SCARRED - Part 5 (10 page)

Chloe lunged for the door. Jesse’s arm came out and grabbed her by the hair sending a flurry of pain rushing through her head.

She screamed.

The music was too loud. He could beat her to death right here and no one would ever hear her screams. She was shaking and panting. She took a deep breath and told herself,
I’m nobody’s victim.
She drew her knee up to her stomach and with everything inside of her she kicked back like a mule. Jesse grunted and she heard his balls crunch. Taking a handful of hair with him, he flew back and hit the wall. Chloe scrambled for the door to the sound of him groaning out, “You fucking bitch! You’re dead bitch!”

She ran out of the bathroom. A young girl was standing near the door. She didn’t seem to hear all the yelling. Chloe didn’t stop running. She grabbed her by the wrist and as she drug her along she said, “Don’t go in there. Call 911.”

“What? Get off me!” The girl was drunk.

Chloe let go of her and yelled out to the bartender. He was down at the end of the bar flirting with a half-dressed brunette. “Call the police!” She continued out to the patio. As soon as Jake saw her face, he knew.

“Jesse’s here! He’s in the bathroom.”

Jake left her with Lexi and Roxi who had come over right away and he ran.

“Are you okay?” Lexi asked her. Chloe’s heart was racing so fast that she thought it may explode. She just nodded. She was too winded to speak. Roxi made her sit down and got her some water.

“Take some deep breaths, Chloe. Relax. You’re safe now.” Roxi whispered.

Chloe knew rationally that she had won that fight, but the furthest recesses of her mind were still so screwed up from her history. All she could hear in her head at the moment was Jesse’s voice telling her that she would be sorry. She pissed him off and if they didn’t catch him tonight, he would be back. Even if they did...he would be back.

Chloe sat there trying to take some deep breaths and willing herself to stop shaking. She didn’t know how much time passed, but she suddenly realized that Jake had been gone too long.
What if Jesse hurt him?
She couldn’t stand to be responsible for that. She stood up and instantly felt Roxi’s hand on her arm.

“Jake’s been gone too long. I need to make sure that he’s okay.”

“Give him a few more minutes; I’m sure he’ll be fine. He looks like a guy who can handle himself to me.”

Chloe felt tears at the corners of her eyes. That made her angry. She wasn’t going to cry over him again. Her days of crying over Jesse were in the past. She concentrated on controlling her breathing again and after a few more minutes passed, Jake came back out on the balcony. He was with two uniformed police officers.

“Are you okay?” she asked him.

“I’m fine. I’m so sorry, Chloe. He was gone when I got to the bathroom. The bouncer down at the bottom of the stairs said he had a red ticket. The guy at the door denies giving it to him but said just now he saw a guy leave who was all hunched over forward. The guy told him he had too much to drink and was sick. The bouncer was happy to let him go vomit somewhere else. He had dark hair and his physical build matched Jesse’s. Was he wearing a black polo?”

Chloe nodded numbly. He was back out there to stalk her again.

“I went outside but I didn’t see him. I’m so sorry!” Jake sounded so distraught.

“Don’t be sorry. It’s not your fault. He wouldn’t have come in here if he hadn’t planned his getaway already. Shit! I should have aimed for his face!”

“Did you get his nuts?” Roxi asked. “Is that why he was hunched over?”

“Yeah, I got those pretty good,” Chloe said.

“Good girl.” Roxi looked proud.

Jake went to talk to the police officers. Chloe glanced at him and thought that he looked like he was about to explode. There was sweat across his brow and Chloe could see the vein pulsing in his neck. When he finished telling them his story, they called her over and she told them what happened in the bathroom. Jake tensed visibly even more when Chloe repeated the words Jesse said to her.

“Do you have a restraining order against him, Miss?” The officer asked her.

“I haven’t filed one, no. But he just got out of prison for trying to kill me. Wouldn’t coming near me after that be some kind of offense?”

“He assaulted you, so yes he committed an offense. I’d suggest getting that restraining order.” Roxi was standing behind Chloe.

“You should go get it right now,” Roxi said in a smug tone. Chloe turned to look at her and she could see the irritation in her boss’s face. “That way if he comes back with that knife, you can throw that paper right at him.”

The cop ignored Roxi’s comment and finished taking down Chloe’s information. When the police left, Chloe and Jake said goodnight to everyone and headed for home. Chloe heard Roxi ask Jake for his card and she heard him tell her he didn’t have one. He seemed angry with himself. This wasn’t his fault and Chloe hated that she forced him to go out with her and went into that bathroom alone and he was taking this all on himself. He was quiet all the way to the apartment and Chloe could almost feel the heat coming off of him as he smoldered.

“Jake, I’m okay and this wasn’t your fault,” she finally told him.

“You could be dead on that bathroom floor and it would have been my fault.”

“No, it wouldn’t have been. Everyone keeps telling me to stop owning Jesse’s stuff. You need to do the same. Besides, I handled myself pretty well. At least now I know he’s not as tough as I’d always imagined him to be.”

“I’m not trying to own that psychopath’s issues,” Jake said. “But I have to own my own. I shouldn’t have let you go alone. I was...fuck! I was flirting with your boss and you nearly died. That’s teenage mentality. I’m ashamed of myself.”

“Jake...”

“It’s okay, Chloe, you don’t have to say it. I know that you don’t blame me, but no matter what you say, I know that I fucked up my duties. It won’t happen again. I’m staying with you tonight.”

“These “duties” were shoved onto you. I’m the one who is sorry for that. It’s not necessary for you to stay...”

“Maybe not, but you’ll have to have me physically removed from the premises if you don’t want me here. I’m not leaving you. It’s the only way I can feel better about tonight.” Chloe appreciated his diligence, but that would make what she had to do in a few more weeks that much more difficult.

When they got into the apartment, Jake checked all the rooms and made sure the windows were locked. They were on the 24th floor. Unless Jesse had recently turned into Spiderman, that may have been a little bit of overkill. Chloe let him do it though; it seemed to make him feel better.

When he finished Chloe said, “I’m going to turn in. I want to be at the hospital early to go to Derek’s speech therapy with him. Samantha and Trevor are taking me to lunch after that. You’re welcome to join us, or you can have some time off if you need it.”

Jake nodded. When Chloe was half-way down the hall he said, “Chloe.”

“Yes?”

“I’m really sorry.”

Chloe didn’t bother telling him again that it wasn’t his fault. Instead she went back down the hall and hugged him.

“I don’t know what I would do without your family, Jake. Thank you for everything.”

******

C
hloe was at the hospital bright and early the next morning. Jake walked her in and up to the ICU and visited with Derek first. When it was time for Derek to go to therapy, he left to go into the office for a while. Before he left, he introduced her to a man that was bigger than Brock. He looked like a tank with hair. A scary tank.

“This is Jeff. Jeff, this is Chloe.” Jeff nodded and his expression didn’t change at all. “Do not go anywhere today without Jeff until I get back, okay?”

Chloe nodded. “Okay.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

“Not the bathroom...”

“I got it, but the big guy stays outside.” 

Jeff smiled. His face went from big and scary to teddy bear in that instant. Chloe wasn’t fooled though. If Jake hired him to protect her, he was no teddy bear.

Jake finally left and Chloe went into see Derek. He was already up, sitting in his wheelchair. The scrapes on his face were almost completely healed and the only bandage that remained was a small one over the spot on his head where they had removed the bone. He was really thin and it gave his face a more angular look. He was still beautiful and he still took her breath away. He smiled at her and she melted.

“Hi gorgeous man,” she said, kissing him softly on the lips. “How are you?”

She noticed his tablet was out of his reach. She went to get it and while she still had her back to him she heard. “Good.”

At first she thought she was hearing things. She turned around and looked at him. He was smiling. “You said good! You said it perfectly!”

“I—know.” He grinned again. Chloe threw her arms around him.

“Oh my god! I’m so proud of you!”

“Thank—you!”

She clapped her hands together. “You’re amazing.”

“I—know,” he said again smiling.

She laughed. “I see that little bump on the head completely destroyed your self-esteem, you poor thing!” He laughed. He laughed! Chloe suddenly realized that was the first time she had heard him do that in almost a month. She crouched down next to his chair and looked up at him. “I’m so happy, Derek! I love you so much! I can’t wait until you get out of here.”

“Me—too! I—love—you—too.”

Chloe was crying again. She laid her head on his lap and she felt him slowly pick up his hand and stroke her hair. It felt so good for him to touch her. She’d missed it so much. He suddenly stopped moving his hand and said, “Chloe?”

She looked up at him with a smile. Her smile faded when she saw his face. She’d forgotten about her hair. Before she’d gone to bed last night when she brushed it another handful fell out from where Jesse had yanked on it. Derek now had a lock of hair in his hand. He held it up as far as he could and said, “What—happened?”

Chloe was aching to tell him the truth...just because she knew how hurt he was going to be when he found out she lied. She couldn’t have him in here worrying about her though. He needed to only concentrate on one thing and that was getting better and going home.

“Nothing happened honey. I shed when I’m stressed out.”

What he had in his hand was mild compared to what had already come out. She hoped that she had fixed it so the balding spot in back wasn’t so noticeable.

“Don’t—stress,” he said.

She smiled and reached up and touched his face. His blue eyes looked worried. Pushing herself back up so she was holding both sides of his chair, she found his lips with hers and she kissed him. She didn’t give him a peck or a soft, sick-person kiss. This was a lover’s kiss. A toe-curler. A reminder that he was a man and she was a woman and she wanted him more than anything else on this earth. When she pulled back, there was a twinkle back in his eyes.

“Wow,” he said.

Chloe grinned. “Yeah, wow. I won’t stress. You don’t either. Hurry. Get better. Come home.”

After her visit with Derek she spent her entire lunch with her parents gushing about how well he was doing. She didn’t mention Jesse and the club. They had enough to worry about. It seemed everyone did, thanks to her. What they all needed right now was some good news and Derek recovering was definitely that.

––––––––

A
ugust 20,

Derek went home today! Actually, he went to Samantha and Trevor’s home. They insisted that I stay there as well, which is wonderful. I am looking forward to the time with my family...all of them. Jake and Kevin have hired three bodyguards to watch the house around the clock. I’m so grateful. I’ll feel so much better knowing that they’re all protected...at least until after next weekend.

Kevin and Jake have a conference in Atlanta they have to attend. They tried to say one of them would stay behind, but I assured them that with the bodyguards in place, there was no need. Lexi and Brock are heading back to Arizona to see his family again. Another wedding or something.

On Friday, I have an appointment with Max. I’m going to tell the bodyguard to stay in place to watch my family. As far as they know, I will be staying with Roxi for the night. Roxi is ready to back up that story if need be. She’s not happy with me, but she knows that I’ll find a way to do this with or without her help. At least this way, someone really knows where I am. I know Jesse is watching me. I’m going to make a point of telling Max that everyone is out of town and that I’m going to stay at the condo for the weekend. Then before it gets dark when I know he is coming...I’ll get ready. This confrontation is inevitable and too many other people have gotten hurt waiting for it to happen. I’m scared to death, but at the same time, I know that I’m ready.

Chloe spent the week helping Derek get settled at Trevor and Samantha’s. His therapists came to the Whitemore’s house now and he still did his speech and physical therapy twice a week. He was able to walk with a walker now and rarely had to use the wheelchair anymore unless they went for a walk.

Chloe was so proud of him. He was so strong. He hadn’t asked any more about the accident, but she got the feeling he was still trying to piece things together in his own head. He hadn’t mentioned Jesse either, but Jake and Kevin had already both assured him that Chloe and the Whitemore’s were being watched around the clock. She loved having him back and although they hadn’t been able to make love yet, she loved falling asleep and waking up in his arms. He was thriving there as well. Chloe was optimistic that he would be back to his old self in no time.

Thursday night after everyone went to bed, Chloe packed what she was going to need for the weekend into Trevor’s pick-up. He’d told her she could borrow it to go and see Max and Roxi. Friday morning she woke up early. Derek was already awake. He was lying next to her watching her when she opened her eyes.

“Hi there,” she said.

“Good morning, beautiful.” He said in a deep husky voice.

“Why are you awake so early?” she asked him.

“I wanted to see you before you left. I’ll miss you. Are you sure that it’s safe?” Derek was only just beginning to get a lot of his memory back. He wasn’t completely sure what threat Jesse posed, but judging by the around the clock security, he knew it wasn’t good.