by Lexy Timms
Not anymore, buddy.
She couldn’t help playing out a little fantasy, with her in the role of the kickass heroine. In her mind, it was a familiar scene, with him barging in somewhere he wasn’t wanted. Tim moves to attack her, and she strikes back, knocking him on his ass, yelling at him that she won’t take it anymore. The satisfaction she felt as she stood over his prone body bolstered her confidence. That was a fantasy. No matter how strong she got, physically and mentally, Tim was twice her size. She wasn’t going to be kicking his ass or knocking him out, but she did feel like she could stand up to him.
After a lap around the block, her heart pumping, she was ready to go home. She really wanted to get back into running. It had been a while and she didn’t want to risk an injury. As she walked, she committed to be back to running shape in two weeks.
“You can do this,” she said in a voice so low only she could hear.
She was starving now and looking forward to her healthy dinner. She waved to a neighbor before heading inside her apartment. Despite how strong she felt and how much better life in generally was going, in the back of her mind, Tim was always looming. It would be a long time before she felt completely safe.
She opened the coat closet before heading to the bathroom, and checked behind the curtain before looking in her bedroom closet and under the bed. Then it was going about the usual routine, looking for anything that had been moved.
“He’s not here. You’re safe,” she told herself, needing the verbal affirmation.
Taking a deep breath, she walked back to the kitchen and began cutting and grilling her chicken. She poured herself a glass of wine and turned on her Bluetooth speaker to play music from her phone. It felt good to be alive. It was the first time in a long while that she truly felt happy to be who she was.
Ben was a huge part of that. He had given her a huge dose of confidence. She sat down by herself at her table and relaxed while she enjoyed the salad. It was nice to be alone and not feel lonely. With her belly full, she headed for the shower.
She giggled when she realized she was belting out the lyrics to a Carrie Underwood song without even realizing it. She hadn’t sung in the shower for at least five years. Actually, it was her honeymoon. That was the last time she sung in the shower.
After finishing her shower and dressing in a pair of warm sweats and another t-shirt, she headed for her little sofa with the bottle of wine and sat down, waiting for the call that she knew would soon come. When her phone rang, she looked at the image of Ben’s face smiling up at her.
“Hi,” she smiled, as she answered the call, already knowing what would come out of his mouth next.
“Hi sweetheart,” he said, in that smooth voice that made her feel warm all over.
She leaned back and settled in for their nightly visit.
Chapter Seventeen
Ben
BEN LEANED BACK IN the chair, his hands folded behind his head as he looked up at the ceiling, stretching his neck after staring at the computer screen for too long. He thought about calling Katherine, just to hear her voice. He missed seeing her. They had been keeping up over the phone, but it wasn’t the same. He wanted to see her, to touch her. Hell, he wanted to do a lot more than touch her.
He rubbed his eyes and sat forward. He had a meeting in a few minutes and needed to refocus. He strolled out of the office, nodding at Rachel who was busy on the phone. He took his seat at the head of the conference table, opening the folder in front of him and quickly reviewing some of the comments and feedback about the latest product launch.
The meeting got started and he found his thoughts drifting to Katherine. The feedback was positive, and it looked like the company had another great kickoff. As soon as it was over, he practically jumped out of his chair and headed for his office.
Rachel was on the phone with what he assumed was a new call. She rolled her eyes and made a Pac-Man motion with her hand. He chuckled and shrugged his shoulders, not offering any help. He took his seat behind his desk and clicked on his email. After reading and responding to the most pressing emails, and forwarding others to Rachel to answer, he signed off.
He’d been tossing around an idea for the last hour and finally decided to make the call.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he said, when Katherine answered her phone.
He could hear the busy bakery in the background, the familiar sound of the whirring machines and the low hum of voices telling him she was busy.
“Hi,” she said, excitement in her voice.
“Do you have plans for later?”
“I do not, as it turns out,” she said, in a flirty voice.
“Good. I’m picking you up at seven for dinner.”
She laughed. “Oh, you are, are you?”
“I am. Dress casual.”
Laughing, she replied. “Ben, I wear jeans and a t-shirt every day. If I get any more casual, I’ll be in my pajamas.”
“Ooh, I wouldn’t mind that one bit.”
“I don’t sleep in pajamas,” she said, in a low voice.
“Yeah, I noticed,” he replied.
“I better go. I’ll see you at seven—casual.”
They hung up and he immediately called Will. “Hey, we’re going out, double date tonight, seven o’clock at Joe’s,” he blurted out.
“We are?”
“Yes, I’ll see you then and don’t even think about telling me no. I know you’re not doing anything.”
His friend laughed and agreed to be at the bar. He looked up and saw Rachel standing in the doorway.
“Good, I was just going to see if you had removed that phone from your ear yet.”
She rolled her eyes. “You could have tried to help me, at least.”
“I thought your job included talking on the phone,” he shot back, teasing her.
“Not that much. What are you up to? I can see that guilty look on your face.”
He grinned. “You’re off at four today.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “I am?”
He nodded. “Yep, and you have a date at seven. It’s casual, but I know you ladies like to get all dolled up. You’ll have plenty of time if you leave early.”
“I have a date? How is that you know about my date and I do not?”
“Because I do. Double date. Me and Katherine, you and Will. Seven o’clock at Joe’s,” he stated.
She shrugged a shoulder. “I could use a drink.”
“Good. What’s up?” he asked, focusing back on work.
She shook her head. “I was going over those emails you forwarded. Just wanted to let you know I’ve made some calls, sent some emails and it is all being handled.”
He smiled. “I knew it would be. I probably don’t pay you enough, do I?”
“No, you don’t, but that’s okay. I’ll ask you a favor one of these days.”
“Anything.”
“Be careful what you promise,” she laughed and walked out of the office.
He tried his best to focus on work, but he couldn’t stop himself from turning to Google. He wanted to know more about the man who beat the shit out of Katherine. Tim Marshall was bad news. Ben liked to know his enemies and Tim Marshall was most definitely his enemy.
Katherine was a beautiful woman and he tried to picture her with blonde hair. He didn’t mind the brunette, but it was obvious she was a natural blonde. He imagined she would have been stunning as a blonde, with glossy hair and golden highlights.
She had asked him to stay out of it, and he had tried. These few days had gone by, and he’d managed to do as she had asked. But this time when he typed the name into the Google search bar, he went for it. The search turned up two photos of her on Tim’s arm. The guy was a big shot in Los Angeles. She said she kept running and he kept finding her. The guy was connected and had money. As a high-powered defense attorney, he rubbed elbows with some of the Hollywood elite, as well as the shady side of wealth.
Ben’s lip curled as he read the man’s bio from the legal firm’s
website. It took a great deal of self-control not to slam his fist into the screen. The smug look on the man’s face as he stared at the camera made Ben furious. He blew his cheeks out, pushing air through his lips as he fought to control his temper.
He wanted to help her. Tim had money, but Ben had more, of that he was sure. He had connections, real connections. Tim was no match for him. The guy thought he was a big man because he rubbed elbows with the Hollywood crowd and beat up a woman. Ben would love it if old Tim took a swing at him. Let him try some of his bully thug moves on someone his own size. Ben clenched his fists at the thought of the actual beating that left her so bruised, and her comment that she had endured much worse.
Sitting back, Ben stared at the profile picture of the man looking back at him. There was so much rage building in him. Katherine told him that Tim had up and left town after beating the shit out of her. He hadn’t asked for the details about that night she’d been pulled from the charity event, and didn’t know exactly how she came to get her injuries, but he didn’t believe for a minute the guy had walked away and was never coming back.
The suitcase haunted him. She knew Tim wasn’t gone for good. He was going to be back unless he was stopped. Ben wasn’t sure why she had told him otherwise, but he wasn’t quite ready to ask her. The longer he stared at the photo of the man, the more pissed he got.
He grabbed his cell phone from the desk and quickly thumbed through his contact list, finding the name he was looking for halfway down.
“Gabriel,” he said in a friendly tone when his friend answered.
“This is a surprise. Are you in jail, Ben?” his old friend teased.
“Not yet, but it is kind of why I called you.”
“Um, let me just tell you, premeditated anything is bad and if you tell me before you do it, it is really bad,” he advised in his legalese voice.
Ben laughed again. “Damn, what do you think I might do?”
“I am no longer surprised by anything anyone does. I should remind you that I moved to Chicago. I don’t have a license to defend you in California,” he said, sticking to his lawyer tone.
“I’m really starting to get offended here. I didn’t call you because I’ve committed a crime. Someone else has been though, and I’m feeling tempted to beat the shit out of him. So, I guess technically could be a crime,” he mumbled, his mind running down the rabbit hole with that thought.
Gabriel cleared his throat. “Okay, I’m not great at guessing and I have to meet a client in fifteen minutes. Spill it.”
Ben sucked in a breath and gave him a quick recap of events. His friend was quiet, asking pertinent questions that Ben really couldn’t answer.
“Well? What can I do?” he asked.
Gabriel let out a long sigh, which meant Ben was screwed. His hands were tied. “Nothing. You can get a restraining order, or she can rather. However, that means she’s going to have to give a statement. Having photo evidence to back up the abuse would be better. And, you said this guy is a high-powered attorney, so he will definitely fight the protection order. She’ll have to testify in court against him. Can she do that?”
Ben groaned. “I don’t know. I’m not sure she would even write a statement. She wouldn’t let me take her to the hospital or call the police.”
“I’m sorry, man. These cases are the worst. Unless she is willing to call the cops, or someone calls when he’s in the act of beating her, it’s his word against hers. She must know that which is why she is hesitant. I wouldn’t be surprised if that guy has some judges in his pocket,” he explained.
Ben was silent for a few seconds. “So, there’s nothing I can do to make this guy keep his distance?”
“No. Besides, if he is as violent as you described, a piece of paper isn’t going to do shit. In fact, it will probably just piss him off more. He’ll get sneakier about the abuse or—”
“Or?” Ben pressed. “Come on, man. Or what?”
“I’m sorry, Ben, but these situations tend to escalate. I don’t have to tell you how a lot of these women end up.”
Ben’s stomach dropped. He’d known, but actually hearing it confirmed sent shockwaves through his body. He couldn’t live with himself if something were to happen to Katherine. He thought about her at home alone at night. She was a sitting duck. She had insisted Tim didn’t know where she lived, but it wouldn’t be hard to find out, especially if the guy had an investigator, and all good defense lawyers had investigators on their payroll.
“Thanks for explaining.”
“Ben, I know you and I know what’s running through your mind. Watch your back. Don’t do anything stupid and if and when this guy shows up, let him hit you at least once. Self-defense always looks better if you’re somewhat scathed,” he said, dryly.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“I’m serious. Look, I’m going to send you the names of a couple lawyers. Do me a favor, get one on retainer now.”
Ben chuckled. “I have an entire team of lawyers.”
“You have corporate lawyers. I want you to have a defense attorney at the ready. With your money, you can avoid spending more than a couple hours in jail if you call one of these people ahead of time. I recommend Meredith Green,” he advised.
“A woman?” Ben said, with surprise.
Gabriel groaned. “I know, I know. You don’t think a woman could possibly do the job as well as a man.”
“No, not at all. I guess I just never imagined a female being a cutthroat defense attorney.”
Gabriel burst into laughter. “Well, I will tell you this. I never want to go up against her in court. She’s fierce and definitely the one I would want.”
“Good to know. I’ll give her office a call and see if she’s taking new clients.”
“Use my name—she’ll take you. Or hang up. Actually, it could go either way,” he muttered.
Ben burst into laughter. “Thanks. Take care and I’ll talk to you again soon.”
“As long as it isn’t from behind prison glass,” he warned.
“I make no guarantees,” Ben said and hung up.
He walked out to Rachel’s desk and handed her the name of the attorney.
“What’s this?” she asked.
He shrugged. “I’d like you to call and see if you can get her on retainer for me.”
“A lawyer? You’re unhappy with the legal team?” she asked, a question on her face.
He looked around the office, making sure no one was listening. “She would be working for me personally, not the company.”
“Ben,” she said, dragging out his name.
“Rachel, please,” he said, in a low voice. “Not now.”
She looked at the name and nodded her head. “Fine, but please, don’t tell me anything. I need plausible deniability.”
He rolled his eyes and headed back into his office. Why did everyone assume he was going to commit a crime?
Chapter Eighteen
Katherine
THE NERVES IN KATHERINE’S belly were nerves of excitement, not actual fear or apprehension. She was looking forward to a night out with Ben and his friends. It was a little strange to be getting ready for a date. Despite her anxiousness to see Ben, she couldn’t help but think back to the last time she’d agreed to hang out with his friends. The bruise on her face had faded and the one on her ribs was turning an ugly yellow, but it was all still fresh in her mind.
Unlike last time, she felt safe with Ben. She didn’t feel quite as vulnerable. Tim seemed to have vanished, which she hoped meant he would stay gone for a while. She didn’t want to leave her life behind. She liked it in San Francisco and felt like it was the city for her. She’d made friends and had really gotten into the way of life here.
In the mirror, she could see the packed suitcase sitting by the door. No matter how comfortable she felt, that feeling of always having one foot out the door was never too far away. She stepped back, turned to look at her butt in the jeans and grinned. They were a little tighter tha
n she normally wore, but with her new outlook on life, she wanted to dress a little sexier.
Her top was a pretty pink sweater that would have looked great with her blonde hair, but she wasn’t quite ready to go back to her natural color. The brown made her feel a little more anonymous, even though Tim had already seen her with the darker color. Maybe she could go black or red she mused.
She smeared on a red lipstick that was a little bolder than usual, fluffed her hair and declared her face done. Next, she dug out the black bootie heels that were a little dressy, but she’d been dying to wear them with the skinny jeans for too long to resist.
She heard the doorbell and rushed out to answer the door. Without thinking, she pulled it open.
“Damn, you’re gorgeous,” Ben said, with a sexy grin.
She giggled. “Thank you. You’re pretty handsome yourself.”
“Are you ready?” he asked.
“Yep, let me grab my purse,” she said, pulling it from the hook near the door before walking out, making sure the door was securely locked before walking away.
He held her hand as they walked down the stairs. It had been a while since she’d worn heels, so she had a death grip on the handrail. She had the sudden realization that maybe the heels weren’t such a great idea after all.
“You sure you’re okay?” he asked.
She laughed. “It’s been a while since I wore heels.”
He looked down at her shoes. “They’re hot. You’re hot.”
“Thanks,” she grinned, waiting while he opened the passenger door of the Range Rover.
On the way to the bar, he kept his hand on her thigh or held hers as he expertly navigated the city streets. She loved watching him. He was so confident and charismatic.
“What are you looking at?” he said, turning to face her when he stopped at a red light.
“You.”
“Are you thinking about all the things you’d like to do with my body?” he asked, his sexy grin making her smile.