The Legacy series: The Love series, the Wrapped series, and the Burning Souls series.

by Mj Fields

  Maddox looked at Brody and Brody smiled softly, ���These.���

  Maddox pulled up his robe and revealed the scars on his upper thighs. The doctor swallowed hard and began to document the scaring.

  ���These are from a knife, correct?��� she asked without looking up.

  ���Yes,��� he said softly.

  ���Do you know who did this to you Maddox?��� Dr. Green asked.

  Maddox looked at Emma, her eyes were wide, and she was fighting tears. He looked to Brody who said, ���Go on Maddox.���

  ���I did,��� he whispered.

  Brody gasped loudly. Maddox looked up at him, ���Dad, please don���t be angry at me. I won���t ever do it again. I���m so sorry.���

  ���Maddox, I don���t think he is angry at you,��� Dr. Green said softly.

  ���He isn���t, of course he isn���t,��� Emma walked over and hugged Maddox tightly, and he began to cry.

  Emma shot Brody a look, and he shook his head.

  ���Of course I���m not mad at you Maddox. I just don���t understand. I���m sure there is a reasonable explanation and if you can���t talk to me about it������

  Maddox pulled away from Emma, ���I���m not crazy!���

  ���Son, I didn���t say that you were,��� Brody touched his shoulder.

  ���I won���t see a head doctor, I won���t! I want to leave now ��� please,��� he stood up.

  ���Maddox, please have a seat,��� Dr. Green said. ���Brody, Emma, that���s called cutting. Maddox, talk to us, please. Everyone here wants you to be alright and in order for us to understand, we need to know, so please just talk to us.���

  Maddox looked at Dr. Green, who also had tears in her eyes, and he was confused.

  ���Are you going to do a rectal exam?��� He snapped.

  ���Maddox, no, I���m not. If something is wrong in that area of your body, you can tell me and then we may have to, but it���s not normal procedure,��� Dr. Green wiped the fallen tears, ���I���m so sorry…this is extremely unprofessional.���

  Emma looked at Brody and mouthed, ���breathe���.

  ���I���m not going to breathe, Emma, I���m going to fucking explode!���

  ���Brody������ Emma began.

  ���Damn it, Emma,��� Brody grabbed his hair, ���Maddox we need to know everything alright? We love you and just want to help you, so tells us who the fuck������

  ���Enough, Brody!��� Emma snapped and hugged Maddox who began to shake, ���Definitely two dogs, and if your father doesn���t pull it together, two cats as well.���

  Maddox clung tightly to her, and she held him until he was ready to talk.

  ���Before we go on Maddox, I love you. I���m just extremely furious that this has happened to you������ Brody took a deep breath.

  ���It happened to you, too,��� he whispered.

  Brody looked at him and pulled him into a hug, ���That���s why this is killing me. I get it Maddox. The pain, the embarrassment and the desire to keep it all to yourself. Maddox, until the darkness is finally exposed, it���ll tear you up. We���re your light Maddox, don���t you dare hide from us. We will never hide from you.���

  Brody wiped Maddox���s tears away, and Maddox did the same to Brody, ���Okay Dad.���

  ���Okay?��� Brody asked and kissed the top of his head.

  ���Okay,��� he whispered.

  Emma and Dr. Green both used tissues to wipe their faces while they waited until Maddox was ready to talk.

  ���When I was whipped for trying to stop the beatings the other children received, it felt good. That physical pain replaced the pain in my chest, my heart, I suppose. The last time I stepped in they didn���t beat me. It was after Elizabeth, my biological mother, threatened to kill them if they hit me again. Instead, they locked me in a closet for a few days. It happened again, and the next time I was in the closet it was for a week, I believe. I didn���t like it; the smell, the pain from crouching, the darkness, I didn���t like it,��� Maddox shook slightly and took a deep breath.

  ���Need a break?��� Brody whispered.

  ���No. When it happened again, I was smart enough to stash empty bottle in the closet, the house was filthy anyway, so I knew they wouldn���t check. That���s when I learned to urinate in bottles. I didn���t drink all that much, so the output wasn���t a large amount. At least that smell was dealt with. I was in the small closet for over a week that time. That last time, they beat a young girl. She was about London���s age, and she and I were close. I read to her at night,��� Maddox sat for a few minutes, ���I wonder if she���s alright, I wonder if they���re all alright. I wonder where they are. Now that I have you, I wonder who���s living through hell because they don���t know where their children are. It happened again another night. Noises started; the crying, the painful pillow muffled cries, the pleading. It was her again, and I was so fucking pissed. I wanted to kill him. I smashed a jar, and it cut my hand. It dulled the pain in my chest and gave me a moment to realize that if I was locked in that closet, I wouldn���t be able to comfort her when he was done. I cut my legs to hell that night and many nights after that.���

  Everyone was quiet, and he looked up, ���I should���ve stopped him from hurting her, I should have killed them.���

  ���Maddox, you did what you could,��� Emma hugged him.

  He sat up, ���After that night I told him that if he touched her again, I would kill him. He laughed at me. That evening, the doctor came over and did an exam. He usually paid cash or let the nasty pig into a room with one of the girls. I���m not sure if he was an actual doctor, but he did stitches and���exams. Dr. Pig would tell him if someone was untouched. Although I was treated better than everyone else in the house, I wasn���t spared the���exam. Dr. Pig told him that when I misbehaved, he should do this type of exam. I suppose that���s another reason I started cutting myself. ���

  No one said a word and Maddox looked up, ���I���m done.���

  ���Maddox, thank you for sharing with us. Have you ever had shots?��� Dr. Green asked.

  ���No,��� Maddox said looking up at her.

  ���Will you hate me if I make you get, like, ten?��� She smiled.

  ���Maybe,��� Maddox smiled softly back.

  ���Okay, we can spread it out. How about five today?��� She smiled at him.

  ���That���s fine,��� he blushed and looked down.

  ���Maddox, whatever you say in here is between you and I, okay? And I want you to know, I���m very proud of you, you have a heart of gold young man,��� Dr. Green smiled, and he blushed. ���Now remember that you like me after I make the nurse poke you five times.���

  * * *

  ���Let’s go get those dogs,��� Brody said as he pushed the unlock button on the car���s remote.

  ���Two or three,��� Emma laughed.

  They looked back at Maddox, who had stopped and was watching a car slowly drive by.

  ���Hey bud, we are talking dog here,��� Brody laughed and took his shoulder.

  Brody hit the remote start as they neared the car, and it exploded.

  Brody dove on top of Maddox and Emma, knocking them to the ground and covering them with his body as burning metal fell all around them.

  ���Are you both alright?��� Brody asked as he examined Maddox and Emma.

  �
����I���m fine, my God, Maddox are you���Brody are you���the girls Brody,��� Emma screamed.

  Brody called Clive as Emma held Maddox and called 911. People began running out of the surrounding buildings, ���You got him, Em?��� Brody said before he ran towards the woman who had walked out of the office behind them.

  ���Are you alright?��� he asked, helping her up.

  ���You���re Brody Hines,��� she said.

  ���And you are bleeding, come over here,��� Brody sat her next to Emma. He yanked his shirt off and ripped a piece from it, using the strip to cover the gash on the side of the stranger���s head.

  ���Those marks,��� she pointed to the scar across his chest.

  ���Oh, yes, pretty nasty but sit still, alright?��� Brody was distracted as looked around at the fallen metal scraps and the people. He took a breath and looked at Maddox.

  ���Maddox, are you doing alright son?���

  ���Yes Dad,��� Maddox said and looked around confused.

  The police had pulled in. Banks walked up to them, ���Of course you���re involved.���

  ���Banks, go fuck yourself,��� Brody sneered, ���Where are the ambulances? This woman needs medical attention.���

  ���On their way. Is this your car?��� Banks asked.

  ���Yes, you fuck, I told you������ Brody snapped.

  ���Brody, please,��� Emma whimpered.

  ���Not now Em. Where are the fucking ambulances, Banks?��� Brody yelled.

  ���Brody, I need������ Emma said softly.

  ���Em, not������ Brody looked at Emma and her eyes began to roll backwards, ���Emma!

  ���Brody, I���m very tired,��� Emma said as he pulled her up.

  ���Dad, Dad, she is…Dad!��� Maddox screamed.

  Brody looked at her back, and there was a piece of metal sticking out of her back.

  ���Oh Em, Love, please,��� he held her tightly, ���The fucking ambulance Banks, you fucking ass!���

  * * *

  Emma awoke in the hospital hours later. Brody was in the doorway talking to the police. She looked beside her, Maddox���s head was resting on her bed and he was holding her hand.

  ���Hey Maddox,��� Emma smiled.

  ���You���re alive!! You���re okay, Dad!��� Maddox cried.

  ���Em, God you���re alright!��� Brody kissed her.

  ���How���s the woman who was hurt?��� Emma asked.

  ���She���s fine Em, how are you feeling?��� Brody kissed her head and closed his eyes.

  ���I���m kind of sore,��� she smiled, ���But ready to go home, I want to be home. How are the girls?���

  ���They���re safe Em. You lost a lot of blood. Let me get the doctor,��� Brody kissed her again and pushed the button and walked to the door waiting impatiently.

  Emma smiled at Brody���s retreating figure, then turned and looked to Maddox, ���Sorry we didn���t get the dogs.���

  Maddox smiled, ���I don���t want you to think about the dogs, I just want you to be okay.���

  ���I will be as soon as we get out of here,��� Emma giggled.

  Brody walked in with the doctor, and Emma was checked over, ���You don���t get to do much if we let you out of here, Mrs. Hines.���

  Emma agreed and was released within the hour.

  They walked into the house, and Caroline met them at the door and began to cry, ���You okay?���

  ���I am Mom, thanks. How are the girls?��� Emma hugged her back, ���I���m really tired ��� I think I���ll go up and snuggle with one of them.���

  ���Brody didn���t tell you?��� Caroline asked.

  ���Tell me what?��� Emma asked.

  ���The five of you are going away for a while,��� Caroline said.

  ���Clive thanks for packing for us. Em, family vacation sound fun?��� Brody kissed her head before he ran up the stairs.

  * * *

  They pulled into the airport where Collin and Tessa���s security man Tomas greeted them. Emma looked up at Brody and smiled.

  ���Take a flight with me?��� Brody whispered.

  ���Anywhere you want to go,��� Emma kissed him.

  Maddox carried Lexington and Brody carried London to the plane as Clive loaded the bags.

  Brody talked with Tomas and shook his hand, ���Thank you.���

  He walked onto the plane as Emma was kissing the kids and making sure their seat belts were buckled.

  She looked at Brody and smiled. He hugged her, ���You okay Em?���

  ���Tired,��� she smiled and kissed him.

  ���Sit Em, I���ll be back after I say goodnight to the troops,��� Brody winked, and Emma watched as he kissed Lexi and London.

  ���Maddox, you did amazing today,��� Brody hugged his son.

  ���You too,��� Maddox yawned.

  Brody smiled, ���Get some sleep. We���re going to have fun for a few days, alright?���

  ���Sounds good. Is Emma alright?��� Maddox asked and yawned again.

  ���Yep, she is a trooper as well,��� Brody smiled and put a blanket over him, ���Sleep.���

  Brody sat beside Emma, buckled his safety belt and looked at her with pain in his eyes, ���Em.���

  ���I���m alright,��� Emma rubbed his face gently.

  ���If������

  ���It didn���t, go to sleep. When we���re in the air, I���ll need to lay across your lap because this kind of hurts,��� Emma smiled.

  Brody shook his head, ���What a fucked up day.���

  ���It really was awful, huh?��� Emma laughed.

  Brody smiled, ���Yes, and you���re all smiles.���

  ���I���m looking at you, those three are alright, and we���re going away from all of it. Life is good,��� Emma kissed him, ���Stop looking at me like that.���

  ���You could have died, Em,��� Brody squeezed his eyes tight.

  ���Brody, any one of us could have, but we didn���t, let���s sleep please,��� Emma leaned her head on his shoulder as the plane began lifting off the ground.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  They stepped out of the car, and Tessa ran up to them and hugged London, ���Harper���s waiting for you. She���s going to have you sleep in her room tonight okay?���

  London yawned, ���Thanks, I���m tired.���

  ���Its beautiful here Tessa, South America, huh?��� Emma smiled.

  Tessa and Emma got all the kids settled in and walked out into the small room outside of the bedrooms.

  ���What is this place?��� Emma smiled.

  ���A work in progress,��� Tessa smiled, ���We���re just starting up here. Someday it���ll be a training center.���

  ���The basic security is complete, so it’s safe,��� Collin smiled at Maddox, ���You alright?���

  He nodded his head and yawned, ���Thank you.���

  Brody looked at Collin and Tessa then closed his eyes, ���Clive���s home working on a plan, we should only need a couple of days.���

  ���Take as much time as you need,��� Tessa smiled.

  ���I won���t have your family in danger as well,��� Brody���s voice was pained.

&nbs
p; ���Hines, we���re fine. No one knows you���re here. Enjoy it for a few days,��� Collin patted his shoulder.

  Emma looked at Tessa apologetically and then down. Brody saw the exchange and sat back.

  ���Is there a place for me to sleep?��� Maddox asked softly.

  Emma took him to his room and hugged him tightly, ���I���m so glad you���re alright. Go to sleep. We���re safe, and we will figure it all out tomorrow. How���s your arm?��� Emma asked referring to the shots he had received.

  ���Sore,��� he smiled.

  ���Okay, I���m going to get you some Tylenol,��� Emma kissed his head and walked out.

  * * *

  Emma sat and looked at Brody, ���We should get some sleep, lots to figure out tomorrow.���

  He stood up and followed her into their room.

  ���Let���s chat, Em,��� Brody said pacing the floor.

  ���Okay,��� she sat and watched him collect his thoughts. He was struggling, and it hurt her to see him that way.

  ���Third drawer,��� Brody pulled out the envelope from the third drawer and dropped it on the bed in front of her.

  Emma smiled, ���I knew you were a prince.���

  Brody looked at her and rolled his eyes, ���Prince of doom.���

  ���Prince Charming,��� Emma giggled.

  ���I���m not a prince, Em,��� he sat next to her.

  ���Okay, but you are of royal blood,��� Emma spoke in a British accent that made him smile.

  ���I���m sure if we all dig deeper into our families��� blood lines we all would be,��� Brody shrugged.

  ���Okay fine, I���m just trying to make you smile,��� she said and spread the papers out in front of them.

  There were Hines family birth certificates, marriage licenses, certificates of death, maps of property, a family tree, and several other important looking original documents.

  Brody looked at it, ���These have nothing to do with what we are going through now. Frankly I don���t care about these papers or what they represent. I just wanted you to know.���