Page 21 of Tess, Property of Blaze

Shit, I don’t want to worry her. I know what I did to her was a bitch move, but I have my reasons. Not wanting her to stress out, I reply, Hey, I’m fine, just wasn’t feeling well and had to leave. I promise I’m ok. I’ll see you later.

Right away, Lu replies back: Where are you? I called the club and you’re not there. Do you need anything?

No I’m fine, thanks Lu. I promise I’ll call if I need you.

I start walking toward the entrance to Jeff’s building, but pause as Lu’s next text comes through: Okay girl, I still don’t forgive you for leaving, you have some explaining to do.

I manage a small smile and shoot back, I’m sorry again. I’ll explain soon.

I stow my phone in my back pocket and push the buzzer that’s under the name Jeff Hamilton, apartment fourteen.

“Tess, that you?” His voice comes out scratchy through the speaker.

“Yeah, it’s me, can you let me up, please?”

A loud buzz sounds and the heavy gate unlocks with a click. I push it open and walk through, and it shuts with a bang behind me. I open the thick glass front door to the building itself and look around the lobby for something to let me know which level apartment fourteen is on. The second floor, according to the sign next to the lift. I enter the empty lift and press the button for the second floor, to head up. I lean up against the wall and fold my arms as cliché elevator music sounds through the speakers above. I hesitantly run featherlight fingers down my cheek where Viper hit me; it’s throbbing, and I wince in pain when my fingers touch a tender spot. It feels swollen and bruised, making it difficult to make any sort of movement of my face, any reaction.

The lift arrives at the second floor and I exit, turning left toward the rows of apartment doors lining the well-lit hallway. I don’t need to even look for number fourteen because Jeff is standing half outside his apartment and waving to me.

He smiles as I approach, but then his cheerful look turns to one of concern. “What the fuck happened, Tess?” he growls, his anger evident in his voice. I don’t say anything, but when he lifts his hand to touch my face, I lean away, knowing it will hurt. His eyebrows pinch together. “Who did this to you? Was it Blaze?”

My eyes widen in shock; Blaze would never hurt me. He would never lay a hand on me. “No.” I shake my head. “It wasn’t Blaze. Can I just come in?” I ask, my body sore and tense from all the happenings of the day.

Sympathy fills his eyes, and he runs his hands down his face. “Sorry, Tess, where’s my head?” He opens up his apartment door further and steps aside so I can enter. “Come in and have a seat, I’ll get an ice pack for your cheek.”

I follow him inside and close the door behind me. Jeff walks over to his kitchen and opens the freezer. He’s dressed in basketball shorts, a tank top, and sneakers. I didn’t notice before, but he’s covered in sweat and has a towel draped around his neck.

“I’m so sorry I interrupted your training session,” I say when I notice his boxing bag in the corner of his apartment, sweat staining the black leather and still swaying just a touch. A large mirror hangs on the wall opposite the punching bag. Obviously he was working out before I got here, just like he said on the phone.

His apartment is industrial-like—concrete walls, wooden floorboards, stone benchtops. There are two concrete pillars in the center of the room, and pictures of tattoos he’s drawn hanging from them. I know they’re his drawings because he’s tattooed those images on Gunner; I remember being in awe of Jeff, his creativity. Fans hang from high ceilings, and large floor-to-ceiling windows around the apartment bring in beautiful light. “Do you own this apartment?” I can’t help asking.

Jeff takes out an ice pack from the freezer, and replies, “Nope, just renting it.”

“It’s a beautiful place.”

He looks up at me, then his gaze roams the room. “Yeah, I think so too.”

Magazines and empty beer bottles and pizza boxes cover the coffee table, and sneakers, socks, and boots litter the floor of the apartment. Dirty laundry is strewn over the couch and floor, and Jeff picks up some of it on his way back to me, looking apologetic. “Sorry, Tess, I wasn’t expecting anyone.”

I shrug and look around. “Don’t worry about me, I live at a clubhouse, remember?”

He laughs. “Yeah, you’re right, what was I thinking?” he says with a smirk. “Have a seat.” He points to the cleared couch, and I do as he says and sit down, pulling one of his cushions into my lap. Jeff sits down next to me and turns to face me, the ice pack in his hand. Gently he places it on my cheek, and I hold my breath, feeling it ache under the slight pressure, but then it’s numbed by the coldness of the pack. “Here, hold it there, I’m gonna go make you a tea.” I do as he says and lay back on the couch, listening to the comforting sound of a kettle boiling and cups clattering in the kitchen.

It’s not long before he’s handing me a warm cup of tea, and I take it with my free hand. “Thanks.”

He sits opposite me and starts to drink his own tea. “How does it feel?” he asks after a few sips, putting his mug down on the cluttered coffee table. I remove the ice pack from my cheek and go to place it on the coffee table, but he stops me, saying, “Put it back on.”

“But it’s feeling better.”

“Put it back on, Tess, you have a nasty bruise there.” He picks up his tea and wraps a large hand around the mug.

I take his advice and rest it on my cheek once again. Sipping my tea, I notice Jeff staring at me intently, his head tilted to the side as he taps at his mug with his finger. I raise my eyebrows at him. “What?”

He sighs and runs his free hand over his jaw. “You gonna tell me what happened.?”

Moisture springs to my eyes and I look away, “So many things are wrong,” I say softly, letting the ice pack fall from my face.

“Tess, look at me.”

With tears falling, I look down and focus on the pillow on my lap, unable to look at him. I’m too scared he’ll read my thoughts. I sniffle and wipe the tears away with the back of my sleeve.

“Tess, look at me,” he demands softly, and I slowly raise my head until my eyes meet his. “If you’re in some kind of trouble, you can tell me, I promise I won’t say a thing.”

I inhale deeply, trying to steady my breathing. “Not even to Blaze?” I question, and he gets up and heads to the kitchen to get a box of tissues then sits back down beside me, handing me the box.

“Tess, if you don’t want me to say anything to Blaze, I won’t. But you gotta let me help you. This is not like you, it must be big, whatever it is.”

I nod. “It is, Jeff. It is.” I break down and start crying as memories of my life with Viper flood my mind. I cry for all those nights that Viper hit me, for the nights he raped me, and most of all, for the father who never loved me, who thought I deserved all the abuse I received.

“Shush,” Jeff soothes as he wraps his large arms around me and I cry into his chest, letting all my pain melt into my tears. For three years I’ve had to keep silent, had to pretend I didn’t have a past, that I had no parents, but now I can’t hold it in anymore. I need to tell someone, and that someone is going to be Jeff.

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