Chapter 6
Lucy
I meant to head home. I really did, but the comfort I found in Boston’s arms was too good to leave. I drifted in and out of sleep, more at peace than I had ever been. One more hour, I kept telling myself. One more.
He held me securely, resting his chin on top of my head. His light snores made their way into my dreams—dreams that weren’t much different than reality. We were together, and he was holding me. Slowly, I blinked, seeing his chest not inches away. A smile pulled at my lips, and my head tilted as I gazed up at his face. A handsome face—a bloody face.
I reared back, fighting to sit. The action caused his arms to tighten, hindering me from getting far. From what I could see, there was no wound. My hand shot up, smearing through the crimson, looking for a gash or cut from the axe. He was hurt. He—
Wooden walls surrounded me. The room was small. Old. Mold nearly suffocated me and I fought against his grip as a multitude of knives and weapons came into view lining the walls. My eyes went to Boston, but it wasn’t him anymore. It was Jeff, and he was holding me tightly as my horror grew. He was covered in blood…my blood. Lacerations were jagged over my bare chest, open and gaping. Exposed bone between my breasts had me screaming. I fought even harder, getting nowhere. Jeff was yelling at me, laughing, holding tighter as he whispered and licked over the exposed muscle of my shoulder. It wasn’t right…but I wasn’t me. I was a girl. A girl who looked like me—who, I didn’t know.
“Let me go. Let me go!”
No response. He either didn’t hear me or wasn’t listening. More blood streaked over his nose and cheek, then his forehead, as he nuzzled into me. I kept struggling. Kept begging.
“Please! Jeff! I want to leave. I want to go home!”
Nothing.
Time stretched out and weakness had my eyes drooping. I was losing too much blood. Distress kept me holding on, but it was almost impossible for me to lift my arms. I wedged them between us, using everything I had to push.
“Lucy. Lucy.”
I jolted, slamming my fists into Boston’s chest as he stared at me. He was still holding me…tightly. One arm was hooked under my neck, gripping my shoulder, while he stroked my hair with his other hand.
“Shhh. It’s okay. You were having a bad dream.”
“Yes.” Tears welled and my shoulders caved in at the sob wanting to escape. “I should go.”
“Wait. Was it about me?”
I let my eyes drop before I shook my head. “Not really. It started off with you, but…Jeff.”
At the mention, his face hardened. “But the part with me…are you afraid of me?”
“No. I mean, not anymore. I was when I thought Jeff was telling the truth.”
“But he wasn’t.” His finger dipped under my chin, bringing me back to face him. “Listen to me, Lucy. He wasn’t telling the truth. I don’t know what’s wrong with your brother, but it wasn’t real. Kill someone? You can’t think I’m capable of something like that.”
“I don’t. I swear I don’t.”
“Good.”
Fingers slid up my jaw, moving back into my hair as Boston drew me in even more. My eyes closed and I breathed through the racing of my pulse. It was still hammering away. I trembled, forcing the dream to disappear. It wasn’t real—this was.
“I really should be going. It has to be close to morning.”
Before Boston could respond, a bang sounded from behind me. I jumped, jerking my head to look over my shoulder. Jeff was glaring, panting as he stomped in our direction. I spun to leave the bed, but Boston was too fast. His arm looped around my waist and he pulled me with him as he rose on the other side of the bed.
“Let go of her, or God help me…”
“Jeff, please.”
“Shut up, Lucy! How could you? After what I told you he did?”
“He didn’t do anything. I told you, Rhonda’s not dead. What you said happened isn’t real.”
“It is!” His hand shot up, turning into a fist. “We’re done talking. Get your ass over here right now. We’re leaving.”
Boston stepped in front of me, staying silent as he stared ahead. Jeff was only a few feet away, pacing. He looked ready to spring, and my tears rolled free as I battled over what to do.
“Jeff, you’re sick. You feel guilty, but what happened to Boston was my fault. If I would’ve stayed hidden, I wouldn’t have distracted the two of you. Please. I don’t want you to be mad or afraid of him anymore.”
“Now, Lucy!”
I side-stepped, but Boston moved with me. His arm stayed angled back, blocking any path for me to walk. We were trapped between the bed and the wall. The only way for me to get around was to climb back over the bed.
“She’s not leaving.”
“Excuse me?” Jeff took a step forward, and a nurse swept into the room, but left just as fast. My gut told me this was about to get bad—worse than I could imagine if I didn’t do something.
“You heard me. Lucy’s staying with me now. She’s not safe around you. You hit her. I know you do.”
“Not safe around me? She’s not safe around you!”
Jeff lunged, crashing into Boston. He swung, but I couldn’t see the damage as they plowed into me, sending me flying into the wall. Growls and yells echoed through the wavering sounds. I was going down, but focusing was impossible from the numbing heat at the back of my head. Colors weaved together—Boston and Jeff trading punches. They were rolling on the bed one minute, and the floor the next. More people. Security. Everything was happening so fast, yet so slow as men pulled them apart.
They had Jeff’s flailing body. He was still yelling, but whatever he was saying…it didn’t make sense.
“Lucy?” My head bobbed, and Boston was suddenly before me, supporting my face. “Lucy, Jesus, stay awake, baby.”
Numbness follow the swipe of his fingers under my nose and pain flared. Red. Blood. It coated his fingertips. I barely recalled the connection of one of their elbows to my nose. It was my head that hurt the worst, robbing me of concern from other injuries.
“I’m okay. I just—”
“Mr. Marks? Boston?”
Boston turned as a nurse and doctor entered, and lifted me to stand as they began assessing the damage. Light flashed in my eyes. More words.
“Pretty good knot you have coming up back there.” More probing of my head from the doctor. “Maybe a minor concussion, but I think you’ll be okay with some rest.”
The doctor was suddenly dabbing my nose, then stepped back. Mrs. Marks was in the room now, though I wasn’t sure when she’d arrived. Daylight broke through the cracks in the blinds. Morning. I had slept longer than I thought.
“We’re leaving,” Boston bit out to the doctor. “Do whatever you have to do regarding me, but I’m going home.”
“We have a few more tests we’d like—”
“No. I’m fine. I said we’re leaving.”
“Honey.”
At Boston’s glare, his mother grew quiet.
“If you insist, Mr. Marks, but I must warn you against it.”
“You warned. I decline any further treatment. End of story.”
A silent hesitation had everyone standing still. Finally, the doctor let out a long sigh. “As you wish. I advise you be brought in if there’s any change in your physical or mental state. It can take months, even years, to see—”
“I don’t care. I’m fine.”
The doctor left with a shake of disappointment. The pounding in my head was growing worse. I just wanted to close my eyes. Minutes went by as a nurse came and went. I found myself standing, not sure why.
Concussion.
“Where’d they take Jeff?”
Boston’s hand paused as he looked up from the paper he was signing. “He’ll be fine. Right now, I’m worried about you. Almost done. Then we’ll go home.”
Home. I probably should go home. I was going to be in so much trouble. I almost didn’t want to return to face it.
“You okay? Here, take my hand.”
Boston laced his fingers through mine and we were suddenly following Mrs. Marks out. Then, we had my bike loaded up, and we were driving. But not toward my home. We were going in the opposite direction, away from town.
“You don’t look okay, sweetie. How are you?”
My eyes rose to look at Boston’s mom’s in the rearview mirror. Hazel eyes, like his. There was something in them I couldn’t read. Something that gave me pause.
“My head hurts, but I’m okay. Where are we going?”
“Home. I’m going to take good care of you.” Boston was sitting in the backseat of the SUV with me, stroking my hair…soothing me. Had he even looked away since we started driving? Every time I glanced over, he was watching me, touching my neck or jawline.
I shifted in my seat as reality began to sink in. The looming trees were a blur of green ahead. I swayed with the movement of the roads, and Boston wrapped his arm around me, resting my head on his chest. I tried to ignore the way his mother was watching us. The unease kept me quiet. She hadn’t wanted me to come to Boston.
Minutes went by, and soon, we came to a road I knew all too well. I’d only seen his house a handful of times when Jeff was dropping him off, but the grandeur was enough to keep my feet rooted to the pavement as he helped me out. The large two-story cabin was more of a mansion than a home. Large glass windows covered the entire length of both floors, and a large chandelier hung in the center. It was rustic elegance at its finest.
“This way.”
Boston led me off to the far side of the driveway to a two-story home a quarter of the size. The wood was the same, but there were no large windows like the main house.
The door opened at his turn and he helped me up the stairs into an open room larger than my entire house. A bed was in the far corner, with a kitchen off to the side of the enormous living room. In the middle sat an L-shaped black leather sofa centered next to an elaborate fireplace. I wasn’t sure who was more surprised: me or Boston. We just stood there, staring at the splendor.
“I don’t remember any of this,” he breathed out. “Not even the drive here. This doesn’t feel like home.”
“You had an apartment down the road from my house. I don’t think you’ve lived here in years.”
“My mom said I had just moved there.” Confusion drew in his features, but he pushed it away as he led me to the bed and pulled the covers back. I slid off my shoes and paused as he began to take off his pants. “First, we shower. Then, it’s me and you.