Starting Over Trilogy Boxset

by Kennedy, Brenda

  “STOP IT! THAT’S ENOUGH!”

  I jump at his tone. I have never heard Mason raise his voice, much less yell. “You asked. I can go on if that’s what you want.”

  Mason walks over to me and stares down at me with pain on his face. The stress lines on his face that I have only known Julia to put there are back. I put them there; they are there because of me. I can’t bear to look at him, knowing I am the reason for his grief. He tells me he is leaving. He also tells me that he expected more from me. He turns and walks out the door without looking back at me. No kiss, no “I love you,” and no “Sweet dreams, Beauty.”

  Mason Myles just walked out of my life, and I let him. The sobs come full force, and I can’t stop them. This is exactly what I wanted, and I have never felt worse. I reach for a tissue on my desk. I want to go after him and tell him I can’t be without him and that I can’t live without him.

  Then memories of Jim enter my mind, and I know I can never have Mason.

  My time with Mason is over. I will never forget him. His sweet nature and gentleness — and his over-protective and dominant side — were a welcoming contrast to what I have known. My entire life I have wanted, even dreamed, of a man like Mason Myles, and I pushed him away — so far away there is no repairing the damage I have caused.

  I grab the box of tissues from my desk and scoot myself into the bedroom. I cry until I can’t any longer.

  The next week goes by in a blur. I am sitting at the doctor’s office with Maria. I haven’t heard from Mason in over a week. No texts, no phone calls, nothing. I have missed him terribly, and I cry myself to sleep every night. Sara and Brea came by, wanting to talk to me about him, about us, but I refused. We have been planning Brea and Vincent’s wedding, and Brea has started showing. We even online shopped for some maternity clothes for her.

  The doctor calls me back. I have Maria wait for me in the waiting area; I don’t want her to hear what I or the doctor has to say.

  After arguing with the doctor, I talk him into removing my arm cast a couple weeks early. I promise him I will take it easy and to be careful with my arm. I need to get the cast off so Maria can return home to Raúl. She will be in danger if and when Jim gets out on bond. I can’t protect her as long as she is here with me. She needs to be as far from Jim as possible.

  The doctor removes the cast and shows me how to use crutches. I walk back and forth several times in the small room with him monitoring. Once he is happy that I won’t fall on my ass and break my other arm or my other leg, he opens the door for me to exit. He explains I need a follow-up appointment with him in two weeks and that I am not allowed to drive. No kidding, I think to myself; my leg is still in a cast.

  I walk into the waiting room and Maria stands to greet me with a smile and a hug.

  We stop by the Corkscrew Deli for a light lunch before heading home. I thought I saw Mason’s car in the parking lot, but I didn’t see him. As much as I wanted to see him, I’m glad I didn’t. It would have been devastating to see him and know that I can’t be with him. Or even more painful if he was with someone else.

  Maria and I go home, and I tell her she should book her flight back to California. I tell her I am fine, Jim is going to prison, and I need to get on with my life. She reluctantly agrees with me. I plaster on a fake smile, open a bottle of wine, and talk like everything is fine in the world and in my life. I wish I could believe the lie myself.

  Having the arm cast off gives me some new freedom. I still have the leg cast on and walk with crutches, but I am no longer confined to a wheelchair. I can get in and out of bed alone, dress alone, even cook, everything but drive. I will use a taxi when I need to go someplace. I still have the insurance money for my car but no car. I can’t worry about that until I am able to drive again.

  I head to bed and once again cry myself to sleep. It has been eight days post Mason, and I am just as heartbroken today as I was then. My phone chimes; I have an incoming text. My heart starts to beat faster before I realize there is no way Mason would call me, let alone text me.

  M: I think it’s a little soon to have your cast off?

  Oh, my God it’s Mason, and not just Mason, but overprotective, sexy-as-hell Mason.

  A: How do you know I have it off?

  M: I saw you earlier at The Corkscrew Deli. Too soon, don’t you think?

  That was his car.

  A: No, my doctor thought otherwise.

  M: What did you do — threaten to remove it yourself if he didn’t?

  He knows me so well.

  A: No, he said I didn’t need it any longer.

  M: Mmm, I see. Hard for me to believe an educated doctor would remove a cast two weeks early. Sweet dreams, Angel, and be safe.

  Don’t go, don’t leave. I miss you and I love you. Come over and stay with me, hold me, kiss me. I want to write all those things, but I don’t. The tears start to fall, and my vision is blurred.

  A: Good night, Mason.

  These are the only words I manage to type. I cry myself to sleep and dream of my handsome, sweet man.

  Before Maria leaves for California, we go to the store and she stocks the kitchen cabinets, freezer, and refrigerator full with everything she thinks I’ll need.

  I kiss and hug Maria goodbye and tell her I’ll be out to visit soon. She drives herself to the airport and returns the rental car on the way.

  I continue to work from home, and when Sara and Brea want to come over I make some lame excuse why they can’t. Being on crutches, I can make lame excuses. The detectives have come over once to tell me Jim is being held at the county jail and is out of the hospital. It’s reassuring to know that he is behind bars. They tell me he is being held without bail.

  Mason

  Hearing Angel tell me she is seeing someone else just about killed me. I know why she said that but damn if that didn’t hurt to hear. She wants so much to protect me from Jim, she would do and say anything to keep me away from her. Just the thought of another man being with her makes me see red. Fifty Shades of Red as my Angel would say. God, how I miss her.

  I miss her every single day. I drive by her house and park on her street just hoping to get a look at her and praying I don’t. It would be almost impossible to explain why I am there. I sit there well into the night, and I drive by there on my way to the office every morning. I still have an instinct to protect her. I want to make sure she is safe. Once I am satisfied, I go home.

  I was afraid in the beginning that I would see some man come or leave from her cottage. I often envisioned what I would do to him if I saw someone with her, another man kiss her, and I’m pretty sure Jim and I would be sharing a jail cell. I would never hurt her, but he is an entirely different story. I don’t want anyone touching Angel or being with her romantically.

  The grand opening at the office was a huge success. We received about two dozen different planters, flowers, fruit baskets, boxed candies, and cards from people congratulating us and wishing us well. Carla has done a wonderful job hiring the staff. They all have a great working relationship and a great work ethic. The days have been filled with patients and meeting their needs; this is a goal that we all share. Some of the patients I know from the hospital, and some I don’t.

  Carla showed up the first day of work with a beautifully wrapped gift for me. It was wrapped in blue wrapping paper with a huge bow on it. I carefully unwrapped it as she smiled at me. Carefully opening up the shirt box, I pulled out a white tee shirt with bold words on the front and the back that reads, CARLA ROCKS. Laughing at the gift, I told her she is too much and she shouldn’t have.

  Mom and Madison stopped by with lunch for everyone on the first day we opened. It was very nice especially since we close the office down for lunch every day.

  I leave work and drive by Angel’s cottage. I would love to see her just once. Carl, who is in the driveway washing their car, waves. I have no doubt that he knows what I am up to.

  Today when I drive by Angel’s, the rental car is not in her driv
eway. It wasn’t there last night either. I text Raúl, and he tells me Maria has returned home to California. This is all new to me. I decide to stop by Sara and Brea’s office to get the scoop without them knowing I’m fishing for information. I haven’t seen them in a while, so that’ll be my excuse to stop by. Should I bring sweets for Brea, I wonder? No, certainly that phase in her pregnancy is over with by now.

  I stop by Sara and Brea’s office, and I about trip over my own feet. Angel is sitting at her desk on the phone. She is looking radiant, as usual. Her long dark hair is curly and pulled up at the sides and gathered in the back in a hairclip. She is wearing a white, long-sleeved blouse and a black, knee-length skirt. Her legs are crossed, and she has on red stiletto shoes. My dick twitches, and I try to think about lacerations and EKG’s to maintain it to normal size.

  The bell over the door chimes, alerting the employees someone is entering the office. Any other time I would appraise the idea of the bell alert, but not today. I need to adjust myself, but Sara, Brea, and Angel are all looking up at me from their desks. I see a smile form on Angel’s face before it quickly falls.

  “Hello, Angel, Sara, and Brea.”

  “Hello, Mason,” Angel says as she turns her chair so her back is facing me, and I walk over to where Brea is sitting. Brea stands to hug me and I step back. She pats her protruding belly and laughs.

  “Junior’s getting big,” I say, laughing with her.

  “Junior? Who said it’s a boy? And how dare you show up empty handed.”

  Her sweet phase is not over with.

  Sara walks over to us and hugs me as well.

  “Whoa, sorry. I was guessing about it being a boy, and I wasn’t thinking about bringing something sweet. Please excuse my rudeness. I just wanted to see how everything was going.”

  “It’s going great, and I’m glad you didn’t bring anything sweet. I really do need to lay off that stuff,” she says, laughing and rubbing her belly. “He kicks all the time, I think he likes sweets too.”

  “Is he kicking now?”

  Brea takes my hand and places it on her belly. I wait for only a few minutes before the baby moves. I look at Brea with big eyes and a big grin, and she is looking at me and matching my smile. “Oh wow, that is so amazing.”

  “I know, it’s nothing less than amazing. I’m going to be a mom.”

  “Brea, you are going to be a wonderful mother.”

  “Do you think so?”

  “I am certain of it, and I can’t believe how much has changed in a few weeks with you.”

  Brea steps closer to me and whispers, “Did you come here to see Angel?”

  “No, I didn’t know she was back to work. How is she?”

  “Mason, talk to her,” Sara says quietly. “She is sad and miserable. Maria left for California yesterday, and this is Angel’s first day back in the office.”

  “She looks good,” I say, turning around to look at her. I catch her looking at me, but she quickly turns back around.

  “Mason, go and talk to her, please,” Brea begs.

  “Well, I’m done here. I’m heading home now.”

  I turn around and see Angel standing from her desk. She is reaching for her crutches and purse. Sara walks over to the front door to hold it open for Angel to walk through.

  “Call me later,” Brea shouts before the door closes.

  “She didn’t drive, did she?” I ask, looking confused.

  “No, she can’t drive with that cast on her leg. She still doesn’t have a car, not that she needs one yet. She takes a taxi everywhere she goes. She refuses to let us pick her up or drop her off,” Sara says, walking back to her desk.

  “She rarely hangs out with us anymore,” Brea adds.

  “I have to go,” I say, running towards the front door.

  I don’t see her when I get outside, but I do see a taxi pulling off from around the corner. I walk to my car and ponder my choices. Let her go, or go after her. I start my car and race to her cottage.

  I pull up just as the taxi pulls off. I quickly park my car and run up as she is walking into the house.

  “Angel, please wait.”

  Angel drops her purse and leans against the door frame. “Oh, Mason, you scared me.”

  That was never my intent to scare her. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I didn’t want you to close the door behind you.”

  “Because you knew I wouldn’t open it back up for you?”

  “Ouch, yeah, I guess that’s right. I wanted to see how you are doing.”

  “I’m doing well, but Mason, I need to go. I’m sorry.”

  “I just want to see you, to talk to you.”

  “Mason, I’m sorry. Nothing has changed between us. You should go.”

  “Have you been shooting since you had your cast removed?”

  “No, I haven’t. Hopefully I’ll go once the leg cast comes off.”

  “Do you want to go now? I haven’t been there in a while.”

  “No, I can’t, but thank you. I don’t think it’s a good idea we hang out anymore. You really need to go,” Angel says as she steps into the house and closes the door behind her.

  I stand there as the door closes and listen for the double locks to secure on the inside of the door. Once they are secured, I head back to my car and head home.

  At home, I grab my weapon and then go to the gun range alone. After I have shot off several rounds and I am satisfied with my aim, I head home and shower. I get a call from Dad saying the prosecutors asked the courts to dismiss Julia as Jim’s attorney due to conflict of interest. Dad explains that because Julia and I dated that makes it a conflict of interest for her to represent Angel’s ex. Dad tells me the motion to dismiss Julia was filed today and hopefully he will hear something tomorrow.

  Finally, I can rest. I walk into the kitchen to get a Corona, turn on the evening news and head out to the lanai. I lay my head back against the chair and think of Angel. God, how I wish we were together. She is dead set on us remaining apart. Maybe Dad can ask for a speedy trial, and once this is over maybe then we can be together.

  I hear Jim Davis’ name come across the evening news and I stand up and walk into the living room to hear the news better. The anchor man announces that Jim was released on bond and is now a free man. Julia is there at the jail and the news reporters are trying to interview her. She is all smiles and patting Jim’s arm. The headline reads, “Recorded Earlier.”

  I drop my beer bottle on the floor, grab my weapon, and run out the door. I call Angel on the way to her house to tell her Jim was released on bond, but there is no answer. I call again and it goes to her voicemail.

  I park my car in the driveway and see that all the lights in the house are off. I try to open the front door, but it is locked. I lean into the door and the house is quiet. While walking around the house I search for broken windows or noises, and nothing seems out of place. Suddenly I hear Jim’s voice coming from inside Angel’s bedroom and then glass breaking. I bust through Angel’s front door and run to her bedroom.

  Angel is lying on her back on her bed and Jim is lying on top of her with her legs spread. Her dress is bunched up above her waist revealing her bare skin. Her ripped panties are lying beside Jim’s right knee. One of Jim’s arms is bandaged. He has both of her hands pinned above her head with one hand and a gun is lying near her head. She is kicking and crying, and he is trying to muffle her cries with his mouth while trying to kiss her. She turns her head side to side to keep him from kissing her. She screams at him to get off her and he only laughs at her. Her crutches are lying on the bedroom floor near the door, and her bedside lamp has toppled over and is broken on the floor.

  I fire a warning shot at her bedroom window facing the wooded area in the back of the house. The window shatters and shards of glass fall several feet into the room landing on Angel’s bed. I then aim my gun at Jim.

  Jim quickly rolls off of Angel with his gun in his hand. Angel scoots to the edge of the bed. I step closer to h
er, and I hold my hand out for her and she eagerly takes it. When she stands, her dress falls just above her knees. She tugs on her dress to make it longer so it covers more of her skin.

  I quickly glance at her; she has a laceration to her bottom lips, a bloody nose, and a slightly bruised left eye and cheek.

  Keeping my eyes and gun focused back on Jim, I tell Angel to go into the restroom. She doesn’t have her crutches so she limps into the bathroom while holding onto the wall.

  “See, Ang, I told you your hero boyfriend would show up,” Jim yells as she disappears in the bathroom, closing the door behind her, never taking his eyes off mine.

  “Put the gun down Jim; this won’t have to end badly,” I say without taking my eyes off him.

  “Oh, this is going to end tonight. Make no mistake about it.” Jim says, while standing up from the bed. He is wearing only boxers and a shirt and his left arm is bandaged.

  “I told you if you ever hurt her your life expectancy would be very short.”

  “What? The doctor who saves lives is going to take a life. I don’t think you have the balls. You need to thank me — I got her ready for you. She felt just as good today as she did the last time I fucked her. She’ll need to shower and cleanup first,” Jim says as he cocks the hammer of his gun, and I shoot.

  Jim stills, drops the gun, and falls to the ground. Angel lets out a scream. When I am convinced Jim isn’t moving I put the safety on my gun and hold Angel tightly.

  I hold her face in both my hands while looking her in the eyes. “Did he hurt you?”

  When she doesn’t answer me, my heart drops to my stomach.

  “Angel, I have to know. Please, Baby, did he hurt you?”

  She nods her head and hides her face in my neck as she sobs.

  I close my eyes and see red.

  Backing Angel and myself out of the bedroom, I keep my eyes on Jim. He lies motionless on the floor beside Angel’s bed with a bullet hole between his eyes.