Page 45 of Endure the Pain

The song came to an end. Holding hands, Jamie and I went to leave the dance floor. I scanned the crowd to look for Louie to see if he wanted to dance. Instead my eyes landed on a scene that made my stomach drop before my anger blazed to life within me.

Brenna was here, looking as if she had just arrived, dressed in jeans and a long sleeve sweater. Dylan was holding Brenna by her arm, and it looked like he was going off on her about something. Seeing the fear and pain in her eyes made my feet move without thought. He was hurting her.

“Maura?” I barely heard Jamie say as I took off toward Dylan and Brenna. I couldn’t let this happen any longer. I couldn’t stand to let him hurt her.

Just as I stepped off the dance floor, I was still about thirty feet from where they stood between two tables when Dylan backhanded Brenna and she fell to the ground.

Consequences be damned, I was going to kick his fucking ass.

Passing the first table, I scooped up a champagne bottle. Dylan had his back to me, and I was using that to my advantage. I swung the champagne bottle hard and broke it over his head. My idiot cousin fell to the ground next to Brenna, unconscious. A woman sitting at a nearby table screamed, and the music died.Why the fuck didn’t she scream when he hit Brenna?

I moved my rage filled eyes to Brenna. She cowered a little when they landed on her. “Get up,” I ordered. I didn’t offer to help her. I couldn’t. She needed to do it on her own.

It took her a few seconds, but she eventually got to her feet. Tears were flooding her eyes. I closed the space between us. “Don’t cry. You can’t show them weakness. You must find your strength, because they’ll never respect you if you don’t.”

“I’m not strong like you,” she whispered.

“You can be,” I assured her. “I can show you.” I really did believe she had it in her. “But first you have to trust me and let me help you because Icanhelp you. Just say the word and I will get you somewhere safe, tonight. He won’t be able to find you. He won’t fucking touch you again.”

She swallowed nervously and peeked down at her brother. As she stared at him, her expression hardened and determination filled her eyes. “Alright, but I need someone to go to the house to check on my mother. She—it’s why I came here…Dylan wouldn’t answer his phone.” She took a calming breath and squared her shoulders. “She’s been using cocaine and I’m worried she’s taken too much again.”

I nodded. “Okay, I’ll get Dr. Ben over to see her right away.” I turned to look for Dean. He, Finn, and Jamie were standing behind me. I waved Dean over and got close to his ear. “I want you and Finn to take her home, pack as much as you can of what she’ll need, and then take her to Vincent’s. Do not let anyone stop you and I will do my best to keep Dylan here for as long as I can,” I whispered. Dean nodded, but before he could leave my side, I stopped him. “You might want to stop at Finn’s place, too. I don’t want him leaving her side until I can make other arrangements. And tell him if anything happens to her, I will hold him responsible.”

While Dean explained the plan to Finn, I went back to Brenna. “You’re going to go with Dean and Finn. You can trust them. They may look like grumpy bastards, but they got your back.”

She gave me a wobbly nod and let Dean and Finn usher her away.

“Can you get Dr. Ben to go check on Aoife?” I asked Jamie. He nodded and pulled his phone from his pocket.

I looked down at Dylan and sighed.

“Oh my God! Dylan!” Skank Barbie yelled as she pushed her way through the crowd that was forming around us and fell to her knees next to Dylan. “What did you do to him, you psychotic bitch?” She rolled him onto his back. He groaned but didn’t open his eyes.

Where the hell was she this entire time?As soon as that thought entered my mind, Louie appeared, pushing his way through the crowd.

“Where have you been?” I asked him out loud.

His eyes drifted to Skank Barbie and panic gripped at my heart. As if reading my thoughts, he quickly shook his head. “Not what you’re thinking. Trust me. I’ll explain later.”

I could do that. I definitely had more pressing matters to attend to. “Help me get him inside?” I asked both Jamie and Louie.

They knelt down next to Dylan and started messing with him, trying to get him to wake up. Louie shook him and Jamie slapped him across his unconscious face. That did the trick and Sleeping Beauty’s eyes fluttered open. Louie and Jamie got him to his feet. I followed behind them with Skank Barbie walking alongside me—too close for comfort.

“Maura?” I heard Stefan call me. Sean and Brody were standing with him. They watched with curious expressions as Jamie and Louie practically carried Dylan inside.

“Nothing to worry about, Daddy.”

“I see. So I heard correctly that you knocked your cousin over the head with a wine bottle?” he questioned.

“It was a champagne bottle,” I corrected.

Brody snorted, but quickly covered it up by taking a sip of his drink.

Stefan didn’t look surprised or upset, which was a relief. “Alright. Carry on.”

I spun on my heel to make my way inside. As I stepped away, I heard Sean ask Stefan, “You’re going to let her get away with hitting your nephew?”

I almost laughed at Stefan’s reply: “I’m sure she had her reasons.”