“Hello, this is-”
“Hi, I need to talk to Miss Cooper.” I sounded like I had the worst sore throat. This conversation needed to happen, I didn’t care if it made my throat worse.
“Miss Cooper isn’t-”
I gritted my teeth as I stopped at the lights “It’s an emergency.”
I needed to speak to her. I needed her to keep Eli safe.
“I…I’ll go and see. Erm..who shall I say is calling?”
“Eli’s mom.” I huffed.
The light turned green, I’d automatically headed toward the compound. I knew that I’d be safe there. But it didn’t matter if I was safe if Eli wasn’t, he was all that mattered.
“Hello? This is Miss Cooper.”
“Hi” I breathed “This is Eli’s mom.”
“How can I help?”
“If Eli’s dad comes there to pick him up, don’t let Eli go with him”
There was a pause of silence, it was a strange request I knew that. I could almost hear the wheels turning in her head.
“I’m sorry Miss Anderson, I don’t understand.”
I pulled onto the private road that led to the compound and checked in my mirror. Max hadn’t followed me, it could only mean he was still at the apartment or on his way to get Eli.
It was something that he would do just to hurt me. He’d threatened me plenty of times with Eli but nothing ever came of it. If he got a hold of Eli there’d be no stopping him.
I couldn’t let that happen.
“He’s not to be released to his dad,” I gritted out. The more I talked the more my throat burned. I needed this conversation to be over.
“Has something happened that I’m not aware of?” she sounded concerned and although I really didn’t want to tell her what had just happened, I felt like I may have to.
I pushed the button to open the gates to the compound and drove through them.
“I really don’t want to discuss it over the phone right now,” I pulled up into my usual spot and turned the car off. “I really need you to do this Miss Cooper”
“As I’ve never met his father I wouldn’t release him anyway.” She said in a gentle voice.
“Okay,” I breathed. My whole body sagged now that I was behind the gates.
“Is everything okay?” she asked quietly.
I watched as Luke walked across the compound, he stopped when he saw me staring.
“It will be.” I said. “I’ll be in touch within the next hour to let you know who will pick Eli up.”
“It has to be someone I’ve met Miss Anderson.”
“Okay.” I replied and ended the call just as Luke was walking over to my car. I pushed my door open.
“You can’t phone Boss then put the phone down-” his eyes widened as I fell out of the car.
“Luke” I croaked. My voice was beyond hoarse now, it felt like it was on fire.
“What the-”
Luke stared at me in shock. His eyes wandered over my body and down to my leg. That seemed to bring him out of his trance, he shook his head then scooped me up.
I groaned at the pain in my ribs and rested my head against his shoulder. All I wanted was to go back to sleep, I was so tired. My eye was now swollen shut and it was taking great effort to keep the other one open.
“Open up!” Luke shouted when we got to the metal door, he turned and kicked it with the bottom of his boot a couple of times. The vibrations causing me to groan.
A minute later Evan opened the door with a cheeky grin on his face “Your muscles too big to even open a door now?”
“Move.” Luke grunted.
Evan looked up then, his eyes wide.
“Shit,” I heard the panic in Evans voice.
“Get Boss.” Luke said as he carried me into the warehouse.
He placed me down onto the table we use for meetings and crouched down next to me.
“What happened darlin’ ” his voice soft and not at all like the Luke that I knew.
“Where are you hurt?” he asked when I didn’t answer.
“Everywhere.” I croaked.
He stood and moved down to where I had tied the t-shirt around my leg, I winced as he pulled it off. I turned my head toward the office just as Ty and Evan were coming out.
“Kay?”
“Ty.” I croaked.
He rushed forward, his eyes scanning my whole body as if he could see all injuries with just one look.
“What happened?” Ty said as he took my hand. I groaned. I really didn’t want to get into this right now. I didn’t want him to find out who I really was.
“Evan get the first aid kit,” Luke barked out. He pushed my t-shirt aside, Ty moved to see.
I could see the anger burning behind his eyes. This time I knew that the anger wasn’t directed at me but for me.
“Sweetheart,” he murmured. “What the fuck happened to you?”
I kept my eyes on his, I didn’t want to look away.
“I’m gonna have to stitch up your leg,” Luke said as he prodded at my ribs. I yelped each time he touched them.
“I don’t think any are broken,” he moved to the bottom of the table where Evan placed the bag.
“What do you mean, stitch up her leg?”
“Looks like a stab wound.” Luke replied.
“You were stabbed?” Ty growled.
My mind was elsewhere, I’d have to answer his questions at some point but all I could think was that I was free.
I didn’t have to go home and worry about what I would do wrong. I didn’t have to worry about hiding my bruises because I wouldn’t have any to hide.
It was a relief, a weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I wondered why I hadn’t left earlier.
Why had I stayed?
I knew that I loved him at some point. I even liked him, but I couldn’t understand how we’d got to the point that we had ended up at.
Things used to be so good, I’d held out hope for things to get better.
“Kay? Kay?!” I looked at Ty, my eyes starting to feel heavy. “Tell me what the hell is going on”
I stared at him. Through him. Did I trust him enough to tell him?
I didn’t know what to think but his eyes begged me to trust him.
“Doesn’t look too deep,” Luke murmured. “Gonna have to cut your jeans though.” I nodded, even though he probably couldn’t see me.
“Max” I croaked.
Ty stared at me a second, his eyes flicked from confused, to understanding then to outrage. I could see the flames practically leaping out of his eyes.
“Your boyfriend Max?”
I nodded and turned away.
Shame covered me in a sticky film. I didn’t want them to know what a bad person I was but now I didn’t have a choice. My breathing came in pants, my head spun and my skin broke out in goose bumps.
I turned my head back to Ty, about to open my mouth to tell him that I didn’t feel good, when everything went black.
Chapter Fifteen
It was the thumping in my head that woke me then the burning pain in my leg followed closely. Groaning, I tried to open my eyes but my left eye wouldn’t open.
Those first couple of seconds I was blissfully unaware of what had happened then the memories flashed in my mind. They came thick and fast, flashing through my mind on a constant reel. I didn’t want to remember what Max had done. I tried my hardest to push them away but they wouldn’t stop.
I startled when I heard footsteps come toward me, a soft voice saying “Sweetheart, it’s just me”
I opened my eye and stared into chocolate brown ones. Not evil green ones. The memories fell away, the longer I looked into his eyes the more grounded I felt.
“Ty?” I shivered, I hated the anger that flashed in them.
“Hey there, sleepy head.” He said softly with a lopsided smile.
“Hey,” I croaked back and tried to sit up.
I winced at the pain and lay back down, on the couch in the office. Gritting my teeth I w
as ready to try again when Ty’s hands came under my arms and lifted me up. His touch so gentle.
“How you feeling?” he asked when I was up against the arm of the couch.
“I don’t know.” I answered honestly.
And I didn’t.
I felt like I was wading through a fog that was very slowly lifting.
I was so tired, all I wanted to do was sleep but something was nagging at me.
I just couldn’t think what it was.
“Luke stitched up your leg.” Ty said as he crouched down beside me.
I lifted the blanket that covered my legs, my jeans were cut all the way to the top of my thigh.
“He doesn’t think anything is broken but you need to take it easy.”
I looked back at Ty and blew out a breath. I hated that he was seeing me like this, I felt exposed.
Raw.
“The bruising on your face and neck will take a couple of days to come out,” he continued.
I shifted a little, trying to get comfortable, the arm of the couch digging into my back. Ty watched me with narrowed eyes, then stood up.
He walked across the office and wheeled the big office chair over.
“Come on,” he said and bent down to pick me up.
“I’m fine.” He ignored me and lifted me up, placing my arms around his neck I groaned at the movement.
“You’re okay sweetheart” he whispered in my ear, I nodded as he set me down holding in the sob that desperately wanted to come out.
He turned and picked up the blanket off the floor placing it over my lap. I could breathe a little easier now that I sat up properly. I loved this chair.
“Where is everyone?” I asked trying to distract myself. The place was silent, the door to the office was open and I couldn’t hear a thing coming from the warehouse.
Ty shuffled his feet and looked away.
“Ty?”
“I sent them to see if they could find Max.”
“Why would you do that?” I croaked.
He narrowed his eyes at me and gritted out “Did you really just say that?”
I gulped at the fierce look in his eyes. I didn’t want them to find Max, I just wanted to forget all about him.
“It doesn’t matter anyway” he shrugged “He’s gone”
“Gone?”
“Yeah” he nodded. I clutched my hands in my lap and looked down.
“Sweetheart.”
I sucked in a breath when Ty’s hand landed on my knee, his thumb rubbing back and forth.
“Yes?” I croaked.
“What happened?”
I stared into his eyes tears forming in mine and opened my mouth.
“No lies.” He said in a firm voice.
I gulped and looked away. The lies came so easily, I was so used to them slipping out that I had to make a conscious effort to keep them inside. He didn’t need someone like me in his life.
“I can see those wheels turning,” Ty said “I just want the truth Kay.”
“I’m not ready.” I croaked.
“Okay sweetheart” I looked back at him, prepared to see the disappointment in his eyes.
“Sorry” I whispered.
He shook his head “Don’t be sorry. When you’re ready, I want you to come to me yeah?”
I nodded.
“I mean it Kay. I won’t see you any differently. You can talk to me sweetheart.”
We locked eyes, neither of us looking away. Caught in that space where nothing else existed, nothing else mattered.
Not me, not him, not even El-.
“Eli!” I tried to shout, but my voice broke.
“Huh?”
“Someone needs to pick up Eli,” I looked round the office for my phone but couldn’t see it. I couldn’t remember if I bought it in from my car.
“I’ll get Kitty and Luke to pick him up.” Ty said as he pulled his phone out of his pocket.
“No,” I tried to reach out but stopped when a sharp pain shot up my side. “Crap.”
“What?”
“They can’t pick him up Ty, Miss Cooper said it has to be someone she’s met.” He looked over my head, his brows furrowed in thought.
I needed to get some things from my apartment, but the thought of stepping back into that place had me breaking out into a sweat. I certainly couldn’t pick Eli up with my jeans cut up my leg, flapping out at the sides.
“I’ll go, I can get-” I stopped.
It occurred to me that I didn’t have anywhere to stay, I didn’t have family members that I could turn to. The only place I had was my apartment.
I’d have to find a motel, it would do for now. Hopefully Max wouldn’t find us and I was earning my own money now so I could actually afford it. With money came freedom, maybe that was why Max didn’t want me to work in the first place? He didn’t want me to rely on anyone but him, that way he had all the control. I hated when he told me that I wouldn’t have anything if it wasn’t for him.
“Kay?”
“Hmmm?”
“What were you about to say?”
“Oh, right.” I cleared my throat “I need to go back to my apartment and get some things.”
“What sort of things?” Ty asked as he pulled his jacket on, shoving his beanie hat on his head.
“Clothes, toiletries. Then I need to find a motel” I just needed to do a simple search to find out where the closet one was. I didn’t want to be too far away from the compound.
“Motel?” Ty moved back toward me.
“I can’t go back there” I said in a small voice.
He crouched down again, this time both hands came down on my knees.
“You’re not going back there sweetheart, you’re staying with me,” I opened my mouth to say something but he cut me off “No arguments”
I stared at him, shocked that he would open up his home to me. I didn’t want his pity, I didn’t want to feel like a burden to anyone.
I had lied to him. I’d lied to everyone.
I wanted to say all of this to him, but the look on his face told me that there was no point. Once Ty made up his mind there was no changing it, something that I’d learned quickly.
“I’ll go and get Eli, then go to the apartment and pack you some things.”
“You’re going on your own?” Ty stood up, his hands sliding from my knees. I stared at where his hands had been, missing the feel of them.
“I’ll get Luke and Kitty to meet me, Evan will be here in a minute” he tapped away on his phone.
“I need to call the preschool”
“Why?”
“To let Miss Cooper know that you’re picking Eli up.”
He handed me the office phone and stood in front of me.
“I’ll help you back onto the couch.”
“No, I want to stay sitting up.” I attempted to smile.
He smiled back, his eyes lighting up. “You’re much stronger than you give yourself credit for sweetheart. You gonna be okay here for a little while?” I nodded at him not being able to form a coherent thought. He’d never know how much those words meant to me.
“Okay, I’ll be back in a while, you need anything then you use the radio.” He picked up two radios and gave one to me.
“Ty?”
“Yeah?” he turned to face me in the doorway.
“Don’t let Eli in the apartment Ty…please,” his eyes flashed. “Take my keys,” I said, even though I had no idea where they were. He gave me a jerky nod and turned out the door.
I listened until the metal door shut then I was all alone.
I stared at the radio and told myself over and over again, that I was safe now. He couldn’t get me here. He couldn’t get into the compound.
But that didn’t stop me from jumping out of my skin when Evan walked in.
*~*~*
Evan had tried to keep me occupied while Ty went to get Eli, he told jokes and spoke about all the software that he’d just installed. It worked for a little bit, but then all I c
ould think about was Eli.
How had he reacted when I wasn’t there to pick him up?
Did Ty make sure Eli hadn’t gone into apartment and stayed with Luke or Kitty?
My mind was on a constant roundabout of what ifs, I hated sitting still and not doing anything. The more time that passed, the worse I felt.
My whole body ached and each time I tried to move it only got worse.
I shifted in the chair and held in a groan, I was trying to concentrate on Evan. It was hard when I could only open one of my eyes.
“Kay?”
My head was spinning, my throat dry and sore. I closed my eye and took a deep breath, in and out, it helped. Until I felt movement by me.
My eye sprung open, my breathing picked up as Evan walked toward me.
“Kay?” he asked again, only this time his hand landed on my shoulder.
I tried my hardest not to flinch at the contact but I couldn’t help it. In the back of my mind I knew that Evan wouldn’t hurt me, but that didn’t stop my body’s reaction I didn’t want to be touched.
I opened my mouth to try and tell him, but nothing would come out.
“You okay?” He didn’t move his hand it felt like I had a ton of bricks weighing down on me.
The edges of my vision darkened, the walls closing in on me. I clutched my hands in my lap, squeezing to try and get the shaking under control.
I could feel myself retreating, to that happy place that I went to so often.
“Evan!” Everything sounded like I was in a tunnel, but that voice called to me in a way that nobody else ever had. My vision started to clear, my breathing becoming a little easier.
“Move your hand,” he growled.
I gasped as the weight of his hand lifted off me my breaths coming fast and hard.
Ty crouched down in front of me cupping the side of my face gently. I stared at his brown eyes as they willed me to come back to him.
“Just breathe, sweetheart.” I took a shaky breath in and blew it out.
“In and out. That’s it.” I could feel people behind him, but I didn’t take my eyes from Ty’s. He grounded me, kept me here in the present instead of me retreating into my memories and getting stuck in my own head.
It was a dangerous place to be, inside my head.
“Eli?” I croaked.
“He’s here sweetheart.” He stood and moved to the side.
Fractured Lies: Book 1 MAC Security Series Page 13