Being Nobody (The Witness Series #1)

by D'Agostino, Heather

  I flinched as he slammed his fist down on the bar causing everyone around them to scatter. Several patrons that hadn’t been served left and others moved away from the bar to find a table. The noise level dropped, and I watched Brian change right before eyes into yet another version that I hadn’t seen before.

  “Don’t call her that!” he growled. “You fucking have some respect for her! You hear me!” His voice was a harsh warning and his neck muscles pulsed with barely restrained anger.

  “Easy, man,” Max lifted his hands. “We were just haven’ some fun…right?” He tossed his hands in the air before shoving Brian lightly in the side. He settled back on his seat, and grabbed the Bud I’d placed on the bar. “You knew I was kiddin’, right?” He narrowed his eyes at me silently daring me to contradict him.

  “Sure,” I backed up, grabbed a Sam Adams, and slid it to Brian. When Max and Gage began talking among themselves, I whispered to Brian, “Don’t worry about it.” I knew he was fuming inside. I could see it all over his face. He was good at hiding things, but anger was not one of them. He shook his head in warning, and then darted his eyes around like his was checking his surroundings. I wasn’t sure why he did it, but he always seemed to be looking at everyone around him. It was as if he wanted to see every angle of the situation.

  I walked away shortly after that, and made my way to Tiff’s end of the bar. “What the hell was that all about?” She whispered as she poured a shot of bourbon and slid it to a waiting customer.

  “I don’t know. I’m trying to stay out of it. He’s in something deep…something that he doesn’t want me to be a part of, and after watching that…I’m ok with it.”

  “You need to stay away from him, Mallory,” Lauren warned from behind me. “That’s got jail time written all over it…trust me. I know what I’m talking about,” she cringed.

  “What are you talking about?” I played dumb. I didn’t want any questions that would cause me to lie more than I already was to my friends.

  “Come with me,” Lauren grabbed my arm and began pulling me in the direction of the liquor room. “We’ll be right back,” she called to Tiff as we disappeared around the corner.

  ooooooooo

  Once in the liquor room, Lauren closed the door and grabbed my shoulders, turning me to face her. “Did you see the tats on their wrists?”

  “Yeah,” I nodded. “What about them?”

  “They’re part of a drug ring,” she pinched her eyes shut. “We’ve studied that tat in one of my criminal justice classes. The skull with the rose…they get that when they first join. It goes on the left wrist. It’s a sign that they made it in,” she shook her head slowly as a sad smile slid across her face. “If your boyfriend is in that group, you’ve gotta end things with him. He’s dangerous.”

  “What aren’t you telling me,” I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes.

  “He won’t get out of it, if that’s what you’re thinking. You don’t walk away from that group, you die.”

  “How do you know this?” I brushed off her warning.

  “I’ve taken classes that have used that gang as an example, Mal. I’ve studied the little bit that’s been written about them. Their leader…he’s been alluding authorities for years, killing witnesses, increasing the drug trade all over the US, and recruiting new members as fast as the older members are caught. If Brian just got in, he may not know all of this yet, but he won’t be getting out unless it’s in a body bag.”

  I swallowed and nodded.

  “I’m sorry. I know you probably didn’t want to know all of this,” she reached out and touched my shoulder.

  I flinched slightly and she drew her hand back. “Stay in here a minute, and I’ll see if they’re still out there. I’ll tell them you went on break. Maybe I can get them to leave.”

  “Thanks,” I murmured as she moved past me to exit the room.

  “You’re welcome,” she murmured. “I know I’ve been in a bad mood the last couple of days…” she paused, “but I do care about you guys.”

  I nodded again, “I know.”

  “Take your time,” she called once more before stepping back out into the bar, and leaving me with my thoughts. I had a lot to think about, and even though every instinct in me was telling me to run in the other direction and forget about him, my heart wouldn’t let me. Brian had made a mark on me deeper than I’d realized, and the thought of walking away was slowly breaking me. I needed to help him, convince him to get out before he got in further. Maybe if I talked to Kevin he could help. Maybe Brian could come with me, and get away from all of this. The more I thought about it, the worse and more unlikely it sounded. I was talking crazy, but I guess that’s what happens when you fall for someone. If you fall hard enough, anything seems possible and you’re willing to do anything no matter how crazy it sounds.

  ooooooooo

  By the time I emerged from the liquor room, the bar had quieted significantly. Tori lectured me for the situation and made sure to let me know that it would not be tolerated again. I agreed with her, and promised to tell Brian that he couldn’t come back. I couldn’t afford to lose my job, and I didn’t want to be anywhere near Max. My desire to bring this group down had completely diminished after dealing with them tonight. I knew I was in over my head, and that I should quit while I still could.

  Tiff and Lauren left around eleven that night and I closed. Business had slowed around midnight when a horrible rain storm swept through the area. I groaned as I watched the lightening flash across the sky. I had walked to work, and the thought of standing out in this mess to flag a cab was not the least bit appealing. I chastised myself for not taking Tori up on her offer for a ride home. She’d left maybe ten minutes ago, after I assured her I was almost finished and would leave right away. Now, standing here by the door, watching the deluge outside, had me kicking myself.

  After another ten minutes passed and the rain still hadn’t let up, I grabbed my cell and called a cab. I figured I’d wait inside until I saw it coming, and then head out; at least I had the bar to wait in. As the minutes ticked by, I let the evenings events run back through my head. Brian had asked me to wait for him. He had acted like he was going to come back, like he wanted to talk. I had watched for him all night. I thought maybe he wasn’t who I thought he was. He wasn’t like those other men. He was different, but as the minutes ticked by and he didn’t show, I began to lose faith. He was just like them, and I was deluding myself to think otherwise.

  As I was tugging on my jacket, I saw the headlights of my cab shining through the rain. I slung my purse up on my shoulder, shoved my phone inside my pocket, and grabbed the keys to lock up. Just as I stepped out the front door, I stumbled over something. When I looked down, I gasped. It wasn’t something, it was someone.

  He groaned and rolled to the side as he reached out and grabbed my ankle. His left eye was so swollen he couldn’t open it. Blood was dripping from his nose and lips, and he was clutching his left side.

  “Oh my god,” I gasped as I dropped to my knees beside him. “Oh my god, Brian. What did they do to you?”

  He reached up to cup my cheek and attempted to speak, but I stopped him. “Hang on,” I pleaded as I stood and rushed over to the now waiting cab. “Just a minute!” I yelled as I opened the door, and tossed my things inside. The cabbie nodded, and I turned to run back to where Brian was still curled on the sidewalk against the building.

  When I reached him, I wrapped my arms around his middle and let him use me to stand. A pained groan roared out of him as he attempted to get to his feet. I paused, letting him catch his breath before helping him shuffle to the cab. Once I got him inside, I rambled off my address and tugged him so he leaned against me. “What did they do to you?” I whispered as I attempted to wipe some of the blood off his face.

  “I’ll be ok,” he murmured as he closed his eyes. “I’ll be ok,” he assured me once again as his body relaxed against mine.

  As the cab drove along the dark, rainy streets,
I came to one conclusion. I was in trouble. I was in so deep that I thought I might drown. I didn’t know how I’d gotten here, but Brian had put me in the deep end and I needed to learn how to swim…and fast.

  Chapter 11

  When we reached my apartment, all thoughts of hiding where I lived flew out the window. The only thing I was thinking about was getting Brian upstairs and cleaned up. I wasn’t sure if anything was broken, or if we should be heading to the hospital instead of my loft, but I knew he needed my help. The stairs were a challenge, but when we finally reached the door, we both sighed in relief.

  “So this is where you live?” He mumbled as he lifted his head and looked around.

  “Yep. Home sweet home,” I rolled my eyes as I watched him. We shuffled through the door, and I kicked it shut behind us. When I went to lead Brian over to the bed, he halted me. His eyes carefully scanned the room like he was looking for something. He carefully took in every little detail, and then nodded as if he was giving me permission to help him.

  I led him over to the edge of my rumpled bed, stood him in front of it, and began working his belt loose. He snickered, and then groaned in pain and I glanced up at him in confusion.

  “What?” I muttered.

  “If all I needed to do to get you to show me this place was to get beat up, I would have done it sooner,” he shrugged and winced.

  “What happened?” I released the buckle and reached for the button on his jeans.

  He smirked slightly, but stopped when the sore on his lip began to bleed again. “I don’t want to talk about that.”

  I blew out a frustrated breath, “Why?”

  “I told you,” he paused. “You’re going to hear and see things that you don’t understand. I want to keep you safe. The less you know the better. I’m putting you in danger just by being here.”

  When the clasp on his jeans wouldn’t release, I growled. “Damn rain!”

  “Why are you trying so hard to get me naked?” he grabbed my hands to still them.

  “You’re all wet. I’m tired. I want to get in the bed and go to sleep. I don’t want to curl up on wet sheets,” I rolled my eyes and tried to shake off his hands.

  “Let me help you,” he released his hold, and then nimbly unclasped his pants. “All yours,” he attempted to smile.

  “Only you would find this funny,” I grumbled as I shoved his wet jeans down off his hips, and peeled his wet t-shirt up his chest. After stripping him down to his boxers, I pointed to the bed, “Get in.”

  “Yes, Ma’am,” he smirked and slowly lowered himself onto the mattress. A soft groan bubbled out of him as he settled on his back, and I moved into the kitchen to grab a wet cloth.

  “This might hurt a little,” I warned as I went to work on cleaning his face. He had dried blood all in the scruff of his jaw, and his eye was turning a painful shade of purple. He mumbled something that I couldn’t really understand as I pressed the cool cloth to this lip. “Hold this here while I get some ice,” I whispered. He nodded as I stood to turn. Before I could step away from the side of the bed, he reached out and clasped my wrist in his large hand.

  “Thank you,” he murmured. “I know I’ve been a jerk and I’m sorry. So, thank you.”

  I nodded as I went back to the freezer and grabbed the ice. I knew that I was doing this because I cared. I cared more than I should after the things he’d said to me. Seeing him like this, though, it made him more real. It made me see that just maybe there was some good in him.

  When I returned to him, with the ice wrapped in a towel, I pressed it to his eye, “Here. Hold this here.”

  He cringed, “Ahhh!”

  “I know, but the swelling isn’t going to go down unless you keep that on there,” I winced. “I’m sorry.”

  “No, it’s ok. I know you’re right, but it doesn’t make it hurt any less,” he sighed as he closed his one good eye. “We should try to get some rest. We’ll talk in the morning,” he mumbled.

  “Are you sure you don’t need to go to the hospital? I mean, what if you have a broken rib?” I gently ghosted my fingers down his side and watched the muscles twitch.

  “I’m fine,” he muttered. “I’ve been hurt before and I was fine. I’ll heal.” He rolled to his side, and before I could even utter a ‘goodnight’, his breathing had deepened and soft snores were coming from him.

  I’m not sure how long I laid there in the dark that night staring at the ceiling. I couldn’t believe that I’d broken the one rule I said I never would. I had a man in my apartment, and not just any man. I had the man that I was falling in love with.

  ooooooooo

  The next morning came all too soon for me. I was tired from lack of sleep, and I wasn’t sure if I’d dreamed the night before or not. I stretched against my sore muscles, and cracked one eye open to peer at my alarm clock. When my view was obstructed by the large body beside me, the night before came rushing back. My eyes blinked a few times against the sunlight as I fought with my body to lie perfectly still. Brian was still asleep, and after the night he’d had, I didn’t want to wake him. He shifted slightly in the bed, and rolled to his side so he was now facing me.

  As I stared at him, I couldn’t help but gasp. The cuts and bruises were now an angry shade of purple and blue. His lip was swollen and his nose was slightly crooked like it had been broken. A large greenish black bruise covered his side, all along his ribs, and his eye was still swollen to the point that it would be days before he could see out of it.

  I lifted my hand slowly and began tracing the tattoo on his shoulder. I knew that was one place where he hadn’t been hurt and I wouldn’t cause him pain. His tan skin was warm under my touch, and the muscles flexed involuntarily with my soft caresses.

  “That’s not very nice,” he mumbled softly.

  I pulled my hand back and bit my lip, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

  “It’s ok. At least I know what it’s like now,” he cracked open his one good eye, and attempted to smile at me. “Last time we did this, you were gone when I woke up.”

  I hissed as I rolled to my back so he was now facing my side, “I know. That was a mistake, and it doesn’t matter now, anyway.”

  “What are you talking about,” he pushed up on his elbow and loomed over me. I could see the look of pain wash over his face as he tried valiantly to hide it.

  “You have things you can’t share with me,” I shrugged. “I have things I can’t share with you.”

  “Like?” He pressed.

  “Like I can’t tell you, and if this is gonna work…you’re just gonna have to trust me,” I closed my eyes and waited for the outburst. Most men I’d tried to have a relationship with in the past went running as soon as we had this talk. I knew, at that very moment, that this was one of those defining moments for us. Brian would either accept me for what I was, or leave. The one thing that he did was the only thing I didn’t expect. Right as I tried to sit up, he pressed down on my shoulder, leaned over, and pressed a kiss to my lips. I heard him hiss in pain, and when he pulled back, he shook his head.

  “Forgot about this for a moment,” he rubbed gently at his lip that was now bleeding again.

  I laid there stunned as I watched him…waiting for a reaction…waiting for something. “What was that?” I turned to face him. “What are we doing here?”

  “I don’t know, but after last night, I want to see where this goes,” he leaned in and placed his chin right next to me. “I’ve haven’t felt this way about someone in a long time. No one’s helped me like you did last night without a shit ton of questions to go along with it.” His eye peered up and stared as if he was studying me.

  “What did happen?” I sobered my face. I knew that whatever he could tell me, it wasn’t going to be good.

  “I told you…I work with guys that you don’t want to mess with. I said something that I shouldn’t have,” he shook his head slowly. “I’m at a place in my life right now where I don’t have a lot of options. I need t
he money, and Max and them…they can help me.”

  “Did they do this to you?” I could feel the tears welling in my eyes.

  “I can’t talk about it,” he sighed. “Talking is what got me into this situation to begin with.” He shook his head slightly as I scowled, “You asked me to trust you. Well, you’re going to have to trust me, too. There are things in my life that I can’t share with you, and if we’re going to make a go at this, then this is just the way it’s gonna be.”

  He watched me for a reaction, but all I could give him was a nod. I wanted to be with him. The attraction that I felt whenever I was around him was undeniable. I couldn’t walk away from him if someone paid me to. “Ok,” I mumbled. “I trust you, but I need to tell you something.”

  “Ok,” he leaned back and watched me.

  I squeezed my eyes shut readying myself for his reaction, “You can’t come by the bar anymore. My boss, she doesn’t want any more trouble, and you bring trouble every time you come by. I’m gonna lose my job if you don’t stay away.”

  Brian sighed as he watched me, “Fair enough. I can stay gone, but I can’t guarantee that the other guys will. I don’t have a lot of pull with them.”

  “Would they come in without you?” I squeaked in disbelief.

  “Maybe,” he pondered the thought for a few minutes. “If I’m around, I can protect you, if not, well… you get the idea,” he grimaced. I knew I’d put him in a tough spot, but I don’t think he realized how much I knew about this group he was working for.

  “So,” I smiled as I changed the subject “you told me about this,” I pointed to the cross on his arm. “What’s this one for?” I pointed to the tribal design that swirled around his hip and disappeared into his boxers.

  He snickered as he pushed the waistband down on the cotton and stared into my eyes, “You mean this one?”