Page 7 of Debts and Desires
“He seems… nice,” I had forced out.
“He’s just tired from work,” she had offered, heading to the kitchen. I followed, entering just as she started pulling things out of the fridge and setting them on the counter. She moved almost robotically.
“What can I do?”
“Nothing. I’ll take care of it. Ian’s particular.” She gave anawkward laugh, and I offered an equally awkward smile. I had gotten the feeling that Ian wasparticularabout a lot more than how his food was prepped.
As she cooked, Mia told me about her latest painting and her thoughts on some of the pieces hanging around the gallery, including a screen that looked like a painting, but would move. She had gotten some good feedback from the last show.
The sound of heavy footsteps had drawn our attention.
Ian the demon stood in the doorway to the kitchen, his hands resting on either side of the frame, his arms bulging as he leaned forward, staring at Mia. She turned towards him fully, smiling at him, faltering slightly. He didn’t smile back. Instead, he continued to stare, his expression unreadable.
“Dinner done?” he had asked.
“Almost,” she had answered. I know she tried to hide it, but I still saw her swallow nervously.
“I thought you’d be done by now with all that chitchat going on,” he said in what sounded like a joking tone, but it didn’t look or feel like he was joking.
“Sorry, babe. I’ll have it done soon,” Mia said as she went back to cooking. The kitchen became unbearably silent. Ian continued to watch her for a moment before he finally moved on to me. He gave me a once over, then a wink before leaving. I grimaced.
I had known Mia for going on sixteen years. She was smart, funny, outgoing, and beautiful. Not only that, but she was kind, generous, and selfless. Qualities I was sure Ian lacked. Never once had I seen her take a significant other’s order like that. And the bruises on her tanned skin… It all worried me. More so when I couldphysicallysee her, not just on a tiny screen occasionally.
And it only got worse from there.
In the coming days, we found ourselves on the balcony at some point, each leaning on the railing overlooking the view of Savannah. Ian went on about some businesses he’d been investing in, as if I cared to know. Neither I nor Mia could get aword in otherwise. Eventually, he stopped, asking Mia to get us drinks.
When she had left, Ian turned to me, a gleam in his eye, his smile cold and calculating. His voice dripped with false charm as he asked, “How long have you and Mia been friends?”
“Since we were kids,” I had replied cautiously, eyeing him warily. Where was he going with this?
“Hmm.” He took a sip. “You know, she never told me how pretty you were,” he said, his gaze lingering on me with an intensity that made my skin crawl. He leaned forward some. “I know she’s told you about our personal life? How she and I prefer things a little… rough?” I knew he meant the bruises. I didn’t know how to respond and I could tell he knew. “I just wanted to make sure you and I understand one another. I wouldn’t want you to interfere with anything.” Ian’s smile widened. A predatory hunger that sent bile rising in my throat.
Before I could respond, Mia returned with the drinks. Her smile strained as she handed them out with trembling hands. Did she know he was talking to me? Warning me between his words?
Everything about Ian set me on edge, a primal instinct warning me to keep my distance. An idea of reaching out to her parents crossed my mind, but Mr. Luke would probably kill Ian. Then I thought about talking to her brothers—Miles and Theo—but I pushed that away, too. Because if her brothers got involved, that meant the dreaded Callum would, too. And I knew how Mia felt about Cal. They were mortal enemies, even now. Which was funny since Cal was seven years her senior and halfway around the world. And because she was still in love with him.
Damn, was I tempted. But it wasn’t my place to interfere in her relationship.
Was it?
Eventually she stopped wearing silly scarves around her neck, though some of the bruising still poked through the coverup. I definitely didn’t buy her or Ian’s story. There wasclearly more going on than just “rough sex.” I wanted to ask, not understandingwhyI hadn’t yet.
I knew deep down it was because I didn’t want to lose the only person I had left in my life.
Not that it had mattered.
It had been a fun-filled couple of days until it wasn’t.
One evening, just as the sun dipped below the horizon, Ian came in unannounced with a scowl on his face. His presence was jarring, his energy clashing with the peaceful ambiance that Mia had cultivated. He eyed me with a mix of annoyance and disdain, his gaze lingering on my presence as ifIwere the unwanted intrusion.
Per Mia talking to him on the phone earlier that day, he wasn’t happy that she was going with me to the gig in Hudsonville. It was “too far” for her to be away from him.
When he pulled her aside, Mia’s expression shifted, a flicker of anxiety crossing her face as she exchanged a few hushed words with him. He then grabbed her arm and took her out to the balcony to talk. I couldn’t see or hear them.
Eventually, Mia emerged from their private discussion, her now puffy red eyes glistening as he left, slamming her bedroom door behind him.
“Mimi, are you okay?” I asked. She put on a brave smile.
