One More Time_A Second Chance Romance

by Rye Hart

  “I have to go to the bathroom,” I said.

  “Want me to go with you?” Ana asked.

  “Nah. It’ll be quick. I know the bus’ll be here soon. I’ll be right back.”

  The truth was, I was feeling sick. I wanted to get to a bathroom, so I could splash some water on my face. I jogged across the road, darted into the public restroom, and then made my way to a sink. The cool water on my face felt fantastic, and I resisted the urge to drink some from the faucet before I looked up into the mirror.

  My breath caught in my throat, and my eyes widened when I saw Luke behind me.

  His arm came across my neck before I even registered what was happening, and he threw me into one of the stalls. I braced myself against the toilet, opening my mouth to scream, but his hand clamped down around my lips, rendering me silent before he pinned my back to the stall door with his body.

  “Have you read my letters?” he asked. “You shouldn’t have brushed me off at dinner.”

  I felt my head swirling with a thousand different things as he pinned me to the door of the bathroom stall.

  “You’re more beautiful than ever, Chanel. So delicate and fragile.”

  I felt the world tumbling around me as his hands ripped at my clothes. His knee press in between my thighs, raising tears to my eyes. His free hand was tugging at me, pulling my dress down and freeing my breasts. Tears were cascading down my face as I tried to get away, my heels planting on the floor as his body weight held me to the door.

  Then, he moved his hand from my mouth to his belt buckle, and I screamed.

  “Help! Get off me! Somebody, please! Luke! Stop!”

  I felt myself panicking as vomit rose up in my throat. How could the shy nerdy boy I’d once been friends with in school have turned into this raging lunatic? I opened my mouth to scream again, desperate for someone to hear me. Though Luke wasn’t a big guy, he was bigger than me, and his anger only seemed to make him stronger. He drew his hand back and cracked it across my cheek, rendering me silent as I heard his zipper open.

  “You don’t know it now, but I can give you everything you’ve ever wanted. All you have to do is say the word,” Luke said.

  I brought my hands up to push him off me, but all he did was slam the back of my head into the metal door behind me. The pain was blinding. It ricocheted up my back and sent more tears streaming down my face. I was choking on the bile rising from within, fear clenching my throat.

  Suddenly, the door was ripped from its hinges and I stumbled back as Luke was yanked out of the stall.

  Swallowing hard, I tried to move my legs and then heard a struggle going on in the center of the bathroom beyond the stall. I heard the stall doors slamming and a mirror shattered. I crawled over to the toilet and began to throw up as the sound of skin connecting with skin sounded out in the bathroom. I couldn’t stop trembling and crying, heaving and sweating. My thighs were aching, my back sore, and my head was throbbing.

  I felt someone's hands slide onto my shoulders, and I kicked and cried out instinctively.

  “Help! Somebody, please!”

  “Shh, Chanel. It’s okay. It’s me. It’s just me.”

  I heard Rhett's voice and whimpered as I spit the last of the bile into the toilet.

  “Come here. I’ve got you. Just hang on,” he said.

  I felt my body being lifted from the bathroom floor as Rhett’s arms cradled me. I leaned into his strong chest, closing my eyes as we left the bathroom. I had no idea where Luke was, and I didn't know what kind of condition he was in, but I didn't care. All I cared about was that Rhett had saved me.

  He came after me, protected me, and saved me from my nightmare.

  “Chanel! Holy shit! Rhett, what the fuck happened?”

  “Luke happened. That’s what. I’ve got to get Chanel back to the ship,” Rhett said.

  “I’m coming with you,” Ana said. “What did that fucker do to her?”

  “Exactly what you think he tried to do. Come on,” Rhett said.

  Rhett carried me all the way back to the ship. I closed my eyes and clung to his clothes, my body shaking as my mind swirled with what I’d barely escaped. Luke had openly tried to force himself on me. The geeky little kid I’d befriended in chemistry class in high school had been stalking me and had just tried to rape me.

  How the fuck was that even possible?

  I heard a door open before I was carried over the threshold. I felt my body descending onto something soft, and I looked around to see where I was. The beauty of the ocean was staring me in the face as I lay in my bed with Ana brushing her fingers through my hair. Rhett was sitting on the edge of the bed, his hand running up and down my calf.

  I closed my eyes again and burrowed inside myself. I couldn’t believe what had happened, and I was trying to forget it, though I knew I would never be able to.

  “Where is he now?” I heard Ana ask Rhett in a hushed voice.

  “I’m not sure. I was pretty intent on beating the ever-loving fuck out of him, but I heard Chanel puking and crying and I just wanted to get to her and make sure she was okay. He ran as soon as I turn my back on him.”

  “Tell me you at least got some good shots in?” Ana asked.

  “Oh, he’s going to be hurting for a while,” Rhett said, but there was no hint of satisfaction in his voice.

  “We have to go to the authorities,” Ana said.

  “Who’s going to believe me?” I asked, turning my head toward them. “It’s my word against his.”

  Ana shook her head, looking incredulous. Before she could say something though, Rhett spoke up.

  “No, it’s our word,” he said. “I heard you scream and I saw what he was doing. Couple that with the letters, and you’ve got a solid case, Chanel. We are going to the authorities with this.”

  I started to cry all over again, the weight of what had happened pressing fully down on me now. I knew they were right, but I was so damn tired and all I wanted to do right now was sleep. I opened my eyes and looked at Rhett, who was staring down at me with a determined intensity.

  “What if he comes back and tries to hurt me again?” I asked.

  “He’s going to have to go through me first,” he answered. “I promise you on my life Chanel, he is never going to hurt you again.”

  I nodded my head and closed my eyes again. Ana curled up around me and held me close as I cried myself to sleep with Rhett standing sentry outside our door.

  CHAPTER 18

  RHETT

  “What are your plans for the night?” Tommy asked.

  “I don’t know. Might just spend a night in,” I said.

  “Seriously? You didn’t explore the island, and now you’re gonna sit on a couch and stare at the water?” he asked.

  “You got a better idea?”

  “Come with me. We’ll pick up some beauties, bring them back here. Maybe give them a fun little show.”

  “No thanks,” I said, rolling my eyes. “You and that dick of yours can go hunting on your own tonight.”

  “Suit yourself. Want me to bring back two in case you change your mind?” he asked.

  “Are you ever going to settle down?”

  Tommy laughed at me as he pulled a shirt over his head.

  “Why? There are so many beautiful women in this world. Why settle for only one? For the rest of my life? I could have all of them. I could give each of them a little slice of heaven. I think it would be selfish to confine all of this to only one woman,” Tommy said.

  “You’re an idiot,” I chuckled.

  “Hey, it’s your life to waste.”

  “Actually, I think your life is a waste. It isn’t just about sex. It’s about having that connection with someone. Don’t you want someone who understands you? Who knows you and is there during all the hard times?”

  “Nope. I want a woman with big tits and a mouth that could suck the chrome off my bumper,” he said.

  “At least you have priorities,” I said.

  “I’ll se
e you tonight. Maybe. If you’re gonna be sulking around here all night, I might take her back to her room,” he said.

  “Whatever trips your trigger. Have fun,” I said.

  Tommy left the room, and I settled down on the couch. Ana had poked her head out the door and told me she was going out for the night, so I needed to be on the lookout for what Chanel might do. I was keeping my ear trained on the hallway in case Chanel decided to slip from her room, but all through the evening and all through dinner, she didn't come out.

  The fact that I didn’t know where Luke was bothered the shit out of me. Had he come back onto the boat? If so, how was he explaining the evidence of the beating I’d given him? Part of me wished like hell that I had finished him off in that bathroom, but I hadn’t been able to ignore Chanel’s obvious distress.

  My fists clenched and unclenched as I thought back to that afternoon. I’d been sticking close by, but trying not to be too obvious about it. Chanel had said she didn’t need me to follow her, and I was trying to respect that, while also trying to keep her safe. I hadn’t wanted to look like another creeper trying to keep tabs on her.

  When I’d heard her scream from inside that bathroom, though, I knew I’d made the right choice. The fear in her voice had given me the strength to pull the metal door right off its hinges. My brain barely registered the sight of her in her tattered clothing, before I dragged Luke out by his collar and slammed my fist into his face. The satisfying feeling of his nose crunching underneath my knuckles almost brought a smile to my face. Almost.

  I’d have probably beaten him to death if I hadn’t heard Chanel retching in the next stall. My instinct had been to go to her and make sure she was okay, and that was all the time Luke had needed to flee the scene. My blood boiled when I thought about his hands on her and the fear that he had instilled in her. If I ever got another chance, I was going to beat him bloody.

  Right now, though, my only mission was making sure Chanel was okay. I would not allow anyone to harm her ever again. Not on my watch. I would make sure she came out of this unscathed, and that Luke paid for what he’d done to her. One way or another.

  I ordered room service and had a little bit of dinner, still listening out for Chanel. I briefly heard Ana come back to the room after the dinner gathering, and I heard the two of them talking in the hallway. I stood by the door to see if I could make out what they were saying, but all I could hear was Ana. She was talking about how she was volunteering for one of the shows that night, which meant I would be on duty until at least midnight.

  Then, there was a knock at my door.

  “Hey, Ana. What’s up?”

  “I came by to check on Chanel. You still good with keeping an ear out for her?”

  “Yep. I’ll be here all night. Just finished dinner, and then I’m going to stand out by the door again,” I said.

  “Good. I won’t be back until late. I tried to get her to come with me, but she doesn’t want to go anywhere,” she said.

  “It’s okay. I’ve got her. You go have some fun and keep an eye out for that creep. If you see him, let security know right away.”

  “Oh, I will, and then I’ll beat the shit out of him with my shoe. I put the extra pointy ones on tonight.”

  I watched Ana walk down the hallway, but I was uneasy with leaving Chanel alone in her room. I closed the door and quickly got changed before I went over and knocked on Chanel's door. It took a few knocks before I heard rustling around behind the door, and then her voice slowly filtered through the barrier.

  “Who is it?” Chanel asked.

  “It’s Rhett. Can I come in?” I asked.

  The door quickly flew open, and she pulled me inside.

  The door shut behind me with a thud before Chanel made her way back to her bed. My eyes took stock of her body as I followed her, sitting on the edge of the bed as she lay back down. I could tell she had been crying. Her eyes were very puffy, and her cheeks were redder than I had ever seen. Her hands were still shaking, and her body was curled up into the tightest ball she could get herself into.

  She wasn't doing well, and I wanted to help her.

  “How are you?” I asked.

  “Fine,” Chanel said.

  “You want to try again and be truthful with me?” I asked.

  “Stop asking questions you already know the answer to,” she said.

  I sighed as my hand descended onto her leg. She jerked, her head whipping around to me before her body settled back down. My eyes connected with hers, and I could see a desperation behind them I had never seen before. The sadness was so great, and the anguish was so deep that it caused a lump to form in my throat. Chanel didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve any of it. She was a beautiful, vibrant, successful woman. The thought of what could have happened to her had I not gone against her wishes shook me to the marrow of my bones.

  I gathered her into my arms and held her against my body, trying anything to get her to open up to me.

  She burst into tears, her body wracked with sobs as they soaked the front of my shirt. I needed her to feel safe again. I needed her to feel like the confident woman she was. I was pissed that this had happened to her and I was worried because I didn’t know where that slimy little asshole had gone. What if he had come back aboard the ship and decided to try to get at Chanel again? He had proven that he was surely crazy enough.

  It made me sick to think about.

  “So long as I’m here, no one will ever come close to hurting you again,” I said.

  “I’m so scared to leave this room,” Chanel said.

  “I’ll be by your side every step of the way. No one will get close enough to touch you again, Chanel. I promise,” I said.

  She was shaking violently in my arms, and I was getting worried. If she couldn't calm down, she was going to make herself sick. I had a feeling she hadn't eaten dinner, so tried to get her to calm down enough to be able to eat something. Though I knew I could keep her safe, I knew that in the unlikely event something happened to me, she needed her strength to be able to defend herself.

  I sat her on my lap and pressed her face into the crook of my neck. I rocked her side to side, my hand sliding up and down her back. I whispered into her ear and blew cool air down her neck. I felt her hands clinging to my shirt, pulling me closer to her body as I tried to comfort her.

  Then, without thinking, I turned my lips to her cheek and pressed a kiss to her skin.

  She paused, her eyes looking up into mine. I craned my neck down to look at her, prepared to apologize for the gesture, considering what she’d been through. The last thing she needed after the day she had was another man trying to intimately touch her in some way.

  But then she lifted her head toward my face and pressed her lips to mine.

  The kiss was soft and kind. It was sweet and innocent. Nothing like the day she had experienced. I froze, cradling her against me as I waited for her to make another move. The last thing I was going to do was deepen a kiss that was meant as an innocent gesture of thanks. But soon, her tongue swiped across my lips, asking for entrance.

  I parted my lips for her and allowed our tongues to connect. A conflict was raging in my chest between stopping this interaction and encouraging it. I didn't want her to do something she was going to regret. I didn't want her to do something that was born out of a desperate need to feel something other than fear.

  Before I could make a move, her hands cupped my jaw.

  Instead of fear, I felt passion. She didn’t want me just to occupy her mind, she simply wanted me. Her body was pressing into mine and pressing me to the bed as our lips swelled against one another. My hands rushed up her back, pulling her body closer to mine as I spread my legs for her. She sank down between them, my cock rising to action as it pressed painfully against my pants.

  I needed verbal consent, though. I needed her to tell me this is what she wanted.

  “Chanel, Chanel, Chanel. Hold on,” I said.

  I grabbed onto her arms and held h
er away from me.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Are you sure this is what you want?” I asked.

  I watched the pupils of her eyes dilate with lust, betraying the state of her body before she answered.

  “Please,” she said breathlessly. “Don’t let me fall asleep with the memory of his hands on me.”

  CHAPTER 19

  CHANEL

  I thrust my lips back on Rhett’s, feeling his body open to mine. My hands slid underneath his shirt, feeling the divots and peaks of the muscles that had saved me that morning. I pulled his shirt over his head, wanting to feel his skin pressed against mine. I rose up and ripped my clothes off my body, showing myself to Rhett as his eyes scanned me.

  There wasn’t a bruise on my face from where Luke had hit me, but there were bruises on the insides of my thighs. Rhett sat up in bed, his fingertips tracing their outline. I could see the anger in his eyes. The way his shoulders flexed for action flooded my pussy with its juices. Seeing this side of him was a complete turn on. His protective side made me feel safer than I had ever felt in my life. His rugged hands were gentle with my bruises as he pressed a kiss to my bare pussy, making me tremble on my knees before he wrapped his arm around me.

  He whipped me around and lowered me to the bed. His hands massaged my body, touching every curve and crevice I had. He massaged my tits, pulling at my nipples as I moaned for him. I could see his cock throbbing for me. The tip of it dripping as he took my naked body in.

  His lips fell to my neck, and his hands gripped my hips. I parted my legs for him, my body shaking with need. My clit was swelling, my pussy throbbing. I needed him now more than I had ever needed him before. I wanted to bury the memory of Luke and his unwanted touch. I wanted to end this day with the echoing sounds of Rhett’s groans. He kissed along my chest, enveloping my nipples with his lips as I rocked against him.