Aspyn
We're now only two days from the ball and I couldn't be more excited. Actually I'm more excited to leave town with JD then anything. I had picked out my dress and accessories and scheduled all necessary appointments. I felt as though I was preparing for wedding. That was the level of excitement I was on.
Today we were tying up loose ends around the farm and being the house was as clean as it could possibly be I donated my time to the outdoor work. I was cleaning out the horses stalls when J.D. came walking in.
"And just what are you doing out here? Isn't there something in the house you could be getting done? Or work at the store?"
" Well, my little ray of sunshine I asked Tommy what I could do to help and he gave me a list and I'm doing it. For every minor chore I do that's another hand available to get the big stuff done."
" Aspyn I thank you for that but you know nothing of the farm life and how to work it. You could get hurt."
" J.D. you don't know what I did before I came here."
" Well beings you just brought it up who were you before you came here and what did you do and why were you running when I found you?"
" I grew up on a ranch. I worked along side the hands. I am Aspyn and it doesn't matter why I ran."
"It matters to me!"
"Why?! Are you gonna send me back? Does it determine how you feel about me?! Why?! Why does it matter J.D.?!"
" Because it does damnit! No it won't change what I feel for you no more than it stops this from being your home! I would never send you back but I have a right to know who I'm letting in MY life!"
"Your right you do. But I can't give you that information right now. I'm ashamed and I'm embarrassed and I'm scared of my past!"
"Why are you scared Aspyn? What happened?! I'm tired of not knowing!"
Seeing that this conversation wasn't going to end I decided to just walk away. I needed to think. I need to gather my thoughts and figure out how to tell him my truth. I was hoping he would just accept me as a girl who just showed up out of no where with no story to tell but it wouldn't be that easy. Especially with J.D.
As I began to walk past him he reached out and grabbed my arm jerking me to him. These moments no longer phased because the brute always used his size against me. Throwing me over his shoulder or jerking me to him whenever he saw fit.
"Not this time Aspyn! You don't get to keep running every time you see fit to do so. You have to learn to be accountable for things. You have to learn to face things no matter how difficult."
" Excuse me! Who the hell do you think you are?! I have been held accountable my whole life for my actions and others. I don't just run when things get hard J.D.!"
" If that's the case then how did you end up here?!"
" Because she's hiding from her father."
Startled we both turned to see Alecia standing in the doorway of the stables. Gloating with whatever newfound information she had just become privy to.
"You see my darling J.D. she isn't some damsel in distress as you thought she was but instead she's the daughter of Curtis Tyler the Mayor of Smyrna, Tennessee. She's just a spoiled little rich girl trying to punish daddy for not giving her her way and running away like a child having a tantrum."
" Shutup you Bitch! You don't know squat about me or why I'm here!"
" So your saying your not Mayor Tyler's daughter?"
" No I'm not saying that at all. But I am saying you don't know why I'm here and why I ran!"
" Let me guess your acting out because your mommy died and now you need attention. You should be ashamed."
I stood there watching her insulting words slide out of her cherry red lips as she smirked at the slap she just verbally gave me. Before I could stop myself I was standing before her and I knocked the hell out of her. But I couldn't stop there. I continued to swing not realizing that J.D. had already grabbed me and I was hitting nothing but air at that point.
I saw her holding her bleeding mouth as I now smirked back at her. Loving every moment of her stunned expression and the fact that she wouldn't be looking to pretty for the ball. Served her right putting my mother in her mouth and pretending to know my situation and my pain.
"That is it! I want answers now! Take your ass to the house Aspyn now! And when I get there I better hear the truth that I'm owed!"
" Screw you J.D. and your little blond bitch too!"
" THAT IS IT!"
With that he grabbed my arm jerking me all the way out to the truck. I tried pulling away from him and jerking back but his grip was to strong and I was just hurting myself. I wasn't prepared for him when he opened the door throwing me inside. Needless to say it didn't feel very nice. He jumped in a hauled ass back to the house. When he jumped out he didn't waste time coming around to my side he just grabbed my arm jerking me out across the bench seat and through the driver side.
Once in the house he shoved me down into the kitchen chair staring me down. His breathing was heavy as was mine from being manhandled by his big ass. My arm was aching and forming bruises in the shape of his ginormous hand. I was fighting the tears that were threatening to show themselves. It was just earlier this week we stood in this kitchen kissing for the first time and him making promises and now here he was staring at me with hate and disgust. At least that's what his stare looked like to me.
Through gritted teeth he seethed out, "start talking."
I was barely able to talk above a whisper for fear of crying but I responded back to him,"I need to go to my room. You can come with me. The proof I need for you to believe me is in room. Will you come with me?"
" Your word is good enough."
" I can't give you word."
"Why?!"
"Because I'll never make it through this story without breaking down. I have proof though that will explain it. Please J.D. don't make me tell you."
J.D.
It was clear by the look in her eyes and the tremble in her small frame that she was gonna give way to crying any minute. She was pleading with me to not make her talk but to let her show me. I must say I was curious as to how she would show me such proof and why she had to have proof anyways.
"Fine. Walk. I'll be behind you."
Looking up through her long eyelashes at me with those beautiful eyes she stood,"Thank you."
" Just go Aspyn."
"Okay."
I followed her up the staircase to her room and when she reached out to open the door I noticed my handprint on her wrist. It was a nasty looking bruise that made me sick to my stomach to see. I felt suddenly ashamed of myself for jerking so hard. I forget how little and frail she is and that a normal touch could bruise such small body.
I followed her in the room and watched as she reached under her mattress pulling out two DVDS. She put in the first one and on there I noticed the Mayor who I had seen at very high ranking benefit dinners and the woman I recognized as his wife. I hadn't known of Aspyn. I'm assuming she was at college during the time that I would see them out at banquets and such. I see the couple arguing and the woman packing her bags. I then see him throw the suitcase to the floor. The woman was so small like Aspyn. Beautiful even with the fear that was written across her face in this video. She went to pick the suitcase back up when he reached out and punched her with such force that I flinched. I couldn't believe a man would hit a woman like that and especially as small as her. Then I put it together. Her mother had died according to Alecia and Aspyn was on the run with proof! Her mother was murdered! By her father at that! I jumped up and turned it off. I wasn't going to make her relive that video.
I'm sure she relives it in her sleep nightly but I wouldn't have it be because of me. I took out the DVD and handed it back to her. She now had tears streaming down her face. I reached out to grab her when she stopped me,"No! I can't just give you half of the truth I have to give you all of it."
" I figured out for myself Aspyn. The son of a bitch murdered your mother and has gotten away with it."
" That's not the whole truth."
I sit back down as she placed another video in. I watched as the video now showed Aspyn in the same position as her mother only he was beating the hell out of her with two security guards watching. When he was done he walked out while they cleaned her up and laid her lifeless body on the bed to recover. It then switched to another clip him pulling a dripping belt out of a bucket and using it as a whip acrossed her body that had been stripped down to her undergarments. Her hands were tied to the bed post as her body bucked with each blow it was dealt her mouth opening to scream. I hurried and jerked the DVD out not able to take anymore of what I was seeing.
"I take it the police or no one would help you?"
" No. But then I caught a bus out of town and walked to a farm where I found you. The only person to ever help me. Fate gave me you. I know this is alot and if you don't want to deal with then that's fine. He might send people for me I don't know so if you don't want to deal with it I will leave. I don't want you to feel obligated."
" Stop Aspyn. Your not going anywhere you don't want to go. But I'm no man for you. I'm no better than your father. Just look at the nasty bruise I gave your wrist."
" Oh J.D. that's just because you have gorilla strength. You didn't intentionally hurt me. And I bruise easy. Please don't place yourself on my father's level. And please don't tell me what kind of man I need. I know what kind of man I need and there's only one of him and it's you. I need you."
" Please come here darlin. I just wanna hold you for a bit."
She walked over to me and laid her head into my chest as I wrapped my arms around my poor sweet Aspyn. She was as strong as anyone I know but she shouldn't have had to have been. My heart ached knowing what this woman had been thru and I wanted nothing more than to kill the bastard she called a father. I reached down and lifted her off the ground as she wrapped her legs around my waist. I walked over to her bed about to sit her down when I heard the back screen door open and slam.
"J.D. darling! Where are you?"
" This bitch," Aspyn forced her way down out of my arms. I grabbed her hand forcing her to walk with me to the kitchen where Alecia was so that she couldn't beat her senseless again.
"What is she still doing here?"
" Why are you here Alecia?"
" Well for you of course J.D."
" Well, that's not necessary. Aspyn and I have discussed everything and I don't really care why she left home as long as she does right by me. She can lie about her past or who she was so long as she don't lie about her future with me and who she will one day become. So run along Alecia and leave me and mine alone!"
"Yours?! Yours?! What about me?!"
" What about you Alecia? You wanted that old man with all that money and now you have him so you don't need me. So leave me be."
" Your right I don't need you but when this trick goes running from you like she did her daddy then don't come looking for me!"
"I won't. That I can assure you. In fact I'll be looking for her."
Alecia stomped out and jumped in her new BMW that her old man must have bought her and I turned to Aspyn who was smiling and gave her grin back. We made our way back to the stables and finished up work with the hands before calling it a day.