Lyon
Chapter 22

For the past three days I’ve been laying low. I got an extra day because I made the mistake of flinching when I accidentally touched one of my nipple piercings, which truthfully didn’t even hurt any more, just a little stiffness.

The other one down below was still a little uncomfortable, but not too much. Colton took very good care of them, and me, so that I didn’t get an infection or suffer some other disaster.

Anyway, I flinched, and was ordered to get undressed, and though I wasn’t confined to the bed I couldn’t do anything.

“Why don’t I go get my things from dad’s today then?”

“Because, I don’t want you bending and lifting things just yet…”

“I read about piercings online, and people said that it was quite alright to go on as usual…”

He just turned and gave me this look that I clearly read as his signature ‘the f**k I care?’, so I closed my lips up tight.

“As I was saying, I don’t want you doing anything. We’ll get your things in a few. The boxes are for your personal effects, books and knick knacks, and all that girly shit. Don’t bring any of those f****d up clothes over here, or I’ll start a bonfire in the back yard with that shit.”

“But I didn’t really bring anything else to wear, and …” He opened his wallet and threw a black card at me.

“So go shopping.”

“Wha…”

“Go shopping for what you need.”

“But, it has your name on it, so I don’t think they’ll let me use it.”

“Take carol or Elena with you. Trust me those two would know what to do.”

“But, I can’t just take…”

“Had that conversation already, babe, not going there again.” He continued getting ready for work totally ignoring my angst.

Well, a part of me was excited at the thought of shopping, and then as is the norm when dealing with Colton, there is that other part that’s not one hundred percent comfortable doing these things so early in our relationship.

Colton of course didn’t even let me get the words out of my mouth.

“In fact, I think you should call one of them to go with you, and have some fun. I’ll be gone longer today than the last couple days, so that’ll be good, but nothing strenuous.” I guess I’m going shopping.

“Call me if you need me okay, Angel!”

“Okay.”

“And listen, buy whatever you want, none of that bullshit. I know you don’t get this yet, but I’m going to take care of you from now on, and that means your food, your clothes, and your shelter, that’s on me. All that other odds and ends girlie shit you can take care of if you want to, but I can cover that too if you want.”

Color me crazy, but is this guy for real, like seriously, who does these things? Not anyone I know or have ever heard of.

Jared’s my friend, and he’s a good guy, but I know for a fact that he doesn’t treat any of his girlfriends this way.

I would ask my mom, but our conversation two days ago hadn’t left much room for such questions.

I understood that she was afraid for me, and that she will always be worried after what had happened, but she had really gone off.

It’s almost as if she was mad that I had fallen for someone. I thought telling her about my coming out of my shell with Colton’s help would make her happy, but instead she seemed offended somehow.

When she’d questioned the rashness of our relationship, and I’d started crying because she just wasn’t hearing my side, Colton had taken the phone and told her rather forcefully that no one was allowed to make me cry or feel bad not even her. Then he’d hung up.

She’d sent me a text a few hours later with just one word.

“Wow”.

My thoughts exactly.

I haven’t seen anyone in the last couple days, but my phone has been almost glued to my ear. I’ve heard from his mother, my father, Carol and Jared, and somehow I think Colton told everyone no visitors for the next few days.

I wondered what excuse he gave them for that but didn’t ask.

After he finally left I called Carol up to make plans for our day of shopping. Of course she was excited, it’s like, in her b***d.

Having been cooped up for so long it was great to get out and about, and carol was full of ideas and suggestions, especially after she realized that I had Colton’s card.

Halfway through I’d had enough, not because I was tired or anything, but because I’d already bought too much.

When I complained about the thousands of dollars we’d already spent, and believe it or not we’d only bought undergarments as yet, she’d whipped out her phone and called Colton, and then passed the phone to me after squealing on me.

“Babe, seriously, I got shit to do here, so buy the shit. If you don’t, then I’ll have to, and I’ve got shit lined up for the next few weeks, so help me out alright.”

Oh my word! He just hung up after that, and my panties were shot.

Of course Carol was grinning and hopping up and down, and off we went.

“Well if it isn’t Colton’s flavor of the month.”

Damn, that thing sure got around.

“Jennifer, that’s uncalled for…”

“No, no, Carol, let it speak.”

I hate this bitch, and I kid you not. Just the sight of her makes me want to taste b***d. Not because she’d once shared Colton’s bed (though she’d never physically been in his according to him) but because I could sense that she didn’t want to move on, to let go.

And after tasting of the fruit, so to speak, I could certainly understand why, but she wasn’t his ex-wife, or the mother of his child or anything like that.

She was just one of a long line of nothing special, so she had no jurisdiction. And if she thought I was too young or too stupid to know that, then she was sadly mistaken.

She sneered at me from head to toe until her eyes caught sight of my anklet.

“That’s a Simon piece. Where did you get that?”

Before I could answer, or not, Carol intervened.

“Jennifer, just leave us alone, where Kat got her jewelry is none of your business.” She tried going around the annoying twit to no avail.

Once again I spoke over her.

“It’s cool, Carol, actually Colton bought me this, and as he put it, it’s to show the world I belong to him. You should see the other jewelry he got me to go with it,… oops, YOU can’t, it’s private, oh well.”

She hissed at me as her face grew increasingly redder.

Carol made a move to come between us, but she was too late. Jennifer’s hand connected with the side of my head before I could block the blow.

The last person to put hands on me were those boys, so I felt the fear begin to creep in, and felt the need to run and hide away somewhere. But stronger and more persistent than that was Colton’s voice during our sparring matches.

I heard him in my head strengthening my resolve, telling me I was worth fighting for, pushing at the fear that threatened to overcome me. And lastly, I heard him tell me to own my shit, and to fight for what’s mine.

Instead of the fear there was now anger. Anger at all those who thought it was okay to prey on the weak. Before that whole incident I would never have let anyone get away with slapping me like that.

So maybe Colton was right, and maybe it was time to take the power back, and what better way than to wipe the floor with this smarmy bitch.

I knew I was going to be okay when I started laughing, which only seemed to enrage her even more.

“You know, it doesn’t matter what you do or say here, at the end of the day I’m still going to be Colton’s girl and you’re not.”

“As a matter of fact, before I forget, Carol, I might need you to come help me pack up for my move into your brother’s penthouse. I understand you’ve never been inside, Jennifer, it’s gorgeous.”

Then I took some liberties with the truth.

“Colton even said I could redecorate any way I want to, but it’s already perfect so…”

I shrugged as though it was no big deal, and no he hadn’t said that, but I’m sure if I asked he’d let me, and knowing that, I felt even more empowered.

This little speech had the desired effect as the delusional nut job actually went for my throat.

This time I was ready though and blocked her hands with one of mine while using the thumb of the other to jab her jugular.

She dropped to her knees like a dead weight, clutching her throat, and fighting for the breath. The din that had surrounded me was suddenly broken as I heard laughter and applause around us.

Of course, it’s a mall, it would be full of teenagers with their cell phones at the ready, and I had no doubt this would be on YouTube in the next hour or so.