In Chains (7 page)

What! “No,” I say, frowning. “Why would you think that?”

He’s gazing down at his hands, picking at his fingernails. “The blond guy told me. He said you think I’m dirty and disgusting.”

I reach out and gently stroke my hand along his arm. “He lied to you.”

Slowly he raises his eyes to meet mine. “Then why did you flinch when I touched you?”

“It wasn’t your fault. My arm’s bruised and it hurt when you grabbed it.”

Frowning, he gently takes my arm and rolls up the sleeve of my top. He gasps as he sees the bruising. His eyes turn dark and he scowls. “Did
he
do that to you?”

I pull my arm away and shake my head. “No. It was my ex-boyfriend. He hit me, so I left him and came here. I knew he wouldn’t like me leaving, he can be crazy but I didn’t think he’d…” Swallowing hard I gaze down at Kayden’s feet. “I just got an e-mail from him. He threatened me and I’m scared. My brother’s busy with his girlfriend so I came to see you. I don’t want to be alone.” He’s staring at me; his soft eyes are filled with care and concern.

“Does he know where you are?” he asks.

“I don’t know. I just don’t know.”

He flinches as I throw my arms around his waist and bury my head in his shoulder. I quickly pull away. “I’m sorry…your back…I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

He wraps his arms around me and tugs me back towards him. I’m careful to avoid his back, resting my head on his shoulder and my hands against his chest. I can feel his body trembling against mine and his heart beating beneath my palms. He smells wonderful, woody and earthy. His breath is tickling my neck. His hand is gently stroking the back of my head. I feel soothed and safe but then I remember that he got hurt because of me. If Simon finds me here with him he’ll hurt him again. Lifting my head I look into his eyes. “Kayden, thank you. I have to go, I can’t be here. I won’t let you get hurt because of me.”

I attempt to pull away but his strong arms crush me tightly against him. “Don’t go Savannah,” he whispers. “I’ll be okay. It’s not the first time I’ve been beaten and it won’t be the last. I’ll live and anyway, I thought you were scared to be on your own,” he says, gazing down at me.

My muscles relax and I rest my head back against him. “I am,” I mumble into his shoulder.

“Then stay with me,” he says.

For several minutes we stand there, wrapped together, finding comfort in each other. Glancing around, my eyes fall to the bucket of water on the floor. Nodding my head towards it I ask, “Were you trying to bathe your back?”

He shakes his head. “No, I was trying to wash my shirt but it’s kinda hard when all I got is cold water and a tiny piece of soap.” I see his Adam’s apple bob as he swallows hard. “I was trying to clean myself up. I don’t want you to think I’m disgusting. I want you to…” He doesn’t finish his sentence, just shakes his head.

I smile up at him, running my hand along his bristled jawline. “Nothing about you could ever disgust me. Shall I clean your back for you?”

“It’s okay,” he says, “I don’t think it’s cut.”

“Let me clean it. You don’t want to get an infection.”

He reluctantly tugs his t-shirt off over his head and I can see there are several small cuts. Cool water may help take some heat out of his welts too. He kneels down beside the bucket. I can’t see a cloth anywhere so I decide to use the corner of his towel. Dipping it into the cold water I gently wipe it across his wrecked back. I can feel his hard, solid muscles. Why are some people so vicious and cruel? Both Dan and Simon think it’s okay to hit someone. I blink back tears and pat his back with the dry section of his towel. “There, all done.” I get up and hang his towel back on the nail.

“Thank you Savannah,” he smiles at me.

“Now I’ve got to go. I want to be back before my brother notices I’m gone.” He’s pouting at me and he looks so damn cute, I want to kiss him but I don’t feel comfortable making the first move. I flick my finger across his bottom lip, which makes him laugh. His laugh is deep and throaty and beautiful.

“I’ll walk you back,” he says.

“No. My brother might see you.”

“I’ll walk past the orchard with you then. If he comes out I’ll hide in a tree,” he says, laughing. I roll my eyes at him but I’m glad he’s walking some of the way with me; I don’t want to leave him. He holds my hand in his rough, calloused one and my fears over Dan have vanished for now. I feel safe with Kayden.

Luckily they are both still upstairs when I get back to the house. As I’m heading up to bed, Simon comes out of his room. “Savannah. We’re going to the movies tomorrow evening. Maybe we can all go for a pizza as well if you’d like that?” Eating pizza and seeing a movie sounds good but if they’re going out it means I could spend some time with Kayden and that’s way more appealing to me.

“I may have got a job as a waitress. She’s trialling me tomorrow. I’ll probably be too tired to go out by the time I get back.”

“Okay. If you change your mind, let me know,” he says.

CHAPTER NINE

Savannah

As usual I wake up before everyone else. I’m assuming Christina stayed over as she was still here when I went to bed. I need to be at the cafe in an hour and a half. I’m looking forward to it. I hope I impress Jenny enough for her to hire me.

I realise I over reacted about Dan yesterday. He’s not going to bother looking for me, or travelling all this way. He’s just mad that I left but he’ll get over it. He’s probably already found someone else. I know for a fact that the woman who lives in the flat opposite fancies him.

Grabbing my cigarettes I head over to Kayden’s caravan. I knock at his door but there’s no answer so I go in. He’s not here but there’s a sheet of paper on his bed. I pick it up. It’s a drawing of a rose covered in dewdrops. It’s so lifelike I can almost smell it and he’s even signed his name, he remembered how to do it. I can’t help smiling; he must have drawn this for me.

I go in search of him and spot him at the far end of the vegetable field, digging over some soil. I call out to him. He spins round. Throwing his spade to the ground, he runs towards me. He leaps over the vegetable plants and his sneakers kick up dirt behind him. I hold my breath, anticipating him crashing into me. He comes to a skidding halt inches from my face and grins down at me, his eyes shining. “Hey beautiful.” Wow, I could get used to being greeted like this every morning.

We’re now sitting side by side on his bed. I thank him for my beautiful drawing. “I can give you a real rose in the summer,” he says. I wonder if I’ll still be here in the summer. I don’t know what the rents are like in this part of the country. I won’t earn that much working at the cafe, if she hires me at all. I’ll need to stay with Simon until I get some savings together to be able to afford my own place. Wherever I am, I’ll keep in touch with Kayden.

“I may have a job,” I smile up at him, “at a local cafe. The lady who owns it is giving me a trial run today. I’ve got to be there at eight.”

“That’s cool I guess but I don’t know why your brother can’t look after you.”

I reach across to hold his hand. “I’d rather have my own money.”

“I go to that cafe sometimes to deliver potatoes. Jenny’s really nice. I think she’ll like you.”

“You know her?” I ask.

He nods. “I peel the potatoes for her and cut them into chips. She pays me with food.” It sounds like he knows her well and I feel jealous. Jenny is older but maybe he likes older women. It sounds like she’s friendly with him. She feeds him too; she’s probably a better cook than me. I assumed he didn’t know any women.

“My brother’s going out this evening. He’ll be out for about five hours. If you’re not doing anything, maybe I can see you.”

He beams at me, his eyes gleaming. “Yeah, that’ll be great. I’m not doing anything.” He brushes my fringe out of my eyes. “You can meet my friends. They’ll probably have some hooch.” I was hoping it would just be the two of us but I guess it could be fun to meet his friends. I hope they’re friendly. I wonder if they’re slaves too.

I glance at my watch. I need to go to get ready for work. “Okay I’ll meet your friends. I’ll come and find you when my brother has gone out. I have to go, I’ll see you later.”

“We don’t get too busy this morning so it’s a good day for you to learn the ropes,” says Jenny. “You can start by making me and James a cup of tea.” James is the current waiter, the one I’m hopefully going to be replacing.

“Okay,” I say, tying my apron. “Have you owned this long?”

“About five years love. James is my son, he’s been helping me out but he’s been offered a better job.”

I make the tea. The cafe is empty but most people like a lie in on Sunday morning. James is reading the paper and Jenny is starting up the hob. “Are you married?” She asks me.

“No, I’ve recently split up with my boyfriend. That’s why I came here. I’m staying with my brother. I was living in London.”

“I used to live in London.” She takes a sip of her tea. “Well, you make a good cup of tea love,” she says, smiling at me. “I’m from south east London originally.”

“Me too,” I say.

“Small world,” she laughs.

“So what made you move here?” I ask.

“We wanted to buy a house and couldn’t afford one in the city. They were a lot cheaper, and larger out here.” I glance over as the cafe door opens. “They can be your first two customers,” she says.

The two elderly ladies are obviously regulars because they don’t look at the menu. I don’t need to write down their order; I can remember two English breakfasts and two mugs of tea. I pass the food order onto Jenny and make the teas. It occurs to me that Simon doesn’t know I’m working here. I did tell him I may have got a job waitressing but I now realise he didn’t ask where. I guess he wasn’t that interested. He always did think I should have done better for myself but I’ve never been career minded. As long as I have enough money to live on, I’m happy.

I take the ladies their drinks. They’re both friendly, asking if I’m new and am I enjoying my first day here. As I’m talking to them a middle aged couple and their grandchild come in. At least I assume it’s their grandchild, the way they’re fussing over her. I give them a few minutes to look at the menu before I take their order. I think I’m going to enjoy working here; it seems like a friendly place.

The pace picks up and the rest of the morning flies by. Jenny tells me to take a lunch break. James makes us all a cup of tea and Jenny fixes me a sausage sandwich. I’ve just realised that between seeing Kayden this morning and getting ready to come here I’d completely forgotten to have breakfast.

“Where does your brother live?” Jenny asks me.

“Do you know Hollyhock Farm?”

“I get my potatoes from there love,” she says.

“Yes, I understand you know Kayden.” I smile thinly.

“Yeah, he’s a lovely bloke. Good looking as well ain’t he,” she smiles at me.

“He told me you cook him meals.”

More customers arrive. James takes their order and Jenny is now busy cooking. So she thinks Kayden is good looking. She’s got a husband; she shouldn’t be looking at other men.

The afternoon is finally over and the last customer has just left. Almost every customer ordered the Sunday roast and I’m now sick of the sight of roast dinners. James puts the ‘closed’ notice on the door. My gaze lands on the mountain of dirty dishes. I detest washing up but I imagine it’s part of my job. “James will do the washing up today love,” Jenny says and I breathe a sigh of relief. “You did well today. If you still want the job you can start Thursday, that way you can learn the ropes while James is still here.”

“Yes, I still want the job. Thank you.”

“It’s Monday to Friday, eight till four. Okay love?”

“That’s fine. I’ll see you Thursday.”

CHAPTER TEN

Savannah

I have a plan for this evening. I don’t know about his friends, but I know Kayden doesn’t get much to eat, so I’m putting together a picnic. I’ve found a cool bag and some tin foil to wrap the food in. I’m boiling some eggs and have made some peanut butter and chocolate spread sandwiches. Looking through the cupboards I find two large bags of crisps and a pack of chocolate chip muffins. It will have to do, Simon will notice if too much food goes missing. I wonder if they’ll have any music. I pick up Simon’s portable radio and check the batteries. Searching through his kitchen drawer I find a spare pack of batteries just in case. Alcohol, food and music always go well together. I now wish I’d asked him about his friends. I assume they’re slaves but they may not be. We may even be going out somewhere tonight. Oh well. Picking up the cool bag I go in search of Kayden. He’s already standing at the door when I open it. “I saw your brother leave,” he says, grinning at me.

“Are your friends slaves?” I ask him.

“Yeah. Is that a problem?”

Shaking my head, I smile. “Not at all.” I can relax now; no one will laugh at my picnic. He takes the cool bag from me. “Where are we meeting your friends?” I ask.

“They live on your neighbour’s farm. It’ll only take ten minutes to get there if we walk through the fields.”