One Tiny Secret

Chapter Twenty Seven

I watch as Parker pulls on his briefs and moves into the room off to the side, which I remember is the bathroom. Grabbing my clothes off the floor, I start to get dressed while waiting for him to return. I climb back onto the bed and sit there, replaying our intense love-making session in my mind. Then the “L” word pops into my head again, and I wonder again what stopped him from saying it to me earlier.

“Dressed already?” Parker asks while coming back into the room.

My surprised eyes dart over to him, almost like he caught me saying a secret out loud. When I realize I didn’t actually say anything, I reply, “Yeah. Midnight curfew, remember?”

He comes over and gives me a big kiss on the lips while running his fingers through my hair. I let it go on longer than I probably should since I do need to get home soon. I just can’t bring myself to say no to him right now.

Taking a breather, I say, “I really do need to get home, Parker.”

He groans and gives me one last kiss. “All right. Even though it’s against my better judgment, I’ll let you leave,” he says, letting out a light chuckle. “Give me a sec to get dressed, okay?” He collects his clothes and moves back into the bathroom.

I decide to go outside and get some fresh air. The room is filled with lingering heat and the scent of sex. It’s beginning to drive me wild. I open the door and step out, taking in a deep, relaxing breath of cool air. A contented sigh parts my lips and makes me smile.

“So, you must be the new flavor of the week,” I hear a female’s voice come from my left side.

I turn abruptly to face her because obviously she’s talking to me. “Excuse me?”

“That Parker sure is quite the manwhore. You better run while you still can, chickadee, because his heart’s already taken by some girl named Dani.”

“Who are you?” I ask, finding myself getting more annoyed the longer she keeps talking.

“Oh, I’m just Ex-Plaything Number Three, who lives down the hall.”

“Number three? He told me he only had one.” Her laughter brings an angry frown to my face.

“You’re Dani, aren’t you?” she asks with an eyebrow raised.

I close the dorm room door before I answer, not really wanting Parker to hear any part of this conversation. “Maybe.”

“You’re very pretty. I can see why he likes you so much. But let me give you some advice, girl to girl. Guys like Parker may truly only love one woman, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be satisfied with only one. Think about it,” she explains with a squinty-eyed smile.

“You let me deal with Parker, okay? I think I may know him a little better than you,” I reply, though deep down I’m not confident in what I say.

“Your funeral,” is all she says before starting to walk off. “Oh, and the name’s Sarah. Not that you really wanted to know, but there it is.”

“It was nice meeting you, Sarah,” I call out to her.

“Same here.”

The door to Parker’s room opens and I glare at him. “Everything okay out here?”

“Yeah. What makes you think it isn’t?” I reply, shrugging my shoulders.

“Uh, your face kind of tells me it isn’t,” he states, joining me outside.

I know I’m going to regret this the moment I ask. “Who’s Sarah?”

Parker brushes his hand across his chin and gazes down the hall where I saw Sarah walking earlier. “She’s my ex. Was she just here?”

“Yeah, and she told me she was number three. Is that true?” I ask, not sure if my heart can handle the truth right now.

The moment he begins to comb his hand through his hair, I know my answer. “Dani—”

“Just take me back to my car, please,” I say, interrupting him.

“Can we talk about this?”

“For right now, I think I’m done talking to you. All I want is to go back to my car and drive home. That’s the least you can do for me.”

My heart feels like it’s being shredded into a bloody pulp, and I feel so stupid for yet again tearing down my walls for him.

“Okay. I’ll take you to your car,” he answers, closing and locking the door behind him.

The drive back to The Brick House is overflowing with awkward. I’m actually glad we’re on a motorcycle since there’s no opportunity for us to chat. I sense by how tense Parker’s holding himself that he wants to talk about this. I find myself dreading the moment when we reach the club, because I know he’ll make an attempt to explain himself.

When we stop in front of the club, I step off the motorcycle and remove the helmet. I shove it into Parker’s chest before he even has a chance to stand up. He sits there with a hurt expression on his face, waiting to see what I’m going to do next. I can tell by the look in his eyes that he wants me to hug him and give him a proper good night, but I can’t pull myself to do it. I mutter a quick “bye” and move past him toward my car. I don’t even look back to see how he’s reacting.

Plopping down into the driver’s seat, I don’t put the key into the ignition right away. I just sit there, staring at it in my hand. The roar of a motorcycle’s engine causes me to look out my back window to see Parker’s taillights driving out onto the street. A depressed sigh leaves my lips as I turn the keys in the ignition, starting the car.

Buzz…Buzz…

That horrid sound emanates from my pocket. Pulling out the phone, I unsurprisingly see a message from Unknown:

Poor Kevin’s suffering from a broken heart. At least you put him out of his misery…literally.

“Kevin?” I ask the empty car, dropping the phone into my lap. I pound on the steering wheel furiously, trying to get out all of my aggression toward Unknown. A sad cry pierces my lips. Angry tears roll down my face at the thought of something bad happening to Kevin. Grabbing the phone, I type a reply:

What the f*ck did you do to Kevin? You sick f*ck!

It only takes a few seconds before the phone pings with another message:

Temper, temper, Dani. Follow the breadcrumbs and you’ll find your answer…

I throw the phone into the passenger seat and just sit there, staring out the window through misty eyes. I never really pray, but for once in my life, I find myself praying for Kevin’s safety.



A knock on the passenger side window causes me to raise my head from the steering wheel and wipe the tears from my eyes. A second, louder, knock has me turning to see who it is. Alex stands outside the car, shivering in the cold. Her black and white face paint is smeared, and it’s obvious she’s had a few drinks.

“What are you still doing here?” she asks close to the window, her breath fogging it up.

I clear my throat as to not sound like a frog when I speak. “I was just leaving.”

“Hold on a second,” she yells at someone behind her, probably her ride home. She turns her attention back to me. “You look upset. Want to talk?”

“Not really, no,” I reply, but the tears get in the way and it comes out all phlegmy-sounding.

“Come on, open the door,” she says, jiggling the handle.

“Not right now, Alex, please.”

“What kind of friend would I be if I left you here crying your eyes out? Now open the damn door,” she says with a soft laugh.

I reach over and flip up the lock. She proceeds to stumble into the car, falling into a sitting position on the seat. “Whoa, that could have been disastrous. Remind me not to drink so much next time,” she jokes, but when she sees it doesn’t make me laugh, her face turns serious. She places her hand on my shoulder, rubbing back and forth. “I’m going to f*cking kill, Parker, you know that, right? Did he do this to you?”

“No, it wasn’t him,” I choke out.

“Good, because I seriously wasn’t looking forward to prison life. So, then what’s wrong? I know you’re not crying like this over nothing.”

I want to answer her and spill everything, but I don’t want to drag her into this. Then again, maybe she’s already a part of this just by simply knowing me.

A heavy breath parts my lips before I speak. “There’s a lot going on that you don’t know about.”

“Then tell me. Is this about all the crazy shit that’s been going on around here lately?” She shakes off her drunken stupor and seems focused on my answer. It’s almost like our conversation is sobering her up.

“Yeah, it is actually.”

“What’s wrong, Dani? Just tell me.”

“If I do, you have to promise not to say anything to anyone. This can’t leave this car.”

“Pinky swear,” she says, holding up her pinky finger and waiting for me to complete the action.

“Someone is murdering people in our town and making it look like accidents.” Alex’s eyes never leave mine as I continue, “This person has been messing with me ever since Janice disappeared. Every time one of these crimes was committed, I received a text or some type of hint that this person did it.”

“Does your dad know all of this?”

“Yeah, but he doesn’t believe me, since this unknown guy erases everything he sends me before I have a chance to use it against him. I had to tell Parker because the psycho sent me incriminating stuff involving him and me.”

“Whoa, Dani—this is really effed up. Are you absolutely serious about this?” she asks, and I can tell the information is becoming overwhelming for her. I nod, causing her to slump back in the seat with a bewildered look on her face. “This is some dangerous shit, Dani. What are we going to do? Maybe I should’ve drunk some more.”

“We aren’t going to do anything. I don’t want you involved any more than you already are. The moment you begin to help me, I’m worried you might end up like the others,” I reply with a concerned look on my face.

Alex sits in a daze, seemingly not sure what to say next. I can see the wheels in her head turning. A knock on the passenger side window startles both of us.

“Are you coming or what?” a guy asks through the window.

“No, I’m going to hitch a ride with my friend here,” she answers.

“Whatever,” the guy states in frustration and storms off.

“Ass,” she mutters toward the window before turning to face me. “Hey, you don’t mind, do you? Giving me a ride home?”

“No, I don’t mind at all. I do have one question for you though.”

“Yeah, what’s up?” she replies, sounding distracted.

“Do you believe me?”

“It seriously scares the shit out of me to say this, but for some strange reason, I do,” she answers, her voice wobbly.

“Thank you.”