Protect Me (10 page)

 “Jake,” Mrs. Stevens scolds while masking a smile.
 

“Sorry, Mom. I mean, what’s up, Nate?” Jake asks with heavy emphasis on
Nate.
 

I’m one hundred percent sure that my cheeks flame at the knowledge that Nate is on the other end of that phone call. I look up just in time to see Avery smirking at me. I don’t think I’ve ever blushed so much in my entire life.
 

“Just stopped by Mom and Dad’s to grab some food,” Jake says into the phone against his ear.
 

I try to busy myself with eating my food, but honestly, I can’t eat a bite. I’m dying to know what Nate is saying on the other end of that phone.
 

“Yeah, he’s here,” Jake says, looking at Will. “Yeah. The new girl. She’s here, too.” There’s a pause as Jake listens. I start to get a little lightheaded, and that’s when I quickly realize I’m holding my breath. “Next to Will. Why?” Jake raises his eyebrow and his blue eyes clash with mine. It’s like a light switch is flipped. He gives me the most charming, ornery grin I’ve ever seen.
 

“Oh, they’re all chummy. Will has his hand on her thigh right now, dude,” Jake says straight-faced, and my face is anything but. The entire room turns to look at Jake. Erin jumps up and reaches for the phone but since Jake has a good foot on her, she can’t quite reach it.
 

“I think I heard ‘em making plans for next weekend,” Jake adds like salt to the wound.
 

Avery jumps up and slaps him on the back of the head. “Knock it off,” she scolds him sternly.
 

“My food is ready, man, so I gotta go. Nice catching up with you,” Jake says and quickly hangs up laughing.
 

“I can’t believe you did that,” Erin says with her hands firmly on her hips.
 

“What?” Jake asks, feigning innocence.
 

“You are worse than a woman at the beauty shop, Jacob Andrew,” Erin argues.
 

Jake laughs and pulls Erin into his large
embrace. “I love getting him all riled up,” he says before placing a gentle kiss on her lips. “He has twelve hours to sit and stew at the firehouse,” he adds with a smile and throws a wink over Erin’s shoulder directly at me. Moments later, his lips descend to Erin’s.
 

Throats clear all over the room as Maddox walks over with a big bag of food. “Time to go, Romeo,” he says with a slap to Jake’s back. Maddox quickly gives his kids each a kiss before turning his attention to his wife. I can see the adoration and love as plainly as the nose on his face. The way he strokes her cheek as he’s kissing her goodbye is so sweet. It’s a pleasant reminder that not every man in the world is bad. Not every man uses his hand for violence.
 

After the goodbyes are given, the two men leave the house as hastily as they entered. I enjoy the rest of the meal as I try, and fail, to focus on the conversations around me. It’s hard, honestly, trying not to image what Nate is doing right now. Is he on a fire call? Is he upset about the teasing he received from Jake? Is he thinking of me the way I can’t stop thinking about him? All questions that I know won’t be answered because it’s none of my business, really, which just seems to sadden me that much further.  There’s nothing there between Nate and me.
 

I settle back inside my car later in the evening. I was only too eager to help clear the dishes with Mrs. Stevens after dinner, even though she tried to shoo me
out of the kitchen at least twice. I feel at ease with her. Comfortable. I enjoyed helping her.
 

As I crank up the air conditioning and get ready to head back towards Rivers Edge, I can’t help but allow my mind to return to Nate. His broad chest and his massive arms. The tattoos that I never would have thought I’d find attractive. The way the muscles in his back flexed as he drove down the road. The way his hands caressed my neck intimately as he kissed me. And man, was that a kiss. Earth shattering. Unapologetic. Needy. Protective.  
 

If there’s one thing I feel when I’m with Nate, it’s protected. He makes me feel safe. Alive. Free.
 

I just hope that it lasts.
 

Laughter is floating from the living room. People are everywhere, filling every seat in the house. Couples are mingling and chatting up about the latest market trends or their latest big business deal. Champagne and hors d’oeuvres are passed around on silver trays held by waiters with white gloves. Everything seems perfect.
 

I am chatting with the Mayor of Daytona, Jim Duncan, and his wife, Carla, when I feel a warm hand grasp firmly around my upper arm. Not hard enough to draw attention or to leave a mark, but enough to let me know that I’ve done something wrong. What? I wish I
knew.
 

“Mayor, Carla, so pleased that you could join us this evening,” Garrett says with his trademark Abercrombie smile next to me.
 

“You know we never miss these contributor dinners, Garrett,” Mayor Duncan says with a smile. Mayor Duncan and his wife shelled out mega bucks for Governor Monahan’s next bid for re-election. Mrs. Duncan comes from money; her grandfather serving in the US Senate before passing away and leaving all of his money to his only grandchild, Carla. She also contains more plastic than a toy store.
 

“Well, we are sure glad we have your support, Mr. Mayor. If you both will excuse us, I need to speak with Amelia for a few moments,” Garrett says as he tightens his grip on my arm.
 

I force a small smile and nod my head towards the couple. My legs struggle to keep up with Garrett’s much longer strides. Between the gown and the four-inch stilettos, I’m all but stumbling after him. Falling just isn’t an option. If there’s one thing Garrett hates more than defiance, it’s embarrassment.
 

Garrett tugs me into the downstairs study, nodding his head to the security detail standing guard just outside.
 

“Inside, now,” Garrett bites through gritted teeth.
 

When he finally releases his grip on my arm, it’s
to toss me towards the brown leather sofa along the wall. I stumble and fall onto the hard piece of pristine, designer furniture.
 

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice? Did you think I wouldn’t find out?” he grounds out furiously.
 

“What?” I whisper, keeping my voice low and my eyes cast downward.
 

“Conrad Carrington, Amelia! Did you think I wouldn’t see you hanging all over Conrad? You disgrace me in front of my family, my friends, my co-workers?”
 

My mind is struggling to keep up. “Garrett, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say, pleading with my eyes.
 

His cold, dark eyes stare straight through me. I want to drop my gaze again, but I know I can’t. Now, I must remain engaged or risk a worse punishment.
 

I don’t even have time to process the fact that he’s approaching me. His hand strikes the side of my face causing stars to burst and pain to radiate through my entire body. My ear is ringing and fire spreads through the entire side my face. I grab the side of my head, turning away from him to protect myself.
 

“You need to remember who you really are, Amelia. You are a no-good, white trash whore who couldn’t last outside of this house for a day, let alone a week. You are nothing. I made you who you are today and you will remember that. I will not be disrespected in
my own home by some two-bit tramp. Keep your head down and your eyes straight ahead. And for God’s sake, keep your hands to yourself,” Garrett thunders.
 

I recall talking to Conrad about his son’s latest accomplishment on the soccer field. Conrad is at least ten years older than me and his son is a soccer all-star. I always remember to ask about him whenever I see him. Tonight, Conrad gave me air kisses and lightly touched my upper arm for a moment while we chatted. It was nothing more than a friendly gesture and I never touched him. I wouldn’t dare touch another man. The consequences are too great.
 

Garrett stands right before me, hate spewing from his evil eyes, and glares. “I will not tolerate your unfaithfulness,” he spits out.
 

“I would never,” I start to say, but am cut off with a blow to the stomach. I drop to my knees as I gasp for air. It takes several attempts before air actually begins to flow to my lungs again. Tears are streaming down my face. My gut is contracting like I might vomit and my face is on fire.
 

Garrett grabs me by my hair and stands me up. I’m slightly hunched over, but stand before him as best as I can.
 

“You’re damned right, you would never. Now, go clean yourself up and put some makeup on that cheek. We don’t need anyone to know our business, Amelia. Things would be so much worse for you if they ever
found out how bad you really are,” Garrett says as he gently strokes my good cheek. It’s amazing how quickly he can go from monster to caring. Though, I doubt even this is caring.
 

“Yes,” I whisper as I start to pull back.
 

Garrett grabs my upper arm and pulls me against him. His body is firm, but not muscular. I stumble against him since my legs don’t seem to work properly anymore. When I reach him, he rubs his erection against my stomach. It takes everything I have not to throw up right then and there. But vomiting on his three-thousand dollar imported loafers would be deadly for me.
 

Garrett grabs my hair by the back of the head and pulls down, exposing my neck. His mouth is on it a second later, his tongue running up and down my neck. My breathing quickens but it’s not from excitement. Nothing about being with Garrett is exciting. I haven’t had a real orgasm in three years.
 

Garrett’s hands firmly grasp at my dress. I know what comes next. Nothing excites him more than knocking me around; showing me how big and strong he is. He continues to grind his measly erection against me as he rips my dress from my body. His hands are everywhere. Hands that I once thought were so gentle and soft. Now, they are only rough and cruel.
 

Garrett removes my panties - the white lace thongs that I’m required to wear everyday - and pushes
me down, hard against his desk. I start to retract into myself as he pushes my legs apart. I close my eyes and go to my safe place, deep in the recesses of my mind.
 

A place where there is no pain and no Garrett.
 

A place where only the light shines.
 

A place where I can be free.
 

I startle awake from another deep, dark nightmare. My sheets are sweaty and tangled around my legs. My breathing is quickened and labored. My heart rate is fast and unyielding.
 

I am alone. Garrett is not here. Garrett doesn’t know where I am. As long as I keep moving every couple of months, the chances of him finding me are slim.
 

I hang on to that little sliver of hope because the reality of him finding me is just too terrifying.
 

As I pass the Welcome sign at the edge of town, I know exactly where I’m going, and it isn’t home. My car drives straight to the bakery as if completely on its own. I pull into the alley and park out back. The lights are on inside, but I still can’t help but to glance up at Lia’s apartment. For what? I don’t know. But the need to check on the apartment - on her safety - is overpowering.
 

I give the door handle a little turn, knowing that it’s probably locked. Once it’s confirmed, I knock loudly on the back door. It doesn’t take but a few seconds before my brown-haired, gray-eyed beauty is opening the door. The way the light filters around her in the early morning, presenting her in a warm, angelic glow, makes me want to kiss her so badly. Fuck, I’d give anything for just one kiss.
 

I’ve thought of no one else since my brother’s phone call last night. I told him I was just calling to check in, but I knew exactly what time it was. I knew that unless a call came up last minute, he’d be heading towards our parents’ house for dinner. Heading towards Lia.
 

I’m pretty sure he figured out real quick that I was interested in more than just shooting the shit with him. He was teasing me about Will and Lia, but I’ll be damned if it didn’t piss me off something fierce. If I could have, I would have crawled through the phone, punched Jake in his smug trap, thrown Lia over my shoulder, and hightailed it out of there.
 

“Good morning,” she says with a warm smile as she pulls the door open further.
 

“Mornin’,” I reply, stepping inside the warm room filled with the sweet scents of sugar and dough.
 

“Coffee?” she asks as she heads towards the already brewed pot.
 

“Yes, please. Decaf. I’ve been dreaming of that and a cinnamon roll since I left St. Charles.”
 

“Well, I just brewed this pot. How was work?” she asks as she fills up the Styrofoam cup.
 

“Good. Two big calls overnight so I’m exhausted.”
 

“What happened?” she asks as she fills up her own cup with regular, adding just a pinch of sugar and a bunch of French vanilla creamer.
 

“Car accident on Route sixty-four. Minivan with a few teenagers tried to pass a semi and didn’t realize the car in the other lane was a lot closer than they thought. They left the roadway and hit a ditch, rolling the van. All three kids were wearing their seatbelts and are definitely going to be feeling it tomorrow, but they
are fortunate and alive. Minor injuries compared to what it could have been, though the van was a total mess. We had to cut the kids out of the wreckage. Also fortunate that the other car and semi weren’t involved.”