24. Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Faith
T he insistent ring of my phone shatters my slumber, my body begging me to stay wrapped in the blankets within Derek's arms. I reluctantly answer from the other side of Derek's bedroom. As I peel the covers off my bare skin, Derek's arm snakes around my waist, pulling me close, his nose nuzzling into the curve of my neck.
"I need to answer that," I whisper, though my voice wavers with reluctance.
"Fuck it, let it ring," he grumbles. "The sun is barely up."
"It could be the police with an update… hopefully."
"Mhm, fine," he yawns, loosening his grip so I can answer the phone before I miss the call altogether.
"Hello?"
"Miss Richardson? This is Officer Jones," he answers. "I apologize for the early hour, but I have good news for you."
"Did you find him?" I sit up so abruptly that Derek jolts awake, his eyes wide with concern as he mirrors my tense posture.
"Not yet, but we have enough evidence to get a temporary restraining order filed," he says. "I will need you to return to the station to complete more paperwork as soon as possible."
"Yeah, I can do that. I'll stop by today."
"Great, I'll see you then."
As I hang up, I scramble for my clothes, urgency clawing at my insides. "They didn't catch him, but they finally have enough evidence for the restraining order."
"Hold on," Derek says, pulling me back beside him, his eyes searching mine with concern. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I insist, but I can even hear the tremor in my voice.
"Because you're breathing heavy," he says, gently resting his hand just under my collarbone, bringing it to my attention.
"I'm fine," I repeat, but the words feel hollow as the world around me begins to narrow into a suffocating tunnel. My hands shake as I try to rub the darkness from my eyes, but the panic won't be dismissed so easily.
"It's okay," Derek murmurs, taking my trembling hands in his. He rubs soothing circles into my palms, his touch a lifeline pulling me back from the edge. "Just breathe."
"I'm trying," I whisper, but the tightness in my chest makes it feel impossible. Tears well up in my eyes, spilling over as Derek brushes one away with a tender thumb, his warmth grounding me amidst the storm of emotions.
He places my hand on his chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat a reassuring pulse beneath my fingertips. "Follow my breath," he instructs his voice a gentle anchor. Slowly, I match his pace, inhaling and exhaling until the fog begins to lift and my hands start to steady.
"Atta girl," he says, planting a kiss on my forehead. "Just a couple more."
His simple praise is more than enough for me to give him just that.
"I just want this nightmare to be over already," I let out another deep breath.
"It'll be over soon," he says, pulling me to my feet as he takes me by the hand and leads me back to his bedroom, my body wrapped in the blanket we slept in while his is bare and exposed.
"What are we doing?" I ask as he turns and leads me to his walk-in shower.
"Those shoulders are wound tighter than a ten-day clock," he says, taking the blanket from me, revealing my body to him as a grin flickers over his lips while he gets the water going. "A hot shower will help before we head to the station."
"I'm inclined to agree with you," I say when I drop my shoulders, aware of the sore muscles that feel knotted under my touch.
"Let me take care of that," he offers, stepping into the steamy shower behind me. His hands are gentle yet firm as he massages the knots from my shoulders. The hot water cascades over us, washing away the remnants of fear.
"That's the last thing that'll happen in here," he chuckles as he runs his other hand down the front of me. "Spread your legs, pretty girl."
When I do, his hand dips between them, a light pressure of slow circles over my clit. I rest my head back against his shoulder, my neck exposed for him to kiss and tease. I feel my body craving more, craving him as his pace quickens, but it's not enough.
"That's one way to get rid of the tension," I gasp, turning to face him, my lips crashing into his as my hand wraps around his thick cock. His moans mingle with mine as he pins me against the shower wall, his strong arms framing me in place. With a swift, practiced motion, he lifts my leg, positioning himself before thrusting inside, filling me with an intensity that makes me cry out in pleasure.
"Hold onto me," he growls his voice is low, a primal command that sends a shiver down my spine. My nails instinctively dig into his shoulders, clinging to him as he fucks me at a relentless pace. Our moans echo in the shower as the water cascades over us, hot and unforgiving, but nothing compares to the heat between our legs. The sound of our bodies colliding almost desperate rhythm, I can feel the tension in every muscle of his body, the raw need that drives him deeper. "Faith, your so damn tight!" Catching his breath, feeling him pump into me, pulsating. Our voices merge together as we cry out in the ecstasy, the moment feels endless.
I feel my body relax, but mentally, the heat inside me wants to go for round two. Only when the water has run cold do we finally untangle ourselves, our breathing steady once more. We clean up and step out, drying off in front of the fogged mirror. I wrap a towel around myself just as Derek comes up behind me, wrapping me in his warmth once again.
"Let's get that paperwork out of the way, and we'll spend a quiet day inside. Would you like that?" he offers as he squeezes my damp hair in a towel.
"Yes, please," I nod and reach for him again, this time for a few more kisses I selfishly take, but I know he's willing to give.
You'll get more of those once we're back home," he grins, noticing the pout on my lips when he pulls away.
"I'm holding you to that."
"I bet you will."
Dressed in Derek's oversized sweats and hoodie, I feel a slight sense of comfort as we head out to the car. But anxiety gnaws at me, and I brace myself for another real surprise left behind by Ryan. To my relief, the only damage is the deep scratch on Derek's truck from yesterday, and my car remains untouched.
"Maybe we should take my car," I suggest, not wanting to draw attention with the graffiti on Derek's truck. I offer, knowing that the heinous message keyed into his truck might be a bit embarrassing to be seen in.
I can already see Derek object, maybe to save me from hurt feelings.
"We won't get as much attention, surely," I point out.
"Good point," he says, taking my keys, which I hold. We can grab a coffee on the way back if you want."
"Ooo, don't tempt me with a good time," I chuckle as he holds the passenger side door open for me.
Derek grins while his eyes survey the road going each way before he slides behind the wheel. He is alert as ever as we pull out and head to the main road that the snow sweepers are still trying to clear as we get out of the neighborhood. The lawns are decorated with Christmas characters and lights, which makes me realize how close it is to Christmas.
"How is it already the 18th?" I ask after checking the date on my phone.
"Time flies when life distracts you," he sighs. I remember time moving so slowly when I was growing up. Every year, it felt like it took ages for Christmas to arrive, and birthdays too."
"I always had a countdown to Christmas, and even with the advent calendar, I remember feeling like Santa would never get here," I chuckle, thinking back to how simple times were back then.
At the intersection ahead, a car similar to mine skids on the ice, narrowly avoiding a collision. My heart lurches in my chest, fear gripping me once again.
"This is why I hate driving my little car in the snow," I say as I hold my hand to my chest. "And that's not including all of that," I point to the mounds of white snow piled on the sides of the road.
"Why do you think I drive a truck?"
"It's the black ice that gets people. I hate that it's hard to see."
As we continue, traffic slows, stopping us in front of a café. Through the window, I see couples huddled together, seemingly happy and content. But my mind wanders, questioning how some women find their fairy tale while others are trapped by monsters in disguise. Do they know what it's like to hide everything you do just to stay safe? Why do some men seem so perfect while others are wolves in sheep's clothing?
"Why are the bad guys so hard to see?" I murmur, not realizing I've spoken aloud until Derek glances at me.
What did you say?" he asks.
"I was just noticing the couples back there," I reply. They look happy, but it's hard to tell if it's real."
But before either of us can say more, a speeding car slams into the back of ours, sending us spinning out of control. The last thing I see before everything goes black is the streetlamp rushing toward us.