Keep Me Safe
By
Angela Bennet
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted, including photocopying, recording, and electronically sharing, without permission of the author. Thank you for respecting this.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, either living or dead, is coincidental.
Keep Me Safe
She escaped her abuser, but now he wants her back. He’ll do anything to get her. She’ll do anything to stay safe.
Olivia is being stalked. Ethan is crazy, possessive, and he wants to control her. She had an incredible career as a ballerina until she met him. He stole everything from her and now she’s running for her life. There’s no one she can trust, not even the amazing man who reaches out to her despite her quick rejection. Ethan will destroy him just as he destroys everyone who gets in his way. She can't risk getting hurt again, but even more, she can't risk Paul's life by loving him.
Paul knows there’s something going on with his new neighbor. He spent enough time as an undercover cop to recognize someone on the run. He wants to help her, but how can keep her safe when she won’t let him in?
ONE
Ethan grabbed Olivia’s arm and shoved her into the empty conference room. He closed the door behind him with a firm snap, shutting out the sounds of the party. They'd come to a campaign fundraiser in a five star hotel. Olivia thought she would be safe from Ethan's temper tonight – there were so many people around - but she should have known better. He was always watching her, looking for her to trip up so he could unload his anger. It didn’t take much to set him off. Sometimes she knew what she did wrong but most of the time she had no clue. He was crazy, and he was obsessed with her.
Olivia swiped blonde tendrils out of her eyes as she watched him warily. Ethan’s gaze followed the graceful movement of her hand. She stilled when she saw the heat flare in his eyes, along with something dangerous. It was the dangerous part that made her life a misery. She pressed her lips together. There was no use saying anything. Ethan had to do the talking. She would do the listening. That’s how it always worked. Well, not always. Not at first.
He'd been gentle and a little awkward when they first met. It was hard to believe that Ethan turned into this monster.
It was his awkwardness that drew her like a moth to the good ol’ flame. She had no clue she’d get burned so bad. It was her own fault for being a compassionate person. He’d used her insecurities against her. Who didn’t feel like a fool in difficult situations? Very few people knew of the almost paralyzing stage fright she dealt with. Ballerinas weren’t supposed to get sick before every performance. She thought maybe Ethan would be someone who understood. She thought maybe she’d found a kindred spirit beneath his outer geek. He seemed like a nice guy who genuinely cared for her. She wanted to make him feel good about himself and help him grow. What an idiot she’d been.
While she was accustomed to sophisticated men who tried to sweep her off her feet, there was something that drew her to the quiet computer genius. If only she'd run away at the first sign of trouble. Within weeks he became crazy possessive. Every time she turned around he was there, watching her. While she was flattered by his attention, he moved into her life so quickly and forcefully, she didn't know how to extract herself. He was greedy. Demanding. Her sister, Rissa, always said she was too naïve and trusting when it came to men. She wanted a man to love her beyond her talent and fame, and she thought Ethan could be the one. She should have dated more. She shouldn’t have focused solely on her ballet career. Maybe if her eyes were open she would have questioned all the red flags.
“What are you thinking?”
Ethan's question snapped her back to the present and her gaze flew to his face. She could see he wasn't happy with her. A muscle ticked in his jaw.
“I was thinking about you,” she admitted ironically. His brow lifted in silent question, demanding her to elaborate. “I was thinking about when we first met.”
He nodded and his expression softened somewhat. “I think of those days often as well. You were very beautiful – the best dancer on the west coast. I never liked ballet before I saw a poster of you. And that was it. My mind was made up and I knew you had to be mine. And now you are, just as I planned.”
His words were no comfort. She was trapped with no way to escape yet she kept fighting and hoping. Ethan was slowly crushing the hope out of her. He claimed he loved her. He said no one cared about her the way he did. He controlled every detail in her life. He told her how to dress and how to style her hair; she always wore it up. He didn’t like others to see how long her hair was. She was surprised he didn’t make her cover it altogether. The clothes he chose for her were awful. Always expensive, but they weren’t tasteful and made her feel stupid. The perfumes she wore were terrible too. She preferred light flowery fragrances but he made her wear heavy musky perfumes. She wasn't allowed to leave the house without his permission and never alone. He told her what to eat, when to exercise. She wasn't allowed to dance or talk to anyone, not even her sister. Marissa probably thought she hated her.
Slowly his gaze traveled the length of her. Tonight she wore a silver gown. The dress revealed as much of her figure as it concealed. She wasn’t comfortable in the tacky, overly sexy dress. She never would have chosen it for herself. She was surprised when Ethan insisted she wear it that night because he was so jealous of other men. He didn’t want anyone looking at her and yet he liked showing her off to his colleagues – as if she was his prize. It was appalling. She’d gone from being a principal dancer people paid big money to see perform. Tickets would sell out. But that life was over. Now she was a trophy on this monster’s arm.
“I saw you talking to the senator’s aide,” he said in a deceptively calm voice that made Olivia cringe.
Here it was, the reason he’d dragged her out of the party. She knew he was angry but she forced her expression to remain neutral. He fed off her emotions. When she was scared or mad he usually hurt her more. She felt like she was continually walking on a tightrope, hoping to please him yet knowing it was impossible.
“He stood with you for a long time. What did you say to him to make him laugh?” His cold eyes watched her closely.
Olivia stiffened as he took a step closer. She didn’t want to be within arms’ reach. “I didn’t say anything to him. I was only being polite. I know you wouldn’t want me to bring unnecessary attention to myself by being rude.” In fact, she’d been bored to tears during most of the party but Ethan wanted her there. He was nothing more than a hacker geek who made people believe he was a computer genius. Sure, he was now a billionaire who lent money to governments, but it was money he'd stolen. It made her sick to see the mayor cozying up to Ethan. He liked to “boost” the economy with his bribes and not-so subtle gifts. What those government officials didn’t realize is that he was still hacking and continued to steal and ruin people’s lives, and he owned them. He owned them just like he owned her.
She feared for the young aide. He hadn’t done anything wrong and she had enjoyed chatting with the guy. They hadn’t talked about anything noteworthy. She’d caught his admiring glances and had been careful to remain distant and discouraging. Even so, she knew she was risking Ethan’s anger by talking to the aide. So why hadn’t she simply made her excuses and walked away? Maybe it was the defiant streak Ethan claimed would be her undoing – or in this case, the aide’s undoing. Tomorrow he would probably find his bank account empty and all of his insurance policies canceled. “We talked about the weather. It was nothing, Ethan.”
He gripped her chin so tightly she winced. “Liar! You wanted him to want you,” he growled. When she jerked out of his
bruising grasp he let his hand drop to her waist. Slowly his palm traced the curve of her hip before sliding around to grab her butt. “You wanted him to touch you like this, didn't you?” he whispered harshly even though his expression remained bland.
“No!” Olivia’s eyes widened with apprehension as she noticed the signs of his escalating temper. The signs were always subtle but she’d quickly learned to recognize them. His shoulders tightened; his fists clenched the thin material of her dress. A muscle worked in his jaw as a smooth careless smile spread across his lips. He was slipping out of control and she needed a way to diffuse his anger quickly.
“I’m sorry, Ethan. I made a mistake. I shouldn’t have talked to him. He’s nobody.”
“You propositioned him, didn’t you, Olivia? You’re always coming on to other men,” he hissed before she could sooth his agitation. He took a step closer to her, pressing his hips against hers. She took a small step back. Again, the smile touched his lips. He was enjoying this. She knew he sensed her fear and he liked it.
“I wouldn’t do that, Ethan,” she protested softly as he continued to crowd her. She took another step back then another, slipping from his grasp. Her balance wasn’t good anymore ever since she’d fallen. The fall had ruined her career. Each awkward step made her wince. Walking in the ridiculous stilettos didn’t help. She bumped against the conference table and nearly fell backward upon it.
Ethan reached out to steady her. His fingers were hard against the tender flesh of her arms. “You’re so beautiful,” he murmured as he stared at her. She hoped he would get distracted from his jealousy and simply kiss her. Sometimes kissing diffused the situation – but not tonight. Instead, his fingers tightened, biting into her flesh. “Every man who looks at you wants you. But they can’t have you. You’re mine – only mine.” He bit out the words and his fingers tightened painfully.
Olivia couldn’t meet his gaze so she focused on his chin. She knew the situation was escalating and she had to handle it carefully. “I-I’m sorry, Ethan. I shouldn’t have talked to that guy. I won’t do it again. You know there’s no one else. I was stupid to say anything to anyone. I only want to speak to you.” It was nonsense because she hadn’t done anything wrong but she had to appease him.
Ethan gave her a small shake, forcing her to look up. “Your beauty was created for me, remember? You were designed for my pleasure not that senator’s aide. He can’t begin to understand the deep connection that binds us together. And yet you allowed him to try to tear us apart. Why would you be so unfaithful, Olivia? I’ve told you this over and over. When I saw you perform that first spectacular night I knew you would be mine. But you didn’t understand. That’s why the fates punished you, remember? You used to flaunt your beauty up on stage so every man in the theater would lust after you. You wore those revealing costumes like a whore and you let your dance partner touch parts of your body he had no right to touch as he lifted you into the air.” His tone was growing harder.
Olivia shook her head desperately. They’d had this conversation too many times to count and she’d suffered because of his jealousy every time. “Ethan, it was ballet. Nothing more. No one lusted after me. And Bret Johnson wasn’t interested in me. It was only business, the business of dance, and we were partners -nothing intimate. Nothing more. You have to believe me.”
Ethan's nostrils flared as his eyes chilled over. “He touched you, Olivia. He slid his hands all over your body as I'm doing now. And the senator’s aide would have done the same if you asked him. How can I believe you when all you do is lie to me?” He gave her a hard push and she fell back onto the table. Before she could rise he leaned over her. He Pinned her in place with a hand on either side of her head as his hips ground into hers. “Do you need me to remind you what my touch feels like? I’d be happy to show you right now. Then you’ll forget the stupid senator’s aide and you’ll forget Bret Johnson. I’m the only one who will touch your body. No one else!”
Olivia shook her head. Anger flared within her but she quickly tamped it down. It did no good to argue with him. He would only humiliate her more and heaven help her, she couldn’t bear it if he followed through with his threats to use her body – not here, not like this. “There’s only you, Ethan. I want no other. You are my life,” she whispered brokenly, hating the words as they left her lips.
He stared down at her and she waited for his reaction. Her chest rose and fell with a sense of dread and panic. She didn't dare look away. There was no way to predict what he was thinking or what he might do.
“Fine. We’ll do this later.” He pulled back suddenly and offered her a hand to help her sit. “I want to believe you,” he said stiffly. “But you have to learn your lesson if we’re to be happy together. You have to work harder to make me happy.”
Olivia barely had time to process the words when he slapped her. Her cheek felt like it would explode. Before she had time to recover he slapped her again, so hard her head whipped back and she fell against the table. She stared up at him defiantly as her eyes filled with tears. Thankfully he hadn’t used his fist.
He shook his head and reached for her again. He grimaced when she flinched. With a look of challenge he reached out and patted her bruised cheek. “Olivia, why must we keep having these lessons? They hurt me as much as they hurt you.” He let his fingers caress the side of her throbbing face from her temple down to her chin. It could have been an apologetic gesture but she knew better. He was testing her. Olivia didn't dare move or react or he would dish out more of the same abuse. She braced herself to keep from jerking away. It was difficult to keep from reacting. He pretended to care, and probably thought he loved her in his sick, twisted way. She’d tried fighting him in the beginning but she was no match against his strength. Fighting him now would only make things worse. So she remained where she was on the table and waited.
Again, Ethan’s possessive gaze roamed over her body. She hated how he believed he owned her, and she wished she’d never allowed him to touch her. He was sick. Finally his slow gaze stopped at her face. His expression twisted into something ugly. “You look like a tramp, Olivia. Fix your makeup and hair. I’ll make your excuses until you return. I shouldn't have to warn you, but be sure you talk to no one else tonight – only me.” He turned on his heel and strode from the room. When the door clicked shut Olivia slumped back on the table with a sigh. She gently probed her cheek. It felt hot and bruised. Thankfully she had plenty of makeup to cover the most recent damage.
She curled up in a fetal position on top of the table. Slowly a tear tracked down her face. She was angry and so tired of Ethan. She couldn’t fight him and she couldn’t get away. Her life was a wreck with no solution in sight. How did it ever get this far? If only she’d known in the beginning.
If it was possible, she would simply walk out of the building and keep going. There were a lot of people and maybe she could get someone to help her. But she quickly dismissed the idea. She’d tried to escape him before and he always found her. He tapped into hotel computers, security cameras, traffic cameras. He could track her better than a private investigator – and faster too. When he caught up with her, their reunion was never pleasant. Last time she should have been hospitalized. Instead, he had a doctor check her over at the house, then locked her in her room for three weeks as she recovered. More tears trickled down her face as she realized again there was nothing she could do to escape. She was trapped and no one knew how miserable she was. Her friends were gone. Her parents had no clue because she had to keep the phone conversations light and meaningless – he always listened. She was alone and nothing was ever going to change.
The door creaked open and Olivia sat up quickly expecting to see Ethan. Instead, a small woman in a dark hooded sweatshirt stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. She swept back the hood and Olivia gasped. It was her sister! “Rissa! What are you doing here?”
“I’m getting you away from that spineless piece of crap; let’s go!”
“Wait,
how did you know –“ Olivia asked but Rissa cut her off.
“I’ve known for awhile but we don’t have time to chat. Let’s get out of here.” She reached for the door but Olivia shook her head. Hope flared up but quickly died.
“I can’t,” she answered flatly. No matter how much she wanted to go with Marissa, she couldn’t because Ethan would ruin her sister’s life. He was sadistically creative, and he would take great delight in destroying everything important to Rissa. “He promised he won’t hurt my family as long as I stay with him. I have to protect you.”
“Yes, but he’ll keep hurting you if you stay and we can’t allow that. Now let’s go,” she motioned impatiently.
“You don't understand, Rissa! He’ll find me. I’ve tried to leave him three times.” Olivia's eyes filled with tears again. She hated the person she’d become – weak and fearful. She couldn’t bear the thought of her sister’s life being ruined because of her. She could handle the humiliation and the pain he inflicted as long as she knew he wouldn’t touch her family. “How did you know?” she asked miserably. She didn’t think anyone in her family knew about her shameful pain.
“Black clouds and brown flowers. You sent me that birthday card three months ago and added those colors to the front.”
It had been their secret code when they were kids. Rainbows and hearts meant life was perfect. Black clouds and brown flowers meant things couldn’t get any worse. It had been a feeble cry for help to put it on the birthday card but Marissa had noticed. Ethan didn’t mind a little correspondence as long as she didn’t share anything personal with her family. Even so, she was surprised he’d allowed the card to be mailed. She knew he held back many of her letters.
“I suspected things were bad but I didn’t know how bad until I did a little snooping around. And just now I heard what he said and did to you. It was hard to keep my cool when I heard him slapping you.”
Keep Me Safe Page 1