RIDER
For weeks, the guys at work have been giving me shit about the pictures of me circulating the internet. Seems the world now knows Alicia and I are dating, though I like to think of us as being more serious than dating. Those assholes can say whatever they want because, every night, I get to see her while they go home and fuck their hands.
Alicia and I have been spending most of the time at her house during the week since she's slightly closer to my work. On the weekends, we hole up in my townhouse. She loves the view and loves my couch. Sure, there have been a few reporters popping up here or there, who try and get some information about us, but we're pretty boring. I'm not sure what they think we do. That she has some glamorous life, travels the globe, and parties all the time with celebrities? She might travel, and have celebrities for friends, but she’s an ordinary person. She's just like them. And she loves being home and cuddling at night, watching television while I read. It's what we do. Although, she’s anything but ordinary to me.
We've fallen into a comfortable routine. At times, I worry it's not enough for her. Maybe she wants more. So I planned a trip for us to Alaska. I haven't seen Rowe in a long time. It was his idea. Rowe and Hope want to have us to their home. Things have gotten back to normal between him and me. I'm glad, too. That odd feeling in my chest about him went away completely. Now I'm just looking forward to seeing my friend. In the morning, I'll tell Alicia. She'll only have a few hours to pack, but she's so low maintenance I don't think it will take her long at all.
Somehow, and I'm not sure how, her dad found out I booked us plane tickets. He immediately called me and told me that with the way the media has been following us around, he'd feel more comfortable if we flew privately. He said he already made the arrangements, and his private jet would be waiting for us at the same time we were set to depart commercially. The man's like a detective himself. Makes me wonder what else he knows about me. Not like I'm hiding anything, but I guess when you have enough money, you can find out anything.
He did have a point, though. It makes more sense for us to fly privately. However, I have a hard time ignoring the part of me that hates not being able to provide this stuff for her. I make good money, but not enough to maintain the lifestyle she's used to. I want to earn more, to be worthy of her. Her dad said he wants to sit down and meet with me when we return. That's making me uneasy. I have no clue what he wants to discuss.
* * *
We're sitting inside the plane, and I can’t wrap my head around the fact that this is the way I'm flying. I've flown a lot throughout my life, but never in a small, private jet.
"I still can't believe you arranged all of this," Alicia says beside me.
"Well, I was going to have us fly commercial, but your dad wasn't going for it."
"That doesn't surprise me. He doesn't like me so exposed. If I'm on his plane, then he doesn't have to worry about anything."
From what she's told me, her dad has always been overprotective of her. Not that it's a bad thing, but sometimes I wonder if it's a bit too much. I can understand the plane, but the security on her house is nothing short of insane. You'd think there are national secrets in there the way it's set up. Then again, if it makes her feel comfortable and safe, I'm all for it. She does seem to relax well at my place. I like to think that has something to do with me and her knowing I can protect her.
"I hope they like me," she says softly.
I'm sitting across from her and reach over to bring her eyes to mine. "They are going to love you. You're the most amazing woman I know."
"You're only saying that because you love me."
I shake my head. "I'm saying that because it's true."
I start telling her stories about Rowe and me and some of the fun we had at work. I miss working with him. He and I got along great and could easily work side by side without any conflict. It's not always easy to find that. In my experience, there will always be people I’m going to clash with and others with whom I’ll mesh. But I definitely meshed with Rowe.
The plane touches down at a small airport in what looks like the middle of nowhere. After I gather both of our suitcases, we walk inside and there, waiting for us, is Rowe with a huge grin on his face.
His hair is short like always, and he's got a bit of scruff like he didn't have time to shave this morning. He's got on a T-shirt, which shows off part of the tattoos on his upper arms.
Stepping forward, he hugs me then introduces himself to Alicia. "Hope is home getting lunch ready. She can't wait to meet you both."
I never met Hope in person. Hell, I didn't even know he was serious about her until he up and left for Alaska to follow her. I’ve talked with her on the phone, and she makes Rowe happy, so that's what matters to me. Thinking about them being married makes me reflect on my relationship with Alicia. I could see myself marrying and spending my life with her. She's the first woman I've been serious about, and I don't want our relationship to end. Bringing her here to meet my friends is a necessary step. She's already met my dad. He loves her, of course. I mean, how could anyone not?
Rowe drives us to his place. It's a small cabin nestled in the woods. Nothing extravagant. The driveway is steep and rocky, leveling off at the top near the cabin, but his truck easily handles it. The home has a grey roof that drops down over a long porch.
"Hope was renting this place, and we fell in love with it, so I made the owners an offer they couldn't refuse. Now it's ours." He beams.
"It's very pretty," Alicia says. “And all the wilderness around you. I bet it’s peaceful.”
“It is. That’s one of the reasons we love it.”
As soon as we step outside, it's like the air is different than it was at the airport. It's crisper here, cleaner. I can understand why they like it. Rowe takes Alicia's bag out of the back of the truck, and I grab mine.
He opens the door to the cabin, and we step inside. The living room is a decent size, but it's the large, exposed beams of the ceiling that draw my attention. This place is nice.
Hope steps out of the kitchen. She's thin but not overly so. She still has curves accentuated by the jeans and black sleeveless shirt she’s wearing. The tattoos on her arms and hands are exposed. And the piercing under her eye is still there. Her jet-black hair is straight, hanging past her shoulders. It isn't me she looks at when she comes in the room, though. It's Alicia. And her gaze doesn’t leave her.
Alicia shakes her head then steps forward to meet Hope. "It's nice to meet you. You'll have to excuse me. You look like someone I once knew."
"Let's have lunch," Hope replies. I'm not sure why she's brushing Alicia off, but we all move to their eat-in kitchen.
Lunch is delicious and easy with light conversation. I don't miss the way Alicia and Hope keep looking at one another. It’s unsettling and makes me want to pull Alicia to me; to protect her from whatever is going on here.
As soon as we're done eating, Hope cleans up, and we all sit in the living room. She sits beside Rowe on a couch, across from the one Alicia and I are sitting on.
"I have something I need to say," Hope starts. My body goes rigid. This isn’t going to be good. I can feel it. Finding Alicia’s hand, I hold it in mine, waiting. Rowe takes Hope's hand as well.
"We’ve met before," she says to Alicia. "But I didn't look like this. My tattoos weren't visible. My piercing was gone. I had a beauty mark and a wig on."
"I knew it," Alicia says loudly. "It was you! You went through my things and then left without another word. How could you do that? I thought you were my friend." The hurt in Alicia's voice is evident.
Hope’s features fall, but she keeps talking. "When I was nineteen, my parents were killed in a car accident. I didn't take it well. They left me money, and I spent it. It was my way of dealing with their deaths. Well, not really dealing. I was a mess. When I turned twenty, I was broken. It was less than a year since they died, and I had no money for food. And the pain of their deaths was hitting me as if it just happened. Instead of getting a job or doing something else responsible, I stole a car and robbed a convenience store. It was a rush. More so because I wasn’t caught. That was only the beginning.
"As the years went on, I stole more and more. And every time, I felt alive again. Their deaths weren’t the punch in the chest they had been, so I kept doing it. I started stealing from people, taking checks and cashing them before fleeing."
Holy fuck. She's the one we've been looking for. The one I need to apprehend to solve the fucking cold case Rowe left in my lap, and he knew.
I focus on him. "You fucking knew!" I drop Alicia's hand and stand. "You knew she was a fucking thief, and you followed her. You fucking married her! You're a detective. How could you do such a thing?"
Rowe stays sitting, but I don't miss the way he angles his body so Hope isn't in my line of sight. "I was pissed,” he starts. “She lied to me. But what I saw was a hurt woman who was only a teenager when her entire world came crashing down around her. She had no one guiding her. No parents to tell her what she was doing was wrong. She was broken in so many ways."
"I couldn't steal from you, Alicia,” Hope cuts in. “I intended to, but then I saw the photograph of your mom and how it was the last photo you had. I knew that pain, and I couldn't cause more for you."
"You don't know about the other people you stole from," Alicia states firmly. "They could have been in the same situation. They could have lost family, and you still took from them. How could you do that?"
"I'm not going to lie and say it was all grief. It wasn't. I chased the high stealing brought. It was the only thing that made me feel alive. So I kept doing it. I regret every person I've stolen from. Every single one. I wake up screaming at night, guilt slamming into me. If not for Rowe," she drops her head to stare at their joined hands, "I'm not sure what I would have done."
"So I'm supposed to stand here and do nothing?" I ask. "Act like I didn't just find the person I need to solve the motherfucking cold case that's been annoying the shit out of me? Act like your behavior didn't hurt Alicia and make her leery of new people? For fuck's sake!"
Rowe stands. "I get it, man. I really do. But I'm asking you to spend the week here. Get to know the real Hope. See her how I do. Then, if you want to take her in, I won't stand in your way."
My eyes go wide. "You wouldn't stop me from arresting her? From putting her on a plane and taking her home with me?"
His jaw clenches. "No." I can tell this isn't easy on him. This isn't what he wants, which leads me to believe this is Hope's idea.
"When we first learned that Rider was dating you," Hope says to Alicia. "I told Rowe I wanted to come clean to you. That I needed you to know how much I've changed and how much I regret everything."
Alicia stands and walks to me, her hand threading with mine. "Can we go for a walk?"
"There's a trail off to the side of the house. Just don't go too deep into the woods," Rowe says. "There are all kinds of wildlife out there."