Fractured

by Sydney Landon

  “I…I’m fine, Lucian,” she laughs, but it’s devoid of humor. “How could I not be after that?” she asks, trying to deflect the question.

  “I’m just worried about you. You were so depressed after we came home from the hospital, but the last few days you’ve been almost your usual self again. I don’t want you to feel as if you have to pretend with me. I’m here for you. Anything you need, baby, I’ve got you.”

  She pulls away both physically and emotionally, and I let her. What right do I have to force her to open herself up to me when I haven’t done the same with her? She is almost out of my lap when suddenly she stops. I sit quietly, waiting to see what she’s going to do. I continue to stay quiet when she drops back into my lap. My arms automatically come back around her. “You know when I told you how I hated hearing people at the hospital tell me I was so lucky I survived and wasn’t raped?”

  My gut clenches, but I keep my voice level as I say, “I remember.”

  “The thing is, this last attack was more unexpected and violent, which was harder for me to get over, but…this is my normal, Lucian. It wasn’t the first time he put his hands on me. That he touched me that way. As sick as it is, I’m not as messed-up as I should be because I long ago learned that it was something I had to lock away in order to live my life. If I didn’t, the shame and humiliation would kill me. I’d crawl into myself and never come back out. Therefore, as much as I never wanted to tell you this or admit it to you, I’m okay because I long ago accepted that I had to be. Otherwise, he wins every time, and that is something I cannot live with, even now. I hate him. I fucking hate that he gets to breathe the same air I do. But even though he’s brought me down time and again, he hasn’t kept me down. I’ll never let him have the satisfaction of doing that to me. Maybe that makes me a coward for accepting what I’ve never been able to change, but it’s how I’m still here.”

  “Oh, baby.” I pull her closer, once again feeling awed at her strength and destroyed at what she’s gone through. “Don’t ever think of yourself as a coward. There isn’t a weak bone in your body. You are an amazing woman, and I…”

  “Luc, are you in there?” We both gasp when a voice rings out in the next room. “Max is here to see you. Should I send him in?” Lia squeals in horror, jumping to her feet and grabbing frantically for her clothes.

  I can’t help it; the whole thing is comical to me. Lia is shooting daggers at me as she hops around with one foot in her pants, trying to balance while she finds the other opening. “Lucian! What are you laughing at? For God’s sake, put some clothes on and tell Cindy to wait! She wasn’t at her desk when I came in. Sam brought me up and then left for lunch. He was supposed to pick me up in an hour.”

  I finally pull myself to my feet and stroll naked out of the room and into my office. I’m far from a prude, but the last thing Max probably wants to see today is my cock. I push the button to answer Cindy’s page. “Give me just a minute; I’m…finishing up something here.” I see Lia in the doorway of the workout room with her pants now on. She is attempting to snap her front closure bra and fumbling because of the cast on one hand. My dick is watching her tits bounce in rapt attention.

  She sees my hardening length and holds up a hand as if to ward me off. “No, oh, no! Put that thing away now.” I know it’s evil, but I can’t help but tease her first. I palm my cock, stroking it as I stare at her. Her hands stop as she watches me mesmerized. I walk slowly, continuing my movements until I’m directly in front of her. “I…I…”

  I chuckle as she continues to stammer out words that make no sense. I know with certainty that if I touched her now, she’d let me go balls-deep again without protesting. We are both slaves to our desire for each other. I point to her tits, tossing her earlier words back at her. “Put those away before someone comes in.” I help her with the snap before I move to find my own clothes. Having a little fun at her expense probably wasn’t the best idea. I wince as I stuff my hard cock back into my boxers and then my slacks. I gingerly pull the zipper up and shift my dick to a more comfortable location. After running and having sex, I could desperately use a shower, but there is no time now.

  By the time I finish dressing, Lia is fully clothed and waiting in my office. I put my arm around her, pulling her into me for a brief kiss. I have my hand on the doorknob, turning it to see her out, when she looks back over her shoulder and says, “I love you,” before pulling the door open. I melt inside, now starting to crave those words from her instead of dreading them. I wonder if she has any idea that those same words had been on the tip of my tongue when Cindy interrupted us.

  There is no more time to think as Max walks toward us, looking nervous while Cindy and Sam are smiling as if Christmas has just come early. What in the hell is wrong with everyone today? “I’ll call you later, baby,” I say to Lia as Max walks into my office. “Sam, make sure Lia gets into the apartment before you leave.” As I shut the doors to my office, I see Cindy beaming at Lia. Yeah, she’s the golden child here now, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  I’m in a mellow, relaxed mood after my lunch encounter when I settle behind my desk and wait for Max to begin his rant on Lia’s friend. Maybe she mauled him in his car again. I am in no way expecting the words that finally come from his lips. “Jim Dawson is dead. Carly called me a few hours ago and told me his body had been pulled from the French Broad River last night.”

  “Son of a bitch,” I hiss. That’s the last thing I was expecting to hear. “He drowned?”

  Max shakes his head, looking somber. “No, cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. They estimate he’d been in the water about eight hours before he was caught on a tree branch and someone walking by saw him.” My mind goes to Lee Jacks’ absence, and I can’t help but wonder. The man in me who’s Hell-bent on retribution for Lia wants to fucking shout for joy. Regardless of Lee’s need to make Jim Dawson suffer for his crimes against Lia, we both knew she would never really be free while he was still alive.

  I give my lawyer and friend a blank look, saying, “If you’re looking for some sign that I give a damn the bastard is dead, then you’ll be sorely disappointed. Good fucking riddance to another piece of trash the world doesn’t want nor need.” I think it’s the kindest statement I can make about someone I loathe so much.

  Max exhales and leans back in his chair. “Personally, Luc, I agree with every word you just said. Professionally, I’d advise you to keep those sentiments to yourself. I don’t expect it to be anything other than a formality, but the police want to question both you and Lia.”

  “You’re kidding!” I look at Max incredulously. “Why in the world would we be questioned because that bastard is dead? No one’s heard from him since he attacked Lia.”

  “I know, Luc, but you’re both the most likely people to have had a grudge against him. I can tell you now, though, that the police are just going through the motions with this one. There’s not going to be anyone on the sidelines jumping up and down, demanding justice. It’ll be a quick few questions about your whereabouts and whether you’ve had any contact with him.”

  My anger spikes as I imagine Lia having to go through something else involving her stepfather. She is doing so much better that I hate to bring the memories crashing down on her. “Listen, I’ll talk to them. They can ask me whatever the hell they want, but I don’t want them talking to Lia.”

  Max runs a hand through his hair, looking tired but resigned. “I’m sorry, but neither of you have a choice. Carly will be dropping by your apartment this evening to talk to both of you. You need to go ahead and tell Lia what’s happened so she’ll be prepared. I’ll be there, too, if you need me.”

  “Fuck!” I snarl, slamming my hand on my desk. Even dead, this bastard just won’t go away.

  “Luc, in the scope of things, this is good news for Lia, I would think. She can live her life now without looking over her shoulder and other than being questioned tonight, this ends the police investigation. When her mother turned h
erself in, she confessed and pleaded guilty, so the judge will decide her fate. You just have to get through this and it’s over.”

  “You’re right,” I say, finally relaxing somewhat. This is more closure than Lia could have probably ever hoped for. “Do you think you need to be there tonight when we’re questioned?”

  “No.” He shakes his head. “As I said, Carly pretty much let me know that this is strictly for paperwork. If she thought it necessary, she would have made that clear. Have you…thought anymore about telling Lia about her real father?”

  I know full well what he’s really doing. Both he and I know it’s a little coincidental that Jim Dawson has suddenly turned up dead a short time after Lee Jacks found out he had a daughter. The lawyer in him doesn’t want to ask me such a pointed question. “As soon as she’s fully recovered, I’ll try to find a way to approach it. I believe he’s out of town right now, though.”

  “In Chicago visiting a new company he just acquired,” Max surprises me by volunteering. “I saw it in the business section of the paper yesterday. Pretty high-profile photo-op with the mayor.”

  “Hmmm,” I say in the way of a reply. Maybe Lee Jacks is building an alibi should he ever need one. He would have to realize that when his connection to Lia becomes known, he might be a suspect in her stepfather’s death, especially with his sketchy background. I’d find it hard to believe the police would be interested in going after someone of Lee’s influence, though. I imagine he’s banking on that fact but is laying a safety net just in case.

  “Listen, I also checked into that other matter which recently reawakened, so to speak.”

  My thoughts are immediately pulled from Lee and focused back on Max. “What matter would that be?” I say, curious. The last thing I need right now is another fucking problem on my plate.

  “So, you didn’t officially tell me to check into it, but I spoke with Cassie’s care coordinator to get an update as to what’s happening with her…”

  “I believe I told you not to do anything right now.” It’s not that I’m pissed that he ignored what I said; hell, I pay him a small fortune to overthink things for me. I just don’t want to be forced to think of Cassie today…or any other day, for that matter. Maybe I’m a heartless bastard, but how much can I be expected to forgive? She already owns my dreams; do I have to give her my waking hours, as well? Even after what he witnessed eight years ago, I know Aidan still wants me to forgive her, if for nothing else than old times’ sake. It’s never gonna fucking happen. As close as we are, there are things he doesn’t know. He wants to blame what she did to me on mental illness. What he doesn’t know is that she was doing her best to end me before she ever took a knife to my throat.

  “It’s my job to keep you advised on any changes with her. That’s why you added me as a guardian along with Aidan. I was curious after our last conversation and felt I needed to know what was going on…for your sake.”

  “And?” I ask, not wanting to hear him confirm Aidan’s assessment that Cassie is getting better.

  “Her coordinator believes she is showing marked improvement for the first time.” My stomach rolls and see by the look in his eyes that he understands the effect his words are having on me.

  “Just how much improvement are we talking here?”

  “It’s hard to say without seeing her in person, but they seem quite surprised by her rapid turnaround. I believe they called it, ‘communicating effectively,’ whatever the hell that means.” Looking as grave as I feel, he says, “Maybe you should visit her and see for yourself.”

  “That’s never going to happen,” I reply, leaving no room for argument in my voice. I don’t want to see her again…ever.

  “I understand,” he answers, and I know he does. “I instructed her coordinator to send me weekly progress reports for now. It may not turn out to be anything, but I believe we should closely monitor the situation until we know more.” If it were anyone but Cassie, it might almost seem sad to hear someone reduced to being called a ‘situation.’ In her case, however, it’s a kindness compared to the alternatives. “One thing, though, surprised me from her report this month. I had them email it to me following our conversation.” I wave my hand impatiently, wanting to be finished with this. “There has been one other visitor twice this month, besides Aidan.”

  He has my full attention now as I look at him in shock. I never had restrictions placed on her visitors because there was no need. To my knowledge, she had no one in her life other than her father, Aidan, and myself. “What? Who?”

  When he says the name, I can only gape at him. “Why in the hell would Monique Chandler be visiting Cassie?” I know Aidan has been casually dating…fucking her, but I can’t believe he would have her accompany him on his visit to the woman he’s in love with. “Aidan has lost his mind.” Actually, that much was apparent when he continued to see the bitch after their initial date. Once had been more than enough for me. Monique was the kind of woman who made a man want to put a hand over his cock and run in the other direction.

  “That’s just it.” Max shakes his head in apparent confusion. “She wasn’t there on the same day either time that Aidan was. She appears to have visited her on her own.”

  “That makes no sense whatsoever.” I’m truly puzzled by this information and more than a little troubled. If Aidan has gone as far as to tell Monique about Cassie, I wouldn’t be surprised that she would try to check her competition out. She’s a nosy bitch, and it’s something I wouldn’t put past her. Maybe she was double-checking Aidan’s story if he gave her one. But why the second visit?

  “I can have them block her from seeing Cassie again if you would like. I have no idea what’s going on, but I don’t like it.”

  I thumb my hand on the desk for a moment before saying, “no, let’s not take that step yet. I want to know if she continues to go. If the first time was out of sheer nosiness and she didn’t manage to satisfy her curiosity for some reason, she might have gone back. If it happens again, then something’s going on. Don’t mention it to Aidan yet. I don’t want him putting a stop to it or tipping Monique off that we know. Tell them that you want to be notified immediately if and when she visits again.”

  “Consider it done,” he replies as he rises from his chair. “Lia looks good.” He gives a genuine smile for the first time since entering my office.

  “She is amazing.” I decide not to tell him about the pregnancy scare until when and if it becomes an actual reality. Right now, it’s just a lot of speculation of what could happen. We are still weeks away from knowing whether our rounds of unprotected sex have consequences. He is almost at the door when I ask, “By the way, how did things work out with Rose this morning?” If not for watching him closely, I would have missed the tightening of his shoulders and the stiffening of his spine. It appears I’ve hit on a sore subject.

  He spins back around, looking flushed. I study him in amazement. My normally cool chief counsel only seems to lose it when Rose is involved. Interesting. We all have an Achilles’ heel, and it would appear that she is his. “That woman is fucking insane! If not for Lia, I would have instructed the police to leave her there. I swear, she was completely unconcerned with her arrest. When I got there, she had two female deputies taking notes on how to make their own scented candles with common household items. I mean, in the last few weeks alone, she has taken a shovel to her ex-boyfriend’s car and then done a whole laundry list of evil shit to his apartment.”

  I burst out laughing, unable to stop myself. The look of sheer incredulity on his face is priceless. “I believe she answers to Martha Harry,” I say, remembering her and Lia laughing over it on her recent visit to the apartment. It sounds accurate. I go on to explain the reasoning behind the name to Max who nods in complete agreement.

  “That sounds about right. I’m telling you, Luc, she scares the ever-living hell out of me. The shit she does, and then afterwards, instead of regretting her actions, she’s on some kind of a high…a humping-my-leg one.
”

  By the look on his face, I don’t think he meant to verbalize that last part of his statement. He is shifting around uncomfortably now, looking like he’s ready to bolt. No doubt, Lia will have the full story soon. I’m not sure I even want to know. I decide to take pity on him and not question him about the humping part. “Er…so, I take it you got her off?” Oh, fucking hell, I inwardly groan at my poor choice of words. Max turns his face into the door and collapses against it. “I meant the charges, dammit!” I say laughingly. “I don’t want to know what you two did afterwards. I mean, crime doesn’t pay, right?” It’s evil, but I can’t resist adding, “But it sure as hell makes you horny.”

  He wrenches the door open, not bothering to look back. “Fuck you, Quinn,” he throws over his shoulder. I lose it again when I hear Cindy scolding him for his language from the reception area. “Sorry, Cindy,” he grovels as he slinks off. God, that woman is amazing. She doesn’t take any shit off any of us, especially if it’s directed at me. I work hard to stay on her good side. I make a mental note to give her another pay raise; she deserves it for adding insult to Max’s injury.

  Glancing at my watch, I see I have about fifteen minutes before my next meeting. Just enough time to finish some emails so I can head home immediately after the meeting. I need to talk to Lia before she hears about Jim Dawson from someone else. If not for Lee Jacks lurking on the horizon, I would believe that this is the final key to setting her free from her past.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Lia

  “Honey, I’m telling you I had two orgasms before that fella finished patting me down. If I had known you had all of that going on here, I would have been visiting daily.”