Under the Midnight Stars (7 page)

Brielle sighed. “No, Amy. I’m not working. Can’t I wear a white top without everyone thinking that I’m working?”

Amy frowned. “I’m sorry.”

Billy glared at Brielle, and then smiled warmly at Amy. “Don’t mind her. She didn’t mean anything by it.” He let his eyes trail to her cleavage.

Brielle clenched her jaw, fuming that he’d taken it upon his pompous-ass self to answer for her. She was the date, and he was belittling her in front of the hot blonde waitress. “I’m sorry, Amy,” she said in exasperation. “It’s just you’re the third person to ask me that tonight.”

Amy smiled. “It’s okay, Gabby. So are you eating?”

“Why yes we are, Amy.” Billy smiled charmingly.

Brielle rolled her eyes, wondering how she thought Colt simply leaving a big tip and paying her brother for what the truck was worth could define arrogance. Seeing how self-absorbed Billy actually was, she realized she was truly wrong when it came to Colt.

She sighed impatiently. “I’ll just have a basket of fries and an iced tea.”

“And for you, Billy?” Amy asked.

“A bacon cheeseburger and a beer.” He smiled.

“Alrighty.” Amy jotted down their order. “I’ll be back.” She smiled at Billy again before sauntering away.

Dinner was awkward. The entire time, through their idle chitchat about high school memories, mostly his, Billy kept eyeing the rear end and cleavage of every waitress who passed by. Of course his shallowness wasn’t his fault entirely — he’d gotten his womanizing traits from his father. It was the very reason his mother had left when he was young and had never returned. She felt sorry for the woman who would one day become Billy’s wife, if that fateful event should ever occur.

She watched impatiently as Billy gulped the last of his beer, glad that dinner was finally over. Within a few minutes they were back on the road, headed for home.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to drive?” Brielle shouted over the blare of the rock music on the radio.

Billy shook his head. “Nope. I’m good,” he shouted back.

But she wasn’t so sure — especially since she’d just watched him guzzle two twenty-ounce beers in less than an hour. She was sure it had affected his senses in some way. She double-checked her seat belt before staring out of her window into the darkness.

When they neared Colt’s farm, Billy slowed down.

“What are we doing?” she asked warily.

“You’ll see.” Billy grinned, turning left down a dirt road across from Colt’s place. The fields here were overgrown as well.

She straightened nervously in her seat. “Billy, I wanna go home now. What are you doing?”

“Don’t worry. My dad owns this property. We won’t get caught or anything,” he reassured smugly.

“We won’t get caught doing
what?
”
She’d had dates take her out to the fields to tip cows before, but she was sure there were no cows out here.

A safe distance from the road, Billy stopped the truck and turned off the engine. He turned the dial on the radio, the music turning to a soft whisper.

Her eyes widened as she realized what he planned. She started to panic. “Um, I’d just rather go home. I’m not feeling so good.”

“You should’ve eaten more than just fries,” he scolded. Then his voice softened, as did his eyes. He folded the center console up and scooted next to her. “Don’t worry, I’ll make you feel better.”

She backed against the door. “Billy, I wanna go home. This just isn’t right, you and me. We’re not—”

Before she could speak another word, Billy quickly leaned over and forced his thin lips to hers.

Horrified, she tried to push him away, but he wouldn’t budge. She backed her head against the window and turned it to the side, breaking free from his lip lock.

“I don’t wanna kiss you, Billy! Stop!” she shouted angrily.

“Sure you do.” With both of his hands on her cheeks, he forced her to look at him. “You just don’t know it yet.” He crushed his lips to hers again.

She whimpered from the pain of her lips being pinched between his lips and her teeth. She pushed against him, trying to fend him off, but he was too strong. She wanted to gag as his wet slug-like tongue slid into her mouth. The stubble from his whiskers scraped the delicate skin around her lips, burning it raw. In a desperate attempt to get away, she reached behind her and pulled the door handle with her left hand, while balling the right into a tight fist and punching him in the groin.

“Ugh!” Billy cringed and doubled over, releasing her to cradle his crotch. “You bitch!” he groaned through clenched teeth.

She fell out of the truck into the tall grass and scrambled back on her hands and feet to get as far away from him as she could. With her heart pounding frantically in her ears, she pulled herself to her feet and started running down the dirt road as fast as her legs could carry her. But she knew that, compared to Billy’s powerful stride, it wasn’t fast enough. Behind her, she could hear the thudding of boots closing in.

“Just leave me alone, Billy!” she shouted with tears blurring her vision. Never in her life had she felt so helpless and scared.

“Just wait!” He ran up behind her and grabbed her blouse, yanking her to a stop.

Brielle screamed as her blouse dug painfully into her throat. She immediately turned to him, swinging her fists.

“Stop it, Gabby!” Billy caught her by the wrists and pulled her close to his body. He covered her mouth with one hand in an attempt to quiet her.

“Nooo!” Her muffled plea was ignored. Her entire body trembled fearfully. She continued to struggle against him in a desperate attempt to break free. Then she bit down on his palm as hard as she could.

“Ahh!” He clenched his jaw, jerking his hand back.

She screamed again, still struggling, pounding her fists into his arms, trying to break free.

“You fucking whore! I was gonna take you home for being such a bitch, but now you’re getting what you deserve!” He backhanded her across the face and threw her to the ground.

She shrieked, ignoring the sting radiating through her left cheek. She backed away with her hands, kicking her feet to keep him away.

Billy grabbed her flailing legs and pried them apart, pinning her to the ground with the weight of his body.

Colt finished scrubbing the last of the pornographic graffiti off the upstairs bedroom wall. It would be quicker to just primer over it, but he couldn’t let those vile words and pictures remain a permanent part of his childhood home, hidden beneath layers of paint.

Headlights on the road caught his eye. He watched curiously as the vehicle slowed and turned down the dirt road across the way. He wondered if it was the same teenagers who’d turned his home into a garbage dump.

He went to the open widow and leaned out, watching the brake lights grow smaller in the distance before stopping and disappearing. He listened, watching, waiting for signs of a ruckus. When he heard nothing he turned and shrugged his shoulders, figuring it was just a young couple looking for privacy.

He tossed the steel scouring pad into the bucket of black water and went back downstairs.

Just then, the faint echo of a woman’s scream broke the silence.

Colt’s heart stopped. He set the bucket down and bolted out the open door to the porch. Another shrill scream caused his heart to race frantically.

In one long stride Colt was off the front porch and running swiftly up the driveway, through the tall weeds. Another shriek sent a chill down his spine as he bolted across the empty road. Up ahead, he could see a woman struggling to break free from under her predator.

With fury coursing through his veins, Colt ran up to the filthy scumbag and with one swift swipe of his boot kicked him in the face, knocking him off the woman.

Colt looked at the woman, recognizing Brielle’s soft features under the moonlight. “Brielle?” he said in shock.

He turned back to the familiar-looking asshole holding his bloody nose. “Billy Collins?” Anger now surged to the boiling point.

“Colt?” Brielle asked through frantic sobs.

“You broke my nose!” Billy cried, covering his nose with bloody hands as he stood.

“So I did!” Colt replied with satisfaction. He balled his fingers tightly and punched Billy in the jaw, knocking him unconscious.

“NO!” Brielle shouted in horror. “Don’t kill him! His father’s the sheriff!”

Colt didn’t want to kill him. He just wanted to make him suffer. He was sure that Billy, with bruises already forming around his eyes and his left jaw, was going to suffer for the next month.

He turned his attention back to Brielle and knelt beside her. “Are you okay? Did he…” Colt couldn’t bring himself to say the word
rape
to her.

She wiped away her tears and shook her head. “No, he didn’t … and no, I’m not okay.”

Colt’s heart went out to her. He pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her securely. “You’re safe now, Brielle,” he replied, wishing he could take her pain away.
No one is ever gonna lay a hand on you again. I promise,
he vowed silently. Lowering one hand to his jeans pocket, he grabbed his cell phone.

“What are you doing?” she asked through sniffles.

“Calling the police.”

“No, you can’t!”

“He just attacked you, Brielle. We have to call the police.” He began to tap the numbers on screen.

“No!” She snatched the phone from his grasp and tossed it into the grass.

“What in the hell are you doing?” Colt asked incredulously. He disappeared in the direction he’d last seen the light from his phone. Through the thick grass, he saw the soft glow. He retrieved it and headed back to Brielle. She was on her feet trying to pull her blouse closed.

Billy moaned, then fell silent again.

“I’m sorry I threw your phone. I don’t know what I was thinking. You just weren’t listening to me. But we can’t call the sheriff. If my dad finds out he’ll kill Billy.”

“I’m sure he’d just rough him up a little, but kill? Come on, Brielle, he wouldn’t do anything so stupid.”

“Then how come he’s told all my dates until tonight to behave like a perfect gentlemen or he’d kill them?”

“I’m sure it was just a figure of speech. Besides, we can’t just let Billy get away with it. Who knows how many other women he’s forced himself on? We’re putting a stop to it.”

“No, you don’t understand,” she pleaded. “My dad hasn’t been the same since my mom died two years ago. He’s been excessively protective. The last boy who tried to kiss me, he came out with a loaded shotgun, yanked him out of the car by the scruff of his neck, and shoved him into the mud. And I was twenty-two at the time, Colt. He’ll do worse to Billy — I know it! I don’t want my dad’s temper to get him in trouble.
Please!
I already lost my mom … I can’t lose him too.”

Colt sighed heavily and looked at Billy, who was just now opening his eyes.

Billy sat up and cupped his nose. “Shit! My nose!”

“We’re calling your father. You can cry to him about your nose,” Colt said with disgust.

“Colt?” Billy asked in a surprised tone. “What — do you just wait around for your chance to rescue the Sinclairs from me?”

Colt took a menacing step forward. “Maybe I should make sure your nose is really broken?”

Billy put his hands in front of him. “I didn’t mean it, Colt. It’s broken. My nose is really broken. But please, don’t call my dad.”

He looked at Brielle with pleading eyes. “I’m sorry, Gabby! I don’t know what came over me. I just got the signals mixed up. And I just had one too many beers. And then when you bit me I just snapped. Please! Don’t call my dad! Elections are coming up. If this got out…” He shook his head. “Just please … he’s a good sheriff. I’m sorry. I’ll quit drinking, I promise!”

A surge of anger took over Brielle’s senses. She clutched her blouse closed, charged Billy, and kicked him in the crotch as hard as she could.

“Ughhh!” Billy groaned and fell to his knees, cradling his gonads. He leaned forward, resting his forehead on the hard dirt, moaning, coughing.

She spat at him and kicked dirt on the back of his head. “You sorry son of a bitch! You had no right to touch me!
No right!
”
Her chest heaved breathlessly.

Colt stepped back to give her room as he watched her gain back a scrap of her dignity and self-worth.

“I only agreed to go out with you so that I could get you off my back once and for all!”

“I’m sorry!” Billy pleaded mercifully. “I’m sorry, Gabby! I’ll never hurt you again! I promise! Just don’t call my dad!”

After a few deep breaths, Brielle’s anger seemed to fade. “I’m not calling your dad.” Her tone was more controlled. “But it’s up to you on how you explain your broken nose to the doctor. And you better not mention Colt’s name either. Or mine.”

“I won’t mention any of this. I’ll just say I got into a brawl outside the bar — that I was drunk and provoked it. He won’t question that.”

Going against the ways of the law didn’t settle well with Colt. But if it’d make Brielle feel better and keep her father out of jail, he was willing to go along with it.

He glared at Billy. “I’d suggest you get the hell out of here before you flap that jaw of yours again and end up in a body bag.”