Break Down Here: A Country Romance Read online

  “Bring her here. Y’all can use my office.”

  “Talk to her for just a minute, will you? Let her know I’m not going to hurt a hair on her head.”

  He handed Madison the phone and she took it in surprise. “Hello?” The sound of his sister chatting on the other end of the line as if they’d known each other forever made him grin. “Alright. I’ll come with him. Thank you.”

  Handing him back his phone, she said, “She sounds so nice.”

  “My little sister.”

  He opened the driver’s side door and started taking her stuff out. She took her purse and he smiled as he carried an armload of random belongings to his Bronco. Slowly, he emptied the interior and then popped the trunk. The boxes and bags had obviously been packed in a hurry.

  “Hop in and we’ll get this part done.”

  When the Chevy was empty, he hooked it up to the Bronco and hauled it out of the ditch. He had to take it slow to the cattle road since Madison was right about the front wheel. Unhooking it, he locked it up and gave her the keys.

  “We’ll come back for it later.”

  “Thank you, Xander.”

  Getting behind the wheel, he gave her a smile. “No problem. It’s all going to be okay. You’ll see.” He figured some music on the radio was a good way to help her relax while he made the drive back to town.

  Parking in front of the busiest salon in Chatom, he got out and waited at the curb for her to join him. “No one here is going to hurt you.”

  She nodded nervously.

  Inside, CiCi came around the counter and worked her magic. “Don’t you have just the prettiest eyes I have ever seen? Y’all come on back to my little office. Nobody will bother you and you’re safe as a little baby in her mama’s belly here, honey.” She opened the door and said, “I’ll bring you a nice cup of coffee. That’ll be just the thing.”

  Xander sat behind the desk and Madison settled on the edge of a chair on the other side.

  He took a notepad and pen from the top drawer. “Do you mind if I take notes?” She shook her head and repeated some of the information she’d already given him.

  CiCi came in with a big smile, holding a tray. “Last time I’m barging in so y’all take as long as you need. My clients don’t come in here. Holler if you need anything at all.”

  Placing the tray on the desk, she leaned over to kiss the top of his head and patted Madison’s shoulder as she passed, pulling the door closed behind her.

  “She’s so nice, Xander.”

  “I’m proud of how she turned out, that’s for sure.” They made themselves a cup of coffee and he watched her genuine pleasure as she took the first sip. “That’s good stuff.” She nodded. “Okay. Let’s start from the very beginning.”

  “My sister Abby…Abigail was fifteen the night she was out with a friend who’d just gotten her license. They were pulled over and the officer made Abby get out of the car. He searched her real thoroughly and made her sit in the back of the squad car.”

  “A male officer physically searched a female minor?”

  “Yes. He told her friend to stay in her car and face forward. According to both of them, there was nothing illegal in the car, they weren’t drinking, and Abby wasn’t the one driving. Funny enough, he found two perfect joints in the ashtray. I took her to the hospital a few hours later. She insisted on getting a drug test. She had no alcohol or drugs in her system. Not a trace.”

  “Were the drugs logged in the official report?”

  “There was no official report.” Her face contorted and Xander could see she was struggling to keep it together. “Jason called me from the traffic stop. He told me we had a problem because even though my dad was dead, I still refused to date him. He said I was being a stubborn bitch and I had two choices. Either I could make nice or I could visit my sister in prison.”

  She set her coffee cup on the tray with shaking hands. “I opted to make nice.” Her body was taut with tension. “I spent the next three years making nice.”

  “I’m sorry, Madison.”

  “I needed Abby to be old enough to leave on her own.”

  “Where is she now?”

  “College in Boston. I’ve been trying to leave for weeks but he kept the keys and my ID, had his buddies drive by constantly to check on me, or stayed with me himself.”

  “How did you get away?” He watched her swallow hard, fighting not to gag.

  “Two days ago, I woke up in a puddle of bodily fluids on my kitchen floor. Jason was gone. I was bloody, hurting…everywhere. I packed what I could. I took my gun from where I’d hidden it in the attic, loaded it, and would have shot him dead if he’d come home before I could escape.”

  A small sob escaped her throat but he watched her grit her teeth and force back any chance of tears.

  “I stopped to see my best friend and my grandmother for less than five minutes each. Both of them gave me what cash they could and I started driving. I didn’t stop until I skidded into the ditch.”

  Xander sat back and stared at her for a long time. Her face was red, her eyes glistened with unshed tears, and her bone-deep weariness was apparent.

  “I don’t know how you’re still moving, talking, and thinking, Madison.”

  “It’s amazing what the human mind and body will stand up to when pushed. I’m on the run, I’m tired, and I need help. I don’t know what to do.”

  He stood up and walked around the desk. Crouching beside her, he said softly, “I understand why you’ve gone through so much to protect your sister. I’d do anything to protect mine. I’m sure you don’t trust law enforcement right now but you can trust me, as a human being, to help you.”

  * * *

  Two days of running after three years of rape and abuse bubbled up and overwhelmed Madison’s system. She started shaking and he tugged her to his shoulder, hugging her lightly and cupping the back of her head as he whispered reassurances that everything was going to be okay.

  She let him hold her as sadness, regret, and shame threatened to drown her. One tear at a time, she dared to hope and took the first deep breath she’d felt safe enough to take in a very long time.

  Chapter Three

  After she pulled herself together, Xander got to work.

  They left CiCi’s shop through the back and he introduced her to his Aunt Reba. She owned a small diner several doors down. When her nephew explained the predicament Madison was in, the older woman welcomed her on board as a waitress with no questions asked. Her pay would be in cash so she could stay off the grid.

  “First things first, Xander will take you over to my house so you can shower and sleep. Things always look better when those two needs are met. Sleep as long as you need to. I have a pretty guest room with its own bathroom.” Putting her plump arm around her shoulders, she added, “I’ll bring you some food when I close up. You can heat it up whenever you’re ready.”

  “I don’t want to invade your space.”

  “Nonsense. Since my husband ran off, I’ve rattled around that old house alone. The company will be nice so make yourself at home. There are basic shampoos and such under the sink, towels in the closet.” With a big smile, she ordered, “Go on now. I’ll see you in a while.”

  At the little ranch-style home a few blocks away, Xander gave her a quick tour and confessed, “I’ve got to crash for a little while. I’ll be in the living room but yell if you need anything.”

  She nodded and closed the guest room door. He’d carried all her belongings inside and set them at the end of the bed. She found a comfortable outfit that wouldn’t chafe the welts on her body and took the longest shower she’d ever taken.

  Afterward, she crawled between cool sheets and dropped off the edge of the world. There were no nightmares and she slept straight through to the next morning.

  * * *

  CiCi and Reba took Madison to a free women’s clinic several towns away and had her checked out. The female doctor who ran her tests agreed to keep all her paperwork off the c
omputer. She volunteered at several women’s shelters and was familiar with the circumstances – and residual danger – involved in domestic violence cases.

  After her examination, the elderly woman held Madison’s hand. “You’ve been through quite a lot and it’s going to take time to heal. Be patient with yourself physically and emotionally.” She cleared her throat. “I have to take photos, Madison. I’m sorry.”

  Trembling, she stripped and stared at a spot on the wall while the doctor took a dozen photos for her patient file. The name on it was MJ Walton.

  In addition to the scars from old wounds, bruising over much of her body, and a concussion she didn’t realize she had, Madison had severe vaginal and anal tearing as well as an STD.

  There was no longer any doubt in her mind that Jason and two of his friends had used her body while she was unconscious.

  Faced with the reality of what had happened to her, Madison cried for a long time as Reba and CiCi held her, rocked her, and whispered that it was all behind her.

  The prescriptions for antibiotics and anti-depressants were written under Reba’s name.

  She promised to call the doctor if she needed anything and the women drove her back to Chatom. Exhausted and heartsick, she slept for twenty hours. Sometimes, she woke up crying.

  On her third day, she got out of bed, took a long shower, and remembered that she was stronger than what had happened to her.

  She emerged from Reba’s guestroom dry-eyed and determined.

  * * *

  For the first few weeks, they kept her hidden in the house. They wanted time to pass without her being seen by other people. Madison insisted on cooking and cleaning to pay her way, which the other woman said was unnecessary.

  “Ma’am, you’ve done so much for me. I wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t do something to earn my keep. I’m happy to do it.”

  With a heavy sigh, Reba admitted, “My house has never been so clean and I think I’ve gained five pounds in the last week alone.”

  Xander searched for Missy Rayland, only to discover that the elderly woman had passed away months before Madison left Reno.

  She’d been in Chatom for almost a month when CiCi arrived at her aunt’s place with a bag of supplies. “Time for your makeover, honey! We have to turn Madison Wilcox into MJ Walton. I can’t wait to get started!”

  Coloring her hair blonde, providing brown contact lenses and giving her non-prescription glasses made her look like a completely different person.

  The young woman turned her into a country girl, using CiCi’s clothes since they were almost the same size. She put her in snug jeans, a tank top, a feminine button-down shirt, and cowboy boots.

  Standing behind her and staring at her reflection in the mirror, Xander’s sister couldn’t contain her excitement. “Now you can start leaving the house. You must be going stir-crazy.”

  “I just want to work so I’m not freeloading off Reba.”

  Giving her a shake, she said clearly, “You don’t freeload. You’ve cleaned her place, my place, Xander’s place, and even the diner after closing. You cook for all of us, do our laundry, and you did all those pretty fliers for my salon. You don’t owe anybody a damn thing.”

  Reba and CiCi noticed the way Xander watched Madison, no matter what color her hair was, if she wore makeup, or remembered the little pink glasses.

  They didn’t think it was wrong to cross their fingers for both their sakes.

  * * *

  With her new disguise in place, she started working at the diner. Reba was a wonderful boss and roommate. Madison liked the work and she was good at it. Every day, she looked forward to going in for her shift.

  Pulling an apron over the front of her jeans, she picked up her order pad and got to work.

  People in the small town were friendly. She was able to be herself again, talking and laughing with customers. Sometimes, travelers who stopped on their way to Mobile an hour away would ask if she was a local. She always told them that she was.

  Making enough to support herself had been her biggest worry since she couldn’t risk showing up on employment records. At Reba’s place, she made more than enough to set aside rent that the older woman flat out refused to take.

  * * *

  One afternoon, Xander came to pick her up after her morning shift at the diner. “I wanna show you something. I think – hope – you’ll like it.”

  They headed out of town and she was surprised when he turned onto his property but passed his house. He took a concealed dirt road that led deeper into the woods.

  In a small clearing a quarter mile from his place sat a cabin.

  “It’s been standing on this land for over a hundred years. My dad used to let CiCi and I have sleepovers with our friends out here when we were kids.” He cut the engine and got out. “It was a little run down but Dad kept it up pretty good.”

  Leading the way, he stepped up on the porch and unlocked the door. “I fixed it up a bit, changed the windows. The utilities are on, running fine.” She didn’t understand what he was saying. “I want you to live here for as long as you want.”

  “What?”

  “I fixed this little place up for you so you have something of your own. I thought you might be more comfortable outside of town.”

  “You did this…for me?”

  The door swung wide and he stood back for her to enter. “It isn’t much, but CiCi and Reba helped me decorate after I did the repairs. One big room is all it is, but you’ll have privacy.”

  Looking around the one-room cabin, taking in everything he’d clearly done to make it livable, the block of ice inside Madison’s chest began to melt.

  There was a small seating area to one side in front of a fireplace, a kitchen and dining area in the middle, and a bed and dresser to the other side of the door. There were two small doors that opened to a bathroom and a closet. The kitchen door opened on a screened porch.

  She walked around and discovered that the Callahans had stocked the place with dishes and cookware in the kitchen, towels and toiletries in the bathroom, and the closet held a bunch of clothes that could only belong to CiCi.

  Turning to him, she said brokenly, “I’ve taken so much already. I don’t deserve all of this. I don’t know when I can pay you back.”

  Then she was crying and he hugged her carefully.

  “Madison, when you take what’s given freely with grace, you give back to the people who give to you. You do deserve this. You deserve more but this is a start. There’s nothing to pay back. All we want is for you to be safe and, maybe one day, happy again.”

  He kissed her forehead, hugged her one more time, and stepped back. He took her hand with a smile. “There’s one more thing.” Pulling her through the back door, he pointed to a pickup truck sitting on the gravel. “This is one of the old work trucks our dad used to use to check the cattle. It looks pretty beat up, but it runs good and it has new tires. I checked over the engine so it shouldn’t leave you stranded anywhere.”

  Her own car was parked in his work shed and covered with a tarp. None of them wanted her driving it. It was the easiest way to track her.

  “You have to take money for rent…”

  “Nope.” He grinned. “Let’s go get ice cream.”

  Every day since the day she met him, Madison was thankful that Xander had been the one to stop when she was stuck in a ditch.

  Chapter Four

  One year later…

  CiCi gave Madison a sly smile. “Xander should be back from Boston tonight. He’ll have news from your sister. Are you excited?” She watched unconcealed happiness flood her friend’s face.

  “I can’t wait. When he took his camera this time, I about died. I can’t believe I didn’t even think about that. Abby is doing really well at school. She’ll have her associates in accounting this year and I told her to keep going. She wants to be a CPA like our mom.”

  Swallowing hard, she added, “I’m so proud of her.”

  Placing her hand
on Madi’s forearm, she said firmly, “She’s doing well because of you, Madison. Don’t ever forget that.”

  “As long as she’s safe and happy. That’s all that matters.”

  “You did a great job raising her after your parents died. I wouldn’t have been so brave.” CiCi knew more details about Madison’s history than her brother. She hated the man who’d brutalized her friend for three years.

  “I was weak. Anyway, I’m heading to the diner. You want me to order you anything?” She quickly checked the pre-paid cell phone Xander insisted she keep on her at all times.

  “Not that I need it…but set aside a piece of carrot cake. My damn weakness.”

  “Done. Thank you for touching up my roots.”

  “Your hair grows so fast. Look both ways before you cross the street, little bird.”

  * * *

  Laughing, Madison pecked her cheek and headed for the door. She slung her backpack over her shoulder as she stepped out in the afternoon sun.

  When she got to the diner, she opened her backpack and took out a plastic envelope that held her first letter from her sister, hand delivered by Xander.

  The memory of his surprise still made her smile.

  He went out of town for a few days. He didn’t tell her where he was going and she missed him while he was gone. That was when she realized how attached she was becoming to her rescuer.

  She was working her shift at the diner when he got back into town. Seeing him lit her up from the inside out. He ate dinner, made her eat with him, and waited until she was ready to go.

  They walked to the parking lot. “Madison, do you mind if I visit with you for a few minutes at your place? I need to tell you something really important and I couldn’t do it here.”

  “Is it…something bad?”

  “All good. I hope you’ll be real happy.” They drove out to her cabin and he parked beside her. She was gathering her stuff off the seat and he was practically jumping up and down. “Madison…I suck at secrets. No kidding. I’ve been ready to pop all night. Hurry!”

  Inside the door, he grabbed all her stuff out of her hands and set it in a pile on the couch.