Aligned: Volume 3 (21 page)

I throw everything I have into the next punch and watch him get knocked off balance. I take the chance to punch him over and over. I don’t see anything but his face. I don’t care about anything but inflicting pain on another. I don’t care about anything except killing this motherfucker. He deserves to die for laying a hand on Alex. I punch and kick, each one more deadly than the previous one. Ethan tries to fight back, but I avoid each feeble attempt. He won’t be able to touch me. The fire he ignited when he touched Alex is too strong.
 

Ethan falls to the floor in a crumpled mess after a hard kick to the side. I don’t think about right and wrong. I don’t think about myself. I just think about Alex. What this bastard did to Alex. I ready myself to kick this bastard over and over until he stops breathing when I feel someone’s arms grab hold of me holding me back.
 

Ethan looks up at me a smug expression creeps over his face as I realize security is taking me from the room. Most likely the hospital and into a waiting police car.
 

“Yes, get this fucking idiot out of here,” Ethan says as he stands to his feet. I glance behind Ethan and see that Alex has made it back to her feet and is leaning against the bed.
 

“No. Take both of them,” Alex says.
 

“Are you sure, ma’am? If we escort your husband out, he won’t be allowed back in the hospital,” one of the security guys says.
 

“Yes, I’m sure. Get them both out of my sight.”
 

He nods and grabs hold of Ethan’s arm and begins walking us out. I don’t bother to look at Ethan as we are escorted down the hallways and to the entrance of the building where I know there are hundreds of photographers waiting to find out news about Alex. Waiting to get a picture of a mourning husband. Instead, they will get one better. Of a beat-up husband and the scorned lover. My image will be effectively ruined between walking out on my own wedding and now this. The label could drop me for this. Not that I give a damn anymore.
 

The security officers push us both out the doors of the hospital.
 

“Stay out or we will call the police and let them know they can press assault and battery charges against both of you.”
 

The officer smiles as he glances up at the photographers who are beginning to take notice of our bloodied appearance.
 

“They are all yours,” he shouts to the photographers before going back into the building. It’s the last thing I see before the mob of flashes begins.

Now, my life is spent searching for a damn key. A key she hid from me before the attack and kidnapping.
 

It’s been three fucking days since I last saw her. True to their word, the hospital wouldn’t let either of us back in despite how much money I offered to pay them. Luckily, the press is much easier to persuade when given a large amount of money. I couldn’t keep the pictures out of the tabloids, but I did persuade them to spin the story my way. That Landon Davis is nothing but a douchebag who thinks he can take whatever he wants, whenever he wants. He wanted Alexa despite her telling him no, and I defended her honor. I came out like her noble knight in shining armor in the media, while Landon Davis looks like the scum of the earth. He won’t make another penny selling music if I have anything to do with it.
 

Today, Alexa is being released. I know only because Mother has been able to visit. So I wait at the back entrance of the hospital away from the paparazzi at the front. Thank God, Alexa agreed to let me drive her home.
 

I watch as the nurse wheels Alexa out in a wheelchair. She’s wearing sweats and a t-shirt. She will never learn. Even going out the back entrance, there is a chance the paparazzi will get a photo of her. I need to hire a full-time stylist for her for the future.
 

Alexa smiles and thanks the nurse before climbing into the back of the large blacked-out windowed SUV. I climb in next to her, and her smile immediately fades.
 

“Take us home,” I say to the driver I hired.
 

“No,” Alexa says. “Drive us around for a little bit so we can talk and then take us to my condo.”
 

“You can’t stay there. It’s still a crime scene.”
 

“I know, but I need to see for myself. And then I’ll get a hotel room. I’m not staying with you.”
 

“Yes, you are. I got us the house. The house with the amazing view and five rooms that we can fill with children. That’s still the plan.”
 

“No, it isn’t. I don’t stay with someone who lies to me and then beats up someone I care about without giving me a chance to explain first. Someone who loves me, as you claim, doesn’t hurt me like that. Someone who loves me is honest and treats me like a partner, not a like a child you have to control.”
 

“I never lied to you.”
 

“Yes, you did! You told me I was safe when I wasn’t. You chose not to tell me you suspected James. You kept me in complete darkness!”
 

“I’m sorry. I was just trying to keep you from worrying. I was just trying to keep you safe.”
 

“Yeah ... how did that work out for you?”
 

“That’s not fair.”
 

“Nothing ever is.”

“I had every right to beat the living shit out of Landon. He was kissing you! And you want to talk about a liar. How about you? You’ve been lying to me this whole time. You were fucking him while I was fighting to get back to you! You should be the one apologizing.”
 

“You were dead! I moved on. That’s not a crime. I should have told you about him. I’m sorry for keeping that from you, but I had enough shit to get straightened out in my own head that I didn’t need to deal with explaining him to you.”
 

I stare at her incredulously, my anger and rage returning. Her eyes grow wide in recognition of something she didn’t see before.
 

“You were fucking him, weren’t you? This whole time we’ve been together, you’ve been cheating on me behind my back.”
 

Her wide-eyed stare turns to anger. “No. I didn’t. The second I found out you were alive, I chose you over him. I chose you, a man who was virtually a complete stranger to me, over a man I desperately loved. But right now, I don’t know why I decided to choose either of you when you both lie to me.”
 

I grab hold of her body to plant a kiss on her lips. One she will never forget full of hunger and desire and rage. A kiss that will show her why she chose me and not that arrogant prick. I just reach her lips before she pushes me off her. I glance up and realize we are parked in front of her condo building just like she asked. I move to get out when she puts her hand up.
 

“I’ve spent the last three days thinking about what I want instead of thinking about what I was obligated to do.” She pauses and takes a deep breath with tears in her eyes. “I want a divorce.”
 

“No.”
 

“Ethan. It’s not fair to either of us to stay married. I need to decide for myself if I want to be married to you or not. I can’t make that decision when we are already married. I need some time and space to figure out what I want.”
 

“No.”

“Ethan, I’m not asking. I want a divorce.”
 

I shake my head. “You just need some time and space to realize you are making a mistake. You don’t want a divorce.”
 

She sighs and climbs out of the car. The driver hands her her duffle bag of clothes that she slings over her shoulder. She turns to head into her condo building but pauses at the door. She takes the rings from her finger and walks them back to me and places them in my hand.
 

“I can’t wear these. I need to choose my own future and not be forced into one that I chose before the attack. I’m a different person now. I get to choose my future.” She pauses for just a second. “I’m sorry.” She turns and quickly walks into her condo building leaving me sitting in the back of the SUV feeling like an idiot.
 

I tell the driver to drive to my new empty house that I just bought that was supposed to be for us, but now, I’m not so sure about our future together. We aren’t getting divorced. We can’t. That much I know for sure.

It was him. My memory comes back faster and faster. Somehow, I think I always knew. It was him.
 

The crime tape covering the door shocks me when I see it even though I was expecting it. Ethan even reminded me about it, but it’s still shocking to see it strewn across my doorway. I touch the tape and run my hand over the words. Somehow, after everything, this is what makes it real for me. Not living through it. Not waking up in the hospital. Not the pain or the scars. This flimsy piece of tape is what makes it a reality for me.
 

I remove one end of the tape, ignoring the sign that says ‘do not enter.’ I take my key and put it into the lock, the same way I did that day. It unlocks and I push the door open the same way expecting the fear to overtake me once I open it and walk inside, but it doesn’t. The need for revenge takes away any feelings of fear.
 

I glance around the condo that is still a complete disaster just like it was that day. Whoever was here was definitely searching for something. The question is did he find it? I start in the kitchen keeping the memories at bay as I look at the bloodstained floor. I see the broken glass from my dishes that had sunk into my back leaving more scars. I don’t care anymore about the scars or my disfigurement. Not like I used to anyway. I used to feel slightly ashamed, especially when I laid naked in front of Ethan or Landon. Now, I know each scar made me stronger. Made me ready to fight a battle I never knew I was fighting.
 

So much blood remains on the floor. Blood that James supposedly caused. I told the police they were wrong. That is wasn’t James. It was someone else. They wrote my description of the attacker down but said they had indisputable video evidence that it was James. I haven’t seen the video yet. Maybe when I do, I will feel different, but I don’t think so. I know it’s not James. I don’t know how, but I just do. I need to go talk to James. Hear his story. I don’t know if I will be able to help him without giving the police a more likely suspect, but I need to at least try. James has done so much to help me remember the past. I can’t just leave him alone without any help.
 

I look around the kitchen, trying to remember if I kept anything in here worthy of stealing, but I come up empty. I kept dishes and kitchen appliances in here. Nobody would break into my condo to steal that.
 

I walk into my completely destroyed living room. Everything of value is still here. The DVDs and TV are here. Other than the couch and chair, that’s all that was in this room and it’s all still here.
 

I move to the door leading to my bedroom. It’s closed just as it was that day. I hesitate as if it’s all going to happen again if I push the door open. I push those feelings aside, though, as I push the door open. My need to find answers is more important than my need to run away afraid.
 

I walk into my bedroom and find it in shambles just like the rest of my condo. I glance in the bathroom and find it is more of the same. I head into my bathroom as I remember I had some valuable jewelry in a box on the counter. The box is open. The jewelry scattered on the counter, but it looks to all be here. Nothing is missing, although he obviously found the expensive items. This wasn’t a robbery. This was personal. Whatever he was looking for was something specific he thought I had. I just don’t know what that is.
 

I go back to my bedroom. To the clothes covered floor. There is nothing here other than clothes. I glance over to my nightstand. The locked drawer holding my most prized possessions had been pried open. I run over to it and rummage through the newspaper clippings. The articles about Ethan and me. The articles about my mother. I find the painting of a sunset. The one my mother painted is still intact with just a small tear in the corner. The only piece of her I have left is still here. I sigh as I slump to the floor. Nothing is missing from here either. He didn’t find whatever he was searching for, which means he will be back to find it.
 

I sit looking at the simple painting trying to figure out what I need to do next. I have nowhere to start. So I just sit and stare into nothing.
 

No, I do have somewhere to start. James. I need to talk to James. I have other people I can talk to too. They all sit in jail. Whoever I’m looking for worked with those who sit in jail. They might just be willing to help me out if it means I can help free them sooner. So that’s where I will start.
 

I roll up the painting and place it carefully in my bag. I’m not taking any more chances of leaving it here to be destroyed. I look through my clothes and select a few before putting them in my bag since I don’t know when I’ll be back here.
 

I glance down at my hand where Ethan’s large rings used to cover my finger. After wearing them for weeks now, it feels weird now that they are gone. I haven’t changed my mind about divorcing Ethan. I will never be able to choose between Ethan and Landon if I’m married to one. I can’t be tied to one or the other to make my decision about who I want to be with. Or if I want to be with anyone. I don’t know what to do, but I feel myself being pulled upstairs. I feel myself being pulled to Landon even if it is just to yell at him more for lying to me.
 

It can’t be true.

I’m lost without you.