Wanting More (4 page)

She pulled away from my touch. “Please just go. I’ll be fine. I just wanted to be alone.”

I looked around the parking lot. Aside from my truck and the bartender’s car on the other side of the building, she was all alone. If her bastard husband did this to her face, there was no telling what else he had done. I clenched my fists just imagining a guy beating on a woman. “Amy, get out of the car.”

She shook her head.

“I’m not askin’, I’m tellin’ ya. Get out of the fuckin’ car now.”

She shook her head again. “Conner, I can’t let Miranda see me like this. Please just go. I don’t want anyone to know. You have to promise me you won’t tell her. Please promise me.”

I knew that pulling her out of the car would have been too violent after what she’d been through, so I extended my hand out toward her. “I promise you will be safe and I won’t take you to the farm. Just trust me.”

She covered her face with her hands. “You’re the last person that I’ll trust.”

“God. Damn. It. woman, get out of the car. This has nothin’ to do with me. You need to go somewhere and get yourself cleaned up where you can be safe. Just come with me. I promise I won’t touch you. I just can’t leave you here like this. It ain’t fuckin’ right.”

I think she knew I wasn’t going to leave. With no more arguing, she climbed out of the car and grabbed her purse. I heard her hit the lock button on her car before following me to my truck. Once I got Amy in, I noticed the bartender giving me a dirty look as she headed to her own car.
There goes that piece of ass.

Amy didn’t waste any time asking where we were going. “Tell me where you’re taking me?”

I pulled off the main road and headed out of town. “Someplace safe for the night. Don’t argue with me about it.” She started to cry again and for some damn reason I reached over and covered the back of her hand with my own. “You’re safe now.” I moved my hand away before she could say anything. Her cries finally started to calm a little and she didn’t argue when I pulled into a motel. “Stay here and keep the doors locked. I’m goin’ to get us a couple of rooms to stay in for the night.”

She grabbed my hand before I could climb out. Her faced looked so bad against the florescent light of the vacancy sign. “Conner, I’ll pay you back for this.”

Maybe one day you can pay me back with your body.

“That ain’t necessary. Be right back.”

The little pervert at the front desk said there was only one available room, so I paid him and got the key. Amy wasn’t going to be thrilled, but there was no way I was going to leave her alone all night. She climbed out of the truck to meet me and we walked to the door with the number four on it. “Don’t get mad, but he only had one room to rent. I swear I ain’t goin’ to touch you, but I can’t leave you here all alone. Is this goin’ to be a problem?”

She walked into the room and dropped her bag. I saw what she was looking at.

One bed.

“I’ll sleep on the floor.”

She smiled and sat down on the bed, while I walked toward the bathroom to grab some rags and the ice bucket. Once she got situated, I went back to the truck and grabbed my overnight bag I still had in the back. For a while, I didn’t know whether I’d be spending the night with Brina in some random place. I knew there was at least one clean shirt in there that Amy could put on. When I got back with the bag and the ice, she was laying on a pillow crying again. I sat down beside her and watched as she turned around. I gently touched my fingers to her eye and then handed her a towel with ice wrapped in it. “Put this on your eye to keep it from swelling any worse. I had this bag in the truck. Help yourself to some clothes to sleep in. I don’t know if you noticed, but your shirt is ripped in the back and I know you don’t want to sleep in those jeans.”

“Why are you helping me?”

“I was taught to never lay a hand on a female. I don’t know your so called husband, but in my opinion, he’s a real piece of shit. I’d hate myself for not helpin’ you. My sister loves you and I know she would want me to do this.”

And I still want the chance to fuck you some day.

Chapter 4

Amy

How had I let myself get to where I was? Just when I had the slightest bit of hope that things were going to be okay, Rick walked into the house and started tossing me around like I was a ragdoll. Apparently, he had gotten a fine for not resting in between drives. I have no idea how it had become my fault, but he claimed that he was so worried about my cheating ways that he was trying to finish sooner and get home to catch me in the act.

I tried to defend myself, but he was so much bigger than me. Before I knew it, I was crashing down to the floor in terrible pain. He continued to kick me in my side and stomach until walking away and turning on the television like he’d never done anything wrong.

I don’t know how long I laid balled up in that corner, but when I heard him snoring, I grabbed my keys and never looked back. I was sure that I would never be discovered behind that building. I considered going to the salon, but that would be the first place he came looking for me.

The last person I expected to see was that asshole Conner and more so was the fact that he was offering to keep me safe. Since I’d just gotten the shit beat out of me, it wasn’t hard for him to convince me to go with him. I was more upset with Miranda finding out than Conner seeing what Rick had done.

The motel had one bed and it was the last place I’d ever want to be, but made me feel the safest once Conner was sitting there next to me. I couldn’t help but let the tears fall. If I wanted to get away from Rick, I knew I’d have to leave my whole life and career behind me. I had to go somewhere that he couldn’t find me and to do that I needed money, which I didn’t have enough of.

I finally got my sobs down to a few sniffles. “Thank you for this Conner.”

He pulled the ice rag away from my face. “Don’t mention it. Is there anything I can do? I think I have some Tylenol in the truck. Why don’t you get yourself cleaned up while I go get it?” He held his hands up like he was surrendering then crossed his heart with one hand. “I promise that I won’t try anything. All pun aside; this ain’t the place for anything like that. Just try to relax now that you’re safe.”

I watched Conner walk out of the motel room before I got up and walked into the bathroom. Nothing could have prepared me for the way my face looked. Rick didn’t aim low and the proof was apparent. There was no concealing these injuries. I went through Conner’s bag and noticed that he even had toiletries, not that I needed his toothbrush or men’s deodorant.

I jumped when I heard the door opening and peeked around the corner to see Conner. He had two cans of soda and a bottle of medicine. “You alright?”

“Yeah, just making sure it was you.” I moved back in the bathroom and closed the door to change my shirt. I grabbed the first t-shirt that I could find and slipped it over my head. My arms hurt so much, but not more than my sides. I was taken aback by the smell of the shirt. Although it was freshly laundered, it still had a hint of some kind of cologne. I recognized it immediately from being around him before. I picked up the collar and smelled it again, just as Conner walked in front of the door.

“Does it smell bad?” I was so embarrassed.

“No, the cologne is nice.”

He handed me the medication and a soda with a half-smile across his face. “Take these before the pain gets worse.”

“Are you a pro at getting beaten up? Are you some kind of boxer?” I had to know more about him, even if I secretly hated him, I just had to know. Besides, talking about anything was better than discussing me.

He started laughing as he walked away. “Nope, not a boxer.”

“So you got beat up a lot?”

I sat down on the bed beside him, making sure to take my time so it didn’t hurt so much. He slid down on the floor in front of me and placed his hands on my knees, making me very nervous. “Hold still.” His large hand got a hold of the edge of my shirt and lifted it up to reveal my skin. My body began shaking and it wasn’t from being cold. I was afraid to be touched. I closed my eyes, because I knew what he was looking for. When I opened them again, he was looking right at me with an angry look on his face. “Take off your shirt.”

I pushed him away. “Screw you!”

He sat back up and shook his head. “Dammit woman, do you want to stop breathing because you punctured a freakin’ lung? Let me see the damage. I can promise you that I’ve seen my share of naked women and have no interest in having sex with you.”

That hurt! I didn’t want him, but that really hurt to hear.

“You’re an asshole.” I lifted my shirt a little further up. He was telling the truth as he guided me to lay down on the bed and started tracing his fingers around my bruises.

He laughed at my comment, but continued to look at my skin. “I was the youngest of the cousins. When we were younger, I was always the guinea pig. I got beat up from doin’ stupid shit more times that I can count. I fell out of a tree one time and broke a couple ribs. Another time I fell off a horse. They had to take me to the hospital because when I went to go to bed I turned a certain way and I couldn’t breathe right. I was just makin’ sure that you were alright, darlin.”

I could smell the cologne as he touched me and even though he was fully clothed, I could see the form of his hot ass body underneath. As his fingers continued to trail over my sensitive skin, the goosebumps covered my body. I knew he could see them forming, but he said nothing. I took my shirt and pulled it back down. ‘I’m fine. Thanks for checking, though.”

He sat down in front of me and shook his head. “I ain’t all bad, you know.”

“You ain’t all good either.” I mocked him.

“That’s not what I’ve been told.”

I hated his cocky ass. Who really believes they are that good?

“Good thing I never care to find out.”

He reached over and grabbed my hand, playing with my wedding ring and looked into my eyes again. His green eyes were hypnotizing me. “Good thing you have this, cause it’s the only thing keepin’ me from provin’ it.”

I made my way slowly to the top of the bed and crawled under the covers, while Conner sat on the floor watching me. “You may as well talk to yourself, because I’ve had enough of the ‘Conner is Awesome show’ for the night.” I leaned over and turned out the light, getting myself comfortable to try and go to sleep. As soon as I did it, I realized that I’d stopped crying and had almost forgotten what had gotten me here. I sat straight up and saw Conner sitting in the same spot on the floor. When he smiled at me and waved, I rolled my eyes and laid back down.

I wasn’t about to thank someone who was being so cocky. He didn’t need praise; he needed to be kicked in the balls.

Of course, I laid there awake, replaying the whole night in my mind. I’d done nothing to provoke this new beat down that I received and as much as I wanted things to be better, they were getting worse by the second. I needed to save more money before he put me in the hospital. I needed to talk to my father and see if he would help me if I had to leave in a hurry.

I felt the mattress and turned to see Conner climbing in the bed beside me. “What are you doing?”

“I’m tired and the floors no good for my back. I won’t touch you, so don’t get yourself in a tizzy.”

I hated that he wasn’t interested at all. I mean, I know I was married, but every woman wants to feel wanted, even if they wouldn’t act on it. “Fine! Don’t you dare touch me, Conner. You stay on your side of the bed.”

“No problem, Blaze.”

“Blaze?”

He laughed and I watched him in the dim lit room pulling his shirt over his head. Oh my God he was built like a model and my nostrils filled with the sweet scent of him. I could see his white teeth smiling at me as he caught my stare. “You’re like a ball of fire. I think Blaze is appropriate.” He looked down at me. “See something you like?”

“No! I see a shallow prick, though.”

He laughed before turning the other way and covering up. “Would a shallow prick save you from sleeping in your car? Would he make sure you were safe and stay with you so you could actually get a good night’s sleep?”

“I would have said no, until I met you.” I wanted to smack him, but I was thoroughly enjoying looking at his tattooed muscular body.

He caught me off guard when he turned around and came face to face with me. “Amy, you don’t know me. You think you do, but you don’t. You can call me whatever you want, but I guarantee you that everything I say is the truth. Unless you want to take a ride on my love train, I think it’s best you stop calling me names.”

“Did you just say love train? Jesus, I am in bed with a male gigolo. This is the reason I got the shit beat out of me.”

I went to roll over, but Conner grabbed my arm and held it. “There ain’t no reason that son of a bitch put a hand on you. Even if you were having some hot affair, it still ain’t a reason. He should have just taken it up with the guy involved.”

A hot affair? Not in my lifetime…

“There’s no other man. I’ve never had an affair. In fact, he’s the one that cheated. According to him, there isn’t anyone that would want a piece of shit like me.”

He still had his hand on my arm and slowly sat it down in front of me.  I was taken back when he leaned his body over mine to reach over to turn on the light. His skin brushed against mine as he backed down to be beside me again. He had a couple tattoos on his arms of some kind of tribal art. On his chest were the initials C.H. in a cross, which I knew were his father’s initials. He caught me staring again and pulled my chin up to look at him. “My granddaddy beat on my grandma and after one drunken night left her paralyzed in a wheelchair after he threw her down the stairs. I never met him, but I heard the stories and know there is no reason for someone to beat on a woman like that. You may hate me, but I can promise you that I am a hell of a lot better than that asshole you are married to. Hell, he probably told you it was all your fault too.”

He had told me that, every single time.