Red - Ch4

“Please don’t!” I managed to whimper. My eyes were squeezed shut, tears leaking through my lashes.

“Hey. Okay. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to push anything,” said a man’s voice.

I remained huddled up, arms clenched around my legs. Though the voice didn’t sound threatening, it was still a man’s voice. And men couldn’t be trusted.

“Erin?” asked the voice softly. A hand gently brushed my shoulder.

“Stay away!” I cried. “Don’t touch me. Don’t hurt me. I’m sorry!”

“Sorry? Hurt you? Erin, what’s going on? Did I do something wrong?”

What? Did he do something wrong? Gradually, as the initial adrenaline rush subsided, I began to realise what I had done – who I was with. A different kind of fear washed over me. Oh no, I thought. No no no. Everything had been going so well. We had talked and talked, never stopping for awkward silences or struggling for words. Now here I was making a mess of things, as usual.

Dale… what must you think of me…

“Dale. Dale I’m so sorry,” I said as I unwound, uncurled and unclenched my body, chancing a peak at him before quickly ducking my head.

A frown creased his brow. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Probably that I was crazy and he was regretting asking me to dinner. I wanted to explain but had no idea how to tell a man I had barely met that I was married to an abusive husband.

“Who did this to you?”

“Excuse me?” That was not what I’d been expecting. He was practically seething. Anger coloured his words, surprisingly and anger not directed at me.

“What good for nothing low life did this to you? Whoever it was, I can guarantee I am not like that. I would never hurt you.”

“Why do you care?” I asked more sarcastically and harshly than I intended.

“Why do I care?” His vehemence startled me. “Because no woman deserves to be treated the way you have been. No woman should have to endure abuse and domestic violence. Now tell me, who did this to you?”

“Um, my husband,” I answered in little more than a whisper.

“Your husband? You’re married?” He was clearly shocked. Who could blame him?

“Yes.”

“Do you love him?”

I shook my head. “No. I stopped loving him a long time ago. I just haven’t had the courage to leave or file for divorce. He probably wouldn’t let me divorce him.”

Dale ran a hand through his hair.

“I’m sorry. I should have told you earlier.” I ducked my head again, not able to meet his heated gaze.

“No, no. I understand why you didn’t. But you need to divorce him. You deserve better. Much better.”

“Why do you even care?” I asked again, gentler than last time.

He clenched his fists in anger. “Three years ago, my sister finally managed to escape an abusive relationship. No one else in the family even knew what was going on. When I found out, it took my whole family to stop me from beating the guy to a bloody pulp. I’m her older brother. I should have protected her. I’ll be damned if I’m just going to stand back and let another woman suffer the same.”

“Dale, you’re not responsible for me.”

“No, but I care.” He took my hand in his and looked deeply into my eyes. “I care a lot.”

Unshed tears stung my eyes. “Can we just stop talking about this please?”

He gave my hand a squeeze. “Yes. Just promise me you will leave him.”

I wasn’t entirely sure I could make such a promise. I may have come a long way in the last three weeks but not that far.

“Erin?” Dale prompted.

“I promise.” What else could I say?

He smiled. “Good.” He moved closer to me and reached out to stroke my cheek. I trembled as he slid his hand behind my neck, drawing me closer. “Now let me show you how gentle a real man can be.” He hesitated, his lips less than an inch from mine. When I didn’t pull back, he closed the gap.

The tears that I’d been holding back slid silently down my cheeks. He pulled back and brushed them away with his thumb.

“You do know you deserve better than that jerk, right?”

“I didn’t.”

“What about now?”

“Maybe.” It was the best I could do.

“No maybe about it, darlin’. I will make you see that.”

“Dale, I…”

His lips cut me off and I let myself surrender to his sweet, warm embrace. I felt like someone who had been sleeping for a long time and was just beginning to wake up. My body responded to his in ways that I had never imagined possible. Could I trust him though? Only time would tell.

“Follow the red,” a now familiar voice echoed in my head.

I opened my eyes, not breaking contact with Dale. Just in my peripheral vision I spotted the young Aboriginal warrior. He was smiling at me.

“Red is safe. On this journey, red can always be trusted.” He vanished and I turned my full attention back to Dale.

My hands clutched at his shirt and I remembered. Dale’s shirt was red. I smiled and let myself sink deeper into the kiss. Maybe there was something to this after all. Maybe angels did exist.

*******

An hour later, we packed up and headed back to the Inn. He walked me to my room and kissed me goodnight. Floating on air, I breezed through the door to find Jacqui, Ruby and Jill waiting for me.

“Well?”

“How was it?”

“What happened?”

I laughed, deciding to have a little fun with them. “Excuse me ladies, I need the bathroom.”

“Noooo!”

“Can’t you hold it for five minutes?”

“No, sorry. I really do need to go.” I said, shutting the door on their protests but they continued with their questions, yelling them a little louder. I shook my head. Girls will be girls.

“Ok.” I opened the door.

“So?” they demanded.

“It was wonderful…” I was interrupted by the sound of car coming to a roaring halt out the front of the Inn.

“Someone’s in a hurry,” Jacqui commented and waved her hand in dismissal. “Continue,” she instructed.

“He is such a gentleman. Very sweet.”

“Come on, enough of the boring stuff. Did you kiss?” Jill demanded.

I flushed. That was all the answer they needed.

“Oh, I knew it! You guys were gone for so long we knew it must have been going well!” Jacqui hugged me as a sharp, rapid knock came from the door.

Jacqui smirked at me. “Maybe Dale decided the night isn’t quite over yet, if you know what I mean.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Everyone knows you don’t put out on the first date,” Ruby piped up.

“Exactly,” I agreed.

I turned the handle and opened the door. It wasn’t Dale.

My stomach dropped immediately to the floor and I shrieked in fright, trying to run but Simon was faster.

“You little bitch!” He grabbed me roughly and began to drag me away. “Think you can just up and leave like that?” With his free hand he slapped me hard across the face. “You’re coming home right now!”

“Simon, let go of me!” I caught the look of surprise then anger on the girl’s faces as they realized who it was.

He slapped me again. “Shut up! You do not speak unless spoken to!”

“Hey! Jerk! Let her go!” Jacqui and Jill stormed up and tried to block Simon’s path. It didn’t slow him down. Simon’s hand shot out and first Jill, then Jacqui went down, each with a sickening thud.

“Stay out of it,” Simon growled. “This is none of your business.”

Ruby raced over to where Jacqui and Jill lay crumpled in a heap. I was numb with fear, and not just for myself. I struggled against Simon’s grip to no avail. His fingers were a vice locked tight around my wrist and he continued to drag me along until we came to his rental car, then shoved me forcefully into the backseat. I kicked out at him, determined to fight this time, crying in pain as my foot missed its target and collided with the door he slammed shut. I reached for the door handle and yanked, only to find it was child locked. The other door as well. Simon ran for the driver’s side and in no time at all, we were speeding away from all the things I'd thought were my safety net, leaving a trail of dust behind.

Without thinking, I launched myself at Simon, grabbing him around the neck. Caught by surprise, he lost control of the car for just a moment before recovering. He was a lot stronger than me and it took hardly effort on his part to pry me loose. I fell back but launched myself at him again, this time catching his ear between my teeth. There was no way I'd let him take me easily.

“OUCH!” Simon roared. He braked hard. My chest and abdomen crashed harshly into the back of the driver's seat and my head whipped forward, smacking into the back of Simon's. I fell back into my seat, winded and dizzy and sore.

Simon sped on for another few kilometres before pulling over. He got out and wrenched open the back door, pulling me out by my legs and dumping me on the ground. A solid kick to my already aching midsection guaranteed I would not be going anywhere as he took a rope and duct tape from the boot. Then, he hauled me up and pushed me against the car to hold me in place.

“You never learn, do you?” Simon said, as he pulled my wrists together behind my back and secured firmly with the rope. A piece of duct tape went over my mouth. From his pocket, he pulled a bandana and tied it over my eyes. “It’s time I taught you a lesson you will never forget.”

Satisfied with his efforts, he shoved me back in the car, slammed the door and took off again.

Continue on into chapter 5 of Erin's story here...