Fear Me (41 page)

We moved forward to the bay window where she was seated and each hugged her before taking a seat. “So why are they out there in the cold and not in here with you?”

“I didn’t want to alarm you because –”

“Yes, it would be most displeasing not to remember such fine, looking men. I’d never thought I’d see the day when you two would give in and
get a man
. I thought…spinsters for sure.”

“Is that so,” I laughed deeply.

“I’ll have you know –”

“Willow, Pepé does not count as a male friend. Though handsome, I meant someone of your own species.” She gave her an admonishing look that shut Willow down.

“Yes, ma’am.” She hung her head low and I tried not to laugh at her expense. Willow and Grandma Lane together was a trial.

“Now. Tell me all your news and make it quick. I want to meet those two.”

We spent the next twenty minutes or so catching her up on school and college plans. You know…the safe topics that people always stick too when dealing with a relative.

After catching up, Willow excused herself to get Keiran and Dash from outside leaving me alone with my grandmother for a few moments.

“So how is my daughter?”

“Good. She should be returning from her book tour on Monday and plans to come visit you by the end of the week.”

“Good, good. I need to get ahold of that wayward child of mine. Leaving a seventeen year old alone for so long.”

“I’m fine. Aunt Carissa trusts me.”

“Yeah well she shouldn’t. You’re a fine young woman, Lake. You are incredibly beautiful and smart. I may not remember much these days but I do remember what it was like to be seventeen and so should she.”

She looked at me knowingly with a mix of disapproval and empathy and I wondered just how much I was giving away.

“I can see it in your eyes, dear. When you walked in here you weren’t the same Lake. I assume it’s because of him?” She nodded toward the guys who were still sitting at the chess table engrossed in a game with the elderly man.

“Who?”

She shot me an impatient look for playing dumb. “Mr. Tall, Dark, and Brooding.”

“Yes, but not in the way you think.”

“And what way is that?”

“We…weren’t always friends. Even now…” I didn’t know how to explain to my grandmother that Keiran used to hate me as much as he hated himself or that I was sleeping with him.

“I see,” she sighed. “Why does love always feel like a battlefield?”

I blinked twice to clear my head and replay what she just said. “Grandma, did you just quote Jordin Sparks?”

She looked at me indignantly. “What? I’m hip.”

“No one says hip anymore.”

“It’s cool. I’m cool.” She threw up the peace out sign and I was done.

My stomach felt like it had caved in and I couldn’t seem to bring air into my lungs. I was curled into a ball at my grandmother’s feet, clutching my stomach and that is how they found me when the three walked in.

“Someone please get my foolish grandchild off the floor please.”

Dash reached for me but stopped at the look Keiran gave him. He picked me up and placed me back in my seat.

“Oh my…” My grandmother whispered softly. She was watching Keiran and Dash closely. No doubt taken aback at the possessiveness Keiran just displayed. Her hand fluttered up to her neck before discreetly smoothing her hair. “Such fine, young men indeed.”

I briefly wondered if she might have been a cougar in her younger years.

“How old are you, young man?” She directed the question at Keiran.

Yup. Definitely a cougar.

“Eighteen,” he answered before kneeling down on one knee and taking her frail hand within his much larger hands. “It is nice to meet you.” It was a smooth move made to charm that both surprised and annoyed me. I was so going to disown her if she fell for it.

“Likewise.” Her smile was bashful and lit up her face clearly enjoying the attention.

“Give me a break,” Willow muttered.

“Hush and you might learn something,” she berated and shot her a scathing look. She “Tell me, what are your intentions with my granddaughter. She’s never had a boyfriend, you know.”

“Yes, ma’am. I am aware.”

“And did you have anything to do with that?”

The corner of his mouth lifted in a half grin. “I might have.”

“Why?”

“Because she’s mine.” Any moment now the ground would disappear from beneath my feet and I could escape this nightmare.

“Is that so?” She regarded him curiously before seemingly deciding something. “They say there is a thin line between love and hate. Do you know what that means?”

“No.”

“It means that two people are too dumb and too blind to know the difference.”

He cocked his head to the side. “So what should we do?”

“Get your shit together, man. And take care of my Lake or leave her alone.”
Well I’ll be damned.
She didn’t fail me after all. She turned at the sound of Dash snickering and lifted an eyebrow. “Same goes for you, pretty boy. I see the way you look at Willow and the way she tries
to avoid you. I pretty sure your mother told you at least once that there would one day be that special woman one day who wouldn’t be fooled by your bullshit.”

“I’m uh, sure there was a time or two.”

“Smart woman. Are your parents still together?”

“Yes, ma’am though she threatens to divorce him often.”

“I’m sure. You come from money, don’t you? I can smell it on you.”

“My dad does okay.” Dash shrugged nonchalantly but I could see that the question bugged him.

“But not you?”

“It’s his empire. I’m just a freeloader until I can earn my keep.”

“So there is something to you other than your looks.”

“I like to think so.”

“Yet, she still won’t give you a chance…” she whispered knowingly. He averted his gazed at Willow with longing heavy in his eyes before his jaw hardened in anger.

“No. She won’t,” he stated while his gaze remained on Willow.

“So you’re going to force her, is that right?” Her blunt question threw us all for surprise. Dash’s eyes flew back to Grandma Lane while Willow shifted uncomfortably. He met her stare but rather than deny it he remained silent. “I should hope that if we meet again, that I will have a better impression of the two of you. Don’t let me down.”

I noticed the fatigue setting in and figured it was time to end our visit so she could rest. “Guys, I’ll meet you at the car. I just want to say goodbye to her.”

The three of them left the room after saying good-bye and I helped my grandmother over to her bed. She must have really been tired because she didn’t fuss over the help as usual.

“Thank you dear. There is nothing like old age for the muscles.”

“It seems to make you feistier too.”

“Now don’t go getting your knickers in a bunch. Those boys needed to be brought to heel. If only your father was here to meet that man of yours.”

“Why is that?”

“Because those two couldn’t be more opposite. Your father was a gentle soul. Both him and your mother. They would probably faint if they knew their baby girl was in love with a guy like him.”

“We never said –”

“Just because you haven’t spoken it doesn’t mean you don’t feel it.”

“I don’t understand much of what I feel or think these days.”

“Honey… that is just your heart holding on to what your brain is saying you can’t have.”

“So which should I listen to?”

“Whichever feels right. You don’t need to understand it. Trust in yourself. That’s all you can do.” She closed her eyes, fatigue taking over so I tucked her in and rose from my chair.

I was placing the picture I brought with me on her nightstand when I noticed a photo of my mother that wasn’t there before, resting on the wooden top. She was dressed in a pretty sundress, her blonde hair falling around her shoulders and I could tell it was a summer picture.

She was standing in front of the beautiful brick house I once called home…and holding a baby I knew to be myself. Her smile alone gave the picture life as she looked down at me clutching the top of her dress and looking back up at her, a grin expanding my chubby cheeks.

By the age of eight I had plenty of memories of my parents and in none of them could I ever remember not feeling loved. I remember my mother crying the day they left. My father almost canceled the entire trip.

“Did my parents leave me?” I asked before I could rethink or stop myself.

“They will never leave you, Lake.” The pain in her voice was evident. She was fighting to hold onto to her memory while I had long since let them both go. Though she never talked about my mom either I know she misses her. I never thought about how hard it must be to lose a child and not know why.

“So where are they?” Everyone was so sure that my parents didn’t bail but there was never any sign of foul play. How could they just vanish?

“I wish I knew.”

* * *

Once we were through the door of my house after returning from Whispering Pines, I turned on Keiran who stopped short, just inside the door, and looked at me curiously. “Stay away from her,” I said simply.

The entire ride back I battled feelings of regret. I had exposed my grandmother to Keiran. Now he had one more person to use against me if he chose. He now knew who she was and where she was and worse…she wouldn’t remember who
he
was.

He wore an indifferent look on his face when he shut the door. “Are you going to give me a reason not to?”

His lack of reassurance was unexpected and dangerous to my peace of mind. “Keiran this is my grandmother! She’s old and helpless. How can you even think to –”

“I wasn’t. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t, so I won’t tell you otherwise.”

“But what reason could you possibly have to go after her?” Out of the only two people in this room, Keiran was the dangerous one yet all the hostility and anger radiated off of me. His nonchalance for human life was chilling.

“I want you to stay away from my past. I know you’re still digging but it ends now.”

“Where is this coming from?”

“I’ve asked you before. I’m telling you now.”

“Just tell me whatever it is that you don’t want me to find!” I yelled, losing patience but he was gone before I finished and the sound of the front door slamming was my only answer. I slid to the floor in defeat when I realized that Keiran would never open up to me.

“
Where were you all of Sunday? I called you a hundred times.” I listened to Sheldon fuss as we walked down the hallway. It was lunch period and I’d just got out of volleyball, which wasn’t as fun without Willow. She texted this morning to say she was sick and skipping school.

“Sorry, I just had a lot on my mind and needed time to think.”

“
Bummers. I wanted you to come with me to my audition. Felix is looking for a face for his new clothing line.”

“I’m really sorry, Sheldon. How did you do?” I asked, feeling like shit because I forgot about her audition.

“Canceled. I was too nervous. Dash had offered to go with me but he disappeared too.”

“Are you sure modeling is what you want to do?”

“It’s been my dream since I saw my first show. Dad says I have to go to college first but after that my dreams are my own.”

“Are you okay with that?”

“I guess so. Going to college isn’t so bad.” I shook my head and started putting my bags in my locker.

“Sheldon you have to think –”

“Is that a bite mark?” she asked, interrupting what I was about to say.

Shit.
I’d become so used to Keiran leaving bite marks on me that I stopped noticing. I looked down to see my oversized sweater had fallen off my shoulder exposing the red patch and indentations where my neck met my shoulders. I quickly pulled it back over my shoulders and finished stuffing my books into my locker. I avoided her gaze and heard her laugh.

“Kinky. I like it,” she chuckled. “Dash told me you guys went to see your grandmother. I’m shocked.”

“Why are you shocked?’

“Because of Keiran’s obvious disdain for anything resembling a parent.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. Maybe because he didn’t know his father and his mother dropped him off on a stranger’s doorstep?”

But bad parents don’t cause someone to become this troubled without something much worse happening. There were so many holes that only he could fill. “I wish I could get him to talk to me.”

“If anyone can get him to open up it would be you.”

“Why do you say that?”

“You’re the only one who affects Keiran in any way. He would talk…for you. You just need to know the right words to say.”

“Sup beautiful ladies?” Keenan came and hooked his arms around our shoulders with a cute grin on his face. “Do you know just by standing there together you’ve already fulfilled one of my fantasies? Now I just have to figure out how to get you two naked…with me in between.”

“Before or after Keiran and I take turns killing you?” Sheldon quipped.

“Semantics. What are you two whispering about?” he cast suspicious glances between us and attempted to look intimidating. I’m pretty sure he could if he wasn’t such a goof.

“Our periods,” Sheldon answered gleefully.

“Eww, babe.”

“You asked.”

“But you didn’t have to tell me that!”

Aaaaand they’re arguing again.
I listened to them bicker back and forth. Sometimes I think they argued on purpose. Sheldon told me that makeup sex was out of this world but I’ve had Keiran’s angry sex so I don’t think it would be wise to pick fights with him.

“Guys I’m hungry,” I said interrupting their argument. “Anyone know where Keiran is?”

“He’s with coach. He told me to take you to lunch if he’s running late.”

“So I guess that means you’re still my body guard?” I asked, slightly annoyed.
Did he still not trust me?

“In a way,” he smirked.

“Because I can’t be trusted. I get it.”
I really don’t.

“No, because Keiran doesn’t trust anyone. Especially with you.”