Estelle In Denver (In Denver Series Book 2) (17 page)

“Oh, you have grown brave, Stella. I remember when the sight of me would make you tremble in fear. You liked the pain, didn’t you?” He says with glee.

“If you leave now, I will let you turn yourself in.” I say again. 

“I think I’ll stay. Let’s say you and I have some fun?” He says, reaching into his bag.

I stay still, just watching. I know I have to stay calm. I have to wait until he makes the first threatening move; it’s only self-defense if I’m in imminent danger. He pulls out a knife roll, it’s something chefs carry, but his knives are used on women. Once he unrolls it and pulls the largest knife out. Why do these assholes always have to give some kind of speech? 

I know I need to hide my smile. The cameras are rolling and I need to look scared, but I can’t help the grin that tugs at the lips.

I take a step forward; I stand with my legs shoulder width apart.

“Are you coming to play nicely, Stella? Or am I going have to come get you?” He asks, poking the tip of his finger with the knife.

“No, I’m going to stand right here and you’re going to leave one of two ways. Either with the police in handcuffs or in a coroner’s body bag...the choice is yours.” I say with a tone of indifference.

“Rather sure of yourself, Stella.” He takes another step towards me.

“Not at all, but you made a critical error, Jack.” I pause before continuing, “You brought a knife to a gunfight.” Before I finish the sentence. I’ve lifted my hand and shot him right between the eyes. He doesn’t even twitch; he just collapses. I walk to my phone and call 911.

“911. What is your emergency?"

“I shot an armed intruder who I asked to leave twice, and he came at me with a knife,” I say with some apprehension.

“Ma’am, are you injured?” The dispatcher asks.

“No, I’m not.” I reply, before I hang up the phone, moving out the front door, and sitting on the stairs. I’m waiting for the police to come so I put my hands flat on my lap so the police can see I‘m not armed. I can already hear the sirens. A police car pulls into my driveway the officers are in the in the car talking on the radio, when they see me on the steps the first officer exits the car and stand behind his car door. While the other starts heading into the house.

“Ma’am,” a young officer yells getting my attention. The dispatcher said you shot an armed intruder!” he confirms stepping from his car and walking toward me “I’m sorry, but I need to handcuff you until back up arrives they should be here in a few minutes. They have also dispatched an ambulance.”

I don’t say anything but turn around putting my hands behind my back. I feel the cuffs go around my wrists. I sit back on the steps, as the house floods with rescue workers and police officers. I know I’m gonna hear it and then I hear bikes and not one or two, but a whole club’s worth. I see Easton and Kennedy jump out of the car and when Kennedy sees me handcuffed on the steps, she starts screaming

“YOU BETTER UN-CUFF HER RIGHT FUCKING NOW!" 

Easton is trying to calm her down, when   Frankie and Tristan get out of her car. Frankie starts yelling, “WHY THE FUCK IS SHE HANDCUFFED? SHE’S THE VICTIM! GET THIS SHIT ON VIDEO. THIS IS FUCKING ABUSE!” 

The officers tried to calm down, but that was not going to happen with this group. Soon my yard was overtaken by angry bikers and Kerrigans. Rhydian looks like he is about to explode. 

Rhydian looks at the younger officer and asks, remaining calm.

“Officer O’Leary, you have my fiancé handcuffed in front of her own home after she was attacked. Is that really necessary?”

The officer looked at me.

“Sir, we arrived on the scene without backup. I was told there were shots fired. I had to make sure I could do my job safely.” I will be happy to move her inside so she can be more comfortable.

The officer helps me stand up and walks me to the staircase on the inside of the house. I am grateful because the media has started to arrive.

“It’s okay, he did the right thing” I say. 

Rhydian whips his head around. “YOU will sit on those steps and not say another word, or so help me fucking GOD, open your mouth again, and I’ll choke the shit out of you!”  He says through clenched jaws.

He turns back to the officer, “Well, as you can see, she isn’t a threat. She isn’t armed and there are fifty people in this house, so un-cuff her please," he says in a harsh tone. The young officer looks to the senior officer that has just arrived.

“She isn’t being uncuffed! O'Leary, load her up. She is going downtown.”

The bikers all mount their bikes at that.

Renegade yells, “Sweet pea, don’t say shit. Our lawyer will meet you at the station, don’t even tell them your name.” I nod.

I am loaded in the back of the police car. When the police car pulls out, everyone follows. I get to the station and do what I’ve been told. I sit in holding for four hours until someone comes to take my statement. My lawyer is finally also able to come see me.

“Ms. Roux, why didn’t you tell the Officers on the scene that you have CCTV cameras with audio in your house?” 

“They didn’t ask, and I knew that I needed to remain silent ‘till you told me to talk." 

My lawyer tells me to stand up and the guard to un-cuff me.

“You aren’t charging my client, so we are leaving.”

I walk out of the room and out the station. Everyone is waiting for me outside the station. I walk to Rhydian and wrap my arms around his neck. 

“Babe, I know you're mad, and I’m sorry, but I had to." He kisses my forehead. 

“I know, Princess, but I’m still gonna take it out on your ass," I nuzzle his neck.

“I’m looking forward to it, babe."

Crash walks over to us. “The girls, Mel, and Pat are gonna stay with us for a few days. We called our people, they are going to clean the house. It will be like brand new when they get back. However, you and me, sweetness, we are going to have a serious talk about you not listening to not only your man, but your friends. We just want you safe. Damn girl, I love you like a sister. It killed my ass to see you in cuffs.” He grabs me and pulls me into a bear hug and kisses my head.

“That’s enough hugging, Thor,” Rhydian says jokingly as he pulls me back into his arms.

“It’s all good, Crash. It’s over now, no more drama or police." I say, laughing. It feels really good to be loved. I have a great boyfriend, great friends and a new family with Antonio and Vaughn.

It has been two weeks since I killed Jack Well, and even though I’m not sorry, everyone has been right, it’s something that stays with you. I have pulled the trigger and ended a life, and that’s something I’ll have to live with. It seems strange that after everything I’ve been through, going back to school would be a comfort, but it is. I return to class and spend my time with Rhydian and the girls. They have flourished since coming to Denver.

Kennedy calls and asks for a huge favor. It seems her new PR girl is a little frazzled and needs help planning the first annual Hope Conservatory Gala, which would be on the anniversary of the school's opening. On top of my full course load at school, learning the ropes at Mel and Patrick's Clinic, I now have four months to plan the event of the year, and God bless her soul, but that new girl is drowning and fast. 

I’m sitting at the table in my new house, writing a paper, when Anastasia storms in. She moved in with me when I left the Anderson Street house. I'm pretty sure having Vaughn four houses away was a deciding factor. 

“I want to have sex with your brother, but he won't. How do I make him?” she asks with a confused look on her face.

“Oh God, kill me now! Anastasia,” I say sarcastically, “I'm probably not the best person to have this conversation with. One, because Vaughn is my brother, and two, because… No just the one. Eww!!!” I make a gagging face and she sits down. 

“Do you think he thinks I’m dirty?" she asks self-consciously. 

Fuck my life, I'm going to have this talk. I cringe and don't even try to hide it.

“Have you asked him why he doesn’t want to have sex with you? Maybe it isn't about you, Anastasia.”

“I did ask. He says he doesn't believe in sex before marriage, but what if he just thinks I'm disgusting and used?” she says while sobbing and pulling her hands into the sleeves of her shirt.

This just gets worse, so much worse. My twenty-one year old brother is a virgin and my almost sister wife wants to deflower him. 

“Okay, Anastasia. This just went from awkward to I'm now scarred for life.” 

“Estelle, I'm being serious. Please help me” she says, sitting back against her chair. 

I close my eyes and think. This is what I’m going to school for, to help people, to listen and help them address their issues. 

“Ana, just like you want someone to respect your boundaries and limits, you need to respect his. He is saving himself for personal reasons or maybe he is religious. Did you find out why or just get upset?”

“It’s just, we were on his bed kissing and the minute I tried take things further, he said we had to stop, that he was waiting until marriage. When I asked why, he said it was a personal choice and a promise he made to himself, what if he is only using this as an excuse to not go there with me?” She hangs her head in shame.

“Listen, Vaughn is a good guy and I know he likes you, but if you like him, you need to respect his choice. You know what it's like to be forced and pressured and it's not a good feeling.”

I’m glad to be interrupted by a knock at my door, until I get to the door. SHIT! It’s Vaughn.

“Hey sis," he says, looking sheepish. “Can I please speak to Anastasia?”

I step to the side, letting him in.

I see Anastasia has come to the door. 

“I’m sorry Vaughn. I should respect your boundaries the way you respect mine. I just don’t want you to think I’m dirty," she says with a tear trailing down her cheek.

“Babe, I don’t think that at all. I stopped us because I'm not ready and neither are you. I care about you so much, Anastasia, and I don’t want to rush anything. You are still healing and I always promised myself I wouldn’t take that step until was ready to have a family. I don’t want to take the chance on having a baby with someone I’m not married to. I’m twenty-one years old babe, I'm not ready to be a dad, so I don’t take any chances," he pulled Anastasia into a hug. “Please, understand babe.”

“I do and I’m sorry," Anastasia says.

“Okay, are you guys good? I have a paper to finish and some other work to do," I say, trying to rush them out the door. 

“We are good, sis. I love you," he give me a quick hug.

They walk a few houses down to go back to his house.

Seriously, I think to myself, how could that have been anymore horrifying?

The only thing that can fix this is baked goods and coffee, plus, it’s been awhile since I’ve seen Frankie.

“Hey jailbird,” Frankie says from behind the counter.

“Well, isn’t everyone a comedian these days.” I can’t help but laugh because Frankie is banging a coffee cup against the counter singing ‘Jailhouse Rock’. She puts my usual on the counter and comes around to give me a hug. 

“Where is Sebbie?” I ask. I don’t see the toddler anywhere in sight. 

“He’s at the sick day care, I need some help here. It’s tough when he is sick. I can’t stay with him upstairs, I need to be able to come to the bakery. So I took him to the walk in clinic, for fifty dollars a day they will keep your sick child and I know that sounds awful, but I really don’t have any other option. If this business sinks, we sink with it. It’s just me and Sebbie. I need to make this work.”

“Frankie, we have known each other for almost two years. I consider you a great friend. Let me invest in your business, no strings attached, though I was hoping you would give Zasha a summer job, maybe just working a few hours here and there. She is doing really well, but still a little skittish, and we hope getting her out will bring her out of her shell. And you could use the help in the mornings after you're done baking. It would be a win-win situation. Once the summer starts, the kids from The Hope will come here for breaks, and she can get to know some of the kids before school."

“Deal,” Frankie says, “I need The Mad Batter to stay open, not just for me, but for Sebbie. I could use a few people on staff, especially once the kids are hanging out here in the summer."

“Excuse me,” I hear a voice behind me. I turn around and come face to face with Katie and Wolf. 

“Ms. Estelle, I would like to apologize to you for calling you stupid, that wasn’t nice. You’re not stupid, and I’m sorry I threw my plate on the floor. My mom made me use my allowance to pay for the plate at the diner." He says, never taking his eyes off the ground.

“I know you were upset, Wolf.” When he hears me call him this name, he looks up with a smile. “I know you didn’t mean it.”

“Estelle, can I please speak to you for a minute.” Katie asks and points towards a table. When we sit, she is quiet. I know she is still scared because I see it on her face.

“It’s been a few months since the diner and yesterday, I got served with papers from Michael. He wants a paternity test done, I don’t want this to get ugly in court. I would handle it between us, when I was driving by and saw you, I was hoping you could call Michael and ask him to meet me and Michael Jr. somewhere public. I know you don’t know me and I know this is awkward, but I don’t want lawyers and courtrooms involved.”

“Katie, can I call Rhydian? I think he could handle this better than I can. I will sit with you if you need me to though. I know this will be hard, and I don’t want you feel ganged up on, so let me call him and we can go from there." I pull out my phone and place a call to Rhydian.

“Hello, Princess. Are we still on for tonight?”

“Babe, I’m at The Mad Batter with Katie and Wolf. Can you come here? She would like to talk you about setting up a meeting with Michael. He had her served with papers and she would rather handle this privately.”

“Can you hand Katie the phone?” he asks. Handing Katie my phone, I ask Wolf to come with me and pick out a snack. Katie excuses herself to the bathroom and Wolf and I sit back down. About twenty minutes later, Rhydian and Michael walk in and they stop at the door. Wolf turns around at the sound.

“Hello, Michael," Katie says. He looks from her back to his son. “I would like you to meet Michael Blackwell, your son.” 

Wolf stands and extends his hand to shake Michael’s, when he kneels his six foot three down to his son and hugs him instead.

Rhydian comes and sits down next to me. He leaned in a whispers, “Princess, let's go.

Looking at Wolf, I have to ask, “What about Michael?” 

“Babe, he’s a man. He needs to handle this himself. You made the call, and I got him here, my focus and my concern is on you and us, not them. Now, I know for a fact you have an empty house we haven't been able to make use of, but I have it on good authority that Anastasia and Vaughn are on their way to Brighton to meet Bison so they can all go fishing in the morning. They took Oksana, your dad, and Uncle Sal with them.”

A smile spreads across my face. “I bought some things I thought you would like last time I went to The Naughty Kitty. How about you give me a twenty minute head start and meet me there?” I reach into my purse and get the spare key I've been carrying around.

“I had this made for you, it's not an invitation to move in, but taking our relationship to the next level." I lean over and kiss him. “See you in twenty, babe."

I say good-bye to everyone in the bakery and make my way to my car, I turn on Pandora and select 80’s Love Songs as my driving home soundtrack.

Making my way to the bedroom, I head into my walk in closet and pull out the box I’ve been keeping for special occasions. I unwrap the pink tissue paper and pull out my supplies for tonight's activities. I haven't been comfortable with sex toys, but tonight I want to try everything with Rhydian. I’d had a hard time choosing what to get while I was at the sex shop, but I only wanted to make the one trip, so I pretty much bought one of everything the clerk recommended.

She’d helped me pick out the things I needed; I got a vibrator called The Rabbit Triple Pleasure. She’d also recommended a lube for sensitive skin and a set of anal plugs, she explained it was something that had to be worked into and she’d suggested if it was both our first time with anal play we watch this video she handed me. I’d added all of it to my basket. I’d also added a couple's sex kit called the Cum Hither Kit, it included an Egg Vibrator, Extended Length Bullet Vibrator, Ben Wa Balls, waterproof four-inch mini-massager that has a nubby-head attachment, a soft UR3 3” tongue sleeve, two one-ounce bottles of wild cherry-flavored Good Head Gel, and strawberry Lick Me Licker Gel, I’ve been waiting days to try this stuff out and tonight is going to be the night.

I want Rhydian to make me his and to erase all the bad shit that has happened. Anal sex has been something the monster never allowed his minions to do. It was a hard limit for him, just like damage to my face or any part of my body not easily hidden by clothes.

I feel like this is the one thing that is only mine—and mine alone. Something I can share with Rhydian and it will be our special memory, plus according to Kennedy and Rose, it feels great once you get past the initial discomfort. I get the toys all set up with the batteries and then lay them on the nightstand next to me so he will see my collection as soon as he enters the bedroom. Once that’s done, I change into my new lingerie and lay down on the bed to wait for him. 

When I hear him enter the house, I hold my breath, thinking this is it, it’s time for us to finally come together once and for all—nothing standing in our way. I see him walk into the room, stop, and just stare at me like he can’t believe this is really happening. I beckon him over and have him come to a stop at the end of the bed. I get up on my knees and knee-walk to him. I look him in the face and say, “Rhydian, I feel the time is right for us. I want everything with you. It's something I have never done and it's special; it’s something that we can do together.” I can see understanding come into his eyes and he kisses me. He pulls back from the kiss and strips his shirt off, but leaves his pants on for now. I crawl backwards up the bed so I’m lying in the middle of it and he crawls over me. As he is crawling up to meet me, I see him take notice of the nightstand.

He grabs the toy, looks back down at me, and says, “Princess, I don’t even know where to start. I know this is a huge sign of trust from you and I won’t abuse it. I love you. Tonight is about us and our future. Now, let’s have some fun.”