Wrong (7 page)

“That means he’s told you just the right amount to make you see it his way.

Elijah’s good at making people see things his way.”

“That’s because I’m honest. People can trust what I say.”

“So tell me, then,” his father said, looking at him again. “Honestly, Elijah. Are you planning on hurting Jake?”

Elijah licked his lips and slowly scratched his chin. “Right now I’m only planning on spending some nice alone time with my girl. And you’re sort of ruining that.”

Gabe stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets. “Nice place. Haven’t been here in a long time, have I?”

“You never asked to come.”

“And you never invited me.”

“Oh, well.” Elijah shrugged again.

Caelyn didn’t know what to do. She stood in between them, wondering what this was all about. Her hands were twisting against each other as she tried to think of something to say, some way to ease the tension. But this obviously went way back, and she didn’t know their history.

His father smirked. “You know, I doubt you could have afforded this place, and the fancy TV and all that good stuff, unless you’d been working with Jake.”

“And by extension, you,” Elijah replied.

“That’s right. You work for me, son.” Gabe turned to face him again, and Caelyn could see that his expression had gotten very intense.

Frightening.

“I don’t think I do,” Elijah said, his arms still folded, but his shoulders tight, his neck stiff. “I think that ended when Jake set me up.”

“He did what he thought he needed to do for your own good.”

“So you agree with what he did?” Elijah said.

“I didn’t say I agreed with it, only that he thought he was helping you.”

Elijah barked a humorless laugh. “Jake thought he was trapping me. But it didn’t work out, because he fucked it up—as usual.”

Gabe stepped closer toward his son. “You might think you’re a real tough guy because you made a few bucks, did a little time, and this girl here believes you’re king shit.”

Elijah laughed louder. “Okay, that’s it.”

“Yeah,” Gabe said, moving closer still. His presence had transformed from a goofy looking hillbilly to something more like a dangerous predator. “You might think you’re hard, boy, but you don’t know what hard is.”

Elijah gave him a sidelong glance, seemingly bored, unmoving. But his jaw twitched with barely restrained rage. “And you’re going to show me what hard is?”

“I don’t want to, but if you force my hand—“

“Well don’t let me stop you. Do what you came here to do.” Elijah still looked relaxed, leaning against the wall with his arms folded. But Caelyn sensed that he was ready to act, as was his father.

“I came here to try and talk some sense to you. Don’t let this thing—this misunderstanding—get out of control. Do what’s right and sit down with Jake, work it out.”

“I’m not sitting down with him.”

“I’m warning you, Elijah,” Gabe said. “If you try and retaliate, there’ll be hell to pay with me. And you know I don’t make idle threats, boy.”

“I heard you already.”

For a brief second, Caelyn was certain something awful was going to happen. His dad was going to pull a gun, a knife, or maybe just throw a punch.

But just when it seemed inevitable that the situation would explode into violence, Gabe’s shoulders lowered and he sighed, looking defeated. He turned to Caelyn. “I know we don’t know each other, which is a shame. But maybe you could talk sense to him. He obviously cares for you—“

“Leave her out of it,” Elijah said.

Gabe’s eyes met hers and lingered, and Caelyn nodded once. “I’ll talk to him.”

“Thank you.” Then he turned on his heel, and left without looking back. The door slammed behind him as he went.

Elijah quickly locked it again, and then he breathed a relieved sigh.

“What was that?” Caelyn asked. “That was really your Dad?”

“Yeah, that’s Dad all right. Kind of weird, huh?” Elijah smiled at her, a bit sadly.

“I told you I didn’t have a normal childhood, Caelyn.”

“Yes, but that’s something else completely. You work for him? He’s a…you know…he’s a criminal too?”

Elijah ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t like talking about it, or even thinking about it, really. But Dad’s the one who got us into the life, taught us the ropes, and he’s a big part of why I thought I had to leave the state to get out from under it all.”

“I understand a lot more now,” Caelyn said. “And you think he knew what your brother was planning to do?”

“In all honesty, Dad probably was the one who came up with the idea and told Jake to carry it out. Jake’s always been his little pet, the one who thinks Dad can do no wrong. Jake always worshipped him, always wanted to make him proud. I guess he finally got his wish.”

Caelyn was totally shocked at the relationship that she’d seen between Elijah and his father. They were more like friends, or maybe enemies, competing on some primal level that just didn’t seem right. No father she’d ever seen, acted and talked that way to his son.

“But what about those threats he made at the end?” Caelyn said. “Would he hurt ever you?”

Elijah’s expression grew hard, and the vein in his forehead started pulsing. “If he does try to hurt me, he’ll get a nasty surprise at what comes back at him.”

She reached out and touched his forearm softly. “Please don’t get into trouble again, Elijah. You’re on parole, you can’t afford to have any more problems like that.”

Elijah’s body relaxed as he watched her. “It’s amazing, but I’ve known you for less time than just about anyone else in my life. And yet you care more about me than all the rest put together.”

She smiled, her body warming as he reached out and took her by the arm, gently bringing her against his rock hard body. And then he pulled her in for a long, slow burning kiss.

His lips were like fire, and as she closed her eyes, she had a vision of beach being burned by the sun. A white beach, of powdered sand, and the yellow sun high in the sky was throwing fire down on everything around it. The sea was bright blue, like a gem, sparkling beneath it.

“Yes,” she whispered, as Elijah stopped kissing her momentarily.

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, you’re right. I do care that much.” She opened her eyes and gazed into Elijah’s eyes.

His hands moved slowly down to her hips as his lopsided grin returned. “I don’t know. Maybe this is all just a scam because you’re interested in my connections.”

“Connections?”

“Yeah, I’m a real big player around these parts. I mean, if you want to eat at the best table at Johnny’s Road House or you want to know where to get a stolen iPhone 5, I’m your man. And you know if you get close to me, that’s all going to be yours for the taking.”

Caelyn laughed. “You figured it out, Elijah. I’m after your connections.”

“But it’s okay,” he said, running a hand up behind her back, to her neck, and then pushing his fingers into her hair and pulling he toward him again. “I won’t judge you for it, if you don’t judge me.”

“I’d never judge you.” Her smile faded. “I
don’t
judge you.”

“I know.” He kissed her, and this time it was soft, but then slowly it got stronger and stronger. Before Caelyn knew it, he was taking her by the hand and slowly leading her to the bedroom.

He kissed her for a long time, his lips lingering, seeming to take her in, drinking her in.

And then they were undressing each other.

She couldn’t stop putting her hands on him, she was completely and totally in awe of his incredible body.

Cool skin, cast in shadow, with just enough light filtering in from the window to see Elijah’s muscles working as he climbed on top of her.

And then everything was dark, light, shadow, and she was closing her eyes again.

Behind her eyes, the sun was burning ever hotter. It was scorching, the heat setting fire to the sand, and she was crying out, because it felt amazing, as the water exploded against the beach, the waves tossing and breaking on the shore.

***

Elijah was laughing a little bit as he watched Caelyn pack up her backpack with books for school the next day.

“What’s so funny?” she asked, as she stuffed the last textbook inside the pack, zipped it up and threw it over her shoulder.

“I’ve just never seen you getting ready for school before. It’s weird,” Elijah replied. He was eating some roasted peanuts, tossing them into his mouth one at a time, and chewing.

“You seem…happy or something,” Caelyn told him. “Now
that’s
weird.”

He winked at her. “I got reason to be, kid.”

“Stop calling me kid, Elijah.”

“Come on,” he said, “we need to get you to class on time before your professor freaks out.”

“Yeah,” Caelyn said, glancing at the time on her phone. “And actually, I need to get there a little early because I need to buy a new book for my psych class.”

“Okay, well I’m not stopping you. I’m waiting.”

“And I’m ready to go.” Caelyn brushed past him but he grabbed her backpack and pulled her towards him.

“Hey!” she cried. “Let go!”

“No,” he said, “not until I get a kiss.”

She pretended to fight, but she wasn’t fighting very hard. The truth was, she wanted Elijah’s hands and lips on her constantly. Especially now, when she wouldn’t be seeing him until later in the day.

He teased her for a moment, his eyes mischievous as he leaned in to kiss her, then backed off, then leaned in again. Finally he did it, and the heat that his lips generated all throughout her body was enough to get her sweating.

But before Caelyn knew it, the kiss was over and they were quickly heading out of the apartment and down the stairs of the building.

The car ride over was mostly uneventful. As they crossed the bridge over into Cambridge, she looked at him for awhile.

The sun was glinting off his sunglasses as he drove, and he looked like someone straight out of a movie poster. “What?” he said, glancing at her.

“Nothing, just checking you out.”

“Checking me out? What am I, just a piece of meat to you?” he laughed.

“So,” she said, watching him still, “what are you going to do after you drop me at school?”

His smile faded a little, and his jaw flexed. “I don’t know. Probably nothing much.”

“Elijah, don’t lie to me. I know you’re going to do something.”

He looked at her again. “Don’t ask me stuff like that, Caelyn. I don’t think you want to hear the answer.”

“But I do. Especially if it’s something that could get you sent to jail—or worse.”

“What’s worse than prison?”

“You know what’s worse.” She had that pit in her stomach again. It was like a recurring nightmare, this sense that Elijah was determined to continue his life of crime until something irreversible happened.

Elijah sighed. “I got a message from Dad. He’s trying to get me to have a sit down with Jake today.”

“Are you going to do it?”

“I haven’t decided yet. Do you think I should?”

She considered it. The truth was, she didn’t like either option. If he made up with his brother, in all likelihood he’d go back to doing the criminal activity his brother was still involved in. But if he kept the feud going, then it was pretty clear that something bad was going to happen between Elijah and his brother.

“I don’t think anything I say could help you.”

“But you have an opinion?”

“I think you should stay away from anything or anyone that could get your hurt, killed, or thrown in jail. That’s my honest opinion.”

Elijah grinned. “So basically, stay away from everyone I knew before you came along.”

She smiled back at him. “If that’s what it takes, then yes.”

They finally pulled up to the curb near to campus and she got out, but not before giving him another kiss.

Even as he drove off, she felt his lips on hers, like an imprint in sand, slowly fading as the tide washed it away.

Caelyn was happy. Sure, everything was still completely bizarre and screwed up, and Elijah hadn’t made a decision yet to give up his old ways, but she was with him. In the end, she wanted to be with Elijah more than just about anything else.

And she truly believed, she had faith, that someday soon he was going to make things right. He was going to walk away from his old lifestyle for good and never look back.

She walked to the campus bookstore and had to wait a few minutes while they checked in the stockroom to see if there were any copies of the book she needed.

The store clerk came back with the book in hand. “Last copy,” he said, smiling at her.

“I guess my luck’s finally turned around,” she said.

He raised his eyebrows. “I don’t believe in luck,” he said.

“You don’t believe in good omens?” Caelyn said.

He shook his head as he rang it up at the register. “Superstition is for the weak minded.”

“Geez, thanks,” she laughed, not really bothered by his opinion. There were a lot of people like him at Cambridge University.

“Cash or credit?”

“Oh, I’m putting it on my student account.” She took out her ID and handed it to him and he swiped it through.

After waiting a moment, he handed it back to her. “Sorry, it says insufficient funds.”

“Oh,” Caelyn said, her brow furrowing. “Could you please try it again? That’s a mistake. I happen to know I have a lot left in my account.”

He gave Caelyn a quick look as another person got in line behind her.

“It already said insufficient funds.”

“Please. Could you try again? It’s a mistake.”

Reluctantly he swiped the card again and waited. Then he handed it back once more, shaking his head. “Told you, it’s not working. Would you like to use another card or cash?”

“No,” she said, gritting her teeth. “Can you hold it for me?”

He put the book behind the counter. “Only until the end of day,” he said.

“Great,” she sighed. “I’ll be back.”

He nodded disinterestedly. “So much for luck, I guess,” he muttered, as she walked out the door headed towards the Bursars office to figure out what the issue was with her card.

She’d just used it for the meal plan the other day without a problem, so it must have been a mistake on their end, or maybe she needed a replacement card. Maybe the strip had gotten worn out or something.