Downing Abbey – Chapter 16

**Happy New Years Everyone**

**(Lucas)**

*Crack.*

‘A few more games, and I’ll be able to retire early,’ I mocked as I pocketed Chris’ twenty, pointing at the corner socket where the 8-ball was just sunk.

‘And you’ll be so miserable you won’t know what to do with yourself,’ he said punching my shoulder playfully, though a light punch from Chris was like having a light Thanksgiving dinner – still heavy by most standards. ‘Either of you want another round?’ he asked to the two guys in the booth behind us with eyes glued to the basketball game on the TV.

‘No I think I’ll cut my losses,’ Steve frowned.

‘Yeah you need every dollar to pay for your sins,’ Jacob sniggered, eliciting a rough elbow nudge from Steve.

‘Shut up!’ Steve warned, while Chris and I shared a humorous, confused look.

Steve fended off every questioning jab as we walked to the car, and now I *had* to know. Steve thrived off gossip and was an open book most days, so this had to be something he *really* wanted to keep secret.

‘Just tell them,’ Jacob assured, playing with his pocket square. ‘You’ll feel so much better.’

Steve folded his arms tightly. ‘Why don’t *you* share your recent sexcapades?’

‘So it’s sex-related,’ Chris chuckled as the engine roared to life. He wasn’t into sporty eye-catchers, but Chris appreciated his maxed out Escalade. In boring black of course, just like everything else about him.

‘Yeah, so? Don’t bother asking anymore because I’ve already said too much,’ Steve grumbled, looking out the window.

‘But you asked about me, the generous lover,’ Jacob monikered, flicking his wrist, revealing a platinum chronograph Patek Phillipe, a recent addition to his already extensive lineup of accessories. ‘On Monday I fucked this Russian chick who liked to hiss during sex, man was that a weird one. Then Tuesday I got a back room blowie by not one, but *two* girls. I think they were friends . . . or sisters . . . or they knew each other. Maybe they were just both blonde. Anyways, and then today I had to blow off this smoking hot MILF I’d been messaging on Tinder to hang out with you dweebs. I’m going to save that one for a rainy day, no doubt.’

‘Great,’ I said, rolling my eyes, ‘you were a man-whore and it looks like things haven’t changed one bit have.’

‘Don’t hate the player,’ he shrugged. ‘You should have stayed my right-hand man.’

I scoffed. ‘No thanks, I enjoy waking up every day without a pounding headache or worrying if my wallet has been stolen.’ I turned to Chris. ‘What about you? Still in that dry spell?’

‘Yes, but let’s not talk about me right now,’ he frowned. ‘Let’s talk about you and how one woman has you by the balls so hard.’

‘Can we not talk about Luke’s balls? I’m trying to keep down those nachos . . . I think I they used some expired cheese,’ Steve groaned.

I sighed and slumped into the seat. ‘She can have my balls if she agrees to come back.’

‘She’ll be back,’ Chris said. ‘I’m sure Jill’s talking some sense into that head of brown hair. You know how gung-ho she is.’

‘That’s kind of what I’m worried about,’ I muttered. ‘It was her hot mouth that got me into trouble in the first place.’

And I sent her right back to the warzone.

‘This is fucking depressing,’ Jacob groaned. ‘Love sucks. Forget the gooey mess that you and Abigail have.’

‘*Had*,’ I corrected him solemnly, and the air was drawn out of the vehicle. The growls of the engine weren’t enough to cover up the awkward, so Chris turned up Ed Sheeran a few decibels.

‘She’s married,’ Steve murmured as we rounded to corner before my building.

Chris offered a lazy sound of curiosity.

‘The lady I’m seeing,’ Steve sighed. ‘She’s married.’

We all talked at once.

‘*What*?’ Chris triggered.

‘You’re seeing someone’s *wife*?’ I asked.

‘He’s doing a lot more than just seeing,’ Jacob sniggered.

Steve looked like he swallowed a fly. ‘No it’s not like that – her husband knows about it, us. He . . . watches.’

Jacob was trying so hard to hold back laughter, little rips slipping out.

‘Run that by us again,’ I said lowly, scratching my temple.

‘He . . . he sits in a chair beside the bed while I . . .’ Steve trailed off. ‘While I –’

‘He’s a cuckold!’ Jacob hollered, tears rolling down his face, palms slapping his thigh. ‘Her husband is a cuckold!’

Chris and I couldn’t hold back, and he nearly veered the car off the street as the cabin filled with brays and howls.

‘Are – are you *serious*?!’ I roared.

‘Good *lord*,’ Chris drummed as he pulled into guest parking.

‘I knew I should have kept it to myself,’ Steve muttered, melting into the seat, where Jacob slapped him on the shoulder.

‘He’s right’ I shot, taking in a calming breath. ‘Take it easy on him.’

‘*Thank* you,’ Steve said as we exited the car. ‘It’s not that weird right? It’s a lot more common than you think.’

‘Of course. Right, not weird at all,’ Chris said, trying hard to keep his voice even as we entered the building.

‘So when you go over, do you dress up as a plumber or mechanic or . . .’ I couldn’t finish, lurching into another set of cackles, reinvigorating Chris and Jacob as well and we laughed all the way through the lobby.

‘Oh my god,’ Steve seethed as we piled into the elevator, holding up a middle finger and using his other hand to point to each of us, one by one. ‘Fuck you and fuck you and fuck you.’

‘I’ve never been so happy to be single,’ Chris added as we walked out at my floor.

‘No kidding,’ I smirked.

‘Look,’ Jacob said, pointing towards my door. ‘Jill’s back.’

My heart leapt. Maybe this was the good news I was waiting, *craving* for.

I jogged towards her. ‘Did you find –’ I stopped when I saw the look of pain sketched across her face.

‘Luke, I swear. I didn’t mean for it to –’

But I was already running past my brothers and cousin, slipping into the elevator doors that were just beginning to close.

*If you want something done right*, I fumed. *If you want something done right*.

_____________________________________

**(Abigail)**

Sixteen. Sixteen was the number of black dogs I saw.

I’d been spending the past hour pet-watching at Washington Square, and like I used to do when learning to count in preschool, tallied the black dogs. I was on my way home, and I sent my mom a message telling her I’d be back soon.

I didn’t give her a single detail about my exchange with Jillian – I could save the pity party for later.

Seriously, who the fuck does Jillian take me for? She didn’t say it, but basically inferred that I was using Luke as a sugar daddy. I mean, I understand she is a herald of the Brimstone flag, but I thought we understood each other. I shook my head, remembering the assault I laid on her as well.

If I wasn’t sure if we were still friends two hours ago, I was sure as shit now.

Speaking of dissipating friendships, I realized I haven’t spoken to Stacey since the baby shower. Julia and I had a long talk two nights ago, which was a bit of a stretch considering ninety percent of the “talking” was me bawling into the phone, and her trying not to follow suit. It really wasn’t fair – she was in her third trimester and fully was in the upside-down twisting track of that hormone roller coaster.

Scrolling through my contact list to those digits I used to know by heart, I sent out my SOS. Fortunately it was a Friday afternoon, and she blasted onto the other end.

‘Abbs!’ That dynamic pitch rolled through my eardrums like a familiar siren.

‘Hey Stace. I was thinking of you,’ I murmured, unable to match her enthusiasm.

‘It’s been a while hasn’t it? I’m sorry for not calling earlier . . . I heard about *it* from Julia, and not gonna lie, I’m a little offended you didn’t tell me sooner,’ she teased lightly.

‘Sorry,’ I said, the humor going right over my head. ‘I needed a little time to wallow. But let’s not start with the shit bucket straight away, how are things in D.C.?’

I felt her energy wisp away. ‘It’s been rough Abbs, really rough,’ she sighed. ‘I’m settling into my job just fine, but Todd and I are just not spending enough time together.’

‘Doesn’t he have an office job?’ I asked, dodging a cyclist. ‘Regular 9-5 right?’

‘Used to be, yeah. But he’s been promoted.’

‘Congratulations?’ I piqued.

‘I wish,’ she breathed. ‘They’ve been keeping him in the office nights and flying him all over the damn country during weekends. I swear we haven’t gone to bed together in three weeks.’

‘I’m so sorry Stace,’ I said, shaking my head. ‘Relationships can be . . . high-pressure.’

‘Well, enough about me. Did I hear right from Julia? . . . You ran out on Luke because of what Sam did to you?’

‘In a nutshell.’

‘You realize that Sam was an insecure, pompous ass right?’

‘Now I do,’ I muttered as I looked both ways before crossing, stepping onto my street.

‘Right, so is Luke?’

‘Well, no, but he does get jealous when other men give me attention,’ I said, unable to stop a smile forming at the corner of my mouth.

‘Duh,’ she jabbed. ‘That just means you have a man with red blood flowing in his veins.’

‘Arteries,’ I added.

‘What?’

‘Red blood is in the *arteries*. Veins are blue because the blood is deoxygenated.’

She speared out a cackle. ‘Oh Abbs, I missed your nerdy ass. And picturing Luke being possessive is pretty damn hot, if you don’t mind me saying.’

‘Watch it,’ I giggled along with her, entering my building.

‘Sam was also a serial player. He probably fucked half of Manhattan before you,’ and I flinched at that, finger hiccupping before pressing the elevator call. ‘Did Luke?’

I remembered Jillian telling me that Luke didn’t have many previous relationships, but Jillian’s information wasn’t a valid currency in my town right now. ‘I don’t know. I don’t think so?’

She squeezed out a sharp cough. ‘What? You mean you don’t know his dating history?’

I got off on my floor. ‘I guess we just glazed over that part of our past. I never asked and he never offered.’

‘Well shitsicles, Abbs, you need to know!’ she spiked. ‘That might explain why your emotions are in such a fleet of uncertainty.’

I stopped outside my door. It wasn’t often that I had epiphanies, but somehow Stacey’s suggestion rang to my core. ‘Oh my god,’ I whispered. ‘I can’t believe I never though of that.’

Pushing open the door, I see something that was so strange I had to blink twice. My mom and Luke were in the middle of the living room, on their knees, shampooing a labradoodle standing in a kiddie pool.

‘Uh, Stace,’ I wavered. ‘I’m going to have to call you back.’

Source: reddit.com/r/eroticliterature/comments/7nacwm/downing_abbey_chapter_16