A Loaded Gun

Chapter 5

A/N this chapter is courtesy of @mikaylaplayz.  I didn't think anyone was reading this story and she gave me some confidence to continue.

My thoughts were going a mile a minute.  She looked unhappy walking out of the house.  Either she didn't want to leave it, which seems crazy, or she was crying in there. 

I pulled into the long, winding driveway of our house.  This was the part of the drive I was excited about; her seeing her new home. 

She might as well have lived in a garbage dump when comparing her old house to this one.  Six bedrooms, with an open layout and 3 stories. 

The kitchen took up a quarter of the entire first story, and there was a game room and theater.  She would love it. 

I stared at her wondering expression as she took in the old Colonial house with a second and third floor balcony. 

Can't really find something like this in New York very often.  It was what I called home, and hopefully she would too.

Brooke POV

Holy crap.  That is a big house.  I've never seen anything like it.  Marcus glanced over at me, smiling at my shocked look and wide eyes. 

I'm gonna live here?  Probably not in one of the rooms, they wouldn't put me in a room. 

I would be happy with an attic though.  An attic here is probably better than my room back there. 

I was so lost in the beauty of the house that I didn't realize Marcus had turned the car off and was just looking at me.  I snapped out of my daze and asked, "Can I get out of the car?" 

He seemed puzzled that I had asked permission, but it was drilled into my head that I needed to ask permission for everything. 

I didn't think it would be any different here.  Frowning, he nodded his head and unlocked the doors. 

Walking up the curving sidewalk to the majestic front steps, I hesitated when I reached the doors.  Do I knock?  Wait for him to do something? 

I wasn't going to just walk in without permission.  He slipped past me and opened the door, gesturing for me to come inside. 

I gazed around the foyer, realizing I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life.  Just then I did something that made me want to have the power to turn back time or erase memories.

"BOYS!  COME DOWNSTAIRS!"  I didn't mean to flinch.  I promised myself I wouldn't let them find out about the abuse.  They would be sympathetic, and I can't do sympathy. 

But I flinched, right in front of Marcus.  When he glanced at me weirdly, I offered a shaky smile in response. 

As I heard the steady thumps of footsteps running down stairs, I shrunk more and more into myself. 

I didn't want to meet more men.  What if they were like Benny? 

3 boys shuffled into the foyer, and luckily didn't notice me.

"Hey Marcus, where'd you go?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Brooke, I'd like you to meet Lucas, Michael, and Daniel.  They're your older brothers."

I couldn't handle the noise that came after.  The boys were clamoring after Marcus, demanding answers to questions like

"Where did you find her?" "When did you know about her?" and "Why the hell is she here?" 

That one hurt.  Marcus was trying to answer their questions, but it was getting too loud.  I started hyperventilating, hugging myself and shrinking as far back as I could.

"HEY!"  I couldn't help it.  I jumped.  When am I gonna stop being so scared?

"I'll answer all your questions, just come into the living room." Marcus was the voice of reason. 

He managed to corral all 3 boys into a large living room with a sectional, two recliners, and a flat screen TV hanging against the wall. 

I sat gently on the huge couch as far away from the sources of stress as possible, hoping no one noticed the mini panic attack I had earlier. 

"Alright, one at a time.  Who has questions?"  All three boys raised their hands.

"Lucas, what's your question?"
"Where was she all this time?" 

"She was living with her stepfather about 15 minutes away."

"You mean we never looked around this area?  What the hell is wrong with us?"  What do they mean?  Were they looking for me?

"Wasn't she living with Mom?  Where is she?" 

My eyes stung and I looked down at my hands, which suddenly seemed very interesting. 

"We'll save that for another time, Michael."
"Why the hell did you bring her back here?  This is no place for her."

I flinched away.  I knew I wasn't wanted here, it was only a matter of time.

"Daniel, that is entirely inappropriate.  Apologize immediately."

The boy now identified as Daniel glared at me and muttered something under his breath before storming out. 

I glanced shyly up at Marcus: "Could I see where I am staying?"  I wasn't expecting much; maybe the same set up I had back there.  Anything, as long they're not like him. 

That was why I was surprised when Marcus led me to a room with a door.  I didn't think I would get a door.  Then I got the craziest shock of my life when he opened the door.  I was expecting a dark closet, with maybe a small mattress. 

Instead, I got a room bigger than half of my old house, with big windows and a queen sized bed with a purple comforter.  There was a balcony, and a white bookshelf built into the wall. 

I stared, stunned at the gorgeous light-filled room.
"This–this is where I'm staying?  Are you sure?  There's no mistake?"

He raised an eyebrow, staring at me thoughtfully.  "Where else would you stay?  This is your room."  He must be lying. 

This is just to get me to let my guard down, then he'll give me my real room.  Whatever it is, I'll appreciate it while I have it.

"Well, thank you.  It's better than I could have imagined."  That's not saying much, but he doesn't have to know that. 

"I know it's late.  I'll let you get to bed."

After he left, I just stood in the center of the room, taking in the splendor of the giant room.  I didn't feel like I was worthy of sleeping on such a huge fluffy bed. 

Maybe I would just take a sheet.  Hopefully they wouldn't get upset with that.  I mean, obviously they're only trying to get me to relax before they start acting like Benny. 

Even Benny let me have a blanket.  My stomach growled unhappily.  I guess they didn't want me to eat.  I understood that, it's just that I hadn't eaten in a couple days. 

I wouldn't risk trying to sneak down and get something though.  4 large men would do 4 times the damage. 

I pulled a decorative pillow off the bed and grabbed a thin sheet, curling up on the ground next to the bed.  Hopefully they won't be mad I took a pillow.