Things That Go Bump At Night

by C. A. Saari

  With suddenness Jake started the truck and peeled from the parking lot at a speed that had tires squealing. I scrambled for my seat belt and my body was not happy about it. He drove us directly –much to my horror- to my trailer, and jumped out without waiting for me. The truck still running.

  “Jake!” I called and scrambled after him. The front door was locked, so he kicked it in. Which had me calling out again, I raced in after him, getting there just in time to see him lift Bob off the couch by the throat and plow a fist into his face. Bob fell backwards over the cheap wooden coffee table and yelled out in both surprise and pain, he looked up long enough to see me standing back, my hands over my mouth, just before Jake reached him and plowed another fist into his face. Jake grabbed Bob by the shoulders and literally threw him over the couch so that Bob landed at my feet. He looked up at me, partially concussed, partially angry and all bloody. Jake was on him again before he could yell even one obscenity at me, he grabbed Bob around the throat and held him against the floor. His face turned red quickly and I realized that Jake had cut off his airway.

  “You see this woman here?” Jake hollered, pointing at me with his free hand. “She is now under my care, and if you ever lay a hand on her again, I will end you! I will end you in the most horribly painful way that I can possibly imagine up. Blink if you understand me, you piece of shit!”

  Bob blinked, rapidly. Jake released him and Bob gasped for air, clawing at his throat.

  “Better yet,” Jake added; he kicked Bob in the ribs when it appeared that Bob was more interested in grabbing air than he was listening. “Are you listening?”

  Bob nodded and looked up at Jake with fear.

  “She’s coming with me. As soon as we leave here, you’re going to call her school and explain that she came home sick, and she’ll be staying home tomorrow as well. If I find out you haven’t, I will come back and finish what I started. If I find out that you are in any way attempting to get Remi back under this roof, or if you ever contact her again, I will come back and finish what I started. Is this in any way unclear to you?”

  Bob shook his head and rasped.

  Jake turned to me.

  “Get your things.” He said softly. It was amazing to me that he had just raged and was so nearly ready to kill a man, but he could look at me with such tenderness. Tears welled in my eyes again. “Remi, go get your things.” He repeated when I stayed frozen where I stood.

  “I-I don’t have th-things.” I explained. That little admission made him frown. He pulled me into his arms, ever so gently, yet I still whimpered. He sighed and let me go, settled instead for squeezing my hand.

  “Let’s go.” He murmured and led me back out the door and to the waiting truck. He helped me into my seat, then drove us out of town. It was nearly ten minutes before he turned us down a long dirt driveway. As we crested a little hill a beautiful white two story farm house appeared before me, complete with a wraparound porch and a big red shed just beyond the house.

  “Where are we?” I asked. It was gorgeous here, completely surrounded by trees; secluded and safe.

  “My house. Yours now too, for as long as you need it.” He reached over and linked his fingers with mine.

  “Jake…” I started but I wasn’t really sure what I was supposed to say. Or argue against. I certainly didn’t want to go back to Bob’s house and I had nowhere else to go.

  I squeezed Jakes hand as we parked in front of the house.

  “Stay, I’ll come around and help you out.” He did, he helped me from the truck and took my hand again to lead my up the steps. He unlocked the door and motioned me in.

  His house smelled wonderful. It was bright. The furniture was modern yet very comfortable looking. To the left was a huge living room, to the right was a big library. In front was a hallway that led to the back of the house and next to the hall was a staircase that led up to the second story.

  “Come with me.” Jake led me down the hall, there was a doorway under the stairs which he turned me into and flicked the light on. A bathroom lit up; it was enormous. I could live in this bathroom. The shower had a bathtub, the sink had more counter space than a girl could ever need. “Can we wash the makeup off?” He asked.

  I nodded and actually smiled.

  “Yes please.” I don’t know how women wore so much makeup, my face felt hot and stiff. I accepted the towel Jake pulled from the linen closet just inside the door and leaned over the sink to scrub. It hurt, but I didn’t care so much. Afterwards I dried myself and looked in the mirror. I hadn’t seen my face in full light yet. It was ugly.

  “Oh my God.” I whispered. Jake turned me to face him, then lifted me to sit on the edge of the counter.

  “There’s not much I can do for the bruising. We’ll ice it. But I do have something for that cut.” He reached around me for the medicine cabinet, but paused when his face came close to mine. Our eyes met and he leaned in and I leaned up, our lips touched and lingered there for just a moment before he angled his head to deepen the kiss. My breath caught and before I knew it we were nearly devouring each other, my arms went around his neck and I arched up to him, my body seemed to be acting on its own accord, and wow, I was going to let it. Jake reached out and grabbed my hips, he pulled me to the edge of the counter and settled to stand between my legs, and I wrapped them around his waist like I actually knew what I was doing. His hands snaked under my sweater and traveled up my back. I broke the kiss sucked in a sharp breath through my teeth when he touched my bruise. Jake immediately stepped back.

  “I’m sorry.” He rasped. His chest was heaving.

  “No, no, don’t apologize. It wasn’t you.” My chest was heaving too as a matter of fact. Jake’s brow creased and he stepped up to me again.

  “Do you trust me yet?” He asked, his voice was still rough.

  “Do I…” Did I trust him? I was here, wasn’t I? “Yes.” I answered. Honestly.

  Jake reached out and grabbed the hem of my shirt on either side of me. I held my breath and almost pushed his hands away, but didn’t I just tell him I trusted him? He hesitated long enough for me to say no, when I didn’t he pulled my shirt up.

  “Arms up.” He said softly. I complied and he pulled the shirt up over my head. Thank you Kendra for pink lacey underwear. Jake’s eyes lingered for just a few seconds, then they flicked back to mine. I said nothing as I stared back and his gaze traveled down to my ribs, slowly, as if he was afraid of what he’d find there. He swore long and slow on an exhaled breath.

  “I should have killed him.” He whispered and I squeezed my eyes shut. When I opened them again and he was still staring at my ribs.

  “Jake.” I whispered. He leaned his forehead against mine. All these little intimate gestures, I wondered if people did this every day –minus the bruises of course- and I felt slightly jealous of them, and hoped I could have more of it. But…my adrenaline was leaving me and I felt…“tired.” I said on a breath. He lifted his head and looked at me before he kissed me, keeping it gentle this time. He then lifted me from the counter, keeping his hands near my waist and away from my injuries. He grabbed my sweater but didn’t offer to slip it back over my head. I wanted to ask for it, to cover the ugliness, but…if he wanted me covered, he’d cover me, right?

  He led me up the stairs and down another hall and into another room. It was a bedroom. A huge bed against the far wall, impressive tables, dressers and nightstands took up the space, a large area rug covered the middle of the dark hardwood floor at the end of the bed. There was actual framed art on the walls and a few framed photos on the dresser, but I was too far away to see who was in them. I looked over my shoulder to see Jake leaning against the door frame. I turned to face him, and fought the urge to cross my arms over my chest, now only covered by Kendra’s little bra, and he was making no effort to hide the fact that he was looking.

  “This is my room.” He said. “You can stay here. Take a nap.” I swallowed and nodded.

  “Um,” I looked down at my han
ds, still fighting the urge to cover myself. “Can you…” This was all new territory for me, I had no idea how to ask. But this clearly wasn’t new territory for Jake, because I looked up as he pushed himself away from the door way and came to stand before me, all confident swagger.

  “You want me to stay with you?” He asked, taking my hands. I nodded.

  “Okay, come on.” He led me over to the bed and pulled the covers back while I toed my shoes off. I crawled in but had to lay on my right side, the left was still in so much pain, I didn’t think it’d ever be right again. I felt Jake nestle right up against my back, his body curved into mine. His arm slid over my waist and he pulled me tight against him. Oh my God, I was lying in bed with a boy! That was a feeling I couldn’t describe if someone actually asked me to.

  “It probably didn’t come at the best time, but…what did you think of your fist kiss?” He asked, his breath tickled my ear.

  I couldn’t help but to feel warm at the memory. And despite what he thought, it had actually come at the perfect time.

  “I liked it.” I whispered with a blush. I couldn’t see him, but I felt him smile. His arm tightened around me for a time before he relaxed again. “Did I do everything alright?” I had to know. What? It was my first kiss.

  “Did you…?” He lifted himself up on his elbow and looked over my shoulder at me. “Yes, you did everything right. Very right.”

  “You’re not just saying that?” I asked, I could tell he wasn’t, but hey, I’ll fish for a compliment when it came to this any day!

  “No. I’m not. I would though, just so you know, because I want to do it again sometime soon. But I’m not.”

  I grinned, still not satisfied.

  “I’m sure you say that to all the girls you kiss.”

  He scowled down at me.

  “I’ve never said that before in my life.”

  I smiled then. Satisfied. I was thrilled when he leaned in again, not so thrilled when his cell phone rang. He rolled away from me to grab it up off the nightstand.

  “Dad.” He said, then listened. “No, I’m at home. A friend had some trouble.” He listened again. “No, not that kind of trouble, personal trouble.” More listening. “Yeah, we’ll be here, I’ll see you later.” I heard him set the phone back on the table, but instead of leaning over me again he resumed his position behind me and pulled me back up against him.

  “Are you in trouble with your dad for skipping school?” I asked.

  “Far from it.” He kissed the top of my head then tucked it under his chin. “Rest, okay?”

  I sighed, part of me wanted to be disappointed that he wasn’t kissing on me, but the bigger part was just really glad that I was lying here with him.

  I woke up on my stomach, my pillow half tucked under me. I felt stiff and when I stretched, a dull ache went through my back and the memories rushed back. I sat straight up in bed and looked next to me. Jake was not there. I looked around the room, sun streamed in the windows, I spied my cell on the night stand, my backpack –which I had left in the truck- was on the desk chair and my sweater was slung neatly over the footboard of the bed. I stretched again –more carefully this time- and was surprised at how rested I felt. The clock on the nightstand told me it was nearly one. I had been asleep for three hours, but it felt like I had gotten a full nights rest. I had napped better in Jake’s king sized cloud of a bed than I had ever slept in my little twin bed of nails at home.

  No, not my home. I wouldn’t refer to it as that anymore.

  I reached for my cell and wasn’t surprised to see nearly a dozen messages from Kendra. They ranged from worry to anger, to annoyance and back to worry again but they pretty much meant the same thing: Where are you? What happened? And why haven’t you called or text me back yet?

  I shot her off a quick text.

  Sorry I’ve been dark. I’m w/Jake safe and sound. Will call u after school w/all the deets.

  She must have been clutching that phone close to her because I knew she had to be in the middle of class and yet her reply came immediately.

  Don’t ever scare me like that again! I will b waiting for ur call, but Im dyin now for deets! Give me sumthin 2 get me thru the day. I heard u and Jake got in2 it in class this AM and he hauled ur butt otta there.

  I rolled my eyes. Of course. Was it too much to hope that the story would have been under-exaggerated?

  He saw thru my face paint. I knew Kendra would understand what that meant. He went after Bob. I’ll call u later, k?

  Don’t keep me waiting.

  I didn’t reply after that.

  I swung my feet out and stood, my shakes were gone –thank God- and I felt a little less like a Mac truck had hit me and more like a Mini Cooper.

  The door to the bedroom was open and I could hear people downstairs. Voices –though they were clearly too far away to make out what anyone was saying- and glass clinking together. I pulled my sweater and my shoes back on and made my way down, following the sounds down the stairs, down the hall next to it and thru a large doorway that opened up into the biggest kitchen I’d ever seen. There were people standing around a large island in the middle of the room and all eyes zeroed in on me. I blushed and immediately sought out Jake. He came with a gentle smile and an outstretched hand. I took it and he led me to the island.

  “This is Remi.” He said to the small group. “Remi, this is my dad David.” David shook my hand without saying anything. He looked like Jake –or rather Jake looked like him. The others made no move to welcome me at all as Jake introduced them. “This is Ryan,” he was a blond haired guy in maybe his early twenties with light brown eyes that should have been friendly on that face of his, but weren’t. “This is Ana.” And she was a brunette goddess with green eyes nearly as sparkly as Kendra’s, and if there were a picture next to the word scowl in the dictionary it would be hers. Oh, but she was beautiful; classically so. “They live here too.” I was taken aback by that, but didn’t comment on it. Because really? What would I even say about it? “And that is my uncle Quinn. He and his wife live in the guest house out back.” Quinn was a large barrel chested man with hard, yet handsome features. Though at the moment, they were not friendly features.

  I was very clearly not wanted here.

  “I hear you’ll be staying with us.” Mr. Wagner –yeah, not quite ready to call him David- said, breaking the tension, his eyes scanning my face.

  I ducked my head, I had completely forgotten that my face looked like a bruised apple.

  “All our rooms are currently occupied but there is a second room in the guest house that-”

  “No.” Jake said loudly, getting everyone’s attention, but he turned to his dad. “No. She stays with me.”

  My face felt hot, I knew I was blushing. I glanced up at Jake’s dad, he was looking at me intently and I caught a look that passed between him and his son as well, but hell if I could decipher it.

  “Alright.” He finally said.

  “What?” Ana barked. “Are you kidding me?” She set the glass she had been holding down onto the granite countertop with a loud echoing clink. “She can’t stay here. You know she can’t.” Mr. Wagner didn’t reply. “Oh, this is rich.” She stomped from the room and Mr. Wagner sighed. He shot his son an accusatory looked.

  “I thought you had that handled.”

  “I did. Do.” Jake looked over his shoulder at the door Ana had just exited through. “I don’t know why she’s…” he let his voice trail off on a heavy sigh. “I have to talk to Remi.” He had remained holding my hand and now he tugged it to lead me out of the kitchen as well.

  “Nice to have met you.” I said over my shoulder and gladly let him lead me away. He led me out the front door and sat me in a little wicker love seat. He himself leaned against the porch railing facing me, he crossed his arms over his chest.

  “You said you don’t have things.” He said immediately.

  Oh yeah. That had completely slipped my mind.

  “Um…right.” Well, h
ow in the world did I explain this? “Kendra has my things?” Why did that come out sounding more like a question than a statement? But one look at Jake’s face told me he got it. And why wouldn’t he? He wasn’t stupid. I spent all last year and the first couple days this year coming to school dressed as a dirty homeless man, and now the last couple days I’ve had on two different shirts that I would have to work all summer to afford and I claim Kendra has my things. It would take an idiot not to notice that Kendra’s old things were my new things.

  “I’ll have her drop them off.” I mumbled. How embarrassing could I get?

  “No.” Jake said quickly. “Dad…he likes his privacy. So, we’ll just go pick them up from her, okay?” I nodded. “How are you feeling?” He asked.

  “Okay, I guess.” Physically I was, the agony I felt this morning was a down to a dull roar this afternoon. But emotionally, mentally, I was lost.

  “Come here.” Jake held out a hand, as if he could sense I was struggling. I went to him and he tucked me in between his legs and cupped my face. Oh lordy! He was going to kiss me again! And he did. He angled his lips over mine and what started out as tasting, exploring, learning, soon turned into a feast. He kissed me as if he were a man dying of thirst in a desert and I was water. And I kissed him back just as desperately. My arms went around him and my nails dug into the thick muscles on either side of his spine, pulling him closer to me, and yet I still couldn’t get close enough. I reveled in the growl deep in his throat. It was as if we were destined to devour each other and I for one was going to feast happily.