I was ten years old when the police officer told us they were gone. That my father had been drunk and killed them both instantly. The begging, the crying, the praying … I’d done it all. None of it worked. I wouldn’t get a second chance at telling them I loved them. They were just gone one day. I’d cried for so many days that I couldn’t even remember what it was like not to cry. And then when I finally stopped, I knew I’d never do it again because all it did was make me feel worse and never changed the outcome.
And now Ream hadn’t come home. We’d been out drinking just like my parents had. Was he dead or dying somewhere? Or had he left me? Jesus, I was being stupid. We had a fight and he was probably passed out in Matt’s office or condo. I picked up my phone again to call him when a text from Ream’s phone came through.
Kat, it’s Molly. I saw his phone and that you called and texted numerous times. Ream’s here with me. I’m so sorry, Kat.
The sick feeling that came over me was crushing, like I’d been teased with a lifeline when the text came through that Ream was okay and then the lifeline was ripped from my hands and I was drowning. I stared at my phone reading the words over and over again, wondering if I had misinterpreted them. Texts were misinterpreted all the time.
He was with Molly? With Molly? No, I was overthinking it. It couldn’t be true. Don’t let it be true.
I ran upstairs and without knocking, barged in Crisis’s room. “What happened to Ream last night?”
Crisis groaned. He had his arms above his head gripping the headboard and his face was contorted as if in pain and then I saw the blankets move. “Ahh, sugar, I was so close.” The sheet flung back and a girl popped her head up.
I didn’t apologize. I didn’t give a shit that he was getting sucked off and I’d ruined it. All I wanted to know was why Molly was texting me that Ream was with her. “Why didn’t he come home with you? Did he leave with Molly? Why is Molly saying Ream’s with her?”
Crisis threw the covers back and I caught full view of the naked woman lying on top of him. He smacked her butt. “Get out of here.” He reached for his jeans on the floor and pulled out a wad of bills. “Call a cab.” The girl had no shame and crawled out of bed, grabbed her clothes, and disappeared into the washroom.
I turned away as Crisis threw his legs over the side of the bed, not caring that he was naked and I was standing a few feet away. I heard the rustling of material and him jumping a couple of times as he pulled on his jeans. A drawer opened and shut then he was next to me.
“Okay, let’s go.”
I turned and banged right into him, not expecting him to be right there. “Where?”
“To get him.”
“We can’t just go get him.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know where Molly lives.” And I was terrified to go. My head was reeling as I imagined the worst case scenario.
“Matt does.” Yeah, he had to have it for employment records. “Kat, I know what you’re thinking. But it would never happen. That guy is crazy about you. He probably just crashed there.”
“Why would she say she’s sorry?”
He shrugged. “You’re a chick. Molly’s shy, insecure. She probably feels bad you guys fought or something. I’m going to kick his ass for fucking up my morning BJ though.”
“Just like that? We go there?”
Crisis shrugged. “Listen, sugar. Why wait around worrying? By the looks of you, you did that all night.” He leaned over and snagged his keys from the dresser. “He needs a ride back here anyway. Fucker is probably feeling like his ass is on fire and his throat is like sandpaper after the shit he drank last night.”
I started to breathe a little easier. Crisis was right. Molly took him back to her place because he was drunk and she was saying sorry because she saw Ream’s phone and how worried I was. The idea of Ream ever cheating on me was ridiculous.
But I ate my words the moment I saw Molly when she answered the door. It was all over her face. The guilt, the way she avoided looking at me, how she shifted uncomfortably. Crisis must have seen it too because he shoved the palm of his hand into the door and forced his way in.
“Stay here.”
But I didn’t. I couldn’t and I followed him as he took the stairs two at a time then started opening doors. It was the third door he flung open that he stopped.
I came up behind him and he blocked me with his broad shoulders then slammed the door shut again. He grabbed me around the waist and pulled me back. “Kat, you need to wait downstairs. Better yet, wait for us in the car.”
“Crisis, no. What did you see? Is he okay?” Panic blanketed me as I started running scenarios through my head. Molly was here, so it wasn’t like he was fucking her or anything. But had he? Had she just crawled out of bed with him? She looked guilty and Crisis wouldn’t let me in the room.
“I’ll get his shit together and we’ll meet you at the car.” Crisis wasn’t often very forceful, but his tone was sharp and stern and he wasn’t taking no for an answer.
“No. Fuck no.” I pushed at his hands on my waist and tried to get him to let me go. “I need to see. Let me see.”
“No, Kat. I can’t let you do that, for both your sakes.”
What the hell did that mean? Oh God. That wasn’t good. Both our sakes? Ream and me? He called me Kat, not sugar. He was being insistent. It was bad. Whatever was behind the door was bad and I couldn’t let that go.