Page 121 of Rock Chick Rescue

“I’ll come back for my tips,” I said to him and walked to the front door.

Eddie was standing there. I didn’t look at him.

I had no idea where to go or what to do. The only thing I knew I wasn’t going to do was cry, even though I wanted to, really,reallybadly.

I hesitated when I got outside and Eddie grabbed my hand and pulled me to his truck. We got in, took off and rode to his house in complete silence. I should have protested but I didn’t have it in me. I was struggling for control of my emotions. I had a man with a knife after me, another man was planning on raping me and another man had shot at me. I had to pick my battles.

Eddie walked me into his kitchen and I slammed my purse on the counter then stood in the middle of the room while he closed the door.

He came at me but I skirted around him, walked back to the door and threw it open.

I leaned over and took off one of my stiletto-heeled pumps and threw it in the backyard and did the same with the other one. I closed the door and turned to Eddie.

He was staring at me, residual hostility still glittering in his eyes.

“Ihatethose shoes,” I pointed out the obvious.

I walked through the kitchen and into his bedroom and started to open and shut drawers. Or, more like yanking open drawers and slamming them shut, looking for a T-shirt.

Eddie came in, gently tugged me away from my assault on his innocent dresser and started to pull me in his arms.

“No!” I wrenched free. “I need to go to bed. I need a T-shirt.”

I turned to the drawers. He pulled me back and into his arms, this time less gently and with more determination.

“Don’t, Eddie. I’m hanging on by a thread here,” I told his throat.

If he held me, I’d lose it, I knew it.

“Why?” Eddie asked.

My eyes lifted and I noticed his were guarded, but the hostility was gone.

“Why what?”

“Why are you hangin’ on?”

I stared at him.

“I can’t let go,” I told him, thinking it was obvious.

“Jet, everyone has to let go.”

“Not me,” I replied.

His arms tightened and I tensed and pushed away. It didn’t get me far, but I concentrated on the act anyway.

“Why not you?” he asked.

I didn’t answer. Eddie shook me.

“Why not you?” he repeated.

The tears hit the back of my throat and I gulped them down.

“Jet,” he prompted.

I shook my head but answered, “I can’t because there’s no one to catch me when I fall.”

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