I woke to the bright morning sun spilling through the drawn curtains. Like the night before I had slept deep and peacefully. Not wanting to look too deeply into the fact that both nights Luka had been by my side, I shoved the thoughts down.

Dragging my arms above my head I stretched them to capacity, waking my body from the last dregs of sleep. Flashes of the night before flitted through my mind, causing my cheeks to flush with embarrassment. I had broken down in front of a stranger, and then begged him to sleep with me.

I could still feel the mark he had left, the pressure of his teeth digging into my flesh. My core flamed to life at the memory, causing me to flush deeper. Covering my face with my hands I inhaled deeply, drawing on every ounce of strength I had left in me to face him. I could do this. I turned to my side expecting to find Luka lying beside me, only to be met by an empty mattress.

The covers had been drawn up tight as though he was never there, much like the morning before. I couldn’t hide the disappointment in finding him gone. As embarrassed as I was about my actions the previous night, I longed for the comfort of his presence.  There was something about him that drew me in like a moth to a flame.

Ironically, unlike the day before, there was no delicious aroma of freshly cooked food wafting through the air. The house instead felt empty, much like the shell of my heart. Closing my eyes, I searched for any sound of life, a sign that Luka was in the house. My ears were met with stone silence.

Ambling from the bed I shuffled out of the bedroom, intent on finding him. I wanted to talk to him about the house. He said he would contact his lawyer and have the situation handled. Now that I was, in fact, homeless, I needed to square away the paperwork on the house here. I needed to know if I was indeed the true owner or if Luka was right and I was an intruder. I felt the stress of the situation like a band across my chest constricting the rise and fall of my chest.

There was no way I could handle being homeless. I couldn’t take another blow, knocking me down any lower than I already was. I didn’t think there was anywhere lower to go during my drive out here, but Devon had already proved that wrong. The surety I felt in my ownership of the house had gone out the window along with everything else I once felt true.

As expected, both the living room and kitchen were empty. There was no sign of Luka. Like the cold mattress beside me when I woke, the house held the same chill. It was a chill that was felt deep inside my bones.

Sometime before I had risen Luka had left. There was no note, no sign of him or where he had gone. It wasn’t like he was required to tell me his every move. I wasn’t his wife, hell, I wasn’t even his girlfriend. No, I was his roommate, even that was a stretch. We were two strangers shoved together in this house, both of us claiming ownership. I wasn’t sure if he had a job to go to or what his circumstances were, further reminding me that I knew next to nothing about the man.

The house was stifling. I paced the floors, wearing a track deep into the hardwood floors, not knowing what to do with myself. I was never one to just lounge around. Since as far as I could remember I had always been going and doing, my body and mind always in a state of perpetual motion.

I needed to get out of the house. I needed to be doing something, anything. While I had been sleeping, Luka had taken care of my bags. They no longer sat by the door in the foyer, instead the items had been brought to the bedroom and unpacked. All of my clothes hung neatly in the closet beside Luka’s. My products lined the counter along with his.

To an outsider looking in it looked as though they belonged there, co-existing together. I had no idea how he had found the time to do it all, much less without waking me, but somehow he had.  I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, afraid of what the future might hold. A part of me delighted in seeing our things together while a small voice in the back of my mind screamed out a warning, reminding me that I knew nothing about this man. Thoughts of Bob Davidson flashed through my mind, sending a chill down my spine.

 

-

 

 

I didn’t know the condition of Luka’s state of affairs, but mine was rather bleak. I was homeless and if the messages on my phone were to be believed, I was also jobless. 

Sam had blown up my phone with text messages. Messages I had finally sat down to read. Shame ate at my heart for making her worry. It was never my intention. I only wanted to save her. Save her from being dragged into this cluster fuck of a mess I had landed myself in. 

From what I gathered from Sam's text, Bob had gone down to the office and told Director Shields what I had done. He told her about Emily leaving and me helping her to get away.  What he didn’t tell her was that fact that he had nearly beat her to a bloody pulp but helping her wasn't why I was fired. I was fired for not using the proper channels. 

Everyone at the office knew about Bob, they knew he was a time bomb with a short fuse. They knew every detail of the abuse he had put his wife through. But that didn't matter. What mattered was that I took the situation into my own hands. That coupled with the fact that I had effectively missed a full week of work with the three-day no-call no-show in place. I was considered a quit. They wouldn't fire me, allowing me to claim unemployment. No, they gave me the rope to hang myself with. 

I wanted to call Sam. I wanted to tell her everything. But I knew she wouldn't be able to stay out of it. I knew that once she found out what happened she would jump in to defend me, taking on Bob herself. 

I couldn't let that happen. I needed to hold it in, just a little longer. I needed to take care of this myself, though I had no idea how. 

My stomach churned at the thought of calling Devon for an update. He had said both he and Emily were in giving statements the other day. Why the police needed his statement I'll never know and in truth, I just didn't care as long as the situation was handled. 

Unable to do anything but sit and wait, I shot off a message to Sam letting her know I was okay and that I missed her. 

Almost immediately Sam replied, sending me a slew of questions. I knew she didn't understand what was going on. 

 

Sam: Where are you? Can I come see you? I miss your face. 

 

Me: I needed a break. Things didn't go so well between me and Devon. 

 

Sam: Was it because of the Emily thing? Bob said he found her car in front of your house. 

 

Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply gathering the strength I would need to get through this. Thoughts of Emily and Devon in bed together made my blood boil. 

 

Me: Something like that. 

 

It was the closest to the truth I could manage to answer.

 

Sam: You'll find someone amazing, someone who will knock your socks off. Don't let the Devon Erickson’s of the world break you down. 

 

Me: I'm over Devon, no worries there. I just needed an escape. 

 

Sam: If you're over Devon then come home. I miss you. 

 

I could feel the tears burning behind my lids. If only it were that easy. 

 

Me: My house burnt to the ground. Remember? 

 

Sam: I know babes and I'm so sorry about that. I know it hurts. Just know I'm always here for you and you know you are always welcome to move in with me. 

 

I smiled through the tears that leaked down my face. 

 

Me: I love you babes. I'll be home soon enough. 

 

Unable to stand being cooped up any longer, I slid my shoes on and stepped out of the house. The bright Nevada sunshine was nearly blinding as it reflected off the sandy desert. Digging around in my car I pulled out my ball cap and sunglasses. The two combined shielded enough of the sun away to allow me to take in the breathtaking beauty that surrounded me.