Warning Signs (Broken Promises #2) (6 page)

***

I wasn’t the kind of person to beg for mercy. However, I was willing to try anything to keep myself from reaching the point of no return.

“Please David, I can’t anymore.” I was pleading with every ounce of energy I had left.

“I’m sure you can do a little more tonight, Bea.” His hand wrapped around my neck, which was covered in hickeys, and I tried my best not to let my emotions show on my face. I let him bend me over again, and take me with all the energy and vigor he had. It wasn’t what I wanted. It was far from what I had bargained for. When he was done and he had gone to clean up, I took his phone and grabbed my clothes. This was my out. I needed to destroy the evidence. I couldn’t allow him to do this to me. I needed to be free. I had watched him for days unlock his phone, and I figured out the six-digit code after one try. My memory had been working overtime to make sure I could access his phone. When I was in, I went in and reset his phone to factory settings and changed the password. Six-digits required. 3-8-2-5-8-2. F-U-C-K-U-B. I took my exit and I prayed that we would never run into each other again.

***

“Meet me somewhere?” I begged Splinter. I couldn’t hide my crying.

“Yeah, I’ll be there.”

We agreed to meet at the state line. I parked my car and waited for him to arrive.

“What happened?” he asked when he approached. He quickly came to me, and I clung to him like a lifesaver.

“I’m free,” was all I could say before I broke down into uncontrollable sobs and became incapable of holding myself up. I hadn’t realized the extent of my pain until just then.

“Okay, shh it’s okay.” He lifted me up, and cradled me in his arms. “You’ll be okay. I’m here.”

We sat like that for a while then he offered to drive me to get coffee. When we sat down and the espresso calmed my nerves, I poured out every bit of information I could to him.

“Come back to Hanover with me,” Splinter said. “Stay with Ben and me.”

“No, I can’t do that.”

“Of course you can do that. He’s your brother. You think he’ll kick you to the curb once he—”

“He won’t find out about this because
this
never happened.”

“Bea, I appreciate you opening up to me but—”

“If I find out you told anyone I’ll never make the mistake of opening up to you again.”

“Don’t do this, Bea. You need help, or so you told me.”

“And I’m taking care of it. I needed to vent.”

“So you used me to keep your deadly secret? Do you really think I want to keep this from your brother?”

“I don’t expect you to lie for me. I expect you to avoid bringing it up. It’s over and it’s done. Isn’t that enough for you?” I asked, exasperated by the conversation at hand.

“Will you be okay?” he asked as he spun the spoon in his coffee cup.

“When am I not okay?”

He didn’t answer. “I’ll drive you back to your car. You seem okay to drive.”

“I am. Promise.” He looked up at me wearily, and I smiled at him.

“I’ll be fine. I can take care of myself.”

“I don’t doubt that.”

We left the coffee shop after that, and we never talked about Professor Long again.

CHAPTER SIX

With everything that had happened, I almost spaced out about Halloween. It came so quickly I realized last minute I had forgotten about a costume. Thankfully, my brother picked one out for me. We were headed to New York for a big industry Halloween party. I straightened my hair and put on the 1920’s flapper dress and sequined feather headpiece, along with the fishnets and pointed stilettos. This would be my first industry event where I’d walk the red carpet and where I’d be in front of cameras. Needless to say, I was nervous as hell. Before we left, I did some pre-game partying at the club I worked at. It was my day off, but I was happy to help out, especially in costume. More tips for me!

When Splinter came in dressed in his lumberjack costume I freaked out when I saw him coming toward me not only with a bloody axe, but carrying the head of an evil teddy bear.

“What the hell is that?” I asked him, pointing at the teddy bear head.

“It’s my costume.”

“You’re an angry lumberjack that killed a poor possessed teddy bear? How are we even friends?” I said completely deadpan.

“Oh geez, Bea. I didn’t kill it. I
am
it. I’m the possessed teddy bear.”

“In a lumberjack costume?”

“Technically I’m a psychotic murdering teddy bear. But you know, I don’t follow rules.”

“Sure you don’t. I’ve got to serve these tables.”

“
You
need to get out of here. Ben is waiting.”

“Fine, let’s go.”

I walked out with him arm in arm, and as I left I saw Professor Long entering the club. Hoping he didn’t see me, I pretended that I hadn’t even batted an eyelash in his direction. I suppose he heard I was working the crowd tonight, but now that I was leaving I hoped he wouldn’t find a reason to drive from Connecticut to New York to try and cause a scene. Because that’s something Crosley would do, and he was
a lot
like Crosley was. Only, this time he didn’t have spies to act out his dirty plots for him. I turned back to look at him for only a moment, and I couldn’t tell if he was looking
at
me, or if he was looking for me in the unfamiliar garb I was wearing. I was almost unrecognizable; I hoped he couldn’t tell it was me, because if he saw me leaving with Splinter, I knew I’d have hell to pay. Things weren’t as easy as obliterating his phone and keeping away from him. It was much more complex than that. Even I couldn’t understand the complicated nature of trying to hide from someone who wanted to find me so desperately. If anything, I had tonight, and that was enough for once.

***

Ben’s arm wrapped around my waist as we stood in front a crowd of flashing cameras on the New York red carpet. I followed suit, and eventually we were able to enter the party, where there were more cameras. I saw people with video cameras who were recording other people holding microphones. I was praying that they wouldn’t interview me.

Inside the party, they were playing “Gasoline” by Halsey, and I was surprised they weren’t playing an Eden Sank song now that Ben had made his arrival. I didn’t know if any of the other boys would be here, but I figured I’d soon find out.

As the night went on, I met plenty of industry professionals, none of whom said anything about what had hit the tabloids recently. Everything was going smoothly, and I was thankful. I took pictures with Splinter on our phones and with the event photographers, and I was having a blast. I hadn’t had this much fun in a long time, and I swore I had forgotten what it was like to have fun without a single worry in my head. Little did I know, I had a lot to worry about. Once this party was over, all the worry would start to seep in and intoxicate my body all over again.

When the night was over and I was escorted back to my apartment, I found myself drunk on nothing but pure bliss. I had danced and laughed and rejoiced tonight. It was the best party I had ever been to.

I walked into my darkened apartment, and I could sense that something was off. Roscoe hadn’t greeted me at the door.

“Roscoe?” I heard him barking, and it sounded muffled. I waded through the darkness, feeling for the light switch, when someone grabbed me from behind and covered my mouth before I could scream.

“Shhh, it’s only me. You went out without telling me. You even tried to erase my phone in a petty attempt to hide. Too bad I’m a professor with access to student records.” He threw me down on the floor near the coffee table. I landed with a loud thud, the darkness in the apartment doing nothing to alleviate the shock overcoming me. I needed to get away, but I couldn’t remember how to navigate my own apartment. Everything was dark and confusing and my mind couldn’t keep up.

“Please—”

He began kicking me and hitting me repeatedly. I was crying so loudly I was surprised my neighbors didn’t say anything. Suddenly I heard a knock on the door, and Professor Long ripped me up from the floor, pulling my arm behind my back as he led me toward the door.

“Answer it and act as if I’m not here. If you don’t, I’ll break your pretty little arm.”

I sucked up all my tears and opened the door to see the worst possible person to lie to: Splinter.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” I forced a smile and shook my head with a small laugh.

“Nothing’s wrong. I’m fine.”

“You look like you’ve been crying and your dress is messed up.”

“Oh this? It’s been a mess all night.”

“Bea, you’re lying. Why is it so—?”

Professor Long yanked on my arm, and I had to sway a certain way to keep my balance.

“Splinter, what do you need? I need to get to bed. Classes tomorrow. Start of midterms. The usual.”

He pursed his lips, as if he was questioning the validity of my statement. “Where’s Roscoe?”

“He’s in my bed asleep.”

“Really?
ROSCOE! COME HERE, BOY!”
Splinter forced himself into my apartment, and the ruckus we created woke people up and brought them into the hall.

Before I realized what was happening, Professor Long let go of my arm and rushed at Splinter, who started punching his assailant. I heard screaming. It took a moment to realize I was the one screaming. All I could do was stand there and cry, yell, and shout while some of the neighbors came and tried to break up the fight. Two older women came and worked to calm me down until the police and ambulance showed up. None of these people knew me, but that didn’t matter. They saw me in trouble and they helped. While my faith in humanity was pretty lacking, they made me see something better amidst all the chaos. When the police came and EMTs were treating to Splinter’s injuries, camera crews began to show up. So did my brother. He walked past them like they were invisible to him, rushed toward me, and wrapped me in a secure embrace.

“What the hell happened?” he asked me in a worried tone. I hadn’t ever heard him sound so worried before.

“A lot. A lot happened.” I began to cry silently on his shoulder.

***

“What happened at this local apartment building on Halloween night has created quite the stir. Bea Morrison, younger sister of famed singer Ben Morrison of alt rock band Eden Sank, was allegedly attacked when she returned to her apartment after attending a party in New York with her brother and a former band member of Eden Sank, Splinter Nightingale. Nightingale stopped to return something she had left in the car they had shared, and happened upon the scene. Soon a scuffle broke out, and local tenants stepped in to help. No comment yet from the local police, the Morrison family, or Nightingale. Here we have a witness—”

“Bea, are you sure you’re okay?” Ben came in right as I turned the TV off. The news was the only thing I could stand to watch, but all they talked about was tragic crap. The end to my perfect Halloween happened to be one of those tragic piece of crap stories they couldn’t get enough of.

“Yes, for the thousandth time, I’m okay,” I told him as I pulled my sweater further over my shoulder. I shuffled the remote between resting on the arm of the chair, gripped tightly in my hand, and lying in my lap. I had to keep moving. Like a shark, if I stopped I’d die. At least, that’s how it felt. I had to keep swimming, because I was head deep under water.

“I’m worried, that’s all.” Ben couldn’t hide his worry. It had begun to age him. Between our mother and all the crap I put this family through, it wasn’t much of a surprise to see a few soft creases in his forehead, and little lines etched in the corners of his eyes. He looked perpetually tired and nervous. I didn’t blame him one bit. Though the anxiety thing was getting to me.

“All we do is worry in this family. Now please tell me I can go back to my apartment soon.”

“Your therapist wants you somewhere safe.”

“My apartment is safe.”

“No it isn’t. Not as long as that guy walks free.” I hung my head in shame. It had eventually come out that I was doing some not-so-great things with my professor. No one knew it was him that had attacked Splinter except for my brother, my therapist, and me. They’re all worried about me now. I was worried about myself, but I couldn’t worry for too long. I had stuff to do, places to be. I had to keep swimming somehow. No one understood how important it was to keep my life as normal as possible in a time of crisis. When something bad happened, I couldn’t stop everything to lie around and whine. If I stopped and complained every time something bad happened, I wouldn’t get anywhere. So I needed to fight for normalcy, because it was the only thing keeping me from dwelling on all the bad stuff. It was the only thing allowing me to catch breath from beneath the tide.

***

“How do you feel today, Bea?” I was in my therapist’s office again, fixating on the same damn painting on the wall.

“Sore.”

“What did the doctors say about your injuries?”

Looking away from the painting, I folded my hands in my lap and kept my gaze to my feet. “Minor compared to what would have been if not for intervention.” I looked anywhere but at her. There was a fly sitting above her generic Monet painting that was becoming highly interesting. I was distant to her because I really didn’t want to be in that office.

“There’s a lot you haven’t told me since you’ve moved to Connecticut, Bea. How about you tell me a bit about Lia and the Morrison Study.”

My insides curled, and I knew why she was asking. Lia had tried contacting me again. After she overheard a choice conversation between a few cackling hens in the administrative building, she knew all about professor Long and what he had done to me. Things between Lia and me weren’t great. In fact, they never were great to begin with. So when Lia tried to see me, there was a scene, and it was all over the news. When I saw her, despite my injuries, I pulled a bit of her hair out. I also threw a few mean punches. She didn’t press charges, much to my brother’s pleasure. I think half of it was because she saw my brother, freaked out, tried to talk to him and me about how she
loved Eden Sank
, and that’s when I lost control. I couldn’t stop punching her. Ben made me stop, but now I was stuck in this therapist’s office again multiple times a week. I didn’t think I needed it.

“What
do
you need?” Ben asked one night.

“Fewer stupid people around me,” I told him. Splinter laughed, Ben didn’t.

As for my therapist, I was mute. I didn’t say another word during my session, so I left early. I got in the car with Splinter. Ben was away on business, and Splinter was left to babysit me. I figured that the business Ben was attending to consisted of finalizing some stuff with his band, although I couldn’t be sure. All I knew was that Splinter had babysitting duty, and he was milking it for all it was worth.

“So what do you want to do today?”

“Smash the patriarchy?” I asked deadpan.

He laughed. “I can’t help you with that. Too big a task. Something a bit more doable, please?”

“How about we just watch Netflix and Chill?” He seemed so surprised by my words that he ended up crashing into a parked car. We were assessing the damage when an angry guy came toward us. He may have been angry, but he was cute, and I was hoping that maybe I could try and flirt with him enough that he’d let us off easy, but he recognized us.

“Hey, aren’t y’all two of the kids from Eden Sank?”

We couldn’t deny it even if we had tried.

“Yeah, we are.”

An hour later we were driving Ben’s slightly wrecked car back to the house and trying hard not to laugh. The guy was a huge fan and had let us off easy cause of it, but we knew Ben wouldn’t be as pleased with the situation. For now, though, what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him, or us either for that matter.

“Don’t
ever
say ‘Netflix and Chill’ in the same sentence please. Ever,” Splinter said once we went inside.

“Why? Does it have some other meaning?”

Splinter froze, and I laughed.