The Heirloom Ring: Haunted Book 3

Chapter 9

Mark’s POV

Waking up in the arms of my sweet Destiny caused my anxious sleepless night to evaporate. Just the sight of her made my pulse slow and my body to ease. She was so warm and plaint in my arms. Even with all the fear running through my system last night, just her presence is enough to soothe me.

Last night I was so scared. I had not expected to be called in the middle of the night with a panicked mother on the other end of the phone. Mercy called me in the middle of the night telling me something was wrong. The moment I heard her panicked voice hit my ears, I was on high alert.

I don’t even know how I made it over here, I was too preoccupied by my fear. I can’t remember if I put my shoes on or locked my door. I can’t remember if I ran here or drove. All I knew was I somehow showed up and James let me in his house again at an ungodly hour. Thankfully, both her parents are wonderful and trust me with their daughter and her safety.

Then when Destiny showed me her chest. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t focus. I couldn’t think! My sweet Destiny had ugly words written across her beautiful skin like chicken scratch. It wasn’t smooth either. It was crude and swollen. Her skin was bunched and puckered at the cuts.

I almost passed out. Some may say I am a weak man, and I suppose that is true. I don’t have the stomach to be a doctor or a nurse. That’s why I went into history! But nothing could have prepared me for her mutilated chest.

Not that it would ever change the way I feel about her! It wasn’t that! It was how painful it was for her and how was she going to handle it for the rest of her life? Would she feel comfortable enough to wear her beautiful blouses or dresses? Would she ever feel comfortable at the beach in a bathing suite?

Or would she wear it like a badge that she survived this time in her life? I hope that’s what she feels like.

Maybe he could somehow come up with the money for plastic surgery? He wasn’t sure she would want that, but if it helped her feel better, he was sure he could scrape up the money somehow.

It took me hours to calm her down enough to fall asleep. She had sobbed into him as he rocked her in her bed. He would not let her go. He could feel her shutters through his entire body. He wasn’t sure it was more physical or emotional anguish. Most likely it was both!

I kept dreaming of my sweet Destiny all curled up on the floor of the shower. Her beautiful hair splayed out in limp tendrils like snakes that would wake at the slightest noise. Blood dripping down the drain was pink, passing over the white tiles. He kept seeing her lifeless eyes looking back up at him and her skin becoming deathly pale. Her breaths stilling echoed in his ears.

He couldn’t let that happen!

She was shivering and pale when he’d finally made it into the shower with her. The hot water had become cold. He had no idea how long she’d been in there by the time they finally called him to come soothe their daughter. Her skin was wrinkled and cold. She was a sopping mess! And how could I have expected anything less?

She was moaning and mumbling all night long. I know she was dreaming about something that was far from pleasant. He just rubbed her back and kissed her head until she calmed down and relaxed in his hold once again.

Looking down at her now, she looks peaceful and calm as she clings to me in her sleep. He wished he could keep her like this forever! Just peaceful and happy. Soft and warm in his arms. Pressing herself up against his body.

Soon, this whole mess will be over with and this will be the norm, I promise her in my mind. We will find the foul snake trying to prey on innocent girls. There is no way we will let him get away with this!

She moans softly as her eyes flutter open. His heart picked up at the sight before him. A gentle smile stretched across his lips.

She looks gorgeous. Her cheeks were pink and warm from being snuggled up against him all night long. Sunlight reflected on her beautiful soft brown eyes. Her hair was all tousled from her rough night of sleep. I could definitely get used to this. A soft smile spread across her plump pink lips and a happy look beamed from her face as she looked up at me.

“Good morning, my love,” I whispered softly in her ear. I take a deep breath and breathe in the soft scent of soaps she used last night while trying to scrub her body raw. I try not to let that affect my body, and just think about her smell.

“Morning, handsome,” she teased. “Thank you for coming over last night.”

“My pleasure. Only hopefully the next time I spend the night, it won’t be because of something like last night…” I trail off, not wanting to bring up what happened. Come to think of it…

“What did happen last night, love?” I asked.

She squints her eyes trying to think, then looks down at her chest, which is now covered with a silky camisole. We wrapped the wound last night. I had to do something for the bleeding and didn’t want her to be any more uncomfortable then she was. If she didn’t have to look at the reminder, it might help.

“I was dreaming… I was Angela again… I was… drugged? I can’t really understand… I was dancing with…”

Her eyes open wide and she gasps. “His name is Richard!” she shouts sitting up right.

“Huh?”

“I was dreaming, and then I had a pain in my belly. She whispered his name in my ear and told me to help her…” She sped through her words. “I woke up in pain and I went into the bathroom and took off my nightgown… The blood… It was everywhere!” She sobbed.

I pull her into my arms and rub her back in soft soothing circles as I listen to her horrifying words.

“She used my mouth and told me his name was Richard. We need to find him,” she insisted. She was still trying to remember what had happened as she told me what happened. I could see her concentrated face as thoughts and memories flashed through her brain one after another.

“We will, love. I promise!” I was not going to let her down again!

She sighed, and the tight knots in her shoulders and back seemed to relax. She borrowed her face into my chest. This is what we both needed. Physical touch to reassure each other that everything would turn out all right.

We need to get this finished so we can move on with our lives. This will just be a blip in the radar as we sail through patches of rough seas and some smooth sailing. But hopefully nothing will be as horrible as this. However if we could make it through this tempest, nothing would tear us apart after this!

“I’ve had a thought,” I admit.

She pulls back and looks up at my face, with curiosity in her eyes. “What is it?”

“We need to go back to the pawn shop. They normally keep receipts for things like rings. Maybe we could get his name…” I suggest.

She thought for a moment, then slowly nodded her head. “You’re right. We would need to go there eventually. Let's go today.”

I’m nervous about bringing her there so soon after what she has been through lately, but there really isn’t any reason to prolong this.

“We’ll go right after breakfast,” I assured her with a tight smile.

She smiles back at me and kisses my lips.

I hope this isn’t a big mistake.