“Let's hit my place. It's Friday so Ethan will be gone until late.”
I don't want him getting any ideas and going to his place would for sure give him the wrong impression of the discussion I have planned. “I'd rather mine. Noah works tonight, so maybe you could drop by around eight or nine?”
“Fine.”
“Okay. See you then.” I shut my locker and rush off down the hall, not wanting to drag the conversation out any longer than it needs to be.
***
That evening I pace the living room as I wait for Cole to arrive. I have to break it off with him. My conscious has been telling me this for a while now and I know Cole isn't healthy for me. It's time to start facing my issues instead of avoiding them and Cole makes it too easy for me to grow numb and ignore it all.
My mind is pretty much made up but I am betting Cole wasn't going to be happy with me at all. I'm kind of worried about that. He's temperamental and I can only hope that being in my home would be enough for him to keep his temper intact. I chew my lip and wonder if maybe I should have at least text messaged Noah to let him know I am breaking up with Cole tonight. If things got out of hand...
Then again, if things got out of hand and Noah were here, things would get even worse.
I'm worried my boyfriend—soon to be ex—is going to get violent with me. Now if that doesn't tell me something is wrong with our relationship, I don't know what will. And for shits sake, shouldn't I have thought about this earlier instead of only minutes before his arrival?
I can hear a motorcycle coming down the street and I wipe my sweaty hands on my shorts. Okay, I can do this. So he'd be mad. Big deal. He'd get over it.
By the time Cole rings the doorbell, I've managed to calm myself. When I open the door I can't help but think he looks good. Cole always looks appealing to me. “Hey,” he says as he steps inside and watches me shut the door.
“We have—oomph!” I grunt as he grabs me and tosses me over his broad shoulder before heading through the living room and towards the hallway. “Cole! What are you doing? Put me down!”
He slaps my ass playfully as he heads upstairs. “What do you think I'm doing?”
I'm hanging over his shoulder and it's digging into my stomach. I try to grab his back to keep myself steady so I'm not hanging upside down, my long hair falling in my face. “I didn't invite you over to have sex!”
Cole enters my room and tosses me on my bed, his grin wicked. “Right,” he says as he strips off his shirt before he falls on top of me, his lips on mine before I can protest.
The second his lips touch mine, I feel myself faltering. God, I've missed this. His tongue slips between my lips and he kisses me deeply while his hand slides down to the button on my shorts. Alarm sweeps through me and I tear my lips from his. “Cole, I am not playing around. I want to talk.”
I'm losing control of this situation and I struggle to gain it back.
“Talk later,” he says, his lips coming back to mine.
“I want to break up!”
Cole goes completely still on top of me and it's really eerie how his expression shifts and his eyes narrow. “What did you say?” He asks as he pulls back slightly to stare down at me.
“I want to break up,” I repeat again, this time more calmly.
“You want to break up because I went after that Noah guy?” he asks a bit scornfully. He clearly doesn't believe me.
“No. I want to break up because it's time we go our own way.” I wiggle out of his embrace and sit up.
Cole is silent and the expression on his face isn't very promising. He sits up and runs a hand though his hair, his muscles tensing with every move since they are currently on full display, his shirt discarded on my floor.
Unease sweeps through me. I've always enjoyed those muscles but right now I'm beginning to feel a hint of apprehension. I was a fool to think I could handle this.
“You are breaking up with me?” he asks in a deceptively calm voice.
“I promise I won't say anything about the robbery,” I say as I climb off the bed. “I'll take the secret with me to the grave. But I don't think we're good for each other. You told me a long time ago that if I couldn't handle your life, you'd cut me loose, remember? Well, this is me not wanting a part of it anymore.”
“That's a load of shit. You think I didn't notice how much you enjoy the high? You enjoyed every single second of being with me,” he says as he slowly stands up and walks towards me, his green eyes frighteningly determined.
I stiffen where I stand and my heart thuds erratically in my chest. This is going downhill fast.
“You need me.”
“Cole, things have changed. I'm ready to start sorting out my life.”
“What's there to sort out? You think your life is going to get any better? You helped me kill someone and you take a blade to yourself when you're alone. There is no better for you,” he says callously.
“You're an asshole,” I retort.
“So I've been told. What gives? You couldn't get enough of me just a week ago.”
“That was last week. As I said, things have changed.”
His eyes turn suspicious. “This Noah guy enters the picture and suddenly things are changing. It's him, isn't it?”
“No, of course not. He's just a friend.”
His eyes sharpen and snap accusingly at me. “Now he's your friend instead of your housemate?”
Oh, hell. I'm handling this badly and the way he's acting has me rattled.
“You fucked him, didn't you?” he suddenly growls.
“No! I swear I haven't slept with him,” I insist as dread fills me.
Betrayal flares in Cole's eyes. “I know you well enough to know when you're lying.”
There's no going back now because he knows and there's no point in continuing to lie. It's time to be a big girl and own up to it. “It wasn't deliberate,” I say in a resigned voice. “We almost had sex once and it hasn't happened since. I've made it clear to him that he's just a friend.”
“You messed with him,” he says softly as he looks momentarily stricken by my admission.
“I'm sorry,” I say and I truly mean it. Cole's my boyfriend and I've betrayed him. Somewhere inside him I can see that he really cares for me because it's right there in his gaze. He looks wounded and I feel horrible. I deserve his anger but not his violence. I'm just hoping he holds it together and doesn't take it out on me.
“You're the first girl I've actually been faithful to and you cheat on me?” he asks as his voice begins to rise with anger. It's like a switch flips and I see rage swirling in those eyes of his.
There is no warning before his fist swings out and slams into my cheek. I wasn't prepared for it and the force of it has me tripping and falling sideways to the carpet. My face throbs and I instinctively know I'm in trouble. I look up to see his fist coming at me again. I've been through this enough times to know I need to try to protect myself. His fist slams into my face once more before I can pull myself into a fetal position on the carpet, trying to protect the vital parts of my body. His fists rain down on me and he throws in a couple of kicks for good measure. My ribs explode with pain and I find myself zoning out.
I am not here and I'm not being beat up by my boyfriend. This isn't happening. I think of Noah at work tending bar. He's probably smiling right now and filling drinks. Was he thinking of me? I wish I was there sitting at the bar where the warmth of his gaze always penetrates right into my soul.
“Was it worth it?” Cole asks coldly, his voice cutting into my thoughts.
I come back to the present and while the pain is horrible, it is nothing new. I numb myself to it as I slowly drop my arms from my face when I realize Cole's done punishing me. I look up at him and I feel blood trickle down my chin.
He stands above me, his eyes cruel. “Was it?”
“Yes,” I whisper. I shouldn't really push him anymore than he's been pushed tonight but I'm done. This is the last straw. I am fully to blame for w
recking our relationship but his violent outburst is all on him.
Cole moves and I brace myself, thinking he's going to hit me but instead he kneels down and his hand tangles in my dark hair before he jerks my head back, causing me to wince. My throat is bared to him and I have no choice but to defiantly meet his gaze. “If you press charges, I will go after Paige's little brother. He's easy picking with her gone. Got me?”
“You're a bastard,” I hiss as I swallow a bit of my own blood that's oozing from my split lip.
He smiles down at me ruthlessly. “You've always known it and liked it.”
“Not tonight.”
“I don't give a fuck what you want or like. You keep that brother of yours away from me or I'll find a way to make you pay and trust me, I can make it happen,” he warns before he releases my hair and stalks out of my room.
I lay there and refuse to move until I hear his motorcycle pull out of the driveway and disappear down the street. Tears fill my eyes at how the night has gone down. How had I not seen this coming? Cole is physically abusive and I should have thought this all out a little more before simply acting on what I felt I needed to do at the time. If it weren't for my part in the robbery, I would have done this in public.
I should have done this in public anyway.
My head slowly drops to the carpet with defeat.
***
The following morning, I'm in a lot of pain. I have no clue what I look like and I'm dreading the first look in the mirror. When I'd cleaned myself up last night, I'd had a split lip, a bruise on my jaw and one cheek bone had begun to swell and darken. I'm sure over night the bruising had grown worse. Once Cole had left, I'd cleaned the little bit of blood off my carpet, cleaned my lip and then I'd taken as much Ibuprofen as I dared before I'd gone to bed for the night.
Today is going to be a nightmare. It's Saturday and that means facing Tate since he is usually around in the mornings and out in the evenings. Then there's Noah. Both of them are going to be pissed and I have yet to figure out a way to keep Tate from going after Cole. There is no way to come up with a plausible excuse for the beating I'd endured. Especially not when Noah already knows that Cole is violent.
As I lay in my bed and listen to Noah shower in the bathroom across the hall, I stare up at the ceiling. My ribs are throbbing something fierce and every time I open my mouth, my jaw aches and my split lip protests. It's been a long time since I've been knocked around like this.
My mind eventually shifts to Cole's threats last night. I am eighteen so nobody can make me press charges and that's good, because I have no intention of doing so. I know Tate's not going to understand my reasoning but since it's my face that got smashed in, it is up to me—not him.
When I hear the shower shut off in the bathroom, I wonder how long I can get away hiding out in my room before one of them comes up to check on me. But then I'd be lying around all day, dreading and putting off the inevitable. It's probably better to just get it done with.
There's nothing but silence coming from the bathroom across the hall and I realize Noah must have gone downstairs.
Slowly and gingerly, I ease up into a sitting position and fight back a moan as pain streaks through my ribs. I find myself holding my breath until the pain eases before slowly rising to my feet. My entire body aches and I'm sure I'm black and blue all over. I look down at myself and immediately spot a large bruise on one thigh and I sigh. Great. I'm sure it's going to get much worse when I look in the mirror and I wonder how much I would be able to cover with makeup.
After a brief hesitation, I open my bedroom door and head for the bathroom before I realize Noah's still in there with the door wide open. He's shirtless and he's just finishing up shaving. I quickly spin around to go back to my room but the abrupt movement causes a spasm of pain and I falter slightly.
Noah must have caught a glimpse of me because he says my name.
I stand frozen near my doorway, my back to him. I'm not ready for this yet. I'd been hoping I could somehow hide some of the bruising before anyone saw me but now that's no longer possible.
“Blayre?” Noah asks and I can hear the frown in his voice.
With a resigned sigh, I reluctantly turn around to look at him as I brace myself for his reaction.
Noah takes one look at me and his eyes widen with alarm, the color draining from his face. “What happened?” he demands as he rushes toward me, his hand gently easing my hair away from my battered face. Realization flickers across his face as his eyes meet mine. “Cole.”
“I broke up with him last night.” I look at him sheepishly. “I thought I could handle him.”
Noah's jaw clenches and I see his body actually tremble with anger before his eyes drop and he scans my body. A muttered expletive leaves his mouth when his eyes pause near my collar bone before zeroing in on the bruise on my thigh. Today my little boxer shorts are definitely working against me.
Noah reaches for the hem of my shirt and his eyes meet mine questioningly. “May I?”
I realize he wants to inspect my injuries. “I'm fine, Noah,” I insist as I grab my shirt out of his hands.
“No, I don't think you are. It's obvious he hurt you wherever he could reach. I need to see, Blayre.”
“Fine,” I mutter as my hands drop.
He gently eases my shirt up past my stomach and then higher to where he can see my ribs. They ache painfully and I'm pretty sure there are ugly bruises marring my entire right side. His breath catches before his eyes lift to mine and they are filled with emotion. “I have to ask, did he do more than just beat you?” he asks in a thick voice.
“What?”
“Rape,” he says flatly. “Did he?”
“No! He wouldn't do that,” I protest.
Noah stares at me incredulously. “You think he doesn't have it in him to rape? He beat the shit out of you last night! There is obvious no line with him.”
I reach up and tug my shirt down and see that Noah has pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. “What are you doing?” I ask, but he's not looking at me. I wave a hand in his face to get his attention from the phone he's busily text messaging on. I repeat my question when his eyes flicker to my face.
“Marley's a nurse,” he says before he his eyes are back on his phone.
This time I grab his wrist to make him pay attention to me and I wait until he frowns at me. “I am not going to the hospital,” I say firmly.
“I'm asking Marley to come look at you. Just give me a second,” he says before he quickly finishes up his message before sending it. Then he focus's his full attention on me. “He could have broken a couple ribs, Blayre.”
“They aren't broken, I'd know it.”
“You would, wouldn't you?” he asks tightly, his face turning away slightly and I know he's remembering that I've been through this too many times to count. His phone buzzes softly in his hand and he lifts it to scan it briefly. “She's on her way,” he says before he looks back at me. “Tate's running errands, thank God. Go lay down until Marley gets here. Have you taken anything for the pain?”
“No, not yet.”
“I'll go grab something,” he says before he turns and heads back to the bathroom across the hall.
I feel bad he's trying to take care of me when I am the one who screwed up so badly. As I walk back to my bed and carefully lay down, I realize it's going to be a long and painful day.
Noah comes back with a bottle of Ibuprofen and a glass of water. He hands both to me and sits down near my hip. “What happened?” he asks as his eyes search mine.
After swallowing a handful of pills, I set the empty glass on my nightstand and settle back against the pillows. I can't help but look at him guiltily because I should have thought things through yesterday instead of just diving in with both feet. “I asked him over here so I could break up with him. I didn't think he'd take it as badly as he did.”
“He did this to you here?”
“I'm sorry. I should have chosen somewhere public,” I
say warily. “He figured out something was up between us and jumped to the conclusion we slept together. It pushed him over the edge.” I look at him uneasily and feel a trickle of apprehension trickle through my veins as I remember Cole's expression. “He just...went into a rage. It was like his eyes were vacant and he wasn't even aware he was hitting me. Like he was on auto-pilot or something.”
Noah doesn't say anything as he runs a hand through his damp hair. His expression looks slightly pained and I can tell he's trying to control his temper.
“Noah, Tate's going to go after Cole,” I say worriedly.
“I want to go after Cole.”
“I know but you can't. It's over with, okay? We're done and I won't be seeing him again. I need you both to just leave it be,” I plead.
“Leave it be?” he stares at me almost angrily. “You can't be serious, Blayre.”
“I'm the one it happened to!”
“You think I don't know that every time I look at your bruised face? Have you seen what you look like this morning?”
“Not yet.”
“It's bad.”
“I figured as much.”
Noah looks away, frustration etched on his features.
I touch his hand to get his attention and once he's looking at me again, I say, “You need to help with Tate. He'll go after Cole and as a cop that could kill his career. Please, Noah.”
His hand tightens briefly around mine before he sighs and pulls his phone back out of his pocket. He releases my hand and sends off another quick text message and immediately gets a response back. “Vince is on his way as well. He's a cop himself and it'll be easier for him to talk more sense into your brother.”
“Thank you,” I say with relief as I reach for his hand again, slipping my fingers through his.
Noah swallows hard, his dark eyes looking bleak. “I just want to hold you but I'm scared I'll hurt you.”
Unraveled (Twisted Series) Page 9
