Broken

Found

Emersyn

It's been five years since I left my family back in Italy, needing to get away from Andrew, Matthew's dad.

I still wake with a jump, waking from the nightmares he caused me, before the sun rises. I take a long hot shower to wash away the stickiness of sweat and let my muscles relax.

Hopping out of the shower I wrap the towel around my slender body and blow dry my hair and do my make up. I make my way down to the kitchen to see if Jules has made breakfast yet and I smile when I see two plates with stacks of pancakes, bacon and eggs. She never fails to have it ready this early. She has been my house keeper for four years now.

I hear little footsteps making their way to the stairs and I smile. Slowly but surely Matthew makes his way down the stairs, in his dinosaur pjs. I sneak next to the stairs, once his foot touches the floor board I pick him up. "Ready for breakfast, little man?" He squeaks and laughs.

He nods his head eagerly and I place him on his chair in front of the pile of food. He digs in immediately and I laugh. "Hey! Are you judging me?" He questions me with an eyebrow raised.

"Not judging, just bemused." I take a bite of some bacon.

He looks over at me with scrunched eyebrows. "What's that mean?"

He's so curious for his age it baffles me. "Puzzled, confused, as to how such a tiny man can eat so much." I reach over and tickle his belly.

"Hey! No fair! You're not ticklish!" He tries tickling me. "Its bemusing." He's smart as a whip and I don't know where he got it.

"Let's get ready, for school, okay?" I place the plates in the sink and chase him up the stairs. He giggles and jumps onto the bed and stands proudly, sticking his tongue out. Knowing he's safe.

I cross my arms and sigh dramatically. "This time, little man, this time."

I pick out his outfit and leave to let him get changed. I walk out of his room closing the door. I pull out my phone to see Blake had tried to call me three time and Zach twice. Blake and Zach are my only two best friends in New York. They have given me everything I could ever ask for and more, I have no idea how to repay them.

I text Carson saying we'll be ready in ten minutes. He's my security guard that Blake told me I needed, I have finally gotten used to him being around. She was so worried to let me out of her sight, when I showed up on her doorstep, almost six years ago.

I dial her back and she picks up on the first ring. "Tell me where you are right now!"

"Im getting ready to leave for work, why? What the hell is going on?" I match her volume back at her. She never talks like this not since... "it's about Matthew's dad isn't it?" I question calmer now. The only response I get is her barking a few commands at someone in the background and then she's back.

"He's here, in the city." I take a sharp intake of breath before she continues. "He got into your office somehow. I've fired the entire security team that was here last night. He knows about Mattie, the picture of the two of you was smashed into the ground. Don't leave your house there's a team on the way to pick you up." She hangs up the phone before I have a chance to ask her any questions. I stand stock still with shock until Mattie comes running up behind me and wraps his arms around my legs.

"Are you okay?" He asks as I manage to get out of his grip and pick him up.

"Of course I am. By the way you look very handsome." I squeeze him tight.

"I.. can't... breath." He squirms and wriggles until I place him back in his two feet. He huffs and puffs dramatically, placing a hand over his chest. He is going to be a hand full as a teenager.

My phone rings, "Carson?"

"The team is here, ma'am, when you're ready." He tells me and hangs up.

"You ready for school?" He nods excitedly. Never have I ever met someone so ecstatic to learn. "We'll alright then, let's get going. I pick up my purse and open the door for him.

I look down the stairs and see two black Audi SUVs parked waiting for me. I grab Mattie's hand and head over to where Carson is talking to another security member. "The first car is to take you to school, little guy, and the second is to sit outside the school and bring him home." We both are led to the first SUV and the door is opened for us. As Carson hops into the second on.

We settle in and  Mattie looks over to me. "Mommy? What going on?" His voice is small, but deadly serious. He really never misses a beat.

"A bad man broke into my office last night. We just have to be extra careful for a while okay?" I put my arm around his shoulder and pull him closer to me. "Don't trust anyone but Carson, when they let you out of school okay?" He nods his little head looking away from me. I hear him sniffle.

"Hey. Hey now. There's no need for those, I'm going to be alright and so will you there's no need to be scared. I won't let anyone hurt you okay?"

"I'm not scared for me. I'm scared for you." He quickly wipes the tears frantically.

"I'll be okay I promise you." I say when we reach the school. Mattie hugs me tightly and doesn't want to let go.

"Be careful, mommy, you promised." He let's go quickly and runs up the stairs to his waiting friends.

"Mrs. Zaboya, told us to get you to the office immediately. She has some news." I wipe my eyes and hop back into the SUV.

It takes us about fifteen minutes to get to the office from the school. He stops the car at the curb and the guy in the passenger seat hops out to open my door, he then proceeds to escort me to the door and opens that for me too.

Once I reach the top floor Blake runs to me and hugs me tightly. "If he lays a hand on you I will not hesitate to rip his arms off and beat him to death with them." She vows as a whisper in my ear and I laugh. I can feel her smile even before she releases me from her hug.

"So what's this news, you had to rush me in for?" I question her as she searches for something in her desk.

"He found out where you were when that article was posted about the company, it had all the board members in the reference." She throws the article on the desk shaking her head. "I would have never have published it if I thought it was going to hurt you or Mattie."

"I'm not hurt and neither is Mattie." I place a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"But still he was in your office!" She shouts getting angry with herself. "I want you and Mattie to go on vacation until this clears up. Until he is behind bars!"

"I'm not weak anymore!" I sigh getting frustrated. "I'm not running anymore. You know I've been in some training. I have a security detail! And I will fight with everything I have to protect Mattie from him!"

"I know! But I still don't want you to be put in harms way. You'll at least go somewhere with Mattie. Until this blows over. Maybe go to see your family?"

"You know they don't approve of Mattie." I say shaking my head. "I'll think about it. Okay?"

"You'll always be stubborn won't you? I've already made plans for you to have the next couple of months off.  Just go to the Miami branch if you still want to work. I just need to know that nothing will happen to you. And that your out of the city while he's here. I'm getting the police involved, just wanted to let you know what was happening first."

"Fine but no more security." I finalize with a smirk and leave her office to go right next door to mine. I do some paper work and close a few accounts before having to go to the last meeting of the day.