Breaking Free: Breaking Free Duet Book #1

by JL Davis

  “What is he doing here, mother?” she says through her teeth and backs into my chest.

  “You’ve already met, Brooke?” I glance around the room as if I’m looking for the answer to fall from the ceiling. “He’s my new parole officer, Griggs.” I say, completely confused.

  “What?” she blurts. “What the hell is happening right now? We need to go.” Brooke struggles out of my grasp. “I was hoping you were sincere the other day. I thought you were finally going to be a real mother to me. How stupid of me to be hopeful and think you could change. How could you allow him into this house after everything he’s done to me, after everything he’s put me through?” she says angrily, as she walks to the hallway and toward the door.

  “Wait. Don’t go. Why are you with one of your parolees, Brooke?” Griggs asks angrily.

  “You’ve done quite enough damage to me, Barry. Leave the people I love out of it.” She continues down the hall.

  I stand there, her parents glaring at me and Griggs looks like he might rip my head off. I’d love to stick around to find out, but Brooke needs me.

  “It was nice to meet you. Maybe next time will be under better circumstances.” I nod uncomfortably and hurry to catch up with her as she reaches the door.

  Once outside, I see her sitting in her SUV and hurry to be by her side and I also need to know what’s going on. I reach for the door handle and she jumps, obviously on edge, and looks up at me with tears streaming down her face.

  I join her as soon as she unlocks the doors. “What’s going on, Brooke?” I reach for her hand, but she flinches and pulls away quickly. The tears have turned into hysterical sobbing. I don’t know how to comfort her if she won’t allow me to touch her.

  “What can I do Brooke? How can I help you? I’m right here and I love you,” I whisper, leaning in just a bit closer to her.

  “I love you too,” she murmurs, as she tries to calm herself, get through her anxiety, and steady her breathing. “Griggs is your new parole officer, but he’s also my abusive ex-boyfriend. Like I said when we arrived just a few minutes ago, he was in and out of jail each time he hit me until he was put away for months. That last time he almost killed me. I had had enough.

  “I didn’t hear anything after he was released. I’ve had no idea where he’s been or what he’s been up to. He’s a narcissist, most likely planning, or plotting,” she says, tears pooling in her eyes, disguising her fear.

  I can’t believe what I’m hearing right now. I would think considering the situation, he shouldn’t even be in her atmosphere at all. Ever again. How could her mother even allow him in the house?

  My lips press together in a thin line. “I guess this is why you hadn’t spoken to him or met him. He’s tried to keep his distance from you. But why choose your same career? That’s creepy as fuck, Brooke. Can you speak with your lawyer?”

  “My father sits inside with said abuser.” She rolls her eyes. “He can expose me, us. He can ruin everything we’ve been so careful to protect.” Her voice cracks, her chin quivers, and more tears begin to fall like a waterfall after a good rain.

  This time I won’t be pushed away. I lean in and wrap her in my arms, pulling her as close to me as I possibly can. I run my fingers through her hair hoping to calm her down. “Let’s not worry too much yet. We can’t live on what if’s, Brooke. We can’t let him win,” I whisper. “Show him the strong woman you’ve become. There’s nothing we can do about him being my parole officer, but can he legally be here with you being here?”

  “He’s not to have contact with me at all. My mother knew we were coming. She should have never let him into her house no matter the reasoning,” she bites out, looking toward the house. “He’s ruined our night.” She wipes away a tear that’s streaming down her cheek.

  “Let’s get out of here, okay? Let’s go far away. Do you want to?” I ask her, nodding confidently as I question her.

  Brooke stares at me, a glimmer of laughter showing in her eyes. “Yes. Please get me out of here.” She looks toward the house quickly. “I’ll follow you,” she says.

  I kiss her deeply before I step out. “I love you.” I smile sweetly at her.

  “I love you too.” Brooke gives me a weak smile and I close the door.

  As I walk to my truck, I see Griggs standing at the front door watching us with an odd look on his face. I’m not sure of his intentions, but whatever they are, I already know I won’t allow it. The lengths he’s taken to be in the same field of work as Brooke, even working at the same company, are utterly insane. How he thinks he’ll get away with it is beyond me.

  I’d just about bet that he didn’t know she was changing her career path. He must have found that information the day he broke into her office and I’m sure her walking in attached to my arm just a few minutes ago really was a shock to him; a kick to the face even, and really pissed him off. I could see the rage in his eyes as he stared at me as I drove past.

  Cole truly inspires me every day and he doesn’t even know it. Tonight was no different. I sat watching him behind the podium, giving his speech in anger management to put that part of his life behind him. He’s one step closer to complete freedom. One less thing he has do each week. His anger was due to protecting someone he loved. I understand and there are many people in the world who would’ve reacted the exact same way if put in the same situation. A man willing to risk everything, willing to kill for someone they love. It happens all the time.

  We’ve spoken many times about what he’s learned, what he thinks will be helpful, and we’ve laughed and made jokes between us of the ridiculous suggestions such as yoga. I’m sure it’s a great way for some people. Cole is not one of those people. Neither of us could imagine him in the downward dog position. In my opinion, it would be pretty hot seeing his perky ass in the air for me to gawk at. I’d be willing to give it go for his recovery if he wanted to give it a try. I’d be willing to do anything for him. That’s what you do for the people you love.

  With the chances of being caught, we couldn’t touch and could barely speak to one another. It killed me inside as I turned and walked away from him after his speech. I hated to leave him and not kiss him goodbye.

  He’s joining my family for dinner tomorrow night. He didn’t seem uncomfortable in any way. He seemed genuinely interested in meeting them, despite the war stories. I think with their new look on life, he’s willing to give them a chance, hoping they’ll do the same for him. I pray that’s how it plays out.

  To think that my parents would fall head over heels in love with Cole when they met him would have been too much to ask, and for them to even accept him is pushing it. I pulled into the driveway with hopes they’d at least give him a chance, an opportunity to see past what they can read on paper, to see the man I see.

  Instead, they are entertaining Barry, the man who nearly killed me. I still don’t know how he got such a slap on the wrist for the two months I spent in the hospital. I sure as hell wasn’t there because I wanted to be. He should’ve been put away much longer. He should’ve gotten at least eight years, a year for each of my ribs that he’d broken.

  Seeing him, his devious face, and those callous eyes brought back so many memories, so many emotions that I have worked so hard to forget. He can’t do this to me. He can’t come back into my life like this.

  The day he was sentenced, he lunged for me before they took him away. He looked like he wanted to kill me. The hate in his eyes was like nothing I’ve ever seen staring back at me. My father was there to defend me and jump into his way before he reached me.

  Seeing him standing in front of me, free and capable of absolutely everything terrified me. I wanted as far away from him as possible. I couldn’t be in the same room with him. It didn’t matter that it was my parents’ house or that Cole was right there beside me. I couldn’t be there any longer.

  Cole helped me through my anxiety with seeing Barry, facing my fear so to speak. He has no idea how much he’s helped me since he’s come in
to my life. It doesn’t matter the way it happened. I’m thankful that it did. I’m so happy with him. I love him so much. Sometimes it scares me that I could love that much, that I feel so much for him. He’s my everything.

  Cole suggested we go out of town and stay in a hotel somewhere for some down time. I’m following him to wherever he chooses to go. I’d follow him absolutely anywhere.

  I pass by the house as I continue around the driveaway, and Barry stands in the front doorway staring at me, intimidating me, and making me feel insignificant like he used to years ago. What he doesn’t know is I’m not that weak girl; the girl he manipulated, and beat down verbally, emotionally, and physically. I’m a fighter, a warrior, someone he won’t see coming if he tries to mess with me ever again.

  I need to call my father as soon as we get to wherever we’re going. I need to know what actions need to be taken to keep Barry far away from me, away from Cole, and to keep the people I love safe. He’s not above hurting those closest to me to get to me or whatever it is that he wants. It makes me think about some of the things Cole mentioned that Barry said as the guest speaker. I’ll never believe that he’s this new found man, trying to help others such as himself also be better. Never will I believe it. He has a vendetta and my eyes are wide open. My mind is much too powerful for him now.

  Cole isn’t driving recklessly, but he is hauling ass. I’m having no problem tailing him, though. I look in my rearview mirror as headlights catch my eye and see the front of Barry’s Charger just as he comes out of the last curve in the road. My heart begins to race erratically, unsure if he’s chasing after us or not. I’m no race car driver, but I get the attraction. My adrenaline has kicked in. I’m so close to Cole’s bumper as I try to push him, make him go faster.

  Just as he does, I see blue lights up ahead. I’m not sure what’s going on because it’s still a good half mile down the hilly road. I worry that Barry called them and they are waiting for Cole and me. What if they do pull Cole over? Should I stop with him? How could I explain myself?

  I haven’t been this terrified since I laid on the floor of my first apartment with my own blood trickling around my almost lifeless body from several wounds, helpless, and unable to move. I’m currently moving and in the direction of help. If I ask for said help, if I tell the officer the situation, Barry will definitely retaliate. Cole and I will be the ones to go to jail. I’m beside myself. I don’t know what we should do.

  With Cole leading and Barry quickly gaining on me, my heart is beating so fast, so hard, and making its way up into my throat. I have nowhere to go and I literally want to scream at the top of my lungs. I feel completely helpless, as much as I’ve worked so hard not to ever feel that way again.

  Cole taps his brakes and slows down a bit as he nears the officer’s patrol car. I look behind me; Barry is dangerously close to my bumper, but lags back as we top the last hill just before we approach the officer who’s standing alongside a car he has pulled over. He never once glances up at our vehicles as we pass him by, and the further away we get, panic begins to set in.

  I continuously look in my rearview mirror to see what Barry’s doing. I see him accelerate through a curve much faster than he should. He gains on me once more and I feel him barely tap my bumper. It jolts me a bit, but I’m able to keep control of the wheel.

  After a few miles and several more twists and turns, Cole puts his blinker on for a split second to prepare me for his next move. He jerks the wheel just before he gets off the main road and continues on another road. I stay on his tail the entire time and we duck into an alleyway and kill the vehicles and I’m finally able to breathe.

  What should have been a pleasant evening getting to know Brooke’s family, quickly turned to an evening right out of a Law and Order episode. The fear in Brooke’s eyes when she recognized Griggs as he rose from the table and turned toward her, she looked as if she’d seen a ghost.

  Seeing her reaction, I wanted to wrap my hands around his throat. I wanted to watch him as he struggled to breathe as Brooke had in the past. I wanted to watch him as he gasped with his last breath. I wanted to kill him and to take Brooke’s pain, her fear, any feelings that he’s caused her. I want to take them all away. With him gone, out of the picture, Brooke could feel safer and without the worry of him in the back of her mind.

  We quickly pulled off a road and I swooped into a dark alley. Brooke followed closely behind and killed her car. She jumps out and leaps into my arms as I step out of my truck. She’s trembling and I pull her closer to me. I can feel her heart beating wildly pressed against me.

  I lift her chin with my fingertips and wipe the tears beginning to fall down her cheeks with my other hand and then kiss her tenderly, ever so slowly, and with every ounce of love I can give in a kiss.

  As our lips part, our foreheads meet, and we relax a bit, not saying anything more, just staring into each other’s eyes until we hear the distinct roar of a motor not too far away. I see the fear instantly cross Brooke’s face, her body begins to shake uncontrollably, and tears are now streaming down her face.

  I will do whatever it takes. I will protect her. “I will keep you safe, Brooke,” I whisper and kiss the top of her forehead. “I love you so much,” I say painfully, and embrace her.

  “I know you will. I love you, Cole.” Her voice cracks.

  TO BE CONTINUED… BOOK TWO COMING SOON…ISH