Page 34 of Beach B!tch
I jerked my head side to side. "No. I need to be alone." I stepped back, wrenching my arms from his grip. I didn't want to feel his body on mine. It was too tempting, and I had to keep my head straight.
"That's the last thing you need, sweetheart. Your father was just an asshole to you. You need to talk about it." Dean was trying to catch my eye, but I kept my gaze down, shaking my head the whole time.
"No, Dean. Please leave."
"Brin--"
"No! Leave now!" My voice came out louder than I intended, but it got my point across. The buzzing in my head was getting louder, and I needed to be alone so I could fall apart without an audience.
Dean was breathing as hard as I was now. We stood there glaring at each other, both of us unwilling to back down. The moment stretched out; the tension building.
"Fine." Dean relented with a quick head nod. "I'll give you the space you're asking for. For now. But tomorrow, we talk. You got that?"
I nodded, but still wouldn't look him in the eye.
"Tomorrow, Brinley." He kissed my forehead, ran his hand down my arm and then he spun around and opened my front door. "Lock this behind me," he commanded.
He walked out, shutting the door behind him. I rushed to lock it and then walked into my bedroom where the silence welcomed me. Oddly enough, that hadn't hurt at all. Perhaps I was too frozen at the moment to feel it.
Like a robot, I stepped out of my heels, unzipped my dress and let it fall to the floor. Still in my lacy underwear, I fell face first on my bed and let the demons envelop me.
I recalled all the memories of my father hurting me. His words that cut me to the bone. His contempt that seeped through with every action. It wasn't fair. And it hurt so damn much. Even after all these years.
I hated how much it still hurt.
With fear, hatred, and pain playing in my mind like a movie reel, I fell into a disrupted sleep, waking frequently, but too depressed to do anything about it.
I let the dark take me, hoping there would be light again in the morning.
Dean
I walked out of Brin's apartment and down to my car in a cold haze. Standing in front of my car door I punched the doorframe, latching onto the sting in my hand to distract me from my thoughts.
I should never have walked out. I should have forced her to talk to me. I should have insisted that I stay with her. I should have gone after her father and made him promise to stay away from her for good. I should have done all those things.
Instead, I left her alone. It's what she said she wanted, but my heart knew that's not what she needed.
"Fuck!" I muttered, spinning in a circle, trying to decide what to do. I unlocked my car and got in. I dropped my head to the steering wheel as the possibilities ran through my head. Should I go back up and insist she let me in? Should I leave? Call her in the morning? None of that felt right. I had to take care of her and let her know she was worth more than that. She needed to see what it looked like when a man loved her unconditionally.
I would stay here all night that's for damn sure. If I could do nothing else, I'd make sure her father didn't come back at some point tonight. I'd stay awake in my car and watch her door to keep her safe.
I thought she may feel safer talking to Shasta. I knew the woman played a big role in helping her when she was younger and dealing with her father on a daily basis.
I didn't have Shasta's number, but I had Esa's. I pulled out my phone and dialed her number.
"What the hell did you do?" Esa screeched.
"What? I didn't do anything," I said, taken aback.
"Well then, why are you calling me when you should still be on your date with Brinley? Did it not go well?"
"No, it went fine. Better than fine. But, her father showed up when we got back to her apartment. And he said some really nasty things to her. He left, I got her into her apartment, and then she made me leave," I confessed.
Esa's tone immediately switched to concerned. "Oh no...her father? That's the last person she'd want to see."
"I know and I think she's spun out. But she won't let me talk to her about it. So I thought I'd have Shasta try to get through to her. Do you have her phone number?"
"Yeah, I have it right here. I'll text it to you when we hang up. Do you think she'll be safe in her apartment?"
