Her Love Ran Crimson (Crimson Series) (22 page)

“When I got to the park your car was there, but you weren’t, so I went to look for you. When I noticed a phone on the floor next to your car, I didn’t recognize it. I looked in it and saw the messages you sent me and put it all together that it was your phone. It got me a little worried. The thing that made me panic was when I found your bracelet. I have never seen you without it. I know how much it means to you, so I knew something was wrong. Then I found your bag. I have been looking for you for almost three days now.”

I hear a door open, but not ready to face his dad yet, I sit back down. “I think your dad is here, Jase. I just want to sit for a minute,” I say while I stare at my hands in my lap.

“Maddie, what the fuck is going on?”

My head snaps up and I jump up. Frank is standing there looking like he could kill me. Jase’s dad must have called him. Shit, I’m so screwed. This is his warehouse “Frank, I’m sorry. Just let me explain. Dixon took me and brought me here. I was stuck here. Jase found me and I hit Dixon really hard in the head with a metal pipe when he tried to attack me. He hasn’t moved since. I think…I…I killed him.” Just saying it horrifies me. Just like that Frank is rushing me. This time Jase gets in front of him, pushing him back.

“I don’t know who the fuck you are, but you better get out of my way. You, Maddie, you’re dead. You always have to make a mess of things. Well, guess what? I’m not cleaning this shit up for you.” He charges again, trying to get past Jase.

“Don’t touch her. I swear it will be the second biggest mistake of your life.”

Frank has had it and punches Jase in the face. The force of the blow knocks him to the ground. He gets past Jase and comes after me. I back up against the wall, unsure of what he might do. Trying to put some distance between is a lost cause. Frank gets me against the wall and holds me there with one hand on my neck.

He cocks his hand back as he says, “I told you no more fucking up. That was your last chance. I knew you were working with Dixon. Don’t lie to me. He stole my shit and you were just making the profit with him. I know it. Your mom was trying to screw me too. That’s why she had to die and you’re next. I swear to God Maddie, I warned you.”

The second I think he’s about to hit me Jase screams at him.

“Don’t touch her I said.”

Almost like perfect timing Jase’s dad yells out, “Hey, Frank.”

Frank looks over. In walks Phillip Becker surrounded by a swarm of police officers.

“Frank, put your hands up and get away from her. Your little confession there was all the proof I needed. Cuff him.”

Frank drops his hold on me and puts his hands up. “What? You were all in on this.”

He struggles as the cop is cuffing him. As he is read his rights, he is blabbing some stuff I can’t make out. Now, I am more confused. What does Becker mean that’s all he needed?

“Maddison, are you okay?” Phillip asks me.

“Um, yes, no. I don’t know.” Confusion runs through my brain. I can’t even understand what’s happening.

“Jase, go take her out front. There is an ambulance out there waiting to check her out. Can you walk Maddison?”

I shake my head trying to wake myself up from this nightmare. “Yeah, I’m okay.” Jase walks me out front, where I am checked and asked questions about what happened. My scrapes are cleaned up, but still can’t put everything together. I can barely even talk to anybody. Shock is still taking over my body, and I feel so confused about Phillip.

****

Once I’m allowed to leave from the station, Jase is nowhere to be found. I am unsure of what I need to do. I can’t go home. I never want to step foot in that house again. I wait for a cab. I am so tired from everything that has gone on that the only thing I can think to do is go get a room at a hotel and take a long hot bath. The cab pulls up and I open the door and get in closing off my past when I shut the door. I feel like I can breathe for the first time in a long time.

“Where are you headed to ma’am?”

I don’t know. “First the train station, then any hotel close by that isn’t a dump, please.” I sit back and take a breath.

“Sure thing,” he says as we pull off onto the street and make our way to a hotel.

I get out and pay the driver I sling my bag over my shoulder and make my way into the hotel. Once I am in my room I walk around the room, running my hand over everything just trying sort out the last couple of days in my head. I make my way into the bathroom, which isn’t very large but has a pretty deep tub. I run the water and leave the door open knowing I don’t have to hide from anything. I make the water as hot as I can stand. I didn’t bring anything and am happy to find tiny bottles of soap. I use one to make a bubble bath. I shed all of my clothes and I stand in front of the sink and really look at myself in the mirror. I have never been comfortable in my own skin and I know it’s time for me to get acquainted with myself and know that I’m not as ugly inside as they all made me out to be.

I stare at my reflection and I look over myself and think about every tattoo on my body and settle my eyes on the most recent one I had gotten a couple months ago.
Hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark
. I repeat it a dozen times in my head until it starts to sink in. I start to have hope that this is the worst and lowest I have been and it can only go up from here. There isn’t anything that can hold me down anymore. It can only get better.

Once I have had all I can take of my reflection I hop into the bath. Closing my eyes as I lay my head back knowing I will be safe now is all it takes for me to relax and just be content for the moment.

After an hour or so in the bath of draining and refilling with hot water, I don’t think my skin can take much more. I am all shriveled and prune like. I get out and watch some TV. Another thing I never did before. I wasn’t allowed to watch much TV. I really have never had much interest in it either. Now I can do whatever I want to do and it sounds relaxing. I grab a big fluffy robe that is hanging in the bathroom and wrap my body in it. The soft robe wraps around my body and I feel so free I don’t even go in search for my clothes to put on.

I don’t know when I dozed off, but the knocking at my door wakes me up. I get scared to answer it thinking I was crazy to think I was going to be free. I never considered one of Frank’s goons coming to get me and I get sad thinking this is how it will always be. I make my way the short distance to the door and tighten the robe against my body and use it as a shield. When I crack the door open Jase is standing there with a bag.

“Can I come in?”

I am so relieved to see him. I open the door wide. “Do you even need to ask?” I usher him in with my hands. He puts the bag on the table and walks back to where I am still standing.

“How did you know where I was?”

“I followed the taxi you took, but didn’t come immediately, I just thought you might want to relax by yourself for a bit.” He says as he rubs a hand down my arm.

“Oh.”

“What were you doing?”

Sleeping, but I don’t dare tell him that. He would feel bad knowing he woke me up. “Nothing just trying to find something to watch on TV.” Uncomfortable with the thick air in the room I break the silence. “Sit down.” I point to the bed. “I don’t really watch TV, so I don’t know what’s on. You can find something if you want.” He sits on the bed.

“I don’t really want to watch TV. I really want to know how you’re doing.”

Oh, how am I doing? That’s a really great question. “I’m doing okay. I was just enjoying the fact that I can relax and not worry about having to do anything at all. It feels pretty good,” I say sitting down next to him. I don’t even know how to act in front of him. I still plan on leaving. I don’t want him to be upset or think because Frank is gone that I should stay here. I’m not meant to be here.

Jase wraps his arm around my shoulder and I lay my head on him, enjoying the feeling of being close to him. Even with how tired I am my insides are stirring just being close to him. He turns his head to me and kisses my head and his other hand reaches for my face and he caresses my cheek. I lift my head and look up to him with pure certainty as what I want. He looks at me with questioning eyes. I lean in and kiss him, showing him how much I need him right now. I want him to erase all the things that have happened to me that make me ugly. I need him more now than ever.

I make my move. I stand up and face him and reach for the hem of his shirt and lift it revealing his perfectly sculpted stomach. I’m turned on by the fact that I can see every single tight muscle on his body. This only encourages me go further. I lift his shirt further and he lifts his arms in approval. I don’t even know what I’m doing or if I’m doing this right, but I don’t care. I am just letting my feelings take over and be in control. This time is different from the last time when this happened in his car. I don’t feel embarrassed. It feels right this time. When I get his shirt above his head I toss it to the floor. I’m just in awe that this perfect guy wants this damaged girl. I shove those thoughts aside not wanting anything to ruin this moment.

Jase scoots up to the edge of the bed and unties my robe. He lets the sash fall to my sides. The robe parts showing I’m not wearing anything under it. My cheeks instantly heat up, and I go to close the robe, but Jase grabs my hands.

“Don’t. Leave it like that,” he says slowly admiring what he is looking at.

He stands up and kisses my neck, letting his lips move slower down until he is kissing my collar bone. He spins me slowly until the back of my knees are touching the bed. He gently lays me down on the bed and opens my robe farther.

“Fuck, you’re beautiful. I always knew you were, but you are just…so…perfect.”

He traces with his fingers the outlines of my tattoos. Leaning down to kiss every single one of them only warms my heart more. I have never felt beautiful in my whole life like I do in this second. He lays over me using his elbows to hover over me. I smile and nod at him giving him the okay to keep going, just wanting to show him all of me.

After spending the night with Jase and waking up in his arms I can’t get the smile off of my face, knowing it was right and he is the only person I would have ever given the one thing I kept locked away. I love him and am sad I have to figure out how to make a long distance relationship work. I don’t want to ever be apart from him, but I know it’s best for me to just get going to where I am meant to be, which is not here. I need to learn to be on my own and grow as a person.

****

Jase walks up behind me and puts his arms around my shoulders.

“Ready to leave?”

I tilt my head and look at him. “I don’t want to leave, but I know I have to.” He looks at me and kisses the top of my head.

“Well, where were you headed before all of this started?”

I don’t know. “I really didn’t have a plan. I was just going to go and stop when it felt right.” He loosens his grip on me and takes a hand and digs it deep in his pocket. He spins me around.

“Put your hand out.”

I put my hand out and he puts my bracelet back on my wrist. A quiet whimper escapes my lips. I was so lost when I didn’t have it. It felt like a part of me was missing.

“Well, let’s get on the road. I’m ready. Let’s just stop at my house, so I can grab my stuff.”

I raise my head and look up at him. What? Did he just say let’s go? “What do you mean, Jase?”

He kisses my lips, and God, it feels so right.

“I’m going with you. I always wanted to travel a little bit before college. Maddie, I love you. I’m never letting you go again. Wherever we go I will be fine because I will be with you. Now that you are finally free let’s go live. Under one condition though. I get to drive and you can relax and eat this.”

He hands me a bag filled with chocolate chip cookies. Hopefully, not the same from a month ago, but it’s just so, right. “Okay, if you’re really sure, let’s do it. Oh, and Jase, I love you too.” He grabs my hand and we leave hand in hand and I finally feel like I’m in control of my life. I want to go with him and I want to finally live.

Epilogue

6 Months Later

After a couple days of driving, Jase and I ended up in Tacoma, Washington. We start school our first semester of college in the spring at The University of Puget Sound. We both instantly fell in love with the city when we got here. The ocean is near, views for days, and we are close to Seattle. This place is perfect for what I want to major in. I decided Photography is what I was meant to do. I love capturing the beauty through the lens. Jase is still undecided. He is going to take some general education classes until he figures it out.

He has been the rock I have always needed in my life. It’s been a rough road, but I’m getting stronger every day. With Jase by my side I know I can do anything. We have spent our free time hiking, rock climbing, and walking along the beach just living for a while before we start with school. I actually had a lot more money than I thought I did. I made some money on selling the house back in the valley.

We are renting a small apartment and it’s finally a place I can call home. No more walking on eggshells or hiding in my room. I will say when I’m having rough days and I get thrown back into thoughts of my old life, I instinctively go to my room. I have made a point to make the living room a warm and inviting place that is displays pictures I have taken. Since I was never allowed to be comfortable in the old house I needed to make this place as different as the last place, where it feels good to come in and just sit down and not have to worry about anything getting done. Jase has picked up a part time job at a car dealership. He wanted to bring in some money. I love watching him off to work and going out and enjoying the time to go take pictures and finding new places to explore with him.

Once we were settled here Jase’s dad came up and we all had a talk. He explained everything to me. Phillip isn’t a bad guy after all. He was just part of an investigation and had to play the part. He and Jase are still working out a couple of issues about his dad’s love life and the choice in women he has. It was just a coincidence that Jase met me and his dad didn’t know until that day I was supposed to have dinner at his house that I was the girl Jase was waiting for. I believe that this was all meant to be.