by A. M. Brooks
“I don’t have anything to wear,” I remind him.
“Already taken care of.” He shrugs again like it’s not a big deal. I grimace.
“No offense, I’m sure she’s a nice girl, but I don’t want to wear someone else’s clothes when I don’t know them. Especially not clubbing attire.”
He laughs again, causing the people in the elevator to look at us sideways. “Nah nah nah, we had some stuff delivered from the store downstairs. You pick what you want and it gets charged to the room.” He waves me off.
“Seriously?” I ask, completely dumbfounded. “This is like something out of a chick flick with a makeover scene. Shit like that never happens in real life.”
He leans down to look straight in my eyes, his are lit up and slightly glazed. “Tonight, it’s your real life, Blaisey. You deserve good things to happen to you,” he says before turning and heading toward the room. I’m frozen watching his retreating back. Toni’s words sink in my skin and fill a place inside my soul. I don’t want to feel weak while I’m here, but there is something about these guys that brings out the urge in me to protect. I’ve known them the majority of my life. We were a family to each other when our home lives were a mess of epic proportions. Blake always said he would do anything for these guys and I can see why. Even as I think the thoughts, the twinge of betrayal in my chest is there. Stone, Toni, and Joey are family, but Jay has been steadily working his way into my heart. Guilty, I look down at my cell and realize it’s dead.
“Great,” I mumble to myself before trailing Toni to the door. Inside the room, two racks of clothes are lined up. One is filled with suits, designer jeans, and shirts for the guys. On the other, there is so much sparkle, I almost wince. Walking closer, I turn each item over one by one. To my relief, only the first three are obscenely short, sparkly, and colors I wouldn’t be caught dead in. I’m not much of a color person to begin with. Black, white, and grey are the staple colors of any shirt, dress or hooded sweatshirt I own. My mom used to tell me to buy things in blue because it would accentuate my eye color. I stopped listening about the same time she also told me I better wear a padded bra or else boys wouldn’t like me. I was twelve. Shaking the thoughts away, I reach for the nude material in front of me. Biting my lip, I take it into the bathroom, silently staring it down the entire time I shower, straighten my hair, and add a little mascara and lip gloss to my face. I can hear the guys out in the living room and I know my time is almost up. I step into the skirt and pull it up over my hips before sliding the halter straps around my neck. Surprisingly, the dress is not as short as I expected and the cut-outs around my waist are held together by more straps of the material. I turn my back to the mirror and do a little dip and bend. The motion doesn’t cause my ass to be exposed and I breathe a sigh of relief.
Stepping out into the room, I’m met with wolf calls and whistles that make blood rush to my head. My cheeks burn and even my ears feel like they’re on fire.
“Stop,” I tell them, holding out my hand before flicking them my middle finger.
“You look all grown up, little Palmer,” Joey tells me before pulling my body into a side hug. I glance at each of them and am taken aback by their appearance as well. Designer jeans fall and hug their legs perfectly. Only Toni’s are styled and ripped to perfection. Joey’s t-shirt molds perfectly to his lean chest and an open blazer hangs perfectly on his frame. Stone’s black button-up tapers perfectly around his trim waist while hugging his muscular arms. They are a sight to see and will no doubt be gaining a lot of female attention tonight.
Rolling my eyes, I wrap my arm around Joey’s waist and steer him toward the door. “Let’s get going, Romeo.” We make it right out the door when I stop suddenly.
“Shit, I forgot my phone.” I hold out my hand for a room key.
“Where ya going to put it?” Toni snorts, eyes roaming up and down the tight-fitting dress. I frown, realizing he’s right.
“Just leave it to charge.” Stone lifts his shoulders, appearing bored with the situation. “You can text the boyfriend tomorrow that your phone died. I’m sure he’ll live.”
My frown deepens when I realize I forgot to text Jay at all today. I bite my lip hoping he isn’t freaking out. “Yeah,” I tell them. “I’ll text him later.” Hopefully, he’ll buy the I’ve been so busy touring the campus line. Even thinking it causes goosebumps to race over my skin. My list of apologies grows longer and longer every day.
Corazon lives up to its name. The low red lighting in private booths, deep red velvet draping and neon heart signs give the allure that everyone was falling in love there tonight. It also helped that they had secured residency for one of the hottest DJs in the US. I was in awe of the elegance and expense the place was vibing. Thankfully, I was with people who knew what they were doing and where they were going. More so everyone else knew where we were going, judging by the way men and women stopped conversations just to turn and look at the guys. A few received fist bumps, head nods and, those lucky scandalously looking ladies received side hugs. I appeared invisible and I was grateful. Probably helped that the guys created a barrier between my body and prying eyes.
Stone led us to the biggest private booth in the back. A sheer red curtain came partially down from the ceiling and left only a foot of space from kissing the top of the leather seats. Candles littered the table in front of us. A bottle of top shelf vodka sat in an ice bucket open and ready.
“Drink?” Stone asks after we all sat down.
“Not yet, thanks,” I reply while shaking my head.
“Be right back,” Joey announces before heading across the dance floor toward what looked like a possible bachelor party.
“Does he know them?” I question since Joey never mentioned anyone else joining us.
“Working.” Toni laughs over his cell phone that he’s been on since we left the room. I nod, mulling over the discussion.
“You can go dance or get a drink if you want, little B. We’ll be here,” Toni adds and smiles wide.
The energy in the room has picked up as more bodies fill the space. Music blasting from the sound system creates a sensual and fun beat.
“Okay,” I announce, standing. “I’m going to dance. I will hate myself if I don’t.” They laugh and watch as I make my way to the floor.
One song turns into three, which turns into a few shots from the bottle on the table and before I know it, sweat is dampening my hairline and my chest is soaked in warmth. The room has to be at max capacity by now, making the night a success for the grand opening. It does not escape my notice that almost everyone has made their way to our booth to talk to the guys at least once. I’m also not stupid enough to not have seen money being passed around like it’s candy.
When the music slows, I make my way off the floor and over to the booth. The conversation stops until I have a new drink in my hand. The vodka cran goes down smooth, the chill chasing away the heat from my body.
Not until after the drink is gone do I realize everything is all wrong. The people in this booth are looking at me with hostility and I can sense that Joey appears more tense than normal. His jaw locks and his eyes harden at the guy across from him. I turn to him, wanting to ask what’s wrong. My protective instincts from the good ol’ days are kicking in, but my vision blurs. Blinking, I watch as Joe’s face shifts in front of mine. My body feels sluggish and wants to shut down, to fall asleep, while my brain screams frantically for me to move away. Instinctively, I reach out for Joey but I miss his arm, the momentum sending me forward onto the seat and into blackness.
I knew it was a dream when I looked up and saw the picture of the six of us from our high school days sticking out of the visor. Blake kept it in there all the time. Which meant when I looked down and saw my hand gripped around the tan steering wheel of his cherry red Impala, it was confirmed I was out of it. That car was smashed and bent in odd places. Only now I was flying. My eyes widened while the speedometer kept creeping up. My heart hammered in my chest, my eye
s stung with tears. Real fear, the kind that steals your breath and makes your body ache before the adrenaline kicks in, raced through my body. My foot pumped endlessly on the brake pedal, but I wasn’t stopping. The tree I knew was coming grew closer and closer and the car only sped up.
“No!” I scream into my arms, throwing them up to shield my face, though the impact doesn’t come. When my arms lower, I’m back in Corazon. The party continues, only no one notices me. My gaze shifts to the booth we were partying in. A dark form sprawled out on the seat. My feet pull me closer even though I don’t want to see. I don’t want to know what is happening. My breathing comes in deep and short, practically sucking the life right out of me. This is going to kill me.
My body stops at the edge and I’m forced to look. Confusion rolls through me when I realize I’m looking at myself. Asleep. Not broken or bloody or torn apart. My head tilts and scans the area, but I’m still invisible.
I feel him before I see him. His freshwater, citrus, and sandalwood scent sinks into my skin bringing with it peace and despair. He smells like home. Like my childhood. Like my protector. Like the pillow he slept on for thirteen years that I kept for months after he left me, crying into it every night. Hating myself when that smell went away because I knew I’d never have it again. Turning my head, I meet his eyes and my knees want to buckle. Blake has no scratches, no blood, the tone of his skin has the same sun-kissed tan. His eyes move over me from my head to my toes and up. When our gazes connect, I can read the sadness in his.
I’m sorry, his mouth moves, but the words don’t come.
Shaking my head. “Don’t. It wasn’t your fault. I miss you so much,” I tell him. My words break when a sob catches in my throat. His brow furrows, his eyes sliding from me to the sleeping form on the seat before returning back to me. His hands are suddenly gripping my arms, his face inches from mine. He looks panicked and scared, his mouth moving again. I concentrate on his lips and still can’t hear anything. Blake’s grip is painful, his fear transferring into my body until my pulse races, my mind becomes frantic. Blake never worried. He never let anything bother him. My body sways in his grip. Screeching tires and shattering glass sound around us, our bodies fall to the floor.
Wake up, his voice is muffled, like I’m swimming underwater.
Wake up Blaise. My mind fights to listen, to hear, to see.
Wake up!
“The fuck,” I hear Joey grit between his teeth. “How much?”
“You heard what Alverez said, he didn’t want her lucid while Reyes was in the room,” Toni responds.
“Yeah, so get her drunk not… Jesus, I can’t even fucking say it,” Joey growls at him.
My head is pounding, little fragments of the night coming back to me. Taking inventory of my body, I can tell I’m on something soft, probably the bed I hadn’t used yet and my dress is still on and I’m covered with a blanket. I purposely keep my eyes closed, letting them think I’m still passed out. Names they keep repeating, Alverez, Reyes, Mamacita, names that mean nothing to me, yet somehow still seem important. Despite the splitting headache waiting for me once I open my eyes, I work to commit those names to memory. Hopefully, they’ll mean something to Jay.
“Jay.” His name comes out breathy from my throat, that I now realize feels like is packed with cotton balls. Two sets of eyes swing to me when I sit up. “Phone,” I managed to croak out, keeping my eyes partially closed from the offensive light coming through the window. Fuck Vegas and its constant heat and sun right now.
“How ya feeling, champ?” Toni asks, nudging my bed with his foot.
“Yeah.” Joey clears his throat before placing his fake smile on. “You partied hard last night, Blaisey.”
“I quit counting her shots after they played Usher,” Toni tells him, laughing at my expense.
“Phone,” I say again, holding my hand out. “And water,” I add. Joey laughs before leaving the room to get my requests.
“What happened?” I ask Toni once we’re alone.
His head cocks to the side. “You passed out. We got you to the room. It’s okay to relax a little, Blaise, everyone needs to sometimes.”
I watch him intently looking for any sign of his conscience knowing he just lied to my face. Fragments from last night come back. I may have had a couple shots and a drink, but I knew my limit. I had not been at the point where I would have no memory of leaving Corazon, let alone, the walk to the hotel room.
Before I can voice this, Joey returns to the room. “Here,” he says, not meeting my eyes. I flip the screen over.
74 Missed Calls
20 Texts Jay
5 Texts Jenna
“Shit!” I fly off the bed, unlocking my phone.
Jay: Are you okay? I tried calling earlier but it goes to voice.
Jay: Blaise. Seriously.
Jay: I stopped by Señor Locos. Jenna was working. Molly got sick and you all came back early. Only you didn’t because you never were with them.
Jenna: I’m so sorry! I didn’t know we were your alibi. :(
Jenna: Just call him. I’m sure he’ll forgive you once you tell him what’s up. :)
Jay: Where are you Blaise?
Jay: I’m pissed and fucking freaking out. WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?
Jay: Are you in Vegas?
Jay: Please don’t tell me you were naïve enough to go to Vegas with them.
Jay: Baby, please answer me. I need you to tell me where you are.
Jenna: Where you at girl? Homeboy here is not looking too good.
Jenna: Seriously babe you’re freaking us all out. :( :( :(
They go on and on. Two things for sure, I’m fucked and Jay knows I lied. Biting my bottom lip, I turn toward Toni. “I need to go now.”
“We’re leaving in one hour, Blaisey. Go shower and freshen up. We’re almost ready,” he tells me before they leave the room, closing the door behind them.
I don’t wait. I bolt for the bathroom, shower, place my wet hair into braids and wash all the makeup from last night off my face. I don’t feel sore or like I’ve been violated, yet I make sure to fully scan my body from head to toe anyway. No marks or bruises, except from Jay’s mouth, are anywhere on me. Sighing in relief, I sink to the floor. The room spins when my eyes close and my stomach heaves. I only have seconds to make it to the toilet before everything I consumed in the past twenty-four hours makes its way out of my body.
Me: I’ll be home soon.
I tap out my reply to Jay knowing it won’t matter at all until I’m in front of him, and he can see me. I wait for the little dots to appear and frown when they don’t.
“Fuck,” I mutter to myself, letting my head rest against the side of the tub. Everything hurts. Tears slide down my face with the realization that I was drugged. There is no other explanation. Last I remember I was buzzed, no doubt, but I was not blackout passed-out drunk. My stomach recoils thinking that now I have to spend a car ride with Stone, Antonio, and Joey. I don’t trust them. Someone did this and if it wasn’t them, they know who did.
Using the sleeve of the t-shirt I threw on, I wipe my tears and proceed to brush my teeth all over again. We make it out of the room and into the car without a problem. The space is silent, no one talks or jokes. It’s definitely not the carefree drive we had on our way there. I have many guesses why and choose to keep silent. I let my sunglasses fall down to my nose and watch through dark lenses while Toni counts the stacks of money from his pocket. And by stacks I mean stacks. Stacks of multicolored green, American bills. Twenties, fifties, hundreds. I watch as he finishes counting his then counts Joey’s and Stone’s in the same process. Nausea shifts my stomach again and I steel myself against it. I asked for this. I needed to see. I just didn’t think it would leave such a sting in my heart. The saddest part about this betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies. It comes from those who already know your weaknesses and can exploit it for their own gain. Now I know how far they could go.
By the time we make it into t
own, the sun has set and the street lights are popping on. I flip my phone over again and still have no messages from Jay. Jenna did text me back and after giving me the third degree, she had settled down somewhat. I’m nervous to face him. Part of me wants to go to his place and the other wants to get to Señor Locos to see if he is there, too. Maybe if there’s a crowd, he’d be less likely to murder me.
Stone drops me off first and I can’t get out of there fast enough. “Thanks,” I say and shoot them some deuces.
“You’ll feel better tomorrow,” Toni assures me, making me want to vomit all over again.
“Get some rest,” Joey calls, shaking his head. I nod and walk backward to my door. Stone watches me before shifting to drive and taking off. Somehow, his silence unnerves me more.
Running up to my door, I unlock the row of locks before stepping inside. The room is pitch black until I find the light switch. The kitchen light instantly turns on. There is no note for me on the counter from my mom, not that I’m surprised, and the note I had left her is now in the garbage can next to the counter. I kick off my sandals before hiking my backpack on my shoulder and feeling my way down the hallway to my room.
The air crackles with energy and heat before I even open my door. I know what I’m going to find. Sucking in a breath, I push the door open and step over the threshold, steeling my spine, ready for the battle ahead. Jay sits on the edge of my bed, his phone resting in his hands. His body is wound tight, his shoulders bunched under the red hoodie he’s wearing. His eyes slowly rise to meet mine, scanning over my body, no doubt looking for the same injuries I had looked for this morning. When the deep brown orbs meet my blue ones, anger, fear, worry, and another emotion I’m not ready to name flash through his. Even knowing he’s on edge, I refuse to budge. I acknowledge I didn’t make the smartest decision and I was drugged, but I needed to do something. I’m not the girl that sits and waits for her boyfriend, if I can even call him that, to fix everything. If it’s the last thing I ever do, I will find out what happened to my brother. A small dose of evil worked its way into my life this weekend. My eyes are now open to the demons hiding in plain sight. Not looking away, I lift my chin defiantly, matching the heat of his gaze, baiting the caveman lurking behind that beautiful face. Waiting for the storm of his fury.