Stronger Within (The Silver Lake Series Book 1)

by McCallum, Coral

  “I’m glad you weren’t alone,” said Jake, not wanting to think of her lying battered and broken in a hospital bed.

  “Me too,” she said quietly.

  Lori was quiet during the rest of the meal and in the cab on the way back to the apartment. Once back in the house, she seemed to shake off her dark mood. While Jake went into the kitchen to fetch them a drink, she put on some music in the living room and lit a few candles, creating a soft romantic atmosphere. She was standing gazing out of the window when Jake came through with some wine for them both. Not wanting to disturb her, he sat on the floor, leaning on the couch watching her. Standing there with her arms wrapped round herself, she looked small, frail and a little lost. Her blonde hair was glinting with gold highlights in the flickering candle light. Eventually something broke her daydream and she turned to cross the room. She was suddenly aware of Jake watching her and she smiled.

  “You ok, li’l lady?” he asked, his voice inexplicably husky.

  “Yes,” she replied, coming to sit on the couch behind him. “I think so.”

  “You looked to be miles away there.”

  “Well, I’m back now,” she said, kissing him on the nape of the neck. “And I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

  “Same here,” he replied, turning to face her.

  With a gentle passion Jake lifted her round to sit across his lap and then he slowly began to kiss her across her throat then down her décolletage. She allowed him to remove her top and to continue to deliver light feathery kisses across her breasts. Beneath her thighs, she could feel his jeans straining against her. As Jake reached up to unfasten her bra, she put a hand on his.

  “Not here, please,” she whispered. “Let’s go downstairs.”

  There was no second invitation required as he easily scooped her up into his arms and carried her down to the master bedroom. Gently he sat her on the end of the bed and knelt before her as she slowly undid his shirt buttons. As Lori slipped the well-worn cotton shirt off his well-muscled shoulders, she kissed his chest, gently biting at his nipples. With a smile that said “two can play at that game”, Jake unfastened her bra, discarding it carelessly on the floor. With a moist tongue, he licked her breasts, then blew a cold breeze on them, causing her nipples to harden instantly. Before Lori could protest, he removed his jeans and shoes in a swift, fluid series of movements. Wearing only his boxers, he stood over her and slowly, sensually slid her jeans down, pulling her shoes off with no thought to unfastening them. His eyes barely registered the scars on her thigh as he lifted her to remove her fine lacy underwear. Nervously, hands trembling, Lori reached out to slide his shorts down over his slender hips. For the first time they were naked in front of each other. As though she weighed no more than a feather, Jake lifted Lori into his arms, holding her facing him and supporting her buttocks in his hands as she wrapped her legs around his hips. He barely registered the small wince of pain that crossed her face.

  “Are you sure?” he whispered, following the question with a caress of his tongue along the edge of her ear.

  “Yes,” murmured Lori softly.

  Jake laid her down in the centre of the bed, kissing her breasts, then caressing her entire body with tender kisses. Pausing only to roll on a condom that he had optimistically left in the nightstand drawer the night before, he swiftly moved to straddle her. Cupping her silky smooth buttocks in his hands, he slowly entered her, feeling her moist and ready for him. Initially Lori seemed tense, then as he began to move in long, slow strokes he felt her relax. He quickened the pace, moving rhythmically but taking care not to hurt her. Their lovemaking was gentle but passionate. Jake was terrified that he was hurting her; scared she would break under him. Lori’s nerves and apprehension melted away with each gentle stroke and in perfect harmony they climaxed together. She shuddered slightly as Jake’s orgasm shot through him and his fire flooded into her. As Jake withdrew, she let out a sigh, more purr than sigh, and sank back onto the soft pillows. He kissed her hard then slipped out of bed.

  Alone in the bedroom for a few moments, Lori savoured the lingering fire inside her. In the background, she could hear Jake moving around in the bathroom. Closing her eyes she let out a contented sigh. It had been a long time….

  A few minutes later, Jake returned to bed, bringing their wine glasses down from the living room newly replenished. Lori had moved over to her regular side of the bed and had pulled on a T-shirt. Taking the glass from him, she said, “Thank you.”

  “For the wine?” he enquired, with a cheeky grin.

  She blushed, but remained silent.

  “I didn’t hurt you, did I?” asked Jake softly, as he slid back into bed beside her.

  “No,” replied Lori with a smile.

  “I was so scared that I’d hurt you,” he confessed, before taking a sip his wine.

  “I’m not that fragile,” she giggled, touched by his concern.

  “Glad to hear it,” replied Jake, kissing her on the forehead. “I love you, li’l lady.”

  “Love you too.”

  For the next two days they played tourist across the city. They took the ferry from Battery Park to Ellis and Liberty Islands; they visited Ground Zero on their return and then the following day Lori introduced Jake to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her passion and love for the museum rubbed off on him as she showed him her favourite exhibits. The sheer scale of the museum amazed him and, when she led him through the Egyptian exhibit to the Temple of Dendur, he was stunned into silence by the fact that a whole Egyptian temple was standing there before him. His childlike enthusiasm and excitement filled her with even more love for him. When they finally left the museum, they sat on its front steps, listening to a street entertainer and watching the world go by on Fifth Avenue. Once Lori felt rested, she led him down the street to St Patrick’s Cathedral. Again he was entranced by the gothic architecture and the vibrant brilliance of the Cathedral’s recently restored stained glass. Lori sat quietly in a pew while Jake toured the building. Sitting quietly in the serene atmosphere, she offered up a prayer of thanks to whatever deity was listening. Life felt restored after her long dark, troubled months.

  When they left St Patrick’s, Lori said she felt up to the walk down to the theatre district and that she had somewhere in mind for dinner. Slowly they meandered down Fifth Avenue, then zig zagged their way across to Broadway. Jake became aware that at the walk/don’t walk signs Lori tensed up but he kept quiet. Eventually they reached the buzz of Times Square and passed through onto 44th Street towards a former church that had been converted into a bustling restaurant. For a Tuesday evening, the place was bustling but the young waitress quickly found them a table in the front section nearest the door.

  “Pizza,” muttered Jake, as he surveyed the menu. “Pizza?”

  Lori laughed that beautiful musical laugh that he adored and declared, “I like pizza.”

  “Hmmph,” he said, feigning anger. “I’m having chicken parmigiana. I’ve seen enough pizza!”

  “You can have anything you fancy,” replied Lori, closing the menu. “But I’m having a pepperoni pizza and a cold beer.”

  Jake laughed at the determined look on her face, “And I wouldn’t dare to dream of depriving you of it, Mz Hyde.”

  After their meal was over, they took one last short walk through Times Square then hailed a cab to take them back to the apartment. Both of them had had their fill of the city and were ready to return to the beach. When they arrived back at the apartment, Lori began fussing about packing up some bits and pieces she wanted to take back with them. Jake had already packed his bags and his guitars lay in their cases in the hallway. While Lori muttered and clattered about in her studio workspace, he took his acoustic guitar out of its case and sat in the dining room playing quietly for himself. A new melody was forming in his head and he passed the time by messing around with a few variations of it. Eventually, shortly before midnight, Lori had packed up the items she wanted and added two art folders, plus a large canvas bag
to the pile of luggage already gathering in the hallway.

  Next morning they both slept late then made love leisurely before conceding that it was time they made a move to depart. After a late breakfast of coffee and bagels, Jake asked what car he was to take the bags down to. Lifting a set of keys from the dish on the hall table, Lori said, “Silver Mercedes in bay 16.”

  “Mercedes?” he echoed, eyes wide in disbelief.

  “Yes. The silver one in bay 16,” repeated Lori, stifling a giggle. “Don’t panic. I’ll drive the first stint.”

  The silver e-class coupe sat in bay 16 exactly as she had said. It was the first Mercedes Jake had ever been in and he was a little nervous at the thought of having to drive it part of the way back to Delaware. All of a sudden he was missing his truck.

  It took him three trips up and down to the garage before he had all their luggage stowed away in Lori’s car. With the last of the bags safely locked in the trunk, he went back upstairs to collect Lori. He found her standing in the living room, locking up the French doors to the terrace.

  “Ready to go home, li’l lady?” he called cheerfully.

  “Sure am,” she replied with a smile. “I need to taste that ocean air.”

  “Let’s go then, Mz Hyde,” said Jake, putting his arm around her waist. “Are you sure you’ve got everything?”

  “No,” she laughed. “But if I’m missing anything I know where it is.”

  “Come on. Let’s go home.”

  ♪

  Getting back behind the wheel of her own car felt good to Lori. She had owned the car for a couple of years and had missed driving it. With a wave to the garage attendant, she pulled out into the sunlight. With long practiced skill, she drove smoothly through the manic New York traffic and had soon navigated her way to the Holland Tunnel. Part of her was sad to be leaving the city behind as she drove through the congested tunnel, but the other half of her was desperate to get back to their quiet life at the beach. As they approached the first toll booth on the New Jersey Turnpike, she muttered something under her breath.

  “You ok?” asked Jake. “I’d take the middle toll booth. Line’s shorter.”

  “I meant to get an EZ Pass before we left to save hassle,” explained Lori, heading towards the middle line. “Can you fish in the glove compartment, please? There should be some dollar bills in there.”

  “No worry. I’ve got some here,” said Jake. “I remembered the tolls from the ride up and made sure I kept some change for the way back.”

  “Mr Organised,” teased Lori taking the cash from him. “Thank you.”

  Once clear of the turnpike toll, they settled back to enjoy the drive. The roads were quiet, making it easier for Lori. She set up the car’s cruise control, turned up the stereo and flashed a quick smile at Jake.

  “Where do you want to change over?” he asked, feeling a little less anxious about driving her precious car.

  “We could stop at New Castle for a late lunch. That’s a little over half way. We could swap there?” she suggested.

  “Sounds like a plan,” agreed Jake.

  They drove on in silence for a few more minutes. From his view from the passenger seat, Jake noticed that the further away from the city they got, the more relaxed Lori looked. There had been times over the last few couple of days while they had been out and about that she had seemed tense and edgy and then a few moments later she would appear completely relaxed. He suspected it had to do with her accident, but while they had been in the city he hadn’t liked to ask. Now felt like a better time to attempt to ask her about it.

  “Can I ask you something, Lori?”

  “Sure. No promises I’ll answer, though,” she joked playfully.

  “Did you lay your ghosts to rest on that trip?”

  “Some of them.”

  “And the ones relating to your accident?” he pressed softly. “Did you lay them to rest?”

  “A bit.”

  “Lori,” he began suddenly lost for the right words. He had rehearsed the question in his head for the last five miles to get it word perfect and now it was gone. Instead, he asked simply, “What happened?”

  She stared silently straight ahead at the clear highway in front of them. He thought for a moment that she wasn’t going to reply. After, what to Jake felt like an eternity, Lori began to speak slowly and haltingly, “It was midweek. Just before Christmas. December 22nd to be exact and I had gone out shopping. I had a few last minute gifts to pick up. I’d had a breakfast meeting with David at Rockefeller Plaza then I’d set off down Fifth Avenue. I remember it was raining. I had just crossed 46th street, then decided to cross back over Fifth Avenue to go to the book store. I could hear sirens coming towards me. Lots of sirens. There was a school class trip coming up the street towards me. I believe they were heading to St Patrick’s. We were all crossing at the same crosswalk. There was one little girl tagging along at the back of the group. She was the last to cross. I was behind them all. The sirens were coming along the street at my back and, as she stepped into the road, I caught sight of a black motorcycle coming round the corner from my left. I jumped out to push her out of its path. I reached her in the nick of time. The bike hit me. One of the police cars chasing it hit the little girl.”

  Lori paused. A single tear ran down her cheek. She never took her eyes off the road.

  “I was thrown in the air by the force of the impact. I remember the hot pain in my leg as I landed. The cold, wet feeling of the hardtop on my face when the world stopped moving. I could see under the police car. The little girl lay staring straight at me. I can still see her blank stare when I close my eyes. I knew instantly she was gone.”

  A second tear rolled down her cheek. Silence filled the car for a few moments before she continued, “After that, all I remember hearing was screaming. I don’t know if some of the screams were mine. Someone dialled 911. Ambulances arrived. I must have passed out because the next thing I remember vaguely is the paramedics working on me. I blacked out before they moved me into the ambulance and the rest I’m not sure of. I came to in Mount Sinai hospital after the first major surgery with David and Maddy beside me. That was two days later. They’d both been there the whole time.”

  She paused again. “If I hadn’t pushed the girl out of the way the motorbike would have hit her. Maybe she would have lived. Maybe she wouldn’t. I’ll never know if I helped to kill her or not. The police were chasing the bike guy for armed robbery. He wasn’t badly hurt. He’s due for trial soon. He’s already been tried for the robbery and convicted. Now he’s facing trial over the girl’s death and my injuries. The paperwork David sent over yesterday was my final statement for the case. That signed statement means I don’t need to attend court. I couldn’t face that.”

  Wiping her tears away with one hand Lori said, “So now you know. Apart from my leg, I fractured my pelvis, my right wrist and collarbone. I was a grazed and bruised wreck from hitting the ground so hard. It wasn’t a pretty sight for a while.”

  “Oh Lori,” began Jake quietly. “I don’t know…..”

  “Jake,” she interrupted sharply. “There’s nothing you can say. Just don’t ask me to tell you about it again, please. It’s too hard. Too painful. Too many ghosts.”

  “We crossed at that cross walk yesterday,” Jake realised, suddenly remembering that she had seemed to freeze for a moment before following him across the street.

  “I know,” replied Lori with a weak smile. “And stepping off that kerb beside you was the toughest thing I’ve done for a long time. I wanted to tell you. I just couldn’t blurt this out in the middle of the street.”

  “You’re one hell of a woman, Mz Hyde,” complimented Jake. “I won’t mention it again. I promise.”

  “Well, now you know how I ended up in this state,” she said, recovering her composure.

  “Who else knows the full story?”

  “David, Maddy and Mary,” replied Lori. “A handful of police, lawyers and doctors.”

  “Expla
ins why those guys are so protective towards you.”

  “I guess,” she sighed then, spotting a sign post, commented. “Only twenty miles till we stop. You ready to drive my baby?”

  “Shitting myself,” declared Jake honestly. “There’s more buttons on there than the bridge of the Enterprise!”

  “You’ll be fine,” reassured Lori warmly. “I trust you.”

  When he got behind the wheel after their lunch stop Jake’s nerves had settled. Calmly Lori told him how to adjust the seat to the right position for him and save the settings, gave him a quick tour of the dashboard and steering wheel controls then sat back and relaxed beside him. Sliding the car into drive he pulled carefully out of the parking lot and back onto the highway. Nervous of the cruise control and all the electronic gadgetry, he asked Lori how to turn it all off. After a few miles he began to relax and Lori noticed that the tension in his shoulders visibly decreased.

  “So,” she began with an impish grin. “Do I get to drive your truck?”

  “If you want,” he replied with a hint of reluctance. “That is, if it has survived Paul driving it home.”

  Lori laughed before adding, “You’re safe for now. It’s a stick shift, so I can’t drive it just now.”

  “Let me know when you’re ready to give it a try.”

  Eventually the Rehoboth Beach water tower came into sight. They were almost home. Lori opened the windows and let the salty sea air fill the car. Without a word they smiled at each other, silently agreeing it was good to be home. When they had stopped for lunch, Lori had called ahead to Mary to check if they needed to bring anything in or if she had stocked up the refrigerator. The housekeeper was delighted to hear Lori’s voice and reassured them that all they needed to do was to bring themselves. She promised to wait at the house until they got there. As they drove through town, both of them drank in the familiar sights, sounds and smells. It was after four before Jake finally pulled up in the driveway in front of the beach house. With a sigh of relief, he noticed that his truck was parked safely in its usual spot under the tree with Mary’s car parked alongside. As they both climbed stiffly out of the Mercedes, the front door opened and the small housekeeper rushed out to greet them.