by Aubrey Cara
Her head pounded from too much cigarette smoke and overly loud music. She was ready to go home for the night. Fortunately it was Kat's night to leave early. Early being one-thirty in the morning, but it still beat closing.
She pulled her jacket tighter around her as she stepped outside. Breathing in the crisp fresh air, she sighed in relief. The smell of garbage and spilled beer washed away on the cool breeze. She still couldn't believe it was December. Back in Boston a night like this would be more likely to be found in late September. All the musty scents and loud sounds of the bar faded as she walked to her car. The crunching sound of gravel under feet not her own made her look up.
One of the aforementioned trouble making schmucks from the bar was still in the parking lot. He was leaning on the tailgate of what she assumed was his truck, smoking a cigarette. She hadn't been paying attention and nearly ran into him. She nodded as way of greeting before putting her head down, planning on shuffling past him. He obviously had other plans. His arm snaked out as she walked by, grabbing her around the waist. He roughly pulled her against his lean frame. She pushed at him but he wouldn't budge. He stank like tobacco smoke and a brewery. He was probably three sheets to the wind.
“Get off me asshole!” she said as she tried to shove him away.
He just chuckled and tried to kiss her. “What's the matter? You know you want to fuck.”
With that he grabbed a handful of her breast and twisted, causing her to cry out, and her panic went up a bit further. His arm was like a vise grip when he started dragging her between two trucks. His hands worked at the clasp of her pants. Kat started fighting like crazy in reaction. She bit down on his hand as hard as she could until she tasted blood. She tried to knee him in the groin, but it hit more of his thigh. Lost in the haze of the fight, she didn't see his fist until cracked into her face.
Stars exploded behind her eyes as the force of the hit sent her sprawling out in the gravel parking lot. She shook her head trying to clear her vision. Cheek stinging, she scrambled up, digging in her purse for her keys with her pepper spray on the chain.
A fist in her hair yanked her head back hard, making her eyes sting. He said, “Feisty redhead.” Then he growled in her ear, “You're gonna get fucked you little fat bitch.”
Kat closed her eyes tight as she could, aimed her pepper spray in the general direction of his face and sprayed, hoping not to get any in her own face.
Screaming, her assailant shoved her forward, kicking her in her side as she went down. She fell skidding across gravel on her hands and knees, barely noticing the pain. Opening her eyes she scrambled up, running to her car. She stumbled, then fumbled with the door, cursing until she got it open. Once inside she quickly slammed the door shut and hit the locks. Her hands were shaking so badly it took her three tries to get the key in the ignition.
She turned the key and nothing. She did it over and over, hitting the steering wheel, “Dammit!” she screamed. She could still hear him cursing and yelling. Ringing started in her ears and she thought she might pass out. Panicked beyond rational thought she started sobbing and hyperventilating while frantically turning the key to her useless POS car.
She glanced around to see if he followed her but he was getting in his truck. The engine roared to life and peeled out. Tears streaming down her face she slumped forward, her head resting against the steering wheel in relief.
She was a mess, but she knew she had to get back to the bar. Get someone to call the police. There were still plenty of vehicles in the parking lot, and she needed help. She could barely open the door her hands were shaking so badly. Her legs were numb and she stumbled, falling out to the gravel. The sharp pieces of rock bit into her already abused hands and knees as she landed. Kat stayed there, breathing hard. She put her forehead down on the gravel and cried.
*** ***
Caleb had been back in Gibson, Texas for three months now, and he was still getting used to being 'back home'. He instinctively knew it might take even longer before he got used to being a civilian again. He kept waiting for his commanding officer to call him with new orders. But he didn't have a commanding officer. He had resigned almost a year ago.
He had been special forces for over a decade. At eighteen he'd only wanted a life away from being con-artist/convict McNeil McCrae's kid. The military seemed like as good a way as any. His progression in the military had been natural but had kept him reeled into the military for longer than he had meant to be.
He had started feeling disjointed from life and the world around him years ago. When he started feeling as burnt out after his leave was over as when it had begun, he knew it was time he step away from the military for good. He hadn't wanted to wait his five years for retirement. He didn't think he'd make it. He had started feeling chased by death. Every mission he watched someone die and wondered why it hadn't been him. He figured he only could survive so long before his ticket would be clocked.
His commanding officer had known it was coming. Caleb himself wasn't sure if he would have passed a PTSD evaluation a year ago when his contract was up. He had felt haunted even when he was awake, which left him feeling on edge. He could hide it well, but then it would sneak up on him when he least expected it.
Coming back home and working on the ranch had been the right choice. His best friend Jake Forrester's parents owned Circle F. Over the years it had come to feel more like home than his actual home. Jake's parents Jack and Diane had always been like a second set of parents to Caleb. Ever since second grade when Caleb and Jake had become inseparable.
Caleb and Jake had joined the military on the same day, ready for adventure and a new challenge. When Jake had gotten out of the military to raise his son Steven, Caleb had stayed in. Jake ended up joining the police force, never wanting to take over the ranch. Yet Caleb always knew he'd end up back here working the Circle F.
Every time Caleb came home to Gibson, he was surprised by how many things had changed and how much had stayed the same. One of his best friends from high school, Mason Coleman, was now the owner of Coleman Automotive, one of the largest auto repair franchises in Texas. Mason had fifteen shops spread around Texas and said he may even open some more. As it was, Gibson County got all the work and maintenance on their police and sanitation vehicles done at Coleman.
Even though Mason no longer drank alcohol he insisted they go hang out at their old stomping grounds, the Rusty Spur. It had been good catching up, but once Caleb had spotted Kat Martin tending bar he had a hard time paying attention.
Kat Martin was a red headed she-devil that had fired his blood since the first time he met her at a dive bar in Hope Springs, VA, were his buddy Jake lived. That was a memorable night. She had taken one look at him and told him to scratch his itch elsewhere. No one else had been able to scratch his damn itch ever since.
He hadn't known Kat worked at Rusty Spur, not until he saw her from across the bar. He and Mason hadn't been in her section and just as well. She hadn't exactly been friendly since their one night together in Virginia. He'd thought often about that night. She had been on fire. No woman had turned him on as much before or since. Kat was all woman and then some. And he was pretty certain she had been a virgin. A twenty-five year old virgin. His pants grew uncomfortably tight just thinking about it.
She had rocked his world. Taken everything he dished out and gave him back some. Then she had left, taking off before the sun was fully up. He liked to think he would have gone after her, but when the door to his hotel had slammed shut, he had been transported to different place. A flashback. PTSD hell. When he had finally come back to himself he had been sweating and shaking. Not fit to go chase after a girl he had no business starting a relationship with.
That had been nearly seven months ago. Thankfully those kinds of episodes were few and far between for Caleb these days. He could actually feel a part of himself he thought long dead start to awaken, as if it had only been sleeping, and it felt good.
He would have liked to have started
at least a little something with her three months ago when he first saw her again at Jake and Del's wedding. She barely even acknowledged him that day. She had been prickly as a porcupine anytime he had tried to make small talk.
Then she had stayed on in Texas to work and learn ranch work. At first everyone thought she was crazy and wouldn't last a week. In those first few weeks she’d knocked herself unconscious on a metal fence gate, slipped and fell in shit, got bitten by a calf, and screamed loud enough to damn near start a stampede when she came across a snake.
Despite being accident prone she had dug in and showed up some of the regular guys. Kat was no fading flower. She was a spitfire. She was one of the toughest women he knew besides Jake's mom Diane. And she wasn't afraid of getting dirty or breaking a nail. She could definitely hang with the guys and she never backed down from a challenge.
Most men might find that unappealing but that just made Caleb want her more. To him she was all round soft curves and spunk. He could see past her hard exterior to the gooey soft woman that swore like a sailor and begged like a wanton slut when he'd had her bent over his hotel bed.
Tonight she looked frazzled as hell, and there was a group of young bucks making trouble near where he and Mason sat tucked back into a booth. Caleb could just imagine all the retorts Kat was holding back. He could practically hear them spilling forth in that heavy Boston accent she got when she was riled. She looked like a tea kettle ready to blow.
He had wanted to wait around and walk her out to her car—maybe rile her up just to hear her curse him out—but when he'd looked up she had been gone. The other workers had been cleaning up, but no Kat in sight. When he'd asked a waitress if Kat were still around she said she was off for the night. When he'd gotten up to head out, Mason had said he was going to stay behind and talk to Mimi. That was the first time all evening he had noticed their waitress had been Miriam Westfall. A girl they had gone to high school with. And a testament to how distracted by Kat he had been.
“I didn't know she lived in Gibson,” he said in reference to Mimi.
“Three damn years now. She had been married to an idiot, but came back home three years ago without him.” Mason said this without taking his eyes off the woman. Looked like Mason Coleman had a bit of an obsession himself.
“Did you know her husband then?”
“No, I just know she's not married to him anymore. That's all I need to know. That and I hear she's having trouble getting a day job here in Gibson. I think I need a new business manager.”
Caleb got up and tipped an imaginary hat to Mason. “Well, good luck to you then. I'm gonna head out.”
Mason swung out of the booth to pump Caleb's hand and give him the two pats on the back equivalent of a man hug. “Don't be a stranger now that you're back for good. We need to get together again sometime. Why don't you come out to my house Sunday? I'm thinking of having a few people over for a barbeque.”
Caleb agreed he'd see him Sunday and headed out of Rusty Spur with a smile on his face. He was making his way to his truck when he noticed Kat's old tan Toyota Camry was still in the mostly empty parking lot. From where he stood he could see the driver's side door was open, so the interior light was on, but he didn't see Kat. When he spotted a purse in the gravel behind her vehicle—contents spilled out—a chill went down his spine as he jogged over to her car.
“What the hell?” He nearly stopped in his tracks, his heart jumped out of his chest when he saw her. She was balled up on her hands and knees in the gravel sobbing. He didn't think, he just wanted to comfort her and assess the damage. He went to pick her up, and she came alive screaming and punching his chest. He grabbed her hands, yelling in her face, “Kat, dammit, settle down, it's me! Kat it's me Caleb. It's okay, Kat.”
The sheer terror receded from her eyes and her lips started to tremble as her face scrunched up and she started crying again, only this time she grabbed at him, clinging to him as if only he could save her. Between the parking lot lights and the interior light of her car he could make out the bruise forming around her left cheek, and her nose was bleeding.
As much as Caleb wanted to keep holding her in his arms he had to know what the hell happened. “Kat, look at me. Did someone attack you? Can you tell me what happened?”
She took some shaky breaths, shaking her hands out as if that would help settle her down. Some gravel shook free from her hands and he took her wrists to look at her palms. They were all scraped up and still had little pieces of rock imbedded in them.
He started carefully picking out shards of gravel and asked, “Who did this to you, kitten?” He managed to ask gently when inside he was ready to tear apart whoever had done this to her.
Kat shook her head, blinking back tears and squaring her shoulders after another deep, shaky breath. “It was one of the assholes that got kicked out of the bar tonight. I came out and he grabbed me. Then he wouldn't let go. He was really drunk and mean and he started dragging me between the trucks, and I freaked out and started fighting. I tried to knee him, but I missed. Then he punched me.” She tentatively touched around her swollen cheek as if just remembering he had hit her. “When I fell I started digging out my keys cause I keep pepper spray on my key ring. He grabbed me from behind and I sprayed him. I'm not sure how good I got him because I took off as soon as he let go of me.” She took a shuddering breath, “My damn car wouldn't start,” she said blinking back more tears. “I thought he was coming after me, but he drove away.”
Caleb smoothed her hair out of her face, pulling her into his embrace. That she'd let him be this close, even lay her head on his chest, was a testament to how shook up she was. Her tears had slowed down to a gentle trickle as he held her tight. Rubbing circles on her back he thought she felt terribly small and delicate in his arms. He wanted to hunt this would-be rapist down and feed him his own teeth, one at a time. Listening to him scream.
“Did you call the police?” he asked.
She shook her head, “I was going to go back to the bar, but it was like my legs were numb.”
“You were in shock. You probably still are. Where's your cell phone?”
“I don't know. I couldn't find it this afternoon before I left for my shift.”
“It's alright. I'm going to call this in. Then let's lock up your car, and head back inside to get you cleaned up.”
Kat nodded numbly with a hollowed out look in her eyes. If he got his hands on the man who did this before the police did, Caleb would be sharing a cell with his dad. Because he was going to kill the bastard. He would do it slowly, and he instinctively knew he wouldn't feel any remorse when it was done.
*** ***
Kat felt stupid. She had calmed down considerably. They had come back in the mostly cleared out bar. Mimi had taken one look at her and taken her straight to the bathroom to help clean her up. Thankfully she hadn't seen Candice. She had nothing nice to say to her about the company she kept. Mimi had wanted to stay but Kat had insisted she go home. John had not so subtly insisted everyone else head out shortly after.
The police had asked if she had gotten the guy's license plate but she hadn't. She barely had a description of his truck. When they asked for a description of the man who had attacked her, her mind had blanked. She had a roundabout idea of his height. She remembered he was wearing a baseball cap low over his face. She couldn't remember color or logo. There had been three guys wearing hats in the group that got kicked out tonight. They all kind of looked the same to her and she lumped them all in the same category. The parking lot only had two lights and everything else was cast in shadows. She wasn't sure what color hair he had or what he was wearing, other than a t-shirt and jean jacket.
The only thing she could remember with perfect clarity was the sound of his voice. It kept playing in her head. If only she could play that for the police officers sitting across from her. Maybe then they wouldn't be giving her those pitying looks that said finding an unidentifiable man was unlikely. Charging him for anything was even less l
ikely.
The officers pushed back from the table and stood up. “Well Ms. Martin, I'm sorry this happened,” said the officer asking all the questions. “If you remember anything else you think could be helpful, let us know.”
He handed her his card and walked out. Kat looked at it. 'Officer Donald Buckus' was scrolled across the top and his phone number was under. She put it in her purse. She stood up and was surprised to find herself a bit wobbly on her feet. John clapped a big hand on her back making her jump. Caleb placed a steadying arm around her waist and for once she was glad he was around. In truth she was glad he had been the one to find her. He had been calm and collected, and it helped Kat pull herself together.
John said, “I should'a shot those shits while I had the chance Kat. I think everyone would understand if you wanted to take off tomorrow night. I'll get someone to cover. Why don't you go home and get some rest. McCrae, you driving her home?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You make sure she puts a steak on her cheek. It'll take the swelling down. Already looks something awful.”
It was on the tip of Kat's tongue to protest having off work tomorrow night. She needed the money, but before she could open her mouth Caleb was ushering her out the door. He had her to the passenger side of his truck before she dug in her heels. “Wait, what about my car? How am I going to get to work tomorrow?”
Caleb lifted a brow. “You're not going to work tomorrow.”
Kat could argue that point, but instead she said, “Okay, fine, but I'm still going to need my car at some point.”
Caleb opened the passenger side door to his truck and indicated she get in, but she wouldn't budge. He rolled his eyes and said, “You can drive me out to Circle F tomorrow, then take my truck. If I need to go somewhere, I'll just take one of the work trucks. I'll call my friend to come pick up your car tomorrow. He owns Coleman Automotive. I'm sure it's an easy fix like needing a new battery.”