Being Nobody (The Witness Series #1)

by D'Agostino, Heather

  “Perk of the job,” he shrugged. “My boss found it for me,” he slid out of his leather jacket and tossed it over the back of the couch, exposing his bare midriff to me once again.

  I tried, I really did, but when his jeans inched lower exposing the band of his boxers I couldn’t control myself. Unconsciously, I licked my lower lip and stared directly at the ridge in his pants.

  “You gotta stop that,” he groaned as he quickly moved to stand in front of me.

  “Why?” I looked up at him and blinked my eyes innocently as I watched his features fill with lust.

  “Because I promised myself that I would take my time with you if I got you back here.” He shook his head, and then looked toward what I figured must be the bathroom. “I need a shower. Join me?” He leaned in and kissed my cheek. It was sweet and nothing like the lustful mood he’d been in.

  I nodded, “Yeah…ok. I’m feeling kinda gross from work, anyway.”

  “Well, I don’t know how clean you’re gonna get, but we can always take another one,” he smirked at me as he grabbed the bottom of my t-shirt and tugged it up and over my head.

  As we made our way to the bathroom, we took turns removing clothing from each other’s bodies until we were both standing before one another in nothing at all. I leaned up on my tip toes to press myself against his warm body, and was just about to kiss him when he stopped me.

  “Hold that thought,” he pressed his finger to my lips. “I’m not going to be the jackass that does this again,” he turned to the medicine cabinet over the sink and grabbed a box of condoms. “I will finish the right way this time,” he winked at me as he opened the box and placed a strip of foil packets on the counter. He reached in the shower, turned the water on, and then moved to stand between my legs while the water heated up. “Sorry about that,” he murmured against my lips before claiming them again.

  “It’s all good,” I mumbled back as I ran my hands from his shoulders, down his back, and finally stopped to grip his hips and press them into me. I reached for the strip of condoms and tore one off. After ripping it open with my teeth, I sealed my mouth over his as I reached down to try and roll it on him. His cock twitched the moment I touched it and a groan rumbled in his chest.

  “Careful,” he moaned. “I’m about to lose it right now.”

  I giggled against his mouth as I fumbled to get the condom on. Finally, he lost his patience and reached down to do it for me. As soon as it was in place, he gripped my waist, and lifted me onto the edge of the sink. After moving between my knees, he grinned up at me. “Hold on,” he grabbed both of my hands and placed them on the sides of the sink. I looked up in confusion, but couldn’t respond before he slammed into me once again and crashed his mouth against mine.

  I could tell a difference this time. Brian knew we were protected, and he didn’t hold back. His body worked to bring the ultimate pleasure to both of us. His abs and thighs flexed as he rocked forward, and his face was screwed up tight in an expression of euphoria.

  I leaned back to get a better angle as I wrapped my legs around his waist holding him to me. He opened his eyes and stared right into mine, and at that moment I felt like he was seeing the real me. Not Mallory, but Sam. He’d stripped away all the masks I’d worn over the years and somehow gotten down to the girl I’d kept hidden. I knew at that point, there was no going back. Brian was writing his name on my heart, and I wasn’t sure I would survive walking away again.

  “Mallory,” my name fell from his lips as his body vibrated with tension. He was holding back, waiting for me. He didn’t want to let go, unless I was going with him.

  “It’s ok,” I cupped his cheek causing him to pause. Both of us stared at each other. I’m sure he was wondering the same things I was. How did we go from the animalistic fucking just five minutes ago to whatever this was? This had meaning…this was gonna leave a mark, so to speak.

  Brian roared as his hips sped up and he pounded into me so fast I was sure he was going to leave a bruise. When he slumped forward, and his body jerked and quivered against mine, I felt it. I don’t know what to call it exactly, but I felt it…the change. What we had experienced together wasn’t just sex…we changed each other in that moment and I wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or not.

  “Shit!” He gasped as he pulled himself from me. He was still hard, and I’m sure it wouldn’t be long before he was ready for more. “I think we better get in if we want to have any hot water.” He tossed the condom in the trash, and then helped me climb in the shower after him.

  “You ok?” He lifted my chin to look me in the eyes as the small shower filled with steam. I didn’t say anything, only nodded. “Yeah…I get it,” he murmured. “Me, too.”

  Shock must have covered my face, but I could feel tears right under surface. He got me. I don’t know how, but he understood me. He knew what I was feeling, and I couldn’t help but wonder if somehow, in this twisted universe that I was living in, we were somehow meant to meet. Was I supposed to be with one of the ‘bad guys’? Was the universe that cruel?

  When I was a child, I envisioned myself being recused by a prince. As I grew older, the prince changed. He evolved into more realistic rescuers, but now…now I wondered if I was never meant to be rescued. Maybe I was meant to change sides, to be with the ones who wanted me dead, to be a nobody. Brian wasn’t who I had seen in my dreams, but dreams change, and now I can’t seem to get away from him.

  Chapter 8

  After making love in the shower, and then again on the bed, we finally passed out from exhaustion. I say ‘make love’ because that’s what it was. We hadn’t said the words, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to, but the act in itself was different. Brian was different. The strong alpha male that I had met at the bar was slowly morphing into someone else right in front of me. He worshiped my body that night. It was as if he was someone else entirely. The rough exterior had melted away, leaving a tender lover in its wake. I wasn’t sure how exactly to deal with the change. It brought with it a change in me, and I wasn’t so sure I liked it, yet. I found myself giving more than I ever had to this man. Feelings that I’d never allowed myself to feel were now rising to the surface. Brian seemed to be able to read me better than anyone I’d ever met, and that scared me. What if I let my guard down too much? What if he figured out who I really was? Would he leave behind the ones he worked for? Would he turn on them for me? Surely not. One did not walk away from the men he associated with, not alive anyway. If I told him who I was, would he join me in my fight against them?

  When he finally fell into a deep sleep, I thought about these things. I wasn’t sure what I was trying to prove to myself when I snuggled up beside him that night. Maybe I just wanted to know that I could be normal. I’d been so far away from it in the past that I wasn’t sure I’d ever find my way back. Just as I let my mind drift, and my eyes flutter close it all came back…the memories…robbing me of any peace.

  “We have to go…now!” My dad came running into the house in a panic. “They’re moving us for the trial.”

  “What?” My mom rose from where she’d been sitting on the couch.

  “They want us under twenty-four hour surveillance until the first part of the trial is finished, then we’re being relocated.”

  “Daddy?” I was standing on the stairs, listening to a conversation that I wasn’t supposed to hear. My parents had been hiding things from me for weeks. This new lifestyle wasn’t easy, and they wanted me to have as normal a childhood as I could. “It’s ok, baby. We’re staying in a hotel tonight. Go pack your things.”

  I scampered up the steps, and raced into my new room. We’d only been in this house for six months, and I actually liked my new school. It hurt that we were moving, yet again, but Daddy had promised it wouldn’t be forever. I tossed my clothes and a few toys in a suitcase before dragging it back downstairs.

  When I got to the bottom of the stairs, my dad was standing there with the men in the dark coats. They were taking things
out to a van with tinted windows, and handing my dad a bullet proof vest. I looked at him, and tried to put on a brave face, but inside my eight-year-old mind, I was terrified. I hated what we were going through, and couldn’t wait for it to be over.

  “Daddy?” My lip quivered as I looked up at him.

  “It’s ok, baby. It’s just a precaution. All this will be over soon, and then we can be a normal family again.”

  I nodded as I sucked back the tears that were threatening to spill down my cheeks. After the marshals had taken my dad to court, another van came and picked up my mom and me. We were taken to another hotel, and flown to a new city the next day. New names, new friends, new school, new house. Most kids would see this as an adventure, but not me…for me, it was a nightmare.

  I awoke from my dreams with a start. Those days seemed so long ago, but, in reality, I was still living in them. Nothing had really changed over the years. I still moved constantly, changed my name constantly, and feared that each day might be my last…until now. Something about the way Brian looked at me made me believe that I had a future. He gave me hope, and even though I probably shouldn’t think like this, I hoped that my days of running were numbered.

  Brian shifted beside me, bringing me back to the present. With my dreams fresh on my mind, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of worry. Brian wanted to take me home this morning; in fact, he promised he would. I couldn’t let him, though. I didn’t want him to know where I lived. I needed my apartment as an escape route in case he figured out who I was. With the way he could change from the loving man to the cold dealer I watched across the street, I still wasn’t sure which man was the real one. What if this gentle man was all an act? What if what I witnessed yesterday was the real Brian? He didn’t know the real Samantha. I kept her hidden among all the sarcasm and flirting. What if he was doing the same thing? Would I ever know? Could I take the chance?

  I pushed myself up in bed, and watched the sheets pool around my waist. Glancing around the room, I smiled. We’d been in such a hurry the night before that our clothes were tossed everywhere. I leaned over the body beside me, and just stared. I wanted to burn this memory into my brain. With the move I was getting ready to pull, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever get another chance to see him like this. He was relaxed and his features softened from sleep. The skull tattoo was on full display after he’d removed his watch the night before, and when I looked at it more closely I could tell it was new. He’d been scratching it the other day, and now I knew why. It was healing, which meant he’d only had it maybe a week. The mess that Brian was in was recent and, based on what I could see, he wasn’t the type to fit in with this crowd; so why was he trying so hard?

  One of his arms was draped across his stomach, holding the sheet in place, while his other arm was thrown up over his head. His dark hair was sticking up from sleeping on it wet, and the scruff on his jaw was more prominent. His nose twitched as if he sensed me staring at him, and that single move forced me into action.

  I slowly slid from the bed, trying my hardest to keep the mattress from shifting under my weight. Once I was standing naked by the bed, I slowly began to creep around the room and collect my clothes. One piece at a time, I began getting dressed. Once I was finished, I grabbed my shoes to carry them so they wouldn’t make any noise, and slowly made my way to the door. I felt a twinge of guilt that I was doing this after what we shared the night before. But I had too many secrets to protect.

  When I gently pulled the door open, I paused to watch him. He must have been dreaming because he rolled to the side and flung his arm out like he was going to wrap it around me. The sheet slid down exposing his backside and I couldn’t control the groan that escaped. I slapped my hand over my mouth to muffle the noise as I watched him settle back into a deep sleep. I knew when he woke up and found me missing, he was going to go nuts. I knew I would if it was me, but I was doing this to protect us. If he knew who I was, he’d have to make a choice, and with the life I’ve lived, I knew that choice would be heartbreaking.

  ooooooooo

  When I arrived at work that afternoon to start the evening shift, both Lauren and Tiff were behind the bar. Lauren was getting ready to leave, and Tiff was taking over for her. I was the extra person for the night, and as I came in, so did the evening crowd.

  “It’s about damn time,” Tiff yelled as I tossed my things under the bar.

  “Oh, shut up,” I teased as I watched her smile. “I’m not late, and you know it.”

  “Yeah, I know,” she shrugged as she turned and began taking orders from a group of college kids who had just barreled their way up to the bar. “So…how was your night?” She grinned at me as she placed a handful of beers in front of the group.

  “I told you,” I narrowed my eyes at her. “I’m not telling you that.”

  “That bad, huh?” She giggled. “Sorry, I thought, based on his looks, he’d be a dynamo.”

  “Stop digging,” I warned as I began to help a pair of girls that had just taken the stools in front of me.

  “I’m not,” she popped her hip and then moved closer so she could lower her voice. “He’s been in here since we opened, and it hasn’t been a pretty sight.” She nodded toward the far corner of the bar where the pool tables were, along with several booths.

  I gasped when I saw him. Brian was angled to the side, staring at the pool table, and slamming back shots like he was trying to erase the memory. “All day?”

  “Yeah,” Tiff murmured. “Tori took his keys hours ago, but he won’t leave. He’s been downing whiskey since noon. I feel bad. He looks so lost.” She turned and moved to help the next customer while I continued to stare.

  Had I done this? Was this a result of what I did this morning? Did something happen with his job? Was this another test? Before I could let my mind spin anymore out of control, his eyes met mine. He stared at me, but I didn’t see the man from last night. This time, the cold, calculating version was back. This was the Brian I had watched across the street the morning before. This was not the man I made love to last night.

  I’m sure it was the wrong time, we were busy after all, but as I watched him stare at me, I couldn’t help it. I tossed my rag on the bar, and began walking in his direction. “I’ll be right back,” I called to Tiff as I pushed through the bar pass.

  ooooooooo

  “Hey,” I offered a tentative smile as I approached him.

  “I’ll take another of these,” he held up the glass in front of him that still had a few drops of amber liquid in it.

  “I don’t think you need another,” I mumbled as I motioned to the other side of the booth silently asking for permission to sit.

  “Isn’t that your job? To serve people?” He sneered and I was taken aback by his anger.

  “I’m sorry,” my eyes pleaded with him as I fought for control of my emotions. Did the night before not mean anything? Had he been faking the feelings that I’d seen on his face?

  “For what?” He shrugged as he rolled his eyes. “We both got what we wanted. Wasn’t like it meant anything,” he slammed the glass back down on the table and shoved himself to his feet.

  “Brian, I…” I wanted to tell him. Tell him everything about me and why I was the way I was, but I knew I couldn’t. I watched him sway on his feet as he leaned into me.

  “You have no fucking idea what I’m dealing with…NONE!!!” He bellowed and several people turned to look at us, Tori included. She pointed to the door and jerked her head in the same direction. It was a warning as much as an order. I needed to get Brian out of there and get back to work.

  “Come on,” I wrapped my arm around his middle and tried to coax him in the direction of the door.

  “Leave me the fuck alone! You didn’t want me this morning, why now?” He slurred as his feet shuffled towards the door.

  “Let’s talk outside,” I begged. “I can’t do this in here.”

  Once we made our way outside, I walked Brian around the side of the building. I wanted t
o be out of the sight of other patrons, but somewhere that was well lit. It was well into the evening at this point, and based on what I was seeing, this was not going to be an easy conversation.

  “Why are you so afraid of me?” He growled as he leaned in next to my ear.

  “I’m not,” I swallowed as I tried to control my racing heart.

  “Yes, you are,” he leaned in closer and ran his index finger along my pulse point. “I can feel your heart racing right now. Why?”

  “You’re scaring me,” I mumbled. “You’re not the same when you’re like this.”

  “You made me like this when you left,” he stumbled closer until his chest was brushing against mine. “Stop hiding from me,” he murmured, “let me in.”

  “I can’t,” I could feel my lip quivering and a cold chill ran through my body. Something was not right about the situation and my instincts began to kick in. I glanced around at my surroundings, looking lastly over Brian’s shoulder, and that’s when I saw them: the three men that had been on the corner the day before. A sinister grin spread across the face of the tallest one, Max. He was leaning against a street lamp with his ankles crossed as he watched us like we were the evening’s entertainment.

  Brian must have sensed the change in me. How, I don’t know, as drunk as he was. His eyes blinked a few times before he glanced back over his shoulder. “Fuck,” he muttered. “What the hell,” he turned so I was standing behind him, shielded by his body. “You need to go back inside…NOW!” He growled, suddenly much more sober than he had been seconds before.