“Oh my God. He … he just… He spilled…” Faint images played through my head. “A drink! He spilled a drink on me, and then he bought me one to apologize… I didn’t want it, but he was insistent.”
“That should have been a bright red fucking flag, Evie.”
“I didn’t think—”
“That’s exactly my point! You didn’t fucking think at all!”
“Stop yelling at me. I took a drink from you too!”
“That’s different.”
“How is that dif—”
“Because I don’t drug girls to take advantage of them!”
I couldn’t help it. I burst into tears. There was no controlling it. I broke down and started crying. This was all too much. I didn’t even want to go to that stupid party.
Covering my face with my hands, I hid myself from Caleb. I was mortified, scared, ashamed. There was a plethora of emotions taking over my body. If Caleb hadn’t saved me, I don’t know what would have happened. For all I knew, I could have ended up dead in a ditch somewhere. The thought alone made my skin crawl.
I cried a sea of tears until Caleb’s strong, comforting arms wrapped around me.
“Shhh … it’s alright, darlin’. You’re safe.”
Gently, he laid me on his chest. His words were soothing while he rubbed my back. It didn’t take long for him to calm my uncertainty. The overwhelmingness was gradually subsiding.
“Thank you, Caleb.” I started to get upset again. “I can’t imagine what could have happened if you—”
“I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I’m normally not that careless, I swear. I told him I was waiting on someone. I never intended on leaving with him. I’m so sorry. Are your hands okay?”
“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.”
Feeling emotionally and physically drained, I closed my eyes. For the second time, everything went black, and sleep swiftly came.
Except this time, I passed out in Caleb’s arms.
Feeling safe.
Caleb
What was this girl doing to me?
I didn’t do this—this wasn’t who I was. I didn’t bring women back to my place. They didn’t sleep in my arms. They didn’t lay in my bed. I didn’t worry about them. I wasn’t this man.
I was fucking furious with her shitty decisions. The worst part was I didn’t want her to leave. I wanted her here.
With me.
In my home.
My sanctuary.
My personal space.
I loved the feeling of her in my arms. The way she simply melted into my embrace like it was the most natural thing in the world. I barely knew her, yet it felt as if we’d known each other all our lives.
She was young.
Still a kid.
I knew better than to get involved with her, but I couldn’t stop my attraction to her. From the moment I laid my eyes on Evie’s beautiful face, there was this magnetic force I couldn’t resist.
Her smile.
Her scent.
Her ridiculous fucking giggle.
It was all an allure to me.
I’d never felt anything like it before. I kept women at a distance. I didn’t have time for the emotional bullshit, nor did I want any part of it.
For years I thought I wasn’t made that way. I was a coldhearted bastard who left before they woke up, just so I could avoid the expectations that always presented itself the next morning.
The only reason I didn’t bring women back to my condo was I didn’t want them to know where I lived. Their place. A hotel room. It was easier that way. I made no promises. It was on them if they created an illusion of who I was for the night.
There were no dates. No wining and dining. I didn’t fuck the same woman twice. Repeats led to emotions which led to expectations which led to bullshit and a relationship. I’d never had a girlfriend. I didn’t care for one. My career consumed my life. I traveled all over the world. From one client to the next.
I was happy.
Fulfilled.
There was no loneliness.
But last night was completely out of character for me. When I saw him carrying her to his car, I lost all sense of reason. Confronting him was easy. Beating him the fuck up was even easier. If it wasn’t for my friend Aaron tearing me away from his unconscious body, who knows if I would have stopped myself from killing him.
I would have been doing the world a favor. One less abuser walking among us in broad daylight. Every time I thought about what could have happened to Evie, I felt that rage taking over every last part of me all over again.
How this girl got into my head was beyond me. There was an instant spark and connection between us that couldn’t be ignored or denied. She was perfect, filling this void I didn’t know I had until she was lying in my arms.
My reactions to her were unfamiliar, uncharted emotions were taking over, and I wasn’t sure I wanted it to stop. I sure as hell didn’t fight too hard to control it. Which only added to the plaguing thoughts ripping through me.