Anchored To Love

by S. M. Stryker

  It wasn’t too much longer that the suit guy—which was the other computer tech hire—comes through the door. He looks to be about my age, but looks can be deceiving. I introduce myself to him; he says his name is Thomas. I know that some computer nerds can be a little on the weird side, but I get a real strange vibe off Thomas.

  At lunch, Raven asks if we want to go to a little café around the corner that she goes to occasionally for lunch. Neither Thomas nor I know the area very well, and I figure it is a good way to get to know each other. We talk about where we’re from, our backgrounds, and just a little about ourselves. “Thomas, Raven and I are going out for drinks after work tomorrow evening. Maybe you would like to join us?”

  “That would be great, thanks for the invite. Not knowing much about the area and not knowing anyone makes it a little rough sometimes.”

  “Yeah, I’ve been traveling around for several years, so I know what that’s like.”

  Maybe I was wrong about Thomas. Maybe he is a computer geek and just looks like a jock. Not that I look at guys a lot, but Thomas is a nice looking guy. Maybe a little over six feet, dark blonde hair, about my age, broad shoulders, trim waist, and well groomed. Now granted, I don’t look like the typical nerd either, but things come to me easily. I didn’t struggle in school like some kids did. I don’t know, it’s as if everything had already been preprogrammed in my head, so once I studied it, I knew it.

  We walk back to the office after lunch and I can tell that Thomas is interested in Raven. Which is fine, she is a sweet girl, but I’m not into relationships. All they do is tear you up when they end. I haven’t been in a relationship since … well, since Char, the only woman I’ve ever fallen in love with, and she has wrecked me for all women. Will I ever get over her? Every time I meet someone that I even think about making a commitment with, I always start to compare them to her.

  “You okay, Carson?” Raven asks.

  “Oh, yeah, sorry, I was just thinking about someone I once knew.”

  “Who was she?”

  “A girl I met a long time ago.”

  “What happened to her?”

  “We had a big misunderstanding and we lost touch.”

  “Really? That’s too bad. Where was she from?”

  “That’s the funny thing. She’s from Oregon, but I met her back East.”

  “Wow, what are the chances of that happening. Are you originally from Oregon?”

  “Yeah, raised here, but traveled around for the last several years.”

  “In the States or all over the world?”

  “Mainly in the States, from east to west coast. I took a few years off and traveled, surfed the coastlines, camped out under the stars, saw the scenic areas of the United States. Never stayed in any one state for too long.”

  “What was the longest time you stayed in any one state?”

  “Other than Oregon, I was in Tennessee for about a year, Montana, Alaska, Colorado, and Washington, about six to nine months. Although I did go to California a couple times.

  “That’s cool; did you go by yourself or with your family?”

  “No, by myself; my family does their own thing.”

  “How long did you travel for?”

  “Eight or nine years. I graduated early from school and my parents weren’t around, so I was on my own and just traveled.”

  “Didn’t your parents worry?”

  “I haven’t seen or talked to them for at least that same amount of time.”

  “How did you survive? And what’s up with your parents?”

  “I could always find a job doing something. As far as my parents go, I really don’t know where they are. They never wanted kids, and when my mom got pregnant with me, they said they wouldn’t let me get in their way of doing what they wanted to do. So she had me, hired a nanny, and they did their thing and I was raised by a nanny Claire, and I learned to do my thing.”

  “I can relate to that.” Thomas says. “I’ve been living off the grid for five years now.”

  “Well, it looks like your back on it now,” I say.

  “Well, there are always ways around that too.”

  We walk back into the office. “Thanks for showing us the café, Raven, it was nice.” I walk back to my office while Thomas leans over Raven’s desk and talks to her.

  After work on Friday, Thomas and I walk to the bar down the road. Raven doesn’t get off until a little later. She’s going to meet us there.

  Thomas and I find a table and order our drinks. I’m nursing a pint of beer while Thomas is on his third gin and tonic. I learned early on that I don’t like hangovers and I don’t drink to get drunk, well, not anymore.

  “So Thomas, have you always lived in Oregon?”

  “No, I’m from all over too. I’m looking for someone. I guess it’s like your story where you were looking for the bitch that broke you. This bitch that I’m looking for …” He was already slurring his words and just knocked back his fourth drink. In about twenty minutes, all that gin is going to catch up with him.

  “She break your heart?”

  “Fucking bitch, she was the biggest cock tease I’ve ever met. I found out that she was a virgin. Who wouldn’t want to steal someone’s V-card?” He hits me on the arm, I just kind of play along.

  I know that Raven is going to be here later and I don’t want to leave her with him.

  “All she ever did is talked about this old boyfriend that she had that moved away … Shit, she said that she was saving herself for him. Well fuck, there was no fuckin’ way I was going to let some fucking pussy steal my right to her V-card from me. She cried and moaned about him, said she bought them both some leather bracelet and had a heart medallion on it.”

  “So you really liked her?”

  “Fuck no! I just wanted her virginity. There’s nothing hotter than slamming into some virgin and ripping her open and watching her scream. Fuck, I’m getting hard just thinking about it.”

  “So what happened to get you so worked up?”

  “We had early release from school and her mom was out of town. I figured that was the day I was going to take what was mine, fuck, I put my time in. We had been seeing each other for a few months, she owed me. And if she wasn’t going to give it up, I was more than happy to take it. Anyway, she was fighting me when all of a sudden her old man pulls me off her, but I showed him, I beat the shit out of him. She called the cops and I split, been running since.”

  Shit, this guy is a freak. Who would want to do that just to get their kicks from hurting some girl? He orders another drink.

  “So what did you do?”

  “You’ll love this, I found him.”

  “Who?”

  “The boyfriend.”

  “How?”

  He taps his temple. “I remembered some of the shit she told me, so being the computer whiz I am, I found him online. Then you’ll love this.” He taps my arm again. “I got his mom to distract him.”

  “His mother.”

  “Yeah, I found out that she’s on some heavy anti-psychotic drugs. I took them from her and told her that if she wanted them back she had to distract him.”

  “So, now that you know where she is, what are you going to do?”

  “Oh, you’ll love this … this will make up for all those bitches that think they’re too good for you. I’m going to grab both of them. I’m going to let him watch as I take what was mine. Then I’m going to slowly carve her up into little pieces just to hear her scream. I want to hear her beg me to kill her and I want her pussy boyfriend to watch me fuck her until she takes her last breath as I cram that fucking medallion down her throat. Then I’ll cut his dick off and shove it down his throat, the pussy, can’t even protect her.

  OH, FUCK.

  Raven walks in, orders a beer, and sits next to Thomas. “Hi boys, did I miss anything?”

  “Naw, just telling my new buddy about my ex.”

  “Oh, I’m going to run to the little girls’ room, I’ll be right back.”


  “Is the men’s bathroom back there too?” I ask.

  “Yeah, do you want me to show you?”

  “Please.” I look over at Thomas. “I’ll be back.”

  He just nods at me. I don’t even know if he could stand let alone get home. I follow Raven; I have to tell her to stay away from this guy.

  “Hey, Ra.” I tap her on the shoulder. She turns and looks at me.

  “You can’t stay here with him. Please make an excuse to leave; this guy is a wack job. I’m leaving once I get back to the table, but I wanted to let you know the guy is dangerous. DO NOT trust him.”

  She looks at me with a strange face. “Ok Carson, I’ll make up some excuse and leave, but how is he going to get home?”

  “Are you going to be okay?”

  “Yes, I’ll be fine. You leave, and I’ll leave as soon as I go to the bathroom.”

  “Okay, I will see you on Monday.”

  “Bye, Carson.”

  I walk back to the table. “Dude, I’m going to take off. Do you need me to call a cab for you?”

  “Naw, I’ll be fine.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yep, I’ll just wait for the pretty lady.”

  “Raven?”

  “Yep, I’m going to show her what a real man can do for her.”

  “You think that’s wise since you work with her?”

  “You forget, I know how to handle a woman, I have them eating out of my hands. I have one now that’s helping me with this little situation. In fact, Raven got the job that I had lined up for my lady, so I had to change my plans. Now she works for the bitch.”

  “Wow, you have it all figured out don’t you?”

  “I’ve been waiting for five years, five fucking years to get me revenge; the time has come for me to have a surprise attack.”

  “I’ll see you Monday, man.”

  “Yeah dude, Monday.”

  I leave knowing I have told Raven not to trust him and just to leave. I can’t believe this guy. Who would be that obsessed with someone they would do the things he wants to do to them. But the real question is who is he talking about and how can I find them to warn them?

  The following week I stay to myself. I’ve gone to lunch with Raven, but she has been a little off this week as well. I want to get her out of here so I can talk to her, but I’ve been busy working on a new app for tracking cell phones. If I can get this to work, it can open the door to a lot of possibilities for me.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Charlie

  IT’S BEEN HARD not having Raven around. Since she started working normal hours, we don’t see each other very much and I know she misses seeing Jaxon.

  She’s getting ready for a date tonight, she is so excited. I don’t think she’s ever had a real date before, I know she hooked up with guys before, but nothing where the guy actually comes and picks her up. I’m just glad it isn’t with the guy she works with that she took home last week. She told me some of the things the guy had said, the guy sounds like a psycho.

  I know she is concerned about him; she even paid to look him up to see what his story is. I know she has been extra jumpy this last week.

  The guy she is going out with tonight, she also met on her job. I think she said his name is Toby. She told me about him the day she met him. I don’t ever think I’ve seen her so excited to go out with a guy. I know she waited for him to call and when he finally did, she was walking on a cloud.

  “So tell me about this Toby that you are so excited about. What makes him so different than everyone else?”

  “I can’t explain it, Charlie, there’s just something about him. I mean, I only talked to him for a few minutes, but I felt as if I had known him all my life. I feel complete. I know that’s weird considering I just met him, and who knows, maybe I’m way off base, maybe I just read him wrong, but it’s like a women’s intuition or something. I guess I’ll find out more tonight.”

  There’s a knock at the door and Raven squeals and starts to jump up and down. “Would you get that for me and keep him entertained for a few?”

  “I don’t think I have ever seen you like this, but I’m glad you’re getting out.”

  I walk to the door and open it.

  Standing there is a tall man with dark curly hair and pretty green eyes. He has broad shoulders, and from the look of his shirt, he is very muscular. He has a lavender rose in his hand. I wonder if he knows the meaning of it. He reaches his hand out. “Hi, I’m Mitchell, is Raven here?”

  “Hi, I am Charlize, but everyone calls me Charlie. It’s nice to meet you.” I’m going to give him a hard time because it took him so long to call Raven after they first met. Besides, it’s good for him to think he isn’t the only guy she’s seeing. I turn and yell, “Hey Rey, are you going on two dates tonight? You said the guy’s name was Toby, this guy’s name is Mitchell.”

  “Actually, my name is Toby, but everyone calls me Mitchell.”

  I look him up and down, as if I’m checking him out to see if he was lying. “Are you just fucking with me?” I ask.

  “No, I’m not fucking with you,” he says with a smile. One thing about him, he’s cute and has a gorgeous smile.

  I look at the rose he has in his hand. “Pretty rose, lavender, huh.” I look up at him and smile. “A lavender rose is often a sign of enchantment and love at first sight. Those who have been enraptured …”

  He cuts me off. ”… By feelings of love and adoration have used lavender roses to express their romantic feelings and intentions and for first dates …”

  Now I cut him off. ”… A single rose symbolizes love at first sight … Huh,” I sigh, I turn and walk back to my room. Maybe he is the one for her, if he had just learned about the meaning of a lavender rose, I don’t think he would have been so relaxed. He seems a little shy, but still has an air of confidence about him too.

  I walk back to my room and get ready for work. I’ll stay over at Katie’s. She watches Jaxon at night when I work. I used to take him with me, but he’s getting older and I really don’t want him in that kind of atmosphere. I have to start thinking about him and what kind of a life I want him to have. I need to start thinking about going back to school. Braydon is gone and I know he wanted so much more for us, for our son. As much as I miss him, I can’t just think about me anymore; I have Jaxon to worry about.

  “I’m leaving now, Charlie, be careful tonight. My keys are on the bar, please use my car tonight,” Raven yells.

  She pulls me back to the here and now, as I tell her I will be staying at Katie’s just in case she wants to come back here with Toby.

  I wonder how long I will struggle with my feelings. I often wonder what would have happened if I would have stayed in Tennessee. Would I still be with Zain or would it have ended. I never did answer any of his calls or texts. I feel turmoil deep inside me. How could I love Zain the way I do and feel the same about Braydon? Can you be in love with two people at the same time? I guess it really doesn’t matter now, Zain is gone, and Braydon is dead, just like my heart. I know I will never find that kind of love again, and all I want to do is curl up in a ball. Then I hear Jaxon waking up. He’s my life, he’s what’s important.

  Raven is gone all weekend and I’m thinking more about restarting school. It’s almost been a year, and with what happened to Braydon last year I was able to get a hold on my spot for nursing. It’s so hard to get into a program here in Oregon; the last thing I want is to lose my spot.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Zain

  I WALK INTO the office on Monday; Raven is as white as a ghost.

  “Are you feeling okay, Raven? You don’t look very good.”

  “I … I just have a lot on my mind.” Her eyes are brimming with tears.

  “Raven, did something happen on your date on Friday? Please tell me you didn’t see …” I look around and make sure no one can hear me. “Thomas.”

  “No, I didn’t and my date was amazing but … I did something that migh
t get me fired and I don’t want to lose this job. I like it here and I love everyone that works here. Well, almost everyone.”

  “You know I’m here if you need to talk.”

  “Thank you, Carson. That really means a lot to me. I haven’t ever had anyone that I could confide in, well, other than Charlie, my roommate, but lately we haven’t seen each other, we work totally opposite hours.”

  “Well, I’m always her for you. We should go get dinner sometime and just talk.”

  “Thank you, Carson. I would love that.”

  I walk back to my office, close the door, and start to work on my GPS application. I think it is ready to be beta tested. I’m excited to see how it works.

  I walk out of my office to the kitchen to get some coffee. I feel a nervous energy in the office—it’s eerily quiet. I walk back into my office, closing the door behind me.

  A little while later Beckett calls me into his office. I knock on his door and open it a crack.

  “Hey Carson, come on in,” he says. “Take a seat. I just wanted to see how things are going and how you and Thomas are doing and if there are any issues and how you like your job so far?”

  I’m glad he is interested in his employees. I don’t think if he knew what Thomas was like, that he would have hired him. It’s funny how people can sell themselves a certain way.

  “Things are going well. I really love it here; you and Richard are so laid back, not stuffy, or micro-managing. As far as Thomas goes we’ve hung out, nothing major, Raven went out with us … that’s okay, isn’t it?”

  “Oh, of course it is, we just want to make sure that our employees get along and make sure if there are any personality issues, they are taken care of immediately.”

  “Well, I probably won’t be hangin’ with Thomas anymore.”

  “Oh, is there a problem?”

  “To be honest, the dude is a little … how do I say this so it’s politically correct … He is effin’ crazy, like just got out, as in escaped from the funny farm crazy. The dude was going off on some chick he dated years ago, how he was going to find her, and the crazy shit he was planning on doing to her and her boyfriend. Bat shit crazy. He even got the dude’s mother in on it.”