by Caitlyn Dare
The drive to Levi's seems to take longer than any other time I've made this exact same journey to the Heights.
It's nearing midnight. The roads are dead, and the only light comes from my car and the moon shining through the trees. It's eerie as fuck and only makes the fear that's quickly filling my veins get worse.
What the hell has happened that Levi would call me there in the middle of the night? I swear to God, if Warren has so much as laid a finger on her I'll fucking kill him before the sun comes up, consequences be damned. I love my brother, I'd hate to see him go down, but maybe he should have considered that possibility before putting a bullet through that piece of shit's head.
As I wheelspin around the corner that leads to Levi's driveway, I pull up behind his car right as his brake lights illuminate and he brings it to a stop.
My car has barely stopped moving when my feet hit the ground and I run toward him.
"What's going—fuck," I bark, seeing my girl passed out in the backseat of his piece of shit car.
I rip the door open and take her in my arms. Her short skirt has ridden up around her hips, revealing her black panties, and her tank's lifted, showing off her toned stomach, but other than being a little exposed I can't see any evidence of him hurting her.
Carefully, I right her clothing and slide her into my arms, clutching her to my chest and breathing her in.
"What the fuck happened?" I snap at Levi as I follow him into his house with Kenny limp in my arms.
"Party at Macker’s, that's what happened."
"That fuck took her to Macker’s?" That sleazebag has a reputation that puts most of the Heights to shame.
"Take her to my room, first on the right. I'll get her a glass of water and pills. I think she's going to need them."
My lips part to ask more questions, but my priority right now is looking after Kenny.
I race forward and kick open Levi's bedroom door before laying her on his bed and sitting down beside her.
She's totally out of it.
My heart crashes against my ribs as I stare down at her. She's got makeup smeared all over her cheeks with tear tracks streaked through it.
"What happened tonight, babe?" I ask softly, trying to wipe the mess from her cheeks with my thumb.
She doesn't respond. She can't.
Levi's footsteps sound out behind me before he closes the door and walks over. He places a glass of water and a box of Advil on the nightstand.
"I grabbed these from the bathroom," he says, passing a packet of face wipes over to me before he drops down into the chair by the window.
"What happened?" I ask again through gritted teeth.
"You really want to know?"
No, I really fucking don't. "Yes."
Levi blows out a long breath before glancing at Kenny and then back to me. "He had her drink spiked. Fucked one of Macker’s sluts in front of her and then..."
"And then?"
His expression tightens. "She wants you to know the details, she can tell you, man."
"Jesus fucking Christ." I scrub my hand down my face, all kinds of crazy-ass ideas filling my mind about what he could have forced on my girl. "Where is he?"
"I made sure he took enough of whatever they were lacing the drinks with to knock out a small horse. He won't be waking up for a few hours yet."
"This is seriously fucked up."
"You fucking think?"
"She's gonna be okay, right?"
"Yeah, though I suspect she’ll have a killer hangover in the morning."
"I can't let her stay here. I can't let him keep doing this to her."
"Then fucking don't. Find a way to end this... to end him."
My fists curl with my need to do just that. "It's fucking coming. I just need to make sure he can't hurt anyone else first."
"We need to get her back before the sun comes up. If he thinks she went anywhere but home he's gonna be on the warpath. You can both stay in here. I'll crash on the couch." He pushes from the chair and walks to the door.
"Lev?"
"Yeah?"
"Did he... did he let anyone else..." I trail off. He doesn't need me to spell it out for him.
"Not that I know of, but I had to leave in order to deal with him."
I nod and he pulls the door open before I call for him again. This time I look over my shoulder and catch his eyes when he does the same thing.
"T-thank you."
He nods, accepting my appreciation before pulling the door closed behind him and leaving me alone with my girl.
Twisting around, I pull her boots from her feet and quietly drop them to the floor before toeing my own off. I pull out a couple of the wipes Levi handed me and make quick work of cleaning up her face until I reveal my gorgeous girl beneath, and then I crawl onto the bed beside her.
There are so many things I want to say to her, want to ask her, but I can't. Well, I could, but it's not going to get me any of the answers I so desperately need right now.
Wrapping my arm around her waist, I pull her into my body and drop my lips to her forehead.
"I've got you, babe. You're safe now." My voice cracks with emotion. She might be safe right this second, but I know Levi is right. We need to deliver her back before sunrise, and then she's once again going to be at his mercy.
Part of me hopes that the quantity of drugs Levi gave him tonight will finish him off, but another part would feel cheated if that were to happen. I want to be there, watching as the life drains from his eyes. I want to be the one who delivers the final blow and puts an end to the cunt that's tried to ruin my girl's life time and time again.
The sound of her shallow breathing is the only noise that fills the room as the minutes tick by. She sleeps soundly in my arms, but I have no chance of shutting off. I've got too many ideas running around my head about what she might have endured tonight. I know I should probably be relieved that she isn’t covered in blood and bruises, but we both know that the worst pain is often on the inside.
My hold on her doesn't falter, but all too soon the sky begins to turn orange as the dawn of a new day begins.
I want to lift her into my arms, place her in my car and run away with her. We could drive out of the Heights, past the Bay and just disappear together.
But where would that leave us? Where would that leave my dad and my brothers?
Warren isn't likely to give up that easily. He would haunt us wherever we went, and we would be constantly looking over our shoulders, waiting for him to show his face.
I force out a long breath and Kenny groans in my arms.
"K, babe?"
Her eyelids flicker and my breathing ceases as I wait for her to wake up and look at me.
I know the second reality slams into her because her entire body tenses before she attempts to curl herself into a ball.
"Babe, it's okay. You're safe. I've got you."
"C-Conner?" she croaks. The little bit of hope I hear in her voice rips my heart in two all over again. I thought walking away from her the other day was bad, but that's going to pale in comparison to what this morning has in store for us.
"Yeah, babe. I'm right here."
"Oh my God," she sobs, burying her face in my chest, her entire body trembling as her memories hit her.
I rub my hands up and down her back as she cries, wishing I could take her pain away and make it mine, anything to make all of this more bearable for her.
"Do you need a drink, some pain meds?" I ask once she's calmed down a little.
"Y-yeah. I think I might be dying." She tries to force some amusement into her voice, but it falls very flat.
"Here, hold your hand out." I watch as she downs the entire glass of water and throws back the pills. "You want to talk about it?" What little color she did have in her face immediately drains away.
"Where are we?" she asks, avoiding my question.
"Levi's bedroom. He got you out and called me."
"He's a good guy." I nod. "But what about—"
A soft knock on the door cuts off her question. I'm glad, because I really don't want to hear that motherfucker's name fall from her lips.
"I'm sorry, but we really should get you back," Levi says to Kenny.
Her entire body sags at his words. "It's not over then?" she asks no one in particular.
"I'm so sorry, babe."
"Don't. It's not your fault."
"Where is he?"
"He should be passed out at Macker’s still, but he won't be forever, and he's going to want to know where you are."
"Great."
"Do you remember last night, Ken?" Levi asks her, and she immediately tenses.
"Y-yeah."
"I… I was hoping maybe you wouldn't."
"Life's not that kind. Can I use your bathroom before we..."
"Sure." He directs Kenny down the hall before stepping into his room and changing his shirt. "She okay?" he asks as I shove my feet into my sneakers.
"What the fuck do you think?"
"You can't come, you know that right?"
"Fuck that, man. I'm not losing out on any time with her."
His eyes find me. "But... if he sees you..."
"Then we need to make sure he fucking doesn't."
The second Kenny reappears from the bathroom, I drag her into my side and don't release her until Levi pulls to a stop in front of the Kraven trailer. I hate to let her go. It physically fucking pains me to do so, but I know I've got no choice.
Chapter Thirteen
Kennedy
“I need to go,” I whisper, the words slicing me open.
Conner grips me tighter, pressing his lips to my forehead. “I can’t.”
“You have to, Con. Think of your brothers... your family.” If anything was ever to happen to them because of me, I couldn’t live with it.
A guttural roar fills the car as Conner’s fist smashes against the back of the seat.
“Easy, man,” Levi says, twisting around to look at us. “She’s right, you need to go before somebody sees us.”
Conner hesitates, looking right into my eyes. “I fucking hate this, K. I—"
“I know. But we don’t have any other choice.”
I slide to climb out of the car, wanting to save us both the heartache of goodbye, but Conner grabs my arm and pulls me back. His mouth crashes down on mine, hard and bruising.
“Dude, we need to go,” Levi grumbles, but Conner doesn’t let up. He slides his tongue against mine, kissing me the way only he can.
“Conner,” I breathe, finally tearing myself away.
“Fight, babe. Promise me you’ll fight.”
“I—" I think better of replying, opting for a small nod instead. The truth of the matter is, I’m not sure I have much fight left inside me. After last night, the way Warren demeaned me in front of Kian and his friends, not to mention the fact that he slipped me something in my drink, I know it’s only a matter of time before he hurts me again. Or worse.
“Go, before I do something I’ll regret.”
Part of me wants me to beg him to. We could take off, just the two of us. Leave Sterling and never look back. But I can’t ask him to do that, to leave his family, his brothers. I won’t.
Gingerly, I climb out of Levi’s car and walk the short distance to Warren’s trailer. When I reach the door, I glance back and meet Conner’s dark gaze. Seeing him is both a salve to my heart and a knife to my chest. I know Levi meant well, pulling me out of the party before something really bad happened, but now I have to cover my tracks with Warren. Besides, every time I see Conner, another piece of me dies inside.
I slip into the trailer unnoticed. There’s no sign of Mitch, but his bedroom door is closed, so hopefully he made it to bed last night.
Toeing off my sneakers, I tiptoe to Warren’s room, relieved when I find the bed empty. It’s still made, no sign that he was ever here. I quickly strip out of my clothes and slide under the covers. He’ll have to come back here eventually, and when he does, I don’t want to give him any suspicions.
I drift in and out of sleep, dreaming of Conner. My knight in shining armor, my protector. He’s defending me from a faceless monster, something that lurks in the shadows and sets my teeth on edge.
When I hear the front door slam, I jerk awake.
“Kennedy?” he yells.
“In here.” I yawn, pushing up on my elbows.
“Fuck, babe. You’re here, thank fuck.” He roughly tugs at the ends of his hair. “I woke up and you weren’t there and I thought—"
“I got a ride home with Jayden and Zoe.”
“You did?”
I nod. “You were... distracted.”
“Fuck,” he hissed, catching my meaning. “She was nothing, baby. Just a bit of fun.”
“You fucked her while forcing me to watch. That’s low, even for you.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.
Warren stalks closer, dropping on the edge of the bed. He reaches for me, tracing his finger along my jaw, and I flinch at his touch. “I only wanted to make you jealous, baby. To make you feel even an ounce of what I felt while you were with...” He can’t even say Conner’s name, but his anger and jealousy are tangible. Thick and cloying, it hits me like acid.
“She was nothing but a drugged-out slut, baby.”
I refuse to look at him, claiming this moment as my own.
“Fuck, Kennedy. It was supposed to be a bit of fun. If Miller and his fucking sidekick hadn’t showed up, I had big plans for the three of us.”
My stomach churns, and I work to keep last night’s alcohol in my stomach.
“What time did you get back here?” He eyes me with suspicion.
“I don’t know. I was pretty out of it. Thanks to you.” I glower.
“You’ve taken a little G before, baby. It was only supposed to get you in the mood.”
“You fucking drugged me, Warren,” I spit.
“Watch your fucking tongue.” He grabs my cheeks and squeezes my lips. It hurts, but I don’t give him the satisfaction of crying.
“So that’s what last night was? Punishment?” My stomach sinks. I knew it was, but it worries me that he’s finally talking about Conner. He’s obviously past the relieved doting boyfriend stage.
His eyes shutter and roll slightly.
“Warren?”
He’s weak. Still coming down from the drugs in his system. Now would be the perfect time to end this. If I had a knife or gun, I could blow his brains out or gut him like a fish, and I doubt he’d even put up a fight.
But I don’t... and I can’t.
I’m not that person—I’m not a killer.
Although sometimes I wish I was.
Defeat trickles through my veins. This is my life. It could be worse, I guess. After Conner left, and the abuse got bad, I was all alone. I didn’t know how good it could feel to have another person love you, to want to make you happy.
I know now, and Warren can’t ever take that from me.
Conner loves me, and it’s that thought I’ll cling to when things get hard and it seems like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel.
Warren is grumpy all weekend. He slept off his high most of yesterday, and today we’ve mostly been curled up in bed.
But he still hasn’t taken me.
It’s like a game.
Like he wants me totally unaware of when and how it will happen.
It’s unsettling.
I make us all a pot roast. Cooking was always my reprieve before, and I fit right back in at the small cooktop.
If you look past the dingy trailer, Mitch’s unkempt appearance, and Warren’s increasingly deteriorating mood, it almost feels like a regular Sunday dinner.
The three of us eat in an uncomfortable silence. Warren looks up at me every few minutes and I can’t help but feel like he’s got a million questions right on the tip of his tongue. But at no point does he say anything.
Well, not until we’ve finally finished.
“We’re going out tonight.”
“I—"
He silences me with a hard look. “Consider it an early birthday present.” A wicked grin tugs at his mouth, and suddenly, I’m not hungry anymore.
“That was some good shit,” Mitch says, draining a beer. “It’s good to have a woman back around the place.”
God, his words make my skin crawl.
There’s still some faint bruising around his eye from where Conner attacked him. I probably shouldn’t care more than I do. Mitch might be an alcoholic, but he stood by for months, watching and listening to his son beat and berate me. In my book, he’s just as bad. Maybe that’s why Warren’s mom left them all those years ago. She got out when she could.
Lucky her.
I collect up the dishes and start washing them. Warren sneaks up behind me, sliding his hands down my waist and grabbing my ass. I freeze, holding my breath as he lets his fingers dip into the cut-off material.
“Warren,” I hiss, shame burning through me. Mitch is right there at the table.
“Shh, baby.”’ He nips my ear. “Let me make it up to you.” The tips of his fingers sink into my pussy, and I clutch the edge of the counter at the sudden intrusion.
“Who owns this pussy, Kennedy?” His thumb finds my clit, circling, and my body starts to betray me.
“I—"
“Say. It,” he growls in my ear.
“Y-you do.” The words shred my insides. “You do.”
I know where Warren has brought me the second the car comes to a stop outside an old warehouse.
“You’re fighting?” I ask. As far as I’m aware, Warren hasn’t fought in months.
“No, we’re just here for the show,” he replies with a smug grin. One that has my heart in my throat.
Fight night isn’t the kind of place you bring your date, not without good reason.
What the hell are you up to, Warren?