Her Shadows, His Secrets

“Theo, oh God. He’s driving around me!” I scream, watching the truck move pull up beside me. He’s going to push me off the road. I prepare for the impact, gripping the wheel and tucking my head into my lifted shoulders, but it doesn’t come. The truck speeds up and gets in front of me. And within sixty seconds, he is out of sight.

“He’s gone.” I breathe heavily, my heart feeling like it will beat out of my chest.

“I know. I’m behind you.” I look in the mirror and see him, and the anger I had for him just minutes ago boils to the surface. “I don’t need you. I will call the police. You can leave now. For good,” I tell him and pull into my driveway. I end the call after grabbing my phone and bag.

Theo pulls in and slams his truck into park. Jumping out, he meets me at the door. “Baby, hear—”

“No! You lost that right when you lied to me. Who the hell are you?”

“Let me come in and explain.”

“No. You aren’t ever stepping foot in my house again. Tell me who you are and why you really got involved in my life.” I cross my arms and lift my chin, keeping the tears I want to let out at bay. I won’t let him have that. No. I refuse.

“I was hired to follow you and check into your life. I’m a Private Investigator.”

I shake my head. “Who are the Bankses, and why does this have anything to do with me? Why were you hired to come after me?” I ask. My back is on fire, the hairs on my neck standing on edge.

“I was hired, because the cops weren’t doing their job fast enough for the family’s liking, so they came to me.”

“And how did you find me, and where the hell do I fit in? Who is the Banks’s daughter?”

“The Banks family are popular jewelers in New York, and three months ago, their daughter vanished after leaving the gym.” I don’t say anything. “The cops hadn’t had any leads, so they hired me. Well, when your boss called in and said you missed work for two days and couldn’t reach you, he asked them to do a well fair check. The cops knew you had a record of calling them with reports of someone trying to break in, so they took it seriously and went immediately. When they got in there, in plain sight were items belonging to the missing girl, including her gym shirt she was last seen in.”

My stomach drops, and I feel that bile rising again. “Oh God. How? I mean, how and why? I had nothing to do with it. I would never hurt someone or take them or anything.”

“I know that. One of my friends, James, he is a cop and was there that day. He got word and called me, knowing I was working for the family. He knew I could track you down, and I did.”

I look up at him and shake my head, more hurt than I think I’ve ever been. Betrayed in a way that is unmatched by anything from my past.

“So I was a job for you. You used me. Fucked me. Then pretended to love me for a job!” I scream but don’t hold the tears back this time.

“When I first got here, yes. But, baby….” He pauses to touch my arms, but I stop him.

“No. I’ve heard enough. You are dead to me, Theo. How could you hurt me, knowing what I’ve been through? You could have just come to me and asked me. Or at least pretended to just be a good friend. But no! You made me your fuck toy and then tricked me into loving you. You never loved me at all, did you?” I wipe at the tears, hating that I’m showing him the pain he doesn’t deserve to earn from me.

“No. Don’t you dare question my feelings for you.”

“No. Don’t you dare tell me to not question you. All you are is a body of secrets that are now the center of the worst pain in my life. I loved you, Theo. Goddamn it, I loved you!” I push his chest, and he stumbles back a bit. I see tears well in his eyes. Good. I hope this hurts him. He deserves the pain.

“You still love me. I know you do. You’re mine, Hanna. You belong to me.” He clings to what little he has left, and I don’t let him. He failed me. Broke me. Lied to me.

“No. It’s over, and I will call Jack and get a lawyer. You and I are nothing. Leave me alone and go back to New York. Stay away.” I unlock the door to go in, and he tries to follow.