by Beck, J. L.
I guess I should start carrying my phone with me. I just didn’t see the point until now, since I didn’t have anyone to call or expect anyone to call me.
“We want you to come and stay with us at our house. It’s not safe for you at the dorms alone, and since we don’t live on campus, if something happens, it’s going to take us a bit to get there.”
“Okay, just drop me off at campus first. I’ll talk to the police and clear this up. Then I can swing by the dorms and pick up some clothes, and a couple of other things.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, we can just drive by the police station on the way to our place,” Oliver says.
“I really need to go to the dorm and get something,” I urge. I only have two birth control pills left. I need to take it continuously, or I’ll be in trouble. More than trouble, my life will be over.
Oliver and Sullivan exchange a look, and I’m not sure what they’re discussing in their weird sibling communication, but I wish they’d let me in on it.
I’m almost certain they’re going to say no, so I prepare myself for an argument, but I’m shocked when Sullivan says, “Okay, you can do what you need to do, and we’ll stay on campus nearby.”
“Thank you,” I mumble, and Banks chooses then to place his hand on mine. I can’t help how happy I am to have these three men by my side.
When we pull up to the dorms a short while later. Two cop cars are parked right out front, but I don’t see the police officers until I get out of the car. Before I even have a chance to explain, two more cops come running toward us, guns drawn, yelling at all of us to get on the ground.
I’m so shocked, I don’t know what to do, or say, or even think. I’m about to get on the ground when I realize it’s not me they’re talking to, but the guys.
“What… what’s wrong?” I ask one of the cops, who is currently slapping a pair of handcuffs on Banks.
“Are you alright, Miss? Did they hurt you?”
“Why would they hurt me? They didn’t do anything. Please stop,” I plead with him.
“We were told by your parents that three men had kidnapped you,” the police officer tells me. Worry and confusion turn to anger and understanding in the blink of an eye.
“Release them now! No one kidnapped me. I went with them of my own will, and last I checked I’m an adult who can make her own choices.”
Almost immediately they’re released and come over to stand by my side. Banks is rubbing his wrists, giving the cop a stink eye, but doesn’t say anything.
“You okay?” Oliver asks, taking my hand into his. I force a reassuring smile and nod.
“We would like to take a statement, just for our records,” one of the cops tells me.
“What is there to say? Nothing happened. I went to a cabin with my friends for three days, end of statement,” I snap.
I know it’s not the cop’s fault, but he is here right now, and my parents aren’t, so I guess he’ll just have to deal with my anger.
“Okay, we’ll leave you to it then.” The cops look at each other before getting back into their cruisers. I watch them drive away, unable to hide the dirty look on my face.
Once they’re out of sight, I return my attention back to the guys. All three of them look at me with nothing but concern and only then do I realize that I’m shivering. I have this overwhelming urge to hug all of them, and since Oliver is closest, I hug him first. He holds me close to his chest for a moment before releasing me, so I can hug Sullivan and Banks too.
“I just want all of this to be over,” I finally say.
“It will be soon. We’ll figure it out,” Sullivan says, and it almost sounds like a promise.
“Okay… you guys just wait here. I’ll run upstairs real quick and get my stuff.”
“I’ll come with you,” Banks announces, and I can tell by his tone, and the tenseness of his body that he is not going to take no for an answer. Where Oliver and Sullivan are happy for me to take the lead, Banks’ concern for me overrides his usual easygoing nature. Offering him my hand, he takes it and interlaces our fingers.
We walk inside together holding hands, and it occurs to me then, is he even okay with this kind of PDA? I don’t want to push this, whatever we all are, none of us have put a label on it yet, and I don’t want to be the first to. I start to pull my hand away, wanting to give him some space, but I don’t even get my hand moved an inch before he’s tightening his grip. He looks over at me with a lifted brow, and I gulp. Okay, so he doesn’t care if someone sees us holding hands.
When we reach the door to my room, there’s music blasting through the heavy wood letting me know that Shelby is here.
“Shelby’s here, do you mind waiting out in the hall? I want to talk to her on my own. I need to know why she lied to me about Oliver at the party.”
Banks doesn’t look happy, in fact, he looks like he might kick someone’s ass at any given second, but he agrees nonetheless, “I’ll be right on the other side of this door if you need me, and if you don’t come out in a few minutes, I’ll kick the fucking thing in.”
I couldn’t stop myself from rolling my eyes at his alpha tendencies if I tried. “Mhh, how about I just leave it unlocked, and you can come in the normal way?”
Shrugging, he says, “I guess if you want to take the fun out of it.”
He lets go of my hand, and I suck in a calming breath before I grab the doorknob and twist it, opening the door. I’ve barely crossed the threshold when I spot Shelby running across the room, she’s coming right for me, like a raging bull. Her body collides with mine, her arms wrapping around me, engulfing me in a tight hug.
“Harlow, oh, my god. I was so worried about you! Where were you and why didn’t you have your phone with you? I didn’t have an option. Those stupid guards your father sent wouldn’t go away, and I didn’t know where you were, and I tried to cover for you but…”
She’s carrying on, and on, and no way am I going to get a word in if I don’t get her to take a breath and stop talking.
“It’s okay. I’m fine, see, alive and well.”
Shelby pulls away, her eyes filled with tears, “I was so worried about you. You’re my best friend, and you’ve had enough things happen to you lately. I can’t risk losing you again.”
Her words make no sense to me, especially if she is the one who put the drugs in my drink, but I can’t ignore them.
They tug on my heartstrings, and I think it’s because I don’t want to believe that one of my only friends, my best friend, could be the one to hurt me.
“Shelby… I need to ask you something, and I want you to be completely honest with me. Why did you lie about Oliver drugging me at that party?” It seems like the longest pause in mankind occurs between us.
“What? I…” For a moment, I think she’s going to deny it. Maybe come up with another lie, but then, instead of saying anything, she starts to cry. She covers her face with her hands, her whole body shaking, because she is crying so hard, and all I can manage to do is wrap my arm around her.
“I’m sorry, Harlow,” she chokes out between sobs. “I’m sorry.”
“Just tell me what happened. Why did you lie?”
“I’m just trying to protect you, Harlow. I swear.” That sounds a little far-fetched given what she did.
“By drugging me?”
“What? No! I didn’t drug you. I don’t know who did. I wasn’t lying about that. Some guys did distract me and kept me from going back outside… it just wasn’t Oliver, and I didn’t see anyone put anything in your drink.”
“Then why did you say that?”
“To keep you away from them. They are bad people, Harlow. You wouldn’t believe me, you never do, but it’s true! They hurt you so bad. They had the whole school against you. The banner… that wasn’t the only thing they did, you know? They terrorized you, and then all these other things happened to you, and every time the Bishops were there. That’s not a coincidence.”
“Shelby, I know you
are trying to be a good friend, but you need to trust me on this. It’s not the Bishop brothers who have been after me. Yes, they bullied me before the accident, but it’s not like that anymore, things have changed between us.”
“There is more, Harlow…” Shelby wipes some tears from her eyes, which are now swollen and red, with her sleeve. “Their parents contacted me a while back. They wanted me to spy on you. I didn’t want to do it. I told them no, never would I betray you. But then they threatened me. They told me if I didn’t give them information, they would hurt my family and with everything that happened with my father, I couldn’t risk them hurting him, or my mother.” For some reason, I’m frantic, needing to know what it is that she’s talking about. Why would they go to Shelby?
“What do you mean spy? When? What did they want to know, and what did you tell them?” I’m grasping at straws here trying to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together. There are things I know now, and things I don’t quite understand, or remember yet, and it’s all so confusing.
Shelby exhales a breath. “They contacted me right before the boat incident. At first, they just wanted to know stuff like if you were seeing one of their sons. I told them, no, of course, you guys hated each other. Then the car accident happened, and they just kept contacting me, wanting updates. They asked if you regained your memory and stuff like that. I don’t know what they wanted, Harlow, but I’m worried about you. The Bishops can’t be trusted, I mean, they threatened me for information about you.”
For the first time in three days, my heart is in my stomach. I don’t know what to think or even feel. Have the brothers been lying to me? Do they know about this? Every time it feels like I’m getting my footing, something else happens.
“I don’t know what’s happening between you and them, but I felt like you should know. I think it’s very likely they’re the ones trying to hurt you. Why else would they want to know about you and their sons? None of these things started happening until after they approached me.” God, I hope not. Shivers rack my body at the thought.
The brothers’ parents wouldn’t try and kill me over some stupid family rivalry, would they? There are so many pieces to this puzzle missing, and a headache is starting to form behind my eyes. I can’t think about this anymore.
“It’s okay. I believe you, and I trust you. You’re really the only friend I have here. I just wish you would’ve told me sooner. I’m having a hard time telling who is friend, and who is foe.”
Shelby nods, and takes a step back, giving me a chance to breathe. Immediately, I start gathering my stuff; a couple changes of clothes, my toothbrush, sleep shorts, and…
“Have you seen my birth control pills?” I ask Shelby, after looking where I’m pretty sure I had put them last.
“No, I haven’t seen them, and where are you going anyway? You just got back. I thought maybe we could have a movie night and catch up, spend some time together. It seems like we never see each other anymore.”
“Come on, girl, we haven’t hung out all week.” Shelby’s voice echoes in my head, a memory starting to surface.
“Fine, how about we watch a funny movie?” I really need a good laugh after the week I’ve had.
“Rom-com?” Shelby chimes.
“That’s fine, as long as the main character doesn’t resemble any of my stalkers.”
“Oh, Harlow… I’m so sorry you’re having a hard time. Do you want me to kick their asses? Because I will!” Shelby throws her arm over my shoulder, pulling me into her side.
“The Bishops are really starting to get to me. This is not what I thought college life would be like,” I lean into her, letting my best friend comfort me.
“I’ll always be here for you. Don’t you ever forget that.”
My heart warms toward Shelby at the memory. She has been a good friend… the best.
“I promise we’ll hang out soon, but not today. I’m going to stay with the guys.” Shelby sighs deeply at the mention of them but doesn’t say anything to stop me. “I trust them, and whatever their parents did, is not on them.”
Shelby folds her hands in her lap, “Okay, Harlow, but be careful.”
“I will,” I tell her and keep gathering my stuff. I finally find my birth control in one of my drawers. I shove them in my bag with the rest of my belongings. “I have my phone with me this time. I’ll text you.”
After a quick hug, I head for the door. I step out and find Banks leaning against the wall, his lips are pressed in a tight line, and his eyes look a shade darker. I close the door behind me before I ask, “Did you hear?”
“I did,” he says through his teeth. He takes my hand and starts pulling me down the hallway.
“What are you thinking?” I’m assuming he still thinks that Shelby is lying, especially now that she’s accused his parents. That’s why I’m so shocked when I hear what he has to say next.
“We had suspected that our parents had a spy, someone to keep tabs on you, even on us, but we didn’t know who it was, and we definitely didn’t know that they would go to such lengths and resort to threatening anybody.”
“Do you think… they want me dead?” I don’t know much about his parents or the relationship the brothers have with them, but the need to threaten Shelby for information about me has me terrified. Out of the corner of my eye, I watch Banks’ face morph with pain. He looks angry and frustrated but above all, disappointed.
“I can’t imagine they would. I just can’t. They’re good people…” his voice trails off as we reach the bottom of the stairs. The front door opens, and two girls walk inside. I don’t think I know them, but they must know me, or at the very least Banks, because they both stop to stare at us. A sickening smile forms on one of the girls’ lips, her eyes narrowing.
“You can’t use the dorms as a place to whore yourself out, you know? Some people actually come to this university to get an education.”
She didn’t… yes, she did. This bitch just called me a whore.
I blink, literally shocked at her nerve. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” she tsks, her eyes mirroring disgust.
Without even realizing it, I find my hands balling up into tight fists. I want to punch that look right off her face.
Banks shakes his head, his lips turning up at the corners.
“Ignore them, they’re just jealous that you managed to bag three of the hottest guys at Bayshore.” The way he speaks of them, with a smidge of snark, makes their words hurt a little less. The girls roll their eyes and carry on past us like nothing happened at all.
“Were you really going to punch them?” Banks asks, giving me a quirky look.
My shoulders raise into a shrug. “I don’t know. I just wanted to make them eat their words.”
When we get back to the car, Sullivan and Oliver seem tense. “What took you so long? We were about to storm up there and start knocking heads together,” Oliver berates.
“Shelby says that our parents hired her to spy on Harlow,” Banks announces as soon as we’re back in the car with all the doors closed.
“Son of a bitch,” Sullivan growls as he slams a closed fist against the dash. “It’s not surprising, not in the least, but I am shocked that they went to Shelby.”
Oliver speeds out of the parking lot, and we tell them the rest of the story, including the run-in with the skank squad in the hallway.
“I’m going to have a talk with Mom and Dad, and see if I can get to the bottom of this. And about those girls they’re nobodies.”
All I can do is shrug. I want to tell them that it’s easy to say something like that when they’re not the ones being called a whore or looked at with disgust. How am I supposed to let go of the things they said and did?
I know I shouldn’t care about what other people think… I know that, but that doesn’t mean I can just turn off my feelings or forget what they said.
“I’ll try, but it’s not that easy.”
“Forget them,” Banks assures me with a gentle h
and, and something tells me it’s going to be a lot harder than just forgetting them.
11
Walking toward the front of the class, I hand in my essay to Professor Paulson, who gives me a curt nod as I exit the room. Oliver follows in stride right beside me, our fingers interlocked as we step into the hallway together. The brothers find their way into every single one of my classes, ensuring that I’m safe. Adjusting my backpack, I walk down the long hall with Oliver in tow. I’ve gone maybe ten feet when a hand lands against my shoulder, halting any further steps.
Seriously. I half expect it to be one of the stupid guards, so when I turn around there is nothing but barely restrained rage painted on my face.
“Hey, guys…” Caroline greets and immediately my features soften.
Not Bert, or Ernie, thank god.
“Hey, sorry, I thought you were one of the guards my father assigned.”
Oliver looks around us, scanning the area. “Now that I think of it, we haven’t seen either of them for a while.” He shrugs. “Hopefully they got fired. I mean, they did do a terrible job. We kidnapped you in broad daylight, and they couldn’t even figure out where you were,” he teases, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
“I would definitely fire their asses if I was your father,” Caroline chimes in. “I just wanted to see if you wanted to get coffee or something?” My stomach rumbles in appreciation of her offer. It’s been nearly six hours since I last ate anything because I stupidly chose to skip lunch and finish my paper.
“Sure. I’m done with classes for the day, and I could use a cookie, and a coffee right about now.”
Caroline gives me a megawatt smile.
“You okay with that?” I direct the question at Oliver.