Page 39 of Wrecked
“Baby, you can stop,” Asher whispers.
“No, I can’t. I need you both to understand. I thought about leaving, tried it a few times. But fear always held me back. Having no money, no plan, no help. It was easier to stay. Which I know sounds ridiculous, but at the time I felt I had no other choice.”
“You could have called, Payton. I would’ve been on the next flight. And what about your mother and your grandmother? They were there. Why didn’t you ask them for help?” I can understand my father’s anger. No one can understand entirely, unless it was them.
“Robert,” Asher hisses, staring my dad down.
Clearing the lump in my throat, I squeeze Asher’s hand. No need for him to get pissed at my dad. We are all mixed with emotions at this point. “Dad, he’s a dirty cop. Everyone had his back, for one reason or another. It wasn’t as easy as you think to go to Mom’s and ask for help. He needed to know where I was, who I was with, how long I’d be. If I was a minute past, he’d be walking in where ever I was. He didn’t like mom or grandma. In his mind, they were taking me away from him. So, my visits and phone calls became less and less.”
Closing my eyes, I let the emotions wash over me. The pain and regret I felt. “When Grandma died, I couldn’t even go to her funeral. He wouldn’t allow it. Told me there was no point in saying goodbye to a body.” Tears begin to sting my eyes for the first time in much too long.
“Fuck,” Asher whispers under his breath. “I’m so sorry, baby.” Folding his arms around me, I cling onto him like he’s my lifeline. I can breathe easier when he’s holding me.
Pulling away, but staying close, I try to smile at him. “He came home one night, pissed about something. Which was easily done. He was always angry for one reason or another, but this night, it was different. His eyes were crazy, his body was shaking with rage and I truly knew what fear was.”
My dad can’t handle anymore and walks out. I don’t blame him. Who wants to hear about the horrible relationship their child was in? One lived in fear and regret. Sadness and longing. Loneliness and betrayal.
“I’m here. I’m not going anywhere, you have my word,” Asher says, climbing in bed with me. He pulls me to his side, keeping his arms securely around me.
“That night, he hit me.” I feel him flinch, but if I stop I’ll never get it out. “He slapped me across my face. It was hard, so hard it knocked me to the side. I looked up at him, holding onto my cheek. I was scared to death, but I wasn’t about to let him know.” I feel the first tear roll down my cheek. “I told him I was leaving him. That he had crossed a line a long time ago, but this was the last of it. He laughed.” I stop for a minute because for the first time in months, I’m crying. Tears running freely down my face and I try to take a calming breath.
“Fuck. I should have killed him,” he whispers into my hair.
“I packed my things that night and told him I was leaving. He didn’t care. After all the shit, I took from him all those years, he didn’t even care when I walked away. I should have done it sooner,” I cry out.
“Baby, you had no way of knowing.”
“It was my grandma, she gave me my freedom. When she passed away, she left me money. A lot of money. So, I walked away with my money and came out here,” I say, full on crying now. Crying tears of sadness for what I went through and tears of happiness for where I am now.
He tightens his hold on me, turning me to face him. Wiping my tears with his thumbs, he kisses my salty lips. “You never need to worry about any of that anymore. You have my word, I will never be like him. It’s impossible. I love you too much. The idea of causing you one ounce of unhappiness is unbearable to me. I swear to you, I will always protect you, love you, and keep you smiling.” The tears continue as I look into his eyes. They are full of hurt and pain. It breaks me to see him like that, but before I can even question it, he continues. “Jake will never hurt you again. Now that he’s in jail, that’s where he’ll stay. Not only for what he did to you, but for…” he pauses a moment, tears filling his pain filled eyes, “but for killing my parents.”
The earth stops spinning and the ground from under me collapses. My heart slams in my chest and my tears are coming faster. “What?”
“You were right when you said he was a dirty cop. He was drunk and caused my parents accident. Brett and I found the evidence tape in your car. That’s what he was out here looking for, baby. He wanted to make sure no one saw that tape. He never thought you’d leave, with the tape.”
“Asher, I’m so sorry. I swear to you I had no idea, that was before we met. I don’t even know what to say.” I do the only thing I can think of and kiss him. There are no words to bring him peace, so I’ll let him feel how sorry I am. And I do, until he pulls away.
“He’s finally going to pay for what he did. It doesn’t bring them back, but it sure as hell gives me some satisfaction. He’ll never hurt anyone else, not as long as I’m alive,” he promises.
We lay holding onto each other, thinking about everything that was said, all the emotions that we’ve felt. We hold onto each other, until I fall asleep.
When I wake up, all I want to do is get out of here. My dad came back, apologized for leaving, and we decided it was best to move on. So, after convincing the doctors, Asher and my dad, that I would come back if anything changed, I’m free.
“Payton, where do you want to stay tonight?” my dad asks.
“She’ll be with me. I’ve got her, Robert. I told you I will never let anything happen to her,” Asher says, grabbing my hand.
They both look at me and I’m overcome with the amount of love I’m surrounded by. It’s new and means the world to me. “I’m fine, believe me. I’m going to go home and get some sleep.”
“I broke your door, baby. You can’t go home,” Asher gently says.
“Oh, right.”
The events start playing out in my mind and I just need a distraction. “Dad, I’ll be fine. I’m going home with Asher. I’ll call you in the morning.” Less than thrilled, he agrees, giving me a tight hug.
Asher holds my hand, helping me into his house. Just like he did on the entire ride over.
Sitting on the couch he tucks me to his side, like he’s done so many times before. It’s comfortable. It’s safe. It’s home.
Right here, in his arms. Forever.
Leaving that night, I never would have thought that this is where I’d end up. In the arms of a man who loves me for me. Who doesn’t expect anything from me, yet wants it all. Who protects me, defends me, and loves me so fiercely in a way I never knew existed.
We’ve both been destroyed by Jake. He took something from us both, wrecked us beyond repair. Until we found each other.
