Page 24 of Save Us
As one headache seems to chase another inside my head, I suddenly feel an unnerving presence from beside me. It’s heavy, intimidating, and not altogether friendly. In fact, I don’t even want to acknowledge it’s really there, for I know whoever it is, is dangerous. So instead, I delude myself and pretend the stranger who is now sitting beside me, is just here because it’s a free space in a public park.
My instinctual curiosity forces me to take some sort of note of him, so first, I look at his shoes - black, designer, and ridiculously expensive. My eyes then travel up to his black suit trousers that cover a pair of ridiculously long legs before I eventually come to the hem of his black pea coat. As soon as I reach his tie, I realize I’ve seen much more than I wanted to. I force my gaze away, not wishing to provoke a reaction by going any further.
As if believing I can get away with leaving this place without any exchange of words between the suit and me, I place my feet firmly on the ground, grip hold of the edge of the bench, and ready myself to get the hell out of here. My life is already full of terrifying, powerful, and dangerous men, I know I don’t need another one.
“Good afternoon, Mrs Lawrence,” the suited man says with a low growl of a voice. It holds the same air of sophistication that Oliver exudes whenever he talks.
“Hello?” I mutter quietly, not even sure if he actually heard me. To be honest, I’m still a little disappointed for not getting away undetected.
“It’s not very smart of you to be talking with heads of New York gangs, given your position,” he says with a smug air to his tone of voice. “I’m sure your husband would have something to say about that. Or does he only use his fists with you?”
His blunt words cause me to look his way without even having a chance to think about it. Once we are face to face, we stay there, staring at each other silently for longer than feels comfortable. The stranger’s hair is dark blonde, his eyes a cool blue, and his whole body looks like it was made to bow down to no one, no matter how awkward the situation. He is a handsome man, much like my husband, but his confident smirk, which sits inside of a neatly trimmed beard, has me itching to escape his gaze.
While he holds me captive with his eyes, I begin to judge him as being the type of ruthless man who would pick up a woman with ease, sleep with her, then leave without another word, all the while she breaks into a mess of dashed dreams and a broken heart. In other words, he is someone who wouldn’t think twice about using a person, only to leave them destroyed without another moment’s thought. Someone I shouldn’t be conversing with.
“Excuse me, but my husband doesn’t like me speaking to anyone,” I reply quietly. “Kai is an old friend, and I should be going. Good-”
“Kaiden should know better,” he says, cutting me off before folding his arms in an arrogant fashion, silently telling me that I should know better too. “Your friendship is obviously making him sloppy, and I can’t have him behaving like that when we are so close.”
“So close to what, Mr…?” He smiles over my attempt to fish for details he hasn’t yet offered me.
“My name isn’t important right now, Beth.” He says my name so casually, my mouth drops open in shock, and my cheeks heat up as if to utter my Christian name is shameful. “Names like Xander Fenton and Rosie Fenton are surely more important to you, are they not?”
“What do you want?” I ask, trying to appear calm, even though my heart is thumping wildly inside the confines of my ribs. So much so, I’m afraid I might pass out.
“You don’t need to fear me, Beth. Not yet anyway” he says before leaning in a little too close for comfort. “I just couldn’t help coming to see you in the flesh. When your baby daddy showed me a picture of you, I had to come and see if you really were as beautiful in person.”
“Please, I have to…”
I try to edge back but he only shuffles closer, so close, I can feel his hot breath fanning over my cheek. I look up and notice Leo glancing over his shoulder, to the side of where he is still keeping watch. I can see the subtle tick of his jaw where he’s clenching his teeth together, his hands flexing beside his body as he inwardly battles over what to do during this tense moment. Whether to cause a scene that will only make Oliver keep me even more of a prisoner in that house, or to trust that this man isn’t going to cause me any harm.
“You are,” he whispers.
“I’m what?” I ask just as quietly.
“Beautiful. I can see why Oliver keeps you so well hidden,” he replies in a voice that has me physically shaking, which he obviously notices and finds amusing. “Don’t worry, Beth, I’m not in the habit of harming women. You and I both know the same can’t be said of your husband, or your grandfather, for that matter. Remember me, Beth, for you and I shall see each other again soon.”
“Who are you?” I ask but he simply answers me with a condescending laugh beside my ear, before pulling away and shaking his head at me.
“No one to worry about…” he eventually says, then moves back to where he was just sitting, “…yet. Now, best be going, Beth, Oliver won’t want one of his most prized possessions out past dark. And I, for one, wouldn’t want you or your GI Joe getting into any trouble.”
Without any need for further invitation to leave, I get up as quick as I can, and practically gallop away from that bench with Leo hot on my tail.
Chapter 10
Beth
The evening is already drawing in by the time we reach the townhouse, and the streetlamps are burning brightly above where Leo and I are now pulling up outside of my front door. I glance up at the iron knocker, already knowing I’m in trouble, for we’ve never been out this late before. But with strange, ominous men giving me weird, cryptic, messages, what could I do?
Leo and I share a look, one that tells each other we’re in for it. Him a stripping down, me? Well, perhaps a slap to the face, a day locked in my room, or worse. With that in mind, I send Leo home, reassuring him I’ll be fine, that he’ll go easier on the both of us if it’s just me. That’s a lie, of course. I can’t make Oliver do anything, just take what he gives without complaint.
The moment I step foot inside the entrance hall, I feel uneasy and have a sudden urge to crumble. More so than the usual stifling emotions I get whenever I enter my prison. Most of the lights are switched off, the curtains are drawn, and even the cheery voice of Pru is absent. Downstairs, a lone bodyguard eyes me without expression before turning away to walk back into the kitchen, muttering something indecipherable into a wire that sits inside of his ear.
On my next tentative step, I hear a low, dissatisfied growl coming from the top of the staircase. Much like I was reluctant to eye the stranger at the park, something is telling me I don’t want to raise my eyes to face that growl. However, there is no escaping it, and when I do look up, I see Oliver’s dark outline standing tall and menacingly on the top step.
I stare back at him, frozen to the spot in fear, unable to even breathe because of the look he’s throwing me. He says nothing, merely crooks his finger and gestures for me to go to him, something I really don’t want to do given the rage that is emanating from his entire body. After what feels like an uncomfortably long time, I take my first step forward and onto the bottom of the staircase. He growls once more, from the back of his throat, before turning to walk down the corridor that leads to our bedroom.
Things must be especially bad if he’s already sent Pru home without us having had dinner together. My features pinch together while I try to think over what this could all be about. Surely this can’t just be because I’m late home? Perhaps he found out about Kai and the stranger at the park. Perhaps he’s just being even more fucked up than usual today. Whatever it is, I know I do not want to go into that room with him. Something is telling me I might not come back out again.