Committed (Book 2) (30 Days) (12 page)

COLIN
“I think she hates me.” I whine.
“Dude, shut up.” Ben snaps. “She doesn't hate you. It’s been one day...
one day
. She will happily resume best girlfriend of the year status shortly, I’m sure.”
“Well I’m not.” I mope.
“She’s not giving you the silent treatment, you showed her how to use the app and she told you to let it go. I don’t think you even really know what a
fight
is man.” He stomps away in a huff.
“We haven't had sex in two days!” Ben’s head whips around as he reverses direction and stalks to me.
“Jenna denied me sex for a week because I forgot to put the seat down at her place in the middle of the night and she
fell in
, or some shit. Two days over stalking her is nothing.” My lips twitch and I can feel my ribs shake. Ben’s admission is too funny not to laugh at and although I try I can stop the thunderous laugh that erupts from me. He looks pissed but apparently laughter is contagious because he starts laughing too.
“Women.” He chuckles.
I’m beat from catching up on some personal training clients that I’d pawned off on John while Elle was away. Trying to be encouraging in the world of personal training sometimes means I workout most hours of the day. My shoulders are incredibly sore and tight today. Elle breezes through the door with dinner in hand after a quick evening meeting with Joe.
“What’s wrong?” She asks looking at me curiously.
“Nothing. Why?”
“You look tense.”
“Oh. Nope. not tense, sore.” I point to my shoulders. I watch as she sets dinner on the island, sheds her coat and purse and straddles the back of the couch so I’m positioned between her legs. Her small hands are firm and strong as they work to release the knots in my muscles. I can’t help the groans that slip out from her soothing touch. After being devoid of her touch for a mere two days my body clearly doesn't make the connection between sexual and non-sexual touches based on its response. Her hands move over my shoulders and down my chest. As she leans forward my head is cradled between her breasts and I can’t seem to resist kissing her throat. She pauses but says nothing and it’s all the invitation I need. Reaching up I grab her by the arm pits and pull her down to my lap. Startled at the sudden movement she gasps. Slowly and deliberately I kiss all the exposed skin available until her soft moans make it impossible for me to stop. I strip her of her clothes as she tugs my pants and boxers off. I swear I try to be sensual and romantic but we’re both furiously devouring each other. Tempting her with my fingers, I nibble on her breasts until her legs squeeze shut and wrap around me. We move together in a well-practiced dance until convulsions take over her body and throaty sounds escape her lips. Picking up speed I thrust twice more before finding my own release joining her in a happily sated pile of limbs.

ELLE
I push play on the cd player my favorite music fills the air. As I dust the counter and display cases I let the music take over and dance through my cleaning. Tucking my phone into my back pocket I open the register, put the cash tray in, shut it and check the shelf under the counter for the pistol. It’s exactly where it’s supposed to be. I flit around the back room making new arrangements and let the mixing smells of the flowers fill me up.
At lunch Colin and Jenna text me asking how my day is going. I reply to both happy to report there have been steady sales thus far. Colin asks if I’d still like him to walk me home like normal and I tell him of course. At six I bring in the chalkboard, kill the lights and leave the door unlocked for when Colin arrives.
Carrying the register tray to the back room I secure it in the safe after settling up and start cleaning the mess I’ve made. The bell chimes above the front door just as Colin’s song
I Will Possess Your Heart
winds up and
I Won't Give Up
Starts. “I’ll just be a second!” I call out to him. Quickly finishing the last sweep of the floor I tag my purse, keys and shuffle hurriedly through the door pulling it closed and locking it.
Spinning around I smile at Colin who is not waiting for me. The sight of him makes me ill. The bile that seeps into my throat tastes vile as I stare in shock at Ryan’s twisted face. It feels as though my glass house has shattered around me. I can’t breathe. In the pit of my stomach I knew he would seek me out one day. I can feel my legs shaking as my stomach churns. The hate radiating from him is repugnant.
“Elle.” Ryan barks.
“Ryan.” I respond. I take a step left towards the register and he moves a step closing the distance between us. Hesitating I watch for his next move.
“How’ve you been darling?” The tone of his voice makes me shiver and my stomach turn.
“Well ....you?” I take another step towards the register. One more step and I’ll be able to reach the gun. He follows suit stepping within arm’s reach of me. Bending at the waist I lean for the shelf and grab the pistol. Ryan’s hands grab my waist and haul me towards him violently. The gun clatters to the floor as he spins me to him.
“I don't think that’s necessary do you?” He laughs.
My fist lands in his gut. He gasps, doubling over to try and catch his breath as my second blow strikes his jaw. On his hands and knees I watch him struggle for air. Reaching into my back pocket I start to pull my phone out but am suddenly charged into the wall. The force of my impact leaves me gasping as Ryan thrusts the muzzle of my fun in the center of my throat. His eyes are black and vicious. I don't dare move. The safety is still on but it doesn't calm me.
His free hand runs up my thigh and I swallow the vomit in my mouth back down.
“Maybe you need to remember who’s in control. We could have a little fun, for old times yeah?” His voice is calm, too calm. It’s unnerving. He lowers his face until it’s right in mine and grabs my jaw. “You will give me what I want.” He pulls my head forward before shoving it back hard against the wall. With my forearm I swat the muzzle from my neck sending the gun to the floor. I peddled backward trying to gain distance but he lunged and caught me by the throat as we tumbled to the floor. Jason Mraz’s song echoes in the background like some sort of sick soundtrack.
This man made me hate my own existence once, he made me question whether or not life was even worth living. I hate him. Clawing at his face and kicking violently I try to dislodge him from me. Colin’s words flood my mind. Calm down, focus. I’m suffocating but I try to regulate my heart beat. My arms drop to my sides and my legs stop flailing. Ryan’s grip lessens slightly as he leans back, cocks his fist and connects with my face with a loud smack. The sickening crunch of bone shattering doesn’t deter me though, nor does the blood that fills my mouth from my nose. I jab him in the throat and twist my hips. He rears back and falls to the side.
Fear and panic threaten to take over and I can't afford for that to happen. I struggle to my knees and begin to crawl towards the gun. Something cracks over my back and shatters on either side of me. Pain shoots through me leaving me gasping but I continue to slither along the floor. My leg is violently tugged backwards sending my face crashing to the floor. He punches hard between my shoulder blades. My body gives out as I lay face down. I hear jingling as he curses under his breath. From the corner of my eye I realize he’s fumbling with his pants. Vomit erupts from my mouth as understanding dawns. I roll quickly, jackknife up. Hitting him with another jab to the jaw followed by two kidney shots. His jaw dislocates and hangs awkwardly slack. The sound of bone breaking makes me sick. Curling my legs up I push off him and reach for the gun.
The full weight of his body crashes down on me as he body slams me. My ribs crack and I can’t get air into my lungs. Both our hands tangle and struggle for possession of the gun. I hear the click of the safety and try to turn it away from myself. The sound of the gun firing leaves me temporarily deaf as white hot pain rips through my side. A strangled cry rips from me as my shirt becomes warm and wet. Letting go of the gun I crack Ryan in the face with my elbow. Every movement leaves searing pain in its wake. The gun clatters to the floor between us. I grip it and scramble away until my back hits the wall. I’m too heavy to support myself. I slide down the wall until I’m sitting. The day I'd hoped would never come is upon me making me feel like it's more than just bad luck.
“Please don’t make me do this.” I rasp pleading with Ryan. He stands pained glaring at me. My energy is waning. I need to fight but I don't know how much fight is left in me. Everything hurts as we continue our stare down.
The bell above the door chimes. I watch in slow motion as Colin quickly sizes up the situation. Ryan reaches into his coat as Colin lunges for him. Ryan’s words rush through me,
how much is Colin’s life worth?
Seeing the black grip of his pocket knife start to emerge I do the only thing I can. With trembling arms I lift the gun, point it at Ryan and pull the trigger three times. He drops the floor with a repulsive thud. His eyes are open and wide and trained at me. I gag and slump to the side. My left side is drenched in something warm oozing out of me. I can barely see through my swollen eyes and I feel cold, too cold. “Elle....ELLE!” Colin’s voice is far away and fading fast. I blink once more trying to see him before everything disappears.

COLIN
“Elle stay with me!” I bellow. I can hear the sirens in the distance. Elle’s body is limp in my arms. She’s bleeding everywhere. I don’t know what to do. The cd player quietly plays Taylor Swift’s
Safe & Sound
. It’s so wrong it irritates me. Panic and horror tear through me as I hold her to me. Ryan lays two feet away lifeless, eyes open. It’s disturbing and makes my stomach roll. There’s shattered glass covering the floor, dents in the walls and blood smears everywhere. Vomit and blood mix in a puddle on the floor just feet away from me. It looks like a sick horror movie scene except it’s real. Elle fought and fought hard. My fingers slip and slide on her side trying to keep pressure on her wound. The blood won't stop seeping through my fingers though and she’s pale. Too pale.
“Sir you need to back away.” I snap my attention to the EMT in front of me and unable to make sense of his words. “Sir, please, she needs immediate attention.” Understanding hits and I lay Elle gently to the floor and slide away letting the EMT’s start their work on her. Jenna rushes through the door not listening to the police officers shouting at her. She slams into me sobbing.
“What happened?” She asks trembling. “Oh shit.” She doubles over and vomits after seeing Ryan and Elle’s limp bodies. “Colin.” I stand stunned. “Colin!” She tugs my sleeve. I look to her dazed. “We need to go. They’re taking her to the ER.” I nod my understanding and numbly follow her outside.
“Here.” Jenna says handing me a tee shirt from the back of her car. I stare at it vacantly.
“Colin, you’re covered in blood.” She says gently. I glance down and think I might be sick. My shirt and hands are stained brownish red. Removing my shirt I use it to wipe off my hands, arms and face. I slip into the tee shirt Jenna handed me. Thousands of thoughts assault me. If I lose her I’ll go crazy. I didn’t say I love you this morning. Why did I stop for Danishes on my way to the shop? If I hadn't been a few minutes late she might be hurt but ok.
“Pull over.” I bark. Jenna eyes me but quickly pulls to the shoulder. Throwing open the door I fall out of the car as my stomach revolts and empties itself of everything. So much blood. I dry heave and gag. Jenna comes around, rubs my back gingerly and choking back her own sobs coaxes me back into the car when I have nothing left to expel. I can’t wrap my head around how she looked. How I found her. How I found
him.
The hospital is chaos. People tear through the corridors yelling commands at each other while Elle lays still and gray on a stretcher. They wheel her through some double doors and instruct Jenna and I to sit and wait. I provide the registration clerk with all the information I can and inform her that Jenna and I are the only family she has alive. Jenna calls Joe, Ben, John and my parents for me, filling them in on what little details we know. The police take a statement from me on what I witnessed and then we have nothing left to do but sit and wait. The rest of the crew arrives shortly after the first hour’s passed. Jenna sits curled in Ben’s lap and Sarah caresses John’s hand. Joe and I sit in silence next to each other.
Three tedious hours later a doctor emerges from the OR and heads straight for us. You can feel the tension in the air as he approaches us. My stomach rolls at his tired sad looking face.
“Elle Park’s family?” He asks. We confirm silently. “She’s out of surgery and being moved to ICU. She sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen, a broken nose, three cracked ribs, a severe concussion and her shoulder blade is fractured. Beyond that there are numerous small lacerations and bruising. She is stable now but in a coma. By morning she will be allowed one visitor at a time. All we can do for the time being is monitor her.” He shakes my hand and turns away. Joe’s hand clamps on my shoulder jarring me from my trance.
“She’s alive Colin. She’s a fighter, stay positive.” His voice for the first time sounds unsteady. Jenna’s arms come around my waist and hug me. “We won’t lose her.” She whispers. “Let’s go home, get some rest and come back first thing.”
I shake my head at the group. “I’m not leaving.”
“Colin, you need rest.”
“I’m. NOT. leaving.” I clip. Heads nod, goodbyes are given and an hour later I’m alone in the waiting room desperate to see her, to know she’s still breathing.
JENNA
The ring of black and blue bruises around Elle’s pale neck makes my mouth dry. Her nose is swollen and both eyes are purple and swollen. If I didn’t know better I wouldn't even know it’s her. Her hair’s a mess and she's covered in bruises and cuts. There isn’t a spot on her that looks unharmed. The beeps and whistles of the machines make me nervous.
“Elle love, if you can hear me we’re all here. Only one at a time in your room though. Please...” I can't stop the sob that escapes. “please come back to us.” I gingerly hold her hand. I don't want to cause her any pain and there aren't any visible areas on her body that look safe to touch. Sucking in a deep breath I try to steady my voice.
“Ryan’s dead. You’re free Elle...all you have to do is wake up.” I rest my head on the edge of her bed and let the tears silently fall. Twenty minutes later strong hands wrap around me. Ben lifts me, my shoulders still shuddering from my quiet sobs and carries me from Elle’s room.
“It’s hard to look at her.” He says softly.
“I just want her to wake up. I need her.” He sets me on my feet and holds me tightly to him as I bury my face in his firm chest. Another round of tears saturate his tee as I think about Colin.
It’s been a week and with each passing day he regresses into himself more and more. The bags under his eyes a dark and there’s no light in his eyes. He’s lost weight but refuses to eat more than one meal a day. His parents arrived yesterday and no matter what they try he refuses to leave Elle’s side. His commitment to her breaks my heart. The doctors keep saying when and
if
she’s ready she’ll wake up.
The last seven days has felt like a lifetime. The shop has become a vigil. Candles, flowers and well wishes line the sidewalk under the picture window. She touched more lives than she knows. Joe’s taken care of everything he can with the police. Ryan’s death was in self-defense on Elle’s part and there will be no legal ramifications. All we can do is pray, hope and wait.
COLIN
You have to eat. Go home and get some rest. This isn’t how she’d want you to spend your time. We’re trying to help. You don’t want her to wake up and see you like this.
Everyone’s words of encouragement annoy me. They don’t understand because they don’t love her the way that I do.
I flip between anger and sorrow . I want to scream and yell at Elle to wake the fuck up but then sadness takes over. I want to see her eyes sparkling at mine, I want to feel her hand on my chest her lips on my mouth. I want to hear her voice. Ten days is coming to a close. She looks no better than she did that first few days. Her body is still riddled with bruises and healing cuts. It makes me sick to look at them. To think that he did that to her. The only consolation is that he is no longer available to harm anyone ever again. She lost a considerable amount of weight in so little time that I’m concerned they aren’t keeping her nourished. Her skin looks sallow. Even though Jenna and my mom tried to wash her hair and brush it, it’s a mess of knots fanned around her head.
I leave the bathroom attached to her room and make my way to the chair next to her bed that has become my home for the last eleven days. The only thing that feels safe is holding her hand, which I do often to let her know I’m here with her. That she’s not alone. I brush my thumb across her knuckles softly. “I love you.” The beeps and whistles surrounding her offer no comfort as I lay my head on her bed next to her still body. “Please wake up.” My voice doesn’t even sound like my own. It sounds defeated, broken. I shut my eyes hoping to find momentary peace. “I need you.”