“It did. I’m going to need a massage to feel better.”
“Oh, you think so?”
“Yep.”
The police took longer than we thought they was going to take and I ended up having to call Mary and Steve to tell them I wouldn’t be able to pick up Connor on time. Of course, I wasn’t about to go into all the details of what had happened that day. But they were understanding and promised to take him to school the next day for me.
“Man, I’m really lucky to have them,” I said to Brandon as we waited.
“So, does this mean you have the evening free?” His eyes lit up.
“Don’t go getting any ideas, mister. I’m exhausted, and you look like you are, too. I think I’ll just head home when they are done with me.”
“You’re right, I should head home, too. I mean, I am so tired and if you’re not going to be giving me an awesome massage, what else could I possibly do with my evening?”
His boyish grin was all it took for me to change my plans. I didn’t really want to go home to an empty house. I wanted to stay right there with Brandon. I wanted to feel his arms on my body again and his lips on my lips.
I didn’t feel the same fear I had had before about being in a real relationship. Instead, I had an urge to have that with Brandon. I’d seen what he was capable of. I’d seen the love and caring that he could show and it was obviously that I needed to keep him in my life.
“I think you should use those hands on me instead of heading home. I mean I did just risk my life. Plus, did you see that girl fight between me and your ex-wife. That will be in your spank bank for years.”
“Yeah, isn’t that the truth? Should we head back to my place and relax a bit? I still need to call the bank and figure out how to get the accounts unfrozen.”
“Sure.”
We made our way back to Brandon’s house, but when we arrived, the front door was opened and the alarm was going off. Neither of us could believe our eyes. If Antonio and Carlos had just been arrested, then who was trying to break into the house?
“Stay here,” Brandon said forcefully as he got out of the car to head inside. “I’m serious. None of your hero stuff, young lady. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you. Stay here.”
“Should I call the police?”
“No, the security company will be here shortly. But don’t come in after me. Carlos could have had someone else working with him. There could be someone with a gun or any number of other things. You promise me that you’re not going to come in there?”
“I promise. I’ll stay right here.”
I stood outside the car as Brandon went inside. I waited to hear some sort of commotion when he confronted whomever had broken into the house. The tension was killing me as I paced back and forth and watched through the windows to see what the heck was going on.
“Are you okay in there?” I hollered out.
There was no reply. My heart pounded louder, and I could hardly think straight as I walked closer and closer to the front door. I didn’t have my phone with me. There was no way the police would get to us in time if someone was in there.
Fear was a hard emotion for me and I struggled with it more than I wanted to admit in my life. I wasn’t going to let it control me though, and this situation was no different. I took in a deep breath and prepared myself for whatever was going on inside of Brandon’s house.
I had promised that I wouldn’t go inside, but that was before I knew what the unknown felt like. I needed to know he was all right. I was willing to risk everything if I had to.
“Brandon, are you okay in there?” I yelled again from the doorway.
“Ahhhhhhh!” I heard a woman scream.
It was a blood-curdling scream, and I rushed into the house, not thinking about anything except making sure Brandon was all right.
“Maria!” Brandon yelled.
“What’s going on in there?”
“It’s fine. Come in and punch five-two-eight-one into the keypad by the door, please,” he shouted.
I quickly punched the numbers into the alarm so the loud sound would silence and I could go find Brandon. My ears continued to ring as I went down the hall and found the room where he was standing with a slightly older woman who was holding a mop. She looked terrified, but so did Brandon.