Becoming Maddie (The Casterhouse series Book 1) (15 page)

Fear pumped through his veins at sight of her, at the thought of her not being okay. Maddie had to get through this. They had so much ahead of them and he would be damned if he was to lose that before he had managed to really get it.

Racing to her side he bent down and picked up the top half of her body. Cradling her to his body he moved her hair out of her face.

“What the fuck.” Aiden barked as he took in the state of her face.

All around her beautiful eyes was swollen and starting to turn into ugly, scary bruises. Looking down her body he took in the rest of her trying to see if she was injured anywhere else. His whole body started as he noticed her hands and feet were bound. What had happened here? What had she been through?

Gently laying her back down again, Aiden worked to loosen the knot and released the bindings on her wrists. Almost as soon as he had it undone and could see the bloody cuts and bruises, Maddie groaned loudly but didn’t wake. He knew it must feel good to have them free but it was hurting her to do it.

“It’s okay Ruby, I am here.” He said as softly as he could when he had so much anger running through his body. “I am going to untie your feet too, okay.”

Aiden wanted to keep talking to her so that she knew he was there even if she didn’t acknowledge him. Maddie wasn’t awake but he hoped that it was sinking in that she was safe now and not alone. Quickly untying her feet too he looked at her ankles as well. They were covered in blood and also bruised but nowhere as bad as her wrists were.

“Maddie, baby, I need you to wake up and let me know you are okay.” He asked her, picking up her body.

Aiden had been so lost in holding her and looking after her that he hadn’t heard the police pull up outside and run up the stairs. In fact he didn’t even notice until a paramedic bent down next to him and asked him to move out the way.

“We need you to move so that we can have a look at her sir.” A man asked him.

Aiden didn’t want to let her go. He wanted to hold her to reassure himself that she was breathing, that she was safe in his arms. He needed to feel her not even for Maddie but for himself. That’s when he knew he had to let go of her and get them to help her. He was no longer helping her but getting in the way. Now was time to let the professionals do their jobs.

Pulling back and laying her down on the ground once again but this time cupping the back of her head he bent and said in her ear.

“I will be with you all the way Ruby but the paramedics are going to take a look at you now.”

Maddie’s eyes fluttered and looked up at him. He watched as she swallowed a couple of times. Aiden knew she was trying to say something but he had no idea what.

“What Maddie?” He asked carefully. “What is it baby?”

Her eyes closed slowly and opened again. It was painful to watch considering the state of her face. Aiden could feel the uncontrollable anger burning its way through his system. He needed to move and get out of there before he hit something. What the fuck had gone on here? Whoever it was is going to pay. He had friends in this town. A lot of them were in the police. He was going to make sure the culprits were punished but he wanted to get a hold of them first. 

Just watching his Madison struggle to say something to him made his head start to throb. Seeing her laying there being so un-Maddie like was making Aiden’s guts twist and hurt. This isn’t what she was like at all. She may not always share or even be a massive talker but she was always moving. She fidgeted a lot or was taking in the things around her. Even when she did sit still he could see her light come out and shine on people.

There were moments he wondered why he was trying so hard to be something to her then he would see the way she was with people. Maddie made Ethan and Rosie laugh so hard the snorted ice cream. She helped Sarah feel less lonely while her husband was away. Even the guy that worked the reception desk answered her call straight away. She seemed to think that she was totally alone and had built her walls so high that nobody could get over them. That was totally wrong. Maddie had a door in that wall that she let selected people in and shone her bright light on them.

Now she lay there broken.

He
so
wanted his hands on the culprits first.

“Aiden.” She croaked.

“I’m here Ruby.” He said squeezing her hand as the paramedics worked around him.

“Aiden.” She croaked again. “Marvin.”

Then she closed her eyes and was out again. It was probably the best thing for her right now. Aiden felt nervous letting go of her hand, not having skin to skin contact, but he knew that he would be slowing the help she needed if he kept a hold of it. He would be right behind her on the way to the hospital. Standing and stepping away from her he finally took in the room. It looked like a disaster zone. Anything of any value and easily moved was gone. Maddie had been not only attacked but robbed too.

Aiden had to take in several deep breaths as his eyes caught on a blood smear on the wall by the window. For ages he couldn’t tear his eyes away. Maddie had been tied up and seriously hurt in this room and now her blood was on the wall.

“Fuck.” He shouted taking everyone in the room by surprise.

“Aiden, buddy, you should get out of here and cool down.” Lee said.

Lee was a good friend and drinking buddy of Aiden’s. He was also one of his friends that worked in police department for Casterfield. He was a beat cop and a good man.

“I need to find Marvin.” Aiden said finally tearing his eyes away from Maddie’s blood stain.

“Marvin?” Lee asked frowning at his friend

Aiden knew Lee was worried he wasn’t going to be able to control himself, but he would, for now. He needed to find Maddie’s friend like she asked, liked, she’d struggled to ask. He was not going to let her down. There would be a time later, when he had the fucker that did this in his reach, when he would lose the control he had in place now.

Looking around he searched for Marvin. He would have done everything he could to protect his mistress. He had to be close by, either shut away or hurt.

Aiden suddenly turned to the bathroom as he heard faint, almost not existent, scratching. Dodging policemen he moved to the door and threw it open.

“Please               Aiden you are going to have to go while we look around.” Lee stated quickly following him.

Aiden was not listening as he bent and scooped up the wounded husky into his arms. Marvin looked at him with pain filled eyes. For a moment they looked at each other and Aiden tried his best to make the dog understand his mistresses was getting help. He then turned and started to march out of the flat to follow the ambulance that Maddie was in.

“Aiden we need to ask you some questions.” Less said running after him.

“You can.” Aiden shouted over his shoulder. “At the hospital. Can you get a vet to meet me there too?”

Chapter 13

Maddie was so comfortable. She felt like she was laying on the softest bed ever and although she knew she should be in pain she really wasn’t.  Breathing in a deep breath her senses were filled with the chemical smell of hospitals and slight pain from her chest. Well maybe not pain exactly just a tightness. Maddie figured that should probably be a lot more painful but as she was in hospital she was most likely on something that was taking away all her pain. It might explain why she thought the bed was so soft, it had to be a cloud.

Trying hard and focusing on her eyes she managed to blink quickly to see if that hurt. It didn’t but it was tricky to keep her eyes open because of the swelling. Her throat started to burn as she fought the tears that wanted to be spilled. Maddie didn’t even want to think about what she looked like. Trying again she managed to keep her eyes open to look around.

She seemed to be in her own, private room. Maddie had been in hospital before but she had never had her own room. It was nice, quiet. One of the major things she normally hated about staying in hospitals was being on a ward. It meant sleeping in a row with other people around you making noises that you weren’t used to and keeping you awake. It also meant you had zero privacy and everybody knew what was wrong with you.

Looking around her room, Maddie took in the normal things you would find in hospital. The white walls, the white beds with blue blankets, the telly that you never watched, the table over the bed and the hot man watching you from the chair by your side.

Wait!

Aiden sat next to her bed holding her hand and looking at her. He wasn’t saying anything just looking at her. His face didn’t show disgust at the state of hers nor did it show pleasure to see her awake. What Maddie could see was determination that she didn’t fully understand. He seemed to have come to some kind of decision and was going to make sure it happened.

While she had been tied up, scared for her life, Maddie had come to her own decision. She was not going to run and be sacred anymore. She had lived so much of her life being afraid to let people in because of her past, because of the people in her past. What she had realised is that life is short and at any moment it can be made even shorter. She didn’t want to be facing an awful situation, like she just had and feel like she did, like she could have had so much more, like she had wasted her time. Maddie didn’t just want to live anymore she wanted to
live
.

Again, she could feel the need to cry bubbling up inside her. This would not do. She needed to tell Aiden everything.

Cautiously moving, she tried to turn to look at him, when she felt her feet were being weighed down by something. The drugs in her system were completely numbing her senses. Maddie was surprised that she hadn’t noticed the weight before. Looking down at her feet she gasped out loud.

“Marvin.” Maddie said her voice coming out in a croak.

The husky didn’t lift his head like he would normally and she started to get worried. Moving her arms she struggled to sit up. Aiden reached out putting a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back down again.

“The vet has seen him.” Aiden said to her calmly. “He’s going to be fine but he’s like you and on some strong pain killers.”

Maddie looked from her companion to Aiden and back again.

“Thanks.” She managed to get out.

Aiden kept a hold of her hand but with the other he put his hand on the sleeping dog.

“He wouldn’t have left you if he could have helped it. So I am going to make sure he doesn’t leave you now that he can’t do anything about it.” Aiden stated.

Maddie gave in and let the tears fall. She wanted to see her friend’s tail wagging and doing his best to lick her face. She wanted to bury her face in his fur and cuddle up to him hearing his heartbeat. Aiden had made sure that she would be able to do that again. How could she ever thank him or make him fully understand what he had done for her?

“Aiden.” She gasped as the silent tears fell down her face.

Aiden stood up and bent over her so that his forehead gently touched hers. Their eyes were so close and she could see the fascinating colours of brown in his.

“It’s okay Ruby.” He said huskily. “Everything is okay now and you are safe.”

Maddie sobbed a little bit but the words did penetrated her fears and gratitude. She was safe now…Aiden was with her. He understood what Marvin meant to her and made sure she had, and would always, have that.

They just looked into each other’s eyes, being grateful that she was there and in one piece. Maddie closed her eyes and breathed in deep. She wanted his smell to fill her senses and his warmth to chase away the coldness inside her. A coldness that had been there for so long.

Too long.

“Aiden I have so much to tell you.” She whispered.

There was a sleepiness that was starting to take over, she was finding it so hard to think straight and say what she wanted. Mostly she knew she wouldn’t be awake for long.

“I know you do baby,” He replied. “But we have all the time in the world to learn everything there is to know about each other. For now just close your eyes and get some sleep. I will be here the whole time.”

How did he know she was so tired? How did he always know what she was thinking and feeling?

Blinking repeatedly she tried to fight the tiredness. She wanted to stay awake with him. Aiden tilted his head and kissed her gently on the lips. It felt sweet and tender.

Maddie liked it a lot.

Maddie gave what she hoped was a heartfelt smile and closed her eyes. Marvin was laid on her feet, alive and with her, Aiden was holding her hand and not going to leave her.

Yes, she was finally safe and things would be different now.

* * * * * * * *

Several hours later

Maddie slowly started to wake again. This time she felt different. Although the pain was still not unbearable she was more aware of it. She could feel the unrelenting ach in her face and the uncomfortableness around her chest when she took too big a breath. Maddie really didn’t want to feel it when she had no pain medication in her system at all.

Blinking she looked at the seat to her right hoping Aiden would be there. He wasn’t. Sat instead in the seat was Sarah. Maddie wasn’t unhappy to see her neighbour but she really wished she could have had a chance to see what she looked like first. Just so that she knew what other people were seeing when they looked at her.

“Hey.” Sarah said softly sitting forward on the seat.

Maddie just blinked at her a couple of times. She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know how to cope with someone being there for her. She wasn’t ready to see people yet.              

“Ruby.” Aiden’s voice came from the door.

Turning her head carefully she looked in the direction of his voice. There he stood in the doorway. Hands in his jean pockets and his back lent against the wall just by the closed door. Instantly Maddie felt somehow better knowing he was there. She was still safe.

More than that the look in his eyes made her less conscious of how she looked. Maddie knew her face was a mess and it would be that way for a while but if she could have him looking at her she could have anyone looking at her. Aiden’s look was also filled with affection. If her beaten face didn’t take that look from his eyes then hopefully it wouldn’t take it away from others.

Turning just as carefully back to Sarah she gave a croaky “Hey” back.

Sarah who had been frowning at Aiden quickly gave Maddie her full attention when she had spoken.

“I am not going to ask how you are feeling.” Sarah said. “Cause I am sure you are not feeling great.”

Maddie gave a little smile that hurt her face so she stopped straight away.

“Sorry.” Sarah muttered. “I knew not to make you smile. I just can believe what has happened to you. I mean nothing like this has ever happened in our building. God it’s almost boring living there. Never in my wildest dreams did I think somebody would break in and do what they did to you. The police are waiting to speak to you.”

Maddie just nodded her head ever so slightly. She wasn’t sure she was ready for that yet.

Feeling movement at her feet she looked down the bed at Marvin. He was still there but instead of being out cold he had his head resting on his paws and was just watching her. Relief flooded Maddie at seeing proof that her husky really was okay or at least on the mend like she was. He still didn’t come towards her.

“What did the vet say?” Maddie asked still looking at her dog.

Aiden moved away from the wall and walked to stand at the end of the bed putting his hand on the dogs back. Marvin tilted his head back to look at the man before letting his head drop down again to carry on looking at Maddie. They looked tired. Canine and man.

“He gave him the all clear.” Aiden said giving the dogs back a rub. “He had a bad knock on the head plus the wound in his side was checked and stitched up. Just has to take it easy now. The vet tried to put one of those cone collars on him but he was having none of it but the tough guy seams to leave the stiches alone anyway.”

Maddie didn’t hear half of what Aiden had said. She was stuck on ‘wound in his side’.

“Wound?” Maddie whispered. Even though she was trying really hard to not let her emotions get the better of her she could feel her lip wobble. Marvin shuffled slightly on the bed heading in her direction but stopped and rested his head on his paws again. 

Marvin sucked in her breath, her friend was in pain and she was too. Neither could move closer to the other for comfort.

Sarah took Maddie’s hand and drew her attention to her.

“We can talk about all of this when you’re home.” Sarah said trying to make things easier for her.

Maddie didn’t want to be sheltered and have things be told to her when they decided she was able to take it. She needed it all now so that she had all the facts and could deal with it and start to move on.

Mostly though she wanted to know what had happened to her dog.

“Wound?” Maddie repeated with a far steadier tone.

Maddie watched Sarah look at Aiden for a moment and shake her head a little bit. She knew her friend was trying to do what was best for her but right now Sarah wasn’t managing. Turning to look at Aiden she tried to put how she was feeling into her eyes. He looked at her then Sarah before holding Maddie’s eyes again.

“They stabbed him.” Aiden stated.

“Aiden.” Sarah gasped.

Stabbed? They stabbed her dog for just trying to protect her? How could anybody do that?

“He stabbed my dog.” Maddie declared, finding some energy. “That bastard stabbed my dog. How could a person do that? Marvin is the cutest thing ever and loves me. He was just looking after me and that bastard stabbed him!”

By the end Maddie was nearly shouting. Sarah put a hand to her chest in surprise and sympathy. What she didn’t do was what Aiden did.

Aiden moved from the end of the bed to her free side and but his hands on either side of her head so that she could only see his face. His eyes.

“He was just trying to protect me.” Maddie whispered with such pain that Aiden grimaced but never looked away.

“Maddie.” Sarah said softly.

Aiden’s eyes held hers. They were not filled with sympathy but something much stronger, something that took her breath away.

“He was and he would do it again. They tried to take him out of your room but that stubborn husky refused to leave your side. The vet had to see to him at the end of your bed.” Aiden said to her. “You can’t even imagine the trouble that caused. They had the director of the hospital here at one point.

Maddie let the breath that she had been holding out in a whoosh.

Aiden carried on talking, his eyes burning into hers.

“Marvin loves you more than anything else in his world. He would take on an army for you. What happened to him is not your fault in anyway. You have enough going on that you cannot take this on as well. So listen to what I am saying…Let it go and focus on other things.”

Left with no other choice Maddie nodded. Everything he said was totally right and she could do nothing but what he said. Realise it has happened, that Marvin loves her and would do it again, know that it wasn’t her fault and let it go.

Maddie was also prepared to wait till they were both better before she buried her face in his scruff and cry. It had to be done because it could have been much worse but they were both okay and still together.

“He?” Aiden asked.

Maddie frowned confused at his question. She was still trying to let Marvin being stabbed go.

“You said ‘He’ stabbed Marvin. Do you know who ‘He’ is?” Aiden asked still holding her face.

There was no way she was ready to answer these questions. Maddie may not feel like she was ready to speak to the police but she would rather do that than tell Aiden about what happened. How could she tell him who did this to her. She didn’t know if he knew the thin man or the beefy guy but he definitely knew Jessica. How could she break his heart by telling him that it wasn’t just his flat that his sister stole from or even tell him about that company that she was keeping?