Trust In Love

Cornered

"Don't. Touch. Me!" she screamed as she beat off the hands that tried to comfort her.  She grabbed the wooden strapping, still covered in blood and brandished it wildly.

Tom eventually pulled her off, blood splatter all over her hands, face and clothes.  He had never imagined ever that she could be capable of defending herself to this level... it made him incredibly anxious on so many levels.  If anyone had to risk reprisals, he'd hoped it would be him.

"Come on, love, leave him.  The police are here, it's ok.  He won't touch you again, put it down.  Please Jennie, put it down and come away." he gathered her into his arms and guided her to sit in his lap. While they waited for the paramedic he held her tightly.

This was never the plan....

When they'd left the house that morning to take her to work, no one could have predicted they would end up this way...

"Ready love?  You can't be late, not when you're the boss!"  Tom called up the stairs with a smile. Jennie appeared at the top, hands on hips and a smirk on her lips.

"Oh really?  And who EXACTLY kept me from getting up this morning?  Hmmm? I was all set to get up two hours ago, and YOU - yes, YOU, Mr - decided that you wanted a little more kissy kissy time! And you KNOW it's never JUST kissy kissy time with you!" she grinned, and a little frisson of desire ran up her spine - and through her body - again.  She walked downstairs, slipping on her jacket as she went.

"Didn't hear you complaining, love..." he shrugged."There DID seem to be a lot of moaning....." he trailed off wickedly, and she smacked his rear as she passed by. 

"Moaning? Oh no, you'll be doing the REAL moaning is tonight, my love....." she winked, and he made an 'oooh' face as he grabbed his car keys.   

They drove to the store, and Tom waited while she got out and unlocked.  It had been two weeks since she'd made it back.  Susie had been a fierce Momma bear, and the few people who had decided to come in and abuse Jennie had been given short orders to leave.  She'd even marched one off the premises personally, throwing him into the street.  Despite being almost a foot taller than her and twice as wide!

As hoped though, in the majority, things calmed down.  The press retreated when there was no more scandal, and the fans, the real fans, let them live their life and wait.  Susie decided it would do everyone good if she took a little holiday.  Not that she wanted away, really, but she knew that putting Jennie in charge would give her something to think about other than the impending trial.

So, on a remarkably unremarkable Wednesday morning about two weeks later, Tom watched as the store lights came on, and the sign was turned to 'open'. Their usual parting being a wave from the door and a honk on the car horn. Today was no exception.   He smiled and drove away, looking in the rear view mirror as he did so.  

Just an ordinary morning on an ordinary street.

It must have been about 11.30 when the doorbell tinkled, and Jennie looked up from the batch on invoices she was processing onto the laptop. 

"Morning!" she smiled her usual warm welcome. "Welcome to Beggars Book, can I help you?"

A man, very tall and very broad, walked in, closing the door quietly behind him.  He paused, and she smiled, waiting for him to approach.  He didn't look  like the bookworm type at all, but as the saying went, you should never judge a book.......

"Can I help you, sir?" she repeated, still smiling, waiting on his response.  As she waited and watched, her smiled froze, and her back was drenched in a cold sweat.  He nodded.

"Oh yes, my little bookworm, you certainly can." he didn't walk forwards, just reached behind him and locked the door.  Turning the sign to 'closed,' he smiled. "You and I need a little chat."