Emily (Daughters, Book #4) (Daughters Series)

by Leanne Davis

  His breathing is ragged. My eyes well up with unshed tears. That’s about all I can do this week. I can imagine the scene. That’s what keeps gnawing at me. I shut my eyes. “I’m sorry. But I couldn’t do it.”

  I’m still aware of the pressure on my bicep from his vise-like grip. He shuts his eyes tightly, squeezing my arm before he suddenly blinks his eyes open again. “You left me standing there.”

  “I know, Harrison.”

  “After everything we did and went through. Five years. You promised to marry me. How could you leave me there?” He’s screaming now. His voice cracks, and he jerks me forward. Hard. His face is right against mine and his neck is straining. His hot breath heats my face. I start to cry again but it only incites more fury. “You shouldn’t have done that. You shouldn’t have done that!”

  I move away from him now, in earnest. Fear fuels a strength I haven’t felt before. I kick at his feet, trying to knock them out from under him, but he pulls my arm and grabs my other one, avoiding my kicks. Breathing hard, he takes hold of my shoulders and starts to shove me down.

  “No!” I’m the one screaming now. I shake my head. Tears stream from my eyes and my throat tightens. Just no! It’s too fast! This can’t happen! But he’s pushing me, and the fury emanates off him in waves of raw energy, making his forehead pulsate as his face turns various shades of red and purple.

  “You shouldn’t have done that!” He keeps repeating over and over in a hard, mean voice. Like a chant. He shakes me once and then again, only harder. My head bobbles and my teeth rattle. Fear sparks my adrenaline and I start kicking my legs and twisting my torso.

  “No!” I scream over and over again. My leg connects with a side table sending the lamp on top of it crashing to the floor in pieces. I keep struggling. There is no letting up. He straddles my legs, placing his full weight on top of me now. He slaps my face. My head pops back in stunned surprise. Harrison just hit me.

  “You stupid bitch. Look what you made me do.”

  What I made him do? He’s attacking me and says it’s what I did to him? I scream in hysteria, my fear and rage protesting the hypocrisy of him blaming me for his own deplorable actions.

  In the next moment, he’s being pulled off me and yanked away. I’m free. I lie there in stunned shock, but then flip over and get up. Oh my God! It’s Ramiro. I have no idea what he’s doing here, but I feel so grateful. My legs shake with trepidation as tears stream down both of my cheeks. Ramiro has Harrison incapacitated, holding his arms behind his back. But Harrison still struggles.

  Ramiro yells at me, “Quick! Go get Seth!”

  I turn and force my numb legs to run. I open the sliding door and start screaming out into our yard towards the barn and the loft apartment. Missy comes running from the kennels and Seth appears at the top of the apartment stairs.

  Crying and screaming, I shout, “Help! Help us. Please, Help!” I’m practically incoherent.

  They both rush towards me. I don’t wait but lead them inside, my heart climbing into my throat as I cringe for Ramiro’s well-being. They are fighting, crashing around the entire living room. Another floor lamp is broken along with several pictures frames, vases and knickknacks. Two other tables get flipped over. Arms are flailing, and the punches fly as loud grunts and moans fill the air. Seth is right on my heels when he runs in.

  “Stop, Harrison!” I scream. Seth grabs Harrison around the waist, allowing Ramiro to grab one of his arms and twist it behind his back. Between the two of them, Harrison is instantly pinned to the ground. Breathing hard, Ramiro’s eyebrow is cut and the blood drips down his face.

  “Call the police!” I scream, still hysterical as Melissa grabs me in her arms. “Call the police! Now! He assaulted me!”

  I refuse to be a quiet victim, it seems.

  Melissa lets me go and dials the cops without a word. Her face is ashen. Seth and Ramiro keep Harrison down on the floor. Melissa’s voice fills the room, “Yes, we need immediate assistance. A man broke into our house and assaulted my little sister. My boyfriend has him pinned down right now, but—”

  Although I hear my sister speaking and I’m watching the scene play out, I can’t register it. I’m shaking, pressing my hands over my chest and rocking myself. Melissa gets off the phone and comes over to me. She wraps me up in her arms and I press my face into her chest. Her arms stay strong around me. She doesn’t pester me with questions or ask what happened. The room and my behavior illustrate what happened. She lifts the phone and in a calm, even voice, one that I used to speak in, Melissa acts like I used to. What a switch. I hear her say, “Mom, come home now. Get Dad. It’s Emily.”

  She doesn’t say anymore, but hangs up, still holding me. I wrap my arms around her waist. I can’t even lift my head. I don’t want to face Seth or even Ramiro. My embarrassment is swift and sharp and real. I’m shocked by how fast I was overwhelmed. The room is so quiet. My sister holds me close to her, stroking my hair. The scuffle is over and Harrison remains pinned on the floor.

  My sniffles and sobs are the only sounds in the room.

  Then we hear sirens and Seth opens the door to three uniformed officers and a detective. The same one we talked to before. I’m shaking as I move off my sister, although she still holds my hand.

  Harrison is handcuffed and the cops come towards me, their eyes scanning the room. Ramiro stays off to the side now, quiet as the furniture, until I hear his low voice answering one of the officers. Bitterly, I realize he doesn’t have to worry about them discovering his lack of citizenship. All along, Ramiro was just fine.

  “Ma’am, what happened here?”

  “He… he tried assaulted me.”

  “Can you tell me exactly what happened?”

  How do I explain? How quickly it occurred? How startled I was? How fast it accelerated into violence? I was fine and then I wasn’t. I knew Harrison and then I didn’t. I describe it all as best as I can, but it seems jumbled. Then my mom appears in the doorway, her face is ashen and her mouth is set in a deep line of worry as her eyes scan the room. I run across the room and into her arms. She catches me and I start sobbing into her chest. She holds me tightly and kisses me and I cry like a little girl. As a little girl, however, nothing ever made me cry like this so I have no comparison.

  Then I see my dad parking the truck. He leaves his door open, and his face is grave as he sees the cops in our driveway. Mom and I are still standing in the doorway. He swoops in and I release Mom and let him engulf me. I cry onto his shoulder, “I’m okay, I’m okay,” I mutter incoherently.

  I don’t care about what he’s done, or why he did it. I don’t care anymore. I’ll never care again. In that moment, all I need is my dad. Nothing can ever make me doubt our connection again. He sets me on my feet and I try to regain some composure. No one could accuse me of not being in touch with my emotions. No stoic, strong, unfeeling girl here. I have tears all over my face, streaming onto my hands and arms as well as Dad’s shirt and Mom’s shoulders, everywhere.

  Dad’s jaw locks as he enters the room, taking in the violence that occurred there. He sees Harrison waiting off to the side in handcuffs with the police who are ready to take him out, but we’re in the way. “Did he…?”

  I shake my head. “Ramiro stopped him.” I haven’t even gotten there yet. I’m such a mess.

  Dad nods. He stalks across the room towards Harrison. Thank God Seth immediately realizes that and goes after him. It takes me a moment to suspect my dad is about to assault Harrison and get himself arrested. “Will, no!” Seth holds Dad back.

  Mom suddenly rushes to his other side, holding his arm. “Emily needs you here. Let them take care of Harrison.”

  I put a hand up to my mouth. Oh, God! Dad almost— he still might, but he throws his hands up to get everyone to stop restraining him. “Sir, you need to stay back,” the uniformed officer says, his shoulders tensing, while his hand touches his belt, where his gun is.

  I rush forward. “Dad!”

  He steps back
and his gaze is steely when he looks at Harrison. Harrison keeps his head down, bending his neck slightly forward. He has a few bruises and some blood on his split knuckle. But he doesn’t say a word or even look at me.

  Adrenaline stops pumping through me and I suddenly start to wilt. Dad takes me again in his arms. “Hey, baby girl. It’s okay. It’s okay.”

  The room falls quiet as Harrison is led out. The detective makes the rounds, speaking to all of us. My parents sit with me on the couch. I tell them exactly what happened, as detailed as I can, again. It’s all so fresh. He nods and asks questions. He asks us to come to the station later and make a formal statement. Dad resists, but Mom reassures him we will. And Ramiro and Seth agree, too.

  The room is empty except for us. My family and Ramiro.

  Dad glances at Ramiro. “Thank you. Thank God you were here, for whatever reason. I had wondered why you both ditched work. Thought you had a fight and I was going to give you both a lecture about keeping it out of work.” He shakes his head.

  “We did have a fight. I was coming to explain some things. I heard her screaming. The door was locked so I ran around to the back door,” he tells my dad quietly. I glance up at him and our gazes meet. His mouth compresses into a small, almost sad smile.

  “Thank you, Seth and Missy,” I say. I can’t quite look at Ramiro. He saved me. Yet he’s lied to me. I’m mixed up how to feel.

  Melissa steps forward and grips my hand. “You took about five years off my life. Hearing your screaming—oh, my God,” she says softly, obviously shaken. Seth comes over and she leans against him as he puts his arms around her. I look up at him. “Thank you too, Seth, for jumping in.”

  He nods. “Of course.”

  I glance at Ramiro and stare at him. With a small smile, I meekly say, “Thank you.” He nods and shakes his head. “I only wish I could punish him more. I hope they put him away for years.”

  “They won’t,” I reply in a dull tone. Somehow, I clearly understand that. “His family is well off. They’ll hire the best attorneys. They’ll whitewash his case. And establish he didn’t really do anything to me.”

  I’m still shaking. My whole body feels like it’s coming out of clinical shock. My family insists I go to the hospital, but I remain adamant and don’t. There are no lasting marks on me. Which I’m glad of, but I also realize it’ll only make Harrison’s defense easier.

  “Will you call Max and Christina? And Aunt Lindsey? I just don’t want to talk about it yet,” I ask Melissa. She nods. She and Seth leave, seeming to sense I need some time.

  Ramiro stands off to the side. He seems awkward as he shuffles his feet.

  I glance at my parents. “I didn’t know it would feel like this. It’s bad. I don’t want to tell anyone. It sickens me to think of facing Harrison again. I know what he did, but I’m almost embarrassed to have eye contact with him. I can’t believe he went so crazy, almost violent.”

  “Almost?” Mom says in a strangled tone.

  I’m already gripping her hand and I stare down. My voice is embarrassed. “I didn’t know. I’m sorry, so sorry for pushing you when I didn’t know anything and I don’t want to tell anyone now.”

  Her lips compress. She smoothes my hair back. “I don’t want you to either. All I know is, thank God Ramiro was here, as well as your sister and Seth.”

  “I never thought… in broad daylight. I actually let him in. I didn’t think—”

  “I think that’s more common than not. Not suspecting a threat until it’s too late. It’s not always obvious.”

  “But you guys worried about it. I said you were overreacting. I never dreamed—”

  Dad sighs. “I didn’t either. I’ve dealt with guys like that before, and I never suspected him of doing anything like this either. It’s not your fault, okay? For not seeing it. Or trusting him. That’s what most people would do. Don’t turn this onto yourself, when the question needs to be on him. How could he do this to you? Don’t ever forget that.”

  I nod and lean my head onto the side of his arm. He takes in a deep breath. “Thank God, I wasn’t the first to arrive.” His tone is soft. Lethal.

  A chill runs through my spine. The message? Harrison would have been dead right now, or possibly already buried out in a back pasture.

  “I get it now.” We all glance up when Ramiro speaks after a long, profound silence. He steps forward and sits down on the couch across from where my parents and I are huddled.

  “Would you two like some privacy?” Mom asks.

  “No. You all should hear this.”

  Hear this? Hear what? More lies? What more could there possibly me? I’m perplexed. I’m also still in shock, freaking out.

  But he also saved me. He’s here right now. And I’m so glad he’s here.

  Chapter Fifteen

  ~Ramiro~

  I realized she knew what her father had done by the way she spoke about Mexico this morning. It all came to a perfect head. Someone needed a Spanish interpreter so I had to do it. I taunted her with the lies I told. I regretted it the minute the words left my mouth. I went back to work, determined not to care until my guilt became too heavy.

  She never once did anything to me. She was a friend, the truest kind. She was willing to be with me, and eager to play the role of my girlfriend, despite her belief that I was an illegal immigrant. She was ready to what? Follow me back to Mexico if it ever came to that? I think she would have. I don’t know many people who would do such a thing. She was nothing but a vessel of kindness and intelligence.

  The guilt overwhelms me more than I expect. I left the jobsite without even asking Will, and I wonder if I’ll be invited back on, but I figure it’s worth the risk. I’m not sure what drove me except a profound need. Maybe it was seeing her in tears that morning. She was so upset and I was so cold in my response.

  I parked and knocked on the door. That’s when I heard screaming and a loud crash. Confused at first, I was almost paralyzed as I tried the doorknob. It was locked. I ran in a dead sprint around the house, up and across the deck to the sliding door and slammed to a halt as fast as my heart stopped. I saw Emily sprawled on the floor with Harrison sitting on top of her. He lifted a hand and slapped her and I could hear her scream. I don’t remember the sequence then, just a hazy rage of pulling and grunting before a heavy weight hit me. I came up from behind to grab the guy around the waist and lift him straight up and off her. I did it so she could get away. That’s all I cared about. I held onto Harrison, the man hurting her, and yelled at her to get Seth, who I had never even met at that point. I wanted to kill Harrison. I think I needed Seth there in order to keep me from committing a crime rather than just to subdue Harrison. I saw Seth’s jeep parked when I pulled in. Harrison gained some leverage, and slammed me with an uppercut under the jaw as I nearly let him go. That’s when we started going at it, crashing into the couches, tables, and other things. I didn’t feel anything but adrenaline. Seth appeared and between the two of us, we disabled Harrison.

  All I can do now is stare at Emily. She is hysterical. She’s so vulnerable as I watch her sister and then her parents embracing her.

  All I witnessed was her being pinned down. I watch now, as Will takes this all in. Emily’s parents are talking to cops, and Emily, and each other. First I watch Jessie and then, Will. I start to imagine what it must be like to see a woman being raped. I don’t think I can fully comprehend it. The loudness of her screams. The reality of seeing her trapped. I can’t imagine how I could handle it if I saw Emily raped.

  And if no one pays for such crime and you know who it is? How can you just let it go?

  My chin juts up. Yeah, I finally understand why Will Hendricks went back to that building and torched it.

  They are all staring at me, the three of them, with total confusion. And respect. They are very grateful for my intervention. Maybe that will give them something good to remember about me. Besides the hate they are about to feel.

  I lean forward, staring at my hands. �
��I know what you did in Mexico.”

  My statement drops like an anvil. No one moves.

  “What I did?” Emily’s voice speaks up in a soft squeak.

  I glance up and shake my head. “No. Wh—what you did, Will.”

  He stiffens and glances at Emily. Her mouth drops open and she shakes her head. “I didn’t say a word.”

  He tenses. “What is this?”

  Jessie’s entire face changes. Her eyes widen and her mouth collapses and then opens.

  “My… my father was there.”

  “Get out!” Jessie stands up, points her arm out and screams at me. “Get out of my home!”

  Flabbergasted, I stare up at her. I don’t expect to be thrown out yet.

  “Jess, let’s first hear what he has to say.”

  I fold my hands together and peek at Emily. Her eyes, already red and swollen, are glazed over with shock.

  “I’m sorry,” I say quietly to her. “I was there on your wedding day because I read about Will Hendricks’s daughter getting married. It was never you, Emily. I wasn’t targeting you. Our paths just crossed.”

  “Which put you in contact with my father. I literally handed you direct access to him with that job.” Her tone is bitter. “And you sure made quick use of me.”

  “No.” I swallow and rub my now sweaty palm on my jean-covered thigh. There’s no way she’ll believe it was real now. Not after all my lies, both big and small. Some were told to make her look stupid, like the story about my citizenship and others to avoid causing serious harm to her, like my deliberate omission of what her father did in Mexico. “No. It’s as I told you, my dad was all I said he was. When he died last year, he made me promise I’d find you.”

  “And what?” Will asks me.

  “Get revenge.”