Etched in Glass

by Nyxie Marrs

  “Who was that?” I hear the fight in my voice too.

  “Red. He’s spending a lot of time with your sister and Anya. Constantly checking on me and you. Dinner is almost done. How are you?” He’s watching me. His expression doesn’t look different than it did before, but I’m feeling different about this.

  “I’m fine.” Hell yeah that uneasiness is prominent.

  “Vega? You’re safe here. You know that, right?” Great. Now he’s worried.

  He stops everything he’s doing and wraps his arms around me. I should be skeptical, but the second I lay my head on him I relax. He rubs his hand up and down my back. He pulls me to the couch and just like he promised, a movie and a relaxing night as we rest.

  Unfortunately my relaxation doesn’t last once I close my eyes. My mind said screw Elara’s abduction and threw me right back into hell. The same as when I woke up in the hospital. My body aches with every kick, the hits, and the wall. My heart beats quickly, and I can’t catch my breath.

  “Vega?” His warm tone breaks into my thoughts. His hand gently caresses my cheek after he pushes my hair back.

  “I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have to deal with this.” I try to sit up but he pulls me closer, holding me against him.

  “Vega, don’t worry about me. I want to do everything I can to help you.”

  “You saw me in there. You saw what happened.” I whisper. His arms tighten on me. I know it’s something he doesn’t want to talk about, but I think it needs to be.

  He clears his throat. “I did. Yeah. But I don’t know exactly what happened, Vega. All I know is I killed him the second I had the chance.” He runs his hand through my hair a few more times. He’s nervous?

  “Miles. He-.”

  “I don’t know if I can handle hearing this.” His fingers still lace through my hair.

  “He didn’t rape me, if that’s what you think happened.” I feel the breath he’s holding. Hearing his heart beat faster with each passing second, he finally lets it out.

  I push away so I can look at him. I need to see his fiery green eyes.

  “That’s what it appeared when I got there.” He grabs my hand tightly.

  “He tried. Didn’t realize my hands weren’t bound. I was holding the rope. Looking for my opportunity to free myself. But he was quick.” I pause. I need to make sure he isn’t going to pass out with how much worry slipped in his gaze.

  “The rope was useful. Nearly cutting off-.” His wide eyes are startling. I shake my head, and look away as I try to push out those events. Maybe if I tell him, it will help me and that haunting dream will go away.

  “Well, I also choked him, that’s when I was first thrown into the wall.” Miles doesn’t move, hell he doesn’t even blink.

  “Vega.” His dark voice rumbles through my body as a sadness takes over him.

  *​​*​​*

  “Morning.”

  “Morning.” I mumble. I didn’t sleep. I couldn’t sleep. I tried to get lost in his warmth, and the way his arms stayed around me, but I couldn’t. “Please tell me you’ll make loads of coffee.”

  “Not a problem sweetie. Anything you want.” He lightly kisses me and leaves the room before I can give him hell about that.

  “Ugh. Miles.” I say as I make my way to the kitchen, about to explain to him how things like nicknames are not going to happen.

  “Hey, Red wants us to go meet them somewhere in a bit. If that’s okay with you.” That’s a good distraction from my rant.

  “Who? Where?” I sit on the couch and he hands me a cup. Squeezing his body as close to me as possible as he drapes an arm over me.

  “Red. Elara. Anya. They’ve planned something.”

  “Oh. No. No. I can’t do that. No. I am not up for a public outing just yet. Miles.”

  “I’ll be with you. And I am not going to take my hands off of you. If you don’t mind anyways.”

  Should I be worried? What the hell is going on? Elara wouldn’t tell me if I asked, not if she’s involved. I was too right about them getting along. Elara’s turned Anya into her.

  “Miles. Damnit. Fine.” Elara’s been not so subtle about giving Miles time to be with me. But now I see there’s a reason she’s been staying away, she’s up to something.

  After a few hours and more than a few cups of coffee later, Miles is silent as he drives. A weird feeling about this sets in. I can’t figure this out and it’s bothering the hell out of me.

  “So what the hell has been going on? I’m not liking this.” He smiles and grabs my hand. That’s not going to ease my tension.

  “We’ll be there in a few minutes.” There’s his irresistible charm, but it’s not going to work right now.

  We pull up to a community center. Elara and Anya are standing out front, and looking eager. I don’t like this.

  “Miles?” I glance to him as he gets out. This is a set up. What the hell did they do? He opens my door and holds his hand out. No.

  “Vega?” Elara asks as she approaches the car.

  “Hell no, Elara. What did you do? What did you set up? I know you, this isn’t good.” Yeah, generally when she sets something up for me it means a lot of people may be involved. Damn social butterfly.

  I look around the lot, there’s maybe six cars. How many people could she have involved in whatever this is? Miles tugs on my hand and I follow him. Damnit, why? Why am I trusting this man without getting answers?

  We follow Anya and Elara into this dark building. I grip onto Miles like my life depends on his body next to me. Once we stop, they turn on more lights. I have no idea what I was expecting, but there’s eight women standing in front of me. I know these women, why are they here?

  Elara hugs me tight then stands at the end of the row of women. “Vega. We needed a way to thank you.” We? What’s going on? At least Miles hasn’t let my hand go, otherwise I would have taken off by now.

  “Vega. We wanted a way to thank you.” Talia says as she takes a step forward from the group.

  I don’t need a mirror to tell me the color faded from my face. I felt that rush of cold hitting me as I look around. What the hell did these women do?

  “Okay. I know this was completely rushed, but Vega. We’ve started a program that we hope you’d be okay with your name on it.” Elara continues.

  “It’s a program that’s tied to the women’s shelter. Both women and children can utilize this program completely free.” One of the other women chime in. Holly? Why is Holly here?

  “A self-defense class. To help women and children prevent a situation like the one you saved us from. We wanted some way to thank you for helping us. And we think this would help other women who are in fear to stand up for themselves.”

  I glance to Miles, then to Redmond who’s standing off to the right of the group. Dante walks in and stands next to his sister. Elara can see it. She can see the nervous look on my face, I want to run.

  “I think that’s a good idea. But even I wasn’t able to prevent them from taking me.” Miles put his arm around me. How long is he going to do this? I get it, it scared the hell out of him, but there’s got to be a limit on pushing me tight against him with every thought he has.

  “You’re the reason we are standing here today.” Katie replies. Dante put his arm around her and wipes what appears to be a tear from his face.

  “Jesus, Vega. Just accept it.” Elara says as she laughs. Getting a few chuckles from everyone too, along with tears.

  I nod absentmindedly, then each one of them hugs me. Miles eventually let me go but watches me closely, and blocks my escape. It remains a small gathering where everyone spoke about their lives and what they are planning to do now. How they’re coping and offering help to one another. I vaguely answer a few of their questions, but hell. It’s making my thoughts seep into the darkness of that nightmare. At least none of them are asking what happened. They mostly speak about my bravery. I don’t feel as brave as they make me sound though. An hour passed and we finally agree to exch
ange numbers and stay in contact. Then we go our separate ways.

  “You okay?”

  “What’s it going to take for you to stop that question permanently?” I chuckle.

  “When you’re okay. I’m here for you if you need anything. I know we never got to discuss things through, but now that this is over.” We’re going to talk about this. Anya decided her and Elara were going to give me space, I’m sure Miles bribed her into giving us time to work things through. So Miles and I grab a quick lunch and head home. Damnit. I don’t have a choice in that right now, that is home.

  “Thank you. For all of this.” I say as we walk inside. “I don’t think I could have done this without you.” He wraps both arms around my waist and pushes his body against me, as enticing as it can be, he really needs to stop this nervous act.

  “Vega, I’d do anything for you.” That sexy low voice holds promise.

  The heat from his grip, and the fire in his eyes turns my mind off and my body on. His lips slowly dip to mine quickening my heart.

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