Downing the liquid in two huge gulps, he then used the bottle to relieve himself. Desperate times and all that. He’d need to prepare an emergency stash of food, water, and a piss container for the future.
The thought had him wondering how in hell he’d ended up in this situation. His friends didn’t have to worry about their basic human needs being met, for Christ’s sake.
He hid the bottle under his bed, noticing several smears of blood on the sheets. Sonofabitch, he made me bleed.
The click of the lock releasing had his head snapping up, and sent his heart thundering in preparation for another fight.
Sir poked his head around the door. “Clean yourself up and get to school.”
He was gone before Aiden could reply. Not that he had anything to say to the man. Except maybe, why? Why are you such a bastard? Why don’t you love me?
The ground swayed under his feet, and he lowered his butt to the bed. How the hell was he supposed to go to school? He’d probably feel better after some food and pain killers, but even then, every move made him relive yesterday’s horror. His brain began to float between his ears, and the room appeared to warp out of shape. Flopping to the side, he hoped his head would hit somewhere close to the pillow, as he cried out in agony.
Aiden kept his eyes closed, pulling in air through flared nostrils, until the room stopped imitating a Tilt-A-Whirl. He knew his father would be back to check on him. He had to think of a plan to get out before then. If he could get himself dressed and down the stairs, he might be able to make it to Angel’s house. But, he didn’t want her to see him like this. Shit, no, that was no good. If he could get dressed and get to a phone, he could ring Hank at the garage. He was the only one Aiden could trust to help him without saying anything to anyone.
He gripped the edge of his mattress in one hand and lowered a foot to the floor, sliding the rest of his body down to follow. Crawling on hands and knees, he made it to his dresser without the room spinning, but couldn’t stop the whimpers of pain. He’d been beaten up plenty of times before, but not like this. His father’s rage was growing, and Aiden was the outlet.
After an awkward struggle, he managed to get dressed, and shuffled on his tail down the stairs to the living room where the phone was. The only sounds in the house were his labored breaths and the dial tone as he picked up the receiver, punching in the number of the garage.
“Harvey’s Auto Shop. If it’s broke, we’ll fix it. How can we help you today?” Damn, it was Tina, the office manager.
He hoped she didn’t recognize his voice. He hoped his voice didn’t desert him.
“Uh, hi. I’d like to speak to Hank, if he’s there, please.”
“Sure thing, honey. Hold on a sec.”
The hold music rang tinny in his ears, and white spots danced across his vision. He put his head between his knees, and gripped the phone with both hands, willing Angel’s daddy to hurry.
“This is Hank.”
“Mr. Mur—” He tried to clear his throat, but couldn’t get enough air.
“Aiden? Is that you?”
Lifting his shoulders, Aiden begged his lungs to fill.
“What’s happened?” Mr. Murphy’s voice rose in concern.
He hated to drag him into the mess, but he had no choice. “Yeah. I’m… hurt.”
“Are you at home?”
“Ye—”
“I’ll be there in five. Stay put.”
Relief flooded his system, giving his brain the okay to check out. He briefly registered the words before he dropped the phone, tumbling sideways to the carpet.
Aiden’s hearing was the first thing to reawaken. An air compressor, the phone ringing, metallic tapping, a few thick Irish accents battling for who was the loudest. All muffled like they were coming from a distance. Cracking open an eyelid, he recognized Hank’s desk, and realized he was lying on the sofa in Angel’s dad’s office.
“You’re back.”
Mr. Murphy.
Aiden tried to lift his head, but apparently, it had morphed into a boulder during his blackout. Something cold was removed from his back, as Hank’s tree-trunk legs moved into view.
“Now, don’t you be trying to move. I’ve put salve on your back and a bandage or two, but you need to go careful. I’ll help you sit up so you can swallow something for your pain.”
He gasped as Hank maneuvered his body upright. It hurt like a bitch. His brain hovered about a foot above his head, and his stomach had collapsed in on itself. But other than that, he was ready for boot scootin’.
Curling his hands over the edge of the sofa cushion, he held himself upright while Hank popped the tablets in his mouth, and tipped some cool water down his throat. It soothed his thirst, but awakened his empty stomach. A loud gurgle escaped into the room.
“Ye hungry? I’ll get Harvey to get you something.”
“No, don’t tell anyone. Please.”
“Who do you think helped me carry you in here, lad? I didn’t want to put pressure on your back, so he grabbed one end and I grabbed the other.”
Aiden’s face twisted, turning pink as he studied the carpet.
“Hey. You can always count on a Murphy to take care of you. We’re not going to spread the word that your pa is a beast. Besides, he’s doing a good enough job of starting gossip on his own.”
“What do you mean?”
“Never mind, lad. I shouldn’t have spoken ill of your kin.” He patted the cushion, repositioning it for Aiden. “Lie back down on your side and let the medicine kick in. I’ve got a bucket here for you if you’re likely to lose your lunch, but the food will be on its way shortly.”
Aiden reached for the arm of the sofa, and eased his body down to the cushion. He didn’t look at Mr. Murphy. The look of pity on Hank’s face was too much to bear. But what was worse, was knowing that his own father would never care for him like Hank did. And Hank would never be his father. If he could change one thing in his life, that would be it.
The pain slowly receded to a dull throb, and Aiden let go of the tension in his muscles. He listened to Hank shuffle some papers and tap on his keyboard, until the door swung open and Harvey, Hank’s younger brother, barged in.
“Aiden. Good to see you’re back in the room. Did you have a nice kip, ye lazy sod?” He dumped a paper bag in front of Aiden’s face. “Got my lunch for you. Some quiche and salad from the missus. She tries to get me to eat the healthy stuff.” He scoffed. “A man needs more sustenance than rabbit food and a bit of egg. She doesn’t need to know I’ll be swapping it for a burger. If you’re still hungry after that, I’ll get one for you, too.” Harvey smoothed a hand over his red beard, looking pleased with himself.
“Thanks, Mr. Murphy. That’s very generous of you.”
“I keep telling you to call me Harvey. Mr. Murphy is this one here.” He poked a large finger in Hank’s direction. “He’s the boss. I’m the talent.”
Angel’s daddy rolled his eyes. “Okay, Harvey. Thanks. Get out of here before you make the boy pass out again from all the hot air you’re blowin’.”
Harvey grinned and left, bumping shoulders with his older brother, Harry, as the man stood at the door.
“Are you okay there, son?” Harry’s brow bunched in concern, smudged by grease and sweat. His large fist had a strangle hold on the door knob. Aiden worried he might snap it off.
Harry was the middle child of the three Irish brothers, and probably the most practical and level headed of the bunch. He ran the day-to-day operations in the workshop, and kept Hank’s grand ideas in check.
“I’m feeling a bit better, thank you.”
“Good to see you haven’t lost your manners. I’ll be back to check on you. Call me if you need me. Anytime.” Harry eyeballed Aiden. “I mean it.” The door knob rattled as he released it and shut the door behind him.
He was so damn lucky to have the Murphys in his life. What would he do without them? A shiver passed over Aiden’s body and he swallowed against a tight throat.
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Hank helped him up and he got to work on the food. Quiche had never tasted so good. He probably resembled a stray dog the way he was scoffing down the sustenance, but he didn’t care.
Hank’s discerning eye followed his every move. Worry flowed across the room in waves, wrapping him in an embrace he wouldn’t be able to tolerate. He could feel the unvoiced questions prodding at him, and knew the man wouldn’t hold them in forever. Hank wasn’t stupid. He’d been suspicious of Aiden’s home situation for a while. Sir was careful to put his marks where people wouldn’t be able to see them. He’d ended up with a black eye once, but he blamed that on a stray baseball. The flat set of Mr. Murphy’s eyes and mouth told him the man wasn’t buying his bullshit.
He sat staring at the empty container, his fork still gripped in one hand.
“Are you gonna talk to me, lad?”
“What is there to say?”
“Did he beat you because you were late for dinner, or was it because you were with us?”
“Both.”
He heard a hiss of air escape Hank’s nose. “There is no excuse for that behavior. Do you hear me?”
Aiden hung his head. Logically, he knew he didn’t deserve the harsh treatment, but the little boy inside that wanted to please his father believed it was his fault. That he wasn’t a good enough son.
“I don’t care if you’ve gone and stolen a car. You’d be in the lockup, but you wouldn’t be lying half dead, bleeding. I nearly took you to the medical center, but I knew that would do a number on your family life. I was a hair’s breath away, lad. And one day, I’m afraid I’m not going to have a choice. I love you like my own. It kills me to have to leave you in harm’s way. Give me the word and I’ll report him.”
Aiden rubbed his chin, his eyes shooting up to Hank’s. He knew the man cared for him, but it was always a shock to hear the words out of his mouth. Out of anyone’s mouth. Despite the rush of euphoria, he let the fear of his father override it. “I can’t do that. He’ll kill me.”
“That’s what I’m worried about.”
“Please… don’t.” The words wheezed out as panic gripped his chest.
His father was a prominent member of the community. He owned a law firm in town and represented all the big names in the county, his sights firmly set on politics and Washington DC. Aiden didn’t want to cause any dramas. He’d never live it down. Literally.
Mr. Murphy’s lips set in a grim line, and the wrinkles on his brow cut deeper as he sat watching Aiden in silence.
Aiden put the container back in the bag to resist squirming. Hank was a formidable man. Aiden had never seen him get angry, but he had a way about him that stopped anyone from wanting to argue. Except Angel.
Aiden figured he wouldn’t be seeing her for a few days. Fatigue settled on him like a lead apron. He let his eyes fall shut and felt the bag being tugged from his hands. A gentle push on his shoulder urged him to lie down. He was on board with that plan. There was no fight left. For now, he was safe and in Hank’s care. That was all he could wish for. It would’ve been better if Angel could be by his side, but he didn’t want her to know about his father. Didn’t want to appear weak in her eyes.
He knew that if he looked in the mirror… that’s what he’d see. Weakness.
Chapter 4
Angel held her glasses in her hand, squinting at the blurry figure in the mirror. She put the frames back on, blinking at her reflection, before lifting the glasses above her brow. Her eyelids narrowed again. No amount of squinting was going to make her eyesight improve, darn it. She dropped the glasses back on her nose and pushed her hair off her pale face.
Plain Jane.
Not that she could dress up her school uniform, but come on. She was sixteen, weren’t things supposed to be changing? She religiously dyed her boring black hair to a more vivacious red, with the help of her cousins, who were all redheads blessed by nature and not the bottle. Her father had the same problem, being the only raven among his flame-haired brothers. But in his case, he preferred it that way.
She huffed and shifted her attention to her lack of chest, cupping each modest swell with a palm. She didn’t look any older than thirteen. When would she start looking like a woman?
Angel’s face twisted in a grimace. She wished she had her mother to talk to. Reaching out, she took a black and white photo from where it was wedged into the mirror frame. The image of her mother, beaming with a newborn Angel in her arms. She’d been a beautiful woman before her life was cut short by a drunk driver. The loss of her mother had unpacked its bags and settled in the core of her heart, a companion for life. It was times like this that it would twinge and throb, reminding her of what she’d never have again. Angel knew her aunts would help her out with anything she needed, but it wasn’t the same.
She put the photo back in its spot next to the one of her and Aiden, taken when they were two years younger, while horsing around in her yard. Her body had awakened to him around that time. She’d always seen him as more than a friend, but right then, she was sure he wanted him. Angel wondered when his feelings had started to change, and what he really thought of her lack of assets.
She hadn’t seen him at school the last two days, and her paranoid mind thought that maybe she had something to do with his absence. Her fingers twisted together. Maybe she’d scared him off by being too forward. Or maybe he didn’t like her as much as she imagined. Untangling her fingers, she rubbed her bottom lip where her teeth had sunk in a little too hard, and reassured herself that he’d been just as into it as she had been. She’d felt his excitement in her hand. Well, more like squashed it under her hand. Ugh.
A loud tapping on the window made her jump with an embarrassing scream. She turned to find Aiden grinning at her through the glass. Forcing her shoulders to relax, Angel dashed over to push open the barrier.
“How long have you been there, spying like a psycho?”
He rested his elbows on the window ledge while the rest of him balanced on a sturdy elm branch, moving as it swayed in the breeze. He’d never climbed to her window before. Not that she knew of, anyways. She’d better be more careful about shutting the curtain.
“Only long enough to watch you… uh… look at the photo.”
His eyes averted and her gut dropped, heat rushing up her neck. Oh, good Lord. He’d seen her feeling her boobs. She sucked in a breath, almost choking on her own spit.
Sh—ugar.
Lurching forward, she grabbed the window and yanked it closed, narrowly missing his elbow.
“Hey! What was that for?” Aiden’s head bounced in and out of view, while his fingers struggled for purchase on the ledge.
“You saw!”
“Yeah, I saw. How was I supposed to know you’d be feeling yourself up? Are you coming down or do you need to assess yourself some more? We’re gonna be late for school.”
She growled, baring her teeth, but he just grinned back and started to climb down.
Pausing, he looked back up. “For the record, if you need a second opinion, I’d be happy to give one.”
“Ooh, you cheeky—” She slammed her mouth shut before the curse escaped. “You won’t be getting anywhere near them,” she yelled through the glass. He’d descended out of sight, but his laugh reached her ears and tugged the corners of her mouth in a smile.
Picking up her bag, she bolted down the staircase to find Aiden and her daddy seated at the kitchen table, talking about baseball.
“Come on. We’re going to miss the bus.” She looked away from Aiden who was fighting a grin, and gave her father a tight hug. “Bye, Daddy. Love you big.”
“Love you bigger. Enjoy your day, kids.” He waved them off, cutting another slice of fried egg.
Sweat sprang from her pores as the sun bit down on her skin. Angel ducked under the cover of the trees lining the street, folding her hand into Aiden’s when he offered it. She hummed and jiggled her hand in his. This was one of her favorite parts of the day. Sharing the trip to school with hi
m. The day ahead held more promise when she got to start it by spending time with him. That’s what love does.
Turning her attention to Aiden, she found him staring ahead, troubled thoughts creasing his brow.
“Isn’t your dad working today?” Aiden’s voice had an edge, making it squeakier than usual.
“No, he said he had some stuff to take care of.”
“Oh.” Aiden let his head fall forward and grabbed the strap of his bag, watching the ground as they walked to the stop.
He did that often. Retreated into his own head. She usually just waited patiently for him to work through whatever had him distracted and to come back to her. But there was something about the tight set of his jaw, and the grip he had on his bag, that had her concerned about where he’d retreated to today.
“So, where have you been the last few days?”
“Hm? Oh, I had to do some stuff for my father.”
“Like what?” She used a playful tone to lighten the heaviness following him, but any mention of his father was a bad omen.
“Legal stuff that I can’t tell you about, or you’d have to sign a gag order.” His words were joking, but his face was grim.
“Ha. You wouldn’t hurt me. You wouldn’t hurt anyone.” She tried for playful again, although she meant what she said.
“Not if I can help it.”
The bus pulled up, letting out a loud hiss and screech as it stopped and let them on. They lived way out on the edge of town, so they had their pick of the seats with only a couple of other students already seated. Angel waved hello and Aiden gave a quiet nod as they made their way to the back. She plopped down in her usual spot by the window, and Aiden folded himself stiffly beside her. He normally dumped his bag under his feet, but today, he hugged it to him, hunching over it like he was protecting a wad of cash inside. He wasn’t looking at her, either. He just fixed his eyes on the seat in front, and bounced his knee like a jack rabbit. She twisted her hands in her lap, wanting the sick feeling that was invading her stomach to go away.
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