Wyatt (11 page)

“I’ll be back in a few minutes, my love. I won’t let you wait long.”

I watch him walk over to Morgan and my heart starts to race again. “What are you doing?” I whimper, scared that he’ll hurt her again.

He looks at me from over his shoulder and smiles again. “I’m going to take her back to her house. Just like you asked, my love.”

I watch him crouch in front of Morgan and she starts to shake her head. “No! No, I don’t want to leave without you, Scar!” He undoes her shackle and then picks her up, tossing her over his shoulder. She starts to slam her fists into his back. “Put me down! No!!! Scarlett!” She keeps calling for me until I can’t hear her anymore.

When I hear an engine rumble, I start to cry. I pray he does take her home. I pray that she’ll be kept safe. I pray that I did the right thing.

I pray that my end will come quickly.

~*~

When I hear the rumble of an engine, cold fear washes over me. I’m so worried for Morgan. Did he take her home? Is she safe now?

I hear his heavy footfalls on the floor and then he comes to stand in the doorway. He didn’t even lock the door, that’s how sure he was that I wouldn’t try to escape.

As he comes toward me I see the needle in his hand. “Time for your meds, my love.” He lifts my shirt and gathers some skin, and then he injects me. I hope it’s insulin and the right dosage. Well, if it’s not then at least I’ll die today.

He tosses the needle aside and then he starts to unbuckle his pants. My eyes widen and the words burst from me, “What … what are you doing?”

I’ve cut the pain from you, my love.” He drops his pants and I look away. I don’t want to see his limp dick. “Now it’s time,” I feel the bed move as he climbs on to it, “to fill you with my love.” I try to yank at the restraints but I still have no strength. He takes a knife out and cuts my sweats from me, exposing me to him. The sound of the material being shredded fills me with repulsion and anger. It burns through me like a wildfire. “No!” I cry out as he moves his body over mine. I wish I could close my legs. I wish I could fight! This is wrong, this isn’t fair.

Oh God! I start to cry with all the hopelessness I feel, all the frustration and rage for the horror of what he’s doing to me.

“That’s right, my love. Let all the pain out. I’ll take it from you,” he groans and then he shoves himself into me. It hurts so much and it tears a scream from me. “Yes, scream it out. Let it pour from you!” He sounds manic and excited as he starts to ram into me, each thrust hurting more than the one before.

I sob as I feel his heavy body on top of mine, his hands pawing at my breasts and the ache between my legs as he keeps violating me. Anguish and despair sinks deep into my bones. Shame flares through me, setting my blood alight. Disgust, total abhorrence destroys me, taking blow after blow at my soul until there’s nothing left but a massacred puddle of raw flesh.

~*~

Chapter Fifteen

Wyatt~

She had to go home. Where else would she go? Her bike’s parked out front, as well. I got dressed for work and set after her like the dumbass I am. But, there’s no answer and I’m not going to stand here like an idiot. I’ll let her cool down and catch her at work.

Work’s a pain in the ass. People look at me all sympathetic, the way they did back when Laurie passed. Only Aiden has the guts to come up to me.

“How you doing?” He gives me the look, the one that says I shouldn’t even try to give him the normal ‘I’m fine’ crap.

“It sucks. Feels like I failed them,” I say and then I shake my head, “but I’ll deal with that. How did you deal with Emma, man? Scarlett’s drivin’ me insane. How did you get it right?”

“Patience,” he smiles, “a lot of patience.” He frowns. “Old Bertha’s been askin’ if anyone’s seen her, you haven’t heard anythin’?”

I stand up so fast my chair goes skidding across the floor. It feels like someone has taken a blow at me. Aiden takes hold of my shoulder, confusion on his face. “Wyatt?” he asks.

“She ran home,” I say to myself and I rush past Aiden.

She could be lying passed out in that apartment. I set a new record, driving to her place, and take the stairs two at a time.

My heart stops when I get to her apartment and find the door open. I move in slowly, taking my gun out. It’s quiet, that eerie kinda silence when you know you’re going to get bad news.

I move into the kitchen and I see the bottle of juice on the floor, the fridge door slightly ajar. My whole being does a double take.

“Scarlett!” I yell, but all I get is silence.

I move through the whole apartment and when I still don’t find her my heart shatters. I take my phone out and call up Aiden’s number.

I need my brother.

He answers on the first ring. I can’t breathe and I squeeze his name out. “Aiden,” I suck in a breath.

“Tell me where you are,” I hear him say. I hear him call to Zac. That’s good. Family. I need my family. They’ll help me find her.

“Scarlett’s place.” I drop the phone and fall to my knees.

I tell myself to get up, to start looking for leads. I need to find her fast. I need to calm down.

But all I can do is kneel on her floor. I fucking failed her. I failed Jessie and Dan and that hurt so much, but failing Scarlett is more than pain. It’s torture, the kind that kills you.

~*~

I can only start thinking straight when Aiden and Zac walk through the door. The pain that grips my heart is stronger than Aiden, when he takes hold of me.

His embrace gives me the strength I need so I can focus.

“He has her,” I say, and saying the words makes it all so much more real.

“You’re gonna give us a rundown on what you have,” Aiden says in that calm manner of his, “We’ll find her. Normal procedure counts. You can’t get involved. You’re too close.”

I start shaking my head. There’s no way in hell.

“You’re not gonna keep me away. If it was Emma…” I stop when Zac put’s on his gloves. He uncaps the bottle that was lying on the floor, sniffing at it. “It’s her OJ, she keeps it-” I glance between them. “How long can she go without her shots?”

They just stare at me, as if I’ve lost it. I feel like I’m about to lose it.

“She’s diabetic.” I walk over to the fridge and open it.

“Don’t go touchin’ stuff,” Zac says.

“Oh God,” I wheeze and I hunch, shoving my hands into my hair. “He has her without her meds. How long does she have?”

~*~

One of Scarlett’s neighbor’s saw a van parked out front. Someone was having their laundry taken to be done by JC’s Fresh-O-Clean. We tried to contact Morgan but she’s missing too. It scares me to death knowing he has both of them.

Your mind becomes your worst enemy. The images it thinks up. It brings back things I’ve seen and it places Scarlett’s face at those scenes. I see her instead of Jessie and it’s killing me.

I drive around endlessly for hours. I stop every time I see a van that fits the description.

When Saturday comes all sunny, I curse the sun. It has no right to shine while Scarlett is missing.

My phone rings and I see that it’s Aiden. “Yeah,” I answer. I’m angry at the world but mostly myself.

“We’ve found Morgan.” I pull over to the side of the road as ripples of fear spread through me.

“Is she?” I can’t say the word. My throat closes up.

“She’s alive. The fucker dropped her off at her house and just left her there. She phoned the station immediately. The call just came in Wyatt. We have his address and we’ll go get Scarlett.”

I blink a couple of times. “Where? Tell me where Scarlett is. I’ll meet you there.”

“No, Wyatt. Let me do this for you.”

“Aiden!” I shout. I’ve never raised my voice at him before. “Give me the fuckin’ address. She’s mine and I’ll go to get her!”

There is a moments silence and then Aiden mutters the address. “Wait for us, Wyatt. Don’t go in there alone.”

“Sure,” I mumble, dropping the phone on the passenger seat. I turn the car around and drive in the direction of the address given. It’s not that far, just a five minute drive. I was five minutes away from her.

As I pull up to the piece of shit house I see the van that fits the description.

It’s parked next to an old twin-story that’s in need of some serious tender loving care. I check my gun and open the door.

My phone starts to ring just as I’m about to get out, it’s Aiden.

“What?” I spit out, ready to go kill the fucker.

“Wait for me,” he snaps. “Don’t go in yet. If it’s the guy you need back up.”

“I’m not wastin’ another second.”

“I’m a few seconds away. Look behind you. See that,” I glance over my shoulder and see Aiden’s car speeding down the road towards me, “that’s me, Wyatt. Please wait. Let me have your back.”

I kill the call and throw my phone aside. I climb out of the car and look to the house. If I run I can make it. I can kill that fucker before Aiden gets here.

I close my eyes and count to three, and then Aiden’s car stops next to mine. Both Aiden and Zac get out. Zac has his rifle with him. He cocks it, ready for action.

I just want to rush in. I’m being stupid, I know. But it’s Scarlett.

It’s going for thirty four hours that the fucker has had her!

I walk around the house, while Aiden takes the front door and Zac goes around the other side. We’re on the same station so we can easily communicate.

Not even seconds later I hear Zac’s voice. “I have eyes on him. Fuck.”

What does that mean? I start to run so I can get to Zac.

“He’s on top of the victim,” Zac says and I can hear the tension in his voice. I can hear the anger and revulsion. “I have a clear shot.”

“Is there any way we can take him in alive?” I hear Aiden ask.

“He’s raping her,” Zac says, his voice now nothing but a low growl.

I see the back door and slam my body through it. I press the button on my radio and scream. “Fuckin’ take it! Take him down, Zac!”

I hear the gunshot. I hear her scream and cry and every cry I hear burns my soul black. I run from room to room until I find the one she’s in. She’s tied to a bed and the fucker is sprawled over her, half his head gone. There is blood everywhere, on the bed, on Scarlett.

There’s a song playing from somewhere and it’s driving me crazy.

I put my gun away and move to Scarlett. Every step I take closer hurts. I’ve been on the force for years now. I did my tour in the army. I’ve seen things a man shouldn’t see. I thought Thursday night would be the ultimate low of my career, seeing people you grow up with, dying like that.

I was wrong.

Seeing the woman you’ve come to love chained to a bed like an animal, is a whole new low.

Seeing her blood soaked into the filthy mattress is enough to break you.

Seeing the man who just raped her, on top of her is enough to make you insane with rage.

“Move,” I hiss the one word. I can’t manage anything else in this second. Even though he’s dead I grab the fucker off of her and sling him to the side. I start to kick at the worthless piece of shit. I slam my foot into any piece of him.

“Wyatt!” I hear Aiden yell, and then he’s yanking me away from the dead piece of shit. “Outside!” he snaps, pushing me towards the door. “We’ll take care of Scarlett,” he snaps.

I twist my body around and shove by Aiden. “Get out!” I scream at him. “I’ll take care of her.”

I don’t look to see if he leaves. My eyes focus on Scarlett’s bloodied body. I don’t know where to touch her. I go for her pulse. It’s weak. I take off my jacket and slip it over her before untying her. She’s making little weeping sounds, each one is a blow to my heart.

“I have you, Scar,” I whisper as I pick her up. I hold her close to my chest.

“We should wait for the medics,” Aiden says but I shake my head.

“No, I’m taking her. She’s not leavin’ my sight.” I glance down at Scarlett. She needs help fast. I won’t lose her. “Please, take care of this mess for me, Aiden,” I beg him. “I have to take her.” He nods and then I run with her.

~*~

It feels as if I’ve been swallowed by some dark cloud. It’s thick and it’s choking the hell out of me.

They’ve given her all the meds they can. They’ve cleaned her up. They’ve even taken photos.

I couldn’t watch them do that. I couldn’t watch as they removed evidence from her broken body. I held her hand but kept my eyes on the floor until they left.

She looks so small, so fragile, lying between the white sheets. They’ve given up trying to get me to leave.

After sitting for hours, I lie down next to her and pull her as slowly as I can into my arms. I need to hold her. I need to feel her against me.

Her arms are covered in bandages. There are tiny cuts all over her arms and abdomen ... even her hands have cuts on them. It means she fought that bastard.

I drift off with Scarlett safely in my arms. My last thought is a muddled promise that I’ll never let her out of my sight.

I wake to her gasping for air. I reach for her face and I breathe against her cheek.

Scarlett screams, a raw sound that tears through me and she lurches forward, wrapping her arms around herself.

I move around the front of her so she can see me. “Scarlett, it’s me, Wyatt,” I say the words clear.

But her eyes don’t focus. My stomach drops. The last time I saw that look in someone’s eyes they shot their brains out in front of me.

Her eyes look daunting.

She keeps gasping for air.

And I feel helpless. I’ve failed Scarlett.

~*~

They give her something to calm her down and she goes back to sleep. I almost ask them for the same stuff. God help me, I don’t know if I can do this.

Hours later Aiden brings Mama with him. We go outside to the waiting room and the second her arms wrap around me I cave like a house of cards.

“I can’t do this, mama,” I sob like a damn baby.

“You can and you will,” she says, and there is strength in her voice. “You’ll do it just like you did it back when Laurie died. She needs you to be the strong one now. You come to us when you’re all weak, but for her you’re gonna be strong.”

When I pull away from my mom I see Emma. Emma has a thing about touching people, so her hugs mean a lot. Emma’s been through some bad crap. She can help. Just maybe she can help.

I hold her. I don’t do the bear hug thing, I just hold her for a little while. Emma has a quiet strength about her. I need that right now.

“I’ll help where I can,” she says and it’s music to my ears.

“I’m gonna need it,” I say.

“Wyatt,” Nurse Rhonda, who’s been around since my diaper days takes hold of my shoulder, “she’s awake son. She’s askin’ for you.”

I think my stomach has run out of juices and it’s moved on to my liver, or kidney, or whatever organ is closest to it. I take a deep breath but it only fills half my lungs. I shove my hands through my hair and force a smile onto my face and then I push the door open.

“Hi, Babe,” I say it as chirpy as I can manage but the second she turns her face to me and I look into her wounded eyes, it all goes to shit. The lump is right back in my throat. My heart is being crushed and my lungs depraved of much needed air.

“Wyatt,” she groans my name and I go for her. I slide onto the bed and lift her to me. I’m holding her too tight, but then she starts to tremble and I hold her tighter still.

“You’re safe now,” I say so she can hear it, but she shakes her head.

“Never,” she whispers, hoarsely.

I frame her face and look into her eyes. It hurts to look into her eyes.

“He can’t hurt you, Scarlett,” I say. “He’s dead.”

She stares at me a while, but it’s as if it doesn’t matter whether Jeffrey’s alive or dead to her.