#7 The Twins of Satin Moon

Chapter 24: Maizey

I was breathless and exhausted all of the sudden, dropping back down to the sidewalk with my head falling into my hands. I knew Hunter was struggling with his own emotions, but I couldn’t deal with that right now. After a few minutes, I felt his presence beside me. He didn’t try to touch me and he didn’t speak. He just waited.

“When I was born, my father was pissed, he only wanted sons. He blamed my mother, said she was a useless b***h, and that sent her into a depressive spiral. My brothers said that before that, she was always happy and their marriage was good. She was a housewife, like something out of a 50s sitcom, and that made her happy. I guess I just ruin everything,” I sniffed as I told this man, a man who hated me, my deepest, darkest truth,

“He was neglectful of me from day one. He became an absent father to my brothers, too, and an absent husband. He started drinking more and going out. I was 7 the first time that he hit me. At first, it was just when he was drunk or came home from a losing night at the casino. He was always careful to hide the bruises and had the most clever stories of childhood clumsiness when he broke my bones,

“When I was 10, I started talking. I told my teachers I was too afraid to go home, I told my mom that I hated daddy, and I would ask my brothers if all men were so cruel. My father was a cop so he easily covered up all of the accusations against him. One night my brothers got in an all out brawl with him, accusing him of beating up their little sister. To prove them right, he threw me down two flights of stairs. I broke my arm, several ribs, and had a concussion. My mother said she would call the police if he didn’t let me go to the hospital,

“I guess he knew that he couldn’t cover that one up, because he kidnapped me from the hospital three days later. It was Halloween. He took me to his hunting cabin upstate. Apparently my mother didn’t even know the cabin existed and it was in another name, so nobody could connect it to him. It took the police 11 days to find me. I was almost dead, believe me, I wanted to be dead. I was so unrecognizable when they got to me that the police weren’t sure if it was even me,

“He gave me just enough food and water to stay alive. He hit me, kicked me, stabbed me with the fire poker, put out his cigarettes on me, even held a gun to my head and made me beg for death; he never gave it to me, though. When I finally made it to a hospital I had a broken leg, broken arm, several broken ribs, a bruised spleen, a collapsed lung, and I had to have one of my kidneys removed,

“He hit me over the head so many times with God knows how many different objects, that I didn’t even know my own name. I couldn’t recognize my family for days. They put me into a medically induced coma for 22 days to help me heal. By the time I woke up, the swelling and bleeding in my brain had gone down enough that my long term memories came back. But, it took so much therepy for the short term ones to return,

“The FBI got involved. They did cognitive therapy on me about a month later to get enough information to use against my father during the trial. Between that and my medical file, it was an easy conviction. It took years of therapy afterwards for me to fully restore my memory, and even still, I’m sure there’s parts I can’t remember, or won’t,

“Two days after my father’s conviction, my mother killed herself in our backyard in the middle of the night. We all found her the next morning. She left a note.” I was crying so hard that my entire face was soaked and I could feel the tears streaming down my neck.

Hunter didn’t say anything the entire time, he just watched me closely. His face was so full of pain, concern, and anger that I almost couldn’t believe how impassionate he was towards me just days ago. I couldn’t bring myself to look into his eyes. I took a deep, shaky breath.

“Most people get it when I say that I hate my father, they don’t understand it when I say that I hate my mother, too. You know what her note said? That she couldn’t stand to live in a world where she couldn’t be with the love of her life. She couldn’t stand to think about all the horrible things the man she loved did, but she still loved him. She couldn’t bring herself to look after and love her children when her own heart was imprisoned with Paul.” I spit his name like it burned my throat,

“Can you imagine? My brother was just 21 years old and suddenly had to care for his 12 year old, broken and abused sister, and his 17 year old brother. Just like that, we were orphaned. It’s why I started homeschooling and why I graduated at 15, I threw myself into my studies. Nicky went overseas to culinary school for years just to get away from it all.” My heart broke for my brothers all over again, knowing that I wasn’t the only victim.

I met Hunter’s eyes finally and was shocked to see that he was crying, too.

“Maizey, I swear on my life, that monster will never come near you again.” His jaw was twitching as he clenched his teeth.

“They asked me if I wanted a restraining order against him. You know what they need for that? An address. That man would have my address if I took a restraining order out on him.” I laughed humorlessly, “What good will that piece of paper do anyway? He’ll kill me the first chance he gets.”

Hunter growled, his body coming to life beside me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close. He refused to let me look away.

“He will not touch you.” He said carefully so that I understand each and every word, “You are protected.”

“I have to go tell my brothers, they don’t know, yet.” I sighed, standing up. Hunter stood with me, refusing to let me go.

“I’ll take you home.” He said he didn’t ask.

“Your bodyguards can follow me home like always.” I insisted.

“Maizey…” The way he said my name made me feel things that I didn’t want to.

“I know it’s hard for you, Hunter, but I’m no different than I was yesterday and yesterday you hated me. I don’t need your pity or your help. I’ve been doing this alone, with just my brothers, for nine years now.” I spoke softly but even still my words seemed to cause him pain.

“I don’t hate you.” I didn’t believe him.

“You don’t act like it,” I sighed, “Thank you for the protection, Hunter, especially now. Please, just let me go home.” Hunter released me reluctantly and nodded. Something told me this wasn’t the end of it.

I drove home with my bodyguards following close behind. Now that their cover was blown, or at least now that they knew it was blown, they didn’t bother with the trailing tactics. I was slow in my drive and slow in my actions, not wanting to face my brothers with the truth. I knew they would both be devastated. I hadn’t stopped crying since the lawyers called.

I had already texted my brothers and told them to meet me at home since I knew they were out at their party. I hated to end their night, but they needed to know. They were waiting for me in the living room with worried faces. That worry grew to full fledged panic when they saw my tear stained appearance.

“What is going on, Maze?” Matt’s arms were around me in an instant.

“Is this more to do with that asshole? I'm going to kill him.” Nicky was raging behind Matt.

“No, it’s not about Hunter. Let’s sit.” I said. Matt refused to stop hugging me, so we walked as one to the couch. He finally let go once we were sitting, but was still holding my hands. Nicky was sitting on the other side of me with his arm protectively around my shoulders.

“A lawyer called me today. Our father is getting out tomorrow.” I surprised myself with how even tempered my voice was. Matt and Nicky blinked at me in disbelief.

“Excuse me?” Matt said.

“What did you just say?” Nicky acted like he didn’t hear me.

“They said it’s due to good behavior and an overcrowded jailhouse. Apparently he’s a model prisoner and, because his assailant is over age now, they thought he would be able to handle being released.” I explained more details. This seemed to unlock Nicky who stood from the sofa and started yelling. He punched a hole right through a kitchen cabinet.

“Nicky!” I yelled, standing up to yell at him. Matt was a frozen statue. Honestly, I was more worried about him. I started shaking Matt’s shoulders,

“Matty?” I yelled in his face.

“How can they do this?” He said in a monotone voice.

“I don’t know.” I shook my head.

“Did they say what we should do?” Matt asked.

“The lawyer said I could take out a restraining order but that would mean our father would get our new address and we both know he doesn’t care what a piece of paper says.” I explained quickly, “So, I said no.” The only thing we had going for us was that our father didn’t know we left Chicago.

“His name is Paul.” Nicky bellowed from the kitchen where he was just mindlessly chucking glasses at the table.

“Yes, Paul.” I nodded, not wanting to upset him anymore.

“No! Don’t say his name! You're too good for him, he doesn't even deserve to have you say his name.” Nicky snarled. He picked up the toaster and threw it at the wall.

“Nicky! Stop breaking things.” I stormed into the kitchen and shoved him away from the microwave.

There was a knock on the door and everyone went stiff. Nicky shoved me behind him and Matt glared at the door.

“Miss. Grace? It’s uhm Danny. There’s a lot of noise coming from in there.” A voice said on the other side of the door.

“Who’s Danny?” Matt asked.

“One of my bodyguards.” I said, walking over to the door and flinging it open, “It’s okay, Danny, just my brother turning our kitchen into a rage room.” I sighed and showed him the mess.

“Oh.” He seemed uncomfortable, “Well, I’ll be right outside, miss, if you need anything.”

“Thanks.” I nodded in appreciation and shut the door.

“You have bodyguards now?” Matt was still glaring at the door.

“I've had bodyguards for months now thanks to Hunter. He’s had me under protection since we first met. I just pretended like I didn’t know about them. Hunter was with me when the lawyer called so now the guards will just be a little more….present.” I shrugged.

“Why does Hunter have bodyguards on you?” Nicky asked and I shrugged again,

“Apparently everyone in his family does because of their money and, since he was so public with me, he’s afraid that I could be a target, too.”

“Don’t you think being a giant d**k towards you would make others steer clear?” Nicky meant it as a joke but something clicked in my head. I looked at Matt who almost had an amused look in his eyes, if it wasn’t for the fact that nothing about tonight has been amusing.