Chapter 24: Running Into Trouble

...AUSTIN POV...

With every step I take away from Summer, my heart is crushed into small pieces. Every bone in my body wants to turn back and take her into my arms. I need to protect her and not turn a blind eye to what is happening. She does not have to be alone even though she insists that she should. I am not a man that walks away from a woman in need; having to leave her like that goes against everything I stand for.

And to make it even worse is the man I have to leave her in there with. This man just had her pressed up against a wall, and believe me; it is not in a good way. Who knows what else he is capable of. What is up with the men in her life that treat her this way. I don't understand how she just lets it happen. Surely she knows that she deserves better than men like Raymond. I should have knocked him harder than I did.

So as I walk back to the table, I see Molly look at me in a cheeky way and smile.

"I hope that you did that to him."

"The man is a damn pig; he belongs in my shed. If I ever catch him lift his hand in the wrong way towards a woman again, then I will break his neck."

"Men like him are not worth the pain. Rather keep your focus on Summer."

"Guess you are right, Molly."

I turn to Billy and Rebecca that is still sitting dead quiet in shock.

"Come, let us go; these people are making me sick."

And as we leave the restaurant, I glance over to where Summer is standing. She is holding a note in her hand, and by the terror on her face, I know exactly who it is from. I fight with every single fiber in my body not to go to her. It hurts me all over again; I hate these damn high opinionated rich people in this town.

While we make the drive back home in silence, my head spins as I run the night's events like a film in my mind. I can feel every touch, and I smell every scent. I can hear the same sounds over again. What runs a path deep through my head is seeing Raymond pressing the woman that I am in love with into a wall. I hate to think what would have happened if I was not there. Did he only turn like that out of anger, or is that what he is made of?

The minute we step through the door, I excuse myself. If I go to bed, then I can sleep this day away and hopefully feel a fraction better when I wake up in the morning. But before I make my way to my room, I turn to face Rebecca.

"I will take you back to the city in the morning."

"Thank you, Austin."

With that, I leave them all in the kitchen. But if I thought I could escape the turmoil in my head, then I am sorely mistaken. The only thing that consumes my mind is the terror on Summer's face. And as I keep on seeing it, the anger starts to burn even deeper. Then after a while of fighting these inner demons, my thoughts turn into pleasant memories again.

I am taken back to the moment that her body was so soft against mine that it caused a million tingles over my skin. The smallest touch of her skin sends seven sensations of pleasure to every corner of my body that has been dead for as long as I can remember. Summer is making me feel alive again; she is making me feel that feeling that I used to crave more than anything. I desire to love and be loved in return.

After what could possibly the longest night I have had to go through in my life, I find myself in the kitchen the next morning waiting for Rebecca. An hour later, we are in my truck on the way to the city. For the first couple of minutes, there is silence until I finally speak.

"Listen, Rebecca; I am sorry for the way I have treated you."

"It is fine, Austin, I understand."

"No, it is not fine. No woman should be mistreated by any man. It does not matter who he is."

"Thank you. I appreciate it. We were bound to clash heads given the situation."

"No. Stop saying that. No situation gives someone the right to mistreat someone else. Promise me next time I do it; you will punch me in the face."

"In that case, I would love to do it. But Austin, there will be times that you need to be hard. You cannot let someone walk over you as well."

"Well, let us hope that it does not happen today."

And with that, we burst into to laughter. I think I can actually have a real sister. It does not matter our differences; we will always share a bond. Even though I know that she will continue to drive me insane.

After what seems like forever, we are finally in the city; I very reluctantly give in to her request to go for lunch before I head back. So we find ourselves at a very well known little restaurant close to where she stays.

"Austin, why do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Live out on that ranch all by yourself."

"I am not by myself; I have Billy. And I am just not cut out for the city life. I cannot see myself in a suit and tie rotting away behind a desk."

"But you do realize that you can not run away from it forever."

"Oh, yes, I can."

So with those words not even dry, I see another thing that I have been running away from. In she walks as plastic as ever, and in less than three seconds, she spots me from across the room. And if I thought she would walk the other way, I would laugh in my own face.

"Hello, Ausi."

"Oh god, here we go. Hey Becky."

"Did not expect to see you here."

"If I knew you would be here, then I would find another restaurant far away from here."

Then out of nowhere, I feel Rebecca kicking me under the table.

"Ouch! What is that for?"

"Remember what you said about being nice."

"I forgot to mention that there are certain people that do require a different type of treatment."

And if it is not painful enough, she invites herself to sit at our table.

"You won't mind if I sit here?"

"Actually, I do, but you are going to do it in any case."

"Come on, Ausi, is that the way you treat an old friend."

"Uhm...yes I can, and it is ex-girlfriend, who remember, cheated on me?"

I watch as that very anger that use to had me frightened creep over her face. See, there is a lot that this woman did to me that made me run away and hide on a ranch. Sometimes it is not men that mistreat women. Sometimes it is the women doing it themselves. And she has just picked the wrong day to come and invite herself to our table.

"So, how have you been, Ausi?"

"Stop calling me that. And I was pretty annoyed, and now you have just pissed me off even further. But let's forget about me. So have you ripped someone off lately?"

"You know that was just a misunderstanding."

"That is one big misunderstanding. I don't know why I even still talk to you after what you and your so-called ex did?"

"He made me do it. You know that I would never do something bad to you."

I cannot help but burst out in laughter and laughter so loud that we have a few turning heads. But from what I recall, she loves the attention. But I am not done with her yet.

"So, what is his name?"

"Mark?"

"Yes, that is it, Mark. So has he been locked up for anything lately?"

"I have not been inside since the incident."

"Incident? You have a bad choice in describing. It was called stealing. You know, taking something that is not yours."

This woman is starting to annoy me, to think there was a time that I loved her with everything more than I possibly could. She was my everything; she had the ring on her finger and even access to the bank. And that is where the problem started. Now she is only bringing up bad memories. Time for me to get away.

"If you will excuse me, I need to go to the gents."

But it is not to the gents that I am going; I make my way outside with the full intention to run. So as I find myself heading towards the corner of the street, I walk smack into someone's chest. And as I look up.

"Oh my god, not you as well."