Page 3 of Storm the Night

“What am I supposed to do about it?” It was a legitimate question. It wasn’t my fault but somehow, the way he spoke to me, it felt like it was something I needed to fix.

“Nothing, Callie. Actually, yeah, there is something. Don’t fucking talk to the neighbor. You have no business talking to him.”

“Colin, I was getting the mail and there was a piece that belonged to him. This is ridiculous.” I rolled my eyes.

Before I could take a drink of my water, Colin stood faster than I could process and knocked the glass out of my hand. It went flying, shattering against the counter and landing in little pieces on the floor. I was bare foot so as he approached me, I stepped out of the way and onto the glass. I could feel the slices and stabs to the bottom of my foot as I tried not to cry.

“Callie, don’t push me. I’m leaving for a week and now I have to worry about whether or not you’re going to speak to that fucking guy. I don’t need this shit. You know how important this trip is to me and now I won’t even have my wife there. Maybe I’ll just take someone from the office. How about that?”

I knew it was a rhetorical question, but I really wanted to tell him to do what he needed to do, but I didn’t. Instead, I stood there, my foot still on the glass, in silence, swallowing the pain, my throat feeling like it was closing on me. “What can I do to help you get ready?” I managed to ask.

“Now you want to be helpful? Nothing, Callie. The simplest things seem to be difficult for you. I’m going to grab my shit and head out. I’ll pay extra to park my car at the airport.” He stood there staring at me, not offering to help me when he could clearly see blood from my foot on the floor. I nodded at him. “It’s Friday...” He grabbed my chin again to look at him. “I will be back next Friday. You know I see everything you do, right? Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone, Callie. I swear to god...”

Yanking my chin out of his tight grip, I said, “Have a safe trip, Colin.” He leaned down and kissed my forehead, making me feel like I could throw up right there. Between the pain in my cheek, my foot, and his disgusting kiss to my forehead, I was having trouble keeping my shit together.

Colin left me in the kitchen and five minutes later I heard the front door slam and the sound of his truck leaving the driveway. I could breathe. Only I couldn’t because I broke down into a sob on the kitchen floor. Everything hurt. Everything was a mess.

I heard the door open and screen door slam, so I quickly wiped my face. He must’ve forgotten something, I thought. When I looked up, it was biker neighbor guy standing above me and the relief in that had me crying again.

“Callie...what the fuck?” He kneeled down beside me and grabbed my foot. “Don’t move.”

I gasped and asked, “How do you know my name? You shouldn’t be here. If Colin finds out...”

“Fuck that guy. It’s ok. I’m going to get you cleaned up. Where’s your first aid kit?”

Sniffling, I said, “There is one in the hallway closet there just around the corner.” He hopped up and moved so quickly, coming back with the kit and some paper towels. “You didn’t answer me. How do you know my name? Because I just call you biker neighbor guy.” He smiled and it was an insanely gorgeous smile. With a smile like his, he was trouble. I just knew it.

He shrugged. “You can call me biker neighbor guy if it makes you stop crying.” He smiled and continued. “I make it a point to get to know my neighbors. Besides, you gave me a piece of mail that said Calliope Richards on it, but I heard your old man call you, Callie.” He smiled again and glanced up at me.

“Oh. That’s right. Thanks for trying to help me with that.” I kept my head down.

“What happened here? I saw your old man leave. Did he do this?” I didn’t answer him but winced as he pulled shards of glass out of the bottom of my foot with tweezers. The tears wouldn’t stop coming. “Hey. It’s okay, don’t cry. I’m sorry I’m hurting you. I’m almost done.” I nodded. It wasn’t that he was hurting me. He was showing me care which was something I hadn’t felt in years. That made me cry harder. “Ok. Ok. I’m finished. C’mon. Please stop crying.”

“It’s not you. It’s ok, it really doesn’t hurt much. I appreciate you being so nice to me. It’s just been a day.”

He reached up to wipe the tears from my face and paused when he saw my cheek. “Did he do this to you? Did he hit you?”

I nod and try and brush him away. “Thank you for your help...um...I still don’t know your name.”

Clearing his throat, he said, “Ryder… Jacobs.”

I smiled and attempted to stand up on my own. “Well, thank you Ryder Jacobs but you really should go before my husband calls, or worse, comes back. I thought you were him.” In that moment, my phone rang. Looking at my phone, I glanced at Ryder and back down, finally answering it.

“Hi Colin. Is everything ok?”He made it to the airport and was checking on me to make sure I cleaned up the glass. “Yes, I cleaned it up.”My eyes met Ryder’s who was watching me intently.“Of course. I will stay inside. I won’t talk to anyone. Ok. Talk soon.”I hung up and shoved my phone in my back pocket. I was limping toward the living room wanting badly to just sit on the couch.

“Let me help you.” Before I could protest, Ryder picked me up and carried me to the living room, setting me down on the couch. He was strong, really strong. His chest was basically a wall of muscle, and his arms were the same. “Does he always speak to you like that?”

“Well, he clearly doesn’t know you’re here which is what I was worried about. Although, I’m sure nosey Nancy next door will be all too happy to tell him.” Shaking my head, I let out an exasperated breath.

“Listen. Fuck nosey Nancy. I won’t let anything happen to you. How’s your foot feel?” He inspected the bandage he applied.

“It hurts only a little. Having the glass out of it helped considerably. Thank you again.”

He stared at me and finally said, “Can I ask you a question?” I didn’t respond, afraid of what he was going to ask but I looked at him and nodded. “Why do you stay with him?”

It was exactly what I was afraid of. No one truly understands how difficult it is to leave a situation you’ve been in for so long. Leaving a life, no matter how awful it is, is scary. It was the only thing I knew. I tried to explain to Ryder the best way I could. “I’m afraid. I don’t think he’ll let me go. I don’t have enough support and I don’t know what people will say if I asked for help. Our life looks perfect on the outside and no one has ever suspected anything, I don’t think.” I finally took a breath.

“Do you want to leave?”

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