Page 35 of Infinity Chronicles 1
“I didn’t see your keys, but I wasn’t looking either.” Dante looks over at Milo. “We had some stuff to deal with last night.”I just bet you didI think to myself. “We can look for them today,” Dante finishes.
* * *
The driveto Dante’s house only takes about fifteen minutes. As soon as I spot his driveway, my stomach rolls. My knee bounces as we turn down the lane. Ollie reaches over and places his palm on my thigh, stilling my movements. He gives me a gentle squeeze and I look over at him. His lips open and he barely whispers, “It’ll be okay.” I don’t really believe him. I mean he doesn’t even know I’m dealing with so much more than this weirdness happening with us. But I plaster a smile on my face and nod, hoping he’ll buy it.
When Dante shuts off the car no one moves to get out. For all of Milo’s talk that he was tired of it, he doesn’t rush to exit either. Dante turns in his seat, finding me in the back. “Probably should have told you yesterday, that’s my brother’s house over there.” His head nods to the cheery yellow house with the wraparound porch.
“It’s your house too Dante,” Milo intones.
“I like my privacy. My brother’s staff are always around over there so I moved into the loft a year or so ago.”
“I thought your brother lived far away.” Dante’s eyes narrow. “I mean… Maggie mentioned he was moving back so I assumed he didn’t livehere.” I wave my hand at the picturesque house to my right.
Dante turns back to the front. “Yeah he moved out a little over a year ago.” It’s not lost on me that the two time frames are very close together. Could there be more to why Ares moved out, or why Dante isn’t staying in the house anymore? He opens his door and leans the seat forward for me. Bracing my arm on the driver’s seat, I let my left leg find the ground. Dante doesn’t move away so I have to shimmy past him to get out. Once I back away from him I rub my hands over my hips, straightening my t-shirt.
Why does their presence affect me so much? Half the time I can’t figure out if Milo and Dante hate me or not. Ollie seems to be the only one who does more than tolerate me. It’s him that wraps his arm around my neck and guides me to the stairway.
Dante heads right for the fridge, pulling out three cans of cola, before snagging another. He doesn’t ask if anyone wants a drink, he just hands them out, stopping on me last. I don’t drink much soda, but I take the offered can anyway. The sugar might actually do me good.
Not sure how to get things started, I look around the room. A few sheets of paper are still lying on the floor near the sofa. I place my drink on the kitchen counter and head over to clean up the mess I left and see if my keys turn up. I drop to my knees much like yesterday, and lean down to get the piece half under the couch. As I pull it out something red catches my eye. On top of my paper is a tiny scrap of lacy red material that couldn’t be anything but a pair of panties. Dante rounds the couch the second I pull the sheet out. I jerk my hand away, for those panties to have ended up on top of my paper, they would have had to have been left here after my bag broke yesterday afternoon. A bitter laugh escapes me.
“Well those aren’t mine.” I motion to the offending item. Dante is stock-still, his face is ashen, while his lips are rolled in. Milo walks over and peers over his friend’s shoulder. His eyes go wide but he doesn’t utter a word.
“Did you find someone else’s keys?” Ollie questions, making his way over. “Those definitely aren’t keys.”
“Can you at least move them, so I can get my paper, I’m not touching them.” I wave my hand over the panties, when Dante doesn’t make a move to do anything with them.
Dante snaps out of his frozen posture and crosses his arms over his chest, widening his legs. “Are you sure they didn’t fall out of your bag, I mean they’re on top of your stuff.”
I suck in a sharp breath. How dare he accuse me of leaving them here? “They aren’t mine,” I growl through gritted teeth and stand, unable to keep glaring at him from the floor. My fingers tremble, and my eyes prick with the sensation of brimming tears.
“You probably wouldn’t admit to it if they were yours. Why would you have spare panties in your bag?” The implication is clear; he thinks I’m easy.
I take a step closer and point my finger at his chest. “I’ll say it again since your small brain didn’t understand me the first time. They are not mine. And if they were, it would be none of your fucking business why they were in my bag.” Another step. “I’ll have you know, you assuming ass, that there are plenty of reasons a girl might have a change of clothes with her that has nothing to do with what you’re insinuating.” I jab my finger into his sternum.
Dante’s eyes narrow and he moves his head from left to right, cracking his neck. I’m breathing heavily and staring right back. I feel fingers wrap around my upper arms from behind. The static charge I get lifts the hair on my arms, and the baby hairs around my face fan out like I’m touching a plasma ball.
“Let’s just take this down a notch,” Milo mutters behind me. I twist my neck, surprised to find he’s the one holding me. I jerk my shoulders and step to the side, pulling free from his grasp. A gleam under the table catches my eye. I stoop and grab my keys from the floor, shoving them in my front pocket. My breathing is still choppy, but I don’t feel like I grabbed an electric fence anymore. Ollie skirts the couch, stepping closer to me. I scan the three of them. Why did I come here? Desperation… loneliness?
“I think maybe I should go.” I wrap my hands over my stomach looking at the ground. Milo’s grunt of annoyance proceeds him throwing his arms in the air.
“Can we drop all the drama for like five minutes and have a conversation?” He stares directly at me. My back goes rigid, and I drop my arms to my sides. He’s blaming me for all this?
“Say whatever you need to say.” I narrow my eyes on him. “Then leave me the hell alone.” I separate myself from them by walking over to the wall and leaning against it.
“Not fucking possible,” Milo utters under his breath.
“Oh, I assure you, it is,” I snap back. Dante shakes his head and drops onto the sofa in a messy sprawl.
“Can we just rewind a few days?” Dante lifts his head off the back of the sofa, looking around. Milo drops down next to him and offers his knuckles for a fist bump. “Okay, so I’m going to go out on a limb and guess you don’t know anything about our connection?”
I thin my lips and shake my head in denial. Dante nods his head in agreement. “Did you want to sit down, or… maybe your drink?” More avoidance. When I huff and roll my eyes, Dante continues, “I never expected we’d have to explain this to our Synergist. This isn’t exactly easy for any of us either.”
I rub my forehead, searching for patience. It would be easier if we could rewind a few days. Two days ago Dante was broody and quiet, but I didn’t think he was the dick Ollie accused him of being. Milo’s always been more standoffish, but not the way he’s being now. What changed yesterday?
Deciding I want the answers they’re promising, I walk over to the low table in front of the couch where I found my keys and sit, my legs folded in front of me with my hands in my lap. Ollie takes a seat next to Dante on the couch, while Milo chooses to move away from our group and lean against the small kitchen counter. I don’t take it as a good sign.
“Is it bad that I wish Ares was here to do this?” Dante winces and looks over to Ollie. Who shakes his head no, and grimaces.
