Chapter 31
Twenty-four hours later, Saul sped down the dark highway.
The bright lights, frenetic pace, and the glitz and glamour of New York City had long since faded in his rearview mirror.
His mind raced with visions of revenge against Ned Smith, the monster who had abused Sadie as a child.
But as he neared his destination, an uneasy feeling crept over him.
Was he going too far dealing with Ned the way he planned? Would Sadie end up hating him for it? Or would she feel relief that the demons of her past had been eradicated?
Saul shook his head. He never second guessed himself like this, but when it came to Sadie, all bets were off, and he often felt like he was wading through molasses.
His initial plan had been simple. Ned would meet with an unexpected accident, and Sadie would get the news she was free from the hell that had kept her bound to the private island of Elysium by her fear.
Turned out, whatever he had planned was null and void.
He drove into the neat, quiet neighborhood where Sadie’s mother lived, its smooth pavements bordered by tidy, well-maintained homes which reflected the care of their owners, and shrouded anything untoward.
Lush green lawns stretched out in front of each house, a testament to the community's pride and routine upkeep.
Streetlights stood like friendly guides, casting warm pools of light that illuminated the serene evening.
A gentle breeze rustled through the trees, carrying with it a sense of calm and contentment that seemed to settle into every corner of this peaceful suburban landscape.
It was a picture of everyday life, but Saul knew the facade of normalcy concealed the kinds of secrets no one ever talked about.
He pulled into the road where Marcie Smith lived and his heart nearly stopped as he turned the corner approaching Sadie’s childhood home.
Police lights flashed in the darkness, illuminating a scene of unexpected disorder in the quiet street. He barely had time to process what he was seeing before he spotted a woman wrapped in a blanket, talking to an officer right outside the address he’d put into google maps on his phone.
It took his brain precious seconds to reconcile to the fact that the woman was Sadie.
What the actual fuck?
Why was she here?
When had she left the safety of Elysium?
Saul's heart thundered in his chest as he hastily parked and approached the scene, his eyes never leaving Sadie. She looked small and vulnerable, her face pale in the harsh glare of the police lights. But there was a steely determination in her eyes that he recognized all too well.
As he drew closer, he caught snippets of her conversation with the officer. “I came here to see my mother…”
Like fuck, she had. He may not have known her for long, but he knew her well. He understood her motivations, and something as innocuous as visiting her mother was not adding up in his brain.
This was the woman who’d turned her back on her own daughter.
Thrown Sadie out at just sixteen and not only sided with her abusive husband but handed him personal information enabling the asshole to stalk Sadie, causing her to hole herself up on an island in the middle of the Caribbean to keep herself safe after the man was released from prison.
No, Sadie would not have just popped in for a visit.
“Ned came home and didn’t like that I was here…”
Well, now that much was undoubtedly true.
He walked closer, his anger boiling even hotter when he saw Sadie had a split lip. Dried blood smeared across her chin and there were the telltale signs of a bruise starting to bloom on her cheek. Thankfully, other than that, she appeared unhurt.
Saul's gaze swept the area, taking in the details with practiced efficiency. An ambulance stood nearby, its back doors open.
He could see a figure being treated inside. Had Sadie taken matters into her own hands again?
But then he realized with a jolt, it was not Ned Smith, but a woman.
Her eyes were wild, her clothes disheveled, but there was a fierce pride in her stance as she gestured towards Sadie, and she spoke animatedly to another officer as a medic examined her leg.
Saul's mind raced as he tried to piece together what had happened.
He approached cautiously, instincts on high alert. As he neared, Sadie caught sight of him, her eyes widening in surprise. She broke off mid-sentence with the officer and took a hesitant step towards him.
"Saul?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. "What are you doing here?"
He reached her in two long strides, resisting the urge to pull her into his arms. Instead, he gently cupped her face, his thumb brushing over the bruise on her cheek. "I could ask you the same thing," he murmured, his voice tight with concern and barely contained rage.
"I... I can explain," she whispered, her voice low and shaky, still off kilter at his presence.
“I’m sure you can, sweetheart. And I look forward to hearing it.
” Saul's jaw clenched as he fought to control his emotions.
He dropped his voice even lower, so only she could hear.
“But expect it to be met with a punishment if I find you deliberately put yourself in danger without anyone to back you up.”
Sadie’s breath caught, but Saul simply pulled her into his side, anchoring her tightly with an arm around her waist, and turned to address the police officer.
“I’m…”
“Saul Stephens,” the uniform interrupted before he could introduce himself. “I recognized you.”
Saul nodded. “I’m a… friend of the family. Can you tell me what happened here?"
The officer eyed Saul warily, undoubtedly wondering what a billionaire like him was doing on a street like this, before responding. "We received a domestic disturbance in progress call. When we arrived, we found Ms. Smith…”
“Jones,” Saul interrupted. He knew Sadie had returned to the use of her biological father’s name after the court case ended. Another way to hide her identity.
The officer continued. “Ah, we found Ms. Jones here with some minor injuries. Her mother was also present and also showed evidence of recent wounds.” He paused, his gaze shifting between Saul and Sadie.
“Mrs. Smith made the 911 call, but by the time we got here, Ms. Jones had Mr. Smith restrained on the ground after an altercation. "
Saul nodded, his mind racing. He needed to get Sadie away from here, to somewhere safe.
He could see all this was starting to take its toll on her from the fine trembling that vibrated through her body as he held her close.
But first, he had to ensure Ned Smith wasn’t just going to get a slap on the wrist and be released to terrorize anyone again.
Saul's grip on Sadie tightened imperceptibly as he processed the officer's words. His voice remained calm, but there was an underlying steel when he spoke. "And where is Mr. Smith now?"
The officer hesitated, his eyes darting between Saul and a police car on the side of the road.
Saul followed his gaze and saw Ned Smith staring back, looking entirely too smug for his own good.
"He'll be taken into custody. Given the nature of the allegations and the evidence at the scene, he'll be held pending further investigation. "
Saul raised an eyebrow. “I’m sure you’re aware Mr. Smith is on parole. Surely the obvious course of action should be immediate incarceration?”
“Well now, ah…” The uniform shuffled from foot to foot and looked anywhere but at Saul, who narrowed his eyes in response. What the fuck was going on here? “This is a man’s liberty we’re talking about here. Let’s not be too hasty.”
Saul bristled, and beside him he felt, rather than heard, Sadie’s sharp intake of breath.
“It would seem Ned’s found himself some rich girlfriend,” Sadie muttered, bitterly. “She’s already agreed to put up his bail money. Apparently, her family has clout.”
Saul had a pretty defined opinion of right and wrong.
He might do things some considered shady, but he did them from the legitimate side of the law, and only to very evil people.
He was also not above using his renowned status to pull strings when he had to.
All that humble shit? Nah! If he could use something to his advantage, then he did.
“Bail money?” He pinned the officer with a cold stare. “Are you trying to tell me an ex-convict, one the law has already said should be incarcerated if he breaks his parole conditions, should be released to be able to re-offend?”
“Well now,” the officer sputtered. “Miss Hooper has vouched…”
“Are we speaking of Miss Annabel Hooper, daughter of the esteemed Charles Hooper, who I am certain would never approve of his money being spent in such a way?” Saul demanded, but didn’t give the man an opportunity to answer.
“The twenty-two-year-old, very rebellious Annabel Hooper, who is young enough to be Mr. Smith’s child, but who is purportedly in a relationship with the married Mr. Smith who just abused both his wife and stepdaughter? ”
The uniform nodded his head, his eyes taking on the fear that he knew he was in the wrong.
“Are you telling me her whims are more important than the safety of my fiancée and her mother, who have already been injured?”
Next to him, Sadie stiffened, her breath hitching, but Saul simply brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers, squeezing her tight.
“Because if that’s the case, I think you should understand that the career of anyone who allowed either Sadie or her mother to be hurt again, after Mr. Smith has already broken his parole conditions once, really would be obliterated by such a scandal.”
He paused to let his words sink in.
“And you can be assured I will make sure that happens.”
“Of-of course, Mr. Stephens. Please don’t worry. Your fiancée and her mother are quite safe on my watch. I’ll make sure to contact the parole board in person as soon as I get back to the station.”
Saul nodded, his mind already formulating plans. He knew people, had connections. Ned Smith wouldn't see the light of day again if he had anything to say about it. But for now, Sadie was his priority.
"Is there anything else you need from Ms. Jones tonight?" Saul asked, his tone brooking no argument. "She's been through a lot, and I'd like to get her somewhere safe to rest."
The officer shook his head. "We have her initial statement. We may need to follow up later, but for now, she's free to go."
Saul turned to Sadie, his voice softening. "Ready to leave, sweetheart?"
Sadie nodded, her eyes heavy with exhaustion but also full of questions.
Well, they’d get to those later.