“Twenty six. Now sleep.” He switches the light off and starts out the door.
“Can, can you leave the light on please? I don’t like the dark.” Ever since the darkness brought my father into my room I avoid it like the black plague. Even the alleys I would look for to sleep in would have to have street lamps in. It was bad enough sleeping where people could walk past, to have nightmares for people to witness was just pure and utter shame.
“Of course Sweetheart. Now sleep well.” He clicks the door shut after him.
My head falls back into the mountain of soft pillows. I pull the duvet tight around my shoulders and sigh out in relief. God truly heard my prayers. It took me being raped in an alley for it to happen but now I’m rather thankful to the junkie who attacked me.
I smile a beaming smile towards the heavens hoping David can see it. For him to know my luck is changing, I’m going to change, I’m going to make him proud of me.
Closing my eyes I see him, the happy smile on his face the morning he left. The kisses he used to give me. The warmth I felt when he used to hold me next to him in bed, kissing my shoulder and whispering his love for me in my ear.
I fall asleep smiling, and crying, and for the first time in three years I cried for the memories of my lover, my soul mate. Not crying for the images that had infested my nightmares, the dreams of his mangled and bleeding body.
“Goodnight baby. I love you.” I talk towards the ceiling before closing my eyes tight and letting myself drift into a deep sleep.
Chapter Three
I awake to a cloudy heaven; soft cotton pillows supporting and swallowing my head. A heavy thick duvet smothers my body, warming and soothing me. It is cloud nine heaven. I strain my eyes to try and focus, forcing them to open, to check if this was real, that I wasn’t on a hard concrete floor in a cold alley.
A knock at the door startles me and I open my eyes.
“Hello.” I call out to the person behind the wood. It creaks open a little, a woman’s head appearing from around the corner.
“Good morning Abbi, breakfast is being served downstairs, if you like you could join us all in the kitchen?” it was Heidi, her beautiful smile peering down at me. A motherly aura was seeping from her.
“Good Morning. That sounds wonderful, if you’re sure there will be enough to spare for me.” I tell her. I’m used to no food so I’ll be okay to have any scraps left over.
“There is plenty, now get your bottom up and fill that tummy, it’s far too tiny.” She leaves the room closing the door behind her.
I get up and use the en-suite facilities. The shower calling my name again, but the grumbles and growls that were being produced from within the confinements of my stomach called for another priority. Food.
Wrapping a fluffy bath robe around myself, that I had found hanging on a hook on the door, I make my way to the kitchen I had eaten in yesterday.
I walk through the beautiful apartment, still in awe and total shock of the wealth this man emanated, it was crazy for sure. Then there is me, little old Abbi, who is about to be plunged into the deep end of madness, to live like a rich little bitch. I don’t think I could ever be prepared or ready for it.
I open the front door, closing it behind me as I take the staircase down to the hallway. I can smell the bacon, sausage and fresh bread before I even hit the last step, my stomach sounds deadly as it groans and grumbles for food.
“Good morning Abbi, I assume you slept well?” Leighton asks me as I enter the huge industrial kitchen, holding my bathrobe tight around me to cocoon my body in its softness.
“Yes, thank you Leighton, it was amazing.” I smile sweetly at him, grateful for every single thing he has done for me, all adding to be a significantly huge blessing.
“No thanks needed sweetheart, it’s an honour to have you here.” He beams at me, a beautiful dimple appearing in his cheek. I return the affectionate gesture, smiling faintly at him, trying my hardest to feel comfortable around him.
I glance around the kitchen to see his friend once again sitting there, his appearance becoming easier to look at. He is beautiful to say the least, tanned, muscly, perfect floppy brown hair and intense brown eyes. He gazes at me hungrily causing a slight throb inside me that I’m not quite sure how to deal with. It is a strange feeling, an unwanted and unneeded sensation.
Seated beside, I think he said his name was Ant, is another guy. He is average in build and height, nothing insanely tall like Leighton and Ant. “Hello Abbi, my name is Thomas. I am head chef here at Angelo’s; it’s a pleasure to meet you sweetheart.” I feel immediately comfortable around him; he releases this calming aura that soothed my trepidation or anxiety.
He speaks with a beautiful British accent, well spoken, almost aristocratic. He is handsome; jet black hair swept back smartly, dark eyes, perhaps even darker than Ant’s. His smile is so intoxicating I feel my cheeks stretch as my own beam surfaces, a proper smile for the first time in three years.
“Nice to meet you to Thomas, I love your food, I’ve eaten here a few times, but that was years ago. You are exceptionally talented.” I smile sadly at him, as I remember my foster parents again.
“God this smells so God damn good guys.” I say as I look at the bar laden with food, everything and anything available. It may be primarily an Italian restaurant but it had an awesome variety of food.
Leighton clears his throat, disrupting my gaze from Thomas’s mesmerising face. What is it with all three of them being so gorgeous? All in their own unique different ways, but surely it had to have been plotted and organised for Leighton to have such good looking friends. Even Heidi is stunning.
Leighton points to the buffet loaded with dozens of dishes. Pancakes to cereal, to waffles to eggs, bacon and sausage. “Please help yourself Abbi, and please, eat as much as you like.” Permission is all I need before I fill a plate full of the glorious food.
Twenty minutes of scoffing food in a frenzied pace like it will disappear if I don’t, I rub my very full and now rounded tummy for relief.
“I hope it was to your liking Abbi.” Leighton’s rich voice soothes me.
“It was delicious. Thank you so much.” I look to him, smiling shyly, taking in his beautiful face. “And thank you Thomas for making it all.” I say turning my face towards him once again. He makes me smile so hard, I don’t know what it is about him, but there is a warm, homely essence pouring from him, my body can feel the kindness and love that he holds.
“It's not a problem darling. You are always welcome.” He brushes his hands off on his apron and then unties the thing from his waist. “I’m sure I’ll see you soon Abigail, have a lovely day, I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised when Leighton takes you home. You deserve the world sweetheart.” The kind words he says to me are making my eyes water and I try my hardest to keep the tears inside, the ones begging to spill free and stain my cheeks.
“Thank you, I’m just so grateful for everything.” I smile again sadly at him.
I turn to face the guy that had rescued me and offered me salvation. Leighton is seated next to me, I can feel the heat he exhumed surrounding me. For the first time since entering this building I take his appearance in properly. I had seen Ant and I had seen Thomas, but I have never really truly appreciated Leighton.
He is utterly perfect and seriously breath-taking. He has a strong jaw and cheekbones, a light dusting of dark hair across his chin. He has the most intense moss green eyes that sparkle in the florescent kitchen lights, framed by long lashes. Neat, combed over dark blonde, almost brown hair. He possesses a clearly muscular body, framed in an expensive looking suit. Through the top of the open buttons I can see the slight appearance of a blank inked tattoo, but I can’t be one hundred per cent sure. Full pale red lips that I could just nibble on are fixed to that handsome face and a beautiful straight pair of white teeth hidden behind the cupids bow.
A clearing of a voice disturbs me from my day dream.
“Like what you see?” his cheeky smile makes me flutter inside.
“You’re okay.” nonchalance oozes from me, I haven’t had any attraction to another person for well over three years and I’m not ready to give into my bodies reactions now. Three sexy men, all making me feel different things. I am well in over my head with the feelings and don’t know how to deal with them.
“Hmm. When you’re ready take a shower, I’ve had Heidi purchase a few items for you; they’re in your room. Meet me here when you’re done and we’ll head home.” ‘We’ll head home.’ Not ‘we’ll head to my house’, but we’ll head home, as in my home too. I feel a butterfly like sick feeling in my stomach, nerves infesting themselves deep within. I don’t want to disappoint this lovely, generous and kind man.
“Okay, I’ll see you soon. And thank you again. You truly are my hero.” A blush creeps across my face as I hop down off of the stool and walk from the room. I keep my head down, mentally slapping myself for being so damsel in distress like, desperate much?
I hear the other two men present in the room chuckle a little at my statement, making me turn crimson with embarrassment. I had completely forgotten their existence as my eyes had roamed Leighton’s body.
“Yes, soon Abigail.” The simplicity of the warning sends shivers through my body and kicks my legs into gear to hurry up and get myself in the shower so I can see where I will be living for the foreseeable future.
I practically jump into the water and back out again before exploring the bag of things bought for me.
A new bra and knickers set, a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, a slightly oversized hoodie and a pair of vans.
These things are mine. All mine. New!
I bring the clothes to my face and inhale the new fresh smell to them, water pooling in my eyes. They are tears of thanks and gratitude to God for finally hearing my prayers.
I shove the clothes onto my body, relishing in the feel of the expensive soft cotton on my sensitive skin. “Hmmm,” I sigh as my body wallows in the luxurious feel of something other than the paper thin scraps of material I am used to.
I tie the laces of my new shoes, standing up straight, placing my hands on my hips. I nod and smile at no one in particular as the excitement and anxiety of this new life hits me. “Let’s go home Abbi.” I tell myself, dragging my body from the bedroom in the apartment and down the stairs to seek out Leighton as ordered.
I find him in the kitchen, sitting and chatting to his two friends as he sips from a steaming coffee cup.
“That was quick.” He looks up from the rim of his mug, his lips still almost touching the ceramic. His eyes stare at me, smouldering me with their intensity.
“I didn’t want to disappoint you now, did I?” I tease him, trying to avoid getting flustered and overwhelmed by the raw masculine presence that surrounds and smothers every ounce of oxygen in the room.
“No you definitely wouldn’t want to do that Abbi.” Thomas says to me, laughing as he does.
I look to Leighton, wondering what Tom’s statement is even in regards to. I shake my head free of any thought even related to it.
I see the dangerous glare Leighton gives tom from across the room “Should we get going? I know I’m eager for you to get home.”
And why would that be Mr Hero?
Well that’s what I want to say after Thomas’ little revelation.
“Sure.” Is all I actually do say, my courage and girl balls not quite big enough yet to say something so suggestive.
He clasps my hand in his big one and leads me through the kitchen, “Bye boys, it was nice to meet you. Maybe I’ll see you around sometime soon?” I say to Ant and Thomas who remain seated at the island, drinking coffee and flicking through the morning paper.
“You too Abbi, you’ll definitely see us a lot, we practically live at the bosses place.” Thomas informs me, breaking from his morning routine.
“Ciao Bello” Ant tells me in that liquid caramel voice. I don’t have a clue what he has said, but it doesn’t matter, it still affects me all the same. I still dissolve into a big puddle of goo on the kitchen floor.
“Later’s lads.” Leighton tells the pair of them as he continues to pull me through his restaurant and towards the rear door. Opening it he takes me back outside into the alley way. I look to my now unoccupied pitch from last, my last possessions missing. The one and only photo I had owned the one with my family, the one with David, gone, and my very few personal things stolen.
Tears fall down my cheeks as I think that I will never be able to see David’s face again, never see the happiness and complete content I felt when I was there with him, Lisa and Carl. I’d completely forgotten about all of those bits when I was rescued last night.
“Abbi, what’s wrong?” Leighton’s worried voice calls to me, shaking me from my self-induced hurt. This was my fault, of course it was.
“My things, they’re all gone. David he’s gone. My last ever picture with him.” I burst into tears, sobs erupting from my chest. My body shakes, the mere thought of never seeing him looking back at me, breaks my already cracked heart.
“Abbi, calm down, I collected your things last night. Some bits were missing but your picture was left behind.”
I throw my arms around him, sobbing into his neck. “Thank you Leighton. I don’t know how I deserved everything you’ve given me. I will never be able to repay you.” I continue to cry, soaking his very expensive looking shirt, a clear Versace symbol on the pocket. I try to estimate the expense of it, gathering it to be an easy three hundred pounds to buy.
“As I have already stated Abigail, you owe me nothing, nothing at all. Now let me get you home, get you settled in and then get to know each other a little better, okay?” his soft, nurturing voice calms me.
I pull away from his hold on me, noticing the wet patch now donning his shirt. “I’m sorry about the shirt. I will wash it for you when I get back to your house.” Yes that’s what I’ll do, I’ll wash it, do my bit to feel as though I’m helping.
“No need sweetheart, I’ll send it to the dry cleaners. Now follow me.” He reaches his masculine hand to me to take.