Minutes turn into hours, hours into days, and days into weeks. Slowly, we see the healing process. When Kerrigan finally sees herself for the first time, she asks me to leave. I refuse, but Lani and Ari ask me to give her this because she's embarrassed. Kerrigan has nothing to be embarrassed about. I relent and leave because I don’t want to cause her any stress. I hate not being there for her. I want her to know I’m here and that I’ll always be here. I know it’ll take some time for her to come to terms with what happened, but when she does, I hope she’ll allow me back in.
Chapter 6
Kerrigan
It’s been eight weeks since the beating and I was released from the hospital a month ago. I didn’t have anywhere to go, so I’ve been staying with Lani and Ari. I couldn't face leaving the apartment because Aaron is out on bail pending a trial.
Besides my sister and Lani, I’ve cut everyone else off, including Maddox. Seeing him right now isn’t what I want or need. I can only imagine what he thinks of me. I know he has to wonder why I stayed in such a bad situation. I did tell him that Aaron told me he would kill him. Of course Maddox got pissed. I had to tell him, though. He needs to know he's in danger.
Maddox said all the right things at the hospital, but that’s what people do when something like this happens. Maddox is a great guy from a great family. The last thing he needs is to be associated with someone like me.
I know I'm putting myself down, but I can’t help it. I guess, in a way, some good came out of the Aaron situation. I realized that Aaron had me brainwashed. I know the things he'd said aren’t or weren’t true. Yet, I couldn’t help but hear those awful things repeatedly in my mind. No one will want me. No one will love me. I’m worthless. My own father didn’t love me enough. The one person I swore I would never be like, is exactly who I became. My mother.
Neither my mother nor my father have reached out to me. In a way, I’m grateful, but it hurts to know that even in this horrible situation, they can’t even call their daughter to check on her. I need to find a way to walk away from that pain as well. Nothing I say or do will make them love me.
I start therapy sessions tomorrow morning, and I want to start living again. I don’t want Aaron to think he got the best of me. Right now, he's in my every waking thought. Heck, he’s even there in my dreams. I can’t wait until the time when Aaron doesn’t consume my every thought. The phone starts ringing; as usual, I ignore it. It’s probably Maddox or Molly. They call several times a day. I appreciate that they want to help, but right now, I’m not ready. I don’t know when I will be.
“Kerrigan, it’s Molly,” Ari says with her hand over the phone.
“Not yet, Ari.”
The only thing good that came out of this whole nightmare is my relationship with my sister. Ari is five years younger than me. Growing up, I tried having a relationship with her, but it was strained due to our parents’ relationship. I understand now that it wasn’t her fault. Her mom calls all the time telling her to come home or they'll cut her off financially. She hasn’t returned home and recently got a job at Hansons. She's grown up so much in just a short amount of time. I’m so proud of her.
“Kerrigan.”
“What, Ari?”
“You look good today. The bruises are gone. I was wondering if maybe you’d like to go to lunch?”
“Ari, I’m not ready. Maybe after I’m in therapy for a while. Right now, I can’t do it.”
“I’m not trying to push you. I just worry about you because you’ve stopped living. You’ve shut everyone out. You haven’t left this apartment in weeks and all you do is think about Aaron. How about we go to Hansons? That’s a safe place. You have to start facing people. You have to start letting your friends back into your life. Everyone misses you, Kerrigan. Please. I want to know the sister I wanted all those years ago. I miss you and I’m in the same room with you.”
I start to tear up because it feels like the roles are reversed. She's the big protective sister. I don’t want her to feel like she has to babysit me or that she can’t have a life because of me. That’s exactly what's happened. Ari has also stopped living. Even Lani rarely leaves the apartment. Every day, she goes to work, picks up take-out, and comes home. Then, we all sit in silence and have dinner. The days have been on repeat for a while now. I don’t think Hansons is the right place for me right now, but I do agree. I need to start living, or at least fake it, for now. Not only for my sake, but for Ari’s and Lani’s as well.
I look up at Ari and say, “Will you call Molly and Lani and ask them to meet us at Gigi’s Pizza?” That place is quiet. No one is ever there. Ari can barely contain her excitement and it’s infectious. For the first time in probably a year, I smile.
Maddox
Kerrigan had stopped speaking to me and refused to see me about a month ago. She said she needed to get better on her own. I’ve been checking in with Lani and Ari, who say she's healing, but not getting better.
Kerrigan said she was afraid for my safety. That Aaron told her he would kill me if she left. She fucking stayed with that motherfucker to keep me safe. When she told me what he'd said, I was pissed. I wanted to yell at her for trying to protect me. Aaron is a big guy, but he's also slow and a pussy. He only uses his strength on women and anyone he perceives to be weaker. Like Brayden, for instance, that day at the bar with Molly. I’m sure Aaron mouthed off to Brayden because he viewed Brayden as weak. I’m so glad Brayden beat the shit out of him. I wish I'd been the one to do it.
Aaron is out on bail. Even though I can’t see or talk to Kerrigan, I can still protect her. From what I can tell, he’s been laying low and staying out of trouble. I know exactly what he's doing. He might be able to fool everyone else, but men like Aaron don’t get better. They escalate. My guess is, he’s waiting, being a model citizen in the process. He'll strike when everyone’s defenses have dropped. I’ve requested the next couple of weeks off. I’ve never called in sick and have rarely taken a vacation, so I have a lot of time built up. I need to keep watch. Pulling me out of my thoughts, I hear my phone ringing. It’s Molly.
“Hey, my nephew baby momma,” I smile. Molly is the greatest.
“I guess now you should say nephews.”
“What? Another boy?”
“Lord help me. Yes.”
This is great. Landon is awesome. And not one of us would know what to do with a little girl. We are all overbearing in our own ways. If a girl ever comes along, we would go overboard.
“What’s up?”
“You told me to call you if I heard from Kerrigan, so I wanted to let you know that I'm meeting her for lunch.”
“When? Did she call you?”
“No, Ari called me. I guess she talked Kerrigan into getting out of the apartment today.”
I’m happy to know she's taking the first step to healing by getting out of the apartment. That part is great news, but the part that worries me, is Aaron. I know he's waiting to make a move. Aaron isn’t the type of man who gives up. I'm also concerned about how Kerrigan will react to seeing him.
“Where are you all going? Make sure it’s in a public place. I would love to be there.”
“We're going to Gigi’s. But Maddox, you can’t come. I’m sorry. This is her first trip out and we can’t do anything to mess that up. She didn’t mention you; I just wanted to give you an update. And, I need a favor.”
“I only want to keep watch. I swear, I won’t be seen. With Aaron out, I don’t feel comfortable with Kerrigan or you out alone with no protection. A favor? Name it. You know that I would do anything for you. All you have to do is ask.”
“Well, Noah is at work and I was wondering if you could watch Landon. I’d ask Evan, but that’s not going to happen. Last time he watched Landon, I came home and heard him telling Landon his rules for dating women.”
Oh God. I’d hate to hear those rules. I laugh out loud.
“Okay. How about I come pick you and Landon up and drop you off? I’ll take Landon to the park for a whil
e, then we'll come back to get you. That way, I’ll be close enough if you need me, but not right on top of you girls either.”
“Alright, that sounds like a good plan. Pick me up at one.”
“Thank you, Molly. See you in a bit.”
The last time I saw Kerrigan, her eyes were still swollen. The bruises were fading, but still very noticeable. I can’t help but be worried about her, knowing she's going out. As much as I wanted her to start healing emotionally, I was afraid she'd suffer a setback if she were to cross paths with Aaron. Since Evan is representing Kerrigan, I can’t reach out to him for advice on how to help her. It’s been a big strain on our relationship, but I understand he can’t tell me. Honestly, I don’t know how I'd handle knowing everything that bastard had put her through. Evan knows every detail, every fear, and every part of Kerrigan. I want those things, but I want her to give them to me. I know I don’t deserve her trust, but I will bide my time and earn it. I haven't been with anyone in months. I can’t. I don’t want anyone else. I’ve finally come to realize that Kerrigan is the one for me.
Chapter 7
Kerrigan
Sitting at Gigi’s brings back some good memories. This was always a place I went to with friends. I’m glad I came today. I’m nervous as hell, but I know this is the first step I’ve taken that was mine to take. Aaron had no part in this. I vow to myself to take it one step at a time. To do something new every day. Something that I want to do. The doorbell rings, signaling someone has entered Gigi’s. I look up and see Molly. We didn’t know each other very well, but she was there for me. She's still here for me. I stand up and hug her.
“It’s so nice to see you, Kerrigan,” Molly greets me, tearing up.
“You too, girl.” It’s all I can say for now.
“I’ve not been to this dump since you brought me here the last time.” I let out a little laugh. Molly can be all kinds of scared or sad, and yet she is still completely inappropriately funny.
“Hey, I remember you telling me how great the food was.”
“True. Let’s eat. Pregnancy makes me feel starved, even though I just had a bowl of chili. Dammit. Chili and then pizza. Hello, heartburn.”
“Wait. What? You’re pregnant again?”
“Yes. Five months. Another boy.”
“Well, let’s sit down so we can catch up.”
I’m happy for Molly, and I know she didn’t tell me to make me feel bad. I know she told me because she wants me to feel normal, but it makes me sad and jealous. When I started dating Aaron, I held onto the hope that he'd get better and we could start our own family. Now, I know Aaron never really saw who I was. Maybe I'm partly to blame. I've faked fitting in my entire life. In high school, people lined up to be my friend and yet, no one really knew me or knew who I really was. All they saw was a pretty girl. It wasn’t until Lani came along that I knew what friendship actually meant.
Maddox
I didn’t get to see Kerrigan walk in. She must have gotten here before Molly and I. I’m dying to walk inside so I can see for myself that she is safe and well. I can’t though. I promised Molly I wouldn’t and I'm taking Landon to the park. I told Molly I’d give her an hour and then I’d come back. I do love spending time with my nephew.
Before I leave, I check out the surroundings. Everything looks okay. It’s warm for January and that means the streets are crowded once again. I don’t see Aaron, which is a good sign. It’s a good thing for Aaron too because I'd kill him. No, not kill him. Torturing him would be better. I’d start by breaking every knuckle on the hands that hit Kerrigan.
Landon pulls me from my thoughts by tugging on my jeans, ready to explore something else. I don’t see how Noah and Molly keep up with this little dude. I tried putting him in the swing. He enjoyed it for a total of two seconds before he wanted to walk and explore every inch of the park, touching everything that’s dirty. Molly made sure I brought with hand sanitizer with me. Typically me, I’d say let kids get dirty, but I’m pretty sure I just saw Landon lick the slide. We walk around for about forty-five minutes before I pick Landon up to head back to Gigi’s. I'm hoping to get at least a glance of Kerrigan before she leaves. It only takes a few minutes to get back to Gigi’s and park out front. Landon has passed out in his car seat on the ride back.
My phone starts going off. It’s Noah. Probably just checking to see if everything's okay.
“Hello.”
“Where the HELL is my wife?”
“What? She didn’t tell you?”
“She told me she was meeting Kerrigan at Gigi’s. I asked her not to, not unless it was at our home. She never FUCKING listens!”
“I’m here.”
“Yeah, and where's my son?”
“Relax, Noah. He is in the car with me and I’m parked outside.”
“Jesus. Stay put. I’m coming to get Landon. What’s wrong with you two?”
“What’s wrong with you? I will protect them. You know that.”
“Yeah, and if Aaron shows up and you have to leave the car, what are you going to do about Landon then?”
I have to admit, I didn’t think of that. Now, I’m a bit uneasy, but not by much. A simple bullet to Aaron’s brain would do the trick. Shit, I can’t think like that. Especially not with my nephew in the backseat.
“Sorry. I didn’t know she didn’t talk to you about this.”
“Yeah, but you should know better. My reckless wife should know better. Just know that I'm beyond pissed.”
Noah hangs up before I can respond. I hope they’re almost done. The last thing Kerrigan needs is for Noah to make a scene. I know him well enough to know that when he's this mad, no one is talking him down. Molly is the only one who can do that, but since he's pissed at her, this won’t go well. Again, I look around my surroundings and out of the corner of my eye, I see him. My gut instinct takes over. One hand goes to my gun and one to my phone so I can call Molly.
“Hey, we’re about to walk out of the door.” NO.
“Molly, listen to me. Get the girls and go to the bathroom. Aaron is right outside.”
“Oh God, Maddox. Alright.”
Dammit, Noah. Get here fast! I know I should call the chief, but I want to handle this. Just once, I want to handle him. Besides, I can call after I’m done handling Aaron. I call Evan instead. He answers on the first ring.
“Evan, Aaron is outside of Gigi’s where Kerrigan is with Molly.”
“Okay. Arrest him. He's in clear violation of the restraining order.”
“I want to handle this one. Off the books.”
“Maddox, if you handle this off the books, you could end up in jail, which would leave Kerrigan unprotected and she will always live in fear.”
Dammit, he’s right. The need to take care of Aaron on my own is a mistake. It’s putting people in danger. As much as I think jail is an easy punishment, it’s the right punishment. I will worry about retribution if he walks.
“I can’t arrest him at this moment. I have Landon in the backseat. Noah is pissed and is on his way. I had Molly take Kerrigan, Ari and Lani into the bathroom.”
“Lani is there? Great, this just keeps getting better.” While he's saying this, Lani walks out by herself. That tiny girl has a death wish.
“Lani just walked up to Aaron.”
“What?”
“Aaron is cornering her.”
“WHAT is going on?” Evan demands.
“Hey, I have to go. I see Noah.”
“Maddox…” I hang up on him.
I open the door and motion for Noah to come get in the car. I thought Noah was mad when we were on the phone, but he now looks nuclear.
“Noah, please sit in the car with Landon and keep your mouth shut.”
“No. Tell me what’s going on.”
“Later.”
While walking across the street, I call the chief to let him know I'm about to arrest Aaron.
“Aaron Reeves, you’re under arrest for violating a restraining order. Put your ha
nds behind your back.” He cooperates fully and I know he's doing this because he'll claim he didn’t know she was here. Motherfucker. I force him against the wall harder than I need to.
“Lani. Get inside. I will call you when you can come back out.”
“No. I am waiting right here. He will not terrorize Kerrigan.” What is it with women who don’t listen? Jesus.
“Lani, please.”
“No. Now do what you need to do.”
“What are you doing, Aaron?”
“I was walking. Decided to have pizza for lunch. That’s not a crime.”
“Oh? You knew Kerrigan was here. Don’t mess with me.”
“I didn’t know,” the arrogant bastard smirks. I give him a little push into the wall and I hear him grunt.
A few minutes later, the police arrive and take Aaron to the station. After it’s over, I see a very pissed off Noah and a very scared, but beautiful, Kerrigan. I'll deal with Noah later. I rush to Kerrigan’s side.
Kerrigan
I watch Maddox run toward me. I’m relieved that he was here, but also pissed. I don’t want his pity protection. Aaron has no plans to let me go. I decide right now to leave Chicago. It’s not running, I tell myself. It’s being smart.
“Kerrigan, are you alright?”
“No. This will never end. Aaron has me in his sights. I’m as good as dead. No, I'm not alright.”
“I want to help. Tell me what you need, Kerrigan.”
“I can tell you that I don’t need your pity.”
“Pity?” he asks, confused.
“Yes. Your pity. I can take care of myself. Thank you for today, but you can move on now.” I watch as he goes from confused to pissed.
“Move on? Fuck you, Kerrigan. I’m not moving on. I’m right here.”
His language has me backing up. I know in my head Maddox wouldn’t hurt me, but the tone scares me. I didn’t think Aaron would hurt me either. And it’s an obvious lie that I can take care of myself. I’m not the best judge of character. He must notice the fear because he relaxes his shoulders and lets out a deep breath.
Rebuilding Stone (The Stone Brother Series Book 2) Page 5