Trembling With the Strings

Kill The Engine, Stab My Heart

“Why are we going there again?” Darius complained as he kept his eyes on the road, taking a right on East Michigan Avenue. We’d spent the whole day at home while Darius told everyone about our engagement. It was probably around midnight by the time we’d gotten in the car.

“Well, I thought maybe...” I bit my lip. “Couldn’t my brothers come live with us?”

I jolted forward when the car came to an abrupt stop. The only thing that had kept me from bashing my head on the dashboard was the arm that Darius had thrown in front of me. He turned to me, such disbelief in his eyes. I looked down, silent.

“Why the fuck would I want three kids running around?” he asked me. I could feel his glare.

“I don’t know,” I mumbled, not daring to look up at him. He grumbled something under his breath.

“You have me. Isn’t that enough?” he hissed, jerking me onto his lap. He killed the engine, and I glanced out the window to see that we were at my old house.

“I just worry about them. And Marty can’t take too much abuse before they break his little head.”

I felt him tense, holding me tighter. Darius sighed, kissing my neck quickly.

“Fine. But this had better not interfere with our sex life,” he grumbled, opening the car door and pushing me out and onto the porch.

“Thank you,” I whispered, kissing him softly. He purred, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me closer to deepen the kiss.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

I jumped in my skin and turned to see my father standing in the doorway. He had a permanent scowl on his face. Darius cleared his throat, tearing himself from me.

“Hello, I’m Darius Jameson,” Dray told my dad, wrapping an arm around my waist.

“Are you famous or something?” he spat. “And what are you doing with my daughter?”

“I don’t think you understand,” Dray hissed, glaring. “I’m the son of the man who could have killed you if he had truly wanted to.”

The blood rushed from his face, and I watched as he stuttered.

“Do come in!” he begged, stepping out of the doorway and gesturing us in.

“That’s what I thought,” Darius mumbled, pulling me into the house.

My mother came out of the kitchen and joined her husband, Darius and I in the den. Darius grasped my hand and held it in his lap, rubbing my thumb gingerly with his.

“So what brings you two out here?” my mother asked, her voice filled with audible uneasiness.

“Well, my father sent me,” he lied. “He told me that I should visit here again and see how things are doing. I told him that I wasn’t exactly content with only Gracie, so he told me I could have whatever I wanted. So I told him that I wanted her three brothers.”

“You can’t do that!” my mother shrieked. “Grace, tell him he can’t do that!”

“Oh, but I have to side with him. I am his, after all,” I hissed, nearly laughing at the desperation on her face.

“You can’t take all of my babies!”

“I’m not taking all of them. You can keep the runaway daughter of yours, if she comes back anyway.” Darius smirked, kissing me suddenly. “I only need one woman.”

“Wait,” my father interrupted, narrowing his eyes at us. “Just what do you have going on with my daughter?”

“Your daughter? Oh, no. She’s no longer you’re daughter: now she’s just my fiancée.” He grinned sadistically when my mother’s eyes shot open wide.

“You can’t do that!” She rose to her feet, her husband at her side.

“Go ahead, make my day and try to fight me,” Darius dared her, getting to his feet and baring his teeth at her. They didn’t move. “That’s what I thought. Look, I’ll give you some time to say goodbye to your kids. But if you’re not out of this house in an hour, you’ll have me to deal with. And no funny business, got it? We’ll be staying here for the night, but in the morning your sons are coming with me.” Dray helped me up, glowering at my parents.

They nodded silently, my mother crying in her husband’s arms. I rolled my eyes and let Darius pull me into my old room.

“How do you know they won’t just take off with my brothers?” I hated how trusting he was being.

That eager look was in his eyes, and I nearly groaned when I heard the door slam shut.