Page 110 of Hutch
She scrunches her nose up. “I hate the smell, but it pays the bills.”
“Agreed.” I get out of the car and we walk into the house together. It’s after one in the morning, so the lights are out downstairs. Christa and I go our separate ways, me heading to the attic and her to the second floor.
I flip on the light when I go into my room and put my things down on the small table I placed near the entrance. Kicking myshoes off, I head straight for the bathroom and shut myself in, finally letting that call settle into my soul.
Why had I never thought about Joseph looking for me through other football players? I thought his uncle got through to him, that’s why. I foolishly trusted that the fear of losing his football career would keep him away from me. I have no doubt he’ll be picked up at the draft, so then why is he endangering that chance?
You’re mine, Daisy. Don’t ever forget it.
Those words ring through my head on the daily. I remember them clearly. I lay there, nearly dead, and those are the words he said to me. I hear them in my nightmares. I hear them when I’m awake and I see, or hear, or even smell something that reminds me of Joe. I can’t get them out of my head so why should I convince myself he can?
He really is insane.
My phone rings, startling me. I open the bathroom door and go dig it out of my bag. Hutch.
Something inside that’s been coiled tight all night loosens just the tiniest bit.
“What’s wrong?” he asks the minute I connect the call. His voice is deep and full of sleep.
“I woke you. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, Red. Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Lucy called. Joe called her demanding to know who my new boyfriend was.”
“What did she tell him?”
“To go fuck himself probably. She hates him.”
“I like her already.”
“She said he still thinks I’m his girlfriend.”
“The fuck?”
“I uh…” I stop, unable to put into words what I’m feeling.
“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. Just stay calm.” His words are reassuring, but they can’t stave off the despair trying to pull me under thinking about those words Joseph uttered to me that day.
Joe’s never going to let me go, is he?
I slip on my fuzzy house shoes and go downstairs to wait on Hutch, the only person who can make me feel safe.
CHAPTER 27
Hutch
My headlights bounceoff the row of parked cars in front of the house. I see Daisy’s little Honda parked at the end of the line. She took the last spot, so I park my Jeep in the grass and then sprint to the front door. I knock loudly, not caring if I wake anyone else up. I don’t want to scare her. She’s freaked. Not that I blame her. After what asswipe did, she has every reason to be spooked thinking it might be him.
It was in her voice. That fear and desolation…it pulled me out of bed and had me running out of my house in the middle of the night to get to her as fast as I could. Screw practice in the morning and my classes. Screw the meeting with Cherese in the afternoon to sign contracts with her to be my lawyer. Screw it all. I’ve never heard anyone sound like she did in those few moments on the phone.
When she opens the door, her face is so pale, it makes me worried. And she’s shaking. I slip around her, closing and locking the door, before I pull her to me. The force of her shaking vibrates through me like a punch. She’s scared to death.
“I’m here now. Everything’s fine,” I whisper and hug her tight, doing my best to instill some warmth into her. Her fingers are ice cold.
“He’s never going to let me go.”
“Come on, baby. Let’s get you upstairs and get you warm.”
