the woman take in what she said. Her expression still seems skeptical.


    "If you check my wallet, there is a card in there that will verify everything." Arden shifts her weight to


    her other foot and nces up at the ceiling. "Or if you''d prefer, I can show you the scars."


    The woman frowns at Arden before reaching for the handbag. She watches the officer locate the small


    piece of stic that indicates Ardi is indeed a bionic woman. After a cursory scan of the card, the


    woman ces it back into the wallet and continues the standard booking procedure.


    The officer rifles through Arden''s belongings, spreading the contents of her purse onto a worn counter.


    She documents and bags every item that might be considered contraband. When she pulls a bottle of


    painkillers from its depths, she nces up at Ardi.


    "I have a script for those," Arden says in an almost whisper.


    "Then you won''t mind if we check with your doctor."


    "Whatever you need to do, officer." She sighs. The beginning of a headache is scratching at her


    delicateposure.


    A light frisking, a urine sample, and a few mugshotster, Arden is sitting with her right handcuffed to a


    bank of rickety stic chairs. It''s the middle of the day on a Wednesday. There are only three other


    people in the open area of the intake room.


    If it were the weekend, an endless parade of the drunken and disorderly would be punctuating the


    rtive silence. Good thing Melinda sprung her trap sooner rather thanter.


    Arden tries to keep her eyes trained on the floor, attempting to distract herself by counting the dents


    and scratches in the speckled white tile. But she can''t shake the feeling that someone else''s eyes are


    on her.


    She angles her head to the side, examining her surroundings in her peripheral. A female desk clerk is


    staring at Ardi like she stole her man. The woman doesn''t look familiar. But that has never stopped


    anyone in this town from developing an uninformed opinion about who Arden is.


    Lillian''s death and Warren''s campaign thrust Ardi into a ring spotlight that was equipped with a high-


    powered microscope. Before she could get a handle on a solid opinion of herself, the whole city had


    written an identity for her.


    Five minutes before the ident, Arden wouldn''t have minded the attention. She was a great student,


    star athlete, and Olympic hopeful. Her talents deserved recognition.


    But after that day, she was the girl who had survived the gruesome crash on the Southside. Then she


    was Senator Warren Mitchell''s daughter. No one knew Arden¨Dnot in a real sense. Everyone knew


    what they read about her. But very few people bothered to go beyond that.


    Arden doesn''t know what this woman may have heard that''s sticking in her craw. But whatever it might


    be, is her own damn problem. There isn''t space in her mind at the moment for any more jealous


    women.


    She looks up and catches the woman ring at her. Her first instinct is to roll her eyes. Then she


    reconsiders. Conjuring up her sweetest smile, Ardi grins at the woman until she looks down at her


    desk.


    Little Miss Attitude goes back to her work, allowing Arden to concentrate on calming her fried nerves.


    Her mind wanders to Elliott. Then guilt creeps up from her gut and settles into the seat beside her.


    Just as the feeling of Casper''s lips shes into her conscious thoughts, her husbandes through


    the door. Guilt is reced by a rage that threatens to consume her.


    Elliott is escorted into the processing area by two officers. He begins struggling in their grip when he


    spots her.


    "Arden, darling. I am so sorry." Eli shakes his guards and rushes over to her. He bends to kiss her,


    widening his stance to steady himself. Both of his hands are cuffed in front of him. But he ignores his


    bindings long enough to caress her cheek.


    "This isn''t your fault." Ardi grasps his hand with her free one and shakes her head. She grits her teeth


    as the words escape her mouth. "Do not apologize for her."


    "Okay, that''s enough." One of the officers admonishes Eli, attempting to separate the two. After some


    effort, their hands are pried apart. "Let''s go."


    "Elliott, we''ll get out of this." She calls after him as he is all but dragged down the hallway. Biting her lip


    to fend off the tears building in her eyes, she waits until he''s out of sight to release a low agitated grunt.


    When she turns her head, she finds that once again the female desk clerk''s gaze has fallen upon her.


    This time the woman doesn''t look away, and neither does Arden exercise her infallible southern


    manners.


    ring back at the woman, she fires off a rhetorical question. "The fuck are you looking at?"


    The officer sucks her teeth and shuffles a stack of papers. Then she picks up thendline and rys


    something to the person on the other end in a hushed tone.


    A few minutester, a rather tall gentleman emerges from the back offices and makes his way over to


    Arden. The man spends what seems like an eternity towering over her before speaking.


    "Mrs. Stone?" She nces up at him. He pulls a key from his pocket and undoes the end of the


    handcuffs that are attached to the seat. Taking hold of her elbow, he helps her stand.


    Choosing now to introduce himself, he fastens her hands behind her back again. "I''m Captain Lane.


    There are a few questions I need to ask you. Is that all right?"


    She nods and Captain Lane escorts her to an interrogation room with nothing but a wooden table and


    two more hard stic chairs. The instant she steps into the room ustrophobia hits her. Tight quarters


    have never bothered her, but being stuck in this one with a member ofw enforcement has awakened


    her inner neurotic.


    He seats her in the one farthest from the door and then removes the cuffs from her hands. Lane


    discards the handcuffs on the table along with the key.


    Thankful to be free of her restraints for the moment, Arden begins rubbing her wrists. It no longer feels


    so much like the walls are closing in on her. As that feeling subsides, Arden takes the opportunity to


    study Captain Lane while he unbuttons his suit jacket and takes the seat across from her.


    Met with a pair of deep brown eyes, she tries to discern whether or not he''s an agent of the dark side.


    His headful of salt and pepper hair and matching trimmed goatee might suggest he''d be more at home


    seated by a firece wearing a mohair sweater with a cigar perched between his lips. There are


    probably a couple of grandkids somewhere that he should be waiting for in a carpool line, not ying


    good cop/bad cop with her in this sparse room.


    Unable to determine the presence of any bias from his stoic expression, Arden waits for him to break


    the suffocating silence. She takes a deep breath. Though her insides are more muddled than the


    bama dirt after a heavy rain, she''s determined to maintain a cid demeanor.


    "Mrs. Stone, I''m going to be straight with you." He produces a man envelope that''s been tucked


    underneath his arm andys it on the table between them. Then he pushes it aside. "We found drug


    paraphernalia in your home. But your drug test is clean."


    He leans back in his chair and scratches at the neat hairs on his chin, keeping his focus on her the


    entire time. Arden does her best not to squirm. But his eyes seem to be boring into her. Her innermost


    thoughts aren''t expectingpany, so he needs to take that prating stare elsewhere.


    "You look like a woman who''s never so much as ingested a poppy seed ..." he muses. "Something


    doesn''t quite equate."


    Ya damn skippy something doesn''t equate.


    He may have some sense after all, though nothing in his static demeanor has given her a concrete


    reason to believe so. Lane regards her with the same disinterested look on his face.


    Ardi decides that it''s best for him to pose a direct question to her before she volunteers anything. At


    this point, words are precious ammunition that should be used with careful measure.


    Plenty of people have gone down for stupid shit because they couldn''t keep their mouths shut. Her


    effortless poise has given her a safeguard against any mindless rambling.


    "Arden." Lane rests his elbows on the table and sighs. "I don''t know who you''ve pissed off, but


    someone has it out for you." He grabs the envelope and pulls out a few sheets of paper along with a


    couple of photos. "And unfortunately some of the officers at this precinct have fed into the farce."


    Thank God at least one person hasn''t been snowed by Melinda''s storm of lies. The tense tide of


    emotions crashing up against the shores of her weathered mental state begins to recede, taking with it


    the bear of a migraine that''s been rampaging through her head.


    He slides a piece of paper to her across the table. At first, Arden just nces down at the document,


    reluctant to surrender the piercing gaze she has on him. Then she notices the letterhead on the paper.


    It''s a transcript of the call that was made to Child Protective Services. She reads over the page, her


    eyes burning with every falsified word about her and Eli''s life with the twins.


    ording to this, she and Elliott are both addicts who aren''t even particr about their drug of choice.


    Everything from homegrown meth to high-end cocaine and prescription pills is mentioned in theundry


    list of illegal substances the Stones are alleged to abuse.


    There''s also an allusion to a bustling drug trade that uses Arden''s ce of business as its hub. The


    form reads like the front page of a gossip rag.


    The usations that are aimed solely at Arden are more outrageous. Melinda ims that Ardi starves


    Rowan and Teagan, forcing them to work all hours at her bakery for leftover food. The loathsome bitch


    even went so far as to allege that Arden has beaten the children on several asions.


    "None of that is true." Her hand trembles as she slides the paper to the officer. "This entire thing has


    been instigated by my husband''s ex-wife."


    "Well, that exins a lot." Detective Lane mutters something to himself and spreads the pictures before


    her. "This anonymous caller knew exactly where to find your supposed stash."


    "She nted this." Shaking her head, she examines photos of the needles found in the downstairs bath


    and a stic baggie of a white substance that was wedged between the sofa cushions. "Her boyfriend


    must have hidden that there."


    "There''s really no exnation needed." He raises his hands to halt her speech. "For someone who is


    supposed to be running arge-scale drug smuggling operation, there was very little evidence of


    anything of that nature found in your home or business."


    cing the photos back into the envelope, he interlocks his fingers and begins twiddling his thumbs.


    "What I would like to know is why this woman has targeted you and your husband."


    "Captain ..." She pauses to release an exhausted breath. "I''m sure there''s someone from your past


    who would love to see you suffer."


    "There have been one or two." He nods. "But the most a woman has done to me is key my car, orce


    my shampoo with a deptory. None of them has gone to the trouble of falsifying evidence to have me


    arrested."


    "If I could understand Melinda''s warped mind, I''m sure I''d be the next Nobel Prize winner." Arden wraps


    her arms tight around herself. "Not even Freud could crack that nut."


    That gets a quickugh from him along with a shake of his head. But the smirk is short-lived. He


    recovers his all-business expression within seconds.


    "Is there any possibility that even a shred of these allegations could be true?" he asks, staring Arden


    dead in her eyes.


    "No." Her tone even and definite, she doesn''t shrink from his scrutiny. "Elliott and I would never


    jeopardize the safety of our kids."


    Captain Lane spends another minute or two in contemtive silence, seeming to be wrestling with


    some dilemma. Then he sighs and rises from his seat.


    Asking Arden to stand and ce her hands in front of her, he handcuffs her wrists again. The action is


    gentle, done with more care than the two overzealous rookies who arrested her.


    "It looks like my officers might have jumped the gun on this one. If this has indeed been a


    misunderstanding, you have my apologies, Mrs. Stone." Before he reaches for the door handle, he


    makes Arden a promise. "I will see to it that everything is straightened out as soon as possible."


    Not yet willing to abandon her reticent attitude, she offers him another nod in return. He takes her


    elbow, guiding her out of the room and down the narrow hallway. Instead of being seated in the main


    holding area again, Arden is ced in a solitary cell.


    Once Lane has cut her off from the less-than-favorable atmosphere of the rest of the precinct, her


    senses take in the stark surroundings. It''s no Four Seasons. But at least she doesn''t have to worry


    about any other offenders or fighting for her jailhouse virginity.


    She expresses her gratitude for the rtive privacy with a silent prayer. With her sanctified moment out


    of the way, she asks God to turn a blind eye to her next thoughts.


    Sitting on a bench that''s been bolted into the brick wall, she works out the logistics of her murder plot.


    Her current environment serves to further fuel the bloodthirsty images running through her mind.


    First, I need to start seeing that hack therapist again. If I talk crazy enough, maybe I can swing a


    diagnosis of bipr or dissociative identity disorder. Whichever one will make that temporary insanity


    defense most usible.


    Yeah, yeah. Then one of my ''alternates buys a ne ticket to New York, round trip. Elliott can''t know. If


    I make up something about a wedding convention, that might work. I''ll need a boning knife, couple


    pairs of leather gloves, a few stic tarps, garbage bags, zip ties, Lorazepam . . .


    The heavy steel door unlocks with a mechanical click, interrupting her homicidal calctions. A


    inclothes officer enters the small cell with her.


    "Arden Elizabeth Mitchell." She keeps her head lowered. Almost twenty years have passed, and she


    still recognizes his voice. Its slow drawl rakes across her skin like hot coals. "Oh, how the mighty have


    fallen."


    She can feel his eyes roaming over her body. Wishing she could shed her skin or scrub it clean off her


    bones, she meets the smug expression of the officer. Light-skinned, hazel-eyed, and a headful of soft


    curly ck hair, he''s still the same.


    Gavin Taylor.


    Her high school boyfriend stands before her as good-looking as ever. But Arden remembers what lies


    underneath that handsome exterior. And it''s far from morous.


    "The name is Stone now, as I''m sure you are well aware." She takes notice of the shining badge at his


    waist. "Didn''t realize they were allowing mitches to join the police force. Times certainly have changed."


    He smirks and takes a seat next to her. The smell of his cologne repulses her. The cloying scent stings


    at her nose, inducing a feeling of nausea. Ardi positions her body as far away from him as possible,


    nearly slipping off the edge of the hard metal bench.


    "But I see that smart mouth of yours hasn''t missed a beat." Gavin skims his finger along her cheek,


    making her flinch. "Told you it would get you in trouble one of these days."


    She rolls her eyes at him and turns her head. Giving him the privilege of a response would be opening


    the door for him to dig deeper into her business. There''s enough on her te without the addition of


    another crazy ex.


    "So I hear you''re doing heroin now. Elliott get you started on that shit?" He leans forward, resting his


    elbows on his knees. She continues to ignore him. "Figures. Give a white boy an African queen and he


    just runs her into the ground."


    Last she checked Gavin''s father was still a white man. It takes everything in her to keep that retort to


    herself. Her silence just seems to fuel him.


    Gavin never did operate like normal people. Anyone else would shut up. Not him though. He''s a dog


    looking for a bone. And Arden looks like his next chew toy.


    "I must say though, for an addict you look . . . exceptional." Gavin traces his hand along her leg until he


    reaches the hem of her skirt. "Where you hiding the track marks, huh?"


    "Don''t touch me." His fingers begin to lift the material draped over her skin. Arden jerks her leg away


    from him.


    "The only reason you''re not sitting in a cell with the other junkies and prostitutes is because of me." He


    snickers and gives her a sidelong re. "A thank you would be nice."


    "Is that right?" She narrows her eyes at him.


    "It is." He licks his lips and puts his hand back on her knee. "So you might want to skip your usual self-


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    righteous good girl act."


    She doesn''t attempt to move away from his offending touch. Instead, she just nces down at his


    hand, before looking up into his light eyes.


    "In that case, Gavin ..." With a nod of her head, she urges him toe closer. Dropping her voice


    down to its darker boudoir tone, she leans in to whisper in his ear. "Put your hands on me again ... I''ll


    break every bone in your pathetic body, and then grind them into dust. Are we clear?"


    Arden pulls away from him with a devious smile on her lips. The way she''s feeling at the moment, she


    would have no problem going through with her threat.


    "That just sounds like forey to me, baby." Gavin lets his hands get familiar with her skin for another


    second or two, then smiles at her. "Besides, we both know you like it a little rough."


    "There''s a big difference between rough and violent, Gavin." Arden cuts her eyes at him. If looks could


    kill, he''d be six feet under a pile of dirt and heavy cement.


    He scoffs, eyeballing her. "ording to you, there is."


    "ording to thew, Gavin," she growls, hoping the totality of the disdain she has for him is conveyed


    in her voice.


    A silence as sharp as a samurai''s de builds between them. Every muscle in Arden''s body tenses in


    anticipation. That demented gleam still shimmers in his cat eyes. A cold shiver inches down her spine.


    Being around him is like ying Russian roulette with a faulty machine gun. It could go either of two


    ways, you squeeze the trigger and nothing happens, or you''re obliterated. A middle ground doesn''t


    exist with him. There''s something unnerving about a man who''s even more charming than he is pretty.


    Several years have passed since thest night she set eyes on Gavin. And it''s still a day too soon that


    he''s sitting beside her again.


    He was her first real boyfriend. The two met through mutual friends when they were both seventeen.


    Before the ident her life revolved around academics and her athletic career, then life became about


    physical therapy and learning to cope with her mother''s death. The constant doctor visits and never-


    ending schoolwork left little time for a social life.


    And Ardi was just fine with that. Her misery didn''t need anypany other than a good book.


    But the basketball yer with glowing eyes and a nice smile seemed harmless enough. And her sitting


    at home was getting old. So she agreed to go out with him. He turned on the charm, and his spell


    began to work its magic on Arden.


    On days when he wasn''t working or attending basketball practice, they would have pics in the park


    or go to the movies. Hazel-eyes even wrote her poetry. It wasn''t Shakespeare. But no other boy had


    put out that kind of effort.


    Then again, the only romantic interest she''d had before him was an unrequited crush her freshman


    year. Being Warren Mitchell''s daughter didn''t have many suitors lining up at her door even before his


    official foray into politics.


    The Mitchell family has been a powerful presence in the business and politicalndscapes of the state


    for several generations. Arden''s paternal great-grandfather found enormous sess in Birmingham''s


    once-booming iron industry for which the city earned the moniker of "The Magic City." From there the


    Mitchells invested in telmunications.


    Warren Mitchell is still chairman of a majormunicationspany. It boasts some of the world''s


    major providers of wireless andndline phone services as subsidiaries. In short, Arden''s family has


    been making money in their sleep for years.


    That kind of earning power can intimidate most, but Gavin didn''t seem to be the least bit bothered that


    Arden had a father who was well-connected and very protective of his daughter. Thatck of fear might


    have been more indicative of his true personality than anything he ever said.


    She and Gavin only dated a few months. During that time, he seeded in breaking down the wall Ardi


    had built between herself and the rest of the world. Not even the psychiatrist Warren had suggested


    she start seeing could do that.


    Everyone else got a superficial answer, but Gavin knew that Arden was far from okay.


    When nightmares kept her from sleeping, he spent hours on the phone with her. They would talk until


    dark bloomed into dawn. He was the one person who knew the reason Arden began refusing to take


    her pain medication, or why she couldn''t look in a mirror for months after the ident.


    At a time when she couldn''t trust herself, she trusted him.


    Gavin could have very well shaped up to be the perfect husband. She might have even loved him had


    he given her the time to figure out what she was feeling. The loss of her mother was still fresh, made


    even more difficult by the subsequent trial of the drunk driver who turned her world upside down. All he


    had to do was be patient.


    One night he must have gotten tired of the asional kiss goodnight because he didn''t take her


    straight home after their date. Instead, he stopped in a secluded area not far from the Mitchell estate.


    After a few minutes of trying to coax Arden into giving him what he wanted, he decided that he was


    going to take it. He forced her into the backseat of his ''84 Coro and tried to tear off her id mini-


    dress.


    The attack took her byplete surprise, which is what he wanted. He expected to move with enough


    haste that she wouldn''t have time to realize what was happening until it was toote. But what Gavin


    didn''t count on was that even though she''d just re-mastered walking without the aid of arm crutches,


    Ardi wasn''t weak.


    She broke his nose and left him bleeding in the middle of the darkened field as she drove herself home


    in his car.


    Warren took one look at his daughter''s ripped clothing and bruised skin before he was tearing out of


    the driveway and hunting down Gavin''s sorry ass.


    Arden''s father leveled assault charges against him. But in the end, he got off scot-free. The judge took


    pity on the young man and gave him a year of probation. His record was expunged on his eighteenth


    birthday, hence his presence in front of her right now.


    "Twelve years and the white boy still hasn''t managed to break you." He puts his lips to her neck,


    inhaling her soft scent. "Guess it''s still up to me."


    Gavin slips his hand up her skirt and tries to urge her backward on the bench. Arden twists away from


    him to gather her momentum and rams her elbow into his face.


    The motion puts a strain on her wrists, making the unyielding metal of the handcuffs cut into her skin.


    But the blood beginning to trickle from his nose makes the pain bearable. She gets to her feet, staying


    on her toes as she watches for his next move.


    "You fucking bitch." He touches his face and grimaces. Then he does something that makes her blood


    run cold. The bastard smiles at her, showing every single one of his teeth. "I still owe you for thest


    time you broke my nose."


    "So you do remember me kicking your ass." She smirks at him. "But I''ll still give you a refresher course.


    This one''s on the house."


    "You got lucky." Gavin approaches her. She takes a step back for each one he makes toward her. "I''m


    the one running the show now. And there ain''t shit you can do about it, sweetheart."


    Now standing in front of him, she takes a quick scan of his form. It looks like Gavin has spent most of


    their time apart in the gym. The police academy must train its cadets well. Either that or crazy just


    tends to get better with age.


    She tries to fit in the asional swim or bike ride on the weekends. But it''s nothing like her old training


    regime, or even the rigorous physical therapy routine she endured for almost three years of her life.


    Thebination of the two of them in this six-by-eight cage could end any number of ways. Either way,


    she''s going to make sure he doesn''t walk out of here unscathed. If she can help it, he won''t be walking


    out of this cell at all.


    Arden takes a ragged breath and gathers what strength she has left. The two spend another few


    seconds ring at each other, neither saying a word. Then Gavin rushes toward her, wrapping his


    fingers around her neck. He presses her against the brick wall, tightening his grip.


    Ardi gasps for air as her feet begin to lift off the ground. One of the studded ts slips off her feet and


    ps against the tile floor. Her head begins to pound as pressure umtes in her brain, its


    connection with the rest of her body being impeded by a psycho''s hand.


    "Let''s see one of your little tricks now, Ardi." He gets closer to her face, seeming to relish her inability to


    breathe. "Come on. Show me what the daddy''s girl can do."


    His words seem muffled to her. Sight and sound are beginning to abandon their posts as her body


    screams for its air supply. Starting to feel lightheaded, she forces herself to stay cognizant enough to


    figure some way out of his grasp.


    Before she slips out of consciousness, he offers her some leeway. He presses his lips to hers,


    attempting to shove his tongue down her throat. She bites down as hard as she can on his flesh.


    The tactic does the trick. Gavin releases her, once again clutching at his face.


    Doubled over and taking greedy gulps of air, she keeps an eye on him through her blurred vision. He


    groans and stomps his feet, trying to ride out the sharp pain. While he''s nursing his newest wound,


    Arden calctes her next move.


    Ardi nces down at her cuffed hands. There''s a slight gap between her wrists and the cold metal. She


    takes another look at the wounded man crumpled on the floor a few feet away from her.


    With her left hand acting as leverage, she begins to maneuver her right hand out of the metal bracelet


    with feverish urgency. Tears form on the rims of her eyes as the unforgiving material scrapes against


    her skin.


    The progress is slow. And right now that''s a four-letter word that she can''t tolerate. When she reaches


    the ridge at the base of her thumb, the cuff''s movement all but halts.


    Arden checks on the status of her attacker. Quicker than she hoped, he''s on his feet and pulling off his


    jacket. The glint off the handle of the gun holstered at his side catches her eye. Still holding one hand


    over his mouth, he shakes his head at her.


    "You are not behaving like the daughter of a politician, Arden." Gavin removes the cufflinks from his


    shirt andys them on top of his jacket. Rolling up his sleeves, he shes the same sick grin at her.


    "Daddy Mitchell would not be pleased to hear how rude you''ve been."


    He continues to make vulgar references to her and the brief part of their lives that intersects. She


    allows him to rant without interruption. Her energy is needed elsewhere at the moment.


    Tucking her thumb underneath her other fingers, she''s able to move the cuff a bit further down her


    hand. Gavin is inching toward her, closing the gap between them with eerie patience. His measured


    movements taunt her while she scrambles to rid her hands of their restraints.


    Whatever he''s going to do next, she has a better chance of defending herself with her hands'' full range


    of motion. If she''s going to get these things off, it has to happen now.


    She takes a deep breath and shoves the metal ring the rest of the way over her hand, taking some of


    her skin with it. Ignoring the sting of the fresh abrasion, she readies herself for his attack.


    Gavin flies from the opposite side of the cell, lifting Arden off her feet and mming her onto the floor.


    Her back makes contact with the hard concrete, making her gasp. A new fear takes over her as the air


    vacates her lungs.


    She gathers her strength and meets his assault with a quick blow of her own. Her fist connects with his


    jaw, sending a shock up the length of her arm when it collides with the solid bone. She grits her teeth


    as the pain zes through her nerves.


    He''s stunned for a few seconds, but recovers. Her swing isn''t what it used to be. The hit does more to


    anger him than it does to inflict any real damage. He strikes her face with the back of his hand, causing


    a smallceration to open up on her left cheek.


    Using the empty end of the handcuffs as a makeshift pair of brass knuckles, she takes another swing at


    him. This time the dense metal hits him square between the eyes. Having endured more than one blow


    in approximately the same spot, this one weakens him enough for her to gain the upper hand.


    She snatches the service revolver from his hip, while he puts his hands to his face. He rolls off her,


    bloodied and cursing. Just as she trains the gun on him, a horde of officers appears at the door.


    They rush to open the cell and swarm inside to relieve Arden of her pilfered firearm. Two officers


    subdue her while the others tend to Gavin.


    Then two more authoritative figures darken the entryway. A sense of reliefes over her when she


    recognizes one of the men.


    Warren steps into the now even more cramped space with a man who owns the same powerful


    presence as he does. The other gentleman she recognizes as the Chief of Police.


    He and Warren part the crowd of girls and boys in blue and make their way to Arden. Without having to


    be instructed to do so, the officers holding either of her arms relinquish their grip on her.


    Looking her over, Warren''s mood rockets from worried to irate in a matter of seconds. His hand wavers


    over the blood seeping from the cut on Ardi''s cheek.


    "Which one of you sons of bitches did this to her?" Warren''s voice booms off the walls, bombarding the


    eardrums of everyone who''s piled into the close quarters.


    "Detective, what the hell happened here?" Chief Todd turns back to Gavin who has been settled onto


    the bench by a couple of his colleagues.


    Stepping around the imposing build of the chief, Warren gets a good look at the detective. Fire takes


    over his face, warping his features.


    "He attacked her." Warren takes a step forward so that he can re down at the pathetic excuse for a


    man. "Just like he did when she was seventeen."


    "I never touched her. Not then and not now." Gavin removes the cloth he''s been holding up to his nose.


    "When I entered the cell, she became belligerent. I had to use force to subdue her."


    "Bullshit," Warren says through clenched teeth.


    Sensing her father is about to decimate the police department and the entire city, Ardi touches his arm.


    He takes her hand. But doesn''t ease off Gavin.


    "You got away with assaulting my daughter once. I''ll be damned if it happens again."


    "Mr. Mitchell, with all due respect . . ." Grinning like the Cheshire cat after he''s smoked a mountain of


    weed, Gavin leaves his seat and steps toward Warren. "Your daughter is a lying slut who . . ."


    Gavin doesn''t get the opportunity to finish his sentence. Warren delivers a quick and brutal hit to


    Gavin''s jaw. Chief Todd and another of the officers position themselves between the two and press


    Warren back from his target.


    "That''s assaulting an officer, Senator. I want this man arrested." Gavin''s wordse out slurred and


    thick. When no one makes a move toply with his request, he looks puzzled. "What are you waiting


    for? Cuff him."


    "Neither Mr. Mitchell nor his daughter is under arrest." Todd''s chest heaves as he speaks. "However,


    detective, you will be ced in a solitary cell to await arraignment on charges of excessive force and


    assault, plus whatever other disciplinary action that I deem to be appropriate. That is if I decide not to


    terminate you."


    "So I guess you''re in his pocket just like the rest of this goddamn town," Gavin smirks and sucks his


    teeth. "Hope the payday is worth it."


    "I''m not in anyone''s pocket, son. You want to stand in front of a judge and admit that a woman in


    handcuffs beat the piss out of you, and managed to take your gun, be my guest." He runs his hands


    over the gold embroidered bands that line the cuffs of his jacket. "It will be one hell of a story to tell the


    boys at the bar tonight."


    Gavin gives no further argument. Instead, he just stares daggers at Ardi and Warren while he''s ced


    in cuffs and escorted from the room. The others also file out of the cell.


    Before they all leave the cramped space, Chief Todd asks one of the officers to remove the handcuffs


    from Arden''s other hand and send in the nurse to take a look at her.


    Warren puts his arm around Ardi and helps her sit down. The nurse enters the cell and begins dressing


    the scrapes on Arden''s hands and the cut on her face. Her father doesn''t let go of her the entire time


    she''s being tended to. Nothing else is going to harm his little girl as long as he''s by her side.


    "Mrs. Stone, we''ve tracked down your husband''s ex-wife at her hotel." Todd pauses to remove the hat


    from his head. "She and her boyfriend were in possession of about a kilo of heroin, which matches the


    sample found in your home. He was also higher than a kite at the time of the arrest. So there''s no


    disputing the origin of the drugs or who used them."


    Chief Todd goes on to say that charges will be brought against Melinda for filing a false police report


    and felony possession. She will also be required to pay a substantial fine to the city of Homewood as


    reimbursement for the time and resources that were wasted searching the Stones'' residence.


    He also assures Arden and Warren that Melinda and Armando will at least spend tonight in jail. They


    won''t be able to bond out until tomorrow morning. That knowledge brings some satisfaction to her. Mel


    deserves a life sentence in hell. But one night spent in a jail cell will suffice for now.


    Now there are only three other people on Arden''s mind.


    "Where are my kids?" she asks her father.


    "They''re at the house with John and Diane."


    Arden breathes a little easier. Elliott''s parents have their children. Now she just needs to know where


    the hell her husband is.


    "May I see my husband, please?"


    "Of course, follow me." The chief leads them down the hall and back up towards the front of the


    building.


    Elliott sits near the entrance with his head in his hands. He''s talking to himself. And by the tension in


    his body, whatever is on his mind isn''t nice.


    He happens to nce up just as the threee into view. Jumping up with so much haste that he


    almost leaves behind his skin, Eli runs to Arden. Warren lets go of his daughter''s hand when he spots


    Elliott moving toward them.


    Sweeping Arden into an embrace that pulls her close enough for their bodies to be one, Eli buries


    his face in her neck. He whispers a prayer of thanks that she''s okay. It''s not until he leans away from


    her a little that he notices the marks on her face and hands.


    "What happened to you?"


    "Gavin Taylor," Warren states with a healthy dose of contempt.


    "Your ex-boyfriend? He did this to you?" Eli bends to look into her eyes. "What the hell is he even doing


    here?"


    Warren pipes up again. "The little piece of shit is a detective. He attacked her in one of the cells."


    "Jesus Christ. Are you all right?" Elliott surveys his wife with fresh panic.


    "I''m fine, really. You should see him." Sheughs, trying to ease his distress.


    Amotion near the side entrance of the building interrupts Arden''s consoling of Eli. Over his


    shoulder, she catches a glimpse of Melinda and Armando being led inside in handcuffs. The pair is


    ushered past Arden and Eli toward booking.


    The women lock eyes, burning holes into each other. Arden smirks at Mel. But she keeps her mouth


    shut. The winner of this round is obvious, and she''s about to walk out of here a free woman.


    With Warren and the Chief of Police walking ahead, they manage to avoid the fewwork news


    cameras perched outside the municipalplex.


    A ck SUV is waiting for them with its engine running and the family driver, Othello, at the wheel.


    Once the three are inside the vehicle''s cooled interior and Warren has offered a quick thanks to Todd,


    they speed past the unsuspecting reporters and set off for the Mitchell estate.

 Chapter 19: The Jailbirds Take Flight

    Chapter 19: The Jailbirds Take Flight


    nked by two of her eternal protectors, Arden spends the duration of the car ride being coddled by


    them both at alternate intervals.


    Warren allows Elliott the lead role, keeping his inquiries about how she''s feeling to a minimum and


    resisting the urge to ce her in one of his imprable bear hugs.


    Taking notice of her father''s restraint, she lifts her head from Eli''s shoulder and reaches over to take


    Warren''s hand. They share a quick look, as he gives her hand a gentle squeeze.


    Traffic is more of an issue heading south than usual at this time of day, which leaves Arden with more


    time to mull about in her own headspace than she''d like.


    On nights when the past isn''t haunting her dreams, Casper fills that time slot. The stress of today has


    pulled her even deeper into the guilty pleasure.


    Until a few weeks ago, she was a married woman who enjoyed her life. She had a husband and two


    kids whom she adored, and a sessful business. Things were far from perfect. But everything made


    sense.


    Then he showed up with his deep brown eyes, six-foot-three build of hard-won muscle, and his smooth


    words. And that damn British ent was just the cherry on top.


    She doesn''t even know Casper. Yet she''s risking her rtionship over him. And for what? A couple of


    intoxicating, passionate kisses?


    Trouble alwayses knocking when she''s the least prepared to deal with it. Now that the portal''s


    been opened, it''ll be one problem after the other. She can feel it.


    Elliott shifts beside her, snatching focus from her thoughts for a moment. The bit of sun that''s permitted


    past the window''s heavy tint hits his face and illuminates his blue eyes. The light casts broken shadows


    across his skin, providing the perfect backdrop for his fair features.


    His pensive pose reminds her of the first days of their rtionship when she used to spend much of


    their time together just staring at him. All of that goo-goo-eyed infatuation gifted her with the ability to


    decipher his mood by his bodynguage. His current posture gives rise to a new level of anxiety for


    her.


    He''s leaning against the door with one hand perched on his chin. The lines forming on his forehead


    and the frown turning down his lips tell her that he''s ming himself for all this.


    Eli is quick to shoulder the world''s burden, a trait that makes arguing with him impossible. She can''t be


    upset with a man who always admits when he''s wrong and tries to see her side. It''s like having a


    shouting match with a monk who broke his vow of silence just to assure you that he feels your pain. At


    some point, you just look like an asshole who gets off on the harassment of a gentle soul. And she sure


    as hell feels like one right now.


    She betrayed her marriage vows today, several of them. There''s been attention from a few men over


    the years. Especially from ck men who feelpelled to inform her that she''s missing out on being


    with a ¡°real,¡± man.


    She realized a long time ago that a real man is much more than his skin color or whatever might be


    stretching out his boxer briefs. A real man doesn''t have to inform the world that he is such. It''s very


    apparent in the light in his woman''s eyes, and her willingness to shout his praises from every mountain


    top and anthill alike.


    Her husband is everything she ever wanted and needed. She can''t figure out how a stranger has


    managed to turn her world on its head in such a short time. If she could just put her finger on whatever


    it is that has her drawn to Casper like a moth to a scorching me, she could stamp out the culprit and


    get back to her usual self.


    Arden steals another nce at Eli, relieved that he seems too absorbed in his own emotional sludge to


    notice that her palms are sweating despite the crisp climate of the car. The inner tempest that''s roiling


    in her gut keeps her as the lone passenger of its displeasure cruise.


    Before her grip on reality can be any rockier, they''re driving through the gates of her family''s


    estate. Coasting up the tree-lined road that leads to the main house, she''s anxious to see Rowan and


    Teagan.


    Their driver brings the car to a stop right in front of the steps of the wraparound porch. Eli''s parents and


    the kids must have been watching for them because they''re all outside before Othello has a chance to


    put the car in park.


    She can''t contain the smile that spreads across her face when she sees Rowan and Teagan running


    down the steps. The slight sting in her cheek reminds her of the cut on her otherwise smooth skin.


    Reaching down into her handbag, she slips on a pair of wide-rimmed sunsses and pulls on her


    sweater. Then she removes the pins from her hair and tousles its curls, coaxing them into a face-


    framing bob. She checks her appearance in the rearview mirror.


    The oversized sses hide the mark on her cheek, being further obscured by her dark hair. Her


    sweater is concealing a couple of smaller scratches and bruises. The bandage on her hand can be


    exined away as a kitchen mistake. Now somewhat presentable, she lets Eli help her down from the


    backseat.


    Ro and Tea rush their parents, taking turns smothering them both. They all hang onto each other like


    the other might float away. Rowan puts a death grip on Arden, while his sister throws her arms around


    Elliott.


    "Mom ..." Ro bends to rest his head on her shoulder. She closes her eyes and embraces him even


    tighter, letting her son''s heated tears stain the cashmere of her cardigan.


    "It''s okay, sweetheart," she whispers. nting a kiss on Rowan''s cheek, she softly rubs his back as he


    cries into her hair. She breathes through the tears that are cracking at her own voice. "We''re all okay.


    It''s over."


    Rowan''s breathing returns to a more normal pace after another minute or so. When he pulls back from


    her, she reaches up to wipe the tears from his face, earning a sad smile from him. Allowing Arden just


    enough space to walk, Ro hangs onto her hand. She greets her inws with Rowan attached to her


    side like Velcro.


    John and Diane both hug and kiss Arden with as much enthusiasm as the kids. They spend more time


    fussing over her than they do with their own son.


    Diane is especially relieved to see that she is still in one piece. Shetches herself onto Ardi''s other


    arm and doesn''t show any sign of leaving her side anytime soon.


    Once they''re all done gushing over the two jailbirds, everyone files inside to the house''s main living


    area. They all settle into the sitting room and start in with a line of questioning about the past few hours.


    Arden and Elliott exchange frequent looks with each other when the twins begin to ask about things


    that might be best left unsaid. They haven''t had a chance to discuss the most diplomatic way to tell Ro


    and Tea that their mother has given vindictive a whole new meaning. Remaining quiet for now seems


    like a better option. Rowan and Teagan must get the picture because they drop it. Something else has


    caught their attention anyway.


    "What happened to your hand?" Tea asks, pointing at the gauze circling Arden''s hand.


    "I um . . . cut myself this morning at work." Her uneasyugh fills the air. "You''d think I could handle a


    knife by now."


    Both Elliott and Warren clear their throats. No one else in the room seems to be buying that


    exnation either. Before anyone can ask about the reason she''s still wearing sunsses inside the


    house, she excuses herself to her childhood bedroom.


    Inside the four walls that could tell her life story, she strips off her clothes and throws them into the


    wicker hamper in the linen closet. She turns on the shower and allows the water some time to heat


    while she examines her face in the mirror.


    A mild bruising has begun to surface around her cheekbone. Her fingers offer a hesitant touch to the


    faint markings that are now visible on her neck and upper arms. Those will be ugly by tomorrow


    morning.


    An overwhelmingbination of helpless frustration and sadness overtakes her. With the steam from


    the shower building around her, she rests her palms on the pedestal sink and lets the tears flow at will.


    The releasests a few tortured seconds before she cuts it off with a harsh swipe of her hand. She


    sighs at her reflection and opens the medicine cab.


    Popping the package of a new toothbrush, she scrubs at her teeth and tongue until her gums are sore.


    Then she grabs a bottle of mouthwash and gargles away any remaining traces of Casper and the


    mtto maniac.


    She steps into the shower and lets the scalding hot spray run over her body. As the water courses over


    her skin, she envisions the filth of the day running off her body and disappearing down the drain. If only


    shedding what''s on her mind was that easy.


    After she''s subjected her pores to a beating of near-boiling water, she covers herself in an embroidered


    robe. She rests her foot on the settee at the end of the bed and massages cocoa butter into her skin.


    When she switches to her other leg, she can feel the beginnings of the fatigue in her bones. It''s only


    going to get worse as the evening wears on.


    In an attempt to fight off the urge to give in to the lethargy that''s weighing her down, Arden walks into


    the closet and takes a seat at the vanity. She sets out an array of makeup and begins applying


    concealer along with a color-corrector to her cheek and underneath her eyes. A light buffing with a


    foundation brush gets her caramelplexion back in the ballpark of its natural brilliance.


    Ardi brushes her damp hair back into a low chignon and secures it with a pearl hairb. Then she


    moves to the opposite side of the walk-in to get dressed.


    Bypassing jeans and more formal dresses, she selects a skirt with an ankle-grazing hem andce


    ovey. The white tea-length garment might be a bit much for a simple dinner at home. But jeans are


    far too casual.


    Dressing for dinner was never a spoken requirement of her and Adam growing up. But when thedy of


    the house was at the other end of the table wearing a full skirt and a silk blouse, looking like the


    definition of poise and femininity, a t-shirt and jeans just looked cheap byparison.


    She finds a matching lightweight sweater with a high neck and pushes its long sleeves up to her


    elbows. Stepping into the skirt, she pulls it over the sweater and tugs up the hidden side zipper. She


    chooses a pair of nude patent pumps and slips her feet into them.


    Onest check of her appearance reveals that her ears have yet to be adorned. Just as she''s pushing


    the other diamond and pearl teardrop earring into her ear, someone knocks on the bedroom door.


    "Arden?" Inside the thick cedar of the walk-in, Arden can barely hear whoever it is. But that soft voice


    can belong to only one person. "May Ie in?"


    "Of course, Diane. Come in." She smiles at Eli''s mother as she opens the door for her. "I didn''t mean to


    keep everyone waiting. I was just on my way back downstairs."


    "Don''t worry about that, dear. That''s not why I came up here." She waves away Arden''s apology. "I


    wanted to speak with you . . . alone."


    "Oh." The sinking feeling that follows the sudden dip of a roller coaster upsets her stomach. She offers


    her mother-inw a seat on the Victorian chaise. "What''s on your mind?"


    They settle onto the pastel blue upholstery. Diane takes Arden''s hands and opens her mouth to speak,


    but then falls silent. Instead, she stares at her daughter-inw with a faint smile on her face, seeming to


    be lost somewhere else.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    "Oh, sweetheart, yes. I''m fine." Diane shakes her head and smiles. "I was just thinking how much you


    look like you did on your wedding day. I¡¯d never seen anyone more beautiful."


    Arden nces down at herself, blushing at thepliment.


    "Elliot was so nervous when he saw you." Diane reaches over to smooth a strand of Arden''s hair, and


    then sheughs. "Couldn''t even recite his vows."


    Ardiughs along with her, remembering how tongue-tied he was. It took him almost ten minutes. But


    he managed tomunicate every word that he''d written to her.


    One line in particr bubbles to the surface of her memory. He''d promised to appreciate her every day,


    to always make time for her. She smirks to herself. Some promises sound better on paper.


    "That was the luckiest day of my son''s life. Our whole family got an angel."


    She smiles faintly and thanks, Diane. "I don''t know how true that is."


    Grasping her hands tighter, Diane moves a bit closer to Arden. She gives her fingers a quick shake to


    make Ardi meet her eyes.


    "You saved their lives." The intensity in her tone shocks Arden. Her mother-inw doesn''t often speak


    with so much force. "Sooner orter, Melinda would have destroyed him. Rowan and Teagan would


    have lost their father, too. Neither of them would be here today without you."


    "Eli could have managed as a single father." Ardi is sure her face must be ming red through the


    matte foundation she just applied. "You and John have always been a great support for him and the


    kids."


    "I know my boy." Diane shakes her head. "He''s brilliant and caring. But he has a blind spot for the ones


    he loves. It''s so easy for him to be taken advantage of."


    She doesn''t object. Eli is a sweet soul who has a difficult time even uttering a curse word in front of her.


    He just doesn''t spend enough time at home. The man has to work. His absence bothers him just as


    much as it does her. He shouldn''t be penalized for his dedication. Then again, neither should she.


    "He needs you." She caresses Arden''s cheek. "You bring out that light in him. With you, he''s a braver


    version of himself."


    "That''s all him. He''s a wonderful man. I don''t ..."


    "Arden ¡­ Even after everything you''ve been through today, there isn''t an ounce of malice on your


    tongue for Melinda." She shushes the younger woman. The worry lines that traverse Diane''s pale skin


    deepen, and age her soft features past their sixty-five years. "You¡¯ve always considered the twins and


    Elliott first."


    Ardi bows her head. Part of the reason she''s being so forgiving of others¡¯ bad behavior today is the dirt


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    she¡¯s tracked inside herself.


    Diane continues to point out how selfless and sweet Arden is, failing to notice the slight tinge of guilt


    casting a shadow over her brown eyes.


    "The fact you''re sitting here no doubt in pain, withoutint, and worried about everyone else. I


    couldn¡¯t love you more." Diane begins to sniffle and looks toward the window. She blinks hard before


    turning to face Ardi again. "I don''t know if I''ve ever said it. But ¡­ thank you."


    Arden spends another few moments smiling down at their hands, trying to choke back the tears


    brewing behind her loweredshes. Leaning forward, she puts her arms around the woman''s slender


    shape. She inhales Diane''s softvender scent and indulges in a distant memory as she lets it envelop


    her.


    "All right, enough tears. We''ll both be a wilted mess if we keep this up." Diane reaches for a tissue from


    the box on the side table and folds it into a neat triangle. Careful not to press too hard, she dabs at


    Arden''s eyes. "There. Gorgeous."


    Diane stands and takes Ardi''s hand again. The two women descend the stairs from the second floor,


    speaking to each other in cheerful whispers like debutantes headed for the annual ball.

 Chapter 20: Cash Landing

    Chapter 20: Cash Landing


    They find everyone else in the kitchen, bothering Ivana and Logan ¨D the Mitchells¡¯ chef of twenty-nine


    years ¨D while they prepare dinner.


    Ivana sees Arden and rushes over to her, and traps her in a hug so tight that she can barely take a


    deep breath.


    "Ivana, you just saw me this morning," Arden says with a smirk. Her feigned irritation does nothing to


    disguise thefort she feels underneath the crush of the woman''s embrace.


    "Makes no difference. You''re home." Ivana kisses Ardi''s cheek. "I''m going to hug you as much as I


    want."


    Knowing that ending their embrace right now is not likely, Arden settles her head on Ivana''s shoulder.


    Besides, there''s a part of her that doesn''t want the woman to let go. No one and nothing could ever


    rece her mother. But Ivana lessens the pull of Lillian''s absence.


    Ardi smiles as an endless stream of Russian is whispered near her ear. She doesn''t understand much.


    But a warmth passes over her when she recognizes the phrase, I love you, followed by Ivana''s pet


    name for her.


    When she came to work for the Mitchells, Ivana gave both Arden and Adam nicknames. Ardi has


    always been ¡°kroshka,¡± or ¡°little one,¡± and Adam has been ¡°krolik,¡± or ¡°bunny.¡± Though most times


    Adam''s nickname was just shortened to ¡°no, stop or put that down.¡±


    Adam has always been a moving target. He''s the reason Arden knows that firecrackers and Barbie


    dolls don''t mix very well.


    Seconds after she and Ivana release each other, the front door flies open. Her brother storms into the


    house. He searches every room, bellowing her name in the process.


    Arden leaves the kitchen and makes her way toward his voice. Adam continues to tear through the


    halls in the opposite direction of her. His wife, Esperanza, catches sight of Arden and tugs on his arm.


    He sprints over to her and pulls her into a hug. The force of it almost knocks her off bnce. They hang


    onto each other for a solid minute without saying a word. But she knows what''s on his mind.


    Since they were little, she and Adam couldmunicate volumes in silence. Lillian used to say their


    souls were connected. That this life was just one in a series of many before it. No matter what shape


    their reincarnations might take, Adam and Arden would always find each other in some form. This time


    around they were meant to learn something as brother and sister.


    Their mother reasoned that Adam must have been the responsible one in theirst reincarnation. Now


    it was Arden''s turn to be mature and sensible. Arden always thought it was a convenient excuse for her


    brother¡¯s more childish ways.


    "Jesus, Elmer," Adam mutters before releasing her. "Being a ck woman in America isn''t hard


    enough, you have to go and get yourself arrested?"


    "Had to do something to earn a little street cred." She shrugs, a sarcastic grin forming at the corners of


    her mouth. "Marrying a white boy put me in the negative."


    "That''s interracial love for you." He spends a minute staring at her face with his eyes focused just


    above her cheekbone. Then he surveys the bandage on her hand. "That a prison tat gone wrong?"


    "Can we save that conversation for another day?" She isn''t ready for his reaction to the real or


    fabricated story behind her injuries.


    Adam nods and moves aside so that she can greet his wife, who has been waiting in silence behind


    them.


    ¡°I¡¯m so d you¡¯re okay,¡± she says, giving Arden a quick hug.


    ¡°Melinda will have to try harder than that to keep me down.¡±


    ¡°True.¡± She cocks an eyebrow and lowers her voice. ¡°I still got some cousins who would dly pay her


    a visit, though.¡±


    ¡°As tempting as that is, I¡¯ll pass ¡­ for now.¡±


    ¡°Just saying,¡± she shrugs, lightly nudging Arden¡¯s arm. ¡°I got you.¡±


    Esperanza, better known as Perry, is a woman of Native American, African and Dominican descent.


    Her features are bold, with a sharp nose, high cheekbones and a proud jawline. At 5''11, she can easily


    tower over Adam in a pair of heels. Paired with her quiet authority, shemands attention.


    Arden is grateful Adam found someone who bnces him out so well. Perry knows how to earn


    respect without stepping on anyone else. Their rtionship is a mutually supportive and yful union.


    Whenever the two of them get together with Arden and Elliott they all tend topse back into the easy


    spontaneity of their high school days.


    Esperanza and Ardi spend a little whileughing about Adam''stest obsession with Lego models


    before they gather everyone else and head out to the back veranda.


    The talk between them is about everything imaginable as they set the dinner table, though the topic of


    Ardi and Eli''s brief stint in the mmer is wisely avoided by all.


    No one wants to ruin the vibe of the sunset over Mitchell Lake. The marvelous rays of orange and pink


    filter through the thick spread of oak and pine trees, creating the best source of ambient light mother


    nature has to offer.


    Arden arranges thest ce setting and wanders over to the railing of the wide porch. She rests


    against a column and loses herself in the beauty of the garden and theke beyond it.


    Most of her life was spent with this serene picture as her backyard, and she can count on one hand the


    days she managed to make time to enjoy it. Sometimes Ardi longs for the days when all she had to


    worry about was having enough milk for her Captain Crunch and watching Saturday morning cartoons.


    Simple things start to make sense with age, like the unsolicited and oftentimes vague advice of elders.


    But one would be hard-pressed to find a young person who heeded the warning not to rush into the


    responsibilities of adulthood.


    She plunged head-first into the demands of marriage and family. Elliott was like a store-bought box of


    cake mix, just add water, and boom, instant family. Overnight, Arden became a wife and mother.


    At twenty-three, she was still getting a handle on adulting. But she had dated this wonderful man and


    helped raise his kids for four years, so marriage just felt right.


    After so many years of running from herself and the depression that threatened to consume her, she


    felt settled with Eli. The dark didn''t seem so close when he was near, and she could take a breath at


    So why does it still feel like she''s gasping for air?


    Maybe all these years have just been an illusion, something her mind created out of necessity. She''s


    been jogging in ce for thest sixteen years, chasing something that will forever remain just outside


    of her reach.


    "Arden?" Eli''s hand on her waist startles her. "You all right?"


    She turns to see that everyone has taken their seats and dinner has been served. They all stare at her


    with uneasy smiles. Before anyone can catch on that she''s a little off at the moment, she apologizes


    and walks over to the table with Elliott.


    Soon the warm evening air is filled with the tter of utensils against china and the roar of a good-


    humored debate between the men. The more noise everyone makes, the less she can hear herself


    think. And that just might prove to be her saving grace tonight.


    Dinner settles into coffee and dessert with thest wisps of sunlight fading at their backs. Not long after


    that, the twins decide that whatever is on reality television tonight is more interesting than the adults


    and head inside the house.


    Warren and Adam begin to discussplicated legal maneuvers that could keep Melinda tied up in so


    much litigation, she''ll be in court more than a public defense attorney. The angry calctions of her


    father and brother are no surprise to her.


    However, Eli''s contribution to the conversation does seem contrary to his usual position where that


    woman is concerned. It''s nice to see a glimpse of his elusive backbone. But the sudden formation of it


    unnerves her all the same.


    "How soon could we have that suit filed against her?" Eli asks. Her father just suggested that they


    finally level awsuit for defamation of character against Melinda. And Eli is the first to jump on board


    with the idea.


    "Tomorrow." Warren shrugs and takes a measured sip of his coffee. "I could have it before a judge next


    week."


    "Wouldn''t be a minute too soon." Elliott frowns at thedybug that just lit on his hand and then crushes


    it between his thumb and index finger.


    Arden studies her husband, not at all pleased with the hate that has peppered his movements. She


    watches him devolve into a lesser form of himself with each word. It''s like she''s staring at someone


    foreign to her.


    "Elliott, may I speak with you?" She interrupts thetest round of strategy and halts Adam mid-


    sentence.


    "We''re kinda in the middle of a conversation, darling." He gives her a look like she''s a Stepford wife


    who just spoke out of turn. ¡°Whatever it is can wait.¡±


    The condescending expression causes a rage so raw to erupt in her, that she almost reaches across


    the table to smack him. "Elliott Finley Stone. If you ever¨D."


    "Mom." Teagan runs onto the veranda with Arden''s phone in her hand. "Your phone''s ringing."


    Arden thanks Tea and takes the phone without removing her gaze from Elliott.


    Teagan catches the re between her parents and begins to back away from this charged standoff


    with slow steps. Unbeknownst to her, she just saved her father from the verbal flogging of his life.


    The phone goes silent before Arden can answer it. When she sees who the missed call is, she''s


    relieved that she didn''t get to it in time.


    On fire from Elliott''s sudden bout of amnesia that he married a ck woman with a mind, she excuses


    herself from the table and heads back into the house. Just as her heels hit the hardwood floor of the


    family room, the phone rings in her hand again.


    She stares at it a moment, then decides to ignore the call. Her heart begins to beat double time. When


    it rings once more, she taps the ignore button like she''s disarming a grenade. Another minute or so


    passes of her not breathing. But it doesn''t ring again.


    Instead, the screen of her phone begins to pulse at intermittent intervals with the notification of a new


    voicemail. Curiosity gets the better of her.


    Though she knows she should just delete it, she keys in her password and puts the phone to her ear.


    The pleas of a desperate man flow through to her. Now she can''t continue to ignore him.


    She makes her way to another wing of the house where her family isn''t likely to find her and slips into


    an upstairs guest bedroom.


    Everything in her is telling her to rethink hitting that call button. But she does it anyway. He answers on


    the first ring.


    "Arden?"


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Just the way he says her name makes her melt like butter on hot toast. Her mouth gets dry and the


    beating of her heart steals the ability of her ears to hear anything else.


    This was a mistake. Everything about him was a mistake. She never should have opened the door for


    any of this to begin.


    "Yeah ... I''m here," her voice shakes with every word.


    "Are you okay?" The almost frantic concern that he has for her grips her heart right through the phone.


    Somehow she feels even more guilt than when his lips were on hers. "What happened?"


    "It was just a misunderstanding. I''m fine."


    "You were arrested. That''s a lot more than a misunderstanding."


    ¡°Trust me. It wasn¡¯t as bad as it sounds.¡±


    ¡°It was on the news, Arden.¡± He scoffs. ¡°They dragged you into the police station in handcuffs.¡±


    ¡°Must have been a slow news day. I¡¯m nowhere near interesting enough for anyone to care.¡±


    ¡°Any other time, I would find your refusal to answer direct questions charming. But seriously, are you


    okay?¡±


    She sighs and makes her way to the window seat. ¡°I¡¯m fine. A little ¡­ beat up. But fine.¡±


    ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m at home.¡±


    She can hear him pick up his keys. ¡°I¡¯ll stop by.¡±


    ¡°My childhood home.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°You can¡¯te running every time I have an issue.¡±


    ¡°Can and will. Anytime.¡±


    Starved for devotion and attention, hisck of hesitation makes her want him more. Her mind wanders


    for a moment to the feel of his lips, wanting his hands on her. She bites her lip to keep herself from


    agreeing to meet him.


    "Look, please, just listen. What happened today¨D the kiss." She takes a quick breath to calm her


    nerves. "Don''t call. Don''te around. Just forget you ever met me."


    "You know as well as I do, that''s not possible."


    ¡°Casper, I¨D.¡±


    "Before you give me a million and one reasons for us not to see each other, hear me out."


    She closes her eyes and rests her head against the window pane. ¡°Fine. I¡¯m listening.¡±


    "I care about you, Arden. I know we just met. But ¡­ I want to know you." He pauses and sighs like he''s


    searching for the perfect words. "If it means things between us have to be strictly tonic, so be it."


    ¡°tonic,¡± she says, considering the word. ¡°Sure you can handle that?¡±


    ¡°Hell no.¡±


    They share augh. As it fades into a loaded silence, she watches thest stubborn rays of sunlight on


    the horizon. Anguid moon fights for focus. The sky is awash with an iridescent glow. Despite the


    chaos of the day, she¡¯s at ease knowing Casper is on the other end of the phone.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± he asks, breaking her reverie.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she lies, then quickly corrects. ¡°You.¡±


    ¡°My favorite subject.¡±


    She smiles wide, the strain of it stinging her bruised face. ¡°And you? What¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    There¡¯s a second or two of silence. She can almost hear the smirk in his tone.


    ¡°Brushing your hair off your shoulder. Kissing your neck ¡­¡±


    As he speaks, her hand drifts up to her neck. She sighs to herself, wishing it were his touch lighting


    fires on her skin.


    ¡°Still curious?¡± he asks, rather smug.


    Very. But she manages to contain the remark and regain herposure.


    ¡°I should get back,¡± she whispers like the shadows can hear her.


    ¡°All right. Good night, love.¡±


    Arden drinks in the rich lilt of his voice and ends the call. Whispering to the darkened room once again,


    she wishes him the same.


    ¡°Good night, Cash.¡±

 Chapter 21: To Kill a Ladybug

    Chapter 21: To Kill a Ladybug


    After hanging up with Casper, Arden spends another few minutes in the solitude of the bedroom. This


    end of the house is used a few times out of the year when her extended familyes to stay for


    holidays. It''s not likely that she will be found here. But on the off chance that someone wanders in,


    Arden is in no mood to exin the reason she''s sitting alone in a dark room.


    She heads back downstairs to where the twins are sprawled on the sofa. The slight elevation in their


    voices suggests that an argument is in the works.


    Before things can escte, Ardi positions herself between the two. They''re a lot less prone to fight


    when she''s around. And tonight, she knows neither is ready to be on her bad side. Sure enough, they


    settle on giving each other a couple of sideways nces without another word.


    By the time the others have had enough of the humid night air, Arden and the twins are asleep on the


    her like overgrown rag dolls.


    Teagan is cuddled into the crook of her mother''s arm with her head nestled against Ardi''s chest. Rowan


    is resting his shock of red hair on Arden''s stomach. Her arm is tucked across his shoulders. His mouth


    is half-open and he''s holding onto her like a security nket.


    ¡°Look at them,¡± Diane whispers from somewhere behind them. ¡°They still want to be wherever their


    mother is. Elliott wouldn¡¯t even let me drop him off at school at that age.¡±


    ¡°As I recall mom, you wanted to drop me off at school while singing Material Girl at the top of your


    lungs,¡± Elliott adds.


    ¡°Will you two quiet down,¡± John says, shushing them both. ¡°You¡¯ll wake them up.¡±


    John and Diane say their goodnights to everyone. Arden hears their voices recede down the hallway as


    her father walks them out front. As Adam and his wife, Perry, head upstairs for the night, she listens for


    her husband¡¯s movement.


    Elliott stands at the edge of the sofa near Ardi''s feet. She can feel his presence in front of her. There''s


    a shift in the glow from the floormp across the room when he steps in its path. Still brooding over his


    sarcastic tone with her at dinner, she allows him to believe that she''s still asleep.


    Truth is, she''s been sitting here with her eyes closed, trying to shut down her mind. It¡¯s not working. So


    she''s made herself content with the soft sounds of her kids snoring and thefort of their closeness.


    Elliott could leave them like this all night.


    She doesn''t mind their upation of her personal space. If she were ready to speak with him, she


    would save him the trouble of trying to wake the twins.


    He gives Ro and Tea a gentle nudge, trying his best not to bother Arden. The kids open their eyes and


    nce up at him like they haven''t the slightest inkling as to who he is, and snuggle further into their


    mother''s warmth. Eli tries one more time to rouse the twins.


    "Rowan," he whispers. "Wake up."


    "Ugh, Dad." The boy grumbles and turns away from him. "Go away."


    "Come on, get up guys." He attempts to move Tea, who also groans and ignores his whispered


    requests. "I don''t want to wake your mother."


    He might as well be talking to the throw pillows because these two shall not be moved. Rather than


    continue to listen to his futile attempts at keeping his voice low enough not to disturb her, yet stern


    enough for the kids, she decides to grant him the privilege of her words.


    "It''s all right, Elliott." Arden opens her eyes and focuses on him like a hawk sussing out her prey.


    "Leave them alone."


    "Sorry." He gives her an apologetic smile which disappears in seconds. The irritation in her demeanor


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    must be apparent. Instead of meeting her eyes, he nces down at his feet. "Didn''t mean to wake


    you."


    "I wasn''t sleeping," she admits. Arden runs her hand over Rowan''s hair and gives Teagan''s cheek a


    kiss. "Just resting my eyes."


    Elliott takes a seat on the edge of the sofa and ces his hand on her leg. She pulls away from his


    touch, crossing her feet one over the other as far from him as possible.


    "Rowan, Teagan, could you give us a minute, please?" he asks the kids.


    Arden gently nudges them. ¡°Go on.¡±


    The two make it apparent they''re not thrilled about leaving her side with a few mumbledints.


    But they still get up to do as their father asked, saying goodnight to both their parents. They head


    upstairs to the couple of bedrooms that are reserved for the nights when a walk over hot coals is more


    favorable than the drive back to Birmingham.


    Once the twins have disappeared from the room, Arden and Elliott sit in silence. They spend several


    minutes avoiding each other''s gaze.


    "Did I do something?" When her answer doesn''te right away, he questions her again. "Arden?"


    "Adybugnded on you tonight." Her statement is even-toned and measured.


    "What?" Hard lines form above his brow as he meets her eyes.


    To her, it seems that she just exined so much about his behavior in a few words. His seeming


    confusion insults her even further.


    She pulls herself upright on the sofa, sliding back against the cushions and farther from him.


    "You killed it."


    "And I''ve never killed a bug before, Arden?" He shrugs. The irritation mes in his tone. "So what?"


    It would be ludicrous for her to be upset with him because he squashed adybug. It wasn''t the act, it


    was the motivation behind it. One of the supposed good luck bugs hasnded on him before, and he''s


    simply let it fly away, or introduced it to some other surface away from his skin. This is deeper than his


    cruelty to the insect kingdom tonight.


    "You''re letting her affect you."


    "She had us both arrested." He turns and shifts one of his legs up onto the chaise with her so they''re


    facing each other. "I don''t have the right to be angry?"


    "Yes, Elliott." Her frustration with him begins to exhaust her voice, making it sound strained. "Be angry.


    But don''t lose yourself in it."


    "Melinda was the first name on your shit list this morning." He throws his hands into the air and then


    lets them thump against his legs. "I say two words about suing her crazy ass, you jump down my


    throat. Make up your mind."


    His tone and exasperated movements are signs of a growing irritation that he''s never shown in his


    interaction with her. What urred today has gotten to him on a deeper level, and is slowly edging out


    the gentle patience that made her fall for him.


    They''ve had differences of opinion on many asions, both can get rather passionate about their


    positions. But their current discourse doesn''t seem to be on the same track as those before it.


    "My issue is not with her. It''s with you¨D."


    "As usual," he interjects with a sarcastic smirk.


    Her hands curl into fists. As she takes a deep breath, she spreads her fingers and shakes them,


    resisting that same urge from earlier in the evening. If he keeps talking, she might have to pop him


    dead in his mouth.


    "Elliott." She mutters his name through gritted teeth. "I am trying to have a conversation with you. Could


    you be a little less of a smart ass?"


    He shoots from his spot and strides across the room. When hees back he tosses a pen and


    notepad onto herp. Then he stands above her with his arms crossed in front of him. She nces at


    the stationery and res up at Eli.


    "Why don''t you write down exactly who you want me to be today, and I''ll get right on that."


    She springs to her feet, knocking the pad and pen to the floor, and gets within an eysh of his face.


    The heat radiating off her is enough to ignite the entire house. He looks down at her, making the most


    of his slight height advantage over his barefoot wife.


    "I am so sick of your shit tonight," she spits at him.


    "The feeling¡¯s mutual," he retorts, matching her elevated tone.


    Before she can unleash everybination of curse words that she can fathom, someone clears their


    throat behind them.


    "You two nning on going the full twelve rounds tonight, or can I read my book in peace?" Warren


    removes the sses from the bridge of his nose and studies them.


    The volume of their discussion must have seeped through the paneled walls of his study down the


    hallway. They were so absorbed in each other, neither of them noticed him enter the room.


    Arden and Elliott look away from him like two embarrassed children and apologize for the disturbance.


    She bends to grab her heels. Eli retrieves the discarded notepad and pen, cing them back on the


    nearby console table. They mutter a goodnight to her father and take their misced anger upstairs to


    her bedroom.


    She reaches the door to the room seconds before he does, and deliberately throws the heavy b of


    wood back in his direction.


    He stops short just in time to keep his nose from a certain collision with the door. Either ignoring or


    forgetting that there are other people on this floor of the house, Eli stomps into the bedroom and ms


    the door shut behind him.


    The room is bigger than most one-bedroom apartments. But with the addition of all their vtile energy,


    it''s more cramped than a church pew on Easter Sunday.


    They stand idle on either side of the California king bed and shift their weight from foot to foot like


    prizefighters ready to prove they''re worth the pay-per-view charge on the cable bill.


    Elliott decides to break their stalemate.


    "Is your little schizophrenic episode over yet, or should I find some holy water?" he asks, smirking at


    her. A dark glimmer passes over his eyes. He''s aiming for that big red bulls-eye on the edge of herst


    nerve.


    An ideaes to her mind and she doesn''t stop to brush it aside. Instead, she reaches for one of the


    heels lying next to her feet and sends it flying sharp end first at Elliott.


    He ducks the shoe. There¡¯s genuine disappointment on her face.


    When she bends to retrieve the other, setting up to take one more crack at her target, he makes


    another observation about her sanity.


    "In the span of a few hours, you have managed to gopletely crazy. Now that is remarkable." He


    ps his hands and shakes his head in awe at her ability. "Brava."


    She remains silent and still as a statue, staring at him as she seethes with anger. Her expression is


    stoic aside from the single tear that finds its way midway down her cheek before it''s quickly wiped


    away.


    "Whoever you are . . ." She keeps her eyes trained on the floor as she speaks. "Let me know when my


    husband gets back."


    With her head lowered, she''s hoping that he can''t see her biting back the other tears of her wounded


    pride. As Arden sweeps past the man who has be a sudden stranger to her, he catches her hand.


    "Arden, wait." He throws his arms around her waist and buries his head in the curve of her neck. ¡°I¡¯m


    sorry, baby. Please.¡±


    She stops but doesn''t turn to face him. Grasping his hands, she sighs in relief that this power struggle


    is nearing its end. The outside world brings enough problems to their doorstep, they don''t need to


    waste precious energy fighting with each other.


    "Look at us." She gestures to the space around them like the tension in the room can be gathered and


    thrown out with the garbage. "We don''t do this."


    "Two serious arguments in less than twenty-four hours. For newbies, we sure took to it like


    professionals."


    His attempt to dissipate some of the heaviness of the situation gets a smallugh from her. She slowly


    turns to him, still snug in his embrace.


    He kisses her so deep it takes her breath. The tenderness of his touch erases all sensory memory of


    Casper. Amazing how he''s so easily forgotten when Eli is in top form. After an endless stream of soft


    kisses, he rests his forehead against hers.


    ¡°Forgive me?¡±


    She takes his hands in hers, skimming her thumbs across his knuckles. His eyes are ssy with


    exhaustion. She sighs and kisses his cheek, pulling him into her again. His arms wrap around her as


    she nestles her head on his shoulder.


    ¡°Of course,¡± she whispers, breath tickling his neck. ¡°Forgive me?¡±


    ¡°Nothing to forgive, my love.¡±


    The care in his words is enough to make her cry. She shuts her eyes against the guilty tears and buries


    her face into his chest. He rubs her back in gentle strokes and hugs her even closer.


    "Let¡¯s take a walk," he says suddenly.


    "You want to go for a walk?" She lifts her head and gives him a tired smile. ¡°Right now?¡±


    "I want to walk beside the water, with your hand in mine.¡± He ces his hand on her chin and tilts her


    face up towards his. ¡°And kiss my wife underneath the light of the moon."


    The mental and physical exertion of the day has sunk deeper into her bones. Her irritation with Elliott


    has subsided. Now she''s conscious of every ache and pain in her body. She''ll be lucky to get out of


    those clothes without needing assistance. Though he would be more than happy to lend a hand. And


    that would lead to something else for which she''s too tired.


    "Not really up to it right now." She squeezes his hands. "Rain check?"


    He looks a bit wounded at the rejection. But he nods and kisses her forehead. It takes her by surprise


    when he lifts her and carries her over to the bed.


    Once heys her on top of theforter, he disappears into the walk-in closet andes back with a


    white cotton nightgown.


    His hands are careful as he undresses her. When he pulls the sweater over her head and undoes her


    bra, he takes a sharp inhale. She looks up in time to catch his bothered expression.


    If her appraisal of the look in his eyes is correct, he''s taking his time removing her clothes for more


    selfish reasons than being mindful of her possible difort. Either way, she appreciates his restraint.


    Elliott manages to help her into the thin gown without letting any other urges get the better of him.


    Taking another lingering look at her, he heads for the bathroom.


    A couple of minutester, he emerges with a ss of water in one hand and something concealed in


    the other. Two white pills rest in the palm of his hand. He hands the water and pills to her, which she


    regards with suspicion.


    "What are these?" she asks.


    "Your pain meds. Figured you would need them after a day like today." He presses her to swallow the


    tablets. His action is persistent, but not demanding.


    They both know she doesn''t want to take them. But only one of them knows why. And that''s the way


    she prefers it to stay.


    Arden is in pain.


    In fact, it feels like every one of her muscles has been sent through a meat grinder twice. The constant


    dull ache, apanied by the asional sudden and sharp stabs to her nerves, is almost more than


    she can bear.


    The usual soreness from a normal workday at the bakery is nothingpared to this. However, under


    no circumstances will she begin taking those pills again.


    Her doctor, Warren, and Adam, all insist that she continue to get the prescription filled under the notion


    that it''s better to have them just in case. Elliott just hates to see her in evident agony, and any solution


    will do.


    What she can''t seem to get either of the men in her life or medical professionals to understand is that


    there will never be a just-in-case. She will suffer through it in silence with the asional coldpress


    or heating pad like she always does.


    "I''m fine."


    Much to her shock and relief, he doesn''t start another back and forth with her. He ces the pills in


    tissue andys them on the nightstand. He strips down to his birthday suit, pulls on a pair of pajama


    pants, and climbs into bed with her.


    As she tries to shut down her restless mind, Eli skims his fingers gently up and down her arm until he


    drifts off to sleep. She can feel the warmth of his soft breathing against the back of her neck, and the


    closeness of his arms around her.


    But as she lies awake, watching the hours tick past on the clock beside the bed, she''s never felt more


    alone.


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!