by J. N. Pack
A brand new white car pulls out front and I recognize the guy from the race last night driving it. Axel climbs to his feet and walks to the car.
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Axel
“Hey.” I say to Drake.
“Did you find anything out?” he asks looking over my shoulder toward Harlow.
I look at the ground and at him nodding, “Her middle name is Drake. Her mother was Rosy Paxton.” When that name leaves my mouth he tries to climb from the car and go to her. I stop him to the best of my ability and say, “She doesn’t know and her Mom OD’d about ten years ago. I don’t think this is the right place to tell her.”
Drake says, “She’s my…. She’s my daughter. I need to tell her.”
I tense knowing this man would never intentionally hurt her, but also knowing she has been through hell and she’s not ready for this. “Look we will figure this out, but you can’t tell her now.”
I swear I can see the heartbreak in the man’s eyes as he stares past me at Harlow. “I want wait long. You do what you need to do today, but before this week ends I will tell her she’s my daughter. Marcus will not get his claws into her too.”
I drop my head and then look at him, “He already tried. I intervened and I have warned her about him. I am looking out for her.”
He looks at me and stares for a moment, “You like her, don’t you?”
I tense, but I can’t lie to Drake. “I… I do.”
He looks from me to her and then back at me again, “One week and then we tell her, but if anything happens to her I will hold you responsible.”
I look him in the eyes and see the truth behind them. “I won't let anything happen to her.”
Drake drives away. I turn and walk back to everyone.
Harlow doesn’t say anything, but I can tell she is wondering. Harley on the other hand. “Was that the guy from the other night?”
I nod. Cass says, “That was Drake. He’s a friend of our family.”
Harlow’s eyebrows go up when he says the name Drake.
Harley smirks and says, “Look Low he’s got your middle name,”
The subject changes and I scooch Harlow over again taking the seat beside her. I could have easily sat beside Harley, but honestly I wanted to sit beside Harlow. She wasn’t tensing or anxious and I wasn’t ready to let her go back to that.
“Cass can you run Harlow and me to grab our cars in a few?” I ask.
“I can, but it’ll cost you!” he says smirking.
Harlow grins and says, “My sister would love to cook you breakfast again.” and I swear he paled.
“Nah I’m good. Yea we can leave in a few.” he says.
Chapter 16
The rest of the weekend goes by super slow. Harley and me grabbed some groceries Saturday after getting my car back and watched a movie before calling it an early night.
Sunday was much of the same only we ended up watching some anime bullshit Hanna was into. We finally made it to Monday and I dread going to school. I know Hendricks is going to be there and I did not feel like dealing with his crap today. Harley suggested we skip, but what kind of role model would I be for my sisters if I allowed them to skip. Then to make things worse Dad’s truck was in the driveway which meant he came home at some point last night and I would likely have to deal with his bullshit at some point today. Fingers crossed he would be gone when I get home from school. I light a cigarette sitting on the porch waiting for Harley to finish whatever madness she was doing to her hair. I wave as Moose and Jessi pull out of the drive with Hanna and Moose’s siblings. Then I watch as Axel and Cass pull away from the drive.
Ten minutes later Harley comes out ready to go. I put out my smoke on the steps and made my way to the car. In the car on the way to school Harley finally starts with the apologizing.
“I was sooo drunk, I really didn’t mean to tell Axel all your business. I honestly don’t know why I did it. I guess I just wanted you to be happy and figured maybe….” she says.
“Maybe what?” I ask not angry at all in the least anymore.
“Maybe Axel could be the guy to make you see that they all aren’t the same and that you don’t have to fear everyone. I just want you to be happy Low.” she says with a slight pout on her lips.
“Look I don’t think everyone is the same, but it does take me awhile to trust people. I’ll never get over that, but if it makes you feel better, I am more comfortable around Axel and Cass and even Moose now. Jessi not too bad, she gives me my space.” I say to reassure her.
She starts grinning really big and says, “That’s great Low. I really am sorry though. I don’t want you to be angry with me.”
“Harley I could never hold anything against you. Especially not something you did drunk and maybe it did do me a little good to get drunk and talk about what happened to me. Just a little though.” I say smirking at her.
She smiles and says, “Well for what it’s worth I would never intentionally ...well soberly do anything like that to you.”
Climbing out of the car at school I feel eyes on me, but I can’t place where from. Harley notices me glancing around anxiously. “What’s up?”
I squint up my nose and say, “Feels like someone is watching me.’
She smiles and says, “Girl I’d be surprised if there weren’t any eyes on you.”
I look at her and she grins, “You’re a hottie, everyone is looking.” I smirk at her. Jessi waits on us at the door and when we get there she says, “I was told to babysit you today.” She says smiling. “Not that I mind.”
“Huh...Why ...Who?” I ask.
She looks at me tilting her head, “You really want to know?”
Harley smirks and says, “I already know. It’s completely obvious.”
“Not to me.” I say bluntly. “Why do I need a babysitter?”
Jessi smiles and says, “There’s a rumor going around that Hendrick's got you in his sites. Honestly the guy can’t take no for an answer. He was asking about you at the party this weekend, but thank God you had already left.”
I shiver, although not from the cold. “That guy is a jerk and he is entirely too handsy.”
“Couldn’t agree more. That’s why Axel has stuck someone to your side at all times. I’d be surprised if he didn’t rip the guys arms off and beat him with them by the end of the day.” Jessi says.
“Why? I mean he’s a jerk, but why?” I ask.
She looks at me funny and says, “You really don’t get it do you?”
I shake my head and ask, “What the hell am I missing?”
She smirks and says, “You’ve got him wrapped around that little finger of yours and you don’t even realize it.”
“He who?” I ask.
“Axel dingy, Axel!” Harley says grinning.
I scrunch my nose and say, “He’s just being nice.”
Jessi smirks and says, “Girl these boys are not nice to just anyone. They don’t jump in to protect just anyone. He chose you from the minute he saw you and realize that you were just as damaged as the rest of us. Axel doesn’t spend time with just any girl and he definitely doesn’t chase one or worry about their safety, but for you he does.”
“I…. I… I don’t know what to make of that.” I say.
She smiles and says, “It is what it is girly. These guys are not good guys, you just haven’t seen it yet, but you will and it may scare you, just know that that's not the side of them we get. We get the guys they would have been had life not fucked them all.”
Harley smirks at her and says, “Ain’t much we haven’t seen.”
“I dunno about all that stuff you said about Axel and me, but as you can see we have our own fuckery. I’m no angel. We all have monsters in our closets.” I say.
When I get to my first class I lean my head in and see that Moose is asleep again and I smirk. “Look.”
Jessi looks in and she says, “He can seriously sleep anywhere.” She g
rabs a piece of paper out of her bag and balls it up throwing it at him. He lifts his head looking around the room. When his eyes land on us he smirks. “I was having an awesome dream, wanna hear about it?”
Jessi’s face turns red and she backs away from the door. “Nobody needs to know about those dreams Moose.” and she hurries down the hallway leaving Moose two seconds from falling from his desk laughing.
Harley laughs and says, “I’m out.” I walk into the class taking my seat next to Moose’s and he says, “I really wasn’t dreaming yet, but I’ve told her some of my most fucked up dreams so she could only imagine what I was going to say.”
I smile and say, “That figures.”
He sobers and says, “I seen your Dads truck was in the drive this morning, you good?” His eyes were filled with concern.
I nod and say, “He was probably passed out drunk.”
Some girl walks by and runs her hand across Moose’s shoulder and he growls, “Keep your fuckin’ hands off me.” I glanced at him and his eyes are cold. He lays his head on his desk and is quiet the rest of the period.
True to Jessi’s word there is someone who walks me to each class. At lunch we all sit at one table and Axel sits next to me laying his head on the table. I’m not sure if he’s asleep or just trying to avoid looking at everyone. He turns his head sideways looking at me and a bright smile appears on his face. I can’t help, but smile back. I don’t know what the deal is, but seeing him smile is like Heaven to me. Why am I so attracted to him? A shadow falls over my body and Axel’s eyes turn cold as he sits up straight in his seat. I glance back and Hendricks is standing over me. “Can I talk to you?” he asks.
I shake my head and his eyes darken. He grabs my arm and tries to pull me from my seat. Axel, Moose and Cass are all on their feet in seconds. Axel is headed straight for Hendricks, but I take his arm looking at him I whisper, “I got this.” He doesn’t sit down, but he gives me room. When Hendricks doesn’t remove his hand from my arm, I politely say, “Either you can get your hands off me or I’m going to knee your nuts again.” His eyes go wide, but he doesn’t remove his hand from me, he just slightly turns his junk away, but positions himself in the perfect spot. I swing my fist back and then forward where it connects with his nose. Blood splatters my hand and is pouring from his face. He let my arm go and was now yelling at the top of his lungs, “You’ll pay for this you stupid cunt.” Axel steps forward, but Moose stops him. I am too hypnotized by the blood on my hands to realize what is going on around me. It’s like I was possessed by it. I can faintly hear Harley, “The blood. I need to get her out of here. She’s not panicking yet, but she will. She’s done this since we were little when it comes to blood.”
“It’s so warm.” I whisper letting it run through my fingers.
Axel takes my unbloodied hand and says, “I’ve got her.” he pulls me down the hall and out of the door to the parking lot. He pulls his shirt over his head and takes both my hands in his. He slowly wipes the blood from my hands and tosses the shirt on his hood. He pulls my chin up, but it’s like I’ve vacated my body. He rubs his hand across my cheek and my eyes finally meet his. He asks, “You good?”
I nod and he leans forward kissing my nose. “Let’s get out of here.”
He opens the passenger door of his car and I climb in. He gets in the driver's seat. We pull in his driveway and a little of the anxiety is trying to rear its ugly head, but I’m sure it’s more from the blood than this. Axel has had chance after chance to hurt me if he wanted to, but he hasn’t and I don’t think he will. When we get out I realize Dad’s truck is still in the driveway. I look at Axel and back at the truck. He takes my hand and says, “Come on. You can hang with me and Mom for a while. WE can watch a movie or something.” I follow him inside.
Chapter 17
His Mom was sitting on the couch when we walked in. She smiles and says, “Hey baby.”
Axel smiles and says, “Mom this is Harlow.”
She smiles and says, “Hi. I’m Candy.”
I smile and say, “It’s nice to meet you.”
She looks at Axel and says, “Son, I know you had a shirt on when you left this house this morning.”
He smirks and says, “Got blood on it.”
Her eyes go wide and she says, “I’m not going to that school again if you’ve been fighting.”
He smiles and says, “Wasn’t me, it was her.”
My mouth drops open and he grins bigger. That rat!
Her face turned to me and she says, “My kind of girl.” and winks at me.
Axel smirks at me. His mom goes back to watching a soap on tv. Axel nods his head towards the stairs and starts up. I follow behind him. When we get to the top of the stairs we turn right and he opens the only door on that end of the hallway. We walk into what I assume is his room. It’s surprisingly clean for the most part. His bed is made. Dark blue velvet comforter and same color blue sheets. The walls are a sky blue color with Dark blue curtains. He had a couple posters of cars on his walls and one wall house the monster of all tvs. I swear it was at minimum a seventy inch. A lot bigger than our little thirty-two inch tv. He has a huge bed. He offers for me to sit on the bed and I kick my combat boots off and push my back against the wall. He tosses a remote on the bed and says, “I’m gonna go grab something to drink you want something? Or something to eat?”
“Water would be great.” I say.
“You can find something on netflix to watch if you want.” he says as he turns to walk out the door.
I curl up on his bed and before I know it I’m drifting off to sleep. My eyes drift open again when I feel a blanket being pulled over me. He whispers, “Go back to sleep. I’m not going anywhere.” and my eyes drift closed again.
The next time I wake up it’s because there is a light knock on his door. I open my eyes and watch as he drops the remote on the bed and walks to the door.
“Drake called. Said he’s been trying to get you on your cell, but can’t get through.” his mom whispers.
“She fell asleep and I didn’t want to wake her. I’ll text him.” Axel says.
“Alright, just check in with him.” his mom says.
He shuts the door and walks back over to the bed. I turn on my side and he asks, “Feel better?”
Feeling a little uncomfortable being alone with him in his room I simply nod. I stand and stretch. “I think I’m going to go home and try to clean up some.” I sit and pull my boots on. He slips on a pair of vans and says, “I’ll walk you home.”
We walk down the stairs and I say goodbye to his mom and he walked me to the fence. I tense as soon as I get there because I know it’ll be me and Dad alone. He takes advantage of those times when no one is there to make him stop. No one is there to cry or scream for him to stop hitting me. I look to the house and back to Axel.
“You can stay with me until they get home, it’s no big deal. Really.” he says.
I shake my head and look down and then back at the house, “I better go.”
He leans over and kiss my forehead. “If you need me I’m right next door. Don’t hesitate to call.”
I climb across the fence and he waits there until I’m inside then I watch him cross the yard.
Once I turn around the hell already starts, “Why the fuck are you home from school?”
I shrug and say, “I felt sick.”
He stands from the couch and starts pulling his belt off. My insides tense and he says, “That why I watched you come out of the neighbor’s house with that boy?”
My entire body stiffens. He starts walking towards me. This is not going to be good. The first swing hits me across my face. I cower in the corner of the living room. He hits me over and over again. When I finally allow myself to cry out he swings harder and harder. I curl into fetal position as the first tears begin to fall. He kicks me in the stomach and I can feel my ribs crunch. He grabs me by my shirt and slams me into the wall yelling obscenities at me. My body hurts, my fights gone. I just want him
to finish it already. He throws me in the corner and I ball into a ball and stay there crying while he sits on the couch drinking beer and watching football with the belt across his lap. When my whimpers get too loud he hits me until he’s bored and goes back to watching his game. He’s so drunk I can smell the alcohol from across the room. I feel as weak as I’ve ever felt. My face burns as the tears run down my cheeks. I finally hear the door open and shut and see Harley’s feet falter and a gasp left her. She drops everything and screams, “What did you do Daddy? Why?” Tears are streaming down her face and she tries to make her way to me. He stands and starts towards her, when she turns for the door and runs out he starts in on me again. I hear voices outside and then I hear a hysterical Hanna when she walks into the house and sees Dad beating me, kicking me and screaming at me. She rushes from the house and slams into Axel on the way out. She cries, “He’s gonna kill her. Please make him stop.” I hear footsteps and hear grunting and people fighting all around me and my eyes drift close.
Axel
When Harley ran in my house screaming for me without knocking hysterical, Mom tried to calm her down, but all I heard was he’s going to kill her and her and mom running behind me as I hop the fence. Moose is already there. They just dropped Hanna off and he heard Hanna scream when she walked in. I beat him to the door and Hanna crashes into me on her way out. She’s crying and hysterical, “He’s gonna kill her. Please make him stop.” Moose and I shove through the door at the same time and the scene we walk in on is one straight from a horror film. There’s blood all over the living room. She’s huddled in a corner broken, beaten, defeated while he still beats her. My mind blanks and I rush him. I easily take him to the floor. I start wailing on him. Unable to stop myself. I hear a gasp from Jessi as she walks in to try and help. “Harlow?” she whispers.
