AintNoAngel

by J L Taft

  Chapter Eleven

  Jessie woke alone, but the bed was still warm from Travis’ big body. Stretching like a content cat, she stood and pulled on one of his t-shirts before heading toward the bathroom. It was still night and she wondered where Travis had gone.

  A loud crash and the noise of glass breaking downstairs had her changing directions. Going back to the bedroom, she opened the drawer that had her gun. Checking quickly to make sure that it was loaded, she took it with her as she hurried downstairs.

  When she got to the kitchen, she flipped on the light and she felt the blood drain from her face, leaving her lightheaded at the sight before her.

  The remains of her heavy cookie jar littered the floor and Travis was struggling to his feet, holding his head.

  Jessie could see the blood dripping down the side of his face. Grabbing some paper towels, she leaned up to hold them to the gash.

  The dark shape of a man stepped from the shadows and Jessie felt her heart start pounding like a jackhammer when Cyrus said, “Well, hello, wife.”

  “Cyrus! What did you do?” she yelled as she pressed the paper towels harder against Travis’ head and then lifted them to take a look. The gash was deep.

  “What the hell is he doing here, Jessica?” Cyrus sneered as if he hadn’t heard her.

  His tone sent shivers skating across her back but she refused to back down. She turned to face Cyrus but before she could say anything Travis pushed her to stand halfway behind them. He was trying to shield her from Cyrus.

  “Parker, I’m taking you in. Go quietly and this won’t get ugly.”

  To their surprise, he started laughing. “I’m not going anywhere with you, Turner. What I want to know is, what the hell are you doing here with my wife?”

  “I’m not your wife!” Jessie shouted.

  Cyrus took a step closer and his expression went dark and menacing.

  “Are you cheating on me, Jessica?”

  Jessie realized then that Cyrus had a few major screws loose. He believed, after all this time, that they were still married.

  Travis spoke up then. “She isn’t your wife anymore and what she does with her time is no concern of yours. You are going to jail, Parker.”

  Cyrus turned on him then. “That’s exactly what got you fired, Turner. You don’t understand that cops stick together.”

  “What you don’t understand, Parker, is that police are to uphold the law. Investigate murders and put the guilty party behind bars.”

  Jessie looked back and forth between the men as they glared at each other. There was something else going on here.

  “What do you mean, Travis?” she asked.

  “You didn’t tell her? Not that I blame you, I’d be ashamed of myself too,” Cyrus cut in.

  Travis’ gaze never wavered for a second from Cyrus but he said, “Do you remember when you asked me what had happened when I left the force, Jessie?”

  “Yes, I remember.”

  “I was fired because I was investigating our new chief of police for the murder of a young woman named Candy Marsh.”

  Jessie remembered the woman, a few years younger than her. The murder had shocked the whole town. Everyone had assumed it had been a drifter who had just passed through.

  “You have no proof! You never did and you never will!” Cyrus screamed.

  Jessie jumped and took a step back. This was getting them nowhere and Cyrus was becoming more unstable by the second. She saw that familiar look of violence on his face.

  “You made sure of that, didn’t you? But thankfully you aren’t as smart as you think you are. The forensic samples have been found. All we need to do is match you up to them and you are going away for a long time.”

  Cyrus bellowed in rage and pulled a gun from the back of his pants as he lunged for Travis. But he was expecting it and pushed Jessie away before Cyrus was on him.

  They rolled and Cyrus’ gun clattered to the floor and slid out of his reach. Jessie kicked it farther away as the sickening sounds of flesh meeting flesh filled her ears.

  She stood motionless as Cyrus got the upper hand and pummeled Travis’ face with his fist. There was so much blood and the metallic scent filled the kitchen.

  Before she knew what she was doing she jumped on Cyrus’ back and wrapped an arm around his neck, squeezing for all she was worth. Her other hand still held her gun and she brought it down on the back of his head.

  Cyrus jerked to throw her off and it screwed up her aim, making the gun just glance off the side of his head. But it distracted him from punching Travis again.

  He stood and, grabbing her arm, pulled her off his back and she dropped heavily to the floor.

  “You stupid bitch!” he screamed as he stood over her.

  His foot went back and she knew he was going to kick her. In that split second she made her decision. Protect herself without hesitation.

  She raised the gun in her hand. Took aim and pulled the trigger. The discharge of the bullet was loud in the confines of the house and the smell of the gunpowder reached her nose.

  It all seemed to happen in slow motion. The shocked look on Cyrus’ face as he crumpled to the floor. Travis yelling, “No!” and then his arms around her.

  “Jessie! Are you okay?” He was running his hands over her body. Her ears were ringing but she wasn’t hurt. She had faced him and won.

  “I’m all right. Did I kill him?”

  “Call the police and I’ll look.”

  Travis helped her to her feet and she moved away to do as he had asked. Suddenly he pulled her back into his arms and kissed her hard.

  “It’s going to be okay, Jessie girl.”

  “I know.”

  Jessie made the call to the police department as Travis pressed his t-shirt to Cyrus’ wound. She had just enough time to pull on some jeans before she heard the wail of sirens in the distance.

  The EMTs went to work on Cyrus immediately.

  Jessie asked quietly if he would be okay.

  The EMT looked up at her and said that the bullet went clean through his shoulder and he would be fine.

  Travis stood strong and still by her side and she reached for his hand, holding tight when he laced their fingers.

  Once they had loaded Cyrus into the back of the ambulance and it drove off with flashing lights and wailing sirens, the police, finally doing their duty in light of the evidence against Cyrus, separated them to ask questions.

  Jessie took a seat at the kitchen table and an officer sat across from her.

  “I just have a few questions, Mrs. Parker.”

  “It’s Aimes. Jessie Aimes. Cyrus and I are divorced.” She was weary and just wanted it over with now that the adrenaline had faded.

  “Okay. Can you explain to me what happened?”

  “Cyrus broke into my house. He had been making threatening phone calls and he sent a letter demanding that I send him money. I was afraid for my life and then I…”

  The day was catching up to her and her voice broke on a sob.

  “Go on, Ms. Aimes,” the officer prompted.

  “I shot him.”

  “You were in fear for your life?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she nodded, “and for Travis. They were fighting and I tried to stop Cyrus but he knocked me to the floor.” The tears were coming down her face unchecked now and she was helpless to stop them.

  “All right, Ms. Aimes. I have the records for the assault and battery charges that Mr. Parker was convicted of. That should be enough to hold him for now. You aren’t planning on leaving town, are you?” the officer asked.

  “No. I’ll be right here.”

  “Good. Then we can leave the rest of this for tomorrow. I’ll need you and Mr. Turner to come to the station for your official statements in the morning.”

  Jessie nodded her assent as the officer rose and left out the front door.

  Travis answered the officer’s questions and then called Ian to let him know Cyrus was in custody.

  Ian woul
d deal with the bail bondsmen and speak with the chief about the new evidence. Other than his statement in the morning and collecting his pay it was out of his hands.

  But he didn’t feel the way he expected. Yes, he had done what he had set out to do. He had caught a wife-beating murderer who shouldn’t be roaming the streets but he had let Jessie down.

  Cyrus had caught him off guard with the cookie jar to the head. By the time he had gotten downstairs, Cyrus had already been in the house. Since Cyrus hadn’t known he was there it terrified him that he had intended it for Jessie. She could have been killed.

  Needing reassurance that she was okay, he waved to the officers as they pulled away. Travis turned and went inside.

  “Jessie?” he called.

  “I’m here.”

  She was sitting at the kitchen table with her head resting on her crossed arms. He could see the tremors in her shoulders and it pissed him off that Cyrus could affect her so.

  He went to her and laid his hands on her back. She turned and lifted her tear-streaked face.

  “It’s all right, baby. It’s over now. You’re safe.”

  She nodded and held tight to his waist.

  He held her for a moment and then untangled her arms. He propped a kitchen chair in front of the door that Cyrus had broken in and then scooped her into his arms.

  He carried her upstairs, undressed her and tucked her into her bed. He sat beside her until he thought that she was sleeping and then stood to leave her so she could rest.

  Her voice stopped him in the doorway. “Don’t leave, Travis.”

  She flipped the covers down next to her and gestured for him to join her.

  He hesitated for all of three seconds before he lay down next to her.

  She cried silent tears for a while as he held her and then she slept.

  But sleep didn’t come easily to Travis. He could still see Cyrus standing over her as he lay dazed on the floor only a few feet away.

  He saw her raise the gun and even though it felt wrong he had prayed that she would pull the trigger. When she had and he saw Cyrus fall, it had been like tunnel vision for him. All he could see was her as she fell back weakly to the floor.

  There had been a brief moment of sheer terror, unlike anything he had ever felt, when she had gone limp.

  But then she had been so strong when the police had come. She had held her own and he had been proud of her. But it also made him realize that she didn’t need him anymore.

  His mind wandered and the package that had been delivered to him popped up. It seemed as if it had been ages ago.

  Nothing had changed for him. He still wanted her to be the one to wear the things he had bought.

  He looked down at her sleeping face and wondered how she had come to be so important in so small an amount of time.

  Exhaustion finally took over and his eyes closed. He dreamed of his red-haired goddess again, only this time all she did was hold out her hand to him.

  Chapter Twelve

  They both slept late and were quiet on the way to the police station.

  Jessie was sad. She knew that Travis would be leaving soon and she didn’t know what to say to get him to stay.

  But that was just it. She didn’t want to say something that would reveal what she was feeling. She wanted him to stay on his own. Because he wanted to.

  He helped her from his big truck and they entered the police station together. But he didn’t reach for her hand and her heart started a slow sink.

  Once they were inside they were separated.

  They gave their statements and then Travis drove her home.

  She expected him to leave when they got back to the house but he shut the truck off and stared out ahead for a few minutes before turning to her.

  “I know a lot has happened in the last few days,” he began. “But I was wondering how you would feel about one more night.” He smiled at her and she realized he was uncertain.

  Jessie hesitated. While she did want him, more time with him was just going to make it that much harder to say goodbye. But her heart was already going to be broken. What was one more night of pleasure?

  At least it would give her something to think about in the lonely nights that were sure to come.

  “One more night sounds good to me,” she told him.

  He reached for her hand. “Do you remember what I asked for?”

  She did. It had been in the back of her mind since he had brought it up. A night of kinky sex might be just what she needed to erase the memories of the night before.

  “I do.”

  “Still up for it?” he asked.

  “Yes, Travis. I am.”

  He grinned at her and pulled her into his lap, kissing her long and deep. She absorbed the feeling of him, not wanting to forget one little detail.

  Jessie spent the day resting after she had called Marc and Brad and then Betty. She assured them all that everything was fine and that Cyrus was in custody.

  Marc and Brad wanted to return immediately but she talked them into waiting until tomorrow. She wanted this one last night to be perfect and she wanted to be alone with Travis.

  She wanted to forget all about everything but the two of them. Cyrus seemed like so much a part of her past that she didn’t want one second to be wasted thinking about him.

  She would do for Travis what she had never done for any other man. She knew what he wanted. What he was asking for with this last night together.

  He wanted her to give herself to him. To let him take total control over her body and her mind. What was scary was that he already had control over her heart and he didn’t even know it.

  Her mind wandered back to their first night together and when he had asked her to take her clothes off for him. She hadn’t been able to do it.

  But this time she didn’t feel as if she was losing something by giving in to him. She felt as if she was gaining something.

  The day passed, Travis making phone calls and wrapping up his end of things with Cyrus.

  When night came he turned his cell phone off and sat next to her on the couch.

  Her heart sped up and she studied him, wanting to remember the gray of his eyes and the dark lashes around them. She knew now that they would go soft and warm after lovemaking and they would go dark and stormy when she pressed his buttons.

  “I bought you something,” he said, his voice low and gravelly.

  “You did?” She smiled.

  Pulling something from beside the couch, he handed her a plain brown shipping box. It was bigger than she expected and she gave it a little shake. “Can I open it?” She was practically bouncing on the seat.

  He continued to surprise her and she wanted to make him happy.

  Travis stood and then crouched before her on the floor, chuckling at her excitement. “I never would have guessed that you like surprises and presents.”

  “What can I say?” she said with a shrug and a giggle. “Can I open this now?”

  “Wait.” His face became serious and she stopped her excited movements. “I ordered these things just as fun. You don’t have to wear any of it if you don’t want to.”

  “What do you want me to do?”

  He hesitated for a moment. “Wear it all.”

  He kissed her quickly. “Go get ready and I’m going to run into town to pick us up some dinner.” He stood and went to the door but paused before going out it. “There is one thing in there that we didn’t talk about yet. Wait for me on that one, okay?”

  “What is it?” she asked.

  “You’ll know it when you see it,” he said with a wink and then was gone.

  * * * * *

  Jessie hurried to her room and closed the door behind her. She ripped into the box and dumped the contents on the bed.

  There was a necklace of some kind, long and sparkly, a white dress that was incredibly short and had a deep, plunging neckline. It had a matching white thong and he had even thought of shoes. White, high-heeled and strappy around
the ankles.

  There was something else too. Picking up the little box, she read, jeweled butt plug. She had heard about them, of course, but had never tried them. Pulling it out, she looked it over. It was smaller than she expected but heavy, made of stainless steel. One end of it had a large sparkling gem, light-blue, the same color as her eyes.

  This was what he must have been talking about, what he wanted her to wait on. But just holding it in her hand was exciting. She wasn’t sure how to go about using it but by the end of the night she would know.

  Smiling slightly, she grabbed the other things and headed to the bathroom and the shower.

  She was just coming down the stairs when he got back from town. The white dress he picked out for her was fluttering around her legs as she descended. She took his breath away and his mind went momentarily blank as her eyes met his. He worried that his feelings for this stubborn, red-haired firecracker were toppling over some unseen edge and he was helpless to stop them.

  If he had any doubts before that he was in love with her then they were gone now. It was going to be hard to say goodbye even if he couldn’t offer her what she deserved. But he was going to make sure that after tonight she would never forget him.

  He would never forget her.

  His greedy gaze couldn’t hold hers for long, wanting to take in every detail. Her hair was a mass of fiery curls around her face, flowing down her back. The dress hugged her hips and the deep plunge of the front revealed the necklace, coming from her throat to split, each side disappearing under the white material.

  He knew that both of her nipples were confined in the little circles at the end of each short chain. He could just see them through the fabric, pink and stiff, pressing and swaying with each step.

  She got closer and he could smell her sweet scent. She stopped one maddening inch from touching him and he reached out to jerk her against his chest.

  It was rougher than he intended but she lifted her face and just smiled.

  “I think dinner is going to have to wait,” he choked out.

  She nodded and ran her fingernails down his shirt.