HIM
“Another double, please,” I motion to the bartender.
“Maybe it’s time to go home, Mr. Ashley.”
I say nothing. In a battle of wills, my driver will let me win every time.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Henry nod to the bartender, who reaches for the bottle and tips it into my glass.
The burn down my throat when I tip my head back to swallow my drink whole is nowhere near harsh enough.
I want it to sear like a hot poker has stabbed me in my gullet.
Something, anything to distract me from that image looping in the back of my head.
A girl in a hoodie, with no other clothing to hide what’s lurking in those shadows between her legs.
“Another one,” I growl, beckoning the bartender over with a flick of my wrist.
“I really think you’ve had enough now, Mr. Ashley.”
“Go get the car. I’ll meet you outside.”
“But...”
“Or would you rather I stay here all night?”
“But.”
“Go.”
“Yes, sir.”
“One more,” I say to the bartender. “You heard me. One more and I’ll go.” He doesn’t move.
“I said, ONE MORE!” I slam the glass down onto the bar and it shatters. Blood drips instantly from the cuts on my fingers and I shake my hand to get rid of the glass fragments.
“Mr. Ashley!” Henry exclaims, running back to my side, grabbing a handful of napkins to wrap my hand in.
“I can do it. Just go get the car.” I take the napkins from him and press them against my hand, pushing myself away from the bar.
“Well, well. What the fuck happened here?” I hear a familiar voice speak up, and the hairs on the back of neck prickle.
“Go, Henry,” I say, low and calm to my driver when I hear a rumbling in his chest. Glad to know the sight of my uncle isn’t only disturbing to me.
Henry slowly exhales and pushes past Jacob, his shoulder making contact, knocking the older man slightly off balance.
“What a thug,” my uncle scoffs in Henry’s direction before turning back to me. “Is that the kind of company you’ve been keeping, Kaine? Thugs. Or just saving damsels in distress from them? Or maybe they’re not damsels... so much as gold-diggers?”
As much as I’ve had to drink, it takes the sight of my adopted uncle to make the contents of my stomach churn. But that’s not new. It surprises me, though, that he’s picked up that the mystery man with the hoodie in the news is me. His slur on Jade is vicious and unnecessary and if my hand wasn’t already injured, I might just be inclined to use it to break his face.
“What do you want, Jacob?”
“Nothing, little K,” he says, the corner of his mouth curling into a sneer. “I was just walking past this here quaint neighborhood bar. And saw you nursing a drink and thought you might like to shout your dear ol’ uncle a drink, for good old times’ sake.”
“What good old times?”
“Aw, don’t be like that. I’m sure my brother wouldn’t like it. I’m sure he’d want us to be looking out for each other. Just like he looked out for us. Wait, no, that’s not right. It wasn’t us he looked out for, it was just you, wasn’t it?”
“Go away, Jacob, we have nothing to say to each other.” I drop two 100 dollar bills on the counter, avoiding the broken glass. The bartender takes one and puts it in the till, putting the other, his tip, into his pocket before grabbing a rag to clean my mess.
“Hey, hey, where are you going?” Jacob blocks me, as I try to make my way towards the door.
“Get away from me, Jacob,” I growl, pulling the hoodie tighter around my face, as I notice a crowd starting to eye us, curious about the scene that’s inevitably coming.
“You think you’re so good, don’t you?” he spits at me, his voice ugly, his face pinched with bitterness and resentment. “Sitting up there in your skyscraper and penthouse. Well, don’t get too used to it. All of it was supposed to be mine. And it will be again one day.”
“It was never yours and it never will be. I won’t let it. If it’s the last thing I do, to honor ....’s memory. It’s time you finally understand that and move on with your life. Instead of trying to steal mine.” I push past him and out the door. There’s the sound of tires burning on the asphalt and coming to a sudden stop.
I step out onto the road, open the car door and climb inside.
“Where now, sir?” Henry asks
I’m too drunk to stop myself.
“Home, Henry. Take me home.”
***
It’s pitch black in the apartment when I step off the elevator. It takes a while for my eyes to adjust.
The blinds are open and there’s almost no way to tell where the building ends and the sky starts. As if I just kept walking, I’d soon by strolling over the clouds hanging over Manhattan.
I drop my keys and phone on the kitchen bench and the clatter they make echoes loudly in the otherwise silent apartment.
I wander past the dining room. The table is set, two places. One wine glass is still untouched, the other carries a burgundy taint, and the mark of lips around its rim.
I look past the dining room table and into the living area. There’s a blanket hung over the back of the couch. But nothing else.
Where is she?
Something catches in my throat at the thought that maybe she couldn’t carry through with her threat of waiting and she’s left. Gone home. Out of my life. My fingers run along the kitchen marble bench, trying to connect with the image of her touching the very same spot just a few hours ago.
I should’ve come home earlier. I’m a dickhead.
A soft murmur startles me and I realize it’s coming from the bedroom.
The moonlight streaming through the windows illuminates a path through my home.
There’s the soft sound again.
A moan. No, a whimper? No, more like a restless murmur.
I come to my bedroom and there she is.
Curled up on my bed, her form covered by the sheet, weaving and dipping, up and down every one of her curves. I tip toe closer to her, taking note of the gentle rise and fall of her chest.
She is beautiful.
It’s a single thought. Clear and true in my mind.
Her hair is strewn all over my pillow. It’s like a mane of cocoa and copper, brown and red tinged strands cascading down her back.
Her cheek looks like it’s made of porcelain, and in my uninhibited state, I can’t help myself. I reach out to touch her. The side of my finger caressing the sweet, plump curve of her soft cheek.
Her eyes suddenly fly open.
And she screams.