Allie: The Hawthorne Sisters, #2

By Ava Catori

A broken woman. A second chance. Breaking free from a bad relationship, can Allie learn to love again?

Sheriff Chapman is a county sheriff, determined to love and protect Allie. He's known her as long as he can remember, and needs her in his life. Can he win her trust and help her feel whole again? Book 2 in "The Hawthorne Sisters" series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ava Catori Books
• Release date: Oct 29, 2013
• ISBN: 9781507031940

Book preview

Chapter 1

Allie, lock yourself in the bathroom! I’ll be right there. She could hear Richard’s threats through the phone. I called the sheriff; he’s on his way, too. Gretta raced to her truck, desperate to save her daughter.

Hurry, Mom. I’m scared.  The panic in her voice was obvious. Allie’s heart was racing and wedged in her throat, making it hard to breathe. Richard rattled at the door handle, threatening to kick it in if she didn’t open it. Allie tried to keep her calm. It was easier this way. If she yelled back or tried to defend herself, it got worse. She’d learned the hard way.

**

When Gretta pulled into the drive, her adrenalin was high. There was no stopping this train, it had already derailed. Gretta pulled her .357 out and aimed at the door lock. The wood and metal shattered. Kicking in the door, she held her weapon in front of her.

What the hell, Gretta? Richard was drunk, slurring, and angry as hell.

Mom! Allie screamed through the bathroom door.

It’s okay, Allie. Come out. Get in my truck. He won’t touch you. I have you covered.

She held her aim directly at Richard’s head. So help me god, if you ever so much as look at my daughter again, I’ll put you six feet under. I’d gladly trade my life in jail to keep someone like you from touching my daughter.

As Allie crept out, she was shaking, hesitant, and afraid to look at Richard.

Gretta gasped. What have you done to her?

Allie’s face was battered and bruised. With urgency in her voice, she boomed. "Get in the truck, Allie, now."

Gretta thought she was going to throw up. The immense pain she felt on seeing her daughter like that broke her in ways she couldn’t even fathom. Gretta cocked the hammer on the .357, the steel barrel pointed directly at her daughter’s attacker. Her heart raced, and everything was slowing down... slowing, slowing, so slow. Time stood still. Each word, each breath, each heartbeat echoed in her ears.

Put the gun down, Gretta. Sheriff Chapman’s firm voice came from behind her. I’m here. I’ve got him covered.

Gretta hesitated, and then slowly lowered her gun, letting him do his job.

Son, I’m going to need you to turn around and put your hands behind you, nice and slow.

Richard froze like a deer in headlights.

Gretta’s hands were shaking. Sheriff Chapman walked up and shoved Richard against the wall, slapping handcuffs on his wrists.

Did you see what he did to her? Her own emotions were breaking through, her voice cracking.

I’m going to put him in the back of the car, and then we’ll talk. He read Richard his Miranda rights, and led him to his car. Shoving him down into the car, he ‘accidently’ slammed Richard’s head into the door frame twice, and then lowered him properly. Oops, was all he said.

He returned to the girls. I’m going to need statements. Let’s get her some medical treatment first.

Gretta nodded, crying, no words coming out. Opening the door, she said softly, Allie, I’m going to take you to the hospital. Can you talk to Sheriff Chapman tonight, or would you prefer tomorrow? We’ll need to press charges.

I can’t. He’ll come after me. She could barely speak. Her voice was just above a whisper, and the haunted look in her face said it all. He’d done more than just broken her face, he’d broken her soul.

Gretta was shattered watching the pain leak from her daughter. She was the shadow of herself.

He spoke quietly. Let’s get you some medical treatment, and we can talk later.

Allie couldn’t make eye contact. She said nothing.

Gretta, holster your pistol and keep out of trouble. We’ll take care of him through the legal channels. I know you’re angry, but don’t let that get the best of you. Keep your distance if he makes bail.

She sighed. As long as he stays away from my girls and gets his due. I’ll let you handle it first. If it doesn’t work, I’ll do it my way.

I didn’t hear that, he said politely. Let’s just wipe that from the files. I’ll be around in the morning, and we’ll do those statements.

Thanks, Blake.

He nodded, and watched as Gretta got in the truck. It pained him to see Allie this way. He’d known her for ages, and all he wanted to do was comfort her as a friend, but he had a job to do and Richard was still in the back of his patrol car.

Sometimes Gretta didn’t know whether to call him Blake, Sheriff, or Sheriff Chapman. She’d know him since he was a kid. She’d babysit him from time to time when he was young. He wasn’t much older than Allie, and his mother was a friend, bless her heart.

This was the least favorite part of Blake’s job – seeing friends go through rough spots. It crushed him to see Allie’s face battered. What man does that to a woman? A monster, that’s who; a monster that needs to be locked up. What he wanted to do was pull over to the side of the road and treat Richard how he had treated Allie. Blake knew he had to keep his personal and professional feelings separate. He had a job to do, and people expected him to do it fairly. No matter how much he wanted to hurt the man that had traumatized a family friend, he simply drove to his office and booked him properly.

**

Allie shook in the front seat of the truck. She could only stare out the window.

We’ll get your things later, Gretta said softly.

Her daughter said nothing.

We’ll be there soon. Gretta was almost talking to calm herself as much as Allie. Her adrenalin was still high, her anger seething, and her heart was breaking.

Arriving at the hospital, the women walked into the emergency room. Allie could barely answer the questions, so Gretta filled in where she could. As the nurse went to put her ID tag on her wrist, Allie flinched.

She was brought back to a quieter room. Thankfully it wasn’t a busy night in the emergency room, and they could offer that comfort.

Nothing appeared to be broken, though there would be swelling and bruising. They sent her on her way, documenting every detail for legal issues. With