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“Why are you like this?” I asked through hiccups, lifting my head off his shoulder to look into his eyes. Water was pelting down against mine, but I ignored it, I ignored the sting from the water hitting my eyes, because looking into his felt like home. Nate felt more like home to me than this damn house did. I knew right then and there that I would be okay in life. I’d make it. As long as he and I were always on good terms. I could never lose Nate and survive it.
He paused, seeming to ponder over how he should reply. “I’m not like this with… everyone.”
“Just me?” I asked, even though I knew the answer. Everyone sort of knew the answer to that question. Nate was… picky about who he allowed into his life. It was all part of the charm. In saying that, all of the Kings were like that, and I was beginning to think it had something to do with their heritage.
“And…” I knew that he was about to say Tillie, but I offered him a small smile instead, so he didn’t have to say her name out loud. I knew he loved me. He once said he was in love with me, and I’m unsure if he still felt that way, but I knew without a shadow of a doubt that if it ever came down to it, it would always be Tillie. They had something, shared something, something that I recognized, only because I was the exact same with Bishop. When Tillie disappeared, it pained him. So agonizingly so that he never spoke of it. We shared that common bond, in a way.
“I know,” I broke off in a whisper, patting his big bicep. “and you can let me down now.” He complied, slowly placing me on my feet. I stepped under the water as soon as I was grounded, grabbing the soap and squeezing some into my hand. “Take these off.” I pinched at the elastic band of his basketball shorts, but his hand flew out to stop me. My eyes snapped to his and a chill shuddered over my spine. His eyes darkened, but remained weak and lazy, yet totally on fire, and that’s when I realized we needed to draw the line—again.
“Sorry,” I muttered, turning and rinsing out my hair, my back now facing him.
“You know how much I want you, Madison, but it’s never going to happen. It’s best we don’t tease each other with what-ifs.”
“I know,” I whispered my answer, turning back around and twisting my long hair in one big knot. I reached for his cheek and then gently pressed my lips to his. It was supposed to be the kind of kiss you give your first love before saying goodbye, harmless, tentative, warm, soft, comfortable, familiar, hot, sensual, sexual… oh oh…
I jerked back to search his eyes, my body slightly caught up in the moment.
He groaned painfully, his hand clutching his crotch. “Get out, Kitty, before I fuck you so hard, you’ll be calling me Bishop.” That was effective, it was like an ice bucket getting doused over my head. I stepped out of the shower, wrapping my silk robe around myself and then brushing my teeth. My slightly bloodied clothes caught my attention just as I was reaching for the door handle. “What will happen to the body?”
The shower cut off and then Nate strutted out, in all his naked glory out of the corner of my eye. He followed my line of sight, down to the clothes, and his eyes connected with mine again. “That will get handled, as will those. I’ll bag ‘em, you’ll never have to look at that shit again.” His tone was light as if he was talking about football, or who he had slept with the last weekend.
“You speak like you do it every night.”
“I do it enough,” was all he said. I pulled open my side of the bathroom, heading straight for my bed. Yanking back the sheets and cover, I slipped into the cool, clean sheets. Inhaling through the smell of fresh lemon and lavender, I turned to face my patio door and kept my eyes glued on the stars that speckled through the dark sphere. I had witnessed too many things tonight. Things that I could not explain, and things I’m not entirely sure that I wanted to explain, but I couldn’t hide or run from the fact that it was all there, in front of me. As bright as the glittering stars in the sky.
I helped kill someone tonight, and although my soul may be too far gone to save now, tomorrow was a new day, and I wouldn’t shed another tear about this night again.
“Bishop…” Dad started, just as I watched Madison and Joseph drive off with Nate. I tried to ignore him, like usual, but it never worked, like usual.