Predator - A Stand Alone Suspense Romance (13 page)

“I can’t tell you what to do, now can I? I’m just passing through.” He can fuck any woman. I have no right to him.

I was a fool to trust that this would be a safe place for me to stay.

“What’s really bothering you?” he asks, actually wanting me to finish but I’m done having this conversation. There’s nothing else to say.

“I’m sorry for my behavior, it was uncalled for. I have no right to tell you what to do.” My voice falls flat. I don’t take my eyes away from him. I deflate inside until I’m empty.

I breathe. I breathe. I breathe. That’s all I do. One breath at a time.

“That’s it?” he asks, and he takes a step towards me as he goes into predator mode, but this time it doesn’t scare me. “Now you’re sorry all of a sudden?” he hisses.

I nod, twice. “Yes,” I say clearly, “I’m sorry. You have all the right to do as you want. This is your house.”

He stares at me a moment and I wonder what he’s thinking. I should just have kept quiet and left.

“She is just a friend that needs a place to stay,” he explains to me again, but this time he says the words slowly as if I’m some stupid fool.

“I understand,” I answer too quickly, and he shakes his head.

“You’re not listening to a word I’m saying anymore, are you?” he asks.

“I am,” but he’s right, because as long as someone else is living here, getting closer to him, and making him laugh, I have no place here.

It’s not safe for me anymore. Time to move on. I’ve already stayed too long.

“I said I’m sorry. I’m an idiot. I’m overreacting. I’m going to go make coffee now.” I end the discussion. I walk by him and sigh in relief when he doesn’t stop me.

Damian~

I don’t know what’s wrong with Cara. It’s driving me insane. I honestly didn’t think she’d react this way to Jean staying here.

Jean is just another job. She’s paid a fee for my protection. It’s only temporary so I hope Cara will get over it.

I sit down on her bed and I stare at the floor. Cara is too deep under my skin. I shouldn’t care what she thinks and feels, but I fucking do.

Cara~

I take one look at them in the kitchen, him at the stove making the stupid curry, and her sitting on the damn table. Yuck, I have to eat off that thing.

I head out the back door without a second glance. I should’ve put on a sweater. It’s cold out.

The clouds have been rolling in thicker and it looks like one hell of storm is about to come down. Just like inside me.

“Why can’t I just have a normal life?” I mumble as I walk through the trees. I stay outside for a long time until the first drops start to come down.

I walk back slowly as the heavens open up and I stop halfway to the house. It’s cold, but I’m honestly contemplating staying outside. The rain soaks my clothes quickly and it’s with a heavy heart that I walk back to the kitchen.

“Oh darling, you got caught in the storm,” Jean pours out her concern, and I smile back, too wide.

“No,
darling
, I just love walking in the rain. Come to think of it, I’m not quite done yet. I just love water so much.” I turn around and head right back out into the rain, because her face is too much to look at.

I walk around the house aimlessly. I’m freaking freezing my butt off, but I’m not ready for that sugary fake thing in the kitchen.

“Cara,” Damian snaps behind me.

“Freaking hell, man!” I shriek. “Stop doing that stealth thing!” I snap my fright away.

“You love freezing your ass off?”

“Yeah, I just love getting wet,” I snap back.

A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth and heat flushes my neck. I didn’t mean it like that. Shit!

He takes a step forward and another until the heat from his body drives some of the cold from my chest.

He presses his lips to my temple and then he turns and walks away. “Please come in. I don’t want you to get sick.”

I don’t follow him immediately. I watch him disappear inside before I say, “I need to find a way to live on my own.”

It’s no surprise that I can’t sleep that night. I’m a freaking mess. I open my door and as I’m about to take the step in the direction of Damian’s room, I hear her.

“I haven’t seen her since this afternoon. She’s a real quiet one.” There’s a moment’s silence. “No, he’s wonderful,” she coos at whoever she’s talking to. “I’m settling in for the long haul.” She sighs dreamily and the sound makes me cringe. “I don’t think he has someone in his life, well not for long. I’ll fill that gap real soon. He’s sexy and dark. You know I love that in my man. It’s just a matter of time before I’m back in his bed.”

I’ve heard enough. I walk to the cupboard and get dressed in a pair of jeans, warm shirt and sneakers. I drag a sweater over my head and grab the passport and I.D. I slip out my room and sneak down the passage. As I pass her room she says, “Men want only one thing, darling, and he’s a man. He already can’t keep his hands off me.”

I walk faster, rushing down the stairs. I’m careful with the lock on the front door. I don’t want to wake Damian. I open the door slowly and then I run. I don’t even bother closing the door behind me. I run as if my life depends on it.

I run like I should’ve run back when I met Steven for the first time.

When I get to the main road I just head in any direction. I’m not sure how far I am from town.

I don’t have any money. The thought makes panic blossom in my chest, but I shove it down. I can worry about that once I reach town.

I don’t stop running until I hear the sound of a car. I don’t think of my safety. I think only of getting away. I need to get away from my memories, from that woman who will sink her claws into Damian, and from the feelings I’m starting to feel for him.

I’m not ready for anything remotely related to sex, and Jean is. She’ll be able to give him what he needs. I’ll never be whole again. Damian deserves more than my broken, filthy soul.

I hear a car, and soon lights appear, breaking some of the darkness. I wave my arms but the car just keeps going. I’m stupid for leaving in the middle of the night. No sane person will stop for some random stranger.

I quicken my pace so I can put as much distance between me and the house, just in case Damian notices I’m gone.

I’ve been walking for a long while when I hear another car. I wave my arms as it gets closer, praying this one will stop.

It slows and bright lights flash over me. Anxiety eats at my insides until the car pulls up next to me. It’s not a car. It’s one of those homes-on-wheels things. I don’t know what they call them. RVs? Hell if I know. There is a middle-aged woman behind the wheel, and she’s smiling.

“Honey,” her heavy accent drags the word out, “what’s a little thing like you doing out alone in the middle of the night?”

“I need a ride, please.” My tone is tense but still hopeful. She’s a woman, a smiling one – that’s a good sign, right?

“Hop on in then,” the woman says with a concerned look on her face. I quickly open the door and get in before my fear makes me run back to Damian. Once she pulls back onto the road I sigh with relief.

“You running from someone?” she asks just like that, without wasting any time.

I stare wide-eyed at her, not sure what to tell her. I didn’t think the leaving thing through.

“Don’t need to tell me, but a little thing like you running around in the middle of the night, now that’s real dangerous. I’m figuring you’re running from someone more dangerous?”

“I’m … ahh … just traveling,” I blurt out the first excuse that comes to mind. I still have my South African accent so the excuse should work.

She gives me a once over and smirks. “With no bag? You’re backpacking through Chesnee with nothing but the clothes on your back? Why would someone wanna see this little old town?” She looks at me as if I’m some escaped lunatic.

I don’t even know where I am. How screwed up is that?

“I like quiet places.” It’s the only defense I can come up with.

“Annie Wilson. That’s my name. You can just call me Annie, like everyone else.” She starts to ramble. “I’m heading home. Came here for my sister’s funeral. Awful bout of lung infection took her in the end. Told her the weed was no good for her but she kept smoking that stuff faster than she could grow it.”

I stare. I tell myself to stop staring - it’s not polite to stare and who am I to judge?

“But no, she kept saying it was good for her ailments. Well, she ain’t got no ailments no more.” Annie sighs and I finally tear my eyes from her rosy cheeks and tearing eyes. “So yeah, I’m heading back home.” She glances at me and then says, “It’s in Lackawaxen, a small historic town in Pennsylvania. Moved up there when I got married. The old man used to work for the local lumber company, but then he went on to greener pastures. I have a few acres of land outside of town. It keeps me going. I work the ground, or hell, the ground works me.” She chuckles. “We have an understanding. What I put in it gives back.” She keeps quiet and I glance at her. She takes a deep breath and my stomach ties up in knots. “I sure don’t know where you’re heading, but that’s where the road is taking me. You’re welcome to tag along.”

“That’s it?” I blurt out. “You’re just going to let me go with you?” My mouth hangs open.

“I don’t sit in church and pretend to be what I’m not,” she says. “I believe that the Lord works in mysterious ways. It’s not what you give Him between those four walls that matters, it’s what you do to his children when they come asking for your help. I’m sure as hell not gonna be saying no to my Lord when He sends me one of his flock to take care of.”

Now I’m the one staring at her as if she has escaped from the nuthouse. Is this woman for real? Talking about God and flocks and stuff?

“I won’t be asking what you’re running from. You’re welcome to come my way. There’s work I can give you. You’ll feed yourself. Annie sees a lost one, and she sure ain’t gonna show you the door.” I look at the door and consider jumping, not sure if the woman is all there upstairs.

But I don’t jump. Of course I stay, because I’m a coward and this is the easy way out.

We’ve stopped three times for gas before I get out to go to the toilet. I use the toilet quickly, not closing the door all the way. Damian won’t come running to save my butt this time.

After I’ve washed my hands I take the passport and I.D from my pocket so I can inspect them. I need to know what my new identity is so I can at least give Annie a name. When I open the passport and see the name, I feel a piece of me crumble away. I stare at the name until tears well in my eyes.

The face is mine, but it’s a much younger and happier me. He must’ve gotten it from Uncle Tom.

But the name … Karen Weston. He gave me his name. Back when he hardly knew me. The little card shows my face, my new name and his address. Chesnee, South Carolina.

I look at the passport and I swallow hard. He did all of this for me. He was going to take me in and look after me from the start. It wasn’t just a fly-by-night, hero trip he was on.

Did I do the right thing leaving him? Was he a friend after all?

“Honey, did you fall in?” Annie calls from outside.

“No,” I croak. I clear my throat and quickly wipe the tears from my cheeks. “I’m coming.” I shove the documents in my pocket and flush the toilet so Annie will think I was using it all this time. I square my shoulders and when I walk out I lift my chin and smile at Annie.

“I’m Karen Weston, and thank you for letting me come with you.”

“Pleasure meeting you, Karen.” She smiles but her eyes search my face as if she knows I’m giving her a fake name.

We head back to the RV but before I get in I look down the road. For a moment I have the insane thought of going back to Damian. I’ll be safe there. I’ll have some sort of a home.

Damian
…

I shake my head hard and get in. I can’t go back to so much uncertainty, but I will take a piece of him with me.

The road is long and I can’t sleep. We drive forever and then some. Night becomes day, which becomes night again. Time just blurs right by me. We might as well be halfway to Africa already for all I know.

Annie talks a lot. I mean the woman must’ve swallowed a gramophone because she just doesn’t stop. After a while her voice is a hum and I nod and say yes to show interest, until she hits the palm of her hands on the steering wheel in excitement. My eyes dart to her and I frown when I see the huge smile on her face.

“Really! You think that would be a great idea? I think so, too,” she babbles.

I lift my head from the window and look at her. She’s a happy looking lady, a bit on the large side, but it makes her look all the more friendly. Her brown hair is graying at the sides, her brown eyes soft.

“Why did you think it’s a great idea?” I try to fish. I have no idea what I just agreed to.

“Well, I’ve wanted to try the wholesale thing for a while now, but I never had someone to help me work the land. With you there it might just work,” she explains.

Oh, hell no. I’m not starting a farming thing with her. I take a breath and stare back out the window. Maybe I can somehow disappear at one of the stops. But I know I won’t because I’m a coward.

“We’re almost there,” she suddenly says.

I look around me and I’m stunned by the beauty around me. Everything is so green! It’s all just a wide open space of green.

When we pull into a dirt road, I get out to open a rusted gate. It rattles as it swings. We drive quite a way up the dirt road before we get to a house. It’s simple looking. An almost flat roof, wooden structure stands practically in the middle of nothing.