“But he really cares for you, Eden. Frankly, I can’t stand to see him mope around here like Mr. Poopy Pants.”
A laugh spurted from my mouth.
“Is she calling me Mr. Poopy Pants again?” Jude reached for the phone, but I waved his arm away.
“Eden, I want you to come back. I think it will really help me. I confess, the medicine is already helping me feel better. It makes me feel kind of numb but a good numb. Like I could let some things go and not go ballistic about them.”
“That’s great, Finley.”
“So will you?”
I paused and looked at Jude. Everything about him still stole my breath, but I wasn’t sure if I could handle all of it again. “I’ll think about, Finley.”
“I’ve only got one more thing to say then. Come back, come back, come back.”
“Actually, that’s three things.”
“No, it’s me remember. Three times is once in my world, otherwise I would have repeated come back nine times, which I could still do if it would help convince you.”
I smiled. “You sound good, Finley. Like your old, quirky self.”
“Thanks . . . I think. Promise me you’ll think about it.”
“I will.”
She hung up. I handed Jude the phone and raised my brow at him. “You play dirty.”
“Yep, I guess I sort of do.” He looked toward the small staircase that led up to my room. “Are you staying here by yourself?”
I shrugged slightly embarrassed at my situation. “The rent is free as long as I’m here to open up early. The owner’s a nice, old man, but the place is too much for him to run.”
“It’s not safe, Eden. This neighborhood sucks, and the lock on that door can be snapped with one good shove.” He took hold of my hand and even though he only touched my fingers, I could feel it through my entire body. “Come home with me, Valley.” It was the first time he’d used the nickname since that horrid night, and while I’d always thought of it as humorous and even a bit annoying, the sound of it now made my heart ache for him.
“I need some time to think about it, Jude.” I looked around the place. “I’m on my own here, working at this diner, and I kind of like it. Independence feels good.”
“But you will think about it?” He walked to door and looked back. “Lock this thing as soon as I walk out.”
“Yes, Sir.”
He looked at me as if there was nothing in the world he wanted more than to kiss me and there was nothing I wanted more, but the incident was still too fresh. And he knew it, just like he knew he was going to leave without that kiss. He pointed at the lock. “Don’t forget.” He walked out and turned in the direction of the bar, and I wondered if that was where he was headed. Then he crossed the street to the construction site. I watched him for a moment and then dragged my tired legs upstairs.
The onion smell was particularly stubborn, and I had to go through the torturously slow process of washing my hair twice. Getting up before five had made me super tired in the late afternoon and with a completely unwatchable television set, I fell asleep with a towel wrapped around my wet hair and my mind wrapped around Jude King.
Chapter 25
A high-pitched scream woke me from a sound sleep. I jolted up in bed, and the towel unraveled and fell onto the floor. The room was dark. I felt for the light switch and flipped it on. A frightening stillness followed, and I listened over my pounding heart for another noise but silence followed. Momentarily, I wondered if the scream had just been part of a dream and then I heard voices down below on the sidewalk. I pressed my face against the window to get a better view of the bar next door. Several of the street lights overhead were broken, and the sidewalk was dimly lit but I could see several figures rustling around in front of the bar. Then I heard a scream again. It was Megan.
I scrambled to put on my shoes. I raced downstairs, unlocked the door, and ran down the sidewalk. A hulking guy, with a neck the circumference of a telephone pole and a shoulder span that rivaled the width of the building behind him, held Megan tightly around the waist. She looked as if she’d been shocked out of a drunken stupor. Her lids were heavy and her head lulled forward and backward, but the expression on her face was terror. Two other massive guys stood nearby watching in amusement as the guy picked Megan up and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of flour. She screamed again and pounded the guy with her her fists.
“Let her go, you mindless ape,” I yelled. “I just called the cops, and they’ll be here any minute.” As I spoke the threat, I truly wished I’d taken the time to do just that. Unfortunately, reason and common sense had left me during my rush downstairs.
The guy rumbled out a laugh that nearly shook the sidewalk. “Hey, look, another little girl to play with.”
One of his giant buddies smashed his cigarette out with his boot and lumbered toward me. I stumbled backward, turned, and scrambled back toward the diner. I’d just reached the door as his thick fingers took hold of my arm. I swung my fist around and nailed him on the side of the head.
“You bitch.” He took hold of my wrist, and I just waited for my frail bones to crack beneath the pressure of his fingers. I flailed my free arm at his head again, but he threw up a rock solid forearm to stop the impact.
“Let me go!” Several cars drove past and the drivers glanced our way, but no one seemed inclined to step out and help. The size of our attackers was a definite deterrent. It was as if their mothers had filled their baby bottles with steroids.
My attacker dragged me back toward the guy who had Megan still draped over his shoulder. I heard a door slam somewhere across the street and hoped someone was coming to our rescue.
A groan of nausea came from behind the beast holding Megan, and then with her head hanging upside down, she puked all over the back of the guy’s pants. He threw her down to the ground with a vicious thud. I struggled to free myself but it was impossible.
“Let her go now, and I won’t have to wipe up that puke with your ugly face.”
Tears flowed before Jude had gotten the first words out. I hadn’t seen him walk up, but I could feel him standing behind me.
The attention on the otherwise deserted sidewalk had turned to the guy who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. The jerk holding me pushed me aside and I spun around. Jude was standing with his hands in his jeans pockets, facing down all three guys as if they were made of paper. His gaze softened as he glanced toward me. “You all right?”
I nodded. “There are too many.” The pleading tone in my voice had no effect.
Jude looked over at Megan. “Peel her up off the sidewalk and drag her into that diner. Lock the door behind you.”
The guy with puke on his pants shoved the sleeves of his jacket up over his forearms. “Yeah, girlie, you’re not going want to see this.”
“Go, Eden,” Jude said.
My heart was slamming against my chest as I ran over and grabbed hold of Megan’s arm and pulled her to her feet. She moaned in pain and both her knees were bleeding as she stumbled toward the diner. I shoved her through the door and looked back through blurry, wet eyes.
The guy drew back his arm and threw his fist at Jude. Sobriety was on Jude’s side. He easily ducked out of the way, and the giant staggered forward. Jude raised his foot and shoved the guy face first into the sidewalk.
His two friends lunged toward Jude.
“Jude!” I screamed, hoping to warn him, but it had the opposite effect. And in the split second that I’d had his attention, the other two jumped him. Jude managed to throw one of them off just as the other landed a solid punch to Jude’s face. The first guy had recuperated and rage steamed off of him as he stooped over, roared with anger, and plowed into Jude as if he was on the football field taking out an opponent. Only in this game there was no ref and no rules. Jude groaned as the guy slammed him hard against the building.