Page 19 of Brainwashed

“No, you don’t,” Cassie snapped. The sound of it came out of nowhere, reminding me that she was even there. I looked at her, brow lifting in confusion at her sharp words. Her eyes darted to Cam, and they shared a look I couldn’t quite interpret. “I just mean, he’s not perfect.”

Her face bowed, and her eyes stayed on her shoes. There was something strange in the way she was acting… They both seemed a bit clammed up all of a sudden. Just because I mentioned their dad and said he was awesome.

At the time, I remember thinking it was odd. But of course, I wouldn’t find out exactly why they were behaving so strangely for another two years…

“I know he’s not perfect,” I replied. “But at least he spends time with you guys. I’d give anything for my dad to—”

“No, you wouldn’t, Felix!” Cam barked at me, cutting my words off in my throat. “Just drop it, okay? Our dad is just… whatever.” He breathed out hard and rubbed his eyes. It was then that I noticed some specific bruises around his bicep. They looked like fingerprints… “Take the bike, okay? You need help bringing it to your garage?”

I blinked at him, our eyes holding one another’s gaze for what felt like hours. I could see so many things in the rings of brown and green in his irises… But the one I focused on was the fear. It sat in my chest; parked itself there and stayed for a long time. Honestly, I think it might still be there.

The fear he felt is the same that I’ve caused in so many others over the years… And I’ve been conflicted about it. I thrive on that fear at times… Other times, I despise it.

It’s my curse.Loving and hating myself at the same time.

I finally shook my head at Cam’s question, and he bent to pick up my bike, walking it back toward their house without so much as a goodbye. When I looked at Cassie, her eyes met mine, pleading for some sort of understanding before she went for her bike, following solemnly after her brother.

I stood in the street for a few minutes, wondering what was going on. Thinking about my only two friends and their father. My own father… my family.

So many strange thoughts flittered about in my brain while I picked up Cam’s bike and walked it to my driveway. I wheeled it into the garage and popped down the kickstand. But before I went back inside, I took a moment to run my fingers along the bike seat, up the handlebars, the feeling of Cam’s hand on mine still tightening my gut.

The memory of his warm tongue swiping up my blood…

Before I even knew what was happening, I was pulling my dick out of my pants and jerking off. I came in two minutes with my best friend’s name ushered on by bated breaths.

Later that night, after dinner, I was sitting on the front steps of our house, ignoring the shrill of my mother as she screamed things at my father. I was sort of just staring at the street, when I heard distant footsteps, like someone was running.

Sure enough, there was Cam and Cassie’s dad, Tom, jogging. Without even realizing it, I had stood up and was heading down the walkway, through the grass, toward the road. I wandered slowly after him, watching carefully as he jogged farther away. He was wearing only shorts, his entire naked torso on display, glistening with sweat.

I kept walking, keeping my steps paced just right, staying far enough away that he wouldn’t see me, but also fast enough that I could keep up with him, just in the distance. Watching.

Observing.Stalking.

Thomas Kline was aman, that much was clear. He wasn’t old by any means, probably nearing forty at that time, but still obviously older than me. There was hair on his chest, and his muscles weren’t like mine and Cam’s. They were thick chords and curves, carved into him, as if he was chiseled out of a big hunk of stone. The resemblance between him and Cam was there, though his hair was darker, and he had a different chin. Still, he looked like an older version of my best friend.

My best friend who’d licked my blood earlier.

My tongue grazed my lip while I watched Tom disappear up over the hill, my mind running even faster than him with thoughts.The strangeness Cassie and Cam displayed when I mentioned him earlier… Cam’s bruises. It made me think, prompted me to remember things. Their odd behaviors.

One memory popped up… Of a time I had been over their house for dinner. Tom placed his hand gently on Cassie’s shoulder. And she flinched.

I’d never given it an ounce of thought before right then.

My teeth sank into my lower lip while Tom jogged through my mind.

And I wondered how his blood tasted.

When Velle comes to take me out of solitary, my emotions are conflicted.

On the one hand, I’m fucking starving to death.Literally. I haven’t eaten in days and I can feel my life-force fading. I’m seriously craving a shower, a toothbrush, and some fucking food.

I’d love some General Tso’s chicken, but really anything will do.

But on the other hand, I don’t want to leave Dash behind. We’ve become fast friends in the few days we’ve lived on opposite sides of this wall. Our talks got me through the starvation, and honestly, I might have lost my mind if it weren’t for him. That and I really like the way listening to his voice makes me feel in the stomach. Sometimes I can even hear him when he’s not speaking.

I think his voice reminds me of someone, but I’m not sure.Maybe Isaac…

I cringe at the thought while Velle drags me, cuffed and shackled, toward the basement showers. I’ve been in here before, but of course it’s worse with Velle, since he’s the head asshole in charge and he’s on a goddamn power trip. That and maybe he’s still pissed off about me killing Wilkerson…