The Last Best Place

Chapter 1

Dawn POV

My name is Dawn Farrow, I am 5’7”, I have an hourglass figure, long, natural curly black hair and big light green eyes with a slightly tan skin. I have high cheekbones, plump lips, a small nose and a show stopping smile. You’d think I’m bragging, but I’m not, I’m an actress, quite famous actually, so I have to look my best at all times. I live in England, not going to tell you where since the fans will stalk me, but yeah I live here although I was born in Texas, we moved here when I was a teen. So now that you know let me tell you where I am at this very moment, well hold on, listen to this

“I swear she meant nothing love” he pleads and I roll my eyes. Yeah right

“So it was an accident?” I ask with a raised eyebrow

“Yes exactly” he says, his dark coffee colored eyes begging me to understand

“Really Leroy?” I ask and he nods furiously

“So let me get this straight, you were at home, alone” I say and he nods

“She shows up, looking for….?”

“You”

“Ah yes. But she loses her clothes on her way to our bedroom, and so do you, and then, this is the good part, you trip and accidentally fall into her v****a with your erect d**k” I state standing

“No! For f**k’s sake Dawn” he grunts standing looking angry

“Oh so you were driving, and happen to hit her with your p***s then?” I ask and he growls loudly

“No you stupid b***h!” he hollers and I flinch

“Well that’s an accident Leroy!” I yell back and he spins around

“Don’t test me” he warns and I turn around heading for the door

“Get back here Dawn!” he yells and grabs my wrist. I stop dead in my tracks and glare at him

“I have a shoot in two hours dickhead, you want me show up with bruises like last time?” I hiss and he steps back

“Congrats whatever your name is, he’s all yours honey!” I call over his shoulder at the sheet covered girl standing in the foyer

“Thanks!” she chirps back

“Dawn please” he begs all the way to my car

“Leroy, listen to me clearly. Are you listening?” I ask and he nods, his dark skin glistening in the sun

“We are done. I’ve put up with all kinds of s**t from you over the past three years. But this is the last straw. Go back to her, she obviously liked whatever you did, if the begging and moaning I had to listen to for twenty minutes was any indication” I state and his eyes flare with rage. He steps closer, dwarfing me with his 6’2” frame and balls his fists

“Get back in there” he says through clenched teeth and my eyes dart to the neighbors. Someone please see this

“No Leroy. I’m over this crap. Enjoy your life” I state and slam my car door. I glance at his trembling torso and put my car in reverse. The next moment my window shatters and he grabs my hair through the broken window, tugging me forcefully to him. I scream in shock more than fear and my foot slips off the brake and hits the gas. Struggling I turn the steering wheel, by accident, and I hear a weird noise, him yelling in pain and then all hell breaks loose. He’s lying in the driveway, gripping his leg crying and moaning so loud the whole neighborhood is running up the street in seconds. Great, just what I need today. I park the car and jump out looking at him

“What the hell Leroy?!” I bellow and the b***h storms out, yelling like a mad person pointing a finger at me

“She tried to kill Leroy Morris!” as if on cue there are multiple phones on us. My hair is a mess, my clothes disheveled and he’s groaning in pain, half naked on the god dammed driveway. Can anyone say PR nightmare?

“No!” I yell as the reality and complete gravity of the situation settles in my mind

“She did! I saw the whole thing!” she yells again and my anger flares

“Can you shut up?!” I yell at her and kneel next to him

“Leroy, oh god. Are you okay?” I ask but he just slaps my hand away

“Get away from me!” he yells and I step back

“You grabbed me and I-“she cuts me off

“Help! Police!” she screams and my eyes go wide. This is not going well for me

“What?! He smashed my window!” I scream and then I feel a pair of hands on my shoulders, tugging me backward before slamming me into the hood of my car

“Hey! What the f**k?!” I yell

“You are under arrest” he commands and I pale

“What?! Why?” I ask struggling

“Gross bodily harm” he states and I feel the cuffs tighten on my wrists. Oh shit

“Hey!” I hear a faint male voice and look up. The old man next door, which no one ever sees is walking over. He’s tall with broad shoulders, shoulder length silver grey hair, and an angry expression on his face

“Stand down” he commands as they pull me up

“Sir stay back” the one constable says and he groans at him, towering over the young constable

“Get out of my way” he says, his voice low and thick with authority

“She’s innocent” he says shoving the constable out of his way like he weighs nothing

“Yeah, heard it before” the one holding me says

“Miss Farrow, I will accompany you to the station” he says, his eyes soft and caring

“Th-thank you” I say being pulled toward the police car. They shove me inside and slam the door, the paramedics hovering over Leroy. They put him on a gurney and wheel him to the ambulance before driving off and I rest my head against the head rest

“Great day to be alive” I groan. The police get in and drive off with me in the back seat. After more than an hour I finally get my phone call and call my agent

“Marge-“

“Dawn! Oh god honey are you okay?” she asks and I sigh

“No, listen call the lawyer, this is a s**t show” I say and she hums

“Then call my parents please, this is going to be big” I say and she hums again

“Got it, you need anything?”

“No, I’m at Manchester central-” I say before the line goes dead and I look up into the Captain’s angry face

“You’re done” he says and shoves me toward the cells. Lovely people. He slams the door shut and gives me a death glare before leaving. I sit down on the bed and rest my head in my hands

“This is not happening” I groan. It’s dark by the time my parents arrive and I’m let out on bail

“Oh honey” my mom says wrapping me up in a tight motherly hug

“Thanks for coming” I say and she looks at me, brushing the hair out of my face

“Of course” I turn to my dad, his usually stoic face is marred with worry

“Dad” I say and he opens his arms. He’s never been a man of many words, although he’s one of the most powerful men in the business world. He’s intimidating, tall and build like a house. I step into his arms and he whispers

“You okay?” he asks and I nod

“I am now” I say and he pulls back

“Let’s go home” my mom says but I stop looking around the station

“Where is he?” I ask and they frown

“Who?”

“Mr Wheeler, he said he’d come here” I say and then my eyes land on his broad back. He just stepped out of the interrogation room, still talking to a detective I assume

“Oh there he is” I say and wait for him to turn around

“We need to leave” my mom says and I look at her pleadingly

“Let me just thank him” I say and they nod. I weave through the maze of tables and people and tap his shoulder, he turns and his eyes go soft when he sees me

“Oh Miss Farrow, are you alright?” he asks and I nod smiling

“Yes, thank you Mr Wheeler, of all the people I never would’ve thought you’d be the one to stand up for me” I say and he gives me a small smile, mostly hidden behind his thick beard

“Time that prick gets what’s coming to him” he says in a low thick voice

“I need to go, but I just wanted to thank you” I say and he nods

“I have proof, he won’t get away with this” he whispers and I smile, kiss his cheek and step away

“Thank you, but it’s nothing” I say and his eyes and face harden

“He got you good huh?” he says and those worlds still my insides

“No he-“

“Go, be safe” he groans and turns back around. I look up and are met with stares, death glares and scowls so I hang my head and walk out. To be expected, I ran over the best rugby player and captain in the country’s foot or leg, he’s probably going to miss the rest of the year because of me. We’ll lose the cup because of this, I single handed killed the rugby season, yay me. I slide into the back of the SUV and my dad drives off. The drive is silent and I know they don’t want to say it but they warned me about him, my dad said those words one night I’ll never forget

“Starlight, he’s dangerous” he said, and I got so angry at him for it. Leroy wasn’t like that at all, how wrong I was.

“Here we are” my mom says as we stop at the house, well manor actually. I get out and saunter up to my room, slumping down on the bed I groan

“You need anything hon?” my asks in her signature accent and I smile

“I’m good thanks mama” I say and she sits down next to me

“Oh honey you’re hurt” she says lifting my arm and I wince when she touches the cut on my upper arm

“It’s nothing mom” I say pulling my arm away

“Oh Rory” she says and I look away, mostly in shame

“Don’t fret mama” I say but she gets up and fetches the first aid kit

“Take a shower and I’ll look at that” she says and I nod getting up. I take a long hot shower and wrap the towel around my body, the bruises from his last beating still visible. But this cut on my arm is long. I turn my body and look at it in the mirror

“Dammit Leroy” I whisper. I walk to the closet and get dressed, making sure the clothes cover my other bruises. Most people think it’s from my stunts, but he did this. Marge knows the truth, she fetched me one night when we had a big fight and he decided my head would fit through a window, but my parents don’t know and never will.

“You decent?” my mom calls through the door

“Yes” I say and she enters, sits down on the bed next to me, silently tending to the cut. She grew up in Montana, on a ranch. My granddad still lives there, so she knows how to do all these things. I glance at her and my heart clenches at her face, hurt and worry is plastered over her fine features.

“Thanks mama” I say softly and she nods

“This has been happening a while hasn’t it?” she asks packing the stuff back into the box

“Yes” I say my voice a whisper

“Oh Rory, why did you stay?” she asks, still not looking at me

“I thought I loved him” I say and she nods. She stands, kisses my head and leaves, never looking at me and I know why. She wants to cry, but she refuses to do so in front of someone other than my dad. I crawl under the covers and switch off the light, staring at the dark ceiling I sigh

“This is not how my day was supposed to go” I say rubbing my face. I take my phone and see texts from Marge mostly and him

“Thanks for ruining my season” he said and I groan switching off the phone I turn on my side

“Screw you Leroy” I huff. Sleep does not come easy, I toss and turn the whole night. His pain ridden face haunts me the whole time. s**t I never meant to hurt him, well not physically anyway. It was an accident. I drag my tired body out of bed and make my way to the kitchen, I scan the fridge, grab the milk and pour myself a tall glass. Sitting in silence, in the dimly lit kitchen thinking about the day. I nearly jump out of my skin when my brother speaks behind me

“Hey Sunshine” he says ruffling my hair and I grunt

“Hey Jakey” I say and he plops down next to me. His dark curly hair falling over his forehead, but his piercing blue eyes are fixed on me

“How you?” he asks opening the soda and I sigh

“Oh you know me, I’m just wonderful” I say smiling and he leans forward, the crease between his eyes deepening

“He hurt you” he grumbles and I turn my face away, pulling my sleeve over the bruises on my wrist

“It’s nothing, I’m okay” I say and he rests his hand on my shoulder

“Rory” he says and I close my eyes

“Not tonight okay Jake… please?” I plead softly and he pulls me to his chest. He’s tall like dad, broad shoulders and narrow hips, with a permanent 5 o’clock shadow covering his strong jaw with piercing blue eyes that can see right into your depths of your soul

“Rory, you need to press charges” he says stroking my hair

“I’m going to, I am” I say and he sighs

“No honey, this is wrong, he can’t get away with this” he says and I grip his jacket, inhaling deeply. His warmth and his scent makes me feel safe, and loved

“I’m sorry” I choke and he grips me tighter

“It’s not your fault” he soothes but I shake my head

“I cost him the season, maybe even his career” I say and he sits back gripping my shoulders

“Oh no, you’re not doing this” he states and I look away

“But I-“

“Ah hell no. He cost you so much. He hurt you Rory” he says, I hear the strain in his voice but I dare not look at him. He’s my twin, not identical obviously, but I’ve never been able to fool him

“Jakey-“

“No Rory, dammit!” He huffs, moves his hand and I flinch, out of instinct mostly. He stops, gently pulls me back to his firm chest wrapping his arms around me

“Sorry” he whispers and I nod

“No harm bro” I say trying not to sound scared

“He ruined you” he says and I sit there, in my brothers arms, trying my best not to bawl my eyes out, because that’s all I want to do now. God I’m pathetic

“No I’m good. This will blow over” I say but he steps back looking at me

“I hope so” he says and kisses my head before heading to his room. He’s been single for over four years now, his girlfriend died in a plane crash, she was the love of his life. Since then he never dated again, he just dives into work. One of the most eligible bachelors in the country but he pays no attention to it. I get it though, he loved Lisa so much, and I would go so far as to say she was his soulmate. Now the only women he ever touches are mom and I. A shame really, he is such a sweetheart, yes he’s ruthless in business, much more than dad, but he has a soft side. If I only had the luck to find my person. I think as I switch on the TV and snuggle under the blanket, the 11 o’clock news comes on and I shoot to my feet at the headline

“Famous actress, Dawn Farrow, allegedly tried to kill her long-time boyfriend, Captain of the national rugby team, Leroy Morris today as she fled his house in a drunken rage” the news anchor says and I feel like I’m going to be sick

“I wasn’t drunk” multiple angles of me reversing over his leg plays over and over as they finish the bulletin. My stomach churns and I feel light headed watching his leg disappear under the wheel of my car. Oh god. The screaming match between me and the tart is shown and I do look pale, but not from drinking, my hair is a mess and my arm is bleeding as I yell at her before bending down to him, then they cut the footage.