Outlaw by Nicole James Read Free Book Online Page B

so good, the warmth soothing her
aching body. The cuts on her wrists stung when the soap got on them, and she
was reminded what happened with each bruised area she touched with the bar of
soap.
    She stood with the hot water pouring over her, and
the tears began to fall again. She let it all out, until finally there weren’t
any tears left. Then she took a deep breath, picked up the shampoo bottle,
poured some in her palm, and washed her hair, vowing that would be the last
time she’d let herself break down.
    Finally, when the hot water started to run out, she
turned it off, and stepped out. She wrapped a towel around her, and took
another one to dry her hair. Stepping out of the bathroom, she ran the second
towel over her hair, squeezing out the excess.
    She stopped short.
    Cole was stretched out on the bed propped against
the headboard. He looked lost in thought until he turned, and looked at her.
    Had he heard her crying again, she wondered.
    His eyes ran over her. “I brought food.”
    “Oh. Thanks.”
    Cole sat up, and reached for the white bags of fast
food. “The all American meal. Burgers and fries.”
    “Smells great. I’m starved.”
    He got up, and walked over to the dresser. Opening a
drawer, he pulled out an old tee shirt, and held it out to her. “Here.”
    She reached out, and took it, and went back into the
bathroom to get dressed.
    When she came back out, he had turned the desk chair
around to face the bed, and was eating a burger. She sat on the bed, and pulled
a burger out of the bag.
    They ate quietly.
    He finished, crumpled up his wrapper, and tossed it
on the nightstand. Then he leaned back in the swivel chair, and sat watching
her eat. “There’s another one in the bag, if you’re still hungry.”
    She shook her head.
    He sat staring at her.
    “Now what happens?” she finally got the courage to
ask.
    He shook his head, and looked away. Then he leaned
forward, resting his arms on his knees, and looked at the floor. “You should
call home.”
    When she didn’t reply he looked up at her.
    She shook her head. “No.”
    “Yes.” His tone made it clear this wasn’t up for
debate. “Tell him you’re okay. You need to keep Daddy from coming looking for
you, babe.”
    “What you said last night, did you mean it?”
    His eyes met hers. “Yeah. I meant it.”
    She stared into his eyes.
    He pulled her phone out of his pocket, and handed it
to her.
    She stared down at it a minute, and then punched in
the number.
    Cole watched her.
    “Voicemail,” she mouthed. “Dad, it’s Angel. I got
your message. Everything’s okay. Don’t worry about me.
Umm, I’m going out of town for a few days, but I’ll call you when I get back.”
She hung up, and lay the phone down on the bed.
    Cole held his hand out. He still didn’t trust her
completely.
    She looked down at his outstretched hand, and then
his face.
    He waited.
    She handed the phone back to him.
    He slid it in his pocket.
    She watched as he stood up, and walked into the
bathroom. He came out a moment later, and held out his palm to her. There was a
little pill lying on it.
    “Take it. It’ll help you sleep.”
    She shook her head. “I’d rather not.”
    “Just the same, you’ll take it,” he insisted.
    She stared up at him.
    “Look, I’ve got some club business to deal with.
I’ll be gone for a couple of hours. You need to get some rest, okay?”
    “I’ll be fine.”
    “Babe, I don’t claim to know you, but I think it’s
safe to say you’ll lay here, and replay that nightmare over and over in your
head. Am I right?”
    Angel looked down, knowing it was true.
    “Come on. Don’t fight me on this.”
    She took the pill from his hand, and washed it down
with cola.
    He brushed her cheek with the back of his finger.
“Good girl.”
    She watched him leave again.
    And once again she heard the bolt lock.

 
    *****

 
    It was well past midnight when Cole came back. He
undid the lock, and quietly entered the room. It was dark,