Mistaken Identity (27 page)

I look at Jess who’s dwelling in pity then back to Tanner. “Just tell me.”

He sighs. “A broken nose, two broken ribs, several fractured. Your cheek bone is fractured, and you’re covered in bruises. But Belle, you’re alive, that’s all that matters.”

I squeeze my eyes shut pushing the memories out. He’s right, I’m alive. They’ve got Logan, and he can’t do this to anyone else. “My coffee pot’s broken too,” I giggle, but stop instantly when pain shoots through my ribs.

“I’ll get you another one.” He’s too sweet, but I want a metal one now…just in case.

“How long have I slept?

“You’ve slept a while, which is good cause it means your body is recouping. It’s Monday, almost nine in the morning.” Jess, the apparent doctor, says studying me.

“The doctors said I should be able to take you home soon,” Tanner moves my hair from my face.

“No,” my fear echoes in the room.

“Samantha, my home,” he reassures me, “which I should tell you, you’ve moved in with me.” He flashes a boyish smile. I stare at him confused, trying to process what he said. “Marty and Mack have moved all of your things out of the apartment into my house.”

“And what if I didn’t want to?” I tease.

“Then I’d have to buy myself a new house,” he chuckles.

Momentarily, the room falls quiet leaving me enough time to ache.

“I’m sorry. I should’ve listened to you.” I start to cry.

“No, don’t cry, Belle.” He wipes a tear from my cheek. “We didn’t know.”

“But you told me to come. I didn’t. Now look at me.”

He places soft whisper-like kisses from one side of my head to the other, shushing me along the way trying to calm me.

There’s a knock on the door. I sniff and wipe my tears trying to make myself presentable, embarrassed I’m going to be seen like this.

“Miss Beckman?” Detective Bennell’s voice seeps into the room quiet.

Tanner checks me and I nod giving him the okay to allow him in. “Come in, detective. She’s awake and alert.”

“Feeling any better?” He stands at the foot of my bed in a pair of black slacks and a white button down. This actually fits him, not the 80s suits he likes to wear.

“I’m golden, I think,” I sniff.

“Miss Beckman—”

“Stop,” I interrupt him, “I’m begging you to call me Sam.”

Jess giggles in the corner and the detective flashes a quick smile. “Ok, Sam. Sam, this is a part of my job I hate, but I need to ask you a few questions. Do you feel up to it?”

“Yeah, if I have to.”

He pulls up a chair, takes out a pad and pulls a pen from his shirt’s pocket. “Do you know what time it was when Starkes got inside?”

“No. When I woke up, he was standing at the end of my bed.” I shudder at the ominous vision, “but I remember seeing 7:22 on my clock at one point in time.”

“How did the altercation begin?” he asks.

“Which one?”

He raises his eyebrow, cocking his head to the side, “Start from the beginning.”

I tell him everything I remember from the moment I turned my lamp on. Jess lets out an occasional cry, putting my screams she heard with actions, and Tanner sits quietly with clenched jaw, but composed.

“The doctor tells me you had semen in you, did he rape you?” the detective asks. Tanner’s hold on my hand becomes forced, his eyes dark with wicked.

It’s selfish of me, but I don’t want to answer this. Everyone will look at me differently, and who knows if Tanner will still want me. Reluctantly I finally do answer, “Yes.”

“That fucking son of a bitch,” Tanner jumps out of his seat catching everyone off guard. He begins mumbling and storming around the room with his fist balled at his side. Jess lets out a gasp and starts to cry uncontrolled.

“How’d you get away in that situation?” the detective asks jotting something down.

“When he walked out of the room, when he was…” I close my eyes shaking the image out of my head, “I slid off my bed to begin searching for a knife or something sharp to cut the tape. Ironically, when I slid down I was scratched by the metal bed frame. I used it.”

“Smart move, Sam,” the detective says. Tanner calms down enough to join by my side again, taking a deep breath and clutching my hand.

“What happened after that?” Bennell continues.

I explain to him how I cracked open my door in a daring move to escape only to be met by Logan before reaching the front door. How he held me down on the counter strangling me, and I burnt my fingers on the coffee pot and used it to my advantage.

“You grabbed the coffee pot?” The detective asks surprised as hell at my choice of weapon.

“Her superpower,” Jess whispers from the corner which causes me to giggle in pain.

“I did. Right after I hit him was when the door busted open. I don’t remember who it was.”

“Dialing 911 was one of the smartest things you did. Dispatch could hear your screams in the distance. They traced the call and sent officers. They were the ones who busted in. One officer noted in his report he watched you fall to the ground when entering. It also helped that Mr. Weston called concerned and demanding us to go there.”

“Have you talked to Logan to find out why he did this?”

“I have. He said you had this coming for a long time, but he didn’t get into detail even when pressed for it.”

“I thought you interviewed him already. You said you marked him off as a suspect?” I remember.

“I did. Twice. He gave me the impression you were a thing from his past. He had a girlfriend and she was moving in. We searched his apartment yesterday after obtaining a search warrant. We discovered a fictitious locksmith uniform including all instruments used to duplicate keys. I haven’t questioned him yet since these findings, but I suspect this is how he got into your apartment.”

“So what happens to him now?” I ask.

“He’s being charged with stalking, communicating threats, attempted murder, breaking and entering, and now first degree rape. He’ll have a slew of charges, and I’m quite sure he’ll have no bail.”

“He better not,” Tanner hisses.

“Sam, you will be receiving paperwork in due time. I’ll probably speak with you again, but in the meantime, if you remember anything please call me and let me know. I’m done here for now, so you can get back to your family.” He nods and stands shaking Tanner’s hand. He exits the room quietly, and Jess rushes to my side.

“I’m so sorry, Samantha,” she sighs.

“Dammit, Samantha!” Tanner grumbles, his eyes dark. “Why didn’t you stay your ass at my house? None of this would’ve happened!” He storms out of the room and the door slams behind him.

“Sam—”

I blink back my tears. “Stop, Jess. Don’t get all sympathetic with me. Don’t try to calm me. It’s my fault this happened. He’s overwhelmed, but I deserved it.”

Jess says nothing else and we sit in silence listening to the hum of the air conditioner and the hustle in the halls. After some time, Tanner returns, ashamed but distinctly calmer.

“I’m sorry I lost it. It’s not your fault,” he whispers against my forehead.

“Yes it is,” I answer.

“No, Samantha, it isn’t. I just got angry and I took it out on you. I’m sorry.”

Tears begin to warm my eyes again. “It’s okay.”

“I knew I shouldn’t have left you alone.”

“It’s over now. Completely.”

“I’m ready to get you home,” he says with a small smile.

“You don’t know how ready I am to get there.”

After the doctor discharged me, giving us a heaping mound of directions and precautions, Tanner brought me home, which has never felt so amazing, especially since now my home is with him. He and Jess helped me into the house but not without excruciating pain radiating through my body.

One glance in the mirror turns my stomach and my nightmare becomes reality. I look like shit, bandaged up, and bruised. My neck wears his fingers that are embedded into bruises, both my eyes are a nasty shade of blackish purple, and my lip is split. I begin to weep into Jess’ arms standing in the bathroom.

“Tanner!” she yells out trying to hold me up from my weak legs. “Sam, no. It’s okay.”

He barges into the door carefully wrapping his arms around me helping me steady myself.

“I can’t even recognize myself,” I cry out.

“Belle.” He’s speechless unable to find the right words to comfort me. “Come on let’s get you to the bed.” He carries me to the bed with Jess scrambling to try and help, sitting me down on the side.

Tanner disappears toward the bathroom and Jess begins taking my pants down revealing a black splotchy bruise on my thigh.

“Holy shit! It’s the size of fucking Texas,” I yell out.

“It will heal,” she whispers. “Are you okay…you know...down there?” she nods toward my sex.

“It hurts,” I answer not caring to relive the moment.

“I’m so sorry,” she says stacking pillows up on the bed.

“If you don’t quit apologizing for something that’s not your fault, I promise when I get better I’m kicking your ass.”

“I’m—”

She stops at my glare. I’m not kidding. This isn’t her fault and I’m sick of the pity.

Tanner returns with a cold washcloth and places it on my forehead, rubbing it gently down my neck. His eyes focus on my bruises, and his jaw clenches.

“I’m going to get your medicine. Jess is going to stay with you until I get back. Samantha, I love you.” He kisses me so softly his lips feel like a ghost touching my skin.

Jess climbs in the bed beside me and instinctively rubs my arm.

“Quit, please, that hurts too. My everything hurts,” I tell her.

She stops instantly and lays still, washing my body with her worried eyes.

“Are you and Marty okay?” I remember they had a fight that night.

“Yeah we’re fine. He came to the hospital a few times, but you were asleep. He and Mack were busy moving you.”

“That’s right, I moved.” I scan the room, but it looks no different. Nothing in here is mine.

“I’ve already put your clothes in the closet. Tanner didn’t know where you wanted your things, so he told them to put all of it in the guest bedroom so you can decorate the way you want. I tell you what, you have yourself a winner, Belle. A damn good looking one at that,” she says causing us both to giggle. “Sam, he’s crazy about you. He never once left your side.” Her voice begins to fade into the distance. Sleep grabs ahold of me and takes me off to the quietness.

Chapter 39

“No, you are not!” Tanner yells at me.

It’s been two weeks since I’ve been home laid up in the bed, limiting my movements. I’m bored and sick of lying around. I slowly make my way to the bathroom to make myself presentable, ignoring his words. I pull down the towel he placed over the mirror to prevent me from seeing my damages and losing myself again. My eyes are a faded shade of dark yellow, and there’s no evidence of Logan’s fingers on my neck anymore. My face is still swollen, but not nearly as bad as before.

“I’m not going to allow it.”

“As my boss or my boyfriend?” I snap sharpening my eyes at him.

He places a firm hand on my shoulder, “As the man who loves you dearly.”

“Tanner, please don’t make me stay here. I can’t sit here any longer. I’m bored, and truth be told, I’m sick of it. I know my desk is a mess and Adam probably has screws backing out of his head,” I plead.

He studies my face, his eyes feverously searching mine. He sighs in defeat. “Promise me you won’t overdo it?”

I wrap my arms around his neck, excited to finally move on from this. “I promise!”

I’m holding Tanner’s arm as we walk into the building wearing a downed work attire of jeans, blue blouse, and tennis shoes. There’s no way I can walk in heels just yet. If I fall in them, I can’t imagine the pain or injuries I will suffer, so I’ve played it safe. Tanner ignores the stares we get as we very slowly make our way to my office. When we finally make it to my desk, I drop into my chair exhausted.

Just as suspected, Adam has littered part of my desk with paperwork, but not as much as I had assumed. Tanner is reluctant to leave me, but I promise to call if I needed anything, even help to the bathroom.

“How are you feeling?” Adam asks standing in front of my desk. He’s holding his gaze steadily on my eyes, avoiding looking at the damage I reflect.

“I’m sore, but it’s invigorating to get out of the house.”

"I’ve scheduled a meeting later today with Tanner, and I need you with me.”

My face crumbles at the thought of the walk to the conference room. I’m never going to make it and I’ll have to admit it.

Noticing my hesitation, he adds, “He’s agreed to have it right here, so you won’t have to walk. Is there anything you need, Sam?” he asks.

“Yes, please, I need some coffee. Could you help me get to the kitchen?” I feel embarrassed having to ask for help walking. If I dared to try to get there on my own, it would take me hours to get there and back.