Keep Me Safe

by Angela Bennet

  “Stop! You’re tickling me.”

  “Yeah? Where else are you ticklish?”

  “Nowhere you need to know about while you’re driving on icy roads,” Olivia retorted but Paul had a feeling she was blushing. He wished they were back home and tucked beneath the covers. He’d like to explore those hidden ticklish spots at his leisure.

  “Fine,” Paul muttered with an exaggerated sigh. “Tell me more about your family. I need a distraction.”

  Olivia threw him an impish grin. “You’ll like my dad. He’s a crusty old guy who collects rifles. He has an off-color joke for every situation, and if he decides he likes you then you’ll have a champion in your corner for life – and he definitely will like you. My mom will smother you with attention. She’ll cook your favorite food and pester you with more food until you can’t eat another bite. And you’ll love it because she’s a miracle worker in the kitchen. She’s been the head chef in a number of restaurants before opening her own.” Olivia expression turned sad. “She probably had to give it up because of me. Ethan would have destroyed the restaurant. He swore he would take out his fury on my family if I ever left him, that they were safe only if I chose to obey him. You have no idea how guilty I feel.”

  “Don’t!” Paul answered sharply. “He’s the one responsible for his actions, not you! And you said yourself that Marissa helped your parents get away safely. We have to trust they are still safe. Soon this will be over and you can check on them yourself.”

  “But all my mom’s hard work. She had to give it up because I was so stupid and got involved with the wrong man.”

  “If she loves you she would never blame you, Liv. She would want you to be safe above all things. Do you really think she would prefer you to suffer at Ethan’s hands just to keep her business safe?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “No, you’re right. Mom and Dad would want me to get far away from Ethan, no matter the cost. I just worry about them.” A tear slipped down her cheek and she quickly dashed it away.

  “You’ll see them soon, honey, I promise. This is almost over. Look, we’re coming into Laramie. Let’s find the hotel and settle in for the night. Try not to worry about anything else.” Paul felt like he’d said the words a hundred times. And he’d say them a hundred more if it helped. Easing her mind was most important. If she couldn’t keep a tight rein on her emotions then it would be impossible to keep her safe. She was a level headed woman, but no one could hold up during endless pressure. At some point she was going to crack. And when she did, he would be there to hold her up. He didn’t know how long this would take, or where they would have to go, but he planned to see her through this to the end. Never again would she have to run and hide and be alone. Ethan Moore’s threat was real. But Paul had something Ethan never would. He had Olivia’s heart - which meant that together, they were unstoppable.

  ELEVEN

  “Who are you dancing for?” Ethan asked as he came up behind her in the dressing room. Usually the dressing room was full of dancers rushing around anxiously as they prepped and primped before their performance. Tonight it was empty. At two a.m. it felt eerie and too quiet in the performance hall.

  Tomorrow night would be the opening performance, which meant Olivia couldn’t sleep. She did this every time. It was pointless to try to sleep until she’d had the opportunity to run through the steps herself without distraction. She didn’t even need music, or Bret, her partner. All she needed was the calming serenity that came from working through the steps. Then the tension would leave. Her muscles would feel the exhaustion, her mind would feel easy, and then sleep would come.

  She was in the middle of her final piece of the program, a particularly tricky part with the intricate footwork, when the strap of her shoes broke. It wasn’t the first time it happened. She quickly strode off the stage and to the dressing room where she knew she would find a needle and plenty of thread for the repair. Costumes always needed last minute alterations.

  As she stitched the ribbon back in place she heard steady footsteps walk across the stage. The sound echoed loudly through the quiet hall. No one was supposed to be here! Her heart tripped with fear and she grabbed the scissors for a weapon. She was the only one in the hall, there by special permission. Who else would come at this hour? She’d locked the side door. She was always careful of her safety.

  As she waited, beads of sweat trickled down her spine. She wasn’t sure if it was from the intense practice or the fear, but she felt cold and clammy despite the perspiration. She clutched the scissors tighter as the steps drew closer. They were headed toward the light filtering from the dressing room’s open door.

  A man filled the doorway and it took a moment to recognize him. Relief was immediate. It was her admirer. “Oh, Ethan! You scared me. How did you get in? Surely I didn’t leave the door unlocked!” Maybe she had been careless with her safety after all. She’d been particularly anxious over this performance and her thoughts were distracted.

  “You shouldn’t be here alone,” he scolded as he stepped into the room. Olivia’s heart tripped at the intensity she saw in his gaze as he stared at her. Yes, he was both handsome and compelling. Yet his looks weren’t what intrigued her. He wasn’t smooth or sophisticated in his pursuit of her. There was only raw intensity. Maybe that’s what drew her. Under his placid outward appearance, there seemed to be something coiled and untamed. She hadn’t taken him seriously at first. She received a lot of attention but Ethan had been persistent like no other and demanded her response. Like now. She knew she’d locked the door. She’d checked it. So how did he get in? And how did he know she was there alone?

  “Anything could happen to you, Olivia. You need to be more mindful.” He stepped closer until he was standing only a foot away from her. He was her height and they met eye-to-eye. He turned her so she was forced to face her reflection in the mirror with his face peering over her shoulder.

  She stood straight and strong and proud. Posture was everything for a dancer and her muscles naturally settled into an elegant stance, while behind her Ethan seemed stiff and awkward. His shoulders slumped slightly. He probably curled over a computer keyboard for too many hours at a time. She eyed him questioningly.

  “Who are you dancing for?” he demanded softly. “Tonight, when you got up on stage a little while ago. There was no music or audience and yet you gave the best performance of your life. You put everything into it. I sensed the power – the allure. You nearly took flight.” His words gathered momentum as he spoke. He sounded angry and aroused. Olivia felt both curious and repulsed.

  His fingers danced over her shoulder and down her arm as he stared at her in the mirror. “I could see the strain in your muscles as you reached higher and pushed further. Who are you dancing for, little butterfly?”

  His intensity suddenly seemed wrong, like he was furious but he was hiding it inside. There had been other moments like this where he seemed too possessive and his reaction didn’t match the situation. He’d made it clear he didn’t like her dance partner, Bret. She tried to assure Ethan that it was only business but he wasn’t convinced. And now she didn’t like the way he looked at her, as if he was testing her. When she tried to ease away he held her in place with a firm arm around her waist. He tugged her back against him. His strength surprised her. “Who do you dance for, Olivia?” he demanded. He forced her chin to face the mirror and take them in as a couple.

  They weren’t a couple. She wasn’t sure about him and he was crowding her. “I dance for myself, Ethan,” she answered with a defiant lift to her chin.

  Suddenly Ethan spun her around and took her mouth in a cruel demanding kiss. She couldn’t fight him or push him away because her hands were trapped between them, still clutching the scissors. He assaulted her mouth with bruising force and she could feel his fingers dig into her neck. His hold would leave marks on her delicate flesh. How could she explain the marks? No one would understand. They would probably tease her and give her knowing looks. The more she strugg
led against Ethan, the more his grip tightened. He seemed to grow excited by her protests. When she tasted blood on her lips she wrenched herself away from him and pointed the scissors at his chest. “Stay away from me!”

  Ethan was immediately contrite. “Forgive me, Olivia. You know I don’t always handle myself well. When I think of you dancing for other men, dressed as you do in those revealing costumes, with your partner running his hands down your body, it fills me with rage. I get so jealous! I want to prove to you that we belong together. I want you to dance for no one but me. Not for yourself. Not for an audience of men. For me only. Or for no one at all.” He took a calculated step closer, then another, watching her carefully. She backed up against the dressing table but still brandished the scissors.

  “Don’t come any closer, Ethan,” she warned as she swiped her mouth clean of the taste of blood. She wasn’t sure if it was hers or his.

  “Tomorrow when you dance, dance for me, Olivia.” He reached for the scissors and tugged them out of her grasp. “You won’t hurt me, will you? Not even to protect yourself from me? You could cut me but I would feel nothing because it was your hand that delivered the blow.” He tossed the scissors to the dressing table.

  She let her empty hand fall to her side. “I think you should go, Ethan,” she said flatly. All the fight had gone out of her and now she felt exhausted. She wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and forget this encounter ever happened.

  “Allow me to take you to your apartment,” he implored and once again he sounded like a perfect gentleman. “You need your rest before the big performance tomorrow night. I would hate for there to be an accident where you hurt yourself.”

  “I’ll be fine, Ethan,” she answered numbly. She wanted to insist that she could see herself home but she knew she would be wasting her breath. Ethan was always persistent and he continued to press until she relented. He reached for her and pulled her gently into his arms. She went willingly only because she didn’t want to make him angry.

  This time when he took her lips it was a tender kiss. He teased and nipped with teeth and tongue until he slowly drew a response from her. She didn’t want to give in, but again he was relentless. He plied her mouth with his own until she melted against him. Her submission seemed to excite him and he deepened the kiss. His breath became hers. His tongue stroked hers as he tipped her chin for a better angle. Closer, still closer they merged into one through the kiss. She felt she was losing herself in the ongoing contact. None of it was hurtful or violating this time. It seemed passionate and breathtaking and she was okay with opening herself to him in this way, at least a little bit. She wished he would always be this tender. Maybe she should forgive him for his awkwardness and cruelty. He now held her carefully, as if she was a fragile gift. Slowly his fingers traced down her back until his hands rested at her waist. The bruises at her neck were forgotten. The swollen pain in her lips now begged for his tender ministrations. She knew he wanted more from her but he restrained himself from taking more than she would give.

  Finally the kiss ended. She slowly opened her eyes. Her smile froze on her lips when she saw the triumphant look on his face. He was gloating. The blissful feeling evaporated as she realized the truth. The kiss had been a ploy to win her over again – to make her submit. He didn’t really care for her. He wanted to own her. She had seen little signs that worried her but he always covered his tracks and made her feel she was imagining things – that she shouldn’t be suspicious. So she gave him the benefit of the doubt. He was awkward and unused to wooing women. He didn’t know how to appropriately express his affection. He was in awe of her. She always made excuses for him - but now, now she couldn’t. There were no excuses for his being triumphant.

  In that moment she loathed him and realized she wanted nothing to do with him. She would get a restraining order and never go anywhere alone. She would move in with her parents again. Anything to remove Ethan Moore from her life. He had way too much contact with her – like tonight. The only way he knew she was alone was if he’d followed her to the theater and then broken into the building. While there was a side to him that intrigued her, she also saw he was dangerous. He would hurt her if she crossed him. The blood on her lip didn’t lie.

  Ethan’s expression was again a neutral mask. She eyed him suspiciously but he returned her look with a tender smile. “You need your rest, darling,” he murmured. Again he was gentle and attentive. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her toward the door. Her broken ballet shoes were forgotten on the table behind her. Olivia wanted to fight him and tell him to never touch her or speak to her again but she knew she couldn’t resist him. He wouldn’t allow her to.

  “Come, little butterfly, let me take you home. Let me prove to you how good we are together. If I have my way, you and I will never part again. Not even death can separate us.”

  Olivia’s eyes flew open and she sucked in a sharp breath. It was pitch black and she was in an unfamiliar room. “Ethan?” Her voice trembled with fear.

  She felt someone stiffen and grow alert on the bed beside her. “No, Liv honey. He isn’t here. Did you have another dream?”

  She sagged with relief at the sound of Paul’s groggy voice. They were in a hotel in Laramie, Wyoming. Ethan was only a nightmare – for now. Paul pulled her close and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He was a large man and instead of feeling suffocated in his arms, she felt safe. She nuzzled in closer and felt the reaction in his body. His immediate response made her a little bolder and she wiggled closer.

  “You sorely tempt a man,” Paul growled as his hands traced slowly and deliciously over her body. “When all this is over, I’m going to make you mine in every way possible.”

  Olivia didn’t know exactly what he meant – if he was offering sex or even marriage – she didn’t dare fill in the blanks herself. “What if it never ends, Paul? We can’t continue like this and you know it. You have to go back to your normal life or Ethan will figure out that you’re helping me and he’ll use your family to get to me. You need to go back.”

  “No way. He’s gonna get caught. And in the meantime we’ll head to North Dakota. We’ll rent a farm and I’ll plant a field of wheat. We’ll grow old and fat together.”

  Olivia laughed at the absurdity of his plan. “Do you know anything about wheat farming?”

  “Nope,” Paul retorted as he pressed a kiss to her neck. “But for you, I’ll learn anything. We could move to Cozumel and I’ll teach scuba diving. Or we’ll go to Spain and I’ll show people how to run with the bulls.”

  “Oh yeah? You’ve done that before? How about studying polar bears in the Arctic?” she asked with a smile as she felt his tongue tease her neck. She wiggled against him, making him growl again.

  “As long as we can snuggle in our own igloo. I’ll go anywhere with you. I’ll catch fish. You can make us clothes out of animal skins -”

  “Sounds disgusting,” she muttered.

  “Then we’ll go to the Alps. We’ll ski every day and do other things to keep warm at night.”

  “Mmm, sounds better.” His kisses were too distracting to keep up with the conversation. As his hands and mouth explored her body at a leisurely pace she allowed herself to get lost in his touch. His kisses were so different than Ethan’s. She didn’t worry that Paul would hurt her. Instead he lit a fire within her that nothing could put out. She forced the nightmare of Ethan from her thoughts. He was far away in California. He couldn’t hurt her tonight. And tonight she could pretend she would be together with Paul forever. “Paul?”

  “Mm hm?” He continued to press kisses to her collarbone then his tongue traced a line up to her chin. He pressed another kiss to her lips. Neither of them was satisfied with the light kiss and it immediately deepened into more.

  When she could breathe again she asked, “Will you tell me you love me? I need to hear you say it once more.” No other man had said the words to her.

  Paul leaned on his elbow. She couldn’t see him in th
e darkness but she could feel his breath on her cheek as she pictured his tender expression. She loved the way his gorgeous blue eyes crinkled with affection when he looked at her. She knew she could trust this man with not only her safety but with her heart. “I love you with all my being, Liv honey. This probably sounds sappy but I plan to keep on loving you for the rest of my life until I’m too old to take another breath. And even then your name will be the last word I utter.”

  His promise brought tears to her eyes and she reached for him and pressed a desperate kiss to his lips. She wanted to hold him close and never let him go but she was afraid he was going to be ripped away from her. If only she could prolong this moment so it lasted forever. If only Ethan would leave her alone!

  “Go back to sleep, love. It’s the middle of the night and you’re safe. I’ve got you.” Paul tucked her against his chest and nuzzled the back of her head. His hand splayed with comfortable heaviness over her stomach. With a sigh she settled in. She would worry about Ethan tomorrow.

  ***

  “You’ve already checked the room twice, Liv honey. We need to go.” Paul swiped his hand through his hair in agitation. He felt edgy and it had nothing to do with waking up to a sexy warm woman and choosing to do none of the things that sprang immediately to mind. No, his edginess was something he experienced often in undercover work. His buddy, Dylan, liked to call it a sixth sense. Paul didn’t have a name for it, except that it always meant something bad was about to happen.

  Normally Olivia was the one who was wound tight and ready to snap. For some reason today she was in no hurry. She was full of smiles and that did Paul’s heart good because he knew he was the reason for her happiness. But seeing her so relaxed only made his edginess increase. He had to watch out for her; he had to keep her safe. “You ready?”