"So tell me," he said. "Is Chloe even your real name?"
"What the hell?" I said. "Of course it's my real name."
"Look," he said with a nasty smile, "you think you're the first girl to try to pull this kind of shit on me?"
"I wasn't pulling anything," I said. "Now, are you gonna let me go, or what?"
"Not yet."
"Why not? What are you waiting for? What are you planning to do? Kill me for whatever you think I've done?" I glared at him. "Which, by the way, I haven't."
"No," he said. "Believe what you want, but I'm not gonna hurt you."
"Except you already have."
"Sorry."
"You don't sound sorry."
He shrugged.
"Then what exactly are you waiting for?" I said.
"Well, here's the thing," he said. "Yeah, I was in that house of yours, or whoever's, and I saw all that shit you had laid out, but I got to thinking, 'what else is there'?"
"What do you mean, what else?"
"I mean," he said, "videos, pictures, you know, the kind of crap that's gonna turn some waitress into a fuckin' star."
I lifted my chin. "There's nothing wrong with being a waitress."
"Except you obviously don't think that way. Otherwise, you wouldn't need this, would you?"
He reached into his other pocket and pulled out a different cell phone. Except this particular phone, I recognized. I closed my eyes. I knew exactly what he was going to show me, and I didn't want to see it.
"Open your eyes," he said.
Slowly, I did. And there it was, the naked picture of Lawton asleep. Taking it had been an accident, but if I were being honest, the fact I hadn't yet deleted it wasn't exactly accidental. I should've deleted it. I certainly meant to delete it. Just somehow, I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of it.
Still, I hadn't showed it to anyone, and never would. Okay, I'd showed it to Erika, but not the X-rated parts. Still, the realization made me feel more than a little ashamed.
My voice was quiet. "I took it by accident," I said. "It's a new phone. Did you even see all the other pictures on there?"
If he'd bothered to check at all, I knew what he'd find. Pictures of my dashboard, my shoes, the ceiling, just about anything but what I wanted to capture for posterity. It was official. I hated that phone. If I ever got any money, I'd throw the damn thing out the window.
He held out the picture. "So this was an accident, huh? Pretty good composition for something you didn't mean to take."
"Yeah? Well, scroll through them," I said. "Show me one other picture that looks like I took it on purpose. Just one."
"I already did," he said.
"Do it again."
With his gaze still half on me, he scrolled through the images. His eyebrows furrowed. "This doesn't prove anything."
"Well, I guess that's where we're different," I said. "because I didn't think I'd have to prove anything to you."
"Yeah?" he said. "And what about that movie poster? You got big plans for it? Nice of you to think of a name before you got a product. Or, have you got one of those too? If you do, and if it's in the house, Bishop'll find it. I guarantee you that."
So that explained the delay? Suddenly, it all made sense, including why it was taking so long. There wasn't anything to find, but if I knew his brother, he'd keep on looking.
"There's nothing to find," I said.
"Didn't seem that way to me," Lawton said.
"That poster?" I said. "It was my birthday present. My best friend, Erika, she's a graphic design major. It was a joke." My voice rose. "Just a stupid joke! What the fuck is wrong with you?"
"Yeah," a voice said from the doorway. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
"Oh great," I muttered, turning my gaze toward the sound of the voice. And there he was. Lawton's dick of a brother. I turned to glare at him. "Come to join the fun? Well come on," I said, in voice that bordered on hysteria, "the more the merrier."
There was only one problem. He didn't look very merry. And neither did Lawton.
Chapter 59
Bishop still hadn't moved. He was staring at Lawton. "Just what the hell are you doing?" Bishop said.
"What does it look like?" Lawton said. "I'm talking to Chloe."
"Is that what you call this?" Bishop said.
"It's the only place that's secure," Lawton said. "No wireless. No nothing. Shit, you've only been drilling that into me for months." He gave me a cold look. "I already checked for recording stuff."
Bishop turned his gaze on me. "I suppose that explains the blankets. What? You made her take off her clothes?"
"No," Lawton said. "She did that herself."
I made a scoffing sound.
"You did," Lawton said.
"Only because you lied to me."
"I did not," he said. "I told you there was something you had to see. I showed it to you, didn’t I?"
"The video? Oh yeah. That was real priceless. And by the way, the guy's totally lying."
"He is not," Lawton said, turning to Bishop. "Go on. Tell her."
Bishop looked down. He shook his head. And when he looked up, his gaze rested on Lawton with the kind of disapproval only a big brother can manage. "You know you're acting crazy, don't you?"
"You're one to talk," Lawton said.
"And she's right," Bishop said. "The guy was lying."
Lawton's face froze. "What?"
"And you were supposed to stall her, not drag her down here and tie her up."
"Actually," Lawton said, "I used handcuffs."
"So," Bishop said, "you couldn't think of a better way to stall her than this?"
Lawton swallowed. He looked away. "It's just, I dunno." His voice broke. "I couldn't believe she played me like that."
"I wasn't playing you," I said.
"Yeah," Bishop said, "you know your pal, Brittney?" The way he said "pal," his opinion of her was obvious.
"Yeah?" Lawton said.
"Well," Bishop continued, "turns out, she orchestrated the whole thing, even gave him that fake story in case he got caught."
Lawton stared at him. "And you know this, how?"
"Lemme put it this way," Bishop said, "the guy's friend was a little more forthcoming, especially with the right encouragement."
"Yeah?" Lawton said. "And how do you know he wasn't lying the second time?"
"This time," Bishop said, "I got it from the horse's mouth. And by horse, I mean Brittney herself."
"That bitch!" I said. "I knew it!"
Lawton and Bishop turned to look at me, almost as if I'd been momentarily forgotten. "Well, she is," I muttered.
Lawton's face had gone a shade paler in the last couple of minutes. He looked at me as if he had no words to convey whatever he was feeling. "Chloe, I – "
"Forget it," I said. "Now are you gonna let me go or not?"
"No," he said.
"What?" I snapped. "You're kidding, right?"
"I mean," he continued. "Yeah, I'll let you go. I'm so sorry about this. But I don't wanna let you go, not like this, I mean in the other way." His eyes were haunted. "I am so fucking sorry."
"Oh please," I said. "You're a total psycho. I should've known better. Now, seriously." I spoke very slowly, as if he were too stupid to understand even the most basic of instructions. "Let. Me. Go."
Glancing away, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. "I wasn't really gonna hold you here, you know."
"Whatever."
"Wait," Bishop said.
I turned to glare at him. "Wait? Seriously?"
"Before you leave, there's something we need to discuss."
But Lawton was already behind me. I heard the sound of a key working against the cuffs, and a moment later, my hands were blissfully free. Gingerly, I changed position, wrapping my sore arms around my equally sore body and tugging the blanket around my shoulders just a little tighter.
I pushed away from the chair, standing, a little wobbly, but more or less okay. I
turned to Bishop. "And what, exactly, do we need to discuss?" My voice was a cold, strange sound in the dim basement.
"Are you gonna call the police?" he asked.
"Well, you two seem to have some sort of problem with the police," I said. "I wonder why that is."
"Call 'em," Lawton said. "Whatever happens, I deserve it. I mean it. Whatever you want." He reached out for me. "I'm so sorry."
"Stop saying that!" I pushed his hands away. "Don’t. Touch. Me." I glared at him. "Ever."
As if oblivious to the drama with me and Lawton, Bishop said, "You never answered my question."
"Yeah?" I said. "That's because I don't know the answer."
He nodded. "Fair enough. But I want to remind you of something. That little party, or whatever it was in the house, along with that picture of him you took. Well, it doesn't make you look exactly like an innocent young thing."
I glared at him. "What are you saying?"
"Just that if you start something, you'd better think it through. And I'm not just saying it for Lawton's sake."
"Liar."
"Think what you want," he said. "But I’m telling you, and Lawton can tell you too, things can get ugly real quick in a situation like this."
Lawton turned to glare at him. "You threatening her?"
"Oh, this is special," I said in the snottiest tone I could muster. "So now you're coming to my defense? Gee, thanks. Where were you when some psycho handcuffed me in his basement? Oh yeah, sorry, I forgot, that guy was you. Asshole."
Bishop made a sound that sounded suspiciously like a laugh.
I turned to glare at him. "It's not funny!"
"You're right," he said. "Look, I'm not threatening you. Lawton's right. You want to report him, you have every right. If you were my sister – "
"You'd have me report it?" I said.
"Fuck no," he said. "I'd beat Lawton's ass until he was sorrier than any law enforcement could make him."
"Do it now," Lawton said. He turned to me. "Baby, would it make you feel better if he beat the crap out of me?"
"Definitely," I said.
Chapter 60
Lawton held up his hands. He turned to Bishop. "Come on. Do it. Beat the shit out of me. I won't even hit you back."
"Oh, for fuck's sake," Bishop muttered.
"I mean it," Lawton said.
"But as it is," Bishop continued as if Lawton hadn't spoken at all, "he's my brother. And I hope –" At this, he turned to give Lawton a long, meaningful look "– that once you hear why he acted like such an ass, you'll get why he lost it so bad."
"Lost it?" I said, rubbing my sore wrists. "Is that what you're calling it?"
"Oh baby," Lawton said, kneeling in front of me to reach for my hands, "You've gotta believe me. I don't know what happened."
"Yeah, well I do." I yanked my hands away. "Now, will one of you dickheads get my clothes so I can get out of here?"
While Bishop went to retrieve my clothes, Lawton kept apologizing. But honestly, at this point, I was barely listening.
Aside from the trouble with him, I'd probably just lost my waitressing job for good. If I were smart, I'd demand money out of him, at least enough to cover what I'd lost tonight. If I were even smarter, I'd demand enough to cover my expenses for the next month, until I found another job. Any job.
But I guess I wasn't smart. Or maybe I was just too proud. Just like Grandma. Too bad I wasn't more like my Mom. She'd squeeze him but good.
When Bishop returned with my clothes, and then melted away to wherever, I made Lawton turn his back while I got dressed. He'd gotten his last look of me, if I had anything to say about it.
I should've known better. The guy was a psycho. But then again, I guess I knew that going in, hadn't I? What exactly had I expected?
I was crouched down, lacing up my tennis shoes, when he said something that made me falter.
"Chloe, please," he said, his voice ragged, and his eyes glistening. "Don't go. Not like this. I love you. You know I do. Stay, please?"
"And what if I don't? What are you gonna do? Handcuff me again?"
"You've gotta understand – "
"No," I cut him off. "I don't have to understand anything. You didn't need to keep me here. If you wanted to know anything, about any of that stuff, or whatever, all you had to do was ask."
He swallowed. "Baby," he said, "I did ask. You never answered. I'm sorry, but –" He pushed a hand through his hair. "Look, I know I fucked up. Majorly fucked up. But I guess, it just all made me kind of crazy. I mean, I'd fallen so hard for you, and when I thought you were just using me like –" He shook his head and looked away.
"Like what?" I said.
"Like who," he corrected.
"Okay, then who? Brittney?"
"No," he said. "Someone else."
"Who?" I demanded.
"Brandy Blue." He made a sound of disgust. "Well, that's the name she goes by now anyway. You know, I hate that name. Sounds like a damn porn star. But I guess, that's what she is, huh?" He looked away. "And me too. Thanks to her."
I knew I shouldn't encourage him. But I couldn’t help it. In spite of everything, I wanted to know. "What do you mean?"
"Anyway, she was this cocktail waitress, and –"
"There's nothing wrong with being a waitress," I said.
"Yeah, I know, honest," he said. "But Brandy, you know, she had her sights set on something else. Wanted to be a star. Not that I knew that when I hooked up with her." He shook his head. "Best fucking actress I ever met."
"What are you talking about?"
"The world I travel in, well, it's not exactly filled with the nicest people."
"So what?" I said. "You're not nice. What do you care?"
"You're right," he said. "I'm not nice."
I glanced around the basement. "Obviously."
"But I guess if I'm being honest," he continued, "the thing with Brandy, I took it out on you. I am so fucking sorry. I should've known better."
"Yeah," I said. "You should've."
"You wanna hear the rest of it?" he said. "Let's go upstairs. I'll make it up to you. I promise."
I stared at him long and hard. I wasn't that girl, the one who'd take this kind of abuse and say it's okay because something bad happened to him in his past. I had always been smart. Well, except for when it came to him.
It was time to reclaim whatever brains I had left and get out while I still had the willpower. "You can't make it up to me," I said. "I don't even know you."
"That's not true," he said.
I rubbed my sore wrists. "Is Chucky still upstairs?"
Lawton nodded.
"Good," I said, "because we're leaving."
"You won't listen to the rest?" he said. "C'mon, baby. Please."
"I'm not your baby," I said. "Not anymore."
I turned away and walked toward the stairway. I heard him follow, but I refused to look back. Upstairs, I found Chucky nestled in his basket, blissfully asleep. It seemed a shame to wake him, but I did anyway.
Lawton followed after me, his voice ragged and his tone pleading as he tried to convince me to stay. When I had all my stuff, including the supply of toiletries I'd started keeping in his master bathroom, I held out my hand. "Keys."
With an anguished expression, he reached into his jeans pocket and held them out. "Won't you at least let me drive you home?"
"No," I said. "And the gate had better be open."
His voice was quiet. "It will be."
"Good."
He held out a hand, but didn't quite touch me. "But only because I hope you'll be coming back through it."
"Yeah, well, keep hoping that," I said.
And a few minutes later, as I pulled out of his gate and onto the quiet street, I finally let the tears fall as I considered everything I'd lost tonight. And through it all, his final words kept echoing in my brain. "I'm not going to force you, but I'm not giving up, either. You wait. I'll win you back. And then, baby, I'm never gonna let you go."
>
I hadn't responded. Instead, I'd just walked out the door, away from him and toward who-knows-what. Sitting in the Parkers' driveway, I rubbed my wet sleeve against my nose one final time, picked up Chucky, and got out of the car.
For all his pretty words, he'd forget me in a week, if not sooner.
And I was glad.
Or, at least that's what I told myself. And I'd need to keep telling myself that if I didn't want to lose my mind entirely. Because I knew one thing for sure. Lawton was my drug. And he'd proven himself impossible to resist.
Hopefully, he wouldn't tempt me. Because for all of my own lofty words, I wasn't truly sure I could say no.
To anything.
The End
Coming in Spring 2014
Rebelonging
The Sequel to Unbelonging
Want to hear about special offers and new releases?
Sign up for my confidential mailing list here.
eepurl.com/Lf8Ij
© Copyright 2013 by Sabrina Stark. All rights reserved. This book and any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author or publisher except for the use of brief quotations in critical articles or reviews.
Unbelonging Page 24
