Dangerously In Love (14 page)




Victoria-Lynn

When I came to I was still
lying in the car and Roman was nowhere to be found. It didn't take me long to
find him, I just followed the commotion going on not too far away on the other side
of the street. It looked like his father, his brother and his uncle were all
trying to pull him off of a bloody mess on the ground. I jumped out of the car
and ran toward him.

"Stop it Roman, stop
it." The others moved out of the way as what they were doing had no
effect. Wrapping my arms around him as tightly as I could I
tried
to pull him away. I could feel the rage coursing through his body as he tried
valiantly to stomp Timothy into the ground.

"Please baby, please stop, please
please
please
."

Tears were flowing down my
cheeks, my body felt tired and sore but I held on. I took one look at Timothy
and recoiled in horror. He was a bloody mess literally. His face had been
broken and not just his nose, his arm was laying at an odd angle from his body and
he was wheezing as though breathing through liquid.

"Roman he's bleeding internally we have to
get him to the hospital."

"Fuck him, let the piece
a shit die right here."

"You'll go to jail."

"Listen to her Roman we can work this, let
me think about this for a minute." Marcus stepped forward and clapped his
hand on his shoulder. "It was an attempted abduction; it took place on the
Sheriff's property, we can have that place crawling with law-enforcement in no
time. This is our chance, it's a fucked up way for it to happen but it's
perfect. What was Crafton doing there anyway do you know Vicki?"

"He said his father sent him to drop
something off for Kenneth."

"Wonder what that was, we'll check his
truck. Let's call an ambulance, I'll put in a secure call to someone in the
state police; tell them of the sheriff's involvement and Victoria-Lynn's
suspicions. We'll embellish the truth a little to get this rolling but the
secret's out now, Crafton already saw her there, there's no going back."

"I'm sorry I caused so
much trouble but I had to find her. I don't want her under there another
minute. Please can't we get her out?" Roman still wasn't saying anything
at this point but at least he'd stopped destroying Timothy. I almost felt sorry
for him; obviously my old friend had mental issues, I mean why else would he do
this?

"Roman?" I shook him a little from
behind but still he was lost in that place that he goes to when he gets like
this. It might be a while before he comes down from his mad.

"We understand
Victoria-Lynn, if she was our mother we would've probably done the same, we're
just upset that you were almost hurt. Son you good now?" Thaddeus tried
talking to him but still nothing. Jules came back over from somewhere. He put a
jacket over my shoulder. I guess he’d gone back to the car, I hadn’t even
realized my clothes were torn.

"I say we use this to move; uncle can't
your guy in the state police make something happen so we can get whatever
warrants we need to dig up the backyard? How far did you get Vicki?"

"Not far Julius, Timothy
came along before I could..." I broke off when I felt Roman tense up under
my arms.

"That's where I'm headed Jules, we'll
figure out the rest later but I believe all the chips will fall into place if
we do this now. Let's get this guy off the streets we don't want to call too
much attention to ourselves. The sheriff isn't due home for a few hours at
least
isn't
that right Victoria-Lynn? That's why you
thought it was a good time to make your move?"

I could only nod my head. All
my concentration was on Roman who was beginning to scare me because I seriously
believed he was weighing the pros and cons of killing Timothy. Uncle Marcus
walked off to make his phone calls while Jules and Thaddeus moved in closer to
us. All this while Timothy is lying comatose on the ground he's not even moving
and my heart is racing out of my chest hoping the idiot doesn't die by Roman's
hand.

"Come on little brother
let it go. You need to take care of Vicki man, she's still shaken and she
really doesn't need to be seeing this shit right now on top of everything else,
come." Julius tried pulling him away but he was not moving.

"Please Roman listen to him, nothing will
come from you killing him. They'd win in the end, I'd be all alone and your
life will be ruined and for what? He's not worth it baby, we're worth fighting
for, please just let this go, you're hurting me."

I had to use that last part
because I knew even after all we'd been through in the past few months Roman
never wanted to hurt me. I've come to understand that I'm his Achilles heel.
That's why it's so hard for me to accept that this was
all my
fault. But I'll have to deal with my own stupidity later, right now I had to
get my guy out of the killing rage that had a tight grip on him. I stood on my
toes so I could reach his ear. What I had to say was for his ears only; I could
see his family watching as I soothed the wild beast.

"We're supposed to get
married and have lots of babies remember? Can't you see them now, running
around in that big old house driving everyone insane? Petra will spoil the
girls rotten and Julius will teach the boys all his dirty habits. We'll have a
hard time getting them to ourselves because grandma Natalia would hog them
every chance she gets."

I painted a picture of our
future for him. The future we'd discussed many times, the life we both wanted
for each other, together. He took a deep breath and his body deflated as if all
the anger had just left. I was pulled around in front of him so fast I almost
stumbled but he held me close and firm.

"Do it and do it quick
before I finish him off." I took that opportunity to push him back and out
of temptation's way. Thaddeus bent down to check Timothy's vital signs as Roman
folded his fist and looked on.

"I don't feel well can you take me back to
the car?" I thought it prudent to get him away from here as fast as I
could because whatever leniency he had in him was hanging on by a thread. I had
no doubt that Timothy's life was in danger at this very moment.

"Shit baby sorry, I
didn't think; let me see, let me look at you." I didn't think it was such
a good idea for him to see any scrapes and bruises I might've received during
my little skirmish so I deflected his attention.

"You can do that later, please can you
just hold me? I'm feeling kinda shaky." He picked me up and headed for the
car, my head on his shoulder.

"Thanks for saving me Roman, I knew you
would come. I didn't know how, but I knew you would not let anything happen to
me." His answer was to squeeze me but he was still not saying much; that's
okay at least he wasn't in a killing rage anymore.



True to his word uncle Marcus
had the place crawling with law enforcement before long. We'd driven back to my
old home. Timothy had been taken to the hospital under police escort; when he
awakened he'd be charged with attempted abduction, which carried a stiff
penalty in this state. I'd had to give a brief statement but uncle worked it
out so I didn't have to go down to the station until later since I wanted to be
there when and if they dug up my mother.

The old lady from across the
street came over and stood on the sidewalk to watch. A look of sadness on her
face as the men dug up the backyard. Roman had insisted on helping the men dig
for her. I know he wanted to be the one who found her for me. I walked over to
Mrs. Dillard and just stood watching, my heart heavy as men went about the
business of searching for my mother's body. I couldn't bring myself to think of
the many times I'd played back here as a child not knowing that I was trampling
on my mother's grave.

"I'm so sorry Victoria-Lynn I think I
failed you, you and your mom." I looked down at her.

"What
do you mean?"

"I
always suspected, when the rumors first started I always knew they weren't true
but I was too sacred, too afraid of him and his power to come forward. Now I
wish I had, wish I could spare you this. She wouldn't have wanted this for you;
it burned me up the way the people around here just accepted that story when
most should've known better. She was a sweetheart your mama was, and she loved
you with everything that was in her, I know, saw it with my own two eyes. You
were her everything; it might be a little late but I wanted you to know
that."

And with that she turned and walked away.

"Stop."

That was Roman's voice. I turned back from
watching her cross the street, tears blinding me, to see him kneel down and
peer into the hole they'd dug. His head came up and our eyes connected and I
knew. My knees buckled and I cried out as I fell to the ground. He was there
almost before the sound escaped a second time.

"I've got you baby, I've got you." We
sat there on that ground, him rocking me back and forth in his arms as people
milled about around us. Natalia showed up at some point and tried to take me
away from Roman but he just told her firmly and with one word "No!"
and I stayed locked in his arms as I cried for my mother.

ROMAN

Everything was crazy after
that; sheriff Baldwin showed up and was throwing out threats against everyone
while swearing that he knew nothing about the body being removed from the hole
in his backyard. I wanted to punch the fucker in the face but cheeks, even as
distraught as she was caught on and kept a death grip on me.

Whatever uncle had done with
his call to the state police they'd done a good job of quarantining things so
to speak. Because of the other aspects of the case we needed to keep things
contained so that the others involved wouldn't be made aware. Uncle had left
soon after the troopers had shown up, something about synchronizing his team. I
hadn't even known that he'd called anyone in as yet. I know he talked about it
but damn he moves fast.

 
There was a team of crime scene techs combing
the area around the hole and the uprooted tree. The body had been wrapped in
some kind of burlap sack and the men were handling it delicately while I held
my girl to keep her from moving forward and contaminating the evidence.

I couldn't stop her from
crying and I wouldn't even try. She hadn't even spared her father a glance, not
even when he started blaming her for what was taking place. I wasn't too
concerned with his shit anymore since no one else was listening to his crap.
That was evident by the cuffs that were placed on his ass before he was dragged
away kicking and screaming. I wonder how he’d missed the official cars and vans
lining the street? You’d think the jackass might at least make a run for it. I
guess he was hoping for some serious help from his sick fuck friends. I
couldn’t think about that now either, my mind was more on her and what was
going on inside of her. She hadn't said anything after her collapse just a
keening moan that had pierced my soul.

Now she just sat on my lap
clutching me tight as her eyes stayed glued to the burlap sack on the grass.
“What are you thinking baby? Talk to me.” I kissed her hair and hugged her even
closer. My only wish, that the events of this day didn’t set her back. I could
do a lot of things for my girl. I had the money to give her anything her heart
desired, but I couldn’t give her the thing I was sure she wanted most at this
moment. Her mother.

I'd prepared myself for this
or at least I'd told myself I had but the reality was something else entirely. If
I could spare her this there's no question that I would but I was afraid there
was even more heartache to come. There was still the whole hunting of
humans
thing to deal with, then the case of murder against
her father. What was it going to do to her to have to go through that?

"Baby let me take you
home." I kissed her temple needing contact with her in the worst way.

"I can't Roman; I have to go with her
where're they going to take her?"

"I don't know but I'll find out stay here
okay." I beckoned mom over to come stay with her while I went to take care
of that.

I think I already knew that
there was no way that she would be able to see her mom; not yet anyway, but I
had to at least try. I left her with dad and approached the guy who was in
charge. Dad and Jules were talking to some of the crime scene techs I guess
they were getting the ins and outs of what was going to happen next.

"Excuse me, I was
wondering if you could tell me what happens next. My girl would like to go with
her mother if you could tell us where you'll be taking her."

"You're Marcus's nephew, the younger one
right?"

"Yes Roman Blair." I shook his hand.

"Bad business all-around
it's going to be a fucking mess, case like this going back all these years.” He
shook his head and looked around at the hole and then the body. “I guess
they'll be taking her to the coroner; have to determine cause of death if such
a thing is still possible after all this time, we'll see. Her body is going to
be treated as a crime scene for the time being though son so your girl isn't
going to be able to see her maybe not for sometime. Besides it may not be a
good idea for her to see her in this condition you know what I mean?"

I knew he was right but
thought at least she'd know it wasn't just me telling her no. I'm thinking
seriously of letting dad give her something to put her to sleep for the rest of
the day, because if I was having such a hard time dealing with this shit I
could only imagine what she was going through.

I had no idea this day was
going to end this way, no idea she would get it into her head to do this, to
come here. How the fuck had we ended up here? How had we gone from a happy go
lucky couple to dealing with murder and human hunting and bullshit? How the
fuck do I bring her back from this? I walked back to where she sat cuddled in
mom’s arms. “Mom I need a favor.” We were going to be here for a while I'm
sure, and I wouldn't dare ask her to leave again. If she wanted to stay until
her mother was taken care of completely then that's what we'll do. Mom left to
go do what I asked and returned fifteen minutes later with
Tinkerbell
.
I saw the first sign of life in my girl's eyes since I'd helped dig her mother
out of that hole.