“What about Heather? If someone is hanging around my place she is in danger too.”
“I will speak to Cole, maybe she can room with him for a while. I can’t see him complaining about that, or if it will make you happy she can come and stay at my place too, there are enough rooms.”
“I think she will go for option one, to be honest. Ok, I am happy to do that.”
“Great, go pack your bags, I want to get out of here.”
“What about supper?”
“Shit I forgot. Can you put it back in the fridge for another time? Let’s go meet Cole and Heather; we can grab a bite to eat there.”
“Yes I can, but we will need to come and get it tomorrow. I will cook it at your place”
I quickly ran upstairs to pack a bag. I would just pack enough for 2 nights. I could do proper packing tomorrow after class. Ten minutes later I was ready and loaded into Vincent’s car.
By the time we got to Heather and Cole, Heather was already quite drunk.
“Hey, bestie, we have some catching up to do. Cole be a darling and get my girl a sexy drink, this is the first time she has come out to a place like this. We need to party.”
Oh she’s crazy, but if I was honest I felt like I needed this. The stress of the past two days was getting to me. Vincent and Cole walked off to the bar. I told Heather what happened at the house and also what Vincent suggested we do. She was a little shocked but when I told her that Vincent suggested she stay with Cole, all her worries were forgotten. When the boys got back to the table, I could see from the look on Coles face that Vincent had told him what happened. Cole walked up to me, put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his chest. Wow this is strange; I didn’t take Cole for the affectionate type.
“Hey girl, you ok? We will get to the bottom of this, don’t stress.”
“Thanks Cole.”
Vincent came to sit next to me handing me my drink. I didn’t even ask what it was it had a lot of alcohol but tasted like cold drink. After 3 or 4 drinks I could feel my head spinning and I had not even touched the food Vincent had ordered for me. He tried very hard to get me to eat, but Heather and I were on a mission. Dancing, laughing, and just going crazy. Close to midnight, I could not take it anymore. I walked up to Vincent and sat on his lap. I was finished, could not see straight anymore.
“Take me home, please.”
“Why?”
“I am drunk and I don’t want to embarrass myself any more than I already have.”
“Yeah, I think you have partied enough for one night. Let me take you home, my chances of getting lucky tonight are out the window.”
“Why do you say that? I can show you lucky.”
“Oh no there is no way I would take advantage of you in this state. Maybe tomorrow morning I will show you a good way to work off the hangover”
“Oh yes, hangover. Shit I did not think of that”
“Come baby let me get you home. Cole, I am out of here, see you tomorrow morning. Will you contact that buddy of yours with the security company to see if he can help us out?”
“Yeah I will. See you tomorrow.”
Heather was still dancing, so I told Cole to tell her we had left. I felt like shit, as soon as we got outside Vincent scooped me up in his arms, I put mine around his neck and rested my head in the crook of his neck.
I think I must have fallen asleep; the last thing I remembered was Vincent placing me in his car and driving us to his place.
Chapter 21
My head felt like it was going to explode. I had never in my life had a hangover and decided I would never drink in my life again. I didn’t even want to open my eyes, I could feel the sun on my face and I just knew I was not a pretty sight.
“You awake baby, how you feeling.”
I growled at Vincent, I always thought I was a morning person but that morning I just didn’t feel like it.
“I feel like shit! Why did you let me drink so much, this is all your fault.”
I sounded like a two year old, moaning. I didn’t even want to know what I looked like, I wasn’t sure if Vincent would still love me after this. Vincent started laughing at me; I opened my one eye and glared at him.
“You are going to regret laughing at me once I get over his hangover! It is not very nice of you. You should be making me feel better; I am a guest in your house, shame on you.”
“You just look so adorable, how could I not laugh?”
“I was hoping to be sexy not adorable, you should never have to see me looking like this”
By then I had a little more courage, I opened both eyes. The room was filled with light. Vincent was already dressed; it looked like he had been running or something.
“Where have you been?”
“I went for a quick workout with Cole at the gym while you were sleeping. It is nine o’clock already.”
“Hell, my class starts at 10! I can’t miss it today; my professor is going to kill me. I need to get ready.”
I jumped out of the bed, quickly regretting it. I sat back down on the bed to steady my head. I look down and saw that I was only wearing my panties and bra.
“Did I do this myself or did you help me with this”
“What, I could not let you sleep in dirty clothes. You weren’t complaining about me helping you out of your clothes.”
“Oh, like I was in the state to complain. Did I do anything else that I should know about?”
“That is for me to know and you to wonder.”
Vincent came around the bed and handed me a glass of water and an aspirin.
“Drink this it will help, your bags are in my closet and you toiletry bag in the bathroom. You go get ready and I will go downstairs to make you something to eat. See you now”
I walked into the bathroom, shit I look bad, my makeup was smeared and my eyes were red and puffy. I cleaned my make-up off and then jumped into an extra hot shower, 15 minutes later I was dressed and ready for the day. I couldn’t miss out on another day at school; it had been a bad week.
I walked into the kitchen to find Vincent already sitting at the kitchen table, drinking his coffee.
“I hope you made me a big one, I need it”
“Yeah, sit down. Let me get your breakfast for you, I did fruit salad and toast.”
“Oh wow that’s perfect, thank you. Can you take me back to my place so I can pick up my car? I need to do some shopping this afternoon.”
“Do you think that is a good idea? I’m not happy about letting you out on your own.”
“Vincent you can’t babysit me all the time, I will be in public and I will be careful. Rebecca wouldn’t be stupid enough to do something in a crowded mall. Don’t stress, I will be fine.”
“You are right, but I still don’t like it. You need to promise me you will phone as soon as you feel something is not right.”
“I promise I will. Tonight do you want me to meet you at your place, or are you going to pick me up.”
“I will pick you up after work.”
The rest of the day went by so quickly; the hangover was not that bad. I managed to sit through all my classes no problem. After school I quickly went to the mall for some shopping, if I was going to be staying with Vincent for a while I needed to make sure that I had some sexy sleep wear, I couldn’t sleep in my old sweat pants and tank top. I also did some grocery shopping; I wanted to show Vincent my cooking skills. I was not just a pretty face, I could do more.
By four o’clock I was back home and started packing. I need to make sure my place is lock up. I don’t know how long we are going to be away. I make sure to leave a note for the neighbours to contact me if there is a problem.
I was still busy upstairs packing my clothes when I heard a knock on the door, it was only five thirty Vincent was early he said he would be here at six.
I did not even check who was at the door I just opened it.
"Oh Fuck! Hunter, what are you doing here?!”
“Hello Beautiful, long time no
see. No texting, even phoning, you are ignoring me, what’s up with that?"
"Like I told you, we are done, I won’t do this again. It has taken me long enough to get you out of my head"
"Why would you need to get me out of your heard, we were so good together. Please Caitlin I'm sorry, I know I fucked up by letting you go."
"Sorry is not going to work this time Hunter, you killed me, the things you said to your parents, then to your brother, it hurt badly and I don't think I can ever forgive you for that"
"Please Caitlin, I have changed. With you in my life I would be a better person, I love you and I will always love you. You still love me; I can see it in your eyes."
"No Hunter, I don’t love you. I don't know if what we had was ever love, you loved the fact that you could control me, you loved that I was your puppet. "
"That's not true, I love you and I know you love me. You just need to give us a second chance, no one will ever love you the way I love you."
"You are right, no one will ever love me the way you loved me. He will love me more. The way I need to be loved, the way I want to be loved. Vincent is everything I could ever have asked for. He is caring, he respects me, listens to me, and allows me to be who I want to be, not what he wants me to be."
"That pretty boy!! Please, he is a dipshit. He can't give you love; he is a weak piece of shit. I've watched you, how could you want THAT instead of THIS."
"What do you mean you have watched us?"
"I've been here for a few days already, didn't you know?"
Hunter pushed past me into the house slamming and locking the door behind him. I could see that look in his eyes, the one he used to get when I stepped out of line.
"I think it is time for you to leave Hunter, Vincent will be here any minute to pick me up."
"I don't think so, I made sure of that."
I started backing up towards the guest bathroom; if I could get in there I could lock it and phone Vincent, he should still be at the shop. With every step I took backwards Hunter took two steps, closing the gap between us. I turned around; it was only about ten steps to the bathroom, to safety. I didn’t make it, as I turned to run Hunter tackled me. I managed to pull free from his grip and crawled to the bathroom. No luck, he gripped my ankle holding me in place, then crawled on top of me, gripped my hair in his hand and smashed my head into the ground two or three times. I could see the blood dripping to the floor in front of me.
"STOP, IT"
Hunter was screaming at me, I could feel the anger radiating from his body. This is it; I thought I was not going to make it out of here.
"Shut up Bitch! I will teach you a lesson! No one ever runs away from me. You have done it once before, there’s not going to be another time."
He pulled my hair again, lifting my head from the floor and then hit it to the ground again. I think I must have lost consciousness because when I came too I was on my back with Hunter sitting over me.
"Great you are back. Now we can get started."
Before I could say anything he stuffed a piece of cloth into my mouth. It looked like part of my top, looking down I saw that he had ripped my shirt off and was in the process of pulling my shorts off. I started kicking and slapping him. He gripped both my hands and secured them with his left hand. I was still kicking and trying to buck him off. With his right hand he slapped me across the face.
"Shut up bitch before I kill you"
I didn't want to die! I wanted Vincent, in this horrible moment all I could think of was Vincent and how much I needed his big arms to protect me and love me.
Hunter had my shorts and panties off and was starting to pull his pants down when I heard Vincent's voice. At first I thought it was just my mind playing tricks on me. But then I heard the knocking on the front door. God, he was there!
That gave me new hope and energy to fight Hunter; I was pulling with all my might to free my arms from his hold. Vincent being at the front door distracted Hunter and I managed to throw him off and got into the bathroom locking the door behind me.
Just as I locked the door, Hunter banged on it.
"If I can't have you, no one will, that is a promise. "
I started screaming hoping that Vincent would hear me. I heard a scuffle outside and Vincent calling out for me. Next thing I knew Vincent fell through the bath room door, blood pouring from his bottom lip. I looked up to see Hunter running out the back door.
Vincent jumped up and ran after him at the same time as the front door was flung open. I grabbed my robe from the floor where it fell, wrapped it around me and ran after Vincent.
I did not make it far when a pair of hands grabbed my elbow and held me back.
"Don't go, I've got it covered. Princess, are you ok?"
I turned around and looked into those chocolate brown eyes.
"What are you doing here, how did you know …” my voice trailed off.
"What the fuck are you doing here; get your hands off her"
"Vincent, Vincent!" I ran to him and flung my arms around his neck. Vincent wrapped his arms around my body and lifted me up, carrying me to the sofa.
"Cat are you ok, are you hurt?"
"I don't know."
I looked down at my hands, they were covered in blood. My head was throbbing and I could hardly see out my left eye. The shock of what just happened took hold of me and I started crying. I buried my face in Vincent’s chest.
"Call 911"
"I did, the paramedics are on their way and so are the police."
“Thank you, but what are you doing here?”
“I was patrolling the area and saw you breaking the door down. I thought Caitlin might need some help."
Vincent pulled me away from his chest and looked into my eyes.
“What the hell happened here? Do you know that guy that just attacked you?”
"Yeah, that was Hunter?"
"Who the hell is Hunter?
"H U N T E R!”
I looked at Brent and the look on his face was that of pure horror, I then turned to Vincent.
"Hunter, well he is my ex-boyfriend. Brent saved me from him once before."
"What do you mean, Brent saved you before."
"The police are here, I will go talk to them."
"Thanks, I will be there shortly."
With that Brent walked out the house
"Cat, what happened?"
Before I could tell Vincent the story, Heather came running into the house.
"Wow, did you see who …, what the fuck happened here? Caitlin, oh my word what happened? Are you ok? Why are the police and paramedics outside the house?"
"Hunter ...”
"WHAT, how did he find you? I thought you changed your number."
"I did, he must have seen the photo in the newspaper and come looking for me. I think the white van that was following me must have been him. He said he’s been watching us."
“Why haven’t you told me about Hunter before?”
"I’m Sorry Vincent, I was going to tell you but I didn't want my past to ruin our future. I didn't want you to know the weak person I was before I met you."
With that I started crying again. Vincent lifted me up and placed me on his lap. My body was sore and I flinched.
"Get the paramedics, why are they taking so long"
"I will get them Vincent, just look after her."
"Caitlin look at me!"
I lifted my eyes to meet Vincent’s.
"Did he, you know, did he r......"
"Oh god! No when you knocked on the front door I managed to get him off me before it went that far. You saved me!"
Heather walked back in with the paramedics behind her.
"Is it ok if I go and talk to the police? I won’t be long, I promise."
"I'm here Vincent, I will look after her"
"Thanks, Heather."
Vincent lifted me off his lap and walked towards the front door.
Heather came to sit next to me, taking my hand in hers. I
started crying again, Heather never knew about the abuse in school. I never told anyone, not even my parents. This is the first time that anyone has seen me like this. In school the bruises were always in places that no one could see.
Define Me Page 15