“Gotcha,” he laughed, the nasty sound grating across my skin. I started to scream and fight, trying to break his hold on me.
Then I felt something I loved against my cheek, something smooth and warm, and I heard a deep voice speak softly to me. “Alexia, wake up sweetheart.”
Warm arms embraced me and strong yet gentle hands cupped my face. My eyelids fluttered open to see Pearce’s face, inches from mine.
“I was so scared,” I whispered.
“Shh, it was only a dream.”
“Not that. I was so scared today. Of losing you. Of how I thought you would want me gone. Of living my life without you.” I trembled.
He brushed the backs of his fingers across my cheeks. “Never! I don’t ever want you gone. That dream messed with you. What was it?”
“He was chasing me and caught me. I tried to fight him off, but you woke me in time.”
“Then I’ll always have to wake you in time.”
I clasped my hands together and twisted them. I looked at him and then back at my hands.
“What?” he asked. He knew me better than I knew myself.
“We have to tell your family.”
He scrubbed his face and sat up against the headboard of the bed. Pulling me against him. “I know. I’m going to do it.”
“No, I am.”
“I don’t think...”
I cut him off by putting my hand on his lips. Then I picked up one of his hands and placed it over my heart. “This is yours. Forever. But I won’t have us get in the way of your relationship with your family. I’ve never had that. I envy what you have with them. It’s my responsibility to tell all of them, including Avery. I did it, I fucked up. Not you.”
He pulled me on his lap and put his forehead against mine. “I’ll do it if you can’t. I’ll be with you to hold your hand and whatever else you need me to do.”
“Pearce, can I ask you something and will you answer me honestly?”
“Yeah, always.”
“Do you still love me? I mean really love me?”
“Of course I do.”
“When we make love...when we’ll be together naked, and I’ll have my mouth on you everywhere, and my tongue on you, will you be able to love me like you did before today?”
“Yes, because that girl I saw in the DVD wasn’t my Alexia. She may have looked like her, but honey, that wasn’t you. Do you hear what I’m saying to you?”
I nodded, got up and went to the bathroom and brushed my teeth. I got back in bed next to him and kissed him. I needed him more than I ever needed him before. I had to prove to myself things were okay between us. If they weren’t I would leave tonight and save him the humiliation of dealing with his family.
I was so scared...so scared he wouldn’t want me. When I kissed him, I was shy, like it was the first time I’d ever kissed anyone.
“Oh God Alexia, honey. You don’t really believe me, do you? I guess I’m gonna have to show you then.”
He pushed me on my back and crawled up my body. Then he unbuttoned and unzipped my jeans and slid them off my hips. I felt the cool air hit my skin and goose bumps erupted all over me. He skimmed his hand across my belly and bent to tease my belly button with his tongue.
“Give me your hand,” he commanded, in a sexy whisper.
I held it out to him and he put it up against himself. “Does this feel like someone who doesn’t want you?” Then he unzipped his pants and his erection was quickly in my hand as it sprang free from its jail of confinement. “Now what do you think?”
My panties disappeared and I didn’t even notice because my heart was hammering so loudly and I was panting like a mad woman in the middle of an asthma attack.
“Kiss me,” he demanded.
I sat up and did as he instructed. His tongue invaded every sense in my body, by that single kiss. It left no doubt in my mind that he wanted me as desperately as I wanted him.
His hands, his mouth and his tongue were doing things to me I had never experienced with him before. I thought I had, but I guess I was wrong. His teeth left tiny marks in inconspicuous spots that I didn’t find until days later, and when I did, I just grinned.
By the time he slid his length into me, I was in tears, begging him for it. When he did, he did it with the single minded devotion of ensuring that I knew he was there with me in body, mind and soul. In all the times we had been together and of all the times we’d made love, I’d never felt so loved as I did that night.
“Alexia,” he said, “you’re going to come for me aren’t you?”
“Ah, God yeah Pearce.”
“Look at me then, because I want you to know this.”
I opened my eyes, and he said, “I don’t give a fuck what you’ve done in the past, I love you now and I’ll be here till the end.”
I exploded around him, holding him to me, calling his name over and over and I never wanted this moment to end.
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
John Remington, the Middleton family attorney, woke us up at seven the next morning. The DVD was all over the internet and I was throwing up all over again.
Pearce called Phil and he came over. He prescribed some Xanax to calm my nerves. I didn’t want to take anything, but I could barely function. Everything on my body rattled...my hands, my legs, my guts, my brain. I was unraveling at light speed.
Pearce held onto my hand and wouldn’t let it go for a second. Phil looked at him and asked him pointedly, “Are you in this for the long haul because if you’re not, you need to bail right here and now?”
“What the fuck Phil?”
“Lexi is a patient of mine and I’m only looking out for her best interests,” Phil said in his professional psychiatrist’s voice.
“Fuck that! Alexia is going to be my wife and I’m looking out for her bests interests too!” Pearce exclaimed.
Phil beamed. “That’s what I thought you’d say, but I had to find out for sure.”
“Damn, I thought you were being a major douchebag.”
Phil surprised us both by saying, “I’m going with you to your parents’...just saying.”
“Then let’s get this over with. John should be on his way. Alexia, are you ready?”
I looked up at him and shrugged. I didn’t know what I was anymore. He picked me up and carried me.
“Pearce, when we get to your mom and dad’s, let me walk, okay?”
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“Whether I want you out of my arms.”
I wanted to laugh, I really did, but it only came out as a grunt.
We pulled in with Phil behind us. About a minute later, John was there. I really wanted the Earth to swallow me up.
Pearce looked at John and said, “She wants to tell them so how’s it going to work?”
“I’ll start it out and she’ll know when to come in.” John turned to me and smiled. “We’re going to get those bastards Alexia, don’t worry.
Getting everyone gathered took a bit longer than I’d hoped. My frayed nerves took a bigger beating because of it. My fingernails no longer had any polish on them because I had scraped every last bit off. My lips were ragged from the constant chewing they were getting and the palms of my hands had wounds on them from the way I kept clenching my fists. And that was the least of my worries.
John started the whole thing off about how I was being blackmailed and threatened. He told the family about the DVD that was now circulating on the internet and how the police were involved. Pearce had given me some tissues and it was a good thing because they were getting good use.
John punted to me and I caught it. I didn’t hold anything back. I told them about the rough days and what I’d done, skimming over that part but they did hear most of the sordid details of the DVD. I ended my story with opening the package in the mail and watching the DVD. I had to excuse myself at that point because I became ill and Pearce ran after me to the bathroom. After my guts were emptied, we headed back to the wolves.
/> “Did Pearce know about all of this?” Susan asked pointedly.
Pearce went to answer, but I stopped him. I told them that Pearce wanted to tell them this story, but I wouldn’t let him. It was mine to tell and tell it I would.
“Yes, he knew...all of it. Before we dated. He knew everything about me. I never withheld any information.”
I told them they could ask him themselves if they wanted. There was no blackmail on my part.
Then the room became perfectly silent. Ava was crying as was Susan. Henry looked like a marble statue. Avery just looked back and forth between Pearce and myself.
Finally, Henry said, “Under the circumstances, I think the wedding should be postponed.”
Pearce leaped to his feet this time and yelled, “I disagree. This doesn’t change a thing for Alexia and me. We still love each other the way we always did. We’re not letting this get in the way.
Susan protested, “But how do we know she’s not after your money?”
“I don’t give a damn about the money. Cut me off. I’m a surgeon. I make a decent living and we can live just fine on that. Alexia doesn’t give a rat’s ass about the money either!” Pearce yelled.
“That’s the last thing Lexi cares about,” Justin yelled as he strode into the room. “I can vouch for her.”
“I’d like to say something please.” It was Avery who spoke. “I believe I have more experience in judging character and integrity in a person than anyone here and I’ve been observing these two young people now for the last few minutes. Pearce is hovering over her like a mother hen, waiting to attack the next person that dares to move against his girl. Alexia has walked into this nest of hornets and boldly told us what has happened. That takes a lot more nerve than I ever had at her age.”
Susan interrupted Avery before she had a chance to finish. “That’s all well and good but Lexi’s reputation could ruin Pearce’s.”
“I think it’s my turn to say something again,” I piped in. “There’s one thing you’re missing in this whole equation. I would take a bullet for this man standing next to me and if anyone dares try to ruin anything, including his reputation, they’ll have to go through me first. Mine’s already been dragged through the mud so I don’t give a flying fuck what they say about me. But when it comes to Pearce, they better put on their boxing gloves.” My breath was coming out in pants. How dare anyone suggest someone would try to ruin him because of me?
“Mom, Dad, Alexia has been through the ringer with this guy who’s stalking her. He’s abducted her, stabbed her and left her for dead on the side of the road on Johns Island.”
“What?” they both yelled in unison. They never knew about the original attack so this hit them below the belt. John explained to them the horrible story and then told them how the police were trying to catch this guy. Their looks changed from hostility to pity, which I really didn’t want right now. I massaged my temples with trembling fingers and briefly wondered if I’d ever feel normal again. I zoned out for a minute while their conversation buzzed around me. Pearce must have noticed because he tucked me into his side and put my head against his shoulder.
He leaned in and asked me if I was okay, did I need anything, or could he get me something to drink? I just shook my head. This whole exchange had zapped the crap out of me.
I felt Pearce’s arms go around me and lift me up and then I heard his voice say, “Look, Alexia and I are getting married on October 29. We’ll either do it as originally planned, or we’ll go somewhere. I really doesn’t matter to me and I know it doesn’t matter to her. What matters is that we marry and she becomes my wife and I become her husband. Y’all can keep bickering. I’m taking her home so she can sleep.” He walked out, put me in the car and we went back to his house.
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
Pearce put me in bed and I slept the day away. When I woke up, I was in a panic because I remembered that when I left my house yesterday, I hadn’t bothered to lock my door and my purse was inside.
“I should’ve brought it here yesterday, but I didn’t know where you were at the time,” he said.
Throwing on his running shoes, Pearce was out the door and headed over there to check things out. It was only thirty minutes and he was back with an overnight bag, my purse, phone and keys. Everything had been just fine. He told me he saw the smashed up TV in the driveway, so he cleaned it up for me, as well as the DVD player in the living room.
When I looked at my cell phone, I saw the eight missed texts from Pearce and just smiled.
“Come over here please.” He came and sat on the bed. I was still sleepy, but he assured me I’d be better the next day. “Thanks for taking such good care of me.” I kissed him and just let him hold me.
“Are you hungry?”
“You know what I want?”
“What sweetheart?”
“Chicken soup from Omie’s.”
“You got it.”
I sunk back into the soft bed and wrapped his pillow around me so I could smell him. Oh lordy did I ever love that man.
********
On Sunday, Pearce, John and I sat around and planned my damage control. John was convinced we had our guy. They had his name and address, courtesy of you know who, and they were getting things lined up for the search warrant. The DVD was going to work in our favor. Without it, the judge wouldn’t have signed the search warrant.
I couldn’t work on Monday. That was the day they were planning to search his house. They wanted me protected, just in case something didn’t go right, because they were hoping to get all the accomplices too.
Thank God for Phil. The Xanax was making this all bearable. I was no longer shaking like a leaf in a hurricane, but one in a normal March wind instead. I was beginning to worry about my weight too. If I didn’t start eating soon, my wedding dress was going to hang on me. Pearce brought home a variety of Ben and Jerry’s for me to nibble on whenever the urge struck.
Henry and Susan came by to check on us. They apologized and told us they wanted us to be together no matter what. If Pearce was happy, they were happy. I was too stressed out to get excited, but I promised we’d talk about it later.
Monday arrived and I could barely breathe. I felt like a monster was standing on my chest. I’d never felt this way before and I didn’t want to again. I was afraid of every little noise, creak, shadow, what have you. This was no way to live.
My nails had gone from long and pretty to short and jagged in a matter of two days. My teeth had gnawed them down to the quick and it was weird because I’d never been one to bite my nails before. Pearce was constantly tugging my hands out of my mouth.
“Honey, I don’t give a bloody damn about your nails. I just don’t want you to get sick before the wedding.”
Ever the doctor, worried about germs.
Pearce tried every kind of distraction he could conjure up. When he’d suggested watching a movie, we both broke down, first laughing like crazy because his TV was smashed up along with his DVD player, but then I started crying like a baby. The stress had finally reached its boiling point with me.
“Go ahead and cry, scream, throw things if you want, but I can’t stand to see you all torn up about this Lex. It’s going to be fine. You have the best team of attorneys and I promise they’re going to get this guy,” he swore to me.
He carried me up the stairs and snuggled me next to him until I calmed down again. That was the place where I felt the best, right by his side.
It wasn’t until late in the afternoon when we got the call. John wanted us to go down to the Police Department.
Pearce looked at me and wondered if I was willing to go.
“Hell yes,” I said. “That fucker has taken up too much space in my head as it is.”
He smiled crookedly at me and we headed out the door. The Charleston PD was only a few minutes away and John met us at the entrance. He was smiling, so I knew the news was good.
“We got him, Alexia. Follow me.”
He took
us to a small conference styled room and a few minutes later, three detectives came in. One of them I had met a year ago when he interrogated me in the hospital. He looked at me awkwardly and said, “Ms. Hammond, thanks for coming in. We owe you for this. I’d also like to apologize for my behavior last year while you were in the hospital. I’m sorry.”
“Look, that’s old news,” I responded. I wanted to get this show on the road. “Tell me what’s going on.” I shot straight to the point. I wasn’t in the mood for chitchat right now.
“The suspect has been apprehended, along with five accomplices. Daniel Simpson...will be charged with multiple counts. In your case alone, he and his cohorts will be charged with aggravated assault and battery with the intent to kill, kidnapping, computer crime, cyber bullying, extortion, harassment, intent to rape, sexual assault, stalking, and conspiracy to commit all of the above. The other thing I might mention is he is also being charged with the murder of Ms. Melanie Gordon. We found video tapes of her in his home and she’s been missing since around the time of your attack last year.”
“Jesus,” was all Pearce could say. Then I was in his arms, laughing and crying all at once. Relieved but thinking that it could’ve been me. I don’t know who came into that room that night, the night I was tied up and fighting and kicking, but whoever it was, stopped those fuckers. I didn’t end up dead like Melanie, but I think Daniel Simpson would have kept coming after me because I was the one who got free.
I turned away from Pearce and asked the detective, because it was a question that had been bugging me forever. Who knew if he had an answer, but I had to ask anyway.
“Why me detective? Why did he do all of this?”
“Ms. Hammond, the thing is, we think he was drugging the girls. We know there was coke and other things involved, but we think he was slipping something in their drinks, like rohypnol.”
Edge of Disaster Page 20
