Yes, I feel safe around Wire, but it’s more than that. With Wire, I can be myself. I don’t have to pretend to be brave or have it all together. He’s seen me at my worst and has taken it upon himself to make sure I feel safe in my own home. He’s tall and burly, complete with a beard and hair down to his shoulders. He looks like a mountain man, but cooler and sexier. His smoky gray eyes see right into my heart. It’s like he knows what I’m feeling and anticipates my needs.
I remember when he held me all the way to the hospital. He only let go when the doctor and nurses made him release me. I didn’t want to let him go either, and I remember silently begging him to stay with me.
“I’m right outside the door. You say the word and I come running in,” he assured me, squeezing my hand before stepping out.
My parents were beside themselves with worry, and they stayed with me through those long days, but it was Wire who was by my bedside when I woke up in the middle of the night. Even when Mom and Dad took me home with them, with security guards everywhere, I still didn’t feel as safe as when Wire was with me. Truthfully, I went home because I was hoping Wire would come to see me. He didn’t disappoint. The first night, when it got dark, my fear was getting the best of me, but Wire knocked on my door, and everything inside me went calm.
He’s become my shadow. I don’t want him to be just my friend; I want him to be more. I’m scared to death, and maybe I’m a little crazy to think about him that way, but I can’t help myself. The therapist I’m seeing is concerned that my emotions are what they are because I consider him my savior. But I know what I feel, and even with my friends surrounding me, I miss him.
He’d hate this place. He loves music, but he’s not keen on crowds. He told me all about his log cabin. His favorite room is the bedroom because if he leaves his curtain open, he can see the sun come up over the trees. He’s got a select few close friends, whereas I’m a people person, or at least I used to be.
“Hey, where did you go?” Mina asks with a sweet, understanding smile, nudging her shoulder against mine. She looks around us. “We can go if you want.” Mina is always so considerate of my feelings.
“We came for a night out,” I say.
“You have nothing to prove, you know,” she answers. “You dipped your toe in the water. You came out, and you sang. That’s huge. I’m just as happy sitting at your place or mine, opening a bottle of wine, and gabbing all night.”
Mina would do that for me. It’s terrible, but all I want to do is go home and see if Wire would show up. I’ve told Mina about him. I thought for sure she’d tell me I was nuts for even thinking he would be interested in a broken dove like me. Instead, she lectured me for an hour about how wonderful I am, listing off all my wonderful qualities.
“He’d be lucky as hell if you gave him a second look,” she said.
I’m not sure what Wire feels for me. I think it’s more obligation than anything else. I don’t want to be a burden to him. I want him to look at me and see the bright, independent woman I once was. Leaving my parents’ home was my first act of taking my life back. Working and running my business were important to me because they helped me get into a normal routine. I did this for myself because I need to take control of my life.
When Wire looks at me, I don’t want him to see the whimpering woman in the cage he scooped up into his arms. I want him to see Remmi, the smart, savvy, fun-loving person that I am. I don’t want his pity; I want his kisses and so much more that even thinking about him makes me blush.
“You’re right. I did what I set out to do,” I tell Mina. “Do you think we can do wine tomorrow night at my place? I’ll make my famous three-layer dip, and we’ll watch girly movies all night.”
Her eyes light up when I mention my dip. I’ve made that recipe a thousand times, and she loves it. I gave her the recipe to make for herself, but Mina says it never tastes the same as when I make it for her. She’s a kook, but she’s my best friend and the most lovable woman I know.
“You’re on!” she says with delight. “Do you want me to walk you out?” Mina is the only one who knows the extent of my anxiety. The others at the table are aware of what I went through, but I’ve been pretty good at convincing them that I’m over it. Mina sees right through my façade and calls me out on it when we’re alone. One day, I broke down and told her everything that happened when they took me. She’s been checking in on me every day since, and I’m grateful she doesn’t mention the abduction unless I bring it up.
“No.” I plaster a smile on my lips. “I’ve got to do this alone. I can’t keep being afraid of my own shadow.” I hope I sound more confident than I am. My knees are shaking, but I get up and say my goodbyes to the others. Thankfully, they’re all so engrossed in picking out their next tunes that it doesn’t faze them one bit that I’m leaving.
I walk a straight line right to the door, stopping at the entrance and looking purposefully outside to take stock of my surroundings before stepping out into the busy parking lot. I bolt, doing a walk-run, heading straight for my ice-blue Mini Cooper three rows over. I have my fob in my hand, ready to bleep the locks and jump in. I’m almost at my car, reaching for the handle, when a heavy hand lands on my shoulder. I let out a scream and turn to face my attacker.
“Hey,” the tall blond man says. “Didn’t mean to scare ya,” he continues, slurring his words. His blue eyes are glassy. He’s obviously had too much to drink.
I take a step back. “Sorry. I’m on my way home.”
“I saw you in-inside. Singing.” He leans against my driver’s side door, making it impossible to open. “Come back inside. We can have a drink together.” Panic starts to build. I glance around, but there’s no one here. I quickly calculate whether I can whip past him and run back into the bar to find Mina before he grabs me.
Then this man does the unthinkable and takes me by the arm. I’m glued to the pavement, but that lasts only a moment, because when he starts to drag me along with him, I fight his hold, crying out for help.
Suddenly, the man lets go, and I see him flat out on the ground. I curl into a ball and pretend that I’m home with Wire, drowning out the sounds of grunts and groans.
Wire
The minute I saw this guy step outside with a couple of his buddies, unable to walk a straight line and staggering toward Remmi, I knew there was going to be trouble. She’s never been out of my sight, not for a fucking minute, but I thought I’d give her the chance to handle this on her own. I made a shitty decision!
I pull the guy up by the collar and turn around when I hear his friends running in my direction. I toss Remmi’s assailant right into them, causing them all to stop immediately.
“What the fuck, man? George was only trying to talk to her,” one of his friends pipes up.
“Quiet, you fuckers. It’s never a good idea to sneak up on a woman in a parking lot and scare her,” I say in a menacing tone. The biggest in the group of five buddies steps forward like he wants to take me on, his fist up like he’s ready for a fight. “You can leave, or I can break your arms. Cameras are right there, and they’ll see that you came at me.”
He hesitates, looking toward the cameras, then motions to his buddies, and they slink backward. I watch them until they disappear into the bar with their tails between their legs. I turn to Remmi, coming down on my haunches, and carefully lift her chin so that she sees me. I extend my hand.
“Take my hand, baby,” I say.
