Shattered (12 page)

He is looking around the room like it was one of the guys.

“My husband. The same man that put me here last time.”

He rolls the stool over to him and just plops in it.

“With everything that’s happened to you…Lord. I’m sorry. I don’t even know what to say.

That’s ok. If you could stitch me up, I’ll be out of your way.”

“Well, I would like to run more tests. I would like an X-ray of your ribs. I can see boots prints that weren’t there this morning when you left. I would also like to get blood work and a CAT scan just to be on the safe side. You have a pretty bad gash on your forehead.

“Wait, I do?” I reach up and touch my head. Shit, when did that happen?

The doc looks uncomfortable, I know what he wants to ask.

“No, I don’t need a rape kit. These guys saved me before it got that far.”

He takes a deep breath and releases it.

“I’m glad. That’s good. Ok, let’s get started.”

He calls for the nurse.

“Can you get Mrs. Childs in for X-ray and CT? I would also like blood work. Just to be safe, do a full work up.”

After all the tests, I’m wiped. All I want now is a full night sleep. When the doctor comes back into the room his face is stone. He is showing no emotion at all. I’m almost too scared to ask. When he put in my stitches, I saw him gritting his teeth. Almost like he was mad.

“What’s up, Doc? Why do you look like someone just ran over your puppy?” I couldn’t help but ask. I try to smile a little to back it up but it falls short. It can’t be that bad.

“Come on, Doc. Out with it. I’m tired and I would like to get some sleep.”

“Well, I got all your tests back. Your head is fine.”

“Says some,” says Storm.

“Asshole,” I say. I turn back to the doctor.

“Sorry, Doc, go on.”

“Your X-ray is what concerns me. Your ribs have been broken again. I’m going to send your X-ray to a friend of mine to see what can be done. You will be sore for a lot longer then you should be. We can’t wrap your ribs because of the lacerations on your stomach, and we can’t leave the cuts open.

So what has to happen is, I want you to stay here for a few nights.”

I’m already shaking my head.

“I told you all that I didn’t want to stay here. I’ll get checked out but then I’m going home.”

“Rain, listen. This is for your safety.”

“No, being safe would be sending me home. Sending me where Tyler can’t get to me.”

I’m getting out of bed and remember I have no clothes. Liam cut them off me. So I just brace myself on the bed. I’m in so much pain but I can’t take the chance of Tyler coming here to find me.

“I can’t take the risk of Tyler coming for me. He will come here first, I know he will. And if it’s not him, he will send his friends. You think I’m safe right now?”

I know I’m freaking out but I will not stay here. The tears have started again.

“Mrs. Childs…”

“Oh, stop with the ‘Mrs.’ shit. You think you can keep me safe here. He is my fucking husband. Some nurse will let his ass get to me just by him batting his fucking eyes. I refuse to fucking stay here, Doc. Think of something else.”

Liam has come to stand beside me.

“Ok Rainy, let’s just calm down. We can figure this out. You will have to sign some papers but we will figure this out.”

“You need rest and lots of it Mrs…..Rainy. No moving around. I don’t even want you walking to the bathroom.”

“Oh, come on, Doc. I’m not dead. I’m hurt. Is this really called for?”

“You heard the doc, Rain, now sit your ass down.” Storm walks over to the bed. “If the doc says you don’t walk, you don’t fucking walk. You have three almost grown sons, me, and Liam. You have no reason to be complaining right now. One of us will be with you at all times, anyway. At least now, we will have something to do other than sit there and stare at you.”

Storm tries to laugh at the last part but it falls short when he looks around and no one else is laughing.

“What?” he says. “It was funny.”

“Oh, Doc, what else?”

“Three weeks, Rainy. No walking, no stress, and most importantly, no husband. I may be over stepping here but you should get as far away from that man as you can. If you, any of you need help to get her away, just call me. I haven’t seen a case this bad is all my years.”

The doctor touches my hand and says,

“We are going to get you fixed up. But I mean what I say no anything. And if you get a fever, no matter how low, I want you back here. Headaches, blurred vision, if your speech gets wonky I want to see you again.”

He looks around the room,

“Is all this understood? I don’t want anything to happen.”

Everyone says or nods yes.

“Ok, Rainy, let’s get you stitched up and home. I don’t see you being left alone for a while.”

“Um, guys, I kinda need clothes,” I say to the room.

The doc did his work and gave me all kinds of meds for the pain that I will not take but I took them just in case. Plus, if I wouldn’t have taken them, Storm would have and made me take them, too.

“Why don’t you have clothes, Mom?” Callum asks.

“Well…”

“I cut them off her. it was easier than trying to make her lift her arms and pull the shirt over her head,” Liam says

“So…you, like, seen our mom naked?”

This comes from Malachi.

“I did. But it wasn’t like anything your pervy little brain is taking it.”

Liam throws a soda cap at him.

“Ok, can we just find something for me to wear home, please? Wherever home is at this point.” I say that last part under my breath.

“Your home is my home, Rain, where it should have been from the start. No games.”

Liam, Lord love the man.

Man comes in with some light blue scrubs. “Well, it’s better than nothing. I put them on and look at my feet.

Well, fuck. I left with no shoes. Oh, well. I’m just ready to bail. I’m so done with hospitals. I take two steps to the door when all the guys, and I mean all of them, are standing right in front of me. They are so close that I could reach out and touch Liam.

“And what is it that you think you are doing, sweet heart?”

“I’m going to your apartment is what I’m doing. What are you guys doing?”

The smile I love the most on Liam shows itself after so many years. That smile will do me in every time. I melt. Fuck, I’m weak as hell.

“No, no. Doc said you aren’t to walk. So, my lady, your carriage awaits.”

Liam holds his arms out.

Storm tells the boys to go get the car and bring it around front.

When Storm turns around back to us, he is smiling.

“I always knew this right here,” Storm says, pointing at me and Liam.

“This here was always meant to be. I’m looking forward to seeing Rainy chew your ass out.”

Storm laughs. When he walks up to stand in front of Liam, the smile and all jokes are gone. This is big brother mode right here.

“But if you ever harm her, I will kill you. She doesn’t need to be hurt anymore. Tell me you understand, brother?”

“I understand. I would never hurt her and you know that. I love her, man. Always have and always will.”

Liam holds out the hand that’s under my knees to shake Storm’s hand, or do whatever guy thing they do. 

“Ok. Well, now that that is over, can we please leave?”

We head for the door. I know that this isn’t over. Tyler isn’t just going to let me leave like this. I know he is planning. I know he is planning on ending me. I’m hoping that I’m the only one he has plans for.

I don’t ever want to go back but I know that sooner or later he won’t give me a choice. For now though…For now I’m going to enjoy my boys and Liam and Gen and my mom and brother.

Three weeks later

You wouldn’t think that three weeks is a long time. But it is. I have had three weeks of the guys carrying me around from one room to the other, to the bathroom to the living room.

Three weeks of not leaving this apartment other than the one time to go to the doctor and the guys walked around me like I was the freaking Queen of England or something. I was boxed in, and that was just to the car. What they did at the hospital…was just embarrassing.

I have had three weeks of wanting to leave this apartment but being too scared. Three weeks of nightmares, three weeks wondering if this is the day that Tyler comes for me.

I know he isn’t finished with me. I can feel it in my bones.

Tyler got out on bond the day after he was locked up. I just knew that he would come after me then, but he didn’t. Maybe this is his plan. To freak me out, always looking over my shoulder, waiting for him to come for me.

No one has been able to find him. I have seen him though. Out this very window I’m looking out of now.

I was just standing here looking out at the people that aren’t living their life in fear, wishing I could be one of them. I looked across the street and he was there. Leaning against the wall next to the store.

I froze. I had no idea what I should do. I kept asking myself if this was it. Was he coming for me? But now I think he was just trying to tell me that he knew where I was, that I couldn’t hide from him and if he wanted me he could have me.

Liam had come up behind wrapping his arms around my waist like he has been doing since they let me stand up on my own. I saw Tyler’s eyes get wide when he saw who was behind me and he stood up from the wall.

Liam asked me what I was doing and I jumped. I was so lost in my head. When I jumped, Liam knew something was going on. He looked out the window where my eyes were locked.

“Fuck,” he said. He started for the door, telling the boys that Tyler was outside. Callum stayed behind with me.

They would never catch him. By the time they got outside, Tyler was gone. He had blown me a kiss and winked at me. Then took off down the alley.

No one has been able to find him since that day but I know that if I would go to his apartment and use my key, Tyler would be there. I don’t know why I don’t tell anyone.

After everything he has done to me and put me through, shouldn’t I want him gone?

What I really want for it all to never have happened. I want it all to just go away. All the pain and the fear and the loss.  I would just like it all to go away.

Tyler is hiding in plain sight. After that day I had to promise everyone that if I saw him I would tell them. The police are looking for him and Vegas. But I know they will never find them unless they want to be found.

Just because he is hiding doesn’t mean that he won’t come after me.

So now, I’m standing here in what everyone has taken to calling my window. Maybe it isn’t smart but fuck, I’m so sick of being scared. I don’t want to live in fear anymore. The boys say I’m free now. I want to live free. I have spent my whole life living in fear.

Is it wrong that I want to live life? That I want to start a life with Liam and the boys? That I want my boys and Genesis and Liam and Storm with me every day for the rest of my life?

Am I moving too fast? I don’t think I am. I think I have wasted enough of my life not being happy. I think it’s time to push all the bad shit back and fucking live. And I want to live with Liam every day.

Is that fair? To ask him to do that when I have nothing to bring to the table but four kids and one fucked past?

I need radio therapy. I walk to the radio and just hit a random playlist. This playlist has everything on it. Queen, the Eagles, Elton John, Savage Garden, love songs, metal; I mean you name it’s on there. Something will speak to me. It always does.

I Won’t Give in by Asking Alexandria is up first. I love this song. To me it’s all about letting the one you love know that you aren’t going anywhere. And asking them if they will be there for you. Every song means something different to everyone.

I’m the ghost of what’s left of me

Begging you to hear me

Can you even feel me

I can’t let you go

Save me please

Will you stay here with me

Will you ever leave me?

That’s my favorite part of the whole song. My mind wonders over the day so far.

The boys left to go to the gym and Liam is in his home office. Well, he was. I feel arms come around me. I don’t jump. I know it’s him. There is just something about Liam that just has me knowing when he is in a room or when his eyes are on me. I get chills sometimes just thinking about it.

“We need to talk, babe.”

I go into panic mode. Genesis is still out of town with Rita. I talk to her a few times a day just to see how she is.

“Why? What’s wrong?”

His hands frame my face.

“Nothing is wrong, crazy girl. Do you remember me telling you that we were going to have a talk? Well this is us having the talk. Noting to worry about, babe. Promise.”