C.A.K.E

“Karma, what the hell is your problem?” he asks, in a harsh whisper. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”

Karma glances over at Casper in the driver's seat. “I uh . . . I need to talk to you.”

“Can't this wait 'til morning?” There's a pause on his end. “I'm at home . . . with my wife.”

“This can't wait.” She sighs, skimming her hand over the simple black portfolio that's about to forever alter another four lives. “We're outside.”

“We?”

Casper takes the phone from her. “Open the door, little brother.”

“Casper?”

He hands the phone back to Karma.

“Cain . . .” She takes a deep breath. “He knows. Everything.”

“Now, did I ask you to share that bit of information with him?” Casper shoots her a look laced with enough venom to take down an elephant. “Hang up the damn phone.”

Casper exits the car, then walks around to the passenger side and helps Karma from the front seat. She stands beside his Bentley, unmoving. Her feet have become one with the paved driveway.

Seeing that she might need a little incentive to move her ass, Casper reminds her that he could have copies of these home videos on the desks of her boss and every last one of her colleagues. Her feet seem to recover their ability to walk in a matter of seconds. He follows her slow stride up the front steps of Cain's home.

Casper stands just behind Karma on the front porch of his little brother's house. The gaslight lanterns that decorate the garden flicker on, giving everything within a three-foot radius an eerie glow. A shudder runs through Karma when she hears voices on the other side of the double doors of the front entrance to Cain's home.

Seconds later, Cain's wife, Manali answers the door.

Her deep umber hair is brushed up into a messy bun. Dressed in a thin satin robe, lavender bra, and matching silk shorts, her fuller figure is a silken work of art. The caramel skin covering her petite frame sings against the delicate, pastel material. She pulls the garment closed over her more than adequate assets, as she greets her brother and sister-in-law.

“Casper, Karma . . . What are you doing here? Is something wrong?” Manali searches their faces.

Casper remains stone-faced, while Karma only has eyes for her feet.

Cain appears behind Manali and tries to usher her back into the house. He tugs on her arm, but she shrugs off his grip.

“Go back to bed, baby.” He kisses her forehead, which makes Casper's skin want to crawl off his body. “I can handle this.”

“What is there to handle?” she asks Cain. Then she directs her focus to Casper. “Did something happen to Mom and Dad?”

Manali's mind shoots to the one logical reason that would have anyone making an unannounced visit at this hour. Something must have happened to Charles and Leonora Callaghan.

She's close to her in-laws. Even refers to them as Mom and Dad. With her parents living across the country in California, the Callaghans are her surrogate mother and father. If any unfortunate event were to befall them, she'd be just as broken up about it as Casper and Cain would be.

Casper steps forward into the house. He shoots daggers at his brother, before placing his hands on Manali's arms. He smiles at her and gives her shoulders a reassuring caress.

He looks into her dark amber eyes and the concern dancing in their depths. Her lids are still heavy with the slumber that was interrupted by his and Karma's arrival. Casper almost reconsiders the pain he's about to lay at her feet.

“Everyone is fine. Mum and Dad are fine. How are my nieces?”

“They're good, Cash.” An uneasy smile accompanies her furrowed brow.

He ignores the question on her face and continues to inquire about the lives of his nieces. “Has Sophie started ballet yet?”

“Yeah, she and Jillie will both be in the Dance Premiere competition in two weeks.”

“Really?” Casper takes Manali's hands in his. “Let me know what time and place. Their uncle will be in the front row.”

“Of course, we will.” She nudges his side. “I know you didn't drive all the way over here, just to make small talk.”

“You're right. I didn't.” He glances back at Cain. “I just needed to have a word with my little brother. He and I have something very important to discuss.”

Cain taps his foot on the gleaming wood floor. “What do you want, Casper?”

Casper flashes one more smile at Manali, then pulls a sniffling Karma into the house by her arm. She's been standing frozen just outside the threshold, playing with the leather case that contains the evidence of her and Cain's infidelity.

Her lover's wife inquires into her welfare, but she pretends to be hard of hearing. Karma refuses to even meet Manali's stare.

“Karma, are you okay?” Manali asks, touching Karma's shoulder.

Hot tears begin to streak Karma's cheeks again. “I'm so sorry, Manali. I never intended for things to go this far.”

“Sorry for what?” Manali takes Karma's hand and wipes a tear from her cheek. Karma just shakes her head and lets her hand slip out of Ali's grasp. “Could somebody please tell me what's going on?”

“Cain, I am sure you know why we're here. So I'm going to let you explain the situation to your wife.” He takes a seat in one of the baroque chairs near the door, then props his right leg on his left. “And tell her the truth.”

Manali approaches her husband, with one of her thick brows raised. She folds her arms across her chest. “Cain?”

“There's nothing to tell, baby.” He gestures to Casper. “This motherfucker is drunk. And I don't know why Karma is letting him run wild.”

Cain shoots Karma a look, but she avoids his eyes. She's not prepared to make direct eye contact with either of them right now.

“Actually, brother.” The disdain in Casper's voice permeates the air, making it as toxic as a landfill. “I'm not drunk enough.” He leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees. His dark eyes zero in on Cain. “Tell Manali why I'm here . . . or I will.”

“Then spin your tale, goddammit,” Cain shouts at him. “I don't have shit to say.”

“Well . . .” Casper clasps his hands together and chuckles. “Sex, Lies, and videotape it is.”

Karma to set up the laptop and cue the presentation. Karma does as he requests, though she's taking her sweet time

tonight, Karma.” Casper gives

a permanent fixture on Casper's face.

up. And within seconds, the footage of her and Cain's tryst this afternoon appears. Karma leaves the laptop on

this,"

the

Karma onscreen. His mouth hits the floor, as he watches his and Karma's usual greeting traveling further and further outside of the PG-13 ballpark. Realizing the severity of the

out of my house, Casper," Cain

and steps into his brother's

after you answer one simple question for me." He stares down at him. His six-foot-three stature towers over Cain's much shorter build. "How long

to overtake everyone in their path. The weight of his question

head, rattling the disheveled bun at her crown. It feels like the entire Atlantic ocean is swimming in her

get your drunk ass out of my house." Cain is shouting loud enough to wake the neighbors. He points Casper toward the

you talking about?" Manali touches Casper's arm.

to do this in your home." Casper glances at Ali, before turning back to Cain. "But if he has the balls to sleep with my

eyes settle on Cain.

solution that will save them both from the consequences of their actions. Another is full of a mixture of rage and disappointment. And the last is still in disbelief, ready to release stinging tears down her cheeks.

within him comes to

flesh and blood in the eye. "I've been blowing your woman's

room gets quiet enough to hear a cricket sneeze on the other

the pain pooling from her heart. She covers her mouth with the hand that bears the gleaming symbol of the eight-year commitment she's shared with Cain.

adopts a deer-in-headlights stare. She clasps her arms around herself, trying to combat the rawness brought on by the exposure of their lies. It leaves her feeling like she just fell off a bike and hit the pavement traveling

Casper just nods.

left cheek. Followed by a one-two combination to his gut and left flank.

He lands a right to Casper's jaw, which staggers him. But not for long. Casper regains his stance and is ready to deliver another flurry of knuckles to Cain's

rather punk-ass move. He bends and angles his shoulder toward Casper. Cain propels himself forward and charges Casper. Cain pushes his brother's towering frame back into the foyer table with enough

displaced. The priceless heirloom hits the floor and shatters into an infinite number of

as his back meets the beveled edge of the wooden frame. A sharp pain radiates the length of his spine. It's like someone has shoved a dozen needles into each vertebra, striking the sensitive spinal cord

firing off blow after blow to his side. He's focusing his

up and bring his elbow down on Cain's neck.

Casper's feet touch the floor again. The stabs of pain

struggle to gain traction on the shards of broken crystal scattered across the polished hardwoods. Cain seizes this moment of unsteadiness to land another left

him and wages a counter-attack. Cash locks his arm around Cain's neck and exerts as much pressure as he can summon on the coward's throat. With Cain's head lodged in the crook of his arm, Casper lands several devastating blows to

a searing pain in his side, near his lower

his button-down like it's a flimsy sheet of paper. Cain's teeth tattoo their emblem

Casper would have four more teeth gnawing on him. It takes several seconds for Cash to realize that Cain is indeed biting him like a middle school girl in

brother, as his air supply is cut short. Cain slams his fist into Casper's stomach as hard as he can, trying to get him to break the hold on his vocal cords. But Casper doesn't flinch or loosen his grip.

the verge of losing consciousness, Cash lets go and shoves Cain away from him. Cash stands clutching his afflicted torso and keeps his eyes trained on the bitter man

Karma observe the standoff without objection to its impending escalation. They know that any sort of interference from either one of them would be ignored. This is the way disputes are settled when an overdose of testosterone is present. Even if the brothers killed each other, the two women would

decision and tries to take one more swing at Casper. His hit misses the mark, leaving him wide open for Casper to put an

blow sends Cain crashing to the floor. He lands in a crumpled heap at Casper's feet.

yanks him up by the collar of his white t-shirt.

then the great and magnificent Casper pops over from merry old London. And you're all anyone can talk about . .

fall back onto his bottom. He sits with his

is jealous?" Casper sighs at the man in

price to pay to bring down the mighty Casper." Cain narrows his

me?" Karma chimes in. "Just to

than happy to spread your legs for me. You don't give a fuck about Casper. Never

finger in Cain's face. "I . . . love Casper. And I never would have cheated on him, if it weren't

men mutter in unison.

someone else. Karma's fake affection for Casper wore out a long time ago. Casper expected her to stray. But he never imagined it would be with a man he used to refer to as brother with so much love in his

corner where she's been hiding. The attempt to take some of the blame for this clusterfuck off herself

examines her husband's technique from a whole new perspective. She watches without making a peep as Karma and Cain go at it like a couple of pornstars.

Having seen enough, she closes the computer. The single drop

They both stare up at her, then back at each other. Her expression is difficult to

tension between the two men. "Would you help your brother from the

but offers his hand to him anyway. Cain ignores

head. This motherfucker has the nerve to act like he's the

lies with new ones. "Manali, this is all just one big

advances toward him with her hands tucked

"Ali―."

a freight train barrels into him. The force of Manali's dainty body sends him reeling backward, throwing both

shoves a letter opener into his face. Casper and Karma are

her hand just in time. The thin blade comes within a hair's breadth of impaling his eye. The

But Ali, much like her namesake, is not going to make this fight

to fall from her eyes, as she strains to drive the blade into his widened pupil. The drops of saltwater draining from the cracked windows of his wife's tormented soul traverse the minute gap that separates them, and land square between

in the groin. While

Even with him digging his stubby nails into her arms and squirming beneath her like a wild boar, she continues to dig for his optic nerve. She's determined to make him the

to rough him up a bit. And he

strengthens his grip on her waist, but

don't register in her mind. She

for some of the best talents that Hollywood has seen in years. This motherfucker convinced Ali to leave it all behind to move to this sleepy state, and become his picture

She wants him to bleed. Wants to watch every drop of life drain out of him,

of her palm into his nose with every ounce of energy

are about to collapse. Her eyes are darting back and forth, unable to focus. Adrenaline courses through her,

wrong with you, bitch?" Cain cradles his nose in his hand, trying to little avail to curtail

with me?" Manali's voice

for his jugular this time. Casper grapples with her sudden superhuman strength, almost failing at containing the five-foot-four