You Promised Me

by Lucy Scott Bryan

  "Matthew!" Grandpa admonishes him before calling a waiter to get another seat. Everyone around us shuffles down to make room for him, so that he can sit at my side. Conversations quickly restart once he settles in, with a San Pellegrino in his hands. Quickly the table is filled again with the clang of cutlery and talk of the delicious food we are sharing.

  "Excuse me," I offer quietly halfway through mains, pushing up off of my seat. The table is crowded and Matthew offers me his hand, so that I could balance as I get up. I make my way to the restroom, leaving the noise of the festivity behind me. It really was a very enjoyable day and the only reason that the smile had left my face is Hunter, and his fucking ugly, damn it, gorgeous hussy sitting next to him. My irritation has grown during the evening as he continues to discreetly watch me. I never thought that Hunter would be like that, throwing off come hither vibes whilst sitting next to a woman that obviously knows him well, very well.

  I am so distracted and lost in my thoughts of Hunter’s stolen glimpses, that I don't notice that I am not alone in the long corridor to the bathroom. Not until I walk into a body. The impact sends me stumbling back, but the tight grip on my arms digs into my shoulders, hurting me, keeping me upright. My eyes fly up wide in alarm as all the air rushes out of my lungs in my shock. My feet try to find backward traction on the tiles in my escape.

  "Next time I send you fucking flowers Verginius, don't you be so bitchy and send them on to my fiance. I don't know what game you are trying to fucking play, but you stop that shit now," Dom's eyes are dark in his anger and it stills my movements.

  "Strange you have nothing to fucking say now isn't it. Even after all the shit you spewed to Drew. I won’t waste my time again. Next, I will just tell them all that you are begging me to fuck you again. I really don't give a shit. You will not embarrass me anymore. Do you understand?" His hands squeeze hard into my shoulders and he shakes me aggressively, with each word he speaks.

  "You best take my call on Monday morning, you little whore. You stop this stupid shit. Threats of criminal investigations and restraining orders, bullshit. And John is back on board," he snarls, his spittle hitting my face.

  He rag-dolls me again waiting for an answer and all I can do is nod my head in agreement. Eager to get out and away from this psycho.

  All of a sudden he lets go of me, maybe it is the sound of someone's approaching feet echoing down the hallway, but either way he drops his hold on me and only moments later the back door to the restaurant slams shut. Pretty much in time with my ass dropping to the floor. The impact throws my head back into the wall and little black stars dot over my vision.

  It could have been mere moments or minutes later, my panic ensuring I lost all semblance of time, until I feel the hulking presence of Hunter. I know it is him before he even reaches out for me on the floor.

  He bends down in front of me, his hands outstretched as his worry sounds in my ears, "Gigi, what the fuck, Gigi? Are you okay? What happened?"

  I scuttle away from him on my hands and knees, my panic driving me away, I need to get to Matthew. We had talked about what to do before. I know that I need to get to Matthew, even though the temptation to fall apart in Hunter's arms is racing through every facet of my soul.

  "Matthew," I whisper as I start crawling from him. I start towards the back door only to remember that Dom just left that way. My head whipping side to side in my desperation to find an escape. I think Hunter must sense that I am mid-freak-out as he crouches low before backing up away from me.

  "Matthew," I repeat as the first lot of tears fell from my frantic, unseeing eyes.

  "Not Matthew Gigi, me, Hunter. I am fucking here for you," his hands are outstretched in hope and I very nearly reached them, being guided by something instead of burning fear. But a looming shadow over both of us changed it all, not stopping until I was scooped up, safe in the arms of my security guard.

  "What the fuck did you do Hunter? What the fuck?" Matthew snarls low and angrily, as he holds me tight, cradled like a baby to his chest. I think he is getting ready to rearrange me up and over his back, so he can free his arms, ready to fight Hunter.

  "Fuck off you idiot! I found her on the ground, mid-fucking-panic. So yeah, what the fuck?" Hunter yells, his thundering voice filing the hallway with his increasing anger.

  I flinch at both of them, the frustration they are both voicing, mixing with my fear has me cowering in his arms. It makes me sad inside. I am a big ball of emotional turmoil. Matthew spins us both so that his back is to Hunter as he rocks me in his arms, trying to convey to me that I am safe once again. "What happened Ginny?" he says very softly, leaning down into my ear.

  His words are lost to my thundering pulse, galloping at a rate I can’t control as my lungs restrict. My breathing is erratic, one second I am panting as I try to pull a breath, the next a heavy wheeze comes out of my mouth. Eventually, I find the ability to speak.

  "Dom," I whispered back before I faint.

  Monday morning comes around all too soon. The very happy memories surrounding Friday afternoon are now nothing but the precursor to a terrifying memory that loops in my thoughts and drags me screaming from my restless sleep throughout the last couple of nights.

  I spent the weekend, in some very tension-filled meetings, with my family and Maximus Security. I have a headache from my mother's dramatic screeching, my Grandma's tears, and Grandpa's desperate apologies. Matthew and Caleb stand by and watch it all, offering advice and running interference when the tensions bubble over. For the six of us, this is nothing new. We have already been here and done this. I am beyond frustrated, that Dom had cracked through our security measures. But really it doesn’t highlight our failures regarding my safety, more so, it showcases how manipulative and driven Dom is in his vindictiveness.

  I spend Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights squashed between Matthew and Caleb in their bed, which should have been icky, but it instead becomes my little haven. Each nightmare during those long dark nights, they will wake me, hugging me tight and rubbing my back as I cry myself back to sleep.

  Dom is the reason for so much unfinished business in my life. He is the only reason that I left Princeton before finalising my degree. Everytime I relax into a new phase of my life, he reappears to ruin it. His grand-delusions of our relationship are mind-blowingly scary and twisted. And, my family, and I, have tried everything to get him to understand that he will not be a part of my life, nor him, a part of Bellafonte. Even now I have panic attacks thinking how close I came to succumbing to his charms. Despite the pain and hurt of what my best friend did, screwing with my boyfriend behind my back, I am torn by the gratitude I feel that she unwittingly saved me from a fate worse than death. Am I concerned for her? Maybe, probably, no, not at all. Hartley dismissed my concerns and worries a long time ago. She saw my motivation in confiding in her, as nothing more than a desperate, pathetic attempt at getting him back. I think even now, that I can tell you the exact date that she spewed back at me my words of warning, one drunken night, ridiculing me in front of all our friends. And Dom, well Dom sneered venomously from the side lines, before renewing his lets-screw-up-Ginny's-life game.

  I have tried moving away from him. I changed my address more times than I can remember. I dropped off Facebook, Instagram, all social media. As a family and a corporation we implemented state of the art security protocols and measures, we regularly met with the police and our solicitors. My legal team continually reviews the best course of action. We have considered restraining orders, writs, trying to tie him up in court proceedings for slander, various misdemeanours. It is an ongoing balancing act, of ensuring I am safe while making it blatantly clear that I want nothing at all to do with him. But it only spurs Dom into acting out even more. His legal team is cut throat and ruthless. They continually throw their own threats of idle harassment and slander back in our lap.

  Attending their engagement party was my decision. Caleb had been with me, so my physical safety was assured. I really was h
oping that at long last I would be able to put Dom, Hartley and St Joseph’s firmly in the past and that little part of me, naively, still believed in giving people the opportunity of redemption. I hoped on so many levels that their engagement would herald their new beginning, and the end of Dom’s infatuation with me. My presence was a ‘fuck you and kiss my ass’ to all of them. Hindsight, is a valuable tool.

  Matthew is now glued to my side, which is why I am sitting at my desk with a myriad of reports spread over the top of it, and he is sitting at the side table checking on our new security cameras, that only a few people knew of.

  A small knock at my door pulls my attention away from the quarterly report from Finance, and I look up at Leah with an anxious looking Hunter behind her. Hunter doesn't wait for my invitation in, nor for Leah to show him in, instead he barges through and closes the door on her.

  Matthew naturally takes offence at his gesture and is up as quick as lightning, his stance just as aggressive as Hunters.

  "Sit your fucking ass down, pretty boy," Hunter snarls in his face before he shoves him back towards his chair. Hunter somehow has Matthew spiralling backwards and the door swings open as Leah and Caleb run inside, realising the threat. A quick glance back at the door and I see Caleb assuring Leah that he and Matthew have everything under control before he pushes the door closed on her face again.

  The phone on my desk rings ominously and the cacophony of noise, motion and aggression freezes for just a moment before it starts up again in earnest. The ring is accompanied by a slight knock on the glass wall of my office and it is the first security protocol that Leah had been briefed on.

  Caleb screams through the posturing that is unfolding in front of my desk, "Stop". Unsurprisingly, both Matthew and Hunter do. This demure, peaceful man, demanding their immediate attention. "You are both scaring the fuck out of Verginius and I am sure everyone will agree that she has suffered the most and the greatest. Now, both of you stop comparing fucking size and settle down," after his initial outburst, his voice doesn't even rise above loud. I am leaning in closer to him trying to hear his words, they are so softly spoken.

  I grab the phone before it rings again, "Do you need more security?" Leah's voice is controlled and strong.

  "I think we are okay," I offer as I look between Caleb, Matthew, and Hunter. Each of them nod back quickly before I speak again to Leah, "We are okay, thank you Leah. Sorry. I am on edge. Will you get us refreshments, please? And biscuits," I throw in the code words to confirm that I don't feel threatened by who is in my office.

  "Of course. You are okay Ginny, we got you," she responds before quietly hanging up the phone.

  I stand up and walk over to the view while the sound of heavy breathing sounds behind me. I wait until I hear the air rushing out of the seats as two out of three of the men sit behind me. I feel Hunter at my back, it blows my fucking mind how I know it is him, but damn I do. My hand shoots up to stop him in his tracks, as I get my breathing back under control.

  "Hunter," Caleb says slowly and softly from behind us, "Hunter, sit down, let her get herself back and then it might be time to brief you on what is going on." Of course Hunter ignores him, my freakout must have been calling to him, urging him forward. He grabs a hold of my outstretched hand and holds it within both of his.

  "She is my cousin Gigi. The woman is family,” his voice is low and he speaks quickly, to help alleviate part of my panic. Strange that he somehow knows I will be lost on that critical detail. “Please tell me you are okay. I haven't slept since Friday night, I can't eat, I can't fucking focus. Please let me see that you are okay," he whispers as he moves closer. I feel the warmth of his hand before I actually realise one of his hands has fallen away from my hand and now it is on my back. And once it registers in my mind, I honestly still in relief for the first time in days, weeks, months. Fucking eight years, if I am completely honest.

  The stupid tears that have been present all weekend start to trail down my cheeks again as I bend forward. My hands lock onto my knees as I struggle to stay upright.

  Hunter keeps moving forward following the position of my body. Closer still, tentative in his movement as his hand never leaves my back. Somehow Caleb has restrained or assured Matthew of my safety, because in this bubble in time, it is just Hunter and I. And true to always, everything fades away.

  "Gigi, come on Gigi, please tell me what happened?" he squats his impressive frame, next to my folded in half form, his eyes crazed with his concern, his face begging me for my faith in him, trusting him with my truth. "What is going on?" his hand floats up off of my back and touches my cheek instead, turning it slightly so that nothing can impede upon us, so that I can’t hide from him. His gaze demanded my all.

  "Dom, Hunter. Dom happened," I say before closing my eyes so that I don't have to watch his reaction. I am sure he will explode in fiery anger that once again I am bringing Dom into us.

  He is quiet though, his hand still on my face, is joined by his other hand, until he is kneeling up closer, holding me, like it is fucking glass again, speaking softly, "Hey Gigi, come on, look at me. I need a little bit more information than that," his thumbs trail over my cheeks ensuring that I can't forget that he is in front of me.

  "Hunter, come sit. Ginny, will be okay in just a second. Won't you honey," Caleb says quietly.

  “Sit down Hunter, for fuck sake, can’t you see that you are crowding her?” Matthew snarled over Caleb’s calm words.

  "Who the fuck are you anyway? Some fucking boyfriend you are, you can't even keep her safe in a fucking restaurant surrounded by all her family and fucking friends. So let me ask you again ass wipe, who, the, living fuck do you think you are?" Hunter stilled his thumb rubbing on my cheeks. I think Hunter must have forgotten that we had company, lost in our bubble again. He dropped his hands from my face and we both stand at the same time. Hunter standing in front of me protectively.

  "You fucking idiot. I am her security," he laughs out incredulously, finally figuring out what Hunter's issue is.

  "Why were you kissing her? Every fucking time I see you, you are touching her or kissing her," he barks back.

  "Hunter," Caleb speaks softly again, trying to stem the rising irritation again.

  “You too! You wouldn’t leave her the fuck alone at the engagement party. Holding her, whispering into her ear…” He turned and growled at Caleb now.

  "Hunter, Matthew is my partner. My partner in business but also the love-of-my-life, partner. We live with Ginny. Matthew is one of her best friends. I am her other. Honestly, I don't get it with you two. You never hear each other, you never see clearly around each other," Caleb shakes his head, a small smile on his face like some Zen master.

  "You are her security?" Hunter growls.

  "Yes," Matthew responds in a moment as he throws his head back and laughs at the mistake.

  "Well, keep your fucking mouth off of her," his voice sharp, as he lashes the room with his angry demand, "And start doing your fucking job better. You too Caleb, keep your hands off of her," Hunter is becoming more animated, more territorial, more like I knew him to be and once again I pretty much melt into a gooey puddle. Although now I just have to figure out how this is going to work, he is saying all the things that your colleague should not be saying.

  "Okay, well you two can go and figure out a better, more current, relevant, security detail and I want to see it before lunch today," Hunter barks out at Matthew and Caleb. Caleb stands and walks straight up to him without an ounce of aggression, getting so far in Hunter's face that Hunter has no choice but to step back. Caleb keeps pace with him until Hunter stops, confused and growls low, "What?"

  "You have been back in her life for all of two seconds. Personally, I think it is about time. You two were always destined to reunite, but Hunter.....she is my best friend and I will protect her and her heart with everything I have. So I get that at the moment you are feeling a little overwhelmed with a few things and are trying to control the shitstorm, but here's
the newscoop. We have been dealing with the drama Dom keeps lobbing at us a while longer than you. This prick slid one through at her celebration night, but that is the first time in years that he has got that close, except when we have chosen to be in their world. So you listen well, we fucking got this. Don't you ever doubt Matthew or myself again. And I swear to fucking god Hunter, you play her or you make her cry and I will have no hesitation in destroying you and everyone in your world. I am the pacifist in this room and boy, you do not want to unleash my crazy bitch," Caleb speaks so low you have to strain and lean forward to hear his words, his eyes are blazing with his restrained fury and violence.

  "We will see, Caleb, we will see," Hunter whispers back. "Don't fucking insult me like that again or we are going to have bigger issues than I first considered." Hunter leans down into Caleb, all the violent aggression now replaced with an inspiring resolution, "and yeah just for the record I'm going to be around for a while now. I am done running. Everything in my life, up to now has been practice. I am ready. So get your little calm ass out of here, cause I have some lost time to make up with my Gigi." He turns then and walks to the door, opening it standing there quietly as Caleb walks out with Matthew.

  "See you in an hour, Ginny. Keep your panic button near you and don't...." Caleb offers from the doorway, but Hunter places his hand on Caleb’ chest and closes the door on both of them before he can finish speaking.

  Despite everything over the last couple of days, my heart settles as the door closes. I haven't moved an inch and strangely Hunter hasn't either. His feet are frozen near the door.