CHAPTER 4 Years of Lies
CHAPTER 4
Years of Lies
Derek struggled against Big Mike's grip, but it was useless.
The bigger man didn't even appear to be using his full strength.
One hand kept Derek's wrists pinned behind his back.
The other pressed him firmly against the hood of the Navigator.
The polished chrome reflected Derek's terrified face.
"This is kidnapping!" Derek shouted.
"You people have no idea what you're doing!"
"You can't hold me here!"
Big Mike didn't answer.
He simply tightened his grip enough to make Derek wince.
Behind me, Doc spoke gently.
"Clara."
His calm voice drew my attention away from the chaos.
"May I check your wrist?"
I hesitated.
Every instinct Derek had drilled into me screamed not to let anyone see.
Not to make trouble.
Not to embarrass him.
Then I slowly nodded.
Doc carefully supported my forearm, moving with the patience of someone who had treated frightened people his entire life.
His fingertips barely touched the swollen bruises circling my wrist.
I flinched anyway.
"I'm sorry," he said softly.
"I know."
He reached into his medical bag and pulled out a small flashlight.
The beam moved over my scraped knees.
My torn maternity leggings.
The bruises spreading beneath my skin.
Finally, he looked up at me.
"Has he ever put his hands on you before tonight?"
The question froze me.
I opened my mouth.
Nothing came out.
Derek answered instead.
"Don't listen to her!"
He twisted against Big Mike.
"She's emotional."
"She's pregnant."
"She exaggerates everything."
Doc never even looked at him.
He kept his eyes on me.
"You don't have to answer if you're not ready," he said quietly.
"But I want you to know something."
He paused.
"No woman gets injuries like these from one bad night."
Something inside me cracked.
Tears spilled down my cheeks before I realized I was crying.
"It..."
My voice trembled.
"It wasn't always like this."
Derek's face changed instantly.
The anger disappeared.
In its place came the charming smile I had seen fool countless people over the years.
"Baby..."
His voice became soft.
Warm.
Almost loving.
"Come on."
"You know I'd never really hurt you."
He looked toward the bikers.
"She's confused."
"The pregnancy hormones have been really hard on her."
He even laughed.
A gentle, embarrassed laugh.
"I've been trying to get her into counseling."
For a terrifying second...
A familiar doubt crept into my mind.
Maybe...
Maybe I was overreacting.
Maybe—
"No."
The word came from Preacher.
He was looking directly at Derek.
"I've seen this before."
His voice carried no anger.
Only certainty.
"I buried my sister because of men who talked exactly like you."
The smile vanished from Derek's face.
Preacher slowly walked closer.
"When did it start?"
He wasn't asking Derek.
He was asking me.
I stared at the ground.
"My second trimester," I whispered.
"Before that..."
I swallowed hard.
"He mostly yelled."
"He'd punch walls."
"Break dishes."
"He always apologized afterward."
Doc gave a slow, understanding nod.
"And after you got pregnant?"
I wrapped both arms around my stomach.
"He said I couldn't leave."
"He controlled my phone."
"My bank account."
"He said nobody would believe me."
Derek laughed bitterly.
"Listen to this."
"She's making herself sound like some kind of hostage."
"I've paid every bill she's ever had."
"I gave her a beautiful house."
"A luxury SUV."
Everything."
Preacher stopped only inches away from him.
"You gave her everything?"
Derek lifted his chin.
"That's right."
Preacher glanced toward me.
Then back to Derek.
"And yet..."
He spoke almost in a whisper.
"...she ran barefoot across a gas station parking lot at nearly midnight while eight months pregnant."
Silence.
Derek had no answer.
Because there wasn't one.
Doc gently rolled up the sleeve of my sweatshirt.
More bruises.
Older ones.
Some yellow.
Some purple.
Some nearly healed.
His expression hardened.
"When did these happen?"
I closed my eyes.
"I walked into a door."
The words came automatically.
The lie I'd repeated dozens of times.
Doc waited.
I opened my eyes again.
"No."
I shook my head.
"He grabbed me."
"The night I talked about visiting my mother."
Another silence settled over the parking lot.
Jax walked back out of the convenience store.
"The cameras are off," he said quietly.
Then he noticed my bruises.
His jaw tightened.
His fists clenched.
He didn't say a word.
He didn't have to.
Everyone had seen enough.
Preacher took one slow breath.
Then another.
When he finally spoke, his voice was calm.
Too calm.
"Call an ambulance."
Doc looked up.
"And call the Sheriff's Office."
He turned toward Derek one last time.
"Tonight..."
"...your wife gets medical care."
"And you..."
May you like
His eyes became cold as steel.
"...finally answer for what you've done."
