Page 4 of Taboo

He padded across the thick carpet to the massive picture window that overlooked San Francisco. It was hard to believe that just a few weeks ago he was fighting off camel spiders and sand mites in the desert. A decade and a half in the military left him feeling…a little lost. He had planned on going for his full twenty years, but his family needed him. In all the years he’d served, not once had his grandfather asked him to come back. But this time…this time, he had asked, and Alek couldn’t say no.

Turning around, he surveyed the room. He grew up in Hawaii and while they were considered upper class there, they had always lived simply. Their hotel in Maui was luxurious, on the same lines of this room. Granted, they didn’t have this level of security. Everyone had to pass the security check to even enter the exclusive Pinnacle. And most of the public knew nothing about it.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He knew who it was without looking. He could avoid answering it, but his grandfather would just keep calling.

“Hey,Tutu,” he said.

“About time. I’ve been calling for hours.”

Not true. Ninety minutes tops. Alek had seen the missed calls, but he’d been busy getting his truck ready for shipment back to Hawaii.

“I was busy.”

A grunt. That was his grandfather. Most people saw him as some kind, old guy. For Alek, he’d never been that. When he’d entered the military, his grandfather had been so angry, he didn’t talk to Alek for a year. It took more than three years for the two of them to be able to talk on the phone without dissolving into a shouting match. Nowadays, they talked at least once a week. Or they had when Alek could call home. His former life as an Army Ranger made that difficult at times.

“You will be here tomorrow.”

Not a question. A statement…more of a demand really. The man was always trying to control things.

“No. I’m meeting up with some friends tomorrow night.”

They had insisted on giving him a sendoff from the military. They had been more of a family to him than many of his blood. He still felt as if he was abandoning them. He knew it was stupid, but that’s what he thought. None of them said it that way, as all of them understood the situation. Or whatever the situation was. Right now, he just knew that things were turbulent.

“Then the day after.”

Inwardly, he sighed. Going home was great in many ways, but his grandfather was going to make it difficult. And the fact that he had to put off this for six months past when he had planned to be out, his grandfather had been chomping at the bit to get Alek back to Hawaii.

“Yes.”

“Good. You like the room?”

“Yeah. You didn’t have to put me up here.”

“I did. You deserve it.”

“Because I’m coming home. I get it. I could have stayed at some brand name near the airport.”

“It’s not because you’re coming home. It’s because you served.”

For the first time in a long time, Alek found himself at a loss for words. The idea that his grandfather would think of honoring him for serving in the military was foreign to him. His grandfather wasn’t against serving, but he hated the idea of his grandson being put in harm’s way.

“Thanks,Tutu.”

He cleared his throat before answering. “Well, then, have fun with your friends tomorrow. You should invite them here when we’re done with the redo of the resort.”

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

Alek’s stomach grumbled and he looked over at the clock. It was past five and he had missed lunch.

“Listen,Tutu, I need to eat and then hit the sack. I have a lot of things to take care of tomorrow.”

“Okay. Have a good time.”

“Thanks.”

After hanging up, he looked over the room service menu. He decided on a shower first, then he would order a steak or something.

He headed to the bathroom just as his phone buzzed again. It was from an unknown 808 number. That’s the Hawaiian prefix.

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