“Take care.”
Arthur waited for him. Instead of climbing in the back James got into the passenger seat beside him.
“Are you all right, sir?” Arthur asked.
“I’ll be fine.”
He gave his driver the signal to start driving. Glancing back at Prudence’s door, he hoped to catch a glimpse of her. She’d already gone inside, but the curtain to the sitting room twitched. There she stood looking out at him. She lifted her hand, waving at him.
James waved back not sure if she saw him or not.
His chest hurt from leaving her behind. Each day they were apart he felt like he was dying inside.
He watched the passing streets go by. The houses were alight with decorations. He wished his heart could be filled with the Christmas cheer. The plans he had made for the festive season would be changed. Spending the few days with his friend could be enjoyable. James gave Arthur instructions to pick him up on Christmas Eve. He’d give him a huge bonus for being a reliable person.
James watched him go before entering his home. The cold space did nothing to ease his pain. All he wanted to do was go back to where Prue was and wrap his arms around her.
Chapter Eighteen
Two months later
Prue stared out at the filled park. Spring was a welcome relief from the horrid depths of winter. She fingered the necklace resting on her bosom as she watched the people enjoying the sunshine. She couldn’t believe it had been two months since Christmas. There was a point throughout it all when she felt she’d go insane from being asked if she was all right or how she was doing.
Removing her cardigan, she laid her head against the bench basking in the heat. She’d not seen James since that night before Christmas. They’d spoken on the phone thanking each other for their gifts. She wore part of her gift around her neck.
He’d bought her a gold necklace with a silver collar. Veronica had gone red, as her sister knew the significance of the collar, but her brother-in-law had thought it was a bizarre gift.
She smiled thinking about the silver collar back at home. The gold necklace was a more subtle gift. She touched the diamond resting between her br**sts thinking about the man who’d bought her the extravagant gift.
“I see you like it,” James said.
Opening her eyes Prue smiled to see James stood over her.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
He carried a picnic basket in one arm and a blanket in the other. She noticed the bracelet she’d gotten him was wrapped around his wrist. Prue had bought the gift before she’d been taken. The bracelet, in her mind, was a sign that he belonged to her and no one else.
“I love my gift,” she said, remembering his original question.
“Good, where’s your other one?” he asked.
“Tell me what you’re doing here?” She stared around them seeing the people going about their business. None of the men who were walking caught her attention. The only man she wanted was standing in front of her.
“I heard from a buzzing bee that you were at the park. Come on, walk with me,” he said.
His muscles bulged at the weight of the basket he was carrying.
She stared at his arms feeling a heat pool in her stomach. Shit, she was starting to react like a horny teenager.
Grabbing her cardigan and purse she walked with him along the park. They moved out of the way for several runners.
“You’ve got people following me, haven’t you?” she asked. James turning up like this with a picnic basket could only be explained by him having people watch her.
He stopped turning toward her. “The last time I left you alone and unprotected you were taken away from me. I’m not going to let it happen again.”
James took her hand in his, and they began walking.
“That’s not going to happen again. They’re gone, James.”
“I don’t care. You mean too much to me, and I’ve failed once. I’m not going to fail again.”
She remained silent after that. There were no words to try to make everything easier. You like this protectiveness, Prue.
“So, where is the collar I sent you?” he asked.
Prue laughed. “You should have seen Veronica’s face when she saw it. Considering she hates the lifestyle, she knew what the collar stood for.” She tucked her hair behind her ear.
The length was dyed, but this time she’d had blue highlights underneath the black instead of the red. She liked the different colour.
“I’ve got the collar on my nightstand along with your cross. Do you want me to give you the cross back?” she asked.
“No, I want to see you wearing it again. The collar is for us in private. The cross is for you to wear at all times. Have you tried the collar on?”
Heat filled her cheeks. “Yes, I tried it on.”
When she had opened the gift, she’d stared in the mirror as she placed the collar around her neck. The silver chain had looked good. The feel of the cold metal against her neck had turned her on. Before she had gone to bed she’d stared at the collar waiting for something to happen so she could wear it.
What was she waiting for?
Prue didn’t know the answer.
“This is a good spot.” James laid the blanket out under a tree. They were out in the open together. He sat down on the blanket then patted the seat next to him. Prue joined him, holding the cardigan in her lap. She lay back staring up at the sky.
“I’ve missed you,” she said.
He lay back next to her resting his head on his hand. “I’ve missed you, too.” James stroked her arm. She stared at the flesh where he touched watching the goose-bumps erupt along her arm.
She was waiting for something from him, but she didn’t know what.
“You’re working at a supermarket,” he said.
“Do you not approve?” she asked, looking up at the sky.
“Yes. You could come and work for me at Ravage. I’d love to see you.”
Prue listened to him talk. She couldn’t help but think about the time when he’d demanded she work for him. Where had the possessive James gone?
“I’m happy working in the supermarket. The people are nice, and I get to work good hours.”
She was only working part time. Veronica still worried about her even though she no longer panicked when the door closed. Prue had woken up one day to see she’d closed the door to her bedroom. There was no panic or fear. She’d climbed out of bed opened the door then closed it again.
The small victory felt less with James around. They weren’t together like that. The gifts they shared were meaningless in light of everything that happened between them. James no longer came into her life and demanded things of her. He kept his distance and phoned her. She’d gotten use to his possessive, domineering ways. Prue missed that side of James, the side that held the power to make her so angry she could claw his eyes out.