Protect Me

by Lacey Black

  Before I know it, we’re pulling into the lane. Nate makes quick work of opening the gate, and we’re heading up the long lane a few minutes later. I stand by idly as Nate unlocks the small shack and pulls out one chair. Placing it next to the water’s edge, he sits and slaps his leg in invitation.

  I happily sit on Nate’s lap, throwing both legs over his. My arms are around his neck as I snuggle close. Nate wraps both arms protectively around me. He’s my solace.

  After several quiet minutes, Nate finally says, “Can I ask you something?”

  “Yes,” I reply.

  He clears his throat a little before he continues. “When you left the hospital in Daytona that night, where did you go?”

  I tense a little, not expecting Nate’s question to be about my past. I never openly talk about this part of my life, and especially not as much as I have in recent weeks. However, with Nate’s arms still firmly around me, I feel safe enough to tell him the rest of my story.

  “When I left the hospital, I had on a designer evening gown and no shoes. My ribs were either cracked or broken, but I didn’t care. The pain was excruciating, but the thought of freedom was greater than the pain.

  “I walked down one of the main arteries of Daytona, heading towards the beach. My purse had about twenty dollars in it and a tube of lipstick. I had saved about twelve hundred bucks over the last year or so but it was safely hidden at the house. And there was no way I could return there to collect the money or even a pair of shoes.

  “Eventually, I stumbled upon a woman’s shelter. I knocked on the heavy wooden door once and it opened instantly. I was pulled inside by this older, petite woman. She didn’t say a word as she held my arm and moved us towards a small room with a desk and a small bed. She sat me down on the bed, retrieved clean bedding and some oversized clean clothes. That was it. No questions. She just helped me.

  “I had the worst night of sleep of my life that night. I was in pain and was having nightmares, but every time I woke up, the woman was right there next to my bed. I learned the next day that her name was Connie. She helped me shower because there was no way I could bend or move. She rewrapped my abdomen and helped me dress. She also brought me food and water. She was my saving grace when I had nothing.”

  “How long were you there?” Nate croaks through what sounds like a dry throat.

  “About three weeks. Just long enough to get most of my strength back. Connie was one of the volunteers at the shelter, but we became very close while I was there. She helped me clean that gown and then took it, along with all of the jewelry I was wearing that night, to a pawn shop on the other side of Daytona. I used that money to purchase the bare necessities of clothes and a piece of crap car. She also helped me change my name,” I confess.

  “Your name?” Nate asks. Our eyes connect for the first time since I started telling him about Daytona.

  “Yeah, my name. I was born Amelia Justine Bryant,” I confide.

  “Shit. You changed it so that the bastard couldn’t find you, didn’t you?” he asks, though it’s not really a question.

  “Yes. Connie helped me. Walker was my grandmother’s maiden name. She died before I was born, but it was the only other family name I could think of. And of course, Lia is short for Amelia,” I whisper, dropping my eyes again.

  “I like Lia better,” Nate says.

  “I can’t stand to hear Amelia,” I say. Too many bad memories attached to that name. Hearing it makes my skin crawl.

  Nate pulls me tightly against his warm chest, our faces press together cheek to cheek. I breathe in the same warm air that Nate does.

  “When I was healthy enough to leave Daytona, Connie helped me line up a job that paid cash and an apartment. I don’t know if it was part of the shelter’s resources or if she did it on her own, but I am eternally grateful to her. I miss her and think about her often, but I can’t chance calling her. As many times as I’ve picked up the phone, I know that calling could lead to being found.”

  “You’re safe, baby. You are so fucking safe here,” Nate says, almost angrily. He hugs me so tight that I can’t breathe. Just when I start to get dizzy from lack of oxygen, he eases up on his embrace. But not completely.

  “I need you to promise me something, Lia,” Nate says and turns me to face him. “Promise me that if something scares you, you won’t run. Promise me you will come to me and let me help you. Promise me that you won’t up and leave in the middle of the night. Promise me, Lia,” he urges with a great deal of desperation in his deep voice.

  I know I’m about to do the one thing I never wanted to do to Nate: lie. “I promise,” I whisper. It takes everything I have to get that one statement, that one lie, two little words, out of my mouth. Because when all else fails, I can’t - I won’t - put Nate or his family in jeopardy. I won’t risk their safety. I will leave.

  “Thank you,” Nate says as he stands us both up. “Let’s head home,” he adds and steers me towards his car. After I’m tucked inside, Nate returns the chair to the shed and joins me in the moonlit car. Before he starts it up, he places the sweetest, softest kiss on my lips. I don’t even want to think about what that kiss is filled with. It’ll make my leaving, hurt that much more.

  And if there’s one thing I know as certain as my own date of birth, I will eventually have to leave.

  Chapter Eleven

  Nate

  I throw my tuxedo jacket over the passenger seat backrest to keep it from wrinkling and head to pick up Lia. I’ve imagined her wearing that sexy red dress all day which is why I’m still sporting a hard on the size of a hammer that won’t seem to subside, no matter how many times I think about my grandmother.

  I worked Thursday night and had local fire calls on Friday night so I haven’t had much time to talk with her since Wednesday night at the creek. Listening to her share her past is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I want to kill. Kill. No woman - especially my woman - should ever have to endure what Lia has been through.

  I park the Mustang next to Lia’s Honda and head up the stairs. When I reach the top of the stairs, I see a small box sitting in front of the door. There’s no postage markings, just her name. Lia Walker. Only I know now that it isn’t her real name. But I don’t give a shit. I will never call her Amelia. I will do everything I can to not remind her of her past.

  I scoop up the small package and knock on the door. It only takes a few moments and Lia opens the door. My heart stops beating. I try to suck air into my lungs, but my entire body stops functioning. Lia stands before me wearing the stunning red gown with the very high slit. Her breasts are plump and barely contained by the dress. I want to rip it off of her instantly. Her hair is down - the way I like it - and her makeup is subtle and soft.

  God, I fucking love this woman.

  “You are breathtaking,” I tell her.

  Lia gives me the most perfect smile through soft, red lips. I want to kiss the shit out of them, smearing that red lipstick all over her face and mine.

  “You look pretty amazing yourself,” she says as she steps back to allow me room to enter.

  I lean down and inhale her sweet scent. I run my nose along the long column of her neck, causing her to shiver, but I know it’s not from the temperature. Its ninety fucking degrees outside right now.

  “Oh, this was on your porch,” I say as I hand her the package. That gives me free hands to adjust my package. Yep, still a hammer.

  Lia takes the package and looks at it. “That’s funny. I didn’t order anything,” she says as she walks back towards the room. “I’m going to grab my clutch, and I’ll be right out,” she says over her shoulder as she talks towards the bedroom.

  “Hey, I want you to stay with me tonight, so why don’t you grab a quick bag,” I say as she exits the living room.

  “Okay,” she says from the confines of her little bedroom.

  I hear drawers open and close and it makes me smile, knowing that she’s packing up to come home with me for the night. I’ve been
thinking for days now about her being there every night. Every morning. Every time I come home, I want Lia there. Every morning I leave for work, I want to place a kiss on Lia’s sweet lips. I want her with me, living with me, and that doesn’t scare me as much as it used to.

  I hear Lia gasp from her bedroom, and I take off. I’m in the doorway in a handful of steps, surveying the room.

  “What?” I ask, concerned and ready to fight.

  “Oh, nothing,” she says. I can tell something is very wrong. Her face is flush and her smile is fake. The box is open and sitting on her bed so I walk over to it. It’s empty inside.

  “What was in it?” I ask.

  Lia looks at me with wide eyes and hesitates. “Oh, these,” she says. She’s going for casual, but I know better. Lia hands me a pair of white lace thongs. Nice.

  “Okay. I don’t get it,” I tell her. “Someone left you underwear?”

  “I bet they are from Avery,” she says without looking at me. “We went to the mall yesterday and she was teasing me about them.”

  I look at her face, her eyes still averting mine, and contemplate whether I believe her or not. She’s not a liar, but something just isn’t sitting right. My gut is telling me this is all wrong.

  “So, Avery bought you underwear?” I ask, eyebrows arched sky high.

  “Yeah, as a joke,” she adds with a smile.

  “Are you sure?” I ask, taking her hand in my own. I feel the slight tremor.

  “Yes, I’m sure,” she says adamantly. Her beautiful eyes meet mine for the first time since I entered her room. Her chin is raised slightly and she’s standing her ground. I don’t believe her, but I don’t want to push her.

  “Okay,” I say. “You ready to go?” I ask, gathering her bag up off the bed.

  “Yes,” she replies, giving the room one last look over. “I have everything I need,” she adds. Something in her tone makes me wonder if she’s talking about spending the night at my place or something more.

  After a quick stop by the bathroom where she packs up all of her girly bathroom stuff, we head out to my car. I open Lia’s door and notice her stop. She turns and gives the apartment one last look. It leaves me with an uneasy feeling.

  “Ready?” I ask, running my hand up her back, taking in the soft skin and the silky material of the dress. I don’t even give her time to reply. My lips descend on hers before she can answer. She’s all minty and warm. She tastes like heaven. I almost tell her that I love her right then and there, but something holds me back. I want it to be perfect. I will tell her later tonight when we’re alone after the gala.

  “I’m ready,” she whispers against my lips. I growl as I force myself to pull back. Shit, do I want to take her right here and now in the alleyway? I don’t even care if we make it inside the car or not.

  “Get in, then, before I ravish you and rip apart Holly’s expensive-ass dress and we never make it to the gala,” I say, backing away so she can slide into the car.

  Lia is quiet the entire ride to the banquet hall. Rivers Edge only has two locations for parties, and this one is the only one large enough to cater to a party this size. I find a parking spot in the lot and get out of the car. I throw on my jacket before I open Lia’s door. She places her small hand inside of my extended one, and I gently help her out.

  At the entrance of the hall, an elderly couple is sitting at a banquet table. “Good evening,” the woman says. “Do you have a ticket?”

  I produce our ticket from the inside pocket of my jacket and hand it over. Dinner and drinks for two for a one hundred dollar donation.

  “There’s a silent auction area over to the side,” the gentleman says as his wife takes our ticket. “Have a great evening,” he offers with a friendly smile.

  I lead Lia inside and spot my family right away. Jake has his arm protectively around Erin as they visit with Avery, Maddox, Josselyn, and Travis. We start to head that way as Will walks up beside me.

  “Thanks for grabbing my tux,” he says before taking a drink of the dark, amber liquid in his glass.

  “Not a problem. You owe me ninety, though,” I tell him with a smile.

  “Oh, you’re not paying for it for me, too?” he asks with a grin.

  “Not on your life,” I tell my younger brother.

  The girls instantly start talking as Holly and Jase walk up. It’s still weird seeing Jase Bentley in Rivers Edge. He may be one of the world’s biggest rock stars, but the guy is really cool and down to earth. He’s nothing like I would have expected for somebody of his caliber with awards and acclamations. He’s just a regular guy, and I enjoy bullshitting with him.

  While the girls are talking about their dresses, I lean down and whisper in Lia’s ear. “I’m gonna talk to the guys. I’ll be right behind you,” I tell her.

  “Okay,” she says with a small smile.

  I turn to my older brother and my brother-in-law and give them a head nod, indicating for them to follow me.

  “What’s up?” Jake asks when we’re just out of earshot from the others.

  “I need to tell you guys something,” I say quietly. “What I tell you doesn’t leave us. I don’t want you telling your wives or anyone. Deal?”

  “Deal,” Maddox and Jake both respond, the seriousness of the conversation evident in their tone.

  “Lia comes from an abusive relationship,” I confide. I have a hard time keeping my anger out of my voice and it doesn’t help that Maddox and Jake are both instantly and visually upset.

  “The guy comes from money and has threatened her in the past. She’s never told anyone before me. Well, something’s up. I don’t know what, but my gut is telling me that trouble is brewing. She went on the run about eleven months ago from this guy and has been running since. He has a long political reach and enough money to buy whatever he wants. I’m afraid he won’t stop looking for her,” I tell them.

  “I will fucking kill him,” Jake says through gritted teeth before taking a drink of whatever liquid is in his glass.

  “Get in line,” I say. “I promised her I wouldn’t say anything to anyone, but I’m worried. Tonight, she had a gift left on her doorstep. It was a pair of white lace underwear. She tried to cover and say they were from Avery, but I could tell she was lying to me. I don’t know why, but something tells me that they weren’t from Avery and it has something to do with Garrett.”

  “You know, several weeks ago, I saw Lia at the top of her stairs, staring straight ahead, lost in a trance. I hollered at her several times before I finally got to the top of the stairs and she finally realized I was there. She said she felt like someone had been there,” Maddox says. “I went inside and checked it out and the place was clean,” he adds.

  “Do you think this asshole has found her?” Jake asks.

  “I don’t know. I think it’s entirely possible,” I reply, looking over my shoulder at Lia. She’s still talking to all of the girls, but she seems distracted.

  “I wanted to let you both know so you can keep your eyes open. If you notice anyone new in town, I want to know right away,” I say, hands firmly on my hips.

  “We’re not back on until Monday, but we’ll spread word to the other deputies. If someone new is in town, we’ll find out,” Maddox says.

  “Thanks, guys,” I say.

  “Where is she staying tonight?” Jake asks.

  “With me. I’m not letting her out of my sight,” I respond.

  “Good,” Jake says with a hard slap on my shoulder.

  “Let’s get back to our ladies before they start looking for us,” Maddox says with a serious look.

  I slide up behind Lia, wrapping my arm firmly around her stomach. She tenses slightly - enough that I almost miss it. I lean down and whisper in her ear, “You are the most beautiful woman here tonight.”

  Lia turns and smiles, her cheeks blushing the most adorable shade of pink.

  “Come on, everyone. Dinner is ready to be served,” Erin says as she leads us towards a couple of reserved ta
bles in front. I hold out a chair for Lia, placing her next to Josselyn. My parents and Will complete our table, while the others take the next table along with one of Erin’s assistants and her husband.

  Joss fills us in on Grant’s latest trick to get out of going to bed, causing the entire table to laugh. The mood is light and everyone appears to be having a good time, but when I look at Lia, she seems lost in her own mind.

  “Everything okay?” I whisper, leaning in until my mouth is just a breath away from her ear.

  “Fine,” she replies quickly with a small, forced smile. Too quickly.

  I reach for her hand under the table and hold her close. Dinner is served a few minutes later. The smoked pork chops, steamed vegetables, and roasted potatoes smell good. I’m flippin’ starving so I can’t wait to dive in.

  As dinner progresses, I notice that Lia is pushing more food around her plate than she’s eating. In fact, if I were to piece together all of the small pieces of food on her plate, I’d probably find out that she hasn’t eaten anything. My girl is official freaking me the hell out. I’m worried, and I don’t like it. Not one bit.

  After the dinner dishes are cleared from the tables, Erin and Mayor Thorsten make their way to the podium at the front of the room.

  “Good evening, fine citizens of Rivers Edge,” Mayor Thorsten begins, earning a large round of applause from the crowd. “Tonight, we are all gathered to raise funds for much-needed improvements to the children’s section of the library. Mrs. Erin Stevens is here and is going to talk a little bit about the expansion. When she’s finished, please remember to dig deep into those pockets of yours and visit the silent auction tables in back. Every little bit helps,” he says with a smile.

  Erin steps up as the applause dies down. “Thank you, Mayor, and good evening. When I moved back to Rivers Edge almost two years ago, it was with the sole intention of taking over as librarian here in town. What I found when I returned was so much more,” Erin says and gives Jake a knowing smile. “The library has made several improvements since I took over. We installed many new programs for toddlers, grade schoolers, and teens. We updated all of the computers and started adult computer classes. We have made the slow transition to a digital Dewey Decimal System. And we’ve added evening hours during the school year. Now, our focus is on the children’s section. The chairs are worn and in desperate need of replacing. We want to construct walls and all new easily accessible shelves, giving children their own room to learn and grow. We want the room to be bright and fun and a great place for children to learn. But, in order to do all of that, we have to raise the money. So, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you for coming this evening and supporting the Rivers Edge Public Library.”