Chapter Thirty
All the hard work Emma and I put into this weekend is culminating in the most romantic wedding tonight.
The couple is ecstatic about their whole weekend. Everything has gone perfectly, and with the cake cut, all we have left to worry about is the send-off brunch tomorrow and then clean up. Which the entire Keaton crew has been pulled in for.
My phone rings on the table next to me, pulling me from my thoughts of Cooper.
Ryder Chiave’s name flashes across my screen.
My best friend’s brother wouldn’t call me unless it was an emergency.
And with his relation to Jack’s colleagues, it could either be about the debts they’re looking for, or about Sophia.
I’m not willing to risk missing something about either so I quietly duck out the hidden side door.
“Ryder, what’s wrong?”
“It’s Sophia. That fucker almost killed her this time.”
All the air in my lungs whooshes out. “You said almost so that means…?”
“Yeah, she’s alive. She’s at one of my safe houses about three hours away. I have a private doctor looking at her now.”
“I’ll be on the next flight out. Want to send me the address or meet me at the airport?” I pace back and forth along the barn.
“I’ll have Damon meet you at the airport. I’m not risking sending the address anywhere. I don’t trust Hugh.” I pause for a moment and he picks up on the reason for my silence. “Damon’s with me, not Hugh. Don’t worry, he’s safe.”
“Are you sure? Because the last time I saw him he was behind two fucking assholes trying to knock my door down with Lily inside.” The anger I feel with the memory bubbles up.
“I’m sure. He’s good.” I scoff at his response. “He’s the only reason they didn’t knock your door down, Aubs. I promise.”
“Whatever. I don’t have the time to argue, but if something happens to me, just know I have people that will look now.” My threat is semi-empty. I don’t know if they actually would, I just feel like my absence would be questioned.
I hang up with Ryder and immediately get online to book my ticket while going back into the wedding to find Emma. I find a flight leaving in three hours from Portland and book it without even asking anyone to watch my kid.
Could you be more irresponsible? What if this is all a play to get you back to Montana to collect? No. Ryder wouldn’t.
Emma is in the small kitchen at the back of the. Arm wrapping up the leftover cake for the couple.
She looks over at me and the concern laces her face immediately. She drops the to-go boxes and rips off her gloves. “What happened?”
“My friend. She was beaten by her fiancé. She’s almost…” I choke up. “I need to leave now. I just booked a ticket. And I have to get Coop to watch Lily, and call Aggie.”
Emma reaches over, grabbing my arms and stopping me from my spiral. “Hey, whatever you need, you do it and we’ll figure it out.”
I take a deep breath as she does, letting my lungs fill with air, and pushing out all the worry. “You’re right. It’ll work out and there’s no lack of sitters around here.”
“Go. Call me if my brother is being an idiot.”
“Thank you.” I pull her in for a tight hug. I’m so grateful for the friendships I’ve gotten since coming to Balsam Cliffs.
I haul ass back to the cabin and find it empty.
Grabbing my bags I go throw them in the truck and head out to find Cooper.
I find them at the inn, playing down on the cove, building sandcastles by moonlight.
I stand at the top of the stairs, watching them for a minute.
“Mommy!” Lily catches me watching. Standing they come up to meet me by the fire pit.
I collapse into one of the Adirondack chairs, hanging my head in my hands until I feel the soft wind of someone moving next to me.
“Where’d Lily go?” I look up, missing my daughter.
“She went to see Mimi K for her cookie. What are you doing here?” He sits on the edge of the fire pit, forcing me to look at him. “What’s wrong? Why do you look like you’re running from a ghost?”
I lean toward him, and he grabs me by the shoulders. “I need you to keep Lily. Sophia… she… her fiancé, he beat her to the point she almost… died.” The last word catches in my throat.
“My God. I’m so sorry.” He stops keeping me at arm’s length and pulls me flush against him for comfort. “What can I do?”
“Can you keep Lily? I’ll call Aggie, but I got a flight and it leaves in…” I look at my watch. “Two and a half hours.”
“Yeah, no worries. I’ll keep her. You don’t need to call Aggie. She can stay with me.”
Lily runs in between us, pushing us apart with her chocolate covered hands. “I wanna stay wif Coopa!”
He picks her up, swinging her into his arms. “You want to stay with me and have a sleepover while Mommy goes somewhere for a bit?” She nods her little head vigorously. “Let’s ask Mommy if it’s okay.”
“Mommy, is it otay?”
I smile at my sweet girl. “Yes, it’s okay. You can stay at the cabin as long as you’re an extra good girl for Cooper, okay?”
“Otay, Mommy. I’ll be a good girl and no cryin’ bedtime.” I kiss her forehead before Coop puts her down to go run again.
“Are you sure about this?”
“I’m sure. Don’t worry about us, we’ll have a good time.” Running his hand down my arm, he intertwines our fingers.
“Okay, well, she knows where her clothes are. I’ll text you a list of what she needs, or have Aggie help you pack up for her. And if you need to, I’m sure that she’ll let you bring her there for them to watch. And then…”
“Hey. I’ve got this routine down by now. Go. You’re going to be down to two hours by the time you get back to your car. We got this. Don’t worry about anything here. Just worry about Sophia.” Pulling me in, he kisses me deeply before letting me go.
“I’ll call you when I land. Is that okay?” I ask as I walk away.
“We. Are. Fine. Go.” He punctuates each word for me to listen.
“I love you, baby girl!” I yell.
“I wuv you, Mommy!”
Climbing into my car I can feel the tears pricking at the back of my eyes.
I knew James was bad news, I knew I should have called Ryder and sucked up my pride when it comes to him.
He would’ve been able to take care of Sophia and keep her safe.
But I kept my mouth shut and now she’s being kept at a secret safe house in Montana three hours from her home.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I will the tears to go away and reverse my car out of the driveway toward the highway leading south to the airport.
I won’t let Sophia wake up alone, even if it means putting myself in the middle of the snake’s den.
Thanks to the airport being two hours away, I made my flight by the skin of my teeth without a second to spare. Unfortunately, true to Ryder’s words, Damon was there waiting for me when I landed. It was a tense, long ride to the safehouse with just us two in the car.
He didn’t speak, and I didn’t attempt to make him. It worked out just fine for both of us.
Ryder was waiting for us when Damon dropped us off. Luckily, he walked over to a guest house at the front of the property instead of into the small ranch home with Ryder and I.
He walks me back to the room that was set up as a makeshift hospital room already. Oh, to be that powerful.
“Tell me everything.” I say dropping my bags and rushing to her side to hold her hand.
“She’s sedated so her body can heal. She’s got six broken ribs. A fractured eye socket. And concussion. Along with multiple bruises and scrapes in varying stages of healing. He’s been doing this for a long time.”
My lack of emotion at the news must have gotten his attention. “Did you know?” he asks gruffly.
“I tried to get her to tell you. She didn’t want to stress you out with all that’s going on with Hugh. I almost called you last time.”
“Last time?” His fists ball at his sides.
I suck in a deep breath, hand him my phone. “Scroll through that album. I’ve screenshot every new bruise and cut each time we would see each other. Even on video calls. I wanted the evidence if I ever needed it.”
“Shit!” He throws my phone down into my outstretched hand and paces the small room.
“How the fuck did I let it get this bad? I knew he was an asshole. I’ve hated him every day.
I knew he was hitting her, but I didn’t know it was this bad.
Hugh wouldn’t listen to me. He didn’t care.
I should have known then that was a red flag. ”
“It’s not your fault, Ryder. You know your sister. If she didn’t want you to know, you wouldn’t. She’s stubborn as fuck.”
“Well. Look where that got her.” He takes a deep breath and grabs my bags by the door. “I’m going to run these to your room down the hall. Give you a minute with her. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.”
Nodding, I turn to Sophia, rubbing my thumb over the top of her hand.
How did I let this happen without saying anything? I let my friend go through this. I let this happen as much as Ryder did.