by M. R. Polish
“Not a chance, sweetheart.” He leaned down to harshly whisper in my ear. “Now you better get up and do as I say.”
“Never,” I seethed.
He twisted my arm higher up. Sharp ripping pain tore through my shoulder. I cried out again. How was I going to get away? Any type of struggle only made the pain in my shoulder worse.
“Help!” I yelled, hoping someone—anyone—would hear me.
“Hey, get off her!” Someone came running toward us. His backpack swung to hit Steve hard across the chest but it only infuriated him more. He got up to hit the guy who tried to help me, knocking him to the ground. I ran without looking back. Another guy ran toward us. “Are you okay?”
“No! Run, he’s crazy!”
The guy looked past me at Steve and hesitated. He shook his head. “I’m sorry, I can’t help.” I took the chance and glanced over my shoulder, but it was a mistake. Steve was right behind me and grabbed the tail of my shirt, stopping my flight. He flung me down to the ground like a doll and sat on my back.
I yelled at the other guy for help.
“Campus security is on the way,” another guy hollered.
“You’ll regret that!” Steve yelled at the guy who called the security. “Now you went and did it.”
Steve pushed my head down into the grass. My nose hit hard against the ground, and I could already feel the warm trickle of blood flow down to my lips. Instant pain shot through my head and I could feel pressure behind my eyes, pulsating with my heartbeat. I groaned as I tried to lift myself up, but Steve still had my arm pushed up high on my back.
“I told you that you’d be sorry if you told me no,” Steve reminded me. He sat up, still sitting over my backside. He ran his hands through my hair. “I want you, Keeley. I want you like I’ve never wanted another girl. We could be happy.”
I wanted to throw up. Not only did my body hurt, but also how Steve acted made me sick. He was sick. Hot tears fell to the grass from my eyes.
He continued to stroke my hair. “Don’t cry, Keeley. You’ll be happy, I promise. Just give me a chance.”
“Go to hell,” I said. My voice broke, giving away how weak I was becoming.
“Hey! Get the hell off her!”
I lifted my head as high as I could but it wasn’t high enough to see Vahn, yet. I only knew his voice. Hope lifted my heart as I heard him running toward us.
Finally, I saw him. Vahn ran until he got close and kicked Steve in the jaw. Immediately, I rolled over and tried to get up but my arm hurt and I couldn’t use it to help myself sit up. I got to my knees and looked around. Vahn was on top of Steve and they were struggling against each other. Vahn got a good hit across Steve’s face then stood up. He kicked Steve in the side and then spit on him. “You ever touch her again and it will be you that’s gonna be sorry.”
He winced as he took a step but then spotted me and ran. His arm was around me instantly, pulling me to him. He kissed my forehead. “Oh my God, Keeley. Are you okay?”
I looked over at Steve, who was rolling over to sit up. I wiped my nose with the back of my hand and watched as it came back red. “Yeah, I think so.”
“Come on, I want to make sure you’re safe.”
“What about the cops?”
“I’ll call them, and tell them where we are.”
“Do you need a doctor? Keeley…” He shook his head. “Just tell me what you need.”
“No, no doctor. I’m fine, just need to go home.”
We walked away from the small crowd that was forming. Vahn kept an arm around me as he led me to his car. By the time I was inside tears were rolling down my face. “Why are you here? I mean, I don’t understand since you weren’t gonna pick me up till after class.”
“I heard about Alison through one of the guys at the shop. I knew you’d be upset so I came to be with you.” He grabbed my hand and held it tight. “It’s okay, I swear, babe. He’s not gonna touch you again. I need to call the police before we leave.”
He pulled out his phone and reported where Steve was and what happened. When he hung up, I started sobbing.
“Vahn, it’s not okay. Nothing is okay. Steve’s gonna kill you, just like he killed Alison.”
“What? You think he killed her? Keeley, it was a car accident.”
I shook my head. “No. He planned it. It might not have been him who killed her, but it was one of the guys on the team.”
“Keeley, are you sure?”
“He didn’t admit it, but I know it was him.”
“Damn it.” He hit the steering wheel. “Why would he do that?”
“Because he’s sick and twisted. He has this obsession that he wants me to be his girlfriend or some stupid shit like that.”
“Keeley, we need to find out how or better yet, why he has such a hold on all the guys on the team.”
“I don’t understand any of it.”
“Damn it, Keeley, he came after you and you think he had something to do with Alison’s death. I know he had something to do with Christie’s. I can’t protect you if I don’t know.”
I squeezed his hand. “Just don’t leave me alone right now.”
He shook his head and blew out a long breath. “I don’t like it. What if I hadn’t shown up? What would’ve happened to you? I don’t think you understand how hard I’ve fallen for you. My heart felt ripped from my chest when I heard you scream for help.”
Everything inside of me ached with his words, and I wasn’t sure how to respond, or how to make him feel better. I wasn’t sure what would’ve happened, but it wasn’t good, I was sure of at least that. “I know. It won’t happen again. We’ll just have to figure out how to bring him down. Obviously the police are having a hard time.”
Eleven
We pulled up along the road next to my apartment and Vahn cut the engine. I was still shaking as he opened my door. “Come on, let’s get inside before someone sees you and thinks it was me who beat you up.” He chuckled roughly, but I knew it was more him trying to cover up the awkwardness of the situation.
I unlocked my apartment and pushed it open. I half expected Steve to jump out from around the kitchen corner, but the house was quiet.
“Let me go in first, just in case.” Vahn pushed past me and entered the apartment first. I would’ve been lying if I said I wasn’t grateful.
I grabbed the tail of his shirt and followed behind him closely as he searched the house. When he declared all was clear I let my shoulders fall in relief. “I’m not sure what I was or wasn’t expecting, but I’m glad we’re alone.”
He drew me in and wrapped his arms around me. The fresh scent of his aftershave made me want to snuggle even closer to him. It was a comfort that I needed right then. He made me feel safe.
I held him tight, not wanting to let go. I closed my eyes and leaned more into him as the whole day flooded me with raw emotion. It was so hard to understand that Alison was gone. Tears streamed down my cheeks onto his shirt as I buried my face on his chest. It was hard not to think Alison’s death was on my shoulders. It was a warning, I was certain. She talked to me, became friends with me, so Steve killed her because of me. The sad thing was, I was sure Alison planned it. She knew talking to me could bring this on herself. It was hard to know she was that depressed that she was okay with death.
The episode with Steve completely finished the morning, and I could only imagine how Vahn felt about everything. Maybe I was right after all, and the universe really was still trying to make me pay for Celeste’s death. Happiness wasn’t something in my cards and I was trying to cheat and find it anyway.
He tightened his hold on me and buried his face in my hair. “I can’t lose you, Keeley. I can’t lose someone I love again.”
“I know,” I whispered. “I can’t do it either. I can’t believe Alison is gone and it’s all my fault.”
“No,” Vahn objected. He leaned back and lifted my face to look in my eyes. “It is not your fault. Don’t you dare let him make you feel like that. If
Steve had anything to do with her accident, that was him, not you. Do you understand me?”
I nodded, but I didn’t feel like agreeing.
“Keeley, I mean it. You didn’t do anything to kill her.”
“But…”
“Stop. It wasn’t you.”
Tears welled in my already swollen eyes. I heaved in a slow breath. “Okay.” One tear escaped and fell down my cheek. Vahn wiped it away with his thumb, and then cupped my face in his hand.
“I love you.”
I nodded and tried my best at a smile. “I love you too.”
We waited for the police to arrive—again. They took pictures of my face and whatever bruises already formed on my arms. They promised before leaving that they would find Steve. I was only half-reassured since he’d slipped through their fingers already.
I snuggled up next to Vahn on the couch. “I can’t wait for this to be over with. I am so done with cops and seeing them on almost a daily basis is wearing on me.”
“I know, babe. It’ll be over soon.” He gave the half smile that always melted me in a puddle of a hot mess. “Now, go get cleaned up. Soak in a bath or whatever you girls do when you’re stressed. I’ll be out here waiting for you."
A bath sounded heavenly so I agreed and hesitantly left him. I looked in the bathroom mirror and cringed. My hair was in such a mess that it looked like a bird might nest in it, and there was dried blood smeared from my nose across my face. I can’t believe I looked like this in front of Vahn and didn’t scare him away. “Ha!” I said out loud. If today’s event with Steve didn’t scare him away, I wasn’t sure what could. I smiled. I definitely had a keeper. Vahn was so much more than I could have ever hoped for. My heart filled with love and happiness around him.
I drew a hot bath and added some scented oils to help me unwind. The lavender scent calmed my nerves enough that I was able to relax back in the tub and let the water take me away. I didn’t want to think about Alison or Steve. I wanted to be left alone with thoughts of Vahn. I pictured him in the water with me, kissing me.
Waking up the next morning in Vahn’s arms was like a dream come true. Nothing could ruin that moment. I was happy, sated, and, most of all I was alive. Not just breathing, but something inside of me burned with a new desire to live.
I rolled over to see his crumpled t-shirt formed perfectly against his chest. I blushed, thinking that I spent the night snuggled against the perfect man. His respect for me made me love him even more. Although it couldn’t have been easy, because it wasn’t for me. I wanted to give in to my desire, but if there was one thing I could do right in life, I wanted it to be my virginity. I was afraid Vahn would call me old fashioned, but he didn’t. He kept up with his own teasing yesterday as he trailed kisses down my neck and stirred hot feelings inside my very soul.
He stirred slightly and without opening his eyes, he kissed my forehead. “Good morning,” he whispered. His waking-up voice was sexy, a mix of husky and sleepy.
I smiled. “Morning.”
“So you don’t have class today, right?”
“Yeah, thankfully.”
“Good, me either, but I need to get up. I have to call the shop and let them know I won’t be there today.”
He moved to get out of bed and I couldn’t help but giggle as I watched him leave the room. I kicked my legs, throwing off the blankets, and smiled widely.
I heard him talking on the phone to one of the guys down at his shop, then he hung up. The shower squeaked as he turned it on, and the water pelted the wall and tub.
I threw a robe on over my clothes and walked to the kitchen. I opened the fridge and cringed. There wasn’t anything in there that resembled real food. I grabbed a bottle of water and decided that would work until we could get some breakfast. The bathroom door opened and Vahn came out with a towel wrapped around his middle. I could smell my shampoo and smiled. The fruity scent worked on him, not as much as his aftershave, but at least it didn’t diminish his manly scent.
“My turn,” I said as I screwed the lid back on my water.
He grinned. “Maybe you should’ve joined me.”
I laughed. “I’m not sure how much of a shower I would’ve gotten.”
“True.”He grabbed his clothes from yesterday off the bathroom floor and set them on the bed. I forgot how to breathe as I watched him drop the towel to the floor. I needed to get in the shower before I did more than just watch him.
The hot water felt fantastic as it cascaded down my back. Everything from yesterday seemed like a distant memory, far and faded.
I jumped out and got ready. Vahn chuckled when he saw my bandana collection. “I never would’ve thought you had that many.”
“I have one for every outfit, shoe, or makeup that I own. Oh, and holidays, I have one or two for each of those too.” I picked out the dark pink and blue one, tied it up in my hair, and then slammed the drawer shut with my hip.
We both agreed that pancakes were in order before dealing with the day. We decided that away from campus was probably best, just in case. IHOP it was.
We finished our breakfast and drove off toward the wall. He picked out paint and brushes, and I watched as he worked on making the rose come to life. I gazed over the property, seeing the old house that I was always curious about. Maybe one day I’d ask Vahn about it, but today I just wanted to bask in the sun and watch him.
I had my laptop with me and I emailed my mom, letting her know that school was good and that I met someone. I wasn’t sure how she’d really react to that part of the news, but she might as well get used to the idea because I was never letting him go. I neglected to tell her about the crazy stuff that was happening. I figured she wouldn’t like being told I had a psycho football player stalking me. I also caught up with some homework and studies, which was probably a good thing.
The sun was setting and I wondered where the day went. Time flew by so fast when I was with Vahn. He put the paint up and came over to me, lifting me up and setting me on the hood of his car.
“So, I can think of a few things we can do, but what do you want to do?”
I playfully tapped my finger on my chin. “Hummm. You know, I just can’t think of anything I want to do with you.”
“You’re a tease.”
I splayed my hand across my chest. “Me? Oh no, Mr. Silver, I believe the tease title goes to you.”
He snuggled in between my legs and put a hand on each side of me on the hood. “I never tease.” He leaned closer and kissed me. I wasn’t sure how much longer either one of us could keep it up before something happened. We were going to have to find a different outlet, but the thought of that saddened me. I wasn’t sure what I wanted when I was so close to him.
Tires rolling over gravel made Vahn look up. “Get in the car, Keeley.”
“What?” I looked over my shoulder and froze. Vahn helped me off the hood and I quickly got inside the car.
Jonah’s Focus pulled in with four other vehicles behind him. I silently pleaded that Vahn would get in the car with me and we’d just leave.
Steve jumped out of Jonah’s car before it was fully stopped. “Hey, you. Yeah, you.”
Vahn stood next to my door, his fists clenched. “This is private property.”
Steve didn’t stop; he kept walking. “Yeah, so? You have a point? You’ve got my girl; I’ve just come to get her.”
“Keeley isn’t your girl. She never has been, and never will be.”
My heart raced so fast I thought it would explode. I fumbled with my phone until I finally got 911. I told the dispatch the address and what was happening, along with the fact that Steve was wanted. I hung up before she wanted me to, but Vahn needed me. “Vahn, get in the car. Let’s go.”
Steve strode right up to Vahn and clocked him in the jaw. Vahn stumbled back but came forward with a swing of his own, sending Steve backward. Vahn took that moment and rushed at Steve; they both tumbled to the ground and I watched helplessly as all the guys from the team got out of th
e other vehicles. Brick hurried over to help Steve.
I opened the car door and screamed. “No!”
Vahn looked up briefly, just in time to see Brick coming full force at him. Brick kicked Vahn and he rolled off Steve.
“Leave him alone!” I ran closer but arms grabbed around me, dragging me back. I kicked and screamed more. “Get off me! You son of a bitch, leave me alone!” Two guys from the team held me tightly.
Brick tackled Vahn as Steve was getting up. He walked over to Vahn and kicked him in the ribs. Tears filled my eyes and my stomach rolled.
Steve whistled and three more guys came over. They all took turns with Vahn, beating him. I struggled to break free of the hold around me. I stomped on the foot of one guy, breaking his grip on me, and then turned to knee the other guy. I ran to help Vahn.
“Stop it! Get off him,” I pleaded and cried. Steve wrapped his arms around my middle and picked me up.
“Hey, I thought I told you two to keep her safe?” His voice was threatening as he yelled at the two I escaped.
I got a split second look at Vahn and was immediately sick. His face was covered in blood and he was still—too still. Tears spilled like a river down my face. With this many guys, Vahn didn’t have a chance.
“Alright, guys, I have what we came for.” Steve tightened his grip around me. He chuckled as he bent lower to whisper in my ear. “This is what we call a change of possession.”
The three guys and Brick backed off Vahn, leaving him on the ground. I wiggled, trying to break free of Steve’s near-crushing hold. I needed to get to Vahn. He needed me.
I saw Vahn move his arm slightly in my direction, almost reaching for me. His mouth moved; he said my name, but not even I could hear him. “No!” I screamed again, but no one cared. I watched as Vahn rolled over and tried to get up, but he fell back down to the ground.
“Let me go,” I yelled, but Steve continued to carry me toward Jonah’s car. I bent my head down and bit his arm that was around my chest.
He let go. Not much, but enough for me to squirm out of his hold. I took off to Vahn’s car and jumped in, locking the doors. Steve was outside watching me. It was like a standoff, neither of us moved.
