They Can't Protect Me From Loving You

“Oh my God Val, those earrings are stunning!” Lacey yelled as all the girls showed off some of the Christmas presents they’d received a week ago.

“And they go with that dress perfectly.” Gena added.

“Yeah, he said he’d seen them but didn’t get them until after I’d bought the dress, and um, I didn’t mean to do it, but I knew I’d seen them before somewhere, so I was looking through the Tiffany catalogue and I saw how much they cost him.” Val said, nervously glancing around her friends as she chewed her inner lip. Each of the girls just stared back at her eager for her to continue.

“Almost three grand!” she whispered, watching the girls jaws drop.

“Fuck and I thought Johnny had spent the most on this” Lacey yelled holding up her left hand to show everyone her ring.

“How much was that?” Eloise asked as she took hold of Lacey’s hand to get a better look at it.

“Two” she said quietly.

“Grand?” Leana checked, Lacey nodded.

“What are you beautiful ladies talking about?” Matt’s voice made Eloise jump and drop Lacey’s hand.

“We’re just showing off some of the beautiful things we’ve had for Christmas.” Val replied as his large, muscular, tattooed arms snaked around her small waist.

“Did you show them the earrings?” he asked.

“Yeah she did, they’re fucking beautiful.” Gena said as Brian and Zack joined them, walking straight over to the fridge to get more beers.

“She’s arrived with her new boyfriend.” Everyone turned to face Jimmy as he entered the room looking as if he could smell something bad.

“Who’s here Jim?” Gena asked taking a beer off Zack.

“Michelle.” He mumbled, still with a sour look on his face as he walked over and casually placed an arm around Eloise’s shoulder.

“I just saw them pull up in his flashy blue series 6 BMW.” He rolled his eyes. Eloise widened hers.

“A blue BMW?” she questioned.

“Yeah. Are you ok?” he asked as she felt the colour drain from her cheeks. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and looked up at Jimmy nodding.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She said quietly as she heard Michelle’s voice call her sister. It wasn’t until she felt Brian’s soft lips on her cheek that she was aware that Jimmy had left her side and Brian was stood next to her.

“Hey Shell.” Val greeted with a warm smile.

“Hey guys, long time no see.” She replied glancing around with a warm smile of her own.

“Do you remember my boyfriend Steven?” she said indicating to the tall man that beside her. Eloise struggled to breathe. The realisation of where she’d known that man from a few weeks previous hit her like a stone wall. The guy who had got out of the Blue BMW when she thought someone was following her had been Michelle’s boyfriend who she’d seen at Halloween. The words that Michelle had spoken to her that night flooded back into her mind. If it wasn’t for Brian’s firm grip on her body, Eloise would have fallen to the floor. She suddenly felt light headed and dizzy. She thought she was going to faint, but then she realised that she had been holding her breath.

“Babe are you ok?” Brian asked as she inhaled deeply, wanting to gulp down air. She nodded, not wanting to waste precious oxygen on talking.

“Honey are you sure, you seam to be having trouble breathing?” Val asked and again all Eloise could do was nod.

“I’m going to take her out for fresh air.” Brian said, gently guiding her towards the back door. The cool night air work wonders. No sooner had Eloise stepped out onto the decking Val and Matt’s patio that she felt able to breathe again. Brian held her silently as her breathing regulated again and she felt colour return to her cheeks.

“Do you want to tell me what all that was about?” Brian whispered softly as he ran his fingers through the loose curls of her hair. Eloise was silent for a brief moment while she thought about whether she should tell Brian. With a sigh she decided to speak.

“Being put in WP has done nothing for my paranoia you know.” She started light-heartedly. She didn’t look up to face Brian but she knew that she’d confused him.

“I’ve seen Steven before.” She said calmly.

“Yeah at Halloween.” Brian said sounding confused, but Eloise still kept her head against his chest.

“No, since then, a week or so back, when I was walking home from Leana’s after the slumber party. I was being paranoid then and I was being paranoid tonight. I thought he was following me. But why would he be right? It’s just my mind fucking with Me.” she said as she felt Brian’s chest vibrate as he chuckled lightly.

“Babe, it’s ok, you’re bound to get a bit paranoid with what you’ve been through these past couple of years, but I really don’t think Michelle’s boyfriend is out to get you.” he said, placing a kiss on the top of her head. She nodded, but Michelle’s words screamed into her head.

“Consider this a friendly warning. I will be doing everything I can to get Brian back.”

Was she being paranoid? Was this part of some plan Michelle had formed to try and get Brian back? Had Steven been following her that day or was it just a coincidence? Eloise’s heart began to race again. she took a deep breath.

“I’m being stupid!” she said out loud, pulling out of Brian’s grip.

“Come on, this is supposed to be a party, let’s dance.” She said with a confident smile, taking hold of his hand and pulling him toward the door. In a few hours it would be a brand new year; she could put what happened to her this year behind her and concentrate on her future with Brian. Michelle could try her best, but Eloise knew that Brian loved her and wouldn’t let her come between them.

*****

“Just make sure that you’re back here before the countdown starts. I want you in my arms when the clock strikes midnight.” Brian ordered as Eloise insisted that she had to use the bathroom before she burst.

“I will, don’t worry.” She replied placing a sloppy kiss against his lips. She smirked as she lifted herself off his lap and walked slowly up the stairs.

“Fuck this” she said seeing the line for the main bathroom and walked passed everybody towards Matt and Val’s bedroom. She walked into the room and slowly over to the door of the En-suite, thankful that there was no one else cheeky enough to use this bathroom.

Eloise checked her outfit in the large mirror and touched up her make-up. She ran her fingers through her hair before spotting Val’s bottle of perfume on the counter. Knowing that she wouldn’t mind she freshened herself with a quick spray before heading back to the party. It was almost midnight and she wanted to be back with Brian.
As she stepped out into the bedroom her breath caught in her throat at the sight of Michelle sat on the bed.

“Michelle hi!” Eloise said in almost a whisper.

“You know, I really had you down as being smart.” She replied, casually playing with her nails. Eloise just stared at her confused and slightly scared.

“I mean, I thought you would have known that I was serious back at Halloween? I do intend on getting Brian back, no matter what the cost.” She said as Eloise froze to the spot, unsure of what to say.

“What about Steven?” she managed to stutter when Michelle didn’t speak. Michelle’s eyes quickly snapped up to meet Eloise’s.

“Steve, oh he’s perfect isn’t he? I really couldn’t believe my luck when I found out who he was. I mean at first I thought he could just be someone to help Brian realise what he was missing, but then, well, then I found out a little bit about him. It didn’t take me too long to realise who his family were and how much help he could be to me. You know his family are still pretty pissed at you.” she stopped to take in Eloise’s expression with a smirk of enjoyment on her lips.

“The Owens?” she mumbled.

“Yes, of course they all think that you’ve been taken care of, but of course I could always set them straight if. I mean, I can get really bitchy if I don’t get what I want. Ask Val.”

“You’re... you’re bribing me?” Eloise said, catching on quickly to what Michelle was saying.

“If that’s how you want to see it. Yes. I am letting you know that if you stay with Brian I will let slip to Steven that you’re still alive, and then that little beating you had up in Sacramento will seam like nothing once they’ve finished with you, and I couldn’t guarantee that they wouldn’t stop with you.”

“Leave my family out of this!” Eloise yelled, her fists and teeth clenching.

“Then you leave Brian.” Michelle yelled back, standing from the bed to face her. Eloise froze for a brief moment thinking about this threat. She loved Brian and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, but she couldn’t put her family in danger again. They’d been through enough already thanks to her. She sighed deeply, not believing what she was about to do. She swallowed hard and nodded at Michelle.

“Ok.” she said quietly as a satisfied grin spread across Michelle’s face. Without another moment passing, Eloise fled from the room and ran down the stairs, glancing over the crowd of people to take her last glance at Brian. Tears forced their way out of the corners of her eyes as she turned quickly and ran to the escalade parked on the street. She frantically wiped tears from her eyes as she pulled away and drove frantically towards Brian’s house. It was only a minute until midnight and knew that Brian would be looking for her so that they could be in each other’s arms to see in the New Year together.

Still sobbing, Eloise ran into the house and quickly packed a bag full of her stuff. Pinkly yapped around her ankles, eager for attention. She picked him up and carried him down the stairs along with her bag and headed into the kitchen where she knew there would be paper and pen. She couldn’t leave without leaving him a note with some sort of explanation.

“Brian, I’m sorry, I can’t stay here and put you or my family in danger anymore, I’ve got to leave, it’s for the best. I love you always will, but it’s just better this way. I’m sorry. Be happy, please.
I’m sorry about the Escalade, but I needed transport, I’ll find some way of getting it back to you.
I love you. Eloise xxx”

She was shaking as she dropped the pen on the counter. She slowly walked back to the hallway and picked up her bag.

“Take care of Daddy ok.” she said kissing the top of Pinkly’s head. He yapped a reply as he tried to mop up the tears that were streaming down her face with his tongue. She placed him down on the floor and quickly walked out of the house, not wanting to take a last look at the place, where just a few hours ago she thought she’d be spending the rest of her life.