“Who are you?” The older woman that was with her asked him.
“I’m her fiancé. What the hell happened to her?”
“Seems she tripped down the stairs.” The way she said tripped led him to believe she thought something else happened.
“All this bruising, though?”
“Happened yesterday, too…” She trailed off.
Lifting her chin carefully, he forced her to look in his eyes. Her normally dark brown orbs were dull, flat; the life was sucked out of them. His heart broke for her in that moment. He’d done this. He wanted to come see her but gave her some time, hoping she would cool off. That was his first mistake.
Spinning on his sister he demanded, “Who? And don’t you fucking lie to me, Ashley.”
She seemed to freeze at his words. “Tell me you didn’t do this?”
Crossing her arms defensively, she glared at him. Her friends began to back away as they saw the seriousness of the situation.
Movement from his left caught his attention and he saw the jock from a couple of days ago stalking towards him. He prepared himself for whatever crap the kid was going to try and pull only to be shocked when he told him, “She didn’t personally.” Nodding his head towards one of the guys she’d been with.
Narrowing his eyes on them, he told the woman still standing with Cecilia, “Call the cops. I want them all charged with assault.” When his sister went to say something he turned his back on her saying, “Ashley included.”
“What! Landon, you can’t!” she screeched.
“I am, Ashley. You crossed a line. I warned you to leave her the fuck alone, but you stepped in it by scaring her off and filling her head full of bullshit lies. Now you spread disgusting rumors and have her assaulted? I don’t fucking think so. For once, you’re going to face the consequences of your actions.”
Walking away from her, he went to Cecilia who’s eyes were wide in wonder. “Landon?”
“I don’t care what she told you, sweets, none of it’s true. What we shared? That was special and I’m telling you now, nothings ever going to change that,” he vowed vehemently.
Wrapping an arm gently around her shoulders, he handed the woman his card with his numbers on it for the police to contact him about charges.
Guiding her outside and to his waiting car, he took her home, making a quick call to his doctor to come give her an exam at his penthouse so she didn’t feel any more traumatized than she already was.
Cecilia was so wrapped up in her mind, she hardly paid any attention to her surroundings. She knew she was in Landon’s car because she heard him speak to someone on the phone as he was driving, but nothing registered.
She had a hard time associating herself with the goings on, having no interest in what was happening around her. Locked in her mind as the cruel words taunted her and the pain assaulted her body, as her classmates watched in fascination.
It brought to life the deep-seated root that any good left in humanity was gone. Students that didn’t know her gathered around to see what would happen next. Students that did know her and what had happened to make her the way she was had turned their backs and walked away. The students that had tormented her, her entire life laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world to watch a person be brought down to the lowest point they could reach before they broke.
And she wondered, not for the first time, if she would be better off dead. The pain would end. No one would miss her. And for once, she would be free.
The sad thing was, the only thing holding her back was not wanting them to find someone else to make their target. If they were tormenting her, they weren’t after a new target.
She would save the innocent and become the damned.
As they pulled into the parking garage, she watched as Landon got out coming around to her door to help her. They made their way to the elevator that went directly to his penthouse. As they stepped off, she couldn’t help but murmur, “Back to where it all began.”
Hurt flashed across his face so quick she nearly missed it, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. If it weren’t for him locking onto her and demanding her to let him in, then she wouldn’t be t
argeted with such vengeance from Ashley.
Over the years, she’d watched the girl become more bitter and angrier with a vindictive streak a mile wide. She had always feared what would happen if her cruelty was aimed at her. Now she knew.
With his hand on her back, she followed where he led as he sat her on the couch facing the window where he’d so thoroughly loved her just a few days ago.
“Cecilia,” he murmured kneeling before her, her hands crushed between his. “I’m sorry, sweets. I should have come for you sooner. I shouldn’t have waited. I thought you might need to cool down.” Wiping a hand down his face, he looked pained. “I still don’t know what she said to you. I wish I did. I wish I’d never left, but I swear to you Cecilia I won’t let anything touch you again.”
She heard the promise in his voice, the pain he was feeling. She believed him. At least, her mind did. He hadn’t done anything wrong towards her but his actions put her in a difficult spot. A painful spot. One she was having a hard time finding her way out of.