Estelle In Denver (In Denver Series Book 2) (2 page)

Rhydian's POV

I hear my phone ringing; who the hell is calling? "Hello, Mr. Kerrigan?"

"It's Mr. Marks from the newsstand. Ms. Roux has left her building to go running."

"Thank you, Mr. Marks, I appreciate you looking out for my girl."

"A young woman shouldn't be out running in the dark like this, it isn't safe!" he replied heatedly.

I hung up, put on sweatpants and a hoodie and caught up to her on the trail.

I'm trying to keep pace with her, but she keeps adjusting her speed until finally she stops short. I feel pain as she kicks the back of my knee, making me collapse to my knees. I can't breathe because she has me in a chokehold. I see black spots forming in my vision. I'm tapping on her arm, trying to tell her it’s me. She instantly lets go when she realizes I'm not trying to hurt her.

She’s thinking I was chasing her and I explain how I'm just watching out for her.

We sit on the bench, and the first thing I notice is how toned her long legs are and second how little her shorts are, but I know if I say something she will get defensive. She is just now coming around to being able to be close to me. She wants to go to Dr. Franklin's hospital for a month long stay. I already knew that since I hacked into her computer and saw the information and forms. I don't want her traveling all the way to New York; she belongs here in Denver with me, at my apartment, in my bed.

I know I can't push, but I've been in love with her since the first time I saw her as my brother Easton's date about a year and a half ago. Even after he broke up with Estelle and met and fell in love with Kennedy, I still didn't pursue her.

It's a violation of bro code—you don't date your brother’s exes. It wasn't until I thought she was dead that I realized I wouldn't care if she had fucked every one of my brothers and my sister, I would still have loved her. The weeks I thought she was dead were enough to nearly kill me. Finding out she was alive, jump-started my heart. Seeing her healthy, with a little weight on her frame, and her hair its natural shade of chestnut brown, jump-started my dick. I have been trying to get Estelle to give us a chance for over a year now. I know she has issues with feeling worthless and dirty, I've been doing a lot of research on how to help her overcome her issues. I’m also seeing Dr. Franklin via Skype. When Estelle and I take our shot at being together, I want to be as ready for her as she is for me.

We make it to the newsstand and I can see Mr. Marks looks bashful as she grabs a paper and then turns white as a ghost. When I look at the headline, I realize her father has beaten the FBI investigation my brother helped build against him. I know in my gut that Estelle isn't safe here. The neighborhood is great, but the building isn't secure.

My building is secure and protected so we agree that she will go pack a bag and come stay with me. We make it to her door and I notice it's cracked open; the look of fear in her eyes kills me. I text my family while she calls 911. When we finally make it into her apartment there doesn't seem to be anything that isn't destroyed. We walk to her bedroom and in the middle of total destruction is her made bed, with a new tarp in the center. I know it has meaning, but she shows no reaction.

We make our way out to the living room, and I see a sad look suddenly appear on her face as she picks up the only remaining piece of what looked like an amazing chess set. When she tells me she saved for three months to buy it for me, my heart breaks. She won't take anyone's money, we have all offered, but she's determined to make it on her own. I look at the inside of the ‘Chess for Dummies’ book and see that it's inscribed:
‘To many more checkmates Love, Estelle’

I watch as she walks into her room, grabs the tarp off her bed and walks out of the apartment. I know that whatever that tarp means, it can't be good.

Chapter 2

I don't even make it out the door before Kennedy is calling. I look around before I answer, "He's coming for me."

She is silent for a minute before she says, "What’s the only thing you can do?"

"Be prepared, stay calm and defend myself!" I say calmly.

"Exactly! Estelle, he will attack, just make sure you’re ready! Are you coming here?"

"No, I don't want this shit around your kids. I'm going to Rhydian's so I won't be in today. I only have the running clothes on my back, I have to go shopping."

"Well, you happen to be in luck because I don't have a private lesson until 4:30 pm. The Grandmas are coming over for snuggle time with the kids, so it's you and me. I will pick you up around nine. Sound like a plan?"

"Yup, see you then! Hey, Kennedy, I want to say I love you."

"Estelle, you are so loved! See you in a bit!"

Heading to Easton's car, I see an SUV pull out in to the road and as it passes I yell "Hi Daddy!" and wave.

He hates the word daddy. The first time I was raped by one of his associates, the man held me down and made me call him Daddy. He held my head so I couldn't look away from my father, who sat in a chair in the corner masturbating while he watched as the man pounded into my body. The more the man made me call him daddy, the faster my father's hand moved. Every time one of his associates raped me, he would watch and masturbate. He took a while, but it really wasn't too long before he joined in.

When I get to Rhydian's I immediately feel like I need a shower. I'm sitting in a pair of his boxers and a shirt when he walks into the guest room.

"You want to talk about it?"

"No, not really," I reply, "I'm just tired." I yawn and stretch my body out

"Stacy has jeans and stuff that you left over there from the last girl’s night out, she is bringing it over. I'm giving Kennedy my card and she is buying you clothes. It's not charity; I'm taking care of my girl's needs so let’s not have a forty-five minute debate about it." His blue eyes twinkle as the corner of his mouth twitches with a smile.

"Alright, thank you, I appreciate it. My computer was destroyed, can I use yours? I also need the largest flash drive you have please."

He makes his way to the den to get what I need. I pull my heart pendant from under my shirt and pull the bottom and the top apart.

"Rhydian, I'm making you a copy of this flash drive. If anything happens to me, I need you to get it to Reed Sterling and Governor DeWitt."  I say with a blank expression on my face I’m trying to keep my emotions under control, but I can feel my heart start to beat a little faster. I am scared that Edwin will never pay for any of his crimes.

"What's on it?" he asked hesitantly.

I’m picking at my nail while the flash drive is copied, I can’t look at Rhydian because I don’t want to see his reaction when I answer his question. "It's nine years of my father and his business associates raping and torturing me. He liked to record it for blackmail, but mostly so he could watch it and jerk off when I was too beat up for him to use. I also wrote a statement naming everyone in the videos so it would be admissible in court under the dying declaration act. If he kills me, I want you to release the flash drive to the media. I will be dead, so I won't care who sees it."

"Stop talking like that! He isn't going to get to you, princess!" Rhydian gently pulls my hands into his and kissed them.

"Rhydian, the night he killed my mother, his men wrapped her in a blue tarp, they carried her body out like trash while I watched from the top of the staircase. He put that tarp in my room to let me know he was coming." Walking to the window I straighten my spine, the fear and nervousness are gone.

"Princess, let me help you, we can face this together!"

"You’re not understanding, Rhydian! He will kill me or I will kill him. I’m done being scared! When he comes I will be ready. Only one of us will still be breathing when this is over!" I finish the transferring the files, and get dressed in the clothes Stacy brought before waiting for Kennedy.

"Hey, how are you holding up?” Kennedy asks while Rose, Rhydian's sister-in-law, gives me a sympathetic look.

"To be honest, I'm stressed out and it has nothing to do with my psychotic father. I know this is the safest place for me, but honestly, living with Rhydian is not my ideal situation. We are in this strange holding pattern and have been since that week at the farm.
“
We both want a relationship but we know the timing is wrong.

"Don't rush it,” Rose said "Rhydian knows you have a lot going on, we have all warned him about adding stress to the situation."

"Kennedy, I wanted to talk to you about taking time off. I think it's time I go for my in-patient sessions, especially with my father out of jail. He was waiting for me outside when I left my apartment." I say somberly inhaling a deep breath and releasing it.

"Did you tell Rhydian that he was there?" I see the concerned look on her face as she asks.

"No, I don't want to bring him into my problems." I'm already staying with him I don’t want him to go after Edwin, I don’t want to take a chance he could get hurt.

"When are you thinking about leaving?"

"I was thinking in the next two weeks. We don’t have any events booked and as far as my other duties, if anything serious comes up, I can work remotely."

"Ok, let’s go shopping!" Rose interjects, “That makes everything better.”

Walking through the stores, I feel like I’m being watched, but every time I look around, I see no one I know or anyone that stands out.

After lunch, the girls and I say our goodbyes and I head back to Rhydian's apartment to get changed. Since I'm feeling uneasy, I head to The Denver Fight Club; they have an early afternoon Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class I try to take every once in a while.

Walking into the gym, it smells like sweat and feet. Most people don't care because it has churned out five champion MMA fighters. Walking to the mat, I stretch and look over and see Gavin “The Highlander” Ainsley, former Heavyweight Mixed Martial Arts Champion, on a different mat.

"Playing hooky from work today Estelle?" Gavin said in a mock tone of authority.

I meet him on the mat and continue to stretch. "He's out, Gavin. The bastard trashed my place and left a blue tarp on my bed." I say shaking my head in disgust. Gavin is one of the few people beside the Kerrigans that knows about Edwin.

Gavin stops stretching, "Are you staying somewhere safe?"

"Rhydian insisted I stay with him," I tell him as I continue stretching.

"Damn girl, when are you gonna put that poor guy out of his misery? You have been coming here for over a year and he is the only guy I've heard you mention that makes you get that ‘Oh please, take me up against the wall face’!" He said followed by roaring laughter.

"What the fuck kind of face is that?" Gavin then makes the most ridiculous face I've ever seen.

“My face does not look like that, asshole!" I say punching his arm and laughing.

"Yes it does, toots!" he replied with a smile.

"Oh, just choke on a bag of dicks!"

"Sweetie, there isn't a dick on the planet that can make me choke!" he says in a girly, high-pitched voice.

I spit out my water, “Seriously, Gavin, you're killing me!"

He grows serious, all laughter gone. "Estelle, seriously, I don't know your whole story, but I know enough. Staying with Rhydian is a good start. All this training you have been doing is great also, but until your old man gets put away or put down you should think about hiring a bodyguard."

"Where is the money going to come from for this bodyguard? You know I'm not rich, I work a regular job."

"You don't need money, this security firm takes cases pro bono you just have to prove a need. I used to train the owner's son. He's off fighting on a circuit right now, and he got his first big fight. I can call him, please Estelle, I'm worried about you."

"Ok, make the phone call.” I groaned “I can’t give Edwin anymore of my time. He took more than twenty years from me, I’m just ready for this to be over.”  I look over noticing he is putting on his training gea
r
.
"Fuck! You’re teaching! I hate when you teach! I end up bruised and sore for days. Where's your wife today?"

"Stop complaining, Ellie is at your job. She wants to sign little man up for piano lessons."

"Lord help whoever has to teach that Spawn of Satan you call a son!”
I add an exaggerated shiver.

"Hey, that's my kid! He isn't that bad."

"Your son tried to bite me last week because I bought the last blue Powerade from the machine and I wouldn't give it to him."

"He likes blue Powerade!" he laughs. "Let’s go, toots, stop running your mouth and let's train!"

Forty-five minutes later my legs feel like noodles, and I officially can't lift my arms. Laying on the mat, I see a shadow standing over me. I see a leg moving towards me to deliver a kick; when I grab it, knocking the attacker off balance, he recovers fast. I'm tired, but my adrenalin kicks in. I feel him come up to choke me from behind, but reverse the move on him. He's bigger than me and heavier, but I'm faster and he is underestimating me. I kick his knee out and shove my elbow into his face and when he is falling down I reach up and deliver a knee to the face knocking him unconscious.

I take a second to catch my breath when I hear clapping "You have disabled one of my best men, but once you have your attacker unconscious you need to flee." I hear a man yell from across the gym.

Why the hell did he attack me?  I hiss getting ready to fight whoever is speaking.

“I needed to see how you would react if attacked. Having a bodyguard is a great tool to have, but being able to defend yourself if your guard is taken out is the difference between life and death. You fight like you want to live.”

Turning around I hear a sharp intake of breath, "Celine?"

"No, my name is Estelle. You must have known my mother. Her name was Celine."

"What's your father's name?" The man asks.

"Edwin Mayò."

"How old are you, Estelle?" he inquires stepping closer trying take in all the features on my face. "What month were you born in?"

"I'm twenty-four. I was born in August." I respond hesitantly.

"Why are you asking? Who are you?" I see the large man sit on the bench. Putting his hand on his chest I see he is trying to catch his breath. I step forward against my better judgment. "Do I need to call 911? Are you okay?" He shakes his head no but is unable to speak. I see his eyes welling with tears and his mouth set in a thin line.

"I'm Antonio De Luca and I believe I'm your father." He reaches for my face but I move backwards, "You look so much like my Celine but you also look like your younger brother." It's then I realize I'm looking into a pair of golden eyes in a face of sun-kissed skin that matches mine.

"My father is Edwin Mayò." I say shaking my head this isn’t happening, I don’t know this man he, could be telling me anything. He opens his wallet and pulls out a picture of him and a beautiful women I don’t recognize right away but then I look closer and I know it’s my mother.

"Is that what that bastard told you? Can we go somewhere to talk? Please, I don't want to have this conversation in a gym."

"No, I’m not going anywhere with you, but you're right, this isn’t a conversation to have in a gym. Do you know where the Glendalough Building is? I will meet you in the lobby of that building in thirty minutes."

"You’re staying with a Kerrigan?" he speculated with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, Rhydian Kerrigan. His brother Easton is married to my best friend, Kennedy."

Antonio is silent as I make my way to my truck. As I drive I can see his headlights right behind me. We make it to the lobby of the building and I see the concierge at the desk.

“Good evening, Ms. Roux, Mr. Kerrigan made us aware you will be living here, so please call down if you need anything."

Can you please call up to Rhydian’s and ask him to come down to the lobby?

"Mr. Kerrigan just accessed the elevator so he should be down any minute now." Phil nodded his head towards the elevators doors.

"Thanks, Phil." I nod and we make our way towards the lobby area.

“Is there anything I can do for you Mr. De Luca?” Phil looked at Antonio nervously.

“No, Phil. I hear you are doing a great job here” he says kindly. When he turns he sees the look of confusion on my face, “I'm the owner of Iron Chains Security. We do security for several residential and commercial buildings. We offer a full line of security options.”

Rhydian walks into the lobby area followed by all the Kerrigan men, Tristan and Kennedy. I hear loud yelling, "WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN, ESTELLE?"

."I took a Jiu Jitsu class this afternoon and Gavin suggested that I get a bodyguard until this whole thing with Edwin is over. This is Antonio De Luca; he owns Iron Chains Security." I tell them in a nonchalant manner.

"We know Antonio well" Shamus came to shake his hand, "How is your boy doing? I hear he has a big fight in Vegas coming up."