Part 29 (1/2)

One look from Draven told me this had all been planned and he knew if no one could see us I would give it my all back. He had been right and that is what he wanted Justin to see. Mission accomplished! I was fuming inside but knew I couldn't show it in front of Justin. I was now sick to death of this game the two of them had me playing and for the first time since I'd met Draven I didn't want to look at him!

Instead of saying goodbye again I just grabbed Justin's hand and dragged him to the front entrance leaving Draven at the bar. I didn't miss the evil wink and mouthed words ”Good luck” that were directed at Justin as I pulled him past.

Once I was nearer the door, however angry I was, I still couldn't help the little look over my shoulder to see if he was still staring at us. The answer was no. He was nowhere to be seen, he had just disappeared because there is no way he could have made it back through the crowd in that time. How did he get away like that with every eye in the room locked on his every move, I wondered?

Outside the cold air helped to clear my clouded mind but my anger stuck to me despite the weather. It had started to snow while we had been in the club and was quickly covering the ground with an icy blanket which would turn deadly soon enough. I had made the right choice leaving now as I didn't yet have snow chains on big blue.

I didn't look at Justin once as we snaked our way through the parked cars to get to my truck. Then Justin startled me making me turn round to his raucous laughter.

”What are you laughing at?” I asked not bothering to hide my hacked off tone.

”Just wondering if you make everyone who meets you this crazy?” That question hit me harder than I cared to admit, considering my past. After staring at him for longer than intended, I turned before he could see my eyes well up.

”Oh no Keira...I didn't mean it like that!” He ran over to me just as I took my next step. He gently put his hands on my shoulders to turn me round to face him.

”Look at me!” He whispered and when I didn't, he placed the back of his hand under my chin.

”I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be an insensitive jerk.”

”And back in there?” I nodded to the doors which we had just exited but he didn't look back.

”What I meant...what I mean is...”

”Justin, don't!” I stopped him knowing what was coming next. I didn't want to do this now, h.e.l.l I didn't want to do this ever! The last conversation we had like this was a lifetime ago. I wasn't even the same person anymore. Back then, of course, I had been in his shoes. He had been the one with the girlfriend and he had been the one telling me it could never happen. Well those words still rang true.

It could never happen.

”Why not, because you have some weird, possessive boyfriend who can buy you back?”

”Now that hurt!” I said and pulled out of his hold.

”I didn't mean it the way you took it.” He snapped back, making his hair coil round one shoulder. I stood hands on hips waiting.

”I meant it with concern. I'm worried about you. That guy in there isn't right, I don't know what it is but I can't shake the feeling that he's...he's...”

”He's what?”

”Dangerous!” He spoke the word like he could somehow be over heard. I knew the truth and sure, sometimes it frightened me, but was it worse not knowing? What if that night had never happened and I just kept going through life working at the club, being obsessed with Draven, never to find out the truth...Would I be scared?

I didn't know what to say to him. Anything I said would end up being a lie, so I said the only thing that I knew would end this conversation... I spoke the truth.

”Justin, I love him.” I looked like I had broken him. He started to shake his head but once he saw the truth in my eyes he stopped this motion. He let his shoulders drop and simply said, ”Ok.”

”Come on, let's go home and raid the cupboards.” I said light heartedly pulling him back into the now. I automatically opened his side first before climbing into the driver's seat. Big blue was cold and I had to give her a minute to start.

”All that money and he can't buy you a nice, reliable ca?r” I hit him playful on the arm, just glad that he was getting back to his usual c.o.c.ky self.

”I love this car and shut up before it hears you, or we will never get home.”

”That's fine with me but I warn you, I get cold quickly, so you'll have to use your body heat to keep that from happening.” He received another playful punch, which he caught. He held his hand over my wrist and I flinched at him being so close to my scars. He looked down and then smiled at my gloves before letting go.

”I never told anyone, you know.” His confession shocked me but I couldn't respond.

”When it happened I wanted to come and see you so badly but I knew I couldn't. You didn't need that. You didn't need me to get involved. But I want you to know that I would have been there for you.” He looked down at his tanned hands that were fiddling nervously with his belt end, it made me want to comfort him but I couldn't move.

”I broke it off with Jessica that year because she didn't understand why I wouldn't tell her. She overheard my parents on the phone to Frank asking how you were and after that she wanted to know all the details. The stupid cow acted like it was gossip! After that I couldn't look at her. I don't know why I'm telling you this now but I guess it's easier to express past regrets to the person you regret them with.”

”Regrets?” I whispered out in a frosty breath.

”I always regretted saying no to you that night. I replayed it over and over on the plane ride home, knowing I had made the wrong choice. Draven had been right when he had said not to let oceans get in the way...A real man never would. I arrogantly thought that by coming back here you would be waiting with open arms to have me as your boyfriend. G.o.d how conceited am I!” At this I moved to cover my hand with his. He was warmer than I was and the cold touch of my fingers made him look up at me.

”I knew I never trusted that Jessica!” I said making him laugh. I felt instantly better at the sound. Guilt was tearing into me but I couldn't do anything about it. Anything I said would have been a lie to make him feel better, which I couldn't bring myself to do, knowing full well it would do more harm than good.

The rest of the way home he remained quiet and I didn't want to be the one to break into his thoughts first just so I could make myself feel better. I now wanted to take full responsibility for the way tonight had gone but I knew deep down the reason I felt this guilt was down to him bringing up my past. I couldn't help the choices he had made and where he now stood because of them but that didn't mean I wasn't sympathetic to them either. If anything, my mind was in more turmoil now than it had been in the club. Back then I only had Draven's actions to worry about, now it was my own actions that were the problem. What could I do to make everyone happy? I didn't want to be the cause of anyone's pain, let alone continue causing it.

Thankfully autopilot had gotten us this far and it was only when we started to b.u.mp along the dirt gravel road that I realised we were home. I glanced towards Justin from the corner of my eye to find him still fixated on the side window. I cut the engine and sat for a minute before turning to say something.

”Justin, look I...” I stopped mid-sentence and my eyes fixated on what Justin had been looking at all this time. As soon as my brain registered what I was seeing my vision started to go foggy. Tears welled up until they became too heavy and overflowed down my cold cheeks.

”Who would do this?” Justin's voice cut through the nightmare, pulling me out of a frozen lake I was drowning in. I couldn't speak. I just kept repeating the words that were crudely plastered on my side window over and over.

I FOUND YOU.

YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM ME I'M COMING TO GET YOU SEE YOU SOON MY KEIRA X.

It looked like it had been written on with red paint for effect. I still hadn't answered Justin. Instead I just got out of the car and started to walk away. I couldn't handle it anymore. I had hit my limit and found my breaking point.

I didn't know where I was going but I soon found myself running. I just needed to get away from it all...Demons...Angels and especially Stalkers! The price I was paying for Draven was turning into something far too deep for me to handle. I wanted to run to him and tell him everything, but every time the thought entered my head it was as though something else was pus.h.i.+ng it back out again. Excuses that weren't my own kept clouding my resolution.

I got as far as the forest wall when Justin caught up with me, forcing me to stop and turn to look at him. Under the moonlight he bared a startling resemblance to an Angel, with his long dreads looking like roped gold and eyes pure of heart. He held me still but when I didn't respond to his words, he gave me a little shake.

”Keira! Listen to me!” The panic in his voice mirrored the panic in my mind that felt like it would soon burst from me. I didn't know what to do! I couldn't tell him the truth...how could I? Who could I tell...Sophia...Vincent? NO! They would tell Draven and for these reasons my thoughts quickly s.h.i.+fted without result. What was wrong with me, why couldn't I just tell him?

”Who did that? Was it him?” Justin looked furious now but I was in shock. Did he know about Lucius?

”Who?” I asked in a shaky voice that crept up a notch.

”Who? That crazy a.r.s.e boyfriend of yours that's who! It's because he's jealous of us, isn't it? He's trying to frighten you, can't you see?” I was stunned. He thought Draven would do this...was he nuts!

”NO, OF COURSE NOT! ” I yelled at him for just thinking it, let alone confessing it.

”He's brainwashed you.”

”Justin please, you don't know him. He would never do this.” I was pleading with him to believe me but I knew his prejudice towards Draven wouldn't let himself trust in what I was saying.

”Then who did?”