by Ember Davis
I nod and hold my hand out. When we shake his hands are like bear paws. So fucking huge. My eyes widen and he chuckles. “Nice to meet you and thank you.” I cock my head to the side and assess him. “Are you going to be like all the other guys around here that think because I’m short I can just be picked up and hauled around?”
The laugh that comes out of Blake is deep and rich. He looks at Beckett and smirks, “You better keep her happy, man.”
Beckett wraps an arm around me and pulls me against his side, my arms snake around his waist and I lean into him. He grins at Blake and jokes, “You know it. If I don’t the line forms behind Troy and Walsh.”
I snort a little laugh, “Yeah and they like to share, from what I hear.”
Beckett barks out a laugh and Troy and Walsh look shocked for a moment before they share a grin. Beckett kisses my temple and unlocks his shop so we can all file in. Blake follows us in, locks the door and stands guard waiting for the rest of the crew.
I go to the back room and get the coffee started. I hear Zeke and Olivia come in a few minutes later, but I duck into the bathroom to collect myself for a moment. As I’m coming up front to sit at the reception desk where the shop laptop is, I greet Dex and Andrea who arrive one behind the other. Everyone is chit chatting and grabbing some food, I plug the thumb drive in that I haven’t even thought about in years. Oh, I thought about Caleb, but I pushed away a lot of memories of what happened after he hit me.
I scroll through the files saved on it, but I don’t open anything. Seeing what’s there brings back every memory like it was yesterday. I close my eyes and I feel Beckett’s arms wrap around me. I lean back against him.
He puts a cup of coffee down in front of me, made just the way I like it, and a chocolate croissant. He kisses my temple, “You need to get some fuel in you.” I nod and look over my shoulder at him, I can feel that my smile is a little forced. His smile is warm and comforting. “We’re all here for you, no judgement, no shame.”
I take some bites of my food and drink half of the coffee before everyone is all settled down with breakfast and coffee. No one seems annoyed that they’re here at 8 am; it’s comforting.
Beckett squeezes my shoulder and clears his throat to get everyone’s attention. “Thanks for coming in everyone.” He points to Blake, “If you haven’t met before, this is Blake Higgins. He runs Higgins Security, an elite security firm. He’s also a client along with most of the guys that work for him.”
Blake nods at Beckett and then gives me a comforting smile before he turns to the group. “Beckett reached out to me last night because it came to his attention that Amelia’s safety may be in question.” All heads turn toward me and the concern that I see almost makes me cry. “Normally I’d meet with a new client one on one, but considering how close you all are, the fact that you work together and spend time together outside of work, we need to make sure that everyone is informed and on the same page. Also, Amelia only wanted to tell her story once, which I completely understand. I already have some intel to share, but first I need to hear from Amelia. You all may have questions, but those need to be secondary to any I may have so I can properly assess the safety and security risks we need to deal with.”
Everyone nods their heads and then all eyes are on me. Beckett stands behind me and places a hand on each of my shoulders. I’m so glad he doesn’t wrap his arms around me because I don’t think I can talk about Caleb with Beckett’s arms around me trying to comfort me.
I take a deep breath and take in the faces of my family. Andrea’s smile is kind and encouraging; she knows most of this story already. I lock onto that feeling, avert my eyes and straighten my spine; Beckett gives my shoulders a little squeeze.
I explain to the group about my time in Pennsylvania, about meeting Caleb as a junior and how he acted at first. I explain how he slowly started isolating me and putting me down and how those things wormed their way into my mind so that I started believing them. I tell them how his behavior worsened the beginning of senior year.
Before I tell them about the night he hit me, I take a deep cleansing breath and then walk them through it. I explain how I had a moment of clarity that I had to get out of the relationship, how I tried to walk away and he hit me. I tell them how much it hurt and that I screamed which is how the RA came to my rescue. I walk them through filing a report with the college, the evidence I provided and the people who came out in support of me. I tell them about the email Caleb sent me after the disciplinary board’s decision came down and how he blamed me for everything.
“Once the decision came down, I blocked him and all his friends on all social media and tried to move forward. I struggled through the last of my finals and knew I’d never feel safe there again. I dropped out, packed up my shit and went home to Florida. I spent about a year in Florida, found a job in retail management that used my experience in the campus bookstore and started putting myself back together. I had the experience so when I came across Green Space looking for a manager, I applied, but put plans in motion to move whether I got the job or not. It felt like it was the right move for me to start over and put the experience behind me. I hadn’t heard from Caleb since that last email. I figured once I was gone that he’d just let it go and move on, which he did.”
Blake prompts, “Until?”
I look up at Blake, I can’t meet anyone else’s eyes right now. “Until last night. I got a message on my business Instagram from a private account without a profile picture. At first it seemed innocuous, they just said I was looking good. I figured that they’d seen a picture of me that Beckett posted.” Beckett squeezes my shoulder again and I reach up and squeeze his fingers. “When I responded I tried to deflect the compliment a little and asked if they were looking to order something and if I knew them. They responded saying that I used to know them and that they weren’t interested in my ‘little crafts’. That was the first sign that there might be trouble.”
“You’ll need to read it all,” I pull my phone out and open up the message and hand it to Blake. I watch his eyes harden as he scans the messages. I turn toward the group and find a place on the wall to focus, “The gist is that whoever it is called me Cupcake, which is something only Caleb has called me, ever. He was vaguely threatening and promised that I’d be seeing him again soon. I didn’t reply to that message and,” I clear my throat, “Beckett got me to share the messages and my suspicions as to who it was with him. He then got Blake involved and here we are.”
Beckett kisses the back of my head, “There’s a little more, do you want me to tell them?”
I shake my head and take a deep breath, “This morning I found that he had sent me additional messages, also threatening. He also sent a picture of me and Beckett at the bar last night.”
I finally bring myself to look at the faces of these amazing artists that I consider my family. I breathe a sigh of relief; I don’t see any pity. I see determination and rage. I know without anyone saying it that they consider a threat against me to be a threat against them all and I sag back against Beckett.
Blake pockets my phone before speaking, “Thank you, Amelia. I know that it can’t be easy for you to talk about.” I nod and give him a weak smile. He shares a look with Beckett that I can’t quite read and, frankly, I’m too tired to really try. “Okay. Last night my tech guy ran Caleb’s information and I became immediately concerned. Caleb’s family has quite a bit of wealth and influence but with some digging I found that he spent some time in a mental health facility as a minor after a girlfriend of his disappeared. The girl’s parents told the police that Caleb was controlling, obsessive and violent. No charges were ever brought against him due to lack of evidence, but he is still the primary suspect. He was released from the facility with a clean bill of health when he turned 18 and then proceeded to matriculate to college as if there was nothing to worry about.”
I can feel my eyes widen and panic setting in. She disappeared? That does not bode well. I was so lucky his RA was down
the hall the night he hit me. Beckett’s fingers dig into the muscles of my neck and the pressure and strength of his fingers calm we down and reassure me. He’s right here. He’s not going to let anything happen to me.
“I…I had no idea. We visited his parents that summer and they seemed like cold, distant people.” I say in a small voice, “They eyed me with what I felt was suspicion, but I thought it had to do with their obvious money.” I shrug, “Which I never cared about, anyway.”
Blake nods, “They spent most of his life protecting him from the consequences to his actions. He was in and out of boarding schools with a history of violent behavior and lack of impulse control.” He pulls a picture out a folder that’s been tucked under his arm. I hadn’t even noticed he had it; his broad body hiding it.
He hands the picture to me and I look down into Caleb’s face, but he looks…different. He’s still blonde and muscular. From the outside he looks like a normal guy, but there’s something new in his eyes; like he’s not trying to pretend anymore. His eyes are cold and dead with no remorse and full of arrogance. A feeling of guilt swamps me, did he hurt other women since me? Could I have prevented it? I should have done more back then instead of only protecting myself. I should have been braver.
I turn the photo over and look up at Blake. “He’s hurt other people, women, hasn’t he?” A grimace crosses Blake’s face and I know the answer without him saying a thing. I sigh, “Damn it. I should have done more. The school was probably bought off and I didn’t even consider taking it outside of their disciplinary committee.”
Blake starts to shake his head, but Beckett cuts off whatever he was going to say. He spins me on the stool I’m sitting on and his green eyes are intense as he lowers himself to my level. “No, Amelia. You’re not going to do that to yourself. You used the means you felt you had. Your school should have protected you, but their own selfishness won out. Whatever happened after you chose yourself, which is exactly what you should have done, isn’t on you.”
Blake’s voice is strong and sure, “He’s right, Amelia. You aren’t to blame for anything, not what happened to you, not what happened before you met him and certainly not for whatever happened after you were out of his life.”
I nod and whisper, “Okay.” I know it sounds hollow though. Beckett kisses my forehead and I meet his eyes. I can see that he’s ready to slay this dragon for me if he needs to, but I know I need to do it for myself. I swallow hard, close my eyes and take a deep breath. I sound surer this time, “Okay.”
Beckett flashes me a grin before turning me back around and picking up the photo in front of me. He looks at it behind me, so I don’t have to see Caleb’s face again. He looks at it for what seems like forever but isn’t more than a minute before he passes it on.
Blake gives me a nod; his eyes are filled with admiration and maybe some pride. “From what we could find so far, Caleb has seen two other women in the years since you left school. He did graduate and then moved to Philadelphia, taking a job that his father’s connections got him. He started dating a coworker not long after he started there. While no charges were filed, her hospital records indicate 2 trips to the Emergency Department for injuries that are consistent with a domestic violence situation. It seems Caleb’s parents paid for her silence and she moved out of state within six months of Caleb starting at the company.”
I watch as Troy and then Walsh are handed Caleb’s picture. They both study it intently. Walsh looks over my head and gives Beckett a nod.
Blake continues, “The second woman he dated did leave more of a paper trail. She wasn’t a coworker; it looks like they met at a charity function and her family’s wealth rivals Caleb’s so she wasn’t someone they could buy off. She did file a restraining order against him. The police have been investigating Caleb for stalking her, but their investigation has been stalled for some time.”
Blake runs his hand over his face and sighs, “It seems that about two weeks ago Caleb put in for a transfer to Denver and it was immediately granted. It’s unclear if his father had anything to do with that or if the company wanted him out of their main office. It’s also unclear if his request was made in order to have an excuse to be in the same city as Amelia or if it’s a coincidence. I know what I think, but I can’t prove it.”
I nod and I feel my shoulders slump. I feel helpless, I’ve brought so much trouble to these amazing people that I love. Beckett whispers, “Baby, you’re not alone. We’re right here and we will do what we have to do to keep you safe. I love you so much.”
I reach up and wrap my fingers around his wrist. I give it a little squeeze. Caleb’s picture has now made it around to everyone and Blake tucks it back into the folder.
He looks at me, “I’m going to need all the information you have saved from what happened to you in college.” I eject the thumb drive and hand it to him. He gives me a nod. “The picture he sent you proves that he is in town and that he is aware of your movements and whereabouts. Considering his high school girlfriend disappeared and no body was found, we’re assuming he is very dangerous. His money also gives him means that many people wouldn’t have.”
“First, my team is going to assess the security of this shop and we’ll coordinate with the owner of the dispensary, but they usually have top of the line security in place already. I’ll be looping in their security guards about the potential threat and make sure they have a photo of Caleb. We’ll also be assessing the security systems at Banks’ house and your apartment.”
Beckett stops him, “She’s going to be staying at our house while this asshat is out there. That should make it easier on your team and it’ll give me peace of mind.”
I give a little huff, “Beckett, I told you I’m going to lead as normal a life as possible. You can’t make a unilateral decision about this. I haven’t said the word about moving in with you.”
I can feel the frustration coming off Beckett, but before he can open his mouth, Blake beats him to it. “Regardless of where you’re staying, we’re going to check out the security at your apartment. It is easier to control the security risks at Banks’ house because it is easier to watch and doesn’t have the additional risks that your neighbors pose.
I pick up my coffee cup and take a drink before mumbling, “Fine.”
Blake turns and glances around the room. Everyone’s face is serious and focused. “As of right now we have no reason to believe that any of you are being targeted. However, considering we don’t know the depth of his mental illness or his obsession, you all need to be vigilant. Be observant of your surroundings. My team won’t be assessing your homes individually, but we will be installing tracking software on your phones as a precaution.”
“I’ll be sending all of you a copy of this photo of Caleb so that you can keep it fresh in your mind. Keep your eyes out for him and if you see him, do not approach him and do not engage with him in any way.” The group nods.
Blake turns toward me, “I need to hold onto your phone, but I’ll be giving you a secure one to use until we can analyze yours. We’ll be using the evidence you have as well as the messages he’s sent to file for a restraining order which will come in handy if he makes direct contact with you. If he is able to send you a message in another way, do not engage with him and contact me immediately. Try to avoid going anywhere by yourself.”
I cross my arms and look Blake square in the eyes, “I won’t give him the control of running my life through fear.”
Blake smiles gently, but it’s not patronizing. “Of course not, Amelia, you’re a warrior. I’m just asking you to not put yourself in undo danger. We don’t know where he is, what he’s planning or why his obsession has refocused on you. We have our theories, but we need to analyze everything you have to get a clearer picture of what we’re working with.”
I huff, “Fine,” and Blake chuckles. “We’re not canceling our Nacho Bar gathering.” Blake’s eyebrow shoots up. “I will continue to live my life,” I state firmly. I smile, “You and your team
are, of course, invited to Nacho Bar night. It’s tomorrow. We’ll get started around 7, at our house.”
Blake’s smile is large and warm; Beckett is lucky I’m head over heels for him because that smile is dangerous as hell. Blake rubs his chin, “It’ll be a good way to introduce everyone in a natural setting.”
Troy quips, “Yeah, but also…nachos.”
Blake laughs, “That too.” He looks at me seriously, “I don’t have any questions for you right now, if I do then I’ll reach out. Do you have any questions for me?”
I shake my head, “No, if I do, I’ll ask. I just want to say,” I pause and look around the room, “thank you and I’m sor…”
Zeke cuts me off much to the surprise of the entire group whose eyes have gone wide. “No, Amelia, you don’t need to nor do we want to hear you apologize for this psychopath’s actions. You don’t need to thank us for anything. We protect our own. That’s what families do.”
I meet Zeke’s eyes and I can feel tears well up from the sincerity and fierceness I see there. My voice is small, but full of gratitude, “Okay.”
Troy pipes up, “Yeah, what he said.” I can’t help but chuckle, from sheer relief.
Blake looks over my head at Beckett before meeting my eyes, “We’ll coordinate the schedules so that you are dropped off at work or picked up from work by Beckett, myself or someone from my team.”
Walsh and Troy speak almost in union, “Me too.”
Blake looks at them and gives a curt nod. “That’s fine. Walsh you still train?”
Walsh gives a wide grin and sweeps his hand up and down his body, showing himself off. “That’s how I look this good, man.” He winks at me and Blake chuckles.
I love Beckett, but I’m not a fucking nun. I can’t help the split-second image that flashes in my mind of Walsh and Troy sharing a woman, but try as I might, I can’t picture myself between them. Phew, that’s for the best. Beckett presses his front against my back. I let myself relax against him.