The Upward Ripple

Cynthia pushed all thought of Elise to the back of her mind and made her way into the house. The place felt so different from when she had first visited. She walked into the living room which was almost empty, Then, she walked into the kitchen. The kitchen had new appliances some of which still had the clear film wrap. It was obvious that Nate had been a little busy bee in the last week. She suddenly felt like she could forgive his lack of communication in the last few days. Not that he owed her anything.

“Hello? Nate?” she called as she walked out into the hallway and then began making her way up the stairs but there was no answer. “Nate, are you here?”

There was still no answer.

“Nate?” she called out again when she got to the top of the stairs but there was still no answer.

She made her way from room to room, trying to locate him. She was almost giving up as she walked into the last bedroom down the hallway. Relief washed over her when she saw him standing at the window.

“Hey, I have been looking for you,” she said in a soft voice, but he did not turn around.

Even though she was looking at his back, she could tell that his mind was a million miles away. She called his name again as she walked towards him. a wave of worry washed over her as she reached over to touch his shoulder. What happened next shook her to her very core. He grabbed her hand and twisted it in one swift motion making her cry in pain as he pinned her to the wall. Her arm was still twisted behind her and her other hand was on his which was around her neck. She felt so small being pinned against the wall because until that moment, she had never realized just how big he was. The look in his eyes screamed bloody murder and for the first time ever, the attraction she felt for him was no longer there. In its place was a burning desire to get away from him.

“You…are…hurting…me!” she struggled to say.

It felt like forever before Nate got back to his senses and let her go. He was panting and shaking, and she sunk to the floor, scared for her life.

“I’m so sorry…. I’m so sorry….” He muttered as he looked at her, but she could not hear anything that was coming out of his mouth. Hell, she could not hear anything that was happening around her. All she heard was a ringing in her ears. Her brain kept on screaming at her to get out, but she just didn’t have the strength to get up. Nate was still talking to her, trying to get closer and closer but the closer he got the further away she got.

“What the hell is happening here?” were the first words Cynthia heard.

She looked up at the door to see a man and a woman standing at the doorway. The woman looked at Nate and then rushed to Cynthia’s side to help her up.

“Get me out of here,” Cynthia whispered to the woman who nodded in response before walking her out of the room.

                                                            *****

Everything that had happened in the last few minutes was a blur to Nate. All he knew was that he was walking into the room one minute and then his hand was around Cynthia’s neck the next. And now, Leon was talking to him, asking him what had happened, and he had no answers for him.

“The realtor…Cynthia…. Is she okay?” he asked as he paced the room.

“She’s fine. Dee’s with her right now… all I want to know is what happened?” Leon asked.

Nate shook his head.

“I don’t know… I just walked in here and something about this place reminded me of… something… and then I felt someone touch me and even if I was alone in the house, I freaked out. Leon, I just freaked out…” his voice trailed off. “You have to tell her that I didn’t mean to hurt her. You have to.”

Leon nodded and walked up to where his friend was. He put a hand on his shoulder and then pulled him in for a hug. Leon was the only one who knew Nate’s full story. From when he joined The Outlaws to why he left them. He was also the only one Nate had ever opened up to about how he left the bike club. The punishment of leaving the brotherhood, they called it. That had traumatized him a little too much for words and Leon had advised him to get some help. He knew that Nate had gotten into some program, but he never knew just how far into the program he got.

“It’s okay. It’s alright, man.” Leon pulled away from Nate. “It’s fine. She is okay, alright?”

“I don’t think she will be willing to work with me after this… and I kind of like her, you know?”

Leon nodded.

“Yeah, she is a pretty great realtor.”

“No, I don’t mean as a realtor, Leon. I mean, I like her like her.”

Leon raised an eyebrow over the other. He knew that this was the first time Nate was being serious about anyone. The fact that he was admitting to liking Cynthia meant that he was serious about her. That he saw a future with her. Nate had never been one to struggle when it came to getting women and he had always been a gentleman about his affairs too. Leon knew a little too well that Nate would never admit to liking anyone unless he really felt something.

“Since when?” Leon asked and Nate shrugged.

“I just met her a few days ago but I know that I have never felt this way about anyone so fast and now she thinks I am a psycho.”

Nate sunk to the floor.

‘I think I should move back to Nevada… or maybe just go to one of dad’s properties…. My properties.” He rubbed his temple. “I was a fool to think that a simple haircut and moving back here would be enough to give me a clean slate.”

Leon shook his head.

“First of all, going back to Nevada is not an option.”

Nate looked up at Leon.

“And why not?” he asked. “It was not like I lived in the same area The Outlaws were based in.”

“Don’t give me that, Duncan. You and I both know that Nevada is all Outlaw territory. You might have been holed up in a high-end Vegas hotel, but you were still tied to Nevada. To The Outlaws,” Leon said as he looked at his friend. “I am happy that you are finally feeling something for an appropriate woman but if this is going to work out, you need to explain yourself to her. She needs to know that this aggression is not part of you.”

Nate forced out a laugh.

“But it is part of me,” he said.

“Yeah but just for now.”

Nate buried his face into his hands. This was the only other time he felt like his world was ending.