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Sneak Peek to Davenport Harbour: Book 3 of Six Degrees Series By Mayra Statham Copyright 2015
Coming Late Summer 2015
John
Rain pouring down in an unusual way for southern California only added an extra knot of tension to my shoulders. Trying to roll them so they wouldn't feel as stiff as they did, making me realize that maybe I had pushed it a little too much at the gym with Nick and Mike. The stiffness only adding to my bad mood. A thick fog started to settle as I hopped into my BMW X5. Driving down the winding road of my hill, I notice a small older model silver Honda Civic with its emergency lights turned on at the opposite side of the road. Knowing that no one should be on this road because it is mine I groan and make a U-Turn.
I didn’t have time for this shit.
Whoever it was must have gotten turned around, I thought to myself as I park a car length behind them. Stepping out of my car leaving my lights on, my dress shirt becoming wet because of the damn rain my irritation becomes rises. I am already late to Mike and Sabrina’s because my receptionist decided to up and quit leaving me short-handed at the office and making my day go from bad to worse. Then Nick and Mike goaded me into competing with them while lifting weights at the gym. Now I would be running even later because I would need to run home and change.
Mike was going to chew my ass out.
Somehow Mike had talked me into watching the kids...all four of them. The older three basically watched themselves but baby Nikki was less than a year old now. Yet somehow he had talked me into it, begging for a night out with his wife. Maybe it was because baby Nikki was so enchantingly beautiful and she had somehow mystically wrapped me completely around her little finger from the moment she’d been born, or maybe because their kids were pretty funny, or maybe it was because Mike was a poor married sap now and he needed a night out with his beautiful wife. Either way I had been completely suckered into babysitting tonight. Thinking about my best friend and his family made me want to smile and frown at the same time. They were sickeningly cute. Before getting out of the car I sent him a quick text letting him know I was running late.
“Hello.” I shout out and can see a small shadowy figure kneeling at the passenger side tire.
“Hi.” A small feminine voice rattled and I felt my headache start worsen.
“Do you need help?” I offer, trying to make out the feminine figure kneeling over by the passenger side.
“No, thank you.” the feminine voice squeaks and I roll my eyes.
Women had no idea what they were doing changing a tire, and as confident as this one sounded I could bet ten grand she had no clue whatsoever as to what she was doing.
“It’s raining.” I said knowingly irritated.
“Thanks for the weather update, Captain Obvious.” The squeaky voice turned snarky chimed and I glared at her.
I was seriously going to be late. Mike was going to be seriously pissed.
I hated being late. I avoid being late as much as I possibly can. Taking a deep breath as I stare ahead into the car, I notice a baby seat in the back…One of those for small babies. Mike had made me go shopping with him when Sabrina was pregnant with Nikki. Who was I kidding, I had gone willingly, enjoying his joy and happiness and never losing an opportunity to goad him about having lost his balls to a jar next to his wife’s nightstand.
Almost groaning at the fact that I was going to definitely have to help this snarky woman I took a couple of steps towards her.
“Look I can get that changed for you faster than you can.” She humorlessly laughed shaking her head and all I could do was scowl. She should be freaking grateful I was willing to help her instead of laughing me off.
“Look I don’t know if you realize this but women can do a lot of things now. Vote, work outside of the home, wear pants, even read! All kinds of things only men used to be able to do." She sassed as she grunted trying to take off a lugnut, “So if you don’t mind you can go on your way.” she sassed and I but a smile back. Her quick wit was slightly refreshing, I thought as I bit away the smile that threatened on my face.
The kitten had claws, that was for sure.
“I get women's lib and everything but it’s not safe to be here all alone. No one is going to pass by this road.” I gruffed, feeling the rain start to come down slower just a drizzle now. I noticed her shoulders square.
“Why do you say that?” she asked wearily, and I notice as she stands up, her hand on the wrench tightening to where her knuckles are almost ghostly white. Oversized grey hoodie that she is wearing would have made her shapeless but with the rain that had poured down you could make out how extremely thin she really was. I still hadn’t seen her face. From the distance I stood, she seemed tiny. Not height was either. She was taller than average. Five foot seven maybe even eight.
“Because this is a private road. My road. You’re on my hill. Now why don't you go into your car with your baby and I’ll change your tire.”
“How did you know I have a baby with me?” She asks as her face moves into the moonlight and for a moment I feel something hit me hard straight in the chest.
She was beautiful. Completely and utterly beautiful. Almost angelic.
What looked to be long dark brown almost black hair messily stuffed underneath her hoodie that was now soggily plastered around her head, dark surprised doe eyes staring back at him. He let his eyes move down to her mouth and he felt his body warm up. Full and lush lips, almost too big for her face...almost. For a moment I lost the ability to speak. Her dark eyes turned slightly frightened behind her bravado and I could only imagine I looked like I was a crazy predator.
“I saw the carseat.” I pointed at the car rolling my eyes, and instantly noticed her shoulders slump almost in relief. I wondered if she was in some sort of trouble. Don’t go there, Johnny boy.
“Oh, okay. Look I’m sorry I’m on your property. I’ll be gone as soon as I can get this changed.” she said her voice softening slightly.
“No offense but I’m already soaked and running late. Let me change the tire. You can get in your car turn the heater on try to warm up.” He said walking towards her. The closer he got the more he took in how beautiful she was. Flawless porcelain skin that was slightly flushed pink, probably from the cold weather, her eyes bright but slightly scared. The fear in her eyes didn’t sit well in his stomach, but he shook his head, trying not to think too much about it. To ignore it. He'd done it before he could do it again.
“Look it's really nice of you to offer but you should go.” She said defensively standing a little straighter, wincing slightly, one of her hands going to her side.
&n
bsp; “It's freezing out here and all you have on is a hoodie, I can't leave you in the middle of a deserted road with a baby.” he growled as he started to fold his white dress shirt up his forearms. He walked till he was right in front of her putting his hand out and she gave him the wrench without touching him, but he could smell her. She smelled fresh and clean… something with a slight hint of soft gardenias.
Gardenias? Where the hell had that come from I wonder… he hadn’t thought about gardenias in such a long time.
Anne
She watched as he effortlessly started to change the flat tire. For someone as big and tall as he was, he was extremely graceful. She stood by the passenger door instead of going into the car. She looked into the car peeking in at her sleeping angel in the car.
“It’s cold. You should go in try to warm up.” he reiterated again and she rolled her eyes. Not that her good Samaritan wasn’t right or that she wasn't appreciative of him trying to be nice. She was. She just couldn’t afford to run the car, not when her car was as low on gas as it was. Exactly why her little girl had so many baby blankets over her. She was freezing and in so much pain she could hardly stand. She had hoped she could hide in the hill overnight after fixing the flat, but she hadn't realized that it was private property, much less expected the owner of the property to see her. Her heart grew heavy at how all her options were running out and how close he was to finding them.
“Thanks, but I’ll wait here.” she said sounding rude, but it was just her trying to bite away the pain at her side.
He had found her. After over a year on the run, he had found her and she had barely escaped. He hadn’t seen Zoey thankfully. She winced as she held tight to her side. She wasn't sure how she had escaped his clutches. If it hadn’t been for her elderly neighbor Mr. Campbell, she was sure she would be dead… or worse. Her heart beat furiously at her chest as the fear she had tried to keep at bay the last year and a half threatened to break the levee that she’d been holding back, and her sight slightly blurred with unshed tears and a throbbing headache began
He looked at her and frowned.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
“I’m John by the way.” John. His name suited him.
He was a bit gruff yet had a classic attractive way about him. Tall, dark and handsome somehow fit his description to a T. He had a body that even below the stuffy business clothes he was wearing she could tell he worked on. Something about his forearms called her attention. The sinewy muscles that stretched and flexed as he worked with his hands to change the tire. He was definitely sexy. Too bad she wasn’t interested, or never would take that chance again. She had learned her lesson.
“Nice to meet you John, I’m Anne.” She said without thinking. For the first time since she had left the nightmare that had been her life, she gave someone her real name. Her heart raced at the idea of someone coming to question him.
John
He couldn't wait to finish changing this tire so that she could be on her way. Tomorrow he would take to a contractor about getting a gate or something to close off the road for his hill. He liked his privacy, and the idea of someone breaking down on such an empty road didn’t sit well with him. He wanted to head back up to his place and change and head over to Mike’s. As he worked he tried to ignore the way she smelled. Her scent enveloping his mind. He tried to focus on all the things he had to do tomorrow, instead of why a woman as beautiful as this one had that type of fear in her eyes. He failed.
He tried not to look at her, trying to focus on the tire in front of him, yet failed miserably. It was as if his eyes had a mind of their own, wanting to soak up the vision of her. Even drenched like a kitten after a bath she was beautiful. Finally, he finished and as he stood to put the flat in her trunk he realized she had sat down and was now holding her side breathing in deeply.
She was completely soaked, the grey hoodie plastered to her thin frame. He thought he saw small bruising starting to form at the side of her neck, slightly above where the hoodie fell when she had moved her head when she had glanced towards the baby in the car. He noticed how stiff and straight she held herself and the way she winced when she moved. When had he ever noticed so many details of a complete stranger? He thought to himself.
Once. No he wouldn't let his mind go there. His past had too many demons locked up tight and today he couldn't go there. Not tonight. Not any night that he couldn't drown in a bottle of scotch.
Shaking his head as he tried to fit the flat tire into the spot in the trunk where it belonged he realized she had quite a few belongings in there, but what the fuck did he know. He had gone to the store with Sabrina once about three months ago, surprised she even would attempt to go with her trunk filled with so much baby shit and sporting equipment it looked like a fucking Target had exploded in there. Trying to act like he didn't care he finished up straightening the tire in there and looked at her as he closed the trunk.
“All changed up.” He said trying not to look at her yet he couldn't resist. Her eyes were so big and so filled with… no he wasn't going to go there.
He wasn't going to give a shit what her eyes were filled with. He was NOT that guy. He wasn't a knight in shining armor. He was the furthest thing from that. He was the guy who if he needed companionship he paid one of Belle’s girls, high class escorts who he could have an… understanding with. He wasn't made for relationships and love and all the damn drama they brought along with it.
“Thanks.” she said softly, then for what felt a moment where time stood still and his heart froze when her eyes met his. They were endless dark pools, pools of the richest molten chocolate he could ever buy. His mouth went dry at the beauty that stood in front of him. Suddenly his body tightened, something about her made him feel…
Shake it off, man, he whispered to himself.
“You’re welcome. Now if you'll excuse me. I have to get going. I’m sure you know how to get out of here?” he asked her, his voice sounding cold and stiff. God he could be an asshole when he wanted to be.
“Yeah, sorry about the trouble.” she said sounding sincere and almost a little lost, as if she were not really talking to him. He rolled his shoulders and willed himself to head back to his warm waiting car, as he drove it back to the top of his hill to change his clothes, all the while an uneasiness settling in the out of his stomach.
Anne
I watched as he drove off. My hands slightly shaking, I tried to take a deep breath. My insides burned in pain, and my headache only seemed to be getting worse. I couldn't head back to my small apartment. I had a little amount of money set aside and thankfully it was in one of the few bags I had been able to get together and throw into the car.
A hotel would be good but too expensive; I had money placed aside but not a lot. I wouldn't be able to return to the small diner off of Figueroa where Mrs. Garcia, my manager, had let me have a playpen for my angel to rest while I worked. Panic and distress started to hit me, overwhelming me completely. I tried to breath, trying to tell myself that I could do this that we would get through this and anything else that life had to throw at us, but it was impossible. Nothing seemed to help at that moment. She started to walk towards the car reaching the passenger door, when suddenly everything went black.
John
"Mike... I know... I'm sorry. Okay. Next week then. Sure drop them off at my house that will work better. Okay. Tell Sabrina I'm sorry again okay? I just had to help that girl with the flat tire." I tell Mike. Great now somehow I had four kids coming to my place next week.
Thankfully Sabrina's parents had been visiting and when they heard I was running late they happily volunteered to take over babysitting duties for the night. I mentally noted to send a small token of gratitude to them tomorrow. My stomach growling and no energy to cook I decided to head out to buy some type of takeout... Maybe stop at Belle’s for some company.
As I drove back down I frowned.
Her car was still there. Sighing I parked, leavin
g my car running. Glancing into the small beat up car, the front seat was empty. Then I looked to the back, car seat still in place, but the canopy was covering any visibility of the baby I noticed the amount of blankets around the child. Then I realized the car wasn't running. It hadn't been running while I was changing the tire either. Not that it was completely freezing out here but it was too cold for a baby to be out in the elements.
"Anne?" I called out looking around, yet there was no answer and everything around us was quiet, even the drip dropping of the rain had stopped. An eerie feeling started to work its way up my spine, as I went to the passenger side of the car.
Her small fragile body was on the ground completely unconscious.
"Shit." I cursed as I went to her and without a second thought lifted her up into my arms. My stomach roiled as I realized how light she was. I sat on the cold wet floor, my hands going to her neck, feeling a faint heartbeat, a wave of relief washed over me. She stirred, her eyes opening slowly, and when her eyes process me, she stiffens.
“Please… let me go… I’ll pay you... just don't call him…” she blurts out trying to stand away but for some reason I held on to her, worried that she’d fall down. She was gravely pale and her body was burning up.
“Please…” she whispered as tears filled her big doe eyes and I scowled.
“I have no idea what you are talking about, but I found you down here. Again. You passed out. Let’s take you to a hospital…”
“No!” she pleaded, her hand up sitting up, trying to stand up and I help her this time, "He will find..."
“You passed out. You clearly have a fever…” I start to say interrupting, trying not to care. Trying to ignore the clear fear in her voice and eyes. Trying , unsuccessfully to ignore the bruising at her neck that peeked through when she shook her head.
Etched in Stone (Six Degrees Series Book 2) Page 42
