Saved By the Devil

My Ariadne

Brenna

After she’d fallen asleep in Brandon’s arms…

I woke up to the hum of the engine. When I opened my eyes, I found myself in the passenger seat of a car. Startled and scrambling to sit up, to look around if I was safe or not, my gaze landed on the man beside me driving the car.

“Relax…” Brandon murmured his hand coming to squeeze my thigh reassuringly. But, now when I was no more seeking the comfort, I was wary of him. He must have sensed my uneasiness as he removed his hand and said, “You fell asleep… So, I thought, that I’ll drop you to your house.”

Just when his words registered, the fact that I was wearing a large jacket around myself also registered in my mind. Clutching the jacket tight to myself, I whispered, “Thank you..” Then, licking my dry lips, I said, “You can drop me to the Zoe’s diner, I don’t want to go home, yet..” I whispered the last part but he heard me and gave me a questioning look but didn’t say anything.

I didn’t have money, and I wouldn’t ask for food but a little company which I needed the most at the moment. Mrs. Zoe was the old lady of the street where I lived. She was always ready to help me but knowing that there was no one for her and managing the old diner that didn’t earn much, I couldn’t bring myself to ask for anything from her.

The car took a sudden turn and when I looked out the window I realised that he had turned away from the direction of my house. Now, I was scared. “W-Where are you going? Please, just drop me, I’ll go from here.”

Brandon’s blue eyes raked over me, sharpening on my cheek and then on the hollow of my neck and all over me. His lips pulled tight and he said through clenched teeth, “I didn’t know you were hungry, we could go and eat something.”

“What!! No.. I can’t!!” My hand automatically went to his, his hand jerked under mine and I quickly dropped my hand. I tried to sound calm as I said, “Please, no…. My aunt..” I stopped short, if my aunt knew that I was seen eating food with Brandon Carter, I don’t even want to think what she'd do next… Offer me to Brandon with a price tag.

“Hey..” Brandon chucked me under the chin, a soft smile on his lips as he looked at me through those blue eyes, same as his brothers. Same as Maddox. I closed my eyes at that thought. “It's okay, we don’t have to get out of the car.”

After that the drive was quiet as Brandon drove us to nearby drive-thru. “Wait, here.. I’ll be back.”

As I waited in the car, I thought back to the time, I was on my knees with Maddox's c**k in my mouth. I thought about the humiliation and embarrassment I had endured from the hands of Brandon's younger brothers. And, then I thought about how different Brandon was from Maddox. But, Maddox had saved me once, from all the school bullies. He had made school bearable.

I didn’t understand how could he change so much. I knew he was involved in fights and on many occasions as he had fought with other students in the school, it was always because that the other person had somehow disrespected and tried something bad with other girls.

So, it was a little hard to understand that hpw could he do whatever hat he did to me.

Was going to jail because of me really warranted what he did to me?

A few minutes later, I startled when there was a knock on the driver seat window. I turned to find Brandon standing there with his hands full. I opened the door from inside and watched in amazement as he placed all the food on the dashboard.

My eyes must have conveyed my surprise as Brandon said a little sheepishly, “I thought you must be hungry and you look a little pale. So…”

“T-Thank you..” I stammered. I was so overwhelmed by this sweet gesture. I hadn't seen this much food since I had come to live with my aunt, and she had often told me that I was fat and shouldn’t eat much.

“Here..” Brandon held out a large plastic glass and from the smell of it I could tell it was a chocolate shake.

With shaky fingers I took the glass from him and had a large sip of the sweet nectar. My eyes closed as I savored it and when the first gulp hit my empty stomach, it too groaned in approval. Embarrassment had my eyes snapping open but I found Brandon smiling back at me as he unwrapped a burger for me and another for himself.

A few seconds passed as we ate, Brandon asked, “Can I ask you something?” I was busy munching on the packet of chips as I nodded my head for him to continue. He took a sip of his beer as he asked, “What happened there?”

“Hmm..?” I reluctantly lifted my eyes from the packet of chips on my lap. He gestured to my reddened and swollen cheek, my fingers went to touch the sore area. “I.. I fell down?” I cringed as soon as the words left my mouth. I couldn’t lie even to save my life. I had the tendency of putting question marks whenever I try to lie.

And I couldn’t tell him the truth too, my aunt had given me thousands of warnings since that unfaithful day when I had gone against Maddox to save 'her' from my aunt. My aunt had threatened me if I so much as breathed against her, she’d make sure to do worse to 'her' than what she was doing to me.

When I looked up, I found Brandon’s blue eyes softly gazing back at me, then he said, “I am sorry about Maddox.” The chips turned to dust in my mouth at the mention of his brother’s name. “And, you can call me or ask me for help if you need anything, hmm??”

I didn’t say anything to that, I wasn’t sure if he was sincere about his offer and even if he was, I couldn’t ask for his help. And despite that, I didn’t have the mobile phone to call him. So it was all in vain. I just had my faith in my angel who had saved me till yesterday, because today he was nowhere to be seen when Ray, and then Maddox had attacked me.

Maddox

I was beating the s**t out of the punching bag when my eldest brother barged into the gym area of our home. One look at his face told me that he wasn’t happy, he was f*****g furious. Welcome to the club, brother. Out of us four brothers, Brandon was the only one who always was considerate, kind and patient. Only one who wasn’t as short tempered as the rest of us. He planned, he plotted for his revenge. He never acted volatile. And, it was a wonder considering he was the one most damaged one of us all as he had spent his eleven years in the hell in which I’d only lived for six.

Looking at him, I was sure why he was here even before he opened his mouth. “What the f**k, Maddox!? We agreed that we’ll only frighten her or play games with her.” He stomped toward me, his big hands curled into tight fists as he said, “You forced her!!” He yelled, his hands slamming me back until I hit the wall.

Yeah, I know, what we had decided. But guess what, despite my morals and my upbringing I couldn’t stop my anger from erupting like a f*****g volcano. I regretted it before even doing it, but I wasn’t going to admit that. In my dictionary, she deserved it. She was not the innocent that needed protecting.

Because, in my family, everyone knew I have a soft spot for helpless and innocent girls or women. Even she knew that. I had saved her many times since the day she’d come to our small town, in our school. She was an innocent target for the students of the Willow Creak High. And I couldn't stand by and watch them treat her that way, but that all changed when she decided to stab me in the back.

“That was enough, now you stay away from her, Maddox!” Brandon grabbed my shirt as he snapped at me.

“Seriously!!?” I shouted back as I pushed him away, breaking his hold on me. “Now, what about the vow we had made when I was six!!” I got in his face as I repeated the vow, “Together forever, either in war or in love.”

I saw my big brother raking his fingers through his hair, frustration marring his handsome features. I knew it was a low below, bringing up our traumatic childhood. But I couldn’t not bring it, it was like he was taking her side. And, it pissed me off.

Taking a deep breath and a step back from me, he turned toward the door but just before he walked out, he said, “You will regret it, Maddox. I know it in my bones, that she’s as innocent as a new born kitten.” He chuckled low as he finished with, “I’ll be with you always and forever but I won’t participate in this.”

My brother left the gym, slamming the door behind him. As much as his words niggled at my subconscious I couldn’t erase the last eight months of me in the jail cell. It was like I was thrown back in the nightmare I had lived in the beginning of my life for six years. And, I couldn’t forget her for sending me behind the bars to relive my nightmare.

The only moment of light in the darkness was the notes I had written to save her. My Ariadne.

TO BE CONTINUED....