Demon of Desire

Sloan loved waking up in Jake’s arms, but what she loved more was watching him beat up a boxing bag in the gym. She stood watching at the door as he concentrated on the bag, kicking and punching it from every direction.

“Imagine my shock when I woke up alone once again,” she smiled.

“You snore.” Jake gave the bag one last punch.

“You know I don’t.”

“I love how you look in that jersey.”

Sloan twirled around the room, modeling his hockey jersey. “I look hot, don’t I?”

Wrapping his tapped hands around her waist, he swayed around the room with her. “As much as I hate to say this, you need to get dressed so that I can take you back home. It’s almost dawn.”

She grumbled and buried her face in his shoulder. “But I don’t want to go back to that hell house. It’s guarded by a hell hound with curly hair and a lethal tongue,” Sloan whined.

“Chantal is your cousin. You need to learn how to tolerate her.”

She raised her head and slit her eyes at him. “I like you better when you aren’t speaking.”

“I noticed.” Jake kissed her before turning her around and leading her back to his room.

Sloan stood behind her door, leaving it cracked open just a little bit when she saw Archer walk up to Jake. He was mad and Jake had a look of defiance on his face. It was rude to eavesdrop. This is a large house and sound carries, she told herself.

“How long will she keep coming here?” Archer asked.

“She’s going to be graduating in two weeks and she can stay as long as she wants.” Jake walked past him, annoyed.

“She is family and I have no problem with her staying here, but I know her uncle. For the past few months you have been sneaking her out of her house, and if you think Edwin didn’t notice you are an idiot.”

“He can’t do anything about it.”

“You think so? Sloan is sixteen. That makes her a minor under his care. The only reason he hasn’t done anything against you is because he is sure you will kill him, but that doesn’t mean he shows the same consideration toward your girlfriend.”

“What do you mean?” Jake turned to face him. “If you care so much about Sloan why do you let him do this to her?”

“She is a minor. There is nothing I can do until she hits the legal age.”

“You’re useless.” Jake snickered. “And she turns seventeen in a month.”

“She can sprout wings in a month and it still wouldn’t change a thing!” Archer roared, getting in Jake’s face. “You weren’t supposed to fall in love with her. You knew the rules, but you let your heart get in the way of your head!” Archer stepped back, and then walked away. “Your play time better not jeopardize the mission.”

At school that day Sloan was still trying to figure out what Archer meant by mission. Archer was so militant, so serious, and his face so stiff she was sure it would crack if he ever attempted a smile.

“I hate that goofy look on your face. I liked you better when you were troubled and tortured.” BB tossed a book at Sloan, which she easily ducked.

“I’m happy. Be happy for me.”

“I want to, but I keep wondering what would happen once blond, tall, and sexy walks through those doors.”

The thought of Levy dampened her mood, drowning all the happiness she had in sorrow. “Levy will not be coming into the school cafeteria anytime soon. In fact I don’t think he is ever coming back.” Sloan beat up her sandwich with her fork.

“But that’s not what he said. He told you he would be back for you.”

“I don’t care. Can we not talk about him?” Sloan pushed her tray away. “Levy left when I needed him, and now I’m with Jake and I’m content with that.”

“Yes, that must be the reason why you were scribbling his name during trig.” BB picked up Sloan’s notebook, and flipped open the pages. “No, I was wrong. This says ‘Levy.’”

Sloan grabbed for the notebook but BB held it away. “I can’t get him out of my system—it’s like he is embedded in my mind.”

“How about your heart? Does he have a spot there too?”

“Don’t patronize me. I’m not in love with Levy.” Picking up her books, she walked away.

“Chant it as many times as you possibly can, then maybe you will finally believe it.” BB smacked Sloan with her notebook.

As they walked down the hallway, they watched as their fellow seniors put their final marks on the school furniture and walls.

“They do know the principal is going to have that all taken down.” Sloan pulled one of the party flyers off the wall.

“It’s our last two weeks. Finals are almost over and graduation is around the corner. I don’t think they care what fatty pants wants.”

“I wonder where Jake is. I haven’t seen him today.”

“Sometimes I wonder if he even goes to this school.”

“He does, but I don’t think he’s going to be graduating. He failed a class.”

Brushing her hair from her face, BB whispered into Sloan’s ear. “Maybe he isn’t graduating because he doesn’t go here.”

“Whatever. So did you finally pick a university to go to?” Sloan was excited. Even though she would still be under her uncle’s thumb for another year she could spend the year away from him.

“You know that we are both going to NYU so I don’t know why you always ask me that.” BB took a second before asking what had been weighing on her mind. “What about tuition?”

“That’s the funny thing…yesterday I got a call from the school and they said I have a sponsor. Can you imagine it?”

“You don’t know who it is? Maybe you should ask the school?”

“They said the sponsor would like to remain anonymous. I am not going to push it. Whoever it is, is giving me a chance to get away from the Addams family and I’m taking it.”

Sloan walked home alone. She had tried calling Jake a couple of times but he never picked up. When she got home she found someone she assumed was Edwin’s colleague.

“Sloan, could you come in here?” Edwin called out but there was something strange about the tone of his voice. It was mellow and sweet.

“Why?” She walked past the living room and headed for the stairs.

“There is someone here to see you.” Edwin went for her but this time, instead of hitting her, he took her hand gingerly into his.

“I don’t have time for this. I have to set up a plan to escape from this stupid house. And you know what I came up with? Drinking ten liters of sulphuric acid.”

Edwin let out a fake chuckle and gently tapped Sloan’s back. “You are so funny.”

“And you are acting weirder than usual.” She looked him over with a suspicious eye. “Why are you being nice to me?”

“Listen to me,” Edwin hissed into her ear. “You do everything I tell you to.”

Sloan clapped and whistled. “There is the Uncle Edwin we all know and love. But great effort on the acting.” Then her tone turned cold. “What do you want from me?”

“Mr. Smith, this is my darling niece, Christy Sloan.” Edwin introduced her to the man.

“Sloan,” she interjected.

“Hello, Sloan. I’m here to have a very important conversation with you.” Smith pointed to a seat for her.

She dropped into the seat. “Shoot. I need to get some rest.”

“Behave, Sloan.” Edwin chewed out.

“I am here about the estate your parents left to you,” Smith went on with a smile on his face.

“Estate? What estate?” Sloan asked, leaning forward in the chair.

“Didn’t your uncle talk to you about this?” He shifted a confused gaze at Edwin who strategically turned his head away. “Anyway,” he went on, turning back to Sloan. “Your parents left you a small fortune. You are to get it once you finish high school. Part of it is to pay off your tuition and housing expenses and the rest is for you to use as you wish.”

“Excuse me?” A smile crept up her face. She looked at her uncle and finally it dawned on her. “I have money?”

“Yes, you have money. The thing is, if you keep living with your uncle he will have access to some of this money for your upkeep here. At the moment, to my understanding, you are still a minor but it is up to you to decide whether you want to go to student housing or stay here.”

“She will be staying here,” Edwin volunteered.

“Actually I will be getting an apartment with my friend from school. We both got accepted to NYU.” Sloan knew the repercussions of her actions, but knowing that soon she could control her own life gave her a rush.

“No, you are still a minor so you will be staying here,” Edwin half-yelled at her.

“Mr. Smith, what if I decided to go backpacking around Europe—would I still have access to my money?”

“Of course not,” Edwin cut in.

“Actually your father wanted you to explore all your options in life. You will have access to the money, but the part set aside for your school cannot be touched.” Taking out a file from his briefcase, he flipped a page open and showed it to Sloan. “If you choose to completely forego school, the college fund will be passed down to your children.”

Edwin grabbed the file from Smith. “Let me see this. What about the money that I used for her upkeep for the past couple of months?”

“You were under no obligation to take her in. I understand that you, of your own accord, decided to bring her here from Kenya.”

“But I did. What’s my cut?” he asked, shaking the file in his hand.

“Excuse me, sir, but you have no cut.” Taking out a card, Smith handed it to Sloan. “Call me and we can talk over what you decide to do.”

“Thank you, Mr. Smith. I’ll just go up to my room and celebrate.” Sloan knew it was time to put some distance between her and Edwin.

As soon as she got up the stairs she barricaded herself in the bathroom. Sloan sat in a corner of the bathroom as she ached through her uncle’s insults. But, although she was frightened, she couldn’t help but be happy.

* * * *

“Aren’t you excited its graduation day?” As much as Sloan tried, she couldn’t get the frown on BB’s face to turn around. Her mood was as dark as her clothes. Sloan’s suggestion of a lighter color the previous night had turned into a full-fledged war.

“I’m glad to be getting out of this dump. So where is your dumb boyfriend?” BB teased.

“He’ll be here,” she answered, looking around.

“Before or after you get your diploma?” BB teased.

“I don’t know, I think it bugs him that he can’t graduate.” Sloan felt guilty and sad for him. She understood his disappointment and how embarrassing it could be for him to come to her graduation ceremony. But he was coming for her, and she loved him even more for it.

“Boo-hoo-hoo. Let’s get in line. Did your demented family come?”

“No.” They walked to the end of the line and, although they were to stand and sit alphabetically, the two didn’t care.

“Is your family here or are they too frightened by your sunny disposition, and that you might actually crack a smile and cause the end of the world as we know it?” Sloan teased.

“Funny, my family did come. They won’t be hard to miss—they will be the ones cheering and crying shamelessly.” She gave Sloan a small shove as the line began to move.

As they went out to the gym where the graduation was to take place, Sloan looked out to the crowd at all the proud parents and wished her own had lived long enough to be there with her.

She skimmed through the crowd, hoping to catch sight of the family BB was so embarrassed about, but she saw something else. Startled, she stopped and leaned forward for a better look.

“Move, Sloan. What is up with you?”

“Okay, BB.” Sloan took a second look at the crowd and there he was. Gabriel sat in the middle row, his hands folded across his chest. Sloan tried to get out of the line and go to him but she couldn’t. The coordinator watched her every move.

“I think Levy is here,” she said anxiously.

“At least one of your boyfriends is dependable.” They sat down, then BB followed Sloan’s eyes to search the crowd.

“Levy is not my boyfriend,” she protested, but she still searched for him with so much hope.

“Physically no, but he is the guy you fantasize about all day and all night.” She raised her voice to a high pitch and sang out the last words.

Angry, Sloan faced forward and planned to ignore Gabriel’s presence. The graduation ceremony crawled through the day. Sloan kept sneaking peeks at Gabriel, part of her hoping that Levy would materialize next to him.

“Why don’t you just get up and ask him where he is?”

“I’m thinking about Jake, not Levy,” Sloan lied…horribly.

“Sure,” BB mocked with a laugh. “Pay attention, they are about to call you up.”

When Sloan heard her name she made her way to the podium, her eyes constantly fixed on Gabriel. He matched her gaze with his own.

At the end of the ceremony she looked for him among the throngs of people, but instead of her finding him, he found her. He moved with a quiet, measured assurance, like a man following orders. Without so much as a greeting he withdrew a cloth, doused in an anesthetic if the smell was anything to go by. Gabriel put it over Sloan’s nose and mouth before she could protest.

Sloan could feel herself slip out of consciousness and, as much as she fought to stay awake and tried to fight off her attacker, she only drowned deeper in the darkness.

Sloan woke up with a nagging headache and a sore throat. She looked up at the white ceiling and stretched in her comfortable, puffy bed. She turned toward the direction of the beaming sun and breathed in the cool ocean breeze.

She was enjoying her little slice of paradise when a flashback of the graduation filled her mind. Her hand flew over her mouth when she thought of the foul-smelling cloth that had been placed over her nose and mouth. She wondered what they wanted from her.

She jumped out of the bed and ran out to the balcony. Looking down, she saw the pool and two people sitting beside it. Quickly she ran to the door and was surprised to find it open.

“For kidnappers they are pretty sloppy.” Cautiously she took a peek outside the door before going into the hallway. She began to run, not knowing which direction she was headed to.

“Sloan.” Gabriel stood at the other end of the hallway, watching her.

“Gabriel? Where am I and why did you kidnap me?” She was angry and was ready to vent.

“I did not kidnap you. The master asked for you, and all I did was bring you to him.”

Sloan smoothed her hand down her beautiful white lace gown. “Who changed me?”

“It wasn’t me.”

“Whatever. I want to see Master Gutierrez.”

Gabriel took a half step to the side and pointed Sloan in the right direction. “After you.”

“Where is he, anyway?”

“He is by the poolside.”

“Enjoying himself, is he? I am about to disrupt this party,” she muttered angrily as she stomped barefooted on the cold marble floor.

Sloan rushed down the stairs and along the hallways. She had to backtrack a couple of times, waiting for Gabriel to point her in the right direction.

“What’s with this place? It’s like a stupid maze.”

“The master takes pride in his villa. The pool is this way.” He pointed her in the opposite direction.

“Levy, I am not your rag doll that you can drag anywhere you want to—” Sloan’s words were abandoned once she saw his ‘company’. The woman was beautiful. Long bronze legs, curves that don’t stop, a face that could put every single pin up model to shame, and long brown hair that cascaded in curls down her back. “Hello. Your friend just kidnapped me.”

The woman stood up, her perfect body accentuated by her bikini. “I know. I’m Ali, the one who brought you here.” She turned to Levy. “Bye, sweetheart. I will let you take care of our house guest.”

“I’ll see you later, darling,” he responded, eyes fixed longingly on Sloan.

Sloan’s eyes followed Ali all the way to the house as she cursed her quietly for her familiarity with Levy. At the same time she envied her immaculate body.

When she turned back to the object of her anger he was standing up, clad only in white flannel trousers. Her eyes roamed over his perfectly-chiseled body, taking it all in.

Swallowing hard, she shifted her eyes to his face but that made it worse. His cheesy grin danced on his beautiful face. “I am angry with you, by the way.”

“You are.” His grin widened.

Sloan’s heart leaped into her throat. How much she’d missed that smile. “Could you stop grinning at me?” She struggled to get the words out of her throat.

“Why?”

Levy took one step forward and she took one in retreat. She didn’t want to get any closer to him because she knew everything BB had said was true.

Sloan bumped into a lawn chair and stopped. Her brain wasn’t thinking fast enough for her to come up with another route of retreat.

“I missed you.”

Clearing her throat of any evidence of emotion, Sloan took a deep breath. “I highly doubt that.”

Slowly, Levy leaned down and bit on her lower lip before kissing her hungrily. Sloan could feel her whole body yield to him and she wanted him more than she had ever wanted Jake.

When Levy let go she clung to him, afraid of letting go and crashing to the ground. Once her head stopped spinning she couldn’t think of doing anything else but to kiss him again. Burying her fingers into his hair, she pulled his head toward her and kissed him.

Levy lifted her from the ground and Sloan felt at home in his arms. Her anger had slipped away and been quickly replaced by a feeling of desire. As he walked them into a white, well-lit room, her head was screaming for her to run, but her body wanted to stay in his arms. And for the first time in her life, Sloan chose to ignore the alarms in her head and follow her heart.

“I missed you. I love you,” he murmured in her ear.

Sloan didn’t think about the words he said to her but paid more attention to what his hands were doing and how her body responded to them.

However, she pulled back. Jake’s face flashing in her mind. His dedication reminding her of Levy’s betrayal. Sloan pushed him away and took a step back. She watched him for a while before she spoke the words that had tormented her for months with pain in her voice. “If you love me, why did you leave without me?”

He turned to look at her, a shame-filled smile on his lips. “You were a minor and I couldn’t take you with me without putting you in danger.”

“I’m still a minor and you brought me here…wherever here is.”

“I had to see you. Did you get your graduation present?” he asked quickly, changing the subject.

Sloan wanted to continue with the topic she’d started. She knew it would end in a fight but, then again, she didn’t want to fight with him. She wanted to enjoy him, which was probably why he changed the subject.

“I’m afraid Gabriel abducted me before I could see it—what was it?” She spoke as she wrapped her slender body with the silk sheet that was a mile long. She dragged it with her to the window and stood across from him.

“It was the white BMW,” he answered softly.

Sloan looked away from him. She felt so guilty standing naked in front of him under his sweet gaze that reminded her of Jake.

She’d betrayed him and, in a way, she’d betrayed Levy too. He asked her to wait for him and she hadn’t. Instead, she had sought comfort in Jake’s arms. And now, after months of loving Jake, she’d betrayed him with her first love.

No good would come from this.

“Why am I here, and why did you come into my life again? I was getting used to not being with you—my life was on track before you rudely interrupted it,” she accused tearfully.

“I realize that. I can smell him all over you,” Levy hissed through clenched teeth.

Smell him? Sloan was confused but she didn’t ask what he meant by that. She was too distracted by how the sound of his voice felt like a slap to her. “He is my boyfriend, and you are not.” Her eyes shot up to him in anger. “He was there for me, and you weren’t.”

“But you didn’t have to have sex with him!” His fists clenched at his sides. “Why did you let him pollute you just because you’re grateful to him?” He moved forward, his anger pouring out of his pores.

“That is not your call to make.” Sloan’s eyes darted from his clenched fists to his tensed upper body.

“You belong to me and I should have been your first!”

“My virginity was never yours to have. It was mine, and it’s my choice to whom I gave it.”

“You did it in anger, just to hurt me!”

“No! I did it to forget you!” she cried. “You forgot me! You left me alone in that hell-hole, but Jake didn’t.”

Taking a deep breath, Levy sank to the ground, looking suddenly defeated. “Do you love him?”

“Yes.” She knelt down beside him. She could see how those three letters had damaged him. “But I love you more.”

Levy smiled and pulled her into his arms. “I missed you, and I am sorry I didn’t do anything to protect you.”

“I can protect myself.” Weaving her fingers into his, she lifted his palm and kissed it. “Where do we go from here?”

“We live here for now,” he said, kissing her cheek.

“Seriously—someone is going to be looking for me.”

“I know, and that’s why I have to return you before the end of forty-eight hours.”

Sloan climbed out of his lap and stood up angrily. “What? So you plan to ditch me again, just like the first time.”

Levy stood up and pulled her into his arms once more. “I am not ditching you. I will be following you once I get some business wrapped here. Four, five days max.”

“How do I know I can trust you?”

“You will soon find out that you can never truly and fully trust anyone.” Levy lifted her chin with his finger then kissed her again.

* * * *

“Good morning, sweetheart,” Ali said when Kellan walked into the dining room, his fingers intertwined with Sloan’s. She was seated at the breakfast table, her bare leg on the white cloth.

“Didn’t your mother teach you any table manners?” Sloan spoke with much distaste. She sat in the chair Levy pulled out for her.

“She did, but that was over a century ago,” Ali answered and tossed a grape into her mouth.

Sloan’s response was a confused stare.

“Darling, put your foot down.” Levy walked to Ali and gave her a kiss before he went back and sat next to Sloan.

“Who is she?” Sloan pointed an accusing finger at Ali.

“She, little girl, is his wife.” Ali snickered.

“Wife? Did she just say wife?” Sloan stood up and kicked her chair back.

“Please do not destroy my furniture.”

“Ali, did you really have to tell her that you are my wife?” Levy stood up and picked up the chair, then eased Sloan back into it.

“Don’t worry, I only married him for his good looks and money.”

“You are really married?” Sloan echoed.

“In name and on paper only.”

“Don’t forget the occasional screws. My husband and I have an open marriage and, when he told me he was in love with you, I had to bring you to him.” Ali pushed a plate full of pancakes toward Sloan.

“Are you sick or are you crazy?” Sloan felt confused.

“Neither. I just love him, but I love my freedom even more. I’m the wife and you are the love of his life. I wished I could tell you otherwise, but that’s just how it is.”

“We didn’t have a choice but to marry. Trust me, if she could she would have eloped with someone else,” Levy explained.

“Someone pure and righteous, but our families are at war,” Ali added, piling up on Sloan’s confusion.

“I feel like I fell into a black hole and everything around me is not normal. This is crazy. Or I’m crazy. Am I losing my mind?” Sloan’s finger pressed against her temple.

“No, you’re not. Soon I’m going to tell you all about it,” Levy assured her.

“Are you sure?” Ali questioned with a raised brow.

“Ali, please stay out of this,” he warned.

“Fine, I’m leaving.” Staring down at Sloan, she laughed. “Humans, they are the funniest things He ever created.” Ali left Sloan and Levy alone.

“What does she mean by humans? What does she think she is?” Sloan looked after her and she knew why Levy married her, and she was sure she could never compete with her. “Of course she isn’t human. She’s perfect…look at those long legs and that tight ass. She has everything, she’s a goddess,” Sloan mumbled.

“She is a goddess,” Levy confirmed.

“Thanks, I feel better already.” Sloan slumped in the chair and stuffed a bite of pancake into her mouth.

“That isn’t what I meant. Ali is beautiful and loyal. No matter what, I know I can trust her with everything and anything.” He planted a kiss on her cheek as if he tried to make her feel better. “I love her, but I love you more.”

Sloan took a deep breath and, as she exhaled, she let out the words she knew they would both hate. “I want to go home.”

Sloan expected him to refuse or to put up a fight but he didn’t. “Of course. I will have Gabriel travel with you.”

She pushed her chair back as she stood up. “Wow, now I see how much you love me. You can’t wait to get rid of me.” Sloan dropped her half-eaten pancake and walked away.

Sloan came back to the dining room to find Kellan slowly sipping a cup of coffee. She had her own clothes on and her cap and gown carefully tucked under her arm. “I want to leave now.”

“Sure. I will just get Gabriel to take you.” Kellan called out Gabriel’s name and he came running.

“Yes, sir. The jet is fuelled and the pilots are ready to take us back to New York.”

“Take the helicopter to the airport,” he said, then turned to Sloan. “Or would you rather go by car? You could get to see Mexico.”

“I’d rather take the fastest way out of here,” she spat out, feeling hurt.

Sloan walked in the direction Gabriel had come from, believing that was the way out, only to find it was the kitchen. She went back into the breakfast room and, with her hand on her waist, she tapped her foot impatiently on the white marble.

“Which way is the way out?”

“Careful, girl. That marble is the most expensive thing you have ever walked on.” Ali passed by her on her way to the swimming pool.

“Levy, I want to get out of here.” Sloan battled the tears that threatened to pour out of her eyes. It killed her to know that Ali was going to remain with him while she had to leave. But Ali was his wife and she would have to accept that.

She couldn’t believe she had felt guilty about not waiting for him. He was enjoying himself with his beautiful wife. Now she felt even more guilty and ashamed for cheating on Jake.

“You shouldn’t let Ali get to you. She is a very lovable person once you get to know her.” Levy smiled down at her as he twirled his fingers in Sloan’s hair.

She pushed his hand away. “I don’t do creepy love triangles.”

“What would you call the situation Jake, you and I are in?” He took a fist full of Sloan’s hair then breathed it in. “I love your hair.”

Beating his hand off her, Sloan turned to Gabriel. “We better leave now—a second later and the moment we land in the States I’m going to tell them you kidnapped me.”

The threat had Levy bellowing with laughter and Gabriel stifling a smile.

“Sir, will you be coming with us to the airport?”

“No, Master Gutierrez will be busy with his life-size Barbie doll.” Sloan walked off in what she assumed was the right direction and Gabriel followed.

As the helicopter rose higher and higher, she could see how massive the Spanish villa was. And as it moved further away she could feel the distance between her and Levy grow even more.

* * * *

When they got back to the States, Gabriel gave Sloan her graduation present and, as much as she wanted to shun it, she couldn’t resist a gift from Levy. She drove her new BMW down to Jake’s, bracing herself for all the questions that she knew waited for her.

She pulled up in the dusty pathway and took a deep breath to stave off the nerves before getting out of the car. She got to the door and took another deep breath—this one was in an attempt to wipe off the guilty look on her face.

Jake swung the door open just as she was about to take her third breath. Before she could utter a word or let out the air in her lungs he crushed her to his chest, holding her tight as he planted kisses on her neck.

“I can’t breathe Jake,” Sloan managed to say.

“I’m sorry. I was just worried.” He held her at arms’ length, taking a complete inventory of her body. “I saw you get shoved into limo and I didn’t know what to do. I was so worried my heart dropped.”

Sloan smiled at the genuine concern that radiated from Jake’s eyes. She saw something that she hadn’t seen in Levy’s eyes in the few hours that they were together—concern. To Levy she felt like a prize, but with Jake she felt like a priceless treasure.

“Can I get in through the door first?”

“I’m sorry…sure, come in.” Jake dragged her into the house.

Sloan’s joy was cut short when she saw Archer on the other side of the door, standing with his hands tidily behind his back.

“Where were you?” he barked.

“Last time I checked I didn’t answer to you.” Sloan slipped her arm around Jake’s waist.

“She was just about to tell me what happened to her, but in private. Isn’t that right, sweetheart?” He firmly held her to his side.

“Yes, that is right. Can we go up to our room?”

“Sure.”

“Last time this was my house and the ones who lived here did so abiding to my rules. Where were you, Sloan?” Archer stood in their path.

“It was an old friend of mine. He wanted to surprise me and he did. He bought me a car and took me out for dinner in Cozumel. There, that’s the whole story.”

“I saw it in the driveway but I thought one of the guys got himself a new ride.” Jake turned Sloan to face him. “What else did you do with him, and why would he give you such a gift?” he asked suspiciously.

“Nothing. We just had dinner,” she lied, hoping the truth didn’t show on her face.

“Is Levy Gutierrez your old friend?” Archer resumed the questioning.

“Yes, he is my older friend. He can afford it.” Sloan darted her eyes around the room in an attempt to avoid Archer’s and Jake’s skeptical eyes.

“What did you do to make him give you such a gift?” Jake held on to Sloan’s shoulders as he looked into her eyes. “What did you give him in return?”

Sloan smiled, knowing that she had to put on her best poker face. Using the smooth tongue bestowed on her, she gazed into Jake’s eyes and lied through her teeth.

“What could I give him in return—besides, it was my graduation.” Planting a distracting kiss on his lips, Sloan’s evaded the tension. “What did you get me, boyfriend?”

“Your graduation gift is up in my room,” Jake said excitedly.

She turned to the other man in the room, a teasing smile on her face. “What about you Archer…did you get me anything?”

He looked away from her. “I’ll give you my present when you turn eighteen,” Archer answered, an obvious sadness in his tone.

Sloan felt uneasy. She worried Archer had figured it out. “Let’s go to your room.” Sloan took Jake’s hand and he pulled her behind him up to his room.

“Give me my present.” Sloan tried to look as excited as she could, but the guilt that she felt gnawed in her subconscious.

“I have it in my closet, but first I would like to kiss you.” He circled his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

“Just a kiss…are you sure?”

“I think I changed my mind. I want more.”

“How much?” She rose on her tiptoes and nibbled on his lower lip.

“Much, much more.” Lifting her off the ground, he twirled her around the room before laying her on his bed. “I love you.”

Those three words had a different effect on her than they had earlier when they came from Levy’s lips. It broke her heart to know how sincere he was.

“I love you too.”

Much later, Sloan pulled on Jake’s T-shirt and went into the bathroom. As she stood in front of the mirror, she could see how much of a mess she looked. Her thick hair spilled in her face and, as she combed her fingers through it, and her mind flashed back to earlier that day when Levy had played with it. He loved her hair.

She was Jake’s favorite possession and her hair was what Levy loved the most. Rummaging through the medicine cabinet, Sloan found a pair of scissors. Her hair was what her mother and grandmother loved and now she felt like it was tainted by Levy.

Twisting her hair in her hand, she fisted it before putting the scissors above her hand and snipping it off. As her hair fell onto the bathroom floor she let go of all her guilt and her past with Levy.