Chapter 17 #2
Before Damien and I could get into spewing our hopes and dreams, Callen returned with Andrew trailing behind.
Callen grabbed Damien’s hand, forcing a sweaty can of beer into his palm. “Here you go, bro.”
Damien nodded in return.
The stomach roiling tension returned with force and I decided I’d had enough. “Hey Andrew,” I said lightly, placing my hand on his bicep and leaning in. “It’s getting pretty late. I think I’m ready to go home.”
He looked down, considering me for a moment before he answered, “You sure? I still haven’t fulfilled the ‘night of your life’ promise.
” Andrew winked. At the beginning of the night, that wink made butterfly wings sweep my skin in tingling anticipation.
Now, however, it made the dread sickening my stomach rise into my throat.
I was being stupid. It was late, I was tired, ready to be half naked under my cotton sheets, and the exhaustion was playing with my emotions. Still, I was ready to be home.
“This has been the best night of my life so far,” I smiled, but let the sincerity of my request play in my expression. “I’m just tired and want to leave.”
I thought he would protest, or that maybe Callen, having just gotten there, would talk me out of it.
Instead, Callen looked at Andrew and said, “You know what? She’s right. This party is lame. I know about another one tonight that’s supposed to be gnarly. Wanna drop her off on the way and hit it?”
“I can hang,” Andrew agreed. “Why don’t you hop in with us?”
“Sounds tight, dude. Let’s hit it.”
Andrew wrapped his arm around my shoulders, guided us through the house and out to his car. The air was frigid compared to the muggy body heat inside. A wave of goosebumps rose with the shiver coursing over me.
“You’re sitting behind me, alright baby?” Andrew kissed the top of my head before opening the car door and pulling the lever to push his seat forward.
“Are you serious?” The fact that he was shoving me in the back seat didn’t sit well. “Just let me sit up front. It’ll be a total inconvenience for you to have to get out of the car when you drop me off.”
“Nothing about you is an inconvenience, baby. Just hop in. I’ll take care of you.”
I hesitated for one gravity defying moment. Against my better judgement, I acquiesced, struggling with my skirt as I fumbled into the back seat of his car. The leather that once felt luxurious under my skin was too sticky, and the freedom of the missing t-tops was nowhere to be found.
Damien crawled in beside me, still refusing to look me in the eye as he did everything possible to widen the gap between us. I could smell the sweat permeating around him.
Callen slammed his door shut, pulling my attention away from Damien, and said, “Let’s do this.
” There was an unsettling fervor brightening his eyes that made me shift in my seat.
I did my best to dismiss it though when he added, “That babe from Psych 101 is supposed to be there and tonight’s the night I score her number. ”
“Hell yeah, bro!” Andrew returned, revving the engine and throwing the car forward at break neck speed. Tires screeched along the pavement as we sped into the night.
While Callen and Andrew carried on up front, I watched Damien. Was it the yellowed street lights making him look sick?
I leaned in and whispered, “Hey. Are you okay?”
Too lost in whatever thoughts plagued his mind, Damien continued to stare out the window with a clenched jaw as if he didn’t hear me. And, for all I knew, maybe he hadn’t.
So, I tried again. I reached out, giving his arm a gentle shake as I whispered sharply, “I said are you ok–”
Damien’s head hit the roof, making a jarring thump that could be heard even over the roaring wind and engine. He shook off my arm as if I’d splashed it with acid, cringing into his side of the car with a horrified expression.
I pulled my arm back in alarm, watching him closely as every anxious emotion played over his face.
“Everything okay back there, D?”
At the sound of Callen’s voice, Damien shut down.
Though his muscles were still tense, his position changed into one submission – hands clenched in his lap, stiffened back pushing into the leather and head bowed.
I hadn’t noticed it before, but the tips of his hair were plastered to his forehead, saturated with sweat that rolled down both temples.
“Fine,” was his reply.
Callen couldn’t see Damien from the front seat, however it didn’t ease the intensity of his presence. For the umpteenth time that night, I watched the unsettling interaction between the two brothers.
“Dany?”
Andrew’s blue eyes were looking pointedly into the rearview mirror, straight into mine.
“Yeah,” I answered breathlessly. “Everything is okay. I think I just scared him is all.”
“You’re not putting your hands on my girl are you, Damien?”
Even though Andrew’s tone was teasing, Callen’s was all menace as he answered, “He doesn’t have the balls.” His sneer was almost imperceptible, but the cast shadows from passing street lights were what gave him away.
My heart stuttered before picking up speed. I was so fucking ready to be out of this car; thank god we were nearing my home. The desperation I felt to be there was nothing I’d ever felt before. Another other night I’d be begging to be anywhere other than under the same roof as my parents.
I scanned the passing houses, disconcerted when I realized we’d already passed my street.
Leather creaked as I leaned against the driver’s seat. With my lips as close to his ear as I could get them, I asked “Andrew?”
“Yeah, baby?”
“You missed my street back there. If you make a right up here on Hillbridge, though, we can circle back.”
“I know.”
His answer hit me like a stone wall.
“You know? What do you mean you know?”
“I was thinking,” he said, drawing out the last syllable of his words. “We could make one more stop for the night.” Andrew’s knuckles whitened around the steering wheel.
Callen smiled beside him.
Something… Something wasn’t right.
My pulse thundered like the crash of a waterfall through my ears.
“I’m ready to go home, Andrew. I’m serious.”
“Well, I’m not ready to take you there.”
The engine roared as Andrew pushed the gas pedal to the floor. I shrieked as the momentum threw me backward.
“Andrew!”
“Andrew,” Callen mocked with a laugh.
Panic overcame rationality, my body screaming at me to get out.
Get out. Get out. Get out!
“Stop the car!” I screamed, throwing myself against Andrew’s seat over and over, as hard as the adrenaline firing through my veins would allow.
“Damien!” shouted Callen. “Sack up and get her under control back there.”
My attention flew immediately to the silent boy next to me.
“Don’t,” I warned, ready to claw my way out this fucking car by any means necessary. “Don’t you dare fucking touch me.”
Warring intentions plagued his eyes and, for a moment, he didn’t move. Only stared back at me.
“Damien,” Callen growled.
The dominance in Callen’s command broke Damien from whatever defiance he may have been considering. His hands shook as he reached for me.
“Just don’t fight me, okay?” he pleaded through a whisper.
I didn’t give him a chance to grab me. The fire inside surged again. I put my back against the side of the car and kicked at Damien, landing blow after blow on his hands, stomach, and head.
He fought against me, but his half-hearted battle was no match for my adrenaline induced frenzy. I screamed defiantly with every kick and, rather than continuing to fight, Damien huddled into himself, covering his head and side as he cowered against the car.
“Goddammit, Damien,” Callen spat. “I have to do everything for you.
He twisted around with violent intention, reaching into the backseat and, when I aimed my kicks at him instead, it was useless.
Callen was strong. Too strong. He batted away my assault like I was nothing more than a fly buzzing around his head.
The car started to blur as Callen wrapped his steely hands around my throat and squeezed. Pain shot down my spine from the pressure of his hold.
“You’re going to listen, and we’re going to have fun.”
All sense of humanity had been drained from the blue irises pinning me with a sadistic glare. Evil was the only source of light, and the gleam was enough to confirm one terrifying thought before I drifted out of consciousness.
I was going to die tonight.