by Jessica Kile
The crowd at the club, last night, hadn't made her this nervous.
Lana remained backstage throughout the whole show. She only went out among the crowd once the band had taken their break.
Drew dragged her out onto the dance floor during a slow song performed by the second band of the evening. His arms kept her anchored on the crowded dance floor, holding her close as they swayed.
Now his presence was keeping her from darting out the door.
“You’re majoring in law right?” asked the petite blonde, who had been introduced as Drew's sister.
It took Drew nudging her arm lightly for Lana to realize the girl was speaking to her. “Paralegal. There’s less pressure.”
The girl wrinkled her nose. “Wish I had thought of that.”
“You’re going to go to Law School?” Lana asked. She hoped she didn't sound as surprised as she felt. The girl didn't look like a law major.
“That's my plan anyway. I want to concentrate on helping rape and domestic violence victims get justice.” She was playing with a hair on Chris' arm.
Lana felt her body go rigid and her pulse quickened. Had the woman noticed something about her? Is that why she suddenly started talking to her after an hour? She should have stayed safely tucked in her apartment with a book.
Maybe it wasn't too late to escape.
“Don’t go getting all serious, Tammy,” Chris demanded, as he stroked her jean clad thigh.
“Sorry, Hun,” Tammy told Chris. “No more shop talk, I promise.”
“You OK, Honey? You’re as stiff as a board,” Drew whispered in Lana's ear.
Lana forced her body to relax. “Just not used to being out without Ricky.”
“These guys would have eaten him alive,” he said.
Drew had made it clear that she wasn't to allow Ricky to come with her today. At first, she thought he was afraid Ricky would hit on him again. Now looking around the room, she realized one wrong move on Ricky’s part could get him a fast ticket to the hospital. Why was she even here?
As if he sensed her stress level increasing, Drew began massaging her neck.
“You’re cheating,” she said.
He grinned. “How is this cheating?”
“You know I won’t leave if you’re doing this,” she stated softly. Lana didn't care that one of their players just made it close to the end zone.
“I want you relaxed so you can enjoy yourself,” he said. “Come here.”
Drew gave her a split second to comply before he pulled her onto his lap. As his hands worked their magic on her shoulders, her body forgot all of the reasons why she shouldn't want to be this close to him. Her brain fought to remember they weren't the only ones in the room.
A soft moan slipped out sounding amplified to her, but going unnoticed by others. His hands really should be locked away from general population.
“There he goes making us all look bad,” Chris grumbled.
Tammy elbowed Chris in the rib. “I think it’s sweet. You could learn a thing or two.”
Lana felt heat envelope her face at the mixed mocking from the guys and envy from the women. She became the center of attention in a matter of seconds. Feeling uncomfortable and looking for an escape, she began squirming on Drew’s lap.
Drew gripped her hips and held her in place. “Stop squirming.”
“Sorry,” Lana murmured. She did her best to ignore the evidence of his arousal pressing against her backside.
“As for the rest of you guys,” Drew said louder. “If I’m making you look bad maybe you need to up your game.”
That was met with a mix of boos and cheers.
“I'll have you know, drummer boy,” Chris said, “my game is perfectly fine. Ain’t that right, Tammy.”
Tammy rolled her eyes. “Your grammar's why the world thinks all West Virginians are hicks.”
Just then the Mountaineers scored a touchdown, sending all of the men in the room into an uproar.
Tammy held her half empty beer bottle up to Lana in a salute. “Here’s to the start of boring Saturdays.”
Lana relaxed against Drew, who had all but forgotten she was on his lap. “Not a fan of football?”
The woman waved her arm around the room. “Do you think these fools are going to do anything on game day?”
She had a point. The men seem to worship the game.
Lana looked from Tammy to Chris. “So, are you two…”
“Oh heck no,” Tammy denied. “We’re just friends.” She tilted her head in Chris’ direction. “This one wouldn’t know commitment if it bit him in the tush.”
There were shouts of anger as the touchdown got called for review.
Lana’s cell vibrated with a message from Ricky.
‘Are you bored to tears yet?’
‘No,’ she replied.
Minutes later, when her phone vibrated again, she knew it had to be his smart ass reply.
‘You can run’, from an unknown number, stared back at her from the screen.
Lana rolled her eyes. Probably another one of Ricky’s pranks.
“You OK?” Drew asked, bringing his attention back to her.
She forced a smile. “Of course.”
It wasn't until she received another message near the end of the game, that she grew concerned.
Unknown caller: ‘I found you’
Lana closed the message out before Drew could read it. It could only be Shawn. That was the only reasonable explanation. There was no way she could let Drew find out about the messages. If he did, he would ask questions. The answers to those questions could ruin everything between them.
*********************************************
Chapter 5
Drew’s mind had not been on band rehearsals that night. Lana had been acting weird since the game. He counted at least five times through the week that the girl actually jumped when she got a text message. Something was going on. If he could just get her to tell him what was wrong, maybe he would be able to help her.
His mind was still on what was going on with Lana when he pulled into their parking lot. Her car was already parked in its usual spot. He snatched up the Big Macs he picked up on his way home and exited the truck. Knowing Lana she had skipped lunch and would be starving by now.
He caught sight of her on the steps and hollered for her, “Lana, wait up.”
She must not have heard because she sped up. The girl must have to use the bathroom.
Drew easily caught up with her on the landing outside of their apartments and grabbed her around the waist. It was not until she started kicking and screaming that he realized his mistake.
“Honey, it’s me,” he shouted over her screams, pressing her against the wall and darting misplaced kicks the whole time.
Lana stared wide-eyed at him through tears. Shivers racked the poor girl’s body.
Once he knew she would not knock his head off, he moved his hands away from her wrists. “It’s only me. You’re safe.”
His words did nothing to stop the quaking or tears. If anything they seemed to increase even as she let him take her into his arms. Her tears were soaking the front of his shirt.
What was going on with her? Just a week ago he had crept up on her and she was fine. It was time that he got some answers.
Gently, he picked her up so she was cradled in his arms. He bypassed her apartment for his.
Drew sat on his couch with her in his lap holding her close as she continued to sob. A ball of dread formed in his gut. Something told him he wouldn't like the answers to the questions he was about to ask.
**************************************
Lana stared down at her clasped hands. Drew wanted answers. It was only fare to tell him why she had acted as if he were the boogie man. She took a breath and prepared to say the words that would tear what they had built apart.
“I thought you were him,” she whispered. “I was distra
cted. I didn’t recognize your voice.”
“Him?”
Lana left her spot on his lap to walk around the room rubbing her arms with her hands. “It was graduation night. I had too much to drink. I trusted the wrong person.” She closed her eyes, trying to force the threatening tears away.
“What happened?” he asked softly, never moving from his position on the couch. She could tell from his posture that he suspected.
She turned tear-filled eyes to him. “I think you know. Please don’t make me say it.”
“Fine, I won't. But I need to know who?”
“It doesn't matter. You wouldn't know him.” Unable to face him she turned to look out the window.
“You know you can trust me, right? Whatever you tell me is between me and you.”
“Shawn.” Lana could barely hear herself over the pounding of her heart. “We graduated together. I couldn’t believe that after four years he was actually paying attention to me.” She snorted. “I willingly followed him into the basement. How stupid can one person be?”
“Don’t say that,” Drew demanded.
“Why not?” she asked. “I followed him into a basement shut off from the rest of the party. Even when I realized that if I screamed no one would hear me, I still stayed.”
“You trusted someone that you had known for years,” he told her. “That wasn't stupid. He’s the stupid one, not you.”
“I led him on,” she all but screamed out of frustration. “I let him kiss me.”
“So,” he said. She could hear him walking across the room to her. “Big deal! You liked it when he kissed you. The moment you put the brakes on things he should have stopped.”
She closed her eyes. “After he was finished, he went back up to play beer pong as if nothing had happened.”
His arms came around her from behind pulling her back against him. “Stop blaming yourself. He’s the monster not you.”
Her phone chose that moment to buzz with a message. Lana stiffened with dread.
She felt his arms tighten around her pulling her even closer. “Honey, what aren't you telling me?”
Without saying a word, she took her phone from her pocket and pressed it into his hand.
Lana cringed when he proceeded to read the most recent text aloud. “Oh where, oh where, did the little ho go?”
She jumped a good foot when his voice boomed, “Who the hell is this from?”
“I’m pretty sure it’s from Shawn,” she whispered.
“Since when do they allow cell phones in jail?” he asked. At her silence, his gaze narrowed. “He is in jail for what he did right?”
Ashamed she shook her head. “I never reported it. Too many people had seen us talking, dancing, and flirting. What's worse is they saw me follow him to the basement. Who would believe that I had not wanted everything that happened?”
“Anybody with a brain in their head,” he told her. It was his turn to pace around the room. “When did the texts start?”
“The night you had your party.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked.
She pulled away and sat on the couch, legs pulled to her chest. “I didn’t want to risk losing you. If I told you about the texts then I had to tell you about Shawn.”
“Let’s get one thing straight,” he told her, sitting down on the coffee table and taking her hand in his. “You will never lose me because of this.”
“Why?” she whispered. “You're in a rock band. You have girls throwing themselves at you all the time.”
“So?”
“You couldn't possibly care about me now. I'm damaged goods.”
“Well, you're wrong. I do care. Just so you know, I don’t want any of those girls; I want you,” he told her.
“Even after what I’ve told you?”
Her breath caught in her chest as he leaned in. His mouth hovered over hers.
“Still,” he whispered huskily.
Then his mouth was applying gentle pressure on hers. His kiss tasted of Heineken and fries. Not fiery passionate but sweet torture, the kind you never actually wanted to end. Her arms came up around his neck of their own accord, pulling him in closer as she returned his kiss. All bad thoughts were chased away in that perfect moment.
**************************************
Drew held a sleeping Lana. He was unable to sleep himself. It all made sense now. Why she never drank. Why she always glued herself to his side when they were in a crowd. Hell, even Ricky made sense. A gay roommate would never bring home someone who would pose a threat.
He should have sent her home when he saw she was about to crash. Maybe he would've if Ricky had been there. Sending her home to be alone did not settle well with him.
Anger surged through him at the thought of all she had been through. What type of monster did it take to take advantage of such a sweet girl?
To make it worse, just as she was finding her way out of the dark the monster had to start tormenting her. He wanted to find the sorry S.O.B and make him pay for what he had done. Violent images, of what he could do to make him pay, played through his head.
The light weight of her head on his shoulder and her small hand on his chest held him in place. Going after the guy himself would do her no good. The last thing she needed was the wrong man sitting behind bars.
Memories of finding Tammy behind a bar bruised, stripped from the waist down, and shaking, flashed through his mind. He'd never been able to forgive himself for not protecting his step-sister that night.
She had changed after that night. Before it happened Tammy almost never missed one of his shows. After that night she was always busy with school. Unless she was out with Chris. She was a lot like Lana.
Lana whimpered in her sleep. A frown marred her flawless face. There was no doubt in Drew’s mind the monster haunted her sleep.
Holding her closer he yearned to be able to wipe her memory of the creep.
***********************************
Her cell phone buzzing woke Lana from a deep sleep. She had to look past a sleeping Drew to see the clock glowing 3:15 A.M. on the night stand.
At that time of night it could only be Ricky. He was probably giving her hell for not coming home.
One look at the screen revealed that it definitely was not Ricky.
Unknown caller: ‘Ready or not, here I come’
Lana yelped and dropped her phone back on the nightstand on her side of the bed.
NO. NO. NO! Shawn couldn't possibly know where she was. Nobody, aside from her parents, knew where she'd decided to go to college.
Rolling over, she buried her face into Drew’s chest. Strong arms wrapped around her pulling her in closer. The ocean filled her senses calming her frantic heart.
“Let me guess,” sleep filled his voice. “That wasn’t Ricky?”
Lana shook her head.
“Maybe, I should call my dad. He's a cop,” he said.
“No,” she objected. “I’ll just change my number.”
Drew sighed. “I wish you'd let me help.”
She dropped a chaste kiss on his bare chest. “You already are helping.” More than he knew.
“If it continues much longer I will do something about it,” he warned her. “I’m really feeling like a road trip to Charleston right now.”
His protectiveness warmed her heart. Still she could not let him do something that would get him into trouble.
“You’re not going anywhere,” she told him. “Let’s just go back to sleep.”
Even as she said the words she knew it was easier said than done. Shawn’s words were taunting both of them. Part of her wanted to run and hide. The other half was tired of being the victim. For the first time in a long time she finally had a reason to want to live a real life. This time Shawn wouldn't take that away from her.
Chapter 6
“Ricky told me you hooked up with Drew last night,” Tracie said, refilling
the sugar container.
“We didn't hook up,” Lana denied.
“Too bad.”
Too bad indeed Lana thought to herself.
Sleeping in his arms all night had left a lasting impression on her body. It was crazy that she felt safe with him. They had only known each other for a couple short weeks.
“You want to hit the mall after work?” Tracie asked, moving on to the cookie display case.
“Can’t,” Lana told her, as she filled the coffee stirrer holder. “I have about one hundred definitions that I have to get done before my next class.”
Tracie pouted. “Damn, girl, I need retail therapy bad. Can’t you come out for a little while?”
It was tempting to skip the gym to go but she didn't want to make it a habit. “Maybe tomorrow?”
“I’m keeping you to that,” Tracie warned her. “Don’t you dare blow me off.”
The bell on the door chimed as Drew walked in. Speaking of the devil. He looked good today. Well, OK, she thought he looked good on a daily basis.
Automatically Lana poured a cup of black coffee. His favorite. Two cookies also joined the coffee. The man had a sweet tooth. He also made it a point of coming by every day.
The rational part of her brain knew he had been a regular even before she started working here, but secretly she got a thrill out of the idea of him coming here to see her every day. Yeah, she had become one of those girls.
“How is your day going?” Drew asked her, as she handed him his order.
That was a loaded question. What he actually wanted to know was if she had gotten any more messages.
Luckily, the day had been a text free day.
She rung him up on the cash register. “Just peachy.” Hopefully he would know what that meant.
His features seemed to relax. “I have to write a paper before this weekend; so, I’m not going to the gym tonight. But Chris will be there in case you need anything.”
Lana ignored the rush of panic that wanted to take over her body at the idea of being on her own. At one point in time she would have loved the idea of having an evening to herself, but with all of the texts from Shawn, it no longer sounded appealing.
