Bryn was silent in the car as she gazed out the passenger side window. She seemed at ease, albeit a little withdrawn. Bryn had not spoken again about what had happened with Reid, kept assuring him she was ok. Jake's primary concern was her and he was staying calm because of that but he could not shake his own memories of what he had witnessed. He watched the road, focusing on the mundane act of driving to his house, comforted that she would be in his space away from Reid and where she might get some more distance from what had been done to her that night. He hoped he masked it well but inside Jake seethed. The rage was surging and churning, kept at bay but if he didn't find an outlet soon he would boil over and that could not happen in front of Bryn. He reached for his smokes in the glove box, pulled out a cigarette and lit it. The windows were already down letting in the breeze and after a couple of long drags the nicotine coursed through his system and took some of his tension away.
Her texts that night had been a relief. Finally, she had been honest with him and he couldn't get in the car fast enough to see her. He had known her ex was a problem, guessed that he had been bothering her, but could never imagine it was this bad. Attacking her at uni? What had the fucker done to her to make her so scared and quick to end things between them? He had pulled up along the curb and seen her yellow door slightly ajar which he'd thought was odd at that time of night. The rain was coming down hard then and it wasn't until he had reached her doorstep and poked his head inside that he heard them from her bedroom. A low male voice grunting and swearing and Bryn's soft cries, begging the man to stop. He'd hesitated only until he was sure he heard her sobbing and saying no and then he ran for the bedroom. He could not get the image of what he'd found out of his head. Bryn, his girl, face down on the bed eyes tightly shut, face red, contorted with pain and crying, a scrap of green clothing bunched up her back, thighs spread wide and Reid standing between them. The upturned curve of her ass revealed she had been smacked hard and for a while judging by the look of her angry welted red skin. Reid was gripping her tightly by the hips as he violently fucked her from behind, his head thrown back, his own eyes closed and a look of total ecstasy on his face. The entire scene was more than enough to drive Jake to want to kill him but the way that sick bastard could draw so much pleasure from a crying woman repeatedly pleading for him to stop sent Jake off the edge and into a blackout rage and he honestly had few memories of the fight with Reid. He recalled ripping him off of her and the satisfying feeling of his fists pummelling him over and over but beyond that nothing much had registered until Bryn's voice and touch had snapped him out of it.
Jake shook his head and took another deep drag from his cigarette. He shouldn't be reliving that night now. Later, when Bryn wasn't next to him and he was hitting his punching bag. That's when he'd pick through it all. He turned into his street and slowed to pull up and into the carport at the front of his house then turned the ignition off.
"You live so close to the beach, this house is really yours?" Looking at her face he could see she was surprised. He couldn't blame her, it was not a common thing for someone in their 20s, or even 30s, to own a house in this area. He shrugged his shoulders. "I'll get your bags," was all he said and then hopped out of the car to open his boot. By the time he had her bags she had gotten out of the car too and was looking at his place, he followed her gaze and appraised it himself through her eyes. It was a white single story townhouse with the carport at the front on the left side, front gate and brick path leading from the street running alongside it on the right, with three steps that brought you to a raised verandah and the front door. A bay window coming from his bedroom graced the front of the house to the left of the door and there was casual seating before it. The front door was solid wood and painted black with a brass knocker. Talk trees lined the street which was pretty quiet despite the main street and beach being only two blocks away. Street parking was horrendous on the weekends and through the holidays with people from all over Sydney going to the beach so he'd looked for a place with a car space.
"You ready?" He asked when she looked back at him.
"This looks really nice, Jake." Her smile was soft and he just looked at her for a moment, enjoying the light in her eyes. He never knew what to say to that when he had people over. He hadn't grown up with much at all but he had earned a good amount of money as a fighter, and now with his business which he worked hard at. He was entirely self made but still self conscious about what he'd managed to accrue for himself. Though grateful for all he had he was uncomfortable with compliments.
"Come on, let's go inside."
He opened the door and stepped into the hallway that ran the length of the house but turned into the first room on the left. Jake dropped her bags at the foot a king sized bed made up with dark green and grey linen sheets. He turned to walk back out to the hallway but Bryn was blocking the door looking around the room, taking it in.
"This is your bedroom?" She asked.
"Yeah, you can unpack later. Would you like something to drink? We can order food if you're hungry."
"It's lovely." Was all she said.
"Come, the kitchen is towards the back."
Back in the hallway he gestured to the second and third door after the bedroom, "that's the study. Bathroom." He strode past without opening the doors and walked to the end of the hallway that opened up to the main area of the house. It was an open floor plan that had the kitchen on the left with an island and stools tucked beneath it, a round dining table with four chairs and the a large L shaped lounge facing towards the back which had glass sliding doors running the length of the wall leading to a courtyard with a bbq and outdoor dining table. Beyond that was a grassy area with magnolia trees covering the back fence. A small shed was tucked in the corner of the backyard with two of his surf boards leaning against one side and a punching bag hanging from a steel bracket bolted into the front next to the door. Not a large house but a nice one he knew. Comfortable and with a lot of natural light streaming in from the glass doors but also from the frosted skylight overhead in the kitchen.
Jake left her to wander around and get comfortable and went into the kitchen to get them both some water. He watched her carefully, looking for any signs that she was hurt or uncomfortable. He didn't know how someone was supposed to act after being attacked like she had been but she seemed okay so far. She had told him Reid had done those things to her before, forced her like that, while they were together. Jake tensed at the thought and rolled his neck, flexing his shoulders and releasing them. He couldn't imagine what Bryn had been through at the hands of her ex. He watched her move slowly through his place as he took a sip from his glass. Her brown hair, the colour of melted milk chocolate, was out and fell down her back in loose natural waves. She wore a tight fitting high neck T-shirt the colour of graphite and relaxed fit jeans that hung off her hips. The material of her T-shirt clung to her figure accentuating her trim waistline, flat stomach, and the swell of her breasts. There was no bra line to be seen and he knew from the way her breasts bounced as she walked that she'd gone without one. It was obviously for her own comfort but Jake found it to be very distracting and not for the first time that day, imagined cupping those firm full globes in his hands and kneading them. He was incredibly attracted to her. The shape of her body, her gorgeous brown eyes and full lips, her entire appearance turned him on, but it was also just...her. He liked her smell, the sound of her voice, her mannerisms, and being around her was enjoyable. She turned from the glass doors and walked towards him in the kitchen. She took the glass of water from the island and thanked him. Lifting it to her lips she drank deeply, watching him through her lashes.
"Thanks for inviting me over. It's nice to see you in your own space. How long do you want me to stay?"
Jake hadn't thought that far ahead. She'd packed enough for a few nights but he hadn't mentioned a time frame.
"I thought maybe the week but whatever you're comfortable with is fine. I just figured a break from your place might be good for you. What would you prefer?"