Beautifully Broken (12 page)

             
Cole went ahead of me and made his way to the truck which to my dismay, did in fact, hold Emma Jo with her shiny aviators. I was almost there when wariness crept down my back. I paused mid-step. The icy shiver of unease had returned with a vengeance and my skin started to prickle despite the hot day. He was stalking me, similar to a lion stalking its prey. I was merely a toy to be played with before being devoured.

             
I could feel his cold eyes on me even though I couldn’t see them. I should have known he would torment me. He was always sadistic like that. He enjoyed torturing and terrifying my mother and I before harming us. It was his way of keeping his grasp. His way of controlling. I swallowed the lump in my suddenly dry throat and my eyes darted around nervously. My heart was pounding against my ribcage and my palms were slicked with sweat. Adrenaline was coursing through my veins and caused me to tremble with my hands dangling at my sides. I was walking a thin wire of sanity and dear old dad was waiting to push me over the edge. “Marley. Are you ready?” Cole asked as he came up beside me. He kissed my temple and I had to use everything inside of me not to cringe. He had just done the worst possible thing he could of. He just gave my father leverage.

             
I tried to ignore the sinking feeling that I had and worked on a smile. “Yeah, let’s go.” I had to get out of here. If Dad was ready, he would have pounced. Something was stopping him and I had to be grateful for whatever that was. I climbed into the truck, Cole and I situated in the back while Mason and Emma Jo were in the front. Mason smiled and waved wildly, “Are you ready Marley?” He was excited and happy and truthfully his energy was contagious. I laughed, “Any chance you are going to tell me where we are heading. Mason shook his head and pulled his fingers across his lips. “Not a chance missy.” I laughed and snuggled into Cole as Emma Jo mumbled some sort of greeting. I chose to ignore her.

             
Mason pulled the truck away and just as the house started to shrink behind us I caught a glimpse of him. He stood intimidatingly in the tree line, making sure I noticed him. It was a message. A message saying that it wouldn’t be much longer before our reunion. I must have been shaking because Cole looked down at me and wrapped his arms tight against me, “Cold?” he asked innocently. I paused and hesitated as I looked back at the house then smiled up at him and nodded, snuggling closer. “Yeah. Just a little.” No sense in ruining the day.

Chapter Fifteen

            
 
At some point during the drive I must have drifted off because next thing I knew Cole was gently shaking me out of the terrifying images of my father. I came to and looked around groggily, still in the space of both asleep and awake. “Good morning.” He said with a smile. Mason and Emma Jo had already climbed out of the truck and were unloading things from the back. “Where are we?” I asked sleepily as I rubbed my eyes and sat up. I could smell salt in the air and automatically I perked up. All around us was sand and that’s when I noticed the dark blue water spreading out as far as I could see. Cole had brought me to the ocean. “How did you know I had always wanted to see the ocean?” I asked as I excitedly climbed out of the truck and towards the back to help the others. “When we talked about the past I got the impression you didn’t get to have many family vacations.” Cole shrugged and I was smiling so wide that my cheeks hurt. I threw myself in his arms, burying my face where his neck met his shoulder. “Thank you.” His fingers tangled in my hair and I felt his rumble of laughter against my chest, “Are you figuring out yet that I would do just about anything to put that gorgeous smile on your face?” I nodded and pulled reluctantly out of his arms.

             
We followed Mason and Emma Jo, all of us loaded down with blankets and coolers. Emma Jo picked a sunny spot just far enough away from the water that we wouldn’t get hit by a rogue wave and we started setting up. “Mase and I are going to the water, do you want to come?” Cole asked as he pulled off his shirt. My eyes darted to Emma Jo and forced a smile on my face. “No you go ahead, I want to lay here for a bit.” Cole smiled wide and took off running, smacking Mason in the back of the head before bounding towards the water, kicking sand up with his feet. Mason ran after him and Emma Jo laughed. I glanced over and noticed how normal and relaxed she was.

             
The two of us sat quietly for a bit, watching the boys splash and swim in the water. The sun felt good on my exposed skin. Emma Jo was wearing a green suit that brought out the color in her eyes and her blonde hair was pulled sloppily to the top of her head. “What is it about you?” She asked not unkindly. Her face was both passive and curious as she waited for my response. “I don’t know.” I answered honestly. I had wondered the same thing many times. “You’re not like me…you’re not thin, I suppose you are a little pretty. Unique maybe and you are certainly not nice.” I narrowed my eyes at her. “No. I’m just not nice to you. I can be plenty nice.” I spit. Her puffy lips curved into a smile. “And I’m sure all those truckers and dive bar bikers appreciated your ‘niceness’ very much.” She said it sweetly but the venom behind the retort left a bitter taste. I stared at her and wished more than anything that I had the energy to pummel her. “How dare you. You have no idea who I am or what I have been through.” Emma Jo stood up, her face inches from mine even though she had to be about three inches taller than me. “What I know is that he is better than you. He deserves better than the both of us. You and I aren’t so different in that way.” I wondered absently if she could feel the rage that was rolling off of me. I felt like my entire body was shaking and burning all at once. “I am nothing like you.” I spit the words out from between my clenched teeth. She placed a hand on her hip and leaned a bit closer. Any closer and our noses would touch. “Oh but we are. Can you truthfully say without hesitation that you are good enough for him? Everyone can see how broken you are. How many skeletons are in your closet?” She whispered. I took a step back trying to gather my bearings. She was throwing me off kilter and she knew it. “When my parents took you in, you really mean to tell me they just took your word when you told them your name? Ha!” She smiled widely and in that moment she looked more like the Cheshire cat than a girl.

             
Her eyes burned with hatred and even a little jealousy. She really couldn’t fathom that Cole would have chosen me over her. It both angered and baffled her. “You may fool everyone else in this dumb witted town. You may even have a couple of this poor hicks wrapped around your stupid little finger.” She shook her head slowly and jutted out her chin, “But not me. Nope, not me at all. I don’t buy into these lies,
Marley
” She sneered. I felt like I couldn’t breathe as I stood there watching her seething. My anger was melting away into something else. Protection. I felt like I needed to protect myself. Emma Jo was a lot more observant than I had given her credit for. “Emma Jo. I have no idea what it is you have against me, but I refuse to stand here and let you tell me who you think I am. Mark my words, we are not the same. You have no idea the life I’ve lived or the reasons for the choices I’ve mad. I’m sorry that somewhere along the line, you left Cole thinking he was beneath you, but he’s moved on and perhaps it’s time that you consider doing so yourself. Mason for instance, is a great guy that you would be lucky to have.” Her eyes looked away and landed on Mason briefly. I turned and headed towards the water, needing some much needed space before I dragged her cave man style to the beach and drown her bubbly ass. Of course she was probably pumped so full of plastic that she’d float.

             
I walked to the water and dipped my foot into the surf. The water was a little more chilled than bath water and I smiled walking in up to my thighs. Wet arms wound around my middle and lifted my toes from the soft sand beneath me. I squealed and Cole laughed, turning me to face him. “Are you having fun?” he asked. Droplets of water clung to the edges of his long eye lashes and amusement swam in his blue eyes. I nodded. He sighed, “I’m really sorry about Emma Jo.” He apologized. I shook my head, “its fine.” I tried to shake off the unease that she thrust me in and focused on Cole. She was just jealous and angry. Cole tugged us out until neither of our feet touched the bottom. “What’s the story with her?” I asked quietly, my curiosity getting the best of me, she obviously had some sort of vendetta against me and with a guy like Cole I really couldn’t blame her. Cole and I floated weightlessly in the cool water each one of us studying the other. “Did you love her?” I asked, probing bit by bit. Cole looked down and studied the water momentarily, “Yes. For a while I did. Or at least I thought I did.” He answered softly, “She was different, sweeter then and certainly not as malicious as she is now. She was fun.” He shrugged and tugged me in close to his body. The cool water enveloped my skin and was a dark contrast to the heat that was hitting against me from Cole’s touch. His lips kissed my salty skin. “What makes me so different?” I asked nosily. I felt his lips twist into a smile as they hovered at the base of my neck. “You are a questionable little thing today aren’t you?” He nuzzled his nose under my chin making me smile, “What makes you different is that you know my deepest secret and love me despite it.” His mouth moved to mine and I sighed happily. He tasted like the salty ocean and I wanted to devour it.

             
I felt it like a shock running through my body. After floating lazily in Cole’s arms for the better part of an hour I felt it. It was like a coating of slime over my skin. I knew he was watching me again. I leaned up thrashing in the water with panic, “Whoa, Marley. What’s wrong?” Cole asked, surprised by my sudden outburst. I didn’t answer as I scanned the beach. My eyes anxiously looking for him. When I found him, just barely hidden by a small group to the left of Emma Jo, my blood ran cold. I felt like I couldn’t get enough air. I started swimming clumsily towards the sand. “Marley slow down!” Cole called behind me. His voice was laced with worry and confusion but I couldn’t stop to soothe him. I tried to keep him in my line of sight but the salt water stung and blurred my eyes. Just as I got to the beach I saw him smile wickedly and slip away unnoticed by everyone but me. That line of sanity was fraying and I was finally starting to feel like it wasn’t strong enough to hold off the break. Cole finally got beside me, breathing heavily. “ Marley. What the hell is going on?” He demanded. I looked at him and it must have been the unmistakable fear that I knew without a doubt was in my eyes because his face immediately softened and he tugged me into his arms, glancing around nervously. He guided us towards Mason and Emma Jo, “We have to go.” He said as he started to clean up. “I’m not feeling well.” He knew as well as I did, involving them would have been bad. No one argued as we packed up and made our way to the truck. The ride home was quiet and this time I didn’t sleep. I wished that I could of because at this point my dreams were better than the reality.

**

             
Cole and I walked quietly into my apartment. As I dropped my bags to the floor the smeared paint taunted me. I felt the hot tears brim in my eyes and before they had the chance to fall Cole had me wrapped tightly against his chest. His warmth and scent enveloped me and I greedily soaked it in. Between my father’s torture and Emma Jo’s questions the day left me feeling raw and exposed. “Let’s get into a shower than bed.” He suggested quietly. I could only nod the burn in my throat preventing me from speaking. He guided me to the bathroom and turned me to face him, his eyes trailing worriedly over me. He softly took my hands and lifted them above my head as he slowly removed my tank top. I turned almost robotically and felt his fingers tug the strings of my suit. I let everything drop to the ground and stepped out of the bottoms. Silently he turned on the water and undressed himself. His face was sad as he helped me into the water. We stood there, our arms wrapped around one another as the water cascaded down our bodies. I felt frozen and even the hot water wasn’t breaking through the shield of ice that felt like it surrounded me. “It’ll be okay Marley. I promise you. It’ll be okay.” He whispered soothingly against my hair. I wanted to believe him. I desperately did but somehow I knew without a doubt things would get worse before they got better. We stayed in the cocoon of the shower until the water ran cold. Climbing out, Cole wrapped a towel around me and gathered me into his arms and carried me to the bedroom.

             
Once we were lying in bed, my head on his chest his soft thumping heart beat lulling me to sleep. His fingers trailed absently through my hair and my eyes fluttered closed. It wasn’t long before I plunged into a fitful sleep full of gray eyes and blood.

Chapter Sixteen

              The next morning I wake up and leave Cole sleeping peacefully in a tangle of sheets. I quickly dressed in a pair of shredded blue jeans and tank top, snatching my coveralls from the bottom of my closet. Somehow I manage to whip together half way decent pancakes and leave them on the counter for Cole when he wakes up. I’m working hard at forgetting the events of the previous day and decided I needed something to keep me busy. I look around the apartment and sigh. Then I head out and towards the Bradley farm to work and hopefully finish Old Louise. The anticipation of seeing his face when she’s up and running is more than I can possibly contain.

             
I pull in next to the old garage and get out of my car, pulling some parts with me. It shouldn’t be long before I can start her up and drive her into the town next to Oliver where I can get her painted and bring her back looking brand new. “Hello Laynie. Fancy meeting you here.” I nearly drop everything in my arms as I lock my eyes with his. Eyes that match my own. Eyes that I loathe. My blood runs cold as ice. I knew he was watching me but I thought for sure he would continue to torture me a little while longer, like a sick game of cat and mouse. His hair is slicked back in a low ponytail and streaks of grey lace through it. “What are you doing here?” I try to keep the tremble out of my voice but by his disgusting smile I can tell I didn’t do a well enough job. “You don’t think I know my own daughter. You don’t think that I knew you would run. How many times did you talk about white Christmas’s when you thought no one was listening? All I had to do was take a path I thought you would take and show around your picture. You’re like your mother like that. Predictable.” He is fiddling with a tool next to the truck as I stand motionless by the door. I never even knew he had a picture of me to show. “What do you want with me? You’re free of me. Free of mom.” I say as I set the box down. I figure if he comes at me I am going to need both hands to fight him. He studies me inquisitively and I him. I thought he was dead the last time I saw him. Today he is wearing a stained button up bowling shirt with a pair of loose fitting pants and a pair of shoes littered with holes. His golden days are certainly behind him at this point and he’s definitely had better days.