Authors: Leah Holt
My brain began to spiral with confusion as the man's face cemented in my mind. The crooked grin that spread across his face, his beady lifeless eyes; I
had
seen him before, but it wasn't at the prison.
He was at the shop that day I brought Owen lunch. Why didn't Owen tell me who he was? I stood right beside this dirt bag and didn't have a clue.
I knew that Owen didn't like talking about his brother, he avoided that topic completely. But, to know he'd decided not to tell me that his brother was right there, standing beside him... I thought he trusted me.
The revelation hit me with such force my breathing stopped for an instant. A pain in my chest began to surge, panic rocketed through every piece of my body. The fear I had felt enhanced to horror, not only for myself and the baby, but for Owen, too.
Did he do something to his own brother?
I hadn't been able to get a hold of him all day. Was my suspicion possible?
“Did you hurt him?” I blurted out. “You piece of shit!” I battled with the tape constricting my wrists, intensely I rubbed them back and forth against each other as if I was trying to start a fire. The burning sensation was numbed by my emotions, I just needed to get free.
He peered at me through the mirror, a look of satisfaction draped over his face as he watched me struggle. “We're getting close.” He dropped his head down, shaking it side to side. “I can't believe Owen got you pregnant.”
I continued to work at my wrists while we turned up a dirt road. I didn't recognize where we were at all, there was nothing but trees that seemed to span for miles. The tires crackled on the gravel as the forest gave way to a large clearing.
A small, rundown farm house came into view under the brightness of the headlights. The windows had been boarded up, the planks now hung partially off from decay. The roof was collapsed on one side and a tree was growing out from the gaping hole. It was apparent the place had been abandoned ages ago.
“What is this place?” My eyes took in the desolate surroundings. I knew that out here no one would hear me scream for help, no one would be able to find me if they came looking.
Is he planning on killing me? He could bury me out here and no one would ever find me.
The rawness of my skin stung beneath the tape. I had tried relentlessly to free myself, but still remained bound, unable to use my arms.
He pulled the car around the back of the house and cut the engine. The absence of light hid us in the shadows. “Now, we wait,” he said, peering into the darkness.
Wait for what? What is he planning?
“Where is Owen? Did you do something to him?” I asked, glaring at him as I started to feel the tape stretch and loosen around my wrists.
I could see the outline of his face as he turned to look over his shoulder at me. His expression was concealed in the night. “Just sit tight, sweetheart.” He opened his door and stepped out.
I was able to make out his figure under the moon light as he walked towards the side of the house, the black abyss swallowed him as he passed through the incandescent light.
Alright, come on.
I stared out the window, watching for him to come back as I brought my hands under my body to the front. My mouth sunk into the tape like a wild animal on its prey.
I'm not going to be a victim here.
The adrenaline pulsed through my veins as I tried to free myself, sweat beading up on my forehead while my eyes scanned the area.
Come on! Come on!
I spit pieces of torn tape onto the floor. Each piece was a step closer to freedom.
In the distance, the sound of an engine broke the silence. It roared up the abandoned road, the headlights shined so brightly they illuminated the entire area. My eyes narrowed from their intense glow. I tried to make out the vehicle through the holes in the decrepit building.
As the car turned and came to a stop, I caught a glimpse of Owen's brother leaning against the side of the house. I heard the muffle of voices, unable to distinguish who he was talking to.
Who the hell could that be? This isn't good! I need to get out of here and run.
The voices began to increase in volume. It sounded like Brice was yelling at the unknown person who had just arrived. Against the glow of the new vehicle I could see his figure walking back towards me.
No! Not yet!
Frantically I worked at my wrists. Unable to free them completely, I quickly leaned down and felt around for the phone under the seat.
Yes!
I gripped the hard plastic.
Brice's shadow fell over the window and I shoved the phone into my pocket. He yanked open my door and forcefully grabbed my arm. “You little bitch! Where do you think you're going to go? Get out!” He spoke through clenched teeth. If his tone had a color, it would have shined red.
He ripped me from the vehicle. I tried to pull back, tried to free myself from his grasp. “No! Let me go!” I screamed into the darkness, twisting and contorting my body in an attempt to break loose. His grip tightened around my arm as he dragged me through the grass and dirt.
As we approached the front of the house a figure was shrouded in the dark against the car. I watched his arms and chest puff out as my eyes made their way up to his face. The headlights cast enough light for me to see who had come to meet us.
Owen?
It's Owen!
Shock rested behind his eyes, they opened wide when I was brought into view. “What the fuck, Brice! Let her go!” His deep tone sliced through the night air as he took a step forward.
Brice dug his fingers harder into my arm. “I warned you, Owen. I told you I needed your help. You want to tell me no, fine. Now you need to say yes. Here is my insurance, no more fucking around!” Brice threw me in front of him, pushing me onto my knees, his hand still firmly grasped around my arm.
Owen's eyes fixed on mine for a moment, then rose to his brother's. “I'm telling you right now, let her go. I'm not helping you. I won't help you! And you're not going to do one god damn thing to her. I'll fucking kill you! How dare you threaten me and my family, threaten the woman I love?”
He loves me. I can't believe he just said that.
An evil smile filled Brice's face as he brought the knife out of his pocket. The metallic sheen glistened against the moon. “You don't have a choice, Owen. You're going to help me or I'm going to hurt her. And your child, too.”
I looked up at Owen with terror in my eyes. He had the appearance of stone; a feeling of security blanketed my body. I could see he wasn't afraid of his brother.
His massive figure constricted from the rage that Brice evoked.
He wasn't about to let anything happen to me or our baby.
Owen took another step forward and Brice took one back. He hadn't anticipated Owen challenging him and not giving in. “Don't make me do this, Owen. Just help me and all of this will be over. You don't understand how dangerous these people are. They want their money!”
Owen's fists clenched tight by his sides. His empty stare looked the same as the first day he was brought into my office. “Let her go, or you're going to regret it. I'm not considering your options, I'm giving
you
one.”
I need to do something. I'm not letting this guy use me as a bargaining chip.
My mind began to flurry with ideas of how to break free. Brice had the knife, but he was only focused on Owen. He wasn't looking down on me, he didn't have me in his sight at all.
This is my chance.
My head turned towards Brice's arm. Without a second thought, I leaned in and bit down hard on his flesh. He yelled in pain and instinctively released his hold, quickly I scrambled out of his reach.
Owen charged forward like a bull running into the red cloak of a matador. Brice's feet lifted from the ground and the knife flew from his hand. Owen landed on top of him, knuckles high in the air. He let his fist fall with all of his weight into his brother's face.
One after the other, the punches rained down.
Brice threw an elbow into Owen's jaw. “Get the fuck off me!”
The face of the man who loved me, who was here to protect me, was frozen with rage. His eyes looked black under the moonlight, his lip curled up on one side as his hands fell down repeatedly. It brought me back to the fight I'd witnessed at the prison.
But Owen was different, now. This time, he wasn't trying to save face or help someone who was weaker. There was meaning to this battle, it was a vendetta.
His freedom had been challenged, his family had been threatened.
Owen wasn't going to stand for that.
Brice struggled to gain back his control. “Look, we can talk about this! Man to man, brother to brother,” he said. His eyes scanned the ground around him as he turned his head, trying to dodge Owen. “I wasn't going to hurt her, it was just to scare you!” Desperation flooded Brice's eyes as his hand rummaged through the leaves.
What is he looking for?
Something glinted, catching my attention as the debris around it was disturbed.
The knife! He's trying to reach the knife!
My eyes met Brice's; blood trickled from his mouth as he attempted to grasp the ground and pull himself towards the blade.
No, no god damn way!
Without hesitation, I quickly ran over and kicked the knife out of his reach. Owen paused for an instant as he realized what his brother had been trying to do.
Twisting around, he hunched over Brice, every muscle flexing. “You god damn liar!” He wrenched his shoulder back, slamming red knuckles into his jaw. “Talk it out man to man? And then you'd stab me, is that it?”
Years of pent up madness fell from each fist. A shallow grunt followed every strike. This was a moment that had been building for some time. While I didn't know the total history between these men, the tragedy—the betrayal—was obvious.
It hit me that my phone was still in my pocket. I pulled it out and started to dial the police. I worried that, if no one stopped him, Owen would murder Brice right in front of me.
“Owen!” Brice shouted. “I'm your brother! Stop!”
Owen lifted himself up high, his fist pulled back as he let one last blow connect. He stood over the beaten and battered man, glaring down on him with genuine hate. “No. You're not my brother anymore, Brice. And I'm not your little puppet, either.”
Sitting up, Brice wiped at the blood staining his teeth. “Just this one time. That's it! They're going to kill me, man!” His eyes were as wide as they could go.
“No, I'll never help you again.” As Owen spoke he stood taller. Turning towards me, he began to take long strides my way.
Brice reached his arm out, attempting to grab his ankle. “Please! I'll come clean, I'll clear your name, I'll go to the cops and tell them what really happened that night. That I was the one who killed that guard, that I was the leader of that job and you had only tried to stop me. You tried to talk me out of it! I'll tell them everything! Please! You can't let them kill me, Owen!” His voice shook as he spoke.
What?
The words took a second to set in.
Owen didn't really commit that murder?
I couldn't believe what I'd just heard. To find out that Owen had spent a decade locked up for a crime he didn't commit stunned me. All that time he had taken the fall for his brother.
But, why?
My eyes froze on Owen as this revelation came out. The words sat in my mind, unable to fully process.
He isn't the murderer everyone thinks he is. He was a brother just trying to protect his kin.
And now he's here, protecting me, protecting his baby.
Owen looked down at Brice, disgust curling his lips. “I don't give a shit what you do, from here on out it'll never involve me. You understand?”
Brice rolled around, grimacing as he said nothing. Leaves clung to him from all the blood and sweat. Once, he tried to stand, but just curled over in pain instead. Light moans escaped his mouth as he twisted with discomfort.
This was a beaten man.
The danger he'd represented was gone.
Owen closed the distance between us. In the distance, sirens blared as they approached. “You alright?” He held out his hand, like he was going to pull me in.
I rushed forward, beating him to it. Clinging to his middle, I let out a long rush of relieved air. “Yeah, now I'm okay.”
“Good,” he said into my temple. “I just... that's such a relief.”
His strength circled me, his nose in my scalp. For a minute we just held each other, our hands linking between us. Finally, I spoke up. “Is it true? You didn't kill that man years ago?”
His chest rose as he inhaled a deep breath, fingers gently brushing the hair from my face. “I wanted to save my brother. Just like he had saved me so many times. I fucked up though, Charlie. He used me over and over again. Same as he was trying to do now.” He turned his head away and looked over at Brice.
“Why didn't you ever say anything?” I asked. This was difficult for me to grasp. For a person to spend that much time behind bars for a crime they didn't do, it made no sense.
“It took me a long time to open my eyes to what had really happened and the role I played. Who would've believed me anyway?” His head dipped as he spoke. “It doesn't matter anymore. It's over.”
I placed my hand under his chin and brought his gaze to mine. “Did you mean what you said? That you love me?”
Taking my wrist in his fingers, he smiled lightly. “Of course. I love you, Charlotte Laroche. And I love our baby.” His palm cradled my stomach possessively.
When he said my full name, my heart skipped a beat. I fell against him, our bodies as close as could be. His embrace felt perfect and secure; muscles that had just been used to defend me, now held my body with such delicacy.
This is where I belong, right here with him.
The words floated effortlessly off my tongue. “I love you, too.”
He hugged me tightly, my cheek resting against his chest. My arms firmly clenched around his sides, unwilling to loosen my grip even as the high pitch of the sirens echoed through the trees.
Owen looked up at the approaching vehicles, his skin an alternating glow of red and blue. He pulled my waist in closer as we stood in the darkness.