CALLEY (RIBUS 7 Book 3)

by Shae Mills

Chelan tried to focus back on him. Then a shiver went through her. Images of the past began to close in on her and she clutched at him, burying her face in his chest and trying to press as close to him as she could.

  Jason felt his stomach knot. He held her for a long time, waiting for her to calm. When she had stilled, he drew her back and looked down into her somber eyes. His voice was a hoarse whisper. “Did he hurt you?”

  A single tremor went through her again, and Jason hugged her tighter. He glanced at her legs, his eyes panning over the red marks between her slender thighs. He sucked in a slow, deep breath in an attempt to regain some control. Then he looked back at her. “Chelan. Did he hurt you?”

  Chelan shook her head once.

  Jason rocked her softly and laid his head upon hers. “Do you need to see a doctor?” he asked as gently as he could.

  Chelan stiffened. “No. No doctors.”

  Jason stroked her quaking back. Then he closed his eyes tight, barely able to contain his rage. “Chelan,” he said in a strained whisper, “did he enter you?”

  She shook her head again but her nails bit into his neck so hard that he knew she had marked him. He exhaled sharply. He looked back to her thighs, her delicate legs clenched solidly together. Then he reached out and gathered her clothing. He drew the material over her, covering her. “Shhh,” he whispered, his gentle rocking resuming. “Do you want to press charges?”

  Chelan suddenly pushed away from him, grabbing her clothes and clutching them tightly to her. “No. No police,” she uttered almost frantically.

  Jason reached for her arms, carefully avoiding her bruises. He held her firmly. “You can’t let him get away with this, Chelan.”

  “No! Please, Jason. Just take me away from here. Take me to Will's.”

  Jason wanted to protest her decision about the police, but the look in her eyes riveted him to the spot. “Okay,” he whispered. “But I don’t want you to be alone right now. I think you should come to my place, just until we get this sorted. Is that okay? I won’t force you, but I really don’t want you to be by yourself.”

  Chelan stared at him. Then she glanced at Jim’s prostrate body. What if he came after her? Jim had money, power, and infinite resources. Suddenly, she needed Jason in the worst way. She simply nodded.

  Jason felt some of his tension drain. “Can you get dressed?”

  Chelan nodded again.

  “Okay. I need you to get dressed and then get your things.”

  “Okay. Uh… but I have my things together already.”

  “Good.” Jason stood and then reached down for her hand. He helped her to her feet, steadying her as she found her balance.

  Chelan took a moment to straighten, her head swimming. Swiftly, she cleared her thoughts. She nodded to him and he released her, reluctantly.

  Jason took a couple of steps back from her, poised to catch her if she teetered, but she remained stable. Then he picked the knife up from the floor and strode down into the living room. There he yanked the butcher’s knife out of the wall and returned them to the drawer. He walked over to Jim’s limp body, looming over him. “Your days are numbered,” he rumbled through clenched teeth.

  Chelan dressed quickly and then moved to her things by the destroyed door. She went through her possessions one last time, making sure she had only what she needed.

  Then Jason helped her with her jacket and picked up the pack. Taking her by the arm, he guided her out through the debris. Near the elevator she looked up at him. “He’ll come after me,” she croaked.

  Jason's eyes narrowed. “He’ll have to go through me first.”

  *****

  The trip to his apartment only took about thirty minutes, and moments after they arrived he escorted her inside. Chelan felt suddenly weak, but Jason steadied her and led her down a short hall to the living room. Chelan slumped into the couch. Jason put her pack down and watched her carefully while he peeled off his jacket. Then he sat down beside her and touched her white cheek. “How about some water or maybe some tea?”

  Chelan finally looked over to him. “Water would be nice.”

  Jason rounded the corner to the kitchen and ran some water. Then he sat down in front of her on the coffee table. She closed her eyes momentarily as she sipped at the drink.

  Jason's jaw tightened. “What happened, Chelan?”

  Chelan shook her head slowly.

  Jason looked down. Then he touched her knee and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You can come to me when you want to talk. I won’t pry.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  Jason disappeared for a moment and then returned with a pillow. “Here—you should get comfortable and rest.”

  Chelan nodded and put her glass down.

  Jason pointed to a room to the side. “I’ll be in there working on the computer. If you need me for anything, just call.”

  Chelan smiled and then lay down, thankful for all his help, and completely at ease for the first time in months. Somehow she knew she was safe with him.

  *****

  She drifted in and out of light sleep and some time later roused herself fully. She looked around the sparsely decorated room. There was a couch and a chair, one end table, and the coffee table. The furniture was nice but plain. There were no pillows, no pictures or mirrors, and no TV. Quite a change from Jim’s, she thought.

  Chelan finally glanced down at her hands as they lay lightly on her stomach. Half of her stay on Earth was complete, and now more than ever she wanted to go home to Iceanea. She had fantasized about reuniting with her family, all of them. But from day one, her initial dream had been shattered. However, the inclusion of Marion into her confidence and her reunion with Will had been more than she had ever hoped for. As a result, things had been going wonderfully, but now this.

  She did not know Jason well, and she wished neither to confide in him nor to intrude upon him. Though she felt protected from Jim with him, she needed to be on her own.

  Suddenly, her thoughts shifted and she squirmed uncomfortably. She actually did need to see a doctor. Who knew what Jim had infected her with? And suddenly, she became angry. She had made a momentous blunder, and now, quite conceivably, she could pay with her life. And that was not the worst of it. She had also put Fremma in jeopardy. He had taken her to Earth against Korba’s initial wishes. If she became ill or died, Fremma’s life would hang by a thread.

  She held her head and groaned. And what about pregnancy? She sat up suddenly as panic invaded her to the core. She had her little white pills, but regardless, she needed to see a doctor ASAP. But where would she even begin to look? A hospital, maybe? She glanced toward the den. “Jason?” she called.

  He appeared instantly. Then he sat on the table in front of her. Chelan began to fidget. Jason took her hands in his, his eyes encouraging her on.

  “I do need to see a doctor after all,” she stated quietly. “It’s the holidays, and I don’t know where to go for sure. I’m not at all familiar with Chicago.”

  “Don’t you worry. I’ll make an appointment right away,” he said, and he jumped to his feet. A few moments later he returned. “I got you in today, if that’s okay?”

  Chelan nodded. “You know your way around, I see.”

  Jason smiled. “Lots of sports injuries over the years.”

  *****

  Within moments, Jason and Chelan were off to a private clinic. Her exam didn’t take long, and soon they were back at the apartment. Chelan stepped through the door and then peered up at Jason. “Thank you, especially for making the appointment with a woman.”

  Jason smiled. “I figured she would be a good choice.”

  Chelan returned to the couch and sat down. Suddenly, she needed to purge her demons. She looked at him as he sat. “I was such a fool,” she blurted. “I had too much to drink last night and I ended up in bed with him.” She struggled to catch her breath. “I… I tried to get him to stop but… I couldn’t seem to function. “

  Jason hung his head.
>
  “And now,” Chelan continued, “the doctor says I have to wait a few days to see if he infected me with anything. And I have to wait at least two weeks for a pregnancy test…” She sighed. “And it will take three to six months for antibodies to show up if I’ve been infected with HIV. It’s going to be pure agony waiting all that time to hear back.”

  Jason moved beside her and hugged her close. “It will all be okay,” he soothed. “We’ll work through it together.” He rubbed her shoulders for a long time. “Do you want to tell me what happened this morning?”

  Chelan stared at the floor. “I was so angry at the way he had treated me last night. He had taken advantage of the situation. So I decided to tell him what I thought. I didn’t want to leave without him knowing that what he did was beyond wrong. So I told him that he hadn’t made love to me. I told him that making love was mutual, and that he had—” Her eyes flickered to Jason’s, and she cringed, unable to repeat her exact words. “I told him he had used me like a dog.”

  She wrung her hands. “He blew up. He told me that we had made love, and that he would show me what it was like to get—” Chelan stumbled. “He had me on my stomach.” She took several deep breaths in a desperate attempt to complete her story. “He tried to… He was going to…”

  Jason shook his head. “Shhh,” he soothed. “No more.” And he gathered her even closer. “It was not your fault,” he whispered. “He plied you with alcohol. He knew what he was doing. He didn’t want you to be an equal partner. He wanted to control you.”

  “But, in essence, I let him.”

  “No, Chelan. He should have never capitalized on your vulnerability. I suspect he planned it.”

  “I should have never taken a single sip.”

  Jason frowned. “I think he didn’t have only the evening planned. I would venture that it was more than the alcohol that got you.”

  Chelan became still. “What do you mean?”

  Jason looked down into her dark eyes. “You said you wanted to stop him but that you couldn’t.”

  Chelan searched her fragmented memory, but it was murky.

  Jason continued. “If you were able, you would have fought him off.”

  Chelan squinted. “I remember trying to move, but I couldn’t. At one point I told him to stop—at least I tried to. But it’s all so hazy. You think he drugged me with more than alcohol?”

  “I think so.”

  Chelan gasped. “I never thought of that. Wow. I would never have expected that from a man like Jim. He has always gotten every woman he has ever wanted. Why would he even have a drug like that?”

  “Because he wanted you, one way or another. Jim always gets what he wants.”

  “Oh, man! And then on top of it all, this morning, I provoked him.”

  Jason shook his head. “You spoke the truth, Chelan. He should have stopped. Hell, he should never have started. And even if we could look past all his manipulations, if he had any respect for you last night, he would have used protection. But nothing said could justify what he tried to do to you this morning. He was out of control.”

  Chelan closed her eyes. “One hell of a Christmas,” she muttered to herself. Then suddenly she pushed away from him. “I thought you were in Montana with your family.”

  He smiled. “I was for Christmas Day, but then I came back to catch up on some work.”

  Chelan finally smiled. “I guess I lucked out.”

  Jason shrugged. “So did I.”

  Chelan cocked her head. “I don’t know about that. All I’ve managed to do so far is destroy your friendship with Jim, possibly ruin a portion of your career, and cause you undeserved grief.”

  Jason looked deep into her fawn-like eyes. “But now I have you,” he whispered.

  Chelan’s heart stopped. “Have me?”

  Jason smiled. “I have your company and your friendship, don’t I?”

  Chelan released her held breath. “I guess you do,” she uttered faintly. “If that’s okay?”

  Jason’s warm aqua eyes glinted. “Of course it is. You will have no complaints from me. And unlike my former friend, I will treat you with the respect you deserve.”

  Chapter 24

  Chelan awoke early, curled up comfortably on Jason’s couch. Though he had insisted she use his room, she had been equally adamant that she not displace him. After a standoff, Jason had finally conceded.

  Chelan stayed hunkered down in the warm blankets while she stared out the window. Yet more snow was falling gently. She smiled as thoughts of the Empire drifted into her mind. The coolness of RIBUS 7 and the ice-covered planet represented security, and because of that connection, the snow outside filled her with contentment.

  But all good things come to an end. Jim loomed into her mind like an unwelcome incubus. She feared the man, and though she felt safe with Jason, she knew it was time for her to disappear. She did not want Jason to suffer any retribution for harboring her. As she had come to with Ticees, it was time to gather herself together and be strong. She had been on the verge of lapsing headlong into her old ways with her old attitudes while on her home planet; now was the time to take charge completely.

  She began to make plans. First she would have to repay Jason for the medical exam and the lab work. Then she would have to get the doctor’s number so that she could phone for the test results from wherever she was. Next, she would wait for her period. If it did not arrive, she would take one of the muscle contractors to solve that problem.

  She ran her fingers through her hair. In addition, she had to wait for William’s return from Florida. If she decided that moving on and disappearing completely was the best plan of action, she would have to spend some time with her brother and explain everything.

  Her next thought revolved around just where to relocate for the duration. Ideally, she wanted to find a little place to rent in an obscure small town somewhere in Oregon, but finding a suitable dwelling could take some time. There were always hotels, but that would leave a paper trail she could ill afford if Jim decided to look for her.

  The final option, if all else failed, was to survive in the wilderness until Fremma returned. That, of course, was something she would pursue only out of desperation as the mountains at this time of year would be unforgiving. Nonetheless, she would have to plan for that in case the need to escape arose suddenly. Between her times in the caverns and all the wilderness training her dad had provided, she had a far better than average chance of doing well.

  Silently, she began a checklist of mandatory items. Procuring a firearm legitimately was dicey, so what she needed most were good knives. After all, if she had had her own yesterday, Jim’s incapacitation may have been permanent, and she allowed herself a small caustic smile.

  Chelan looked at her watch. It was now six, and still Jason had not stirred. But she was content to stay where she was. The last thing she needed to do was disturb his badly needed sleep, and so she continued to make plans.

  *****

  But Jason was not tucked in bed. He sat silently in a chair in Jim’s room and watched the sleeping man.

  Finally, Jim stirred and then grabbed for his aching head. “Jesus,” he mumbled. He sat up and then jerked back, uttering a startled cry. “Christ, Jason! You scared the hell out of me.”

  Jason remained mute, his icy eyes locked on his adversary.

  Jim drew a deep and uneasy breath. “I guess you want to talk about yesterday.”

  Jason did not move.

  Jim watched him warily and then stood up slowly, pulling on his hastily discarded pants. He looked around. “Where is she?” he asked cautiously. He looked at Jason’s expression, the man’s eyes causing him to tense.

  “She’s safe,” Jason stated in an ominous growl.

  “Hey, look! Don’t get on my case. The woman’s a tease, not to mention a bona fide bitch and a ball buster.”

  Jason sprang at him with a speed Jim could never have hoped to react to. He rammed him up against the wall and suspended him with
a strength beyond imagination. Jason locked his forearm across his throat. “You took her without her consent,” Jason seethed, “and then tried to rape her again, violently.”

  Jim remained silent, unable to breathe, let alone speak. Suddenly, Jason released him and turned away.

  Jim grabbed at his throat and took in a deep and raspy breath. “You should hear both sides of the story first before you prosecute me.”

  Jason whirled around. “So talk!”

  “I took her to bed the other night,” he began defensively. “I made love to her and it was beautiful. And it was about time, I might add. Then, the next morning, you know what that bitch said to me? She said I fucked her like a dog. Jesus. That was the last thing I expected. She loved it when we did it. She was just so damn drunk, I guess she didn’t remember it.” And he laughed.

  Jason set his jaw and clenched his fists in a bid to maintain control. “And what about this alcohol you gave her?”

  Jim froze. “What the fuck are you implying?”

  “You tell me!”

  Jim lied easily. “The bitch didn’t know her limit.”

  “So you took her in her compromised condition?”

  “Like I said, we made love.”

  “She asked you to stop!” Jason barked.

  “To stop? I was on the verge of coming when she hit me with that crap. No man stops when he’s that close. She was dreaming!”

  “You stop whenever a woman asks you to!”

  Jim’s mouth opened. “Well, maybe you’re Superman, but I’m not. Come on, Jason, back off.”

  Jason called on every ounce of restraint before asking his next question. “And how did you intend to ‘make love’ to her when I arrived?”

  Jim smirked at Jason’s sarcasm. “Look, I don’t have to justify anything to you. She used me. She led me on, and she owed me. If she thought I was such a poor lover, she should have just left. Fuck!” Jim grabbed for his shirt and threw it on as he scowled at Jason. “You can have the bitch. Because if I ever see her again, I will show her how the dogs do it, and this time I’ll succeed.”

  Jason’s fist connected squarely, and Jim flew over the bed and onto the floor. Before the stunned man could respond, Jason picked him up effortlessly by the shirt front and forced him to focus on him. His voice was low and dangerous. “If you ever try to see her again, you will die like a dog. Do you understand? And in the meantime, you’re coming down with me to a special place for a blood test. If you have contaminated her in any way, I will tear your genitals off and stuff them down your throat just before I slit it. Do you get me?”