by Dani René
I go to him.
Braxton.
I love you.
Braxton
The Past
The door flies open. It’s dark inside, but I feel her. As if her magnetic force is pulling me closer. She’s here. I can’t just storm in, so when the two men in front lift their guns and head inside, I follow. My Glock is trained before me.
“Sir!” one of the men on my team bellows, and my heart bangs against my chest so hard I’m sure it’s cracked a fucking rib. Entering the larger part of this house, I see him exiting through a doorway from what looks like a smaller room. When I reach it, I see her. Tia. I rush toward her and find her body hanging by a rope. There are small cuts and abrasions from her hips up her body to just under her breasts.
Blood has dried between her thighs and from the slashes on her smooth caramel skin, and everything in me fights to hold it together. Her face is perfect besides the small cut on her cheek. Her lips are cracked, and all I want to do is kiss them until they’re soft and pliable. I want to heal her. To fix her.
“Baby,” I murmur, circling my arms around her waist as Grant cuts her down. As soon as she’s loose, her arms fall to her sides, and she’s now slumped in my arms. “Jesus, what have they done to you?” I murmur into her hair, inhaling her scent, mixed with the smell of blood. My rational thinking flies out the fucking window.
If that fucker was here now, I’d rip him apart. Limb by fucking limb.
Walking us backward, I slump on a worn sofa with her small body in my arms. It’s then she mumbles in her semi-conscious state. “I love you, Brax.” The words still my heart for a moment before catapulting it into my throat.
Men swarm around me, taking evidence and bagging it. Her breathing is ragged, and when the medics finally arrive, they scoop her up and place her on the gurney.
“Her heart rate is stable, but we’ll need to get her back to HQ, Brax,” one of the paramedics, I think his name is Lincoln, informs me.
“I’m riding along.” I stalk out the door with them. But I feel a hand on my shoulder, stopping me. I turn to find Grant.
“She’ll be okay. A strong woman doesn’t go down easily.” Nodding, I swallow the lump of emotion threatening to choke me and leave him with the rest of the team to collect all we need to put that fucker away.
My concern is for my girl. Her safety and well-being are now at the forefront of my mind, and until she’s awake and telling us what happened, I will not be able to concentrate on anything. Fear for her life, and fear that I’ll do something I might regret when I find that fucker burns through me.
Once I’m safely in the back of an unmarked vehicle, they take off toward our warehouse. To the safety that we’re assured. I’ve made my choice. She’s mine. And soon she’ll know who I really am.
Not once over the almost twelve months I’ve known her have I been honest about what I do. I’ve deflected every time she’s brought it up, but now the truth will come out.
Including hers. I need to know everything there is to know about the man she calls Dad. The one I’m going to put away for life. Fuck, who knows, perhaps I should put him down.
I watch them work on her wounds, cleaning her cuts, but even with her skin bruised, sliced open, I see the girl I fell in love with. The woman I want in my life. Even though she’s battered and contused, she’s still beautiful. Perfect in every way.
The lacerations will leave scars, perhaps forever, and I know she’ll remember this every time she looks in the mirror. I just hope the reminder will not hinder our journey together, and we’ll be able to forge ahead, making sure our future is filled with happiness and not the sick memories of what happened to her.
Even those dark demons she hides in her mind.
The same ones she doesn’t know I share.
It’s been hours. My mind is racing with what they’re doing. The doctor has been in there for too long. He’s the best in the country, but deep in my gut, I’m filled with an emotion I’ve not let myself feel since I saw my parents lying in a pool of their blood.
Fear.
Anxiety fills me with dread. Frustration morphs into anger. The emotion that swirls inside me is like a hurricane storming a city, taking down everything in its path.
“Hey man?”
I turn to see my partner and friend stalking toward me. “Grant, how did it go? Any news?” Maybe he can take my mind off the shit running through it, the fear and worry.
“We found blood and semen samples in the room, which we tested.” His words send ice racing through my veins. “The blood was Tia’s. A lot of it. The other tests matched with Ryker’s DNA. He’s involved in this. The woman we saw him with was Tia’s sister, Isabelle. We’re not sure how or why she’s involved, but I’m guessing it has to do with their childhood and her being sold into the sex trade. We’ve tracked down all the information. Corp wants to see you when you’re done here,” he informs me, speaking in a steady tone.
His words sink in, thick and slow, like molasses pulling me under. Ryker? Why is he doing this? My best friend. He was like a brother to me. And here he’s on the wrong side, doing shit like this to a woman that I’m in love with.
My chest aches trying to make sense of everything. “So, Ryker’s involved? What the fuck? He’s on a downward spiral and decides to go fucking insane?” I bite out, and the man before me stills, watching me fall apart, but he doesn’t touch me. Which is a good thing because I’d lose it. I’d fucking punch anything in my way right now. All I get is a nod. Swallowing the thick lump in my throat which threatens to suffocate me, I shake my head and ask, “What about Tia’s sister?”
“There are reports that Miguel had auctioned his eldest daughter to his business associates. She was sixteen.” The information has my stomach roiling in shock. What. The. Fuck? “Tia was never sold, however . . .” He stalls, and I want to grip him by the shoulders and shake the fucking information from him. “There are medical reports that were filed away, after her father paid for them to be. Tia suffered multiple injuries from the age of sixteen. It seems that this is when it started for both sisters. She’s been seeing psychotherapists and psychologists since her twelfth birthday.”
“But, I don’t—”
“She believes she killed her mother. Only it wasn’t her. She blacked out from the shock of seeing her mother murdered in cold blood. By her father. I have all the reports written up. The man who came forward with the information used to work for Miguel.”
My mind is reeling, and nothing seems to make sense. At least to me.
“Why did he come forward now?”
“Miguel has his daughter. She’s turning sixteen in four days’ time,” he offers, quieter this time.
Raking my hand through my hair, I inhale a deep breath, attempting to calm down, but it’s futile because I’m livid. Anger slowly erupts from my core and travels its way through me as if I’ve been shot up with pure adrenaline.
“Jesus Christ, this man knows no bounds. No fucking limits,” I growl out, rearing my fist, but before I can make contact with the wall, Grant’s hand stops me. My anger is palpable, a living force swirling around me, ready to consume me like it’s done so many times before.
Only this time, it’s personal.
His gruff tone rumbles through the empty area where we’re waiting. “You need to calm the fuck down, man. I know it’s easier said than done, but you need to keep a level head here. This shit is going to eat you alive.”
Concern is etched on his face, and the emotion swirling in his deep green eyes make them come alive as if a flame is dancing in them.
“She’s in there because of that monster. His own daughter is fighting for her life because he’s an animal. And you know what?” I turn to face him fully. “He should get slaughtered like the filth he is.” With that, I stalk by the hulk of a man to grab my coffee from the table. Gulping the scorching drink, I savor the burn. It’s the only thing that allows me to feel. I’m numb. Aching for her.
I’ve nev
er been in love. Never wanted more than a one-night stand. I’ve never wanted to feel anything other than the agony of losing my parents, but somehow, when Tia walked, no, stalked into my life in those fuck off heels of hers, I was hooked. Like a junkie needing his next fix, I want her.
The satisfaction I got every time she pinned me with a furious stare, or curled her plump lips in frustration, or even when she finally submitted and allowed me to fuck her into oblivion, those were the times I was sated. Happy. And the blood that haunted my dreams and followed me seemed to ease, seemed to leave me, and I was finally in a place where I wanted more from life.
The chair screeches on the floor, and I turn to find my partner sitting back with his eyes shut tight. I take in the room and find the waiting area empty apart from Grant and me, and I’m thankful for that because I’m in no condition to have anyone else near me. The only thing I need right now is Tia.
To have her in my arms.
To see her glaring at me in frustration.
To see her come apart with my cock inside her.
To hear her whimper my name.
To mold my lips to hers.
To tell her I love her.
Tia
The Present
“Do you remember the first time, Tia?”
Ignoring her question, I stare out the window. Does she really think something so horrid is easy to forget? She’s silent, and I know she’s waiting for me to tell her. To confide in her. But this, it’s not something I can easily come out and confess. It’s painful. It’s horrific. It was the end of my innocence. It was the day my mind finally shattered. I’d always been broken, that much I knew. But it was this that finally broke the last shred of sanity I had.
And it was all my father’s fault.
“Tia,” she coos in a tone only a mother would use. It’s melodic, calming, but it’s not working on me. The darkness consumes me, and in my mind, I go back . . . back . . . back . . .
“It was so long ago. I remember Belle had just gone, and I was left to fend for myself against him. There wasn’t a day that passed by that he didn’t hurt me. Both emotionally and physically.”
“Did he ever . . .?” She tapers off, but I know what she wants. Shaking my head, I can’t find the words, so it will have to do. “And do you know where your sister went?”
“Yes, I do now. Then, I didn’t know. He told me she’d been sent away to a special school. I was only thirteen, so I didn’t think anything of it.” My focus is on the material of my jeans, the patterns and lines of the fabric is the only thing keeping me together. Focus. Calm. Breathe.
“And when did you realize it was a lie?” Good question. One I don’t want to answer, but I know she’ll prod and poke until I come clean. Until I tell her the ugly truth.
“It was the night she came back to me. When she returned as broken as I was. She was gone for so long I thought she had come to save me. But it was my father who broke us both.”
I sit silently for a while, wondering what I can say to even get close to explaining what happened. But I can’t. In the end, nobody will ever be able to comprehend the pain.
“I’d always known he did things that weren’t aboveboard, but it was one night that changed it all. It was really late, and I was woken up by a screech, so loud I’m sure the neighbors would have heard. I jolted upright, straining to hear where it was coming from, but then everything fell silent.” My mind flits back to that night. I remember it like it was yesterday. As if no years have passed between me seeing what I did and experiencing the worst pain I’ve ever known.
“Tia?” she prompts.
“I pushed off the bed, padded to the hallway, slowly making my way to the basement. I knew my dad used to work down there, but he’d never allowed me in. The door was always locked, and I didn’t dare go there because I was scared he’d catch me. As I neared the stairs, I heard sounds coming from behind the door.”
I rise from the chair to turn toward the window. It’s raining outside, and I savor the coolness of the glass, placing my hand on it.
“When I finally made my way down the staircase, I noticed the door was slightly ajar. The noises and voices were louder. But above all that, I heard crying, whimpering. Fear ricocheted through me as I felt my body tense. When I peeked around the door, that’s when my world fell apart.” Inhaling a deep breath, I shut my eyes so tight I see stars dancing behind them.
“And this was when you learned your father lied? Or . . .?”
Or . . .
“My father.” A wry chuckle falls from my lips. “Yeah, Satan himself. The fucking Devil,” I confess. Pain, so fucking acute, hits me in the chest. “I couldn’t save her.” More truths stumble from me like a dam bursting when I turn to face the woman who’s been there all this time. Through everything, she’s the only one who understands.
“Tell me, Tia.” Once again, she pushes. Coaxing me to tell her the ugliness I witnessed. To let the truth out. To admit what broke me in the first place. I’ve never once admitted it. Never voiced it out loud.
“My father, along with three of his henchmen . . .” I can’t look at her when I tell her, so I turn toward the dreary sky. “He was whipping a girl. She must have been sixteen. His friends had her hands on their cocks. Fisting hard as steel while they watched with demonic eyes as my father hurt her.” It’s only when I reach up to my face that I realize I’m crying. “I watched them mutilate her. I watched. I didn’t do a fucking thing because I was too fucking scared.” I hiss out the words. Anger. Guilt. Shame. All those emotions barrel through me, and I fall to my knees. “They killed her, and I didn’t do a fucking thing.” The words are muffled because I can’t form them anymore.
“Tia.” Her voice is close, right at my ear. Her arms encircle me, holding me against her chest. Warmth seeps through me, but I’m left cold and stranded in my mind. “You were a little girl,” she once again murmurs softly. She’s trying to make me feel better, but it’s not going to work.
I am responsible.
I should have stopped them.
I could have screamed.
Called the police.
But I stood in shock. My legs didn’t want to carry me away.
Blood.
There’s always blood.
“Please, help me,” I beg, plead, lifting my face to meet her eyes. Those sweet, caring eyes that have guided me my whole life.
“I’ll always be here for you, Tia,” she promises, but I know she’s lying. She can never be here for me again.
“I love you, Mom.”
Tia
The Past
Everything hurts.
Open your eyes.
I can’t.
You can. You’re safe.
No. No. He’s here.
Open your eyes.
Stop. Just stop.
Do you feel it? Feel him?
The question stills our conversation, and I try to concentrate. Feel him? What does she mean? Calming my mind, I inhale deeply. I shiver; I’m cold. My body aches; my bones feel as if they’ve been frozen, as if I’ve been sitting in a refrigerator. A consistent beep comes from my right, and silence sits on my left. It’s bright. Even though my eyes are closed, I can see a white light.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Another sound catches my attention. Hissing, whooshing, something . . .
Open your eyes, Tia.
She coaxes again.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Come on, baby girl. You’ve spent too long in the dark.
Find your light.
Find him.
He’s waiting . . .
Her voice fades, and my eyes finally crack open. It’s too bright, and I wince in pain. A groan, low and gravelly, rumbles in my throat. I try to swallow it down.
“Tia,” a concerned, yet familiar voice, calls to me. “Baby, please open your eyes. I’m here.”
His murmur is filled with love. Love? Shit.
“Where . . .?” The word scrapes against my throat, which has my ey
es pricking with tears. How am I in so much pain? What happened?
“Tia, I’m here. It’s Brax,” he whispers over my cracked, dry lips. I must look like shit. “Can you hear me, Vixen?” This time, his mouth is near my ear, which sends goosebumps skittering across my skin. Opening my eyes, I glance around the stark room. When my gaze meets his concerned one, I find emotion that sends me into turmoil.
It’s right there, leaving me breathless.
Love.
“Brax?” My voice is raspy, and my throat burns when I attempt to talk. Everything aches. The only thing I feel is pain, everywhere. “What . . . Where am I?”
“You’re safe now. We found you in a warehouse. You were unconscious,” he murmurs so quietly I can barely hear him. As if he’s down a tunnel, and I’m on the other end. “Tia.” My name on his lips is filled with need. Concern is etched on his handsome face, furrowing his brows and darkening his gaze. He reaches for my face, stroking it tenderly as if I’m made of glass. “We ran tests. You’re going to be okay.”
I release a breath I didn’t know I was holding. The pain that is present over my body is mind-numbing. “Brax.” My voice is unrecognizable. “It’s R-Ryker . . .” He nods. Of course they’ve figured it out already.
“We’ve found out a lot more than we bargained for, but what’s important right now, Tia . . . you need to tell me about your father.” I knew this would be something he’d need to know.
I ignore his question, countering with one of my own. “How long have I been in here?” For a long moment, he stares at me, and then he drops his gaze to my hands where the tubes are attached to needles. I can practically see the wheels in his head turning. The only thing I want to do is feel his warmth, to be cocooned in his arms.
“Three days.” Dragging those caramel orbs back to my blue ones, he watches my reaction as if I’m the most interesting thing in the room.