Taming the Boy Next Door (8 page)

Chapter 15

Kevin shivered as he looked at Caleb.  His brain sloshed with his alcohol fog.  His voice garbled.  “Her name was Kelly.”  He wiped his eyes and looked at Jena.  “I’m sorry, J.  I love you.  I do.  You’ve been good to me.”  Each sentence was a little more slurred than the last.

Jena rubbed his leg.  “There’s nothing
to be sorry about.”

“It’s been five years.”  Kevin took a deep breath.  “She was a dancer
.  She was walking into the apartment and she was jumped.  Three men.”

Jena shivered.  Her mind clouded with thoughts of rain and footsteps.  “No,” she whispered.

Kevin grabbed her hand.  “You are stronger.  So much stronger.”  His red eyes stung with tears.  “She was beaten, left by the dumpster.  I found her the next morning when I was taking the trash out.”

“Kevin.”  Caleb’s eyes were wide.  He had known Kevin for more than a year now.  He had spent countless nights at the bars and even more days at the gym with him.
He suddenly realized he didn’t know him at all.

“She was pregnant.
Those bastards left something permanent to remind her. I tried to help her.  She wouldn’t let me.  Jena, let me help you.”

Jena shot to her feet.  Her face paled and her eyes filled with tears.  “
Stop.”

“Jena.”  Kevin held his hands out to her.  “I couldn’t save her.  She killed herself in my apartment. Five years ago today.
  My sister. She was my only family.”

“Holy shit.”  Andi stood in the doorway
stunned.  “What’s going on?”

“I can’t.”  She paced the room, her body trembling, her breathing shallow.  Her heart pounded in her chest.  This couldn’t be happening.  Not here.  She glanced at the doorway.  She felt trapped. 

“Don’t run.”  Caleb stood and she flinched.  “Whatever is happening, it’s ok.”

“Let me save you.”  Kevin stumbled to his feet
as Jena moved for the door.  “You have to tell him.  Tell him so I can save you.”

“Kevin.”  She yelled.  “Don’t do this to me.”

Caleb moved in front of the doorway and she froze.  Her breathing became erratic.  “You have to move.”

“Did someone hurt you?”  His voice cracked.  “Did I hurt you?”
  He stood his ground when she tried to move past him.

Jena crumbled to the floor.  Sobbing, she covered her face with her hands.  Caleb knelt beside her, pulling her into his arms. 
“I can’t.”

“Baby, look at me.”  She shook her head, continuing to soak his chest with tears.  “
Please.  Let me in.”

“It wasn’t you.”  Kevin stumbled as he approached them.  “It wasn’t you, Allen.
  It was a man who….”

“Make it stop.”  Jena buried her face in Caleb’s neck.

“Andi, get him out of here.”  Caleb pleaded.  When the door finally shut, he sighed.  “You’re safe.  I promise you that.  Please talk to me.”

“I don’t know how to tell you.”

“Jena, there is absolutely nothing you could say to me that would change how I feel about you.”  Caleb tucked her hair behind her ear.  “I love you so fiercely that when you walk into a room, I forget to breathe.  When you walk out, my heart stops.  Whatever it is, you can tell me.”

“Oh God.”  Her voice trembled.
  Silence took over the room for several minutes before she took a deep breath.  “When I was in high school, I was walking home alone.  It was pouring rain.  I heard his footsteps but I couldn’t run fast enough.”  She made eye contact for the first time.  Silent tears ran down his face as he rocked her in his lap. “He was drunk and dirty.”

Caleb continued to rock her as her breathing steadied.  “I’m so sorry, Jena.”

“I’ve spent years trying to forget.  My parents were so ashamed.  I was only a child.  They sent me to live with my Aunt and Uncle because it made the news.  I hated them so much for abandoning me.  He stole my innocence and took years of my life away from me.  And they just threw me away like I was nothing.”  Her anger grew as she continued.  “And now he is stealing my future.”

Caleb leaned back and looked at her.  “How is stealing your future?  Is he back?”

“Yes.  But not like you think.  It was all buried…”  Her voice trailed off.

“Oh my God.”  Caleb interrupted.  “I did something.  What was it?”

Jena shook her head.  It hurt to tell him.  It was the most painful thing she had ever done.  But when the look of agony crossed Caleb’s face as he realized he had triggered the memory, she died inside.  “It’s not your fault.  It’s mine for never learning to handle it.”

“I put my hand over your mouth.  Oh, Jena. Oh God I’m so sorry.” 
Caleb whispered.  His heart shattered.

“You didn’t know.”

He pulled her back into his lap, his arms wrapping around her shoulders, pulling her as close to him as he could.  “Where is this son of a bitch?”

“I don’t know.  They never caught him.  I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you.”  Jena
looked into his beautiful emerald eyes. 

He kissed her gently and she melted into him.  “Am I your first since?”

“Yes.”  She whispered.

“Your innocence was bruta
lly taken from you.  And you pick me, the guy with the piercing that likes to tie you up and control you.  I’m such a fucking asshole.”  He kissed her forehead and loosened his grip on her shoulders.  “And I don’t know how to be anything else.  I don’t know how to give up control.”

“Caleb, you have been more than I ever expected.  So much more. 
You are this kind hearted, caring person to everyone you know.  And then your bedroom door shuts and you are this dominant and fearless man that makes me weak at the knees.  I wouldn’t change anything.”

“I scared you.  I reminded you of the son of a bitch that hurt you.  I would have killed him.  If I had known you then, I would have killed him for touching you.  For stealing something so precious.  For making you have one second of dou
bt or torment in your life.” 

“I know.  That’s why you are so amazing.”  She kissed the corner of his mouth and he
closed his eyes.  “I got scared.  It wasn’t your fault.  I’m working with a new doctor.  Kevin introduced me to him.  And in a tiny amount of time, he has helped me so much.  I want to feel whole.  I want to be able to let go and live my life.”

“And you need time.”  Caleb hugged her.
“I can give you time.”

“And space.”  She nodded.  “I’m so sorry.  I am leaving for Seattle on Wednesday.  I would never ask you to wait for me.  That wouldn’t be fair to you.  I have loved every minute of us.  I will never forgive myself for hurting you.  But I have to start living my life without looking over my shoulder.”

“And you can’t do that here?”  Tears threatened to fall from his eyes but he blinked them away.

“I’m so sorry.”

Chapter 16

“Mr. Allen, I have a delivery for you.”  Caleb’s assistant buzzed his office, drawing Caleb’s attention from his daydream.  She giggled.  “Should I bring it in?”

Caleb smiled.  “Your laugh has me intrigued.  Yes, bring it in Kathy.”

His office door opened and Kathy walked in with a grin on her face.  She held
up the pineapple with the large red bow.  “Floral occasions drove up in their huge delivery van, shuffled around in the back and then walked up with this. I’m sorry.  I don’t mean to laugh but I’ve never seen a pineapple get delivered with such flare.”

Caleb chuckled.  “It’s from Moretti. 
Another clue to their wedding.  They’ve been torturing us with not knowing where we’re going.”  It felt like the first time he had smiled in weeks.

“It made my day.”  Kathy went to leave the room but turned at the last minute. 
“Off the record, it is really nice to see you laugh again.”

“Thank you.”  Caleb smiled at the woman who had been his assistant since he had been promoted.  “Moretti is coming by in a bit.  Just show him in when he gets here.”

As Kathy shut the door, Caleb dialed the number that had been permanently etched in his brain.  When her voicemail picked up, he took a deep breath.  “Jena, I wish you would call me back.  It’s been four weeks. I can’t do this anymore.”  He slammed his phone onto his desk. 

Four weeks.  He had watched her walk out of his life after the mother of all confessions. 
He had begged her not to go, dignity be damned.  He had called and sent texts and flowers.  And from her corner of the map, there had been silence. Four weeks of torturous, agonizing, mind numbing silence.  His heart was destroyed, his brain scrambled, his soul completely broken.  His love for her had grown, not lessened.  He had hoped that once the dust settled, she would realize how much he cared for her.  He had prayed that she would call, telling him she loved him, and he would have jumped on the next plane, leaving every bit of his life behind.  But her silence had spoken volumes and he knew it was time to let go.

He had cried more in the few months he had known her than he had in all of his thirty years.  And when he typed the words that would haunt him for the remainder of his life, tears fell freely once again.  It was his goodbye.  But it wasn’t just goodbye to the beautiful surgeon that had stolen his heart.  It was goodbye to the possibility of forever.  It was goodbye to the hopes and dreams he had believed would come true.  It was goodbye to the man he became the second she had walked into his life. 

~~~

“There’s the lazy sack of shit Sophie calls her boss.”  Mark smiled as he entered
his office.  “How are you, stranger?”

Caleb smiled.  It was nice to see him.  He had to admit, he had been a hermit for the last few weeks.  “Marco, It’s good to see you bro.”  He pulled Mark into a hug, noticing they were not alone. 

“Allen, this is Lily.  She’s Sophie’s college roommate.  Lily, this is Caleb.”  Mark smiled as Caleb’s eyes roamed Lily.

“Lily.” He tried her name on for size.  She was pretty.  A pang of guilt ripped through his stomach.  “It’s nice to meet you.”

She smiled.  Her blue eyes lit up her face.  Long blond hair hung loose down her back.  “Nice to meet you too.  I’ve heard quite a bit about you.”

“I’m pretty important.”  Caleb smiled his crooked smile but couldn’t hold back the laughter.

“I hadn’t heard that.”  She giggled.

“Can I hug you?” 
Caleb didn’t wait for an answer.  “How tall are you?”

She giggled
again.  “Well, not all of us can be seven feet tall.”

Caleb picked her up. 
Mark crossed his arms as Sophie walked into the room and gasped.  “Caleb Allen, put her down!  What is wrong with you? And why the hell are you so smug, Mark?”

Lily continued to laugh as she tried to wiggle free of his grasp. 
Caleb winked at Sophie and put her down.  “You are the elementary school teacher.  Are you the same height as the kids you teach?”  He flashed her the dimple.

“Funny.   He’s funny.”  She smiled at Sophie.

“She isn’t a toy, Allen.”  Mark couldn’t help but laugh at Sophie’s mortified expression.

“But she could be.”  Caleb winked at Lily.

“Caleb!”  Sophie pulled Lily from the office.  “I’m so sorry.  They’re cavemen.  Honestly.”

“I think this is going to be the greatest wedding ever.  First
Ryan, then Caleb.  Who else is hiding in the wings?”  Lily laughed as she turned around to see Caleb watching her.  “Single?”  She asked Sophie.

“Technically, I suppose.  But you
’re nobody’s rebound.  Not if I can help it.”

“I wouldn’t mind rebounding that.”  Lily smiled as they walked out of the office.

~~~

“Dr. Turner to the nurses’ station
, please.  Dr. Turner to the nurses’ station.”  The intercom interrupted Jena’s thoughts. 

She walked down the well lit hallway toward the faces that had quickly become friends.  She smiled when she saw the long box sitting atop the counter.  “
Another clue?”  The nurses laughed, remembering the look on Jena’s face when she had received the pineapple.  The card made her giggle so she read it aloud. 
“
J Dog, I would tell you to wear this and nothing else, but I suppose the wedding might not happen then.  See you soon, Mar
k
.”

Jena pulled the top off the box and smiled.  A lei made of yellow hibiscus was cushioned in orange tissue paper.  It smelled amazing.  “It’s beautiful.”

“I would guess it is no longer much of a surprise.”  Dr. Wade smiled as he studied a patient’s chart.  “Dr. Turner.”  He nodded and winked as he walked away.

“What the hell was that?”  Rebecca, an intern that had become her best friend in Seattle, rolled her eyes.

Jena shuffled through the papers on the fax machine.  “Nothing.  He’s asked me out a few times.  Wanted me to go to dinner tonight.”

“Are you going?”  She raised her eyebrow.

“No.  I’m heading to Los Angeles tonight.  I was going to meet them at the wedding.  But I need to go.”  Jena froze waiting for the reply.

“What?”  Rebecca grabbed her arms
.  “Are you going back to get the stud?  Was it the email?” 

“Becs, this distance has been so good for me.  I have healed more in these past few weeks than I had in years.  I think losing him was a huge eye opener.  He’s what I want.  I’m ready to fight for him.”

“It’s about damn time.  I’ll help you pack.”  Rebecca hugged her.  “I will miss the shit out of you.”

~~~

“What’s up stretch?”  Caleb sat next to Lily on the couch.  Game night at Moretti’s was less torture when it was on television and not a board game.  He laughed when she shoved his arm.  She had been in town just a few days but Caleb adored her.  She and Andi had become close and she was staying in their guest room so the girls could stay up late and do whatever it was girls did.  She had become like a second little sister.

“How’s your head
, slick?”  Lily smiled as he groaned.  Last night had been full of alcohol and not only had Caleb spent the night enjoying beer pong with his crazy group of friends, he had spent the morning lying in bed regretting every second of it. Dry heaves were seriously bullshit.

“Thank you for reminding me.  You ready to hit the beach running tomorrow?  Can’t wait to see your sweet ass in a bikini.”  Caleb smacked her ass as she got up to grab the remote. 

She laughed as she wiggled her way to the TV.  “The feeling is mutual.”

Kevin cleared his throat.  “It’s a nice ass.  And it woke up next to me this morning.
  I will piss on it to mark my territory if I need to.”

Caleb laughed and grabbed his chest.  “You wound me, stretch.” 

“We asked your sister to join us but she turned us down.”  Kevin chuckled when Caleb’s smile dropped.

“
If there is a hell on earth, I am in it.  I really don’t know what I did to deserve this.  I really don’t.”  Andi shook her head without looking up from her magazine. 

“Stop denying it, doll.  It won’t be long until you are screaming
for more.”  Kevin dodged Caleb’s sucker punch, laughing harder than before.  In his best female voice, he acted out the scene.  “Oh God Kevin.  Harder.  Harder.  Oh yes!  Right there.”

“I’d make you my bitch.”  Andi rolled her eyes and kept reading.

“Maybe.  But we won’t know that until you finally give it up.” 

“Jesus, Merck.  That’s my baby sister.  Off limits.  I mean it.” 

Lily pulled Caleb back onto the couch.  “Time to face the music, slick.  She’s not a baby anymore.”

When Andi finally laughed, Caleb groaned.  “I hate every single one of you.”