Loving Legacies

Chapter 2: Good Night

Elliot’s POV:

I sighed a relief when I saw the red and blue flashing lights coming closer. Although it was slightly irritating they took so long. Glancing over at Jo, I could tell she was not as shaky. The poor thing is probably new around here since I’ve never seen her on campus before. I caught myself stealing glances her way. Small frame, long dark hair, and even though she was covered in dirt and swallowed up by my t-shirt, there was a beauty to her. 

Mitch, the connection I had at the local precinct stepped out of his squad car. He was the one I called for anything and everything. Being on my “payroll” he was always eager at resolving issues for me. 

    “I had Dom go get your car Drake,” Mitch said looking at me and then Jo. 

I could sense the puzzled look on Jo’s face. 

    “Drake is my last name. Only a handful of people call me Elliot,” I explained. She nodded to my explanation. 

    “I’ll file a police report and I’ll need you to recount the event for me,” Mitch said while looking at Jo. 

She looked at me as if for approval to trust Mitch. My gaze caught her eyes and I nodded. Slowly, she recounted the events that took place tonight. I could tell she was uncomfortable giving him details. Her eyes filled with tears and her voice began cracking. I felt a wave of rage erupt inside my chest.

    “Mitch, I think you got enough info to catch these bastards?”

Mitch with a surprised look on his face stammered, “I should be able to catch these guys without a problem.”

    “Alright, she’s dealt with enough tonight. Let me take her home,” I spoke with such authority it left both of them surprised. I could sense her body stiffen. 

Another car pulled up. To my realization it was my Audi R8. Dom climbed out of the drivers seat with a smirk. He took any and all opportunities to drive my vehicles. I walked up to the passenger side door and opened it. I looked at Jo who had a look of uncertainty on her face. She frowns when she’s thinking hard.

    “Are you coming,” I asked. I held the passenger side door and held my breath. 

    “Yes,” she nodded and got it. 

I turned at looked at Mitch and Dom. These two were my problem solvers. They always took care of my “problems” so I knew I could trust them to catch these cowards. I gave them a slight nod and headed to the driver side.

    “Let me know of any updates.”

Adjusting my seat, I saw Jo sink into the passenger side. She looked exhausted. 

    “Which dorm are you staying in,” I asked before taking off. 

    “Ross Hall.” Her voice was soft and not shaky like before

The drive was quiet. Even though it was only a 5 minute drive, it felt much shorter. We didn’t say a word to one another. I stole glances at her every so often. As I pulled up to Ross Hall, I put the car in park. 

    “Jo, do you want me to walk you to the door?”

She nodded her head yes. I got out and opened her side door. I extended my hand to help her out of the car and gently lifted her out of the bucket seat. She’s tiny; even more so in my oversized tee shirt. We walked up the few steps to the side entrance of Ross and suddenly she stops. I could sense her body shaking again as she turned and looked at me. In the dim lighting, I could see her hazel colored eyes. She looked terrified. Her forehead scrunched into a frown as she starting thinking. 

    “Hey, listen to me. You’re exhausted. Your body has been through a lot tonight. Go to your room and take a shower. Get a good night’s sleep.” Who was I kidding? She won’t be sleeping much tonight especially after the trauma she just endured. 

    “Elliot……. Thank you.” Her hands were fidgety. I could tell she was uneasy. I've never so much as cared about women before. Sure, I was named the most eligible bachelor by many circles I ran around in. Women were a dime a dozen. She was different. 

With a sigh, I gently put my hands on her shoulders and leaned down to look at her hazel eyes. I knew she was scared after that attack. The dirt on her temples and chin couldn't even hide her beauty. I tilted her body towards the south and pointed at my home a few blocks away. You could see the light in the window. Olga, my housekeeper always liked leaving a light on for me. 

    "See that building with the light on? That's my place. You can see it from Ross. If you can't sleep tonight or just need to know someone is watching, wave your phone flashlight in your window and I'll respond." With that, I gave her my cell number. 

    "OH NO!" She scared me with her sudden outburst. "I lost my earbuds."

I had to hold in my slight chuckle at her realization. Assuring her I'd have Mitch go look around the park in the morning, she finally headed inside Ross Hall. The antique door closed behind her. I suddenly realized I was standing there half naked when a group of girls walked by giggling. I walked to my car and peered up at the windows of the building. On the top floor in the corner room window, I saw the little phone flash light waving good night.