Left (Still Standing, #1)

by Graves, T. R.

  Pam, who glimpses knowingly at me before resting her stare on my arm, nods. She picks up her phone and says, "Joss is here with another one, Chief."

  Joss and I take a seat in the waiting area. I glance down at my watch, making sure I have enough time before my work meeting. It's only eight thirty. My meeting is not until eleven.

  Unfortunately, I have plenty of time.

  A few seconds later, a middle-aged, rotund man comes through the door leading to the back. As soon as he sees Joss, he grins widely and walks over to give her a hug.

  "Joss, it's been a few weeks."

  Joss nods. "Yeah, it has. Thank you for helping me with Ripley. She and the kids have moved in with her parents until she and Tom go to court. It looks like getting arrested and almost losing his job made him realize he needed to leave her alone."

  "I'm glad to hear that, Joss. You know we'll help as much as we can."

  Scanning my person, Pam's same knowing stare crosses the chief's face. Somehow, my cast has become a scarlet letter-like symbol that notifies people that I'm a victim of domestic violence. Self-conscious, I tuck my broken wrist behind my back.

  "Let's go back to my office. Then you can tell me what brings you by today," the chief says, holding the door open for Joss and me.

  After he closes the secure door behind us, he points toward an office at the end of the hall, which I assume we are supposed to go toward. Joss leads and I follow.

  Joss doesn't skip a beat once we're in the office. "Cheif, this is Baylee Messenger. She's been living with Colt Henderson for the last four years. Last week, he left her. He told her he was going to marry another woman. She was devastated but decided to move on. When Colt saw that she wasn't going to waste away pining over him, he decided to beg her for forgiveness and assumed he would be welcomed back with open arms. When she didn't do that, he got pretty angry. On Saturday, he shook her with enough force to give her whiplash. She didn't call the police or do anything. She just left, hoping time was all he needed in order to realize their relationship was really over. Sunday, she went home and found he'd stripped their apartment bare. He left her with nothing more than the clothes on her back."

  I'm staring at Joss with my mouth open. She knows things about what's gone on between Colt and me that I've never shared with her. Obviously, Ryker's filled her in on the most important details. The thing that's even more shocking than the facts she knows is the way the story—my story—plays out when told in the objective and clinical fashion Joss uses to tell it. It feels unreal, like it's happening to someone else, someone I feel sorry for.

  "He tried bargaining with her. Told her that he'd take care of her if she'd be his mistress. When she refused, he vandalized their apartment to the point where she can never return there. Last night, he stalked her and found the hotel she was staying at. I think you can look at her and read her medical reports and see that his violence is getting progressively worse. At a very rapid rate."

  Joss points to my hand and angrily grits her teeth. "She has a broken wrist, perfect handprint bruises on the backs of her arms, and eight stitches from a cut in her head. Baylee is an employee of Ryker's. He and I can't stand by and watch when we know he'll kill her if he gets his hands on her again."

  The chief puts his hands up in surrender. "I got it, Joss. I got it. You want me to help you get the paperwork filled out for the restraining order."

  Joss nods. "That, and I want you to talk to her. Tell her what she needs to know, what she needs to do to protect herself. I've seen too many of these assholes to think he's going to give up and walk away. It's a matter of pride for him now."

  The chief looks over at me. He studies me like I'm the scene of a crime. Finally, he says, "Ms. Messenger, there are a few things I want you to remember. I'm not trying to lecture you, but my information might well save your life one day. First, if the two of you argue and you are by yourself, I want you to appease him as much as you can. Most importantly, you need to stay out of the bathroom and the kitchen. There are too many things that can be used as weapons in those rooms."

  Hm! If he hadn't told me that, I'd have run straight for the bathroom and locked myself in.

  He continues, and I listen intently because he's telling me things I've never been told in all the self-defense classes I attended.

  "Know your exits at work, home, restaurants, or anywhere you go."

  Worried he's going to forget something, he begins ticking the list off using his fingers. By the time he begins using this technique, he's holding up three fingers. "Keep your wallet—filled with cash and credit cards—your keys and your cell phone with you at all times. You have to be prepared to get away, and you may not have time to go back for anything."

  He puts his fourth finger up. "Tell your neighbors to call the police if they ever hear a disturbance coming from your residence and create a code word that will alert friends and family that you're in danger.

  Suddenly mute, he stares at me as if he's waiting for me to come up with a word right then. "There's no time like the present, Ms. Messenger. What will your code word be? Joss needs to know it, and it needs to be something you could say in conversation without it seeming too awkward."

  Blinking back tears, I gulp and to Joss say, "Ariana will be my code word. That was my mother's name. I-I haven't said it since the day she killed herself when I was ten years old. I'll only say her name if I'm in danger."

  I see the moment pity clouds Joss's eyes. I look away. I haven't seen that look in a long time, and I can't take it today.

  "I'll make sure Ryker knows it, too, Baylee."

  I nod and, with as much discretion as possible, wipe the tears from the corners of my eyes. I don't want the fact that I'm crying to be too obvious to anyone.

  How did I get here? How in the hell did I get here?

  "You can't go back to that hotel. Until you find a new place, stay somewhere that's safe and has others around. When you do get a new place, you can't ever let him know your address. That means you're gonna have to keep everything as private and unlisted as possible. Change up all of your routines. That means new bank, new grocery stores, new everything."

  The chief nods toward Joss. "It sounds like your employer already knows about your situation. Someone needs to screen your calls and if you have a receptionist, they'll need to call the police if he shows up."

  With mention of my work, I shut down. The last thing on the planet I want or need is for Falan, Gabe, or Alex to know about this. If they find out, they'll use it to professionally sabotage me.

  The chief has decided he's given me more information than I'm going to be able to retain. He clicks a few buttons on his computer and the humming printer behind him begins spitting out papers.

  "I'm printing out a protective order packet for you. I'd like you to fill it out now so I can make sure the Temporary Ex Parte box gets checked. That will be the notice to the courts that you appear to be in clear and present danger so they'll activate the protective order immediately."

  I glance at my watch again. I still have plenty of time. He hands me a pen. I begin answering the questions and checking the boxes, doing the best I can with my left hand. The further I get into the application, the more nervous I get.

  Colt and Wyatt and Eden... they are going to freak out about this.

  My hands start shaking when it occurs to me the wrath that I'm going to unleash when I file this. Joss sees my anxiety and puts her hand on my shoulder.

  "It's the right thing to do, Baylee. If you won't do it for yourself, do it for the next person he decides to abuse. You won't be the last person," Joss assures me.

  Somehow I doubt he'll ever lay a hand on Eden, and if he does, I'm absolutely sure she won't stand idly by.

  I feel sick to my stomach and wish I'd never eaten breakfast by the time I finish completing and signing the four-page document.

  After the chief notarizes it, he hands me the packet, stares pointedly toward Joss, and says, "You'll need to take her over to the
county clerk's office in League City."

  Damn! That'll mean another stop.

  I stand up and say, "I've got to be to work by eleven, Joss. If we have another stop, we need to get going. Thank you so much, Chief. I've listened to everything you've said. I know I have lots of work to do and lots of arrangements to make." I lift my hand as evidence. "I'm going to do whatever I need to do to prevent this from ever happening to me again."

  The chief stands up and comes from around his desk. "I'm glad to hear it. You'd be amazed how many times women call us after they've been beaten black and blue... only to stand by their abuser's side at court and swear he's an upstanding man, a great father, and a good provider. They swear under oath the entire thing was a misunderstanding that they contributed to." The chief shakes his head in disbelief. "There are times when I just can't believe what I'm seeing."

  Joss and I shake his hand, and again, I thank him for his help one final time.

  "Not a problem, Ms. Messenger. You call us if you need anything."

  "I will."

  A few minutes later, Joss and I are in the car and on our way over to the county clerk's office. Thirty minutes after that, the free application has been filed, and we're on our way to my office.

  When Joss's phone rings, I glance over to the dash and see that it's Ryker. My heart races with just the thought of hearing his voice.

  "Ry, sweetie. How are you today?" Joss asks, and there is no mistaking the love she feels for he son.

  I can't blame her. He's pretty great.

  "Hey, Mom. Did you drive Baylee to work?" Ryker asks, and I can almost feel his concern.

  The call is not for me so I let Joss answer him. "She's in the car with me right now," Joss sings.

  Ryker lets out the deep breath he's been holding.

  "Bay... I've been worried."

  "I didn't mean to make you worry. It appears I fell asleep while I was talking to someone on the phone. The thing's dead until I charge it," I explain.

  "Hm! I guess talking to you last night was worth it," Ryker says in a way that makes me wish our call were private.

  "Yeah, it was," I agree with a grin spreading across my face.

  "We spent the morning filing the application. He'll know soon enough about the emergency restraining order. Are you ready for that? You know James and Eden are going to ask you to convince her to reconsider," Joss says, interrogating her son.

  "Yeah. I'll tell both of them to go f—"

  "I got it. I got it. You don't need to say anymore." Joss interrupts Ryker while rolling her eyes.

  "I'm not kidding. I've been on the phone all morning with law firms who are willing to take on the bulk of the business WCH handles for me now. I'm firing them as soon as I have a new firm lined up. Let's see what that piece of shit Wyatt thinks about that."

  "The sooner you cut your ties with all of 'em, the better off you'll be, Ry. James's used you for years, and that Eden... You know how I feel that her. I've never liked—"

  This time Ryker interrupts her. "I know, Mom. I should have listened to you years ago. None of that matters now, though. I'm finished with all of them."

  "Good," Joss sighs.

  "Bay, how do you feel today?" Ryker asks. The man who was just enraged and yelling instantly turns into the kind soul who's been watching over me every day since Friday.

  "I'm a lot better than I thought I'd be," I admit.

  Joss intervenes. "She's gonna need us to take care of her for a while, but she's a real trooper, Ry. You'd be real proud of how brave she's been today."

  Ryker laughs quietly. "I am proud of you, Bay. I know filing that paperwork was hard on you, but it's the right thing to do."

  "I know," I say.

  "Bay, call me once you have your phone charged. I have one of the law firms on the phone. I need to take this call," Ryker says quickly.

  "I will."

  As soon as the line goes dead, I miss him.

  "Baylee, check to see if my charger is compatible with your phone," Joss says, pulling the charger from her console.

  I could almost kiss her when I see it is. I quickly plug it in and wait for it to charge enough for me to check my messages... and maybe even call Ryker later.

  As soon as it lights up and signals to me it's alive and kicking, I click on the message button. There are dozens. The last one was received just seconds ago and it was from Colt. I don't need to open it to see the short message.

  Colt: What the fuck have you done?

  Oh shit! He knows.

  CHAPTER 21

  PAYING THE PIPER

  Baylee

  "What's wrong, Baylee?" Joss asks, reaching over and putting her hand on top of my shoulder.

  I close my eyes, shake my head, and shrug. "He knows about the restraining order, and he's pissed," I disclose.

  Joss gently squeezes my shoulder. "Baylee, if he's angry, it might not be good for you to go to work. We may need a day to see how he's going to react."

  I sit up straighter. "No. I won't let him control my life. I'm going to work. He's never going to take responsibility for what he's done to me. It's not going to matter how many days pass."

  Joss props her elbow on her window seal and rubs her forehead like she's stressed. "Just don't forget all the things the chief told you today."

  I absentmindedly rub my fingers on the hand with the broken wrist. In a distant kind of way, I notice how swollen they are. Cursing myself for not remembering what I'm supposed to be doing, I rest my cast on the armrest and hold my hand in the air.

  When we arrive at my office, I can tell Joss's motherly instinct has kicked in with a vengeance when she says, "Baylee, why don't I come up with you. I can hang out in Ryker's office. He won't mind."

  "No, Joss. I want you to go home and let me go to work like I have every day for the last year. There are lots of people around. I'm sure Colt will never come to my office and say or do anything that will make Wyatt look bad. He may not care about me or what I think, but he would never do anything that would upset Wyatt. Ryker's a client of his father's firm first and foremost," I say with as much assertiveness as I can muster.

  There's no doubt in my mind that if I can't sell this assumption to Joss, she's coming up, and I can't spend the day doing anything more than chairing the meeting with my client and checking on the status of my projects.

  At that moment, my cell pings, notifying me I have a new message. When I see it's from Colt, I hold the off button down until the phone goes black.

  Joss comes to a stop next to the curb directly in front of Ryker's building. Before I get out, I grab Joss's hand and squeeze it.

  "Don't worry about me today. I'll be fine. As soon as Ryker lands, he and I'll head back to your house. We'll be there before you know it," I say, doing my best to alleviate her apprehension.

  Finally, she gives me one of her signature warm smiles and squeezes my hand back. "You're right, Baylee. I-I just don't trust any man who's weak enough to hit a woman. You go to work, and I'll see you and Ryker tonight."

  I crawl out of Joss's car slowly and head inside the building. Before I make it to the elevator, four people ask me about my arm. I give them a throw-down story about being clumsy and falling over a coffee table. When David, the security guard on duty, cracks a joke about me needing to take it easy on the late night drinks, my face flushes. I realize then that most people will believe I'm a closet alcoholic before they believe Colt Henderson laid a hand on me.

  I decide I need to avoid any more questions. I rush toward the elevator and plan to go hide out in my office until my eleven o'clock client meeting. As soon as I open the door to my office, I find that it's been stripped clean. There's not even a computer. I lean back against the wall and raise my head to the heavens.

  Could just one thing go right today?

  I only have a few minutes before my clients will be here. I need to find my computer, print out the project plan, and make my way to the conference room.

  There's one person w
ho will know where my new office is and—by default—where my computer is located.

  I head straight for Ryker's office. I know he's not there, but I'm pretty sure Susie can help me.

  As soon as I walk into her office, she hops out of her seat and efficiently makes her way over to me. "Baylee, I tried to reach you and let you know your office had changed."

  I nod. "Yes, Susie. I saw that. Can you tell me where my new office is so I can print off a project plan for my eleven o'clock meeting?"

  "Of course, it's right here," Susie says, doing her best Vanna White as she gracefully sweeps her hands toward Alex's old office.

  With as much disbelief as I feel, I blow out and say, "Yeah, right. My office... right next to the COO's? You might want to call Ryker and see if that's where he really wants me."

  Susie isn't used to being questioned. She looks confused. "Mr. Russell told me to move you into the office next to him, to move Alex out to the floor, and to have an office in the middle of the project managers built for Falan."

  "Why wouldn't Falan be in this office with us?" I ask.

  Susie's been prepped. "Mr. Russell wants Falan to make herself available to her team. If she's in the middle of them, they'll be able to get to know her better, and she'll be able to keep a closer eye on the projects."

  I don't have enough time to ask any more questions or second-guess Ryker's decisions. I have a meeting to prepare for.

  "I hope you don't mind, but Mr. Russell told me about your wrist. If you need anything from me today, I'm happy to help."

  I remember Joss's words about accepting people's help. "Susie, if I send you a file, will you print out ten color copies and staple them for me." I hold up my hand. "I'm sure I can do it, but it's going to take me lots more time without my right hand."

  Susie lights up like a tree at Christmas. "Absolutely. Get it over to me, and I'll have the packets ready for you in a jiffy."

  I go into my new office and am stopped cold. The floor-to-ceiling Houston skyline view from this office is nothing less than spectacular.

  Holy hell! This is going to be the view from my office.

  When Susie clears her throat behind me, gently letting me know she's waiting for the file, I rush over to my new gigantic desk and fire up my computer (complete with two new thirty-two-inch screens). As soon as I locate the project file, I email it to Susie and wait for her to get the packet to me.