The Devil’s Keepsake by Somme Sketcher

Poppy

I stare down at the phone in my hand.

It feels like a relic, not only because it’s so damn old, but because it’s a symbol of life before.

Who am I going to call first?

Authorities would be the obvious choice, but one I’m not even considering for a million and one reasons. Two of those reasons come to mind straight away. The first being that if what Sam said is true—not that I can trust anything that ever came out of his stupid mouth now—and Lorcan did have some sort of control of the Stanford police department, then I’m pretty sure he has control over the police in his own turf.

The second is that after last night, I don’t think I want to call the authorities.

A shiver of bliss rolls over me and I tug my cardigan tighter around me.

Nellie. Yes, I’m going to call my best friend and let her know I’m okay.

Her cell number is burnt into my retinas. She had it taped to the back wall of her desk in big red writing under the words, Don’t forget to call me!

Why? Because if her one-night stand woke up before her, he wouldn’t have to wake her up to get her number for a second date.

I tap out the digits with trembling fingers; nerves bubbling in my stomach.

The line clicks after two rings. “Yes?”

A laugh escapes me in a weird hissing noise at the sound of my best friend’s rude greeting.

“Nellie, how many times have I told you not to answer the phone like that? An unknown number isn’t always a telemarketer, you know. I could have been from the college or from—”

I’m rambling; I do that when I’m nervous sometimes.

“Poppy?” Comes her strangled voice down the line. “Holy shit, Poppy, is that you?”

I grip the phone tighter, squeezing my eyes shut. “It’s me, Nel.”

“Jesus. Hold on, girl. I need to go and sit down before my legs give in.” There’s rustling and footsteps and a door slamming. “Okay. Fucking hell, Pop. Start from the beginning.”

Yeah. I probably won’t start with the fact I got drugged and kidnapped by an Irish mafia boss on my nineteenth birthday. Or that the only surprise was that the whole ordeal was a year late.

So, I stick with my half-truth, half-lie concoction. “Well, first off, I’m so sorry.” True. “I upped and left without a word, without thinking about how worried you’d be.” Lie. I stressed about how worried Nellie would be over endless sleepless nights when I first got here.

Her sigh is dramatic. “Yeah, a sticky note would have been nice, you know? Oh—and rent. Since you’ve been gone, I’ve had to pay all of the rent myself!”

I inwardly cringe. “Jeez. I’ll send you a check.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she says, and I can literally see her waving her hand around with that dismissive twirl thing she does. “Another day. Right now, I need to know a few minor details—you know, like where the fuck are you and why aren’t you in college? Hold on. Let me find the Doritos and get comfortable.” I take a deep breath and wait for the rustling. “Okay, go.”

“Right. Well, there’s this guy—”

“Always is,” she interrupts with a loud crunch.

“I knew him from back home. We… had a thing before I left for college and I’ve never really been able to get over him. He turned up to surprise me on my birthday, and I just… decided to go back to Boston with him. I know I missed the last semester of school, and I didn’t expect to stay all summer but… well, here I am.” Half-true.

Crunch, crunch. “There are a few plot holes I’m happy to overlook in the name of love, and there’s a few I can’t. Like why the fuck couldn’t you have sent a text?!”

“Uh, my phone broke,” true, “and I’ve only just got around to getting a new one. But yes, I’m a shit friend, I know.”

More rustling. “So, Sam’s been pranging out.”

“Don’t even talk about that asshole.”

The rustling stops. “So, is it true?! ‘Cause we went to the police—yeah, now I know you just rode off into the sunset with a mystery man, I feel like that move was a bit dramatic—and they were very cagey about Sam. Did he ever…?”

I snort down the line. “Hurt me? Hell no. Heard he cheated on me though.”

“No fucking way.”

“Way. It’s a long story, I’ll explain when I see you.”

“And when will that be?”

Resting my head against the window, I close my eyes. “Soon.”

“Very mysterious. I didn’t know you had it in you. Remember our first night out together? You practically had a chastity belt on under that frumpy maxi dress, and now you’re like, swept up in your very own romance novel.”

“It’s always the quiet ones.”

“Clearly. So, looping back to when I’ll see you—I’m going to need a more definitive date. Like, are you planning on coming back to college this year?”

My heart sinks. Who the fuck knows? Even if, by some miracle, Lorcan let me, I doubt the college would let me pick up where I left off. I trace the pain on the windowsill with my fingernail. “Not sure yet.”

“Jesus,” she mumbles, still crunching away. “Look, girl. You know I’m all about going balls to the wall when it comes to spontaneity, but Stanford’s not exactly community college. You busted your ass to get in here, and you’re going to give it away for some dick? I hope it’s at least ten inches.”

“Yeah, it’s a bit more complicated than that.” True.

She pauses. “Do you love him?”

My turn to pause. “Yes, I do.”

Also true.

I manage to get off the line, but not before dodging another fistful of awkward questions. I feel a million times lighter now that I’ve spoken to my best friend. Hell, she’s the only person in this world that cares about me. It used to be her and Sam, but I’m pretty sure that after what happened last week, he wouldn’t piss on me if I was on fire.

Tugging open my bedside drawer, I reach for the scrap of paper I folded up into the smallest square possible and stuffed into the joint. Nova’s number. I don’t know why, but I feel even more nervous calling her than I do my best friend who I mysteriously vanished from.

Maybe because she’s so… cool.

She answers in two rings.

“About time.”

In the reflection of the window, I see my brows knit together. “How do you even know who it is?”

“Baby, nobody else calls me.” I laugh. “Thanks for the phone. I have no idea how you winged that one.”

“You know what’s like kryptonite to a man? Whining. If a woman whines long enough and at the right frequency, he’ll give her anything she wants.”

“So, you whined until your father convinced Lorcan to give me a phone?”

“You got it. Threw in a few sobs and slammed doors to speed up the process.”

A grin splits my face. “You don’t strike me as a whiner.”

“I’m not. I’m just a master manipulator who knows how to work daddy. Hey, listen,” I hear movement in the background, like she’s walking from one room to another. “I have a question. How’s Lorcan treating you?”

The question comes out of nowhere. “Uh, fine?”

Her voice lowers. “Look, I know the deal. Men in our world… this is what they do. Women are a commodity to them. I want to make sure you’re being treated right.”

My gaze drifts out of the window, past the gaggle of guards and to the gray skies over the hedges. Is this the chance to escape I’ve been looking for? If I tell Nova I’m not being treated right, what could she do about it?

I shake my head. After last night, I’m not going anywhere. Besides, looking down at the solemn faces on the guards in the gardens, I have a feeling I’m safer here than out there, anyway. “I’m good, Nova. But thanks for asking. He looks after me.”

Her reply is quick. “Don’t rely on it.”

“Rely on what?”

“Him looking after you.” Is she whispering now, or is the connection dropping out? I squeeze my eyes shut to hear her better. “I don’t rely on the protection of my family, which is why I’m a black belt in Karate and could shoot a tin can from a hundred feet away. Listen.” Yeah, she’s definitely whispering.

“Nova—”

“I said, listen. Be ready to kick a dude in the balls faster than your man could put a gun to his head. Okay?”

“I—”

“Are you understanding me, Poppy?”

My heart thumps against my chest, confused. “Uh, yeah? I guess.”

“Good.” Then, her voice returns to normal. “When this all blows over, let’s go for a drink okay?” she says breezily. “Don’t worry, I’m sure I have enough whining in me to get you out of that ivory tower for a night. See ya soon.”

And with that, the line goes dead.

I stare at the phone, trying to register what the hell just happened. Either the girl I thought was super cool is actually a bit of an unhinged nutter… or she was trying to give me an ominous message.

I’m not sure what I’d prefer.