Fragments of Us (A Contemporary Broken Hearts Romance) (Book Book 2)

by Vasser, LaShawn

  Davis didn’t give him a chance to say another word before he rammed his fist into his face, knocking the man clean on his ass. All he saw was white rage. Davis followed him down and continued to pound his face, bursting his lip and most likely breaking his nose. Roman tried to fight back, but Davis was much too angry and too strong for him to stand a chance. He spoke through clenched teeth. “Where is my wife?”

  Roman spat the blood from Davis’s punches into his face, and he ground out. “You should be thankful I found her when I did.”

  That garnered him two more punches. “I swear to God. I’ll kill you if you’ve touched her in any way.”

  “I didn’t touch her. She’s too fucked up for that. But I’ve got video, and I’m sure you would be willing to do anything to keep it from the public.”

  Russell had gone ahead searching the apartment, allowing Davis to beat the crap out of Roman, while he and Harlan continued to look for her. Harlan yelled out. “She’s in here!”

  Davis punched him one last time and tossed him away as if he were a rag doll, then high-tailed it into the room where Russell had found her. Harlan went back to stand guard over Roman and instructed the two men that entered the apartment with them to search every nook and cranny for anything else that might prove useful.

  When Davis found Nicole, she was in bed and naked. Her clothes were sprawled out all around the room. His heart began to pound. “Nicole!?”

  She didn’t answer.

  He shook her. “Nicole!?!”

  Still, there was no movement.

  Davis pressed his fingers against her neck checking for a pulse. It was there and beating fast. He bent low, making sure the sheet covered her and picked her up.

  “Davis?” Nicole’s head lolled around and finally landed on his shoulder. Her eyes were barely open, but he could tell they were dilated. Her makeup, the black mascara, had been smeared all over her face. She looked like a raccoon by the eyes.

  “It’s me, and I’m here.” He carried her out of the bedroom back to the living room. Roman was still half naked but wrapped in a towel and sitting on the sofa being grilled by Harlan and his team. His eyes, what could be seen of them, glittered with rage and hatred. They were starting to swell up, and his face was bloodied and bruised. Davis didn’t get any satisfaction in knowing he’d broken his nose. If he didn’t have Nicole in his arms, he would still be beating the shit out of him.

  Russell grabbed Nicole’s things and followed behind Davis. When they made it to the front door, Harlan spoke. “We’ll do a clean sweep to make sure no trace of Nicole was left here. There’s a van downstairs waiting to take you two home. We’ll drive both your car and Nicole’s back to your house just in case the media is somewhere lurking around.”

  Davis was too angry to do anything but nod.

  Harlan stepped closer so that only Davis could hear. “We’ve found some interesting things in this apartment. We’ll talk more about it tomorrow. In the meantime, get your wife out of here and take her home.”

  Chapter 19

  Davis called to inform Jane and Dana that they had located Nicole—alive. He asked if they would contact Nicole’s physician so that she could meet them at their house for an examination. After the call, Davis sat back on the bench seat of the van and held Nicole in his arms. Fear of what could have happened wouldn’t allow him to let her go. Fear of what might have occurred gripped his heart. He rested his cheek on the top of her head then closed his eyes breathing in her scent. Davis had a million questions running through his mind but couldn’t focus on any one of them. As bad as things were, he tightened his hold when he considered what could have happened.

  Nicole was still naked underneath the sheet, but Davis swaddled her just like he had both Rayna and DJ when they were infants. It wasn’t until he had tasted the saltiness on his lips that he realized they were his tears that flowed down his face.

  For most of the drive home, Davis remained still. His own hands started to ache and swell. He hadn’t had a chance to wash them off, and they were still bloody from earlier. His jaw tightened as he had second thoughts about not killing Roman when he had the opportunity.

  By the time the van pulled into their garage, his tears had dried, and Nicole was starting to wake up. Her voice was small. “Davis?”

  “I’m here. I’m here.”

  “I’m sick.”

  “We’re home. Let’s get you inside.” He quickly carried her to the nearest bathroom and left Russell behind to fill Jane and Dana in on the details. It wasn’t a moment too soon, Nicole emptied what little she had on her stomach the moment she entered the bathroom. Davis held her hair back until she started to dry heave. Once she was finished, he gave her a warm towel.

  Nicole whispered, “I want to wash this sick and dirty feeling off me.”

  Davis sat on the floor next to her. “Okay. But we have to wait until Dr. MacEntyre can give us the okay.”

  “Dr. MacEntyre? Why?”

  His voice was strangled. “Do you not remember what happened tonight?”

  “I-I went for my meeting.” Her chest hurt from how she was treated. “I was hurt and angry when I left, and I wasn’t ready to come home . . .” Her voice trailed off. “I saw Roman on the elevator. Everything else is blank after that.”

  Nicole looked down at herself and realized she was wrapped in a sheet. Her eyes widened as she looked at Davis like really looked at him. His hands were swollen. The skin was torn, and they were bloody. “My god. What happened to you?” Tears were caught in her throat. “What happened to me?”

  Davis ran his hand down her back in an attempt to soothe her. “Nicole.”

  She was starting to get hysterical. “What happened to me!? Did he? Did I? Oh. My. God!” Her beautiful eyes glittered with unshed tears.

  “Whatever happened we’ll deal with it.”

  Nicole let out a gut-wrenching wail. Davis felt it clear through to his soul. He pulled her into his arms and rocked back and forth as Nicole cried out with raw emotion.

  Dr. MacEntyre knocked on the door. “Davis? Nicole? It’s me. May I come in?”

  Nicole shook her head no. “I can’t. I don’t . . .”

  “Sweetheart. She just wants to make sure you don’t need medical attention.”

  Nicole sniffed. “But I do.” Her tears tumbled down her face like a waterfall. He could barely understand the words coming out of her mouth through them. “Davis, I’m sick.”

  He gently moved her hair from out of her face and behind her ear. “Okay, Dr. MacEntyre can help with that. Just let her look at you for a few minutes. Okay?”

  Nicole shook her head no at the same time, Dr. MacEntyre called out to them again. “Davis? Nicole?”

  He pleaded with her. “Please, Nicole.”

  It was the brokenness in his voice that made her give up and agree.

  He called out. “Come in.”

  Evelyn MacEntyre poked her head through the door. “I’d like to come in and examine you if that’s okay, Nicole.”

  Shame kept Nicole’s eyes focused on the floor. “Okay.”

  Evelyn stepped into the bathroom. “Davis, I’ll need to examine her alone.”

  He was adamant. “I’m not leaving her.”

  “In my experience, this will go a lot smoother if we can be alone and Nicole is free to answer my questions.”

  Davis was still hesitant.

  “I promise you; I’ll take good care of her.”

  Nicole didn’t want him anywhere near the room if it turns out she had slept with Roman. Her voice was thick with emotion. “Please. I just want to get this over with.”

  He anxiously rubbed the back of his neck as he struggled to let her go.

  “Please.” It was the desperation in Nicole’s voice that made the decision for him.

  “I’ll be right outside.” His feet felt like they had cement blocks on them as he dragged himself away and closed the door.

  *****

  Davis came down into the living room
where everyone else had been waiting for an update as to how Nicole was doing.

  Jane’s eyes went wide when she saw him. “Davis. Your hands. Did you have Dr. MacEntyre look at them?”

  “I’m fine. I just want her to focus on Nicole.”

  Dana asked, “How is she?”

  “In shock.”

  “What happened?”

  “All she can remember is going to the Clarks Tower Building for a meeting, and, when leaving, she ran into a man she’d met through the foundation on the elevators. She doesn’t remember anything else from that point on until she woke up in the back of the van.”

  Jane and Dana had both been standing but sat down on the sofa. The unspoken current in the room was the hope Nicole hadn’t been violated.

  Jane nudged Dana in the ribs and whispered, “Tell him.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Tell me what?”

  It was as if Dana was in pain, but she knew Davis needed to know. “I found these in Nicole’s purse.” She held up a clear baggie of pills.

  “What are those?”

  “Fentanyl.”

  His mouth gaped open. “What? Why the hell would she have those?”

  “Davis . . .”

  He wasn’t ready to hear the words that he knew were about to come out of her mouth. “Dana, you’re walking on thin ice. I’m not going to let you stand in my house after everything that has happened tonight and call my wife a drug addict!”

  “I love Nicole too! This isn’t easy for me either. Why else would she have these? Where did she get them from? Why are they in a plastic baggie and not a prescription bottle with her name on it? Why can’t she remember anything?”

  Davis was about to erupt, but Jane stopped him with her words. “Dana’s right. We can’t help Nicole if we’re denying what might be going on.”

  “I’m not deny anything. I just refuse to listen to this bullshit! Nicole is too smart to get caught up on drugs.”

  Dr. MacEntyre walked into the room. “Anyone can fall prey to drug abuse, Davis. It’s the one thing that crosses all socio-economic backgrounds. May I have a word with you privately?” Davis nodded, and they walked into his office.

  “I’m done with my cursory exam. I can’t say with one hundred percent certainty, but it doesn’t appear as though she was physically violated. Still, to be safe, I used the medical rape kit on her and administered the morning after pill. I should have the results back tomorrow.”

  Davis was overwhelmed. He nodded. “I understand. Her eyes were dilated. What about drugs? I’m sure that bastard did something to her.”

  Her voice softened. “What I’m about to tell you isn’t easy. Nicole has you listed on her HIPPA Privacy Authorization Form, and, because I’m deeming this a medical emergency and you are Nicole’s husband, I think I’m on good legal ground to tell you this.”

  Dread crept over him, but Davis listened intently.

  “Nicole called me earlier asking for a refill on her prescription. I told her I couldn’t do it. I’d only refilled the last one a few days ago. Now, I won’t know for sure what the results will be for all the tests I’m running, but I am not so sure someone else gave her anything.”

  The breath left his body. Davis wasn’t sure his legs would support him. “What am I supposed to do? How can I fix this?”

  “First, know that you can’t. If the problem is what I think, Nicole is the only person who can resolve it. All you can do is support her.” Dr. MacEntyre walked over and placed a supportive hand on his shoulder. “I took her to your bedroom. She asked for you.”

  Davis nodded. His chest was tight, and he was barely able to breathe. Still, he turned on his heel and walked out of the room with only one goal in mind. “I need to see my wife.”

  *****

  It was dark when he entered, but the lights from the bathroom cast a soft glow onto the walls of their bedroom. The shower was running. He walked slowly inside. Davis heard her before he saw her through the glass shower doors. Nicole was kneeling on the floor with her face in her hands crying.

  “Nicole?”

  Her body was wracked with tears. She hadn’t heard him. Slowly, he opened the door and got into the shower fully clothed. Then he went down on his knees.

  Her sobs were disheartening. Nicole stiffened once she realized he was there. “I’m sorry, Davis. I’m so so sorry.”

  He pulled her into his arms. The water pelted his skin, but he didn’t care. “It’s okay.”

  “No. No, it’s not okay. I tried to tell you earlier. I’m sick. I-I . . .”

  “We can talk about this tomorrow.”

  “No, we can’t. I will not do this to you and the kids anymore. By tomorrow, I need to be in a hospital—” Nicole could barely get the words out. “One that treats drug addicts.”

  Chapter 20

  Dr. Carmen watched Nicole intently. “You’ve made a lot of progress since you’ve been here at Serenity. So much, that I think it might be a good idea for Davis to sit in on your next session.” She awaited her response.

  Nervously, Nicole twisted her fingers together. It had only been a couple of weeks since she and Davis had been allowed to speak by telephone. They had just talked a few times, and their conversations were strained and brief. Nicole’s thoughts were all over the place, but the one that stood out the most was what will he think of me? She was not only nervous but ashamed.

  Dr. Carmen continued to probe her. “Why the hesitation? What are you thinking?”

  Nicole took a deep breath still focused on her fingers. “He should probably hate me.”

  The therapist scribbled something down on her notepad. Then looked back up at Nicole. “I can’t see why your husband would be upset that you needed help and decided to do something about it.”

  Her voice was barely a whisper. “No. That’s not it.” Nicole finally lifted her eyes to meet hers. “I abandoned him when he needed me the most.”

  “Ahh . . . I see. Let me ask you another question. When you first board a commercial airplane and the instructor gives you the safety spiel when they get to the part about the life preserver jacket, who do they say you should help first? Your neighbor to your left, or right?”

  Nicole smiled slightly. “You do realize my husband, and I survived a plane crash and was stranded on a deserted island?”

  She nodded. “I absolutely do which is why I felt like this question would resonate. So, who would you save first?”

  “Well, according to the instructions, I should put it on myself first.”

  “And why is that?”

  “Because I cannot help someone else if I can’t save myself.”

  “Exactly.” Dr. Carmen sat on the edge of her seat. “Nicole, if we keep with this analogy you’ve been drowning for a long time. Well before you met Davis. However, the world of perfect you tried to create as an adult and with your own family was unrealistic. Never mind that perfection is unachievable, but each time you bounced around from foster home to foster home as a child, it deepened the wounds of abandonment. Todd’s betrayal continued to solidify your feelings of unworthiness. You processed Davis’s absence as abandonment too.”

  Nicole tilted her head slightly. “I still think the investment of time is imperative for a family to thrive.”

  “That’s true. But your anger at his absence seemed to stem from that hurt place of your childhood that was never resolved. And, now that you’ve been exposed for being human and vulnerable, is that why you are afraid to see him?”

  “I hurt him. I can hear it in his voice. In my stupor, I have no idea if I slept with Roman.”

  “All the more reason to hash out your feelings in a safe place like this.”

  “What if he wants a divorce? Or worse, what if he goes to prison?”

  “Either way, you will pick up the pieces and move forward, not only for your children but for your soul. So, let me ask you this question again. Are you going to call Davis to see if he can make our next session?”

  The clock buzzed. Their
session was over. Quickly, Nicole stood ready to get the hell out of the hot seat. She was thankful it was someone else’s turn.

  “Nicole?”

  “Thank you for your time today, Dr. Carmen. You have given me a lot to think about.” She turned and walked out of the room.

  *****

  Davis sat in his home office staring off into space. He hated this time of the day. Rayna and DJ were in bed asleep, and it was just him alone with his thoughts. There were moments he missed Nicole so bad it hurt, and then there were times, he was so angry that Davis wanted her to feel as badly as he had.

  His phone rang. It was a welcomed reprieve from the loneliness. His voice was rough. “Davis.”

  “Um . . . Davis? It’s me. Nicole.”

  Speaking of the Devil. His heart rate accelerated. He had talked her up. “Nicole. It’s . . . uh . . . good . . . to hear from you. Is everything alright?”

  He sounds like he’s talking to a stranger. Her spirits dropped a little. She chewed her bottom lip as she spoke into the phone. “I am trying to get better and stronger. H-how are you . . . and the kids?”

  What was he supposed to say? He couldn’t tell her that over the past couple of months, there had been no movement on the case and that financially he was almost bankrupt. Should he tell her about what happened that night with Roman? The rage bubbled up inside of him. Davis took a few deep breaths to calm down. He didn’t know how fragile her recovery was and decided to keep everything to himself. “The kids miss you.”

  Just the kids? She thought. “It’s hard being away. Please hug and kiss them for me. Tell them how much I love and miss them too.” Her throat was thick, but she pushed on with her reason for calling. Nicole raked her fingers through her hair as she sat at the desk being monitored by the Serenity personnel. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but next week . . . Dr. Carmen thinks it’s a good idea if you could make it to one of my therapy sessions.”

  There was dead silence that lasted for seconds but felt as if it went on forever. Nicole’s heart was beating so fast waiting for his answer. Her stomach dropped when she heard him exhale into the phone. “If she thinks it would be helpful, I can be there.”