Uncle Dominic's Touch (3 page)

How long had he been watching me?

A spark of an unusual emotion swelled inside of her. Chloe couldn’t help the arousal she felt, but she stomped it down, knowing her affections were completely misplaced. Disgust and self-loathing still played a part in her feelings. Chloe turned her attention to the conversation. She listened with little interest as her parents and aunt talked about the newest breakthrough surgery. This was normally what happened with them. They were always so engrossed in their own conversation that everything and everyone else just fizzled out.

As the night progressed, everyone went into the house, one by one, until it was just Jake and her by the fire. He was on his fifth beer, ones that had magically appeared from a duffle bag by his feet. Apparently he snagged them from his parents.

“Want one?” Holding up his half drank bottle, she shook her head.

Chloe could tell the alcohol was starting to take effect by the glassy look in his eyes. She gripped the iron poker tight in her hand and pushed around the burning embers in the fire pit.  “Want to go for that walk now?”

Glancing at Jake, she shrugged. “Sure.” She wanted to stretch her legs anyway.

He took her hand and led them away from the light of the fire and deeper into the woods. Jake kept them within the tree line as they walked parallel to the lake.

“Don’t you just love this place?” Absently speaking to herself, she watched as the water gently stroked the shoreline. She turned to look at Jake when he didn’t respond. Before she could get a good look at him, she shrieked in surprise when Jake gripped her waist and pressed her against a tree. “What are you do…” He didn’t let her finish, just slanted his lips against hers and slipped his tongue into her mouth. He tasted like beer which wasn’t at all appetizing.

His groan was deep and satisfied. Grinding his erection into her belly, she shivered, but not from arousal.  Jake’s actions were a bit too aggressive and she grew panicked. His hands were all over her body. He stroked, pulled, and tweaked at her, his actions seeming almost desperate.

“Jake.” Breaking contact with his mouth, she tried to push him away. “Easy.” He took a step back, his gaze roaming up and down her body.

“You are so hot, Chloe.” His voice was thick, his words slightly slurred. He reached into his pocket and pulled out three small liquor bottles.

She stared, appalled at him. “Where the hell did you get those?” Drinking wasn’t the problem in this situation, well, not the major one. She had been to plenty of parties, had even gotten drunk herself on more than one occasion, but the way he was acting right now was not the Jake she knew.

“Took them from my parents' mini bar. Want one?” He unscrewed one of the caps and downed it in one swallow.

Never had she seen this side of him before. He was acting so reckless and uninhibited. “What the hell, Jake? Since when did you become a lush?”

His laugh was clipped. “We just graduated. I’m celebrating.” He held a bottle out to her and she shook her head. He shrugged. “More for me.” Unscrewing the second one, he downed that as well. The stench of liquor wafted around her and she wrinkled her nose. “Don’t act all uptight, Chloe. You’ve gotten drunk before.”

“Yeah, I have, but not the way you are. We are also at my aunt and uncle's house and my parents are here.” He laughed and drank the third one. “You smell like a bar, Jake. So not attractive.”

  He took a step forward, placing a hand on the tree beside her head. “No? What do you find attractive about me, Chloe?”

“Well, it was your dignity, responsibility, and all around gentleness, but now even that is going downhill.” The dark look that crossed his expression had her stiffening in response. “I think we should go back to the house so you can sleep this off.”

“Oh? What? You think you’re too good to let loose?”

She shook her head. The conversation was starting to tread on dangerous ground. “There's nothing wrong with letting loose, Jake, but I do have a big problem with being irresponsible, especially at someone else’s house.” Chloe placed her hands on his chest and tried to push him back. “Move, Jake. I want to go back to the house.” He was immovable. “I’m serious. Move out of the way.”

“You know how many girls I could have fucked since I’ve been with you?”

Anger made a slow path through her body. “You’re drunk, and you’re going to regret where this conversation is going in the morning, Jake.” Licking his lips, he dropped his eyes to her mouth.

“I could have fucked Heather, Kallie and Megan just in the last week of school.”

She tried to push him away again but got nowhere. “Real nice, Jake. Any other asinine things you want to tell me?” In the next instance he had his hand wrapped tightly around her hair. Crying out in pain, he held her head at an awkward angle and covered her mouth with his other hand.

“You have to stay quiet, baby. Don’t want anyone spoiling our fun.”  As he kissed a trail down her neck, she struggled against his grasp.

What the hell was happening? This was like a bad scene out of a movie. This certainly wasn’t the Jake she knew.

“I am so sick of trying to be someone I’m not. For two fucking years I’ve sucked up to you and your family. I, for one, think I’ve been a trooper. I’ve stayed with you even though you don’t put out, even put up with your mother's incessant bitching. All for what, a few make out sessions here and there, a few times of touching your pussy and tits?” He breathed heavily and pressed his erection into her belly again. “I am a man, Chloe. I have needs.”

He took his hand from her mouth, and gripped her breast roughly. Biting the inside of her cheek, she refused to cry out in pain. “Seems you’re an alcoholic too.” He stopped his ministrations and stared at her. She used that moment to get out of his grasp. Successfully pushing him away, she started off for the house.

The sound of his drunken mumbling had several emotions going through her. She didn’t think Jake would really try and do anything to her, but then again, his acts up until now were like a stranger to her.

She made it ten feet before Jake grabbed her arm with bruising force and spun her around. Chloe lost her balance and fell backward. Jake still had a grip on her arm and fell forward with her. Pine needles dug into her skin and rocks jabbed at her back when she finally met the ground. He covered her body with his, laughing, his eyes crazed.

“Looks like you do want a little cock, baby. See how easily you got on your back?” He started fumbling with her shirt and undoing the buttons. She tried in vein to push him away, but it was no use, even drunk he was stronger than her.

“Don’t worry, Chloe. I’m going to make this real good for you. Trust me.”

Chapter Four

The air wheezed in and out of her mouth as the heavy weight of Jake’s body suffocated her. Chloe would never trust again. Look at what happened when she did. Struggling a little harder, she knew she couldn’t let this happen.

She mustered up the strength and lifted her hands to rake them down his face. The sound of his grunt of pain brought a semblance of victory to her. Before she could do it again, he grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head with one hand. His other one started undoing the button and zipper of his jeans. When his shaft was out, he roughly pushed her skirt up. He gripped the edge of her panties and tore them clean off her body.

“Please stop, Jake.” Tears welled in her eyes as she struggled fruitlessly.

“Chloe, don’t act like you don’t want it. You’ve been teasing me for two fucking years. Didn’t you hint about givin’ up some pussy when we got here? Just give up the goods already.” Horror encompassed every part of her as she watched with wide eyes as he started to stroke his shaft.

Was this her fault? She had told him she wanted to have sex, but she didn’t think it would end up like this.

Jake forcibly spread her thighs wider with his own and ran his hand over her mound. His touch was rough and urgent. He placed the tip of his erection at the mouth of her vagina. She started to cry harder. He clamped a hand over her mouth and urged her to stay quiet and accept it like a good girl. She closed her eyes tight and prayed it was over fast. Just when she thought he would force himself into her, the weight of Jake was lifted off of her. Keeping her eyes closed, she feared opening them.

Muffled grunts sounded close to her. When everything became silent, Chloe slowly opened her eyes. She panted heavily from fear and stared wide eyed at the large, imposing form standing over Jake’s huddled body. Jake lay lifelessly on the ground, and if not for the rise and fall of his chest, she would have thought he was dead. She flicked her gaze back at the shadowed figure and slowly pulled herself into a sitting position.

From out of the darkness stepped Dominic, his eyes set hard, his jaw clenched. As his gaze raked over her, she saw the rage clear on his expression, but then that emotion softened and he looked upon her with gentleness.

He took a few long strides and knelt on he ground beside her. “Are you okay, Chloe?” His voice sounded strangled, as if he had to force the words out. His hand on her cheek was big and warm and she couldn’t help but lean into it.

Not able to help it, she cried harder. Her whole body shook as the severity of what had almost happened played through her mind. Dominic helped her up and wrapped his arms around her.

“Shhh, everything is okay now. I won’t let anything happen to you, honey.”

She let him hold her as she cried into his chest. “This is my fault.” She could feel him shaking his head even before she finished. He cupped the back of her head, holding her more tightly against him, and spoke softly.

“This is absolutely
not
your fault. No matter what you said or did, no one has the right to take something from you.” He gripped her arms and pulled her back to look into her eyes. “Do you understand me, Chloe?”

She swallowed. Her throat was dry and ached. Chloe saw the hard determination reflected back at her. “I understand.” Looking behind his arm, she stared at Jake.

“Don’t worry about him. He’ll be out for a while. Let’s get you inside.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led them toward the house. Before they broke the tree-line, she stopped him.

“Can we not tell my parents about this?”

“Chloe, I really think they need to know.”

She knew they did, but she couldn’t face their reaction when they did find out. Would they blame her? Most likely. They loved Jake, thought he was perfect in every way. No way would they believe he could try something so heinous. “I know, it’s just…” She glanced back at Jake’s curled up form on the ground. “My parents won’t believe he would do something like this.”

 “They love you, Chloe.” His tone softened, as if he were trying to convince her.

She didn’t want to argue about this. She knew her parents and knew how they would react. “Please, Uncle Dominic. Please don’t tell them.” She could see the war waging inside of him on what to do. He looked behind him at Jake for a suspended moment and then turned back to her.

“The police need to be called, Chloe.” Dominic’s tone brokered no argument.

Oh God.
This night was getting worse. “Look, I know they should be called, but I don’t want to be dragged through this mess any more than I already have. You know as well as I that if the police arrest him there will be all sorts of legalities that involve me as well.” She took a step closer and wrapped her arms around his waist. She just wanted to be held. She wanted to forget about this night and move forward. “Please, Uncle Dominic. Please, can we forget about it?” All but pleading, she prayed he listened to her.

Chloe kept her head down and when she felt Dominic’s hand on her shoulder, she lifted her head and stared at him. Neither of them spoke for several minutes.

“They are going to wonder why he has a black eye and is leaving.” She could tell by the way he spoke that he wasn’t going to tell anyone. Maybe Jake did need to get arrested and maybe her parents did need to know, but she couldn’t go through that right now, didn’t even want to think about it.

“He leaves in the morning.”

“Believe me, he isn’t going to want to stay anyway.” They were silent for several minutes and didn’t advance toward the house. When Dominic finally breathed out and stepped back, he ran his hand through his cropped hair.

“Okay, I won’t say anything, but I'm only doing this because you asked. This goes against my better judgment, but I don’t want to see you hurting any more than you already are.” Nodding, she wouldn’t have had it any other way. She would find something to tell her parents.

“And, Chloe?”

“Yes?”

“If I find out he has put his hands on you again, I’ll hunt him down and kill him.”

Shivering at the intensity of Dominic’s words, she knew he meant what he said.

Chapter Five

The following morning Jake had woke up on the lawn chair, half his face swollen. When Chloe had seen him she knew right away his memory of the night before was intact. She thought he might have looked regretful, even sorry, but a deep hatred had been reflected back at her. When her parents had seen what happened, he had at least been smart enough not to be honest about how he acquired the injury. When he had expressed his desire to go home, her parents had been more than willing to drive him back, most likely worrying a lawsuit would result from his injury.

They hadn’t bothered asking her if she was okay with leaving, just told her to pack her bags and meet them in the front. She refused to go, didn’t want to be in the car with any of them. When she had told them this, they looked at her as if she had grown a second head. Of course they told her she would just be a burden to Clara and Dominic—that they didn’t want to have to watch over a
kid
.

Thankfully, Uncle Dominic had been there, smoothing away their ruffled feathers and telling them there was no problem with her staying at the cottage. Without even a backward glance, they left.

That had been several hours ago and still Chloe didn’t know how to feel. The whole situation was surreal. How could she ever find it in herself to trust another guy? Jake had turned into a monster in only one day. After two years of being with him, she had to find out the hard way who he truly was.