by Shelly Davis
Right when I grasped the door handle, Grant grabbed my arm and spun me around. I pressed my back into the side of my car, attempting to put as much distance between us as possible. Heart racing and body shaking I looked into Grant’s eyes and tried to read his intentions.
“I told you I’d be back, Mia. Why’re you forcing me to wait for you to be alone?”
“You shouldn’t be here,” I said, trying to sound calm and relaxed, but my trembling betrayed me. “You aren’t supposed to be here. I told you, I don’t want to see you anymore. You need to leave or I’ll call the police.”
“Go ahead. What’re they going to do? I’ll be gone long before they get here and I’ll make sure you regret calling them. Remember, Mia, I haven’t done anything to harm you – yet.”
Baring down on me, he moved in closer, only fractions of an inch separated us. His breath washed over my face, making me gag and my stomach churn. He smelled of stale cigarettes, liquor, and days without a toothbrush or a shower. His pupils were dilated and his eyes darted all over, not focusing on anything. Grant was coming unhinged. He was more dangerous than ever.
“I’ve been watching you for days, Mia. You can’t keep hiding behind your friends forever.”
“I’m not hidin’,” I argued. I knew arguing wasn’t the best plan. I needed to find a way to fight him off. “I told you we were done.”
“For Jake. You think I don’t know you broke things off for Jake? He doesn’t want you, Mia. He never wanted you. The only man you have is me. Jake will never want you. Besides what would he want with you when he has a woman like Monique LaRue?”
He slid his hand up the front of me, and grasped my throat in his hand. Squeezing, he pushed me into the side of the car. My ears started ringing and my vision started going black on the edges. Then I was on the ground, gasping for air. Grant twisted my hair in his hand and pulled, yanking me down the street.
Chapter Twenty- Five
Jake
“Jake, you should probably head to the restaurant. Mia insisted on staying and finishing the bouquets before she left. She’s there alone.” Monique’s voicemail sounded worried. She knew about the situation with Grant, but also, all of the shops in the historic district seemed to close earlier than others in the main part of town. Mom and Pop stores that didn’t stay open past eight o’clock.
The moment I heard her message, I got in my Jeep and started the thirty minute drive to the restaurant. I flew through empty streets, trying to make sure I got there before she decided to leave. Not only did I want to make sure she was okay, but we needed to talk. Once and for all we’d put all the crap behind us. Maybe we’d be together, or maybe we’d finally be able to stay away.
I pulled up in front of the dark building and climbed out, stepping onto the street. Everything was dark and the cage in front of the door was drawn to the ground. She’d locked the store up tight, but her car still sat alone on the deserted street.
On the ground, glinting under the streetlight, was a set of keys near her car. My heart sank. I turned around searching the side streets for signs of movement. They had to be here somewhere, right?
I listened into the silent night, the stillness of the evening air bringing no peace to my now raging heart. Something had to have happened to her.
Turning around, I searched for something out of place, some clue as to where she might have gone.
Looking toward the corner of the building, I saw something lying on the ground. A shoe, one of Mia’s sneakers. She’d worn the same sneakers for the past couple days while we were cleaning and decorating. There were scuff marks on the ground leading up to the shoe and around the side of the building. It looked like she may have been dragged away.
And then I heard her scream, her panicked, frightened cry cut through the silence. I flew around the building, searching for Mia, for any movement on the empty street. Adrenaline pulsed through my limbs, begging to be released. How could I let this happen to her? I should’ve been there. I should’ve taken care of her.
“Mia!” I bellowed, searching the street for any movement. Then I saw them, about a block away on the opposite side of the street. Mia was being dragged, struggling against someone much larger and stronger than her.
“Jake!” Her terrified voice bounced off the brick walls.
Adrenaline coursed through me as I ran; tearing down the street, my feet barely touching the asphalt. Rage fueled me, coursing through my veins, driving me to run faster. I closed the distance in moments, and a calm fell over me. He’d never hurt her again, I’d make sure of it.
Turning at the sound of my rapid footfalls, Grant pulled Mia up against himself, using her as a shield. “She’s mine, Jake. She’s meant to be with me.”
I didn’t slow. I pushed harder, I couldn’t focus on Mia; I could only focus on stopping Grant before he hurt her. There was no doubt he would harm her if he had the chance.
He released Mia, seeming to realize I wasn’t stopping. She fell to the ground like a ragdoll, gasping for breath. Mia called out to me, but I didn’t stop; I couldn’t. I had to put an end to this once and for all. Grant cursed, screaming as he tried to get away.
I caught Grant, tackling him to the ground. Anger boiled over as I let loose – my fists flying. He’d tried to hurt the woman I loved. He’d terrorized her, stalking her and scaring her. He’d dragged her, pulling her down the street by her throat, intent on degrading and hurting her. Or worse trying to force her to do something she didn’t want to do.
“Jake, stop.” Mia’s raspy voice pulled me out of my rage-filled onslaught. “Please.” I stopped, her plea resounded through me, making me regret the storm of anger I had just displayed.
Standing, shaken by the sheer fury still burning in my gut, I looked to my beautiful Mia. Her hair was a tangled mess, no doubt he had grabbed her and dragged her by it at some point in their struggle. Her clothes were dirty and torn. One shoe still sat alone across the street, a silent reminder of what had happened to her. It was hard to see what other damage he may have done to her in the dim light.
“Mia,” I said, collecting myself. “Call the police.”
Finally looking down at the object of my wrath, I worried he might try to get away, but he wasn’t going anywhere. He laid on the ground in a heap, breathing heavily. He wouldn’t be moving from that spot any time in the near future.
I walked up to Mia, just as she ended her call with the police, and pulled her into my arms. Her throat was red and swollen, and a cut on her lip oozing blood. I collapsed to my knees, Mia still cradled in my arms, and held her tight all while assuring myself that she was fine.
The moment the police arrived and our statements were taken, I rushed back to my Jeep. Mia was being taken to the hospital to be checked out and I wasn’t about to let her be there alone.
I dialed Mike the moment I reached my car and started the engine.
“Jake, this better be good. It’s two in the mornin’”
“Mike, you and Rosie gotta get to the hospital. Grant attacked Mia. She’s fine, but they’re takin’ her to the emergency room to get checked out.”
Mike’s roared curse made me jerk the phone away from my ear. “What the hell happened? Is she alright?”
I went on to explain how the girls were there late decorating and Mia decided to stay and finish the final touches on a few things. “Monique called, concerned that Mia was alone, so I went to make sure she got home okay. I was too late.” The rest poured out of me, and by the time I got to the hospital, I hung up with Mike so I could rush inside.
“Mia Slone please?” I asked the receptionist.
“Are you family?”
“No, her parents are on their way. I’m a friend.”
“Only family’s allowed in back. She’s back there, but you’ll have to wait for family to find out anythin’ more.” Her eyes went right back to the computer screen sitting in front of her. I paced in front of the door while I waited. Worry coursed through every inch of my being. She was
okay, she had to be.
But what would I do if she was okay? Nothing had changed since the last time we talked. She was refusing to talk to me and I was the ass who had ignored her because I overheard a secret confession. A confession that actually scared the hell out of me. She loved me. She could finally be mine and I was done being a fool and ignoring what was there between us.
When Mike and Rosie got there, I stayed around long enough to hear what the doctor had to say before he took them back to see her. I knew, no matter how much I wanted her, this wasn’t the right time to see her. She needed to get fixed up and get home. Tomorrow was Mike and Rosie’s big day and I knew Mia wouldn’t let anything stop them from getting married.
Grant had been taken to the hospital and released into police custody. Mia was fine and the cuts and bruises would heal, but I worried about the emotional trauma. Grant had stalked and harassed her for weeks. He’d terrorized and intimidated her through texts and emails, and ultimately tried to harm her.
The girl was strong, but I worried about how much she could take before she broke completely.
***
Not surprisingly, the wedding went off without a hitch, and by the time the wedding party got to the restaurant, it was packed with friends and family. For the first time, I got a glimpse into what it would be like to have this restaurant and fill it with paying customers every night. It was an amazing feeling, and I finally felt like things were going exactly the way I wanted. But something was still missing, and I knew exactly what that something was.
She walked into the restaurant, escorted by Toni. Rosie and Mike did things a little untraditionally, Mia was Rosie’s maid of honor, but Toni was Mike’s best man – or woman, as he called her. Toni wore a tux fitted just perfectly to show she was a woman under the suit, and Mia wore a fitted, long sleeve, backless, black and silver gown that showed off her gorgeous figure. Together, the two women looked beautiful, and incredibly happy. People would never know it was just last night, Mia was almost broken by a sociopathic man.
Thinking back, I knew things could’ve been so much worse. I saw worse, once, and was thankful Mia wouldn’t have the physical scars to go along with the emotional ones like Toni.
When Mike and Rosie were announced, I stood by the kitchen doors and watched the pride and happiness on Mia’s face. She and her mother had been through so much when her father left them, they deserved to be happy.
“You know,” my mother said walking up behind me. “She looks happy, but you could make her happier.”
Feigning ignorance, I didn’t look at my mother when I spoke. “What are you talkin’ about? Who do you think I’m gonna make happy? I’m all about my restaurant and the gym. Ain’t worried about any woman but my momma.”
A snicker escaped her. “Yeah, sure you are. Jake, I don’t know where you get your stubbornness from.”
I spun around and stared at my mother, completely bewildered. “You have no idea where I get my stubbornness? You’re kiddin’ right? Daddy always says you’re the most pigheaded woman he’s ever met, but he loves the challenge.”
“Well, maybe you are a little like us both, because you may have my obstinacy but you also love challenges. Somethin’ you and Cade both get from your father.” My mother paused for just a moment before she stepped up next to me. “She’s your challenge, Jake. If you let her get away from you again, you’re a fool.”
I knew she was right. There was no doubt in my mind anymore. Mia was the woman with whom I’d compared every other woman. She was the woman I couldn’t get out of my mind, no matter how hard I tried.
Returning to the kitchen, I put the finishing touches on the entrees and started taking the trays out to the buffet.
“Go, Jake. We got this,” Faith said, pushing me toward the door. I’d called in some help from the gym. Without the help, we never would’ve been able to pull everything off.
“Thanks again, Faith. You’ve been a life saver.”
“I know,” she said with a wink. “It’s all good. It’s good experience for when Dex and I move in together.”
Dex was one of the new trainers Cade and I hired. Finally Faith had lost interest in me and focused on him. I was happy to see her find someone who shared her interest.
“No, I’ll have to bring you in and teach you how to cook.”
She smiled as though she was excited about the prospect. Then she gathered the others and started taking the food out to the buffet.
“Go have fun boss, we got this.”
Without another word, I walked into the dining area and found my mother, father, and Cade sitting at our table. Striding over to them, I glanced toward the head table, toward Mia. She was gorgeous, and she was looking right at me. My heart swelled, any worry or fear was gone. She was the woman I loved, and I wouldn’t let her go no matter what.
Toasts and well wishes for the new bride and groom followed food and first dances. When everyone was full and happy, Mike stood and got the attention of the entire room
“Rosie and I would like to thank y’all for bein’ here with us today. It’s been a long time comin’, but I’m happy to say this little lady is finally my wife. Add to that another gorgeous daughter to look after. Rosie and I are so proud of both these girls and the lives they’re leadin’. I also want to draw attention to Cade and Jake Hanson. They’re like sons to me and I couldn’t be more proud of them either. Together they own a successful fitness gym, Cade has just graduated from his master’s program and is now a certified Physical Therapist. And this wonderful restaurant was just purchased by Jake. The amazing meal we ate was prepared by Jake and his momma, Dottie.” He looked to Rosie and then to Mia. He took them each in his hands and pulled them to stand with him. “Thank you both for completin’ my family.” He raised his glass and the room erupted into clapping and cheers.
“Let’s dance,” he said over the applause. He led Rosie, Mia, and Toni out onto the dance floor. Taking his bride in his arms they began to slow dance to Faithfully by Journey.
Toni and Mia looked ridiculous trying to dance together, until Julius cut in and took Toni into his arms. Mia stood alone for a moment, looking uncomfortable and unsure.
Without even a second thought, I stood from my seat and strode to the middle of the dance floor. My heart raced, but I steeled myself. I couldn’t wait to hold her in my arms once more. “Dance with me?” I asked, stretching my hand.
With a smile, Mia took my hand and we glided across the dance floor. I held her slim little body in my arms and felt all the anger and anxiety I’d held on to for so long, melt away. She belonged with me.
I pulled her from the floor to a closed door in the back of the room. It led to the second floor. Eventually it would house my office and possibly a workout room. For the time being there was only a desk and a couple chairs.
“Jake, this place is amazin’. I’m so happy for you.”
“Thanks.” I led her to the chairs and guided her to sit in front of me. “We need to talk.”
“I know. First, I want to thank you for saving me last night. I don’t know what he was gonna do to me. How’d you know I needed you?”
“Moni called me. She was worried about leavin’ you there alone.”
Mia looked surprised. I imagine it was hard for her to understand my relationship with Monique. I wasn’t sure I understood it myself. All I knew was I cared about Monique like I cared for Toni. There was nothing more but friendship.
“She’s very sweet. I’ll have to thank her for sendin’ you.”
“You know, I was mad at you for so long. I thought you betrayed me, but now I know we were just too young to understand what we had.”
“Jake …” she started.
“No, I need you to listen,” I said, cutting her off. “I’m sick of screwin’ around, Mia. I’m sick of waitin’ and worryin’ and wonderin’.” I looked down. Finding my resolve, I looked up and met her gorgeous hazel eyes. I always loved her eyes. “Did you mean what you told Jen?”
She stared at me, her eyes flashed back and forth between mine. She seemed to be trying to read what I was feeling. Trying to discern what I was asking her.
“Yes.” Her voice barely above a whisper, like it was some big secret meant only for me. “I meant what I said.”
“I wanna hear you say it,” I pushed. I pulled her chair closer to me, her knees slid perfectly between mine. “I wanna hear you say what you told Jen.”
She stared at me, her hands fidgeting in her lap. She wrung her fingers together over and over until the skin was red and irritated. I pulled her hands apart and held them in mine.
I needed to hear her say it. I needed to look into her eyes and read the emotion as she said the words. Her eyes couldn’t betray her true feelings. I’d know, once and for all if we were meant to be or not.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Mia
“I love you.” I had no idea why I couldn’t find my voice around him, but I couldn’t.
I was still raspy from last night’s altercation, but I had more voice than I was giving now. He needed to know I meant what I said, so finding some tenacity, I cleared my throat, looked deep into his dark cobalt eyes and smiled shyly.
“I love you, Jake Hanson. I’ve loved since I was ten-years-old and you’d ride me around on your handlebars. I’ve loved you since I was twelve and we played release and you’d make sure I had the best hiding places. I’ve loved you since you stood up for me against bullies and was my shield against the world. And I’ve loved you since you watched me watching you in high school.”
Taking my hands, he pulled me into his lap. It felt like going home. And when his lips touched mine, I was lost in the feel and taste of Jake Hanson. I’d always be lost to him, there was no doubt in my mind. Once upon a time I stopped believing in love. I’d stopped believing in fairytales and happily ever afters. But not anymore. I believed in love and I believed in second chances. Downstairs my mother had taken her second chance and held on for dear life. Now it was my turn.