Chapter 24 The Complaint #2
"He kept finding ways to touch me." I drop Paul, who slumps to the floor, and turn to see Becky calmly standing there, but a slight tremor in her hands gives away her discomfort.
My anger disappears quicker than it appeared—followed swiftly by pain, regret, and disappointment in myself, filling in the empty gaps left behind.
Billy comes around the desk, grabbing his brother off the floor. He drags him out of the office, leaving us inside.
“Becky?” My voice is weak. I reach for her, but then let my hand fall to my side.
I let this piece of shit breathe her air, touch her body. I didn’t protect her. This is why she stopped coming so often.
A small sigh pulls my eyes to her face.
“Let’s sit down.” She speaks to me gently, like I’m going to startle if she talks too loudly.
I nod and turn to the office chair Paul was just sitting in, leaving the untainted one for her.
My eyes close, there’s so much new information to sort through, and the adrenaline is racing through me, making focus impossible; but if she wants to talk, I can.
I freeze when a soft, curvy bottom settles into my lap, shocking the shit out of me.
Becky spins in my lap, turning her body to the side, draping herself across my legs, then resting her head against my chest. A hot zing of satisfaction travels through my bones at the realization.
She’s recharging. Tears prick my eyes at the familiar position we’re in.
She’s told me for years that she needs a moment to recharge in my arms, especially after a particularly grueling week.
To have her do it to me again, now, in this moment?
It’s everything. I hesitantly wrap my arms around her, and she nestles deeper into my chest. My breath catches in my lungs. Jesus, don’t lose it, Carter.
I tighten my arms around Becky and settle my head against the top of her dark waves.
The squeak of the older office chair is loud in the silent office as I begin to rock us, feeling my adrenaline drain at the closeness of her.
A soft sigh slips out of her—a small puff of air against me, practically a purr.
She feels like home.
She starts talking, her voice muffled against my chest. “From the beginning, Paul would find excuses to touch me. Walk past me while I was bending over something, reach past my chest and accidentally brush against my breasts.” I hold my breath as she continues, “One night, when I was waiting for you, he decided to skip any subtlety and full on grope my ass while I leaned over one of the cars.”
My relaxation flees at her words. My body growing more and more taut. “I’ll kill him.”
She keeps talking, ignoring my violence. “Billy saw it happen, and immediately stepped in and pulled me away to talk, and to apologize.” My leg starts bouncing under her, and I recognize that could be uncomfortable, but I can’t stop it.
“Billy knew.” My voice is low, quiet. Her words barely penetrating the haze of fury surrounding me.
Becky must sense that because she turns even further in my lap, straddling my legs, and squishes my face between her hands, turning it to meet her concerned eyes.
“Please, please don’t be mad at him. It was pretty early in our relationship, and I still had some unresolved issues from—before.
I asked Billy, no begged him, to not tell you and to not make it into a big deal. ”
I nod my head, but in my mind, I’m picturing a younger Becky, new here and eager to meet me at the shop.
She was nervous that she would make a bad impression on the people I work for.
‘You have so much respect for your boss, Carter. I can’t make a bad impression.
’ We weren’t even together yet because the stubborn ass didn’t want to commit.
I was already committed. I was gone for her, and my boys knew it after that very first day she visited.
“Whoa, whoa, wait. What do you mean come in and wait for you? You’re working? Let’s just meet at Joe’s like we usually do?” I smirk as I take in the lovely, babbling Becky.
“The guys are here and want to meet you.” Her face turns that delectable shade of pink that gives me all sorts of delicious ideas while she stutters, looking for an answer.
“Th-the guys? Her eyes dart past me to the garage and go wide as saucers before she tucks herself closer in front of me. I check over my shoulder to see Trevor, Billy, and Paul are all standing at the door to the shop. Trevor looks cool as a cucumber, to anyone who doesn’t know him.
I can see his curiosity for this woman. It’s why he’s here and not already home to his family.
He also blames his wife, but he’s so sickeningly in love, he wants everyone around him to be in love as well.
‘Paige would kill me if your woman showed up and I passed on the chance to give her first person POV gossip.’ I reluctantly agreed to it because Paige is tiny but frightening sometimes.
Billy’s arms are crossed over his chest as he watches through narrowed eyes, looking wrecked and a million miles away.
Something is happening with him, but he’s being close mouthed about it all.
Finally, there’s Paul, Billy’s younger brother.
He smirks at me before turning to look up at Billy, laughing about something and walking into the shop.
My eyes are drawn back to little Becky who’s watching them. Her shoulders slowly rise and straighten and a gleam enters her gaze. She meets my eyes again and nods. “Okay, yeah. I can come in and wait for you. Let’s see who the three musketeers are!”
Thinking back, that smirk, that laugh? Did he start that day?
The burn of betrayal and fury roll through my body, stealing my focus from the moment.
Billy and Paul must be somewhere in the garage, or possibly in Billy’s apartment above the shop.
I tighten my fist and a slight sting shoots through me, originating from my skin stretching over my reddened knuckles.
Pure satisfaction and another burst of rage flow through me in equal measure.
I start to tense up all over again, when the scent of coconuts drifts into my nose from the soft body snuggled in my lap.
Becky is in my arms. She’s with me.
I tighten my hold, pulling her deeper into me, wishing I could pull her until she’s a part of me again. The way she fits in my arms is magic, but there’s still a distance there I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to close. I close my eyes and inhale more of Becky. I need her. I need this woman.
“Becky.” My voice comes out in a rasp, so I swallow and try again.
“Becky, I know I already apologized, but I feel like I need to do this again.” She lifts her head from my chest and blinks at me, remaining silent, so I take that as my cue to continue.
“I am sorry I let myself become blind to what was happening around me, and that I actively pulled away from you.” I hope she hears the regret in my words, in my body beneath hers.
“Those choices are on me. I know it, you know it.” My voice is heavy with emotion—I can barely hit above a whisper.
She breaks eye contact, but burrows into me a little closer.
“However, I also want to tell you about what the future would look like—a future with me.” She freezes in my hold, but remains silent.
“I–um—may not be the most observant man, but I swear to you now, I understand the slippery slope I was on this summer.” I tilt her chin up so I’m looking directly into her wary expression.
“Now that I recognize the wrongs I did to you, I promise that I will never take a moment with you for granted again. I’ll do better to protect us, to protect you.
” Guilt settles over me like a thick, itchy blanket, but I continue my promises to her.
“Dinners, lunches, breakfast, Midsommer, Tea, Wizards, Pizza, Joes, Steak houses, everything, baby.”
She doesn’t respond at first, just sits and searches my face for something, maybe honesty.
But then she sighs and pulls away from my hand, stopping my heart.
But she rests her head against my chest yet again.
“I’m not ready for any promises right now, Carter.
” Her voice is slightly muffled by my shirt, but I can hear her fine as she continues tearing me to shreds.
“So much bad has happened in such a short time, and I’m tired.
I didn’t deserve any of this, but I had to deal with it all.
” I deflate at her response. It’s not what I wanted to hear, but it’s still more than I deserve.
“I also still have shit on my shoes I need to finish wiping off before I can truly move on from—” Her hand lifts to make a twirling motion to nothing in particular before settling it back to my chest. “From all of this.” I snort into her hair. Her shit comparison is beyond accurate.
I wrap my arms around her, tighter in an attempt to be her support. “I know.”
We both go quiet after that— sitting in each other’s arms, aware that there are other things that we should be doing, but we stay there instead. Just a little bit longer.