Breaking the Ice by Esme Taylor
CHAPTER FIVE
Reid
“Where to, Sir? The hospital? Home?” Mike asked as I carefully buckled Hettie into the backseat before running to the opposite side and climbing inside.
I looked down at Hettie. The bleeding appeared to have stopped, and I couldn’t see any major cuts or injuries. “Hettie, it’s Reid… from the coffee shop,” I whispered, shaking her lightly. “Can you hear me? I want you to know you’re safe. Open your eyes for me, Etta. Let me know you’re okay.” After a few moments, her eyes fluttered open and a soft moan escaped her lips.
“Mike, let’s head home and I’ll decide what to do from there. Thanks.”
Mike nodded as he pulled the car back out onto the road. Flipping on the interior light, I removed my suit jacket and placed it over Hettie to keep her warm while I tried to get a better look at her injuries. Upon closer inspection, I could see she had deep gashes on both of her knees and her wrist looked like it was showing the first signs of bruising. There was dried blood under her nose, on her chin, and her black eye was multiple shades of deep purple that stretched up to her temple.
I lightly brushed my fingers across the side of her face that appeared injury-free. “Come on, Etta, open your eyes. I’ve got you now. You’re safe with me.”
And she was.
If I ever find out who did this to her, I will rip them limb from limb, I seethed. Why was she even there, alone in the dark? Where were her friends?
Anger bubbled in my chest as we pulled up to the gates of the house, but I swallowed it back down. Mike quickly punched in the security code and drove the car through the gated entrance and up to the front of the house.
Doing my best to avoid hurting her, I lifted a still unconscious Hettie from the back seat and carried her up to the house. Before disappearing in through the front door, I turned to speak to Mike.
“You’re free to leave for the night, Mike. Can you leave your phone on in case I need to take Hettie to the hospital?”
Mike nodded. “Yes, Sir.”
Once inside, I gently laid her on the sofa, my suit jacket still covering her. After tucking a pillow under her head, I bolted the front door and double-checked that the alarm was set. When I returned to check on Hettie, her eyes were open and she was pushing herself up from the sofa with a groan.
“Reid?” she asked in confusion, glancing around the room. “Where am I? What happened?”
“Hey, sleepyhead. You had me worried there for a minute. Are you okay? Do you remember what happened to you?” I didn’t want to overload her with questions, but I also wanted to find out who I was going to have to break for allowing her to get hurt and then leaving her on the side of the road in a dark alleyway.
“I’m not sure,” she croaked. “Can I have a glass of water? My head feels like someone’s jumped on it.” I nodded, hurrying from the room.
I returned a few minutes later with a glass of iced water and some painkillers. “Here, take these. After that, I need you to try and remember what happened.” I took a deep, audible breath while I waited for her to speak.
She sat up fully, groaning as she did so. “I left the ball and got in a taxi with my friends. We were trying to get home, but the traffic was an absolute nightmare. We were part of the way home––well, I was. I live in one direction and my friends all live in the other. Anyway, we weren’t far from my house. I could see my road from where we were sitting in traffic. I told my friends it would be easier, and faster, for me to walk. I got out of the car and promised them I’d text the moment I got home.” She paused as the color drained from her face.
“It was really dark, darker than usual, and I was trying to work out why when I heard a noise behind me. I turned to see what it was, but someone grabbed my wrist,” she explained, tears streaming down her face as she ran her fingers over the purple ring bruise that was now quite visible.
“They had hold of me really tightly and wouldn’t let go. I screamed and tried to pull away from them, but they grabbed my bag and pushed me. I must have fallen over, thanks to my stupid, impractical heels. See, this is why I prefer flats. I could have kicked him and ran if it wasn’t for those stupid shoes. Anyway, I went down hard on my knees, but I must have hit my face on something. I don’t remember anything after that. The world just went black.”
Before I could ask her if she got a look at her attacker, she added, “Wait––how did you know where I was? Reid, if you hadn’t had found me, I could have been still lying in that alleyway right now. Alone.” A violent sob escaped her lips when she realized just how differently things could have gone.
“Everything was in that bag. My keys, my phone, my notes for work, my wallet with all my cards. Whoever it was will know my address, where I work… everything.”
I moved from where I was sitting on the edge of the coffee table in front of her and took a seat beside her. Instinctively taking her hand in mine, I ran my thumb over the back of it in slow circles, attempting to reassure her.
“You’re safe now. The only thing that matters is that you’re okay. You have some bruises and you’ll certainly be sore tomorrow, but everything will heal. As for everything else, that can be sorted out later. I don’t want you to worry about anything. For now, I just want to relax and try to get some rest. Leave everything else to me. Okay? However, I do need one thing from you. I need you to write down your address so that I can call and have the locks changed.”
“I can do that,” Hettie sighed, doing as I asked.
I took the paper from her and smiled softly. “Okay, I’m going to go and get you some tea and make a couple of calls? Will you be okay here for a few minutes?” Hettie nodded, pulling my suit jacket around her tighter.
“There’s a blanket on the back of the couch if you’re cold. Make yourself at home and I’ll be back in a moment.”
◆◆◆
Once in the kitchen, I filled the kettle and set it to boil while I called Thomas’ locksmith to change her locks tonight. Once the locksmith was organized, I called the police to report the mugging. They promised to send someone out first thing in the morning to take Hettie’s statement. With everything taken care of, I poured two mugs of tea and made my way back into the lounge.
Making her see that I could protect her suddenly felt like the most important thing in the world. “So, your locks are being changed as we speak,” I informed her, passing the mug of tea. “The locksmith will drop the keys over tomorrow morning. I’ve also spoken to the police, but we can deal with that tomorrow too.” I nodded to the cup in her hand, “Drink your tea. It will help with the shock.”
“Thank you.” I watched as she took a tentative sip of the tea, a surprised expression gracing her features. “This tea is virtually perfect,” she muttered, a slight smile playing at the corner of her lips. “It’s pretty hard to make a good cup of tea. I must admit, you have a special talent, Reid. Normally, it takes years of training to achieve something like this.” I watched as she visibly relaxed, the tension she had been carrying melted away.
“Virtually perfect?” I chuckled. “I didn’t know there was a perfect way to make tea, but I’m glad I was close.” Hettie yawned, leaning her head back against the sofa. Despite the blood and bruises, she was still one of the most beautiful women I had ever laid eyes on.
“Is there anyone you would like to call? Anywhere you’d prefer to go for the night?”
Once again, the tears began to stream down her face. “All of my numbers were on my phone. I mean, who remembers phone numbers anymore? I could get a taxi to one of my friends’ houses that I was at the party with tonight, but they’re all probably asleep by now. And I don’t want to freak them out. Other than them… I’m alone. I don’t have anyone else,” she muttered low, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m so sorry to put you out, I just don’t know what to do.” She looked me in the eyes as if searching for an answer in their depths.
“Don’t worry, you can stay here. There’s plenty of room.” The words were out of my mouth before I even realized what I’d said.
What the fuck are you doing? No one has ever stayed here before. Ever.
It felt like all of my rational thoughts were being silenced by this overwhelming urge to keep her as close as possible. As though my life depended on making sure she was safe.
“Why don’t I show you to your room? There is an en-suite so you can get cleaned up while I go find you something to wear.”
Hettie remained silent, nodding and smiling at me with sad, exhausted eyes. Kicking off her shoes, she slowly stood and followed me toward the stairs. As we reached the bottom of the steps she wobbled slightly, grabbing my hand to stop herself from falling.
“Come on… I’ve got you.” I squeezed her hand as I led her up the stairs.
When we reached the top, I led her down the hallway to the bedroom closest to mine. I knew it was dangerous to have her so close, but I couldn’t bear putting any unnecessary space between us. I led her into the en-suite bathroom. Still holding her hand in mine, I flipped on the light as she caught a glimpse of herself in the large mirror that hung on the wall behind the double vanity unit.
She shuddered as her fingers softly drifted over her swollen face, taking in each of her injuries. “I look such a mess. I’m so sorry––” she mumbled.
I gently placed my finger over her lips, halting her mid-sentence. “What are you sorry for, Etta? Some asshole hurt you and left you on the side of the road. You have nothing to be sorry for. But I can assure you, they will be sorry for what they did to you. Just promise me, no more apologies for this. It’s not your fault.” She nodded but remained silent.
“Here, let me help you get cleaned up, and then I’ll go get you those clean clothes,” I said, filling the sink with warm water. After retrieving a washcloth from the cabinet next to the sink, I wet it. Cradling one side of her face, I gently wiped away the dried blood.
“‘Can I sit? I’m feeling a bit unsteady.”
I nodded as she slowly pulled herself onto the vanity counter. Once she was seated, I took hold of her calf and began cleaning the gashes on her knees, wiping them with antibacterial wipes and dressing them with bandages. Pushing the hair that had come loose from her plaits away from her face, I inspected the bruises around her eye. Without realizing, I found myself staring into her gorgeous grey-green eyes. I couldn’t quite put my finger on their exact color. But now that I was looking into them, I didn’t ever want to look away.
Terrified by the level of intimacy we were sharing, I took a step back to put some distance between us. “Let me go and find you something to wear so you can get out of that dress,” I muttered, tearing my gaze from hers. “I’m sure you must be freezing.”
My heart raced as I closed the door behind me. The last thing I needed was to do something I wouldn’t be able to take back.
When I returned, I knocked on the bathroom door and let Hettie know that I was leaving the clothes on the bed before heading back downstairs. For the life of me, I couldn’t understand what was happening between the two of us.
She was alone, injured, and unconscious on the pavement. I had to help her. I would have done the same for anyone. And I would have let anyone I’d found in the same state stay overnight at my house. What else could I have done?
Of course, the voice in my head disagreed.
Well, for starters, you could have paid for her to stay in a hotel. You could have also taken her to the hospital or banged on the doors of her so-called friends and made them take her. Instead, you let her stay here. Now, what’s going to happen?
Suddenly, an even more terrifying thought entered my mind.
What if she finds out my secret? She’ll tell everyone. I’ll never be able to hide it. I shook my head in an attempt to silence my inner voice that was so eagerly rubbing in what an idiot I was.
It’s just one night, I told myself while pouring a glass of Scotch. I can deal with one night.
◆◆◆
I was sitting on the sofa when I heard Hettie making her way back down the stairs. When I turned around, my mouth dropped. Since I didn’t exactly have any clothes her size, I gave her one of my white t-shirts and a pair of shorts to wear for the night. The massive shirt hung loosely off her shoulder, giving me the perfect view of her braless breasts, her hard nipples pressing against the thin fabric. The shorts, while large, were rolled over and slung low on her hips.
Her face was free of makeup, and her hair was wet from her shower and piled up on her head in a messy bun. Despite the black eye, numerous bruises, and cuts, she looked absolutely stunning. Effortlessly beautiful. Which was certainly a far cry from the overly made-up women I usually went for.
She smiled shyly as I subtly attempted to readjust myself, my cock hardening from the sight of her. Just one night, I silently repeated to myself, knowing that deep down, I was already absolutely and utterly fucked.
“Come and grab a seat, Etta. Can I get you some water?”
“Actually, I would love one of those,” she smiled, pointing at my drink. “It might help me forget about tonight. With any luck, it might also help me get some sleep.” I nodded as I poured her one.
I handed her the glass, our fingers grazing as she took a seat on the dark grey wingback chair. Glass in hand, she folded her feet up underneath herself and pulled the blanket hanging on the back of the chair around her. I had the perfect view of her amazing body from where I sat on the L-shaped black leather couch across from her. Which did nothing to ease my growing erection. It was clear that I couldn’t trust myself in front of her. Grabbing a nearby cushion, I placed it over my crotch and took another drink of my Scotch.
“Sorry, I seem to be making a habit of making a fool of myself around you,” Hettie apologized, staring at me with those magical grey-green eyes. “I can’t imagine what you must think of me by now.”
“I’ve told you before, you have nothing to apologize for. You seem to do that an awful lot, you know?”
Her head fell to her chest. “I suppose that’s what happens when you’re so used to someone telling you that everything is your fault. Over time, you begin to believe that anything that goes wrong in the world is somehow on you. And so begins the constant apologies.”
I desperately wanted to ask her who made her feel that way… who made her doubt herself? I couldn’t imagine the kind of monster that would want to make a woman like her feel so insecure and unloved.
Why do I feel like I want to hunt them down and kill them for making her feel anything less than perfect?
I was in uncharted territory, and the feelings I was having were completely foreign to me. After everything she had been through, the last thing I wanted to do was upset her even more by asking questions and dredging up her past. Instead, I chose to accept the fact that whoever made her feel like that was a dick and didn’t deserve to be anywhere near her. It made me even more determined to not just be another man who hurt her.
“Etta, you don’t have to feel that way here. Nothing that happened tonight was on you. Someone hurt you and I’m just glad I was there to help.” My voice was deep and low. I wasn’t sure if it was from my anger toward the person who had hurt her, or how turned on she was making me.
“Thank you,” she spoke with a soft smile. “You know, you really don’t live up to your reputation.”
“Reputation?” I asked, genuinely interested in what she had heard.
“Yeah, you know… the angry, cold, heart breaker. I believe you’ve got a gentle side you’re hiding from the rest of the world.” She smiled. “I’m glad it was you who found me tonight. I don’t understand it, but it’s easy to feel safe when you’re around.” I swear my heart stopped beating for a minute.
My thoughts ran wild, hope swelling in my chest. Is it possible she can see through my facade that easily? Could she really get to know the real me? Or is it too dangerous to even hope?
Hettie yawned as she placed her empty glass on the coffee table between us. “I think I’m going to head to bed if you don’t mind? I will call the hotel in the morning and speak to Max. I’ll arrange to get one of my friends to come and collect me.”
“That’s fine. Just know, there’s no rush. Take your time. You’re more than welcome to stay as long as you need. As I said before, we will get everything sorted. Also, don’t forget the police want to speak with you. Perhaps it would be best if you do that here?” I suggested. “That way, I can tell them what I saw as well.”
“Where are you sleeping?” she asked, appearing suddenly nervous.
“I’m in the room directly across from yours. But don’t worry, I won’t be going up for a while. I’ve got some work to do before I call it a night.”
“Work?” she asked, turning her attention to the clock on the wall. “It’s almost 3:30AM. What could you possibly have to do that can’t wait till morning?”
“I work for myself, but I get my best ideas at night. I don’t really sleep much,” I nervously replied, hoping it would help explain my exhausted appearance in the morning. For now, I just needed to do everything I could to stay awake.
“Night, Etta. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to come and find me.”
“Night, Reid. And thank you for being my Viking in shining armor tonight?”
“Viking?” I looked at her in confusion.
She chuckled softly. “Yep, you are officially my Viking to the rescue. And don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone you have a soft side. It can be our little secret. I hope you get some sleep, Reid.”
I don’t, I thought to myself. That’s the last thing I need. What I need is to keep busy and stay awake until the sun comes up. I sighed in frustration. It’s just one night. Tomorrow, life will go back to normal and I’ll be alone again. For the first time in my entire life, the idea of being alone didn’t feel like such a good thing.
Hettie was halfway up the stairs when I remembered my plans with Billy and Thomas tomorrow afternoon. Shit! I thought as I pulled out my phone to text them and reschedule our golfing plans, keeping my reasons vague.
Just knowing that Hettie was right upstairs had my mind and my cock on edge. I need to get my mind off of her and focus on something––anything else, I told myself as I stood to go upstairs and get changed so I could head to the gym at the back of the house and attempt to exercise myself awake.
Exercise had always been my escape. It helped to calm the buzzing under my skin. It’s hard to explain, but it felt like something was trying to break free from the very depths of my soul. Burning some energy in the gym helped me to manage my moods and cope with the insomnia I inflicted upon myself.
It’s better to be awake and alive than asleep and dreaming. And tonight, I needed to stay awake. Tonight, I couldn’t risk falling asleep, not even for a moment.
◆◆◆
I spent the next hour on the treadmill, sweating out the alcohol I‘d consumed and trying to untangle the onslaught of emotions from earlier in the evening. I couldn’t understand the enormity of my feelings when I was around her. All I knew for certain was that it seemed to make that buzzing sensation under my skin worse.
When I had finished my workout, I headed upstairs for a nice cold shower to help wake me up even more. I know it sounds weird, but my bathroom had always been one of my favorite parts of the house. Its pale brick walls were contrasted by dark tiled floors, which were warmed by the underfloor heating. At the far end of the room was the wet room with a rainforest showerhead and smaller shower jets that shot out from the wall, pummeling my sore, tired muscles and relieving the stress that seemed to be my constant companion.
I stood under the water washing my hair and body, unable to get the memories of her out of my head. The feeling of her exposed back under my hand, her reaction when I touched her arm, her lips, how her breath hitched when I leaned in close enough I could almost taste her, her hand in mine as we walked up the stairs, the way she looked at me in the bathroom––all of that was a type of intimacy that I’d never shared with anyone.
I’m self-aware enough to admit that I use women. I want only one thing. Release. That’s always been more than enough for me. Of course, I make sure they are pleasured too, but it’s all just a means to an end. I always make it really clear from the start that it’s a one-time deal and that there is no possibility of a relationship. Unfortunately, they never seem to believe me. Still, they somehow always get this idea in their head that they will be the one to change me. I just can’t ever allow myself to be in that place. The place where people see inside you, learn about your past and connect with your soul.
What would someone see if I was to allow them in? I wondered. What secrets would they uncover? What would they think about my past? I don’t even know how I would begin to explain my black soul or my icy heart.
The more I thought about Hettie being here, especially wearing my clothes over her soft skin while asleep upstairs, the harder my cock grew.
Visions of what it would feel like to have her in the shower with me filled my mind as I ran my hand down my body, the warm water washing over me. Wrapping my aching hard cock in my hand, I slowly but firmly moved up and down its length. I wanted nothing more than to kneel in front of her and taste her sweetness on my tongue while she buried her fingers in my hair until I thought I might drown in her.
Fuck.
My grip tightened, my movements becoming more frenzied as I imagined her begging to feel me inside her and feeling her orgasm while she screamed my name. I leaned my arm and forehead against the cool tile in an attempt to steady myself. All the while, thoughts of her flood my mind as I imagined her pressed up against the wall, wrapped around my body, as we surrendered to the rush of our release. Suddenly, my orgasm tore through me. The release was so strong that I couldn’t contain the guttural moan that followed as my seed ripped from my body and covered my stomach.
Taking several deep breaths, I allowed the water to rinse my body while my heart rate settled. Thoughts of her still danced around my head and it took all my restraint to ignore the urge I had to walk into her room and wake her up by sliding myself in-between her soft folds. I desperately wanted to show her the effect she was having on me. But I also couldn’t risk her reaching inside my soul and illuminating the darkness.
I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, wrapping myself in a white towel from the heated rack next to me. Even though my mind was screaming at me to leave well enough alone, I decided to check on Hettie and make sure she wasn’t lying awake, terrified after tonight’s events.
Taking a deep breath, I quietly tapped on the door, pushing it open slowly. Inside the dimly lit room, highlighted by the full moon filtering through the open blinds, I could see her small frame lying in the middle of the enormous bed. She looked like an angel with her long dark hair spilling over the white pillows. I was just about to leave when I heard her slightly parted lips mumble something in her sleep. I couldn’t be sure what it was. All I knew was that I needed to get out of there before I crawled into bed and wrapped her in my arms, protecting her from the cruel world that waited just outside the bedroom windows.
Well after 5AM, I figured there was no risk of me going to sleep now, so I headed to bed to read for an hour and allow my brain to switch off for a while. I didn’t remember my eyes feeling heavy or the book hitting the floor. I didn’t remember falling asleep. I didn’t remember the shouting, the tears, the screams, or the door flying open. In fact, I didn’t remember anything until I opened my eyes and she was there.
In my bed.