Atone

by Wendi Wilson

  “I say we go in, take them all down and wait for our uncle to return with Savanna. We can get the jump on him and get out of here,” Jett says.

  “Do they have guns?” Silas asks.

  I nod. “Yes. Jimmy and the woman each have a sidearm and a large knife strapped on. I’m not sure about the other two.”

  “Then, we’ll just have to be careful,” Slade says.

  Panic spears through me. “You can’t… what if…” I pause my stuttering to take a deep breath. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  Slade pulls me into his arms and wraps himself around me. The feel of his warm breath on my ear makes me shiver as he whispers, “We’ll be careful. I promise, nothing bad is going to happen.”

  My nerves settle down a bit. I want to believe him, to believe in them all, but… guns scare me.

  A warm body brushes against my back as arms circle my waist from behind. Silas’s voice fills my ears, soft and reassuring, making goosebumps pop up across my skin.

  “We’ll be okay,” he promises, and, I swear, his lips touch my ear before he pulls back.

  I close my eyes, inhaling deeply as his arms leave my midsection. He smells like the forest after a rainfall. My tongue darts out to wet my lips as I bite back a groan and fight the urge to turn and press my nose against his neck.

  When this is all over, I’m going to have to take some time to analyze my feelings for these boys. I keep finding myself wanting them, both of them, and even though I can plainly see how well the arrangement works for Savanna and her boys, I don’t know if having multiple lovers is for me.

  My mind trips over the word lovers as a slideshow of intimate imaginings float across my mind. I’m no virgin, but my one experience in the back of my ex-boyfriend’s car hardly makes me ready to handle the simultaneous attentions of two brawny, gorgeous boys.

  I ignore the little skip-hop my heart performs at the thought.

  Brushing the thoughts aside and bringing myself back to the present, I focus on the boys. Silas has moved around in front of me and stands next to Slade, identical looks of concern on both their faces. My gaze slides over to the Pattons, who all look impatient.

  “Sorry,” I say. “I’m fine. We’ll be fine.”

  “So, what’s the plan?” Wyatt asks, grinding a fist into his palm.

  “Jimmy, the guy that answered the door,” I clarify, “has a… crush, I guess, on me.”

  “We can use that,” Jett says, his face determined. “Can you distract him? It’ll be easier for us to get in and disarm them if we only have three to deal with.”

  “I-I-I think so.”

  I don’t know why I’m stuttering. I’m not afraid. Not really. I don’t think Jimmy would hurt me. But the thought of using my body to distract him, especially with the Madsen twins nearby, makes me feel sick. And I know that’s what Jett meant when he suggested it. I can see the distaste written all over his face.

  “I don’t like it,” Slade says.

  “Me neither,” his brother agrees.

  “I understand,” Beckett says, giving them an empathetic look. “But she’ll be fine. This Jimmy won’t get a chance to touch her before we get inside and diffuse the situation. But we need the distraction Lizzie can provide.”

  The twins nod, though their expressions belie the motion. I take a deep breath and release it slowly, attempting to calm my nerves.

  “Okay,” I say, bringing five sets of gray eyes to me, “there’s a bedroom off the living room where I saw Savanna’s mom and dad. I’ll go in and order them out so Jimmy and I can be alone.” I shudder, bile rising up to burn my throat. I swallow against it. “I’ll head back inside. Once I determine where all the guards are, I’ll go to the bathroom and text you. Give me five minutes to get the Jameses into the living room and Jimmy into the bedroom.”

  “Are you sure, Lizzie?” Slade asks, rubbing a hand up and down my spine.

  My head bounces around, something between a nod and a negative shake. “I’ll be fine,” I say.

  Without another word, I turn and head out of the trees and back toward the front door. I reach out and turn the knob, finding the door unlocked. Stepping inside, I push it closed, but make sure it doesn’t latch all the way. That will let the boys enter with as little noise as possible.

  I turn to find Jimmy staring at me and my heart jumps into my throat, thinking I’ve been busted. But the look on his face doesn’t hold suspicion. Only longing. I school my features, trying my best to imitate his expression. I need him to think I want him as much as he wants me. His face lights up and I know I’ve succeeded.

  I look around the room. The woman is still by the bedroom door and I can see the other two guards still playing cards at the kitchen table.

  “Where’s the restroom?” I ask, looking at Jimmy with what I hope is a seductive smile.

  “Over there,” he says, hooking a thumb over his shoulder toward a closed door.

  “Is anyone in there?” I ask, moving closer to him.

  “N-no,” he stutters before clearing his throat.

  “I’ll be right back,” I whisper, brushing my body against his as I pass by him.

  I feel sick. But this is my part and I have to play it. I head into the bathroom and close the door. I pull out my phone and text Jett, telling him the location of each guard in the house and reminding him to give me five minutes to get Jimmy out of the living room.

  I flush the toilet for appearances sake and turn on the water faucet. Once I shut the water off, I count to five, bringing my chaotic nerves under control. I inhale deeply and leave the bathroom, taking slow, measured steps toward Jimmy.

  His eyes travel down my body and I throw a little swing into my hips. He notices. His nostrils flare as his eyes move back up, lingering on my chest for a brief moment before meeting my eyes. I smile and look at him from beneath my lashes as I sashay past him and head for the bedroom door.

  “You two, get out here,” I order.

  As Mr. and Mrs. James pass through the doorway, I try to express with my eyes that help is coming, but I can’t tell if they get it. All I see is suspicion on their faces.

  “What are you doing?” the female guard asks, stepping away from the wall.

  “You dare question me?” I ask, my voice ringing with authority. She cowers back an inch and I say, “Watch them. I need to speak to Brother Jimmy. Privately.”

  I inject as much suggestion as I can into that last word and the woman’s eyes flare open with understanding. Jimmy must understand, too, because he’s beside me in a flash, his hand pressing against my lower back as he escorts me into the bedroom.

  I walk forward, my eyes glued to the bed as I try to tamp down the panic. The door clicks shut behind me and I whirl around. Jimmy stalks toward me, his eyes burning with desire. He reaches for me, but I sidestep him and cross my arms over my chest.

  “I’m the one calling the shots here, Brother Jimmy,” I say, narrowing my eyes at him. “I need complete obedience.”

  I don’t know where that idea came from, but if it works, it’s brilliant.

  I watch the emotions fly across his face as he thinks over my command. Confusion. Skepticism. Consideration. Acceptance. And, finally, excitement. He wants to be submissive to me. Ugh.

  “First,” I say, “take off the weapons. Can’t have either of us getting hurt.”

  So eager, his fingers fumble on the buckles of his gun and knife holsters, but he manages to remove them. He looks at me with question in his eyes as I hold out a hand for them. In the end, his need to submit wins out and he hands them over.

  “Don’t move,” I order, then move to the dresser.

  Opening the top drawer I shove the weapons inside and push it closed before turning back to face Jimmy. He’s practically salivating, still motionless by the door.

  “Go stand by the bed,” I say.

  I need to get him away from the door. If the boys come in and there’s a struggle, I can’t have him hearing it and going out to help. I sp
ot a sound dock on the nightstand, an mp3 player attached.

  “Turn on some music,” I tell him, since he’s standing beside it and I don’t want to go anywhere near him. “I don’t want the others to hear us, so make it loud.”

  Music fills the room and I’m satisfied Jimmy won’t hear anything outside the four walls. I saunter closer, running my palms down my sides and over my hips. Just out of his reach, I stop and say, “Take off your shirt.”

  I lick my lips for good measure as he complies, pretending his pale, concave chest and pudgy belly are turning me on. I untuck my shirt from my jeans, giving him a flash of bare belly before pulling it down.

  “Now the pants,” I say.

  My heartrate accelerates as his hands move to the button of his pants. If he gets them off and expects me to touch him, I don’t know what I’ll do. I can’t touch him. The thought is repugnant.

  As the sound of his zipper moving down reaches my ears, all hell breaks loose. A whoosh of air blows my hair up and I turn as the bedroom door bangs against the wall. Silas rushes into the room, his brother on his heels. I turn as I watch them rush past me and catch the panicked look on Jimmy’s face just before they’re on him.

  In a blink, Jimmy’s on the floor and Silas is straddling him, one hand pressed against his shoulder to hold him down and the other cocked, fist ready to fly. Slade turns off the music and swivels to face me.

  “You okay?” he asks.

  I bob my head up and down vigorously. I bite my bottom lip, forcing back the tears of relief that want to spill over. Now that they’re here, and the whole fake seduction scenario is over, my bones feel like they are melting inside me and I’ll soon be a puddle of goo on the floor.

  “Where are his weapons?” Silas asks, his voice bringing me back to life.

  “Top drawer,” I say pointing at the dresser.

  “You bitch,” Jimmy bites out, finally realizing what’s happening and my part in it all.

  In a blur of motion, Silas’s still raised fist swings down, cracking against Jimmy’s cheek. “Don’t talk to her,” Silas grinds out between clenched teeth. “Don’t even look at her.”

  “I can’t be persuaded, freak,” Jimmy taunts.

  He must have a death wish.

  “I wasn’t trying to persuade you, asshole. It was a warning,” Silas says, his hand balling up again.

  “A car is pulling up.”

  We all turn to see Beckett in the doorway, panting heavily. I nod before looking back at the twins and Jimmy. I motion for Silas to let him up. He does, but doesn’t look happy about it.

  “Put your shirt back on,” I say.

  “Go to hell,” his spits out, betrayal shining in his eyes.

  Slade bends over and snatches his shirt off the floor, then slams it into Jimmy’s gut with enough force to make him grunt and double over. Once Jimmy takes the shirt and begins dressing, Slade comes to me, wrapping me in his arms. Before I can break down in relief, he pulls back a few inches.

  “We’re not done yet,” he whispers. “Stay strong, just a little longer.”

  His knuckles brush against my cheek and I nod. We file out of the room, leaving Jimmy’s weapons tucked safely in the drawer. Silas shoves Jimmy toward Beckett, who uses a blue necktie to start tying his hands behind his back.

  We hear a car door close before the roar of an engine pulling away from the house. Wyatt moves to the left of the door, pressing his back against the wall. I press myself against the wall on the other side, careful to stay away from the window. Can’t have my shadow or any curtain movement ruin our advantage.

  Silas and Slade back Savanna’s parents into a corner, standing in front them and forming a wall of protection between them and the door. I glance around and see booted feet sticking out of the bathroom door. I crane my neck so I can see better, and realize it’s the woman. She looks unconscious. I look toward the kitchen and find the two other guards laying on the floor, trussed up with closed eyes.

  The doorknob beside me jiggles and the door swings in, effectively blocking me from view. A muffled squeal breaks the silence, followed closely by Brother Earl’s voice.

  “What is the meaning of—”

  A grunt cuts off his words and I peek around the edge of the door. Brother Earl is bent over at the waist, Jett’s fist buried in his midsection. Before I can blink, Jett pulls it back and lets it fly right into his uncle’s nose. A crack echoes through the room just before red blood spurts out, covering his mouth.

  I stick my neck out further and find Savanna, wrapped in Wyatt’s arms from behind, his hand over her mouth. As I watch, she pulls away from him and turns, attempting to hug him. He steps away from her, anger etched across his face. He’s not going to let her off easy for persuading him and his brothers.

  My heart goes out to her, knowing she’s just been through a harrowing ordeal and feeling very alone. I slip around the door as Jett pulls Brother Earl further into the room. Coming up behind Savanna, I wrap my arms around her as she turns.

  Holding her tight against me, I murmur, “Thank God, you’re okay,” as she returns my embrace.

  A loud smashing noise startles us, making us jump and pull apart, looking for its source. Jett stands in the middle of the room, heaving, his hands balled into fists at his sides. Glass is scattered across the carpet and Dr. Patton lays inside the skeleton of the former coffee table. He’s out cold.

  “We should get out of here,” Beckett says, drawing my attention.

  Savanna crosses the room to her parents. Silas and Slade nod at her as they part, opening a path for her to reach her mom and dad. My heart twists as I watch them embrace, tears flowing and tender words being mumbled between them.

  I’ll probably never have that with my parents again. With their devotion to Brother Earl and the Purist cause, I’m sure they see me as a traitor not worthy of their name. Or their love.

  “Let’s go,” Wyatt says, still standing by the front door.

  We all file through the entryway and I stop in the middle of the yard, unsure where the minivan is. Silas grips my shoulder, concern shining in his eyes. I nod my head, letting him know I’m okay and he returns the gesture before jogging up the driveway and onto the street. Slade joins me on the lawn and takes my hand. We stand in silence until headlights illuminate the road and the van pulls out of the bushes and up onto the asphalt. We walk over to stand beside it and Silas hops out to join us.

  I look back to see Savanna holding up a set of car keys to her parents. Jett takes them and words are exchanged before Mr. and Mrs. James nod, hug their daughter, and start walking toward us.

  “Time to pay the piper,” Slade mumbles.

  “What?” I ask, confused.

  “Jett asked Savanna’s parents to ride with us so they could talk to her.”

  “Do you think they’ll forgive her?” I ask, watching as the four of them climb into her mom’s car.

  “Of course, they will,” Silas answers. “They are in love with her.”

  He says that like he believes love conquers all. I find the sentiment endearing, but also a little naive. I wish it were true. If it were, maybe I’d still be able to count on my parents. I know they loved me before, but I’m not so sure about now.

  We climb into the van and I head to my spot in the very back. Slade slips in beside me while Mr. and Mrs. James take the middle row. Silas climbs behind the wheel. He cranks the engine and we leave the house, and Brother Earl, behind.

  Before heading to the police station earlier, we reserved two rooms at a nearby motel, and Silas drives us straight there. He parks right in front of our two rooms and everyone climbs out of the vehicle. After sliding a keycard through the computerized lock, Silas holds the door open while the rest of us file into the room.

  My duffel bag and those of the Madsen twins are piled in the corner where we left them earlier. I grab my bag and plop it on the bed before unzipping it and digging through the contents. I really need to do some laundry. Most of my clothes are dirty.
I grab a pair of soft yoga pants, a tank top and some clean underwear, rolling the latter inside the larger pieces of clothing.

  I glance around the room. Mr. and Mrs. James are sitting on the other bed, his arm draped over her shoulders. Silas and Slade are sitting at the small table, hunched over a magazine.

  “I’m going to take a shower,” I call out. “Does anyone need to use the restroom before I go in there?”

  Everyone replies in the negative, so I nod once and head into the small bathroom. I turn on the shower and tie my curls back with a hair tie. Once the water is nice and hot, I climb in and scrub my body with soap. Once. Twice. Three times.

  I know Jimmy didn’t actually touch me, but I feel so dirty. The promise in his eyes told me all the things he wanted to do to me and I can’t seem to get those things out of my head. I’m so thankful the boys busted in and put a stop to the situation when they did.

  My skin tingles from the hot water and the scrubbing, so I turn off the shower and dry off with a fluffy towel. I dress in the clean clothes and take my dirty ones with me as I leave the bathroom. Savanna’s parents are nowhere to be seen.

  “Where did Mr. and Mrs. James go?” I ask as I stuff the dirty clothes in my bag.

  When neither of the twins speak, I look up and find them standing by the small table, their eyes glued to me. A little shock ripples through me at their intensity. I can feel the heat of their gazes on my body, and I follow their line of sight, looking down at myself.

  I’m fully dressed, thank God. I thought maybe I’d forgot to put on pants, or something. I look back at them with one eyebrow cocked. I clear my throat and their eyes snap up to mine.

  “Oh…uh… they wanted some air, so they’re sitting out by the pool,” Slade stutters.

  “We ordered some pizza,” Silas adds.

  My stomach grumbles loudly as soon as he says pizza, and they both grin. I feel my face heat up and turn, catching sight of myself in the mirrored closet door. I freeze, my eyes roaming up and down my reflection.

  The black yoga pants are skin-tight, accentuating the curves of my hips and thighs. The yellow tank top is damp—like I didn’t dry off well enough before I dressed—and is nearly transparent. I didn’t put on a bra and I can see the dusky shadows of my small nipples under the material.