"Your father isn't perfect, Bliss. I know you already know that. He's a man with power, and with that power comes hard decisions. I wouldn't think he would allow that to happen, either, but the facts are the facts. It's been going on since you were in high school according to what Jay found. They're running things through the coffee shop that sits just on the edge of town." He pauses and takes a deep breath, looking away before he continues. "He's running for governor, Bliss. That means that he's probably in too deep to be able to pull out now."
I don't respond. I'm not sure what to say. My father never talked about running for office. I never thought he would. His plan was always to retire when I took over for him. Becoming governor was never a conversation. That would be outside the family legacy.
"He never once mentioned wanting to run for governor until last spring when he started his campaign. Never. They have to be making him run. Why else would he decide to do it? It's never been his plan, and he always has a plan."
"You’re probably right. If he wins, they'll have access to the entire state." Owen's voice is confident as he says what I'm already thinking.
"If he loses?" I whisper, not wanting to hear the answer to my own question.
"That's probably why Owen's here." Jay's words hit deep.
10
Owen
Shit!
Why did Jay have to go and say that? He's probably scared the shit out of Bliss. She could have put two and two together for herself, or I could have told her later. Now, she's looking at me like she's about to fall apart at any moment.
"Why don't we just leave, Owen? I have money. We can go somewhere until after the election. I'll be safer if we're not here. We need to get away from Avery, Amanda, whatever the hell her name really is. What about—"
"Bliss." She's rambling, and the volume of her voice is increasing with every word she utters. I need to calm her down, but I'm not sure how. I understand why she's freaking out. I even get how she might think that running will keep her safe. What I need to make her understand is that if Jay's information is accurate, and I'm sure it is or else he wouldn't be here, there is no place far enough away where she’ll be safe. We are going to have to deal with this head on.
"We aren't going to run from this. It would only follow us wherever we went. We'd be constantly looking over our shoulder. We can handle this, Bliss. You can handle this. I'll be here with you every step of the way."
"So will I."
Jay's words catch me off guard. I turn to see that he's serious, the look on his face leaving me no doubt about the words he's just uttered. When I turn back toward Bliss, she's staring past me, past Jay, and across the skating rink. Something has obviously caught her eye. I follow her line of sight but can't pinpoint what she sees.
"What is it, Bliss?"
"It's him. Do you see him?" She's still staring, but I don't turn back around. I don't want it to be obvious that we are aware of whomever she's staring at. He may not be able to see that she's looking at him from this distance, but if I turn around again, he’ll figure it out.
"I'm not going to turn around and make it obvious that you've spotted him. Who is he? What does he look like?"
"It's the guy from the bar, Brian. He's watching us. Do you think it's a coincidence, or do you think he's part of all this?" Bliss describes him for Jay right down to the clothes on his back. Then, she turns her attention back to me. "You never liked him, did you? Why? What was it about him?"
"I just never got a good feeling about him." It was more than that. He was obviously interested in Bliss, and that bothered me. He's a skeeze. "Let's get out of here and head back to the apartment."
"We need to wait on that for at least another hour. Instead of looking for bugs ourselves, I called in a favor. I figured if they were following us, they wouldn't be listening while my guys pulled the bugs." Jay's phone buzzes just as he finishes. I should have known he would help even without being asked.
There was a time in my life when I never asked him for anything because he always knew exactly what it was I would need. From a ride to the airport to money for food. He's always had my back. For a brief moment, it almost feels like nothing ever came between us to begin with, like nothing has changed. The moment is fleeting as he stands and excuses himself to take the phone call.
"Is he really going to stick around and help?" Bliss' voice draws my attention back to her and away from a pacing and angry Jay.
"It seems that way. If you're okay with it. We could set him up in the apartment."
"Um, sure. Where?"
"I was thinking that you could crash with me and he could use your room. If that's okay with you," I say as I pull her in close. She put on a sweatshirt this morning, but I can still feel the heat of her body. I was sad when she came out of her room and she wasn't in my shirt any longer. I saw the look Jay gave her when he realized what she was wearing. I didn't miss the pink in her cheeks, either. I wanted to beat on my chest and grunt, claiming her as mine like an animal, but refrained. I'll claim her as mine again later tonight.
"I need to pick up a new phone while were out."
"That's a good idea. We can do that on the way back. I wanna wait and see what Jay's guys have found. It might be a while before we can head back if they aren't finished." Bliss only nods and curls into my side, resting her head on my shoulder.
Neither of us speaks for a while as we wait on Jay to finish his call. When he finally makes his way back toward us, Bliss stiffens in my arms. I look down and follow her line of sight again. Brian. He's coming this way. The guy has balls, that's for sure.
I stand and move in front of Bliss. Jay notices and turns around to see why. Brian walks past him and continues in our direction as if he doesn't notice Jay at all. Nice try, asshole.
"Bliss. Is that you?" He ignores the fact that I'm standing in front of her and attempts to look around me.
"What do you want Brian?" I keep my voice friendly but firm. Anyone who knows me well enough would take a step back, or two. This guy keeps moving forward. He makes me want to reach out and break him in two.
"Hey, man." When I don't respond, he takes that as permission to continue. "I noticed Bliss sitting over here, so I came over to say hi."
Bliss moves out from behind me, realizing that he's not going to leave until he talks to her. "Hey."
"How was your Thanksgiving?"
Bliss looks up at me and smirks. Her eyes never leave mine as she answers. "Great. How was yours?"
"Uneventful. I'm glad I ran into you. A few of my friends are throwing a party tomorrow night. I was wondering if you wanted to come with me. I tried to call you, but your phone went straight to voicemail."
"Thanks, but we have plans tomorrow night already. Maybe next time." Directing her attention back to Brian, Bliss motions between the two of us as she speaks. Her words bring a smile to my face. We have plans. I wonder what they are.
"Oh. I didn't realize you two were an item. I thought he was just your roommate." I would expect to hear disappointment or surprise in Brian's voice, but I don't. That only confirms that he already knew Bliss and I were more than just roommates.
"Maybe we'll bump into you at the bar and we can hang out then. I think Avery is coming home on Sunday night. I'm sure she'll want to get a drink before we head back to class on Monday. You should join us."
I nudge Bliss slightly, but she doesn't seem to notice. Why is she inviting him out? Why is she planning on hanging out with Avery? What’s she up to?
"Cool. I'll catch up with you later, then." With a nod, Brian turns and leaves.
As soon as he's out of sight, I turn Bliss toward me and capture her lips. Jay walks up and clears his throat, but I don't back down right away. I'm enjoying myself. When I finally let her go, Bliss is breathing heavily, and there's a dazed look in her eyes. Good.
"What was that all about?"
Bliss smiles at me wryly and says, "I was baiting him."
"Why?" Jay asks from behind her.
> "Because. If I'm right, he's going to go straight to Avery and tell her to ask me to have a drink with her on Sunday night. If that happens, we'll know for sure he's involved. Any more questions?" The sassy Bliss I first met is back and in full force right now. I'm not sure what changed in the last ten minutes, but I can see the fight in her eyes. She's ready.
"My guys are done. We can head back to the apartment and finish talking there. The place is clean."
Before heading back, Bliss leads the way to the store so she can purchase a new phone. Jay helps her pick one out that won't be as easy to tamper with. It takes us a little over an hour to get it all set up before we're on our way to the apartment. As soon as we cross the threshold, I grab a takeout menu and order us some food. I have a feeling we have a long day ahead of us.
Jay leaves a little before midnight. The plan is for him to head home, pack, and return the next afternoon. Before he gets here, we have to move Bliss into my room. That's not going to be a small task. She has a ton of shit. It'll be worth it once it's done, though. I'll have her all to myself every night, all night.
Jay pulled me aside before he took off to make sure I knew what I was doing. I heard the concern in his voice and couldn’t help but smile. It's been so long since he's given a shit about me. The simple fact that he's coming back to help speak volumes about the direction our friendship is headed. I'm glad he's a part of my life again. I wish I knew what made him change his mind, though. People don't forgive and forget overnight. He's been holding onto his hatred for years. It's hard to imagine that he just decided to let it go in the last twenty-four hours.
In the end, I guess it really doesn't matter. He'll be here to help for a while. I can figure it out then. I can make amends with him. He's giving me the chance to fix this thing between us. It's about damn time.
Bliss
Twenty-seven. That's how many little bug things they found around the apartment. Most of them were only audio, but a few had video feeds. One of those they found in the kitchen. I guess they got a glimpse as to what happened in Owen's room last night. We know they heard it. He had a bug behind his headboard.
My first question was what we were going to do when they notice that there's no feed anymore. Jay said the models they used tend to go haywire and short circuit all the time. They found a few that had already died. The rest of them going dead all at once was going to be noticed, so he made sure his guys kept some of them "alive". There's one in the hall, outside our door.
My next question was about the video feed. Wouldn't they see Jay's guys searching the apartment and removing the bugs? Jay smiled at me and shook his head. "We have ways. Don't worry Bliss. They won't know we were even here."
His confidence set me at ease…for now. They are going to figure it out eventually. I know they will. They'll probably find a way to get back in the apartment and place new bugs, too. Avery couldn't have done all of those herself. There's no way. We're always together. She wouldn't have had the time.
I try to let all thoughts of how the bugs got in our apartment go. The fact of the matter is that they’re gone now. My every word isn't being listened to. My every action isn't being watched. At least not in the apartment. Now, when I leave here…that's another story.
Owen and I cuddle on the couch and watch a movie, letting the stress of the day fade into the background. There's still so much that we need to talk about. There's an air of uncertainty surrounding us. I have no idea where this is heading, if it'll last, or what he wants after his job is done. I want to ask, but today doesn't seem like the day. Plus, I'm enjoying the comfort of being in his arms. The last thing I want right now is to give him a reason to push me away.
I need to be able to answer those questions for myself first. I know I like the way things are right now, at this moment. I know I don't want that to change. I definitely don't want to go back to the way things were a few days ago when I had to fight the urge to be with him.
I can see myself falling in love with Owen. He's the type of guy that once you catch him, you never let him go if you can help it. He's a keeper, for sure. It's not because of his hot body or his good looks. It's not even because of his sexy smirk that drives me crazy. It's deeper. He has a kind heart. He's protective and caring. I feel like his heart is broken, but it’s not beyond repair. I can’t fix it for him, but I can help him move past whatever happened and find a way to mend it.
As far as after his job is done…I guess we'll see what happens. I would love to think that this could last forever. I picture us old and gray, grandkids running around in the backyard, laughing and screaming at the top of their lungs. I can't help but smile at the thought. Owen would make an amazing father.
Father.
Husband.
Lover.
Soulmate.
He would be good at so many things. He could fit into my life perfectly. It's as if we were made for each other. I snuggle closer, resting my head in the crevice of his shoulder blade. My body fits his like a glove. Like I said, made for each other.
I fall asleep, Owen's arms wrapped protectively around me. When I wake up, I'm in his bed, but he's not next to me. The sheets on his side of the bed are pulled back. When I reach my hand over to where his body should be, they’re still warm. He must have just gotten up. Why?
Shuffling to the door, I go in search of him and find him in the living room, pacing. My man loves to pace. He must be thinking hard about something if he's up at…I look over at the clock to see it's almost five. What's on his mind? Something is bothering him, judging by the look on his face. I lean against the wall and wait for him to calm down before I approach. If he's in the middle of working something out, I don't want to interrupt.
His body is on display, and I can't help but stare. Back and forth in front of the couch, Owen wears a pattern into the carpet in only his boxer briefs. I watch as his back flexes, the muscles going taut, every time he clenches his fists. My eyes slide lower and take in his firm ass, wishing I was close enough to grab it and squeeze. He turns back toward me, and I get a full-frontal view, wishing I could now grab something else.
"Bliss."
I didn't realize that Owen stopped pacing. I glance up, and our eyes meet. His are filled with angst while I try to convey something else with mine. Support. Whatever is going on, I want him to know that he can talk to me. I'll help him in any way I can, just like he's promised to help and protect me. We're a team now.
"You weren't in bed when I woke up."
"I had to work some things out. I'm sorry if I woke you."
"You didn't. Anything I can help with?" I make my way over to where he's standing with his hands still clenched tightly, now resting on his hips.
"No. It's nothing. I just needed to think." He's avoiding eye contact now, being evasive. Not. Going. To. Happen. Mr. Hudson.
"Nice try. Why don't you just tell me?" I cross my arms over my chest. Owen takes notice immediately, his eyes catching the movement.
"Why don't we go back to bed and talk about it in the morning?" Owen suggests playfully. I give in only because I don't want to fight with him. Well, that, and his idea sounds like a whole lot more fun than mine. I would much rather be under him right now, helping work out some of his stress in a different way.
Hours later, my alarm goes off, and I am still deliciously sore from our late-night romp. As angry and frustrated as Owen looked, he was perfectly gentle and loving with me once we made it back to bed. I was hoping that he might channel some of those frustrations and get a little wild, but he didn't. I enjoyed myself, more than once, so I'm not really complaining. But maybe next time…or not, since we have a new roommate moving in today.
Jay is punctual, arriving exactly at noon. This leaves me no time to try and corner Owen and ask him about last night. No worries. I'll turn it into pillow talk tonight.
Watching intently, Owen helps Jay get set up in the apartment. He has taken over the entire dining room, using the table as his workstation. Two computer, six larg
e screens, and equipment that I have no idea what it's used for is loaded in and hooked up. It’s close to dinnertime before the screens flicker to life, and Jay is tapping gently on his keyboard.
I stand behind him, watching as he works for a while, before Owen pulls me away and into the kitchen to help him cook dinner for the three of us. I have no idea where we’re going to eat now that our table is Jay's desk, but I help anyway. Pushing the spoon through the boiling water, I stir the pasta noodles, checking them every time Owen tells me to. Once they are al dente, or slightly firm but not hard as Owen put it, I dump them into the strainer in the sink.
We don't talk much. In fact, we haven't talked much at all today. Once Jay arrived, I shut down. I know I told Owen that it was fine if he stayed here and helped, but my comfort zone is now gone. There's nowhere I can go and just be me. That's all I've ever wanted in life. Somewhere where my last name didn't mean a damn thing and I could just live.
I thought New York might be that place. My family isn't here. No one knew anything about me when I arrived except what I wanted them to. I was able to start over. Avery was like an angel when we first met. She was interested in me, or so it seemed. Looking back now, I remember time after time she would ask me questions about myself, my life, and my family but would always change the subject when I asked her anything personal.
It should have been a sign. I should have picked up on that on my own. The little I thought I knew about her might not even be true facts. Her name was a lie, after all. What else did she lie about? Better yet, is anything she told me true?
"What's got you frowning over there, beautiful?" Owen's voice clears away the heavy fog that I was letting invade my thoughts.
"I was just thinking about Avery, wondering if anything she's told me was actually true." The words escape before I can stop them.
"I'm sure there's some truth hidden beneath the surface. She may have lied about her name, Bliss, but she was a good friend to you at some point in time, or else you wouldn't still be friends."
Saving Bliss Page 10