Anchor

Part 8 - You knew?

    Putrid smells invaded my nostrils as the sun blazed through the curtains putting an end to my slumber. The aroma made my stomach turn and I puked more into the bucket. Using the sleeve of my hoodie, I wiped the leftovers from my mouth and made a mental note to either wash it or burn it when I was done. A glass of water sat next to me on the bedside table along with a pack of paracetamol, I could only assume Stellan left them, Jodie wouldn’t have left her bed to check on me.

     Oh god, Stellan. Why did I drink so much?

    I carried the bucket to the bathroom taking every precaution to not get caught; James Bond eat your heart out. I threw my hair in a ponytail and walked down to the kitchen. No one seemed to be awake and I could imagine Jodie cursing herself for drinking with me last night. 

    The clock next to the fridge said it was only seven thirty in the morning and I cursed myself for not getting the extra sleep. I nursed my coffee and slice of plain toast before resting my head on the island enjoying the cool tile easing the rattling of my brain. As footsteps approached I stayed still, the spinning had only just calmed down.

    “Hi,” he said, surprised to see me.

    I forced out a grunt.

    “Didn’t expect to see you up until at least noon. Heck, maybe even later with how much you guys drank last night.”

    I switched cheeks on the island, looking over Stellan’s sweat covered grey vest and basketball shorts. His arms tensed slightly under my gaze. Intentionally? I wish.

    “Why do I feel like someone hit me with a bloody bus?”

    “Yep, that sounds about right. Welcome to your hangover, Kitty Daniels,” he smirked and poured himself a coffee.

    “You full named me!” I laughed trying not to bring up my toast.

    A loud laugh escaped his chest and if it didn’t add to the pounding of my head then I would have seriously enjoyed it.

    OK, I still enjoyed it.

    “Please can we swap bodies for a bit? I can’t stand feeling like this.” I laughed but I was generally considering it.

    He sipped his coffee staring at me with a raised brow.

            “You don’t get sympathy for this, you brought it on yourself when you let her make you her drinking partner.” He walked over to the sink and placed his empty cup in the sink. As he turned to leave the kitchen, I heard him mumble, “I make a much better drinking partner.” It was low and I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to hear it but I did and I would remember that for next time.

            I sat in the kitchen for around twenty minutes before he came back down. This time his hair was wet from the shower, he wore a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a grey crew neck t-shirt. I could smell his aftershave in the air and it really did feel like the adverts when the girls flock to the guys when they smell it. Thank god I had self control.

     He walked straight to the sofa and turned on the TV. I caught a glimpse of him flicking through channels before settling on some trashy daytime talk show. Quickly he shot me a look and returned his sights to the screen, lifting his legs and draping them over the coffee table. Slowly, I sauntered over to the sofa.

            It was nice hanging out with someone. Especially someone who made me as comfortable as he did. We shared some small talk, mainly because I shouted at the TV a few times to the flawed couples exposed for cheating. If I had a boyfriend, I would never end up on a show dishing out my secrets or talking about my s*x life. 

    Ha, what s*x life.

            I earned a few chuckles from him and I hadn’t noticed that we were sitting closer now than when I first sat down. I didn’t mind though, I only wanted to know if it was him or me that had moved closer. After binge watching a few more episodes I thought it was time to bring out the big guns.

            “Can I ask you something? And if you say yes then you have to answer me truthfully and not try to avoid answering me.” I looked up from him in my now lounging position leaning on his side.

            He muted the show and he looked down, studying my face.

            “Why do I get the feeling I don’t have a choice?” He quirked a brow.

            “That’s where you’re wrong. There is always a choice. I’m just hoping you make the right one.” I gave him a hopeful smile before putting on my best puppy dog face.

            Hook, line, and sinker.

            “OK, shoot.”

            I took a deep breath. There was a lot of ground I needed to cover.

            “Why are there strange people after me? It’s not a coincidence that I’ve been attacked twice and these people seem to know more about me than I do them.”

            And there it was.

            That same look he gave me when I asked him why I was here.

            He ran a hand over his chin and down his neck. I sat up, leaning back on the sofa facing him, legs crossed. “That questions a bit of a loaded gun,” he exhaled loudly. “Where do I begin? Fuck.” Now I was worried. I was hoping he would say something simple and stupid like ‘you look like someone else and they got confused'. As if seeing my body tense up from his reaction, he softened his eyes and gave a small smile. The gesture was sweet but I knew better.

            “I knew your father. We uh, we worked together a few years back.” Shock spread over my face. “Turns out him and my dad actually go way back too, known each other since school actually."

    Sorry, what?

     "Private man, Bill. Could barely get more than five words out of him.” He rested his arm over the back of the sofa and leaned a little closer, his face now showing a newfound curiosity.

            “Except one day we had finished up a job and my dad dragged us all out for a drink, some seedy bar downtown. Bill didn’t want to come, said he had to get home. But uh, my dad was having none of it and promised him that it would only be a quick one, that he never got to see him much anymore. Anyway, eventually he convinced him and we were sat around this table in the corner whilst your dad seemed to be relaxing a little.”

            I felt my heart clench at a memory of him. I had no one else to talk about him with. And now Stellan throws this bomb my way. He knew my father. His father knew my father. I had no words.

            “So three drinks in I get up to take a piss and this guy bumps shoulders with me. I think nothing of it and brush him off. Only when I get back, Bill and my dad have the same guy beaten and bloody on the floor.”

            “Lies. My dad wasn’t a violent man.” A familiar spark warmed in my hands.

            “I’m not sure how much you really knew about your dad, Kitty, but he could be ruthless when he needed to be. Especially when it involved you.”

            I never saw him get angry. As a child he would try to teach me to fight but sure enough I gave up pretty quick, I didn’t see the need to learn. Now I wish I had, stupid young me. It must have been stressful for him to raise a child alone. He was a father and a mother and a friend, everything I needed growing up and with all the weight of that I don’t recall him ever snapping at me or raising his voice. The man was a saint.

            “Turns out the guy they beat up knew your dad too, knew he had a young daughter waiting at home by herself. Ripe for the plucking were his words," his fist clenched. "s**t, if your dad hadn’t hit him, I would have. f*****g piece of shit.”

            A low grumble vibrated the sky outside and I let his words spin circles around my mind.

            “You knew who I was when you found me that night?”

            “I knew of you, that’s all. When I saw you though, you weren’t anything like I was expecting.”

            “Why’d you ask my name? If you already knew who I was. You went in the house, you saw him there. You knew.” I tried to stay calm.

            “I had to be sure. After the night in the bar, Bill had no choice but to tell me about you. He said it wasn’t the first time someone had approached him about his daughter. It was the best way to keep you safe, better to have allies than take them on alone. You need to understand-”

            I felt sick. “Understand what? That my father kept the fact that there were people after me, that I was in constant danger! Why didn’t he go to the police? f**k, why are there people after me Stellan? What do they possibly want with a nobody like me?” I was shouting now.

            He went to place his hand on my arm and I flinched back moving off the sofa.

            “Guys please. I’m trying to stop the drilling in my head.” Jodie said edging down the stairs in an oversized jumper.  

            “Did you know too?” I scowled at her. “That Benjamin guy said that he thought you’d be happy having your little problem removed. Is that why you told Stellan I’m a liability?”

            She looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Her jaw dropped slightly but she said nothing. If she wanted to, I doubt she would have had a chance as Stellan stood and shouted to her. “Benjamin was here? You let him near Kitty.” He was pissed off but I didn’t have it in me to listen to their stupid argument. Now it made sense why he was so interested in making sure I was safe.

        The tears streamed down my cheeks, hot and salty.

        I ran.

        Out the door and into the forest.

        My heart raced a mile a minute and my legs carried me as far away from the house as they could muster. Distant calls from Stellan and Jodie echoed through the trees. Finally my legs caved beneath me and I slumped back against the cold wood. I cried until there were no tears left. Physically trembling and cold I curled up, ready to fade to nothing.

        A gentle movement brought me to and the body pressed against me smelt familiar.

        Well this was not what I expected.