Enzo (The Wolves Den: New #1)

19. Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

Enzo picked her up after he pulled into the garage and didn't set her down until he got to their bedroom. As much as she wanted to escape, to wrap herself in the bedspread and never be heard from again, she didn't. She walked calmly to her closet and pulled out an outfit, then headed to the bathroom with towel, soap, and music. For once, Ven wasn't in there. He was sitting on the couch watching her along with Enzo.

She wanted to stop to tell them that everything was fine, that she was okay. Instead, she walked into the bathroom and started running a bath. There was always time for a bath, to surround herself with hot water and let the trauma of her body soak away. She used some bubble bath and a bath bomb, lit a few candles, and turned off the main lights before finally sinking deep into the tub, letting the trauma and fear of the night seep out of her.

Her time with Matt wasn't going away because she shifted it to the back of her mind. She mentally walked through it, allowed the old memories she refused to think of to surface. She saw where she went wrong and where ignorance was bliss. She saw where she grew wiser and no longer buried her head in the sand. The water was cooling down; her music was beginning to irritate her. It was time to get out of the tub and have a talk with Enzo. She dressed in a pair of comfy pajamas and walked into the living room.

Enzo was waiting for her on the couch, but Ven was gone.

"Where's Ven?" She walked to one of the armchairs and sat down.

"He went to see Declyn and Cole."

She nodded; he wanted to give them time to talk. "I think you and I should talk."

"Deja, you don't have to tell me all your secrets."

"I know, and maybe this sounds weird, but that's why I want to tell you. You accept me and have always accepted me. I want you to know me, the real me, including the parts that aren't all that pretty. I first met Matt at the doctor's office where I used to work. It was a chance meeting; he'd brought his mother in for her appointment. I met his mother first. She talked on and on about her son and how he was a lawyer doing great things for the community. I was so impressed by a man I hadn't even met.

"I met him as I was coming out of the hall bathroom, and he said he was looking for the entrance to the office. We started talking. He asked me out, but I told him I couldn't date a son of one of our patients, and he understood. A couple of months later, I was getting off the bus. I always took the bus to work to save on parking. He saw me and slowed down. We started to talk. He told me he lost his mother about two months ago and asked me out. There was no reason to say no, so I accepted.

"It was good at first. I had stars in my eyes; he treated me so right. I just knew he must be the one. Still, I hesitated, and I couldn't figure out why. He asked me to marry him several times, and I kept trying to convince myself I loved him. That's when I decided we probably needed a break so my heart could catch up with my head. A week later, I saw Don beat an eleven-year-old kid and laugh about it. That's when the pieces I refused to see fell into place. He was a drug dealer. To me, he was the worst kind because he lived in a rich community and fed off a poor one.

"I left him. I thought it would be over, but it wasn't. He bought my silence by threatening the young boy and his family. He even threatened Safire; then I realized that several of the police were on his payroll because they came over every weekend and partied with him.

"I should have known. I'm too smart to be taken advantage of like that. My heart hurt even though I realized I didn't love him. I think I could have if he had been what he was pretending to be. Then came the part where I needed to make myself realize he never cared for me. Having me by his side legitimized him. It threw suspicion off him, and that's what he liked, not me."

She stood up and walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and grabbed a bottle of water. She gave Enzo time to think about what she said before walking back into the living room and tucking herself into the chair.

"What part am I supposed to be appalled at?"

"The whole thing. I allowed myself to be tricked. I wanted to love Matt but didn't. I thought he was my prince charming, and we'd be together forever. He used kids to move his drugs. How could I condone that? Don beat that child like he was a grown man who did something wrong. You know what I did, Enzo? Nothing. That's what I did. Too scared he would kill someone. I allowed their lives to buy my silence. Who got hooked because of me? I don't know, but it's my fault." She dashed at the tears flowing down her face. She deserved to cry, to look weak.

"Who's alive because of you? Did that boy make it to twelve or thirteen years old? Well, did he?"

"Yeah, he did." Her eyes brightened with joy for a minute. "I talked to his parents several months later and told them what was happening. They moved in the middle of the night. Now and then I get an anonymous letter that says they're doing well."

"You're not responsible for other people's bad decisions or choices. You can only live your life. You did what you thought was right, and Deja, you paid the price. Who were you going to report him to, his friends in authority? Would they have been willing to condemn him, or would they have brought you up on false charges?"

She knew all this. She'd been over it time and time again. It wasn't the killing of his friends that was bothering her that much or even Matt knowing what real fear was. It was the thought of Enzo looking at her like she was only human instead of giving her that look that said she could do anything.

"I screwed up, Enzo, and you need to recognize that."

He stood up and walked over to her, picking her up before he sat down in the chair with her on his lap.

"I've been here a long time; we all have. Our life span is much longer than yours. The one thing I'm well acquainted with is screwing up. I could give you story after story of a bad move or decision on my part, but I'm still here. I've paid for some of the mistakes I've made in my life; others are simply gifts from the creator. If you want me to condemn you or treat you like you're anything other than a miracle in my life, I can't do that.

"Deja, you're the miracle I thought I'd never find, and I don't want to let you go."

He's talking like we won't make it.

It’s barely been two weeks.

I don't want to lose him.

He's not mad at us.

Maybe we should tell him our other little secret too.

Darn, she forgot about that one. Might as well come clean.

"I've got another secret to tell you. Remember when you said you wanted a waitress but none of your females wanted to do it?"

"Yeah," his voice was weary.

"I ran an ad for a waitress and told them to meet me on Monday at The Wolves' Den for interviews. I figured whoever could make it through the barrier was a potential candidate." She got out of his lap.

"I better call Fire before she goes crazy." She walked into the bedroom to plug her phone in before she dialed Fire's number.

"Deja, where are you?" The frantic sound of her friend's voice made her sorry she didn't call her the minute she walked into the apartment.

"I'm safe. Enzo, Ven, and several other friends came to rescue me."

"Did he hurt you?"

Deja sat on the bed before lying down. "That's a little hard to answer. He did things that hurt, but mostly he gave me my freedom. I was still holding out thinking he could be more than he was, but Safire, he'll never change, not because he can't, but because he doesn't want to, and I can finally accept that."

"You sound like you're going to be okay."

"Thanks, I think I am. We're going to have to reschedule dinner."

"I figured that," she laughed, feeling better now that she heard Deja's voice. "I met Enzo and Ven. I have to tell you, if I found a family like that, I wouldn't want to leave them either."

"You realize Ven's not even old enough to drink."

"I peeped that. Still, it's like being surrounded by your sexy husband and fine-looking son."

Deja laughed loud and long. "Fire, I don't think mothers ever think of their sons as being sexy. It's like a rule that all children still look six even after they’re adults."

"See, this is what happens when your biological clock is ticking, and there are no prospects. You don't know that all children only look like they're six. What will I do, Deja? I think I'm bound to grow old and die alone."

"Fire, you're beautiful, and any man would be lucky to have you."

"That's easy for you to say, Deja. You have the man of muscles, Enzo, eating from the palm of your hand. I'll have you know I saw this tall, dark chocolate man yesterday. He was drool-worthy; he caught me looking and took off so fast you would have thought someone yelled fire. I feel my age creeping up on me."

"You're twenty-nine."

"I'll be thirty in six months, and I'm alone. Who will want me when I turn thirty? I'm like milk about to expire."

"Fire, calm down. You're not about to expire; you're not an old maid. Thirty is the new twenty. You're positively a spring chicken."

"Says the woman with the boyfriend. I bet you don't sleep alone at night. Sorry, you're right. I'm worrying over nothing. I'm glad you're fine. Do you think Matt will come after you again?"

"No, I think I've heard the last of him."

"I'm glad. You deserve a break. I'm going to go. Are we going to try and get together next Sunday?"

"Sounds good."

Safire hung up, leaving Deja to worry about her best friend. There wasn't anything she could do right now, and Enzo's side was bothering her.

"Enzo," she knocked on the bathroom door then walked in to see him looking at a long gash in his side.

"You need stitches," she walked to the sink and turned on the water, looking for the anti-bacterial soap to wash her hands.

"They will help, but if I leave it alone, it will heal."

"No, absolutely not. We need to take you to the ER."

"Deja, I can't go to the ER, and our healer has gone to ground. I will suffer until they heal, or you could suture them for me."

Her face paled. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"I am." He stood and went to the linen closet. The supplies were in the back of the closet. He brought out sterile packages that he used for suturing as well as bottles of disinfectant for wounds.

"On the ship, things would be easier. The healer would use a medi-las to seal the wounds. It hurt, but the repair process was almost instantaneous. On Earth, we can't use those modern conveniences."

"Why?" She put on a pair of gloves and got the needle and thread ready. It was on days like this she was happy her mother taught her how to sew.

"The medi-las gives off a signal that your military has become adept at picking up. We banned the use of it some time ago. The negative ramifications outweigh the benefits."

"Every time you use it, the government gets a step closer to your location."

"Yes."

"This is going to hurt."

"I know," His hand came up to caress her face. "Do it."

It took several deep breaths before she could stop her hands from shaking. She channeled every scene she ever saw on television of someone being sewn up and went to work.

"Will you do me next?"

Ven had walked to the bathroom door on silent feet. She hadn't even heard him come in. He pulled up his pants leg to show her several large gashes that were seeping blood.

"You're next."

She closed her eyes for a moment and gave thanks for the fact that she had her makeshift family for one more day.