The Sinister Silhouette

I grunt and bellow as I pound his face until it’s a bloody mess. Bone crunches beneath my fingers, teeth bite into my knuckles, blood sprays my face and chest, and he’s no longer moving. It’s not enough. If Jules is gone, it’ll never be enough. There’s nothing I can do to Theo that will make the pain of losing her easier.

Someone screams my name, but I’m too far gone in my rage to pay them any attention. I don’t stop. I can’t stop. It’s like I’m possessed and there’s no hope for whatever has a hold of me.

A broken cry, a sob of despair, and the scent of wildflowers have my movements slowing. I look up to the bed and see Jules’s face. At first, I think it’s just a vision, like one of my dreams, and my anger multiplies. It’s the blood on her face mixed with tears that breaks through my crazed state. She has a bruise on her temple, smeared blood all over her face, and her cheek is swollen and sporting a scrape, but she’s alive. She has to be because she’s looking at me over the edge of the bed. A dead person can’t do that.

I’m sitting on Theo one second and the next I’m on the bed with Jules. She’s on her knees, and I quickly crawl my way to her. I don’t stop until my legs are on either side of hers and my arms are around her middle. I pick her up and fall to my ass with her in my lap. My body hunches over her, and I cradle her in my arms. I didn’t stop to think of how I must look and her possible reaction to the violence still radiating off me, but luckily, she doesn’t seem to be fazed. She’s actually clinging to me just as much as I am to her, and that feels fucking amazing. I need her in my arms. I’m not sure I would have been able to handle it if she pushed me away.

“Fuck me, Jules. I was so scared I lost you.” My voice is raw even to my own ears.

I rock her gently back and forth as she cries in my arms. I’m man enough to admit my own tears drip on the top of her head. The thought of losing her is paralyzing. I squeeze my eyes shut and push the thought away. She’s not gone. She’s still breathing and here with me.

When I open my eyes again, I find Kale on his phone, hovering over Theo, I’m sure to make sure he doesn’t get up. If he’s still alive. Not one ounce of regret hits me when I think of my brother dead. Maybe it should, especially because what Theo has done is so out of character for him, but there’s nothing.

I glance down at him. His face is covered in exposed meaty flesh and blood. I look at his chest and see it rise and fall.

I bring my gaze back to Kale and see him pocket his phone. “Cops are on their way.” His eyes flicker to Jules. “So is an ambulance. I called a buddy of mine who has an uncle that’s a cop. He’s calling him so they don’t take fucking forever to get here.”

“Thanks,” I grunt gruffly.

My attention moves back to Jules. She’s shaking, but thankfully she’s no longer sobbing, just crying silently. I tangle my fingers in her hair and gently pull her head back. I need to see her face, not only to assess the damage, but also to reassure myself she’s alive.

Before I get a chance to take a good look, she implores brokenly, “Please take me out of here. I can’t stand to be in this room.”

Moving carefully, I slide across to the side of the bed Theo isn’t on and stand with her still in my arms. I cup the back of her head and put it against my chest, careful of the bruise on her temple, before turning back to Kale.

“Make sure he stays there until the cops get here.”

“Already on it.” His eyes are hard when he moves them to Theo’s still form.

I walk out into the living room and gingerly sit on the couch.

“Look at me, baby. Let me see your face.”

She lifts her head from my neck and the damage done to her face breaks my fucking heart. I gave her my promise that Theo wouldn’t touch her again. That promise was broken. Knowing that she came here on her own is unimportant. Theo should have never been able to reach her, and the fact that I wasn’t there to protect her will live inside me forever.

“Your face,” I rumble thickly. “I’m so fucking sorry.”

“Don’t,” she croaks. “I came here knowing the risk I was taking.” She sounds so damn weak.

It doesn’t help. I still feel like a useless bastard.

When she shivers, it reminds me that her shirt is torn down the middle, leaving her chest exposed, except for her bra. I rip off my shirt, leaving me in a wife beater, and help her put it on.

I push her hair out of her face, being mindful of the bruise and the scrape on her cheek. Thankfully, the damage doesn’t seem to be too bad, but I still want her seen by a doctor. This time I’m not giving her a choice.

“The cops are on their way,” I tell her. “I want him arrested.” I strengthen my voice to let her know this time she has no choice but to press charges. I give her the God’s honest truth next. “If he’s not in jail, I’ll hunt him down and kill him.”

I don’t tell her that to scare her, but to let her know I’m dead fucking serious. And it’s true. The only thing that stopped me today was my need to make sure she was okay. Had she been gone or not stopped me, I would’ve kept at Theo until someone pulled me off him.

“Okay,” she answers weakly.

Her eyes drift closed, and it sends an alarm going off in my head. The bruise on her temple is starting to swell and turn a deep purple.

“Jules, baby, open your eyes for me.”

They flutter open, but I can tell she’s struggling. I’m no doctor, not even close to one, but I know it’s not safe for a person with a head injury to fall unconscious.

I give her a shake when they close again. “Don’t go to sleep. You need to keep your eyes open.” I can’t keep the panic from my voice.