Wicked End

by Bella Jeanisse

  With every ounce of strength, she swung her head back and smacked it against his, hard. “Fuck you!” It had the desired affect. Dean stumbled backwards.

  She fixed her clothes and made her way to the exit. She moved slower than she had hoped, but the action had almost exhausted her.

  It took Dean a few seconds to recover. He couldn’t believe she had done that. “You fucking bitch. No one does that to me.” He grabbed her before she got to the door and tossed her on the couch.

  She landed on her back, and her legs went up. He startled her by holding them up. She tried to kick, but he held on tight. “Scott!” she yelled, hoping he could hear her. He turned, and she used the lapse, to move her right leg.

  Dean groaned when her heel jabbed his thigh. “Fuck!” He winced and grabbed her face. “You’re gonna pay for that.”

  “No, I’m not.” She slapped him across the face with as much force as she could muster, his head turning. She was not going to let him get his way. “You’re an asshole.”

  Pissed off, he grabbed her arms and flipped her over. “Whatcha gonna do now, bitch?” He grinned and lay down on her so she couldn’t move. “I’m getting it, baby.” He was so full of rage; he didn’t bother with a condom.

  She kicked, missing several times. “Get the fuck off!”

  Scott had heard Mackenzie and walked into the room. What he found, was definitely not what he expected. He saw Dean on top of her and rushed forward, to the other side of the room. She was shouting and obviously trying to get him off her.

  Dean groaned as she moved her hips again. He couldn’t penetrate her, and it was getting frustrating. “Stay still!”

  Mackenzie spread her legs and lifted her hips, almost allowing him entry. She kicked again. Her heels touched some part of his legs, and she pushed.

  He howled as she dug her heels into his skin. Then he jumped up, knowing she broke the skin. “What the fuck?”

  She moved quickly, flipping over and getting to her feet. Just as Dean turned back to her, she swung at him. “Fuck off!” Her fist connected with his cheek, and he fell to the floor.

  Scott’s mouth opened wide. Shocked she was able to move so fast, he stood there, until she started to fall. He caught her just before she hit the ground. “Nice move.” He lifted her to her feet and hugged her. “What was he doing to you?” He pretended he didn’t know, while quelling the urge to bash Dean’s face in.

  “Nothing, I took care of it,” she insisted. “Just forget it.” She fixed her skirt and growled, still angry with Dean. “I’m gonna…” Scott held her still. “…let go.”

  Scott whispered, “Let me deal with it.”

  “No. I fight my own battles.” She struggled to get away, but he didn’t let go.

  Dean was up again. She had caught him off guard, and he wasn’t going to let that happen again. “Fucking bitch,” he growled under his breath. “Fuck this.” He closed his pants and left the room.

  “Brandon’s gonna kill him,” Scott said in a low voice.

  She looked up at him. “Don’t you dare tell him!” Her lips pursed for a few seconds. “This is my problem, not his.” She pulled away from him and carefully walked to the door, holding on to the wall a few times. She searched the room for Dean, fuming mad. When she found him, she pushed him. “You dick!”

  “What the fuck’s your problem?” He grabbed her left arm. “You had your chance.”

  She took a deep breath, then lashed out again. “Asshole!” Her fingers clenched and her right arm swung again.

  He had to step back from the shockingly powerful blow. His hand flew to his nose. “Really?” He dabbed at the blood dripping from it.

  “Why’d she do that?” Jake got to Mackenzie just as Scott did.

  Scott grabbed her, stopping her from going after Dean again. “I got it.” He hugged her back to his chest. “Calm down, before you pass out.” He leaned his head on hers. “Jake, go find Brandon.”

  “She OK?” Jake couldn’t help but worry.

  Mackenzie slowed her breathing a bit. “I’m fine, Jake, just overdid it.”

  Minutes later, Brandon rushed into the room. He found Mackenzie sitting next to Scott, her head on his shoulder. “What happened? Jake said she looked upset.”

  “Um, she…”

  Mackenzie interrupted Scott, “It was just a misunderstanding. I don’t want anyone talking about it.” She used Scott’s body to get up. “I missed you.” She threw her arms around him, to distract him.

  “Hey, Tink.” He was getting nervous. She was shaking slightly. “Talk to me. What is it?”

  She took a deep breath. “It’s nothing. Brandon, drop it, please.”

  Vince, one of Gasoline’s roadies, stuck his head into the room. “Ten minutes, guys! Let’s go!”

  “Oh shit, Dean. What the fuck?” Dominic grabbed a napkin and blotted the blood running over Dean’s lip. “She’s got a mean right hook.”

  Brandon turned to Dominic. “ ‘She’ who?”

  Mackenzie pulled him away from Dominic. “Some chick he was harassing. Can we go, please?” She didn’t want anyone to tell him the truth.

  “But Gasoline didn’t play yet.” Brandon knew something was up. “Tell me why first.”

  She looked up at him. “I’m just tired.”

  He gazed into her eyes and saw the exhaustion. “Too long of a day for you.” He sighed. “You need your medicine anyway.” They walked to Wicked End’s dressing room where he had stored her pill bottles. When they entered, Chico and Ashley were making out on the couch. Julian was playing video games.

  Brandon steered Mackenzie to one of the attached private rooms. He was grateful the arena had that type of setup backstage. He took her by the shoulders and sat her on a couch. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”

  She sat back and relaxed, as tired as Brandon suspected. The altercation with Dean had drained her, but she was glad she pushed back. He needed to be told it’s not OK to just take what you want. Giving him a nosebleed was quite empowering. She had always been able to take things into her own hands and was glad Brandon had no clue. He tended to overreact when it came to her. She closed her eyes, wanting to forget the whole thing.

  “Hey.” Chico noticed Brandon searching through his bag in the corner. “How’s she holding up? She’s made an incredible turnaround this weekend.”

  Smiling Brandon replied, “She’s tired, but still feeling good. I was worried we’d have to leave the girls behind.”

  “So…” Chico grinned at Ashley. “You think Julian can hang out with you guys for a while?” When Brandon looked at him, he winked. “We got a lotta time to make up.”

  “Sure. Julian, why don’t you come inside with me?” Brandon put Mackenzie’s medicine in his pocket. “Maybe you can help me make Kenzie take a nap.”

  Julian jumped up, not taking his eyes off the portable game system Chico had bought for him for his birthday. “Yeah, they wanna get it on.” He made a look of disgust. “Gross.”

  Brandon laughed and ushered him to where he had taken Mackenzie. “Don’t worry. I promise me and Kenzie will keep our hands to ourselves.” He looked in the room and sighed. She was asleep. “Sshh, she needs the rest.”

  Julian sat across the room in a recliner and kicked his feet up. He didn’t care where he hung out, as long as he wasn’t bored. He had watched the show with his mom until then. He loved the new device Chico had gotten him. It was something he had asked for several times. Chico always came through, but he hated to ask for him material possessions. He loved him even without the gifts.

  Carefully, Brandon sat down next to Mackenzie. He put the bottle of water between his legs and wrapped an arm around her. “I got your pills. Can you open your eyes a bit?”

  Hearing him in a dream, she moaned softly, a bit achy. He called her name, again, and she realized it wasn’t part of the dream. Her eyelids started to flutter. Then she found her head on his chest. He smelled like sweat, but she could care less. “Something… wrong?”
She was so groggy.

  He pulled both pills out of his pocket. “You need these. Open up.” He popped them into her mouth then held the water for her. When she got them down, he hugged her. “You can go back to sleep now.” He turned a little and lay back on the side pillow. “When you wake up, we’ll watch Gasoline, if they’re still playing.”

  Chapter Thirty Four

  The next thing Mackenzie knew, there were several voices in the room. She lifted her head and rubbed her sore neck.

  Brandon had been talking to Chico, quietly. “Hurts, huh?” He pulled her between his legs and rubbed her neck. He had thought about moving her when she fell asleep in an odd position, but she seemed comfortable. A soft sigh told him he was easing her pain.

  “Show’s over,” Chico announced, after putting his phone away. “We’re gonna head back to Ashley’s. We keeping the bus here or there?”

  Austin came into view. “I think we’re keeping it here tonight and moving it later. There’s a big party in the hotel down the street. Not smart to drive after a bash like that. You know we’re all getting smashed.” He stretched his limbs. “I’m gonna jump in the shower and change.”

  Scott was sitting next to Brandon. “I’m gonna take a shower on the bus, before someone else claims it.”

  “Hurry up.” Brandon stroked Mackenzie’s hair. “I need one bad. Don’t know how she can stand me.”

  He lifted her up and carried her back to the bus, several of the guys helping shield her from view of the fans. By the time they were in the front lounge, she was trying to squirm out of his arms.

  “I’m OK, just tired.” She hated being babied.

  After Scott’s shower, Brandon jumped in, to a few roadie’s dismay. Jake and several others used the showers in the arena. Brandon had a feeling Mackenzie was keeping something from him. Her and Scott kept looking at each other. He was sure Scott had told him everything that happened at Ashley’s, so it had to be something recent.

  “You have to tell him,” Scott whispered to Mackenzie while she searched for clothes. “Someone’s gonna mention it to him.”

  “No, I don’t,” she growled softly. “I can take care of myself.” She wished he would forget about it.

  Scott looked around. There wasn’t anyone within a few feet. He exhaled loudly, angry that she wouldn’t let him punch Dean as well. “I’m not saying you can’t take care of yourself, but he’s gonna kill me for hiding it from him.”

  “You promised.” Anxiety gripped her. Brandon could never know.

  Scott heard the water turn off and looked down the aisle. “No, I didn’t.” He lifted her chin and saw her lip trembling. “Shit’s gonna hit the fan if someone else tells Brandon.”

  “Tells me what?” Brandon stood close by in a towel.

  Scott stared at him for a few seconds, desire building within. “Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

  Mackenzie could see Brandon was not going to let it go. She had to make something up. “It’s just a groupie thing.”

  “One of my groupies?” Brandon’s eyebrows rose. He looked her over and saw the knuckles on her right hand were red and a bit swollen. “Did you get in a fight with one of them?”

  She looked up at him. “No.” Then she grabbed a long T-shirt. “I’m gonna take a shower.” Quickly, she brushed past Brandon, while Andy exited the bathroom. She exhaled loudly once she had closed herself inside. She shivered, remembering Dean trying to force his way into her. Washing him off her was just what she needed.

  Jake came up the stairs of the bus, changed and ready to go. “Who’s ready? I don’t wanna walk in alone.” Then he saw Scott and Brandon. “Hey, Brandon—is Mackenzie OK?”

  Brandon was starting to get angry. He had definitely missed something. When he heard Mackenzie turn the shower on, that sealed it. She was hiding something big. “What the fuck’s going on?” He looked from Scott to Jake. “Why’s she acting so sketchy?”

  Scott grabbed the edge of his bunk. “She punched Dean… twice.”

  “Why? What the fuck did he do to her?” Her needing a second shower made his mind race. If he touched her again…

  Nervously Scott shifted his weight. “She asked me not to say.”

  Mackenzie heard the raised voices. She washed faster, knowing Brandon would explode if she didn’t calm him. What is he gonna do if someone tells him what they saw?

  “Spill it now!” Brandon demanded, tired of the run around.

  Scott pulled his bottom lip in before uttering, “I walked in on Dean on top of her. He had her pinned down, and she was trying to get out from under him. That’s all I saw.”

  “Was he fuckin’ her?” Brandon’s heart was pounding, his anger boiling over. He thought of every time she shied away from Dean after he had her alone that first show. She seemed to fear something.

  Scott wished he had seen more. “I don’t know. She yelled for me. By the time I got in there, all I saw was Dean on top. She didn’t want my help, so I didn’t think he was hurting her.”

  Jake thought Brandon knew. “She clocked him when they came out of the room,” he added. “Scott had to hold her back. She gave him a bloody nose, funny as hell.”

  Brandon was breathing hard, fury consuming him. He knew she never reacted that way unless someone deserved it. “Jake, you saw it too. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Um, you guys left.” Jake realized he had missed something also. “Did Dean do something to her?”

  Mackenzie opened the bathroom door, slowly. She wasn’t sure how much Brandon knew. Peeking out, her heart sank. Jake was there too? Damn! That meant Scott couldn’t hide anything.

  “Hey, I’m next.” Jason gently pulled her into the hallway. “We all wanna leave.”

  She found herself with no way out and Brandon staring at her.

  “What’d he do?” Brandon bellowed. He had thrown shorts on. “Dean did something to piss you off or scare you. What?”

  She wasn’t sure what to tell him. “Forget it, please. I took care of it.”

  “Fuck that! What the hell did Dean do to you?” Brandon was losing control of his emotions. He wanted to wipe the streets with Dean, no matter what he did. He stared at her, waiting for a response, but she stayed silent. “When we were in Michigan, you said it wasn’t worth it, why?” He moved to stand in front of her, glaring down at her.

  Never had Mackenzie felt fear when next to Brandon, but his fury scared the hell out of her. “Baby, please don’t. Not here.”

  “Fine.” He grabbed her arms and backed her into the lounge. He looked around at Angelo, Daniel and Jim. “Get out!” As soon as they were alone, he closed the door. “Now tell me.”

  She sat down, not wanting to think about the pain. “There’s nothing to tell.”

  “Look. Something fucking happened, and you’re gonna tell me what. I don’t care if it was just rough sex. He did something to hurt you. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have hit him. I have the right to know. I’m your boyfriend now.”

  Her hands trembled, but she wasn’t sure why. “In Michigan, he… he kinda…” She wasn’t sure how to describe it. “You know I wanted him, right?”

  “Yeah.” He scowled, wishing she hadn’t.

  She sighed. “Well he knew it too, but when he started, it hurt, bad. He wouldn’t stop.” She winced, as a memory came back. “It didn’t hurt the whole time, but he was so big, I couldn’t take it.”

  “Why didn’t you punch him then?” Brandon was confused, but still furious. Dean should have stopped when she told him it was painful.

  She looked up at him. “I tried, but he held my hands down. Tonight... he um… he tried to fuck me again. He pinned me against the wall, then on the couch. He deserved a broken nose.”

  “He deserves to fucking pay!” He didn’t care whether or not Dean succeeded. He took advantage of his woman, hurt her. “He ain’t getting away with it.” He flew out of the room. “Let’s go. That asshole’s getting a taste of his own medicine.” He grabbed Scott and Jake. “I’m gonna k
ill the motherfucker.”

  Mackenzie hurried to catch up with him. “No, don’t!” She was sure Dean would sue Brandon if he did anything. Barefoot, she ran out into night. “Brandon!” The men were already hundreds of feet away, running at full speed. She was too exhausted to follow. Defeated and worried, she sulked back inside and climbed into Brandon’s bunk. Then she burst into tears.

  Brandon slowed when he reached the birth Gasoline’s main bus had been in. It was empty, but a few of the road crew were still packing the truck. Brandon looked around for Vince, Gasoline’s Production Manager.

  As soon as he located him, he jogged over to him. “Hey, were did Jon and them go?”

  Vince looked up from his checklist and looked at Brandon. “Uh, they left already. They have to record in the morning. Dean and Tommy almost stayed, but Jon threatened them with a pounding if they did.” He turned at the sound of a cymbal crashing. “Watch what you’re fucking doing!” He hated incompetence. “You want me to have Jon call you?”

  Brandon sighed. “No. I’ll call him. Thanks.”

  “Don’t.” Scott urged him as they walked away. “It’s between you and Dean, not Jon.”

  Jake followed them, wishing they would tell him what really happened.

  “I’m not letting it go.” Brandon stopped when they got to the bus and leaned against the side. He waited until he was alone then pulled out his phone. Staring at it, he tried to think of something to say without screaming. He couldn’t think of anything.

  Then Scott stuck his head out. “Dude, she cried herself to sleep.”

  Brandon pushed past Scott and bounded up the stairs two at a time. He skidded to a halt in front of his bunk. Mackenzie had curled into a ball, both cheeks wet. He closed his eyes, knowing it was his fault. He took off his shoes, carefully climbed into bed and pulled her into his arms.

  “I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “I know you can fight for yourself, but things’ve changed. Please let me protect you.” He didn’t get a response, other than a sniffle.

  She had woken up when he moved her, but was too upset to say a word. He meant well. She knew that. It was that he didn’t even listen to her.