Sapphire (Steele Investigations) (8 page)

“You awake Sweetheart?”  I feel instant relief as the sound
of his voice washes over me coating me in an invisible safety blanket.

“Elliott?” I whisper.

“Yeah, baby. How you feelin’?”

“Sore, frightened…and I really need to pee,” I attempt to
lighten the situation.

“C’mon, I’ll help you to the toilet”

“Ahh, Elliott, really that’s fine. If you just point me in
the direction, I’ll be okay,” I try to placate him because he has a
don’t-you-dare-fucking-argue-with-me look on his face and I really don’t have
the strength to argue but I really, 
really
don’t want him to accompany
to the restroom.

“I’ll wait outside the door. That’s all you’re getting”

“Okay,” I mutter, firstly because I really need to pee and
secondly because I’m afraid the other option was letting him come in with me
and I definitely did not want that.

I return back to the bed and Elliott sits down beside me and
strokes my face.

“Angel, I’m so sorry.” I can see the regret in his eyes and
I know he blames himself for this whole thing.

“Elliott, it’s ok. Really.  I just let myself get caught up
in the moment. If I be completely honest, I always knew I wasn’t good enough
for you and that I wasn’t worth your time or effort,” I can’t bear to look into
his eyes because I’m afraid I’ll see regret in them. Regret that he wasted time
and energy on me and regret that he slept with someone as worthless as I am. 
And then something occurs to me.

 “Elliott? How did you know where I was?”

He stares into my eyes and searches my face before he
replies. He obviously finds what he’s looking for because he tells me, “Linc
works for me as a tracker. He was assigned the case of finding Shifta and
Bobby.  He followed them from a truck stop outside of Mistly to an old shack in
Burnside.  He saw them carry you inside.  By the time he gained entry they’d
already done,” he waves his hand in the direction of my face and winces as he
continues, “he neutralized them and by the time he got to you, you were
unconscious.  He bought you back here to the offices and told me the situation
and that there was an unknown female in here…” He trails off as I feel like
I’ve been kicked in the guts.  He didn’t know I was missing.  He wasn’t looking
for me.  I know it shouldn’t hurt but it does.  If Linc hadn’t been tracking
Shifta and Bobby, no one would have known I was missing.

I work to blink back the tears and lock down my emotions.  I
need to go home. I need to just be alone.

“Rainy?” Elliott asks gently.

I look up into his eyes, and tilt my head to the side as an
indication for him to continue

“You are worth it.  I know I fucked up.  I fucked up bad.
But I do want this between us. You are worth it to me.  I was pissed because I
wanted us to go to your Dad’s grave together and I wanted to go to dinner at
your Mom’s
together. 
I don’t like being away from you, but my job is
unpredictable and I need you to understand that I want you, I
need
you
in my life, and I’m sorry that I had to run off to work after we’d just made
love but that’s my job and it doesn’t take away from my feelings for you. 
Rainy, please forgive me?”

Tears fill my eyes as I listen to his words.  He thinks I’m
worth it?  I decide that I’m not going to go into this with my eyes shut.  I
need to let him know the truth and then he can decide because I am not getting
hurt again. I am not going to let myself get caught up in the moment again.  I
take a deep breath and let it out slowly before beginning, telling him
something I have only ever told Kami and Harley.

“There are some things you should know before things goes
further.” He narrows his eyes questioningly, but doesn’t say anything so I take
that as an opportunity to continue.

“As you know my Mother is ‘marriage whore’. Well she was
married to a man named William Spencer from the time I was ten till the time I
was sixteen.  William was…William always freaked me out. I never liked him, he
always had a bad vibe about him but because I was just a kid, I figured Mom
knew best and wouldn’t put us in any danger.  After they had been married about
six months, one Saturday Mom was out for the day and I was home reading in my
room.  I came out and went down to the kitchen to make myself some lunch when
William came out of nowhere and grabbed me by the upper arm.  Up until then he
had never touched me, but he always looked at me in a way I didn’t understand. 
I could smell the alcohol on his breath and he got right in my face and told me
what a piece of shit human being I was; how I was unlovable and worthless.” I
hear Elliott’s sharp intake of breath and feel him tense solid beside me but I
continue, needing him to know what sort of person I really am. “I broke away
and ran to my room crying, but after that, whenever he had the opportunity, he
told me exactly what he thought of me, which wasn’t much.  I began to realize
that the look he always wore was disgust, but it always felt like something
more.  I wouldn’t figure it out until I was much older.  Anyways after six
years of hearing that, I guess it finally sank in and I accepted it.  Elliott ,
you are so much more than me and I don’t want you lowering your standards to be
with me.  It won’t take you long to figure out that I am nothing and then I’ll
be worse off than I am now,” I say hoarsely as tears roll down my bruised and
swollen cheeks.

Elliott leans over and gently cups my face and brushes
feather light kisses over my lips and cheeks trailing them down to my neck.  He
stares deep into my eyes as if trying to extract my soul.  I am mesmerized by
him and can’t tear my eyes away.

“
You are worth it,”
he says fiercely. “I’m going to
make that worthless piece of shit William-Motherfucking-Spencer pay for all the
fuckin’ rot he’s filled your head with.” He growls.

“What was the look?”

“It was…hunger” I whisper. “It was like he wanted me but was
so disgusted with himself for wanting someone as worthless as me..” I trail off
ashamed

I chance a glance at Elliott, sure that he is repulsed by
me.  He looks murderous.  His jaw is set and his sapphire eyes are almost black
with rage.

I think this may be a good time bring up the fact of why
Shifta and Bobby had me.

“Umm Elliott…Shifta and Bobby? They were looking for Willy
Daniels” Elliott looks at me confused

“Willy Daniels is William Spencer, Elliott.  What’s going
on?”

Elliott lips thin as he jaw twitches more times than I can
count.

“Get some rest baby. I’ve just got to do some work real
quick and then I’ll be back okay.  Do you need me to bring you anything? More
pain meds? Water? Are you hungry?” He kisses my forehead and then my nose
gently.

“Water and some Advil would be great please,” I answer
softly. I just want him to lay beside me and hold me.  Obviously knowing me
better than  I know myself and pulls me in for hug and gently lays us back down
on the bed, my back to his front.  He softly runs his hands up and down my
side, whispering softly in my ear, that he’s sorry and that I am worthy.

“Elliott” I mumble sleepily.

“Yeah baby” he answers softly

“How many ‘boys’ do you have working for you?”

“Theo, Clint and Linc work here with Travis and me,” he
tells me, still talking softly

“K,” I mumble again

I am worthy. I am worthy.
 The words swirl around my
mind as I drift off to sleep.

******

I spend the night at Elliott’s office.  I feel weirdly safe
there considering this is only the second time I’ve been there.  Maybe it is
because it’s a security firm and there aren’t many people who would chance
breaking into a highly respected office of that kind, or maybe because I knew
Elliott was in the building somewhere.  Whatever it was, it helped me have a
peaceful sleep and I woke feeling refreshed, although sore. Knowing that
Hospital Emergency rooms have freaked me out ever since my Dad died Elliott had
a doctor come and check me out, he said my ribs were just bruised and there was
nothing broken.  He advised me to rest my shoulder as much as possible and not
to lift anything too heavy as it would cause pain in both my shoulder and
ribs.  On the way back to my place Elliott informs me that he told Kami about
what had happened and she was waiting for us at the house.  Knowing Kami, I
know she’d be out of her mind with worry and would be pacing; waiting for me to
walk through the doors and prove that I am okay.  Sure enough, Kami proves me
right.

“Oh Rae.  Are you okay?” she asks as she envelopes me in a
tight hug.  I hold back a wince in spite of the pain because I don’t want to
cause her any more worry. 

“I’m fine. Really Kami. I was just lucky Linc was in the
right place at the right time,” I say firmly.

“Linc? Who the Hell is Linc?” She questions, giving me a
confused look with her eyebrows snapped together.

“Linc works for me, Kami.”

“Well, why the Hell didn’t he stop them doing this shit to
her?  For fucks sake Elliott. She’s a banged up and your guy was there.  What?
Does he get on off on watching this sort of shit happen to women” Kami rants at
him, waving her arms around in the air and the level of her voice raises a few
octaves so by the time she’s finished, she’s yelling.

Elliott glares at her, his stance looks calm but his jaw is
set and his eyes are glacial.

 “Enough,” he growls and Kami has the decency to back down
and apologize softly, hell I even shrink under his gaze and I’m not in the
firing line.

“C’mon Rae-Rae. Come sit down on the sofa and I’ll fix you
something to eat and drink,” Kami says as she leads me to the sofa lounge. 
Before I can sit, she grabs me a hug again, this one not as tight, but still as
meaningful “I was so scared” she sobs.  Tears fill my eyes as I realize that
Kami thinks I’m worth it too.  Kami was scared that I was hurt; that I wouldn’t
be okay. Kami was worried.  Kami thinks I am worth the effort.  I smile a
little to myself as a weight releases from my body that I didn’t even know I’d been
carrying.  Kami feels me sag against her and holds me tighter as she whispers
words in my ear about her being glad I’m home safe and sound.

The she releases me and goes to make me some lunch, while I
lie down on the lounge and make myself comfy.  Elliott comes in a few minutes
later and takes a seat on the end of the lounge, lifting my feet and then
placing them back down in his lap, he massages my feet softly until Kami brings
us soup and toasted sandwiches for dinner.

The next few weeks pass in a blur as Kami and Elliott fuss
over me making sure I’m comfortable and healing well.  I phoned the College and
explained the situation to them, well a version of what actually happened, and
they were happy for Kami to take notes for me, so I spent the first week at
home studying for finals and trawling the internet for available shop fronts
for Kami and I.  Elliott has insisted he stay and has been very attentive,
cuddling and kissing me at every available opportunity, which often results in
Kami leaving the room pretending to be sick but it feels really nice.  I’m
still holding back though.  Not giving him my full self.  I mean, technically,
we’ve been ‘together’ for two and a half weeks, we’ve had sex once and he
hasn’t even taken me on a date. 
God I’m such an easy lay.  I didn’t even
make him work for my virginity.  A few sweet words from that luscious mouth and
I can’t think straight.

“Rae-Rae?  Where are you?”  Kami comes bounding into my
bedroom, swinging the door wide as she goes.  Elliott has gone into the office
to get some work done and Kami’s been at some Sorority meeting all morning. 
I’m actually surprised to see her home so early.  Usually these meetings turn
into get-togethers with the Frat boys and they go all night.

“Hey Kami, you’re home earlier than what I thought”

“Oh, sorry to disappoint you,” she mocks an upset face and
pouts at me.  I grin at her and she grins back. “I am home early.  I wanted to
spend the night with my BFF and discuss plans for her birthday tomorrow night,”
She squeals at the end, jumping up and down clapping her hands.  Kami has
always loved to celebrate.  Any excuse for a night out and she’s onboard…come
to think of it, most times she doesn’t even need an excuse. 

“Umm,” I shrug my shoulders and wince.  I know she’s not
going to like what I’m going to say.

“No way. Unh- unh.” She grabs me by the shoulders and shakes
her head emphatically.  “We are going out Lorraine.  Don’t you dare argue with
me.  You only have one birthday a year and you know I love to celebrate it, so
come sit your ass down on the sofa and let’s discuss how we’re going to
celebrate.”   She turns and frog marches me to the sofa and plonks me down
taking a seat beside me.

“I think we should go out.  Let’s go back to Duece.  We can
go out for dinner beforehand and then go dancing.  It’ll be fun Rae-Rae.  You
love dancing.” She gives me her best puppy dog face which she knows I can’t
resist.

“Oh alright. Whatever you want. Just tell what time to be
ready,” I mutter unhappily.

“Awesome.  I knew you’d agree,” She says in a sing song
voice. “Wanna order Chinese and watch Dirty Dancing?”

“YES!” I cry excitedly.  We settle in for the night and eat
copious amounts Chinese food and then ice cream while we watch our all-time
favorite movie.

Elliott arrives home half way through Magic Mike.  He eyes
the empty Chinese and Ice cream containers and looks at me with a raise eyebrow
and a twitching lip.  I shrug my shoulders and grin at him daring him to insult
our choice of food or movies for the night.  Wisely, he says nothing, instead
he lifts me out of the single sofa I was relaxing on sideways with my legs over
the arms part, sits himself in my chair and arranges me on top of him so I’m
snuggled into his lap.  He runs his fingers through my hair and kisses my
temple softly.  I exhale contently and stroke his strong muscular tanned arms
and turn my attention back to the movie.