"Robin," I said, in an effort to get him to look my way.
He glanced at me, stone-faced.
"I'm tired. Should I shower in your bathroom?"
He nodded as he stripped off his jacket, and I watched as he loosened his tie and ducked out of it. "I thought you said you were taking a shower," he said.
"I did. I am." I turned and lifted my skirt so I wouldn't trip over it as I made my way up the stairs.
I chose a T-shirt and pair of boxers from his gigantic, highly organized closet before going to the bathroom. I pulled the pins from my hair and took a long shower, washing my hair and scrubbing every inch of my body. When I was done, I dried off, wrapped a towel around my head and put on his clothes. They smelled like him and made me feel clean and comfortable like I could lie down and go right to sleep.
"It took you long enough," he said from behind me. He startled me, making me gasp as I turned to face him.
"I didn't know you were in here," I said covering my chest with my hand.
He was wearing his dress slacks but nothing else. "You look good in my clothes," he said.
I let out a nervous laugh. "That's convenient because that's all I had besides my dress, and I really didn't feel like sleeping in that."
He strode toward me slowly, looking me over with a predatory stare like he wanted to eat me alive. "I'm gonna make love to you tonight, Emily," he stated calmly.
I cocked my head and gave him an incredulous smile. He knew my stance on the matter, and even though we joked about it sometimes, he knew I wouldn't budge.
"I'm gonna hit the sack," I said, ignoring his statement. "I'm tired."
He came to stand right in front of me.
"I'm done with the shower if you're ready for yours," I added, smiling.
"What did you say to that guy in my bedroom tonight?" he asked. He was standing so close that I could smell the alcohol on his breath.
My heart instantly started pounding at the mention of Shane.
"What?" I asked, acting like I hadn't heard him so as to buy some time.
"You heard me. What were you saying to that guy? I saw the way you two were looking at each other. I know you weren't talking about wet shoes."
"I told him I thought I recognized him from a long time ago," I said because I was a terrible liar and knew my answer had to be close to the truth.
"Why didn't you tell him that at the wedding?"
I hesitated, unable to think of a reason. "I don't know," I said.
"I wanted to kill him when I saw you reach up and touch him the way you did."
I breathed a nervous laugh. "I was just helping him with his hair," I said. "He had to jump in the pool to help a little girl, and his hair was all messed up. I was just helping him out."
"He could have taken care of his own hair," Robin said. "You had absolutely no reason to touch him."
"It's not like I was giving him a massage, Robin. I just put his hair back in place. I think you're overreacting."
I could see the sudden movement from the corner of my eye—the way his body twisted and his arm swung from the side, but it all happened so quickly that there wasn't enough time to stop the back of his fist from connecting with my jaw. I heard a cracking sound and felt a sharp impact that made me fall backward.
The most painful part was the way my back fell onto the bathroom vanity on my way down. The pain made my knees give way, and I crumpled to the ground, shielding myself from any more blows. My face and back were throbbing with a painful, burning numbness that had me feeling stunned and confused. I stayed curled up, shielding myself, unable to believe the force with which he hit me. He had never done anything like that before. After a few seconds, I risked a glance up at him.
"I am not overreacting, Emily!" he yelled. "I saw the way you looked at him, and I will not be made a fool of."
Was he actually basing this on the way I looked at Shane? Had he not heard anything we said to each other?
I was quiet for several seconds, trying my best not to cry. "Robin, I think I need to leave," I said as calmly as I could. I kept my eyes on him warily as I attempted to get to my feet. My back ached with the effort, but I managed to stand slowly.
"You're not going anywhere. I already told you, I'm making love to you tonight."
I couldn't stifle the sarcastic laugh that passed through my lips. "Yeah, that's not going to happen," I said.
"What did you say?" he asked, daring me to repeat myself.
"I said I'm going home. You need some time to cool off and we need to figure out whether or not things are going to work out between us."
"Whether or not things are going to work out between us?" he asked, spitting out the words incredulously.
"Yes, Robin. I don't think what's going on between us is healthy."
"I don't think it's healthy for the woman I'm going to marry trying to make me jealous every time I turnaround."
"I wasn't trying to make you jealous. You're jealous all by yourself."
At that moment, an innate part of me understood that something inside him had shifted. I could tell by the way he stared at me that I wasn't getting out of there until he had proved his point, and I knew his point was far from being proved.
My only hope of escaping there without being sexually compromised or further injured was to outwit him. He was smart, but he had been drinking and I hoped I would be able to pull that off. I said a silent prayer, asking God to help me.
My expression softened as I stared at him. I reached up and to remove the towel that was on my head. It had partially fallen off when he hit me, but I removed it completely, letting my damp hair fall over my shoulders.
"I'm sorry, baby," I said, stepping toward him and reaching up to touch his cheek. My heart was going a million miles an hour, and I swallowed hard trying to channel the actress inside me.
He stared down at me with an injured expression.
I sighed and smiled at him. "I love you," I said. "And if you want to make love to me, I think tonight will be the perfect night for it."
He cocked his head a little, seeming somewhat surprised by my change of heart. I almost said something about how someone like Shane could never compare to someone like him, but I just couldn't make those words leave my mouth.
I stared up at him through my lashes, trying to seem meek and seductive at the same time. "I want our first time to be special, though, baby. I need you to be gentle with me."
"I will," he said. "I won't hurt you."
I scanned his bare chest with my eyes and then ran my fingertips down his neck, over his chest and down the muscles of his abdomen. "Would you take a shower so we can both be clean?" I asked.
He breathed deeply, and I could tell he was contemplating whether or not he felt like it.
"Please, baby," I whispered. "I want everything to be perfect."
Chapter 10
My whole body was shaking as I stood there waiting for Robin to decide if he was going to take a shower. I was weak and lightheaded from the massive rush of adrenaline I experienced when he hit me. My face and back were both throbbing painfully, but I willed myself to keep it together. The last thing I needed was to break down and cry.
I needed him to get in the shower. It was my only hope. I stared at him seductively and bit my lip. "You know I want our first time to be special."
He grabbed me by the back of the waist and pulled me toward him. Nudging his chin toward me he said, "What's it matter if I take a shower? It's not like I've been at the gym."
He bent to kiss me, but I reached out and gently pushed at his chest. "Please," I said, in what I hoped was a seductive whisper.
He let out a resigned sigh and smiled at me. "Why don't you go get out of those clothes?"
I returned his smile and nodded my agreement to his request. Without another word, he opened the shower door and turned on the water. He had just started to remove his slacks when I began walking out of the room. It took every ounce of restraint I had not to run. I walked ca
sually toward his bedroom, stopping to look back at him before I crossed the threshold. I watched as he stepped into the shower stall, which was already steamy since I had only turned it off minutes before.
Adrenaline started pulsing through me in waves the instant I turned my back on him. I knew I only had the briefest window of time to make an escape, and I was all but crippled by the nerves. I felt like I was in one of those dreams where I couldn't run fast enough—like I was running through a lake of syrup. I ran out of his bedroom, down the hall, and down the stairs as quickly as I could, feeling the whole time like he was right behind me. I ran in an odd state of delirium, whispering things like, please, please, please, and oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness.
Once I got downstairs, I could scarcely turn around to see if he was behind me or not. I was petrified with fear. I almost went straight for the front door, but I knew I needed my phone, so I stopped at the catchall where I had stashed my purse. The small, leather clutch I had carried to the party was waiting right where I left it. Robin's car keys were sitting right next to it. It crossed my mind to drive away in it, but I knew that was a bad idea.
I grabbed the keys and froze there for a second or two deciding what to do with them. I didn't want them, but I didn't want him to have them either. There was a potted plant right next to the catchall, and I dropped the keys into it and watched as they disappeared into its foliage. Seconds later, I was out the door and running across his front lawn. I had no idea where to go, so I just went in the opposite direction of his bedroom window just in case he happened to be looking out of it at that moment. I had never felt the sort of rush I was feeling as I ran across the lawn towards his neighbor's house. Their back yard was fenced, so I ran toward the front of the house. A security light came on, but I just kept on running.
My throat and lungs began to burn, but I didn't stop. I had no idea what Robin was capable of, but there was no way I was sticking around to find out. I didn't stop until I was three houses from Robin's, and even then, I ran through their backyard, and across the next street. By that time, I had no other choice but to stop and catch my breath. I'd been running full speed for a far greater distance than my body was used to, and I simply had to stop. I had no idea where I was, but I knew it was better than being in Robin's bedroom.
How had it come to this? How could I suddenly be so terrified of someone I thought I loved?
I knew my phone was in my clutch. It was small, and I could feel everything inside. I was standing near a fence. There were some bushes nearby, and I stooped down so I could be hidden as I dug in my purse
I was shaking violently as I fished for it. The December night air was biting cold and all I had on was a T-shirt and pair of boxers. I nearly dropped my phone as I pulled it from my purse. It was like I was standing outside my body watching myself do it, but somehow I got to my recent calls and found the name Mom. I pushed the button and held the phone to my ear, waiting for her to pick up.
"Hello?" she asked sleepily after three rings.
"Mom, I need dad to come pick me up," I whispered. To my own dismay, my voice was equally as shaky as my hands, making my words almost inaudible.
"Is this Emily?" she asked, sounding more alert.
"Yes ma'am."
"What's the matter, baby?"
"Mom, I need dad to come pick me up right now. Robin's really mad and he's gonna be looking for me." I was shaking so violently that it felt like I was in danger of going into some sort of convulsions.
"Emily where are you?" I heard her ask. I could tell by the tone of voice that she meant business.
"I don't know," I said. "I'm close to Robin's house."
"His parents'?" she asked.
"No. His house. Tell dad to get in the car and drive toward Robin's house. I'm on the street behind his. I'll try to figure out where I am and I’ll call his phone in a minute."
"He's on his way but it's gonna take him fifteen minutes to get there. Are you somewhere safe?"
I looked around, scanning my surroundings. If all else failed I could knock on a door and tell the people inside I needed help. "I'm okay." I said.
"Go to Robin's house," I heard her say, talking to my dad. "Emily said she'd call to let you know exactly where she was." She paused for a few seconds before I heard her say, "Okay, he's headed for the door right now, sweetheart. What in the world happened?"
"I don't think I can really talk about it right now. I'm in some random person's yard, and I'm trying to be quiet. Robin got physical with me and I ran off. I'll tell you about it when I get home."
"Did he hurt you?" she asked. I could hear the anger in her voice.
"I'm okay, mom. I just need dad to come get me."
"He's already out the door, baby. Just hold tight. Do you want to stay on the phone with me till he gets there?"
"No, I'm gonna try to figure out where I am so I can let him know." I quickly racked my brain to try to figure out how to get a grasp on my surroundings. "Hey mom?" I said before we hung up.
"Yes?"
"I'm going to walk around to the front of this house and see what their address is. Can you look at a map of Robin's house on your phone and see what the name of the street behind his is?"
"Of course," she said, sounding certain that she could figure it out.
"Okay, text me with it so I can call Dad."
"I'll do it right now."
"Thank you."
"Emily, I want you to promise to bang on someone's door or call 911 if you're in danger before your dad gets there."
"I'm okay mom. Just text me the name of that street."
"I will. I love you."
"I love you too," I whispered. "See you in a minute."
We hung up the phone and I began to tiptoe around the front of the house to get an address. I was constantly looking around for any sign of Robin, either on foot or in his car, but there was no one in sight. I expected a security light to come on as I made my way to the front of the house, but it never did. I tiptoed close enough to the front door to see that the numbers were 220 before turning around to once again hide in the bushes on the side of the house.
Within a minute, I had a text from my mom saying she thought Regents Park was the name of the street I was looking for. It seemed right to me, and I immediately called my dad. It was an area with new homes, and Dad was a contractor, so he was familiar with it. He insisted on staying on the phone with me until he got there. I huddled down behind the bushes and pulled the T-shirt over my knees for warmth.
The other line of my phone rang, and I instinctually glanced down at it to see who it was. My heart sank when I saw Robin's name flash across my screen. Fear and panic gripped me for a second until I remembered all I had to do was not answer it. Obviously, he had no idea where I was or he wouldn't be calling.
I put the phone back to my ear without even telling dad there had been another call. Dad asked me a few questions, but he knew by my short, whispered answers that I wasn't really in the mood to talk. He seemed content to have me just sit there on the phone. Every once in a while he would say, "Are you still there?"
I would respond with, "Yes sir," and we'd go right back to being quiet.
Robin called four or five more times in a row and finally sent a text asking where I was. The adrenaline I'd been feeling must have subsided somewhat because I began to feel pain in my face and back, and numbness from the cold in my feet, hands, and nose. My lungs were still burning as well. I gathered my knees to my chest tightly, sank my face into the T-shirt that was stretched over them, and began to cry.
"Emily?" my dad said. "Are you okay?"
I was still holding the phone to my ear, but I had totally forgotten he was there. "I'm okay," I said doing my best to stop sobbing. "I'm just cold and a little scared that's all. I'm ready for you to be here."
"I'm going as fast as I can, sweetheart. There's no traffic, and I should be there in just a minute. Just hold on. Do you need to knock on someone's door?"
&nbs
p; "No sir." We stayed silent for the next few minutes. I did my best to keep from crying even though I really wanted to.
I felt overwhelmed with joy when I saw his truck coming down the street. He was driving slowly, and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt it was my dad.
"I see you," I said to him. My legs were stiff and numb as I unfolded them to get to my feet. I groaned with the effort, feeling pain in my legs and my back.
I saw his brake lights come on at my words, which further confirmed that it was him. "Do you want me to pull into a driveway?" he asked.
"No, just stay there. I'm on my way." I held the phone to my ear as I ran across the yard and into the street. There was no reason for it; I was just so dazed that I didn't even think to hang up.
My dad's truck door opened when he saw me. He started to get out and extended his hands as if he thought he might take me into his arms, but I shook my head and waved him away. "Just get in and drive," I said.
I was stooped over as I ran, and my words came out a few octaves lower than normal. He stared at me with concern, but got back in his seat while I crossed in front of the truck to the passenger's side.
The door was cracked when I got there, and I looked in to see that my dad was now stretched across the cab, pushing it open for me. I climbed into the truck and closed the door, feeling more relieved than I had ever felt in my life, and he took off instantly.
"Why were you limping, Emily? Did Robin hurt you?"
I leaned over with a long, relieved sigh, sinking my head between my knees.
"Emily, are you okay?" he pressed.
"I'm okay, Dad. I'm just freezing, and I'm glad to be in your truck. Thank you for coming to get me."
"Did Robin hurt you?"
"I don't think he meant to," I said, shivering. I wasn't taking up for Robin by saying that. The reason I said it was that I thought my father would assume I had terrible judgment for getting myself into a situation like this. "He's been getting jealous lately," I explained.
My teeth were chattering so hard that it was hard to speak. He turned up the heater, and I adjusted the vents and huddled in front of them in an effort to get warmer. "It seems like he's been getting more and more possessive of me. He thought I was flirting with someone at the party tonight and he got really upset."
Finaly My Heart's Desire (Meant for Me Book 2) Page 7
