Twist of Fate (17 page)

"What? What marks, Paige?" I could feel him tense beside me, but he continued to listen.

I dropped my head onto his shoulder. "His handprints from where he strangled me. There was this horrible ring around my neck. You could even make out the tips of his fingers from where he dug in." I gulped, wiping away a tear that had fallen down my cheek. "Obviously, he stopped, but I didn't think he was going to. I thought that was it for me, I was a goner. After he got up, he told me not to tell anyone, or he'd finish the job off. That I was his, and no one else's. If I ever looked at another guy, like I did that night, he'd hurt me for real next time."

Ben grabbed me into his arms. Because it felt good, and right, I let him. "Jesus Christ, Paige," he whispered in my ear. "I'm so sorry. I'm so fucking sorry he did that to you."

I pulled back to look at him. "It's not your fault. Anyway, my mom knew how scared I was of him, and of returning to school, so I dropped out, and after a month or so of lengthy discussions, we moved to Arizona. I lost a bunch of credits transferring, so that's why I'm only a Freshman, and that's why I'm here.

"We're not all like him you know." I just stared, getting lost into those brown eyes of his. "Why didn't you go to the police?"

"I know you're not all like that, Ben." I smiled sadly. "And, as for the police," I closed my eyes, then opened them slowly to see him still watching me. "I was too scared of him and his threats. Still am."

"Come here," he said.
 
I leaned over, letting him pull me in to his arms again.
 
"I'll keep you safe." I just wanted to hold onto him, and let him know that I trusted him. I cried on his shoulder, remembering the details, and when I finally took a deep, ragged breath, Ben pulled me into bed with him.
 
I had so many things I wanted to say to him, but I couldn't seem to find the right words. So, instead of words, I let him hold me all night.

BEN

Chapter 20

She sniffled a few more times into my chest, so I rubbed her arm softly to help calm her down some. Everything she just told me, still had barely sank into my thick skull. I had never in my life wanted to hurt someone so bad. How could anyone hurt someone as sweet as her? "Go to sleep, Paige," I whispered one last time, as she fidgeted against me.

I held her as close as I could knowing that when tomorrow came she'd up and leave. I stayed up for most of the night watching her, wishing I could have told her how I felt about her, but how could I? I didn't want to add any more pressure to her.
 

Just as the sun filtered through the blinds, I looked down, catching my breath at how peaceful she looked in my arms. I wished I could stop the sun from rising, or at least, slow it down, just to stop the inevitable. I hated mornings after I spent the night with her. It always seemed to be somewhere between midnight and four in the morning that Paige and I acted like more than friends, and it made me feel alive. I wanted to still the night, keep the morning from ever coming.

The morning, after my eyes had finally given in, I woke to find her gone. I sprang from my bed in a complete panic. Tommy and Jack were both fast asleep on the other side of the room. I ripped off the toga to get dressed, and as it hit the ground, I saw a scribbled note on my nightstand under a glass of water.

Ben,

Thanks for last night. Thanks for listening to me. You have no idea how safe you make me feel.

Paige

XOXO

I sank back onto my pillow, relief washing over me.
 
I stayed in bed, thinking of how her note made me feel, until the alarm sounded. One of the only things I could think of as I laid there was how much I wanted to kill that son of a bitch for putting a finger on her. I let different scenarios run rampant of how I could find him, and what I'd do to him when I did.
 

Part of me realized if it hadn't been for that asshole putting his hands on Paige, I probably would have never laid eyes on her again. I hated for even thinking about how Paige going through all that pain was the reason I got spend to time with her. I felt so selfish that this twist of fate was what brought her back in my life, especially now that I knew why.

I was lost in thought when I realized Tommy was staring me down from his side of the room.
 

"So, boy genius, I see your plan worked. Paige left about half hour after I got in. She said she told you."

I sat up, resting my elbows on my knees, letting my head sink in between. "How could you not tell me about that asshole? This whole time, I've been such a prick. I could have kept a better eye on her."

"Listen, Ben. Paige knows what she's doing. She has someone keeping an eye out for him, someone she trusts. We haven't heard boo from him."

"I want a name. Who is he?"

He shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "Don't know. She won't tell anyone. I have two pieces of info and that's it."

"Well...I'm waiting."

He slammed back onto his pillow, rubbing the scruff on his chin, and I could tell he was debating whether to give it up or not. He leaned over his bed one last time. "They went to school together, and his name is Carson. I have no last name."

I flipped open my laptop, and started searching. "What do you think you're going to find? This is why I told her not to tell you, man. Look at you."

I stormed out my chair, got in his face, and screamed, "Why would you tell her that? You know I could help her."

"No, you won't. I know you. You're gonna go all postal and shit. She's not yours to protect, man. And, frankly she doesn't need you scaring her more than she already is."

"What's going on?" Jack mumbled from his bed.

Our heads turned to the sound of his voice. "Nothing," we screamed at the same time. Jack pulled the covers over his head, cursing us out.
 

Tommy rolled over in his bed, yanking the blankets over his head. That was his way of telling me this conversation was over.

After scouring the internet for someone named Carson who went to the state school she had gone to, I came up empty handed. I sat back in my chair, letting guilt wash through me for not being a better friend to her, for treating her rotten when really I just wanted to tell her how I felt about her. Wondering if she slept in peace at night, or if she was constantly scared of her own shadow. I thought about the few guys she'd dated, and part of me was surprised she went through with them. I smiled softly, knowing it took a strong women to overcome something so terrible, to pick up her life and start over again.
 

The next twenty-four hours I felt like a stalker. I literally watched her make her way to classes, back to the dorms, to the union, to the recreation center, then finally to the salon she hit every Sunday. I was watching from across the street, waiting for her to come out, sipping on a Starbucks. When she did, she tilted back her head like she was trying to soak up the sun, and I couldn't take my eyes off of her. It's not just how beautiful I thought she was, it was everything about her that drew me to her.
 

It was all the little things; like those dresses, how she loved Pinkberry, how she couldn't go a week without getting her nails done, to the way she made me feel when she looked at me. It'd been a really long time since I let someone in, now I just hoped it wasn't too late.
 
I prayed this bastard didn't ruin her. Because the moment she came clean with me, putting her trust in me, I knew I needed her in my life full time.
 

Once she got back to the dorms, I dropped her a quick text. She told me she was staying in for the night. I wanted so badly to ask her if I could come up, but I didn't. I knew she was safe in there, so I let it go for the night.

PAIGE

Chapter 21

It felt so good to have that all off my chest. I had felt horrible keeping it from Ben. He'd been nothing but amazing since I got here, except for a few minor discrepancies. It was a few days before I headed home, and much of the campus had cleared out for the holidays. So I popped him a text to meet me for a quick snack as I was making my way to the Student Union.
 

He was already standing in front of the doors with a big smile, waiting for me when I got there.
 

I kissed him on his cheek, feeling silly. "How did you get here so fast?"

"I was already in line for something, but I could go for some yogurt, too."

Ben placed our order, while the girl behind the counter flirted with him like she'd never seen a good lucking guy before. To his credit, he brushed her off.
 

"So, when you heading home?" He asked.

I took a few licks from my spoon, and realized he was staring at my mouth as I took
 
another bite.
 

"Two days, you?"

"Same. I wish you didn't have to go so far away," he pouted.

"I don't know. I can't imagine not having snow on Christmas." I glanced out the window. "It's so brown here."
 

He laughed a good hearty laugh. "You get used to it." His hand reached down into his backpack, and he pulled a silver cylinder thing out. "Here, take this with you. It's a can of mace. Just in case."

"Aw, Ben. You shouldn't have," I teased. It wasn't roses, but I got it, and it was a sweet gesture.

"Whatever, smartass. I'll feel better if you have something with you while you're gone."

"Don't worry about that. My dad's gun collection is crazy impressive. No one will bother me there."

"Now, I feel a hell of a lot better." He swirled his spoon around several times, before he looked back up to me. "Feel like that hike you owe me before you go?"

"I would love to. Which mountain? I did some reading up on them."

"I was thinking of going soft on you, but changed my mind. We're trying something a little harder. You up for it?"

"You bet I am," I stated confidently, even though I was a little nervous.

"Great! We'll do Blackett's Ridge. It's seven miles round trip, but the views are amazing. I got class in twenty, so how about I pick you tomorrow morning around ten?"

"Sounds perfect."

Without thinking it through, I stood and gave him a hug, like normal, but I was caught off guard when he planted a short, but perfect kiss to my lips. I almost crumbled to the ground when he released me my knees were so weak.
 

BEN

Chapter 22

The next day Paige was already waiting outside with a small knapsack next to her. She was wearing a pair of shorts, a bear down T-shirt, sneakers, and a U of A baseball cap with her hair all tucked in. She looked perfect.

I let the car idyl by the curb while she jumped in the front with me.
 

"I though you'd never get here." Then in one quick breath she leaned over to kiss me on the cheek, like it was a normal thing to do.
 

We hadn't talked about a relationship, or if we were even in one, but the so called friendly kisses kept happening. Friendly or not, I was excited as hell to test the waters today.
 

We started out at the Bear Canyon trail, before making our way closer. We hit Phoneline Trail next, and followed it in. Paige was keeping up with me, asking a few questions about the cactus, snakes, and scorpions. I could tell she was nervous, but she kept up with me. "Trust me. The view is worth it. Wait until you see it," I reminded her.
 

Forty-five minutes in, was when we finally reached the beginning of the trail.

"We'll walk up a little ways, but once we reach Saddleback, the trail flattens out some, so we could run it."

"I thought you said it should be a three hour climb or so?"

"I did. I didn't say we'd run the whole thing. Just some of it." I grabbed her hand. "C'mon, P."

She handled the terrain well, and managed to run with me. I do this trail a few times a year. It's one of the best if you liked to do a quick hike. Finally, at the end of the trail, we both stopped and stared out to the Canyons below. I personally believed it to be the best view of Santa Catalina Mountains available. Standing at the top it was a little cold, and I noticed Paige shivering. She started to move, but froze, while a nasty white snake at least three feet long slithered about ten feet away from us. Paige turned, and when she did, she slammed into me. "I thought you said there were no snakes?"

"Well, it's the desert, Paige. Of course there are snakes, but it's not going to hurt you." I smoothed my hands down her back, feeling the warmth of her skin through the thin cotton of her shirt. She started to move away from me, but I grabbed a hold of her. "Wait," I murmured, as I caught her hips. I trapped her in front of this big old rock, pressing myself up against her. I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted to feel her, taste her again. My lips grazed her neck, causing her shoulders to tense.

"What are you doing?" She panted.

I pulled back, giving her a warm seductive smile. "I think you know what I'm doing."

"We should stop. Go back down," she gasped, with her eyes closed, Paige tilted her head slightly to the side allowing me to take a nip at her neck with my teeth, then slowly I made little kisses down to her collarbone. Her skin was so smooth, soft, and inviting that I didn't want to stop. Her lips tasted like the cherry Chapstick she put on several times as we climbed higher. I grabbed at her hips again, pulling her back to me.