Page 38 of Tempt Me

The only good thing that came from working at the bar is that I now have a card for a group that helps people in domestic violence situations. My sister, Kelsey, is definitely getting abused by her husband Martin. She pretends everything is fine in their relationship and that nothing is going on. I’ve seen the signs for a while though and know abuse when I see it. Kelsey and I grew up in a house where our father beat our mom on a daily basis until she eventually took her own life. I’m the one who found her in the bathtub and had to make all the calls, plan her funeral, and keep my sister from seeing what happened at the age of fourteen. Our father didn’t even show up for the funeral. After that, we barely saw our sperm donor and I took care of everything in the house, made sure Kelsey got to school, had food, and paid the bills with the small amount of money I was able to make by helping neighbors until I could finally get a job. Then I had to worry about where Kelsey would be when I wasn’t home. It was a never ending cycle and I know it’s not been broken when it comes to my baby sister.

The worst part is that my nephew is there when everything happens. He’s three years old and is the quietest kid I’ve ever met in my life. My nephew, Gideon, isn’t allowed to play, make a mess, get dirty, or make any sound when his father is home. Martin has gone after baby G and I’ve stopped him on more than one occasion. He’s fucking lucky I didn’t put his ass down and the only reason I didn’t is because my sister begged and pleaded with me not to. I honestly don’t understand how she can stay with Martin knowing he’s exactly like our father was. I’ve never been in a fucking relationship and only do one night stands because I refuse to give a man that kind of power over me or give him a chance to beat the living fuck out of me because he thinks I’m the weak one since I’m nothing more than a lowly female. If I could take Gideon away from my sister and her husband, I would in a fucking heartbeat. I’m just not in a position to take him when I can hardly support myself. I’ve still got a year before I gain access to the trust fund my grandparents and mom left me. I don’t get it until I’m twenty-five. My plan is to take Gideon and Kelsey away from Martin for good and hide where he’ll never find us.

Today, I’ve decided to go pay my sister and baby G a visit. Martin should be at work. Somehow he got a job as the assistant to the mayor of our town. I don’t know how the fuck he managed to get hired unless his mommy and daddy pulled some strings and got the job for him. It honestly wouldn’t surprise me because that’s how Martin operates. He depends on his parents to get him out of every bit of trouble he’s ever been in and get him the jobs he wants. I’ve only known him a few years and can see what a pampered, entitled bitch he is. He believes he owns my sister and Gideon and doesn’t love them at all. They’re nothing more than his property as is everyone else in his life. Including his mistresses. Yes, he’s got multiple women he’s cheating on my sister with and she knows because he always throws it in her face that he doesn’t need to fuck her because she’s nothing more than a dead fish. The fucker is lucky I haven’t gutted him yet.

Pulling up down the street from my sister’s house, because that’s what I have to do any time I go see her and my nephew, I shut the engine off in my old car and remove the keys from the ignition. Getting out, I lock the doors behind me and head straight for my sister’s house. It doesn’t take me long since I’m only about four houses down the road from her place. Yes, it is her house and only in her name because her trust fund paid for it. That’s the only time we can use it—to buy a house once we’re married until we’re twenty-five. By the time I make it in front of her house, I know something is wrong. Very wrong. Martin’s car is parked in the driveway and I can hear screams and something shattering coming from inside. I immediately race to the front door and find it unlocked. It’s not even shut all the way as I burst inside and head straight for the kitchen.

“You fucking bitch! I told you to clean up this fucking mess and when I come home for lunch, there’s dishes in the sink. How can you be so fucking lazy and not do anything around the house when you’re here all damn day long? You’re nothing more than a stupid fucking slut and I should’ve killed you right after we got married. Now, I’m stuck with your fat fucking ass and a kid I don’t fucking want,” Martin is screaming at my sister, his face red as fuck as he slams her face first into the edge of the sink.

Before he can make another move against my sister, I race up behind him and yank him off of her. He’s been beating on her for a while if her looks are anything to go by. She’s covered in blood and bruises are already forming on her pale skin. I toss Martin to the floor as I look up to find Gideon standing just outside of the kitchen with tears in his eyes and his little thumb in his mouth. My heart shatters in my chest that he’s once again seeing the violence inside his own home. I try to give him a small smile, but know it falls short because there’s nothing to smile about today. Not in this house.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing in my house?” Martin yells up at me, not bothering to get off the floor because he knows I can beat his fucking ass.

“First of all, this isn’t your house. This house belongs to my sister and is only in her name. I will come here whenever the fuck I want to and there’s nothing you can do to stop me. Second of all, you can get the fuck out before I get the police here. Do you really think the mayor will continue to employ you when he finds out you’ve been arrested for domestic violence since that’s the main thing his campaign was based on? I don’t think he’d be too happy with his assistant being a piece of shit who beats on his wife and has attempted to hurt his three year old son. Get the fuck out before I make the call. I’m not fucking playing games with you, Martin,” I tell him, bending over to get in his face to keep my voice low and filled with the promise of my words to him.

Martin can’t stand me because of the fact that I can beat the fuck outta him and I don’t take his shit. I’ve never liked him and he knows it. Martin also doesn’t like me because I’m not someone he can control. I don’t bow down to his demands and cower in his presence. If you ask me, Martin is nothing more than a pathetic, little bitch and he will never put his hands on my sister again if I have my way.

“You wouldn’t dare,” he says, finally pushing up off the floor that’s covered in my sister’s blood and stands before me.

“Yeah, I would,” I assure him, pulling my phone from my pocket and unlocking it.

Martin doesn’t hesitate to leave the house. He throws over his shoulder that this shit isn’t over and he’ll be back for his family. That they’ll never leave him. The last threat is against me as he states that he’ll kill me if I ever attempt to get in between his wife and him again. I follow Martin to the door of the house and watch him leave the driveway while taking out the mailbox at the end of the driveway and a bush before he squeals his tires in his attempt to get the hell away from me. When he’s finally out of sight, I step back in my sister’s house and close the door behind me making sure to lock the deadbolt and handle so he can’t sneak back in while we’re still here. I make my way back into the kitchen to find my sister slumped on the floor in front of the sink with her head bowed so she’s not looking at me or baby G.

“Kelsey, you know you can’t stay with him any longer. He just beat the fuck outta you, again. Do you even realize that baby G is watching the entire thing? He’s standing just outside the doorway of the kitchen with tears streaming down his face. It’s time, Kelsey. You know it’s time. I have a card for a group out of Clinton City who can help. They’ll get you out of here and away from Martin. From what I understand, they’ll help you get back on your feet and will make sure you and Gideon are always protected,” I tell her, my voice begging her to let me finally get her out of here and away from Martin before he kills her. There’s no other way this ends for my sister and I’ll do everything in my power to make sure that doesn’t happen.

“Okay,” Kelsey finally whispers as I pull out the card from the pocket of my jeans along with my phone.

I rest my hand on Kelsey’s knee as I dial the number on the card and wait for someone to answer. My sister doesn’t move an inch and I know she’s in immense pain from the way her breathing is labored and how she’s holding her body.

“Can I help you?” a deep male voice answers the phone. It’s so deep and rugged that a tremor runs through me from the sound alone.

“I need help for my sister,” I say, not wanting to give too many details over the phone in case there are bugs in the house allowing Martin to hear shit he doesn’t deserve to know.

“Just your sister?” the voice asks, immediately alert.

“No. Nephew as well,” I respond, my voice barely above a whisper at this point.

“Send a message to this phone number with the address. How far from Clinton City are you located?” the voice asks me, making me feel things I’ve never felt in my life.

“Less than an hour. What do I need to do?” I return, not sure of the next steps other than knowing I’m not leaving my sister alone.

“Grab all important paperwork and anythin’ of value. Keep the items you bring as limited as possible and keep them in a pile. When the team gets there for extraction, they’ll go through everythin’ to make sure no bugs have been planted,” he says as I nod my head in response despite him not being able to see him.

“I’ll get it all taken care of. Should I clean up my sister before you get here?” I question, wanting to take care of her anyway possible.

“No. We’ll need it for the pictures. Do you have a weapon on you in case the attacker returns?”

“No. He won’t as long as he sees my car outside. How will we know your team is here?” I question, not ready to open the door for just anyone when it comes to my sister and nephew.

“We’re members of the Fallen Brethren MC. Everyone will be wearin’ a cut. What’s your name?”

“Kendell. When your people get here, have whoever comes to the door tell me Hawk,” I state, laughter filling the other end of the phone. “Did I say something funny?”

“Yes, you did. It doesn’t matter. We’ll see you soon, Kendell,” the man says before hanging up. The way he says my name excites me in a way that’s different to anything I’ve ever experienced.

How the fuck can I be turned on by nothing more than a voice over the phone in a time like this? Shaking my head, I begin gathering everything he said to as Gideon follows me through the house. It’s a good thing the only thing Kelsey has ever hidden from me is the extent of the abuse she suffered at Martin’s hands. I grab everything I was told to bring and set it all on the table before going to Gideon’s room and grabbing his blanket and the stuffed hawk I got when he was born. Everything else can be left behind and Kelsey can buy new shit once she gets settled somewhere new. This is all just material shit and doesn’t mean anything at the end of the day.

Hawk

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