Page 34 of Body

Residual pain? I glance towards Chase, hoping he isn’t paying attention. Instead of being in the chair, he’s standing right behind me with his chest a scant few inches from me. I look up into his eyes. They are clouded, unreadable. Tension emanates from him in droves and I close my eyes. I cannot see anything remotely close to pity ever again in someone else’s eyes. Especially a man I’m so taken with.

“I’m accident prone. Can we get on with the stitches? I need to get to work.”

Doctor Dutera slaps the file shut and nods curtly. He pulls on a pair of latex gloves then proceeds to clean the area around my stitches. Chase brings his hand to my back and caresses my lower back and up to my neck and down in a calming motion.

With the first snip of a stitch and the corresponding burst of pain, my mind catapults to another time.

“You’re a lying little whore! You think I don’t know about you and Todd?” Justin is on a tirade. He’s shit-faced drunk with a chip on his shoulder. I know instantly nothing good will come of this.

“Justin, I would never cheat on you. I love you. You know that. There’s no one else but you,” I assure him. The blow comes so hard against my eye I fall to the floor. I clutch the tender spot over my eye in pain.

“You’re fucking your study buddy. I know it! The second I leave he has his hands all over you, doesn’t he? Doesn’t he?” he screams.

I try to stand, but he kicks me in the gut repeatedly. Hot, white, pain rips through my chest as I hear the sick crunching sound of my rib breaking. I lose count of the blows. I howl and gasp when he comes down on top of me, holding my arms over my head with one hand. Forcing broken ribs to stretch and arc almost makes me black out. The pain is so intense it’s as if I’m being gutted.

“Look here, you little whore; no one is going to want you. You’re not worth your weight in shit. You’re lucky I’ve stayed, but you will not fuck, kiss, or touch another man. You got it?” He bangs my head against the wood floor and I see stars. I nod furiously in answer to his question but he punches my face anyway, splitting my lip open. Blood oozes down the side of my face, the taste of copper fills my mouth as I gurgle and sputter around a scream.

“Gillian, what the fuck? You’re okay, Baby, you’re okay! I’m here.” I feel Chase’s strong arms around me. I clutch his suit jacket. Tears stream down my face.

The doctor has backed away, his eyes wide, mouth agape. Chase has his arms firmly around me as he pets and caresses me. I haven’t had a flashback in a long time. Over a year at least.

“I’m okay, I’m sorry. I’m fine.” I push Chase away and avoid looking into his eyes. “I’m fine now. Thank you.” I wipe my wet cheeks with the backs of my hands. “Doctor, are we finished?” I sniff and Chase hands me a handkerchief. Of course he would have a handkerchief. Probably monogrammed. I wipe my dripping nose on the soft cotton.

“Yes, but Miss Callahan, I think we should discuss what just happened here,” he suggests.

I hop off the exam table and grab my purse. Chase stands behind me. “Not today. Thank you, Doctor Dutera. I’m sorry for the…I’m sorry.” I grab the door handle and briskly walk out to the waiting room and straight on out to the city street. Once I am outside I inhale deeply, taking in my surroundings, trying to let go of the raging past that swarms around my subconscious like a hive of angry bees.

When I catch my breath and shake off the last dregs of the past, I notice Chase leaning against the car waiting patiently for me to address him. I know he wants answers but right now, I don’t have them. I don’t know that I ever will.

“Look, Chase, I can’t explain what happened in there--”

“You can, and you will,” he says, his tone firm.

“I can’t.” Tears stream down my face again as I desperately try to find a way to deal with this.

Chase wipes them away, and then kisses each cheek and finally my lips. “Later then.”

I nod into his chest as he hugs me. His firm embrace is like a haven to my tortured soul. Safe, warm, and solid. I clutch at him, digging my fingers into his muscular back. He holds me tighter and whispers in my ear. “Do you still want to go to work? I could call Mr. Jefferson for you?” he offers.

A bubble of laughter fills me and spills out as I rub my nose against his breastbone, inhaling his woodsy citrus scent. I pull back. “That’s rich. Let the Chairman of the Board call in sick for me from work? Somehow I don’t think that would go over well.” I smile then inhale and exhale slowly, letting it all go. Being here, having Chase’s arms around me just makes it better. “I’m fine. Take me to work.”

We get into the car and we’re off to the Safe Haven Foundation. When we arrive, I jump out of the car before Chase can comment or Jack can open the door. “The car will pick you up after work, Gillian,” Chase calls.

I turn and look at him as he slowly walks toward me. He really is a modern day Superman. His lengthy form as he walks toward me is virile, manly. Chase’s dark hair blows enticingly in the wind giving him that rugged sexy aura as he stalks toward me in a black suit that was tailored to perfection. The blue pinstriped dress shirt is making his eyes light up and seem even bluer than what is possible in real life. His sculpted features turn liquid and sensual as he reaches me, places his hands on my shoulders and slides them up to cup my neck. He caresses my cheeks with his thumbs as I’ve come to expect from his touch.

“I will take care of you. You’re never going to be hurt again,” he promises. If only that were true. He doesn’t know me. I’m damaged. I close my eyes, cutting off the sincerity I see in his eyes. “Tonight,” he grins.

I nod. “Tonight.”

He kisses my forehead and releases me. I stand with my eyes closed as he walks away.

***

Jack arrives with the full limo promptly at 5:00 p.m. I see quite a few stares and mouths catching flies at the front of the building as I scurry into the vehicle. This ought to give the gossip mill new fodder for at least a week.

The drive takes thirty minutes from one side of the city to the other in rush hour traffic. I don’t mind. It gives me time to think.

I haven’t had a flashback like this morning’s in a long time. I didn’t realize those old wounds were still so close to the surface. I haven’t even heard from Justin in six months. Doesn’t mean he’s done taunting me. Sometimes I hear from mutual friends that he’s asked about me, trying to find out my whereabouts. The last time I saw him I was with Daniel.

---