Gripping me by my arm, Noah turns me to face my parents. My mom’s a mess, her make-up destroyed from the tears streaming down her face. Aaron looks devastated, his expression haunted.
“Now, say goodbye.”
“I won’t leave with you, Noah.” I struggle against his hold as best I can, but it only lasts until he holds the knife to my throat.
“Yes, you will. Like I said before, you and I have somewhere to be. I just wanted to prove to our father he no longer controls me.”
“You’re mistaken. He doesn’t care about me,” I laugh. “If you’re doing all this to best him, you’re wasting your time.”
“Am I? I know about the allowance, the apartment, the will. He’ll go to any lengths to give you everything, to prove his love for your mother and his dedication to being your father.”
“I can’t be bought and he knows that.”
“Calm yourself, baby,” he whispers in my ear. “It doesn’t matter. I’m making what once was his, mine, and there’s nothing he can do about it.”
I’m trembling, and I hadn’t realized it.
“No need to fear me. All I want to do is take care of you as you deserve. Where we’re going, there’ll be no interruptions.” He slides the blade in his back pocket, curving his bloody arm around my waist.
“Please,” my mother says weakly as Noah pushes me toward the front door. “She’s all I have left.”
He pauses at the entryway, his hand on the knob. “Now you know how I feel.”
The second he opens the door fully, an arm shoves me to the side, separating us. I fall backward and hit the floor, hard. Noah reaches for his knife but is knocked over before he has a chance to grip the handle. A man I’ve never seen before lands on top of him, subduing him as best he can.
Fists fly, but Noah seizes the Bowie knife from his back pocket. Before he can use it, as the two men struggle, Taylor appears, her eye swollen, with a brick in her hand. She has a fierce, determined look on her face as she casually walks over. She catches an opening when the stranger is flipped to his back, Noah preparing to stab the guy. Unceremoniously, Taylor slams the brick at the base of Noah’s skull and he collapses on top of the man.
Everything happens so fast I don’t get a chance to react. It takes Taylor a moment to garner my attention.
“In normal circumstances I would never do that, but he deserved it. Are you okay?”
“I’m… My mom. She and Aaron need help.”
Nodding, Taylor walks over to them, working on mom’s ropes while the guy unties Aaron. I glance at Noah, afraid to move. I question his incapacitation, cautious he could be faking it.
I hear the sound of sirens in the distance. The noise means I’m safe and reuniting with Cole soon.
“Taylor, head to the main road and show the police where we are. I’ll watch him.”
Taylor obliges, giving me a smile before she lumbers out the door massaging her temple.
“Are you all right to stand?” I’m wondering who he’s talking to because my mother is already standing. She’s looking for something to staunch the blood flow from Aaron’s leg. Then I glance up and see the stranger staring down at me, his piercing blue eyes assessing.
“I didn’t mean to push you that hard, but it was the only way to get him away from you.” He scratches the scruff on his chiseled jaw. “Sorry about that.”
Extending a hand, he motions for me to take it. I do and he jerks me to my feet.
“I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Graham Lowden, principal at Maritime Academy.”
“It’s okay. How did you find me?”
“Was friends with the previous owner, Martha. She died last year and with no kin, this place sits abandoned. I usually hike the area three mornings a week, but with you gone, I figured I check it out. When I saw a lights, I knew something wasn’t right.”
He gives me a friendly pat on the back, but I do him one better and pull him into a hug.
“Thank you,” I whisper, the tears I’ve held back this entire ordeal flowing freely. I cry for the years I mourned my brother, not knowing the circumstances that contributed to his death, for the mother who loved herself more than she loved her children, and for my dad, Deke, the knight in shining armor who protected me as best he could. I’m unsure how long my tears fall, but when a new pair of familiar arms wrap around me, I know I can finally stop and move on from this horror.
I’m safe, God, finally safe.
Home.
20
Home Free
Bro tip #100
When you find the person you’re meant to be with, bro tips no longer matter. Love does.
Cole
This has been the longest two days of my life. The ordeal is over and she’s in my arms again.
Protected.
Safe.
Mine.
When I arrived at the cabin, the scene was in total chaos. Cop cars were everywhere; helicopters hovered above. It was a madhouse. Despite multiple officers warning me to stay back, I pushed through the crowd to find my girl. I had to make sure she was okay, that she was alive.
The second I saw Marley, I ran to her, gently pulling her away from Graham Lowden. He and I are friendly, but I don’t know him that well. Besides, it was not the time for greeting. My girl needed comfort. And I had to touch her again, feel her warmth next to mine, ensuring she was real.
My gut clenched when her eyes met mine. They weren’t bright or hopeful. Her gaze was empty and broken.
Once she and I were loaded in the ambulance, I held tightly to her trembling hand while the paramedic sped through the bumpy streets. Aaron and mother followed in the separate vehicle. Marley was on edge but when the medical specialist offered her a sedative to relax her, she vehemently refused.
“I don’t want to be drugged again,” she said, her words panicked. It took everything for me not to ram my fist into the door.
Instead, I began to hum. The humming morphed into singing, and before I knew it, the lyrics to P.M. Dawn’s I’d Die Without You spilled out of me. It was one of the last songs I added to her mixtape and I’m glad I did. The words calmed her breathing, my small caresses soothing her worry. By the time we reached the hospital, she was relaxed enough to answer Brent’s questions.
She remained strong throughout the questioning, but as soon as the Detective was done, she collapsed on the hospital bed, exhausted.
Now, she’s fast asleep. I’ve been watching her closely for the past few hours. I don’t want to leave her side out of fear she’ll disappear. She has a police guard at the door, and Noah is locked in the psychiatry unit, but I don’t want to take any chances.
A gentle knock brings my attention to the door and I flash a weak smile at the sight of Taylor. The bruise on her face is darker than it was earlier, but, with time, it will heal.
After extricating myself from Marley, I slide out of bed and walk toward her, making as little noise as possible.
“Hey,” she says, as I pull the door closed.
“Hi,” I reply, rubbing at my eyes. I’m tired, but I’ll sleep when Marley’s safe at home in my bed.
“How is she?” Taylor bites her bottom lip while waiting for my response.
“On the outside, she’s okay. The doctor said the drugs are out of her system and she’ll be discharged tomorrow. But …” I hesitate. I’m not sure how much of the story Taylor knows and I’d rather wait until Marley’s awake before I give out any information.
“Brent, I mean, Detective Reeves, gave me the low down, so you’re not breaking any confidences. I mainly wanted to know how she’s handling things.” Taylor touches my forearm, giving me a reassuring squeeze. “She told me about her brother, Jamal, so I know how much of a blow this is to her. When she wakes, just let her know I’m here for her.”
Taylor’s eyes shine with honesty, friendship, and love. It warms me to the core to see how much she cares for my girl.
“Thank you.” I grasp her by the hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “If it weren’t for you
…”
“Don’t even think about that.” She returns the clasp. “Besides, I’d rather win your affection fair and square. It’s not a competition if one of the contestants exits the game before it ends.” She winks at me and I smile. “Kidding.”
“What am I going to do with you?”
“Hmm. Let’s see. I like nice purses, jewelry, Amazon gift cards, and spa days. All of it should cover my rescuer fees.”
“Let me check my bank account.”
“Cole?” Marley groggily calls for me. Immediately, I go and sit on the edge of her mattress.
“I’m here, baby.” I push the errant strands of hair away from her face.
“I know.” She yawns. I heard you speaking with Taylor. “You can come in, by the way, missy.” Since my girl shows no distress, I don’t protest the addition of Taylor to her hospital room. “How’s your head?”
“Swollen.” Taylor motions to her face. “But it doesn’t hurt as much as before. I swear, your brother has a mean right hook.”
Marley winces.
“Yes. I’m sorry about that.”
“Please, girl. No need to apologize. You didn’t raise him. He’s your brother by circumstance and nothing else. It’s not like you’re able to choose your family.”
“Yes, but —”
“No buts. What we should be doing is planning a spa day. I was just telling your man about this.” She waggles her brow. “The most expensive package. Right, Cole?”
Marley burst into laughter. I love the sound.
When I admitted my true feelings for Marley to Taylor, I thought she’d treat my girl with contempt. I’m glad I was wrong.
After Taylor leaves, I mention that Lenny decided she needs a guard dog in addition to Sebastian the cat. He was moments away from enlisting Jenny with his plan and I had to rein him in.
“Your friend, Carrie, called, though I don’t know how she got my number.” She grins and it’s the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen.
“Carrie knows people. If she wanted to find out if you cheated on your math exam during your junior year in high school, all she has to do is ask Jared. He has the ability to uncover anything when he puts his mind to it.”
“He sounds, uh, interesting.”
“You have no idea.” She shakes her head. “So, on a scale of one to crazy, what level was Carrie?”
“She was fine, except she mentioned “bringing the Whitmore and Carrington contingent” during our conversation.”
“Yikes. Let me call her.” Marley chuckles, then she frowns. “I have to tell her about Jamal. They were so in love back then and his death hit her as hard as it did me. I’m glad she has a man in her life to support her when I break the news.”
After many tears between the two, Marley and I settle back into the hospital bed.
A while later, our peace and quiet is disturbed by an unwanted guest. I expected this interruption. Still, it would’ve been nice to have a little more time to ourselves.
“I want to see my daughter,” Geraldine demands as she shoves her way through Marley’s hospital room door.
“Ma’am, you’re not on the visitor’s list.” The security guard grabs her by her arm.
“I don’t need to be on any list. I’m her mother.”
Marley glances up at me, her expression annoyed.
Aaron’s stab wound has already been repaired by the surgeon and he’s resting comfortably in his room, which explains his absence.
“You want me to send her away?” I glance at Marley to gauge her feelings. We haven’t discussed her parents yet and I wanted to wait until we were out of this hospital.
“I guess we should let her in.”
I stroke her hair. “You don’t have to, baby. You received a ton of life-changing news today and I don’t want your mother adding to the stress. We could invite her to my place in a few days, if she’s still here.”
“No. It’s better to get this over with now.” She sighs. I give her a quick kiss on the lips, and one last caress of the cheek before saying, “She’s clear to come in, officer.”
“I told you I didn’t need permission.” Geraldine snaps at the guard, scowling. In response, he just rolls his eyes and shuts the door.
“Hey, honey. Give your mama a hug.” Geraldine leans in to embrace her daughter, but Marley holds her hand up, halting her progression.
“What? You don’t want to hug your mother?”
“Not at the moment.” Marley shakes her head. “Why are you here?”
“Marley.” Her mother appears nervous. “I’m only checking on you as any good mother would. Your father will be by later. They want him to rest a little more.”
“Ha. A good mother.” The sarcasm oozes from my girlfriend’s voice. Marley then straightens herself to a sitting position and I shift behind her to accommodate.
“If you were as good a mother, as you say, then perhaps you could explain to me when exactly you knew about Noah. It would’ve been nice to have a heads up.”
“I —”
“Cut the crap, Geraldine.” Her mother pales at the use of her first name. “I find it hard to believe Aaron kept this from you. For once in your life, be honest.”
“Yes,” she finally admits, “Aaron spoke of him, but I thought he was still in the institution. Your father assured me the doctors weren’t going to release him.”
“The sperm donor lied. What a surprise!”
Her mother stiffens.
“He didn’t want me or you to worry,” she points out matter-of-factly. “Sometimes, it’s best to be kept in the dark when facing difficult matters such as these.”
“And that’s why you were so adamant she return to Brooklyn. You were afraid Noah would find her.” Upon coming to this realization, I’m pissed. Aaron and her mom could’ve saved her a lot of heartache by coming clean.
“Your father had no idea he was this fixated on you,” she says, apologetically. “If he had, then—”
“Stop. I don’t want to hear anymore.”
“Marley …”
“No, mom. For as long as I can remember, you’ve been trying to run my life. Only this time, I was almost killed because of it. Don’t you realize, I only ever wanted you to love me.”
Before her mother has a chance to reply, her dad arrives, relief in his expression.
“Dad. You’re here.”
Tears well in my girl’s eyes, and I step aside, moving to a nearby chair. Geraldine has this longing expression. It’s as if she realizes no matter how hard she tries, she’ll never have this type of relationship with her daughter again. It’s her fault, but I can’t help but feel bad for her.
Finally, her father, Deke, turns to me.
“So, you’re the Cole she’s told me so much about?”
“I am, sir.” I shake his hand.
“Relax, son. Call me Deke. You’ve earned the right seeing as you’ve taken care of my little girl.” He smiles. “Yvette and I are staying at the B&B for a while, and —”
Clearing her throat, Geraldine signals her presence, as if we all didn’t know she was here. Deke’s expression goes from elated to irritation the minute he turns around and lays eyes on her.
“Gerry,” he greets, flatly.
“Deke,” she murmurs, equally as emotionless. “Were you planning on saying hello or was your intent to completely ignore me?”
“Next time our daughter is kidnapped by your lover’s mentally-ill son, I’ll be sure to remember my manners.”
“It’s not Aaron’s fault and I’m tired of everyone blaming him.” She glares at him.
“Not his ...” Deke pauses to rein in his anger. “Listen, we can play the blame game later. What’s more important is our daughter. She’s been through trauma and the last thing she needs is us arguing.” His gaze trains on me. “Let’s allow Cole and Marley some private time. She needs rest. We can chat outside.”
“Stay, dad. I missed you.”
“No way, little girl.” He kisses her on the for
ehead. “Your man will handle it from here. Get some sleep and everything will look better in the morning. I’ll deal with your mother.”
Deke gently grabs a glaring Geraldine by the forearm and escorts her to the door. I flash him a thankful look; his return expression is of equal gratitude. I’m glad Marley has him in her life.
“Sorry about that. My mom can’t stand the relationship I have with my dad. It’s always been like this.”
“Don’t apologize for her. She made her bed and has to lie in it.”
“I know.” I crawl onto her tiny hospital mattress. I want to be next to her again and pull her close in order to feel her sweet warmth.
“I wish she wasn’t so bitter toward my dad. You’d think she’d be happy with Aaron, but my mom still finds a way to push dad’s buttons.” She nuzzles into my chest.
“How about this. If she keeps acting out, we won’t invite her to our housewarming party.”
“Housewarming?” She squirms a bit but doesn’t leave my side. “I’m not moving in with you, Cole.”
“Yeah, you are. I need to keep an eye on you before someone else tries to steal what’s mine again.” I get serious for a minute. “Aside from losing my dad, I’ve never been so afraid in my life. When I entered your apartment and saw …” I clear my throat to hide the strain in my voice. “Anyway, my place is big enough for both of us, but if you need more room, we can find another spot.”
“Thought this through, have you?” She toys with the fabric on my shirt and I’m thankful she doesn’t address my momentary loss of control.
“Yup. Thoroughly.”
“I love you and all, but I’m not ready for that step. Hell, we just started dating like a minute ago. The food in my refrigerator is older than this relationship. Maybe I’ll say yes eventually, but right now let’s stick to extended sleepovers.”
The first time you declare your love for a person shouldn’t be in a hospital bed after a near-death experience yet here we are. I’m not sure Marley realizes she said it. I smile to myself, waiting, and waiting, and waiting some more to see if she’ll point it out. She doesn’t, which frustrates me.
What Once Was Mine Page 17