6. Bridget
Bridget
A metallic ping sounded, and I glanced up from my plate to find a diamond ring clattering to the wooden surface of the kitchen table.
Terror pierced my heart at the sight. With my windpipe closing up, I managed to croak out, “What’s that?” even though I already knew.
Aiden barely paused eating to reply. “Exactly what it looks like. An engagement ring.” He gestured a hand toward the offensive item. “Put it on.”
Nervous laughter rushed past my lips. “I think you skipped an important step.”
His eyes lifted to fix me with a glare, his jaw working to finish chewing the food in his mouth. “You lost the right to a romantic proposal after the stunt you pulled at brunch with my boss last week.”
“That’s understandable,” I conceded, treading carefully through the minefield set before me. “But generally, both parties need to be in agreement for an engagement to be official.”
“Agreement,” Aiden repeated the same word slowly as what I implied sank in. Then his voice went lethal, “Are you saying you don’t want to marry me?”
My brain screamed that I was in danger, demanding a switch to self-preservation mode. But the signal must not have reached my mouth because I said, “What’s the rush?”
“What’s the rush?” There was a loud scoff.
“Are you fucking kidding me with this shit, Bridget?” When I merely blinked at his rhetorical question, he continued, “If anything, it’s long overdue that we make our arrangement official.
We’ve joined our lives together, acting as a married couple for years now.
” He shook his head. “We’re trying for a baby, for Christ’s sake. ”
I pulled in a steadying breath. “I just—”
“Just what?” he demanded, eyes narrowing. “Do you honestly think you can do better?”
“N-no. Th-that’s not what I meant.” I silently cursed my voice for breaking because Aiden loved to feed off my fear.
He shoved back from the table, his chair clattering to the ground as he stood.
Closing the distance between us, he picked up the ring before leaning in menacingly, his fingers digging into my cheeks in a brutal grip so I couldn’t look away.
His hot breath hit me square in the face as he seethed, “Without me, you’d be nothing. ”
Swallowing thickly, I rasped. “You’re right.”
Aiden grabbed my hand, shoving the ring onto my fourth finger so roughly that the metal band cut into my skin, and I cried out.
“City hall in two weeks. Understood?”
I gave a jerky nod. “Yes.”
“See? Was that so hard?” he cajoled, returning to his seat and digging into the meal I’d prepared for the two of us.
My eyes burned something fierce, but I managed to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.
My fate was sealed. There wasn’t any point in wasting energy crying over something I couldn’t change.
Aiden slipped out the back door for a smoke, which meant I had exactly ten minutes before he returned.
Hustling down the hallway toward the bedroom, I made a beeline for the tall dresser against the wall. It was an antique, the drawers heavy as hell. A grunt passed my lips while pulling the top one open. It contained all my bras and underwear, none of which were fancy.
I shoved the cotton garments aside to expose the back corner, only to have a nearly silent gasp tear up my throat when I found my hiding space empty.
My movements turned frantic as I dug through the space in search of my most valuable possession—the one that offered me a modicum of protection and control over my own body.
“Looking for this?”
My heart leapt into my throat, and an involuntary scream was pulled from my chest as I spun around.
Aiden stood on the threshold, holding up the pink case containing my birth control pills.
Not trusting myself to speak—certain that if I did, I would only make this situation worse for myself—I shook my head.
He stalked toward me like a predator closing in on its prey. “No?” His eyebrow arched in challenge.
“I-I don’t even know what that is.”
Lips pressed together, he hummed. “Perhaps we should take a look inside, then. See if that helps jog your memory.”
The case was flipped open to reveal the brand-new blister pack of contraceptives I’d acquired at the pharmacy earlier today.
I frowned down at it before daring to peek back up at the man who held my only line of defense against an unwanted pregnancy in his hands. “Birth control? Why would I need birth control when we’re trying for a baby?”
“You know, I’ve been asking myself that same question.” His voice was strained, every tendon in his neck standing out as he crowded my space.
With his chest pressed against mine, I wondered if he could feel my heart beating in triple time as my mind worked overtime to conjure up a believable explanation.
But it quickly became apparent that no amount of lying was going to get me out of this one.
“There was a fleeting moment earlier today that I felt genuine concern for your well-being. When Harrison made an offhand remark that he hoped you felt better soon after spying you bundled up at the grocery store, picking up medication at the pharmacy counter. But it hit me that in order for you to be sick enough to need prescription meds, you wouldn’t have been right as rain when I left for work this morning. ”
My gulp was audible. “I—”
A growl cut me off. “Don’t you dare speak unless you’re ready to explain why a search of your drawers led to me finding these.” He shook the case containing the birth control, making every pill rattle.
I opened my mouth again, but before I could utter a single word, five fingers wrapped around my throat, squeezing hard enough to cut off my air supply.
Getting right up in my face, Aiden snarled, “What’s his name?”
Black spots danced across my vision at the lack of oxygen, and my fingers clawed at his forearm in a futile attempt to get him to release his hold.
With my lungs burning, I wheezed, “Aiden, stop. You’re hurting me.”
“What’s his fucking name?!” he roared, spit hitting me square in the face.
His question didn’t make any sense.
“Wh-whose name?”
His fingers tightened, and I made a choking sound as my feet were lifted off the ground.
Darkness crept in from all sides, and I welcomed it. Death had finally come to release me from my prison. There was peace in knowing my suffering would soon come to an end.
“Hey!”
I was jostled from the brink of unconsciousness when my back hit the dresser with a deafening crack, my spine singing in agony from the sharp impact.
“Don’t you dare pass out on me, you dumb bitch.”
My lips parted, but no sound came out. If I made it out the other side of this alive, it would be a wonder if I didn’t sustain permanent damage to my vocal cords from his punishing grip.
Aiden got right up in my face. “When I find the man you’ve been fucking on the side, I will kill him for touching what belongs to me.
In the meantime, I’m going to flush these pills, and if I get so much as a hint that you’ve attempted to acquire more, I will affix a metal cuff to your ankle with enough slack on the chain that you can move about the house but never leave.
You’re mine, Bridget.” An evil grin curved onto his lips. “Until death do us part.”
Before I knew what was happening, I was airborne. With my vision swimming, I barely registered that Aiden remained stationary as my body catapulted through the air.
A burst of pain exploded throughout my skull.
And then it was lights out.
“Ah.” My hand came up to cradle my throbbing head as I regained consciousness.
Slowly, I cracked an eye open, a wave of relief crashing over me when I saw that I was alone in the bedroom.
With a groan, I pushed upright, wincing at the soreness in my back.
Taking in my surroundings, I noticed the bedside table had been knocked onto its side, a streak of crimson marking the sharp corner.
Shards of glass littered the floor from a broken picture frame.
Clothes were strewn about the room, the drawers of the dresser having been ripped out, likely from Aiden searching for more contraband.
There was no doubt in my mind that I was lucky to be alive. But what about the next time? I didn’t intend to stick around long enough to find out.
Agony permeated every cell in my body as I crawled to the mattress, using all the strength I had left to get to my feet. Each breath brought with it a piercing pain through my chest as I shuffled to the door that had been left wide open.
“Aiden?” My throat burned, his name coming out as barely more than a whisper.
No reply.
Stepping into the hallway, I went from room to room, checking to see if he was home. When my search came up empty, I poked my head into the garage to find his car was gone.
With no idea how long it would be before his return, I had to move fast if I was going to make my escape.
Pushing through the pain that gripped me with every step, I rushed back into the bedroom, making a mad dash for the walk-in closet.
Thankfully, this space had been left untouched, and I dug through the pile of discarded clothing meant for donation in the back corner.
My fingers made contact with the smooth surface of a shoebox, and I pushed the remaining fabric aside to uncover it completely.
Flipping the lid, I gazed upon the mementos of my life before Aiden. A picture of Bennett and me at my high school graduation. Another from the day he was drafted. The nameplate from my desk. A paper rose that a student had made for me during my first year of teaching. My childhood diary.
Most importantly, hidden within old birthday cards was cash. Not a lot. Enough to secure a cab, but not enough to pay the driver to leave the city limits.
The only question now was where to go.
Immediately, I eliminated the possibility of seeking refuge in one of the women’s shelters in San Diego.
Aiden would scour those first, and if he showed up in uniform, claiming to need a statement from one of the residents in a domestic violence case, they would grant him entry.
While it might be a safe place to hide for the vast majority of victims, it wasn’t an option for me.
The thought crossed my mind that I could ask to be driven as far north as my meager funds allowed, then hitchhike from there.
It was late, closing in on midnight, but one of the perks of living in Southern California was the mild climate.
Nights in the fall were chilly, sure, but I wouldn’t die of exposure.
I began opening each envelope, frantically stuffing the bills into my bra for safekeeping. When I lifted the final card from the shoebox, I sucked in a sharp breath. At the very bottom rested a silver necklace.
As if they were drawn by a magnet, my fingers brushed over the half-heart pendant hanging from a delicate chain. It had been a very long time since I’d worn this particular piece of jewelry, but I would never forget the day it had been gifted to me.
Tap, tap, tap.
I sat up in bed at the sound of pebbles being thrown at my window, a smile on my face.
Throwing my legs over the side of the mattress, I rushed across the room to peek through the glass. As expected, Cole stood on the opposite side, looking as handsome as ever.
I wrenched the window open slowly, mindful that it had a tendency to creak.
“Miss me already?” I teased. He’d been at the house as an invited guest mere hours ago.
A million butterflies took flight inside my belly when his lips curved into a sexy smirk.
His hand cupped my cheek, and I sighed at the skin-to-skin contact. “I miss you every second we’re apart, beautiful.”
My lashes fluttered. “Cole.”
He dipped down for a quick kiss. “I wanted to give you your birthday present.”
I reared back, brows drawn down. “You already gave me a present at the party earlier.”
Cole reached into his back pocket, producing a box. “That one was from your brother’s best friend. This one is from your boyfriend.”
It took all my effort not to squeal. I’d crushed on Cole, trailing after him like a lovesick puppy, for as long as I could remember.
Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that one day he would return my feelings, let alone that he would call himself my boyfriend.
Even if no one knew other than the two of us.
“Well?” He shook the box, extending it toward me. “Are you going to open it?”
Accepting the gift, I untied the ribbon and cracked the lid. I peeked down at the contents before returning my gaze to Cole. “A friendship necklace?” For all the secrecy of giving it to me in private, the item wasn’t overly romantic. “Doesn’t exactly scream ‘boyfriend,’ but okay.”
He chuckled, reaching into his shirt to pull out the matching half, though his pendant was a brilliant turquoise instead of silver. “The rest of the world will see a friendship necklace. Only you and I will know that you’re carrying around half of my heart with you everywhere you go.”
Heat flooded my cheeks. “Half of your heart?”
Humming, Cole stepped forward, plucking the necklace from the box and affixing it around my neck. With his mouth beside my ear, he murmured, “I love you, Bridget.”
Tears pricked at the back of my eyes, my every dream having come true. Clutching his shoulders, I said in a watery voice, “I love you, too.”
He pulled back, concern alight in his blue eyes. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”
I sniffled. “They’re happy tears. I’m so happy, Cole.”
Pulling me into his arms, he held me tight, speaking against the top of my head. “I’m yours. Forever.”
We didn’t get forever. And the pain of losing him was soul-deep, hurting more than the physical injuries I’d suffered at Aiden’s hand tonight.
Despite our past, I knew that Cole was a good man at his core. And he might be the only person in this world who could help me.