Afflicted (9 page)

I knew he was probably feeling sad that his mom wasn’t here since she took off when he was a kid
, but his dad tried his best to make it up to him, including loaning him his prized 53’ Chevy. When they were finished, we got in the car and took off toward the school gym.

After he
pulled into the parking lot and turned the car off he looked intently at me clearing his throat. He fidgeted with his hands for several minutes looking nervous.

“Piper, you know I love you. I want to marry you one day
, but in order to give us both a future I made a decision. I signed my enlistment papers for the Marines earlier today. It will give us the opportunity to stock some money away, so we won’t have to worry as much. After I serve my time, I promise I’ll come back for you. Everything’s going to be perfect.”

I remembered how much I trusted him. If he sai
d it was going to be perfect, it would be since he never gave me any reason to believe that it would be anything but. We had a spectacular night, and our first time was incredible. It was everything I thought it would be, and more. I was glad that it was him since we were forever.

In my fevered state
, I was getting flashes of memories. Boot camp graduation. The phone call that he was being deployed. The phone call that their unit had been struck by a roadside bomb, and they weren’t sure if he was going to make it or not. The phone call that he was alive and coming back stateside.

He never told me what happened
, but his dad filled me in on what he knew and that his best friend, Johnny died in the explosion.

I sat up in a cold swea
t and checked my temperature to see if my fever broke, realizing that I wasn’t alone. Cole stood at the kitchen sink running his hand under the water. I managed to get to my feet and pad my way into the kitchen. I stood next to him as I looked down at his hand. Blood was swirling down the drain and my world stopped spinning.

“What did you do?” I croaked.

“I did what needed to be done.” He said flatly showing no emotion whatsoever. “He had it coming, with the way that he’s always hanging around you. Always trying to act like the savior just so he can fuck you again.”

He turned to look at me
, and that’s when I saw his face. His eye was already starting to bruise and swell shut. His elbow was ripped open, and his knuckles were broken open and bleeding. So he left me here sick just so he could go pick a fight with Blake.

“Get out!”
My voice cracked as I tried to yell.

“I’m not going anywhere. You need to go lay back down.” He said moving past me.

Having zero strength, I didn’t have it in me to have another argument with him. I went back to the couch and unlocked my phone to text Blake, but there was already one from him.

Piper, I care about you and you’re my friend but Cole came and found me starting a
completely unprovoked fight. I’m not going to be the cause of any more issues for you. If you need me just say the word, and I’ll be there no matter what, but I can’t stand by and watch anymore. I think we should put some distance between us. Sorry I busted up his face. I think he thought that just because he was a soldier that he could kick my ass, unfortunately for him, bar fights trump... Take care of yourself.

I felt a tear slide down my cheek as I clicked the message closed.
I felt guilty for getting him involved in my drama, and even guiltier for having feelings for him.

I tossed my phone on the table without replying
.

“Why are you crying?” Cole spat.

I didn’t realize he was still standing there. “Cause you kill me a little more each day.”

Hugging a pillow to my chest I turned and
closed my eyes.

CHAPTER FIVE

Seize The Day

Blake

Aubrey called and informed me that they were having family dinner tonight and that the guys and I were expected to be there. Since Kevin left for LA this morning to go visit his girlfriend it was just me and Derek. I changed my shirt and waited for Derek to get out of the bathroom before heading across to the main house.

The kitchen smelled like garlic and sausage.
I walked over to the pot to test the sauce when I saw Piper sitting at the dining room table talking to Granny Jean and Caroline. She looked spectacular, as always. I haven’t heard from her since I sent her the text message after I got into the fight with Cole in the bar parking lot.

Quickly looking away,
I took a small spoon full of sauce and tasted it. It definitely needed some basil and a little more garlic. I got to work on fixing her sauce, trying to look inconspicuous. By the time, everyone sat down the only seat left was next to Piper. I had a feeling that we were set up, but I wasn’t about to call anyone out on it. After all, we were friends and could certainly stand to sit next to each other for a meal. We bumped elbows as I picked up my fork since she was a lefty. She smiled shyly at me as Granny watched us intently from across the table.

“Will you two quit eye fucking each other and just get it on already
? You both look miserable.” She said tossing her napkin on the table.

Tim shot wine out his no
se, Caroline gasped and Jake started choking on his meatball.

“Granny.” Aubrey scolded.

“What? They have so much sexual tension going on that it’s making me horny for crying out loud.”

We ate in silence for the rest of dinner, except for the occasional
asking to pass the bread. The twins were the center of attention tossing spaghetti all over the dining room making everyone go gaga. After we were finished, I helped Aubrey load the dishwasher and quickly made my escape back to the guesthouse. Things were already awkward, and I didn’t feel the need to make them any worse than they already were. I wanted her, and she knew it, besides she still had Cole.

I thought I made it out unscathed until Aubrey called asking if I could bring Piper home.
Being a glutton for punishment, I agreed and grabbed my keys heading back downstairs. She climbed into the car and apologized for needing a ride, but Cole took off with her car again. Apparently they were fighting again, and she wasn’t sure she was going to take him back this time. I didn’t know what to tell her, the guy was an asshole, yet she still held a torch for him.

After the fight
, I did a little research into PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, and it absolutely fit what Cole had. I kept my mouth shut focused on getting her home. Pulling into the driveway her car was there, so Cole must have decided to come back. I wanted to walk her inside, but she refused like always. She was so damn stubborn. I watched as she made it inside closing the door behind her.

Piper

“Where have you been?” Cole asked as I walked past him to the kitchen to get a bottle of water without even acknowledging him. I was still pissed off at him for taking off again. “Just walk away Piper, walk away!” He yelled after me.

“Just like
you always do?” I screamed back, grabbing a picture frame off the counter and throwing it at him, barely missing his head.

He lunged at me
grabbing my biceps and squeezing tightly. I struggled to get away from him as he pushed me into the table making it break from the force. The living room was about to become a boxing ring. He never turned violent toward me before, but his temper was growing increasingly harder to gauge.

“Get the fuck out!”
I screamed at the top of my lungs.

Releasing me, he
took a step back. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what just came over me.”

Forgoing the water I moved further away from him
toward the back of the house.

“You have two weeks to find somewhere else to go.
Take your stuff with you when you go.” I said heading back to my room.

“What am I supposed to take?” He yelled.

“How about you take all the time you stole. I’m done with this. I’m done with you. I’m done with everything! I can’t do this anymore! I’m going away for a bit. I need to get away from everything, including you.”

“Let me guess
, Super Blake is whisking you away on some Hollywood getaway. I’m right, aren’t I? And you’re stupid enough to think he’d want someone like you when he can have his pick of any girl he wants.”

“Leave it, Cole!” I said, slamming the door behind me. 

Walking over to my closet I pulled out a bag throwing in the first things that my fingers touched and zipped it up. I heard dishes smashing against the wall and crashing against the floor. Pulling out my phone I sent a quick text to Blake hoping he didn’t make it too far.

Can you come back and get me? I need to get out of here. NOW!

At the corner. Be there in 1
.

I opted to climb out the window
, rather than risk going into the kitchen turned warzone. Tossing my bag out the window I hopped out just as Blake’s car pulled back into the driveway. I hurried over to the Mustang as Cole came barreling out of the front door looking for a confrontation. He ran over and kicked out the headlight screaming a string of profanities in the process. I was yelling at Blake to go, but instead he got out of the car.

“Cut the shit, asshole. I get it, you’re pissed because you just lost the best thing you could have possibly ever had
, but that’s your fault. She gave you chance after motherfucking chance, and you blew it, so if you want to be pissed at someone why don’t you go look in the mirror instead of taking it out on my car!” He roared.

Cole lunged at Blake with fury in his eyes. Blake stepped to the side and missed the fist that was heading toward his face. He used his foot to knock Cole’s legs out and stood on his c
hest. They were similar in size, and both very physically fit, but right now Blake had the upper hand, or in this case foot. Looks like Cole didn’t learn his lesson the last time they got into it. Blake started yelling at him to go inside and get over it, instead of acting out.

I couldn’t watch anymore.
I opened the door and yelled at both of them to cut the shit. I demanded that Cole go inside and pack his shit and for Blake get in the car. Blake lifted his foot and started back to the car when Cole jumped up and punched him in the side of the face.

“Blake, don’t.” I pleaded.

“Never turn your back on your enemy.” Cole yelled, kicking the side of the car again before walking inside.

“You’re a fucking pussy.” Blake said
, spitting the blood out from his mouth.

I could tell it was killing him, but he listene
d to me and got into the car. His cheek was already swelling up and was definitely going to leave a bruise. I reached my hand over to touch his face, but he pushed it away. Now I was regretting calling him to come back. There had to be somewhere else I could go. I knew I could go to Granny’s, or even Tim and Caroline’s, but I didn’t want to impose on any of them. Instead, I asked Blake to take me to the hotel across town so I could get a room for the night until I figured out where I was going to go.

Part of me
wanted to go somewhere that I could completely reinvent myself and start over. I had been smart with my money and had more than enough to get me started somewhere else, now I just needed to think of where. He sped pass where we would need to go for the hotel. I started yelling at him to turn around, but he completely ignored me.

“I’m just going to have Aubrey or Jake bring me there once we get to the house.” I said crossing my arms across my chest, seething.

“No, you won’t. You’re not going anywhere right now. He’s pissed off, and I won’t be able to sleep since I’ll be too worried about if you’re being attacked or something.” He said stepping on the gas throwing me back in the seat.

Once he pulled up the guesthouse I refused to get out of the car until he took me where I wanted to go. He told me that he was going to pull a Jake if I didn’t get out, but I wasn’t budging. He came over to the passenger side and opened the door tossing me over his shoulder and bringing me inside. He walked past a surprised Derek and up the flight of stairs to his room.
Tossing me onto his bed he climbed on top of me dropping his head until his lips met mine. He kissed me hungrily making me lose my train of thought.

“You owe me a kiss to make my boo-boo better.”

I tugged on the back of his neck pulling him closer to me. His hardness was pressed up against my thigh making me wanton for him. Now that, Cole and I were no longer an item Blake was fair game. I’ve been feeling high strung ever since the shower incident, so I turned the tables and got the upper hand.

Stripping
out of my clothes and loving the small gasp that Blake made once I was fully naked in front of him. He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it across the room into the laundry basket before getting rid of his pants in one swift motion. I watched as “bam-bam” (yes, he had a name for his penis) stood at full salute. I ground onto him feeling wetness pooling at my core. He leaned in and kissed me greedily. I needed him inside me pronto.