Stalker Chapter 6
I thought things had been going along great, all things considered.
Dayanara hadn’t shot us down. She was considering it.
But the look of fear mixed with pain that had just come over her face set off alarm bells.
She wasn’t a woman who gave in to fear. I knew that to my core.
And the pain part made my body tense. I wanted to go out and destroy whatever or whoever put that there.
My protectiveness reflex triggered. A glance at Predator showed me he was the same. His eyes were blazing.
“Daya, I can’t think of anything that would make us change our minds. Unless you already have an old man and won’t give him up,” I told her.
“No, I told you I don’t have one of those.
Speaking of that, though, I’ve got to warn you that I’ve never had a lot of success with one.
They end up trying to control me, treat me like I’m stupid, get insecure, or cheat.
Oh, I should throw that in there. Cheating, and I’m not meaning only physically.
Emotional cheating counts, too. Any cheating and we’re done.
If I’m not enough, tell me before you give your affection to someone else,” she warned us.
“Agreed. No cheating. Was that what you think will make us change our minds?” Predator asked.
“No, it’s not. What I’m about to tell you, no one knows.
Not my siblings or Stryder. It’s only known to the other person involved and me.
You recall how I said I failed to protect Breezy.
Everyone kept saying I hadn’t. That’s a lie.
I did. If I’d been stronger and spoken up long ago, she would’ve never been hurt by Marshall.
He wouldn’t have been around to hurt her.
But I was weak, and I stayed quiet. I’ve lived with that shame and guilt since I found out what he did to her. ”
Her expression was full of pain. Her hand tightened its hold on mine. I gave it a gentle, encouraging squeeze.
“Spoke up about what?” Predator asked.
“Marshall was Jessup’s best friend from kindergarten. I knew him my whole life. He was at our house all the time, and it felt like I had two older brothers. I adored him as much as I did Jess. However, that changed.”
As she paused, my gut clenched into a knot. I saw Predator’s mouth tighten and his nostrils flare. Before either of us could encourage her to continue, though I knew I would detest hearing more, she resumed.
“During the summer, they’d split their time between our house and his.
However, the summer I was fifteen, they stayed at our house ninety percent of the time.
Dad and Mom loved Marshall, so they had no problem with it.
The guys were having fun after graduating with their bachelor’s degrees.
Jess and he were taking a break before diving into getting real jobs and starting true adult living.
They’d hang out with each other, go to parties, and then crash at our house at night.
They were a week into that cycle when I woke up one night. It was two in the morning.
“At first, I had no clue what woke me up. I listened, thinking it might be a summer thunderstorm. It wasn’t.
The creak of a floorboard got my attention.
As I was rolling over to look, a hand was slapped over my mouth.
I tried to scream and fight to get loose, but I couldn’t.
He was too strong. I settled, though, when Marshall whispered it was him.
I thought he was playing. He liked to jump out and scare me. He’d been doing it for years.
“I was wrong. I won’t bore you with the details, but that night was the first of many where he snuck into my room after everyone was asleep and did things to me. I was too afraid to tell anyone. He made sure of it.”
Her voice was barely above a whisper. Her face was pale, and tears pooled in her eyes.
She was staring at the wall. I was seconds from losing my cool and yelling.
Predator would be, too, but that had to wait.
Dayanara needed our comfort and reassurance.
I shook my head at my best friend. He gave me a chin lift.
As one, we closed in on her from both sides.
Letting go of her hands, we brought our arms around her and squeezed her.
My mouth kissed up her cheek to her small, delicate ear.
It appeared as if he was doing the same on the other side. A sob broke free of her.
“Cry. Let it out. I’m so goddamn sorry, Daya. I had no idea,” I murmured into her ear.
“I’m here. We’ve got you. I’m so fucking sorry,” Predator muttered.
We held her, murmuring what we prayed were comforting words, until she cried herself out. When it appeared she was done, I reached into my inner cut pocket and produced the bandanna I carried. Never knew when you might need one. Daya mopped up her face and then straightened up.
“I’m sorry that I broke down. I’m usually tougher than that. I soaked your shirts. I’ll wash them for you,” she rambled.
“We don’t give a shit about wet T-shirts or the fact you cried, other than the hurt it made you experience. You’re hardly weak. You needed that purging. You’ve held it in for how long?” I asked.
“I’m twenty-nine, so fourteen years. Do you see why I have to go after Marshall? I failed Breezy before, but I won’t again. Killing Marshall won’t absolve me of my wrongdoing, but with him gone, maybe my sister can truly heal and move on.”
Predator popped up off the bed. He scowled and stomped back and forth before us. His hands were gripped tightly together, forming fists. They were white. I was clenching my teeth. A roar wanted to come out.
“What did he threaten you with to keep you quiet?” Predator asked gruffly.
She observed him, then me, before she answered. At first, I wondered if she would tell us, but when she took a ragged, deep breath, I knew she was about to.
“He told me if I said a word to anyone, he’d find out.
And when he did, I’d be left alone with him.
First, he claimed my family wouldn’t believe me.
Then, he said, if they did, he’d burn the house down one night with them in it after he took me.
That would leave me with no one but him.
He’d take me far away, and no one would ever see me again. He wasn’t bluffing.”
“How long did it last? Why did he quit?” I asked.
“Almost two months. He quit because he received a job offer in North Dakota that he couldn’t refuse.
It paid very well for someone with no work experience.
The company would pay relocation costs and his rent or mortgage for the first year.
It made me sick to see how happy he was.
Jess was thrilled for him, even though he kept saying how much we’d miss Marshall.
It was all I could do not to scream that I wouldn’t.
I tried to stay away from him during that time, but I didn’t have close girlfriends.
“All I felt was relief when he left. He would be gone, so I thought I was safe. As Brighton got older, I was so thankful that he was no longer around. Jess would see him out there on occasion. Marshall swore that he’d never move back, that he’d be a fool to give up what he had.”
“Did you ever entertain the idea of telling Jessup and Stryder over the years?” Predator asked.
The way she flinched had me shaking my head and mouthing to him, Shut up. What if she thought he was reprimanding her for not telling?
“I did, so many times. But I kept dreading that if I did, I’d lose my big brother.
He loved Marshall and would never hear a word against him.
I’d seen how Jess reacted when some guys at their school badmouthed Marshall.
I might’ve lost Stryder, too. He was friendly with Marshall.
And I was ashamed that I hadn’t been able to fight him off. I was weak.”
“That’s bullshit!” Predator roared, then he was back to us and dropped to his knees in front of her. I had her plastered to me.
“You’re not weak or a coward. He knew how to manipulate you. And who knows, he might’ve been crazy enough to do what he threatened,” I protested.
“Stalker is right, Dolcezza. You said you told no one. Does that include a counselor?”
“I couldn’t risk it. After he left, I was determined that no one would ever have the power to hurt me again as he had.
I began working out and taking some self-defense classes.
As graduation from high school approached, I knew what I wanted to do.
I became determined to join the Marines.
To me, no one was tougher. I passed the physical and all the other entry requirements.
I soaked up everything they taught about weapons and defense.
I took training on my own time and dime.
Marshall shaped me into what I am today.
” Dayanara paused again, then said more.
“Now, you know my dirty secret. Does this change anything? I’ll understand if it does.” Her voice was faint.
Predator reached up and grasped her face between his hands. He stared deeply into her eyes. “Not one fucking iota. It’s not a dirty secret. It’s a tragic one that you’ve suffered and carried too long.”
I reached over and replaced one of his hands with mine to turn her head toward me.
“We’re taking the load from you. We’ll carry it.
If you never want anyone else to know about it, then it stays between us.
But I do believe if you tell your family, they’ll understand.
And our club for sure won’t hold anything against you. It’s your decision.”
“Do you have any other questions or concerns?” Predator asked.
A tiny smile blossomed. “Thank you. You have no idea how much it means to me to hear you say this. It’s festered for so long. It’s a relief to let it out. And yes, I do have a question, but it has nothing to do with my secret. What does dolcezza mean?” She gave us a slight grin.
My best friend chuckled. “It’s Italian and means sweetness. Do you like it?”
“I do. Just making sure you weren’t calling me a curse word in Italian,” Dayanara joked.
“Well, I’d better give you mine, so you won’t think I’m swearing at you. If he’s calling you Sweetness, then I should, too, but I’ll do it in Welsh. That’s where the Bryne family comes from. Alright, Melyster?”
“Oh, my, you two sure know how to charm women.”
“I’ve never called a woman an endearment in English, let alone another language. That’s all for you,” I informed her.
“Same thing for me,” Predator told her.
We watched as the remaining tension from what she confessed leaked out of her. I was glad to see it. However, what she confessed was whirling around in my head. When we got our hands on Marshall Webb, he’d pay double.
“I hate to break this up because I’d love to stay here all night, but we should probably get back to the common room,” I reluctantly said.
“You’re right. But before we do, Daya, I’d like you to consider something,” Predator stated.
“Of course, what?”
“Think about staying tonight and spending it with us. Before you object, I’m not suggesting we have sex.
I want to hold you, and I bet Stalker does, too.
And your dreams may reflect what you stirred up.
We want to be there for you. You don’t have to answer me now.
Let’s go rejoin the others, and then we’ll see what your answer is later,” he finished off.
“Okay, I’ll do that. But first, may I use the bathroom? I need to wash my face. If I go out there like this, Jess and everyone else will know something is wrong.”
“Of course you can. It’s right there. Holler if you need anything.” I pointed toward the open though dark doorway. Predator stood up and out of the way. We let her rise and go into the bathroom. As soon as the door shut, and we heard the water come on, he hissed.
“That cocksucker is more than dead.”
“You’re goddamn right he is,” I replied.
My mind was already creating scenarios of what would happen to the motherfucker when we caught him.
He was due to be released today. We were waiting for Outlaw to say it occurred, and he met with his PO.
Then it would hopefully only be a couple of days before we could end this.
That would allow us to put all our efforts toward winning Dayanara’s heart for good.