Falling Tower

Chapter 22

He carries me to the Office Door. I was so nervous. What if Lucas was so mad at me that he didn't want to see me? Oh god. Should I tell Dayo never mind? "Are you okay?" Dayo wakes me from my trance.
"Yes, why?"
"We've been standing here for a minute and you haven't knocked.
"Oh sorry." I laugh nervously.
I knock on his door.
"Come in!"

I turn the knob and push the door open.
Lucas sees me and jumps to his feet. He swallows hard and makes his way towards me, as Dayo meets him in the middle. Once Lucas is standing next to me, I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he grabs waist so I'm straddling him. They both made sure I never touched the floor. As he nuzzles my neck, I turn to Dayo. "That is all."  I smile at him and wish him a Good-Night. He bows his head and walks out the Door.

I grab Luke's face. We stare into each other's eyes. I had forgotten how beautiful his eyes looked. They started to fill with tears. He was trying so hard not to blink. As soon as one tear spilled over, I wiped it away and kissed him. I kissed him like tomorrow would never come. Like it was the last time he'd smile at me. The last time he'd tell me he loved me, the last time he'd tell me how selfish I was, or silly, or beautiful. I kissed him like we were never apart.

I was still straddling Luke as we walked to the Kitchen. I had my arms tightly around his neck while my head laid on my shoulder. He placed me gently on the counter. He pulled the hair away from my face, and paled when he saw the black and blue on my cheek. He untied my robe and saw that my chest, stomach, and shoulder also had bruising. He examined my legs. So many bruises.
"Do they still hurt?"
"No," I say as I look at my left shoulder. "I'm just sore all over."
He grabs my robe and covers me back up.
"Do you hate me, Jas?"
His face goes from frustration to sadness.
"No," His words shock me. "Why would you ask that?"
He put his head down and leans against the counter across from me, arms crossed.

"I mean, I was. But I didn't hate you. I was just angry. When I kept screaming for you, I really expected you to come thought the door. And when you didn't, I guess it was disappointment."
He looked at me. I knew I was breaking his heart with my words. "But, I quickly realized that this wasn't your fault, him being psychotic wasn't yours. I just needed to be strong. For myself. For you."
He smiled and walked up to me. Standing between my legs.
"So when you woke up, the house was deserted?"
The Police had questioned me for over an hour the day after I got home. It was humiliating and I couldn't give them any real information. Well besides the House location. They even questioned Stan. Between what I remembered and where Stan told them I was found, they were able to find the House.
"Yeah. Did the Police go and find the house?"
I ask and he puts his head down.
"I didn't want to tell you. The house was for sale. That's why it was empty. The realtor was found in the basement. Dead. He had been there for about a week."
My throat suddenly went dry.
I look at Lucas. There was more but he wasn't telling me.
"What else?"
"When he called, and you passed out, he said he wouldn't stop until you killed yourself, like Elizabeth did."
I freeze. I would never do that to myself. No one would ever push me to that extreme.
"No," I grab Luke's face. "Never."
He reaches for my hands and kisses them.
"I believe you."

Lucas turns around slowly and leans into the counter. I wrap my arms around him and he holds my hands. I trail kisses through the back of his neck.
"Jasmen," he whispers.
"Hm," I say as I continue my flirtation with my tongue. I just want to spend the night with him. Just holding one another until we fall asleep. No worries.
"Right before you passed out," he swallows, "what did Sam do to you?"
I freeze.
He turns to face me. His face dark and serious.
I put my face down. Tried so hard to look elsewhere, anywhere but him. He grabbed my chin and I look at him. I didn't have the heart to tell him how that Monster invaded me.
"May I have a yogurt?"
My question breaks his concentration and he looks confused.
"Yeah, sure of course!"

He walks to Fridge and starts rummaging. I don't know how to answer his question or if I should. But I close eyes and open them, staring at the Cabinet ahead.
"He uh," my lips started trembling, "he put his fingers inside of me."
I heard a POP! and something falls to the floor.
Lucas had involuntarily squeezed the yogurt in his hand.
We both looked at the mess on the Floor. I knew he had about a million different emotions going through him, all at once.

I decide I should try to get down and clean the mess.
I slowly try to get off the Counter, but the silk on my Robe makes me slip and I land hard on me feet. I scream as I throw myself onto the floor.
Lucas wakes from his trance. Eyes glistening with tears.
"Baby, are you okay? I'm so sorry. Why did you get down!?"
He picked me up and placed me back on the counter.
"I wanted to help you." I say through my tears and laugh.
"Silly girl!" He lifts me Bridal Style and takes me to our room.

It seemed like it took forever to reach our Bedroom. I guess Lucas just wanted to hold me. He lays me on the bed and climbs behind me, never letting me go.
"I'm so sorry I put you through all this."
I turn and look at him surprised. It hurt me that he blamed himself. This wasn't his fault.
"I don't blame you at all. I am happy to be by your side and I'd take a thousand kidnapping if it always ends up with me by your side. Okay? End of discussion."
"I love you." He whispers in my ear. I turn around and let him hold me tight.
"Lucas," I say.
"Hm?"
"Keep saying it til I fall asleep."
"I love you....I love you....I love you....I love you.."