It was my own fault for getting involved, not that I was sorry I did it. I mean I would never have forgiven myself if I let that happen so to be honest that was the only option for me.
"You're such a hero Ethan, you just can't help yourself can you?" she teased. I rolled my eyes, "You were always the same, remember when Billy North stole Freddie's lunch money and you went round there and pushed him over and took it back, you got in such trouble because you pushed Billy into that mud but you didn't care, you just said someone needed to put him in his place" she said laughing her ass off. Oh crap I'd forgotten about that, I was eight and spent two weeks with no break time at school as a punishment.
At three o'clock the police came to update me on their progress with Johnny's stalker. Apparently they were no closer to catching him, the letters and threats continued to be received daily along with little gifts of food that were laced with rat poison and weed killer, stuffed animals that were filled with glass and nails that kind of thing.
They had Johnny's mail screened before it got to his house so they could take out any offensive items. Apparently they now knew the stalker was male, they had a finger print from the latest letter that was too big to be female but as they didn't have a previous record they couldn't place it to anyone. They also had a saliva sample where the guy had licked the envelope to seal it on the same letter.
They think he's getting more confident as he's not bothering to cover his tracks as much. This wasn't really a good thing as if he was getting more confident then he would probably step up another level again soon. He'd already tried to shoot Johnny at his last gig but when the gun went off the crowd panicked and he got away. Nothing was to change, they were to continue investigating and I was to continue to watch Johnny's boring little life from the sidelines.
Johnny finally dragged his ass out of bed at four thirty while Lia and I were making dinner. He wrapped his arms around her and I fought with the urge to rip his arms off same as every time he touches her. "Hey beautiful girl" he mumbled against her neck.
"Hey baby, you hungry?" she asked sounding slightly uncomfortable. Maybe it was because she told me she still loved me and I was standing here while he draped his druggie ass all over her, I know it was making me uncomfortable.
"Nah, I got the hangover from hell" he said plopping down on one of the stools and putting his head on the counter. She laughed slightly and rubbed the back of his head affectionately. "How you feeling now? Better?" he mumbled against the counter top. She looked at me shocked and a little scared, I nodded reassuringly, she just needed to keep up the lie and she would be fine.
"Um yeah I'm fine now" she said frowning. Lia was a terrible liar, she always was, I could always tell but he seemed to buy it easy enough.
"That's good babe, I'm gonna go watch some TV or something, it's too bright in here" Johnny said squinting slightly towards the window. God he was such an ass.
"Ok baby" she said smiling as he kissed her on the cheek and walked out of the room. She looked at me apologetically, she had no reason to be sorry though, Johnny was her fiancée after all, it was my fault we weren't together, not hers.
I decided to change the subject, she didn't need to feel guilty on top of everything else she'd been through. "So what do you want help with?" I asked nodding at the stove. She smiled gratefully and seemed to relax slightly which made me smile. I didn't like to see her so stressed and tense.
Finally Max called to say he was here so I was officially off for the day. About time too, this had honestly been the slowest day of my life, I thought five o'clock would never come. "So I'm gonna take off, I'll see you tomorrow ok" I said bending to look into her eyes for one last time today.
She nodded and pulled me into a hug wrapping her arms around my neck tightly pressing her whole body into mine. "Yeah ok, and thank you so much Ethan" she said sounding like she was trying not to cry. I sighed and held her tight stroking my hand over the back of her head soothingly, ignoring how soft and silky her hair felt under my fingertips or the fact that she smelled so incredible it was unreal.
"Lia if you need me, anytime of the day or night you call me ok?" I said pulling back to look at her.
She nodded and I cupped her face in my hands. God could I leave her for the night? Jeez was I even strong enough to let her out of my sight? I wanted to hold her forever and make sure nothing bad ever happened to her again. "Are you sure you don't want to come home with me? You could live at my place" I offered hopefully.
She looked so torn, she honestly looked like she wanted to which made my heart skip a beat. Shit Ethan you promised yourself you wouldn't make her choose! Jeez I just couldn't help myself pilling on the pressure, good job.
"I can't" she whispered a single tear rolling down her face. I wiped it with my thumb and nodded trying not to show her how hard this was for me.
"Ok I better go, call me anytime" I said kissing her on the forehead as I turned to leave.
I nodded to Max as I jumped in my car and pulled out. I'd been thinking about this moment since she told me about Ben last night and I know I told her I wouldn't do anything but I just couldn't help it. I needed to go and rip that fuckers head off and make her safe. He would never hurt her again.
Chapter 14
When I pulled up outside her house my whole body was shaking with anger. I literally couldn't control myself, I could barely breathe. I gripped the steering wheel, I couldn't go in there like this, I needed to at least try and be calm otherwise I would most likely rip the whole place apart. Thoughts of Lia sobbing in my arms, telling me that she had no one and that she prayed for me to help her were running through my brain. I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes and counted to ten, it didn't work so I carried on counting.
After a couple of minutes my heart rate had returned to normal but I could almost taste the anger in my mouth. I got out and walked up to her door praying that asshole was home, if not I'd have to find out where he worked and go there instead. He should be here though, today was Monday and this was one of the nights that Lia stayed at Johnny's which meant that Ben wasn't working.
I rang the doorbell gripping my hands in my hair as the rage started to build again. Lia's father Nick opened the door, his face fell as he looked at me like I was a piece of crap he'd stood in. "What the hell are you doing here Ethan?" he asked angrily. I took a deep breath willing myself to calm down.
"Hey, I just wondered if I could have a quick word with Ben" I asked trying to come across as polite.
He frowned, "Why the hell do you want to speak to Ben?" he asked looking me up and down slowly, wow if he didn't get Ben now I was going to rip his head off too. I was already contemplating beating the shit out of him anyway for not believing her and the way he was looking at me wasn't helping at all.
"I just wanted to talk to him that's all, is he home?" I asked looking past him to see if I could see him.
He nodded and opened the door motioning for me to come in.
Lia's Mom stood up looking at me disapprovingly as I walked in. "What the hell are you doing here?" she shouted.
"Michelle would you go and pack up Lia's clothes? She asked me to come and get them for her" I lied. I wanted her stuff so she wouldn't have to come back here, but I also wanted her Mom out of the way when I beat the life out of her son.
"Pack up her clothes? Where the hell is she going? Is she moving in with you? Oh wait don't tell me, you've got her pregnant again and have decided to stick around for this one" she said sarcastically.
I swallowed my angry response, "Lia's moving in with Johnny, would you please pack up her clothes or do you want me to do it?" I asked shrugging.
"Fine I'll do it" she said stomping off upstairs.
"So where's Ben?" I asked casually as I looked round the empty room, it was just as I remembered.
"Ben!" Nick shouted up the stairs.
I heard movement from the top and I closed my eyes knowing I was going to jail and praying that Johnny would take good care of Lia. A minut
e later he walked around the corner. He took one look at me and the smile faded from his face, he knew she'd told me I could tell.
"Can you give us a minute Nick?" I asked not taking my eyes from Ben who literally looked like he wanted to piss his pants. I saw Nick nod and he walked up the stairs maybe to go and pack up his wayward daughters clothes too.
Ben held his hands up in front of him going slightly pale. "I didn't, she's lying to you, she's a fucking psycho" he said his voice shaking.
I nodded slowly "Mmm hmm that's just what I thought, so I wanted to come and give you your chance to tell me your version of events" I said calmly taking a step closer to him.
"I don't know what's wrong with her, she obviously needs some help, I mean she's delusional or something" Ben said his gaze flicking to the stairs probably looking for help.
"Right, so you didn't rape your sister and get her pregnant then lie to your parents and tell them she was making it up, you haven't made her so scared to come home that she'd rather live with a drugged up asshole, you don't force yourself on her every chance you get, that's what you're saying?" I asked curiously.
He shook his head, "She's making it up Ethan honestly" he said quietly.
I grabbed him around the throat to stop him talking, I couldn't hear anymore. I slammed him against the wall. "Don't fucking lie to me, you tell me the truth now" I growled angrily tightening my grip round his throat enjoying the shade of red that his face was turning where he couldn't breathe. He was clutching at my hand trying to get me off. I kneed him in the groin and loosened my grip on his throat letting him drag in a breath before I tightened it again.
"Tell me she's lying again" I growled. He shook his head squirming, his arm came up to my chest to try to push me off so I let him go and moved back watching as he slumped to the floor gasping for breath. "I'm contemplating breaking every single bone in your body before I kill you, what do you think? Will that make up for the six years of shame and hurt that you've put your sister through?" I asked curiously.
"Please" he whispered clutching his throat.
"Why did you do it?" I asked stepping back. I wanted to know the reason before I killed him and if I carried on standing that close I wouldn't be able to restrain myself.
"I love her!" he cried angrily.
I felt sick hearing that come from his mouth, I don't know what I was expecting but that definitely wasn't it. I smashed my foot into his face watching as blood spurted from his nose, I couldn't hold it anymore. The rage took over and I grabbed his hair pulling his head back so I had clear access to break his face. I completely lost control, all I could see was Lia's sad vulnerable face.
A few minutes later I was slammed into the wall from behind. I whipped round to see Nick, the asshole who let this happen to his daughter. The guy who failed her and chose to believe that his daughter would make something like this up rather than dealing with it.
I tackled him to the ground and punched him hard. "YOU! You let this happen to her, I should kill you too" I shouted angrily. I could hear Michelle screaming and grabbing at my arm as I punched her husband again. I pushed myself up off of him. "You know what? I'm going to let you live, I'm going to let you live to know what a sicko you have for a son, I'm going to let you live so that you can deal with the fact that YOU let this happen to your daughter, that YOU could have stopped it, surely that's worse than having it end so quickly" I growled. I glanced over to Ben, he was a broken bloody mess but he was still breathing, I hadn't killed him yet.
"I'm pressing charges! You're going down for this" Nick shouted angrily getting to his feet.
I shoved him against the wall, "Fucking call them! See if I care, he deserved it, he deserves a lot more too, maybe I'll wait until he's healed then come back" I said shrugging.
I looked at Ben, he flinched and moaned trying to move away from me, "Press charges, go ahead, but know this asshole, you come near her again and I swear I will kill you so slowly you're going to wish you were never even born" I promised. He shook his head looking at me pleadingly he was scared shitless. He wasn't pressing charges.
"What the hell is this about?" Michelle screamed. I laughed, wow she still didn't believe Lia at all.
"Ask your son, tell them Ben, tell them what you've been doing to your sister" I said fighting with my rage again. I grabbed him from the floor making him yelp as his broken bones moved, I shoved him against the wall roughly supporting most of his weight. "Tell them" I demanded.
He looked over at his mother wincing as he moved, he looked at her desperately but didn't say anything. I shook him roughly making him scream as his broken body banged against the wall,
"NOW" I shouted.
"I.....I..." he stuttered.
Michelle burst into tears. "You didn't, tell me you didn't....she....she was telling the truth?" she whispered. He looked at the floor as she screamed putting her hands over her face.
I kneed him in the groin again and let him slump to his knees. I pulled out my gun from my waistband of my jeans and pointed it at Ben's face watching as he lost control of his bodily functions. I pressed the barrel against his forehead. "Come near her again, I dare you" I growled, he shook his head quickly.
I noticed that neither of his parents asked me not to kill him. I wanted desperately to finish this but that would mean I wouldn't get to see Lia for a long time, I wouldn't get to hold her and support her through everything, but at least this fucker would never be able to hurt her again.
"You want to die?" I asked quietly, if he wanted it I'd do it. He shook his head quickly looking at me pleadingly. I smashed the gun into the side of his head hard knocking him unconscious. I slipped the gun back in my waistband and turned looked at her Mom she was a mess there was no point in talking to her, she was sobbing with her arms wrapped around herself rocking gently.
I looked at her Dad, "He's not dead but he will be if he tries to hurt her again, you understand?" I asked sternly. He nodded shocked, his eyes not leaving the mess that was his son on the floor, he looked disgusted. "Press charges if you want, but if I'm going down I'd rather go down for murder though so I'll finish it before it gets to court" I said honestly.
I glanced over to see Lia's bags by the front door. "I'm taking Lia's stuff, and by the way, nice job you did being parents" I said sarcastically patting Nick on the back making Michelle cry harder.
Nick was still staring at Ben's unconscious form in disbelief, his face pale and sweaty.
I grabbed Lia's bags and forced myself to leave the house even though every bone in my body was telling me to go back and literally rip his head off. I threw her bags in the back and climbed in the front seat starting the car and headed to my place. It was a little hard to drive, the pain in my hands was bad but I could cope with it, that was totally worth it.
When I got to mine I ran my hands under the tap to wash Ben's blood away. I should have killed him, I can't believe I let him live, I didn't want to be a murderer but I would do anything to keep that girl safe. I dried my hands gently and grabbed the first aid kit strapping my two middle fingers together on my left hand, they were obviously broken. I swallowed a couple of painkillers and sat down on the sofa. I needed to tell Lia her parents knew now, if they showed up at Johnny's or called her she wouldn't know what the hell was going on.
I snapped open my phone and called her, she answered immediately. "Hey Becca" she said sounding uncomfortable, Johnny was obviously within ear shot and she wouldn't want him to know I was calling her, I wasn't supposed to know her after all.
"Hey Lia, I need to talk to you about something" I said not really knowing how the hell to say 'hey I just beat the crap out of your brother, made your parents believe you, and possible ruined everything you have going on with Johnny when he finds out what's been going on right under his nose'
"Ok what's up?" she asked curiously.
"Err Lia, I know I said I wouldn't, but I couldn't help myself, I'm sorry" I said closing my eyes knowing she would be angry with me for doing it wh
en she begged me not to.
"I don't understand, what are you talking about?" she asked laughing obviously confused by my cryptic sentence.
"I went to your house to see Ben" I said just needing to put it out there quickly.
She gasped, "Oh shit, you did? What....what happened? Oh shit, I....I.... What?" she stuttered shocked.
"He won't hurt you again, your parents know you were telling the truth"
She gasped again but didn't say anything, I could hear her ragged breathing.
"Everything's fine now Lia, your parents know what happened now, so maybe they'll call you or something I don't know" I said quietly. I had no idea how to help her or what to say.
"I.....I need to go" she said her voice breaking, she was obviously trying not to cry.
She cut me off and I put the phone against my forehead praying that this wouldn't ruin her life. I didn't think about it but if her parents go to her house or press charges against me then Johnny would know I knew her and she would lose everything. I threw my phone onto the table, shit I'm such a stupid asshole. Why the hell did I do that? Now she's going to have even more to deal with!
Stupid stupid Ethan, shit why do I never think things through properly?
I stomped to the kitchen and grabbed a beer from the fridge wishing I had something stronger. I plopped back down on the sofa and pressed my burning knuckles against the cold bottle and closed my eyes.
Ten minutes later someone knocked on the door. Wow that was fast, I honestly thought I wouldn't be arrested until tomorrow. I trudged to the door and pulled it open expecting to see a couple of police officers. Instead Lia was standing there shaking slightly, her eyes red from crying, her beautiful face still wet with tears.
Chapter 15
Aaliyah
As soon as he opened the door I couldn't breathe. He was standing there looking at me shocked, I had no idea what to say so I burst into tears again. He pulled me into a hug and shut the door behind me while I clung to him. I can't believe he would do that for me, and now he was going to get into trouble or something for it and then he'd be out of my life again. I couldn't stand the thought of not seeing him everyday, it was tearing me up inside, this was the exact reason I begged him not to go after Ben.