Stepbrother Fallen (9 page)
Read Stepbrother Fallen Online
Authors: Aya Fukunishi
ringing fills my ears as I watch what happens next. Rafe's
expression, just moments ago placid and at peace, contorts with
rage, and with catlike speed he drops the guitar and launches
himself at the guy standing over me. The guy looks like he
outweighs Rafe by at least 40 pounds, but before I know what's
going on he's on his back beside me, his nose streaming with
blood.
him to the floor as he delivers quick, solid jabs to the guy's
face. "You. Don't. Hit. Women." he growls, emphasizing each word
with another blow.
resisting. He tries to curl up into a ball, bringing his arms up to
protect his face from the constant punches. Someone – a guy from
the audience, I think – tries to pull Rafe back, but he's no match
for him. Rafe shrugs him off as if he's nothing but a minor
nuisance.
I struggle to raise myself from the ground, my head still
spinning from the blow to the head, and yell "Rafe!
Stop!
"
through the red mist. Almost the moment I yell Rafe leans back,
panting, and looks down at the blood covering his fists. He seems
to notice the guy beneath him for the first time, as if he's just
woken from a terrible nightmare, and springs to his feet.
Rafe looks around the room at the two dozen people staring silently
back at him, shocked at the violent outburst, and before I can
stand he bolts between the sofas and vanishes into the darkness,
appearing as a fleeing form in the moonlight for just a moment as
he passes through the door.
by my side. I nod, gasping for air, my eyes fixed on the doorway
Rafe passed through.
his face glistening with blood and already beginning to swell from
the blows. "Maddy, your stepbrother is a fucking freak. You gotta
stay away from that guy."
Penny. "Yeah, he's a fucking psycho," I agree.
believe it.
at every turn find a new beast confronting me, each larger than the
last. They surround me, draw closer, tighten their circle until
there's no room to breathe, and nothing but darkness above, below
and around. Their growls drive an icy dagger of terror into my
heart, and I know in moments they'll strike.
A man stands beside me, twice as tall again as the largest beast.
From his body shines a light that surrounds me, envelops me and
drives back the monsters. The darkness recedes, and soon all that
remains is him, standing by my side like a sentinel, ever ready to
fight off any monsters that dare attack.
figure emerges: small and quick, waving its arms and yelling
angrily. It's... it's a woman. Blurred and hazy, but her enraged
voice is unmistakable
from my sleep. A breeze troubles my curtains, and a bright shaft of
sunlight breaks through the shifting fabric to shine in my
eyes.
muffled but more than loud enough to reach from the floor below.
"He couldn't last more than one damned week without bringing the
cops to my door!"
before mom has finished her sentence. By the time the yelling
resumes I'm wide awake, clinging to the door frame and straining to
hear what's going on downstairs.
"I want him out of my house, Karl. I want him out
today!
Rafe!"
dad trying to calm mom down. He's too quiet for his words to reach
upstairs, but I can tell he's on the losing end of the
argument.
"No, I will
not
settle down, Karl! You
promised
me this wouldn't happen. I told you he'd
be trouble, and you
promised
me.
Raaaaaafe!"
into the hallway in a pair of boxers and a ragged Greenday t-shirt,
carrying his jeans and a pair of sneakers. He pauses for a moment
to lean against the wall and pull his pants up his legs.
Rafe!"
inch of the house, and I just thank God it isn't directed at me.
Mom's moods are legendary.
panties today, Princess. Send me a pair when I'm in jail?"
still in my underwear. I'm about to back away to hide myself behind
the door frame, but stop when I see that Rafe has stopped walking,
and his eyes linger on my body. Butterflies began to flutter in my
belly.
still making no move to back away. Rafe is just a couple of feet
away, within arm's reach. "You're making me uncomfortable."
when you stop showing, your majesty."
his fingers brushing across my skin. I bite my bottom lip as his
eyes run slowly across my body, taking in the curve of my breasts,
moving down across my exposed skin to the dark hollow of my navel,
then further down to the pink lace that's the only barrier between
his gaze and my pussy. As soon as his eyes drop to my panties my
breath grows ragged.
up into his eyes. He's just inches away now. I can feel his breath
on my cheek.
the confidence in the world. His head dips towards mine, and he
reaches out a hand and slowly, tenderly lifts my chin.
"
Rafe! Get down here right this instant!"
began. Rafe moves away with a smile, and winks at me before turning
to the staircase. "Don't forget to send me a pair of those panties,
Princess. Jail can get lonely."
for whatever awaits him downstairs. I fall back against the door
frame, my legs suddenly too weak to support me, and take a deep,
shuddering breath.
about to kiss me?
"Hey, not the My Little Pony things, OK? Something lacy and sexy,
there's a good girl."
before I rush back to my room, grab a nightgown and follow Rafe
downstairs. I can already guess what awaits him down there.
Rafe is only a few feet ahead of me, he'd been waking so slowly.
Mom and dad stand at the open door. Dad looks concerned, but mom
looks like she's about ready to kill someone. By the way she glares
at him it's clear that Rafe would be first choice, but she might be
happy with whoever's standing within arm's reach.
hisses icily. "Tell us why there's a police officer standing at my
front door first thing on a Sunday morning."
little relieved to see that the officer is... I want to say Frank,
or Fred. He's one of dad's poker buddies, anyway. I only met him a
couple of times but he seemed nice enough, and even if he was a
power-mad douche cop he'd probably go easy on Rafe since he's
Karl's son.
"You're Rafe Stone, son?" the officer asks. I catch a
glimpse of his badge. Donald McIntyre.
Wow, I was way off.
doesn't talk to cops if he can help it.
matching your description was involved in an altercation yesterday
evening at 15 Elm with two young men," he glances at his notepad,
"names of... errr, Michael Bowen and Lawrence Anderson. Can you
account for your whereabouts between the hours of 10PM and
midnight?"
down the cop, as if daring him to bring out the cuffs.
with a questioning look.
last night?" Dad waits through more silence, then shakes his head.
"I don't know what to tell you, Don, I really don't."
this, Karl, but if he won't speak up I'm gonna have to take him
in.” He really does look like he doesn't want to arrest Rafe. “OK,
son, please give me your hands. I'm afraid I'll have to cuff
you."
I can't let this happen. I speak almost without thinking, just
grasping at the nearest words and hoping for the best.
party last night. I was there until about 11, then I left and met
Rafe at Hola Burrito. Right, Rafe?"
nods.
me and dad for a moment, trying to get his head around the
situation. Eventually he addresses dad. "I don't know, Karl, we got
a pretty detailed description and a positive ID from a witness. I
don't want to imply anything, but something doesn't smell right
here."
is going to buy it. I take a breath, look him straight in the eye
and launch into my best dumbass Valley girl impression.
"Oh my God, I bet this came from Manda Sloane, right? Gawd,
she is just the
biggest bitch alive!
She's just mad because I told Penny Graham from
school that I thought Manda put on a few pounds even though she
said she's been totally sticking to her juice fast for, like, I
don't even know, like three weeks or something? Anyway, Manda
just
hates
me right now because Penny told her what I said about her
weight even though I told her that
in confidence,
so Manda just wants to make my life a
living hell and stuff, just like she did with Stacy from home room
when she said Manda looked like she bought her nose job out of a
catalog! That's why I had to leave the party early, because Manda
was just totally bitching me out in front of, like, everyone and
then Rafe called and saw how upset I was and then he took me out
for a burrito cause I told him that's, like, my biggest comfort
food for when I'm feeling down or I've got my period and
stuff!"
in the face with a Clueless DVD. His eyes grow wide, and for a
moment he stands in stunned silence as he tries and fails to
process my crazy onslaught. After what feels like an eternity he
simply says "Wow," and beckons Karl out onto the porch.
I take a deep breath and try to get my heart rate under
control. I've never in my life lied to a cop. Hell, I've barely
ever even
spoken
to a cop, and now I'm... what, and accessory to an assault?
I don't even know if it's against the law to lie to the
police.
again I turn to Rafe, who narrows his eyes and gives me a quizzical
smile that sends my pulse pounding once again.
to hear the conversation between Karl and officer McIntyre. They
speak quietly, but just loud enough for me to pick out a few
sentences.
all sounds a little crazy to me, but this Sloane girl does had a
reputation as a bit of a troublemaker. Your Maddy never so much as
got a ticket for jaywalking, so I know who I'd be inclined to
trust."
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