by Nikki Larson
“Do you remember when you said you thought I had been through something – something dark?” she asked him.
He nodded slowly. She looked so beautiful and vulnerable just then, with her smooth skin shimmering in the light and the hint of peach blush on her cheeks. Those pouty lips were riling him up, making him want to take her into his arms again and kiss her, make her forget all her troubles. “Yes,” he replied, keeping his voice even.
“I had a miscarriage,” she told him. Her voice cracked at the word and her eyes glistened with tears.
“Oh, I had no idea,” Jaxton said. The thought of her being intimately involved with someone else was like a dagger through his heart. But he had to overcome that at the moment. This wasn’t about him. It was about her, and her pain. Not his, fresh though it was.
“Yes,” she continued, her eyes fraught with sadness. “You know Kyle Haggar, the college football quarterback?”
“UCXB?” he asked. Yeah, he knew him. “He played for the Brights. Star player.”
“Well, I knew him, too, unfortunately.” She searched his eyes and he could see she was distressed. “I dated him for a while. Not long. Long enough,” she added bitterly, then covered her mouth as if what she was going to say next was unspeakable. Her voice was quiet as she relayed the story. “Long enough for him to make me miserable.” She blinked several times and her eyes were shrouded in darkness. “He was abusive. So abusive, in fact, that I lost the baby.” At those final words, Sylvia’s beautiful face contorted and she let out a sob.
“Oh, here, Sylvia,” Jaxton said, reaching out to hold her. “Here, come here. Everything’s okay now. There’s nothing to be afraid of any longer. I’m here.” And more importantly, God is here, Jaxton thought, but he didn’t say it.
Sylvia welcomed his embrace and cried for a good long while as they sat together on his couch. His shoulder was soaked by the time she was done. He’d never felt so close to her. All he wanted to do was protect her, to shield her from all the terrible hurts she had ever experienced. He wanted to be her knight in shining armor, as cliché as that sounded.
He heard once that God had put it in the heart of man to be a hero and he believed it.
He felt it.
He never felt more like a man than he did when he was trying to rescue those who were hurting and oppressed.
He lifted her chin to look into her eyes and brushed away her tears with a gentle hand.
“I was so stupid,” Sylvia bemoaned, gathering herself together.
He could see her settling down as he held her hand there on the couch.
“And that’s why I’m so motivated now,” she told Jaxton. “I have to get over this. I have to move on. I have to make something beautiful come of it, something good.”
Chapter 15
“So, stand right there and I’ll put the camera on a timer,” Sylvia told Jaxton later that afternoon when he joined her at Reisburg Fitness.
He looked so buff and handsome in that pose, with his biceps bulging beneath the sleeves of his t-shirt, she couldn’t help but smile.
“What?” he asked her. “What are you smiling about?” He glanced around the gym, obviously feeling self-conscious. But this was part of what made it so fun to have him participate in her FanGram photo sessions. She liked to see him squirm, as bad as that sounded. Turn around was fair play.
“You’re perfect, that‘s all,” she told him.
“Oh, I’m nowhere near perfect,” he countered. But she could tell by the sound of his voice that he was eating up the compliment.
“All the girls are going to swoon after you,” she told him and she hurried to get into position.
“Swoon?” he echoed, his eyes narrowing in annoyance. “What is swoon?”
“Oh, come on, you know what swoon is. Smile,” she said. “Smile at the camera and hold my leg, would you?” She extended her leg so that it rested upon his shoulder. She needed him to hold it in place to steady her so she wouldn’t fall over.
Dutifully he did what she asked, but he still looked uncomfortable.
“Look at the camera,” she instructed. “It’s going to take ten pictures of us in quick succession. We have three seconds in between each shot. Hear it? Hear it clicking? That’s when it takes the picture.” She paused to pose for the next shot. “If none turn out, we’ll do it again.” She switched positions and did the splits on the floor in front of him. “Hold the weights above your head now. Okay.” Click. “Now do a squat.” Click. “Now a lunge. Steady now.” She smiled at the camera for the last few shots. “There, we are done,” she announced.
He let out a sigh and set the weights on the floor. “Thank goodness,” he breathed.
“What, were they getting heavy?” She stared at the weights on the exercise mat.
“No,” he said, sounding utterly disgusted. “Of course not. I was just tired of taking pictures, that’s all.”
“You can’t be tired yet,” she told him, giving him a friendly slap on the back. “We’ve got at least ten more to go.”
He looked stunned. “I thought we just did ten shots.”
“Yeah, we did ten shots. But that was just one photo session. Ten more to go, at least.”
“Ten more sessions?” His eyes grew wide and his mouth dropped open in a show of irritation. “That’s a hundred pictures. What do you need a hundred pictures for?”
“For my FanGram posts,” she said matter-of-factly. “Come on, it’s fun,” she encouraged him.
“Oh, yeah, loads of fun,” he said to mock her. But his playful grin told her he was adjusting to her demands and would continue to comply.
“Just wait until we do the videos,” she told him.
“Wait,” he answered. “I’m not doing any videos with you. No way. Pictures are enough.” He glanced tentatively around the room once more. He really wasn’t enjoying being photographed like this in public, she could tell. Maybe it was because Reisburg Fitness was his gym. Or maybe he was more camera shy than she’d realized.
She tilted her head and smiled. “No videos?” Maybe she could win him over with sweetness. She was really hoping he could participate in the videos with her, maybe give a little spiel on healthy eating or something. He could even promote his Love Bars, maybe. As long as he explained they have only one teaspoon of added sugar per bar….
“No videos” he said sternly.
“Well, okay,” she relented. What a shame. She’d just have to continue doing those without him. Well, she’d done them by herself this long, and that was what the fans were used to anyway. It would have to work.
Chapter 16
Jaxton was exhausted when he pulled into his driveway that evening, though it wasn’t even that late. He couldn’t believe Sylvia had persuaded him to join her in taking her FanGram photos. At least he stood strong about the videos. He was uncomfortable in front of any camera, but being filmed sounded especially undesirable. What could be worse than seeing himself in a video? There wasn’t much.
At his front door he happened to catch a glimpse of his security cameras, which reminded him he still needed to check the footage on the backyard video and see what Sylvia might have seen. He knew she saw something. He remembered the startled look in her eyes. You can’t fake that, and why would she want to? He hadn’t meant to offend her by suggesting maybe it was a bird. It was just strange that the alarm hadn’t gone off.
The alarm.
Jaxton spent a few extra moments once he got inside the door examining the alarm for any signs of malfunction. He wasn’t that great at electronic devices and technology. He only knew the basics – he could set up a computer and a phone. When he had problems, he could always pay for someone to help him. That was one of the perks of being a billionaire, he thought with a little laugh.
Well, he couldn’t figure it out. He’d pressed a few buttons but he wasn’t sure what they were for. The alarm was working now and he assumed it was working then. Best to leave it to the professionals, if it came to that.
> He flipped on the TV for some background noise and went to the fridge for a refreshing drink before heading to his safe room. Some people called it a panic room, but that wasn’t necessary. No need to freak himself out. He had enough problems feeling safe and secure with all the crazy people in the world who wanted nothing more than to harm people and use them to their own advantage. Jaxton worked hard on casting all his cares on the Lord, on keeping his anxiety at bay. He took a deep breath now and prayed that God would give him perfect peace as promised to those whose eyes are steadfast on the Lord, who trust in him.
Jaxton was rather peeved with himself for not being more of a man, for letting fear take hold of him. Nothing in him was okay with feeling like a coward. He wanted to be as strong as he looked. He posed in his mirror, hands clenched, biceps bulging. Chuckling to himself, he sat down in the plush office chair at his private computer and checked the security footage.
Thankfully he only had to go back a few hours, not days. It was tedious searching through these tapes.
He’d been a hero of some sort when he tackled the would-be kidnapper, Jaxton reminded himself. He was strong when he needed to be. An inspiring image of David slinging a sharp rock at the giant appeared in Jaxton’s mind just about the time he found the right time of day. He half-expected to be able to see himself and Sylvia kissing in the kitchen, and he was looking intently for exactly that when the screen went black. What the heck?
He rewound the video backwards with a press of a button, to 6 a.m. There, the back yard was clear, though the marine layer provided a bit of fog and haziness to the view. Seven a.m., same thing: clear picture except for the fog. It was at 8:09 when the screen showed a man dressed in dark clothing, snooping around the back yard.
Jaxton could only sit there with his hand over his mouth. He glanced around the safe room, looking over his shoulder, half-expecting someone to be in there with him. And that wasn’t such a far-fetched thought, either, he realized as he jumped off the chair to scan the room.
Maybe he should get a dog, he thought as he went out to inspect the back yard. A big German shepherd or a Doberman or something muscular like a Pit Bull. Nah. He never liked dogs. Not to take care of anyway. Sure, he could enjoy other people’s dogs. From a distance.
He smiled to himself at that thought. It was best to try keep himself amused, to keep himself sane and steady. And just then the phone rang, and Whitney Houston’s voice made him jump. He glared at the phone and answered.
Chapter 17
“Hey, Candy Man,” Sylvia said happily when he answered.
He let out a huff of disgust. “Hey,” he replied. “What is it?”
“Ooh, aren’t you on edge? What’s the matter, did taking pictures with me this afternoon really upset you that much?”
“No,” he told her. “Can you come over?”
His voice sounded vague, distant, and urgent – all at once.
She was just about to agree when he spoke again.
“No, on second thought, that would be a bad idea.” She could hear him clearing his throat. “Look, I found something,” he confided in her. “You know this morning when you thought you saw someone in my back yard? Well, you were right.”
Sylvia let out a gasp. “What are you talking about? Did you see someone?” Her mind raced in a thousand different directions as she imagined all the possible scenarios.
“I checked the security footage,” Jaxton said darkly.
“You did?” Sylvia said more loudly than she’d intended.
“Is something wrong?” It was Fiona, checking in on her. It was past eleven o’clock and Sylvia’s mother had just gotten up to use the restroom, from what Sylvia could gather.
“No, Mom,” Sylvia replied. She didn’t want her mom to worry. “I’m just talking to Jaxton. I’ll see you in the morning. Go back to sleep. Do you need anything?” she added, remembering she was supposed to be helping her mom with her recovery. And she’d barely been home. What kind of daughter was she?
“No, I’m fine,” Fiona said quietly.
It was nice of her to try to take care of herself and not bother anyone. She’d been spending her days resting on the couch, alternatively writing and watching TV. It must be a lonely life, Sylvia thought. She’d have to make more of an effort to be home for her and keep her company rather than just making sure her pain meds were set out at the appropriate times.
Sylvia waited until her mom was out of earshot until she spoke to Jaxton again. “What did you see? On the footage, I mean.”
“A man dressed in dark clothing, walking around in my back yard,” he told her.
Sylvia gasped once again. “You’re kidding me,” she said, trying to process it all. “I’ll be right over.”
“No!” Jaxton practically yelled it. “I’ll come to you,” he offered. “Would that be all right?”
Sylvia glanced again at the digital display on her alarm clock. “Sure,” she sighed. Sleep was going to elude her tonight anyway; she could almost guarantee it. Now that she was all riled up….
“Wait, what did you call for?” Jaxton asked her.
“I’ll tell you when you get here,” she told him. Best to get it all out at once, when they could talk in person. It was more comforting that way, anyway. All she wanted was to take refuge in Jaxton’s arms and tell him what had been going on, so he could reassure her that her concerns were unfounded. But who was she kidding? They both had actual disturbing events going on. At least they could figure things out together.
Sylvia peered into her mother’s bedroom once she was done talking with Jaxton. Fiona Oscar was lying on her back with her hands folded on her ribcage. She stirred and woke the moment Sylvia cracked the door open.
“Yes?” she asked groggily.
“Just checking to see if you’re all right,” Sylvia told her. She sat on the bed and her mother responded by wincing in pain. “Oh, I’m sorry,” Sylvia said, quickly standing. She gently stroked her mother’s forehead. “I haven’t been here for you much. How are you feeling? How’s your writing coming along?”
Her mother gave a wan smile. She looked a little pale, but that was to be expected. Her surgery was just over a week ago. “Good, not bad,” she said, looking happy to have the company. “The pain meds make it hard to think straight, so the writing has been slow, but it seems to be coming along.”
“What’s your pain level?” Sylvia asked her. What was this, day nine? The pain should be subsiding, but not a whole lot yet.
“About a six,” Fiona told her. “That’s when I’m due for a pain pill though. After a pain pill, it’s about a three or a four.”
Sylvia’s heart went out to her. How she loved this woman who had given her birth. Fiona was gracious, kind, and vibrant. As soon as she recovered from this surgery, she’d be her old self again. Sylvia was looking forward to that. “I’m sorry you’re hurting. This was a major surgery. It’s going to take some time to feel better.”
“I know,” Fiona agreed. “I just don’t enjoy it, that’s all.” Her eyes were bright in spite of everything. “I do enjoy a lot about my life,” she added, reaching out to hold her daughter’s hand. “You’re a bright spot. So is Blaine. I’m proud of you both. I hope you know that.”
“I know,” Sylvia said. “You tell me all the time. I hadn’t forgotten.” She paused to glance at the clock on the wall. Jaxton should be here any minute. “Do you need anything from me?”
“No, I just need some sleep, I think,” Fiona answered.
“Okay, good night,” Sylvia replied, closing the door quietly behind her.
When she went downstairs, Sylvia opened the front door at the same moment Jaxton pulled up to the curb.
“Hey,” he said when he came to give her a hug. His muscles felt strong and firm beneath her grasp. She could melt beneath them. But that thought only made her blush.
And then he kissed her, which took her by surprise. His lips were warm and moist, and he tasted of mint. He always did suck on breath mints when
he was nervous. She smiled because she knew him so well, even the silly little details like this.
“Well, hello,” she said happily when he stopped to gaze into her eyes.
He looked so handsome then in the dim lighting. She reached out to touch his whiskers, then bit her lip to stop her runaway thoughts.
“What?” he asked.
“You’re just… dreamy, that’s all.”
His laughter caught in his throat. “I’m dreamy?”
“Shhh,” Sylvia said, leading him inside. No need to wake up her mother. “Can I get you anything? A drink?” she offered.
“A Seven-Up would be nice.”
“Do you really think I have any soda lurking around in my fridge?”
His shoulders drooped. “A water,” he amended. “Speaking of lurking around,” he said, “it’s really unsettling to think that someone was in my back yard the other morning. I mean, you’d think that I, being…” he paused to think of how to word it, “…fully capable of hiring someone to protect me, would have hired someone to protect me.” He half-chuckled, half choked on his words.
Sylvia knew this was no laughing matter. “Yeah,” she said, grabbing two waters and leaning against the kitchen countertop. “But you aren’t pretentious like that. You try to live like everybody else. It’s admirable.”
“Is it?” he asked.
“Yeah, it is,” she told him. “I appreciate that about you. You aren’t prideful and full of yourself. And you try to rely on God to protect you, not people.”
“True,” he said, standing in front of her and taking her face in his hands to kiss her again. “But maybe it’s time to rethink it. I mean, God expects us to use the resources he provides. You know the old story about the drowning man who prayed for God to rescue him but denied the boat, the airplane, the rope, and whatever else God provided….”
“Oh, yeah,” she said. “I think I’ve heard that one. You don’t want to be that guy.”
“No,” Jaxton said, tapping the tip of her nose and smiling at her. “I don’t want to be that guy.”
