I lean into him, pulling him down closer to me and whisper in his ear.
“I’m a little tipsy, I think,” I say, giggling.
“Come on, Beauty, I’ll walk you to the powder room.”
Walking the short distance, he says, “Be careful, and I’ll be here waiting on you when you get done.”
I smile sweetly and I walk into the empty powder room and freshen up.
Washing my hands, I check myself in the mirror. I touch my lips, remembering our kiss. God, he is a great kisser. I apply a little more gloss to my lips and fluff my hair before leaving. I walk carefully out of the powder room and Mason is there, leaning against the wall, waiting for me, true to his word. He takes my hand and leads me outside to retrieve his car from the valet.
Mason
Still holding Angel by the arm, I wait as the valet pulls up with my car. I open the door for her to get in while loosening my hold on her arm slightly. She’s tipsy, but I don’t think she’s drunk by any means. I stopped drinking after I finished my Scotch on the rocks. After I saw Julia walk in with the spineless fuck, I was done drinking, but I wasn’t about to let Julia ruin my night with Angel. Angel gets in the car and giggles softly. I pay the valet and get into the driver’s seat. I look over at her and she is smiling at me. I reach over her without saying a word and fasten her seatbelt, never taking my eyes off of her. I fasten my own seatbelt before pulling into traffic. I have always been safety conscious, even as a child. Working at the hospital has only added to my cautiousness — that and my Dad being an attorney and judge makes me aware of the dangers of life. Something as simple as wearing a safety belt or locking your doors can save you from getting a heaping helping of trouble. I make a right on Tamiami Trail.
“Are you all right, Beauty? Would you rather me take you home?”
She thinks for a moment and smiles.
“No, I’m fine. Not unless you changed your mind.”
“Not on your life. I’m just making sure you are feeling ok, that’s all.”
“I’m fine. The wine went right to my head. I shouldn’t have had those two glasses at home first.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize you were drinking when I got there.”
“I was nervous. I was trying to calm my nerves.”
“Did it work?” I ask as I look over at her.
“Yup.”
“Well, that’s good.”
Drunk Angel is honest. I like that.
I say, “We are almost there.”
She sits up a little straighter to look out the tinted car windows. I pull into the dark driveway and shut the car off.
“Stay put and I’ll get the door for you.”
I walk over, open her door, and reach my hand for hers.
“Be careful. It’s pretty rocky.”
She gets out of the car and steadies herself. I am not sure if her unsteadiness is from the rocks, the wine, or those heels, or all three. She looks around, not sure what she is looking at. I brought her to my unfinished beach house. It’s dark, but you can hear the sound of the ocean. The breeze is blowing her hair away from her face — she is stunning. I take her hand and lead her inside.
“What is this place?” she asks.
I unlock the door and help her inside. I close the door and turn on the lights for her to see.
“It’s not done yet, but it’s my beach house. Vincent still has the outside to do and a few adjustments on the inside. It will be ready in a few more weeks. I wanted to bring you out here to see it.”
She lets go of my arm and looks around. She walks through the house and into the kitchen. She slides her hand across the granite counters, and then she walks over to the window and looks out into the darkness.
“This is breathtaking,” she says, looking out at the lanai.
“I think so, too,” I say, looking at her.
She is breathtaking. Everything about her is pretty great. No one can be that perfect. I walk her through the house and tell her about the new upgrades I made.
We walk out into the lanai and we sit on the Adirondack chairs that are facing the private beach. They are the only pieces of furniture in the entire house. Some days it feels like it’s all the furniture I need. She looks at me and smiles. Almost as if she is thinking about something. I hold her hand — it feels cold.
“Are you cold?” I ask. “Do you want to go?”
“No, I’m fine. It’s so peaceful out here.”
She closes her eyes and inhales the salty sea air.
I don’t say anything, I just leave her to her thoughts. I let go of her hand and remove my jacket and drape it over her shoulders.
”Better?”
“Better, thank you.”
I take her hand back into mine, and we stay silent for a few more minutes. We are both looking at the stars and listening to the relaxing sounds of the beach.
She opens her eyes and looks at me.
“Thank you, Mason. I had a really great time tonight, and thank you for sharing this with me,” she says, waving her free hand in front of her.
I take my free hand and place it on the side of her neck. I rub my thumb over her top lip then her bottom lip.
I look directly into her eyes and say, “Angel, you don’t need to thank me. I had a wonderful time tonight, and thank you for coming out here with me. I love this place, but it was really nice for me to share it with you. Next time you come, hopefully I’ll have some furniture and drinks.”
I lean in slowly and kiss her sweetly. God, she smells so good, like cinnamon and peaches. Her lips are so soft against mine. I deepen the kiss and she opens her mouth slightly for me. Our tongues meet and I could kiss her forever. I slowly end our kiss and lean back to look at her. Her eyes are still closed. When she opens them, I smile.
“Hi.”
“Hi,” she replies.
I stand up and take her hand.
“Come on, Beauty. It is time for me to take you home.”
She stands, removes my jacket, and hands it to me, and then she stands on her tiptoes and kisses me on the cheek.
I wrap my arms around her waist and lift her so our lips touch. She giggles, “Thank you, Mason, for everything,” she says while running her thumb across my cheek, trying to wipe off her lip gloss from my skin, and wrapping her other arm around my neck.
“You are more than welcome,” I say lowering her to the ground.
I lead her through the bare house, turning off lights and locking up as we go. I open the car door for her and she gets in. “Buckle up” is all I say before shutting her car door. I get into the driver side and fasten myself in. I look over at her when our phones alert us both about an incoming text. She pulls her phone from her purse and I grab my phone from the center console. We both laugh, look at each other and look back to our phones and laugh again. I turn my phone for her to read my text and she does the same for me.
My text is from Vincent: V: SHE SAID YES!
I read her text from Brea: B: I’M GETTING MARRIED!!! :) :) :) :)
We are both grinning ear to ear.
“Well, it looks like a great day for all of us,” I say before pulling into the darkened road.
Angel smiles, “Looks like a wedding is in the near future.”
“It sure does.”
I park the car in her driveway and look at her.
“I know, stay put,” she giggles, “so you can open my door for me.”
“Fast learner, I like that.”
I get out, look around before opening her door for her. Smiling down at her, I reach my hand in for her to take. She does. I walk her to the door and wait for her to open it.
“Want to come in?” Angel asks.
She holds the door open for me.
“No, thank you, it’s late and I need to get home. Thank you for a memorable evening, Angel.”
I take my hand and place it gently on her cheek. I caress my thumb over her cheek and kiss her sweetly on her other cheek. I lean in and look her in her eyes. They are a bea
utiful brown. I try to read them, but I can’t, although I search her eyes.
She places her hand softly over mine and leans her head into my palm.
“Thank you. I had a great time, too.”
‘You are more than welcome. Would you like to do something again next weekend?”
“I thought you would never ask,” she giggles.
I think I like drunk Angel; she is very honest. You don’t have to worry about what she is thinking.
Smiling, I nod and say, “I’ll call you and tell you where and when. I want to do a little research before I tell you what time.”
“Mmmm, sounds interesting. “
“Lock up, and I’ll talk to you later.”
“Ok, good night, Handsome.”
“Sweet dreams, Beauty.”
I back up so she can close the door. I wait until I hear the locks click before turning to leave.
I drive home with that stupid smile plastered to my face. It was a great night with a great girl. Now I need to plan something for next weekend. I get home and text Vincent.
M: Congrats, man. I knew you had nothing to worry about. I am happy for you.
I shower and head to bed. I grab my phone to text Angel, but I have a text waiting for me. It’s from an unfamiliar number. I open it up and damn if it’s not from Julia.
J: I need to see you.
I swear I can’t hit delete fast enough. That is one person I have no desire to see, ever!
My phone dings; I have a feeling of dread. I reluctantly look and it’s from Vincent. Thank God.
V: Thanks, man, I was scared shitless.
M: I know you were, but see, you had nothing to worry about. Why are you texting me and not cuddled up with your girl?
V: She is sound sleep. I wanted to see how your night went.
M: It was great. I really like her. Oh, yeah, guess who was there with Dickhead?
V: No… please don’t tell me Julia was there.
M: Oh, yeah, sitting practically in front of us through our entire meal. She came over to the table when Angel went to the ladies’ room.
V: And…?
M: She just wanted to say it was great seeing me and that I was looking really good. Blah, blah. I stopped listening soon after.
V: She is crazy, Mason. I am so glad you got away from her.
M: Me, too. Get off here and cuddle with your girl. I’ll see you Monday for racquetball, right?
V: Sure will. See you, man.
My phone dings with another text. It’s from Angel.
A: Mason?
M: Angel?
A: Thank you again for tonight. I really had a great time.
M: I should thank you. I also think I owe you an apology.
A: Really? For what?
M: For Julia. I had no idea she would be there, and I really had no idea she would approach me. I never intended to put you in the middle of that crap with her.
A: Pfft, don’t you dare give it another thought. We all have a past we would like to leave behind us.
M: Well, thank you for a lovely evening. Do you have any ideas about what you want to do next weekend?
A: Not off the top of my head. I’m up for almost anything. .
M: Sweet dreams, Angel.
A: Good night, Handsome.
I lay there in bed wide awake. It would have been a perfect night if Julia hadn’t been there. Now I get a text from her after what, six months? I run my hand through my hair wondering what she is thinking. I am so through with her and her crap. Why on earth would she want to see me? She made her decision back then.
I wake up feeling refreshed. I shower, have coffee, and straighten up the condo before heading out to pick up my Dad.
We both agree on the same office space for my practice. The location is perfect with plenty of parking. It was a pretty easy decision. I need to get it up and running. I already know who I want working there; they just have to accept the job. I need to get some supplies and office furniture, then I am good to go.
We are having lunch in a small restaurant when I tell Dad about my blind date and how well it’s going. I also tell him I saw Julia out last night and about her text wanting to see me. He nods in understanding but won’t say anything. He wants me to figure it out on my own.
We stop by the beach house, and I show him the progress and the updates. It is really starting to come together. The landscapers should he here this week. Dad tells me I need to start looking for furniture or to hire someone to do it for me. I have no idea how to decorate and Mom and Madison don’t have time. I never thought about hiring someone. Good idea. I’ll research that this week.
I drop him off at home. Mom is still out with Madison. We make plans to golf later this week. I head home to get some sleep before my shift tonight.
Chapter Three: New Troubles (A New Beginning)
Angel
God, I feel like I am in a dream. Mason and the date were wonderful. I head into the bedroom, shower, and slip on a tank top and yoga pants. I am in an exceptionally great mood. I am still smiling to myself. I grab my phone and text Mason, wondering if he’s still up.
A: Mason?
M: Angel?
A: Thank you again for tonight. I really had a great time.
M: I should thank you. I also think I owe you an apology.
A: Really? For what?
M: For Julia’s behavior. I had no idea she would be there, and I really had no idea she would approach me. I never intended to put you in the middle of that crap with her.
A: Pfft. Please do not give it another thought. We all have a past we would like to leave behind us.
M: Well, thank you for a lovely evening. Do you have any ideas what you want to do next weekend?
A: Not off the top of my head. I’ll think about it.
M: Sweet dreams, Angel.
A: Good night, Handsome.
I turn off the lights and head to bed and hopefully dream of today.
I awake to the sun shining through the bedroom window. Still lying in bed, I stretch my arms and legs with a moan. It feels good to lie here. I still have a few minutes before the alarm goes off. The bed is soft and inviting, and I could stay here all day, but work is calling me.
I shower and spend a little extra time on my hair and makeup. I pick up coffee and bran muffins for Brea, Sara, and myself before heading into the office.
Parking in my designated spot, I am disappointed to see I am the only one here. I am excited to hear how their weekend went, but I am also excited to share with them about my date night with Mason. With my hands full, I awkwardly unlock the office door. I lay the coffee, muffins, my purse, and briefcase down on my desk. When I turn to shut the door, I am frozen in my tracks.
Jim is standing there and looking at me with rage in his eyes.
“What’s the matter, Ang? You don’t look happy to see me,” he says while closing the door behind him, never taking his eyes off mine.
I stand there. I can’t move. I can’t speak. He reaches behind him and locks the deadbolt, still watching me intently. He smirks and walks slowly towards me.
“You didn’t think I would just let you walk away, did you, Angel?”
I back up against the desk, keeping my eyes on his. I need to buy some time. Sara and Brea will be here soon. It feels like minutes although it’s only been seconds. I have nowhere to go. He walks up to me and slaps me hard across my face. I fall back onto the desk, spilling the hot coffee and I grab my face in my hands. My face feels like it’s on fire. The tears are blurring my vision. I say a silent prayer. Please, God.
“Get up, bitch,” he screams at me with hatred.
I stand on shaky legs. I want to scream, I want to run, but I can’t move. I try to focus on him, but I can’t see through the tears. He hits me again with his fist and it knocks me off my feet. I fall onto the desk and then onto the floor. I can feel the warmth of blood on my face coming from my nose, or maybe it’s my mouth. I can’t tell. I am holding my face in my hands, the pai
n is horrific. I am sobbing. Shock has taken ahold of my body. I am unable to move. I can hear him walking, but I can’t see him. The tears in my eyes and the swelling to my face from his violent rage have distorted my vision. In one swift move, the air leaves my body in a rush and I can’t breathe. I gasp for air but none comes. I pray for a quick death. I don’t want to suffer from his hands anymore. Haven’t I suffered enough? Jim is sitting on my chest, holding my hands above my head so I can’t move. He says something, but I can’t make out his words. He leans close to me. I can feel the warmth of his breath on my cheek and can smell the day-old alcohol on his breath. The bile begins to rise from my stomach.
“You will never be rid of me. Do you hear me, Ang?” He speaks so softly, almost like he is talking to a frightened child. He licks my cheek and says, “I will kill you before you leave me again.” The soft tone in his voice makes it all the more chilling.
He kisses me hard on my lips, trying to push his tongue into my mouth. If I don’t get out of here, he will kill me. My endorphins kick in and it’s fight or flight. I have no way out of here, so fight is my only option. I kick and scream trying to get away, but nothing works. He is screaming at me, but I don’t hear the words. He begins to choke me. I can’t breathe. I try to scream, but nothing comes out. I try to knee him in the balls, but I can’t reach his groin with my knee.
I open my eyes and grasp at my neck to try to loosen his hold, but nothing is there. I am gasping for air and sobbing. My heart is racing. I am fighting and flailing at the covers. I scream and cry out. I get up and run towards the door.
The room is dark. I am in my bedroom. A bad dream! I wipe the tears from my eyes and look around. It was only a dream. I look around the room again and I am alone. I go back to bed and lie there trying to quiet my breathing and calm my racing heart. My hands are still on my neck. It seemed so real. I lie still, shaking, too afraid to move. I try to focus on the tick-tock of the clock. I close my eyes and try to remember I am safe. I am in my home. He can’t get to me.
I turn on the bed-side lamp and walk into the bathroom. My face and neck are blotchy and my eyes are swollen from crying. I splash cold water on my face and take a big drink of water. I look back at my reflection in the mirror. I am all too familiar with the girl looking back at me. I thought when I left L.A. I would never see her again. I look broken. I thought my days of being terrorized by him were over. Even in my dreams, that bastard haunts me.
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