Renewed (Awakened #2) (6 page)

“Just let me see my daughter, son. That’s all I want to do.”

“With all due respect, Mr. White, that’s not going to happen,” I heard Stefan snarl at him.

What the hell was going on?

I could see my father sitting on the couch looking the opposite way towards Stefan. He was still bald, and his beer belly had
definitly
grown since I remembered. He obviously hadn’t shaved in a couple of months, and his clothes looked unwashed.

A shiver ran up my spine, and I closed my eyes, trying to calm to breathing and get my head right. Would he hurt Stefan?

“Sit your ass back down before I call the cops.” Stefan’s voice had raised.

Call the cops? They should have been called a long time ago
.

“Son, I don’t want no problems. I just want to see my daughter,” I heard my dad—no, George—reply back to him.

“First off, you don’t get request after breaking into
our
home, and second, she is not
your
daughter
. I’ve heard stories about you, you sick fuck!”

“Everything you’ve heard is a lie. That’s what I’m trying to tell you.”

Bullshit. How could anyone ever lie about bruises and a beaten ego?

“I am going to give you one more chance to get the fuck off my couch and get the hell out of this house before Jennifer wakes up and finds you here.” I was leaning against the door frame, getting lost in everything that was going on, I let go of the door handle and the door closed, the noise echoing.

I lifted my head to see my father standing, staring at me. Stefan was beside him, pointing a…

Was that a…gun?

My heart dropped.

“Jennifer, girl, come here.” George took a step towards me before Stefan grabbed his arm. I laid on the floor, frozen.

He called me girl.

“Don’t take another step, or I will blow your brains all over this carpet.”

“Stefan, why do you have a gun?” I asked as I stood slowly to my feet.

“Your father broke into our house while we were sleeping. The alarm went off and I saw him climbing through the window.” He motioned his head towards the long window by the front door.

I closed my eyes and shook my head as another shiver ran through my body again.

Why was he here?

What did he want?

 
How did he find me?

God, this guy gave me the creeps.

“Why did you come here?”

 
“I wanted to see you.”

“And you thought coming here at this time of the night was appropriate?” I asked him.

“Well, I was in the neighborhood.”

And here comes the truth
. The only thing that ever caused my father to want
anything
to do with me…alcohol.

“So you went to the bar down the street, huh?” I asked as I folded my arms over my chest.

“Yes, but that’s not the point.”

“Then what’s the fucking point, George?” I yelled at him, startling myself as well.

“I had something I needed to tell you.”

I began slowly walking towards them. Stefan still had the gun pointed towards his head, and it was freaking me out. My dad wouldn’t do anything that
stupid
…I think. “Stefan, put the gun down, please,” I asked as I took my place next to him.

“Jennifer-”

“I said please.” I looked at him, putting my hand on his tattooed bicep.

He lowered the gun as my dad looked at me, causing my blood to boil.

“I just needed to see you. Make sure you were okay.”

“Why does it matter now? You never cared before.”

“I just needed to know, Jennifer, and I needed to tell you I was sorry, for everything. I’m
tryin
’ to change.”

“Being at the bar…yep, you’re changing.” I folded my arms over my chest again.

“I’m trying, girl. Okay?”

There was that word again…girl
.

“Why don’t you just call me Jennifer,” I demanded. “I think it’s time for you to leave.”

“I just wanted to see you again, that’s all.”

“Well, you saw me. Now it’s time to go.” I unfolded my arms and pointed towards the door. “You can go out the door this time. No need to crawl through the window this time. If you ever show back up here again, I will have the police handcuff you, then toss you in jail before you can utter another word out of your mouth.”

“I can’t let that happen,” he replied.

The next twenty seconds moved in slow motion. I saw everything with perfect clarity and detail.

My father reached behind him and took three steps back and one step to the right, lining himself up perfectly to me. When his hands were in front of him they held a silver pistol. He lined it directly to my face.

My dad blinked twice and took a deep breath, causing his chest to rise noticeably. Stefan jabbed his hand in my side, causing me to lose my balance and I fell to the ground. Charles flung open the front door, running towards George and slamming into his body causing him to pull the trigger.

A single bullet shot out of the gun and I watched as it flew through the air and hit Stefan. Stefan’s body jolted back and hit the coffee table in the middle of the living room and came crashing down. I waited to see what would happen next.

Nothing.

Silence.

As time came back to normal, I instantly jumped to my feet and felt fire burning up my throat.

“Stefan!” I yelled as I crashed into his body.

There was blood everywhere.

All over Stefan, all over the carpet, everywhere. I found his bullet wound; to the right of his heart. I put my hands over the wound, thinking it would stop bleeding like a small cut, but it wasn’t. This was a fucking bullet wound.

I heard another gun shot.

No pain
.

I slowly turned my head to find George’s cold, lifeless body sprawled out across my living room. I screamed again as Charles grabbed my arms and made me look at him.

“Jennifer, Jennifer! Look at me.” He was shaking me. “Focus, Jennifer. Stefan needs you.” I was staring at Charles blankly.

My eyes met Stefan’s as he opened them and grabbed my hand.

“Jennifer, I’m going to call the police and the paramedics. Hold this down over his wound.” I followed his arms down to his hand and saw the piece of fabric he was holding against Stefan’s wound. I pressed my empty hand over the fabric, securing it in place against his wound.

Charles stood to his feet and used his cell phone to call.

“Baby, I’m so sorry…” He tried to take a deep breath. “I should’ve…” He took another breath. “Called the cops a long time … ago.”

I leaned over him, letting my tears fall on his face.
If only this were a fairy tale and my tears made him better
. “Baby, please. Don’t talk…it’s okay. You’ve got to just stay with me and be okay. Please.” I began to feel my throat closing.

“I love you … more than anything … I have waited … my entire life … for you …please … always remember … our love … and teach that … to our baby.”

He let go of my hand and rubbed my belly.

“No, you have to teach that to our baby, Stefan. Please!” The tears began falling heavier now.

“
Jennif
… Jennifer … you will … always be my … everything … my last … dying breath … is for you … to say that … you changed me … you woke me … and made me …new … I’m sorry … I love you … and Bean …”

He took a deep inhale, but his chest didn’t fall like it was supposed
too
.

“Stefan!” I ran my fingers through his hair as my head fell onto his chest. “Please Stefan, please wake up. Oh God!” I cried into his bare chest.

Charles grabbed me by my arms and picked me up. I put my hands over my eyes and my head into his chest as I cried. I cried harder than I have ever cried before. My heart was ripped out by the most evil guy in this world. My soul was gone.

I was nothing without Stefan.

I heard police sirens in the background getting closer and closer to the house. Charles had his arms wrapped around me as people flew through the front door. I heard something click, and I pulled my head off of Charles’ chest to find them loading Stefan’s body on a stretcher.

My cries came out as screams as my fiancé, my dead fiancé, was wheeled out the front door of our home.

My father had officially taken everything from me.

Chapter 5

“Jennifer! Jennifer!”

My eyes snapped open as I tried to make out the figure above me. I blinked a couple of times, allowing my swollen eyes to adjust to the light.

“Jennifer, baby…please, wake up.”

I tried to talk, but nothing came out. My throat was dry…very dry. I blinked again, and as my eyes adjusted I saw Stefan. He was above me, and his mouth was moving, but I couldn’t hear anything. I threw my arms around his neck and tackled him on his back.

I squeezed him tight with no plans of ever letting go.

It was just a dream…just a horrible, stupid nightmare.

“Baby, it’s okay. I’m here.” Stefan ran his fingers through my hair. “You’re okay. Whatever happened, I’m here now.” He held me almost too tight, but I didn’t care. I was thankful for this.

After a while, I raised myself off of his chest and looked at him. He wiped the tears off my cheeks with his thumb and leaned up to kiss me gently.

“What happened? I woke up because you were screaming and crying, but you were asleep. Were you having a nightmare?”

“The worst nightmare I could ever have.” I let out a deep breath.

“Tell me about it, baby.” Stefan ran his hands under my shirt, blazing a trail up and down my spine with his fingers.

“My dad broke into our house. He shot you...killed you, then killed himself. Oh my gosh, it was so horrible.” I buried my head down into his chest and closed my eyes. I breathed in his wonderful, delicious scent as I tried to calm myself.

“I’m here, baby. I’m not going anywhere. I’m right here.” Stefan hugged me tightly.

“Please, never leave me. Ever. I…
we
need you.”

“Come on. Let’s lay back down.” Stefan rolled me over and got up, turning off the light, then climbing back into the bed. He pulled me up so that my head was on my pillow and brought the covers up, tucking me in. He lay on his side and wrapped his arm around me, squeezing me into his body, and holding me tight.

“I’ll never leave you, and I’ll
never
let you go,” he whispered into my ear, sending a pulse through my body.

“I can’t believe my dad is even haunting my dreams. I feel like he will never be out of my life,” I whispered.

“Don’t give him that satisfaction. You are so much better than him. You’re so strong, beautiful, confident. He won’t hurt you, baby. Just close your eyes and think of Bean.” He squeezed me tighter.

Bean. Bean could make me happy. Bean could erase the terrible nightmare and bring hope and joy back into my night.

When I woke up, the sun was just barely over the horizon. Stefan was squeezing me tightly, and lightly snoring in my ear. I slipped out of his grasp and swung my legs over the bed, raising my arms over my head and letting a wonderful stretch run through my body.

I got up and walked into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. The house was really quiet and as much as I enjoyed that, I still wished Stefan was up to have a cup of coffee with me. My coffee pot dinged, so I poured myself a cup and added a little sugar before grabbing a blanket. I opened the back door and sprawled myself out on one of the lawn chairs. There was something about being outside while the sun was rising that just made your day beautiful.

As I was staring out into the horizon and sipping my coffee, thinking about everything, the back door opened, and my shirtless Stefan was standing in the doorway. He closed the back door and climbed in next to me, snuggling under the blanket. We intertwined our bodies together and watched the sunrise.

“What are you doing out here, babe?” he asked me once he got settled.

“Woke up a little while ago and thought I’d come out here to get some fresh air after my nightmare last night.”

He squeezed me tight. “I wish I could take away your bad dreams,” he said as he nuzzled underneath my neck.

“Me too.”

Stefan slipped his hand under the t-shirt I was wearing and ran his finger along my stomach right above my edge of my panties. I shivered from his touch. He moved on top of me, pinning me down with his body and leaned down, pressing his mouth against mine. My lips parted to accept his tongue, the mint flavor from his mouth overtaking my senses.

He ran his fingers along my jaw as we released our lips from each other, leaving me waiting for the next kiss or touch. After a moment, I opened my eyes to find him looking at me, studying me.

“You…are so beautiful.”

I smiled.

“I love you.”

“I love you too,” I replied as he crashed his lips back into mine, exactly where they belonged. He pushed his hand down my panties, finding the right spot, and I moaned as his finger circled my clit. He gently pushed one finger inside me, causing my body to tense, and slipped his tongue into my mouth.

 
I gently sucked on his tongue with my mouth, and he bit down on my lower lip. I couldn’t help the noises that escaped my mouth when he was on top of me. I had no control over my body, and he knew that. He slipped his finger out of me and ran it up my stomach to my breast, then pulled on my nipples, causing them to stiffen.

He swung his legs over the lawn chair and stood, pulling his boxer-briefs off. His beautiful, tattooed, muscled body made my body come to life.

He grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around his back before swinging one leg on the other side of the lawn chair to straddle me. He inched himself forward so that his cock was between my breasts, and squeezed them together. He gently pushed himself forward, nudging my lips with his cock. My lips parted, and he slipped the tip inside my mouth, then pulled himself back down my breasts again. He squeezed my breasts tighter together, and in one swift movement he shoved himself inside my mouth again.

“Oh, shit!”

I held him in my mouth, sucking and twirling my tongue around the thickness of him, tasting every inch. He pulled back and flipped me over, putting his hands on either side of my hips and pushing them up. I was dripping wet with anticipation, waiting for him to enter me and give me the pleasure I craved.

He dug his fingers into my hips as he pushed himself forward, sliding into me as I inhaled, sharply. He pulled himself back and in one swift movement, and pushed back in, slapping my ass hard. I moaned as he began an even rhythm. Right as I was about to come, he stopped and pulled out, turning me over on my back.

“I want to watch you come,” he whispered as he leaned down and begin kissing me with such passion it made my head spin. He slipped easily into me and started his rhythm again. I moaned and cried into his mouth as my body pushed and bucked against him. My head spun as every nerve came to life, feeling him inside of me, possessing me. Not a moment later, Stefan’s body tensed up, and he moaned deeply into my mouth as I felt his warm climax surge through my body. He stopped thrusting, and I squeezed myself around him, wanting to retain every drop of his come. He collapsed on top of me as we both breathed heavily, our heartbeats beating crazy against each other.

After a moment, Stefan looked at me. “Shower?”

“Shower,” I responded.

He kissed me on the tip of the nose before getting up and darting inside. I picked up the blanket off the ground and wrapped it around me, grabbing our clothes, my cold coffee, and the wine glasses from last night. I walked inside and set everything down on the kitchen counter. Stefan was standing in the hallway staring at me.

“You better bring that sexy ass over here so I can please it.” He gave me a very devilish grin and winked at me.

“You can seriously go again after that?” I asked as I slowly made my way towards him.

“Oh, sweet cheeks, after I’m done you won’t be able to walk.” He darted down the hall, grabbing me and swooping me up before I could even blink.

Well today should be interesting…and a workout.