Hidden Wounds

Part 14

"Lina I need you to to come home." he whined into the phone. I was dead silent on the other end. My brain was working overtime as I processed what he said. I mean, I heard him clearly, but I didn't understand. When I asked him about his folks a while back he told me his mom passed and that's why he ended up running the business. How the fuck she die twice? What else had this nigga been lying about?

"Lina!" Anthony yelled

"Damn babe, I-I'm so sorry. I'm leaving the Dr right now, I'm on my way home." I hurriedly responded, tying to get him off the line. Every red flag in my body was raised, something was not right. After I hung up with Anthony, I dialed out another number.

"Hey do you think you could look into something for me?"

"What do you need?" Gray asked.

"Anthony called me and told me his mom passed-"

"Damn that's fucked up." Gray interjected

"Man, fuck all that. He told me she died when he was younger and that's how he got the business."

"Ohhhhh..." Gray answered slowly as he realized the problem, "So what do you need me to do?"

"Find out which version of the story is true. Did anything in his dad's file mention her death?"

"Not that I remember, but I didn't look that deep into it I only pulled the hospital records like you told me to."

"Well pull his mother's. And Anthony's; somethings not right Gray and I need to know who the fuck I'm really dealing with."

"Lina, why don't you just come to my house? We can file a police report and let them handle it."

"I thought you were the police?" I quizzed. When he didn't answer I continued, "If I leave now it'll make shit worse, he'll come looking for me. If I can build a case on him, I can put him away for good."I stated, surprising myself with that last statement. It never really crossed my mind to lock him up, but as of now, it was turning into my top option.

"You have your own case Lina, with hospital reports to confirm it."

"And police reports where I deny it. According to me, I was never abused; I was robbed. If I try to backtrack on my statements now, nothing I say will hold up in court."

"You can say you were forced, a jury would believe that."

"Listen Gray, the only way I can compose a case is if I have a foundation. If I can prove that Anthony has always been violent, angry and threatening then I can get him more than a slap on the wrist. He can do some real time." I snapped, why was he even trying to question what I was saying? Was he here to help or not?

"I hear you, I'll make some calls." he responded, catching onto my tone of voice.

"Thank you."

"Will you at least come to my place, so I can know you're safe?"

"Boy, that is the unsafest place I could be right now." I chuckled, flattered that he wanted to be around me.

"And if this doesn't go your way?" Gray asked

"Meaning?"

"What if Anthony wasn't a violent person all his life?"

"Anthony is a woman beater, period. The only way I can make it stick is if I can prove it and since I don't have any witnesses to the abuse, I need cold hard facts. That's why I need you to do this for me."

"OK, then let me get this in motion. I'll call you as soon as I find anything out. Be safe Lina, alright?" Gray's voice was full of concern and I smiled to myself.

"I'll be alright. I'm gonna go home and pretend shit is normal. The faster we get the info, the faster I can get him arrested."

"I'll talk to you soon then, keep your phone close." Gray was hesitating, as if he didn't want to get off the phone with me; I knew if I didn't get home soon it would raise suspicion and as bad as I didn't want to get off the phone either, I clicked off the line and finally drove my car out of the parking lot. Suddenly, I wasn't scared anymore, I felt in my gut that my plan was going to work. This was my way out, the opportunity I had been waiting for and I was gonna take it. When I pulled into the driveway Anthony's car wasn't there and I got paranoid. I hope I hadn't taken too long and he went out looking for me. I rushed to park my car and power walked to the front door. I unlocked it and opened the door slowly.

"Babe?" I called out and waited for a response.

"In here." Anthony yelled back and I made my way into the living room. Anthony was sitting on the couch in a pair of sweatpants and no shirt. He didn't seem very sad for someone's mother who just died.

"Where's the car?"

"Shop, I'm getting a paint job on it. Need a new look." he responded. I went over to the couch and sat on the other end. He looked over at me and reached out his arms, "Come here, I just want to hold your belly." he demanded. I slid over to him and watched as he wrapped his arms around my stomach, laying his head on my lap.

"Death has a funny way of making you appreciate life." he mumbled and I almost socked him on the top of his noggin. So did he really forget what he had told me so many years ago?

"That's why family is important and we have to stick together not matter what. Right Lina?" Anthony asked and I stayed silent. He had some fucking nerve, really putting on the facade like I was dumb. I took and a deep breath and told myself to bear with it for just a little while longer.

"Nothing can tear us apart Lina, you know that right?" he shot another question at me and his tone of voice was throwing me off.

"I-I don't want us to be apart." I fibbed, hoping he would just shut up and hold the baby. I needed Gray to come up with something good, and soon.

"We won't be." he whispered and kissed my belly. Anthony lifted up my shirt and kissed my bare belly again. His lips were cold, but they felt good against my skin. My baby must've been wide awake because it kicked Anthony in the face and he jerked away. This was the first time the baby moved for him. He smiled and put his face in the same exact spot and the baby kicked him again. Anthony began putting kisses over my belly and then he made his way lower. Even though I had a belly hanging, my body responded. I let my baby's father lay me back on the couch and eat my pussy like we had just met and he was trying to make a good impression. His mouth was magical and I released my tension and stress from the past few months right down his throat. After I couldn't take anymore he laid down next to me again, wrapping his arms around the baby. It was only a few minutes before I heard him snoring. I looked down at him and our kid and got sad. IF only things were different. I was stuck on the couch so I reached over to the end table for the remote and my hand knocked over a bottle. It clanked and rattled before it hit the floor, it was an empty fifth of Belvedere and I tensed up. I needed Gray to come through with the info and ASAP, because Anthony was drinking again and that scared me.