The Devastatingly Beautiful Series (25 page)

9

Tatum

Sitting here for an hour, watching nothing more than random cars passing by, has me ready to storm in on my own accord, murdering anyone in my way of her. She has to be in there, and it’s been so long since they took her that I’m ready to kill.

“Where the hell are you, Mr. Delany?” Eddie grumbles from the passenger seat, clicking away on his laptop. I nod and grunt, not taking my eyes off the front of the brick house.

Something inside the side window moves and I sit up a little straighter.

“You see that?” I ask, slapping Eddie.

“Yep,” he answers, bringing out his binoculars.

“They have her in there, Eddie. They do, I can feel it.”

“Shit, look,” he whispers, pointing to the road in front of the house.

I watch, gritting my teeth as a black Hummer pulls into the drive, followed by another one exactly like it. The long driveway looks half the size with the massive black vehicles sitting in it. My leg starts to bounce impatiently as two men get out of each hummer and walk to the door, slipping inside. I growl, and my hand twitches on my door handle.

“Calm your jets, Savage. You give us away before we are fully prepared and they kill us both.” Eddie knows what he’s talking about, but that doesn’t make it any easier.

“I know, I know. You don’t know how much this is eating at me though. I need her back, Eddie. If she’s in there. If I see her. You better be ready to follow me because I’m not waiting for you.”

“Trust me, dude. I know how much this is affecting you. I’ve had to live with your cranky old man ass the whole time. And yes, I’ll be right there with you,” he promises, his eyes still tracking the movements inside the house.

Moments later an unmistakable figure fills the doorway of the two story brick house. Robert. Fucking. Delany. He looks around before stepping out of the house. That’s when I notice her. The woman he’s pulling behind him. She’s staring at the ground as she steps out of the house, but the moment she looks up my heart sinks. Short hair, rail thin, but I’ll never forget those eyes.

It’s her.

I’m out of the truck before Eddie can stop me. I have to get to her. Running alone the outside of the driveway, hidden by bushes, we stop towards the middle of the driveway, right between the Hummer’s. My foot crunches on a stick and I mentally curse myself.

Shit.

I notice Rob stop and push her behind him. Shit, he heard us. I see her hesitation at first as he tries pushing her back into the house, but then out of nowhere she books it down the driveway. Son of a bitch! My impulsive Molly is still a fighter!

Eddie points out the men at the car, not paying any attention to what’s happening in the driveway and I nod. We take off for her right as Rob plows into her, sending her already frail frame into the ground.
I see red
. The pent up anger inside me from the last two months comes out full force.

Pulling him off of her, I throw him into the ground as hard as I can and start wailing. I haven’t done this in so long I’m a little rusty, but soon I remember just the right swings to break plenty of bones. This asshole. My mind keeps telling me to get off of him since he’s stopped fighting back. I need to check on Molly. I need to get to her, but I keep hitting him. The cracking of bones in his face, the blood covering him and me. The only thing that brings me out of my fury is the gunshot I hear. Pain registers in my right arm, but nothing I haven’t handled before. I look up and see the men from the house descending on me. Standing up, I spit on his face as he rolls to his side in pain.

“You haven’t seen the last of me, asshole,” I growl, then kick him one last time in the ribs before taking off down the driveway.

Molly’s gone, but so is Eddie so it’s safe to say he has her. My phone was broken in the fight and now I’m walking around the streets of Maine with a bloody, torn shirt and a gunshot wound to the arm. It fucking burns, but I don’t think it actually went in, just a grazing. I really hate that man! The next time I get my hands on him may be the end for him, especially after I find out just what he did to her.

Hailing a cab to the nearest hospital, I’m beyond pissed that I’m currently seeking medical attention instead of finding my girl, but something tells me she isn’t going to respond too nicely to me being covered in blood. For some reason on the way to the hospital in the back of the cab my thoughts drift to my siblings. More so my sister. She was taken when she was about ten years old and we never saw her again. The sick fuck did the same types of things that Rob did with Molly’s things. Every week or so my parents would get something else in the mail that was hers. Every week we would lose hope that she wasn’t coming back. Eventually my mom stopped crying, my dad stopped opening the packages, and we tried to get back to normal. Then the body parts started coming. I still remember the first box that had her fingers in it. I was only a boy, but I opened the box not knowing what it was and almost threw up. These past two months all I could think about was what I would do if that started happening with Molly. If one day I stopped caring. I could never, Molly is everything to me. If I didn’t have her for the rest of my life I’m not sure how I could go on.

***

While at the hospital I’m able to get my phone to turn on thanks to help from one of the nurses. I may have used the Savage smile on them, but I’m becoming frantic to make sure Molly and Eddie are okay. There’s a massive crack in the screen but it still works enough for me to check messages. I have about twenty texts, all from Eddie. My heart speeds up as I read each of them.

Eddie:
Dude, what the fuck?! Where the hell are you?!

Eddie
: I left and brought her back to the hotel, meet us here.

Eddie
: I’m starting to get fucking worried, man.

Eddie
: She’s flipping out in the bathroom, dude. You need to get here.

They go on, each getting more and more frantic due to my lack of communication. The last one is what sends me over the edge, though.

Eddie
: I can’t get her to talk, Tatum. Wherever you are you need to get here. It’s bad.

Unfortunately, Eddie knows a thing or two about mistreated woman. He’s also a man of little words. A text that long from him means something is really wrong. Didn’t he tell her who he is? I would have hoped she would be over the moon excited to see me. Whatever that asshole Delany did to her these last two months, the description in Eddie’s texts makes it sound like he broke her. If he fucking broke my Molly, I’m going to do more than break his face the next time I see him.

After finding a nurse willing enough to let me use her phone, I shoot a quick text to Eddie explaining my situation, telling him I’ll be there soon and not to let her leave. I haven’t fully got her back yet, I can’t lose her again.

Molly

Now that the stress of being in that damned house has been lifted I suddenly realize just how hungry I am. I chance a look around the room I’m sitting in, but see nothing but Eddie’s clothes and a laptop. It’s strange how familiar these everyday items are to me. I remember Tatum wearing shoes like that, I remember him working on a similar laptop. Unfortunately, after searching and searching the room, I’ve realized there is no food, no drinks, not even any peanuts or granola bars. I’m not sure where Eddie is, as he left soon after he told me about his mom, but I’m so hungry right now I’m starting to shake. With no money to get food, though, I don’t really know what to do.

As if he knows exactly what I need, Eddie walks back in the room with a tray full of food and a shy smile on his face.

“Hey. So, I heard your stomach earlier. No offense, but you look like you could eat. I got everything on the menu.” Walking out of the room, he comes back in immediately with another tray full of food. Pizza slices, cheeseburgers, fries. All of the greasy food that I had come to miss dearly, and this stranger knew exactly what to bring for me. Am I missing something? Does Eddie really know me, and how was he at that house at the same time I was being moved? I have so many questions but they all have to wait. I am so hungry I can’t really think straight.

I dig in, not caring what I look like. Three fries at a time, huge bites of the burger. I’m probably overdoing it, but seriously I’ve never felt so hungry in my life. I didn’t even feel the urge to eat, though, until sitting in this room. It’s weird what nerves can do to your appetite. I haven’t eaten more than a piece of toast a day for the last two months.

Eddie’s sitting in the chair by the desk with the laptop open. He’s been so nice this entire time and all I’ve been is broodingly quiet. Maybe I should try for small talk. I can do that. I used to know how to do that.

“So, uh, Eddie. Where are we?” Simple enough question, but the way he flicks his gaze up to me makes me second guess asking it.

“You don’t know where we are?” he asks, his eyebrows pulling in in confusion.

“It’s embarrassing… but no. No clue. Sorry I asked, never mind.” I say, lowering my head. And now I feel like the stupid kid in class who always asks the wrong things. Maybe small talk isn’t my forte anymore.

He walks across the bed and sits down next to me. For a minute I think he’s going to take my hand, but he doesn’t. That’s good, I may run if someone tried touching me right now.

“Molly, if you don’t mind me asking. What happened to you?” he asks, his gaze connecting with mine. I start to feel the trembles coming. I can’t do this. I’m not ready to talk about this. Just this morning I received a beating because… well, just because. Things have happened so fast today it almost doesn’t seem real. Part of me has been waiting for Eddie to strike out over something, but the sane part of me keeps telling the crazy part that she’s nuts. Not everyone is evil. Not everyone is like Rob.

“You know, I’m pretty tired. I think I’m going to lay down.” I say as I get up to move the food trays to the table. On my way I see a glance of myself in the mirror and cringe. God, I really need to get my hair fixed.

He gets the point I’m trying to make a recedes back to the chair he was occupying a few moments ago. His eyes watch me this time, though. As if he’s trying to figure me out. There’s nothing to figure out here. Just a broken girl. A broken girl that can only be fixed by the one thing she won’t ever have again: Tatum Savage.

***

His hand comes down again, this time harder than the first, slapping my cheek. My ribs are killing me and my head is throbbing from where he grabbed my hair. I refuse to cry. I refuse to show weakness.

“When you don’t ask, bad things happen. You FUCKING ask if you want a window open!” he bellows as his shoe comes in contact with my ribs. Good lord those may be broken. The kicks continue, each harder than the first. The pain is outrageous, but I don’t shed a tear. Taking in a breath, I conclude that one rib may just indeed be broken as pain shoots through my entire mid-section.

Just when I think he’s done he pulls me up by my hair and glares at me. Those eyes, those black as night eyes haunt me.

“Disgusting. You’re kidding yourself if you ever think he’s going to want you back after this,” he mutters, then he throws me down as hard as he can and I lay there, unable to move, in a heap on the floor.

***

Out of breath and sweating, I jolt up in bed. The tears from the nightmare still on my face, I move to wipe them off and suddenly remember the bumps and bruises that sting as I wipe across them. It’s dark in my room, but I remember where I am. I’m safe, he can’t hurt me.

I whisper that to myself over and over again as my eyes adjust to the darkness in the room. The blinds are either shut tight or I’ve been asleep for a hell of a long time. I look around for a clock and that’s when I notice him, standing in the corner watching me.

Shit, I’m still dreaming aren’t I?

10

Tatum

The nurse in the hospital is about to get a taste of how nasty I can be. They’re so fucking slow! All I need are a few stitches and to be on my way. I don’t need pain pills, I don’t need any numbing shit. Fuck, just hand me the needle and I’ll sew it up myself! By the time she finally finishes, I practically run out of the hospital to find a cab. I picked up a shirt from the gift shop when I got here, so I throw that on in the back of the cab, tossing the bloody one out the window.

The entire drive I can’t stop my leg from shaking. My nerves are on high and I’m about to jump out of the cab and run to the hotel since I could probably get there faster. Come ON traffic! It’s been too fucking long to be sitting in traffic all night!

We finally make it and I throw the driver a huge wad of cash and slam the door. I’m almost there, baby.

I bolt into the hotel, as fast as humanly possible, towards our room. Eddie is waiting outside the door and stops me before I go in.
Fuck no
.

“She’s sleeping, dude. How’s your arm?” He glares at me, arms crossed, leaning on the door frame.

“I don’t fucking care. The woman I love, the woman that has been
missing
from my life for the past two months, is on the other side of that door. I’m going in there. Try and stop me... and my arm is fine. Just grazed. Now let me in.” I know I’m growling at him, but she’s in there, and my heart is about to beat out of me chest because I need to see her. Bad. And he’s not letting me.

“Listen, I’m not trying to stop you. I’m warning you. I pulled the curtains shut when she fell asleep a while ago. It’s dark... don’t fucking wake her up by plowing in there. That girl in there isn’t the woman you remember, Nate.” His words make me cringe. I fucking hate it when he lets that name slip.

“You don’t know what I remember. And my name isn’t Nate.” Growling, my fists clench, preparing for a knock down right here if he doesn’t let me in the room to see my girl.

“All I know is that there was major damage done to her. Inside and out. Go on in, see for yourself, but be gentle. Beaten women rarely like to discuss what happened to them. They also don’t want to be touched. Be patient with her.” His eyes narrow and he lets his arms down. He’s taken a liking to her, that much I can tell, and I hate how he just referred to her as being abused. I need to see her. I know he’s being protective of her because he feels she’s a kindred spirit and all, but she’s my girl. I need to be with her.

I take a breath, calming myself before I go in.

“I’ll be good. I promise. I just need to be with her.” I say, and he steps aside for me to walk through the door.

Too many times in the last few months I’ve been warned before walking into a room to see Molly. Too many times I’ve had to prepare myself for the worst when it comes to her. I’ve steeled myself this time.
I’m ready
. I walk in, quietly closing the door behind me so I don’t wake her up. I lock the door from the inside, making sure we won’t be interrupted. Eddie has a key to his room, he will be fine. Quietly, I take off my shoes and walk to the side of the bed where she sleeps. The room is almost pitch black, being lit just by a sliver of light coming through the crack in the curtain. I can’t make out much, but I see her figure under the covers. She seems so tiny, so frail. Her breathing is fast, and she’s starting to stir, so I back up and lean against the wall. It may seem creepy, watching someone sleep, but there is so much peace inside of me right now I don’t care. Just knowing that we are in the same room together makes my heart feel a hundred times lighter than it had become. My limbs no longer ache from the loss of her, my head doesn’t hurt anymore from trying to focus on the task at hand. I’ve found her. I owe Eddie my life, but that’s okay. I have all I need right here.

She starts to move around more and more, mumbling something I can’t make out. Suddenly she cries out in her sleep and her body curls into a tight ball. The cries keep coming and I don’t know what to do. Eddie texts me from the other side of the door, apparently hearing what is going on.

Eddie:
Dude, don’t wake her. Let her wake herself up. Believe me.

It’s almost disturbing to think that Eddie knows more about her right now than I do, but he has been through it all. I know the vague facts about his past, but he’s never opened up with details. All I know is that his mom was beaten so much by his father that she took her own life. From then on he was pretty much raised by his older sister.

Molly cries out again then sits straight up, tears streaming down her face.
Son of a bitch
what did he do to her? Her eyes frantically scan the room as she wipes her face free of the tears. She keeps saying that she’s safe, repeating it over and over. Then, those eyes I’ve missed so much in the last two months, land on me.

I’ve thought about what would happen when we were eventually reconnected. The excitement, the passion, the love for one another. I didn’t ever think to prepare myself for the look that I see in her eyes right now…

Fear.

Molly

I have to still be sleeping. The man in front of me wants nothing to do with me. He moved on. This man, the man I gave my heart to, gave up on me. Not that I blame him. He knows that I’ve been with Rob and he hates me for it. This has to be a dream. Frantically I try to wake up, but it isn’t working. I close my eyes and tell myself to wake up, but nothing changes.

I open my eyes again to see him standing closer. The look in his eyes is so sincere, so full of love that for a moment I think this is all real, but I know it can’t be.
This is the absolute worst dream I’ve ever had.
It feels so unbelievably real that I don’t want it to end. I’m scared to death to wake up to the world that I now know. A world without Tatum. A world without the man that I had learned to rely on for everything. I knew it was too good to be true. I tried telling myself that I needed to back off, but I couldn’t. He sucked me in, he made me complete. Then I went and fucked it all up on my own. I don’t even want to think how much I hurt him.

“Molly,” he whispers. His voice is so rough; so emotional. It’s as if he still loves me.

No. This isn’t real. This is all a dream. A terrible, terrible dream
.

“Please, just go away. I just want to wake up, this isn’t real. This isn’t fair.” I cry to myself, to the man in my imagination that had taken over all of my thoughts. I pray to wake up, I can’t take this anymore. It’s torture, the hope that this dream is making me have. Hope kept me sane the last two months, but now it’s about to make me loose it.

I feel the bed dip and hear his voice again.

“I’m not going anywhere, baby. This isn’t a dream,” he whispers.

I chance a glance up at him, wiping the tears from my face. Is this real? Have I fallen that far in the last two months to not be able to recognize real life from a dream? Slowly, I reach out and touch his face, but he doesn’t move. His eyes stay locked onto mine. When my hand connects to the stubble I flinch.

“Sorry. It’s been a long two months,” he chuckles lightly as his hand comes to rest on mine. “I’m so fucking happy you are back.” It was barely a whisper, but he said it. It wasn’t my imagination, this isn’t a dream. He is really here, and he is happy that I am too.

My heart starts waking up, coming out of the frozen hell it had taken residency in. I can’t speak, the tears are rolling now faster than I can wipe them away. If this is real, if I’m not dreaming, then he came for me. But how did he know where I was, and why is he here in Eddie’s room?

“How?” It’s all I’m able to get out through the emotions rolling through me.

“You’re in my hotel room, Molly. Eddie brought you here for me.” His voice hasn’t gotten any louder than a whisper this whole time. I can’t see him very well, but I can make out the emotion in his profile. There is a shine of something running down his face. He’s crying?

“I don’t understand… Eddie grabbed me from the front yard… there was…” I trail off, trying to recall everything that happened in that short amount of time. It comes back in a rush, and suddenly I remember there was another figure there, someone on my side. Someone else who saved me.

“It was you, wasn’t it? You really did come back for me? Oh God, the gunshot!?” I ask, almost not believing it myself. Why did it take him so long? What would he even want with me now that he knows about Rob and I? How bad was he hurt?!

“I was grazed in the arm. I’m fine, but that’s why it took me a little longer getting back here to you.”

“You really came back for me...” I’m in awe that he didn’t give up. Rob lied to me. Of course he did... he was trying his hardest to break me after all.

He nods his head, breathing a heavy sigh. Tatum reached across the side table and turns the lamp on. He returns his gaze to me and for a moment I sense his hesitation. His hands moved towards my face and I flinch, waiting for the hit that I had gotten so used to, a reflex that I’m incredibly ashamed of, but a reflex all the same. It isn’t him, this wasn’t Rob. Tatum would never hit me.

Tatum’s face falls immediately, his hands moving away faster than they came at me. He saw it. He saw me flinch from him. I don’t want to hurt him, damnit why did I have to flinch!

“I’m sorry, Molly. I didn’t think….”

“It’s fine,” I lie. I’m not fine. Flinching from the man that you love is not a good reaction.

“No. It’s not fine. You’ve been through so much these last two months. I don’t know what he did to you, but I shouldn’t have been so forward as to think you wouldn’t be scared.” He sighs heavily and rakes his hands through his hair. “I need a water. I’ll be back. Can I bring you anything?”

I shake my head, trying to hold the tears at bay. He’s disgusted with me. He saw me flinch and once it registered what happened to me, he decided to leave instead of stay with me. Before leaving, he looks at me one last time. I can’t tell if it’s hurt or disgust in his eyes, but I soak it in, thinking that this is probably the last time I’ll see him. Once he closes that door he’ll probably be running towards the nearest exit, getting away from the crazy woman once and for all. He only came back to make sure I was really broken. Well congratulations Rob, you won.