15. Gideon

GIDEON

M y blood ran cold as I listened to the latest tapes my guys had brought me before I'd boarded the plane. My wife was laying in a coma, bruised and battered as I listened through the headphones, her hand clasped tightly in mine.

‘I could give a fuck about your little slut of a daughter, I just want her out of Gideon's life, but since you don't seem to care one way or the other either, I think I'll just go ahead and make it permanent.'

‘Kill the little bitch for all I care, she's damaged goods now anyway, she has no reason to live, doesn't serve a purpose anymore, does that answer your question Miss. Halston?'

To say I was pissed would be a vast understatement there was no limit to what I would do to make them pay. My men were already on the hunt but now I had new orders for them.

I squeezed her hand in mine reassuring myself that she was here and she was safe from them. If I had to take her everywhere with me for the rest of her fucking life no one would touch her unless they went through me.

I sat next to her hospital bed, her hand in mine as I prayed. I prayed for her, our unborn child, and for forgiveness for what I was about to do .

"Ashley baby please wake up." I kissed her cold lips, my heart hurting. It had been hours and still nothing. The stupid fuck doctor said it was just her body's way of protecting itself whatever the fuck that meant, but I didn't like it.

"Come on baby I need to see your pretty eyes." I felt helpless just sitting there doing nothing when I wanted to be out there hunting the fuckers myself. Instead I had to wait for word from my men.

I couldn't leave her, wouldn't leave her here like this unprotected even though I had men outside her door. I was afraid to even take my eyes off of her for a second.

How the fuck had I let this happen? How had I not sensed the threat from Lynn? I was so busy focusing on the danger from Sanders that I hadn't given thought to what I might be bringing into her life and it had almost cost her, cost us both.

A baby, I can't even get my mind around that, two innocents to protect. I cleared my mind and settled into the chair with my head back. I was suddenly very tired. I needed to shut my mind off for now, there was nothing more I could do tonight except wait for my Blossom to wake up and tell me she was going to be okay.

I felt her fingers twitch in mine and was up and over her in a flash.

"Blossom...come on baby, come back to your Gideon." I kissed her face so she would feel me, so my touch would be the first thing she felt when she came to. She came to slowly, her face scrunching up in pain.

" Gideon? It hurts."

"I know baby, I'll get the doctor." I used the call button instead of running out the door screaming the place down like I wanted to.

"I love you baby, you scared the shit outta me, you with me now?"

"My head hurts, everything hurts."

"No don't move your doctor should be here any minute."

The medical team came in, not just the nurse because I'd made it very clear to the doctor that she was to get the best attention and care. Nothing against nurses, but a young girl in the extreme early stages of pregnancy coming out of a coma needed the attention of a doctor.

The first one that even hinted at me leaving the room while they did their thing got a look that pretty much set the precedent for the others.

No fucking way.

I held her hand as they prodded and poked her studying her eyes and responses. She cried for pain but they could only give her the lightest dosage because of the fetus.

Seeing her in that much pain was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I held my peace though and never once did I let on to the rage that was growing hotter inside me.

When they were done and the last one had left I climbed up on to the bed with her being extra careful not to jostle her. Maneuvering her so that her head was on my chest I sang to her until she fell asleep.

She was in too much pain to stay awake and I guess whatever they'd dosed her up with was putting her out. I wanted her to stay awake and talk to me. I needed to hear her voice to hear her laugh.

Now that I knew she was okay it seems my mind and my heart let go. I felt the fear I hadn't been aware of engulf me, the fear of never seeing her beautiful face again. Never waking up next to her holding her loving her.

The tear tracks on her cheeks was the last straw, as soon as I was sure she was asleep I placed the call.

"Did you find her yet?"

"We've got her in our sights, just waiting for the right time to move."

"I want both her legs and wrists broken then throw her on the sidewalk outside Sanders' house."

"Breathing?"

"For now yes, I want her to suffer and I want her to know why she's suffering.

"Do we leave a note?"

"No, he'll get the message."

I hung up the phone without an ounce of remorse. The only thing left was Sanders and Starks. I had to get them in a way that wouldn't come back on my wife .

I didn't want her name in anyway associated with this, of course there was bound to be hoopla following the whole Lynn thing. She's from a well-to-do family, to be found on the streets bloody and broken wouldn't go unnoticed unless the cop was clever enough to hide her before anyone saw her lying in front of his house.

I wanted to expose her for the monster she was but there was no way to do that without getting Blossom's name involved and that I wouldn't do so I have to find another way. I'm going to totally destroy her before I finish her off. She'd almost killed my wife and my fucking kid I want to look her in the eye while I choke the fucking life out of her.

There were voices outside before the door was gently opened and mom and dad came in. I'd forgotten to call them after asking dad for the information earlier but I should've known they'd show. I figure Ashley could use a mother's touch poor baby so it was good they were here.

"Hi son how is she?" Mom whispered from the door her eyes glued to her new daughter in law.

"Come in mom, dad, thanks for coming...this is my Blossom."

Mom and dad stood next to her bed gazing down at her.

"Oh Gideon, she's beautiful." Mom brushed Blossom's hair gently with her fingers as dad and I looked on.

"Thank you." I smiled my first smile since I'd kissed her goodbye this morning.

"Your sister will be here tomorrow."

"She doesn't have to do that mom."

"Of course she does, we're family that's what family does in times like these."

"Okay mom, thanks." I walked around the bed so I could kiss her in gratitude.

"Mom, dad, there is something you should know...Blossom's pregnant."

"Oh dear, is the baby okay isn't it too soon to tell, or did you...?"

"No mom the doctor says she's just a few days. I thought it was too soon to tell too but he assures me that she is. He says the baby's okay so far but they'll keep monitoring just to be on the safe side."

"Are we happy about the news son?" Dad clapped his hand on my shoulder?

"Yes dad, very happy. I haven't told Blossom yet though. I'm waiting until we're out of the woods then I'll tell her."

"Then congratulations what did the doctors say about her injuries?" Dad went into doctor mode and ended up hunting down her doctor for answers since I was of no help there. I couldn't remember half of what the man had said other than that she was going to be okay.

We spent the next hour and a half hashing out the best course of action when she was released. Dad wanted to know why she'd been airlifted in the first place if all she had were a few broken bones and I explained that they'd thought her head injury was more severe from the on scene examination. It didn't matter to me, as long as she was getting the best care that's all I really cared about.

"I think Ashley should come stay with us for a couple of weeks, we'll get her a nurse to help out but you have to work and I'm home all day anyway..."

"Thanks mom but no, she's my wife I'll be the one to take care of her, the nurse sounds like a good idea though."

"Whatever works for you son, we're going to go check into the hotel now, we'll be back later, do you need anything?"

"No mom thanks and thanks again for coming." I watched them leave and checked my watch. I was surprised that I hadn't heard back from my guys as yet. Just as I had the thought my phone vibrated in my pocket.

"Thorpe."

"It's done."

I hung up without saying another word. And so it begins, there was no going back now. I've started a war with Clifton Sanders. I've taken the fight right to his door, literally .

The next move was his but I had eyes on him, his every move was being documented and his house was still wiretapped.

There was still one more thing I needed to do though. I wanted to make sure all the players pay.

When Blossom finally woke up again she was hungry. That was supposedly a good sign but they kept her on light foods like broth and juice. I wanted to run out and get her the damn burger that she'd never got the chance to have.

She fussed a lot because of the discomfort in her arm and leg, she couldn't move around at her usual speed and she kept banging her arm and her leg into the rail.

"Baby let me do it okay." I took the spoon from her and fed herhersoup. She wanted to know when we could go home, the doctor had said two days and I wasn't willing to move her before then.

She made such a face when I told her she had to stay that I was tempted to beg the doctor to let her leave. Then she almost had a coronary when I was leaving to go get him.

"Ashley what's wrong?"

"Don't leave me please." She pulled on my shirt, her eyes wide with fright.

" Baby what's going on in that head of yours of course I'm not gonna leave you come ‘ere."

I climbed back onto the bed and drew her onto my lap. She curled into me like a baby and my arms drew tighter around her. I could feel the runaway beat of her heart. My baby was scared.

" I don't want them to get me."

"Who baby?" Please God no, don't let her know. I'd always believed that she had no idea what her sick fuck of a father was up to. She hadn't been told about the accident so what was her fear?

"Who Blossom?"

"The monster, he'll get me if you're not here." I was becoming afraid, had she had some kind of psychotic break or something? I tried to play over every conversation we'd ever had to see if there was any clue to what she spoke of. She'd never once let on that she knew her father had anything planned for her so what…?

"Baby what monster? What are you talking about?"

"I can't tell you." She rocked back and forth in my arms as her hold on my shirt tightened.

What the fuck is going on here? She sounded scared out of her mind, now I'm really becoming afraid that the blow to her head had damaged her somehow.

"Tell me Blossom, there's nothing you can't tell me, ever."

"You'll hate me, you'll think I'm dirty." She started crying so hard she almost choked on her tears.

I racked my brain trying to figure out what the hell she could possibly be talking about.

"Baby, I promise I will never think such a thing, ever. You're my baby aren't you? How could I ever think that about my Blossom? I love you more than anything else in this world nothing could ever stop me from loving you, nothing. Now tell me."

I rubbed her back until she calmed somewhat, then through hiccoughing starts and stops she told me a story that made my blood run even colder.

I listened as she told me about the man that had started visiting after she'd had her first period at the age of twelve. I listened to the horror of her being subjected to vaginal inspections by the man and someone she called the doctor.

I listened as she spoke of her father standing by while strangers violated her. It was a wonder she had escaped with her virginity or her fucking sanity intact. Heaven only knows why the sick bastard hadn't let them take her back then.

I cried in my soul as she cried herself sick in my arms. Apparently the trauma of the accident had brought back her own personal terror to the forefront .

"Why didn't you tell me this before baby?" I brushed her hair lovingly, holding her hand. Doing anything I could to let her know I was there for her and with her.

"I thought you wouldn't want me if you knew...if you knew that I was bad." Her voice was barely above a whisper, so forlorn, so broken.

"Oh no baby no, you mustn't think like that. You did nothing wrong, it was your father and those men that were bad. Do you know why they were doing that to you?"

I held my breath as I awaited her answer, hoping that she was innocent of this at least, that she had no idea. I already had a pretty good idea where this was going and whatever I thought I'd felt before was nothing compared to the black rage that consumed me now.

"The monster was supposed to own me." Fuck me, no.