by Kate Stacy
Seconds pass with no response.
My entire body jolts when he throws his head back in loud, crazed laughter.
I’m frozen in place, unable to breathe as my heart threatens to beat right out of my chest.
His reaction is terrifying.
His laughter stops abruptly, and he trains his sights on me again. He watches me eerily for a minute before moving closer to me. Squatting between my legs in front of the chair, he looks up at me with a smirk.
“You’re not divorcing me, Madalyn. You promised me forever.”
“And you promised to love and cherish me. Looks like we both lied.”
I attempt to slide the chair back, but he grabs the legs so I can’t move.
“You can’t keep using our vows against me, David. No matter what you think, I’ve never broken a single one.”
Moving his hands from the chair to my legs, he slides them up my thighs. “You don’t obey very well.”
“I don’t want to argue with you, David. I just want out. I can’t do this anymore. I can’t take any more of your abuse.” My voice cracks on the last word. It’s hard to admit that’s what’s been happening since we got married, but there’s no avoiding the truth. Saying the actual word only makes it more real. He doesn’t just hit me. He abuses me.
“You’re forgetting the most important part of our vows, wife,” he says, tightening his grip.
“Our vows don’t mean shit! You obliterated everything they stood for the first time you laid a hand on me!”
I’m pushing my luck by raising my voice, I know I am. But I can’t seem to stop the words from pouring out, the emotion flowing right along with them.
“Jesus, David. You hurt me physically, tear me down mentally, you cheat on me all the time. I’ve had enough!”
Pushing off the chair, I manage to force him away from me so I can stand. I want distance, but he doesn’t let me get far. He moves swiftly and the next thing I know, he’s got me against the wall, arms pinned above my head. A sharp pain shoots through my broken arm and I cry out.
Ignoring my cry of pain, he uses his other hand to grab a fistful of my hair, jerking my head back against the wall. He licks my neck before biting down hard enough to draw blood.
“Our vows, Madalyn. I want to hear you repeat them.”
He’s fixated on our useless fucking vows. I’d rather spit in his face than repeat those meaningless words, but he has me at a major disadvantage. It will only be worse for me if I don’t obey, so through tears and broken words, I give him what he wants.
“I, Madalyn, take you, David, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish and obey—”
“Till death do us part.” He finishes.
He pulls his head back and something sinister surfaces in his dark gaze.
My eyes widen in terror. My breath stalls in my lungs.
Chuckling harshly, he runs his nose up my jawline to my ear.
“Nooooow she’s getting it.” He bites my earlobe and whispers, “I will not grant you a divorce, Madalyn. There’s only one way you’re getting out of this marriage.”
He drops my hands like they’re on fire, releases his grip on my hair, and stalks away without looking back. I let out the breath I’ve been holding as the front door slams. Sliding my back down the wall, I drop my ass to the floor and burst into tears. Curling into myself, I cradle my arm and pray he didn’t break it again.
The last year and a half has proven to me that David’s threat is not an empty one.
Any hope I had of getting out of this marriage is gone.
He’ll kill me if I try to leave, but I also fear he’ll kill me if I stay.
There’s a knock on the door before it opens and I look up expecting to see Dr. Stephens, but find myself looking into the face of my brother instead.
“What are you doing here, Holden?”
I didn’t tell anyone about my appointment today, and after last night I was glad because I didn’t want to have to try to explain my worry about re-injuring my arm. It was hard enough to come up with something to tell the doctor.
“Small town, sis. Presley saw you heading this way.” He shrugs, like it’s no big deal. “Thought you might want some company. You finally getting your cast off?”
I can’t ask him to leave. It’ll only raise questions I don’t want to answer.
“Hopefully. Dr. Stephens took another set of x-rays to make sure everything healed right. I’m waiting for him to come back in and let me know.”
It’s not a lie. Not really. It’s just not the entire truth. The doctor was set and ready to cut the cast off, but I spun a story and expressed my concern that I may have caused more damage, so he wanted to get an x-ray to be on the safe side. Now I’m nervously waiting for him to come back because I’m not sure how this will play out with my overprotective big brother here.
“Ah. Well hopefully he comes back with good news. I’ll wait with you, and if you’re up for it we can grab some lunch after this.”
Another knock, and Dr. Stephens comes back into the room.
He looks up from the clipboard in his hand and notices Holden in the room.
“Nice to see you again.” He greets Holden, then turns his gaze to me. I shoot him a look, praying I get my point across. I don’t want him to say too much with Holden here. There’s a hard look in his eyes, but he gives me a resigned nod and I breathe a sigh of relief.
“Everything looks good, Mrs. Sterling. The bone is fully healed, so we can get this cast off before you go home today.”
“Thank God. I’m so ready to be able to use my arm again.”
“Is there anything she shouldn’t do?” Holden asks. “Any restrictions?”
Dr. Stephens directs his answer to me as he prepares to remove my cast. “You’re free to resume normal activities, but it’s best to ease yourself back into everything. You might notice some stiffness and weakness in your arm, but it’s perfectly normal and to be expected. Before you leave, I’ll show you some simple stretches and exercises that can help”
I nod, acknowledging his response.
“If you don’t have any other questions, we can get this thing off. You can always call if you have any questions or concerns later.”
Not wanting to be here any longer than I have to, I quickly thrust my arm toward him. “Let’s do this.”
He laughs, picking up the small electrical saw.
After quickly explaining how he’ll remove the cast, he gets to work. I watch as he uses the saw to cut through the cast, some tool thingy to spread it open and lift it off, and finally cut through the final layers with scissors.
I wrinkle my nose at the funky smell and both men laugh.
“That’s normal, too. A quick wash will solve that little problem, and everything else will go back to normal soon enough.”
I rub my arm, thankful to finally have that damn thing off my arm.
Dr. Stephens checks over everything one more time, confirming that everything looks good. After a quick demonstration of the stretches and exercises, he leaves us to see his next patient. Holden and I head for the parking lot while we discuss where to go for lunch.
Despite the fact that a big part of me wants to be alone, I know it’s the last thing I need. My mind is still a mess after last night. Spending time with my brother might help keep my mind off the nightmare I call a marriage.
Time to do a little digging.
I know what I fucking saw on Madalyn’s arms. Those bruises could have only come from one thing. She may not be my girl anymore, but I’ll be damned if I stand by while some motherfucker puts his hands on her. He won’t get away with it. I just need confirmation before I go to Holden. There’s no way he knows about this already. He wouldn’t stand by and let it happen either. Though I wonder if this is what Holden suspected, and if it is...why the hell hasn’t he done anything?
I approach The Sweet Spot and look
around. Madalyn’s car isn’t here, which is exactly what I hoped. I’m not here to see her.
Thankfully, Grams isn’t here either. It would kill her to know what’s going on and I don’t want to be the one to break the news to her.
I head inside and see Hailee behind the counter.
Just the girl I wanted to see.
Word around town is that Mads and Hailee have become close. They also spend most of the day together at work, so Hailee is the exact person I need to talk to. She might not have the answers I need, but she’ll be able to tell me if anything has seemed off with Madalyn lately.
“Hey, Jaxson,” she says with a smile. “Whatcha in the mood for today?”
“Actually, I came to see you. I was hoping we could talk for a few minutes. Is there anyone else here that could cover the front?”
Her brows furrow, and she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth as I ask.
“No, but we’ve been dead today and I’m due for a break.”
She walks around the counter and goes to the door, flipping the “Back soon” sign on the door. Hailee comes back to stand in front of me and leans up against the counter.
“What’s up?”
“I wanted to talk to you about Madalyn.”
She crosses her arms over her chest, already on the defensive. I love that Mads has so many people that have her back.
“What about her?”
“Look...I know you and Mads are close. I don’t know how much she’s told you about our history, but I love her. Always will. No matter how much time passes, no matter who she’s married to...she will always hold my heart.”
Her expression softens.
“I’m worried about her, Hails. I think she might be in trouble and you spend more time with her than anyone else. Has she said anything to you that would send up any red flags?”
Her gaze shifts to the floor, her shoes suddenly holding some magical appeal.
“Please, Hailee. I bumped into her in town yesterday and she had dark, handprint-shaped bruises on her arms. I think someone’s hurting her and I want to help.”
I can see her worry her lip between her teeth, but she remains silent, eyes glued to the floor.
I start to doubt that I’ll get any help from her, which sucks, but I get it. She and Mads are close friends. She and I are merely acquaintances. She doesn’t want to betray her friend’s trust and if the situation was anything else I would respect her for it. In this case, it kinda pisses me off. If she knows something, knows that someone is hurting Madalyn and doesn’t say anything…
Suddenly, her eyes find mine and hers are filled with unshed tears.
“Hails?”
“I...I don’t know anything for sure. She hasn’t said anything, but I think you’re right.”
I release the breath I didn’t know I was holding.
“God, please don’t tell her I said anything. She’s my only friend here. But shit, Jaxson. She’s always hurt. She always has excuses, but I stopped believing them a while ago. She won’t open up, but I’ve made it clear that she can always come talk to me. I offered her safe haven in my apartment if she needs it.”
Hailee’s tears are streaming down her cheeks now. I hate that she’s worried about losing Madalyn’s friendship. It seems like she needed someone to confide in, too.
“Hey, it’s okay, Hails. Madalyn pretends I don’t exist, so you don’t have to worry about me telling her anything. And I’m your friend, too.” I pull her toward me and wrap my arms around her. I can’t stand to see a female cry and I’d be an asshole not to provide comfort as long as I’m able.
She accepts the hug, wrapping her arms around my waist.
“I can’t prove anything, Jax. I can’t give you the answers you need because all I have are my own suspicions. I wish she’d talk to someone because I know what’s happening, but she denies anything being wrong. I’ve tried to talk to her, but I don’t want to push too hard, and end up pushing her away.”
“Shh. We’ll figure it out, I promise. You’ve handled it the best way you can. You’re a good friend, Hails. You’ve made sure she knows that you’re a safe place. Don’t beat yourself up.”
“Thanks, Jax,” she murmurs into my chest.
I hold her steady, giving her time to gather herself. Before we can separate, Madalyn walks through the front door of the bakery.
She schools her expression quickly, but both Hailee and I see the sharp look in her eye when she sees her friend wrapped in my arms. That flash of anger and betrayal, maybe even a little hurt.
It’s unnecessary. Madalyn should know better. I would never make a move on one of her friends, especially not someone she works with on a daily basis. I can be an asshole, but I’d never stoop that low.
Taking the chance of making the situation worse, I lean down to whisper in Hailee’s ear. “I’m always here if you need a friend. Remember that.”
She smiles at me as I pull away. “Thanks, Jax.”
I send her a wink and head for the door, nodding a greeting to Madalyn as I pass.
Before the door closes behind me, I hear Madalyn ask, “What was that about?”
Hailee can handle Madalyn. I’m off to see her siblings. It’s time they find out the truth about their brother-in-law.
Holden is up first.
Once I corner him in the office at the bar, I give him a rundown of my run in with Madalyn, and tell him about what went down with Hailee. I still have no solid proof, but at this point I don’t think it’s necessary. I know I’m right about this. I can feel it in my soul.
“This is what I was afraid of,” he says when I finally finish. “I knew something wasn’t right. I’ve gotten bad vibes from him since they got together, but he never gave me cause for concern. It was just a feeling, ya know? I never would have thought he’d lay a hand on her. Despite the vibes I get, until they were married, he treated her like a queen. Always there, always supportive. Caring. Kind. He still does whenever I see them, which admittedly, isn’t very often.
“She’s not herself, either. Hasn’t been since...well, before the wedding, really. I thought it was just being back in town—being close to you again—but it’s only getting worse She’s quiet, withdrawn...pulling away from everyone like she did before. I know something is wrong, but she won’t tell me anything. You know Mads. She doesn’t like to be pushed. She’ll just pull away and ghost everyone. I can’t lose my sister again.”
He scrubs his hand down his face and lets out a haggard sigh.
“Fucking hell, Jax. I knew something wasn’t right. I questioned it at the hospital when she broke her arm. Even the fucking doctor said her injuries weren’t consistent with her story, but she lied through her fucking teeth. She stuck with that bullshit story about falling down the stairs.” His voice thickens, frustration evident in his tone. I startle when he slams his fist down on the desk. “How am I supposed to help her when she won’t fucking be honest with me? How am I supposed to protect her? I can’t go in swinging because I have no fucking proof. It’s like she’s protecting him. I don’t get it.”
“I wish I knew, man. Those bruises...they couldn’t have been anything else. It’s gotta be him. Have the girls said anything?”
“Nah. They see her less than I do, I think. Let me call them down here though. They need to be involved in this. Maybe we can come up with some kinda plan or something to get Madalyn the fuck away from that asshole.”
Less than ten minutes pass when Camille and Presley stroll through the door. They stiffen when they walk in, feeling the tension in the room.
“What’s going on, Holden?” Cami asks, eyes flitting back and forth between the two of us.
Presley leans on the edge of the desk, silent as usual.
“Have y’all seen Mads lately?”
A look passes between the girls and it becomes painfully obvious that they know something we don’t.
“Talk to me, Camille.” Holden demands.
She hesitates, like she’s having an i
nternal battle with herself.
Presley apparently doesn’t have the same apprehension. She comes right out with it.
“David is abusing Madalyn.”
Cami cuts her a glare.
“Don’t look at me like that, Cami. Someone needed to say something. I won’t keep this shit a secret.”
“Do promises mean nothing to you, Pres?”
“I didn’t promise shit. You did.”
“Stop!”
Holden’s voice cuts through their bickering and the small room goes silent. He looks at Presley, then turns his gaze to Camille. If looks could kill, she’d drop where she stands.
“You mean to tell me...that our sister is being abused...and you were going to keep it a fucking secret? What the hell is wrong with you, Camille?”
She doesn’t respond but tears well in her eyes.
Presley jumps in to explain.
“We forced her into a spa day at the salon. She’d been avoiding us for a while and we got sick of it, so we got Grams involved. Anyway. One mention of changing her hair and she went into a full-blown panic attack. We knew something was wrong because she’s never had a panic attack. We finally got her to talk to us, and she didn’t go into detail, but she did tell us that he’s been hitting her since right after they got married.”
The room fucking explodes. Holden and I both spring from our seats. His fist goes through a wall. We’re yelling. The girls are trying to calm us down. It’s complete and utter chaos.
Quiet returns when the door opens and Noah’s head peeks through the crack.
“Sorry to intrude, but the entire bar can hear you yelling back here.”
“Fuck, sorry. We’ll keep it down.”
Noah nods, but before backing out he looks at all of us and asks, “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, man. Just some family shit.”
“Let me know if you need anything.”
Once he’s gone, Holden and I sit back down. I drop my head in my hands, tugging at my hair. I don’t know what the fuck to do about any of this. I’m the last person that Madalyn wants trying to help her. She barely acknowledges my existence at this point. In the back of my mind, I know I should bow out and let her family handle this. I should. But I won’t.
