“Y-Y-Yeah,” I finally say when I realize what I’m doing.
“Stay on the phone with me, Keaton.Where’s Bridger?”he asks as I try to focus on the conversation instead of glancing nervously around the house in all the shadows.
“He’s sleeping.It’s almost time for him to wake up,” I say, my voice still weak but I can manage to speak without stuttering.
Ice has a calming effect on me.He keeps me talking instead of focusing on being alone with Bridger and not knowing where Dillon is.I’m not sure if the cops even know where he is now that he’s been released from jail.I don’t think they’ll keep tabs on him until the trial.Ice asks me questions and tells me where he is every few seconds.I focus on his deep voice and try to recall how it makes me feel when we’re together.His words don’t really mean anything right now because I can’t pay attention to more than one thing.My brain is fried with the news and I’m trying not to let my absolute fear win and take over my entire body.
“I’m here, Baby.Puttin’ in the code to open the gate now.Not gonna keep ridin’ until it’s firmly closed behind me,” Ice informs me as I push up off the floor and slowly make my way to the front door.“You want me to park in the driveway or garage?”
“Garage,” I say, changing my direction to the kitchen where he’ll enter the house now.“I’m almost at the door so I can unlock it.”
I listen as Ice shuts his bike off once he’s in the last bay of my garage and the door slowly slides closed behind him.I can hear him moving around as he switches his phone to speaker instead of the Bluetooth he has on his helmet.He tells me he’s almost at the door and I slowly unlock it and take a few steps back.Ice lets me know he’ll knock twice and then open, that’s exactly what he does as the door slowly opens and I get my first glimpse of him.Ice doesn’t hesitate to enter the house once we have eyes on one another.He pulls me in his arms and holds me tight as I try to wrap my body around his.Ice lifts me in his arms and helps me wrap my legs around his waist as I bury my face in his neck.before walking us into the living room and taking a seat on the couch.For the longest time he simply holds me and lets me cry while trembling in his hold.He runs his fingers through my hair and gently rocks us back and forth.There’s no pressure as my fear slowly starts to fade away with his presence.
Chapter Seventeen
Ice
HAVING KEATON IN myarms is the best feeling in the world normally.Today, it’s not.Yes, I’m offering her a safe space, but I can feel her body trembling against me as her heart beats rapidly in her chest.My neck and shirt are soaked with her tears and I can feel the absolute pain surrounding her.Keaton is truly terrified and doesn’t know what to do with all of that fear right now.I’ll gladly take it all from her.There is no way in hell I’m going to allow Keaton and Bridger to remain in this house all alone with no form of protection.This is a conversation we need to have because I don’t know if she has any kind of training in self-defense, knows how to fire a gun, or anything else.There’s only so much she can do to prevent Dillon from entering her home.If he’s truly as deranged as I believe he is, Dillon will find a way inside regardless of what he has to do or who he hurts.
“Baby, I need to talk to you about somethin’,” I say after a few minutes of holding Keaton in silence.
Slowly, she sits up and I reach up to wipe the tears from her face.Her eyes are red and swollen and her face has lost all color.Keaton is still shaking as I stop running my fingers through her hair and start to rub up and down her back.
“What’s wrong?”she asks, looking around the room without trying to let me know that’s what she’s doing.
“Nothin’ is wrong, Keaton.I need to know what you know as far as self-defense or anythin’ like that goes.Can you fire a gun?Do you have any weapons in the house?I want to see where you’re at if I’m tied up and not here with you.Don’t get me wrong, I’m not leavin’ your side unless it’s an emergency and I have no choice.I’m here with you and Bridger until Dillon is locked up again.I just want to know where you stand so we can start workin’ on things,” I ask her, watching as Keaton gives me her full attention and bites down on her bottom lip as she thinks.I’ve noticed she does that when she’s concentrating on something.
“The only self-defense I’ve taken was in gym class through junior high.I’ve never taken on any formal training.I don’t have any weapons in the house other than knives in the kitchen.And I’ve never shot a gun in my life.They honestly scare the hell out of me and I’ve never wanted anything to do with them.In my closet there’s one of those false doors I can hide in the room there.Other than that, I’m not sure about anything.Why would they release him, Tucker?”she asks, using my first name instead of my road name in her fear.
I don’t mind if Keaton calls me Tucker.I told her my name but she’s always called me Ice.Now that I’ve heard my given name from her mouth, it’s all I want to hear from her.Shaking my head slightly, I focus on the task at hand because calming her down and putting plans in place is my only goal right this second.
“Okay.I can understand your fear of guns and I won’t force the issue.Maybe we’ll get you a few tasers or something to keep in various places around the house.It will be a way to stop anyone from getting to you so you can run away and hide.I’d like to see the room you have in your closet so I can make sure it’s good enough to protect Bridger and you until someone can step in.For now, I’ll work with you on self-defense moves.We’ll take it at your pace but Ineedto know you’ve got some moves to get away from an attacker,” I state, brushing a few strands of hair out of Keaton’s face as she leans into my touch and closes her eyes.
I feel her entire body finally relax as she remains in my lap and I pray she doesn’t notice my hard dick under her.There’s really no way for her to miss it, but I can hope.
“Okay, Tucker.Oh, I mean Ice,” she says, her cheeks turning a shade of pink that travels down her neck.She gives me that shy smile as she ducks her head and I stop her with the tip of my finger and make her look at me again.
