Walking closer to me, Nicholas points the gun to my head. My heartbeat quickens and adrenaline kicks in. I know what I need to do - I just need him closer.
“You’ve been a pain in my ass since the beginning, pretending to be this sweet and kind girl, but I know who you are. You’re a disgusting whore who has never deserved my brother. Sure, he’ll be upset for a few days, but I already have a new girl lined up for him. He’ll move on, you’ll rot away in the ground…” His voice takes a musical, unsettling cadence. “And my family will finally be right again.”
As he takes a few steps closer, I grip the knife in my hand tighter. Bringing up his other hand, he strikes a match against his jeans and tosses it onto the ground, setting a fire ablaze all around us. He must have soaked the house in lighter fluid before bringing me here, which explains the smell when we arrived. Trying to hold my breath, I brace myself for my escape. Just as he presses the gun to my forehead, I duck aside and swing my arm, wielding the knife towards his throat and making contact. In his stunned reaction, Nicholas pulls the trigger; a bullet grazes the side of my head. Bringing my hand to my wound, I realize immediately that I am bleeding, but my concentration right now needs to be my escape plan. The flame is spreading quickly, engulfing everything in its path, clouds of smoke burning my eyes and clouding my vision. I can barely see a few feet in front of me.
Pulling the gag from my mouth and resting it over my nose, I look around to see white-hot flames blocking the only way out. I glance back at Nicholas, who is struggling to breathe but quickly fading as he lays on the dirt-covered ground. His dark blood pools thickly beneath him. In spite of everything, I still find myself wanting to comfort him in his last few breaths, but death quickly removes that option from me. The blood that had been pouring from his wound slows. The last vision I have of my capturer are the flames kissing at his clothes, while his hand is tightly wrapped around his neck.
Noticing the tiny mattress on the floor, I decide that it is small enough to carry and use as a shield from the flames. Rushing to the other side of the room, I grab the mattress and run towards the steps. Making sure to take each step carefully, as a fall wouldn’t do me any good right now, I make my way to the first floor as the fire continues to spread.
On the first floor, I can see pieces of stone crumbling from the heat, and the wooden floors are starting to buckle underneath my feet. Tossing the mattress aside, I tread carefully to the other side of the house, picking my way towards the door. I make it as far as the main room before my leg falls through a rotten piece of wood. Struggling to bring myself back to my feet, I notice that my blood loss is causing me to feel faint. Barely mustering the strength to pull myself up, I push free of the rotten wooden floors before stumbling forward. Lying against the floor, I close my eyes, hoping that I can find the power to move and find my escape. I was rushed through the dilapidated castle so quickly when we first arrived that I’m unsure of my way out. Remembering bits and pieces from my arrival, I rise on wobbly legs before locating the hallway that I seem to vaguely remember. My previous nightmares of running through an abandoned hallway cross my mind and I have to shake my head to move past my terror. Moving as quickly as possible, I come to a fork in the hallway and decide to go left. I know it doesn’t make much sense, but in my dream, I remember always going right, only to end up lost. At last, the hallway gives way to a small kitchen that I know I have come through before, and I continue to run towards the parlor where we entered the mansion. Falling to my knees as I open the large, ornate front door, I take a few seconds to remove the gag. Desperately gasping for air, I savor the taste of sweet oxygen as I crawl along the grass towards a barn I can see in the distance. Halfway to my destination, I see two cars and an emergency vehicle rushing towards the property
“Help,” I try to scream, but with the amount of smoke I inhaled, it comes out as a hoarse whisper.
Jumping from the moving car, I see Alex run the remainder of the distance towards the castle, the vehicle not moving nearly fast enough for his liking. Knowing that my savior has come at last, my shouts become louder. My heart swells in love and joy when he finds me in the distance. Seeing him coming for me gives me enough strength to amble to my feet, ignoring the pain in my ankle, and I rush towards him, leaping into his waiting arms. The safety I feel in that moment erases every ounce of fear. Cradling my head against his shoulder, Alex sinks to the ground, holding me in his arms as we cry against each other.
Chapter 19
Stroking his hands across my limbs and head, Alex checks to make sure that I really am alive and here before him. Wiping away as much of the black soot from my face that he can, Alex places both of his hands on my face and connects his lips with mine in an earth-shattering kiss.
“I love you so much, Mallory,” Alex says between kisses. “Are you hurt? What did he do to you?”
Gazing into his beautiful golden eyes, I can’t help but snake my arms around his neck and passionately kiss him back.
Breaking away, but keeping our foreheads press together, my complete love for him pours from my lips. After assuring him that I’m ok in spite of my few scratches, I begin to tell him what happened. I explain how Nicholas kidnapped me as I was searching for a jewelry store; how he shot Benjamin for trying to leave. I explain how his brother had his hands in all of his family’s activities and was using them to make money. Tears threatening to fill my eyes, I also make sure to mention why he wanted me gone. When I mention what he had threatened about using me before he killed me, Alex goes completely still. After half a beat, he twists his hands into my hair and pulls me forward for another searing kiss.
“Miss, can we take a look at you please?” an emergency worker asks, snapping us from our moment.
Following the worker to his vehicle, Alex sits beside me, holding onto my hand as if it is his lifeline. Examining my head and foot closely, they exclaim that it’s truly a miracle that the bullet only left a small tear in my skin. With an oxygen mask placed over my face, they stitch up the graze on my head that was caused by the bullet. With the help of a few pre-moistened cloths, I’m able to remove the smell of smoke from my skin and change into a set of scrubs that the workers had available
“Thank you, miss. I believe the police want to take your statement now. If you’re up for it.”
Looking towards Alex, I know repeating the incident with Nicholas is going to be a sore subject, but he nods at me and allows the officers to take my statement. As the fire department continue to put out the blaze, another car pulls up to the abandoned home. Exiting the large vehicle are all of Alex’s family members, including Evie, Will, and Scott. Surprisingly, the first person to rush over to me is Evie, enveloping me in a tight hug.
“Thank you. Thank you so much for being so strong,” she cries through her waterfall of tears.
I know that she’s not referring to killing her evil husband, but for having the strength to fight back. I realize as she clings to me that she has probably been living in fear of him for years. Squeezing my hand, Alex nods at me before he moves to where his parents stand, staring at the blaze in shock as they listen to the officer repeat my story. Wrapping an arm around his mother, she weeps onto Alex’s shoulder as his father rubs her back. She has just lost her son and found out he was insane all in one day, and that’s not to mention the fact that he was a violent wife-beater who tried to kill her future daughter-in-law. Something this horrendous would devastate any family.
“Ma’am, since we got your statement I need you all to leave the crime scene. I’m sorry, it’s policy,” the young officer says sheepishly.
Nodding my head, I move out of Evie’s embrace and we head over to where her in-laws and Alex stand.
“They’ve asked us to leave the crime scene,” I say quietly.
“I’m sorry, dear, you must be starved. Let’s go to a quiet place so we can all talk. Ok?” Alex’s father states, his previously glazed eyes snapping back to reality.
Following Alex’s father, we pile
their large vehicles and make our way back into town, allowing Gregory to continue driving his car separately. Alex sits beside me, possessively draping his arm around my shoulders, holding me tight. The car ride is silent, with the exception of some small whimpers coming from Alex’s mother. Her devastation radiates through the entire car: we all feel the weight of Nicholas’ death, even me.
Arriving in town an hour later, we stop and eat at a local Italian restaurant. Gregory, Scott, and Will grab a separate table from the rest of us after checking to make sure that I’m ok. I don’t have much of an appetite, so I sink into my chair and lean against an adjacent wall. Strangely enough, Alex’s dad sits beside me. Alex opts to sit in the seat across from me.
Leaning in, Edward murmurs, “I’m sorry my son did this to you. I don’t know what we can do to make it up to you.”
Looking at him fiercely, my sudden outburst startles the entire table.
“Don’t you dare,” I begin, “You have nothing to apologize for. I love you all and your son bears no reflection on you as people. You’re good people and I love you like my own family. I’m sorry you lost your son today, but he wasn’t sane. Not only because of what he’s done to me, but what he’s done to Evie and his own family. He manipulated all of you, every single one of you. He had a hand in everything you did so your family would look well in the lime light and make him money. He was greedy and egotistical and deserved to get caught. But don’t you dare for even a second let his actions reflect on you. And I am truly sorry you lost your son today, no one should have to grieve over the loss of a child. I know Nicholas was a good person at some point, but that man left a long time ago.”
Jane, Alex’s mother, begins sobbing uncontrollably and Abigail escorts her to the restroom, glancing sympathetically in my direction.
“You’re right. You’re absolutely right. I don’t know how we didn’t see any of this before,” Edward sighs.
Jumping in, Evie replies, “Because he was very good at hiding it; at hiding everything. He threatened people’s lives and families to get what he wanted.”
Pausing for everyone to order their dinner, I wait for Jane and Abigail to return before I ask Alex how he knew I was gone.
“I felt it. I knew something was wrong and you were scared. I can’t describe it, but I knew. And then I recall Evie coming to me earlier to talk about something she had found, but I was running late for a meeting. She tried to tell me that Nicholas was an evil man and that I didn’t know him at all; instead of listening, I got angry and stormed off. But I pieced it all together in that instant. I knew he had taken you. I rushed to find Gregory, but he was coming back from the police station like he had seen a ghost. He knew what I knew and we didn’t have much time. I am so thankful that I put that tracker on your necklace. Once we figured out where you were, we rushed out after you, calling everyone we knew to help. I wasn’t sure what we were going to find when we got there. I’m so glad you’re safe, Mallory. You’ve had to go through this twice because of me.”
“Alex, this wasn’t your fault. None of it is anyone’s fault.”
Watching everyone sulk in their chairs, heads all downturned towards the table, I realize that I can’t be in this environment right now. I’m not a piece of glass and they all blame themselves. Standing from the table, I head over to where Scott sits and ask him to take me home. Walking over to Alex, I kiss his cheek and tell him that I love him before leaving the restaurant. No one even notices my exit - they’re all too lost in their distraught world.
For the first night in weeks I sleep alone, noise from the television echoes through the room. When I arrived back at the apartment complex, Steven was already asleep and I was sure Bea was as well. Twisting the large diamond ring around my finger, I sit and can’t help but wonder what comes next. How do I get better from this? How do I help everyone heal? I know Alex and his family are hurting over what happened. Do they blame me? Is it my fault? Maybe I shouldn’t have come back here. Will Alex even want to be with me now? He hasn’t even called.
“Mallory, stop. You’re being ridiculous,” I whisper to myself, trying to stop the barrage of questions that are echoing through my head.
After tossing and turning in my bed for an hour, I decide that sleep isn’t going to come for me tonight, so instead I head towards my living room. Rubbing the stitches on my head, I sit down on the couch and grab my e-reader from my coffee table. Just as I’m about to delve head first into a new romance novel, there is a loud knock on my door. Wearily stepping towards my door, I open it to find Alex waiting on the other side, his face full of grief and despair.
“Mallory, I’m so sorry. I don’t know how to deal with this. Help me, please,” Alex cries as he pulls me into his arms, resting his head on my shoulder, tears falling down his face.
Shutting the door behind me, I rub Alex’s back before leading him over to the couch.
“I can’t do this without you, Mallory. My family is falling apart and then you didn’t come home. I almost lost you twice today. My fucking life is spinning out of control.”
“Alex, you need to grieve for your big brother. I understand. But I am only going to make things worse. You need to be with your family right now.”
“I need to be with you. God, Mallory, he tried to kill you and you’re not even upset! You were never going to see me or your family again and it’s like you don’t even care.”
Exasperated, I shout, “Shut the fuck up Alex, you have no idea how I feel right now. I don’t need to grieve because I made it out alive and barely harmed. I lived. I don’t need to think about what could have happened because it didn’t. If you think I should be some desolate victim then you need to leave. I played that part once before and I refuse to do that to myself again.”
“You want me to leave?”
“No. Of course not. I just want you to understand how I can get past this so easily. I know it’s harder for you, but I’m done. It’s over. I’m moving on. I need to, otherwise I’ll let the fear seep back in and I don’t know what that would do to us.”
“What are you saying, Mallory? You want me to go?”
“I love you, Alex. And you’re the main reason I fought to get away from your brother, but you didn’t get to see him the way I did. I survived for you. I don’t want you to go because I don’t love you: I want you to go because your family needs you right now, and they don’t need me around to show them what they’ve lost. It’s just for tonight, ok?”
“Ok, I get it,” he replies, malice twisting his words.
“Alex.”
“Goodnight, Mallory.”
“Alex!” I yell as he slams the door.
He didn’t even tell me that he loved me or asked how my head was feeling, and why did that “goodnight” seem like a goodbye?
Rushing out the door in my pajama shorts and tank top, I hurry to try to catch Alex, hoping I can beat him outside. Standing in the cold winter air in the dead of night, I see Alex duck his head inside his town car. Making a beeline for the vehicle, I knock on the window just as the vehicle begins to pull out. Halfway into the road, the door opens and Alex stands sullenly in front of me.
“Alex, please don’t do this. Don’t run from me.”
“I feel lost, Mallory. It’s like everything I’ve known has been a lie. He was using all of us. If it wasn’t for him threatening you from the beginning, I would think you were sent by him too. I just can’t do this right now.”
“Do what exactly? Love me, grieve, what? I want to be there for you, Alex. I just don’t want to make things worse. Come back inside, ok? We’ll talk through this.”
Staring at me, I can see the contemplation in his mind.
Reaching up, I take his face in my hands.
“I love you, Alex. So much. You were my reason to fight.”
Bringing his hands to rest on top of mine, I can sense his body’s reaction to the feel of the engagement ring on my left hand. It’s as if it’s a trigger to his heart.
Leaning hi
s forehead against mine, Alex whispers, “I love you too, Mallory. More than anything in this world.”
Stepping out of our embrace, he shuts the car door and taps on the hood, signaling to Gregory that he can leave.
“You’re going to catch pneumonia out here in that.”
“It would be worth it,” I say, a smile on my face at my handsome man’s return.
“I want to take you upstairs and fuck you until I can’t remember what happened today.”
“By all means, please do,” I retort as we enter the building.
Sweeping me up over his shoulder, Alex ascends the stairs two at a time until he enters my apartment, shutting the door behind him, and tosses me on the bed. After stripping off my clothes, we make fiery, passionate love until we are both too exhausted to do more than lay in bed.
Twisting his fingers around mine while we lie under the sheets, Alex whispers, “You know I’m not grieving for Nicholas. After knowing what he tried to do to you, I have no sympathy for what he endured. But I’m mourning the loss of my older brother. I always looked up to him growing up. I just never knew he could be so cruel. And Evie. I can’t believe he beat her and none of us knew. I guess we should have questioned it when she started to close herself off, but Nicholas always said it was because of her modeling. You know, at dinner she told us that she had miscarried three times and that it was because Nicholas would poison her.” Alex closes his eyes in pain. “God, he was a sick fuck. Now she isn’t even sure if she can have kids. He took a family away from us we’ll never get to know.”
“I’m so sorry, Alex. I don’t know what to say, but they would have been my family, too, and that breaks my heart.”
Curling up against Alex, he cradles me against him until we both fall into slumber.
Waking the next day at mid-morning, I find Alex gone and a note on the pillow.
My beautiful fiancé,
My mother called and she is having a tough time this morning so I went over to their home. I’ll pick you up for dinner tonight at 7.
Stone Unhinged (The Stone Book 2) Page 18