MAIL ORDER BRIDE: ARISTOCRAT: The Duke’s Engagement (Historical Victorian Duke Romance) (New Adult Romance Short Stories) (66 page)

              “Get out of the bed. Now!”  He continued to point the gun at Stephen as he got out of bed.  He was scared for his own life but at the same time he was scared for Marta and her daughter.  There was no telling what this lunatic was capable of.  It was best in a time like this to cooperate. 

              “Get out of my house before I put a hole through your skull!”  The man yelled and Marta started to cry.  She never thought her husband would be capable of something like this.  Stephen started to grab his stuff when Cole cocked his gun, “NOW!  Or I shoot the girl.”  Linda started to whimper and Stephen nodded. 

              He left the bedroom and could hear the sound of the two girls screaming but to his relief he at least he didn’t hear the sound of the gun going off.  At least there was that.  Stephen beat himself up for not being able to protect the two girls, but this wasn’t over.  No, he would save these girls one way or another. 

***

              Stephen made his way home completely naked.  He wasn’t thinking of it as he walked through the streets, all he thought about was Marta and her daughter.  He needed to do something to save them.  There was no way to tell what that man was capable of. 

              When Stephen got home he rummaged through his stuff.  Most of his stuff was still in boxes since he hadn’t fully unpacked yet, but finally he found a law book.  In Japan, he had studied to become a lawyer and now he would put that license to good use.

              Stephen made a few calls and soon he had everything set up.  He would save them.  He would set up Cole and expose him for the monster he really was. Then he would throw him in jail for good.  He needed this man to be locked up for a very long time and he wouldn’t rest until he did. 

              Stephen didn’t want to put Marta in danger, but he had to do this in order to protect her.  So he broke into her house when she wasn’t home.  Once again he climbed through the window and entered her bedroom.  He ruffled up the bed and placed his jeans there with his wallet loosely placed in the back pocket.  He made sure to leave his license behind so Cole could find it. 

              Then he waited outside the house, hiding on the fire escape, waiting for Cole to come home.  Soon he heard the sound of a car and he held his breath.  He looked through the window to see Cole entering the bedroom. 

              Cole stopped in his tracks as he noticed the jeans on the bed.  The jeans were black.  He never wore black jeans.  Cole’s blood started to boil as he grabbed the jeans and a wallet fell out of its pocket.  He grabbed it suddenly and opened it to find Stephen’s license. 

              “That ungrateful wrench,” Cole said through clenched teeth.  He had threatened their daughter and still she couldn’t keep herself in check.  His wife apparently couldn’t stay faithful no matter what he did.  It seemed like he needed to be a little more persuasive with her. 

              So Cole waited.  There was something sinister in his face as he sat there waiting for his wife.  Soon he heard the sound of her car in the driveway.  She was home with their daughter.  He continued to wait for her.  There was an eerie calmness around him like the calmness that overtakes a killer right before he commits the perfect crime.  The calm before the storm.

              Eventually, Marta entered the bedroom and jumped a little when she saw Cole sitting there, deathly quiet.  There was something about the look on his face that she didn’t like.  Then her eyes fell on the jeans lying on the bed.  Where had they come from?  She hadn’t seen Stephen in almost a week.  Where had those jeans come from? 

              “I see your little friend came over again, you little…”  Cole was about to insult her when he held his tongue.  He got up and laughed. Marta shivered at the sound.  Somehow the sound of his laughter, of its complete lack of emotion, the hollowness of it was even worse than any insult he could have thrown her way. 

              “You know… I married you… gave you a beautiful home and a beautiful daughter and this is how you repay me?  This is how you treat me? Do you take me for a fool?  Did you think I wouldn’t find out?  That I wouldn’t figure out that you go off and see other men behind my back? Huh?”  He was close to her now.  Marta was frozen in place.  She didn’t know what to do.  What was she supposed to do in a situation like this? 

              Cole suddenly yanked her hair hard and forced her onto her knees.  “If you want it that way… fine… but you won’t be able to have any of us… I will make you regret ever cheating on me…”  Cole’s voice was calm as he made the threat. 

              He was about to hit his wife when Stephen tackled him to the ground.  He had crept in through the window when Cole was distracted and now the two men were throwing blows at each other.  Cole was obviously the stronger of the two and it seemed like he would beat the life out of Stephen when suddenly there was a crashing noise from downstairs.

              Cole stopped and looked up trying to figure out what the noise was.  He quickly got up and grabbed Marta holding her against his body as two cops appeared in the doorway, pointing their guns at Cole. 

              “Come any closer… and I’ll snap her neck!”  Cole said, desperate.  He was outnumbered now.  There was no way he could win but still he had to try.  He wouldn’t go down without a fight. 

              “Let go of the woman.”  One of the officers said.  Cole just shook his head. 

              “Let go of the woman.”  They tried again but still Cole held on tight to his wife.  He wouldn’t go down without a fight. 

              He squeezed his wife’s neck, slowly squeezing the life out of her.  “Let her go!”  The officers said again.  This was his last chance.  Marta struggled to breathe as Cole’s anger threatened to kill her.  She didn’t know what to do and as she stood there in the arms of a monster she thought about her daughter and Stephen.  She loved them both and she hoped she would live long enough to see them again. 

              Suddenly, a gunshot rang out through the home.  Cole screamed as one of the officers shot his foot.  He let go of his wife.  Stephen caught her before she fell to the ground. As he held the shaking woman the officers quickly apprehended Cole.  He was handcuffed and dragged to the police cruiser. 

              Marta and Stephen were left alone as Stephen held onto Marta.  He rocked her gently and kissed the top of her head.  “It’s all okay now… I promise.”  He looked at her and their eyes met.  This time, Marta knew he was telling the truth.  Something inside of her told her that this time it was for real.  This time, she was free from the monster’s grasp. 

              As the two of them sat there, Linda peeked into the bedroom.  She saw the carpet was stained red, but she didn’t know what that meant, all she did know was that her mother was okay.  She ran to her mother now and jumped into her arms.  “Mommy!”  Marta started to cry as she held her daughter.  She was glad she was safe.  She kissed her daughter’s head and they cried together.

              Stephen wrapped his arms around both of them and held them tight.  “It’s all okay now…”  He whispered to them.

Chapter 8

              A few months later the three of them found themselves in court.  Cole was being put on trial for domestic abuse and assault on multiple charges.  Stephen was representing his new girlfriend, Marta. 

              Stephen was a shark in the courtroom and soon enough he made away with Cole’s case.  Cole didn’t really have a case to begin with.  The cameras planted in Marta’s bedroom was all the evidence the jury needed to convict Cole.  They saw him as a monster and for once he got what he deserved. 

              Stephen ended up putting him away for a very long time.  He would never bother Marta or Linda again. 

              Marta watched as the officers took him away in handcuffs.  A mess of emotions hit her in that moment as she realized that she was finally free.  She was finally free to live her life, to be happy, to live a life without constant fear. 

              As this happened she broke down into tears and hugged her daughter tight.  She didn’t think this moment would ever happen.  She assumed that if she ever left her husband she would have been left with nothing.  Instead, the judge had given her full custody of their daughter, ownership of the house, and various other things.  Her life finally seemed to be back on track, all because of her skilled lawyer. 

              Once Cole was out of the room Stephen walked up to his client.  Marta hugged him tightly and cried into his chest in the middle of the courtroom.  Linda hugged his leg and smiled up at him when he messed up her hair.  He stood there with the two girls for a moment before pulling Marta away from him. 

              Marta frowned thinking that he didn’t want her.  Had she upset him?  Was she too damaged for him to be with her?  She frowned before he reached forward and wiped all her tears away.  He smiled at her before saying, “I have one more surprise.” 

              Marta looked confused as she looked at her boyfriend.  A surprise?  She didn’t know what to expect as Stephen looked in his suitcase and pulled out an envelope.  He handed it to her and smiled.  “Open it.”

              Marta nodded and opened up the envelope.  To her surprise, she pulled out her marriage license.  “I took the liberty of making your marriage to that nutcase null and void.  That document no longer means anything.”  Marta’s eyes grew in surprise as she looked up at her boyfriend.  Quickly she took the document and started to rip it to shreds.  She took out all her anguish, frustration, and heartbreak on that piece of paper. 

              Stephen smiled at her before kissing the top of her head.  “And now that you are back on the market…”  There was a grin on his face as he reached into his pocket.  As he did he got down on one knee and presented Marta with a little black box.  He opened it to reveal her old high school, the one he had given her on their first real date.  Linda looked between the two adults wondering what was going on. 

              “Will you marry me, Marta?”  Stephen looked up at her and looked hopeful.  Marta couldn’t find the voice to respond, but she managed to nod her head.  He hugged her tightly before Linda pulled on her mother’s skirt.  Marta looked down at her daughter. 

              “What is it, sweetheart? 

              “Is Stephen my new daddy?”  Marta cried and nodded her head. 

              “Yes.”  It was an answer for both of them.

***The End***

Summoned

By: Elaine Young

   It’s gorgeous, it really is.

Rome in 200 BC. It’s amazing what it looks like, as opposed to what the modern age looks like. Both equally beautiful in their own right. The modern world is rougher, that’s true, but there is still beauty- though be it a rough beauty. This… this is rough as well. But there is a gentle beauty to it.

When you look at it, we’re not much different now than we were back then. It’s sad, but there is still blood, death, hierarchy.

But there is still beauty. He reminded himself. That was what would keep him going. Beauty. In a life that would last too long- that had already lasted too long.

Becky blew out a deep breath running her fingers through her hair, pushing it out of her face. She pushed herself to run faster.
Faster.

Her legs ached and she was out of breath but she didn’t stop. She ignored the cramp in her gut.

“Becky!”

Becky skidded to a stop and turned to the voice. Why were they talking to her? They knew better than to bother her when she was running.

Ashley waved her friend down. “There you are! Aren’t you coming out to dinner with us?”

Dinner?
Right. She’d agreed to go try out that new restaurant with her and her friend.
Wait.
“Us?”

“Yea.” Ashley beamed, her green eyes glowing in the dusk. She was a foot taller than Becky, with long brown hair. Actually, she’d been the reason Becky decided to grow her blonde hair out. “There’s a small group of us going out.”

“Oh.” Becky tried to hide her disappointment but knew she’d done a dreadful job. She forced a smile over her lips. “Alright, well just let me get cleaned up.” Becky and Ashley headed over to where Becky kept her backpack, she slung it over her shoulder and they headed back to their dorm.

The two girls had met each other a year and a half ago. When they started going to college together they had been assigned the same dorm and quickly they realized that it was a blessing. They’d quickly become best friends, and the fact that they had the same basic body shape didn’t hurt either.

Becky showered quickly, careful not to get her hair wet. When she turned the shower off and stepped out, wrapping a towel around herself she wasn’t surprised to see Ashley in the bathroom, applying makeup.