"Logan!" There was a loud ruffle and it sounded like the phone was dropped.
"Beth?" I screamed into the phone and Carlos told the driver to go faster. "Elizabeth?!" I tried again but nothing.
"No shoot me you stupid shits!" I closed my eyes and heard one gun shot, and then a second one. The phone dropped from my hand and Carlos quickly picked it up and put it to his ear.
"Elizabeth?" I turned to him and he shook his head hanging up. "Don't worry. I know Logan. She's fine."
"And what if she's not?!" I didn't mean to scream at him, but I had never been this scared before. He turned away looking worried and hurt and I looked out my own window.
Maybe I do need to start listening to her. She begged…pleaded with me to let her go. If I had, she wouldn't have been there and maybe or maybe not gotten shot. But who knows? If she had gone out, they could have easily found her and I would have never had a chance to save her.
When I recognized the familiar long driveway I took off my seatbelt and pushed myself up in the seat. I looked out the front and saw a few light coming form the house, but that was it. It looked like there was someone standing in the doorway, but I couldn't tell who. I felt around on the seat between me and Carlos and found my gun, just preparing myself for the worse. I could see a van, and three guys dead on the ground. That was either a good sign, or a horrible one.
When the car stopped both Carlos and I got out quick and he also was clutching onto a gun. I shut my door and heard a small sob.
"Kendall?" I dropped the gun and ran to the house, her running to me. She jumped in my arms and I hugged around her, holding the back of her head. It was wet, and sticky. I moved my hand and looked at it. It was blood. She was bleeding. She was crying into my neck, sobbing, clutching onto the collar of my jacket.
"Did you hit your head?" My voice was shaky and I hadn't realized I was crying. She shook her head and sobbed harder into my body. I went back to holding her head and kissed the top. "Where's Logan?"
"In-inside with…with James." I sucked in a sharp breath and she clung to me tighter. "He already knows." It was a whisper but it was kind of terrifying. I had seen what James Diamond could do, her ex was the perfect example, and he was the first guy who ever scared me. I slowly walked to the front door, her small little body clinging onto mine. I stepped in and saw a bloody shirt on the ground that led to the couch where Logan was lying on his back drinking from a bottle of whiskey. James was standing next to him, holding bloody towels and a bowl full of bloody water.
"Logan?" He opened his eyes and smiled lazily at me. I walked over to him and he lifted his legs so I could set Elizabeth down. I could see a small hole in his side and unwrapped her from me. She pulled her legs up to her chest letting Logan stretch out his legs again. She continued to stare at me but I looked over Logan and he smiled wide closing his eyes.
"I'm alright bro don't worry. Diamond saved my ass here." I cringed and looked over at James. His jaw was locked and I heard a sigh.
"Please do not fight…" James looked down at his sister with eyebrows raised.
"I'm not going to fight anyone. I just need to talk to you." He turned back to me and gave a fake smile. "Let's go have a talk Kendall." He turned quickly, the smile already gone and walked into the kitchen. I sighed and shrugged off my jacket.
"You want em to come in?" I walked past Carlos, who looked confused but pissed and shook my head. I stepped in, he had his back to me, washing his hands in the sink. I shut the kitchen door, knowing we'd might get heated, and I did not want Elizabeth to hear. I walked around the island getting as far away from him as I could, and sat at a the bar. He shut off the sink and grabbed a clean dry dish towel and wiped his hands. He balled up the towel and threw it on the counter.
"Why are their bruises on her neck?" He didn't even turn to me and it scared the entire fuck out of me.
"I…I got a little heated." I think its better to be honest then make this all worse. "I didn't mean to grab her so hard. I just needed for her to listen." He turned around, jaw still locked in lace, face blank. He leaned against the counter and folded his arms over his chest.
"Do you know the last guy who put his hands on my sister lost his memory and can never walk again?" I swallowed hard and I'm pretty sure he could hear me gulp. "Now if it wasn't for the fact that I work for Logan and for some God awful reason my sister actually loves you, I'd be doing the exact same thing I did to him. So you can consider yourself lucky. For now." I felt my head nod and he sighed shrugging his shoulders. "I actually liked you too. I thought, well here's a standup guy who will protect my little sister. The only family I have left, and then turn around and does the one thing he said he'd never do." I looked down at the counter and breathed out hard.
"James I know. I'm a piece of shit okay? What do you want me to do?"
"Stop seeing her." I looked up quick and he unfolded his arms and walked to the counter on the other side of the island facing me. "I don't want you near her ever again." I clenched my fists and my breathing picked up speed. "You said it yourself. You're a piece of shit. And I think my sister can do better. And she will. She could have probably done better with Max." That really stuck a nerve. "I'm going to take her home, and you will never see her again." He turned quick and pushed the door open hard. I got off the stool and followed him out. "Let's go Elizabeth. I'm taking you home." She looked up at him confused. She was kneeling by the couch, putting a band aid on Logan's hole. He picked up a jacket and waved for her to get up. "Elizabeth, now." She pushed up and looked over at me but then at her brother.
"I'm not leaving James." I turned away and forced myself to not kill James.
"Yes you are, and your never coming back." He moved in closer to her and she backed up, running into Carlos, who quickly moved away, walking next to me. "Beth I do not have time to play games with you. These guys are criminals and are not good enough for you. So you're going home." He moved to her, grabbing her upper arm and walking to the front door. She yanked out of his grasp and shook her head.
"I'm not leaving!" He turned to her and shrugged his shoulders.
"You don't have a choice!" He yelled back in her face so I decided to step in.
"James…if she doesn't want to go…" He turned to me quick and dropped his jacket. In three quick long strides he had his hands on the collar of my shirt and was pinning me against the wall. My head smacked hard into it and I squeezed my eyes. My feet were barely touching the ground, that was how high he had me up.
"James stop it!" I opened my eyes slowly and could see Elizabeth tugging on James's arm, not even making him move. "Let him go!" She started slapping his arm but he wouldn't budge.
"Just face the facts James. Your sisters growing up and she's old enough to make her own decisions." He pressed into my neck with his fists and I squeezed my eyes gasping for air. "You…can't always protect her! Sooner…or later…she's going to be out of reach and you won't be able to do anything. You have to let her make…mistakes." He pushed harder into my neck and I opened my eyes now really gasping for air.
"She already made one mistake, and I'm not going to let her make it again. He put her in the fucking hospital for two weeks. Never again will I have my baby sister come to me crying bloody and bruised because of a guy who claimed loved her."
"James let him go!" She was still trying to stop him from chocking me out, and I could have kissed her for it.
Everyone went quiet, and James loosened his grip n me, when we heard the gun cock. I could see Carlos standing a few feet behind James, the gun not pointed at him, down at the ground, tightly in his grip.
"James…you know what kind of mistake it would be…owe…to do something to him. He's my brother and I got to protect him." James let me go quick and turned facing Logan, standing up, holding his side. I slid down the wall and fell on my butt grabbing my neck, and coughing out. Elizabeth was by my side holding my face and kissing me hard. It kind of helped me breath again. "You okay Ken?" I pulled away putting my head on the wall closing my eyes.
"I'm fine."
"Good…James I know you think taking your sister away from Kendall will somehow protect her, but there are guys out there who want her dead." I heard a little sob and opened my eyes, lifting my arm and letting her curl up on my side. "You both are welcome to stay here, under our protection until this is taken care of." James's fists unclenched and Logan sighed. "Carlos go get him….set up somewhere. I need to have a talk with Kendall. And Elizabeth sweetheart, go with your brother, and talk. He must have been worried sick about you." I gave her a kiss to her head and rubbed her back. She slowly stood up and avoided all eye contact with James. Carlos put the gun on the table and walked out. Elizabeth followed quick and James reluctantly followed. I pushed myself up, holding onto the wall behind me and Logan walked to me, whiskey in hand. "What the fuck were you thinking?" I turned my head.
"What are you taking about?" He took a sip of the whiskey which was almost gone and walked in front of me.
"How could you grab her like that?" I sighed and looked down. "I know…she's frustrating. But you have never done something like that to any girl. What gives? He could have killed you there, but didn't so…just try to keep your hands to yourself alright?" His speech was slurred and wasn't really making any sense so I just nodded. He nodded back and turned around. He walked back to the couch and fell on it, groaning in pain. He closed his eyes and fell right asleep. I heard laughter and walked to the noise.
I stood in the doorway and watched Carlos handing James a blanket and some pillows, telling him where the bathroom was. Elizabeth was sitting on the bed, hands on her lap, looking down at them, not talking. Carlos spotted me first and sighed.
"I figure Elizabeth will sleep with you?" Both Diamonds turned and Elizabeth smiled. James…looked sad, and still angry, but looked very sad.
"Actually there are two beds in here…I think she should sleep in here." Her mouth dropped slightly and I saw a small…very teeny tiny smile come on James's face. Carlos nodded and cleared his throat.
"Let em show you the rest of the house James." James turned to him, nodded and set the blankets down. He walked out past me and gave a small nod. I smiled and they walked down the hall. I walked in the room and sat on the bed. She continued to stand and stare at me.
"You…you don't want to sleep with me?" I laughed and patted the spot next to me. She sat down grabbing my hand and holding it.
"I think…for right now, since your brother just almost killed me…maybe for his sake we should keep our…sleeping together, to a minimum." She turned away and nodded. "I'm sorry I hurt you." She laughed and reached over, gently running her fingers over my neck, which burned.
"It looks like were even." I smiled and quickly pulled her into me.
"Your brother scares the shit out of me." She giggled and shook her head. "Seriously…and I've only been that scared once and I almost died." She sighed out, irritated and I smiled. "Were you serious…about not wanting to be with me anymore?" She pushed away quick and looked horrified, and near tears.
"No! I don't want to be without you!" I shook my head and put one finger on her lips quitting her.
"Calm down…I just want to make sure you still want me." She nodded and smiled. "Good."