When he got off at my stop a few minutes later, I glanced at him cautiously. He nodded at the crotch freak. “He still watching you. I’m just gonna make sure you get out of here okay, if you don’t mind. Or you can call the police.”
He said it with a deep southern drawl and the sound made me smile.
Po-lice.
“Thanks. My brothers don’t live far from my apartment, so I’ll call them once I hit street level.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw the creeper shifting on his feet. Then he darted back onto the train. It rolled forward a few seconds later.
Strangely, I still felt eyes on me.
The sensation continued as we moved up the steps. “This isn’t your normal stop, is it?”
“Nope. Still have a few more to go.” He shrugged it off. “You got brothers? How many?”
“Four. One lives out of state, but the other three?” I laughed. “If it wasn’t for all the buildings, I could throw a rock and hit their homes, two of them at least.” Slipping him a look, I asked, “Why are you doing this? Is it a southern gentlemen type of thing?”
“Naw. Maybe it’s a big brother thing. I got two little sisters myself. Guess I like to think that somebody would step in if they were getting that kind of treatment.” He glanced around as we came to an intersection. “You wanna make that call to one of your brothers now?”
I nodded and pulled up Deacon’s number. He answered on the third ring, and I kept it casual, asked if maybe he was in the area. He was, a block up at a pub with some friends.
Smiling at my unnamed escort, I waved and then moved with the crowd to join my brother.
And still, I had that odd feeling of being watched.
***
The sight of my building ahead was a sweet one.
I was more than ready to get off the street, even with Deacon walking along next to me. He hadn’t entirely bought my excuse of me just feeling kind of blue at the end of a rough day, so I ended up telling him I’d gotten spooked by somebody on the subway.
I’d gone with the insubstantial creeper I'd felt watching me but hadn’t seen, rather than the freak, though.
Knowing Deacon, he’d want to go back and try to hunt the jerk down. I didn’t want to deal with that.
If I saw that pervert again, I’d take a picture of him and post the asshole on Facebook. Then he’d have my brothers and their friends hunting for him. If he thought my stranger savior had been scary, he'd probably end up shitting his pants when he saw my brothers.
“You need to get some rest.” Deacon bumped shoulders with me as I unlocked my front door. “You haven't had an easy past couple days.”
“I know.” I gave him a tired smile. “That’s why I’m not asking you to come up for a beer or anything.”
“You’re an ungrateful sister,” he teased.
“Yep.” Grabbing him in a quick hug, I squeezed tight. “And to further prove that, I’m leaving you here. Go on. Lemme alone. I’m tired.”
Deacon shook his head and gestured to the door. “Get your ass inside and I will.”
“Save me from protective older brothers.” Rolling my eyes, I headed to the door, keys in hand. Once I was inside, he turned and headed off. I took the time to grab my mail, and then I trudged up the stairs. Now that I didn’t have to pretend, my smile faded and my mood turned bleak.
I never promised otherwise.
Ash’s voice seemed to mock me with every step I took.
We’re great in bed. You’re fun.
I was such an idiot.
That would imply you meant the same to me as Lily meant.
I hadn’t been looking for a happily ever after or anything. Not really. But I hadn’t really been thinking I was just a handy fuck, either. And that’s all I'd turned out to be. The knowledge made me feel stupid and childish, because if I’d been thinking, I would have realized this sooner.
I was so disgusted with myself. How could I have done this? And why with him
But if I was going to have a meltdown, I was doing it in the comfort of my own apartment.
Grasping my keys, I jammed the one for the lock and wrenched it to the side. Then the deadbolt. Shoving my way in, I slammed the door and dealt with the locks before spinning and falling back against the door.
“I. Am. An. Idiot,” I said quietly. “An idiot. How could I do this? And with Ashford Lang?”
He was one of the biggest assholes I knew.
But what had I done?
I’d gone and fallen for him.
Tears burned my eyes and I slid to the floor, my hands pressed to my eyes.
This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real. I fought the war with tears and won, mostly out of pride. I’d already done something stupid. I wasn’t going to compound it further by letting myself cry over a guy who’d already made it clear that I hadn't ever been his friend. All I'd been to him was a piece of ass.
“Not anymore,” I said. I pressed my fingers to my eyes. “Not anymore.”
I drew a deep breath. Then another. When I finally thought I was steady enough, I got my feet under me and started to push myself up.
Something slid under my hand. Out of reflex, I picked it up, and for the first few seconds, I didn’t really comprehend what I was reading.
It just didn’t make any sense.
That primal part of my brain understood before the rest of me did.
There was a grainy picture taped to the letter.
It was...me.
Ash and me.
Under the picture was a few short lines.
It won’t take anything to slip in his place one night and slice your pretty neck. Talk to the police or even think about it, and that’s what will happen.
The letter with its ugly threat fell from my numb fingers.
I suddenly remembered how I felt like I was being watched earlier.
I probably had been.
Who had been watching me? And for how long?
And the most important question…why?
To be concluded in Blindfold Vol. 5, the final book in the series, release October 16th. CLICK HERE to receive a reminder on release day.
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Casual Encounter
Vol. 4
By M.S. Parker
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2014 Belmonte Publishing LLC
Published by Belmonte Publishing LLC.
Chapter 1
As I left the restroom and headed back into the dining room of La Vecchía Ristorante, determination competed with the rage flowing through my veins.
Fuck Cade, that controlling bastard. He wants follow through? I’ll give him follow through. I was sick and tired of Cade acting like he was in control of everything, including me.
Fine… I’ll do what he said. I’ll flirt and seduce Jason Lowe, but only because Cade will be watching. If he’s really as distant and cold as he seems, it won’t bother him at all and I'd at least get an enjoyable experience out of it. But if he feels even the tinie
st fraction of emotion for me, I'll make sure he regrets ever giving me this... command.
“Miss me?” I asked as I slid into my seat. I looked directly at my date, resisting the impulse to look around to spot Cade’s hiding spot. He was still watching, I felt his eyes on me but I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing I thought about him at all.
“Desperately,” Jason said with a laugh. He reached across the table and placed his hand on top of mine. “I took the liberty of pouring you a second glass of wine. I hope that was okay.”
“More than okay,” I answered honestly. I used my free hand to pick up my glass and take a drink. Just because I'd decided to go through with this didn't mean taking the edge off with some wine wasn't a good idea.
Jason picked up the conversation where we'd left off and I fell back into it. This time, however, instead of keeping up just enough to not be rude, I engaged in the interaction. I laughed and teased, remembering all of the ways Adelle and Mindy had gotten guys over the years. I kept making excuses to touch his hand, his arm. I even brushed my foot against his a few times, eliciting a flare of heat in his dark eyes.
He really was quite good-looking, I thought as he told me about a trip he'd taken with Habitat for Humanity. He had a solid job, did charity work, and could hold an intelligent conversation. And, best of all, he was a virtual stranger who didn't live near me, which meant whatever happened here wasn't in danger of spilling over into my real life.
Our plates were empty and I saw the waiter coming toward us. It was now or never time because once the waiter got here, he'd ask if we wanted dessert or the check. It was the deciding moment of where the rest of the evening would go.
“I have a room – a suite actually – at the Windsor Arms.” I hoped Jason couldn't tell how nervous I was. I didn't want him to think this was my first time inviting a man back to my room. “What do you say we head back there for dessert?” I gave him a sly smile. “Room service has quite a selection.”
He didn't even look at the waiter as he said, “Check, please.”
Jason was a complete gentleman as he hailed a cab and opened the door. I kept my hands folded on my lap, unsure what to do with them. I didn't know how this transition worked, how to get from date to bed. Jason continued the small talk we'd made at dinner as if we really were intending to just share some pie or cake and then call it a night.
When we reached the hotel, he extended a hand to help me out of the cab and then kept hold of it as we walked into the lobby. My heart was racing as I led Jason toward the elevators. I was really going to do this.
“You know,” Jason said suddenly. “I think maybe I need a little taste of dessert.”
He used my hand to pull me against him and bent his head to kiss me. His mouth was hard against mine as he parted my lips with his tongue. I tried to give myself over to him, to enjoy the way his tongue was exploring my mouth, but part of my mind was protesting at such a thorough kiss in public. Then I felt his hand on my breast, cupping and squeezing through the dress. I grabbed his wrist without breaking the kiss and brought both of our hands down to our sides. I was in charge, in control. That was the point of this entire exercise.
Jason broke the kiss but didn't step back. His eyes gleamed as he walked me backwards until my back was against the wall. The elevator next to me dinged open, but Jason made no move for us to enter. The hand I had restrained twisted and now my wrist was in his grasp. I frowned. This wasn't how Cade behaved when he was forcing me out of my comfort zone. I trusted Cade. I didn't trust Jason. I didn’t trust this.
“What's wrong?” he asked, dragging my hand between us. He pressed it against his crotch. “Don't you want to give the other guests a bit of a show?”
“No,” I said firmly. “I'm not into that.” I yanked my hands free and pushed against his chest. He barely moved. “I think we need to call it a night.”
He scowled. “I don't think so.” He pushed his hips against mine so that I could feel his cock hard against my stomach. “You can't just make promises and not deliver.”
My temper flared. I'd had enough of men telling me what I could and couldn't do. “Get the hell off of me!” I pushed at his chest again, but he had the leverage to keep himself from moving.
“Cocktease!”
All of the good humor vanished from his face and I found myself wondering why no one was coming to help me. I knew there were guests around, but were we hidden enough from view that no one could see what was happening?
I jerked my knee up, but Jason shifted at the last moment, taking the blow against his thigh. He pulled back, his hand coming down before I could register it heading my way. The slap caught me across the cheek with enough force to snap my head back. I cried out, more from shock than the pain. My eyes filled with tears as the sting quickly followed.
Jason glared down at me, his face red. “You little bitch!” He raised his hand again and I tried to remember the self-defense moves I'd learned in college.
A hand wrapped around Jason's wrist and he was spun around, just as a fist connected with his jaw. I silently cheered as the creep’s head swung to the side then Jason stumbled backward, and I saw Cade swing again. This time, the blow was accompanied by a crunch as bone yielded to the blow, followed immediately by a shriek of pain.
Cade stepped in front of me, but not before I saw his face. Gone was his usual calm demeanor. He was enraged as he spat in Jason’s face, “Get out of here before I seriously fuck you up.”
My eyes widened. I'd heard Cade's voice with an edge before, but I never imagined he could sound so fierce. He meant it, there was no doubt and I wondered if that was the real man behind the mask. I couldn't stop myself from flinching as he turned toward me and a flash of pain went across his face. He reached out and took my arm, pulling me to his side.
“Come on,” he said, looking around. “We don't want to make any more of a scene than we already have.” He led me away from the elevators, carefully stepping over the drops of blood on the pale tile.
There were people moving toward us, hotel guests and a few people I assumed were security. Before I could get a good look at any of them, Cade ducked through a doorway, taking me with him.
“Sir, we're not open–” A young man hurried toward us.
“Here.” Cade stretched out his free hand, a bill folded between his fingers. “We just want some privacy.”
The young man looked at me, and I saw doubt cross his face. I could only imagine how we looked. My cheek had to be red and I could feel it starting to swell. Cade's knuckles were bloody and neither one of us looked very happy.
“I'm fine,” I said and forced a smile. “I had a misunderstanding with someone who didn't take it well.” I jerked my chin at Cade. “He protected me.”
The young man nodded. “This way.”
We followed him through what I now realized was the Courtyard Cafe. It was light and airy, the kind of place I would've enjoyed coming for a light meal. The young man motioned to a table that was tucked behind a heavy curtain. It would shield us from view of anyone who might happen to glance in here.
“Cade,” I asked as I took a seat. “Are you okay?”
“Am I okay?” Cade let out a bitter laugh. “Are you kidding me?” He pulled his chair around until we were just a few inches apart. He reached toward my cheek, stopping just before his fingertips touched it.
“Thank you,” I said. “For what you did, but why are we hiding in here? We didn't do anything wrong?”
Cade dropped his hand and I saw it was shaking. I met his eyes and saw the storm still raging inside. “We're hiding because I'm not sure if I want to report him to the police or go find him and beat the shit out of him.”
I put my hands over his; something in my stomach twisting as his hands jerked under the touch. He was almost more rattled by what happened than I was. “I'm okay,” I said softly. “We can just let it go.”
“Let it go?” Cade's hands curled into fists. “Sure. Just forget it ever happen
ed. Put it behind us until it happens again and again.”
His voice was shaking and, with a start, I realized it wasn't just from anger. What happened triggered something in Cade, something he'd hidden for a long time.
“It's my fault,” he said. His expression was raw and open as he looked at me. “I'm so sorry, Aubree. I didn't know he was that kind of man. I should've seen it. Stopped him.”
“You couldn't have known,” I said.
He shook his head. “I should have. I spent seventeen years watching a man like him charm my mother one minute and beat her the next.”
My hands tightened over his, but I didn't make a sound.
“She married the abusive bastard when he knocked her up with me. And she stayed with him because she loved him.”
The anger and bitterness he put into that single word made me wince.
“Stayed with him and loved him right until he beat her to death for burning dinner.”
“Oh, Cade.” My heart broke.
“I couldn't stop him. I tried, but he beat me up and locked me in a closet. I listened to her scream and beg him to stop. Every time she told him she loved him, he hit her harder.” Cade shuddered, his head dropping. “By the time I broke through the door, he was gone and she was dead.”
I put my hands on Cade's cheeks and raised his head until we were face-to-face. I didn't try to tell him that it wasn't his fault. He'd heard it a million times, I was sure, and he'd never believe it, no matter who said it. I did the only thing I could do. I gave him a distraction, something he could lose himself in.
I covered his mouth with mine, teasing at his lips with my tongue. I felt him stiffen in surprise for a moment before he took what I offered. His arms wrapped around my waist as my tongue slid into his mouth. I kissed him to forget what happened to me. To help him forget what he'd been through. I kissed him because my heart was aching for him and it was the only form of comfort I could offer for us both.
When I broke the kiss, his hands flexed on my back and I saw desire in his eyes. I stood and held out my hand. “Come on,” I said quietly. “Let's go to bed.”