vittanos willow (18 page)

concern.

“She’s sleeping it off. Dez is staying with her tonight.” Ross

picked up a fork full of pasta and looked at it before setting it back

down. “She’ll be okay, Osten.”

“I don’t understand why she didn’t come to me,” he muttered.

“CJ has known Dez much longer.”

“And she is pissed at me,” Osten said.

“Give her some time.”

“I don’t know if I have any time to give; someone is after her

and I’ll be
damned
if I let someone hurt her.”

Chantoya was on edge as she drove to work. Worrying her bot-

tom lip as she maneuvered through the streets of Virginia Beach, she

fought down the remaining bit of nausea she still had. As she pulled

into the parking lot of the school, she sat there for a moment after

turning the SUV off.

Heaving a sigh of resignation, she flipped open her cell phone

and scrolled through the list of contacts. Her heart constricted as she

saw Osten’s name. CJ scrolled the total list twice before she made up

her mind and pressed the call button.

By the time she headed into the interior of the high school her

phone was off and she strove to look as put together as she normally

did. Mikhail was waiting for her and she felt comfort in having him at

her side going to her classroom.

The entire day, Chantoya was tense. When she needed some-

thing to drink, she broke down and got something out of the vending

machine. She figured that if someone was going to attempt another

drugging, taking something out of a vending machine would be a way

to thwart that person. Still, she hesitated before drinking it.

As she walked out of the school at the end of the day, it was no

surprise to see the man waiting beside her vehicle. Ajani Jackson stood

there, his strong form bundled up against the cold weather. “Hello,

Ajani,” CJ said softly.

His observant, dark eyes held hers before briefly moving over

her as if checking on her wellbeing. They assessed the deepest part of

her, a part she wasn’t ready to look at yet. When CJ sniffed once, softly,

his powerful arms widened and opened in silent invitation.

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There was no hesitation as she walked into them. The comfort-

ing smell of his cologne and the strength in his embrace made her feel

so much better.

“You should have called one of us,” he said as he moved her

closer to the warmth of his body.

CJ couldn’t say a single word as the tears erupted again. Her

fingers tightened in the wool of his coat. The wind picked up, sending

wave after wave of biting cold through them both. Still he held her in

silence.

Ajani looked around the school lot and made a decision. “They

are waiting for us at my house. Let’s go.”

Wiping her eyes and nose with the embroidered monogrammed

handkerchief Ajani offered, she nodded her understanding. “I’ll be right

behind you.”

Instead of answering her, Ajani walked her around to the pas-

senger side and assisted her in the vehicle. Moments later, his large

frame settled behind the wheel and he soon had them driving down the

road to his house.

Her brothers played twenty questions with her before they

seemed semi-appeased. Soon she was curled up on the couch, covered

by a warm blanket and drinking hot cocoa topped with large colored

marshmallows, whipped cream, and shaved cocoa.

Each one of her larger–than-life brothers sat around her. In their

hands they had a drink as well. Slowly she met each gaze. Ajani’s

medium brown ones, Binh’s darker brown ones, and Thurston’s intense

blue ones.

“And so what do we do now?” Binh asked. Everyone knew

what he wanted to do—find the person and kick his ass three ways

from Sunday. The other brothers echoed that sentiment.

“I’m just going to have to be much more careful,” CJ said with

more calm than she felt. “Keep my drinks near me at all times.”

“What is the school doing?” Ajani questioned.

“I don’t know. I informed them what happened, and they were

going to let others know. But it isn’t exactly going to be easy to find out

who did it.” She took a long drink of her cocoa.

Thurston looked at her and asked, “Who do you think did this?”

CJ didn’t even know she had captured her lower lip in her teeth

and had begun to worry it. Did she feel strongly enough about what she

had concluded about Osten? Strongly enough to accuse him?

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What about what Ross had said? Could she trust him, or was he

just sticking up for a friend?

“Chipmunk?” Thurston waved his hand in front of her. “Who

do you think did this?”

Blinking rapidly she avoided his gaze for a while. “I…I don’t

know.”

The three brothers looked at one another but didn’t dispute her

claims. It took a bit of convincing, but they finally agreed to let her go

home, alone.

Osten swore as he looked at the cameras before him, his body

rigid with anger as he envisioned this pervert watching his Chantoya.

Who was this fuck?!

He had pulled cameras out of every room in her place, including

ones in the bathroom directed at the shower and toilet, so the snoop

could watch her every second of everyday.

Glancing down at his watch, Osten noted the time and realized

he needed to go. Cracking open the door, he glanced up and down the

hall before he picked up the box and left.

On his way home, he swung by the house of a friend and

dropped off the cameras to see what could be picked up from them.

Then as he turned onto General Booth Boulevard, he pondered on his

next move.

It was as if his car made up his mind for him, for it veered off

onto the road that took him to her apartment complex. He parked and

waited for her to return from wherever she was. There was no way he

wasn’t going to talk to her. He had to know how she was doing.

He waited throughout the setting of the sun. As the temperature

dropped he still sat motionless and kept his eyes on her parking spot. It

was well after ten when he saw her get out of her brothers’ SUV and go

into the complex.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

On the other side of the thick door, CJ froze as the sound echoed

throughout her living room. Her palms grew damp and she felt the

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Aliyah Burke

beads of sweat beginning to form across her forehead.
Damn it! I don’t

deserve to be scared in my own home!

CJ’s throat grew dry and the knocking came again. Her knees

almost gave out as she heard a deep voice call out to her through the

door.

“CJ, come on. Open up.”

Slowly she cracked it open, leaving the chain in place. Osten

stood on the other side staring at her. His eyes were guileless and yet

full of concern. “What?” Her voice still shook. “What do you want?”

“Let me in, CJ.” His deep voice flowed in through the crack and

over her body.

It was totally unexplained and yet, CJ felt the sting of tears wash

over her. She craved to be held in his embrace. Her brothers had made

her feel safe, but she knew it would pale in comparison to how the arms

from this man would feel.

He stood there, one hand deep in the pocket of his dark-gray

slacks while the other rested against the doorjamb. His long sleek coat

hung past his knees and covered the majority of his navy blue turtle-

neck. Those dark, cocoa eyes were totally centered upon her.

Chantoya opened and then shut her mouth. She didn’t want to

argue with him. She wanted to be held by him, kissed by him. Made to

feel safe, special, and loved by him. Closing the door slightly she undid

the chain before swinging it back open.

He strode through the door; each step demonstrated the raw

power his body contained. While she closed the door behind him, he

removed his leather trench and tossed it causally over the back of the

chair she had positioned by the door.

Osten turned his head and stared at the woman who was facing

away from, seemingly staring off into space. His eyes traveled over the

form-fitting workout pants she wore, that were the same shade of red as

the streak in her hair. They moved up and took in the white sweatshirt

that covered the top half of her gorgeous body.

Her hair was free and he could see the red streak of dyed hair as

it intermingled with the darker strands. As he watched her, his obser-

vant gaze took in the way her slight body seemed to tremble, with what

he wasn’t entirely positive, but he would find out.

He waited for her to turn around and face him. The uncertainty

in her eyes rocked him to the core. One step brought him closer to her.

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123

As her eyes widened, Osten didn’t slow; he stopped immediately before

her and gathered her into his arms.

“I’m so sorry, baby. I’m so sorry,” he murmured as his hands

rubbed her back.

“I couldn’t walk on my own,” she began blubbering. “Someone

put Rohypnol in my system.” Her fingers clutched him tighter. “I don’t

understand why.”

Osten had to forcibly relax his body as her words instantly in-

flamed his protective instincts again. He had an idea why someone

would do that to her and it had to do with the cameras he had found.

Relax, man, relax. She’s in your arms, now.

“Why didn’t you call me? Why didn’t you tell me what hap-

pened?” Osten dropped his head so he was nuzzling her hair. Like

usual, the smell she wore wound itself around him and escorted him

deeper into her web.

With a soft sniff, CJ pulled back and looked up at him with a to-

tally surprised expression on her face. “Why would I call you?”

His expression remained blissfully blank as he stared at her.

“Because you are important to me and I hope I am important to you.”

He shook his head slightly. “But maybe not.”

“Don’t act all stupid,” she admonished, pushing him further

away. “I had no idea where you were, if you were busy. I knew Dez

would most likely available to help me.” Her eyes hardened for a

second. “Besides, I still haven’t forgiven you for trying to put that

camera in here.”

Osten refused to allow her to maintain a distance between them.

A low growl erupted from his chest as he yanked her back into his

embrace. “I didn’t try to plant anything. I know what it looked like, but

damn it, Chantoya, that isn’t me. Not with you!”

Her body trembled with the rumbles that rolled from his chest

as he spoke. She couldn’t step back, for his arms were like vices around

her. Giving into the inevitable, CJ collapsed against him.

The second Osten realized he was feeling her total surrender, he

offered up a silent prayer to God. Her trust in him made him feel

invincible and he knew even more, if that were possible, there was

nothing he wouldn’t do to keep her safe.

Reaching to the switch that was behind her, Osten turned off the

light so the apartment was enveloped in darkness. Tonight she was

wearing a subtle tropical smell; it made the cold weather outside

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Aliyah Burke

obsolete. He wanted to bury himself in her—heart, body, and mind.

Everything about her called out to him.

His dark eyes closed and he just held her, kept Chantoya Willow

Jackson close to his heart. His nose buried deep in her silken hair, he

committed this moment to memory.

I know we can work this out, baby. I know we can.
Osten released

her when she made a motion to leave his embrace. Still, nothing on the

face of this earth could stop the grin that filled his features as her soft

hand took his and pulled him down the hall to her bedroom.

Broken glass, twisted metal, and paint chips were all over the

floor. Every single monitor was broken in some way. There were holes

in the wall made by fists and other objects.

The man leaned heavily on the bat that was in one hand. His

chest heaved with exertion and his eyes were dark with uncontrollable

rage. As he looked around his place he felt another wave of rage build-

ing within him. Not only for the fact had he lost his visual on his CJ, but

also because his plans had gone awry.

Eyes flashed in anger as the fingers around the bat, clenched and

unclenched numerous times, not sure of what to do. Finally the man

gave into the fury that filled his strong body and began to swing the bat

again.

Busted items were smashed even smaller as he delivered blow

after blow. Holes enlarged from the swings shattering into the drywall

time and time again.

This time when it was over, the man sank to the floor with ex-

haustion. With the anger depleted he really didn’t have much left

within him for the moment. So he sat there, among the tornado-stricken

room. His eyes drifted closed as he fought for clarity and the answer for

what needed to be done next.

Osten rolled over in bed and hit an empty spot where there used