Breaking Everly

by Jessop, K. L

  “I’m not your brother. I never was. You make me fucking sick.”

  “I’m sure you loved me once.”

  “And I’ve loathed myself ever since,” Adam growls. “I mean look at you, Jamie. What do you have other than a criminal record?”

  All I can do is sit and wait, praying for someone to find us as I try to control my breathing as the harsh pain in my body rips me in two.

  “You’ve no home. No family.”

  Stop provoking him, Adam.

  “No life.”

  “Adam, don’t.”

  “And I blame you. You’re the reason I have no life. It’s because of you I was sent down!”

  Adam shakes his head in disbelief. It’s always been everyone else’s fault but Jamie’s. It’s like he can see no wrong in his actions. “Yeah, because let’s not forget, it was all about me wasn’t it?”

  “It wasn’t until she came along. It was us! Then she turned you into a pussy!”

  “Well, I’d rather be a pussy and have respect than be a poor, vile excuse of a man that thrives on hurting others.” Adam steps towards him, seething the words out. “You have nothing left. You. Are. Nothing!”

  Jamie throws his head back, laughing, like he’s already achieved everything he came here for before the battle had even started. “Well, that’s where you’re wrong, Adam. I have control. It’s the only thing a man like me needs. And the best form of control I had is when your baby girl cried, begging me to stop.”

  “You sick fucker.” Adam lunges towards him, hitting him with another blow, but before he can make contact again, Jamie’s body spins and his leg flies out in a ruthless kick, hitting Adam in the stomach and sending him flying. The sound of the thud along with a deathly crack when he hits the ground causes the air to depart my lungs and my cry weeps out as my love lays lifeless on the ground.

  “No!”

  The fear of losing Adam is swiftly shut down when Jamie turns his head towards me.

  I scramble desperately away from the man I love but only because the one I despise is looking at me with cold, dead eyes, as if he knows he’s about to claim his next victory.

  Dirt pushes up into my nails with each pull of my body as he grins, watching me trying to escape. I don’t feel like I’m gaining any distance because for every second I force myself to move, the pain in my body is lethal. Terror channels my insides when he heads towards me, and when he stamps on my broken leg, I scream, trying to catch my breath, the sharp, agonising pain that radiates within me blinding.

  “Now it’s just me and my little bitch.”

  “No. No!”

  I fight hard under him when his weight covers mine, pushing and scratching, but nothing—it’s pointless.

  I never won the battles that I fought with him.

  His mouth presses against my neck, his teeth scraping my skin and his hands viciously grabbing my breast. I’m in two battles: the need to escape and the need to make him stop. In my bid to fight back, I look around, trying to find something to help me when I see a rock.

  I reach out, but I’m failing fast because of his strength and my weakness.

  “All mine again. I’ve thought of this moment for years.”

  The air is ripped from my lungs once again when his fist makes contact with my stomach. I’m winded, coughing to catch a breath.

  Come on, Everly.

  The heavy rain blurs my vision as I stretch, thrash and push my body whilst under him, trying to reach the rock that’s overhead. It’s at the tip of my fingers, tormenting me. The pain in my lungs is excruciating, my leg now numb from the pressure of him, and all the while I’m losing time because his hands are now ripping my clothes. But I force myself through the agony to reach the rock.

  Come on.

  “Come on!” I roar out loud in desperation, scraping the edge of it.

  And then, like my prayers are answered, from nowhere the eyes of a brave Bailey glisten when he nudges the rock towards me.

  Grabbing hard with both hands, I waste no time in swinging it over my head with all the strength I can muster.

  He won’t have me again. I will not allow him to take me again.

  The crack shatters through the air, and his deadweight instantly drops on me. He may have control, but today I won the war.

  My body burns, tears fall hard, and my breathing is erratic.

  I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe.

  Bailey’s whine suddenly drives through my pain, and I see him trying to arouse Adam. My stomach drops. Pushing Jamie’s heavyweight off me, I shout out as I twist myself onto my stomach and slide myself towards Adam through the sodden woodland. Each time I pull myself forwards, my vision clouds with the pain that is slowly weakening every ounce of me. Bailey is licking and nudging Adam but it’s adult help that we need.

  Sirens are now blaring but they will never find us down here.

  “Bailey,” I groan, hoping that the intelligence in him will know what I mean. “Go. Find help.”

  He limps off, but if anything, it doesn’t make me feel any better because now we have no one.

  “Adam!” I cry, slowly losing the strength to reaching him. He doesn’t move when I call. He’s not moving at all. “Adam!”

  The closer I get, the more my vision is closing up. I need to keep moving.

  Two more pulls along the ground and I’m with him. I can’t tell if he’s breathing. Blood trickles over his face, and now I’m not sure where it’s coming from. I kiss his lips, my body shaking hard as it starts to give up on me. I’m so cold.

  “Baby, wake up,” I whisper as heavy tears fall. “You need to wake up. You’re my forever, remember? Please wake up. I need you.”

  I need him to move. I can’t lose him. I just can’t.

  Resting my body against his, I whisper that I love him, right before everything goes black.

  31

  Adam

  The pounding in my head is excruciating and my vision is not how it should be, but I can’t stay in this bed any longer. I may have been told that Everly is safe, but I need to see it for myself because I know she won’t be feeling it.

  I need to see her.

  Apparently, I tried to leave as soon as I came around, but I only ended up knocking myself out when I got up too quickly and passed out, resulting in me having to wear this goddamn neck brace as I’ve weakened my neck with yet another fall.

  Struggling to steady myself once up, I take a deep breath, holding onto the bed as every muscle in my body aches and throbs. I’m about to take my first step when my mother's voice interrupts me.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Rushing over to me, along with a nurse, she helps me gain control, but there’s no way in hell I’m staying in here any longer.

  “I need to see her.”

  “Adam, you’re recovering from a nasty head injury,” the nurse says. “You need to rest.”

  “No, what I need is to see Everly.”

  “I don’t think you realise the extent of your injury.”

  “I don’t think you realise the extent of my love for the woman across the hall,” I throw back at her.

  She glares at me, waiting for me to back down, but there’s no way in hell I’m going to. “Adam, I understand you want to see Everly, but right now you need to look after yourself. You’ve had serious head trauma.”

  “Adam, son, listen to her, please.”

  Not a chance.

  “Your mum is right you—"

  I force out my words. “I’m a wildlife photographer. I’ve fallen into ice-cold lakes, fallen from trees and been kicked by a number of wild animals, after all of which, I probably should have taken doctor advice and rested but I didn’t. I’m not a man to sit around. Now me and my girl have had ten years apart, and I’m not prepared to sit in this place any longer knowing she’s down there fucking terrified. So, you can either help me down there or I’ll go without you.” I growl a little too harshly. I wince, bringing my hand up to my head for support as it’s like so
meone has hit me with a sledgehammer. “I need to see her.”

  She looks at me stunned until I soften my stare and plead.

  “Please.”

  “Fine. I’ll go get you a wheelchair.” She’s out of the door in seconds, and the next thing I see is my mum's stern look when I start walking towards the door.

  “Adam. Wait.”

  “I can’t wait. So, either help me or stay here.”

  I can’t help but grin when I hear her huff. “You always were determined. And since when did you fall into an ice-cold lake?”

  “Since about thirty seconds ago, but she doesn’t need to know that.”

  Her lip tugs at the corner before her voice becomes serious. “I’m not happy about this, Adam. The doctor said you need to rest.”

  “I’ll rest when I’m dead.”

  “That is not funny!” she states in horror. “I thought I’d lost you both tonight.”

  And I thought I lost her.

  The feeling I’d had when Sam and Mum told me the Jamie was back in Keswick was something I can’t even begin to rationalise. I just knew I had to leave before they finished telling me everything and I’d run like her life depended on it to get to her.

  When I reach her hospital room, a flashback of the night blurs my eyes and a river of fire trails down my spine. I can’t remember everything, but all I see is her on the ground in pain and Jamie coming at me. Even then, when she’d needed me most, I hadn’t been able to help her.

  I’m just grateful that I have a very loyal dog that came back.

  “Mum?” I rest my head on the door, squeezing my eyes shut as bile builds my throat at what I’m about to ask. I know the outcome. I know that Everly hit him and he was out cold just as much as I was, waiting to be put in handcuffs, but what I don’t know and have been almost too afraid to ask is, what he actually did to her. “Did he… to Everly. Did he…”

  “No.” She places her hand on my shoulder, her voice soft. “He hurt her, yes, but he didn’t hurt her in the way you are thinking. She stopped him.”

  Relief rushes through me and I have to swallow down the emotion that is burning the back of my throat. I don’t know what I would have done if I’d found out that he had done that to her again. It would have finished me. “She is going to be ok?”

  “Yes, son. She has a broken leg and a few broken ribs. Once they calmed her down and made her comfortable, they took her down to x-ray her leg and a cast was put on. All of which you’ve slept right through while they monitored your concussion.”

  “So, she’s not seen me?”

  “She wasn’t allowed to. The police wanted to interview you both first. Now I know you told them of what Jamie did, but they needed to hear her side.”

  I look at her.

  “She’s told them everything, Adam. They know everything.”

  Thank God.

  I know too much time has passed and any evidence of back then is long gone, but at least she has spoken out. That’s all that matters. When I spoke to the police, it was clear that Jamie was known to them as being violent. They said what happened earlier tonight was a case of self-defence but in order to warrant that, they needed Everly’s version of the story. But even though I know everything is now going to be okay, I can’t help but wonder how her mental state is going to be affected.

  When I push open the door a fraction and I see her sitting on the edge of the bed, my heart swells. Her back is to me, but I can see her leg is in a thick white plaster cast, her arm is holding her waist as if she needs it to stop the pain. Mrs B smiles at me softly before whispering something to Everly and comes out to where I’m standing. The only response I get from her is the warmth of her hand on my cheek as she looks at me. A silent thank you is passed from her before I hug her tight.

  As I take a step inside, Everly looks up, and when her eyes meet mine, silent tears erupt from her body. Cuts and bruises colour her skin, her hair is in tangles. Not waiting a second longer, I go to her, gently wrapping my arms around her and trying not to hurt her. Holding her against me, I close my eyes and thank God or whoever it is that us up there that my girl is safe and back with me.

  “I’ve got you, baby.”

  “I thought I’d lost you,” she weeps, clinging onto me with as much strength as her wounded frame can muster.

  “Ssh, it’s ok. Everything is going to be okay.”

  “I hit him, Adam. I hit him hard.”

  “Everly, everything is going to be alright.”

  “How is it?”

  My brows draw together. I pull back, unsure about whether or not she knows the result of what happened, hating the trepidation that is in her eyes. “Baby, you do know you’re not in trouble?”

  “I hurt him, Adam. He always wins remember. What if they take me away from you? What if he twists things?”

  “Listen to me,” I cup her cheeks, trying not to hurt her face with the bruising that now darkens her skin. “Everly, he attacked you; he attacked us both. It was self-defence. You have nothing to worry about. He can’t hurt you anymore, okay?”

  “You promise?”

  “Yes.” I kiss her forehead and hold her once more. Reassuring her she is safe.

  “How is Bailey?”

  “He’s got a broken leg too, but Mum says he’s going to be fine. He’s staying at the vet's until we’re ready to collect him.”

  “I guess we can hobble around together.” She smiles flatly.

  “Oh God, that means I’ve got two patients to take care of. Knowing his love for attention, I don’t know who will get more pleasure out of this, him or you.”

  She looks up at me, stroking her finger along the edging of my bandage that’s protecting my head wound. “You’ve not done so bad yourself. Does it hurt?”

  “Like a bitch.”

  “I’ll take care of you now,” she whispers.

  Jamie was released on probation a month ago and it angers me that I was never informed. I was furious that Mum had spoken to Sam about Everly, only now I’m glad she did. Sam quickly realised his son’s twisted obsession with Everly was greater than he knew when he’d quizzed him over his attacks on her, and it soon become clear that Jamie’s plan, once released, had been to find her all along.

  The information Sam gave the police of Jamie’s confession, and the information I gave of Everly’s rape, helped to build the case. Breaking his probation, Jamie was arrested and will later be sent back to prison once he is out of the hospital. But this still unsettles me because anything is possible with that fucker. The growing regret that has been concealed within my chest takes over once again, and I need to speak out or I’ll go crazy. “I’m sorry I left you, Everly. I should have been there.”

  “It’s not your fault. I said I’d be fine on my own. And if you’d been there, nothing would have been any different. He knew what he’d come for, Adam.”

  “The moment I saw Bailey heading towards me, I knew I had to get to you.”

  “He’s a special dog. I cursed him like hell when all he did was bounce around Jamie because he wanted to play. But he saved me, Adam. If he hadn’t had come back…” her voice cracks.

  My eyes close as the way this night could have turned out dawns on me. As dopy as he is at times, I owe that crazy dog so much.

  “Everything will be alright, won’t it? We will be alright?”

  “Everly Rose,” I whisper, wiping her tears away. “From now on, you are safe. No matter where you are or who you are with, I will do everything within my power to protect you, ok?”

  She nods.

  “I’ve never been prouder of you.” I kiss her forehead, hating the fact I can’t manoeuvre myself properly because of my neck brace. “I love you so much.”

  “I love you more,” she whispers, hugging me. All the pain I feel is gone with her body against mine and even though things need to settle, and wounds need to be healed, I know everything is going to be alright.

  Regardless of that, I meant every word I’ve said. I thought I�
�d broken Everly once, and it almost killed me. I will do anything to protect her no matter what it takes, and I will love her unconditionally until the day I die. She has made me the man I am today, she’s the only one that helps me breathe and the only woman for my heart.

  Some people’s paths cross for a reason—our paths never crossed. I believe there was a purpose to finding each other, a sign from the stars above, and just like the very day our souls connected in that classroom and locked tight, our love has proven to everyone around that we were destined to become one from that very moment. Someone out there knew that, and despite all the pain we’ve faced, all the tears we’ve shed and all the years we have been apart, our love was meant to last a life time.

  “I love you forever.”

  Epilogue

  Everly

  Five Years later.

  “6…7… 8… 9… 10! Coming ready or not!”

  I hear Robin squeal as Adam stands behind the tree, hoping to hide away from our daughter but knowing full well he’s failed. All the while, I’m smiling like crazy watching the two of them.

  "Boo! Found you, Daddy."

  "Oh, you are just too good at this game," he beams, picking Robin up and blowing a raspberry on her exposed tummy. Her giggled scream hits the air and my own laughter follows at how cute she is. Adam puts her down and the pair head back towards me and Bailey, who is chewing on his toy beside me while I rest under the warmth of the spring sun.

  “Hide again, Daddy!”

  “Really? But there’s nowhere else to hide.”

  “There are lots of places.” Robin looks up at her father, hanging off his legs, her big brown eyes and blond ringlets making her look adorable. Flashing her lashes at Adam, I see him cave, a little smile tugging his lips.

  “Ok, fine. One more go. This time, I’ll count, and you hide. But not near the lake.”

  “Ok, Daddy!”

  As Robin heads off to hide in the same spot she’s been hiding in all morning, my ridiculously gorgeous husband comes over to me. I’m laid outside the cabin on the sunbed, trying to relax as best I can when I have a belly full of baby and a foot sticking under my ribs. Our son is due in two months, and this pregnancy has not been a breeze like it was when I was pregnant with Robin. I’ve had morning sickness that has often put me to bed, and if it had have been the other way around and this little dude had been our first, I would have put my foot down when Adam asked to have another.