Rising Up: Finding Me book 1 (12 page)

Waiting for the elevator Lake speaks up.  "What do you want to do about work? I'm sure he will have called everyone to tell them what's gone down."

"We're going to have to amend the policy and explain why.  But I still don't want people on the same team dating, there's too much at stake professionally.  I mean shit it’s not like he caught me fucking her over my desk."  I shouldn't have thought of that because that's all I want to do now.  "It was out of hours and he called here even though I'd already given him a verbal warning to stay away from her."

Imogen

I managed to get a call in to my dad when Mason left, and he thought that it was my mother who told Jake where I was, but didn't know for sure.

"Don't you think it's just a little bit weird Dad, I mean why is she still in contact with him?"

"She doesn't mean any harm dear, she just really likes his company.  In fact she's out with him again tonight at a restaurant opening.  He makes her feel young again she says."

"Oh my God Dad, why the hell are you letting her do this?" A chill spreads over my body as I decide to voice my concerns.  "Is she having an affair with him?  Because he sure as hell cheated on me all the time and he never hid that."

"Don't be so silly Imogen.  She's much older than him.  I can't believe you would suggest such a thing. I could hear him spluttering down the phone.  Any way when are you going to stop this silliness and come back?" 

"Really, are you sure?  And he's only ten or twelve years younger than her.  He is a nasty piece of work, I mean do you remember all the bruises I used to come home with? 

Yes?

I know you do. Well that’s what you call 'a handsome well-mannered man' used to give them to me.  So if I were you I'd pull your head out of your arse and start recognizing what's going on, she's taking you for a fool!  Oh and by the way I'm changing my number so don't try and call me again, and I am most definitely not coming back."  I slam the phone down and want to scream. 

*

Walking back into the bar with Mason holding my hand I felt a lot happier than I did this morning, I can't believe he found me, but my life has changed dramatically and I love it. Pushing the earlier conversation out of my mind it's time to have a good time.  Tammy walks up to us as we reach the bar and leads us to a table in her section, it's good to see her again, so I tell her.

"It's good to see you again Tamsin, but you really need to take some nights off so we could hang out."

"I love that Imogen, I'm going to be dropping a couple of shifts soon so things will ease up then, and we'll be able to get together, I promise.  I'll bring your drinks over."

An hour or so later, Mason runs his hand under my hair and strokes it lightly across my shoulder blades and neck, sending shivers all down my body.  "You look fantastic tonight babe, I can't wait to get you dancing.  I want your tight ass rubbing up against my body." 

I’m pleased with my choice of outfit, I picked out a fitted black dress that has a halter neck top and hugs my boobs and hips to flare out before ending half way down my thighs.  I love how I can wear fuck-off five inch heels and still be shorter than Mason that never happened with Jake.

"Mason what dirty stuff are you whispering to my bestie? She's blushing again!"  Maddie laughs and downs her margarita as the bar calls last orders.

"Wouldn't you like to know? Let's get out of here and hit the clubs."  Even his smirk turns me on.

The club is hot and loud and full of sweaty people, it was exactly what I needed especially after such a crappy day.  "Come on Mads, let's start strutting our stuff."  Grabbing her hand I kiss Mason and walk towards the center of the dance floor, and I know that he's going to be watching me, I pull out all the stops and start dancing my arse off, I've always loved dancing and took all types of classes growing up, I think when I kept growing my mother expected me to be the next Darcy Bussell, but as I kept getting taller unfortunately for her my boobs kept growing too, not really ballet dancer material.  I think we're into the fifth song when I feel Mason's hands on my hips and I lean back into him.

"Okay babe, it’s time to stop teasing me."  He starts to grind his hips to mine keeping perfect time with the music whilst running his hands up and down my body letting them linger just under my breast so he was able to run his thumbs on my tender skin.

I don’t know why I’m surprised at how well Mason moves to the beat of the music, he looks fantastic and is seriously turning me on.  Raising my arms up to reach behind him and hold on to his neck I really start grinding hard against his groin and smile when I feel his hardness pressing into my backside as his hands hold my waist, gripping them tightly as we dance together. 

Spinning me round to face him, the look on his face astonishes me, the love shining from his eyes leaves me breathless, so I do the only decent thing and kiss him, pouring every emotion I have into that one kiss.

Breathing hard I break away first. "Shall we go home?"

"Hell yeah!"  Grabbing my hand we find the others to let them know and we're off.  A short cab ride later and we're back and racing for the elevator.  "My place tonight babe.  I want to hear you screaming my name."

"Well, to repeat your words 'hell yeah!'."  My smile is huge and my underwear is wet and when we escape the confines of the elevator, we run to his apartment and our clothes leave a trail from the front door to his bed, I’m the lucky one and only have my dress and lacy underwear to come off, and although Mason has more to remove, he is doing well to keep up with me.

“Keep your sexy-as-fuck shoes on please babe.  I want them wrapped around my neck.”  His beautiful blue eyes are virtually black with lust.

*

We crash back on the bed breathing hard.  "Wow Mason!  I think you’ve killed me.”   My chest is bursting as I try and get more oxygen in to my lungs, and my heart beats loudly in my ears as blood races around my body as I come down from my climax.

"Yeah, but what a way to go, death by orgasm!"  He's lying back stroking his hand up and down my stomach dipping in and out of my belly button, who would have thought that it was an erogenous zone?  It seems to get my skin tingling. 

As I try to ineffectually slap his hand away he chuckles.  "It's okay Ginny, I promise I'm not starting again.  Well not any time soon."  His voice takes on a more serious tone and I feel my body tense.  "We need to talk about Jake tomorrow Imogen, I need to know what went on so I know how to make sure you are protected and safe."

"I know we do, but you're not going to like a lot of the stuff Mase.  He's not a very nice person." I can feel the furrows on my forehead developing.

"I know, I've spent some time reading about him, the in front of the camera good boy act, and the away from the fans real Jake Williams."

"I should be angry with you for that but I’m not, because I know you love me and will keep me safe.  I'm going to shower before we sleep, are you joining me?"

"Babe, that's an invitation I'm never gonna turn down.  Lead the way you sex kitten!"

"No! No more sex tonight Mason."

"Of course not babe, I'm joking!"

As it turns out he wasn't, but damn that man is good.

I wake up before him and it's not surprising.  He did put in most of the work in the shower so I let him sleep.  I know I'm not going to enjoy our conversation later this morning, so go about making breakfast, trying to keep my mind occupied on simple things, but my concentration is broken by my phone ringing, running to grab it quickly so as not to wake Mason up.  I don't bother to look who it is and answer.

"Hello?"  I don’t get an answer but I can hear someone breathing hard.   "Hello?" I look down this time and see it's my father.  "I thought I told you not to call." 

“I know you did.  I’ve got a message from Jake and your mother.”  His voice is hard and so unlike him that I start to question him.

“Don’t bother Dad, I’m not interested in anything he has to say.  He is a violent sadistic prick, and if you continue to side with him then we have nothing left to say to each other…”

His voice gets louder as he starts to speak over me.  “He says if you delete the pictures and the videos, and sign a waiver saying that you will not now, or at any time in the future accuse him of any wrong doings towards you, he won’t come after you but if you continue to hold on to his private property he will find you.”

My voice is thick in my throat when I speak.  “You are as guilty as him if you carry on with this, you do realize that don’t you?” 

“Oh for goodness sake Heidi, you are such a drama queen!  I’m only passing on the message.  You rea…” The severity of his words suddenly hit me, he sounds exasperated with me.

I drop my phone and rush to the bathroom before I hear any more from him.

I hear Mason pick up the call.  "Hi, my name is Mason Reynolds and I'm Imogen's boyfriend, yes I know it's quick but she is the love of my life, the person I've been waiting for and I'm very lucky that she loves me the same way too.  So could you please tell me why my lovely girl has run to the bathroom vomiting? 

I see.  Yes, I can understand why she would find that distressing, but if you don't mind me interrupting you, you seem to have played a rather large part in Imogen's pain.  So I'm telling you to leave Ginny alone.  Keep away from her."

I rinse my mouth out, luckily it’s still early morning and I haven't eaten anything yet.  Mason knocks gently even though it's not locked.  "It's open sweetie."

When he walks through I burst into tears.  "What a fucking mess.  I can't believe this is happening. What sort of mother do I have?  I mean, who in their right mind does this to their child?" I look up at his beautiful handsome face not really expecting an answer, luckily he doesn't try and give me one, and he just sinks to the floor next to me and holds me while I cry.  Pulling myself together I turn and kiss his worried face.

"Come on Mase, let's go out for some really full fat decadent no holds barred breakfast, and we are not going to talk about my nympho mother and my shit-in-bed-tiny-dicked crap ex-boyfriend the whole time we are eating, but after that I'll tell you the lot and show you the x-rays of my broken bones and pictures of the bruises he liked inflicting on me."

"I totally agree, but babe why did you take photographs and x-rays?"  I know this is only the start of many questions from him and I’m not sure how to answer him except to be brutally honest with him and hope it isn’t all too much for him to bear.

"I have a friend who is a doctor and runs her own private practice, she used to treat my broken ribs and stuff without having to answer hospital questions, but she always recorded the incidents.  But I got into his computer before I left and downloaded all the photographs and stuff of me he had on there and then deleted them, they'll still be somewhere on his hard drive but he won't know where to look." 

Looking across I see Mason is crying.  "Oh God Mason, sweetheart please don't cry!  It got me here, it got me to you and right at the time you needed me as well."  I pull him back towards me and we end up stripping out of our clothes and loving each other in the sweetest way.

Mason

I really don't want to have this conversation.  In fact I want to take Ginny away from it all but I need to know what went on so that I can sort out a way to deal with this piece of shit ex-boyfriend.  So when Ginny comes back to my place with a folder my mouth goes dry.

"You look terrified Mason, and I'm really sorry that you want or feel that you need to see this, I need to tell you a few things about me, about who I am, or was. 

My name wasn't Imogen Banks then, it was Heidi Reid.  I changed it after Jake nearly killed me, so I got a new identity and ran like hell away from him.  This folder is my record and it goes back over two and a half years, and I am over it I promise you.   I am healthy and so so happy since I met you Mason, that we can work out what we can do and more importantly if we want to do anything."  She lowers the papers onto my desk.

"I'm sorry Imogen, I deal with all sorts of shit at work, but I've never had anything that affects me personally, and you my love, are the most important thing in my life.  So while I know I'm going to have to see things that are going to make me angry, I promise you I am not or will not ever be angry with you.  So come on let's get this shit sorted."

Ginny hands me the folder, and as I have come to understand her work, it is set out perfectly in chronological order with footnotes and all enclosures documented.  The first page details her first visit to a hospital, and then afterward to her friend, and it records her broken fingers and bruises to her back and ribs.

I look up from the x-ray.  "How did he break your fingers?" 

"He stamped on them.  It does say that in there."  Her voice is devoid of all emotion.

I struggle to speak, and I’m seriously regretting the large breakfast that is now squirming in my stomach, but I really need to understand what she endured so I can try to find a way to ensure justice is done.  "I know, I just needed you to say it out loud, to make it real.  I'm so sorry babe." 

As I look through the pages and picture of abuse and pain my anger is rising inside me.  I grab my phone and call Lake.  "Dude, I need you, Maddie and Lucas here asap."

"What? No Mason!  Why have you called them?  I'm not sure I'm ready to share all this with them."  Her face pales and she starts to shiver and her arms wrap around her body to hold herself together.

"Imogen, babe.  Look at me." Her face turns to mine and tears are already beginning to leak from her beautiful green eyes, I run my thumbs gently on her cheeks to wipe them away.  "I need to take a step back and I want Lake to be your lawyer in this, it is just too close to me and I want and need to be the one who supports you and holds you when you think you’re going to break, and to catch you before you fall.  I am not going to question you.  Maddie is also here to hold your hand and Lucas is an expert in surveillance and protection. Is that okay?"

Watching her nod her head and try to speak my heart swells with love for her. "Nobody has ever believed me before and I never thought I would be able to do anything about this. I mean he's a famous guy and has some hot-shot lawyer and publicist that will quash any allegations I make."

"That may be true but you know what babe?  You've got some even hotter and better lawyers on your side and trust me when I say we never lose.  Okay sweetheart?  I've got you and so have Lake and Lucas."  Kissing her tears away I pull her into a strong embrace.

Lake walks through the door and Maddie follows, walking straight up to Ginny and hugs her hard. 

"We are all here for you Honey.  Come on let’s get some more coffee on while the boys get busy." 

I give Maddie a smile and a squeeze on her shoulder as she moves Imogen away from the table.

Lake looks up at me as he picks up the photographs and reads the doctors notes.  "What's going on Mase, where have all these notes come from?"

Lucas is also looking over them with a very grim look on his face.  "Are these x-rays of Imogen?  They don't have her name on them."

I nod, not really wanting to look at them any more than I have to.  "Yeah, Ginny's ex is a famous TV presenter back in the UK and he used to beat the crap out of her.  These are her records and photographs.  She had to change her name when she ran away."

"If she had to seek medical help why haven't the police been involved?  Its hospital procedure isn't it?"  Lake looks confused.

"She didn't ever go to the hospital, these are all from a doctor friend of Ginny's who runs her own clinic.  No one ever believed her, so she gave up trying and dealt with it privately."

"Fucking Hell Mason, on this one she's got three broken ribs, I mean shit, look at the bruising.  Who the hell does this? I'm sorry Mason, I know you love her but why in hell did she put up with him doing this."

Before I can answer Ginny speaks. "Because it may be difficult for you to understand Lake, but I was too scared to leave.  The physical abuse was equaled with verbal abuse. The threats of my friends being hurt, another way was to try to mess up my career by sending threats to my co-workers was very real. 

I know it was stupid, but I was scared of him.  I found out this morning that my mother is possibly having a relationship with this man and has been the whole time and I had her telling me how lucky I was to be with him, and how fabulous he is just so that he had the right piece of arm candy when he was in public, but away from the cameras he liked to kick me about. 

I'm sure when you get to page forty seven you might find time to show me a little bit of sympathy, but I don't know you very well yet Lake, maybe you'll think that this was my fault because I was too stupid to leave him."  I try to grab her but she shakes me off.  "I'm going out Mason, call me when you're done."

When I look back at my cousins I can see that they are now visibly shaken.  "What? What is it?"  I grab the paper work from them and start to read page forty seven.  Oh God No!  This page records severe vaginal damaged caused by possibly multiple offenders and the reconstructive procedure needed to correct and repair the internal walls.  Urine tests confirm the use of Rohypnol.

"I think we've got some serious work to do here.  This bastard sent her flowers yesterday.  Luc I want a restraining order put in place on Monday.  Lake what do you want to do about building a case against him?"

"Mason, you know we can't do anything unless Imogen tells us to.  I get why you are so angry and believe me, I am too, I know I need to apologize to her.  Maddie, do you know where she could be?  She doesn't know her way round much yet."

"I don't know, I mean the only person outside of us and work is Tammy, but I don't think she knows where she lives."

"Well let’s try the bar first as she always seems to be working there."  Lucas stands up ready to leave.

I walk into the bar first and glance around, I can't feel her here but I still look around.  Tamsin comes into view and walks up to us with a scary look on her face.

"She's not here guys.  I don't know what you have said or done to her, and I don't want to but she's gone back to my place with my roommate.  She asked me to tell me that she will be home later."

"Are you kidding me?  You let my girlfriend go home with someone she's never met before?  What the fuck?"

"Don't get pissed with me I'm just the messenger.  Back off and let her come home when she's ready."