Lost in Distraction Read online

  I need him to see my dark side, so I can be sure he is the one to show me the light.

  Another hour passes with no sign of him. I text him to check that he’s still coming over. No reply, again. I see that it has now been over three hours since he said he’d be here. Now I’m starting to really worry.

  I’m about to give up and head to bed when I hear a knock at the door followed by a loud thump against the wall outside. Looking through the peep hole, I can’t see anyone out there, but I decide to open the door. I’m in a secure building, it can’t be too bad.

  My high-pitched scream echoes through the night at what I find.

  So maybe we do have more to worry about now.

  After texting Elle and telling her I was on my way, I leave my building and walk towards our favorite Mexican restaurant to grab our take-out order. On the way back to her apartment, I sense that I’m being followed. I quickly sent a text to Shay to let him know that I have a tail, but ask him to stay on Elle, just in case she is being targeted. I decide to change direction and head away from where I am supposed to be going. I keep my phone in my pocket in the event I need to grab it in a hurry. With Shay tracking my GPS, all bases are covered, we’ve taken every precaution.

  What I don’t count on is two guys that have been called ahead to intercept me as I cut through a quiet alleyway near campus. Before I know what is happening, I am sucker-punched by one of them. I manage to get a good right hook to connect with one of their jaw’s before the other guy grabs my arms, twists them behind my back and dislocates my shoulder in the process. This leaves me open to continual jabs to my face and ribs. I kept trying to lift my legs up and knock one of them over, but they always manage to stay just out of reach. After a few more whacks to my head, they finally let me go. I crumble to the ground, clinging to my arm that is dangling lifelessly on the side of my body. This is no random mugging, it is an orchestrated attack. We are being sent a message.

  From my position on the ground, I see a black town car pull up at the end of the alley, the car’s headlights shining down on me. I am teetering on the edge of consciousness when I recognize the swagger of Michael Evans walking towards me. I try to reach my phone, but because I am lying on it, I can’t reach it. I’m relieved that Elle is safe because of Shay, despite whatever is about to happen to me. I haven’t moved by the time Evans crouches down beside me.

  “Leave it alone, boy. Whatever you think is going on, you have no freaking idea. Keep it that way, trust me.” With the message delivered, he stands up and gives me one last kick before I black out.

  I come to a short time later and check my watch. Shit! It’s been over an hour. I try to move, but I hurt everywhere. There is a stabbing pain in the back of my head and what feels like a shard of glass being shoved into my shoulder. Using my good arm, I manage to grab my phone from my pocket and send a text to Shay with our code for ambulance. I hear the sirens in the distance as I black out again, lying in the middle of the alley, all alone, thinking of my Elle waiting for me.

  When I wake up again, I’m in a hospital bed in the ER. My shoulder has been put back into place, my arm is now in a sling and I have two broken ribs as well as stitches in my head and on my face.

  All I can think about is how I am going to explain this to Elle.

  I discharge myself against the doctor’s advice and hop in a taxi that is parked outside, giving the directions to Elle’s apartment. I must have fallen asleep in the back of the cab because before I know it, the taxi driver is telling me to get out as we stopped outside her building. I throw him a twenty and gingerly got out of the cab, quickly scanning the street for Shay.

  So here I am, propped up against the wall of Elle’s building, about to head inside. I grab my phone with my good hand and dial Shay.

  “Hey man, what the hell happened? Why didn’t you call me sooner?” he yells down the phone when he answers.

  “Calm down, I’m okay. They ambushed me in an alley near campus and I couldn’t get to my phone in time. Anyway, you wouldn’t have been able to leave Elle,” I say as I try to catch my breath, pain radiating through my chest. “It was Evans. He was sending us a message.”

  “And what was that?” he asks, sounding a lot calmer now.

  “He said to leave Elle alone and that we have no idea what is really going on. I’m not worried about it, bro, but I’m thinking there is even more to this than even we know. I’ll be pissed if Gibbons and the boss are holding back on us.” I wheeze. Damn, that smarts!

  “Well, I’ll do what I can, B, but you need to rest. You think it is a good idea going to see her when you’re like this?” Wow, he actually sounds worried.

  “I have to see her, Shay. She’ll be concerned about why I haven’t come over. I can’t have her thinking that she could lose me, too. I’ve gotta go. I’ll text you in the morning. You can bring me my prescription,” I say grumpily before hanging up.

  I open the door to Elle’s building with one arm and walk tentatively towards the stairs. I can feel myself starting to get a bit woozy and I wonder if it’s the pills they made me take at the ER. I stumble up the stairs and make it to her apartment door, managing to knock a few times before sliding down the wall with a thump.

  My heart stops when I see Brax slumped against the wall outside my apartment. He looks terrible with one arm in a sling and a big bandage on his head as well as stiches on his face. Looks like I had every reason to be worried. He’s obviously been beaten, and from what I can see, he is struggling to move. Before I can stop myself, I burst into tears.

  “Brax, Oh my God. What happened?” I whisper at him through my tears.

  “It’s okay, baby,” he murmurs, sounding really groggy. “I got mugged on my way over here with our dinner, then I blacked out. When I came to, I was in the ER. I’m just a bit banged, I’ll be alright,” he explains, lifting his good arm to me and pulling me into him, stroking my hair as I cry into his chest.

  “I don’t understand. Why would this happen to you?” I mumble. I can’t believe he’s still trying to comfort me when he’s the one hurting.

  “They must’ve just wanted money and food, it happens. Now give me some room, I’m gonna try and make it to the couch.” He winces as he struggles to get to his feet. I give him my arm to lean on and help him into the apartment. I lie him down on the couch and get a pillow from my room.

  “Is there anything you need?” I ask him, unsure of what to do. I’ve never had to deal with anything like this before.

  “I’m okay, sweetheart. Now come closer to me. I was thinking about you the whole time,” he murmurs as I kneel on the ground in front of the couch and carefully snuggle into his side. “I’m so sorry about the dinner,” he says, and I burst out laughing through my tears.

  Typical male, always thinking of his stomach.

  Chapter Eight

  I try to open my eyes, but it hurts to move. My head is thumping, my shoulder is killing me, and my ribs feel like they’re about to explode. When my eyelids finally open, I remember that I’m in Elle’s apartment on her couch. Looking down, I see that she is sitting on the floor with her head resting on the couch beside me, holding my hand. I wish I could move over and hold her. She looks so beautiful lying beside me with her hand resting on my stomach, her way of making sure I’m okay.

  I hate lying to her, but I can’t tell her the truth about the beating. Last night’s events mean that this situation is more complicated that we first thought, and I’m starting to think Gibbons and the boss are holding back on us. This doesn’t seem like a simple security job anymore. I want to have a brainstorming session with Shay about it later. We need to put our heads together and consider all the possibilities. If Brimstone is behind the attack on me last night, what did he mean with his message and what does this mean for Elle?

  I watch Elle as she slowly opens her eyes and looks at me. I watch her wince when she sees my face. I must look really terrible now that the bruising has come up. She leans forward and threads her fingers
through my hair ever so carefully, avoiding the bandage on my head that covers the stitches. She gently rubs her nose along my jaw and leans forward, placing a gentle kiss on my lips. I lift my good hand up to cup her head, pulling her close to me as I start to take control of the kiss, which ends way too soon for my liking. She sits up and smiles at me.

  “Good morning,” she says quietly, the blush in her cheeks giving away how much she enjoyed the kiss.

  “It’s always a good morning when I wake up next to you,” I murmur, kissing her gently behind her ear. I feel her shudder and can’t help but grin. I love the effect I have on her. It is such a turn on to have a woman respond so openly to a simple kiss, let alone anything else.

  She pulls back, taking a seat on the coffee table in front of me.

  “We need to talk. I wanted to talk to you last night, but when you were late I started to get worried thinking you had changed your mind about coming over,” she says softly. “But never in a million years did I expect you to turn up hurt. It breaks my heart to see you so broken, Brax.”

  I can tell she is starting to get upset again. “Hon, it is okay. I’m okay and I’m here. All he got was our dinner, nothing else. I came back to you as soon as I could. I didn’t want to worry you. I just wanted to get checked out and cleaned up because I didn’t want you to freak out.” I carefully roll on my side so that I’m now propped up on my good elbow, facing her. “What did you want to talk to me about, sweetheart? Your text said you wanted to talk to me. Are you okay?”

  She smiles. “I love it when you call me sweetheart. It makes me feel cherished.”

  “Elle, I do cherish you. I care for you so much. I hope you know that,” I implore, staring straight in to his eyes.

  ”I do, Brax. Thank you for coming here last night and letting me take care of you, but right now I need to get you some coffee and breakfast and maybe help you into the shower” she says, moving to her feet.

  “Sounds good, babe. Sounds really good.” I lie back down and drift off again. Damn drugs.

  I can’t get over how terrible Brax looks this morning. He told me that the ER doctor wanted to keep him in overnight, but he discharged himself against doctor’s advice and caught a cab straight to my place. I’m glad he did, but I can’t help but feel horrible for him. I offer him some Tylenol, which he gladly takes, then make him a coffee and toast.

  By the time I bring him some breakfast, he has fallen asleep again. I sit next to him on the couch and gently stroke his head. He turns his head into my hand, and I can’t help but smile. He seems to sense me, even in his sleep. Sitting here, looking at him, I realize that I’ve been kidding myself about my feelings for Brax.

  I’m in love with him.

  I have been for a while now, and I can’t imagine my life without him in it.

  He has slowly inched his way in, fighting to push those firmly erected walls of mine down. But in order for us to move forward, I need to tell him all about me, the real me. He needs to know my good, my bad, and my downright ugly side. Only then will I be completely comfortable with him in my life. I need to know that he’s not going to bolt when he realizes how screwed up my past is. His reaction to my past will be the defining moment in our relationship. It will determine whether the final wall can come crashing down or whether I’m setting myself up to have my heart ripped out again.

  I leave him to sleep and make myself busy around the apartment, cleaning up and doing some reading for school in my bedroom. I hear him call out my name, and I rush to the living room to see him. When I get there, I see that he’s managed to sit himself up and is at least looking a little bit better than he did last night. He smiles at me and picks up his luke warm coffee, taking a sip, before moving on to his now cold breakfast. I take a seat next to him, and he puts his good arm around me, pulling me into his side.

  He gives me a small squeeze. “Thank you, baby. You’re the sexiest nurse I’ve ever had” he muses.

  “I’m probably the only nurse you’ve had looking after you like this, sexy or otherwise,” I reply with a grin, bumping him with my shoulder.

  Oh my god, I just hurt his sore arm. “Shit, I’m so sorry, baby,” I apologize, leaning over to kiss his arm. “See, all better,” I say sweetly, looking back up at him through my lashes.

  He looks at me with a smile on his face, quirking an eyebrow. “I suppose that will teach me for getting smart.”

  I can’t stop the giggle that rises up.

  “You said you needed to talk to me last night. What about?” he asks, settling back into the couch and pulling me with him.

  “Are you sure you’re okay to talk about stuff now? We can wait until you’re feeling better,” I reply, second guessing my decision to tell him. Now that the moment is here, I’m losing my confidence.

  “Yeah, babe. I’m fine. Now what is it?”

  He moves his hand into mine and starts stroking his thumb backwards and forwards over my hand in the way I love. I feel empowered by his touch and decide it’s now or never. I take a deep breath.

  “Well, I’m not sure where to start. I’ve told you that my parents and sister are gone.” I stare straight in his ice blue eyes.

  “Yeah,” he replies, his body not giving any reaction away yet.

  “What I didn’t tell you is that three years ago, while I was away at camp, my family was murdered.” I pause, taking the opportunity to try and swallow down that familiar lump forming in my chest. “I didn’t find out until the next day when the school principal and guidance counselor told me,” I sneak a glimpse at his face, trying to see any reaction.

  “My God, Elle. I don’t know what to say. I’m so sorry that this happened to you,” he says, pulling me into his chest again.

  “It’s okay. It was a long time ago, but in order to deal with it I had shut myself off from the world. I left for camp, leaving behind a family that loved me, and two days later a gunman snatched them away from me forever. They didn’t even have a chance,” my voice wavers. I feel Brax stroking my hand again, like he is silently urging me to continue.

  “I’ve often felt that I was the unlucky one to be left behind, that I should’ve been home with my family and been taken with them. But now that I’ve met you, I feel like the lucky one. I wouldn’t have had the chance to meet you if I had been with them.”

  Elle’s confession is crushing me. She is such a beautiful person, inside and out. I just can’t imagine how she feels, hating herself because she is the one left behind.

  “Babe, you are the most courageous woman I have ever met. I can’t imagine the pain you have been through, but I love that you feel lucky to have met me because I can tell you this,” I pause, making sure my words sink in, “My life was nothing until that moment I walked into that class and saw you.”

  A sob escapes her throat, and she leans forward to kiss me. This time I don’t hold back. I kiss her with everything I have, trying to prove to her with my actions that everything I said is true. We pull away again and just look at each other.

  “There’s more, Brax,” she says. “For the last three years I’ve been a shell, a numb vessel meandering through life. I haven’t wanted to feel anything. I’ve abused my body, let others use me, all in an effort to feel again. The moment I met you, I felt a warmth like I haven’t felt in a long time. You’ve made me feel something again, Brax. You’ve made me feel alive again, and for that I will be eternally grateful.” Her voice cracks on her last word.

  “The other thing I haven’t told you is that my father was the owner of a very successful company that I now own a controlling stake in. Uncle Harry, the man you met the other night, is the acting CEO right now and my father’s old business partner.”

  I raise my eyebrows at her. “He runs the company for you, then?” I ask, knowing that he does, but unsure whether she knows what he has been up to lately.

  “Yeah. He’s okay, I suppose. He was my father’s best friend and has known me all my life. I went to live with him and his now ex-wife after it al
l happened. He has always been around, so it wasn’t really a surprise that he called in to check up on me a few weeks ago.”

  I stare at her, thrown by that information. I didn’t know that she lived with Brimstone before coming here. I’m slowly connecting the dots in my head, and I don’t like what I’m discovering. I need to find out more.

  “Do you know why he came here?” I ask.

  “He said he was in the area for business and wanted to check up on me. But to be completely honest, I’m sure the only reason he called in was because he wants to buy me out of the company and the only way that can happen is if I allow the takeover,” she says, looking up at me waiting for my next question. This is the exact reason why Elle is under threat.

  “And do you want to do that, Elle?” I wait for her answer, hoping with all my might that she won’t sell to that unscrupulous man. We know Brimstone is making moves against her, but we don’t know exactly what he’s planning. Whatever he does, I’m going to make sure that we’re a step ahead. I will not let him hurt her.

  “Not really. Brightlight is my father’s baby. He started it from scratch and Uncle Harry came on board after it was already successful. He wasn’t there for the hard work and part of me thinks he just wants all the rewards, especially now that my father is not around.”

  I nod at her statement, relieved that she hasn’t made a decision yet.

  “You should also know that I own this apartment building. It’s all mine,” she says with a wry smile. “I figured it was better to buy somewhere for me to live while I was at school than rent and pay someone else’s mortgage.” Now this is something I didn’t know. I’m amazed. She has a really good head on her shoulders for a nineteen year old.