22. The Elephant In The Room

Chapter 22

The Elephant In The Room

Megan

“ A re you coming home tonight?” I call Naomi and ask her.

The distance between me and my friend and roommate has only grown, although I’m trying my best to hold on to it. Outside of Hunter, she may be the only other person on the planet I “sort of” trust.

Between a few breakfasts and early dinners before our shifts, Hunter has been spending more time in my apartment than he ever has.

I like it.

Naomi doesn’t.

She’s a little wary of Hunter, and I think the feeling may be mutual.

“I’m braiding this girl’s hair out in Laguna Beach. Her father is some sort of a hotshot actor from a medical drama or something,” she says excitedly. “They said I could stay in their guesthouse if I get tired and need to finish up her hair tomorrow, which I probably will, so I’ll catch up with you in the am.”

“It’s going to take you all night to do a kid’s braids?”

“She doesn’t know what style she wants yet. You know how that goes. I’ll probably have to go to the beauty supply store to buy the hair and all that jazz. She’ll probably want hot pink braids or something. Ooh, maybe blue ones.”

“So…you’re going to stay at some random actor’s house tonight?”

“Guest house.”

“That doesn’t sound like the smartest idea, Naomi.”

“It’ll be fine, roomy. I’ll drop you a pin when I arrive so you know where I am.”

“But Naomi–”

“Hey, I’m not trying to be an ass about this, Megan, but I’m not always in the mood for hanging out with gangsters and mobsters. I could move back to my old neighborhood for that shit. I’ll be fine tonight. You’re the one that needs to be careful.”

“Wow.”

“Oops, was that too bitchy?”

“You know it was.”

“Aww, I’m sorry. I’m just hungry. Seriously, girl, that was my stomach talking,” she says, trying to make light out of her frank words. Words that I know she actually means.

Naomi has been giving me excuse after excuse about why she comes home late or not at all. For the past few weeks, it’s been the elephant in the room between us.

I’m still quiet on the phone, affected by the jab she made about Hunter when she asks about Lena.

“So…is the new sister staying over again?”

“Yeah.”

After a talk over a long night of watching back-to-back Harry Potter movies, I’ve learned that Lena is actually a pretty cool girl. After a hot shower and fifteen minutes of self-meditation, she’s less tense. Get a Pepsi and a few slices of gourmet pizza in her, and she’s actually got a lot to talk about.

She’s also someone who seems to stick to her guns once she’s made a decision, which is pretty impressive for someone eighteen years old. I’m not that much older than her, and I feel like I change my mind about a ton of things every single day. Lena has decided that while she will continue working at the Blue Whiskey, she is not comfortable moving into Hunter’s penthouse, so she’s been staying at my place.

I totally get it. She’s only known Hunter for a nanosecond; plus, if I’m being honest, he’s a man who takes some getting used to, especially with his cool demeanor. The man I’m falling in love with, or I suppose who I’m already in love with and who I’ve begun to think of as perfect, seems to have a serious communication problem with his younger sister.

It’s his one flaw.

And it’s difficult to watch.

It’s been a week since the trouble at the club, and while I can tell that he is desperately trying to get closer to Lena, he doesn’t seem to understand that ordering her around isn’t the right way to go about it. The pushier he gets, the more she pulls away. And while it’s entertaining to watch them fumble their way toward a meaningful relationship, this past week has been taxing on me.

For some reason, the two of them have put me in the middle of their sibling struggle, and I don’t know what to do. Okay, maybe my getting involved was my bright idea, but I messed up by getting involved. Getting in the middle of the most domineering man I’ve ever met and his sister was just plain stupid.

“I’m just saying.” Lena grabs the groceries from the car. “He treats me like I’m a five-year-old who is incapable of making my own decisions.”

“I think the last time he saw you alive, you were about five, so I guess that makes some sort of sense.”

“Not for me. It’s unbelievable that I and that man share the same DNA.”

“Come on, Lena,” I wave off the men from our security detail who want to help with the groceries. “You may have a point, but you don’t have to put it like that.”

“Tell me you haven’t wondered how the two of us came from the same mother.”

“Okay, maybe I’ve wondered a little.” I pick up the oranges that have escaped from their bags into the car. “But… he’s trying in his own way. I mean, the man shows up to the apartment for breakfast every day. That’s dedication.”

“Let’s be honest.” Lena makes a doubtful face. “He comes over to suck your face every morning, not to see me.”

“Sucking my face, as you so eloquently put it, is a nice side benefit for me, but he mostly wants to get to know you, plus he’s showing interest in your cooking skills. He’s trying to meet you where you’re at.”

“It’s hard to tell when all he seems to do is grunt through the entire meal,” Lena says. “But I suppose he’s trying.”

“Exactly.” I tuck everything into the paper bag, and we start walking toward the elevator in the parking lot.

The security detail enters with us into the elevator when Lena blinks. “Oh, damn, my phone. I think I left it in the car.”

She places her bags down and quickly backs out of the elevator. If there’s another thing I’ve noticed is that Lena does not like to be parted from her cell phone.

“Stay with her.” I give the two men a curt order. “There’s nobody in the parking lot.”

“What about you, Miss Taylor?”

“I’m fine. I’ll head up first. I don’t want the ice cream to melt.”

The security team sees me as an extension of Hunter, per his instructions, so they do as they’re told. After they exit the elevator, I notice a familiar car in the lot and figure Hunter is back early from the club. I wonder if he’s planning to have dinner with us.

The elevator doors close and I press the number for my floor. Living with Lena is turning out to be a good deal for me. She’s a great cook and I’ve never been this well-fed in my life. If Naomi keeps on shutting me out like this, I’ve got an idea to move Lena into her bedroom and move Naomi to the couch.

Getting off the elevator, I approach my door. I’m about to insert my key into the lock when I notice something odd. There are slight scratches around the edges of the lock, and I’m about to take a closer look when the door swings open. My eyes lock on a man with a malicious expression, and all the blood drains from my face as a rippling fear overtakes me.