“Damn, you two, get a room,” Bentley said.
When Elec finally backed away, Victoria covered her mouth and said, “Wow…and here I was, thinking you weren’t interested.” She laughed.
My stare burned into Elec’s, and he silently mouthed, “Told you.”
“Excuse me,” I said to Bentley as I exited the booth and promptly asked the waitress where I could find the bathroom. Before I could grab my bearings, Victoria came in after me.
“What was that?” she asked.
I leaned against the sink. “What was what?”
“That whole thing…Elec kissing me like that, and then you running off. Did it upset you that he kissed me?”
I dodged the inquiry. “He can do whatever he wants. He just bugs me.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
Sure, why don’t I just admit that I’m obsessed with my stepbrother, so much so, that it turned me on a little watching him kiss you, because everything he does seems to make my body react.
“You know things between him and me are rocky, Vic. I also don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“Don’t worry. I’m a big girl. I’m just having a little fun. I know he’s leaving.”
This was exactly what I was afraid of.
“Don’t mind me, okay? Elec just gets under my skin. It’s no big deal. I just needed a breather.”
“Okay, if you say so.” She crossed her arms. “Are you feeling good about Bentley, though?”
“We’ll see. He’s…nice. I think I’ll definitely give him a chance.”
“Good.”
When Victoria hugged me, I could smell Elec on her, and it made me crazy. It was my reaction to that whiff of smoky musk that served to remind me that he was driving me insane and that it needed to end. I vowed in that moment to do whatever it took to shake this thing I had for him.
“You ready to go back out?” she asked.
“Yeah.” I nodded and took a deep breath. “Yeah, I’m ready.”
The events that took place next seemed to occur in rapid succession. As we walked back toward the booth, I heard silverware flying and then a loud crashing sound. A crowd of people gasped before I caught sight of Bentley on the ground and Elec kicking the shit out of him. Bentley’s face was bloody, and Elec’s mouth was also bleeding.
“Elec, what are you doing?!” I screamed.
He continued kicking Bentley with all his might.
The restaurant manager ran toward us along with a waiter who assisted him in pulling Elec away from Bentley who was keeling over on the ground in pain.
I bent down. “Bentley, what happened?”
“That lunatic punched me for no reason and so, I hit him back. Then, he just started beating the shit out of me. I tripped, and he started kicking me when I was down.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
I helped him up, and he leaned against me. The two men were still holding Elec down as police sirens approached in the distance.
What was happening?
Victoria walked over to Elec. “What the hell is going on?”
He spit some blood onto the floor. “Do not let her leave with him.”
I looked over at Bentley. “What started this? I don’t understand.”
“Nothing. That freak just attacked me.”
“You fucking liar,” Elec spewed as he lunged forward to charge at Bentley again, but the men holding his arms restrained him.
Two officers walked in and began questioning each of the guys in separate corners. Victoria and I just stood at the sidelines, dazed and confused as to what could have possibly happened in the short time we were in the bathroom to have caused this. I’d wished I could have heard what they were saying to the officers, but they were too far away.
After they were released, Elec walked straight past Victoria and over to me. “Let’s go. You’re not getting in his car.”
“Who the fuck do you think you are, trying to take my date home?” Bentley shouted.
“I am her home, fucknut.”
CHAPTER 6
The cab ride with Elec and Victoria that night had been extremely uncomfortable. Bentley had freaked out and taken off in his car after he found out Elec was actually my stepbrother. The cause of what happened in that diner remained a mystery to me. The entire way back, Elec said nothing to either one of us. He sat in the front while we sat in the backseat.
When we got home and he went upstairs to his room, he slammed the door so hard, it made me jump. I’d thought about trying to talk to him, but my better instincts told me to just let him be alone.
By the time I woke up the following Saturday morning, Elec had already left to work the entire day at the bike shop.