Chapter 26: Chapter Twenty-Five

The drive home was quiet. Nobody said a word as Sloan sat with Hailey cradled in his arms. He looked so different from the moody brother we knew at home. Miles was in front with me, busy with the camera as he cursed under his breath.

“What?” I asked him.

“Is she coming home with us?” He asked me.

“For now,” I said and parked the Tahoe in the garage.

It was eleven pm and I knew Alexander wouldn’t be asleep yet, he wouldn’t sleep until we came home. I unlocked the front door and they all filed past me into the living room. I didn’t really know what to do but something deep inside of me was building up with rage because I hadn’t hurt Josh enough, not nearly enough.

“You guys are back early,” Alexander said as he stopped at the doorway of the living room.

“We should talk,” I said as his gaze fixed on Hailey and Sloan.

I followed Alexander out to the kitchen, and he sat down at the island counter as I leaned against the edge of the other counter and folded my arms across my chest as I realized the severity of the situation we were in. They might not understand, but I did. I knew exactly why Hailey didn’t want to go home.

“Talk to me,” Alexander said as he watched me. I hadn’t even looked in a mirror yet and I had no idea what I looked like.

“I hit Josh pretty hard, he wasn’t conscious when we left,” I began.

“Shit, Kage,” he said.

“I found Endri where Josh was holding him, making him look at something. I didn’t even see Hailey; I just saw Endri and I lost it. Endri told me they were drugging girls and taking pictures of them,” I said.

“Go on,” Alexander said calmly but his hands were clenched into fists, betraying his own anger.

“I found Hailey a few minutes later, gave her my jacket to cover up her torn shirt. Sloan got the camera, and we came home,” I said to him.

“Why didn’t you call the police?” he asked me.

“Shit, Alexander. She didn’t want to go home like that, and I doubt she’ll want to talk to the cops,” I said to him.

“Why?”

“Sorry to interrupt,” Miles said as he poked his head into the kitchen.

“What is it, Miles?” Alexander asked him.

“The camera must have gotten damaged during the fight, it’s useless, I can only access the last picture that was taken, and it’s blurred,” Miles said.

“So, we’ve got no evidence,” I said clenching my fists.

“Sorry,” Miles said and left me and Alexander alone in the kitchen.

“We should still call the police, even if you don't, the hospital will,” Alexander said.

“She wasn’t hurt physically,” I said.

“Let her sleep in one of your rooms tonight, get her some of Endri’s clothes, he’s the smallest of you lot, we’ll talk again tomorrow morning,” Alexander said as he stood up.

“She can sleep in my room, I’ll crash on the couch,” I said.

Alexander just nodded and left the kitchen as I wiped a hand over my face. I had no idea how hurt Josh was, but I reckoned that I hurt him pretty badly. I hadn’t been in that type of rage in a long time, and I looked at my hands, my raw knuckles and the dried blood.

“Endri, get Hailey some clothes,” I said as I walked back into the living room.

“What did Alexander say?” Sloan asked me.

“Hailey can sleep in my room tonight, I’ll sleep here,” I said.

“Is he angry?” Sloan asked me.

“No, we should all get some sleep,” I said and looked at Hailey. “Come on, I’ll show you to my room.”

I left the living room and met up with Endri as he came down the hall with a pair of sweatpants, a T-shirt and a pair of socks for Hailey. I took them from him and opened my bedroom door near the end of the hallway.

“The bathroom’s in here,” I said as I switched the lights on and then the lamp next to my bed.

“Thank you, Kage,” she said softly.

“Anytime, Hailey. Get some sleep, tomorrow we’ll figure everything out,” I said.

I left Hailey and Sloan in my room after grabbing my own sleepwear and changed in Sloan’s room after taking a quick shower. I had just made myself comfortable on the couch when Sloan sat down and let his head rest in his hands.

“You two seem close,” I said.

“We have a few classes together,” Sloan said.

“What I saw was more than ‘we just have a few classes together’,” I said.

“I like her. We were supposed to go out on a date tomorrow night,” he said.

“She’ll be okay, Sloan,” I said.

“Will she? Are we?” He asked me.

“Yes.”

“This shit is fucked up, Kage!” He said angrily.

“Don’t you think I know that?” I asked him.

“What did Miles find on the camera?” He asked me.

“Nothing but a blurred photo, we can’t do shit,” I said.

“So, they just get away with it?” He asked me.

“I didn’t say that. Sloan … go to bed. Get some rest and we’ll talk tomorrow morning,” I said to him.

“I don’t like feeling this way, Kage. I feel helpless,” he said as I stood up.

“Come here, everything will be okay, I promise,” I said as I pulled him into a hug.

I struggled to fall asleep after Sloan had left. I shouldn’t have promised him that everything would be okay. I didn’t know that. I wanted it to be, but would it? I dozed off eventually and woke to Miles and Endri arguing over the remote.

“Stop bickering like two girls,” I groaned.

“Morning, sunshine,” Miles said as I opened my eyes.

“What time is it?” I asked.

“Eight,” Endri said.

“Shit, why hasn’t Alexander kicked our asses for missing practice yet?” I asked.

“He told us to leave you, he’s making breakfast,” Miles said, and my eyebrows raised at that. Alexander was making breakfast and now I felt nervous.

“Sloan?” I asked.

“Pacing up and down in front of your door waiting for Hailey to wake up,” Endri said.