by Vicki Green
After the procedure was done and all of the evidence collected, Dr. Moore is standing by my side. She looks at Jesse then back and me.
“Ok, I will have the nurse bring some food. Now, is there someone we can call for you? Family? Friends? Anyone?” I shake my head no. I really don’t want to call Stella yet not until I know what is going to happen. But I know she must be sick with worry.
“All right then. The police are here to ask you some questions. I’ll show them in. When they are finished try and get some rest and I will be back as soon as I get the test results.” She smiles at me, turns and leaves the room.
About 20 minutes later, the nurse comes in with a tray of food and a pill cup. She sets it down on the hospital rolling tray and moves it over me. “Here you go. If you need anything else just press the nurse’s button on your bed there.” She points at the buttons on the rail of the bed. “Thank you,” I said lowering my head.
When the nurse leaves Jesse looks at my food and then at me. “Dig in. You need the nourishment.” He smiles.
“You have to be hungry too, do you want some of this? I’ll share,” I asked him. “No, thanks but if you don’t mind I think I will go down to the cafeteria and grab something. I won’t be gone long. I promise. Ok?” I nod at him and watch him leave.
I literally scarf down my food and drank the huge glass of water they had given me. With a full tummy I lay back, and fall asleep.
When I awake Jesse is sitting in the chair by my bed watching me. “Ok, that’s embarrassing.” I grin. He laughs and gives me a beautiful smile.
“You shouldn’t feel embarrassed. You’re beautiful when you sleep,” he whispers. He coughs. “Sorry, sometimes I can’t help what comes out of my mouth.” He chuckles. Wow! I can feel my face getting warm, and I’m sure I am blushing terribly.
Jesse gets a serious look on his face. “Look, we need to talk. I made some calls while I was gone, and I need to ask you a few questions, ok?” I nod at him scared of what he might ask.
He clears his throat. “Cassie, I’ve been after these guys for two years. I need to know that if they are taken in that you will testify against them for what they did to you. This is really important. If you do it this it will put them away for a very long time.”
I lay there for a minute, but it doesn’t take me long to nod and say, “Absolutely I will.” He smiles at me and sighs with relief. “I’ve made arrangements to take you to my Safe House to protect you while my men are trying to locate them. Since they’ve returned to the house and found you gone, they are running now.”
“You have a Safe House?” Who has a Safe House just lying around?
“Trust me. I will explain everything when we get there, ok? Right now, as soon as the hospital lets you leave we need to get on a plane and get you there so you’ll be safe.”
Chapter five
The Doctor came in and told us they wanted to keep me over night just to keep an eye on me and the test results should be done by morning. So, Jesse spent the evening mostly on his phone making arrangements for us to go to his Safe House. I could hear some of the one sided conversations as I dozed on and off.
“Yes get the plane ready to leave as soon as I call you in the morning. Phone Allie to go out and get some clothing for Cassie. Tell her she is about her size. Oh! And women’s necessities too. Get some medical supplies in case we need them and have the Johnsons go stock the fridge and pantry. I don’t know, for a few months at least, just in case. Grab my Satellite phone and my laptop too as well as some clothes for me. Have Avery pick up my truck. Yes, I know. I know!”
I can see him from the corner of my eye as he looks over at me. “You know what else you need to pack for me. Yes. Ok. We will see you in the morning.”
Wow, a plane? Where the hell are we going? He seems to have thought of everything we will need. I secretly hope we have to stay for a long while. I mean I love Stella and the gang, but I need something more in my life. I guess when this is all over I will have to face the inevitable, but I have time before I have to do that.
Bright and early the next morning, the Doctor comes into the room waking me up. Poor Jesse had slept in that uncomfortable chair again. I feel bad.
“Good Morning. How are you feeling today?” Dr. Moore asks.
I wince as I shift in the bed. “Sore, but I slept pretty well.”
She looks at my chart and her eyes look up at me and smiles. “Good. I’ll make sure you get another shot for the pain before you leave. The test results came back and everything looks really good. No STD’s, no internal issues and no pregnancy.” She looks over at Jesse before returning to me.
“However, I feel that you should take another pregnancy test or maybe a few within days of each other because it could have just been too early for anything to show. As I told you yesterday, the morning after pill is 95% effective so there is still a small chance of pregnancy. The tests you can buy over the counter are very good now.” She smiles.
“Now, your ribs will take about 4 to 6 weeks to heal so you will need to be really careful. I’m giving you some pain meds to take with you that should help control the pain level as well as a prescription you can fill when you need to.”
“Thank you, Dr. Moore. I really appreciate all your help,” I say as she begins to leave the room. She turns around and says, “I will go and have them get the discharge papers ready so you can go. It was nice to meet you both. I hope everything works out for you.”
As soon as the Doctor leaves the room, Jesse picks up his phone, hits a button and puts it to his ear. “They are getting the discharge papers ready now. We will see you in about 20 to 30 minutes.” And he hangs up.
Once we leave the hospital Jesse gets us a cab. As we get closer to the airport, I am getting a little nervous. I’m trying to trust him, and I am so thankful to him, but I really don’t know him. I am also going to a place I have never been before.
Walking through the airport we go to a private gate, walk down a hallway and through a door that leads outside. Standing outside the door I look over and see a small private plane sitting there. Wow!
There’s a gentleman standing at the foot of the stairs that leads up to the plane. He’s really tall and has on a black t-shirt under a black jacket and black jeans. He is wearing Polaroid’s that hide his eyes and has jet black hair that is cut really short. He looks really muscular.
When we walk to him Jesse shakes his hand and they give each other a ‘man hug’. Jesse looks at me and says, “This is Tyler. He’s our family bodyguard as well as a friend. Tyler, this is Cassie.”
Tyler bows and gives a slight smile. I smile back. “Nice to meet you Tyler.” Weird, what family needs a bodyguard? This is getting stranger by the minute.
We board the plane and Jesse gets me a pillow and blanket. “It’s about a two hour flight so I want you to be comfortable. After we take off I can get you something to eat and drink, ok?” Jesse says.
I nod and smile. “Thank you that would be great.” I fasten my seat belt and get comfortable. Jesse sits across from me in the really nice and comfortable leather seats and buckles himself in.
Shortly, Tyler appears and says, “We are ready for take-off. I will let you know when you can move around the plane.” Jesse nods at him. “Thanks, Tyler.”
I have never flown on a plane before. I have barely even been in a car. I am excited and nervous at the same time.
“So, where exactly is this Safe House and why do you have one?” I ask Jesse.
He clears his throat. “Well, um, you see my dad is actually a famous surgeon and there have been times over the years that the public has gotten a little carried away seeking his attention. He basically takes care of the medical needs of quite a few famous people,” he shrugs. “A couple of years ago, the men who kidnapped you? They killed my mother.”
I gasp, covering my mouth with my hand. “Oh, Jesse. I’m so sorry. That’s horrible. Is that why you have been after them?”
He nods. “Yes, it�
�s been hard to pin them down. They’ve kept moving around so much. I’ve been trying to get something on them to put them away since I had no evidence to get them for my Mom’s murder. They need to pay for what they’ve done. That’s why I need your help. Since I can’t get them for my mother’s death, I can put them away for what they’ve done to you.”
“I will do whatever I can, Jesse.” I give him a slight smile.
At that time Tyler’s voice came over the speaker telling us that it was ok to move around the plane now. Jesse asks me, “Would you like ham or turkey on your sandwich?” Smiling bigger I say, “Ham please and do you have a diet coke? I would love that too if you do.”
“Coming right up,” Jesse says as he makes his way to the back of the plane.
Chapter six
While I wait for my food, I am thinking of how horrible it must be losing your Mom to those men and how they killed her. How awful. Then I think about my Mom and dad and how I miss them so much. They were taken away from me at such an early age by a drunk driver. I guess that is murder too but in a different way.
Jesse returns and places my food and drink down on a side tray in front of me and sits in his seat with his food.
I am starving! “Great sandwich,” I say between bites. Jesse laughs, “Wait until I cook for you at the house. You haven’t tasted anything yet.” He winks at me. Swoon! “A man who cooks too. Wow!” I say.
After we eat I am so tired that I lay my head against the pillow with the blanket over me and fall asleep. The next thing I know Jess is shaking me slightly telling me we are there. I sit up and stretch which really hurts my ribs. “Owwww.”
“Are you ok, do you need a pain med?”
I smile and I rub my side gently. “No, it’s ok. I just really need to remember not to stretch like that for a while.”
When we get off the plane I look over and there is a black SUV with dark tinted windows. Jesse is talking to Tyler quietly behind me, so I can’t hear what they are saying.
I turn to see them shake hands and do that ‘man hug’ and then Jesse walks towards me. “Ready?” He asks.
“Ready as I will ever be.” I smile at him. He gives me his beautiful smile, looking at me with those light blue gleaming eyes. I think I just melted.
As Jesse is driving he tells me it will take about an hour to get there.
“So, tell me about your family. Why didn’t you let me call them on the way to the hospital or while we were there?”
“Well, my parents were killed in a car accident when I was 7. A drunk driver hit them. I was told they died instantly.”
He turns his head and frowns, “Cassie, I am so sorry. What happened then, did you go live with an Aunt, Uncle, other family?”
“Ah, that’s another long story that I really don’t want to talk about yet, ok?” I ask. Jesse looks at me and nods. “We will have plenty of time together so I hope you can eventually feel more comfortable with me. Maybe you will feel like you can tell me later.”
He puts his hand over mine that is lying on the seat and gives me a serious look. “Cassie. I know it’s hard to trust me so soon, but I really want you to feel that you can.” I smile at him hoping maybe one day I will feel that way too.
I fall asleep on the way. When I wake up the car isn’t moving anymore and Jesse isn’t in the car. I look through the front window at the most beautiful house. It’s a two story house in the shape of an ‘L’. I am unable to move as I look around and take in the beautiful scenery. The house looks so homey, something I don’t remember ever having.
A knock on my window makes me jump. I turn and see Jesse standing with my car door open and smiling at me. “Wow, Jesse! This is amazing!” He chuckles and says, “Wait until you see the inside. Come on let me help you.” So sweet!
Taking my hand, he helps me out of the car and leads me into the garage. We walk in through the door that leads into the house, and I stop still.
The entryway from the garage is a laundry room on the right and a closet on the left. Looking in front of me, I can see it open into the most fabulous kitchen! Dark cabinets and Stainless Steel appliances. There is an island that is shaped in a smooth curved L and all the counters are a shade of gray. Everything looks brand new. To the left, in the same room, is an eating area with a beautiful Mahogany table and chairs sitting in front of a huge bay window.
“Jesse this is fabulous. Seriously, it’s so beautiful!” He gives me his award winning smile and walks me into the kitchen. “This is where I will be making all the awesome meals for us,” he chuckles.
He then takes me through the kitchen into a small hallway and in front of us are stairs that lead to the 2nd story. Turning my head to the right is a guest bathroom. He takes me to the left down a hall and we turn right.
A huge living room is there with the most beautiful furniture. A wall mounted flat screen T.V. hangs over a fireplace with a light colored tan leather couch facing it. An oversized tan leather chair sits next to it on the left. A beautiful square coffee table is in front of them.
On the walls I see what looks like family pictures. There are built in bookshelves on either side of the fireplace filled with books. I could get lost in those books, curled up on the chair with a fire blazing in the fireplace. WOW! I think I just drooled a bit from my mouth that’s hanging open.
“Come on, let me show you the rest,” Jesse says as he leads me past the living room. “This is an office that I use when I am here. I don’t always use this as a Safe House. Sometimes I just come here when I want to be alone and while I am here I can get some work done too.”
I look at him with a smile. “Work? How can you be undercover and work here?”
“Ha, well that’s a long story that I will tell you at another time,” he says and flicks my nose with his finger. Too cute!
We head back the way we came and head up the stairs to the 2nd floor. We turn left at the top and begin to walk down the hall. “This first room is a bedroom. Next is a bathroom that connects to that bedroom and the bedroom on the other side. Now, this one at the end is the master bedroom. You can stay in there while you’re here and I will take the room next to it.”
“Oh, no,” I say as I shake my head. “I don’t have to take the master bedroom. It’s your house, you take it.” I stop where we are in the hallway. He smiles, “Nope, you’re taking it. I insist. I want you to be comfortable while you’re here and it has the best bed in the house.”
He opens the bedroom door and I gasp. This is bigger than my entire apartment. I have never seen a bedroom this big before in my life.
“Wow. I could just live in here. It’s all so beautiful!” I smile.
He laughs and tugs me into the room, pulling me to the right he opens a door to show me the bathroom. Then he turns me around and leads me to a set of double doors to the right. He opens them both at the same time and I cannot believe my eyes. It’s an enormous walk in closet with racks of clothes. I can see the tags are still on them and there are shoes beneath them on the floor in an orderly fashion.
“Ahem, I hope you don’t mind. I took the liberty of having my sister go shopping, which she lives for anyway, to get you what you need while you’re here. I hope they fit. You look like you’re about the same size as her.”
“Oh, my, gosh, Jesse. Thank you but you didn’t need to go to so much trouble and spend so much money. I really appreciate it though.” I can’t believe he went to all this trouble for me.
“Trust me, Cassie. Money is no object for me,” he smirks. What the hell does that mean?
Chapter seven
Jesse leaves me so I can lie down for a bit. I am exhausted. He gives me the pain meds the doctor provided and shuts the door on his way out. I go into the bathroom, get a glass of water and take one. When I lie down on the bed I am in heaven. I don’t know about the other beds in the house, but this is so comfortable. It doesn’t take me long to fall asleep.
“NOOOO, NOOOOO don’t touch me! Let me go, please let me go.” I am tossi
ng and turning while screaming at the top of my lungs. Sweat is pouring off me. I can feel someone shaking me and yelling. “Cassie, Cassie wake up! You’re having a bad dream. Wake up!”
I open my eyes and look into Jesse’s concerned ones. I am breathing heavy and am trying to focus on him. I sit up quickly, throw my arms around his neck and bury my face into his shoulder. I begin to cry uncontrollably.
“Shhh, shhhh it’s ok honey. Its ok, I’ve got you now. I’ve got you,” he whispers in my ear as he wraps his arms around me and rubs my back.
Once I can calm down I pull back, my arms still around his neck, and look into his caring eyes. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t get away. They wouldn’t let me go.” I start breathing heavy again.
“Shhh, it's ok honey.” He leans his head forward and looks in my eyes. “Try and calm down for me. Take some deep breaths. Why don’t I go and run you a nice bath and you can soak in it for a while why I finish getting dinner ready, ok? I think it will help calm you.”
I smile at him and nod. I watch him as he goes into the bathroom. I hear the water running in the bath tub. He comes out and just stands there looking at me. “There are some pajamas in the dresser over there. Please help yourself. No need to dress up for dinner.” He smiles and winks at me.
I give a small laugh and take a deep breath. As he starts to leave I stop him. “Jesse?” He turns towards me. “Yes?”
“Thank you so much for being there for me. I have never had anyone do that before.” Jesse looks at me and cocks his head. “Never?” I shake my head. “Well I am honored then to be the first person that could do that for you.” He smiles and leaves the room.
After a great dinner of salad, green beans, baked chicken and rolls I am stuffed to the brim.
“Wow! You ARE a great cook!” I smile at Jesse. I am so full that I am about to explode. He smiles at me and looks down like he is a little shy. Who knew? “You cooked so I can clean up,” I say starting to stand but stopping and yawning loudly.