Dangerous Games

NOTHING STINGS LIKE THE TRUTH

Something was wrong.

Samuel sensed it the moment he entered the room. She had been sitting on the bed with her purse on her lap, staring into nothing. When he asked what was wrong, Kali said nothing. She told him she only wanted to go home. So they got in the car and headed home.

Throughout the trip, she had been quiet. She only spoke when he spoke to her. Otherwise, she remained silent, looking out the window. Each time he asked what was wrong, he got the same answer. He reasoned that she was waiting to get home before she told him what was wrong.

"Are you ready to talk to me now?" He asked and sat on the coffee table to be closer to her. "You have been acting strangely since morning. Do you plan on telling me what's wrong or remain silent?"

"Silent." She scoffed, shaking her head with a mirthless laugh. "Interesting word, isn't it."

"I guess. Babe, what's wrong with you."

She leaned forward, resting her elbow on her knees as she held his gaze intensely.

"I am guessing you want the truth."

"Yes."

"After we met, you took me to your apartment one day and wouldn't let me leave. You made me stay and tell you everything about my deal with your mom. Then you told me your side."

Samuel felt the skin of his neck prickle, and he swallowed nervously, looking at his feet. He didn't need to hear more to know where she was going. Shame wouldn't let him look at her.

She'd found out. Somehow, she found out.

"Look at me. Look at me the same way you've been looking at me all this time." She spat.

He raised his head, painfully looking at her as a solitary tear slipped from her lashes.

"Kali. I never meant to lie."

She laughed. "When I mentioned Richard, I saw your face. I saw the little flinch, a hint of your anger. It was quick to pass, but I noticed it. Silly me, I thought it was because you found out your mother had a lover. How was I to know it was because he was your dad."

Samuel closed his eyes and turned away.

"Look at me!" She demanded again. When he didn't, he felt her fingers on his chin. She snapped his head back and seethed. "Look at me. Why did you lie?"

"I can't explain it."

"Because you wanted to protect her." Kali corrected, answering her question. "You thought if you said something then, I'd never agree to the marriage. It was one thing to marry her son. It was another thing to marry his, too. You thought I wouldn't go through with it and put Flora in danger."

"I am sorry." He dropped to his knees and cupped her face, feeling the wetness of her tears on his fingers. "I am so sorry."

"I don't blame you. I even understand why you kept quiet after we were married. I was saying how I wanted to find something on your mother that I could use against her. Look, there you were. Her biggest secret, looking right in the face."

"That never came to my mind."

"Oh please. You must have thought I would have broadcast the news to the world the second I found out. Right? So you had to protect yourself. Your family image."

"No." He shook his head. Then he repeated, enunciating each word, "That never came to my mind."

"I don't blame you for keeping quiet then. But what of when we became friends? Did you have no loyalty to me? What happened to your reason for asking me for the truth? You said you wanted to make sure your mother couldn't surprise us. Us. That implies two, and you left me to drown after I told you everything."