One
Tamara
Walking off the plane was surreal. Of course, I’d flown before, but never like this. When I checked in for my flight to Colorado, I know Stephen wanted to help me, but I also knew there was no way he could afford the cost of a first-class ticket on a cop salary.
When I called him after going through security, he told me I didn’t need to worry about the ticket price. That I should consider this my ticket to freedom. By doing it this way, it would reduce the chance of my ex knowing where I’d gone.
I knew he was right.
Even as I sat in that large seat at the front of the plane being treated as if I were someone important, I still worried about what my ex-husband would do when he found out I had escaped. But I’d managed to get away without his knowledge. The fear almost overtook me several times. My chest would tighten. Tears would threaten to fall as I thought about all I had gone through. Being married to Derek for over five years had been pure hell. The things he said to me throughout the years chipped away at my confidence. I would never forget how he made me feel. If I did what he expected, everything was fine. The moment I tried to do my own thing, that’s when all hell would break loose.
The anger, the hate, the clenched fists, and the pain that would come after. Leaving him had been the best thing. If I hadn’t left when I did, I’d probably be dead by now. Then again, I had really gotten rid of him. Although I was granted a divorce after two years of back-and-forth, Derek hadn’t gone away as I’d hoped. He was still there, following me, hounding me, showing up when I was out with friends. It got so bad that I stopped going places. He made me a prisoner in my own home, afraid of what might happen if I dared show my face.
The cops warned him. But other than filing for a restraining order, which I did, there wasn’t much they could do. Not unless he did something to injure or harm me. Or I could provide proof that he violated the order. There’s nothing like feeling helpless and trapped in a cage of your own making.
That’s why, when officer Stephen McMahon approached me with a temporary solution, I took the time to listen. He offered me a chance to get out of my ex-husband’s line of sight. He worked with a group called the lady guardians. They helped women escape when needed and get justice when normal means no longer worked. A group of badass women who rode motorcycles and were called Lady Guardians? Sign me up.
So here I was, thousands of miles away from Virginia, getting off the plane in Denver, Colorado. I never been this far west and had no idea what to expect. I’ve spoken with the president of the Fairfax Chapter of the Lady Guardians, Ebony, who also was a police officer. She and Steven had worked on the arrangements, along with her husband, Cole.
As I walked away from the arrival gate and towards baggage claim, I saw a large, muscled man in a black suit holding a sign with a predetermined name on it, Lucy Lucky. This was part of the agreed-upon plan Ebony, Steven, and Cole discussed with me. I tamped down my nerves and made my way over to him.
I didn’t know this man from Adam, but I hoped like hell he would prove to be on my side. I was tired of running. Tired of pretending I wasn’t scared out of my damn mind. I just needed somewhere to rest my head without worrying about my ex-husband showing up.
The closer I got to him, the more nervous I become. He eyed me. I eyed him.
Neither of us broke the staring contest.
Because of the situation, and if he were the right person, I knew he wouldn’t speak to me until I repeated the phrase I’d rehearsed for two days straight. I swallowed, shifting my eyes from side to side to see if anyone else might be the man I was scheduled to meet. Finally, I moved my lips and got the words out.
“So, I was wondering if you could tell me the best place to grab dinner.” The words rushed out, but I said the phrase I was supposed to and waiting for him to respond the way I hoped he would. I could feel my legs shaking and my heartbeat sped up. It seemed like we were standing there for several minutes, but I knew that wasn’t the case. It was my nerves getting the best of me.
Not that I expected my ex-husband to have people in Denver waiting for me to show up—his reach wasn’t that long—but knowing that still didn’t remove my fear. Somehow, Derek seemed to know my every move, even when I tried to be careful. So, color me paranoid, but I would follow every rule Ebony, Cole, and Steven detailed for me. If they’d told me to spin around and sing, I’m a Little Teapot at the top of my lungs, then that’s what I would have done.
The man standing in front of me looked stone-faced, like a statue, and then he spoke to me. “I can recommend a spot. Do you prefer a burger or pasta?”
My breath whooshed out so fast I thought my head would spin. “Steak, medium-rare.”
The man’s eyes softened, and he put out his hand for me to shake. “Welcome to Denver, Ms. Wright. Let’s grab your bags. I have strict instructions to get you out to the ranch.
Nervousness snaked up my spine. “Is everything okay?” We walked to the spinning carousel to grab my bags. I watched the man in black as he looked around, his eyes moving from one spot to another. He had to be more than just a driver. He looked heated, as if he were ready for something to pop off.
“No, everything’s fine. Mr. Sullivan just prefers to have things nice and tidy. The quicker I can get you to the ranch, the better.”
Seeing my luggage, I moved toward the carousel.
“I’ll get it, Ms. Wright. Just tell me which ones belong to you.”
Within minutes, we were making our way outside. Moving toward a black town car, I paused. “, This is for me?”
“Yes, Ma’am.” He opened the door for me to get inside.
I couldn’t help it. My body froze in fear. It became hard for me to breathe. A panic attack was coming over me, and I was powerless to stop it. Looking around, I wondered if the people around us could tell that I was losing my shit in the middle of the sidewalk.
“Ma’am? Someone wants to talk to you.”
In his hand, he held the sleek black cell phone.
“It’s okay. They just want to make sure you arrived okay.”