He hit his temple with the palm of his hand. “Shut up! Shut up, bitch! Don’t you get it? You are mine now. You belong with me. You have always been mine.” His split flew in my face as he yelled at me. He gripped my chin, jerking me hard, and pulling me closer to him. My cheek throbbed, and the pain was almost unbearable. Every single bone in my body hurt. “You belong here. This isn’t a vacation. This is forever. Get that through your thick fucking skull!” He backhanded me again, and it made me fly back onto the mattress. The bed dipped as he crawled up my body. “My love, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry. You make me so mad, but I don’t mean it, okay? I love you.”
I kept my mouth shut; sobs wracked my body, and tears soaked the sheet beneath me. The place smelled of smoke, and it was a bit stale like the air hadn’t been circulated in a few months.
“I know, I know it will be an adjustment,” he started to say, stroking my cheek. “But you need to know this is what is best, okay? Me and you. It’s what is best. Godrick, he doesn’t know what is good for you, what is best for you, not like me. We were together for so long; don’t you trust me? You will again. I’ll gain your trust. I haven’t been with another woman since we broke up. I love you.” Brian bent down and pressed his lips against mine, trying to kiss me, but I kept my mouth sealed shut. His tongue tried to enter, but I fought him off. “Fucking kiss me!”
I whimpered when he gripped my mouth, and the tight hold made my lips part. He moaned when he inserted his tongue between my lips, and I laid there limp, not showing him any satisfaction. I would bite his tongue off if he let go of my mouth. Then I’d spit it out and make sure it slapped him against the face.
“I’ve missed your lips.”
“Brian,” I mumbled the best I could with a squished mouth. “Please, don’t hurt me, okay?” I debated on telling him I was pregnant, but what if he kicked me again? I wouldn’t think he would hurt a baby. “Don’t kick me anymore. I’m pregnant. Please.” I shut my eyes tight as fresh tears spilled down my face, stinging the cuts on my face. “Please.”
“You’re pregnant?” He didn’t sound mad, but happy. “We’re going to have a baby?” His hand fell over my stomach, and the heat from his palm burned me, but not like Godrick’s burned me and left his mark. Brian’s touch but made me feel sick and damaged. “I can’t wait to tell our families.”
Families? Did he not remember my family only consisted of Logan? How far gone was Brian? The thought of having his baby made me want to die, but if it meant keeping my child safe, I’d have to play along with his delusion. I swallowed down the bile in my throat and nodded. “Yeah, we are going to have a baby, can you believe it?”
“We need a bigger place. We can go away, you know. Anywhere.”
“I like it here,” I said, keeping my voice small and weak, just like he seemed to like.
“I don’t care what you like!” He yanked my hair back, the devil staring back at me, promising evil. “You hear me? What you like doesn’t matter. It’s about me now. It’s not always about you, goddamn it!” He slammed my head against the headboard, making me see stars, wondering if my soul had left my body and made it to heaven with all the light I saw.
I cried silently, and Brian kicked the food tray, smashing it against the wall. Soup flew everywhere, small drops landing on my face. I regretted not telling Godrick about the baby. I should have. I was waiting for the right place; the right time. I wanted to surprise him, and now I might not ever get the chance to.
“Why are you doing this?” I swallowed my spit gathering in my mouth to try and ease the dry itch in my throat.
He sat on the bed next to me, the sun not as bright since it was setting, and he exhaled, clearly annoyed. “Lucy, Lucy, Lucy,” he shook his head. “You haven’t ever been the brightest; you know that? It’s one of the things that really pisses me off the most about you. You’re a fucking idiot.” He scratched his hairline, and that’s when I noticed the gun again. “But I love you because you’re still amazing. I can look over the stupidity.”
None of what he just said bothered me. He was a fucking psychopath. I would be an idiot to believe him. “We were together for so long; I don’t know how to be without you. So I decided I wouldn’t be. I’d find you, and I’d take you back.”
I didn’t miss how he said the word ‘take.’ He wouldn’t say, ‘ask for me back’ or ‘try to get me back.’ He just wanted me to be his.
“Now we are going to be a family.”
“You realize the baby isn’t yours, don’t you?”
He stood, slowly turning around and unbuttoned his pants. “We can make it my baby. Do you want that? Actually…the thought of fucking you while knocked up with that man’s kid does certain things to me.” He gripped his cock. It was small and skinny, nothing like Godrick’s. “I don’t want to, but the thought of getting him back by fucking you while his kid grows inside you…that would be so good.”
I pulled at the rope until it burned my skin. I needed to get out of here. The thought of him touching me made me sick. “No, Brian. Don’t. Please,” I cried. “I’ll do anything you want, but don’t do that. I’m asking you please. If you…if you ever want me to love you again, don’t do that.”
He squatted, pushing a piece of hair out of my face with the gun. I waited for the bullet to hit me in the middle of the eyes. What I would give to feel my stomach right now. “You think you could love me again? Really?”
I nodded, opening my eyes wide as I stared at him. “Oh, you have always held a special place in my heart. You’re my first love. I’ll always love you, but it has been so long since we have spent time together, Brian. I don’t know what it’s like to be in love with you. Will you remind me?”
He pushed the gun into the waistband of his jeans and reached behind me to tug on the ropes. “Of course, I will. Of course. I’ll remind you. You always liked it when I held you. Can I do that?” He almost had the ropes untied when he changed his mind and lifted my arms above my head, tying the rope to the iron headboard. “You understand? I don’t trust you to run yet, but I’ll hold you, okay?”
“Okay. I really want to touch you, but I understand.” I lied through my teeth, vomit creeping up my throat again at the thought of touching him. He laid down next to me, sliding his hands around my waist, landing right on my lower belly. Silently, I cried because Godrick hadn’t been able to do that yet. Brian was taking that away from him.
“We are going to be happy again, you’ll see. You’ll see how much I love you, and you’ll understand why I did all this.”
“I know,” I agreed to placate him, cringing with every stroke of his fingertips.
“Goodnight, angel. I love you,” he said, laying his head on my right breasts, snuggling it as if it were his favorite pillow.
I stayed awake. I wasn’t sure how much time had passed by, but it was night, possibly the middle of the night. His breaths were coming out slow, and a small whistle came from his nose. I hated that damn noise for ten years of my life, but right now, it just may be the reason why I get out of here.
I pulled against the rope, but the only way I’d get free was if I broke my thumbs and didn’t think I was strong enough to do it. I knew once the whistles happened, he’d be asleep through a bomb, nothing would wake him. A pillow was right next to my head and opening my mouth, I bit down on the fluffy feathers, and pulled at my thumbs and then leaned forward. With all the strength I had, I jumped back, slamming my thumb between the wall and iron rails of the headboard.
I screamed into the pillow, hot tears falling from the pain as I did it again and again.
Until my thumb finally snapped.
I shivered from the pain, swallowing the puke in my throat, and fought hard not to pass out. Sweat coated my body, but I couldn’t give up now. I was too close. I slipped my hand free from the rope and untied my other hand. It was hard not having my thumb to use. It really did come in handy, and I would never take it for granted again.
Once the rope was off my other hand, I slowly
slid off the bed and stood. The room was so dark. I couldn’t turn on the light. I only had the moon peeking through the curtains to help me now. His phone was on the dresser, and I ran for it, picked it up, and called Godrick. I ran into the living room, trying to find the front door, but this house was huge. I kept reaching a dead end.
I came to the kitchen, the farm-style would have been cute any other day with the white counters and black appliances, but right now, all I wanted to get to was the door.
“Hello? Lucy? Is that you, baby? Please,” his voice choked. “I’d give you anything, just bring her back.”
My heart leaped from the words, and I wanted to scream and rejoice in happiness that I finally heard his voice. “Godrick,” my voice shook from fear. It was hard to whisper.
“Lucy? God, baby. I love you. Where are you? Are you safe?”
“Please, come get me. I—”
“You fucking bitch!” Brian yelled, gripping my hair, he slammed me against the door until the window shattered.
“Lucy! Lucy!” Godrick screamed from the other end of the phone, and Brian snatched it from my hand.
“Lucy can’t come to the phone right now. She’s in trouble,” Brian’s voice was monotone and deadly.
“You bastard! I’ll fucking kill you—” but before Godrick could finish his threat, Brian hung up.
I knew first loves were a bitch, but I didn’t think they killed.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Godrick
Cortez sped down the road with his lights on, his cruiser maxing out at top speed. The moment we had gotten her location from the phone call, we wasted no time. Logan stayed with Maria back at home, but Haden, Cortez, and I were in the cop car.
I had a feeling whatever happened tonight, Cortez would look the other direction.
“How far out are we?” I rubbed my palms against my pants; they wouldn’t stop sweating. I was furious. I was ready to kill. The man wouldn’t be walking away tonight. He’d be leaving in an ambulance. Cortez had already called for two because I knew Lucy would need one. I hated it too. I hated knowing that, but I felt it in my soul, her pain, her worry, her sadness, and all I could think about was our baby.
“A minute. It’s that house, right there.” He pointed to an old house that looked haunted. It reminded me of one of those houses serial killers lived in with it’s sagging porch and chipped paint on the rotten siding.
I didn’t wait for the car to come to a complete stop, I jumped out, tucking myself in a ball to roll on the ground. When I stopped, my feet finally got under me, and I ran to the door, jumping up ten steps. The wood creaked under my weight, and I lifted my leg, busting the door down to see Brian holding Lucy up by her throat, feet dangling off the floor.
I’d never touch her throat again. Never. Not when this was happening to her. Three giant strides and I was at his back. I yanked his arm behind him and then twisted, breaking it in two. He shouted in pain, but it wasn’t enough to stop me. I threw him against the wall and wrapped my hand around his throat just like he did her, but this time I squeezed so hard, his eyes and face turned purple. He tried knocking my hand away with his unbroken arm, but my grip was too strong. I wanted to watch the life drain from his eyes.
My face trembled, my muscles and nerves firing to each other with all the adrenaline pumping through me and my fingers digging so far into his windpipe, I thought about ripping it from his neck.
“Go to Lucy,” Cortez said. “She needs you. I got him. He is done for, okay?”
“He attacked me. You saw him!” Brian tried to defend himself, gasping and choking for air. “You…saw…”
“I didn’t fucking see shit!” Cortez kneed Brian in the face. “Shut the fuck up. Get on your stomach, hands behind your head.”
“He broke my arm!”
Cortez yanked one arm back, and then the broken one, Brian screamed like a little bitch as Cortez cuffed him. The pain became too much for him because he passed out. The man would never see the light of day, and if I ever found out he did, I’d hunt him down and kill him before he ever found Lucy.
I scooped up an unconscious Lucy and sobbed, pushing her hair out of her face, so I could see just what happened to her. “What did he do to you, baby?” I held her close to my chest, trying to protect her the best way I could as I brought her to the ambulance. I laid her on the gurney, and as they inserted the IV and checked her over for injures, everything went so fast, but slow at the same time.
“She’s pregnant,” I told them in a haze. “She’s pregnant.”
“Sir, we have her, okay? We are going to make sure she is okay.”
“Is my baby okay?” I held onto her hand while I climbed into the ambulance.
“We will know more when we get to the hospital.”
That meant they had no idea. I brought her hand to my lips and held her knuckles there, kissing them the entire way. She stayed unconscious for the entire ride, sirens blaring as we sped down the highway. If it was up to me, we would have flown there to get there quicker.
We finally rolled to a stop, and the back doors opened, red and blue lights still swirling in the night as they slid the gurney from the metal tin. Doctors and nurses ran out from the automatic doors.
“Female. Pregnant. She was kidnapped. She’s unconscious, but blood pressure is stable. We need to get a head CT.”
“What? Why? What’s wrong with her!” I ran after them as they rolled her away from me, through the doors and down the hall. “Where are you taking her!” I screamed, and everyone in the waiting room stared at me.
“Sir,” a small nurse body blocked me, “you can’t go back there.”
“That’s…that’s my…” I wanted to say my wife, but she wasn’t yet. “My baby. She’s pregnant. Please, I need to know if she is okay.”
The nurse’s eyes were warm and kind. and when she placed her hand on my arm, I breathed easier, even if I was still panicking, her touch was magic. “I’ll check on her for you, okay? I need you to calm down, or we are going to have to admit you. You don’t want that, right? You want to be able to see her as soon as possible. You won’t be able to do that from a hospital bed.”
The hell I wouldn’t. I’d crawl from anywhere if it meant getting to Lucy.
“Sit down, sir. I promise to update you soon.”
I fell into one of the chairs, and it was so uncomfortable as I waited. I buried my hands in my hair and hung my head, waiting and waiting for something, for anything, but every minute felt like an hour.
I was slowly dying inside. This had to be what torture felt like.
“Hey, any word?” Logan asked with a red−eyed Maria at his side.
I shook my head and blew out a breath that made my lips vibrate. “No, nothing. I think she is okay, but she was unconscious. They are making sure she doesn’t have a head injury.”
“Oh, god,” Maria said. “Where is Gabriel?”
“He should be here soon. He arrested Brian. He should be coming here since I broke his arm.”
“Lucy Green?” A doctor came out of the double doors, and I stood so fast, the chair flew backward.
“That’s us. That’s me. That’s him.” I pointed to Logan. “It’s all of us. She’s my fiancé,” I rambled, nervous and scared. She would be my fiancé after tonight. I had the ring in my pocket and everything. I refused to wait to marry her. They had chapels here at hospitals, right? Surely, they had a minister. I’d pay for her dream wedding, but after tonight, she’d be my wife.
“Your fiancé is fine. She has a concussion, and she is bruised. It looks like she took a few beatings.”
I staggered, swaying like I had one too many beers, and Logan caught me. That bastard hit her?
“I had to set her thumb; it was broken, most likely from breaking it herself to get out of restraints. She was smart to do so. The baby is fine. I recommend bed rest for a few months so she can heal, but other than that, she will be just fine.”
I blinked, and the tears in my eyes couldn’
t be stopped as they rained down my face. “They are okay?”
The doctor slapped his hand on my shoulder and tilted his chin down, peering at me through the top of his glasses. “They are going to be just fine. Your family is okay, Mr. Stoneridge.”
“Thank you,” I sobbed and then cleared my throat to get myself together. “Thank you so much.”
“Just doing my job.”
“Anything you want,” I said. “You want new medical equipment? Your nurses need raises? Whatever the fuck you want, it’s yours. I’ll be donating a few million as a thank you.”
“That’s very generous of you, but you don’t have to.”
“Yes, I do,” I said. “You said the love of my life and my child. You deserve everything. Can I see them?” My baby wasn’t even close to being born yet, and I acted as if they were ready for me to hold.
“I’ll take you to them, come on. Everyone can come.” The doctor waved his hand, and his white coat drifted behind him. The hospital was a maze. There was no way I could find her room on my own. We took like five left turns and three rights before we came to her room.
She was awake.
“Lucy,” I ran to her side, and her heart rate monitor beeped, the sweet song that would be my favorite sound for the rest of my life. I sat down on the bed and ran my fingers through her hair while my other hand laid on her stomach. “I’m so fucking glad you’re safe. I love you. I love you so much. You scared me. I almost lost the both of you.”
“You know?” Her voice was so hoarse from that bastard choking her. Her throat was already bruising, black and blue. Her eyes swam with tears. “I wanted to tell you. I wanted it to be perfect when I told you, and I was scared. I’m so sorry,” she wailed, placing a hand on top of my on her flat stomach. I couldn’t wait to see it swell and grow. “I’m sorry. I love you.”
“Shh, it doesn’t matter now. You’re safe. That’s what matters.” I kissed her forehead and relished in her being in my arms again. “That’s all that matters.”
Kiss my Boss (Plot Twist, I'm Pregnant Book 1) Page 17
