Heavy (Heavy Hearts Book 1)

by Sarah Jane Duncan

  “Tissue.” I whimper, keeping my head tucked into Ayden’s chest, and he moves to reach over my body before presenting me with a handful of tissues.

  I give him a nasally thank you and clean myself up. When I sit up, I see that his shirt didn’t escape my snotty attack.

  “I’m so sorry,” I reach out with the pile of snotty tissues to clean it up, but he slides me back with one firm hand and rolls off the bed.

  Given the circumstances, I shouldn’t be taking such pleasure in watching him as he pulls his shirt over his head, tossing it in the hamper by his door. His muscles ripple as he moves, giving me a better look at the tattoo on his back. It’s too late when I realise that I moan out loud, drawing his attention to my ogling. Stopping by his dresser, he raises a dark brow, a smug grin tugging at his lips. Heat flushes my face, because of course, why would my body want to save me from more embarrassment?

  “You know, Lex, you really should stop trying to hide what you feel and just admit that you think I have a rockin’ body.”

  “Rockin’ body? Really?” I scoff at this cockiness and roll off the bed giving him my back while trying to compose myself a little more. His chuckle floats across the room, making me feel okay for a moment. Knowing Ayden, it’s probably exactly why he made that comment. He always seems to know how to keep me grounded.

  A strong hand appears in my line of sight, and I know it’s time to speak with his parents and get this over and done with. I hold on to his warm hand, letting him guide me out of his room to have a conversation that I don’t want to have.

  “Okay, Lexi, we’re going to get straight to the point and not dance around things.”

  Andrea’s firm but kind tone is welcome. As much as I don’t want to talk about this subject, I know it has to be done, so there’s no reason to beat around the bush.

  Ayden seats me next to him at the same table that we enjoyed breakfast at earlier, his fingers entwined in mine, clinging with a grip that tells me he’s not going to let go anytime soon.

  “We have to contact the police to let them know you are safe, Lexi.” Peter speaks this time, and he lets the sentence hang in the air for a few moments before continuing, “They will most likely need to speak with you, and we can give them the pictures showing the evidence of the attack.”

  I nod. I know this has to happen. I may not like it, but I know there’s no way to avoid it now. I also worry that Travis may have dobbed me in, and the moment the cops know where I am, then they will come and take me away. I guess I’ll just have to deal with that if, and when it happens.

  “Lexi, if it’s okay with you, I would like to let the authorities know that you are welcome to stay with us either here or at my sisters back in Fox Pines.” Andrea offers.

  “Thank you,” the gravel in my voice is evidence of my recent tears, and I work hard to let my gratitude show on my face.

  “Do you have any other family that may want you to stay with them?” I shake my head at Andrea’s question.

  “My Aunt Liz passed away a few years ago. The only other relative I have, which kind of doesn’t count as a relative, is Mike’s mum. She lives in Queensland.”

  Andrea and Peter nod in unison, taking in my words.

  “Well, as I said, you are welcome here, but if there’s someone else you prefer to stay with, then that’s okay, too. We can arrange to take you to where ever you need to go.”

  Ayden’s hand grips mine a little tighter with Andrea’s offer. I’m not sure if he meant to do it or not. It’s almost as if he doesn’t like the idea of me going to stay with someone else. Looking over at him, his eyes are already on my face, like he’s been watching me the entire time. He looks worried. Maybe he doesn’t want me around all the time. It is asking a lot of him and his family to keep being put out because of me.

  “Is that okay?” I keep my voice low, just above a whisper, “I can go to a friend’s place back home if you prefer me to.”

  Before I even finish speaking, his head shakes, and Ayden moves close to me like he’s trying to block out his parents. “I don’t want you being with anyone else, Lex. The thought of not knowing if you’re safe terrifies me.”

  The honesty and rawness in his words succeed in prying out a couple of tears out of me. I see it then, looking into his intense blue eyes. He really is terrified, almost desperate to keep me safe. I can see that this friendship between us means more than that to him. He has avoided sharing that truth with me, and I get the impression it has nothing to do with being shy and everything to do with timing. I imagine it’s kind of hard to start something romantic with someone who you know has been assaulted in a way that will leave internal scars for a long time after the external ones have healed.

  “I’ll stay with you, Ayden, until you tell me to leave.” I let a small smile slip through, hoping it and my words will wipe the panic from his face. It works, his face transforming into a pleasing smile.

  Peter stands from the table, breaking the little bubble I’m in with his son. “I’ll go make some calls and keep you updated with what’s going to happen.”

  I turn and nod a thank you at him as he leaves the table, leaving Andrea looking concerned. Her eyes flick to Ayden, and I get the distinct impression her concern isn’t for me. When she notices me examining her, she softens her expression, trying to hide what it was.

  “There are salad rolls in the fridge if you two feel like eating.”

  “Thanks, mum,” Ayden speaks for the both of us standing from his seat. I have no choice but to go with him since he hasn’t let go of my hand, forcing me to trail behind him as he collects the salad rolls and a couple of water bottles from the fridge before heading to his room again.

  We eat in comfortable silence on his bed. Well, he eats. I just take a few bites and then kind of pick at the roll before putting it aside on the bedside table. Looking around the room, which has become my sanctuary, I take in the modern décor splashed with grey and orange tones and white furnishings that hint to his father’s wealth.

  This room is a contradiction to the room he lives in above his Auntie’s garage at Fox Pines. The furniture there looks like miss-matched hand-me-downs passed around a few different family members over the years.

  Ayden’s bed there is probably the only thing that appears as if it came from the life he has here in the city. It’s just as cozy and is dressed in the same quality sheets. I wonder if he secretly hates that he has to live in something less than he has here with his dad?

  “Penny for your thoughts.” Ayden’s warm voice breaks my mulling, and I glance at him as he wipes the corners of his mouth with his thumb, having just finished eating.

  “You don’t have a penny.”

  He nods, grinning, “True. How about a kiss for your thoughts?”

  I freeze, internally fighting myself to keep my face from reacting. If I tell him what I was thinking, will he really kiss me? God, I’m acting like I’ve never been kissed before.

  “Sorry, that was inappropriate, given the circumstances.” His face falls, guilt washing over his features. Shit. I want that kiss, damn it!

  “I was just thinking how your bedroom here is so different from your bedroom at Fox Pines,” I blurt out in a rush, “I wondered if you feel uncomfortable at your Aunt’s because it’s not so…” I don’t know how to finish the sentence without it sounding like a putdown.

  “So? Snobby? Stuck up?”

  “What? No!” I sit on my knees, facing him, and his laughter fills the room.

  “Your face,” he croaks in between laughs, “priceless.”

  “You arsehole!” I smack him on the shoulder, which just seems to make him laugh even more. He can’t seem to stop laughing, and I fight hard not to join him, but I have a one-track mind, and I’m determined to get what I want.

  “Ayden, I told you my thoughts. Now pay up.”

  He slowly stops laughing, sucking air deep into his lungs, his eyes roaming my face. He’s quiet then, looking at me as if to see signs of me joking a
round. I sit back on my heels, still kneeling in front of him on the bed, waiting patiently. I’m dead serious, and it shows on my face. I see the exact moment he realises it, too, because his crystal blue eyes soften, and almost look drunk. Then they flick back and forth from my eyes to my mouth. I purposely dart my tongue out and lick my upper lip, hoping he’ll get the message. He does.

  His lips slam into mine as I rise on my knees to meet him. The warmth of his hand at the back of my neck pulls me closer, and I press my body flush to his. My hands, having a mind of their own, tangle in his dark hair tugging him closer even though there’s no more room to move. Our moans carry through the room as our tongues meet for the first time.

  I have been kissed several times since becoming a hormonal teenager. Most of the kisses I wanted. But none were like this. Never have I felt this pull. I can’t seem to get enough of Ayden, and even this kiss doesn’t feel like it’s enough. I have an overwhelming urge to crawl under his skin. The thought is both exciting and terrifying because who the hell thinks like that?

  Ayden’s other hand moves over my back, his fingers grazing my skin where the jersey has risen. I stop thinking, my lips just as hungry as his, and we somehow end up lying down. The way his body presses me into the mattress only makes me more frenzied, my body lighting on fire with a heat I have never felt before. Well, with someone else in the room, anyway.

  “Ayden,” Peter’s voice cracks through our lust-filled haze, and I’m hit with cold air as Ayden jumps away from me, quickly taking his delicious body heat with him.

  I sit up just as fast, trying to look like I hadn’t nearly been caught before the bedroom door opens, and Peter pops his head in.

  “Ah, Lexi. I spoke with Officer Reynolds from the Fox Pines Police Department. He will be here in a few hours with someone from Child Services.”

  “What!” I cry, fear gripping me at the thought of being taken away.

  Peter holds his hand up, “It’s okay. They just need to speak with you about what happened at your home, and to make sure you are in good care here with us.”

  “So, they won’t take her away, right?” Ayden sounds just as worried as I feel.

  “No. They will most likely ask if this is where Lexi wants to be, and probably want to make sure we aren’t holding her against her will.”

  I know Peter is sure about what he’s saying, but the adults in my life have always managed to let me down and just put me in more danger. The urge to run is making me twitchy, my heart hammering against my chest.

  “Thanks, dad. Maybe Lex should have a rest before they get here.”

  Peter looks between the two of us and then nods before leaving the room. I jump up from the bed and look around frantically.

  “Lex?”

  I find my bag and start packing my stray clothes into it.

  “Lex.” Ayden gently grips my upper arm, pulling me up. “Stop.”

  I shake my head, not able to find words.

  “I won’t let them take you away from me.” He seems so sure, his eyes filled with determination.

  “What if you can’t stop them?” I whisper, my eyes flooding.

  “The only way anyone is taking you away from me is if they kill me first. I’m not going to let it happen, so stop trying to figure out an escape plan and just let my family help you.”

  “I- I’m not a fan of letting people help Ayden. They usually end up letting me down.”

  Sorrow fills his eyes, and he cups my face.

  “I’m so sorry that has happened to you, Lexi. It eats at me to know you’ve been treated that way. I just want to kill every fucker that has ever wronged you. But believe me please when I say we want to help you, and we will help you. I promise I will never let you down.”

  “You can’t promise that, Ayden.” I try to step away from him, but he’s not letting go of me anytime soon.

  “I can, and I will promise that. Please don’t push me away because you’re scared. Instead, let me comfort you, let me keep you safe, let me protect you.”

  I’m not sure how he might do all of that, but my heart sure wants to let him try. It’s a risk, but where Ayden is concerned, I can’t seem to see reason. I nod, the move restricted by his hold on my face.

  Relief washes over his features before I’m pulled to his chest in a hug that I could happily drown in.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Officer Reynolds is a burly man with greying hair and a thickening waistline. His partner, Officer Zimora, is at least twenty years younger and looks like he spends every spare minute that he has away from work, lifting weights at the gym. The woman with them is from the Department of Health and Human Services. This is the lady that acts in the best interest of children, apparently. She looks more like a hippy than a government worker.

  I’m nervous with all the eyes on me, studying me. It’s weird having these people filling the space in Peter’s living room. It’s also strange that I think that since this isn’t even my home. I hadn’t realised how comfortable I felt here with them, until now.

  The gentle squeeze of Ayden’s hand in mine reminds me that he has my back, and I swallow the lump in my throat before speaking, reluctantly re-telling the nightmare I would rather bury deep and never speak of again.

  When my girly emotions show, Ayden rubs my back, trying to soothe away the tears. I’m so grateful that I gave in to his attention towards me in the beginning, which seems like so long ago, yet a week hasn’t even passed. If Ayden wasn’t in my life, then I’m positive I’d be dead by now.

  “May we see the photos of Alexis when she first came to you?” Claudia, the Child Services hippy, asks Andrea, who nods, placing her laptop in front of Claudia and the officers on the coffee table.

  As they scroll through the pictures, my body heats with humiliation. I know we took the photos for this purpose, but now that I know they are being viewed, I feel so exposed. The officer’s faces show no emotion while they look on, but Claudia doesn’t seem to have a poker face, and what she sees affects her.

  “Alexis, do you mind if we speak in private?” Claudia asks, and I shake my head before she even finishes.

  “No need. Any questions you have can be asked in front of the Mitchell’s.”

  “Are you sure, sweetie? I need to ask you some fairly personal questions.” Claudia looks between me and Ayden’s parents, who are looking to me for direction.

  “Yes,” I nod, “I’ve already told them everything. There’s nothing I need to hide from them.”

  Claudia nods and clears her throat, “Can I have your permission to arrange a rape test?”

  “What? No!” I hiss, panic filling me. Ayden rubs my back again, trying to keep me calm. The pull of an invisible rope connects us, and his offering of comfort works to an extent, but I’m still on a fast road to freaking the hell out right now.

  “Alexis, if you were assaulted in that way, then we need to do one.”

  “I told you everything already. What makes you think I need a rape test?” I sound like an ungrateful bitch, but my hackles are up, so I don’t give a shit right now. I’m pissed off because this is just another adult who isn’t listening to me.

  “I thought perhaps you might have left some details out given the company in the room, which is why I asked to speak with you in private.” Claudia sounds genuine in her answer, but it still pisses me off.

  “I didn’t leave anything out. I told you exactly what Mike did to me, what my dad did. While we are at it, how about what my principal did? He turned a blind eye when my dad sprouted lies, saying I am mentally unstable. The principal stood by and let my dad drug me and take me away against my will. I pleaded with him for help, but he didn’t listen. What I need is for the adults in my life to stop doing wrong by me. Please tell me you aren’t like them?”

  “No, Miss West, I’m not like them. I am so sorry that you have experienced such disgusting behaviour from the people you should be able to trust. I will certainly look into everything you have told me.” Claudia’s st
atement is strong and honest as far as I can tell, so I nod, letting her know I accept what she is saying.

  “Miss West, we still haven’t been able to apprehend your brother Mike, but we have spoken with your father over the phone. Given the information you have told us, I think we have grounds to charge him as well.” Officer Reynolds turns to address Ayden’s parents, “Mrs Mitchell, you said you had located Mrs West in a hospital in the city, is that correct?”

  “Yes, that’s right. Lexi’s mum was transferred to the city from the Fox Pines Hospital, however, there must have been an error in her paperwork because she never ended up at the record’s destination. I’ve since managed to locate her at Richmond Circle Psychiatric Hospital. Her records have a ‘no visitors’ rule on them. I’ve been trying to get Lexi approved to see her mum, but I keep getting the run-around. The whole thing seems a little odd to me.”

  “Given the fact that she’s a key witness, I’ll be able to get in to see Mrs West and question her. We will see if we can get Alexis approved to visit with her mother.”

  “Thank you,” Andrea and I say at the same time, and she shoots me a small smile that warms the edges of my bitter heart.

  “Alexis would like to stay with us,” Ayden announces, drawing everyone’s attention. It’s weird to hear him call me by my actual name. I hate that name because of how my family uses it when they’re inflicting their cruel, selfish, and twisted ways on me. However, Ayden says it with such warmth that I don’t entirely hate the sound of it falling from his lips.

  “Is that what you want to do, Alexis?” Officer Reynolds asks.

  I nod, trying to focus on the conversation and not the way Ayden affects me, “Yes, please.”

  Claudia nods and looks to Ayden’s parents. “Are you happy with this arrangement?”

  “Yes,” Peter says without a doubt, “If this is where Lexi would like to be, then we are more than happy to accommodate her and keep her safe. Given that her brother is still on the loose, we thought perhaps she should stay here in the city a little longer to lay low. Once it’s no longer an issue, then Lexi is welcome to stay with my wife at her sister’s in Fox Pines so she can return to school.”