Chapter 4

Emma

“M ommy?” Ashlyn called again from upstairs, her voice was tentative and scared.

“I’m still here honey. I’m okay. Just stay up there until I come and get you, please.”

“Okay,” her little voice was small, then she tentatively said, “Mommy?”

“Yeah, Ash?” That little girl was my whole world. My whole heart.

“Is Daddy Alex angry with me”

I sighed heavily and shook my head, grateful she couldn’t see me. “Daddy Alex has gone out, but I need you to stay in your room and get your favorite toys together. We’re going to go on a little vacation,” I told her and waited until her bedroom door closed quietly. I don’t know how many minutes passed while I sat and stared at Alex’s body. He was making strange groaning noises, but he wasn’t moving.

My mind went back to how things used to be, the first few months of our relationship were magical and wonderful. Back then Ashlyn was barely two years old, an unexpected gift from my one night stand with the tattooed biker who had thoroughly rocked my world. The news had shocked me and forced me to choose between continuing my education or having my baby, which was really no choice at all. I’d always wanted a family, and she was it for me, so when I met Dr. Alex Edwards, I thought the universe had sent me a gift. He was kind and handsome, romantic and he didn’t seem to mind that I already had a child.

How in the hell I ever thought he’d be a better choice than Asher, I still didn’t know but the joke was on me because the ink hadn’t even dried on the marriage certificate before his dark side, his true self was revealed. Gone was the handsome charming doctor with the flowers and pretty words, replaced by fists and backhands, sex whether I wanted it or not and constant demands. The real Alex was controlling and demanding, mean as hell too. And worst of all? He’d made sure that I had no escape through threats and beatings. One time he even took Ashlyn for three days just so that I knew he could if he wanted.

Without a job or any money of my own, I was trapped. Now I had my chance to flee.

Think Emma. Think goddammit.

I had to do something. As I stared at his body, the reality of what I’d done started to sink in. My heart was racing, and I could feel my fingers go numb as I started to hyperventilate. I had to call EMS, I hated Alex, but I couldn’t let him die like this, it would make me a murderer. It was self-defense, but what jury would believe me over the esteemed Dr. Edwards? I stood there feeling helpless, wrestling with my conscience. Alex gave another groan, and his fingers twitched, I almost jumped through the roof. I had to call someone, but who? There was no one but Sara, and I couldn’t let her get tangled up in this mess.

Alex had made sure to keep my world small so I ran through a list of all the people I knew to decide if they could help me. Most of them were women and men in my exact situation and the rest were… not ideal. But then I thought of the nice man who worked at the Steel City Community Center. His name was Justin, and he always had a kind smile for me when I showed up for the domestic violence support group that I sneaked out to once a month—and only when I knew Alex was in surgery or a meeting and wouldn’t be trying to call me. He’d told me that this town wasn’t like other towns, that there were people who would help me if and when I needed them to. And he’d given me a card.

I jumped up to my feet and rushed back upstairs, stopping with a smile for Ashlyn as she peeked her head out. “Just one second, honey.” I rushed to my bedroom and fell to my knees in front of the nightstand, flicking through the bible I kept there, not because I was particularly religious but since Alex thought it was silly, it was the one place I could keep private from him. There in between the pages was the black card with white block numbers on it. I dialed and held my breath, remembering what Justin told me.

Just tell them Justin sent you. They owe me.

With each ring my heartbeat thundered in my chest and tears pooled in my eyes. My emotions threatened to overwhelm me, and I willed someone to pick up the phone.

The ringing stopped and a low voice answered. “Yeah?”

“Um, hi. My name is, well never mind that. I met Justin through a DV support group at the community center and he said if I needed help, I could call this number and I might get it. I’m in trouble, big trouble and I’m not sure if this is even still the right number.”

The deep voice said nothing, and I was about to hang up when he finally spoke. “What happened?”

“My husband… he- he tried… tried- he tried to kill me and,” I stuttered out. “I need to call EMS, I need to, but—”

“Don’t do anything until we get there, okay?” the man said.

“Okay,” I whispered back.

“Gimme your address.”

I rattled off the number and street before I could second guess myself. “Is there anything I should, um, be doing?”

“Yeah. Pack a bag and don’t answer the door for anyone except me. Name’s Diesel.” With those instructions, he ended the call, and I scanned the bedroom for anything else I wanted to take with me.

I already had my important documents packed and nothing else mattered to me other than my baby book of Ash, which was already in my little suitcase.

This is really happening.

It felt surreal, the idea that I was leaving.

That I would finally be free.

***

Fifteen minutes later I’d gotten a couple of bags ready for me and Ash. I told her to stay in her room, that everything was going to be okay and then I went back downstairs. Alex was still on the floor, but the moaning had stopped. I crouched down beside him and felt his neck, his pulse was thready. Remembering that this man called Diesel was coming I switched off the alarm and unlocked the door, then went back to my vigil beside Alex’s body.

There was a sudden knock at the door which made me jump.

“Diesel?” I said through the wood.

“Yep,” came a gruff voice.

I opened the door and stared at a man with shaggy blond hair that was just starting to turn gray at the temples and bright blue eyes. He was big and tattooed just like another man I knew a lifetime ago.

I stepped back to let him in when I noticed he wasn’t alone. The man with him was tall with long black curls and gray-blue eyes I’ve seen every day for the past five years. “I’m Slate.”

Slate, not Asher. The name was different but there was no doubt in my mind that I was staring at my one night stand from six years ago. The hair was longer, and he had a beard now, but his face was burned into my memory. The unknowing father of my child. “Hey, um, I mean hi, I’m Emma.”

He did a double take but that was it, I supposed that my long brown hair was enough of a change that he didn’t recognize me. Still, goosebumps raced down my arms at his lightning quick perusal. I stared back for a long time, unable to believe that he was here in my house.

Any chance of awkwardness was stopped when a thump came from the dining room. We all rushed in, I don’t know what I was expecting to see, but Alex was still on the floor though he seemed to be having some sort of seizure, “We need to call EMS,” I said.

Diesel looked at Slate and I saw something cross between them before he spoke, “So what happened?”

“He tried to kill me, his hands were around my throat,” my hand went up to gesture and I winced. “I grabbed the first thing I could find and—”

“Prez,” Slate’s voice interrupted us.

“Gimme a moment, bro,” Diesel said gruffly and bent down.

“This the weapon?” Diesel held up the glass heart.

I nodded.

“Prez,” Slate’s voice was louder. “He’s gone.”

Gone? My eyes flashed over to my husband. His body was lifeless on the floor, Slate was kneeling beside him.

Gone. Oh god what was I going to do? “No! I didn’t mean to kill him, I just wanted him to stop, I—” I started shaking as the reality of what I’d done started to settle in. “Oh God, what am I going to do? I killed him. I could deal with him hitting me, but when he laid his hands on my daughter—”

“Shit,” Diesel said as he put his hand on my shoulder. “Don’t let your mind go there right now. Just try and keep yourself together until we can get you outta here, you think you can do that for me, darlin’?”

I choked out, “I’ll try.” I took a deep breath and wiped my eyes on my sleeve.

Slate’s gaze went to me and then to the stairs, “There’s a kid here?”

“Yes, she’s upstairs.”

Slate and Diesel conferred quietly before they turned back to me. “Your bags are packed?” Diesel asked, and I assumed he was the man in charge.

“Yes. One for each of us. that’s what the DV counselor recommended.” At my words, anger lit both men’s eyes.

“Right. You don’t need to know any of that. Yes, I have bags packed. What should I do?”

“I’ll call the guys,” Slate said, his gaze lingering on my face while he stood beside Alex’s body with his phone pressed against his ear. “We got a cleanup,” he murmured into the phone.

“Do you have anyone you can stay with for tonight?” Diesel’s voice was low and gentle.

I thought of Sara immediately, but I dismissed the idea. “None that I want to bring this kind of trouble to. I have some money stashed so I can get a hotel room.” My eyes went back to Alex’s lifeless body, but Diesel turned blocking my vision then gestured for me to leave the room.

“Go to your kid, get your stuff ready and we’ll come get you.” With that the door closed.