“I’ll go too,” I said.
“What?”
Taking a deep breath, I said, “I’ll go talk to somebody. I’ll talk to the cops or a counselor, or something. About Carlos. About my dad. Whatever. If you go, I’ll go.”
Jake’s expression softened so much that it nearly erased the lust. “Just when I think I’ve got you figured out…”
“Will you go?”
He nodded. “How about you?”
“Yeah, I will. Maybe it’ll help me figure out why every guy I’ve ever dated before was a complete loser…but I think I know why. I think I didn’t believe I deserved a guy like you or that you’d ever be able to care about a girl like me.”
“Listen, Nicole,” Jake said, very seriously. “You deserve better than a guy like me. But I more than care about you.”
It seemed like the best thing I’d ever heard. Moved, I kissed his hand again and said, “I more than care about you too.”
At hearing that, he leaned up, and drew me into a kiss. A kiss that said a lot more than words. And when we were through, I asked, “Now, can we have sex again?”
~~~
So, the awesome thing about sleeping with a guy who is a boxer? Stamina. Whereas the first time had been hesitant to start, then crazy fast at the end like a race we both wanted to win…the next times were slow. Languid. Like a marathon.
Even though a part of me wanted to curse every other girl that he’d obviously practiced on, I had to admit, I was reaping the benefits, because Jake had a way of settling in, holding back, and just going at it until he’d brought me off at least two or three times before finding his own release.
It was pretty mind blowing.
I rode him.
He rode me.
Then we did it again in the shower—after which we ordered Chinese food for sustenance. Any thought of our leaving that night was gone because neither of us wanted to face the outside world.
But when my mom called, our happy delusions came to a crashing end. “Nicky?” Mom screeched on the other end of the line, terror in her voice. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I mumbled, wishing Jake hadn’t answered.
Mom said, “Carlos told me you went out for coffee before he got up and never came back. You didn’t show up for work. He must’ve called here a hundred times looking for you.”
Carlos is a lying asshole. That’s what I wanted to say to my mom.
But before I could, she added, “I’ve been calling your phone, and when I got no answer, I was scared half out of my mind.”
I checked my phone, which was dark as a brick, long-since having run out of battery. I somehow hadn’t thought to grab the charger when fleeing from the guy who punched me. “Oh. Yeah. It’s dead. Sorry about that.”
“What in the world are you doing at Jake’s?” my mom asked. “I would’ve never even thought to find you there. I was just hoping he’d help join the search party I was about to send out looking!”
Ok, so this was going to be hard to explain. And I think Jake must’ve heard my mom on the other end, because he winced. “I’m really sorry I worried you, mom. I just—Carlos and I broke up.”
That seemed to be the least complicated explanation.
Mom paused. “Does he know that, honey? Because he doesn’t sound like he knows…”
“Oh, he knows,” I said, because he had to, right? “I walked out on him last night with nothing. Jake’s house was close. So…um…here I am.”
“I’ll come get you,” mom said, calling to Larry to get her keys. “I’m getting in the car right now.”
Panic seized me. I knew I was going to have to talk to my mom about the abuse. Talk to the police, too. And a counselor. Or whatever. I’d promised. But the thought of having to face our parents and explain this new relationship Jake and I had…that was going to kill me, I was sure.
It was going to turn Jake back into a jerk and ruin absolutely everything.
“Mom, don’t, please. I—”
Jake took the phone from me. “Hey, Renee.”
Renee. Not mom. Was that a good thing or a bad thing?
“Nicole’s okay,” he continued, talking into the phone in a very calm, controlled voice. “But we’re both pretty tired and we’re settled in. She wants to see you. Both of us do. But do you mind if I drop her at the house tomorrow?”
I couldn’t hear what my mom was saying on the other end.
She must’ve calmed down.
“It’s fine,” Jake said. “Really, it’s no trouble. I know. Glad to help. Love you too. Hug dad for me.” Then he frowned. “Yes. Family has to stick together, I know. Me too.”
By the time he hung up, I was staring openmouthed at how easily he’d handled her. But Jake didn’t seem to come through it unphased, and ran a shaky hand through his hair. “I hope that’s what you wanted. If you want me to drive you over there, I will. I’m kind of feeling like a sicko pervert right now.”