WHAT IS SO bad about her past that she can’t confide in me?
I didn’t want her to know that she’d hurt me with her lack of entrusting me with her story. Truth was, I was pretty upset that she wouldn’t share her past with me so I could try and help her through her pain. Madison had shut me out once before with her secrets and it’d cost me dearly.
When we pulled up to a diner on the way back to her house, I finally looked over to see her. She turned away from the window and captured me in her green eyed gaze.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
Feeling bad for having been upset, I seized her hand in mine and brought it to my lips to kiss it. “No worries, babe. You can tell me when you’re ready. I’ll be here waiting,” I promised her, causing the corners of her lips to turn up into a smile.
“Thank you.” She pecked me on the lips before hopping out of the truck.
The diner was small and empty of patrons. My eyes scanned the dining room until I located a more private booth. Holding her hand, I tugged her behind me over to it. She sat down and I scooted in beside her. After we ordered some greasy food and milkshakes, she spoke.
“A terrible thing happened to me three years ago. I’ve never voiced it to anyone. I fight to keep those memories at bay because, Cale, I swear they’ll consume me. I’m terrified every single day—well, until I met you. And even though all that’s happened with Sam is absolutely frightening, I can’t help but feel that, as long as you’re near, it will be okay.”
I put my arm around her and pulled her close to me, kissing the top of her head.
“When I finally recount those events, please just be there to pick up the pieces.” Once again, she was so fucking cryptic.
“Of course,” I promised her.
The drive back to her place was quiet. We’d had a very long day, and it was starting to get dark. Her nervousness didn’t go unnoticed when we arrived at her house. She had her keys in her hand, mace poised and ready to fire.
We managed an uneventful trip into the house. Our relief was evident at not finding another rose. My hopes were that he would see my constant presence and be scared away by our involving the police in the matter. I finally felt like I could breathe for the first time today.
Lia went into the kitchen and popped some popcorn while I started a movie I’d brought from the house. It was something funny and light because she definitely didn’t need any more suspense in her life.
After starting the movie, I sat on the end of the couch, giving her room to lay her head in my lap and stretch out. She smiled at me and got into position for the movie. Grabbing the blanket that was draped over the back of the couch, she pulled it over her and we started eating the buttery popcorn while the beginning credits of the movie began.
Fifteen minutes into the movie, I thought I heard a car door close. Once I’d quickly lifted her head, I jumped up and slipped on my shoes to investigate the noise outside. She looked at me with fear in her eyes when she saw my expression and sat frozen.
“Lia, it’s okay. I am sure it was nothing. I’m just going to—” My sentence was interrupted at the shattering of glass, and then an instant later, flames were swelling around the window and up the curtains in the living room. “Shit! Lia, call the fire department!” I barked at her, scrambling for a way to put out the fire.
She screamed at the fire that was now in her living room and ran to the phone in the kitchen. I heard her speaking frantically on the phone as I snatched up the blanket and began trying to snuff out the fire. I beat on the fire until I was sure it was out before taking off out the front door in a blind rage with Lia hot on my heels and yelling my name to stop me.
The car was already out of the driveway and halfway down the road before I made it out there. “Son of a bitch!” I cursed loudly as I watched Sam’s car drive away. When I finally caught that motherfucker in the act, I was going to kill him, no fucking joke.
Lia ran up behind me and hugged me. I could hear the sirens in the distance. Turning, I gathered her into my arms.
“I’m so sorry, baby. I’m so sorry,” I soothed into her ears, holding her tight as she sobbed.
Jerking away from me, she gently grabbed my hands into hers. “Cale, you’ve been burned!” she shrieked.
Once the adrenaline rush wore off, I began to feel the burning areas on my hands. They weren’t bad enough to require medical attention, but Lia was concerned for me. “It’s nothing Lia, I’ll be fine,” I promised her as the fire truck arrived.
A bulky black man hopped out of the truck and ran towards us. “Lia! What happened?” he demanded.
She wrenched away from me and gave him a big hug. “Deion, this guy named Sam is stalking me and started the fire with us in the living room! Thankfully Cale was able to put it out quickly,” she urgently told him.
“Thank God you’re okay. Wait here and let the EMT assess you for injuries. We’re going to go in and have a look and make sure the fire’s completely out,” he informed her. After he rejoined his crew, they headed inside.
Once we’d been checked over by the EMT and they’d made sure my burns weren’t serious, we sat holding hands in the grass by the porch, waiting on the firemen to clear the scene. The officer had taken our statement while we’d been getting looked over. When we told him we’d been at the station earlier that day to report someone, he took our story a lot more seriously. But still, we had nothing to go on to catch him.
Deion walked down to where we were sitting. “Lia, the good news is that your house will be okay. Your man put the fire out pretty quickly.” He nodded over at me with approval. “Bad news is that you should probably stay somewhere till you get the window replaced. If you need a place to stay, you know you are always welcome at Anj’s and my place.”
Standing, I reached out a hand to him. “Deion, I’m Cale. It’s nice to meet you.” Shaking hands, I promised, “I will take care of her. She’ll be safe with me at my place.”
Lia, who had stood up as well, nodded at him.
“Okay then. Looks like we’re finished up here. Lia, don’t forget about the Halloween party on Friday night. I expect you’ll be bringing Cale?” he questioned her, now smiling.
She grinned back, “Of course.”
They hugged once more before he and the other firemen left us alone in the dark.