He stalks to the other side of the room and laughs. Now I’m even more confused, I was never with anyone from the club, unless…
“Bear will not turn my brother against me!” He shouts and my suspicions are confirmed. He’s talking about Hunter. “And… he’ll never have you again,” he whispers menacingly. I back away as much as I can into the corner, pressing myself against the wall. “I failed to get in those panties of yours before, it won’t happen again!”
He pounces and grabs my hair, dragging me across the floor, my scalp burning with pain. “You’re a whore, just like your mom. So I’m going to treat you like one.”
I fight with all the adrenaline that is pumping through me, clawing at his hands as he pins me to the dirty mattress that I’ve desperately tried to stay away from. I kick out and writhe underneath him, pausing briefly when I hear the sound of him undoing his belt. No!
“Get off me!” I screech over and over again, never letting my onslaught of fists and legs stop. I can’t let him do this to me, I’ve got away from him before, I can do it again.
I tap my foot to the beat of Hell Yeah by Rev Theory as I fold up the laundry, the beat of the heavy drums flooding through me, energizing me. My boss sent me home early from work today, the salon wasn’t busy like normal so there was no point in us all being there, so I readily ‘volunteered’ to come home.
Dad’s most likely at the club and won’t be back until late tonight so I have the house to myself to get some much needed housework done. The music changes tempo and I start shaking my hips when the beat kicks in to Baby Got Back.
“Nice moves, Sir Mixalot.”
I gasp and spin around, flushing red at the sight of Hunter leaning up against the doorframe to the utility room.
“How long have you been stood there for?” I ask wide eyed.
He laughs. “Longer than you want to know.”
I want to die from embarrassment!
He’s chuckling to himself and I throw a towel at his head. “Sir Mixalot ain’t got nothin’ on me.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t give up your day job just yet,” he laughs out and shields his face from another round of laundry headed his way. “You busy?”
I look down at the huge pile in front of me like that’s a dumb question.
“Well I can see you’re doing this now, but what’s your plans after?” He asks with a hopeful look on his face.
“I’ve got the vacuuming to do then I’m just going to catch up on Breaking Bad.” I shrug my shoulders. “Nothing exciting.”
“So no chance of stealing Cinderella away tonight?”
I shake my head. “Not tonight, H. I just wanna get all this done and be lazy for the rest of the day.”
He smiles. “Can we be lazy together?”
I chuckle and shake my head, picking the laundry up off the floor that I threw at him. “To be honest, I just want to veg alone tonight. I’ve had no time off in a while.”
He looks disappointed but covers it up with a cheeky wink. “Another time then.”
He gives me a quick wave and I cringe at the song that blasts over the speakers next. He spins around, mouth wide open as Avril Lavigne, Complicated, blares out and I scramble to turn it off.
I hear his deep laughter over the song. “You have fuckin’ terrible taste in music!”
I manage to turn it off, dousing the room in deathly silence apart from Hunter’s sarcastic comments about my playlist.
“Alright, out!” I command.
He holds up his hands. “Alright, teeny bopper, don’t hit me with your skateboard.”
I hold back the embarrassed laugh that bubbles it’s way up my throat.
I punch him in his arm. “Shut up, Hunter. You used to listen to her. Now get out.”
“Prove it.” He winks then walks out the front door, leaving me red faced.
I press my back against the door and laugh at myself, it’s just music, why am I so bothered by what he thinks?
I push off the door and turn my playlist back on, skipping Avril and putting on Smells like teen spirit by Nirvana. My foot taps along to the beat again as I get back into the rhythm of folding.
I huff as I hear footsteps come from behind me.
“What, don’t approve of this song either?” I laugh out.
“Oh, the songs just fine,” a voice says close behind me, and I stiffen as a shiver rolls through me.
“What do you want, Merl?” I spit out, not bothering to turn around.
He clicks his tongue three times. “Well, that’s no way to speak to your favorite uncle.”
My grip on the jeans I’m holding tightens as the closeness of him is evident by the heat coming from his body, interrupted momentarily as the cold brush of leather hits the back of my arms. I’ve always felt uncomfortable around him, and my reaction to the smell of liquor coming off him like he’s bathed in it makes my stomach roil.
I flinch when his fingertip runs across the crook of my shoulder and down my arm. “I think you’ve been avoiding me.”
“I’ve been busy, plus I don’t have anything to do with the club, so why would I see you?” I retort.
“That so? I could’ve sworn I just saw brother Bear ride on out of your driveway.”
His grip tightens on my arm.