Page 4 of Closely Guarded

None of them were him. They either didn’t look like him or laugh like him. They weren’t as smart as him or they didn’t have the same set of strong morals and honor as Nick. All of the other boys that I tried to date were nice enough people (well, aside from Lenny but I hardly knew at the time what would happen!) who would have been okay. Maybe it’s pathetic, but Nick is who I have been waiting for. I think we could really have a shot now. I just don’t know how to avoid the whole Zach factor.

I think best when I run, so that’s what I do: Lace up my favorite teal sneakers and head to the local park. I ran track all throughout high school, and I was pretty good. When I run, I settle into a rhythm that’s soothing. It’s like my body is doing one thing and my mind another, so I can think clearly. It must be something to do with the extra oxygen from my regulated breathing and the endorphins from the exercise. The only downside is, I’m so wrapped up in what I’m thinking about and the steady beat of my feet against the ground that I fail to notice what’s going on around me.

That’s probably why I miss the fact that Lenny is standing in my path until I crash into him.

I don’t run with headphones and I left my phone at home, since it’s early morning and I don’t have to go to work today. There isn’t really a comfortable spot to store it either, with me wearing lightweight jogging shorts and a simple t shirt. As soon as I see Lenny though, I wish I did have my phone with me. Not that I would call the police—I never have in the past—but so that if I really do need to this time, at least I would have the option.

Lenny says my name as I step back to regain my balance. Even his voice makes me uneasy. There’s something about it that’s too familiar and knowing. Just hearing his voice on the messages he leaves on my phone is enough to keep me up at night.

The peace that I’d gained from running is quickly washed away by a wave of fear. After the most recent candle incident, I knew he was around but I didn’t think he would show up in a public place like the park. Cautiously, I glance around and realize that we’re the only people in sight. Damn it all!

“W-what are you doing here?” My voice shakes.

“You’re here Claire, where else would I be?” When he tries to take a step closer, I ease back. I’m doing my best not to look scared, but it’s so hard!

“Please just leave me alone,” I say quietly.

Lenny scrubs a hand across his shaved head, pallid face scrunching in displeasure. “Why would you want me to do that?”

How am I supposed to respond to that? I don’t want to let on that I’m afraid of him, but I really am.

“Why don’t you tell me who that was you were talking to yesterday, Claire?” There’s anger in Lenny’s voice now.

“Did you follow me?” I gasp.

“Answer the question! Who was that guy you were talking to?” He’s yelling now. Lenny reaches out and grabs my wrist, the force of his grasp shaking my whole body. I might be imagining it, but he’s holding on so tight that it feels like the bones are grinding together.

“Just some guy!” I can’t bring myself to tell Lenny who Nick is. It’s none of his business who Nick is! I moved out of my family’s house to protect them from Lenny, and I’m not going to put Nick in harms way like they were.

Lenny doesn’t like that. He shoves me and I fall back against the trunk of a tree. I gasp at the impact, the bark rough, but nowhere near as uncomfortable as his hands shackling my arms, holding me in place. Tears well in my eyes and I don’t know if they’re from fear or pain as Lenny shouts at me. “You aren’t allowed to talk to other guys! Don’t you get it?”

I’m almost sobbing now. What am I supposed to do?

Chapter 5- Nick

It’s been less than twenty-four hours since I’ve seen her, but I can’t stop thinking about Claire. In a matter of minutes, she went from someone I had helped babysit to someone I want to go out with. I don’t know why the image I had of her in my head had never changed. When I thought of her—which wasn’t all that often, I’ll be honest—I thought of her as I last saw her, giving Zach and me a container full of cookies to eat on the bus ride to training.

From the time I spent talking to her, it was easy to figure out that it wasn’t just her looks that had changed. Claire has matured a lot, too. She’s still the wallflower to her brother’s social butterfly, but she’s so damn clever. She asked intelligent questions about my service but still laughed with me at jokes. And okay, yeah her looks have a lot to do with it. It’s like she’s fucking bloomed or something.

Even though I’m technically on vacation, I’m not used to sitting around and not doing anything. When I’m not out on an assignment I’m usually preparing for the next one, even if that just involves some exercise. That’s what I decide to do now. It’s a beautiful day, so I’ll go outside and get some fresh air, maybe run a couple miles. I prefer weights but after the amount of food I ate yesterday, I need to burn all the calories I can.

When I start to do some stretches to warm up at the edge of the local park, I get a strange feeling before I suddenly hear shouting. I don’t even think about it before taking off, following the yelling. I round a bend in the park path to see a man, probably a little younger than me in tattered jeans and a stained t shirt. He’s the one yelling at someone he’s got pressed up to a tree. As I approach, I get a closer look at what’s going on.

I’ve seen some horrifying shit in the Air Force. Just because I spent time up in the air doesn’t mean that I don’t know what happens down on the ground and it will haunt me for the rest of my life. But what I see in the park, right now? What I see now is something that shakes me to the core.

Claire, is backed up against a tree, crying while some asshole pins her there and yells at her, obviously threatening her.

“Hey!” I roar and charge forward, ripping the guy off her. Distantly, I see Claire sink to the ground in tears. I slam a punch into the asshole’s face and he drops like a stone to the pathway, unconscious. What a piece of shit, how dare he treat Claire like that!

“Are you okay?” I crouch in front of Claire and start patting her down, checking her for any injuries or marks. Even after she gives me a shaky nod, I keep checking her. There’s some redness around her wrists that might turn into bruising and her back has some dents from the tree bark, but seemingly nothing serious. “Hang tight, I’m going to call the cops, okay?”

For a moment I think Claire is going to stop me, but she instead leans her head back against the tree and slowly nods. I keep an eye on the guy I knocked out as I call the police and tell them what happened.

“Okay, it’ll only be five minutes or so since the station’s so close by. Who is this asshole, anyway?”

“…can I just wait? And tell you when I tell the police? I don’t want to have to tell this over and over.” Claire whispers, shifting to sit cross-legged against the grass. From my spot next to her, I nod.

“Do you want me to call Zach or your parents?” The last word hasn’t even left my mouth before she is vehemently protesting.

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