Beautifully Used (The Beaumont Brothers Book 2) (8 page)

Chapter 1
6

An evening wedding in July had been an excellent idea on Lena
’s and Jackson’s part. The sun rested lower in the sky, making its descent toward the horizon, though the air was still warm, the evening breeze kept everyone very comfortable.

The tables turned out gorgeous. Thank God Brodie came out to help me decorate. I never would have been able to get it all done in time
without him. He was turning out to be quite a different guy from what I thought he was when I first arrived. The weird part, he didn’t seem to be the big sex hound Lena claimed him to be when I’d first met him last year. In fact, he’d stayed home every night since I’d been there, and as far as I knew, he slept alone.

“The wedding
turned out perfect and beautiful, just like a fairy tale,” I told Lena as she sat down at the long table next to me. Huffing a little after a rather fast dance with Weezer, she brushed a stray curl from her forehead and took a sip of her champagne. Jackson, Lena, Brodie and I all sat at one long table to eat, and the rest of the guests sat at the twenty other round tables. Jackson had hired a DJ, telling his bandmates he’d rather have them enjoying the night and celebrating with him, but the band, being the band, insisted on playing a few tunes anyway. Particularly, for Lena and Jackson’s first dance as a married couple. They also played while Jackson sang
Lena’s Song
to her during the ceremony. It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen or heard.

“It was, wasn’t it?” Lena
smiled. “I’m so glad you were able to be here. You know, you are the only friend I really have, well, girlfriend, that is.”

“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world
, and … you’re the only ‘real’ friend I have too, come to think of it.”

“Have you decided what you are going to do about school?”

“Yes. I’m not going. At least not this year. I want to focus on my writing for a while and see what happens with that. Journalism was always my mother’s dream, not mine. And I decided I could finish courses online if I need to, or I could even go back next year if I want.

“So, you’re not even going to go to Chico?”

“Not right now. Maybe next year.”

“Then what are you going to do? I mean where do you plan on living?
“Somewhere around here, I think. For now. I love the beach, but I can’t afford that right now. So, since you are my only friend, I thought it would be great to live around here.”

“Really? That is so fantastic.
I’m so glad.”

“Me too.”

“Will you need to go back down south to get your stuff?

“
No. I didn’t have much, just some clothes that I hardly wore anyway. I told my dorm roommate she could have them.”

“We should be back from our honeymoon in two weeks. If you need a place to stay while you’re looking for an apartment close by, you’re welcome to stay
at the house. In fact, I can give you the key and you can stay there while we’re gone, too.”

“What? I couldn’t do that, Lena. I don’t want to impose on you and Jackson. You’re newlyweds. You need your privacy. I’d only be in the way.”

“Well, you can stay there until we get back then. I’ve already cleared it with Jackson. He’d rather have someone at the house while we’re gone than leave it empty.”

“It’s been empty, of people
anyway since you haven’t ‘officially’ moved in yet.” I said, air quoting officially.

“Well, now that the furniture is there, he said it would be great to have someone there
while we’re gone.”

“Okay.
” I guess I can stay and use the next two weeks to look for an apartment so I have one by the time you come back from your honeymoon. Thanks. That will actually help out a lot.”

“Then it’s settled. The key is already on top of the dresser in the guest room at Brodie’s.”

We both turned our heads at the ruckus on the dance floor. All the guests had made a huge semi-circle. Jackson stood in the center and Brodie placed a chair beside him. “Um … it looks like someone is beckoning to you,” I said as Jackson stood beside the chair, his arm outstretched in a welcoming gesture. Lena stood and walked out to meet him. She sat and giggled as Jackson undertook the sexy task of slipping the garter off her thigh. With his back turned toward the huddle of guys cheering and teasing, he tossed it in the air to the next supposed sucker destined to get ‘hitched,’ as they all referred to it. Brodie stood on the other side of the yard away from the bunch, not partaking in the age-old ritual. I wondered why he hadn’t, though I suppose I shouldn’t have. Lena’s accusations about Brodie sleeping around with every woman he’s ever met came back into my mind. Brodie Beaumont liked variety, and he’d never settle down for just one woman.

After that fun moment, it was Lena’s turn
. All the single women gathered around to catch the special bouquet Lena had ordered especially for tossing, keeping the beautiful bouquet Jackson had given her as a keepsake. I didn’t join in, though she and the others tried coaxing me out. I had a beautiful bouquet already. One especially made for me. One that I would cherish forever.

A lady in a dark purple dress
with its skirt flowing out at the waistline like an apron caught the bouquet. All the women “ahhhed and ooohed” and huddled around her, congratulating her on her great catch, then she ran up to Lena, practically hugging the life out of her. I had to laugh, and was so thankful that I’d stayed out of that one. The music kicked up, and everyone began dancing again. I stood by one of the large oak trees sipping my champagne, watching the excitement. Thinking about how wonderful it was that Brodie had designed my bouquet, and how different he seemed from the guy I had met a year ago. It seemed surreal walking down the aisle with him after the ceremony with my arm in his, his long, hard body next to mine, guiding me along as I seemed to float on those four-inch heels. His whispered words to me right before we parted, “save a dance for me,” had me smiling at the thought of dancing with him. Though he didn’t seem the slighted bit interested in that endeavor now, as I watched him across the yard laughing and talking with Doc and some of the other guys. I wasn’t entirely sure he’d even remember he’d said it, and thought maybe it had just been one of those casual statements one makes to ease the awkwardness of a situation. I was jarred out of my thoughts when a deep male voice close to my ear startled me.

“Finally, I’ve caught the beautiful maid of honor alone.”

“Jeff. Uh … hi. You startled me.”

“Sorry, I guess you were deep in thought and didn’t hear me
approach.”

“Yeah. I guess.” I smiled and
finished the rest of the champagne in the flute. 

“You are
, you know.”

“What?”

“Beautiful. Probably the most beautiful girl here.”

“The bride is the most beautiful
,” I corrected him, knowing all along that his statement was only a ruse to start a conversation with me.

“Most times I would have to agree with you, but not this time.”

“Is that a pick-up line?”

“Could be. You interested?”
Jeff gave me a crooked half smile. He wore a dark blue button down shirt neatly tucked into black slacks. He was dangerously handsome with his blond hair combed completely back, giving his face more of a rugged bad boy look.

“I think you need to do better than that.”
I’d been interested. Still was, considering Brodie seemed to be ignoring me ever since we parted ways at the altar.

“Aw, gee, miss, forgive me.
I’m a little rusty on the ol’ pick-up lines, seeing that I was blindsided by your beauty.” He turned to face me, placing his arm across his stomach, he bowed at the waist. “May I have the pleasure of this dance?”

I giggled before glancing
across the lawn, wishing it was Brodie asking me to dance. Brodie, who stood with his back facing me still talking with some of the guys from the band. Brodie, who probably couldn’t care less where I was or what I was doing. The bouquet had been thoughtful, but most likely just something that had been necessary since he’d been coerced into picking out the flowers. He’d asked me to save him a dance, but his lack of interest in me now confused me. I looked up at Jeff and smiled. “Why not?”

“Right this way, then.” Jeff led me out to the middle of the lawn onto to
the square hardwood platform they’d rented for dancing. The floor was already crowded. It was a fast song. One I didn’t even recognize. I kicked off my shoes so I could keep up. Dancing in high heels never appealed to me. The beat was so fast, my legs had trouble keeping time. I laughed, feeling exhausted, and I’m sure the champagne played a part in my inability to keep my balance, as well. Jeff grabbed me around the waist just as the music slowed to a soft ballad, and I sighed with relief against him, my heart beating wildly with pleasure.

Chapter 1
7

All the tiny lights
we’d strung around the yard glowed from wires and trees. The backyard looked like an amusement park all lit up. All it needed was a roller coaster and a ferris wheel. I glanced around, pleased with the way everything looked. My eye caught sight of a girl sitting at a table, alone. I wondered briefly who she’d come with, if anyone, but the thought quickly left my mind as Jackson came up behind me, patting me on the back and handing me a shot glass full of something. “Why didn’t you join in for the catch?”

I sniffed at the glass. “An
other shot of
Jäger
? You’re going to be my downfall.”

“It’s my wedding. We need to celebrate.”

“Better be careful, too many of these and you’ll ruin your bride’s wedding night.”

“Nah. Don’t worry. I’m pacing myself.
Gotta take time to celebrate. You could have caught the garter. What happened?”

“Not my thing.”

“What? Garters or marriage?”

My
lip twitched into a half smile. “I like garters. I just don’t like what the ritual implies.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, that’s right. Mister non-relationship. Maybe someday when you fall in love, you’ll understand.”

Grateful he hadn’t tagged
again
on to that sentence. Though even without it, Beth’s face flashed before my eyes. The memory of her and what she had done still stung. Jackson clinked his glass against mine and we downed the dark brown liquid. As I titled my head back, I caught sight of Gabrielle on the dance floor. Damn. Who was she dancing with? They swayed with their bodies pressed so close it looked like they were molded together. She tilted her head back and laughed at something the guy said. “Who’s that?” I asked, nodding my head toward Gabrielle and the guy holding her too tightly against him.

Jackson
followed my gaze to the dance floor. “Who’s who?”

“That guy dancing with Gab
rielle.”

“
Oh, that’s Jeff. He’s on the soccer team. I think his last name’s Adams, if I remember correctly. He’s one of the newer guys on the team. I don’t know him very well.”

“Then why’d you invite him?”

“He’s on the team. I invited everyone on the team. It just seemed wrong to only invite some and not all. You know how it is.”

“Yeah.” I rolled my eyes.
Jackson had a heart big enough for the entire county and didn’t want anyone to feel left out whether they were good friends or just acquaintances.  

“
He was in the bar a few weeks ago. He’s been coming in a lot lately. I’m surprised you haven’t seen him.”

“I’ve seen him.
Just didn’t know who he was.”

Chapter 18

Jeff and I
swayed together on the crowded dance floor. He held me tightly against him, his hand firmly around my waist. I tried to reposition my hips when I realized he held my right thigh snuggled between his legs, pressing me against his crotch. At that same moment, he released me and twirled me around before bringing me back close to him again, but not quite so snuggly this time. I frowned when I realized what song we’d been dancing to,
Everybody Hurts
by R.E.M. I chuckled to myself, wondering what possessed the DJ to choose that song for a wedding reception when Jeff whispered in my ear, “What kind of wedding song is this? It’s the most depressing song I’ve ever heard.” He stopped leading me and grabbed my hand. “C’mon. Let’s get away from here.”

I laughed. “Wait. Jeff. I can’t just leave.” I looked back at my shoes. “I need my shoes.” But my protests were
futile as he continued pulling me along until we were out of the yard and several feet into the forest. “Ouch!” I stepped on something hard and Jeff stopped tugging me.

“Are you okay?” He laughed. “Where’s your shoes?”

“Back at the edge of the dance floor. I tried to tell you.”

“Ah. Sorry.
I didn’t hear you. Let me see.” He picked up my leg and looked at the bottom of my foot. “I don’t see any blood.” Then he rubbed my foot. A couple seconds later, his hand inched up my ankle and then up the calf of my leg.

“Stop.” I shoved his hand away and placed my foot on the ground. “I need to get back.” I took a step back toward the reception, the hem of my dress dragging in the dirt. It would surely be ruined.

“Wait.” He grabbed my arm, gently pulling me back toward him, coaxing me to stay. “Please. It’s just that there’re so many people there. I just want to spend a little one-on-one time with you and talk. I’d like to get to know you a little, especially if you’re going to join the soccer team. I want to learn what type of skills you have, how long you played, whom you played for, you know, so when I pass the ball, I’ll feel more confident that you can score. Back there at the reception, it’s so loud you can barely hear yourself think, let alone talk.”

I studied him for a second. He seemed
genuinely interested in my soccer skills, and I loved talking about soccer. I had played varsity all four years in high school. And he was nice. The few moments we’d talked by the trees had been pleasant enough. What harm would it do to stay for a few minutes out here in the quiet? “Okay,” I lamented.

His
grey eyes roamed my face, my hair, and briefly, my chest before they settled back on my face, leaving me a bit unnerved. He smiled as his finger swept a stray curl off my cheek. “What … do you want to know? I already told you that I played in high school.”

“That’s right, you did.” He leaned in and kissed me.

I shoved him back. “I thought you wanted to talk.”

Taking both my shoulders in his hands, he pulled me close to him. “I do,” he said, pressing his lips against mine again. I struggled to push him away, but he wouldn’t let go. “Stop!” I managed in
-between his forced kisses and shoved at his chest again.

“You can’t seriously
be turning me down. Not the way you were dancing with me. I know you want it.”

“What?” I took a step back. “No. You’re wrong
, you’re the one who pulled me against you.” I stepped back and my heel caught something sharp. I gritted my teeth and turned to run, only to come face to face with a huge oak tree blocking my way. I spun around and he caught my arm, shoving my back up against the trunk of the tree. He pressed his lips to mine again. I struggled for him to stop as his hand went down through the top of my dress and onto my breast, ripping my dress in the process.

“Sorry,” he mumbled against my mouth, but I knew he didn’t mean it
. He didn’t stop, and the top of my gown hung loose as his hand squeezed my bare breast. I shoved at him, but he wouldn’t budge. He was twice my size and so much stronger. This was not the Jeff I had met a week ago. That Jeff was polite, funny, and handsome.

“Stop! Please stop!”
He ignored my pleas. I tried lifting my leg to knee him in the groin, but the way his body was wedged between my legs and pressed so hard against me, I couldn’t move. He fisted my hair and forced my head back with a yank, my head banging against the trunk of the tree.

“Stop!” I shouted
again, and he immediately removed his hand from my breast, but instead of stopping, he shoved it over my mouth.

“Be quiet, or you’ll be sorry,” he whispered through gritted teeth.
Stunned by what was happening, it took me several seconds to comprehend that he was about to take whatever he wanted whether I agreed or not.

“Please don’t do this,” I sobbed.

“I said, be quiet!” His hand landed hard across my jaw, and I think I might have lost consciousness for a second or two, because, oh my God, somehow he’d gotten his hands under the long skirt of my gown and was tugging at my panties, ripping them from my body as if they were nothing more than a thin piece of tissue paper.

I tasted blood
, and the realization of what was happening made me go limp. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew it was safer to just give in, but something in the forefront of my brain said I needed to fight, so I did. Limp no longer, I started flailing my arms, hitting and scratching his face, shouting, “Stop!” This only made him angry, and my poor cheek became the recipient of that rage.

I
tried to scream again as he shoved me against the tree, his hand covering my mouth, making my scream sound more like a squeal of delight if anyone were to hear us. He struck me again, this time with his fist, and at that point I was too beaten to fight, the last blow to my face rendering me helpless to the point of submission.

“Shut the fuck up and stay still or I will hurt you.”

My mind shut down almost on cue. The area around me became dark. I was no longer in the woods behind Brodie’s house.

A dim light from the corner of the room cast a soft glow on the pale green walls. The bed was in the middle of the room, a large, high bed, much higher than my own. Much higher than any ten-year old girl would have. It wasn’t made, the dark green comforter lay in a heap on the floor, and I bet his mom would be upset about that when she got home if he didn’t make it. I didn’t think he cared. Light from the moon filtered in through the open window, but no breeze blew in from the hot, humid summer night. “Not a word,” he said in a hushed voice, his finger to his lips. “Not a word, my Gabby girl. You don’t want me to hurt you, do you?” I shook my head. I didn’t like Thomas anymore. He made me do things he called fun, but they weren’t fun. Not to me. “C’mon, we have to hurry. We don’t have much time. Your mom will be here to pick you up soon. If we don’t hurry, we’ll miss all our fun together.” I didn’t like having “fun” with Thomas. But he made me. He said he’d hurt my dog if I told anyone. I knew he would, too. I’d seen him hurt other animals. He strangled the neighbor’s cat a month ago just because she’d scratched him when he tried to pet her. I cried and he told me to shut up.

My eyes popped open at the sound of a zipper, bringing me back to the present and what was happening at that very moment. Vomit rose up the back of my throat and I threw up all over the sleeve of Jeff’s blue shirt.

“Fuck!” He shouted at me
and slapped me again.

I
felt the motions of him positioning himself behind me, tears stung my eyes and I struggled to get free but he had me pinned so tightly I wasn’t able to move. I caught one of his fingers in-between my teeth and bit down hard. “Fuck you, you bitch!” he cursed and stepped back, releasing me for a few seconds to shake his hand. I must have broken the skin in the bite. I quickly righted myself and turned around. No one was going to use me like this again. When he approached me, I lifted my leg up as hard as I could. I couldn’t have planned it better as my knee caught him right in the groin. He buckled over but managed to grab my arm as I began to run away from him. He punched the back of my head, sending me to the ground. He fisted my hair and pulled me around. I stretched out my arm over the leaves and dirt, searching for something, anything I could grasp heavy enough to hit him with. My fingers scraped against a rock and I stretched my arm as far as it could go, fisting my hand around the hard, rough surface, just small enough to fit into my hand, big enough to do some serious damage. I struck him on the side of the head. He fell against me and groaned. I hadn’t hit him hard enough to make him pass out, but it was enough for me to be able to shove him off and scramble to my feet. I took off running, only to trip on something. I fell face down in the dirt. Dry leaves cracked under his heavy steps as he approached. I was weak against his brute strength and there was nothing I could do.
Oh God, this can’t be happening. Please lord, please.
I prayed, squeezing my eyes shut. I prayed for escape, I prayed for some way, something, someone to help me. He grabbed me by the arm, yanking me over to him. His hand quickly muffled the scream that wanted to escape from my lips.

“I told you to shut the fuck up. I guess I was wrong about you. It looks like I’m
gonna have to hurt you after all.”

The last thing I saw was his fist heading toward my face.