Page 67 of Allison

Allison’s eyes drift closed. That’s the last thing she needs is to become pregnant by the man sitting beside her. She blows out a breath fanning a strand of hair that’s fallen into her face.Good grief!One more thing to be apprehensive about. It’s too early to know if she has conceived from either encounter, so she’ll just have to sit and worry about it for the next week or two and pray that God will have mercy on her and she’ll get her period when it’s due in eight days.

A voice comes over the speakers to announce their flight is now boarding. Allison and Russell both stand. She reaches for her carry-on bag, but Russell beats her to it, slinging it over his shoulder. She follows along behind him, forcing the worry from her mind. He glances back a couple of times to make sure she is with him, but he doesn’t say anything else to her, nor does he try to hold her hand, like he’d done the day when they’d met at this airport.

She hates that, too. Not only has he stopped calling her sugar, but he’s been a minimalist when it comes to touch and conversation since this morning. Before, they’d never had any problems finding something to talk about or an excuse to touch one another. Now it’s like pulling teeth to get him to say much of anything and he’s avoided touching her like she has the black plague. She almost sighs again, but catches herself.

She looks up to see Russell has his phone out showing their boarding passes to the attendant at the entrance to their flight. The woman looks him up and down with an appreciative gaze. Allison sees red. She pushes her way between Worm and the attendant.

“Is everything okay with our passes, honey?” she asks, making her tone sound as innocently as possible. Russell has a shocked expression on his face for a second, but schools it way quickly. He glances at the attendant as if he is seeking her confirmation that their passes meet the standard.

“Everything seems to be in order,” the woman replies, with a disdainful look in Allison’s direction. It was a stupid, childish move on her part. Allison knows this, but she can’t feel bad about it. She and Russell aren’t a couple and never will be, but something about the woman looking him over with desire had set off her inner bitch. Allison isn’t about to let this woman think she can have her way with Russell when their plane lands in Jacksonville. He is Allison’s man.No! Wait! That isn’t right. Is it? Does she really want him to be?

“Let’s take our seats then, sugar,” Russell drawls with a knowing grin on his face. He takes her hand, leading her down the walkway to the plane. She should be embarrassed by her behavior, but she isn’t. Not even a little bit. It takes everything she has to keep a smug smile off her face. She has gotten him to loosen up a little. It might not last, but at least the gnawing apprehension that has been riding her all morning has eased a little.

Reaching the plane, another stewardess directs them to their seats, in first class, again. Russell is spoiling her. She could get used to this, but she knows she can’t. He obviously doesn’t want anything more than what they’ve shared so she shouldn’t be thinking of anything more than the moment. “Here’s our seats,” Russell says, pointing to a couple of seats on the right side of the plane. “You can have the window seat if you want.” Russell reaches up to stow her bag in the overhead compartment.

Allison takes the window seat and settles in for the flight to Jacksonville. She’s just as quiet during the flight as Russell. Both of them seemingly lost in their own thoughts. Allison had hoped Russell would want her for more than sex, but he’s made it abundantly clear he doesn’t. During the flight she resigns herself to this fact and does her best to put any thoughts of more out of her mind.

A few hours later, they arrive in Jacksonville. Emma and her parents are waiting for them. Emma runs to Allison, throwing her arms around her. “I’m so sorry, Emma,” Allison manages to get out despite her tears. “I ruined your honeymoon.”

“Stop that,” Emma admonishes. “I know you didn’t get yourself kidnapped on purpose.” Emma hugs Allison again, drawing more tears from her. “Are you okay? What happened?” Allison breaks down completely. She is home, with her family, and she’s safe. She cries uncontrollably. “Shh, Ali, I’m sorry,” Emma coos. “You don’t have to talk about it.”

After a few minutes, Allison gets herself under control. Her parents are standing behind them quietly, which is odd. Allison takes a second to look for Russell, who is standing next to Curtis. The two are deep in discussion. Curtis looks upset and Russell looks like he has swallowed a mouthful of shit. Allison’s parents stepping forward draws her attention away from whatever is happening with Russell. She steels herself in preparation to deal with her parents.

“Allison, honey,” her mother whines, wrapping Allison up in a tight hug. Allison relishes her mother’s attention. She’s always wanted to have a close loving relationship with her parents, and on some levels she does, but their judgmental attitude has caused their relationship to be strained. It isn’t that Allison doesn’t believe in God or a higher power, but her parents are so strict and quick to condemn anything that doesn’t align with their personal beliefs that they pushed Allison away. Not only from them, but God, too.

“Oh, my little girl!” Her father joins in, wrapping both Allison and her mother up in his arms. Allison enjoys the feeling of safety and security his embrace brings, but it’s short lived. “You should never have left the wedding in the middle of the night like that,” her father scolds. “You wouldn’t have ended up being mistreated in such a way. What happened anyway? Emma said you’d been kidnapped. Who took you? Do the police have them in custody? Were you violated?” Allison jerks back when he asks this question. Her father is looking at her as if she is standing in the airport completely naked and wearing the devil’s mark on her forehead.

Allison is shocked and embarrassed by his question, although she can understand why they would think she might have been raped. It had happened to Emma many years ago. Allison is more than grateful masked-man didn’t let Bruno have his way with her. She shudders as that image plays out in her head. She is about to answer her father’s questions when Russell is suddenly at her side.

“Enough!” he growls, startling Allison and her parents. “How dare you ask her such a question in a public place. You’re supposed to love her. How can you be so cruel?” Russell wraps his arm around her waist and drags her away from her mother and father, walking at a fast clip. Allison is practically jogging to keep up with him. She considers twisting away from him, but the tight grip he has on her combined with the utter look of fury on his face, keeps her hurrying along at his side. His jaw is clenched so tight she worries it is going to shatter. She can’t understand why his teeth haven’t broken already.

They reach the baggage claim just as her suitcases are coming down the conveyor. He releases her long enough to get them off and set them beside her. Emma and Curtis have followed them as have her parents. Curtis grabs her suitcases and hands her carry-on bag to her father.

Russell looks at Curtis and gives him a quick nod as if thanking him for getting her bags taken care of. Then they are on the move again. Russell has again banded her to him and they are headed for the exit. When they emerge, a couple of tall, muscular men are standing next to a set of large SUVs. Russell heads toward them.

“Worm!” A tall man with dark hair greets them. “I see you made it back in one piece.” The man is built like all the men on Russell and Curtis’s team. His curly hair is a little longer on top but cut close on the sides. He has a mustache with a layer of scruff on his face.

The man’s gaze shifts to Allison, giving her a quick look over. He isn’t leering at her, nor does his perusal make her feel uncomfortable. His eyes go back to Russell’s. “I get it,” he grins at Russell. The two seem to share some silent communication.

Allison doesn’t have time to contemplate what it was about, though. Russell opens the passenger side of the first SUV, not giving her an opportunity to get in by herself. He grabs her waist, sitting her in the passenger seat. He leans over and buckles her in. This time she doesn’t try to argue with him or even roll her eyes. She’s come to learn this is just the way he does things.

Russell keeps his motions clinically focused. He hardly seems to notice her as he backs out of her space. She’s disappointed remembering how he’d kissed her the last time they’d been leaving an airport in an SUV. She swallows down her disappointment, folding her hands in her lap. He’s made it clear he doesn’t want her, so, why did he go all caveman on her daddy? She shakes her head as she ponders this. He’s giving her whiplash with the back and forth.

Russell slides into the driver’s seat, buckles his belt, and puts the vehicle in gear. Checking his mirror, he pulls out of the pickup lane. Allison looks back to see everyone else is crowding into the remaining SUV.What the hell?Why didn’t some of them ride with her and Russell?

“Hey, shouldn’t you have waited for the others?” Allison questions, turning in her seat as best she can with her seatbelt snuggly fastened. Russell doesn’t look at her, but he does reply.

“They’re fine,” is his clipped reply. She stares at him in shock for a second wondering what has gotten into him, now.

“Where are we going?” She tries a different approach, hoping he’ll be more forthcoming with this answer. She wonders if they are all going to Emma’s or to the hotel where her parents are staying. It honestly doesn’t matter to her. She is just so tired she wants to crawl into a bed and sleep for days.

“My place.” Another short answer. Allison whips her head in his direction. Is he for real?

“What! Why?” she exclaims in confusion. “You surely don’t want the whole Hee Haw gang in your house?” He turns his head slightly in her direction. The corners of his mouth tipping up slightly. His right eyebrow arches up slightly.

“Hee Haw gang?” he asks, the humor clearly evident in his voice.

“Yeah! You know, my judgmental parents, Emma, Curtis, and whoever else they decide to invite,” Allison rushes to explain. “They can be a lot to take and to be honest you’ve been in a mood all day. I don’t see you wanting to spend another minute in my presence much less having to deal with more people.” She heaves out a breath. There she said it. She can’t stand the pretending; like everything is fine when it clearly isn’t. If after this he still doesn’t want to talk about it, then she’ll just let it go, but she had to try. Russell means something to her. She hadn’t wanted him to become important, but he has, so she’s going to make the effort.

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