Dare Me Ch. 04

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The damned roller coaster ride he was on with Stephanie needed to stop now. He couldn't keep up anymore. Every time he turned around something else was done or said and he was on egg shells again. He wanted to protect her, make her smile and make love to her for hours, but all this other shit was getting to him.

This time he couldn't blame her at all though and that's what pissed him off the most. He was the cause for her tears and the guilt eating away at her, all because he didn't know how else to keep her tied to him. He knew his reasons, but she didn't. Daren didn't want to spell them out for her and sound like an idiot though. It was bad enough that he felt like an idiot for what he suggested. Why in the hell didn't he just tell her he wanted them to be exclusive at least until he went back to base?

Did he do that? Hell no. Why? Because he didn't want her to have an out, he came up with some flimsy ass excuses and used them when she was vulnerable. He knew she was a small town girl at heart and used the excuse of people not liking him just living with her, that it would be a bad influence on her students. The sad part, he didn't feel sorry for doing it. If he wouldn't have done it, he wouldn't be here with her now. She'd still be here dealing with a man that could possible kill her if he wasn't stopped.

Daren held Stephanie tighter, hoping that he could calm her down and try to talk his way around this one. Kissing her hair, he asked, "Baby, what do you want me to do?"

He felt her take a deep breath, "I don't know. Anything we do now won't make it better, so it's a moot point."

He felt her push away from him and he let her go, but he stayed close. His thoughts in turmoil because she was right, no matter what they did at this point it would never be completely up to par. Daren scraped his hands over his face, "Do you want me to explain it out to the guys?"

Stephanie set something on the table and shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know what I want you to do. I just need to cope, I guess. I agreed to go along with this, when I shouldn't have. I'll just deal with it."

He felt like she punched him in the gut. The way she sounded so dejected and void of any emotion hurt. Daren cupped her elbow, "Stephanie, look at me." Her eyes usually held a sparkle, but it was gone now. Fear washed through him. He slid his hand to hers, lacing their fingers together. "We don't have to do this if you don't want me here. I'll leave and stay with the guys. We will just do a stake out type situation and keep you safe that way."

Somehow even more pain crossed her face and he didn't know what to do. He was trying to make this better for her, not worse. She whispered, "If you don't want to be here with me you don't have to stay."

What the fuck? Daren wanted to growl and shake her. How could she really think he didn't want to be here with her? Finally, he hit a breaking point and demanded, "Tell me what you want, dammit!" Before she could so much as flinch he continued, "I want to be here with you every damn night I can be. I don't want to leave. Do I care if everyone already has us married? No! Hell, Stephanie, I just want you safe and in my arms for however long you let me fucking do it!"

Stephanie's mouth fell open in shock. Hell, he was in shock that he told her the truth. He cupped her face in his hands and bent his knees to look her in the eyes, "Do I stay or go, baby?" He brushed his lips against hers, "Whatever you decide, just know it's final. No more doubts allowed."

Her reply was soft and barely could be heard, "Stay."

Later that night, Daren thought about his first meal at Stephanie's house. All of his friends gathered around sharing a meal and laughter along with the complete acceptance of Stephanie being a part of their group felt good. Stephanie was in the house getting ready for school tomorrow and he was outside watching the puppy. It was funny how easy it was to be comfortable with this setting.

Daren pulled out his cell and checked in with Beau, "Hey, has he moved?"

Beau huffed, "Sorry bastard keeps moving. Every ten minutes he's doing something else. He knows we are here and is getting itchy. Be on your toes, Dare."

"What have you found out about him?"

Beau went on to fill Daren in on Jeff. How he hadn't covered his tracks quite as well as Stephanie thought. After he took her to the hospital, a nurse talked to the police. Only that nurse had since disappeared. A deputy that believed Stephanie when she went to file charges was fired as well. Since Daren didn't believe in coincidences, he planned to find the deputy and the nurse.

Deciding that he should check the area around the house one more time, Daren finished his call with Beau. The guys would find the nurse and deputy, no question about that. Stephanie had just stepped on the porch when Daren caught a glint of something to his left.

The puppy had bounded up the steps and as she picked him up. Daren hissed, "Get in the house!"

He didn't have a chance to make sure she did as he told her, he took off at a dead run. Cutting through the trees and weeds to the side of her property, he saw someone with binoculars staring towards the house. Whoever it was realized Daren was coming for him and ran. By the time Daren got to where the guy was, and it was a guy from the body build, he had gotten into a four door sedan and was taking off down the road. No license plate at all was on the vehicle.

Daren growled out his frustration. Sorry bastard! Daren immediately pulled out his cell and told the guys what happened. They were in the process of checking the security tapes they set up around the property for him. That's when he realized that Stephanie was left unprotected in the house. Daren took off running again, asking Beau, "Did anyone show up at the house when I took off after the guy?"

Beau cursed, "There is a shadow on one of the cams, Dare. I can't make out what it is. We're on the way."

Daren's blood ran cold. He was an idiot. He did the one thing he swore he wouldn't do. He left Stephanie unprotected.

To be continued...