I opened my mouth to scream, but he slammed the door, muffling the noise. There was too much space between our house and the next to hear my cries.
“Sit down,” he ordered, pointing to a dining room chair. His eyes had gone eerily dark. “Let’s not make this difficult.”
“I thought you were gone,” I cried, obeying him. “I thought the police talked to you.”
“Oh, they did. That wasn’t nice of you, Ariana,” he said, pulling a chair closer to me. He sat down, his face inches from mine. “It really hurt my feelings that you would try to harm me. They told me that I could be charged with a few different crimes if I didn’t leave. But, they didn’t have shit on me. They never do. I told them that if they didn’t stop harassing me, I would sue them. That seemed to shut them up nicely. Anyway, I was thinking about leaving town now. I just wanted to make sure you were happy with whatever terrible decision you made here. This is your last chance, Ariana. You can stay here, or you can come with me.”
“I want to stay here,” I answered.
He pursed his lips. “Now, I was hoping you’d answer differently. I’m asking you to give me a chance. Come with me, and just see what life would be like with me. I promise you that I can give you everything you could ever want.”
“Please leave me here,” I said. “I promise I won’t tell the police you intruded if you just go right now and never come back.”
He thought for a minute before taking the rope out of his pocket. “I’m afraid I’m not going to take no for an answer. Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”
“Daniel is going to be back any second. He just ran to the store down the road. You better run,” I bargained. If I could just convince Jake that his life was being threatened, then maybe he’d leave me alone.
“Then we better make this quick,” he said, grabbing my wrist.
Chapter Nineteen
Daniel
Things were finally working out better than I could have ever expected. I was so nervous about asking Ariana to move in with me and so relieved when she said yes. I knew I couldn’t go back to living alone after two crazy months with her by my side. As I left my house, I even thought about taking a quick stop at a jewelry store to look at engagement rings, but then I realized I was getting ahead of myself. I had never been this in love before and I was surprised by this rush of emotions. If things went well, in time, I could foresee myself placing a ring on her finger. Just not today, though.
I hadn’t gone more than fifty yards when I saw something out of the corner of my eye that gave me pause. I saw a familiar red car parked on the side of the road. All my neighbors had large driveways, so it was unusual to see one lone car on the side of the street.
I continued down the road, trying to figure out why that car looked so familiar. I had almost gotten to the store when I had a terrible thought.
The last time I saw a car like that, I was watching it out the window of my office.
I tried to tell myself that my imagination was getting the best of me. It would be pretty embarrassing to rush back home, empty-handed because I got spooked. I talked to the chief of police. He said that they were going to track him down and talk to him. I saw the kid myself—he was gangly as hell. A guy like that gets scared and runs. He was a wimp, not a fighter.
Finally, it got to the point where the bad feeling in the pit of my stomach was too much to bear. It was probably nothing, but I needed to go home, just to check. I tried to come up with excuses as to why I was home as I pulled a U-turn and sped back toward the house.
When I got there, everything looked fine. My hand hovered over the handle and I pressed my ear against the door. Then, I heard talking.
I shoved the door open, and much to my horror, I found Jake towering over my cowering girlfriend. She had a rope tied tightly around one wrist, and it looked like he was working on the other.
“What the hell are you doing?” I bellowed, storming into the kitchen.
“Stand back,” Jake said, his voice shaking. He held a canister of bear mace in his outstretched arms, both hands on the trigger as if he were ready to fire.
“Get out of my house. Now.”
“She doesn’t even want you. Your dad told me that she knows she’s too good for you and that she’s just using you. You should be thanking me for getting her out of your hair. She wants to come with me.”
I slid my hand in my pocket, fumbling to get my phone. “Then why the hell is she tied up?” I asked as I tried to call the police.
“What are you doing?” Jake asked, pointing a finger at my pocket. “Is that a phone? Put your hands where I can see them.”
I managed to dial the number so I let it ring in my pocket. I just hoped the operator would be able to hear what was happening and help us out. I figured I could chase Jake away and only receive minor injuries, but I didn’t want him to disappear. I wanted him in jail so I would know exactly where he was at all times.
“Were you trying to kidnap Ariana?” I asked, trying to project my voice.
“She was going to come with me willingly. She just needed a little encouragement.”
“You tied up my girlfriend,” I yelled. “Put your weapon down and untie her.”
“She’s not your girlfriend,” he screamed. “Never say that again.”
“You’re going to get arrested,” I said. “You’re going to go to jail for a long time.”
“Who’s going to believe this?” he said. “If you’re going to make up stories about me, then I’ll make one up about you,” he said in a sing-song voice. “Ariana and I leave. Once we’re out of town, I’ll call the police as a concerned neighbor who heard screams coming from your place. They’ll come in, see that Ariana is missing and find blood on the floor. They’ll know that your parents are married and figure out that there was some family tension. How’s that going to make you look?”
“Blood on the floor?” I asked, lifting my eyebrows. “This is stupid. Just untie her. Better yet, don’t move. Let me do it.”
“Stay where you are,” he said, pulling a small pocket knife from his pants. “If you want blood, I’ll give you blood. I don’t give a crap anymore.”
“You said you wouldn’t hurt me,” Ariana cried.
“Well, that was before you hurt me, then cornered me. We can still get through this Ariana. Come with me to the car and no one gets hurt.”
Jake yanked Ariana by the rope tied to her wrists in one hand and pointed the bear mace at me with his other. He took off running toward the door.
Not about to be threatened by Jake, I dove after him, tackling him hard. We fell to the ground with a thud.
Suddenly, my eyes started burning. The pain was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. My entire face was on fire and my airways burned with pepper.
“You idiot,” I choked, pinning him to the ground. I could feel my eyes swelling, but I saw Ariana slide away before I temporarily lost my vision.
The next thing I knew, someone was pouring something cold on my face. I choked and sputtered, trying not to lose my grip on Jake.
“Sorry,” Ariana’s timid voice spoke. “I thought milk would help dilute the pepper spray.”
“Thanks,” I coughed. “Can you try calling the police again? I want to make sure they’re on their way.”
“They’re here,” Ariana said. “I can see the lights coming down the street.”
“Good,” I said, wincing in pain. I shoved Jake’s face toward the floor, my last chance to cause him a little pain. “Have fun in prison, asshole,” I muttered into his ear. “I’ll make sure not to write.”
Ariana opened the door and I heard the footsteps of boots running inside. I managed to open my eyes just a little bit.
“Dr. Malone,” my former patient said, “I’m so sorry this happened. Our hands were completely tied with this kid. There wasn’t much we could do.”
“You threatened me!” Jake squeaked out. I applied a little extra pressure to his neck.
“S
hut up,” the other officer said. “You can let go, sir. We’ve got him from here.”
They lifted Jake from the ground and put him in handcuffs. Then, they took him to the back of the car and locked him in.
“Are you okay, Ariana?” I asked.
“I’m fine,” she said, rubbing her wrists. “Just a little shaken up, you know. How are you feeling?”
I was in a lot of pain, but I wanted to stay tough, especially for her sake. “I’m okay.”
“We’re going to need your statements,” Officer Duff said, getting out a notepad.
“Go ahead,” I said, gesturing to Ariana. He sat at the table with her as she tearfully told him everything she knew about Jake.
I went to the sink and ran cold water, sticking my face underneath until the burning subsided a little. I was pissed at Jake for spraying me at such a close range, but at least it wasn’t a deadly weapon. I was thankful that things hadn’t been worse.
When it was my turn to give my account, I sat down at the table while Ariana went to the bathroom to apply ointment to her rope burns. I was so relieved that she was safe.
“What is your relationship with Ms. Colbert?” the officer asked.
“She’s my girlfriend,” I said. I suppressed a smile. It was nice to be able to use those words on an official record.
“Can you give me a detailed account of today’s events?”
I told the story from the second I opened the door and saw Jake intimidating her. I gave the facts and left out all the commentary of how I felt. I didn’t mention to the officer that I wanted to kill him for laying his hands on Ariana. I didn’t mention how the thought of losing her scared me more than anything in the world.
When I had given all the information they needed, the officer stood up and closed his notebook.
“Well, there’s enough information to charge him with multiple felonies. I think there’s a good chance that the judge will be informed that the assailant was warned by police to leave town, but refused and threatened to sue the police force. That’s not going to make him look good when it comes to sentencing.”
“You might want to take his explanation with a grain of salt,” I said. “Ariana says he’s a pathological liar. He even tried to tell me that he was going to frame me for her disappearance if he managed to kidnap her.”
“Yes, Ms. Colbert mentioned the fact that he shows abnormal psychological traits. We’ll make sure this is handled. If she testifies in court, she can ask the judge for a do-not-contact clause in sentencing.”
“You think he’ll be convicted?” I asked.
“I can almost guarantee it with evidence like this,” he said. “I’ll give you a call if we need any more information, okay?”
“Sounds good. Thanks for your help.”
Once the police left, Ariana reemerged and wrapped her arms around my waist.
“I’m never letting you out of my sight again,” I said, getting choked up. I cleared my throat. I didn’t like people seeing me so vulnerable.
“I really think it’s all over,” she said. “I promise I’d never let myself get separated from you. I was ready to fight.”
I kissed her on the head. “That’s what I love about you.”
We stood in the kitchen and just held each other. I never wanted to let her go. She was the most important part of my life now.
“Remember how I said we should go on a vacation when all of our drama was over?”
“Yeah.”
I gave her a squeeze. “When do we leave? I think we’ve earned it.”
“Let’s maybe wait a few days. I hate to say it since we’re usually a pretty fine couple, but we look like hell right now,” she giggled.
“Speak for yourself,” I said, my swollen face still burning.
“I want to kiss you,” she said, “but I’m afraid it will make my face burn, too.”
“I think I have something at my office that will help with this. Do you want to come with me?” I asked.
“Only if you give me an examination, if you know what I mean,” she winked.
I knew exactly what she meant. We ran out to my car to take over my empty medical practice like a newlywed couple. We had a passion between us that would never die out. All the fighting had paid off. I finally had a girl to take care of, and in return, she took care of me.
Epilogue
Ariana
“Ariana,” my mom said, holding a paint sample to the wall, “what do you think about this one?”
“Looks good,” I said.
“You didn’t even look.”
I rolled my eyes. “They’re all fine. Honestly, I told you I trusted your judgment. I’m giving you complete power over the decisions regarding the baby’s room.”
She beamed. She loved decorating but couldn’t paint or put up art in her rented apartment. So, she came to Daniel’s and my place to express her creativity and bother me while I worked on my thesis.
“You know, Mom,” I said, closing my laptop, “I’m not due for another seven months. You don’t have to do all of the redecorating and shopping right now.”
“I know,” she said, moving furniture around. “The baby will be here sooner than you think. It won’t be long before you’re packing your hospital bag. You’ll be thanking me when all the work is done. Besides, I don’t want you doing any heavy lifting or breathing paint fumes. I don’t want you doing any work at all. You know it puts stress on you and the baby.”
“Daniel has told me this a thousand times,” I said.
The moment I found out I was pregnant, I was scared. But, Daniel was perhaps even more afraid. It wasn’t the fact that we were having a child that scared him so much, but the fact that I could have complications from my epilepsy. But, between Daniel and my new doctor, I had all the care I needed. Except for a little morning sickness, I was feeling better than ever. It was so cute to hear him talk about all the things he wanted to do to give our baby the best life possible.
I was almost done with my Master’s program, too. Inspired by Daniel’s work, I was wrapping up my thesis on medical practices. I was worried about finding a job once the baby arrived, but Daniel had the perfect solution. He wanted me to help him expand his business and have me take over the business aspect so he had more time to see patients. I was nervous to be faced with such a big responsibility but excited to be able to work for myself. Plus, since I was going into business with Daniel, I could adjust my schedule to take care of our new baby.
“Ariana,” Agnes called from the other room, “does two o’clock work for you? My friend who owns the bridal store just called me with an open appointment time.”
“Sounds great,” I replied. I rested a hand on my stomach. I hoped my belly would still be flat for my wedding dress by the big day. My mother and Agnes always gushed about how adorable I’d look with a giant baby bump. I hoped Daniel would agree when that time came.
The news of the baby came as a shock to us, but it wasn’t so scary when both Daniel and I knew we wanted to be together forever. Since we came to that realization, we thought it would be silly not to make it official. I wanted my new baby and me to share a last name and we knew it would make our mothers happy if we were wed first. I didn’t care what the wedding looked like, as long as it was done by the time I got too pregnant.
Our mothers were nothing but great. They were apprehensive to meet each other at first, given their shared experiences with Terry, who no one has heard from in months. Last Daniel heard, Terry was under investigation for his involvement in my attempted kidnapping and had fled the state, afraid he’d be caught for other offenses. Life had been easier without him, and our mothers became fast friends. I never knew that women could bond over a shared ex-husband. It was nice for my mom to have a new friend and a new project to keep her busy. She was already over Terry and back to her happy self.
They were basically planning everything when it came to the wedding and baby and I was fine with that. I just wanted to be done with school by the ti
me the baby arrived.
“Why are you home so early?” I asked Daniel as he strode through the door.
“It’s nice to see you too,” he joked, giving me a kiss. “My mom said there were important decisions to make. I took a half day.”
“Daniel,” Agnes called. “Come give me your input on the menu and decorations.”
He rolled his eyes at me and patted me on the belly before humoring his mother. He had his apprehensions about marriage and having a baby, but overall, he was excited. I knew he would be an incredible father. He was just so protective and nurturing.
“Agnes,” my mom said, running into the kitchen, “it’s time to meet with the caterer.”
Agnes looked at her watch and grabbed her purse. “We’re off to try a few options and look at place settings,” she said. “Ariana, don’t forget to meet us at Fleur Bridal in an hour.”
“I’ll be there,” I said, giving the women a wave.
When our mothers were out the door, Daniel wrapped his arms around my waist and gently lifted me into the air.
“Good,” he said. “They’re gone. I feel like they’re over here every other day.”
“I know. They insist on making this wedding a spectacular affair. I was fine with a courthouse wedding.”
He laughed. “You should have seen the look on my mom’s face when I told her that. At least she’s letting us keep our guest list to a reasonable number.”
“Is it too late to elope?” I asked.
“I’m afraid it is,” he said. “Anyway, I didn’t come home early for them. I came here for you.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve been thinking about how busy things are going to get with the wedding planning. Then, it won’t be long until the baby is here and we never sleep again. I realized that I want to spend more time with you, just you. Our lives will never be the same again. It’ll be better, no doubt, but I’d like to savor the way things are at this very moment.”
I agreed. Things had moved so quickly that there was hardly time to stop and enjoy our love for each other. Life with Daniel had always been challenging, but it was more than worth it. Thinking back to everything we had gone through together, I’d do it all over again a hundred times. The hard times only strengthened our bond and made the good times sweeter.
Forbidden Prescription 4: A Stepbrother Fake Marriage Medical Romance (Forbidden Medicine) Page 12