Forget Cinderella (True Loves Fairytale Book 1)

by Tracey Champion

  “Yes, but Jordan you shouldn’t have sent them.” My heart feels like it wants to break apart. Why is he doing this? Am I some game?

  “Yes, I should. Cara, please go to dinner with me and let me explain everything to you,” his voice is soft and calm. I really like when he talks to me like this instead of the commanding voice he uses with everyone else.

  “No, I won’t be alone with you Jordan. That’s not right, but I’m going to Jessica’s on Friday. If you’re okay with talking there, you can explain it then.” If there are more people around then I’m still protecting myself. At least I think I’m protecting myself. I don’t want to be broken like Momma.

  “If that’s what you will give me, then that’s what I will take. Promise me you will listen and try to trust me.” I hear this voice soften when he pleads with me.

  “Okay, I will try, but no funny business,” I say hoping he will behave himself unlike last time.

  “I can’t promise on that, but I can try.” I accept that and quietly pray I can survive this. We say our goodbyes, and I get back to my work.

  Wednesday was quiet, but extremely busy. Thursday was the worst. I was busy working when Aaron came running to my desk. I thought maybe there was a fire by the way he was acting.

  “You, dollface, have a delivery. That hunky man is here with it.” Aaron by now is standing behind me and pulling out my chair. I don’t know what he’s doing. I hate when Heather and Alexis leave him in charge. “I left him at the front, so you need to move that butt of yours,” he states as he pulls me from the chair.

  “Chill, I’m moving.” I leave Aaron with Karen and walk to the front. Aaron was right Jordan is waiting in the front lobby for me. He is sitting on one of the couches. Next to him is a stuffed teddy bear in a military dress uniform. I shake my head and giggle. This big man has brought a teddy bear.

  Jordan hears me giggle and looks up, I tell him not to get up as he moves to stand and I take a seat next to him. I think I’m safer with him sitting. He’s in dark gray dress pants and a white short-sleeved dress shirt. The back of his shirt is decorated with a large gray cross. I really like seeing him dressed in what I assume are his work clothes. The shirt hugs his upper body just right. When I sit, I cross my legs tightly because I can tell my panties are going to be ruined. God, I want him, but I can’t have him, nor would I know what to do if I had him.

  I have done very well at hiding the fact that I am still a virgin. I have always wondered why I still am, it’s not that I haven’t tried to give my virginity away. I tried with the last guy I dated. We had an issue over something and he told me I needed to shut up, look pretty, and keep my book smarts to myself. That was the end of that relationship. I really wish I could for once be the bad girl and do the wrong thing instead of being the good girl doing the right thing.

  “Hey, pretty girl. I was thinking about you last night and thought you might want this,” Jordan says softly as he hands me the bear. I do like the bear and find his gesture is sweet.

  Besides the flowers he sent me, no man has ever given me a sentimental gift before. I’m excited in a way because I like this, I really am thrilled, but I know deep down that the bear doesn’t belong to me.

  “You should give this to Hanna.” I respond and scold myself at the same time. I’m doing the right thing.

  “I bought this in Germany when I was twenty. I thought at the time I was buying it for the girl I was with, but when I brought it home, I put it away. I found it again last night looking for something to help me with a case. A particular case I have had for about seven months and can’t solve. All I could think about when I saw it was you.” I looked at the bear and then back at Jordan. I didn’t even realize I was biting my lip when Jordan reached up and runs his thumb over my bottom lip and pulled it from my teeth.

  “Thank you Jordan, I will cherish it.” What else can I say? I know he should give it to his girlfriend, but I don’t want to offend him. Jordan just stares at me and I’m charmed by him. He’s staring at me with bright blue eyes that haunt my dreams. I can’t help but stare back. I don’t know what more to say about the bear. I’m deeply moved by his thoughtful gesture.

  We talk a bit and I accept his hug when he leaves. He asks me if I remember my promise for Friday, and I tell him I do. How can I forget?

  The rest of Thursday was a bore and very busy. Then Friday came.

  I spent all day Friday working hard to get my files done. I had to call Amber to tell her that I would have to meet her at Jessica and Nate’s place. I finally got off of work around two and raced home. I changed into shorts, a shirt and redid the braid in my hair so it looked nice. My hair has been in a braid since yesterday, because it’s easier than fighting with my wild curly hair.

  As I drive to Jessica’s, I have to slam on my breaks avoiding some idiot in a big SUV. I don’t get why some people think that their big vehicle is some little car that can go anywhere. Luckily, I was able to avoid the accident and moved on.

  When I finally arrived there were a bunch of other vehicles at the house. I was lucky Jessica told me to park in her driveway. I enter her home with a loud knock on the door and head down-stairs. I notice Jordan when I walk down the stairs and enter the room. He is playing pool with Nate. Hanna is also at the pool table. I just smile, and look for Jessica and Amber. I’m not ready to talk with Jordan just yet.

  “Hey, you made it.” Amber is sitting on the couch wearing a yellow dress. Normally she’s in shorts, and I’m shocked to see the dress.

  “I like the dress,” I tell her. I really do like the dress, she looks very girly.

  “Please, I had to wear it today for this case I am working on. I cannot kick ass in a damn dress. You should see the strappy heels I had to wear with thing thing. Once I remember where I took them off I will show you.” I don’t ask about her job, but I do tell her she should wear a dress more often.

  We spend some time talking about little things, like plans for a summer pool party, maybe going to the lake. We even talk about me getting drunk last Friday. Then Jessica asks if I remembered to bring the book we had talked about. I tell her I have it, but when I look in my purse. I see that I must not have grabbed it.

  “It must be in my car, let me get it.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  I just finished reading the book again, so I know I have it in my car. I wanted Jessica to read it because it’s one of my new favorite books, but I don’t think I could pick just one. I’m glad that she said she would read this one.

  As I walk outside, I see a big blue truck behind my car. It seems odd to me the way the truck is parked. Looks like someone might have been in a hurry. I don’t know who it belongs to, but I will have to ask Nate or Jessica since I don’t plan to stay late. I don’t want to stay late with what happened last Friday.

  I walk to the passenger side of my car and open the door. I remember leaving the book on the seat, but I no longer see it. Then I remember I had to slam on my breaks earlier. I look on the floor of my car and search for the book.

  I can hear two people talking, but I cannot see who they are. I continue my search for the book. I try hard not to listen to the couple talking. Their voices are muffled and I can’t make out what they are saying.

  I finally find my book. For some reason, it had slid underneath the seat. Luckily the book still looks fine. I would be crushed to find that the book had been damaged. I know people find me weird that I take pride in my books, but how could a reader not.

  I wonder for a moment if I should tell Jessica that she would need tissue. That might ruin the book. I will let her dive right into the book like I did with Amber.

  As I proceed to get up, I can see the two people I heard talking out of the corner of my eye. They are standing by the passenger door of the truck. I can see that they have not noticed me by my car. They look to be cuddled close together. I try to get a better look at who it is and in an instant my heart falls into my stomach. It’s Hanna.

  I see Hanna in a passi
onate lip lock with Travis. I had only met Travis once before, and got a strange vibe off of him at the time. I never told Amber, figuring that might be rude. Travis works with Jordan. They never mentioned what he does. I know he’s not in personal security because Travis is tall and thin. He looks nothing like the guys I have met that do more in-depth security like Jordan: all bulky with strong muscles.

  I don’t even bother to shut my car door and place my book back on the seat. They don’t even see me walk to them. I have never felt this angry before. How could Hanna be cheating on Jordan?

  During the time we have spent together he seemed like the perfect gentleman. I just don’t understand how someone could do this. My stomach is tied in knots and does this flip that makes me feel sick.

  “Hanna,” is all I say. The one word comes out calm, but I don’t feel calm.

  “Bitch, mind your business,” Travis spits at me. When I look at him, there is something off. The look in his eyes terrifies me. His eyes are cold and void of emotion. Hanna just stands there and says nothing. My feet seem to have a mind of their own, and I take a few steps closer to Hanna.

  “How could you? Jordan’s your boyfriend and you cheat on him?” I question her and she still says nothing to me. I look her in the eyes. I almost wonder if she has even heard me. I don’t even see Travis move or reach out to me.

  “Bitch, go back inside. You have no idea what’s going on.” Travis has grabbed my arm and is holding very tight. I just shake my head no at him. I turn slightly to look at him in the eyes. Something is wrong here, and I can feel it.

  “No, and let go of me.” I try to pull my arm back, but his grip on me is way too tight. I don’t even think about what happens next. It’s almost as if I have no control over my body, and my left hand comes up. I slap his face hard and it causes my hand to burn terribly. I get a second to notice he has let go of me. I never expect what he does next. Travis punches me in the face.

  I cannot tell if he only hit me once or if it was twice. Hanna will say later he hit me twice. My entire body was lifted from the ground and then I fell right on my butt. I was slightly dazed and confused when I realized what was going on. The left side of my face hurts, and my head is now pounding. Hanna says later that I sat on the ground for a few minutes. To me, it all happened quickly. I can hear them arguing. I try hard to hear them as I attempt to stand to my feet. There is a ringing in my ears so I can’t make out what’s being said.

  When I’m able to look up, I cannot see clearly out of my left eye. Travis is struggling with Hanna. He’s trying to get her into the truck. He is yelling at her to get in, as she says no. It looks like he has the same grip on her that he did on me. I try to stand up, and that’s when Travis reaches into the truck for something.

  All I see is a flash of silver. I try to focus on what he just grabbed and my insides panic. Travis has a gun. I’m finally on my feet and I rush Travis. I don’t even think I just go after him. If Travis had been big like Jordan or even Nate, then I don’t think I would have rushed him.

  I’m scared to death wondering what Travis is planning to do. I end up knocking him off balance, and he lets go of Hanna while still yelling at her. The pounding in my head is preventing me from processing the words that are being said. I barely see Hanna behind me. All she does is freeze. I wonder for a second why no one has come outside yet. I’m shaking because Hanna is doing nothing to help.

  Travis and I struggle as I reach for the gun. He does not seem to be as strong as I thought. I guess running and yoga have helped give me some strength, but not much. I have my left hand on the gun, and he has loosened his grip. I don’t know how I managed it, but my two middle fingers have slid behind the trigger. The adrenaline coursing through my body is making the pain feel less that it probably should, but it still freaking hurts.

  “BITCH YOU HAVE RUINED EVERYTHING!” He barks the words at me. He’s enraged with me and I instantly fear for my life. His eyes look hollow and cold. We are still struggling, my fingers are trapped, and I can feel them being crushed. There is something warm running down my hand when I feel something in my wrist snap.

  I feel a warm lightening bolt of pain run up my left arm. Travis shoves me into the side of the truck. He is still trying to pull the trigger on the gun. Each time he does more pain runs up my arm. He’s going to kill me right here. No one has come out of the house, and I look over to see that Hanna is white as a ghost. I might die and no one is going to help me. Why can’t anyone hear the commotion?

  I think Travis lets go of the trigger because my fingers burn and fall free. We continue to struggle a little longer, and his arm is pointed down. All I hear next is the pop of the gun going off. I’m unaware if anyone has been shot. Hanna screams and I back away.

  I’m shocked and stunned that I barely possess what he says to me. The pain in my arm is unbearable, and I can’t comprehend what I should do.

  “You stupid bitch you ruined everything! You will regret this!” Travis yells at me as he runs to the driver side. I hear the door open to the house seconds after the truck takes off. Hanna is mumbling something as everyone comes outside.

  I look up to see Jordan running to me. “Fuck,” is all I hear him say. I can hear someone mention something about an ambulance but I don’t understand. Jordan wraps his arms around me.

  “I…I’m Sorry,” is all I remember saying before everything around me goes black.

  Jordan

  We were all inside talking loudly over the music playing when we heard the gun shot, followed by an ear piercing-scream. Ryan was on his feet a second before Nate and me. We all hurried up the stairs and out the front door. Ryan was in front of me, and if I weren’t paying attention, I would have knocked him over. I see a truck pull away, and I know who owns it Travis.

  What the hell? Why is Travis driving off?

  Ryan comes to a stop in front of me and says one thing: Cara. My stomach sinks. I look around him to see Hanna and Ryan go to her. I don’t fully understand, and then Ryan turns to yell at me. Hanna is saying something and looks from me to what’s in front of her. I see Cara. She is standing on the sidewalk shaking. I see the blood pooling by her feet as I run to her.

  As I get closer, she slowly turns her head to look at me. My knees almost buckle and drop me. Her left eye is starting to show dark coloring and the whole area is swollen.

  “Fuck!” That’s all I can say as I wrap my arms around her. She still looks up at me and says she is sorry. Luckily, I noticed her eyes roll back in her head as she starts to drop to the ground and was able to catch her.

  She is unconscious as I lay her down on the driveway. I still have her in my arms as I look over her body. I want to make sure she wasn’t shot. I see nothing and continue to look. Her left hand is bleeding badly, and I remove my shirt.

  I know to be careful because I don’t know if her hand is broken. Two of her fingers look shredded. I wrap my shirt around them to help stop the bleeding. Turning I yell at someone for an ambulance. Jessica says she called them. I will kill Travis when I find him.

  I look up at Hanna, who is crying and mumbling to Ryan. She looks unharmed. Shit, this is my fault. Had I done my job better I would have found out that Travis was the problem. Shit! How could someone I thought was my friend do this? I will find him and get to the bottom of this.

  The ambulance arrives, and I help them with Cara. She is still out when they look her over and ask what happened. We all tell the paramedics that we were inside and don’t know. Ryan mentions to the EMT looking over Hanna that she knows.

  The EMT’s put both Hanna and Cara inside the ambulance. I ask to ride with them, but since they’re taking Hanna, who’s in shock they have no extra room. I understand so I run to my truck. As I jump inside quickly. I let out the breath that I was holding.

  “Get it together Jordan she needs you. Now go!” Amber has gotten into my truck with me. I think she gets me better than most people. I start the truck and quickly try to catch up to the ambulance.

&
nbsp; CHAPTER TWELVE

  Jordan

  I pull in right behind the ambulance at the hospital emergency room and jump out. Knowing my sister, she will take care of parking my truck. I look to see Hanna is gone, and the EMT’s are just pulling Cara out on the gurney from the back of the ambulance. It looks like she’s just now starting to slowly wake up. My body is shaking from what I had seen. I’ve never been so scared in my life and I never want to feel this helpless again.

  The EMT’s wheel her inside the hospital and I can see that her eyes are open including the one that was swelling shut. She’s looking around and has started to panic. Her panic appears worse than when she slapped me last week. Watching her rips my insides apart. I can’t help her, and I have my hands tied. I have to let the medical staff do their job.

  The nurse is trying to talk to her, and I try to help by letting the nurse know that her name is Cara.

  “I want to go home, I want to go home!”

  My heart plummets as I see Cara start to really panic. She’s trying to fight with the doctor that is now standing beside her. She is looking around franticly. I think the fact that she heard me caused her more hysteria. The EMT has backed off and is standing in my way.

  I had followed them to a room. Cara is starting to scream, as she shouts no over and over. She says again that she wants to go home. Now, I am not a man you would ever see cry, but watching her panic is killing me. I know there is nothing I can do. I can’t even blame the man that is blocking her from my sight. I would just be in the way.

  I hear the doctor shout something at a nurse, and she hurries away. Another nurse is trying to talk to me. I didn’t even notice her standing next to me. She asks me, ‘what happened to the young woman.’

  “Her name is Cara, and I don’t know what happened, I was inside the house. The other woman, Hanna, that came in with her, she was outside with her. She knows what happened.” My voice sounds broken, and right now I don’t care. I see the nurse is back, and the doctor turns and looks at me.