Estelle In Denver (In Denver Series Book 2)
Read Estelle In Denver (In Denver Series Book 2) Online
Authors: R. Colora
Estelle
In
Denver
R. Colora
Cover Model © 2015 Shutter Stock- Zoom Team
Book Cover © 2015 A.R. Cousar
Beta Reader & Contributor - Kate Tetreault
Beta Reader & Proofreader - Jeanne Becker Trinkaus
Editor – Anja Pfister
Book 2
Copyright © 2015 A.R. Cousar
All rights reserved. Except for the use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means is forbidden without the express permission of the author.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and settings are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, names, locales, organizations, or persons living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
**CONTENT WARNING **
This book is not suitable for Children 14 and under
Yes, there is SEX and VIOLENCE and BAD LANGUAGE as the book deals with adult themes. But if you let your teen watch Vampire Diaries or Pretty Little Liars my book is TAME.
Who doesn’t remember sneaking to read their first naughty romance? Stop being so uptight we were all 14 year old girls, curious about what our mothers read.
On that note, to my own 13 year old daughter; I better not find out you read this! It’s COMPLETELY not age appropriate. Just remember, I’m your mother I know and see everything!
This book is dedicated to those who never stopped fighting to overcome any obstacles put in their way.
To the millions of victims of child abuse and sexual assault; never be afraid to speak your truth.
For La Colora
My husband, George, and my girls, who never complained when it was quick, easy meals, or frozen pizza, or I forgot to put their school uniforms in the dryer.
The In Denver Girls - This has been such an amazing experience; we all wanted to rip our hair out trying to figure out Word online and we spent so many nights going over these stories. I will say it a million times; I couldn’t do this without the help of Jeanne and Kate.
I owe so many thanks to the Authors and Bloggers on Facebook and the Indie Author Community. When I wanted to cry about formatting or how to upload or convert for ARC readers they all offered everything they knew. Look these Authors on my Facebook page and try their books.
I want to say a GIANT THANK YOU to Anja Pfister! She is studying Publishing and edited this book completely free of charge. I learned so much about punctuation and writing structure, I’m so grateful to have been able to work with her.
"Momma, can we go to the park tomorrow?"
"Mon trésor, I shall even buy you ice cream!"
"Really, momma?"
"Yes, my love, now close your eyes and remember, my heart. Il n'est rien de réel que le rêve et l'amour."
"I love you, momma."
“I love you too, Estelle."
Momma and Papa are yelling again.
"Please, Edwin this does not have to be our life! We can go to France, or to Argentina, and have a life away from these men you have gotten involved with. Please, Edwin! I beg you, do it for me and Estelle." I hear momma say.
"You don’t understand, Celine. I have power here—money and wealth! What, you think I will go back to Argentina to work for my father? Working in his fields, harvesting grapes? These are the hands of a businessman, not a farm hand. We can’t go back to France! You have no family, you will never dance with the Paris Ballet again, what would you have us do, Celine?" he yells.
"Anything but this, Edwin. You are becoming someone I do not even know! You come home with blood on your clothes, or smelling of liquor and cheap perfume. This is not a life to raise a child in."
"Celine, you see this beautiful mansion you call a home and the fine clothes you wear, the people that clean this house for you and cook your meals? Next time you go to your fancy shops you remember the blood on my clothes put that money in your hands."
"Edwin, please!" momma says. I hear noises, papa is hurting momma again. I hear her begging him to stop, so I get out of bed and tiptoe out of my room. I see him hitting momma with the belt. Papa turns around and I run back to my room.
"Mon trésor, wake up my love."
“Momma?” she has her coat on.
"I'm sleepy, momma."
"I know, my love, but we must go! Come quickly!"
I take my momma’s hand, but when we step out of my room, I see my papa; he looks angry. "Celine, where do you think you are going?"
"I'm taking Estelle and we are going away. You can live in this giant house with your secrets and your whores, but my daughter will not be raised like this."
"Mon trésor, I want you to sit on your bed. I will come to collect you as soon as possible."
Momma closes my door and I hear the shouting, so I open the door and look. Papa grabs momma by her coat and throws her down the stairs. I hear momma scream, then I hear nothing.
I make my way out of my room to the stairs. I see momma laying at the bottom of the stairs; she isn't moving and her eyes are open. I know she isn't asleep. I see my papa on the phone, and a few minutes later two men come in with a blue plastic sheet. They put momma on it and carry her out. Papa follows them out the door. I wait on the stairs for momma to come get me, but she never comes back.
I wake up from my nightmare sweating and gasping for air, so I get up to shower. I always feel dirty after I have any kind of nightmare involving Edwin, no matter how much I shower or scrub my skin raw—I always feel filthy. It's been a long time since I've had a nightmare, not since my father left me for dead in an alley after I ruined his plans to kidnap one of the Kerrigan kids. Their uncle, Easton Kerrigan, was the man whose family he wanted me to marry into. The kink in his plan happened when Easton fell head over heels for Kennedy Brennan, the only survivor of a serial killer called The Barton Butcher. The Kerrigans all ran businesses beyond reproach. Being linked with their family would have been my father's ticket into society. He had wealth but he could never break into the upper echelons of Denver Society.
When I found the file with the kids’ information, I hid it. My father beat me until he was finally satisfied that I hadn't taken it. When I could escape, I took the folder to Kennedy; in it were pictures of the children and details of records of their schedules as well as what would be the best time to grab them with the least amount of notice. My plan was to let them know they were in danger, then disappear. I only made it to the curb before my father and his men grabbed me.
My father thought he killed me, but I was just playing dead. He threw me out of his moving car into the alley next to the Kerrigan building. I was a message to Easton, if Edwin Mayò would do this to his only daughter, what would he do to an enemy? I crawled into the parking garage and I tried a few car doors. I needed to find a hiding place to rest when I saw a flash and heard a voice say truck.
I crawled to Kennedy's bright blue pick-up truck. The door wasn’t locked so I climbed in the backseat. Fate stepped in because moments earlier Kennedy and Easton had had a huge fight and she was returning to her family’s farm in Florida. She realized I was hiding in the back when she threw her bag in the back; when it hit me I let out an involuntary cry. Instead of throwing me out, Kennedy took care of me. She fixed me up the best she could and took me with her to her family home.
The Brennans took care of me, showed me unconditional love, and helped me find worth in myself.
I now work as an event planner and public relations' liaison for Kennedy's Music Conservatory part-time and attend classes at the community college full-time. I have a mix of online classes and classes on campus. Since I have always wanted a college degree, I was now working towards achieving my goals. If I'm not working or going to school, I'm in training. Between Krav Maga and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, I feel I can defend myself if attacked again. I make it to the gun range a few times a month in order to stay skillful in what I learned on the farm.
It's only five in the morning, and I have four hours before I’m due into the office, so I go run the trails at the park. It's still dark out when I hit the trail. I was never a huge runner before this last year, but I have gained more than a few pounds, and running is also freeing. I hit the one- mile mark and turn around, when out of the corner of my eye I see someone coming up the trail.
I kept running, lowering the volume on my iPhone and adjusting my pace.
I let my feet take on the beat of Tori Kelly’s 'Nobody Love'. I control my breathing and get ready to fight if needed. The runner behind me picks up his pace. My heart beats faster, and I feel my body flood with adrenalin. Breaking into a sprint, the runner behind me keeps up. I instantly stop short causing the runner behind me to overshoot and unable to stop his momentum. I kicked the back of his knee and once he was kneeling, put him in a choke hold. I could feel him trying to talk as he is tapping my arm lightly.
"What the fuck, Rhydian! Why are you chasing me?"
"I'm not chasing you, I'm running behind you making sure you’re safe. The newspaper man on the corner calls me anytime you leave for an early morning run."
"Do you know how creepy and stalker-like that is?"
"I don't like you running in the dark alone, Estelle. It isn’t safe! If you want to run call me, and I will come run with you. It’s my job to take care of, and protect what's mine." He steps toward me. "I know you're not ready to accept us yet, you still have issues to work out. But I told you then, and I'm telling you now, we will be together...” he lifts my chin so I am looking him in the eye, I feel his thumb run across my bottom lip.
“Dr. Franklin and I have Skype sessions, but he feels it's best if I come for inpatient treatment soon. I have feelings for you, Rhydian. I think I've been half in love with you since I whooped your ass in chess, but I have only ever had sex with men who have forced me so I don't know how to have a healthy relationship. I want to go all in with you and try, but I need to make sure that I'm as healthy as I can be.” I rub my sweaty palm cross my shirt and look at the ground again all I can do is clench my eyes shut to stop the tears.
“Walk with me to my apartment? I have something for you."
"Anything for you, princess."
Making our way to my apartment, I stop at the newsstand. When I see the headline, my stomach churns; a photo of my father is on the front page.
‘Edwin Mayò Released!'
Charges against Denver businessman dismissed due to insufficient evidence.
"What's up, princess?” I show him the paper.
“Estelle, I understand how you feel about living with me, but I need you to please pack a few of your things and come home with me now, we will have this place packed up... I promise no pressure, but you're not safe here alone." He steps closer placing a comforting hand on the small of my back, he is attempting to help me remain calm but I can tell he isn’t, his jaw is clenched and his shoulders are tensed.
We head to my apartment and find the door open.
"Princess, listen" he turns me towards him, “I want you to call 911. I’m going inside to make sure no one is in there.”
"No, Rhydian, you're not going in there, it's just stuff! Please, let's just wait for the police." I block his path to the open apartment door, putting my hands on his chest and pushing him back against the wall. When he looks down at me he wipes the tear from the corner of my eyes, and waits with me.
Rhydian sends a text to all the Kerrigan men and Tristan. They arrive before the police. The police enter to make sure the apartment was empty. When we walk in, we find my apartment is totally destroyed.
Making my way past the destruction in the living room, I enter my bedroom; all my clothes are destroyed, on my bed was a new, still in the package, blue tarp.
"Ms. Mayò," the officer asks, "do you know who would do this?"
"My name is Ms. Roux, officer. I know exactly who did this, but you will never prove it." I look around the room at all the destruction, everything I worked so hard for is gone. I lift my hands and rest them on top on my head, dragging my hands down and rubbing my eyes. Before releasing the breath I’ve been holding I need to figure out the next step in my plan.
"Would you like to fill out a report, Ms. Roux?"
"Yes please, my father, Edwin Mayò, did this or had it done. The next time you’re called here, it will be because they have found my dead body
.”
I declared with a shrug of my shoulders, I don’t even bother to look at the officer, I’m just stating the inevitable.
"Would you like to file a restraining order, Ms. Roux?"
"I already have one! You know better than anyone a piece of paper isn't going to stop someone intent on killing me." I shout walking to the fireplace I reach in pulling out my safe unlocking it to take out the restraining order handing it to the officer I try and steady my shaking hand
"Is there anyone you can stay with? “The officer asked.
"She is staying with me." Rhydian replied.
"I've taken your statement, and we will be in touch," the shorter officer says.
"Thank you, officers."
After the officers leave, Liam asks, "Estelle, what do you need from here that we can pack for you?"
"Nothing. Have the Salvation Army come get whatever furniture is salvageable. I can buy whatever clothes I need later today, and I want nothing that my father might have touched." I walked over to the vintage glass chess set I bought for Rhydian, the only piece not broken was the black queen. I held it in my hand, watching Rhydian bend down for the 'Chess for Dummies’ book.
"I take it this is what you wanted to give me?" he holds up the book.
"I found this chess set online; it was an antique and it had the Kerrigan family crest in the center of the glass. I saved for three months to buy it for you."
I wiped the tears from my eyes and walked into my bedroom. I grabbed the blue tarp sitting in the center of my perfectly made bed. I would need it soon; it would be only fitting I returned his gift.