Damaged Souls (Broken Man) (8 page)

Why wouldn’t I?

Chapter Eight

I am not going to think about him tonight, Delaney decided as the limo pulled away from her house and she watched Jack, Amanda, and Logan wave good bye. That wouldn’t be fair to Mitch.

It’s not his fault Greg didn’t ask me, she returned his smile as they pulled onto the main road. He has done nothing wrong, she thought about what a gentleman he was, arranging the limo, picking out a beautiful corsage, making the necessary small talk with Jack and Amanda. And he looks great, Delaney admired his black tuxedo and warm smile.

“What are you thinking about,” Delaney let him interrupt her thoughts and put his hand on her leg.

“Nothing really,” she smiled and tried to break the ice. “Just about what a great time we are going to have tonight.”

“We are going to have a great time,” he reassured her as he went over their plans. “We’re going to pick up Jeff and Nancy and then head over to the club. And, we’re having a small party at my house afterward, my folks are out of town. What time did you say you had to be home.”

“I can stay out until two tonight,” Delaney replied, pleased Jack and Amanda had extended her midnight curfew.

“Okay, we’ll try to get you home on time. We have the limo all night.”

“Sounds good, Mitch,” she tried to be accommodating. “I don’t think it’s a big deal if I’m a few minutes late.”

This will be fun, Delaney tried to convince herself as they pulled into Jeff’s development and she had second thoughts. Jeff is such a jerk, she remembered his crude comments at school and wondered why he and Mitch were friends. It’s probably just because they play football together, she gave Mitch a break and prepared to be polite.

“What’s up dude,” Jeff bumped fists with Mitch as he rudely climbed into the limo before Nancy and took up most of the space. “Hey Delaney, what’s up.”

“Hi, Jeff, how are you,” Delaney tried to be nice as she took in Jeff’s wrinkled tuxedo accessorized with a bolo tie and cowboy boots. “Hey Nancy.”

“Hey girl, are you finally ready to party,” Jeff’s equally classless girlfriend seemed to have already started as she nearly fell out of her dress. “We’re going to have fun with you tonight.”

“Yes we are,” Delaney replied awkwardly, not sure how to answer.

Delaney’s mind drifted back to her thoughts as they made their way to the club and she broke her earlier vow not to think about Greg. I wonder what he is doing right now, she imagined being with him as she traded the limo for his rusty truck and finally felt comfortable. I made a bad decision, Delaney realized as she thought of kissing Greg softly and felt herself getting emotional.

Stop it, Delaney, she commanded herself and came to her senses. It’s going to be be fine, she forced herself to rejoin the conversation. It’s just for a few hours, Delaney rationalized as she plastered on a fake smile and prepared herself for torture.

* * *

“Snap out if it, Greg,” Sheila snapped her fingers and tried to get his attention.

“I’m sorry, Sheila,” Greg returned to the moment and tried to do his job. “Do you need anything.”

“I just need you to stop kicking yourself. There is nothing you can do, honey. Just start to make things right tomorrow, okay.”

“What if she likes him,” Greg finally spoke of the inevitable, for once showing weakness. “What am I going to do then.”

“Greg, cut it out, you are worrying me,” Sheila gave him good advice. “Just tell her how you feel, trust me, she won’t be able to resist. I see how she looks at you.”

“You think so,” Greg was still unsure of himself. “She has never said anything.”

“Of course she hasn’t. She has been waiting for you to say something all along.”

“I hope so,” Greg replied as he watched Jack arrive through the doors on the other side of the room to inspect the event. “What time do you think the party will get done tonight.”

“Probably around midnight, are you planning a late night rendezvous,” Sheila went back to teasing him.

“No,” he didn’t have any idea of what he was planning as his mind again drifted. “Just curious.”

Greg thoughts turned to Jack and Amanda back at the house getting Delaney ready for the prom as he watched Jack shake hands with the event host. How beautiful she must look in her dress, how happy she must be. I should have been there, it was painful to think of Mitch coming by to pick her up instead of him.

Mitch Caldwell. Every time that name ran through his head, Greg could feel himself getting angry. He had better be a gentleman, Greg felt nothing but jealousy as he pictured him with her. I hope they have a lousy time, he decided as he thought about what was best for him.

No, I hope she has a good time, Greg finally gave up and thought about what was best for her.

* * *

Is it over yet, Delaney thought to herself as she took a sip of wine and stood in the corner of Mitch’s expansive living room.

At least the night started out okay, she remembered dinner at the club. Yes, that was nice. Delaney didn’t eat much, worried about messing up her lipstick and how her figure looked in a strapless gown, but it was fun talking to some of her teachers and dancing with her friends. Why couldn’t they have just stayed there all night.

Instead, they had left at eleven to go to Mitch’s house for what was supposed to be a small party. I guess you could call it small if you considered all the seniors on the football team and their dates an intimate gathering. Would it be impolite to leave at midnight, Delaney looked at her watch and decided it was time to go.

I better find Mitch first, she didn’t know where her date had gotten to as she scanned the room and tried to look past the gathering of football players shotgunning beers and doing shots. This is just not my thing, Delaney decided as she began the search for a bathroom, moving upstairs rather than fighting the line that had formed at the downstairs bathroom.

Finally, relief, Delaney relaxed as she closed the door and found peace. His house is nice, she admired the granite and the quality of the fixtures as she checked her makeup and dress. Too bad I can’t say the same thing about him, Delaney thought to herself as she remembered the last hour.

It was like he immediately changed once he left the club and arrived home. Gone were the manners and politeness on display in public, replaced by heavy drinking and crude displays of obnoxiousness with his buddies. He had barely even spoken to her since their arrival, trading her company for some beer and whiskey. Maybe I should just call Jack and Amanda to pick me up, Delaney considered her options. Or, maybe I should call Greg, she thought about him working just down the road.

Delaney smiled as she thought of him. After tonight, she appreciated his simple kindness more than ever. No, she had nothing in common with most of these kids, but Greg, he truly understood her, he appreciated everything about her. Tomorrow, I’m going to tell him everything I feel, Delaney looked in the mirror and at last found comfort in her feelings for him.

Time to go, Delaney was relieved as she unlocked the door to leave the bathroom. I don’t need to talk to Mitch, she decided as she turned the corner and opted instead to call Greg when she got outside.

But, her plan was suddenly interrupted as she saw Mitch blocking the stairs. This isn’t good, Delaney didn’t like the look she saw in his eyes.

“Where have you been,” he asked abruptly as Delaney could smell the liquor on his breath.

“I was in the ladies room,” she answered quietly. “I think I am going to go home,” Delaney shared her plans as she tried to go around him.

“You’re not going anywhere,” he interrupted her progress as he grabbed her arm and tried to kiss her.

“Let go of me, Mitch,” she tried to get away but his grip was too strong.

“Get over here,” he pulled her to the end of he hallway as she tried to scream but was drowned out by the music. “We’ve got until 2:00 and it’s prom night,” Mitch reminded her as he forced her into the bedroom.

“Mitch, please stop,” Delaney cried as she tried to resist. “Please let me go.”

“Quiet down,” he commanded her as his grip got tighter and he tried to shove his tongue down her throat.

“No,” she cried as she resisted him to no avail and realized her prom night had turned into a nightmare.

And then it got worse. Mitch pinned her against the wall and his hands moved all over her body. This can’t be happening to me, Delaney couldn’t stop crying as she tried to fight him off and he pulled down the top of her dress. I need to stop him, Delaney realized as his mouth attacked her breast and his hand reached between her legs.

Luckily, her knee found its target in his moment of distraction, and as he crumbled in pain, Delaney made her break for the door. Crying hysterically, Delaney didn’t care about the scene she made as she ran down the stairs holding her dress up as best she could. Flying through the front door, she couldn’t run fast enough as she kicked off her heels and ran down the road.

What just happened to me, Delaney finally stopped to catch her breath and couldn’t stop crying. As she tried to fix her dress and find a place to hide, she was surprised that somehow she had managed to hold onto her purse. Delaney quickly found her phone, but could barely operate it as her hands continued to shake until finally she managed to punch in his number.

Thank God it’s ringing, I need him now, Delaney realized as she heard him answer the phone.

* * *

“Delaney, are you okay,” Greg immediately answered his phone and heard her crying, unable to really respond.

“Greg, I need you,” she barely managed to form words.

He forgot about the work he was finishing up and ran to the door while trying to keep her calm. “I’ll be there in a second. Stay on the phone, Delaney, tell me where you are.”

“I’m somewhere near Mitch’s house,” Delaney seemed to calm down a little.

“I’m two minutes away,” he assured her as he jumped into his truck and was grateful she was close. Don’t you dare fail me now, he thought as his engine obeyed his command and he peeled out of the parking lot.

“Turning Meadows, right,” Greg confirmed the location although he had been there many times.

“Yes, I’m just down the road from his house,” she started to cry again. “Please hurry Greg.”

“I’m almost there, don’t put down the phone,” he started to cry as he felt Delaney’s pain. “I love you Delaney. It’s going to be okay.”

He worried when she didn’t reply and he increased his speed as he approached the development. “Delaney, you still there.”

“I’m here, Greg,” she reassured him. “I love you too, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay, don’t be sorry,” he said as he turned onto Mitch’s road. “I’m here now. Where are you, Delaney.”

And then he saw her as she stepped out from behind a row of hedges. It was a feeling he would never forget, the feeling of knowing she was going to safe as he pulled his truck over and ran to her.

As he took her into his arms, Greg finally understood what he should have known all along. He was in love with her, and Delaney was in love with him too.

Chapter Nine

What is Greg doing here?

Jack immediately knew something was wrong when he heard the sound of Greg’s truck pulling into the driveway. It’s after midnight, he realized as he jumped off the couch and sprang into action, running outside just in time to see Greg help Delaney out of the truck. Seeing her condition, Jack suddenly felt an anger he hadn’t experienced in a long time.

Crying uncontrollably, her hair and makeup ruined, her shoes gone, a large bruise on her arm, Jack didn’t need to be told what had happened. His first reaction to kill someone, Jack consciously calmed himself down, knowing that wasn’t the answer, at least not yet. He needed to concentrate on taking care of Delaney.

He scooped her into his arms and carried her to the house where they were met by Amanda, who immediately started to cry. The feeling of impotence both foreign and painful to him, Jack tried to comfort both of them as he led the way to their bedroom. Finding a calm sanctuary, he laid Delaney down on the bed and tended to her wounds as Amanda held her and she tried to tell them what happened.

“It happened so fast,” she tried to explain. “Everything was fine at the club, but once we got back to his house, he started drinking and turned into someone else.”

“Delaney, you don’t have to tell us now,” Jack tried to soothe her. “Just try to relax.”

“It was awful. I was going to leave, but he forced me into the bedroom and his hands were all over me. I tried to scream but he wouldn’t stop. I don’t know how I got away,” she started to cry even harder.

“It’s okay Delaney, you are safe now,” Jack tried to maintain his composure as he took her into his arms. “No one is going to hurt you, I promise.”

Finally, after a few minutes, he was able to regain a little control over the situation as Delaney and Amanda somehow managed to calm down. Now it’s time to take action, Jack again sensed his anger as he walked into the hallway to consider his alternatives. I could easily do that, he suddenly pictured his hands wrapped around Mitch’s neck.

“Jack, don’t do anything stupid,” Amanda’s words snapped him out of his murderous trance as he felt her hand touch his arm.

“I’m not going to,” he replied as he realized they had too much to lose and reached for his cell phone to call the police. “Take care of Delaney, I’ll be back in a second,” he decided to step away so Delaney wouldn’t overhear his conversation.

Then, he was overcome by a sickening feeling as a shot of adrenaline coursed through his veins. Oh no, he thought to himself as he quickly searched the house but didn’t find what he was looking for. “Oh shit,” he said out loud as he realized what was missing and knew right away this night was not going to end well.

Greg was gone.

* * *

I am going to kill him, Greg understood his fate as he arrived at Mitch’s house. And nothing is going to stop me, he realized as he slammed the door of his truck.

How could he have done that to Delaney, Greg’s anger boiled over as he thought of her crying. It’s like molesting a child. I should have never let her go with him, he thought of her innocence as he ran up the stairs.