Ellie tried hard to concentrate. She sat on the bed with her laptop. It was chemistry and for some damn reason she could read a whole page and still not retain any useful information. She had prepared for all her other classes. She’d decided to take all extra assignments still on the school website then put them all in her files to turn in at the end of Spring Break, as she had nothing better to do with her time anyway.
Sighing, she looked around. The room was less than stellar, but at least it would be the last place a man like Morgan would ever be. Hell, he probably never heard of the Affix Motel. A fix. She laughed a little. Yes, there were junkies here and one hour hot girls, renting a room for an hour to turn a trick. Yes, it was all lowlifes and seedy characters, but it was cheap and most importantly, hidden from most of the residents of proper Philly.
Her gaze slid to the bedside table where a Gideon bible resided along with the forty-five she had gotten from one of her dad’s old friends. In fact, that was why she’d picked this particular motel. Besides it being a place where she could hide; her dad’s friend, Pete ran it. She knew her Cooper would be safe in the lot. Even with that, old Pete could not protect her all the time, so he’d given her the gun and had narrowed his gaze at her. “Your pops would come back from the grave to get me if anything happened to you here.”
So for three days now, she had gotten it out of the nightstand at least five times whenever she heard scuffling, screams or any unusual movement on the walk outside her door.
Shaking her head, Ellie shut her laptop. Chemistry may be forever lost to her after what happened. She shook those thoughts away. Out of sight out of mind was what her dad used to tell her about bad memories or events, or even people. Morgan’s smiling face and the way his dark eyebrow would raise wickedly at her flashed through her mind. Well, it didn’t work for this particular person. Besides, she doubted she would ever see him again, here or anywhere else, except in newspapers or on the net with some new blonde on his arm.
Her chest constricted. God, how it will hurt when he finally did that. She again, forced his handsome face and sexy killer body out of her head. She gazed around again, tired of this hiding already. It was horrible and so useless. She needed to get back to work as she was going to be dead broke again. Well, that had been her life before Morgan. So, she would get used to scraping by again.
Maybe he isn’t even looking for me. The thought both relieved and saddened her.
Considering the letter she’d left for him, he probably had washed his hands of her anyway. Again, and for the tenth time at least, tears filled her eyes as she remembered that particular piece of literature that would forever be scored into her mind.
Dear Morgan:
I didn't tell you the truth about me and what happened while you were in New York. That man who had kissed me when I lost my phone, I ended up sleeping with him. I can't explain what happened it was just sex. I can't keep lying to you. So, please let’s just part ways. Your life is too whirlwind for me and I don’t fit into it. I can't be in the public eye, as you can see it makes me crazy and I fuck everything up. I know I'll always care for you. I thank you for all that you have done for me.
Sincerely, Ellie
She’d had to write it twice as tears had made the ink run on the paper the first time. The fact was he would not be looking for her after that bomb she’d dropped on him of her cheating on him and lying. So, she was considering going back to the diner. One of the waitresses had asked her to be a roommate and at the time, she’d said no as she had her apartment. But now, she had nowhere to go. She hoped it was still available and she could avoid her old apartment.
A noise came from the walk. It was after dark and she’d forgotten that was when the ghouls and freaks came out. Ellie opened the drawer and grabbed the gun, yet again. She’d gotten a lot of practice handling the heavy weapon just by holding it so much.
She stared at the door. She would just wait this one out. It wouldn’t be safe to get near it or the windows in any case.
The doorknob jiggled.
Gasping, she cocked the gun. Someone was trying to get in!
The door rattled hard and she raised the gun in a shaky grip. “I have a gun!” she shouted at the top of her lungs.
The rattling stopped and it seemed quiet, but next thing, the pounding started.
Dammit, whoever it was didn’t care or didn't believe her.
The door gave way and slammed open.
Ellie pressed the trigger and squeezed her eyes shut as the sound of the bullet leaving the chamber nearly deafened her.
Hearing a loud yell, Ellie opened her eyes and stared. Her eyes widened as she leapt back.
Morgan had gotten lost twice already. Even the damned GPS didn’t know where the fuck this place was. He finally spotted the half lit neon sign.
AFFI MOTEL.
He squinted at the letters. Yes, the X was missing. He drove in and looked for the Mini Cooper. Spotting it, his heart beat wildly in his chest. He had already decided he wouldn’t let Ellie know that he knew anything. Just that she disappeared and he’d been frantically looking for her. He wanted her to tell him eventually. Or maybe he didn’t. He probably couldn’t take the story calmly and he would lose it. He remembered the ruined trashed hotel suite he just left as Chance got employees in there to repair it.
He would just play like she had run off because of the image and fucking airhead Daphne. It was a bit of deception but really, what could he do? Confront her about Hillborn like she had been guilty of something? No. That would be cruel and she’d been through enough already. Sometimes, the plain truth hurt too much. Often, you could only just be there for the person who’d been victimized. If she had problems, he would get her help. Though, she sure hadn’t avoided sex with him and she never balked once during it. Just that moment when he’d said she was god dammed perfect and she had shifted moods. Of course, that statement hurt her, as she felt she had failed him and she wasn’t perfect.
Morgan let out a breath. Dammit, she was though, and he intended to show her that. If he could even get her to come home with him?
Here it was another deal of the century. Only this one was more important than any and all before this.
He parked at the end, so she would not see him coming. She may not open the door. In fact, he expected her not to. Then he would have to break it down. And he would, damn it.
He got out and gazed around. He would be surprised if nothing but a hull would be left of his Lamborghini when he got back to it. But who the fuck cared? It could be replaced. Ellie couldn’t. Plus, he had to get her the hell out of here. He spotted unkempt and rather malicious looking men gathered around in three men clusters in several areas of the motel lot and women walking around…well, the kind who wore very little and probably carried small weapons on their person’s if they were smart.
Here he was with no gun or any sort of weapon.
Morgan squared his wide shoulders, as he didn’t give a fuck. He might just kill a slime or two and he would finally feel better. He stalked over to the spot where her Cooper was parked and looked up to see a scruffy looking man at the door in front of the parking slot. His heart stopped as the man crashed the door open and a shot went off. FUCK!
He rushed forward and through the door.
The man had Ellie pinned on the bed and was ripping at her clothes.
Morgan saw red, nothing but pure red as he rushed forward and grabbed the man flinging him off. He then caught sight of Ellie’s rounded, fear filled eyes. The same way she had looked in that chain video. He turned, grasped the man up and started pounding his face and gut, over and over. “You filthy Fuck!” he shouted as he let out all the rage he still felt.
“MORGAN!” Ellie shouted over and over.
Morgan couldn’t stop, he just couldn’t. He felt someone climb up on his back.
“Morgan! STOP!” Ellie shouted into his ear.
At this, he finally halted and stared down at the bloody face of the man he held in his grasp. He dropped him with a loud thud to the floor. Reaching up, he grabbed Ellie and pulled her over his shoulder.
Ellie’s tear streaked cheeks was what he saw first. He hugged her small body to his heaving chest “Oh, god. Did he hurt you?”
Panting, Ellie replied, “No. Fuck, I think you killed him?”
He sighed and set her far away enough to search her face, his gaze lowered to her chest where the scratches the man had made looked livid and red across her creamy skin. Anger rose up again, as he growled and set her down to lunge at the unconscious man again.
“Morgan!” she shouted.
He paused and looked up at her.
“Please? Stop?” Tears streamed from her eyes.
He knew if he stayed here another god dammed minute, he would finally commit murder, so he grabbed her hand. “We are leaving, NOW!” He hauled her forward.
“WAIT!” she tugged on his hand.
He let out an exasperated breath and reluctantly let go of her.
Rushing, Ellie went back over to the bed. Swiftly, she picked up her laptop, bag and phone. Returning, she went to pass him on the way to the wrecked door.
Morgan was more than impatient and seized her arm before she could get away from him.
She bristled and tugged her arm away from him again. “You have to stop doing that!”
He said nothing. Yes, he was acting like some crazed man, but they needed to get the fuck out of this hell. He glanced down at the blood covered freakshow on the floor.
The man was groaning and coming to. Though, his face looked all bloody.
“He’ll live.” Morgan stepped over him. “Unfortunately.” He ushered Ellie out, grabbing her hand again.
Yanking her hand from his again, she looked livid. “Let go!”
He stopped and stared at her. “No. I can’t let go. I won’t ever let go.”
Her eyes rounded. She looked fearful all the sudden.
Sighing, he knew he needed to calm down or he would blow this completely. “I’m sorry but we have to get out of here before…well, the cops come or—”
“No cops will be here.” She shook her head.
“What the hell?” a male voice asked.
Morgan spun around, ready to defend another attack.
“Whoa, down there champ!” an old man warned a huge double barreled shotgun in his hands aimed at Morgan. “You need to step back from Ellie or I'll fill you full of lead, Fuckhead.”
Ellie gasped from beside him. “Pete! No! This is—is my—I know him!”
The old man scowled at Morgan, slowly lowering his gun. “What in damnation is going on here El?”
Morgan was entirely confused. Who the hell was this guy?
“One of the wilds got into my room and I-I used the forty five…” She swiped a tear away. “I missed.”
Pete looked from her to the busted door and back at Morgan. “And who is this gorilla?”
Morgan glared at the man. “Gorilla?” He stepped forward.
“Morgan!” Ellie grabbed his arm. “Don’t!”
Pete stared at her face. “Ohhhh,” he said and looked over at Morgan as realization appeared in his gaze.
Morgan glared at him. “Oh?”
Pete chuckled. “Yes, I didn’t recognize you Mr. Hunt.”
Morgan straightened his shoulders, as he now knew things would go smoother since he’d been recognized.
“I mean with you being clothed and all, I hardly would have known ya!” Pete laughed hardily.
Morgan realized what he was saying. The nude picture! He glanced over at a silent Ellie.
She looked aghast for a second, but then she seemed to smile at Pete’s laughter.
Morgan almost smiled too. His ego knew no bounds, apparently. Though really, such an insult and embarrassment wasn’t remotely funny. Again though, he didn't have time to care as he grabbed her hand again. “We need to leave now, Ellie.”
“Go ahead,” Pete agreed. “I'll take care of the mess and send your stuff to ya, El.”
Morgan again, wondered at the familiarity, but for the moment, he could give a fuck.
Ellie grabbed her keys out of her bag and turned to the Cooper.
“Oh, no!” Morgan stepped forward.
She swung her determined gaze over as she opened the door. “I am NOT leaving my car.”
He glared at her. “I can replace it.”
She stared at him for a moment and a myriad of emotions passed along her features. Confusion, a wariness, and something else, unidentifiable. “Why are you here?”
Astonished at the question, he blinked at her. WHY? He sucked in an angry breath and let it out with his words, “Why? You just up and disappear on me? I look for you everywhere in this god forsaken town. Then when I finally find you…” He clenched his fists that again, were bloody, but this time it wasn’t his blood. “To find you almost being…” His voice fell away at the rounding of her eyes and her paling face. Raped. Dammit, he was going to say that word. He sighed and tried to get control of the situation. He was fucking this up again, royally.
“I have a place to go. So, it’s okay,” she whispered.
Stepping forward, he stared into her eyes. “Ellie, it is not okay. Please come home with me?”
She looked puzzled. “Why would I do that?”
Morgan knew he was blowing this as he kept shaking his head. He was getting nowhere fast here. “Because that is where you belong.”
She stared at him and swallowed heavily.
Here it was. She thought that he wouldn’t want her. “Please Ellie. I mean if you can forget the photo and Daphne. Can you give us another chance?”
Gasping, she looked like her knees might give out as she sagged against the car.
Morgan reached out and caught her. “Please Ellie? There’s nothing. I mean NOTHING that is worth losing you. Losing us.”
“Y-you still want to be with m-me?” she whispered.
His chest tightened painfully at the fear in her eyes, the tremble in her voice. “Of course I do.”
She looked lost and stunned.
“Look. You can drive the Cooper if you want and I'll follow. But we go to the house, okay?”
Ellie simply nodded mutely.
“Are you sure you can drive?” he asked gently.
Ellie seemed to snap out of it and glared at him. Anger making her angel shaped face look pink. “Yes! I can drive.”
Morgan couldn’t help it, he chuckled at her temper, god dammit she was cute when she got mad. “Okay, get in and I'll—”
A loud gunshot went off. Morgan instantly leapt forward and took Ellie to the ground, covering her body with his.
“I'll gut you with the next shot you sonofabitch!” Pete yelled.
Morgan kept Ellie down and peeked over the hood of her car to see Pete brandishing that smoking double barrel and three men running from Morgan’s car. He looked up and met the man’s gaze.
Pete gave him a wink and nodded down at the Lamborghini. “Nice car. But you’d better drive it the fuck outta here while it is still whole.”
Morgan shook his head.
“LET ME UP!” Ellie shouted from below him.
Startled that she was still on the ground, he looked down at her.
Her face was even pinker, her luscious lips in a little girl pout. He stared at her mouth. He’d missed kissing her. He wanted to taste her so badly. His eyes shifted to hers.
Staring at him, she looked afraid again.
Morgan was at a loss here. He’d hadn’t truly been prepared, he guessed. He’d only wanted to find her. Now he wanted to reassure her. Let her know he wanted her, even loved her. Lie if he had to, anything to make that fearful look leave her eyes and face. “I just wanted to kiss you so badly,” he told the truth.
Ellie gazed into his eyes.
“I missed you so much. More than I can…” His voice drifted away. More than she would ever know…that was for sure. “Please just forgive me, please?” he pleaded.
Ellie looked like she was going to cry.
God, if she did, he would break. Right here on the dirty asphalt in hotel hell’s parking lot. If something, anything in the world could unman him, it would be if she cried. If she told him the details of what that monster did to her. If she came clean. He couldn’t take it. It would shatter the last of his sanity. This wound was still too raw for both of them and he just now realized this fact.
Ellie seemed to swallow heavily and then her trembling lips set into a firm line.
Yep, there, she goes…strong and willed.
“O-kay,” she said as she tried to raise up.
He reached a hand down to her.
Ellie froze and stared up at him for what seemed like forever to Morgan. He saw something in her eyes. Love, shock and another emotion he couldn’t decipher.
Reaching up, she grasped his hand and wrapped her arms around his neck. Lowering her lips, she kissed him fiercely.
Morgan was so stunned and so happy as he kissed her back like his dammed life depended on it. In fact, he knew that his life depended on keeping her in his arms and kissing the breath from her sweet, little body.