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Then he heard a sob. Paula was crying, her head bent as she shook. Michael didn’t even think. He shifted closer and put his arms around her, allowing Paula to lean on his shoulder, rubbing her back as she cried. Just hearing her like this broke his heart. He didn’t know what to do.
Michael glanced at Natalie.
“Could you get the guest room sorted, Nat? And get a pair of my sweats from my room? Paula needs something warmer.”
“I might have something she can wear.” Natalie squeezed her dad’s shoulder as she stood up. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thanks, love.”
Natalie left the room, and Michael turned his focus back to Paula. She was still trembling, and it hurt his heart to hear her in such distress. He hated feeling helpless. And hearing such a strong woman like Paula in tears was shocking.
The woman he had fallen for three years ago had come to him for help, and he didn’t know what he was supposed to do.
Chapter Two
Paula’s head was still hurting when she opened her eyes. Her mouth felt dry, and there was a throbbing behind her eyes. God only knew how much she cried last night. Her throat was sore as well.
She hadn’t thought something like this would happen. It was frustrating that her concerns about Sam were being dismissed, and that her friends thought she was being too picky. But Paula knew that there was something off about Sam. Seeing him turn up where she was without any proper reason, turning up to her training sessions to watch her, and even turning up at the supermarket close to her that was nowhere near his place were all signs that this was more than simply being innocent. He was stalking her.
How could anyone ignore that and say it was a coincidence and he simply liked her? Paula didn’t know what Sam was saying, but it sounded like they believed him.
She couldn’t stop from going back to that moment when she realised that she was being put up for auction, and that Sam was bidding for her. His eyes had never left her as he nodded to each of the prices Marley gave him. He hadn’t even said anything. It had been very creepy. Paula had tried to get away, but Jenny and Denise had held onto her arms and made her stay still. She had been panicking. Why was nobody coming to help her? How could everyone in the room think this was okay?
Paula couldn’t begin to describe the relief when her brother came back. Charlie had taken one look at the scene, and he had switched to fury very quickly. He had charged across the dancefloor before Sam got to Paula, making Jenny and Denise let go of her, before he squared up to Sam. The place was so silent they had to have heard Charlie threaten Sam if he went anywhere near Paula again. Everyone was stunned, staring at Charlie as if he had grown two heads.
It wasn’t until Charlie pulled Paula out of the room that Marley snapped out of her daze and raced after them, screaming at Charlie to stop ruining the wedding and that Paula was making a fuss over nothing. Hearing her friend, who she thought she was close to, minimise her concerns and call her a drama queen had been just as shocking. Paula didn’t think she could look at her friend the same way again.
She was just glad to get out of there. Charlie would have put everyone in their place. But Paula would never feel as humiliated as she did being sold to her stalker.
How could anyone think what Sam was doing was romantic? It was insane.
Charlie. Paula remembered that she had turned off her phone. She needed to call him and let him know she was okay. He had to be worrying over her whereabouts.
She rolled over, fumbling for her phone on the bedside table. It was hard to move when her whole body hurt, but also because the bed was really comfortable. Far better than her bed at home. Maybe she should think about getting a new mattress.
At least she hadn’t needed to sleep in that damn dress. Natalie had found some shorts and a t-shirt of her dad’s for Paula to wear, and that was somehow comforting. When Paula had struggled to get to sleep, she had brought the t-shirt to her nose and taken a sniff to inhale Michael’s scent. It had been enough to calm her, soothe her into sleep. It was like Michael was wrapping his arms around her and holding her as she slept.
This was probably as close as she was going to get with Michael in bed with her.
Her phone started ringing and vibrating so much as soon as Paula turned it on that she nearly dropped it. God, she did not need that noise right now. Putting everything onto silent, Paula found Charlie’s number. She slumped onto the bed as it started ringing.
Charlie answered on the third ring.
“Paula? Where are you? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I’m at a friend’s house.”
“Which friend? Are they someone you can trust?”
Paula thought about Michael, about his dark eyes always smiling and that soft-looking mouth. How he was always teasing her and their banter. About how nice he felt when he hugged her. Even though it was just a one-armed hug. Paula had wondered how it would feel to have him hug her with both arms.
Which he did last night. And it felt amazing.
“Paula?”
“He’s someone I can trust. He said I can stay for as long as I need.” Paula yawned and rubbed her eyes. “I didn’t feel comfortable going home when Marley and the others know where I live. They didn’t know where Michael is.”
“Michael? Is this the guy from swimming you’ve spoken about?”
