Fabricated, page 8
His body is warm and strong against mine. His heart beating out of his chest. I put my hand against it, my mind syncing to the rhythm of his heartbeat.
“I would have killed them if something happened to you,” he whispers, nose brushing along mine. I close my eyes as my body shakes. Tears mix with water. My reality is sinking in like a bullet to the chest. I could have died. I almost did. What impact have I made for anyone to remember me by? How could I live and not make my story a testimony to help others out there? My sobs become more violent. My body is shaking uncontrollably. Like a volcano is inside me. I cry my sorrow into his chest.
He holds me and kisses down my neck to my shoulder.
Here I am safe.
Here I can breathe.
Here I can cry.
Here is where I want to stay.
After my shower, I refuse medical attention in favor of lying down.
Branson sits with his back against my headboard as he reads a book. Branson in glasses has the ability to destroy me. Never found a man in glasses attractive. I’m certain there isn’t anything that would stop me from finding him irresistible.
“You’re staring, Darling.”
I smile as my head lays on my pillow, facing him. “Why do you call me Darling?”
“Do you not like it?” he asks, marking his book with a dog ear. That was abuse. Uncalled for. And downright sociopathic.
I actually cringe. Just… why?
“Well, no, I do, but… wouldn’t most people use babe or baby?” I ask, looking away from the assaulted book and up at him.
“I’m not most people, Darling. You’re not either. Why would I call you something so basic when you’re so precious?” My heart stills for a moment at his words.
“Precious?” I ask. I want to make sure I had heard him right.
“To me? Yeah.” He looks at me with his slightly narrowed eyes.
“Aww. You’re sweet.”
He frowns. “I’m not. Don’t say shit like that out loud.”
I giggle. “Admit that you're sweet and I won’t,” I tease.
He roll his eyes at me. Hot. So hot.
“Fine. I’m sweet.” He pauses, licking his lips. “For you. Now, shut up and go to bed. Your body needs to rest.”
Sighing, I close my eyes.
“Yes, Daddy.”
I swear I hear him choke.
My smile brightens.
Chapter 13
@RayneMarshall: “Is it cliché of me to love rain?”
Rayne
“Hey, Ray!” Tucker yells outside my room. I open the door and he pulls me into the bathroom, turning on the shower.
He then pulls out a thick folder. “Here,” he says.
I can’t see his stare as I look down at the folder. “Is this…” I am unable to finish the sentence.
“Yeah, I got it this morning. Came as soon as I could sneak it over. Weird thing was, my guy said this was a onetime thing. For you, specifically. He said, ‘don’t lose them.’ Strange, huh?”
I nod, gripping the folder harder. This is it. One look and I’d know where I came from.
“Thank you, Tuck,” I whisper, my lip trembling.
“You want me to stay?” I shake my head.
He kisses my forehead before leaving.
I stare at the folder, willing myself to open it.
The thing is, now that I have it, I can’t do it. I’m not ready. Not sure I’ll ever be.
It is still raw. And I believe being abandoned will always feel this way.
Unloved.
Unwanted.
Not good enough.
I stick the folder in the cabinet, behind the water drains. Closing the cabinet, I take a long breath.
Maybe tomorrow.
Tomorrow, I will put my big girl panties on—that’s what Momma Silver used to say—and conquer this threatening folder. Overcome these worthless feelings.
I walk out as my crew marches in.
To get me ready to go paintballing.
Branson straightens my protective vest that lays over my black, tight, long-sleeved shirt with matching black pants.
He chuckles when he pulls on a box braid. “Cute.”
I show him my teeth, going for an intimidating look. “You’ll think it’s cute when I shoot you.” He laughs, grabbing me by my waist.
“You couldn’t shoot me if you were a trained professional. I’m the best, Darling.” He speaks against my lips and I roll my eyes, pushing on his chest.
“All right, team captains are,” Justin squints at the paper in his hands, “Branson and Tucker.” Branson winks at me before walking up next to Justin and Tucker.
Justin brings out a coin. “Call it.”
The coin flips up in the air. “Heads,” Branson says as Tucker flashes him a middle finger.
The coin lands on the ground and all three boys look at it.
“Tails. Tucker, you go first.” Justin pats his back, walking over to the line.
Tucker rubs his hands together, smiling.
“Rayne.” He looks over to Branson and smirks.
My team includes Tucker, me, Justin, Kalisha, and Dante.
The opposing team is Branson, Josefina, Tori, Kyler, and Emerald.
The course is full of trees, dirt, falling limbs, bushes, and bunkers covered in vines. It isn’t a large course, which I guess adds to the challenge. Each team starts on different sides. The view is shrouded from the tinted face shields, black clothing making everyone almost unrecognizable, if it wasn’t for their hair.
“Stick with me, Rayne. Especially if winning is in your nature,” Tucker whispers. I nod, completely in my zone. I’ve never played but I am competitive, a fast learner, and I hate to lose. We have cameras on our vests to capture everything the crew would miss.
The horn sounds off and everyone splits besides Tucker and me. We go up the side of the course.
A paint ball flies fast past my head, and I make a muffled scream sound. Tucker points up ahead and takes off. I follow, paint balls still sailing by me. We duck behind a tree that has steps to climb into a tree bunker. Hurrying up the steps, Tucker taps on my shoulder. I look over as he points to his eyes and then out the small window. Looking out the window, I see Tori. She is searching for us. Being the one who obviously is trying to take me out. Tucker taps my shoulder again. When I look back at him he removes his shield, mouthing, ‘take the shot.’
I grin behind my shield, aiming my gun and rapidly firing off paint balls. One hits her shoulder, and one hits her arm. The rest missed but she is out. She screams on impact, clutching her arm.
I want to feel bad, but I don’t. She deserved it.
The game moves at a rapid pace. Tucker taking Kyler out. Looking up at the board, I see it is two to one.
Tucker tugs my shirt, pulling me behind a rock. Removing his shield, he puts his lips by my ear. “If it’s Branson, and it will be, I want you to seduce him so we can win. Got it?” I nod and he slips his shield back on.
We search around the course before we spot him. Braced up against a bunker, looking the other way. Tucker pushes me. I begin walking up to him. My foot crutches over the leaves. Branson’s head snaps my way, his gun aiming at me. I throw my hands up, dropping my gun. He relaxes, pulling his shield off.
“Hey,” I say after taking the shield off.
“Hey, Darling.” He smiles, his eyes roaming over my body. His slightly narrowed eyes narrow more when my hands run up his chest, his going to my waist.
“Wanna know what would be hot?” I whisper against his cheek.
“What?” I hear the smirk in his voice and hold back my giggles.
I bring my lips close to his.
“If I sucked you off right now. Open for anyone to see.”
“Yeah?” he whispers, his tongue sneaking out to flick over my lip.
I nod, dropping to my knees in front of him. My hands grip his belt buckle. I look up to him, licking my lips. I look back down, undoing his buckle. I feel the wind zoom over my head. Branson grunts and I look up, seeing the paint scattered across his stomach.
I jump up. My hands are flying to the air. “We won!” I scream as someone picks me up over their shoulder.
My teammates emerge, screaming in victory, as Tucker bounces me up and down. I look over to Branson who is glaring at me. I blow a kiss to him as Tucker starts dancing under me. Throwing my head back, I laugh. Feeling free.
I don’t want to watch this week's episode but apparently, according to Tucker, it is a tradition.
I’m snuggled on the couch with my blanket. Branson walks in, swaggering toward me. He stops in front of me, lifting me and adjusting me on his lap. Something he seems to take great pleasure in. His hot breath blows over my ear, causing goosebumps to spread across my skin.
“I’m still very fucking pissed over the little stunt you pulled, Darling.” His voice is laced with dark promise, and I shiver at the thought. I go to reply, when the lights are cut off. “You know that is the first game I have ever lost? You should feel victorious at the notion of knocking me off my game.” He bites down on my neck, leaving his mark.
I rest my head between his shoulder and neck, choosing to ignore him, and instead I begin to watch the opening credits.
It rolls through the footage of the camping trip. Leaving out the talk between Kalisha and I. Showing us meditating instead. Branson tenses beneath me. I hide my face in his neck as I hear my screams before water splashing. I look up in time to see Branson dive into the water, emerging with me. He lays me on the ground. Pushing my hair out of my face. My body is limp and still. My lips are blue.
He screams for Tucker, who comes running out. He drops to his knees and begins CPR. Branson stands above us with his hand over his mouth. Pain and fear lighting up his dark eyes. Then he looks away, eyes locking on something. He walks toward it. I begin choking as water pours out of my mouth and Tucker rolls me onto my side.
When you see yourself unresponsive, it bends and twists your mind. Making it feel like a dream instead of reality.
Next is the paintball games. This is all extremely boring to me, but then it cuts to a fire. Black gloves hold a folder.
My folder.
The folder hits the fire, the pages turning black and floating to the sky.
“What?” I whisper. My eyes connect with Tucker’s as his widen.
“I don’t—I,” Tucker sputters.
Jumping off Branson, I run upstairs. Unlocking my door, I rush to the bathroom. Gripping the cabinet, I pull it open. My hand connects with the wall behind the drain. I frantically feel around, but it’s gone.
It’s gone…
I raise to my feet, meeting my eyes in the mirror. And then I scream. “No!” My hand launches into the mirror as it shatters around me as I shatter eternally. I stare at the broken image of myself, the distorted picture reflecting my insides as blood drips down my hand.
No one knew.
Tucker would… No, he wouldn’t.
Why would someone do that?
My legs give out. My body drops to the floor. My heart feels like it physically sinks to my stomach. My door shakes on the outside, but I ignore it. Pulling my legs to my chest, I wrap my arms around my knees. I rock myself. Back and forth. Back and forth. My mind goes blank, and sound ceases to exist.
The question that repeats through my mind is, why?
Chapter 14
@RayneMarshall: “If you have nothing that gives you peace, you’ll forever live in chaos.”
Rayne
There was a bigger picture here. I was just missing it. Or maybe, I’ve been locked up in my room too long. For three days I haven’t left. Reading books. Fantasy. Although there is barely any fantasy that isn’t a reverse harem or a young adult romance—trust me, this is a real struggle—I still found some I loved. A hopeless romantic. But where most want the brooding bad boy, I just wanted a fae or a fallen angel. See? Always setting myself up for failure. Reading gave me a key of peace to cage my demons. To escape my chaos.
I can’t get the image of my file being burned. Why would someone do that? It had crossed my mind that it was part of the show. To add spark. But the fact that it was actually gone made me think otherwise. Someone is watching me. And no, I don’t mean the hundreds of cameras constantly circling me.
My hiding spot shouldn’t have been found. No one should have been able to enter my room. But here I am. No file. No leads to my birth parents. I should have opened it as soon as my hands touched the folder, but I wasn’t ready. Now I don’t have the chance to either.
A knock comes to my door, and I groan. I am not ready to face anyone. To deal with this issue most would find small, but it is enormous to me. “Go away,” I mumble into my pillow.
“Can’t do that, Strawberry. I need to make sure you’re okay. So, open the door.” I sigh into my pillow. Tears pooling in my eyes.
I rise to unlock the door. Tucker stands with his hands on the frame. His eyes hold concern as he takes me in. My large t-shirt reaches my knees. My swollen eyes are puffy and red. My hair is thrown into a messy bun on top of my head. “Strawberry,” he whispers.
Grabbing the back of my neck, he crashes me into his body. His arm circles around my waist as silent tears wet his shirt. He moves us into the room, pushing the door closed with his foot. My hands curl into his red t-shirt as I shake. He squeezes me before pulling back.
“We’ll figure this out,” he says, wiping the tears from my cheeks. Staring up into his beautiful eyes surrounded by dark shadows, I realize he must have not been sleeping.
“Okay.” I sigh, stepping back from him.
“Hey, want to go somewhere?”
“Will I need pants?” I ask, looking down at my t-shirt.
“No, but a shower would be nice.” A grin cracks as I look up at him, his face grimacing.
“Fine, if I must.” I sigh dramatically, walking to my closet to grab some yoga pants and a matching top. Fuck a bra. But, oh, I would need these. Grabbing some undies from my drawer, I stroll into the bathroom.
“This is for children.” I frown at Tucker as I take in the trampolines around us. There is a small Ninja Warrior obstacle course off to the right, a dodgeball section to the left, and a playground behind us. The rest is literally trampolines.
Tucker grins, kicking off his shoes. “Learn to love the small things, Strawberry.”
I roll my eyes, and take off my shoes as the camera gets a little too close. “Back up,” I snap. The cameraman slowly backs up a few inches.
The place is empty, so I assume Tucker has rented it out. Probably for my sake. He is used to this life. The people, the flashing cameras. I, however, am not.
Last week, I went to the bookstore. Briggs signed off on that, saying it was too utterly boring to send a camera crew with me. I was in blissful heaven knowing I would be alone to browse books for hours. I even put my hair up into a cap, pulling it low over my eyes. I had just checked out when it began. The screaming. Crowds of people surrounded me, ripping and tugging my clothes. One even got strands of my hair with a victory roar. I managed to get my phone out and call Branson to come save me. It wasn’t long until he showed up with an army of bodyguards who successfully pushed everyone back as they snapped pictures screaming, “Rayson.” And that was the day I learned to never go without my bodyguards.
Tucker screams, bringing me out of my memory as he jumps around from trampoline to trampoline. I laugh as I begin following suit. Waiting until he isn’t looking, I tackle him. He lets out a groan as my body lands on his, a laugh spilling past my lips as I roll off him. We lay next to one another, catching our breaths.
“So, Emerson, huh?”
He looks over to me with his signature look of mischief in his eyes. “So, Branson, huh?”
I laugh. “Sure.”
Tucker sighs. “Well, if they break our hearts, we can always run away together.”
I smile. “That’s pointless. This won’t last past this season of the show. I’ll be out of this world and nothing but a memory soon enough.”
Tucker swallows, looking to the ceiling. “What makes you think this world will let you go?”
I laugh. “They can’t hold me captive.”
Tucker doesn’t laugh. Instead, he whispers so only I can hear, “If there is ever a time you need to escape, tell me. I’ll get you out of here.”
Taken aback and completely confused, I raise my eyebrows at him.
“The safe word is green bean.”
I frown, and scrunch my nose up in disgust. “Why? I hate green beans.”
He smiles but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Me too. That’s why it’s perfect.” With that, he gets up and begins jumping again. I follow suit but can’t get, what I consider, the warning out of my head.
Laughing as we get out of the car, I feel the first drop of rain hit my face. Smiling, I look up as Tucker ducks around me, running to the door. Some people feel close to the moon. I feel a gravitational pull to the rain. Maybe a bit cliché, considering my name, but who cares? Maybe the thousands of people who watch you once a week on TV. Well, I don’t care, and that’s what matters.
My smile grows as the clouds open and rain begins beating down on me at a rapid pace. I lift my hands above my head as I spin.
“Tucker, it’s raining!” I shout as my body twists around in a circle.
“Yeah, I can see that! Crazy ass! Get inside,” he yells from the doorframe. “Have you ever seen The Wizard of Oz? The witch melted! People like us melt in this rain!”
I laugh, dropping to the grass and laying down, looking toward the rain. The earth feels like it is hugging me as my body sinks into the wet ground. “Good thing I’m not like you guys!” I scream to the sky, smiling.
I shut my eyes as the rain dances over my skin.
I hear people talking before the door shuts.
The rain stops hitting my face and my eyes fly open. Connecting with ones half open as he looks down at me with intensity. His body shields me from the rain. Usually, I’d be having a mega tantrum, but how could I when such a beautiful creation is above me?
