Touched (18 page)

“No, no! It’s perfectly fine. Please call me Bea.” She walks over and reaches out her hand to Jade, who looks at me and then finally back at Bea, shaking her hand. “I’ll just go and…” Bea walks out of the room to begin her cleaning, leaving me with a sleepy but angered Jade.

I walk around the couch and sit down beside her, taking one of her hands in mine. “What or who else haven’t you told me about? Sheesh, I just lost about five years of my life when she walked in. You’ve gotten me jumpy now.”

Kissing the side of her head, I give her my best apology look, but I’m not sure it’s working. “The only other person you haven’t met is the gardener but I already let him go since you wanted to start taking care of it.”

She snuggles up into my side and sighs. “Ok. Well, a little warning would have been nice. All this talk about perpetrators and self-defense has me a little jumpy now.”

I rub her arm as her face buries into my chest and her warmth envelopes me. “I’m sorry. I’ll try to remember that and give you more ample warning. Now, what do you say to some snack food and I’ll watch a movie with you.” Her eyes lift up to mine, and she smiles. “There’s my girl.” I kiss her forehead as she moves away, and I head for the kitchen to prepare a snack feast.

C
HAPTER
T
HIRTEEN

After my horrible scare, we had a lovely day snuggling on the couch, eating our scrumptious snack food Knox prepared for us as we watched three movies. Ok, I only watched two of them before I fell asleep on his lap.

The next day my knee is feeling a little better, at least I can walk now but I kind of miss Knox carrying me around everywhere. I love being pampered and being in his arms. The paint in my room is dry, so he placed my big rug in the middle of the floor and set up my furniture where I wanted. My oversized chairs are placed so that if I look up from reading I can look out the double windows. My reading lamp is in the middle a little behind them. A small table in between and my small desk with my laptop is in front of the second window. The bookshelves I ordered should be here any minute, and I’m getting anxious to have it all finished and put away all my books. The doorbell chimes and Knox lets the delivery men in, and I supervise as they bring in the four huge shelves, telling them where to place them all and Knox supervises the men. They seem harmless to me until I notice one of them keeps looking over at me with a mean looking scowl on his face, giving me the creeps. I’m about ready to confront him when the other turns around and smiles.

“All done. Are they where you want them?” I smile back slightly and nod. “Great. Just sign here.”

Knox grabs the paperwork before I have a chance to reach out and signs it, handing it back to the man quickly. “Let me show you out,” he says gruffly and proceeds to follow them out of the room.

I look around at the beautiful shelves and finding the dust rag and polish. I commence in cleaning them off before I start the long process of unpacking all the boxes in here. Once cleaned I step back and admire them. Knox’s arms are soon around my waist, pulling me back against his broad chest as his lips kiss my neck. “They look great and fill the two walls nicely. Do you like them?”

I move my head back and look up at his handsome face. “I love them! Being surrounded by all my books makes me feel even more at home. Just wait until you see them all filled.” My smile is wide as he looks down at me and gives me his sexy grin. I jump as his hand smacks my bottom lightly, and he releases me.

“Well then. Get to work woman. I want you to feel comfortable in your new home and if your books is what it’ll take to get you there then get to unpacking.” He walks out of the room humming, and I look around and sigh. I guess I better get to work.

I’m exhausted by the time I place the last book on the last empty shelf and stand back. I still have tons of room for more books, and the idea enters my head about having pictures made with Knox and me to frame and set them around the room as well. I’m too tired to look through all of the memories I have in the rest of the boxes but decide to tackle one. Sitting on the floor I get comfortable and dive in. After thirty minutes, I figure out why this was such a mistake. Pictures of my parents, of me when I was a child, the happy times we used to have and some of the mementos I kept from school days. I look up and sigh when I see the other two boxes. Where am I going to put all this stuff? Opening another box I start looking at other memory items and pick up a stack of pictures and begin flipping through them. My heart stops beating when I see the next one. It’s me when I was about four, digging in the sand at the playground, my whole body dirty from head to toe, and I can’t help but smile at the memories. A tear hits the next photo as I look at the little, dirty boy next to me, his eyes staring at me and the look on his sweet, little face making me feel like I was his whole world. I wonder what ever happened to him after we moved away. I cried for nights missing him so badly, and I hated my parents for it. In my heart, I don’t think I’ve ever gotten over that.

“Dinner, Angel!” Knox’s sexy voice brings me out of my past, and I quickly rise and lay the pictures on my side table, wipe my tear filled eyes and head to the kitchen. Time to put my past behind me once again and focus on the present and future with my sexy man.

We made passionate love that night, and I don’t think I can ever get enough of him. The way he feels, his face as he climaxes, his lips as he suckles my nipple and his magical fingers as he thrusts into me. No, I’ll never tire of his sexy man. He completes me in a way I never imagined anyone ever could.

The next morning we snuggle together, our fingers threaded through each other’s, my arm laying on his stomach as we talk about what we want to do today. “I think we should go have our pictures made together. I would love to get some framed and put them on my new bookshelves.” I look up at his smiling face and smile back.

“I think that’s an excellent idea. And I want a special one of you to hang in my office here. How long will it take you to get ready?” I roll my eyes at him.

“Honey, you’re looking at the fastest woman on the planet in getting ready. But first, I need to pick out a few outfits.”

It doesn’t help us to get ready fast when he rolls me over and makes love to me, but I’m not complaining. Once we’ve showered, I dry my hair, apply my makeup and pick out several outfits and put them in my garment bag along with accessories into a small bag. Ralph drives us into town to a photography studio that Knox had called and made an appointment. They get us right in and for about an hour we pose several different ways, and I change outfits three times while Knox changes twice. We gather up our things, but I stop him before we leave the room. “Can you go and get me a latte and something good to eat for the drive home, please?” My fingernail drags up his chest until it lands on his chin. “Ralph can stay outside here to protect me. There’s that quaint little place just down the street. Please?” He kisses my nose and gives me his sexy grin.

“Anything for you, Angel.” He leaves the room and as I stand at the open door to the room, I see him stop to talk to Ralph and then walk out the front door. Ralph turns to me and winks, and the photographer hurries passed me into the room.

“Ok, we won’t have much time.” I walk over to the little changing room and hurriedly change into the surprise outfit I want to wear for the last picture. For Knox. She takes several shots and tells me she’ll email them to me along with all the other proofs later today. I’m changed back into my jeans and tank top when Knox returns carrying two paper bags and two cups of coffee. Whew! My plan worked!

It was a lovely day, and I’m so excited about my surprise. A few hours later I turn on my laptop and open the email from the photographer with all the proofs. Scanning through the pictures I find several to order of Knox and me, as well as some taken by ourselves then I see the shots of my surprise pictures. They all turned out perfect! I order some smaller sizes of a couple but I end up ordering a 24 x 26 size of the one that’s my favorite and hit send. Now I pull up the Internet and go to my favorite online shopping store where I purchase all the frames needed for them. She told me she would rush, and I would have everything in a couple of days.

§ § § §

After a night of making love to my sweet girl, I’m standing in the doorway of our gym watching Emerson teach Jade some self-defense moves. Her knee is wrapped up. She’s barefoot and looks extremely hot in the half top and short shorts she’s wearing. I have to adjust my aching cock as it gets riled up, but I stand firm knowing she needs to learn to protect herself. I’ll just help get her cleaned up when she’s done. Another thirty minutes he makes a surprise move at her. She grabs his arm and starts to kick him in his balls, but he grabs her hand and turns her, twisting her arm behind her.

“UNGH!” She yells out, stomping her foot and rolling her eyes.

“You’re too predictable. Stop going for the balls and learn strength in your moves. You need the element of surprise not the normal knee into the balls you’re so famous for. You need to forget it’s me here and imagine that asshole that beat you. Now! Try again,” Emerson says getting exasperated. He releases his hold and steps back but Jade comes at him, grabs his forearm and sweeps her feet at his lower legs, knocking him off balance and they both go down onto the mat. I start to walk towards her as her breath is clearly knocked out of her but stop when Emerson rolls over and sits up, then reaches his hand out to her. She eyes it and then slaps her hand in his, and he pulls her up until she’s sitting in front of him. “Good! Excellent! That was a surprise and you got me! I’m proud of you.” She smiles at him then catches me out of the corner of her eye and turns her head to me, giving me a wide smile. Emerson looks at me and shakes his head. “She did well. Took her awhile but I think she’s got it now.” He looks back at Jade, stands, and she takes his hand when offered and he helps her up. “Go shower, you stink. More tomorrow.”

They head my way, and I scoop her up into my arms. “I’ve got her now. Oh, baby. You do stink. We better take care of that and quick.”

We take our time in the shower as we wash each other’s bodies; inch by inch. After finally washing each other, completely, we dry off and I head for my office while she decides to do some reading. I’ve been working on a graphic design for a layout of a huge home, detailing it inside and out and starting on contract bids when I hear the doorbell. Knowing Ralph will get it, I continue until my pen scratches through the drawing when I hear Jade scream. Dropping it, I bolt from my seat and run out of the room, down the hallway and my pace quickens when I see Jade lying on the floor, Ralph bending down by her side. “WHAT IN THE FUCK HAPPENED?” I scream as I slide down to my knees, picking up her head and laying it onto my lap. I’m so busy checking her over for injuries that I don’t notice, until now, the bouquet of black dead roses lying on the floor by the door. “What in the hell? What are those and who sent them?”

“Ohhhh,” she moans as her eyes start moving under their lids.

“Angel, are you ok? Don’t try to move. Where are you hurt?” My hands are all over her looking for injuries. She begins to rise and I gently push her back down. “Don’t move. What hurts?”

Her eyes open and blinks at me. “I’m… I’m ok, Knox. I think I just fainted.” She starts to move so I help her up until we’re both standing then I take her hand and lead her to the couch. Once settled beside her, I look over at Ralph.

“You know what to do with those. Get them out of her sight.” I look at her as her body shakes and put my arm around her until she’s snuggled into my side. My head turns when Emerson comes flying through the front door.

“What happened?”

I look down, and her face is buried into my chest. “Get her a glass of wine.” He nods and walks straight for the corner bar in the room. Once he’s returned and hands me the glass he steps back and crosses his arms over his chest. “Go talk to Ralph. You’ll know what to do. And I want it done immediately!” He nods and takes off. “Angel, take a drink. It will help you relax.” She sits up just a bit, takes the glass but her hand is shaking so badly that I take it back quickly and bring it up to her lips. “There now. That’s my girl. Can you lay down for a little bit in the bedroom? I’ll be there soon.” I help her stand and watch her leave. Emerson and Ralph take their cue and walk into the room. “Give it to me.” Ralph removes the glove on his hand and gives it to me to put on, then hands me the note. I look down, and my body fills with anger.

You are dead.

Paybacks suck.

Looking up at the men my eyes furrow in confusion. “Paybacks. Come with me.” I lead them to my office, unlock the drawer in my desk, and we read over the familiar email together. “He’s alive. I’d bet my life on it and he’s found her with all the publicity of late. He’s coming for her.”

“How can you be sure it’s him and not one of those sorry dicks from the club?” Emerson asks, his face showing his concern.

“Just a hunch. They’ve never found Alex’s body, from what I’ve read. He thinks she ruined his life and it makes me even wonder if his parents covered up for him as well. Find out everything you can about him and his parents and get back to me ASAP!” They both nod and leave me to put back my findings and lock the drawer. I want to sit and think about this some more, dig around more, but Angel needs me. I walk into the bedroom, but she’s not there so I walk down the hall to her room to find her sitting in her big chair, wrapped up in a blanket and staring out the windows. I enter quietly and she scoots over for me to sit down, my arm wrapping around her tight as her head lays on my shoulder.