Chapter 23

Chapter 22
Cierra helped Bree get out of the car and up the wooden apartment steps, “Are you okay?”

“My head hurts but I’m fine, you’re okay, right?”

“Thanks to you, I’m sorry for what I said on the phone, I was just trying to get Holly to calm down, she can be over bearing sometimes.” Cierra slid the key into the locks and headed inside.

“But it’s all true.”

“Look, just go jump in the shower and the guys will be back soon.” Cierra knew it wasn’t true, Holly just needed to hear what she wanted to hear. Honestly, she hoped Holly would leave after today.

Bree didn’t say anything and headed to the bathroom.

Cierra let out a sigh as she sat on the couch, running her trembling fingers through her long hair. Bree could have let that man take her but she didn’t. Bree was a good hearted person that was for sure.

She had risked herself but managed to not care about herself. Bree cared about others, she didn’t know Marnie, Holly, the Bensons, Justin or herself and still Bee still put them all above herself. Except, she was hurting inside.

Cierra tried to go back to the time she was working for Rook. She felt so much pain back then, yet it was never enough to try to take her own life, which If she wasn’t mistaken that was exactly what Bree had been trying to do.

She jumped when the apartment door burst open, she was up in a flash and ran into Ben’s arms, “Anything?”

“No, he got away, are you okay?” Ben pushed her back some but took her face in his hands, examining her.

“Yeah, thanks to Bree.”

“You were in this mess because of her.”

“No, Ben, the man had me, he was going to take me, she jumped in and stopped him, he shoved me to the ground, giving me the chance to call you guys again.”

“How’d she even get out there?” Justin demanded.

Cierra started to go over how she’d been talking to Holly and what she had said. She could see how tense Justin went, “Justin, go easy on her I think she was thinking about taking her lie when I found her, she could have jumped, but instead when she saw that man have me, she tried to stop him instantly, told him she’d go with him and that she’d be good, I think we need to find someone she can talk to.”

“See what you can find here, Ben do me a favor, run that drawling over to Clay and Iris’s, see if they recognize the man you drew today at all.” Justin spoke calmly then turned to go to the bathroom.

~

He desperately needed a shower, he smelled like the river and it wasn’t a pleasant smell. He made his way down the hall, he pushed open the bathroom door. He froze when he saw Bree just standing there in her wet clothes and stared at the mirror.

He took a deep breath to try to push away the anger he was feeling. Justin walked further in, shut the door and locked it as he kicked his wet boots off.

He leaned back against the door, folding his arms over his chest, “You’re going to get sick if you stay in those wet clothes much longer.” He grumbled.

She jumped and turned toward him, “Get out.” She demanded.

Justin raised an eyebrow, “No, someone has to keep an eye on you after today, and I volunteered.”

“Why, because no one trusts me?”

“Well, if you hadn’t ran away we would trust you, what were you thinking?”

“That I’m better off away from everyone, I’m causing nothing but problems, what’re you doing here anyway? You’re supposed to find Marnie and the others.”

“Yeah, until Cierra called and said Sal had you again, I told you I wouldn’t let you go back and I meant it.”

“They’re more important, maybe you should have let him take me then I could have tried to get them out.”

“That’s not happening, baby.” He pushed himself off the door and stalked over to Bree and snatched her up against him, pressing his lips to hers.

They moved against each other frantically against each other. Justin was surprised when Bree wrapped her arms around his neck instead of shoving him away. He spun them pinning her up against the wall. This wasn’t where his mind should be and he knew it, but couldn’t seem to stop. He almost lost her today, twice, either Sal would have taken her and he didn’t know if he was going to be able to save her from the river.

He slowly scooped her off her feet and wrapped her thighs around him, getting as close as he could with their clothes on. He pulled back quickly when a knock pounded on the door, “Yeah?” he called out, his voice raspy from the intense kiss and desire taking over him.

“Justin, we can’t find Bree.” Cierra said uncertainly.

“I’ve got her, she hasn’t taken a shower yet, we were talking, I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Oh, thank God.” Her footsteps faded away from the door.

Justin laid his forehead against his darlin’s, “What are you doing to me?” he mumbled.

“I, I don’t do anything.” She mumbled.

He pulled bac to look at her, her eyes were wide, a tad darker, while her lips were swollen and ripe from his kiss, her cheeks glowed with a pink flush, “Baby, whether you mean to do it or not you definitely do something to me, I’ve
never wanted someone as much as I want you.”

“Is that what I’m feeling?” she asked innocently.

“A heat every time we kiss?”

She nodded her head then laid it against his chest.

“Yeah, I’d say you want me just as bad then, but we can’t.” He mumbled.

“Why?”

“Because, we don’t know anything about each other, we don’t even know how old you are.” He pressed his lips to the top of her head then tilted it up and began to attack her neck with soft kisses that made her tremble against him.

She let out a gasp, “Justin.” She whimpered as she dug her fingers into the back of his hair knocking his wet hat off into her face.

He let out a chuckle as he pulled the hat out of her face, “Why don’t you get your shower, then I will.”

She looked up at him, those violet eyes were so dark with the need he felt, “We could just take one together.”

His back teeth clenched, his body grew rigid, “I don’t think that’s such a good idea, I have to talk to Ben anyway.” He declined quickly. If he got into that shower with her, he wouldn’t keep his brain about him.

She nibbled that bottom lip of hers and he wanted to take over, “Okay, I’m sorry.” She whispered as she pulled her gaze from him.

“Trust me, babe, I want to, I just think it’s safe that we don’t for now.” He knew he wasn’t explaining very well, but he didn’t know how to either.