A Broken Family Ch. 06

"It wasn't like that. I wasn't really going to do anything. I was joking with Alex about a girl he likes at my university." My voice held a tiny hint of franticness to my own ears and a small smile came onto Eli's face. "Stop it. Let me go and stop acting like you know anything because you don't."

"I told you to chill out, so chill out. I won't kiss you again tonight, okay? So just go to sleep like any other night." One of his hands moved up to press my head to his chest and I muttered in frustration.

"You won't kiss me again ever. Nothing will ever happen between us. It's illegal and immoral. I'm supposed to protect you, not take advantage of you."

"Sure." But his voice held a good level of humor and I lay awake even after his breathing leveled off.

---

"Hey," Alex's arms went around me and he kissed the side of my neck as I looked through my closet. "What're you looking for?"

"I'm going out with Amy tonight and was looking for something to wear." I stopped flipping through hangers and turned to face him.

He kissed me and when he pulled back his forehead wrinkled. "What's up, Holls?"

"Nothing. I just... need to blow off some steam or something. No boys, just some girl on girl dancing and music." I tilted my head. "I'd invite you to come, but Amy would find that suspicious."

"So would every other person there." He analyzed my face a second longer. "You're sure there's nothing wrong?"

"What would be wrong?" I smiled at him and rubbed his arms where they held me close to him. "I'll climb into bed with you when I get home so you'll know I'm safe."

He pressed his lips to my forehead. "You can talk to me about anything."

"I know. There's nothing wrong. Just need a little fun out with Amy."

---

"What's your brother doing here?" Amy looked behind me as her voice faded into the music, and I turned to see Eli talking to a couple of guys my age and casually glancing in my direction. "Did Alex send him?"

"I'll be right back, Ames," I shouted and made my way through the mass of people at the house party. A hand on my ass had me moving faster until I stumbled through the outer ring. Male hands caught me by the arms and I straightened myself with a thank you, but cut off as I faced Eli. "What the hell do you think you are doing here, Eli? You have football practice in the morning."

He stepped closer and bent down to talk into my ear as my eyes shifted around looking for anyone who'd notice Eli was my brother. "I want to make sure no one stakes a claim on you since I can't actively fight for you in public."

"Which is exactly the reason why you shouldn't be here." I stepped back from him. "Go home. Now. Or I'm calling Alex."

"He'll come and pick you up, too." He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Alex knows where I am. You, on the other hand, I know he wouldn't want out past twelve. You need to go home right now."

He lifted an empty beer bottle from the table beside us. "I've been drinking."

I sighed and looked behind me, searching for Amy. She was dancing with a boy I didn't know and I groaned. I couldn't leave her in case she was drugged. We always played each other's wing-girl to insure bad things didn't happen.

"Dammit, Eli." I looked back at him. "You stay right here and you don't drink a drop more. I will be right back!" I pushed my way out to the backyard and pulled my phone out.

"What's wrong, Holly?" His voice held signs of sleep, but he was awake enough to infuse it with worry.

"Eli's here. Can you come get him? I don't want to leave Amy."

"Where are you?" I heard shuffling and assumed he was getting dressed.

"The Caldwell's house on Maple."

"I'll be there in about ten minutes. Thank you for calling me instead of keeping his secrets."

"Sure. See you in ten, Alex." I hung up and heaved a sigh before heading back inside. I didn't see Eli where I'd left him and checked to make sure Amy wasn't drinking anything on the dance floor before making my way to one of the boys Eli'd been talking to.

I jerked a nerdy boy I remembered from school down a few inches so I could yell into his ear, "Where did he go?"

His face took on a drunken grin and he took hold of the hand that held his shirt. "Easy there, Sweetheart. Where'd who go?"

"Eli Sparks." I gritted my teeth in annoyance and flicked my gaze to the boy beside him. He was shorter and skinnier and way more easily manipulated.

"He went upstairs, said something about meeting a girl up there," the drunk's friend told me.

I let go of the drunk nerd and rubbed the bridge of my nose. "Thanks," I shouted before turning and heading towards the stairs. Amy's status hadn't changed, but I hurried down the hallway to a door I saw ajar.

"Eli Joseph, I am not playing this game." I flicked on the light and my eyes widened as I took in Michael underneath a slender redhead. "Sorry." I flicked the light back off as they looked at me and backed out the door. Michael called for me to wait, but I tried the next door.

I jumped as the door was pushed shut behind me and two arms grabbed me and pressed me in between a hard body and the door. I screamed and threw a blind punch that connected with the bone of a shoulder. Lips quickly found mine as tears stung my eyes from the impact of my knuckles of unyielding bone. The kiss was familiar and I relaxed as I lifted a hand up and felt the familiar length and texture of Eli's hair. When he pulled away, I smacked him across the face.

One of his hands left me and I saw the outline of him holding a hand to his cheek. "What the hell is your problem? I thought you were screwing some random slut with an STD and that I was about to be raped. Let go of me and come downstairs. Alex will be here in five minutes."

"Chill out, Holly. Jesus, did you have to smack me so hard?"

"That was to get a point across. Don't you ever follow me to another party again; got it?"

"I thought we kept each other's secrets."

"Not when you've been acting the way you have. You better straighten up and try to act sober." I peeled his arm away from me and opened the door.

"So it's okay for JT to act this way, but not me." He pushed the door back.

"Exactly. If JT wants to continue to screw himself over, oh well. I'm not letting you fall down into that hole. I will beat the crap out of you before I let that happen."

The weight went off the door and I opened it again. "Sorry," he mumbled.

I angled towards him so that we could see each other in the light. "I get that you're jealous. I do. But you need to be yourself, not imitate others. Come on." I held out a hand and pulled him down the hallway.

Amy was getting another drink as we passed the kitchen and I paused. "You taking him home?" Her eyes looked him up and down, something she never would have done while sober.

"Alex is coming to pick him up for me." I bit my lip. "I don't want to leave you here, but I'm not in a party mood anymore. Can I take you home?"

She smiled and pushed away from the counter. "Sure. Just let me finish this." She wrapped an arm around my waist and walked along with us to the front door. I was happy she wasn't too far gone to fight me on it. Generally, she had a good head on her shoulders.

We were just walking to my car to put Amy in when Alex pulled up beside us. He got out and walked around, a stern expression on his face. "Get in the truck, Eli. We can talk about this in the morning."

Eli did as he was told, giving me a wilted look as he got in. Ridiculously, I felt it was my fault that he was trying to imitate JT and the guilt weighed on me. "He thought he could follow JT's example. I already talked to him, but feel free to talk to him more in the morning. It might benefit to have JT sit down with him, too."

Alex placed a hand on my arm and I looked at him. "Hey, it's not your problem to worry about. Just get her home safe and I'll see you in a little while." He smiled and I smiled back.

"Okay. Be easy on him right now?"

He let go of me and started walking back to the driver's side. "Just for tonight."