by Lisa Lace
“Is everything all right, Jenna?”
“Mm-hmm.” I saw the back of her head tilt in a little nod, but she didn’t turn around to face me.
“You’re quiet.”
“Just tired.”
I looked over at her again. She was still turned away. The fingers grasping at her purse were white at the knuckle, she was gripping it so tightly. Her whole body was tense.
“You know, we don’t have to go tonight. I can turn around right now. We can have a quiet night in if you’re not feeling up to it.”
Jenna finally turned to me and shook her head. She forced a smile, but I could see the worry underneath. Her skin was pale under her makeup. Her eyes looked puffy like maybe she’d been crying.
“Has something happened at work?”
“No, Nate. Everything’s fine at work.”
“Something wrong with the apartment?”
“No.”
I paused, trying to think of what else might be on Jenna’s mind. “Have you had a fight with Carla?”
Jenna let out a big sigh and turned back towards the window, resting her head on her hand wearily. “It’s nothing, Nate. Seriously. I’m just tired.”
I frowned. I didn’t believe her. I’d not known Jenna long, but long enough to know that something wasn’t right.
The rest of the drive to Fort Wayne was pretty quiet. I tried to draw Jenna into a conversation, but she only gave short, one-word answers or made only some small sound in response. I was worried about her.
When we arrived in Fort Wayne, I helped Jenna out the car and then put my arm around her. She didn’t nestle into me like she usually did. She was stiff and rigid, her arms wrapped around her.
We walked towards the bar, where Sam and Carla were already waiting for us outside. Carla was wearing a tiny purple dress that left nothing to the imagination and heels so high you’d imagine nobody could ever walk in them, although, I had to admit, that Carla seemed to walk like she’d been born wearing them. Sam had his arm around her waist and was grinning ear to ear, shooting sideways glances at Carla in her mini-dress.
“Hey, Nate.”
“Hey, Sam—how you doing?”
We shook hands. Sam said hello to Jenna, and then I turned back to Carla. “I haven’t seen you in a dress like that since high school, Carla.”
Carla grinned. “Well, that’s because you’re no fun, Nate. Some of us go out on the weekend.”
“You look nice.”
“Thanks.”
Carla turned to Jenna and let out a little squeal of excitement. “Jenna! You look fabulous. I adore that dress! Where did you get it?” She linked arms with Jenna, and the girls went ahead into the bar.
Sam held back to walk with me. “So, that’s your girl then, huh? She’s pretty.”
I smiled. “Thanks, Sam. You know, she’s a really wonderful woman.”
“Carla’s right, you know. It’s been a long time since you’ve come out with us—any of us. It’s good to see you out.”
“Can’t say that cocktails are my thing, but Jenna was excited to go. Although now she seems pretty tired tonight.”
“She’ll be fine once Carla’s got a couple drinks in her.”
We entered the bar and were hit with a wall of music and the smell of syrup. The bar was styled in neon and chrome, very eighties. There were stools at the bar and some booths around the edges of the floor, but we went to stand at the high-table in the center of the room.
Carla hunted down some cocktail menus from the bar and started making her recommendations.
“Blue Hawaii! Oh, it’s amazing—my favorite! Rum, pineapple juice…what else? Oh, I don’t care. It tastes great. What are you getting?”
Jenna flicked the pages of the menu. She was attempting to mimic Carla’s enthusiasm, but I could tell that the effort was draining her. When she spoke, her voice was full of forced brightness.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe a Long Island.”
“Great! Boys?”
I held up my hand. “I’m driving.”
Sam looked at the menu in horror and made a face. “Whatever, babe. You choose.”
“Sex on the Beach it is, then.” She gave him a suggestive wink. “I love that. I’ll get you a Coke, Nate.”
“Thanks.”
Jenna stayed silent while Sam and I caught up and spoke about work. She was picking at her nails and keeping her eyes lowered. When she thought nobody was paying attention to her, her whole expression collapsed.
I could see stress taking over. I pulled her towards me and wrapped my arm around her waist. I leaned in towards her and asked softly, “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Another forced smile. Jenna lifted herself onto her tiptoes and planted a kiss on my lips. She made sure to catch my eye. “I’m fine.”
I still didn’t believe her, but my concern seemed to snap her out of whatever reverie she’d been in, and she began to join in the conversation a little more. “This cocktail’s really good.”
Carla grinned. “Didn’t I tell you? They don’t skimp on the alcohol here. Plus, Rita served me, and I think she snuck in an extra shot for us. Take it easy, Jenna. Cocktails always seem to hit me all at once.”
Jenna looked down at her glass, and her eyes widened in surprise. She gave a little giggle. “Too late.”
I looked over and saw that she’d already drunk the whole thing.
Carla found it hilarious and screeched with laughter. “A girl after my own heart! I’ll get you another.”
“No extra shot this time, please. I don’t want to get plastered. Thanks.”
The night continued. Jenna remained a little reserved for the rest of the night, but she joined in the conversation and tried to shake off whatever was bothering her.
“Excuse me, boys, I need to pop to the ladies’ room. Jenna?”
The girls left to go to the bathroom. I finished my third Coke. When Jenna and Carla returned, Carla didn’t seem herself either. I didn’t know what had been said when the girls had been alone, but I could tell that whatever had been bothering Jenna was now on Carla’s mind as well.
In truth, it was a relief when the night was over. The bar and drinks were okay, but I was worried about Jenna and wanted to get her home. Jenna was completely silent again on the way home while Sam and Carla made out in the backseat, and then finally tumbled out at Carla’s apartment building a while later.
I lingered for a while outside the apartment building.
“Do you still want to spend the night at my place? I can drop you off now if you’ve changed your mind.”
Jenna reached over and placed her hand on top of mine. Her earnest eyes fixed on mine, and she shook her head. “No. I want to stay with you.”
I nodded and started to drive again. We arrived at my place, and I relieved the babysitter. Harriet was already long asleep, but I checked in on her in her bedroom before I returned to Jenna.
She was in my living room, taking off her shoes. She gave me a weary smile when I returned. “Harriet okay?”
“Sleeping like a rock.”
“Good.”
“Are you okay?”
“I had fun.”
“You really don’t seem like yourself.”
Jenna let out a long, heavy sigh, and gave a little shrug. “I guess I’m feeling a bit stressed at the moment. I guess the move and the new job and everything must have hit me all at once. It’s been a busy week.”
“You’d tell me if there was anything wrong, right?”
She didn’t answer. Instead, she changed the subject. “Is it all right if I take a shower before bed? I smell like a candy factory.”
I smiled. “Those cocktails were pretty sweet, huh?”
“Ninety percent sugar.” She offered me a weak smile and started to head towards the bathroom.
I got her a towel from the linen cupboard and handed it to her. She took it from me, and then her fingers folded around mine. She looked up at me from under her thick lashes. “Come with
me?”
“All right.”
I followed Jenna to the bathroom. She turned on the shower and set it to hot. Soon, the room was filled with steam. Jenna began to undress. I did the same.
Jenna moved towards me and pressed her naked body against mine. Her skin was already damp from the steam in the room. Her hands hungrily pulled my face down towards hers, and she locked me in an intense, wanting kiss.
I readily accepted, then pulled her after me into the shower. We continued to kiss as the hot water ran over us.
Soon, Jenna’s hair was completely wet. She ran her hands through it and pushed it back from her face. She looked incredible; vulnerable and completely naked with the water streaming over her body. My eyes followed the path of a droplet that rolled down the curve of her breast. Every curve of her body seemed to be accentuated by the water dripping across her skin. I grew hard just watching her stand under the stream.
I pushed her against the tiles. She let out a gasp and steadied herself against the ceramic with her hands.
I kissed her hard. She kissed me back with equal ferocity. Our bodies slid against each other under the steady flow of the shower. Our skin grew flush from the steam.
My hand reached down between her legs. She parted them for me, pulling me down into another deep, hungry kiss while I pressed my fingers into her and began to move back and forth. Her mouth parted in pleasure and she let out a low moan.
Her fingers closed around me, and I felt myself swell at her touch. I pressed myself closer against her. I pressed my lips harder down over hers, and my tongue sought out hers. I tasted the warmth of her mouth as her grip tightened around me and she began to move her hand in slow, steady motions.
“I want you.”
Jenna looked up at me with desire in her eyes. “Let’s go to the bedroom.”
She wrapped a towel around herself, opened the bathroom door, and glanced down the hall. She took my hand and pulled me after her towards the bedroom.
Once inside, she let the towel drop. The last of the water spilled from her skin. She was a vision, standing there completely nude. She beckoned me with a smile.
I moved towards her and lifted her into my arms. She wrapped her legs around me, and I pressed her back against the wall.
I entered her, and she let out an appreciative moan. She clung onto me, her arms around my neck, her mouth furiously kissing mine.
I pounded into her, slamming her into the wall. With Harriet sound asleep, Jenna didn’t hold back and cried out in pleasure. The sound spurred me on, and I pressed into her hard, deeper.
“Don’t stop…”
I moved into her fast and hard until she came and fell against me. Jenna wrapped her arms more tightly around my neck, burying her face in my shoulder as I came.
I carried her to the bed and laid her down. We’d made love with passion and urgency; fiercely, defiant. Now, I became gentle. I held her in my arms and kissed her softly. She pressed her body close to mine and laid against me. Wrapped up in each other, we fell asleep.
Jenna
I stepped into Carla’s coffee shop. There was no line when I entered, and Carla immediately started getting our usual lattes ready. I smiled at her and gave her a grateful nod, and went to take our usual seat by the window as she finished up.
The night before, I’d asked Carla if she would collect my mail for me for the next few days. She’d wanted to know why, and I’d told her it wasn’t the time or place. Now, she wanted to know why I’d made the strange request.
A moment later, she came to sit opposite me. Sitting down, she took out a bundle of letters from her purse and slid them across the table to me. “I did what you asked, Jenna. Now, are you going to tell me why?”
I took the bundle from her and fiddled with the paper. I looked down at the table.
Carla reached across and took hold of my hands. She bowed her head to try and catch my eye. “What’s wrong, honey? You can tell me.”
I took a moment to gather my words. There was a lump in my throat. I so badly hadn’t wanted all of this to follow me here. I had wanted to leave it all far, far behind. I took a deep breath and spoke. “I received a letter in my PO box the other day.”
“What kind of letter?”
“It was from Victor.”
Carla’s brow furrowed for a moment while she tried to recall the name. She gasped. “Your ex? Oh my God, what did it say?”
I clung onto the handle of my latte glass tightly and took a deep breath. “Read it.”
I withdrew the original note from my purse and handed it to her. Carla’s eyes scanned the writing and then she began to shake her head slowly. She looked up at me with concern. “What are you gonna do?”
I gave a little shrug and shook my head helplessly. “I just don’t know. I’ve already been to the police.”
“What else do you think Victor knows?”
“I don’t know. I mean, he knows where my PO box is. He knows I’m in Brayford. It can’t be that long until he finds out where I live if he doesn’t already know.”
“You wanted me to collect the mail in case he was watching.”
I nodded. “I’m sorry. I just knew I couldn’t go back there myself in case he was watching. I figured he wouldn’t know who you were. I thought you might be able to pick it up easy.”
“Nobody said anything to me. I didn’t feel like I was being watched.”
I breathed a small sigh of relief. “Good. I won’t ask you to do it again. I’m going to cancel that PO box.”
“I don’t mind picking it up for a while until this blows over.”
“Thanks, Carla, but I think it’s best I change it. Just to be safe.”
Carla let out a long, low, breath. “What do you think he wants with you?”
I shook my head. “God knows. At first, it was like he was trying to get me back, but then I started to feel like he was punishing me. He’s sick. I don’t know what else to say.”
“Would he ever hurt you?”
My silence was all Carla needed to know the answer.
She reached out to lay her hand on mine again. “Have you told Nate?”
“No. No way.”
“Why not?”
“I didn’t want him to know.”
“Why?”
I gave a little shrug and sighed again, putting a hand to my head. “Things are going so well. I didn’t want to bring all my baggage into it. Besides, what can Nate do?”
“He can watch out for you, for one thing.”
“It’s not his job to keep me safe. I don’t want it to be like that with us. He’s got a daughter to look after. That should be his priority. Not looking after me. I don’t want to be that person.”
“Nate would never forgive himself if anything happened to you.”
“I’ve been to the police about getting my restraining order transferred.”
“You had one before?”
I nodded.
Carla’s expression was sympathetic. “Well, that’s something. But you still need to keep your wits about you. This guy is obviously a stalker. He’s obviously unhinged. I mean, Jesus, Jenna—he’s followed you all the way from Pennsylvania. Normal people don’t do that after a breakup.”
“I know, I know…Kacey has been telling me the same thing.”
“Nate’s sister?”
“Yeah. She runs a support group.”
Carla’s eyes widened and then softened. “Oh, honey…why didn’t you tell me? That group is for victims of domestic violence, isn’t it?” She let out a long, sad breath. “I just thought you’d had a rocky break-up. I had no idea…”
“Kacey’s been great. The support group is great. They’ve really helped me get my head together and really focus in on the things I want. Everything’s been coming together and falling into place.”
I looked out the window across the street to the fire station. Nate would be working right now. He was on the night shift this week. He would have just started his shift. I didn’t know
whether he was in the station, out on a call or doing some kind of community work out in the town somewhere. My heart ached for him, and I wished that I could tell him everything that was happening. I bet that he’d know just what to say to make me feel better. But, I just couldn’t tell him. I didn’t want to test our relationship so early. Not when everything was going so well, and we had a chance together.
“She’s the one who knew about transferring the restraining order I had back in Pennsylvania,” I continued. “I didn’t know you could do that.”
“Well, I think that’s a smart idea.”
“Let’s hope it does some good. It never took in Pennsylvania.”
“What do you mean?”
I explained. The words came out angry; frustrated. “All the other cops were just too happy to have Victor’s back. He made out like I was some hysterical woman. They all knew him as such a nice guy. Wouldn’t hurt a fly. He had them all wrapped around his little finger, and nobody wanted to turn against him. Not for me.”
Carla shifted her seat, so she was sitting beside me, and she put her arm around my shoulder. “This isn’t Pennsylvania. The police here aren’t Victor’s friends. They’re here to protect you. Not him. You needed to get that restraining order transferred. Then you’ve got some power to do something if he shows up.”
“Yeah…maybe.”
I knew there was sense to what Carla was saying, to what Kacey had been saying, but still, I couldn’t help but feel like it was all pointless. I’d tried before.
Still, I’d done what I knew I needed to, and now I had to just hope that this time would be different.
Carla nodded towards the mail in my hands. “Has he sent you anything else?”
I swallowed. My mouth was dry. I almost didn’t want to look. I felt like I was a horror movie, where the monster was a step closer every time I blinked. Still, I had to know.
With trembling hands, I began to shuffle through the mail. The first few letters were nothing to worry about. Bills. Adverts. Coupons. Then came the familiar handwriting I’d been dreading seeing.
