by Hazel Gower
I stood and she followed close behind me as we made our way to the ice. At first, she was shaky, but slowly she got the hang of ice-skating. Music played in the back ground, a mix of, Lifehouse, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, and Snow Patrol. Alexa was having so much fun skating she hadn’t even gone to the gazebo that had a table in the middle with bowls of snacks and a huge present with a large pink bow.
After an hour of skating I guided Alexa to the gazebo. I knew when she saw the present and bowls because she made her way there without my guidance. Holding onto the rail she got up onto the gazebo and sat before the huge present, shoving a couple of M&Ms into her mouth.
“You’re so good to me. You already gave me so much for my birthday so surely this can’t be another present?”
Seating myself across from her and to the side so I could see around the present box, I grinned at her. “It’s not a birthday present. This is just something for me, for us. Open the present.”
Leaning over, she stood up and undid the bow, frowning when she realized the box was sticky taped to the table. She peeled the tape off and lifted the box, squealing with joy when a rainbow of balloons flew out at her. Once the balloons had floated away there sat a black velvet box open in the middle, with a ring that matched her birthday pendant, diamonds on one half of the infinity loop and pink sapphires on the other loop. I lowered myself down to one knee after I heard her gasp and repeat, “Oh. My. God. Oh my God.”
“Alexa Jennings, I know we are young, but I love you with all my heart and know you’re my one. My only. My soulmate. Will you do me the honor of becoming wife? Marry me, Alexa.” I didn’t wait for her reply. I stood, got the ring, and put it on her finger.
As soon as it settled she stared at it for all of a second before she hurled herself at me and shouted, “Yes! Yes! Yes! I’ll marry you.” If I wasn’t in such good shape, I would have fallen back when she threw herself at me. I eased us up onto the seat and she clung to me like the Koala bear I thought she was. She covered my face, my neck and any body part she could get to in kisses, in between murmuring, “Yes. Oh, my God, yes.”
I held her close, relieved she agreed. Not that I would have taken no for an answer. Now I just had to tell her we would be married in a month’s time. I figured that would give my mother, aunts, and Alexa enough time to plan an extravagant wedding. I wanted her to be mine as soon as possible. I wanted no one to be able to question what she was too me. I wanted her to be Mrs. Mason Silverman.
I COULDN’T STOP STARING AT my engagement ring. It matched my necklace. My fairytale had come true. The only thing missing was my own family, but I had a feeling they were watching over me and I was sure they’d guided Mason to me.
My birthday had been amazing. I still couldn’t believe that Mason had surprised me with a party, and not just with his family, but he’d found all my old school friends and even some of my family’s friends. Life, since being with Mason had turned around. My stomach didn’t grumble anymore, I showered every day, sometimes twice. I didn’t fight off unwanted advances from not just men, but females too. I didn’t have to hide all the time and I never fought anyone. I was safe.
The more I was around the Silverman family, the more I fell in love with them. Each one gave me something that I needed, no, craved. Gillian, Mason’s mother, was like a surrogate mother. She was so different from my own and yet the same. She showed me every day how much she loved and cared for me. Mason’s father, Albert, was the best hugger. He held me just right and always knew just what to say when I was feeling a little claustrophobic. That was something I wasn’t used to, being cooped up in the house or gym most of the time, when on the street I had so much freedom. Mason’s brother’s and cousin’s wives were fast becoming close friends. Andrew was just a hoot. He was my age, but he acted younger and was the biggest terror. He teased Mason and Richard so much so that I really pitied the girl he’d end up with, because I had a feeling his brothers and cousins would give major payback.
Zeck was a favorite, though I would never tell anyone that in case it got back to Mason, but Zeck was the sweetest, hottest nerd ever. He would play video games with me for hours while Mason trained and he seemed to know when I just needed to vent. Don’t think I didn’t appreciate all that the Silvermans had done for me, and I loved Mason, but he drove me up the wall some times.
“All I’m saying, Zeck, is that I just want to go out of the house by myself. I mean with my posse of guards and attack dog, and just me, no Silvermans. Do you know that since meeting Mason I haven’t gone anywhere without a Silverman?”
Zeck sat next me on our recliner chairs in the gaming room. He didn’t take his eyes off the game as he answered. “We’re all just worried about you and want you safe.”
Sighing loudly, I took no pleasure as I overtook him and went on to win the games. “I know, but lately I just feel . . . well, to be honest, suffocated.” I sat the remote down and faced him. “Don’t get me wrong, I love Mason and all you Silvermans, but beside my animals and working at the gym, I don’t really have anything, or go anywhere. I haven’t even been out shopping with the girls without your mum being with us.” I ran my fingers through my hair and closed my eyes. I took a calming breath in and counted to ten before I opened them again. “I’m sorry. I sound like a spoiled brat right now. All you and your family have ever done for me is care for me and make sure I was safe and happy and here I am whining to you.” I realized how ungrateful I sounded. “Sorry, Zeck. Ignore me. Come on, let’s find something you can beat me at.”
He chuckled and I started to relax. I hadn’t realized how tense I was. “Don’t apologize, Alexa. We all think Mason got lucky when he got you because you didn’t resist the pull between the two of you, but you were broken and in danger and needed Mason as much as he needed you. Now though, you know you’re safe, and it’s only natural for someone who had so much freedom before to crave it now.” He put down the remote. “I’ll talk to my mum and get her to talk to my brother.”
Raising my brow, I looked him up and down. He wasn’t as buff as Mason, but he was still in shape and roughly the same height. “Why not just talk to Mason yourself?”
“Ha. Ha.” He threw his head back. “Mason may not be the he-man caveman like our brother or cousin was, but I bet if he found out how much we talk and spend time together, it would come out. He wouldn’t understand that I’m being a big brother, nothing else.”
I rolled my eyes because I really didn’t believe him and all the caveman talk. I leaned over the lounge chair and hugged him. “Thanks for being an awesome big brother.”
It took a moment, but hesitantly his arm came around to hug me. I closed my eyes and basked in the family brotherly love.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Mason screamed before I was ripped out of Zeck’s arms and shoved behind Mason. I watched, horrified, as Mason pummeled Zeck over and over and Zeck barely fought back.
“Stop, Mason! Stop, now. He was just comforting me.” I grabbed at Mason’s arms and he turned and glared at me.
“I’m the one that comforts you. You’re my woman. What could you possibly have to talk to him about that you couldn’t with me?”
My chest hurt and my heart squeezed at the anguished look on his face. I loved this man. I had agreed to marry him, but I needed someone other than him twenty-four seven. I needed to talk to someone else besides him. I needed, no, wanted, a brother. “I love you, Mason.” I spun him and wrapped my arms around him. “I love you more than I could ever have thought to love somebody, but I need to be able to talk to someone that isn’t you. Just like I know you talk to your parents and brothers, too.” I got up on my tip-toes and brushed my lips over his. “I don’t have family like you do to talk. I need someone. Zeck is the older brother I always wished I had. Please don’t take that away from me.” My heart sank and my stomach churned. I didn’t want to hurt Mason, but I needed someone, too.
“Oh, bear, I’m an arse.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry.” He sigh
ed loudly and his forehead came down to rest on mine. He was quiet for a moment before he smirked, kissed my nose and then both my cheeks. “You can have Zeck. I understand why you’d gravitate towards him. He’s so feminine, and is a big momma’s boy, he loves his gossip, and shopping is one of his favorite things.”
“Shut the fuck up, Mason. Don’t be such a bitch, trying to get back at me.” Zeck came up and punched Mason in the arm before he made his way to my side.
I eased away and caught them giving the finger to each other. Rolling my eyes at their antics, I shrugged my shoulders back and put my determined face on. With Zeck beside me I was ready to tell Mason what I wanted. “I want to go out by myself.” I held my hand up before Mason could talk back. “I’ll take my army with me, but I want to go out just me and no Silvermans. Just me.”
“Bear, now isn’t a good time to be on your own. The trials start in a couple of weeks and I think it’s best you have someone with you.”
Resisting the urge to stomp my foot like a spoiled child, I took a deep calming breath in and slowly let it out, counting to ten. “I’m not talking about leaving Sam or my huge arse posse of guards behind. I’ll take them all and more, but I need an hour or so to myself. I love you. I truly do, but I need to be on my own.” Closing my eyes, I dug deep and said what I didn’t want to tell him, or admit to myself. “I need to know I can do it.” I stepped back and wrapped my arms around my waist. “I need to know I’m not so broken that I can’t go somewhere by myself now for an hour. I know it will be a silly test considering I’ll have Sam and all the guards, but I need to do this. The guards don’t talk to me and I’m used to Sam now, but even with them all, I haven’t been on my own since you found me. I need to go out by myself, please.”
He stepped towards me but I stepped back waiting for his answer. “Bear—”
“Mason, she needs this.” Zeck interrupted him before he could answer me.
I shot a smile at Zeck as Mason growled. “Fuck! Okay. Fine. You can go out by yourself, with the ‘posse and Sam’ for one hour.” His hands gave exaggerated air quotes with his fingers.
I wanted more than an hour, but I was going to take what he gave me. Throwing myself at him, he caught me and I wrapped my legs and arms around him and kissed him.
THE BEACH.
Shopping.
A park.
The cemetery. Argh, like I would want to spent my hour there.
These were on a list of places I couldn’t go in my hour. I really thought Mason was taking his overprotective streak a bit too far with this. I had a whole hour and a bunch of guards and Sam never left my side. Mason thought he didn’t have the caveman, he-man part of the gift he said the gypsies supposedly gave him, but I knew he did. This just proved it.
Sighing, I did up my laces on my skates and made my way to the ice-rink. Once my skates hit the ice, I closed my eyes and laughed when Sam whined. It was the one place he couldn’t follow me. The last time we’d been here it had been Sam’s only day off. That should have clued me in that something was happening when Mason proposed the last time we were here.
This visit though, there was no music, no gazebo, and no flowers, the lights were still up, but I didn’t notice them. I let myself go and just skated. I was as alone as I was going to get from now on. Mason, well really all the Silverman family, didn’t like me being alone. I loved that about him and them. I didn’t want to be alone anymore, and I wasn’t, but I needed time to myself. Everyone needed time alone, to think and sometimes just to breathe. I thought I would be anxious or scared, but I wasn’t. I’d expected to be, but I was calm and happy. Free. I could get used to even just an hour or two a week of just this, being by myself. Free.
I skated around and around until I got the hang of it. It was just like roller blading. Becoming more daring I attempted to spin on the spot and then skate backwards. I wasn’t very good, but because I was alone and had the arena to myself I could be daring enough and not worry about hitting anyone. I was having so much fun, I lost track of time.
A deafening bang jolted me to a stop. Sam whined before he came on the ice trying to get to me, but his paws didn’t do well on the ice. I knew that something was wrong and I skated to him as quickly as I could. He went down on his belly to meet me and then turned and guided me out.
Once off the ice he pushed me towards the kiosk and I watched, amazed, as he opened the cupboard and nudged me toward it. I got in, pushing things to the sides to fit in. Sam shut the door. I tried to listen, but my body and mind seemed to shut off and not want to cooperate. I went into my own world, shutting out everything that was outside of my hiding spot.
Sam’s barking brought me out of my head and I took everything in. I was in a cupboard. I had more security than the queen. I was safe, or as safe as anyone in my situation could be. I listened and didn’t hear anything. I relaxed and then couldn’t help it when my lips curled up in a slight smile. I was safe. There was no way the Devil’s Queens could get to me. They’d have to be crazy.
My lips turned into a full-blown smile as I heard the sirens in the distance and they got closer and closer. Sam opened the cupboard doors and I hugged him. “Good boy. Such a good boy.” I reached into my pocket where I held a small bag of dog treats and gave two to Sam. I stood and took a deep breath. I was safe. I was proud of myself too. I’d kept myself together aside from a little break down, and as my security came towards me followed by some policemen, I knew that I could be strong enough to testify. I was going to be safe. Mason and all the Silvermans would make sure I was.
I WAS FUCKING PISSED. I knew I shouldn’t have let Alexa have the hour without anybody with her. I should have put extra guards on her, but we hadn’t had an attack since Dustan. I didn’t think the Devil’s Queens would be stupid enough to attack the ice-rink, especially with all the security she had with her. I’d been at the gym training for a boxing match in a couple of months, my first one since meeting Alexa. I didn’t get the phone call, the security that was with me did, and Tom came to me and told me what was going down at the rink. I didn’t bother showering or changing. I ran from training to the cars and was met by Darren, my head of security. My heart pounded and my stomach churned. My thoughts ran rampant at what could have happened and what Alexa could have been going through. I couldn’t live without her now I’d found her. Brody, my driver, didn’t say anything as he started the car and sped towards the ice-rink.
I don’t know what I expected when I arrived at the ice-rink. Bikers everywhere, bodies, more Silverman security, Alexa surrounded by bodyguards and Sam, but it was none of that. Police cars and three ambulances surrounded the rink. Alexa stood talking to a police woman with Sam by her side watching and taking everything in. She didn’t seem hurt or in any kind of distress, but I needed to be by her side to check on her. I needed to touch her and see she was unharmed. I needed to know what had happened, and lastly, I needed her in my arms, safe.
Jumping out of the car before it came to a complete stop, I ran to Alexa, being stopped twice by two different officers, only for them to let me go when they realized who I was. My goal was getting my arms around Alexa. I needed to hold her and know she wasn’t hurt, that she was coping with what had happened. Not caring that she was in a conversation with a police officer, I wrapped my arms around her and turned her, picked her up, kissed her forehead, both cheeks and finally rested my lips on hers.
“God, woman, I’ve never been so scared in my life. Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?” I eased her down and checked her over running my hands over her everywhere my gaze could see. I gathered her to me and squeezed her tight. “I love you so much, Alexa. Don’t you ever leave me again. Right now, I don’t care if you need an hour alone. I need you safe more than you need that hour or so.”
Alexa wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me back. “You just told me you love me. In front of people.” Her smile was blinding as she stared at me. “I love you, too, and I’m fine. Sam and the guards saved me.” She let me go a
nd knelt by Sam. “Who’s a good dog? You are. Such a good dog. Mumma loves you.” She hugged the dog.
I looked at the police officer who cleared her throat loudly. “Ma’am. Miss Jennings, can we please continue?” She darted her gaze to me, then to the shining engagement ring and then back up to Alexa’s face. “As all your guards have said, we cannot take you down to the station to give your statement.” A frown slipped over the officer’s face, but only for a moment before she concealed it. “I understand with you being a fiancé of a Silverman that you need protection, and you have told me about the trials you are testifying at. My partner and I offered police protection, but . . . ” She lowered her voice so only we could hear. “I shouldn’t be saying this. You have better security than we could supply.” She smiled at Alexa. “You’re a very lucky gir-woman.”
I could hear the jealousy in her voice and I could tell she was a little bitter that she had to question Alexa here and not at the station. I was surprised she admitted we had better security and could care for Alexa better than the police could.
I held Alexa in my embrace, her back against my chest, her body fitting perfectly against me as she told the police woman what happened. I was so proud of Alexa. She told her story with a clear voice and didn’t shake or retreat into herself. I hoped that once the adrenaline wore off, she would still be this calm and collected. I also hoped that this new confidence was because she knew she was safe. Alexa knew that neither I nor any of my family would ever let anyone hurt her again.
