Fighting Blind

by C. M. Seabrook

  “Since you didn’t go to the hospital, I’m going to have to do my best to close that gash up.”

  “It’s fine.” I reach to touch the wound and he swats my hand away.

  “It’s going to get infected.”

  I hiss in a breath when he presses a disinfectant cloth against my temple.

  “It’ll probably scar,” he says, placing steri-strips across the gash.

  I shrug. It’s close enough to my hairline that I don’t care.

  With a heavy sigh, he applies the last strip, then stands, grumbling under his breath.

  “Go have a shower.” He tosses a XXL t-shirt at me. “Just be careful not to get the wound wet.”

  “What am I doing here?” I stare down at the club shirt, with Theo’s name written in block letters on the back.

  He flops on the bed, fully dressed, and crosses one leg over the other, placing a hand under his head. Flipping on the old box TV, he lowers the volume and scans the channels.

  “I missed the fight,” he grumbles, stopping on TSN.

  I wince, knowing he blames me for it. But I didn’t ask him to come after me.

  “Why didn’t you go to Vegas with him?”

  He gives me a side-glance, then turns back to the TV. “I had a little trouble last time I was there.”

  I don’t bother asking him what kind of trouble. It’s none of my business, just like my secrets are none of his.

  They’re starting to show the highlights of the fights.

  “Do you know how he did?”

  “No.” He turns the volume up.

  Slowly, I move off the bed, then make my way to the bathroom. One glance in the mirror and I pale. My face is worse than I thought. One eye is swollen, the skin surrounding it a mix of dark purple and red. There’s dried blood caked in my hair and around my ear. When I peel my clothes off, I notice other bruises too.

  Clear fingerprints mark my arm.

  I rest my hands on the cold ceramic sink, and a harsh sob rushes past my lips, making my entire body shake. Slipping to the floor, I pull a towel from the rack and wrap it around me.

  “You okay in there?”

  “Ye-yes.” I crawl to the tub and turn the water on.

  I see Moody’s shadow pacing outside the door. Finally, it disappears.

  Sinking into the warm water, I close my eyes and try not to think about what’s going to happen when Theo finds out I ran again. When he finds out I was going to abandon Logan.

  I don’t know how long I stay in there, but it’s long enough for the water to turn cold.

  The TV is off and Moody appears to be sleeping when I come out of the room. I turn the lights off and crawl into the other bed.

  My body melts into the lumpy comforter. It’s not the most comfortable bed, but to my aching body, it’s heaven.

  Shadows play off the wall, and long moments pass before Moody’s deep voice breaks the silence. “Is it drugs?”

  “Yes.” There’s no point lying now.

  He curses under his breath. “How much do you owe?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Care to elaborate?”

  I sigh heavily and stare up at the dark ceiling. I don’t know why, but I feel the need to tell him everything.

  “The guy in the parking lot was my mother’s boyfriend. He used to beat the crap out of my mom, especially if I didn’t do small favors for him.”

  I hear Moody’s tight intake of breath and know what he’s thinking.

  “Not like that. It was mostly carrying. He’d give me a bag and have me deliver it, or go to someone’s house for a pick-up. When I got smart enough to say no, he’d take it out on my mom.”

  “Shit.”

  “I was planning on leaving. Getting my own place. Clair was helping me apply for nursing school. But then…” I squeeze my eyes shut, not wanting to relive the memories. When I continue, my voice is scratchy, full of emotion. “Someone dropped a bag off at my work. Took off before I could say no.”

  I stop. Not willing to share the rest of the night. What happened between Theo and I.

  “And?” He presses.

  “And I lost it.”

  “You lost the bag?” There’s a note of disbelief in his voice.

  “I took a cab home. Left it in the backseat.” I shut my eyes for a brief moment and feel the pounding of my heart in my chest. I hate the fear that rises up in me at the memory.

  “What happened?” Moody asks, his deep voice calm, but probing.

  “Stefano did a number on me when he found out. Threatened to kill me if I didn’t find the bag, or repay him.”

  “So you ran?”

  I nod.

  “Does Theo know?”

  I shake my head, then realize he can’t see me. “No.”

  He shuffles on his bed, the movement making the springs squeak. “Why not tell him?”

  So many reasons I can’t name, but I give the one I know he’ll understand. “Theo was in the cab with me. I don’t know what’s on the police report, but I can’t take the risk of Theo being connected.”

  “That’s what the guy has on you?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Anything else?”

  “It’s enough.”

  Silence. I see Moody’s shadow as he sits on the edge of his bed, his back to me.

  “I won’t tell Theo you tried to run.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you’re not going to do it again. You’re going to stay and figure this out.”

  “I can’t. You don’t understand what this guy’s capable of. I can’t risk Theo and Logan’s life.”

  “As noble as that sounds, it’s the fucking cowards approach. And from what I know about you Mackenzie, you’re no coward.” He stands, rummaging through his bag, then the white light of his cell illuminates his face.

  “You don’t know me.”

  “True. But I know Theo, and I know he’s willing to fight to his last breath to keep you safe.”

  “That’s what I’m worried about,” I say quietly.

  “You’ve been running from this guy for how long?”

  “Three years,” I mutter.

  “Don’t you think that’s long enough?” He removes the chain link from the door. “Trust me. We’re not going to let anything happen to you.”

  “Why do you even care?”

  I can feel him studying me in the darkness.

  He finally answers, “Because Theo’s like a brother to me, which in my books makes you family.”

  My throat goes dry and I swallow down my emotions.

  He opens the door a crack. “I need to make a few calls. Get some sleep.”

  When the door closes behind him, I curl into a ball.

  His words made me feel things I had no right to feel.

  Safe.

  Protected.

  Hopeful.

  But it’s just an illusion, and the nightmares that are already creeping into my mind as I fall asleep prove it.

  Chapter 22

  Theo

  “Where is she?” I growl, taking the motel stairs two at a time.

  Moody’s at the top waiting for me, a deep frown marring his features. “She’s still sleeping.”

  I try to push past him, but he stops me.

  “We need to talk.”

  I turn on him, eyes narrowed. I’m in the mood for a fight.

  “Why did you bring her here?”

  His jaw clenches. “She was scared. Didn’t want to go back to your place with the alarms broken, and it was too late to go back to your mom’s. I’ve got Tyler and Cory watching her house, just in case the bastard thinks to try anything.”

  I let out the heavy breath I’ve been holding in, and some of the tension in my shoulders subsides.

  “Is she okay?”

  “No.” He leans against the iron railing, arms over his chest. “She’s pretty fucked up. And I don’t blame her.”

  “She told you something?”

  “Yeah.”

&nbs
p; “Does it have anything to do with this?” I show him the threatening text I received.

  “Shit.”

  “What the hell’s going on?”

  “I guess she was carrying a bag for the asshole and lost it.”

  “Drugs?” My stomach rolls.

  Moody nods. “She left it in a cab. You were with her. That’s why she didn’t want you involved. In case the police–”

  “Christ.” The pieces of the night she left start to come together.

  “We could go to the police. If she’s upfront about the bag–”

  “I’m not letting her take the blame for this.”

  “The guy is threatening to bring her down with him if she talks. It’s better if she confesses.”

  “No.” I rub my temples, thinking about every way I’m going to make the asshole pay. “I’ll deal with it.”

  “Don’t be a douchebag. What’re you going to do? Rough him up a bit? You think that’ll stop him? I know guys like this. They won’t stop until they get what they want.”

  “So what do you want me to do? Pay him off?”

  He shakes his head. “He’ll just keep coming back for more. Worst-case scenario, he makes good on his threat.”

  I know what he’s saying. There’s a chance that even if I pay the bastard, he’ll still come for Mac. Maybe even kill her. Shit.

  I dig my palms into my eyes and shake my head. “Then what do I do?”

  “Get a good lawyer. Take her down to the station. Make her tell them everything.”

  “And if they press charges?”

  “I doubt they will, but if they do, it’s better than the alternative.”

  Chapter 23

  Mackenzie

  “Wake up, sweetheart.” Theo’s voice filters through the fog of sleep. I feel the heaviness of his body beside me, the gentle caress of his fingertips as they brush over my cheek, and for a brief moment, I forget to be afraid.

  “Theo?” I blink until my vision clears of sleep.

  “Morning beautiful.” He leans down and brushes his lips against mine and my heart skips a beat.

  “You’re all right?” I reach up and touch the small bruise under his eye.

  He captures my hand and presses my knuckles against his lips. “Yeah, I’m all right.”

  “Did you win?”

  He gives me a cocky grin. “Of course.”

  I try to sit up, but the room spins and I have to lay back down.

  “Here.” His hands wrap around my back, lifting me and my pillow until I’m in a semi-sitting position. He pulls a bottle of orange juice from a plastic bag and uncaps it, then hands it to me, along with two extra strength Tylenol. “Looks like you’re going to need these.”

  “Thanks.” I wince when I think about what I must look like.

  Once I swallow the pills, he takes the juice and places it on the nightstand beside the bed.

  I shift uncomfortably under his intense gaze and brace myself for the lecture I know is about to come.

  “Where’s Moody?” I ask, throat tight.

  “He’s looking into a few things for me.”

  “Oh.” My gaze drops. “What did he tell you?”

  “Everything.”

  I give a small nod, staring blankly at the floral printed comforter.

  He lifts my chin with his thumb. “You should have told me.”

  I lick my lips, knowing I can’t run away from the conversation this time.

  “He threatened to…” I close my eyes on the memory.

  “I know.” His fingers brush my hair behind my ear, exposing the gash. “We’re going to get the bastard. I promise I won’t let him hurt you again.”

  I want to believe him. No. I need to believe him.

  But Stefano will never let me go. And now that he knows Theo and I are involved…

  A shiver runs down my spine. The familiar sense of panic rushes over me. I push on Theo’s chest and try to get free of the tangled sheets, but Theo’s weight holds them secure.

  I hate the way that my chest constricts, the way my fingers go numb, when fear wraps itself around me. It’s like a dark blanket trying to suffocate me, but no matter how hard I fight against it, I can’t control it.

  “Breathe,” Theo says, cupping my face in his palms. “Look at me and breathe. Everything is all right.”

  A sliver of sunlight pours through the slit in the curtains, catching the honey flecks of brown in his eyes. I focus on that. On the warmth of his fingers as they stroke my cheek. The heat of his body pressed against mine, and slowly the anxiety starts to ease.

  “I’m sorry,” I whisper, fisting my fingers in his t-shirt and blinking back tears. “I’m sorry for everything.”

  His lips softly brush against mine. “I know.”

  “You and Logan are the most important people in my life. If anything happens to either of you, because of me–” I choke on a sob. “I could never live with myself.”

  “I’m not going to let anything happen. To you, to Logan, or to me.” He tries to pull me into his chest, but I hold him back, placing my hands on either side of his face.

  “I need you to promise me that if something does, you’ll take care of Logan.”

  “Mac.” He eyes narrow and he grabs my wrists.

  “Please. Promise me.”

  His jaw pulses and he watches me with an unreadable expression. When he speaks, his voice is tight, “I promise.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You know I’ll do everything in my power to keep her safe.” He shakes his head, releasing my wrists, the muscles in his neck tensing visibly.

  “I know.” And I do. But I also know what Stefano is capable of.

  “Come here.” Gently, he places a hand behind my neck, drawing me into his kiss. When he pulls back, his expression is serious. “You trust me?”

  I pull my bottom lip between my teeth. There’s something in his tone that makes me nervous.

  “It’s not about trust. It’s about what Stef is capable of. I don’t want you involved.”

  “Too late for that.” He stands, then walks to the dresser where my jeans and shirt lay folded on top. His shoulders rise and fall heavily before he picks up the clothes, turns and places them on the bed beside me. “Get dressed.”

  The anxiety is returning. I know the look on his face. Stubborn. Determined. Whatever he has planned, I know there’s no changing his mind.

  “If you’re thinking about going after him yourself–”

  He chuckles darkly, shoving his hands in his pocket. “Trust me. That was my first instinct.”

  The way he’s standing, the hard line of his jaw, the twitch in his eye, I know he’s bracing for a fight.

  “As much as I’d like to bash the bastard’s brains in, it’s not going to stop him.” His gaze bores into me. “That’s why we need to go to the police. Tell them everything.”

  Shit. That’s his plan?

  I shake my head fervently. “They’ll arrest me. Didn’t Moody tell you–”

  “He told me. And I think we can fight it. I’ve called my lawyer and he’s meeting us down at the station in an hour.”

  “That wasn’t your decision to make.” My heart is racing now. The need to run, to get out of here, is overwhelming.

  As if sensing my intention, he stands in front of the door, arms now folded over his chest. His dark hair falls forward across his forehead, and there’s a hint of something primal in his expression, as if he’s daring me to argue with him.

  “We can stop at the apartment if you need to freshen up, but we are going.”

  My cheeks grow warm, anger overriding my initial fear.

  “So that’s it?” I cross my arms over my chest, mirroring his stance. “Your great plan? Have me arrested. Then what?”

  He lets out a heavy sigh and drops his arms, moving towards me. I want to shrug him away when he rests his hands on my shoulders, but the heat of his touch is comforting.

  “This is the best option. We go in, together.
Tell them everything, right from the beginning.”

  “And if they put me in jail?”

  “We’ll deal with it, but I don’t think they will and neither does my lawyer.” He touches my face, gently tracing the dark bruise that I know shadows my eye. “It’s what we have to do to make sure this never happens again.”

  I close my eyes and shiver, knowing he’s right. “Okay.”

  He lets out a long, heavy breath. “Thank you.”

  I look up at him, confused by the relief in his voice. “For what?”

  “For not running.” He kisses my forehead hard. “For staying and fighting for us.”

  Guilt washes over me. He doesn’t know that I almost ran. No. That I did run. If Moody hadn’t found me on that bench, I’d be on the bus headed north. Abandoning not only him, but my child.

  God, I’m a terrible person.

  I deserve whatever I have coming.

  Chapter 24

  Theo

  Mac stares blankly at the ground when she exits the examination room. Her shoulders droop, and her lips are pulled into a thin line. The bruises on her face seem even more pronounced now against her pale skin.

  Shit.

  I hope to hell I did the right thing making her come here.

  My lawyer, Jason Robinson, a tall middle-aged man with graying hair, walks behind her. He places a hand lightly on her shoulder and says something I can’t hear. Mac nods, eyes still lowered.

  “What’s going on?” I ask, removing the distance between us.

  “They’re releasing her. But she needs to stay in town in case they have other questions.”

  “And Stefano?”

  Mackenzie visibly tenses.

  “They’ve issued an arrest warrant, but at this point they don’t have a viable address, so unless we get lucky–”

  “They won’t find him,” Mac murmurs, looking up at me, her expression unreadable.

  I glance at Jason and he raises both eyebrows, jaw set, and I know he agrees with her.

  My chest constricts, with the thought of the bastard out there, waiting, watching for a time to strike.

  With an arm wrapped around Mac’s shoulder, we walk to my car in silence. The sun is starting to set, and the moon is already visible in the darkening sky.