Ally had no idea what he was referring to. She glanced over her shoulder and immediately she saw what he was talking about. There were four distinct small round bruises on the back of her arm Cole gently pulled her arm back and sure enough there was another slightly larger bruise on the front.
Ally knew immediately what it was from and she was pretty sure without even checking there would be a match set of bruises on her other arm.
Ally’s mind flicked back the two nights earlier when Jason had been waiting for her outside the garage. He had grabbed her arms and he had hurt her. She was sure he didn’t mean to but she was still shock to see the marks on her arms.
“Ally, tell me what happened your arm?” Cole said his voice firmer and almost a little angry.
“I don’t know.” She replied quickly trying to think of what she should tell him.
“Don’t lie, Ally!” he snapped jumping up on his feet and moving in front of her. “They are finger prints.”
“Cole, clam down” Ally said but no sooner had the words come out when Cole spotted the matching set on finger prints on her other arm.
“Jesus, Ally!” he growled. “Who fucking did this to you?”
“It was an accident,” she cried.
“How can this be an accident?” he snapped, kneeling down in front of her. He softly brushed his fingers over the bruise on the front of each of her arms. His gentleness didn’t quite match the murderous expression on his face. “Someone obviously grabbed you hard for you to be marked like this. Now I need to know, who did this to you?”
“It was Jason,” she said in the tiniest voice as suddenly tears trickled down her face and she turned away from Cole,
“Hey!” he said encircling her into her arms. “Don’t cry.” He softly kissed the top of her head and softly rubbed her back. “Tell me what happened,” he said after a couple of minutes.
Ally told Cole about the flowers and the fact that Jason was waiting for her outside work and how Sid had come out and scared Jason off.
Cole let Ally go when she was finished her story and sat down on her bed and dropped his face in his hands.
“Cole,” Ally said as she sat down next to him on the bed and touched him softly on the arm. “Talk to me.”
“I am going to fucking kill him,” he said when he finally lifted his face from his hands.
“Cole, please!” Ally cried as she stood up and dropped down on the floor in front of him, “He didn’t mean it. He was upset but he knows I don’t want to get back with him. He knows now.”
“He marked you, Ally!” Cole said he eyes finally meeting hers as he reached up and cupped her face in his hands. “And he scared you. I want to rip his fucking head off!” he exclaimed.
“And I am so grateful that you want to protect me,” she said as she leaned her cheek into his hand, “but I am fine. Please, can’t we just forget about this? I’m a big girl. I can look after myself.”
“If he contacts you again, I want you to tell me immediately,” Cole said in a tone that Ally knew wasn’t to be argued with. “Will you promise me that?”
“I promise,” she said and smiled at him reassuringly.
“I will drop you to work.” Cole said and kissed her softly. “And I will be there to collect you after work too. I want you to come to my house tonight. I want to have you in my bed.”
“I can meet you here after work and we can go,” Ally said as she stood up but he quickly grabbed her hand.
“I need to know that you are safe,” he said standing up and pulling her into his arms. “Until we are sure that that asshole has gotten the message. I want to be sure you are safe. Please let me do this.”
Ally knew she should have said ‘No’ but something in his voice stopped her and instead she just smiled and kissed him.
“Okay,” she agreed.
She rang Gus and told him she was running a little late but she would be there soon. Then she quickly packed an overnight bag for the night and followed Cole out to his car.
When she arrived at work almost an hour late, Cole kissed her before she climbed out of the car and when she reached the door of the garage she turned back and waved at Cole before he drove away.
“Oh looks like someone is getting some,” Sean, one of the mechanics, said as Ally rushed into the staff room. He was standing next to the coffee machine with Sid and the other mechanic Aidan. Aidan laughed at Sean but Sid didn’t. He watched Ally as she rushed to her locker and threw her hand bag inside and quickly pulled out her overalls.
“Was he just too good to get out of bed for, Al?” Sean asked and wiggled his eyebrows at her.
“Drop dead, Sean,” Ally snapped as she climbed into her overalls. Sean and Aidan doubled over in fits of laughter but Sid just continued to stare at Ally.
“Why don’t you assholes get back to work?” Sid snapped as he slapped them both on the backs of their heads. “Before Gus comes in here and goes postal.”
Sean and Aidan slinked out of the staff room still giggling to themselves.
“Thanks Sid,” Ally said when they were left alone. “Is Gus pissed at me for being late?”
“Ally, you’re never late,” Sid said as he walked over to her. “He wasn’t pissed but we were both worried.”
“Worried?” Ally said surprised by his comment. “Why would he be worried?”
“I told him about your visitor the other night,” Sid explained. “He hasn’t giving you any more trouble has he?”
“No. I haven’t heard from him” Ally replied and sighed. “I think he got the message the other night”.
“I meant what I said, Ally,” Sid said in a serious voice. “If that asshole bothers you again I will kick his ass for you.”
“Thanks, Sid,” Ally replied and kissed him on the cheek. “I am grateful.”
Ally headed out into the workshop and bumped into Gus and he smiled at her and gave her a nodded and she smiled back.
“Ally,” he said leaning in close to her and talked to her in a quiet voice. “If anyone is giving you any trouble you let me know.”
Ally hugged Gus and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“Thanks Gus,” She loved Gus. He had three daughters, his eldest daughter Nicole, was the same age as Ally and he sometimes acted like he was Ally’s Dad, Ally often wished she could have had a father just like Gus but she had Pops and he was just as good as a Dad to her. But still she loved that Gus looked out for her like she was one of his kids.
She got to work on the car she promised to do for Gus. It was his youngest daughter’s car and Ally was the only one Shannon trusted to do the service. Shannon was big into girl power and Ally loved her to bits.
When she was finished working on Shannon’s car she made her way to the staff room to grab a coffee. She sat at the small table in the staff room with her coffee and pulled her phone from her pocket. She had promised she would text Cole to let him know she was ok even though she insisted there was absolutely nothing to worry about.
She noticed she had a text message she hadn’t heard being delivered to her phone. She must have switched her phone on to silent by accident.
Her heart nearly sunk when she realised it was from Jason. She quickly pressed open.
It was a picture message. A photo of Ally and Cole leaving her apartment that morning. It was taken as Cole kissed her before she climbed into his car.
The message attached to it read:
“Who the fuck is pretty boy? We need to talk! This has to stop. I will call around later. Will see you then. J x”
Ally could feel her stomach heave. Why couldn’t he just take the hint? It was over.
“You ok, Ally?” Sid said as he walked into the staff room a few moments later. “You look kind of pale.”
Ally wanted to tell him she was fine and give him a big smile but she couldn’t. Instead she had to fight back the tears.
“Why can’t he just leave me alone?” she whispered without even thinking.
“Who?” Sid asked
crouching down in front of her.
“Jason!” she replied as the tears broke free and trickled down her cheeks. She quickly brushed them away. “It’s been weeks and he just doesn’t get that it’s over.”
“Why? What has he done now?” Sid asked as his hands fisted in his laps.
“He just texted me again,” she explained and handed him the phone. Sid looked at the phone and his eyes widened.
“Ally, he is following you!” Sid said as he looked at the picture and read the message. When he closed the message he spotted dozens more all from the same number.
“There are dozens of texts from him,” he said looking up from the phone to her.
“I stopped deleting them last week,” Ally replied. “I just began to ignore them. I don’t even know how he got my new number.”
“This guy has serious issues,” Sid said looking back down at the phone. And Ally could feel more tears pooling in her eyes.
“Why don’t you go home?” Sid said looking at her with pity in his eyes and Ally cringed. She hated to appear weak and pathetic but she knew right in that moment she was both. “I will tell Gus you didn’t feel well”.
Ally suddenly felt tired and going home sounded just too tempting.
“I don’t have my car here,” Ally replied when she remember she hadn’t driven herself to work.
“How did you get to work?” Sid asked.
“A…um…friend drop me in,” She replied and blushed. She was embarrassed Sid now knew Sean hadn’t been too far from the truth with what he said when she arrived. “They were supposed to be collecting me later on.”
“I see,” Sid said and raised his eye brows. “Well I was just about to grab my lunch so how about I drop you home?”
“Thanks, Sid” Ally said and smiled.
Half an hour later Ally walked into her apartment. She threw her keys into the bowl on the hall table and threw her handbag on the floor before she headed straight for her bedroom. She flopped onto her bed curled into a ball. Her last thought before she drifted off to sleep was she would have to call Cole and tell her where she was.
She woke with a start in the darkness of her room. She wasn’t sure what had woken her but her heart was racing. Then she heard it again. There was someone banging on the door.
She climbed out of the bed and hurried to the front door even though she was still half asleep. Before she reached the door she suddenly panicked that it might be Jason.
She stopped dead in her tracks and tried not to make a sound.
“Ally, open the door!” Cole’s voice came through the door followed by another couple of bangs.
Relief washed over Ally simply from the sound of his voice. She quickly opened the door and found Cole standing there looking angry and a little stressed.
“Thank fuck!” he said pulling her into his arms. “I have been worried sick about you. Why didn’t you answer your damn phone?”
“I am fine,” she said a little surprised by his concern.
“I have been calling you all afternoon,” he replied pulling back from her slightly so he could see her face. “But when you never answered I headed to the garage early. Some guy said you had gone home sick. So I tried calling you again and you still weren’t picking up. I thought that maybe Jason….”
Ally’s face dropped at the mention of his name and Cole froze immediately. She turned and walked back into her apartment. Cole shut the door and followed her inside.
“Has something happened?” Cole asked in a cold voice that made Ally’s heart sink. She stared at Cole’s chest and the baby blue tie that was hanging in a straight line down the front of his crisp white shirt. She knew he was going to freak out. “Ally, I asked you a question!”
“He text me today,” she replied unable to let her eyes meet his. “I got his text when I was in work.”
She picked up her handbag and pulled her phone from it. She quickly opened the message from Jason and showed Cole. His whole body tensed as anger filled every ounce of him body.
“He is watching you!” he said, struggling to remain calm. “Ally, this is not a good thing.”
Once again the tears broke free and trickled down her face.
“I really thought he got the message the other night,” she whispered as a sobbed broke free from her.
“Hey, it’s okay,” he said pulling her closer to him. “I am here and we will sort this out together.”
He pulled his phone from his jacket pocket. And dialled in a number.
“Who are you calling?” Ally asked nervously.
“A friend of mine used to be a Police officer,” he said as he pressed the call button. “I am going to ask his advice.”
“No! Don’t involve the police.” Ally pleaded as she took the phone from Cole and ended the call. “He’ll get the message. He’s just hurt. He’s a good guy. I’m going home with you tonight, so it’s fine.”
“Ally, this guy is unhinged at best,” Cole argued, “I am worried about you.”
“I’m sorry, Cole,” she whispered. “Please just let it go.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” he replied. “But you should have told me straight away.”
“I was going to tell you,” she sniffed. “But when I got back here I just felt so drained. I barely sat down on the bed and I was asleep.”
“When they said you were sick,” Cole said still holding her tightly in his arms. “I was so worried. You should have called me to come and get you.”
“I didn’t want to be any trouble,” she replied.
“You could never be any trouble to me, Ally,” he said and kissed her gently on the lips.
“Now, go and pack a bag,” he said as he released her from his arms.
“I left my bag in your car,” she replied feeling a little confused.
“I mean a bigger one,” Cole replied as he took her hand and led her to the bedroom.
“Why would I need a bigger one?” she asked looking at Cole like he had two heads.
“Because you are coming to stay with me for a while,” he replied like it was the most obvious answer in the world.
Ally abruptly pulled her hand free of his.
“And why would that be exactly?” she asked a little annoyed by his assumption she would just go along with his idea.
“Because I need to know you are safe,” he replied turning back to her and staring at her, his face expressionless.
“I am safe here!” she snapped back.
“Ally, you were white as a ghost when you opened the door,” Cole said. “You thought it was Jason at the door and it scared you. I could see it written all over your face. And you should be scared, this guy is watching you, which is not the behaviour of a rational person. I am afraid of what this asshole might do. I just need to make sure you are safe.”
He wasn’t wrong. She felt panic sweep through her when she thought it might be Jason. But this was her home and she refused to let anyone drive her out.
Cole stepped closer to her and took her hand and wrapped her into his arms.
“Please!” he said softly as his planted the tiniest kisses down her neck. “Just for a few days. Until we sort this thing out with Jason”.
Ally looked up into Cole’s eyes. She knew she should say no. She barely knew him, yet here he was taking control of her life. She hated how Jason had tried to do the same but with Cole it felt different. With Jason it felt like he wanted to possess her. But with Cole it just felt like he wanted to protect her and she loved how it made her feel.
She slowly smiled and press her lips to his.
“A few days,” she replied and smiled. His face lit up with the most amazing smile Ally had ever seen.
“Thank you,” he whisper and pulled her back onto the sofa.
Chapter 9
When they reached Cole’s house, which was half way along the very posh Mount Merrion Avenue. They pulled in on to a short gravel driveway in front of a white, three story house. Well technically it was just two stories
with a raised basement but it was gorgeous. There were a set of steps up the centre of the house to a large black door with black metal handrails running up either side of the steps. There was another car park in the driveway. It wasn’t until Cole’s Land Rover came to a stop that Ally realised the car next to her was a Porsche Panamera Hybrid 2012 model in metallic black.
When Cole opened Ally’s door she looked up from the Porsche to him.
“Nice car,” she said before she looked back at the house. “Is there someone else here?”
“Just us and my house keeper,” he replied and smiled at Ally as he took her hand and led her towards the step.
“Your house keeper drives a Porsche?” Ally asked, staring at Cole as he headed towards the front steps of his house.
“No, she doesn’t drive at all!” Cole giggled, turning back to Ally. “The Porsche is mine.”
Ally looked back at the car and, it too was the top of the range model. Jesus, just how rich is this guy? Ally thought to herself.
Ally nervously followed Cole up the steps to the door. Before he could even take his key out the door opened suddenly and Ally came face to face with a tiny grey haired woman who didn’t look much younger than her grandmother.
“I thought I heard the car,” she said in a very soft Scottish accent.
Cole reached down and grabbed Ally’s hand as he pulled her into the hallway.
“Rosie, this is Ally,” he said as he looked from one to the other of the two women standing in front of him.
“Lovely to meet you, Ally,” Rosie said and smiled warmly at her as she reached out and offered Ally her hand.
“It’s nice to meet you too, Rosie,” Ally said taking Rosie hand and shaking it, trying hard not to squeeze the tiny woman’s fragile hand too hard. Rosie smelt of peppermint and Pledge and Ally immediately thought of her grandmother and that thought made her smile.
“Your dinner is almost ready, Mr Thomas,” Rosie said turning back to Cole and smiled at him with clear affection. “It will be about fifteen minutes.”
“Thank you, Rosie,” Cole replied and the older lady quickly turned and headed off towards the back of the house.
“Make yourself at home,” Cole said with a smile as he took Ally’s hand as he headed to the right of the front door. He led her into a huge sitting room. It had two large chocolate, leather sofa’s facing each other. At one end of the sofas was a high winged back chair in slightly darker leather than the two sofas. At the other end was a beautiful large oak fire place complete with a real open fire. Hanging above the fireplace, was a beautiful painting of Dublin bay. As she looks around Ally noticed there was no TV.
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