Discovering Danielle

by L M Terry

  “How long have I known you, Lizzie?”

  “A long time.”

  “Yes, a long time, so long in fact that I can tell when you are lying to me.”

  He cocks his head. “Everything okay?” he asks folding the paper and setting it down on the couch beside him.

  “I think maybe we should include him in this little conversation, don’t you?”

  “Hey, girl I don’t mean to be rude but, I got to split. I’ve got this… yeah, I’ve got a meeting that I need to get to so….” I cut her off abruptly.

  “Bullshit, Liz. Do. Not. Hang. Up.” I order as I click over to speaker phone.

  Anthony sits back, locking his hands behind his head and I can tell that he already knows what is going on here. “Let her go, princess.”

  “No, not until one of you tells me what the fuck is going on.” I drop the phone on the coffee table and place my hands on my hips.

  “Sorry, Mr. Bond. I kinda have this foot in mouth problem. I probably should have mentioned it,” she says to Anthony.

  “It’s fine, Lizzie. Have a good day. You can hang up now,” he says smoothly.

  “Bye, Dani!” she squeaks as I yell at her again to stay on the line.

  “Un-fucking believable,” I yell to know one in particular, throwing my hands in the air.

  “Settle down, Dani.”

  “Settle down! I am not going to Iowa, Anthony. I’m not!”

  “Go get into position,” he says calmly.

  “I…Anthony, we need to talk about this,” I plead.

  “And we will, after you get into position,” he states again, in the same calm, fucking matter-of-fact tone.

  I’m angry, really angry. This is one thing I won’t budge on. I can’t budge on. I mean wow, just wow, he got to Lizzie. Fucking Lizzie. No one gets to her. He can’t make me go. Think about this logically, Dani. He can’t make you. Unless he drugs me to get me on a plane, but he would never do that. I eye him suspiciously as my mind races with scenarios and strategic plans to avoid this new fiasco.

  “I’m waiting, and every minute that you make me wait is another minute you will have to endure.” He stands up forcing me to take a step back so that I can meet his eye.

  “W-what are you going to do to me?”

  He cocks his head to the side, silver grey eyes locked on mine as he unbuckles his belt. The swoosh it makes as he whips it from his belt loops sends me scurrying to obey.

  I whip off my clothes as quickly as I can shoving them off to the side and then get into position.

  He circles around me. “Why, Dani? Why do you think that you get to question me on every step that we take?”

  “I can’t go,” I whisper staring at his shiny black shoes.

  “We are going, there is no room to argue this. Zero,” he says crouching down in front of me.

  I shake my head back and forth, tears banging loudly behind my eyes. Everything is falling apart. Everything. This was all going so well too.

  “Tell me why you don’t want to go. I will listen. Maybe we can make some compromises,” he tips my chin with his knuckle raising my face to his.

  I can’t tell him.

  “I see,” he says. He is thinking. Maybe just maybe he will have heart and drop this. I tremble, waiting. Kneeling in front of him has conditioned me for more, much more. Crap, now I’m aroused. I need to stay focused. I cannot go to Iowa.

  “Go to the windows and place your hands on the glass,” he orders as he stands and takes a step back.

  I peek up at him as I rise from the floor, he is removing his clothes. An involuntary shiver rips through me at the site of his powerful frame. Quickly I go to the windows and place my palms flat against the cool smooth surface. The sun is getting ready to set, reminding me of my first day here.

  “We will talk about our vacation plans later but right now we are going to play.” He taps his foot between mine, a silent demand to spread my legs wider. “Your little display of fury has prodded my dark side.”

  “It’s not a vacation. Who the fuck vacation’s in Iowa,” I seethe, turning my head slightly to speak over my shoulder still angry.

  He shifts so that his body is covering my backside and he leans down biting the soft spot between my neck and shoulder. My breath hitches in my throat and I hiss as his teeth sink in, like a predator subduing his prey he keeps me stilled beneath him. “I said we would talk about it later.”

  He pulls my waist away from the glass until my hands slide down. My arms stretch out in front of me as he bends me forward, ass raised to him. His hand dips around my hip making its way to my clit. Slowly he rubs circles over the sensitive nub, throwing fresh kindling on the fire. His other hand gently glides up and down along my spine. “Do not take your hands off of the glass. You are going to be a good girl and take every inch of me and while you do that you are going to think about what it means to have me by your side.”

  He slides into me in one thrust pushing me towards the glass. I shift my hands to brace myself as he moves torturously slow inside of me. “I will always have your best interest in mind.” He tweaks my nipples between his fingers and thumbs, his chest leaning over me, pressing into my back.

  “I want to know everything about you but, you seem to think you can keep things from me.” I watch in the reflection of the glass as he stands behind me, thrusting firmly at that same agonizing pace that keeps me a heartbeat away from coming undone. His abdominals clench deliciously with each lunge. I wiggle against him, needing more, wanting more.

  “This is more than it was in the beginning, Dani. This is so much more.” He pulls out of me suddenly, shoving my back up against the glass. He grabs me under my ass and lifts me off my feet as I wrap my legs around him. Our eyes lock as he impales me on his cock. “Think of that word to describe me yet?” he asks as he rocks into me.

  I wrap my arms around his neck locking my arms together behind his head. One word, one word, it’s only ever been one word. “Mine,” I whisper across his lips. He growls and pounds into me with such intensity that I am sure that we are going to break the window and plunge to our deaths below.

  It doesn’t take long for us both to reach our release. He lets me drop my feet to the ground and then we both slide to the floor sitting with our backs to the dark churning waters behind us. The sun vanished long ago, much like my anger. I glance at him at him as he struggles to catch his breath. What just happened? I bang the back of my head against the glass. Fuck, I told him he was mine. Great, just great, this day is plunging me deeper into a pile of shit by the minute.

  He grabs my hand. “Stop.”

  “I’m sorry, I got caught up in the moment,” I say softly.

  He pulls me onto his lap so that I am straddling him. “Did you mean it?” he whispers as he brushes his thumb over my cheek, whisking my tears away.

  I can never be one hundred percent honest with him, I can’t tell him about Ted or about how he rescued me all of those years ago. The least I can do is be honest about my feelings towards him. “I have thought you were mine since the moment I laid eyes on you. But, don’t worry I understand what this is. I know you are helping me and that it will end.”

  He laughs pulling me in close to him, tucking my head under his chin. He wraps his arms around me tightly. “Oh, Dani. This will never end. You aren’t getting rid of me now. I’m forever going to be your protector, your friend…your lover. I am yours. I’ve had this ache inside me for many years now and you just handed me the remedy with one single word.”

  “Are you still making me go to Iowa?” I ask hoping he has changed his mind.

  “Absolutely, but I don’t want you to worry your pretty head over it. I am your big bad wolf. If anyone or anything makes you cry, myself excluded, I will fucking blow them away.”

  I giggle curling further into him, tracing the lines of his tattoos. “My big bad wolf huh? I think I like that.”

  “Better than James Bond?”

  “As long as your mine, you can be
whatever you want to be.”

  “Well then, I think you are going to need a red dress.”

  “A red dress?”

  “Well, if I’m the big bad wolf then you’ll have to play the part of little red riding hood.”

  I giggle some more, my fear of going back to Iowa has all but evaporated. Anthony is right, with him by my side I can do this. I can. Besides, Lizzie said Ted is gone, he left my mom for better things. No worries, I can do this.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Danielle

  ◆◆◆

  “What time did you say we were meeting them?” I ask nervously.

  “Seven, quit worrying, I will get us there on time,” Anthony says as he fastens his silver and black cuff links.

  “I don’t know, Anthony, look at me!”

  “I have been,” he winks and runs his tongue over his teeth. “I think I’ll use the red rope tonight. You look delightful in red.”

  “I’m serious. This is too much,” I say, sashaying back and forth in front of the mirror.

  “I agree,” he says.

  “Do you? Maybe I should change.” I head to my suitcase in search of something less….

  Anthony pulls me into his lap making me squeal. “I think it is too much because I prefer you in much, much less.” He lifts my hair and kisses the nape of my neck. “It’s not too much, it’s perfect.”

  “You do know we are in Iowa. Tractors, corn, towns with no stop lights. We are going to stand out like a sore thumb.”

  “Good, just how I like it.” He pushes me off his lap and grabs my heels out of my bag. He crouches in front of me placing my foot over his knee so that he can strap them on. His phone rings so I take the other shoe so he can answer.

  “Hey Liz, we are just getting ready to head out. Our flight was delayed but we will be there with bells on.” He winks at me and I roll my eyes at him, strapping the buckle on my shoe.

  The enthusiasm on his face slowly falls as Lizzie talks. I can’t hear what she is saying but the look on his face tells me that I don’t want to. I try to stand but he pins me between his arms as he listens. My eyes wander around the dingy little hotel room, looking anywhere but at him.

  He takes a deep breath. “Okay Liz, yep we will be right there,” he says somberly.

  “Don’t say it,” I say the minute he gets off the phone. “Let’s just go. I don’t need to be here.”

  “Dani, please remember that I will never leave you broken,” he says placing his hands on either side of my head, keeping me locked in front of his face.

  I try to shake my head, but he is holding me tight. “Let’s just go to Colorado, tonight. Please.”

  “Oh, sweetheart. I wish we could but sometimes you have to face the demons, and this is one of those times. Your mom passed away a short time ago. I’m so sorry, we should have gone to see her first thing when we arrived.”

  “It’s fine. It’s for the best. I didn’t want to see her anyhow.” I shove him away from me and start packing my things.

  He grabs my hands to stop me. “Dani, Lizzie and Tank are meeting us at your house. We should go so you can say goodbye. Lizzie is friends with the hospice nurse who was with her, she is waiting for us.”

  I stare at him. “It’s not my house and I said goodbye a long time ago.”

  “Dani, if you do this, for me, I promise we will leave tonight if that is what you still want when it’s over.”

  “We will leave straight away?”

  “Yes, we will drive back to Des Moines, get a room and book a flight to Colorado first thing in the morning.”

  “Good, then pack your things because we won’t be coming back here.”

  “Let’s just wait and see how this evening goes. We can pack later if you still want to leave,” he says calmly.

  “Nothing, nothing will make me want to stay here tonight. Nothing.” I finish packing and start lugging my bags to the rental car before he swoops in and takes them for me. He puts them in the trunk and then goes back up to the room for his things while I wait in the car.

  My eyes wander the area. I used to love this small town. Playing in the park with my friends, riding bikes until the streetlights came on signaling us it was time to go home. I stare at a little family across the street at the ice cream parlor as they park their bikes. My parents and I used to go to there every Sunday during the summer months. My dad would holler up the stairs to me it’s time for sundae’s on Sunday he would say. He thought it was hilarious, actually I did too. The dad of the family helps his youngest daughter off her bike and swings her up in the air, catching her as she falls. I rip my eyes away from them as Anthony gets in the car. Please, please let this be over soon. I don’t know why he is making me do this. Soon, soon we will be heading to Des Moines, just a few more hours.

  “I wish you would talk to me,” Anthony says as we drive away from the hotel.

  “There is nothing to say, Anthony. My mom and I haven’t spoke for eight years. When my dad died she became addicted to prescription drugs and it eventually caught up with her. End of story.”

  “Was your mother a good one before your dad passed?”

  “Yeah, I gue…shit. Yes. My parents were wonderful. They were funny, creative, free spirited but then out of the blue my dad decides to hang himself from the banister. He abandoned me and she may as well have been hanging alongside him because she left me that day too. They left me alone.”

  “I’m sorry, Dani. I truly am and I wish I could make this better for you. But, you are not alone now, and you will never be alone again I promise.”

  “You can’t promise me that, Anthony. Let’s just get this over with. I know you think I should be sad, but the woman has wanted this for a long time. She finally got her wish today.”

  “I don’t think you should be sad. You are what you are. No right, no wrong. What I think is that you should face this so you can close out of it and move forward. I’m selfish, I want you to put it behind you so we can move forward together.”

  This makes me smile. “Okay, I’m only doing this for you. I can move forward without this nonsense but whatever makes the big bad wolf happy.”

  “Your terrible,” he laughs reaching over to squeeze my knee. “Seriously though, I am worried about you. You have been doing so well the last few weeks. Your fears have all but vanished. I don’t want a relapse.”

  “They haven’t vanished, anxiety still burns in the pit of my stomach but it’s manageable now. Thanks to you.”

  “I’m just along for the ride. You conquering your fears is all you, princess,” he says as he pulls up in front of the home that I ran away from. Lizzie and Tank are sitting on the steps waiting for us. “Remember you’re not alone. I’m here for you.”

  I take a deep breath and nod. He gets out and comes around to open my door for me. Lizzie has bolted off the steps and is making a beeline to me. I no more than get out and she has me wrapped in her arms. “Dani, oh, Dani, I’m so sorry,” she wails.

  “It’s fine Liz. Please, your squeezing the life out of me.” She releases me but the squeeze doesn’t stop because Tank takes her spot.

  “I’m sorry about your mom but it is good to see you sweet pea,” he says gruffly picking me up off my feet in his trademark bear hug. When he sets me on my feet I introduce them to Anthony.

  Tank and he shake hands as Lizzie gives him the once over. Her eyes and mind running a quick analysis. She raises her eyebrows and then her gaze drops over me. “Wow, Dani. You are gorgeous. You two look like you stepped off a magazine cover.”

  I laugh and give her another hug. “Well, he does anyway.” I point to Anthony as I look back at the house nervously.

  “No, you both do,” she says and then she whispers in my ear, “no sign of him, love.”

  I nod and take her hand walking slowly up to the house. The guys follow, they have already struck up a conversation about fast cars. Tank is a mechanic and he can talk about anything with wheels for hours.

  When we enter the
house, I stop in the entryway. This was literally the exact spot I stood the day my childhood ended. I gaze at the banister. I can almost still see him there. A nurse appears at the top of the stairs, shattering the vision. When she reaches the bottom Lizzie introduces us.

  “You can go ahead and go up if you would like. The coroner is waiting in the living room, he told me to tell you to take as long as you need,” she says kindly. Lizzie, Tank and her all head down the hall and leave Anthony and I standing there.

  “You ready to go up? I’ll go with you,” he says, resting his hand at the small of my back.

  “No, but let’s go. The sooner I get up there the sooner you let me leave.”

  When we get to her room we pause in the doorway. No matter how much you prepare yourself to see someone who has passed you are never ready for it. I stand there my eyes roaming over her pale, still form. She is heavier and older than I remember. I step across the threshold my eyes wandering over the many paintings hanging on the walls, my fathers. Cautiously I perch by her side on the edge of the bed staring at her face. Then I notice that she has a picture in her hand. It is a photo of the three of us at the zoo standing in front of a bed of flowers. My dad and her are staring at each other like star crossed lovers and I am chasing a butterfly, my hands held high. They loved each other so much, I do remember that.

  Anthony leans over me so that he can study the photo as well. He runs his hand over my back, rubbing in circles. I chew on my bottom lip and my eyes meet his. He smiles. “You were a cute kid.”

  I laugh on an exhale. “Yeah, that was back in the good ole’ days. When I didn’t have a care in the world.”

  “Are these your dad’s paintings?” he asks as he steps away from the bed, wandering the perimeter of the room to study them.

  “Yes, they were in their studio downtown. She must have moved them here,” I say turning back to look at her. I reach out to touch her hand but as soon as my skin makes contact I pull my hand away. She is cold.

  “My dad had all of their funeral plans arranged before he hung himself. There isn’t really anything to do, we should go,” I say standing.