Tell Me When (24 page)

Chapter Forty-Seven

Marcus

My cell phone rings from the coffee cup holder as I drive down the street toward Tammara’s apartment. Thinking it might be Amber I check the name. It’s Alejandro’s mom.

A bad feeling in my gut warns me something’s wrong. I answer the phone.

“Is everything okay?” I ask.

“Is Alejandro with you, Marcus?” Her voice sounds like she’s trying to be calm but it’s not working. Her words are too rapid to hide the truth.

“No. I haven’t seen him since Thursday.” And when I did see him, he still seemed pissed at me. When I asked him about that, he pointedly ignored me. I sigh. What the hell am I supposed to do? Everything inside me is screaming he’s in trouble. “You want me to look for him?”

“Yes, please. He never showed up for school, and no one seems to know where he is.”

After I hang up, I head directly to Carlos’s lair. I know what I’m doing is stupid, especially since I have no one watching my ass. But right now it doesn’t matter. I need to get Alejandro away from Carlos.

I pull ahead of a car that looks like it got into a fight and barely came out the winner. I’ve no idea how many men are with him, but based on the number of cars parked in front of Carlos’s house, there are at least five guys.

I’m fucked. Big time.

I’d call Chase, but it won’t be enough to even the odds, and I don’t want to get him involved. He’s got everything to live for.

I park my car farther down the street and take a deep breath. It does nothing to calm my out-of-control heart rate, but as long as Carlos can’t sense my fear, I should be fine.

Loud music blares from a neighbor’s house. Silence blankets Carlos’s place. If it weren’t for the cars, a few of which I recognize, I would have figured no one is here.

Before I can walk up the path, the door opens and one of Carlos’s lynchmen steps out. At first I think he’s expecting me, which is why he opened the door, but the flicker of surprise on his face before he recovers suggests otherwise.

He calls out something in Spanish. I don’t understand most of it, other than a few choice curses directed at me, but I’m sure the men inside are chuckling if his joyful tone is anything to go by.

I take a step forward, ignoring the ache in my ribs and its not-so-subtle reminder of what happened last time I confronted Carlos and his gang. “I’m looking for Alejandro Rodriquez.”

Another man steps out of the house, followed by Carlos, a delighted sneer on his lips. He stays in the doorway while the two men flank it. “What are you, his
mamá?
”

The men chuckle, the sound void of humor.

Carlos folds his arms across his chest in what appears to be a relaxed stance. I know better than to fall for it. He’s as tightly wound up as his men. Make the wrong move and I’m dead before I can say Amber’s name.

“I take it my message wasn’t clear enough last time,” he says. “You mess with Alejandro and you mess with us.”

That’s not quite the gist of it as I remember. I seem to remember it more along the lines of “you mess with us and you’re fucked,” but whatever. The outcome’s the same either way.

“I’m not looking for trouble. All I want is to take Alejandro home.” I hold my arms out to the side. “That’s all.”

“What makes you so sure he’s here?”

“’Cause I saw the bike you bought him. ’Cause it’s obvious you’re trying to recruit him.”

Carlos laughs with an edge of humor that causes me to stiffen. “I’m not fucking Santa Claus.” His men chuckle. I ignore them.

“So you’re saying you had nothing to do with the bike?”

He takes a step forward. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.” His eyes narrow but stay steady on me. “Maybe you’ve got the wrong gang. Maybe he decided to join the Blood Crappers.” His men laugh at the purposefully messed up name. “Did you ever consider that?”

He rattles off something in Spanish and the men laugh. One of them replies, also in Spanish. “I was asking them what we should do with you. Martinez thinks you’re stupid enough to bang down the Blood Crappers’ door and let ’em kill you. I’ll have to agree with him there.” He snaps his fingers and Martinez pulls out his semi-automatic and levels it at me. My already fast heart rate spikes. “Now, unless you have some more pressing business with us, I suggest you run along.”

Instinct tells me to leave. And for once I have to agree with it. Without turning my back on them, I return to my car, aware Carlos or Martinez could change their mind at any second and shoot me.

I start the engine and speed away.

Shit. If Carlos isn’t the problem, then I don’t even know where to look for Alejandro.

I drive around the neighborhood, checking all the places he could be, before making my way to the youth center. I haven’t heard from Alejandro’s mom since I last talked to her, which means he isn’t home yet.

It’s dark by the time I get there. Dave’s car isn’t here but the lights are on inside.

I park my car and jog to the main entrance. Maybe whoever is here has seen Alejandro. Otherwise, I’ll have to do what Carlos predicted would happen; I’ll have pay a visit to their rival.

I pull open the door and enter the building. An odd silence settles around me, giving the place a strange morgue-like feel.

Light streams out from under Dave’s office door. As I walk closer, I hear voices coming from inside but can’t make out what they’re saying.

I reach for the doorknob and almost sag with relief when I hear Alejandro’s voice. But the next voice sends a cold finger of fear down my spine: Frank.

Chapter Forty-Eight

Amber

Marcus could be anywhere.

I check the engineering building, in case he’s hanging out there late. I even ask a few people if they’ve seen him. Either they know who I’m talking about and haven’t seen him, or have no idea who Marcus is. I even try calling Chase, but I get only his voicemail.

After exhausting every possibility, I head to the dorm parking lot, calling Marcus as I walk. When I still get only his voicemail, I hurl my bag into the passenger seat of the car. Why isn’t he answering?

Maybe he changed his mind about me after leaving the message?
Maybe Jordan and Emma got things wrong
. Either way, I need to talk to him and find out where things stand between us.

His car isn’t at his apartment building. Chase’s car is, though. I miss Marcus, but there’s one thing I should find out before risking my heart again.

After Chase buzzes me into the building, I knock on the guys’ door. Chase opens it wearing only jeans. He’s good looking and works out, yet unlike his roommate, he’s never used his looks to entice girls into his bed.

Then again, maybe there’s a girl currently in his bed and I’m interrupting. My face heats up at that possibility.

But instead of glowering at me, Chase cocks his head to the side and gives me a half smile. “You looking for someone?”

“I need to talk to you.”

The hopeful gleam in his eyes drops away. He steps aside and lets me in. “You want anything to drink?”

“No, I’m fine, thanks.”

Chase walks over to the tiny kitchen and returns with a beer.

I accidentally glance at the couch. The image of what happened last time I was here on that couch sneaks into my mind and a tingling warmth spreads throughout my body.

Swallowing back the ache at the memory of what happened after that, I look away. And notice a dent in the wall that wasn’t there before.

“What can I do you for?” Chase asks, waiting patiently for me to pull myself together.

“I need to know the truth.” I look him squarely in the eyes. “Is Marcus sleeping around again?”

Chase lets out a hard breath. “Not yet, but....” He pauses, visibly conflicted.

“But what?”

“I’ve been friends with Marcus since elementary school. He’s always been restless and reckless, till he met you. But since your breakup, he’s been sliding back to the guy he used to be.”

“You’re worried he’ll do something stupid.” He already has, and that left him with an injured rib.

Chase nods. “Can I ask a question?”

“Sure, what?”

He levels his gaze at me. “Are you here to hurt him again or what’s the deal?”

“I made a mistake. I thought he didn’t want to be with me anymore. I know now that’s not true. I’ve been trying to get hold of him to talk to him, but he’s not answering his phone.”

“Try the youth center. He’s been hanging out there a lot lately.”

Of course.

I thank Chase and hurry to my car. Hope has let me down before. But this time I’m willing to put my heart on the line for Marcus—and do whatever it takes to get him back.

And do whatever it takes to make it up to him for not having more faith in him, in us.

Chapter Forty-Nine

Marcus

My first thought when I hear Frank’s voice is, what the hell’s he doing here? My second thought is “fuck.” Everything makes sense. The mysterious bike. Alejandro’s behavior and sudden anger toward me. I thought Ryan and I had been Frank’s only victims. I was wrong.

The urge to slam my fist into the wall, or better yet Frank’s face, hits me full force. I don’t wait to hear what they’re talking about. I shove the door open and it bangs against the wall.

Surprised at the sudden intrusion, both Frank and Alejandro spin around. They’re standing several feet apart, but the discomfort at being so close to Frank pours off Alejandro.

At the sight of me, anger and guilt pile onto Frank’s unshaven face.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I snap, eyes focused on him. Ryan and I learned the hard way how quickly he can sink his deadly fangs into you, the poisonous reptile that he is.

Frank raises his hands in front of him. “It’s not what you think.”

I edge closer to Alejandro. “What exactly is that? You’re not touching him like you touched me and Ryan?”

Until then, Alejandro had been watching Frank, body tense. At my admission of what Ryan and I had endured, he whips around to face me, shock and betrayal written all over him. He’s right. It
is
my fault. If I hadn’t kept silent about what happened, Frank would be in jail, and Alejandro wouldn’t have suffered the same fate as me and Ryan.

A startling, gut-twisting thought jabs me in the stomach, and almost knocks me to my knees. “How many boys have there been, Frank?”

He was forced to stop molesting my brother when Ryan finally had enough and left home. Except for the night Ryan died, when Frank held a gun to my head and pressed himself against my back, he hasn’t touched me since. And he hadn’t touched me since the night he raped Ryan in front of me. But Ryan, Alejandro and I can’t be his only victims. There must be others.

When Frank doesn’t answer, I repeat the question, except this time I yell it. He flinches.

I’ve been silent for too long. It’s too late to have him charged for what he did to Ryan and me, but his most recent victims can testify against him. He knows one way or another, he’s going to jail for a long time. I can see it on his face.

“It’s not like that.” A drop of sweat drips down the side of his face. He looks at Alejandro. “Tell him,” Frank begs. “Tell him he’s got it all wrong. Tell him I’ve never touched you.”

Alejandro keeps silent, eyes still on Frank.

Frank tears his gaze from Alejandro and locks it on me. “I recently won a lot of money,” he says, words rushed. “I’ll buy Ryan his damn gravestone. I’ll buy him the best one money can buy. All you have to do is walk away and forget everything.”

Chapter Fifty

Amber

Marcus’s car is in the parking lot, but he’s not on the courts playing basketball. No one is. The place looks pretty deserted. If it weren’t for Marcus’s car and the soft glow coming from a window, I’d have left, thinking no one’s around.

But I don’t.

From several blocks away, an emergency vehicle siren speeds past and fades in the distance. I park next to Marcus and walk to the entrance. I don’t know why, but I have a weird feeling something’s not right.

I check that I have my cell phone and quietly enter the building. The temperature feels chillier than outside. Part of me, a very small part, tells me to turn back and go home. But after what happened with Marcus, when he talked to the gang about Alejandro, turning away is the last thing I can do. He might need help. He could be bleeding to death. He could be....

I silently tell my brain to shut up. I don’t need my overactive imagination working overtime. That won’t help anyone.

Relief floods through me at the sound of Marcus’s voice coming from Dave’s office. I’m about to sprint down the hall and into the room, fling my arms around his neck, and kiss him, when he speaks. His icy voice stops me cold.

A man replies but the words are too quiet for me to hear. I move closer, careful not to make a sound.

“I recently won a lot of money. I’ll buy Ryan his damn gravestone. I’ll buy him the best one money can buy. All you have to do is walk away and forget everything.”

I peer into the room, but not far enough to be seen by anyone. All I can see is Alejandro and Marcus, both looking angry and sick. I can’t see the owner of the voice.

“Forget it,” Marcus snaps. “Ryan and I made a mistake.” His voice shatters on the last word. “You touched me and raped Ryan. We should have told the cops but we didn’t.”

My heart crumbles at his words and my stomach rushes up to meet it. My hand flies to my mouth to keep the sob from escaping.

“We made a mistake. Ryan let you keep hurting him just so you wouldn’t hurt me. Isn’t that right?” Marcus screams the last part.

He has always been strong and cocky. I’ve never seen him so vulnerable and beaten, not even after Carlos’s men attacked him. All this time, I’ve been suffering from survivor guilt, as the therapist explained to me, but I wasn’t the only one. It’s been tearing Marcus apart, too. And now his reaction after we made love makes sense. It wasn’t disgust at what I did. It was pain at what his brother endured.

I fight back the urge to run into the room and hug him. He won’t appreciate it. Not now. I doubt he wanted me to know the truth about his past. Especially not this.

I’m about to leave when I see Marcus notice me through the doorway. Sadness crowds every inch of him.

An intense heat builds inside me at the man who hurt him, and I have to hold myself back before I rush in there and slam my fist into the man’s face.