Protect Me (29 page)

“I love you, Lia,” I whisper against her open mouth.
 

She inhales audibly and tightens her legs around my waist. I look into her stunned eyes. Her eyes fill with unshed tears and so much emotion. “I love you, too,” she whispers as a stray tear falls down the side of her face. I use the pad of my thumb to swipe the tear away but several more follow.
 

I find her mouth again with mine and give her a deep, passionate kiss. I want her to know how much she means to me. I want her to know that I haven’t said those three words to another woman, in fourteen years. Hell, has there ever been another woman before Lia? Hell fucking no. I’ve been waiting my entire life for Lia.
 

My pace picks up as the emotion of this moment takes hold. I feel her insides start to tighten around me which makes me grow even harder. I move my arms to frame her head and bring my lips back down to hers.
Her tongue feels like a bolt of lightning with each flick against mine.
 

Just when I think I’m not going to be able to hold off any longer, Lia’s insides grip my cock, pulling me hard inside her. I struggle to move as our joint orgasms rip through us. I pump hard as my body spills its seed deep inside of her. I whisper those three little words over and over again as her nails scratch the shit out of my back. It’s the most satisfying pain I’ve ever felt. It’s that reminder that this moment is real; not a dream.
 

I hold her flush against me for several minutes. I don’t want to move. I don’t want to pull out of her body. I want to stay right here forever.
 

My dream? She’s right here, underneath me.
 

She’s the one.
 

Nate’s weight on top of me is fulfilling. Hearing the words he spoke while we made love and finally saying them back is the most gratifying feeling. I don’t want to see it end. But I know it will.
 

Another few tears slip from my eyes as Nate nuzzles my neck with his nose.
 

“Don’t cry, baby,” he whispers as he rolls to the side, pulling me with him. He’s still buried deep inside of me, and I don’t want him to pull out. I know when he pulls out that it’ll be for the last time.
 

More tears leak as Nate gently wipes them away. I hold on tight as we both hold each other in the aftermath of our lovemaking. And that’s what that was. It was passionate. Complete. Love. The way I always imagined love to be.
 

Nate slides out of me and pulls me against his chest. The blond dusting of hair tickles my chest as he tucks me into the crook of his neck. His arms are strong and tight around me and his leg goes over both of mine in a protective manner. The room smells like sex and sweat and it’s just the way I want to remember this night, because when I leave here, that’s all I’ll have.
Memories.
 

Nate pulls back ever so slightly so that he can remove the condom. He ties a little knot on the end and slips it in the garbage can underneath his nightstand.
 

I try to fight the sleep that is taking hold. I want to stay awake and memorize every breath he takes, every curve of his body, every feeling I have with him against me. Nate’s breathing starts to even out and his hold on me starts to relax. Tears silently fall against his chest as I’m lulled to sleep by the steady beat of his strong heart.
 

“I love you, Lia,” he whispers as he dozes off to sleep.
 

“I will always love you, Nate,” I whisper back as I close my eyes, absorbing all I can from this moment.
 

My dream? Nate is the missing piece of my soul and that breaks me because I can’t stay. I will never forgive myself if I bring my nightmare to the doorstep of those I love and care for the most. It’s the way it has to be.
 

So, tonight, I will hold him tight.
 

Tomorrow, I must let him go.
 

I am awakened before the sun, by the ringing of a phone. Nate is softly snoring next to me, and it takes a few seconds before I disentangle myself from his big
body to get to the noise. It’s coming from inside of my clutch purse. I dive for the phone before it can wake him and notice the number; it’s not one I recognize, but it’s local so I answer.
 

“Hello?” I whisper from a crouching position on the floor.
 

“Amelia, love. I’ve been looking for you,” the voice on the other end of the line says. My blood runs cold and my heart rate spikes. My hands start to tremble and I almost lose grip on my phone.
 

“Garrett,” I whisper.
 

“Amelia, Amelia, Amelia. You’ve been a very naughty girl, love,” he says.
 

“What do you want?” I whisper, trying to keep the fear out of my voice and failing miserably.
 

“Oh, Amelia. You know what I want. I want you,” he says coldly.
 

“You can’t have me. I’m not a possession, Garrett.”
 

“See, that’s where you’re wrong, love. You belong to me. Not that piece of trash fireman you’re shacked up with right now,” Garrett bites out.
 

My eyes widen then instantly land on Nate’s calm, sleeping face. Garrett knows exactly where I am. Garrett has found me.  
 

Run.
 

“What do you want?” I whisper.
 

“You, Amelia. Even though you left me in the
middle of the night when I wasn’t looking, then ran off to whore yourself around with half this town, I still want you. See, you’ve always belonged to me.” My breathing is labored and my body is raked with chills. It’s not so much the words he’s saying as the way he says it; calm, yet so disturbing and completely unsettling. “I’ve been watching you whore around with that man for weeks now, Amelia. He has a very nice family, doesn’t he?” The threat is obvious. “You have thirty minutes to gather your things, get out of that house, and come to my hotel room. You will return with me to Daytona, where you will take the punishment you deserve. Do not run off again, Amelia, or the punishment will only be that much more severe when I finally get my hands on you. Thirty minutes, Amelia. Thirty minutes or I come to get you,” Garrett threatens sternly into the phone.
 

“The hotel on Main Street. Room 325. Do not run, love. I
will
find you again.” The phone in my hand disconnects and my vision blurs from the tears I didn’t realize I was shedding. I glance at Nate as he sleeps peacefully in bed, completely oblivious.
 

I have to go.
 

Now.
 

I quickly reach for the bag of clothes I brought with me. I dig out a pair of shorts and a tank top, and slip them on. I’m in such a hurry that I don’t even bother with undergarments. I check the bag to make sure I have everything else I packed. When I made this bag
yesterday after discovering the gift that Garrett left me, I stuffed as much clothing as I could fit in it. I grabbed all of the cash I had, which is quite a bit since I never opened accounts. Accounts can be tracked.
 

I stand at the foot of the bed, staring down at the only man I have ever truly loved, and who has ever loved me unconditionally in return. Scars and all, he loves me. But, I have to leave in order to protect him and his family.
 

And I have to go now.
 

If I disappear again, Garrett will follow. He won’t stay around and hurt Nate and the Stevens family. He will hunt me. Always.
 

My biggest fear is that Nate will follow, too. As much as it kills me, I have to do the one thing I never wanted to do. I have to hurt Nate. I have to do it in a way that will ensure he won’t come after me.
 

I head out to his small office and grab a sheet of paper from the desk. My hands tremble and the tears stream down my face as I write:
 

Nate,
 

I know this is going to hurt you, but I can’t stay. I lied to you last night. I don’t love you. I can’t stay here and pretend to be OK with everything that is going on in your life. Your job is too much for me. I thought I could handle it, but I just can’t. I don’t want to be a
widow before I’m 30. Your family is great, but it’s all too suffocating. I’m used to being alone. That’s the way I like it and that’s the way I want it. Please know that I’ll always remember our time together, but it’s over.  I hope you have a wonderful life and finally get your dream.
 

Lia
 

Writing that stupid lie of a letter was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. And not just one lie, but multiple. The only part that is true besides our names is that I hope he gets his dream. I want that for Nate more than anything; even if I’m not in it. I leave it on the counter, next to the coffee pot, and head back to retrieve my bag. It’s in the hallway right where I left it. As I pick it up, I steal another long look at Nate one last time.
 

“I will always love you and remember our time together. You are my other half,” I whisper from the doorway. I want to go in and touch him one final time, but I can’t. I don’t want to wake him up or risk running behind schedule. I need to go. Now.
 

I blow a final kiss and gaze at his sleeping body through tear-filled eyes. My heart cracks wide open and bleeds everything I have all over the floor. I suck in one final, shaky breath as I turn around and head towards the back of Nate’s house. With each step I take, I slowly die a little on the inside.
 

I slip out the back door, looking both ways multiple times for any movement. Garrett may be waiting for me at the hotel, but that doesn’t mean any one of his goons isn’t watching the house right now. The sun is just starting to rise which means my time to slip out unnoticed is getting slimmer and slimmer by the second. I silently pull the locked door closed behind me and make my way to the trees that separate Nate’s property from his neighbors. I have no idea where I’m going, but I know I have to go now.
 

I can’t go to retrieve my car because it’s probably being watched, too. Nate’s place is probably being watched, and I’m pretty sure that the closest bus terminal and train station are in St. Charles. I’m very quickly running out of options here.
 

I keep myself hidden within the trees and make quick work towards the edge of town. I glance behind me every few minutes to see if I’m being followed, but I don’t see anyone on foot or in an approaching vehicle.
 

Eventually, when I hit the edge of town, the sun is fully shining over the horizon and the town is waking up. Cars are moving from place to place, which makes my ability to watch for any followers that much more difficult.
 

I stick to walking about ten feet or so inside the timber as I head out of Rivers Edge.
 

Heading towards the unknown.
 

Heading away from Nate with each step I take.
 

Leaving a trail of tears and broken pieces of my shattered soul.
 

Leaving Rivers Edge for good.
 

Sunlight peeking through the blinds wakes me from a deep sleep. I crack open my eyes and see the alarm clock reads 8:04am. I roll over to my back to grab for Lia, but her side of the bed is empty. I listen for a few seconds for the sound of the shower, but the house is eerily quiet.
 

“Lia?” I holler out from the bed. I hear no movement. Nothing.
 

I disentangle myself from the sheet and head out to find my girl. I don’t even stop to put on pants as a strange feeling takes root in my gut. The bathroom is open and the light is off, so I head into the living room, which is also empty.
 

Maybe she ran out for breakfast? Did she have to work today?
 

Just as I reach for my cell phone on counter, I catch sight of the piece of paper in front of the coffee maker.
 

I practically run over to the note and scoop it up. My heart races and my nostrils flare as I read her words.
 

Doesn’t love me?
 

What kind of sick person says she loves you one
minute and then takes it back the next?
 

Can’t handle my job?
 

It would have been nice if she would have fucking realized that before now!
 

Anger sweeps in and mixes with the heart-crushing ache I feel deep in my chest. I drop the note and place my hands on the countertop. I lower my head and try not to think about her words. Her fucking words that have gutted me and left me bleeding a slow, agonizing death in my damn kitchen.
 

I shake my head and stalk back to my bedroom. I slam open the drawers as I pull out boxers and shorts. I slam each leg into the pants until I’m covered up. Throwing on the first t-shirt in the pile, I stomp back towards the door, grabbing my keys and wallet from the counter as I pass.
 

I peel out of the driveway, leaving rubber on the street. I head straight to the bakery, pulling the Mustang into the first open space in the alley. Lia’s old Honda is still in the same place it was sitting, when I picked her up, last night before the gala.
 

I practically run up the stairs, two at a time, and pound relentlessly on her door.
 

“Lia, open up!” I holler. I try to calm myself, but I just can’t make myself do it. “Lia!” I holler after she doesn’t answer the door.
 

I pull my cell phone out of my pocket and quickly dial Avery’s number.
 

“This better be good,” she answers sleepily.