Family Ties (Hidden Secrets)

by Belden, P. J.

  “Yes the same guy. Tobey. He’s amazing Colleen. I can’t even begin to describe the way I feel when we’re together. I just feel whole when I’m with him.”

  “Aww hun, I’m so happy for you. He’s a sexy man too. How’s the ranch life treating you?”

  “Oh I love it! I work from sun up to sun down practically. He asked me to move in with him. I said yes.” I told her hesitantly.

  “Oh my gosh hun! It’s that serious huh?”

  “Yes, I think so.”

  “Oh hey you’re brother just walked in. I’m going to let you go for now, but don’t be a stranger okay?”

  I hear my brother say hi in the background. I say goodbye and that I loved them before hanging up the phone. I miss my family. Being out here this long without seeing them has been hard. The reason I don’t make much contact is so if Kyle is watching them I don’t want him to know how to find me. Shaking my head, I change into my running clothes and head out the door.

  “Going for a quick run. Won’t be long.”

  Before Tobey could stop me, I hurried out the door and down the drive. If I had stayed and listened to him, he would have tried to stop me. Thing is, I was done letting Kyle rule my life. Out here on this ranch, it was a fresh start, my new life. I planned on keeping it that way. The fear that gripped me before was gone out here. I wasn’t tense and scared out here. Out here I could actually breathe.

  Feeling the cool air against my face rejuvenated me - almost settled me -and I knew I was where I belonged. But when I heard an unexpected noise, a chill ran up my spine.

  The scattering of rocks followed by thuds pounded into me with an almost physical force. It was coming from somewhere in front of me.

  Crunch. Thud.

  It was the sound of someone else walking. By the time I realized what that sound was a figure appeared before me. In an instant, I knew who it was; it was Kyle.

  Fuck!

  I screamed loudly as he lunged for me. Trying to back away, I lose my footing causing me to fall to the ground. The rocks dug into my elbow causing me to scream again. Kyle stood over me, pressing his foot into my chest. Seeing only one thing I could do, I hit him hard in his knee. It knocked him off me long enough that I could get up.

  Just as I was about to run, I was spun around ducking just in time to get out of the way of Kyle’s fist. I screamed loud. Just as I started to turn and run back toward the house, he grabbed me. He hit me, then threw me to the ground. I screamed again. Knowing how far I was out, I worried that I was too far for anyone to hear me, but I couldn’t give up hope. All I knew was I needed to get closer so I know they could hear me in the house.

  “You stupid bitch! You think you can run from me and get away with it? You have cost me money so now you are going to pay the price.”

  As he kicked me in the ribs, my breath shot out of my lungs. Oh God! Judging by the look in his eyes and his hand going to his belt, I knew what he had planned to do. There was no way that was going to happen. Not this time. He started to lower himself down and I took my chance and kicked him in the groin as hard as I could.

  “YOU BITCH!”

  He fell sideways holding himself. Getting up, I ran the best I could. I needed to get help. From behind me I could hear him coming after me. Oh my ribs hurt; hell my face hurt. Suddenly I was hit from behind. I wasn’t sure how far I got, but I screamed again. Kyle whirled me around and hit me with something hard on the forehead. I felt the blood dripping down my face.

  “You are not getting away from me. You are-” He was cut short by me kicking his knee and he buckled. I stood and looked down at him.

  “You don’t control me anymore!!”

  Then I turned and ran. I was real dizzy and my vision was cloudy. It hurt to breath and my face ached, no it hurt like hell. As I ran, I kept screaming for Tobey. It killed me with every scream but I had to try and get his attention. It was all I could do and hoped that he could eventually hear me.

  Please God, let him hear me!

  Chapter Eighteen

  Tobey

  When Mary hadn’t made it back yet and the food was done, I began to worry. Walking outside, the sun was being hidden behind clouds. It looked like a big storm was rolling in. It almost looked dark outside. There was a chill to the air. It wasn’t a temperature chill. It was something far different. It made the hairs on my arms stand on end.

  I turned my ear to the direction she ran. I swore I could hear what sounded like my name being called. I kept listening. Hoping to hear the sound again, but didn’t hear anything. The guys walked out on the porch just then.

  “What’s up?” Joel asked.

  Waving my hand at them to keep quiet, I listened again. “You guys hear my name being called, don’t you?”

  They nodded as we saw a figure slowly coming into view. The closer the figure got, the louder and clearer the voice became. It was female. It was Mary’s.

  “It’s Mary. What is she-” I watched as she stumbled and fell to her knees and to the ground.

  “MARY!” All of us went running. I was the first to get to her sliding on my knees at her side. “Oh my God! What happened?!”

  “Kyle…” her voice was barely a whisper.

  My eyes shot up to the guys, “Go down the drive! Take the guns. Find the bastard!”

  They nodded and left. Picking Mary up in my arms, I carried her inside.

  “I’m so sorry sweetheart. I’m so sorry.”

  Laying her on the couch carefully, I got a washcloth to try and clean her up a bit to see how bad the damage was. Knowing I couldn’t do this alone, I grabbed her cell phone.

  “Now which one was the doctor?” I mumbled to myself. “Ah! There you are.”

  The phone rang several times before a woman answered, “Dr. Williams’ cell phone. This is Racheal, how can I help you?”

  “I need to speak to Jack now. Tell him it’s an emergency. Family emergency.”

  “What can I tell him the emer-”

  “Get him on the phone NOW!”

  The woman said ‘yes, Sir’. With some jumbling and crackling noises for a few moments, Jack came on the line.

  “Mary? What’s wrong?”

  “Uh, Jack this is Tobey, uh, Mary’s boyfriend. He found her. He found her out here on my ranch. She went for a run and he found her…” I rambled off.

  “What do you mean he found her? Is she okay?”

  “You need to come out here fast. You are the only person I can call that I know I can trust. Please get here FAST.”

  “Okay tell me how to get there I am on my way.” I rambled off the directions to my ranch and it turns out that Jack was only about a half hour away. “I will be there as fast as I can. I’m not going to alert the rest of the family until I know what we are dealing with. You shouldn’t either.” With that Jack hung up.

  Walking back over to Mary, I ran the cold wash cloth over her head again. She stirred from pain. Then the guys came back inside and said they couldn’t find him. Rage boiled in my veins. That asshole was not going to like it when I get a hold of him. The guys offered to get on horses and look for him, but I told them no, “I need you here in case he comes around the house. I’m going to be preoccupied with Mary. I won’t be looking out for anything. Watch out for Mary’s brother Jack, he’s on his way here, should be here soon, in fact.”

  Guns in tow, they went out on the porch and watched for anything suspicious. I turned my attention back to Mary.

  “Baby, besides your head is anything else hurt?”

  She pointed to her ribs and the back of her head. Lifting her shirt, I could see a bruise already forming. “Shit!”

  Next thing I heard was a car zooming down the road skidding to a stop in front of the house. Walking over to the door, I see the guys pointing guns at Jack. Jack froze next to his car.

  “Relax guys that’s Mary’s brother. In here Jack.”

  I watched as Jack grabbed a bag from the back seat of his car and ran up the steps. Ushering him inside quickly to M
ary I said, “She has several injuries to her head front and back and then her ribs.”

  Standing back, I watched Jack kneel next to his sister and run his hand down her face. “Hey sweetie. You know if you wanted to see me this wasn’t the way to do it. You could have just called.”

  She tried to laugh and winced in pain. I moved over in her line of sight. “I’m so sorry, baby. I didn’t think he could find you out here. I shouldn’t have let you run alone like that. God this is all my fault. You’re hurt because of me, baby. I asked you to stay with me. Maybe…” Kneeling down next to her, I kissed her cheek. “I love you, baby. I’m so sorry.”

  Mary lifted her hand and touched my cheek and mouthed “I love you too.”

  Jack looked up at us. “You asked her to stay here with you? As in move in? You guys serious then?”

  Never taking my eyes off Mary, I replied, “We love each other and didn’t want our time together to end. She loves working on the ranch and I love having her here.”

  Jack simply smiled and went to work. “Mary, you are going to need stiches over the gashes on your forehead and in the back. Your ribs are not broken, thankfully, but they are going to be pretty sore for a while. You are going to need to take it easy for at least a week.”

  Jack looked up at me then and I nodded saying “She will not be doing anything, I promise you that.”

  Jack finished stitching her up, then sat with her and watched over her until she fell asleep. Watching the two of them makes me long for siblings of my own. I watch as Jack brushed her hair off her face and kissed her cheek then watched her as she slept. I saw the pain in his eyes as he looked at his little sister beaten and bruised and laying on the couch of a virtual stranger, at least in Jack’s eyes that was what I was. Mary knew me, she knew me like no one else knew me; on a level I could not explain. Jack kissed her cheek one more time and walked over to me.

  I knew this conversation was coming the minute I placed the call to Jack. However, I didn’t care, Mary made her money on her appearance and if she was willing to kill herself to attain that image then she needed someone that could stitch and not leave a scar behind. I also figured that having her brother there would bring her some comfort as well.

  Staring at the off white walls and wood floors of my living room, I assessed everything. It housed a couch and two chairs; all of which have seen better days. There was an entertainment center of sorts in the corner of the room near the big picture window. The more I looked around the more I realized what was missing, and not just from this room but my life, and that was love. I have lived in this house and owned this ranch for years but there was no love here or was there any in my heart. Now I had love in my heart and I realized how much it changed the way I viewed the world. When I moved into this house and took over the ranch, I had a goal. That was to build a new house within a year with a wife in hand to make the decision. Since the wife never came neither did the house. Turning my gaze to Mary, I finally found someone that I would want to spend the rest of my life with. Maybe now is the time to make the plans for that new house; with Mary by my side.

  “Tobey, we need to talk.” Jack said pulling me out of my thoughts.

  “I figured as much, sir. Talk.”

  “I don’t know what your plans are with my sister, but she has had enough people walking all over her. So if that is your game then leave now before she gets anymore hurt than she is already going to be.”

  “I love your sister with all my heart. When she is around my life is different; better. I love her because she is funny, determined, beautiful, intelligent and talented. She cares about others and I have noticed that she often puts their needs above her own. She works hard and never complains. I, however, also notice that she feels she is not worth any of that love that I give her. She thinks I don’t notice but I do; that is why I caught on to her starving herself within a day of her being here. I’m not using your sister. I don’t give a damn about her celebrity status, social status, or even family status. I love her; just her, plain and simple.”

  Jack stared at me for a good long time. It was like he was assessing my meaning behind the words. If I truly did love her or was I just trying to blow smoke up his ass for an ulterior motive? There was no hidden agenda; well not anymore. Once I found out the truth, that was gone and I got to know the real Mary Williams.

  “Okay,” Jack nodded. “I believe you. Take care of her. You are right; she puts herself last always. She needs someone to think of her first and does whatever he can to make her happy because that would make them happy. Are you that kind of guy, Tobey? Are you selfless?”

  I was only able to nod before Jack continued, “She has always felt like she was not equal; like she never measured up. No matter how often we tried to convince her she kept that thought process. When Kyle became her manager, she really went downhill. We all felt like we were losing her. She was depressed all the time, rarely laughed or genuinely smiled. When she did laugh or smile it was forced. She got so bad that she began to just have sexual relationships with men rather than trying to date. You know how hard it is to watch your little sister being used by guys for her body and her offer it willingly. It killed me every damn time, I would call her and some guy would be there.” He shuddered. “She needs love and values and…support. If that’s you, Tobey, then step up and stand by her. Do not back down! It won’t be easy because my guess by looking at her, we have not heard the last of Kyle Hall. Protect her or you will need to be protected. Do we have an understanding?”

  “Yes, sir. I’m not going anywhere. I’ve gone so long without having love or someone to share my life with, being an only child and having lost both my parents, I’m not going to give up when I finally found someone that not only fills that void but also the areas I didn’t even know were empty.”

  A few minutes later, after explaining that she was going to need to be woke every two hours to ensure that she didn’t slip into a coma or anything like that, Jack left giving me his blessings. Walking outside, I tell the guys to come in and eat. The food was finished and I know the guys were hungry. No sense in them starving.

  A few hours before dark, Harry and Joel pulled up in the truck. It was time for many of the horses to go to the market and some out for studding. So they’ve been gone most of the day. The minute they got out of the truck, they immediately questioned me because I had blood on my shirt, I wasn’t out rotating the horses and Mary was nowhere to be seen. So I explained everything to them. They all cared about her. She won all of us over the first day meeting her. Harry and Joel hopped on their horses and rode off to help Scott and John finish.

  It was nearing nightfall, so I made my way inside to get the casserole warmed that Mary had intended to finish up for supper. When I got inside I found Mary at the stove.

  “What do you think you are doing? You need to lie down.”

  “I was just going to try and make supper. You guys need to eat.”

  “I’m going to warm the casserole you started in the fridge.” I led her back to the couch and got her settled. Walking back to the kitchen, I popped the casserole in the oven and went back to sit next to Mary.

  “Hey beautiful. How are you feeling?”

  “My head feels like a train ran over it and it hurts to move, other than that…peachy.”

  I couldn’t stop myself from laughing. “You scared me to death today. I thought I was going to lose you.”

  “I’m a tough girl and have been through worse. You’re stuck with me. Besides I’m fine really. No need to worry over me. Just sore it’ll pass soon.”

  “Good, because you are stuck with me, whether you want to be or not.” I kissed her lightly on the lips.

  The front door opened and the guys walked in. They all came to see Mary.

  “Hey you, are you okay? We tried to find the son of a bitch but he wasn’t there. I’m sorry.” Scott rambled on.

  Out of all of them I noticed that he and Mary had gotten close. She said he reminded her a lot of her brother
Nick. Mary told everyone what happened. It was first time I was hearing the whole story. I tensed and was angry all over again. Getting up, I went to the kitchen to pull the casserole out of the oven.

  The night went on and it was early to bed for everyone. It was a long hard day and everyone was exhausted. Once I cleaned everything up, I joined Mary in bed. “I love you, sweetheart. I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you then, but I’m here now. You can count on me. Good night.” I kissed the top of her head and listened to her breathing as I fell asleep.

  Loud banging on the door woke me early. “Who the hell would that be?” I muttered to myself.

  Climbing out of bed, I threw on a shirt and pajama bottoms then made my way out to the front door. Elijah stood on the other side with Jason, and neither of which looked too happy. Flinging the door open, I began to ask what was going on when I was stopped by Elijah’s fist hitting my face.

  I stumbled backwards, “What the hell, Elijah? What’s your problem?”

  “You! You…You…You son of a bitch!”

  “Would you keep your voice down? Mary needs sleep, she’s been through enough.” Still rubbing my jaw from where Elijah punched me, I said, “I know you are mad about Mary getting hurt, but I didn’t think he could find her out here. I thought she was safe. I called Jack the minute I found her and he stitched her up and she’s doing better. I kept a close eye on her and have taken care of her. I love her. I didn’t know he would find her out here.”

  “No, that is not why I am here!” Elijah started to lunge at me again but was stopped by Jason.

  “Come on Eli. Just talk to him first and see what he has to say before you beat him to a bloody pulp.”

  “Talk to me about what?”

  “You’re related to Alex Greene and you never told us!”

  “Oh you found that out huh? No I didn’t tell you. I only found out a few weeks after my parents died. I found a folder in my mother’s desk in their office…” I trailed off then because it suddenly dawned on me why Elijah was pissed off and wanting to beat the shit out of me. “Wait! You think I’m like my brother?! Is that why you’re here? You think I am going to hurt Mary like he hurt Kayla? I didn’t even know about him until I lost my parents! I didn’t even know about what he did to Kayla until the beginning of this week when Mary and my friends filled me in. I am NOT like him!”