Page 20 of Life Blood
Brenda smiled, “Drive careful then, hun.”
I flashed her a grin, and turned to walk out with Braden. My heart leapt the closer I got to him, and as soon I walked out of the door Braden held open for me, I saw David. He was in the parking lot, parked between mom’s car and a lifted, black Jeep Wrangler.
“So you dumped me to be one of the Banners’ groupies?” David laughed at me, “You’re pathetic. First that Zac guy, now this one?”
“Get lost, you little prick!” Braden shouted before I could answer.
“I can handle him,” I held up my hand to stop Braden from continuing. “David, I didn’t think I could’ve made any more clear that we’re over. I’m done. I don’t even know why you’re here.”
“Well, it’s definitely clear now,” he stiffened and eyed Braden, a guy literally almost twice his size.
I glared at David, not budging, “I find it funny how in some stupid act of desperation, you actually showed up after I got off work for once. Would have been nice to have you do this last night when Jackson and Paul attacked me on my way home.”
“I’ll take care of those motherfuckers.”
“I handled them for you,” Braden stated. “And since you’re no longer with Elle, I suggest you step aside so I can help her into my Jeep.”
“Enjoy having seconds with that whore!” David shouted as Braden walked me to his Jeep, “You’re a fucking slut, you know that?” he looked at me as Braden had just finished lifting me up into the bucket seat.
David was silenced when Braden spun around in a flash and grabbed him by his throat, “Because she actually cared for you once, I’ll let your comments slide. Say one more word about her ever again, and I’ll make you suffer more horribly than you can possibly imagine.”
David’s eyes were wide with terror as they stare into Braden’s, transfixed by whatever expression was on Braden’s face. I wanted to know what Braden could have possibly done to him. David wasn’t smart enough to shut his mouth during an altercation, and at this moment, he looked like he’d just seen a monster.
“Forget you ever knew Elle intimately. She’s just an ex-girlfriend who dumped you because you were a shitty boyfriend.”
Truth.
“Yes. I was a shitty boyfriend,” David repeated almost as if he were in shock.
What the actual fuck?
David backed up to his car and left the scene without even blasting his music.
“What did you do to him?” I said, feeling the blood draining from my face. Braden’s face was dark with anger, his eyes pitch black. He looked…demonic. “That’s it. I need to get out of here,” I said, scrambling to find a way out of the Jeep.
Braden took a deep breath, and when he exhaled, his features were normal again. “I’m sorry about that. I will explain everything. I promised you that. And after this, it looks like I’ll be explaining a lot more than I had expected to.”
I was frozen in shock, “What the fuck are you? Demon? Warlock? What the hell is going on, and what did you do to David just now?”
Braden had the Jeep in gear and out of the parking lot before I could jump out. “Stop this thing right now, and answer me!” I demanded.
He’d already shifted into third gear and was gaining speed. “Elle, you’re going to have to trust me. I’m sorry if I frightened you with David, but you need to know who and what my cousins and I really are. More importantly, you need to know exactly whoyoureally are.”
He had turned off the highway down a dark dirt road.
“Fuck, Braden, I swear…turn around and take me home right now!”
He ignored me, driving until we pulled up to a secluded beach on the Oregon coastline just outside of town. My endless tirade of swear words as we drove didn’t seem to faze him. I actually think I saw him smirk.
Once stopped, I jumped out of the Jeep as if it were on fire. I ran through the thick sand, and in a blur, Braden was in front of me as if he’d manifested himself there.
“Holy shit!” I said through angry tears. “What. The. Fuck!? Are you going to sacrifice me out here or something?”
Braden pulled me into an embrace, and I suddenly felt that wave of comfort cover me and wash all of my panic and fears away.
“Jesus, Elle. Let me explain some things to you. I swear if you die of a stroke on my watch, I’ll kill myself before my cousins find me and rip me apart themselves.”
“Just tell me what the hell is going on. If this is a nightmare, right about now would be a good time for me to wake up.”
