by M. J. Perry
“That bastard will never hurt you again baby. I promise you that.” James brushed his lips over mine sealing his promise with a kiss.
Matt made his way back over to us and James let me down. When I was steady on my feet Matt enveloped me in a big hug.
“Thank you Matt,” I whispered into his neck.
“Anytime Scarlett I told you I’d always be here for you.”
I sniffed trying to hold my tears back. A couple escaped, and I brushed them away with the back of my hand. He kissed my forehead before steering me back to James who pulled me straight back into his arms.
“Thank you,” I whispered to James.
He put his lips to my ear before he whispered back. “You don’t need to thank me, baby.”
“Can we go to Ruby now please?”
“Anything you want. I’d give you the moon if you asked me for it. It wouldn’t be easy but I’d find a way.”
I lifted up on my tip toes and kissed him on the lips my throat felt tight with emotion. “I love you,” I whispered against his lips unable to keep it to myself a minute longer.
James had looked after me; he’d given me comfort when I was in need of it. He’d given me the best sex of my life and he’d saved me when I needed to be saved and not just from Sketch. I’d been on a lonely road and he’d helped me to find a new direction where the ending wasn’t being a bitter cat lady, the ending seemed to be the beginning, the beginning of our life together.
All of that made me a lucky girl, but he was also gorgeous and he made my tummy flutter. No one has ever made me feel like that. How could I not love him? I wasn’t afraid for him to know how I felt anymore and when I spoke the words I felt relief, relief that he knew. I wasn’t afraid of rejection, I’d seen the love in his eyes and even if he’d never spoken the words; his actions showed me all I needed, I just hadn’t been confident enough before to believe in him or in us.
James closed his arms around me so tight I struggled to breathe; I’d done the right thing by opening myself up to him. His lips crashed down on mine roughly in a hard kiss of ownership. A kiss so hot I nearly came on the spot, not the best thing to do when we were surrounded by police.
“It took you long enough.” He spoke the words against my lips and I smiled hugely at him. Trust him to know I loved him before I was willing to admit it. Maybe I did wear my feelings on my face after all.
“I love you too baby.”
“You do?”
“Since the first time I ever saw you I wanted you. When that asshole grabbed you and I helped you off the floor I knew I loved you, your eyes were dazed and you were scared and I promised myself that I’d do all I could to never see that look on your pretty face again.” He paused with a frown. “I didn’t do a very good job of that though did I?”
“It wasn’t your fault James.” I didn’t like the haunted look on his face.
“We’ll be talking about that later. I want to be there when you give your statement.” His face got hard. I wasn’t looking forward to that conversation.
“And you’ll tell me how you figured out where I was?” I asked.
“I’ll tell you everything later when Matt meets us at the hospital.”
“Ok. Let’s go then.”
“Yeah,” James took my hand and this time we made it to the car with no distractions. We watched Matt drive away with Mike in the back seat, the look on Matt’s face said he’d have answers for me later.
My lips still tingled from James’ kiss and I touched my fingers to them. I couldn’t believe he loved me. I wanted to jump up and down screaming. It was too early to let the crazy out yet, though, so I settled for a smile. Happy didn’t seem the right word to describe how I felt at this moment. I felt like my insides were fizzing with bubbles and soon I would explode with happiness. It was an awesome feeling and one I wanted to feel for the rest of my life.
Chapter Seventeen
Scarlett
By the time, we made it to the hospital my happiness was fading and I couldn’t control the shakes taking over my body. Perhaps it was a delayed reaction, or an adrenaline crash or something. All I knew was that I felt shaky and teary too.
James held my hand on the drive and only let go to help me out the car once we’d stopped. He felt my shakes there was no way he couldn’t. He picked me up and held me close to his chest. Resting my ear against him I let the beat of his heart sooth me.
Instead of taking me to Ruby’s room as I expected him to he carried me to the accident and emergency desk.
“James I want to see Ruby, please will you take me to see her?”
“No, babe I want you to get checked out first.”
He was determined, there was no point arguing with him so I settled myself more in his arms. He didn’t try to put me down and he didn’t even seem to notice my weight.
The nurse at reception was checking James out when I looked at her but he didn’t notice and that pleased me. He explained what had happened to me, he didn’t go into great detail, but he told her enough to make her understand he wanted me to see someone. Even he didn’t know the whole story yet. She told us to sit down and that the doctor would come out soon. James carried me over to the nearest chair and sat down with me in his lap. I wriggled and tried to get off so I could sit in my own chair, but his grip tightened and I realised I looked silly.
“James, I can sit in my own chair.”
“I know but you’re not going to. You’re staying right here.” He ordered.
“Ok.” I gave in easily
“Are you sure you’re ok?”
“I’m fine.” When he looked at me I brushed my hand over his cheek. His light stubble tickled my palm.
“Honestly I’m fine. I’m not hurt. Sketch didn’t touch me other than to pull me out of the hospital and then stick a needle in my leg.” Shit I hadn’t meant to blurt it out like that I’d just wanted to reassure him.
“He injected you with something?” He ground out. I studied his face worriedly unsure if I should tell him anymore, his rage had contorted his features for a second and I saw the effort it took to control it.
“Yes, I’m not sure what it was, but it just made me sleep. I didn’t see him again after that and I woke up alone taped to the chair.”
I shivered. It could have been so much different.
James thread our hands together making me wince. He lifted my sleeves and swore. My wrists had deep marks with some blood where the tape had cut me, I didn’t even know I’d hurt myself until then, but the tape must have dug in when I’d tried to get free.
“I want to kill that bastard for hurting you.” He growled.
“It was my own fault. If I hadn’t rocked the chair, the tape wouldn’t have dug in so hard.” I realised instantly it was the wrong thing to say because his body tensed and his jaw clenched so tight it’s a wonder he didn’t break his teeth.
“Nothing is your fault. All this shit that’s happened to you is fucked.”
He touched his forehead to mine. “I’m sorry Scarlett.” He whispered.
“You have nothing to be sorry for James. You saved me and not for the first time either. Do you know how lucky I am to have met you? I love you.” The words were easier to say this time; they just slipped off my tongue.
James kissed me softly. “I’m the lucky one baby believe me. I love you too.”
Pulling away from him I cupped his face in my palms. “No more blame game. It’s happened and now we deal with the aftermath and put it behind us.”
“Ok. I’ll try, but can you forget?”
“I have you to help me.”
“The doctor will see you now. If you would like to follow me, please,” The nurse from the reception desk said before James could say anything else.
We got up to follow her, and I managed to get James to let me walk, but he wasn’t happy about it. He held my hand and kept me close to his side. The nurse walked to an exam room and opened the door for us.
The doctor was in his late fifties
I’d say. His hair more salt than pepper and he had a cheery face. I relaxed a little.
“Well, young lady what have you been up to?” His eyes took in my sore wrists where James had rolled my sleeves up.
“What happened to your wrists?”
“I was taped to a chair, and it dug into my skin.”
I noticed his eyes grow hard, and he turned to face James.
“Did you do this young man?” he asked in a stern voice.
“Of course he didn’t. James would never hurt me” I snapped outraged that he’d even think that. I felt James’s fingers close tighter around my waist and his fingers dug in hard before he relaxed them.
“Ok then, I was just checking. You have no idea of the things I see. Now sit down and I’ll have a look. Are you hurt anywhere else?”
I sat down in the chair he’d pointed at. “Nothing else hurts. I was injected with something to make me sleep. I felt sick and dizzy when I first came around, but now I feel fine.”
The doctor nodded at me. “Once I’ve cleaned your wounds, I’ll take some blood to see if it’s out of your system.”
It was my turn to nod. James put his hand on my thigh while the doctor worked on my wrists and once the doctor was done and the nurse had taken my blood James dragged me out of there pretty fast.
He took my hand, and we set off for Ruby’s room. I needed to pee badly, but there was no way I wanted to use the ones Sketch had taken me from. I tugged James towards the lift and the toilets that were upstairs, he realised where we were going. When I went to do my business, he stood outside the toilets like a guard. A quick look in the mirror while I was washing my hands startled me. My face was red and blotchy and my eyes were red too. I didn’t think I’d cried that much. My hair was no better; if I’d been dragged through a hedge backwards, I wouldn’t have looked as bad as this.
I shook my head and finger brushed my hair then I rubbed a wet paper towel over my face to wipe the tear tracks away. Satisfied that I looked better than I did when I walked in I nodded to myself and went out to James.
“You must really love me to kiss me in that state.” I teased, “I looked rough.”
“Babe, you couldn’t look rough if you tried.”
“Good answer.” I smiled and reached up on my toes so I could kiss him. “Let’s go see Ruby.”
“Once you’ve seen her we need to talk to Matt. You need to give your statement.”
“I know.” I wanted to know what happened to Mike and how he became involved too.
“Once you’re satisfied your sister’s ok I’m going to take you home so you can shower and eat. You’ve been through a lot and I want you to let me take care of you.” He ordered.
“As long as Ruby’s ok I’ll go home with you. I promise.” I didn’t realise he’d been holding his breath until he let out a big one.
“Good, come on then. The sooner we go the sooner you can eat.” He took my hand and in no time at all we were at Ruby’s door.
Ruby was asleep when we entered. Sarah saw us and jumped straight up throwing her arms around me.
“Thank god you’re ok. Matt told me you were, but I needed to see you myself.”
She let me go then gave James a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you.” She whispered to him. James gave her a chin lift and put his arm around my shoulder pulling me close again.
“I want to hear the entire story. All Matt said when he called was that you were unhurt.”
“Sarah,” James said in a soft voice. “Scarlett doesn’t need to tell the same story twice so can you wait until Matt gets here for her statement and she can tell us all.”
He’d asked her nicely to wait, but I knew if she pushed him he wouldn’t be nice the second time. Sarah agreed and sent a smile my way. James led me towards Ruby and pushed me into the chair where Sarah had been sat. He moved behind me and his hands went to my shoulders massaging my tense muscles. It felt so good I could feel my eyes lids drooping.
“I’ll go get some coffee. You look like you could use some.” Sarah said.
“Coffee sounds really good.” I agreed. The caffeine would keep me awake.
Sarah left, closing the door quietly behind her. I leaned back into James and closed my eyes I felt exhausted. Seems being kidnapped and tied to a chair does that to you. James’ scent and the heat of his body was a comfort me and I snuggled deeper into him.
The last thing I remembered was James picking me up and sitting down in my chair with me on his lap, I must have dozed off and it wasn’t until I heard loud, heated whispering that I opened my eyes. The whispering stopped and both Sarah and James looked at me with worry in their eyes. I shifted on James’s lap to look more fully at him.
“What’s up?” I asked. My voice was rough with sleep.
“Matt is on his way to see us. He’s got some things he needs to tell you.”
“Oh ok.” It didn’t explain the looks they were throwing my way or the ones they were giving each other.
Ruby stirred then and sat up quickly when she saw me. She blinked a couple of times before settling her gaze on me.
“You’re back.” She stated.
“I am. How are you feeling?” I reached for her hand.
“I’m feeling better.” She didn’t look at me again. She kept her eyes on the bed and it wasn’t until she squeezed my hand and I looked at her that I could see just how bad she was feeling. The pain she felt showed on her face. She looked like she wanted to say something, but she didn’t get the chance because Matt came stalking through the door with murder in his eyes and those eyes were on Ruby.
“Shit.” I heard James mutter. He moved towards Matt quickly to intercept him before he got to Ruby.
“Matt? What’s wrong?” I asked. He pulled his eyes from Ruby to look at me. His eyes were soft but no less angry.
“Your sister has a lot of explaining to do.” His voice was low, but it vibrated with rage.
I looked to Ruby and her expression scared me; she looked really worried. I squeezed her hand. “What have you done?” I asked.
She didn’t answer me. I looked at Matt.
“Do you want to tell her or shall I?” Matt snapped at Ruby. She still didn’t say a word. The atmosphere in the room was thick with disgust. What the hell could she have done so bad she had Matt looking furious and like his head was going to explode?
“Someone just tell me.” The suspense was not helping.
Matt sighed. “Ruby borrowed money from Sketch. When she couldn’t pay it back, he told her she had to deal weed.”
I inhaled sharply. Ruby was a dealer? Oh gosh.
“She didn’t have a choice, so she agreed to do it.”
Ok so this was bad, but it wasn’t enough to want to murder her for it. Matt met my eyes and saw my confusion.
“There’s more.”
I waited.
“Ruby didn’t sell the weed. She smoked it instead, didn’t you?” Matt pierced Ruby with his stare and she nodded.
“Why did you even borrow money from him? How the hell do you even know people like that?”
I looked down at our joined hands I wanted to give her comfort, but I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep it up. I let her hand go gently and fisted my hands in my lap.
“Scarlett,” Matt called my attention back to him.
“That’s not the worst of it.” I stiffened. “When Ruby was searching your house for things to sell, she was also looking for the deeds to your house.”
I gasped. “Why? Why would you do that?”
Did she hate me that much? I’ve never felt so hurt in my entire life she may as well of stabbed me in the back.
“Ruby offered the house and everything in it to Sketch as payment. When she couldn’t find the paperwork she needed I guess that’s when she rang you to ask you to sell it.”
“Oh.”
I felt numb. She stole my jewellery and trashed my house, that was bad enough, but this? Trying to sell my house from beneath me was insane. Sketch would have be
come the owner and he would have had a key. I would have walked into danger and I wouldn’t have even been able to fight him because he would have been the registered owner if they’d succeeded in changing the names on the deeds.
How could she do this?
I’d lost my house anyway because I couldn’t live there now after being tied up and held captive there. It wasn’t my haven anymore.
“Sketch kidnapped you because he had to. A girl stealing from him is bad enough, but then hiding out for as long as she did made him look weak. He couldn’t have that so that’s where you came in, he took you to make a statement and because he wanted to fuck you. His words not mine. Apparently your sister had told him how attractive you were and because he wouldn’t let her work the debt off on her back, she thought he might let you.”
I choked back a sob. I was wrong, it got much worse. She’d offered me up to Sketch like a sacrifice, just like Mike had tried to get me to do with her. I hadn’t hesitated to say no, but she hadn’t thought twice before she’d said yes.
I wasn’t sure how I should feel. Betrayed, Hurt, Angry, Sad? Yep, I was sure feeling sad. My sister had sold me to the devil or at least tried to. I was just lucky nothing happened to me while he’d had me unconscious and I’m damn sure lucky James and Matt found me before Sketch had come back.
I couldn’t look at her so instead I stood up and pushed my face into James’ chest scrunching my eyes closed.
Sarah had walked in on the last sentence and flew over to Ruby.
“If you weren’t already hurt, I would kick your ass. You’re an absolute bitch, no worse than that you are the devil. Who on earth throws anyone let alone their sister into a situation like this and then tries to serve her up as some kind of prostitute! I cannot believe you did this. Actually scratch that I can. You’ve always been a selfish person, but you’ve gone way overboard now.”
Sarah was still breathing hard and poking her finger in Ruby’s face when I looked up and I should have pulled her away, I should have defended Ruby. Wasn’t that what I always did? I couldn’t do it though, I was too shell shocked. The things she’d done were rolling around my head on repeat and no matter what I did I couldn’t stop thinking about them.