by Natalie Ann
“I went into fight mode. I may be a country girl, but this girl didn’t take shit like that. He wrapped me up from behind, but I was cursing and swearing and the neighbors heard and started banging on the walls and said they’d call the police.”
“Jesus,” he said. “Tell me you left right then and there.”
“I ran into the bathroom and locked myself in there. It was just a reflex since I did that a lot when we were fighting. It had a lock on it and he was rattled over what happened. I stayed in there for a long time. When it was quiet, I came out and he was in bed. He’d tried to talk to me through the door apologizing and I didn’t want any part of it so he must have given up and gone to bed.”
“Then you left?” he asked.
“No. I had nowhere to go. I fell asleep on the couch. The next morning I could feel him moving around. Remember, he was a lawyer; his family had money and connections. Calling the police might not have done much. I was a foreigner in the country. I didn’t know what could happen and it scared me. I was so out of my element.”
He couldn’t imagine but then realized she might have been right and he had to be content with the fact she was in front of him and was fine. “Then what happened?”
“He came over to me when I was sleeping, kissed my cheek and thought I’d wake up, but I didn’t move. He ran his hand over my cheek softly, then said how sorry he was. He had no memory of the night at all but knew he was wrong and wanted to talk.”
“Asshole. What a crock of shit that was.”
“Exactly. The minute he was out of the house, I packed up my shit and got out of there. I went to the college and my adviser and I told them what happened. Since I had a black eye and swollen cheek it was obvious. I named him but felt it might be best to lay low. The school found me housing.”
“And he left you alone?”
“Yes and no. He wasn’t happy when he came home and found me gone. I knew he’d go looking for me at my job, but I’d just quit. I had money and that was going to have to be stretched out. The school helped and they were great. They really were. I couldn’t leave and risk losing my credits as it was my last semester too.”
“So he came back?” he asked. “You said yes and no when I asked if he left you alone.”
“He came back to campus a few times and I managed to stay away from him, but he’d finally found me. I was smart enough to report it and call security. He was escorted off campus and it all went on file. Still to this day I’ve got those files. Copies of them. Not sure why I wanted it, but I just did.”
“Smart,” he said. “But now the question is, why do you think he sent those flowers? Has he contacted you and I know nothing about it?”
“He kept saying how sorry he was back then. That he loved me and didn’t want to lose me. It was creepy and scary, but I got the hell out of there and never heard from him again.”
“But you moved around a lot,” he said. “You said that.”
“I did. That was part of it. I didn’t want to go back home anyway, but made sure I didn’t so he couldn’t find me. We never talked much about our families. We weren’t together long enough. I had no idea what he could or couldn’t find out about me and didn’t want to risk it.”
“Again, has he contacted you? Recently?”
“Yes,” she said, her shoulders dropping.
“And you haven’t said a word to me!” he shouted at her. “I’m the chief of police. This is my island. I can protect you, but I can’t if you don’t tell me.”
“Stop yelling,” she said.
“Fuck that.”
“What’s going on?” Amanda asked, running into the living room.
“Does she know?” he asked.
“Know what?” Amanda asked.
“No one does,” Sidney said.
“Then fill her in. The more people that know, the more eyes on the lookout.”
He waited and listened to the story again, all the while in his head trying to form a plan and figure out who he was going to call and how he was going to look into this guy if he was in another country and how he might have found Sidney here on the island.
When Sidney was done telling Amanda, she said, “I got a letter from him over a month ago. It was left at McKay’s. I’m not sure how he found out where I was but I’ve put some thought into it. We were at the casino and then the VIP room for that lunch with those other Brits. Maybe one of them recognized me? I have no clue. None of them looked like someone I’d remember though. So it could be nothing more than a coincidence.”
“So just the letter?” he asked. “Go get it and let me see it. Get the reports you have from five years ago too.”
Sidney left to go upstairs and he looked at Amanda who was about as pale as he was feeling. “She should stay with you until we know what is going on.”
“I’m going to suggest that, but something tells me that isn’t going to be well received.”
“She isn’t stupid. She’ll give in. I’ll make sure of it. He knows where she lives and that bothers me more than anything,” Amanda said.
“You guys are here and it’s not smart to stay either,” he said. “You can go to Drew’s.”
“But Bri has nowhere.”
“We can find a place for her,” he said.
“I heard you guys talking,” Sidney said when she came in. “Bri shouldn’t have to leave and I can’t let her stay here alone.”
“Sidney, this is serious.” He took the letter and read it. It wasn’t anything too threatening but enough for a guy that didn’t want to give up and by the sounds of it didn’t like to be told no and was unpredictable on top of it. “Anything else other than this letter?”
“An email a few weeks later.”
“Forward it to me. Did you reply back?” he asked.
“I did. I told him I was in a relationship. That it was over years ago between us and I didn’t stay with abusers.”
“So you threw salt in an open wound?” he asked thinking someone like Rod wouldn’t be happy.
“I never heard back. It was normal for him to send flowers and candy and apologize after our fights,” she said.
“I don’t like this. Out of nowhere he finds you here and is pursuing you like it’d been days rather than years. I want everything you’ve got or know about him.”
“Rod Enfield,” she said. “He’s probably thirty-three, thirty-four right now.”
“Rod or Rodney?”
“Rodney.”
“I really don’t want you here alone,” he said. “Not at all. If no one else is home, please stay with me. I want you in with me, period, but I can tell you are going to be stubborn about this.”
“He’s not the type to do anything if people are around. And this is my turf, not his. He knew he could get away with stuff in London. It’s not happening here.”
“No,” he said. “It’s my turf and my island. No one is coming here to hurt the woman I love. Any woman, but least of all you.”
She burst into tears and he wasn’t sure what to make of it. “I’m so sorry. I’ve made such a mess of things.”
He pulled her into his arms and Amanda stood up and left the room. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Maybe it was good we had a fight and this came out. I’m not sure why you couldn’t tell me about it before.”
It explained so much about her. Even why she reacted the way she did about his comment with her cutting back her work. And speaking of work. “I know you aren’t going to stop working, but I want you to tell Butch what is going on so you aren’t walking to your car alone. Or I will come pick you up each night. Yep, that’s better.”
“Mac. You don’t need to do that. We have no idea where he is. He might not be in the US let alone on this island.”
“You’re right, but I’m going to find out,” he said.
“And how is that?”
“My family owns a lot of this island and hotels, and I’ll be reaching out to see if he is in any of their places.”
“I should hav
e known,” she said putting her head on his shoulder. “He could be anywhere or nowhere close by.”
“I’m going down to the flower shop to figure out where this was ordered from and how it was paid.” There was a lot he could do to start and he planned on it all tonight. He didn’t care if the flower store was closed; he was going knocking on the owner’s door to find out now.
“Are we good?” she asked. “I’m not sure I could handle it if we weren’t after all of this.”
“We are. I meant no harm in what I said yesterday. I just know how much you want to succeed with your books and I was supporting you. If it came off as controlling, then I’m sorry. I don’t think less of what you do and I never have. I hope you know that. I hope you believe me.”
She put her hands on his cheeks. “I do. I believe that because I believe in you. I believe in us.”
39
Fought Back
A week had gone by and Mac had told her he’d come up with nothing on Rod. Either that or he wasn’t telling her everything. She didn’t want to think he was keeping things from her though.
No, she learned her lesson. She was the one with secrets, not him. She was the one hiding things from her past because of embarrassment and feelings of lesser self-worth. He’d always been upfront and honest.
She was going to take a page from Mac’s book and trust him because deep down she’d never trusted anyone more.
Sidney walked downstairs and Amanda was in the kitchen having breakfast and getting ready for work. The two of them hung out and chatted yesterday while she worked on her book. She’d insisted that Amanda didn’t need to stay in the house because she was there, that she’d be fine.
“Are you home alone today?” Amanda asked, the worried mom of the house.
“I am and I’m fine. Mac has Rod’s name out to all the hotels and all the ferries. It’s been a week and no one has seen his name or has reservations for him either. I want to say he’s overreacting. Rod is just a guy that can’t take no for an answer but the one time he hit me he was remorseful after. I left and have been fine since.”
“Which doesn’t explain why he has contacted you out of the blue. If he really wanted to find you, I’m sure he could have before now. You haven’t been hiding like someone on the run would. You’ve got a job, you pay taxes, you’ve got a driver’s license. All the things that make you somewhat easy to find. You’re even on social media.”
“Which I’m not anymore. I got off right away once Mac realized that. And you know I barely used it anyway so it’s not like it was that big of a deal. And I never had my location there either nor was any information public.”
“No, you didn’t. But you were friends with Bri and hers was listed, not that it makes a difference, but still. My location was missing and so was Kayla’s, but Kayla had where she worked. Anyway, the bottom line is, you need to be off it and you are.”
“Exactly. I’m completely safe here. I know Mac wants me with him, but he’s working too. I’d be sitting at his house alone which is no different.”
“Except Rod doesn’t know where Mac lives,” Amanda said.
“Do you really think that? The guy found me, where I worked, and where I live. I’m pretty sure he knows who I’m dating. I’d told him I was dating someone.”
“If he knows you’re dating the chief of police than he’s an idiot to do this.”
“He’s cocky. He probably thinks he can win me over more than anything. Everyone is overreacting. Mac won’t even let me email Rod back again which makes no sense.”
“Just listen to Mac. He knows what he’s doing even if it’s driving you insane. I’m sure you’re right and it’s nothing or nothing will come out of this, but until we know where Rod is you need to be cautious. I just hate leaving you here alone.”
“I was alone all last week before work. It’s only a few hours. Mac has people driving up and down our street. He won’t admit it, but I’m not stupid. I’ve seen the cars.”
Amanda laughed. “I guess you should be happy he doesn’t have someone camped out front in an unmarked car. I could see Drew or Hunter doing that.”
Sidney got up and walked out of the kitchen, then looked through the front window and came back. “I was just checking. That didn’t even occur to me. But Mac wouldn’t use island resources for that and I don’t see him spending the money personally on it either.”
“Don’t kid yourself,” Amanda said. “Men will do anything to protect the women they love and you know it.”
“I do, but I think everyone is overreacting. Anyway, go to work. I’ll lock all the doors like I’ve been doing when you leave. I’ve got a few errands to run anyway so I’ll be gone most of the day.”
“Keep in touch, please,” Amanda said.
Sidney smiled and nodded her head and refrained from making some snarky comment.
When Amanda was gone she went up to shower and then got to work drawing. She’d gotten the contract from the agent last week, she’d read it over and it all looked good and she’d signed and returned it. The advance she was going to get was sweet and she had to put out three more books in twelve months but they had to be approved. She’d submitted the one she was working on and was just waiting for approval while she tried to come up with her next idea.
Maybe she’d take inspiration off the island and do something about a beach experience. Or take Egan up on his offer and do a helicopter one. It might be better to do something with airplanes. Her books were all about new things or firsts in a child’s life. Learning experiences more than anything. She’d even had a firefighter book in her head and was thinking of talking to Alex. There was no end to the possibilities but now she was thinking police, fire, and maybe medical for the publisher. Too much going on to focus there now. One day at a time.
After a couple of hours of drawing, and checking in with Mac a few times—which was becoming worse than being a teen on her first night out and her father making sure she and Anne were fine and would be home on time—she left for her errands, locking the doors behind her.
By the time she was done at the grocery store, it was close to three. She parked in the driveway, unlocked the side door and then went back to get her bags.
She was in the kitchen ready to put everything away when the doorbell rang. Since she wasn’t expecting company, she wasn’t sure what or who it could be but figured it had to be a package being delivered. They were the only ones that really rang the bell to let them know there was something on the porch.
When she looked out she didn’t see anyone, but there was a box there. She bent and picked it up and saw it was addressed to her but couldn’t remember if she ordered anything lately. It was in an Amazon box, so maybe someone sent her something. Nothing suspicious there.
She opened it up and saw there was a teddy bear and dropped it down. It was the same bear Rod gave her years ago. One she’d left at his place when she moved out.
“I thought you’d be happy to see I’d kept the bear I gave you.”
She turned and saw Rod standing in the doorway to the living room. “How did you get in here?”
“You didn’t lock the side door after you got your groceries.”
She remembered her hands were full and she’d set everything on the table. The doorbell rang and she went to get it. Now she was guessing this had all been planned. “What are you doing here? I told you I’m seeing someone. I’m not interested in getting back with you. I haven’t been interested since I left years ago.”
“But I haven’t forgotten about you,” he said. “I won you over once and I can again.”
“You’re delusional. All this time. All these years. I don’t get it. Why now?”
Maybe she relaxed after realizing he wasn’t going to find her or look for her. She just figured he’d given up even though he’d said he’d never let her go.
“I’ve tried to move on but no one ever pulled at me like you.”
“You mean no one fought back,” she said. “That is part of
it, isn’t it?”
“No,” he said, moving forward. “I love you. You are meant to be with me.”
“Oh, now I get it. Everyone there knew about you and had family around to warn them about your issues. That your mood and personality changed with the wind. When you got handsy they left you. But I was some young foreigner in a country that you had more control over?”
His face turned red and she knew she had him there. “You loved me and you know it. I made a mistake. I didn’t mean to hit you but you wouldn’t let me apologize.”
“Leave now,” she said. “I’m going to call the police.”
“You mean that rinky dink boyfriend of yours? Do you really think some island cop could compete with me? I’ve got plenty of money to ruin his name.”
She started to wonder if Rod knew anything about this island at all. That Mac might not have as much wealth as Rod but his family had more than Rod would ever see. This island belonged to the Bonds and they stood together.
“You’re living in a fantasy world,” she said. “Leave now!”
“No,” he said. “I found you and I’m going to convince you to come back with me. There is no reason for you to work in some restaurant serving drinks to men hitting on you. Come back and let me take care of you. I can forget about the years we’ve been apart. I can forget about the men you’ve been with.”
“I don’t need anyone to take care of me. I never did.” This was freaking her out, but she had to stay in control. He was calm now, but from past experience she didn’t think he’d stay this way.
“Yet you moved in fast enough with me. You wanted a free ride and I gave it to you,” he argued.
“I never wanted anything free. I was young and stupid and I fell for your charm, but you’re just as ugly on the outside as you are on the inside.”
It was the wrong thing to say, or the right as she was trying to get him to make a move so she could throw him off and run for it. Her phone was in the kitchen and she was kind of trapped in the living room. She couldn’t get to any doorway without passing him.
“You didn’t think I was so ugly when you were screaming my name out in bed all those years ago,” he snarled.