Every Shattered Thing (Come Alive) (32 page)

My arms are still wrapped around my chest, barely reining in the thundering of my heart.

“Kevin, just go.” My voice draws the attention of them both. Kevin shakes his head slightly and I just turn away, once again reminding myself of the dangers of affiliating with me. He slowly gets the idea and walks away. My dad holds my gaze until Kevin is out of eyesight. I try not to think about seeing Kevin pull out his cell phone as he rounds the corner. As sweet as rescue would be, I’m in this one alone.

“You taking customers behind my back, you whore?” His steps prove uneven because of the alcohol and he stumbles against me.

“No. I told him to leave. He was just dropping off the card. I-I had something in my eye.”

“Are you
lying
to me bitch?!” He pulls me by the hair and my hands fly up to try and wriggle free. He rears back and slaps me across the face and I see double. It’s all he needs to overpower me and he takes advantage of the opportunity. He pushes me away and kicks me in the ribs only to pull me close. My lips curl against the stench of his breath as he leans forward and whispers in my ear.

“Let me make this easy for you.” Pulling out his phone he dials a number. “Hey, Frank—it’s me. I have another job for you.”

A moan escapes my mouth and I shake my head in disbelief..
.not Kevin
.
Please not Kevin.

“
Yeah. He’s a kid. Just walked away from the house—he’s down the street. Name’s Kevin Matouse.” My dad catches my eye and winks. “Hold nothing back for this one. He owes me quite a lot of money for hanging with my daughter for free.” He hangs up and places his cell in his pocket. Pointing at me he sneers.

“I warned ya. Now he pays.”

I collapse against the grass and start to rock back and forth—not knowing what to do but wanting to escape from everything—
Kevin. Run. Hide. I don’t know how to stop them but...please. Not Kevin.

“Do I need to remind you? Your ass is mine. No one else’s. I would hate to see you black and blue for the customers waiting for you out back.”

I whimper and shake my head, and my dad just laughs. “Did you think you’d have a day off?

After yesterday? There’s makeup to cover those bruises, sweetheart.”

I find the strength to look at him square in the eyes and wipe the tears staining my cheeks. “Fuck you.” I push him away and start walking toward the house, still shaking. Out of the corner of my eye I see my dad pick up a bat Pacey left in the yard a couple weeks ago. There’s not even enough time to run. The bat comes flying towards my head and I fall to the ground with a cry. Within seconds I’m out.

***

When I wake, I’m out back. My ankles are spread apart, tied to each side of the bed. I try to move my arms and find I’m spread eagle—unable to make any sharp movements without pain. I hear the shuffling of feet outside the door and freeze.
Maybe they won’t try anything if they think I’m still knocked
out?
The door opens and laughter fills the air along with the stench of alcohol and stale smoke.

“Here’s your prize, gentlemen. You’ve paid well, so she’s free for whatever you desire. Oh and, the camera is over there on the table. Remember to take pictures for the website.” I don’t even recognize the voice.

The mattress shifts and I feel whiskers on my cheek. “She sure smells good.” His scent is almost too much to bear. My eyes struggle open and the man breaks into a smile. “Well there you are, gorgeous.

Ready to have some fun?”

I narrow my eyes and spit in his face. He jumps back and wipes his face. “Oh boy. You’re gonna wish you didn’t do that, sweetheart.” He motions for the other men and they form a half-circle at the foot of the mattress. I’m completely surrounded. I see one of the men grab the camera and run over, barely able to turn the camera on in his shaky excitement. He holds it up and presses the button repeatedly, flashes going off every few seconds. Every time my eyes blink in protest.

“Keep your eyes open, girl. You’re gonna be famous. You know that, right?” I rear back and the tendons pull to their breaking point in my wrists and ankles. I cry out in pain when one of the men grabs my hair and pulls my face towards him. An unadulterated groan escapes from his lips and he whispers against my neck. “Oh yes. We’re gonna have some fun tonight.”

He leans forward and I can hear the cheers of the men in the background. The flash of the camera blinds me and the tears threaten to spill. I can’t do this anymore. I can’t.

I breathe in only to taste this man’s scent.

I open my eyes only to see his frame on top of me.

I close my eyes only to feel his heat.

I hear a whimper to my right and as best I can, I turn and find another girl, bound and wild-eyed.

One of the men unties her and carries her over to the rest of the group. The tears flow freely down her cheeks, her cries quiet against the choke-hold of the fabric against her mouth.

The hatred I feel for these men—for this space—is deafening.

It roars in my ears and echoes through my bones.

“Hey men....this must be the newbie we was told about. Look how young she is!” His breath turns guttural and he shuffles his feet with anticipation. The flashes of light from the camera are blinding and I fight to hold the gaze of the girl.

Just hold on, just hold on....

One of the other men pulls out a flip video camera and smiles.

“You two beauties gonna show us some action?”

She shakes her head and screams against the cloth and one of the men slaps her upside the head.

She collapses against the mattress.

Anger is a burning coal lodged in my throat.

The man crawls on top of me and starts laughing.

And then there’s shouting.

I bite my lip until I taste blood.

I claw at the man’s face and feel the skin come off in layers.

There’s more screaming and shouting and banging and I can’t tell what’s happening but the man’s arms are heavy on my own and I can’t move.

I’m blind.

Why can’t they stop taking my fucking picture?

I feel the rush of cold air and open my eyes.

The door to the shed has collapsed.

Men in uniforms and guns come rushing in with force. The lights from their flashlights blind me.

Sirens are blaring.

“Get your fucking hands off her or so help me I’ll shoot your ass.”

A low voice barks from the doorway and I whimper against the weight of the man on top of me.

He turns around, his eyes caught, and pushes off me.

My vision clears and I try and take in my surroundings. Men are on the floor, SWAT officers on top of them. Outside, I see men with uniforms on the ground with guns pointing toward the shed. And Kevin, shoving and pushing and tripping to get to me.

“Kevin?!”

He wastes no time. The rope is untied from my wrists and ankles and he pulls me from the bed, carrying me out of the shed in his arms. My street is full of flashing lights and reporters and I hide my head against Kevin’s chest. Once we escape the noise and commotion, Kevin slows and pulls me closer to his embrace. I lift my head just long enough to make sure the other girl got out—I see another uniformed man carrying her in a different direction. I don’t even know where my dad is, don’t even know if he’s come home since he left earlier in the afternoon. I see my mom making her way with a uniformed officer to a nearby police car. People stand outside, watching the show outside the Tiller home. Kevin senses my tension and leans down to kiss my forehead.

“It’s okay, Steph. You’re safe. It’s over.”

My body bounces with the rhythm of Kevin’s cadence and I smile despite the way my muscles protest against the jostling. My rescue is here. He’s holding me against his chest and running with me in his arms like a knight in shining armor. I feel myself go limp, and for the first time, I know the feeling of true protection.

Chapter Thirty-Two

I shift in and out of consciousness for the next few days. My dreams an ethereal fuzz to them, bright, echoing, hard to focus. I know I’m in a hospital, and I hear different voices. Jude. Emma. Pacey.

Kevin. The one who rescued me, time and time again. The one I pushed away. I don’t even know how he managed to get away from my dad. Does he even still want me? Does it even matter? Tears come unwillingly and I feel hands wiping them off my cheeks. The hands are soft and smell of citrus.
Must be
Emma,
I think.

I have so many questions—How did they rescue me? Has anyone found my dad? Does Pacey

know what’s really going on?

I wake up one moment and see Jude and Kevin talking in hushed tones. I hear things like
the
agency is looking at you for a permanent position
and
there still are threats we’re taking into account.
It doesn’t make sense to me. Threats? What threats? Add it to my list of growing confusion. I think I may have made a noise, because Kevin looks at me and catches my gaze. His eyes widen in surprise and then fear. Was I not supposed to hear? It doesn’t matter because before I even begin connecting the conversation the pain meds take me under yet again.

I can still hear Jude and Kevin talking, but they’re mere echoes—a figment. My eyes open slowly and I see Jude in a haze, closing my door before turning toward Kevin.

“You really took a beating from Tiller’s guys. You okay?”

“I’ll be fine. A little sore but nothing...” his voice cracks as he clears his throat, “nothing like she’s faced.”

They don’t know I’m awake yet.
And it’s funny, because I swore my eyes were open a few seconds ago but now I can’t open them for anything. I open my mouth to let them know I’m here and I’m okay and I’m listening but nothing comes out—my throat’s on fire from the tube they used earlier.

“Do you remember what I told you when we first met?”

I hear Kevin chuckling. “Yeah. You said there are two types of people in the world. Those who break things and those who spend their life mending the broken pieces.”

There’s silence for half a beat and I feel a hand on my arm.

“I forgot a group of people. Those who’ve been shattered.” Jude lowers his voice. “When I asked you to come on the team, I never knew the relationship you’d form with our girl here. In so many ways, it’s against every protocol. But, there was no other way, really. She had to trust you. And what I’ve learned about people like Stephanie is that they are often the strongest of us all, it just takes someone who’s willing to pick up their shattered pieces and let them reflect the light, showing beauty in the midst of brokenness. You are that someone for Stephanie. You’ll find she’s more than just a shattered thing.”

Wait what? What does Jude mean when he says come on the team?

Kevin sighs. “He got away.”

“I know. By the time we got to the house, he was long gone.”

“Two years...two years searching and building evidence and watching Stephanie...”

My heart juts against my ribs and I understand.

“I knew her favorite coffee before I knew anything else. I watched her for so long by the time I actually spoke to her it was as if I’d known her forever.” Kevin laughs quietly and then goes silent for a few seconds. “Seeing her tonight, broken and bloodied, something inside me shifted. Her past means nothing to me. Her safety is worth everything.” He sniffs and I know he’s crying but I can’t figure out what the hell is going on because
ohmigod
Kevin? He was in on it?
My breath goes shallow and I hear beeps and nurses rushing in and Kevin and Jude hollering and I don’t even care anymore. The fight I thought I won just slipped through my fingers.

***

Kevin is standing next to my bed when I wake up.

“Hey, beautiful.” he whispers.

I stretch and look around.

“Hi.”

There’s something I should remember. Something nagging at me.

“My dad? Where’s my dad? I saw my mom get in one of the police cars, but my dad?”

I see Jude come into my vision from the corner of the room. He hands me some water and clears his throat.

“Steph, your dad got away. We’re still looking for him but we don’t really know where he might have gone to hide.”

He’s gone east.

“He said he’d go east.” I can barely talk but the water is helping. I’m beginning to wake up, to remember.

Jude looks at me and tilts his head. Kevin rubs the side of my hand with his thumb and for whatever reason, I’m wanting to jerk away from his touch.

“East?” Jude asks.

“The night you guys came...I was in my room. I heard my dad talking.” I start coughing and they wait until I can continue. “I heard him say something about heading east....needing to break free.” My eyes grow wide. “I think I may know where he went. We used to go to this cabin east of here when I was younger. It’s against the river and the only house for miles.”

Jude walks out in the hall, already on his phone talking with the team.

I swallow and look at Kevin, trying to figure out why my heart is pumping a mile a minute.

“Kevin, how’d you know where I was? What happened?” I lift my arm and wave it around. “Is this real?

Is it over? I feel like I’ve been living in a hazy-dream land for a few days and need some clarification.”

He lifts his head. “Steph...there’s some things you need to know.” He smiles and squeezes my hand. “Ever since I first saw you, there’s been this magnetic pull. I can’t stay away from you. And...I’ve told you the first time I saw you was in the coffee shop, but that’s a lie. I watched you long before then.”

I’m beginning to remember...

“What do you mean? I saw you before then too...Kevin, we go to the same school.”

“Yeah but...do you remember me telling you about that party? The one where they accused me of rape?”

I nod.

“Well. Other people heard about my reaction to the case and contacted me about working with them. Other people who know you and love you. Other people like Jude. Emma. Chad.”