by Hart, Cary
Tyler won’t hurt me. I truly believe that. He may want to scare me into coming back, but actually laying his hand on me … that’s not how he punishes.
Tucking the note safely in my bra, I shake off any doubt of what I’m about to do. Maybe, if I stay alert and become more aware of my surroundings, everything will be okay.
It has to be.
Shapiro
I told them to never leave her and here she is, walking down the hallway, alone. Flipping through the cameras one at a time, I watch her surroundings to make sure she makes it up here safely. It’s my job. To protect her.
It’s more.
“Shit!” I kick at the rug that has turned up from me pacing.
It’s always been more. The harder I fight it, the stronger it gets. Everything I do is to protect her to make sure she is finally safe. So maybe, one day, we could explore something more … when she’s ready.
Clicking the channel to bring up all the cameras I see she’s at the front door. Racing over, I swing it open. “Why are you alone?”
“I-I mean Jen had a work emergency. I thought with all the cameras”—she points to the one on top of the kitchen cabinets—“I would be fine.” Penny pushes past me. “Plus, I knew you were here.” She turns around and sets down the bags.
“You can’t do that.”
“Okay.” Her eyes roll. “I’ll just put them in my room then.” She gathers her bags in one hand and starts toward her room.
“No. I didn’t mean … shit, Penny.” I breath out a sigh. “I want to see your things and hear about your day. So please don’t go to your room.”
“Oh! I thought …”
“I was worried, okay.” I walk over to her and grab her bags. “Come, tell me about your day.”
“Really?” she beams.
I nod.
Moving past me, she swipes up one of the bags and heads toward the coffee table.
I don’t know why I didn’t notice before. Maybe I was too caught up on why she was alone to notice how gorgeous she looks.
“That Tip-Top-Tease place was amazing. They had everything and treated us like we were royalty,” she says excitedly as she takes everything out of the bag and lays it out.
While I’m listening to her go on and on I can’t help but watch as her ass sways with each movement and the way her tits play peek-a-boo as she bent over.
“Oh, and this …” She twirls once giving me a little peek at her lingerie.
A smile creeps over my face. When I made the arrangements, I told Christy to go all out. I wanted her to have a new wardrobe, accessories and all. I’m just pleased she took me seriously.
Hmm … I wonder if she’s matching.
“Shapiro?”
“Huh?” I shake off the image.
“Did you hear what I was saying?” She stands there, eyes narrowing and hands on hips.
“Of course!”
I heard enough to know that giving her more days like this was definitely an option.
“Then what did I say?” She dares me to answer.
Counting off on my fingers, I answer her. “Nails, toes, hair, clothes. Lots and lots of clothes and new thongs.”
“I didn’t say anything about a thong.” Her eyes slowly begin to widen as a blush creeps over her cheeks.
“So, you didn’t.”
“Shapiro!” She hides her face.
“Penny …” I move in front of her and pry her fingers away one by one. “Don’t hide from me.”
“I’m sorry.” She worries her bottom lip before she meets my gaze again.
Light brown to dark, we stand there not hiding. Each of us daring the other to say something. To break the tension that is building.
“Thank you.” Her voice barely audible. “This was more than I could have ever imagined.”
“You’re welcome.” I reach over, cupping her elbow as I lean in to leave a soft lingering kiss to her cheek. “You’re worth it,” I whisper, my heated breath blows against her skin before I pull away. Giving her body a once over, I appreciate her new attire. “Absolutely beautiful.”
“I need to …”—she gulps—“clean this up.”
“Let me help.” I clap my hands together. “What goes where?”
“I got this. I’m just going to quickly change and hang everything up.” She stalls for a moment. “You work tonight?”
“Nope.”
Gavin is training a new bouncer, so I took the opportunity this morning to request the day off. After yesterday, Penny needed to know she wasn’t alone.
“How about you fix us some popcorn and Kool-Aid. Make it a Grey’s night?”
“Sounds perfect. Break out a special occasion?”
“We can’t make every day one. How about grape?” She flashes me a quick grin as she throws the clothes in her bag.
This should tell me everything I need to know. This woman could have picked any flavor of Kool-Aid, but she didn’t. She respected the special occasion and went for what we had the most of. She noticed and took note. This may be something little, but sometimes it’s the little things that count the most.
I like this Penny, the one that is carefree. The one who has a smile plastered to her face. The one who seems happy.
She is happy. I helped make that happen and I would do anything to keep her that way.
Penny
He left me. He told me he was going to stay, and he left. And I’m here locked up like some type of prisoner. Again.
Nothing has changed. Have I traded one prison for another? A heavy sigh leaves my lips, but at least it’s not tears.
I know he’s just trying to keep me safe, but safe doesn’t mean he has to keep me like some fragile bird that needs to be locked in a cage.
For weeks we have been dancing around each other. Sure, we have fallen into a comfortable routine. I love sharing meals with him, Netflix … Grey’s. The whole Kool-Aid thing is even growing on me. The problem is, so is he.
And anytime things start to go there, he goes the opposite direction.
Tonight’s direction has left us on opposite sides of a locked door.
How can he protect me if he’s not here? Words I want to throw in his face so bad. But I don’t. I won’t. Because it’s not fair.
I find myself standing in front of the door. And why should I stay here if he won’t?
My hand starts flicking open the locks. I’m going to go downstairs and ease this anxiety the only way I know how.
I take the steps one at a time, afraid at any moment he’s going to pop out like this is some kind of trust test.
Nothing.
Now I take them two at a time.
Still nothing.
Nothing but the feeling of freedom with a dash of fear and a pinch of guilt.
Entering in the empty kitchen has me feeling like I’ve just been given a hit of oxygen.
Grabbing the supplies I stashed away, I get right to work. I flick on the oven before taking my aggression out on this batter. And tell a bowl full of blueberries and flour what I wish I could tell him. Make him understand.
Seconds turned into minutes and minutes into hours. If baking is my therapy, why don’t I feel better?
Cleaning up, I place the last of the muffin tins back on the rack and give the kitchen a once over before I grab the boxes of pastries and muffins and head to the breakroom.
“Those for us?” Jake says coming out of the security room.
“Crap!” I jump back and the boxes teeter-totter.
“I didn’t mean to startle you.” He grabs the boxes from my arms before tonight’s hard work goes tumbling to the ground.
“It’s okay, I just didn’t expect anyone to be down here.”
“Normally there isn’t.” He walks with down the hall. “Hey …” he gives me a sideways glance. “Does Shapiro know you’re down here?”
Taking a deep breath, I think about lying. Telling him that he does and doesn’t care, but I can’t. What good would that do?
“N
o. He never came home.” I take the boxes from his hands and set them on the break table. Leaving a little note card tented on top before I turn to leave.
“Penny, is it?”
I nod.
“I’m sure he has a good reason,” Jake offers. “If it helps, I’ve never seen him like this.”
“Like what?”
“Happy. In a good mood.” He walks over to the doorway to stand next to me. “It’s a side we’ve never seen.” He starts to turn off the lights.
“Wait.”
I rush over and grab an empty basket I notice sitting empty on the microwave and grab a few blueberry muffins.
“For later.”
Jake flashes me a knowing smile.
“Have a good morning, Penny.”
“You too, Jake.”
Leaving, we head different directions. I head over to the stairwell and Jake to the security room.
Feeling eyes on me, I turn to see Jake watching. Before tonight I would have been a tad creeped out, but after our little talk, I realize he was looking after me. Especially since he brought up Shapiro.
I take the steps, one by one. Slower than the way I came down, I try to conjure up all the reasons why he had to stay out all night, but nothing logical pops into my mind.
I’m upset, and I probably will be until he’s home. A part of me wants to leave these muffins on the counter with a glass of milk, but then there’s a part of me that wants to rip off all the tops and leave him the bottoms.
Reaching the landing, my steps become quicker as the evening starts to catch up with me, but then I hear her voice.
“Call me later?”
Ellie.
“Crap.”
“Of course.” Her guy friend throws a bag over his shoulder and rounds the corner coming straight for me.
This is one of those times I wish I could tuck into a closest or something, but unfortunately for me there is only one place to go, forward.
Keeping my head down, in hopes of not being noticed, I walk right past him and straight to my apartment. Maybe if I don’t make eye contact, Ellie will get the hint.
She doesn’t.
All I wanted to do is head to the kitchen to take my anger out on the dough. And I did. I beat, knead and rolled my way to a neutral place. Baking is my therapy and the longer I stay with Shapiro the more I’ll need to do it. Three hours just isn’t enough time.
“Whatcha got there?”
Why me? Why now?
Looking down at my basket of muffins and back at her. I just stand there and think about offering her one or hell maybe all of them. I’m willing to bet she would appreciate them more than the muffin-top man.
A part of me wants to put myself out there. Maybe become friends, but if I do that, then what? Would Shapiro allow me to have playdates across the hall?
“I promise I’m not the big bad wolf ready to take your basket of goodies. Although this thing here”—she points to her growling stomach—“says to knock you down, take the muffins, and run.”
Oh jeez. Not today, Satan, not today.
My eyes go wide.
This girl, she would be a food clinger. Once you give them something tasty they keep coming back for more.
Abort. Abort.
Hurrying to my side of the hall, I unlock the door, hurry inside and secure everything into place.
Why do I feel as if I got caught with my hand in the cookie jar?
I smile.
Or in this case a muffin basket.
My eyes fly up to the entry.
Shit!
The cameras.
Shapiro
I left her. I told her I was going to stay, and I left. Leaving her locked up like some type of prisoner. Again.
When I got that call and told her I had to leave, her once smiling face was emotionless, and I’m the cause. Not Tyler, but me.
I’m the one who is supposed to help fix her, not break her down more.
But this call, I thought it was a means to an end. I thought if I took it, I could make this go away once and for all.
I thought I could get her the freedom she deserves.
I was wrong.
Standing in front of the back door, I stand there, exhausted to the point I can’t even remember the code to the alarm.
The door swings open.
“Hey, man.” Jake stands there. “Saw you on the cameras.”
Stepping up and past him. I head into the security room for a rundown.
“You look like shit.” Jake follows me in.
“Yeah, well, it’s been a long night.” I fall back into the chair in front of the cameras.
I spent most of my night talking back and forth with Ford, the owner of club and family friend. He informed me the reason why I left town was up for parole. Marcus abused my sister day after day and I needed him gone. So, I lied and said he was the only one there. The man paid for the crime for both of us and I didn’t care.
“Did you figure out a way to add all cameras to my app?”
Running into Jake on my way out, he filled me in on some information that Penny was hiding from me. Another little piece to this confusing as fuck puzzle that is being tossed around us.
A little note, like the one I received. I needed to follow the leads and find the sick bastard before he could get his hands on Penny again.
Jake volunteered to stay and watch for any comings or goings and since his brother was the one who helped install the system, it was the perfect opportunity to have him add the club’s cameras to mine.
Access twenty-four seven.
“It took some time, but I finally got it. Reboot your computer and you’re good to go.”
I hate to do it but if Penny wants a little more freedom, this is the only way I can give it to her.
“Thanks.” I pull up my phone, scanning the cameras upstairs.
Jake leans back against the wall, observing.
“Did you know Penny came down to the kitchen last night?”
“I didn’t.” I rise to move around the desk.
I told her not to leave. I gave strict instructions on what she could and couldn’t do.
As if Jake could read my mind he says, “Cut her some slack. She wasn’t in the best of moods last night.” Great he’s defending Penny. Making me feel like an even bigger ass.
“Thanks for watching after her.” I clasp him on the shoulder as I walk out.
“Any time, man. Any closer?”
Scrubbing my face, I shake my head. “Dead end.”
“We’ll flood them out some way.” He nods.
“I feel like this is going nowhere fast and I’m not sure how much more Penny can take.”
“Here.” Jake pulls out a business card. “Here’s Jordan’s number.”
I take the card and flip it over. “Your brother is a private investigator?”
“Yeah, he does it on the side. I guess the security systems and PI thing go hand in hand.”
“I’ll give him a call … after I sleep.” I slide the card in my back pocket. “Speaking of which. I’m heading up.”
“I’m right behind you. I’m heading home.” Jake follows me out, turning toward the front as I head toward the stairwell.
Opening and closing the door behind me, I stand there at the bottom and pull out my phone once more. Checking to see if there is any movement.
She must be in bed.
Giving it everything I have, I take the stairs two at a time. Ready to be home.
Ready to see Penny.
Shapiro
I have never felt like more of a failure than I do at this very minute while staring at a basket of blueberry muffins. Tops torn off and individually wrapped. Evidence of a good woman who is overlooking a man and his faults.
A tidal wave of guilt comes crashing forward and there is nothing I can do about it. The circumstances are still the same and I can’t change them.
Grabbing a muffin, I unwrap the plastic and toss it into the trash, devouring the baked tr
eat in a couple bites. Grabbing another, I head to the couch to relax a little and wait for Penny to get up. She and I have a lot to discuss especially now that I found out about her little secret.
“Hey!” Penny shrieks.
“Oh shit!” I jump back up after falling onto the couch.
“I didn’t know you were in here.”
“I was waiting up for you.” Penny scoots her way up into a sitting position.
“I was going to let you sleep.” I take a step back and sit on the edge of the coffee table.
Nodding, she gives me a once over, raising a brow. “You look exhausted.”
“I am.” I reach up to rub my eyes. Trying to stay awake.
“No sleep?”
“Nope.”
“Huh,” she huffs out, getting up.
“What is that supposed to mean?” I follow her into the kitchen.
“It means exactly that, Shapiro.” She reaches for a glass and fills it with water.
“I get really tired of this lack of communication.” I lean against the counter, crossing my arms.
“Fine.” Penny whips around. “Over twenty-four hours ago, we were in this exact same spot and I was on the verge of a breakdown unable to take all this. And you.” She takes a step closer and jabs me in the chest. “You picked me up and you gave me my Kool-Aid.” Her eyes swim with tears. “Then you proceeded to tell me you found a way for me to go into business for myself and then planned a day out with the girls.” Taking a step back, she falls back letting the counter catch her.
It should be me.
“But what I was looking forward to the most,” she pauses and swipes away the tears, “was spending time with you.”
“Penny.” I close the distance.
“No.” She holds up her hand.
“But you took that moment and stomped all over it. You left me, Shapiro. You left again.” She begins to sob.
“I had to,” I plead.
“Did you? Because if you were trying to protect me, why did you leave me alone in an apartment. And not just any apartment, one that is completely one hundred percent soundproof.” Penny pushes off the cabinet. “All the cameras and locks can’t keep me safe. If Tyler really wanted me. He could get me.”
