Chapter 5
Nick
I lie still on the mattress for as long as possible, with everyone asleep around me.
Rising, I quietly maneuver around the sprawling bodies to my bag and grab my laptop and phone.
I return to my spot without waking or stepping on any limbs, getting comfortable against the couch beside Shortie.
She whimpers, so I lay my hand on her exposed arm.
I noticed tonight that she settles if I touch her skin.
After she quiets down, I turn my phone screen on, finding a message from Fawx. He sent me all the info he’s found on Ben and his price. I send a text to Z with the cost and then open my laptop cover to check my email.
Reading through the message, John has a brother-in-law in Virginia who has been paying him through shell companies.
The brother-in-law’s family is old southern money, and the cabin belonged to Ben’s great-grandfather.
The brother-in-law settled in Virginia when he married and owns a ski resort there and several other resort properties scattered throughout the US.
The question remains: why was Summer targeted?
“Nick,” she murmurs.
I glance up to find Summer looking at me through sleepy eyes. “Sorry, Shortie,” I say, lowering my laptop cover.
“You didn’t wake me. My dreams did,” she says, pulling the blanket over her shoulders up to her chin. “What are you looking at?”
“An email from my hacker friend. He found the address of the cabin.”
“The one looking into the shell companies,” she states. It’s not a question. “Ben’s cousin is my bully from Virginia. Jessica Laurel. She found out I moved here and told Ben to torment me, but when he heard about the settlement money, he tried to make me his girlfriend instead.”
“Shortie, you don’t need to explain,” I tell her.
“No, I need to tell someone,” she says, so I nod my head for her to continue. “He figured I would share my money with him if we were in a relationship. When that didn’t work, he chose force to take the money. He…” Tears stream down her face as she covers her mouth with the blanket to muffle a sob.
I get up and scoop her into my lap, sitting in the corner of the couch. “He’s a sadist, a sociopath,” she whispers. “Ben was going to have painful sex with me every time I refused to give him the money,” she quietly cries. “He said the pain would eventually break me.”
Fucking hell. I hold her tighter until she quiets down. “Want to know what I did to him?” I ask.
She looks up at me with glassy red eyes and nods.
“I broke his nose. His front tooth is missing. He has a black eye,” I start, curling a piece of hair behind her ear.
“His left kidney is probably ruptured. If not, he’ll be pissing blood for a while.
His right nut is no longer functioning, and he has a broken finger on his dominant hand,” I tell her.
“Wow,” she replies. I’m waiting for her to pull away from me in disgust, but she wraps her arms around my neck in a hug and whispers, “Thank you.”
This goddamn girl.
Summer
A soft light behind my eyelids pulls my mind into wakefulness. I feel warm and safe despite expecting a sleepless night. I remember the nightmares, but they disappeared quickly. That’s never happened before. I didn’t dream at all after I told my story.
A growing awareness of hard muscles and hot skin underneath me causes me to blink my eyes open.
Nick is under me, looking untroubled in rest, with no scowl or lowered brows in sight.
It’s a good, if unfamiliar, look for him.
I attempt to free myself when my legs remind me they are still immobilized.
Nick gently squeezes my waist, so I raise my eyes to meet his intense gaze. His dark eyes are bright this morning, dark brown with blue and green flecks in them. They remind me of the earth, rich brown soil with trees and the sky above. “Shortie,” he grunts. His voice is extra gravelly.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you. I was going to get up, but my legs aren’t cooperating.”
“How do you fix them?” He asks, genuinely curious.
“In a perfect world, a good massage. For me, it’s self-massage, soaking in the tub, and stretching a lot.”
“I believe I can help,” Alex says. Looking to my right, I see him sitting against the couch.
I didn’t realize anyone else was awake. “I watched several videos on deep tissue massage last night, figuring that was part of the problem. If you are comfortable, I can help with the massage and stretching.”
“Thanks, Alex.” Trusting Alex is easy. I’ve always been comfortable with these guys. After showering with Nick, I know I can handle a massage from him. Nick picks me up and sets me on the end of the couch before heading down the hallway.
“Can you stand this morning?” Alex asks.
“I think so,” I reply, pushing up with my hands, but I don’t get very far.
Alex comes over and pulls me to standing.
I’m a new fawn trying to stand for the first time, wobbling about and very stiff.
I hobble down the hallway with Alex’s hand on my elbow, using the wall for support, as Nick comes out of the bathroom.
“We will bring your mattress back to your room for you. Do you have a change of bedding?” Alex asks.
“Yeah, there’s extra in the laundry room.
Thanks.” Shutting the bathroom door, I penguin-waddle over to the toilet.
Have you ever tried to sit on the toilet when your legs don’t bend?
Let me tell you, it’s an experience. I take care of business with great difficulty, then slowly hobble out to my room to find Zander helping Alex make my bed.
“Morning, darling,” Zander smiles at me. “I see you’re moving this morning, although it looks painful,” he frowns.
“Alex is going to help me stretch my legs out, so hopefully that will help.”
He quirks an eyebrow at Alex. “Really?”
“Yes, think of me as a physiotherapist,” Alex replies.
“Alright, in that case, the door stays open. I’m going to get some coffee,” he tells us.
We both nod as Alex gathers up all my decorative pillows. Nick comes in carrying my green pillow from the sofa. “Here,” he grunts, offering it to me.
“Thanks,” I reply, wondering if he noticed the cologne on it. Knowing Nick, he wouldn’t say anything even if he did.
“Summer, can you get changed into shorts for me?” Alex asks. I nod and hobble into the closet, followed closely by Nick.
He roots around looking for my shorts. Holding up spandex running shorts or my longer track-style shorts, he quirks an eyebrow at me.
Knowing Alex will need better access than my long shorts, I point to the spandex.
I drop my sweatpants as Nick bends down on one knee to remove my sweats before putting my feet into the shorts and pulling them up to just above my knees.
“Thanks,” I say, settling the shorts on my waist. Nick nods and leaves the room.
How has my life turned into this? I’m stripping in front of a guy I met weeks ago and didn’t even blush this morning. Granted, I have underwear on this time. Nick’s no-nonsense nature has helped tremendously. I guess after last night, I’m over my embarrassment.
I toddle back out to my bed and flop backwards. Alex chuckles at me, swinging my legs up. “Ready?” He asks.
I hand him my cream. “Ready.”
Alex gives me a smile and begins. He’s very professional about everything, and although it starts out painful, my muscles eventually release.
Officer Sean arrives as we are finishing breakfast; homemade cinnamon rolls, pancakes and bacon, courtesy of E. The guys and I all gather around the living room while Zander offers him a coffee.
A knock on the door has Alex getting up to answer. He comes back in with a man dressed in a nice grey suit, in his mid-forties. “Everyone, this is Jackson MacLeod, Summer's lawyer.” I vaguely recall Alex asking me about a lawyer last night.
“Thank you for coming Mr. MacLeod,” Zander says, getting up to shake his hand. I guess Alex must have told Zander about him at some point.
He shakes Officer Sean’s hand as Alex brings a chair over for him from the dining room. He looks around the room and stops on me. “Hello, you must be Summer.” He has a kind smile and laugh lines around his eyes.
“Yes, nice to meet you,” I reply.
“Summer, would you prefer to give your official statement first or review the information on the case?” Officer Sean asks, taking a dining chair at the end of the couch.
“I’d rather get my statement over with,” I tell him. Or skip that part entirely.
“Of course. Is this everyone?” Officer Sean asks.
Knowing I’ll need Sarah, I ask Zander to call her for me. “I don’t know where my phone is.”
“I have your phone in evidence, Summer,” Officer Sean tells me.
“Let’s get that back to her today?” Mr. MacLeod asks, and Officer Sean agrees.
Zander passes me his phone, and I see Sarah’s face on the screen. “Hi Summer. Zander said you’re about to give your official statement. I’ll stay on the line, okay?”
“Thanks, Sarah,” I reply as I raise my eyes towards everyone. “Sarah is my therapist.” My lawyer and Officer Sean nod.
“Let’s begin.” Officer Sean hits record on his phone, placing it on the coffee table. “Summer, please tell me what happened, starting with when you left the track yesterday.”
Zander grabs my left hand and squeezes gently.
You can do this Summer. I start with walking to the gym washroom with Seb and Holly, the car ride, and then being tied to the bed in the cabin.
I’m doing okay until I get to the part where Ben comes back into the cabin after explaining what he’s planning.
“Can I take a break, please?” I ask, wiping my swollen, scratchy eyes.
Officer Sean nods, pausing the recording. Casting a brief gaze around the room, I see rage on most of the guys’ faces and utter despair on Zander’s. My lawyer is writing notes on a pad of paper.