by Sam Crescent
“What if I’m not normal? What if I’m changed?”
“Then we’ll work through it together. I’m not letting you go.”
She lay in his arms inhaling his masculine scent. The sound of a throat being cleared distracted her. She looked over to see Cindy standing in the doorway. The other woman wore a hospital gown like her.
“You got away?”
“Yes. When the police rushed through they forgot all about me. I’m free, and I’m Melanie again.” She walked farther into the room. “I want to thank you, Prue. You fought until the end even when I’d given up. Thank you for being so brave.”
Prue’s cheeks heated under the praise. Minutes later Melanie left. She closed the door behind her. Prue tensed. James left her on the bed to go and open the hospital door.
“Thank you,” she said.
“No worries. Go to sleep. I’ll be here no matter what happens.”
She lay against him playing with the button on his shirt. “Do my parents know what happened to me?” she asked.
“I don’t know. I saw Veronica, but if she told them or not I can’t tell you.”
“It would be easier for me if they didn’t know. I couldn’t bear to see the pity in their eyes when they looked at me.”
“No one could look at you with pity. You’re a strong woman, and I for one am so proud of you.” He kissed her head.
Prue closed her eyes hoping she was strong enough to get over what happened to her. She didn’t want her life to be controlled by what Daren and Henry did to her.
Be strong, Prue. James came for you.
Was he too late?
Tears fell from her eyes as the words pierced her heart. She was stronger than this.
Chapter Twelve
James stood in the doorway waiting for Prudence to finish getting dressed. She’d slept fitfully the last night, her dreams filled with nightmares. He’d stroked her hair constantly. The desire to calm her filled every part of him. Lucas was on crutches outside waiting with Sean. They were all waiting to leave. He’d signed a check and the forms releasing Prudence into his care.
He was concerned for her health. She’d need time to adjust to life away from here. Two weeks may have been a short time, but they were long enough to have hurt Prudence. She no longer liked being confined in small places. He hoped she survived the plane ride back home. Melanie had said goodbye to her. She’d been transported back to her parents and was recovering at home.
“I’m ready,” she said.
Turning to face her, Jams saw her face looked badly bruised still. He despised the bruises more than anything. How could a man hurt a woman in such a callous way?
Going to her side, he cupped her cheek gently. She winced at the touch but didn’t pull away.
“I love you so much.”
Prudence smiled. He noticed she didn’t say the words back to him. Did she blame him for everything that happened to her?
“Are you ready to go home?” he asked.
“Yes. I really want to go.”
He took her hand leading her out of the hospital. There was a limo waiting to pick them all up. Lucas climbed in last, and they were on their way to the airport. She curled up against the window without saying a word. He missed her talking.
“Cadeon and the others have been called. Stephen, Isabella, and Dane will be there at the airport to pick us up,” Sean said.
Lucas moaned, grabbing a carton of pills. “Leg is fucking killing me. I forgot how much it hurts once the adrenaline is gone.”
James smiled but kept his gaze on Prudence. She was too quiet, and her gaze remained on the window. He’d never been happier to see the back of a country than he was to see England behind. Loading up in the plane was easy enough. Prudence remained by the window, buckled in tight.
She barely said a word during the drive.
He spoke with Lucas and Sean. When she fell asleep he moved away. He sat with the two men. His gaze kept going back to where she sat on the plane.
“What’s the matter, man?” Lucas asked.
“She’s not spoken a word.”
“You’ve got to give her time to get used to you, James. She’s been through a massive ordeal. Give her time,” Sean said.
His words made sense. But James couldn’t help but be fearful. His future lay less than ten feet away.
“What if she no longer wants me?” he asked. He sounded like a pussy even to his own ears.
“Then you do what gentlemen do,” Lucas said.
“And what’s that?”
“You let her go.”
He shook his head. “No, I can’t let her go. She’s the other part of me.”
“Then you do everything you can to win her back. Prudence is an intelligent woman and has been at the mercy of those assholes for a long time. You’ve got to give her time, James. Going in now and ruining your chances is fucking stupid. Just give her time,” Lucas said. “Look at Isabella. She’s doing great considering she was gone for so long.”
James nodded. His gaze never left her. She lay curled in a ball. The plane ride was excruciatingly long. He didn’t want to fall asleep and spent most of the journey watching her. Something was going on inside her head, and he needed to figure out what.
When the plane touched down, James gently shook her.
“Prudence, baby, we’re here.”
She opened her eyes then smiled. He noticed she didn’t reach for him. They left the plane behind without a backward glance. Lucas and Sean went first walking through the terminal. James spotted Stephen, Dane, and Isabella waiting for them. He also noticed Veronica stood away from them.
He hadn’t phoned her. James reached out for Prudence. She turned to face him. “What’s going on?” he asked.
“Please, don’t take this the wrong way, James.”
“How am I supposed to take it?” he asked. His anger rose with every passing second. He still hadn’t forgiven Veronica for the trouble she caused.
“I’m not saying we’re over or anything, but I need my space,” she said.
“I came for you, Prudence.” He cupped her cheeks pressing a kiss to her lips.
“I know.” Tears fell from her eyes. “And it was more than I can explain. I spent most of my time begging for you to come for me.”
“Then why are you leaving me?” he asked.
He should have expected it. She’d been distant and quiet.
“I’m not leaving you. I’m asking you to respect my wishes. Please, I need to be by myself.”
“With your sister?” he asked.
She took his hands away from her face kissing both of them in turn. “I’m not asking you to understand my decision, James.”
“Then what are you asking for?”
“Time and patience. I know I’m hurting you, and I’m sorry. Two weeks ago I would laugh at the thought of being away from you. I couldn’t bear the thought of spending a day away from you.”
“Then why are you leaving me?” he asked. They were causing a scene. James didn’t care. If Prudence left with Veronica he feared he’d never see her again.
“Because I’m different, James. I couldn’t even bear for the door to be shut on my room last night. I’m not the same woman who was taken. I can’t give you what I promised.” Tears spilled down her cheeks. He stared over at his friends seeing the pity on their faces.
“Fine, Prudence. I’ll give you the time you need.” He cupped her cheeks kissing her again. “I want you to remember that I love you, and I’m never letting you go.”
She nodded then moved away. Veronica opened her arms, hugging her close.
He watched them leave the airport, and he felt his heart was being ripped out of his chest.
Her sister came back minutes later.
“What do you want?” he asked. “Have you come to gloat?”
“I’ll take care of my sister, and I’ve not told our parents what happened. I won’t poison her mind against you, James. I actually tried to convince her to go wit
h you.”
Her words shocked him.
“You’re not good for me, but you’re good for her. Please, don’t give up on her.”
She turned to leave.
“Anything she needs you call me, do you understand? I’ll take care of everything.”
Veronica nodded then left the airport.
He stood for the longest time watching the doors waiting for Prudence to run back to him.
“She’s not coming, James. Come on, we’ve got to get home.”
Stephen pulled him along. After the longest time, James followed him.
****
Prue stared out of the window. Her face was badly bruised as she saw it in her reflection. Veronica came back and climbed in the front.
“Why did you need to go back?” she asked.
“James has a right to know that I’ll look after you.”
Her sister started the car. “You shouldn’t have gone like that.”
She’d phoned her sister while James had been in the bathroom that morning. After being in his arms and the incident with the door Prue needed time to herself. She hated leaving him at the airport looking so lost, but this wasn’t about him. This was about her.
“He wouldn’t have let me go if he’d known what I planned.”
“How do you know this? That man loves you, Prudence. I mean, head over heels in love with you.”
She winced at the high pitch of her sister’s voice. “I love you dearly, Veronica. Please, don’t yell so loud.” Rubbing her temples, Prue tensed when she saw him getting into a waiting limo. He didn’t see her passing in her sister’s car. The sight of him hurt her heart. He looked broken-hearted. She never thought she’d be the cause of his pain.
“I know you’ve been through hell. I can’t begin to imagine what’s happened to you, but hiding away from him is not going to help you.”
Prue turned to her sister. “I thought you hated him.”
“I never hated him. He loves you, and I can’t deny his feelings for you. James almost strangled me with his desperation to get you back, and he knocked Daniel out.”
“What?”
“I’m not holding it against him. That envelope you gave I was told to deliver to James. I was such a fucking coward that I got you to deliver it, and you saw James. If I’d delivered the stupid letter then none of this would have happened.”
“How do you figure that out?” Prue asked.
“You wouldn’t have gone back to him, and you wouldn’t have been in a relationship with him. This is all my fault.”
“Get over yourself,” Prue said, annoyed. “What happened just happened. It’s not anyone’s fault. It’s not yours or mine or James’s fault. I don’t blame anyone but the man who took me, and he’s fucking dead. I saw him dead with my own eyes.”
Prue let out a breath, exhausted.
The streets passed her by. She needed to get her head around everything that had happened. Work, time to herself, and anything she could do to occupy her thoughts would be welcome.
“Is Daniel home?” she asked.
“No, he’s taken the kids on a fishing trip down south. We’ve got the house to ourselves for the weekend.”
“Could we stop off at my place?” Prue asked.
“Yes, I’ve got the keys.”
Prue laid her head against the head rest.
“What happened while you were gone?” Veronica asked.
She knew her sister would worry until she was honest with her. “I wasn’t raped or anything. I think I had it pretty easy compared to a lot of the girls.”
“Your face looks pretty bad.”
“I was hit a lot.” Her hand had been bandaged by the hospital. “I never thought of killing myself. I spent a lot of time looking in the mirror speaking to myself.”
Veronica grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. “You’re a strong woman, Prudence.”
“I don’t feel it.”
“You survived.”
She didn’t highlight the other faults that had come from surviving. She didn’t point out that she was scared of being confined to one place or the nightmares she got. Prue hadn’t been lying to James. She wasn’t the same girl who’d been taken.
An hour later they arrived at her house. She stared at the plain brick work and the crappy garden she owned. James had purchased the house for her. At the time she’d been so annoyed at his heavy handed approach, but now she was thankful.
She climbed out of the car then made her way to the front door. Veronica opened the lock, and she stood inside her house. The place needed airing out from being closed off, and it was cold. She wrapped her arms around her body trying to keep the heat inside.
“You’re freezing.” Her sister wrapped a blanket around her shoulders. “You need to get a coat and some gloves.”
Prue moved up the stairs to her room. She grabbed the nearest bag then started filling it with clothes. Veronica grabbed a few things from downstairs, and she was locking the door within twenty minutes of entering.
“We’ll come regularly if you want.”
She shrugged. Until she was ready to face the world again she wasn’t going back to that house.
Veronica drove ‘til they were parked outside her house. The place was small in comparison to James’s place.
“Are you sure Daniel doesn’t mind me staying?” she asked.
“Daniel loves you like a sister. He doesn’t want James coming ‘round. I’ve tried to tell him it was nothing personal, but he’s a little afraid of James.”
“I’m surprised you’re not,” Prue said. The house was lovely and warm as they walked inside. She dropped her bags and went straight to the kitchen. Veronica made them both a sandwich and a cup of coffee.
Prue sat at the table thankful she was no longer trapped in that room back in London.
Chapter Thirteen
A small party waited for them back at Possession. Cadeon and the gang were standing in the main office with a bottle of the finest whisky and plenty of food. None of them spoke of Prudence’s absence. For that he was thankful. It looked like Ursula was going to comment, but Stephen whispered in her ear; and no comment was made from the woman. Violet was rubbing her stomach, and Cadeon stayed by her side.
Tate, Kevin, and Rebecca stood together, but the tension was felt among all three.
He stared at his friends, thankful he was sharing a drink with them once again.
“I’m afraid we’re the only ones happy to see you alive and kicking,” Tate said, raising his glass. “I want to say a quick toast. This is to the man with more balls than brains and to the man who went with him. You both are two crazy sons of bitches, but I’m pleased to see you both alive and ready to tell the tale. To James and Lucas.”
“To James and Lucas,” the rest of the room said.
He placed the glass to his lips and knocked the liquid back. The burn was a welcoming pain against the one in his heart. He raised his glass for a refill. Kevin filled his glass.
“There is no need to toast to me or to anyone. We would have all done the same in our situation. I know you’re all wondering where Prudence is.” He stopped speaking to take a sip. “She needs some time away from me right now.” Staring at his glass James frowned. “I wish I could say this is job well done, but I’m pretty sure I lost the woman I love. I guess Daren and Henry won in the end.”
“Daren is fucking dead,” Lucas said. “They haven’t won anything.”
He looked at the other man and laughed. “Tell me how they haven’t won?” James knew he shouldn’t be angry at the other man, but his anger needed to be directed at someone.
“You’re alive, and so is Prue. You’re not having to deal with the fact she could be halfway around the world by now. She is safe. Yes, she needs time, but she’s safe with her sister. As far as I’m concerned the bad guys didn’t win.”
The room had gone silent. “I’m sorry, guys. I’m not in the mood for a party.” James placed the glass onto the side then moved out of
Possession.
Stephen followed him as he made his way to the door.
“What’s the matter?” he asked, wanting to be out of the club and in his own home or at least somewhere he could have some peace.
“Possession is your home as much as it is mine.”
“I know. I’ve got a lot of stuff to work out. I need to get Ravage open.”
“Josiah and Hubert will deal with the clubs how they see fit. Don’t be a stranger, and come back whenever you want. I’ve got to convince my woman to marry me,” he said.
James pulled the other man into a hug then made his way out of the club. He put a call through to Arthur letting him know that he was back and would need transportation. For tonight he walked the distance home. The cold air chilled him to the bone and was a welcome relief. With the slight edge of pain at least he knew he was alive.
He didn’t take in any of the scenery before him. James kept moving toward his home. His mind kept playing the events of the last few weeks. The joy of having Prudence in his arms and then the pain of knowing she’d been taken away. He pulled out of his cell phone and dialled Veronica’s number.
“Hello,” she said, sounding out of breath.
“How is she?”
She let out a sigh. “James, you need to give her time.”
“Tell me she’s okay,” he said, ignoring her warning.
“She’s asleep, but she’s got the door open, and the light is on. I haven’t seen her like this ever. I’m worried about her.”
James ran his hand over his face letting out a sigh.
“Anything she needs you come to me.”
“I’ll come to you.”
With nothing left to say he closed his cell phone. In the time it had taken for him to make the call he’d arrived at his house. He closed the gate behind him then made his way to the front door.
After locking everything behind him James went and consulted the mess he’d made in his father’s office. Everything would need to go. Sleep wasn’t welcome. He removed his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and started working on clearing away the mess he’d created. Picking up the broken computer he dumped it outside waiting for collection in a few days. He rummaged through pieces of paper to see what could be saved and what needed to be scrapped. Throughout it all, James thought of Prudence. He didn’t know how he was going to get through the next few days staying away from her.