by Tory Baker
“You know I will. You worry too much. Just the same, I’ll text you when I’m in for the night too.” This time I kiss her knowing this will have to tide me over for the next few nights. Thursdays have become my favorite days of the week, because that’s when she’ll be back in my arms at night.
“Alright, then I’m going to make my rounds and head to work.” She goes with me, my arm hooked around her shoulder and hers wrapped around my waist.
“I hate Mondays,” she mutters under her breath.
“Me too, babe. Me fucking too.” We both pull away reluctantly after we say our goodbyes. This time, it’s with a kiss that promises so much more is to come.
“Be careful, keep your phone on you and text me,” I say in between kisses.
“You do the same. I’ll be counting down the hours.” With that, she watches me get on my bike, start it up, and head to Sins and Ink, leaving my heart with the woman I know I will always need and love, even if she doesn’t know that yet.
14
Wren
I’m alone in my bedroom. I’m counting down the hours until Trick and I get to see each other. The texts, calls, and FaceTiming one another is not enough. I hate it. Trick has put a bug in my ear that when our lease renews, I should think about moving in with him. That thought has crossed my mind now on more than one occasion.
Trick has rocked my world on its axis, the tattoo, the way he cares for me so freely, the unconditional love he doles out, even though we haven’t said those words yet. The celebration he held for me just for a midterm, I mean, who does that? Trick, that’s who, and I know when there’s a moment for me to return the favor, I’ll be going balls to the walls for him.
I mean, he got my dad to come up from Worcester, and I know for a fact my father did not pay for the hotel he was staying in. That was all Trick. If Dad had to choose, he would have stayed in the cheapest of the cheap. The hotel Trick booked for Dad I know costs more than two hundred dollars a night. That’s why when I see Trick tomorrow night, I’m going to be the one to take care of him. Sure, he has to work till nine tomorrow night, one of his early days this week, but I’m going to repay him in some way. A meal hot off the stove instead of reheated leftovers, and definitely dessert. Trick loved my homemade brownies, and I think this time I’ll make cheesecake.
I’m about to head out to the kitchen to rinse out my bowl. Tonight was not a gourmet meal night. It was more noodles, doctored up college style, which means I added sriracha sauce to give it the kick to heat things up. The one thing stopping me, though, is the yelling I hear coming from the front of the apartment. I swear if the neighbors call our landlord again, we’re going to get kicked out. Every night this week, Heather and Jake have been fighting. It’s made me stay in my room more than I ever have before. It wasn’t worth mentioning to Trick. Let’s face it. Jake the Snake hasn’t been anywhere near me, and I intend to keep it that way.
I don’t know how or why Heather still puts up with him. Sure, she is her own brand of crazy, but Jake is ten times worse. He’s the type of guy that treats you like you’re a piece of property. You do what he says, or else he’s badgering you non-stop. What he says is law. Too bad those same rules don’t apply the other way around. He leers at women all the time, blatantly, in front of Heather. Hell, he’s done it to me, and I’ve been able to sidestep him. Though what I heard him accuse Heather of this week, it’s more or less him saying she’s doing what he has been since they started dating two years ago, cheating.
If I were Heather, I’d kick his ass to the curb and get tested as soon as possible.
When I hear Heather shout a four-letter word, I’m up and moving, throwing my cell phone in my pocket. There’s no way I could live with myself or allow her to be hurt when I can prevent it, especially the way her voice is garbled when she cries, “Help!”
What I see stops me in my tracks. If I could kill this worthless son of a bitch, I would, but right now, I need to pull it together. Jake has both hands around Heather’s neck, trying to kill her. Her shirt is tattered and torn, and marks are across her chest, from what I have no idea. Her jeans are unzipped, as if he wanted something she wasn’t willing to give. Heather’s face is turning a different shade than its normally tanned tone, and I don’t think. I barrel after Jake, climbing on his back, scratching at his face, neck, arms. Anything to get him off her. He screams at me, “You stupid fucking slut!” But he lets go of Heather, and that is my end goal. Maybe she’ll get a phone and call the police, a friend, anybody at this point. He shakes me off him. His anger and fury are now turned on me. Jake’s arm is rearing back. I duck at the last minute, scurrying around him towards the island in the kitchen. There is no way I want his filthy fucking hands near me. Not if he’s capable of what I think he is. A wave of disgust rolls through my body.
“Call the cops, Heather!” I scream as he catapults his body over the island. This causes me to be backed into a corner. I’m that stupid girl in horror movies you watch, you know, the ones where the girl runs up the damn stairs instead of outside to flee for help.
I see her scrambling around on her hands and knees. Meanwhile, Jake is slowly creeping towards me as I back into the kitchen counter. My hands go inside the sweatshirt I’m wearing, another one of Trick’s I’ve confiscated. It’s usually a recycle thing I do now—I’ll bring one back, steal a new one. This way, I’m surrounded by his scent when I’m not around him. If I could somehow unlock my phone with my fumbling fingers… Stupid smart phones. If this were back in the press button days, it would be so much easier.
Jake must be tired of waiting, because he’s in my face spewing venom, “What do you think you’re doing getting in the middle of Heather and me? You want a piece of dick too? Is that why you’ve been trying to get her to break it off with me?” he seethes. I don’t say anything, because what I want to say will only set him off even more.
“Wren, baby. What’s wrong?” I hear my phone in my pocket at the same time Jake does. I brace for what’s to come, trying to block my face, when he does the exact opposite, he sucker punches me in the stomach. The pain is too much. I sink to the floor praying for the pain to subside and Trick to get here.
15
Trick
“I gotta go,” I tell Raven as I’m running out the door. That phone call nearly knocked me to my feet. I was just finishing a client when my phone rang. Otherwise, I never would have answered.
“What’s wrong?” Raven runs after me, the door slamming as I go.
“Wren needs help. Re-book my next few clients.” That’s the last thing I say before kickstarting my Harley, thanking fuck I drove it into work and can get to my girl faster. I knew from the get-go that fucker would be a problem. I don’t even bother with calling the cops. I’ll be there faster, and I’ll be the one to dole out his punishment.
I whip in and out of traffic, flying through intersections, making it to Wren’s apartment in half the time it usually takes me. My only thought is on her. The bike skids to a halt. I’m tempted to let it land where it falls, but I think better of it at the last second in case my girl needs more help. I turn it off, grabbing my phone out of my back pocket, preparing to call the cops when I see the blue and red lights coming in the distance behind my back. This causes me to double my pace as I take the stairs to her place two at a time.
The door is wide open when I make it to the top. Furniture is strewed everywhere. Heather is crying in a corner, a knife in her hand. Jake is lying on his side, moaning in pain, but I don’t fucking see Wren.
“Wren, baby, where are you?” I move over the shredded furniture. Not giving two fucks about the other people. That’s when I hear her voice. “Trick.” It’s soft, but I can feel the turmoil in her voice. When I round the corner, she’s there huddled up in the kitchen, in my sweatshirt, her knees pulled up into herself, and I know she’s in fucking agony by the way she’s hugging herself.
“Baby.” I bend down, almost afraid to touch her because who the fuck knows what’s hurting.<
br />
“Trick, is Heather okay?” is what she asks when her eyes finally open for me.
“Yeah, she’s good. Might need some help later on with a doctor. She sliced up Jake pretty good. You think you can stand?” I ask.
“That’s good. He deserved it.” Wren tries to move on her own, but she can’t. I do the only thing I can do, I scoop her up in my arms. My only thought is getting her the fuck out of this place and doing it now.
“Police! We’re coming in!” I’m making my way out of the kitchen when I hear them.
“Hey, I’m coming out with a victim! She’s hurt and can’t walk!” I yell out, so they know what’s going on. There’s no way I want to be the one booked for something I didn’t do.
I walk into the living room when I hear, “Fuck, thank God it’s you, boy. If it were anyone else, you’d be on the ground.”
“Thanks, I think. Has anyone called the paramedics yet?” I ask a friend we all grew up with. We know him as Connor, but now it’s Officer O’ Brien.
“They’re on their way. Want to give me a rundown on what happened before shit gets chaotic and the Sergeant appears?”
“Wren called me. I heard screaming on the other end of the line. That dirt bag is more than likely the one who’s put Heather over there in a catatonic state. I walked in and saw she did some damage, which he deserves, and then heard Wren. That’s all I know.” I kiss the top of Wren’s head as I give him the basics.
“Alright. Is she okay?” he asks me.
“No idea. She couldn’t walk, so I just scooped her up.”
“He hit me in my stomach. He was trying to choke Heather, I’m assuming after she told him no. I think he was going to rrr-rape her.” Wren’s bottom lip starts to quiver.
“It’s okay. You helped her. Everything’s going to be alright,” I try to soothe her at the same time the paramedics appear.
I watch as they work on the idiot, and I’d like nothing more than for him to bleed out. Apparently, that wasn’t too far off of what Connor wanted to do too after he saw the state of everything. Something about an oath and upholding the law had him directing the paramedics to that shit bag first. The next one comes in, and I try to put Wren on a gurney when she says, “No,” and tightens her hold around me.
“They just need to check you out. I’ll be with you the entire time, okay?” She nods her head, and then I ask the young paramedic, “Can I carry her to the other ambulance waiting outside? It might help her. Plus, Heather needs attention too.”
“Yeah, I’ll show you to them while they work on her.” I’m almost glad Wren didn’t want to move out of my arms.
“This will be quick, but if they need to take you to the hospital, Wren, you have to go. Promise me that, please.”
“Okay, but I hate hospitals,” she groans as we make it to the waiting ambulance. I step up inside it. I’m still holding her, both of us needing this piece of solace right now.
“Alright, baby, I gotta put you down now. I’ll be right over here so they can work on you,” I tell her. She grabs my hand as soon as her body hits the gurney. Wren is wincing in pain, and when she tells them where Jake punched her, that’s when it takes everything in me not to run out of the ambulance, find that worthless piece of shit, and beat him black and blue.
Her stomach is already turning a gnarly shade of black and blue. It looks like he hit her in the stomach repeatedly for it to get this bad so quickly.
“Miss Taylor?” The paramedic gets Wren’s attention. He asked all of her information when we were walking out here.
“Yeah,” she moans.
“We’re going to strap you in and take you to the hospital. There are no cuts or lacerations, but there could be internal damage, and we can’t check that out here.” I nod my head, agreeing with this because I want to make sure too.
“Trick.” She tips her head back. I nod, telling her she needs to do what they say.
“Fine, but don’t you dare leave me,” she says in a whisper-like tone, but more or less it’s because she’s in fucking pain.
“I’d never leave you.” I sit back in the seat they designated me to, my hand still holding hers the entire time.
16
Wren
When I wake up, my hand is still in Trick’s. Even when they wheeled me into the hospital, he stayed beside me until they carted me off to get an MRI to make sure there was no internal damage. It sucked all the way around. The doctor said I had a bruised kidney and wanted me to stay overnight. I think it was a plot to rack up my hospital bill, to be honest. Trick didn’t think it was funny. I laughed, it hurt, so here I am.
His parents and brothers came by after I was admitted to make sure I was okay. My dad said he’d be on his way when Trick called him. I didn’t want that though. I’d be worried to death the entire time he was driving in the middle of the night to see me. Instead, we talked. I told him what was going on, then Trick took the phone, and they discussed more shit as my eyes became heavy lidded.
“Trick.” I need his eyes on mine. If there’s one thing this has taught me, it’s not to take anything for granted, and I have something to get off my chest.
His eyes open immediately. Trick slept in a recliner all night, his hand never leaving mine. I felt bad, but the nurse frowned upon him staying as it was, so I’m sure my offer to share a hospital bed would have really ticked her off.
“Good morning, baby.” He’s up and on his feet. I pat the bed beside my hip. He sits down.
“Hey, I need to tell you something.” My voice is low with a rasp from just waking up, but I want to get this off my chest.
“Good, I have shit to tell you too.” I chuckle with how he says it, even with my stomach hurting.
“I’m going first,” I state. Trick smiles and nods his head.
“I love you.” His smile only gets broader before his lips land on mine. I’m kind of bummed he didn’t say it back, but that’s okay. If he’s not ready, I’ll wait until he is. When he sucks at my bottom lip, I open for him on a moan. The two of us tasting each other, my hands digging into his shoulders, Trick’s hands cupping my cheeks, it makes me want so much more.
“It’s a good thing I love you, then,” he says when we pull apart. The breath I was holding leaves me, and I’m happier than I’ve ever been. I go to bring his lips back to mine, but he stops me. It causes me to stick my bottom lip out in a pout.
“Wren, baby. I want those lips as much as you want mine, but I have one more thing to tell you, and I don’t care if you’re pissed at me or not for this.”
“Yes?” Who really knows what Trick has up his sleeve?
“You’re moving in with me. I’ll pay to break your lease, do whatever we have to do. There is no way you’re going back to that apartment. That dumb-ass friend of yours isn’t even pressing charges. Hell, she posted his bail even though she stabbed him.” I shake my head in disbelief. I can’t fucking believe her.
“Well, it’s a good thing I’m pressing charges. Not that it’ll do a bit of good. And Trick, I have money set aside. I’ll pay for my share of the broken lease, but are you sure you’re ready for me to move in with you?” Heather is an idiot, and we truly have nothing left to say to one another. I probably shouldn’t think that way. I know she’s a victim in this. But there is no way anyone can help her unless she wants the help.
“Ma, Dad, and the boys already packed your shit and moved it in,” Trick states, so proud of himself. All I can do is smile though, because really, I would go anywhere with Trick.
“I love you,” I say on a sigh. This time it’s Trick who attacks my mouth, and I enjoy every freaking second of basking in his presence. We may have fallen in love fast, but when you know, you know.
Epilogue
Trick
SIX MONTHS LATER
This thing has been burning a hole in my pocket since last week when I drove down to see Wren’s dad in Worcester. It wasn’t easy finagling my scheduling and hers, plus making the commute without her knowing. Not th
at I hid shit from her, because I don’t, but this needed to be done in person.
Now, tonight, we’re back where it all began, Sins and Ink. She sent me a text this morning telling me she wants me to put another tattoo on her body. After the talk her dad and I had, it wasn’t something I was ready to do right away, but when Wren wants something, she’ll stop at nothing to get it, and I’ll be damned if someone else tattoos her.
I’m at my station working on the art she wants on her body, trying to get the script the right way I know my girl would like when she walks in.
“Heart Thief,” she calls out. I smirk. There is nothing better than Wren busting my balls.
“Wren, baby.” I stand up from my stool I use when I’m working. Today, she’s in an oversized sweater hanging loosely off her shoulder, no fucking bra strap to be seen. I know better though. She wears one of those strapless ones. The first time she did that, I about shit a brick until she flashed me, promptly shutting me up. It was hot as hell to see her tits pushed up in that. Needless to say, we didn’t leave the apartment that night. The tight jeans she’s wearing today with holes all the way from the tops of her thighs down to the shredded ankles, only showing off even more skin. Fuck, she looks amazing, and it’s only been eight hours since I’ve seen her.
“Did you get it drawn out?” she questions, bouncing up and down on the tips of her toes. I prowl towards her, slamming my door shut to the outside world.
