Calamity Jena (Invertary 4)

“Abby said I can teach dance classes in her barn,” she told Matt with a grin when he climbed in beside her.

He mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like, “God help us all.”

“The women are coming round to help clear out the house this week.” She bounced around on the spot at the thought of all that help. “Margaret said she has some furniture she doesn’t need. Shona’s got a fridge-freezer she doesn’t use. And Magenta’s mum has a cooker I can have. They’re all in good condition and way more modern than the stuff I’ve got.” She poked him in the arm as she grinned widely at him. “And they don’t want any money for them. How cool is that?”

“Very cool.” Matt’s lipped twitched, as though he didn’t know whether to smile or not.

“It’s amazing, Matt. People are treating me like I belong here.”

His eyes softened as he smiled at her. “You do belong here, princess.”

She relaxed back in her seat with a huge sigh. “Everything might just turn out okay. If I can teach dance in Abby’s barn then I can make some money. I’m already working for the materials to fix the house, so that’s covered. With you and the Knit or Die crew helping with the renovation, I should have somewhere decent to live in no time at all. What’s that saying? Everything’s coming up roses?” She thought about it. “You plant roses in manure, right? Because if that’s what it means, it’s dead on.”

Matt chuckled. His fingers wound through hers and he rested their joined hands on his thigh. “No more dancing on tables, though, okay?”

“Naw, the tables can’t handle it.”

It was warm in the car, and Jena felt her eyes begin to droop. “What’s happening with Frank?”

Matt squeezed her hand. “He’s gone, princess. He’s being escorted to Glasgow Airport as we speak.”

“Freaking roses all round,” Jena said.

And she fell asleep listening to Matt’s chuckle.

Claire woke up to find Grunt sitting in the armchair in the corner of her bedroom watching her. Well, that wasn’t creepy at all. She sat up, pulling the pink blanket up to her neck as she did so. Grunt just watched her. His expression serious. His eyes dark. Claire’s stomach flipped, but she put it down to having a hangover.

“Aspirin and water.” He pointed to the white table beside her bed.

“Why are you here, Grunt?” She didn’t move to fetch the aspirin. Although she probably should have. She felt like someone had taken her brain out of her head and played basketball with it before returning it.

Grunt cocked an eyebrow at her using his nickname instead of calling him Samuel. He ran a hand over his short hair and sighed heavily.

“I screwed this up.”

Claire felt the air in the room thicken. He trapped her in place with his gaze.

“I shoulda asked you out like a normal guy. Took you for a meal. Told you how pretty you are. Let you get to know me slow like.” He leaned forward until he rested his forearms on his knees. “See, it’s like this, Claire. I’m nowhere near normal. When I saw you, it hit me like a freight train. All I could think was I had to have you and I had to be fast about it, before someone else beat me to it.”

Blood pounded through Claire’s veins, making her head hurt even more.

“You’re right,” Grunt said. “We don’t know each other. Your experience of me isn’t how I am, usually. I don’t grab women off the streets shouting ‘mine’ like an idiot. I don’t kidnap women for guys who are skirting the law. I haven’t done anything normal since I met you.” His beautiful eyes were so sad. It made Claire ache. “Here’s the thing. I don’t know how to fix this without doing more of the same. I want to pick you up, run away with you and keep you locked up until you admit you’re mine.” He scoffed. “And yeah, I know a psychiatrist would have a field day w

ith that.”

He stood up, filling the room with his presence. Making her pink and white décor seem childish. Making her feel like she didn’t belong.

“I can’t give up on you.” He gave her a little smile. It broke her heart. “I can’t walk away. I know we’d be great together. I don’t know how I know this, but I do. I’m gonna work hard at not throwing myself at you, but I am sticking around. I want there to be an us. I want you. Only you.” He stepped towards the door. “Call if you need me. The ball’s in your court.”

Claire couldn’t take her eyes from him. The beautiful, overwhelming man. In another time, another age, he would have been a warrior. A man who did grab women from the street and hide them in his castle. A man who would take because he didn’t know how to ask. But they weren’t living in that time. And Claire didn’t know if she had the strength to deal with a man like that. A man who could swallow a person whole with the force of his will.

“I can change. For you, I can change.” His words were a whisper.

He opened the door, stepped out and closed it quietly behind him. Leaving Claire achingly alone in her childish room.

33

The phone call Matt had spent eight years dreading came the following morning as he was making Jena breakfast in bed. She’d been so wiped out the night before she’d slept through Matt carrying her to bed. She’d been out cold since then. After a night holding her tight and listening to her snore, Matt had plans for breakfast, and a shower with Jena before he headed to work. Instead, he answered his phone and his life changed forever.