Run to You Read online

  Travis

  I had a smile from ear to ear when I hung up with my blue eyed goddess. I was stoked that I could get her a job at Retribution. Caleb didn’t even hesitate when I asked him. I wish I could’ve been there to deliver the news to her in person but it was getting late and I do have an early tee time.

  There’s something calming about a nice day of golf at Hemingway. The course itself is one of the most sought after courses in the state. I wouldn’t have been able to play there a few years ago, it takes a certain amount of income to land yourself a tee time. Luckily for my friends I’ve done well for myself.

  Once I finish up a few loose ends, I finally have a chance to relax. I am instantly regret not hanging out with Chloe tonight. Laying here alone in my bed again, my thoughts are only of her. The way her smile lights up the room. How infectious her laughter is.

  I can picture her blue eyes so vividly in my mind, it should be a crime to be born with eyes that stunning. They draw you in and once they do there is no escaping them. They remind me of the ocean, deep and soothing. I think about calling her but decide against it. I don’t want to wake her. There was a time when I never thought I’d feel that way about a girl again. It’s been a really long time since I’ve let a girl occupy my thoughts. Sometimes I think about pinching myself to remind me that she’s real. Looking out my window I notice that the moon is surprisingly bright tonight. Funny I’ve never noticed how stunning it is before. I’m drawn to it suddenly and I have the urge to go outside. So I do. After throwing on my shoes I start to venture toward the door. Brian and Jax are sitting on the couch playing a video game. I can hear them arguing as I approach.

  “Hey man, where are you going?” Brian asks.

  “Just thought I’d take a walk or something, get some air,” I say with a shrug.

  “Uh, dude it’s like midnight,” Jax chuckles.

  “No shit Sherlock, so what.” I respond.

  “So…why are you going outside this late to take a walk? Why don’t you just grab a controller and play a round with us.” Brian suggests.

  “Nah, I’m cool man…I’m just going out for a few.” I say as I shut the door behind me.

  The air is cold and it’s eerily quiet out. A few cars pass by me on the street but for the most part the streets are disserted. I walk along the sidewalk and head for the park at the end of the block. Once I get there I take a seat on the bench and just look up at the sky. It’s a clear night, not a cloud in sight and the stars are so bright. Really makes you realize how small you are in the world.

  My dad and I used to star gaze when we went camping. Camping was something we did all the time, nothing like hiking up in the woods and living out of a tent for days. Only eating what you catch in the lake. My dad was an awesome man, I learned so much from him on how to be a man. When I found out he had Cancer it crushed me.

  I tried not to worry a whole lot at first because I knew he was a strong man, but when he started the Chemo and started to lose his hair it made me nervous. He always put up a good front for me though, always telling me he was fine but I could tell it was taking a toll on him. I wasn’t shocked when he passed but it still hit me pretty hard. Shaking the memory from my mind I headed back to get a few hours of sleep.

  Chloe

  It’s 5am when I wake up, I’m covered in sweat. I had that nightmare again, this time he caught me. My hands blindly roam over the scar that marks the left side of my abdomen. It’s ugly and it’s rough, it makes me feel like a freak. I want to just stay in bed all day until Travis gets here, but I decide to go for a short run instead.

  I take a different route this time, leaving campus I head toward the park at the end of the block. The weather is perfect, it’s crisp and cool. The sun is just now coming up over the horizon. I stop a moment to watch it, it’s magnificent. The way the pale blue fades into a bright orange as the sun raises into the sky. Reminds me of how little and insignificant I am in the whole scheme of things…of life. It’s peaceful out this time of the morning, a few birds chirping and a couple of bicyclists.

  I am so focused on the rising sun in the distance that someone slams into me, nearly knocking me to the ground. An arm latches out to steady me and I’m suddenly face to face with a dark haired male stranger.

  “Whoa, sorry about that. I was in the zone, you know.” He offers me a smile.

  There’s something off about him, but I can’t quit place it. His face doesn’t look familiar but his eyes are uncommon…his eyes are a dull shade of blue, nearly grey in color. The stranger holds his hand out for me shake.

  “I’m Caleb,” he says.

  “Chloe,” I reply. My eyes don’t leave his, and his don’t leave mine. We stand there in silence for what feels like forever before I force my feet to start moving again. “It was nice to meet you, and I’m sorry I shouldn’t have just been standing on the path like that. I better get going.” I state as I excuse myself and jog past him. I can feel his eyes on me as I head off in the opposite direction of him. After about a mile I decide I’m done for the day and head back into my dorm. I slide out of my running clothes and lay them on the bed before I jump in the shower. The water is warm and soothing. It calms my aching muscles, I stand there and let the water beat down on me. Once I’m nice and wrinkly I wrap a towel around myself and emerge from the bathroom.

  Something yellow catches my eye, I approach my bed and find a small patch of yellow fabric poking out of my jacket pocket. The jacket I was just wearing. Carefully I remove it and then quickly drop it to the floor as my heart rate increases and I suddenly find it hard to breathe. It can’t be, it’s impossible. There lying of the floor of my room is a piece of fabric that matches the top I was wearing that night. The same piece that was ripped from me. No..no..no, where did that come from? Was it already in there when I put it on? Has someone been in my room?

  I don’t wait for my mind to answer those questions instead I grab my phone and text Travis.

  -what golf course are you at?

  I’m already dressed and out the door, keys in hand when he responds.

  -Hemingway up town…why?

  I don’t respond, I just set my GPS on my phone and drive. I’m not sure I am ready to have this talk with Travis yet, but I don’t think I have a choice now. He’s going to know something is wrong and let’s be honest I’m terrified. The twenty minute drive seems like an hour, I have no idea what is going on but I need to figure it out. Travis is going to hate me, oh no…what if he doesn’t want to see me again? What if he leaves? My heart starts to panic. It is too late to back out now, I have arrived at my destination according the not so friendly voice of my GPS.

  I can’t think of anything else, I have to find him. I throw open my door and start sprinting toward the entrance. I don’t answer the woman behind the counter as she yells at me, I don’t stop when the guard behind me starts chasing after me. I’m used to being chased, I’m used to running. My eyes are frantically searching, he has to be close, I can feel him. As I round the corner of the 2nd hole, I spot him. I’ve broken into a full on run now, straight across the green. The grass under my feet is slick and I have to fight to keep my traction.

  His back is turned toward me but as if he senses my approach he turns slightly. Once he spots me barreling toward him a look of confusion and worry crosses his face. Everyone is staring at me but I don’t care, I just leap into his arms.

  “Chloe? What’s wrong? What are you doing here?” he questions, without dropping his arms from around me.

  “He found me…I-I don’t know how and-I just didn’t know where to go and, and you said…” I stutter.

  “Whoa, hey calm down…its okay, I got you,” he sooths. “I’ll always have you.”

  “It’s just you said-you said I could run to you, so I did.” I say, regretting the words as I say them. The smile on his face is all the reassurance I need.

  Wrapping his arms tighter around me, I hear him tell his friends that something has come up and he needs to leave. H
e doesn’t put me down as he apologizes to the staff I was so rude to before and explains to them that there is an emergency and that’s why I’m so hysterical. He doesn’t speak to me until we reach his truck. He sits me in the passenger seat and steps between my legs, so I’m forced to look into those intense emerald eyes of his.

  “Talk to me, what’s got you so freaked out?” he urges.

  I take a deep breath and attempt to suppress the sobs long enough to say something.

  “Can we-can we go to your place?” I ask, not wanting to have this conversation in the parking lot.

  “Of course we can, let’s go.” He secures my seatbelt and plants a kiss to my forehead.

  It only takes 10 minutes to arrive at his apartment, luckily his roommates are still at the golf course so we have the place to ourselves. Once we get inside he grabs me a bottle water from the fridge and hands me some tissues. This man is amazing, he warms my heart. I hope this doesn’t end badly.

  Travis

  I position myself securely next to her on the couch, my arm wraps protectively around her shoulder tucking her to me. I have never seen someone look so terrified in my life. I want nothing more than to keep her safe from whatever she’s scared of. My free hand reaches up and gently caresses her cheek, as I smile dimly at her.

  “You ready to tell me what’s going on blue eyes? What the source of that fear I see in there is so I can make it disappear,” I say softly, my eyes never leaving hers.

  “No,” she sighs, “But I don’t think I have much of a choice anymore, just-just promise me you won’t leave.”

  “I promise you that no matter what you tell me right now, that there isn’t a thing in the entire universe that would make me leave your side,” I assure her.

  She takes a deep breath as if steadying herself and it makes me nervous. What could have possibly happened to this remarkable woman to make her so afraid?

  “It was 3 years ago today…I-I was dating a guy named Cole. We had been together since freshman year so for about two years. He was the quarterback of our high school team and the Mayor’s son. Everyone thought he would go pro one day, everyone loved him. At one point I thought I did too.” she pauses and closes her eyes, her pain stabs at me. I squeeze her shoulder, a small gesture of reassurance. “It was a Friday night and my dad was on call at the Fire Station. He was the Captain back then, Cole had insisted he should come over and keep me company so that I wasn’t alone. I didn’t’ see any harm in it, we have been alone before; but something about him was different that night. I-I should’ve sensed it then, there were signs…I-I just didn’t want to see them.” She exhales softly. “Anyways, everything was going great…we were on my couch and we-we were making out,” she pauses again but I don’t flinch, my eyes are focused on her. “He was getting carried away, starting to go further than I wanted so I started to push him away, to tell him that I wasn’t ready, but he-he wouldn’t listen…he just kept pushing…I started to panic and I-I begged him to stop, his hands just wouldn’t stop. He was all over me, he was everywhere…his hands stopped being gentle and instead they became forceful. His eyes, his eyes were so dark, not the calming grey I was used to. They were, I don’t know how to describe it but they terrified me.” She starts to cry again.

  I feel myself becoming enraged, my hands tighten so I have to stop touching her, I can’t let her see my anger. She starts rubbing her hands over her arms.

  “Chloe, you don’t have to tell me anymore…you don’t need to relive it, I think I’ve heard enough,” I say as my jaw tightens, not wanting to picture this image anymore.

  “No…no I need to tell you everything, you won’t understand if I don’t.” I nod and grimace. “I started to fight him off, but he slapped me and he called me a tease, told me that he knew I wanted it. He wouldn’t listen to me, I begged him, but he held me down, I started to panic and I-I grabbed the lamp next to the couch and hit him over the head. He stumbled back enough that I was able to get off the couch, I had almost made it to the door when his hand latched onto my leg and pulled me to the ground. He had blood trickling down his face over his eye I can still see it clear in my mind, he rolled me over and climbed on top of me. He ripped my shirt open tearing a piece off in the process, but when his hand reached up to pin mine down I bit him. I bit down hard on his arm, he cursed at me but I was able to free myself and run out of the door. I made it as far as the driveway and started screaming for help, nobody was outside, nobody came.” She was sobbing uncontrollably now, trying to catch her breath.

  “Chloe…” I plead, “Stop, I can’t…I can’t hear anymore.”

  “I can taste it, Travis I can still taste his blood in my mouth. I can still feel his filthy hands, the way he smelled. It haunts me every day, Travis and that’s not even the worst of it.” She says as her body starts to shake slightly.

  “There’s more? God Chloe, what else did he do to you?” I demand, I’m already fuming.

  “I was so focused on screaming for help that I didn’t hear him come up behind me.” She shudders. “I-I don’t even know where he got it, or even what it was exactly…but-but something pierced my side.” She says as she gently lifts up her shirt to reveal a disfigurement, a long scar about 6 inches. I don’t say anything at first, instead I carefully reach down and rub my fingers over it. She pulls away for a second and then relaxes into my touch. This astounding, damaged woman has just poured her heart out to me, revealed her deepest secret to me and she actually looks scared, like I’m going to be the one to run. It breaks my heart and I don’t deserve her.

  “I am so, so sorry you had to go through all that Chloe…I-I don’t even know what to say,” I apologize.

  “Yeah, I know. I wish that was all. Once I was on the ground, blood pooling up beside me, he starting kicking me; he told me my life would be over. He wouldn’t stop, I’m guessing sound of the sirens must have spooked him because it was the only sound I heard as he took off. My dad was the first responder, he’s the one that found me.” She says shaking her head. “It’s all my fault, Travis. Everything is all my fault. My dad lost his job and his mind.”

  “No…no Chloe, none of this is your fault. Really Chloe, look at me,” I say as I force her eyes to meet mine. “You are not to blame for that asshole’s actions. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

  She’s bawling now, my arms surround her; her pain and fear overwhelm me. There’s no way I’m ever letting this girl go.

  “Chloe, I-I know I’m going to regret asking this…but what does all that have to do with why you were so upset earlier? What made you run to me?”

  “He found me, he’s here…it’s the only explanation for what’s been happening. I-I don’t know how, he should be in prison,” She says.

  “Who found you? Cole? You’ve seen him? Did he hurt you?”

  I wait in silence as all she reveals to me soaks in. At first I’m angry that she’s been keeping all this from me, but then I look into those eyes and see her fear. I hadn’t realize that my arms were still not holding her until her hand reaches out and softly touches my shoulder. My head snaps up and her eyes meet mine.

  “Don’t Chloe,” I shake my head and scoop her into my lap. “Don’t try to console me, I’m the one that should be comforting you,” I kiss her.

  “I’m sorry, I-just…you looked so, so…I don’t know mad at me,” She explains.

  “Christ, Chloe…no, no I’m not mad at you. I’m angry, furious even but not at you, never at you. Look Chloe I-I’m going to be honest with you I don’t really know what to do right now. Part of me wants to storm out that door and find this creep and beat him within an inch of his life, but the other part desires to pick you up and carry you to my bed and shower you with so much love that you are forced to forget about this appalling nightmare that you’ve been living with.”

  “Travis, make me forget,” She whispers and I crumble.

  Chloe

  He doesn’t speak again, instead his lips crash down hard on mine. They’re soft and
warm and I relish in them. The way his hands feel wrapped around my waist is comforting and yet fervent. I wrap my arms securely around his neck as he carries me toward his room, my back smacks into a wall a few times along the way but it doesn’t stop us. My need for him consumes me, it’s my newest quest.

  He kicks the door shut behind us and tenderly places me down onto his bed, he positions him arms on either side of my head. His body is a perfect fit on mine. My body eagerly rises up to meet his, while my lips urgently demand more. His tongue swirls and dances around mine in perfect rhythm, as if there is a music only they can hear. I yearn for more, I roll us so that our roles are reversed, so that my body now commands his. He responds to my every touch, my hands are up his shirt stroking over his toned chest, feeling the ripples of his abs shutter as my fingertips graze over them. He groans in response, softly tugging at my hair pulling me closer to him.

  Sitting back I peel my off my shirt slowly, watching his eyes devour every inch of my exposed flesh, his hands skim over my now bare stomach. I tug at his shirt, silently pleading him to join me. He doesn’t ask any questions, he knows what I want. Shifting slightly and using only one hand he pulls his shirt off and tosses it carelessly to the floor. His hands wrap around my back and free my excited breasts from their restricting holders. He’s sitting up now, and my legs are wrapped around his waist, and his hands are making small circles over my nipples causing them to become firm. Waves of sensation course through my body as my skin ignites with passion. My lips devour his again but they can’t get enough, I feel greedy but I don’t stop. I coerce him back down to the bed and start my assault of kisses down his chest to his belly button. My hands get to work on his button and zipper, once they complete their task, his evident erection springs forward.

  He wiggles his hips to help me free himself fully from his jeans and boxers. My hands wrap around his hard shaft, drawing it to my mouth. It pulsates in anticipation as my lips curl around it.