by J J Harper
“I know you did. I’ve got a message from Jake and your mother.” His voice is hard and so unlike him that I start to question him.
“Don’t bother Dad, I’m not interested in anything he has to say. He is a violent sadistic prick, and if you continue to side with him then we have nothing left to say to each other…”
His voice gets louder as he starts to speak over me. “He says if you delete the pictures and the videos, and sign a waiver saying that you will not now, or at any time in the future accuse him of any wrong doings towards you, he won’t come after you but if you continue to hold on to his private property he will find you.”
My voice is thick in my throat when I speak. “You are as guilty as him if you carry on with this, you do realize that don’t you?”
“Oh for goodness sake Heidi, you are such a drama queen! I’m only passing on the message. You rea…” The severity of his words suddenly hit me, he sounds exasperated with me.
I drop my phone and rush to the bathroom before I hear any more from him.
I hear Mason pick up the call. "Hi, my name is Mason Reynolds and I'm Imogen's boyfriend, yes I know it's quick but she is the love of my life, the person I've been waiting for and I'm very lucky that she loves me the same way too. So could you please tell me why my lovely girl has run to the bathroom vomiting?
I see. Yes, I can understand why she would find that distressing, but if you don't mind me interrupting you, you seem to have played a rather large part in Imogen's pain. So I'm telling you to leave Ginny alone. Keep away from her."
I rinse my mouth out, luckily it’s still early morning and I haven't eaten anything yet. Mason knocks gently even though it's not locked. "It's open sweetie."
When he walks through I burst into tears. "What a fucking mess. I can't believe this is happening. What sort of mother do I have? I mean, who in their right mind does this to their child?" I look up at his beautiful handsome face not really expecting an answer, luckily he doesn't try and give me one, and he just sinks to the floor next to me and holds me while I cry. Pulling myself together I turn and kiss his worried face.
"Come on Mase, let's go out for some really full fat decadent no holds barred breakfast, and we are not going to talk about my nympho mother and my shit-in-bed-tiny-dicked crap ex-boyfriend the whole time we are eating, but after that I'll tell you the lot and show you the x-rays of my broken bones and pictures of the bruises he liked inflicting on me."
"I totally agree, but babe why did you take photographs and x-rays?" I know this is only the start of many questions from him and I’m not sure how to answer him except to be brutally honest with him and hope it isn’t all too much for him to bear.
"I have a friend who is a doctor and runs her own private practice, she used to treat my broken ribs and stuff without having to answer hospital questions, but she always recorded the incidents. But I got into his computer before I left and downloaded all the photographs and stuff of me he had on there and then deleted them, they'll still be somewhere on his hard drive but he won't know where to look."
Looking across I see Mason is crying. "Oh God Mason, sweetheart please don't cry! It got me here, it got me to you and right at the time you needed me as well." I pull him back towards me and we end up stripping out of our clothes and loving each other in the sweetest way.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Mason
I really don't want to have this conversation. In fact I want to take Ginny away from it all but I need to know what went on so that I can sort out a way to deal with this piece of shit ex-boyfriend. So when Ginny comes back to my place with a folder my mouth goes dry.
"You look terrified Mason, and I'm really sorry that you want or feel that you need to see this, I need to tell you a few things about me, about who I am, or was.
My name wasn't Imogen Banks then, it was Heidi Reid. I changed it after Jake nearly killed me, so I got a new identity and ran like hell away from him. This folder is my record and it goes back over two and a half years, and I am over it I promise you. I am healthy and so so happy since I met you Mason, that we can work out what we can do and more importantly if we want to do anything." She lowers the papers onto my desk.
"I'm sorry Imogen, I deal with all sorts of shit at work, but I've never had anything that affects me personally, and you my love, are the most important thing in my life. So while I know I'm going to have to see things that are going to make me angry, I promise you I am not or will not ever be angry with you. So come on let's get this shit sorted."
Ginny hands me the folder, and as I have come to understand her work, it is set out perfectly in chronological order with footnotes and all enclosures documented. The first page details her first visit to a hospital, and then afterward to her friend, and it records her broken fingers and bruises to her back and ribs.
I look up from the x-ray. "How did he break your fingers?"
"He stamped on them. It does say that in there." Her voice is devoid of all emotion.
I struggle to speak, and I’m seriously regretting the large breakfast that is now squirming in my stomach, but I really need to understand what she endured so I can try to find a way to ensure justice is done. "I know, I just needed you to say it out loud, to make it real. I'm so sorry babe."
As I look through the pages and picture of abuse and pain my anger is rising inside me. I grab my phone and call Lake. "Dude, I need you, Maddie and Lucas here asap."
"What? No Mason! Why have you called them? I'm not sure I'm ready to share all this with them." Her face pales and she starts to shiver and her arms wrap around her body to hold herself together.
"Imogen, babe. Look at me." Her face turns to mine and tears are already beginning to leak from her beautiful green eyes, I run my thumbs gently on her cheeks to wipe them away. "I need to take a step back and I want Lake to be your lawyer in this, it is just too close to me and I want and need to be the one who supports you and holds you when you think you’re going to break, and to catch you before you fall. I am not going to question you. Maddie is also here to hold your hand and Lucas is an expert in surveillance and protection. Is that okay?"
Watching her nod her head and try to speak my heart swells with love for her. "Nobody has ever believed me before and I never thought I would be able to do anything about this. I mean he's a famous guy and has some hot-shot lawyer and publicist that will quash any allegations I make."
"That may be true but you know what babe? You've got some even hotter and better lawyers on your side and trust me when I say we never lose. Okay sweetheart? I've got you and so have Lake and Lucas." Kissing her tears away I pull her into a strong embrace.
Lake walks through the door and Maddie follows, walking straight up to Ginny and hugs her hard.
"We are all here for you Honey. Come on let’s get some more coffee on while the boys get busy."
I give Maddie a smile and a squeeze on her shoulder as she moves Imogen away from the table.
Lake looks up at me as he picks up the photographs and reads the doctors notes. "What's going on Mase, where have all these notes come from?"
Lucas is also looking over them with a very grim look on his face. "Are these x-rays of Imogen? They don't have her name on them."
I nod, not really wanting to look at them any more than I have to. "Yeah, Ginny's ex is a famous TV presenter back in the UK and he used to beat the crap out of her. These are her records and photographs. She had to change her name when she ran away."
"If she had to seek medical help why haven't the police been involved? Its hospital procedure isn't it?" Lake looks confused.
"She didn't ever go to the hospital, these are all from a doctor friend of Ginny's who runs her own clinic. No one ever believed her, so she gave up trying and dealt with it privately."
"Fucking Hell Mason, on this one she's got three broken ribs, I mean shit, look at the bruising. Who the hell does this? I'm sorry Mason, I know you love her but why in hell did she put up with him doing this."
&nb
sp; Before I can answer Ginny speaks. "Because it may be difficult for you to understand Lake, but I was too scared to leave. The physical abuse was equaled with verbal abuse. The threats of my friends being hurt, another way was to try to mess up my career by sending threats to my co-workers was very real.
I know it was stupid, but I was scared of him. I found out this morning that my mother is possibly having a relationship with this man and has been the whole time and I had her telling me how lucky I was to be with him, and how fabulous he is just so that he had the right piece of arm candy when he was in public, but away from the cameras he liked to kick me about.
I'm sure when you get to page forty seven you might find time to show me a little bit of sympathy, but I don't know you very well yet Lake, maybe you'll think that this was my fault because I was too stupid to leave him." I try to grab her but she shakes me off. "I'm going out Mason, call me when you're done."
When I look back at my cousins I can see that they are now visibly shaken. "What? What is it?" I grab the paper work from them and start to read page forty seven. Oh God No! This page records severe vaginal damaged caused by possibly multiple offenders and the reconstructive procedure needed to correct and repair the internal walls. Urine tests confirm the use of Rohypnol.
"I think we've got some serious work to do here. This bastard sent her flowers yesterday. Luc I want a restraining order put in place on Monday. Lake what do you want to do about building a case against him?"
"Mason, you know we can't do anything unless Imogen tells us to. I get why you are so angry and believe me, I am too, I know I need to apologize to her. Maddie, do you know where she could be? She doesn't know her way round much yet."
"I don't know, I mean the only person outside of us and work is Tammy, but I don't think she knows where she lives."
"Well let’s try the bar first as she always seems to be working there." Lucas stands up ready to leave.
I walk into the bar first and glance around, I can't feel her here but I still look around. Tamsin comes into view and walks up to us with a scary look on her face.
"She's not here guys. I don't know what you have said or done to her, and I don't want to but she's gone back to my place with my roommate. She asked me to tell me that she will be home later."
"Are you kidding me? You let my girlfriend go home with someone she's never met before? What the fuck?"
"Don't get pissed with me I'm just the messenger. Back off and let her come home when she's ready."
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Imogen
This is why I didn't want Mason to tell anyone else. Unless it's happened to them people just don't get it, they always think it’s easy to just walk away from a violent relationship and there be no consequences. Page forty seven is enough to decide whether they are with me or going to turn their backs and walk away.
I think Mason will be with me and Maddie too, but Lake is a bit of a hard one to work out. Oh well, time will see. I wander down the street and into the bar hoping Tammy is working today.
"Hey girlfriend," she calls over to me as I walk in. "Jeez, you look like you're having a shit day, what can I do for you?"
"I just needed to get away from some crap that's going down back at Mason's, and guess what? You are the only person I know away from work, aren't you lucky." My voice breaks and I start to cry. "Shit Tamsin I'm sorry I didn't mean for this to happen."
"Hey poppet, don't worry. Look come and meet my friend Amber and then you'll know two people here." Managing a weak smile I walk over with her. Amber is very sweet and is tiny, like a little doll, but very pretty.
"Hi Imogen, I've heard about you from Tammy, you're very pretty." This comment takes me back, but I manage to stutter a thank you.
"Look Red, why don't you take Ginny back to our place for a while, my shift finishes in a couple of hours, so if you're still at our place we can hang out."
"Um, I don't know." I'm not sure if I want to go someplace I don't know.
"Sure you do, come on it's not far." Amber grabs my hand and we walk out. I'm a bit confused as we walk towards my apartment block.
"Um, Amber why are we going to my place?"
"Oh! I’m sorry I thought you knew we live there too. Come on."
We travel up in the elevator when I notice we are heading for the top floor. "Er, Amber why are we heading for the penthouse apartments? I really don't want to see Mason and his cousins at the moment."
"That's okay we won't see them. My dad owns the building that's why we live here. I'm the typical spoiled daughter." She laughs at this thought.
"Wow, I didn't expect you to say that. Are you at the same college as Tammy then?" We've reached her door undetected for which I'm immensely grateful.
"Yes, and we've been best friends since the day I walked into her dorm room, but she went though some rough stuff a few years ago and it surfaced again, so we needed to move out of the dorm, and I asked Daddy, and he came up with this."
"Well if I were you I would consider myself very lucky."
"I know, and we are, Tamsin is one of the strongest people I've ever met, and she is one of the toughest and most loyal friends you could ever ask for. I'm very lucky to have her in my life."
I can see that this admission has been heart felt and I'm not going to pry, I mean let’s face it, I'm hiding enough skeletons in my closet to fill a graveyard. "I think that she is as lucky to have you as a friend as you are. My best friend is just as important to me and she is probably going ape shit right now because she doesn't know where I am”.
"I'm not going to pry but why are you here. Not that I don't want to be friends with you but I've met the guys you are friends with and hells bells they are a handsome bunch!"
"I'm going through a bit of problem with a difficult ex, and all of a sudden I had a lot of eyes staring down at me, and it was a bit more than I could take, so as usual I took the coward’s way out and bolted, I will probably call them in a little while." I start to laugh. "I told them to call me when they'd sorted their shit out, but failed to tell them I was going to turn my phone off."
"I like you Imogen, you're my sort of girl. We are going to be great friends. So what do you feel like doing now? Do you want to wait here for Tammy or go out for a bit?"
"D'you know I fancy going shopping. I need a new phone and a new laptop. Are you up for a bit of retail therapy, we can call Tamsin and tell her where we are." I look hopefully up at her.
"That sounds like a damned good plan, my reading list has just come through so if you don't mind hitting the bookstore then we are most definitely on." She squeals and jumps up and hugs me and it's so genuine and heartfelt that I can't help smiling and hugging her back.
"Right then, I need to change into something a bit more respectable, so are you okay to come down to my place, unfortunately my dad doesn't own the building so I'm not lucky enough to live in the penthouse." I laugh at this and thankfully Amber covers her mouth with her hands and giggles. I'm gonna seriously love this girl.
We make our way stealthily to the elevator. Amber looks up and calls. "Quick they are on their way up we need to get in this one like now."
We are both giggling like crazy. "Y'know it's only a couple of floors down we could've taken the stairs."
This sets her off into more laughter. "God, you're so British nobody over here would think of taking the stairs."
"Well that just shows why you are such as lazy nation, no wonder your obesity levels are so high!"
"You bitch! Just because you're about ten foot tall and as skinny as a rake, you can't bitch our whole nation." Laughing away we exit on my floor.
"Well you're hardly gonna win any eating contest any time soon you're tiny." I’m smiling hard at this sweet funny girl.
I find some decent clothes and we head off to the mall again. Amber sends a text to Tammy who agrees to meet us as soon as her shift finishes. We spend the next hour happily shopping and talking about any random shit that comes into our heads, and I rea
lize I really like this young quirky girl, and the afternoon only gets better when Tamsin joins us.
Finally after a long afternoon I have a new mobile phone, Tamsin calls it my 'cell' but that's not going to be easy to get used to, I've got a new Macbook pro which I'm very excited about. We've also been through just about every clothes and shoe store in the whole mall, but I am now the proud owner of a pair of kick-ass cowboy boots that I'm very excited about.
I hope Mason likes them, and I'm brought up short when I realize that this is the first time I've thought of him. He must be going out of his mind. I stop the girls. "I haven't turned on my mobile all afternoon. Mason is going to be seriously pissed off with me."
Tamsin rolls her eyes. "First it's called a cell and secondly turn it on and call him now, we're about finished. Why don't you ask him to meet you at the bar?"
I smile at her knowing she has said exactly the right thing. "Okay, here goes." I take a deep breath and turn it on and oh my god it's full of texts and messages not just from Mason but Maddie and Lucas too, I don't even bother to read them but I turn my mobile, whoops! Sorry cell, around to show the others and they laugh.
So I bring up his number and press the call button and hope for the best, obviously he answers on the first ring, but what surprises me is that unlike Jake he doesn't sound angry but relieved. "Hi Sweetie it's me. Yeah I'm okay, I know you've been worried but I'm good. Look I'm on my way back to the bar do you want to meet me there in about twenty minutes?" I look up at Amber and she nods her head.
"Yeah Mason I'm still here, I know my love, I'm sorry too. Are you coming on your own? Yeah I think that would be best, I'm not sure I'm up for your cousins just yet. What? I know Mason, I know. I love you too. See you in a few."
Tamsin grabs my arm and after we've picked up all our purchases we set off, and boy am I smiling.
Mason
My head is in a serious mindfuck. Where the hell is she? Tamsin wasn't in the least bit helpful but I'm happy to know she is with friends. After reading page forty seven all I want to do is find her and hold her in my arms. I sent the others away, there wasn't much else we could sort out without Ginny's permission. I feel very sorry for Maddie, she seems so lost, and after she read the notes her tears and anger summed up everyone else’s emotions.