Fear Me

by B. B. Reid

  Sheldon hugged my shoulders and walked us away from the guys and I felt a moment of self-loathing. I hated looking like the victim. I wasn’t a victim. Right?

  Chapter Nine

  Sheldon took me upstairs and locked us in the bathroom where she grilled me endlessly. I couldn’t tell her the truth but I didn’t lie either. I told her that Keiran had just been taunting me as usual. She had a few choices words to say about Keiran but let it go. I was cleaning my face with the warm cloth she’d given me when a hard knock on the door interrupted the silence. Sheldon opened the door to reveal Keiran standing on the other side and immediately moved to shield me from him.

  “What do you want?”

  “Leave,” he said barely acknowledging her. His gaze was focused on me and I stared back.

  I wanted to look away but couldn’t. I’ve never seen him look at me this way before. The memory of his cock in my mouth came rushing back. I blushed and finally looked away, breaking the connection.

  “I’m taking her home.” The relief I felt was short-lived at the look on his face. The cold calculation in his eyes told me that she would quickly become another victim of his wrath if I didn’t interfere. I couldn't let her suffer the brunt of his anger. I had years to learn how to survive it.

  “Sheldon, it’s fine.” She looked at me with surprise etched all over face and I wished I could take her help. “Really, it’s okay.” I had trouble holding her gaze.

  “Sheldon, come here!” Keenan’s voice boomed from somewhere out in the hallway.

  She gave me one last look before leaving the bathroom with a terse ‘Fine’. Keiran motioned for me to follow him so I tossed the cloth into the bin and followed him to his bedroom.

  “Are you taking me home soon?” He ignored me and picked my phone up from the large black dresser and tossed it to me. I took turns looking from the device to him.

  “Your aunt called. Call her back and let her know that everything is fine.”

  “Oh…right.” I dialed her number.

  “Put it on speaker,” he ordered. I was careful not to show my aggravation and upset him. He could change his mind and my aunt would worry if I didn't call.

  Her anxious voice filtered through the phone after the third ring. “Hey, Aunt Carissa.”

  “Lake, thank God! How is everything?” She attempted to sound normal but I could hear the stress and fatigue, which was weird because she usually has fun on her tours.

  “Everything is great here. How are you?”

  “Oh you know, I’ve been signing books all day. Nothing major.”

  Her answer only increased my worry. Aunt Carissa was usually full of excitement and everything dealing with her books and readers was major. She loved being a writer. “Are you sure? You sound tired.”

  “Yes, I’m fine. Listen, I have to go but how was school?”

  “School is school. I guess I will talk to you later,” I stated slowly with a frown and a heavy heart.

  “Great. And Lake? I love you, sweetie.” The line went dead before I could respond in kind. I felt sick, despite her reassurance, remembering the last time I saw and spoke to my parents. Would Aunt Carissa leave me too?

  “I should go home. Can you take me now?”

  “We’re having a party. You should stick around.” He plucked my phone out of my hand and pocketed it. I didn’t like the sound of his invitation. It sounded more like the order I knew it to be.

  “Thanks, but no thanks,” I answered sarcastically. I would really rather go home.”

  “I wasn’t asking. Do I explain this to you again? I don’t trust you. I’m keeping an eye on you. Simple as that.”

  “It isn’t really about keeping an eye on me though, is it?” His body stiffened and I could tell I struck a nerve. Rather than scare me away it gave me the motivation I needed to push him. “What’s the matter? You can’t get it up unless you’re angry?” I circled around him the way he did me that day in the cafeteria over a year ago. I taunted and tested how far I could go. “Is that what you hide? Some sick, twisted fantasy? Tell me…is it special for me or is it all women? Mommy didn’t love you enough so you –”

  The punishing hand around my jaw stopped me and once again my words were lost to me. He bent my body backward over his low dresser and leaned close. The coldness in his eyes could not be mistaken for anything but deep hatred.

  “It’s only for you, never doubt that. No one else makes me feel this way. No one. It’s always been you. It will always be you.”

  The subtle threat in his words sent a cold chill through my body. Up this close I could see the light stubble along his jaw, evidence that he didn’t shave this morning and I couldn’t help to think how incredibly sexy and masculine he looked with it.

  “Is that supposed to scare me?” I sounded tougher than I was feeling but he didn’t have to know that.

  “It already does.”

  “Is that what you want to hear? That I am afraid of you? That I am still afraid of you? Yes, I am afraid but that is all I will ever feel for you. It is the need to survive. You can’t control me beyond that. Let me go.”

  “I can’t do that.”

  “Why not? I haven’t done anything and don’t plan to whether or not you choose to believe it, but it is the damn truth.” I searched his eyes for even a glimmer of belief but they remained unyielding. My back was beginning to shake from the strain of nearly being bent in half not to mention the effect his being close was having on me.

  “Because I still hate you, Monroe. Never forget that.”

  * * *

  Sheldon and Keenan were already downstairs by the time we finally emerged from his bedroom. His last words were still echoing in my head. While I had accepted long ago that Keiran would always hate me it didn’t make hearing it each time any easier.

  We found them in the kitchen pre-gaming and setting up for the party that I was being forced to attend. Who knew my first invite to a party would be by the one person who has kept me from them…even if he was forcing me.

  The first thing I noticed entering the kitchen was the mysterious, black duffle bag that Keiran and Keenan was given, now laid open and filled with bottles of alcohol.

  Well I'll be damned.

  I couldn’t believe that they actually bought alcohol in an illegal, street sale. At least it wasn’t drugs. The thought didn’t make me feel better. Though, I always did wonder how high school kids found their supply of alcohol for parties. I just assumed they pilfered it from their parents, though it would be kind of hard to explain the missing alcohol.

  I remember, last year, Michael Hastings parents divorced shortly after a huge party he threw. Apparently his father was an alcoholic and swore to quit drinking and one day his mother found empty bottles of alcohol hidden, not thrown away, in the house. She immediately blamed his father and filed for divorce. He’s been kind of a loner ever since. The guilt must be a bitch to deal with.

  “Say man, they are calling it a good year for snow this winter. I can't wait to hit the slopes this year,” Keenan said, as we entered the kitchen. He was practically bouncing with excitement.

  "Why? You aren't tired of sucking back my snow, yet?"

  "The only thing getting sucked is my dick tonight – Aargh, damn it, girl! That hurt!"

  "Don't look like that's happening either," Keiran snorted. Keenan was now bent over in the seat protecting his crotch. He looked as if he would faint. Sheldon winked at me and I grinned.

  "Anyway, Lake, it's really fun. We do it every winter over Christmas break. The slopes overlook Lake Tahoe and it's gorgeous. Just like you, right Keiran?" She grinned at him slyly.

  Keiran grunted, but said nothing. He grabbed a shot glass and poured amber liquid into, quickly tossing it back and reaching for more.

  "Have you ever been skiing?" Sheldon asked.

  "No, I uh…don't know how."

  "S'kay, we can teach you," she offered.

  The guys had grown silent when Sheldon extended her invitation. Keir
an stopped drinking and Keenan was no longer moaning in pain as the awkward silence descended. "Um...no that's okay. I usually just visit my grandmother at the nursing home in Red Rocks."

  My maternal grandmother was stricken with Alzheimer's disease five years ago and was unable to stay with us despite my aunt’s protests. “Is that where you are from? I remember you moving here in the second grade.”

  “Yeah, actually. It’s about two hours east.”

  “Do you miss it?”

  “No, I barely remember it,” I lied.

  Talking about Red Rocks meant thinking about my parents and how I ended up here in the first place. My grandmother’s health was failing even then and my mother never knew her father so my aunt Carissa took me. I felt eyes on me and looked up to see everyone’s attention on me. Keiran was staring a hole through me and I felt exposed so I quickly averted my gaze.

  “I swear if you boneheads make her cry, I’ll castrate you both!”

  I chuckled, grateful for Sheldon. We barely knew each other but she was becoming a friend. Her fierce desire to stand up for me was winning me over. I can’t handle Keiran. I was too afraid of him. He’d shown me who he really was on that playground and I knew that boy was still inside – buried deep and waiting to come out.

  * * *

  The deafening blare of the speakers and Keiran’s gaze seemed to always find me no matter where I hid. The party had been in full blast for over an hour. I watched the swing and sway of half-naked girls in short skirts and the raucous, hormonal males stumble and party, drunkenly from room to room.

  Being a teen, I may not have found this so bad if I had a single friend here. I was isolated to a corner of the room and directly across from me I could see Keiran surrounded by other kids though he didn’t seem to be paying much attention to them. Instead his gaze would find its way

  back to me. I’m sure if he gave his group much attention he would notice the hot brunette, who I was sure was one of the girls I saw on campus earlier, checking him out.

  I looked around for Sheldon but didn’t immediately see sign of her anywhere. Anya had dragged her off somewhere much to Sheldon’s annoyance which she didn’t try to hide. I didn’t understand why she put up with Anya since she clearly didn’t care for her or the rest of the cheerleaders. They all seemed to band together and didn’t like outsiders. Oh, well. It was Sheldon’s issue, not mine.

  I began to brainstorm ways to sneak out of the party and go home without Keiran noticing. He didn’t appear to be drinking beyond the two shots he had earlier. He didn’t even look as if he was having fun, which was strange considering he threw the party.

  My thoughts must have been transparent when a suspicious look passed over his face before he headed over to my corner. I tried burrowing deeper into the shadows thinking I could miraculously become invisible.

  “Why aren’t you partying?” he asked gruffly.

  “I told you I wasn’t interested. You are the one who wanted me here.”

  “You’re here because I told you to be.”

  “Why are you so angry about this? I did not want to be here,” I stressed yet again.

  “Get up and follow me,” he ordered.

  “I’m fine right here.” I patted the seat. “The view is great you know. I can see everyone make a fool of themselves and trash your uncles’ place. He must be so proud,” I said sarcastically.

  I looked at him feeling smug as I watched his jaw clench and his nostrils flare. I was pissing him off and loving it. There were too many witnesses for me to be afraid.

  “I can have everyone out of here in three seconds, flat. Don’t think for a second that you are safe, Monroe. You will never be safe from me.”

  I slowly rose from my seat not wanting to draw attention to me. The smug look on his face was meant to provoke me further and it was working. He led me over to the counter that was littered with the illegally purchases alcohol. He grabbed the same bottle of amber liquor I saw him drink earlier and poured a shot. I stared at the glass when he handed it to me.

  “I don’t drink.”

  “I didn’t ask.”

  After a short staring contest of wills I snatched the shot glass out of his hand, spilling some on my hand. He raised an eyebrow but otherwise said nothing. I sniffed the drink quickly and hated the strong, revolting smell. I fought not to gag as I brought the glass to my lips and took a tentative sip. My face tingled, from the strong taste and I reluctantly took another sip.

  “That’s not how to take a fucking shot. Toss it back,” he instructed impatiently. I sent him a withering look and then opened my mouth to quickly swallow the liquid. The tingle from before erupted in full flames as my eyes watered and my cheeks flushed. I instantly felt the effects of the liquor to my head. I made a sound of distress and fought to get my bearings.

  “Good. Now another.”

  “Please, I don’t want to.”

  “I don’t care. Drink.” I looked at him in disbelief. It was bad enough that he made me do it the first time. How did people actually have fun drinking this stuff? I’ve had champagne before at one of my aunt’s book functions but never anything this strong and disgusting.

  “Do you have anything lighter?”

  “Yes, but this is what you’re getting. He poured another shot and this time a second. “I’ll take this one with you.”

  Was that supposed to make me feel better?

  This time I didn’t wait to be prompted. I tossed the drink back and coughed as it burned down my throat. “Good girl,” he praised. I didn’t feel good at all. I felt sick. Six or seven shots later my body felt loose and heavy at the same time. I was pretty sure my vision was blurry. Either that or I was hallucinating. I didn’t know which because I’d never been drunk before. Or maybe I was just tipsy?

  I was staring at the counter top willing my vision to focus and I could feel Keiran watching me from the side. A guy, who I don’t think even goes to our school, had come in during my third shot as I was begging for Keiran to stop making me drink. He was watching me with too with interest in his eyes.

  I didn’t bother to beg Keiran to stop this time but surprisingly he did after we had been standing quietly for a few minutes. I found it seriously fucked up that I was drunk but he was not.

  “Hey, man if you really want to get her going, you can have her pop a couple of these.” The guy pulled out a Ziploc bag full of pills and waved them at me with a sly grin. “I’ll even give them to you for free if I can get a turn.”

  My alcohol-riddled brain was slow to catch on but when I saw the lust in the stoner’s eyes and Keiran take the bag from him, I looked on in astonishment. He was not seriously considering drugging me, was he?

  “Can you walk?” Keiran asked.

  “If it’s to your car then I can skip if you like.” There was no way in hell I was letting him drug me.

  “Go lay down in the guest room and lock the door.”

  “But –”

  “Now, Lake” I didn’t bother to argue anymore and headed in that direction but just as I made it to the stairs, Trevor intercepted me. I so did not need this right now.

  “Well, well, well. I never thought I’d see little Miss Prim at a party, much less Masters’.”

  “Don’t get your hopes up. I’m trying to find the nearest exit out of this cesspool.”

  “Looks to me like you were sneaking upstairs.”

  “No one would ever accuse you of having bad eyes. Excuse me.” I tried to go around but he linked his arm around my waist and leaned into me. I could smell the stench of alcohol on his breath.

  “Have you been you taking care of our little secret? Wouldn’t want to make an enemy out of me too, would you?”

  “It’s not my secret, Trevor. It’s yours. The only one afraid of making enemies right now is you.”

  “Whether you like to admit it, Lake, you helped me bring Keiran down. You should be grateful. I even let you take the credit for all the work.” He grinned and slithered away like the snake
he was. As much as I hated Trevor’s treachery, I think I was madder at myself. I should have seen it coming. I should have been more careful…

  * * *

  “Enemy? I don't have enemies. I’m no one,” I stated, dumfounded.

  What or who could Trevor and I possibly have in common? We didn't share the same social status and our circles – or rather my circle of one – were different.

  He looked at me impatiently when I stared up at him in confusion. Gosh, was everyone on the basketball team freakishly tall? He dwarfed my five-eight easily.

  Trevor was blonde and good looking, but Tiffany and her friends were right – Keiran was better looking…with a hotter body. Trevor was bullish looking as his muscles strained and pulled against his skin while Keiran was lean with the right amount of muscle tone that made him look naturally powerful.

  “Keiran Masters,” he stated simply.

  I stepped back, anxiety kicking in. It was my usual reaction to hearing his name. I also didn’t understand what he was asking or what he wanted from me. I looked around thinking it was a setup and Keiran was waiting to jump out to screw with me. He hasn't gone a day without a prank, condescending look, or taunt, once in ten years. It was like my pain was an addiction and he needed his fix. Sometimes I think he went out of his way to find me so he could hurt me.

  “What about him?” I swallowed deeply wanting to be anywhere but here.

  “I know a way we can stop him so he’ll no longer be a problem for either of us,” he stated simply as if he was telling time.

  “Why?”

  He frowned down at me not expecting that answer I guessed. “Why what?”

  “Why are you doing this?”

  “Why not,” he scoffed. “Keiran thinks he’s untouchable. He runs this school, but he doesn't run me. “Don’t you want the bullying to stop?”

  “Yes.” It was true, I did but how far was I really willing to go for peace?

  “Good. I know the perfect way to teach him a lesson.”