A roar escaped from her dad and Maisie's eyes flew open. She'd never seen him so angry in his life, he was enraged. "I'll kill him for this."
"Mr. Pierce, calm down. I'll have Officer come in and Maisie, if you're up to it, you can give him your report and I'm certain the proper course of action will be taken. In the meantime, physically, you're ready to be discharged. You can stay another night if you need to, but I think that maybe being with family is what's best right now," she suggested.
"She can come home with me," Ridge spoke up. "I have a few cops I know that won't mind some off-duty work and can do some protective work for us."
"Maisie, what do you want to do? It's up to you," her dad told her.
She stared at Ridge for a moment and what she saw in his eyes made up her mind for her. Not that she didn't think her dad would protect her, but she didn't want to put him through the anguish of watching her in pain while she healed from this latest physical assault.
"I'll go with you, Ridge. Thank you," she whispered.
"Okay, that's settled then. I'll get the paperwork ready along with your prescriptions. Maisie, you should heal just fine from this. I'm sorry about your loss, but from my assessments, there's no reason that you can't get pregnant again in the future," Dr. Westbrook reassured her. "I'll have a nurse come in and see you and then you're all set. Take care of yourself, all of you."
Maisie closed her eyes and let her tears fall, grieving for the loss of the child she'd never know.
After leaving the hospital and moving into Ridge's house, Maisie fell into a deep depression. The sense of loss she felt over losing a child, missing her show, her anonymity about what she dealt with on a daily basis with Brant. All of it was a staggering blow that she just couldn't seem to recover from. Allison had been right all along; all she did was cause trouble for everyone around her. She was nothing but a useless pain in the ass, and that's all she'd ever be, no matter how hard she tried to be brave and build a better life for herself. It was too hard. None of her efforts matter and only ended up causing herself and those around her more pain.
Some days she was sad, some days she was irrationally angry at everything. She couldn't find an appetite for any sort of food. She was in a love affair with her depression; she coddled it, held it close like a blanket and refused to let it go. Wallowing was the only way she got through the day. If she even thought about coming up for air, the anxiety would come crashing back down and remind her that any sort of courage wasn't worth it. She wasn't worth it.
Her sister tried several times to draw her out of the house, using every excuse under the sun, but Maisie just couldn't bring herself to accept the invite. Ridge had been amazing and so patient and all that did was make her feel guiltier for being so detached. After giving her statement to the police, they'd gone to her home to arrest Brant, but he was nowhere to be found. A fact that left her relieved and terrified at the same time. No matter what he did to her, she didn't want to see his life ruined. She just wanted him to stop. To get some help and move forward with his own life. Hopefully, wherever he was now, that would happen for him.
It went on this way for a few weeks, hiding from the world in the little room in Ridge's house. Until one afternoon while she was taking a nap, she dreamed of her mother. She looked so beautiful in a flowing white dress, there was not an ounce of pain anywhere in her features, only love flowed out from her, embracing Maisie with its warmth.
Maisie ran forward and flung herself into her arms, burying her face in her neck like she used to do and inhaling her familiar scent. It had been so long since she'd felt such comfort. "I miss you so much, Mom. I wish you were here to tell me what to do," she cried.
Her mom stroked her hair and held her, letting all her tears soak into her chest. "Maisie, look at me, sweetheart. You don't need me to tell you what to do, you already know. You've suffered a terrible loss, and for that I'm so sorry, but you survived. You always survive because you're a fighter. That's who you really are. You don't want to believe it, but each time you picked yourself and carried on, that was your true nature pushing you forward."
"But I'm such a coward. I tattled on Brant instead of just dealing with it myself."
"You have things upside down in your head. You aren't supposed to deal with any of this alone. You have people that love you and want to help you, you just have to fully open up and let them all the way in. You can do this. You can work through the pain and the grief and that light inside you will start to shine again. You just have to trust yourself."
"I'm scared, Mom. I'm so scared."
"I know you are, honey. But you just need to remember, the best things in life wouldn't hold the same meaning if they were easy to achieve. Learn to lean a little on other people; to open up and let them in and I promise you, you won't regret it."
"I love you, Mom."
"I love you too, sweetheart. Kiss your father and your sister for me. And when are you going to make those cookies?" She placed a soft kiss on Maisie's forehead and then turned and started to fade away, but before she was gone, Maisie got a glimpse of something in her arms. A baby. She was cradling a baby.
Maisie jolted awake, tears streaming down her face. The smell of her mother still lingered in the air and she breathed it in, never wanting to forget it. "Thank you, Mom," she whispered to the air.
When Ridge came home from work a few hours later, he was surprised to find Maisie in his kitchen, stirring a pot of something that smelled delicious.
"Hey," he greeted her, approaching with caution. It had been a few weeks since they'd had any physical contact and he didn't want to scare her.
"I thought it was about time I cooked for you," she explained. "I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all, that smells amazing. What is it?" he asked, leaning forward to peer into the big pot.
"Homemade spaghetti sauce. My mom's recipe," she replied and grabbing a wooden spoon, dipped it in the pot and raised it to his mouth for a taste. He opened obediently and moaned.
"Damn. That's better than anything I've ever had, even in a restaurant." She beamed at him, happy that he liked it.
"I'm sorry for how withdrawn I've been lately, I'm ready to get back to my life now," she confessed, hoping she hadn't lost any chance with him. She gazed up at him from under her lashes, anxious to hear his response.
"I'm glad to hear that. Maisie, I see the woman you really are. The person you hide away from the world out of fear and unease." His fierce tone spiked tiny ants of alarm up and down both of her arms.
"I hope I can be the girl you want. I just...this is how my life has always been. Painful and hard. I've never known it to be any different," her eyes locked on his as she pleaded with him to understand. She wanted to be good enough for him, a man like him deserved so much better, but she didn't want to give up her chance to see if they could make things work.
"It can. And it will be. There's a fire in you, a blaze just begging to be stroked and brought to life. Let me bring you to life, Maisie. You just have to trust me." Every piece of her was beautiful to him. Even the broken and damaged pieces. "I know this might sound crazy, but I feel like you were brought into my life for a reason. I'm falling in love with you, Maisie. Hell, I think I've been in love with you since the first time I saw you."
His words had hope blooming in her heart again and she stared up at him. There was no malice in him, only kindness and tenderness, two things she wasn't used to from the man in her life. If he was willing to put himself out there in such a vulnerable way, the least she could do was meet him halfway.
"I feel the same. I've felt a connection with you from that very first day. And...and I love you too, Ridge. I know you might not want to hear that from me, but its true. I do."
He answered her confession by snatching her into his arms and settling his mouth over hers. His words might have been gentle, but his mouth was not as he took immediate possession. Just like that night in the parking lot, he demanded entrance and when she complied, he clai
med every inch of her mouth. He tasted like spice and danger and for once, she wasn't afraid. She gave herself over to the passion and let go of all of her inhibitions. Needing more height, she hopped up and wrapped her legs around his waist, pleased when he grunted his approval. His hands settled on her ass to support her and she felt herself getting wet when he dug his hands into her cheeks deeply.
Her hands moved to the bottom of his t-shirt and in one tug, had it up and over his head. She gasped when she finally got a look at his tattoo. It was a tribal symbol and went all the way down the left side of his chest, disappearing under his belt. He had chiseled abs and a V that made her mouth water. His mouth broke free of hers and settled on her neck, suckling gently. She moaned and threw her head back. Ridge groaned and then started walking at a quick pace towards his bedroom. Once there, he laid her down gently on his bed and kicked off his shoes.
Maisie rose up and reached for his belt, and he drew her nightshirt over her head, sucking in a breath when finding her completely bare underneath. "You're so fucking beautiful," he told her, smiling when she blushed. He lowered his head to her breasts and sucked one rosy nipple into his mouth, tugging and sucking until finally biting gently. She arched her back, desperate to feel more, for him to take more from her.
His hands dove into her hair as he continued his assault on her breasts, moving to the other to give it the same attention. His gaze flicked up to her and seeing her head pulled back by his hands, he about lost control. She was so damn responsive, he needed to taste her.
Kissing down her stomach, he tried his best to be gentle, not wanting to harm her. She wasn't having any of it, though as she squirmed in anticipation of where he was headed. Pausing at her pussy, he inhaled her scent and used one finger to gently spread her lips. She was soaked and that knowledge made him rock hard in his pants. Darting his tongue out, he licked her in one long swipe, and she about came off the bed.
"Yes, oh, God, Ridge, yes," she breathed. Her hands moved to his hair and got lost as he speared his tongue and dove in. He plunged one finger, then two inside and in seconds she was riding his face, chasing her release.
His free hand gripped her hip as he pulled her closer to him, he could feel her building and went deeper, finding and teasing her G-Spot.
"Yesssss!" she cried out as she fell over the edge. A feeling of euphoria settled over her. She'd never had such an intense orgasm before. Desperate for more, she again fumbled with his belt, and when Ridge's rock hard cock sprang free, she practically came again. He was long and thick and she wasn't sure he was going to fit, but damn she couldn't wait to try.
He sensed what she needed, and made his way back up her body. Gazing down at her, he whispered, "I love you." She grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him down to her and when she tasted herself on her tongue, she could no longer hold back. She arched up, ready for him to take her and he didn't disappoint. He was in her in one powerful thrust, filling her to the hilt. There was a mild feeling of pain as she'd never been so full before, but it quickly subsided when he began to move.
He linked their hands together, interlocking their fingers as they moved together as one, her hips rising up to meet his.
"Does that feel good, baby?"
"Oh, God, yes. I'm so close Ridge," she panted. And she was, she'd never had multiple orgasms before, her whole body felt like it was coming apart at the seams. He reached between their bodies and furiously rubbed her clit, racing her closer and closer to the edge.
When her pussy clenched around him, that was all it took and they both exploded together, crying out each other's names. Ridge collapsed on top her and she'd never felt so protected and safe as she did in that moment. He rolled, and took her with him, cradling her head on his chest. Her eyes got sleepy and when he kissed her forehead she finally knew what it felt like to be cherished.
"I have a surprise for you," Ridge said to Maisie, wiggling his eyebrows. They were lying in bed one morning relaxing after another round of mind-blowing sex. Since the first time he'd taken her, she had started opening up to him more, explaining little bits and pieces of her past and some of what she had endured with Brant. She hadn't told him the full truth yet, she wasn't ready for that, but she would in her own time. He had been nothing but support and knowing he didn't condemn her for anything happened went a long way in helping her heal.
"You do? What is it?" she asked, sitting up straight.
"I'm taking you away for the weekend, just the two of us. There's a little cabin on the lake a couple hours away that my family used to go to. I want to show it to you," he said and Maisie's heart fell harder into his palms.
"That sounds amazing, I'd love to go," she whispered.
"Glad to hear that as I already packed your bags."
"What?! But I'm supposed to go back to work tomorrow."
"Don't worry about it, I already talked to Jerry and cleared all of this. He says to tell you to have fun," he said with a wink.
"Well, you've just got it all figured out, huh. This is kinda exciting," she admitted. "I've never been taken away before."
"Then get that sexy ass of yours moving. We'll leave as soon as you're ready," Ridge told her, chuckling when she scrambled from the bed and headed for the bathroom, calling over her shoulder that she'd be ready in twenty.
Ridge used the time to get changed and make them each a cup of coffee for the road. Checking his email, he was satisfied on the status report his brother sent him and typed out a quick reply just as Maisie came in dressed in shorts and a tank top, carrying her purse.
"I'm ready," she announced, gracing him with a grin. She was so damn pretty, and seeing her happy and sated the last few days had only added to her beauty in his opinion. He counted himself lucky that she'd not only come into his life, but that she'd been strong enough to fight to stay there. Now, he was going to show her how good their life together could be.
They headed out a few minutes later, the truck packed up with one large bag for them both of them and some snacks for the road. The drive passed quickly with Ridge telling stories about how he and Ramsey used to go to the same cabin every summer for a few days. He told her hilarious stories about how Ramsey would try to stink him out in the backseat, and Ridge would retaliate by telling ghost stories, since his brother was a scaredy-cat at heart.
When they finally arrived at the cabin, that was set off Lake Washington, Maisie's mouth dropped in awe. It was absolutely breathtaking. The log cabin was so quaint, lined by trees on both sides and just steps from the lake. She couldn't wait to explore the area and spend the days swimming with Ridge.
She hopped out of the truck and wandered around to the side of the cabin, just taking in the view of the Seattle skyline off the water. The artist in her was jumping for joy, she was going to get some amazing photos from this place. Ridge carried their things inside and she followed him, eager to check out their little hideaway. The cabin was medium-sized with two large bedrooms and a bathroom with built-in plumbing. There was a fireplace in a small living room that had a large window that opened up to a stunning view of the lake.
"Ridge, this place is gorgeous," she said, still in awe.
"So are you," he replied, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. She let her head fall back on his chest and relished in the feeling on contentment that washed over her. She'd never known happiness such as this, it was as if she was seeing the world for the very first time. And she liked it.
The kitchen was fully stocked, a fact that overjoyed Maisie as she couldn't wait to make barbeque for them and roast marshmallows around the campfire. After putting their things away, Ridge suggested a walk in the nearby woods to give Maisie a chance to capture some of the scenery through her lens. She was of course thrilled and hand in hand, they headed out.
The sunlight was beautiful as it shone through the treetops creating a kaleidoscope of color that she couldn't resist snapping every few feet. Ridge acting like a fool, standing on rocks and posing in ridiculous p
ositions while she laughed and snapped his photo. Each laugh, each tender look, each gentle touch was helping to heal her, to show her that it was okay to open up and let him all the way in to her heart.
"I dreamed my mom came to me the other day," she blurted out, catching Ridge off guard who paused in the act of pretending to stick a pine comb up his nose. "She helped me realize that it was okay to try again, to pull myself out of the darkness I was wallowing in and step into the light again."
Ridge was quiet as he studied her, and then took her hand. "I had wondered what caused your sudden change of heart. I'm glad that you told me." She breathed a sigh of relief, at least he didn't think she was crazy for seeing ghosts and listening to them.
They walked down to the water's edge and got so lost in people watching the boats on the water, the nature around them, and just enjoying each other's company that they didn't know it was getting dark until the sun began to set. Maisie shivered as the air turned chilly, and Ridge suggested they go back to the cabin for some dinner. The mention of food had both their stomach's growling, causing Maisie to giggle.
Back at the cabin, she prepared the burgers for Ridge to grill and then got to work tearing up lettuce for a fresh salad. When Ridge took the burgers outside, she stood back and watched him through the window, admiring the view. There was something about a hot man cooking that was so damn sexy. The longer she stared, the more her desire for him grew and she had to physically hold herself back from running outside and launching herself into his arms.
He came inside a few minutes later, the cooked burgers on a stainless steel tray and after she changed into sweats and a hoodie, they decided to eat their dinner outside around the campfire that he'd built. She poured them each a glass of white wine and balancing both their plates, followed him outside.
"My parents died in a car accident when I was twenty-two. I remember being so pissed at them for leaving me. For leaving Ramsey who was only seventeen at the time. I had to take guardianship of him and I've always somewhat resented that as it messed up my goals for myself. But in the end, it didn't ruin my life, it enhanced it, it enhanced my relationship with him and forced me to grow up and be a man, instead of wasting my life away drinking and partying," Ridge confessed.
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