Moth to a Flame Read online

  Shit. This is not good.

  I had made it three years after my abduction without any crazy incidents, and now, I had a freaking stalker. “No, no, no!” I shouted. My hands shook in equal parts fear and anger. It was frightening enough that he was just Sam the delivery guy leaving me harassing notes, but now, the revelation that this man had posed as someone he was not for so long had my heart racing like crazy.

  Cale pulled my quivering frame to him and hugged me as if he meant to keep me safe in his arms forever.

  “Let’s get this over with.” I tugged away from him and wiped a stray tear.

  He tossed one more sad look my way before we got out and walked hand in hand into the police department.

  Unfortunately, the police couldn’t do much with what little information we could give them. I provided them with the make and model of his car and a physical description, but that’s really all they had to go by.

  On the way to the mechanic, Cale grabbed my hand, stroking it with his thumb. It was comforting as I tried to quiet the thoughts in my head.

  What is so special about me that I could get myself abducted and then capture the attention of a stalker in a matter of a few years?

  Did something about my personality scream victim?

  I was pissed at always being the victim. As much as it was nice having someone like Cale to swoop in and save me, it still sucked feeling so weak.

  When we arrived at the mechanic, Cale pulled our joined hands to his lips and kissed my hand. “Everything’s going to be okay Lia,” he assured me. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  I badly wanted to believe him.

  “Let me run in and pay. Then I’ll follow you back to your place. After we drop off your car, we’ll swing by my place and pick up some of my things so I can stay with you,” he ordered, hopping out of the truck.

  Twenty minutes later, we were sitting close together, this time in his truck on the way to his house. I was trying to put thoughts of Sam away and found myself looking forward to seeing a piece of Cale’s life. A smile tugged at my lips as he pulled his truck into the driveway of an adorable duplex not far from my house. It was well kept and the lawn was neatly manicured.

  “It’s just temporary till my house is roofed and the drywall’s in. I’m building something new out by the lake,” he told me as he put the vehicle in park.

  We stepped out of the truck and with hands intertwined we made our way inside. I was eager to finally see where he lived. Once we passed through the door, I grinned as I looked around. The inside of the duplex was decorated with modern décor and housed chic furniture. It was really nice.

  “I’m going to pack a bag, Lia. Make yourself at home.”

  I smiled at him as he turned and strode out of the room. After walking over to his end table, I picked up a frame. It had a picture of an older man and woman who were smiling, a definite contrast of the description he’d given of his parents. They didn’t really look like his parents, but the age had to have put them old enough to be.

  “That’s Ron and Linda,” he spoke, coming up a few minutes later and wrapping his arms around me from behind. He was studying the picture over my shoulder, and I could feel his smile. “Ron took me in as his apprentice after I quit college and was disowned by my father. He taught me all I know about home building. That man was a true craftsman. His wife, Linda, was awesome too. They allowed me to stay in their garage apartment for next to nothing. She’d always bring me food and we were always together for holidays. Those two people became the parents I never had. Losing them was especially hard on me,” he choked out, his body tense around me.

  “Cale, I am so sorry. I had no idea you suffered so much loss. It makes me realize that maybe I am just a weakling for being unable to handle my past when you are such a great guy having been dealt a terrible hand.”

  He brought his mouth down to my ear. “Tell me about your past,” he whispered, causing my body to shiver.

  “I want to. I really do. Today just doesn’t seem like a good day for that. Are you hungry?” I was attempting to shift his interest from the topic I never really wanted to discuss.

  “Whatever you say, babe,” he murmured with a disappointed sigh into my ear before pulling away to grab his bags.

  Even though he tried to remain lighthearted, I could sense that he was upset with me. And dammit, I couldn’t help but hate the feeling.

  WHAT IS SO bad about her past that she can’t confide in me?

  I didn’t want her to know that she’d hurt me with her lack of entrusting me with her story. Truth was, I was pretty upset that she wouldn’t share her past with me so I could try and help her through her pain. Madison had shut me out once before with her secrets and it’d cost me dearly.

  When we pulled up to a diner on the way back to her house, I finally looked over to see her. She turned away from the window and captured me in her green eyed gaze.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

  Feeling bad for having been upset, I seized her hand in mine and brought it to my lips to kiss it. “No worries, babe. You can tell me when you’re ready. I’ll be here waiting,” I promised her, causing the corners of her lips to turn up into a smile.

  “Thank you.” She pecked me on the lips before hopping out of the truck.

  The diner was small and empty of patrons. My eyes scanned the dining room until I located a more private booth. Holding her hand, I tugged her behind me over to it. She sat down and I scooted in beside her. After we ordered some greasy food and milkshakes, she spoke.

  “A terrible thing happened to me three years ago. I’ve never voiced it to anyone. I fight to keep those memories at bay because, Cale, I swear they’ll consume me. I’m terrified every single day—well, until I met you. And even though all that’s happened with Sam is absolutely frightening, I can’t help but feel that, as long as you’re near, it will be okay.”

  I put my arm around her and pulled her close to me, kissing the top of her head.

  “When I finally recount those events, please just be there to pick up the pieces.” Once again, she was so fucking cryptic.

  “Of course,” I promised her.

  The drive back to her place was quiet. We’d had a very long day, and it was starting to get dark. Her nervousness didn’t go unnoticed when we arrived at her house. She had her keys in her hand, mace poised and ready to fire.

  We managed an uneventful trip into the house. Our relief was evident at not finding another rose. My hopes were that he would see my constant presence and be scared away by our involving the police in the matter. I finally felt like I could breathe for the first time today.

  Lia went into the kitchen and popped some popcorn while I started a movie I’d brought from the house. It was something funny and light because she definitely didn’t need any more suspense in her life.

  After starting the movie, I sat on the end of the couch, giving her room to lay her head in my lap and stretch out. She smiled at me and got into position for the movie. Grabbing the blanket that was draped over the back of the couch, she pulled it over her and we started eating the buttery popcorn while the beginning credits of the movie began.

  Fifteen minutes into the movie, I thought I heard a car door close. Once I’d quickly lifted her head, I jumped up and slipped on my shoes to investigate the noise outside. She looked at me with fear in her eyes when she saw my expression and sat frozen.

  “Lia, it’s okay. I am sure it was nothing. I’m just going to—” My sentence was interrupted at the shattering of glass, and then an instant later, flames were swelling around the window and up the curtains in the living room. “Shit! Lia, call the fire department!” I barked at her, scrambling for a way to put out the fire.

  She screamed at the fire that was now in her living room and ran to the phone in the kitchen. I heard her speaking frantically on the phone as I snatched up the blanket and began trying to snuff out the fire. I beat on the fire until I was sure it was out before taking off out t
he front door in a blind rage with Lia hot on my heels and yelling my name to stop me.

  The car was already out of the driveway and halfway down the road before I made it out there. “Son of a bitch!” I cursed loudly as I watched Sam’s car drive away. When I finally caught that motherfucker in the act, I was going to kill him, no fucking joke.

  Lia ran up behind me and hugged me. I could hear the sirens in the distance. Turning, I gathered her into my arms.

  “I’m so sorry, baby. I’m so sorry,” I soothed into her ears, holding her tight as she sobbed.

  Jerking away from me, she gently grabbed my hands into hers. “Cale, you’ve been burned!” she shrieked.

  Once the adrenaline rush wore off, I began to feel the burning areas on my hands. They weren’t bad enough to require medical attention, but Lia was concerned for me. “It’s nothing Lia, I’ll be fine,” I promised her as the fire truck arrived.

  A bulky black man hopped out of the truck and ran towards us. “Lia! What happened?” he demanded.

  She wrenched away from me and gave him a big hug. “Deion, this guy named Sam is stalking me and started the fire with us in the living room! Thankfully Cale was able to put it out quickly,” she urgently told him.

  “Thank God you’re okay. Wait here and let the EMT assess you for injuries. We’re going to go in and have a look and make sure the fire’s completely out,” he informed her. After he rejoined his crew, they headed inside.

  Once we’d been checked over by the EMT and they’d made sure my burns weren’t serious, we sat holding hands in the grass by the porch, waiting on the firemen to clear the scene. The officer had taken our statement while we’d been getting looked over. When we told him we’d been at the station earlier that day to report someone, he took our story a lot more seriously. But still, we had nothing to go on to catch him.

  Deion walked down to where we were sitting. “Lia, the good news is that your house will be okay. Your man put the fire out pretty quickly.” He nodded over at me with approval. “Bad news is that you should probably stay somewhere till you get the window replaced. If you need a place to stay, you know you are always welcome at Anj’s and my place.”

  Standing, I reached out a hand to him. “Deion, I’m Cale. It’s nice to meet you.” Shaking hands, I promised, “I will take care of her. She’ll be safe with me at my place.”

  Lia, who had stood up as well, nodded at him.

  “Okay then. Looks like we’re finished up here. Lia, don’t forget about the Halloween party on Friday night. I expect you’ll be bringing Cale?” he questioned her, now smiling.

  She grinned back, “Of course.”

  They hugged once more before he and the other firemen left us alone in the dark.

  AFTER PACKING BAGS for me this time, we locked up and headed to our cars to go to Cale’s house. I was really upset that this creep Sam had tried to set my house on fire with us in it. I wasn’t sure how to handle the situation, but leaving for Cale’s house seemed like the safest bet at the moment.

  He walked me to my car to make sure I got in safely. The man was extremely overprotective—not that I minded one bit. When I went to open my car door, I froze when I saw the rose sticking out the window with a note tucked behind it.

  No! I can’t handle this continual harassment!

  “Shit!” I heard him curse behind me.

  Snatching it up, I tore open the envelope before Cale could take it from me, needing to know what it said. Holding up my phone, I used it as light for us to read.

  I dropped the letter to the ground and spun around to face Cale with tears in my eyes. “Will it ever stop?” I demanded, letting him embrace me.

  “I hope so,” he whispered into my hair.

  The whole ride over to Cale’s, I thought about Sam.

  What did he mean he’d find me?

  I really wasn’t looking forward to that moment one bit. At least I felt like I had a reprieve from the stress of it for the rest of the week.

  When we walked in the house, I sat down in the recliner, putting my face into my hands, trying to numb my mind while Cale quietly left the room. I was still deep in my thoughts when he came to get me a little while later. Pulling me out of my chair by my hand, he silently led me to the master bathroom. My eyes widened when I noticed the lit candles scattered about the bathroom.

  “I ran us a bath,” he told me softly.

  The funk I had fallen into since finding the rose tonight somewhat lifted as I smiled up at him. We undressed and slipped into the hot water with him behind me. The silence continued on as he washed my back, arms, neck, and breasts. I closed my eyes and fell back against him, leaning to the side, giving him access to my neck.

  His kisses started out slow and comforting in nature. But they became more frenzied as he made his way up to my earlobe and gently nibbled, causing me to pant. I gasped when his arms wrapped around me, one hand caressing my breast and the other making its way down south.

  When his fingers connected with my clit, I began writhing against him. I felt him harden behind me. Letting go of the events, even momentarily, I gave in to the orgasm that had been building and thrashed against him in pleasure. I cried out his name in ecstasy, finally breaking the silence. In just that moment, I was free of everything except my Cale.

  Exactly the way it should be.

  Cale finally spoke after a few minutes. “Lia, this won’t go on forever. He’s going to slip up and I will catch him myself if I have to.” He paused a moment before going on. “I’ve waited my whole life for something good to happen to me. It’s always just been out of reach. I never had the courage to go after what I wanted until now. And you, Lia, have had terrible shit happen to you as well—probably worse. You are so deserving of a great life. I’ll be damned if I let that dickhead interfere with our happiness. So believe me when I say I will end this. I promise,” he vowed.

  I simply nodded. Funny thing was, I completely believed in his words. Sam might have scared the hell out of me, but Cale was the kind of guy that would make it all better.

  As we quieted down again, sitting in the warm water that smelled of lavender, I thought about how, since I had met Cale, I hardly ever thought about the abduction, especially when I was with him. It was like, from practically the moment we’d met, we were orbiting around each other. Safe. I wondered if this was how everyone felt once they found that person they completely clicked with, the person who gets them on a level nobody else ever could.

  I hadn’t even told him about that terrible night, but somehow, he understands me as if he does know. And I knew that, once I did tell him, he’d be my biggest supporter. I was just afraid to relive it again. I’d feared for my life that night and it wasn’t something I wanted to go around thinking about all the time.

  That’s it. I am going to tell him tonight.

  With that thought, I stood up to get out of the tub, causing Cale to do the same.

  AFTER A BATH where I poured my heart out to Lia and she silently listened, we finally got out. I could tell that she had a lot on her mind with the whole Sam situation. Even though he said that he’d see her on Friday, I didn’t trust his words at all and would still watch her like a hawk. She didn’t know it yet, but I planned on taking her to work in the morning so I would know she made it safely.

  We brushed our teeth, wrapped up in our towels, and went into the bedroom. She looked so exhausted and sad.

  Pulling the covers back, I told her, “Come on, get in.”

  She was completely exhausted—I could see it all over her face. I smiled when she dropped her towel and crawled into the bed because I was awarded a view of her nice, round ass. It caused my dick to flinch with excitement, but it needed to chill the fuck out for the time being.

  I turned off the lights everywhere except the bedside lamp and scooted in next to her. Ever since the events from earlier in the evening, Lia was almost in a catatonic state and it made me nervous. I pulled her over into the crook of my arm, and she snaked her arm
across my chest. We sat staring, lost in our thoughts for a while, before she spoke.

  “Cale,” was all she said. It wasn’t a question, so there wasn’t a need for an answer.

  I kissed the top of her head. When I finally heard her quiet, rhythmic breathing, I turned off the lamp and quickly fell into step behind her.

  I woke to thrashing in my arms.

  What the fuck?

  “Get away from me, you bastard!” she screamed in the darkness, slapping at my chest. Her struggles to get away completely startled me. “He’s coming!” she continued to panic.

  In a flash, I reached over and switched on the lamp. Her tear-stained face was haunted as she was clearly still trapped in her nightmare.

  I sat up, shaking her. “Lia! Wake up. It’s me, Cale!” I shouted at her.

  She opened and closed her eyes a few times as if to blink away the fog of her bad dream. As if suddenly realizing that it was just a nightmare, her eyes filled with fresh, hot tears and she threw herself at me in a tight embrace.

  “Shhh, I’ve got you,” I cooed into her hair, pulling her to lie back down. After a few moments of silence, I spoke again. “Want to tell me about it?” I asked, stroking her hair.

  “No,” she hastily whispered. “I’m sorry.”

  I wished she could open up to me. She was whimpering in fear in my arms and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. I knew she was just upset about Sam, but if she didn’t talk about it, she was suffering with it alone and I fucking hated that for her.

  She was tracing her fingers along my bicep when she finally found her voice again. “Tell me about your tattoo.” She looked at me and her green eyes caught me in their trap of wonder like they always did.

  “Well,” I began, “it’s of my guardian angel. She’s always watching me. Keeping me out of trouble. Reminding me of the right path to take.” I could have told her the whole story about almost dying because of drunk driving on my part, but for some reason, I didn’t feel like presenting her plate after plate of my past when she couldn’t even give me a morsel. I’d tell her everything the moment she gave me something. Anything.