Safe (5 page)

Macy: Right … whatever. If you think I believe that, you’re full of shit.

Me: ☺

Macy: You can smile at me all you want, but you’re still full of shit.

Me: I am shit-tastic.

Macy: You’re nuts! I just wanna make sure you’re okay. Are you with good people?

Me: Yes, don’t worry about me. I’m going to be deleting my IM so I won’t be able to talk to you for a while.

Macy: WHAT?!?!?! NOOOOOO! This is the only way I can talk to you. You can’t just disappear!

Me: I told you last night that I was going to have to do this. It’s time to start a new chapter in my life.

Macy: By just kicking your best friend away.

Me: I’m not kicking you away. I love you. I just need a break from being me.

Macy: What you’re really saying is that you need a break from ME.

Me: Please don’t be mad Mace ... This is hard enough for me as it is.

Macy: I’m not mad … I’m pissed! You’re throwing me out.

Me: No. I’m not. I’m just trying to pull myself together.

Macy: Getting pulled together without me. ☹

Me: Okay, look, I’ll keep my IM, but everything else is going away. You’ll be able to talk to me through here, but nowhere else. You know I love you like a sister. Please don’t be mad.

Macy: *Yeah* ☺ ☺ ☺ I don’t want to lose you.

Me: Me neither, but you can’t tell anyone that we’re talking. I mean NO ONE … EVER. It’s extremely important.

Macy: I won’t. I promise.

Me: I gotta go. Talk to you later.

Macy: Take care of yourself. Later.

Closing up my computer, I laid on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. I knew in my heart that Macy would never tell a soul where I was. It was pretty shitty of me to just try to cut her out of my life like we didn’t have this huge ass history together. I knew it would be easier, but not practical. I didn’t want to hurt her, ever. I loved her, even though I never told her what went on between Rob and me.

I could never tell anyone … ever. No one on this Earth knew exactly what our relationship was like. The terrified feelings I had every time he came home from work hoping he was in a good mood. The feeling of dread every time he began touching my body when I wasn’t ready and having to feel him take what he wanted. The weight of carrying all this on for so long made me want to collapse.

I really thought Rob loved me. Even through our ‘rough patches,’ I just knew that the kind-hearted man that took care of me after Dad’s death was in there. But it just continued to get worse and worse. When I finally realized that he didn’t love me, the hurt cut deep. The feeling of being stabbed deep in the heart would have been better than the feeling of not having Rob’s love.

Closing my eyes, I knew I needed to pray. I had started it back when the hitting began. My parents were never strict on religion growing up, but I definitely found that I needed something to hold on to while with Rob. I continued every night since that first night.

Hey God, please keep those I love safe … and me too. Thank you.

I then closed my eyes and willed myself to sleep.

Waking with a jolt, I immediately looked around at my surroundings. Realizing where I was, I felt myself begin to calm, and I was able to catch my breath. I’m in Georgia with Lauryn. Safe.

After doing my normal routine for the morning, I thought I should find Lauryn. I felt bad about how I left things with her last night. I shouldn’t have gotten bitchy. I need to remember to keep myself in check and not let those little things get to me. They’ll be an instant giveaway.

Lauryn was only trying to help me get my story straight before meeting all her ‘friends’ in town. I should be thanking her, not giving her attitude.

Walking down the hallway, I heard voices—male voices. Instantly, all my alerts went up, my body tensed, and my heart went into overdrive. I didn’t recognize any of the voices except for Lauryn’s. It sounded as if she was giving instructions on something.

As I slowly turned toward the kitchen, I jumped as I saw three large men sitting at the island with Lauryn. There were large rolls of paper laid out in front of them. I assumed they were blueprints for something.

Looking up, Lauryn noticed me. “Hey Sadie! Come check out the new deck I’m having built around the house!”

At Lauryn’s words, all eyes were focused on me, and I felt an instant flush throughout my body. What the hell was I looking at?

These men had to be related. They had the most amazing features. Gorgeous … was a frivolous word for describing them. All three had dark brown hair and incredibly broad shoulders. What were they feeding the men here in Georgia?

Walking carefully to the bar, I did my one-handed wave and introduced myself. “Hey, I’m Sadie.”

Practically falling over themselves, all three men jumped out of their seats and extended their hands to me.

“Hi ma’am. I’m Renzo.” I shook his hand first. He must have been the oldest. Something in his dazzling blue eyes spoke of maturity and responsibility. His touch was warm and inviting.

“Hi. Nice to meet you.”

Before getting the words fully out, the next reached for my hand. “Hi, I’m Lukas. It’s really nice to meet you.” And with a wink, he shook my hand.

“Nice to meet you, too.” My face was on fire, and I could feel my hands slightly shake. I just knew my face looked like a freaking tomato. I mean, seriously, did they have to be so damn attractive? And the kicker was the hottest one was yet to come.

“Howdy. Glad to meet ya. I’m Landon.” As I put my hand out to shake his, he pulled it up to his lips and kissed the back of my hand, sending an intense electric current that ripped through my hand, up my arm, and down my body.

He must have felt it too, because when his eyes locked with mine, I saw a different intensity in them.

He pulled his hand away, but his eyes never left mine.

Pulling my eyes from him and shaking myself out of his electrifying stare, I noticed the other men were staring at him. Not understanding what was going on, I moved over to Lauryn.

“Sadie, these are the contractors that have been working hard on this place. They’ve taken my vision and made this house … perfect. Their dad owns Ellison Construction. Well, they kinda all own it.” Lauryn smiled wide at Renzo. His gaze never left the blueprints. He seemed oblivious to Lauryn’s attempts to get his attention. That baffled me. Those two would make some beautiful babies together. “And their sister, Lainey, is my best friend.”

I was right! Brothers … yep, very hotly related. I called that one. There had to be some law that brothers couldn’t be this hot!

“Well, it’s nice to meet you. I’m gonna grab a Diet Coke and head back upstairs so you can get your … whatever it is you’re doing … done.” My hand waved at the display of papers.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Sadie. This place is just as much yours as it is mine now. I need your help.”

I felt the room get extra quiet and looked around to all the men. They were now seated, but their eyes were still locked on mine. “What?” I asked hesitantly.

“You’re living here with Lauryn?” Renzo asked.

“Yes, just moved here yesterday.” Why did I feel like my heart was going to jump out of my chest and fall on the floor?

“Well, let me be the first to welcome you to Williamsfield.” Landon gave me a smile that a million dollars couldn’t buy.

Now this man was the epitome of a man. I had never ever seen a finer specimen.
Ever
. His dark brown hair was just to his ears and looked like silk. His eyes were piercing—a beautiful blue with a dark ring of navy around the outside edge. A woman could get lost in those eyes.

Not
this
woman, but any other woman.

His body was built as if he spent lots of time in the gym. His arms were so muscular they could engulf me, like that would ever be an option for me.

Curiosity plagued me on what was under that shirt, not that I would ever find out. Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I answered, “Thank you.”

Looking away from all of them, I went to the fridge and grabbed my Diet Coke and came back to the island. Standing at the edge, Lauryn moved next to me.

She leaned down and whispered in my ear, “I’ve known these men all my life. They’re cool. No worries.” She smiled at me.

I smiled back trying to keep my gaze away from the three men I knew were staring at me.

“Take a look Sadie, tell us what you think,” Renzo said.

Looking briefly at him then at the plans, I was amazed. “Wow, this is going to be awesome, Lauryn! It’s beautiful.”

“Thanks. We’ve been working on these for a while now. I wanted them to be just right.”

The plan was to have a deck that went all around the house that would be completely attached. It had two different levels with a built in grill and hot tub. It screamed party.

Laughing, Lukas said, “Yeah, she’s pit-bull ‘til she gets what she wants.”

Lauryn smacked his arm, and I flinched. Damn it. It wasn’t anything; they were joking around. And what did I do … fucking knee jerk reaction.

“Oh shit, Sadie. Sorry.” Lauryn came and put her arm around my shoulders.

“It’s nothing. I’m gonna head back to my room. It was nice meeting you.” I knew Lauryn didn’t know the story of why I was here, but my reaction sure told her enough.

Turning to leave, my eyes briefly found Landon’s .

What I saw caused my knees to go a bit weak. He smiled his sexy smile and winked at me.

If only. Never gonna happen.

A quick goodbye, and I was out of there, practically running to my room. I shut the door and locked it. They were just joking around. No one was getting hurt damn it. I hated that reaction, but I couldn’t stop it.

Twirling my hands in my lap, I felt the tears rolling down my cheek, each one splashing to my hands. It has to get easier … right?

“Holy shit! Did you see those legs?” Renzo called from the front seat of the truck.

“How could you miss them with those short ass shorts? Damn, and that ass!” Lukas chimed in.

“I know, she was one fine woman,” Renzo added.

“Hell no! I saw her first. She’s my fine woman,” Lukas barked back.

“Lukas, hate to say it, but I think lover boy back there may have the best shot.”

“No way! He always gets the hot ones, but not this one,” Lukas retorted.

“Landon,” I heard them call my name, but I was too busy looking out the window trying to gather my thoughts, which were scattered all over the place and not making any sense.

“Landon!” I jumped at the deep bellow from Renzo and replied “Yeah.”

“What’s wrong with you?” Renzo started eyeing me in the rearview mirror as if I had grown two heads.

“Nothing.” There wasn’t anything wrong with me, really. I just happened to have laid eyes on the most beautiful, sexy woman that I’d ever seen, and she seemed to suck the air out of me.

When Sadie walked into Lauryn’s kitchen, I felt as if my heart stop stopped beating. She was utterly breathtaking. At the sight of her, it was like I had a mouth full of cotton.

“Did you hear anything we said about Sadie?” Lukas asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Hm … yeah. She’s hot.”

Hot! Hell yeah, hot. The short shorts she had on showed every curve of her beautifully shaped ass and long legs. And on top … her t-shirt clung to every tight curve including those full, round, and unbelievably sexy breasts.

Not to mention her hair—auburn, wavy, and long. I do love long hair. Her eyes were what really caught my attention. They were a very unique blue-gray that I’d never seen before, but looking into them, I could see something I just couldn’t put my finger on. She intrigued the shit out of me, which also scared me to death.