by Jaime Lewis
“Stitch and your brother should be here in about thirty minutes.”
“I know it’s Thanksgiving, and you probably want to spend it with your family, but would it be a terrible inconvenience if you stayed until they got here?”
“Not in the least,” he nodded his head toward the couch. “Why don’t you get yourself comfortable and get that leg up? I’ll grab you some ice. Do you need anything else?”
“I think I’m good. Thank you again for everything.”
“It was my pleasure. Go on and lie down.”
She made herself comfortable and laid her head on one of the many throw pillows, then pulled a blanket draped over the back of the couch onto her. The chill she had was forgotten as soon as she got a whiff of the blanket’s scent. It smelled like the cologne that Stitch wore. She inhaled the woodsy, spicy scent, and damn, did it smell good. She needed to find out what brand he wore and buy him a lifetime supply of it. Her eyeslids began to droop, and within seconds she was overcome with darkness as sleep took over.
◆◆◆
Sheriff Prescott pulled an ice pack from the freezer and wrapped it in a dishtowel. He was angry. Actually, angry put it mildly. He was downright pissed off like no tomorrow. He wanted answers—to know the circumstances surrounding her injuries. Mia seemed like a sweet woman, and it upset him that someone had laid a hand on her. He knew Stitch and her brother well, and both were going to lose their shit when they saw the damage inflicted upon her. He almost went against her and drove her to the hospital. Granted, he wasn’t a doctor, but anyone in their right mind could see she needed medical attention. His lips tilted upward. If she wouldn’t go to the hospital, he’d have the hospital come to her. He pulled his cell phone out and sent a text to Doc O’Neal, the local town physician.
He walked back into the living room with the ice in hand and wasn’t surprised to see she had fallen asleep. He couldn’t help the small smile hearing her soft snores. The poor thing had to be exhausted. Traveling from New York by bus in the condition she was in was miraculous. He situated the ice pack on her ankle before fixing the blanket so it covered her whole body. His phone chimed with an incoming text from Stitch, letting him know they were fifteen minutes out. One of his deputies had met the group at the landing site and would bring them up to the cabin. He planned on sticking around because he wanted to hear Mia’s story. Being the Sheriff, he was responsible for the town and its residents' safety, and if there could be trouble coming this way, he wanted to know so he could prepare.
While he waited for the cavalry to arrive, he made use of the time building a fire in the fireplace. After the fireplace glowed from the orange and purplish flame, he strode back into the kitchen and made a pot of coffee. He had a feeling they were going to need it. Once the coffee was brewed, he poured himself a cup, checked on Mia again, then went outside to wait. As he sat there on the porch, he scanned the darkness beyond Stitch’s property for any sign of movement.
Stitch was a quiet guy, liked his space, so the Sheriff had to wonder just how important Mia was to Stitch. Stitch’s cabin was his haven. He didn’t allow just anyone up here. Granted, she was Ace’s sister and probably knew him, but for him to hand over a key to her, she must mean something. Stitch was a hell of a guy. He was a loyal friend, respected SEAL, and shit, he deserved a good woman. He didn’t know a lot about the woman currently sleeping inside, but he was a good judge of character. In his opinion, Mia seemed like a sweet, caring lady, maybe had a little stubborn streak in her, but obviously, she got caught up in a really bad situation. He hoped like hell that Stitch and the guys could get through to her.
Moments later, a set of headlights appeared in the distance. He stood and stepped down off the porch as the SUV came to a stop. Stitch was the first one out.
“Sheriff.” Stitch said before glancing towards the house. The others got out, and everyone greeted each other. “She’s inside?”
“Sound asleep on the couch. I texted Doc O’Neal. He should be here within the hour.” The Sheriff could see the anxiousness in Stitch, and he couldn’t blame him. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to stick around until she wakes up and you guys talk to her. If there is a chance that trouble could be following her, I’d like to know and help where I can.”
“Absolutely.”
Ace then stepped forward, “I can’t thank you enough for sensing she was feeding you a line of bullshit. Mia can be stubborn.”
The Sheriff grinned, “No thanks needed. Your sister is a tough cookie. Exhausted, but to make it here in the condition she is in, she is tough. You guys can buy me a beer later.”
◆◆◆
Every step closer Stitch got to the front door, the more nervous he became. His body was practically shaking from the adrenalin surging through him. For the last hour, he had so many different thoughts and images of Mia running through his brain that it made his head spin.
He wiped his sweaty hands on his pants before opening the door. It was quiet except for the sound of the crackling fire. He looked over at Ace, who nodded his head for him to go first.
They made their way into the living room and came around the couch, and Stitch fell to his knees next to the sofa the moment his eyes landed on Mia’s bruised face. Jesus, her eyes, cheek, and lip were all swollen and discolored. The blanket covered the rest of her frame, and quite frankly, he was afraid to see the rest of the damage to her body. Stitch took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself down. Ace, on the other hand, wasn’t fairing too well. His eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head, and his jaw appeared to tick.
“Jesus Christ.” Ace spoke in a low voice, and Stitch could hear the pain and anguish. Stitch pushed a couple of stray hairs from her face. His fingers traced the bruising over her cheek. Whoever the fuck did this to her was a dead man.
“My God,” Derek stated, followed by Tink’s comment, “Car accident my ass. Those are fucking finger marks on her neck.”
Stitch looked at the Sheriff, who stood behind the couch looking down at Mia.
“Were you able to get anything from her? Who may have done this?”
“No.”
“She definitely needs to go to the hospital.”
“I think so too, but she was very adamant about not going.”
Stitch ran his hand through his hair. Mia was stubborn. She inherited that trait from her brother.
“Stitch, we need to wake her up.” Ace told him, but part of Stitch didn’t want to. She looked so peaceful lying there, but Ace was right; they needed answers, especially if there was a chance that someone could be looking for her. But more importantly to get a better understanding of what her injuries were.
Stitch gently rubbed her shoulder, and she moaned, causing him to pull his hand back. Christ, he was afraid to touch her. “Hey, Mia, come on, you need to wake up. It’s me, Stitch. Ace is here too.”
She started to stir a bit. “Stitch…Ace…” She said, and Stitch wasn’t sure if her voice sounded froggy from her sleep or if her throat was injured.
Ace squatted down next to the couch, and Stitch gave him a little room. This had to be so difficult for Ace to see his sister battered and bruised.
Suddenly, Mia let out an earsplitting scream as her eyes popped open. She shot up off the couch and stumbled over the coffee table. Her unexpected movement had caught Ace off guard, and he fell backward. If it weren’t for Derek standing nearby and able to steady her, she might have fallen into the fireplace.
“No! Let me go!” She shouted, trying to wriggler out of Derek’s grasp.
She was stuck in a flashback or something, but before she hurt herself any further, Stitch called out to her in a loud, stern tone. “Mia, stop!”
Mia froze, and her teary eyes widened, then darted around the room. Nobody moved a muscle waiting to see what her next move would be. It wasn’t until she locked gazes with Stitch that she realized her surroundings. She blinked rapidly then burst into tears as she sunk to her knees.
Stitch ste
pped over Ace and rushed to Mia’s side. She grabbed onto him, clutching the front of his shirt.
“Your safe, baby. We’re here now.” He cooed to her as he rubbed her back. She buried her face in his chest, and he held her while her hot tears soaked through his shirt. He glanced around the room and met Ace’s gaze. Stitch couldn’t read his expression. He’d never talked to Ace about his feelings for Mia, and now was not the time to do so, but soon he would.
“Let’s get you back on the couch.” He said to her. She started to stand then yelped as her leg gave out, almost making them both fall. Thankfully, Stitch caught them both. He swung her up into his arms and walked to the couch.
Her body trembled as he held her. She had her eyes closed.
“It hurts too much to move.” She cried, and his temper flared, seeing her like this. Knowing that some piece of shit with no respect for a human life did this to her pissed him off seven ways to Sunday.
◆◆◆
Not only was Mia in extreme pain, but she was embarrassed. She couldn’t believe she had totally flipped out the way she had. But between the pain medicine and anxiety, the guys’ presence had caught her off guard. She was on edge, and on the verge of passing out.
After several tense and silent moments, Mia’s tears turned into hiccups as she tried to get herself under control. Now that her adrenalin rush had subsided, the pain seemed to spike to a level she could no longer tolerate. It made her sick to her stomach.
She laid her head against Stitch’s shoulder.
“I don’t feel well.”
Stitch pulled her a little closer to him, and she wanted to melt into him. He caressed her back lightly, sending a feeling of warmth throughout her body.
He adjusted her on his lap, and the slight jostle caused enormous pain to hit her ribs, and she let out another yelp.
Stitch froze and looked down at her. “Jesus, Mia, where else are you hurt?”
All eyes were on her waiting for her to answer. She looked down at her hands that were clasped in her lap. Stitch lifted her chin, so she was looking at him. His eyes were so focused and intense, but beautiful at the same time.
“Be honest, Mia. Where else are you hurt?” He asked again.
The tears hit her eyes.
“Mia?” Ace started in on her.
“All over.” She sniffled and tried to fight back the tears, but she couldn’t. “They beat me all over.”
Stitch hugged her to him, and she buried her face in the crook of his neck and cried. He slowly and gently caressed her back.
“I know this is hard for you, but we need to ask you a few questions.” Stitch whispered into her hair.
She wiped her eyes and looked up at Stitch who brushed a stray hair off her bruised cheek. “I don’t know who they were. They knocked me out once they threw me in the van.”
“You don’t know who they were? What did they look like?” Ace asked as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. Her brother was fired up.
“I don’t. I was finishing up my run when two guys pulled me off the street. They were wearing masks, and when I woke up in the warehouse, I was blindfolded.”
They asked her more questions, and she answered them as best she could. She explained how she managed to escape and then how someone, a stranger, came to her rescue, but at the same time offered her a warning.
She looked at her brother.
“I’m sorry, Ace. I tried to do what I thought was right. I didn’t want to take the chance and put everyone in danger.”
“I was so pissed off when I saw your text this morning.”
Mia’s head snapped up, and she looked at her brother with her eyebrows scrunched together.
“You got my text?”
“Yeah, it came through around three-thirty or so in the morning, but I didn’t actually read it until later.”
“That’s interesting because I lost my phone during the scuffle with the men. I tried to send the text from my watch once I was back in my apartment, but it didn’t go through because I wasn’t in range.”
“When you left and went to catch a cab, you must have been within the range of where you dropped it because I got it.”
“Mia, can you describe the warehouse you were in? Or anything you can remember?” Derek asked.
“No, like I told you, the blindfold they had tied around my head was super tight and double-knotted. I was lucky it had slid up just a smidge so I could somewhat see what I was doing.”
“What about the men? Anything descriptive about their voice, or build, maybe?”
“From what I could tell, there were three men. One of them came later, and he is the one who had stopped the one guy from beating me. I didn’t catch any names, but again, they had drugged me with something, so my mind was a little slow and fuzzy. I did detect New York accents. The guy who grabbed me was really big; bulky, but not all muscle either. The other guy had a much smaller build. That’s about it.”
“What about the stranger you spoke of? The one who rescued you on the street. Anything descriptive about him?”
“He had an English accent. He was kind, but at the same time didn’t want to reveal himself. I’m assuming he was the person who left the note.”
Ace sat down on the coffee table in front of Mia. He took her hand.
“Do you have any idea what these guys wanted with you?”
She shook her head, and her emotions came flooding back, remembering they had plans to kill her.
“I don’t know for sure, but I think I was targeted.”
“You’re positive you weren’t just in the wrong place at the wrong time? That this wasn’t a mugging or random assault gone bad?” Ace asked, and again she shook her head.
“I remember one of the guys mentioned that I was the one who their boss had his eyes on. He also said that it would be a shame to not fuck me before they had to off me.”
The vein on the side of Ace’s head pulsated, and his jaw became tense.
“They said they were going to kill you?”
“That’s what they said.”
Ace’s eyes darkened, and his grip tightened on her hand. His nostrils flared, and she knew he was trying not to show his anger in front of her.
“Ace…”
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “All that matters is that you are safe now.”
She was exhausted and in a lot of pain. She tried to relax her body against Stitch, but she couldn’t fight the agony any longer. She hadn’t even realized that tears were flowing down her cheeks until Stitch wiped them away. She felt so numb and confused. Why her?
“What is your pain level, on a scale of one to ten?” Stitch asked.
She closed her eyes and leaned against his muscular frame. “Twenty.” She started to second guess her decision not to get checked out at the hospital. Before she could conjure another thought, Stitch stood with her in his arms and started walking. He said something to the guys, but she wasn’t paying any attention. The only thing she wanted was another pain pill to knock her out.
◆◆◆
Stitch could feel how tense Mia was and knew she was in pain.
“Please don’t let them find me again.” She whispered. She was breathing heavily, and then her body started to tremble.
Stitch looked at Ace and could see the effect this situation was having on him. His eyes were glassy. There had been only one other time he’d seen his team leader come close to crying, and that was when they had found Alex beaten and shot in Afghanistan.
Stitch turned to the Sheriff. “When did Doc say he’d be here?”
“Should be here in about ten to fifteen minutes.”
“Let’s move her upstairs to the bedroom. At least there, she’d be more comfortable. I have some mild pain killers, but I would rather the doc check her out first.”
Ace nodded his head and gave Stitch room as he started toward the staircase. Mia whimpered, burying her face in the crook of his neck and shoulder.
He felt terrible for cau
sing her more pain, but it was important to get her comfortable, and it would give the doctor room to examine her.
Ace went up the stairs first.
“Which room?” He asked, and Stitch nodded to the left that led to his bedroom. It was the only room with a made bed, and the only room he wanted Mia staying in.
Ace opened the door and turned on the table lamp sitting on the dresser. He hurried over to the bed and pulled back the covers. Stitch then laid Mia down, but Mia wouldn't let go of him.
“Mia, drop your arms for me, please. We need to get your jacket off.” She did as he asked, but she kept her eyes closed and turned her head. He looked at Ace.
“Help me get this off of her.”
The two of them maneuvered the light jacket off of her.
“Oh, Jesus!” Stitch whispered as they raised her shirt to look at her midsection. She was bruised all over. Her beautiful olive skin was marred with black, blue, and reddish welts.
“Fuck! Do we take her to the hospital? This shit is bad.” Ace admitted taking in the sight of Mia’s immense bruising.
Stitch shook his head. “Let’s see what doc says first. If he thinks she should go, then we’ll work it out.”
◆◆◆
Ace looked on as Stitch cared for Mia. His heart was heavy, and he was full of emotions—sadness, anger, and helplessness. This was different from what he was used to dealing with. In his line of work, he rescued and protected people, but those individuals weren’t his family. This ordeal brought back memories from when Alex had been kidnapped in Afghanistan. He never wanted to go through the worry of finding or protecting a loved one against the enemy again. Unfortunately, the world was filled with sick people who preyed on others, and there were no guarantees.
