Chapter 32 #2
Groaning, I used the kitchen counter ledge to pull myself up.
I opened the front door to find an unassuming man in a tweed jacket, charcoal trousers, and rimless glasses perched on his nose.
‘Dr. Hill, the therapist?’ I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
He nodded, adjusting the strap of his leather bag slung across his chest.
‘Jude Valenti sent me on an urgent house call.’
He glanced at the destroyed doorframe, taking in the shattered glass and splintered wood before turning his steady grey eyes back to me.
‘Your husband is in shock, I believe.’
‘He’s shut down,’ I said, my throat tight as I gestured toward the hallway. ‘He needs someone to talk to him, please.’
Dr. Hill strode in, and I led him to where Angel sat.
The doctor came to a slow stop at the sight of Angel slumped on the floorboards.
Angel’s gaze fixed on the horizon, his eyes empty and devoid of expression.
‘Angel,’ Dr. Hill said, his tone even as he dropped into a crouch right in front of him.
My husband remained frozen, lost in the fog of his own head.
‘I know you hear me, son,’ Dr. Hill continued, extending a calm hand toward Angel’s uninjured shoulder. ‘You fought off the threat. Roxy and your baby are safe. The fight is over.’
The mention of my name seemed to slice through the haze.
Angel’s mouth twitched, his eyelids fluttering as he dragged his haunted eyes up to meet the doctor’s face.
A raspy, shuddering breath rattled out of his chest, breaking the catatonic grip holding him down.
‘She’s OK?’ Angel croaked out, his voice cracked and raw.
‘She’s right here, unharmed,’ Dr. Hill reassured him, placing a steadying hand under Angel’s elbow.
Angel dragged his eyes to me next, reaching out to me. ‘Babe.’
I smiled at him as our eyes locked and I squeezed his hand.
‘Honey, you’re in shock, and you need to get off the floor and speak with Dr Hill to help you deal with what just happened.’
Angel stared at me for a beat, then, to my relief, he nodded.
Dr. Hill guided my husband up, supporting his broad frame.
I led the way as the doctor steered him down the hall into the quiet sanctuary of Angel’s studio and office.
I left them alone, shutting the door behind them.
Walking back into the kitchen, I sat on a stool and stared down at the shattered pieces of ceiling scattered across the tiles.
The splintered front and back doors hung off their hinges, a stark reminder of how close we’d come to losing everything.
A repairman, a smiley, jolly man called Alan, arrived twenty minutes later, sent by Jude to secure the house before nightfall.
I let him in, eyeing him as he swept up glass shards and mounted sturdy replacement doors onto the frames.
He also patched up the ceiling, promising to bring out a crew to make it look brand new by the end of the week.
My mind spun back to Evangeline, sickened by her endless sense of entitlement and the chaotic havoc she always left in her wake.
I rested both palms over my bump as our baby kicked inside me.
I prayed with every fiber of my soul that my sister’s wave of destruction was done for good, because this child deserved a peaceful welcome to the world.
ANGEL
Dr. Hill sat across from me in the office, his presence calm and unhurried as he studied my face.
‘You survived today, Angel, but you’re still sitting in battle mode,’ Dr. Hill said, leaning forward. ‘Where are you holding all that fear and anger right now?’
‘In my chest,’ I rasped, my throat like sandpaper.
‘What happens if you release it?’ he murmured. ‘What’s the worst if you let yourself feel how close you came to losing your family earlier?’
My jaw twitched, my hands clenching into tight fists against my knees.
‘What if I hadn’t protected them from the blast?’ I choked out, my voice cracking. ‘She had a shotgun, doc. One centimeter off, and my wife and baby might have been gone.’
‘But they’re healthy and whole,’ Dr. Hill reminded me, his eyes steady and kind. ‘You saved them. You can let the terror go now, son. Let the venom out; otherwise it’ll rot you on the inside.’
The dam inside my chest cracked open.
I buried my face in my palms and cried, long and hard, releasing every ounce of concealed pain and guilt.
I wept at enabling Evangeline all these years, for letting her behavior run roughshod over everyone, and now for almost ripping my family away from me.
I also shuddered at the memories of the trauma she put me through.
Dr. Hill stayed silent, giving me the space I needed to release my emotions without a shred of judgment.
When the storm finally passed, I grabbed a tissue from a nearby box and wiped my face, feeling lighter than I had in years.
‘I need to talk thorough more,’ I breathed, looking up at the therapist. ‘So I can be shot of my ex for good.’
Dr. Hill nodded. ‘Call my office next week. Meanwhile, share what’s bothering you with your beautiful wife. Your partner’s support is gold.’
‘I will, and thank you for taking the time,’ I replied, shaking his hand before I escorted him from the house.
Roxy came to me at the front door, and we held each other for a long time, kissing as we released the terror and horror of our experience.
Soon after, Jude arrived carrying containers of fresh Italian food from Sofia, his gaze taking in the brand-new front door, brows arched in disbelief.
Jude hugged us both, then checked that the carpenter he sent repaired the back door as well.
Satisfied, he prowled to the living room as I tossed a log onto the fire and stood before it, warming my cold, still-trembling body.
‘That woman belongs in a cage for the rest of her natural life,’ Jude snarled when he sauntered back into the living room, hands crossed over his chest.
‘I swear, if the cops hadn’t hauled Evangeline away, I’d have broken her neck myself for coming near Roxy.’
‘She’s done now, brother,’ I rasped. ‘The law’s got her.’
‘Damn straight, and they’d better keep her locked up for a long time,’ Jude muttered, turning around to pull me into a fierce, brotherly hug. ‘I’m heading out so you two can chill.’
‘Grateful for having my back,’ I said as he walked to the porch.
‘Not a hardship,’ Jude called out over his shoulder. ‘Call me if you need anything at all tonight.’
After Jude left, Roxy plated Sofia’s fresh gnocchi tossed in a delicious garlic, herb, and rich parmesan cheese sauce.
We ate in silence on the kitchen counter, letting the food settle the stress still reverberating through us.
Afterward, I took Roxy’s hand, leading her into the living room where the fire threw warm light over the cushions.
Before sitting, I gazed into her dark, beautiful eyes, needing to set the record straight between us.
‘Dr. Hill told me that bottling things up only poisons the heart,’ I rasped. ‘I’m ready to open up about my past, but only if you’re OK listening to it.’
‘Honey,’ Roxy murmured, cupping my cheek with her soft palm. ‘I’m your wife. I’m always here to listen.’
I stretched out on the couch, resting my head against her lap while her fingers threaded through my hair.
‘Your sister was a tyrant, you know that. Apart from the drug use, she was abusive physically and verbally. Evangeline used to punch, kick, and slap my face hard enough to leave bruises,’ I confessed.
‘She would say, I thought you were a man and could take it. She struck me whenever I held her accountable for her mistakes, demanding I submit to her temper tantrums. Her hits felt like mosquito bites because of my size, so I just ignored the abuse.’
‘Honey,’ Roxy murmured in commiseration.
‘My Six Sinners’ brothers warned me for years, telling me her behavior was toxic. I defended her, made excuses for her, and said she never meant it. Turns out, I got addicted to her chaos. I should have walked away earlier, but my restraint was garbage,’ I said, gazing up into Roxy’s eyes.
‘Marrying you gave me a true safe space, and the peace I needed to find myself again,’ I added.
Roxy traced my jawline, pursing her lips.
‘I wish I’d advocated for you sooner, honey.’
‘It wasn’t your war to fight, beautiful,’ I replied, covering her hand with mine. ‘I’m fighting my demons now, for us.’
I shifted, knifing up to wrap both arms around her, pulling her tight to my chest.
I cupped her face and captured her mouth in a long, sweet kiss, tasting her warmth and pouring all my gratitude into her.
She kissed me back, her hands trailing up my neck to stroke the hair at the base of my skull.
‘Thank you for honoring me with your truth, honey, Angel,’ she whispered over my mouth, smoothing her thumb over my cheekbone. ‘Your heart is safe with me for life.’
My soul pulsed with feeling.
‘Fuck, I love you so much.’
I leaned down, pressing my ear to her round belly, until a gentle kick met my cheek.
A slow smile broke across my face as we held each other close, wrapped in the certainty of our love, having survived our beautiful war.