Twist of Fate (23 page)

His head lifted slowly, "Not here. We gotta go. We gotta go now, Paige."

"Okay," I panted. "Let me tell Caroline and Ellie." He nodded, hurrying to the front of the club.

I was frantically searching the dance floor for one of them when I finally spotted Caroline talking to the Texas State guy at the bar. "Hey, I'm leaving with Ben." She wiggled her eyebrows. "Wait! Before you go, some guy was looking for you. He saw us dancing and said he knew you from New Jersey."

My body froze, my thoughts scattered. "What did he look like? Did he tell you his name?"

"His name was Drew. Cute little thing." She held her hand up. "Kind of short, big blue eyes, light brown hair. Ring any bells?"

I gulped. "Yeah, it does. It Carson's best friend."

"Who's Carson?"

I whipped my phone out, and in seconds shot off 911 messages to Ben and Tommy to tell them I was not moving from the bar, and why. Within five minutes they were both at my side. "Are you serious? What the hell is he doing here?" Tommy yelled. Ben hadn't moved from my side, but had craned his neck scanning the entire club.
 

"Would someone please tell me who the hell this Carson guy is?" Caroline demanded.

"No," we all said together.

Ben grabbed both my hands in his. "Alright, P. Do you see either of them anywhere?

I shook my head.

"So, let's just get her out of here. Maybe they left," Tommy suggested.

I could feel my eyes bulging, my heart was racing, and for the first time in almost a year, I was scared. I shook my head from side to side, unable to speak, after I saw the pair of them out of the corner of my eye. Somehow, I managed to whimper, and they both followed my eyes to where they were standing. "He didn't leave. He's watching me." Ben immediately stood in front of me. He gripped my hands, wrapping them around his waist.

He looked over his shoulder. "Don't you let go of me."

I nodded, letting him know that I heard him. I didn't want to cry. I didn't want to give Carson the satisfaction of seeing how weak he'd made me, but they came anyway. Caroline was officially panicking not understanding what was happening, when she recognized him. "Hey, that's him. That's the guy."

Tommy and Ben's head jerked to the right as soon as the words came out of her mouth. "Which one, Caroline?" Tommy seethed.

Ben hadn't looked in my direction since he backed me up against the bar. I could only feel his body, tense, rigid, and every few seconds it shook. I ducked my head into Ben's back trying to block out what was happening. I wanted to call the cops, but I couldn't. He hadn't done anything. When I chanced a peek, I saw Carson's customary work boots inching closer. "He's coming," I whispered to Ben.

Ben barely moved, but tilted his head back. "He's not touching you. Don't worry."

"Can we help you with something?" Tommy asked, as he saddled up next to Ben, blocking me in.

"Paige, is that you? I thought I recognized you coming out of the men's room."

Ben tensed even more, balling his fists at his sides. "I think you need to leave."

"I see you're still spreading that sexy little ass of yours on a bathroom floor. If I knew it was my ex, I probably wouldn't have cheered you on."

Ben slipped my hands from around his waist, and took a step forward."What the fuck did you say to her?"
 

"I think you heard me pretty boy. How do you like my sloppy seconds?"

Tommy was about to go ballistic any second. I think he was just waiting for Ben to give him some kind of nod of approval. Ben turned to me, cupping my face. "Don't fucking move."

I nodded.
 

And then all hell broke loose.

Ben threw the first punch, but Carson dodged it. Tommy went to jump in, but Ben shook him off. "I got this."

Carson's hand cranked back, slamming into Ben's forearm as he blocked it. Ben's other fist swung up slamming Carson square in the jaw. Carson stumbled back for a split second, but didn't go down. I started to tremble badly. I gripped onto Caroline, digging my nails into her arm. People were shouting, bartenders were yelling for back up. Ben turned to his side, lifting his leg, kicking Carson in the stomach as hard as he could. I grabbed Caroline's hand, she turned to me, and nodded that she understood. She yanked me from the barstool, leading me to the front of the club. Two huge bouncers flew past us, and I almost went back to find Ben, but Caroline was pulling me too hard. "Hurry up, we need to get you out of there. And, where the hell is Ellie?"

Once outside, I hunched over trying to catch my breath. "C'mon, Paige. Let's go." Caroline pulled me out toward the parking lot. Suddenly terror hit me again when I saw Drew standing a few spaces away in the parking lot waiting for me. I had forgotten he was even there. His eyes were pure evil, his mouth twitched when he saw me. My heart stopped, my chest tightened, then I made a break for it, running as fast as my feet would go. I could hear Caroline screaming after me, but I didn't stopped. I could hear his feet pounding behind me, and I knew I was in trouble.
 

He caught up to me, swinging me around. "I couldn't believe it was you. When I told Carson, he almost shit himself. Do you have idea how long he's been looking for you?"

I had nowhere to go, my feet stopped as I backed up to a car in the parking lot. Suddenly, he had barricaded me in. "You still look good, Paige," he hissed.

"Leave me alone, Drew. Please? I never did anything to you." I hated how shaky my voice sounded. I wanted to look for Ben or Tommy, but I knew I couldn't risk taking my eyes off of him.

He shook his head, then slowly pulled out his switchblade from his front pocket. He flipped it open, running the edges through his fingers. "No. But, you hurt my boy. He was in love with you, and you just up and left. I have instructions to keep you with me until he finishes off that dude in there."

I tried to rationalize with him. "He hurt me, Drew. You have no idea."

Sirens were coming, but the only sound I could hear was the pounding of footsteps coming from the bar.
 

"Paige?" Ben and Tommy were screaming my name.

"Another time," Drew hissed again. He ran off just as Ben, Tommy, and Caroline reached me. Moments later, a car roared to life. Ben raced toward the noise at full speed. But, he was too late, all you could see were the receding lights taking off.

"Stay the fuck away from her!" His fist slammed into a car hood, before he rushed to my side. "God damn you! Damn you, I told you not to move," Ben yelled, burying me into his chest, while he screamed Caroline for letting me leave. I pressed my face into my hands trying not to freak out. Ben gripped my shoulders, lifting my face. His hands ran through my hair, over my shoulders, then pulled me in again.

"Paige, he whispered in my ear. "I'm so sorry."

I started to shake as his lips pressed down on my forehead. "Where is he? Where's Carson?" I asked, afraid of the answer.

Ben lifted his head, and over his shoulder to Tommy. "The police have him, Paige," Tommy said.
 

I sat up. "They do?"

Ben eased me back down to sit on the curb, and gently grabbed my shoulders. "For now, Paige. But, he'll get out by tomorrow." He stopped, looking back at Tommy again, who gave him a nod. "Paige there's one more thing," he said slowly.
 

I swallowed back the saliva that started invading my throat before he spoke.

"He knows you go to U of A. Caroline told his friend."
 

Caroline dropped to her knees. "I'm so sorry, Paige, I didn't know. I didn't know."

Somehow I mustered up a shred of decency, pulling her to my side. "It's okay, I'll figure something out." I didn't want to move again. I didn't want to go to another school. I was happy. I was finally happy with Ben.

BEN

Chapter 28

The plane ride home was horrible. Paige shook the entire time while I held onto her. I didn't know what to do, what to say, so I just held her. The Saturday we got back, Tommy and Paige headed back to Scottsdale, leaving me in Tucson. I wanted to go more than I'd ever wanted anything in my life. The not knowing of what she was going to do, or how her parents were going to react nearly killed me.
 
Even her dad flew in from D.C. Every bone in my body was telling me she was getting on a plane heading back East, and our story would barely get a chance to start. I've texted both of them numerous times, but only Tommy responded with a quick message, telling me things were fine, they'd be back next week. That was seven days ago.

When Tommy walked into our room on a Sunday with Paige by his side, I'd never been happier to see someone in my life.
 
When she finally answered one of my calls, she asked for space, so I agreed to give it to her, because I didn't know how else to help her. At just the mere sight of her, I was able to release all the tension that had built up in one huge breath since she went home. Unfortunately, for me, Paige seemed to have forgotten where we had left things in Texas. I had planned on not letting her out of my sight until the sick son of a bitch did something to throw himself in jail, but again, things never went the way you wanted them to.

Tommy reached inside the closet, yanking down his huge ass duffel bag, tossing it on the bed next to Paige. The only reaction from Paige that I got so far was a small, sad smile. I wanted one of her stupid spontaneous hugs that she'd loved to give, but all the beauty that she exuded seemed to be gone, or temporarily lost. Either way, I hated it.

I looked to both of them, but Tommy just shook his head for a second, while Paige pretended to be interested in something out the window. "I'm moving out."

I moved to his side, pulling him back from his shoulder. "What? Why? What the hell is going on?"

Tommy stopped packing, sighing as he turned around. "It's the only way she can stay. Paige and I have a place rented a few blocks away."
 

I stood there, confusion rocking every thought to the point I could barely think straight. "Paige? You can stay here with me, with us, you don't need to do this."

Paige's eyes flicked up to meet mine, and there was nothing but sadness, and defeat in them. "I'm not living in a frat house."

"Well, then I'll just come with you guys. I'll crash on the couch for a while." I reached under my bed to grab a suitcase, but Tommy's hand came down, yanking me back up. "Not a good idea, man."

He lifted his bag off his bed, giving me one last, I'll-tell-you-later look, then went over to Paige, "You ready?"

She nodded softly, not even giving me one last glance before she walked out the door.

I slammed my fist into the wall, watching bits of paint and plaster fall to the floor al around my feet. "Motherfucker!"
 

Jack and another brother, Mike, ran in surveying the scene. I dropped to my bed, letting my head fall into my hands, mumbling, "She's gone."

Neither one of them said a word. But, I heard the drawer opening, and seconds later a bottle of tequila was sitting on the floor in front of me.
 

By the time, the sun set I was so drunk I could barely keep my eyes open. Jack was still here with me, passed out on the floor. My head was spinning, my eyes were heavy, and I knew I need to sleep this one off. I flipped open my phone, and before I let myself chicken out, I looked at Paige's picture and hit call.

"Ben, what's up? I was going to call you when Paige fell asleep,"Tommy said, answering her phone. Jesus Christ, I just wanted to hear her voice, hear her tell me we'd figure something out. Was that too much to ask?

I propped myself up as best as I could on the side of the bed in silence. "Is she okay, Tommy?" I knew I'm slurring my words, but I needed to know.

"Are you alright? You sound annihilated," he asked, and I could tell he was trying hard for Paige not to let her overhear the conversation.

"She's just freaked out still. I'll explain everything tomorrow. I'm dropping Paige at her class at nine. Meet me in the Bookstore for Starbucks."

"I'll be there." I hung up, tossing my cell next to me. I leaned over, yanking open the small fridge. I'd barely had the strength to twist off the top, but I managed to down an entire bottle of water, not caring as the majority of it dribbled down my chin. I reached to the top of my mini fridge, yanking the alarm clock down by the cord, catching it before it hit the floor. The numbers were so bright, they hurt my eyes as I tried to focus on setting the dial. After a few attempts of making sure I had it set for eight a.m. and not p.m., I rolled on my back finally allowing my eyes to close.

Even after my shower, I still felt like shit.
 

The clock over the counter read nine-fifteen, and Tommy still hadn't shown up. I'd already had two shots of expresso, and a bottle of water, when he finally rolled around the corner. He held his finger up telling me to hold on, while he went up to order his drink. My knees were bouncing under the table, I was so uptight and the expressos had decided to kick in.
 

"Sorry, man," Tommy said, yanking a chair out to sit.
 

I leaned back in mine, waiting for him to start explaining. He just blew on his coffee for a second or two, then finally looked up. "Her dad wanted her to move to D.C. She almost dropped and went. I spent the entire Sunday convincing her, and then her parents, to let her stay. She can't keep running from that prick, and she knows it, but she's scared."