Chapter Five
Emerson
“Do you need help?” Starr asked.
We’d arrived at my place, and I carefully unclipped the seat belt and opened the door. I concentrated on getting my feet on the ground and making it up the path and into my house. I’d done it a hundred times. I could do it once more. But man, my door looked a million miles away.
“No, I’m fine, thanks.”
But for some reason, the sidewalk rushed up to meet my face. Head spinning, I lay there, dimly hearing Starr yelling. Next thing I knew, I was in his arms and he lifted me up, holding me against his chest.
“Are you all right?”
Blinking to reorient myself, I tipped my head back. “Yeah. I must’ve tripped on the curb. I’m fine.” I pushed him away, and we stood about a foot apart. I swayed, and by sheer willpower alone remained upright.
Wary blue eyes watched me, and I recalled the first time Dominic Starr and I had stood a few feet apart, locked in a staring contest.
The locker room was empty when I entered, aside from someone in the shower.
With no one else there to make fun of my scrawny chest, I stripped off my shirt and walked into the bathroom.
I stopped and stared. Dominic Starr was under the water, a hand on his dick, rubbing one out.
Our showers didn’t have curtains, and I didn’t know why I didn’t leave him to it, but I was caught in quicksand and couldn’t move my feet.
Other guys jerked off in the shower, but none of them made my stomach churn with anxiety and something unnamed that beat low and hot in my belly.
My breath caught, and my heart pounded. Dominic’s hand moved faster and faster, and his cock grew thicker and larger.
I’d never seen one so…big. He groaned, and his hips thrust fast and hard.
Then Dominic opened his eyes and saw me.
Instead of telling me to fuck off and get out, he finished off, coming in huge creamy spurts all over his abs and hand.
I rushed out, pulled my shirt on, and ran from the locker room.
That had been the beginning. Somehow, every time we’d had track or basketball in gym class, Dominic had managed to be the last one in the showers, and I would always be standing there, the two of us locked in a staring contest as he jerked off.
“I’ll walk up with you,” he offered, startling me out of my reverie.
My cumbersome tongue made it impossible to talk, so I didn’t answer, walking past him, hoping to God I remained steady on my feet. I reached my front door, and dammit, my hand trembled so bad, I couldn’t get the key in the lock. Starr plucked it from my fingers and opened it.
“I think I’d better come inside and make sure you’re okay.”
Fuck me. I wouldn’t be okay if he came into my house, but again, I couldn’t formulate the words.
He took my muteness as a sign of acceptance.
Dominic followed me and stood still, watching as I took off my jacket and tossed it onto the couch.
Tension wove around us, pulling the knots tighter and tighter.
“Starr?” I licked my dry lips. “What’s going on?”
A dark flush rose on his cheekbones, and his eyes glittered. “What’re you talking about, going on? I brought you home because you’re drunk.”
My ire rose. “I’m not drunk. I might’ve had too much to drink to be safe to drive, but I’m fine.”
“You’re far from fine, Emmy. You fell on your face getting out of the car.”
That sardonic tone triggered old, ugly memories. I clenched my hands into fists. “I said I tripped. And stop calling me that name. We’re not in high school anymore.”
“Yeah. I know.”
A ripple of something unfamiliar shook me, and Dominic took a step closer. He skimmed gentle fingers across my cheek. “You have a scrape here. Better wash it off so it doesn’t get infected.”
“What’re you doing?” I barely recognized my voice.
“I’m taking you to bed.”
Blood rushed to my dick, and my head swam. “The fuck you talking about, Starr? Let me go.”
“Come with me.”
I wanted to stay where I was but damn my traitorous body, I followed him to my room. He put both hands on my shoulders, and in my weakened state, I couldn’t fight him. He easily pushed me to sit. He remained standing, and I gazed up at him, my face level with his crotch.
His arms folded, Dominic stood solid and unmoving as a marble statue and just as cold.
I wondered if he remembered those days of me watching him.
My first wet dreams weren’t of Mindy Callahan in her tight tank top or Emily Ortiz in a short skirt, picking up her Trapper Keeper from the hallway floor.
It was Dominic Starr, thick, hairy thighs planted wide, working his big cock as he looked directly into my eyes.
A secret I’d hidden for a decade. And here he was in my bedroom. To my horror, my dick twitched.
Don’t be ridiculous. He feels sorry for you. Remember—you can’t stand his guts. Tomorrow he’ll hold it over your head. Drunk or not, he’d probably punch you in the face if you brought up the past.
“I’m fine. You can go.” My snappishness made me sound ungrateful, but it was better than the thoughts swirling in my muddled brain.
He nodded. “G’night.”
He turned, and unable to help myself, I called out, “Dominic?” Without turning around, he stopped and waited. “Thanks.”
He raised a hand in acknowledgment and left. With a gusty sigh, I stretched out and closed my eyes.
**
The following morning, I awoke to a ringing phone.
Seeing Natalie’s name, I grimaced and went to take a shower without answering.
Somewhat revived, I saw three additional missed calls and deleted all the voice mails without listening.
There was no excuse for lying to me. If she didn’t want to be exclusive, she could’ve told me.
Trust once broken couldn’t be mended, at least for me.
I drank some coffee, ate a bagel, and winced at my drawn reflection in the mirror. I decided to get out of the house.
“You look like shit. Better go for a run and get some air in your lungs.”
Remembering I needed to pick up my car from Sweeny’s, I figured I’d begin the trek to the bar. Unable to find my car keys, I cursed.
“Great. I must’ve left them at Sweeny’s or in Starr’s car.” I opened the door—only to see my vehicle sitting in my driveway. With a furrowed brow, I approached it. A note left on the windshield read: You left it at Sweeny’s. I took the keys from your jacket and brought it over for you.
What the hell? In case of an emergency, the Appleton Sheriff’s Department made sure all the deputies had each other’s mobile phone numbers, so I texted Starr.
What the fuck? You stole my car keys?
He responded: You’re welcome.
I didn’t bother to answer and shoved the phone into my pocket, but it started to ring. I ignored it, but it stopped and started. When it happened a third time, I whipped it out and swiped at the screen, ready to rip Starr and new one.
“What the hell do you want?”
“Hello to you too,” my mother laughed. “Am I disturbing you?”
Damn.
I winced and returned to the house. “No, sorry, Mom. I’m having a rough morning, that’s all.”
“Why? What’s wrong? Did something happen? Are you okay?”
I raised my eyes to the ceiling, mentally cursing myself.
My mother didn’t need an excuse to worry about me.
It was an inherent part of who she was. And why I’d moved away.
It was also why I hadn’t wanted to tell her about the jewelry-store robbery—she would’ve been on a train and in my house with Bubble Wrap to protect me.
Bad enough she’d heard about the shooting Jet and I had been involved in.
I’d spent a weekend with her, and she wouldn’t let me out of her sight, reminding me that while I loved her, the distance between us was necessary.
Hoping to quell her fear, I chuckled. “I’m great. Nothing’s wrong. Just…eh, I found out Natalie, the girl I told you I liked? She cheated on me.”
“Oh, honey, I’m sorry. But can I say something? Even if you get mad at me?”
I lay on the couch. “Yeah, sure.”
“You didn’t know her long. Wasn’t it kind of quick to get so close? Don’t you date lots of different people?”
My head fell back on the pillows, and I stared at the ceiling. “Yeah, but I’m tired of the scene. I want someone steady, who cares about me. Jet getting engaged made me realize it.”
“Well, be prepared for more happy news because your cousin Marshall got engaged to his boyfriend, Elon. I’m sure he’ll be calling to tell you. I know how close the two of you are.”
“So soon? They haven’t known each other that long, have they?”
“Less than a year. But they’re perfect for each other, so I guess when you know, you know.”
“Yeah. Well, I’m happy for them.”
“Don’t be discouraged, sweetheart. It’ll happen for you too. You’ve been so determined to be single and mingle, the women might not realize you’ve changed. Give it some time.”
“Single and mingle? Where’d you get that from?” I cackled. “I’m fine. Just in a bit of a funk this morning. I was about to go out for a run by the lake.”
“Good. That’s the reason you moved up there—to have a slower pace of life, which I agree with. You never liked the city.”
“You’re right. And I do love it here. Thanks, Mom. I’ll call you later this week.”
“By the way, how’s Dominic Starr doing? I remember you told me he moved up there, and I thought how funny it was you ended up in the same small town upstate.”
I’d wondered about that as well.
“Fine, I guess. It was a little weird for him to turn up here, yeah, but there aren’t many job openings for deputies upstate.”
“I’m not surprised he wanted to leave.”
My run forgotten, I wasn’t averse to hearing some gossip. It was more likely than not hearsay, yet I couldn’t deny wanting to discover more about Dominic’s past.
“Why? What do you know?”
“His mother didn’t talk much, and I didn’t want to pry. We weren’t friendly like that—just hello and good-bye if we saw each other in the neighborhood. After all, you and Dominic weren’t friends.” She paused. “But there were rumors of abuse. His father.”