Defying Fate (22 page)

The thought of him being hurt because of me makes me feel damn near as violent. I’m hypersensitive to any bump or noise around me desperately waiting for any news, but as my thoughts drift off to the man I’ve grown to care about I lose all sense of my surroundings. Most likely why I don’t hear a single word Liam is saying to me. Eventually, he lowers his body until my eyes focus on his as he is continually calling out my name.

“What?” I whisper.

“We might have located him, looks like your sick fucker has about eight men with him. We are moving out soon.”

No compassion in his words, only coldness, a bit of worry and a pinch of disgust. Most likely all directed toward me. I deserve his distaste and even hatred at this point. I simply nod.

With a determined look, I say, “I’m coming with you.”

Liam's head snaps at me with a look that is nothing short of threatening. “Like hell, until we can figure this shit out you are staying the fuck put. I will have Zeke and Matt stay with you girls.” He directs his eyes at them. Zeke is a tall man who just naturally scares the shit out of me. His bald head sports a bandana, he’s wearing a white t-shirt, worn out jeans with signature black biker boots. His stare is grim and deadly. Matt is shorter than Zeke and in all reality he does not look like he belongs in a biker club. He has such a baby face, hard to imagine him being anything but a teddy bear. Matt’s longer brown hair lands around his shoulders, and his eyes are a bright sparkling blue. As both men surmise me and Kara, I can tell babysitting us was not high on their ‘to-do’ list. Honest to God, Kara seems oblivious to the seriousness of the situation. She’s walking around chatting with all the guys as if it’s some reunion.

Liam’s about at the end of his rope as his eye rolling is in response to getting an earful how Matt wants to be a part of the rescue mission not the babysitting mission. Both men wanted to help and go get Braxton back. Their loyalty was fierce, and part of me was happy hearing it. They wanted Braxton safe as much as I do.

Agreeing fully with them, I interrupt their conversation. “Let them go with you Liam. Braxton needs everyone he can get, to get him home safe. Don’t worry about me. If it weren't for me, none of this would be happening.” My voice cracks as my ugly tears once again come to life. Guilt can be such a bitch.

Liam discounts my argument by ignoring me by continuing to make their plans. Kara and I resolve ourselves to sitting on the couch trying to keep our shit together. Just then a loud crash comes from outside my front door. I jump out of my seat as Kara stands and screams in a protective stance in front of me.

Liam has a gun pointed at the front door while Matt and Travis run straight to the back. Dex and Zeke stay behind to back up Liam if need be. The mere idea, Dominic could be outside my front door, at this very moment has me damn near hyperventilating.

With a slight scream, I am panicking as all of a sudden Braxton comes struggling through my front door, disheveled and bloody. He looks like he went nine rounds and got out the losing end. He stumbles right into Liam, and I run over to him desperately needing to comfort him. Not thinking if he would even want to see me, I run and crush him into my arms.

“Braxton, Braxton. Oh my god, are you okay?”

After a few seconds: nothing.

“He’s not talking, what the fuck? Liam, help me.” I am trying to hold him up, but soon find myself on the floor with Braxton haphazardly in my lap. He looks gray and lifeless as his breaths seem shallow. I gasp and stifle back the lump in my throat.

“Brax buddy, talk to me,” Liam is gently shaking Braxton’s shoulders. “Jesus Christ. Brax, speak to me man.” Braxton has yet to respond as his eyes are half closed, looking glossed over. We stretch Braxton out between our two bodies kneeling on the floor. Everyone else is hovering around us quiet as a mouse.

Little bursts of breath suddenly escape his mouth. It seems he is struggling to tell us something. Leaning closer, so my ear is next to his lips, I’m holding my breath to hear that he is okay although he looks anything but okay.

Braxton’s focus slowly returns and with a shaky bloody hand, he tries to reach my face. I instantly place my hand over his as the feel of his touch alone stops my heart and languishes my weeping. I ache to feel him, and the simple act of him reaching out to me means everything. I can sense it’s taken all of his strength to do this. In my desperate attempt to let him know he means so much to me, I support his hand holding it to my cheek. I know he is my strength, and right now I am his. His brown eyes fully focus on mine now, as I feel the tears stream down my face. I’m seeking to see the beauty behind all of the bruises and blood that covers his angelic face. If I’m honest Braxton’s beauty shines through, blood, bruises, and all.

My eyes search for answers. “Baby, are you okay? Braxton tell me what happened honey?” My pleas are hard for Braxton to hear as Liam is also non-stop questioning him rather loudly in my ear.

With a nod of his head slowly, his eyes squint as if in pain. His tongue darts out to wet his dry, cracked lips that have two very deep cuts in them. God, what the hell happened to him?

Liam’s body is rigidly stiff, and if he’s not on the phone he is barking orders around the room.

Moaning with a hefty sigh, Braxton whispers breathlessly, “He had a message for me. If I gave you up, he would not hurt me.” He stops speaking while wincing in pain.

“He… He did not like my response, so he let me have it. It took five of them to get the better of me.”

Each word’s a struggle, each breath painful. It’s an awful sight to bear. My beautiful, strong Braxton, lying and beaten like this. It’s just not right. It’s seven shades of fucked up. Not being able to stop myself, I lean down and kiss his forehead.

As my tears fall onto his face, I whisper my regrets to him. “I’m so sorry Braxton. I feel so awful this happened, it’s my fault. Please forgive me; for God’s sake, forgive me?” Rocking him back and forth in my arms I keep repeating my apologies as it will never be enough.

Liam takes over the conversation, trying to get all of the particulars out of him. Dex called their doctor who takes care of the boys if anyone gets hurt. Little did I know a woman would show up to take my man’s clothes off, jealous at first, until I see the battered bruises that cover his body. Once I see them, a sick calmness settles over me. I realize what I need to do. I have to find him. I have to end this. I need to see Dominic. Not going to be easy to get away from Liam and his band of brothers, but I have to.

Braxton is lying down on my couch, all wrapped up and sedated for comfort. Lana told Liam the extent of his injuries; lots of cuts, bruises, a few broken ribs and a hell of a knot on the side of his head. Hopefully, he does not have a concussion.

Seven or eight men are in my house all sprawled out here and there. Kara and I end up in my room trying to get some rest so they can figure out what to do next. No one has heard from Dominic. Braxton passed out from the medications. The best medicine for him is rest. We did happen to find out where they had taken Braxton and how many men Dominic had with him.

Braxton was not able to fully comprehend and explain what the plan was. Liam is hoping tomorrow morning Braxton will feel better and be able to give him more information. Before long my exhaustion takes over, and I drift off.

I wake up to the sound of my phone some time later, sitting up I notice I am alone. Kara is no longer with me. Most likely she is with Liam. Rubbing my eyes, I try to figure out what number it is. Not recognizing it, I answer it…stupidly.

“Izzabella.” Dominic’s voice is cold and scary.

My face drains of all its color, I’m lightheaded and nauseous. Tensing up I know I have to deal with him one way or another I need to fix this mess.

With an ache in my heart, the tears well in my eyes. “Dominic. Where the hell are you?” His sarcastic laugh he lets out, has me playing out worst-case scenarios in my head.

“Are you ready to end this and come home now? It seems that Brax got an idea of what I would do, if I did not get you back.”

I hate the fact he is talking so smooth and confident. I get chills because I know he has other tricks up his sleeve. He always does.

“Dammit, Dominic. Why did you hurt him? I’m the one you want, not him?” I stand with nervous energy.

Cutting me off, he is seething mad lowering his voice sounding more evil than ever. “That’s precisely right; you are what I want. That man Brax got that message last night. I told him you belong to me and what was going to happen to him, the longer you are not in my arms and back at our GODDAMN HOME.” His shouting proving his frustration and anger are getting the better of him. Normally Dominic is cool no matter what.

“What are you talking about?” My anger and frustration are getting the better of me.

Very calmly, he asks, “Is he with you now Izzabella?”

This time when he speaks, it’s like a shiver down my spine and a spike to my heart. The coldness with what he is implying causes me to pause before I answer him. I cry out not able to contain it a minute longer.

“Yes. Why?” It’s all I can get out without gasping.

Dominic’s laugh is puzzling. “Izzabella, where is his daughter? Once we took him last night, he was with us until he stumbled through your front door. I know he spent the night on your couch, and he is still there. I will ask again, where is his daughter?”

With ice is running through my veins, I jump up and run to the living room. Liam, Dex, and Zeke dash out of their seats as I enter the room with crazed eyes. I notice Braxton is still out cold and don’t even react to Kara’s questions as I yell over her shoulder to Liam.

“Where the hell is Eve?” The anxiousness in my voice is apparent.

Liam notices me on the phone and puts two and two together. Taking out his phone, he starts pressing numbers. He is pacing the room as his anxiety increases with every ring of his phone.

A heavy sigh escapes his lips. “Tiff you still got Eve? Listen bitch, I am not playing here. Do. You. Still. Have. Eve?”

I can hear her raising her voice, but have no clue what she is saying. Liam’s eyes find mine, shaking his head as if to answer my question.

Satisfied with the fact the Tiffany has Eve, I clench my teeth. How dare he even breathe that sweet girl’s name? With a carefully controlled tone, I say, “Dominic she is with her mother, why are you even asking me this?” Not having a clue what his game is with Eve.

“Oh yes, Tiffany. Bitch has a mouth on her, not my type at all. She is fake as they come, including her body parts.”

I would laugh because I for once agree with him, but this is no laughing matter at the moment.

Momentarily pausing, he then continues, as if completing his thought. “Back to my point, do you know where Tiffany and the girl are, right fucking, now Izzabella?”

He frustrates me so much I might pull my hair out. “No,” I say, sighing deeply, “I don’t know where they are, why are you asking me this, you crazy asshole?”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk Izzabella. You never swore to me, you knew better. A month with this asshole, you all of a sudden think it is okay to swear, at me? You fucking know better Izzabella.” Gone is his laughter once again the cold, calculated monster returns.

“What the fuck is going on?” All eyes swing over to the couch. A worn out looking Braxton is trying to hold himself up against the back of the sofa, wincing with pain.

The look of concern on his face knocks out what little breath I had in my lungs. He looks slightly more like himself this morning, but still battered and bruised. “Oh Brax.” It comes out a muttered sigh as it’s all I can get out before clamping my mouth shut with my hand. I want to say more, feel more, but I can’t. One minute, I'm speechless as I gaze into his amazingly warm brown eyes only seconds later, haunted I have the devil on the phone as well. Dominic’s voice shakes me to my core with panic as I slowly put the phone back to my ear. My eyes slowly return to Braxton’s face, and all, I can see, is bruised. Those bruises and Dominic’s voice push me over the edge.

Dominic’s voice full of sarcasm. “Oh, sleeping beauty is waking up I hear.”

Hearing his voice is like needles pricking my spine, and I lose it, snapping! “Shut the hell up, you insensitive prick. You will never hurt anyone I love again, you hear me Dominic?” I’m so tired and beat down when it comes to Dominic. Just call me delusional to think I ever could get free of him. I have lost it all at the hands of this man, but he can’t hurt anyone else, not because of me. It seems I’m talking to myself and the words escape my lips. “I just don’t give a shit about me, not anymore.”

Dominic is furious and is shouting into the phone. All of his threats aimed at me only frighten me more knowing what awaits me if I’m in his possession once again. Drowning out his idle threats, I focus on Braxton, his looks alone instantly calm me. All the traces of conflict that was on his face after his conversation with Tiffany have now disappeared. All, I see is my sweet, compassionate Braxton.

Closing his eyes as if savoring the moment, he sweetly smiles. “You called me Brax. Guess we must be friends, huh?”

Every twitch, every breath, every word he winces in pain. He still finds it in him to smile as we recall our conversation, not long ago about me obsessing over calling him Braxton. Holding out his hand to me; I don’t hesitate. I run over to him and kneel down in front of the sofa.

“Oh Braxton, so not the time for jokes,” I say laying my head in his lap.

Lowering my gaze, I peer at the voice screaming at me from my phone. Dominic’s voice leaves me open mouthed, but no words escape. As the panic grips me I, raise my eyes to look at Braxton’s murderous stare. His face looks lethal, as he holds out his hand for me to pass him the phone.

Shaking my head in disagreement, as this fight is mine and mine alone. I blow out some breaths to gain some much-needed courage. I know I’m failing to do so because tears are welling up in my eyes yet again.

Hanging my head low against my chest, I surrender my regret and realize I will never let Dominic have his satisfaction when it comes to me. After a long exhale closing my eyes, I say to him. “You can go to hell. I will die before returning to you. Even if it means I blow my Goddamn brains out myself. You’ll never lay another finger on me again.” I’ve never openly said such sadistic things and hearing myself say them, surprisingly I feel nothing.