I must have been only in a light sleep when I heard a yell. I sat up with a startle and looked around the room. I wasn’t sure if I had been dreaming and as I looked at my clock on the nightstand I heard another yell. I got out of bed and briskly walked to Ella’s room.
I turned the light on and Ella was tossing and turning in her bed. I rushed to her side and held her legs stable.
“Ella wake up!” My voice was deep and I took a hold of her arms. Ella’s head shot off the pillow and was breathing hard. “You were dreaming,” I said calmly lying her back down. Her breathing sounded shallow and was almost as though she couldn’t get air out of her lungs.
“I think you’re hyperventilating, try to relax. Eyes on me, there you go.” Her hands were still gripped around my wrists. I peeled her fingers from me and held her hands.
I watched her close her eyes and tears rolled down her cheeks. I brushed my thumbs across her face to dry her tears. “Shh, you’re safe Ella. You’re alright.”
“I thought I was awake and he was here and that he hurt you and and—”
“Bad dream sweetie. It was just a bad dream.” Ella sat up and wrapped her arms around my neck and her body was still shaking. “Do you want me to lay with you until you fall back to sleep?” I asked pulling away a little.
She nodded her head and I stood up to turn the lights off. I got back into her bed and lay next to her. I was able to get her comfortable so that her head was on my chest; and her left leg was hanging over my lower half a little on a pillow. I gently rubbed her back and her breathing calmed down.
“Ella,” I spoke softly.
“Hmm?”
“Do you want me to get someone for you to talk to?”
“What do you mean?” Her voice drained.
“You’ve been through a lot this week and years of abuse. It’s just a lot for anyone to handle by themselves.” I pointed out and she remained quiet.
“I’ll be fine.”
“Elle-”
“It was one nightmare.”
“It’s your first night home and first time going to bed without the help of sedation. At least think about it.”
“I will.” She yawned and within ten minutes she had drifted to sleep. It felt good for her to be in my arms and for once I felt as though I was actually protecting her. Within time I also had fallen asleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Two Weeks Later~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“You sure you don’t need anything before I leave?” I asked Ella who was doing crunches and stretching in the living room.
“Nick. GO! You’re amazing but I can handle being on my own for a couple hours.”
“Well, let me get you off the floor before I leave.”
“I can get around fine.” She told me and I let out a sigh of annoyance. I couldn’t help myself from being over protective. “Good-bye,” she started her crunches again and I knelt down to give her a kiss. So what exactly are we do you ask? I don’t really know, we just sort of hit things off and living together has definitely brought us closer.
“Bye,” I planted one her forehead and smiled. She gave me this half grin with a wink and I headed out the door. I had to get over Howie’s where A.J. was meeting us and we were going to call Brain to discuss our next tour. We wanted to make this one a little bigger than our last two, go back to our old school ways. More dancers, more pyro-techs and special effects.
The drive wasn’t too long, Howie moved closer from Orlando where he was so the three of us could actually be closer. Brian was just the outcast in Georgia with his wife. I still have a house in L.A. but mostly just go there when I go see Aaron and my sisters.
I pulled into the drive way and saw A.J.’s car already there next to Howie’s. I glanced at the clock on my dashboard first; it read two-twenty two. Shrugging, I pulled myself from the car and walked right into the house as if it were mine. I could hear Brian’s voice which meant they already had him on speaker and webcam from Howie’s laptop.
“Look who finally decides to come,” A.J. threw at me before I could sit down at the table.
“You said two-thirty. I’m early.” I defended myself. “Hey Rok.”
“We actually said two Nick. It’s fine though. The guys were filling me in with how much time you and Bella spend together. “
“Oh?” I raised my eyebrow looking between A.J. and Howie.
“Yeah are you two official yet?”
“We’re just taking things slow,” I said honestly.
“Sure sure. So why were you late? Getting a little before you came?” A.J. nudged me.
“We haven’t had sex and even if we have I wouldn’t tell you. I was late ‘cause I really thought we were meeting at two. Sorry! Can we talk about the tour now?” I was beginning to get frustrated.
“Yeah, I know you want to get back home to your girlfriend.” A.J. tugged on the word ‘girlfriend’ and laughed.
“Alright guys leave Nicky alone. He’s handled this whole thing with great maturity; and I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks B.”
“Okay, so we still want to plan for a Fall tour and then spring so we’re home for the Holidays?” Brian spoke looking down at a piece of paper.
We all said ‘yeah’ and Howie spoke. “That gives us three months to get everything ready. Brian you going to be able to come out enough to Florida?”
“Yeah, Leigh and I have talked and Bailey’s not in school for the summer now so it’s perfect. We’ll just stay at our condo there. We’re planning on coming out next Tuesday; so let’s get together Wednesday and we’ll settle dates and start booking crew. Howie you have the list of cities we hit our last two tours correct?”
“Yeah, I have them here. I’m going to get together with Donna this weekend to plan cities and she’ll handle the booking.”
“So what are we doing for songs? We were supposed to be doing an album this summer.” I spoke up from the chair I was leaning against.
“We’re still going to start our CD Nick, we’ve talked about this,” A.J. told me.
“Okay but we’re not going to give anything new from our last tour?” I sounded annoyed; and I was.
“Well, what do you guys think of this? We’ve already started playing around with new songs; what if get five new songs ready that may or may not be on our new album, sing them at our shows and kinda give our fans a taste of what’s to come.” Howie spoke. He was the marketer of the group.
“I like it. What about that one we recorded a couple months ago at A.J.’s studio?” Brian asked.
“Yeah and I’ve been working on some stuff too.” I told them starting to get excited.
“Okay, so let’s plan spending all of next weekend working out which songs we’re going to do from our previous albums and start working on new stuff.” Howie said writing down in his notebook.
“That means Friday through Sunday Nick. Can you handle that?” A.J. glared at me.
“Question is, can you?” I shot back.
“ALRIGHT, and I think we’re settled.” Brian spoke up. “Anything else?”
“Someone has to get a hold of Fatima.” I spoke up.
“I will,” Howie jotted down another note on his pad. I assumed it was to call her. “I think that’s I though.”
“Yup I’m good.” A.J. said.
“Nick I’ll call you when I have times for our flight.”
“You got it Brian. Talk to you later.” We said our goodbyes and Howie disconnected his lap top.
“So how is Ella doing?” Howie asked me.
“Better. Anxious to get her casts off. She has another couple of weeks though but she’s not in a lot of pain anymore”
“She still having nightmares?” A.J. asked.
“Once in a while. Usually it’s when I’m not with her.”
“Not with her?” Howie asked.
“Like if she takes a nap or goes to bed earlier than me and I’m not in bed with her. But she doesn’t want to go see a therapist and I can’t force her too. She’s alright being alone, I have to make sure the doors locked and everything but she’s tough.” I smiled.
“You’re in love.” Howie patted my back and stood up heading for his refrigerator. I didn’t disagree but I didn’t agree either.
“Alright well, I am going out to dinner with a beautiful young lady tonight.”
“Sammy A.J?” I asked.
“Maybe.”
“We should all get together Friday night. Go to the pier.” A.J. suggested. “D you and LeighAnna up for it?”
“I’ll check but should be good.”
“I’ll talk to Ella.” I said standing up. “I will talk to you guys later on.” I said and the three of us gave each other a brief hug and I headed back out to my car.
When I got home Ella was still on the ground and was stretching. “I think you’re over doing it.”
“How? I’m stretching Nick,” she questioned me.
“Because you’ve been going for three hours now.”
“I can’t run or dance or work out any other way. I need to make sure my body is somewhat in shape when I get these stupid things off.” She sighed sitting up from her straddle. “How was the meeting?”
“It went well,” I picked her up from the floor and put her on the couch; her legs over my lap. “Brian’s coming Tuesday and we’re going to start really putting the tour together.”
“You sound excited.”
“I am. This is the first one where we really get to put it together how we want to. Oh, Friday you want to go out with Howie and Jay?”
“Love to. I need to get out more.”
“How about I take you out tonight.”
“Yeah?” Her eyes brightened up.
“Movies?”
“Can we see Transformers?!”
“There is no other choice. Come on let’s start getting you ready, it’s going to take three hours,” I played and picked her up.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“That was awesome!” Ella beamed as I pushed her out of the theatre.
“Yeah Megan Fox is a babe.”
“I’d do her,” Ella said and we laughed.
“It’s raining, I’m going to pull the car up,” I told her giving her a kiss and putting her brakes on the wheel chair on.
“Okay, thanks,” she smiled . I jogged out to get the truck and hopped in. I turned on my wipers and put the truck into gear to pull up to the front door. I had to wait for a couple of cars to go through before I could pull up and when I did I saw a crowd of people surrounding something. I put the truck into park and hopped out, quickly getting back inside.
Ella wasn’t where I had left her my stomach sank already knowing who everyone was standing around.
“Excuse me, Ella?!” I pushed through people and Ella was on the ground, her chair tipped over. “What happened?” I asked trying to look into her teary eyes. She didn’t answer but a girl about Ella’s age did.
“She just started yelling at a man to get away from her, I think she went to push him away and fell forward and kept yelling. The guy took off when I had reached her and she’s been shaking since. Is she okay?”
“Do you need an ambulance?” The manager of the store was now out and pushing people away.
“Ella, are you hurt? You need to talk to me.” I cupped her face into my hands.
“Just sore,” she whispered. “It was Anthony.”
“He came up to you?”
“Yeah, he wanted to talk but I didn’t want him near me and I freaked out. I’m sorry,” her cheeks flushed and knew she was embarrassed.
“It’s alright baby,” I kissed her cheek and then looked up to the manager.
“She’s alright. Thank you.” I told her and the other young girl had picked up the wheelchair and put the brakes on. “Thanks for being with her,” I told her and she smiled nodded her head. “Would you mind actually just following me out with that, I’m going to carry her out. My truck is right there,” I pointed the front door.
“Of course!” I picked up Ella and carried her out to the car. It was raining harder, the girl opened the door for me and I put Ella in the seat. Closing the door, I opened the back one and folded up the chair and slid it in.
“Thanks again-”
“Sarah.” She shook my hand.
“Thanks Sarah. Get out of the rain now!” I smiled and she waved goodbye to Ella. I got into the driver’s seat and looked at Ella who was staring out the passenger window.
“He should be in jail.” She said simply.
“I know. I’m going to call Police now. I don’t know why they haven’t gotten him yet or why he was here.” I pulled my phone out as well as my wallet and called the officer who was in charge of the case. I explained to him the details of the events and he told me they were sending the police over to his house right now to see if he goes home.
Ella didn’t have anything to say after I told her what the officer told me and I drove us home. Bringing her inside I went straight up to my bedroom lied her down on the bed and I sat next to her.
“You’re in pain aren’t you?”
“Just this left one really.” I placed a pillow under her leg, went into my bathroom where she had pain pills and I handed her one with a glass of water. “I’m going to get you some ice.” She popped the pill into her mouth, swallowed it without the water and just nodded her head. Something wasn’t right and I didn’t know what to do. I was quick with the ice pack from the freezer and returned. Ella was watching the rain hit the skylight window above the bed and the sky flashed with lightening.
I placed the ice just above the cast and then took out a large shirt for her to change in; and I took my shirt and jeans off. She pulled her shirt off, slipped my shirt over her head and then began to take her shorts off. She pulled her right leg out easily but when it came to lift her left leg she struggled and winced in pain. I carefully slid it all the way off and tossed it to the floor.
“Want to watch some TV?”I asked and she shrugged her shoulders. I climbed into bed after turning the light off. It was almost eleven pm and I turned on the TV. I landed on ‘That 70s Show.’ “They’re going to catch him Elle, it’s going to be okay.” I said rolling over to face her.
“I know,” she nodded pressing her lips together. I leaned over to kiss her and she took me by surprise and pulled me in harder. Her tongue massaged mine and I felt her nibble on my lower lip. She pulled my head toward her chest and kissed my neck. I couldn’t help but let out a soft groan.
I kissed her lips, full of passion and quite honestly didn’t know when the last time I had been kissed like that. Her hand went from chest down into my boxers finding my lower extremities’ and massaging; while never taking her lips off mine.
“I want you,” she whispered into my ear and gently biting my ear lobe. I pulled my tee shirt off her and she tugged on my boxers. I knew she would have a hard time removing them completely because of the casts on her legs.
I massaged her breasts and kissed her cheek, then her collar bone, over her nipples and down her stomach. Goosebumps formed over soft skin and she pulled my face to hers. I kissed her hard then reached into my nightstand next to the bed to pull out a condom. She helped me place it on and ever so carefully I positioned myself on top of her and in her.
Moving ever so gently, I slipped into her warm goodness and she let out a soft moan. “Nick,” she whispered pulling me up against her body. I knew she was trying hard to do her part but was struggling without the use of her legs.
“You feel amazing,” I said into her ear and kissed her neck; which I knew was her spot. She tilted her head back and our breathing became rapid together. Our pace quickened and without trying to hold it back we both released ourselves. I kissed her lips softly, pushing back pieces of her hair from her face that were now damp with perspiration.
She had a grin on her face as I pulled out and away. “Be right back,” I kissed her again and disappeared into the bathroom to clean up. When I came back into the bedroom, she had just a sheet half over her; a smile still on her face.
“I need to see that smile more, it drives me wild,” I said jumping in bed and she laughed.
“I need more of you then,” she said pulling my face to hers and kissing me.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Contains Adult Content. For mature audience only.
