Seduced in Ink

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  He tugged on her again, trying to take her down the mountain. She shook her head, pulling back with all her might.

  “We’re going to die out here. The storm’s too bad. We need to go back.”

  “You bitch,” he growled. “You have to come with me. My car’s down here.”

  “It’s not safe to drive,” she said, trying to make him see reason, even though she knew he wouldn’t.

  “Stop trying to save yourself. We’re going to find someone to marry us, and then I’m taking what is rightfully mine. I had to follow you around like a little lovesick puppy, listening to whatever your dumb ass mother said, and all because I was promised something. And now I’m not getting it? No. I get what I want. I’ve always gotten what I want. And that means I’m getting you.”

  He was deranged. He’d lost his fucking mind. She really needed to get away from him.

  He tugged her to her feet, wrenching her arm again. But this time, she pulled away, thankful that he slid in the mud as he tried to swipe at her with the knife.

  It was pure luck that the move worked, but she ran and kept running, her feet sliding in the mud, the rain slapping at her skin. Hail came, and she knew she was likely bleeding from the little ice pellets battering her skin, but she didn’t care. She needed to get to Aaron. Had to get to her mom and dad. She just wanted to be home. Away from Guy.

  She kept running up the hill to where she thought the lodge was and prayed she was going in the right direction. She could hear Guy behind her, screaming her name. Her heart raced so fast that she could barely hear anything over the pounding and the rush of blood in her ears.

  “Madison!” her mother yelled. Relief and fear filled her. While she knew that her mother had had no part in this, she had brought Guy into her life. However, Madison’s mother hurt with words, never anything else.

  Madison knew that deep down in her soul.

  “Mom, get back. He’s coming!” She refused to let her mother get hurt by this man. It wasn’t her fault that Guy was insane.

  “What?” Maeve gasped.

  Madison reached out but slipped at the last moment, banging her knee against a rock. Stars burst behind her eyelids, and she sucked in a breath, telling herself that she was going to be okay. She just needed to keep moving. But Guy pulled at her hair, and she fell back again, screaming.

  “Guy? What are you doing? Get off my daughter. Is that a knife?”

  “You bitch!” Guy screamed. Madison didn’t know if he was talking to her or her mom.

  “Let go of my daughter!” her mother said, falling slightly as she tried to make her way over.

  “Stop. He has a knife!” Her mom’s eyes widened, even as the rain picked up, the wind howling even louder around them.

  “Just go, save yourself,” Madison yelled.

  “Let go of my daughter!” her mother growled, coming straight at Guy.

  “Please. Take me instead,” she pleaded.

  “No! Mom.” Madison couldn’t believe it. It was like a different person was standing in front of her right now. Or maybe the person that she had known when she was younger.

  “Let go of my baby.”

  Madison tugged at Guy’s grip, and both of them went down to their knees as she tried to get away. Guy scrambled for her, pulling at her clothes. The sound of ripping fabric filled the air as she tried to get to her mother.

  “Mom, run!”

  But it was too late. Guy was there, a rock in his hand. He smashed it against her mother’s skull. Her mom’s eyes went wide for an instant before blood flowed, and then she crumpled to the ground.

  “No!”

  Madison turned wobbly in the knees and pushed herself forward in the mud, lunging at Guy, hitting him with all her might. He scrambled back, the knife falling to the ground. She hit him again, pushing at him. Screaming. He yelled, but it was all so incoherent, she couldn’t even tell what he was saying anymore. Didn’t know if they were words at all. It didn’t matter, though. She pushed him again, grateful when he fell back. She moved to her mother, scared of what she would find. Blood seeped from an open wound on her mother’s forehead, but she seemed to be breathing. Madison had to get her out of this rain, needed to get her out of this situation and get help. Madison’s clothes stuck to her, and blood coated her hands, her knees, and every other place she’d hurt when she fell and from where the hail had hit her. She had a slight cut on her arm from the knife earlier, but she couldn’t feel anything. She was far too cold for that.

  If they didn’t get back to the lodge soon, they were going to die out here. Not necessarily because of Guy, but because of the elements.

  She began to drag her mom away, too weak to pick her up. She wasn’t sure if she would make it.

  Suddenly, Guy was there, screaming again. He pushed her mother away from her, and then wrapped his hands around Madison’s throat.

  She clutched at Guy’s hands, digging her fingernails into his skin.

  She gasped, trying to breathe, but he squeezed harder. Madison fell to her knees beside her mother, tears rolling down her face and mixing with the rain.

  This was it. She was going to die. Her mother had actually tried to save her, but it hadn’t been enough.

  They were going to die together, with nobody to hear them scream for help.

  Suddenly, someone else was there, and Guy was on the ground with a large shape on top of him, the person punching and yelling.

  Madison coughed, her gaze spotty as she tried to fight for breath. She looked up to see Aaron pummeling Guy’s face. The man she loved was enraged. He shook, his body covered in mud, and so wet from the rain that it looked as if he had jumped into a pool.

  “Aaron!” she gasped, crying fully now, her body shaking with wracked sobs.

  Aaron gave one last hard punch, knocking the other man out, then scrambled off Guy and came to her. He cupped her face, his gaze searching hers.

  “Madison. Are you okay?”

  “My mom,” she choked out, not able to say anything else.

  He looked down at the blood on her, and then over at her mom. His face went impossibly pale.

  “Ralph! Mark! They’re here. Get the authorities!” he yelled over her head before pulling Madison close and going down to his knees to check her mom’s neck for a pulse. When he gave her a tight nod, tears flowed harder, and she just clung to him, shaking.

  The earth started to rumble, and she looked up to see mud coming at them.

  “Oh my God,” she whispered.

  “Come on, get them out of here.” Aaron kissed her hard and then handed her over to her father, who helped her stand. Aaron moved ahead, her mother held close to his chest, carrying her up as if she weighed nothing.

  “I’ve got this asshole,” Ralph growled, putting Guy in a fireman’s carry as the mud, trees, branches, rocks, and everything else came at them. The mudslide happened faster than anything she’d ever seen in her life.

  “We need to hurry!” Aaron shouted over the deafening noise.

  “Guy had a knife,” she said, clutching her father’s chest. He practically dragged her up the hill on the other side of where the mudslide was coming from.

  There was a ravine between the two edges. As long as they made it to higher ground, they should be fine, as would the lodge. But if they’d remained where they were before Aaron had come, they likely would have died.

  If Aaron hadn’t come for her, that would’ve been it.

  She shook, the adrenaline pumping through her at a fast pace. She knew she was going to crash at any minute.

  “Daddy,” she whispered in shock.

  “Let’s get you inside. Let’s get your mother and you inside. Come on, pumpkin.”

  He held her close, and she looked over at Aaron, knowing that he had only let her father hold her so he could carry her unconscious mother up the hill. No one else would have been strong enough. As it was, Ralph was struggling with Guy’s weight, but she didn’t care. At this point, Guy could be left behind. But then again
, she didn’t want that death on her conscience.

  They made their way to the top of the hill, the mudslide roaring on the other side of the small ravine, and then people were all talking at once, coming at them. Lights flashed, and she realized that the authorities had arrived.

  She wasn’t exactly sure what would happen next. The paramedics came towards her mother, and Aaron handed her off to them before turning and facing her. Madison didn’t know what to say. She simply threw herself at him, pulling away from her father and sinking into Aaron’s hold.

  He had saved her. Had saved her mother.

  And all she wanted to do was hold him.

  And never let go.

  Chapter 19

  Aaron leaned against the wall, grateful that the authorities were leaving. The cops had taken Guy away in handcuffs. He had woken soon after they landed in the lodge, with Ralph hogtying the man just in case the police didn’t bring their restraints.

  Aaron liked Ralph. He couldn’t help it. He knew that, no matter what, he would end up being friends with the lodge manager.

  The night’s events weren’t exactly how he’d thought to spend his evening, but then again, nothing about his life was normal.

  Not anymore.

  He looked over at Madison, saw how she and her family talked to one another, standing so close it was as if they had never been on opposite sides of a fight.

  Her mother had woken up as soon as they got her dry. Though the paramedics were sure she had a concussion and would need stitches, they planned to wait a little longer before they put her in the ambulance and took her away. Primarily because the storm had washed out some of the roads, and she was safe and being watched—mostly by Madison, who seemed to never want her mother out of her sight.

  After everything that had happened, somehow, this had been the rallying point that had brought them back together. Maeve was like a completely different person, and Aaron didn’t think it was the knock on the head that had done it. No, it was almost losing her daughter. It was as if that scare had changed everything.

  He didn’t know if things would stay this way, but he had a feeling that Madison would do her best to make sure they did.

  Somehow, she had found her family again, and he was now only an observer, not sure what to say.

  She didn’t seem to need him anymore. And, honestly, he wasn’t sure what he would have done if he had lost her. And that scared him. But she needed to be with her family right now, he knew that much. Maybe that meant it would be best to walk away soon. He just didn’t know if he was strong enough to do that.

  The cops had questioned him, looked at the bruises on his hands and his bloody knuckles, and hadn’t said a damn thing. Instead, they’d looked almost…proud of him. He’d take that. He had almost been too late to save Madison. Almost too late to save the person he loved more than anything.

  And because he loved her, he was going to do whatever was best for her, even if that wasn’t what was best for him.

  Mark came up to him then, a frown on his face. Aaron rolled his shoulders back and looked at the older man.

  “Mr. McClard.”

  “Call me Mark. You saved my girls. I’m never going to be able to thank you enough.”

  Aaron shook his head. “You don’t need to thank me. If we had told you about Guy to begin with, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.”

  “There are a lot of shoulds and questions about what would’ve happened. Things we need to talk about as a family. But I want to thank you for being there for my ladies, for saving them. I’m glad you’re with our baby girl. Even if it was a lie at first, I can see it’s the truth now.”

  Mark held out his hand, and Aaron blinked, not knowing what to say. He just reached out and clasped it.

  “I’m glad I was there.”

  “So am I. I’ll be proud to have you as part of our family.” Mark squeezed Aaron’s hand before going back to his wife. It looked like they would be putting her in the ambulance soon, which meant that Madison would likely be leaving. That also meant it was time for Aaron to let her go.

  Madison came over, and he let out a breath, doing his best not to look like he was breaking inside. “I’m going with Mom, and Dad’s going to follow in the car. I hope that’s okay. I know I came up here with you, but I don’t think I can let her out of my sight.”

  Aaron reached out and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “I understand. You need to go with your mom. You need to be with her for this. She came out to save you.”

  Tears filled her eyes, and he felt like a heel for bringing that up.

  “She did. It was like she was my mom again. I know we have a lot to talk about. All of us. But I’m just so happy she’s okay. That you’re okay. That you were here.”

  He swallowed hard.

  If he were a smart man, he would tell her how he felt. He would say that he loved her and that he always would. But he wasn’t a smart man. He knew exactly what she needed, and it wasn’t him.

  “You’re going to be healing as a family. And you need each other. It’ll be good for you to be with them.”

  “It will,” she said, confusion on her face. She frowned up at him. “What’s wrong?

  “I guess it’s over.”

  Why did his voice sound so icy? Why was the rest of him cold, as well?

  Her eyes widened. “What?

  “There’s no more engagement. There’s no more Guy. You don’t need me to be your beard anymore or anything like that. You have your family. You need to be with them. They see you now. For who you really are.”

  Just like I saw you.

  She didn’t say anything, but he didn’t really let her. Instead, he leaned down and brushed his lips across hers, a goodbye that he knew would break him. But he didn’t care.

  He leaned away and gestured towards her mother. “They’re going to be taking her away soon. You don’t want to miss it. I’m glad I was here this weekend. I’m glad that I got to know you.”

  She just looked at him, seeming stunned, but still didn’t say anything.

  He was an asshole for even doing this, but it would be a good break. It would make things easier and allow her to figure out exactly what she wanted without him.

  She finally had her family. He didn’t need to be a part of it.

  “Madison, we’re heading out,” her father said. Madison just shook her head at Aaron.

  “Go. It’s what you need.”

  She had a bandage on her head, another on her arm, and he couldn’t look at any of it anymore. She needed to go, or he was going to break.

  Even more than he already was.

  Instead of saying anything, she simply walked away, leaving him alone. Just like he wanted.

  He knew it was for the best. She had a second chance with her family. And there was no reason for them to yearn for what they couldn’t have, not with what anything they might have shared had begun with a lie.

  He knew that. And one day, he’d let himself truly believe it.

  Chapter 20

  Madison poured herself a cup of tea after doing the same for her mother. Maeve McClard sat draped on the comfortable white settee near the two-story-tall windows, framed perfectly and looking elegant in the light. Yet her mother wore no makeup, and her hair was in a braid down her back.

  Madison had never once seen her mother like this. Not since she was a little girl. Even on Christmas morning, her mother wore full makeup and had perfectly done hair for photos.

  Madison hadn’t minded at all. She had a few friends who enjoyed wearing makeup, as well. Some even did it for a living so they liked to be their version of presentable at all times. Her mother had always taken that a bit to the extreme, so Madison had never been able to see beneath the exterior.

  “Here you go,” Madison said, handing over the delicate china cup and saucer.

  Her mother smiled, nodding slightly. “Thank you, darling.” She leaned over the cup, closing her eyes as she inhaled. “I love this hibiscus blend. I never s
it down and just drink tea anymore.”

  Madison took a seat in the armchair next to the settee and inhaled her tea’s floral scent. “I don’t normally either. Mostly because I deal with coffee and cupcakes.”

  She nearly winced at bringing up her job, a sore subject for them both. But it was her mother who winced this time.

  If her mom said something about her job, Madison might leave. She had learned that life was far too short to lay down and take anything that hurt anymore.

  She was still trying to figure out exactly what was going on in her family now, and how they were going to move past the pain and terror of the past. But she wasn’t going to sit back and get hurt anymore, no matter what.

  At least, that’s what she told herself.

  “I really should try some of your coffee sometime.”

  Madison blinked and set her cup and saucer on the antique table beside her.

  “Oh?”

  Her mother gave her a sad smile and shook her head, taking a sip of her tea before doing her best to place it next Madison’s. Madison stood up, took the cup from her, and set it down so her mother didn’t have to stretch.

  It had only been a couple of days since the attack, and her mom was still dealing with the aftereffects of the concussion. Madison’s own stitches had ached that morning, but she would never forget the sight of her mother crumpling to the ground after Guy hit her.

  That visual would haunt her forever.

  Just as Aaron’s parting words would. She pushed those thoughts from her mind, not wanting to think about him right now. She wasn’t sure if she could ever think about him again.

  At least not without dying a little inside.

  “I have not been a good mother recently,” her mom said, shocking Madison out of her reverie.

  “Oh?”

  Her mother snorted and then rubbed her temple.

  “I deserved that. I deserved that, and so much more. But, Madison, I have always wanted what was best for you.”

  “I know that. It’s just…I don’t think you went about it in the best ways.” She was trying to be as delicate as she could but calling her mother out on being a bitch wasn’t what she should be doing.