by C. A. Harms
There was a short pause.
“What? Mom…Mom, slow down, I can’t understand you.”
There was another silence and I placed the pan in the sink quickly making my way down the hallway toward the bedroom. Adam was sitting on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands.
I took a seat next to him and lightly rubbed his back, not needing to ask what was going on to know the news was not good.
“Is he okay?”
Another silence. I could hear the pain and frustration in Adam’s tone.
“We’re in Asheville. I took Natalie away for the weekend. I can’t bring her with me, Mom, not for this shit.”
I felt a little hurt that he didn’t want me around. Then again I had no idea what was going on.
“Just give me a few hours to pack things up and get Natalie home. I’ll call you and let you know when my flight comes in.” Another pause. “No, you guys don’t have to pay for my ticket, I got it.”
He hung up the phone and turned to face me. Pissed, hurt. I wasn’t exactly sure what emotion was filling his eyes. “What’s going on? What happened?”
“Brock…he’s in the hospital.” Pain was definitely evident in that statement.
“Is he okay?”
“For now until he gets out and then I’ll truly beat the fuck out of him.” And now there was anger. I waited for him to continue. He stood up from the bed and paced the room.
He shook his head and gripped the back of his neck. “He got attacked last night by Nate and a few of his friends.”
“What? Nate, as in your ex-friend, Nate?” He nodded and flopped back down on the bed next to me.
“Apparently, he, um…he got drunk last night and ran into Breann at some bar. She was there with some friends and they all hung out for a while before deciding to move the party to Breann’s. Which just so happens to be Nate’s place too.” I had a bad feeling about where this story was going. “I guess coming home from a night out to find his fiancée and a friend of hers in the middle of a threesome wasn’t what he was expecting.”
I swallowed past the bile that filled my throat and covered my mouth in disgust.
“Nate and his friends drug Brock outside and beat the hell out of him. The neighbors called the cops and now he’s in ICU.” He turned to face me. “Mom needs me there. Dad’s gone on business and she can’t reach him. She sounded lost, Nat.”
I brushed my hand over his cheek. “I understand your mom needs you. But I need to ask you something. Are you okay?”
“If you’re asking me if it bothers me that my punk ass brother was fucking my ex…then yeah, I’m fine. If you’re asking me how I feel about Nate and his friends laying their hands on my brother, then no, I’m not okay. I wanna fucking rip their heads off.”
I stood from the bed and stepped in front of him. He placed his hands on my hips and leaned forward, resting his forehead against my stomach before placing a soft kiss just above my belly button.
“We got this cabin until tomorrow at five. Do you want me call Kole and see if he can spare Lexi? Maybe she and Megan can drive up for the night.”
I hated seeing Adam like this. He seemed lost.
“I can just go home,” I said in reply.
He stood up and wrapped his arms around my shoulders pulling me closer
“I hate to waste it. I can’t get the money back. I’d like to see you enjoy this place. Since I can’t be the one to enjoy it with you, the girls would be the perfect solution.”
I nodded into his chest because at this point I would have done whatever I could to make him feel less unsettled than he already was. “Okay.”
I could hear him on the phone in the other room and I felt like he had just drifted away from me. That sweet man from last night, the one that said all those kind words, was now gone. The only thing left was one pissed off, hurt, fired up son of a bitch and I was terrified of that. I knew that things could get bad and I cringed at the thought of what Adam might do when he got back to Memphis.
***
“Kole said he can have the girls here in a little over an hour. He and I can ride back in my truck. He’ll leave the Tahoe here for you girls to drive back tomorrow.”
I watched as Adam packed his things and carried them into the living room. Then he got on his phone and began checking for the next flight to Memphis.
Later when the girls arrived, and after they carried in their bags, Adam said a quick goodbye.
“I’ll call you later.” He kissed my forehead and walked away.
With Lexi on one side and Megan on the other, I watched his truck drive away. When the first tear slid down my cheek, Lexi instantly took me in her arms. “It’s okay, Nat.”
All I could do was cry because I had a terrible feeling about this and I hated that I wasn’t going with him. I wanted to support him and attempt to keep him calm. I was so worried about him going after Nate and what the consequences of his actions could mean for our future.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Adam
I made the choice to not tell Mom when my flight was coming in. I needed to rent a car, anyway, so I would just get one from the airport.
When we landed and I turned on my phone, I had several text messages. A few from Kate, telling me she was in town and one from Mom, letting me know they were at the hospital. The one that hit me hard and made my chest tighten was from Natalie.
Natalie: I know right now you’re angry and sad. I understand why you needed to go alone. I just need you to understand that your son and I need you to come back to us in one piece. Please don’t do anything you’ll regret later. I need you Adam. I love you. Call me whenever.
Xo Nat.
The moment I walked into my brother’s room and I saw what those bastards had done to him, all rational thought went out the fucking window. His face was so swollen he was barely recognizable. My knees felt weak and my stomach twisted to the point that I thought I might throw up. Nate was gonna fuckin’ pay for this shit. That was a promise.
Both Kate and my mother sat next to Brock’s bed looking lost and heartbroken. When they heard the door shut behind me they both looked up. My mother’s tears began once again as she quickly made her way over to me. I immediately took her in my arms and held her close as she continued to cry into my chest.
The only thing this moment was doing was fueling the fire that had been burning inside me. Not only had Nate fucked up my brother, but he also destroyed my mom, and no one got away with fucking with my family.
“He hasn’t woken up yet. The doctor said that it may take a little bit. He had a collapsed lung and they had to sedate him when they brought him in. The drugs should start to wear off soon.” I looked up as Kate spoke. “They just attacked him, Adam. I mean, I know he did wrong. He never should have gone home with them to Nate’s house, but he never deserved this. My God, just look at him.”
I couldn’t stomach this anger boiling within me. I didn’t know what to do with it all. I wanted to walk out of this room and find the son of a bitch and kill him.
I spent the next four hours by my brother’s bedside.
My father finally arrived and his reaction was almost as bad as mine. I could see the anger fill his eyes as the nurse explained my brother’s injuries.
Kate convinced my parents to go home and get some rest, but I refused to leave. My brother and I may bicker and fuck with each other, but he was my brother. Yeah he fucked up, but I couldn’t find the strength to leave his side. I couldn’t walk away until he woke up and I knew he was all right.
I dozed off in the chair and it was after midnight when I woke up to the sound of his raspy dry cough. I leaned forward and hovered over him, waiting for his eyes to open.
“Get the fuck out of my face, dude. I ain’t Natalie.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “No, but you are one stupid fuck, you know that? Breann, dude, really?”
“Yeah, well, you know the song, right?” He closed his eyes once more and I waited for him to
continue. What the fuck was he talking about?
“What song?”
The side of his mouth lifted slightly, “Tequila makes her clothes fall off…it sure fuckin’ does, man.” Another pause. “And I’m a guy. When two girls start stripping and I’m drunk and horny…all common sense is gone. The wrong head did the thinking and look where it got me.”
I took a deep breath and shook my head. “It got you fucked up, man…real fucked up.” He groaned in pain as he attempted to roll over on his side. “Who was with him…who else did this besides Nate?”
“The other girl’s boyfriend, hell, I don’t know his name.” He squeezed his eyes shut long enough to shift. “Andy was there, too. He kinda stood back, though. I heard him tell Nate and the other guy that it was over. I don’t remember too much after they got me to the ground and started kicking me.”
I could just imagine the cocky ass look on Nate’s face when he got the best of Brock. I was friends with the kid for years; I knew how he was and he fought dirty. He was the biggest pussy when he was alone, but if he had backup, he thought he ruled the world. All I know is the punk had another think coming. I owed him an ass beating from before, but after what he did to my brother, well the fucker just sealed his fate.
By the time I made it back to my parents it was almost 3:00 in the morning and I crashed the minute I hit the bed.
I felt horrible for not calling Natalie, but right now my mood was so fucked up I thought it was better to keep my distance. She had the girls and I knew if she needed me, someone would have called.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Natalie
“Hey, sweets, how’d ya sleep?” Megan placed her hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently. I shrugged and she sat down in the chair across from me. “He’ll be okay, Nat.”
“I haven’t heard from him since he left yesterday.” I looked up at her. “Nothing…not a text, a call. The least he could’ve done was send me a text that everything was alright and he made it safely. But I got nothing.”
“He just has a lot of things on his mind right now, Nat. I mean come on, the guy just found out his younger brother was nailing his ex. That had to fuck with his mind a little.” I stood up and walked toward the sink to rinse out my cup. “I don’t mean that in a bad way, but come on, that is fucked up.”
I knew it was messed up, but I still think I deserved at least a text. I don’t know, maybe I was being too needy or overdramatic, but I was a little hurt. I wanted to call so many times and check on Brock, but I felt like I was bothering him.
Instead of dwelling on it any longer, I picked up my phone and sent Adam a quick text.
Natalie: I hope you made it safely and that your brother is going to be okay. I am here for you if you need me. I love you.
Nat.
I held the phone in my hands willing a response and when it came, I felt worse off than I had before.
Adam: Okay.
That was all I got back from him, a simple okay. My heart sank. Why was he so distant?
Lexi, Megan and I spent the day playing cards and drinking hot chocolate. We started packing everything up and decided to drive back home around 3:00 in the afternoon.
I hated how lonely I felt when I entered the apartment. After a long shower, I curled up on the couch in my pajamas and attempted to watch a movie. My mind was all over the place and after about fifteen minutes I just shut it off instead.
I flipped my phone in my hand over and over, trying to decide what to do. I didn’t want to bug him, but things felt off. I just needed to hear his voice and know he was gonna be okay. I needed that reassurance.
Natalie: I’m sorry this has happened and I want to be your go to person. I need to know you are okay.
My phone rang a few minutes later and my heart raced when I saw that gorgeous face light up my screen.
“Hi.”
“Hey.” He sounded so tired and unlike himself.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
I heard him sigh, “Yeah, Natalie…I’m fine. My brother is the one that got the shit knocked out of him, not me.”
I wasn’t sure how to respond. I hadn’t meant to make him mad. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by that. I meant emotionally.”
“I know. I’m just tired and cranky. I’m pissed and I’m doing everything I can to keep myself from going out and finding Nate. You don’t know how hard it is not to go after him. If it wasn’t for you and the baby, I wouldn’t give a shit. I wouldn’t care if I got arrested.”
I stood up from the couch and paced back and forth in front of the couch. “Well, I won’t lie to you, Adam, I’m glad you are thinking about us. I don’t want you getting into any trouble. It won’t solve anything.”
The noise that came from him sounded like a small growl. “You think I don’t know that? But that fucker deserves to get his ass kicked. Damn, Nat, you should see what they did to Brock. He had to have surgery and didn’t wake up for the first twenty-four hours. I have watched my mom bawl her eyes out, my dad fall to his knees, and Kate, she looks lost. I don’t need you lecturing me on top of everything. That is exactly why I haven’t called. I needed time to let this all play out.”
“Well then I’m sorry I texted.” Suddenly I regretted even worrying about him.”
“Do me a favor…don’t worry about me, okay?” he insisted. “I’m fine.”
I controlled the tears that threatened to fall. I wouldn’t do this. I refused to be the blubbering girl who let a man’s words crush me. I was stronger than that. I wouldn’t let him treat me badly because of what happened with Brock. Oh and I sure as hell wasn’t gonna take his shit without a fight.
“Okay, Adam. I’ll let you go. I won’t call you. I won’t let myself worry about you. When you get your head out of your ass and realize that I am not the enemy here then you call me. The only problem is I can’t promise I’ll have time for you then.” He said nothing and my heart broke just a little more. “Tell your family I’m thinking of them. I’m pretty sure they will actually appreciate my kindness. Bye.”
I hung up and when he never called me back, I felt the last part of my steel wall cave. I crawled into bed and allowed myself to cry until I was so exhausted I just fell asleep.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Adam
Another sleepless night. This time it was all my fault, though. I felt like a complete prick for the way I acted toward Natalie. I know she meant well. I had told myself I wasn’t going to call her until I got over the cranky ass mood I’d been in since I arrived here.
This entire situation was eating me alive slowly, and I didn’t want it to come between her and me. I don’t handle shit like this well. I never have. My attitude kicks in full force and I can’t control it. I get defensive and snap off so easily. She was worried and I was nothing but an asshole to her in return.
“Morning.” Kate shuffled into the kitchen still in her pajamas with a big fluffy robe and slippers. “Any coffee left?”
“Yeah, half a pot. Mom made it before she and Dad left.”
After she poured her a cup and sat down next to me, I could feel her studying me. A few silent moments passed before she spoke. “What did you do? And before you tell me nothing, remember, I am your sister and I know when your sorry ass is lying.”
I shook my head in disgust and let it fall forward, resting my forehead on the table.
“I blew up at Natalie last night for no reason. She was worried and I was a total dickhead. Now I’m pretty sure I’m the last person she wants to talk to and I can’t blame her one bit. She was sweet and sincere and I made her feel like shit for it.” Kate’s hand smacking the back of my head hard made me shoot upright. I rubbed it lightly. “Damn, what the fuck, Kate?”
“Don’t ‘what the fuck’ me, you dick. Natalie is a sweet girl. You don’t deserve her and you have no right to make her feel bad for caring.” She glared at me. “You better wake up and realize that you have an amazing girl who cares about you. You’re gonna push her
too far one day and then your ass is gonna be lost when she walks away without looking back.”
“Will you just call her?” I asked, trying to break through her irritation.
“Hell no, I’m not cleaning up your mess.”
I ran my hands through my hair in frustration. “I don’t want you to fix us, Kate. I just want you to call her and talk to her. Make sure she’s all right. Fuck, talk to her about baby shit, I don’t know, but just talk to her. I’ll fix my own problems. I’m just asking you to reach out to my girl and make sure she’s okay for me, that’s it.”
My sister could give one hell of a death stare and right now I was on the receiving end of it. “Fine, I’ll call her and talk to her. But so help me God, Adam, if you screw this up with Natalie, I am gonna beat your ass. By the time I get done with you, Brock will look like he was a beauty queen in comparison to you.”
She stormed out of the room, and I hung my head in defeat. I was officially the biggest asshole and the worst fiancé. I needed to get out of this funk and fast. I had a lot of kissing ass to do in the near future.
God damn, my mood was foul though.
I was boiling on the inside, and I seriously needed to relieve some of this frustration. It was before noon and all I could think about was opening a bottle of whiskey. That wasn’t me anymore. I was past this shit. I had Natalie and my son on the way and I chose to leave all this anger in the past. The problem was Nate doing what he did to Brock had brought up all that anger I once felt toward him. I wanted nothing more than to find him and beat the hell out of him. I needed to let him know that he went too far.
Before I could allow myself to reconsider, I stood from the table and grabbed for my keys.
***
When I pulled in front of Breann and Nate’s place, I climbed from the car with one mission in mind. Break his fucking nose.
