Stained

Chapter 108

"I..." I used to be friends with a girl named Saphire, we were really close and she used to come to my house but we fell out the year my life went to hell. She made new friends and forgot me like everyone else.

My eyes widen. She's friends with them.

"Rose." Damien grips my upper arms, his hold almost on the verge of painful.

"I was friends with a girl that came to my house sometimes. But I... I don't think she'd tell..." I trail off. She's the type to do anything to get attention or be liked more.

But that was years ago. She's an adult now. Hopefully, she has changed.

"They just went in the direction of your house," Damien says.

My mouth falls open. No! They don't know! "Alex and Anthony have seen me go up the hill to my house many times but I don't think..." But they don't know where exactly I live. I hope they don't.

Damien looks conflicted and maybe even a little scared. "I need to call someone."

Before he can turn around, I grab his arm. He can't just turn away without giving me any answers. Especially now when I've clearly been brought into it. "I deserve to know why you beat that guy up!"

"Hazel."

I've realised not only does he call me Hazel when he's mad but also when he is keeping me at a distance and I hate it. Hate that I told him what happened to me but when it comes to him he never tells me anything.

"Tell me! I told you the worst thing that has ever happened to me, yet you can't tell me who you fought with. Especially when he—." I point my finger in the direction Roman went in, in the direction of my damn house. "—thinks I have something to do with it. Before today I bet he didn't even know I existed."

Damien lets go of me and frantically tugs his hair.

I can feel the panic building once more, ready to blind me with its intensity.

"Answer me." I shove his chest.

"It's not that fucking simple," he spits.

"But you randomly beating people up is?"

"Damien answer me!" I shout when he doesn't respond. "Why did—."

"Because he tried to have my brother beat up!"

I stumble back a step. It takes me a moment to process his words. When it does some of the pieces of the puzzle fit together. The reason Hayden broke up with Hannah. So it wasn't a lie?

"He what..." my mind is on a whirlwind, trying to stay sane and keep up with this engrossing day.

He pulls out his phone and turns away. I let him this time because I need space. I need to think, need to process this all before I go crazy.

"You okay?" Damien's voice tares me out of my thoughts. He's done with his phone call already? I'm certain he went just a second ago?

I nod my head yes. I'm not really but he doesn't need to know that. He knows too much already. "I'm okay to go back to the car now."

"No, you're not." He grips my cheeks. "I'll fix this. I promise."

I swallow hard. "Okay," I murmur, my voice small and defeated. It's not his fault. He was only protecting his brother. Although, I am extremely against violence. Not only because it is brutal, but it almost always leads to retaliation. And from Roman's words, that is where things seem to be heading.

I see his eyes soften before he pulls me into his chest. I wrap my arms around his waist, feeling my heart calm to a rhythmic beat. I feel like I can finally breathe again. It's as if I was drowning and he is the oxygen reviving me.

A horrible thought occurs to me and I whip my head up from his chest. Damien pulls back slightly, his worried blue eyes search mine.

"What if they hurt you?" My thumb instinctively comes up to trace the cut above his eyebrow. Is this from the fight he had with that Vincent guy?

He smiles. Is he actually smiling right now? "Don't worry about me."

"I can't help it." I sigh and drop my hand.

He pushes a stray strand of hair behind my ear. "I want to show you something. But I need you to get on my back and close your eyes."

My eyes narrow in scepticism at his random words. "Why do I have to get on your back and close my eyes?"

He smoothes back my hair. "It's a surprise."

"I've had enough surprises for one day."

"Please," he pleads.

I blanch. "Did you just say please?" I'm staining him.

He playfully rolls his eyes. "Yes, I did, now will you get on my back or should I throw you over my shoulder and leave my ass as your view?" His hand descends from my waist to my backside where he cups it. "It's not as good as yours though."

I know he deflected and I want to kiss him so badly for doing it. For giving me what I didn't even know was possible. I had figured only self-harming could divert my mind away from my internal battles — never squabbling.

"I beg to differ." I immediately feel my cheeks heat. Did I say that out loud?

He cocks his head, a slow smirk spreading across his lips. "Did you just admit to liking my ass?"

I look away. "Maybe? I mean, it's been my view quite a lot so I've had to make myself like it." He's thrown me over his shoulder more times than I can count.

"Sure you did," he rubs my butt.

I stick my tongue out at him and he slaps my ass. I suck in a sharp breath, feeling my core clench.

"So what do you choose?"

"As much as I love your ass, I'll take the piggyback." Despite saying the words casually, my cheeks scorch red.

Shaking his head, he steps in front of me, giving me his back.

I peer down at my five ft two height then up at his over six ft height. "Erm Damien?"

He looks over his shoulder at me. "What?"

"You're too tall."

"You're too short." But he turns around, grips me under the arms and sits me on the small garden wall that belongs to a tall accented semi-detached house. I grab his shoulder, use it to stand up and then wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist.

"Don't drop me," I squeal as he grabs my thighs.

"I won't." He gazes at me over his shoulder. "Now close your eyes."

I comply and rest my cheek against his shoulder, feeling nervous, excited and happy all at the same time.

"Don't open them till I say so." He begins walking.

Excitement laces my tone as I ask, "can I have a clue?"

"Nope."