27. Anal and unrelated TROs #2
He pushes a rogue piece of hair out of my face.
“A temptress indeed,” he says, his eyes searching mine.
He looks at me for a long time, it feels so domestic, like I just woke up with a partner, not my friend with benefits.
I wonder if he feels it too? “I have to meet Ben in a few hours for an employee meeting. We have just enough time to go to the police station.”
“You were serious about that?”
“Kate, you called me over in the middle of the night and I had a baseball bat at the ready. You don’t feel safe in your own home. So, yes, I’m dead fucking serious.”
I swallow thickly, and just let my hands slide up the expanse of his chest, enjoying the softness of his chest hair. “Maybe I’m overreacting.”
“Maybe you’re underreacting. I’d feel better if you did this. It would make me feel more comfortable,” he says.
“You play dirty, Mr. Carlson.”
“I’m sure you say that to all the Mr. Carlsons,” he says with a smirk.
I shove at his chest. “Only the two best looking ones,” I say, and he leans forward and places a soft kiss against my lips.
“Go get dressed before we get distracted,” he says, not moving right away, before he lets out a heavy sigh and falls on to his back, his arm resting above his head showing off his strong biceps.
I think I could paint him like this: debauched, hair messy, muscles and chest hair on full display, giving me that panty dripping smile that has me thinking insane thoughts.
Could I enter a real relationship with these brothers?
I know I wouldn’t be able to decide between the two of them; I want them both.
Does that make me a sex crazed, selfish cunt?
It doesn’t matter, because until they give me any indication they want more, I’ll just harbor my twisted little crushes.
I get dressed, tossing on a simple sundress, and tying my hair up before applying sunscreen and just enough makeup that I don’t look like I didn’t sleep at all the night before.
When I step out of the bathroom, Gavin is wearing his clothes from last night with his keys in his hand.
“We’ll grab something to eat on the way,” he says, and with my stomach in my ass, we drive to the police station.
The idea of speaking to police brings back memories of the accident with my parents, and having cops in my hospital room asking questions. It makes me feel uneasy, and if Gavin wasn’t here, I know I wouldn’t be here. I’d continue being freaked out in my home and suffering over it.
Gavin’s hand reaches across the dash and kneads my thigh.
“I’m here with you. I’ll be with you every step of the way,” he says.
I place my hand on his and squeeze, because that’s exactly what I needed to hear. Promises that things are going to be okay are bullshit, and it’s the last thing I want. He’s giving me facts, that he’s here and that he cares. It might just be as a friend who he fucks, or maybe it’s more.
We do as he says, eating along the way, though I can’t stomach much and stick to my iced coffee.
When we get to the police headquarters, Gavin takes my hand, interlacing our fingers. I feel a sense of safety when we touch, and he explains to reception why we’re there.
We sit in the waiting area for far too long.
Gavin is texting about work things and I have a text thread with Savannah and Chelsea, keeping them updated on everything going on.
They both seem to be fully on board with the plan, and are praising Gavin on pushing me to come and get a restraining order.
We’re finally called back by an officer and I have to explain everything that’s happened over the last few months. I feel like an idiot, but Gavin reassures me with gentle touches, and chiming in when my details don’t seem sufficient.
“I’ve had my phone checked, they didn’t find any tracking software,” I tell the officer.
“Have you checked your car?”
“My car?” I reply, and he nods with a sigh.
“Very common tactic of stalkers to use airtags or other devices on a vehicle to know where their victim is. Based on everything you’ve said, we’ll be granting you a TRO, temporary restraining order.
It will be valid for three months. He can not come to your place of employment, five-hundred feet in front of your home?—”
“Five-hundred feet, are you shitting me?” Gavin interrupts and the officer gives him an irritated look.
“This is a standard TRO. If you both so happen to be in the same place, he will need to stay three-hundred feet away. If any of these agreements are broken then there will be more discussions of expanding or making the restraining order more permanent. I’ll send an officer out to look at your vehicle. ”
“My vehicle isn’t here.”
“You can swing by the precinct at any time and have an officer look at it.”
“We have video of him driving past her house,” Gavin says, holding out his phone to the officer, who looks like it’s the weakest piece of evidence there could possibly be.
“What if there was an instance of physical abuse in our marriage?” I say softly.
Gavin looks pissed, and the officer looks like he pities me.
“Did you file a complaint when it happened, and do you have any evidence?”
I shake my head, feeling like an idiot for bringing it up. It was one time things got out of hand, but that one time is what has this sense of fear creeping up my spine. He slapped me one time when we were married and the way he gripped my arm at the restaurant.
“He hit you?” Gavin says in shock.
The officer taps the table once and gives us a tight-lipped smile. “I just need you to sign a few things.”
I nod, and give him a weak smile, but when I look over at Gavin, he looks lost. He doesn’t question the man as I sign a few things. Before long I have a temporary restraining order in my hand, and Gavin’s fingers interlaced with mine in the other as we leave the station.
He opens my car door for me. He doesn’t slam it, but when he rounds the vehicle and takes his seat in the driver’s seat, he glances over at me.
“You should come and stay with me and Ben.”
“What?” I blink at him no less than eight times.
“He’s put his hands on you before, and clearly, they aren’t taking this seriously. What the fuck is that? They have no plan to enforce this TRO or whatever the fuck. This man has been stalking you. Fucking harassing you and making you feel unsafe. You should move in with us.”
“I…Gavin. I can’t move in with you guys.”
“Why not?” he demands.
“First and foremost, I have four cats who would be a nightmare to move to a new home. Second, I really love my house. Third, that’s a big fucking step, don’t you think?”
He clears his throat, his sunglasses hiding his face as he shrugs.
“Let’s just check my car, let them serve him papers, and see where it goes.”
“Can you honestly tell me you think he isn’t capable of hurting you?” he asks.
He is capable. He’s already done it.
“I’ll be fine, Gavin, I promise.”
“I don’t like it,” he grumbles, and for the first time in a very long time, I feel like someone is truly looking out for me and not afraid to put me in my place. I’m not sure if I’ve felt this way since my Aunt Helene was alive.
“I’ll get a security system and I promise to tell you about anything suspicious.”
He glances over at me, my reflection in his sunglasses.
“For now,” he says, as he turns into my driveway.
“For now. What does that mean?”
“It means for now. I’ll send over the guys who did security for the bar and marina. Maybe they can come out today,” he says, as he types away on his phone, before starting the engine and driving back to my house.
I stare out the window the whole ride and think about Gavin’s reaction. Have I not been taking this seriously enough? How dangerous is Will? Would he escalate things further? Should I take Gavin up on his offer and go live with them until everything is sorted out.
Before I know it, we’re parked in my driveway and he’s turning on the flashlight of his phone and getting down on his knees.
“I’m going to take a look around your car before I have to leave,” he says.
“Yeah…I’ll be right back.”
I go inside of my home, grabbing us two bottles of water and give the cats a few headscratchers before going outside. I’m about to hand Gavin some water as he’s crouched under my car when he makes a guttural noise in his throat.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” he curses as he rips something from the bumper of my car. “This is how he’s been following you around. Do you see how serious this is now?”
I’m not sure why my first reaction is for tears to well in my eyes. Gavin’s face softens as he stands off the ground and wraps his arms around mine.
“Stay at our place until they get your security up, at least? Please,” he whispers against my hair, his tone soft with me.
“I can have Pat feed the cats,” I mumble against his chest.
“Thank fuck. Go pack a bag and I’ll drop you off at our place before I head into work.”
“Okay,” I whisper.
Gavin kisses the top of my head, and it makes me want to cry all over again. My feelings for him only get deeper and I’m not sure what’s going to break me more, the moment our arrangement is over or when I won’t have him to protect me anymore.