by Karen Deen
“Bent… are you my brother?” Paige is standing in the room and appears calm as she hears for the first time what I have known for a while. She has a brother and sister she didn’t know ever existed.
“Paige and Mia, out now,” Mason demands.
“What’s wrong, lover boy, don’t want your meal ticket getting hurt? Well, it’s too late. She took what should have been mine, so I took it from her.” Bent looks like he’s crazy, his eyes starting to get wider, and I’ve seen that look before. In my husband right before he would let loose. But Paige isn’t seeing it. She’s probably never been in a life with a violent man. She just keeps going.
“Bent, please, I need to know, are we all related?” I want to yell at her to stop, that she will push him past the point that we all want. Then I remember he said he has what I can only assume is a gun under his jacket. I need to do something, but I don’t know what. I’m useless, just like Edward always told me.
“Don’t you listen? Christ, you run a big company with all that money, and you’re just as dumb as her. We all have the same mom, but your dad was a dick and didn’t want a girl. He used to beat our mother. So, she got rid of you before he had a chance to hurt you. The perfect mother protecting her kids.” Bent is yelling loudly now.
Paige and I both gasp at his words. He never told me that part before. My mother lived a life like mine. Holy shit, this is a mess.
“So why are you stealing from one sister and holding the other one here and hurting her?” Mason yells at him to get his attention back on him.
“Fuck off. I’m just taking back what is mine that she stole from me. My father died years ago. Everything was left to Mom. But instead of leaving it all to me when she died, no, she wanted to leave her precious girls something.”
Paige’s eyes meet mine as we both gasp loudly. I can’t help the tears again. My mother is dead, and I never got to meet her. Until this moment I didn’t think I wanted to, but with everything I’m hearing, my heart just cracked for a woman I will never know, but who was brave enough to let me go, to keep me safe.
“Girls I didn’t even know existed, until I found the scrapbook on the ever-successful Paige Ellen in her will. With a letter explaining about two baby girls she had and what happened to them. But here’s the kicker. Until I found you both, nothing from the will would be distributed. But imagine the jackpot I found with one of my sisters and her wealth. So, for years I was living with no money until I managed to get the job driving little miss precious here wherever she wanted. To be at her beck and call. Listen to her order me around like trash. But all the time I was working out how to get to her and her riches.”
Mason moves a few steps closer to him and stands with his arms by his side, fists clenched.
“I’m going to take you down for this. You don’t realize what you’ve done and who you’re up against. These women are strong. You might think you’ve played them, but it looks to me like that’s over now and they have you back into the corner with nowhere to go.”
“Bent, why? Why didn’t you just come to me? I would have given you the money, to both of you. As much as you needed. I’d have taken care of you. All I wanted all my life was a family. To know where I came from. You don’t understand what that feels like.” Paige’s voice starts to break. Her words touch something inside me, like no other person could understand but her.
“I do.” My broken voice follows Paige’s. “I didn’t get the happy family, Bent. Or the money and good life. No one wanted me. I ended up in foster care. I got a family who didn’t really want me but felt sorry for me. They tried but had other mouths to feed. Lying awake at night, all I ever dreamed of was a family of my own. Look where that got me. Married to an asshole and then blackmailed by a brother I didn’t even know, who was going to give me up to the abusive man I was hiding from. Once you found me, Bent, you could have saved me and the kids, but instead you continued our hell. I’ll never forgive you for that.”
I’m broken and all the strength has left my body. I quietly sob and try to just breathe. The room starts to become too small and I can feel a panic attack coming on.
Paige steps forward and wraps me in her arms. I don’t know how to deal with the emotion, it’s too over whelming.
“Ashton, now. It’s time.” I can hear Mason’s voice, but it sounds in the distance.
A hand on my arm and the pain of it squeezing me snaps me back from where I was spiraling to.
Ashton is dragging us from the apartment and thrusts us out the door into the arms of other men, I have no idea who they are. Paige is screaming she doesn’t want to leave Mason in there. I can’t concentrate on her as I see Jack and Kayla in the arms of one of the men. Breaking free from Paige, I rush at the man to grab Kayla and pull Jack with me. I drag him down the hallway a little farther and just stand holding them tight. They are safe. That’s all I can think. He didn’t hurt them.
I have to get out of here. Away from them all.
I need to run.
Standing up from where I was crouching with Jack, I turn to run only to come face to face with the man who had been hanging on to Kayla.
He holds his hands up to stop me but doesn’t touch me.
“Woah, stop. We’re here to help you. He will never hurt you again.” His voice is quiet and calm. I just stand looking at him.
“No one ever helps me. Please let me go. Please, sir.”
“Well, let me be the first. My name is Lex, and I promise I will never let anyone hurt you again. With everything in my powers, no man will touch you like that again.”
There is still screaming and yelling coming from behind me. Kayla is starting to cry, and Jack clings to my leg, with his arms wrapped so tightly.
“We need to go. Let me help you to Paige’s apartment while we wait for the police. Please, Mia.”
The way he says my name is so soft and gentle. He holds his hand out, and I don’t know why but I take it, and he leads me into the elevator. Smiling at me with such gentleness that I can’t deal with it. Not now, I just can’t. I cower into the back corner of the elevator, trying to shrink and hide.
He then stands holding the doors as the other two men, who are still wrestling with hysterical Paige, start pushing her towards us.
Jack, seeing Paige upset, starts crying as well. Both kids are distressed, and I’m numb, my body just can’t deal with much more.
The elevator starts the ride up to the penthouse. I’m standing in the back corner like a caged animal. Trying to soothe Kayla, and I can hear Jack singing softly in a whispering voice, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. He is doing like I’ve always taught him. When he’s scared, sing away the bad noises.
The doors open and everyone walks forward to a group of women, and Paige falls into their arms sobbing. The men keep walking to give me space. Again, Lex stands outside the doors and offers me his hand for reassurance. Hesitantly stepping out, I don’t know what to do. My eyes scan the room, and I have never seen anything like this. My apartment downstairs is like a five-star hotel to me and nicer than anywhere I have ever lived. This is like a royal castle. One thing Bent didn’t lie about is how much money Paige must have. Jack is still clinging to my leg and not willing to move.
You need to be brave, Mia, that’s the only way forward.
“Paige,” I finally call hesitantly to her.
Slowly she turns to look at me. For the first time it feels like I’m looking into the eyes of someone who really sees me. Eyes that are shaped similarly to me and full of tears and emotion like mine. One of the girls offers Jack food, and I feel him release me, and another takes Kayla, looking at me with compassion as she walks to the kitchen, rocking and patting her. I don’t want to let them go, but I feel like I’m in a trance.
“Mia, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. Did he hurt you? Are the kids okay? Oh, my sister Mia, whatever he told you, I had no idea.” Paige’s voice is so concerned, but I can’t cope hearing someone care about if I’m okay. No one cares about me. They just don�
�t.
We both fall into each other’s arms. Her body heaving with mine from the emotion that breaks free. Feeling like everything I have been holding in for so long is landing on her shoulders in my tears.
I need to tell her. I can’t get it out, but I need to tell her I didn’t mean it. I didn’t know, Bent lied to me, and I was so desperate that I believed him.
“I’m…so…so…sorry,” is all I can manage. It’s all my fault she’s hurt.
“Mia, no, you didn’t do anything. It was all Bent.” Paige stands up straighter, and I see a strong woman in front of me.
“I believed him, but I should have asked you.” I wish I was like her.
“No, no, no. We can talk about this later. But don’t take any blame for anything. You’re here with me. You and the kids are safe, and nobody will ever hurt you again.” She places her hands on my shoulders so she has my full attention.
She doesn’t understand. It’s always my fault. “You can’t say that. My life is always like that.” Before I can say another word, Lex is beside us.
“Not anymore. Now that you have Paige, it means you have family. We’re all here to protect you. That’s what we do.” His voice is so soothing. Like a warm blanket wrapping around you. I just keep looking at him. Who is this stranger who is being so kind to me? The two men are both now behind him like a tribe. My eyes flick from them to the kitchen to see Jack laughing and eating and Kayla now sleeping soundly while being rocked. I feel the tension in my body settle but only slightly. I’m still so scared and unsure what is going on.
“Mia, these are my friends…actually, sorry, they’re framily… friends who are family. They will protect us all. You’re safe here, I can promise you that. Once Mason gets here, he’ll make sure of it.”
I don’t know what to say. Everything is so strange, and I’ve heard words like this before only to be slapped in the face with the opposite.
Paige then starts to yell at one of the others that Mason hasn’t come back yet. They all start talking at once and the noise is too much for me. I step away a little, just needing to hold my kids. I look towards where they are in the kitchen. I know these people are being nice, but I need my kids back. I just need to center myself.
“I’ll get them for you.” Lex speaks softly next to me.
How did he know what I was thinking? I just smile at him as I find it hard to talk to him. There’s something about him that makes me feel defenseless, and that’s dangerous.
“Bella,” he calls, and the woman with Kayla looks up and must understand his signal. She walks straight over and places her in my arms. I pull her in close and lean down and kiss her forehead and smell her. My baby is safe and calm.
“She’s adorable,” I hear her say as she steps away. “Do you want Jack?” she asks gently. I see him laughing and having fun and decide he’s okay. If this helps him forget what the hell he just witnessed, then I should let him go.
“No, it’s okay, thank you.” She just nods and walks away.
Lex doesn’t move. Instead, he stays beside me as the doors to the elevator open and Mason and Ashton walk in. Both men have such a strong presence in a room, but not once have I felt afraid near them.
“They’re good men. They would never hurt you. They would have laid down their lives before he got to hurt you or the kids,” Lex says, looking across at his friends. Paige is now in Mason’s arms and everyone is cheering as he kisses her like he almost lost her. Never in my life have I seen such love between two people. My sister lives a blessed life; more important than her money, she has love.
The cheering starts to unsettle Kayla again, and all the girls start scolding the boys. I don’t know how to handle this many people in one room. It’s overwhelming.
Lex turns to me. “We need to get you Kayla’s bed and anything else that you’ll need tonight for the kids. I’ll speak to the policeman and get what we need. Actually, I don’t know anything about kids. Tell me what you need, and I’ll bring it up.”
Why is he being so nice to me?
“I don’t have much, Lex. To be honest, everything I own fits in a bag. I had to be able to carry it.” I don’t know why I’m being so honest with him.
“Well, that changes right now, Mia.” He looks angry but not at me.
“Um, I need the playpen the diapers, and maybe a few toys for Jack so he feels safe. Everything else can wait. I don’t want to put you out. I’ll manage with just that, I always have.”
His hand touches mine lightly. I don’t understand why it doesn’t freak me out, but my body doesn’t react negatively at all.
“No one should just have to manage. I will make sure you have everything you need.” He stops short on what he was saying as Paige comes towards us.
“Please come and sit with me. You must be exhausted, and I’m sure Kayla’s getting heavy.” She places her hand on my elbow and leads me to one of the couches. It wasn’t until she mentioned it, that I feel the exhaustion in my bones. The adrenaline is starting to wear off and sitting down sounds like heaven.
“Paige, I was just saying to Mia, I’m going to go downstairs and see if the police will give me the baby’s playpen. If not, I’ll go to the nearest Target and grab one and some diapers. The rest we can figure out tomorrow.” Lex speaks in a quiet calming tone. Paige is looking at him a little confused, which I don’t quite understand.
“That’s awesome, thanks, Lex. I can’t even think clearly, and to be honest, I know nothing about kids.” Paige kisses him on the cheek as she sits down next to me. “I guess I’m about to learn. You do know I want you to stay here with me, Mia, for as long as it takes to sort this mess out and get you somewhere to live on your own.”
My head is spinning. I can’t stay here. I don’t know how to live like this. Plus, what if Edward finds me? Maybe Bent did tell him where I am.
It’s just the two of us now with Lex slipping away.
I have to be honest with her, tell her everything, no matter how ashamed I feel about my life.
“Thank you, but I don’t have any money or any way of getting any. I can’t have anything in my name. I ran away, Paige, from my husband. He threatened if I ever left and took his meal tickets with him that he would hunt me down. I can’t stay here for long, just tonight. I don’t want you in danger. Plus, I don’t know if Bent told him where I am. He threatened to so often that I’m scared he did.” I can feel the fear in my body rising again as I try to tell her.
“Mia, look around you. Every person in this room is now on your team. No one will let him hurt you or the kids again. Lex is a lawyer, and he already knows your story and said he’ll help you. If there’s one thing I’m certain of, it’s that Mason will sort your husband out, I promise you that.” Paige has hold of my hand and squeezes it tightly.
“Damn straight I will,” Mason says, joining us. “Mia, you’re safe with us. He will never get near you, and by the time I’m finished with him, he’ll wish he never met you, or your family. That’s more than a promise, it’s a fact.” Mason sits on the armrest of the couch next to Paige.
The way he speaks makes me want to believe him, to trust someone for the first time in a long time. I’m still waiting for the bad news which will follow, because it always does. Nothing good happens to me without something bad coming straight behind it.
“I’m so sorry you’ve had a hard life, Mia. I feel guilty for all I’ve had, but I can assure you from now on, life will be full of love, happiness, and comfort for you and the kids.” Her hand reaches for me. Oh god, I hope so, I pray this is not all a dream.
“And family?” The words slip out of my mouth before I realize.
“Forever. You are my family forever.” We both sit leaning into each other with our heads on each other’s shoulders. Quiet tears run down our faces.
I can hear her and Mason talking, but I can’t deal with everything she just said. I have a family, I have a sister, and she wants me. Please god, don’t be cruel enough to take this away. Pulling back fro
m her shoulder again, I try to pull myself together.
“I’m going to leave you two to talk,” Mason says, standing. “There’s so much you need to work out. I’ll send all this rowdy bunch home, so you can get some quiet time. Plus, I think Jack needs some quiet time otherwise getting him to sleep is going to be interesting.” Mason leaves us alone.
“They do exist,” I whisper.
“Who?” Paige looks at me confused.
“Real men, kind ones,” I say as my eyes follow Mason across the room.
“They sure do. The ones in this room are some of the best. I’ve only just found Mason, and I’m very grateful. One day, you’ll find your real man. He’s out there tonight waiting for you.”
I doubt that, but it would be nice to believe it’s possible.
But I’m just not sure I have any of that sort of fairytale belief left in me.
Chapter Six
LEX
“Playpen, diapers, clothes, toys. What else, think, man.” I make a list on my phone while I’m heading down in the elevator.
“Fuck the old stuff. They deserve new things. Nothing touched by that asshole.” I’m talking to myself which tells me that I’m nervous. I don’t do it very often, but right now I can tell my head is trying to process what the hell just happened.
The moment I saw her coming out that door with fear and terror radiating from her body and written all over face. I just wanted to protect her and her kids. I have never had a reaction like I did in that instant. I’ve been around vulnerable people all my life through the court system, yet nothing like this has ever happened.
I watched as her body language told me she was about to run again, and I knew I needed to stop her.
Mia was in shock and panicking. She had just had some intense things revealed, and she wasn’t coping. The hunched shoulders, the eyes that told me she was on overload and trying to think a rational thought was as hard as breathing for her. I needed to help. My instincts just took over. Approaching her slowly and keeping my voice calm and soft, I knew that was the only way not to frighten her any further. From what I’m piecing together very quickly, every man in her life has hurt her. She was petrified of all of us standing there, with Paige screaming and Mason and Ashton still in there. I know she won’t trust me, but I need her to place a little faith in me, to get her to safety. She had no idea on how her life is about to change.
