Stout

  He had his hands on her. His fucking hands . . .

  She burrows into my side, much like a baby bird being protected by its mother’s wing.

  He hurt my girl. The terror in her eyes.

  The silence is killing me. I can’t wait until we’re home to be sure she’s all right.

  What if I hadn’t come when I did? I could have lost her.

  I lower my mouth so it’s over her ear and speak in the softest voice my vocal cords will allow. “Did he hurt you?”

  “No. But . . .” She stops and I know in my heart something bad will follow that pause.

  “You can tell me.”

  She presses her face into my shoulder. Her voice is barely a whisper so I must listen carefully to make out what she’s saying. “He came up behind me so I didn’t see him. I could only feel him. And I thought . . . I thought he was you.” The dam holding her tears bursts, and she fists my shirt, clinging to me as though she’ll be swept away in their current.

  He was touching her. He was touching her. Maybe more. And she thought it was me. I can barely contain the rage within me. “What did he do?”

  Her only answer is her body shuddering against my chest. Lawry used to do the same thing when she’d retreat into that world inside her head where no one could hurt her.

  I can’t let Adelyn go to that place. I need her here with me.

  “It’s okay. You can tell me. It wasn’t your fault.” I cup my hand around her head and kiss the top of her hair. “We can tell each other anything. I know your darkest secrets. You know mine. It’s what we do. It’s who we are.”

  She breathes in deeply and exhales over several seconds as if stringing out the moment before she has to say the words. “I thought you were pinning me against the van. Maybe exploring your newfound dominance over me. It never crossed my mind you weren’t the one grinding behind me. Or the one pulling up my skirt and putting your hand in . . . my panties.” She shudders. “I screamed so loud for you when I realized it was his fingers . . .”

  Fucking. Son. Of. A. Bitch.

  “You don’t have to say it.” I know exactly what the fucker did with his fingers. To my girl.

  “Please don’t be angry with me. I swear I had no idea it was him.”

  “I know. Not angry at you.” I should have killed that motherfucker.

  I was nearly too late. He touched her.

  I kiss the top of her head again so she’ll know I don’t blame her. “You’re staying with me tonight.” And the next night. Maybe the one after that too. I may never let her be alone again.

  I don’t see her nod, but I feel the movement against my chest. “I’d like to grab some things from home first.”

  “That’s no problem.”

  I enter Adelyn’s house first, just in case Russ isn’t smart enough to stay away from her. Once we’re in her bedroom, she walks around in a daze. She occasionally stops and goes completely still, her face grimacing. I’ve no doubt her mind is revisiting his attack. I want to kill him. “Just get the necessities for tonight. If you think of something you need I can come back for it.”

  “Okay.”

  She’s still standing there like a zombie so I feel like she needs a little coaxing. “Toothbrush. Hairbrush. Something to sleep in.” We’ll only be next door. No need to take a lot of stuff. “That should do for tonight, don’t you think?”

  “Almost.” She goes to her dresser and takes out a tank top, boxer shorts, and a pair of panties. “Do you mind if I use your shower?”

  The panties are a reminder of where his hand was. Destination: trash. “I don’t mind.”

  She’s stuffing her things in a duffle when I notice the black lacy lingerie set on the bed. “I was going to wear that tonight. My birthday gift for you.” Oh my beautiful girl.

  My party was a huge undertaking even for an experienced event coordinator like Adelyn. She must have known she would have been worn out by the time we made it home. Yet that lingerie set on the bed proves she had pleasing me on her mind. Exhaustion, be damned.

  That fucker ruined everything. I should have killed him.

  “Another night.” I regret my words the moment they leave my mouth; I sound like an insensitive ass trying to schedule sex for later. She was just assaulted. He had his hands on her. Fuck. Of course, having sex is the last thing on her mind. “That was a thoughtless thing to say. I didn’t mean it the way it sounded.”

  “I still want our night. Just not this night.”

  She needs to understand skipping sex is fine with me. But I also want her to see what the fucker did doesn’t change the way I feel about us.

  I go to her and wrap my arms around her shoulders. “I want it too but not a second before you’re ready. I will give you as long as you need.”

  She kisses the top of my forearm. “You are a very sweet and considerate man.”

  “I’m also a very tired man. Think you have everything you need?”

  “Good enough.”

  I once thought the close proximity of our houses was a problem. And it sorta was during our awkward separation. But I love living so close to the woman I’m dating.

  Adelyn follows me through my house and into the master bathroom. I put her duffle on the counter. Seems odd seeing something so feminine in my house. “Need anything?”

  “Towel and wash cloth?”

  “Right. Sorry.” I open the closet and take out one of the fancy towel sets Lawrence bought for special guests. I’m pretty sure Adelyn qualifies. “Lawry’s doings.”

  She smiles as she takes the embroidered linens from me. “I figured as much.”

  “I think there’s plenty of shampoo and stuff but call out if you need anything.”

  “I will. Thanks.”

  I change into sleep pants and a T-shirt while contemplating how to ask Adelyn what she prefers in sleeping arrangements. Does she want to sleep with me in my bed or take the guest room? I have no idea. But I want her by my side. I need her by my side.

  I’m unsure of the damage Russ’s assault may have caused. She may be too skittish to even lie next to me. We would have slept in the same bed.

  I pull back the covers, toss all the frou-frou pillows into the corner of the room, and sit on the bed, waiting.

  Adelyn stays in the shower a long time. A really long time. I’m at the point of thinking about calling out to her when I finally hear the water stop.

  She comes out wearing her tank and boxers, her wet hair twisted into a bun on top of her head. “Do you mind if I come to bed with wet hair? I don’t feel like drying it.”

  I guess I have my answer. She’s sleeping with me. “I don’t mind.”

  I get into bed, and she follows suit on the opposite side. “Thank God your ceiling fan is on; I can’t sleep without one.”

  “I have to run it for the noise. Creature of habit.” I lean over, turn off the lamp, and settle into bed. Adelyn is eerily calm. She hasn’t looked me in the eye since the attack. I can’t even imagine the terror she felt being close to that fucker. What does she need from me now? Do we just pretend it didn’t happen at this point? Keep things calm for now? “You did a great job with the party.”

  “I had a lot of fun planning it. Lawry let me do whatever I wanted.”

  “Kelsey and Ivy were impressed with you. That’s not easily achieved.” I already have Lawry’s stamp of approval so this just affirms how unique and special Adelyn is.

  “Oh my God. Those two are hilarious.”

  “Those women are ridiculous when they’re together.”

  “You won’t believe what Ivy said about Marlana.”

  “There’s no telling with that one. She doesn’t have a filter.”

  “You and Marlana couldn’t have been more than three steps away when she practically shouts, ‘That woman has a ferocious case of twat odor.’” Yeah. That sounds about like something Ivy would say. “Does she?”

  Isn’t it weird to tell the woman lying next to me in bed I could smell another woman’s cunt? N
ot that I really had a choice. It was like being slapped in the face with a big tuna. First time I’ve ever noticed that about her. “She was fishy-smelling tonight.”

  “Ivy had it right. Said her stuff smells like she has a sexually transmitted infection.”

  And she’s been trying to get me to stick my cock in it. Nice, Marlana.

  “Ivy, Kelsey, and your sister are an odd trio. Lawrence seems so different from them.”

  “Lawry is different from everyone.”

  “I can see that.” I love hearing the fondness she feels for my sister.

  “My parents were glad to see you again.” I hadn’t told them anything about my relationship with Adelyn. I was planning to see where things went with us first. But all of that was shot to hell when Mom saw us together. To say she’s happy is a gross minimization of her response.

  “I didn’t get to talk to them as much as I would have liked.” I’m certain Mom feels the same.

  “We’re having lunch at Lawry’s tomorrow. The family, Porter, Kelsey, and Ivy. You should come.”

  “I would love that.” She can’t possibly love it more than Libby Thorn. She’ll probably try to arrange our marriage over dessert. “Thank you for the invite.”

  “My pleasure.” Gross understatement really. I need this woman in my life. With my family. It’s . . . right.

  It’s late, or early depending upon the way you look at it. It’s been an exhausting night. Sleep is calling my name, screaming it in my fucking ear, but tonight’s incident needs to be discussed. The Russ Martin chapter is nowhere near being closed. And I fear Adelyn and I won’t be able to move forward until it is. “I don’t want to go to sleep without talking about what happened tonight.”

  “I know it’s something we need to discuss. But damn. I don’t want to.”

  “I need to know where your head is . . . and how those feelings affect you.” And if that fucker is going to have an impact on our relationship.

  “I’m angry as hell. That’s how it affects me.”

  “I want to know everything that happened.” I need to know even if hearing it kills me.

  “I figured out it was Martin so I screamed for you. But he covered my mouth with his hand.”

  I wasn’t there.

  “I’m so fucking sorry.”

  “It isn’t your fault. There was no way you could have heard me.”

  It doesn’t feel that way. I should have gone with her to the van. She had no business being out there alone.

  “I went on stage to make an announcement before you and Lawrence arrived. Martin was in the crowd and saw me.”

  Fuck. His connection to me brought him back into her life.

  “He told me all the shit you would imagine someone like him might say. He misses me. Told me to come back. And marry him.”

  “Marry him?” I’m not in a place where marrying Adelyn is on my mind; we just started dating. But fuck if I want to hear that another man is telling her to marry him.

  “He said we’d start over. It would be like our old life never happened. He’d give me everything my heart desired. Including babies.”

  “Marriage and babies.” What the fuck?

  “Something in me snapped. I couldn’t not tell him he’d already given me one baby and then beat it out of me before it ever had a chance to live.”

  “I didn’t realize you hadn’t told him about the baby.” But that makes sense. She said she didn’t know about the pregnancy until after she miscarried. I’m sure the only conversations they had following her recovery were the ones involving blackmail negotiations.

  “I couldn’t stand the thought of him taking pleasure in knowing he had the ability to father a child. I kept it to myself as my own way of indirectly hurting him.”

  “Why tell him tonight?”

  “I wanted a new way to hurt him. And I did. Martin had desperately longed for a child. It was an obsession. He’s in his forties now so I’m sure it’s only grown since we were together. Learning he had killed the only one he’d ever been able to conceive wrecked him. And I enjoyed his pain.” Adelyn rolls on her side so she’s facing me. “Do you think that makes me a monster?”

  “Fuck, no. He’s the monster.”

  “As much as I enjoyed seeing him in pain, I’m afraid it may have been a mistake to tell him. He immediately started talking about how he was going to . . . God, I don’t even want to say the words.”

  “I have to know, Max. It will make me crazy if I don’t know everything that happened.”

  She hesitates a moment before picking up where she left off. “He said he was going to put another baby inside me.”

  My head feels like it may blow off of my shoulders. “Fuck no, he’s not. He’s never, never, never touching you again.”

  “He told me I was going home with him where I belonged. That’s when he picked me up and tried to take me to his car.” And where I entered the picture. I don’t even want to think about what might have happened if he’d been successful in getting her to his car.

  Fuck. Hearing that he said he was going to put a baby inside her—my girl—stirs something inside me I can’t ever recall feeling.

  I sit up and turn to put my feet on the floor. “I’m going to that fucker’s house. He may not go to jail but he’ll damn sure wish he had when I’m finished with him. And he’s gonna know to not come near you ever again.” There will be no confusion about that.

  “Don’t, Thorn.”

  “You’re afraid I’ll provoke him?”

  “No. I’m afraid he’ll provoke you. And you’ll lose control again.” Adelyn’s not wrong. I lost my shit with him earlier. I saw what he was doing to her, and then there was only one thing in my line of vision. Red. I put my arm around his neck and all I wanted him to see was black. That may be what it takes for him to get the picture.

  “He needs to understand.”

  “Understand what?”

  “You’re mine and he’ll never have you again. And I’ll do what it takes to keep you safe from him.”

  “I think he got the message when you nearly choked him to death.”

  It doesn’t feel like enough. “I’m not done with him.”

  “Can you at least be done with him tonight? For me?”

  For her? Yes, anything for her. Her calm is almost chilling, but I understand her need to stop recalling his attack.

  “I can do lots of things for you.” I hope it is enough.

  She rolls so she’s facing away from me and slides close. Her hand pulls my arm so it’s wrapped around her waist. “Is it okay if we lie this way? At least until I fall asleep?”

  “I will lie this way all night with you.”

  She lifts my closed hand to her lips and kisses my knuckles. “Thank you, Oliver.” Her words come out so quietly. How can she thank me when that fucker managed to get his hands on her in the first place?

  I’m still amazed she hasn’t shed a tear. Is that normal?

  “Sorry I wasn’t there sooner, Adelyn.”

  “You were there when I needed you.”

  She twists so she can kiss me. “Good night.”

  “Good night, beautiful girl.”

  * * *

  Adelyn is asleep on my arm and the damn thing is numb. I hate like hell to wake her but I’ve gotta have some circulation. “Max, lift your head.”

  She barely stirs. “Hmm?”

  “Lift your head for me, babe.”

  “Sorry.” She rolls to her back and tosses her leg over mine. Very touchy-feely for someone who’s slept alone the last four years.

  I rotate my arm at the shoulder and flex my hand to help improve circulation but I think time, and blood, is the only thing that’s going to fix this.

  She reaches out in the dark and places her hand on my bicep, massaging it. “Is it gettin’ better?”

  “A little. It just needs another minute or two and it’ll be back to normal.”

  She lifts her head and strains to see the clock over my body. “What time
is it?”

  “Almost five.” Feels like I just shut my eyes.

  “Mmm . . . two or three more hours to sleep.”

  “We’re not churchin’ it after we told your parents we would?”

  She cackles. “No. And if Michael and Rachel call for a report, I’m lying.”

  “You have my full support.”

  Adelyn stretches. If I didn’t know by the movement of the bed, I’d recognize her I-sound-like-a-porn-star-but-I-am-really-stretching moan. Catches my dick’s attention. “I wish you hadn’t woken me. I was dreaming of you. Of us.”

  She has my full attention now. “You were?”

  “Yeah. It was a good dream. An awesome one so I’m sad it’s over.”

  “That is a shame.”

  “I think you should make it up to me.”

  I believe I know what she’s saying but I need to hear her confirm it. “How would you propose I do that?”

  “You robbed me of the orgasm I was about to have. I think you owe me one in its place.”

  “Tell me how I was giving you an orgasm in your dream.”

  “I’m not sure you want to know. You might not be up for it.”

  I need to experience the things Adelyn likes if I’m to know whether I’m capable of satisfying her. “Don’t say the words. Show me instead.”

  “I’m afraid you can’t handle it.” I don’t like hearing her say that. Makes me sound weak. I already know that isn’t what she likes or wants.

  And I very much want to be what she likes and wants.

  She thinks I can’t handle it? Challenge accepted.

  “Take off your clothes and show me how I made you come.” My voice is stern to let her know I’m the one in control. “Now, Max.”

  The mattress dips with her movement and there’s no further argument. She’s getting naked.

  “You need to be naked too.”

  I start shedding my clothes. “On it.”

  She gets on her knees between my parted legs after she’s finished stripping. “Come down in the bed a little.”

  “You give a lot of orders for someone who likes to be controlled during sex.”

  She laughs as she leans forward and grasps the headboard. “This is just the first part of my dream. You’ll get to exert power and control over me in a minute. And when you do, I’ll come like a firecracker.” She moves her knees to the mattress on each side of my head.