“I’m aware of that, sir. According to the law, we’ve done nothing wrong. Sex between us was consensual.”
“That may be, but she is still a minor. I promise you’ll be served a restraining order before the day is finished.” Grabbing Six by the shoulders, he kneed him hard in the balls.
Groaning loudly, Six fell to the floor writhing. I screamed, hurrying to his side, but my dad grabbed my arm, yanking me back and holding me in front of him as Brandon rushed forward. “Stop now, or she’s only going to get it worse,” he threatened. “All of you are going to stand back and let me leave with my daughter or I’ll call the police and you’ll all end up in jail.”
Giant sobs escaped me as he dragged me from the room and out the front door. “Six!” I screamed toward the pool house. “Six! I love you! I love you! I’m so sorry!”
A hand clamped over my mouth. “Shut up, you little bitch, before everyone hears you! You’re going to stand up straight and walk out to the car with me, do you understand? Otherwise, I’m having your boyfriend arrested for assault.”
Tears blinded me and he had to guide me to the car. I got inside without a fight. I didn’t want him to take his anger out on Six. Better me, than him.
Sliding in beside me, he started the car and drove out the gate. The only sound on the short trip from Bailey’s house to ours was my hiccupping sobs. As soon as the garage door was lowered he got out. “Get inside,” he ordered. “We aren’t finished with this.” He stormed into the house.
Slowly, I got out and followed after him.
“Where’s mom?” I asked, not seeing her anywhere. I’d been hoping for her support through this. She’d at least act as a buffer between us.
Leaning against the counter, he folded his arms across his chest. “You’re mom had an acute appendicitis attack in the middle of the night and is currently in surgery—something you would’ve known had you bothered to leave your phone on while you were out fucking your plaything.”
“Dad, please,” I began, but he held up his hand.
“Save it! I don’t want to hear it. Do you have any idea the damage you’ve done to this family? You weren’t at the hospital to support you mother. That looks bad. Now if this leaks out, people are going to think my kid is a whore.”
“Oh, please!” I shouted back, my anger rising to the surface. “You are such a hypocrite! Why don’t you get off your high horse and quit worrying about the skeletons in everyone else’s closet and take care of your own!”
A hard set came over his mouth. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Says the man who has been sleeping with his publicist for years and killed his own son! People will take one look at me and think I’m just a chip off the ole block, won’t they, Mr. Righteous?”
White-hot agony pierced my face as he slapped me, hitting me so hard I fell to the floor. A scream of pain escaped me and he kicked me in the stomach. “I said shut up!” he roared, grabbing me by the wrist and dragging me behind him, across the tile. Pulling me into his office, he fished a set of keys from his pocket, not releasing me as he slid one into the lock of a closet, opening it.
I used the distraction to climb slowly to my feet, but he threw me inside, pressing me against the wall, his hand wrapped around my throat, choking me.
Clawing at his hand, I desperately tried to peel it away.
“Listen, you ungrateful little bitch. I’ve given you everything. And this is how you repay me? Well, no more! I’m going to the courthouse right now to see a judge and I’m going to get that asshole you were in bed with arrested. I’m going to tear him apart piece by piece. He won’t have a life worth living when I’m finished with him! He’s gonna curse the day he ever laid eyes on you.” Spittle flew from his mouth, spraying me as he spoke, still not relinquishing his hold on me. “As for you, my sweet princess, you can be the next skeleton in my closet for all I care!”
Black spots were swimming before my eyes and it felt like he was squeezing my neck even harder. Suddenly, he released me, stepping out of the closet and slamming the door.
Falling to my knees, I gasped, gulping great breaths of air as I tried to refill my lungs before rolling onto my side and sobbing hysterically.
He was evil. My dad was pure evil. I used to think he was just a jerk, but I was wrong. He was the devil incarnate.
Trying to recover, I laid there for several minutes before I finally had enough strength to jiggle the doorknob. Locked. No surprises there. Throwing my weight against it, I tried to bust it open, much to the dismay of my protesting body.
What now? I thought to myself.
The doorbell rang, followed instantly by pounding. “Brooklyn! Brooklyn, are you in there?”
“Six!” I tried to shout through my weakened voice. “Six! Help me! I’m in the office!” I pounded on the door with all my might, hoping he could hear me. “Six!”
The sound of glass shattering filled the room and the house alarm system immediately activated, filling the air. I continued pounding on the door.
“Stand back, Brooklyn!” he shouted. Backing away, I heard him kicking the door. Something heavier hit it and I shrieked, as the leg of a chair came through one of the panels, splintering it. “Hurry!” he shouted grabbing the part of the door and ripping it outward. “We don’t have much time!”
Kicking at the door, I broke away a large piece. “I think I can get through now,” I said, ducking my head and shoulder through the hole as he pulled me from the other side. I winced, feeling several splinters piercing my skin and gouging into my back. But then I was free.
Gathering me into his arms, he ran toward the window, not so carefully dumping me out and then jumping out after me. Grabbing my hand, we ran toward the gate toward his car, parked on the other side.
The motion sensor opened it for us and we both ran to the opposite sides of the car climbing in. Revving the engine, he backed out of the driveway and onto the road, driving away quickly. “Do you still have your phone?” he asked, and I nodded. “Throw it out the window.”
I didn’t question him, doing as he asked. Pulling his from his pocket, he handed it to me. “Turn this off and do the same with it.” Again, I followed his instructions.
“Where are we going?” I asked, my voice sounding choked and scratchy.
“To Dee Dee’s,” he replied shortly, glancing briefly at me. “Shit! Look at you sweetheart. You’re a mess. What did he do to you?” Gripping the steering wheel harder, his knuckles turned white.
“He slapped me, and kicked me. Then almost choked me to death.” I started sobbing, the reality of what had just happened hitting me hard. Never in my life had I ever experienced something so brutal, let alone at the hands of my father.
“Never again. You hear me?” he grabbed my hand, squeezing it. “He will never touch you, again. Not while there’s breath in my body.”
“That hurts,” I said, gesturing to his hand and he released it immediately. “Sorry, I hurt everywhere. And I’m sorry he hurt you, too.”
“Don’t apologize. Don’t you dare apologize. None of this is your fault.”
Slumping back into the seat, I closed my eyes, but the tears continued to leak from them. Still, as soon as we arrived in front of Dee Dee’s house, relief poured through me. I knew she would help us; and right now, we needed all the help we could get.
Six came around and opened my door, but then insisted on carrying me to the house like I was an invalid. I didn’t mind though, not really. There wasn’t a spot on my body that wasn’t aching.
Dee Dee opened the door before we could knock. “Dear heaven, what’s happened?” she asked, pulling the two of us inside and shutting the door.
“Dad caught us,” I replied in my raspy voice.
“He beat her,” Six said, sounding strained.
“Set her on the couch. I’m getting my camera,” she said.
“For what?” I asked.
“To take pictures,” Six replied. “It’s more proof against
your dad. Are you okay with that?”
I nodded. “But what about you? He hurt you, too.
Six snorted lightly. “I hardly think anyone is going to want pictures of my swollen nuts, sweetheart. Besides, I have several witnesses to his actions against me. Plus, I did throw the first punch.”
Dee Dee reappeared, holding a digital camera.
“Dad said he was going to the courthouse to see a judge. He told me he’s going to make your life hell and take you apart piece by piece—that you’d hate the day you ever laid eyes on me.”
“Sweetheart, he can try, but I’m not going anywhere.”
“Don’t underestimate him,” Dee Dee warned. “He has lots of people in his pocket.”
“So, where do we go from here then, if we can’t trust the law?” I asked, fear creeping higher inside me.
“Do you trust me?” Dee Dee asked, and we both nodded. “Good. We’re going to park Six’s car in my garage for the time being. Then I’m going to take the two of you to a motel somewhere. I’m going to check in, with cash, hopefully, then I’ll give the key to you two, so no one will see you. I want you to lay low and let me take care of the rest until I tell you it’s okay.”
“But how will we get food and clothes? And we got rid of our cell phones, too,” I told her.
“Don’t worry. I can take care of all of that. No one will be thinking to look at me. They’ll think you ran off together. They’ll be putting an APB out on Six’s car. If you don’t go anywhere, no one can see you. There’s those extended stay places that you can book up to a month at a time, so you won’t even have to worry about things like maid service. Trust me. It’ll be okay.”
“But Six has a job.”
“Brooklyn,” Six interrupted, turning my chin toward him. “None of that matters right now. Only being safe. It’ll all work out.”
“Okay.” I sighed. “Okay.” Fresh tears overwhelmed me. “I just don’t ever want to see my dad, again.”
“The monster,” Six said quietly, glancing at Dee Dee. “That’s what Tommy used to call him.”
Dee Dee nodded shortly. “I know. And he was right. Scott Hall is a monster.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Six
“You know when I said I wanted to have you in my bed every night, this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.” Carefully, I stretched out gently beside Brooklyn on the hotel bed, not wanting to jostle things and hurt her even more.
“I guess that’s the plus side to all of this. At least we got put in a suite. It’s like our own little one bedroom apartment,” she replied with a soft smile as she lay there staring at me.
Anger stabbed me in the gut. “Your lips are swollen on this one side, too.” It seemed the longer she sat, the worse her bruises and swelling got. I wish I could take you to the doctor.”
“I’ll be all right. I’m just sore.”
“Dee Dee was smart to leave the camera here. I’m going to need to take more pictures of you.” Ever so lightly, I ran my thumb over her bottom lip.
“Do I look that bad?” she asked.
“Pretty bad, but even bruises can’t hide how gorgeous you are.”
She laughed. “What are you smoking and can I have some?”
I chuckled, leaning forward and lightly pressed my lips to her forehead. “I’m not smoking anything—I’m just high on you, sweetheart.”
She laughed harder. “That was so lame, but I liked it anyway. If I didn’t hurt so bad right now, I’d jump your bones.”
“And if my balls didn’t feel like they’d been crushed by a steamroller, I’d let you.” I smiled widely. “You and I are quite the pair, aren’t we?”
“It’s sad, isn’t it? We finally have a place all to ourselves and we’ve been reduced to staring at one another.” Sighing heavily, she slipped one of her hands into mine.
“I can think of a lot worse things to do than stare at you. But, that being said, I hope we both heal, quickly.”
“If you’d known this is where we were going to end up on the night I walked into Leathers, would you still have asked me out?” Eyes locked with mine, she watched me intently.
“Some things are worth going through the ringer for, and you’re definitely one of those things. Why? Would you have?”
Surprisingly, she shook her head. “I don’t think I would’ve done anything if I’d known it would end up hurting you.”
I snorted. “You’re banged up way worse than me, sweetheart. I promise you, I’m going to get through this just fine. You’re the one I’m worried about.”
“As long as I have you, I’ll be okay.” Shifting, slightly, she groaned. “I swear. I hurt so badly right now. And I think I have some slivers in my back from the door.”
“Let me check.” Sitting up, I watched as she gingerly rolled over onto her stomach. Immediately, I noted small blood spots and tears in her shirt. I lifted it carefully, bending to examine her skin. “Yep, I can see at least three and they’re pretty good sized, too. I think I can get them out without tweezers if you don’t mind me trying.”
“I don’t mind. I just want them gone.”
Gritting my teeth every time she flinched or hissed, I found myself wanting to beat Scott to a pulp more and more. How any man could treat his child this way was beyond me. It made me wonder if he’d ever beat his wife, too. Perhaps she could be convinced to come forward, as well, if she had.
“There,” I said, finally, after what seemed like hours of torturing her. “I think that’s all of them.”
“Thank you. It feels better, already.”
“I’m going to go draw you a hot bath, now. I think it would do wonders for your muscles to be able to soak in there for a while. Sound good?”
“That sounds wonderful.”
“Maybe I’ll sit out here with the ice bucket between my legs while you’re in there.” I grinned when she laughed, but that was followed immediately by a groan. “It hurts to laugh where he kicked me in the stomach.”
Clenching my fists, I got up and went into the bathroom, the desire to punch my fist through something overwhelming me. This was all my fault. If I’d just kept my dick in my pants until she was eighteen, this wouldn’t have even been an issue. Granted, I was pretty sure Scott wouldn’t have been any happier about it; but legally, he wouldn’t have been able to do anything. Of course, it didn’t really appear that he cared that much about the law at the moment.
While I loved knowing that she was here safely with me, I hated the circumstances that brought us here. I hated seeing her in pain, and I was going to do my damnedest to make sure she was comfortable.
Turning on the water, I tested it with my hand, adjusting the temperature, but keeping it on the hotter side. The warmer the water, the more her muscles would relax. I left it running and walked back into the bedroom.
“Let me help you into the bathroom. I hope you like really warm baths. I kept it pretty hot. I thought it would relax your muscles more.” Scooping her up, I carried her into the bathroom.
“I can walk on my own, you know. I’m not an invalid.” Smiling, she leaned forward and kissed my cheek. Carefully, I set her on her feet.
“I guess I feel the need to make things up to you. None of this would’ve happened had I stuck to the original plan and not slept with you until you were eighteen.”
“If we had stuck to the original plan,” she replied, stressing the “we.” “As I recall, I was the one who asked you to sleep with me.”
“I could’ve said no.”
“Could you have?” Staring at me, she smiled.
I laughed. “It would’ve been really hard, but I’d like to think I could be man enough to say no.”
“And what about the next time?”
Sighing heavily, I knew it would’ve been a loosing battle. “Fine. I admit it. You drive me so crazy I can’t control myself when you’re around. Is that what you want to hear?” Grabbing the hem of her shirt, I lifted it over her head, before reaching around to unhook her bra
. “That every time I get near you I turn into a giant raging hormone?”
“I love when you exaggerate to make me feel better.”
Taking her hand, I brought it to the front of my jeans, rubbing it against my zipper. “Does this feel like an exaggeration to you?” I asked.
“Oh,” she said, her eyes going wide with surprise. “I thought you were feeling a little . . . incapacitated down there.”
“I am,” I replied as I began helping her remove her shorts. “Trust me when I say this isn’t feeling very good. I’m seriously considering icing it while you’re in here to see if that’ll help with some of the swelling.”
“Do it; if you think it will help. Hopefully Dee Dee will be back with the over-the-counter painkillers you asked her for, soon. We could both use some, I think.” Holding my hand, she stepped into the tub. I helped her sit down and she sighed. “Thank you for this. I can feel my muscles relaxing already.”
“Anything else I can get you? A glass of water, maybe?”
“No. I’m good. Go ice yourself and listen for Dee Dee.”
“Call me if you need me to help you reheat the water.”
She shook her head. “I’m fine, go take care of yourself. I insist.”
“See. Already trying to get rid of me,” I teased.
“Never. I just don’t want you to be in pain. I love you.”
Winking at her, I left the room. “I love you, too,” I called back to her.
Making my way into the kitchen, I opened the freezer, happy to find an icemaker there. I began searching through cupboards and drawers, finding some garbage bags under the sink. Grabbing one, I dumped all the ice in the freezer into it and twisted it closed.
“Doing okay in there?” I asked as I passed the bathroom, again.
“Shh. I’m sleeping,” she replied, and I laughed. “Good. Holler if you need me.”
Settling onto the bed, I placed the ice between my legs, knowing this wasn’t going to feel comfortable. I grabbed the remote and flicked on the television, hoping to take my mind off things.
Flipping through the channels, I stopped in shock when I saw my face on the news. It was the picture from my driver’s license. I quickly turned up the volume.