by Edward, Réna
Man I was so exhausted last night that I don’t even remember undressing. Since Bella left, I’ve barely slept with worry that something’s going to happen to her.
My phone vibrates like crazy signaling me of missed calls and messages. When I look at who they were from my mouth practically drops open. Shaking my head, I dial Gary.
“I was hoping you’d tell me that you’d convinced her to stay home and never leave again,” Gare says in lieu of saying hello.
“I wish,” I say sadly. “Is everything in place?”
“Yeah, I have talked to Hansen, who feels like shit by the way, and he understands he’s not to leave her side. Also understands that personal time needs to wait for when you are around to be there. The guys should be down tomorrow to help relieve him when he does need to leave. From my understanding she’s not fond of the guys, so let’s limit her alone time with them.”
“Okay, as long as she goes nowhere alone, I might be able to breathe a little easier.”
“I know, that’s why I have Hansen staying with her because he can take her wherever she wants to go and the big thing is she trusts him.”
“Thank you. I’ve been thinking too.”
“Oh really? Did it hurt?”
“Huh? What are you talking about? Did what hurt?” I ask completely confused.
“To think, did it hurt? I bet there as steam coming out of your ears,” Gary tries to joke.
“Oh you are hilarious this morning… not!”
“Oh come on, I was just trying to boost the… Oh never mind. What were you thinking about?”
“I was thinking that I’m going to take time off before going to Saldotna for the interview. I want to spend Christmas with Bella, wherever that is.”
Gary laughs. “I expected that. Already called and let them know.”
Looking around to make sure that Bella wasn’t around before I spoke, I took a deep breath.
“We have another problem to be cautious about.”
“What is it?” The concern thick in his voice.
“Alexis has somehow gotten my phone number and has been calling me all night long. I had to shut my phone off before I even got to the hotel to keep Bella from flipping out. She’d called the night before Bella left and I didn’t recognize the number so I answered it. She starts talking crazy shit. When I tell her I’m busy, she accuses me of cheating on her. She’s lost her damn mind, but I want this nipped in the bud and quick. I don’t want Bella thinking there’s truth to any of it.”
“I’m on it. We’ll meet you downstairs in fifteen,” he clips before hanging up.
A few minutes later, I hear the sounds of my girl coming out of the shower. Taking one cleansing breath, I try to push all the nerves away. Bella is my only focus right now.
“My God,” I breathe. “You look incredible.”
Walking over to her, I wrap her in my arms. She smiles up at me. Her wet hair hanging messily down around her shoulders, it is an incredibly enticing look for her. As my arousal builds, another thought occurs to me.
“No, go blow your hair. No, I mean go heat your hair. Shit, you know what I mean,” I scream flustered.
Her laughter is music to my ears. I can still remember the first time I heard it. The way it just seeped into my very soul and took all my daily frustrations away. Honestly, I’ve seriously thought about taping it and playing it every time something really started to piss me off.
“What is wrong with my hair?” She finally asks after she stops laughing.
“You look sexy as sin right now. I don’t want anyone else having the same thoughts I have going through my head right now,” I practically growl.
“Oh Ace,” she smacks me and starts to giggle again as she walks over the bed. “God, I love you.”
I freeze and she stands straight up. “What… What did you say?”
She doesn’t move or say anything. Bella is like an ice sculpture in the middle of this fancy hotel room. Moving over to her, I grab her elbow and turn her around to face me. Her face is pale and her eyes wide as saucers. Leading over to the bed, I make her sit and kneel between her legs.
“Baby? Look at me, please.”
Slowly her attention turns to me. She slowly shakes her head. “Does this mean you’re going to leave?”
My mouth drops open in shock. Of all the things I expected her to say in this moment, it isn’t that. Opening my mouth several times, I try to get the ability to speak back.
“Why would you think that I’d leave after hearing the words… the words that I’ve only dreamed you’d say?”
Bella’s lip starts to tremble and my heart begins to race. “No one that loves me is still here. Loving someone means they’ll be gone soon,” she cries.
Wrapping her in my arms, I hold her tightly against me. “I’m not going anywhere Bella. I’m right here for the long haul baby. For the long haul,” I try to reassure her.
She continues to cry as I hold her. Reaching into my pocket, I pull out my phone. Holding the one down for speed dial, I wait for Gary to answer.
“Did you forget to tell me something not even ten minutes ago?”
“No,” I try to hear him over Bella’s crying. “I need you to call the school and let them know she won’t be in today. She’s in no shape to go to school. Make sure no one disturbs us.”
“Is she okay?” The fatherly tone coming out in Gary once again.
“Yes, well, she will be. I’ll explain later. Can you handle that for me?”
“You know I can. Update me later, please.”
After promising to update him, I hang up and shut my phone off completely. Tossing it into a chair not far away, I lift Bella into my arms and carry her into the bathroom. Setting her down on the counter between the sings, I move over to the tub and start filling it. Grabbing the bubble bath mixture, I pour a healthy amount into the water. Soon it’s bubbling like crazy. Turning back to Bella, she’s looking at me confused through her tears.
“I’ve already taken a shower,” she says between sobs.
“I know. This is to relax. Today is us. Just us. No one else. By the end of today, I hope to prove to you that together, we can beat all odds. Even odds stacked so high against me from your ten years of loss and pain. We can beat it, together.”
She didn’t look convinced, but I didn’t expect her to be. It is not words that is going to prove this to her. It is actions. Even I’m not exactly sure how I’m going to go about this, but I’ll figure out. There’s no way, I’m coming so close to this bliss to be denied at the door.
“I’ll close my eyes. You undress and climb in the tub,” I instruct.
Turning around, I wait patiently for her to undress and climb into the water. After a moment, she finally lets me know she’s done. Turning around, I move to shut the water off, giving her a small kiss as I stood back up.
“I’ll be right back,” I smile and leave the room.
Quickly, I call room service and order her breakfast favorites. When I walk back to the bathroom, I roll up my pants and rest a foot on either side of her. Gently, I begin massaging her shoulders. The knot at the base of her neck tells me how tense she is. She needs a full body massage for sure.
There is no talking just our breathing, the gentle movement of the water and occasional moans of how good I’m doing. After a few minutes, I can feel the muscles in her shoulders and neck loosening. She sighs heavily as her head falls back into my lap. Her eyes open halfway and she smiles.
“This feels amazing. How did you learn to do this?”
“When you’re on tour as much as I was, you read a lot, or well I did because I wasn’t into the whole groupie thing. I decided to take a massage therapy course. You’re looking at your own personal licensed masseur,” I grin.
“My, I am on lucky lucky girl,” she mumbles.
Leaning down, I kiss her incredibly shortly. As I pull back, I think she’s thinking the same thing. Just as I go to say something, knocking at the front door fills the silence.
“Why don’t you climb out and join me for breakfast,” I wink as I climb off the tub and go to answer the door.
By the time, I turn around to see if Bella is joining me. She stands next to the bed dressed once again.
“Are you hungry?”
“Can I ask something of you?” She asks in lieu of answering me.
“Of course. Anything.” I walk toward her, worry creeping in.
“Can you take me to my happy place?”
Stopping mid-step, I look at her confused. Her happy place? A little hurt creeps in because I thought I was her happy place, but apparently I was wrong. Swallowing my pride, I look at her.
“Where’s that, baby?”
“At your place, in your bed, with your arms wrapped around me?”
The air whooshed from my lungs audibly. “Of course. Let’s eat then we can head that way.”
Smiling big, she walks over to the table and starts to dig in. Laughing, I walk over to the table and join her.
“I love you, Ace,” she says after a moment.
Choking on my drink, I stand quickly coughing and pounding on my chest. When I finally get myself under control, I look at her and can see she’s barely containing herself.
“What,” I croak.
“I love you, Ace,” she says again, but with finality to it.
“Oh, baby,” I quickly move to her and kiss her deeply. “Let’s go to my place now or we may not leave and something you may not be ready for might happen,” I half joke.
Quickly gathering everything she needs, we head out the door as I call Gare. Within ten minutes we are off in the direction of our happy place.
Bella
Running, it was the only thing I could think of doing. My heart was racing in my chest. I knew what was going to happen if he caught me. It was an experience I care not to repeat. I may only be ten years old, but I wasn’t stupid. Running away from the hell my dad is putting me through was the only way I was going to be free from the pain.
Looking both ways before I cross the street, I hurry to get back out of sight. Running along the dirt roads was safer for me. If he can’t see me, he won’t be able to find me. I won’t be hurt any longer. He can’t keep hurting me. I’m hurting enough. Mom was my best friend. She was half of me and now that half is gone. The only half I have left is being beaten down to something that resembles shit.
“Mommy, I miss you. Daddy has changed since you went away. He hurts me all the time. I don’t think he loves me anymore. I’m sorry for whatever I did to make you leave me. Please come save me,” I cry as I run along the dirt roads near our house.
It’s so hard to see. It’s dark and the rain is making it hard for me to hear anything. If I can’t run faster, he’s going to find me. He’s going to hurt me. My only saving grace would be for him to kill me.
My right leg stiffens and drags slightly behind me as I push myself as hard as I can. When Dad hit me with the cane, I think he might have broken something, but he won’t take me to the doctors. He says the bruise is too fresh. Maybe I can run there? Someone there was bound to help me, right?
“Mama, why does he hate me so much? I miss you too. I loved you too. Why does he act like this is all my fault? I didn’t know, Mama. I would have saved you. I would have. Daddy needs you, I would have saved you if I could,” I cry again to the clouds hoping she could hear me. “I’m so sorry, Mama. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”
I’m shifted from side to side before I feel the bright lights trying to filter in through my closed eye lids. Groaning, I start to lift my head. His head covers my face.
“Keep your head down. We have to go through the main entrance because of some kind of emergency in the back. No one can see your face right now. I’ll always protect you,” he speaks softly.
“Ace,” I whisper.
“Hmm.”
“I need a kiss and I’m not sure I can wait until we are out of sight,” I say bashfully.
“Why not?”
“Please just kiss me and take my nightmare away. Please.”
His eyes meet mine briefly before he lowers his mouth to kiss me sweetly. In a fraction of a second, my muscles loosen and I’m free from the panic that my flashback filled me with. Tightening my arms around his neck, I deepen the kiss further.
This man… This glorious man… He is my saving grace. My mom would always tell me that when I meet the man I am meant to be with, I’ll never doubt or worry again. Because when I am with that man, none of it will matter. There’d be no reason to doubt. No reason to fear.
Honestly, I never thought that true, nor did I think I’d find it so soon, that all changed the day he replied to my ad. In that simple email, he unintentionally showed me the world I never knew was out there.
As good as it is, it is just as bad. When he realizes what he’s really dealing with, he’ll leave and I’ll be even more broken than I was before I met him. The question I’ve been asking myself is if this moment – no matter how brief – is worth the pain that I know will be following…
His growl fills my ears, breaking into my thoughts, sending a delicious current through my body. It wants that moment of unbelievable and indescribable feelings – pulses – which it has only experienced by his hands. The more kisses we share, the harder it is to push away. To stop him, me, from going any further.
Leaning up a little further, I push myself against him, firmly. Ace shifts me around so my legs wrap around his waist, never breaking his lips from mine. His hands flex against my ass causing me to rub against him.
Oh. My. God. I feel like I’m on fire.
Ace
She pushes her chest against me, deepening our kiss and I lose all control of rational thoughts. Shifting her around, I wrap her legs around me. My hands lower down and rest over that incredible ass of hers. So perfect for my hands. Bella rubs against me and a deep possessive growl escapes before I can stop it.
My head jerks forward suddenly from the impact against the back of my head almost causing me to head butt Bella. Gary’s voice then fills my ears.
“What the hell you thinking boy? You show her some respect. Stop mauling her in damn public.”
Our eyes meet briefly before she lowers her head to the curve of my neck and starts laughing. My laughter soon joins hers, but I don’t lower her to the ground. We step into the elevator that Gary holds open for us. I look at Gary.
“You smacked me upside the head.”
A smirk plays on Gary’s face. “I did,” he looks at me before he starts laughing too.
Just as the elevator was about to shut, I feel her tense around me as some guy yells for the elevator to be held. Gary and I both look at each other. He tips his head toward Bella. I nod. He tips his head toward the man quickly approaching. I nod again with a glare.
Leaning down, I whisper. “You know him.” She nods. “Your dad?”
“I think so,” she whispers.
“We’re going to let him on the elevator just to see what he’s up to. You will not be shown at all. Okay?”
Bravely, she nods her head and lowers her legs to the floor. Moving her behind me in the corner, I stand in front of her. Gary holds the elevator open and the man enters in. He’s gangly. Though, it is hard to see at first glance, but if you look at him longer, you can see the man he used to be. The man that my beautiful Bella’s mom would have fallen in love with. But then if you look in his eyes, you see a heartless son of a bitch that you just want to rip to shreds.
“How you doing,” asshole nods at me and Gary. “Thanks for holding the elevator.”
“No problem. You look in a hurry,” Gary says casually.
“Yeah, looking for someone.”
“Oh? Who? Maybe we can help. We own the hotel.”
Bella gasps behind me. Mentally smacking my forehead, I forgot to tell her that this is my hotel, which is why I had a fancy room and the only other room on our floor was Gary’s that he let the team stay in from time to time.
“Oh th
at’d be perfect. See my daughter turned eighteen and she considers herself an adult and took off. A friend of mine told me they saw her here with some guy. I’m worried sick about her.”
“I bet. I worry about my daughter too, that’s why she’s hiding behind my future son-in-law here. How did she manage to get out of the house?”
“She went off to school and never came home.”
“Oh yeah,” Gary nods his head. “Classic move there.”
“Have you checked with her friends?” I interject.
“She wasn’t social. In fact, the school counselor was just telling me that she’s withdrawn and anti-social.”
“Hmm,” Gary pretends to think. “Do you know why she’d be that way?”
“Teenage girls. I’m at a loss on them. Being a single father is no joke, let me tell ya.”
Gary looks ahead and stops the elevator. It jerks to a halt and I hear Bella gasp behind me. Turning around careful not to expose her, I hold her face in my hands. “Gary’s going to hit him with the tough questions now. Please stay quiet. If anything happened to you, I wouldn’t survive.”
She nods her head and I kiss her lips lightly, whisper how much I love her, and carefully turn around, keeping her well hidden. My eyes lock with the monster that hurts my girl like it’s a hobby. His eyes keep trying to look around me.
“What are you looking at?” I hiss.
“Just trying to see the girl you’re protecting.”
“Well, you don’t need to,” my fists clench at my sides. “You keep your eyes to yourself or I’ll make sure you can’t see.”
Bella’s hands fist in my shirt and I move my hands behind me, holding her against me. Just moments earlier, we were practically having sex in the lobby of the hotel, unplanned of course. Now, I’m afraid that this moment, this man, is going to make her run from me.
“There’s got to be a reason that she ran away from home,” Gary says stepping in my line of sight.