As soon as I arrived, I noticed Owen and Linc sitting off to the side with their girls. Buggered if I could remember their girls’ names. The boys had hooked some tables which was great, the place was filling up quick.
I grabbed a Diet Coke from the bar and plonked my arse beside Linc. After the week I’d had, I really needed to get out of the house. Arianne and I had gone from meshing perfectly to feeling downright awkward. There was no denying the attraction between us, but we were both on different paths.
Not long after I sat down, Xander arrived with Eden. Shit! I almost didn’t recognise her. She had on sinfully tight jeans and a long sleeve shirt that hugged every curve. The girl was sporting a rocking body—I shouldn’t be surprised since she was a model after all. Xander was one lucky prick.
When they finally made their way to the table after Xan had greeted everyone he looked at me and motioned at the chair beside me. I gave him a nod and pulled it out for Eden.
Xan headed off to the bar knowing I’d keep Eden company. The more time I spent with her the more I liked her. She was really smart and focused. Sure she had some hang-ups about her burn scars but, whatever was happening between her and Xander, seemed to be working for both of them.
“Hey Eden, how are you going? Have you met these two delinquents, Xander calls friends?”
“No, I haven’t.”
I introduced her to both Lincoln and Owen. Fortunately, the guys did the honours with their women, which saved me the embarrassment of not remembering their names. It was difficult to talk across any distance because of the noise in the room, so Linc and Owen quickly drifted back to their own conversation.
“How’s the training going?” Eden asked me. She’d come out of her shell a little over the last few weeks. Saving her arse from those dicks had kind of forged a bit of a strange bond between us.
“Yeah, really good. Xan’s straight back into machine mode. You wouldn’t know he’d been out of it for over three years. The guy just eats up the training like it’s nothing. God, I wish I had that super power.”
“He seems to be happy doing it,” she agreed.
I don’t know whether it was because my own love life was in the toilet or what? I just had to say something to Eden, something that had been bugging me for a little while now once I’d realised how serious Xander was about her.
“Can I be straight with you?”
“Of course.”
“This is the happiest and most balanced I’ve seen him in a long time. I don’t know what it is between you two but it seems to work for him. He’s really into you. Please don’t do anything to change that, particularly with this fight coming up. He needs to be in a stable place.”
Eden nodded at me, but said nothing. Not that I was surprised. She wasn’t the real chatty type. I also pegged her for the type that wouldn’t purposely hurt someone. There was some depth to her. I’d just have to trust she’d do the right thing by him.
“So how’s your training going?” Ever since the attack Xan had been working with Eden on self-defence and whatever else he figured she’d need.
“Good, I think. He seems to be happy with what we’re doing.” I grinned at that one. Yep, I was sure Xan was very happy with what they were doing!
Xander appeared with drinks and rearranged the seating so Eden was on his lap. There was a few whispered words between them like all new lovers. Then Xan looked over to me and I read his question.
“We’ve just been discussing how training was going for Eden.”
“Brilliant. I’m teaching her. How else would it go?”
“He’s a cocky bastard, but generally right. Can’t help but love his arse, attitude and all.”
Eden giggled at my words, but Xan couldn’t help firing the dig.
“Oh, shut up, Dane. Eden hardly needs you giving an opinion. She’d not stupid.”
There was a few more whispered words between them before Xan and I started to chat about training schedules and upcoming fights we wanted to watch.
The band was just about to fire up when Seth waltzed in with Sophia, Eden’s younger sister, his sister Rachel and another Onigashima student, Adelaide.
I hopped up and greeted him with a handshake and a back slap. It was great to see him.
They all looked at little happy and it was pretty clear they’d already been drinking before they got here. Seth must have said something a little off because I saw Xan flare up a little and there was one of those uneasy moments before the girls headed over to dance.
It wasn’t much longer before my phone buzzed on the table in front of me.
Arianne had sent me a message:
Marcel is outside.
My heart leapt into my mouth, and I quickly tapped out a reply message.
I’m on my way. Don’t open the door. Call Mark.
I stood up quickly, Xander and Eden both looked at me in shock. “Got to go man.” I said to Xan while I gave Eden a friendly pat on the shoulder and managed a “Catch you soon, Eden.”
As soon as I got into my truck I called Mark as I took off.
It took me two tries to get him, before he finally answered.
“What’s up man?” He sounded tired and frustrated.
“Have you heard from Arianne?”
“No.”
My stomach tightened into a knot.
“Marcel’s at Arianne’s. She just texted me; I’m heading there now.”
“Fuck, this night just won’t quit. We’re snowed everywhere man. Shit’s going down big time. Get over there and do what you need to do. The Protection Order is in place. The law will be on your side if you need to protect her, mate. Don’t go excess on his arse because with your skills that would be bad, but reasonable force would not be a problem at all.”
“Gotcha.”
“Look man, I’ll be there as soon as I can and I’ll try and get a unit over there. But I’ve got to go.”
“Thanks.” I doubt he heard me before the call was disconnected.
I took a deep breath and pressed down even harder on the accelerator.
My trip back to Arianne’s far exceeded the speed limit—I didn’t give a shit. Arianne was more important and I figured tonight the cops had more on their plates to worry about than me exceeding the speed limit.
For the thousandth time in the last few minutes I cursed my decision to leave the house tonight. I just needed some space. There was only so much I could take, being near her and not being able to be with her was slowly killing me.
The tyres squealed as I took the corner into Arianne’s street too fast.
She hadn’t texted me back…fear gripped me. What the hell was happening?
As soon as I got close enough to see her house my guts turned from a knot to acid. Marcel’s car was in the driveway and the front door of the house was wide open…
Arianne
I’d been so lucky today! The casino surveillance guys had almost got me. More than once today, I’d felt them circling. There was too much at stake, I needed to back off for a while and let things cool.
It was just after nine when I walked through the front door. Dane had left a light on but he wasn’t going to be home until later, he’d said in his text. I’d been on my way to pick up Isaac from Loretta’s when she’d called to say that both he and Jeremy had already flaked out for the night and to come and get him in the morning.
That in itself, made me feel weird. It was the first night I’d been apart from Isaac since Marcel put me in the hospital. I had no idea what to do with myself. The house was too silent so I poured a glass of wine and put the stereo on quietly. Now there was just me and my thoughts.
The last week had been tough. Regardless of what we’d said that night, the attraction between us remained. Things couldn’t go on this way. Dane needed to move on with his life and so did I. It was clear now that whatever was between us would amount to nothing more than a tenuous friendship.
I just couldn’t be part of that lifestyle.
Tomorro
w I’d talk to him about moving back to his place. With my mind made up, I decided I might as well head to bed and get an early night.
I don’t even remember falling asleep, although I must have, because I woke to knocking at the door and my heart started pounding in my chest. Dane had a key, why would he knock?
That’s when I heard him call… “Open the door Annie. I know you’re in there, and lover boy isn’t around to help you tonight.” His voice sent chills down every vein in my body. My chest felt as if a lead weight had been dropped on it. I couldn’t draw breath, only raspy pants.
There was no denying it—I was terrified.
Finally, my brain kicked into gear and I reached for my phone. All I could think of was Dane. Where was he? I knew he often didn’t answer his phone, but he always checked texts. My fingers fumbled, but somehow I managed to get my message sent.
Now what to do?
I frantically considered my options. I pulled on the track suit pants and baggy sweat top I’d had on before bed and moved to the side of the window. Maybe I could see where he was, if I eased the blind back from the window?
I tried to take a deep breath and I held it as I slowly pulled the blind back from the window. The front door was along from my window, if I could just see where he was.
My heart was in my mouth as I eased the blind back. I knew what Marcel looked like, what was it about the dark that made everything so much scarier? I shouldn’t be this terrified, but I was.
It was a dark night and the street lights were few and far between on my street. I tried to focus as I peered carefully out the window. Where was he? My eyes darted back and forth trying to figure out where he was.
A squeal ripped from my throat as he popped up from below the window sill. My heart was pounding so hard I could feel it bashing on my ribs and my eyes were so wide they were stinging from the extra surface area.
“Oh, my Annie. Open the door, darling. We need to talk.” His voice held that smooth and velvety accent even through the glass of the window. The voice, that long ago I thought was so sexy. Now it held nothing but menace and made my blood run cold.
I dropped the blind and staggered back from the window, and felt around for the phone I dropped. Where was it?
What could I use as a weapon?
A million jumbled thoughts collided in my brain. None of them making much sense or in any useful order. I careened from one surface to the next. By accident I found my phone as I stood on it. Somehow it survived and appeared to be functioning as I fumbled to unlock it and look at the screen.
There was a text from Dane. He was on his way.
Thank God!
I just wanted him so bad.
The first crash sounded as I reread what he’d said.
Call Mark!
Why hadn’t I thought of that?
Once again my fingers fumbled as I tried to bring up Mark’s number.
Another crash sounded and this time I knew it was bad…It was wood splitting or giving way or something.
Then almost instantaneously, there was another bash as what could only be the front door slammed back against the wall.
I crumpled to the floor in the corner of my bedroom and hugged the phone to my chest as if it was a life preserver.
Every footstep in the hall dredged up too many memories. Memories that I thought I’d left behind.
“Annie, this can be easy or difficult. It’s totally up to you.” I could see his silhouette in the doorway now and suddenly the overhead light switched on. My eyes blinked rapidly in defence to the brightness and I pulled myself tighter into a ball.
“Get up Annie. Stop being ridiculous and cowering in the corner. We have business to discuss.” He closed the distance across the floor and stopped. Then he extended his hand for me to take.
“Come on get up. Stop behaving like a child. Speaking of children where is the little retard?”
Fury over rode the fear and I rolled to the side and sprang to my feet, trapped between the bed and the wall.
“Don’t call him that,” I hissed with as much venom as I could muster.
He took another step closer to me and I backed up another, until the edge of the bedside table hit the back of my thighs.
“You’re making this far more difficult than it needs to be, Annie.”
“What the fuck do you want, Marcel?” His hand lashed out like lightening and connected with the side of my face.
I’d know that blinding flash of pain followed by the burning sting anywhere. He’d slapped me so many times before. I sucked in a ragged breath to stop the scream of pain that fought for release. There was no way I’d give him the satisfaction.
“Ladies don’t swear, Annie. That’s what happens when you mix with the sort of dogs you’ve been associating with. You get fleas.” His voice was cold and I knew the signs. He was on the edge of a meltdown. Marcel would get colder and colder until the iciness turned to a volcanic rage.
He grabbed me by the arm and threw me on the bed. I was no match for his strength, particularly when he was in a rage like this.
“You’ve cost me a lot of time and money Annie. I’ve wasted weeks waiting for my opportunity to get to you. It stops tonight. Pack your things we’re leaving.” He had to be insane. There was no way I was leaving. “Move!” he bellowed before rushing out the door.
What was he doing?
Then it dawned on me—he was looking for Isaac.
There was a God, and he must have made sure that Isaac was not here tonight.
“Where is he?” Marcel’s bellow met my ears, a second before he reappeared in the bedroom.
“Not here.”
“Oh don’t be a smart bitch, Annie. You know what happens to smart mouth bitches.” My blood seemed to chill even further. What would happen now? What would he do? “Where’s the retard?”
He grabbed my ankle and yanked me down the bed. I knew what was coming. “He’s not here Marcel. He’s staying at a friend’s house. What do you want?”
I stared up into his eyes and I realised just how much he enjoyed my fear. Those black pools were filled with a sadistic pleasure at my terror. He wanted to hurt me. It excited him. Fulfilled some dark need in him.
His hands moved to the buckle of the fine Italian leather belt he always wore…I was mesmerised with fear as he undid the shiny silver metal. So much so, I was as shocked as Marcel when Dane came charging through the bedroom door like a bull on a rampage.
He seemed to take up the whole doorway as he lunged through and connected his warrior’s body against Marcel’s.
The surprise was written all over my ex-husband’s face.
It all happened so fast.
One second Marcel was standing over me, about to belt the daylights out of me. The next, he was back against the closet. Dane had Marcel’s arm locked up in some sort of hold and his other arm pressed across my ex-husband’s throat.
Right then I knew it was a scene I’d dreamed about seeing for years. This was the fuzzy images in the recesses of my mind coming into focus. For once someone had the upper hand with Marcel.
A little part of me rejoiced.
“What the fuck are you doing here, arsehole? There’s a Protection Order in place. You’re not to be anywhere near her or Isaac.”
Marcel started to laugh, although it sounded more like a wheeze; there was still evilness running through it.
Dane just shook his head in what I read as disgust. Then in another split second move, Dane had taken his arm from Marcel’s throat and struck him. Marcel’s body crumbled to the floor as unconsciousness overtook him.
Dane grabbed the end of the belt, still in the loops of Marcel’s finely tailored wool slacks and whipped it out. A few seconds later he had both of his hands bound behind his back.
And a second after that I was in Dane’s arms—safe.
I had my answer.
I knew the difference.
There really were different types of violence.
Chapter 14
Dane
An hour later, two police officers took Marcel away in a squad car. Marcel had come to, just as Mark arrived and took control of things. The whole time Arianne had remained plastered to my body, as if I was the only solid and stable thing in her life.
That didn’t upset me in the least.
I’d happily give her anything she needed.
After what I saw tonight, she deserved it.
If ever I had doubts about the severity of what she’d been through at the hands of Marcel, they were cleared up for me tonight.
Seeing her front door wide open, then bursting into her bedroom to Marcel standing over her, undoing his belt, was a nightmare that would haunt me for a long while to come.
Tonight I’d got there in time. The look on her face as she’d laid on that bed told me tonight was the exception.
I’d never doubted her before—tonight absolutely confirmed the horror she’d gone through at the hands of Marcel.
It was in her eyes.
They told the story.
I could see the fear and the terror but also an acceptance and a distance from the here and now. That one look, had told me so much.
I still couldn’t believe how lucky it was that Loretta had kept Isaac for a sleep over.
What were the chances? Sometimes the world just worked in mysterious ways and I felt as if this was our second chance. I wasn’t about to fuck it up.
Finally, Mark made his way over to where we were sitting on the sofa. “I’ve had a long day. So have you both. Get some rest. I’ve got enough to get started on the paperwork. I’ll prepare statements in the morning and you can pop in tomorrow and sign them. Marcel will be our guest at least until we can organise a bail hearing—that could be a few hours or a couple of days. Can’t say I’m in any great hurry! But it will depend on many things. I have a real problem with arseholes that like to use their hands on women. Great thinking man to grab that photo of her cheek so quickly.”
Believe Page 18