I knew Matt would be pissed. Hell, I feel the same way. But he needs to calm down before he does something stupid. Payton steps away from me, out of my embrace, and slowly moves over to him and puts her arms around him.
“I won’t go back to him. I swear this time Matt.”
He wraps his arms around her, lowering his head to her shoulder holding her tight. “You better not Pay. I can’t lose you. Dad can’t lose you.”
“I won’t, I promise Matt,” she says lightly. “Please don’t tell dad or James. I don’t want to worry them. Dad has enough to worry about and James is at war, he doesn’t need to worry about his dumb little sister.”
He sighs. “Okay, I won’t tell Dad or James. But if you go back to him, I will tell them and you know they will make you move back in with Dad.”
She just shakes her head in understanding.
“Matt, don’t go threatening her with moving back home. She has enough to worry about,” I say, trying to direct the subject elsewhere.
“Payton why don't you go take a shower and get some of the dried blood off your face, you can borrow some of my clothes. Just look through my drawers.”
She gives me a half smile and breaks away from Matt. “Thank you, Hunter,” she sniffles out as she walks to my room.
I watch her walk away without a word. I turn back around and look at Matt.
“I want to know when you guys catch him,” he says quickly, catching me off guard a little. I mean, I knew he would want to know but he knows I have rules to follow.
“Matt I will tell you, but if you see him on the streets don't go after him, just call the police.”
“I won’t go after him, but fuck, I want to kill him. I have never wanted to hurt a person so much in my life.”
“I know. I do too. When I saw her last night, I could not believe what I was seeing. Don let me off work early so I could watch over her. She knew you would be mad and didn’t want to tell you.” I rub the back of my head and look at him. ”Matt don't get mad at her, she was so scared last night and she learned a lesson.”
He sighs and relaxes a little. “I am not mad, just upset with her for going back with him. We told her how many times that he was trouble and unstable. She didn’t listen to us once.”
I just look at him, not sure what to say to that. I thought the same thing, but I found myself not getting upset with her. I wanted to hold her close and let her know everything will be okay.
“Well, now she has proof that he is an ass.” He starts to walk to the door. “Fuck it,” he says loudly, hitting the wall without warning. “I have to go. I can’t see her like this. It pisses me off and I don’t want her to see me upset and I will get more upset the more I see her face.”
He looks at the floor and whispers “fuck” again, as he walks out of the living room and over to the door and opens it. “Tell her I love her and that Emily is waiting to meet up with her. I will see you tonight.”
Matt walks out of the house, slamming the door behind him.
I stand there for a few seconds and then walk into the kitchen to make something to eat. Wanting to help Payton out more than I already am. Wanting to fight to protect her and keep her safe. I just need to make her mine.
***
Payton
I grab a pair of Hunters sweatpants and one of his police department t-shirts for working out and head into the bathroom. Matt is so mad at me. I have never seen him look at me like that. The thought of it is tearing me apart. Matt and I have always had a close relationship. We never get mad at each other. He will tell me what he thinks and I tell him what I think and we take it to heart.
Seeing him look at me, like he wanted to strangle me, hurt. I lean forward against the sink and slowly look up. Startled at what I see. I slowly bring my fingers up and prod the injury lightly, as my eyes sweep over the bruises on my neck. My face is a mess. I sigh and force myself to look away from the mirror. It might take a week or two to look like myself again. Trying to forget about my face, I get undressed and jump in the shower. Washing away the crusted blood that was matted in my hair. I stand there for a while and let the warm water relax me.
After the shower, I get dressed and brush my hair, lightly, trying to be careful around the cut. Frustrated, I walk out of the bathroom and find Hunter in the kitchen. He is facing the window that is over his sink. He truly is a thing of beauty. I just watch him for a minute, taking him in. Thanking the stars that he is the one that came last night. I did not want to admit it last night, but I truly am happy it was him.
Shaking myself out of my thoughts I walk into the kitchen more. “I just want to say thank you for last night and letting me stay here,” I say lightly, causing him to jump.
He turns around and walks over to me. Startling me a little, as he pulls me into to a hug. “You don't have to thank me. I would rescue you any day.” He looks down at me and gives me a half smile.
I smile back and rest my head on his shoulder, breathing in his scent, loving the musky and woodsy smell of his cologne. I just can’t get enough of his smell. He smelled like a man, safe and powerful. I give myself a few more seconds and then back away.
“I should get going. I have to run home and change before I meet up with Em. I will give you your clothes back after I wash them.”
“Okay, if you want to stay here again tonight you can. I am heading to the bar with Matt and your dad later.”
Touched by his offer I decide to decline it. I can’t let Keegan win and scare me. “I will be fine at home, but thank you.”
I hug him again and head back into his bedroom to grab my clothes. After leaving Hunters house, I head over to my place. I walk in and look around, making sure Keegan is not in any of the rooms. I lock the door and put the chain in place, just in case he shows up. I turn the stereo on, not being able to stand the quiet.
I gather up some warm water and bleach to scrub the blood stain that is by my bathroom door. I dip the sponge in the bucket and start to clean it. Noticing that it’s not going away as fast as I would like it to, I start to scrub harder. That blood is just a reminder of how stupid and naive I am. Frustrated with myself for letting Keegan get to me, angry that I let this happen and embarrassed but happy that Hunter is the one that came to my rescue. Sick of my self-loathing, I gather the water and dump it out and get ready to go dress shopping with Emily.
I apply some makeup to try and hide the bruise. Having done a decent job of making it disappear, I find some clothes and get changed. I picked some skinny jeans and a shirt that has a higher neckline. I don’t want Em to see the bruising on my neck. I grab my purse and keys while texting Emily.
Hey, Girl I will be over in 10 min. I am heading out to your place now.
I walk out of my place and lock my door, making a mental note to get a new lock for the door today. I head to my car, throw my purse in and get in.
I pull up to Emily’s house and walk into her house. “Hey girl,” I say loudly so she hears me.
“You’re here,” she says, coming out of her bedroom. “Good we can get going soo…” She cuts her sentence off. Looking at me closely “What the hell happened to your face Payton?” her tone changing from happy to agitated.
Knowing she was going to see it and knowing I can’t lie to her because Matt knows now, I tell her the truth about what happen with Keegan, and how Hunter was the one to respond to the call and helped me.
She pulls me into a tight hug. “I am sorry hun. I really want to kill him for this.”
I give her a half smile. “So do Matt and Hunter. You might have to wait in the line that is forming.”
”You know if James and your dad find out, Keegan is a dead man right?”
I step back from her with what has to be a worried look. “They can’t find out Em. My dad will make me move back home and I don’t want that.”
My dad is very protective. He has been since my mom died. My mom was an awesome mother and a great wife. She passed away about ten years ago from breast cancer. I ha
ve memories of her, but nothing solid. They have faded over time. People say that the heartbreak feeling of losing someone that you’re so close to gets easier with time. That’s complete bullshit. I want to tell them that they are full of shit. It doesn’t get better with time. The reality of losing someone is a cold bitch. It leaves part of your heart gone, forever lost. No amount of happiness can bring it back. It will always remain empty in that one spot. You will always have that lost feeling and never know what way is right. You will guard your heart and make it hard for people to get in because you lost a piece of yourself.
My dad loved her a lot. He would say that she was his one true love. To this day, he still puts her on a pedestal and talks highly of her. My dad tells me all the time that I look like her. Everything from my hair to my eyes, nose and mouth. I feel honored and then sad that I look like her. I don’t want my dad to see me and think of his loss. I told him that one day. He told me that I could never remind him of what he lost with my mom, because I remind him of the love he had with her. I wish someday he will find someone that will make him happy again. He deserves to be happy.
“I guess Keegan picked on the wrong girl. Your dad can be scary. I would not want to be on the wrong end of his anger.” Emily says, giggling as she grabs her purse. Seeing her laugh causes me to laugh. One thing I can always count on is Emily, she always has a way to make me feel better.
“It would be awesome to see his face if he were to run into your dad or brothers. I bet it would be priceless.”
I laugh at her as we walk out to her car. I still get a little jealous of it when I see the beauty the car has. Emily’s parents are loaded. Rich is not a good way to explain how much money they have. They paid for her condo and bought her a brand new cherry red Audi R8 Spyder. She is like a sister to me and I will forever keep her close. We have both been through a lot with each other. She was there the day my mom got sick. When I told her about my mom, she cried for hours with me. When my mom passed away, she did not leave my side. When Jimmy Carson broke my heart in high school, she bought us both two pints of chocolate chip mint ice cream, that we devoured while talking about how much we hate boys. She was also the one to help me out of my “weird tomboy stage” as she calls it. I called it me living with two older brothers and my dad.
We ride in silence for a few minutes. I watch her look at me a few times, going through an inner battle with herself. I can tell she wants to ask me something, just by the way she is fidgeting in her seat. I want to laugh because she normally says whatever is on her mind. After a few more seconds, she finally sighs and spits it out. “So you stayed at Hunter’s last night?” She nudges me in the arm lightly. “Anything interesting happen?”
I nudge her back. “No. He didn’t want me to be home alone last night in case Keegan came back.” I try to keep a straight face, but it fails, as a slow smile spreads into a huge cheesy grin.
“I know, I was just trying to lighten the mood. That and I am a nosey bitch and know you want something to happen.” She shrugs when I give her a blank look, making my smile disappear. “Shit I’m sorry Payton. I should not have said that. I just know you have liked him forever.”
“Maybe I do want something to happen. He is good looking and sexy as sin. He is also very sweet and nice. But I can’t, it would be too weird.” I shrug back at her looking back out the window.
I don’t look at her when I hear her sigh. “How would it be weird? I don’t think it would be. I was just talking to Matt about you two last night. I told him you and Hunter should get together.”
This causes me to look back at her. I won’t lie I want to know what Matt has to say. “You want to know what Matt said?”
I shake my head yes, not really sure I want to know. It could be something good but then what he says could be something that changes the little bit of hope I have. That something could actually happen with us. I need to know more than not know. I won’t even fight with myself on this. “Oh god, what did he say?” I squeeze my eyes shut as I ask. Too scared of the outcome.
She smiles “He said he talked to Hunter about it a while ago. He gave Hunter his blessing to date you.”
“He what?” I shout out at her. A little shocked that they talked about me.
“I know. I yelled at him and told him it’s not his place to say who you can and can’t date.” She glances back at me and smiles.
I get a huge goofy grin on my face. I try to hide it, but I can’t. “Well, it would be weird and even more so now because Matt gave him his blessing,” I say, looking out the window, wanting to drop this topic now.
Thankfully she drops it and we drive a few more minutes, talking about the kind of dresses she wants to look at. We finally pull up to the bridal store. Before we get out she turns and looks at me, taking my hand into hers. “You should think about it. You two would be so cute together and he is so much better for you than dick head.”
She catches me off guard at first, but it quickly dawns on me we are back on the topic of Hunter.
“I know,” I say lightly, pulling my hand free and get out of the car.
We spend the rest of the day looking at dresses for her and picking out colors for the bridesmaid dresses. We go to a few more stores picking up a new lock for my apartment door and a few other items I needed to get. We meet up with Matt at a local diner and eat dinner together. I hug Matt and say hi to him, but he doesn't say much to me. In fact, he is quiet during dinner, not even looking up at me.
As we are finishing up dinner my phone rings; I notice that it’s Hunter and pick it up.
“Hey Hunter.”
“Hey Payton, I just got word from Don that they caught Keegan early this morning.”
“Oh, really?” I say with a smile, sitting up straight in my seat, looking at Matt and Emily. They look back at me, leaning in closer to hear what’s being said. Emily mouths “what” to me. I raise my finger to keep her quiet and give me a minute. Hunter is still talking and I want to hear what he has to say.
“Yes, but don't get too excited. His dad bailed him out earlier today.” I can hear the frustration in his voice.
I let my shoulders slump in frustration. “Oh,” I say lightly, looking down at the table. Matt grabs the phone out of my hands and talks to Hunter for a few minutes. I look at Emily feeling lost and scared, but not wanting to tell her that. I don’t want to be babysat tonight.
After a few minutes of intense conversation, Matt hangs up and takes his wallet out of his pocket putting money on the table for the bill. “Payton you are going to ride with me to go back to your house and change the locks. I want to make sure he isn't in there when you get home.”
“Matt my car is at Emily’s, that won’t work.”
Emily leans forward in her seat and looks at me than to Matt. “I can drive it to your place and just catch a ride back with Matt or I can stay at your place tonight.”
Sighing, knowing I won’t win this fight I give in. “You don't have to stay at my place all night, I will be fine. I can’t let him scare me or he wins, right?” I get up and start to walk out of the restaurant.
“Girl, I love your attitude,” Emily says, linking our arms together and walks out to Matt's car with me. “I will see you guys in 30 minutes,” she says and gets into her car that is parked right by Matts and takes off.
I get into Matt's car and wait for him. He gets in, pulls out and heads for my apartment building. He doesn’t say anything at first, but the first thing he does say makes my breath get stuck and causes panic to rise.
“I should really tell dad about this Payton.”
I look at him sharply. “Matt that won’t solve anything. He will just freak out and get stressed, demanding that I move back in with him. I am not moving back home.” I give him a pointed look, challenging him.
“He is out and free right now. Free to do whatever the fuck he wants.” He is angry, his voice is low and demanding. I watch his hands tense on the steering wheel. His knuckles turning white as he grips it tighter
.
“I know and I am not going to let that scare me. I don't want to live in fear of him.” I stop for a second to take a breath. “Matt, his dad is a powerful man. He will just keep bailing him out, he is always going to be out there.”
“I fucking hate this,” he shouts, taking his hand and running it through his hair in frustration. “Why couldn’t you just listen to us and stay away from him? We told you he was trouble, that he would treat you like shit.”
I look away from him and out my window, watching the houses and trees pass by, trying to think of the best thing to say to that. I know I did this to myself. I don’t blame anyone but me. “I'm sorry okay? I messed up. Yes, I'm terrified he is going to come back and hurt me. I don't need you to be a jerk to me right now. I need you to be the big brother and be here for me.”
Everlasting Page 4