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It was there, but it was weak.
“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.” I was almost chanting to myself. I knew I should call EMS, but I was so scared. Alex would turn this on me, the cops couldn’t do anything when he beat me, but everyone loved Dr. Alex Edwards. I’d end up in jail, Ashlyn would go into the foster system. We had to get away.
My eyes went back to Alex as I heard a soft moan coming from him. So many times I wanted to get away from him, but not like this.
What should I do?
Chapter 4
Emma
“Mommy?” Ashlyn called again from upstairs, her voice was tentative and scared.
“I’m still here honey. I’m okay. Just stay up there until I come and get you, please.”
“Okay,” her little voice was small, then she tentatively said, “Mommy?”
“Yeah, Ash?” That little girl was my whole world. My whole heart.
“Is Daddy Alex angry with me”
I sighed heavily and shook my head, grateful she couldn’t see me. “Daddy Alex has gone out, but I need you to stay in your room and get your favorite toys together. We’re going to go on a little vacation,” I told her and waited until her bedroom door closed quietly. I don’t know how many minutes passed while I sat and stared at Alex’s body. He was making strange groaning noises, but he wasn’t moving.
My mind went back to how things used to be, the first few months of our relationship were magical and wonderful. Back then Ashlyn was barely two years old, an unexpected gift from my one night stand with the tattooed biker who had thoroughly rocked my world. The news had shocked me and forced me to choose between continuing my education or having my baby, which was really no choice at all. I’d always wanted a family, and she was it for me, so when I met Dr. Alex Edwards, I thoughtthe universe had sent me a gift. He was kind and handsome, romantic and he didn’t seem to mind that I already had a child.
How in the hell I ever thought he’d be a better choice than Asher, I still didn’t know but the joke was on me because the ink hadn’t even dried on the marriage certificate before his dark side, histrue selfwas revealed. Gone was the handsome charming doctor with the flowers and pretty words, replaced by fists and backhands, sex whether I wanted it or not and constant demands. The real Alex was controlling and demanding, mean as hell too. And worst of all? He’d made sure that I had no escape through threats and beatings. One time he even took Ashlyn for three days just so that I knew he could if he wanted.
Without a job or any money of my own, I was trapped. Now I had my chance to flee.
Think Emma. Think goddammit.
I had to do something. As I stared at his body, the reality of what I’d done started to sink in. My heart was racing, and I could feel my fingers go numb as I started to hyperventilate. I had to call EMS, I hated Alex, but I couldn’t let him die like this, it would make me a murderer. It was self-defense, but what jury would believe me over the esteemed Dr. Edwards? I stood there feeling helpless, wrestling with my conscience. Alex gave another groan, and his fingers twitched, I almost jumped through the roof. I had to call someone, but who? There was no one but Sara, and I couldn’t let her get tangled up in this mess.
Alex had made sure to keep my world small so I ran through a list of all the people I knew to decide if they could help me. Most of them were women and men in my exact situation and the rest were… not ideal. But then I thought of the nice man who worked at the Steel City Community Center. His name wasJustin, and he always had a kind smile for me when I showed up for the domestic violence support group that I sneaked out to once a month—and only when I knew Alex was in surgery or a meeting and wouldn’t be trying to call me. He’d told me that this town wasn’t like other towns, that there were people who would help me if and when I needed them to. And he’d given me a card.
I jumped up to my feet and rushed back upstairs, stopping with a smile for Ashlyn as she peeked her head out. “Just one second, honey.” I rushed to my bedroom and fell to my knees in front of the nightstand, flicking through the bible I kept there, not because I was particularly religious but since Alex thought it was silly, it was the one place I could keep private from him. There in between the pages was the black card with white block numbers on it. I dialed and held my breath, remembering what Justin told me.
Just tell them Justin sent you. They owe me.
With each ring my heartbeat thundered in my chest and tears pooled in my eyes. My emotions threatened to overwhelm me, and I willed someone to pick up the phone.
The ringing stopped and a low voice answered. “Yeah?”
“Um, hi. My name is, well never mind that. I met Justin through a DV support group at the community center and he said if I needed help, I could call this number and I might get it. I’m in trouble, big trouble and I’m not sure if this is even still the right number.”
The deep voice said nothing, and I was about to hang up when he finally spoke. “What happened?”
“My husband… he- he tried… tried- he tried to kill me and,” I stuttered out. “I need to call EMS, I need to, but—”
“Don’t do anything until we get there, okay?” the man said.
“Okay,” I whispered back.
“Gimme your address.”
I rattled off the number and street before I could second guess myself. “Is there anything I should, um, be doing?”
“Yeah. Pack a bag and don’t answer the door for anyone except me. Name’s Diesel.” With those instructions, he ended the call, and I scanned the bedroom for anything else I wanted to take with me.
