“You’re pretty good, Ace.”
Brody looked at me and grinned. “I’m around here a lot. My mom travels a lot on business, so I spend time with my aunt. She makes sure I get fed when my mom’s gone.”
“What does your mom do?”
“She’s a sales rep. for a pharmaceutical company.” He took another shot, and I barely held in my groan as I watched his muscles in his shoulders and back.
“Do you have any brothers or sisters?” I asked.
“Nope. It’s just me.”
It was my turn again. I looked over my shoulder. “Sounds kind of lonely,” I told him. My voice was all breathy and soft, so very embarrassing. It was hard to talk with his arms around me.
“Sometimes. But think of all the wild parties I can have.” Our faces were close. His eyes dipped to my mouth, and then back to my eyes.
I took—and missed—my shot. “Ah, I think I just found out the reason for your bad boy reputation,” I said, as Brody’s arms slid away from me.
“Pssh, too bad all my parties are study sessions. That’s about as wild as I get.”
We finished our game of pool—he won, of course—just as our burgers arrived. We slid into a booth as the waitress placed our burgers in front of us. We didn’t talk much as we ate. Our eyes would meet across the table every so often, and we’d smile at each other before looking away.
“Mm, you’re right. Your aunt’s burgers are the best. And this milkshake is to die for,” I said, scooping out the last of my chocolate shake.
“I told you. Willow…”
I looked up and raised my eyebrows when his voice trailed off.
He let out a breath and threw his napkin on his plate. “I’d never lie to you.”
“Okay,” I said slowly, pushing my plate away and focusing my attention on him.
“I hope you and I are past the love-to-hate-each-other phase of our relationship and have moved into a friendship.” He looked at the dark green table and spun his fork in circles.
“I think it’s safe to say we have,” I answered.
And then some.
“So, I hope you’d never lie to me.” He looked up at me through his lashes.
“I wouldn’t.”
Except about not being able to play pool, but that was for a very good reason.
He let out a frustrated breath. “I saw the bruises.” I stiffened. “When I bent over to help you line up your shot. Your shirt pulled back and to the side, and I saw the bruises on your back.”
“Oh.” I looked down at the table, making circles on it with my finger.
“Look at me. Willow, look at me. Please,” Brody said softly. I slowly raised my eyes to his. “Who’s doing that to you?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but I snapped it shut before I said anything. Shaking my head, I fought the tears pushing at the back of my eyes. I bit my lip and squeezed my eyes closed.
I won’t cry. I’m stronger than that. Tim and Jenna ask me about my bruises. I don’t cry then. I won’t cry now. But the look in his eyes… he really looks like he cares.
“You can tell me. Is it Jaden?”
“I don’t want to talk about it, Brody. I promised I wouldn’t lie to you, but if we keep talking about this, I’ll have to break that promise… and I don’t want to. Just… It’s okay. I’m fine. Let’s leave it at that, okay?”
“No. It isn’t okay. Someone is hurting you. That’s not okay.” He reached across the table and took my hand, rubbing his thumb over the top of it. “There are places that can help, people you can talk to.”
“Trust me, it wouldn’t help. I need to get home. Are you ready?” I asked, grabbing my purse.
Brody stared at me for a second before he stood up. “Yeah, I’m ready.”
We said goodbye to Brody’s aunt and walked silently to the parking lot. Brody unlocked and held the passenger door of the Jeep open for me. He slammed it shut, and I flinched. We didn’t speak during the short drive back to the school where I’d left my car. He pulled up beside my car and threw the Jeep in park, jolting us both forward. I reached for the door handle.
“Wait,” Brody said, his tone clipped. I pulled my hand back. He climbed out of the Jeep and walked around to open my door for me. “Give me your keys.” He took them from my hand, unlocked, and opened the driver’s side door of my car. As he held it open for me, he said, “You’re wrong, you know.”
“About what?”
“There’s always something or someone that can help.” He dropped my keys in my hand and closed the car door. Jogging back to his Jeep, he drove away.
No, Brody, you’re wrong. This is one time where there isn’t anyone who can help. The damage is done. Only bad things would come from telling anyone. Some secrets should stay buried, no matter how much it hurts.
Friday. I stood in front of my closet, looking through my clothes. I was supposed to dress normal. Jenna texted me early that morning and told me I’d worn my limit of sarcastic T-shirts for the week. She said I was absolutely dressing in something that didn’t have words on it to make up for wearing the awful shoes I wore all week. I told her I’d see what mood I was in. Her next comment wasn’t very pretty and sounded a lot like she was PMSing, which was a dangerous time of the month for those of us close to Jenna. So I decided to try to find something she would consider normal and stay on her good side.
I finally chose a forest green moleskin shirt and jeans. I wore my brown, distressed leather, calf-high boots that matched my messenger bag. If that wasn’t normal enough for Jenna, she’d have to come over and pick out my clothes for me every morning.
I showered and blew my hair dry, scrunching it so it hung in waves. Put on a little makeup—I never wore too much—and called it good. When I got to school, I swiped some lip gloss on my lips and made my way to my locker.
“Jeez, it’s about freakin’ time,” Jenna said, rolling her eyes. “Finally, you look like a normal person. Nice choice, by the way. Love the boots.”
“Thanks.” I grabbed my books from my locker. “I figured if you didn’t like this, you were going to have to start dressing me yourself.”
“Well, if you insist on wearing those damn T-shirts and ugly ass shoes all the time, I just might,” she snapped.
Yeah, definitely sounds like PMS. Note to self—buy Jenna chocolate at lunch.
“See you in history.” I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing and walked toward biology.
Brody’s chair was empty when I got there. I felt a pang of disappointment. The first bell rang, and he still wasn’t in class. He was always there by the first bell. I wondered if he’d be at school and realized how lonely my day would be without him sitting next to me, trading teasing insults.
I heard him before I saw him. “I mean it, Victor. Things will get ugly,” Jaden shouted.
“Your empty threats really scare me, Jaden. Really. I’m trembling like a little girl,” Brody shouted back before he walked into the classroom and slammed his books on the table.
“I need to talk to you.” Jaden looked at me. When I didn’t get up, he grabbed my arm and yanked me from my chair. “Now.”
Brody was around the table so fast I wasn’t sure what was happening. He shouldered Jaden. “Don’t yank her around like that.”
“Stay out of this, Brody,” Jaden said through clenched teeth. A vein in his forehead bulged and pulsed in time to his heartbeat as he pulled me out of the classroom.
“I want you to stay away from him. Someone saw you two together yesterday. I don’t know what you’re up to, but I won’t have my girl running around with that piece of scum behind my back. Stay away from him… or there’ll be trouble.” Jaden smirked, rubbing his chin with the side of his hand. “You don’t want me to start talking, do you, Wills? Because I’m starting to feel kinda… chatty—like I have a lot to say. And I think there are some people who’d be really interested to hear it.”
Jaden shoved me back into the classroom. I stumbled backward. Two hands caug
ht me before I fell. I looked up to see Brody holding me. His face hard.
“Let go of her,” Jaden ordered.
“If you can’t treat her right, she’ll eventually come to her senses and find someone who will. Your days are numbered, Jaden.” Brody said, his voice measured.
“Willow isn’t going anywhere until I say she is. Period. I have the power in this relationship, and she knows it. She’s mine.” Jaden walked away, slamming his fist against a locker.
Brody rubbed his hands gently up and down my arms. Turning me around, he stared in my eyes. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” My voice cracked, and I closed my eyes for a handful of seconds to calm myself.
“Why do you stay with him?”
I shrugged a shoulder and tried to smile. “It’s easier than trying to leave him.”
Everyone stared as we made our way back to our table in class. My eyes darted to Tim. He looked at me with an expression of concern. I smiled and mouthed that I was okay. He didn’t smile back. He wasn’t a member of the Jaden fan club any more than Brody or Jenna was.
I sat with Jaden and the same bunch of football players and their cheerleader girlfriends at lunch. I tried to start conversations with them, but as usual, it was a no go. I felt more and more like an outsider in Jaden’s world, and he did nothing to change the fact. Either he didn’t notice, or he didn’t care. I leaned to the latter. Jaden was all about himself. He wouldn’t sympathize with my discomfort.
“You’re drinking a diet shake today?” the same cheerleader who had a fit about my salad dressing asked.
“Yes,” I said, holding up the can.
“That’s much better than all that icky dressing you had on your salad,” she said, scrunching up her nose, making her face look like one of those wrinkly dogs.
“I figured this might save me some time on the treadmill,” I mumbled.
Not that I’d ever be on a treadmill.
“Good thinking.” She nodded, her blonde curls bouncing around her perfect face. Turning to the girl next to her, they started an in depth conversation about the newest cheer they were learning. I sighed.
“Jaden, I’m going to go say hi to Jenna,” I said, laying my hand on his shoulder to get his attention.
“Yeah, whatever.” He waved me away with a flick of his hand. “Oh, Willow?”
“What?” I looked at him over my shoulder.
“Tonight’s an away game. I expect you to be home if you aren’t at the game.”
I sighed. “I know the rules, Jaden.” He narrowed his eyes before turning his back to me.
I plopped down in a chair at the table where Jenna and Tim were sitting and dropped my head down on the tabletop, covering it with my arms.
“That good, huh?” Jenna asked.
“Just peachy,” I said, my words muffled.
“Drop his ass,” Jenna whispered.
“You know it’s not that easy, Jenna. I’ve tried. More than once.”
“Hey.” I jumped when I heard his voice. He hadn’t been at the table when I sat down. Brody eased into a chair next to me, and I groaned. If Jaden saw him, there’d be hell to pay.
“Hey, Ace,” I said, not looking up.
“How ya doin’?”
“That seems to be the question of the day. I’m fine. Just great. Everything’s great. Just great.”
“That’s a lot of greats. Who are you trying to convince—me or yourself?” Brody asked quietly.
I turned my head, moved one arm so I could look at him, and blew a strand of hair out of my eyes. “Who knows?”
He gave me a small smile and ran a finger down the back of my hand, sending goose bumps up my arm and straight to my heart, which starting racing. Damn it to Hades and back. I hated my reaction to Brody. I wasn’t supposed to feel anything for anyone. Jaden was easy. He didn’t ask questions. He didn’t pay attention. As long as I kept him happy, he’d keep his mouth shut. Win/win. Brody… well, he was a different story altogether.
“What are you doing tonight? Are you going to the football game?” Jenna asked, twirling her cup on the table.
“Nope. It’s an away game,” I said.
“Oh, so you’ll be locked away at home, huh, Rapunzel?” Tim bit out.
I shrugged. “That’s the assumption.”
“Meaning?” Brody asked.
“Anything can happen. Maybe something will come up, and I’ll decide to go out.”
Jenna dropped her drink on the table, and ice flew across the top. “You’re kidding, right? If he catches you out…” She didn’t finish her thought.
“What?” Brody asked, looking at Jenna. When she didn’t answer, he looked between Jenna and Tim. “He’ll what?”
“He won’t be happy,” Jenna said quietly.
Tim snorted. “Yeah. That’s putting it mildly. Willow, if you leave the house tonight, make sure you’re in disguise and you aren’t anywhere someone from school will see you. Like, you know, another country.”
It was seven o’clock, and I sat on my bed watching a rerun of a stupid sitcom on television while I texted Jenna. My phone chimed that a text had come through. I clicked to read it, expecting it to be from Jenna. My heart started palpitating when the name across the top was Brody’s.
Brody: Hey.
Me: Hey, Ace. What’s up?
Brody: Whatcha doin’?
Me: Texting Jenna. Hold on.
I sent Jenna a quick text, telling her that Brody was texting me and I’d talk to her later. Her last text was a threat that I’d better cough up all the details of what was said between Brody and me. At my promise that I would, she told me to have fun and added a little winky face next to it. I rolled my eyes but giggled, quickly switching back to my conversation with Brody.
Me: Okay. I’m back.
Brody: What’d you do?
Me: Told Jenna I had to go.
Brody: Why?
Me: Um… so I could talk to you.
Brody: Ah.
Huh. Maybe that was too much information. I shouldn’t have said anything. Crap.
Brody: I’m glad. Now I have you all to myself.
Or maybe not. I just got major chill bumps everywhere.
Me: So, what are you doing?
Brody: Thinkin’ about you.
Oh, wow. My chill bumps just got chill bumps and now I have flutters in my chest.
Brody: Were you serious about getting out of the house?
Me: Maybe. Why?
Brody: I have an idea. No disguise needed.
Me: Ok. I’m game.
Brody: You don’t even know what it is.
Me: I trust you.
Brody: Pick you up in 10.
Me: Don’t come to the door.
Brody: ?
Me: My parents are official members of the Jaden fan club.
Brody: Ah. They wouldn’t like you going out with me.
Me: Right.
Brody: I’ll park in front of your neighbor’s.
Me: I’ll be waiting.
I jumped off the bed and grabbed a pair of yoga pants and a long shirt, trying to pull them on at the same time I pulled off my pajamas. Putting on a loose belt, I let it sit on an angle over my hips, just tight enough to make my shirt look like something other than a paper sack hanging from my shoulders. I looked in the mirror and groaned. My hair was flat on one side and a frizzy mess on the other. Quickly pulling it into a knot at the base of my neck, I tried to fix what little makeup I still had on. As I grabbed my purse and phone, I saw headlights shine through my window. I shot off a text to Jenna.
Me: Cover for me. We’re at the mall. Going out for a while.
Jenna: Brody?
Me: Yeah.
Jenna. K. Be Careful.
Me. Love ya.
Jenna: Love ya back.
I hurried to my mom’s bedroom and knocked before sticking my head inside. “Mom?”
“What?” she answered, her voice hoarse. It sounded as if she’d been crying.
“Um, Je
nna asked me to go to the mall with her.”
“Have fun.”
“Are you okay? I don’t have to go if you need me here.”
“I’m fine. Go,” she said. “Just remember curfew.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
I hurried out the front door and down the walk. Brody pulled up when he saw me. For once, he didn’t get out of the Jeep to open the door for me—thank God—and he had the interior lighting turned off. He drove away as soon as I was in the Jeep.
“Hey.” He looked at me and smiled.
“Hey back. So, what are we doing?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“Okay.” I settled back into the plush leather seats.
“You aren’t going to try to get it out of me? Beg, plead, whine, until I tell you?” he teased.
“Nope. I told you, I trust you. But I’ll beg, plead, and whine if it makes you feel better,” I offered.
“No. Please don’t start whining.” Brody chuckled. How could just a small rumbling in his chest affect me so much?
“Okay. I’ll stay whine free.” I smiled and watched him drive.
“Let me ask you a question. If I was Jaden, and I didn’t tell you where we were going, would you go with me with no questions asked?” Brody coasted to a stop at a red light. He turned to me, his eyes catching mine and holding them.
I bit my lip, trying to decide how best to answer the question. “Honestly, probably not. But that’s because Jaden would most likely take me to some football game, football museum, football hall of fame, or something else football related, in which case, I’d have to fake an illness and skip out on him.”
Brody laughed hard and loud, making me laugh with him. “Well, now I know if I ever ask you out and you tell me you’re sick, that you’re blowing me off.”
“Somehow, I don’t think that would be a problem,” I said, and then immediately wanted to slap my hand over my mouth. Brody just gave me a crooked grin that melted my heart, but he didn’t say anything.
“We’re here.” He pulled into a small driveway surrounded by trees. After he drove a few hundred yards, the trees fell away. We were in the middle of a field surrounded by trees on all sides. Completely secluded.
“Where’s here?”
Unspeakable (Freedom Series Book 1) Page 13
