Rachel's Accident (22 page)

Jess didn’t see those things, though. She talked to her animatedly about her ‘cousin’ Trevor and what a nice guy he was. The Barbie didn’t say anything in return. She just nodded and probably didn’t even listen.

I was really concerned for my friend. Trevor had broken her heart with that stunt before and now just one day later he came here to Ethan’s house with this bimbo on his arm, who obviously wasn’t
his cousin. Yeah, right. She was probably the woman he
had been
banging
for longer than either one of us even knew.

Jess so desperately wanted this to be real she ignored anything and everything around her that might destroy
the
fragile
world she was living in right now and bring her back to reality. She would be double destroyed when she caught him again. I hoped I was wrong, of course, and this was really his cousin. But I couldn’t bring myself to be as blind as Jess to the obvious. Even Ethan shot concerned looks our way now and then.

We all sat down together for dinner and Jess made up the whole dinner conversation. I listened to her and tried to get in some things too, but she seemed fine conversing on her own. I could see that Ethan was trying to listen, too, but was distracted by what happened at the other end of the table.

Trevor and Sandra were seated next to each other and it seemed while Jess was focused on me and her meal Trevor had all his attention on Miss Bimbo. He whispered to her and nuzzled her neck. I saw her jerk for a brief moment. I assumed Trevor was getting his hand into her pants under the table. How could Jess not see this? Ethan and I shot him disgusted looks. I was so going to kick his fucking ass when Jess wasn’t there.

I sat there in tense silence while the others finished their dinner. I had lost my appetite long ago and wouldn’t have been able to eat anything even if I was forced. Ethan begged me silently to eat something for the babies’ sake, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.

When the dinner torture was finally over
I asked Jess to help with the dishes while I accompanied Trevor and Barbie outside. I cleared my throat when the three of us were standing in the front doors.

“Sandra,” I addressed Barbie. “Would you go on ahead? I’d like to talk to Trevor for a minute.” I smiled to make myself seem less unwelcoming. But I knew full well it looked as
forced
as it was.

She didn’t question me, though, and went over to the very expensive looking car the Trevor I knew would never have been able to afford.

“Do you really think that little act was anywhere near convincing?” I hissed at Trevor as soon as she was out of earshot.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about?”

Oh, yes. He loved to play the innocent party, but I’d had enough.

“If you hurt Jess again, I will find you and I will rip off your balls and cock and shove them down your throat to choke on. I wi
ll skin you alive,” I said in a menacingly
calm voice.

He actually looked a little shaken at the imagery. Yeah, I could be pretty scary if I wanted to. And I was sure my facial features matched my words perfectly. I had practiced that
crazy
murderous glint in my eyes for a long time to keep all the scum away when we were living in our old apartment, one of the worse districts.

Confident he had gotten the message I walked back into my new home and locked the door behind me with a resounding click. I would not let her get hurt again. And if he did dare he would pay for it dearly. Maybe not exactly the way I had described, but I would think of something. I silently promised that to myself and Jess.

With a heavy sigh I sank against the door.
If our lives could just straighten out for once.
I would definitely prefer to have my life calm down before the twins came. It wouldn't do me any good to have the added stress to deal with.

Tiredly, I dragged my feat back to the kitchen, where Jess and Ethan were just finished washing and drying the dirty dishes. I quickly helped them put it all away and then retired to my new bedroom.

Ethan and I were sleeping in separate bedrooms for the time being since I still had the feeling we didn't really know each other well enough to make that last step of moving in together. So, for now we were just house mates, who occasionally had sex. It sounded really detached and unemotional, but we promised to take it as slow as we needed. To be honest, though, I was sure he would find a way to make me move into his bedroom without much protest. He just had that way of dealing with me.

I was so worried and restless because of everything that had happened today that I could hardly sleep. I tossed and turned a lot in bed, but couldn't find a single comfortable position. Finally, I just gave up and decided to take a stroll around the property. It was around two in the morning when I started my trip outside.

Even though, my leg was almost killing me I couldn't just sit still and do nothing. I needed exercise to work out my tense muscles. The fresh air helped a lot to clear up my muddled thoughts, too.

As I wandered around the huge property my thoughts turned back to Jess and the new situation she was confronted with. She had been so sure about what she had seen yesterday, but the second Trevor comes back into the picture after that devastating scene she's head over heels again. What exactly did he tell that poor woman to make her let him in
in
the first place?

I was pretty certain Jess had even seen them make out the way she had reacted. She wouldn't have accused him of cheating so lightly. Which left the question of why he had come back?

Had he become friends with us in the first place to get to Ethan? I wouldn't put it past him now. He certainly would be the kind of person to take it up a notch and have some more fun before reaching the end game. If he was really back to become friends with Ethan or get to money from him another way he was
shit
out of luck. He wouldn't get a single cent from any one of us. And from what I'd seen of his car he probably didn't even need it. Did Trevor know the guy who had attacked me in the parking lot today?

All these questions were running through my head as I made my way through a woodsy area. But instead of finding some answers only more questions surfaced.

I was getting really suspicious now. I would have to ask Ethan about hiring a private investigator and/or a bodyguard. I never wanted something like today happen to me ever again. I could have been dead for
all that
bastard cared. I was too afraid for my babies to even care about the cost of a bodyguard. As long as it was for the twins I didn't mind him spending money. It only bugged me when he wanted to spend it on me.

That brought me back to the incident in the grocery store shortly before the attack. We had had our first fight. And even if it was only a little one it had been very real. I thought I remembered him throwing some piece of fabric into one of the carts when he had come out of the store and helped me up.
That tricky bastard.
He had snuck one of the dresses into our purchase.

I shook my head at his audacity. He had dared to defy my wishes even after I had threatened him with crying. But I was sure he was beating himself up enough over the fact that he'd been late
because of that. That was definitely punishment enough for him. I wouldn't be cruel and add on top of it, even though it infuriated me that he didn't listen.

I sighed again for the hundredth time today. What would happen next?
A meteor falling on my head?
With my luck that could definitely happen.

I needed to go back soon. It had been a while since I had left the house. I looked up at the sky. To my amazement it was already getting light. I must have been wandering around for hours. But I had been so immersed in my thoughts and worries that I had completely lost track of time. Next I looked around me and realized I had lost track of my path as well.
Great.

What to do now? I thought
backtracking
my steps would be my best chance. So, I turned on my heels and went back the way I had come from. The problem was I didn't know how many turns I had made.

After about an hour of walking I came to the fence surrounding the property. That was good. I could just follow the fence until I got to the entrance gate and the driveway. I started my trek along the fence line with my spirits still high. But after another two hours, the sun now blazing on my head, I started to feel panic well up within me. I couldn't let it take me over, though. I needed to push forward fearlessly. I would find my way back. I had to believe that.

Another hour passed before I could finally hear shouting in the distance. People were calling my name. They were searching for me. That brought my spirits back up in full force. I could laugh and dance in joy I was so happy. I picked up my pace, but quickly slowed down again. My feet were on fire. I had been ignoring them as much as possible, but now they seemed to be unwilling to cooperate any longer. I stopped altogether and slumped heavily onto a tree trunk. I took off my shoes and looked at my feet. They were swollen and laced with blisters. I made a grimace in disgust and pain.

I could hear the shouting come closer now. Mustering up my last reserves of strength I screamed back.

"I'm here!"
      

Footsteps quickly turned in my direction and ran toward me. A few seconds later a few men in uniforms and Ethan and Jess broke out of the underbrush. They saw me sitting there and hurriedly rushed over to me.

"Are you all right, Rachel? Did anything happen?" they all asked at once, talking over each other.

I held up my hands to silence them and get a word in of my own.

"I just went for a walk last night because I couldn't sleep and then I got lost," I admitted, hanging my head in shame for worrying them so much and getting lost in the first place.

"Oh, thank god," Ethan whispered as he pulled me into a fierce hug. "We were thinking the worst after what happened yesterday. I was so worried." He pulled back and gazed at me seriously. "Please, don't ever leave my side again. I couldn't bear to lose you. And I will chain you to me if I have to
to
make sure of that."

I just smiled at him. He was always worried about me and the babies. It was nice and adorable, but I was really concerned for his health. He would make himself sick with all the worry and stress, maybe even get a heart attack. I sure as hell didn't want that to happen, ever. I reached up and cupped his face with my hands.

"I'm sorry for making you worry so much," I said gently.

Then I pulled him down toward me and gave him a passionate kiss. He instantly responded and kissed me back with the same passion. To my left a police officer cleared his throat.

"If it is alright with you we will pull back the search parties," he said.

Ethan just nodded never looking away from me. His eyes were staring intently into mine.

"I love you," he whispered and gave me another light kiss on the lips.

Then he lifted me into his arms and carried me back to the house and safety. I laid my head against his shoulder and was asleep within seconds I was so exhausted. It was nice to fall asleep with Ethan holding me like this. He was so warm and cozy.

I woke up to complete silence. I was lying on the bed in Ethan's room. When I turned over I saw him lying beside me watching me.

"Hey," I said.

"Good morning," he answered and smiled at me.

"Are you going to be my watchdog, so I won't run away again?"

"I just want you to stay save."

I knew he only wanted my best. But I also knew that would mean him never leaving my side again. I sighed. He got exactly what he wanted, too.
Me in his bedroom.
And with him watching me he probably wouldn't let me get back to my own.

Well, I didn't exactly have any problems with it all. I was glad to have him protect me. As I said before I knew I was weak. And with the babies added into the equation I needed triple the protection. Not to mention that I was lonely sleeping in my own bed and room. I loved to snuggle up to him at night and have his warm body as my pillow.

I scooted over to his side and cuddled my body against his. I sighed at the contact.

"I'm glad you're here for me.
But what about work?
You can't watch me if you're working."

"I can," he said in return. I tilted my head up and looked at him questioningly.
"If you're working with me."

"Really?
You would let me work with you again?" I asked hopefully. I had loved the time we had worked together. I hadn't even thought about the possibility of us doing that again. With all the activity that had been going on lately I hadn't had the chance to think about much of anything else. I had still not found a job for myself, but I needed one if I didn't want to leech off of Ethan. I frowned as my hopes of working with him were squashed again.

"
I’ll
need to get my own job."

"Why?" he asked me.

"I don't want to take advantage of you. I want to provide for myself as much as possible. And I still need to go to classes. I don't see how we can manage all that with you staying by my side all the time."

"Hmm."
He made the voice while being deep in thought.

I could feel the vibrations of his voice in his chest while he talked. It was soothing and lulling me back to sleep. But I couldn't doze off during this conversation. This was something important we had to talk about.