Leather & Lacey

INTRODUCTION: Hi, I wanted to take a second, and thank you all for your interest in my story. I truly appreciate each, and every one of you!! Some of you know this already because I put these little blurbs in all my stories, but I'll try not to bore you. For those who do not… I’m a fairly new writer. I try to be conscious of the fact that certain things can be triggering. Which is why I warn people at the beginning of my stories that they may contain multiple triggering events. I don’t post warnings at the beginning of each chapter that you then have to pay for. So I put this little warning here, up front. This story does contain some triggering events. I do try not to get overly graphic, though. Also, this sort of breaks from my normal pattern because there’s nothing supernatural about it. It's just a super story about ordinary humans experiencing extraordinary human issues and how they overcome those issues. Or something along those lines. ;^) All I ask is, please be kind. I'm still learning and, while I do hope to receive feedback, I’d appreciate it if you kept it positive, constructive, and respectful. I'll always do my best to respond to constructive criticism in a timely manner. However, if you simply flame me or are rude/disrespectful, I’ll simply overlook your message and move on. The only drama I'm here for is contained within the story. ='^D I pay attention to your thoughts, though. So please don't be shy! If you’d like to read my full intro, it's at the beginning of The Alpha's Warrior Princess (link in author's notes below). I hope you enjoy your reading experience. ~Koeh And now.... Leather & Lacey CHAPTER 1: PROLOGUE “You’re f**kin useless!” He shouted as he slammed the door in my face. I really didn’t care what he thought of me, right now. I was so far past done with him, it wasn’t even funny. So while he was off throwing his temper tantrum, I texted my cousin, packed a bag, then got what few things of his that were actually here and bagged them up as well. I then sat the bag with his meager belongings outside on the bottom step leading up to my porch. I was sitting at my kitchen table calmly writing a note when my cousin arrived. “Heya, Em. Just give me a sec, would you? I wanna finish this note for Roger, then I’ll get Sunny into her travel bag, and we can be off.” My cousin, Emmitt, just nodded with a stern look on his face before asking, “Is the d*uche around, still?” I laughed at his comment and shook my head as I said, “No, cuz. Said d*uche is off somewhere throwing a major conniption-fit because I’m apparently a b*tch.” I finished writing as I finished speaking and turned to face my cousin more fully. When I did, he noticed the bruise forming on my cheek and I watched as his eyes darkened with anger. He clenched his jaw tight, gritting his teeth as he seethed, “He put his hands on you?! I’ll kill him! What kinda f*cker puts his hands on a woman?!” “Hey… calm down, cuz. It’s done and over with. I’m through with him.” I said in a calm voice, and I meant every word of it, too. “Did you call the cops, Lacey? You need to have this documented!” I just sighed. I honestly hadn’t even thought of calling the cops. I guess I should, though, since this isn’t the first time he’s hit me. Besides, from the look Emmitt was now giving me, I’m pretty sure he wasn’t letting me step a toe outside my door before I filed a report. So I simply took out my phone and made a call to 911. Of course, the cops showed up with the EMT’s in tow, and they took my statement while I was being looked at. The EMT's advised me to go to the ER and be checked for a concussion. I was gonna say no, but Emmitt just folded his arms over his chest and said, “I’ll make sure she goes, sir.” I just sighed. I get where Emmitt is coming from. We were, after all, the only blood family either of us had left that was worthy of the title “family”. We also grew up more like siblings than cousins, since our parents lived right next door to each other. My Dad and his were siblings and, since we were both only children, we were close, and we only grew closer after the accident that took our parents from us. I was almost eighteen when it happened. Emmitt was already eighteen. He’s got six months on me, almost, so he’s always played the “big bro” where guys are concerned. He had this buddy, Dante, who had a crush on me, so he arranged for a double date for us. I didn’t really wanna go, but I also didn’t wanna hurt Emmitt’s feelings either. The city was doing some road work in our area and had a lot of our streets in various stages of being dug up to replace gas mains. They were working on our block that day when Emmitt and I left for our movie date. We had the day off from school, so we figured we’d see a Matinée then go out for dinner. I kissed my parents goodbye, told them I loved them, then off I went. Emmitt drove, so we went to pick up our dates, then went off to the movies. Thirty minutes after we left our homes, we were pulling into a parking spot when everything began to shake, and we heard this loud noise. I don’t think I’ll ever forget watching the plume of smoke and flames that sh*t skyward. We could see it clearly from where we were and shock immediately took hold. It didn’t hold us for long, though. I looked at Emmitt, and he looked at me just as my tears began to flow. “Don’t, cuz. Maybe they got out. Maybe they were evacuated or something.” Emmitt said, trying to calm me down, but his voice was just as panicked as I felt as I nodded at his words. He was already backing out of the spot we were in and heading home at breakneck speeds. We didn’t get very far, though. The cops were already setting up roadblocks and not allowing anyone past. A month later, we both sat numbly for their memorial service, neither of us with a penny to our names. Oh, and our family? You know, our extended family. Like aunts and stuff. Yeah. Not a single one of them even so much as hinted about taking either of us in. But those sons-of-b*tches had the nerve to show up at the memorial looking for a free meal. Emmitt and I were onto them, though. So we didn’t have any sort of luncheon after the service. We figured we’d use the money that was left from their life insurance policies to get a small apartment of our own at some point. We just had to wait for it all to come through. That and the class action suit against the city we were a part of. Of course, the Red Cross and DHHS were providing us with shelter, food, and stuff, but it wasn’t the same. Nothing will ever be the same for either of us again. I thank god for Rosemarie, though. Rosey was a godsend for Emmitt. She’s been by his side through it all. She’s even been there for me as well. I’ve come to see her like a sister over these past couple of years, so when those two decided to quietly go to a justice-of-the-peace and get married, I was right there with them. Standing as both maid-of-honor and best-man... uhhh... woman. Once we got the insurance money, and the money from whatever homeowners insurance our parents were wise enough to get which covered accidents like this, we were able to get that apartment. It took them ages to pay us, but they finally did. So Emmitt, Rosey, and I got a two-room studio apartment near school. Emmitt and I got full-rides to college and Rosey got a scholarship that paid for everything but housing, unless she went into one of the dorms. But with us all working and only having one set of bills between us to pay, we did okay. We all graduated with honors, too. Emmitt was valedictorian. Me? I dream of being in fashion. I love designing and making my own clothes. But I want to specialize in bridal gowns. I even made Rosey’s dress when they got married. Though right now I’m waitressing, down at the café. It’s decent money, actually. It’s just a small "hometown" diner, but tips are good, and the salary is fair enough. It’s not been easy for any of us these past five years, though. Between finishing high school as orphans, basically, then going to college, working full-time jobs to make ends meet while trying to keep our grades up, and not having some sort of nervous breakdown throughout the process has been hard. To say the very least. Which brings me back around to this situation. I’ve not had the best luck in the world when it comes to men. Most of the time it’s the usual stuff, though. “He’s to this”, or “that”, “there’s just no spark” or “pull”, whatever. I’ve never had one who seemed to like to hit before, though. But Roger… he was different. In a lot of ways. He didn’t start out that way, though. But then again, they never do. He was nice and at the time when we met I wasn’t really looking for a boyfriend, just a friend. I’m not even sure how we wound up dating, we just sort of did. By that point, I’d known Roger for about three months, and he was always so sweet. About a month after we got together, we got into an argument and he destroyed my TV. He just reeled back and put his fist straight through the flat-screen like it was nothing. Mind you, Roger isn’t exactly muscular. It was just pure, blind rage that gave him the strength to do what he did. I was scared. At least at first. But after he stormed off in a fit of rage, I got to thinking about what had happened, and I got p*ssed. That was the beginning of our end. That night we'd fought over the same thing we’d fought over tonight. He wanted s*x. And I’m not willing to put-out for him. It’s not that I’m a prude, or anything. But I know I don’t love him and I refuse to just sleep with a guy simply because he’s pressuring me too. Nope, nuttuh, no-way. It’s my body! And I’ll share with whom I want, when iiiiii want, and I’m not settling for anything or anyone less than I deserve. (Emmitt’s POV) We were in the car heading for the ER and Lacey was awfully quiet. I know she was lost in her own thoughts, she did that a lot. I just hope she wasn’t blaming herself for what that slime-ball did. I worry about Lacey, especially when it comes to guys. I know she thinks she can handle herself, but ever since the accident she’s not been the same. Or maybe this is just the new her. I’ve never been quite sure. I know I’ve changed since that day, so I'm sure she has too. I just wish she’d open up about it. She keeps it all locked up inside, then when something bad happens she goes back to that day in her head. She told me once, right after it happened, that she wished she had stayed behind with our parents. She thought it would've been better if she had gone with them rather than them leaving her behind. I can’t even imagine how bad it would've been to lose her too. And I don’t want to even try to imagine it either. I’m just glad she’s not s**cidal anymore. Though I always worry that I’ll miss the signs or something, and then I’ll lose her too. She thinks I’m just over-protective. I guess I am, but I’ve got good reason to be. She’s been through so much, we both have. And it’s always been her and me against the world. She’s not just my cousin. She’s my little sister, my next-door neighbor, my only real family, and my best friend all rolled into one. Aside from Rosey, there's no one I’m closer to. So when someone hurts her, they hurt me too. And I don’t like being hurt. And don’t even get me started on what Rosey would do to me if I didn’t take good care of my cuz. Which is why I’ve been pestering the h*ll out of her to move with us in a couple of weeks. I have no choice, I have to go. I finally found a good job working with a big-time security consulting firm. I’m gonna be making enough to support my family, have a nice house, even a nicer car. The company is paying all our moving expenses and everything. But Rosey and I don’t wanna leave Lacey behind. Unfortunately, Lacey is insisting on staying. Why I have no idea. Rosey thinks it’s because this is where our parents were laid to rest and Lacey doesn’t want to leave them. But I’ll keep on pestering her, even after we get out there. In fact, now is as good a time as any to try again. “Lacey? Has he done this to you before?” I was dreading the answer I might get, but I had to know. “Not really, Em. He’s had some temper tantrums, but he’s only hit me once before now. I told him then if he ever hit me again it’d be the end, and I meant it. Which is what I told him in my letter. I want nothing more to do with him after today.” Thank god she's done with his sorry a**! But if I ever see him again? I'll kill him! Now to try my luck again. “Lacey? Why don’t you come to LA with us? Start over, away from all the bad memories and stuff.” I reached over and took her hand, then gave it a gentle squeeze. “Because, Em. It’s too far away. Besides… you and Rosey can’t keep taking care of me all my life. It’s time you two got to live your own lives. I’ll be fine.” I just sighed at her comments. She’s always so d*mn stubborn. “You know that’s not what we do. You take care of us, more than we take care of you anyway. I just don’t wanna leave you here, that's all. Besides, what about my son? Doesn’t he deserve to get to know his crazy Aunty Lacey better? Daniel's only four, at that age they forget so easily.” Yeah, I know. Using my son to heap on guilt is a low blow, but I’m desperate. She heaved a heavy sigh before saying, “I’ll think about it, okay?” I smiled, that was the first time I got that answer. Maybe we’re finally wearing her down. “Okay, cuz. Now come on. Let’s get that noggin of yours checked out.” I said as I parked in the hospital lot. As we were getting out of the car, Lacey smirked and said, “Cuz? If they could figure out what’s inside my noggin they’d have done it long ago.” We both laughed as we went inside. We got her all checked in, then sat waiting our turn to be called back. As we were waiting she got a text and I heard her gasp just as her hands flew to her face as she started crying. Her phone slipped from her lap and clacked on the floor, so I picked it up. The text was still open, it was from Roger. I read it to myself, then growled before taking out my phone and calling the cops again as I tried to console my hysterical cousin. The text read: “B*tch! You think this is f*ckin over? You wanna play games with me?! DO YOU?! Well how's this for games, you f*ckin useless piece of sh*t?!” Attached to the message was a picture of the stray cat Lacey had been taking care of. The cat was this cute little thing, and she had only just had kittens a few days ago. Roger had her strung up by the neck from Lacey’s front door.