Saving Ella (16 page)

             
I had to get out of Mercy’s and fast. If I didn’t I was going to start mauling Ella like a sex crazed fool. Fuck she was simply beautiful, inside and out. She was perfect and there was absolutely no way I was going to be able to keep a professional distance. As far as I was concerned, she was mine. I glanced down at the picture of Mercy. It was flawlessly stunning. Ella got it right in one simple elegant sketch. She had the weary look in her face that Mercy always wore, but the strong determined eyes that made her who she was. Ella seemed to be able to sketch people honestly, seeing in their eyes and faces what most others would likely miss. I ran a hand through my tangled mess of hair. Shit, my memory was burned with the scent and feel of Ella. As my fingers had touched her face I had almost trembled with the exquisite hunger that surged through my body for this woman. When I placed my palm over her chest, right over the delectable rise of her breast, I thought my body would explode. There was no fear in her eyes, she was not scared of me. What I did see there floored me though, trust. How in such a short time had I gained this angels trust? One thing I knew for sure, I would not betray it, and I would not fail her like I had Sarah. It was in that moment, on my knees before Ella that I realized something monumental. Something that I felt needed to be marked in my life permanently in the form of a picture, a song, another tattoo maybe? This was the moment I realized I was in love with Ella.

             
Fuck, I loved her. I had never loved a girl before. Not like this. I loved Mercy, I adored women. I spent a good portion of my life showing women just how much I adored them. But this was different. Sure I wanted her just like any red blooded male would, but I could see Ella as my forever girl. I could picture her in my home, in my bed, all tussled and cute. I could picture her with a ring on her finger and a baby in her belly. I groaned loudly. I was done for, Ella owned me and I would likely do anything for her. A sucker punch to the head wouldn’t have floored me any less.

              The next morning when I arrived back at Mercy’s I kept a careful distance from Ella, I didn’t want to overwhelm her. Thankfully she left for work soon after I arrived which gave me a little room to actually get my body under control and use my brain for longer than a few minutes. She had seemed quietly happy before she left, casting shy glances my way every now and again. It made me wonder what experience she had had with men. She didn’t flirt and act like other girls her age did, but having been hurt by a man would certainly dampen any desire to try and attract members of the opposite sex. She blushed so easily though, and I had caught her more than once watching my body carefully, as if seeing a man for the first time. She was an artist so perhaps it was simply attention to detail. Hey eyes were filled with a familiar look that wasn’t at all clinical, the raging blush in her cheeks told me that much. She was young, Annie had admitted that she thought she was a teenager, but Ella had confessed to her that she was twenty-two. Twenty-two was too old to be a virgin, surely. Damn, I was now imagining myself sinking into that beautiful little body and my raging dick was demanding attention, right in the middle of Mercy’s fucking kitchen!

 
              “Are you reading tea leaves or something?” Her voice was so familiar and welcome I couldn’t stop the stupid grin that crept over my face. I was man enough to admit I had missed her today and man enough to admit I knew she finished work at five and it was now a little after seven. My shift had been relieved over an hour ago but I refused to leave until I knew Ella was back and safe. Where had she been the last two hours? I made sure to keep my front to the sink, I didn’t want to scare her with the bulge in my jeans.

             
“Good evening angel. Where’ve you been?”

             
“I went with Annie to look at apartments.”

             
“And?”

             
“And they found a really nice place down town. It has two bedrooms so Eli can have his own room. It’s clean and the super said he hasn’t seen a rat in months.” Ella chuckled and I couldn’t help but smile along with her. “They move in on Sunday and Annie invited me over for pizza that night to celebrate.” She looked wistful. “I’ve never been invited to someone’s place for dinner before.” Her voice was so low I almost missed her confession.

             
“Really?” I tried not to sound surprised, but hell, I was and I guess I couldn’t help but sound it. Ella nodded.

             
“How old were you when you left home?”

             
“Seventeen, almost eighteen.”

“Before that, you never went out with your parents, maybe to their friends place for dinner?” She shook her head.

              “My mom was kind of embarrassed of me. I was sort of rebellious as a teenager and she was embarrassed by some of the things I did. She was also a bit of a perfectionist, she liked everything to be orderly, tidy, I wasn’t. I liked jeans, she liked dresses. I liked my hair messy, hers was perfectly tidy. I liked boy shorts and sports bras, she had to have Victoria’s Secret. I wasn’t the daughter she had hoped for.” I was pissed, her mom sounded like a fucking bitch. Shit, her mom sounded like Selena.

             
“What about your dad?” Now I was pushing. I wanted to know more, and I knew I should just let her offer the information when she was ready, but screw that. She trusted me, I knew she did. Time for a bit of Ella’s history, as painful as I knew it would be to hear, I needed to know. Ella fiddled with the cup, examining it like it was a fine work of art.

             
“My dad died when I was thirteen. He didn’t really have friends. He had work colleagues, he worked a lot. He had to keep mother happy and financed. We ate in, always. He made sure at least he and I sat down to dinner every night, mother was out, a lot.” I leant against the bench settling in for what I hoped was a long and thorough discussion. She had my full undivided attention.

             
“I’m sorry he died, he sounded like a good man, someone who would have protected you.” Ella’s breath seemed to hitch and she tried not to look at me. I placed my finger under her chin and turned her to face me. “How did your dad die?”

             
“Heart attack,” two simple words that obviously tore a little girl’s life apart. “In our kitchen. We were home alone, as usual mother was away. I called the ambulance and he was taken to the hospital. I sat there alone until midnight when mother finally stumbled in, tipsy from too many cocktails. She had promised to be home for dinner but obviously she was late. I didn’t get to see my dad. She took me home and we buried him a week later.” Her voice was emotionless and it broke my heart. We were on a roll and I had no intention of stopping now.

“Who hurt you Ella?” She breathed deeply and seemed to be finding the strength to continue.
Her thumb began to trace the scar on her opposite wrist in a methodical motion. Clearly she was oblivious to what she was actually doing. It was a habit, something she did when this man came into her thoughts. 

             
“Marcus, my step-father.” I held back my sneer, I wanted to kill this man. “Mother married six months after daddy died. I knew Marcus would hurt me, I saw it in his eyes.” Even at thirteen she was far too perceptive.

             
“Did you ask for help? Go to the police?” I knew she would bristle at my questions, but I had to know. I needed to know who had failed her so I could bring a world of hurt into their lives. She did indeed stiffen at my words and her sharp eyes focused on me.

             
“I was a mess Jax. I did stupid things after my dad died and Marcus came into our lives. First it was just to embarrass him and my mom, but later it was a way to escape. I used drugs, drank, slept around.” She was watching me closely to gage my response and I was careful to keep the look on my face neutral. I had no doubt she expected me to dislike what she was saying, and I did, though not likely for the reasons she would assume. I hated that she was thrust into that life, that she did those things to escape someone who had betrayed her, who was supposed to protect her, regardless of whether he was her biological father or not. “I was in trouble with the police more than once, I couldn’t go to them, they thought I was your typical delinquent teenager and Marcus had a friend on the force anyway. He always made sure I was found, dealt with and placed back into the hands of my step-father. After I was hospitalized for my apparent suicide attempt there was no way any one would ever believe me.” I hated hearing the mess her life had become. Her dad had loved her, made a good start for her then between her selfish mother and abusive step-father, it had all fallen down around her.

             
“What about the bruises. Surely people saw them, asked questions?”

             
“If they were on my face Marcus kept me home. He’s a pretty successful business man, he has an office at home so he didn’t need to leave the house and he could make sure I stayed put. I tried to escape once, but the police found me and delivered me back to him with a bow and all. That’s when he did this.” She rubbed her wrists. I shook my head with frustration.

“I was biding my time, waiting until I turned eighteen so I could leave without
having to worry about being returned, but that’s when he tried to rape me. That’s when I left.” Mother fucker!

“
I knew Marcus had a gun in his office and I was able to get the drawer open and grab the gun. I wanted to kill him so bad, but I couldn’t do it. He hit me like my life was nothing to him, he cut my wrists and let me bleed to within an inch of my life just to prove he could do whatever the fuck he wanted with me, and I couldn’t hurt him. What does that say about me?”

“It says that you are more human than he is angel. It says that you realize how precious life is and you aren’t as willing to take it as he is. It means you’re nothing like that sick fuck.” I couldn’t maintain the distance between us anymore. I reached forward and pulled her hand away from her wrist and held it tightly in mine.

“Well, I ran. That’s what I’ve been doing for the last four years. That’s my story Jax. The whole ugly fucked up game between
my step-father and I.” My hands were trembling and I couldn’t stop them. My heart was pounding with anger. This asshole had beaten her, cut her, manipulated her and tried to rape her. I could hardly believe this tiny little angel was still alive after everything she had been through. I should have expected it though, she was a defiant little spitfire and there was no way she was going to let this fucker ruin her.

             
“I didn’t go to the police because of this,” she turned over her arm showing me her scars again. “I was in the system I had a therapist. It was my word against his.” Son of a bitch knew what he was doing.

             
“Your mother?” I somehow managed to spit out even though my jaw was locked shut with anger.

             
“She couldn’t care less. She either turned a blind eye or believed Marcus. He was good at pretending and faking it. She was away a lot, travelling. I was in therapy that was good enough for her.” I would never hit a woman, but right now, I might just make an exception. Ella’s mother was a first class royal bitch. I would like to say she didn’t deserve to be a mother, but then there would be no Ella, and if I was to be honest, I don’t think my life would be complete without Ella in it. Funny how after only a few days I could happily accept that notion.

             
“What’s his full name, Marcus what?” She blinked those beautiful brown eyes calm and steady.

             
“Why?”

             
“I need to know where the fucker is Angel. I need to know if he is still a threat to you.” She simply stared at me, no tears in her eyes, only determination.

             
“He will always be a threat to me, he is a successful business man and I am the only one that knows the truth about who he really is.” I shook my head.

             
“As you said, it’s your word against his. He’s not stupid, he’s wrangled your life in such a way that he never has to look bad. He probably couldn’t care less where you are right now, but I need to check it out. I have to know you are safe Angel. Anyway, living like you have been, running, hiding, that’s him still controlling you.” She didn’t answer me, chewing her bottom lip as she thought, looking far too sexy for the vulnerable woman she was right now.

             
“I don’t know Jax. I’ve kept myself safe by running, staying out of the system. If you start looking into something it might alert him. He has friends in the police force.” I shook my head, still holding her wrist, my thumb running comforting circles over her scars.

             
“I know people too Ella. I’m military, I have connections. I can do this so no one but you and I will ever know. Please, let me protect you.” I could see her mind working over my words, considering them.

             
“I need control Jax. He took that away from me, I can’t give that up, not for anybody.”

             
“I know angel. I don’t want to control you I just want to make sure you’re safe.” She sighed and I could feel the defeat in her body as she slumped forward a little.