He smiled a little, which garnished a smile, and a response from me. "My name's Celeste."
"Celeste. That's a beautiful name for a beautiful girl."
I backed away. "I'm not beautiful. Please don't call me that."
"Okay. You're an ugly ogre. Got it."
I smiled at his attempt to make me laugh.
"I'm Hunter," he said, holding his hand out for me to shake.
I looked at his strong, manly hand for a time, wrestling with my want to touch him, versus my need to run as far away as I could.
"Look, I work for a security company, and I'm an ex-SEAL, if that makes you feel any better. I'm not gonna hurt you, I promise. If you are in some kind of trouble, I'll help."
"Trust me, when tomorrow comes, you're gonna wish you never said those words to me. I'm trouble. Nothing but."
He smiled. "Well, trouble is my middle name. Looks like we're perfect for each other."
He held out his hand for only a moment longer, and then dropped it, turning back to the accident scene.
"Wait, where are you going?" I asked, reaching out my hand to grab onto his hard shoulder.
"I'm not gonna force you. Looks like you had a lot of that in your life. I'm not into that shit. You can come with me if you'd like, or stay on this fucked up street…your choice."
I looked up the street, realizing it probably wasn't the best part of town, especially the way I was dressed. I turned back to him as he continued to walk away, taking with him the aura of safety that he projected.
I jogged over to him. "Wait."
He stopped mid-step. "I thought you might change your mind."
"You didn't know what I was going to do."
"I knew you were smart enough not to stay," he chuckled, cracking the slightest of smiles as we walked silently back to the accident, where his friend was sitting on his hood, twiddling his thumbs.
He saw us step from around the corner and jumped off the hood, jogging toward us. "What the fuck? I can get your ass for hit and run," his friend threatened.
"You ain't doing shit, Ari, that car is stolen," Hunter said, imposingly.
"You don't know that," Ari replied, shaking his head.
"I know, and you should know me well enough to know I wouldn't lie to you."
Ari opened his mouth to reply, when the sound of revving engines and two sets of high beams speeding toward us, cut him off.
"What the fuck is going on?" Ari asked.
I turned to Hunter, resting my hand on his chest. "We need to get out of here. Please," I begged.
FERAL
HUNTER
I looked into her eyes, the fear jumping out at me like she was a feral cat. I've seen that look before; usually on the hostage victims we rescued in the field. I knew whoever were in those Escalades weren't coming after her for a friendly Sunday chat.
I turned to Ari. "Does your car still work?"
"I think so," he said, kicking the tires.
"Gimmie the muthafuckin' keys," I said, holding out my hand.
He shook his head and threw me the keys. I snatched her hand and started for Ari's car.
"Wait! Where are we going?" she asked.
"Just get in," I yelled, jumping into the driver's seat.
Quickly, Celeste slid into the back seat, Ari in the passenger side, as I stuck the key in the ignition and turned it. The engine turned over a couple of times, but kept dying. One last twist of the key, and the car started. I jerked it into gear, then slammed on the gas; the wheels squealed against the asphalt and created a plume of burning rubber behind the car.
The Escalades were on our tail the minute the car caught traction and zoomed off down the crowded streets of downtown San Diego.
"Hurry, they're coming," she yelled from the back seat.
"That's not fuckin' helping," I said, bobbing and weaving in and out of traffic on the busy street. The first Escalade slammed into the bumper of the car, pushing us straight into a large delivery truck. I spun the wheel, narrowly missing the truck by a few inches. The Escalade was not as lucky, colliding with the truck, its whole top half slicing off.
The second Escalade veered away from the tragedy which had befallen their comrades, and quickly maneuvered themselves, mirroring my movements as I zipped down a quiet street and rounded a corner. This gave the next SUV an advantage, giving it the chance to pull up next to us, side-swiping our car, forcing us in front of oncoming traffic.
I veered to the left, letting the car pass, but unfortunately there was no more room to swerve away before I hit a parked car, making our left two tires lift off the ground, causing us to drive on the right side wheels. From the rear view mirror, I witnessed the Escalade behind us crash into the oncoming car, the engine catching fire on impact. I couldn't help but hope that there were no children in that car.
My attention shifted back to my current situation. "Bring your weight over to the left side of the car," I yelled.
Ari climbed as close to me as possible, while Celeste unbuckled her belt and moved over to the left side of the car, but it was too late, the car flipped over, sliding half way down the street on its roof, creating sparks from the friction of the metal against the concrete. If all that hadn't been enough bad luck for the next two years, at least, the car happened to stop in the middle of the trolley tracks. Ari and Celeste were both lying on the roof since they hadn't been wearing seatbelts. I shook Ari awake; although he was dazed and confused, he had the wherewithal to grab Celeste and crawl out of the car as I tried to unbuckle my belt.
The light and horn of the trolley sent me into a panic, since my buckle wouldn't unlock, no matter how hard I tried to yank it apart while pushing on the release button. The lights grew larger as they neared my position, my eyes widened, while the sounds of Ari and Celeste yelling for me clouded my head. Finally, I heard the sudden click of the seat belt.
In a flash I was free and out of the metal death trap, sitting on the asphalt next to Celeste as the cab of the red trolley car smashed into the car, reducing it to a pile of shredded metal and burning upholstery.
"Fuck!" Ari yelled, resting his hands on his head. "I just wanted to get drunk."
I looked up at him. "Are you seriously worried about that and not what the fuck just happened?"
"Yeah, who were those muthafucka's, by the way?" Ari yelled at Celeste.
She cringed at the tone of his voice, her body quivered in response to the anger in his face.
"Ari!" I yelled as I stood up, wiping the dirt off palms.
"What the fuck, Hunter?" his voice tight.
I turned to Celeste. "Who were those guys in the Escalades?"
She glanced over at the car, and the people stepping off the trolley. Her lips separated as she rubbed her elbow, visibly frightened to say anything.
"You're gonna have to tell us something. We almost got killed for you," I said.
"Those were Torello's men," she whispered.
"What the fuck!" Ari yelled.
I turned to him. "Who the fuck is Torello?"
"Are you kidding?"
"Why would I ask if I knew?"
"You just got yourself involved with the fuckin' mob. This bitch just got you involved with the fuckin' mob," Ari said, pointing at Celeste.
I swiped his hand away. "There is no need to call her fuckin' names, asshole."
I don't know why, but I felt protective of her. There was something broken and fragile in her that reminded me of someone very special to me…my mother. I wanted to hold her in my arms and keep the world at bay.
Maybe I was trying to make up for the fact I couldn't keep my mom safe from the countless deadbeats she brought home who would beat her right in front of me; a scrawny little kid who couldn't do anything but try and stand between a grown man and a cowering woman.
After my father was killed by a drunk driver, she was never the same, and the drugs and men were the only thing that seemed to dull the pain for her. I could see the same fear in Celeste's eyes, so what else coul
d I do but help?
Ari started to back away. "We better get the fuck outta here before people start asking questions, don't you think?"
I took her hand, twining my fingers with hers, exchanging a look which I had never shared with a woman before. You could have knocked me over with a feather right then.
"Let's go," Ari yelled.
I tugged at her hand, and she didn't oppose my advance, nor did her hand tremble in mine.
Taking a step away from the amassing crowd, she followed without any resistance. Our steps quickened as the conductor yelled for us to stop…a call we didn't acknowledge. We kept on our way, rounding a corner, finding refuge in a vacant building, where transients had obviously taken up residence. There were old beer cans, used syringes, and half-broken crack pipes strewn about, just waiting for someone to pick them up and reuse them.
Celeste stepped on a glass pipe, which startled her. She pressed her body into mine, trying to shake the broken glass from her shoe, letting me know she wasn't used to this sort of atmosphere. Where ever she just came from, she didn't have to deal with the seedy sort.
"There's nowhere to hide if Torello is involved. Tell us, what the fuck is going on?" Ari yelled, his screams echoing throughout the empty building.
"He bought me. I'm his," she yelled back at him.
"Oh, fuck me! We have one of his girls, Hunter!" Ari hollered, clasping his hands on top of his head while pacing back and forth, crushing crack pipes and syringes underfoot.
"Calm the fuck down, Ari," I motioned to him.
"Don't tell me to calm the fuck down. I knew I should've left your boring ass at home and went to my bitch's house instead."
I shook my head. "Listen here, muthafucker. Calm the fuck down."
He stepped to me. "Then what the fuck are we gonna do? Let's drop her off where the fuck we found her, and be on our way. Man, I ain't tryin' to be involved in this shit. I'm on muthafuckin' parole."
"Goddammit, Ari, shut the fuck up for two fuckin' seconds," I yelled, my words echoing through the barren building.
"I'm sorry. I told you to leave me. I said you would be sorry," she whispered.
I grasped her wrist and pulled her into the safety of my arms. I was treating her like she was already mine. I was a little taken aback by how comfortable it was to handle her that way, but I felt like she needed me to…handle her that is.
Softly kissing the top of her head, I let my lips linger for a time, breathing in the lavender fragrance emanating from her hair, taking in the scent like an animal in heat.
"You can trust me you know," I whispered.
She looked up at me and smiled. "I know."
I wanted time to stop in its entirety and stand in this moment forever; a moment where we were the only two people in the world. A moment where nothing from her past or mine mattered.
CELESTE
I had something to say, so I pulled away from him, clearing my throat before making my plea.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I need you to keep me safe until I can figure out where I'm gonna go, but I can't pay you," I said, looking toward the ground.
I knew how these things worked. You couldn't get something for nothing in this world.
"Are you kidding? I would never ask you to pay me. I wouldn't let anyone hurt you. I'll rain hell down on anyone who tries."
He took my hands and pulled me gently toward him, pressing my body against his.
"Why are you being so kind to me?" I asked.
"Yeah, why are you being so fuckin' kind to her?" Ari yelled.
Clasping my hands behind his neck, he slowly ran his fingers down the full length of my arms, snaking his around my waist. I looked deep into his eyes, tugging him close.
HUNTER
And here, in these few quiet moments, I realized that by taking her in I was accepting her future as my own, agreeing to enter into a war with Torello in the hopes of keeping her safe. I would need to become the man she needed, to start a war I couldn't possibly win, with a man I knew nothing about.
The predicament she was in wouldn't end well, and we both knew it. We stood there for what seemed like hours, Celeste turned, burying her face in my chest. Her cold body pressed against mine, shivering from what I could only assume was fear; I unzipped my jacket and draped it over her.
"Hey, I know you fuckers are havin' a moment. But we probably should get the fuck outta here. They obviously tracked her to the crash site."
What he said made sense to me. "How did they track you?"
"The car. I'm sure it has some sort of tracking on it. Those are his babies," she said.
"You stole the man's baby?" Ari yelled.
"Don't listen to him," I said to her.
"No. You're gonna listen to me. I'm in a heap of shit because of your whore ass," Ari cursed.
I whipped around. "Say another thing to her and I'll fuck you up, Ari."
He stepped back, putting his hands up in front of him. "Sorry man, I'm just sayin'."
"We know where you fuckin' stand. If you wanna leave, then fuckin' leave, Ari."
"No. I think I'll stick with the SEAL. If shit goes down, you know how the fuck to kill someone with a straw," he said with a smile.
I shook my head, turning back to Celeste.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"Let's get you somewhere safe, and we can talk this out," I said, stretching out my hand for her to take.
We ended up taking the backstreets all the way back to my house, to take refuge and regroup.
CELESTE
Ari brushed by me as we walked into Hunter's house, lying on the full length of the couch before I could sit down. He was obviously laying claim to what was his. Not wanting to get into a pissing match with a grown man, I backed away and leaned against the wall next to the door, watching as Ari kicked his shoes off and made himself comfortable.
Hunter headed to the kitchen, and asked, "Are you hungry?"
Ari chimed in, "Yeah, I could eat a sandwich."
"Then get up and make it yourself," he said.
I adjusted my skirt and crossed my arms, feeling slightly uncomfortable with Ari glaring at me like a piece of meat. A second later, Hunter was standing in front of me; his calming presence was wholeheartedly welcomed.
"Did you want anything to eat?" he asked.
I shook my head. Food was the last thing on my mind at that point. A good rock to hide under was what I really needed. Or a mountain. I think this situation called for a mountain.
Ari laughed as he flicked on the television. "Like I said, I'll take a sandwich and I'll eat hers, too."
"Let me show you where you're going to sleep," he said, turning toward the hallway next to his kitchen.
I knew where hallways led, and I wanted no part of it. I would rather sleep on the street than have to open my legs for a place to stay. I thought he was different, but I seemed to always be wrong about men. Except Ari of course…he was definitely an asshole.
"No. I can sleep on the floor in here," I said, clutching onto his wrist to keep him from walking any further.
He turned to me, shaking his head. "You're gonna sleep on the bed, and I can sleep on the floor in here."
"I can't ask you to —"
"You didn't," he interrupted.
That's when I knew he wasn't going to take advantage of the situation and force me to sleep with him for a place to stay. Maybe chivalry wasn't dead?
Who knew?
I nodded and proceeded to follow him to the room.
"Wrap it up, homie. No tellin' about these loose jainas," Ari yelled as we were halfway down the hall.
Hunter glanced over his shoulder to me. "Don't pay him any mind. He's an asshole to everybody."
"He must be fun at parties," I muttered under my breath.
He laughed as he pushed the door to his room open, revealing the sparsely decorated space.
"Really lacking the woman's touch in here I see," I joked.
"Well, it's kinda har
d to have a woman's touch without a woman."
"So you're single?"
"A little late for that question don't you think?" He laughed as he pulled and extra blanket and pillow from the cedar chest at the foot of his bed.
"I guess you're right." I chuckled, sliding off my shoes.
He brushed by me as he headed out the door. "There are towels in the bathroom, and I'll be right outside if you need anything."
I pressed my hand to his arm. "I think I'd feel safer if you slept in here."
He glanced over his shoulder to the bed. "Are you sure?"
"The floor, I meant," I stuttered, realizing how my offer came across.
"Oh…yeah…that's what I meant, too," he replied with a curl to his lip.
He turned and threw the blanket and pillow on the floor next to the bed. "Just gimmie a second to let Ari know I'm staying in here."
"Good luck with that conversation," I said sarcastically, as I slid my jacket off and laid it on the cedar chest.
I walked to the bathroom and leaned into the mirror. My smeared mascara made me look like a raccoon, and I was horrified to think Hunter had been staring at this wretched face all night. Quickly I wiped the smeared mascara from underneath my eyes with a piece of toilet paper, taking another moment to tousle my hair, just in time to hear the bedroom door open.
He's back.
I nonchalantly stepped out of the bathroom, grazing by him as I sauntered over to the bed.
The electricity…Lord Almighty the electricity.
I was wet before my head touched the pillow. He lay down on the floor, reaching up for the lamp on the nightstand to turn it off.
The room went pitch black.
"How's a guy like you single?" I asked out of sheer curiosity.
"The real question is, how's a guy like me not single?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I'm in and out of the country all the time. A week long op here, a month long op there. The women I end up with are too needy and can't seem to find it in their hearts to wait around."
"Occupational hazard?"
Indecency: A Bad Boy Romance Page 3
