Chapter Eleven
“We have to declare her missing, nobody knows where she is!”
Not one person there argued with him this time around. They’d been waiting all day and Ari hadn’t come home. After two hours of her being gone, Everett had volunteered to go into town to look for her. He had come back without her. It was now close to four hours and there was still no sign of her.
Everyone was in the sitting room, looking confused and unhappy.
“I know she didn’t run away,” Val kept saying. “She has a family here now; I let her know that.”
But where the hell was she? Logan wanted to shout. He held his tongue as he tried to keep his temper in check. He knew it wasn’t anyone’s fault that Ari wasn’t in the house with them. It was his fault, he decided. He should have told her a long time ago that he adored her, that he worshipped the ground on which she walked. She would have told him outright what she wanted to do with him. She wouldn’t have needed to drive all the way into town to think. She wouldn’t have needed to leave. So where else could she be if she hadn’t run?
Suddenly, the farm landline rang and both Faye and Khloe ran for it. Faye grabbed it first.
“It’s the lawyer, he wants to speak with you, Logan,” she said.
The girl had turned apologetic towards him for over an hour now. Logan spared no time in rushing to snatch the phone from her. His fingers gripped the phone a bit tighter after each word that came out of the lawyer’s mouth. When he dropped the receiver, he sagged against the desk.
“What is it?” Val was by his side in another second. “What happened?”
“What did he say?” Faye asked impatiently. “Did Ari go to him?”
Logan nodded. “She went to see him and he told her that her husband just came by to sign the papers. Hours later, Green left his office to find Dan Jackson’s car still in the park. He thought to check if Ari is okay.”
“The bastard!” Everett swore loudly.
“Fuck!” Logan bit out. The bastard has her.”
*****
Ari woke slowly. Her head felt heavy, like a big load was placed on it. It hurt too, like some band was playing in it.
Why was Faye making such loud noise with the pans?
She tried to get up to go to the kitchen; she needed to tell Faye not to cause such a ruckus. But she couldn’t move. Her limbs seemed immobile and her lungs; they were constricted, trying to draw in breath, but she couldn’t breathe. What was happening to her?
“Ah, you are awake.”
Ari froze at the voice. A hysterical laughter almost bubbled forth as she realized that she must have imagined the voice. Of course, that couldn’t have been Dan, her ex-husband, saying she was awake. Where would he find her and what would she be doing with him? Trying to shake off the nightmare and the banging in her head, Ari sank deeper into the sheets. Perhaps, if she slept a little more, she would feel all right and stop imagining things.
But the bed didn’t feel right. It wasn’t soft like the one she had at Westbrooke Ranch. It felt familiar though. Her brain recognized the feel of the bed. She had slept in it many times, and cried on it on more occasions than she cared to admit.
She shot up as it hit her. “Dan,” she gasped.
He was right in front her, full flesh and blood. They were in their old room while she had been tolerating his beatings and emotional attacks. The room didn’t feel familiar to her, she realized that it was a room filled with all kinds of luxury but all she could think of was Logan and the Westbrooke Ranch. She wanted to go back to Logan. What in god’s name, was she doing with Dan? Her ex-husband was still as tall and darkly handsome as ever. His eyes were a cool shade of brown that reminded one of coffee and he had an easy smile on his lips, always. Ari had long realized that the smile was a façade, a covering for the cruelty underneath.
“I’m glad you’re awake,” Dan said in a matter-of-fact voice. “I was beginning to think you were dying; but you have been sleeping all day.”
Now, Ari remembered. “You hit me on the head,” she gasped. As if to confirm, her head began to hurt again and she raised a hand to it. There was a bandage wrapped all around her head.
“Had to do you up a little bit, didn’t know I was going to hit you so hard,” Dan explained with a shrug.
“What am I doing here?” she asked stupidly.
“I want you back.”
The simplicity of the words almost made her shake with laughter. But the words were accompanied by such sober expression that Ari knew he was serious. He really thought wanting her back was enough reason for her to be back. He had kidnapped her, hadn’t he? “But you signed the divorce papers,” she reminded me.
“That damned lawyer of yours forced me to,” Dan informed her. “I had to sign so he would get off my back.” He rubbed his jaw. “I knew it was fate when I saw you walk into his office just when I was thinking of you.”
“So you kidnapped me afterwards,” Ari surmised.
Dan shrugged.
“I am not going to be your wife again, Dan,” Ari was quick to let him know. “The law has separated us and nothing is bringing us back together.”
“But I love you,” Dan protested as if that would make all things right.
Ari shook her head. Couldn’t this man see that she meant business? Hadn’t he known when she ran from him and never came back? With every strength in her, Ari tried to get up. Only then did she realize that both her legs and one hand were chained up. “What is this?” she asked desperately.
“Making sure you stay with me.”
“We are no longer married, Dan!” she screamed at him. “Let me go!”
“Listen honey, I know I was wrong for treating you the way I did, but I’m a changed man now. See, I even brought you this.”
Ari couldn’t believe her ears. She watched in growing dismay as Dan grabbed a small pouch from inside his breast pocket and held it out like a trophy.
“Let me go, you jackass! I am not coming back to you.”
Dan frowned. “You never used to call me that? Where have you been staying all these months? They must have taught you nothing but shit.” He shook his head as if she was some particularly recalcitrant child.
“This is not sensible,” she tried reasoning with him. “I am sure they’re looking for me and here will be the first place they’ll come. You’ll be arrested and thrown in jail.”
“No, I won’t.” he returned cheerfully.
His tone scared her more than the fixed smile on his face. “You won’t?” she asked slowly.
“Yes, because if anyone comes here looking for you, you will tell them that you made a mistake. You’ve finally gotten your senses and came back to your husband. To me,” he said with great emphasis.
Ari shook her head. “And if I don’t?” she asked in a very quiet voice.
“You will. Trust me.”
He raised a hand and she could see the gun in it. She gasped in shock.
Ari stared at him. Suddenly, in his eyes, she saw what she hadn’t always seen. There was something wild and wicked in his eyes. He looked perfectly sane at first glance, but there was a crazy sneer to his lips, and lines around his eyes that spoke of a kind of meanness she’d never noticed in him before. Logan wasn’t like this. Ari found herself comparing both men even despite her situation. Logan was a true gentleman, a kind soul and there was no hint of madness around his eyes. She wanted to stay alive, so she could go back to him. Almost in a panic now, she tried to think of a way out. “Why are you doing this? What did I ever do to you to deserve this?”
Dan laughed a harsh grating noise that hurt her ears. “I bought you clear from your dad, paid him a large sum of money. The damned old bastard almost milked me dry because I wanted to marry you. He said I could have you for all he cared. Why should I let you go? You are my property.”
“I am no man’s property,” Ari hissed hotly.
Dan ignored her. He climbed on top of the bed and before she knew what he was about to do, clasped her free hand with a chain. “I can bet you missed my loving,” he said in a soft voice. “I am going to remind you of how happy we were.”
“We were never happy!” Ari screamed at him. “Don’t touch me! Get off me! Now!”
“Oh no, we were happy. You liked it when I hit you. You always yelled so loudly. When I drive into you afterwards, it made me feel out of this world; you remember, don’t you?”
Right there and then, Ari realized what she’d been missing all these years. The problem really had been with Dan and not her. She’d heard of men who liked to torture their partners but she hadn’t imagined that she was married to one. The pieces fell into place now, but things were beyond redemption. If Dan were to be believed, he would shoot her before letting her go. She wondered if he had ever been sane.
She felt him climb on top of her and revulsion settled deep in her belly.
“I missed fucking you, you know? All other women didn’t cry as hard as you do.” He immediately began to kiss her. “I want you so much.” His hands grabbed her breasts and squeezed hard.
Ari almost threw up into his mouth. She began to struggle in earnest, kicking at him with her knees and trying to scream. But Dan’s hold on her was strong. And his lips would not leave her. He tore at her clothes and began to fondle her breasts.
Then—she screamed
*****
Logan couldn’t keep calm.
“Drive faster, man! Drive!”
Nobody said a word in the car as he kept on pushing Everett to drive faster. Everett ground the accelerator. Luckily, they seemed to be in the clear, at least for now. Not one dreaded patrol car was behind them. That was the only positive thing he could think of at the moment. He thought of the million and one things he would do to Jackson if the man, the beast, laid one finger on Ari. There would be hell to pay. His only hope was that the police, whom Val had already called, were on their way to Jackson’s residence, because if they didn’t, Jackson would be dead.
Dead.
Val placed her hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring squeeze.
He turned to face the woman whom he’d befriended years ago and who’d been his salvation. Her eyes told him that everything would be all right. There was no need for words.
Before the three of them had raced out of the house and just about leapt into the Everett’s car, she’d called the precinct and spoken to one of her old buddies from when she worked as an officer. Getting Dan Jackson’s address from the lawyer, Mr. Green had been a bit tricky, but in the end, he’d relented and given in to their demands. He’d apologized profusely, somehow feeling guilty for inadvertently exposing Ari to her maniac of a husband; but his apologies wouldn’t help her, only them or the police would be able to do it.
It saddened Logan that in all the months he’d known the love of his life, she still hadn’t felt comfortable enough to tell him where she’d run away from. She’d always been a bit vague about it. Now since he knew where she’d lived during her years as Mrs. Jackson, he couldn’t believe she’d been exposed to the elements for so many hours on the night of her escape. Getting to Westbrooke wasn’t anything to take lightly. She’d made her way on foot from such a great distance.
Of course, driving would have cut the duration of her escape by more than a half; but she hadn’t afforded the luxuries of having her own car or, at least, access to one of Jackson’s…and escape was all that mattered to her when she’d gotten the chance to do so.
If that bastard has laid a finger on her again, I’ll kill him.
Logan ground his feet on an imaginary accelerator. If only he was behind the wheel; but that wouldn’t have made much sense. They were in Everett’s vehicle, so it was fitting that he’d be the one to drive. Still, Logan felt helpless. His mind flashed on the possibilities. An evil man like Jackson would do anything to have his own way, even murder the woman he’d vowed to protect and love on their wedding day.
Logan clenched his fists.
Everett drove hard. Yet, time seemed to stand still. Finally, they got to the bastard’s place. Logan didn’t wait until the car stop before leaping out. He quickly scanned the area. It seemed like a quiet neighborhood; the sort where everybody minded their business. He was at the door in no time when he heard the scream.
Ari!
He felt his blood boil as he smashed his weight against the front door.
*****
Ari screamed in terror when Dan pulled down his zipper.
Grinning wildly, he began to fondle himself in readiness for her. His eyes were on her breasts and they were glazed as if he couldn’t see her anymore.
Ari thought she heard something crash but it could as well be her last hope at a decent existence. Her life was flashing before her. She saw herself playing with Emily.
The day of her seventh birthday party. She could see herself playing musical chairs with her friends she’d invited to celebrate with her. How cute and innocent she was!
Her mother’s funeral.
And then Emily’s.
Her wedding day, a day that should have been one of the happiest of her life, but which was merely a precursor to the hell she’d lived for the last two years.
A tear slipped from her eye.
Dan’s breathing heightened and she knew at once that her fear was exhilarating to him. However, Ari couldn’t stop struggling. She would die if he had his way with her. The only man she wanted was Logan.
Her tears now flowing copiously, Ari realized she’d lost her opportunity with a man who truly loved her. She should have let him love her. That morning, she should have gone to him instead of driving into town. This wouldn’t have happened if she did. But she’d been stupid, thinking she needed time to think. What had there been to think about? Life wasn’t always nice, and it wouldn’t always hold on for you. One had to grab the moments…
Ari knew she wasn’t going to be with Logan again. If Dan had his way with her one more time, she would feel too soiled for Logan. He deserved the best woman and some hours ago, she’d been ready to be that woman for him. Dan would let her sink low again. He would to make her feel dirty and she would never be able to face Logan ever again. Without a doubt, Ari knew she would die of shame rather than go to him.
She opened her mouth to scream one more time, hoping that someone, anyone, would hear her and come to her rescue. But she knew that no one would hear her. Nobody had when she’d been beaten and abused for a long time either.
Dan got his penis out, a wicked smile on his face.
Logan, I’m sorry.
As if her thoughts conjured him up, the door to the room flew open all of a sudden and there he stood. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he took in the scene before him.
Val was right behind him.
An animalistic sound escaped his lips as Logan rushed over to Dan who stood frozen in shock. Quickly, he recovered and leaned over to grab the gun lying on the bed; but he wasn’t quick enough. Not only was Val a smart woman, she was agile. She had the gun in her grasp and trained straight at him.
Logan’s fist collided with Dan’s jaw just then.
Ari felt the collision. And heard the crunching of bones. It was like a storm had taken over. But she knew what would happen after the storm. Everything would go quiet. It was always quiet after the storm.
The last thing she heard was Dan’s horrific screams.