by Joanna Blake
He held his hands up.
"No, honey you didn't. They were just happy because I've been mooning over you for so long. They were giving me shit."
She stared at him distrustfully, obviously not sure what to think.
"I swear to you Sally. They were just glad that I wasn't going to be such a bastard anymore. You're my old lady. Or you will be if you can stop being so mad at me. Just say the word."
He held his breath while he watched the emotions play across her beautiful face.
Finally she nodded and dropped her head forward. He pulled her into his arms and held her until the sound of motorcycles could be heard outside.
Dev and Jack walked in first and surveyed the damage.
"Jesus. What the hell happened man?"
Donnie pointed to the tied up man lying on the floor.
"That piece of shit right there."
"We'll take care of him, man. Never to be heard from again."
"No Donnie, you can't! I don't want you to get in trouble."
He stood there, his jaw clenched. He wanted to kill the guy so bad he could taste it. But he wasn't going to do it behind her back. He wasn't going to lie to her.
"You sure Sally? He doesn't deserve to live."
She nodded.
"I know. Just promise you won't kill him Donnie. It's not worth it."
"Alright sweetheart, I won't. There are worse things than death though."
The man on the floor moaned and Jack kicked him. That made Donnie smile.
"Shut up you piece of crap. He did this to you, Sally?"
Sally nodded.
"It's- it's not the first time."
"Oh, but it's sure as shit the last."
Jack cracked his knuckles together and the most terrifying smile came over his face. Donnie knew that he and Dev looked the same.
Carl didn't stand a chance.
Whisky Beard came in and looked around without showing any reaction.
"What do you need?"
Donnie stepped forward, bringing Sally with him under his arm.
"Take her to the ER and then my place. Don't leave until I come back. I'll send a few guys to stand watch at the hospital with you."
"I don't need the ER Donnie. I'm okay… and I don't want anyone looking at me."
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead.
"You sure?"
She nodded.
"Alright, Mike take her to my moms. She'll know what to do. Look at me sweetie."
She lifted her face to him. He felt like crying seeing how brave she was being. He kissed her swollen lips softly, knowing they must hurt.
"You go on now honey. Carl and I are just going to have a little talk."
"Be careful Donnie."
He didn't answer, just waited until she was gone and the car had pulled away from the curb. He pulled out his phone and called his mother.
"Mom. I'm sending someone over. Yeah… it's her. Yes of course I want you to meet her at a sensible hour. It's not like that mom! No- she's been beat up. Yeah. Oh, don't worry. I'll take care of it."
He hung up and looked almost gleefully at the piece of garbage on the floor.
Dev slapped his hand on his shoulder.
"What now brother?"
Donnie picked the bat up off the floor.
"Now shit gets real."
10
Sally was feeling woozy as they pulled up to Donnie's mother's house. It was a beautiful wooded spot just past the edge of town, on what used to be a small farm. Two houses sat next to each other, separated by less than fifty feet. They looked charming, with white picket fences and matching front porches. That's about all she could see in the dark.
"The one next door is Donnie's place."
That explained the two houses.
Mike helped her out of the car and up to the front door. He rang the doorbell.
"Bring her in here son!"
"Yes Mrs. Donahue."
He held Sally around the waist and he guided her to the bright and cheerful kitchen. He eased her into a chair. Mrs. Donahue walked over, wiping her hands on her apron. She was stunning, if older, with long black hair and blue eyes. Just like Donnie's.
"Tsk tsk. Look at you honey. Who did this to you?"
"My ex."
Mrs. Donahue started talking and didn't stop while she gently examined Sally's face.
"Not the first time either was it? Well don't worry, I've got plenty of experience with this. First myself. Then the kids. And then Donnie getting into every scrape he could. I sweat you would think that boy had magnets in his fists."
She pulled at Sally's silk top.
"Take this off honey. You can go now Mike."
"Donnie told me to stick around. Okay if I sit on the porch?"
"Course honey. I'll bring you out some iced tea in a little while. Send Marie in if you see her."
She sat very still while Donnie's mother tended to her. The older woman tsk'd a few more times but was otherwise silent. She knew what she was doing too- being as gentle as possible while thoroughly cleaning all the cuts and abrasions. She finished everything off with an ointment and bandages.
"Best to let some of these breath. Just covered up the worst of them."
"Thank you."
Mrs. Donahue laughed.
"Girl, you're the first woman Donnie's brought home to me. I'd knit you a sweater if you were cold. Now then, you want a bourbon and a lie down? I don't have anything stronger than a Tylenol."
Sally shook her head. She didn't want to fall asleep. Not until she knew that Donnie was okay.
That he hadn't done anything stupid on her behalf.
"No thank you. But I'd like some coffee if you have it."
"Afraid to go to sleep eh? Don't blame you. I don't have coffee though. Just tea."
"That'd be fine, thank you. I just- I just want to see Donnie when he gets back."
That made Mrs. Donahue beam. She brewed a pot of tea and poured Sally a cup. She was sipping it when a beautiful teenage girl came in.
"Come here Marie, say hello to Sally. She's Donnie's good friend."
Marie came over and gave Sally a shy little curtsy. It would have been adorable on a child but Marie was a lovely young woman. She was also simple. That was plain to see when you looked into her eyes.
Sally's heart twisted when she thought about all that this family had been through. She looked around again, not wanting them to see the pity in her eyes. She started noticing the fine craftsmanship of the home. It had been meticulously restored and renovated.
"You have a beautiful house Mrs. Donahue."
"Oh this here is Donnie's place."
"I thought he lived in the house next door?"
"That's Donnie's place too. We live here, but he owns 'em both. The barn too. Though you probably knew that."
Sally shook her head slowly. She had no idea Donnie was so well off. In fact, she had no idea what he even did at all. His mother was looking at her shrewdly.
"You don't have a clue about him do you? Just some pretty boy on a bike with nice eyes?"
Sally frowned. She didn't think of him that way exactly… did she? Mrs. Donahue snorted. Sally had a sinking feeling that Mrs. Donahue didn't think much of her at that moment.
"Here, take this flashlight. Marie, take Miss Sally out to the workshop."
She stood and followed Marie out of the house, hearing Mrs. Donahue muttering.
"How a body could be in love with someone and not know the first thing…"
Mrs. Donahue had a point.
She walked out a well worn path toward a barn about a hundred yards from the house. An enormous willow tree filled the space in front of it. A flat wooden swing hung from one of the sturdy branches above. Marie ran ahead and slid the barn doors open. She flicked a switch and ran back to the tree, hopping onto the swing.
Sally watched her on the swing for a minute. The girl was happy. She knew she was safe and loved.
Thanks to Donnie.
But most of all, there was art.
Huge metal sculptures were everywhere. A motorcycle that looked like it could take flight with the enormous wings spread out from the sides. There was an angel that looked like Marie as well as many abstract but beautiful designs. There was another motorcycle across the room that made a shiver run down her spine. It had horns and a tail, almost like a… no it was… a bike fit for the Devil.
How had he managed to make these out of metal? They looked so fluid, like they were molded out of silk. Then she saw the torches lining a high metal rack.
Of course. Donnie was a welder. Well, more than that really. He was a metal smith. And an artist.
An incredibly talented one.
She walked through the barn in awe, with something new to see at every turn.
A small figure hanging from the ceiling caught her eye. It was pirouetting, with long copper hair streaming down it's back. It almost looked alive the way it was spinning on it's wire. She stepped closer to get a better look.
The figure was a woman. Her head was thrown back and there was something wild and free is the way her arms were reaching behind her, almost as if she was about to take flight.
Her heart started pounding in her chest.
It looked like her.
Donnie had sculpted her.
All the fears she'd had about him, all the walls she'd put up, they all came tumbling down in that instant. He did love her. His mama had said so hadn't she?
She stayed in the workshop for almost an hour, touching things and just letting herself revel in her new discovery.
Donnie loved her.
And she loved him.
Finally she went back to the house with Marie following at her heels. Nobody seemed to mind that it was the middle of the night. She showered, wanting to get the slightest hint of Carl's touch off of her. Then she let Mrs. Donahue give her one of Marie's nightgowns and put her to bed like a child.
She closed her eyes and thought about the future for the first time in what felt like forever. She was exhausted. But she didn't sleep. She couldn't. She had to wait for him.
Donnie came home around dawn.
She heard his mother whispering as he came into the house.
"She's resting."
"I just want to see her. Is she going to be alright?"
"She's okay. He got in some pretty bad licks. You said she got in some too?"
"And then some."
"She's quite a girl Donnie."
"I know Ma."
Donnie came into the room she was sleeping it and stood in the doorway. He looked so alone there. She wanted him to come in and hold her.
He stepped forward as she sat up, letting the blanket slide off her shoulder.
"You're awake."
"I wanted to see you."
He came over to her and sat on the edge of the bed. She lay back down and let him stroke her hair.
"He won't bother you again."
"You didn't-"
"Shhhhh… no honey I kept my promise. He's going to have a limp for the rest of his life though."
She held her arms out and he lay down beside her. They stayed like that as the sun came up.
11
Donnie woke up with a start. The bed beside him was empty. He sat up and gripped his hand. He'd jacked it up punching that weasel in the face over and over again, making sure to rearrange some of his features. He wouldn't have such an easy time finding women to terrorize looking like that.
He stretched and went downstairs. His mother was there. Sally was not.
"Where's Sally?"
"She headed out a while ago son. Asked which way was town and off she went."
"What? You just let her leave?"
Donnie knew what she was doing. She was running again. That's what Sally did to protect herself. And now she was running from him. He felt rage and fear welling up inside him.
He wasn't going to let her run away this time. She could try, but he was going to catch her. And he was going to keep her. He ran into his house and grabbed something from his kitchen drawer. Then he was running for his bike.
"Son wait!"
Behind him his mother called out for him but he didn't stop. He couldn't.
Donnie was on his bike in two seconds and blazing down the dirt road at full speed. It was a ten minute ride into town and a thirty minute walk. He made it in five. If he could catch up with her he would make her understand that she belonged with now.
They belonged together.
Donnie cruised past her house but she wasn't there. Then he pulled around to the main drag, scanning the streets for her all the way to Mae's.
Nothing.
Damn, where the hell had she gone?
He pulled the bike over when he finally saw her coming out of the fancy new coffee shop that had just opened on the far side of town. She was wearing her tight jeans and one of his old flannel shirts. He felt his stomach settle back into the place it was supposed to be, and out of his throat, where it had been keeping his heart company.
Sally was carrying one of those cardboard take out trays with two large cups in it.
She hadn't run. She was just getting coffee.
The little addict.
He scowled. A man was talking to her. He recognized the guy… It was Jerry, that guy who ran the place where she learned self defense. He'd done a damn good job too. Donnie was about to congratulate him when he saw the way the guy was looking at Sally. She looked annoyed about it too. He was too far to hear what they were saying but he sure as shit saw it when she dumped coffee on the guys lap. Donnie laughed.
"Dammit Jerry, now I have to get more coffee!"
Well, he heard that.
The guy was still there, lurking around when Donnie pulled his bike in front of the coffee shop. He took one look at Donnie and took off. He leaned back on his bike waited for her to come back out.
"You're a caffeine addict you know that?"
She smiled at him and sipped her coffee.
"I got you one too."
He grinned at her.
"I liked the way you disposed of the first one."
She blushed and said nothing, just inhaled more of her precious caffeine.
"Come on, let's go home."
"We better drink it now, it'll spill on the bike."
"I'll get a coffee maker."
She clutched her coffee cup even tighter. He sighed. She was too cute.
"I'll get it today."
**********
Sally followed Donnie into the other house, the one he lived in. She looked around curiously. It was just as well kept but a bit messier, and definitely lacked a woman's touch.
"Do you want me to make some eggs?"
He'd convinced her to throw out her coffee and get on the bike with him but she was hungry. Plus she wanted to do something nice for him.
"Not now. I want to show you something."
He locked the front door and pulled something out of his pocket.
Handcuffs.
"That's not funny Donnie."
"I'm not joking."
"But- I have to work later!"
"Not today.
"But Mae-"
"I called her already."
She started backing away from him. Right into the stairwell. She took a step up, trying to reason with him. He did not look like he was in the mood to be reasonable.
"I'm working tomorrow too Donnie."
"I'll let you out for your shift."
He grinned and walked toward her. She took another step up the stairs.
"But then I'm locking you back up again."
She took another step. And another.
"That's good sweetheart. You're heading in the right direction."
He wouldn't really lock her up, would he? She stared into his eyes. His beautiful blue, sparkling, determined eyes.
Oh dear. He would.
She turned tail and ran up the steps. He was behind her, lifting her up off her feet and into his arms. He grinned down at her as he carried her to his bedroom. He stripped her clothes off of her methodically and grinned at the outraged expression on her face. Then he slapped the cuff on her wrist and pushed her onto the bed.
Sally stared up at him in awe as he attached the other side of the cuffs to the bed frame. He did it. He actually chained her to the bed!
"You're never going to get away from me now woman."
He was staring down at her triumphantly. But there was something else in his face. Relief.
She realized he'd been afraid of losing her. Her heart swelled at the earnest look on his face. He was half joking of course. He wasn't really going to keep her locked up. Well, maybe for a little while.
She watched him undress that gorgeous body and smiled at him when he joined her on the bed.
"You can lock me up if you want to Donnie. I don't want to be anywhere but here."
He moaned and lowered his body to hers. He was already hard. She spread her legs, inviting him in as he slid into her welcoming sheath. He was breathing heavily already, as if he'd run a marathon. Sally arched her back, bringing them into closer contact, making him groan in ecstasy. He held her face and stared into it.
"You're so beautiful Sally."
She watched him as he made love to her, showing her with his body that what she'd thought last night was true.
Proving it once and for all.
He loved her.
12
Two Years Later
Sally strummed the guitar and prepared to play the wedding march. Well, as well as she could with her swollen belly getting in the way. She liked watching her wedding ring sparkle as her fingers danced over the strings. She looked up and saw Donnie watching her from the rows of chairs.
The church was packed.
Any minute now Kaylie would be walking through that door in a white dress. Funny that Sally had beat her to the alter.
Sally wasn't the only one.
She looked around the church and picked out the large man with wild dark hair holding two squirming toddlers. One adorable little girl with bright red hair was under one enormous arm and an equally adorable little boy with dark hair was tucked under the other. Jack was staring at his wife as she walked down the aisle. Janet was a beautiful bridesmaid. It was a good thing too since none of them had gotten a chance to see Janet in her wedding dress. In fact, no one had known about their wedding until after the fact.