CHAPTER ELEVEN - DEAN

It felt like days since I’d last seen Caroline. Despite stealing a kiss during an event last night, I missed her so damn much. We hadn’t spent any real time together since our night in that old cabin, when we were interrupted by my family drama. I still hadn’t forgiven my brother for getting himself in trouble and cockblocking me. Caroline and I were so close to finally being together before everything came to an earth-shattering halt when my phone rang.

My mother wasn’t wrong to call me. She was stuck in rehab and the last thing I wanted was for her to check herself out early. She wasn’t ready to come home and yet, my brother called her in a panic. The dipshits he hung around with had gotten him into a serious bind. I had to go swear to the Sheriff to keep him out of trouble before he ended up in jail.

Daniel wasn’t a bad kid, he never had been. We were both dealt a really raw deal as kids. Neither of us stood much of a chance but Daniel succumbed to every stereotype there was. He made piss poor decisions and constantly put himself in compromising positions. As his older brother, it was often my job to save his ass. It wasn’t a job I would ever give up but it also wasn’t one I particularly enjoyed.

That night, all I wanted to do was be with Caroline. We were right there, about to have sex for the first time, and then nothing. It made my balls ache just thinking about it but mostly, I just wanted to see her face. I felt like the entire fucking universe was trying to get in the way of us being together. Her parents. My family. That douchebag, Eric. Even my job was preventing us from spending time together.

It was late Tuesday afternoon when I finally saw Caroline’s car pull into the back-parking lot. She always parked by the stables so she could see me on her way in and out but after I saw her park, she disappeared. I craned my neck, trying to find her, but she was nowhere in sight. Things at the stables were so busy that I didn’t get a chance to sneak off and look for her until almost an hour later.

I peeked around the back of the barn, my eyes roaming all around. Caroline wasn’t anywhere to be seen and the club grounds were already starting to empty. The sun was setting, which meant the nightly events would start soon. Everyone was going home to change and wash up for whatever dinner party they had to attend. I rolled my eyes at the thought and continued looking for her. I crept around the back of the dining room, peering in through the windows when I finally saw her.

She was standing in the back doorway of the dining room, facing away from me. I saw her long blond hair falling down her back in loose curls and grinned to myself. I was halfway to her when I realized she wasn’t alone. When I moved around to the side, I saw that her face was contorted in rage. Her eyes were narrowed and her mouth was thin as she talked to someone I recognized immediately: Eric Vanderwalt.

I froze. My eyes narrowed as I sunk to the side, not wanting to be seen. Where they stood, Caroline and Eric were removed from the crowd. I could tell the dining room was beginning to fill for the dinner rush but the back door led to a hallway that curved around behind the hostess stand. No one would see Caroline and Eric unless they came down that hallway. I frowned and crept a little closer, trying to hear their conversation.

Caroline looked pissed but she wasn’t moving. Eric was speaking quickly, his face inches from Caroline’s and his eyes boring into hers. He seemed to be begging her for something. With anger already coursing through my veins, I moved even closer.

“I’m just worried about you!” Eric said. “You aren’t thinking clearly!”

Caroline shook her head and opened her mouth to argue but Eric interrupted. He took a step closer to her, forcing her to retreat further outside the building. I wasn’t the jealous type, and I knew Eric Vanderwalt didn’t stand a chance with Caroline. But seeing them together made my blood boil. I clenched my fists at my sides and tried to get myself under control.

“This isn’t any of your business, Eric!” Caroline hissed. “You and I aren’t together. Why can’t you understand that?”

Eric glared and lowered his voice, growling something at her that I couldn’t hear. I watched a glimmer of fear flicker across Caroline’s face, and I took a step forward. Just as I was about to charge over there, a hand grabbed my arm and spun me around.

“Daniel?” I asked, looking at my brother’s face. “What are you doing here?”

“Mom’s home,” Daniel said quickly. “She just showed up like thirty minutes ago. I tried to calm her down but she’s on a fucking rampage, man. She’s drunk off her ass and I didn’t know what to do. So I just came here.”

I glanced behind me, looking back at Caroline and Eric. I knew I needed to leave, to go home and smooth things over with my mom, but I couldn’t bring myself to move. Not until I knew Caroline was okay.

“Did you hear me?” Daniel asked impatiently. “Mom checked herself out of rehab and—”

Just then Eric reached out and grabbed Caroline’s arm. He yanked her forward with a strength I didn’t know he possessed. She cried out in pain and I lunged forward without thinking.

“Dean!” Daniel yelled.

“Hold that thought,” I told him without stopping.

I hurled myself forward until I was standing right beside Caroline. I put my hand on top of Eric’s and pried his fingers from her skin. With one heave, I shoved him backward and stepped between him and my girl.

“Get the fuck off her,” I growled.

Eric’s eyes widened in fear for a fraction of second. Then, he squared his shoulders and got right in my face. His eyes narrowed and he glowered at me with anger.

“Mind your own damn business stable boy,” he spat. “This is between me and Caroline. You aren’t needed here.”

“You’re sorely mistaken if you think that’s the case,” I said softly. “If you ever touch her again, I will kill you.”

Eric glared at me but I knew he was taking my threat seriously. Eric Vanderwalt, a skinny little rich boy, didn’t scare me. I was ready to beat his ass until he swore to never come near Caroline again.

“Leave it alone,” Caroline said in my ear. She grabbed my arm and tried to pull me away but I wasn’t moving.

“You’re nothing!” Eric screamed. “You’re just a pathetic stable boy. Caroline’s taken pity on you. You mean nothing to her! She’s just whoring around with you until she gets bored, then she’ll throw you away without a second thought! No one wants a piece of shit like you! No one!”

“You need to walk away.” My voice was low and dangerous. “Now.”

“Why?” Eric scoffed. “You think I’m scared of you? Do you even know who I am? You can’t touch me!”

With that, Eric shot forward and punched me in the jaw. My head jerked back a fraction of an inch. I grinned at him and watched fear cross his face. As I took a step forward, my fist raised, I heard a pop like a firecracker go off to my right. There was a sharp ringing in my ears as I was suddenly drenched in Eric’s blood.

Eric’s eyes flew wide and he crumbled to the ground, bleeding and convulsing. Caroline screamed, and I looked around. A few feet away, Daniel was standing with his arm raised, a gun in his hand.

My head spun wildly as I tried to make sense of what just happened. Caroline sprinted inside the dining room, running for help. I just stared at Daniel, watching the realization of what he’d just done dawn on his face. He looked at me with fear in his eyes, and I flew into action. I ran toward him and grabbed the gun from his hand, gripping it tightly in my own and settling into my resolve.

When the first few people ran out back, I could already hear sirens in the distance. Daniel was muttering something in my ear but I couldn’t hear him. I could only see Eric lying in the grass, bleeding and staring wide-eyed up at the sky.

Caroline appeared in the doorway, tears streaming down her cheeks. She looked at me, then down at the gun in my hand, confusion on her face. I just shook my head and turned away from her. I couldn’t bear to see the pain in her eyes.

The first police officer arrived, then the second. They hurtled toward us, guns raised. When they approached, I stepped in front of my brother and raised my arms in the air. The gun was dangling from my fingers.

Paramedics were working on Eric, trying desperately to keep him alive. Everything was happening too fast and before I knew it, the police officers had me on the ground with my arms fastened tightly behind my back.

They yanked me to my feet, already leading me away from the scene. Daniel and Caroline both ran forward, their mouths open and ready to defend me. I glared at them both, shaking my head and silently telling them to shut their fucking mouths.

I wouldn’t let my brother go down for this.