“You’re not getting out of this.”
“Take me to my car.”
“Fuck that. You’re not getting behind the wheel. You smell like a fucking brewery. Get in my car. We’ll get yours brought back.”
Thankfully, he takes a step back, getting out of my face.
“What about Macie?” Her name is like a gunshot through my heart and my eyes immediately find Peyton’s.
“What about her?” I spit. “She’s where she should be.” In hell.
Luca lets out a sigh.
“Just get in the fucking car,” he demands, ripping the back door open and all but throws me inside.
“Alright, alright. Jesus.”
I climb in, and immediately rest my head back.
I’m so fucking tired.
I almost drift off instantly until there’s a loud thud against the car and my eyes fly open.
“Great,” I mutter to myself, finding Peyton crushed up against my window as Luca damn near attacks her mouth.
All I can hope is that she helps chill him the fuck out because I already know that I’m not going to be able to cope with the long drive back to MKU with him demanding to know everything.
I need to tell him. I know I do. But not like this. Not when he’s driving and has no way to react in a manner I know he’s going to.
Closing my eyes once more, I cut off my view from what’s happening outside my window.
I should probably remind them that we’re in a police station parking lot but I don’t. Watching them both get dragged in for public indecency might be the only thing that could amuse me right at this moment.
Not long after the show they’ve put on, the driver’s door is ripped open and Luca drops into his seat.
“What? Not gonna fuck her?”
“Shut the fuck up, asshole,” he groans before Peyton joins us.
I keep my eyes closed but I feel the second she turns back to look at me, her attention makes my skin prickle with awareness.
“Just drive. I don’t need your pity.”
“What? That wasn’t—”
“Don’t justify yourself to him, P,” Luca snaps.
“Fine.” Rustling tells me that she spins back around before the car rumbles to life and we start to move.
“Who are you messaging?” Luca asks.
“Letty. I’m getting Macie’s number.”
My fists curl at my sides that Peyton feels it’s necessary to check up on her.
“Leave her alone.”
“I love you, Lee. You know that. But nope… that’s not going to happen. I know something big has happened to find you in this position and something tells me she’s hurting just as much as you are now.”
That same image of her cowering flickers through my mind once more before it morphs into me being inside that room with him. My body being forced over that desk and just waiting for the pain.
“You know fuck all.”
“Leon,” Luca growls.
Ignoring both of them, I lie across the back seat of his car and beg that the car will lull me to sleep.
“No, please. No, don’t,” I cry as his hand grips the back of my neck, forcing my body to bend over.
“You want to be the best, boy, then you need to learn to follow instructions.” His voice is deep, hoarse with his excitement. I recognize it from the previous two times.
When it’s like this, just the two of us, he’s like an entirely different person. One that I’m sure very few know exists.
Only, he’s not a person. He’s a monster. One who haunts my nightmares, constantly makes me look over my shoulder and generally fear life in a way I’ve never experienced before.
If I thought being the forgotten twin was bad, then this… this is insurmountable.
His hand slides down my spine causing bile to rush up my throat, burning the sensitive flesh as I fight to keep it inside.
Throwing up all over his desk won’t make this stop. Nothing short of killing him, or myself, will make this stop.
“No,” I cry, unable to contain it when he pushes my shorts down, exposing me to him. “No, please. I’ll do anything, please.”
A jolt from a touch pulls me slightly out of my nightmare before the warm hand continues to nudge against my shoulder.
“Leon, it’s—”
I react without thinking, swinging my arm out to get him away from me, anything to get him the hell off me. Only when I hear a cry, it’s not from an angry turned on man who I’ve just encouraged even more, but a soft female one that turns my blood to ice.
My eyes fly open and I find Peyton hanging between the two front seats, tears filling her eyes as she cups her mouth.
“Holy shit, fuck. I didn’t mean—”
“It’s okay, Lee. I know you didn’t mean— Luca no,” Peyton cries out and the door above my head opens and two large hands grab me.
“What the—”
“Luca,” Peyton screams again but before I know what’s going on, I’m thrown against the car and his fist connects with my jaw.
I don’t fight back. Why would I?
I’m the one in the wrong here. I’m the one who just hit his girl, I’m the one keeping secrets, driving him crazy.
He gets two more solid hits in before Peyton manages to scramble out from the car and calm him down.
“You fucking hurt her again and I’ll fucking kill you. Twin or not, you’re not hurting anyone else I love. I’ve sat by and let you destroy everything around you for years. I’ve watched Mom stare at you when she knows you’re not looking with tears in her eyes wishing she could somehow get to you. Whatever this bullshit is, Lee. It’s over. You owe me the truth.”
“I owe you fuck all,” I mutter, keeping my eyes on the dirt beneath my feet.
I have no idea where we are, and when I look up, I find we’re just on the side of the road.
“Let me help you.” His voice changes, the anger subsiding and the caring brother I know slipping back in. “Let us help you. Whatever it is, we can handle it together.”
With a nod, I step forward and pull Peyton into my arms.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper in her ear as I hold her tight.
She returns my embrace and until her warmth surrounds me, I don’t realize just how much I need it.
“It’s okay. Just please, let us in. We’re here for you. Whatever you need.”
I nod against her, willing the emotion filling my eyes and clogging my throat to subside before I pull away.
“Take me home, please.”
Releasing Peyton, I slip back into the car without looking at Luca.
I can’t. If I see the concern that I know is written all over his face, it’ll break me.
2
Macie
Everything hurts when I come to, but nothing beats the pain in my chest as the images of last night play out in my mind like a movie.
I didn’t manage to drag my sorry ass from the ground for hours after Leon blew through the house, taking his aggression out on everything in his path. Or, at least that was what it sounded like. I’ve yet to find the strength I need to go down and see the destruction left in his wake.