My Protector

Chapter 3

Kayla's POV:

He pulled away from me when I started to calm down.

"Why don't I get you something to eat." He told me and I looked up at him through my puffy eyes.

He brushed some of my hair away from my forehead and smiled. He walked into his kitchen and pulled out a frying pan.

"Do you like eggs?" He asked me when he walked over to the fridge.

"Yes, Sir," I told him.

"You don't need to keep calling me Sir, I do have a name, it's Jaxson." He said and pulled out the carton of eggs.

He walked back over to the stove and started to fry up a couple of eggs. I sat down on the bar stool while he cooked. I couldn't help but stare at him. I've never felt this before and I don't understand what I am feeling with him. He's a complete stranger but I feel like I want him. That I want to get to know him and maybe start a relationship with him.

Oh quit it, Kayla, the only reason why you want him right now is that now you are alone. Completely alone and that scares you more than anything. You don't want him because you care for him. You only want him to take care of you because now your father is gone and no one is with you to take care of you and keep you safe. Besides, you know that if you stay with him it will just get him killed when Jonah finds you again. Only a matter of time before that happens.

I looked down at my hands that were on the counter. My mind was right. I can't stay here. I can't use this generous caring man like that and I am sure the hell can't get him killed. I will just stay and have something to eat and then I will be on my way. He did tell me that I could go after he has helped me and after lunch then he will have helped me.

"So what's your name?" He asked as he slid the plate of two fried eggs in front of me on the counter.

I looked up at him, worried that if I were to tell him my name then we would be more than just strangers and I don't want him to get involved with me. Besides, I have to get back to my bag at the shelter. I had just enough money in there for one bus ticket. We hadn't left this town yet because we didn't have enough for both of us but now it's just me and I have enough to leave.

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me. I just thought that since I told you mine that maybe you could tell me yours." He said showing me that dimple again when he smiles.

Why do I feel that seeing his dimple is going to cause me to do whatever he says or asks? Just looking at him right now, seeing how handsome and sexy he is, is making me want to tell him anything he wants to know.

"Kayla," I said to him and took the fork he gave me and started to cut up the egg.

"Thank you," I said right after.

"Your welcome, Kayla. Do you have a last name?" He asked and I looked up at him.

"You didn't give me a last name so I didn't figure I needed to give you mine," I told him.

Okay, maybe that isn't really how it should go but I was still unsure about being more than just strangers with him at this point.

"Kendricks, ma'am. Jaxson Brantley Kendricks." He replied to me.

Why do I feel that he just told me his middle name along with it in hopes that I would give him mine? I guess if I want to end this greeting sooner I should just tell him, shove the rest of my food into my mouth and change back into my clothes so I can get out of there.

"Kayla Marie Wilson," I told him and put the last bite into my mouth and got off the stool to go get changed.

"That's a pretty name." I heard him say as I walked away.

I really need to get out of here now. I picked up my pace and almost ran back into the bathroom and locked the door. I quickly got changed, locking my jaw to help hide my pain as I pulled my jeans up over my wounds and put my shirt back on. I quickly slid my socks on and my shoes and rushed out of the bathroom. I was moving so fast out of the bathroom that I ran right into him, almost knocking myself back over but he caught me just in time.

"Why are you in a hurry suddenly?" He asked me.

"I have to go. I can't stay here." I told him and pushed my way passed him.

"Kayla, what's wrong?" He asked me as he followed me back out to his living room.

I was standing next to the door when I turned and looked back at him.

"Thank you, Jaxson. For everything you have done for me today. I will forever remember you." I told him but before I could open the door there was a loud knock on the other side of it.

I was so startled by it that I jumped back. I took several steps backwards.

"Open up!" The all too familiar voice yelled from the other side.

"I know she's in there! Open this damn door!" He shouted again.

I could feel my lip start to quiver and before I knew it, Jaxson turned me to face him and he looked deep into my expression.

"Get in my bedroom and lock the door." He told me and I just nodded my head.

I ran into his room and locked the door as he said. I looked around, not really paying any attention to his bedroom itself but instead, looking for a way to get out of there. I ran to the sliding door that opened up to a tiny balcony. I walked out and shut the door behind me and looked down. I was only one story above the ground. I could do this.

I threw my leg which had the least amount of damage to it over the railing. The moment I was on the other side my body started to shake in fear and my heart was racing out of my chest.

"You can do this Kayla. You have to do this." I whispered to myself and took a deep breath.

I lowered myself down the best that I could, holding onto the iron spindles of the railing. I grabbed the bottom of the railing and slid my foot off of the edge. Oh s**t, I'm so scared! I looked away from the ground and took another deep breath. I have to. I can't let him catch me and I can't let Jaxson get hurt because of me.

I slid my body off of the edge and suddenly slid down, barely catching myself from falling, causing me to scream in fear of falling. I was now hanging on the railing and it still looked so high up from here.

"s**t Kayla, what were you thinking!" I quietly snapped at myself.

"You're going to get yourself killed!" I told myself again and felt the tears in my eyes as I got more scared of falling.

I tried to pull myself back up and put my foot on the balcony but I wasn't strong enough. Suddenly the sliding door opened quickly. I got a rush of happiness thinking Jaxson was coming out to save me.

"Darling, what are you doing out here?" I heard his voice and looked up.

"Jonah!" I whisper yelled.

I could hear shouts in the background that sounded like Jaxson and someone else. I knew this was going to happen. I have to do this. You're already this far, just finish it! I screamed at myself in my head.

"Why don't I help you back up here and we can go home." He said trying to sound pleasant and thoughtful.

"f**k you!" I shouted at him and let go of the railing.

"Kayla!" I heard him shout right before I hit the concrete below.

My feet and legs stung like crazy causing me to fall to the ground and hit my elbow on the concrete. I stood up quickly when I heard him shouting back inside at his men, and started running down the sidewalk. I had to get as far away as I possibly could!

---

Jonah's POV:

We were only able to track her so far on the roof she jumped over to. The blood trail only lasted so long before it disappeared. Just enough, though, for us to know what building she ran to. It was an apartment building and only so many options that she could be in. We looked around at the roof to see if we could see anything else that might tell us but there wasn't anything. It wasn't a large building, shorter than the one beside it that we came from. It was only three stories high so that wouldn't leave us too many apartments to look through. We will split up as soon as we get inside and search the entire building.

Two of my men started on the top floor and I and another searched the first floor. We all met on the second floor and came up with nothing so far.

"Okay, you two check those two doors and we will do these two doors," I told them and we split up.

No one answered the first door we went to so we picked the lock and opened it. That's what we've done with every door that someone didn't open for us. We walked around the apartment and didn't find anything. Nothing to suggest she was here which is the result so far of every other apartment.

"I really don't think she would have left. She would think that staying in an apartment would keep her hidden from us." I told my guard that was with me.

We left that apartment and the other two were walking over to where we were.

"This is the last one sir. She has to be in this one." He told me and I nodded in agreement.

I took my fist and banged hard on the door, causing it to shake.

"Open up!" I shouted through the door.

I could hear movement on the other side which told me someone was in there yet the door wasn't getting opened. It's got to be her. I highly doubt she would open the door to an apartment that wasn't hers.

"I know she's in there! Open this damn door!" I shouted again and leaned my ear against the door.

I heard whispering on the other side. Only one voice and it sounded like a male voice. That b***h had better not have let another man touch her! I shouted in my head at the thought of another man having his hands all over my future wife!

I backed up from the door and nodded to my men to break down the door. Before they could, the door swung open revealing a man about my age and just a little shorter than my six foot one inch height.

"Where is she?" I asked him trying to sound polite yet worried about her safety.

"Who are you?" He asked me and crossed his arms over his chest.

"There isn't anyone here other than myself and if I had a woman here, do you honestly think I would be opening the door?" He said acting all tough.

All he did was piss me off more. Just that alone was telling me that if I was right, and I know I am right, and she is in there that he would have had no problems touching what was mine. Just looking at him I wouldn't be surprised if he has already had his hands on her body!

I pulled my gun out from my pocket and pointed it at him. He didn't flinch or seem to look scared and he just stood his ground in front of the door. Who the hell does he think he is? The moment he didn't move, my men shoved their way through and pushed him out of the way.

"What the hell are you doing? Get out of my apartment!" He shouted as I looked around the apartment.

He's obviously a nerd. Look at all these electronics and computers everywhere. I walked into his tiny kitchen and the first thing I noticed in the trash was bloody paper towels. I picked one up by grabbing the clean corner of one and held it high enough for him to see.

"Where is she pal, and if you behave, I will let you live," I said glaring at him and dropping the towel back into the trash.

"I cut myself last night cooking. There's no one here." He tried to tell me.

I nodded my head at one of my guards and he took his iron rod and hit him hard in his back, knocking him down onto his hands and knees.

"That's for lying to me," I told him and looked around his apartment again.

"No one's here!" He shouted again and my guard kicked him in his stomach causing him to drop farther and cough.

I saw the hallway that was just off of the entrance and walked over there and opened the first door. It was the bathroom and I saw right away some smeared blood on the tiled floor. I pushed open the shower curtain and saw that the shower was recently used and not all the blood had washed off of the floor of the tub.

I know that b***h is here, or at least was here. I walked out of the bathroom and went to open the other door to find it locked.

"Ah ha!" I said in a whisper, knowing that she is on the other side of the door.

I stepped back and kicked the door as hard as I could, busting the door jam. I kicked it again to finish breaking it and the door swung open, hitting a dresser on the other side. I looked around quickly but didn't see her. That's when I saw the balcony. I walked over to it and opened the door and stepped out.

"Darling, what are you doing out here?" I said as soon as I stepped out and saw her holding onto the bottom of the railing with one of her feet up on the edge of the balcony.

She looked almost as if she had changed her mind and didn't want to jump. Maybe she felt being with me would be better than falling to that concrete below.

"Jonah!" I heard her whisper to herself the moment she saw me.

That's good, that she remembers my name. I couldn't help but smile.

"Why don't I help you back up here and we can go home," I told her trying to sound like I cared for her and loved her even though I know that is a lie.

"f**k you!" She yelled at me and let go.

"Kayla!" I shouted instinctively and went to the edge of the railing.

I can't believe she did that! I really didn't think she would have done it! I quickly turned and ran back into the apartment to where my men were, destroying the man's belongings, and yelling at them as I moved. They did a good job destroying his place and one of my men was holding a gun to him.

"Let's go!' I shouted at them and they followed me out of the apartment.

I'm really liking this girl's spirit! She's going to make this fun! I thought to myself with a smile on my face as we ran out of the apartment building.