Bare Yourself (Consumed)

I’ve never seen Logan look so angry before. He’s normally one of the happiest guys you’ve ever met. Now though, his eyes are slitted and not the normal light gray, but a stormy color. There’s a tight line around his mouth, and the vein in his neck throbs.

“Your brother is a fucking crazy asshole,” Logan growls.

I look down and see his hands balled into fists. My stomach plummets when I notice his knuckles have dried blood on them. I glance back at his face and search it, not noticing any damage.

“What happened?” I ask again, but this time my voice comes out a croak. Minnie grabs my hand and walks me over to the couch.

“The motherfucker tried barging into the house, that’s what happened. When I told him you weren’t here, he obviously didn’t believe me.” He lifts his hand and flexes his fingers. “I knocked his fucking teeth down his throat when he tried shoving his way in and got busted knuckles in the process. With blood spewing from his mouth, he left.”

I wince. It hurts me knowing that my brother got hurt, but it hurts even more that he forced Logan to hurt him. I don’t blame Logan, I blame Bryan for forcing Logan’s hand.

Tears gather in my eyes when I tell Logan, “You need to have a blood test done.”

Minnie’s hand in mine gets tighter.

“Yeah,” he grunts. “I figured as much when I saw the track marks on his arms. Office closes early today. I’ll make an appointment tomorrow.”

My jaw clenches in anger. If Logan gets some type of disease from Bryan’s blood from all the shooting up he’s done, I’ll kill him myself.

My eyes slide back and forth between Minnie’s and Logan’s. “I swear I never told him where I was. He didn’t even know I was coming to Atlanta.”

“Not your fault, Willow,” Logan reassures me in a firm tone, but I still feel like it is. If it wasn’t for me, Bryan would have never stepped foot on their property. It makes me sick to think of what could have happened if Minnie had opened the door.

Minnie grabs my face and forces me to look at her. “Don’t blame yourself for this. We’re your friends, and friends are there for each other. Besides, I forced you to stay with us, remember?”

“But he could have hurt you or Luna.” I shake my head. “It would kill me if something happened to either of you.”

“But he didn’t, and he won’t.”

“Fuck no, he won’t,” Logan growls.

I nod, but it still doesn’t make me feel any better. They can say it wasn’t my fault until they are blue in the face, but the fact remains, I brought Bryan here. I should have been more stern about staying in a hotel until I could find my own place.

“I’m going to go pack my things. I have a couple more places to look at tomorrow. Hopefully one of them will pan out. I’ll stay in a hotel until then.”

When I go to get up, Minnie tightens her hand around mine.

“You’re not going anywhere,” she states, her voice unyielding.

“But—” I don’t get to protest before Logan cuts in.

“Your ass is staying here, where I can keep watch on you until this fucker is gone.”

“Logan—”

“It’s not up for debate, Willow. I saw your brother. He’s obviously unstable. There’s no way I’m letting you go out on your own with him loose. There’s no telling what he’ll do. You’re staying, so get used to it.”

I bristle, both at his tone and what he says. I don’t want to think Bryan would hurt me, it makes my chest feel tight, but Logan’s right. There’s no telling what Bryan will do. I know this more than anyone. I’ve told them bits and pieces of how bad it’s gotten, but they don’t know the worst parts. They don’t know the horrors I’ve seen caused by Bryan.

“Are you sure?” Logan doesn’t answer, just gives me a look. I sigh and rub my clammy hands down my skirt. “Only for a little while.” When Logan goes to interrupt, I don’t let him this time. “We’ll see how things play out. Maybe you scared him enough to leave.”

He gives me a doubtful look, but doesn’t reply. Yeah, I don’t believe me either. If my brother was willing to come all this way, something I have no clue how he did because he has no money, I’m sure getting his teeth knocked in won’t get him to back off. Fear races down my spine when I think about what Bryan may do next.

I look at Logan, then Minnie, and then let my eyes settle on the bassinet where Luna is still sleeping. I love my friends with my whole heart. They’re more than friends to me, they’re the only family I have left. I’d do anything for them, anything to protect them, just as much as they apparently would do for me.

I send up a silent prayer that me being here doesn’t hurt them. I love my brother, but the man he is now isn’t him, so if I should have to choose, I’d pick these three people to protect over him. I just hope it doesn’t come to that.