Malik (Carter Brother Series Book 1) (33 page)

“I was thinking the same thing. It seems pretty empty compared to what it was like when we first arrived. I did hear someone mention ‘town’ though,’’ I tell her, stepping over empty beer cans and beer bottles on the stairs.

“Oh shit yeah. There’s this DJ everyone has been going crazy about for the past week that is coming to town. He must be playing at one of the clubs tonight. No wonder it’s freaking emptying out so quickly,’’ she chuckles.

We head to the first door and open it and notice a double bed inside. This must be his dad’s room and off limits because it doesn’t look like anyone has been in here. I notice another door over to my right and look at Denny, “Do you think that’s an en-suite?’’

“Yeah,’’ she whispers, like we’re about to commit a crime. It makes me chuckle as she slowly closes the door behind us, looking in the corridor first to make sure no-one saw us.

I make my way into the bathroom and make quick work of relieving myself and cleaning up. Denny is sitting on the bed when I walk out. She jumps up practically running at me.

“Jeeze, take your time. I’m dying for a wee.’’

I laugh and gesture to the bathroom, “It’s all yours,’’ I laugh.

I take another sip of my drink, the taste not as nice as I remembered. While I wait for Denny I take stock of the room. It’s pretty old fashioned. The walls are a plain white, with a horrible pattern on, and the light fittings are those old fashioned type lamps. The thing that makes me cringe the most and has me wondering if this is in fact a man’s room is the flowery bed sheet and the curtains that match. Not even my Gram’s would be seen having those sheets on her bed. The chest of drawers and wardrobe are a matching mahogany varnished colour. The rest of the room is plain and simple looking. There aren’t any family photos, any knick-knaks or any kind of personal items around the room.

Denny emerges from the bathroom ten minutes later looking pale as shit again. I stand up off the disgusting flowery bed to greet her.

“Are you getting enough vitamins?’’ You look pale as shit Denny,’’ I tell her, and then I step forward getting a whiff of the bathroom. “Have you been sick?’’ 

“Yeah,’’ she says looking ashamed. “I think the heat is getting to me.’’

She does look hot. Grabbing her water off the bed I hand it to her.

“Come on; let’s get some fresh air,’’ I say softly, my lips feeling numb for some reason.

Although the house has emptied a little, Chris still hasn’t turned the music down. I can feel the walls vibrating as I use the wall to support me as we walk down the stairs.

By the time we’re outside, I feel like I’m wringing in sweat. My muscles feel like I’ve been running for miles and my head is pounding.

“Are you okay?’’

“I’m...feeling...not... good,’’ I slur, and my mind starts to panic. What the hell is going on? Why is my hand not moving? I move my head to look down, but it flops with a heavy thud catching me off balance and sending me to the floor.

Denny’s face blurs in front of me and I can hear her screaming, but my mind doesn’t register what she’s trying to say to me. Opening my mouth to speak nothing comes out. It feels swollen, and when I try to feel my lips with my tongue I scream.

My tongue, where has my tongue gone? Oh my God, someone’s cut it out. What the hell is going on? I can feel my chest rising and falling in a rapid pace.

When my eyes try to focus above me, I barely make out Denny’s body before she slumps down on top of me. I let out a scream feeling suffocated, but it sounds more like a moan making whoever is near us laugh.

Denny’s body is crushing mine and I start to panic. She’s stopping me breathing. Am I breathing?

A flash of white has me blinking my eyes open, sounds of talking registering in my mind and I recognise the sound of one of the voices, but I don’t remember who.

“Mom? Dad? Can we go home now?’’ I slur to my parents standing in front of me.

“You need to run Harlow. You need to run,’’ my parents yell, but their voices sound like whispers to me.

“Why would I run when I’m home,’’ I tell them as I’m roughly placed on something lumpy. My body screams out in pain, wondering what the hell is going on. Is someone hurting me? What is that wetness? Am I crying?

“Mom, dad, I’m scared. What’s happening to me?’’ I cry out, feeling something touch my leg. Instinct is telling me to run, to run as fast as I can, but my legs won’t move. It’s like they’re been tied down and restrained by pressure of a million bricks.

“Help!’’ I croak out, feeling my throat tighten.

Someone lays on top of me, their breathing making me cringe as they talk into my ear, “I told you I’d make you feel good.’’

That’s when I recognise the voice, it’s Davis. No...no...no...no...no. No! I try to move, to get away, but his hand clamps around my throat choking me to death. Please no. Malik? Mom? Dad? Where are you? Help me! I’m scared.

The last thing I remember is cool air hitting my bare chest before I feel myself blackout.

Malik

What a bunch of fucking pussies. My fists clench and for what seems like the thousandth time today, I want to punch someone or something, but then fights with brick walls have never ended well for me or my fists.

“Where did they say they were?’’ Kyle speaks for the first time since we left Chris’s. The sick feeling in my stomach has increased since I left Harlow with Denny alone at the party. I know Myles and Max will be around there somewhere, but knowing both of them they’ll be both deep inside some slut wherever she spread her legs.

“You know the backfields where we all hang out in the summer holidays? By the lake? There.’’

“What’s he doing there?’’

“Fuck knows. The last I heard he was banging some fucking chick in the fields after the race.’’

“I know, I saw them together, that’s why I asked. I can’t see how he would have gotten there. It doesn’t add up. It takes less than half an hour to get there and when you got the call you weren’t there that long. I noticed you walking in with your girl. Which I’m pissed off at by the way, you always get the good ones. Fuck, if she was a few years older I’d totally bang her,’’ he chuckles, but shuts up when he looks across to me and see’s my pissed off face. I think about what he said and he’s right. Not about Harlow, but about Mason. There is no way Mason could have gotten there that quickly. He hasn’t even got his car with him tonight and I doubt any girl he fucked tonight has a car. Most of the time they’re barely out of nappies, they act that immature.

“Turn left here. Let’s go to the field,’’ I tell him, that sick feeling coming back in full force.

Unwinding the window I let the cool breeze blow across my face. My body feels like it’s burning up.

“You okay?’’

“Yeah, I just have a bad feeling in my gut mate.’’

He doesn’t say anything else as we turn into the field ten minutes later. At first I don’t see anyone, but then I see Mason looking to the ground pacing. Once he hears the car his body sags with relief and I wonder what the fuck those assholes did to him.

“Are you okay?’’ I shout as I jump out of the car, running over to him.

“It’s not the end of the world,’’ Mason chuckles. “I lost my phone bro, I think I’ll live.’’

“I had a phone call saying you were getting harassed by Davis and his brother,’’ I tell him, eyeing him warily, that’s when I catch the girl he’s with look to the floor and take a step back. The movement seems strange and I know she knows something.

“You?’’ I growl. “Why’d ya move back?’’

“Huh... I... I don’t know what you mean,’’ she squeaks out, looking around with wide eyes.

Mason looks at her confused before looking back at me. The girl is nervous, looking around her like she’s waiting for someone to come out and rescue her.

“Tell me now,’’ I snap. “Why did someone tell me he was getting beat up?’’

“I... I don’t know,’’ she says trying to come off sounding strong, but her tone suggests otherwise. She’s hiding something and Mason has picked up on it when his eyes harden towards her.

“Don’t piss me off, I’m not in the fucking mood, now tell me what the fuck you know,’’ I yell, not feeling the least bit guilty for shouting at a girl.

“I don’t know what...’’

“Angie, tell him the fucking truth now,’’ Mason snaps.

Her face pales and she looks at me for the first time with wide scared eyes. I don’t feel an ounce of sympathy for her. Whatever she’s about to say is going to piss me off, I can feel it in my fucking bones.

“Talk,’’ I boom.

“Okay... okay...I’m sorry,’’ she cries, tears falling and still, I feel no sympathy. “He told me to.’’

“Who told you to do what?’’ I ask, my back straightening.

“He said all I needed to do was to keep Mason here with me until someone came here for us,’’ she stutters through her tears.

“And here I thought you were a nympho,’’ Mason deadpans.

“It wasn’t like that. He told me to keep you entertained. I slept with you so I could get him off my back.’’

“Did he specifically ask for Mason?’’ I ask before asking who
he
is.

“No, he said any one of you, Mason is just the easiest,’’ she tells me blushing.

“I feel so violated and used,’’ my brother announces actually sounding hurt.

I roll my eyes smacking him on the head. He gives me a glare before turning his attention back to Angie.

“Who is
he
?’’

“He’ll hurt me,’’ she tells us panicked.

“So will we if you don’t fucking tell us,’’ I growl bluffing like fuck. I’d never lay a hand on a woman, no matter how much I wanted to.

“Davis told me to,’’ she tells us on a shout. Her hand immediately covers her mouth, her face in complete shock that she actually ratted him out.

“Did he tell you why?’’

“No, but I overheard him telling someone that it was time
she
learnt a lesson.’’

“Who’s she?’’ I ask deadly quiet, my heart racing because I know deep down who she is talking about.

“I don’t know. Just that they needed her bodyguards away from her. He’s got two other girls going after Max and Myles too,’’ she says looking to the ground.

“Fuck, come on, I left Harlow with Denny at the party on their own.

We all run back over to the car when Angie calls back to Mason.

“Are you going to leave me here in the middle of nowhere,’’ she whines, and then throws him his phone.

“You had me looking for it knowing you had it all this time?’’ Mason asks shocked.

“I needed to keep you here,’’ she shrugs, not looking like the alarmed scared girl she did two minutes ago.

“Ring
Davis
to come and get you,’’ he throws back at her before getting into the car.

When I’m in the car I get my phone out to call Harlow, but there’s no answer. I try Denny and her phone goes straight to voicemail. I’m starting to panic when the car starts making a jittering noise.

“Please fuck no!’’ I snap when I look at the dashboard light blinking. “Please tell me you didn’t forget to fill her up?’’

Kyle looks at me with a sad, wary expression and I wish I could punch him in the jaw, but he didn’t have to bring me.

“I’m sorry dude,’’ he tells me.

I nod my head getting out the car, “I’m going to run the rest of the way. It’s not that far if I cut over the field. What you going to do?’’ I ask looking at Mason.

“Coming with,’’ he tells me looking at me with a ‘duh’ expression.

I give him a firm head nod as he gets out from the back seat. I wave to Kyle shouting thanks before jumping over the fence.

Once my feet land on the other side of the fence, I take off in a fast sprint, my whole body pumping.

“Call Max, I’ll try Myles,’’ I shout through my heavy panting.

Mason grabs his phone the same time I dial Myles. He answers on the third ring with a grunt. “Something is up with the girls here tonight bro, it’s like Max and I took something and they’re all drawn to us,’’ he says not sounding happy about it. It’s what I love about my brother. Out of all of us he keeps his feelings and girls to himself. He’s not one to brag and he’s definitely not one to sleep around.

“Bro, listen. Mason and I are coming. Davis is up to something and it’s bad. I haven’t got time to explain, just find Harlow and Denny and make sure they’re okay.’’

“We haven’t seen them bro. We thought they were with you.’’

“No,’’ I growl. “Davis set me up. See you in five,’’ I tell him before putting the phone down.

“Max is in the middle of getting laid,’’ Mason deadpans when he notices I’m off the phone. Now
that
I’m not surprised at, he doesn’t care where he gets it. He’s going to end up with STD’s with the rate he’s going.

Ten minutes later we’re running up to the house, Max standing there with a grim expression. That’s when I notice Denny lying down on the floor with her head in Myles lap.

“Fuck! Where is Harlow?’’ I ask through deep breaths. I feel like I’m going to pass out. Where is she? I look around and don’t notice her through the crowd.

“We don’t know,’’ Max answers me hesitantly.

“What do you mean you don’t fucking know,’’ I yell.

“We found Denny around the side of the house Malik, we didn’t see Harlow.’’

“Denny? Denny?’’ Mason calls grabbing her from Myles and into his arms. His eyes water as he looks up at me.

“Has anyone called an ambulance?’’ he shouts to everyone standing around.

“Yeah.’’

“Does anyone know where Harlow Evans is or Davis?’’ I shout through the crowd.

No one answers me and I start to lose my shit trying to think of where he could have taken her. I know he’s got her, I can feel it in my gut. “Fuck!’’ I roar as a group of people walk from the lane that leads to the other side of the fields.

“Have any of you seen Davis or Harlow Evans?’’ I ask starting to feel more panicked.

“Shouldn’t she be with you by now?’’ a kid from school I recognise as Graham.

“What do you mean by that?’’ I snap.

“Davis had your girl about ten minutes ago. She looked really out of it. It sounded like she was talking to her parents or about them, I don’t know, she wasn’t making any sense. He said she was drunk and was meeting you so you could get her home.’’

“You know what that pricks reputation is like and you let him take my girlfriend?’’ I ask, my blood boiling. I’m fuming mad. The only thing keeping me from ripping his head off is the fact I need to find Harlow before it’s too late. “Which direction were they going in?’’

“That way,’’ he points shaking.

“Fuck!’’ I shout before running off in the direction of the old Gunners house. I can hear Mason shooting orders at Max and Myles before I hear his footsteps running towards me.

My mind is racing as I run fast towards the old house. I’ve let her down. I promised her nothing would ever happen to her, that I would protect her, and then this happens. I run through the bush that comes to the side of the old Gunners property when I collide with another body. We both fall to the ground, the fall knocking the wind out of my chest.

A girl makes a hissing sound and what seems to be a sob. At first I think it’s Harlow because I just want her to be okay, but when I turn my head and see
her
sitting there covered in leaves and dirt I glare.

Mascara is running down her face, her whole body shaking that it stops me for a minute. She’s in on this. Oh my god.

“Where is she?’’ I growl grabbing her by the shoulders. Mason catches up standing beside me, looking between me and Hannah.

“I thought he was just going to play a cruel joke on her. I didn’t... I didn’t know. I swear I didn’t know he had this planned,’’ she cries.

“Had what planned?’’ I ask shaking her.

“He’s going to.... he’s raping her,’’ she manages to get out before I push her hard to the floor, not caring she’s a girl. I run towards the house, hoping like hell I get to her in time. This can’t be happening.

The door is wide open when I get outside and I don’t bother to take anything in as I run through it. Mason follows and when I reach the stairs, I hear a moan, the noise sounding more like displeasure than pleasure and my stomach turns. Bile rises in my throat, but it doesn’t stop me from reaching the first room with light and kicking through the locked door. The weak wooden door splinters, cracking wide open.

When I walk in, the scene in front of me has me completely freezing. My whole body is running off the adrenaline pumping through my body, the anger simmering to the point of explosion.

The seconds it takes me to unfreeze my mind goes completely blank. All I see is red when I charge at Davis’s half naked form, knocking him off the bed with a loud roar.

It takes me a few seconds to get my bearings and roll over to my side. Davis does the same, but as we get up I waste no time in charging at him for a second time, slamming his body up the plastered wall, both of us flying through it. I’m sitting astride him when I land the first blow to his face, blood spurting in my face from his nose.

My anger only increases as I keep slamming my fist into his face. His body has long gone limp, and he’s not fighting me back anymore. My brother must sense I’m not going to stop because the next thing I know he’s pulling me off Davis’s limp body and dragging me away.

“Harlow needs you bro,’’ he says hoarsely, emotion clogged in his throat.

“I’m going to kill him,’’ I roar, tears now streaming down my face. I didn’t even cry when mom left, or when dad or any of his friends hit me. I didn’t even cry when my Nan died, but at this moment, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop. I relax into his arms, my body exhausted as a sob breaks out from my throat. I’m not even scared my brother will think I’m a pussy. When the love of his life is in this position then he can judge. Until then he can fuck off. Not that I think my brother will judge me.