Safer With You (8 page)

Her eyes are closed, her breathing shallow, her hair is darker than last night, due to the blood clinging to it. Several gashes and bruises litter her face. Her eyes are swollen and her lip is cut. She looks nothing like the beauty she was last night.

Rage flows through me. I have met some of the most evil people in this world, but never have I seen such a beautiful person affected this way and couldn’t fathom who could do this to her. I’m going to find this son of a bitch and they are already dead.

I cradle Nora’s battered head and reach for my cell, dialing 9-1-1. I tell them what’s going on, her condition and location.

I know from experience that I should keep her in the car and wait for the paramedics, but the need to have her safe in my arms overrides any logic. As I try to move her body closer to mine, I feel resistance. She’s tied to the mother fucking metal hooks on the bottom of her seat.

I tell the person on the phone what’s going on and she reassures me that help is on the way. I don’t give a shit anymore; I’m going to get her out of that car.

I know I have plenty of tools to break her free, but I can’t bring myself to leave her. I crawl deeper into the car and sit in the driver’s seat and hold her awkwardly in my arms. No movement, no noises…just her shallow breaths.

My eyes scour the back seat, looking for anything to break her free. I find nothing; in fact, her car is immaculate. Her purse is the only thing in the back. It’s the one she was carrying last night.

I’m running out of time. What could I use? Running on instinct, I use my bare hands to undo the rope. My fingernails dig in; it’s thick and tied in an intricate knot. I can feel my nails ripping as I try to untie the stubborn knot.

My flesh continues to rip open as I work. I stand up on my knees to gain better leverage and use all my strength, until finally, by the grace of God, she is free. I reach over her and try the other knot.

This one easily comes undone. It isn’t tied well…almost like whoever did this ran out of time. That must be the reason she’s sitting in the passenger seat; they were taking her somewhere and got caught.

I slide my hands under her head to keep it from falling forward and place the other hand on her face, caressing it like I did last night. I try again to wake her.

I speak softly but sternly, “Wake up, Nora. You’re safe now, but I need you to wake up. I’m not leaving. Do you hear me? You’re safe.”
 

I chant the same words over and over, until finally, her eyelids flutter open. Her honey brown eyes stare into my tortured blue and relief fills me immediately.

“Hey. Nora. You’re alright.” I know I’m smiling. How could I not? I gently rub her forehead, the only place on her face that doesn’t look bruised, as I speak softly. “Talk to me, gorgeous, where are you hurting?”

She coughs and rolls her head away from me. I gingerly move her head to face me. “Don’t do that; don’t look away. Stay with me, right with me.”

Nora groans and it’s the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard. She twitches slightly to move her arm. “No, baby, don’t move. I’ve got you; just stay still.”

I ask her again, “Where does it hurt? I need to find where you’re bleeding from.”

God, there is so much blood. I’m not able to tell where it’s coming from.
 

She coughs, trying to mumble something. I can’t understand her, so I put my ear closer to her mouth, hoping she’ll repeat it, and she whispers, “Cold, so cold.”

Fuck this! I need to get her out of this death trap. Reluctantly, I let her go and almost lose my footing tripping over something. When I look down to see what it is, a knife is glistening on the ground.

I’ll deal with the knife later. I need to focus on her. I round the vehicle and cautiously open the door. When I do, she automatically falls towards me. Sliding my arms around her and picking her up, I’m careful not to jostle her, slowly walking from the car with her securely in my arms.

My eyes roam around for a spot that is a safe distance away from the car. Finding a grassy spot under an oak tree, I gingerly set her down. Nora coughs again, her eyes flutter open again but quickly close.

Terrified, I put my face close to hers so I can hear her breath. Soft moans escape her. Feeling of relief and fear wash over me at the same time We settle onto the ground, I’m on my knee’s hovering over her.

I take my linen shirt off and cover her torso. I see a large blood stain on her left side. That fucker must have stabbed her. There is just a small rip in her dress.

Nora is a mess. I can’t believe anyone would harm her, especially like this. This is all my fault. I left her last night. She was safe with me and I walked away from her to take care of the senators business.

Where the fuck is the ambulance?
It’s been an eternity. She is making small noises, moans and groans that are shredding me. I protect criminals for a fucking living and I can’t protect a sweet ,beautiful, innocent, woman.

I can feel something inside me, not sure what it is though. Never have I had this kind of reaction to someone that has been hurt. So why am I reacting this way?

Whistles interrupt my thoughts.
Thank God
. I gently caress her cheek and she tries to say something; pain is etched on her face. “It’s ok, we’re going to get you fixed up.”

It’s all I can say to reassure her. I’m afraid to say more. A police car, an ambulance, and a fire truck trudge up the drive until they reach the guest house. I’m not even sure what the guest house looks like inside, if there was a struggle or what evidence is there. I’m too focused on her.

A part of me feels like I’m exactly where I need to be. The other, knows I should have left her and checked to see what this fucker did to my Uncle’s property. And if the attacker is still on the grounds.

Luckily, I spoke with my Uncle minutes before I arrived here, he spent the night with a friend.

“Sir, are you alright?” A large man is running towards me, his eyes assessing the situation. “I’m Officer Grant. Tell me what happened.”

Her head is resting on my knees and I have my hand over the gash on her side. I tell him about the horrific scene.

“Sir, I need you to take your hands off the girl and back away with your hands on your head.”

Before I can give him a response, Nora opens her eyes then stares at me. She’s still, too still. “Oh God, no…I don’t think she’s breathing, get the paramedics.”

The next few moments are chaotic. Paramedics yell at me to let her go; prying me from her. I’m being held by my arms by two men. Nora is picked up by two paramedics and they place her on a stretcher. I’m trying to break free but stop as I watch Nora - unmoving. The lights and sounds around me have diminished and all I can see is her.

I focus on the man placing an oxygen mask over her face. He is saying something to the other paramedic. I can’t understand them, trying to break free again from the men holding me, one of the paramedics starts CPR. He’s pushing on her chest. They move past me and whisk her into the ambulance.

My brain is screaming at me to look away but I can’t. She’s a stranger, she has only been in my life one night but I can’t seem to make myself leave or do what I know I should be doing.

Immediately I’m motionless, no longer struggling to get away but my eyes lock on the spot where I had been holding Nora. The blood stained grass confirms that everything that has happened is not a dream. My legs shake, give out and my knees slam to the ground.

I place my arms out in front to steady myself. From the distance, I can hear people talking about her; the patient, the car. Fireman descend around me and Officer Grant stops them.

“This is a crime scene, don’t touch anything or corrupt the crime scene. Sir, I need to get some information from you.”

I know what I’m supposed to be doing but I can’t make myself. I don’t know the outcome of this horrible morning. I want to go back to last night and tell the Senator I couldn’t help his worthless nephew. I want her to be ok - alive.

Officer Grant shakes my shoulder. “I need to ask you a few questions.”

“What?” I respond, blinking rapidly trying to focus on him.

All of a sudden the world around me comes to life. “Sir we need to ask you some questions. Are you hurt?” Only one police officer holding me now. My gaze falls to his fingers clamped on my arm.

“No I’m ok. Just give me a moment.” I inhale a sharp breath. Thinking back, I’ve been interrogated by the police more times than I can count. This is my job and what I’ve done all my life. “What the fuck is wrong with me?”

“Sir, what was that?”

“Nothing, look I’ll talk to you when we get to the hospital.” I need to get my shit together, then head to the hospital and see how Nora is. Slowly I stand, gaining strength with each breathe.

“I’m afraid that isn’t possible. Since it’s fresh in your mind I need you to give me all the information you can. Like where you might have been standing or how you found the victim. This will make for a better case, especially should the victim die.”

My stomach drops at his last words. The Officer is speaking like she’s already gone.

“What the fuck did you just say?” I want to throw this asshole to the ground, what the fuck is wrong with him. I’m filled with rage and my hands fisted at my side ready to plow him if I have to.

“Calm down or I’ll haul your ass in. You got that asshole? Maybe you did this to her? I see this is difficult for you, care to explain how you know her?” taunted Officer Grant.

I’ve dealt with officers like him many times. Bullying is not something I tolerate. This Officer has no idea what I’m capable of. All I have to do is make one phone call and his precious career vanishes.

“I get you’re doing your job, but I found her beaten and bloodied. Now do your goddamn job and find out who did this to her instead of wasting time questioning me.”

I’m inches from his unrelenting face and shouting at him. Probably seconds away from my ass in jail, I could care less. I’m at my limit with this asshole.

“Just start at the beginning, from when you woke up this morning.” Lucky for him a fire fighter interrupts. “Don’t go anywhere. I’m not taking any chances here. I’m not convinced you’re as innocent as you seem or want me to believe.” Officer Grant strides away from me towards the fire fighter.

Officer Grant picks the knife off the ground and places it in an evidence bag. I sink to the ground and take a few moment just to calm down. Needing to see her, I yank my phone out of my pocket and run through some contacts at the hospital but my phone rings disturbing me. Max’s name appears on my screen

“Hey man, sorry to call so early but I’m worried. Nora didn’t show up to take us to the airport. She must have overslept, do you think you can stop…” Max asks but I cut him off. I don’t want to tell him what I just saw but if anyone has to tell him, I want it to be me.

“Max, I’ve got something to tell you, where are you?”

“At the airport, we took a taxi, like I started to say Nora…”

“I know Max, I’m with her. Look I don’t know how to tell you this. Something has happened to Nora. Is Jenny close by?”

“Yeah, dude you’re scaring me, if you fucked with Nora in anyway…she’s not one of your girls, Jase.”

I try to remain calm after his comment. It’s easy to understand why he feels this way. My reputation with women sucks but Nora is different. “Don’t let Jenny hear this ok? She doesn’t need all the details yet.”

Max lets out a breath in frustration, “Just tell me what the hell is going on. I can barely hear you. Are those sirens I hear?” Panic surfaces in his voice.

“Listen, I had some business to deal with last night and when I came back to Uncle Joe’s, the guest house lights were on and…I found Nora in her car. She’s been beaten, Max. Badly. I’m not sure how she is, they won’t let me leave.”

“Who won’t let you leave? What do you mean you’re not sure how she is?”

Jenny is in the background. Max whispers something but I can’t understand him.

Needing to tell him what happened, “Max, they started CPR on her before she was taken by ambulance. The officer won’t let me go check on her, you need to call her parents and get to the hospital as soon as you can. I’ll find a way to get out of here soon.”

Max is silent and then says, “Were you with her last night?”

I internally groan, I knew he was going to ask me this. “I know what you’re thinking but we just talked, Max. Nothing happened.”

“We’re not done but I’m on my way.” Max hangs up.

When I look up from the phone, Officer Grant is in front of me and he’s staring at me like he’s seen a ghost.
He knows who I am
.

“I know you have had a horrible morning. My apologies for harassing you but I didn’t realize who you were. A call came in after I ran your plates. I was told to let you go with no further questions but I have one request.”

“Yeah, what’s that?” My voice triumphant.

“Don’t leave the area, Mr. Madsyn. I still have more questions for you.” He warns.

“I won’t.” There is only one place I want to be right now and that’s with Nora.

Chapter Eight

Jase

As I get in my car, my head floods with a million thoughts. Who and why, but the main question is, why do I even care? So I kissed her last night and asked her out? No big deal, except for some reason it is. There is something so different about her. The way she touches me and the way she looks at me. I can’t explain it, but whatever it is, I want more of it, of her.