Being Nobody (The Witness Series #1) Read online

  “I’m fine,” I forced a smile as I leaned my head back on the seat. The truth was that I was worried. I had been thinking about my mom for most of the day. Wondering where she was, if she was ok, if Kevin would even tell me if I called him. Then, there was Brian, I was more confused now than ever. He wasn’t at all like I thought he’d be. It was as if I’d opened up a whole new person when I made him confront his feelings. The way he’d been treating me lately…it was as if he was trying to prove to me that he wasn’t the drug dealer I knew him to be.

  I don’t know how long we drove around, but before I knew it, darkness had settled around us. Brian pulled off to the side of the road, cut the engine, and turned to face me. “How are your feet?”

  “What?” I scrunched up my nose. “What do my feet have to do with anything?”

  “Do they hurt?” He grinned.

  “Nooooo,” I was confused and this line of questioning had me wondering what the hell he was planning to do.

  “Wait there,” he smirked as he shoved open his door. After turning the key so the radio would play and clicking the headlights back on, he climbed out and rounded the front of the car. When he reached my door, he opened it and held out his hand. “May I have this dance?” He smiled softly as he watched what I’m sure was shock spread across my face.

  I nodded, took his hand, and let him lead me to the front of the car. While headlights illuminated the grass in front of us, he tugged me into his arms. “Welcome to the moonlight ballroom,” he smiled. “I’ll be your host for the evening.”

  When he wrapped his arm around my waist, and threaded his fingers through my other hand, it was the end of keeping it together. Tears welled in my eyes, and as I fought the losing battle with my emotions, I watched Brian in awe. Who was this man? Tonight had completely thrown me for a loop, and I wasn’t sure I was awake anymore. Was this all a dream? It sure felt like it. Brian had single-handedly brought all my fantasies to life in the matter of a few hours.

  “What’s wrong?” He released my hand and gripped my chin.

  “Nothing,” I sniffed. “Nothing at all; it’s perfect,” I grabbed his hand again, and placed our linked fingers over his heart. I could feel it thundering away as we stood there swaying to the music. We were in our own little bubble at the moment and I wanted to savor every minute. I knew I needed to tell him…tell him everything, who I was, why I was hiding, what it meant for us and our future, and hope that he didn’t leave. I was afraid, afraid I’d lose him.

  “It seems like something to me,” he murmured as he tipped his chin down and placed a light kiss to the top of my head.

  “It’s not…I promise,” I mumbled and I closed my eyes and reveled in the heat radiating from him.

  We stayed like this for what seemed like hours, but I’m sure it was more like minutes. As one song blended into another, we swayed together…no words exchanged. Soft breaths and beating hearts were the only communication between us. It was like we knew the end was coming, but neither of us wanted to face it. A loud crack sounded in the distance, bringing us out of our bubble.

  “Sounds like a storm is coming,” Brian mused.

  “Yeah,” I agreed. If he only knew it wasn’t just a storm, it was a disaster of epic proportions.

  “Want to head back,” he paused the dancing as he stared down at me.

  “Not yet,” I murmured. “It’s just water…we won’t melt.” I wasn’t ready to go back to reality just yet. I was enjoying the fantasy, and I knew that once we left this spot, we’d never get this moment back. I had decided that tomorrow I would tell him. I’d lay it all out there and give him the choice. However, if he didn’t choose me…I’d leave. I’d call Kevin and disappear from Brian’s life.

  Brian chuckled, bringing me back from my thoughts and I turned to watch the lighting flash out in the distance. He loosened his hold on my waist and leaned down to kiss my lips. As soon as our mouths connected, the rain started. Slow at first, just a drop here and there, but as the kiss intensified, so did the downpour.

  It pelted us, sinking into our clothes, and chilling our skin. Brian grinned against my mouth as I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him close to me. I could feel the heat coming off his body through his wet shirt as he pressed himself into me. “You ready, now?” He murmured against my lips as I sank my fingers into the wet strands of his hair.

  “Sure,” I pulled back and looked up at him through my lashes. I heard him suck in a breath as he released me and jogged around to my side of the car, pulling me behind him. He opened the door and stood there grinning like a fool as I climbed in. After closing the door behind me, he made his way around to the driver’s side, and jumped into the seat. He laughed a boyish laugh as he shook his head from side-to-side slinging water droplets from his wet hair everywhere.

  “You’re terrible,” I squealed as he laughed. At that moment, he seemed years younger than he was, and I couldn’t help but laugh with him. His childishness was contagious, and, as he continued to shake his head, the car filled with our laughter.

  “Stop!” I giggled and reached for him. I placed my hand on his cheek, and tipped his head toward me. Leaning in, I placed a kiss laced with passion on his lips. “Take me home, and you can have more of that,” I teased and I watched his eyes go from playful to lust filled in a matter of seconds. He didn’t say a word as he cranked the engine and shoved the gearshift into drive.

  ooooooooo

  When we reached my apartment, we stumbled up the stairs, ripping at each other’s clothes along the way. The rain had made it hard, and frustrated grunts were coming from both of us.

  “Damn woman! Why did I listen to you, and let us get all wet?” Brian growled against my mouth as he tugged at my dress.

  “Shut up and kiss me,” I panted as I gave up on the buttons of his shirt, and yanked, causing them to fly in every direction.

  Brian broke the kiss before smirking at me and whipping his belt off. I stepped out of my shoes, and reached for his waistband, tugging him back to me as I watched his pupils dilate so large they practically filled his eyes.

  “You’re in a hurry tonight,” he chuckled as he grabbed the bottom of my dress and yanked it over my head.

  “You love it and you know it,” I giggled as I released the button on his jeans and shoved my hand inside. When I connected with the hard bulge covered in soft cotton, I gave it gentle squeeze. Brian groaned as his head fell forward landing on my shoulder. “Fuuuucckkk,” he hissed.

  He toed his shoes off as he shuffled us toward the bed, all the while shoving his jeans and boxers down his legs. My bra came next, and I yelped slightly when he yanked the flimsy thong off me.

  When the back of my thighs hit the mattress, I wrapped my arms around his neck and let myself fall back taking him with me. His warm hard body covered me and I reached between us and stroked him roughly.

  “Enough!” He barked as he grabbed my wrist.

  I grinned up at him as I lifted my head to kiss him once again. It was rough and punishing, our lips melding together hard. It was teeth crashing, tongues thrashing, nails digging into his shoulders as he slammed into me. We both groaned in unison and gasped as I reached down and dug my nails into his ass. Brian’s eyes flashed as I gave him a coy smile before leaning up and nipping his lower lip. He paused above me as if he wasn’t sure what do for a minute. I had turned this sweet evening into one filled with lust and carnal desire. “Fuck me,” I panted as I watched his face strain with control. He wanted to let go. I could see it. “Brian,” I released my hands from where I had a death grip on him and grabbed his face, forcing him to look me in the eyes. “Fuck me! Now! Hard!”

  He shook his head as if he wasn’t sure he understood me right, but before I could say another word he reared back and slammed into me with so much force the bed slammed against the wall. “Yes!” I panted again. “Harder!” That was all it took for him to let go. It was as if he’d been possessed. His face filled with a desire I had only seen glimpses of ove
r the last few weeks as his hips pistoned into me. His arms flexed as he held himself over me trying not to crush me under his massive body. Sweat trickled off his forehead as rain water dripped from his hair.

  “You’re so beautiful,” he grunted as he kept up his pace. “So fucking beautiful…and mine,” he growled as his body began to shake. His pace became choppy and he roared, signaling he had reached his climax.

  I felt him grow inside me right before it happened, and as he rubbed that magic spot one last time, I could feel myself tightening around him. I arched under him and fell over the edge, just as he collapsed on top of me groaning in pleasure.

  “Holy fuck that was amazing,” he growled as he tugged me into his body. “I love you,” he whispered as he placed a sweet kiss on my temple. It was a complete contradiction to what we’d just shared, and my emotions were reeling from it. “I love you, too,” I sighed.

  We laid there as our breathing calmed, just enjoying being wrapped up in each other’s arms. After a few minutes, I glanced over my shoulder at him. “I need to clean myself up. I’ll be right back,” I rolled so I was sitting on the edge of the bed. “Make yourself comfortable.”

  Brian smiled at me and moved to his back, placing his hands behind his head, “I am comfortable. Hurry back,” he smirked.

  I don’t know how long I was in bathroom. Not long, I know that much. While I was drying myself off though, I heard a bang. I assumed it was thunder; after all, we were in the middle of a terrible storm. When I emerged from the bathroom, though, I soon realized it had been the door. Brian was nowhere to be seen and the door had slammed so hard it had bounced back open. Panic set in as thoughts of Max and Gage, or worse, George, coming after him filled my head.

  My eyes darted around the room searching for anything that would clue me in on what happened, and that’s when I noticed the open drawer. There, on the floor, was my box…the box that held my past, the box that told my secrets, the box that Brian had found. Several IDs were tossed on the floor, and my dresser drawer was left hanging open. He’d found it.

  Tears welled in my eyes as I rushed to the door and closed it. Fear, anger, and panic tumbled around in my addled brain. What had I done and what was he going to do now that he knew my secret? As if I was on autopilot, I rushed to where my cell sat on the night table and dialed the only person who would understand…Kevin.

  Chapter 19

  “Hello?” Kevin’s voice was groggy as he fumbled with the phone.

  “Kevin?” My voice trembled as I pressed my cell to my ear.

  “What’s wrong?” His words were clipped. “Something’s wrong. What happened?”

  “He knows,” I whimpered.

  “Who? Who knows, Sam?”

  “Brian…he knows,” I began sobbing as I sat down on the edge of the bed and cradled my head in my free hand.

  “Ok, hang on,” I heard him say something to someone in the background, and then shuffle around. “Where are you?”

  “At my apartment,” I glanced around before darting over to the door to lock it.

  “Are you safe at the moment?” There was more shuffling then I heard a muffled “I gotta go.”

  “Yeah. I guess. What do I do? I can’t stay here. He knows who I am,” I began panicking as reality slowly crept in.

  “I want you to pack a bag, Get as much stuff is you can packed. I’ll have a jet ready in the morning. I’ll come and get you then, and take you to the airport. It’s ok, Sam. You’re going to be ok,” he reassured.

  “Are you sure,” my voice was small as I curled onto my side and the tears began to flow.

  “Yes. It’s ok. You’re going to be fine. Tomorrow…you’ll be a new you,” he tried to sound cheery but it fell flat.

  “Kevin,” I paused, “I’m sorry.”

  “Sorry?” he asked.

  “Yeah…for not listening to my mom. I’m sorry…it’s just that…” the tears began to fall harder at this point and I couldn’t hold back the sobs that began to wrack my body.

  “It’s ok, Sam, I get it. You just want to be normal. We all want that. We want to be somebody important. We want to be loved. That’s not something to be sorry about,” his voice was soothing as he tried to calm me. “Pack your things. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Thanks,” I muttered as I heard him click off the line.

  This was it. This was the end…the end of whatever had happened between Brian and me. It would always be a memory now. One that I would treasure, one that would always remind me that age had nothing to do with how bad it hurt to have your heart broken. I thought back to one other time I’d felt even an ounce of this…Dev. Dev had buried himself in my heart back at the tender age of seventeen. Now, nine years later, and Brian had done the same thing. Back then I thought I’d never feel that way again. Truth be told, I hadn’t wanted to give myself the chance, but Brian had changed that. I’d fallen for him…hard, and now he was being ripped away from me.

  I stood on shaky legs and quickly dressed in a tank top and black yoga pants. I tied my hair back with an elastic tie and headed for my closet. After finding the large suitcase I had hidden, hoping I wouldn’t need it anytime soon, I began shoving clothes inside. I didn’t care at the moment how neat it was packed. The top priority was to get my things together and get out of here. Thoughts of Brian, and what he was planning to do with the information he’d found, plagued me. Was he with George right now, telling him he knew where I was? Were they planning to come and get me? Were they going to make Brian do it?

  A sick feeling settled in my stomach at the thought of George sending Brian to get me. Maybe he’d tell him it was the final test he had to pass to be fully inducted into their group. Just thinking along those lines sent me racing to the bathroom. I collapsed on my knees as I hugged the toilet and emptied the contents of my stomach into it. That wonderful dinner that Brian and I had shared was no longer a part of me. Sick, I know, but just the thought brought the tears back.

  “Pull it together, Sam,” I lectured myself as I stumbled back out into the loft. I raced around grabbing anything that had any meaning to it, and shoved it in my suitcase. I wanted to be ready to go first thing in the morning. When Kevin showed up, I wanted to be able to get in the van and leave.

  After finishing my packing, I climbed into my bed and curled up into a ball. The sheets still smelled like us, and, as I tucked the blankets around me, I couldn’t help but cry myself to sleep. It hurt so badly and I had no idea how to make it stop.

  ooooooooo

  When the alarm on my cell began blaring the next morning, I jerked up in bed. My head hurt from crying the night before and fear had kept me from sleeping soundly. I should have been relocated last night; the fact that I wasn’t had me confused. Kevin had said he’d call this morning and let me know when he was on his way.

  My eyes burned from the light of the sun and tears that had poured from them the night before. I was still dressed in my tank and pants and, when I stood and glanced around the room, I think reality finally set in. The shock from last night had worn off, and knowing what was about to happen today had me angry and afraid.

  I sat there for a minute, on the edge of the bed, just thinking about what I was about to do when work popped into my head. I don’t know why I was thinking about Tori, Tiff, and Lauren, but I was. I also remembered that I had a fairly large check that I was supposed to pick up today. I grabbed my cell to check for a message from Kevin, and when there wasn’t one, I texted him.

  Need to run by work. Give me fifteen minutes.

  I didn’t give him a chance to respond as I shoved my feet into my sneakers, grabbed my purse, and ran out the door. I needed to hurry if I was going to hail a cab during the morning rush. I was now competing with all the morning commuters.

  ooooooooo

  When the cab dropped me off at the Rusty Nail, I asked the driver to wait for me. He nodded, and I raced inside hoping that Tori was in her office.

  “Hey,” I panted, out of breath, as I ro
unded the corner. “Can I get my check?”

  “Whoa!” Tori scanned me quickly. “You ok?”

  “Yeah fine…just in a hurry today,” I tossed my hand in the air, trying to act nonchalant.

  “Want a coffee?” She smiled at me. “On second thought…I don’t think you need any caffeine.”

  “Very funny,” I grumbled, “the check please?” I held out my hand as I waited.

  “Geez.” She rolled her eyes at me. “You know you could’ve just gotten it tonight during your shift.”

  “I need to run some errands today and I need it for that,” I shrugged as I waited for her to grab my check out of the safe. After she handed it to me, I smiled, “Thanks.”

  “No problem. Go relax. I think you need it,” she grinned.

  I gave her a half smile as I turned, and darted toward the front door. As soon as I reached for the handle, I saw him…Brian. He was leaning against his bike across the street staring at the bar. Somehow, he knew I was in here, and he’d come to get me. Pure fear filled me to the point that I couldn’t move. When they say your life flashes before your eyes…well I can’t attest to that. All I know is, I was standing there paralyzed, and I couldn’t do anything about it. The safety of the cab was a mere ten feet away, but he would see me when I headed out the door. His arms were crossed over his chest and dark shades covered his eyes. I couldn’t tell by the blank expression on his face if he was mad or not. I swallowed before making the spilt second decision to go out the back. I wouldn’t have a ride, but I could run the five blocks I needed to go to get to safety.

  Turning, I raced toward the back door, cell in hand, dialing Kevin. “He’s here,” I panted into the phone “I came to work to get my last check and he’s here.” I shoved open the back door and took off running down the alley heading for the far sidewalk.

  “Someone’s on the way to get you. Just get to your apartment,” Kevin growled back. He was mad. I’d done something stupid, and now he was mad at me.

  After disconnecting the call, I stuffed my phone into my purse along with the check in my hand. I had no idea how I was going to cash it, but maybe Kevin could help with that, too. After securing my purse around my body, I took off in a sprint toward my building. Adrenaline fueled me as I gasped for breath, feet pounding on the pavement. I was gonna die. I just knew it. This time I’d cut it too close and I was going to die.