by Maggie Ryan
“Jo, we need to talk,” he began.
She waved her hand at him as if shooing him away and his jaw clenched. “No!” he stated firmly.
Her reaction was far more telling that she would ever have realized. She dropped her hand as well as her eyes. She trembled and very faintly said, “I’m sorry, S…” Realizing that she was about to address him as ‘Sir’, she felt her entire body flush. He had always had this affect on her and she understood that the years had done nothing to lessen that pull.
Gabe instantly corrected his game plan. He had been going to go nice and slow, allowing her to come to him. Her instant drop into submission gave him all the information he needed for the moment.
“That’s better, Joanna,” he said. “We are going to have dinner, and then, young lady, we are going to talk until all this shit has been cleared up.”
He was telling her, not asking her. She felt her stomach flip and her heart begin race. She wanted to run.
Gabe could almost read her mind. “No more running, Jo. I don’t know what the hell is going on, but tonight ends it.”
She finally forced herself to look up. “It ended a long time ago when you…”
Her words halted when the bell above the door rang and Amber, along with the two other young women from the rafting trip, walked in. All three were laughing, but Amber’s voice quieted when she saw her brother and Joanna. If she thought the atmosphere had been uneasy the night before, the air was practically crackling now. She wondered what happened to the two river rats that had seemed to be having so much fun that afternoon. Her two new friends were unaware of anything wrong and were browsing the shelves for snacks.
Amber didn’t approach the counter as she called out to her brother, “Gabe? Is everything okay?”
Gabe’s jaw clenched for a second before he answered. He needed to hear what Joanna had been about to say. He forced himself to relax and not grab at Joanna as she stepped from behind the counter and scurried to help the girls find what they wanted. He shook his head in frustration before turning to smile at his little sister.
“Yeah, Squirt. Everything’s fine. I just came in to make sure we’ve got all the sites changed for the rest of the gang,” he said.
Amber looked between the two again and knew that something was going on. Once again, her brother was acting as if she was some insipid preteen rather than the young woman she had grown into. She saw her new friends going towards the counter with Joanna who was quickly ringing up their purchases. Amber walked up to her brother until she was standing right next to him.
“They show a movie on the large outdoor screen. There’s popcorn and everything. Cindy and Brittany have invited me to dinner and then to go to the show. Is that okay?” she asked.
Gabe had met the girls as well as their parents earlier that day. He knew Amber would be fine, but hesitated in allowing her to spend time away from him.
Amber rolled her eyes as she put her hand on his forearm. “Come on Gabe, I’ll be fine,” she reasoned. “Their mom and dad are going to be there…geez, you’d think I was nine and not nineteen. You do remember I’m going away to college, right?”
Gabe couldn’t help but smile down at her. “How could I forget? You are constantly reminding everybody. I guess that will be fine. I’ll come get you after the show.”
Amber shook her head. “No, I’ve been asked to stay overnight. It will be fun. Everyone will be coming tomorrow, so this is probably the only chance I’ll get to hang out with kids my own age before I’m surrounded by babies and old folks.” She batted her eyes at him, exaggerating her desire to escape the ‘old’ folk.
Gabe grinned as well and nodded. “Okay,” he conceded. “Have a good time and I know I don’t have to tell you to behave, right?”
She rolled her eyes again, her face coloring as her new friends giggled. “Geez, Gabe, how about embarrassing me?”
Gabe’s smile grew larger and he bent down close to her ear. “Roll those eyes once more and you’ll learn how it feels to really be embarrassed,” he warned.
She blushed hotter and understood he meant what he said. She turned her head slightly and met his eyes. “Yes, Sir…sorry.”
He nodded and put his arm around her shoulders. “I’ll pop for those snacks, girls,” he said. “My thanks for putting up with Amber.”
The girls giggled again, both thinking Amber’s brother was really hot. “Thanks, Sir,” Cindy said.
Gabe caught the smile that crossed Joanna’s face. He simply nodded and peeled off some bills and handed them to Joanna, wondering exactly how old Amber’s friends thought he was. He handed the bags to the girls and they thanked him again. Amber lifted herself onto her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his cheek.
“You need to take care of whatever this is, Gabe,” she whispered. “I’ll be back in the morning…don’t blow this chance.”
Gabe couldn’t respond, as she quickly turned away and hurried after her friends. As he watched them leave, he again was dismayed at how fast Amber was growing up. Nope, she definitely was not nine any longer. He turned back to see Joanna watching him. He didn’t give her a chance to speak.
“Tonight at six–thirty, Joanna. I’ll pick you up here,” he said. She opened her mouth to protest and he held up his hand. “No, we are supposed to be the grown–ups here. Tonight, six–thirty…please, Jo.”
She wanted to deny him but both his tone and the look in his eyes wouldn’t allow it. She nodded.
Gabe nodded back and then turned to leave. As he pushed open the door, he remembered that he had actually come in with another errand in mind. So much for leaving on a dominant note. He turned. “My family is coming in tomorrow. I’d like to take the rest of the sites around where Amber and I are now.”
Joanna flipped open the reservation book and saw where Dan had scrawled “J. Reunion” across several sites around Gabe’s old one. She knew that the sites he desired were available as few campers wanted to go that high and be that isolated.
“That will be fine,” she said. “And there’s no need for you to come down. I’ll drive up to your site tonight.”
He frowned, not really wanting to give her the freedom or means to leave him easily before things were settled.
“No,” he said firmly. “Be ready at six–thirty, Jo. I’ll pick you up and then bring you back here.” When she nodded, he continued, “Hope you still like hot dogs.”
She watched as he left and then had to lean up against the counter. She might have lost that battle, but one way or another it would all be over tonight. It both frightened her and calmed her. She’d be strong. She wouldn’t cave. She had questions she needed answered and regardless of what Gabe thought, that was the only reason she had agreed to meet him.
Chapter 5
Dan left after he and Kim closed up the storage shed. Kim would stay until the store’s closing time at eight. She had watched as Joanna seemed to get more and more nervous.
“This is a good thing, Joanna,” Kim assured her friend. “I know it’s got to be scary but…”
“No…not scary. I’ve never been afraid of Gabe. He…he would never hurt me.” Joanna found herself both reassuring her friend as well as herself, though she knew hurt didn’t have to be physical. “He was right, Kim. It is time. I…I just want this to be over.”
She was sitting on the steps when Gabe pulled in. She stood and waited as he climbed down from the truck and walked to her.
“Ready?” he asked holding out his hand. She managed to nod and her hand was only trembling slightly when he took it, not shaking as it had earlier.
Gabe walked her to the truck, opened the door and waited until she seated herself. He shut the door and climbed into the driver’s side. He glanced over at her as he turned the key. “It’s going to be okay, Joanna,” he promised.
She wouldn’t meet his eyes but managed to nod. Gabe sighed and pulled out of the parking lot. She didn’t speak until they had almost reached the lot below his campsite.
“W
here’s Amber?” she asked, “I don’t want her to…”
“She’s not here, Jo. She is staying with her friends tonight,” Gabe answered. He parked the truck and soon had her door open, taking her hand to help her out of the truck. Once her feet were on the ground, he closed the door and turned to her. She was shaking. Gabe reached out and drew her into his arms, memories of holding her flooding through his mind. She immediately stiffened and tried to pull away.
“No!” he said. “You’re safe, Jo…nothing is going to hurt you here.”
She shuddered but gradually relaxed. Gabe held her a few more moments and then, keeping her hand securely in his, led her towards the trail that would take them up to his camp. He moved quietly and effortlessly through the woods, as if he had lived there for years. Joanna matched his stride and they were soon stepping out of the woods and into the campsite. He kept her hand in his as he guided her towards the table where they had talked the evening before. Joanna expected him to seat her there, but he surprised her again. He led her to a camp chair next to the fire pit. He sat, and before she could protest, he had pulled her down onto his lap. She stiffened again.
“We are going to talk about that elephant, Jo. You can either do it seated on my lap or lying over it,” he said.
Her heart stopped and her mouth dropped open.
Gabe had absolutely no intention of pussy–footing around the subject any longer. He gave her a moment. “So, which is it? Sitting or lying?”
Her face flushed. She knew how each position felt. The choice was easy. “Sitting,” she managed to whisper.
Gabe nodded as if expecting nothing else. “Good, we will start with sitting. However, if you don’t open up and help me piece together how we fucked this up, then, young lady, I’ll have you bottom up and then we will see if you’ll have a change of heart. Are we absolutely clear?” he asked wanting her to understand how serious he was taking this conversation.
Joanna shuddered, his low tone sweeping through her. She knew without a doubt that he would do exactly as he said. “Yes….we’re clear,” she answered.
He wasn’t totally satisfied with her answer but accepted it. He continued to hold her until she let herself relax at least a slight bit.
“Do you want to start or shall I?” he asked, giving her the choice.
She was a little surprised but took advantage of his generosity. “Why…why didn’t you come for me? You…you said you’d always…always be…be there for…for me,” she began and then promptly burst into tears.
Gabe thought he had been prepared for almost anything. He had never been so wrong in his life. He didn’t know what to say. He tightened his hold on her and she buried her face in his neck. She sobbed as if her heart were breaking, her tears soon soaking the neckband of his t–shirt. Gabe held her and began to stroke one hand down her back. It took a long time before she began to calm.
“Jo, I don’t understand. I did come for you…I came the minute I knew where you were,” he promised.
Her face lifted and she pulled away. “No!” she practically shouted. “You left me! I…I needed you Gabe, God, I needed you more than I’ve ever needed anything. I waited and waited but…but you didn’t come.”
Gabe realized that she was speaking the truth. Something was seriously fucked up here. “Jo, I came to the hospital. Your…” he paused remembering how shocked and pissed off he had been that night. “Yourhusband told me to leave. He said he’d make sure I was arrested for assault and possibly rape if I didn’t leave immediately.”
Joanna knew she couldn’t have heard him correctly.
“What!” she said, shaking her head. “No…no, Gabe, I’ve never been married. You…you thought I’d be with you if I were married? God, what kind of person did you think I was?” She was becoming very angry, and pushed hard against his chest but his hold was like a vise grip. “Let me go. Shit, how could you….I can’t fucking believe you!”
Gabe’s jaw clenched at both her words and her struggle to escape. “Settle down and stop cussing!” he ordered in a tone she knew was reserved for use only when he was very serious. She was shocked for a moment and then only got angrier. She beat against his chest with her fists. Gabe grunted and then moved one hand from her waist and grabbed her flailing arms. She pulled against his hold but he was far stronger.
“Joanna, stop!” Gabe said. She pulled again but then realized he wasn’t going to let her go. She was breathing hard but stopped struggling.
“Are you going to let me finish while you are still sitting or do I need to change your position?” he asked. Joanna froze remembering his earlier warning. She finally nodded her head. Gabe waited a moment and then continued. “After the police raided the club, they took everyone to the station. I remember seeing you being led away from me, all the women were. We were there for hours giving statements. It was pretty late when I was released. I asked the officer where I could find you. I thought you were still at the station. That’s when I found out you had been taken to the hospital.” He paused, his mind clearly remembering that night, his heart rate increasing.
“God, Jo, I had never been so scared in my entire life,” he said and had to take a deep breath before continuing. “I couldn’t imagine what had happened. I’d just seen you. You were fine….shaken and probably scared senseless but, honey, you were fine. I got the name of the hospital and don’t know how I drove there safely. I don’t remember a single moment of the trip. I ran in and asked for you. The nurse asked if I was a family member. I told her I was your boyfriend and that we’d been together at the club. I remember she looked sympathetic and that scared me even more. I was sure something horrible had happened at the police station, maybe some nut attacked you or something. Anyway, before she could tell me where you were or what had happened, a guy came up to me. He asked me how I knew you. I told him I’d been dating you for months, that you were my girlfriend and asked if he could tell me anything. He asked if I’d known what sort of place the club was. I told him that I did. I told him we both did and I asked him why that should matter.”
He paused again. Jo was looking up at him, her mouth open, her eyes wide in disbelief. His voice sounded so raw and thick as he told the story. “That’s when he told me his name was Thomas Calloway. He said he was your husband.”
Joanna whimpered and Gabe looked down to meet her eyes. She was shaking her head slowly from side to side. “He…he wasn’t my husband! Why…why would you believe him…why would you…you think I was capable of something like that?” she asked, her voice threatening to break.
Gabe heard the hurt in her voice and saw another tear slide down her cheek. “Oh, Jo. I…I didn’t…not at first. I told him he was lying. I was ready to deck him. He must have known I was about to lose it. Some older man came around the corner and saw us. Thomas called him over and introduced him as your father, George. He asked George if you were okay. He…he said you were undergoing a…a rape exam. Then he looked at me and asked who I was. Your hus…Thomas…told him I was the guy – that I was the one that had taken you to a filthy sex club and hurt you. Your dad grabbed me and I didn’t do anything to defend myself. I guess I was still in shock. He pinned me up against a wall and probably would have kept slugging at me but Thomas pulled him off. He said that as your husband, it was up to him to defend you. I remember George looking confused for a moment but…well, I didn’t think much about it. Fuck – I was confused. They told me to leave…and, well, I finally did. I was so pissed off at the whole thing...at…at you. I remember wondering if your husband was the reason you never allowed me to pick you up at your house. It…it all seemed to make some sort of twisted sense.”
Joanna moaned and more tears fell. Her heart was breaking all over again. “Oh, Gabriel…I’m so sorry,” she sobbed. “I…I didn’t know….I never guessed they’d do something like that. Oh, God, why…why would they do that to you…to us? I…I was so scared and was praying you would come for me…but…but you didn’t.”
Gabe pulled her c
loser. “Jo…Jo…oh, babe. I came…I promise you I came.” She collapsed into tears again and he simply held her.
When she had calmed a bit, she explained. “Thomas is my brother, Gabe. He lied to you…he…he and Dad were so angry with me. When we got to the station, they took our statements. They wouldn’t take my word for it that I was twenty-two. I guess I looked underage and my purse was in the locker at the club. I couldn’t produce my ID. They made me call my father. I thought I was going to die when I had to tell him I was at the police station. I kept telling him that I was fine. I told him that you were there and would bring me home. He…he asked to speak with the police. I think they told him where they had picked me up. He…he and Thomas came to the station. I…I was so embarrassed, so ashamed. He…he took one look at me and called me a whore. I remember the other women looking at me in pity. I…I didn’t know what to say. He told the police he was taking me for an exam and that if I had been raped, he’d be back to make damn sure charges were filed. I…I kept telling him I wasn’t…that I was fine. He…he didn’t want to believe me. He wouldn’t believe I was an adult in love with you. He…he just kept calling me awful names, accusing me of awful, horrible things.”
Gabe heard the shame as well as the immense sadness in her voice. “Oh, sweetheart. God, I’m so sorry,” Gabe said. “I didn’t protect you. I…I never knew.” He had released her hands and she raised one to wipe her cheeks.
“How could you?” she asked. “I mean, you came and they lied to you. I refused to have the exam. My dad and I had a huge fight. He was screaming at me and I was crying and yelling back. Finally a doctor came in and calmed him down. Dad said that I had to have been raped. He’d seen the way I looked when they put me in a room and made me change into a gown….he…he saw my back, my bottom.”