VEGASPETE🔞+KILL FOR YOU

Chepter 9

PETE POV

“Where the fuck have you been?” Jake’s murderous voice barks as I walk into the apartment.

He storms toward me, anger etched on his face. Shay stands in the corner, wincing and body recoiling. His exhausted eyes say a lot. He’s still healing, but his concern for me keeps him in the room.

“Jake, I'm twenty-four. I don't have to answer to you,” I say. Making my body rigid, and keeping my head held high, I try to stand up to him, but as he walks closer towards me, I can feel myself shutting down. Desperate for something to keep me grounded, I think of Veges and try to channel the strength that fills me when I’ve been with him. Our interactions aren't even friendly, business-like at best, but his confidence and fearlessness bleed into me, giving me a strength I have rarely been able to show.

My brother’s laugh is vicious, and I know nothing good will happen tonight. He won't allow it.

“Because I’m the head of this crew and need to know where you are. I fucking own you, baby brother, remember?” he challenges.

His manipulative words hit where he wants them to, and I’m spinning.

I try to stop the images from showing themselves, but they come anyway.

“You are mine now, baby brother. I own you,” he’d said. “You only have me to rely on.”

He repeated that to me so often that eventually it became true. I believed it.

His voice is like an army of ants biting my skin, and a strong urge to hit my head against something to stop the thoughts it conjures is overpowering. I want to peel myself out of my own body so that I don't have to share my mind with the boy trying to overpower my thoughts. Jake can control him, but I won’t let him have any piece of me.

With every last piece of strength I have, I manage to compose myself enough to answer. I come up with the only lie I can think of. “I was out having a drink. It's not fair I get singled out. I don't see Tommy around … you gonna call him out too?”

Frustration overtakes all reasoning just as the first punch hits my face, knocking me into the wall behind me. Before I can sink to the floor, my jaw burning from the impact, Jake pulls me back up and slams me into the hard surface of the wall where I can already feel the tenderness of bruises forming on my back from the force. The last beating was over a month ago. At least I’ve had time to heal.

“It's about time you remember who’s boss here. You are mine, and I will make sure you remember,” he threatens, pushing his forehead into mine. His breathing is coming in fast from all the adrenaline that must be pumping through his veins. He gets a twisted thrill from treating me this way, and before I know it, he punches me again in the stomach. I fall to the ground, and then the impact of his booted foot into my ribs takes my breath away. There's another kick to my back and I try to roll away from the onslaught of punches.

Shit, this one’s going to be bad. I can’t breathe, it’s like my stomach has pushed my lungs into my throat. Tears build behind my eyes, but he won’t have them.

It’s okay. It’s okay. It’ll all be over soon.

That chant repeats over and over as the young boy tries to soothe me. Another fist lands on my face, dizziness and a wave of sickness hit me like a freight train. I'm on the verge of passing out. I wish he would just kill me.

We just need to keep quiet. It’ll be okay. It’ll be over soon. Just hold on.

“Jake! Leave him alone man, that's enough. He knows now,” Shay shouts from a distance. Everything is starting to sound far away, like they are at the end of a tunnel, and my ears are ringing.