8. Chapter Eight
Ihead back inside and listen to Kelly’s stupid fucking voice drone on about something she and her friend, I don”t even remember her name, did the last time they met up.
My phone buzzes in my pocket. And I don”t even need to look who it is as I know it”s going to be Stacey; we”ve been texting on and off all night.
She”s trying to persuade me to join her at some shitty concert later tonight but I”m not interested.
Cock Tease
Come on, I”ll make it worth your while.
Me
I”ve told you, shitty music is just not my thing.
Nate elbows me in the ribs, clearly trying to get my attention. He nods his chin towards Kelly’s friend, umm, Amanda, maybe? No, Anita, I think is her name, nope that’s wrong too..
“What?” I bite out.
“Oh, I was just asking if you wanted to meet tomorrow. I was hoping to see some of the highlights from the area, I could do it with some handsome tour guides.” Anisha? says. Seriously, what the fuck is her name?
“No!”” I snap back, having absolutely no interest in playing tour guide to some out of town whore.
“Oh, okay,” the friend gasps, clearly surprised by my answer.
“What he means is we”re both really busy tomorrow, so can”t. Sorry.”
Nate rushes out looking slightly embarrassed. What the fuck does he have to be embarrassed about. I don’t give a shit about what these bitches think of me; why should he be concerned about it?
“Maybe you two would like to take the party back to ours since it”s getting late?” Kelly adds in that sickly sweet voice of hers. I cringe, not the least bit interested.
“It’s fucking 8:00 p.m.” I snap back. “We are off anyway, come on Nate.”
“I”m so sorry, I don”t know what”s gotten into him,” I hear Nate saying as I”m walking away. “It”s fine sugar, I”m used to him,”” Kelly replies.
“Nate, hurry up or I”m leaving without you,”” I shout back. I make my way to the truck and that”s when I remember he has the key. Fuck!
I have no choice but to wait.
Cock Tease
Last chance sexy, we”re leaving in ten minutes and I look like fire.
I smirk again when I see the three fire emojis she”s used. I”ve never been a fan of emojis. I kind of think it makes you seem like an idiot using pictures instead of words, but I gotta admit. It does work.
“There you are,” Nate snaps as he reaches the truck. I tuck my phone back into my pocket and climb inside.
The whole drive back, all Nate does is complain and bitch about the fact I was rude and disrespectful to the girls. Does he not realize Kelly and her friend are two cheap, worthless whores? The only reason they came tonight was because they wanted to get laid.
“I just don”t get you,” Nate snaps. We pull up at home, he quickly jumps out and slams the truck door behind him.
I walk in, grab a beer and pull out my phone.
Smoking Little Cock Tease
Seriously you”re gonna make me go alone?
Well, we”re leaving, I can”t believe you”re making me go with Justin and his friends. Do you have any idea how awkward this is going to be?
Fuck sake! Jessica is here-the girl he fucking cheated on me with. I need you!
Please Gabe, I need you here! The address is 57 Hampton Crescent.
Me
I”m in bed, I”m not going. Figure it out yourself.
Fine! I”ll just get back with Justin instead. At least he”s not ashamed to be seen with me!
I throw my phone onto the bed in frustration. Who the fuck does she think she is? She may be hot as fuck, a total firecracker, but she”s not my goddamn girlfriend; I”ve made that clear to her from the start.
I pour myself a glass of Hennessy, followed by another to try and calm my frustration.
Seriously, what”s wrong with this bitch? Does she actually think I”m gonna drop everything to go to some shitty ass concert with her and her ex boyfriend? For what? To make him jealous? To prove she”s over him? Screw her. I”m fine here.
I switch on the TV and try and distract myself with my favorite show, since Nate’s fucked off and left me. I”m just forgetting about her as the second episode starts, that is until I receive another message.
This time it”s a picture of her taken in the bathroom mirror, dressed in a short black skirt, fishnet stockings and boots. Fuck she looks hot. I wanna tear my eyes away but I can”t. Without thinking my hand dips inside my gym shorts and grips my cock, I begin stroking it as I stare at my phone. My hand takes on a life of its own as my mind begins fantasizing about what I”d do to her if I was there right now. I imagine bending her over and ripping a hole in those fishnets so I can fuck her from behind. I imagine what her hair will feel like wrapped around my fist as I thrust into her harder and harder.
I feel the unmissable twitching beneath my hands and the tingle at the bottom of my spine just as the cum shoots out, soaking my shirt. What the fuck is this girl doing to me?
I remove my t-shirt and head towards the shower. Once out and dressed in some new jeans, I make my way to the kitchen. I grab the bottle of Hennessy and chug it directly from the bottle, feeling the slight burn as the liquid runs down my throat.
I try to go back to my show, telling myself she can do what she wants. She”s single after all. We”re not dating. Hell, I”ve been balls deep in not one but two different girls this weekend.
My phone dings again. This time it”s a video of Stacey, Justin, and another asshole I don”t recognize. Stacey and the guy are singing along to the music while Justin looks furious in the background. That”s not a look I like. Throwing on a clean shirt and grabbing the keys to my bike, I decide to make my way over.
I arrive less than twenty minutes later, and after paying some punk $20 to look the other way I head inside. I search the dimly lit bar until I spot her a few rows ahead, she”s now sitting on the shoulders of who I can only assume is the guy from the video. Swaying along to the music. I grab a beer and watch. Feeling irrationally angry to see her with him.
That is until irrational anger turns into full on fury when I watch Justin grab her by the hips and drag her off the other guy’s shoulders. I see Stacey kick and shout as he forces her to her feet on the ground. I can”t hear what she says but it”s clear from her body language that she”s pissed off. Part of me is strangely proud of the way she”s holding her own against a guy easily twice her weight. She’s such a little spitfire.
That is until I see his hand move up and slap her straight across the face, knocking her clean off her feet. I don”t even have time to think before I”m there and my fist is connecting with his nose, spraying blood everywhere. I turn around and Stacey is still sitting, dumbfounded on the floor. The asshole she was with is looking at me in shock, so much shock he”s not even attempted to help her up. Bending down, I scoop her into my arms, and throw her over my shoulder and carry her straight out. No one, not even her, makes any attempt to stop me.
It”s only when we get outside and the cold air hits that she seems to register what”s happening.
“Where are we going?” she says in such a soft, almost childlike whisper that all I want to do is protect her. I was never big enough to protect my mother, all those times I watched my father knock her to the floor. But I’ll be fucked if I’m not big enough now.
“I”m taking you somewhere safe,” I reply back, placing her softly onto my bike. I reach for the helmet but as I go to place it onto her head she cowers away in fear. “I”m not going to hurt you,” I say fiercely enough to ensure she hears me, but not enough to scare her more.
I climb on the bike and reach for her arms to wrap them around my waist. She doesn”t say anything but grabs on tight.
I begin driving, but soon realize I have no idea where I”m going. I don”t wanna take her home in case Justin goes there later. But she sure as shit isn”t coming back to mine. Instead, I opt for a cheap motel just a few blocks away. One I”ve used more times than I can count for cheap and easy hook ups.
I pull into the parking lot, help her off the bike, and then lead her inside.
The creepy old guy is on the desk as usual. “Will that be for the hour or the night?”” he asks, eyeing up Stacey with far more interest than I”d like. I pull out my wallet and throw the cash on the counter. “The night,”” I snap. Heck, I won”t be staying the night, I never do. But she can.
He hands me the key to Room 15 and I snatch it and make my way there.
The motel only has about twenty rooms so it doesn”t take me long to find the room. As soon as we get inside I head to the vending machine and buy a cold can of beer, placing the metal can to her cheek, the one that”s already a lovely mixture of red and purple bruising. She winces in pain but I hold her head steady, knowing that as much as it hurts now, the cold will help the bruise. After all, I”ve spent most of my life dealing with the effect of being hit by people much bigger than me. “Hold steady baby, I know it hurts, but I”m helping you.” Baby? Did I just call her baby?
“Thank you, Gabe”” she whispers, as she takes the can from me and places it back on her cheek.
“It”s fine, Stacey.” I shrug, feeling a bit uncomfortable.
“Stacey?” she repeats like she doesn’t recognize the word. Shit, does she have a concussion or something? Should I take her to the emergency room, maybe?
“Do you need a doctor?” I ask. Suddenly feeling completely out of my depth. Which makes no sense since I”ve spent my whole life either causing the injuries or dealing with the aftereffects of other people causing injuries.
“No, I think I just need sleep,” she says sleepily as she stands up.
“Can you turn around?” she asks shyly as she begins to undo the buttons on her skirt.
Any other time I’d tell a girl to fuck off. Heck, I’d be the one taking the skirt off. Yet for once I oblige and cover my eyes.
“Ready,” she says a few moments later. I half expect to open my eyes to find her naked or in her underwear on the bed, trying to seduce me. But instead, she”s snuggled in bed, with the blanket pulled right up to her chin.
I turn to leave, not liking how weird and coupley this suddenly feels. These rooms are not used for cute romantic getaways, they”re made for cheap, nasty sex, with cheap, nasty whores.
“Wait, don”t go, please.” she pleads. I can hear the fear and desperation in her voice. She’s not saying it in a way like she wants to get laid. She genuinely needs me to stay.
A feeling in my chest is swirling around, but I don’t quite know what it is. I take off my shirt, kick off my shoes, and unbutton my jeans, then lay down awkwardly beside her wondering what the fuck is happening. I don”t do this. I don’t do cute, and cuddly. I don”t do snuggles in bed. I don”t do stupid pet names. And I definitely don”t do whatever this shit right here is.
She shuffles herself closer so that her head is on my bare chest. I make no attempt to hold her though; instead, I just stare up at the ceiling. What the fuck am I doing?
I hear her breathing soften, and soon after soft sleepy snores. Now I know she can”t see or feel me any longer, I begin to stroke her hair. The way my mom used to when Nate and I were younger. I hear soft murmurs escape Stacey”s lips, so I stop. But once I realize she is still fast asleep, I continue.
I don”t know how long I lay there stroking her hair while staring down and watching as that bruise on her cheek gets more and more pronounced. I run my finger over it ever so gently but it still causes her to flinch and suck in a breath.
I may be a selfish, heartless bastard, but even I would never cross the line and hit a woman like he did. My anger continues to rise as I think about what happened until I can no longer keep it in. So carefully I get up from the bed, sneak out the room and onto my Harley.
Unfortunately for him, I know exactly where he lives. I pull my bike off onto one of the bushes nearby, and slowly with the cover of darkness make my way to the house. I sneak past the gate and can hear the sound of a man’s voice. I stop to listen, trying to work out how many people are here, and how many I may have to fight. What the fuck am I even doing here? I”m not some knight in shining armor, the hero, here to rescue the princess. Heck, normally I wouldn”t even care enough about anyone to walk ten steps let alone go across town but this is different. She makes it different somehow.
I try to tell myself it”s just because I hate men being violent towards women and not some leftover trigger from childhood. That seeing Stacey knocked to the ground doesn’t remind me of what my mom went through at the hands of my father. But deep down, I know there”s more to it than that.
I continue to listen and it becomes apparent the asshole is alone and on the phone.
“Where the fuck are you, baby? I”m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you. It was the booze talking. You know that”s not me.”
I can”t control the way my hands instinctively curl into fists at his words. I”ve heard those same words more times than I can count.
Mommy is snoring on the sofa, so I play quietly with my truck. This is my favorite truck, Mommy bought it for me at the store.
I hear a loud noise outside and know that means Daddy is home.
Daddy is home and he’s sad. I always know Daddy is sad when his car door makes that big bang.
The door flies open making another bang against the wall behind it. This makes Mommy wake up.
“Sofia? Where are you, woman?” my dad bellows as he storms through the front door.
Mommy stands from the sofa and makes her way to the door to greet him.
“Hey sweetie, we’ve missed you,” Mommy says, leaning up on her toes to kiss daddy.
“What”s for dinner?” he demands and pushes past her.
“Erm, I was just about to start it now. What would you like?”
“Start it? It”s almost 5p.m. Why the fuck isn’t it ready and waiting for me? My father demands, pushing her off him.
“I”m so sorry, I must have fallen asleep. I didn”t have a very good night. I”m sorry” she stutters again. “I”ll do it right now, though,” my mother says. “There”s some steak in the fridge, it will only take me a few minutes to fry it up. And there”s beer in the fridge. Go sit down and relax, and I”ll bring it to you soon.”
“That goddamn baby kept you up again, didn”t he? I don”t know what”s wrong with that kid. Always goddamn crying. Gabe was never like that,” my father snaps. I peer around the door and watch him walk into the kitchen.
“You need to do something about that little demon spawn; find some way to shut him up or I will,” my father snaps angrily with the threat hanging in the air.
“He can”t help it, the poor thing has reflux. The doctors sent some new meds and milk. I”m picking it up tomorrow. Maybe that will help,” my mother says in a sad voice. I hate that sad voice. She doesn”t have a sad voice with me. Only daddy.
“My boy, there you are,” he says, bending down and scooping me into his arms.
“You’re not a cry baby like your fucking brother, are you?” he asks as he pulls me onto his lap.
“No Daddy. I”m a good boy,” I say with a smile as we sit on the big chair. Daddy puts on the tv and we watch some football together.
“Mommy, can I have some water, pwease,” I shout.
“Here son, try some of this instead.” Daddy hands me his stinky Daddy juice and I take a sip. It tastes disgusting though and the bubbles burn my nose.
Mommy walks in at that moment and takes the bottle away from me.
“He can”t have that, he”s only little.” Mommy says, sounding worried.
“Who the fuck do you think you are talking to?” my daddy bellows as he stands up so fast I almost fly off his lap.
“No, nothing, I”m sorry I didn”t mean…” Mommy says quickly but before she has a chance to say anymore, Daddy’s big hand hits her face. Mommy makes a strange noise and starts to cry.
Feeling so scared that I think I might be sick, I run into the bedroom to hide. As I do, I see baby Nathaniel fast asleep in the middle of the bed.
I run and hide in the wardrobe, as I hear my daddy shouting.
I hide at the very back, behind the big coats, and pretend I”m in Narnia. The book Mommy has been reading us at bedtime. I sit quietly knowing Daddy can”t find me here. He”d tried once before but when he opened the wardrobe he didn”t see me.
Suddenly, I hear the baby starting to cry. No, no, don”t cry. Crying makes Daddy mad. I crawl out from my safe space and open the wardrobe. I rush over to the baby and try to pick up his little basket but it”s too heavy. I see the milk bottle on the side and try to give him that but he still cries. Shush baby, please stop crying! His crying just gets louder and louder. My heart is beating so hard in my chest I’m almost sure it can be seen through my skin.
I know Mommy said I”m not allowed to pick him up in case I drop him but I have to stop the noise. I carefully pull him out of his basket and hold him close to me like Mommy does. Thankfully, he stops crying as soon as I do. Next, I try to pick up his bottle but I have no hands so I have to bite the nipple with my teeth. Finally, I take us both back into the wardrobe. I place him at the back, behind the coats then quickly turn to close the door behind us. Nathaniel begins to cry again so once the doors are closed and I”m hidden at the back, I pull Nathaniel back onto my lap and begin feeding him. Please be quiet baby; don”t let Daddy find us. Nathaniel finishes the whole bottle then falls back to sleep. I sit there hiding for a long time. Long after the shouting has finished. I sit there holding Nathaniel even when my arms start to ache, until finally the door opens, and the coat gets moved to the side. That’s when I see Mommy’s face.
“I”m sorry, Mommy, I know I”m not allowed to hold the baby on my own. But…”
Mommy hushes me, “No, you did a good thing, Gabriel. You kept the baby safe. Mommy is very proud of you! You”re the best big brother in the world.”