I Never Asked You To Save Me: Book 3 The Wakefield Romance Series

by Hewitt, Theresa Marguerite

  “Stop,” she says, yanking my fingers from her chin and looking down at the ground shaking her head. “Don’t be like Chad and Rhea,” she sighs, finally looking up at me and I can see the tears lingering on her lashes.

  “Chief and I are cut from the same cloth,” I defend my acting overprotective like Chad. Stepping even closer to her so that she has to crane her neck back, I wrap my arm around her shoulders and pull her in, almost losing all control of the situation as I feel her arms wrap around my waist. “Why don’t you take Rhea’s invitation and move in here?” I whisper into her hair, feeling her stiffen a tiny bit. “You know I’d feel a lot better if you did.”

  “No,” she laughs cynically, “you’d know I was under lock and key, with watchful eyes on me twenty-four-seven.” She was right. I just wish I could force that asshole of a husband to sign the divorce papers and get this whole situation over for her. There are a couple of ways I could make him sign them, using my many acquired skills, but that would probably just make more problems. I squeeze my arm around her shoulders a little more and feel her relax, her arms tightening around my waist as she snuggles her cheek into my chest.

  “Just promise me you’ll call Chad if he comes around while I’m gone,” I ask and she scoffs. I don’t understand why she lets that bastard get away with this shit. He needs to be in jail and deserves to be dead according to the stories I’ve heard about her past from Chad, filtered through Rhea. She’s afraid, I know, but there comes a point where she shouldn’t be afraid anymore. She needs to feel safe and loved. A piece of me hopes she’ll let me try and be the person who lets her feel that way.

  Shifting, she rests her chin on my chest and I can’t help but scrutinize her eye, moving my gaze to the make-up covered flesh surrounding it and noticing the bruise underneath. As I run my thumb over it softly, her eyes flutter shut for a split second, making my heart ache while a smile caresses her lips.

  “Okay,” she whispers, opening her eyes slowly.

  I swear, her eyes could burn a path straight to my heart and as she looks up at me, I keep my hand on her soft face, running my thumb along her cheek. She leans the slightest bit into my touch and I squeeze her tighter to my chest. I could swear I feel her rising up on the tips of her toes, her eyes zooming in on my lips and I feel myself leaning down slightly when a loud throat clearing comes from the bonfire.

  “Hey Ellie,” Garth’s voice rings out over the stereo and she snaps her head away from me. Kicking myself mentally, I flick my eyes over to where the guy is standing with his boyfriend, Brad, by the fire with beers in hand waving at this sweet little thing in my arms. Talk about a cock-block. Garth always seemed to cut in on Ellie and me when we are talking or flirting. Makes me wonder sometimes.

  “I gotta go see what they want,” she sighs, waving back and looking up at me, a slight blush running over her cheeks and I grin at her. The red deepens and she releases my waist, holding the bottle of Jack up, taking a long swig and handing it to me after wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Reaching out, I cover her hand with mine, running my thumb over the back of it trying to convey that I want her to stay here, with me. Her eyes flick from mine to our hands and a small, sexy smile caresses her lips. She’s such a minx and she doesn’t even realize it.

  “Come on back,” I say softly, trying to lace it with as much of my charm as I can because I don’t want this stolen moment to be over and she giggles, quickly nodding then heading off towards the fire. She glances back over her shoulder and I nod at her, drinking the last of my beer and tossing the bottle into the metal barrel, never taking my eyes from her.

  “Damn if I didn’t know better Timmons, I’d be thinkin’ you got it hard for that girl,” Black’s familiar tease comes over my shoulder and I lean against the tailgate of Chad’s truck, making sure I can still see that pretty little thing as she laughs and jokes with the two men. “Yup,” I hear him laugh and I turn on him, throwing a slow punch that he easily blocks.

  “You’ll keep your thoughts to yourself if ya know what’s good for ya,” I teasingly threaten, throwing another light punch and connecting with his ribs. I laugh as he backs away, shaking his head at me as our other team members join in on the laugh, throwing insults and ribs out into the fire lit night air. They are right though. I think I have it bad for this girl and I have no idea how to deal.

  I join the guys, telling stories and drinking beers all the while keeping my eye on Ellie across the yard for the rest of the night. I’m not going to lie, I get a little jealous when she sits on Garth and then Brad’s laps, their hands on her waist, so close to her perfect behind, but I shake it off each time. I have no right to be jealous. Hell, we haven’t even really talked all that much let alone go on a date. Sure we’ve flirted but it’s been fleeting like the moment earlier. Nothing more than simple touches shared, followed by a blush flowing over her pretty face.

  Friends start to leave, Black and Austin pass out in their trucks along with the other guys on the living room floor as Chad and I make our way into his house, careful to step over the snoring Uclid. I just laugh at my spotter, kicking him lightly and hearing him grumble then just roll over, too drunk to really care.

  “Do you need anythin’ man?” Chief asks, slapping a hand on my shoulder lightly. I shake my head and look him in the face, seeing his eyes skirt up the stairs and wink at me. Marriage and a baby still haven’t changed this man before me and I laugh at him, shoving open the door to the downstairs bedroom that he and Rhea are letting me occupy for the night.

  “Alright then Bobby,” he smiles, patting me on the back, “oh and by the way,” he stops and turns back to me from the bottom of the stairs. “Ellie is upstairs, but if you have any sympathy in your body at all for the lecture I would have to endure if something did happen, please stay down here.” I fake salute him and he flips me off as he quietly jogs up the stairs.

  Stripping down to my boxers while trying not to fall over, I shuffle my way past my passed out friends into the bathroom off the kitchen, squinting when I flick on the light. Why the hell do they have to be so bright? Splashing my face with hot water and brushing my teeth, I laugh at my reflection in the mirror. I even look drunk, my hair sticking up from the hat I had on earlier and my eyes slightly blood shot. Kicking Uclid one more time when I pass back through and laughing when he tries unsuccessfully to grab my ankle, I stumble my way into the dark bedroom, leaving the door cracked and tumbling in under the sheets.

  I just lay there, not able to get Ellie out of my head. Her smile and the way it seems to seep into my heart even when she isn’t around makes me laugh to myself and I throw my arm over my eyes, trying to force myself to sleep. Chad’s house is quiet except for the snoring drunks out in the living room and I just lay there, trying to not let the numerous fantasies run through my head. I need the sleep. We ship out tomorrow to some God forsaken jungle.

  “Bobby?” the sweet little voice breaks through the silence, jerking my arm from my eyes I lean my face up to see Ellie, her pretty little face shadowed in the dark but she’s peeking around the door. I just kind of grunt a reply and she pushes the door open. “Can I join you?” she quietly whispers as I sit up on my elbows, her tiny figure framed by the weak light coming from Chad and Rhea’s kitchen. She slowly, hesitantly walks towards me, her hands clasped tightly in front of her as she worries her bottom lip, looking so innocently sexy that I have to rub my eyes to make sure I’m not dreaming.

  “Bobby?” she whispers again, kicking my brain back into reality mode even though there’s a rampant fantasy playing in my groin. She’s at the edge of the bed now, her beautiful blue-green eyes bearing down on me. “I just want to cuddle,” she bites her lip again and I have to fight off everything in my nature not to pull her sweet little face to mine and kiss her crazy. Then of course, leading to other things.

  “Wha….well yeah,” I stumble on the words while fumbling with the comforter, lifting it up so she can slide in. Is this really happening? I think to myself, Is
this little angel really climbing in to cuddle with me? Her little legs and hips shimmy in next to me and she lays her head in the crux of my shoulder as I wrap my arm around her shoulders. It feels right. It feels different than anything I’ve had before and I like it.

  “When you get back, we’ll have to put all this shit behind us and you can take me to dinner because you make me feel good,” she mumbles and I can feel her smile against my shoulder. It feels good knowing she’s happy in my arms and I let a little laugh out as I run my fingers through her short, dark hair.

  “Of course sweetheart. We’ll go wherever you want.” Hell, as of right now I’d walk through the desert and back to take this girl to dinner, that’s how I’m feeling right now. It scares the shit out of me how she seems to get under my skin, but it’s thrilling at the same time. I want this. I want her and I want her to want me.

  She gives a content little sigh, her warm breath washing over my shirt and bringing my nerves to life. It seems like her perfumed scent is wrapping around my heart and I turn my face into her hair, tucking her a little closer. “Goodnight Bobby,” she sweetly mutters, shattering part of my heart with her simple need of wanting me to cuddle.

  “Goodnight sweetheart and happy birthday,” I whisper softly, kissing the crown of her head and letting my touch linger, smiling when she squirms closer into my side. Her bare legs wrap around mine, her skin burning into mine and I wonder if she feels it too. I’m betting she does because at the second the thought crosses my mind, her arm over my chest tightens just the slightest bit and I kiss her hair again.

  This was a perfect send off, even if we do still have our clothes on. Sleeping in the arms of someone who needs me. In the arms of someone I seem to be needing. Someone that I want, no matter how long I have to wait.

  CHAPTER THREE:

  March 2, 2013

  Ellie

  “You’re late girly,” I hear Melody’s sarcastic little chime echo through the tiny hall as I shove my way into the bustling back entrance of Subzero Strip Club, my only current employer. Fellow dancers tell me ‘hello’ as I smile and pass them, squeezing my way between Big Joe, the tipping three hundred pounds security guard who is permanently plastered to the dressing room door, and his current eye candy, the voluptuous Miss. Gina.

  Melody gives me a fake angry look from her reflection in the wall length mirror as I throw my small bag down into my normal chair on her left. Her hair is down and curled, being multi colored with light pink, blue and purple. Her light mocha skin looks wonderful with the pastels and I playfully kiss her on the cheek as she painstakingly tries to apply eyeliner, swatting at me as I laugh and plop down into my chair. “You know you’re up in like ten minutes right Ell?”

  “Yeah, yeah,” I sigh, reaching into my bag and pulling out the outfit I had planned for tonight. There was no shame in the back room of a strip club and I had learned real quick that no one is really looking; so shimmying out of the jeans, tank and shirt, I begin pulling on the skimpy leather skirt and red bandeau top. Checking my reflection in the mirror, I adjust the top a little and zip up the side sipper of the skirt. Pulling the knee high stiletto boots from the cubby Melody and I share. I sigh and tug them on, wincing at the tight feel on my toes. “I’ll never get use to these,” I grumble, leaning forward to start and apply my makeup.

  A couple of the girls giggle around me and Melody huffs, spinning her chair to face me. The pastel glitter eye shadow curls up from her eyelids making her look like a magical creature with the pixie costume she has on. Tonight was the monthly ‘fantasy’ night here at Subzero, almost all of the girls dressing up as some sort of sexy magical creature. Me, well I was going to be a sexy devil, pinning my hair back fast and pulling on the bright red wig from the counter. I really hated myself deep down for doing this job, but I needed to pay my bills and Jake had ruined every other possible job opportunity for me with threats to local business owners over the last few months.

  “Have you heard from that cutie, what’s his name? Bobby?” Mel asks me, tapping her manicured nails on the counter beside my elbow as I lean into the mirror, applying mascara and eyeliner like she had done only minutes before. Red and black are my main colors tonight and as I sweep the red glitter filled liquid shadow over my lid, I release a big sigh. I haven’t heard from him in two weeks and it makes me anxious.

  “Nah, but Rhea says that at times she didn’t hear from Chad for an entire month.” It makes me feel a bit better when Rhea reminds me that she’s been through this, but with me it’s different. Bobby and I aren’t even dating, hell we haven’t even kissed! The waiting is the hard part and at times I wonder if slipping into his bed and cuddling with him the night of the party was a mistake. He had slipped out silently early that morning, leaving me with a sweet little note that even now is tucked into my purse, snuggled between my debit card and driver’s license. I can’t help but think about him a lot. His sexy ass smile and lean, defined body. It makes a slight shiver roll over my skin and goose-bumps appear immediately.

  Melody’s hand on my shoulder snaps me out of my daydream and I focus back on her reflection in the mirror. “You’re up in two,” she smiles, kissing my cheek, “go get it girl.”

  She giggles and leaves me to go mingle with the other girls, eventually making her way out into the bar like we all do to try and make some tips delivering drinks and so on and so forth. I may not like this job, but the money is good most of the time and the power trip I get is almost high like. Those men out there, they’d do anything I told them to do for a dance most nights. I laugh to myself and put my little horns over my wig, grabbing the prop whip from my bag and heading out into the hall.

  “Knock’em dead Ell,” Big Joe winks, his massive build leaned back against the red velvet covered wall in his barstool, Miss. Gina on his lap. I wiggle my fingers at him and try to avert my eyes from Gina’s hand down the front of his jeans, but I can’t help the tiny blush that runs over my skin and Joe laughs, disappearing as I round the corner to the stage stairs.

  The stairs are clear, lighted from within with glitter covering the outside, making rays of different color light bounce off the black leather of my shoes as I make my way up. The last few verses of Def Leppard’s ‘Pour Some Sugar On Me’ pounds out from the sound system as my heart picks up its rhythm, just like every time I take the stage. I can’t help it. I get nervous.

  With my fingers gripping the black curtains, I peek around them to see the crowd. A little fear spikes up in my heart wondering if there will be someone in the crowd who will recognize me, but I tamp it down and try to calm my heart beat. The pulsing red and blue lights from Harlem’s performance are still dancing around as she finishes her routine, picking the money from the stage as she shakes it for a few more guys, shoving more money into her thong. She swipes a handful of bills and pulls a customer to the edge of the stage, giving him an up close and personal feel of her DD size boob job, then smiles and shoves him back into his seat, grinning the entire time she saunters back towards me.

  “You’re turn little girl,” she giggles, swatting me on the butt as she pulls on a silk robe hung strategically behind the curtain. I give her a halfhearted smirk and try to take a deep breath again, my hands shaking like they usually do when it comes my time to take this scarlet stage.

  The DJ turns the red and blue lights of Harlem’s show into red and white for me, playing orange and yellow all across the expansive room to look like flames. “Alright gentlemen, you better hold on to your seats,” the deep voice of Marco comes over the club and I can’t help but smile. “Now coming to the stage is the seductress of demons, the bringer of darkness, and the catcher of sinners’ souls. Please welcome, Vixen!” Whistles, shouts and the sounds of clapping hands drown out the first couple beats of my song, but I know I have four sets of a four count to walk out before the lyrics of Halestorm’s “I Get Off” kick in.

  “You don’t know that I know, You watch me every night,” and that power trip hits me. I can feel the eyes o
n me. It’s like that inkling feeling you get when you think you’re being followed, but this is from an entire room full of men. “Your greedy eyes upon me, And then I come undone, I could close the curtain, But this is too much fun.” The chorus kicks in and I wrap my hands around the pole, pulling myself up and keeping my legs to the side, flipping myself upside down with learned ease and wrapping my knees around the cold metal.

  I’ve learned its better not to look at the crowd unless you’re working them on the edge of the stage, so keeping my mind on the spin, I slowly descend the pole till my shoulders hit the stage, rolling into a split and giving the group of men at the closest table a great view of my red lace thong. They cheer and toss their money near me and I just go on with the song, working the stage and hitting the moves that Melody had worked out for me to the best of my ability.

  The music and my setting eventually fade in my head and I’m back in West Virginia, in a ballet studio working on my pointe. Keeping my leg straight as I spin and pointing my toes perfectly with every chance. Sharp clean movements until the cheering of the crowd breaks through my dream and I’m slowly crawling on my hands and knees towards a patron at the edge of the stage, the final few beats of my routine thrumming through the speakers as I take the money he holds out in my teeth, seeing the twenty something man rake his eyes over every inch of me.

  “A big hand for Vixen,” Marco’s deep voice announces and the cheers and yells ring out as I stand, wagging my fingers at the men as they toss more money out onto the stage. One man I know as a regular waves me over to his spot on the right side of the stage and as I bend over, accepting a kiss on the cheek as he tucks some bills into the waist of my skirt, my eyes spot what I think is a familiar face towards the back of the club.