24. Roman
Chapter 24
Roman
For as long as I can remember, the college kids in Doves Harbor have had a bonfire on the beach at the end of summer.
I think the tradition started off with students who actually attend Doves Harbor University but as long as I’ve known about it, it’s just been all the college age kids in town. Sometimes people out of college or even high schoolers slip through the bars. Tonight is the night of the bonfire for DHU. Normally it’s not something I’d go to but Ares and Ravyn asked Audra to go and she told me she’d feel better if I was there. What can I say, I can’t tell my girl no.
Beck sits in the passenger seat of my Jeep and I’ve spent so much time with Audra lately it’s weird seeing someone else in the passenger seat. He yanks the aux cord out of my hand and plays his own music.
“You could have just asked, dick,” I grumble. He shoots me the world’s cheeriest smile.
“Someone needs to fuck with you.” He shrugs.
The drive isn’t long considering Doves Harbor itself is pretty small. Beck blares his music and I know I’ve got it bad when the entire time, I wish it was Audra’s music instead. Still, I will myself to bob my head and get myself in the mood to party. As I park up at the parking lot across from the beach, Beck starts gathering his things.
“Did you bring any drinks for you?” he asks, pulling his six-pack of beer out from the backseat.
“No. Audra was really anxious about tonight. I told her I’d keep an eye on her,” I admit. I could have lied and said I just didn’t feel like it. What’s the point though? Beck knows about us and he knows about Tyler.
“You’re so in love,” he says with an eye roll, getting out of the car. No shit.
“Who’re you telling?” I laugh, following him through the parking lot and across the street. When we get to the other side of the street it smells like burning driftwood and cheap weed. A large bonfire burns in the middle of all the people. Music plays from speakers stuck in the sand. I scan the crowd for Audra but I don’t see her. I don’t know if it’s logical or not, but my heart sinks. I’m taken back to not being able to find her at the fair. I rush through people a little faster until finally my eyes land on my brother and just behind him is Audra. Thank fucking God.
I walk over to them and the tops of her cheeks are burning red, her eyes are glassed over, and she’s wearing the goofiest smile. I know she’s drunk and I’m just thankful she was with Ares so he could keep an eye on her. She’s got on a black long-sleeve shirt that looks like it’s asymmetrically ripped at the shoulder and hangs off of her, leaving her left shoulder exposed. As usual, she’s in a pair of black denim shorts that are shredded and frayed at the edges. The shadow of what once was dark lipstick is on her lips but most of it has transferred onto the red solo cup she’s holding. Once I’m with them I see Ravyn is here with them too. I greet everyone.
“No Katrina?” I ask Ares.
“Does this look like her scene to you?” he asks with a laugh. Maybe he’d have a point if she didn’t attend house parties.
“Well, no but neither does a house party.”
“She said the sand would ruin her heels,” he says with a shrug. I don’t know the first thing about high heels or how to take care of them but given what I know about Katrina that makes a lot of sense.
“Hi, Auds,” I say, looking over his shoulder at my beautiful and seemingly drunk girl.
“Auds? I’ve never heard anyone call her that,” Ares points out. For a moment I’m sure that we’re caught, that he’s finally found us out. But instead, in brotherly fashion, he makes fun of me instead. “Ravyn, did you hear that?” He doubles over in laughter. “He can’t even get a nickname right.” He laughs, pointing at me. If I wasn’t so relieved that I didn’t just blow my cover with Audra, I might be more irritated that he’s pointing and laughing at me. Audra and I share a look over Ares’ shoulder acknowledging how close of a call that was. Ravyn laughs with him but doesn’t look entirely sold.
“How long have you guys been here?” I ask. I assume they’ve been here quite a while based on Audra’s flushed cheeks and glassed over eyes.
“Not long, we pre-gamed at Ravyn’s,” Ares says.
“Someone was sober?” I ask, looking between the three of them.
“I’m sober,” Ravyn says, raising her hand but then she clenches her teeth and lowers her hand. “Okay. I was sober when I drove us here. I smoked when we got here,” she admits.
“What about getting home?” I ask. Ravyn pops a brow at me and I feel like I’ve been undressed at this bonfire. I can’t explain it but when she pops that eyebrow up to her hairline I just know that she knows why I’m asking.
“I’ll give myself time to sober up or we’ll uber. Not a big deal, Ro,” Ares chimes in. It feels like a big fucking deal to me. It feels like I’ll throw Audra over my shoulder and drive her myself before my lightweight brother drives her home. I just hum a displeased noise in the back of my throat. We’ll figure that part out later.
Ravyn holds a hot pink plastic cup filled with beer out to me. My eyes flick from the cup to her face.
“No thanks. Not drinking tonight,” I decline. She gives me a suspicious look and all I offer is a shrug in return. I can tell she thinks she knows something but all I can hope is she won’t call us on it. Not in front of Ares and not before Auds has the chance to do it herself.
I spend the night doing exactly what I said I would. I watch her drink and watch her dance. I stay sober and watch out for her just like she asked. Some pop song I’ve heard a million times but can’t put a name to plays and she’s screaming it in Ravyn’s face, bouncing around and spilling beer out of her cup. I’m so fucking proud of her, watching her enjoy herself and let go. She could have let the events of this year absolutely ruin her. She didn’t though. She picked herself up off the floor and dusted her ass off. She just keeps getting back up and I’m in awe.
Beck comes over to me and intentionally bumps into me.
“Having fun watching her?” he asks. I know it’s a joke. I know he’s asking because he thinks I’m bored or annoyed. I’m not though. I’d be content to watch her have a good time every day for the rest of my life.
“Always fun watching her,” I say and I can’t help the cheek splitting smile on my face.
“You’re down so bad, dude.” He laughs. I want to tell him I haven’t forgotten about high school and how in love he was. I don’t though because she’s a sore subject.
“So bad,” I agree, shaking my head.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Tyler. Clear on the other side of everyone, but here. I move closer to where Audra and Ravyn are, putting myself between where he’s at and where she is. I don’t sound the alarm but I don’t take my eyes off of him. I watch that asshole’s every move. I watch him get a drink. I watch him throw it back. I watch him walk over to some girl, and my fist clenches at my side. Even if it’s not my girl, you don’t fucking hit girls. I watch him carefully, so closely I’m not even sure I’m remembering to breathe. He doesn’t do anything to the girl though. He talks to her for a little while and then they go their separate ways. I peek behind me to make sure Audra is still enjoying herself and having fun. She’s all smiles and dancing. She hasn’t refilled her cup since I got here and I can see she’s sobering up but she hasn’t crawled back into her shell.
When I turn my head back to find Tyler he’s making his way over here. Fuck. Don’t get me wrong I can beat the guy’s ass no problem but I really hadn’t planned on getting in a fight tonight. I was just here to make sure Audra felt safe enough to let go and have a good time. I guess this is part of that. I watch him carefully hoping he doesn’t see her or us. Hoping he is doing something else over here. Just in case he does though, I keep my eyes on him, ready to intercept at any point.
Just my luck his eyes scan and lock on my girl. Adrenaline shoots through me, knowing how this ends. He strides through the crowd and toward Audra. When he gets close enough that I can still see her but far enough that she’s not in any danger I put myself in front of him.
“Don’t even think about it,” I say, putting my body in front of him, blocking his path. He rolls his eyes and goes to step around me but I step with him, staying in his way.
“Or what?” He scoffs.
“I don’t want to do this here,” I rasp out, taking a step closer to him. “But if you try to touch her, I will,” I add and there’s a warning tone in my voice. This sick fuck thinks it’s some kind of game though, and the warning tone in my voice is like waving the red flag for a bull. A smile washes over his face and it makes my stomach turn over. It’s one of those smiles that you just know the person wearing it is not all there.
“We had some problems but we’re past them now. I just want to talk to my girl. I’m sure you get it, couple problems.” He shrugs. He fucking shrugs. The words ‘my girl’ out of his mouth feel like poison. Rage bubbles in me. He’s going to pretend like he didn’t do what he did. Yeah, not on my fucking watch. Someone has to call this guy on his shit and I’d love to do the honors.
“You like hitting girls, why don’t you try someone your size since you’re a big tough guy, hm? Why not me?” The words are hot on my tongue, burning on their way out. Rage bigger than me is stuffed in my chest so tight there isn’t enough room for air. His eyes are black, all fucking black, almost murderous. I’m not scared but I know Audra can’t be here. In my peripheral, I see Ares pushing through the crowd and I tip my chin up to try and subtly get his attention. He looks over to me and I gesture over my shoulder to Audra. His eyebrows pinch together in confusion. He looks at Audra, then back to me, and then realizes who’s standing before me. Realization washes over him and he nods at me, going over to Audra. Hopefully, he can read between the lines and get her the hell out of here.
“Who said that?” he barks out. Fuck. Time to bullshit my way out of this until Ares can get Audra out of here. Then I’ll just beat his ass and we can leave.
“Doesn’t take the most observant person,” I say, and I don’t even get a chance to gauge if he believes me before Audra, Ravyn, and Ares are next to us. I look at Ares and throw my hands up, wondering why the fuck they’re still here. He mouths the words “I tried” to me. Tyler’s eyes quickly fall from me to Audra. I brace myself for the fear that will fall over her face, but it doesn’t. Instead, it’s all fire behind those eyes. I know this doesn’t end well, there’s no universe in which it does. I’ll let her get out all her anger though, and then I’ll clean up the mess for her. She deserves to let it out on him. So, the floor is hers.
“Let’s not make a scene, Audra. Let’s go somewhere and talk,” he says putting a hand out for her to take. She doesn’t though, she shoves the hand away from her.
“Scared of what will happen if you do it in front of them?” she asks, putting a hand on her hip. All of our eyes go wide. Ares looks to me then to Ravyn, concern blazing in his eyes.
“Audra stop acting like that, let’s go,” he says grabbing her wrist. I’m just about to intervene when I realize I’m not needed. She yanks her hand from his and steps in front of him. Ares and I just keep looking at each other wondering what the hell we should be doing. She throws a finger in his face, pointing.
“You hit me. Not once, like you swore. No. You hit me over and over.” She’s being loud and people are looking but I kind of like the idea of this idiot’s dirty laundry being aired out. “You fucked me up!” she screams in his face and he steps back, eyes wide. My heart splits in two at her words. Her voice doesn’t even crack or wobble though. She doesn’t falter. She stands tall in his face.
“Shut the fuck up, people can hear you,” he forces out. I don’t know what I expect but it definitely isn’t for her to wind back and smack him in the face. I can’t help the proud smirk that forces its way onto my face. Ravyn slaps a hand over her mouth to hold back what seems to be a laugh. Ares’ head snaps to me and I just shrug.
“I’m done keeping your secret. It doesn’t protect me. It only protects you and I don’t care what happens to you. Whatever happens will be the consequences of your own actions.”
“No one will believe you.” Bull fucking shit. I’ve spent so much time scrubbing that narrative from her head. I’ll be damned if he plants that seed again. She lunges forward, shoving him. I step between them and grab her. If someone fights him tonight it’s going to be me.
“They all believe me!” she yells, thrashing in my arms, trying to get back down to the ground. I don’t release her though, I keep her in my arms. When I don’t put her down she spits at him instead. Luckily it misses him but that doesn’t stop how angry it makes him.
“You dumb fucking bitch!” he yells, stepping forward at her. I shake my head looking at Ares.
“I’m taking her home. You got this?” I ask. I know he does. I know he has about as much rage built up for this guy as me. He nods at me.
“Love you, Audi,” Ares says before stepping between Tyler and us. The second we’re away from it all she stops thrashing around in my arms.
“If I put you down, are you going to run back there?” I ask, looking down at her. She huffs.
“No, I’ll stay with you,” she assures me. I sit her feet to the ground and we walk to the Jeep.