Missing You

Chapter Nineteen: A Reckoning

            Owen said next to her ear, “Would you be a willing participant Doctor Moreno?” as his free hand grabbed her waist to draw her closer to him. She dropped the tumbler and swung her iPad as she spun hitting the side of his head, “No!” He released her stumbling backwards as he reached for his head to see if she had caused blood. Seeing none, he angrily charged towards her and tackled her to the hard concrete of the parking lot. He straddled her waist and held her hands down, “All you bitches are the same, nothing but c**k teases. That little sweater slip you did, I know was for me.”

            “You wish you asshole,” and with a move her brothers taught her, she was able to flip their positions and hold him down with his arm bent at an awkward angle and he cried out. He growled in anger as she had him in a good hold and eventually, he bucked her off. As she landed hard on her side, he tried to climb on top of her again. Nina saw the tumbler as he reached back to punch her as one hand wrapped around her throat. She grabbed it and swung it at his head again as hard as she could, spilling it’s contents, and he fell unconscious over to the side. Gasping for breath she reached for her phone in her pocket and as she tried to dial 9-1-1 but she could feel herself starting to lose consciousness. At that moment, the man that had entered her classroom was at her side. As her vision started drawing to black, she was comforted with the scent of Armani’s Acqua di Gio and she whispered, “Draven,” and fell into unconsciousness.

            In the weeks after Draven had returned from Salem, he did whatever Gita told him and he would relay information on Carlota to her. Just before Thanksgiving, he was feeling like his normal self again. He was still about ten pounds of muscle shy, but he was feeling so much better and could actually walk without any form of assistance and he had started to jog. Gita gave him a free pass for the week of Thanksgiving, but he had to promise that he wouldn’t reveal himself to Nina or his family. He begrudgingly did and was on the first flight to the states under his assumed name.

            His first and only stop was there in California. He had gotten a hotel room about a block from Nina’s condo and went to check it out. He was glad he had settled on dark blue jeans, a black sweater, and a black beanie as they were unassuming and hid him in plain sight. He was also glad that he hadn’t shaved his beard yet. Picking the lock to her condo, he left himself in and checked out her condo looking at how she had set it up. When he noticed that her pantry was just about bare, he went to the grocery store and bought just enough that it wasn’t noticeable to her but gave her a few options.

            Then he headed to her campus and listened outside her first class to her lecture. He almost fell asleep listening to the smoothness of her voice, it and she soothed him. He missed it and he missed her. As the students started coming out, he hid in the shadows that they didn’t pay attention to him as they chatted and walked. When she had a quick meeting with her dean concerning the performance of a student at Nina’s behest as she had caught him cheating, he let himself into her office and looked around. The office was homey, just like her condo. After smiling at a photo of her and her brothers in Salem, he let himself out of her office and waited for her meeting to end. When it was over, he hid in a dark corner of the hall and waited for her to walk to her class. When she finally did, he followed her to her evening class.

            His plan was that he was going to just sit out in the hall and listen to her lecture, but when she lowered the light, he knew he could slip in and see her, and he did. She was so beautiful and lecturing up there, he could tell that she was in her element. When her sweater had fallen, it took every ounce of discipline he had not to rush her and kiss the sweet spot on her neck and inhale her scent. Much less take her there on the lectern in front of all of her students. And he would have had it not meant putting everything he worked for at risk. Instead, he held tightly onto the top of the desk to his chair.

            As he sat there watching and listening to her, he got lost in her lecturing that he nearly got noticed when she turned the lights back up but was quick to leave. He waited again in the shadows to make sure she got to her car. He heard the conversation she had with the student that identified himself as Owen Marcus. He didn’t like it. He had also peered in to see him trying to make a move on Nina and smirked when she turned him down cold. He had almost growled, “That’s right, asshole. She belongs to me.” Then he had watched as he grabbed Nina from behind but was proud when Nina put up a fight.

            He was torn between running to aid her and revealing himself or not, as it would cause a huge s**t storm. Only when he saw that her insulin pump had broken, that he realized that it had probably injected her with more than necessary, he made the choice to go to her. He saw her fall into unconsciousness and heard her say his name. Using her phone to call 9-1-1, he stayed with her and Owen and when campus police and the regular police showed up, he relayed what he had seen and what he knew and provided them with his assumed identity name.

            He helplessly watched as they loaded Nina into the back of an ambulance and left. He grabbed her keys and waited. He watched them arrest Owen as he tried to cry that she attacked him first, but CCTV had caught what he did. Only after they cleared the scene, he drove Nina’s Land Rover to the hospital for her. Once there, he kept in the shadows and found his way into her room. He read her chart on the rooms iPad that they had countered her huge injection of insulin and were keeping her for the night for observation. She had a few cuts and bruises from the parking lot, but she was okay and was sleeping as they gave her a sedative to help her rest.

            He sat down next to her and for the first time in almost eight months, he touched her by grabbing her hand. As tears filled his eyes at the relief of being able to touch her, he pressed a kiss to her scratched palm and whispered, “Nina,” holding her hand with both of his, “My love,” he whispered, overcome with emotion. He stayed that way holding onto her hand looking into her face and he didn’t care that as a grown man, he let his tears fall unabashed on his face.

            Then he heard someone coming down the hall to Nina’s room and he hid in the shadows. It was the nurse going to check on her. When she noticed that the iPad that had her chart was on the bed instead of in the slot, she made a confused face and put it back in the slot, making sure it was charging. Then she double checked Nina’s IV, heart rate, and respiration. While the nurse was busy with that, Draven slipped out of her room unnoticed.

            When the nurse left her room, he went back in to hold her hand and watch her sleep. Any time the nurse would go in to check on Nina, he made himself disappear and returned to her side until morning. With one last kiss to her scratched palm and long inhale of her scent, he left her as the sun began to rise. With his hands in his pockets, he walked back to his hotel room. Once inside, he closed the door and leaned up against it. Then he got on his phone and called Blaine. It wasn’t his cell phone, instead it was a burner phone since no one could know he was alive yet.

            “What’s up Shadow?”

            “Nina was attacked by a student last night.”

            Blaine’s tone changed, “What the f**k!” he almost shouted in shock.

            “Look, before you get mad at me, she didn’t know it was me that helped her,” and relayed what he knew to Blaine.

            “What’s this fuckers name?”

            Draven sat down on his bed, “Owen Marcus.”

            “I’ll have him taken care of.”

            Draven growled, “Don’t worry. I have it covered.”

            “Shadow, if anyone finds out,” he started warning.

            “No one will. I used my assumed identity. Besides, discretion is our primary language, brah.”

            “Do you need back up?”

            “I could always use it. I don’t know if I would be able to stop once it started. Having a voice of reason could only help.”

            “I’ll have Scout meet you. He lives in San Diego. He’ll be up there later today. Handle that little s**t tonight. You get me?”

            “Got it.”

            “Call me when it’s done.”

            “Consider it done,” and hung up. Draven took a quick shower and laid down for a nap. When he awoke just as the sun was setting, he redressed in his dark clothing and went back to the hospital to make sure that Nina got home okay. She was pleasantly surprised to find out that someone had driven her Land Rover to the hospital for her. At least she didn’t have to wait for a ride to get home. Once she was in her vehicle and driving towards her condo, Draven followed closely but not that close that she would notice. By then the sun had set and his vehicle looked like any other vehicle traveling. Once she was home, he sat in his rental SUV Denali and watched Misty greet her when she got home. He watched as Misty took her bags and put a reassuring arm around her and together, went into her condo. As he sat watching her condo, his cell phone rang. Answering it, “Shadow.”

            “Scout,” he said in response, “I know where this little fucker is.”

            “Good,” and started up his SUV, “Where?”

            Deacon proceeded to give him the location of where he was at. He and Scout met up just outside the location. Both of them were dressed in dark clothing and Draven was pleasantly surprised when Deacon was able to kill the lights in the block, so they weren’t picked up by CCTV or someone’s Ring doorbell. Together, they scaled the fence of the house Owen’s parents rented for him. Deacon and Draven then pulled their ski masks down over their face, put on gloves to hide their identities and put on their night vision goggles. Draven picked the lock while Deacon killed the silent alarm notification. Together, they then went inside to find that Owen was slouching on his couch with a pack of ice pressed to his head as he still had a nice egg on his head from not only getting hit with the iPad but with the metal tumbler.

            Draven and Deacon moved to stand silently in front of him. When Owen realized he wasn’t alone, he sat up, “What the?”

            Draven grabbed him by the collar, “It’s time for a reckoning,” he growled, and his fist landed on Owen’s face. By the time that he and Deacon were done with him, Draven was standing over him and grabbed his face to make sure that he was looking at him, “I want you to remember this night,” he growled, “We know your daddy is going to try and buy the silence of UCLA and your professor. In the interest of the school and her anonymity, we will allow it. But I want you to know I will have eyes on you. You won’t know who they are or where they are or what they are capable of. And if you ever touch Doctor Moreno or another female again with the intention of what you had with Doctor Moreno last night, I will come back here and f*****g castrate your sorry pompous little ass. Am I clear?”

            Since Owen had blood coming from his mouth, nose, and a few cuts on his brow and face, he moaned, “Yes.”

            Then Deacon grabbed his arm and injected a tracker in his arm. He nodded to Draven. Draven then grabbed his hair arching his head backwards to make sure he was looking at him, “If you attempt to take that tracker out of your arm, we will know and come finish the job. Do you understand?”

            He nodded, and moaned, “I won’t touch it.”

            Draven and Deacon both stood up. Deacon said quietly, “Two minutes.”

            Draven looked down at Owen as his swollen eyes and bloody face looked up at him with the moonlight reflecting off of him. Draven then kicked him in the stomach he was so angry he had touched Nina with the intention of r****g her. He then squatted down to him, and growled, “Remember what I f*****g said,” wanting to spit on him.

            As he stood up, Deacon then kicked him in the face and knocked him out, “Fucker.” Together they left in the way they went in and reset the lock, and the alarm. Once they were back at their vehicles and on their way out of the neighborhood did Deacon turn the lights back on.

            They drove to Nina’s neighborhood next. Deacon got out of his vehicle and went to Draven’s. As he rolled down his window, Deacon said, “I’m going to go check on her. I’ll be right back to report.”

            Draven nodded and they fist bumped. He then watched as Deacon jogged across the street and went to Nina’s door on the second floor. He noticed that Misty was long gone. When she opened it, she was dressed in black leggings, and his SEAL shirt. His heart fluttered in his chest to see that. From the distance before her door closed, he could see that she had bruises up her arm and a scratch on her cheek from her fall to the concrete. It angered him all over again and he wanted to return to Owen’s to finish the job.

            Deacon watched as Nina opened the door and with a surprised look, she said, “Scout! What are you doing here?”

            He smirked, “Do you really think I wouldn’t notice a hospital visit pop up on my indicator that wasn’t for your diabetes?” seeing her smirk, “I hope the other guy had it worse,” gently gripping her chin between his finger and thumb to take a closer look at her bruises.

            “Guaranteed.”

            “What happened?”

            She moved aside to let him in and closed the door. Together they went to sit on her couch, “I am teaching an intro to human sexuality class, and I let my students invite their friends or their significant others to it. It has gained popularity and my class is always full. Anyway, a student’s boyfriend showed up and he assumed things he shouldn’t and tried to attack me after class. I am pretty sure I gave him a concussion. I hit him with my iPad and then when he tackled me, I hit him with a metal tumbler I found in the classroom. They told me I slipped into unconsciousness because I broke my insulin pump when he tackled me, and it injected me with way too much insulin. So, I have a new one,” lifting up her shirt to show him, “And a few bumps, bruises, and scratches. Other than that, I am okay. Though, I think that I am going crazy. I swore I thought a man came to help me and it was Draven,” shaking her head, “But I know that is not possible. The police would only say that I did the right thing, and they were glad the outcome was different than what they have seen.”

            He put a reassuring hand on her knee, “I am glad that you are okay. Now I can relay this to our brothers, so they don’t all come converging here in LA to take a look at you themselves.”

            She smiled, “Thanks.”

        “I wanted to let you know that I did some digging and this kid’s daddy is known for buying his victims silence.”

        “Why am I not surprised that that little s**t has had more than one victim.”

        “I expect that they will make a visit to you sometime this week, maybe next. Do you want me to get one of Wolf Packs, lawyers down here?”

        She shook her head, “No. I can handle it. Besides, if things don’t go how I want them to, we can always buy him out.”

        He laughed, “Ruthless! I like it!”

        They spoke for a few more minutes and then Deacon stood up, “I’m sorry to just stop by and run, but this is technically an unauthorized visit, and I will get into some trouble if I don’t get my happy ass back to San Diego for duty.”

        She nodded, “I understand.”

        She followed him to the door. He turned to her, “You know, Sissy, you are an amazing person. Any man would be incredibly lucky to have you.”

        She hugged him and he gingerly hugged her back not wanting to hurt her further, “Call me when you get back to San Diego.”

        He winked, “You got it.”

        She watched him leave and then closed the door and locked it. Deacon did a head check to make sure the door was closed once he was on the first floor, and jogged over to Draven’s SUV where he waited patiently. When he neared, he rolled his window down, “How is she?”

        “She’s good. A real trooper. And you were right. She passed out last night because when that little prick tackled her, her insulin pump broke and injected her with too much. She has a new one and has a few bumps and bruises, but she is good.”

        He let out a deep breath, “That is good to hear.”

        Deacon nodded, “I am glad that you were there to watch over her.”

        “Me too. I am just counting down the days until I can fully be with her.”

        Deacon looked knowingly at him, “Are you going to do what I think you’re going to do?”

        He looked down and smirked and then raised his eyes back to Deacon, “Yeah.”

        Deacon smiled and gently punched his arm, “Don’t fall asleep doing it.”

        They fist bumped, “I won’t.”

        “Catch ya later, bro.”

        “Later, brah,” and watched Deacon jog to his own SUV and drive off into the night. Draven waited until the lights went out at Nina’s. Then he quietly got out and locked his rental and jogged over to her condo and quietly up the stairs unnoticed. He waited until he knew for sure that Nina was asleep and picked her lock. Once inside, he locked the door and quietly made his way to her bedroom at the back of the condo that faced the beach with a balcony. Seeing that she was asleep with the TV on, he smiled and got in bed next to her. He was careful not to jar the bed and spooned her from behind. He leaned in and inhaled the clean scent of her hair, a scent he had missed so much. At least she didn’t smell of rubbing alcohol and antiseptic.

        He wanted to draw her to him and hold her, but he knew she would wake up. This way, it was more of a dream. He laid next to her all night, listening to her breathe, feeling her warmth, smelling her hair, smelling her scent, and wishing he could tell her so many things. As dawn rolled around, he knew that her alarm would be going off as she was an early riser for her workout. With one final smell of her hair and skin, he kissed the spot on her neck he wanted to kiss the other night and slipped out of bed when she stirred when he did that. Quietly, he made his way out of her bedroom and let himself out of her condo and relocked the door.

        Nina had had an amazing dream last night that Draven was laying next to her. She could feel his warmth and smell his scent. She didn’t move because she knew if she did, the dream would end, and he would be gone. When she woke up, she could almost smell his scent in the air.

        The week after Thanksgiving, Nina was called into the Dean’s office so that they could let her know what the status was of Owen attacking her. Sherice sat, “Are you okay?”

        Nina still had bruises on her arm and side from his tackle and the scratches on her body and face were healing since diabetics tend to heal slowly, or at least she did. She had healing scabs on some of the worst ones. Looking at her she nodded, “I am.”

        “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

        Nina looked at her, “It’s not your fault, but thank you for your apology.”

        She clasped her hands together on her desk, “The Board has asked me if you plan on finishing out your contract? They understand if you don’t. There will be no repercussions from the university or us if you decided not to.”

        Nina looked down at her clasped hands and then raised her eyes to Sherice, “I will finish out this Fall, but I would have to say, not to count on me in the Spring.”

        She nodded, “I am truly sorry to hear that. We have been getting nothing but glowing reports from your observations and your students cannot stop singing your praises. But I understand. I did want to let you know that the student has been expelled since there is CCTV recordings and an eyewitness testimony.”

        “Wait? Someone saw my attack?”

        She nodded, “Apparently, he used your phone to call 9-1-1 for you.”

        “Do you happen to know his name?”

        “I’m not supposed to release that information, but, since I don’t see a reason why not to,” and shrugged, “His name was Odin Valhalla.”

        Nina was dumbfounded, “I’m sorry. Can you say that again?”

        “Odin Valhalla. I know, such a unique name. In all the years I have been teaching, I have had an array of student names, but this one just sticks out. It is so unique. Almost beautiful.”

        Nina knew that name because her brothers played Assassins’ Creed Valhalla and were huge fans of the Marvel movies with Thor and his father Odin. She knew that that name was not common. Something was telling her and her gut that the person “Odin Valhalla” was not a real person. She was going to have to ask her brothers if he was one of their little spies they had, following her. She knew they did that to watch over her when they couldn’t and even knowing she could take care of herself.

        “Was there a picture of him?’

        Sherice shook her head, “I’m sorry, no. The CCTV is clear up until he comes upon you and then it gets blurry as all be. The campus police didn’t bother to write down all of his information, so his ID isn’t even in the file.”

        Nina nodded, “Thank you for telling me.”

        “Well, if you want, I can arrange a police escort after class for you.”

        Nina shook her head, “Thank you, but I’m a big girl.”

        Sherice stood up and held her hand out, “I hate to lose you, Nina, you are truly amazing. Are you sure there is nothing I can or do to change your mind?”

        Nina stood up and shook her hand, “Thank you for this amazing opportunity, but no.”

        She nodded and released her hand, “And rest assured, the student’s father will probably contact you directly about his son’s behavior. Apparently, there a several complaints against the student to begin with, so he most definitely does not have a leg to stand on. Additionally, the board will also be contacting you to see about a settlement so that you do not sue us.”

        “Thanks for the warning for both parties. I’m gonna get to my class.”

        Sherice nodded and smiled at her. Nina waved, picking up her new iPad and the new tumbler she purchased for the one she ruined. As she walked to her evening class, the sun was starting to set. Day-light savings and all. Tonight, Nina wore a pair of black leggings, an oversized navy-blue sweater, and her knee-high boots with her long hair in a soft bun. Once in class, several of her students and others were packing her room. She smiled and made her way down the auditorium to the lectern and took her place by stepping onto a step stool to sit as her shoulder was still a little sore from the tackle so she couldn’t jump onto the lectern.

        She set her iPad down with the tumbler still in the plastic baggy and waited for the murmuring to stop. When she did, she smiled, “Good evening, class.”

        The all responding, “Good evening, Doctor Moreno.”

        “Before the gossip mill literally takes hold of what happened, and before we start class, allow me to set the record straight.” She waited for them to understand what she was saying. She continued, “I was attacked by one of your former fellow students after class last week.” There was more murmuring and gasps around the room. “I am fine. I am just a little bruised and banged up from being tackled.” More murmuring and gasps. “Before the attack, I had picked up a tumbler that one of you left behind. I apologize, but the one you left behind became a weapon of defense and did not make it,” she held up the new tumbler, “So I replaced it. Whomever left it behind last class, please come claim this one since I accidentally destroyed yours.”

        Eyes went around the room to see who would step forward to claim it. After a few moments, a little petite four-foot ten female student approached her. She was unsure, “Uh, it was mine, Doctor Moreno.”

        Nina got down gingerly from the lectern and went to her and handed it to her and said quietly, “It saved my life. Had you not left it, I am not sure if I would be standing here. Thank you,” and hugged her. The student had taken the tumbler and hugged her back, “I am so sorry you experienced that, ma’am.”

        Nina let her go, “Thank you.” The student nodded and went back to her seat. Nina smiled at everyone else, “Well, now that the drama is out of the way,” a few chuckles, “Let’s get on with class, shall we?”

        Once class concluded, and her students exited the class, Nina took in a deep breath and slouched on the lectern. She covered her face with her hands and breathed. As she did that, she felt eyes on her. Looking up, all she was faced with was an empty room. Grabbing her iPad, she got down from the lectern and took her keys out from her boot and quickly made it out of her room, locked the door and ran to her Land Rover. Once she was home, she ran inside, slammed the door and locked it, before collapsing into a sobbing bundle on the floor.

        Draven had stayed a few extra days and had been watching Nina. When she collapsed when she got home, his heart hurt. He waited for her to get in bed and go to sleep before he slipped in and spooned her as she slept, doing his best to try to comfort her, even if she thought it was only a dream. By morning, he left her and found himself on the plane back to Germany to complete his rehabilitation so he could return to Nina. Permanently.