Chapter 17 #2
Possessive and irrational.
Somewhere in the corner of my mind, I knew Garrett—a married man—wouldn’t have watched Lore’s security feed from her bedroom if she was about to…
I shoved that thought aside and unclenched my jaw.
Lore sat on the side of the bed, reached into her nightstand…
and once again my molars clamped tight. She pulled a phone out and stared at it.
The angle was such that I could see the screen—it was black.
Her shoulders heaved and she touched the screen.
Once she entered the password, she quickly navigated to her recent calls.
The King.
Three missed calls.
Nothing else in or out.
She went to the voicemail icon and played the first message.
Hey, it’s Cash. I need to apologize for being a dick. Call me when you can.
She backed out of that message and went to the next.
Hey, it’s Cash again. It’s been a week. I was an out of line motherfucker. I get you’re pissed and you should be but please call me, Lore. I need to tell you how sorry I am.
She backed out of that one but hesitated before she went to the last voicemail.
Hey, it’s me. It’s been two weeks, Lore. I get you’re rightfully pissed. But at least send a text. I need to know you’re okay.
She backed out of the message. Powered down the phone, brought it up and tapped the device against her forehead.
“Weak,” Lore drawled. “So fucking weak. You need to forget him, Stella.”
Stella.
So when she was being what she thought of as weak, she was Stella. When she was in badass, operator mode she was Lore.
It was interesting we had similar inferences—only I thought of her as Stella when she let her guard down and allowed herself to feel. But Lore would see that as a weakness instead of a strength like I did.
I glanced at the timestamp on the video—approximately three weeks after she’d left.
I opened the next file.
Stella and Cara in a pristine little girl’s room. The two of them snuggled together on the bed. I felt my chest compress at the sight of them.
“One more, please,” Cara begged with pleading eyes.
My eyes roamed Stella’s face she looked… at peace.
A faint smile ghosted her lips. “Have I told you the story of the King, the Dove, and the Snake?”
“A snake?” Cara gasped and her little nose wrinkled. “I don’t like snakes.”
“Neither do I.” Stella said with a broad smile that made me involuntarily grin in return. “But this snake is magic. He’s mean and fierce. The deadliest snake of all the land. Everyone is scared of him. When he comes out of hiding people run in fear.”
“That doesn’t sound like magic,” Cara complained.
“No, that part’s not. The snake only shows his magic to his friends, his most trusted warriors. Deep down the snake is kind. He protects little girls and boys. He protects everything that’s good and right in the world.”
Cara tipped her head back on Stella’s shoulder and looked up at her. “Maybe the snake isn’t so bad.”
“He’s a magician. He can turn your fear into power.”
“Wow. What about the Dove?”
“The Dove is strong and beautiful. She flies the world spreading her love. She helps the Snake keep everyone safe.”
“I like the Dove,” Cara whispered. “And the King, what does he do?”
“The King…” Stella faltered. When she started again her tone was full of sadness. “The King is strong and mighty. The most handsome man throughout all the lands. He’s brave but also a thief.”
“A thief? Like he steals things? That’s not brave,” Cara rightly objected.
And I was no longer enjoying Stella’s bedtime story.
“A thief,” Stella confirmed. “He stole something from a neighboring Queen.”
“What did he steal?” Cara asked, sounding affronted that a king would steal from a queen.
“Her heart. But the King doesn’t know. You see, the Queen rules her own kingdom. She’s powerful in her own right. She can’t show her people she’s fallen in love. So, she hides from the King.”
I sucked in a breath feeling like I’d been kicked in the solar plexus.
“That’s silly, she should tell the King she loves him.”
“The Queen is too afraid. She’s been in battle—she’s saved her people from dragons and witches and never showed a hint of fear.”
Cara frowned. “But she’s scared to tell the King, she loves him?”
“Sometimes giving your heart to someone is the scariest thing of all.”
Fucking hell.
“But if the King is strong and brave, the Queen shouldn’t be afraid of him. He’ll protect her.
Out of the mouth of babes.
Before Stella could come up with a rebuttal, Cara asked, “Is the King and the Snake friends?”
“Yes. They’re best of friends.”
Cara yawned and in a sleepy voice inquired, “So the Snake would help the King. Use his magic on the Queen. So she won’t be afraid.”
Smart girl.
“Maybe. We’ll have to wait and see how the story goes.”
“I hope they get a happily ever after like Cinderella and her Prince.”
“I hope so, too, Care Bear. Time to sleep now.”
“Okay, Lolo. Will you stay?”
Stella bent her neck and kissed the top of Cara’s head. “Of course.”
The video ended.
I closed it and opened the next one.
It was short and the date stamp showed it was the same night.
Stella in her bed. Lying on her side. Hands over her face. Her body rocking in silent sobs.
I closed my eyes to block out the sight. I should’ve been there. If she would’ve just answered one of my calls, I would’ve been there.
The next video was like the last. Stella and Cara in Cara’s bed.
Stella reading Cara a book. When she finished, Cara asked for more of the King, the Dove, and the Snake.
This story was about the King battling a dragon with the Queen.
When they’d conquered the dragons saving the kingdom, Cara yawned and once again Stella sat with her until she was asleep.
The next was of Stella sitting on the edge of her bed, phone in hand, staring at it.
“Don’t call him,” she whispered to herself. “He doesn’t want you. He doesn’t even like you.”
She tossed the phone back into the drawer and slammed it shut.
I continued watching videos of Stella putting Cara to sleep then going into her room and fighting her urge to turn the phone on.
Some nights she’d given in and listened to the messages.
After that, she either curled up and cried or other nights she scowled at the ceiling.
I also didn’t miss how she’d checked the phone more frequently the month I’d been overseas for work and couldn’t call her—those nights she’d pace, staring at the phone before she threw it in the drawer with more force than necessary.
What she never did, was fucking call me.
I pulled up the last video, dated two months ago.
Stella was in bed, staring at the ceiling. Then suddenly she rolled to her side and jerked the nightstand drawer open and snatched out the phone.
She listened to the messages. But there was something different about the way she was looking at the phone while she was waiting to move to the next voicemail. Almost like she was pissed.
Yeah, baby girl, that makes two of us.
Until she got to the last message I’d left her. She pulled the covers up to her chin, hit the play and closed her eyes.
I know I deserve your silence. I was a total asshole.
I said shit I didn’t mean. There’s no excuse but there is an explanation and I know it doesn’t mean shit to you, and it shouldn’t but I’m sorry, Stella.
So fucking sorry. I can’t say I regretted them the moment I said them, because I wasn’t thinking about you, all I was thinking about was me and the pain that had taken hold.
Then I heard you talking to Zane and I couldn’t get my feet to move.
It was a bullshit coward move. I should’ve stopped you before you left.
I should’ve done a lot of shit differently, but I didn’t and all of that is on me.
I know you don’t care and it doesn’t mean anything to you, but I need you to know the last thing I think you are is cold-hearted.
You are who you are, and you’re brave enough to be honest about it.
Don’t ever let anyone tell you you’re not perfect exactly the way you are, especially a dick like me.
The last thing I needed you to know is the night we connected meant something to me, baby girl.
I might’ve turned everything to shit the next morning, and you hate me and want to forget everything we shared, but I can’t.
I hope wherever you are, you’re safe and happy and doing all the Lore things.
If you ever need me, I’m there, no questions asked. Take care.
When the voicemail ended, silent tears streaked her cheeks. She powered down the phone, tossed it on the nightstand, tucked her knees up to her chest, and her sobs became audible.
I don’t know when she did it, but when I broke down a few weeks later and called, the number was disconnected.
Stubborn fucking woman.
A thief.
She’d called me a fucking thief.
I pushed the chair back and stared at the video icons.
Sometimes giving your heart to someone is the scariest thing of all.
“If you think that’s scary, baby girl, you need to brace. The King’s coming for your fucking soul,” I growled and stalked out of the room.
It was time to end this madness.
The King was claiming his Queen.