Free Taming the Boy Next Door by M. J. Carnal Page A

into her, hand over her mouth.  She couldn’t breathe.  Pain.  So much pain.  She couldn’t breathe.  The hand over her mouth.  She couldn’t breathe.  She gagged.  Screams.  Raindrops.
    Jena gasped for air and screamed. Caleb’s eyes widened.  She punched at his chest, fists flying in a fit of rage.  “Get off me.”  She kicked and thrashed under him.  “Get off me.”  She screamed. 
    Caleb jumped from the bed and reached for her arms.  “J ena, What’s wrong?”
    “Don’t touch me.”  Tears fell from her face, her whole body shook.  She ran for the door, Caleb right behind her.  Her face went pale.  “Don’t touch me.”  She screamed.
    She burst through Caleb’s bedroom door and ran into Kevin in the hallway.  She shoved him as he reached for her.  She was frantic.  Her eyes were terrified. 
    “Jena.  What’s happening?  Stop.  Where are you going?”  Kevin reached out and held Caleb back as Jena ran down the hall.  “Merck, let go of me.  Something’s wrong.”  Panicked, he watched her run out the front door.
    Andi stepped from the living room holding a broken wine bottle.  “What the hell is going on?”
    Tears fell from Caleb’s eyes.  “Andi, stop her.  Don’t let her drive like that.”  He shoved at Kevin, attempting to break free.  “Please.  I can’t lose her.”
    “Stay here, Allen.  I’m fucking serious.  Don’t move.”  Kevin ran down the hall and out the front door.
    Jena frantically tried to get the key in the car door.  When she dropped them, she pounded on the top of her car, sobbing and trembling.  She needed to get away.  It was all back.  Every gory detail.  For years it had stayed hidden, allowing her to forget.
    “Jena?”  Kevin’s voice made her scream.  Caleb burst through the door but stopped when he saw Jena’s face.  She was scared of him.  Kevin held his hand out to her.  His own face mimicking the torture on hers.  “I’m not going to ask you any questions.  You don’t have to say a word.  Just let me drive you home.”
    She nodded and took his hand as he led her to the passenger side of the car.  He helped her in and squatted down beside the car.  “I’m not going to hurt you.  You’re safe.  I’m going to take you right home.  Andi will follow us so she can drive me back.  I will lock us in the car if you want.  I promise you that you’re safe.  Do you understand me?”
    “Kevin?”  Caleb stood on the front steps, his arms in front of him in surrender.  Tears streamed down his chiseled cheeks.  He was completely confused and totally defeated.  “I don’t understand.”
    “Caleb, go back inside.  I’ll be back in a few minutes.  Andi, grab my wallet and follow us.”
    Jena made eye contact.  Her tortured eyes told a story he would never understand.  Kevin’s face mirrored hers as he started the car.  “I’m going with you Andi.  I can’t lose her.  She can’t run.” 

Chapter 12
    It was after nine when Andi returned home from work.  Three twelve hour shifts at the hospital had taken its toll after the sleepless night on Sunday.  She had spent the entire night tossing and turning, worrying about her brother.  The trip to Jena’s apartment had been pure torture.  Tears had flowed freely down his cheeks, his suffering obvious by his silence.  Their cold greeting once they arrived had been worse.  Jena had jumped from her car and buried her face in Kevin’s chest as they entered her building.  There was nothing she could have done for Caleb.  His world had been turned upside down in a matter of seconds and no matter how much she had tried, she couldn’t find the words to comfort him.
    The house was dark.  She had seen his car parked at the marina but the house felt eerily silent .  She hadn’t seen him in three nights.  He had been home, but locked in his room and she wasn’t going to push it.  The light from the refrigerator illuminated the kitchen just