Because of You (35 page)

And I want to tell him. I want to call him up, ask him to meet me, and tell him face to face that I’m irreversibly, undeniably in love with him.

Which is crazy, right? I mean we’ve kissed. Had some serious make out sessions. But I’m still a virgin. Am I being naive?

I need to talk to Gina.

Quickly I text,
I love Kyle.

Her response comes back:
Bullshit. You can’t love someone you haven’t slept with. My recommendation: Lose your virginity. Kiss at least three more boys, and then get back to me.

I snort. Text:
I don’t want to lose my virginity to anyone but Kyle. He’s the only person I ever think about… when I think about those kinds of things.

Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. You have those kinds of feelings? I thought your insides were all sunshine and rainbows.

Rude. And I’m not a prude. Occasionally there is a…storm. And it involves Kyle.

You’re weird. Whatever. You love him. But is it enough to forget about the past? What his father did?

That’s a very good question. One I don’t have the answer to. I decide to change the subject.
How’s alone time with Collin?

Awesome. Getting ready to party. Want to talk more tomorrow?

K. He’s nice to you, right? Treats you with respect?

He’s wonderful.

Good. Be safe.

You too. :)

I put in a CD and push play. My aunt and uncle are downstairs watching TV, but I still keep the music low. I sit on my bed, wrapping my arms around my waist. I’m already feeling antsy. Craving a party and the lovely, warm feelings that accompany a couple of drinks. Flopping back against my pillows, I try to get lost in the music. It’s Gina’s favorite band—Black Veil Brides. I’ve decided the lyrics aren’t horrible. In fact, they’re kind of poetic. The lead singer’s voice is deep, low. I’m almost lulled to sleep when I feel my phone vibrate on my stomach.

Can I see you tonight?

I check the number. It’s from Kyle.

Um, probably not. It’s late.
I would love to see him, but I don’t want to risk it. He told me he’s staying with Evan. If he were to leave, that would mean Evan would know. I can’t take a chance.

I really miss you. And I didn’t get to give you a proper good-bye kiss. Please.

I sigh
.

Aren’t you tired?
I text back, laughing. It’s really sweet that he’s talking to me, though. I was worried he might be mad.

Nah. Plus, I’m parked outside your house. Come down.

I jump off my bed and pull back the curtains. A large oak tree sits in the center of my window, but because it’s winter I can see Kyle’s Jeep through the leafless branches. It’s parked across the street beside a large snowdrift.

My aunt and uncle are still awake. I can’t
. My heart is racing. I really do want to see him. The curtains fall back into place and I search the room, trying to think of an excuse to leave the house. Nothing is coming. My phone vibrates.

Are you five? Just tell them you’re going out with friends.

Holy crap. Duh. I should be afraid for Kyle. Because of what Evan said, threatened. But since he’s already here, there’s nothing I can do about it, right? And if he’s here then he’s safe. At least for now.
Fine. I’ll be right down.

I run a quick brush through my hair. Pull on his sweatshirt, the one he let me borrow. Grab my black Uggs and slide them on. Then run downstairs.

“Hey, I’m going out with friends. I’ll be back later.” I open the front door.

“Hold up, darling.” Uncle John walks into the foyer. “Where ya heading?”

I shrug. “Out.”

“With whom?” Aunt Eliza asks.

I can’t tell them its Kyle. They wouldn’t understand. “With some people from school.”

“People?” Uncle John deadpans.

“Fine. It’s a boy.”

Aunt Eliza steps forward, but I run down the steps. “I’ll be back in a while.”

“You have your phone?” Uncle John asks.

“Yep,” I say.

“Have fun. And remember the Titans,” Uncle John adds, tapping his nose.

“Um, okay. I will.”

Uncle John shuts the door.

I dash across the street. Kyle is wearing a hoodie so I can’t see his face. I hurry to my side, and open the door.

“Hi,” I whisper as I jump in.

“Hi yourself, Pudgy Mudgy.”

Before I have a chance to scream, a cloth covers my mouth and nose, and I feel my body get hazy.

Kyle

I open my eyes and sit up immediately. “Oh, shit.” My head is pounding and my stomach feels queasy. Like I have a hangover. I check my arm to see if there’s something there to prove Evan stabbed me with a needle.

“Evan!” I shout, scanning the room. It’s sterile. Overly so. It doesn’t look like it belongs in the old warehouse I walked into. Four white walls. The cot I’m sitting on. A bright light shines overhead, a door, and an aluminum toilet in the corner. “Evan!” I twist the handle on the door. Shake it. Try to kick it in. It won’t budge. The sounds reverberate. Echo. “Evan!” I shout again, hoping the son-of-a-bitch shows his face so I can pound it. Several minutes pass. No one comes.

I sit back down on the cot. Put my head in my hands. All sorts of things run through my mind. Is this some sort of hazing prank? Did I do something—other than the normal shit—that’s made Evan mad? I’m clueless. This is so strange. Even with all of Evan’s shady dealings, this seems out of character and way too elaborate for the people I’d seen him hang with. I can’t decide what’s going on. Evan’s been weird lately but I figured it had to do with stress from school. I reach in my pocket to pull out my phone, but it’s gone. Evan must’ve taken it. And I’m suddenly worried. About what his stealing my phone might mean.

He wouldn’t hurt me.

There’s got to be an explanation.

We’re like brothers.

Thoughts run through my mind, but none of them make me feel any better. Because the fact is, Evan put me in here.

I lay back on the cot. Close my eyes. Try not to think about anything.

The sweet smell of Maddie’s hair fills my nose. I see her eyes sparkle right before I kiss her. Feel her warm skin against my fingers.

A rustling at the door brings me out of my memories. I stand, preparing myself for a fight. Two huge guys, the size of concrete walls, enter. They look familiar. Maybe they were friends of my dad’s.

“You guys here to let me out?”

The one on the left is wearing a dark suit, white-buttoned shirt, and pinstriped tie. His hair is blond, pulled back in a ponytail. The other guy is in jeans and a pink golf shirt. His head is shaved and his ears are pierced, like Mr. Clean on steroids.

“Mr. Hadley would like you to sit tight and be cool. He says you’ll be out in no time.” They open the door to leave. .

“Wait. That’s all you got?” They can’t leave. They just got here and I need information. “What’s this all about?” My fingers find the spot where I felt the needle go in. It’s slightly raised and feels extra warm. I’m guessing it has to do with drugs.

Baldy and Ponytail exchange a look. Ponytail shrugs. “If Mr. Hadley hasn’t told you, we probably shouldn’t say.”

I walk up to Ponytail, anger burning my vision. “Serious. You need to let me out.” I shove my fingers into his shoulder. Faster than I believed such a big guy could move, he grabs my arm and pushes me to my knees. Pain shoots through my leg.

Ponytail says, “Stay put.” He pushes some stray hair from his face, walks out the door. I hear it being locked behind them.

I shake the stars from my eyes and drag my sorry ass over to the cot. Blood drips from my nose, and I wipe at it. There’s something silver on the white floor next to a smeared drop of blood. I fall to my knees and grab it.

It’s a key. Ponytail dropped a key. I can’t believe my luck.

I count to a thousand, hoping whoever they are, they’ve left. Then I go to the door, and push the key in the lock. It clicks. The handle turns, and I’m free.

Maddie

When I come to it’s with the knowledge that I’m sitting up, but my hands are tied behind my back and to a hard wooden chair. My shoulders scream in pain. I open my eyes and scan the room. Dead animal heads are mounted on the wood-paneled walls. There’s an antelope, an elk, a bear…at least a dozen animals. Their glassy eyes seem to be giving me an accusatory glare. Like I somehow killed them, stuffed them, and hung half their bodies on display.

Completely out of place is a flat screen TV, mounted between a mountain lion head and a deer head. The ceiling is low. Muted light fills the room. Beneath my feet is ugly flecked brown carpet. To the right is a bar, with dozens of bottles lined above a sink. A mirror is behind them. A pool table is directly in front of me. A card table to the left next to a stained orange couch. The room smells musty.

From behind me I hear clomping, like someone coming down stairs, and a door opens.

I’m guessing I’m in the basement of a house.

“Oh, good, you’re awake.” Evan comes around and faces me. He’s carrying a laptop in his hands. A smug smile on his face. “We’re going to make this quick.”

I feel my eyes scrunch together. “What is going on?” I croak. My throat is dry. Fear tightens my gut and my knees are shaking.

“Here’s the thing.” He walks over to the bar, sets the small laptop on it. Pushes some buttons and then clicks on the TV.

My aunt and uncle are sitting in the living room, watching TV. My uncle’s arm is around my aunt. She’s patting his knee. They are wearing the clothes they had on when I left. They both laugh.

“How are you doing that? Is this live? Did you put a camera in my house?” With each question my voice raises an octave.

Evan keeps his mouth clamped shut.

I keep watching the monitor.

My uncle looks toward the hallway, surprise evident on his face. Two men dressed in ski masks barge in.

He says something, but I can’t hear what it is. I can guess it’s something like, “What the hell?” Uncle John tries to stand, but one of the men pulls a gun and fires. My uncle is knocked backward, falling between the couch and the coffee table. He grabs his chest as blood stains his shirt.

I scream, pressing against the plastic ties binding me. “Uncle John!”

My aunt leans into him. There’s terror and tears on her face.

The other man in the ski mask pulls a gun on my aunt. She says something. The man steps forward, lifts his arm.

“No. No. No,” I say quietly, even though I know they can’t hear me.

The man backhands my aunt. Her eyes roll into her head and she falls.

The men look at each other and then each takes hold of my aunt and uncle. They arrange them so they’re lying on their sides, my aunt and uncle facing each other. Red is swelling and leaking from both of their bodies. It looks like my uncle is awake and trying to talk. He reaches out to my aunt.

Tears cloud my eyes. I can’t breathe. My chest feels like someone is standing on it, crushing the life from me. And I want it. I want the release. Because this can’t be happening. Not again. “Make them stop. Please.” I glance at Evan.

He shakes his head. “I can’t. What’s happening now is out of my control.”

My aunt’s lips are moving. I lean forward, desperate to know what she’s saying.

The men aim their guns at my aunt and uncle’s head.

And the screen goes black. I realize Evan has clicked off the laptop.

“Soooooo, uncle-and-auntie-blackmail-pants are finally dead,” Evan says, closing the laptop. “Did you like the way I had them placed exactly like your parents?” He pauses a moment, then continues, “I thought it was romantic.”

My mouth opens and closes. I want to say things, do things to Evan, but I can’t. Not yet.

Evan shrugs. “Maybe you don’t see it that way.” He moves so his face is directly in front of mine, and I can smell his putrid breath. “Maybe you don’t remember. Let me show you.” He clicks the TV back on, and I’m transported back in time.

It’s my parents’ house. They are sitting at the table. Dad is holding a beer. Mom is doing a crossword puzzle. They are talking. My dad sets down his beer and stands. His hands come out in front of him and wave back and forth. I can read one word on his lips. “No.” He’s saying it over and over, like I did a few moments ago. Then a man comes into the picture. It’s Evan’s dad. Ryan. He’s holding a strange-looking gun. Ryan shoots my dad. I see my mom scream and Ryan shoots her too. Then Kyle’s dad enters the room. He and Ryan are fighting, arguing. Kyle’s dad looks right at the camera. I flinch. If my heart hadn’t exploded before, it does now. I didn’t think I could feel more pain. Hurt more. But I’m hurting so badly my body goes numb. My mind blanks.