Obsessed

by Ashton Blackthorne

  “All those are just from last week. Authors wanting me to represent them. I only take a tiny fraction of those who want my services. Many of them are good authors, but not great, if you get my meaning.” Jessica moved towards the door.

  “Of course. I’m flattered you agreed to take me on.” He grabbed his briefcase and headed over to the door.

  “My pleasure. You’re the one paying me, remember that. Just do as I say and this will have you hitting #1 on the NYT in no time, provided that your book is excellent as well.”

  “It will be.”

  “Good. We’ll set something up in a few weeks. Keep detailed notes of each ‘stalking’ incident, okay? That’s crucial to our success.”

  He nodded pulling the heavy oak door to her office open.

  As he walked out of the building, something caught his eye on the way out. A dark blue car was sitting outside the building with the engine running. A female figure appeared behind the steering wheel.

  He shook it off. He didn’t think Sarah was supposed to pick up her stalking activities until tomorrow.

  He shook off his concerns and drove home.

  5

  As he drove home, he gazed down at the well-developed muscles in his legs. He thought about the accident that had nearly left him paralyzed for life. About seven years ago, he had been a Marine serving the last year of his tour of duty in Iraq when the unthinkable happened. The Humvee they were driving in hit a landmine and exploded. Jax was thrown from the vehicle and landed several hundred yards away.

  His legs were shattered below his knee. As he laid there in agony, writhing in pain, he could hear the actual bones rattling within his body. His legs looked like twisted, gnarled tree branches. He knew lying this low on the ground no one would be able to see him. Taking what little strength he had left, he struggled to pull himself up into a sitting position. Tears welled in his eyes as he fought every instinct to pass out. He wanted to succumb to the pain and just allow himself the luxury of unconsciousness.

  “Paulson! Paulson!”

  He heard his name called. Immediately, he called out.

  “Over here! I’m over here! To the north!”

  He heard a rustling sound to his left. He held his breath. He hoped it wasn’t the snipers that had been firing at them.

  “Jax!”

  Whipping his head around, to his relief, he saw his unit commander.

  “Jacobson!”

  His face was a picture of concern as he surveyed Jax’s legs.

  “Damn, Paulson, you really know how to fuck yourself up.” He knelt down beside him. The sun was raging hot beating down upon them.

  He panted as the crushing pain filled him.

  He ripped his pants up the front to survey the damage. He sucked in his breath.

  “Oh shit, we’ve got to get you out of here.”

  Jax gazed down to see what alarmed him so. His right leg was clearly broken. The fibula was shattered and pushed up through the skin. Blood was running from his leg staining the ground beneath him.

  “Fuck, I don’t know how to pick you up. Any way I move you is gonna hurt.” Jacobson rubbed his chin.

  He nodded. Sweat poured from his face.

  “I know. Just do it.”

  “You’re losing blood fast. I want to tie it off, but I think we’d do better if we rushed you back to the medic.”

  “Yes, please,” Jax replied weakly.

  Jacobson scooped his huge arms underneath Jax taking great care not to hurt him. His legs screamed with pain as he cried out.

  “I’m sorry, Paulson.”

  After the terrible accident, he was released from service. His girlfriend at the time, Brooke came to pick him up. He was stuck in a wheelchair and couldn’t feel a damn thing below his waist. He’d spent the last few weeks at a hospital in Paris fighting for his life and his sanity.

  The explosion had shattered several vertebrae in his back. It was believed in time they might heal and he may be able to walk again, but right now the muscles in his legs were ‘in shock’ or so the doctors said.

  Jax spent much of the past few weeks in shock raging at God, at the Marines, at the Iraqis, and most of all, at himself for his injury. Before he’d left for Iraq, he planned to marry Brooke.

  But she wouldn’t want him now.

  Who would?

  After she came to pick him up from the airport, he suffered many nights of terrible dreams. He couldn’t sleep without taking sleeping pills. He developed a Haldol addiction.

  One night he found himself dreaming of sheets of red rain pouring down upon him. He was back there among the desert sands of Iraq walking through the deserted war torn streets. His buddy, Samuels was at his side. They were walking into an area known for deadly sniper attacks. The squad was behind them as he could hear them walking.

  Suddenly, bullets began flying in every direction. They took cover in an abandoned building. Glass shattered as they all dropped to the floor.

  “Jax, are you okay?” Her hand felt cool against his searing hot skin. Looking down, he expected to see himself covered in blood, but there was only a sheet.

  “What? What’s going on? Where’s Samuels?”

  She shook her head.

  “Baby, you were only having a dream. He’s gone.”

  And so it went like that every single night for a year.

  He couldn’t pretend that his injury wasn’t devastating to Brooke as well. They had been planning the perfect life. It was almost surreal to sit back and watch that life flow down the drain as the life in his legs drained as well.

  The accident left him with more than just crippled legs. It left him with a crippled heart as well. He couldn’t feel anything. Brooke assured him it was just PTSD, but after two years passed Jax still couldn’t feel anything for anyone inside.

  Initially, Brooke had been his rock. She was everything to him. He could count on her for anything, but soon his disability began to tear them apart. Before the accident, they had been such a physically active couple mountain biking, hiking, and skiing. But now with Jax being paralyzed everything had changed. Brooke tried to remain positive telling him she didn’t mind all the weekends spent inside with him, but Jax would catch her running her hands over her bike wistfully.

  “Brooke, I can’t keep holding you back. If you want to go for a ride, go. If you want to take a weekend hiking trip with your friends, go ahead. Don’t let my inability to enjoy those things keep you from them.”

  She’d shake her head sadly and insist that she didn’t care about biking and hiking anymore.

  But he knew she did.

  “Go, Brooke, I’ll be fine!” He’d had to practically push her out the door one fall weekend to go with their old friends on a mountain biking trip.

  “Are you sure, Jax?” She stroked his hair which had grown long and shaggy. As much as he loved her for her concern, she’d started to smother him. He wasn’t a helpless infant. He was paralyzed from the waist down, but he could care for himself.

  She’d twirled a lock of her long blonde hair around her finger. Staring at Jax for the longest time, she bent down to pick up her backpack.

  “If you’re sure,” she whispered gazing at him. He could tell how badly she wanted to go.

  “I’m sure.”

  As she threw her backpack over her shoulder and wheeled her bike downstairs, Jax watched through the window with tears in his eyes. He wasn’t sad as much as he was angry. He smashed his fists against his thighs knowing it would leave terrible bruises he would never feel. Jax watched as she jumped in the SUV with their friends and they drove off happily to the mountains several hours from their home.

  That should’ve been him in the car beside her.

  Jax had felt as dead as his legs until he reignited his passion for writing.

  At first, the idea of Jax, a Marine writing romance books was laughable. He’d always loved to write, but when he envisioned becoming an author it was of horror or suspense novels never romance.

&
nbsp; Brooke insisted it was the hottest selling genre of the moment. He had his doubts, but once he opened his laptop and started typing the words just flowed from his fingertips. He took all the pent up rage and anguish he’d been feeling and let them dictate his novels to him.

  After several months, Jax had cultivated an audience. In the meantime, he was attending physical therapy and starting to walk again with the help of crutches.

  Even with his legs on the mend, a huge rift had begun to develop between them. Eventually, Jax decided they should go their separate ways.

  Then, all of Jax’s attention had been on writing. He finally regained the full use of his legs the month, Tempted had hit #1 on USA Today. Then he started getting all kinds of messages from female fans. They wouldn’t stop. They sent him filthy messages, X rated pictures day and night. So the idea that he would be stalked wasn’t that far-fetched.

  So when Jessica approached him with this plan, he was perfectly amenable to it. He’d been missing Brooke ever since they’d broken up, so he decided to devote himself fully to his career. Taking on a publicist with a big plan had seemed the next logical step.

  But something had been bothering him the past few weeks ever since the ‘stalking’ had started.

  Sarah was doing more than just following him to the store or to a restaurant. She followed him everywhere. The woman who’d once appeared so beautiful to him almost seemed menacing. She was seeping into his every waking thought and it was beginning to unnerve him.

  Turning down his driveway, he felt exhaustion overtake him. He knew he would never be able to sleep on his own.

  Time to hit the bottle.

  6

  The Haldol Jax had taken earlier to sleep was starting to take effect. Things were getting fuzzy. Brooke’s picture on the dresser was swirling before him as he tried to stand up. The ceiling fan whirred softly in the background. Shadows danced on the wall from the bright full moon shining through the open window.

  Gripping the dresser, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He saw three of himself moving around the room.

  Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, a fleeting glimmer of light brown hair appeared.

  He whirled around to see who it was.

  But there wasn’t anyone there just the curtains swaying in the breeze.

  Collapsing onto the bed, he found himself being courted by sleep. His eyes fought to stay open. The soft blanket beneath him was warm and inviting.

  Hours later, his eyelids fluttered open. Above him, he could see her breasts full and firm like half-moons looming over him. He felt her hot, wet pussy enveloping his cock sliding up and down his shaft. A soft groan escaped his lips.

  “Shhh, just sleep.” Her voice was soft and melodic. He rolled his head from side to side as he tried to move his hands up her tiny waist. She ground herself harder upon him as he moved his hips.

  “No, Jax, this is for me. Just rest, baby.”

  Her voice again was so familiar. Once his eyes were fully opened, all Jax could see was the shadow of her face. Her long silky hair obscured her.

  “Brooke,” he whispered.

  “Mmmm,” she moaned.

  “Jax, I love you.” Her voice murmured as she got up sliding her pussy off of his cock.

  Reaching up, he tried catching her hand, but she slipped away.

  “Just sleep.”

  The diner was never empty. There was always someone sitting alone brooding over a bowl of soup or lingering in the corner shoving quarters into the aging video game machine. Tom’s Diner featured a killer all you can eat pancake breakfast. Several guys in town made it their business to see who could eat the most pancakes in one round. Sal Malone held the town’s current record of 75 pancakes in one setting.

  It was 12 PM and the diner was beginning to fill up for lunch. The typical Sunday church crowd was just letting out and starting to form a line out the door waiting for an available table.

  Jax grimaced at the line as he walked to the door. He wasn’t in the mood to wait. Still, Tom’s Diner had the best coffee in town even better than Starbucks. He preferred a strong cup of black coffee to all those sugar laden ‘dessert’ drinks.

  He slung the door open and found an empty stool at the counter. Throwing his leg over the red vinyl barstool, he motioned to the waitress.

  “Jax Paulson, as I live and breathe! Never expected to see you here today.”

  He grinned at Sheila, the buxom older woman with the friendly smile. She’d been working there for over 30 years and never failed to greet each customer with a smile.

  “What makes you say that?”

  She handed him a cup of steaming black coffee.

  “You haven’t been in here a while is all. I figured you were hard at work in your writing cave.” Sheila leaned against the counter wiping a white ceramic coffee cup.

  He shrugged sipping his coffee. He loved the very first sip of the strong hot liquid the most.

  “Whatever gave you that idea?”

  She laughed as she stacked the coffee cups behind the counter.

  “Seriously, Jax, I can’t wait for your next book. I bet it will be a scorcher!”

  “Of course. Don’t expect anything less.” He winked at her.

  “When I tell people that Jax Paulson gets his coffee from me they just don’t believe me. I’ll have to take a picture of us together on one of those iPhones.”

  Jax chuckled as she walked away to take orders from other customers. Tom’s Diner was just one of those places where a person felt like they were coming home to eat.

  As Jax was sipping his second cup of coffee and watching the news, Sheila ambled back over.

  “It’s a shame you didn’t come in a few minutes earlier. You just missed your girlfriend.”

  He stared at her.

  “Brooke? I haven’t seen her in almost a year. We broke up.”

  Sheila shook her head.

  “I’m sorry to hear that. No, it wasn’t Brooke. That new girl you’re seeing. If you ask me, though, I think Brooke’s much prettier. That new one is a bit off, sorry to say.”

  “What new girl? I don’t have a new girl….” He swallowed his words. Fucking Sarah. It had to be.

  “This girl…she was a brunette? Tall?”

  Sheila nodded.

  “Mighty tall for a woman I’d say. She wasn’t the friendliest girl that’s for sure. I offered her a piece of our homemade peach pie and she snapped at me saying ‘Hell no, I don’t eat that sugary shit’.” Sheila shook her head.

  Jax felt queasy. He didn’t feel like drinking any more coffee. He threw a quick glance around the diner to see if she was still there.

  There was no sign of Sarah anywhere.

  “Well, I love the peach pie here, Sheila, but I’m afraid I’ll have to pass today.” Jax stood up to leave pulling out several bills and placing them on the counter.

  “Heading back to your writing cave, are you?”

  “Yep. Good to see you again, Sheila.”

  “Always, Jax. And when Brooke comes back to town, be sure to bring her in. I’ll give you both a piece of pie on the house.” Sheila’s warm smile touched him.

  Jax hurried out and anxious to leave. It seemed that since Sarah had come into his life she’d begun to tarnish everything.

  “Brooke Harris! Is that you?”

  Jax’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He was heading into the office of Meridian International when he spotted his ex-girlfriend stepping out of a black Volvo.

  She spun around her long blonde hair fanning her shoulders. Her bright smile warmed his heart. It had been nearly a year since he’d seen her.

  “Jax! Oh my God, I can’t believe it!”

  Jax threw his arms open and Brooke ran to him. He inhaled the sweet scent of her perfume. She still smelled exactly the same. Her blonde hair was still smooth as silk. He held her close to him feeling her full tits pressed against him.

  “How have you been? You
look stunning.” Jax pressed his lips to her cheek.

  “Thank you. I’m doing great. I’ve been working on some new projects for a client.”

  “Really? Where?”

  “I’m painting a custom mural for Brayden James.”

  “Wow. At his house?”

  Brooke nodded. Brayden James was a local millionaire. He was a widely successful investor and quite well known. Jax was impressed.

  “I bet it looks fabulous. You’ve always been a fantastic artist.” Jax was thrilled he’d run into her. She looked even more beautiful than he’d remembered.

  “So, Mr. USA Today Bestseller, it seems like you’re doing fabulous. I see your picture everywhere!”

  He nodded.

  “It’s all because of you, Brooke.” He whispered.

  She shook her head brushing her hair from her face.

  “No, I just gave you a push that’s all. You don’t know how glad I am to see you walking again.”

  Jax looked at her puzzled. He’d been walking on crutches when they’d split up.

  “You’ve known I’ve been walking for a while now.”

  Brooke blushed slightly. She smiled at him reaching to brush his hand.

  “I know, but it’s still a miracle to see it. I’m so happy for you.”

  Jax looked at his phone. He didn’t need to meet with anyone for another few hours.

  “I have some time right now. Would you like to swing by Tom’s Diner and get a cup of coffee? I was just there this morning. Sheila promised us a complimentary piece of pie.” He grinned.

  “I’d love that, but it’s a bit too far right now. I have a meeting in an hour.”

  “How about at Crusoe’s down the street? They have great coffee, too.”

  “Sounds fabulous.”

  As they walked towards the restaurant, Jax was amazed at how they just fell back into sync with each other again. It was as if they’d never broken up.

  They spent the next two hours talking and laughing together like old times. Jax hadn’t felt this good in a long time.

  That is until he saw a familiar tall brunette sitting across from them.

  Sarah.