Chapter Two
Chloe swerved down the snowy street, heart racing and breath panting in the cold car. He kissed her. Trenton Cole, her hero, had kissed her. Her mind still couldn’t wrap around the fact that she’d actually run into him.
By the time she was in her neighborhood, she wasn’t even close to recovering from her run-in with her past. It was surreal to see anyone connected to that time of her life—though Trenton wasn’t really connected. He’d only found her at the very end, just after she’d escaped the nightmare that was once her life.
Their kiss replayed over and over again in her head. Each time making her heart skitter out of control. She’d only meant to thank him. Never in a million years did she expect a man like that to kiss her. The fact that she’d hero-worshipped him for half a decade only made the entire situation harder to process.
As she made it into her icy driveway, she gripped the wheel in astonished shock. “Holy crap.” He kissed her.
What would have happened if they weren’t interrupted? Would she have gone further with him? A resounding no echoed through her mind.
What was she thinking? He was obviously picky, being that he’d never found the right woman. Men like that liked what women like her weren’t capable of providing—at least not anymore.
Her head fell into the seat and she squeezed her eyes shut. “He doesn’t even have my number.” That was a good thing, but it also felt like a lost opportunity—one she wasn’t sure she had the guts to take. Yet the thought of never seeing him again… She was such a moron. Why had she bolted out of there like that?
Well, one, she shouldn’t be making out with a total stranger in her client’s house. That was pretty much it. She shouldn’t be making out with anyone. Especially not a man she hardly knew and especially not a man his size. The voice in her head that belonged to Dr. Chloe Wolfe admonished the automatic assumption that all men were as cruel as Marcus and Chloe quickly reminded herself there were good men out there. But even good men could be risky.
Pessimism as deep as hers in regard to trust was woven into her bones. Trying to think differently when it came to her own life and safety was like trying to purposely break her arm. She might survive the snap, but why chance more pain?
Taking a deep breath, she collected her wits and put all thoughts of Trenton Cole aside to examine later. As she cut across the snowy driveway, her neighbors’ porch light flipped on and the door opened, Adam’s trim frame filling the entrance.
“Well, hey,” he greeted, his manicured brows framing his gray eyes.
“Hey.” She stomped the snow off her feet and stepped into the kitchen.
“How was the party?”
Rubbing her hands together, she worked out the chill. “It was nice.”
“Honey, I hope you did a better job convincing your friends you had a good time.”
She unraveled her scarf and frowned. “I did have a good time, but at the end of the night I ran into someone I wasn’t expecting to see. I’m still a little frazzled.”
“Who, an old friend I hope?”
“Well, not a friend, but definitely someone I was glad to see.”
“Ooh, an ex lovah?”
“No, and that’s all I’m saying. Where are my children?”
“Sleeping on the couch.” He pouted. “Tell me who you saw.”
Tommy, Adam’s husband, breezed into the kitchen, his blond hair a perfect mess. “Was someone exciting at the party?” Although in slippers and cozy pants he still wore a stylish scarf, as if prepared for an impromptu Ralph Lauren photo shoot.
“She won’t tell.” Adam glared at her. “Brat.”
Tommy sidled closer, nudging her with his hip. “Was it a man?”
“It was no one.” Telling them would lead to too many questions and as far as answers… She had none.
“Well, whoever it was, he’s got her all flustered.” Adam waved his fingers as if tickling the electric air buzzing around her.
She swatted his fingers away. “Stop that. And who said it was a he?”
“Puh-lease.” Tommy snapped his tongue against his teeth. “Look at you. Your cheeks are rosy, your hair’s tousled, and you’re not wearing a trace of lipstick.” Gasping, he pressed his fingers to his lips. “You were doin’ some kissing!”
A wave of heat burned her cheeks as they turned on her with greedy curiosity. “Spill! Who is he?”
“Shh. You’ll wake the boys.”
“Tell or my begging will only get more shrill,” Tommy threatened.
Releasing a deep breath, she closed her eyes and surrendered. “The man who drove me to New Castle six years ago.”
They gaped at her. “Oh-em-gee, your rescuer? Your mystery hero?”
She couldn’t hide her smile. “Yes.”
“How fabulous! And he kissed you?”
“That’s the part I don’t get, but you know what? It doesn’t matter. It was a thirty-second, spur of the moment kiss, and I barely had time to kiss him back. I’ll probably never see him again. Besides, I don’t need any additional men in my life.”
“Why? Men are the most fun,” Tommy argued.
“It’s complicated.” And something she didn’t discuss. “I don’t want to be involved and I don’t think he really intended to kiss me.”
“Did he trip and fall on your face?”
“No, smart ass. It was a freak thing that will never happen again, which is how I want it, so let’s drop it.”
Tommy snorted. “Girl, the only thing you’re dropping is ten bucks on new batteries. This is some serious fantasy material. We’ve heard your drunken confessions about your mystery hero. That man’s held the leading role in your fantasies for six long—cough—lonely—years. Throw the boy a bone and for god’s sake, take one for yourself.”
Adam threw his head back and laughed. “When’s the last time you got boned, Chloe? I’m pretty sure you’re overdue.”
“You know what? Since you two are so energetic this evening, Dayton and Mattie can stay here tonight. I’m going to bed.” She twisted her scarf and pushed back through the kitchen door.
“Oh, go on girl!” Tommy shouted, poking his head out the door as she trekked across the snow. “We’ll give you your privacy. Whip out the nine volts! This deserves all the bells and whistles!”
Shoving her key in the lock, she held up her middle finger. “You’re a pervert.” She didn’t have toys like that. Maybe I should get some…
“My perversions are only a measure of my notable intelligence. I’m loaded with wisdom regarding all things sexy and male.”
But Tommy was right. She fantasized about Trenton Cole on more than one occasion and tonight would be especially vivid as she could clearly picture his face and still smell his intoxicating scent on her skin.
It had taken her years to masturbate after leaving Marcus and when she finally had, Trenton Cole was only a hazy recollection her mind sometimes stumbled across at the brink of climax. Tonight, her fantasies were so intense she could call every detail to mind. It made sleeping very difficult and no amount of playing with herself made the fantasies of Trenton Cole go away.
Each time she pictured him her body trembled. When she whispered his name, her toes curled. And every time she came she only wanted more, more, more. There was obviously something wrong with her.
The next day Chloe was exhausted and antsy. She was on her hands and knees scrubbing out the oven when the phone rang. Ignoring the call and letting it go to voicemail, she continued to scour the potent industrial cleaner into the caked on grime.
“That smells like egg farts!” Mattie groused, covering his nose.
About to pass out from the fumes, she drew back and sat on the freshly mopped floor. “Take your boots off.”
Dayton tromped into the kitchen a few seconds later, drips of melting ice falling from his snow pants. “Ew! What’s that smell?”
“Mom farted!”
“I did not!” She peeled the rubber gloves off her hands and let the oven slam shut. “It’s the oven cleaner.” It did smell like farts though. She probably did, too.
“Can we have hot chocolate?” Dayton asked.
Shifting the bandana holding back her hair, she adjusted her old sweatshirt and waited for the dizzying effects of the fumes to lessen. “Why don’t you play for a while longer and I’ll make some hot chocolate later?”
“I don’t wanna sled anymore.” Dayton’s mouth pinched as he plopped into an empty kitchen chair, swinging his foot at the other one as if kicking the wood could somehow communicate his feelings.
This was her new Dayton. She was still adjusting to the unfamiliar moodiness of her first-born and frequently reminding herself not to link his irritability to his father’s. But no matter how hard she tried not to make the mental comparison, her mind always landed on the same worry. Dayton looked like his father and Mattie looked like her. But she’d be damned if either of her boys turned out like him.
“Dayton, stop kicking the chair.”
His foot stilled and he slouched. “There’s nothing to do.”
She’d hoped the snow would keep them busy, at least for a little while. “You love the snow.”
“I’m too big to sled. It’s only babies out there.”
“Nuh-ah,” Mattie piped in. “Tommy’s sledding and he’s way bigger than you. You’re the one being a baby.”
“Shut up, Mattie. You’re the baby.” Dayton gave his brother a slight push.
Mattie, who was smaller but more solid and rougher, pushed back, causing Dayton to knock into the table and splash her coffee.
“Hey! No hitting. Apologize to each other.”
They each grumbled an insincere apology.
“Dayton, if you don’t want to go sledding then do something else—”
“But then I can’t go out!” Mattie cried.
“You just said Tommy was out there. As long as you stay with Tommy, you can sled. But I don’t want you going off without him. When he says it’s time to come in, you’re not to argue. Understand?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Dayton, go find something to do while I walk your brother over to the hill.”
Throwing on a coat and boots, she trekked to the hill, waving when she spotted Tommy at the top of the slope with some of the neighborhood parents. He excused himself from the others and slid down the snow on a toboggan, belly first, to greet her and Mattie.
“You come to hit the slope, Chloe?”
“No, I’m cleaning. Dayton’s staying in. Can you keep an eye on Mattie?”
“Of course, love.” His white teeth were possibly brighter than the snow as he grinned under his designer cap.
She braved the cold a while longer to watch Mattie sled down the hill a couple times. As she was about to head back to her house, Dayton came running to where she and Tommy stood, her cellphone in his hand.
“Mom, someone’s on the phone. They said it’s important.”
“Who is it?”
Holding her cell out, he shrugged. “Some guy named Jeremy.”
She frowned and took the phone. “Hello?”
“Chloe, Thank God I got you. Can you come over?”
He was speaking really fast, not at all like the Jeremy she knew. “What’s going on? Did something happen?”
“We got him. We fucking got him.”
Oh, my God… Did he mean Jade’s stalker? She had to watch what she said in front of others. “Who, Jeremy?”
“Him. He’s dead. Last night… Jesus. So much happened after the party. I haven’t slept and I’m still shaking.”
Her frown etched deeper into her wind-chilled face as she pieced together his jagged words. Him… She knew before he clarified Jeremy was speaking of the man who had tormented Jade’s world for the past year. He was dead? Still unsure who he was, she told herself his identity didn’t matter, so long as they got him and her friend was safe. “Is Jade—”
“She’s safe. But she needs you.”
Her heart jerked, relief tunneling through her. “I don’t understand. How did this happen? What happened?”
It had been months since Jade’s attack and they all assumed the case was closed, leaving Jade with a trauma that might take a lifetime to forget, one she never remembered in the first place. Rape often took place in a matter of minutes, but the repercussions lasted a lifetime. Chloe knew this from first-hand experience.
But they got the guy? How? Where?
“He attacked her last night.” Jeremy’s words were rough and full of pent-up emotion for his wife. “He was at the party—in our house! It was a nightmare. I thought I would never see her again. We just got back from the hospital a little bit ago. Jade’s safe, but… It’s not good.”
After months of intensive therapy and no leads to the man who violated Jade, it took Chloe completely off guard that the perpetrator was suddenly identified—and dead. “Was anyone else hurt?”
Tommy quieted Mattie’s exclamations to his mother about his recent sledding performance as she covered her ear to better hear what Jeremy was saying.
“She got pretty roughed up, but she’s mostly shaken. Can you come to our house?”
Her heart raced as her worry for Jade became her sole concern. “I can be there in about twenty minutes. Tell her I’m on my way.”
“Thank you, Chloe. Thank you for everything.”
Issuing quick goodbye, she snapped the phone shut, and turned to Tommy. “It’s one of my clients. There was an incident. I have to go see if she’s okay. Is there any way you could—”
“Go. Take as long as you need and make sure your client’s okay.”
Placing a hand on his sleeve, she gave a grateful squeeze. Tommy and Adam were always there for her when she needed them. “I owe you guys.”
“That’s what friends are for. Now, go.”
She looked at Dayton and Mattie. “You two listen to Tommy and no fighting. I don’t want to hear any bad reports when I get back.”
“Did someone die?” Dayton asked, a little too much interest in his eyes.
“No,” she lied, quickly covering her slip on the phone. “Listen to Tommy and behave. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Can I go to their house? I don’t want to sled.”
Her life sometimes seemed an unending pattern of meticulous decisions, and there was always a pileup of requests whenever she had somewhere to be. She glanced at Tommy and he nodded.
“Adam’s at the house. He can go hang with him.”
She didn’t waste time walking Dayton inside but watched as Adam opened the door to let him in, cell phone to his ear, likely getting a quick update from Tommy.
After rushing through her house and grabbing her keys and purse, she carefully navigated her car through the recently plowed streets. As she waited at a traffic light, she rummaged through her bag for some lipstick, flipped down the visor mirror, and grimaced.
“Oh, that’s not good.”
A smudge of oven grease colored her wind-chapped cheek and she still wore a bandana over her hair. As she merged into traffic she licked her finger and tried smudging the grease off of her cheek, but gave up when she hit a slightly icy stretch of road. She would worry about her appearance later.
After a tense twenty minutes of piloting the slushy streets in her small yellow car, she finally reached Jade and Jeremy’s neighborhood. Chloe knocked lightly on the front door and Jeremy immediately opened it. He still wore his suit pants and shirt from the evening before, but the crisp fabric was worn and wrinkled. His eyes were haunted and his hair a mess.
Chloe spotted a smudge of what looked like blood on his shoulder but tried not to focus on that. “How is she?”
“Not good.” He let her in and quietly shut the door. The house looked exactly as it had the night before when she left, minus all the guests. “She’s in our room. I gave her something to relax, but she’s just staring at the wall. She isn’t talking much. She isn’t even crying.”
Her mind was racing faster than her heart. She needed more information before facing Jade. “Jeremy, what happened?”
He blew out an unsteady breath. “The guy was one of our guests. He took her right from our home and drove her to a house, for fuck’s sake! I don’t want to think about what could have happened if my friend hadn’t followed them. When he got there the son of a bitch had a gun to her head. My buddy got there just in time and the cops arrived minutes later.”
Chloe placed a comforting hand on his shaking shoulder. That was enough. “If he’s dead, he can’t hurt her anymore, Jeremy.” Jade wouldn’t be the only one traumatized when this was all over.
He nodded and drew in an unsteady breath. “Will you try to talk to her? I don’t want her to … think she has to hide her pain and handle this alone. Like last time”
“She’s strong, Jeremy. This is a lot, but she’ll get through it. Less than twenty-four hours ago she was having the time of her life. It’s difficult to process trauma. She’s suffered a lot. Such abrupt closure can be a bit surreal—for everyone involved. Just give it time. Keep telling yourself it’s over and remind her of the same when she needs to hear it. That’s all she needs from you, time and love.”
“I can’t believe it’s actually over. I just…”
Chloe quietly waited, as he covered his eyes and lost the fight against his tears. Once he composed himself, she repeated, “It’s going to take everyone some time.”
He nodded and cleared his throat, his face etched with lines of stress. “I’ll take you to her.”
She followed him up the stairs to the bedroom she’d been in last night. It looked completely different in the light of day.
Jade’s fragile form looked like that of a child as she lay on the bed, tightly curled into herself under the covers. Her blond hair was damp, her eyes focused on something and absolutely nothing at the same time.
Jeremy placed a gentle hand on his wife’s shoulder. “Jade, baby, Chloe’s here.”
Without moving her head, Jade’s gaze traveled to Chloe’s. Although she didn’t blink, a tear rolled from her lashes and Chloe swallowed hard against the lump in her throat, instinctively moving to the bed.