I went to work and kept my phone on me all day long instead of leaving it in Caleb’s office like normal.If something happened, I wanted to be the first one to know.Yes, I know Annistyn doesn’t have a phone because she hasn’t wanted one.However, that’s a situation that needs to change because she can’t be on her own without some way to contact someone to save her if it’s needed.I will rectify the situation immediately because she can’t be away from the compound with no way to call someone if she’s ready to come back and can’t make the walk on her own.Annistyn’s still way too weak to be walking long distances.Fear and worry consumed me the entire day and Caleb had to pull me out of my head several times over the course of our work day.
Now, I’m finally back at the clubhouse and the first thing I do is look at Evan.He’s been here all day long and I know he keeps an eye on who comes and goes from the clubhouse.Evan works for the security company and is constantly watching his surroundings in a way I’ve seen very few times in my life.
“Evan, has Annistyn made it back to the clubhouse yet?”I ask him, stepping up to the bar as Caleb walks in the clubhouse behind me and doesn’t stop until he’s at my side.
“I haven’t seen her walk inside.I’ve been here all day cleanin’ the bar and reorganizin’ things,” he answers, handing over a bottle of water to Caleb and myself.“It doesn’t mean she’s not here though.She’s been spendin’ a lot of time outside on the nice days.She always has her camera with her and takes pictures of anythin’ she finds beautiful.”
“Thanks,” I say, leaving the common room and heading down the hall leading to the door that opens on the back of the clubhouse.Without turning, I know Caleb is following me.
The two of us walk around the back of the clubhouse in search of Annistyn.I call out her name several times as a knot settles deep in my gut and I worry something happened to her and she can’t answer me.When I stop in the middle of the yard, spinning slowly to search for any sign of her, Caleb stops me.
“Kreed, I’ve never seen you like this before.You’ve always been protective as hell for those you care about, but this is on an entirely different level,” he says, folding his arms across his chest and keeping his eyes locked on me as I continue to scan the yard around us.“What’s goin’ on with you?”
“She’s not here, Caleb.If she is, she’d answer me.Unless somethin’ happened to her.Ineedto find her and make sure she’s okay,” I respond, my voice wavering with all the pent-up fear filling every inch of my body.
“So this is about Annistyn?”he questions me with a knowing look in his eyes as I turn my attention to him for a brief second before searching once more.
“Of course it’s about Annistyn.The second I saw her in that fuckin’ warehouse, I knew she was mine, Caleb.I’ve never felt that way about anyone and you know this.Annistyn calls to the depths of my soul and I know she’s my other half.My better half.I want to protect her, love her, and make her realize she can overcome everythin’ that’s been done to her over the years.You’ve heard what Master said about her past.She’s been traumatized since the time she moved in with her aunt and uncle.We’re the only two who know that information and it will kill Annistyn if she realizes we do know as much as we do.Caleb, Ineedto find her and bring her home,” I tell him, my voice pleading with my best friend because I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.
“You gonna introduce Annistyn to Mom?”he asks me, slipping into calling my mom that as he did when we were younger.
“Of course I am.Mom will love her and never let her out of her sight if she has her way.You know Mom always wanted me to find my other half and she doesn’t give a shit about all that status bullshit.The only thing she’ll care about is if I’m treatin’ Annistyn right and helpin’ her with anythin’ she needs.That I love her, am faithful, and my entire world centers around her.Everythin’ I already want to give her because it’s no less than what she deserves,” I tell him, walking closer to the woods where I wonder if Annistyn has ever ventured on her own before.
A memory hits me from one of her nightmares.
“No!Please don’t make me go in there!”Annistyn screams, her voice breaking and raw as she once again becomes tangled in the blankets covering her frail body.
One of her arms lashes out and she punches the wall with a deafening crack.I immediately grab her hand and pull it gently toward me and away from the wall to examine her knuckles, hand, and wrist.I honestly don’t know if she’s broken something with how hard she connected with the wall at her side.It doesn’t look as if she’s done damage to herself, but I want Doc to take a look to be on the safe side.
“I don’t want to go in the woods!It’s dark in there and I’ll get lost!Please, don’t make me go in there.Nothing is in there I need to get,” she pleads, tears rolling down her face as she continues to thrash about while I carefully slide into bed next to her and hold her against my chest like I do every single time she has a nightmare.This happens just about every single night since she came back here with me.
Annistyn starts to whimper in her sleep as she slowly calms down.This is taking a lot longer than it typically does and shatters my heart into a million pieces because there’s nothing I can do to combat and slay the demons in her mind when she’s in the middle of a nightmare like this.The only thing I can do is be there for her and try to offer her the slightest bit of comfort even if she doesn’t realize it’s happening.
“I promise I’ll be a good girl from now on.I won’t ever take food without your permission again!Please, don’t make me go in there!”she screams one last time before I hold her as tight to my body as I can and whisper words of assurance in her ear while running my fingers through her hair and trying to wipe the tears from her eyes.
Clearing the memory from my head, I know without a doubt she won’t go in the woods on her own for any reason.They terrify her and she’d rather stay as far away from them as possible.
“You’ll give her all of that and so much more, Kreed.You’ve been waitin’ for your person for as long as I can remember.If Annistyn is her, I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure you end up with her.Though, you have to make sure you do things at her pace and don’t rush into anythin’ because you’ll scare her away.You already know this though.Cali and I will be right there with you and do anythin’ we can to help you out,” Caleb promises me as he thinks of something and I realize he’s putting everything together.“You called in Tank.You want his help with havin’ that conversation with her.”
“I did.Tank is the only one I can think of who will remotely know how to broach such a sensitive subject with Annistyn.Tank has a way of talkin’ to the women surroundin’ him that gets them to open up in ways no one else can.I’m desperate for Annistyn to open up to me and let me in.She doesn’t share anythin’ about her past and is completely closed-off from everyone around her.My girl doesn’t trust anyone and is always tryin’ to see the negative impact her actions will have.I don’t even think she realizes I hold her almost every single night because her nightmares are so bad.I’m doin’ what I can, but I can’t do much more than what she actually says or gives me clues about,” I answer him as we remain outside and I wonder if Annistyn is still actually at the park.
“Honestly, that was a good call to make.If anyone can help you figure this situation out, it’s gonna be Tank.He’ll figure out somethin’ and make sure Annistyn has what she needs and realizes you’re one of the best guys in her life,” Caleb says as we stand in silence for several minutes and I simply enjoy the sun beating down on me, wondering if Annistyn was ever allowed to enjoy the sun heating her body from the inside out.
After several minutes, the two of us make our way inside and I’m surrounded by Dakota and Kylan.Lifting Dakota up in my arms, she wraps her small ones around my neck and lays her head on my shoulder.I can’t help but laugh when Caleb goes to reach for her and she shrinks back from his hands.A smile lights up her face when my best friend pouts and pretends to be sad his little girl doesn’t want anything to do with him.When that doesn’t change her mind, Caleb lifts his son in his arms and races down the hall from us.I keep my pace steady because I know Dakota is ready for a nap.The only time she snuggles anymore is when she’s sleepy and hasn’t gotten to take a nap for whatever reason.
I join Caleb and Cali at the table in the back of the common room and keep Dakota where she is against my chest.The three of us talk and Cali continuously looks around the common room.I already know she’s wondering where Annistyn is without her saying a word.
“She’s not back yet,” I say when she looks at me for the tenth time in a matter of minutes.
“She went to the park today?”Cali questions me as Evan brings her over a bottle of water and cups of milk for Dakota and Kylan.
“As far as I know.She doesn’t have a damn phone for me to call her on.Annistyn has never been allowed to have one before and hasn’t wanted one.After today, she needs one.She can’t be away from the compound with no way to contact anyone here if somethin’ happens,” I tell her as Dakota accepts her cup of milk and takes a small drink before handing it to me.
“I agree.She can’t be away from us with no way to get in contact.Especially when she really has no clue where anything is in town.She could get lost so easily and we’d never know unless someone actually stopped to help her.Annistyn won’t ask for help on her own.It’s too far out of her comfort zone to talk to a stranger,” Cali says, a frown on her face as she looks at her daughter in my arms.“How much longer you gonna wait before you go get her?”
“Not much longer.I don’t want her out there when it gets dark.She’s always inside way before darkness sets in and is in her room with almost every light on,” I answer her, looking out the window in the front of the common room to see the sun is still shining but it won’t be much longer before dusk settles.That isn’t a good time for taking pictures.At least I don’t think it is.Not unless she’s doing some kind of horror photo shoot for Halloween or something like that.I don’t know enough about the subject to truly say anything though.
The three of us remain at the table and it’s not long before Dakota’s weight settles heavily in my arms.She’s finally asleep as I brush her hair out of her face and make sure she’s comfortable.Though, my niece can sleep anywhere like her dad.Kylan watches over me with her and I know he’s going to be her bodyguard as they get older.No one will be able to get close to her for any reason if he doesn’t allow it to happen.Kylan won’t let anyone hurt his baby sister and the same can be said for Rory as well.Though Bryce has Rory protected at all times.These two boys will be the same way Caleb and I were growing up.It’s amazing to witness how protective they already are and know the two of us have something to do with that because it’s what they watch us do for Cali and any other women in our lives.
