Collecting Scars (9 page)

Shooting a look back to Gemma, who still not have moved. Asha barked out, “Now Gemma.”  Gemma jerked into action and hit the alarm.

Suddenly the man was running at her as she stood in the doorway. The side of his body, hit the side of hers' with such force, it threw her back against the wall and she lost her footing, tumbling to the ground. Her back screamed in pain as she landed awkwardly on the floor.

The front glass doors slid open and two guards dressed in black, taser guns in hand, came charging through the door. From her vantage point on the floor, she watched as they rushed at the man. Sparks flew from the taser guns as they hit their target.  A yell came screeching from the man's lungs as he hit the floor convulsing, he was now on eye level with her. Asha made eye contact with him but his eyes were so glassed over he did not appear to see her.

“Dylan,” Maria's voice fell on Asha's ears and she looked up to see her manager charging towards them both where they lay.

“Finally, she makes an appearance,” Asha muttered under her breathe.

Maria fell to the floor at the young man's side.

“This is all your fuckin' fault Mum, you'll pay for this,” the man now known as Dylan spat at Maria.

“What shall we do with him? Hospital or police?” the security guard asked Maria.

Maria looked down at her, still lying on the floor and let out a loud sigh, “better call the police I guess. You can put him in my office. Can someone stay with him 'til the police get here?”

“Sure,” nodded the security guard, slipping handcuffs around Dylan's wrists before pulling him to his feet, while the other guard wandered back into the waiting room, talking into his two-way radio.

Asha lay still on the floor, shock washing through her, as she watched the world go on around her. She could hardly believe the turn of the day’s events. Looking up she saw Gemma and Maria, flanking her.

“Can you move?” Maria asked. “Do you want us to call an ambulance?”

“Ah no,” Asha replied, slowly regaining her bearings. “I think I'm okay, can you just?” she put her hand out to Gemma. Gemma and Maria put their hands under her armpits and helped her to her feet, before directing her to her office.

“I'll stay with her, you go see to your son,” she heard Gemma say in a far off voice.

“Thanks, Gemma,” then she was suddenly in Asha's face. “I really am sorry about all this Asha.”

Asha waved her away. She was not angry with Maria. In fact, now she understood why Maria was so moody, clearly she had troubles at home with her son, who appeared to be a drug addict.

The police came and Asha gave a statement. She told them she was not interested in pressing charges against Dylan, but asked that they help him get into a rehabilitation centre.

When they finally left, she was then allowed to go home.  Maria had wanted her to go to the emergency department for some medical attention, but Asha was sure she would be okay. Gemma offered her a lift home, but the clinic was still running and Asha loathed to interrupt the patients any further, so, much to Gemma's disgust, she called a cab.

***

Watching the houses flash past from the back of the cab, Asha's mind turned to Xavier. In all her life she had only ever relied on one man, her father. No boyfriends had even given her cause to feel the way she did about Xavier and she had only known him for what? Not even two months yet. He was so kind, a gentle soul. There was something in him that she recognised. She did not believe in soul mates. If she did, though, then maybe that’s what she saw in Xavier.

As they approached her house, she made the decision, what’s the worst that could happen? She was sure he would not turn her away, at least she thought she was sure.

“Sorry,” she said to the cab driver, “I wonder if you could you actually take me to the Ex’s and Oh’s club?”

The driver looked at her incredulously. “If you say so,” he replied before turning into the driveway and reversing out, heading to Xavier's club.

The club was quiet, Asha had never been there during the day. It was mid-afternoon and the place was deserted except for two elderly gentlemen who sat towards the end of the bar.

“That’s so odd,” Asha mumbled to herself, thinking they looked out of place in this up-market, modern bar.

As she approached the bar, a young blonde woman came toward her. Asha's stomach lurched as she suddenly recognised her as the girl she had seen with Xavier, that night she had gone out with Gemma, and she felt the familiar pang of jealousy she had felt that night, only stronger this time.

“Can I get you something?” the young blonde asked.

“Um...ah...” why was she suddenly feeling nervous? “I'm looking for Xavier, is he here?” she finally managed to get out.

The young blonde tilted her head and eyed Asha up and down as if assessing her. It reminded her of the bitchy girls at high-school and made her blood run a little cold.

“Who wants to know?”

“Asha,” she stated, regaining her sense of who she was. She was a strong, intelligent woman, she was not that gangly high-school kid anymore, and be damned if she was going to stand here and let this little blonde thing make her feel insecure about herself. “Please tell Xavier, Asha is here to see him.”

Blondie huffed and sashayed off out of the bar and disappearing out the back. Leaving Asha waiting, wondering how her turning up, unannounced at Xavier's work would go. Emotions swirled around in her head, this was really stupid. She was about to turn around and run when she heard the most beautiful sound.

“Ashy-girl?” she could tell he was smiling by the way he spoke, it seemed he could see her, but as he was in the shadows, she was yet to see him. He sounded happy to see her. All her misgivings were quashed as Xavier stepped into the light, with that beautiful smile, just for her.

“Ah...Hi,” she nervously rubbed her arm, that was aching from her mornings miss-adventure.

“Come here,” he waved to her, signalling for her to walk to the end of the bar, so she could enter. Asha walked past the two elderly gents who were leering at her. Giving her shivers. Xavier met her half way, throwing his arms around her and embracing her. She winced in pain, as his strong arms, squeezed her sore body. Xavier noticed her pull away and pulled back, studying her face.

Without warning, a tear escaped her eye and ran down the side of her face. An unexpected wave of relief washed over her, she was not sure if it was just that he was happy to see her and had not turned her away, or the events of the day, catching up with her.

“Hey, hey it's okay, are you hurt? What’s happened?” Xavier soothed.

“I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come here,” she blurted, feeling dreadfully embarrassed at crying in front of him. This was not how she had anticipated their meeting.

“No, it's okay, come on, come out the back.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulder gently directing her behind the bar and off down the hall.

As they walked past, the blonde bartender stopped and stared at Asha, her eyes narrow and hard. Xavier led her into his office. It was larger than her office. A laptop computer sat on top of a large wooden desk with a plush office chair tucked into it. There was one chair on the opposite side of the desk and small sofa along side the wall, next to an ancient filling cabinet.

He led her to the sofa and gently pushed her down with his hands on her shoulders. Then positioned himself beside her, half turned so he could look into her eyes.

“Tell me what happened baby.”

Baby? He called her baby, that had to be worth the embarrassment, her heart melted even more. What was happening to her?

“I'm sorry for barging in and crying, that wasn't part of the plan,” she sniffed and gave off a light-hearted laugh. “I was attacked at work today.”

“What?” Xavier pulled back with shock. “Who...what? Who attacked you? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, nothing serious, it was a bit of a shock is all, the boss’s druggie son,” Asha sighed.

Xavier sat quietly listening while Asha regaled him with the events of the morning. She told him how poor Gemma had been terrified and how scared she had been, then angry when Maria hadn't come out sooner to deal with the situation.

“Oh my poor baby,” Xavier soothed, “Is there anything I can do?

Asha huffed out a laugh, “hug me and tell me it's all going to be okay?”

Xavier smirked, “I am sure capable of doing that.” He pulled her into his arms, before pulling back again. “Oh, I don't want to hurt you.”

“I'm okay. Thank you,” she smiled up at him.

Asha stayed and rested a while on the sofa before Xavier borrowed a car from one of his employees and took her home. He would not let her ride on his bike in 'the state' she was in he told her.

Back at home, she ran herself a bath to soothe away her aches. Sliding into the hot bubbly water, she managed to close her eyes and relax for a while. Her back was a little achy and she knew it would hurt more tomorrow.

Xavier had been reluctant to leave her and go back to work, but Asha insisted she would be okay. He had work to do, Asha of all people could understand how important working life was. He had planted a tender kiss on her forehead before he left and instructed her to call him if there was anything at all she needed.

Chapter 11

“ASHA, ASHA, IT'S JUST ME.”

She sat up with a start, panting heavily, “Xavier?”

“Yeah, honey, who did you expect?”

“Wh...when did you get here?” Asha was not used to waking with someone in her bed, particularly when he had not been there the night before.

“I didn't mean to startle you, I gave Joanie a lift home, last night--or ah, this morning. I popped in to check on you and you were asleep. You looked so peaceful. I laid down beside you, to hug you and fell asleep myself.” He suddenly looked sheepish, which Asha thought was adorable.

“Too creepy? Sorry, I didn’t mean to be weird.”

Asha felt a little tug at her heart strings. “No, no, not creepy--okay yes, maybe a teeny bit creepy, but it's also kinda cute.”

Xavier huffed, “cute? I wasn't trying for cute.”

That made her laugh, he really was adorable. Then she remembered him waking her, she had been dreaming about that van again. Must have been yesterday's events playing on her mind, as she had not seen it for a while.

“So why did you wake me just now then?”

“You were having a bad dream yeah?”

Asha nodded.

“You were crying out, getting really upset. Was it about the assault yesterday?”

“No,” Asha sighed. “It was about that black van again.”

“Are you still seeing that?”

“No, well...sometimes, not every day. I'm sure it's nothing.”

“It's not nothing if it has you having nightmares all the time. Maybe you should think about buying a car to drive to and from work?”

Asha laughed again. “That’s not going to happen. Anyway, no license.”

“I could arrange to come and get you every night,” Xavier suggested, hopefully.

“You will not, that’s ridiculous,” Asha scoffed.

Xavier shook his head with a laugh. “Stubborn girl, come here,” he said pulling her into his bare chest.

Asha rested her head on his chest. Running her fingers over his smooth skin, loving the sensation of his warm body beneath her touch. Tracing across the tattoo he had over his heart that read  '
Maddie
' in scriptive writing.

“Tell me about Maddie?”

She felt Xavier's body stiffen at the mention of her name. “My sister? You want to know about her?”

“Yeah of course I do, why wouldn't I?” she asked confused at his reaction.

“Well, it’s just I don't talk about her much. No one really asks and my parents barely mention her name.”

She looked up at him, his eyes were filled with such sadness that right then and there, she knew what it was she recognised in him. They were both broken and scarred. Her by her dad's passing and then the alienation she felt from her mother. Xavier, by this terrible loss, that he could not even talk to anyone about.

“I wish I had known her,” she whispered.

“She would have liked you,” Xavier replied, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

“What happened to her?”

“I don't know.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“She disappeared, there was a huge police investigation. Frank worked on her case for a while.”

Asha looked up confused, “Frank? As in Joanie's dad?”

Xavier nodded, and then went on. “Yeah, Dad always reckoned he had something to do with her disappearance, which was stupid. Yeah, Frank is a bit an asshole, but I don't think he would have ever done anything to hurt Maddie.”

Wow, that was interesting, Asha never even knew Frank had been a cop, let alone involved with Xavier's sister.

“So what? They just never found her?”

“Nope,” he shook his head. “After about eighteen months, they closed the investigation. Ruled her officially ' missing, presumed dead.'” he made air-quotes with his fingers.

“What do you think happened to her?”

“I don't know...for a long time, we all held out hope that she had just run away. She was engaged, she seemed happy. It was weird. We talked nearly every day and she was always so open with me about her relationship.” He breathed a laugh. “Often a bit too open about her relationship, you know there are some things a brother does not want to know about.”

Asha giggled, she could tell by the look in Xavier's eyes he was remembering her.

“What happened to him? The fiancé?”

“Tom? He was a nice guy. Got a hard time from the cops. We all did. Everyone she knew was dragged in for questioning. He was out of town when it happened. On a business trip somewhere. Had to jump through all kinds of hoops to prove his alibi.”

“Wow that must have sucked.”

“Sure did, he took it really hard, as you can imagine. Dad was an ass to him, but then Dad is an ass to most people,” he laughed at that.

“No, he's not,” Asha jumped to Hugh Arnold’s defence.  Until recently she had never had a problem with him. “He's been through a lot and that must be so hard to lose a daughter like that.”