Page 56 of Burning for You

“He’s not gonna get to you.” I pull her drenched clothes away, and then wet a couple of towels with warm water. She squirms as I spread the towels on her chest and belly. “These’ll warm you up.”

Her mouth shivers, and she starts biting her own lip.

“No! No, don’t do that.” I dab her mouth with a towel corner, pushing it gently so her lips part, away from her teeth.

I turn the heater on low and then flick the tap on, just warm enough so it doesn’t shock her body.

Hearing and feeling the running water, Carolyn almost jumps out of the bath.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay.” I hold her in place. “It’ll keep you warm.” I remove the wet towels, which have turned cold now.

She nods as I observe her skin starting to turn a shade rosier.

“Stay here.”

She nods again.

I leave the bathroom to get Carolyn’s clothes, quietly, hoping Jesse doesn’t notice. I don’t want him to know that Carolyn is now alone.

“Take your time,” I say when I’m back with her. I put the pile of clothes on the vanity —her silk pajamas and my sweater. She’ll need it tonight. “I’ll wait for you outside—”

Jesse barges in as soon as I open the door. “This ain’t Airbnb! Get out of there, bitch!” He’s about to pull Carolyn out of the bathtub.

I bear-hug my brother and haul him away with all my might, and anger. With him being only a quarter awake, I could knock him unconscious with just one punch. But even when he’s sober, if he acts as nasty as this to a woman, I will pull muscles off his bones and then crush those bones. Not even the marrow will survive.

“Don’t you ever, ever, touch her again!” I say, forcing him to the floor. “We do this my way, or I’ll send her back to New York tomorrow.”

“I’m gonna kill you before you do that. Then I’ll kill her. The floodwater would’ve felt gentle compared to what I have in mind.”

With Jesse still pinned to the floor, I squeeze his neck. Carolyn’s fear, trying to stay above water, flashes in front of me. I never want to see that emotion on her face again.

On the other hand, I’ve secretly longed for this moment, when I can thrash my brother and remind him of what he’d done.

A long time ago.

“You want to kill Carolyn like you killed Lucy? Huh?”

“Fuck you!”

Hearing our sister’s name, Jesse musters his strength to retaliate and roll me over. Just in time, I subdue his attempt to bash my nose. His fist against my palm, I realize how small I am compared to him. But my determination to cull remorse out of his pathetic face, and to protect Carolyn, is far bigger than any part of him. I slap his fist aside, and then wrestle the man.

“It’s your damn fault she drowned,” I say as I send Jesse back to being the defeated. “You get high so you can make believe that Dad was still alive. Because he was the only one who believed you didn’t kill her. You want to hurt Carolyn Meyer so bad, hiding behind the need for revenge. But just like everything you do, you do it to mask your guilt!”

“Fuck you!”

I punch my brother in the mouth, and he doesn’t give me much resistance afterward. I roll off him.

Struggling to balance himself, Jesse tiresomely strides into his room, and the smell of crack soon takes over. Whether he survives the night, I don’t really care.

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