by Haven Rose
When I hear my phone ringing, I reach back and, without thinking, answer it, praying it’s my dad or Bobby. “Hello.”
“Did you enjoy my present, you nosy bitch?”
I don’t recognize the voice, which is obviously their intent as I can tell it’s being disguised, but I ask anyway, “Who is this? What do you want?”
“Quit asking questions and it all stops. The flat tires, the eyes on you, the hang ups, losing the phone line at the store. Your nosiness goes away, and so do I, otherwise, you won’t like what comes next. You saw what I did to your room. That’s nothing compared to what I’ll do to you if you don’t back off.”
The call ends after that threat, and I immediately begin throwing up again, with only dry heaves taking place this time. I’m exhausted, weak, and scared out of my mind. I know I need help. Even if I do stop, the thought of which hurts, the possibility of never knowing the truth of what happened to my mom, I can’t help but worry the person will never uphold their end and leave me alone.
I dial the sheriff’s office, trying to calm myself long enough to be coherent as I ask for a deputy to come to the house, remembering at the last moment to thank the dispatcher.
I get Boots and sit on the porch with one of my mom’s afghans wrapped around me, not wanting to be inside the house by myself. Within minutes a car is pulling into the driveway and even in my state I notice how good-looking he is. But when he hurries to me, almost like he can’t get to me fast enough, a feeling of peace, of safety, starts enveloping me, and I know it has everything to do with the man staring at me, obviously looking me over for any injuries. He’s got hair so dark it’s almost black, and I can see a slight curl at the ends. I stare into his hazel eyes, loving that they seem to transmit everything he’s feeling.
When I realize who he is, the only thing I can do is rush into his arms, whispering his name. Ryan is here, with me, wrapping his arms around me like he never wants to let go, and I’m okay with that.
**Ryan**
I hold her against me, loving the feel of her in my arms, while at the same time whispering over and over, “I’ve got you, baby. No one will touch you as long as there’s breath in my body.”
I can feel her body quivering, her breathing shaky, as she clutches me even tighter. I just continue soothing her with my words and touch, my hand cupping the back of her head as I hold her to me. I press kisses to the top of her head, trying to share my strength with her.
“My precious jewel, are you ready to talk about what’s wrong?”
She pulls back, and my grip tightens, unwilling to let her leave me, but she only looks up, surprise showing on her beautiful face as she says, “That’s the second time you’ve called me that. Why?”
“Baby, I know, even with whatever is going on right now, you can feel the connection between us, and could during our short phone conversation as well.”
When she nods, the breath I didn’t realize I was holding leaves my body, the relief she does too, and admits it, making my knees go weak for a second.
“That’s not what I mean, well, it sort of is, but I was wondering, why you’re calling me that? Did you hear it somewhere or…?”
“I have a confession to make. I saw you almost two weeks ago, when I came to town for my interview. You were working at Harry’s, and something made me stop and look inside, and there you were. It may sound weird, but I just knew, with one glance, you were mine.” I stop talking for a moment, thankful she isn’t disagreeing, or running away, then continue, “I told myself I’d stop in and meet you after seeing Mr. Johnson about the house I now rent, but when I returned, you were gone.”
“Was that on a Monday?” When he says yes, I know exactly what happened, and tell him I only worked the morning shift, as my dad was gone for a few days, until Alex was able to take over.
“When you answered the phone today, I was so happy to talk to you, yet disappointed when I knew I couldn’t stop in before you left. I had to reschedule the vet appointments because I got called in since some guys are out sick. I never thought I’d be thankful for someone else’s misery, but I am this time simply because I’m here now, with you in my arms.”
She says nothing else, just lays her head against my chest again, and for a second, my heart skips a beat as I feel her press a kiss over my heart. That, that right there sealed her fate. She was mine before, and I was content to take it at whatever pace she needed from me, but once she did that, I knew she didn’t want to wait either.
“Tell me what happened, baby.” As she starts at the beginning, the first time something felt off, the rage I feel for whoever is doing this to her is building, but when she tells me about her underwear, and what is obviously on it, the urge to hunt them down, to make their life a living hell before ending it, is starting to overwhelm me. It’s a feeling I’m not used to, but then again, I’ve never experienced anything like I have since first seeing her. I’ve always been laid-back, nothing much phasing me, and that only changes somewhat as I’m working, but with her, because of her, there’s an intensity running through my veins, I feel as if I’m no longer me, and I’m okay with that. The person I was before her was lonely, formal around people, aside from my parents and Deacon, and even then, I know I was holding back a part of me. But now, I feel as if she’s flipped this switch and I’m suddenly a caveman, wondering how she’d react if I threw her over my shoulder and took her to my house, then began making her mine.
As if she knows what I’m thinking, I see her mouth open a fraction, her pink tongue running across her full bottom lip, her eyes growing larger, as does a certain part of myself as her gaze drifts there, and I can no longer resist, but I do give her time to stop me, before swooping in and touching my mouth to hers, nibbling on that bottom lip still wet from her tongue. I can so easily picture those lips wrapped around me, bringing us both pleasure, before I drag her up my body, and devour her mouth. The mixture of my taste with hers is already becoming addictive.
My fantasy is interrupted as her hands begin pulling my shirt out of my pants, then she slides them up my back. My hand fists in her hair, giving a little tug as I pull her head back before deepening the kiss, thrusting my tongue inside, dueling with hers as we use this contact to express everything we’re feeling. This woman is mine, as I am hers, and though I don’t want to, I know we need to stop before I carry her inside and begin the claiming. Plus, I need to check the house and begin collecting evidence, as well as call Sheriff Parker and have him send another deputy to help. The latter is also a way of protecting my jewel because I don’t want to run the risk of anyone trying to throw out the case because of my connection to it, and her. That may be cynicism showing due to working in a bigger city, but I will never do anything to jeopardize her safety or solving her case.
I gentle the kiss before letting her lips go and pulling her against my chest. “Baby, I need to go inside. I’m going to call the station and have them send another deputy out as a witness. I don’t want to take the chance on anyone trying to claim the evidence is tainted.” I see the question in her eyes and before she can ask it I say, “Because you are mine. We both know it, and if you didn’t before, that kiss says more than words ever could.”
She smiles shyly at me, a cute blush staining her cheeks, then says, “I won’t, can’t, deny it. I felt it over the phone, but in person,” she shakes her head as if she’s unsure what she’s trying to explain, “it’s like I’m being pulled toward you,” then I hear her mumble adorably, “as if I would even want to resist,” before continuing in a normal voice, “and the thought of not being near you causes my heart to ache.”
“Sweetheart, that is something you’ll never have to worry about. Now, before I call in, you still haven’t told me your name yet. I have no problem referring to you as my precious jewel, or the future Mrs. Daniels, but I need your name.”
“Did you know my parents, before I was even born, referred to me as their precious jewel, and that’s why I was given my name?”
; All I can do is stare at her in shock. My endearment for her, the way I’ve thought of her since first seeing her, is how her parents viewed her, knowing how special she already was before even holding her? That just proves even further that she’s mine, and I tell her so.
“I agree and refuse to fight it. Remind me to tell you my parents’ story one day, and you’ll understand why I can accept this so easily. But, to answer your question, my name is Ruby.”
“Ruby,” I say her name slowly, testing it, tasting it on my lips, as I mentally visualize seeing it on our marriage license. Ruby Daniels has quite the ring to it. It’s almost poetic. “What’s your middle name, Ruby?”
“Elizabeth.”
I chuckle as I stare at her beautiful red hair, and ice blue eyes. I never imagined that color in all the times I pictured her face since that day, and can’t resist teasing her as I wrap a curl around my finger, saying, “So, we know you’re a precious jewel, and you have this gorgeous red hair I just want to bury my face in, your name is Ruby, and, after I claim you as mine forever in front of our loved ones and God, your last name will be Daniels, making your initials,” I trail off, unable to stop the laugh. I see the moment she realizes what I’m saying.
“R.E.D., they’ll spell out RED,” she giggles, and then right there, my heart just fell out of my chest and landed in her hands. It was hers to do as she wished, and I knew she would guard it fiercely, and love it deeply, for as long as there was breath in our bodies.
After we regain our composure, I pull my cell phone off my work belt and call the station, updating them on the situation, and ask for dispatch to send assistance. Thankfully, no questions are asked, which eases my mind. I’d rather talk with the sheriff personally anyway. As I’m ending the call, I hear tires in the driveway, and immediately turn around, ensuring she’s behind me, as I take my gun out of the holster, prepared to defend her with everything in me.
I relax when an older man, his hair slightly darker than my Ruby’s, gets out of the car, the engine still running, and rushes toward us. This is obviously her dad, his love and concern for her easy to see in his eyes, brown I notice, so Ruby didn’t get her beautiful blues from him, and reaches around me, which is saying a lot considering how much bigger I am than him, to grab her hand. I take a step to the side, still close enough to protect her if the asshole behind everything reappears, and let Ruby and her dad hug, knowing they need the reassurance just as I did.
**Ruby**
I’m in shock. Not only from what happened, and receiving the pictures, but also from meeting Ryan, accepting what we’ll come to mean to each other, and from that kiss. Now I’m holding onto my dad, while staring at Ryan, and though I love my dad, I want it to be Ryan’s arms wrapped around me. The symbolism of his role in my life changing and Ryan taking over my care and protection, so to speak, isn’t lost on me. Yes, it may sound archaic, but it is quite true in a way.
I reassure Dad that I’m okay, telling him in a nutshell what happened, leaving out the part about my recent imitation of Nancy Drew. I introduce him to Ryan and watch as they shake hands, knowing Dad had to notice how tightly we were holding one another. I hear a car and recognize Will, another deputy, as he steps out of the driver’s side. Ryan looks at me, and I give him a nod, somehow knowing he needed it from me, and follow with my eyes as he walks toward Will. I see them shake hands, then watch as they talk, obviously Ryan telling him what’s going on. I can’t help but notice the respect and affection Ryan and Will seem to have for each other, something you wouldn’t expect from two people who met only a day or so ago.
Dad clears his throat, pulling my eyes and attention from Ryan, and stares at me, brow raised, and just waits. I blush, feeling like a teenage girl getting caught with her boyfriend.
“So, uh, that was Ryan, the newly hired deputy. When I called the station, he responded as he’s patrolling our neighborhood during his shift tonight. He said he wasn’t even supposed to start until tomorrow, but a few guys are out sick, so they asked him to work, and he agreed. It’s kind of funny, he’s the customer I was talking to this morning at Harry’s when we lost power…” I finally realize I’m blabbing and abruptly stop talking. Dad knows me too well, and yeah, I act that way when I’m trying to distract someone. I whistle, going for innocent, as we stand there, me petting Boots, as Dad continues to watch me.
He finally breaks his silence, though with his words, I wish he hadn’t. “You two seem pretty close for having just met.”
“Well, uh, um, see…” I have nothing, so I decide to just stop talking. I wonder if I point to the side, claiming to see something, I can run away. Just as I’m trying to figure out what I can use as a diversion long enough for my brilliant, even I smirk at that thought, plan to work, his next information drop leaves me speechless for a different reason.
“It’s just like the story of your mom and me. All it took was one second, something to give me the push I needed, to make me truly see her, and that was it for me. She was mine, and I wasn’t going to let anyone change that, not even her. Thankfully she wanted me just as much.”
I just nod my head, having no idea what I could say, but knowing that action is all he needs to confirm his theory.
“He seems like a good man,” my dad says, as if he knows it for a fact, aside from talking with Ryan for less than a minute.
“I agree, but how could you know just by shaking his hand?”
“For one, no, two, simple reasons. First, the smile on your face, despite what you discovered, because of him. Second, his first instinct was to protect you, standing between you and whoever was pulling into the driveway.”
And with that observation, we both grow quiet as Ryan and Will come our way, Dad and Will shaking hands and Will greeting me with a wave. Ryan, coming to my side and twining his fingers with mine, asks me to stay outside with my dad as he and Will do their jobs. As I tell him I will, I don’t miss as Will’s eyes follow Ryan’s movement, ending at our hands. I see him raise an eyebrow at Ryan, but he doesn’t say anything, instead focusing on the reason he’s there.
Dad, Boots, and I stay in the yard as Ryan and Will walk into the house, guns drawn strictly as a precaution I’m sure, and talk about anything and everything, avoiding the topics of Ryan and the destruction left in my bedroom.
Thirty-five minutes later, yes, I kept looking at my cell for the time having forgotten to wear my watch today, Ryan and Will walk out, grim expressions on their face. Ryan walks straight to my side again, repeating his actions from before, but this time he wraps his free arm around me, pulling me tightly to him as he kisses the top of my head. I already love when he does that, and I can’t even explain why, except to say it’s sweet.
Will says his good-byes, telling Ryan he’ll take the report to the station and file it, and let the Sheriff know since Ryan’s shift is over he was done for the day. Ryan thanks him, as do Dad and I, and Will walks to his car and leaves. Now, it’s just the three of us, and yeah, awkward. Hell, even Boots is looking at me in expectation, but then again, he just may want permission to run away, err inside, leaving me to face my dad and Ryan by myself. What a traitor. I’m seriously contemplating my earlier plan again.
“Pack a bag, Ruby. I don’t want you staying here. Boots is more than welcome to come too. I don’t see your dad being in any danger as it all seems focused on you, but, sir, if you have somewhere you could stay for a few days as well, it wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
Dad and I begin talking at the same time, our responses overlapping.
“Am I going with you?” Even I must admit my question doesn’t seem at all like a protest, but instead one of anticipation.
“Where do you think you’re taking my daughter, young man?”
“Sir, I know this may sound weird seeing as how Ruby and I technically just met, but I know, with every fiber of my being, that Ruby is the one for me. She said I need to hear you and your wife’s story, so that leads me to believe you understand where I’m coming from. I need he
r near me. I need to be the one to protect her. I need her in my house, becoming a part of my daily life, because I have every intention of her remaining there once she does. She’s my precious jewel.”
Now my dad is speechless, yay for it not just being me, but I see that he’s processing Ryan’s words, and caught how Ryan referred to me, as well as the second he decides not to fight him on it. That or he has accepted Ryan won’t budge. And again, I’m okay with that. What is this man doing to me?
So, we walk back into the house, even though I really have nothing I can pack seeing as how it’s all destroyed and labeled evidence, of which Ryan told me Will would be returning with the Sheriff, so they could collect it. He said it wasn’t standard procedure for the Sheriff to be a part of that process, but with Ryan being involved with me, they all thought it best he essentially oversees all of it.
I pack a bag, consisting only of my books for school, my laptop, which was safe because it had been with me all day, and anything else I need for work, as well as a pair of shoes that weren’t ruined simply because they were downstairs by the front door. I also grab my purse and set it on the table, so I don’t forget it. Next, I grab Boots’ things, such as his doggie bed, which is silly considering he always sleeps in mine, a few toys, and his food. I then empty his water bowl and dry it off, and wipe down his food bowl, everything in it having been devoured when we returned home from the park, and put them in a plastic bag, adding it to the others.
I look at them, and start crying, the reality of it all hitting me. Those bags contain what are literally my only belongings right now. Everything else is ruined, and even if something hadn’t been, I no longer wanted it, knowing it’s now tainted by what happened in my room, the place that had been my sanctuary for years. My dad told me stories in there as a kid, it’s where my determination to find true love started. With that thought, I remember the one thing I would want out of my room regardless of what happened there and race up the stairs to search for it, praying it’s safe.