Desolate (Riverband #2) (9 page)

“Slick, Romeo. Why don’t you just take her to the guest bedroom and bang her,” she said sarcastically.

Havock looked at me and both eyebrows raised into his hairline.  “Hell yes.”  He started to walk off and looked at me when I didn’t budge.  “You coming or what?”

“I wasn’t serious! You’re not having sex in one of my beds!” Janet snapped. “Oh good gracious!”

I grabbed Havock’s hand.  “How about we go for a walk?”

“You two have had sex?” Garrett asked seriously.

Janet looked at Garrett. “Seriously? Of course, they have. And this is Havock we’re talking about. Besides, you’ve had sex.”

I noticed Janet’s eyes narrow a little when she mentioned Garrett having sex before. Hmmm...interesting. She liked Garrett.

“But Reese.  She’s… Reese!  You let my brother in your pants?!”

“You had sex?!  Wow.  Awesome big bro!  Who was it?!”  Havock asked proudly.

Garrett shook his head.

“Technically I let him help me out of my pants.”

Janet laughed and patted my back. “Good girl.”

Havock just grinned. He looked at Garrett.  “Did I screw her?”

“Shut up, Havock.  And no.”  Garrett looked at Janet.  “I can’t believe you’re encouraging this shit.  The last thing Havock needs is to knock Reese up.”

“I wasn’t encouraging it. I was proud she actually said something about it. And I’m sure they’re being careful. Havock isn’t a complete idiot.”

“Mom put her on the pill.  How ya’ like that, Garrett?”  Havock chuckled.

“Okay, it’s time for a walk,” I said as I grabbed Havock’s hand.

Janet was standing in between us and Garrett now. “Garrett, they’re both eighteen. It’s none of our business.”

HAVOCK

My head was pounding.  The high was wearing off but it should’ve never have lasted that long.  Jackson shot me up with some stout shit.  He could’ve caused me to go into cardiac arrest but I wouldn’t tell Reese that.  I didn’t want her freaking out.

I was dizzy but the fresh air was helping.  “I’m gonna be in some serious shit when I get home.”

“I know, but I got Jackson admitting what he did on my phone,” she didn’t look at me. She looked lost in thought.

I stopped walking.  “What’s got your nose all scrunched up like that?”

She looked at me. “Will you love me even if I go crazy?”

“That’s like asking me if I’ll ever stop loving pancakes if J’s closes.  Of course I will but I won’t let you go crazy, Princess.”

Her hands shook as she ran them through her hair. “I think I already am. I...Havock, I’m seeing these things and I did stuff…”

I looked around for a place to sit.  We sat on a bench outside a barber shop.  A few people looked at us as they walked by.  I’m sure I was already the talk of the town.  The kid high on meth at school.  I ignored them and looked at Reese.

“Seeing things and you did stuff.  Okay…can you elaborate?”

“I see these shadows. They...they talk to me and try to get me to do things. It hasn’t been so bad since I’ve been home and with you again, but they are still there. And...I threw Jackson.”

“Shadows that talk?”  I scratched my head trying to comprehend.  “And you threw Jackson.  Like a football or what?”

“Like I grabbed the front of his shirt and threw him. He landed a few feet away from me. That’s not normal!”

I wanted to understand her.  I didn’t want to laugh or tell her she was nuts.  But to be honest, I was freaked out.  This, out in public, wasn’t the place to have this conversation.

“We should head back to J’s and probably go home.  You need to check your sugar.”

She put her head in her hands as she propped her elbows on her knees. “I knew you wouldn’t believe me.”

“Princess, it’s kind of hard to believe something like that.  You’re tiny.  He’s large. And the shadow things…are you sure it’s not just bad dreams?”

“I don’t know anymore.” She chewed on her lip then jumped up. “J will back me up!”

“J as in Janet?  How and why?”

“Because she’s like me!” she grabbed my hand and pulled me towards J’s.

“Ummm, kind of freaking out right now.  But o-kay.”  I let her drag me back to J’s.

When we came up the stairs and knocked on the door Janet opened it. It looked like she had been crying. “Garrett’s not here.”

“We’re here to see you. Tell him!”

“Umm...tell him what?” Janet asked looking at me in confusion.

“Shadows...throwing people twice her size…”  I was completely weirded out by this whole thing.  Plus, I felt like complete shit. 

Janet sat down with a groan. “Reese…” she sighed and looked at Reese who looked like she was about to have a break down any second.

“Please, tell me I’m not hallucinating. That I’m not going crazy,” she begged as tears fell down her cheeks.

Janet looked at me then held out her hand. In a matter of seconds there was a red flame floating above her palm.

I’m high.  On meth or some form of meth.  That was the reason a red flame was dancing in the palm of J’s hand.  Right?  I looked at Reese then back and Janet.  “I really need a detox or something,”

Janet rolled her eyes. “It’s not because of the drugs, Havock. Reese and I are witches. And I swear if Garrett finds out about this I will turn you into a frog, or something.”

I sat down in a chair. I couldn’t process this.  Especially, not right now.  My phone started ringing.  It was mom’s ringtone.  I looked at Reese. How does one function after seeing something like that and their girlfriend telling them she can throw people and see shadows that talk to her?  I couldn’t answer the phone.  I was too dumbfounded to speak.

“I’m not hallucinating. I’m not going crazy?”

“No, you’re not.” Janet went over and grabbed a bottle of whiskey. She poured herself a glass and drank. “However, I am for telling him. You’re going to get my ass killed, Reese.” She took another drink.

I looked at Janet.  “I won’t say anything and it’s not like anyone would believe me if I did.”

She poured another glass and downed it. “You’d be surprised.” She leaned heavily against the counter. “Garrett doesn’t know, Havock. Please. Please don’t tell him.”

I nodded and looked at Reese.  “Our relationship just went to a whole new level of weird.”

She looked at her hands and nodded. “I can understand if you want to end things.”

Janet scoffed. “After all the shit he did while you were gone. He better not. He’ll never find anyone as good as you to put up with his dumb ass.”

I smirked.  “Or you’ll just turn me into a frog.”

Janet chuckled. “We can’t actually do that. It doesn’t work that way. The witches you’ve heard about aren’t what we are.” She took another drink.

Reese fidgeted with her charm bracelet. “Besides I suck.”

My mind immediately went to the gutter with Reese’s comment.  I bit back a smile.  Now isn’t the time, Havock.  I looked at them both.  “I won’t say anything. But what does this mean for me?  Can I still be with Reese?”

“Yeah.” Janet plopped down on the couch with another glass of whiskey.

“Besides, after what she did to get back to you I doubt anyone could take her away from you again.”

Reese smiled a little.

“Think you should slow down on the Whiskey, J?”  I asked as I took Reese’s hand in mine.

Reese squeezed my hand and looked at J worriedly.

“Nah, it takes a lot to get me drunk. Besides, between Garrett and I fighting, and now you knowing what I am, I think I need to drink.” She downed the Whiskey then put her head back. “You two should probably head home.”

As if on que, my phone started ringing again with mom’s ringtone.  I stood, helping Reese to her feet.  “Ready?”

She nodded then looked at J. “Thanks, Janet.”

Janet pinched the bridge of her nose and grunted in response.

My Princess was a witch.  For real.  I was positive I’d never be used to the reality of it, and I’d probably avoid talking about it unless I had to.  I wanted us to be us again, but that was far from possible now. 

~~~

I wasn’t allowed back to school for the rest of the week.  Jackson ended up getting suspended, too.  The principal made it very clear I was being suspended for previous transgressions but also for pushing Jackson do what he did, which wasn’t fair.  I didn’t throw a punch or anything.

He also said if it weren’t for living in a small town and my mom being a saint, I’d be repeating my senior year.  He called me everything but a fuck up, but he pretty much labeled me that by the list of wrong doings he threw at me and saying I’d never amount to anything.

I drove Reese to school earlier and told her I'd pick her up at the end of the day. So, that meant I had the rest of the day to do whatever.  Sleep sounded great.

I was worried about Reese, though. What if someone made her mad today and she lost control? The fact that she was a witch scared me. My mind couldn't even process it. Every time I tried to think about it, my mind just regurgitated it like spoiled food.  But I had to think about it. I had to think about it because I was concerned for her.

I knew she needed help from the ones who took her from us and were training her, but then I also remember her ribs and the other bruises all over her body.  Unacceptable.

Mom was in the process of taking them to court, claiming abuse, but now it all made sense. It wasn’t abuse, but we couldn’t explain that to mom or the court.  Reese told me that we couldn't tell anyone and that she was already worried that Jackson was suspicious.  The fact she was a witch had to be a secret locked tighter than Fort Knox or she could be in danger.  Whatever the hell that meant.

I had just turned on the TV to occupy my mind when the doorbell rang. I got up and looked out the window. I could only see the side of a man. I opened the door. "Mayor Johnson?!"

I moved to let him in. His clothes were ripped and he had a beard that would need hedge trimmers to fix. He looked worse than terrible.

"Is she here?!" He asked as he coughed and stumbled until he was leaned heavily against the wall.

“Who?”

“Reese!” He yelled the best he could.

"She's at school." I caught him before he fell. Within seconds, he was passed out in my arms. I was going to need help getting him out to my truck.  He wasn’t the smallest guy and was leaning against me with dead weight.

He needed a doctor. I laid him down carefully and called for an ambulance. I kept my hand on his wrist to make sure his heart was still beating and watched his chest to make sure he was breathing. I didn't know a thing about CPR, but I'd try if I had to. 

I texted Reese.

Me: Go find Garrett and tell him to bring you to the hospital.

It wasn't long and I heard sirens.  I opened the door to let the medics in.  I explained to them what happened as they loaded him on to a stretcher.

Reese: Okay on my way. Why am I on my way?!

After they got him in the ambulance, I got in my truck to follow.

Me: Your dad isn't dead.

Reese: I’m on my way!

As I drove, I wondered how he knew to come to my house. And where exactly did he come from? Who had him? Or did anyone have him at all? Did it have to do with the witch stuff? I shook my head.

I pulled up to the hospital and followed the medics and Mayor Johnson in. A nurse stopped me and started asking me questions while another nurse and the medics got him into a room.

"Havock?!" I heard Reese yell.

I turned and opened my arms. She launched herself at me, and I held her.

"He's in a room. I don't know anything yet."

The nurse smiled at her. "We will let you back there as soon as they get him stable."

Reese nodded. "What's...what’s all wrong with him?"

"We don't know yet."  The nurse patted her shoulder as she walked past us.

"I need you two to wait in the waiting room," a lady said from behind a counter.

I took her hand and walked with her into the waiting room. I explained everything that happened.

Tears were streaming down her face as she looked towards where her dad was.