Uncontrollable (Punk Luke Hemmings)

Chapter 16

For the first time since I've met him, Luke's car is silent, no music gliding out of the speakers. And that, more than his stiff body language and tensed mouth, tells me more about how much I really must have freaked him out by talking (if one would call it that) to AJ and then disappearing.

"Luke-" I start but he cuts me off with a head shake, sucking in a deep breath before talking.

"Look, Andy, just shut up and let me tell you something. You scared the absolute shit out of me. And Ashton. And Michael. And Calum. I warned you not to talk to AJ. I deliberately told you not to. And you did it anyway. And then we can't find you anywhere after you sneak off to go talk to him. You know how much of a douche he is." Luke stops, and I can sense how much he's trying to keep in for my sake. He's mad, but he's not going to explode. Not at me.

I stare out the window, avoiding his piercing gaze. "I know."

It's silent for a moment before he speaks again, this time his voice low and less in control, rage bubbling beneath the surface. "Don't ever pull a fucking stunt like that again. If you do, I will find you, and haul your ass out over my shoulder. Are we understood?"

I nod, but stay quiet, watching the scenery pass by out the window, letting Luke work his anger out. AJ's words drifting aimlessly through my head. My legs fold themselves under me. He keeps muttering expletives under his breath, anger seeping through his tone for a few minutes before he finally pulls into my driveway. He leans his head back against the headrest, peering at me from under long eyelashes.

"What even happened between you and AJ? What did he say that made you call Rose when I was less than a minute away?" A small undertone of jealousy is laced through his words.

I bite my lips, glancing away from him, pulse racer faster as I remember once again the dark conversation. Luke speaks again, this time more urgently, less enviously, worried by my silence. "Andy, what happened?"

His jaw is clenched, and without thinking, I reach my hand over and rest it against his cheek. He leans into my hand, eyes softening as they follow the length of my bare arm, uncovered by my tank top. His eyes stop a few inches above my elbow, eyes widening significantly. I realize too late that it's the arm AJ bruised, and try to retract it, to hide it, but Luke grabs my wrist gently, extending my arm again to examine the already ugly bruise, vaguely shaped like fingers.

In an absolutely still voice like the calm before the storm, Luke speaks. "Did AJ do that?"

I pull my arm out of his grasp, opening the door and climbing out. "It doesn't matter."

I don't want to defend AJ, but with the look in Luke's eyes right now, I don't know what he'd do. I won't let him do something on my behalf. His eyes are almost swallowed by the pupil, turning black with rage he was trying to keep at bay. His arms are tense, veins popping out like rigged road maps beneath the inked skin. Luke follows me out of the car, door slamming behind him, stalking up the path to my front door with me.

"Doesn't matter? Doesn't matter? Andy, you have a goddamn bruise on your arm. He hurt you!" Luke says harshly into my ear as I struggle to unlock the door with shaking fingers.

His hand covers mine, anger diminishing for a moment as he gently takes the keys from me and unlocks the door with steadier movements than mine allowed. The door swings open and I trudge inside, Luke following closely behind me, starting to talk again.

"Who the hell did that? If it wasn't AJ then who was if? I will fucking kill them." Luke threatens, keeping up a steady flow of questions and threats until we're in my room. I turn to walk to the bathroom, ignoring Luke, who takes a seat on my bed, mid rant.