Fake (6 page)

She didn’t recognise me. Not exactly a surprise seeing as I looked a hell of a lot different and she clearly had more drugs than blood running through her veins.

“I’m looking for Lydia.”

She rolled her eyes. “Who isn’t?”

Did she want me to answer?

“She’s probably at that park. Weird girl spends too much time there.”

The park. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of it – she always used to go there to get away from everything. More than once I found her sitting on the swings, sometimes she’d sit there lost in her own head for hours.

Instead of taking the car, I walked in-between the houses and took the short cut across the field to the park.

What I saw there stole my breath from my lungs. Two men stood behind a girl on her knees and Freddy stood in front of her. I was too far away to see for sure, but I knew it was Lydia.

Freddy shouted something that made her jump and when he reached down to grab her, I forced my legs to work and sprinted towards them.

Her body slumped to one side and he threw her over his shoulder. I wasn’t close enough to stop him.

“Hey!” I yelled, trying to get their attention.

All three men turned to face me.

“Let her go.” My demand fell on deaf ears and they started to walk away.

“
God damn it! Let her fucking go you bastard!
” I screamed. I knew that would get a reaction from him. No one disrespected Freddy.

He turned back to me, Lydia still lying over his shoulder and scowled.

“Listen kid, this is nothing to do with you. Just run along now and forget you saw anything.”

“I can’t do that. See that girl you’ve got there, she belongs to me.”

He frowned at me and I saw his two thugs share a confused look. Freddy tilted his head and studied me. He could have shot me on the spot, but he didn’t. He dropped Lydia like a sack of potatoes and I winced.

“Well, isn’t this a new turn in the story? Didn’t think I’d see your face around these parts again,
Ruben
,” I really wished he didn’t remember my name. “Come back to play knight in shining armour have you? Little too late for that kid.”

I pulled a pen-knife from my pocket and flipped it open. It was the only thing I had and I needed to find a way to get her.

His thugs edged towards me but Freddy held his hand out to stop them. He laughed.

“No, no. Let’s see how this plays out. You think you got the balls to take me on kid? That’s almost too funny to believe.”

I shrugged, I knew I was out of my league, but I’d rescue Lydia or die trying. The latter option seemed the most likely in the given situation.

“She’s mine, Freddy and I’ll do whatever I have to do, to get her away from you and your guard dogs.”

He stroked his bottom lip with his index fingers and a sinister smirk spread across his face.

“I tell you what, I’ll let you take her,” he paused. “But if I ever,
ever
find her again, even catch a glimpse of her, I’ll make both of you wish that you’d never interfered. I’ll make her my whore, I’ll pass her around, I’ll slit her throat and let you watch, and then I’ll torture you every fucking day until you beg me to let you die...got it?”

I swallowed, my mouth was suddenly as dry as the Sahara.

Freddy was a sick fuck.

What sort of human being said things like that to people?

“You have half an hour to get you and her out of here, after that, all bets are off.”

I had no doubt that he’d do it either. Nodding my head at him, he turned and whistled for his two thugs to follow him. One of them grinned at me like a maniac, then swung his foot and kicked Lydia in the ribs. Tears sprung to my eyes because I knew there was nothing I could do until they’d left. Her body moved with his foot, but other than that, she showed no reaction.

“Freddy, wait! What did you give her?” I called out to him – pushing my luck just slightly.

I heard his chuckle and he didn’t reply with words, he just held a needle, half full with clear liquid, out to one side. Damn, not good, it could have been anything.

One plus point, was that I knew whatever it was, wouldn’t be fatal. That’s too simple for Freddy and he’d want her to suffer.

As soon as they were far enough away, I fell to my knees next to her. She looked like she was sleeping and I was glad I’d got there in time to stop them beating her more.

After checking she was breathing, I held her gently against my chest and cursed my decision to leave the car outside her house.

I reached it in a matter of minutes but I was worried about how much damage was done to her ribs and the purple bruise that was forming across her shoulder and collar-bone.

I lay her across the back seat, pulled the seat-belt across her hips and drove.

I wasn’t sure where I was going, I just knew I couldn’t drive all the way home with her and I couldn’t take her to a hospital. Freddy wasn’t stupid, he knew I’d probably have take her to see a doctor and he’d check the hospitals first.

That was part of his game.

I drove for about twenty five miles and pulled in at a small hotel just off the motorway. I booked a room and then went back outside to get Lydia. She weighed about as much as a feather and my guilt roared to the surface of my emotions.

I left her.

I wasn’t sure she’d ever forgive me.

I carried her to the lift and as we got out on the second floor, an elderly couple frowned at the passed-out girl in my arms. It didn’t look good.

I gave them my best charming smile and rolled my eyes.

“She’s never been good at long journeys, she was out like a light after the first hour!” I joked.

The old man looked like he knew exactly what I was talking about. They both laughed and as I walked away, I heard the old lady speak to her husband.

“Why don’t you ever carry me in?”

I snickered.

Lying her on the bed in our room, I let out a breath I hadn’t realised I was holding. She looked so peaceful, almost serene, and I bit my lip. She probably hadn’t looked like that much in the last six years.

I stripped off her jumper, but left her tank top and jeans on – I was pretty sure that she wouldn’t want me undressing her.

For a girl, almost woman, who had clearly had a tough life, it didn’t show.

She wasn’t scrawny or worn down and she clearly took good care of herself. Everything about her was clean and beautiful - from her shiny blonde hair right down to her painted toe-nails. Her full, pouty lips moved with every breath she took. Her dad was Italian, so she had that gorgeous olive skin that was totally flawless.

I really couldn’t believe that the little girl I’d known years ago, had grown up to be such a stunner. Part of me wished she hadn’t, because this little rescue mission was going to be harder than I thought...literally.

Damn.

Laying down next to her, I linked our fingers and held on tight, she was mine now and I’d protect her.

No matter what.

Chapter Seven

Lydia

It hurt to breathe. It hurt to blink.

I was too scared to open my eyes in case Freddy was waiting for me to wake up.

I shifted my hips and sucked in a breath; that really, really did not feel good.

I started to test my body, hips were good, so were my legs, feet, toes. My whole torso was throbbing – probably not a good sign. I wiggled my fingers, or I tried to, something had my hand held in a vice grip and my eyes shot open.

Why would Freddy be holding my hand?

I looked at the face of the person lying next to me.

“Am I dreaming? Am I dead?” I asked out loud.

He stirred, but didn’t wake.

I sighed. “I like this dream.”

Ruben Brent - or what I imagined an adult Ruben would look like. It surprised me actually, that this dream vision of him seemed to be a hundred times better than any I’d had before.

Damn, I hadn’t seen him in years. That dusty part of my heart that I had ignored for years, started beating again.

Oh, he wasn’t the same scrawny little boy I knew, that was for sure.

He had filled out nicely, his black t-shirt was stretched taut over his chest and the muscles in arms bulged, even in his sleep. His hair was slightly longer, long enough for me to be able to run my fingers through it but still dirty blonde and beautiful. A lock had fallen across his forehead, I wanted to stroke it away from his face.

My fingers twitched.

I was itching to reach out and touch him. Then I realised that it was
my
dream, I could do whatever I wanted.

I tried to pull my hand from his, but he wouldn’t let go. I pulled harder and his grip finally loosened.

Running one finger across his temple, I moved the hair from his forehead and carried on down his face to line his jaw. His high cheekbones and flawless complexion made him model-beautiful. I touched his full bottom lip, wondering what it would feel like to kiss it.

He was just so handsome. He’d be twenty, I thought. Stuck somewhere between male adolescence and real adulthood, but even in his sleep he had a face that dared you to call him a child. There was nothing childlike about him, no, this guy was
all
man.

I let my fingers trail down his chest and almost giggled out loud when his nipples rose under my touch. I really, really liked this dream. I spread out my fingers and ran my whole hand across the plains of his abdominal muscles, biting my bottom lip when I felt the ridges and how defined he was. He shifted and groaned so I froze, his muscles tensed under my palms.

Definitely not a scrawny little boy any more.

“Are you finished exploring?” His deep, sleepy voice asked.

I looked into his eyes, dancing with humour. He shouldn’t be laughing at me in my dream.

“Hello Squirt.”

Oh my God.

Oh my God!

I stiffened and looked around the room. Not a dream, not even
slightly
a dream.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked.

He frowned, probably wondering why I was short with him.

“Rescuing your ass.” He answered, before sitting up from the bed and getting to his feet.

I was frozen in place, not that I could move because of the pain, but my brain and body did not seem to be in sync with each other. He stood above me and stroked my face, making me flinch away from his touch. His hand drew into a fist and he moved it back to his side.

“How are your ribs?”

I knew they were sore, but I prodded them with my fingers to see how bad and I cried out in pain.

“Hey! Are you insane? Don’t do that!” He yelled, sounding panicked.

I spoke through my tears, “Not broken, but really fucking bruised.”

His eyes narrowed, “How do you know they’re not broken?”

“Because life isn’t all sunshine and flowers, Ruben. I’ve long learnt the difference between a break and a bruise. Don’t worry, I’m fine. Thanks for saving me, however you did that, but you can go now.”

I didn’t want his help. He’d left me and that had been the catalyst for everything that had happened. I didn’t need him coming into my life when I was at my lowest and playing the hero.

“And how do you think you’re going to be fine with no money, nowhere to live and no one to lean on?”

“I can...I have...I don’t know! Ok? I don’t know, but I’ll manage, I always do.”

He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

“No.”

“What do you mean no? You can’t tell me what I am or aren’t doing, Ruben. I don’t even know you anymore.”

*~*~*

Ruben

Ouch. That kind of hurt.

She was right, but she was also wrong. I might not be the same person as I was back then, but with her, I’d never change.

I was still fighting an internal battle between guilt and anger. I didn’t forget her, I never could, but I did switch off my brain to those memories. They were too entwined with the life I tried to forget and it was just painful to think of them.

I opened and closed my fists over and over again. I wasn’t thinking it was going to be easy, but I didn’t think she’d outright refuse my help.

“Right, so how about this...you let me help you get set up on your own, then I’ll go my way and leave you to it.”

All lies.

I had no intention of leaving her at all, but it would give me the opportunity to win her over.

She looked up at me and bit her lip. Shit, but that was actually
hot
.

You’re supposed to be helping a friend’s sister, not perving on her. Asshole!

“Help me how?”

I shrugged, I actually had no plan. “Well you’ll need somewhere to live, a job, a plan...”

“I have a job.”

“Where? How?” I frowned.

“I’ve been working at Wildlands since last year, Ruben. I might have been stuck in the middle of Hell, but I’m not stupid, I needed a job to be able to get out of there. Lucas was smart, but not smart enough. He really thought he could just deal drugs for Freddy for a few years and save enough money to get both of us set up somewhere else. Even I knew he was wrong, Freddy was never going to let him go just like that and even though I can’t prove it, I
know
he set Lucas up to get caught dealing.”

“Is that why you did what you did?” I asked, referring to her calling the police on Freddy.

She shrugged, “He was getting worse with me. I can’t believe I actually
liked
the guy for years. He’s a creep and he’s dangerous and I dread to think what he would have done with me. Then when Lucas got caught and Freddy shrugged it off like it was no big deal, I hated him. I’m pretty sure that I didn’t lie about Mrs Henley, I really do think him or his goons killed her. Maybe not outright murder, but I wouldn’t put it past them to scare her enough that she had the heart attack. He deserves everything he gets and I hope they throw the book at him.”

I started pacing the room. The whole situation was fucked.

“Are you insane?”

She scowled at me.

“No seriously. You can’t mess with guys like him, Lydia. Christ! What were you thinking?”

“I was
thinking
, that Freddy is running the whole fucking estate, he’s growing his stupid little empire and the whole place is living in his shadow, Ruben. Do you know that half the kids round there run away when they see his car and the other half form an orderly fucking queue to get his best stuff? Jesus, these are
kids
. I know that you know, because you were one of them. And the problem isn’t stopping, because the police don’t have any hard evidence. They’re not stupid, they know who he is and what he’s doing but they just can’t
prove
it. So I gave them their opportunity. Do I think he’ll actually go down for murder? No. But at least they’ll be able to get a warrant to search his places and they’ll find something to get him on, I know they will. They have to.”

She was breathing heavily by the time she’d finished and I saw her wince with every breath.

“Alright, alright, calm down. I still think that throwing yourself to the sharks wasn’t the brightest idea you’ve ever had, even if your heart was in the right place.”

She knifed up on the bed and screamed, holding onto to her ribs.

“What the fuck! Lie down, you’re going to do more damage to yourself.”

Breathing heavily, she continued her rant.

“I don’t give two fucks what you think. I did the right thing and I’m not going to let you, or Lucas, or any other ignorant bastard, tell me otherwise. How did you even know what was going on anyway? How am I here? I haven’t seen you in
six years
and suddenly you’re just here and everything is going to be ok. I call bullshit on that.”

“Luc contacted me and asked me to get you out of there,” I shrugged, “So I did what I had to do.”

She snorted, “Nice to know you came back out of the goodness of your heart, Ruben.”

When did she become so bloody stubborn and bitchy?

“God damn it! Stop with the bitchiness. Your damn right I came back out of the goodness of my heart. I wasn’t going to leave you there when I knew you were in trouble, Lydia.”

“Oh fuck off, Ruben. You knew I wasn’t safe six years ago and you still left. You didn’t even look back, not once. Do you know I waited for months, for you to come back, to call, to write...anything? And I got no word from you. Stop looking at me like I’m that same stupid, naive little girl – because you’re in for a hell of a shock when you realise that she’s gone. She died, she just ceased to exist when the
only
person she could one hundred percent rely on, looked her in the eyes and promised her he’d be back. Turns out, he’s just as much of a liar as everyone else in this fucked up world.”

“God!” I shouted, pissed off. “I was just a kid, Lydia! I may have been older than you, but I was still just a kid. I didn’t have the power to do anything to help you! And don’t say you had no one, you had Lucas! The second I find out he’s not going to be around, I’m back and I’m saving your ass. So stop throwing that shit in my face and just be a little more grateful that you’re lying in a relatively clean hotel bed and not chained up being gang-raped by evil motherfuckers who couldn’t give one single shit about you.”

I cringed when her skin turned a funny shade of green and looked like she might throw-up.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.” I apologized.

I’m man enough to realise when I’d gone too far. I had to remember that she was just barely eighteen and even if she was a little too venomous with her words, she was probably scared, confused...and more than slightly upset.

“No, you’re right. Thank you for saving me...is Freddy, err, gone?”

I bit my lip, not knowing how to answer her question. Was he gone? Yes,
for now.
But I didn’t want her to worry all the time and I wanted her to be able to feel safe.

I nodded. “Yeah, he’s gone. Providing you never go back to your Mum’s, or to the estate, you’ll be fine. I don’t want you to think about it anymore.”

She looked like she didn’t fully believe me, not that I blamed her of course, but she nodded and closed her eyes.

“I need more sleep, my ribs really hurt.”

“Ok, sweetheart. Rest, I’ll go pay the room for the next few days or so and grab some food and painkillers. I’ll see you in a little while.”

I took my own life in my hands by leaning down and kissing her on the forehead. She stiffened, but didn’t lash out like I thought she would.

“For what it’s worth, Lydia Romero, I really missed you and I’m damn glad you’re here.” I whispered.

Maybe she didn’t hear me, maybe she did but either way, I had to say it.

I might have spent the better part of half an hour on the receiving end of her sharp tongue, but she’d also woken up and memorised every inch of my face and torso with her finger-tips. My Lydia wasn’t gone, oh no, she was right there in front of my eyes. I had every intention of bringing her back to the land of the living.

...Just as soon as I could get her to stop hating me.