Page 31 of Tex's Angel

Zen: I’m on it, brother.

When the screen goes blank, I set my phone aside and fall asleep with my laptop on my chest while looking at the feed from the outside cameras.

Chapter 13

Clara

At some point after seeing the awful things scrawled across my walls and having my home declared a crime scene, I must have mentally checked out. Something short circuits in my brain and I can’t deal with the reality of my life anymore. I don’t know why this is happening to me, what did I do to deserve this kind of nastiness? I always thought that if I minded my own business, stayed away from drugs and people who lived their life on the edge, that I’d be left alone. I’d learned my lesson in college about what can happen if you interfere in someone else’s life.

Tex has been great, but I wish I could talk to my friends or family about what I’m going through. God knows that I can’t confide in the sister who betrayed me and is living with the man who’s most likely doing this to me. She’d just deny it or tell me that I’m jealous and losing my grasp on reality.

As far as my parents go, they were already on my tail to forgive my sister and try to be happy for her and Chris. They said she has kids to support and needs a husband who earns good money more than me. Their lack of support is bad enough, but downplaying the betrayal is a betrayal in and of itself. I’ve gone low contact with them and don’t want them to have access to any information about my life.

Abigail is the only real friend I have, but I don’t want to drag her too deeply into this shit. That’s means I’m all on my own, Except for Tex and his club.

I barely remembered the journey to the cabin as I was numb. All I can think about is what happened. Having your house broken into is a huge violation, the person might not have stolen anything, but to see the insults painted in bright bold red letters across my wall was terrifying. I’d almost prefer mindless vandalism by a stranger to this. This was personal.

I’m worried this is just a preview of what’s to come, that he’ll be coming after me next. Tex is the only person I feel safe around, and while I like that feeling a lot, I know it’s not good. He’ll soon tire of me and my troubles. Which is a damn shame, because I’m really enjoying being around him and it seems like what we’ve got could have legs. It’s with thoughts of my handsome biker in my head that I finally fell asleep.

If I’d hoped to have a reprieve from the day’s horrors in my sleep, I was mistaken. Instead of rolling around naked in bed with my new self-appointed protector, I’m back home in my bed terrified because not only is car alarm going off in the driveway, there’s a figure in the dimly lit corner of my room, where my nightlight doesn’t reach. I freeze as he begins to move closer. I need to move my ass, run from him, try to get away but I can’t seem to move.

When one hand slowly comes out to grab me, I break loose and begin clawing at him.

I can’t get my nails to make contact with his face because he’s holding both my wrists. Then I hear him growl, “Clara, wake up.”

My eyes snap open and I realize it’s all a dream. I see Tex has a scratch on his chest where I caught him, and I feel a flash of guilt. Realizing that I’m awake, he loosens his grip on my hands.

He puts a finger under my chin and tilts my head up to look into my eyes and says in a low, soothing tone, “It was just a dream, sugar. Just a bad dream. Y’all are here at the cabin with me. Ain’t nothing bad gonna happen to you on my watch.”

I launch myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck. When I bury my face in his chest, he holds me close and rubs my back. “I fucking hate that asshole for doing this to you darlin’.”

I don’t how long he holds me but when he pulls back, I ball my hands into his shirt, afraid of letting him go, of being alone and scared again. “Will you stay with me?”

He reaches out and pushes a strand of hair out of my face. “Y’all are afraid to sleep alone? Is that what you’re sayin’?”

I glance down to where the blankets act as a barrier between us. “I know that makes me weak and you don’t like weak people.”

“I ain’t never said I don’t like weak people and you’re not weak anyway. You’re one of the strongest people I know.” He stands up and takes off his shirt and jeans. “Okay then, scoot over, sugar pie. If I’m gonna sleep, I want to be comfortable.”

When I shift over, he pulls the top sheet up and lays down on it before pulling the blanket up over his big body. I’m all kinds of charmed by this big biker. He’s equal parts sweet and bold. He’s also being the perfect gentleman, I know we had big ideas about this being a romantic getaway, but he’s chosen to lie on top of the bed rather than under the sheet with me. I like the fact he’s not being presumptuous, but right now I’d like to feel him against me even more. There’s something grounding about the man.

I don’t remember going to bed, I think Tex just settled me here when we arrived, and I realize I’m fully clothed, that might be one of the reasons I had a restless sleep. I pull my shirt over my head, leaving on my sports bra and then slide my jeans off, tossing them both onto the floor so I’m just wearing panties. I wriggle as close to Tex as I dare.

After I wriggle around for a while, trying to get comfortable, Tex sighs. “Fuck it, sugar pie. Come on over and sleep on my chest. I know y’all want to.”

I don’t even think about saying no, because it’s exactly where I want to be. I move over as soon as he holds out his arm and I make myself comfortable on his chest. He closes his arm around me, his hand resting on my stomach. I slowly relax to strong thump of his heartbeat.

“Thank you,” I whisper, trying not to sound timid.

“You’re welcome.”

This really isn’t how I thought our weekend would go. Instead of us getting intimate it seems like we’re strangers, despite the fact I’m cuddled in his arms. Before I can think of something to say he speaks again in that low, deep, soothing voice he saves for when he’s trying to calm me down. “I hate to see y’all so upset. This is just a moment in time. I know it’s hard to see right now but it will pass, and things will get back to normal.”

“I want to be strong, but I keep breaking down. It’s embarrassing.”

“We all break down occasionally, even me. I cried for weeks after my wife died. And I ain’t too proud to admit it.Once this whole damn situation is behind y’all it won’t be so gut wrenching.”

“What was your wife like?” I ask, before I consider that he might not want to talk about the biggest tragedy of his life, but I don’t know anything about her, and I’m curious to know about the woman who played such a huge role in his life.

---