Love and Betrayal

Chapter 3

Ashlynn's POV

"Hey boss lady, if you give me ten minutes I can walk you home," Joe said, sticking his head in my office. This has been every day since I was attacked. Someone was constantly trying to make sure I got home safe and, just like every other day, I refused their offer. I hadn't heard a single thing from Rick. It's been a week, so I know that he has been arrested, or the police said they would arrest him. I haven't heard a word from them since I went in there.

"Well, today is different, and I'm making sure that you get home safe," Joe said, arguing back.

"Joe, I drove to work, and my apartment has security cameras and all I have to do is yell and someone will come out to see what is going on."

"Are you sure, because I really don't mind."

"I'm sure, we are closed, now go home," I told him, and he waved and walked away. It was Saturday and we would be closed tomorrow. Sunday was the only day we were closed and my only day off. I was going to sleep in and then lay on the couch and watch bad television all day.

I got everything done for the day and headed out. As a bakery, we opened early, which meant we closed early. It was three in the afternoon. I got into my car and the engine wouldn't turn over. No surprise there. It was old and worn down, but the bakery sucked me dry. I made enough to get by, but not much else. That didn't really matter to me because I loved to bake, it truly was my passion. Someone once told me that if you do what you love, you will never feel like you are going to work and money won't matter. I don't remember who said that, but it's stuck with me, and it's so true, until moments like this when my car won't start, and I don't have a ton of extra cash to get it fixed and I sure as s**t didn't have money for a car p*****t.

I left my car in the parking garage and decided to walk to the store on the corner and grab a bottle of wine. I needed it today. It's been the shittiest week of my life and trust me when I say I've had bad weeks. I slung my purse over my shoulder and took off to the corner market.

I carefully walked through the wine aisle and grabbed two bottles of my favorite red. I wasn't going to splurge, but I decided it was necessary this week. After paying, I walked outside and ordered a ride. I could have walked. It was only thirty minutes, but I was still a little nervous that Rick would be waiting for me around a corner or something. I wouldn't feel good until I knew he had been arrested or there was a restraining order in place for him.

I was watching a stupid video on my phone when I got to my door, so when I looked up to unlock the door there was a knife that was stabbed into it with a note that had red ink running down the page or what I hoped was ink, but I had a feeling it wasn't and it scared me.

"You're cute calling the cops, they aren't going to protect you." the note read.

I stepped back from the door and turned and ran down the stairs and called Adara.

"Hey sweetie, how are you?"

"I I I," I said over and over. I knew I was freaking her out, but I couldn't stop. It was like I was in some sort of shock.

"Where are you?" I finally heard her ask.

"Apartment entry," is all I could manage to get out. I dropped my phone after that and covered my face with my hands. If I couldn't see them, they couldn't see me. It was a crap tactic, but it stems from my childhood. I couldn't help it. I didn't have much of a defensive system in me, not when people were scaring me on purpose. When they stalk me and do things like this. I felt brave, in the moment he hit me, but I thought I could get rid of him through the police, but apparently not.

"Sweetie, what happened?" I heard Adara ask as she pulled my hands away from my face. "Oh my God, what did he do to you? I knew he hit you but this is so much more."

"I'm fine."

"You are anything but fine. I'm going to kill him."

"No, you are going to leave him alone."

"What made you panic like this today? You seemed fine all week."

"He was here, and left a note threatening me." I said, and her husband, Brent, took off running towards my apartment. Adara just sat there with me rubbing my back, trying to make me feel better. It wasn't really working. A few minutes later I heard Brent headed back this way arguing with someone.

"Ash, did you touch that thing?" he asked, and I shook my head, not trusting myself to talk yet. I knew it would sound shaky and I would cry again. Adara watched him pace the entrance and I just looked down at the ground.

"The police are on their way and for the time being you are going to stay with us. You can pack a bag once the police have talked with you, and then I will take you girls back to our apartment." He said and he left no room for argument. Not that I was going to argue with him anyway. I didn't want to stay there.

Two hours later and we were finally able to leave. They said that he had broken the temporary order of protection, and so they would go pick him up, but he would be let out quickly. I also had to go back down on Monday and file a temporary restraining order. I guess it holds more weight than the order of protection. They were going to add this to his charges as well.

"So, wine and movie night?" Adara asked as we pulled into their parking garage.

"I think I will just crawl under the covers of your spare bed and you two can continue to do whatever it was you were doing." I said, knowing that I had interrupted their usual date night, but I panicked, and she has been my person for so long.

"We didn't have any plans," Adara said and Brent chimed in next, "we really didn't. Do you have your car keys?"

"Why?" I asked.

"I'm going to have a friend look at it."

"You don't have to. I will have someone come on Monday." I told him, and he didn't say anything back, he just put the car in park and turned and held out his hands. He wasn't going to drop this until I gave him my keys. I reached into my purse and pulled them out and dropped them in his hand and I could picture the dumbass smile on his face because I gave in easily.

"Want to talk about it?" Adara asked as soon as we were alone in the kitchen.

"Not at all."

"OK, wine it is then," she said, grabbing two glasses from the counter and I popped the cork and filled both glasses clear up. I wasn't in a talking mood and she knew it. We ended up in the living room watching some dumb movie, but it didn't take my mind off everything. I tried to review our whole relationship and tried to figure out any red flags that I missed and the only thing I could come up with was when we had fights, he always blamed me and then walked away, but he was also quick to come back and make up.

After two glasses of wine, I told her I was going to bed. I was just tired of the awkward looks from her. I couldn't think anymore. She tried to make sure I didn't need anything, but what I needed was to be alone. I didn't bother taking a shower tonight. I just don't care right now. It could be all the wine in my system and no food making me feel that way.

I woke up way too early with my phone going off. I fumbled around the nightstand looking for it and didn't bother looking at the name and number.

"Hello," I mumbled.

"Is this Ashlynn Rogers?"

"Yes," I said suddenly, wide awake and sitting up in bed.

"This is officer Reed, and I am calling because there was a break in at your apartment last night."

"Do you know who did it?" I asked.

"Unfortunately, not. The neighbors heard something breaking in your apartment and called us. By the time we got here, they were gone, but we are going to need you to come over here as soon as possible."

"I will be there soon," I said and hung up on him. I knew who it was, and he just didn't stop. So much for my day of relaxation.

I went and knocked on Adara and Brents' door and I had to practically bang on it for someone to wake up. It was six in the morning.

"Hey sweetie, is everything OK?" Adara asked when she finally opened the door. I hated it when she called me that. It was her annoyed with me name. I get it. I had been really needy lately, and she had been calling me that a lot lately. Hopefully, I can get out of here fast.

"I have to go back to my apartment."

"You aren't going there alone. As soon as Brent is up, we can all go."

"No, I have to go now. The police are there. Someone broke in. Go back to sleep, I will grab a ride-share."

"Like hell you will. Give me ten minutes, and we will be leaving," she said, and turned back towards the bed.

I sat in the living room waiting for them to come out, and it wasn't even ten minutes when they walked out. They both looked half asleep still. I can't blame them. I would much rather be asleep too. I guess I should have listened to his threat when he said he was going to ruin my life because he was pushing close to that, at least it felt like it.

When we pulled up outside the apartment complex, there were four cop cars with their lights on but no sirens. Did they have to do that? I didn't need any more attention. There were cops throughout the hallway and the looks on their faces told me that it was bad in there, but nothing prepared me for what I saw when I walked inside. It looked like a tornado went through here. Everything was trashed. The couch was cut up to shreds. If there was glass, it had been thrown on the floor. My tables had been chopped up. He hadn't left anything untouched. There were holes in the walls, windows were broken. Food from my fridge was thrown all over the place. I wiped the one tear that formed and pushed the rest back because if I cried now, I wouldn't stop.

"Ms. Rogers, I have a feeling I know the answer to this, but do you have any idea who might have done this?"

"My ex, the same one who has other charges out against him from me."

"I figured that would be your answer."

"Have you checked the video surveillance in the hallway?"

"We have and, unfortunately, the cameras haven't been working for a little over a week now."

"Of course they haven't," I said in frustration.

"We have a few more questions, and then we will let you do what it is you need to," he said, and I knew he meant getting this cleaned up.

"Ash, what can I do? How can I help?" Adara asked as she wrapped her arms around me, trying to make me feel better, but nothing was going to make me feel better right now.