Taming the Boy Next Door by M. J. Carnal Page A

five years.”  Kevin took a deep breath.  “She was a dancer .  She was walking into the apartment and she was jumped.  Three men.”
    Jena shivered.  Her mind clouded with thoughts of rain and footsteps.  “No,” she whispered.
    Kevin grabbed her hand.  “You are stronger.  So much stronger.”  His red eyes stung with tears.  “She was beaten, left by the dumpster.  I found her the next morning when I was taking the trash out.”
    “Kevin.”  Caleb’s eyes were wide.  He had known Kevin for more than a year now.  He had spent countless nights at the bars and even more days at the gym with him. He suddenly realized he didn’t know him at all.
    “She was pregnant. Those bastards left something permanent to remind her. I tried to help her.  She wouldn’t let me.  Jena, let me help you.”
    Jena shot to her feet.  Her face paled and her eyes filled with tears.  “ Stop.”
    “Jena.”  Kevin held his hands out to her.  “I couldn’t save her.  She killed herself in my apartment. Five years ago today.   My sister. She was my only family.”
    “Holy shit.”  Andi stood in the doorway stunned.  “What’s going on?”
    “I can’t.”  She paced the room, her body trembling, her breathing shallow.  Her heart pounded in her chest.  This couldn’t be happening.  Not here.  She glanced at the doorway.  She felt trapped. 
    “Don’t run.”  Caleb stood and she flinched.  “Whatever is happening, it’s ok.”
    “Let me save you.”  Kevin stumbled to his feet as Jena moved for the door.  “You have to tell him.  Tell him so I can save you.”
    “Kevin.”  She yelled.  “Don’t do this to me.”
    Caleb moved in front of the doorway and she froze.  Her breathing became erratic.  “You have to move.”
    “Did someone hurt you?”  His voice cracked.  “Did I hurt you?”   He stood his ground when she tried to move past him.
    Jena crumbled to the floor.  Sobbing, she covered her face with her hands.  Caleb knelt beside her, pulling her into his arms.  “I can’t.”
    “Baby, look at me.”  She shook her head, continuing to soak his chest with tears.  “ Please.  Let me in.”
    “It wasn’t you.”  Kevin stumbled as he approached them.  “It wasn’t you, Allen.   It was a man who….”
    “Make it stop.”  Jena buried her face in Caleb’s neck.
    “Andi, get him out of here.”  Caleb pleaded.  When the door finally shut, he sighed.  “You’re safe.  I promise you that.  Please talk to me.”
    “I don’t know how to tell you.”
    “Jena, there is absolutely nothing you could say to me that would change how I feel about you.”  Caleb tucked her hair behind her ear.  “I love you so fiercely that when you walk into a room, I forget to breathe.  When you walk out, my heart stops.  Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
    “Oh God.”  Her voice trembled.   Silence took over the room for several minutes before she took a deep breath.  “When I was in high school, I was walking home alone.  It was pouring rain.  I heard his footsteps but I couldn’t run fast enough.”  She made eye contact for the first time.  Silent tears ran down his face as he rocked her in his lap. “He was drunk and dirty.”
    Caleb continued to rock her as her breathing steadied.  “I’m so sorry, Jena.”
    “I’ve spent years trying to forget.  My parents were so ashamed.  I was only a child.  They sent me to live with my Aunt and Uncle because it made the news.  I hated them so much for abandoning me.  He stole my innocence and took years of my life away from me.  And they just threw me away like I was nothing.”  Her anger grew as she continued.  “And now he is stealing my future.”
    Caleb leaned back and looked at her.  “How is stealing your future?  Is he back?”
    “Yes.  But not like you think.  It was all buried…”  Her voice trailed off.
    “Oh my God.”  Caleb interrupted.  “I did something.  What was