The Brothers

Chapter 13

I'm gritting my teeth with anger as I follow Harry but he doesn't even check to see whether I'm behind him. He enters the underground garage and he walks towards a silver Volvo. He opens my door then he steps aside to let me in. 

I slam it shut.

"I can open my own damn doors."

"I'll endeavour to remember that in future." He says, the stupid look on his face growing every single second while he watches me fume.

"There's no future. I'm never riding in your car again. If you didn't mess with Willy's car, we wouldn't be having this stupid conversation right now."

"You don't believe that I'd actually mess with his car every time you're here?"

"Then I won't come here anymore."

"Fine. Get in the car."

"I won't allow you to order me around."

He shrugs.

"Okay. Once you are ready to go, you'll find me in my room. I have things to attend to."

He turns and starts to walk towards the stairs. He wants me to beg him.

Yeah, that's totally gonna happen.

"I'll ask Charlie to take me home." I call after him.

He tenses, standing still for a moment before he turns to look at me.

"I bet you will love every second of it."

"I sure will. I'll just go upstairs and get him."

I make a move towards the stairs, knowing very well that I would never sit in the same car with Charlie. I hate playing this childish game with Harry but I have nothing to lose.

When I get to close to Harry, I take a single step past him before he grabs my arm and pulls me to him. He moves suddenly, making me spin, and in the next instance, my back is against the wall and Harry's hard torso is pressing into me.

How rude.

"What do you think you're doing?" He demands, his face an inch from mine. His breath is warm on my face and the scent of his aftershave is intoxicating. I want to take a deep breath when his exotic cologne floats to my nostrils but I hold myself together.

"Bridget, I'm talking to you."

"What did you say?" My voice is small. I'm so damn uncomfortable when he's so close.

"I said, threatening me with Charlie is childish. Let that not happen again."

"Or what?"

"Don't be so f*****g stubborn! This is about your safety."

I gulp and nod.

"Fine. It won't happen again."

"Good."

He steps away, then he turns without another word and heads for the staircase.

"Harry wait.."

"Yes?" He asks without turning to look at me.

"I do need a ride."

He turns back to me, and I can't tell whether he's amused or annoyed with me.

"I bet you do. Off we go."

I follow him to the car and he doesn't open the door this time. He goes straight to his side and waits patiently while I get in.

"Seatbelt on." He says, and I silently put it on.

"Address?" He asks with a sideways glance.

I realize then, that I really don't know Lisa's address.

"It's somehow close to campus. Just follow this road..."

"You don't know where you stay?" He's laughing at me.

"I'm still new around here."

"I see."

There's a long bout of silence as he focuses on the road.

"So we're in the same college then?"I ask when the silence gets uncomfortable.

He shakes his head.

"Nope. Med school is.... s**t!"

'What is it?" I ask, alarmed.

"You'll be in the same campus as that douchebag."

"Charlie?"

He nods.

"Relax, Harry. He'd never do anything to me while we're in school. He apologized anyway. He was drunk and-"

Harry swerves dangerously and parks on the roadside.

"What is wrong with you, Bridget? Are you even listening to yourself right now? You're so freaking naive I have no idea how I even met you. Jeez."

"What did I do?"

"What did you do? Are you seriously believing that Charlie is sorry and he won't try to r**e you again?" He clenches his fists then unclenches them. He leans back on his seat and closes his eyes, then he takes a deep breath.

I'm practically scared shitless. I hate it when Harry is this mad.

He opens his eyes to look at me then. I quickly avert my gaze and I stare out of the window.

"Look at me." His voice is gentle yet commanding.

I lift my eyes shyly and look at him. He takes my chin between his fingers and tips my head back, forcing me to stare right back at him.

"You're not going anywhere near Charlie."

I nod.

"I'll try hard not to go near Charlie."

"If you don't stick to that, then I'll have someone watching you."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Test me. If you can't take care of yourself then someone will have to do it."

He revves back to the highway and hits on the peddle.

"Why do you care, Harry? I think it's an established fact that you think I'm hideous and weird."

"I never said that I care, did I?"

"You sure act like it."

He shrugs nonchalantly.

"Years of practice."

I don't ask him what that means. I just focus on the vehicles overtaking on either side of the road.

"How far now?" Harry breaks the silence.

I sit up when I notice the familiar landmarks.

"Maybe a minute or two."

I give him silent instructions and he follows them. He parks outside the apartment building three minutes later.

I open my door and step out and he's behind me, carrying my bag. I walk to Lisa's door then I turn the doorknob.

It's locked.

"I don't have a key." I say timidly.

"Call Lisa."

"I have no idea where my phone is."

He reaches into his jeans pocket and hands me his own phone.

I shake my head.

"I don't know her number."

He blow his breath out.

"Great. So what do we do now?"

"I don't know. We could sit in the car and wait."

"Until she's done with Justin? I'm a busy man."

"So you're leaving?" Even I can feel the disappointment in my voice.

"Yeah. With you."

"I.."

"I'm not leaving you out here all by yourself with no phone and no keys. Come here." He holds out his hand and I place mine in it. He clasps it firmly, entwining our fingers as he leads me back to the car.

"You still having issues with me opening doors for you?" He asks, his proud eyebrow raised.

"Yeah."

"Good. Deal with it."

He opens the door and looks at me, daring me to resist.

"You're an ass." I tell him, steadying myself as I get into the passenger seat.

He leans over and smiles at me.

"You're welcome."

That's a nice smile.

He reverses and drives from the apartment building, heading to the opposite direction from his house.

"Where are we going? " I ask him but he doesn't say anything. He just steps harder on the gas pedal.