Avowed (The Manipulation Trilogy Book 3) (21 page)

“Pops.” I whisper to myself. That had to be when he lost my dad and blamed himself.

“What?” Leona snaps.

“Nothing.”

Another contraction hits me and I whimper, trying to hide my pain. Leona is in a world of her own and doesn’t notice my distress. 

“It took years for him to come back to himself, to be less closed off. But then that fucking whore,
Lydia
, appeared and began taking up all his time. He watched her in a way I’ve never seen before. Not in an interested way, but in a protective way. I’ve never seen him act like that before and it threw me.” 

I suck in a shocked breath at her words. He’s told me he felt responsible to Lydia and me because of our father’s death, but hearing of his protectiveness for my sister from this crazy bitch melts my heart a little. Damon never meant to hurt my sister. I know that now. I knew and believed that when he told me, but I fully accept it now.

“As soon as I met her I knew she would be fun to play with, vulnerable, lonely, and in love with her boss. She made herself an easy target. I knew manipulating her would be easy, and I used her to my advantage. I helped her keep tabs on Damon, convinced her he loved her, but was scared to tell her. I had her eating out the palm of my hand in days. She lapped up any information I gave her and turned to me when she doubted Damon’s feelings for her.”

“She made it goddamn easy to play her, to twist her mind. I started having a lot of fun with her. Seeing the pain she felt when she saw him with dates eased my own pain. I hated,
hate
, when he goes out with sluts.” Her words make it evident that she puts me in that category.

“You broke her. You fucking ruined her,” I scream. I can’t hold it back my scream as it tears through me with another contraction. I don’t want to put her off, I don’t want her to stop speaking because each second she’s spending remembering the past, I’m slowly freeing myself.

Leona laughs at me, her eyes shining with happiness.

“I did, and I would do it again. She shouldn’t have been so fucking stupid to believe a man like my Damon would want a cunt like her.”

“He’s not yours though Leona. He’s mine,” I goad. “And the only cunt I see is you. For ever thinking he would be yours.”

Leona lunges at me, knocking me back, and bumping into my stomach. The knock finally releases my trapped feet and we grapple around the floor, fighting each other to gain the upper hand. I throw her off me and push to my feet. It’s a struggle with my injured ankle but I manage it. Just as I get my footing right another contraction takes hold, tearing me apart.

I bend over, grasping my stomach as I pant through the pain. I feel like I’m being split in half and can concentrate on nothing but the agony running deep inside.

Please let my baby be okay
.

Leona smashes into me, forcing me to the ground again. I scream out in pain, both from contractions and my leg. It doesn’t take her long to restrain me again and that’s when all my fight leaves me. My baby and I aren’t going to make it out of this alive.

Tears close my throat and blur my vision. This is what my life has come to, the way it’s all going to end, and it will be at the hands of the woman who ultimately destroyed my sister. The same woman who has spent years ruining my husband’s life.

My husband
.

Thinking of Damon helps peace settle within me. This will kill him. Losing our daughter and me will be the finishing blow to Damon that will rip him apart in the worst way possible, but he will survive it. He will live on.

If all I get with that amazing man is a few months of pure happiness, then I know it was all worth it. Every hurt, pain, and doubt has been erased by him and I can only hope I’ve helped him see he isn’t a monster, but a man who deserves love. A man who has so much love to give.

Leona’s shriek of disgust brings me back to the present. She’s wiping her hands down her messy clothes, frantically cleaning off the gunk covering her. It isn’t until I see her line of sight that I realise my water has just broke.

“You pissed on me,” she screeches. “You fucking pissed on me you dirty bitch.” Her fist connects with my face, sending it swinging to the side. I don’t look back at her. I won’t give her the satisfaction.

Blood oozes from my nose, trickling down the back of my throat at the same time. I gag at the metallic taste but keep my eyes firmly locked away from Leona. Her shouts and screams are incoherent so I pay her no mind.

Tires on the gravel outside have my heart pumping fast, my pulse racing. Has she got more help? I hold my breath waiting but everything is still. Even Leona.

“Is that fucking spawn coming? Does it hurt?” Leona asks in amusement. “I think I’ll let you go through the pain of labour without medical help and then finish you off. You might as well feel every ounce of pain I’ve been craving to inflict on you. I might even keep your baby as my own. Damon would sure want me then.”

In her deluded state she really believes Damon will want her if she takes me out the picture. I remain silent, refusing to give her what she wants. My fear.

“Did you hear me?” she screams. Her boot connects with my bad leg making me cry out. I just want this pain to end. I never thought I’d be someone to just give up but this pain is too much for me to take.

“When Damon thought he killed my baby he was easy to manipulate too. I could play on that to get my own way. He felt guilt and that gave me power. Until you came along. Until you fucking ruined it all you bitch!” she shouts.

Her words hit me hard and my eyes widen. When Damon
thought he killed.
.. she was never fucking pregnant! This crazy bitch is more fucked up than I ever believed. I fucking knew she was lying.

“You were never pregnant. I bet you weren’t even fucking raped.” I fume. Leona out right laughs at me.

“Of course I fucking wasn’t. I used that rape and fake baby as a way to get Damon and that’s when your fucking sister fucked everything up again. After that I thought he would comfort me the way I wanted if he thought he’d killed my baby. Instead he closed off more.”

“Because you made him believe he was responsible for two deaths in one day!” I shout.

“But he knew I wouldn’t care about his demons. He knew I accepted him as he was.” She says this in a small voice, almost like she’s confused as to how her plans went wrong.

“If you would have thought about it properly Leona, you would have known that convincing him he’s a monster wouldn’t work in your favour. He locked himself away from the world, blocked himself off from living. You. Did. That.”

Leona lets out an ear piercing scream, picks up her gun, before lunging for me again, just as the barn doors crash open. It all happens so fast. Her shocked expression is almost laughable but when she raises the gun to my head I freeze.

I squeeze my eyes closed and hold my breath, waiting for my death to come. A popping sound rings out before a heavy weight settles on my chest. I wait for more pain to hit but it doesn’t come. Voices shout out, surrounding me, but I can’t make anything out. My vision blurs before everything goes dark.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

December 24
th
2014

Damon

I stand in complete and utter fucking despair. I don’t know what to do. Not sure how to proceed in getting these cocks to listen to me. Leona has my woman and they won’t fucking help. They’re more concerned with getting that piece of shit Simon out his car. I’m glad he’s fucking dead because if he wasn’t I’d fucking kill him myself.

“When are you going to find my wife?” I snap at a passing police officer. “She’s been taken and you’re all wasting your time on that piece of shit that tried to kill her,” I grit out, trying to keep my cool.

“Sir, you need to calm down. We’re doing all we can. Your wife could have hit her head and be stumbling, lost, looking for help. We have a dog unit on its way to assist. We’re working on it.”

His calm voice just fuels my rage. I want to snap his head off. I want to kill everyone who isn’t listening to me when I say Leona has her.

“She’s not fucking here. She was taken, and the longer you leave it the more time that crazy cunt has to hurt my wife and daughter.”

“There is no car seat sir.” The police officer looks at me like I’m losing my mind and it just enrages me further.

“My wife is fucking pregnant. I’ve told you pricks this already!” I roar. Spencer comes to stand beside me and gives me a look of warning. He can shove that warning up his fucking arse for all I give a shit. “Listen to me you goddamn waste of space. My wife rang me, petrified, and told me what was happening. When they crashed I heard Leona. Leona Goodridge. She’s taken her and she’s hurting her every minute you all waste here.”

“Damon, you need to calm down. We’re going to find her.” Spencer tries to soothe. I grasp his shirt and pull him to me, so we’re face to face.

“How the fuck do you think we’re going to find her when these cocks aren’t doing their job?” I growl.

“Sir, you’re going to have to calm down if you want to find your wife. I need you to tell me everything you know.” I ignore the police officer and stare into my brother’s eyes. In the brown depths I see something but I’m not quite sure what. Spencer lifts a brow at me and nods his head towards the car. Grinding my teeth I release him.

Spence steps away, adjusts his shirt and faces the policeman. I take a deep, calming breath and wait to hear what Spencer has to say.

“We’ve already told your colleagues what happened but they’re not listening. Ella Hunt was targeted by that man you’re currently trying to revive. He ran her off the road where he met a fate too kind for him if you ask me. My sister in law was on the phone to my brother as we drove here and we heard Leona Goodridge screaming at Ella. When we arrived at the scene Ella and Leona were gone. None of you are looking for the real fucking victim here and each second that passes allows Leona more time to cause damage. I know where they are and I’m leaving now. You can choose to do your job correctly and follow me, or you can let my brother and I go sort Leona out. Either way, we’re leaving now.” 

As soon as he says the words I’ve been desperate for I walk away, back to the car and climb in the driver’s seat, staring the engine. Spencer quickly hops in beside me and I watch as the policeman gathers more forces.

I don’t wait around.

I can’t.

My foot hits the gas pedal and we take off. Racing to get to my beauty.

“Where are they?” I growl. My rage is ready to explode. If I get my hands on Leona I’m going to bury her. 

“An abandoned barn five miles that way. Close to the rents.”

“How did you find them?” I ask, only to take my mind off the fury consuming me. If I don’t focus then I’m letting Ella down. She’s my main priority.

“Tracked Leona’s phone,” he replies, nonchalantly. I turn my gaze on him a second in silent question before looking back to the road. “I have my ways of getting what I want. It was as simple as providing Leona’s phone number. I have an area where she is, but she could be anywhere Damon. I just get an area, not a specific location.”

“An area? What the fuck does that mean?” I growl.

“It doesn’t give me the exact spot Damon. It’s like an area on a grid. I can get us to where she is but we’re going to have to find her. She’ll be there but she could be in any field.” 

“I’m gonna kill her Spence. If anything has happened to Ella I’m going to tear Leona limb from limb. I can’t lose her,” I choke out.

“You won’t. We’re going to get her back.” Spencer’s voice is strong, sure, but I can hear his trepidation.

My phone rings and when Steen’s voice sounds through the speaker I see red. His fucking daughter has my wife.

“Steen,” I growl.

“Damon? Thank fuck. Damon, Ella is in trouble,” he stutters, flustered.

“No shit. Your fucking daughter has her,” I snap.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened. She killed her mum, stabbed her. I went to see if my daughter had been murdered too only to find she was the murderer. I heard her on the phone Damon and she caught me. I was trying to warn you but she hit me over the head. I blacked out. I’ve called as soon as I’ve come round.”

“I don’t have time for this Steen. I’m going to get my wife back from your bitch of a daughter.”

“You know where she is?” he asks, sounding relieved.

“We have an area but it’s not a specific location. From what I can tell there is nothing in that area so we’re going to have to search,” Spencer replies.

“Where is it?” Steen enquires, sounding desperate.

“Six and half miles past my mum’s,” I answer.

“It’s mine!” he exclaims. “It’s my land. We have some waste land. Leona and her friends hung out there when she was in secondary school and there’s an old shack.”

That’s it.

I don’t reply. I just press my foot down harder so we shoot forward, speeding to my beauty as fast as my car will allow. Ice fills my veins as we near, we’ll never find Ella. Steen directs me to take a turn down an old dirt path, barely visible from the road.

As soon as I pull up in front of the old barn I jump out and try to take off towards the door but Spence grabs me and holds me back. I lash out, wanting to beat him to preventing me from going to my woman. Bringing his lips to my ear, Spencer gives me the words to calm down.

“Damon, if you go in there you risk Ella being killed. Listen to that, I can hear them both. Ella is fine but if you go storming in there that could all change. You need to think with your head, brother. Your woman is alive but you could end that. You need to wait it out.”

I sag against him, broken inside. How can he expect me to not go in to take my beauty back? I’m desperate to hold her in my arms, to make sure she’s okay, but I know Spence is right.

I can hear Leona speaking but I can’t tell what she’s saying. Police cruisers pull up and start to move into position. 

“Did you hear me?” Leona screams. My whole body tenses as I hear Ella cry out in pain. It takes everything in me to remain on the spot. I want to rush in there and take the pain away and I want to end Leona’s life so fucking much.

Spencer moves us closer to the door, as officers suit up in protective gear, drawing guns and checking they’re loaded. When Leona begins to speak again, we can hear hers words clear as day.

“When Damon thought he killed my baby he was easy to manipulate too. I could play on that to get my own way. He felt guilt and that gave me power. Until you came along. Until you fucking ruined it all you cunt!” Leona shouts.

Her words shock me, knocking the air out my lungs. It was all a game. There was no fucking baby. I want to release my wrath and set it all on the woman who has invaded my life for far too long.

“You were never pregnant.” Ella says. It’s not a question, it’s a statement. “I bet you weren’t even fucking raped.”

“Of course I fucking wasn’t. I used that rape and a fake baby as a way to get Damon and that’s when your fucking sister fucked everything up again. After that I thought he would comfort me the way I wanted, if he thought he’d killed my baby. Instead he closed off more.”

“Because you made him believe he was responsible for two deaths in one day!” Ella shouts.

Leona’s voice is quiet as she replies and I can’t make out what she’s saying.

“If you would have thought about it properly Leona, you would have known that convincing him he’s a monster wouldn’t work in your favour. He locked himself away from the world, blocked himself off from living. You. Did. That.” I can hear Ella’s fury at what Leona has put me through and I love her all the more for it.

The police move into position and crash into the doors as an ear piercing scream sounds out. Spence and I go to move in but get held back. I thrash and fight to get free but these fuckers are holding steady.

A gun being fired stops my breathing, my heart skipping a beat as the bang resounds in my head. My knees give out and I pray. I pray with everything in me that that gunshot was fired at Leona and not my beautiful Ella.

“Oh God. Oh fuck. Is she... is Ella okay?” I gasp. I struggle to catch my breath as all my biggest fears take over my body at once. Have I lost my wife and daughter?

Spencer’s arms band around me, comforting me, but it doesn’t help. I feel trapped, like I’m being held under water. Shouts and movement surround me but my mind is blank of anything but torture. This is all my fault. Leona would never have gotten near Ella if I would have protected her. Hell if I wasn’t part of Ella’s life, then they would have never crossed paths.

Sirens wail in the background, drawing closer to our destination as an officer cautiously approaches us.

“Mr. Hunt?”

“Yes,” Spencer answers, knowing I can’t find the words.

“Mrs. Hunt is alive. She’s unconscious and has some injures but she’s breathing. An ambulance is about to arrive to give her the medical treatment she needs but we don’t know how bad her injuries are.”

I slump forward at his words, tears streaming down my face. My baby is breathing. She’s alive.

“What about the baby?” I ask.

“We won’t know until she gets to the hospital, sir.” 

I stand on shaky legs and move to enter the barn, only to be stopped again. I glare at the uniformed man, ready to rip him a new arsehole when I see paramedics rush past.

Everything passes in double speed. Police and paramedics swarm the scene, orders and medical jargon is shouted out in a mix of hums. Spencer holding up my slumped body is the only thing anchoring me to this scene. It’s like watching a movie playing before my eyes.

Seeing Ella being wheeled out on a stretcher, unconscious, brings me back to focus. Standing, I stride over towards the ambulance they’re loading her in, when a female paramedic stops me with a hand on my chest. I glare down at her, waiting for her to move.

“Sir, you can’t go back there.”

“That’s my wife,” I say with incredulity.

Ella opens her eyes at my voice, and calls out to me. I push onward, forcing my way to her. Needing to be with her.

“F-Faith,” she gasps. “H-help her.” As soon as the last word leaves her lips she passes out. I roar out in agony.

Please don’t die
.

The paramedic grabs my arm, pulling me to a stop when I try to storm forward.

“I’m sorry for that sir, but you can’t go back there. We’re doing all we can for your wife, and we need to get her to the hospital as quickly as possible. Her body is showing signs of advanced labour.”

I stumble back a step. It’s too fucking soon. Our daughter isn’t ready yet, she can’t be in labour. My head spins with horror.

“But she’s... I’m...” I stutter.

Giving me a sympathetic smile she moves her hand from my chest to my shoulder and gives me a comforting squeeze.

“It’s too early.” I tell her panicked. “She has a month left before the baby is ready.”

“We’re going to do all we can.”

She turns and walks away but I grab her arm, stepping after her as she goes to leave. A hand clamps on my shoulder and I turn to glare at a stocky police man.

What the fuck?

“I suggest you remove your hand Mr. Hunt,” he says, with a surprisingly menacing voice.

“It’s fine Teddy.” The paramedic replies.

“No it’s not,” he growls.

“He just wants to travel with his wife,” she tells him before turning her eyes to me. “You can ride up front Mr. Hunt but we need to leave now.”

I don’t waste time. I move forward on autopilot and take a seat in the cab of the ambulance.

****

I’m pacing in the family waiting room at the hospital, surrounded by my family and friends, and I’m going fucking crazy. It’s been over an hour since we’d arrived at Charing Cross hospital and I know nothing. Not one fucking person can tell me what’s happening to my wife. No, it’s not that they can’t tell me, they
won’t
tell me.

Spencer must have called my parents because they arrived not long after me. My mum pulled me into a hug and told me everything would be okay and it’s the first time I’ve ever doubted my mum. Spencer arrived twenty minutes later with a shaken up Faith, but she was unharmed.