CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE TRACE #2
I growled as my release pounded through me, and I held her, riding out the rest of the waves. I could still feel hers, too; her body was doing this little jerking movement. She lay fully out on the table, and I rose up when I could, looking down at her.
I couldn’t speak, but I touched the side of her mouth, where she’d been biting down.
Her chest rose, and she closed her eyes at the touch. A new tenderness came through me, one that was new to me even with Jess. Pulling out of her, I turned and saw her painting. It was propped in the corner, just in line of eyesight.
A little girl was in the corner. “What happened there? That night?”
A door was opening, showing the light shining on her. In the corner of the painting, an arm was opening that door.
The floor just rolled out from under my feet. I couldn’t look away from that painting.
“What?” Her voice dropped to a whisper.
“That’s you. I know that’s a memory. I know that night occurred. What happened after whoever that is came into your room?”
“I—” She choked off again. “I don’t remember.”
“What do you mean?”
She shook her head. “I’ve been painting in the last month, and I’m starting to have these memories come back to me. This one, I don’t know what happens, but I know there were two bad men outside my house. And I remember that something happened that night, something bad.”
The desire to murder whoever that was in her painting was fresh, rising up in me. It was swirling with all the other shit inside of me. Some of that was anger at her, but anger at myself too. “You’ve shut me out.” I dropped my voice.
“I was trying to do the right thing. Ashton—”
“I do not give one fuck what Ashton said to you. He’s my best friend. I’ll always love him, but right now I could twist his head off of his neck. He took you away from me.”
She jerked, her head flaring back.
It was that look again. The haunted look.
I’d put it there, but it wasn’t just me.
“Trust me, I am not okay with what he did.”
Her eyebrows moved together. A faint frown pulled at her mouth. “What’d you do?”
“I put him in the hospital.”
“What?”
“He’s out by now, but he was in there for a few days. We had words, and the words weren’t enough, so we went up a notch. He’s quite aware that if he ever fucks with my relationship again, there’ll be permanent damages.”
“Jesus, Trace. A punch would’ve sufficed.”
“No.” The same rage from that day came back, and it was the lethal kind. “It wouldn’t have. I’m sorry for what he did.”
The haunted look was there, but it shifted a little, looking more hollow.
She ran a hand over her face. “That’s why I wanted to meet.
Or kinda why I wanted to meet. Kelly called today.
She said something happened. Justin is terrified of his family.
She couldn’t get into it with me over the phone, but she said it’s not safe to meet.
She was adamant that they’ve not done anything against you, and I believe her.
I’d know. Kelly’s a lot of things, but she’s not a liar.
She’s a horrible liar. She hiccups when she’s trying to cover something up. ”
Hiccuping when you lie. That’s a tell that’s funny at times. Another day and I would’ve grinned at that. Not today.
I was beyond exhausted today.
“What do you need from me?” At her look, I clarified. “You didn’t call to get back together. Your best friend called. You need something from me?”
“Kelly asked if I knew someone who could help her and Justin hide? Leave town and basically disappear. She asked me, but the only person I know who could do that is ...” Her hand spread out, indicating me.
“If they need to disappear, I can only guess that something bad happened with his family. She wouldn’t call me if they needed to hide from you.
They’d just go, probably to Mexico. You mentioned the 411 Network.
Do you know someone that could help Kelly and Justin? ”
“They don’t typically hide people from this situation. It’s where the person is getting abused.” She started to open her mouth. “But I’ll reach out. I have a different reputation from my uncle. They’ve worked with me already.”
She expelled some air she’d been holding back. “Thank you. I mean that.”
And the reason for the meeting had been unearthed.
The next part was me leaving.
“It’s creepy that you’re in my basement.”
I smiled now because she’d just opened up a whole other conversation. Which gave me time. I could stay a little longer.
“I don’t care.”
She was looking around, frowning. “I just put these down here. How’d you know ...?” She gasped, whirling back on me. “You do have a guy watching me, don’t you? I thought I was going crazy, but you do . Don’t you?”
“I’ve always had someone watching you.”
“Trace,” she started.
“It’s what we do in my world. I worry about you. I want to protect you. Don’t ask me to pull him from you. Not again. Not after what Ashton did to you. I can’t do it. I won’t do it. I’ll never stop worrying about you. It’s what you do when you love someone.”
“Trace,” she whispered.
She drew in a breath, but the emotions were there. Wetness was shimmering just on her eyes, slipping, pooling on her lower eyelids. She closed her eyes, and some of the tears were pushed out. They tracked down her cheeks. “I hate crying. Hate it.”
I reached for her, praying she wouldn’t step back.
I needed to touch her.
My hand grazed her face, and she sucked in her breath, but she didn’t push me away. She stepped toward me, opening those eyes, and I saw the pain. I saw the plea, too, and that was all I needed.
I moved in as she was reaching for me.
I needed her, but she needed me just as much.
We were both addicted.