Keep Healing (Fighting For Tomorrow #2)

CHAPTER 18

EVIE

I sat up on the edge of the bed and grabbed Nick’s cell to check the time. Four A.M. Nick was out cold and snoring beside me, but I just couldn’t seem to settle enough to sleep. I checked the monitor screen and smiled when I found Zack laid out like a starfish in his cot in the room next door. He looked so peaceful and settled.

Knowing there was no way I was going to sleep anymore I got up and slipped quietly from the room, taking Nick’s cell with me so I’d hear Zack when he started to stir. Nick could have a lie in. He definitely deserved it. He had been up early every morning with Zack for the last week.

I was headed for the kitchen to make more tea, but paused when I got to the foot of the stairs. I could hear a strange sound and it was nothing good, illustrated by the hairs on my arms standing on end instantly.

I froze in place and listened more intently. I followed the sound all of the way to the office on the other side of the house, but I wished I hadn’t when I was close enough to clearly make out what the sound was.

I slammed my free hand over my mouth as I stood frozen in place. I could hear the splashing of water, then spluttering and coughing, followed by my own cries. I knew those sounds. They haunted me when I was both awake and asleep. Then I slammed my hands over my ears as the quiet, choked cries turned to high pitched, terrorized screams. My screams. Screams of agony and terror I had never imagined possible before Soloman took me.

I crept forward towards the office, needing to know what the hell was going on, despite how badly I was shaking. The door was open a crack, and when I peeked in, I was horrified to see the back of Kyle, sat in a chair before the desk, a laptop open on his lap and on the screen was me, in my underwear, being tortured by that monster, tied down to a table and screaming in utter agony.

Tears filled my eyes as I backed away, unable to see anymore. My hands shook so hard I dropped Nick’s cell to the floor, causing a bang that had Kyle turning to look at me.

“Evie,” he gasped, but I was already gone, running for the safety I knew I would find with my guys. Kyle was right behind me, calling for me as I sprinted up the stairs and crashed into my room, slamming the door closed behind me so hard Harris ad Aleks leapt awake.

“Evie? What’s going on, sweetheart?” Harris asked as he jumped up from the camp bed and came right to me. The door behind me was pushed open violently, and would have knocked me flying to my hands and knees, if Harris hadn’t have caught me so quickly.

“D-don’t l-let him in….pl-please Harris…I c-can’t,” I whimpered through my sobs as I clung to him.

“I won’t. Go to Aleks for me, okay?” Harris said as he handed me into Aleks waiting arms, then ripped the door open angrily.

“What happened, maleńka? What did Kyle do?” Aleks asked as he wrapped me in his arms.

“Back the fuck up!” Harris barked as he disappeared out of the door.

“Where’s Evie? I need to speak to her,” Kyle demanded.

“She’s asked me not to let you in, so you’re not seeing her right now,” Harris told him.

“Fuck you! You can’t stop me seeing my own sister in my damned house!” Kyle snapped. There was a loud thud, that I knew was one of them being hit, but I just didn’t have the strength to move. The images I had seen on that screen were playing in my head along with the question I couldn’t stop asking – how did Kyle get that and why would he watch it? Why would he do that to me?

“What’s going on?” I heard Nick ask. “Where’s Evie?”

“With Aleks. This fucker did something and she doesn’t want him near her.” Harris answered.

“Kyle!” I heard Livy next, then my mom and dad were there, closely followed by my other brothers, except Xander of course. Just my luck the level headed brother wasn’t there when I needed him. “What happened?” Livy cried, and I was guessing by how upset she was, that Kyle was the one who got hit.

“I need to talk to Evie and this psycho won’t let me near her!” Kyle snapped.

“Let’s just all take a breath,” my mom cried. “What’s going on?”

“Evie’s really upset and she didn’t want to see Kyle. He wouldn’t take no for an answer,” Harris explained.

“What did you do now?” Livy asked, all of her concern now anger.

“Nothing really,” Kyle hedged, and I’d heard enough. I turned and headed for the door, Aleks moving with me and never letting me out of his arms.

“Evie?” my dad gasped when he saw me. I didn’t blame him. I was visibly shaking and the tears hadn’t stopped falling.

“Tell them,” I demanded as I looked to my brother who was rubbing at his jaw.

“Evie,” he tried in a gentler tone, but my tears only fell harder as I shook my head.

“How c-could you, Kyle? How could you w-watch that?” I squeaked, the words barely coming out, my throat felt so tight. My guys moved in, surrounding me.

“Kyle. What the fuck is she talking about?” Cole growled as he looked between us.

“She wasn’t supposed to see it. I just…I need to know,” Kyle tried to explain.

“See what, son? Start damn well talking!” Dad barked.

“It was left for me at the office, a disk with my name on it. I didn’t know what it was at first. I put it in my laptop and I realized it was from that fucker. It was footage of Evie…of what he…”

“Please tell me you didn’t Kyle,” Livy cried.

“I knew I couldn’t play it at the office, but I needed to know. I need to know what he did to her while we all sat back and failed her!” Kyle snapped.

“H-he w-was watching it…in the office. I…I was being tortured and h-he was watching it!” I cried.

“How could you, Kyle?” Mom yelled angrily.

“I had to know. It was my fault! I should have taken better care of her! I should have protected her!” Kyle yelled right back.

I turned and looked to Harris through my tears. “I…I can’t stay here. C-can you call Asher? I can’t b-be here right now,” I told him as calmly as I could.

“Evie. I know Kyle’s being a complete idiot right now, but he didn’t do it to hurt you,” Matt spoke up.

“You don’t need to leave, little bit. You’re safest here,” Cole added.

“Please Harris,” I squeaked as I looked to him again. “I h-have to get out of here right now.”

“Honey,” My mom tried. I looked up at her through my tears and shook my head.

“I’m sorry mom. I c-cant. I just can’t.”

“I’ll call Asher. Pack our shit and be ready to move.” Harris moved down the hall to the room Kailan had been sleeping in and Aleks started to usher my shaking body back into my room.

“It’s not safe, Evie. Where are you even going to go?” Kade asked.

“It’s not s-safe here either,” I whimpered. I was going to lose my mind if I stayed there. I needed to get away, especially from Kyle. What was going on with him? I loved him so much, but he wasn’t the same Kyle I remembered and this new version terrified me.

“Come on, darlin’” Kailan said as he ushed me and Aleks into my room, Nick right behind us. As soon as I heard the door shut I crumbled, huge sobs bursting from me as my shaking legs gave out and I folded to the ground.

“Evie!” Aleks cried as he dropped down beside me and looked to me with panic.

“I s-saw the footage and n-now it won’t stop playing…up here,” I told him tearfully as I tapped my temple.

“We’re here, baby. We’ve got you. That’s not real, not anymore.” Nick fell to his knees beside me too as he spoke. Kailan followed him and they surrounded me, holding my hands and Kailan smoothing a hand through my hair.

“How c-could he w-watch that? I was screaming….I w-was in so much pain,” I whimpered.

“Sshh now. Don’t think about that. Think about something good,” Kailan told me.

“Let’s pretend we’re all at home, curled up together on the big sofa, watching a movie,” Nick suggested. “We even managed to drag Aleks away from his laptop to join us.”

“Yeah. I like this. You’re sat in my lap so I can hold you tight when the scary bits happen,” Kailan added.

“Scary bits? W-we’re watching a horror movie?” I asked.

“Yeah, Harris made us. It’s one of those jumpy ones I hate, but you promised you’d protect me,” Kailan laughed.

“I am pretty brave,” I played along.

“You are,” Aleks agreed as he brushed some hair from my cheek and tucked it behind my ear. “We should have snacks too, for the movie.”

“Of course. We have chips and candy, but the main event is ice cream, in every flavor,” Nick said.

“We need toppings too,” I told them, and they nodded in agreement.

“Asher’s sending a car with some security,” Harris announced as he walked in and closed the door behind him.

“Sshh,” Kailan hissed. “We’re watching a movie.”

“What? I thought we were leaving?” Harris asked, looking to all of us with confusion.

“It’s an imaginary movie,” I whispered loudly to him.

“We needed to distract Evie, so we pretended we were home, cuddled up and watching a movie,” Aleks clarified.

“Are you okay, sweetheart?” Harris asked as he dropped to his haunches before me.

“No,” I shook my head. “I’m really not, but I feel better now it’s just us.”

“Asher and Eli have an office building downtown. They have an apartment on the top floor there, and they said we can use it for as long as we need. Asher’s sending three of his security guys from the building too. We’ll be safe there. Does that sound okay?”

“Perfect. We’ll never be able to th-thank Asher and Eli for helping us,” I sighed.

“We’ll find a way. Right now we need to get packed up and grab Zack. The car will be here soon,” Harris said as he looked to the guys.

“Zack!” I cried. “I took your cell so I’d be able to grab him when he woke up, but I dropped it downstairs. Is he okay?”

“He’s still fast asleep. I checked on him before I came in here. Breathe, beautiful,” Harris soothed.

“Let’s get dressed and grab our clothes. We don’t have enough to leave anything behind,” Aleks suggested. He helped me to my feet and I tried not to look as unsteady as I felt. I obviously failed.

“You guys go and get packed up. I’ll help Evie, then grab my shit,” Harris told them all. They each gave me a brief kiss before they left the room but I still felt their loss when they went. I just felt so much more whole and together when they were all with me. I knew that made me sound weak and needy, but I was weak. I was so tired of struggling and fighting. When I was with the four of them That exhaustion was less and I craved that. They gave me strength and I needed that immensely at that time.

***

“Okay, car’s outside,” Harris announced a short while later. I had dressed in some comfortable sweats and I had stolen Kailan’s hoody, needing the smell of one of my guys close to comfort me. I looked a mess, but I was dressed. The guys had packed up all of my new clothes, along with some toiletries and such from the bathroom, and they had everything packed into duffel bags which Harris had also bought when he went to the department store for clothes for all of us. I loved the way that man was always prepared for anything.

The guys were dressed and Aleks had Zack, who was still half asleep, strapped into the car seat Harris had also picked up.

“We gonna get shit when we go down there?” Nick asked.

“Maybe from Kyle. He was still raging when I went down to grab your cell.” Harris shrugged.

“I can’t face them. I know that makes me a coward, but I can’t, not tonight anyway,” I confessed.

“I know, sweetheart. Kailan is going to get you straight out to the car, and Aleks will take care of Zack. Nick and I will handle things with Kyle if we need to,” Harris explained. I knew Nick and Harris had gotten that pleasure because they were the biggest, and they were worried my brothers would join in if Kyle tried to stop us from leaving. I hated that it had come to this, but it was Kyle’s doing. I was so angry and disgusted with him for watching that footage. He wasn’t the brother I knew.

“Okay, let’s get this show on the road,” Kailan announced. He and Aleks each threw one of the huge duffel bags on their shoulders, then Aleks picked Zack’s carrier up, as Kailan wrapped me in his strong arms.

It was like having a security entourage as we left my room and headed down the stairs. Nick and Harris were up front, their hands free and ready to fight it they needed to, which I really hoped they would not. Kailan and I were right behind them, Kailan holding me so close to his side that I could barely move properly, not that I was complaining. I was shaking so hard still; I wasn’t sure I’d stay upright alone. Then Aleks was right behind us with Zack.

My entire family was waiting for us in the hallway when we got to the bottom of the stairs. My dad stepped forward, looking right at me with worry.

“I really think we need to talk about this, sweetie. You leaving right now is not a good idea,” he said.

“Evie doesn’t feel comfortable here right now. A friend of mine has arranged a safe place for us to stay and some additional security. Evie will be safe,” Harris assured him calmly.

“What security? From which company?” Kade asked.

“I don’t know, but my bud is ex-forces, so I’m sure they’re well vetted and highly trained,” Harris assured them.

“This is so fucking stupid. It was just a DVD. The cops would have to watch it anyway,” Kyle spat angrily from near the back.

“You’re my fucking brother, Kyle!” I yelled. “Maybe I could handle a cop I don’t know watching it, but not you! Why would you even want to?”

“I had to know what you went through!” he yelled.

“No, you didn’t,” I told him flatly. “Where’s the disk now?”

“I have it, Evie. I’ll make sure it gets to the FBI,” dad assured me.

“Please don’t leave, Evie. We can’t risk losing you again,” Cole pleaded and I couldn’t look at him because I could already hear the emotion in his voice.

“I have to,” I squeaked, my throat once again tight as more tears threatened. “Can we j-just go?” I looked up to Kailan and he nodded, then led me down the last step and right for the front door.

“Honey,” Mom stepped in front of me, stopping us near the door. “I love you, so very much.”

“Love you too,” I whispered, then I moved around her and didn’t stop until we were outside.

There were two large blacked out SUV’s waiting for us on the drive and three huge men, dressed all in black waiting beside them. Kailan greeted them and shook their hands as he explained how many of us there were and that Nick and Harris were right behind us.

One of the security guys ushered us into the back of the nearest car and I settled in the middle and curled into Kailan as I allowed my tears to fall. Aleks went to the other car with Zack. A few moments later Harris got in on my other side, then we were moving. I guessed Nick was in the other car, but I was too upset to ask.

I didn’t lift my head from the comfort and safety of Kailan’s chest for the entire journey, my tears flowing constantly and my emotions flicking from devastation, to confusion, then to anger over and over again.

“Come on, Ev. Let’s get you upstairs and warm,” Harris said, startling me. I sat up and looked around, realizing we were parked in a small underground lot.

“We’re here?” I asked, my voice hoarse from all of the tears and yelling.

“We’re here, darlin’. Go with Harris and I’ll help the others with the bags, okay?” Kailan said and I nodded and turned to shuffle across the seat to where Harris was standing beside the door waiting for me.

He helped me out then quickly wrapped his arm around me supportively when I wobbled a little, still feeling way too shaky.

We followed one of the security guys into an elevator, the others all right behind us and flanked by the other two security men. It climbed up to the thirtieth and top floor of the building, then opened in a wide, luxurious hallway.

“Access to the apartment is by fingerprint only. Mr. Lyle has authorized us to add your prints,” One of the men told us as we all started down the long hallway. The floor was tiled in the most beautiful, sparkling cream tiles and the walls were paneled in a dark wood that perfectly complimented the luxurious feel to the space. “No one but authorized security and the Lyle’s can access this floor. There will be security stationed outside the apartment and additional security in the lobby down stairs.”

“Thank you,” Harris replied with a nod.

We came to a shiny wood door at the end of the corridor and the main security guy scanned his fingerprint to open the door, which he held for us.

“Go with Kailan, sweetheart. I’ll just finish up out here,” Harris told me as he kissed the top of my head then handed me off into Kailan’s waiting arms.

I had a quick glance around as we entered the large apartment. It was open plan and the long wall opposite consisted entirely of floor to ceiling windows that looked down over the busy city. To my right was a very shiny and modern looking kitchen, and straight ahead was a living area with a huge leather sectional and an enormous television mounted on the wall before it. The place screamed luxury, everything in it obviously fancy and very expensive. It looked comfortable and was definitely spacious, but most important of all, it was safe.

“What do you want to do, Evie?” Kailan asked.

“Maybe take a shower,” I shrugged. I was exhausted but there was no way I would be daring to close my eyes and allow my nightmares access anytime soon.

“Let’s see if we can find a bathroom then, okay? I’ll find you some clean clothes from the bags while you shower,” Kailan suggested and I nodded tiredly.

“I’ll check out the food situation. No doubt Zack will be hungry when he wakes up,” Nick said as he smiled down at his son who was still fast asleep in the car seat.

“I want to check something on my computer, but I’ll be close if you need anything, kochanie. Just yell,” Aleks told me.

“Check what?” I asked as I looked to him. “You want to see where that disk came from, right?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “Kyle said it was at the office. Some one had to have left it there. I want to hack their system and check surveillance footage, but I’m also concerned about the timing of the delivery.”

“Because Kyle was asking me about my nightmare yesterday?” I guessed. “You think Soloman somehow heard that conversation?”

“Yeah. It was just too convenient. I think he somehow has ears at your parents place,” Aleks confirmed. I gulped and pulled back the tears that wanted to break free. I needed to keep it together. My poor guys had seen me meltdown way too many times recently.

“Shower, please Kailan. I n-need to feel clean,” I whispered as I leant into his side for support. I was grateful when he just nodded as he wrapped his arm around me, and led me down the only hallway off of that room that we could see.

Thankfully the first door we came to was a huge bathroom, with a jacuzzi tub you could almost swim laps in and a sizeable shower stall.

“You want me to stay with you?” Kailan offered as I walked in and leant against the thick, pale gray, marble vanity.

“I’m good. Could you find my clothes for me?” I asked, keeping my voice as steady as I could.

“Sure thing, darlin’,” he agreed with a gentle smile. “I’ll be close, so just shout if you need anything, yeah?”

“Yeah,” I nodded as I crossed my arms over my chest to hide my hands which were trembling even more violently.

Kailan had barely left the room before I had the door shut and the shower running. As soon as the water started to hit the ground and mask any other sound, I crumbled.

I sank to the cold tile floor and collapsed onto my side, sobs pouring from me as I curled into myself and just let it all go. I didn’t even know which part was messing me up most. I was devastated Kyle had been sat watching me be tortured. I still couldn’t understand why he would want to watch that. Then there was the fact Soloman had to be the one who left the disk. That meant not only was he in the same city as me, but he also had to know I was there. He could have been listening to me the whole time I’d been at mom and dads. Maybe he’d even had cameras in there so he could watch me. Just the thought of him sat watching my every move made me shudder.

I just couldn’t see the end anymore. How would we stop Soloman and bring this all to an end when he always seemed to be one step ahead of us? What if it never ended? What if I had to live the rest of my life running and looking over my shoulder? I couldn’t do that! That was no way to live and I didn’t want it for myself, my guys, and definitely not for little Zack.

That same thought that had haunted me so often swam through my head again – maybe it would have been better for everyone, including me, if he’d just killed me the first time he had me. Yes I had wanted to live. I fought like hell to survive, but not like this – not with everyone I loved in danger and terrorized by this monster.

Desperate for something to clear the out of control thoughts spiraling in my head, I crawled across the floor and into the shower stall. I hoped the warm water would soothe my shaking body, but instead, as it hit me, I just felt numb. I curled up on my side under the spray, all of my clothes still on and getting soaked through, but I didn’t care. I didn’t even think about it. I was numb too, just so sick of being scared all of the time. I just needed it all to stop. I needed some peace, especially in my own mind. I didn’t want to think I would have been better off dead, and yet my mind would not stop taking me there. I didn’t want to hate Kyle, but I was so angry with him and my thoughts would only spiral deeper and deeper in that direction. It was like I had no control of any of my thoughts and feelings any more, and it was terrifying. I slammed my hands over my ears in a desperate bid to quiet my brain, but still the chaos reined on. There was no stopping it. Maybe this really was the point at which all I had been through finally broke me.