Taking Chances (Blackrock Book 2) (28 page)

Then
my mom drives me to the park by the high school and begins to yell at
me like she did after my Nan’s funeral. By the time she was
done she was breathless and so annoyed, her knuckles were turning
white on the steering wheel telling me to get out of her car and walk
home so I could think about my behavior. Deciding I didn’t want
to go home, I walk up to the graveyard to tell Summer all about my
epic failure last night. Sitting on the grass with my knees pulled up
to my chest and my chin resting on them, I tell her everything. Tell
her about Cara, and who was there, who I spoke to and finally about
Emily.

“Yeah,
I know I’ve gone and done it now,” I say to her picture.
Hearing a snort behind me, I spin around my blood freezing in my
veins.

“Look
who is back in town.”

I
quickly stand facing him. “What do you want?”

He
frowns as he paces back and forth just by the edge of the grass. “Now
is that anyway to treat an old friend?”

I
want to choke him. “You are no friend of mine and you never
were.”

Stopping
to face me, he crosses his arms, his black sweater hanging loosely on
him and his brown hair a little messy. Clearly he forgot how to use a
razor.

“Now,
Now Bails. Oh I can call you that, right? Or is only reserved for
Summer and Brad?”

I
try to walk away but he blocks my path.

“So
did you like my gifts?” he taunts as I frown.

“What
gifts?”

He
smiles at me for a second. It’s a genuine smile but soon turns
sinister. “The roses, Bailey. All those roses were form me.”

I
falter a little as I step back, my heart beating faster. “What,
why? Why the hell would you and how did you find my address?”

He
laughs at me. “Now come on Bailey, you know how YouTube works,
right?” He pauses. “Well, one day I was fooling around on
the computer looking for porn when I find a link to ‘hot blonde
dancing on bar’, so naturally I click on it and guess what I
find?” He splays his hands out by his sides then starts to pace
again. “I find you singing Tina Turner, dancing on a bar
getting dollar bills shoved into your shorts by some barman, and I
have to say Bailey, I really thought you had more class. Okay, so I
didn’t. I always knew you were trash.”

Shaking
my head, I take a step away until I feel a hot sting across my cheek
causing me to see stars. Stumbling back, I bump into Summer’s
headstone.

“That
was for my sister for last night.” He nods sneering at me.

“Fuck
you, Ben,” I spit at him only to receive another blow to the
cheek.

“Na,
not if you paid me. Like I said trash, and you turned my girlfriend
against me before she killed herself, which is probably your fault
too.” He jumps at me, grabbing my hair so hard it sends pain
radiating through my scalp and down my neck. I feel a punch in the
stomach and am stunned when the wind is knocked out of me. Regaining
my breath, I remember all the notes he sent telling me RIP. Knowing
that this may be my only chance, I punch him between the legs.

“You
shouldn’t have done that,” he says, squeezing out each
word before gripping my hair again and punching me in the face
repeatedly.

I
can taste the coppery taint of blood as my lip splits. My face is
agony and I can only see out of one eye, but I fight; scratching,
clawing and kicking as best I can. I am not going down without a
fight; aiming for his eyes I dig my nails in dragging them down his
face making him cry out.

“Bitch!”

He
pulls my hand away, twisting it so hard I can hear the bones break,
making me scream and fall to my knees only to get lifted up by the
hair and slammed into the headstone; once, twice, blackness.
Blackness all around me, pain free, deep dark blackness pulling me
deeper, letting me sleep, filling my mind and body with wonderful
numbness.

Max

Paige
bounces on top of me before I flip her over pushing hard over and
over. “Oh Max,” she breathes, making me work harder.
Finally releasing, I slump on top of her giggling frame. “Well
that was quick,” she teases as I roll off her.

“Yeah,
well who can get into it with all that yelling?” I wave my hand
in the direction of the door and what lies beyond it. Clearly, Bailey
is getting toasted by her mom and I feel sorry for her, really I do.
I watch as Paige saunters into the bathroom for a shower, smiling as
her ass sways from side to side. That chick is so unassuming, she is
all very proper on the outside and a bit of a scary freak in bed, but
I love it.

Unfortunately
our relationship changed since the accident and the miscarriage. We
were starting out good and strong but now we just go with the flow.
She told me she doesn’t love me but she wants to stay with me
to see if things can get better, or we do actually love each other,
but I know what she means. I don’t know if I love her; I like
her a lot and I miss her when she is not around but we don’t
have anything close to what my brother and Bailey have, which makes
me a little sad and resentful but not towards them, just in general
way. I know I want what they have, I really do, but if Paige doesn’t
then I will have to wait and see how this whole situation works out,
knowing one or both of us will end up lonely and broken.

“Hey
Max.” Knox peeks into the room. “Jesus crack a window,”
he laughs at the smell of sex in the room.

“What’s
up bro? All the drama done?”

He
nods his head running his hand through his hair. “Yeah I hope
so. Hey I’m jumping in the shower then I was gonna walk down to
that coffee shop until I hear from Bailey.” He looks at me, his
face giving away all his emotions.

“Yeah,
I’ll meet you in a few.” Stepping back he closes the door
reminding me to open a window. Laughing I make my way into the
bathroom and join Paige in the shower for round two.

By
the time we arrive in the kitchen, Knox is checking his phone and his
watch one after another. “Lets go.” Standing up, he walks
out of the house with us following. He locks the door with Bailey’s
keys and we start for town.

“You
okay, bro?” I ask when he checks his watch again.

“Yeah
fine, did you open a window? We don’t need any drama from
Bailey’s mom.”

I
laugh at him and Paige hides her face behind my shoulder. “Yeah
I did; relax.” He grins at me as we cross the street.

I
take a minute to look around, seeing the town for the first time.
Really it looks like Blackrock only a little bigger with no bars or
clubs, which is weird since they have a huge campus here. The houses
are all upscale and the people dress in designer gear, which I have
no problem with but when I think about it, Bailey never dresses any
different than us except for that time when she went to that charity
ball. She did look beautiful and I know my brother was freaking out
about his dumb ass mistake but still she never flaunts money.

Not
like Paige does anyway. That chick makes sure I know she has money
and not to piss me off because, lets face it, I’m not poor but
not exactly loaded either but she likes to dress well and look good
so I don’t see a problem with it. But when she gets all weird
like she did last week trying to fight Bailey, then sometimes I
wonder who she is at all. We reach the coffee shop and see that chick
Meg wave at us.

“Hey
guys, you looking for Bailey?” she calls, as we get closer.
Knox nods in response. “She went up that way about ten minutes
ago.” She points up the hill to where the gate to the graveyard
is that she brought us through yesterday.

“Hey
can I some coffee to go?” Paige asks so we wait outside while
she gets us coffee.

“What’s up Knox, you
look agitated?”

He
shakes his head scrubbing his face with his hands. “I don’t
know Max, I just feel weird,” he laughs more at himself than
anything. “

Have
you told Bailey about dad’s offer?”

He
looks at me, his eyes wide. “No Max, and don’t even dare
spill it,” he warns.

“I’m
not going to say anything, Knox. You know I wouldn’t do that to
you; as much as I love Bailey, you are my brother. My loyalties lie
with you.”

Paige
walks out with the coffees. “Here, this is apparently Bailey’s
favorite.” She thrusts the cup at Knox who just about gets a
grasp of it.

“Thanks.”
He nods turning to walk up the hill while Paige trails behind us.
“What’s her deal?” he lowers his voice when he
asks.

I
just shrug. “Chicks, who knows,” I answer.

We
step through the small gate wide enough for only one person at a
time. Knox checks his watch again as I sip my coffee, enjoying the
quietness only a graveyard can produce, when we hear a scream.

Knox
looks at me his face drained of all color. “Bailey,” he
whispers. Flinging the coffee away, he takes off running. Following
him, I see some dude beating the shit out of a girl. Getting closer,
I realize it is Bailey; her hair a tangled bloody mess as this guy
smashes her face off the headstone. Knox dives straight into him
rolling him off her, Pounding his fist into the dude’s face
over and over. Paige stops at the grass open mouthed.

“Call
and ambulance Paige!” I shout snapping her out of it.

I
grab Knox in a bear hug, pulling him off the dude who is now knocked
out. We fall backwards onto the grass before Knox scrambles over to
Bailey, lifting her in his arms crying.

“Wake
up darlin’.” Rocking back and forth, my heart aches for
him and I can hardly tell it’s her with all the blood and
swelling on her face. Suddenly Knox stops rocking.

“Max! Max! She’s not
breathing, Max!”

I
rush over, bending down I place my ear by her mouth, no breath. “Put
her down,” I tell him and listen to her chest but I hear
nothing. I swallow the lump in my throat and croak out. “She’s
gone, bro.” I have never heard a scream quiet like the one that
tore from my brother’s throat. My eyes fill with tears and I
feel helpless.

Knox
starts breathing into her mouth. “Help me!” He grabs my
shirt shaking me his eyes streaming with tears and begging for my
help.

“Okay,”
I manage, locking my fingers together I begin pumping her chest, then
tell Knox to breath for her just like school when we had to take
first aid for credit. My arms are aching and shaking when the EMT’s
arrive. The dude from yesterday skids to a stop beside me, taking the
in the scene when his partner arrives. Seeing the dude sprawled out
on the grass, she calls another ambulance and the cops. They get an
oxygen mask on Bailey and some machine from the gurney. The dude
Corey, I think Bailey said, cuts her top and bra off making Knox flip
out.

“What
the fuck are you doing?” he shouts about to punch Corey in the
face when I grab him, putting my back to Bailey out of respect for
him and her.

“Calm
down bro, they are helping her.”

“I
can’t loose her, Max. Why is this happening again?” He
falls to his knees pulling me with him.

“What
do you mean?” I ask holding him tight to me.

“First
you, now her.” He cries harder onto my shoulder. I hear the
machine talking in that robot voice they have,

“Stand
clear, shocking in ..3..2..1” then a buzz sounds.

“Stand
clear, shocking in..3..2..1” and another buzz. We all wait in
silence; Knox shaking his head crying
no
over and over.

“Stand
clear, shocking in..3..2..1” My heart sinks when the machine
buzzes again. Three shocks now, how many more will it give her before
giving up?

“Stand
clear, shocking in..3..2..Pulse detected,” the machine
announces causing me to turn and Knox to break fee from my grip
crawling over to her, but the EMT’s have her on the gurney
wrapped and strapped before we even know what is going on. I look up
in time to see another EMT crew running down the path and the police
hot on their heels. The officers stop and look at Knox and me who are
covered in blood but mostly Bailey’s.

They
separate us and we give our statements. When the officer lets me go I
turn to see my brother getting handcuffed.

“What!
Wait, what the hell?” I call running over to him.

“Call
dad,” he says while getting hauled away.

“Wait
I need his phone.” The officer asks which pocket then hands it
to me and drags my brother away. Paige and I follow them to the
police car and watch as they drive away. “What the fuck!”
I shout and drag Paige down the hill with me. “We need to get
to the hospital,” I announce as we walk by the café with
about twenty people looking at us and me with all the blood on my
t-shirt. Paige starts waving at someone in a blue VW bug.

“Cara,
Cara!” She runs over pulling me. Bailey’s cousin looks at
us

“We
need to get to hospital. Bailey’s been hurt.”

Her
eyes go wide while she pulls back the driver seat, letting us climb
in the back. I swipe my thumb across the phone calling my dad.

“Hey
son,” he announces and I can hear the smile in his voice, which
makes me hang my head as tears fall again.

“Hey
dad it’s me” I croak.

“Max
what is it?”

I
steady my breathing before speaking. “Dad, you need to come to
Grove. Knox got arrested and Bailey..” I can’t finish as
I choke on sobs.

“Okay,
Okay, I am on the next flight. I’ll be there.” Hanging
up, I scroll through Knox’s contacts finding Frank’s
number and press call. He answers after about ten rings.

“
Hi Knox, sorry I was in a
meeting. How is Grove?”

My
heart aches, having to do this again. “Mr. Mortenson it’s
Max, I think, I think you need to get here fast.”

I
can hear him move around. “What’s going on Max?” he
sounds worried and scared.

“Bailey is in hospital, Sir
and she..” I really can’t say it, shaking my head I cry
again.