Nineteen
Astoria
I should be wearing all black, right? Isn't that what people wear when they don't want to be seen at night? Parker and I are walking around the perimeter of Blair's house before we relieve Eve and Cy, making sure no one is out here.
It's been four days since Parker's stepbrother, Brant, was released from prison. Parker spoke with his parents and they haven't heard anything from him. His dad is on edge as well. He's worried about all of us. He offered to put us up in a hotel somewhere far away from Arrow Falls, but we can't get Blair to leave. Her house is where she's comfortable. It’s always been her sanctuary. She also thinks no matter where she goes Brant will find her.
Every time we enter a room she's in, her fear is heavy in the air, making everyone who comes in contact with her on edge. I'm sure there are people out there who would say she's overreacting and that he's one guy and no match for Cy or Parker. But when you've been beaten and had your unborn child killed, I can't blame her for the way she feels. She's afraid down to her very core. She's afraid for not only herself but us as well.
Parker's ready. He wants a shot at Brant. To beat the ever-loving shit out of him for what he did to Blair. He also wants to see him locked up for the rest of his life, suffering for the crimes he committed. Death would be too easy for him. Parker wants him to suffer, though he won’t hesitate to shoot him if he comes after anyone.
As we enter Blair's house, Parker's cell phone rings. "Hello?" I only get half of the conversation he's having.
"Vanilla."
"No, I'm not." His body tenses, his eyes find mine.
"Yes, please do."
He hangs up. "The alarm at the cabin was tripped. That was the security company. They've called the cops. I have to head over to the house. I want you to come with me."
I nod. Parker hasn't let me out of his sight for more than a few minutes.
"Hey, Revere," he yells up the stairs to Cy who appears at the top. "I have to run home. The alarm on the cabin went off. I need to meet the cops. Stay with B. I'll be back as soon as I can." Cy nods and Parker and I are out the door after resetting the alarm.
I open the passenger side door of the Rover and sit down to buckle my seat belt. That's when the cold barrel of gun bites into the side of my head.
"Hello, Astoria. So nice to see you again," Brant says in an eerily calm voice. I see him out of the corner of my eye. I can't speak. I'm too scared.
Parker slides in and reaches for his seat belt. Then notices the gun his stepbrother has pressed to my head. The light above the garage shines into the SUV, allowing me to witness as all the blood drain from Parker’s face. I've seen him in many different moods but never has he been as afraid as he is right now.
"Brant, let Tora go and I'll do anything you want."
A gun goes off somewhere close. My eyes widen. Brant ignores it and keeps talking.
"If it were only that easy, baby brother. You see, I've been locked in a cell for the past four years and I've done a lot of thinking. And a lot of planning. There's a list of who I need to get revenge on; the list is very short. You have one guess whose names are on it." Parker remains silent. "Guess!" Brant seethes and presses the gun harder to my head. I whimper, scared at any moment he's going to end my life.
"Me and Blair," Parker says in a whisper.
"Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner! Now, we're going to go outside and you're going to walk with me into Blair's house. I have some unfinished business to attend to and want you both in the same room."
"No," I say with more conviction than I feel.
"Excuse me?" Brant asks, his hot breath against my skin.
"I don't want you near her."
"Awww, isn't that sweet, Parker. Your little whore is sticking up for Blair." Brant licks my cheek. "Blair and my brother weren't the only ones I thought about in prison. I remembered your tight little body and the way you used to gush over my brother. Maybe later, I'll get a chance to taste you. I’d love to know what he sees in you."
"Over my dead body," Parker fumes.
"That can be arranged. Now, get out! We're going inside." Neither of us moves. "If you don't both get the fuck out of here, I'll shoot you. Then I’ll only have Blair to take care of. I have someone already in there securing my sweet fiancée as we speak. You can either come with me and watch the fun unfold or die in here." Cold dread pours over me at the thought of Blair being the victim of that shot we heard. Or Cy or Eve.
Parker reaches over and opens his door. His gun is still in the glove compartment. We've been leaving one gun in Blair's house and the other in the Rover. We only take the one out of the Rover when we sleep at the cabin. Cy's been doing the same thing. This way one gun is always at Blair’s house.
I open the door behind me and try to reach for the glove compartment without Brant seeing.
"Ah, ah, ah," he chides. "I already have that one. My brother isn't as smart as he thinks he is. I knew he'd have some way to protect himself and my fiancée." The gun stays pointed at me as we exit the SUV.
We stand outside, the humid air settling over us, causing me to sweat more than I already am. Brant presses the gun to my back, urging me inside with it. Parker walks beside me. He looks from the gun to Brant to me, trying to figure out a way to get it away from Brant. It’s impossible to do without me getting shot, especially with the gun digging in my spine.
"Hands where I can see them, Parker!" Brant yells. I glance over and notice Parker pull his hand from the top of his pocket and raise both of them in the air.
Climbing the stairs, my mind races through what we’ll witness when we get to Blair. Nothing could have prepared me for what I see. Eve's hands are tied behind her back and her legs are bound. Thick tape covers her mouth. Tears stream down her face as she lies on her side on the floor.
Cy is next to her, his body rigid. Blood runs from his split eyebrow and a gunshot wound in his shoulder. His arm hangs limply by his side. His other hand is bound to his feet in front of him, the gun he had well out of reach.
But the worst is Blair. She is naked and unconscious on the bed. A man with dark, slicked-back hair is between her legs, pulling off his pants, about to rape her in front of Cy and Eve.
Brant moves the gun from my back and points it at the half-naked man. "I told you not to fucking touch her!" he screams before firing three shots, causing my ears to ring. Two shots hit the wall behind the man before another hits him in the head above his left eye. He collapses backward, blood trickling from the spot the bullet entered in his head.
I want to scream at the top of my lungs at what is taking place in front of me, but I don't dare. I stay quiet, not wanting to draw more attention to myself. I want to free Cy and Eve. I want to kill Brant and I want to be in the comfort of Parker's arms again, as if none of this ever happened.
Sirens can be heard in the distance. A neighbor must have called the police after they heard the first shot. Brant looks around wildly before slowly backing away from us with the gun still pointed at me.
"This isn't over. I'll be back, and you'll never see me coming. But don't worry, baby brother. I'll make sure you stay alive long enough to witness what I'll be doing to your precious Tora and my fiancée."
Brant spins and takes off down the stairs. He's dressed in all black and it's dark out. He'll blend in perfectly. Plus, it's not like this small town has a police helicopter they can use to try and hunt him down. I can only hope they catch him before he hurts anyone else.
Parker rushes over to Cy and Eve, while I dart to Blair. Brushing her hair back from her face, I discover a large bump on her head. She's completely out. Maybe it's better she wasn't awake to witness this. I say a silent thank you to whoever is listening that she wasn't raped.
Looking up, I watch as Cy crawls over to Eve. He's cradling his shot arm as he reaches her side. As soon as she's free, she lunges for him and sobs. Cops are shouting downstairs and Parker quickly runs from the room to direct them upstairs, yelling for them to call the medics.
The next few hours happen in a blur. Cy and Blair are taken to the hospital. Eve rides along with Cy in the ambulance. She isn't hurt more than a few cuts and bruises from where she was bound. I notice the skin already starting to change color on her wrists. Thankfully, we got here when we did. I don't want to think what would have taken place if Brant didn't have us to focus on. Parker and I give our statements from the time we got here tonight.
There were three people in on it. The police only have the dead guy on Blair's bed. Brant and the third guy, the one who triggered the alarm, are out there somewhere.
After we tell the police everything, they stay in Blair's house to take pictures of the crime scene and remove the body. We leave for the hospital to be with Cy, Eve, and Blair.
Blair is the first person we check up on. Thank God Parker can lie. He tells the woman behind the desk in the ER that Blair is his sister, and he needs to make sure she's okay. He also says I'm his wife. I smile meekly the whole time, not wanting to give away anything. I'm an awful liar. I have no poker face.
We find Blair awake with a doctor and nurse tending to her. The doctor states he thinks it’s a concussion, but is ordering a scan to be sure. Otherwise, she escaped further injury. Once they leave, Parker rushes to her side as she starts crying uncontrollably. He does his best to soothe her. I leave to give them some space and go off in search of Eve.
The ER is large, and I walk around like I know where I'm going when I don't have a damn clue. If I ask someone I'll give myself away. Then I hear Cy.
"Ow, what the fuck?" he yells.
"Mr. Revere, we need to see if the bullet exited your body or if it’s still stuck in your shoulder," a man says.
"Cy, just let them look at you," Eve adds.
I find their room and stand in the doorway. Eve notices me and comes over while the doctor and nurses roll Cy slightly to check his shoulder.
"At least he's awake and able to yell at the doctor," I say, trying to lighten the situation, if only a little bit.
"He's been shouting at them since we got here. He insisted I get looked over first and wouldn't let anyone touch him until then." She holds out her wrists and I see angry red marks on them with discolored skin around it. “I’m fine. Just abrasions and bruises.”
"I'm so sorry."
"Don't apologize. You didn't do it."
"You're taking this well. I'm not sure I could be as strong as you if it were Parker lying where Cy is."
"Oh, believe me, I'm a wreck inside. But if I lose it right now, no way will Cy let them keep looking at him. He’ll be over here thinking I’m hurt more than I said and avoiding getting himself treatment."
I stay with them a few more minutes before making my way back to Parker and Blair. A tall man is wheeling her out to get a scan, to make sure it’s nothing more than a concussion. Parker stays by her side, as tears continue to fall down her cheeks. It's obvious he's torn between staying with me and going with her to radiology.
"Go," I tell him. "I'm okay," I lie. I'm not okay. I'm not even remotely close to okay, however, I'm not going to tell him that right now. Later, when we're alone, I'll have my time to cry. I have to be here for everyone else. Cy and Blair are hurt. They are going to need all the support they can get.