Wayward Son (Jensen Family #3)

by Michelle Day

  Quinn addressed the two boys next to him, “find her, rip this place to pieces if you have to, but find her,” he told them before turning back to Gavin and again raising the bat. Gavin used the support of the boys holding his arms to raise his legs and kick out at Quinn who hopped out of the way. “If you are going to start kicking, I will simply have to put a stop to it,” he mocked swinging the bat, hitting the outside of Gavin’s right knee, his leg buckled beneath him, he couldn’t stop the groan of pain that escaped his lips, his entire focus now on his throbbing knee, he screamed in pain as Quinn swung the bat again, hitting him in the groin making him fold over gasping.

  Stepping closer Quinn grabbed a handful of Gavin’s hair and pulled his head up, “I’m going to fuck you up,” Quinn smiled. Gavin was still trying to fight the pain in his leg and groin but he’d noticed the grip on his arms had loosened a little, tentatively putting his weight on his right leg, gritting his teeth against the agony that shot through the limb, he slipped his left leg behind the boy on that side, straightening his body quickly when Quinn let go of his hair, he overbalanced the boy who released his arm as he began to topple. Using his stronger left arm, he swung at the boy still holding him, feeling his nose break under his blow and the skin across his own knuckles split.

  He swung to his left after glancing in Quinn’s direction, as he expected, the coward had started to back up giving him time to take care of the boy who was clambering to his feet, slamming his left shin into the side of the boys head rendered him unconscious, leaving him free to deal with Quinn. He beckoned to Quinn to come closer, favouring his left leg over his injured right as he closed the gap between them.

  “Just you and me Sloane boy, let’s see what you’ve got,” he shot him a wicked grin.

  Knowing back up was just a shout away, Quinn stepped closer, holding the bat in front of him. “You think you’re so fucking hard, look at you, one small knock and you are hobbling like an old man, looks like I’m taking back the title of Captain, that knee will have you out for months,” he jabbed Gavin in the shoulder with the bat, Gavin let it pass. “My father has told me of the disgusting things your father did to my mother, how she was a changed woman after he had used her and degraded her,” he continued, jabbing again at Gavin’s shoulder. “My mother whimpers after him every time she sets eyes on him, it’s pathetic and now she’s started making cooing noises over you, just like Angel did, what is it with you Jensen’s? Why can’t you get your own women? Why do you feel the need to poach another man’s?” he jabbed at Gavin’s shoulder for a third time becoming complacent as he hadn’t reacted, his complacency was exactly the thing Gavin was waiting for. As the bat touched his skin, he grabbed it and jabbed it back at Quinn, splitting his lip, drawing first blood as Quinn staggered back and spat out the metallic tasting fluid in his mouth, they both looked down at the tooth that hit the floor.

  Enraged, Quinn lunged at Gavin, one of his two accomplices had regained consciousness and was on his feet behind Gavin, wrapping an arm around his throat, not sure how to respond when Gavin turned in the lock and began to pummel his flabby gut but managing to keep his grip.

  Gavin had lost it now, he was seeing everything through a red fog but he knew he was taking body blows from Quinn and the other boys who had returned from their search.

  When the boy holding his head finally backed away from his punches, he swayed backwards, taking blows to the face and chest as he tried to turn, he vaguely heard Quinn tell the two boys still standing to hold him before his own agonised scream echoed through the house as Quinn kicked his already injured knee from behind, dislocating it.

  As the two boys held him up, Quinn reined further blows on his abdomen, walking around behind him, aiming blows at his kidneys along with further blows to his quickly swelling knee. Quinn was smiling when he returned to face him. Gavin was panting, all fight gone from him now as he was consumed by the pain in his leg. Quinn stepped in closer putting his foot on the injured leg, adding pressure. Leaning harder, he asked. “Where is she?”

  Swallowing hard, in pain and physically defeated, Gavin’s pride made him raise his head and face Quinn. “Suck me off,” he replied, as Quinn kicked his knee again he thought he would throw up, but that pain was nothing compared to what followed.

  All five boys surrounded him now, two holding him up as he could no longer bear weight on his right leg, three baseball bats set about further destroying his injured leg, he lost consciousness briefly only to come around bellowing in agony as both his tibia and fibula broke under the repeated blows of the bats, he slumped to the floor when the hands released him, landing on his knees causing further agonised yelps that were drowned out by the laughing boys who continued to kick him.

  Stepping behind him, Quinn put his knee into Gavin’s right shoulder as he reached down and grasped his arm, leaning more of his weight onto his shoulder, Quinn wrenched Gavin’s arm up behind him, determined to do as much damage as possible, Quinn jolted his knee into the shoulder joint while rotating and pulling the arm, satisfied when Gavin groaned and he felt the joint pop as it left its socket, he crouched beside the injured boy, squeezing the new injury. “What’s this? Nothing to say?” he taunted before turning to his friends. “Are you sure she isn’t here?” he asked.

  “She was, her bag and clothes are here, she must have done a runner,” one of them replied.

  “Ok, chuck him down the stairs,” he nudged Gavin with his foot, smiling smugly at the semi-conscious boy at his feet. “Then we can have some fun with the house, I’ll catch up with Angel later.”

  Lifting Gavin to his feet, three of the five boys prepared to throw him down the marble staircase.

  “I found his phone.” Toby said moments before the other boys launched him into the air.

  “Good, I’ll use it to call Angel, she’ll answer it to him.” Quinn replied, watching as Gavin’s head hit the hard stone. “Can you hear that?” Quinn asked, he could hear a ringing phone. “Where’s her bag?”

  One of the other boys jogged down the stairs only to return a few moments later with Angel’s bag, complete with phone.

  “Shit.” Quinn cursed. “Ok boys, let’s trash the place.”

  They started upstairs, ripping curtains and bed linen, smashing computers, televisions and anything else of value they could find before moving to the lower floor of the house, aiming kicks at the defeated boy halfway down the stairs on their way.

  Several times, Angel nearly came out of her hiding place in order to stop Quinn from beating Gavin, every time she plucked up the courage to do so, Gavin would scream, she finally realised that even if she did reveal herself, Quinn would continue Gavin’s punishment and she knew she couldn’t bear to watch. If she faced Quinn, he would without doubt rape her and Gavin would never forgive her for letting him do that, she buried her head in her hands, fresh sobs racking her at each of her boyfriends’ agonised screams, guilt flooding her, knowing that he wouldn’t be going through this if it wasn’t for her.

  She listened as the boys ransacked the house, the noise growing fainter as they went downstairs. When she couldn’t hear any further noises, she made her way to the attic window, carefully peering out, she could just see Quinn’s car highlighted against the stunning backdrop of the sunset. An eternity later, Quinn and his friends came out of the house, threw their bats in the back of the car and she counted all five of them get in the vehicle and drive away. Once they had rounded the bend in the driveway, she made her way out of the secret room, through the wardrobe and bedroom and began to search for Gavin, straining her ears for Quinn’s possible return.

  She found him on the stairs, he wasn’t moving, she wasn’t even sure if he was breathing. Crouching beside him, she placed her face close to his, listening for his breath, fresh tears spilling from her eyes as they flicked over his damaged body, seeing blood, lots of blood on the bottom right leg of his jeans. She felt the sobs welling up inside her but swallowed them when Gavin spoke.

  “Angel,” h
is voice just a whisper.

  “Oh, Gavin, I thought you’d stopped breathing,” she began to try to make him more comfortable making him let out a groan.

  “Angel,” he repeated. “Study, desk, panic button,” he gasped. “I need help.”

  “Panic button in the study?” she asked, tugging blood soaked pieces of hair from his face and swollen eyes.

  “Yes. Go,” he answered.

  She scampered down the remaining stairs and ran to Paul’s study, searching under the desk and finally locating the panic button, she jabbed it hard, then jabbed it again, not entirely certain it had worked the first time then she hurried back to his side. “Help is coming,” she told him, watching his face for a reaction but getting none. She scooted down to his legs, gently feeling his right leg through his blood soaked jeans, the lump she felt had bile rising in her throat, she slid her fingers under his jeans from the hem, pressing them to his leg a little harder, making him moan, feeling bone outside of the skin, removing her hand she went to sit by his head again, softly talking to him, relieved to hear sirens.

  “They are almost here,” she told him. “Stay with me Gavin,” she leaned closer to him, checking his breathing. “I love you,” she whispered.

  Gavin could hear the sirens through the mist of pain, he could feel her hands, hear her voice but couldn’t bring himself to respond, he tried to smile when she told him she loved him but his face felt like it was on fire.

  “Hello?” a voice called. “Police.”

  “We’re here,” Angel shouted desperately, jumping to her feet. “Please, help him.”

  The End