Page 19 of A Step Too Close
“I was looking at the tests and he came up to me and said Levi must be excited to be a father again,” I say. “I backed off, but he followed. He kept making comments that implied that he’s hurt others and people just haven’t connected it, but that we haven’t either. I assume the we is Levi and myself. That makes me think one of our clients or families is connected to someone he has hurt before… I went to walk away after calling him a predator. He grabbed my arm, so I hit him and ran. I checked out and ran to the truck, but he caught up with me. I went to the passenger side first to set the bags down, and I shouldn’t have done that. He got to me by the time I went around to get in. He pulled a knife and threatened to carve the baby out of me, or whatever. He forced me over the seat and raped me… Anally.”
“But you are okay?” she asks.
“Yeah. He used a condom, thankfully. Although, a rape exam would actually show something if he didn’t, but he knows that I would go, because I did last time,” I say with a sigh. “I uh… When he let go of me, I got into the truck. As he was driving away, he got blocked by someone for long enough that I was able to get a picture of the license plate and the van.”
“You did a good job, Arden,” she says. “You kept you and your baby safe. You got as much info as you could. You got help. I am so proud of you.”
“I feel like an idiot because clearly he’s been watching me for a while,” I say. “I never even noticed. I stayed with Mom and Dad for years, and now I live with Levi. I don’t know how he knows anything about me or Levi.”
“I think you should start by reviewing old cases,” she says. “You know Caleb, so I think going into it and looking for those little things you might not have connected before would be a good place to start.”
“I brought you something,” I say. “Before all of that.”
“Oh?” she asks.
“Yeah. I got you gummy worms because I know Wilder is on a health food kick,” I say. “Now I know he won’t bitch because he doesn’t want to upset me.”
Wilder motions for me to let him hug me, so I move forward to let him wrap his arms around me in a tight hug. “I’m going to fucking kill him,” Wilder says quietly.
“I know. You and Levi both will, I’m sure,” I say. Macie hugs me next before grabbing my face.
“Get your test and come take it with me,” she says with a sweet smile.
“Here,” Jett says, handing me the test from the bag he got out of the truck. Macie stands and takes my hand. I stand with her, and she pulls me off to the guest bathroom. We are silent as I take a moment to clean up and take the test. Once I wash my hands, we both stare at the test as it blinks.
“It’s so slow,” I say.
“Give it a second,” Macie laughs.
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay. Feeling better but ready to not be pregnant anymore,” she sighs. She squeals and hugs me tightly when the word “Pregnant” pops up on the screen. “I am so fucking happy for you. I know you were worried there for a minute.”
“Now I’m worried Caleb will kill me, and Levi will lose his wife and child again,” I grumble.
“Don’t you worry. His dumbass will be dead soon enough. Don’t think for a second Wilder isn’t serious.”
“I know. He has the money to make him disappear,” I say.
“Let’s go show them the test,” she says, picking it up from the counter.
We walk out of the bathroom and go back to the living room. Macie hands the test to Levi and smiles. “Congrats, Daddy.”
Levi glances at it before handing it off to Wilder and pulling me down to hug me tightly. “I’m sorry all of this is happening,” I whisper.
“Don’t apologize. Just be warned, he is fucking dead,” Levi says. “Fuck jail time. I don’t give a goddamn if he is charged; the justice system had a chance to catch him, and they failed. I will not let him get away with hurting you again.”
“I don’t know if I feel safe at the house,” I admit. “If he knows your history, he knows where we live.”
“I agree. Wilder has already asked that we move here, at least temporarily,” Levi says. “What history?”
“Well, he knew about Melody and your drinking, because he called you a drunk. He knows we work together, I assume. I just get a feeling that he’s been watching me the whole time,” I say. “Me moving out of Mom and Dad’s and getting married must have triggered him into getting closer again.”
“Jett is going to go to the house with Wilder and get our stuff. I am going to stay here with you and Macie, we will handle telling all the parents, but I’d like them to keep their distance for now,” Levi says.
“I agree. I don’t want them to get hurt,” I sigh. “I don’t really even want anyone involved. Especially Jett. He didn’t ask to be involved in my bullshit.”
“Oh, you can get the fuck over that,” Jett says bluntly. “You are my sister-in-law and I will fucking kill this bastard for hurting you.”
