Insufferable Proximity (71 page)

“I’m surprised
you
don’t know her, she a member of the King firm.” Julian informed them, obviously irritated with their lack of respect for Heaven.

“A lawyer?” the officer asked in surprise, looking at the beautiful damsel in distress.

“I told you that I was a lawyer, I told you the man who took me worked at my firm. Exactly how much of that information did you process,
officer
?” she snapped at him, she was ready to let him have it, but Julian laid a restraining hand on her arm.

“I expect this case to be handled very seriously.” Julian said with a look of disapproval on his face.

“I give my word it will. I will see to it myself.” he said and Heaven watched as Twiddle-Dum-ass turned into super-cop before her very eyes. “Now, I’d like to take your statement again, Miss-”

“Deville.” Heaven said and then followed the officers back into the diner, refusing to let go of Julian’s hand.

***

Julian and Heaven were both quiet once they got in the car. Julian was thinking about the story she had told the police, and what Gavin had done to her. Heaven was worried about Gavin’s threat to kill Julian and even more worried that Julian did not seem to be taking it seriously.

***

Heaven’s mother, Sybille, had gone to extreme dramatics when Heaven waked into the house. Somehow Sybille’s infectious sorrow had spread to the rest of the members in the house. Even Coco, who was normally very straight faced, was in tears and unable to even speak without her emotion taking over. Maude had not stopped crying since Heaven had arrived and was telling “remember when” stories to anyone who listened. Even Petal was there, sitting close to Sybille as she had always done at troubled times in the past.

All the girls at the brothel were coming up to Heaven in various states of undress, hugging her and telling her how happy they were she was safe. Julian stood back with a grin, watching it all happen.

“I need to take a shower.” Heaven said and Julian carried her to her old room and then to the adjoining bathroom where he stood her on her feet.

“I’ll be right out in the bedroom, yell for me if you need me.” he said and turned to leave, but she grabbed his arm.

“Will you stay in here with me?” she asked and he nodded.

“Of course I will.”

“Help me get this thing off.” She said as she turned her back to Julian.

“My pleasure.” He said as he unzipped the short white lacy dress and then helped her step out of it.

“Burn it! I hate that dress, he made me wear It.” she said.

“Did he make you undress in front of him?”

“I don’t know, he would put me to sleep and when I woke up, I was wearing a new dress. It was one of my biggest fears.” She put her head down.

“Did he touch you?”

“No.”

“Did he try to kiss you?”

“Yes, once.” she said and she watched his eyes changed to the palest grey she had ever seen. His anger was at a fevered-pitch and he would tear Gavin apart with is bare hands if he could find him.

“I am going to mother fucking kill him!” he roared then left the bathroom.

Heaven walked over to the medicine cabinet and grabbed her toothbrush. She quickly brushed her teeth then rinsed with a strong clinical strength mouthwash. When she was done, she passed by the mirror but stopped, upon seeing a reflection that didn’t match the reflection she knew.

Heaven stood there, looking at herself in the long, oval bathroom mirror. Her hair was wild and all over the place, she was covered in a layer of grime. The bra she wore was filthy and three sizes to small and the panties she wore were at least three sizes too big, falling low on her hips and looking more like paper bag shorts. She looked at her frame, she had definitely lost weight, her face seemed so much slimmer. Her breasts and hips appeared fuller because of the weight loss.

Julian walked back into the bathroom after taking a minute to cool off in the bedroom. He shut off the bathtub water then turned to her.

“Come on, let’s get this shit off you.” he reached behind her to unhook the bra that was so tight it was almost embedded in her skin. He peeled it off, seeing the light bruising up the side of her breast. He let a stream of profanity fly from his mouth and he turned to leave the room again, but she held his hand.

“Just stay.” she said in a tone he could never deny.

“I am going to fucking kill him, I swear Heaven I am going to tear him apart.” he said tracing the line of the bruise. “Look what he did to you.”

She could clearly see that he was holding his rage back and even though she was livid with what had happened to her, there would be time for their anger later. Right now she just wanted everything to be calm.

“Help me.” she said as she slid her panties down a little, before Julian grabbed them and pulled them down to her ankles before helping her step out of them. Once all of the horrible clothing was no longer on her body, he helped her step into the bathtub than grabbed the big sponge and the bottle of vanilla sugar scrub she asked him to get. Once she finished washing her hair, she grabbed the sponge out of his hand and loaded it up with the thick body scrub then, proceeded to wash herself hard. He watched her over zealously scrub her body, every inch of herself, and then began to focus on her torso.

“Slow down, you’re going to rub yourself raw.” he said grabbing the sponge from her, not wanting her to damage her breasts anymore. She reached over and flipped the switch for the dirty water to drain and once it was gone, she filled the tub back up. He grabbed the regular body wash and another sponge then sat down and washed her back. She wrapped her arms around her bent legs and rested her head on her knees as he gently caressed her with the soft sponge. She finally sat back against the tub, resting her head back against the small red tub pillow she had since she was young. He gently slid the sponge over her torso, lightly gliding it across her breasts before her rinsed her off with the fresh water. He helped her out of the tub while grabbing the thick, fluffy, red towel and slowly dried her off.

He carried her back into her bedroom, and then stood her in front of her dresser. She reached in and grabbed a pair of her panties and a tank top she hadn’t won since college. Julian picked her back up and laid her on the bed before sitting down next to her.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

“No.” she answered.

“Is there anything you want? Anything I can get you?”

“I just want you to lay with me for a little while.” she said. He nodded, then pulled of his shoes and lay next to her on the bed. She laid her head on his chest and he slid his hand up the back of her tank top then began caressing her skin.

***

Heaven rested in her room while waiting for the festivities to start. Sybille and Coco had their chef make an elaborate meal, all of Heaven’s favorites were spread out on the buffet table. Coco restricted the dining room area and sent the bevy of happy women to the backyard to celebrate Heaven’s return, while the family celebrated alone. After such a horrific series of events, she wanted to spend some quality time with her niece. Coco, Sybille, Julian, Maude and Heaven sat silently around the table, all of them were slowly exhaling the air they had been holding in their lungs for days. They were happy Heaven was home but worried about the effects it might have on her.

“To my amazing daughter and her safe return home.” Sybille raised her glass of wine.

“I’m so thankful you made it home safely, my dearest niece.” Coco smiled, raising her glass.

“I’m joyous that my superhero-child escaped the man who abducted her. My darling daughter is safe and I want to celebrate.”

“So do I.” her aunt Coco agreed. “Not knowing where you were was one of the worst things we have ever been through.”

“You took the words from my mouth, dearest sister.” Sybille said with misted eyes.

“Thank god you’re home.” Maude’s smile was full of relief.

“Jade called, she wanted to cut her trip short to come back home and make sure you were alright, she is so worried.” Sybille said.

“She better not, her education is more important, besides, I’m fine now.” Heaven answered.

“Are you?” Coco asked and Heaven nodded.

“I think she’s in shock.” Sybille said looking at her daughter.

“I’m not in shock! I’m happy to be alive and happy that I escaped him.” she picked at the food on her plate, shifting it from side to side but not eating.

“I think you should eat something.” Julian urged her.

“I’m not really hungry right now.” she sat her fork down on her plate and leaned back in her chair. “Honestly all I want to do is sit here and enjoy all of you. I want to talk about nonsensical stuff that’s not important. I want to hear my dramatic mother’s elaborate-tales and listen to my bossy aunt give great advice. I want to see Maude do her flapper dance and I want to sit here through it all and just hold your hand.” she turned to Julian who immediately took her hand and kissed it.

“That sounds like a damn good idea.” Julian smiled.

“I absolutely love that idea!” Sybille cried as her eyes filled with tears.

“Me too.” Coco agreed, smiling at the woman her niece was becoming.

“Me three!” Maude said then stood up and did a quick flapper move, receiving a standing ovation from Heaven and Sybille.

“Marvelous darling!” Sybille clapped hard.

“One day you’ll have to teach me that move.” Heaven grinned, thinking about doing that particular dance for Julian.

“Really?” Maude asked with excitement, she had always tried to get Heaven to dance, but Heaven wouldn’t even humor the idea. She had always shut Maude’s suggestions down quickly.

“The sooner the better.” Julian said, thinking about Heaven’s curves.

“She can dance you know,” Sybille smiled proudly, “she leads people to believe she can’t, but she really is an exceptional dancer.”

“Don’t listen to her.” Heaven smiled at Julian, who was already getting ideas.

“You’re going to have to prove that to me.” he whispered and she smiled.

“Maybe I will.” she smiled and Julian’s phone started to ring.

“I should get those pictures out from when you were three,” Sybille continued to talk as Julian answered his phone. “Remember when you-”

“No!” Heaven shook her head. “I draw the line with the pictures.” she giggled.

“But they are such beautiful pictures, aren’t they Coco?” she turned to her sister.

“Absolutely beautiful.” Coco smiled with pride. Heaven heard Julian end the conversation and turned to see a strange expression on his face.

“What’s the matter?” Heaven asked instantly on alert.

“They found the house that Gavin took you too, but it’s been burned down to the ground.”

“Did they find Gavin?”

“Not yet.”

“Let’s stay here tonight.” she turned to Julian.

“Whatever you want.” he nodded.

“I’m calling all three security guards in to patrol the grounds,” Coco walked over to the house phone, “just to be on the safe side.”

“Where’s my bow gun?”

“All of them are right in your closet dear, I still have our maid, Mona, dust them twice a month.” Sybille said, as she smiled. Julian smiled at the thought of Heaven with that bow gun

***

Heaven and Julian went upstairs with another bottle of wine.

“I can’t believe I am barricaded in my mother’s house for the night, while my fellow co-worker-”

“Ex- co-worker.” Julian corrected her.

“Ex- coworker, stalks in the shadows, waiting to catch me when I’m not paying attention.”

“He’s not going to get you, I’m not leaving your side until he’s dead or behind bars.” he vowed as he pulled her closer to him.

“He said that if I did get away, he would get me.”

“I’m not going to let him get you, trust me.”

“I know.”

“I want to see you bow guns.” Julian said and she nodded with excitement.

She took him to the back of her closet, to what looked like an ordinary wall. She hit a small button under the ledge and it slid back to reveal an arsenal of bow guns.

“Very impressive.” he said looking at the eclectic mix of bow guns.”

“I know, look at this one.” she smiled grabbing a large, red, bow gun. “I won every contest in college with this beauty, no one could beat me.”

“I bet you did,” he smiled thinking about that competitive drive of hers, “and I’m sure there was trail of bodies from those who opposed you.”

“Of course there was, this is one of the most powerful bows I have.” she grinned wickedly.

“You should have put Heaven on it instead.” he said pointing to her last name displayed in silver letters.

“It is heavenly, isn’t it?”

“Not as heavenly as you,” he grabbed her hips, “you look so sexy holding that thing.” he kissed her lips.

“Do I?” she whispered against his lips.

“You do, but I want to see some skin,” he kissed her lips again then stepped back, “and I want to see you dance.”