as she was
finding her way out of the dark the monster had to start tormenting
her. He wanted to find the sorry S.O.B and make him pay for what he
had done. Violent images, of what he could do to make him pay,
played through his head.
The light weight of her head on his
shoulder and her small hand on his chest held him in place. Going
after the guy himself would do her no good. The last thing she
needed was the wrong man sitting behind bars.
Memories of finding Tammy behind a bar
bruised, stripped from the waist down, and shaking, flashed through
his mind. He'd never been able to forgive himself for not protecting
his step-sister that night.
She had changed after that night. Before
it happened Tammy almost never missed one of his shows. After that
night she was always busy with school. Unless she was out with
Chris. She was a lot like Lana.
Lana whimpered in her sleep. A frown
marred her flawless face. There was no doubt in Drew’s mind
the monster haunted her sleep.
Holding her closer he yearned to be able
to wipe her memory of the creep.
***********************************
Her cell phone buzzing woke Lana from a
deep sleep. She had to look past a sleeping Drew to see the clock
glowing 3:15 A.M. on the night stand.
At that time of night it could only be
Ricky. He was probably giving her hell for not coming home.
One look at the screen revealed that it
definitely was not Ricky.
Unknown caller: ‘Ready
or not, here I come’
Lana yelped and dropped her phone back
on the nightstand on her side of the bed.
NO. NO. NO! Shawn couldn't possibly know
where she was. Nobody, aside from her parents, knew where she'd
decided to go to college.
Rolling over, she buried her face into
Drew’s chest. Strong arms wrapped around her pulling her in
closer. The ocean filled her senses calming her frantic heart.
“Let me guess,” sleep filled
his voice. “That wasn’t Ricky?”
Lana shook her head.
“Maybe, I should call my dad. He's
a cop,” he said.
“No,” she objected. “I’ll
just change my number.”
Drew sighed. “I wish you'd let me
help.”
She dropped a chaste kiss on his bare
chest. “You already are helping.” More than he knew.
“If it continues much longer I
will do something about it,” he warned her. “I’m
really feeling like a road trip to Charleston right now.”
His protectiveness warmed her heart.
Still she could not let him do something that would get him into
trouble.
“You’re not going anywhere,”
she told him. “Let’s just go back to sleep.”
Even as she said the words she knew it
was easier said than done. Shawn’s words were taunting both of
them. Part of her wanted to run and hide. The other half was tired
of being the victim. For the first time in a long time she finally
had a reason to want to live a real life. This time Shawn wouldn't
take that away from her.
Chapter
6
“Ricky told me you hooked up with
Drew last night,” Tracie said, refilling the sugar container.
“We didn't hook up,” Lana
denied.
“Too bad.”
Too
bad indeed Lana thought to
herself.
Sleeping in his arms all night had left
a lasting impression on her body. It was crazy that she felt safe
with him. They had only known each other for a couple short weeks.
“You want to hit the mall after
work?” Tracie asked, moving on to the cookie display case.
“Can’t,” Lana told
her, as she filled the coffee stirrer holder. “I have about
one hundred definitions that I have to get done before my next
class.”
Tracie pouted. “Damn, girl, I
need retail therapy bad. Can’t you come out for a little
while?”
It was tempting to skip the gym to go
but she didn't want to make it a habit. “Maybe tomorrow?”
“I’m keeping you to that,”
Tracie warned her. “Don’t you dare blow me off.”
The bell on the door chimed as Drew
walked in. Speaking of the devil. He looked good today. Well, OK,
she thought he looked good on a daily basis.
Automatically Lana poured a cup of
finding her way out of the dark the monster had to start tormenting
her. He wanted to find the sorry S.O.B and make him pay for what he
had done. Violent images, of what he could do to make him pay,
played through his head.
The light weight of her head on his
shoulder and her small hand on his chest held him in place. Going
after the guy himself would do her no good. The last thing she
needed was the wrong man sitting behind bars.
Memories of finding Tammy behind a bar
bruised, stripped from the waist down, and shaking, flashed through
his mind. He'd never been able to forgive himself for not protecting
his step-sister that night.
She had changed after that night. Before
it happened Tammy almost never missed one of his shows. After that
night she was always busy with school. Unless she was out with
Chris. She was a lot like Lana.
Lana whimpered in her sleep. A frown
marred her flawless face. There was no doubt in Drew’s mind
the monster haunted her sleep.
Holding her closer he yearned to be able
to wipe her memory of the creep.
***********************************
Her cell phone buzzing woke Lana from a
deep sleep. She had to look past a sleeping Drew to see the clock
glowing 3:15 A.M. on the night stand.
At that time of night it could only be
Ricky. He was probably giving her hell for not coming home.
One look at the screen revealed that it
definitely was not Ricky.
Unknown caller: ‘Ready
or not, here I come’
Lana yelped and dropped her phone back
on the nightstand on her side of the bed.
NO. NO. NO! Shawn couldn't possibly know
where she was. Nobody, aside from her parents, knew where she'd
decided to go to college.
Rolling over, she buried her face into
Drew’s chest. Strong arms wrapped around her pulling her in
closer. The ocean filled her senses calming her frantic heart.
“Let me guess,” sleep filled
his voice. “That wasn’t Ricky?”
Lana shook her head.
“Maybe, I should call my dad. He's
a cop,” he said.
“No,” she objected. “I’ll
just change my number.”
Drew sighed. “I wish you'd let me
help.”
She dropped a chaste kiss on his bare
chest. “You already are helping.” More than he knew.
“If it continues much longer I
will do something about it,” he warned her. “I’m
really feeling like a road trip to Charleston right now.”
His protectiveness warmed her heart.
Still she could not let him do something that would get him into
trouble.
“You’re not going anywhere,”
she told him. “Let’s just go back to sleep.”
Even as she said the words she knew it
was easier said than done. Shawn’s words were taunting both of
them. Part of her wanted to run and hide. The other half was tired
of being the victim. For the first time in a long time she finally
had a reason to want to live a real life. This time Shawn wouldn't
take that away from her.
Chapter
6
“Ricky told me you hooked up with
Drew last night,” Tracie said, refilling the sugar container.
“We didn't hook up,” Lana
denied.
“Too bad.”
Too
bad indeed Lana thought to
herself.
Sleeping in his arms all night had left
a lasting impression on her body. It was crazy that she felt safe
with him. They had only known each other for a couple short weeks.
“You want to hit the mall after
work?” Tracie asked, moving on to the cookie display case.
“Can’t,” Lana told
her, as she filled the coffee stirrer holder. “I have about
one hundred definitions that I have to get done before my next
class.”
Tracie pouted. “Damn, girl, I
need retail therapy bad. Can’t you come out for a little
while?”
It was tempting to skip the gym to go
but she didn't want to make it a habit. “Maybe tomorrow?”
“I’m keeping you to that,”
Tracie warned her. “Don’t you dare blow me off.”
The bell on the door chimed as Drew
walked in. Speaking of the devil. He looked good today. Well, OK,
she thought he looked good on a daily basis.
Automatically Lana poured a cup of
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