Beneath the Surface

“Stuff like that went on for two weeks. Until one night Shawn was called in to work in the middle of the night for a murder investigation. I woke up to him tying my right hand to the bed. He had already tied my feet and wrapped a gag around my head, and when I woke up he worked it into my mouth so I couldn’t scream. While he tied my right hand I tried to hit him with my left as good as I could, but with my feet tied and him holding my other arm I couldn’t twist to get to him. Once he tied both my hands and I could only wiggle as a defense I found out how sadistic he really is.” I take a deep breath and wonder what to do next? Do I tell them or show them? I feel something rub my left hand and look down to see Jax’s fingers interlaced with mine. When did that happen? I suck in a deep breath and work up as much courage as I can. “I think it might be easier to show you and then just give you a vague description rather than to go into detail.” I first meet Carson’s eyes and then Jax’s they both nod in encouragement, but I see the confusion on both of their faces. They don’t understand how I can show them the story.

I let go of both of their hands and stand up and turn around to face them. With tears running down my face I grab the bottom of my hoodie and lift it to just under my breasts. Both of their eyes widen and Carson’s mouth actually drop open as they scan my scars with their eyes. I look down at my feet so I don’t have to watch their faces. I pull my hoodie back down and wrap my arms around myself as I sit on the coffee table in front of them. “He cut me twenty-three times across my stomach and chest. Not deep, just enough to cause excruciating pain and leave scars. When he was done cutting me, he raped me. Then he beat me while telling me that I was his, and I needed to act like it. He broke my arm, three ribs, and I had a severe head injury. Then we heard the garage door come up. I think he would have killed me if Shawn hadn’t come home when he did. He stabbed me in the side, and then climbed out my bedroom window.”

I go on to tell them about my recovery, and Shawn putting us in a safe house until I recovered enough to move, and had my name change. When I’m done I sit and wait for the questions to start.

Jax clears his throat, “So you have no idea who he is?” I shake my head without looking at him. I don’t want to see if he’s looking at me differently after hearing my story. I’m not ready to find out yet. “Have you used your old name or credit/ debit cards since you came here?” I shook my head again.

“Shawn brought me down more cash from my accounts when they came down last week. Oh my god! It’s not a coincidence that he showed up less than a week after my family came down is it? He followed them didn’t he?”

Jax hesitates,” Yeah I think he might have. That’s what makes the most sense. I don’t see how else he could have found you without you using your name or bank accounts. Plus it just seems too big of a coincidence that he’s here only four days after they left. He had to of followed them.”© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Carson stands up, “I need to get to the office and get everything together and a couple helpers. We’re going to install a security system, probably a motion activated light in front and back, and then we will sweep for any cameras or bugs in case he left anything behind while he was here last night. I need to get started soon if we want to be done by tomorrow.”

I nod while Jax and I stand too. We all walk to the door together. As Carson walk across the porch Jax stops next to me. “What time will you and the boys be over? I have to go to work, but if you want to run pack a few bags I can let y’all in now. I doubt the boys are up for school today, and I don’t like the idea of y’all staying here all day in case he left some cameras behind. I doubt he stayed long enough to leave any cameras, since y’all were asleep in the house. He probably wouldn’t want you to wake up and catch him. Just to be on the safe side though I’d rather get you out of the house until Carson and his guys can do a sweep through and make sure.”

I nod. “I can have us ready in fifteen minutes since we’re just coming next door so no one really has to get dressed. I think it’ll be best to have a pajama day with the boys so they can be comfortable and rest. Maybe watch a few movies until I need to go to the pharmacy later this afternoon to pick up their prescription.”

“What prescription?”

“After the attack the boys wouldn’t sleep. They were up for almost two full days straight before my brother got a doctor to prescribe something to make them sleep. The doctor gave them enough to last the first couple weeks after the attack. I texted Mason after I called Shawn. He’s at the hospital for work already so he’s tracking down the doctor and having him send a script to a pharmacy here.”

“I understand your mother being in the hospital being traumatic, but not like this. What did they see?”

“They saw everything that happened the two weeks leading up to the attack, and during the attack when the garage door started opening, it woke Jason up. He came into my room in time to see him stab me before going out the window. He started screaming, and that woke Justin up. He came running and saw me still tied to the bed naked and covered in blood. Shawn and Jessica both heard the screams too, and Jessica got the boys out of the room as soon as she saw what had happened while Shawn untied me and called 911. By that point they had already seen enough to give anyone nightmares.”

His eyes are soft for the first time since I met him when he looks at me. Before now I’ve only seen him look at me with anger or lust. I like it more than I should. “Go pack some bags and come on over, I’ll wait for you before I leave for work so I can show you where anything you might need is.” I nod and he leaves.

I wrap my arms around my middle as I watch him walk to his house. For the first time since the attack I actually wish someone had touched me. I’m so scared and feel so alone in this town. I would have given almost anything for him to have pulled me to him and wrapped his arms around me. I feel safe around him and Carson for some reason. I’m not sure why I feel safe around Jax only having known him a little over a month, but I do. Maybe it’s the badge, or maybe it’s just something about the man. I know I feel safe around Carson because I can see in his eyes that he actually understand what I’m going through. I don’t know what happened in his past, but I know something happened to him to make him understand my fear and anxiety in a way no one else I know does. They’re the only people in the world who make me feel safe besides my brothers. Carson has become one of my brothers because of that, but I know the way I look at Jax is anything but brotherly.

I head back inside to pack our bags and wonder again what’s wrong with me for wanting a man so soon. I let out a sigh as I wonder how tonight is going to go with me and Jax staying under that same roof.