Tapped (Totaled Book 2) (28 page)

            “Oh hell no, you won’t!” I sternly threatened, raising my voice. “You won’t get your what?”

            He sighed heavily and shoved his hands in his jeans pockets, fidgeting his legs and kicking gravel stones around beneath him.

            “Just come out with it!” I roared. “You’re not leaving here until you tell me!”

            “I can’t!” he shouted, instantly looking sheepish when I responded with raised eyebrows at his rudeness. I was only a few years older than him but he was always the epitome of a respectful young gentleman.

            “You listen to me, Wes!” I yelled, pointing my finger at the top corner of the building. “I’ve been staring at that camera view in my office for the last hour trying to figure out why some mystery car was parked in my lot in the middle of the night. I was about to call the police and report you for trespassing before you got out to pee. I still can, ya know.”

            “No! No! Please? That’s not necessary,” he begged as fear splashed across his face.

            “Do your parents know where you are?” I dared ask.

            He went from scared to terrified and started shaking his head side to side.
Jackpot!
There was no way he wasn’t going to tell me the real deal if I threatened to reveal his shenanigans to his extremely strict Southern Baptist preacher father.

            “Please, Bree? You can’t!” he pleaded, a whine to his voice.

            “Who sent you?” I gritted out, my patience becoming thin.

            “Drew,” he blurted.

            My sharp intake of breath revealed my shock and I stood frozen at his admission.

             “He called me earlier tonight and offered to pay me three hundred bucks to keep an eye on you while you worked.”

            My face snapped up in surprise and I was about to explain my offense when he stopped me.

            “No, not like that. To make sure you were safe,” he insisted. My shoulders relaxed slightly and I looked at him questioning. He kept talking, apparently suffering from diarrhea of the mouth. “He’s worried about you being up here alone at night.
He’s
been watching you, I guess, but he’s too tired. He needs to get enough sleep, especially with the way Coach is working us. And he didn’t have time to hire a real security guard for you tonight so he called me,” he rambled on.

            “Okay, okay, I got it,” I interrupted. “Relax. You’re not in trouble. I appreciate it, really I do. But you can go home now. I’m fine.”

            “So you’re not gonna tell him?” he asked. “He said I won’t get paid if he finds out you saw me or anything happens to you.”

            I rolled my eyes at how pathetic he sounded but reassured him anyway. “Go home, Wes. It’ll be our little secret.”

            He exhaled and nodded appreciatively, walking back to his car and starting it. I followed suit, waving my goodbye. I thought I was rid of him but saw his headlights behind me until I was all the way in my driveway. He was horrible at spying and his lack of discretion was hilarious.

            My heart swelled with the knowledge that Drew was worried about me, though. As I finally lay my head on the pillow, it comforted me that he was willing to forgo his own sleep or pay someone an astronomical amount of money to ensure my safety. My eyes closed and all I saw was him as I drifted to sleep. My sweet, thoughtful, beautiful, broken man.

            When I finally awoke midday, I remembered that I’d left the thumb drive with my research paper for school in my office. I completely forgot to grab it with the whole potential murderer in the parking lot fiasco. I knew I couldn’t make it up there before everyone started showing up for their afternoon training session. I sighed loudly, frustrated. I had to email the assignment in by three o’clock to get full credit. I called Sue, knowing she was off today, and hoped she could run up and grab it for me.

            “What’s up, girl?” she asked happily when she answered her phone.

            “Hey! I need a huge favor,” I requested.

            “Ugh, what now? I just started painting my nails.”

            “I forgot something at the gym last night and I can’t go up there to get it,” I explained desperately.

            “So get it tonight.”

            “It can’t wait. It’s my thumb drive with my school paper and I did a bunch of revisions on it. Anyway, it’s due today!” I pleaded. “Please, Sue. I need you to run up there for me. It’s like, thirty percent of my grade.”

            “Gahhh, you’re killing me, Smalls,” she conceded. “When do you need it?”

            “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” I applauded with sincere gratitude. “You’re seriously saving my ass. I have to email it by three o’clock, so if you could get it to me by two-thirty, that would be awesome.”

            “But it’s already almost one!” she griped.

            “I know. I’ll owe you huge,” I promised.

            “Damn right you will. How do I get into your office?”

            “Come by here and get my keys. The gym is in open session until two so the front doors will be open for you to get into the building. It shouldn’t be too busy today anyway.”

            “Well, that’s no incentive. You know I like lookin’ at all those hot, sweaty bodies! There better be some top grade A beef up in there or I’m not going!” she joked.

            “Shut up!” I said as she laughed. “Call me if you have any problems.”   

Chapter Thirty-Five

DREW

            It was astounding how much better I felt in our morning training having had a few extra hours of sleep. Paying that kid to make sure Bree got home safely was the best decision ever and he’d reported back that she made it home unscathed. He was awkward about it at the gym but he was always a tad socially awkward. I gave him his money—all in cash—and his eyes grew wide with satisfaction, but I had to disappoint him that a more professional security guard had been secured for the next week until we left for the Middle East.

            When we were finished, I raced home, knowing Mick would be there waiting for me. He called early that morning to tell me that he’d spoken with Dr. Greiner and he’d be over the moon if I’d have him as my guest for the next few days. I was actually excited about my therapist-mandated babysitter. If I had to have a watchdog, there’s no one I’d rather have.

            I pulled around the corner and saw his beat up truck sitting in my driveway. Just as I suspected, he was lounging on the deck waiting for me.

            “Hey, man!” I greeted, responding with a toothy smile. “Have you been here long?”

            “Not long at all, ‘bout ten minutes, I reckon,” he replied, standing and leaning in to hug me. “Long enough to have me sweatin’, though. Let’s get inside!” he insisted.

            We went in and I encouraged him to help himself to a sandwich in the kitchen while I showered off. When I came out of the master bedroom to heat up my own meal, he was on the couch looking stumped by the technology of my three different remote controls. Shaking my head, I moved to show him how to operate the television, but he stopped me before I could even turn it on.

            “Oh, never mind.  Anythin’ requirin’ three remotes ain’t worth it no how. Let’s just catch up.” He pulled up a barstool and asked about the upcoming fight, whether I was ready or not, and I didn’t know how to answer him.

            “Do you mean physically or mentally?” I clarified as I punched the buttons on the microwave to warm my meal.

            “Both, I guess.” Before he let me answer, he started to shake his head in disappointment. “Ya know, I’m real sorry ‘bout the way I handled things ‘at night Pat came over,” he atoned. “I’s just worried is all.”

            “It’s okay, Mick,” I reassured. “It was understandable. Dr. Greiner was pissed too.”

            “Was he now?” he asked as he chuckled.

            “Oh yeah. He didn’t sugarcoat it at all. But I’m committed now and it’ll be fine.” I shoveled in my food, allowing for a lull in the conversation. He wasn’t quiet for long.

            “So have ya seen her?” he boldly inquired, looking over at me like he was about to get some juicy gossip.

            I laughed at his attempt to get to me to reveal some big secret. “No.” He looked bummed and I almost laughed again. “We’re not supposed to see each other, so we’re both respecting that.”

            “Aww, hogwash!” he rebutted. “What’s the real deal? You can tell lil’ ol’ me!” he hinted.

            “Seriously. I haven’t seen her. He’s even got her working at the gym in the middle of the night so we’re on opposite schedules,” I revealed, the bitterness lacing my words.

            “Well, that don’t seem too safe,” he observed.

            “Yeah! You’re damn right it isn’t safe,” I hollered. “I hired security to watch…well…never mind.” His eyebrows rose in surprise and he gave a Cheshire cat grin. “What?” I asked defensively. “I had to make sure she was protected. Can we change the subject?”

            We joked back and forth and he continued to press for any details he could get regarding any possible correspondence.

            “How do I know you’re not just here under a ruse? Maybe you’re really spying for Pat,” I queried, half joking but feeling a little truth in the humor.

            Mick got serious and with a firm, convicted voice, he assured me, “Make no mistake, I’m here for
you
and anythin’ you say to me, Imma take to mah grave. I promise ya that. I’m a man a my word.”

            I believed him and trusted him with my life, so I fessed up to all of Bree’s and my back and forth, Mick’s face reacting to every twist and turn of the story like he was watching a thrilling movie. I conveyed my love for her but also my insecurities. Hating that I was letting it bother me so much, I even confessed my jealousy over Bree supposedly hanging out with some good looking Marine during our little break. Mick laughed and dismissed my irrational behavior. Deep down I knew she wouldn’t be trying so hard to show me she wanted to be with me if her attention was elsewhere. I didn’t know why I was allowing myself to get so chapped from the word of an ass clown like Brock Woods anyway.

            Once I was done filling him in on it all, Mick confidently settled himself and gave me his advice on just how to proceed, beginning with a very simple statement. A statement that he made without knowing just how much of an impact it would have on me, for he hadn’t been told about the decal quote on the wall of the gym yet.

            “I’ll tell ya what ya do, Drew,” he advised. “You hafta fight for her.”

            Goosebumps erupted on my arms and I felt an overwhelming sense of reassurance, my confidence rising as he spoke.

            “You ‘member me tellin’ ya ‘bout my Joan?” he questioned. “How her daddy forbade me seein’ her and I fought? I fought hard ‘cause I knew she was it for me.”

            I recalled the night he told me the story of how he met and pursued the woman that would one day be his wife and bear his children. I pictured the many instances that I had come upon them together, still in love after all these years, the perfect example and model of what marriage should look like.

            “If she’s it, ya gotta fight, son. Fight like you ne’er fought for nuthin’ in yer whole life. Convince her, and e’ryone ‘round her that yer not giving up on her no matter what!”

            As our talk concluded, I thanked him for listening and for giving me the push and reassurance I needed. I readied myself and headed back to the gym a few minutes early, hoping maybe just maybe I would catch her.

            I pulled up to the lot and was met with a disappointing few cars, none of which were hers. I thought I recognized one of the cars as Sue’s, though. Mick’s words still rang in my ears. I had to convince Bree and everyone around her that I’m in it for the long haul. I knew she’d called on Sue that night and I knew her best friend picked up all the pieces I’d broken her into. She couldn’t possibly think me good enough for Bree anymore. But I had to try. I had to attempt to change her mind and show her how much I loved Bree and how far I was willing to go for her.

            As I approached the gym through the front door, a young guy I’d seen around a few times was walking out; he must’ve been the last one there for open session. It was quiet and completely empty when I passed through to stow my things in the locker room. I heard a weird banging sound just before I opened the door. It sounded like it was coming from down the hall. I almost didn’t think anything of it and opened the door to the locker area when I heard another odd noise. I backpedaled and peeked my head around the corner, peering down the hallway that housed Bree’s office at the end of it. Another bang and then what sounded like a muffled scream reached my ears. All the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I booked it down the hall to listen more closely.

            Whoever was inside the office was trying to be quiet, but I could hear just enough.

            “Shut the fuck up, you whore!” a male voice said. “You’ve been teasing me for a year. Don’t act like you don’t want it!”

            “No!” a girl whined, before trying to scream through something covering her mouth.

            I forced myself in, smashing the office door open to see Brock Woods pinning Sue down. Her body was bent over the desk and her shorts were pulled down, revealing her ass. When he turned his head to see me burst through, the hand that was pressing her face into the desk lifted off and I could see that she was crying. Her eyebrow was bruised and bleeding and her lip was busted open. She screamed for me and I ripped Brock away from her, slamming him against the wall.

            I saw Sue right herself, pulling her shorts up in my peripheral vision, before dodging Brock’s right hand trying to take a swing at me. I didn’t hesitate in laying him the fuck out. He fell to the floor, knocked out cold, and I did nothing to cushion his fall. I looked to Sue, now huddled across the room on the floor, sobbing while clutching her knees to her chest.