Rising From The Ashes

Chapter 16

Monday came quickly and he was back in the studio. Madelyn had left for work at 7am for an early client at the studio. Marshall had flowers sent to her office as well as chocolate and a bracelet. He wanted her to know that he appreciated her.

She called him at lunch in tears. He was in the studio and missed the call. His voicemail was her crying. He was so confused when he got it that he ran up to her office. She was sitting at the desk with her head down.

"Baby, what happened?" he asked.

"My boss and the new client," she sniffed.

"What did they do?"

"They tried to attack me this morning."

"I'll kill them both."

"Marshall, you can't do that."

"Madelyn, you're still sitting here in an office of somewhere you aren't safe. I am going to make sure that you are safe."

"I called you after I spoke to the police."

"Why didn't I know the cops were here?"

"I don't know. Marshall, I don't know what to do. Why does shit like this keep happening to me?"

"I don't know baby. I really don't. I wish I had answers for you."

He had moved around the desk to put his arms around her. He pulled her up from the seat and sat down pulling her into his lap. She put her head on his shoulder. He could see the bruise on her arm forming. His face clouded over as he looked at her.

"Marshall," she said softly.

"What baby?" he asked.

"What did I do to deserve this?"

"Nothing, love. Bad things happen to good people all the time."

She nodded. He kissed her head. He was going to be dealing with this and she was going to feel safe again. He was going to make sure of it. Every time he felt like he was getting her to open more something happened to shut her down again. He gently rubbed her arm as she settled down in his lap.

He was livid that someone thought they could put their hands on his girl. Even though they didn't know that she was his girl.

"I'm sorry that this happened to you, babe. Especially on your birthday," he said.

She sighed heavily. He was staring at the door as he comforted her. He wanted to go out and rip off their heads. Madelyn needed him more.

"Let's go home," he said.

"I can't just leave my job," she replied.

"Madelyn Nicole Jaycobs, look at me."

She lifted her head from his shoulder. The tears still ran down her face. He shook his head.

"We are going home," he said.

"Marshall," she whispered.

"Stop, you will be fine. We are going home and we are going to sort through all of this together. I will put Paul on it. This studio will be yours by the time I am done."

"I don't want it."

"Well they will be going to jail. You don't deserve what they have done to you and they will be paying for it."

"Marshall,"

"Madelyn."

She sighed but nodded. He smiled and kissed her cheek.

"You don't deserve the bad things that have happened to you," he said.

He kissed her cheek. He gently tapped her hip.

"Let's go, get your stuff together. I gotta go grab some things from the studio I was in and then we will go home. I will send someone for your car later," he said.

"Ok," she replied.

He tapped her again and she got up from his lap. He headed out of the room to get his stuff together but made it a point to go by the managers office. He wanted him to know that he had messed up by putting his hands on Madelyn.

"Marshall, what can I help you with?" the man in question asked as he walked in.

"That girl you put your disgusting hands on this morning," Marshall began.

"What girl?"

"Don't play stupid with me. I have seen the bruise and Madelyn doesn't lie."

"What about her?"

"That's my girlfriend. Kiss your career goodbye. You fucked up."

The manager stared at him in disbelief. Marshall glared at the man in question. He wanted to get back to Madelyn and make sure that things were all right with her. He left the office and headed down to Madelyn's office. She was standing next to her desk staring at it. She hadn't moved to take anything off it yet.

"Babe," he said gently.

"I'm ok," she said quietly.

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

He helped her get everything ready to go. They walked out of the office. He promised her that he would make sure that the two responsible would be held accountable. She was terrified that it would come back to haunt her. He shook his head.