from Pain to Pleasure (Gainesville Book 1) (29 page)

Alex scowled. “You approached me.” He hated to take the blame for girlfriends who cheated. “And I didn’t do this to Danielle. I was on the fucking field, you assholes.” His anger built, at himself and the accusers. “Go ask the police if you have to. Rumors’re not always true.”

Dave pushed his way through the group until he reached Alex. “Anyone who believes Alex could hurt the girl he loves can get the fuck out!” He grabbed Danielle’s scarf and put it in her shaky hands. “I’m sorry this happened.” With a look of determination, he bellowed, “Just try me! If anybody says another word about this bullshit, I’m gonna literally throw you out!” He ushered Alex and Danielle upstairs to his bedroom. He asked them, “How the fuck did a rumor like that get started?”

“It’s complicated.” Alex sighed and sat on the bed. He pulled Danielle down with him. “She was dating someone else not long ago.”

Dave’s mouth opened and eyes widened. “Oh, now it makes sense. That’s why you were hesitant to go after her.”

“Yeah.” Alex held Danielle close. She shook. “He’s a fucking psychopath. It’s all my fault.”

Danielle grabbed his hand. “It’s not. You helped me see how bad it really was. He would’ve snapped over something else one day. You saved me from him. He almost killed me.”

He caressed her cheek. “But I fueled his delusional mind. I’m sorry. I didn’t think he would really try to kill you. God, it’s my fault he sent Diego and Jeff, too, isn’t it?”

“No.” Danielle stood and moved in front of him. “He sent them because I was asleep when Brian called.”

Alex met her sad gaze. “They both raped you, didn’t they?”

“We’re not gonna talk about it anymore,” she insisted. “I moved on and wanna forget all that. We have a new life now; you, me and the baby.”

Dave’s mouth dropped again. “Baby? You guys are having a baby?”

“Yeah,” Alex smiled. “Don’t tell anyone. Please. We’re not ready to put it out there yet. There’s too much going on now.”

Dave’s eyes opened wide. “Did you knock her up ’cause I roofied you?”

“Yeah.” Alex sighed. “I’m not mad about it, though. We wouldn’t be together otherwise.” He threw his arms around Danielle. “You sure you’re OK about this crap?”

She leaned her head on his. “It is what it is. I know you didn’t hurt me.”

They stayed up there for about 20 minutes; long enough for Dave to worry. “Alex, it’s all good downstairs,” he said when he came back in the room. “Your real friends don’t believe you hurt her.”

Alex had his head on Danielle’s shoulder as he tried to let it all go. “I’m sorry about that shit.”

“You didn’t invite those idiots.” Dave was still annoyed about the scene. “I don’t know who did, but they’re all gone. Come on down. I got something I want you to see.”

Once downstairs, Alex took Danielle’s hands in his and led her through the living room. He could see she was stressed. “You need to rest.” He gently nudged her to sit on the couch, and then sat next to her. He wanted to touch her belly but didn’t dare.

“Please stop babying me.” Danielle was slightly annoyed. She placed her purse on the floor. “I’m fine.”

While he leaned toward her, he whispered, “I’m sorry. I’m worried.”

“I promise. If I feel off, I’ll let you know.”

He smiled, and then turned her face to him. “OK. I’ll back off.” His lips brushed hers as his thumb caressed her jaw line. “I love you.”

“Ready?” Dave stood in front of the 60-inch flat screen that dominated the room. “It’s queued up.” He held the remote and waited for Alex’s attention. When all eyes were on him, Dave pressed play. “This is some sick shit.”

The frozen picture of a football field came to life. The sound of the crowd was so loud it was as if they were in the room. A flash of the scoreboard showed their team was up by three points, with only minutes left to the game. Then it spanned to the players in position, their team on defense. Soon the men rushed toward each other, and the ball flew through the air to the right. Several people fell as the ball continued on its path. An opposing player leaped to snatch it. Someone knocked him down, but too late. He had landed on his feet in the end zone, seconds earlier.

Next, the video skipped to a close up of some of the audience. Indecipherable voices muted any action. The cameraman screamed, and the lens was pointed on the field again. Others joined him, immediately. The cheers got louder as a lone figure ran like lightning toward the goal line, several men of the opposite team gave chase.

Danielle quickly realized the man was Alex. The room started to shout along with the arena on television. She smiled and watched her man score the winning touchdown just before someone tackled him to the ground.

“So cool,” she softly uttered. “This was last week’s game, right?” She assumed it was, because she did not remember it.

“Yeah, beautiful.” He closed his eyes and laid his head on her breast. The fact that Brian assaulted her in that same timeframe haunted him. She didn’t want him to dwell on it, though. “Keep watching.”

She turned back to the screen. The entire team was on the field , and then lifted him up. She felt Alex shudder and put an arm around him. “There was no way for you to know.” She knew what was on his mind.

He reached up and held the right side of her face. “God, I love you.” His eyes closed while he took a deep breath. She didn’t blame him for any of it. He needed to forgive himself. “It was a good game,” he softly admitted.

“Wish I hadn’t missed it.” She closed her eyes. A memory flashed by. Arms surrounded her.

Alex pulled her head to his chest. “Never again.”

They didn’t say another word for a few minutes. The video still played, while those around them watched the celebration on the field and the stands. When Dave switched to music again, Alex looked up. Dave had a sneaky expression on his face.

“You up to something?” Alex asked.

Dave smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. “Possibly.”

Before he replied, Alex’s phone chimed. He sat up straight and pulled his phone out. The text was from an unfamiliar South Florida number, but the message almost freaked him out.

I’m still watching

Sure about who it was from, Alex jumped up and searched for Gary.

Startled, Danielle watched him run from the room. She had no clue what made him react that way. Instead of following him, she decided to trust him. He would tell her if it were important.

* * *

In the meantime, Brian sat on his couch, hysterical. He had sent the text to let Alex know it wasn’t over. An ankle monitor was not about to stop him. He had gone completely off the rails by then. Somehow, he was able to fake sanity at his arraignment. If they only knew what he planned. He also knew how to fool the ankle monitor software.

Brian took a deep breath and winced. Alex had fractured several ribs and pummeled his upper body. It should have hurt to do most things, but he got his hands on some strong prescription painkillers. For most of the time, he was high and numb. It was a dangerous combination for someone already going around half-cocked.

When he could no longer track Danielle’s phone, Brian searched online for Alex’s number to no avail. Then he seduced saleswomen at different mobile phone stores who then let him use their computer. They had no clue he hacked into the personal account lists to find Alex while their backs were turned. He enjoyed each stop, though; fucking every woman up against the wall of a back office or restroom. Only one cried out in pain because of his size, but she came so hard afterward, she let it go.

He was pissed off that Alex neutralized his network as well. His brother had finally gotten out of the hospital, and he was positive Alex sent Diego to the emergency room, too. Brian planned to have Alex pay for all of it, but how to do so still eluded him. To start, he planned to stalk them both. He had a bag packed that sat at the front door. In it, he had everything he would need to nail Alex’s schedule down, so he could get to Danielle.

* * *

Alex had gone outside the house to talk to Gary. “Dude, you won’t fucking believe this.” Gary looked up from his own phone as Alex thrust his out. “The asshole got my new number somehow.” He showed Gary the message. “Watch out for him tonight. Just call the cops, so we can get his bail revoked. They told me it takes only one violation.”

Gary looked at the text. “He’s got some balls. You kicked his fuckin’ ass, and now he’s playing games.” He seethed. “I woulda killed the motherfucker.”

Alex looked away and recalled how close he had come to snapping Brian’s neck. “Yeah. I know.”

With a nod, Gary patted Alex’s back. “I’ll back you up. Just let me know what you need.”

“For now, just keep an eye out.” Alex sighed, took a long look around, and then headed back inside. As he walked toward his girlfriend, he scanned the room. He wouldn’t put it past Brian to sneak in somehow.

Danielle was still on the couch, but at that point a bit worried. Alex had been gone for longer than she expected. When she stood up to find him, he eased her back down.

“Sorry. I had to give Gary a message.” Alex sat next to her and closed his eyes for a few seconds. He had to act as if everything was fine, or she would panic. “In a few minutes, I’ll get you a drink, and we’ll go outside.”

She nodded, but could feel he was hiding something.

As he promised, a few minutes later, they headed to the kitchen. Alex got himself a beer and her a bottle of water. “If it gets too cold outside for you, let me know.”

It was then she realized she had forgotten a jacket. North Florida Decembers were chillier than in South Florida. When they arrived, it was early, but temperatures dropped at night. They walked through the sliding glass doors. Unlike other times they had been to the house, no one was in the pool. It was not warm enough, and there was a slight breeze. That made the temperature seem even lower. Most around them had long sleeves or jackets on.

Charlie put a hand on Alex’s shoulder. “Hey, we’re gonna play a game in the grass. Empty your pockets, just in case.”

Alex glanced at him sideways. He was skeptical. “What do you plan on doing, crushing my phone?”

With a loud laugh, Charlie slapped his back. “Something like that.”

Alex looked to Danielle, who shrugged. “They’re gonna do something stupid. I can feel it.” He did as told and put everything breakable into Danielle’s purse, including his phone and car keys. “You sure you’re not cold?”

“I’ll be OK.” She smiled. “The cool air feels nice for a change.” The summer had lasted longer that year. She had heard that sometimes it meant there would be a harsh winter. Since she lived in South Florida all of her life, she expected that to mean a few 30-degree nights or frost on the grass. “Lately, I’ve been hot, this is a bit soothing.”

He scrunched up his face. “Hot? A few weeks ago, you were freezing all the time.”

She caressed his bicep. “I know. The hormones are confusing to me, too. I don’t like to complain, so I just toss the blanket off.”

A smile brightened Alex’s face. He wondered why the blanket was on the floor every morning. “Next time, just tell me. I’ll open the window. Marie will just have to get used to it.”

Not that Marie slept in her bed every night. He and Logan usually made sure they chose different rooms to sleep in, for Alex and Danielle’s privacy. With a slight pain in his groin, he wondered why he and Danielle needed privacy. His hand was the only thing that pleased him that week.

It wasn’t her fault, though. He was terrified he would scare her or cause her more pain. She refused to give him details about what Brian did to her before he showed up. There were a few bruises on her inner thighs that made him wonder just how far Brian had gone that night before he tried to kill her. In addition, there was the ER doctor’s mention of a rape kit. He wasn’t sure if that was standard, though.

“Come on, we’ll sit with Logan and Marie.” Alex tugged her toward a table next to the pool.

Marie looked up at Alex. She had been to the end of season party the year before. “You ready, Alex?” She couldn’t hide the grin. The yearly tradition burned on her tongue, but she couldn’t tell him what was about to happen to him shortly. “This is a big night.” She almost giggled.

Alex gave her a questioning stare. “Why? Am I missing something?”

Logan pinched her thigh. “Don’t you spill it.” Logan fisted her hair and pulled her face to his. “If you tell him, no sex tonight for you.”

Her mouth dropped. Then she whispered, “How about sex now, and I have to keep quiet?”

“Hell, yes.” Logan jumped up. “We’ll be right back.”

Alex laughed. “Yeah, sure. Right back, my ass.” He winked at Logan. “I’m sure anything goes tonight.”

He watched them walk through the screen door to the backyard. Marie’s short, flared skirt lifted as they rushed toward the water’s edge. The view of her bare ass made his dick stir. He hated that anything remotely sexual turned him on instantly. When they lay down in the grass, still in sight, his cock grew even more. He wished the screen didn’t distort his view. Soon he heard Marie moan while Logan’s hips pumped between her legs. The scene drove him crazy.

“You all right?” Danielle noticed his demeanor had changed. He gripped the table so tightly his knuckles were white. “What’s wrong?” Before he answered, she noticed the bulge in his pants. Not making love affected him more than she knew. “Alex…” She waited, but he continued to stare at something. “Alex, if you can’t wait anymore, we can try it tonight.”

Startled, he turned to her. “Huh? Try what?”

“Sex.” She looked around, unsure if she wanted anyone to hear their conversation. “I miss it, too.”

He smiled and looked into her eyes, “Only if you’re truly ready.” He would hate to find out she agreed only to please him. “Will it bring back memories?”

She shook her head, thinking,
It wouldn’t
. “You’re not him.” A flash came to her anyway. She felt Brian penetrate her. He had no idea that Brian had raped her again. She blinked her eyes a few times to make it dissipate. “Can you hold me?”

Worried about what had gone through her mind, Alex tugged her hand and sat her on his lap. “I love you, babe, and I always will.”