Chapter 25
Arsen
Present
I woke up to the sound of pounding on the front door downstairs. At first, I thought it was all in my head, but that pounding was different. I had no idea what time, or even what day it was. Val had blackout curtains over her balcony windows and glass door. I called out to Val in the near pitch black room, but she wasn't there either.
The pounding continued. It was too aggressive to be housekeeping or maintenance and media couldn't get past building security. So who the hell was at the door?
When Romeo started barking, I decided to go check it out. Maybe it was Val, she could've locked herself out, while getting us food. Rolling to my feet, I felt like I was hit by a bus. I couldn't find a square inch of me that wasn't sore. Getting downstairs was going to be a project.
Constant barking and arguing voices drifted up the stairs. Angry voices.
The thought of Val being attacked in NYC and quickened my labored walk, I took the steps by twos until I reached the bottom. Pain shot up my legs, threatening to make them give out, but I powered through it. I had to make sure Val was alright.
The first thing I saw was the pages of some tabloid rag splayed out on the floor. 'Dawson family scandal' was in bold letters across the front page. It always amazed me at just how fast garbage like this could be printed. That also explained who was pounding on the door.
“And there he is,” Hugh pointed at me, he looked like he hadn't slept in days. His eyes were red-ringed, his fine suit was uncharacteristically loose and shabby. He looked like a man on the run, or maybe one at the end of his rope. “You couldn't leave well enough alone, could you— Will you shut that fucking dog up!”
“I take it you didn't enjoy the fight?” I shook my head, feigning sympathy. “Romeo. Come here, boy.” Romeo stopped barking and trotted over to my side, like the good, harmless dog he was. He smartly kept a wary eye on the strange man in the house. It was only now that I wished I'd trained him to attack on command. “Never should've bet against me, Hugh.”
“You think this is about the money you lost me?” Hugh roared. I'd never seen him this unrefined before. He had the look of angry desperation, like his sins were breathing down his neck. “You should've stayed in that greasy warehouse, where you belonged.”
“Father, stop it!” Val protested.
“And you.” He turned to back to Val, seething. I pushed myself off the wall, readying myself. I didn't care if he was her father or not, he'd better watch his fucking mouth about Val in my presence. “Do you have any idea the damage you've done to our Legacy? And for what, this street trash?”
“I will not have you talk about Arsen like that. I love him.” Val's back straightened. A steadfast resolve coated her words. She wouldn't be easily cowed this time. She wasn't that timid ghost of a girl any longer.
“Oh, please.” Hugh dismissed her and pulled out his cell phone. Holding the camera on her, he gave her orders. “You will apologize for your temporary bout of insanity. You will tell the public that you have been unwell for some time now and will be checking yourself into a mental hospital. Then you will beg for forgiveness—”
“No.” Val's deep blue eyes turned icy. It was the hardest look I'd ever seen her give anyone, let alone the man that controlled her entire life.
“You will,” Hugh growled at her disobedience. “Or I will turn you into a social pariah. I will crush your career, and take everything from you!”
“No.” Val refused to back down. I could see her cutting the strings that once held her, she was no one's puppet anymore.
“You ungrateful, bitch.” Hate flared in Hugh's eyes. “I gave you life, wealth and fame, and this is how you repay me? I own you! You are a Dawson, Goddammit!”
I stepped toward Hugh, my hands balled painfully into fists. This was quickly getting out of control. My full body ache was dulled with a spike of adrenaline, I just hoped it would be enough. On any other day I could put Hugh on his ass with ease, but after that last fight a stiff breeze might be able to knock me down.
Val's outstretched arm stopped me. She must have known what I was going to do. Don't give in now, Val. I could've pushed past her and handled this my way, but I didn't. Whatever happened next was Val's decision. If I made the choice for her, then I would be no better than Hugh.
“That name means nothing to me. Do your worst, 'Hugh', I don't care anymore.” Val paused, taking in a long breath. Her words were sharpened by a long overdue defiance. “Now get the hell out of my house.”
I was nearly as surprised as Hugh by the definitiveness of her tone. She had finally done it, she had stepped out from under her father's shadow. I couldn't have been any prouder of her.
Hugh wasn't as shocked as I would've figured. No, he was just angry. I got the sense that things were unraveling for Hugh, maybe all that debt had caught up to him.
Romeo broke the moment by resuming his barking, but this time it wasn't at Hugh. He barked at the sound hustled footsteps up the hallway to the apartment. Shortly thereafter, a detective and four cops barged into the room.
I instinctively stepped backwards, assuming they were there for me. The footage of the illegal fight was leaked, I guess it was only a matter of time before I was picked up for my involvement.
“Hugh Dawson?” The detective asked, scanning the room. Satisfied that he'd found the man he was looking for, he nodded to the other cops. They turned Hugh around, shoved him up against the wall and cuffed him. “You are under arrest for attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder.”
Woah, what?
Hugh began protesting in outrage, but they just read him his rights and dragged him away. I grabbed Val's hand, she mirrored the confused look on my face. My mom showed up a few minutes later, the concern on her face melted into relief.
“Thank God you're alright.” She hugged us both, then her and the cop explained what happened.
Through a massive investigation, the police were able to eventually trace the would-be assassin's contacts back to the loan shark that Hugh owed money to. Apparently Hugh's gambling debt was far greater than any of us knew. After an initial attack on his own life as a warning, Hugh brokered a deal with the loan shark. Hugh had gone so far as to take out life insurance policies in secret on both Val and my mom.
Then he tried to have them killed.
Val was horrified. I hugged her until she stopped shaking. What a fucking fool, I'd been all this time. I should never have walked away from Val six years ago, I should have never left her alone with that fucking monster.
The cops took our statements and went over our options. They assured Val that the danger was completely over and encouraged her to contact her lawyer as soon as possible. Mom was already on the phone with their law firm before the officer finished the sentence.
“You alright?” I asked Val, when the last of the police left.
“No,” she said, brushing away tears. Then she offered a weak, but honest smile. “But I am free, aren't I?”
“As free as you want to be.”
Val took a few long breaths, trying to stop the tears from coming. “It's terrifying.”
“You won't have to go through it alone.” I touched her forehead to mine.
“Promise?”
“Yeah.” I kissed her and she hugged me.
We stayed like that for a while, my arms wrapped around her. I would protect her with everything I had for the rest of my life.
“With Hugh about to be the next big headline, looks like the Dawson name's a sinking ship.” I took in her beautiful eyes. “You should probably bail before it drags you down.”
“Are you?” Val paused, carefully reading my expression. “What are you saying exactly?”
“I'm saying that Val Constantine has a nice ring to it.”
“That has to be the worst marriage proposal I've ever heard.” Her face lit up, a disbelieving smile crept along her mouth.
“How many have you heard?” My face went stern, “Is there something I should know?”
“Oh, a few a week or so. I am famous.” Val laughed at my fading jealousy. “Don't worry, I’ve turned most of them down.”
“Punk.” I squeezed her tighter. “I can't give you wealth or fame, so you're just going to have to settle for unconditional love.” I paused, then added. “And a dog, of course.”
“Dammit, Arsen, I don't wanna cry anymore today!” Tears rushed back to Val's eyes. She laughed and cried some more, then looked over at my mom, who had the phone's receiver covered and was absorbing our moment with smiling eyes. Val's upturned eyes asked my mom if she thought it was alright.
“Sweetheart.” Mom ended the call, put the phone down and walked over to us. “Don't worry about propriety or law, that will all be taken care of soon. You two belong together.”
I wasn't positive, but I think attempted murder was grounds for divorce in any religion.
Mom smirked, then continued, “You're the only person that can get into that thick head of his, and keep him out of trouble.”
“Thanks for that, Mom.” I shook my thick head, disapprovingly. Mom was, of course, talking about the fights. I brushed the hair from Val's red, puffy, beautiful face. “What do you say, Val?”
Val wiped her eyes again. She looked at me happier than I'd ever seen, and nodded.