Chapter 7
“Shit,” mumbling to myself as I glance around.
I left my phone at the house before I left.
But the burner flashes in my head. Remembering Ash’s exact words as he told me where to place it in different kinds of vehicles, as he placed the Faraday cage in the trunk of my first car.
An ‘in case of emergency’. I may have upgraded cars since then, but I moved over the box.
Ripping the back seat of the truck up and pulling the cage out from inside the seat itself. Opening it and pulling the phone out, I power the phone on and dial the number.
“Who is this?”
“It’s me.” I stammer as the images of what just happened play back in my mind like a bad movie I can’t turn off. Fuck, how am I going to explain all of this. “I need your help, but you can’t ask too many questions.”
* * *
Earlier that night
Pulling into the drive, I’m staring out the window at nothing in particular.
“There’s someone on your porch,” Collins states, concerned.
“What?”
“Well, there’s at least a body on your porch.”
My head snaps over to where he’s looking, and I pause, seeing the dark mass lying on the porch. Why the fuck would there be a body on my porch?
“The hell?” I move out of the passenger seat, rushing up to where the body lies.
“Show yourself.” I shout, my hand hovering over my holstered gun. I can already feel Collins behind me.
“I’ve got your back.” He whispers.
“You need to get the fuck off my property.” I shout louder at the shadow of a person laid out across the porch.
The shadow jumps as if I woke them this time and attempts to stand, slipping and hitting the wood underneath them hard.
“Ow,” followed by a giggle.
“Sketch?”
“I hate that fucking name.” Her voice sounding off as she laughs to herself.
Pointing my flashlight at her, she squints her eyes, holding her hand up and trying to block the stream until her eyes adjust.
“Why are you here?” I ask her.
Her laugh starts again. “I have no clue.”
“Get the door?” I ask Collins, tossing my keys in his direction as I walk over to Drew, lifting her off the ground, wrapping my arm around her waist to stabilize her.
I can feel Collins’s eyes scathing into me as he glances around, showing the fear that Z brings out of him.
Flicking on the lights, I move her over to the couch.
Looking at her as she settles into the cushions, she exhales as if she can now release all her tension.
“Drew...” I trail, sitting down on the coffee table, looking at her. “Why were you lying on my porch in the dark?”
“Cause I needed to feel safe.” Her voice is so quiet I can barely make out what she’s saying. Her breathing slows down as her eyes flutter shut and the stress leaves her. “I had no idea where I was going. I just knew I had to get away, and then you woke me up.”
“What the fuck happened?” Collins asks me.
“Just wanted to feel safe.” She repeats, her voice quieter this time.
Leaning into her, I shake my head. “She’s drunk.” Smelling the tequila wafting off her. Lifting her feet up, I turn her to let her lie down on the couch when I see it. The left side of her face, already forming what is most likely a bruise. “Somebody hit her.” I gasp before looking back at him.
“And she came to you for safety?” Collins gives me a shitty look as he says it.
“Fuck off.” I mutter as I nudge her shoulder. “Drew, did someone hit you?”
“Yup,” she mumbles, her eyes still closed, and I’m not sure if she’s still asleep or not. “Had one drink.” She mumbles again.
“She’s not drunk.” Collins nods at me before sighing. We make eye contact, knowing what happened. “I’ll let you deal with this. Look, don’t go looking for vengeance.” The door clicking behind him, not waiting for a response.
“Drew.” My voice lowers as I nudge her once more. Her eyes droop as she tries to open them. “It’s just us now.”
“Yes, I’m the idiot who was drugged, yet again.” I can hear the emotion radiating from her.
“You’re not an idiot.” Shaking my head, I have to look away as I exhale. “What happened?”
“It was a second date.”
It’s like a fucking shot straight through me. Even though I saw her walking to a restaurant the other night, obviously dressed for a date, I lied to myself about it.
“I mean.” She sighs, her eyes opening again for a moment.
“I was trying to distance myself. Like we said.” She glances at me, and all I can do is nod.
“I met this guy, and he seemed fine. I’ve seen him around campus, thought he was a student, turns out he’s a dealer, then I ran into him at a party, and thought it was safe. ”
“He’s an idiot.” I tell her, reaching over and placing my hand on her arm, her fingers coming up instinctively, dancing on top of mine.
She stares at me. I’m not sure if it’s her or me who intertwines our fingers.
I don’t push her to finish; I just nod, letting her say whatever she wants. “You don’t have to talk about it. Or you can tell me in the morning.” I whisper, leaning over to her.
“In the morning?” She whispers, a smile peeking out on her face, now showing me the cut on her lip as it trickles a few drops of blood.
“I’m not leaving you like this.” matching her expression.
“I’m not sure I’ll remember in the morning if I don’t say it now.
” She shakes her head before inhaling deeply and continuing.
“It was different this time. He was on edge. I knew after a couple of sips of my drink that he’d done something to it.
I recognized the sensation. He went to the bathroom; I got up to leave, only as I stumbled through the parking lot, he caught up with me. ”
I can feel the rage rising through my body now. Taking a couple of breaths, I squeeze her hand just enough to remind her I’m here.
“He forced me into his car. I’m sure I have a lump on my head from how he slammed the door on it. I tried to jump out as he took off, but he grabbed me. I bit him.” She laughs.
Looking down her body, I realize that I somehow overlooked the torn clothing, as I had only focused on her bruised face. But now my eyes trail over the road rash on her arms.
“Let’s get you cleaned up.”
Nodding her head, she stands up, wincing before I attempt to steady her. Maneuvering her into my bedroom and sitting her down on the bed. I walk into the bathroom and turn the shower on.
“Thank you.” She whispers as she stands in front of me. Unbuttoning her jeans, I’m not sure if I should look away to give her privacy or if it doesn’t matter.
Conflicted, I just avert my eyes.
A giggle comes from her. “It’s not like you haven’t seen every inch of me before.”
The smirk spreads across my lips, shaking my head, and turn back to quip out a smart-ass response. “Oh my God,” replaces it, instead as I look at her in only her bra and panties, rage boiling over inside as I take in her bruised torso. “You didn’t mention any of this.” Motioning at her.
Sighing, she steps towards the bathroom, flicking on the lights and looking at herself in the mirror.
“Oh.” It’s sad as she nods her head, looking back at me.
“I fell out of the car as he turned, but he stopped and came back for me. It was late enough that no one was paying any attention. He underestimated how much fight I have.”
Forcing myself to focus on her as she steps back out, her lips pressing into a sweet smile.
“Calm down. I’m okay. I’m safe now.” Walking up and laying her hand on my chest. “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in your uniform before.” Batting her eyes.
“Not now, Drew.” I’m sure she can hear the pain in my voice as I have to force the words out.
* * *
The sound of the water running from the bathroom is audible through the walls. With every drop of water that falls, my rage boils over as I can imagine the blood seeping down the drain.
Her phone taunts me as it sits on the couch.
It’s as if clarity hits me all at once.
Reaching for it, thinking about it for a moment, punching in her birthday backwards.
The numbers shake and reset.
“Shit,” I mumble to myself and try to focus in on what it could be. People use numbers with an impactful meaning.
Hoping it’s not correct as I punch in the day her life changed — the day her parents died. Her home screen comes up.
“Sketch…” I whisper quietly. Knowing how dark it has to be every time she inputs it, as if it’s a constant reminder.
Scrolling through the encrypted messages, pausing as I listen, making sure the water’s still on.
The most recent thread is with Kyle. Tapping it quickly, I scan over the thread, making sure it’s what I’m looking for.
I know who Kyle is, and I know he’s the type who would pull some shit like this.
I also know why he’d target her. We went to school together.
He was a freshman when we were seniors, hot shit athlete.
We had some run-ins with him, not particularly a fan of ours.
And by that, I mean, we may have had an altercation or 12.
Quickly, I close the app, putting it down as I hear the shower turn off.
Making my way back into my bedroom. I open the dresser and grab some of my clothes for her.
She steps out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her.
“Uh.” Clearing my throat as I look at her. “I got these for you.”
“Thank you.” She whispers, reaching for them.
She’s asleep before I’m locking the door and head to my truck.
Is it a risk to leave the house with her alone there? Yes, but as she laid there, I could see the purple bruise from the hallway light, and even if I had already decided what I was going to do, my blood started boiling again.
I finally find him leaving the bar, following behind him, and flagging him down on a stretch of desolate road.
He bolts from the driver’s seat, coming back towards me with his arms outstretched.
“Who the fuck are you?” He shouts. “Get out here, you pussy.” He points the small revolver in my direction.
Exiting the truck, leaving it running so he’s standing in the bright light, squinting at me. Gripping the metal bar in my hand.