by Lara Wynter
He pulls me past a large skip bin and pushes me roughly against the brick wall. There’s not much light down the alley and no doors or windows in sight. The perfect place to go unnoticed. He pins both my arms against the wall and I struggle against his iron grip.
“Stop struggling. I told you I just want to talk.”
I cease. I need him to relax his guard. “What do you want?” If he just loosens his hold for a moment, I can knee him in the crotch and make a run for the street.
“I saw your interview last night. If you think you can ruin my career and then just have your happily ever after with Wes, think again.” He spits out the word Wes and drops of spittle land on my face.
I turn my head away. “You ruined your own life when you attacked me.” I clench my teeth. I will not let this bully threaten me. “Or did you conveniently forget that part?”
“You wanted it. I saw the way you looked at me. You led me on with your smiles and glances.”
What the heck? “I never flirted with you at all. You’re delusional. You always made me uncomfortable. I tried to avoid being around you when I could.”
Trent leans in close, leering down at me. His hot breath sends a shiver of revulsion through me. “Liar! You groupies are all the same. Begging for it one minute and then going cold. You think Wes can satisfy you the way I can?”
“I love Wes. If I don’t get back to the hotel soon, you know he’ll come looking for me.”
“You think that little prick scares me?” He leers at me his top lip curled in a sneer. “I knew him when he was just a scared scrawny teenager looking for a break, and I helped him get it. If it wasn’t for me, he’d still be living in the gutter.”
This isn’t working. The more I rile him up, the harder he holds on to me. God, help me find the words I need. “Let’s just calm down and talk about this like adults. What is it you want from me?”
“I want my life back. You need to get Wes and Finn to line me up with another band.”
He’s totally delusional. Fear settles in my gut. How can I reason with Trent, when he’s insane? “Let me call Wes now. I’m sure we can make him see you deserve another chance. No one’s life has to be ruined here.”
“You think I’m stupid? If I let you call him, you’ll just make up stories again.”
“What do you want me to do then?” He still hasn’t loosened his grip for an instant. I’m going to have to try to kick him anyway. I bring my knee up between his legs. He grunts but his legs aren’t far enough apart for me to really hurt him.
His right had slaps my cheek. Hard. It throbs and tears sting my eyes.
“Help! Please, someone, he–” The words die in my throat as Trent holds up a shiny blade in front of my face.
“One more shout, and you won’t live to tell any tales.”
I gasp. I know he’s delusional, but I never thought he was capable of murder. His cold hard eyes show no compassion. Are they eyes of a killer? I freeze. He runs the blade of the knife softly against my cheek and down my neck.
A tear runs down my cheek and drops down onto my shirt.
Chapter 24
Wes
“Stan, stay here with Sophie. Leon, come with me.”
Stan looks concerned. “You sure boss? We could take Sophie to Finn and Autumn’s room and then I could come with you.”
“No time. If we can’t find her, we’ll call.” I’m glad they’re both taking my concerns seriously. Jemma’s text said she’d only been gone for fifteen minutes and it’s been almost thirty. I knew I should have gone after her straight away. Or at least sent Leon. What was she thinking going out alone? I won’t be able to live with myself if something happens to her.
Leon trots by my side as we head to the elevator. I’d take the stairs if we weren’t on the twentieth floor. The wait for the doors to open is agonising. Every second counts. The door finally slides open and another small part of me dies – she isn’t in it. A part of me was still hoping I was just overreacting.
I thump my hand against the button for the ground floor and wait impatiently for the car to descend.
“Jemma’s smart. She’ll be alright.” Leon’s grim face mirrors my own.
The doors open and we run through the lobby. It’s empty except for a few staff members behind the counter. I run through the glass doors barely avoiding crashing into them. Several people walk along the street. None of them is her. Leon is talking to the doorman. He’d better remember which way she went.
“This way,” Leon points west towards the shopping district.
My eyes scan ahead as we jog down the pavement. We can’t afford to miss anything.
“There,” Leon points ahead. A shopping bag lies on the ground on it’s side.
I sprint to the bag and scoop it up. There’s a jacket inside. Leon yanks me against the front window of a store. He points down a narrow alley that runs between the shops.
“There’s someone down there.”
Is it her? I want to run down the alley, but some small part of my brain still knows if Jemma’s in trouble I need to trust Leon’s judgement. He has the skills to save her.
He peers around the corner of the building. I don’t even dare to breathe.
“Stay behind me. Don’t make a sound.”
I nod.
Leon eases his bulk around the corner. I follow. It’s dim in the alley. I follow Leon as we silently creep through the gloom. He ducks down behind a large bin and I crouch down beside him.
“You know what I think I’m going to do?”
It’s Trent’s voice. My blood runs cold. Leon places a restraining arm on my shoulder.
“I’m going to cut you so that no one will want you anymore.”
She’s still alive.
“Don’t move,” Leon hisses in my ear. He eases himself along the side of the bin.
Never has it been so hard to stay still. I want to run to Jemma with all that I have in me. But my love for her keeps me still.
“Please. Don’t do this.” Jemma begs.
The tremor in her voice cuts at my heart.
“First your face–”
I hear a scuffle and then a thud. I push off from the wall and sprint with everything I have in me.
It’s over. Trent lies unmoving on the ground. Leon stands above him. My eyes go to Jemma. Her eyes lock with mine. I close the remaining distance and pull her shaking body against me. Sobs and tremors rock her slender frame as she holds me tight.
“Shh, you’re alright. I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again.”
Chapter 25
Jemma
I sigh in relief as I enter the house behind Sophie and Wes. Home. We can put all the bad behind us for good. Trent is in prison where he belongs. He won’t be able to hurt anymore women with his twisted ideas ever again. I still feel guilty that I thought not pressing charges against Trent was a good idea. Somehow, I thought I was the only woman he’d tried to force himself on. Just because no one had ever stood up to him, didn’t mean he’d never done anything before. Now I know better and I can move on with my life.
I take a deep cleansing breath. We have a wedding to plan. Somehow we have to pull everything together in less than two weeks. While Wes is going along with my desire to wait until the wedding to sleep together, he did want to get married as soon as possible. My cheeks heat at the thought. I’m in total agreement about the quick wedding plan. I’d marry Wes right now if I could. When you find who you want to be with forever, you want forever to start right away.
Leon comes in behind me. “Do you want me to take your bags upstairs Jemma?”
Wes puts his arm around my shoulders and kisses the top of my head. “That’s alright Leon, I can carry them up.”
“Okay, boss. I’ll be in my apartment if you need me.” He winks at me and heads back out the front door.
At this point Leon can pretty much get away with anything. Wes and I owe him a great debt. Wes picks up my bags, and I follow him up the stairs. He looks amazing in
the new leather jacket I almost died to get him. Sophie comes out of her room as Wes is just about to enter mine. She plants herself across my doorway arms outstretched.
“Where do you think you’re going Wes?” She grins. “This room is off limits to you for the next two weeks. Girls only.”
Sophie thinks it’s hilarious that I won’t be moving in with Wes until after the wedding. She’s decided to be our self-appointed chastity warden. Her words, not mine. But in reality my parents will be arriving soon to stay at the house and that will be the most effective way of making sure nothing happens. I really want them to like Wes, and I know he wants to make a good impression as well.
Finn and Autumn are also going to stay here to help plan things so it will be a full house. Wes and I probably won’t have a moment of alone time.
Wes puts my bags down outside my door. He sighs. “Are you sure we can’t organize things any sooner than two weeks?”
Sophie laughs and drags the bags into my room. “I’ll give you a moment of alone time.” She drags out the syllables of alone time so it sounds like allloooooone tiiiiime.
She shuts the door to my room. I’m sure she’s already messaging her friends to tell them how hilarious we are. I don’t care, I like the sound of some alone time.
Wes puts his arms against the wall on either side of me. Looking up into his eyes my heart beats faster. His pupils dilate and I can’t help looking at his full parted lips.
“This is going to be torture isn’t it?” Wes whispers.
I reach up and run my fingers through his soft thick hair. “Just kiss me already. She’ll be back soon.” My voice comes out in a husky tone I didn’t know I possessed.
Wes wastes no more time. His lips cover my own. Heat spreads through my whole body as I feel Wes’s hands slide down my back. My hands tighten in his hair as the kiss intensifies. My eyes close, and I lose myself to powerful feelings of bliss. I push my body closer, feeling the hardness of his body against mine. Wanting to be closer still.
The harsh chime of the doorbell shatters my bliss. I pull back, my breathing ragged.
Wes groans and closes his eyes. “I’m sorry, Jem. That was too much.” His eyes search my face.
“I wanted it as much as you did.” I run my hands through my tangled curls in an effort to get my bearings. “You’re right about one thing though.”
“What’s that?”
“The next two weeks are going to be sheer torture.”
Wes smiles, running his fingers softly down my cheek. “You’re worth it though. For you I’d wait forever.”
I grin. “That’d be a lot of cold showers.”
“Indeed it would.” Wes grins sheepishly. “Do you mind getting the door? I need a moment. And I think it might be for you anyway.”
“Really? Is Autumn here already? I thought they weren’t coming today.” I take one last look at Wes. He looks adorably disheveled. I run down the steps as the doorbell chimes again. I pause briefly to check my appearance in the hall mirror. I straighten my shirt and grimace at my hair. It will have to do. Finn and Autumn won’t care anyway. I smile and fling the door open. My mouth drops open and my hands fall to my sides. “Mom, Dad! You’re here early.”
“Hi, honey,” Dad says. His grey hair has more white than I remember but his eyes still crinkle with happiness.
“Jemma, my baby, we’ve missed you sweetheart.” Mom’s eyes glisten. Her smile is still uneven from the stroke. Her mostly white hair is brushed back from her face. Stan stands behind her wheelchair and I’m glad Wes had the foresight to get ramps for the front and back doors.
I reach down and hug mom gently. The bones in her spine are all too easy to feel through her shirt. She’s always been thin but now she feels almost birdlike. I stand back up refusing to cry. I turn to my dad and fall into his arms. He still feels robust and strong as ever, but I know it’s an illusion. I’m so glad they get to see me get married. I can’t help it, a tear slides down my cheek. I pull back I try to brush it away with the back of my hand, without being obvious about it.
“You still look beautiful honey,” Dad whispers in my ear.
He’s going to make me break down if I don’t suppress my emotions. Something I don’t want to happen right now.
“Come in. I’m so glad you’re here and you get to spend some time with Wes before the wedding.” I stand to the side allowing Stan to push mom’s wheelchair into the house. Dad follows behind. I walk out intending to get the bags but Leon beats me to it. He easily lifts the two large suitcases.
“Go and spend some time with your parents. I’ll take care of these.”
“Thanks, Leon. I’d probably have to make two trips.”
Leon grins and easily lifts the bags high, his muscles bulge underneath his dark skin. “Well, we all have our strengths. I’ll let you stick to the study and I’ll happily do the heavy lifting.”
“Works for me.” I hurry back inside.
I enter the living room in time to see Wes shaking my Dad’s hand.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.”
“Please, call me Art.”
“Okay. And Betty, I can see where Jemma gets her beauty from.”
My mom’s smile lights up half her face. “She is beautiful, isn’t she? You’ll look after her now won’t you Wes? We won’t be around forever, and it would ease our hearts to know she will be loved and cared for after we’re gone.”
“Mom, I am capable of looking after myself you know.”
Mom pats my hand. “Of course you are dear, but I want what’s best for you. Is Wes going to treat you like his queen and love you like he should?”
“I love your daughter. I promise I will love and cherish her for as long as I live.”
I’m glad Wes doesn’t seem worried by my mom’s grilling.
Dad clears his throat. “But, do you believe in God?”
“I do. Jemma has taught me so much. I’ve seen how her faith impacts her whole life in such a positive way, and I look forward to joining her church and becoming closer to God.”
I almost laugh at the shocked expression on my dad’s face. I don’t think he was expecting my worldly rock star to admit that.
“What about this Vicky woman?” Dad asks. “What will you do if the baby turns out to be yours?”
“Well, as I’m confident that isn’t possible, I’m not worried. But if I ever found out I had a child out in the world, I would do my utmost to be a good father and a positive influence.”
Wes’s phone rings. He glances at the screen. “Excuse me, I really have to take this call.”
My parents’ expressions sour slightly as he leaves the room. They aren’t big fans of technology.
“Wes wouldn’t take a call unless he really had to. I’m sure it was unavoidable.” I really hope they don’t hold this against him. I really want these next two weeks to be enjoyable. I want the people I love most to all get along.
My mom reaches out her good hand and squeezes mine gently. “I can see you both love each other very much. And while I have doubts about you marrying someone who is so prominent in the public eye, I’m glad you found someone who obviously loves you so very much.”
My eyes tear up again. “You only just met Wes. How can you tell how strong his feelings are for me?”
“Oh honey, the way he looks at you. His heart is written all over his face my dear. I’ve no doubt he would walk through fire for you.”
I look at my dad for confirmation and he nods.
“Thanks, that means so much to me that you’re willing to give him a chance.”
“Well,” Dad says, “Anyone who would be willing to bring up their little sister when they could be out partying and drinking can’t be all bad.”
“Oh, Dad, he’s so amazing and caring. He has this foundation that takes kids from rough areas and teaches them how to garden and grow food and stuff. It’s amazing. Of course the media never run stories about that side of things. And Finn has a charity foundation that he
lps out those in need as well. And Sophie is amazing. She’s a lot to take in, but I love her and I can’t wait until we’re a proper family.”
“That’s great honey. What made Wes decide to set up a foundation like that?” Mom asks.
“Oh, Wes loves gardening, it’s one of the things we have in common.”
“Really?” My dad raises his eyebrows. “I just can’t picture it somehow.”
“Oh, the garden is exquisite. Would you like to see it? I’m sure your wheelchair will be able to go along the paths Mom.”
Mom pats my hand again. “That would be lovely. Then I might need to take a nap.”
She does look tired. Wes has transformed the downstairs office into a bedroom so that my parents can move about comfortably and there is a big bathroom as well. I still can’t believe I get to live here forever. Of course I’d live with Wes in a tent, but I won’t be complaining that we don’t have to. I chuckle at the thought.
Chapter 26
Wes
I practically skip back into the room. Scrap that, even this excited, I don’t skip. I grab Jemma from behind and spin her around. She shrieks and her parents look at me as if I’m crazy. Sophie dashes into the room heightening the chaos.
“Wes, put her down. No PDA’s until a-f-t-e-r the wedding.” Sophie puts her hands on her hips.
I grin and pull Jemma and Sophie against me. Jemma turns so she’s facing me. “The DNA test came back?”
“It did. And of course it was negative.”
Sophie squeals, and I think my eardrum just burst. “Now that lying little ho will have to apologize!”
“Sophie!” Jemma and I both yell at the same time. So much for making a good impression.
“Ah, the exuberance of youth,” Art says, surprising me.
“Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Jones. Sorry, I sometimes get carried away.” Sophie shrugs. “But if you’d seen her and Trent, you’d feel the same way.”
Art clears his throat. “We did see that unfortunate interview. I’m so happy that cloud has been lifted from your upcoming nuptials. Betty and I have been praying for you all every night.”
