Samuel
I looked over at my lovely Flower. She had fidgeted for a while and then finally fallen asleep with her head leaning against my arm. I knew she was fighting her pain. Even with a frown on her face she was the cutest little thing. Her petite body still had curves that made me want to kiss her, starting with under her neck and moving down to spend time worshipping at the altar of her entire beautiful body. I knew she was 18 yet and so I moved my thoughts away from how I felt about her sexually. As far as I was concerned we had the rest of our lives. I could wait a few weeks for her. She was just so gorgeous.
Under the dirt and dried blood from her ordeal I had seen the smooth porcelain skin and the fine features of her face. She had a soft full mouth and large deep set eyes the color of a storm cloud. Her hair was still pretty filthy but I thought it would be golden brown with bright highlights once it was cleaned and brushed.
She had tiny breasts that wouldn’t be half a handful and hips that were soft and round. At this point in my musings I mentally shook my head. It didn't matter that she was a gorgeous, sexy girl, I would not think about her that way right now. Yes, she was mine and always would be mine, but there was a time for everything and this wasn't it. She would be 18 in less than a month. That would be the time to show her who I was without lust and sex brought into the mixture. I laughed quietly. I was sure this girl would run me ragged.
When we got to my duplex off Bardstown Road, I carefully got out of the driver’s door without waking my girl. I walked around, opened the passenger door and, very carefully, pulled Flower into my arms. She was so tiny; her weight was nothing as I held her.
She stirred, I thought she was going to awaken, but instead she put her head down on my shoulder and murmured words I couldn't understand. I felt again the electricity that jolted between us. My cock was suddenly hard as a rock and I knew she felt it too when her arms tightened around my neck and her soft lips pressed against my chest in a kiss that made me tremble with need.
I carried her up the stairs to my duplex made from an old clapboard house. It was nicely restored with hardwood floors and tin ceilings. I had inherited it from my grandparents, with my older sister who lived downstairs.
I took Flower into the guest room and put her down on top of the comforter and I watched as she curled into her usual, almost fetal position, to sleep. She was so small, so innocent. The rage I had so carefully tamped down roared through me and my hands clenched so tightly that my knuckles were white with the strain of wanting to maim and kill those bastards who had taken and abused her.
I carefully pulled the quilt folded on the end of the bed over her warm sweet body and left the room. I went into the kitchen and slammed my fist into the hard plaster wall. It cracked a bit and some flakes of plaster and plaster dust fell to the ground.
“Well she has you hot and bothered,” my sister said from behind me. I had called her from the car and explained what was happening. I knew I was going to need her help to make Flower comfortable. My sister was a nurse and was also in school to become a Nurse Practitioner. She would have ideas about what Flower needed.
I turned to look at Maeve, knowing she would notice the anguish in my eyes. “I just want to get those…those ANIMALS and give them the beat down they deserve. I want to kill them for what they made her go through!”
Maeve went over to the stove and turned on the burner under the tea kettle after shaking it to make sure it had enough water. She knew me so well. She knew I always filled the tea kettle with water before I left for the day. That way all I had to do was turn on the burner when I came home to make tea.
As Maeve went through the soothing steps of making us tea, I felt some of the tension leave my shoulders. “Maeve, she is just so beautiful and they hurt her so badly. I know it sounds crazy, but she is ‘The One’ for me. She’s mine forever as far as I'm concerned and I have to figure out how to explain all of that to her.”
Maeve looked at me calmly. She didn't think I was crazy, thank God. “You think it's like Mom and Dad. They fell in love the moment they met and married five days later. He was off to Germany two days after that. But she was pregnant with Liam by the time he had to leave.”
This was an old, well-worn story in my family. We all loved to hear dad’s rough voice tell how he saw our mom at the drugstore counter talking to a friend. He'd always look at mom then and say, “She was like an angel, the most beautiful girl in the world. I was lucky because when I went over to her, she looked at me the same way I was looking at her.” We would always groan at this point in the story because our mom was a tiny butterball with a double chin and dimples in her elbows. We just couldn't see what my dad was saying about her being beautiful and an angel. She was just our mom.
Talking about old things calmed me further. Maeve and I discussed some of Flower’s needs and Maeve went downstairs to gather some things together. We could take her shopping tomorrow for anything else she might need.
I had some business to finish before it got any later. I had to straighten out my absence today from the academy. I was sure my teacher would understand and I could make up any work or exercises I had missed.
I had also gotten the business card of the Special Agent in Charge of the ATF squad and I called him first. I wanted to know what was happening with the thugs that had harmed Flower. I called his number and was surprised when he answered. I thought I would get voice mail.
“Hey, sir,” I said, “I wanted to get an update on the case you're working. Are those low life’s going to be put away?”
“Donahue,” He said in his low voice, “I thought I'd be hearing from you. You did real good taking care of that little girl and don't think I didn't notice you observing my team. Did you like what you saw?”
“Your squad really seemed to work as a team, sir. I was impressed with that. The local police don't work together that closely, except the SWAT teams.”
“Well, I know the academy instructors think highly of you and I hope you don't mind, but I did a little snooping at the university. You're making good grades and you're slated to graduate after twelve more hours.”
“Yes sir.”
“If you're interested, once you graduate, I could put in a good word for you. I could always use a smart man like you on my team.”
I was gratified that he thought enough about me after watching my behavior on one mission, to do that kind of research on me and make me that type of offer, as tenuous as it might be. It certainly fit in with my goals in life.
“Thank you, sir. I’ll certainly keep that in mind after I graduate. I am interested for sure.”
I continued, “I did want to talk to you about that operation and the girl. I brought her home to my place from the hospital. Her place was a dump and her mother is gone most of the time. She can't hardly walk yet, much less care for herself. That place would be a security nightmare with the Rattler King headquarters being so close.”
I continued. “I'm also worried that she knows more than she’s telling. She’s not talking at all. I mean I can count on my fingers the words she’s spoken and those have all been to me. She won't talk to the police, her doctor, or her mom. I also think she knows more about what happened to her friend. When the police brought the girl’s name up, she turned white as a bone.”
The Special Agent and I talked for a while and he was concerned having the girl at my place might be asking for trouble. I agreed but I wasn't going to change my mind. I explained my sister lived downstairs and I would enlist her help if necessary in Flower’s care.
After talking to me further about why I had taken her home, he decided that her being in protective custody under my sister’s and my protective custody would be appropriate. After all it would just be a few weeks until she turned eighteen. Then it would be up to her to agree with the arrangement. Much to my surprise he quickly set that in motion. Again, I was impressed with the broad command he had over his jurisdiction.
The Special Agent also told me that the leader of
the Rattler Kings, Jag, had tried to say that what happened with the girl was consensual, but the damage that she had incurred would never support that claim. He said there was a shit load of DNA and particle evidence collected from her body and along with the trafficking in drugs and firearms, the men arrested would also be charged with kidnapping, aggravated assault and rape.
I hung up, more sure than ever that Flower’s home wasn't safe. The Special Agent didn't think that all the Rattler Kings had been rounded up and Flower was certainly someone who had seen some illegal events and might be able to testify against them. Special Agent Black agreed she might be in danger from the gang and in that ramshackle trailer so close to the Rattler King’s club house she would have absolutely no protection.
Krystal
I woke up feeling better than I had in days and days, maybe forever. I was on a soft bed that smelled like flowers and I had a soft quilt covering me. I heard a knock on the door and it opened admitting Blue and a girl who looked a little older, but had the same blue eyes and wavy brown hair.
“This is my sister, Maeve,” Blue said. “I have to go into the academy to make up some work before tomorrow. Maeve is going to stay with you and help you get cleaned up. She’s a nurse, so you’ll be in good hands. I made you chicken soup and toast. I won't be gone more than a few hours and then we can talk if you want.”
I didn't want to be a bother to Blue or his sister. But I wanted to stay with Blue for as long as I could. I definitely thought Blue was the most wonderful person I’d ever met and I also knew that I loved him. I knew to say that I loved him so quickly was totally insane. I was so afraid that any minute he would realize how broken I was and how much trouble I was going to be and take me back to the trailer where I would be all alone. So even though I didn't want him to leave, I nodded to him and his sister and he came over to the bed and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
His sister grinned, and then pushed Blue towards the door. “Don't worry Sam, I'll take good care of Krystal. She can take some pain meds and eat some soup. Then she can get in the shower. I have the shower chair from when Grandma was here. I'll redo her wraps and bandages then. I know she’ll feel better after getting a shower, I certainly would!”
Blue smiled at me and left. Maeve helped me sit up and placed a tray in my lap with soup, toast and a glass of iced sweet tea. I felt a bit like royalty. No one ever took care of me like this. My mom was always too busy so I had always just taken care of myself.
“Sam says you don't talk much. That's okay because I talk all the time. Here’s your pain pill and antibiotics. Then after you eat you can get in the shower and wash. I know you want to get cleaner.”
After I ate Maeve helped me walk to the shower and get undressed. She did talk a lot. As she adjusted the water temperature and then helped me wash my hair she talked nonstop about her family and about my Blue. I, of course, listened hungrily to every word.
She was obviously proud of him and told me how he had a full ride scholarship to the university but had chosen to start the police academy at the same time as his senior year. He would work full-time as a policeman while he finished his last year at college.
I was so impressed with my Samuel Blue. I didn't know anyone who had finished college, except for my teachers at school. Donna and I had plans. Donna’s plans were set in stone and though I had registered for classes to start at UL this fall, I had put “Undecided” as my major.
I thought about the fact that I had missed my high school graduation, if only because I was thinking again about Donna. She had missed her graduation like she was going to miss every other important milestone. She would never become a teacher, would never get married and have children. She and I would never go to Paris together like we had planned. Tears started falling, again, and I angrily dashed them away.
Maeve looked at me with calm concern in her eyes. “You know it's ok to cry about what’s happened to you. Crying is one way to express emotion and feel feelings”.
I turned my head away from her, not willing to listen, but she continued anyway. “Some really bad stuff has happened to you and it’s obvious you’ve decided not to talk about it. But I want you to know, that I don't have any irons in this fire. I’m willing to just listen. So, if you ever do want to talk about what happened, you can talk to me and it won't ever go any farther.”
I turned my head back to her and looked carefully in her eyes, and then nodded again. I would think about this offer, but I didn't want to put her in any danger. I didn't know how far Jag’s arms reached. Until I knew for certain, my decision to quit talking would keep me from being badgered and would help Jag know that I was keeping my promise. Also, it was a relief to me that I didn't have to explain anything or talk about things I wanted to forget.
By the time I finished my shower and Maeve had rewrapped, re-taped, and re-bandaged and replaced the splints on all my bones and wounds, I was exhausted. Maeve kept her face calm while she took care of me, but I noticed her lips tightened when she put new bandages over the stitches in the wound above my breast. I was so ashamed of that wound. It was as if Jag had marked me as his forever. I scratched at it and Maeve grabbed my hands. She said urgently, “Now quit! Once it heals, we can find a way to remove or cover the scar. Maybe a nice tattoo or plastic surgery-so quit blaming yourself.”
How she understood how much I blamed myself for what happened, I didn't understand. I was grateful though. She knew somehow that I felt worthless and perhaps I could tell her some of what happened to me in that shed. Not today and not for a long, long time, but maybe someday. It gave me a sense of not being so alone and I was grateful.
She helped me put on a nightgown that belonged to her and folded back the covers on the bed. She helped me to get comfortable and left a small light burning as she whispered good night. Then she left, saying, “I'll be in the living room if you need me. I'm sure Sam will be home soon.” She kept the door open just a bit which made me feel better. Maeve had a way of making me feel comfortable almost like Blue did. Perhaps we could be friends.
I fell asleep, feeling safe and clean for the first time since the bad man had grabbed me by my hair.
Samuel
I came up the stairs to my apartment, excited for the first time since I could remember. My life had been a boring rut of work, school, home, sleep, work, school, home, sleep for so long that this new fizzle low in my belly was unusual and unexplainable. I told myself that it had nothing to do with my lovely Flower being in my home, where she belonged. I wouldn't expect someone as young as her to be romantically interested in me.
I was hoping to change that as she got to know me. But that was no reason to get my hopes up so quickly. After all, she had no idea and it would be some time before I told her, but she was mine; to protect, to provide for, and to love wholeheartedly.
I needed to wait until she knew me better before I explained things to her, like the first time she was dropped into my arms, the jolt of electricity that ran through me, raising the hairs on my arms and back of my neck. Just like my parents, I had fallen in love with my Flower in that second and I would love her until the day I died.
When I got upstairs, I sent Maeve home and slipped into the bedroom where Flower was sleeping and sat in the armchair next to the bed and watched her sleep. I couldn't wait until she took her proper place in my bedroom, in my bed. She had washed her hair and it spread over her pillow, shining a bright light brown streaked through with gold, just like I thought. The bruises on her face were already beginning to turn green and yellow.
Her movements were still stiff and she would occasionally whimper in her sleep when she tried to move. Watching her, knowing she was at least safe, I felt such peace, I slipped into sleep myself.
I was startled out of sleep by Flower screaming and thrashing. She was saying, “Don't, don't, please don't!” I was up and out of the chair and had her in my lap in seconds. I held her tightly in my arms and quietly murmured, “Sweet girl, wake up, you’re okay, wake up. You’re
with me darling, you’re safe.”
I held her close to me, trying to be careful of her injuries until she quit fighting and went limp. She finally opened her eyes drowsily and said in a whisper, “Blue. I was scared. You weren't here. Stay with me.” Then her eyes closed and she was asleep again.
I put her back in bed and straightened the covers over her. Then I carefully laid next to her on top of the blankets. I didn't want her to think I was trying to take advantage of her. I didn't want her to realize that my cock stood at attention every time I got close enough to smell her unique scent of mint and rosemary with an underlying musky scent that was uniquely her. I didn't even know if she would be able stand a guy near her after what happened.
Granted she seemed comfortable with me holding her and touching her, but that could change. So, no matter how much I wanted to get under the covers with her and be bathed in her sweet scent, I wouldn't without her permission. Therefore, I covered myself with the quilt, put my hand around her waist over the blankets and fell back to sleep.
Chapter 5
Krystal
I woke up when the light from the window barely removed the shadows from the corners of the room. Something held me in place and I stiffened, but then I realized that the scent of Blue surrounded me and it was Blue’s arm that was holding me down. He was breathing evenly and slowly and I realized he was asleep.
I felt so safe with him there. I wondered what making love would be like with him. I had lost my innocence and my virginity in a such a vicious way. They had been ripped from me without consent or concern. I hoped someday I could give myself to someone who would treat me with love and care, they way I had always dreamed it would be.
Someone like my Blue.
Shattered Krystal Page 4