My Salvation (15 page)

He wasn’t tired yet, so he wandered downstairs
to see if Steven or Erik were still up and about. Not seeing
either, he entered the security room. Steven was seated at one of
the chairs, typing away on the keyboard.

“Anything new?” Owen asked.

“No and it’s really pissing me off. This asshole
didn’t leave any kind of trail. The police reviewed the footage and
don’t have any leads. The lack of fingerprints and the fact that
the suspect dressed in all black in the middle of the night doesn’t
help either. All we know is the person is tall. That really narrows
it down.”

Owen ran his fingers through his hair in
frustration. “I don’t know what to do besides keep her in the house
until the perpetrator is found. Staying here day and night isn’t a
life for her. I know she is fine with it short-term, but she’s
going to get bored and irritated eventually.”

“You said she doesn’t work, right?” Steven
asked.

“No, she quit her job. Her aunt left her money
when she passed. Cali doesn’t need to work, but likes to keep
busy.”

“Why don’t you bring her to the office a couple
of days a week with you? She would get out of here and Erik or I
would be with her at all times.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” he said, rubbing his
chin. “But what would she do? I doubt she wants to hang by me all
day. I’m boring.”

“As much as she likes being with you, yeah, I
don’t think so. Does she have a degree in anything? Do you know
what she likes to do?”

“She has her MBA in Finance, but I don’t know if
she likes doing that kind of work anymore.”

“Cali told Adeline she wants to do something
with purpose, not just a boring desk job.”

“Okay, I’ll have to see what I can come up with.
I’ll ask her about it too. Maybe she has some ideas. I’m open to
anything as long as it makes her happy.”

“Good plan,” Steven said.

“Where’s Erik?” He was curious since he didn’t
see him in the house and not in the security room either.

“I sent him home for the night. He’s going to be
needed when we go to the lake tomorrow. Figured he should get a
good night’s rest.”

“That was a good idea. Is he married?” Owen
asked.

“No. He doesn’t have any kids either. That’s why
this job fits him so well. He can work any hours needed without
worrying about other obligations. When he is on protection detail
he takes it very seriously.”

He did notice how Erik always looked ready for
anything. He rarely let his guard down. Even when talking to him
and joking around, he seemed to never completely let loose.

“I like him. I know Cali feels comfortable with
him too, which is important,” Owen said.

Standing, he clasped Steven on the shoulder,
telling him to go get some sleep. Steven grunted and brushed him
off making Owen smile. He knew that man as well as his own mother.
He wouldn’t rest until the person trying to harm Cali was
caught.

He stopped in the kitchen to grab a bottle of
water for her before heading upstairs. Adeline was sitting at the
kitchen table flipping through a magazine.

“Why are you still up?” he asked.

Adeline looked up at him and smiled a warm,
motherly smile. “Oh you know me. I don’t always sleep well when
Steven’s not in bed. He said he was going to look through a few
things for a bit, so I figured why not tag along. Brought some of
my trashy magazines to look at.” She lifted one to show him the
cover.

It had a picture of one of the reality
television stars on it, but their body looked like it didn’t fit
their head.
Whoever created the cover did a bad job
, he
thought. The person whose body it was had their arm around some
random guy making it look like the woman was cheating on her
husband. Laughing he thought,
Like she would be that stupid to
go out in public with another guy and pose for a picture.

Pointing to the magazine, he asked, “You know
that’s not real, right?”

“Of course I know it’s not real. Why do you
think I read it? This is all trashy, fake stuff, but it’s
entertaining as hell.”

“Okay, whatever makes you happy.” He leaned in
to kiss her cheek. “Night.”

“Owen, before you go.” He stopped and looked at
her. She had a gentle soul. Always thinking of others and knew that
was one of the qualities Steven loved in her. He thought they were
a perfect match. One balancing the other.

“Cali’s a good person. I know you care for her,
but she’s a little scared. I think she’s worried about keeping her
independence with you. She still wants to be her own person, not
someone who sits around all day waiting for her man to come
home.”

“I know. I feel bad keeping her home. Steven and
I were discussing the situation a few minutes ago. I’m going to
talk to her about it this weekend.”

“Good, because Owen, that girl is crazy about
you. I can see it when she speaks of you and how you two are when
you’re together. And you,” she said, smirking and shaking her head.
“Well, you have it bad. It’s such a wonderful thing to see. She’s
the one, isn’t she?”

“Always has been.”

“Night, dear.” Adeline squeezed his hand as he
walked by.

“Night. Don’t stay up too late. I have a feeling
tomorrow is going to be a long day.”

She nodded and went back to reading the
magazine. Adeline was coming along for support and to help Cali
with anything she may need.

Once he reached the bedroom door, he very slowly
pushed it forward. The moonlight coming in through blinds on the
bay windows was shining directly onto the bed. Cali was on her side
with her arm tucked under the pillow. Her bottom leg was covered
with a sheet, but the other leg was on top, uncovered and bare.

He could see the curve of her hips and the
contour of her leg. She was stunning even when asleep. He pulled
off all of his clothes, brushed his teeth and crawled into bed
behind her. She didn’t fully wake, but pushed against him and
clutched his hand that had found her smooth stomach.

On a whisper he said, “I love you, Cali.”

Her only response was a slight mumble. He knew
she was asleep and didn’t really hear him, but he would tell her
every day. Owen didn’t want a day to go by where she doubted his
feelings. She was his happily ever after. He only hoped he was hers
too.

~ 15 ~

The sunlight warming Cali’s face woke her
Saturday morning. She stretched and reached over to Owen only to
find him absent from the bed. Her eyes searched the room for him.
The bathroom door was open slightly and she could hear the faint
sound of the shower running. They were driving to the lake and she
was hoping she would be able to save some of her belongings.

She swung her legs so they were hanging off of
the bed. A nervousness was building in her stomach. She knew Steven
and Erik were going to watch for anything, but all she really
needed was Owen by her side. His care and support was what she
craved.

Pushing herself off of the bed, she walked into
the bathroom. The steam from the shower fogged the mirror. She used
a towel to wipe some of the steam away.

Owen must have heard her come in. “How did you
sleep?”

“Really good, but I don’t remember getting into
bed. The last thing I can think of was being in your car.” She
grabbed her toothbrush, putting some toothpaste on the
bristles.

“Yeah, you were sound asleep when we got home. I
carried you upstairs.”

With a mouthful of toothpaste, she asked, “You
did?”

He chuckled a little. “Yeah, why does that
surprise you?”

“I don’t know. All of the movement should have
woken me up.”

“You did wake, but only for a second. And I have
ninja skills. When I move, it’s catlike.”

Now it was Cali’s turn to laugh. “All right,
whatever you say.”

He shut the shower off, grabbing the towel on
the shower door. He opened the door and strode out naked. He used
the towel to dry off his hair. She had to mentally tell herself not
to stare. She had seen him naked plenty of times, but never tire of
it. Especially now, with the water running over his muscular chest,
to his abs and the V that formed between his hips.

Owen cleared his throat, snapping her out of the
haze. “You better stop looking at me like that.” Her eyes finally
moved to his face and she noticed the lopsided smile he was
wearing.

“You’re right. I want you in the worst way, but
I want this day over with more.”

He walked to her, putting his large hands on
either side of her face. He placed a sweet, gentle kiss on her lips
before she leaned her cheek against his warm chest.

He smells so good
, she thought.
If
I snake my tongue out I could lick the little tiny droplet of water
from his chest before it makes its way over his nipple. Dammit
Cali, get your head straight. Now’s not the time.

“Everything is going to be fine,” he said
softly, his hand rubbing her back soothingly.

“I know. I really want to see if some of my
things survived. And to think of all of the stuff that was ruined.
It’s awful. Rhea had bought those things. Makes me feel like
another tiny piece of her is gone.”

Cali never replaced the dishes, furniture, or
anything really after her aunt died. She kept the cabin how it
always had been. The home by the lake felt warm to her with Rhea’s
touches still there and reminded her of good times.

“Hopefully, some things will be okay. I did have
all of the damaged items removed. They saved whatever they could,
but I don’t think there was much,” he said.

Cali moved her head from his chest and tipped
her face toward him. “Thank you for taking care of things. I don’t
know if I would have been strong enough to throw all of it away,
even if it were damaged.”

He ran his hands up and down her arms, warming
her skin. “You’re welcome. We should get moving though. The sooner
we’re done, the sooner we can come back and relax.”

Relaxing sounded good to her.

They took two separate vehicles to the lake. The
sky decided to open before they left. Taking Owen’s pick-up was no
longer an option. Steven and Adeline rode in the Escalade, since
the SUV had the most interior room. While Cali, Owen and Erik led
the way in her Jeep. She begged Owen to let her drive it. She
really missed her trusty Jeep and it felt good to be behind the
wheel again.

Both vehicles pulled in and parked side-by-side.
Exiting the SUVs, the group walked to Cali’s porch. She knew the
cabin was safe since the alarm was now installed and armed. Owen
walked in first and entered the code.

He told her what it was and that she could
change the numbers at any time. She nodded and waited for him to
turn the light on. The sky was full of dark clouds and the tall
trees nearby made the cabin dark inside.

Cali gasped in surprise when the light came on.
All of the furniture in the living room had been replaced. A warm,
brown leather couch and two tan, micro suede recliners sat where
the old living room set used to be. The old television and stand
had also been replaced by a tall, dark wooden entertainment center
with a large flat screen television nestled inside.

She looked over to Owen and found him staring at
her. “You did all of this?” she asked him, even though she already
knew the answer.

Steven, Adeline and Erik were still waiting out
on the porch, caught up in their own conversation. She could hear
them talking, but not sure what they were discussing.

“Yeah,” he said softly. “I didn’t want you to
have to come here and see an empty space. Plus, now you don’t have
to worry about furnishing it. I hope you like what was done and
aren’t mad.”

“I couldn’t be mad at you for helping me.”
Taking a few steps closer to him, she said, “What you did was very
sweet.”

She hugged him and whispered a thank you in his
ear. Those two words were all she could say. The tears she had been
fighting back were threatening to come free. He squeezed her tight
in return. She found a great deal of comfort in his embrace.

She looked into his eyes and brushed her lips to
his before releasing him. Walking into the living room, she ran her
hand along the top of the first recliner. The fabric was buttery
soft and she knew the cushions would cradle her if she sat
down.

Stepping into the kitchen she noticed all of the
stainless steel appliances had been replaced. She looked to Owen,
who hadn’t moved from the spot she left him in. He shrugged and
said, “I was told the appliances looked like someone took a crow
bar to them.”

She opened a few of the cabinets and saw all new
dishes.
This must have cost him a lot of money to replace
,
she thought.

Leaving the kitchen, she went to the first
bedroom, her room. The dresser was new, as was the bedding and the
curtains. She crouched to look under the bed. A small squeal of joy
left her mouth when she noticed the laptop was right where she left
it.

Owen, however, came running into the bedroom and
knelt on the floor beside her. “Are you okay?” His voice full of
concern.

“Yes, I’m fine. Look! My laptop is in one piece.
I’m so glad I put it away before we left.”

He raised an eyebrow and asked, “You put your
laptop under the bed?”

“Yes and don’t you look at me like it’s strange.
I like to keep my computer from getting stepped on or knocked onto
the floor. Under the bed is the best spot.” She clutched it to her
chest and stood.

Cali walked to the dresser and started opening
the drawers. Each one was empty. She looked to him. “All of my
clothes were ruined too?”

“Yes, even the ones in the closet. Shredded to
pieces.”

“Fucker!” She knew they were doing what they
could to find the culprit, but it really pissed her off that there
were no leads.