Caught by Her Read online

  I heard Lena singing in the bedroom as she changed, and I pushed all other thoughts from my mind. I turned the gas down, leaving the food to simmer whilst I went to deal with my own hunger.

  I woke the following morning before her and pulled myself up on one arm to watch her as she slept. She was beautiful, so peaceful and serene. She stirred slightly, slowly opening her eyes to look at me.

  “Really?” she teased, and I grinned just as my phone began to ring.

  I reached over, ready to reject the call, but froze when I saw the number on the screen.

  The number was calling me?

  There was no text; it was an actual call.

  I sat bolt upright in bed, pulling away from Lena as I turned to the side and answered the call without hesitation.

  Nothing could have prepared me for the voice on the other end. It was like a sucker punch straight to my gut. I knew that Marcus had floated the possibility to me, but I’d discounted it without giving it any real consideration. I pulled the phone away from my ear to look at it again, confirming to myself that this was real.

  “Are you kidding me? Are you fucking kicking me!” I yelled, jumping up from the bed as adrenaline swamped my system, the need to punch something overwhelming me.

  The duvet fell to the floor. I kicked my leg free and paced back and forth, willing my frantic heart to slow down, trying desperately to hold onto some composure as white-hot rage exploded through my veins.

  Clarissa was stuttering into the phone, sounding just as shocked by my reaction as me. “Nate, I...I was just calling to talk to you about the money that…”

  I didn’t give her a chance to continue, shouting over her, “Fuck the money!”

  I noticed Lena flinch and forced myself to take a deep breath. I needed to try and calm down. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on my breathing. Speaking as slowly and as calmly as I could manage, I forced the words out, my voice low and hard, “What the fuck are you doing calling me from this number?”

  I heard her gasp and fumble with the phone.

  “Answer me!” I snapped sharply, getting her attention again.

  “Nate, I’m so sorry, babe, um…oh shit…I didn’t mean…it’s the wrong phone…shit, it’s not…Nate,- it’s not what you think…” Her voice was anxious and high pitched.

  I squeezed my fingers more tightly around the phone. “Stop fucking stuttering and spouting bullshit and tell me, or I swear to God, I’m gonna lose my shit here!”

  I heard her start to cry softly and fought the urge to smash my phone to pieces against the wall.

  “Nate, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to upset you. It’s not what you think. I just wanted to reach out to you, to try and make things better between us. I didn’t want anyone to come between us.”

  I heard myself gasp in disbelief, my voice incredulous. “Better? Have you been sticking Jon’s shit up your nose as well? What the fuck! I cannot fucking believe this bullshit…” I shook my head, trying to gather my thoughts.

  She was talking again and I tried to concentrate on her words over the wild beating of my heart and the rush of blood that was filling my head.

  Relief at knowing it wasn’t the animal from Lena’s past had been brief. I had no time to ponder on that at the moment.

  The knowledge that Clarissa, and probably Jonathan, had been behind the messages this whole time enraged me. I felt sick. Considering all the betrayal and hurt that they’d both inflicted, nothing compared to this.

  “I know I crossed a line when I sent those pictures. I just saw her and I reacted. It was a coincidence that I was there. I shouldn’t have sent them, but you did break up… obviously, you don’t trust each other, if one silly picture can do that! Don’t put her before your family, Nate. She’s not worth it. I just wanted you to realise you need us. We’re all you have…”

  The plasterboard walls were looking so fucking good right now that if Lena hadn’t been hunched on the bed, wide-eyed and pale, I’m pretty sure this room would have been torn apart.

  I took another deep breath, forcing myself to rein my temper in and trying to ignore Clarissa’s spiteful words, thinking instead about Lena as she sat anxiously on the bed, chewing her bottom lip and hugging her knees tightly to her chin.

  I spoke carefully and slowly, making sure Clarissa heard each word. “Did he know?” I asked the question that I had to; deep down I knew, but I still asked.

  She paused for a second, her erratic breathing and her silence giving me my answer.

  I laughed bitterly, “You’ve fucked me over, and I’ve forgiven you both, time and time again and maybe, eventually, I’d have let this latest fuck-up go…drowning in guilt over the money and convincing myself yet again to give you one more fucking chance…but this….This -” I roared, calming instantly when caught sight of Lena flinching again at my burst of anger. “Fuck you both! Any guilt I was holding onto is gone. You deserve nothing from me. You pulled her into this and fucked yourselves. You can both go to hell. Don’t contact me again. Don’t ever contact me again.” I hung up the phone, squeezing it tightly in my hand and taking deep breaths, trying to get myself under control before facing Lena and dealing with her and her inevitable questions.

  I turned slowly to face her, the look of pain on her face almost re-igniting my anger, until she held out her arms to me, beckoning me to her. I walked stiffly towards her, my body still wound up with tension.

  As I got close, I shook my head, gently discouraging her, but she slid off the bed to come and stand directly in front of me. She was completely naked, and even in my distressed state I couldn’t deny the effect that she had on me. She gently cupped my cheek, and I tilted my head into her, feeling myself relax ever so slightly at her touch. She caught my hand and began to lead me over to the bed.

  I couldn’t talk right now: I was too angry, too tense, too wound up…too everything.

  I hesitated, and she turned, a small smile on her face. “Let me help you relax. Lie down on your front!” She was smiling, but her voice was firm, as she pointed to the bed.

  “Lena, I can’t…”

  “You’re not going anywhere, Nate. I won’t make you talk, but you are going to lie down.”

  I lay on the bed, still feeling irritated, my blood like lava in my veins. The adrenaline was slowly ebbing away, but I felt restless. I’d have preferred to have gone downstairs and pounded out 5 miles on the treadmill. Just as I was about to get up and do just, that I felt her climb on top of me, straddling my arse.

  I felt too angry for this.

  I appreciated what she was doing but I wanted to get up, as I began to move, I felt her pouring something onto my back and turned sharply, but she was quicker than me and held my shoulders down.

  “Uh-uh, Masters. Lie down and don’t move!”

  I huffed in annoyance and I heard her laugh softly. Her hands began to move slowly up my back, the oil getting rubbed into my tense, tight muscles.

  Her fingers were manipulating me, her hands pressing down hard, running over me, slowly easing the tension and anger away. I closed my eyes and gave myself over to her touch. Her hands were running up and down each arm, gently but firmly kneading and massaging, before returning to my neck and back. She leaned over me, naked, her breasts pushed into my back as she draped herself down the length of me, placing feather-light kisses on the back of my neck.

  I pushed all thoughts of Clarissa and Jonathan away as her fingers and lips ran over me, providing me with something else entirely to focus on. I turned over, rolling her off me and pinning her down, the smile on her face giving me the go-ahead to take what I needed from her.

  We’d been lying there in silence for a few minutes with me idly drawing circles with my finger on her waist, - when I felt her inhale. I braced myself for the questions that I knew would be coming.

  The anger had abated somewhat, replaced in part by hurt and disappointment, even though I knew it was stupid for me to allow them to still have this effect on me.

&nb
sp; I felt myself tense as I waited for her to speak; she must have felt it, too, because she blew out her breath without speaking. I forced myself to speak. “That was Clarissa. I’m sorry, Princess. The last thing I wanted to do was to upset you. I’m sorry you had to witness that.”

  I wasn’t sorry for a single second for the way that I’d spoken to Clarissa or the things that I’d said. I just wished that Lena hadn’t been witness to the ugly scene.

  “You scared me, Nate. I’ve never seen you so angry…I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone so angry!”

  I squeezed her tightly back into me, kissing the top of her head. “I’m sorry, Sweetheart. I didn’t mean to upset you.” She pulled back a little so that she could look at me.

  “I’m not upset with you, Nate. It’s what made you react like that that worries me. I’m angry and upset that they’ve done something to make you react so strongly. What’s happened?” She looked pissed off, her protective streak was hot.

  “My beautiful Warrior Princess,”

  She flashed me a smile. “Tell me, what have they done? And how does it involve me?” she asked bluntly, and I grimaced. She stared at me, waiting patiently for me to explain.

  “Do you remember the photos that were sent to me of you with Paul’s son?”

  She looked at me with the same stunned expression that I’m sure I’d been wearing myself before and asked, “That was Clarissa and Jonathan? Why?”

  I shook my head wishing I could make myself understand it. “Apparently it was pure coincidence that they spotted you, but Clarissa saw the opportunity to create trouble. She’s behind the other random text messages, too. She says she was trying to reach out, build bridges, make me realise that I needed them in my life.” My tone was bitter and filled with sarcasm. I could feel the anger starting to bubble up again and I moved to climb out of the bed, needing to alleviate the restlessness that was creeping back into my muscles.

  Lena looked taken aback, her expression showing her confusion.

  “Lena, don’t try and understand the fucked-up shit they do. They are both a waste of space, time and energy. I don’t want to waste another minute thinking or talking about this because it’s just winding me up again. Let’s go and have some breakfast and get out somewhere before I have to go to work later.”

  She looked up at me, a storm of emotions passing over her face. I appealed to her to let it go, and she chewed her lip before plastering a smile on her face, getting up and pulling on a tee shirt to follow me downstairs for breakfast.

  Nate

  I grinned cockily back at Marcus as he lunged for me. I side-stepped and he missed. “Damn, you really are out of practice,” I mocked.

  Dancing around in front before feigning a right, he caught me with his left to my ribs, and I groaned. He laughed, obviously feeling pleased with himself.

  I’d convinced Marcus to come to Paul’s for an hour in the ring. We’d boxed together as youngsters but neither of us had continued with it. Paul came striding over, chuckling away to himself and shaking his head at us. “You two old-timers are making me look bad. I’ve got kids half your age who could knock out the pair of you.”

  I pulled off my gloves, laughing and made introductions. He stayed and chatted with us for a little while before getting called away and we made our way out of the ring.

  I asked Marcus how things were between him and Lindsay and he shrugged. I knew the time was fast approaching when she’d need to decide what she was doing, but I wasn’t going to push it. He’d said enough, he’d talk to me when he needed to.

  We waved goodbye to Paul and went back outside to my car. He threw his bag down and leaned against the railing which I’d parked alongside.

  “What’s he done?” He cocked his chin up at me and I couldn’t help but smile despite the bad taste his question had brought up into my mouth.

  “How…?” I asked him, genuinely intrigued as to how he always knew when my brother or Clarissa had done something to piss me off.

  “Too much experience,”

  I sighed. In order to answer his question I’d need to divulge the whole story. I met his eyes for a minute trying to decide the best course of action, then jerked my head.

  “Let’s go!” He didn’t hesitate. He picked up his bag and jumped in the car.

  We drove in silence to my house. I parked up and went inside, and he followed me without question. He lay on the sofa whilst I got us drinks, - and sat up to look at me as I brought them over.

  “I know you’re gonna give me shit, but let me get the whole story out, ok.”

  His eyes narrowed showing his displeasure, which I knew would only increase as I filled him in on the details. He nodded, looking tense, and I began explaining to him about the messages and Lena. I skipped over her experience. It wasn’t my story to tell, and I wasn’t going to break Lena’s confidence, so I gave bare minimum detail.

  His face grew hard, and I knew that he was reading between the lines. He might not know details, but he knew someone had hurt my girl, and he was mad as hell for her and me. He began to fidget, and I knew that he was struggling to keep silent as I spoke. When I told him about contacting Stevie and getting the information, he finally erupted.

  “For fuck’s sake, Nate!” He leapt up from the sofa, and stalked back and forth, looking huge in the confined space. “We’re brothers…goddamn brothers in every sense that matters…why the fuck didn’t you come to me with this?” He looked hurt, and I felt the first twinge of guilt.

  “I was trying to keep you out of it.”

  “Why?” His one word stopped me, and I glanced at him in annoyance.

  His eyes met mine, and he looked genuinely surprised.

  “Seriously?” I sighed unhappily, shaking my head at him. “I don’t know how things are going to go. This whole thing is a giant mess. The only thing I’m sure of right now, is that that fucking prick is never going to hurt Lena again. He might not be behind the messages but I’m pretty sure he’s behind the letters. If he’s coming after her, he’s gotta get past me –and that isn’t ever gonna happen. He’s hurt her once, and I know that he has no qualms about putting his hands on a woman…”

  “Fucking coward,” Marcus spat out, as I continued,

  “…I’m not letting him get anywhere near Lena. No matter what…” I emphasised the last three words, and he turned to look at me. “…no matter what it takes or what I have to do to stop him.” I let the sentence hang there.

  He met my eyes and just stood for a moment watching me before sitting down again. He breathed out and I watched him calm slightly. He fixed his eyes on mine. “You still shoulda told me. I get why you didn’t, but don’t pull that shit again! Why are you telling me now? Have you made a decision? Has something happened?”

  I shook my head, and he nodded. “OK. Well, there’s no need to be rash. If he’s got nothing to do with the messages, then it’s still random letters. Can’t Lena report the letters? Or the assault?”

  “There’s no threat made specifically to harm her. They tried before to report them and it wasn’t considered a priority or an adequate use of resources. Lena doesn’t want to report the incident, either, or have it all brought back up: her parents don’t know. Besides, getting a prosecution, after all this time…” I scowled. “You know how difficult it is even when they’ve got evidence. The whole system is fucked up. They’d put Lena on the stand, ask her what she was wearing, what she was drinking, make her relive the whole thing all over again. No fucking chance!”

  Marcus nodded solemnly and we both fell silent. He left it a few moments before kicking my ankle. “What’s your plans for Medusa and O-Neg?”

  I chuckled at the childhood nickname Marcus had given my brother one summer, and he grinned back at me. He hadn’t called him that in years and I was grateful that he’d remembered it to break the tension.

  Marcus had always said that he was my brother: that the only thing Jonathan had over him was blood. He’d begun to refer to him as blood but t
hat had soon become O-Neg. We’d probably been only around 8 or 9 years old, and had been learning about blood in biology. He’d decided that Jonathan couldn’t be considered A or B - he thought that sounded too good, and there sure as hell wasn’t anything positive about him as far as Marcus was concerned – therefore, O-Neg was born. We’d used that as an inside joke for years.

  “That’s it. I’m done, I’ve said it before and wondered if I could stick at it. But I’m done.” I answered bluntly.

  He looked at me cautiously. “Just like that?” he asked carefully, and I shrugged.

  “I can’t do it anymore. Besides, they didn’t go after me this time. This time, they tried to hurt Lena, too. Fuck ‘em! I don’t feel an ounce of guilt anymore. We all make our own decisions, and I’m sick to death of feeling guilty for things that have nothing to do with me!”

  Marcus looked satisfied. “Finally! Good! I fucking hope you stick with this, bro. You don’t need either of those in your life - never have, never will.” He reached out and clasped my hand, and I knew that my secrecy had been forgiven.

  I felt considerably better after a few hours with Marcus. I hadn’t realised how heavily holding things back from him was weighing on me. I was still pissed off with Clarissa and Jonathan, but at least now I had the strength to be able to walk away without regret.

  Fucking with me was one thing; pulling Lena into it was an entirely different matter!

  I nodded at Byron as I got to Lena’s office. He smiled grudgingly at me and indicated for me to go ahead. Watching her work was sexy as hell - her tight skirt and dresses, that no-nonsense, serious and unapproachable air about her, so different from the Lena who tossed Skittles in the air to catch in her mouth, who laughed until she cried at ridiculous videos and moaned and writhed beneath me.

  Fuck, just looking at her working got me hard.

  I could laugh at how ridiculous I was being if I wasn’t so turned on. She looked at me, her smile lighting up her face and, in turn, every part of me.