Masked Mayhem (Fright Nights)

Chapter Three

Adam is going to be so mad at me.

That’s all I can think as I let Liam, Nate, and Reynolds usher me to their truck, and that right there is the root of all my problems. My high school sweetheart, and husband of five years, has gotten so far into my head that I let him gaslight me into thinking his actions were my fault. I’m an intelligent woman, or at least I like to think I am, but he somehow managed to alienate me from anyone who used to be in my life.

He made sure I had no one to turn to but him. He made it so I relied on him for everything. He gave himself all the control.

And I let him.

But that stops now .

I’m so far in my head I don’t even know where the guys are taking me, but I can’t bring myself to care right now. My thoughts are too loud to focus on anything else other than the war inside my head. I know I need to break away from Adam, this is my chance to get out and get away, but that doubt he’s spent years building up isn’t backing down easily.

Pulling the borrowed jacket tighter around my shoulders I take a deep breath and soak in the subtle scent of motor oil and cedar. It’s so different from the expensive cologne Adam has always preferred. He is very particular about his appearance, as a realtor he always says half his job is selling himself to the client so they will feel comfortable trusting him with something as important as finding their home.

Really, he’s just a narcissist who’s obsessed with himself, but I never said that. I always just smiled and agreed when he spent forever primping in front of the mirror. When he came home with another woman’s perfume clinging to his shirt and alcohol on his breath I would just nod my head as he explained he took some clients out to celebrate their purchase.

It was easier to just agree with him, I learned that early on. Agreeing with him was safer… until it wasn’t.

That cycle is hard to break, but tonight has been a wakeup call. He’s only going to get worse; I refuse to sit around and see what he’s going to do next. I refuse to sit around until he kills me.

My eyes snap open when the truck stops moving, and I realize we’re at a house I’ve never seen before. I don’t know where I was expecting them to take me, but their home hadn’t crossed my mind, and I have no doubt this is their home.

More vehicles line the driveway, and a pile of tires sits neatly next to the house. It’s not messy, but it’s definitely a bachelor pad. My door swings open and Nate offers me a hand to help me down, but makes sure to keep enough space between us that we don’t bump into each other. I’m not sure if it’s because he can tell I’m injured, or if it’s because he doesn’t want to scare me, and I don’t know which is worse.

I can’t imagine what they must be thinking right now after finding me running around the way I was and then my rambling in the office. They probably think I’m crazy. I know I should say something else; I haven’t spoken since we left the festival, but my brain isn’t connecting to my mouth. It’s like I’m trapped in my own thoughts.

Is this what shock feels like?

Liam unlocks the front door and the rest of us follow him inside. Nate and Reynolds get the lights turned on and wander further into the house while Liam gently eases me onto the couch. For such big burley guys these three have been surprisingly compassionate.

Sitting on the coffee table in front of me Liam tries to pull me into a conversation again, so I do my best to answer his questions, but it’s hard to focus through the fog settling in my brain.

“Is there anyone we can call for you? ”

That’s an easy one. I shake my head; I don’t have any friends left and I haven’t talked to my dad in years.

I have no one.

I have no plan.

I have nothing.

Reynolds disappeared, but Nate walks back in holding a bottle of water out for me. Accepting the drink, I unscrew the cap and take a few sips, letting the cold water soothe my scratchy throat. It’s like my body is on autopilot, running on muscle memory.

“Do you need to eat something? I can put together a snack if you’re hungry.”

It’s sweet of him to ask, but the thought of food has my stomach turning so I shake my head. “No, thank you.”

A few more sips of water are all I can handle before I screw the lid back on and set it on the floor by my feet. Liam is still sitting on the coffee table, watching me like a wounded animal.

“I should have asked this earlier; do you need to go to a hospital, or do you want to go to the police?”

“No!”

I vigorously shake my head at the suggestion. The police won’t help me, everyone in this town loves Adam. I’ve never gone to them before, there are no reports of the abuse he's put me through, no paper trail or proof of my misery through the years. It’s too late for that .

“That’s ok, it’s late anyway, you can stay here tonight and tomorrow we can figure out a plan.”

I ease back into the soft cushions of the couch, I’m going to have bruises, but nothing that would warrant a hospital trip. Doctors would just ask too many questions anyway. Staying here sounds better, even if the little voice in my head is screaming at me that Adam is going to find out and punish me for it.

Why they brought me here at all is a mystery. Maybe they’re just nice guys, they were in high school, but they’re my only hope right now, so I’ll take whatever kindness they can spare at the moment.

Looking down at my knee I try to brush off some of the dirt staining my skin. I must have gotten dirty when I fell down. No, I didn’t fall. I got dirty when Adam pushed me down. I can't imagine what I look like covered in dirt and bruises in this silly costume I didn’t even want to wear. The fabric is suffocating now, his words echoing through my head about dressing this way to get attention. I don’t want any attention, I just want to float through life in the background like I’ve always done. It’s safer in the background, or at least it used to be. I don’t think I’m safe anywhere now.

Reynolds reappears, joining Nate in the doorway like he’s afraid to get too close. The two of them are like night and day in appearance. Reynolds still has the same shaggy dark hair he had when we were in school, it always seemed to hang just a little too far over his eyes, he was constantly pushing it back, he still is. Nate’s lighter strands are basically in a buzz cut, but it looks good on him. I guess if it works what’s the point in changing it? These details are irrelevant, but I can’t make myself focus on anything else right now, it’s too much. Instead, I study them. The way their tall frames take up the doorway, the fit of their dark clothes and the muscles straining against the fabric.

“I’ve got a bath ready in the hall if you want to get cleaned up.” Reynolds is full of surprises. I wouldn’t have pictured him as the type to run a bath for a woman in distress. Now that I think about it, I guess Adam has tainted my view on men in general because I wouldn’t really expect anyone to do that. The fact that they’re helping me at all instead of taking me back to my husband is a miracle. Adam’s friends would have just taken me home, they’ve all been ignoring my bruises for years.

A bath does sound nice though, better than sitting here filthy. When I nod my head Liam stands up and holds out his hand like a gentleman. Are these guys real?

Nate and Reynolds move aside so Liam can lead me down the hall, but before we pass them I pull the leather jacket off my shoulders and hand it back to Reynolds. Having it wrapped around me was comforting in a way I can’t explain and never expected, but I can’t keep it.

“Thank you.” Even I can hear how broken I sound. No wonder they’re treating me like glass.

“Anytime, Red.”

Liam doesn’t go into the bathroom, but he pushes open the door and gestures for me to go in. “There are towels in the linen closet, use whatever you need. ”

When I’m in front of the mirror he pulls the door closed, leaving me alone with my reflection. I don’t even recognize the woman staring back at me. Dried blood is caked on my lip and dark spots are already popping up where I was grabbed and hit. There are drops of crimson staining my green dress and dirt smeared on the material. The longer I look the more bruises I find; I’m going to be a canvas of black and blue by tomorrow.

How did I let myself get here?

This isn’t me.

Turning my back on the victim in the mirror I focus on the bathtub. I can feel the heat coming off the water, hopefully it’s hot enough to burn the memory of tonight from my skin. Peeling off my ruined dress I leave it in a small pile on the floor with my underwear. I didn’t want to wear that dress to begin with, but Adam picked it out, so I didn’t argue. Now I never want to see it again.

Stepping into the tub I let myself sink down, enjoying the sting of the hot water. I don’t know how long I sit here, but at some point tears start to fall down my cheeks and once they start I can’t make myself stop. I cry in the tub until I have nothing left in me and silent sobs wrack my body.

With my knees pulled to my chest, I hold myself together tightly in the only way I can. The water cools around me but I don’t move. There’s a roaring in my ears as my heartbeat rattles my chest.

Nothing else exists in this moment. Just the pain and the memories I can’t break free from .

Until something tries to break through the fog.

My forehead is resting on my knees, but I can’t bring myself to hold my head up, not even when I hear something at the edge of my thoughts. It gets louder, but I can’t pull myself out of this dark pit in my brain to focus on the sound.

I don’t even acknowledge that the door has opened until I see a pair of legs standing next to the tub out of the corner of my eye. Someone is here with me. I should be freaking out, I’m naked and vulnerable, but the fog has me in a chokehold.

“Oh, Darlin’.” Liam’s voice echoes in my head, but I don’t react.

I just sit here, holding myself together, until he’s kneeling next to me and his calloused fingers gently ease me back. He’s pointedly looking up at the ceiling instead of at my body as he tries to cover me with a towel. The thick fabric clings to me in the water, giving me some modesty I’m sure I’ll appreciate tomorrow.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”

He picks up a bottle, squeezing a generous amount of gel into his palm. Moving as carefully as he can, Liam massages the minty shampoo into my hair, tilting my head back so he doesn’t get any soap in my eyes.

No one has ever washed my hair for me before. If I wasn’t stuck in this stunned stupor I think I would enjoy it. Or I might be mortified having a man who’s practically a stranger see me like this .

He works meticulously, his blue eyes squinting with concentration until he’s satisfied there are no suds left. When he’s sure he got them all he reaches into the water by my feet and pulls the plug from the drain. The water isn’t icy yet, but it’s past the point of being comfortable so I don’t mind the abrupt end to my bath.

The wet towel is heavy across my body as the water level dips lower, but even in this state I know I need to keep it over me. Thankfully Liam turns around to grab a dry towel from the closet.

“I’m not looking, you can leave the wet towel in the tub and dry off with this one.”

He’s holding the fresh towel out in front of him, waiting for me to stand up and step into it. My brain is still foggy, but my body moves on auto pilot again, lifting me from what’s left of the cold water as the wet towel falls from my body with a smack against the bottom of the tub. As soon as I take the fresh towel from Liam to wrap around myself he pulls his hands back.

“There are some clothes you can borrow on the counter. Whenever you’re ready I’ll show you where you can sleep tonight, we’ll be just out here if you need anything.”

He very respectfully keeps his eyes averted as he leaves me alone in the bathroom, standing in a draining tub, wondering how life led me here.