Redemption Road (Roughneck #3) (11 page)

Chapter 20

I gently put her down on the bed, and then pulled her socks and shoes off. She didn’t move. Her clothes were covered in dust and her hair was in knots. God, it was hard seeing her like this.

“I need a shower,” she whispered, in that same raspy voice that made me want to punch something.

“Ok,” I said as I ran to the bathroom, and started the shower. She was sitting up when I walked back into her room. She started to stand, but I could see her knees shaking.

“Hold on,” I said, as I walked over and scooped her in my arms again.

“Kash,” she said.

“Shh,” I said, and kissed her temple. I put her down when we got into the bathroom and started helping her undress. I noticed bruises forming on her arms, and it made my jaw start to flinch. She reached back to unbuckle her bra and I listened to her muffle a little cry.

“Let me,” I said, as I walked behind her, and noticed the straight line bruise on her back. I had to take a deep breath to calm myself down. I took her bra off gently, and then pulled her pants and panties down slowly. I grabbed her by the hand and led her to the shower. I got a towel out of the cabinet for her, and started to walk towards the door.

“Kash,” she said. “Please, don’t leave me.”

I immediately kicked my boots off, took the rest of my clothes off, and got in the shower with her. She had her back to me, and I put my arms around her gently. I didn’t know where she hurt, and I didn’t want to cause her any more pain than she was already in. She started to cry and turned around, falling into my arms. She was trembling, and I fucking hated seeing her like this.

“I thought I was going to die,” she said. “I really thought he was going to kill me,” she said through her tears.

“Fuck, I’m sorry, baby, that I didn’t get there sooner.” I could never apologize enough for not being there quicker.

“It’s not your fault,” she said, as she rubbed my back.

“He won’t hurt you again, I promise you that,” I told her. And I was determined to keep that promise.

“Thank you for saving me, Kash,” she said, as she looked up at me. The water was dripping down her face, and her eyes were swollen and bloodshot. But she was here, thank God, she was here. That fucker could have killed her. I would have never forgiven myself had I not gotten there in time. But, I couldn’t say all the things I was thinking. I couldn’t say anything. So I gently kissed her lips, and then her forehead. I turned her around, gently, and grabbed the shampoo. I lathered it into my hand and started to wash her hair. I felt the knot on the back of her head, and she jumped a little as my hand went over it.

“Sorry,” I whispered, as I tried to massage her scalp gently. I watched as the soap ran down her back over the bruises. The fucker deserved way more than what he got today.

The Next Morning

It was getting daylight, and I could finally see her face while she slept. She looked so fucking innocent and frail. She had tiny purple dots surrounding both of her eyes, and the handprints on her neck had bruised. I really wanted to hurt that mother fucker for doing this to her. Everything I was feeling for her was so new to me. I wanted to protect her and defend her. I needed to. These feelings were really fucking with my head. I hadn’t even given a shit about a girl in years, but this was different. This woman was different. And it wasn’t just because she was in danger, there was more. She’s been in my fucking head for months, since that first time I got a taste.

She started to stir, and a little whimper came from her throat as she moved around. Her eyes fluttered open, they were still blood shot.

“Mornin’,” I said quietly.

“Hey,” she whispered, and gave me a weak smile.

“How ya feeling?” I asked, as I moved her hair away from her face.

“I’m ok, just sore.” She squinted a little as she sat up on her elbow and looked at me.

“Please don’t look at me like that,” she said.

“Like what?” I said with a little laugh.

“Like I’m pathetic and you feel sorry for me,” she said, as she poked that bottom lip out a little, in frustration. Damn, she was way off.

“You’re not pathetic, Mackenzie,” I said, and kissed her gently.

She scooted off the bed and headed towards the bathroom, but stopped in her tracks at the mirror attached to the dresser.

“Holy Shit!” she said, as she stared at herself in the mirror

“I look like a zombie.” She continued to stare at herself. “I can’t leave the house this weekend, I’ll scare people.” She shook her head as she pressed her fingers over her eyes.

“Fucking dick,” she mumbled, as she walked to the bathroom and shut the door.

I went to the kitchen and started the coffee pot. I was filling our cups when she walked up behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist, and then kissed my bare back. My stomach did a little flip, which fucked with my head. I wasn’t used to this kind of stuff. I wasn’t sure how to handle it, but I knew I didn’t want it to go away. I didn’t want her to go away.

“So, our weekend plans will include, movies and rest,” I said as I turned around, and wrapped my arms around her gently.

“Kash, you don’t have to stay here all weekend to babysit me,” she said with a sigh.

“Oh, I’m not babysitting,” I said with a laugh. “I’m tapping that ass as soon as you feel better.” I squeezed her ass cheek.

“Even looking like this?” she said with a look of disgust, and pointed to her face.

“You’re beautiful,” I said, and kissed her. I couldn’t believe those words just came out of my mouth. What the fuck? But I couldn’t help it, it was true. She was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. Mother fucker.

Chapter 21

“You don’t think you should press charges against the dickhead?” I asked her, as we sat on the couch eating frozen pizza and drinking a beer.

“Not in this town,” she said, as she took a sip of her beer.

“They have to charge him, sweetie, look what he did to you,” I said, as I covered her legs with the blanket we were sharing.

“It will backfire on us,” she said, as she put her plate on the table.

“What do you mean?” I asked. Us?

“Because I heard what that cop said to you; the cops in this town will only make everything worse,” she said.

Fuck. She wasn’t going to press charges on the prick because she wanted to protect me. I really didn’t deserve her.

“Don’t,” I said, and shook my head.

“Don’t what?” she asked, as she took another swig of her beer.

“Don’t let him get away with this shit because of what I did.”

“What exactly did you do?” she asked. She was on her third beer, and it showed.

She deserved an honest answer. I didn’t want to give it to her, but fuck, I had to.

“You heard what the cop said.” I repeated her words; I didn’t want to look her in the eyes and tell her the shit I’ve done.

“Just talk to me, Kash,” she said sweetly.

“I messed around with a married woman; it was a shitty thing to do.”

“How did that cop know that?” That was a good question.

“I really don’t know. Her husband is the sheriff of Riverside. Maybe they know each other,” I said, as I shrugged my shoulders. I had wondered the same thing myself.

“Maybe they meet up at a big donut shop and have monthly gossip meetings,” she said with a giggle. She didn’t seem mad at all, but it was probably just the beer.  She must have noticed the confused look I was giving her.

“I’m not judging you, Kash. I just wanted to know.” she said, as she finished her beer and put in on the table.

“You want another?” I asked.

“No, I think I’m good.” She smiled.

“So that’s why you moved to Bailey?” All these questions.

“Yeah. I had to get out of there.”

“What happened?”

“Her husband found my number in her phone and called me, said he would ruin my life for ruining his. I acted like I didn’t know what he was talking about. She called me later that night trying to tell me she was in love with me, and wanted to leave him.”

“And?” Mackenzie asked.

“And what?” I asked.

“Did you love her?” she asked, looking a little sad.

“No,” I said. I couldn’t help but laugh a little.

“Did you even care about her?” she asked.

“No, I didn’t, Mackenzie. It was just sex. I never told her any different.”

“Maybe I do need another beer,” she said, and stood up. I stood with her.

“I’ll get it,” I said, as I put my hands gently on her hips. She was staring into the kitchen.

“Look, I told you before, I’m not proud of the shit I’ve done,” I said, and touched her chin so she would look at me.

“I know,” she said, but I could see the worry in her eyes.

“But, do you know that it’s different with you?” I asked, as I pressed my forehead to hers.

“Is it?” she said, as she backed her head away from mine, so she could see my face.

“It’s been different since the day you came knocking on that door.”

“But it’s only been a few weeks, what if you change your mind?”

“I mean the very first time you knocked on that door,” I said, as I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her forehead.

“Months ago?” she asked.

“Sweetie, you’ve been fucking with my head since that day,” I said, and I felt her shake a little with laughter.

Two more beers and an hour later, Mackenzie was sleeping peacefully on the couch with her legs in my lap. Her eyes were still a shade of purple surrounding them; she tried to cover it with makeup, but it was still noticeable. The memory of that dickhead hurting her made me shake with anger. I hadn’t felt hate for anyone in a long time, but this feeling surpassed that, by far. I had only had a glimpse of his psychotic actions the past few weeks; she had been dealing with him for a long time. I should have beaten his ass the first morning I witnessed his bullshit. When I saw the words “Die Bitch” spelled out with rose petals on the front porch, I just wanted to hide it from Mackenzie. I didn’t want to freak her out more than she already was. When I went to his job and threatened him in the parking lot, I hoped it would force him to back off. I didn’t think he would go that far. Now, I wasn’t sure what he was capable of next. But I knew I had to stop him at every turn. I would protect her from him. The thought of going back to work in a few days made me nervous, though. How could I stop him if I was hours away? Fuck me, man, I hadn’t worried about anyone but myself in years. And now all I did was worry about her. Being a selfish asshole was a much easier lifestyle. But, I couldn’t turn my back on her, no fucking way.

5:00 a.m.

The sound of my phone buzzing woke me from my half-ass sleep. Joe’s name was on the screen. I answered it quickly, and jumped up before I woke Mackenzie.

“Hello,” I said quietly, as I opened the bedroom door and walked into the living room.

“Hey, buddy,” Joe said.

“Hey, Joe. Is everything ok?” I asked. It was early, and he didn’t call that often.

“Yeah, I gotta question for ya. I know you’re still phantom down south, but there’s an A.D. position that just came up about an hour outside of Bailey. Are you still good with your pusher?” Hell yeah, this is perfect.

“Yeah, man. I’m good with him; you think he’d approve a transfer though?” I was tired of floating around; a steady rig would be nice.

“It’s bumping you up, so he shouldn’t have a problem with it. The pusher on that rig put in a request for you; all you gotta do is run it by yours.”

“Damn, Joe. I can’t thank you enough. This really helps me out,” I said.

“Sam told me a little about what’s going on, you need to be there for that girl if you’re gonna be with her, you got it?”

“Yes, sir. This is different, she’s different,” I said.

“Well, I just hope you’re serious; seems like she’s got a whole lot of shit going on,” he said.

“It’s not her fault.”

“Yeah, I just don’t understand some people.”

“He’s fucked up, Joe. The whole situation is,” I said.

“Sounds like it,” he said.

“But anyway, I’ll call my pusher as soon as light hits,” I said.

“You do that. This opportunity won’t last long; you’d better grab it while you can.”

“Thanks again, Uncle Joe,” I said.

“No problem, son, just don’t fuck it up,” he said with a laugh.

“You have my word.” I wasn’t sure if that promise made a difference to him, but I wasn’t going to fuck it up, not when it meant I could be home every night.

“I’m trusting you, Kash,” he said.

“I won’t let you down.”

“Alright, boy, go back to bed. Rest up, you got a lot to learn coming up on crew change.”

“Yes, sir,” I said.

Once I hung up the phone, I started pacing back and forth. I was excited about a promotion, and being there for Mackenzie. I would be home every night. Holy shit, we would be together every night. We were basically living together, now. A few months ago, I would never even consider staying the night with a woman. What the fuck? Mackenzie had flipped my fucking world upside down. Was I ready for this? I knew she needed me, and I wanted her. And, right now, that’s all that mattered to me.