Cheaters Anonymous (19 page)

“Tell who it’s over?” The voice boomed toward us. Trish’s gaze lifted above my head. I didn’t see the man behind me, but I didn’t need to in order to know it was him. Within seconds, everything began filling in.

“Brad, you’re here.” Trish stilled in her seat.

I couldn’t even move.
Don’t panic, Jules.

“I should leave you two alone,” I whispered across the table. Maybe he hadn’t seen me yet. After all, I still had my back to him. I quickly reached into my pocket for my phone but didn’t get a chance to type when I felt his hand on my shoulder.

“I think it’s best you stayed, Julia.”

Brad squeezed into the seat right beside me. He almost shoved my body against the window.

“You two know each other?” Trish asked.

“We’re old high school friends. I’ve been trying to get her to put out for years, and have yet to succeed.”

Trish lowered her head. “Brad, please.”

“Are you lecturing me, Trish? Because for a whore who fucks in clubs you have no right to chastise me.”

“I think you should leave.” I didn’t want to turn toward him, but it was the only way to make my point.

When he looked at me I scrunched back in my seat like a little mouse, wishing for a hole I could hide in. He grasped my thigh underneath the table, squeezing it painfully. I went to shove it away but instead slit my hand on the blade he was holding there. The cut was deep, and the pain seared through my hand.

Shit!

“Trish, leave,” he barked.

“I... I can’t.” She said, holding her head high.

“If you don’t, you’ll find your friend in the dumpster at the back,” he threatened. “Shredded to pieces.”

Double shit!

Trish hesitated, but hearing the next growl from Brad’s chest, she stood up. Her eyes were filled with fear and worry. Had he hurt Trish in the past? I removed the white napkin from the table and pressed it against my palm, squeezing it tightly. Hopefully it would stop the dripping. How in the world did Brad have enough balls to do this in a public place? He was either crazy, or he was... nope, I was sure he had a special place reserved in a mental hospital.

“It’s okay, Trish. I’ll be fine.” My words did nothing to ease the fear on her face.

As soon as she left, Brad leaned into me, saying, “Now be a good girl and walk to the back of the store with me. There’s a door there. If you even try to alert anyone, I will gut you.”

Fuck!

He stood up and waited for me to slide out of my seat. There were only three other people in the coffee shop, and they were all sitting at the other end of the store. The server was busy working behind the counter, and I already knew that knife Brad held at my side was razor sharp. Even if I screamed, I was sure he’d cut me before any help arrived.

“You’re sick,” I whispered, making my way through the hall, stumbling every few steps. We were alone by this point, and Brad walked behind me without hesitation. He groped my ass, and I jumped.

“Why me?”

“It’s always been you, Julia. And I almost had you that night, until Scar decided to interrupt. All I wanted was a nice wet pussy for my birthday. But sooner or later, I always get what I want. Consider this your belated gift to me.”

He’s obsessed!
Wasn’t that what Trish had said?

“Hurry up.” Brad slapped my ass.

He opened the door to the back alley. This place brought back too many memories for me. Over a year ago, I almost died that day I agreed to meet a man for a quick fuck. I didn’t want that to happen again. I didn’t want to be punched and kicked and forced to spread my legs. What if I just gave him what he wanted and let him get it over with? Maybe he’d at least leave me afterwards. Unfortunately, Brad had other plans. And they were definitely not looking in my favor.

“Get in the fucking car!” he ordered, pointing to a black Dodge.

I reached for the pepper spray in my purse and pointed the nozzle at his face. The mist flew on his cheek but it wasn’t enough to save me. He grasped my wrist.

“You’re going to regret this, bitch!”

He hit the side of my head. It didn’t hurt, but as I felt my body fall to the ground, something warm dripped down my face, and I lost consciousness.

C
HAPTER
17

Don’t panic.

I couldn’t wake up. My head and ribs ached. Actually, my whole body felt bruised. The last thing I remembered was a pair of feet running toward me. Someone had yelled out, but I couldn’t make out the words. There was a struggle behind me, and then the wheels of the Black Dodge had screeched over the asphalt as the car pulled out of the alley, leaving me.

Brad hadn’t taken me.

I let out a deeper breath of relief. My chest hurt when I did so.

At dour times, my mind had a way of digging into memories I’d stashed way in the back of my mind. As I slowly came to, my mind drifted into a similar fog. The theater was half full. I sat with Zoey in one of the back rows as last-minute patrons walked in. Mom had dropped us off and couldn’t join us, saying she had to get groceries she forgot. Even at fourteen I remembered her looking very sad. As the lights dimmed, I saw my father walk in with another woman. Cuddled in a corner, they were sitting to our left. His arm was draped over her shoulder. My hands shook as my gaze flew from them to the screen and back. The popcorn flipped in my stomach as if it wanted to burst open again. Part of me wanted to go there and ask him what he was doing, but another part wanted to see him for the man that he really was: the cheating bastard we’d always suspected him to be.

That evening was the first time I saw our father openly kissing another woman. And it wasn’t just a peck. His tongue must have been somewhere deep in her throat, and I remembered wondering how she didn’t choke.

I wasn’t sure whether Zoey saw them as she was on her phone when they first walked in. I didn’t point them out, and in shame sank my body into the seat. I was disgusted to be his daughter. I pulled my sister out of the theater just before the credits rolled, and thankfully Mom was waiting outside. I never mentioned the encounter to either of them, but that was the night I lost any respect I had for my father and began doubting men in general.

It wasn’t until I met Scar that the hope began to rebuild. Scar. Where was Scar?

I tried to open my eyes, but I couldn’t. My head throbbed with every beat of my pulse. The sounds and smells around me were familiar, and I wondered whether I’d fallen asleep on one of the gurneys at work.

“She’s waking up.” I heard Chris’s voice.

Someone’s warm hand squeezed mine. It was small but comforting, and I realized that I hadn’t just fallen asleep. Memories began rushing in. The beeping in my ears quickened, and I wanted to rip the pulse oximeter off my finger.

“Easy there, Julia,” Chris said. “You’re at the hospital, and you’re doing very well, honey. You’re safe.”

“Scar?”

My throat was dry. When the sound passed through, it felt like I had broken glass inside my mouth. I pulled my tongue over my cracked lips.

“Who’s Scar?” I heard Trish’s voice..

“I called him, Jules. He’s on his way.” The voice was new and deep, but definitely familiar. I opened my eyes, and Chris dimmed the lights slightly.

“Axel?”

“Yes, it’s me, Jules. Trish called me. I got there as quickly as I could.”

“You two know each other?”

As Axel explained to Trish how we knew each other, Chris checked my vitals.

“I need pain meds for my head,” I said.

“Yes, doctor,” Chris teased. “I already shot you up with some good stuff. They should kick in a few. You’ll be drowsy for a while.”

“Thanks. What happened?”

The door opened and Scar rushed through. His shirt was on inside out, and his cheeks were flushed as if he had just run a marathon.

“That’s what I want to know. Jesus, Jules.” Scar sat down at my side.

“I found her being dragged into a car in an alley. I beat the fuck out of the bastard, but she was bleeding from her head and her hand, and she was unconscious. There was a lot of blood. I had to get her to the hospital. He got away.”

I didn’t remember any of this.

“Was this Brad?” Scar’s lips pressed together and his cheeks tensed. His knuckles were white as he fisted his hands.

Trish had a confused look on her face, but nodded. Axel added. “He’s Trish’s fiancé. Sorry – ex-fiancé.”

“I didn’t know he had a fiancée. How are you feeling, Jules?” He kissed my forehead.

“Ouch.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I feel like a piñata.”

“Fortunately, the external wounds seem to be the worst damage. I’d like to send her in for X-rays and a CT scan. If they’re clear, she can leave as long as someone will be there to take care of her. She should stay off her feet for a couple of days.”

“My hand?” Remembering the deep cut on my palm, I tried to lift the bandaged hand.

Could I still work?

“It will survive. But you can officially take a week or two for sick leave. It’s a deep wound, and we’ll need to check for nerve damage.”

As a doctor, my ability to use my hands to treat patients was crucial. I wasn’t a surgeon, but a lot of times, even in the ER, our hands were priceless.

“It will heal, Julia. You’ll have the best care there is.” Chris knew what I was thinking.

“Thank you.”

“Scar, I need to talk to you,” Axel said.

“Later. I’m not leaving her.”

“Now.” Axel’s tone deepened.

Scar growled, but he got up saying, “I’ll be right back.”

I nodded.

Trish passed me a cup of water. “I’m so sorry,” she said.

“It’s not your fault. You didn’t know.”

“You’re the one he’s been stalking?”

“I think so. I have no proof, though. Just suspicions.” Then we heard Scar’s and Axel’s conversation from behind the half-closed door.

“Photographs spilled from the car when he opened the door. There were at least a dozen. They were all of her: going to a store, home, work, out for a run. He’s fucking obsessed.”

“Did you call the cops?” Scar asked.

“No. I wanted to talk to you first.”

“Good. This fucker is not walking away alive from this, and I don’t care what it costs me. How the fuck did I not know he was engaged?”

“I only found out recently. If half of what Trish told me is true, then he’s a sick bastard.”

That conversation didn’t make complete sense to me, but my head hurt so much I couldn’t concentrate.

Scar came back in. Anger and fury and a mix of other emotions I didn’t recognize covered his face. I felt awful for him. I’d never meant to drag anyone into this mess.

“Don’t you dare blame yourself, Jules. You did nothing wrong.”

“He’s dangerous. You should call the police,” I said. Honestly, I was worried that Scar taking care of this would put him in unnecessary danger.

“I’ll handle it. And I won’t let this asshole fall through the red tape.” He cupped my cheek with his right hand. I leaned into it, holding onto the feel of his skin against mine. I didn’t want him to take it away; it felt too good there. I could have easily lost this tonight. Tears spilled from my eyes, and he wiped them away.

“It’s okay to be scared, Jules. But I promise I won’t leave your side until he’s caught.”

I really hoped so, because I wasn’t just afraid of Brad. At this point, I was completely petrified.

While I had my scans and x-rays done, Trish gave Scar and Axel more information about her ex-fiancé. Scar never let me out of his sight, which meant that Trish and Axel also followed us around the hospital. I heard the brothers make plans and call people they knew, including their sister’s husband, Hunter, who was a private investigator and worked for one of the most reputable companies in the country. Apparently even Mr. Wagner was in on the hunt. With a team of lawyers, investigators, and officials looking for Brad, I had no doubt they’d find him quickly. I had no desire to go back to work with him looming around the corner. How had my own life become an episode of
CSI
?

Four hours later, I was back at the Wagner guest house. When I walked in, the room was full of freshly cut flowers, set in vases on every possible table and surface. Their sweet aroma permeated the air.

“I missed the family dinner,” I said.

“Don’t worry about that. Everyone’s been texting me, asking about you.”

“Wait… what happened to my phone?”

“I found it damaged in your back pocket. It must have broken when you fell in the alley.”

I made a note to order a new phone.

“Did your mom do this?” I asked. I remembered Beth had always loved fresh-cut flowers at her house. She took care of landscaping on the Wagner property all on her own and took pride in the hundreds of rose species.

“She did. She wanted to be here when we came home, but I thought you’d want to rest.”

“I do. Thank you.” But I made a mental note to visit Beth soon to thank her. “I should call Zoey and Mom.”

“I called your family while you were getting your scan. They wanted to come over as well. I told them the doctor ordered no visitors.”

“You lied, Mr. Wagner?”

“Yes, and your mother will probably hang me.”

If I could, I would have run over and hugged him with all my might. But I barely had the strength to stand. While I loved my family, I was so beat up at the moment that all I wanted was to crawl under the covers and stay there for a few days.

“Thank you.”

“Have a seat, Jules.” Scar brought a chair behind me and helped me down. My ribs felt like they’d been ripped out and stuffed back in, and one of my hips was bruised. It would, without a doubt, turn black in a few days. I was sure most of my muscles underneath my ribcage had been pulled away from their ligaments, which made it difficult to walk or bend or even breathe.

“Do you want to shower?”

“No, but I think I need to.” Everything was hurting so much, I wasn’t sure how I’d manage to wash myself. I wasn’t even sure I could remove my clothes on my own. I wanted to cry and lose myself to self-pity. It had been a long time since I’d felt this helpless.