Becoming Maddie (The Casterhouse series Book 1)

by Hannah Gittins

  “It’s fine.” He muttered back.

  That was the only thing that was said for the rest of the drive. He expertly pulled up into a space outside her building. A space that only ever seemed to be empty when he was parking. Maddie wasn’t sure what to do for the best. Should she get out of the truck herself or wait for him to help her out? Should she thank him for last night in person or just leave him to find the note?

  Aiden seemed to be making no more towards her so she reached for the door handle and opened it. Pushing the door out she started to swivel in the seat but he grabbed her arm at the last minute.

  Looking up at him in surprise Maddie whispered, “Aiden.”

  He watched her mouth form his name and then sighed, never letting go of his gentle hold on her arm.

  “Do you know how hard it was to sleep when I had you in my arms wriggling around last night?” He barked exasperatedly.

  Maddie gasped. His eyes were burning hot and she felt her heart rate pick up. She honestly couldn’t believe he just said that. Why did it make her want to lean closer to him and make him do what he wanted to do to her last night? More to the point she didn’t wriggle!

  “It was like torture.” He said looking away from her and taking a deep breath. “You felt so good, I don’t think I got more than an hours sleep. Then you wake up and the first thing you do is throw a coffee machine purchase in my fucking face.”

  He looked around at her, any desire his eyes might have been holding replaced with anger and annoyance, Maddie gasped again but this time she was thinking about escape routes.

  “Then you look at me like you do now. Like a fucking wounded animal that has just had its whole family killed and knows its next.” He said letting go of her arm and putting them both on the steering wheel. “I don’t know what has happened to you in the past but I know it’s bad.”

  He turned to look at her again. Opening her mouth, Maddie thought that she needed to put an end to this but was cut off before she could say anything

  “I know a man did it.” He whisper his voice no longer holding anger.

  Maddie’s body jerked and she put a hand to her mouth. How did he know? Marvin put his head on her shoulder and sniffed her neck, clearly worried about his mistress’s response.

  “I know because of how you react to me when I get angry.” He said as if he knew her question. “I need you to know that I would never, ever hurt you. EVER.”

  It was nice to have him say it but she somehow already knew that he would never hurt her. Even if she couldn’t always control her reaction to want to run.

  He put a hand against her neck and ran his thumb along her bottom lip.

  “So I held you last night and didn’t do anything else. No matter how much I wanted to.” He said still as softly. “You can build your defences as high as you want I will knock them down and have all of you Maddie.”

  He then leaned forward and gave her a closed mouth kiss that was so sweet it actually made her heart hurt and her eyes burn. It felt so good she wanted it to turn it into a bigger kisses but he pulled away and ran his thumb along her lip again.

  “You on the late shift?” he basically whispered.

  “Yeah.” She whispered back.

  “I will pick you up when you finish.”

  Maddie nodded and didn’t even think about saying no.

  “Get out the truck and go and get ready for work.” He said.

  She nodded and did as he said. She stood on the doorstep of the building and waved him away. Marvin stood next to her, his tail wagging and pleased to be home. She stood watching so long after he had gone that Marvin moved away from her and started sniffing round the steps. Maddie was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t notice that his ears had gone flat against his head and that he was showing his teeth. She just walked up the steps touching her lips and feeling again the kiss that Aiden had given her.

  As she got her keys out of her bag she didn’t think about anything other than what Aiden might have planned for after work. What she didn’t think about was why Marvin was growling at the door.

  Slowly though his warning noises penetrated her mind and she looked down at him and frowned.

  “What’s wrong boy?” She asked, putting her hand on his head. “What are you growling at?”

  As she turned to put the key in the lock the door flew open and she was pulled in by a man who was as thin as a skeleton. Marvin jumped up and bit his arm making him cry out and let go of her straight away. Maddie quickly spun on the spot and tried to get back out the door again. Another hand, a much stronger one, grabbed her ponytail and yanked hard. Maddie bent backwards as her head was pulled further into the room. She flapped her arms around and tried to grab onto something that would help. Gripping the strap on her bag she swung it around to hit her new attacker but it was just grabbed, pulled off her shoulder and thrown across the room. It had been done hard enough to make pain shot up to her shoulder and a moan to escape but not painful enough to stop fighting.

  Back at the door there was a load dog yelp then whimper.

  “Marvin.” She cried out still trying to get free from the beefy man that now had an arm around her chest that crushed Maddie’s back to his large front. “Marvin!”

  There was a loud thud as the husky’s body hit the ground and stayed there unmoving.

  “Take that you viscous little fuck.” The thin man said before kicking the still dog.

  “Stop!” Maddie shouted at him. “Leave him alone!”

  Bending her head she bit the beefy arm as hard as she could and tried not to taste the blood that burst into her mouth. The man holding her was so surprised he let go of her and she fell to her knees. Moving as fast as she could across the floor she tried to make it to her loved companion when she was slapped across the face by a woman. Maddie flew sideways but then adjusted and tried again to go to her dog.

  “For god sake get a control of her.” The kind-of familiar female voice ordered.

  The thin man moved towards her front as the beefy man came up from behind. Trying to dive between the thin man’s legs she threw a hand out trying to touch Marvin. She managed to get the tip of his ear before Maddie was pulled back. Her dog didn’t move.

  “Please.” She cried out.

  Turning to look at the beefy man who was now pulling her to her feet by wrapping his hands round her upper arms, she begged again. “My dog. Please let me help my dog.”

  He was all she had in the world for such a long time. He was just trying to protect her. Nothing could happen to him. He had had such a hard life already and she promised to look after him.

  The beefy man just laughed and squeezed her arms so hard she cried out.

  “You bit me you fucking bitch.” He spat at Maddie covering her face in his spittle and shook her.

  Maddie who was not managing to take any of this in other than her dog was seriously hurt and needed her help. Not knowing what else to do she just tried again to break free of her captor.

  “Marvin!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.

  “Fuck!” the woman said quickly. “Shut her the hell up.”

  The big man moved fast for his size, Maddie thought, as he lifted a meaty, but solid, fist to her face and punched her. Now she had taken many punches to the face before but none of them had quite been this hard. Already she could feel the blackness creeping around the edges. Her legs felt like jelly and the sound of the thin guys laugh seemed far away.

  “Might as well knock her out.” The woman snapped. “It will be easier to tie the bitch up.”

  Just before the next fist came up to hit her and she completely lost her touch on reality, Maddie managed once more to cry out “Marvin.” But still the dog laid next to the door not moving.

  As her head started to go down she felt her arms released and the ground come up to meet her. She never felt the landing though because she was out cold before it happened. The darkness had taken her.

  Chapter 12

  God her head hurt,
her face hurt, her shoulder hurt and she couldn’t move her arms or legs. Maddie guessed her legs were tied together because whatever they had used was cutting into her skin through her clothes and she was starting to loose feeling in her hands and feet. Her arms were tied behind her back as well which was making it really hard to sit against the wall. Her legs were tied at the ankles and stretched out in front of her. She had tape over her mouth that was making it hard to breathe especially when she was panicking, which was constant right now. Her shoulder ached and her face was throbbing. She hadn’t opened her eyes yet but she could feel how swollen it was around them. Tears started to spill down and burn against her swore skin. The beefy man must have cut her, maybe he had been wearing rings.

  Marvin. Her poor husky. He was her best friend and now she was scared to open her eyes in case he was seriously hurt. Not to mention what else she might see if she opened her eyes. What would they do to her if they knew she was awake?

  “Would you stop pissing about Larry and just get the stuff down stairs and into the van.” The female voice snapped.

  Maddie’s still foggy brain started to clear a little bit. The clear space was instantly filled with fear and more fear and more still. It hit her hard. She was in her flat, tied up while it was being robbed. All of her stuff was probably already stacked up in ‘the van’. The tears started falling harder. They had done something to Marvin and they were stealing everything that she had worked so hard for. That meant not just the physical things that they were taking but all the emotional strength that she had used to get to her place right.

  “I am!” Larry snapped back. “There is a lot of shit here. It would go quicker if you actually helped too.”

  None of her stuff was shit!

  “Who is in charge here?” the woman nearly shouted at Larry. “I am. So hurry the fuck up.”

  Maddie knew that voice. She had heard it speak just like that before. The woman had been shouting and just as cheeky then too.

  “Jessica.” Maddie whispered finally opening her swollen eyes, but because of the tape over her mouth it came out as a moan that could have meant anything.

  Many things hit her at once. First she was right about it being Jessica. She was stretched out on Maddie’s sofa with her feet on the coffee table. She looked like she was on something and it was something strong. Her head was lolling to the side but her eyes were sharp on Maddie, having heard her trying to say something.

  ‘Larry’ was stood next to the door with a speaker in his arms. Those speakers were one of the first things Maddie had bought for her flat. She loved curling up on the sofa with music on in the background while she read. He was taking that from her. He just thought he was taking speakers.

  The big beefy guy that had done the damage to her face was walking out of the kitchen with her microwave in his arms. He was taking away hot chocolates in bed when she couldn’t sleep from her. He didn’t think about that. Or he did and he just didn’t care.

  Lastly she couldn’t see Marvin at all. He wasn’t laying by the door anymore so they must have moved him. God she hoped they had been gentle with him but seriously doubted they had.

  “The bitch is awake.” Jessica said struggling to her feet.

  Maddie started trembling. What was she going to do to her? Why had Jessica chosen to steal from her? Please don’t get the beefy man to knock her out again. She already felt groggy and sick, not to mention how much her face hurt. It was hurting to have her eyes open at all. She seemed to be sat up against the wall opposite the door. She could see the whole living room and the front door easily. There was no way she could get out of there even if she wasn’t tied up. They would be on her in a flash.

  “We need to fucking go.” She turned to the men. “Larry get that speaker down to the van.”

  “Stop using his name you idiot!” The beefy man snapped.

  “Shut up Grant.” Jessica snapped back. Then something akin to fear crossed her face. As if she just realised what she said and to who she said it.

  The beefy man walked forward, dropped the microwave on the sofa and carried on up to Jessica getting in her face.

  “Stop using fucking names you stupid cow.” He spat at her.

  Jessica straight away hunched up and moved away from him.

  “Sorry.” She muttered.

  Grant stared at her just to check that she had gotten the message then he walked over to Maddie. She tried to move on her bum or slide along the wall to get away from him. All she ended up doing was sliding down the wall. Her heart was racing and she couldn’t breathe properly past the tape round her mouth. She hurt so much!

  Grant reached down and pulled her up by the rope tying her hands. He stopped her from being able to stand up properly leaving her just hanging painfully from her wrists. Then he ripped the tape off Maddie’s face making her cry out at yet more pain.

  “Please.” She instantly started begging. “Please tell me where my dog is. Take what you want but don’t hurt my dog anymore.”

  “What a crazy bitch.” Larry said to everyone across the room. Then just to Maddie, “Should be worried about yourself not that little shit.”

  “Van.” Grant said pointing at Larry. “Now.”

  Not arguing with the person who was actually in charge Larry opened the door and instantly ran down the stairs. Grant turned to look at Jessica.

  “You know her?” He spat pointing at the floor where Maddie sat freaking out.

  Instantly Jessica started shaking her head and hunching over more. It was like she was actually trying to disappear inside himself or make herself so small he wouldn’t notice her any more. It wasn’t working.

  “No.” She said quickly and urgently. “No…No I don’t.”

  Maddie hung from her arms as he still held her up by her bindings. Her shoulders hurt and the binds were cutting in so bad she could feel warm blood trickling down her arms. What was he going to do to her?

  “You fucking know her!” Grant barked this time and shook Maddie. “You fucking met her.”

  “No.” Jessica stuttered, her eyes flicking around all over the place. Maddie could just see that she was trying to think of something to say. Jessica was obvious terrified of Grant.

  Totally terrified.

  “How do you know her?” Grant asked Maddie lifting her higher so she was nearly on the same level as his face.

  The binds cut in more and Maddie gasped at the increase in pain.

  “Please.” Maddie cried out, tears pouring down her face and her voice breaking.

  Completely ignoring her plea Grant shook her again. This time more rough than before. It was hard enough to make Jessica laugh at the obvious pain Maddie was in and the whimpers she was making.

  “Shut it bitch and get in the van.” Grant said, he had clearly had enough of Jessica.

  Once Jessica had made her way drunkenly out of the flat the giant, Grant once more moved his full attention on to Maddie.

  “How do you know her?” He spat at her. Again his saliva flew all over her face making her blink and adding to the sick feeling she already had. Swallowing repeatedly she looked at anything but his eyes. She didn’t want to connect in any way to the hatred she knew was in them or maybe she didn’t want to see the enjoyment there.

  But could she tell him how she knew Jessica? What would happen to Aiden? Then an image of the man she was thinking of filled her head and she knew that he would be able to handle himself. Or at least Maddie might make it out of this awful situation in an okay state and would be able to warn Aiden. Then he would be able to get the police involved.

  “Aiden.” She croaked out hoping that if she answered his question he too would leave and go to the van.

  “Fuck.” He said dropping her.

  Then before she could do anything to protect herself he kicked her in the ribs. Hard.

  She knew the routine and instantly curled herself into the foetal position

  “You say anything and I will come back and make this a million times worse
for you.” He said grabbing her hair and yanking her head back. “It doesn’t hurt that you are one fine piece of ass. No wonder Aiden’s giving it to you. I like them bloody when I do my bitches. Thinking about what I could do to you is getting me hard. Fuck! I haven’t even touched you yet. ”

  He let go of Maddie’s hair and wrapped his hand round her throat. Bending down to her, Grant whispered in her ear.

  “If I had time I would fuck you so hard you would never forget me.” He told her. “While your wrists were tied I would make you really sorry to be alive.”

  Pushing hard and fast on her throat, he slammed Maddie’s head against the ground. He took his hands away and she took in a few really big breaths trying to get as much air into her body before the next attack. She never thought she would say this but in this moment in time she wanted him back. She knew what his attacks were like and knew how to protect herself. This guy was an unknown to her.

  “You are very fucking lucky that I have run out of time.” He stated.

  Then he was walking out the door and he was gone. Maddie lay on the ground curled up for a long time. First to listen to the van leaving just to make sure they were really gone. Then because she was so scared and so swore that she didn’t think she could move. Her whole body was trembling and her lips were wobbling but she never sobbed. Just silent tears that she couldn’t control.

  After an unknown amount of time she slid gingerly along the floor to the phone that was laying on the ground behind the sofa. Reaching out with her tied hands she picked up the handset and laid it on the ground. Maddie then put her head on top of it. Reaching out again to the base she dialled the number for the directory.

  “Hello how may I help you?” The happy woman on the end of the line asked.

  “Hello.” Maddie said back, her voice sounding a bit steadier. It took a lot of effort to keep it that way. “Could you please connect me to S & B Garage, Casterfield please?”

  “Of course, please hold one moment.” The voice cheerfully replied.