Page 13 of A Tortured Temptress
"Get back in bed mo chroi," I order her. She moves back to the side of the bed I put her on, away from the door. She climbs in and I pull her into my body spooning against her back.
We lay like that for a while, and I feel her body relax and decide I can sleep again.
"I met him the first time when I was a sophomore in high school. My English teacher asked me to tutor him. I didn't want to. I was all about art, he was a year older than me and a baseball player. I wanted to go to art school. Two weeks later he insisted he was my boyfriend. I ignored him and just went on with my life. Sketching, studying, and working at my dad's insurance office." She pauses and I remain still thinking she thinks I'm asleep and can't hear what she's saying. "He slammed me into the lockers, yelled at me for ignoring him. I tried to defend myself, but I was no match for him. Britain told me that I was going to be his, marry him, and he was going to be sheriff of Travers just like his father was." She pauses again and I feel the tears hit my arm wrapped under her head. "He dragged me out to his car where he took me somewhere and raped me. I'd never dated any other guys or even kissed another boy." I hold the tremble in when she says that his father was the sheriff. I know where this is going without her finishing it, but she needs to get it out. "He threatened me. I couldn't go to the cops because I'd heard stories about his father letting him get away with other things. I knew they wouldn't believe me about this. For six months I put up with him beating and raping me on a regular basis. He was a senior and I was a junior now. I hid everything from my family. My older brother cornered me one time and asked me why I was with him. I told him he loved me and to just let it be. I couldn't tell him I was with him because Britain threatened to kill my family if I didn't stay with him." She pauses and I think she's done but then the tears come harder. Her body convulses with the sob, and I can't stay still any longer. I pull her into me more, tightening my hold, kissing the side of her head.
"My mom was the perfect small-town mom. She baked. Stayed at home taking care of her kids. Insisted that we decorate for every holiday. She was my best friend." She chokes on the last sentence.
"I got you mo chroi." I kiss her head.
"We'd go shopping together. Get our nails done. I used to tell her everything, but Britain wouldn't let me be with her, he said she was taking time that was meant to be his. My father doted on me. I was his baby girl he'd say. He was the biggest, strongest man I knew but I was afraid for him. Britain's older sister, Monica, helped us move. Two towns away wasn't far enough. My parents loved each other in life and died in each other's arms. My father was shielding my mom's body with his. I slept through him killing them. I woke up for a moment but as I fell back to sleep, I heard the next shot. He killed Jacob in his bed, he was supposed to be away at college but came home to check on me. Britain put the shotgun to his head and pulled the trigger. He even killed our dog, Mosey." I'm about to calm her down again but she starts up. "Elle Graham died that night. The first shotgun blast pierced her shoulder, neck, and face. The second was right between the breasts. The whole Graham family was slaughtered. No justice was ever won for them. Britain walks around today because he had an alibi. But he was slightly too high in his shots. He didn't kill Giselle." She turns in my arms. Her green eyes bright and full of tears in the rising morning sun that comes through the curtains. "Elle murdered her family before she died. She wasn't strong enough to tell Britain no. I don't want to lose you too. I don't want Britain to make his way through this house and kill everyone in their sleep here too. Because he will. He will come here and kill everyone that keeps me away from him. Then he'll kill me for betraying him." Her hand slides against my stubble and she pulls my face down to hers. "I can't lose you too Shane. Even though I shouldn’t, I care about you a lot. You gave me your heart and I want to protect it. Let me go."
"I can't." The words choke out of me. "I can't because, I love you. I'll keep you safe always." I take her lips and when I roll her over, I slide home and make slow love to her.
Hours later Aidan and I am sitting in his home office.
"Lex are you sure there is nothing?" I gave him the names and he couldn’t find anything.
"I didn't say there was nothing," he corrects me with his odd accent. I know some of his past but most of it he keeps close to his vest. "I said there is nothing I can give you on Britain Clacksmith. He's dropped off the radar. He was tried for murder and lost. The jury was hung on the fact that Henry Clacksmith, the sheriff left reasonable doubt. He stated that Elle killed her family then herself, because Britain had an alibi. But I did find out the alibi killed himself and his girlfriend just a couple weeks ago. Plus, there is an attorney still trying to find some way to make the Clacksmith's pay. A Korbin Hamilton, I'll reach out to him."
"What can I do?" I look at Aidan.
He smiles and looks at Lex before he looks at me. "Marry her."
I look between him, and Lex lost for a moment.
"If I marry her, she'll have the family to protect her, correct? My guys will have to guard her."
"Exactly."
"Make it so," I move out of the room not caring that I still haven't asked Giselle. Aidan's right Giselle will be a part of the family and Britain would be suicidal if he went after her.
I move toward where Giselle and Fiona are in the kitchen working together.
"Wait what is going on Moira," I hear Giselle say as I step into the dining room/kitchen area. My gut tightens when she looks up at me with fear in her eyes.
Chapter Five
GISELLE
I can't believe this is happening. Shane and I are in his car flying through the country roads headed for my flat. Moira called to say the flat was broken into and vandalized. Just my room was damaged. I know who it is. I knew this was going to happen.
The memories flood my mind of Shane swearing he loved me as he made love to me, that was the first time I've ever been made love too. Britain raped me every time. I didn't want to have sex with him. The first two times that Shane and I had sex was fucking or shagging as he calls it but this morning after my confession was love. He was showing me how he felt with his body. I wanted to tell him I loved him too, but my heart is dead in my chest. I can't love anyone. Because of reasons like this right here.
We pull up and I see the police lights and people milling in and out of our flat. I can't move, I'm paralyzed in fear. Cops, police, and sheriffs, I've never had a good experience with them. One time I did try to go to Britain's dad, Henry, he immediately called Britain to come get me. While we were waiting, he told me if I knew what was best for me, I'd get on the bandwagon and shut my mouth. I knew at that moment there was no one that could help me.
Look at Declan who is in hiding. Taliah is too from what Lex told us this morning. He said that Securities International, the company she works for now is on lock down. Lex is a computer hacker that works for Aidan, and he told me that my cover wasn't blown yet. But sitting right here right now I know it is. Britain found me.
My door opens and Shane squats down looking in at me. He's dressed in a pair of loose blue jeans that hug his thighs right now as he reaches out for me. The blue sweater matches his eyes and I look at him as I bite my lip.
"Come on Giselle. I have a plan to protect you. I promise to always keep you safe. Even from me if necessary." He says the last part quietly and I shake my head not sure I heard him correctly. He reaches out his hand and pulls me out of the car. I stand next to him the cool breeze of October blowing through my heavy maroon sweater and jeans that Shane got for me. His closet had a full load of clothes for me. I couldn't believe it, but I had no clothes, so I dressed in this set. The infinity scarf doesn't cut the chill that races along my spine and I shiver. Shane brushes his hand down my back and grabs his leather jacket from the back seat of his car. When he slips it over my shoulders, I can't help but take a deep sniff of it. I smell him on it, and it calms my nerves as we make our way across the street.
The cops move aside when they see Shane and me. Some point and start to whisper and I try not to look at them or acknowledge them. It's got to be about who Shane is though.
When we step over the threshold, I hear Moira and she's yelling.
"What do you mean this is nothing threatening?" she yells and I watch her throw something at a plain clothes officer standing in front of her. He has dark brown hair similar to hers.
"Moira, I told you, pictures are not threats. We can't do anything about that, unless there is a direct threat."
