Over the last 10 days Jake had been over at Bryn's place most evenings. Whether she texted or called to initiate or he did, he always came to her. The sex was the best Bryn had ever had, granted she could only compare it to the three other guys she had slept with before Reid. She'd had a long term boyfriend that she lost her virginity to at 19, two other flings that were hardly memorable since she had dated them for such a short time and only slept with them once, and then she had met Reid. She knew what good sex was though, she had had her first orgasm years before being with her first boyfriend and frequently masterbated. She was experimental with toys and had watched porn in the past, though she didn't find it to be very arousing. If she was in the mood for supplementary material, often she read erotic fiction or stories she found online finding their guidance for her imagination far more stimulating and ultimately incredibly gratifying.
The way sex was with Jake was everything she fantasised about. It didn't hurt that he was the sexiest man she had ever seen: tall and strong, broad shoulders with defined muscles led to a built chest and back, arms that weren't too big but equally as cut. His abs were irrationally defined all the way down to the v starting at his hips leading straight to his groin. Then there was his dick which was the largest she had ever seen. Thick, straight and uncut. Her mouth actually watered and her pussy warmed as she thought about it. It wasn't fair that a male body that perfect existed, his one flaw was probably how much she guessed he spent in the gym.
Although, he had said he used to be a pro fighter for a while so maybe that kind of discipline and level of training was still paying off. She didn't actually know his routine at all aside from the expected working hours, their interaction was very casual. Just sex was the arrangement and they were doing plenty of that. The more time they spent together though, the more she realised she also enjoyed his company. He wasn't overly talkative about himself but he listened to her and seemed to remember what she said since he would ask questions or make comments recalling details later on.
Though he came off a little serious, he could be funny and smiled easily when he was relaxed. She felt like he liked her, not just her body, but found her interesting and maybe even cared about her. After her relationship with Reid, she was finding that to be very healing and she missed Jake on the nights they didn't see one another. That was dangerous but she would never admit that to him or ask for more. She still didn't want another boyfriend, not that Jake wanted her to be his girlfriend in the slightest- he still never stayed long after they fucked- but she was enjoying what they were doing and wasn't about the mess that up.
She had been out with her friends too, in the last week she had seen them for coffee, been to the beach and gone out to dinner and drinks. She went to uni for lectures and tutorials at various times in the week and had had more shifts at work that were without incident. She'd been busy and felt happy for the first time in a long time.
And then she had received a text from Reid.
At about three in the afternoon while she was in a lecture at uni.
How much do you miss me?
It was from an unknown number but she had blocked Reid on everything, including her social media, after that night at her house when he had hit her. As soon as she had read the message chills went down her spine and she just knew it was him. Fear gripped her and all the memories and what he had done to her came flooding back. She'd thrown her phone back in her bag and tried to listen to the lecture but her mind was spinning as panic roiled in her gut.
There was a follow up text late that night. Jake hadn't come over and she was alone in bed reading. It was midnight and she was about to finish up and go to sleep when the text pinged her phone.
I'm sure a very wet and tight part of you between your legs misses me.
A little sob escaped her as she read the message. He was disgusting, the thought of him touching her again was abhorrent but she had always felt weak and helpless with him. He had a way of completely overwhelming her and she was terrified he would somehow ensnare her in his web again. Why was he doing this? Why couldn't he just leave her alone and stay gone? She ignored the text again and turned off her bedside light but she was unnerved. She got up from the bed and checked her front door was locked, then the windows. Even the small one in her bathroom that no fully grown person could possibly climb through. Once she had been sure her apartment was secure, she had returned to bed and willed herself to sleep but none came.
The next day had been a long one at university where she had been surrounded by other students in busy lecture theatres and tutorials and she didn't return home until late afternoon. She hadn't received another text from Reid but she had been checking her phone regularly and felt on edge all day. She was wound up and now that she was once again in her apartment she was becoming nervous. She didn't want to be alone. She looked at her phone for the hundredth time, still nothing. She scrolled until she found her texts with Jake and invited him over. He replied a few minutes later.
Read my mind. 7 work for you? I'll come straight from the office.
She immediately said yes and told him she was ordering uber eats and would get him something as well. She felt herself relax. Knowing Jake was coming calmed her and she had the evening to look forward to him instead of dreading another text from Reid. She went straight to the shower determined not the give her ex another thought.
They were camped on her living room floor eating Thai with chopsticks. She'd changed into long loose bamboo cotton track pants and a white singlet top- basically pyjamas. Very casual next to Jake who had on dark grey suit pants and a blue business shirt with the sleeves rolled up just below his elbows. He'd removed his shoes though and still looked comfortable.
"Were you serious about showing me some self defence moves?" She had recalled his offer while she was in the shower and decided she would ask him tonight. She was under no illusion that she could overpower Reid if it came to that, he was so much stronger than her, but maybe it would make her feel less vulnerable and frightened.
Jake's eyes narrowed, "did something happen at work again?"
"No nothing like that. I've just been thinking about what you said and you're right, every woman should know how to protect themselves."
He accepted that and took another bite of his pad see ew before putting it on the coffee table.