Tomahawk by Erica Hale Read Free Book Online Page A

heels clicked down the hall.  He knew that he had to have her.
    Weeks went by of Brian coming to the school with flowers and candies.  She wouldn't budge.  Until he found his opening.  Brian had spent more time at Woodmont Elementary than most of the teachers.  Every year, the students would pick a different charity. And by the grace of God, Tonya's class got to pick.  That year the charity was breast cancer.  Whoever donated the most would win an all-expense paid dinner at a local restaurant. Brian dropped a cashier's check of one million dollars.  And that was his and Tonya's first date.
    That was seven months ago.  Brian stepped out of the shower and dried off.  Who said that retirement was a time for you to relax?  How could he?  The woman that he loved was hurting.  The first cop that came said that she was safe and that he would tell her to contact Brian when she was ready. Brian’s mouth went dry when the cop made small implications that he may be a suspect in this.  He had hurt women in the past, no doubt.  Maybe emotionally, but never under any circumstances physically.  Bastard. 
    Granted things between him and Tonya weren't perfect, but whose relationship really was?  He longed to tell her that he loved her, but she never said it first.  He was never insecure with women. Being a pro athlete, he didn't have to do anything but stand there and the majority of women would come to him.  He had to work for her.  It would be dishonest to say that she didn't appreciate the work that he'd done.  He'd never dealt with a woman that had her own.  Most of them were looking for someone to take care of them.  Tonya, at times acted as if she just wanted him around, but never really needed him.  It bothered him when he bought her jewelry and she would just leave it back at his place.  When he would call her on it, she would say, “I’m a kindergarten teacher. This tennis bracelet is going to be messed up with glue and dirt."  She was right, but how else was he supposed to show his love?
    There was always a little piece of her that she wouldn't let him see.  A piece that he wanted to at least take a peek at.  Her heart was guarded.  Brian always felt she must have been hurt in the past by someone that she would never talk about.   He wanted to ask but he knew in doing so she may ask about his past conquests.  There were too many to name, so he stayed quiet. 
    Tonya was good to him the best way that she knew how, he guessed.  He never caught her in a lie. She was always where she said she would be.  In the whole relationship, he had only stepped out on her once.  It was a random girl.  He had gone back to his home town in Tennessee to visit his family.  He had practically begged Tonya to come with him.  In his heart, he knew that she was making excuses not to come.  Meeting up with his home boys at their favorite bar, he was growing more and more frustrated with the relationship.  His friends didn't make it any better.  "If you say this girl is really the one, why won't she come down and let us see her."  Marcus slurred over his fourth beer.  "I'm just saying.  Does she have something to hide?"
    Brian knew she held a lot of things close to the vest, but was she seeing someone on the side?  The drinks fueled his anger as he pulled that night's lucky winner back to his hotel room.  The next morning, after kicking what's her name out, Tonya called.  "Hey, didn't hear from you last night. Hope you are having fun with your family and friends." 
    Her voice was soft, not a trace of deceit in it.  He told her that he was at a friend’s house and got drunk and went to sleep.  He apologized for not calling.  No other woman had made him feel this guilty without knowing his guilty deed. 
    Now, as he sat on the bed, he reached into his bedside table and pulled out the purple box.  He gave her the ring six months ago in front of his parents and a few close friends.  She covered her mouth