from Pain to Pleasure (Gainesville Book 1) (27 page)

Alex took a few steps back. Danielle was very still. His breath caught. Then her foot jerked, and he let it out. He had been sure Brian had killed her already. “You fucking bastard,” Alex mumbled. After a few slow breaths, he growled, “If you kill either of them, you’ll regret it!”

“You need me?” Nathan called to his brother. He saw Alex frozen in place.

His eyes toward the open door, Alex shouted, “Don’t. He’s got her by the throat.”

Brian grinned at Danielle when he let her breathe again. She pulled at his hands. All kinds of thoughts ran through his head as his mind slipped from reality. He loosened his grip and watched her gulp air.
You’re mine, and he can’t have you
. He started to plan their return home. Insanely, he thought he could make her get an abortion and bring her back to Fort Lauderdale. Then she would be the docile girl he was used to.

He smirked and looked at Alex. “Time to watch me fuck her.”

Terrified, Danielle quickly squirmed, so Brian’s leg fell between hers. “No. Please. No more!”

Alex acted immediately. He rushed at Brian as if he were a lineman crushing the opposition. They crashed into the night stand, and the lamp hit the wall just as they did. Brian groaned. Alex grabbed him by the shirt and lifted him off the floor.

“You like to hit girls, huh?”

Brian wasn’t scared. He was too pumped-up. “The little slut deserved it! How dare you fuck my woman!”

“She’s mine now, and you’re never gonna touch her again!”

Alex tossed Brian across the room as easily as Brian had done to Danielle earlier. Brian hit the wall, and then landed on the floor in shock. The look in Alex’s eyes, as he came toward him, made Brian understand why Danielle feared him. His father had the same look when he beat Brian as a kid. Brian put his hands up just as Alex swung at him.

Danielle tried to get up, but her head spun. Blood dripped from several places on her face, and she ached everywhere. She turned to Alex and Brian, who struggled on the floor. Then she saw the look in Alex’s eyes. He grabbed Brian’s head in his hands. She knew what he was capable of after she watched a few videos of his fights that weekend.

“Don’t kill him, Alex!” she cried out, as loud as she could. “You’ll go to jail!”

Nathan ran into the room. He quickly assessed the situation. His brother was about to do something stupid. “Let him go!”

Alex shook his head and released Brian, just in time. He assumed Brian had passed out since he hadn’t reacted. Alex jumped back. Memories of a lifeless body in his hands returned. The urge to kill Brian had been so strong, though. He needed to pay for what he did to Danielle.

Brian didn’t move when he hit the floor. He thought that would at least give him half a chance to finish what he started. He opened an eye slightly and saw Danielle sit up with assistance from Alex. Her clothes were badly torn, and she had blood and bruises on her face. He wanted to grin but held back.

“Oh, God. I’m sorry.” Alex hugged her gently, afraid to hurt her. “I shouldn’t have left you. Is the baby OK?” He rubbed her belly. Tears started to fall.

Danielle tried to remember where Brian hit her, but it was all a blur. “I don’t know…” She suddenly started to cry.

Mary knew it was only a matter of time before security or the police arrived. “Is everything OK in there?” She worried about her sons getting in trouble.

Nathan checked Brian for a pulse, and then left the room. “Alex got it under control. She’s hurt, but it doesn’t look too bad.” He hugged his mother.

“Did she lose the baby?” She sniffled and trembled in her son’s arms.

Nathan rubbed her back. “Don’t think about that, Mom.”

Alex kissed Danielle’s bloody lips. “I’m gonna get you some water.” He laid her on the bed and arranged her torn clothing, so it covered her intimate areas. “Where’re your panties?” He was confused until he saw fear in her eyes again. He let it go and gently patted her belly. “I’ll be right back.” He glanced at Brian, who had not moved. The obviously broken fingers on his left hand made Alex smile. He had stomped on them good. It was a promise he had to keep.

Slowly, Brian opened his eyes. Both brothers had gone into the hallway. He crawled out of sight and stood up. With an evil smirk, he looked Danielle over. Her eyes had closed, but her clothes were torn in all the right places. He pounced on her. His injured hand clamped over her mouth while his good hand gripped her throat again.

Danielle’s eyes opened wide. “Please…” she begged, her voice muffled.

“What the fuck?” Alex saw Brian on top of her. He jumped on the bed and got him into a headlock. “Let her go, or you’re dead!”

Brian met Danielle’s eyes and squeezed tighter. He didn’t think Alex had it in him. “Make me.” When spots formed in his vision, he gasped. Alex cut his oxygen off. Quickly, he covered her nose, too. “I’ll… kill… her…” Her eyes widened as Brian smothered her.

“Don’t move!” a security guard shouted. He pointed a Taser at Alex. Then he saw the woman beneath them both. “I need help!” he shouted to his partner.

Alex turned to see two weapons pointed at him. “I’m trying to get him off her. He beat the shit out of her, and he’s trying to kill her again! Stop him! Not me.”

Brian had frozen as well. He didn’t expect to be caught. He thought he had enough time to get out of there before the police were called. Then he realized, they could be just security. They couldn’t arrest him. The clink of metal confused him.

Danielle trembled from pain and fear. She tried to free her mouth, but Brian didn’t let her. Then she bit his bloody finger.

“Ow, you bitch!” Brian slapped her with his injured hand. “You’re dead, whore!” Then he felt pain in his side and thought he had been shot. His body jerked in an unnatural way while he screamed.

“No! She’s pregnant!” Alex let Brian go and turned around. “He’ll kill her.”

Both security guards moved in and pulled Brian off Danielle, and then tossed him on the ground face down. Then Brian was hit again by the other guard’s Taser. The new round of spasms made them smile. Their story would be that he resisted. Neither of them could stand abusive men.

Alex cradled Danielle again. “I’m sorry. I thought he passed out.”

Danielle was exhausted and clung to Alex. “Please don’t let go. Please!”

“We need paramedics up here,” one of the men said into his radio. Then he turned to Alex. “How’s she doing?”

With a glance up, Alex replied, “Terrified and bleeding. I have to get her checked out at the hospital.”

“All taken care of.” Nathan came in the room and put a hand on his little brother’s shoulder. “I already called 911. Ambulance is on its way.” He looked down at Brian, who was handcuffed and struggled to get free.

Alex met his brother’s eyes. “Thanks.” He brushed Danielle’s hair with his fingers. “He’ll never do it again. I promise.” He hated that the last time he promised that, he failed. She needed to hear it, though.

Worn out, Danielle tried to grab Alex’s hand, but she had no strength. He felt the movement and took her hand in both of his. Alex stood back as an orderly brought in a sonogram machine and left the room. While Dr. White moved the device closer, he lifted Danielle’s hospital gown. He knew how tired she was. He tried to keep as much of her lower body covered with the sheet as he could.

“That’s good enough,” the doctor told Alex.

His hands shook as he stepped back. The adrenaline that had fueled him earlier had dissipated. He was only left with his own strength, which faltered. It was difficult to see Danielle go through so much. He felt helpless. Danielle’s hand in his, they watched as their child came on the screen.

Danielle gripped him harder when she faintly saw a heartbeat.
Our baby’s still alive
. Her eyelids began to get heavier. She wanted a nap. They told her to stay awake because she had a possible concussion, although the scan showed no injury. The bruise on her forehead was evidence of the possibility, though.

“We found some things we need to talk about.” The doctor put the wand down and adjusted Danielle’s gown. She waited for their attention, and then continued, “During my exam, I found extensive evidence of long-term sexual abuse.” She paused for an explanation but didn’t get one. “There’s damage to her cervix.”

Alex muttered, “The fucking bastard.”

Dr. White saw fear in Danielle’s eyes and anger in Alex’s. He was obviously not the abuser. “Is there going to be a case for the abuse as well?”

“Same fucking guy!” Alex yelled, unable to control his anger. Then: “Sorry.”

“OK. Then I will hand over my findings with the rape kit.” She put a hand over theirs. “The cervix damage could cause an issue with the pregnancy. If weakened enough, it may not support the baby to term. You need to report pain, cramps, bleeding or anything unusual to her doctor quickly.” The doctor looked at the frightened girl in front of her. She hoped she would be OK. “And get her in counseling. Maybe for the both of you.”

Alex squeezed Danielle’s hand and kissed her unblemished right cheek. “You’ll have everything you need, babe.”

“The policemen in the hallway are waiting to talk to you two.” She hoped Danielle could handle it. “They already interviewed your brother and your mother.”

He kissed Danielle’s hand. “My mom should have clothes for you. I’ll be right back.”

Danielle watched Alex leave the room. He had barely a scratch on him. Fear welled up. Brian was at the hospital too. Then she realized he was in police custody. She shivered and hoped he would stay there. He knew how to work the law to his advantage. He had gotten out of several tickets that way.

Alex found almost his entire family in the waiting room. Most of them stood up as he approached. The looks on their faces told him they needed to know her condition. He hadn’t been out there once yet, although Nathan had come in several times to check on them.

“They’re both gonna be fine.” He felt relief as he said it. He finally believed it. Then exhaustion hit him. “She needs clothes—”

Nathan rushed to put a shoulder under Alex before he collapsed. He caught him just in time. “You need to sit and relax.” Michael helped Nathan set Alex in a chair. “Carol, get him a soda.” He looked into Alex’s eyes. “I’ll take you guys home. So you can get some sleep.”

* * *

Danielle jumped at the knock on the door. The nurse opened it a crack and spoke softly to someone. Then it opened wider, and a man came in the room.

“Ma’am, we need to take your statement.” The detective took a few cautious steps toward the bed, aware the situation. He took out his identification. “I’m Detective Marshall.” He took out a pad and paper, since he was an old school kind of detective. “I want to hear your side. OK?”

Dr. White glanced over to make sure he kept his distance. The last thing Danielle needed was more stress. “Do you want to sit up, Danielle?” she asked as she moved next to the bed. While she helped her up, she looked at the detective. “My report will show all her injuries, including several previous ones the perpetrator caused.”

* * *

Nathan put a cheeseburger in Alex’s open hand. He was sure he had not eaten in hours and had already refused several times. “You gotta eat something, man. You almost passed out before.”

“I’m fine,” Alex insisted. It wasn’t true. His head pounded, and he was hungry.

Michael, the oldest, felt he needed to lend a hand. He stood in front of Alex. “Eat it before Mom starts nagging you.” He smirked when Alex gave him a half-smile, and then took a bite. With a hand on Alex’s shoulder, he said, “We’re all here for you guys.”

They talked quietly for a while. Then suddenly, shouts came from beyond the triage rooms. Alex looked up. A policeman and several security guards ran toward the noise. Alex stood, worried about Danielle. Then he started to walk to the entrance.
What the fuck’s going on?

Minutes later, Brian emerged from the area, gripped by police officers and screamed, “I didn’t do anything!”

Alex scowled. Anger washed over him.

“He did it. I swear!” Brian struggled to break free from the officer’s grip on his arms. They couldn’t handcuff him because one wrist was in a cast.

Nathan was right behind Alex. He grabbed him just as Alex lunged at Brian. “He’s not worth it.” Alex tried to shrug him off, but Nathan held tight. “She needs you.”

Alex sighed. His brother was right. He had already given Brian some payback. The rest would be a long jail sentence. When they had removed Brian from the building, he pulled away from Nathan. “I’m OK.” He turned to his family. “I’m gonna go check on her.”

* * *

Danielle saw her room door open. “Alex!” she cried out. The questions had brought it all back, and then Brian… She held out a hand and closed her eyes when he grasped it. “Where is he?”

“It’s OK.” Alex hugged her head to his chest gently. “He’s gone.”

She sobbed, “He… He…”

Detective Marshall stood up. “The guy ran in here a bit ago when a nurse opened the door. He’s off his freaking rocker. He tried to strangle her with me right here.” He waited for a minute to see if Danielle had anything else to say. “Let me know when you’re ready to give yours, Alex.” He placed a business card on the counter next to the bed, and then left the room. “I’ll wait around for a few more minutes.”

* * *

Within 30 minutes, Alex wheeled Danielle to his car. Aware of how his brother drove when angry, Nathan sat in the driver’s seat, while Alex got Danielle into the back seat. Carol was to follow them, along with Sara in case she got lost.

An hour into their trip, Danielle woke up from a nightmare. “I’m gonna be sick!” she shouted from the back seat.

Alex scrambled to get her an empty fast food bag. He climbed into the back just in time. Then he held her as she cried. He wished he could make it better somehow.

“She OK?” Nathan looked in the rearview mirror. “Do you need me to get off at the next exit?”

Danielle’s eyes met Alex’s as he lifted her chin. “I have to pee.”

“Yeah. Bathroom break.” Alex kissed her nose, and then reached up front for the bottle of water his mom had given him. “You need to drink something.”