“I have no idea. He was one of the new hires. Here we hire extra security to keep you safe and one of them ends up being the problem.”
“Well, someone had better find out what the fuck happened.” He could hear her approaching. “I’ve gotta go.”
Madi walked in behind him and laid her clothes on the sink as he put his phone back into his pocket. “Here,” she said as she handed him a bottle, “this makes great bubbles. Then I can hide and you can stay.”
Jake nodded his head, looked at the bottle and added bubbles. He glanced back toward Madi, looked at the bottle, and added even more.
Madi sat down on the edge of the tub and put her hands over her face.
“Baby, what can I do? I’d do anything to make you feel better or take this pain away from you.” He bent down in a crouch next to her.
She removed her hands and grasped them together on her lap as she considered his offer. “Can I ask you a serious question?”
He smiled. “Are there any questions with you that aren’t serious?”
“Probably not.”
“Ask,” he said with a small lift of his chin.
“When you look at me right now, do you see me or do you see Gina?”
Ouch. That question hit him like a brick in the head. He stood. “I see you and I remember Gina.”
She looked up at him with worried eyes. “You understand this is not the same, right?”
He turned back to check on the water, reaching his hand inside to feel the temperature. “I understand that I let two people I care deeply for get hurt.”
She stood and looked down at him. “You didn’t let either of us get hurt. You had no control over either situation. I am also not a child. I’m confused and a little shaken up, but tomorrow I will be fine and when I walk back into work…”
His head turned over his shoulder. “The hell if you are going back to work!”
“What do you mean? Are you firing me?”
He stood and turned toward her. “No, of course I’m not firing you. I just think you should take a couple of days to rest.”
“I don’t want to rest. I’m not staying here alone, Jake.”
“I’ll stay with you.”
“You have work to do. I’m fine. Other than a slap to the face and a couple of bruises on my wrists, I’m fine.” Madi held up her arms and Jake looked at them. They were turning a shade of purple. Jake sunk to the floor.
“What’s wrong?” Madi folded down with him. He covered his eyes. Madi pulled his hands away and she could see he was holding back the tears.
“Your wrists…” In his mind he saw Gina with the scissors in her hand and blood dripping from her wrist.
Madi seemed to instantly know what he was thinking. “No, it’s not the same.”
He rested his face in his hands. “I’m so sorry, Madi. I should have been there for you. I should have protected you.”
“You couldn’t have protected me.”
“You just don’t get it. This is all my fault. I should have protected you. I should have protected Gina and I should have protected Tessa.”
Madi’s brows shot up. “Tessa? Who’s Tessa?”
Jake realized what he had said. He quickly stood and turned toward the bath. He turned the water off. “I think it’s ready.”
“Jake, who is Tessa?”
“No one, just drop it.” He’d said too much and the regret of his words was written on his face.
“I’m not going to drop it. Please tell me?”
“I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t even know why I said it. Just let it go.”
“I need to help you. Please let me. Don’t you trust me? Do you think I would ever tell anyone anything you said to me?”
He looked down at her on the floor and crouched down next to her. “It’s not that. I do trust you. I trust you more than I’ve ever trusted anyone, and I barely even know you.”
She reached up and touched his cheek. “You know me better than you think.”
He took her hand in his and helped her up. “Come on, get in your bath.”
Madi sighed as she stood. “Are you staying with me?”
“Do you really want me to?” he said with a smile.
“If you’re uncomfortable, it’s okay. You don’t have to.”
“I’m not uncomfortable. If you want me, then I’m here. I’ll step out; you tell me when you’re ready. I think there are enough bubbles to hide a semi, so you should be golden.”
Jake walked out the door, winking at her as he closed it behind him. Madi slipped out of her clothes and folded them on the sink. She looked at herself in the mirror. She looked awful. Her hair and make-up were a mess. She had a couple of bruises on her arms and one on her side. Dick, she thought. What kind of a man would do that to a woman? She slipped into the water and closed her eyes. It felt so good.
“Is everything all right?” he questioned.
“You can come in.”
Jake opened the door and pressed his lips together to hide his smile. He almost couldn’t see her face through the bubbles. “Too much?” he asked through a snicker.
Madi wiped the bubbles away from her face. “I need them. I look like hell.”
“You never look like hell.”
“You’re just being nice. I think the reason you made so many bubbles is because you didn’t want to have to see my hideous face.”
He grabbed a towel and placed in on the floor next to the tub. “The reason I made so many bubbles is so I couldn’t see your smokin’ bod.”
Madi giggled. “You think I’m smokin’?”
He sighed as he pushed up his sleeves. “You know you are.”
“Wow, at some point I moved up the Jake Morgan scale from beautiful to smokin’. What do I have to do to get to irresistible?”
He smiled as he shook his head in disbelief. “There’s no scale, but if there was, there wouldn’t be a listing for you. You’re off the charts.”
“See, how is it you always know the exact right thing to say? Did you go to charm school or something?”
Jake rubbed his eyes with his fingers and sat on the floor next to the tub. “You make it easy to be charming.”
Madi raised her hand to him, before sinking further into the water. “What did I just say? No wonder every girl, woman, and grandmother in the world is infatuated with you!”
“I’m just going to stop talking.”
“Hey, can I ask you one more question?” she asked.
“No,” he said bluntly.
“Please?” she pouted.
“No, I’m afraid of your questions,” he said playfully.
“This one shouldn’t be too hard.”
“What?” he said sarcastically.
“Does it affect you in the least to know I’m right next to you and that I’m completely naked?”
Jake laughed out loud, lay down on the towel next to her, and covered his head with his arms. “You have no idea.”
Madi laughed. “Good. Suffer.”
Jake couldn’t help but smile. This amazing, incredibly strong woman was in his bathtub naked under bubbles within hands reach. Jake’s smile faded as he thought about all she had been through. What would he have done if he had really hurt her? He would have killed him with his bare hands.
Chapter 36
Madi
She and Jake had sat in the bathroom for over an hour, the bubbles started popping and pieces of her skin were slightly visible. They had talked about everything and anything. She told Jake she thought she was turning into a prune. He got up to leave and said whoa, turning quickly. Madi had to laugh. She had told him it was just her arm and her stomach. Apparently that was too much for him and he excused himself into his room. Madi got dressed and put on her robe. She felt a little stiff and sore. She took a washcloth and wiped her face. She ran her fingers through her hair and shrugged. There was nothing more she could do.
When she walked into his room Jake was pacing waiting for her. He looked at h
er like she was frail.
“Jake, please, I’m fine.”
“Are you hungry?”
“Are you going to cook for me?” she said with surprise.
“I will reheat for you.”
“Maybe just a little something.”
They walked together into the hall as he asked, “Are you okay if I take Murphy for a quick walk?”
Madi nodded. When Jake left, she walked over to the fridge. She opened it up and took out some leftover pizza from the night before. She started to reheat it. When she glanced up, she thought she saw something in the reflection of the glass and she jumped. She turned around and nothing was there. She realized she was a little more shaken up than she thought; being alone made it harder. Jake made her feel safe. She loved him so much her heart could burst. He was so good to her. She remembered the bathroom and then thought of Gina. He was torturing himself over what happened to her. She needed to get to the root of why he felt so guilty. Something told her it also had something to do with this Tessa. Could Tessa be another piece of the puzzle? Jake came through the door and she jumped again.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” He took off Murphy’s chain and cautiously came over to her.
“It’s fine. I’m just jumpy, probably hungry.”
“I could have done that,” he said as he pointed toward the plates.
She smiled and walked over to the couch. He grabbed two bottles of water and joined her. “TV?” She shook her head no. “Music?” No again. “Do you want to talk?”
“Yes,” she said enthusiastically.
“About what?”
“You.”
“Nope, I’m off limits. You’re trying to analyze me and I know it.”
Madi made a pouting face and Jake took a bite of his pizza. “Remind me to yell at my sister for telling you to do that.”
“Please, Jakie?” she said as she picked off a piece of crust and popped it into her mouth.
He shook his head firmly with eyes open wide. “No... Don’t call me that! That is not you.”
“I need a name for you.”
“Jake is fine.”
“You call me Mads. I need a nickname for you.”
“How about ‘Sexy’?” Jake said with a grin as he bit into his pizza again.
She stopped mid bite and put her pizza down. “Really… You want me to say ‘Hey Sexy, do you want to do that interview at four?’”
“That has a nice ring to it. I like it.”
Madi rolled her eyes. “But really, can I ask you a question?”
“Every time you ask me a question, I always regret telling you it was okay.” He looked into her serious brown eyes. “Fine, what?”
“Who is Tessa?”
Jake jumped up and walked to the kitchen. “And there it is.”
“Please, just tell me.”
“No, dammit! I’m sorry I opened my mouth.”
Madi jumped up to go after him and winced in pain. Jake saw her and came running over. “I knew I should have taken you to the hospital. We’re going, right now.”
“I’m just sore. Stop!”
“Why are you so stubborn, Madi?”
“Me? You’re the one who won’t talk to me.”
“I’m talking to you. I just don’t want to talk to you about what you want to talk to me about.”
“I’m just trying to help you.”
“Can’t you see I don’t want your help!” Jake almost shouted it.
Madi felt the tears sting her eyes. It had been a rough day and he had been a jerk for half of it. “Goodnight, Jake.” Madi started to walk toward her room and he came after her. He went to pull her arm and she pulled back in fear, letting out a gasp. She looked at him and he was genuinely frightened he had hurt her. “You just surprised me.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve been a real ass today. Please don’t walk away from me.”
“I’m tired, Jake. I just want to forget this day ever happened.”
Jake nodded his head and Madi went into her room and closed the door. She was so tired. She brushed her teeth, pulled back the covers, and turned off the light. A minute later she started feeling scared. She closed her eyes and she saw his face. She saw him coming toward her. She felt his hands on her. She jumped out of bed and ran to the door, charging out her room and calling Jake’s name. He was sitting on the floor next to her door with his head on his arms. When he saw her he jumped up and she flew into him.
“I’m scared. I’m really scared.” She grasped onto his shirt for dear life and he pulled her tightly against him in response.
“I’m here. I’ve got you.”
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I thought I was okay. But when I closed my eyes he was there, you know? I could feel his hands on me. I felt like he was in the room watching me. I know it’s dumb, but I just feel so freaked out!”
“It’s not dumb. It’s completely understandable. You’ve been through so much today.” He ran his fingers over her back as he held her in his arms.
“Please don’t leave me.” She gripped him tighter.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he promised.
“Will you stay with me tonight?”
“Of course I will.”
Jake
He had tried to convince her to come to his room, but she wanted to learn to feel safe in hers. She came with him while he brushed his teeth and watched him. She told him that she couldn’t believe how he could make brushing teeth look sexy. He almost spit out his toothpaste. He asked her if she was going to stay while he went pee. She told him that it was not the way she wanted to see him for the first time. It totally took him off guard. His hands reached into his hair and she laughed while she closed the bathroom door. It took him five minutes to concentrate enough to go after that. He washed his hands and changed his clothes, opting for a t-shirt and sweats. He opened the door and found her sitting at his piano. He asked her if she wanted him to play for her. She yawned, said it was tempting but that she just wanted to get him into her bed. He sighed as he tilted his head at her and she laughed.
They went to her bed and Jake asked her which side she wanted him on. She said she didn’t care, so he went closest to the door in an attempt to make her feel safe. “Are the doors locked?” she asked fearfully.
“Yep,” he nodded assuredly.
“Are you sure?”
He could see the fear in her eyes. “Do you want me to recheck?”
“Yes, please.”
After checking, he walked back into the room and he found her under the covers with her robe on the floor. He went to close the door and Murphy scooted through and jumped in her bed. She laughed and he had to smile. Her laugh was infectious. It was like nothing he’d ever heard before her. It was the kind of laugh that made people smile. It was one of the many things about her that he was so attracted to. He climbed into bed next to her and turned off the light. “You okay?” he asked.
“Better,” she said hesitantly.
“What else can I do? Just name it.”
“Can I ask you a question?” she asked.
“Oh, Madi,” he laughed. “Just ask the question. You don’t need to ask me if you can ask me.”
She giggled. “Would you mind holding me?”
Jake felt his pulse quicken. “I would love to hold you.”
He opened his arm to her and she put her head on his chest as he wrapped his arm around her. “Better now?”
“Perfect.” He could feel her smile and it made him let loose the air he seemed to have been holding in since he saw her on the bus.
Jake lay there for what could have been hours. His heart was pounding at the proximity of her. She smelled so good and her body was so close to his. He thought about all she had been through and he quickly felt bad for thinking of her that way at a time like this. He had thought about sleeping in bed with her, but usually it was after he had made love to her. He was surprised by how intimate it seemed to hold her but not touch her. Jake felt his thoughts ra
cing. How was it possible? How could he have let this happen? How could he feel so much, so soon? He was starting to think he just might be in love with her.
Chapter 37
Madi
The Contest Page 31