Come Back To Me (16 page)

"Yeah that's still a mystery
to me too. But Jake, the anger in his eyes in the video, is fucking
frightening. Not sure what she did to piss him off, but it looks
like he wanted to kill her."

"Fuck." Jake bit
out.

"Look, I'm no expert here,
but this girl is running scared. And you need to get her to tell
you what is going on, before she gets hurt."

"Sam, I tried. She won't
confide in me, she pushed me away, and that was it."

"You know, watching the
videos also brought some other stuff to my attention." Sam
said.

"Like what?" Jake raised an
eyebrow.

"Like the way she looked at
you. And vice versa."

"Oh come on man, that's
nothing. We've been friends since college. That's it."

"Keep telling yourself that
Jake, but the eyes don't lie." Sam slid another picture in front of
him. This one was of Emily. Her eyes were filled with such...what
was it? Even in the black and white grainy photo she still looked
stunning. Sam slid another picture his way.

This one was of himself,
when he put the photos side by side, it made the complete picture.
Him looking into Emily's eyes, and she into his. His jaw
dropped.

"Sorry to point it out Jake.
But this girl trusts you; you can see it all over her face. You
need to find out what happened."

"I'll try." He
replied.

"Good. Listen, if you figure
something out give me a call. I'll do what I can to help." Sam
offered.

"Yeah thanks."

Sam left, and Jake couldn't
take is eyes off the photos. Emily did trust him, but what held her
back from telling him her darkest secrets? She pushed him away, but
he wouldn't take no for an answer next time. Something was up and
he intended to get to the bottom of it. She needed him, even if she
didn't realize it just yet.

Twenty-Two

I sat at my desk realizing
what a total bitch I had been to Jake. He was nothing but kind to
me and I blew him off like a speck of lint off my shoulder.
Everything that had happened in the week I'd been in New York was
nothing shy of a disaster, and Jake was my only solace in all of
it. I hadn't planned on him waltzing back into my life, sure I
fantasized about him plenty, but to see him again, and feel him so
intimately was mind blowing. He scared me with the smoldering looks
he gave. It was like he saw through all my bullshit, and knew me on
levels I didn't even know myself. I never got this worked up over a
guy, even when the incident with Michael happened, it was easy to
turn tail and run the other way. With Jake it was different; I felt
pain when I hurt him.

Maybe I was thinking too
much into it all. What if he was just being nice in asking me out
again? It was possible that he just felt bad for fucking me and
wanted to smooth it over. But I didn't want it to be smoothed over,
I wanted to open up to him, reveal what was troubling me. And maybe
he could make it not so horrible. Could I lay it all on his
shoulders like that? I did in college. I confided in Jake even when
the smallest thing had me tied up in knots. Time to grow a pair,
and tell him what was really going on. So what if it all got out,
and I lost my job. If that asshole Grant got what he deserved in
the end, then in my book it would be worth it. Here goes
nothing.

I picked up the phone and
got his office number from 411. It connected me directly and a
friendly female voice answered.

"Bradford Law Firm, Eliza
speaking."

"Uh hi, I was wondering if i
could talk to Jake...I mean Mr. Bradford."

"Sure, hold on just one
moment okay."

I was put on hold for a few
seconds when Jake answered the line. "Jake Bradford."

"Jake, its
Emily."

There was an awkward
silence, and I wasn't sure if he hung up. "Jake?"

"Yeah I'm here." he
sighed.

Shit he was pissed.
Rightfully so.

"Look, I need to talk. Can I
come by your place after work?"

"I don't think that's a good
idea Emily."

"Oh, okay." I wasn't sure
what to say at that point. "I'm sorry Jake, some things have
happened, and I just need someone to talk to...please?"

He wasn't making this very
easy for me, I decided to confide in him and he was acting like a
total jackass.

"Fine. I'll be home by six.
Come by after that."

"Thank you." I said, but he
had already hung up.

My stomach dropped to the
floor, he was very upset, and I was the cause. Hopefully he would
understand once I spilled my guts to him later.

I left work and hailed a cab
to Jake's apartment. Once I reached his door, my nerves went into
overdrive, and I felt like my lunch was going to make an encore
performance. I rang the bell, and hoped he didn't open the door and
slam it in my face.

He opened it. "Hey come
in."

"Wow, something smells great
in here." I sniffed the air.

"Hope you're hungry, I made
grilled steaks."

"Sounds yummy."

"Can I help?"

He eyed me and paused. "Nah
just take your coat off, and get comfortable."

"Okay."

"So how was work today?" He
asked.

"It was fine, just a bunch
of filing papers and sending emails. You?"
"About the same." He shrugged.

"Don't you have a secretary
to do those daunting tasks?" I laughed.

"Her cat died, so even
though she was there in body, her mind was elsewhere."

"Oh, how sad."

"Yeah I guess. She's nice
but had an unrealistic attachment to that feline. I keep telling
her she needs a man instead of a cat."

I couldn't help but laugh at
his solution to his secretary's problem. A man would fix everything
huh?

Jake laid a spread of food
on the table and set out a bottle of wine. Everything looked so
inviting.

"Dig in." he
offered.

I filled my plate with what
was more than I would eat, but as hungry as I was I would damn sure
try.

"You make me feel so
inadequate as part of the female sex Jake." I pointed
out.

"Why cause you can't
cook?"

"Yup." I smiled.

"Some have it, some don't.
Nothing to be ashamed of."

"I guess."

Once dinner was over I
helped clear the table, and load the dishwasher. Jake refilled our
wine glasses and headed for the living room. He sat in a comfy
oversized chair, and I took a seat on the sofa.

"So, what did you want to
talk about?" He asked.

"Well um...okay so it's
complicated, and please don't look bad at me once I tell you what's
going on." I started.

Jake raised his eyebrows. "I
promise."

"You asked me what the deal
was with that guy at the fundraiser, so here it is. His name is
Grant Billings, and he is actually the defendant in one of the
cases Mr. Brewster is handling." I took a breath. "It all started
out innocent, he invited me to dinner before I knew who he was, and
everything was fine. Then I found out about the case against him.
He started to get creepy, and even sent me flowers and
lingerie."

I could tell by the look on
his face that Jake was not comfortable hearing this, but I had to
get it in the open.

"So one night he invited me
to dinner, and we ended up at his place. One thing led to another
and we uh...ended up in bed together."

The grimace on Jake's face
made me want to hurl. He was upset and disappointed with me, and I
hated that.

"Well, after we were done, I
wasn't happy, and decided to leave. That's when he went ape
shit."

"What happened Emily?" Jake
spat out.

"Jake I swear, I didn't
intend on things getting out of hand."

"Just tell me what happened
Em."

"He um, he raped me." I
lowered my head; I didn't want to see his face when I told him this
horrible thing. For all I knew he would throw me out the door on my
ass and never look back.

"Son of a bitch!" Jake threw
his wine glass against the wall. It shattered in to tiny pieces,
and I was scared stiff.

I began to cry
uncontrollably, partly because I was relieved to get things out in
the open, and partly because I'd never seen Jake in a fit of rage
like that. It had me flashing back to the night Michael attacked
me. I quickly stood, and headed for the door.

"Em wait." He
called.

I stopped dead in my tracks.
I couldn't face him. "Jake I..."

He came up behind me and
wrapped his arms around me. It was an embrace that comforted me so
well that I sank to the floor. Jake pulled me onto his lap and
cradled me while I cried.

"It's okay Em, you're safe
now. I'm not gonna let anyone hurt you ever again."

His words were a promise
that touched my soul. He meant everything he said and I trusted him
fully at that moment. I cried until I could cry no more. My cheeks
were damp from the tears, and Jake cupped my face with both his
hands. He looked me in the eyes, and I could see something there.
What was it?

He kissed each of my tear
stained cheeks gently and tugged me up until I was standing in
front of him. "Come on let's take a shower." He said while taking
my hand.

We reached the bathroom, and
without speaking he undressed me, and then himself. He pulled me
into the shower, wrapped his arms around me and held me tight
against his chest. I looked up into his eyes, and found he was
looking into mine.

"I'm sorry." I
whispered.

"Don't. You have nothing to
be sorry for."

After the words came from
his mouth, he pressed his lips to mine. I again felt the stinging
electricity pass through my body. I wanted him. "Jake, I need
you."

Lifting my legs up he
positioned me against the wall of the marble shower. He placed his
forearms under the backs of my knees and I could feel his cock
nudging my entrance. I was open and ready for him and he knew it. I
expected him to take things slow like he did the first time we had
sex, but he didn't.

With one stroke he entered
me, pushing me against the cold tile wall of the shower. He
stilled, and looked me in the eye. I could see the intensity
burning beneath his irises. There was nothing there but pure primal
lust, and I was willing to take what he had to give. He continued
to thrust inside me, and I moaned with each pump of his length. He
was buried inside me but I still needed more of him. "Harder
please."

No questions. He began to
pump vigorously into me, and I felt my insides tighten. The heat
was low in my belly, and my toes began to tingle. I just then
remembered that we didn't use a condom, but I didn't care. I needed
him, wanted all of him.

As my orgasm became just
within reach, his breathing became more ragged. "Fuck, you feel so
good." He groaned.

I knew he was close, and I
wanted him to come with me over the edge.

"Come inside me Jake." I
moaned.

He didn't hesitate, he just
picked up the thrusting and I knew I would fly over the cliff
soon.

The first wave began to hit
me. "Oh God, I'm gonna come!" I screamed.

I felt him thicken, and grow
harder in my depth. As the waves of pleasure washed over me, he
stilled, and let out a cry of his own. His hot cum blasted inside
me, and I could feel it coat every inch of me. I had never felt so
connected to anyone. We shared something beyond just physical
attraction. It was a deep connection that frightened me, and I
wanted to run, but couldn't. I was drawn to him and him to
me.

I was in love with Jake. I
always had been, but I never let him know. I wanted to tell him so
bad, but I couldn't. Every time I said those words to someone, they
threw them back in my face. I was never going to set myself up for
heartbreak again. The wall I built around my heart would just have
to stay there. It would take an act of God to bring it crumbling to
the ground.

Twenty-Three

Jake had never felt more
close to anyone in his entire thirty-two years on the earth. Emily
was the moon and stars to him, and he would do anything to protect
her. Sam was right, she trusted him fully, and Jake reveled in that
fact. She poured her heart out, no matter how bad it had
been.

Jake was angry about what
happened to Emily, but not at her. It wasn't her fault; she didn't
ask to be raped by a maniac. "Time to formulate a plan." he
thought. She might be upset at what he had in mind but it was
better than the alternative.

Sitting in his office
Tuesday morning he decided his plan of action. He called out his
office door. "Hey Eliza, get me the number for Brewster &
Carlton Firm please."

"Sure boss."

Within minutes Eliza
strolled into his office and laid the note with a phone number on
his desk. "Thanks." He said.