CRASH (A Logan Brothers Novel) (26 page)
Read CRASH (A Logan Brothers Novel) Online
Authors: L. A. Shorter
He ducked down like an animal,
his eyes searching for a weak-point, a time to strike. He'd probably
never been in a fight before but was driven by instinct, launching
himself at me aggressively.
He managed to catch me with a
knee in the gut, exploding the breath out of my body, as he drove me
up against the wall. His fists came flying, one clattering into the
side of my face and sending my brain rolling in my head.
Then his hands came at my neck,
his fingers digging into the skin and squeezing as tight as they
could. He was strong, as if possessed, his eyes bulging out of their
sockets as he squeezed and pushed me to the ground.
I ripped and battled with my
left arm but my right was weak, the bone broken. I could get no grip,
unable to even close my fist and strike at him. I was gasping for
breath now, feeling my face growing red, my need for oxygen getting
to the point of desperation.
The world began going black as
my eyes popped, his iron hands around my neck, starving me of life.
This was it. I was going to die.
Elle
I was scrambling at my leg,
trying to untie the material that had held me there for days, as Brad
and Crash grappled to the side of the bed.
My hands were shaking violently,
unable to get a grip, unable to pull the fabric loose. I could see
Crash's hands at Brad's neck, Brad scratching and clawing at Crash's
face, drawing blood from his nose and cheeks.
They tumbled out of the door
onto the landing at the top of the stairs as I continued to try to
untie the knots. I felt a surge of hope run through me as Crash knelt
atop Brad, but he was thrown off, flying to the left and out of my
view.
I saw Brad stand and crouch,
rushing in towards him and out of my eyeline. I turned my eyes back
on the knot, ripping at it and gradually loosening it. I could hear
heavy groans and grunts from outside the room, a loud thud hitting
the wall.
I rushed frantically now, my leg
almost free, and finally managed to pull it out, the ankle red and
bleeding. My entire body ached as I climbed from the bed, my legs
struggling to support me.
I could hear the sound of
gasping on the landing as I rounded the door, seeing Brad's hands
wrapped around Crash's neck as he struggled to release his grip. I
looked down to see the crowbar on the floor and picked it up. Without
thinking, I swung it as hard as I could down onto Brad's arms.
He roared in pain and I saw his
grip immediately relent, his hands retracting from Crash's neck as he
gulped in air. Brad stumbled back slightly as Crash kicked out at
him. He flew backwards, his body sent cracking into the banister at
the top of the landing.
It was weak, and he broke
straight through it, his body going clattering down towards the main
hall at the bottom of the house. I heard him hit the floor below with
a heavy thud and loud crack as Crash jumped to this feat and rushed
forwards, his eyes peering over the side at the body stricken below.
The neck was bend awkwardly out
of place, his body twisted in an unnatural position. I couldn't look,
turning my head from the sight as Crash moved straight in and hugged
me, his arms wrapping around my body once again.
His chest was breathing heavily,
his right arm unable to grip properly at my back. I cried again,
tears rushing from my eyes.
“
It's over,” he said, his
voice so beautiful to my ears, “he won't be able to hurt you
again.”
I could hear myself speaking
through my sobs, the words gushing out. “You found me. You saved
me. I can't believe you saved me.”
His left hand was stroking at my
hair as he spoke, trying to calm me. “Shhhh, it's OK. It's OK, it's
all over now, it's finished.”
The emotions were flooding from
my body and I couldn't stop them. I looked up into his face. He
looked completely drained, his eyes heavy with bags, his skin pale,
his hair messed and unkempt.
“
You came for me,” I said
again, gazing up at him.
He smiled weakly, grimacing
slightly at the pain in his arm. “Of course. I told you I'd always
be there to help you and I will. Always.”
I wanted to kiss him, tell him
what he meant to me, how much I cared for him, but I couldn't. I was
too drained, too physically and emotionally exhausted.
I dropped my head back into his
shoulder, resting it on his warm body, my eyes looking down at Brad's
body on the floor below.
He hadn't moved, his body lying
motionless. I felt a brief urge to rush down and check his pulse, see
if he was alive, help him.
But that urge turned to anger as
I looked on at him. He'd stalked me, kidnapped me, held me hostage
and tried to rape me.
No, he was dead. And he deserved
to be dead.
Elle
I stood in the graveyard, the
rain trickling down from grey skies onto my black umbrella.
“
I wish I'd got to meet him,”
I said, looking on at the gravestone.
“
So do I. I think he would
have liked you.”
“
Really?” I asked, turning
to Crash.
He smiled. “Of course. How
could he not?”
We huddled together under the
umbrella and looked at the flowers sat perched up against the white
stone.
“
I'm gonna make him proud
Elle. I know he's looking down on me, on all of us. I'm gonna take
this family forward, like he always wanted.”
I smiled up at him, his eyes set
forward, a deep longing inside him to impress his father, to do well
by his family.
We stood for a moment in silence
before turning and slowly walking back towards his car. It had been 3
months now since he'd rescued me from Brad, 3 months since that
burden had been lifted from my shoulders forever.
When the ambulance turned up
they'd said that he will have died on impact, his neck and spinal
column snapped. At least it was a quick death, unlike the life he'd
have led in jail, always on his toes, always watching his back. When
the dust settled I was happy, at least, that his own torment was
over.
The police investigation into
the death didn't last long. All the evidence and character reports
quickly built a picture of Brad being psychologically unhinged. It
turned out that he had suffered from mild schizophrenia and
depression for years, but kept it all hidden until our break up.
After that, it had all been
released, his mind degenerating further as he turned to narcotics and
alcohol to stay the pain. There had been no one there to help him, no
close friends to support him through it all, so he turned to the only
person he really felt attached to - me.
I felt ashamed by my thoughts at
his death. Despite all he'd done to me, I still felt slightly
responsible, as if I could have done more to help him, rather than
turn my back on him completely. It ate away at me for weeks after, a
guilt set deep in my body that I wasn't sure I'd ever fully get over.
Crash took my hand in his as we
continued walking through the graveyard. His touch was always
reassuring to me now, knowing he'd always be there to protect me.
He stopped suddenly, turning me
towards him and kissing me.
His eyes looked deep and
emotional, almost like he was welling up, but not quite. No, Crash
would never cry.
“
There are lots of things
about me that you still don't know,” he said, out of the blue.
“
And I'm sure there's lots
about you that I don't know,” he continued.
I wasn't quite sure
where he as going with this.
His eyes lost their assuredness
as he looked around, suddenly slightly uncomfortable.
“
I've never been one for
words, um, I guess I'm something of a blunt object...”
He still looked everywhere but
into my eyes.
“
...I guess what I'm trying to
say is that I usually talk through my actions...but some things need
to be said.”
I could feel my heart beginning
to rise as his eyes eventually found mine.
“
What I really want to say
is....” he paused again, fighting the words out of his mouth.
“
I...love you Elle.”
He looked away again, all of his
calm and composure and everything else thrown from the window.
I smiled as I laughed inside. It
was a laugh of amusement by the way he said it, but one of elation as
well.
I reached up and took his face,
pulling it in and kissing it as he often did with me.
“
I guess my actions speak
louder than words too,” I said, smiling.
He knew I felt the same.
Exposure tells the story of Kyle and Alice and what happens before the events of this book.
Here is an extended excerpt from Exposure, including the first 6 chapters!
Chapter
1
“
I'm
sorry Alice but I have a responsibility to my customers.”
The
words were still ringing in my ears. “I cannot keep you on any
longer. You're fired.”
I
stood outside, the cold air nipping at the tips of my fingers as I
poked at the lock on my car, my shaking hands making it harder than
it should have been to stick the key in.
Great, another job lost.
I
climbed in behind the wheel and gunned the engine, which spluttered
to life after a couple of turns of the key. I turned on the heating
and a burst of foul smelling air hit my nose. I guess that's what you
get with a third-hand, ten year old, banger.
The
night was stretching on as I shot down the road, the usually busy
intersection now beginning to wane. Despite the warming heat in the
car my hands continued to shake, more through nerves than anything
else.
I
couldn't afford to lose another job, but I knew it was inevitable the
way I was going. How exactly could I choose between my studies and my
job, especially when they were so inextricably linked. Without
working, I'd have no way of living, no way of paying my rent, of
buying food, of getting around. But if I didn't study enough, I'd be
kicked out anyway.
It
was getting harder at college, my assignments taking up more of my
time, my grades beginning to slip. Eventually I'd begun to start
turning up to work late, even missing shifts on a couple of
occasions. No wonder Mr Asim fired me, I'd have done the same thing.
I
turned into the parking lot on campus and stepped out of the car. The
cold once more pinched at my cheeks as I slipped on the icy ground,
my heels far from appropriate in this weather. I was like Bambi on
ice out there as I gingerly crept closer to the door of my halls, a
couple of guys laughing at me as they passed by.
“
Looking
good there Alice,” one shouted. It was Tom, a typical jock, a
walking cliche wearing his college football jersey and light blue
jeans.
“
Screw
you Tom,” I said. I was in no mood for his shit right now.
“
Whoa
whoa, easy there girl. Just trying to be friendly.”
“
Yeah
well try elsewhere.”
I
finally managed to steady my footing as I inched into the hallway of
my dorms, the cosy warmth hitting me immediately. I was totally spent
as I made my way up the mahogany stairs, past plaques of notable
alumni and various noticeboards as I went.
I
got to my dorm on the second floor and held my breath as I put my
hand to the door handle.
Please be out.
I
turned the handle and felt it immediately jam - locked.
Yes,
she was out.
I
stuck the key in the lock and opened the door to darkness, hitting
the lights and spilling a bright yellow glow over the room. It was an
unpleasant light, bringing the discomfort of the room into clear
focus. It may have been a carbon copy of every other dorm room in the
building, but I hadn't made much of an effort to make my spot too
cosy. I guess it was because I was never in, never really found the
time.
My
room-mate - Jen - she was fine. In fact, I liked her, but I didn't
really want a room-mate in the first place. I wouldn't call myself
solitary, but I certainly wanted my own space. If I could have
afforded to live alone that's exactly what I'd be doing.
Jen's
side of the room though, that was nice. She had all this cosy bedding
and bright colored throws and blankets that she put everywhere.
Thankfully that extended to the more communal central areas of the
room, so my side didn't look quite so bare.
Did
I care? Hell yes I cared! My life wasn't meant to be quite this shit,
but it had been a downward spiral from the get go. It wasn't like I
had a mom to call up when I was feeling low or a nice family home to
return to when things got tough. No, I just had a semi abusive father
who didn't care two hoots about me. His only contribution to my life
was helping me out with my college fees, something he only did
because it had always been my mom's dream for her little girl to go
to college.
I
sat on my bed and stared over at the ever growing pile of college
books stacked on my desk. Every one of those damn books sucked my
coffers dry. Quite why they were so fucking expensive I didn't know.
Not
tonight, I can't bare it
, I thought as I looked at the the half
finished paper burning into my mind. I needed it done by Monday but I
just couldn't stand to think about that right now.
Sleep, Alice,
sleep and think about everything tomorrow.
I
tapped my touch activated bedside table lamp and shut off the main
light at the door, casting the room into darkness but for a light
orange glow next to my bed. It looked nicer like that.
I
lay down on the lumpy mattress and pulled my light tog duvet over my
body, the warm fabric of my pyjamas and dressing gown pretty much the
only luxuries I had. It was cold in the room, so cold I could see my
breath clouding in front of me in the warm light. I wasn't going to
put my heater on though - that damn thing eats electricity.
Think
about things tomorrow Alice. Chin up, tomorrow's another day.
Chapter
2
A
knock on the door woke me from a typically fitful sleep. I'd laid
there for what seemed like hours before finally passing out, my high
heart rate a constant thorn in my side.
Oh
god I felt like shit, my eyes heavy and mouth dry as I clambered out
from under my duvet.
“
Alice,
Alice, it's getting late.”
It
was Tess, by best friend. She was on the same course as me and had
gotten accustomed to banging down my door when we had any early
morning classes.
“
Hey,
hey, I'm coming,” I croaked through the door as I quickly assembled
an appropriate outfit.
After
a quick brush of my teeth I was opening the door, seeing the
expression on Tess's face as she eyed me up. “Another late night?”
she asked, her bright blue eyes in stark contrast to mine. Mine were
brown, although right now I guess 'bloodshot' would be more accurate.
“
You
have no idea,” I said as I shook my head and bundled a couple of
books under my arm.
“
Err
Alice, correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think we study Jane
Austen as part of our course.”
“
Huh?”
I said, totally bemused.
She
nodded her head down at the books I was holding - Pride and Prejudice
and Sense and Sensibility.
“
Oh,
right,” I said, “what is it today?”
“
Advertising
Alice. What's with you, you're even more scatty than normal.”
“
I'll
tell you on the way.” There was no time for chit chat right now.
A
little while later we sat side by side at the back of a white-walled
classroom, whispering in hushed tones as our lecturer droned on to
the rest of the class.
“
So
what are you going to do?” Tess hissed.
I
huffed louder than I should have done. “I don't know. We're got
this damn paper due in a few days so I guess I need to get that done
first. You know my grades have been slipping - I need to ace this
one.”
“
Yeah,
sure, but you need to ace your rental payment as well babe.”
She
was right, and the timing really couldn't have been worse. Rent was
coming up and I was running on fumes now, my funds all but depleted
by the latest set of textbooks we'd been urged to buy. I'd get my
final bit of pay from Mr Asim, but after that I'd be lost. I needed a
job, fast.
“
Do
you know of anything?” I asked in hope rather than expectation.
“
Sorry
babe,” she said, shaking her head. I didn't expect her to - she
didn't need to work after all, so why would she know if there were
any jobs going.
“
That's
all right, I'll ask around.”
AHEM.
We
looked up to see the lecturer, and the entire class, looking at us. I
guess our conversation had been a little louder than we thought.
“
Miss
Newton,” he said, “his words entirely accusatory, “of all the
people in this class I would expect YOU to be listening most
intently.” His words carried a sting, and now everyone knew how
badly I was doing.
Thanks for that.
I
didn't deign to respond.
“
Now,
so the rest of the class can maximize their college education, would
you please keep it down. And, perhaps, listen in yourself - it might
do you some good.”
What
a dick.
As
soon as class ended I was off. I had a couple of lectures lined up
for later in the day but they were way down on my priority list. I
could catch up with what I missed later, but now I had to get that
damn paper done. I headed straight for the library for the rest of
the afternoon, busily diving into my books and clicking away on my
laptop as the hours ticked on by. When it shut, I returned to my dorm
in a bid to keep the train moving.
It
was Friday night and, without my waitressing job dragging me away
from my dorm, I'd be able to knuckle down for the entire weekend and
get it done. Priority one - finish my paper. Priority two - find a
job. The sooner I could get priority one finished, the sooner I'd be
able to move onto priority two. Simple logic.
Fuck
it.
Jen was back. I'd hoped to
have the place to myself tonight, see how much progress I could make.
“
You
in for the night Jen,” I asked, hoping for a response in the
negative.
“
Yeah,
why?” She was unusually frosty.
“
Oh,
nothing, I just need to get some work done that's all. I find it
easier to work alone.” I didn't want to push her out but there was
a suggestive slant to my words that I couldn't hide.
She
hardly seemed to be listening to me, her words so quiet. “Oh,
sorry. It's OK, I'll just be sleeping anyway.”
It
was kinda weird that she was even around. She was out most nights, I
didn't know where. We weren't the closest of room-mates, even though
we got along fine, so I never tended to ask. With all my college work
and working so many shifts at the restaurant we hadn't really bonded
much. I guess I also had this lingering bitterness that I had a
room-mate in the first place.
“
You
all right Jen? You seem a bit - I dunno - upset.”
She
nodded vacantly as she began to undress, pealing off layers of warm
outerwear to reveal a silky and tight-fitting dress. Wow, she looked
amazing, the fabric hugging her feminine curves, accentuating her
breasts and bum. She unzipped the dress and stepped out of it,
revealing some sexy, lacy underwear.
Ah
I see, she's been on a date....and it didn't go well.
I
unglued my eyes from her and turned my attention back to my books. I
heard her slip into bed behind me and her lamp shut off, leaving her
side of the room blanketed in darkness.
Right,
let's get to work.
Chapter
3
It
was Saturday morning when I woke with my head, literally, in a book.
I'd never worked to hard or long in my life, and had eventually
collapsed, I guess, with my forehead planted firmly into one of those
$100 textbooks I was forced to buy.
The
bright morning was dowsing a sharp light into the room as I lifted my
head, neck aching furiously, and swivelled in my chair to see that
Jen had gone.
A
fairly prominent frown grew on my face as my vision cleared on the
room. She wasn't just gone, she was
gone
. As in, all her stuff
from gone too.
What the hell?
I
walked to her side of the room, as if to double check that her things
were actually missing. There was suddenly no color in the room, her
throws and rugs and bright bedding now gone. I checked her wardrobe:
there were no clothes there, nothing.
Then
I noticed something, a piece of paper perched on my bedside table. I
darted over to it, hoping to quell my confusion with a reasonable
explanation.
Hey
Alice,
I
know we never really got to know each that well but I still thought
I'd better tell you what's going on. I've been kicked out of school,
and I'm not coming back. I guess they're going to find you a new
room-mate now. Good luck with all your studies and for everything in
the future.
Love,
Jenny
I ran my eyes over the note once
more.
Um, an actual explanation would have been nice Jen
. She
didn't even say why she'd been chucked out.
I wasn't really a self involved
person but this was just what I needed. With everything that was
going on I'd have to bunk up with a new room-mate now. I mean, sure,
Jen wasn't my bessie mate or anything, but at least she was
comfortable, and barely around. It was almost like I
was
living on my own most of the time.
I shot off out into the hall and
up a couple of floors to Tess's room. I realized as I banged on the
door that I hadn't even checked the time.