Damaged (7 page)

Chapter Seven

For four hours Monica had been on the search, stopping into every restaurant, deli, and bakery she could find to inquire about job openings. Nothing. Not one possible lead. Every place turned her away, stating that they weren’t hiring. Trudging up the stairs to her apartment, Monica sighed in defeat. Tomorrow she’d have to do it all again, but their money was dwindling down to practically nothing. If the job search didn’t pan out, she was going to have to hit the streets again to make do, and that made her angry. She didn’t want to be that person anymore. She hated every second of it, but it was necessary.

“Where’s your bodyguard now?”
The voice came out of nowhere, slithering around her like a snake, making her skin crawl. Fear made her stomach heave. Turning slowly, Monica came face to face with her attacker sauntering down the hallway, creeping closer. His face was bruised, his eyes blackened, and his lips split and scabbed over. Seth had definitely done a number on him, but now he wasn’t there to protect her again. Her hands shook as she reached for the railing, ready to bolt. “Leave me alone,” she said, hoping the tremble in her voice wasn’t obvious.

Before he could respond, she turned and ran up the stairs, not taking the chance of looking back. Tears welled in her eyes as she reached the landing. “Next time you won’t get so lucky, little girl.
I’ll
kill
you for this, you little bitch!” His voice followed her up the stairs, mocking her as she reached her door and unlocked it.

Out of breath and done with having to deal with the bullshit day in and day out
, Monica slammed the door shut behind her, and pulled out her phone. With her fingers shaking, she texted the number Seth had given her.

Can you come pick us up, please?
I need to get out of here.

She’d explain to Sarah and Jack what was going on later, but right now she was struggling with sanity as it was.

His response came back almost immediately.
Be there in fifteen
,
hang in there
.

“Sarah! Jack, come here please!” Monica shouted across the apartment on her way to the kitchen, grabbing garbage bags by the handful.

The kids emerged from their bedrooms, their faces emanating concern. “What’s going on?”

Monica bega
n stuffing anything of personal value into the big plastic bag. “I don’t have time to explain, and I’m sorry. We’re leaving. Grab a bag and pack anything you want to take with you, that you can carry.”

“Where the hell are we going, Monica? Please don’t tell me we’re going back to the shelter. I’ll get a job if it means keeping the apartment, just
please
don’t make us go back there,” Jack begged.

Monica sighed and propped her hands on her hips. “We’re not going to a shelter.”

Jack blew out a breath. “Well, thank God for that.”

“Then where
are
we going?” Sarah asked warily. God, she felt like an asshole for putting them in this situation. Maybe if she hadn’t taken them from home…just maybe they would have been spared the torment at the hands of their stepfather, but it was a chance that Monica wasn’t willing to take.

“We’re gonna stay with a friend for a while until I can make some money and save up for a better place. Please,” she pleaded, fisting her own hair in her hands. “Just go pack your clothes. Our ride will be here soon.”

Jack opened his mouth, but Monica was done with the discussion. “No. Just go pack. I’m not arguing with you right now, Jack.”

He must have sensed the desperation in her voice, because he took two garbage bags and headed to his room. Sarah did the same.
As they got started, Monica covered the living room and kitchen, making sure to grab the small photo album she had taken before they left home. Running her hand over the dusty leather, Monica shook her head and frowned. It was all she had left of the happy childhood she’d lived, before her father had been killed in a work accident with the electrical company.

Before Dan had entered their lives.

Pushing her emotions back down, Monica stuffed another bag with what little clothing she did have. Sarah and Jack were well dressed, since most of the money she brought in went to keeping them clothed and fed, but Monica didn’t care about fashion. She cared about surviving. She’d long since let go of the yearning for material things. Those things were only temporary. Family was forever. Putting her trust in someone new was terrifying, but when the heavy knock sounded on the door, Monica couldn’t help but feel relief.

She opened the door and stepped back to let Seth in. He was on edge, she could sense it, and as his eyes fell on the pile of bags in the living room, she was mortified that everything the three of them owned fit in six garbage sacks.

“
What happened? Are you okay?” Seth asked, pinning her with his cool blue eyes.

Monica nodded. “I’m fine. It’s just…time. It’s time,”
she muttered, closing the door behind him. He was wearing his police uniform. That was going to go over smashingly with Jack.

“Wait a minute,” Jack piped up as he came back into the room. “
He’s a freakin’
cop
! What the hell, Monica!”

Monica winced at his accusing tone
. “I told you I’d explain later, okay?”

“
I want you to explain now. There’s a cop in our living room, and you’re hurrying us out the door. What’s going on?” Jack’s eyes were narrowed on Seth as he spoke, and she couldn’t blame him. For most of their lives she’d instilled the fear of the police in them. To now have one standing in their home wasn’t okay with him.

“Seth’s going to help us,” she explained. “Dammit, I’m not doing this right now, Jack! Just listen to me for once!”
She was raising her voice. She hated yelling at them, but she was at the end of her rope and Jack was pushing as usual.

Sarah, however, was on board with the plan. She already had her jacket on, and a bag slung over her shoulder.
“Can we just get out of here? We can argue later. Right now, I just want to get out of this disgusting place.” When Jack turned to spout his anger on her, Sarah ignored him. She had learned long ago how to handle her twin, and engaging him in a fight was pointless.

Without a word Seth started grabbing bags
, slinging two over each shoulder before standing back and looking to Jack. Jack tried to stare him down but failed. “Fine, whatever,” he barked as he picked up the last one and started for the door.

Seth stopped him
when he reached the doorway, shaking his head. “Yo, wait up there, sport. Take your sister’s too.”

“What? Why?” he spat. “She can carry her own.” He tried to move past Seth once again, but came to a stop when Seth stepped in front of him.

“Because that’s what a gentleman does for a lady. Doesn’t matter if it’s you sister, your mother, or your bus driver. You treat them with respect.” Seth’s voice was low and even, and much to Monica’s amazement, Jack turned and took the bag from Sarah’s hands. He wasn’t happy about it, but he did it. Sarah’s eyes went wide as well. Clearly she hadn’t been expecting him to give in that easy either.

“Go ahead. I’ll follow you,”
Seth said, giving Sarah a comforting smile. “He’ll be fine. Just a bruised ego is all.”

Sarah shook her head and made her way to the door. “Hey, I’m not judging, man. That was awesome.”

Monica was equally impressed. “How did you do that?” she asked as they moved down the dank hallway toward the stairs. “I mean…I’ve never seen him respond like that.”

Seth shrugged. “Sometimes boys need a little more guidance. Trust me, I know.”

“I’ll take it.” Stepping onto the sidewalk, she looked down the block with a perplexed look. “Where’s your car?”

“Right here,” he stated while tossing the bags into the bed of a big
, blue extended cab truck. It was beautiful, shiny, and probably worth more than her entire apartment building. The rims reflected the afternoon sun, surrounded by sleek black tires, and it looked like it had recently been waxed to perfection. “Were you expecting a police cruiser?”

“I don’t know what I was expecting
, I guess,” she mumbled, smiling softly at the way Jack stood admiring the vehicle. He was enthralled with the machine, and her heart ached for him. He would never have a father to work on cars with. To talk motors with. Jack’s most prized possession was his collection of
Hot Rod
magazines. Judging by the way he gingerly set the last bag into the bed of the truck, he had packed them away carefully.

They loaded up, and
in no time, were on their way. Monica sat silently in the passenger seat, very aware of Seth’s frequent glances in her direction. She was scared to death. She didn’t know him, he didn’t know her, and she was moving in with him. Was she doing the right thing? Would Sarah and Jack adjust?

Of course they would.

What was she thinking? Their entire lives had been nothing but adjustments. Moving frequently, changing schools, they were resilient, and they accepted it all in stride. Hopefully this time, things would change for the better. Scraping by and keeping below the radar was draining, but until she knew Dan and her mother were out of their lives for good, she’d have to continue playing the game.

The city passed by in a blur. Wrapped up in her thoughts, she barely remembered the ride. Asphalt
eventually gave way to gravel, and before she knew it they were turning down a long lane, headed toward a big, white farm house. Like something straight out of her dreams, the picturesque acreage came into view. Apple trees lined the driveway while stout oaks flanked the home. She was utterly speechless. There was a barn and two other sheds on the property, all painted a deep red. Monica’s eyes struggled to take it all in at once, finding herself eager to explore. She’d never seen anything so beautiful and inviting in her life.

It took her a moment to realize that Seth had stopped the truck, and when she looked over at him, his lips were pulled up into a sexy smile.
“Do you like it?” he asked, nodding toward the view beyond the windshield.

Monica shook her head in awe
. “I don’t even know what to say. It’s stunning.”

“You can check everything out later,” he said, as if he’d read her mind. “Let’s get you guys in an
d settled first.”

With hardly any belongings to settle, it didn’t take long. Sarah and Jack had separate bedrooms, and had retreated to them shortly after supper, leaving Monica and Seth to clean up the mess. She was okay with it
, though. For the first time in a long time, she enjoyed cooking and cleaning. Seth’s kitchen was massive, lined with rich cherry wood cabinets. An island with a marble countertop filled the center of the space, while a rack filled with pots and pans hung overhead. The appliances were stainless steel, and everything was spotless. Seth was a good housekeeper, which she found incredibly attractive for some reason. She could definitely get used to living like this. It would take time, but things were definitely looking up for once.

* * * * *

Six weeks later…

Standing at the sink, Monica wrung
out the washcloth she’d been using, before draping it carefully over the faucet. Cooking and cleaning had become something she truly enjoyed in the few weeks living at Seth’s. For the first time she felt like she had a home. Not just a place to sleep, or a place to tolerate. A place she felt safe—able to relax. A genuine home.

Setting the dishwasher to start, Monica turned her attention to the view from the kitchen window, overlooking the farm. Lost in her thoughts, she hadn’t heard anyone else enter the room.
It was then that she felt Seth’s presence. His arms wrapped around her from behind, and her heart kicked up in her chest. It wasn’t panic, though. It was a longing she hadn’t felt in a very long time.

His scent invaded her senses, cologne mixed with
masculine soap. His arms were strong, protective, and as she turned around to face him, she fought the tears that threatened to fall. “I want to thank you for this, Seth. This means more to us than you will ever know.”

Seth stared down at her, his eyes gentle, kind. “It’s the least I could do. I know what it’s like to be where you’re at, and it’s no place to be without support.”

Monica’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean you’ve been where I’m at?” Glancing around the massive home, she shook her head. “You’ve got everything you could ever want.”

“I didn’t always
live like this, Monica. C’mon. It’s past time we talked. I wanted to make sure you and the kids were settled before I told you any of this, but I think you deserve to know.” Seth took her hand in his, and began leading her down the hallway opposite the side of the house where her room was. They stepped down into a room with a fireplace and a big flat screen television. A plush leather couch and several recliners filled the space. It was dark, masculine, and smelled like Seth.

“Make yourself at home,” he said, pushing the door shut behind them. Being closed in with him was oddly comforting, as much as she hated to admit
it. She was beginning to find trust in Seth, and it was terrifying.