Step Brother

Chapter 29

Flashback:

After begging them to kill me, the men finally realized I was telling the truth; I didn't know anything and I am here against my will. They told me to warn Caleb then they were on their way. After about an hour, I slowly made my way to the couch, collapsing on the leather.

Eventually Caleb comes home, glaring at me. "What'd you tell them?"

I'm left speechless. How did he know? He literally just walked through the door. Rolling his eyes, he seems to read my mind. "I seen it on the cameras."

I straighten on the couch. "I didn't tell them anything. How could I? You never tell me anything."

Stomping over to me, he grabs a handful of hair from the back of my head and pulls, forcing me to look at them. "What did you fucking tell them?"

I cry out in pain. "I didn't tell them anything, Caleb. I swear."

He shoves me down to the floor and begins kicking my stomach. "You lying little whore! I'll fucking kill you."

"Caleb!" I scream, covering my head with my arms. "I didn't do anything!"

"The fuck you didn't. I have people sending me death threats because of you. Say goodbye you little bitch!"

Kneeling down, he pulls his fist back. Before it hits my face, the door swings open and police come in the room. "Put your hands up!"

That's the last thing I hear before everything goes black.

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Three weeks later... (one week until Christmas)

My eyes flutter open and everything is white. Blinking, I slowly look around. Things become clearer and I know I am in the hospital. My room is particularly large with comfortable furniture and a warm glow to it. When I try to move, I immediately ache.

Feeling something in my hand, I squeeze and hear a beep in the distance. After a long moment, a nurse - about in her late twenties - comes rushing in. Her blonde hair is pulled back in a tight bun but there are a few strands loose on the side of her face. "Boy, am I glad to see you're awake. I've been praying for three weeks that you'd wake up." She smiles.

She begins checking me and I think about what she said. Three weeks. "I've been here," I croak, "for three weeks?"

She nods. "Yeah. You were in a coma. Yesterday, you woke up but were out soon after. I'm sure you don't remember."

Closing my eyes, I swallow. "Is my family here?"

"Yeah. Your mother is the sweetest. While I was talking to her, she showed me a bunch of pictures of you. She refused to leave the hospital so I've made her very comfortable."

My eyes open when she replaces the thing in my hand with a cup of water. Slowly raising my arm, I take a drink. "Thanks." I say when she takes the cup. "Can I see her?"

"Not quite yet." She shakes her head. "I'm gonna help you get cleaned up then the police would like you to answer a few questions. Okay?"

I nod. After helping me out of bed, she takes me to the shower. Having someone practically bathe me us awkward but I know I can't do it myself. She assures me that it's no problem and she does it all the time. My stomach hurts too much to move properly.

I repeatedly apologize for her having to do this but she just waves it away. "It's my job, sweetheart. Plus, we have the exact same thing. And I'm straight, so no worries."

I chuckle lightly but stop when it begins to hurt. She helps me into a new gown then I climb into bed. "Thanks again." I smile.

"No problem. My name's Sam, by the way. Are you hungry?"

"Kinda." I admit.

She nods. "I'll bring you some applesauce. I'd bring you some fast food but you wouldn't be able to digest it properly. You'd get sick." She frowns, but it quickly turns into a smile. "But I promise I'll bring you something good before you leave."

"Okay." I smile.

She tells me the detective will be here in a moment before going to get my applesauce. When she returns, she offers to feed me but I politely turn her down. Just as I finish, the detective enters the room with a knock. "Hello, Hadley. I'm Detective Reagan. How are you feeling?" The man asks.

"I've been better." I reply with a small shrug.

"I'm sorry for what happened to you. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?"

"Go ahead."

He begins by asking, "who is Caleb to you?"

I explain the fucked up situation as best as I can. Then he asks me about the night Caleb beat me up. I tell him about the masked men then tell him about Caleb coming home. After a few more questions, he stands. "Thanks you for your participation, Hadley. We'll be in touch with you shortly. Also, we'll have officers around you at all times until the people looking for the money are found." Detective Reagan says, gently shaking my hand.

"What about Caleb?" I ask.

His eyebrows furrow slightly and he glances down at the floor. After having an internal debate, it seems, his gaze returns to me. "Hadley, he was beating you badly when they arrived on the scene. He didn't stop when the police arrived."

"What are you saying?" I ask nervously.

"I'm saying, Caleb was shot. Paramedics tried to save him but he was too long gone."

I nod, swallowing. "Thanks, detective Reagan."

"No problem, Hadley. Get well soon. I'll allow your family in, now."

He leaves the room and I wait for my family. Brooks bursts through the door with my mom following close behind. When I notice Jason and Maddox following down, I look down as I pick at my gown. "I'd like to be alone with my mom and Brooke, if that's okay." I say quietly.

After a long moment of silence, Jason speaks. "Of course. Glad to see you're okay, Hadley."

"Thanks Jason."

I can tell Maddox is pissed without even looking. The door closes behind them and Brooke hugs me. "I'm so happy you're alive!"

I chuckle softly. "Thanks."

Next, my mom hugs me. Tears spill onto my shoulder as she sobs. "I love you so much, sweetheart."

"I love you too, mom."

They throw questions at me which I vaguely answer. I tell them how Caleb forced me to go with him, leaving out all the parts where he made me do sexual acts. When I tell them about the men breaking into the apartment, my mom cries even harder. She asks how I got hurt so badly and I explain that Caleb was the cause of that. "Where is Caleb now?" Brooke asks.

Laying back, I look up at the ceiling. "Police shot them when he was hitting me. Paramedics tried to save him but he was already gone. He's dead. Because of me."

Brooke jumps up from her chair and hugs me. "Don't say that."

"I'm gonna go talk to Jason. I'll be back." My mom says, leaving the room.

Brooke stares at me for a long moment. "Want me to bring Maddox in to see you?"

I instantly shrink away from her hold. "No. Please don't let anyone else come in here. Just you and my mom." She shoots me a questioning look. "Brooke, he made me do things against my will. He threatened me." I say, tears slipping down my cheeks. "I'm not comfortable with him being in here."

She nods understandingly. "Okay."

She quickly turns away but I see the tear slip down her cheek.

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