Текст книги "Protecting Her"

Автор книги: Alexis Noelle

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Текущая страница: 8 (всего у книги 10 страниц)

Chapter Twenty Two

Hunter

What the fuck?

“What do you mean?” Sam asks beside me in disbelief.

“I mean that for whatever reason, your mother has hired someone to stalk you. Some notes were left by her and some by the other person. The attack at the beach and the shot fired were not your mother.” Ryan looks over to me. “I found out who the other person was.”

“And?” My fists are clenched in anger at the fact that her mother has been putting her through hell.

“It was Detective Marks.”

What the fuck! Rage builds inside of me at the realization that the asshole who was supposed to be helping Sam figure out who her stalker was, was doing it the whole fucking time. Not only that, but he was trying to make it seem like it was me! “Why the hell would he be involved?”

“She needed someone to help her, someone who knew how to not get caught and someone with connections. Marks has some pretty bad debt so Audrey was paying him off to help her get to Sam. After you started becoming a problem, they were going to try to pin it on you, hence him coming down on you so hard and provoking you. Now like I said, I haven’t reported this to anyone yet, I wanted to come to you two first to see what you wanted to do.” Ryan looks up at the two of us, who are in shock.

“How did you find out all of this, Ry?”

“I have a tech guy in my unit. He found a consistent stream of deposits from your mother to an account over the time of the stalking. That account linked back to Marks. The next part took him a little longer but he traced a dummy email that Marks had been using to his IP address. There were communications between him and your mother, planning the notes, and also trying to pin it on Hunter so your mother could get him out of your life.” God, I hate her bitch of a mother. I have never met anyone more deserving of a goddamn ass kicking.

I look over at Sam, who is as white as a ghost and seems like she is about to get sick. “Are you okay?”

She shakes her head. I can only imagine what this is doing to her.

“I am going to let you all absorb this new information. Call me if you need anything and I’m sorry I had to be the one to tell you.” Ryan stands and I follow him to the front door.

“Thanks for helping us figure this out man.” I shake his hand.

“No problem. Let me know what you guys want to do and how she is.” He walks out and I go back into the living room to check on Sam.

She’s gone. I run upstairs, checking the bedroom and bathroom, thinking maybe she wanted to lie down or take a shower, negative. My blood runs cold, as my heart begins to beat out of my chest. “Sam!” I call her name a few times.

Where the hell could she have gone? That’s when I see the slightest movement in the backyard. She’s sitting on one of the swings looking completely broken and lost. The people I had bought the house from had kids and I never bothered to take the stuff they had down. I walk outside and even though I know she hears me, she doesn’t look up from the ground. I sit down on the swing next to her, not knowing what to say. What do you tell someone after a hit like this? I mean, I knew her mother was a bitch, but hiring someone to stalk and terrorize her? That’s a whole new level of fucked up.

“I don’t know what to say, babe. I can’t even tell you that I know how you’re feeling, cause I don’t. I’m here though. Just let me know what I can do.”

“I need to leave.”

Her words cause me to freeze. Leave? Why the hell would she leave? No, fuck that she isn’t going anywhere. “Why would you do that?” She doesn’t answer me. “Sam?” Silence.

I stand up and move in front of her, grabbing the chains of the swing and causing it to stop. Her eyes are still focused on the ground and I need her to look at me. I need to figure out what is going on in her head. I squat down, so now I can see her and all I see is pain. It fucking kills me to see her like this. Completely shattered by someone who is supposed to care for her.

“Why do you want to leave?” She shakes her head, indicating that she isn’t going to answer me. When she moves to stand up so do I. I stand in her path, determined not to let her just walk out. “I have never in my life cared about someone the way I feel about you. I know that you’re hurt but don’t push me away. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. Lean on me. Lay all of your shit on my shoulders and I’ll carry it for you. Just don’t run away. Don’t run from me. Run to me.”

She looks up at me before sobs break through her body. She sags into me and I quickly lift her up, carrying her inside and up to my room. I lay her on the bed, climbing in beside her and holding her as she buries her face in my chest. My hand rubs circles on her back, trying to calm the storm inside of her. If I could kill her mother and that detective right now, I would.

Sam stays in my arms for the longest time. When she stops crying, I don’t think it’s by choice but because she has run out of tears. Her hands fist my shirt like she is holding on for dear life.

“Talk to me. Keeping everything inside won’t help.” I beg her to just tell me what’s going on in her head.

“Why wasn’t I enough? Why couldn’t she just love me? I mean, am I that terrible of a daughter that she holds that much contempt for me? That she would do this stuff without batting an eye? Why…why doesn’t she love me?” Her voice is strained from crying and laced with pain.

“I don’t know what the hell your mother’s problem is, but you are enough. You are more than enough. She may not love you the way that you deserve, but you don’t fucking need her. I love you. Jules and everyone else does too. You have a family now and you don’t need to put up with the abuse that she has been subjecting you to all these years. You are an amazing person, Samantha Baker.” I kiss her, not knowing how else to get her to understand.

“What do I do now?” She looks up at me, her eyes asking for guidance.

“Now, you make that bitch pay.” I pull her close to me, my chin resting on her head. I know she held out hope that eventually her mother would come around, that she would see the error of her ways and embrace her, but she didn’t.

She won’t.

Chapter Twenty Three

Samantha

I open my eyes as the sunlight touches them. They still burn from all the tears I cried last night.

When Ryan told me it was my mother, I think I went into shock. I never imagined that she would be that evil. That she hated me that much. I had always hoped that I would eventually meet her standards and make her happy. That she might be proud of me. That she might love me. It never happened and it never will.

I almost screwed up the best thing I have and that’s my relationship with Hunter. I was going to run. In my mind, I wanted to get away before he realized I wasn’t worth loving like my mother did. Before he ended up hating me the way that she does. I know trying to lump him and my mother together is ridiculous but I wasn’t thinking straight. I felt like my heart had been ripped from my chest and shattered into a million pieces.

Today, we are driving to LA and I am going to confront my mother. I want to know why. Ryan is going to submit the evidence and dispatch the police to her house. Hunter is coming with me because I know that I’ll need the support. I have never been one to stand up to my mother, although with the anger that I have in me, I don’t think that will be a problem.

“You ready, babe?”  I look up at him and a tinge of fear runs through me. This whole situation has made me realize I finally lost my mother, for good. Now all I have left is Hunter, and all I can think about is the possibility of losing him too. Could I survive losing him? He used to be such a player. What if I can’t keep him interested? What if he gets bored of me? My insecurities are running wild. I try to push them back down but I can’t get rid of them.

“Yeah.” I stand up and walk out to the car, completely bypassing him. I know that he hasn’t done anything and punishing him for what I think he may end up doing is wrong, but I do it anyway. At this point, I know I’m being self-destructive but I make no move to stop myself.

Hunter gets into the car and looks over at me. “You okay?”

I nod my head, staring out the windshield. When he pulls out of the driveway, I turn on the radio, hoping that the music will distract him from any attempt at conversation. I don’t even listen to the music. My own thoughts are so jumbled, each fighting for my attention. My subconscious is in bitch mode and she is taunting me.

Your own mother couldn’t love you, why would he?

Maybe he was in on it too.

Maybe they all laughed at you about it.

You really think you can keep him?

You are unlovable.

Your daddy, mommy, no one wanted you.

Why would Hunter want you?

The only thing you have is money and you pay him well enough that he can quit soon.

Then you’ll be all alone.

No one will care.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm my anxiety. When Hunter’s hand touches my bare leg, I jump. “Sam, we’re here. What’s going on?”

“Nothing. I’m fine.” I get out of the car before he can ask me anything else. I look at the house in front of me. I have never been here and she bought it five years ago. No holidays. No birthdays. No girls’ nights. Nothing. It’s almost like the house is taunting me.

I climb the steps, feeling Hunter’s presence behind me. I knock on the door. When it opens, my mother stands in the doorway, every hair exactly in place as always. She seems to be the picture of perfection, like she always tried to make me into. I could never achieve it though.

“Samantha, what are you doing here? And with him.” She looks past me at Hunter, disgust prominently displayed in her expression.

“I need to talk to you.” I push past her, making my way into the house and finding the living room. I look around at all the nice things in the house. Nice things bought with my money. Anger replaces the insecurity that has been plaguing me the whole drive.

“I would tell you that what you just did was very rude. However, manners seem to be lost on you, so I won’t waste my breath. I have a nail appointment in a few minutes, so you will need to make whatever this is quick. If you wanted a meeting you really should have scheduled one.” She sits down, smoothing the wrinkles out of her skirt without a care in the world.

“Schedule a meeting? I’m your daughter! Does that really mean nothing to you? Do I mean that little to you?” I yell, losing any control I walked in here with.

She laughs at me. “Now don’t be dramatic. There is no need to raise your voice. You seem a little scattered, dear. Is it that time of the month, or did this leech manage to get you pregnant like I predicted? Either way, as I said, I have an appointment.”

She moves to stand up. “Don’t you dare fucking leave. I know, Mother. I know what you did.”

“Would you like to tell me why you’re here or do you want to keep playing games?” Irritation is prevalent on her face.

“I am here because I know that you are the stalker and that you hired Detective Marks to help you. It’s over, you’re caught.” I smile as I realize that she will be punished.

“Is that what has you all upset? Really dear, you should pick your battles. I did it for you, after all.” She smiles at me as if she gave me a present and is waiting for my appreciation.

“How was any of that for me? You had me scared out of my mind!” I think back to all of the times I felt like I was being watched. To the night I would wake up from a nightmare that they had caught me.

“You were not nearly as prominent in the media as you should have been, most of that was probably due to your lack of talent. I put you in the spotlight with this. You should be thanking me.” She smiles at me as if we are talking about something mundane like the weather.

Is she fucking crazy?! I run my hands through my hair in frustration. “I will never thank you for the hell you put me through. Not only that, but you were trying to have Marks frame Hunter!”

“Well, someone needed to take the fall, dear. Honestly, this is all your fault. If you would have been better at your craft and followed my direction, then you would be in a much better place than you are now.”

A tear slips down my cheek and I curse myself for letting it fall. For letting her see how much she is getting to me. “The police will be here soon. Have a nice life, Mother.” My voice is emotionless, all my anger is replaced by sadness. By the fact that she is so cold. That she really just doesn’t care about me. I walk past Hunter and out the door. I can hear their voices as I leave but I don’t care what is being said. I climb into the car, hating my life and what it has turned into.

When Hunter gets in the car, I can feel his eyes on me, almost as if he is assessing my state. “Where do you want to go?”

“Anywhere but here.” It’s all I say.

I know that Ryan said he would have the police dispatched but I can’t stay here anymore and wait for them. I don’t want to be here for one more minute.

I have nothing left. I feel so gutted and so discarded. Holding out hope for someone to change is dangerous, because when they don’t, it hits you. I always thought I could eventually win my mother’s love.

I was wrong.

Chapter Twenty Four

Samantha

It’s been one week since I confronted my mother. The police showed up but she was gone. They haven’t found her yet, and I don’t know how that is possible. I mean, it’s not like she is some master criminal trained in evading the law.

This and my mental state of mind since everything happened has put an unbelievable strain on my relationship with Hunter. We fight…a lot. Most of the time they are over something stupid but it’s still a fight. I know that ninety percent of them are my fault, and the ones that aren’t stem from my bad mood, putting him in a bad mood too. I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to be like this, but it’s like I’m fighting a battle against myself and I’m losing. I haven’t really been answering messages from Jules or Lacey either. I’m pulling away from everyone who has any potential to hurt me.

I sit with my back facing Hunter as I stare out the car window. I want to apologize to him. To let him know that I have been taking all my shit out on him and it’s wrong, but I don’t. It’s a mix of pride and fear. The fear part is what is overwhelming. If I keep him at a distance, if I close myself off maybe my feelings will lessen, that way when he leaves me it won’t hurt as much.

I have an appearance to do and I am dreading it. News broke that I fired my mother, so that’s all anyone wants to ask me about. That and Hunter. Neither is a subject I really want to get into. At least it hasn’t been leaked that she was my stalker. I wish they would ask about my career.

I was just cast in a role for  a new movie and I’m so excited. The cast is amazing and so is the story; it’s a project my mother would have never wanted me to do, I asked before everything happened. One good thing that has happened now that she isn’t here is that I make more of my own career decisions. I finally have a little bit of control back, at least professionally.

“So, is this the way shit is going to be? We never talk and when we do, we fight? You ignore me and act like a damn child for half the day, every day?” I hear him but I make no move to answer. “You were scared that no one would be there for you, but you are pushing everyone the fuck away.” He grits the words out, each one like a knife. Joe stops the car in front of the door and I get out, not waiting for Hunter like I used to. I really don’t need to anymore, now that the threat is gone; that and I can’t look him in the eye right now. I know he’s right.

I do the talk show appearance and since it’s a panel full of women, all they want to talk about is my relationship. I give the cookie cutter answers and pretend like everything is as good as it used to be. It isn’t, and it’s because of me. I hate having to be fake and put on this face like everything is just great.

Hunter makes no more attempts to speak to me on the car ride back to the hotel. As we are walking through the lobby, I hear someone call my name. “Samantha!” Hunter’s body stiffens as the man approaches me. He stands in front of me, acting as a barrier.

“You need to back up.”

I assess the man. He is middle aged with light brown hair and a medium build, definitely not my usual fan.

“I don’t mean to cause any trouble. Samantha, could I speak with you?” He looks past Hunter at me and there is something familiar in his eyes.

“Sir, you will have to call her management for an interview.” Hunter has gotten good at the cookie cutter answers too.

“No, I don’t want an interview. I just need to talk to her.”

Hunter turns to me. “Go up to the room, I’ll meet you there.”

I look back and forth between him and the man before moving toward the elevators.

“Samantha, wait! I’m your father.”

I freeze at those words. As I slowly turn, I look at the man in front of me. “I’m sorry. What did you say?” I take a few steps back to where they are.

“It’s me. Don’t you recognize me?” Hunter is looking back and forth between us before his eyes settle on me, waiting for some sort of reaction or instruction.

“I…I don’t…” I look at him and the few memories I have hit me. It’s him. He’s here. But why? Why now?

“Do you have some sort of ID?” I can tell Hunter is skeptical already and I fidget as my dad fishes for his wallet. Hunter inspects the license he flashes, before nodding his head. “I think we should do this somewhere else. Why don’t we meet you for dinner somewhere and you guys can talk? That way Sam can gather her thoughts and we aren’t in the middle of the lobby.”

“Yeah, that would be great.” He takes a card out and hands it to Hunter. “Here is my card, just text me with the info.” Hunter nods at him, before walking to me and steering me toward the elevator. I’m in shock as we take the ride up. My dad.

Once we get in the room, Hunter turns to me. “Talk to me. What are you thinking?”

I just shake my head. I have no idea what I’m thinking. I’m thinking that my dad is here to see me. A mix of happiness and apprehension run through me. I have wanted my dad back since the day he left.

“Sam? Is this something you want to do?”

I look over at him. “Yes. I want to see him.” I want him in my life again. I know that he can’t replace my mother or the hell she put me through, but maybe he can fill the void she left, the need for family that I have been missing. If I get that, then maybe things between Hunter and I will go back to normal. I know that I need to keep calm and there are so many question I have that are unanswered.

“Okay, I will call the restaurant downstairs and see if they have private rooms. You don’t need anyone getting wind of this and having it plastered all over the paper. Thank God he did that in the lobby and not outside; they would have run with that shit.” I nod at him, lost in thought about what this could mean. “I’ll text him and give him the information.”

I want to run to him, to hug him. I want to tell him how scared and nervous I am at the same time. I don’t. The wall I have started to build against him is stopping me. I look at him and our eyes lock. I can tell he feels the distance that I’ve put between us. I hate it. I hate myself for doing this to us. We were so happy and I screwed it up.

“Hunter I…” His phone rings and it breaks the moment.

“Hello? Okay great, we will be down.” He turns toward me. “We should talk before we go down there.”

“About what?”

“I don’t want you to get hurt. I can see the hope in your eyes. You don’t know what his intentions are. I mean, the guy disappeared from your life and all of a sudden he is just here again? You can’t tell me that it doesn’t seem off to you.” He is looking at me and I can tell that he is sincere, but that doesn’t mean that I want to hear what he has to say.

“You have no idea what his intentions are. How can you just assume that they are bad?” I know I’m getting defensive but this is something I have wished for since I was a little girl.

“You know what Sam, you know best, so I’ll just shut up and let you live your life without any interference from me. It seems like that’s what you want these days anyway.” He throws his hands in the air as he walks to the door and holds it open. I want to close it, to tell him that’s not what I want at all but once again, I don’t.

I walk to the door and stop when I get in front of him. I look up but his eyes don’t meet mine. Maybe I did it. Maybe I pushed him away. That’s what I wanted, right?

It’s the last thing I wanted.

I’m an idiot.

I need to fix this.

I will tonight.