by Ellie Messe
“Nothing.” He shakes his head, “There’s nothing you can do.”
Taking the risk, I move forward and wrap my arms around his middle.
“What are you doing?” He asks as his arms loosely wrap around me.
“Hugging you.”
“But why?” A thin layer of humor coats his confusion.
“Because sometimes a simple thing like a hug is enough to remind a person they’re not alone.”
His arms tighten around me as he fills his lungs under my cheek. Kissing the side of my head, he pulls away.
“I’m gonna try to get some sleep.”
“Okay.” I nod, watching him step away.
His hand comes up and wipes a rough line from his forehead to his chin, “I don’t want this to be over.”
“It never was.”
Chapter Fifty
Drew
I’m woken up by Emma lightly shaking my shoulder. “Drew, hey. Wake up, handsome.”
“Yeah?” I roll over to get a better view and see her holding out my phone.
“I didn’t want to wake you up but Parker’s been calling. It might be important.”
Through a sleep induced haze, I take my phone from her palm and see I have two missed calls from him.
“How long have I been out?” There’s still light coming through the windows but the sun is low.
“Couple hours, four I think.”
Nodding, I squint through one eye to unlock my phone and call Parker. Emma gives me a small smile before lifting herself off the bed.
“Hey, Brother.”
“Hey.”
“You okay?”
“Yeah, I fell asleep. What’s up? Hales okay?”
“She’s fine. I just wanted to check up on you.”
“I’m fine. Just tired and pissed off at the world.”
“I am too. I need to pick up some of Haley’s shit from her apartment. You wanna meet me? Get out of the house for a bit?”
“Nah, you don’t need to leave the hospital. Just text me what you need and I’ll go get it.”
“I need some air. Haley’s in a mood cause she can’t smoke and ever since Maria told me to go home and shower she won’t get off me about it.”
“When are you thinking about heading home?”
“I’m almost there now.”
“Yeah, I’ll meet you at Haley’s then.”
“Cool. See you there.”
I make a noise of agreement in my throat before hanging up.
Letting out an exaggerated sigh, I rub my face. I feel like I need about a day and half of sleep.
“Everything okay?” Emma asks, reappearing in my doorway.
“Yeah, he asked if I wanted to help him get some shit for Hales, she’s driving him nuts.”
“I can get a couple of my dads members to help if you guys want to take a break for a while.”
“Nah, you’re sweet but we got it. Probably just clothes and shit.”
“Okay, well if you need anything just let me know.”
“I need two days of sleep, a line of cocaine, and a killer blow job.”
She giggles lightly from her spot against the frame, “I think that’s all doable.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. I can find a shady spot to buy some coke, give you head, and then my dad can knock you the fuck out for allowing me to buy cocaine in the first place.”
“Fuck. Yes. Let’s do it.”
She giggles again and gets a small smile out of me. “Alright, I should probably get up. You wanna come with?”
She shrugs before nodding, “Sure.”
“Great.” I say climbing out of bed, “You can give me road head on the way to a shady alley. Maybe we can pick up a nice hooker to share.”
“A man after my own heart,” She says, dramatically clutching her chest, “But I get to pick this one.” She points at me while I slip my ball cap backwards, “The last hooker you brought home was questionable at best.”
“Meh, who doesn’t want syphilis?”
She gives me an angelic laugh as she follows me out of the room. The melody is a beautiful light in this current dark and desolate hell I’m trapped in. Something words will never be able to thank her for.
Parker met us outside of Haley’s place. He gives me a smug smile when he sees Emma walking up beside me.
“How you doing, Emma?” He says, using his boot to stamp out his cigarette.
“Good, how are you holding up?”
“Still standing.”
“So, what all do we need to get?” I ask when he moves to her front door.
“A couple pairs of pants, a hoodie or two and one of her fancy lotions. Says she’s tired of smelling like a hospital.”
“Does she need her toothbrush or anything?” Emma asks stepping in behind us.
“No, our aunt brought her one of those disposable ones. But she does want hair ties.
“Is she going to be able to use them?” I ask.
“Oh shit, I don’t even know.”
“Why wouldn’t she? You can put your hair up with one hand.”
“Both her wrists are hurt.” I explain, “One’s in a brace but the other has stitches. I don’t know if she’ll be able to.”
“I could put her hair up.”
I laugh unintentionally, “You’re a sweetheart but there’s no way in hell she’s gonna let you do that. She’s got this thing about being touched.”
“And admitting when she needs help.” Parker adds from the hall where he’s rummaging through a closet.
“Have Maria do it.” I offer, “She can’t say no to her, too afraid she’ll hurt her feelings.”
“Good idea.” Pulling out a black bookbag, he raises it up, “This is big enough right?”
“Yeah. She’s not gonna be there that long. What’s she doing when she gets out anyway?”
“What do you mean?”
“Is she coming back here?” I ask, following him into Haley’s bedroom, “Or is she gonna stay over at your place? She should actually just stay at your place now that I think about it.” I add when I see the window she used to runaway.
“I have no idea. She’s gonna do whatever the hell she wants anyway. Take last night for example.”
“What do you mean?
“Her going places without us.”
“So, what was Hales even doing outside anyway? Did you find out?”
“Apparently that new kid at HEAT didn’t get the memo.”
I stare at him while I try to understand, “What?”
“About letting her go off on her own. The show was starting so she took the trash out for him. I guess he didn’t know not to let her.”
A chill starts in my stomach, “I told Jake not to let her go anywhere. I told him right before he stepped out to empty it.”
Cocking his head to the side, he sucks his teeth. “You told him?”
“Yep.” I say with an angry bite. “Seems a chat is in order.”
“Agreed.” He nods, glancing around Hales’ room, “We got the important shit. Let’s go.”
Without further thought, I take the bookbag from him and hand it to Emma.
“Wait, what’s happening?” She says taking the bag and following on our heels.
“An ass kicking.”
Walking in to HEAT, Parker and I search the faces setting up.
“There.” He points.
Following his gaze, my eyes land on Jake currently setting up his station. We march over, both starved for answers and retribution.
“Jake, right?” Parker asks, rounding the entrance to the bar.
Jake turns just in time to catch Parker’s right hook into his stomach. Doubling over, he gasps.
“Let’s play a game.” I say, moving to Parker’s side. “It’s called, Remember When.”
Jake’s eyes search mine as Parker rolls out his shoulders.
“Remember when a certain brunette was attacked in the alley?”
Jake nods, retreating back a step.
“Remember when I told you she wasn’t supposed to go anywhere alone?”
His hand extends in surrender, “I didn’t know that was going to happen.”
He tries to withdraw but Parker’s too fast. He catches him in the kidney with a loud pop. Jake cries out, knocking into the ice bin. “I’m sorry! I didn’t know. The show was starting, I panicked.”
“You panicked?” Parker growls, taking a step forward, “My girlfriend almost died.”
“I swear, I didn’t know.”
“Remember when I told you seconds before you left that she wasn’t to go anywhere without someone? At what point did you think it was a wise move to send her outside alone.”
“I didn’t know anything was going to happen, she said it was alright.”
“But I didn’t!” I rage, Parkers shoulder rock with angry heaves. “Because of your inability to listen she almost fucking died! Do you not understand that?”
“I do-”
“You don’t!” The volume I shout vibrates in my chest.
“Boys!” Parker and I both turn to see Josh at the entrance. Emma hot on his heels, she holds out her hands and shakes her head. “What the hell’s going on?”
“This is the prick that let Haley outside. It was him that didn’t follow simple instructions.” I yell across the floor.
“So you hit him?!”
“I tried to distract him.” Emma says apologetically.
“It’s okay.” I shake my head at her. When we told her to watch the door it was to keep passers-by from coming in, not Josh.
“Everyone upstairs.” Josh barks, “NOW.”
“I’m pretty happy right here.” Parker says, air rushes through his nose like a wild animal, his eyes never leaving a cowering Jake. “Don’t really trust moving right now.”
“He only got two in.” I tell Josh.
“Maybe you left something in the truck?” Emma says next to him. “You could run out and get it.”
“Unhelpful.” Josh growls.
The fact she doesn’t cower makes me like her a little bit more. “That’s fine. I’m gonna step outside while you guys work through this. You can find me there.”
Stepping away from Josh, she does exactly that.
“I don’t even know where to begin.” He grits through his teeth. “Jake, you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Drew. Get your brother.”
Setting my hand on his chest, I limply push. “Nope, too strong. I tried.”
“Goddamnit, Drew! This isn’t a fucking joke, you realize we can get shut down, right?”
Actually no, I hadn’t thought of that. Putting my hand back on his shoulder I give him a hard squeeze and step into him. He moves back with me until we’re at the bar door. Pushing it open, I tap him hard and let him walk himself out before following.
“Go home.” Josh orders, “Both of you. I don’t want to see either of you in here for the foreseeable future, you got it?”
“Got it.”
“Your girlfriend almost died.” He tells Parker as we pass him, “You’d think you would want to be by her side while she was recovering rather than over here creating even more shit for this family to deal with. Get out of here so I can clean up your fucking mess.”
Parker nods at Josh before pressing on. I slap him on the back once we’re outside. “One hit for you, one hit for me.”
“And a gang of bikers for Haley.” Emma smiles, pulling off the wall. Lynch, Moose, and about seven other guys all in leather stand in front of us.
“Oh, God.” Parker breathes.
“This is a red flag, right?” I mumble to him.
“Oh yeah.” He nods, he too can’t look away. “Definitely don’t wanna piss her off.”
“Nope.”
“They’ve all volunteered.” She smiles.
“I’m scared to ask.’ Parker admits.
“Well, if you hit that guy again, it’ll start shit with your uncle. But if a bunch of bikers do it, then it’s just another unfortunate incident of gang violence.”
“We are not a gang.” Lynch complains around the pen he’s currently chewing on.
“Whatever. Point is,” She opens her arms wide as if to show off the crew like a prize, “Now everyone wins.”
“I don’t think that’s how it works.” I admit completely flabbergasted. “How did you guys get here so fast?”
“We’re never more than a minute away from her.” Lynch nods to Emma, “Be wise to keep that in mind, Ace.”
“Noted.” Nodding like my head is a bobble head, I desperately try to wrap my head around this strange turn of events, “Well, not that this doesn’t look like a fun day of premeditated murder, but… ugh, Parker?”
“Yeah.” He agrees, his voice conveying identical disbelief, “We appreciate this. Really.”
“If you guys have a card?” I mumble trying to help him, “Maybe we call you if things change? If, ya know, whacking needs to be had.”
“Your girl okay?” Moose asks Parker.
“Yeah, she’s gonna be okay. They caught the guys responsible this morning.”
Moose sucks at his teeth before patting Lynch on the chest, “Alright boys, lets head back. And you, young lady,” He turns to Emma who opens her arms to accept his hug, “Call me if you need us.”
“Will do.”
Parker and I haven’t moved an inch since we both came to that very sudden, very confusing halt. Even as they climb onto their bikes and pull out of the parking lot we stay rooted. Weirdest five minutes of my life.
“So that was…” I try and fail to find words to Emma.
“Kind?” Parker offers.
“Sure.”
She laughs us off, “They were just here to help.”
“Apparently.”
“Oh my god.” She laughs, “You remind me so much of Ryan Reynolds when you speak, like the way you say it and your facial expressions.”
“He doesn’t have my awesome accent.”
“I should probably get back to the hospital.” Parker announces, taking his first step forward. “Thank you for… that.”
“Anytime.” She smiles on, completely oblivious to the absurd nature of the last five minutes.
“You guys should probably leave too. Josh is pissed.” I nod in agreeance, stepping forward. “You coming to the hospital?”
“Nah. I think I need a minute.”
“Okay. Just don’t punish her for too long, alright?”
“I won’t.”
“Bye.” He waves at Emma before ducking into his car. It roars to life and slides forward toward the highway.
“So, what do we do now?” Emma asks coming up to my side.
“Let’s go for a ride and get lost somewhere.”
She smiles a radiant smile, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip as her head begins to bob. “Kay.”
I’m curious to find out if I can leave my problems behind, if maybe I can pull that throttle hard enough and go so fast, they can’t keep up. Maybe they’ll get lost along the way, catch on a branch or fly off in the wind. I want to find out if I can a turn so fast, they slide off my back and stick to the asphalt beneath me. If maybe there’s a chance I can out run them this time. I want to find out who’s going to win this race. Me? Or my demons?
Chapter Fifty-One
Emma
The sound of the front door slamming wakes me. Drew and I both sit up in his bed and look at each other. He moves quick; jumping out of bed, he grabs a pair of shorts off the floor, stepping into them on the way to his bedroom door when his uncle storms into the room.
“Where the fuck have you been?”
Feeling very uncomfortable, I sink deeper into the mattress. I shouldn’t be here for this but he’s blocking the door and I’m very, very naked right now.
“We went for a drive.”
As if noticing me for the first time, Josh looks over at me, “Out.”
“I’d love to but I’m not wearing any clothes.�
�
As if my nudity in the bed of the man I’m sleeping with is the pinnacle of all things annoying, he locks his jaw and moves into the bathroom.
Not wasting a second, I throw the covers off and high tail it out of bed.
“I’m sorry.” Drew says as I collect my clothes from the floor.
“Oh, God. Don’t be. I’m just glad that I’m not you right now.”
He gives me a slight smile before I run out of the room and seek the safety of my bedroom. Moments after my door closes the shouting starts.
See, we sort of didn’t come home after our ride. We ended up in Long Beach, California… for two days.
After driving for almost three hours, we stopped at this Casino in Indio, and while ordering food we saw an advertisement for a hotel in Long Beach. It was only a two-hour drive so we decided to go for it. Once we got there it was late, and my ass was killing me from riding bitch for so long that we opted out of our original hotel idea for one with a hot tub. Then we added alcohol into the mix. Next thing I know, I’m pressed against the eleventh story window unable to remember my own name while he fucked me sober.
At which time the sun was rising and neither had slept yet so we crashed. When we woke up, we more or less repeated the same thing, hot tub, booze, sex, booze, sex in the hot tub, booze, sleep. I think food happened somewhere in between one of those. I woke up yesterday morning hungover and unable to find my pants. Both our phones were long dead so I didn’t even know what time it was. Drew eventually woke up and went out to get coffee, a phone charger, and of course, a pair of pants for me.
I texted my dad the second my phone had juice in it, though Drew refused. He said he would deal with his problems when he crossed state lines. Well... here we are, over state lines and there are his problems.
I catch pieces about the incident at HEAT and how he’s been giving Haley the cold shoulder, as I change into a pair of clean clothes. Once Josh starts yelling about the car accident with Drew’s parents and how they thought Drew was laying dead somewhere, I decided it was time to leave.
As quietly as humanly possible, I sneak out of my room and jog down the hall. Grabbing my coat from the closet, I slip back over and escape through the laundry room.
My dad didn’t even notice I was gone, I had similar hope for Drew but it’s very clear that’s just not the case. Not really sure where to go on a Tuesday at eleven in the morning I end up driving over to Lynch’s tattoo shop. He was the only person I could think of that I could bug at work and not get them in trouble for it.