At the hateful tone, I needed distance and backed up against the wall. Things were not as they should be. Frankie had never been this aggressive. “No. I didn’t know I was supposed to call in. I promise.”
“Cut the fucking crap, Maren! You’re trying to cut me out!”
Frankie grabbed my arm viciously, wrenching me from the wall. “Ouch! Frankie, you’re hurting me!”
The sneer on my brother’s face sent a thrill of fear through me. I’d never been afraid of him, but I’d always done as he asked. But this was a misunderstanding. Hopefully, he’d see the reason and the truth behind my words.
Before I had a chance to calmly talk to my brother while my arm felt like it was about to snap in half, the door opened and Bane strode in.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” The deathless stare Bane gave Frankie caused chills to run down my spine. Bane stood with one leg slightly in front of the other while his eyes glanced to me. Bane’s hand crept to the back of his pants. Please don’t let there be a gun. No guns. My brother may have used me for the last few years, but I loved him and didn’t want him hurt.
The two men were measuring each other up. I feared for Frankie. Bane definitely knew how to handle himself.
Frankie choose that moment to squeeze my arm harder, forcing a wince and yelp out of me. “Let her go, Frank.” The tone brokered no argument.
“She’s my sister, asshole.” Frankie squeezed harder and I squeezed my eyes shut. Speaking would spur Frankie, thinking I’d sided with Bane.
“I don’t give a shit. Let. Her. Go.” Bane rolled his shoulders and his muscles drew tight. Formidable, he took a step forward.
Frankie shoved me onto the couch and my arm got a rush of blood through it. The pain caused tears to prick behind my eyes. What was wrong with Frankie? Why was he acting like this? Bane moved toward me, concern etching his face while he glanced toward Frankie, then back to me. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’ll be okay.”
A fist came and hit Bane from the side, knocking him down. I cringed and screamed, drawing my body up tight. Lithely Bane popped back up to his feet in one movement without using his arms. Only in the movies could someone move like that. Who was he?
“You got one free shot, motherfucker. That’s it.” Bane cracked his neck to the side moving to the other side of the room away from me.
Frankie wasn’t a fighter. It was obvious with how his fists were raised up. “Bring it. What’s wrong with you that you have to pay for sex from whores?”
Tears streamed down my face at the hurtful words. “I’m not a whore!”
Without a word, Bane stalked Frankie and clocked him once. Twice. Three times. The punches were fast and Frankie dropped like a rock.
“Frankie!” I scurried off the couch to Frankie’s side. His eyes were rolled back in his head. Was he dead? He couldn’t be dead. No! He can’t be. “Frankie! Can you hear me?”
A shadow loomed over me. “He’ll be fine, Maren. He’s knocked out. We need to go.”
“Go?”
I glanced to Bane. His expression softened as he talked to me, losing the aggressive hostile edge, “He’s pissed off. He hurt you. I’m not leaving you here with him. Grab a few things and we’ll get this sorted. If he wakes up, he’s going to be mad as hell. I’m not letting him hurt you again.”
Standing, I looked down at Frankie’s limp body. Bruises were already forming on his cheek. “Okay. You promise he’s going to be okay?”
Bane put his hand on my waist. “He’ll have a hell of a headache, but your brother will be fine, which is more than he deserves.”
Knowing Bane was right, I decided to leave with him. Before I left, I’d try to smooth things over with Frankie. Grabbing the black backpack I’d put in my suitcase, I quickly put some clothes in and the essentials. Frankie didn’t move.
Bane went to the bathroom. Not knowing how long Frankie would be out, I placed a pillow under his head and covered him with a blanket. At the last minute, I remembered putting my birth control in the nightstand. Opening the drawer, the condoms were next to my pill pack. A blush crept up on my face as I grabbed both. My brother laid, not five feet from me on the floor out cold and I prepared for safe sex.
Frankie stirred.
“Let’s go, Maren, before he wakes up.” Bane’s booming voice caused me to jump as he passed me.
Behind Bane’s footsteps, I followed without a word. There was a lot to process. In essence I chose Bane over my brother. What had gotten into him? Where did this leave everything? I wasn’t sure. One thing I knew, I wasn’t safe with Frankie.
My brother was mentally manipulative, not physically abusive. At least not until today. Numbly, I went on autopilot while we got in to the car and drove off. Things would be forever changed between Frankie and me. A heartache blossomed in my chest as I digested the thoughts. If only we could go back to before I was eighteen when I thought we were happy.
I stared out into traffic.