The Lair

by Lisina Coney

My forehead still tingles from Travis’s lingering kiss, and my mind is still filled with questions

“It’s kind of urgent.” “Sure.” I force a relaxed smile. “How can I help you?” “You’re Allison Buccieri, aren’t you?”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Tom continues, his eyes never leaving my face. My fingers find the beads on my bracelet and start toying with them, willing the panic to die down in vain. I need air. I need to get out of here.

“We don’t want to bother you. We just want to know if you’d be willing to speak out on⁠—” “Who’s we?” I cut him off. “How did you find me? Who are you?”

“I work for George Eden,” he says, confirming my suspicions. “We got a lead a while ago from someone on our team. Someone who came to The Lair and thought she recognized you.” “Mindy?” It comes out as a whisper.

“Yeah.” Tom’s eyebrows lift in surprise. “She was here on vacation and had an issue with her food, and… Anyway, not the point. Since my family lives here, I offered to talk to you during the holidays. George is fascinated by your case, and he’d like to

interview you for his talk show. You flew under the radar for six years, Allie. That’s no small feat.”

“Our audience would love to know why you left in the first place. Why you changed your name and your appearance. What happened with… you know, the kidnapping.”

“No.” One word. That’s all I can manage as my throat closes and unshed tears collect in my eyes. Tom sighs. “I understand this is hard to take in, but please hear me out. We only want your statement—that’s it. We suspect something went down with your family that made you leave despite their claims that everything was fine. One doesn’t change their name and physical appearance for no reason.”

“Leave me alone. Please,” I beg him, not caring anymore who sees me break down. “I left for a reason. I don’t want to remember. I don’t want to relive my kidnapping. You can interview someone else.”

“I understand. I do, Allie, but think about it. Your experience could help us move forward with Congress. You were kidnapped, and many people are convinced it had to do with your family sharing personal information online. The police never issued an official statement, and the rumors have gone in all directions. Any proof you have of parental abuse or neglect would really help our case. We’re only trying to protect other children from going through the same thing.”

“Leave,” I say one last time, my voice shaking as badly as my hands. “I-I don’t want to be part of this.” This time, Tom doesn’t insist. His defeated sigh makes something uncomfortable roll in my stomach.

“Call this number or email me if you change your mind.” I don’t take it. I barely move, still shaking, as he leaves the way he came.

“Allie?” As if physically shaken by Travis’s voice, I sober up at once. I grab a nearby cleaning cloth to busy my hands so he can’t see them shaking. “Hi, boss man.”

The truth, once and for all. “Allie. Talk to me, please.” I shake my head and lower my gaze. “I’m fine.”

“A production company?” he asks slowly. “What is this doing here?”

“Breathe with me, Allie. Come on.” My chest heaves when I follow his command, and it takes me three tries to take a full breath. “In. Out. Again.”

“That’s it. You’re doing so good, Allie. Will you breathe with me one more time?”

“There’s a reason this room is empty,” he starts. Somehow, my heart knows it’s going to break in the next few moments. I don’t fight it.

“I started working at a car repair shop to help him pay the bills. It wasn’t much, but at least we didn’t go to bed hungry anymore.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through all that, Travis. You didn’t deserve it.” I almost miss his headshake. “It’s all in the past.”

“There was a cost. I’ve seen some shit in the Navy, Allie. Shit no human should fucking see.”

“I left after twelve years because I couldn’t take it anymore. I’ve seen friends die before my eyes. Men who had families here, children, wives they couldn’t wait to go back to. I’ve seen…”

“I came back a different man.”

detached, lone fucker who gave up on too many hopes he didn’t know he had.”

face. “I don’t fucking know. I didn’t allow my parents or the shit they did and didn’t do to define my formative years. I always saw my uncle as my only father figure, so it’s not like…”

“You wanted to be a dad?” A sea of goose bumps breaks out on my skin when he nods. Why does the thought of Travis having children with some faceless woman make me breathless? I’m ridiculous.

“After I came back, the horrors I’d seen… I couldn’t stand the idea of losing anyone I cared about. Still can’t.”

keep this room empty because I once hoped it would become a nursery, but I don’t think that’s gonna happen anymore.” The air whooshes out of my lungs. “I can’t bring myself to turn this into anything else. It doesn’t feel right,” he adds, his voice quieter than I’ve ever heard it. “Travis…” I start, unsure of what I could even say to make his pain go away or if there is anything that could at all. “I’m not telling you this because I want your pity,”

know that. But I care about you, and I don’t like to see you hurting. You deserve to heal.”

“I’m doing better now that I’m in therapy.” I hate that my eyebrows rise in surprise. “You are?” “For my PTSD, yes.”

“I’m still learning how to let people in, but I’m not sure I’m doing a good job.”

“You are. Thank you for opening up to me,” I tell him. “You’re my favorite person, Travis.” “And you are my weakness, Allie.”

Travis presses another kiss to the back of my hand. So gently, so at odds with the facade he shows to the world. “Travis…” “Yes, sweetheart?” Tell him. Tell him now. My eyes drop to his mouth, unable to look away because we...

The dogs start barkin...

Nooooo

“Allie?”

“What do you need, boss man?” “Help me in the back. Bring the broom.”

“What are you doing?” I frown when he gently takes the broom from my grip. “Sweeping the floors,” he says, as if I weren’t looking right at him.

“I can see that. Why did you want me to come with you if you’re only gonna make me watch?”

“I’ll get you a hot date this weekend, Allie Cat. Don’t sweat it.” My cheeks redden,

“Doesn’t that give me a point? I’ll take a pity one if necessary. I mean, the aim of this game is to sink the balls into the holes.” I pause. “Like, the pool balls into the pool holes. That’s what I meant.”

“The eight ball has to be the last one you sink. Otherwise, you lose.” “That doesn’t feel right. Does that mean we have to start again?”

got this.” I can’t see his face, but I sure hear the smirk in his voice. “I know you do.” “Don’t make fun of me, big guy.” “Would never dream of it.” I send him a dirty look that does nothing but make that smirk a little wider.

“Damn it.” “Easy,” Travis says. “Let me show you.”

pushes my lower body forward with a gentle hand as I hold on to the cue. His body moves with mine, his left arm resting on top of mine as his fingers wrap around my own, holding the cue with me. Then he whispers, “Follow my lead.”

“You sank one, so you go again,” he instructs, his voice rough. A shaky breath falls from my parted lips as I lean forward, targeting an orange ball this time. Somehow, I manage to hit the white ball, but it lands nowhere. “You’re getting there,”

must notice I’m not paying attention anymore because he asks, “You okay?” No, Travis, I’m not. I’m not sure about anything right now.

“Why are you still wearing the bracelet?”

“You don’t have to wear it anymore,” I feel compelled to remind him when he says nothing. “The bet was one month. You can take it off.”

“I don’t want to take it off,” he says, simple as that, as he sinks both balls and wins the game. “Why not?”