Buried (Heavy Hearts Book 3), page 1
BURIED
HEAVY HEARTS BOOK 3
SARAH JANE DUNCAN
Copyright © 2021 Sarah Jane Duncan
All rights reserved
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.
ISBN-13: 978-0-9945177-5-3
ASIN: B09BG6BGQ7
PA’s: Affinity Author Services (Bibiane Lybaek & Ashton Reid)
Cover by YETI Book Services (Fiverr) – vikncharlie – additional work by Jordan Leigh Duncan
Photographer: Alexander Krivitskiy
For my husband, Shane.
My high school sweetheart.
My soul mate.
My best friend.
Together, we face this world, hand in hand.
Forever!
Open playlist in Spotify
CHAPTER ONE
My twelve-year-old neighbour looks so tiny on the bed. Still. Unmoving. Frail. The stark clinical light illuminating the room and the pale blue sheet covering her do nothing but make her look more lifeless.
No! Val!
Hot tears blur my vision as I step closer, and I bat them away, needing to see the evidence of what Mike did to her. I’m torturing myself, I know, but I need to see. Images flash through my mind. Val tied to the chair. The fear in her eyes. Her near-naked innocent body marred with red marks that I’m sure are now painful bruises. I flinch, remembering the sickening crack of her skull as it hit the floor. My gut twists, and I can’t control my trembling as I remember how I had wished for death for Valarie so she wouldn’t have to experience what Mike had in store for her.
“I hope they are happy tears?”
Gasping, my hand flies to my chest as if to hold in my heart. Blinking rapidly through the haze of my tears, I take in Val’s face and her drowsy eyes as they sluggishly blink back at me.
“Val,” I whisper, and her dry, cracked lips tug up slightly at one corner.
“The one and only.” Her voice is husky and sounds like it must feel like razor blades when she speaks.
I stare at her face, into her big dark eyes that are normally full of mischief and adventure. There’s none of that now. The eyes that usually dance with life seem dull, almost dead. It’s not because of her physical pain, either. I know the darkness that is swimming in her eyes. Whatever sweet innocence Val used to embody has vanished. In its place is a broken, hurting, lifeless shell.
“I-I’m so sorry, Val.” Tears spring from my eyes again, and I try fiercely to control them but fail. “I never wanted you to get dragged into my drama. I’m so sorry.”
Val shifts her head a little more in my direction, but the rest of her frail body lays still.
“This isn’t your fault, Lexi.”
I fall to my knees beside her bed and reach for her small hand peeking out of the blanket. Her grip tightens a fraction with my hand in hers, but it’s weak.
“He will pay for this, Val.”
Val shakes her head slowly. “No. Please stay away from him, Lexi. He will kill you if he gets his hands on you again. He will do all of those horrible things he said he wanted to do.” The quiver in her voice almost rips my heart out, and my mind goes back to that terrifying moment when I first found her.
I never imagined Mike would involve anyone else. I never imagined he would use an innocent twelve-year-old girl to lure me to him. Is he still alive? There was a gunshot. I heard it. Did someone shoot him? Is he dead?
“Get away from her!” The threatening demand comes from across the other side of the room. I squint, trying to see in the dark corner where someone stands from a chair.
“Mum, it’s okay,” Val slurs, turning her head in the direction of the voice.
Shen, Valarie’s mum, comes into view then, and I swear I’ve never seen someone look more murderous than she does in this moment.
“I said, get away from her!” Shen’s eyes are brimming with thunderous rage as she steps towards the bed.
“I was just checking in on Val. Making sure she’s okay.” On shaky legs, I stand from the cold linoleum floor, gently and reluctantly slipping my hand from Val’s.
“Okay?” Shen spits, “Okay? Does she look okay? Get the hell away from her. Now!” Shen bellows, darting to the end of the bed, her face as red as the rage in her eyes.
I glance back at Val, who looks uncomfortable at the confrontation between her mum and me. I don’t want to make her feel uncomfortable. I just want to make sure she’s okay.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, my voice quivering as tears burn my cheeks.
“This is all your fault! My baby nearly died because of you and your sick family!”
“Mum!” Val cries, trying to sit up, but the action causes her eyes to roll back in her head before she rapidly blinks. Poor Val. Is she going to faint?
Shen doesn’t notice. She’s too distracted, with her eyes locked on me. I’m certain if she had magical abilities, Shen’s glare alone would snap my head from my neck, and she’d watch with satisfaction as it tumbles to the floor.
“Lexi!” My name floats to me from somewhere distant behind me, but I don’t turn to it, not even when I hear a second and third voice calling my name, too. I’m stuck on the spot, my feet unable to move because I can’t bring myself to obey Shen and leave Valarie.
“You should never have come home after the first time your brother attacked you! You should have stayed away, you silly girl!” Spittle flies from Shen’s mouth, and she storms towards me, her hands balled into fists by her sides. “Get out!”
“Mum, no!” Val cries out when Shen raises her balled fist to me, causing me to stumble backward and trip on the wheeled foot of my IV pole.
“Lexi!”
I don’t know if it’s because my heart is breaking with each scold Shen dishes out, or if it’s because I’m not very well myself and probably shouldn’t have left my hospital bed, but when I trip, I can’t seem to make my body react in time to help stop my fall. As if time has slowed, the room tilts while noise and commotion sound around me. The moment my feet fly out from under my body, I know my head is going to smash into the hard floor.
It’s karma. For getting Val involved in my bullshit. I deserve this. I just know it.
I squeeze my eyes shut when I see the ceiling move further away because I know the floor is about to deliver a blow. But it never comes. Instead, something warm and cushioned stops the hard impact, and an “Oomph” sounds as warm arms wrap around my body.
“Shit, Lexi!” The deep bellow comes from Marcus before he pops into my line of sight a moment later, standing over me. “Fuck, are you okay?”
I don’t answer him because my head feels fuzzy.
Is any of this even real?
“Lex?”
That voice. My senses instantly stir at the sound of Ayden’s voice in my ear, his hot breath feathering over my skin.
“Ayden?” It’s a whisper, but I know it’s heard when Marcus’s face softens, and Ayden’s firm body relaxes under me. We must look ridiculous, me lying face up with Ayden behind me on the floor. I don’t care, though. I need his touch like I need oxygen to breathe.
“Get her out of my daughter’s room!” Shen screeches, bringing me back to the present. Whimpering draws my attention, and I see a very distraught little girl. Valarie. I should listen to her mum and leave her alone. She deserves better than this. Better than me.
Marcus shoots Shen a glare before leaning down to help me off Ayden, who somehow threw his body underneath mine to stop my fall. When Marcus pulls me upright, my world spins, and I stagger, nearly falling over. A moment later, I’m swept up in Ayden’s arms, his scent wrapping around me like a safety blanket.
“Calm down, woman! We’re taking her. There’s no need to threaten to hit her! Seriously, what the fuck!” Marcus growls at Shen as we move to leave Val’s hospital room.
“I will do anything to protect my daughter, you animals!” The words of a true mother. I can’t fault Shen for caring about Val. She is like a lioness protecting her cub. You’d be an idiot to mess with her right now.
“Marcus.” I need him to hear the plea in my tone. I want him to leave Shen alone. We are the intruders in this scenario, and she is just trying to protect her daughter.
Marcus grunts at me, following behind Ayden as he carries me out the door. I realise a moment later that Marcus must be pushing my IV pole, the annoying squeak of the wheel drawing my attention as I attempt to control my tears.
The murmur of voices floats to me as we put distance between us and my twelve-year-old neighbour. Rounding the corner, confusion creases my brow because I can’t remember walking up this corridor that leads to Val’s room. I don’t even remember how I got to her room or where I came from in the first place.
Glancing down at my body, which is happily cradled in Ayden’s arms, I confirm that I’m wearing a hospital gown the same shade of blue as Valarie was wearing. That’s when I notice the cool chill on my back, and I start to squirm.
“What’s wrong, beautiful?” Ayden looks down, tightening his grip on me.
My eyes dart to his and momentarily drown in their blue intensity before the cool chill hits me again.
“I think my arse is hanging out,” I whisper to him, hoping he understands.
A slow grin spreads across Ayden’s face, one of his dimples caving in slightly as his eyes soften.
“Baby, your arse has been hanging out of that gown for a couple of days. You didn’t seem too worried about it when you flashed the nurse a full moon last night.” Ayden chuckles.
“What!” I screech, trying to reach under Ayden’s hold to pull the gown together.
“Or yesterday morning when you shook your arse at Officer Zimora when he popped in to see you,” Marcus adds and joins Ayden, laughing at my expense.
“You’re lying.” I hiss, and Ayden shakes his head.
“What are they lying about?” Simon’s voice draws my attention as we enter a different hospital room, and I glance around to see Simon, Shaun, Jared, and Garrett filling the small space.
“She thinks we are lying about flashing her arse to the nurse last night.” Ayden offers, and they all grin.
“Did you tell her about her arse shake at Officer Zimora? Fuck, that was hilarious!” Shaun chuckles, and I pale.
“What the fuck is going on?” I am more than confused now. Why don’t I remember?
Leaning down, Ayden places my feet on the ground, and I move swiftly to pull the gown together at the back. I’m not quick enough, though, because Ayden’s hand swipes out to give my knicker-covered arse a little slap before I manage to draw the fabric closed.
“Who wants to tell her this time?” Marcus asks the guys, and five smug grins are shared before each of them shrug.
“What do you mean, who wants to tell me this time?” I squeak. “Will someone tell me what is going on? And how did I end up in Val’s room?”
Ayden gently steers me to the bed, urging me to sit on the side. I let him lead me, happy that his hands are on me, and shuffle my butt onto the mattress a little before swiping at the tears that are yet to dry on my cheeks.
“So, you remember being in Val’s room just now?” Ayden asks, standing before me, his face neutral, but his eyes give away his concern.
I nod, confused, and Ayden turns to the others.
“She remembers more now. Maybe it’s over?”
“Please! Will someone tell me what’s going on? What’s over?” I plead, feeling my face burn in frustration.
Ayden swings back to me and leans down to take my hands in his. His touch instantly calms me, and my spine relaxes with the warmth that spreads through my body from the simple act.
“What’s the last thing you remember before being in Val’s room?” He asks, looking nervous.
My brows pull together as I search my mind for my memories. There’s a lot of haze in my head, but I think over things for a moment, and my eyes widen when a vivid memory seizes my heart.
“Muz.” I whisper as I look at the grim faces of my friends, “And Mike. There was a gunshot. Did Mike get shot?”
“No.” Ayden’s voice draws my attention back to him.
“Muz?” My voice quivers. Please don’t tell me it was Muz.
Ayden nods. “Muz got shot. Mike twisted Muz’s hold on the gun, and the bullet lodged in Muz’s liver.”
I freeze. Time slows, and for a moment, all I can hear is the thud of my heart. When Ayden says nothing else, my stomach sinks.
“I-is Muz alive?”
Ayden offers me a sympathetic smile and nods. “For now. But it doesn’t look good, Lex. He already has cirrhosis, and there were complications during the surgery to remove the bullet. His liver is failing, and because he’s dependent on drugs and alcohol, he isn’t a contender for a transplant.”
I try to pull my hands from his grip, but he doesn’t let me, holding on tight, knowing me too well. I’m ready to run.
“Lex. The important thing is that you’re okay. Val is okay. The police will catch Mike eventually. They’ve increased their search for him. It won’t be long until they catch him.”
I know Ayden means well, but his words don’t set my mind at ease. Mike has somehow evaded the cops so far. He had been sneaking into my house and stealing my stuff, and still, the police never even had a report of him being seen. It feels like the cops will never catch Mike.
“Val isn’t okay, Ayden.” I whisper, my bottom lip quivering as more tears roll down my cheeks. “She may be alive, but she will never be the same. All because of me.”
“Not because of you!” Jared butts in before Ayden responds, and he moves to sit next to me on the bed. “All of this is because of that sick fuck, Mike! You’ve done nothing wrong.” Jared’s intensity takes me back to when we were kids. If anyone dared to bully me, he was always getting in their faces and scaring them off.
“Mike may be the one that dished out the trauma, but Val was there because of me. Because she’d tried to protect me. It’s my fault. All of it. Val, Muz, they are both suffering now because of me.”
Jared sighs and shakes his head. “You’re wrong about this, Six. I know how stubborn you are. I know that trying to convince you otherwise is pointless. So, let’s agree to disagree.” Jared’s blue eyes soften, and he nudges me with his shoulder. He’s right about my stubbornness. He’s had to deal with it for a long time. I don’t know why he puts up with it.
Nodding, I offer Jared a small smile before returning my eyes to Ayden. He is watching my exchange with Jared closely. There’s a bit of jealousy in his eyes, but he says nothing. He just regards me for a moment before speaking again.
“Do you remember everything that happened at Valerie’s house with Mike?”
“Yes,” I whisper, fighting back tears.
“But nothing afterwards?” Ayden asks, stroking his thumb over the back of my hand.
“No, not until I was standing in Val’s hospital room. I thought she was dead when I first walked in there.”
“What the fuck happened, Simon? You were meant to be keeping an eye on Lexi.” Jared snaps from beside me, and I glance at Simon, who screws his face up, his hazel eyes flaring.
“I had to take a piss! How was I meant to know she’d go walkabout?” He spits back at Jared, running his hand through his long, ashy hair when it falls over his eyes. He looks more dishevelled than usual. Actually, all the boys do as I take a moment to look at each of them.
Marcus’s dark hair is sticking up all over the place like he has had a mad sex session. Shaun’s normally slick hair falls flat and lifeless, and while I can’t see Garrett’s brown waves because they are hidden under a blue cap, I can see his blue-grey eyes, which are framed in dark circles, giving away how tired he is.
“You should have called one of us to come back, Hastings! Lexi’s been trying to escape this room ever since she woke up.” Jared scolds, and Simon glares in return.
“I thought she was fucking asleep!”
“Uh-guys? You know I’m sitting right here, right? And what do you mean I’ve been trying to escape ever since I woke up? How long have I been here? And where is here?” I try to glance around the room, but the movement sends slicing pain through my head, and I rip my hand from Ayden’s hold to palm my forehead with a groan.
“You should lie down, Lex.” Ayden urges, but I shake my head, adding to the pain even more.
“Answers first.” I choke out past the pain, and Ayden slides his hands to my shoulders.
“Lay down, beautiful. I’ll answer your questions.”
I can’t even make myself look up into those eyes I enjoy drowning in because the pain is so bad, so I do as he suggests and lie down. Jared must have moved off the bed because there’s suddenly room for me to stretch out, and I instantly feel better, sinking my head into the pillow.
Beside me, the bed dips as Ayden takes a seat, and when I peek around the room, I watch as the guys take seats, which they have clearly been living on for a while.
“Today is Friday. You were rushed here on Wednesday night after the attack. And here, is in Melbourne. The Royal Southern Cross Hospital. You have a concussion which has caused short-term memory loss, and for the last day since you woke up, you keep forgetting every time we tell you this information.”
I’m quiet for a moment while I take that in and rake my eyes over Ayden’s face. His stubble is longer and thicker, and I can’t help but wonder what it feels like? Reaching out, I cup Ayden’s jaw, feeling the tickle of his stubble which somehow sends butterflies to dance around inside me. Grinning down at me, Ayden places his hand over mine as he tilts his head in my hold.
