“Nice to meet you,” I rush out. “Come on,” I snap at Toby, grabbing his arm which was around my shoulders, I drag him with me. “What the fuck was that?” I hiss as we find some privacy.
“What?” he asks with a bite and a dark look. I take a step back as my heart throbs in my chest. My God, he looks like Isaac. I rub my eyes, and Toby’s stare darkens. Stepping back again I slam into a hand dryer which whirs to life.
“Fuck,” I gasp, then frown.
A hand dryer? Shaking my head, I look around and realise we’re in a disabled toilet.
“It’s always him. Every fucking thing is about him,” Toby mumbles to himself.
“Toby?” I call, trying to break his focus, but he’s gone somewhere. His body is here, but his mind isn’t. I’m not sure if he can even see me right now, this isn’t a side of him I’m used to. His anguish is etched across his chiselled face, and I’m in the extraordinary position of not knowing what to do.
Out of the three brothers, I was always closest to Isaac growing up, but Toby and Isaac were best friends. Since he left, Toby and I have filled that void with each other. Yet, I’ve never seen him like this, and I’m slightly rattled. He paces back and forth like a caged animal in the small space, his movements push me into the corner. “I love him… he’s my brother,” Toby continues mumbling to himself, then he stops pacing and looks at his feet while rubbing the back of his neck.
“Toby,” I murmur, not sure what to say as I wring my hands.
“Don’t,” he snaps at breakneck speed.
Frowning at his response and slapping my palm on the wall, the storm inside is suddenly rumbling. “What the fuck is your problem?” I grind out.
“You. Him. All of it,” he barks as a loud bang hits the door.
“What the fuck is going on in there?” I hear the deep growl of Isaac and close my eyes for a second, unsure whether I’m relieved or not.
“Always him.” Then, as if it’s happening in slow motion, Toby throws the bottle from his hand. It’s such a small room that I dart back thinking it’s going to hit me, instead the bottle slams into the mirror behind me. I slip twisting as I lose my footing and throw my hands out trying desperately to grip onto something, but all my fingers find is the broken mirror. As I fall, the shards slice into my hand, after which my head smashes into the toilet.
Darkness blurs the edges of my vision. Toby’s wide eyes are the last thing I see before the light fades completely.
ISAAC
“What the fuck, Toby,” I growl as the door opens. All I can see is Via on the ground with blood running along her arm. I scramble down, and Toby’s muttering fades out like white noise as all my attention shifts to her, my fucking everything.
“Ambulance.” I glance up at Shelly, she’s all action now. Shelly passes the phone to a shocked Toby and crouches down next to me, grabbing Via’s arm and holding it up. “Give me something to put pressure on it,” she grunts at me while trying to rouse Olivia.
Wake the fuck up, dipshit. I curse myself internally then snap into action. First things first. I look at Toby. “She better fucking be okay,” I hiss, but his eyes don’t move from her body. I pull my shirt off, thankful that I have a thermal on underneath—although that wouldn’t have stopped me—and tie it around her wrist, running it through her fingers and putting pressure on her palm. Leaning over her, I push Shelly to one side as Via’s eyes flutter open and shut again. “Via, baby,” I murmur low, trying to exhale my fear along with her name.
“Isaac?” she rasps. “W-What…” Blinking, Via’s eyes move around the tiny space. I can almost see her thoughts frantically working, trying to piece the night back together. I take a second to wonder why my brother and my… my… Via, were in a disabled toilet, but push it away as my teeth crunch against each other.
“Shit, Liv, I’m so sorry,” Toby chokes out, kneeling next to her.
“Back the fuck away,” I snarl, and his eyes flit to mine, wariness and pain shimmering on the surface, but right now I don’t care. All I know is Via is bleeding, in pain, and he was the only one in here with her, I can’t think past that. I know my brother would never hurt her intentionally. I love him. He’s my brother and my best friend, but she owns my heart. Even though I’ll never tell her, she is my world, and if someone tries to hurt her, I will stop them, hurt them. I’ll stand in between her and anyone.
Anyone.
No matter who they are.
“Excuse me, sir.” I drop my head back and turn toward the voice. I quickly move when I realise it’s a paramedic, but I thread my fingers through Via’s on her good hand.
“Olivia!” I hear the shout and close my eyes. I had forgotten where we were for a moment. This shit has to stop. I know everything. Every inch of my surroundings, and every person in the vicinity, the escape routes and all the instruments around me that I could use to kill someone. Getting within ten feet of Via and everything I’ve learnt, everything I know, fades away, leaving only my feelings, my heart. Nothing exists beyond her, and when she’s near I forget who I’ve become—who I really
