Unbelievable, page 3
“Please don’t call me that.” It wasn’t more than a whisper, but I was sure he heard me. Him calling me that should have bothered me more, but it didn’t. The sound of it caressed me, giving me the ability to sort out everything going on. I couldn’t allow it though.
“I’m sorry, I will try to control myself, but I’m going to have to ask you a few questions, I imagine it won’t be easy.” I looked up at him and his body language said that he didn’t want to ask me anything.
A spark went through me again as we made eye contact, almost like the earlier one but way stronger. The way he looked at me made me want to drop to my knees right there. He didn’t move any closer to me and yet it was like his soul was embracing mine, touching me in a way that made me feel free. He gave me the feeling of being wild and free, feral even. Like I had been waiting my whole life for someone like him to come in and destroy me in the best way possible.
I shook my head and brought myself back to reality.
“I’m not the one who found him, why do I need to be questioned?” I met his eyes again and immediately regretted it. He is so beautiful it almost hurts. With the light in the room, I could tell that his hair was dark, but it’s not black like I originally thought, it’s just a deep red.
“Thea, that was your boyfriend? Correct?” I only nodded.
“And how long have you two been dating?” His voice almost betrayed his macho looks. It’s like talking to me about Trevor caused him as much pain as it causes me.
“Two... two years. Why?” We were talking about Trevor and for some reason, the only person that I could think about was the man standing in front of me. I am a horrible person. My boyfriend is dead, and I’m here thinking about another man. What was wrong with me? Surely, I am going to hell for this.
“Nothing is wrong with you,” he says. Almost as if he could read my mind. No, that’s not possible, it must be on my face. My mother always said that I wear my emotions where everyone can see them.
“Anyway,” he seemed to realize at that moment that he had gone off-topic—so had I. I just wanted him to wrap me in his arms and tell me that this was a big mistake.
Thea! Control yourself. You don’t even know this guy. You still don’t know his name. Why did I feel so drawn to him? I must be in shock.
“Baby... sorry. Thea, what time were you born?” That was such an odd question.
“11:30 what does that have to do with anything?”
“So, you were getting all close and personal with your boyfriend right as you turned 18?” I felt my face heat up. Why did it bother me if he saw my boyfriend and me making out? We weren’t doing anything wrong, and I have nothing to be embarrassed about.
“I’m sorry, but I need you to tell me what the hell is going on here, and why does any of this matter to our current situation.” I think I was finally getting past my attraction to him, sort of, and I was able to focus on the weird string of questions he feels he must ask.
“All will be explained in time, but I do have a few more questions. I promise this isn’t any more fun for me than it is for you. Did you grow up here in this city? What are your parents like? Were you possibly adopted?” My head was starting to spin. One question at a time would have been much easier to follow.
“You know, you don’t have to be the one doing this, if you don’t want to be around me that much or talk to me about my boyfriend, I’m sure someone else could do it.” It bothered me that he didn’t want to be here with me. I felt like he made me stronger through this, like as long as he stood with me, I could handle this. The only problem was I don’t know this guy and I shouldn’t be feeling any of these things about him.
“That’s not what I meant, I just mean that I know these questions are weird, and some are even going to be uncomfortable for you and me, so the faster we get through them the better.” I think I hurt his feelings.
Oops.
“Okay fine, yes I grew up here in Texas, my whole life I have lived in the same house. My parents are normal, they pay their taxes, they wanted me home before curfew, my mom drives a Volvo. And no. I’m not adopted.” As that last bit came out of my mouth, I questioned it. I never had before, my parents didn’t tell me I was, but could I have been? I didn’t look like either of them. I have long straight brown hair and big blue eyes and both of my parents had curly black hair, and their eyes are brown. They had always told me that I looked like my dad’s mom who had died when he was little. I have never seen a picture of her, they said that it had all been destroyed when his family home had burned down a few years before I was born.
“Now for the hard ones,” His gaze straightened, like the next thing that was going to come out of his mouth could make him sick, “In the past, when you were—intimate did anything weird happen. Did you get a sudden burst of energy or feel like every nerve in your body had been electrified?” He paused and waited for an answer.
I just shook my head. This had turned into one of those conversations that you don’t want to have with a stranger. Or anyone for that matter, and not that I would know but doesn’t sex make you feel like that right after anyway? You get high on the orgasm or some shit like that?
“Thea, this isn’t the time to be shy or act like a child. Sex is a normal thing, and I must know. I understand that it doesn’t seem like it, but this does pertain to tonight’s events.” Did he just call me a child? That is the one way that you could get my blood pumping. I hate being called a child, I very rarely even break the rules, I might be one of the most responsible 18-year-old in the state, I should not be looked at or referred to as a child.
“Excuse you,” I said—with a bit more attitude than I thought I could muster right now—standing up, “but I wasn’t being shy or acting like a child, I was waiting for you to stop asking so many damn questions so that I could find a less embarrassing way to tell you that your questions are pointless.” I stood over his squatting form for only a moment before he stood too.
“I know that you don’t think these questions are important, but they are, especially to the people I work for.” Now I had questions, questions that seemed way more on-topic than his were.
“Wait, don’t you just work for the bar? What does my sex life have to do with that?” I took a step back. He smelled like a bonfire and a slight hint of cologne; it was almost intoxicating.
“Thea, don’t avoid the question, I need answers.”
“Mr.” I realized that I STILL didn’t have his damn name and I can’t call him Mr. Tall, dark and sexy to his face. “I’m sorry, what’s your name?”
“Zilli, my name is Zilli.”
“Okay Zilli, I wouldn’t say that I’m avoiding the questions, but you haven’t answered any of mine either, so I’m not the only one holding out information here.” I realized that I should just tell him the truth, but I needed answers too, and maybe by getting my answers I would find out why I am so drawn to him.
I wondered what it would feel like to have his hands on my body, to feel his lips on mine and his hands cupping my ass. I took another step away from him. Damnit, Thea, you needed to get ahold of yourself.
The best bet would be to start pacing, keep the distance between us, and I could keep my eyes on the floor. Control. I needed some control over my emotions—and this conversation. I turned back and walked in his direction. When I glanced up, he was smiling. A smile that made me think he knew that I was having dirty thoughts about him.
“I will make sure that you get all the answers you want, but I need mine now, and I promise you that your answers can wait.” I glance at him again. Bad idea.
“I answered your questions.”
“Thea, I need to know about your sex life.” Damn, intrusive bastard. That wasn’t any of his business.
“I don’t see how...” He grabbed my arm as I turned to walk back in the other direction. That one touch destroyed me. My skin felt like it was on Fire, my core clenched so tight I thought I might fall over, and my heartfelt like it was going to come out of my throat.
“Thea,” His voice was softer but still serious, as much as I wanted to pull away from his hand, I couldn’t make myself. His touch felt like it tethered me to this Earth.
It was the weirdest thing ever.
“I need you to remove your hand, please. My boyfriend of two years just died, and you make me feel things, things that I can’t explain, even to myself.” He dropped his hand and took a step back as if I had stung him. “I don’t mean to be rude, it’s just a lot. I don’t understand what’s going on, or why my emotions are the way they are.” I felt the need to put my hand out to him, but I held it back.
No need to further complicate my feelings.
“I know, I’m sorry that this is happening. It will all make sense eventually, I promise,” he seemed genuine, “but I still need an answer.”
He wasn’t going to let this go, out of everything that I figured I would be asked by someone when my boyfriend was found dead in an ally, this line of questioning is nowhere near it. He said I would be getting my answers eventually, so I guess the best bet would be to play his game first.
“As I said, your questions are pointless...” Zilli opened his mouth to interrupt but I held my hand up, “Let me finish. Your questions are pointless because Trevor and I never had sex. I am a virgin.” It was at that very moment that the door opened and another very attractive man joined us.
Really?! Great timing dude.
His eyebrows lifted as he looked between Zilli and me, no doubt trying to figure out why he just walked into the room to hear me declare my virginity to Zilli. I would bet that isn’t something you normally hear women say in the private office of a bar.
“Hello, brother.” The newcomer looked between Zilli and me. He called him brother—but they looked nothing alike—maybe it was more in the close friend kind of way. “How are things going in here?”
“Alright. She’s a little stubborn though,” He let out a small huff and flashed me a smile. Stubborn? Boy, you have no idea. “I’m not even convinced it was her. She was born and raised here in the state.”
“You know there is a sure-Fire way to know if it was, it wouldn’t even take me 10 seconds.” The new guy said as he glanced my way, Zilli didn’t look happy about the suggestion.
Not convinced what was me? What are they talking about? Did something happen that I don’t know about? And why were they talking about me like I wasn’t in the room?
“I don’t suggest you do that brother. There is something you need to know,” Zilli told him.
“Excuse me, who are you? And can one of you tell me what the hell y’all are talking about?” I was getting tired of not having all the information or even a little bit of the information. I felt like I knew absolutely nothing about what is going on right now.
“Sorry,” the new one said as he turned to me, “My name is Elijah, and we are just trying to find out what happened to the kid in the ally,”
Oh. My heart sank. Trevor—he was talking about Trevor and he didn’t even know his name.
“Elijah, there are actually two things you should know, I guess. The first one being that the kid in the ally,” I shot Zilli my best evil eye and hoped that he understood how much that hurt. “Sorry. Trevor, that was Thea’s boyfriend of the last two years so maybe be a little more sensitive,” I guess he did understand.
“Oh shit, sorry.” He said in my direction, though he seemed to be very uninterested in me. Not that I cared. I needed to get myself under control. “So, was it her?” he asked as he turned back to Zilli.
Was what her? I still had no idea what these two were talking about. I needed more information because to me it seemed like they think I had something to do with why Trevor was dead. And that can’t be possible, I was inside the whole time.
“Thea, is it? Can you please tell me what Trevor was doing right before he went outside?” Elijah was the type of guy that got right to the point. No beating around the bush about what he wanted to know.
“Well, we danced for a while, and then we went to a table and ordered drinks,” Zilli raised one of his eyebrows at me, “Dr. Pepper, I got Dr. Pepper, no alcohol. I swear.” He relaxed a little, but something was clearly still bothering him, “but I think that Trevor had been drinking, he seemed a little—I don’t know how to put it, but I guess he seemed a little more carefree than normal. He was a little bit more handsy than he typically is.” Wait. Did I just say that out loud, to two men I don’t know and find extremely attractive? Why was my mouth betraying me?
“Did anything else happen?” Elijah asked, making sure I stayed on track.
“No, we just made out a little, and then Anna came over and Trevor went to get some air. I checked my phone; my mother’s mad—I broke curfew—but when he didn’t come back Anna went to look for him.”
“And Anna is the one in the ally with the police, yes?” Elijah clarified.
“Yes, that’s her,” I said. Elijah had this look on his face that I couldn’t quite place—like he was looking for an answer that he didn’t find.
Zilli grabbed Elijah by the arm and pulled him across the room, it looked like I didn’t get to be a part of this conversation anymore. I thought about pacing again but decided to lean on the concrete wall instead, it was cool on my back and even though it’s not warm in the room I could feel the heat inching up my spine. I watched as the boys exchanged words. Elijah looked confused, he said something to Zilli that made him shake his head. It looked like Elijah was turning to walk away when Zilli grabbed his arm and whispered something else in his ear. Elijah sucked in a deep breath and turned back to look at Zilli, clearly shocked by what he said. He just stood and stared at Zilli for a moment before turning back to me.
The look in his eye was a lot like that look Zilli had when he touched my arm, but darker, almost hungry. It made my insides melt. He took a step toward me and Zilli stopped him.
I am not sure what their exchange was about, but it looked like Zilli wasn’t happy with whatever decision Elijah had made. He pulled free from Zilli’s hand rather easily, so clearly, Zilli didn’t want to stop him that bad.
Elijah took another step in my direction. It was as if someone had put the world in slow motion, and I got to take in his appearance rather than just noticing he was gorgeous and moving on. His skin is lighter than his brother’s, but still had a nice bronze tone to it, like he spent a lot of time outside. His eyes are the most vivid electric blue color that I’ve ever seen, they couldn’t possibly be of this world. He has full lips that made me want to trace my fingers across them, and his blonde hair hung just above his eyebrows, curling at the nape of his neck. He’s not quite as tall as Zilli but definitely above 6 feet and he’s wearing a pair of black slacks and nice dress shoes. His shirt was tight, but I imagine that any shirt would be with a chest like that.
He was standing close enough that I could touch him if I just lifted a hand and man—did I want to. I know that there was something I was supposed to be worried about, there was a reason I was in this office with these men. For the life of me though, I couldn’t remember what it was. He took another step closer to me. He smelled like the ocean, calming, alluring, hypnotizing. I finally pulled my eyes away from his chest and looked up. It was like his eyes were pulling me in, calling me closer to him, to sink into him completely. I couldn’t help myself anymore, I had to touch him. Slowly I raised my hand to touch the curl right behind his ear. His hair was like silk, and he let out a slow breath as I ran my whole hand onto the back of his head.
The way that his eyes watched my every breath was fascinating, like for every moment for the rest of my life he would be there for me, regardless of what I needed him for. His soul touched mine in a similar way that Zilli’s did—but at the same time—they were nothing alike. Elijah was like eating after being starved in the forest for days, like waking up on a bed of clouds or soaking in a hot bath. His soul is home.
He lifted his hand to the side of my face, and I could feel my need for him to touch me growing. Like I wouldn’t survive without it.
What are these men doing to me?
“I want to taste you,” He said in a throaty voice that was a little above a whisper, as he pulled his thumb across my bottom lip.
Permission.
He was asking if he could kiss me. I knew that my words wouldn’t work—and I knew that I should say no. I don’t know this guy—and something terrible happened. Only I couldn’t remember what happened and I couldn’t make myself say no.
I just nodded my head.
I heard a low growl from behind him somewhere, but I was too lost in his eyes to care. Slowly—so very slowly—he lowered his lips to mine. Gently he claimed my mouth with his, and it was like fireworks went off inside of me. This was what a kiss should feel like. My whole body reacted to him, I linked my arms around his neck and pulled myself up to meet him, deepening the kiss. His chest rumbled and it was like a hurricane in my body, I couldn’t get close enough to him. He chuckled against my mouth as I pressed myself into him, if our bodies could become one, I believe that at this moment they would have. He wrapped his arms around my lower back and pulled me off the ground.
“Alright, that’s enough Elijah.” The strain in Zilli’s voice was obvious, he didn’t like what was going on between Elijah and me, though I am very curious to know his reason why. Elijah set me down and took a tiny step back. Holding on to my hand as he turned to Zilli.
“Wow!” He hissed, “A hundred years I’ve waited to know what that would feel like. It’s truly her.” He smiled at me and held my hand a little tighter. “However, it was her...” The second half of his sentence came out with a frown.
I thought about pulling my hand out of his, but it felt like he wouldn’t let me go even if I wanted to. I don’t know what would happen if I tried to step away.
“What do you mean it’s me, but it was me? One sounds good the other sounds bad; they are basically the same sentence?” I was even more confused now than before this striking man kissed me.
“Thea, this is going to be very hard to hear, and I promise we will try to answer all of your questions before we leave this room.” Zilli motioned to the couch as he spoke. As I sat down Zilli and Elijah shared a look and Zilli took a calming breath as he looked at his watch.
