Page 30 of Trapped: Between Sky And Wind

“I love Bren and Bren loves me. No one will ever be able to separate us. Nobody!” I say, my lips trembling.

Ethan takes a step toward me—I’ve never seen such anger in his eyes. He raises his hand and, the next moment, smacks me across the face. Real hard.

Sparks of red flash across my field of vision, pain and heat blazing in my cheek. I reflexively place my fingers against it and stare at him in disbelief, unable to say anything.

Ethan’s nostrils flare. “How could you leave us worrying again? How dare you deceive us for months?” His voice is cold with anger. “How dare you lie to us!”

Hot, bitter anger surges inside me. “Because I love Bren!” I yell at him, feeling tears gathering in my eyes. “Because he’s a good person despite the kidnapping. Because he couldn’t have acted any differently because he hadn’t known anything else but beatings, violence, and darkness! And because I am his light,” I add stubbornly, wiping my eyes.

Seemingly stunned, Ethan covers his face with his hands. In that second, I know he’ll never understand, and suddenly, he’s more of a stranger to me than ever.

Finally, he lowers his arms again and his angry expression fades. His turquoise-blue eyes widen like saucers. His eyes scan my body and he blushes.

Instinctively, I step backward until the frame of the double bed pokes the back of my knees and cup my hands protectively over my chest. My face burns with shame.

“Don’t just stare at me like that…” I choke out. He comes to his senses and glances sheepishly at the wall.

Apparently, Liam and Avery are just now noticing how I’m dressed. Liam grins, then clears his throat loudly, and turns. Avery pulls off his mustard-colored shirt and holds it out to me with one long arm as if afraid to get close. He looks past me and I gratefully slip it on and button it up. Luckily, Avery is a Goliath, so the shirt comes down to my thighs, covering most of what matters. Inwardly, I breathe a sigh of relief, no longer feeling quite so exposed.

“Bren’s not a criminal,” I tell Ethan now. It’s hard for me to look at him after he hit me, but there’s no other way. I cross my arms in front of my chest. “And yes, he’s not healthy, but he’s also not totally crazy like you’re making him out to be!”

“Sit down, Louisa,” Avery says, pulling out a chair.

I stand stock-still.

“We’re going to talk for a while, so sit down!” Ethan snaps. His gaze is unyielding and hard, and because I’m afraid he’ll get physical again, I obey. Anger throbs in my heartbeats. Ethan has only raised his hand to me once and that was when I claimed to have run away. I couldn’t blame him, given the situation. Because if I had actually been thoughtless enough to leave them in the dark about my whereabouts, I would have deserved it.

But this is something completely different.

“If you force me to do anything, you’ll be just like Bren was last year,” I say quietly.

His fist smashes the tabletop in front of me, the wood groaning under the force and I flinch in shock.

“Don’t compare me to that…that lunatic!”

“He’s not a lunatic. His stepfather tortured him when he was a child, he…”

“What Ethan’s trying to say,” Avery interrupts, sitting across from me while Liam collapses onto the bed, which creaks loudly. “We’re worried about you, Lou.” He sounds much calmer than Ethan—what a relief. At least he is keeping a cool head. Nonetheless, his gaze is deadly serious. “We think you’re mentally ill. It’s not your fault, but your whole behavior is unnatural. It’s not like you at all to lie to us for such a long time, Lou. What did you think you were doing? Apart from the fact that child protective services came to our house and scrutinized our family…”

“I’m sorry about that too, but…”

“But nothing!” Ethan interjects angrily. “Avery may believe you have Stockholm syndrome and he might be right, but nevertheless, your behavior is irresponsible. This person kidnapped you and committed acts of violence.”

“This person has a name and he…”

“Damn it, if you interrupt me again…”

“What? Will you hit me again?” Ethan flinches. “You are committing acts of violence to get your way! Bren never hit me!”

“He brutally drugged you and carted you halfway across the United States to Canada in a box! Like cattle! You could have died!” His voice cracks like that of an excited child. “And you want to love this guy?” He paces back and forth in front of the table before stopping close to me. “I’ll tell you what: Yes, it actually is sick. I just don’t know if I should put you over my knee first or put you in a psychiatric ward.”

“Ethan, I’ve had many months to figure out how I truly feel about Brendan. I had seen him before and I liked him, wanted to get to know him.”

“We know all that from your letters and Jay. Don’t bother! It doesn’t change the facts.” Ethan juts out his chin angrily, tolerating no argument.

“Where’s Jay? Why isn’t he here?”

Avery raises an eyebrow in astonishment. “You have to ask?” He has folded his hands on the table and makes a saintly face like the mediator he always is.

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