Page 35 of Cooper’s Promise

Cooper followed Diane from the attorney’s office while she drove Brenna’s car. She let herself into Brenna’s apartment where another member of the Omega Team was staying. Then they all waited for Josiah to show up.

Meanwhile, a guy named Toby had babysitting duty for Brenna over at Cooper’s house. Brenna liked Toby, and Toby liked Cooper’s PlayStation. He consistently lost to Brenna when they played Call of Duty, but he was a good sport about it. Cooper would come at midnight and relieve Toby after a shift change.

This went on Wednesday and Thursday. During the workday Cooper went and looked for the guy whose father owned the boat, but he couldn’t be found.

On Friday, Brenna was trying to figure out a way to be dressed up for Cooper’s arrival without tipping off Toby that she planned to sex up her man.

“My back kind of hurts, Toby. I think you’re going to have to play online tonight. I’m going to take a bath.”

“I’m really sorry. Do you need some ibuprofen?” He immediately got up and damn near stood at attention. She knew that he’d just gotten out of the Navy.

“Yeah, they’re in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. I’ll grab a bottle of water, the medicine, and a soak. Will you be okay? Maybe you can order a pizza and we’ll have some when I get out?”

He lit up. “That sounds great. What would you like?”

“Anything, so long as it doesn’t have anchovies,” she laughed.

“I’ll order it.”

He really was a nice guy, Brenna thought, as she went down the hallway to the master suite. She wondered whether she could set him up with Tanya. She pulled out the sexy camisole and panties she intended to wear, and brought those into the bathroom, along with the white jeans and one of Cooper’s oversized t-shirts she would wear until Cooper got home.

She loved the garden tub with the jets. God, it was wonderful. She savored it after the week from hell. She still needed to think through how to help Cooper believe in a future together, but other than celebrating their fifty-year anniversary, she wasn’t sure what she could do exactly.

She slipped into the tub. The smell of oranges and vanilla surrounded her. She hadn’t been totally lying, her back had been hurting. Hell, everything ached, but in a good way. Cooper was a demanding lover, and wasn’t she a lucky girl! Brenna let her mind drift off.

When she heard the doorbell, she roused herself, and got out of the tub. Hopefully Toby would just start eating, because she was going to take her time. She wanted to seduce Cooper tonight, so she enjoyed the ritual of applying lotion. Cooper loved it, and so did she. Finally she got into the matching underwear.

“Hi, Brenna. You look lovely.” She looked in the mirror and saw Josiah.

He was wearing a pizza delivery shirt.

Time stood still. Was Toby okay? Please, let Toby be okay.

“Hi Josiah. I never thought you’d get here. What took you so long?” she said in a soft tone.

“You’re trembling. Are you scared?” He was holding a knife. Hell, yeah she was scared.

“I’m cold.” She reached for Cooper’s t-shirt.

“No, don’t put that on,” he said sharply.

“I’m cold.” She slipped it over her head. He could piss up a rope. She wouldn’t stand in her underwear for the man who probably just murdered Toby and was going to probably rape and murder her.

“I told you not to do that! You’re a bad girl.” Josiah stepped further into the bathroom, then grabbed the collar of the shirt and yanked her towards him. He took the knife and she thought he was going to plunge it into her throat, but instead he sliced it down the front of the shirt. “Take it off!” Shivering, she let the tattered cloth drop to the floor. His gaze raked down her body, making her feel dirty, then he scanned the bathroom. He saw Cooper’s razor and products on the counter, and swiped them off onto the floor.

“You’re living with a man. You’re a whore.”

She flinched. But then she remembered her lines. She prayed it was the right way to play him. “He forced me too. You know I love you.” Her phone was in the bedroom. Cooper was number three on her speed dial, right behind her mom and Hudson. She needed to get to it.

She pushed past him to the bedroom.

He grabbed her arm.

“You’re hurting me,” she gasped. She wasn’t playing, if he gripped any harder, she was afraid he’d break her arm.

“Don’t ignore me.”

She had to get to Cooper. She had to get him on the phone, otherwise she wouldn’t survive. There wasn’t a chance in hell she was going to abandon him.