by Rachel Hanna
Unbreakable
Rachel Hanna
Prologue
Sophie's hands trembled as she wrote the letter. Mailing it would be one of the hardest things she'd ever done. He'd left an imprint on her heart that no man had ever been able to match, yet he'd also hurt her in a way that left her soul shattered. Still, the right thing to do was the mail the letter. He needed her help whether he'd hurt her or not.
She couldn't help but wonder what he would think when he saw her return address. Would he toss the whole thing in the trash? Would he even take her advice? She doubted it. He was the most stubborn, rigid man she'd ever met.
One thing was certain, though. He wasn't the same as he used to be. He was living in some kind of dark prison of his own making, and she had to do her part to help release him whether he wanted her help or not.
Chapter One
...Six and a Half Years Earlier...
“Run, Soph! He’s catching up!”
Her lungs and legs burned but Sophie kept her gaze fixed on Abby as she sprinted to the waiting car. Lunging through the open door onto the back seat, she shouted triumphantly as Mark hit the gas and the car sped off, the huffing security guard becoming an increasingly tiny figure in the rear window.
“Oh my goodness, that was wild! You were so close to getting caught!” Abby grinned in giddy delight as she hugged Sophie. “Did you manage to hold onto everything?”
“Hey, it’s me here. Of course I did.” Sophie proudly displayed the two pairs of jeans, the stilettos and the bottle of perfume currently scattered across the car seat and floor.
“Oh I love those…” Abby held up the shoes admiringly. “What is this all together, like four hundred bucks?”
“Yeah, give or take.” Sophie leaned back and smiled as she caught her breath.
“Nice work,” Mark glanced at her through the rear-view mirror and smiled.
“I told you she could do it!” Abby climbed from the back seat to the front passenger seat before crawling into Mark’s lap.
“Hey, careful, Abby, I’m driving.”
“That’s never been a problem before.” Abby began slowly kissing the side of his neck.
“Yeah, well, we might have people following.” Mark kept glancing at his side view mirror as he navigated the busy streets of downtown San Francisco.
“I really doubt that,” Abby murmured as she began nibbling his ear, her hand sliding slowly down his chest and splaying across the belt of his jeans.
“All in good time, baby,” Mark clasped her hand and removed it before changing gears and turning left. He maintained a steady speed, not wanting to draw attention to the car as he drove towards the beach. The sun was setting as they arrived in a deserted parking lot five minutes’ walk from the beach.
“Right, I’ll get the stuff from the back and we can go.” Mark slid out the front seat and headed to the trunk of the car as Sophie slid out the opposite side of the car and came to stand beside Abby.
“What’s going on? I thought we were heading back to your place?” Sophie glanced questioningly at Abby, who returned her look with a cheeky smile.
“No, we’ve got something much better planned. Come on,” she grabbed Sophie’s hand and pulled her towards Mark who was waiting with a backpack hanging off one shoulder.
“Aren’t your parents going to wonder where we are?” Sophie asked as they walked towards the beach.
“No, they think we’re staying the night at your place,” Abby smirked in satisfaction as Mark slung his arm across her shoulders.
“Ah, the deviousness of girls. I love it.” Mark pulled Abby close and kissed her before releasing her and turning to Sophie. “Your parents think you’re sleeping over at Abby’s place, right?”
“Yeah…” Sophie looked from Mark to Abby. “So what’s the real plan?”
“We’re going to hang out on the beach, make a fire…and investigate the contents of Mark’s backpack,” Abby winked at the look of dawning comprehension on Sophie’s face. “I think she’s caught on.”
“So, you up for a bit of a party?” Mark smiled slowly, the hint of a challenge curving his lips.
Sophie glanced around but they were the only people in sight in this particular part of the beach. Then she looked back at Mark and Abby, who watched her expectantly, before she replied. “Always.”
***
“Abby…when did you get twin siblings?” Sophie stared hard at Abby as her best friend spun slowly in circles, giggling to herself as she kicked sand up. Her body felt deliciously warm and sluggish and she knew it wasn’t just from the fire that crackled happily beside her.
“I think somebody’s had a little too much to drink,” Mark laughed as he saw Sophie’s look of confusion.
“No, I’m fine. Besides, I’m not the one giggling in my own little world.” Leaning back on the blanket, propped up on her elbows, Sophie slowly dug her feet into the cool sand, delighting in the feel of the grains running over her skin. “If anyone’s drunk too much, it’s Sophie.”
“You mean Abby,” Mark laughed again as he glanced between the two girls. “No, I’m still putting my money on you, Soph.”
“Well perhaps…” Sophie lay back completely, her arms splayed at her sides as she stared up at the stars. “Anyway, I thought that was the whole point of this little adventure.”
“Hey, I’m not complaining. Just glad to see you can embrace life with such flair.” Mark indicated the three bottles of beer, the empty Coke bottles and the half-empty bottle of rum, most of which Sophie had drunk.
“Hey, I know how to have fun.” Sophie heard a squeal followed by laughter and lifted her head to see Abby sprawled on the sand about ten yards away from her and Mark.
“I’m really dizzy. Think I’ll just rest here for a bit…” Abby’s slurred voice reached them a second later.
“Abby, don’t you want to come sit by the fire?” Sophie called out to her.
“All….good…thanks…”
Mark chuckled. “Don’t worry, she’ll be fine.”
“I guess so,” Sophie let her head rest back down on the blanket and closed her eyes, smiling to herself.
“What are you thinking about?”
Mark’s voice was soft and reached her ears as if through a haze. “Hmm…nothing much…I just feel really free right now. I’m not worried about anything. Whatever happens, things will just work out.”
There was no answer for a few seconds and then she felt Mark’s breath warm on her cheek. “I feel the same way.” The sensation of his lips touching hers was so unexpected that for a few seconds all Sophie could do was lie still. When his tongue dipped into her mouth, however, the contact managed to pierce through some of the haze enough for Sophie to comprehend what was happening. Opening her eyes, she forced herself up onto her elbows, the movement causing Mark to retreat from his position of leaning over her.
“What are you doing?” Sophie tried to shake the heaviness from her head but the action just made it worse.
“Hey, it’s okay. Just relax. You said so yourself; whatever happens, things will work out.” Mark grasped her cheek and leaned in to kiss her again, pressing her back down onto the blanket with his own body.
“Wait…we can’t do this,” Sophie turned her head to the side and tried to position her hands on Mark’s chest in order to push him back but his body was so close to hers that she was finding it difficult to angle her arms under him.
“Why can’t we do this? I find you very sexy, Soph. You’ve got that look of innocence with a bad girl waiting just beneath the surface, begging to be set free. She’s halfway there but I can help you set her free completely. That’s what you want, right? To be free…” Mark kissed the side of her neck that was exposed, causing Sophie to turn her head back in an e
ffort to block him. As she did so, he descended on her mouth, kissing her roughly as his hand slid down her side.
Acting purely on instinct, Sophie bit down on Mark’s lip, causing him to pull back as he cursed in pain.
“Damn, Sophie! What was that for?”
“Get off me!” Placing her hands between the gap that had opened up between them, Sophie pushed hard against Mark’s chest, knocking him back as she simultaneously pushed herself up to a sitting position.
Mark wiped his hand over his lip and checked it for blood before glaring at her. “What’s your problem?”
“What’s my problem? What’s your problem, you jerk? You’re Abby’s boyfriend!” Sophie spat out in disgust.
“Don’t best friends share everything?” Mark smirked cruelly at her.
“Not everything.” Sophie stood up and fought against the feeling of wooziness that spread over her, before stumbling towards Abby. On reaching her, she knelt down and shook Abby’s shoulder. “Abby, come on, we should go.” She waited a few seconds but was greeted by silence. Shaking Abby by both shoulders, Sophie realized her actions were useless. Her friend had passed out.
“Crap,” Sophie whispered, the alcohol making it difficult to process as she looked around for help but no one else was on the beach. Walking back to where Mark was sitting by the fire, she shoved her hands in the pockets of her jeans and stared hard at him. “Abby’s passed out. You need to help me get her to your car.”
“Why?” Mark stared nonchalantly at her over the flames of the flickering fire.
“So you can take us home.”
“I thought you couldn’t go home, seeing as you’re meant to be at each other’s places.”
Sophie cursed inwardly. He was right. Neither she nor Abby would hear the end of it if their parents discovered what they had been up to. “Okay, take us to a friend’s house. I’ll give you directions.”
“No.” Mark switched his gaze from Sophie to the flames as he leaned back calmly.
“What do you mean ‘no’?”
“’No’ is the opposite of ‘yes’. Geez, what do they teach you in school these days?” His tone was mocking as he looked back at her, a smirk playing across his lips.
“We can’t just leave Abby passed out on the sand.”
“We’re not leaving. We’re staying right here.”
“I’m not staying here all night. There’s nowhere to sleep,” Sophie snapped exasperatedly.
“Abby seems to be doing just fine in the sleeping department.”
“This is all just to get back at me because I’m not going to make out with you, isn’t it?”
“Trust me, making out isn’t what I had in mind.”
“You’re such a creep! I hope Abby dumps your ass.” Sophie grabbed one of the empty Coke bottles, turned around and headed back across the sand to where Abby lay. After attempting unsuccessfully to rouse her for the second time, Sophie walked down to the sea and filled the bottle with water. As she waited for the bottle to half-fill she took slow, deep breaths, hoping the light sea breeze would help to dissipate some of the alcohol’s effects on her body.
Making her way back to Abby once sufficient water had been gathered, she crouched beside her friend and held her head at an angle to ensure water wouldn’t enter her nose or mouth, before tipping the contents of the bottle onto Abby’s head. The cool seawater had the desired effect, as Abby stirred before moaning softly and opening her eyes slowly.
“Hey, Soph…” Abby looked queasy as she stared up at her friend.
“Abby, listen to me. We’re leaving now. I’m going to help you stand up.”
“No…so soft…let me sleep here.”
“Do you even know where here is? Abby, we’re on the beach. I need to tell you something about Mark but right now we need to focus on getting home.”
“Where’s Mark?” Abby tried in vain to move her body in order to locate Mark but all she could manage was a feeble tilt of her head before she gave up and closed her eyes again.
“No, you need to stay awake.” Sophie propped Abby’s head on her lap before pushing against her shoulders, forcing her to sit upright. “Look, Mark’s right over there. You need to tell him to take us to Darla’s, okay? She’ll give us a place to crash until morning.”
“Let’s just sleep here. I’m really tired, Soph. Just wake me up in a few hours.” Abby slumped against Sophie’s chest.
Just great. Accepting Abby wasn’t going to make it on her own two feet, Sophie eased her onto the sand again before standing up, hooking her hands beneath Abby’s arms and dragging her across the sand. The action took a great deal of effort, with her body protesting at each drag for her to stop and just drop down next to Abby and sleep, but she persevered and eventually managed to drag Abby near the fire.
Mark had been watching her the entire time, a neutral expression on his face, but he didn’t move to help her. Sophie turned to face him once she had deposited Abby near the warmth of the flames. “Look at her. She needs to sleep on a proper bed.”
“I don’t think she cares right now where she sleeps, as long as she’s sleeping.”
“Don’t you care? What kind of asshole are you?”
“Look, Abby’s fine, okay? She’ll sleep it off, have one hell of a hangover, and get over it. So just calm down already.” Finally deigning to help, Mark reached across for the spare blanket and spread it across Abby’s sleeping form. “She’s not the first teenager to pass out on a beach and I guarantee you she won’t be the last. Use the other blanket if you want to sleep on it or stay up with me. We can watch over her ‘til the sun rises and then I’ll take you back to Abby’s place.”
“Sunrise? That’s hours away! I’m not sitting here for hours so you can watch the sunrise!”
“So sleep. Like I said, there’s the second blanket. Use it or don’t use it. I don’t give a crap, but I’m staying here ‘til sunrise. Unlike you, I can handle my alcohol.”
Sophie glared at Mark before looking down at Abby. Damn, damn, damn. Now what am I going to do? Thanks for landing me in this, Abby. She didn’t want to leave Abby unconscious on the beach but on the other hand she sure as hell wasn’t going to sleep here with Mark present. Who knew what kind of crap he would try and pull? What she did know was that she had to find somewhere to sleep soon because all her body wanted to do was lie down and let oblivion take over.
She couldn’t call her parents or Abby’s parents. It just wasn’t an option. The problems she faced now were nothing compared to how their parents would react. They would be extremely pissed off that her and Abby had lied to them about staying over at each other’s places and that they now needed a ride home because they were hammered on the beach. Worse than that however was the possibility of them finding out about the shoplifting. She just couldn’t take that risk. They would go ballistic and she had enough drama to deal with as it was without adding to it. It was better for everyone if their parents knew nothing.
She knew Darla’s car was in for repairs and that Darla wouldn’t be able to borrow her parents’ new and expensive cars. Darla didn’t exactly have the best driving record and her parents wouldn’t allow her anywhere near the steering wheel of their own cars. Suddenly an idea popped into her head.
“Can I sleep in your car?”
“Yeah, whatever.” Mark fished in his pocket for the keys and tossed them at her. As Sophie walked off Mark called out to her. “Don’t get any ideas about driving off. You’ll leave Abby abandoned with no transportation if you do.”
“I wouldn’t do that. We’re not all jerks,” Sophie replied without turning around.
“That’s rich coming from a shoplifter.”
Mark’s chuckle followed after her as Sophie made her way across the sand. Her legs felt heavy, as if the sand clutched at them every time she took a step, but she forced herself to keep going. I don’t care how long it takes to reach his car, I’m not spending anymore unnecessary time around Mark as long as I can help it. Now lift your damn le
gs, Sophie. What had been a few minutes’ walk before took her significantly longer to retrace her steps but she eventually made it back to Mark’s car. Pausing, she looked around, but the parking lot was still deserted and she heard nothing unusual. Unlocking the door, she slid into the back seat and closed the door behind her, locking it with a small degree of satisfaction. She just hoped Mark would stay with Abby and not try and come to pester her again. Laying her head down on the seat, using the stolen clothing as a makeshift pillow, Sophie closed her eyes and slept.
Chapter Two
What is that damn noise? I’m trying to sleep here…just let me sleep… The tapping was insistent and continued on until Sophie opened her bleary eyes before shutting them again against the sunlight that streamed onto her face. Waiting a few seconds, she opened her eyes slowly again, raising her hand to shield them as she gazed around. Where the hell am I? It took her a few moments before she remembered where she was. Oh crap, Mark’s car. Just great. Must be Abby and him wanting in. What time is it?
Sophie forced herself to turn around and face the tapping that was coming from the window directly above her head. Eventually spotting the uniformed police officer, Sophie bolted upright on the seat and subsequently gripped her head. Bad move, Soph. Bad move. She tried to take some steadying breaths but they offered no relief for the decimation that was currently her head. She’d never felt so bad in her entire life. She wanted to escape from her body but knew she was trapped with nowhere to go and no option than to endure the next few hours of hell. Every part of her screamed out for water and the thought of food appealed greatly to her and made her want to throw up in equal measure.
“Please open the door.” The officer’s voice and expression were neutral as he stared at Sophie through the glass. Looking groggily around, Sophie located the keys on the floor and unlocked the car. As the door opened, a wave of fresh air hit her which helped her to feel slightly better. She looked at the officer and attempted to smile sweetly, though to the officer it appeared more like a grimace. “Good morning, officer. Can I help you?”
