The Lost and Found (14 page)

Crimson Sage

ALL THINGS CONSIDERED I
didn’t expect to sleep well at all, but I was a little surprised when I rolled over and the sun was shining brightly through the large window. Josiah was seated on the couch, coffee mug in hand, his eyes on me. So many emotions were swirling in their blue depths I didn’t know which one to address first. Amusement — most likely at my messy hair. Anger — still left over from last night. Desire — I was in his bed, after all. Caution — he was being careful with me. Possession — again, I was in his bed.

“Good morning,” I whispered. “Did you sleep at all?”

“Some. You?”

“Surprisingly I slept pretty well. Your bed is soft. It smells like you.”

Josiah took a slow, deep breath at that and then let it out just as slowly. He shook his head a little.

Cautiously I continued, “I was thinking… I don’t want to tell Billy. It would break his heart to know about this. You threatened Rob. I’m sure he’ll stay away now.”

“Crimson… I think we should tell him. I’m obligated to tell him. Rob attacked you.”

“Really he didn’t. He made innuendos, but you stopped him before he actually did anything. Let’s just let things be for now. I promise I’ll be careful around him.”

“I think this is a mistake. I’m not okay with this.”

“Please?”

Josiah looked hard at me for a moment and then nodded, his lips in a tight line. I knew he didn’t like what I was asking him to do, and I understood his reasons, and a small part of me even agreed with them, but I still didn’t want to deal with this right now. It was just too much on top of everything else. Josiah made me promise to let him know immediately if Rob tried anything with me. I agreed, relieved that he was allowing me to keep last night between us.

Josiah

WHEN CRIMSON OPENED HER
honey eyes in the morning, Josiah was still seated on the couch. He’d risen to get some coffee, but otherwise had stayed in place, just watching her. He’d imagined being in that bed with her all night long, telling himself he had to wait. Wait until she was ready. When Crimson told him she didn’t want to tell Billy about what had happened, Josiah cautioned himself to remain calm. He tried talking her into it, but he could see she was determined in her thinking. Crimson promised she’d be extremely careful around Rob and would tell Josiah if he so much as winked at her.

Josiah agreed to her request, but he wasn’t happy about it. He didn’t know how he was going to keep his hands off Rob. He didn’t know how he was going to keep his hands off Crimson. He decided he’d just have to be that much more vigilant. For Crimson’s sake, Josiah hoped Rob left her alone. Unfortunately he was certain Rob would only understand the language of the Pack. He knew the streets, the violence, and that was the only thing he would heed.

Beauty and the Beast

Crimson Sage

FOR NEARLY TWO WEEKS
Rob stayed away from me. I’d catch him looking, but that was it, and I could hardly fault him for just looking at me. I did my best to ignore his looks and stares. Once or twice he would position himself in a spot where I’d either have to squeeze past him or go out of my way to avoid him. Those times were nerve-wracking because he was always careful to do it when Josiah and Billy weren’t around to see it.

I needed to run into town one afternoon — for
girl
things. I figured while I was there I’d swing by and pick Ethan up on my way home. If I timed it correctly he’d just be getting out of school when I was finished with my errands. I got the things I’d come for and quickly returned to the truck. I had my keys out and had just checked the time on my cell phone, making sure I wouldn’t have to hoof it before Ethan’s school let out. I reached for the handle, and out of nowhere a hand grabbed my arm and spun me around. My back was pressed painfully against the door handle and Rob was pressed against my front. “Now I got you alone, we need to get some things straight.”

I tried making my voice firm. “Get away from me.”

He chuckled darkly. “Not just yet. I like this.”

“I’ll tell Josiah,” I told him, trying for bravado.

He tightened his grip on my arm, leaned closer; I could smell tobacco on his breath and it made me gag, “You do that. Your saintly boyfriend already has a rap sheet. Bet ya didn’t know that, did ya? He gets one more infraction for assault and he’s facing hard time. And I’d let him beat me, just to see him locked away.”

I looked around, desperately hoping someone would see us and come to my aide. One man, he looked to be around forty or so, had paused beside his car, was watching us.

Rob winked at him, kissed my cheek and said, “I’ll see you tonight, Babe. Love you,” before walking quickly away.

I leaned against the truck and tried to get my fear under control. I was shaking so hard I almost fell. The man who’d been watching us, had shrugged at Rob’s comment then gotten in his car and driven away. I turned carefully and climbed into the truck. I sat still for just a moment then remembered Ethan and quickly started the truck, revved the engine and took off down the road.

Glancing at my cellphone again, to check the time, I knew I was too late — Ethan would have left on the bus already. Still, I drove to the school anyway, just to make sure. The buses were already gone. Tears kept forming in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I needed to get myself under control and figure out what to do.

My first reaction was to tell Josiah, but I truly believed he would kill Rob, and then it would be my fault if he went to prison. My next choice would be to go to Billy, but that would be telling Josiah, in a roundabout way. I couldn’t risk that either. I could call the police, but again, same outcome. Josiah would learn of it and hunt Rob down. No, what I had to do was pull myself together and learn to stand on my own two feet and protect those I cared about. Maybe I could learn to protect myself as well and get some pepper spray or something.

Josiah

CRIMSON SEEMED OFF
. Like maybe she had something on her mind, or something was bothering her, but she was holding it all inside. Josiah wanted her to open up to him, but he wouldn’t press her. He’d be ready when she finally turned to him; when she needed a shoulder, an ear, or advice, he’d be ready.

He wanted to do something for her, something she’d never expect, something that would blow her mind. Josiah watched her surreptitiously as she worked beside him, something he found himself doing quite frequently. He watched the way the sun danced across her skin, lighting it in a golden glow. He saw the sweat trickle slowly down her neck, and watched as she wiped it away, rolled her shoulders — those amazing shoulders of hers — and continued painting. She looked hot. Not just attractive, not that kind of hot, but warm, like she could use a swim to cool off. His blue eyes flicked to the pond, then up to the house.
No privacy here
.

If he managed to keep the boys away from the pond, they’d be in the upstairs windows with binoculars. A flash of inspiration had him telling Crimson he’d be right back. Josiah turned away, jogged back to the barn, and headed up to his loft. He grabbed a couple bottles of water from his small fridge. After setting those on the counter, he dialed a number on his phone.

“Jake,” he said when the phone was answered. “Hey, buddy, I need that favor. Can you leave me your key for the pool?”

“The pool?” Jake asked. “You going swimming?”

“Yep.”

“Why not just use the pond?”

“Not enough privacy.”

“What do you need privacy for?” Jake chuckled.

“It’s more of a date than leisure time.”

“You don’t say.” Jake chuckled again, clearly enjoying this conversation. “Anyone I know?”

“Not likely. Just leave the key under that potted plant by the side door. I’ll make sure things are locked up nice and tight when I leave.”

“All right. It’s just you and your date, right? No secret wild party going on, right?”

“Naw, man. It’s just me and her. Promise.”

“All right. I’ll make it happen. Have fun.”

“Thanks,” Josiah said as he snapped his phone shut.

He checked the time before sliding the phone back in his pocket — it was just before 3:00. The public pool closed at 5:00 on weekdays. Josiah made his way back to where Crimson was still painting. He grinned as he handed her the bottle of water. They painted for another hour and a half, getting over half the fence completed.

Crimson straightened up and stretched. They’d finished the front side and just the back remained. She drank the rest of her water then checked her phone for the time. Josiah slipped up behind her, sliding his hands around her waist, pulling her back against his chest.

He nuzzled her ear and said, “Let me take you out tonight. I want you — away from prying eyes.” He watched as the blush touched her cheeks, could hear her breath catch a little at his words, and grinned. Crimson smiled as she turned in his arms and asked when.

“Now. Let’s call it a day. We’ll get cleaned up, head to town in about an hour. How’s that?” he asked her.

Crimson agreed. And when he asked her if she had a suit, though she was confused, she agreed to bring it. He managed to keep the satisfaction off his face and simply grinned at her. After Crimson headed back to the house to get ready, Josiah ran up to his loft and jumped in the shower. He didn’t bother shaving, left a bit of scruff on his jaw.

Crimson Sage

I WAS CAREFUL THAT
night not to indicate in any way that I was scared of Rob, that he had gotten to me, or that anything at all had taken place. I didn’t want to alert Josiah that something was wrong, and I didn’t want to give Rob the satisfaction of knowing he’d unnerved me. After everyone went to bed that night, I stayed up and searched for local self-defense classes, anything I thought might help me deal with this situation. Unfortunately all I saw were martial arts/exercise classes, and that wasn’t what I was looking for.

I began to wonder if there was some way I could approach Josiah, convince him to teach me some things, without letting on the reason why. I’d have to do it in such a way that he wouldn’t suspect anything and yet be willing to teach me anyway. My opportunity came when Josiah suddenly slipped his arms around me from behind, gently pulling me back into his embrace. We’d been painting a stretch of fence by the corral; it was still warm enough during the day that the paint would dry without any problems.

“Let me take you out tonight,” he breathed in my ear. “I want you — away from prying eyes.”