by Kylie Walker
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 might 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.”
**
Chloe 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 to 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 a 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 had 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 had 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 the 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.
CHAPTER TWELVE
August 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 had 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 pos
ed, but judging by the around the clock security, he knew it wasn’t good.
Chloe had to fight the tears back. Damn it! If she cried, he would know something was up. Be strong, Chloe! Be strong for one more weekend.
“I’ll miss you too,” she told him honestly. “I won’t be gone that long.”
“Chloe…”
“Yeah, baby?”
“If anything happened to you…”
“Nothing’s going to happen to me,” she told him.
“Promise?”
“I promise,” she told him with a kiss.
Now she just had to make sure and keep that promise.
**
“What’s going on, Chloe?”
She and Max had been sparring for fifteen minutes. Max knew her well enough to know when her mind was out of the room.
“Nothing. I’ve just got a lot on my plate these days with Derek being home.”
“Don’t bullshit me. If you want to tell me it’s none of my business, then that’s fine, but don’t bullshit me.”
“Okay, it’s none of your business,” she said with traces of a smile.
Max smiled too and said, “You need to relax. Close your eyes. Take some deep breaths.” Chloe still got PTSD when she closed her eyes. Eyes closed was when Jesse did really bad things to her and her “father.”
“Relax Chloe. Inhale in, exhale out. Deep, cleansing breaths.”
She had her eyes closed. She wasn’t relaxing. She was thinking about her confrontation with Jesse. It was almost time. She had to win that fight, or she would lose everything. “Put it all out of your mind. Put Jesse out of your mind. He’s not here.” Chloe doubted that. She was pretty sure that he was right outside somewhere, waiting. “Just you and me, kid. Let it all go.”
Chloe tried to clear her mind. She tried to relax. She couldn’t do it. She had woken up this morning with a surreal amount of adrenaline surging through her. It wasn’t going anywhere until she had it out with Jesse. She was going to need it for the fight though, so she welcomed it for now.
“You relaxed?”
She nodded.
“You sure?”
She nodded again.
“Okay, open your eyes. Attack!”
Chloe started throwing punches. Max had on all of his protective gear, so they didn’t hurt. She was throwing them as hard as she could. She had to be ready. This was one fight that she couldn’t lose.
“Duck and cover. Move those feet! Don’t stop moving! He’s throwing punches; you need to avoid them and make him throw more. Swinging his fist and arm through the air takes more energy than connecting. Make him work, make him tired, wear him down!”
Chloe struck and bobbed and weaved and danced around Max, making him chase her with his punches and kicks. Max kept going as he talked to her. “Are you his victim, Chloe?”
“No!” Her punch came out harder.
“Can he hurt you ever again?”
“No!” She dodged Max’s giant fist.
“When do you stop fighting?”
“When he’s dead!” She didn’t even shudder that time. She was ready.
Max always walked her out when she finished her work-outs. Today she was counting on it. When they got outside, he said, “Drive safe going back.”
“I’m not going back today,” she told him. Max raised an eyebrow and looked around.
“No Jake?”
“He’s out of town with his father at a conference.”
“Where are you staying?”
“At the condo.”
“Chloe. Don’t invite him in.”
“Of course not,” she said. She hoped that Jesse was close enough to hear the invitation.
When she got to the condo, she got busy. First, she took the light bulbs out of all of the lights. Next, she put all of the knives and sharp utensils out of the kitchen and put them in a plastic tub. She did the same with the bathroom. Then she did another sweep and removed all of the scissors and anything else with a point.
He would more than likely bring his own knife, but this way she knew she would only have to deal with one. She took the tub and locked it out in Trevor’s truck. She locked her cell phone in there as well. While she was outside, she could feel him. He was nearby, watching and waiting. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and in spite of herself, her hands slightly trembled. It’s the adrenaline, she told herself. Fight or flight. Tonight, she would not be the one running.
After she did all of that she locked the bedroom doors from the inside and closed them. She did the same with the bathroom. She wanted to fight him in the living room. It was going to be dark; she couldn’t afford any surprises.
Then she dressed in a pair of black leggings, a long-sleeved black tank top, black boots that had a hard shelled toe, and she slipped her hair into a high knot at the back of her head so it would not come lose.
She was going to be in full black-out mode.
Lastly, she put a large, metal ring on each one of her fingers. She had bought them at a thrift store in New York the day before. Each one was heavy and solid. She took out the black wraps she bought for her hands and wrapped her knuckles like she does when she’s boxing with Max.
By the time she finished all of that, the sun had begun to go down and the apartment was growing darker. When it was almost full dark, she slipped on a brightly colored robe and wrapped a white towel around her head. Then she lit a candle and went out to the fuse box. She stood there flipping the switches back and forth for quite some time. Finally, she went back inside, making sure she left the door unlocked behind her.
Then, she waited.
She stood close to the front door so that when he opened it, she would be at an advantage. Her heart beat as if trying to break free from its cage, pounding so viciously that it was a wonder it didn’t crack a rib. It was full dark now and her senses were on high alert. Every noise was louder than usual. The screech of the seagulls and the ocean beating against the shoreline and the cars driving by on the main road and the one that came to an abrupt stop, just up the street.
She could hear the slam of the door and the beat of his footsteps as he walked the rest of the way along the road. They disappeared for a few seconds, but she could see him in her mind. He was trudging through the sand now. He should be hitting the pavement in front of the house right about now. She concentrated on keeping her breathing in check, breathing in and out slowly and quietly as she watched the glint off the door handle she watched it turn and then slowly, cautiously it was pushed open. As soon as the light blue shirt he was wearing came into sight, Chloe struck. She turned to the side and kicked him hard in the ribs.
Jesse screamed and went down to the floor.
“Fucking bitch! I’m going to cut you up into pieces and feed you to the sharks!”
Chloe didn’t say a word. She just stood back in the shadows and controlled her breathing and waited. She watched him drag himself up off the floor, favoring that left side. He reached back and flipped the light switch. Nothing happened.
“Fuck! This is so fucking pointless, Kelly. Look at me! I outweigh you by a hundred pounds. You think you can fight me and win? All you’re doing is pissing me off.”
While he talked, his eyes were roaming the room, looking for her. When they finally landed on her, he started to smile. That time she kicked him in the face.
“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”
Blood was spurting out of his nose. His hand was up in front of his face and the blood was oozing through his fingers. “I’m going to kill you, bitch! I’m going to make it last all night! Every muscle and every nerve and every fucking orifice in your body are going to be screaming in agony. You’re fucking dead bitch!”
Chloe stood quietly again. This time in a different place so he would have to look for her again. He was pissed and if he caught her now, she had no doubt that she was going to be in serious trouble. Instead of turning his body around to look for her like he did last time, he backed up against the front door. He glanced t
o his left and his right and then quickly pulled the blue t-shirt off. He pressed it to his face, trying to stop the blood that was gushing out of his nose.
Chloe could hear him breathing.
Each inspiration sounded painful. Jesse had adrenaline on his side as well, however. While he was wiping his face, he was looking for her. This time, when he took a step forward and she came at him with a kick, he caught her ankle and twisted it, knocking her body to the floor. He still had hold of her ankle as her head slammed down into the carpet. He turned and started dragging her to the middle of the living room.
“We’re going to end this right where it should have been ended two years ago.” Chloe hung limply and let him drag her as she recovered her breath. When he got to the coffee table and reached down for her, she struck out with her other leg, sinking her boot into the soft flesh of his belly. He doubled over, letting go of her leg as he did. He was coughing and choking as Chloe scrambled back to the front door, trying to get up on her feet. By the time she jumped up, facing him, he was recovered enough to throw a punch. It landed right between her eyes and knocked her back about three feet into the end table.
A sharp pain shot up through her lower back and down both of her arms and legs. She didn’t hesitate to get back up though. She used the chair to pull herself to her feet.
He threw another punch.
She dodged it.
She danced around him, letting him throw a few more until he was visibly breathing harder and his broken rib had to be screaming in pain. That was when she threw her own punch. She threw three, actually, just like Max taught her. A right cross, left jab, right uppercut. Jesse went down and on the way, his head struck the side of the coffee table. This time, he didn’t come up cussing.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
He lay there not moving. She couldn’t tell from where she stood if he was still breathing. She wasn’t about to get that close to him. Instead, she retreated into the little kitchen and stood next to the glass door and waited, and waited and waited. It was probably close to a twenty minutes later when he started making grunting noises. He tried to sit up.