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Authors: Stephanie Brother
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provoke Drew by starting some kind
of incident. Cory frowns at my lie then looks down at my wrist again.
"Thank
you for looking after my stepsister,” he says firmly, eyes fixed on Drew. “No
need to worry now. I'll see that she gets home safely."
I
hold my breath waiting for Drew to argue but he turns to look at me, confusion
then disbelief crossing his face. The reality of his situation dawns on him. He
looks down at his grip around my wrist, letting it go as if my skin is on fire.
The color drains from his face. My wrist is so sore, the skin red and chaffed.
Maybe it’s finally dawning on him that what he was about to do to me is illegal.
Blackmail is one thing. Releasing those photos is illegal too now. But doing
things to me against my will is a whole other kind of fucked up. I take a deep
breath and watch the men stare at each other, sizing each other up. Maybe now
that Drew knows my stepbrother is in law enforcement, he’ll back off.
"Good
to know," Drew says. He turns and glares at me, and the ferociousness of
his stare hits me like a physical blow. Just as I’m about to take a step back
to put some distance between us he turns and walks out of the house.
I
wrap my arms around me trying to stop the shaking. When I calm down a little,
the throbbing in my wrist pulls my attention. There is a welt in the shape of
his fingers. I cuff my wrist, rubbing the skin in an attempt to smooth it out.
How long will it take for the impression to go away? The thought of carrying
around the mark of Drew’s abuse makes me want to cry. I don’t need reminders of
the harm he can inflict on me. I’ve barely been holding it together as it is.
I
shudder and look up at Cory. His face is impassive in just the way it was at
the side of the road when he was deciding whether or not to book me. Maybe he’s
been trained not to show what he’s thinking. He doesn’t say anything and the
silence stretches between us.
I
feel lost, standing on these stairs; bereft. My feet are hurting in the stupid
gold sandals I chose to wear to this ridiculous party I didn’t want to attend.
The tight jeans and halter top feel too restrictive, too sexy. Cory turns,
surveying the movement of people out of the premises. His colleagues are
starting to join us in the hallway, one by one, as the rooms are cleared. A few
stragglers lumber through the hall and stumble outside. In all the commotion
I've lost track of Rachel. I'm sure she's already been shepherded outside.
Maybe she’ll be waiting out there for me. Or maybe the police have told
everyone to make their way home.
"Everyone
is out now," one of the policemen says.
Cory
nods. He steps forward and touches my elbow in a gesture so gentle I want to
collapse into his arms. Despite all my mixed feelings about him, what I want
most right now is to feel comforted and protected.
"Thanks,
Simons. I'll be out in a second. Make sure everyone is on their way home."
The
officer nods and leaves the house. From the doorway, I can hear Cory’s
colleagues issuing orders to disperse. A few of the more inebriated students
grumble and stubbornly refuse to move and are met by a firm response.
I
don't want to go out there until everyone is gone. I don’t want to have to face
Drew again, or answer Rachel’s questions.
"I'll
take you back to your dorm," Cory says, answering my prayers.
Unable
to speak because I know the tears will flow at his concern, I merely nod and
snuggle into his side when he puts an arm around my shoulders to guide me out
of the house.
8
CORY
The
darkness blurs in front of the cruiser as I speed through the winding streets
of the city. When I look into the rear-view mirror I catch the glint of
Allyson’s unshed tears and I have to look away. I don’t know what the fuck was
going on with her and that asshole. The way he had his hand around her wrist
was definitely not friendly. When I told him I’d take care of her he looked
furious.
I
think about the way Jackson’s dad had
of incident. Cory frowns at my lie then looks down at my wrist again.
"Thank
you for looking after my stepsister,” he says firmly, eyes fixed on Drew. “No
need to worry now. I'll see that she gets home safely."
I
hold my breath waiting for Drew to argue but he turns to look at me, confusion
then disbelief crossing his face. The reality of his situation dawns on him. He
looks down at his grip around my wrist, letting it go as if my skin is on fire.
The color drains from his face. My wrist is so sore, the skin red and chaffed.
Maybe it’s finally dawning on him that what he was about to do to me is illegal.
Blackmail is one thing. Releasing those photos is illegal too now. But doing
things to me against my will is a whole other kind of fucked up. I take a deep
breath and watch the men stare at each other, sizing each other up. Maybe now
that Drew knows my stepbrother is in law enforcement, he’ll back off.
"Good
to know," Drew says. He turns and glares at me, and the ferociousness of
his stare hits me like a physical blow. Just as I’m about to take a step back
to put some distance between us he turns and walks out of the house.
I
wrap my arms around me trying to stop the shaking. When I calm down a little,
the throbbing in my wrist pulls my attention. There is a welt in the shape of
his fingers. I cuff my wrist, rubbing the skin in an attempt to smooth it out.
How long will it take for the impression to go away? The thought of carrying
around the mark of Drew’s abuse makes me want to cry. I don’t need reminders of
the harm he can inflict on me. I’ve barely been holding it together as it is.
I
shudder and look up at Cory. His face is impassive in just the way it was at
the side of the road when he was deciding whether or not to book me. Maybe he’s
been trained not to show what he’s thinking. He doesn’t say anything and the
silence stretches between us.
I
feel lost, standing on these stairs; bereft. My feet are hurting in the stupid
gold sandals I chose to wear to this ridiculous party I didn’t want to attend.
The tight jeans and halter top feel too restrictive, too sexy. Cory turns,
surveying the movement of people out of the premises. His colleagues are
starting to join us in the hallway, one by one, as the rooms are cleared. A few
stragglers lumber through the hall and stumble outside. In all the commotion
I've lost track of Rachel. I'm sure she's already been shepherded outside.
Maybe she’ll be waiting out there for me. Or maybe the police have told
everyone to make their way home.
"Everyone
is out now," one of the policemen says.
Cory
nods. He steps forward and touches my elbow in a gesture so gentle I want to
collapse into his arms. Despite all my mixed feelings about him, what I want
most right now is to feel comforted and protected.
"Thanks,
Simons. I'll be out in a second. Make sure everyone is on their way home."
The
officer nods and leaves the house. From the doorway, I can hear Cory’s
colleagues issuing orders to disperse. A few of the more inebriated students
grumble and stubbornly refuse to move and are met by a firm response.
I
don't want to go out there until everyone is gone. I don’t want to have to face
Drew again, or answer Rachel’s questions.
"I'll
take you back to your dorm," Cory says, answering my prayers.
Unable
to speak because I know the tears will flow at his concern, I merely nod and
snuggle into his side when he puts an arm around my shoulders to guide me out
of the house.
8
CORY
The
darkness blurs in front of the cruiser as I speed through the winding streets
of the city. When I look into the rear-view mirror I catch the glint of
Allyson’s unshed tears and I have to look away. I don’t know what the fuck was
going on with her and that asshole. The way he had his hand around her wrist
was definitely not friendly. When I told him I’d take care of her he looked
furious.
I
think about the way Jackson’s dad had
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