Chapter Nineteen
Caroline winced as she sat at the table for a late dinner with her father.
“Are you all right?” Thomas asked her. “Victoria worked you to the bone. What did your doctor say about this vigorous training?”
“I’m fine, Dad. My doctor said I can resume normal activities. I’m surprised to learn I have muscles I didn’t know existed, and each one of them hurts,” she said, uncomfortably.
Nancy smiled and rose, heading into the kitchen. A minute later, she returned with two acetaminophens.
“Take these. I can’t promise it’ll take away all of your pain, but it might help. Why don’t you soak in the pool?” she asked, dishing out a portion of chicken pot pie.
“Thank you. I’m not a swimmer. I fell into a pool as a child and never got over the fear of water,” she confessed, picking up her fork and taking a bite of the flaky crust.
“Honeybee, I never realized it scared you enough to not try it again,” her father said, seeming upset.
“It’s not like I’ve ever owned a pool to really need swimming lessons,” she dismissed him. “I doubt my arms will move by morning. Victoria plans to kill me.”
“Give me her number,” Thomas ordered angrily. “You’ve recently recovered, and it’s not right for her to push you this hard.”
Caroline laughed and stopped abruptly when pain shot through her stomach muscles. Her arms screamed in agony as she lifted the fork to her mouth.
“I’m not a little girl. At times, I thought I’d die, but it feels good when I accomplish what she taught me. Jameson asked her to come. I don’t think he’d ask her for nothing,” she said, knowing her father disapproved of her argument with the man the night before.
“I’m certain he knows what he’s doing,” he replied confidently.
“How’s the chicken?” Nancy said, winking at her while she changed the subject.
“It’s delicious. Thank you for taking pity on me and making dinner. I promise I’ll make it up to you,” she said, taking another bite.
“It’s no problem. You’re a refreshing change in our routine. Victoria and Ivan seemed like an interesting couple,” Nancy said, gently taking the napkin and wiping her father’s chin.
“They are,” she agreed. “I get the sense people don’t push them around.”
“She grew strong after she fled James Stanton. It brings me great hope she’s taken you under her wing,” Thomas said, taking another bite of his dinner.
Caroline smiled and finished her meal. When she rose to take her plate, Nancy took it from her.
“I heard Victoria say she’ll be back early in the morning. Why don’t you get some rest? I put some Epsom salt in your bathroom. Soak in a warm bath, and it’ll help with the soreness.”
“Nancy, you’re a lifesaver,” she breathed. “I think I’ll do it now. I’m exhausted. Good night, Dad,” she said, kissing him on the cheek.
“Goodnight, Honeybee. Your friend, Rebecca, called us. Jameson will be on duty this evening. Try to give him the benefit of the doubt. He’s very protective of you,” Thomas informed her.
“I doubt I’ll even see him. I’m heading straight to bed,” Caroline said, feeling weary after the long day.
She left through the back door and stared at the pool.
The water appeared inviting, yet the thought of getting into it terrified her.
Her dad believed her story about her fear of the water after a childhood mishap, and she felt relieved.
Her mind drifted back to her first week with Cain after he purchased her from James.
Cain rushed her when she refused to take her clothes off in front of the strange men crowding her in the bathroom.
Yanking on her hair, he pulled her down to her knees.
“Didn’t I tell you to take a bath? You smell like piss and vomit,” he said, getting into her face.
“I will. Tell them to leave, and I’ll bathe,” she pleaded, watching the men leering at her.
Before she knew it, he dunked her head under the water. Panic flooded her when she couldn’t breathe. Caroline thrashed in the water, attempting to claw at his hands around her neck. He jerked her up by the wet strands while she coughed and choked.
“When I say strip and take a bath, I mean now. I don’t care who watches, because at the end of the night, I’m the one you belong to,” he growled in her ear before dunking her again.
She struggled and fought against him, losing what little air she gulped before he forced her head underwater.
Black spots formed, and she knew he planned to kill her when he abruptly let go of her.
She rose from the edge of the tub, coughing and throwing up water.
Her chest burned, and she gaped like a fish, trying to get air into her lungs.
“Clean this mess and get into the tub,” Cain demanded before walking away.
“Caroline?” Jameson said softly. “You’re at your dad’s home, and you’re safe,” he reassured her.
The breath she unknowingly held finally escaped. She gulped and turned, wincing in pain at her sore muscles.
His eyes narrowed as he took her in, noticing her stiffness.
“I see Victoria didn’t take it easy on you,” he said softly. “How badly do you hurt?”
“On a scale of one to ten? A twenty,” she groaned, glancing back at the water.
“Did you plan on taking a swim?” he asked. “It’s not safe to do it alone, especially after Victoria has gotten ahold of you.”
“No. I barely know how to swim. I’m not a fan of water. Nancy put something in my bathroom and told me to soak. I’m not sure I can make it there. The pool house seems a mile away,” she said weakly, hating herself for it.
“How about I help you? I’ll leave as soon as we get you inside,” he promised.
She gave him a shaky nod, and he stepped forward, wrapping an arm about her waist.
“I’m sorry about last night,” she murmured and stopped, letting the pain flow through her body like the many times she spent with Cain.
“We’ll talk about it later,” he assured her. “Did you take anything for this?” he asked her worriedly.
“Nancy gave me acetaminophen. It hasn’t kicked in yet,” she said, whimpering with each step. She glanced toward the pool house, thinking it seemed even farther away.
“Fuck this,” Jameson muttered. Bending, he gently picked her up in his arms and carried her the rest of the distance. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and her head fell against his shoulder.
Opening the patio door, Jameson entered the living room and headed straight to her bathroom. He knelt by the tub, turned on the faucet, and removed her shoes and socks. Spying the Epson salt on the counter, he poured a generous amount into the tub.
“I’ll wait until you’re done, and then I’ll leave. Call if you need me,” he said gently.
Caroline’s gaze met his. “Jameson, I...I,” the words failed her. She wanted to trust him. Her heart ached with guilt and pain.
“Do you need me to help you?” he asked. “You can barely move.”
“I don’t like baths either,” she said, staring at the water.
“Oh, but they have their advantages,” he said, testing the water. “I brought you some cream for your muscles. I’ve seen Kassie after Victoria trained her. I guessed you might be feeling a bit sore.”
“Did Kassie live?” she joked.
“Yes, and she’s a badass,” he replied. “I’ll remove your shirt and pants, but will keep your bra and panties on. I’ll stay with you and help you apply the cream.”
“Why are you acting nice to me? I treated you horribly. I thought you were my…friend and then you told me—”
He pressed his finger to her lips. “You’re tired, and you’re overthinking everything. Let’s get you inside the warm water to soak, and then you can rest.”
His fingers slowly unbuttoned her top and slid it from her shoulders and down her arms. His hand fumbled with the button on her jeans. Heat from his touch warmed her as he knelt to slide them from her legs, and she held onto his shoulder to lift her feet.
He guided her toward the tub and held on while she sat in the hot water, sighing.
Jameson picked up her dirty clothes and tossed them into the clothes basket.
“How are things going with your dad?” he asked, sitting on the toilet while she soaked.
“He’s good. Nancy dotes on him. At lunchtime, they brought out a picnic, and we ate on the patio. It’s nice to eat outside,” she said softly. “What did you do today?”
“I repaired a fence with some of the cowboys, then I met with Matthew. He said you and Victoria went for a run at four.”
She barked out a laugh as the hot water soothed her battered body.
“They entered the pool house, and she sprinkled water on my face and gave me five minutes to get dressed.”
“It sounds like her,” Jameson chuckled. “Ivan can be interesting. He has his own men who guard Serenity Mountain. He breaches his own security at least once a month. If the men fail, he has them doing the most humiliating things.”
“Like what?” she asked, yawning.
“For starters, he made them pick flowers, watch the babies during their teething bout, and clean a movie theatre after the entire school enjoyed a field trip there.”
“You’re kidding me,” she exclaimed, laughing.
“Nothing seems more terrorizing than a bunch of disgruntled Russian men picking flowers,” he said, chuckling at the memory.
“Why do the men do it?”
Jameson sat for a moment. “They trust their leader. He never sends them where he wouldn’t go himself. They know he values loyalty above all else. It probably doesn’t hurt that his wife can bust their balls, and if they harmed a hair on her head, they’d find themselves in Siberia.”
“He seems very sweet. His love for her shows in his eyes,” she murmured.
“Yes. He’d sacrifice his life for Victoria. When she went missing, he never stopped searching for her.”
“Can I get out now?” she asked.
“Sure,” he said, standing and pulling out a towel. “I’ll help you out and hold the towel up long enough for you to slip out of your panties and bra. Do you have a robe?”
“It’s at the end of my bed.”