Chrysalis (Dangerous Secrets) Read online

  ABOUT CHRYSALIS

  Sydney Johnson is a nerd and proud—always doing the right thing, and following the rules.

  But routine fails her one evening, as she finds herself the random target of a kidnapping and assault by a group of boys. As a result of being blindfolded, she never sees her attackers or the location of the crime, so she decides to keep the incident to herself.

  She later drowns herself in college academic tasks, her only companion her childhood best friend—until she meets Nicholas Dhalton.

  Devil-may-care Nicholas doesn’t know much about consequences. A rich heir, he finds little reason to acquaint himself with responsibility. But everything changes when Sydney Johnson enters his life.

  Once their paths cross, and against their better judgments, Nicholas and Sydney embark upon an unconventional relationship at the risk of all that is familiar and stable.

  As their relationship grows, and they reveal their deepest secrets, they eventually realize they have a damning past. With race and class trying to separate them, can their love survive yet another obstacle?

  Chrysalis is about people and forgiveness, and the monsters and angels within us all.

  WARNING: Dark themes, heavy subject matter, some profanity, and other things that will make you clutch your pearls.

  Chrysalis is the second in the Dangerous Secrets series, a series of un-related stories involving BWWM romances with one other thing in common: one or more of the main characters has a secret so big, it threatens to derail or even destroy their most important relationships, their personal character, or their entire lives.

  CHRYSALIS

  By

  Rose Francis

  Chrysalis

  Copyright © 2013 by Rose Francis

  All rights reserved.

  Cover photo by A-Motion Media Productions.

  Cover design by PAPDesign.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted or circulated in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  “We are all patchwork, and so shapeless and diverse in composition that each bit, each moment, plays its own game. And there is as much difference between us and ourselves as between us and others...”—Michael de Montaigne, Of the Inconsistency of Our Actions

  The Caterpillar and Alice looked at each other for some time in silence: at last the Caterpillar took the hookah out of its mouth, and addressed her in a languid, sleepy voice.

  “Who are YOU?” said the Caterpillar.

  This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, “I—I hardly know, sir, just at present—at least I know who I WAS when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.”—Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

  “The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn.”—David Russell

  PART ONE: FATAL ATTRACTION

  Character is not cut in marble—it is not something solid and unalterable. It is something living and changing, and may become diseased as our bodies do.—George Eliot, MiddleMarch

  CHAPTER ONE

  Pennsylvania - Autumn

  It was the first day of fall.

  Nicholas glanced at his watch, trying to keep his anxiousness at bay—the girl would be heading his way any minute now.

  He tried distracting himself with the sights of the university, but all it had to offer was the green and brown of trees and grass, the brick-red and grey of stone buildings. In between, the generally nondescript faces of his college-mates whizzed by.

  He headed to another spot, hoping to blend in more with the busy scene, wondering if he would be able to make his Comparative Management class early for once, but he knew it was no use; his desire to see her was irresistible. He felt lassoed—dragged against his will to the same spot at the same time of day to wait for this same girl; powerless against his traitorous legs—after all, his heart and eyes agreed with them. He was thirsty for the sight of her, hungry for the way she made his heart thump against his chest, addicted to the rush of feeling igniting his body whenever she came into view.

  Still, he almost always felt like a criminal as he watched her, as if he were invading her space unlawfully, looking through her window as she emerged naked from a shower. He couldn’t shake the feeling, despite being near one of the school libraries with hundreds of other students jostling about around him, rushing off to their various commitments. He hated the guilt he felt, but the simultaneous pleasure from seeing her always managed to override it.

  As she finally came into view the familiar feelings returned—his heart pounded, and blood coursed through his veins at a rate that heated his body beyond its usual ninety-eight point six degrees.

  Briefly, he wondered if the echoing rhythm of his thundering heart would grab her attention and make her turn and catch him watching her. Of course the thought of her catching him and looking into his eyes for the first time made his heart beat even harder in excitement, even as he knew he had nothing to fear, for he was standing outside of her line of vision, partially hidden by a Siberian elm stretching its leafy shadows over him. Still, he knew she wouldn’t have seen him even if he was standing in plain sight since it seemed she tried to hide by not looking.

  Her head was bowed as usual, and she was hugging books against her chest as if holding on for dear life. Whatever assets she had were hidden under her backpack and oversized clothes, but this never stopped him from watching her as she continued her steady stroll toward the library—it only fueled his curiosity about her.

  He took in every detail he could, etching it deeper into his memory: her long, thick, dark curly hair pulled back into a somewhat messy braid, her eyes, downcast, shielded further by her glasses, her slim body, her smooth, brown skin peeking out from the sleeves of her T-shirt, her delicate face, expressionless.

  Nicholas hated this addiction, this loss of control. Although a somewhat pleasant feeling—his heart ablaze—it scared him. He couldn’t keep doing this to himself; he had to decide. But how? He still wanted to see her, but he couldn’t bring himself to approach her, and didn’t know if it was because he feared she would shun him, or because he wanted to save her from him. He believed it was the latter; after all, he wanted nothing more than to make her aware of his presence, his interest, his admiration. To tell her how beautiful he found her, even if she didn’t agree. But he didn’t want to invite her to the dungeon of his life. Although he knew she could bring beauty to it, he didn’t want to make her ugly in the process. So far he had contented himself with watching her from afar, suckling on the sense of peace and tranquility emanating from her, the serenity of her face. But it was no longer enough.

  He decided to play a game of chance.

  If she happens to look in my direction, I’ll go after her. If she doesn’t, I’ll stay away—somehow.

  He continued staring at her, and it took him a few moments to realize he had actually been willing her to look at him, hoping the force of his stare would turn her head. He had seen it happen before—someone staring at another whose back was turned, the person staring caught by the object of his or her fascination as if by magic, as if the energy of the stare—the thoughts, desire, or admiration—reached out and tapped the other person on the shoulder, making them look directly into their eyes. It had even happened to him bef
ore, and he hoped it would happen again. But her quick, sound footsteps took her out of his sight as she disappeared through the library’s doors without turning her head.

  Nicholas knew it was for the best—she was better off not knowing him. But then he remembered he would see her later that night as he pretended once again to study on the same floor as her at a nearby table. For the last time, he promised himself, hoping to stay true to his recently declared decree.

  All of a sudden he felt someone grab his arm, jarring him out of his reverie and making him jump. He turned toward the source, then breathed a sigh of relief when he saw who it was.

  “God, you scared me,” he said. “Christ, I thought it was...”

  “What, the police?”

  His brother looked at him with dark eyebrows raised, his blue eyes mocking. “Because you know they should come and get you, stalker.” Eddie nodded his head in the direction of the library. “I hope she finds out, and I hope she gets a restraining order on your ass.”

  “Hey, I’ve never done anything to her, never said a word...”

  Nicholas felt his cheeks get warm when he saw the smirk on Eddie’s face, realizing that he had fallen into his brother’s trap. He had been unable to control his defensive reaction and immediately felt embarrassed.

  “Nick, I was just kidding,” Eddie said, giving him a condescending rub on the shoulder, amusement still on his face. Then he shook his head and his expression took on a curious, slightly worried edge. “You mean you really do stalk her then?”

  “No,” Nicholas protested, once again a little too loud, a little too fast.

  “Well, this isn’t the first time I’ve seen you do this man. Yeah I’ve watched you from a distance too bro,” Eddie said, answering Nicholas’s question before he could ask. “I can’t even imagine why you like her—it’s not like she’s a beauty or anything.”

  Nicholas felt anger rise in him. He knew the look on his face was probably sharp enough to cut, but Eddie’s gaze was unwavering as he watched him in defiance, even folding his arms as if to solidify his position.

  “Come on Nick, she’s not. So this is really confusing me here. I’ve seen some chocolate babes around here in much better packages if that’s what you’re after.”

  The blood kept rushing through Nicholas, but he found himself just staring at his brother, not sure what he wanted to say in the girl’s defense. Eddie continued looking at him, unfazed.

  A few seconds passed in silence, taking Nicholas’s anger with them, and his breathing returned to normal.

  He sighed, resigning to Eddie’s nonchalance.

  Then he looked at the ground, no longer able to look his brother in the eye.

  He had heard of people meeting others for the first time and feeling like they had known each other all their lives. Perhaps something like this was what was happening to him.

  “You know how when you meet some people, sometimes before they even speak, you immediately like or dislike them?” he began. “I mean, without hearing any rumors or anything—you just see them and get a strong impression, strong enough to decide how you feel about them.” He paused, trying to find a better way to describe it. “You get a whiff of their spirit I guess. Their aura.”

  Nicholas wanted to kick himself when the last words fell out of his mouth as Eddie responded as expected by laughing.

  Nicholas narrowed his eyes at him.

  “Look, that’s how it is with her Ed. She just strikes me as a great person.”

  He turned away to avoid the glare of Eddie’s white-teethed grin.

  “Yeah, okay Nick,” Eddie replied in that condescending meter and tone that made Nicholas want to punch him in the face. Then Eddie’s face softened. “Hey, I’m just playing with you bro, I know what you’re trying to say. Kind of like what Charlene used to say right? Something about her spirit ‘taking to’ some people and ‘not taking to’ others.”

  Eddie paused, as if carefully thinking about his next words.

  “So why don’t you just go talk to her then? Find out how wonderful she really is?”

  Nicholas’s heart had warmed at the mention of their old nanny, but he looked away again, this time in the direction of the library as his thoughts returned to the girl, wishing he could see her in one of its windows, but at the same time, glad he couldn’t.

  “I can’t,” he said after a few moments.

  He looked at the ground again, focusing on a beetle crawling over the bridge of his sneakered foot toward the emerald forest of blades on the other side.

  He heard Eddie let out a frustrated breath.

  “But why, man? Why don’t you just go up to her?”

  Eddie’s voice was almost desperate now, all traces of amusement gone.

  “Man, this is so weird. First, you, Nicholas Dhalton, are ‘in like’ with a plain girl. A plain, black girl nonetheless. Not to mention she’s what, middle-class at best? Then, you’re too scared to approach her.” Eddie shook his head and threw up his hands. “This is like the twilight zone.”

  Eddie grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to look into his bewildered eyes. “We Dhaltons are not afraid of women!” he said.

  Nicholas wondered if his brother could ever become fully supportive of his interest in the girl. He often wondered if Eddie was really on his side.

  “I just can’t,” Nicholas said with finality.

  He extracted himself from Eddie’s grip and glanced over at the library again before turning and walking in the opposite direction toward his class. He couldn’t, he had said. But he knew he could, and was afraid he would.

  CHAPTER TWO

  It was early afternoon when Maria fetched Sydney from the library.

  Sydney pushed a lock of her long, curly hair from her face and examined her friend.

  Maria looked sunny as always, wearing shades and dressed in khaki shorts and a pink tank top with a large straw hat on her head, her thick, wavy dark hair cascading from under it and onto her backpack. She was wearing her camera around her neck as usual, making her look even more like a tourist visiting a Caribbean island, especially with her tan complexion.

  Sydney couldn’t resist smiling when her friend’s easy, dimpled grin greeted her.

  As they headed toward the cafeteria for lunch, Maria chatted about her latest adventure in one of her art classes, but once they neared the opening to the cafeteria, she started fiddling with her shades, hooking them on to her tank.

  She lifted her camera to her face, its huge eye staring at Sydney, unnerving her.

  “No, not again.” Sydney put her hand up to try to block the intrusive eye.

  “Say cheese!” Maria said with glee, aiming and shooting at Sydney.

  Sydney looked at her in reproach.

  Maria snapped a few more shots then put her camera away.

  Sydney just shook her head. She was used to Maria’s antics, but that didn’t make them any less annoying.

  “So, we’re still on for tonight right?” Maria asked, her large, brown Bambi eyes expectant as she looked at Sydney.

  Sydney could see Maria trying to mask a calculating look by making her face as open and innocent as possible.

  “Oh Maria, I don’t know about that. I have to study—big test on Monday. We might have to skip it this week.”

  Maria’s shoulders drooped.

  “But we always have a girls’ night together, every week so far! And the semester just started what, like, four or five weeks ago? And it’s Friday for god’s sake—you’ll have enough time to study over the weekend.”

  “Yeah, but I have to get an ‘A’ on this test.”

  “And when have you ever gotten anything else?” Maria replied, rolling her eyes.

  Sydney silently conceded.

  “Well yeah, but I have to make sure,” she said, smiling.

  Maria shook her head.

  “Tonight was gonna be truth or dare night,” she said, not masking her disappointment.

  Then her face changed and Sydney could pra
ctically see the wheels turning in her head as she switched gears. “Well you know it’s useless to study for like eight hundred hours straight right? We don’t have to make it a whole night this time—we’ll skip the pedicure, manicure, beauty stuff. We’ll skip everything—except the truth or dare portion.”

  They had reached inside the cafeteria and joined the line.

  “I knew it. Why are you so bent on this truth or dare thing?” Sydney asked although she knew the answer already. She grabbed two trays and handed one to Maria.

  “Because I need to know!” Maria said, accepting the tray. A few people looked at them.

  “Maria!” Sydney whispered sharply.

  “I need to know,” Maria repeated, lowering her voice.

  “Know what?” Sydney asked, exasperated.

  “Sydney, I know something happened to you a few years ago. I’m your best friend and you still haven’t told me what it is. How can you expect me to just drop it?”

  Sydney mulled over Maria’s words. She knew she would have to tell her sometime, but not anytime soon.

  “Maria.” Sydney looked around, then directly into Maria’s eyes. “Let’s just wait until later okay?” she said, hoping to make Maria think she would give in in the near future so she would quit badgering her.

  Sydney turned to their culinary choices, marking the end of the conversation and Maria followed suit.

  Once they had filled their trays, they found a place to sit. Maria stared downward, picking at her macaroni and cheese, looking dejected.

  As much as Sydney knew her friend’s ploys, she still found herself feeling guilty.

  She sighed.

  “All right Maria, I can spare a few hours. We’ll still do it tonight but just for a few hours okay? Five to seven or something. But no truth or dare stuff. Just the girly stuff.”