All Chapters of My Life Long Crush: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

The next morning, Rawls drove me to work, he was being so protective. I tried talking him out of walking me in to my new office but he was not taking no for an answer. The new office was small but cozy, with a large window that let in the early morning light. It was on the opposite side of the building from where Jonathan worked. The move had been pretty quick, and it was clear that Thelma had pulled some strings to make sure everything was taken care of. The sight of my old office, now occupied by a new face, was a reminder of what had happened. Thelma had come through for me, as she always has. She had managed to get all of my cases reassigned to a new benefits rep without a single problem. “Rawls, honey, you can head to work. I will be okay. Thelma is right next door. She is as much of a guard dog as you are." Just them Thelma walks in. “So this must be the man responsible for putting a smile on this girls face. I’m Thelma. It is so good to finally meet you.” Rawls’s handshake

The anger I felt about Rawls and Claire’s relationship was outweighed by the rage I felt against Jonathan Cramer. How dare he try to hurt my daughter. After the call with Rawls, I immediately picked up the phone and started dialing numbers that I had not used in years, but the military never really leaves you. I called in a few favors from my old unit, asking for a full background check on this piece of shit. The guys owed me, and they knew it. Within hours, I had the file on Jonathan Cramer sitting in front of me. He has nothing of interest at first glance. No one is this squeaky clean. Everyone has some kind of past. But there was something else, something that made me sit up straight in my chair. He did not exist on paper until four years ago. "What is this?" I yelled into the phone at my contact, Tom. "Calm down, man. You know have all the intel that you need. Looks like someone has been living a double life," Tom said, his voice grim. "Jonathan Cramer's background check came

Robert messaged me to meet him at the park, he had some information. If he is willing to meet me face to face, it cannot be good news. We met at the boat landing not far from my office. Robert handed a file to me. “This is Jonathan's real name, John Castellanos. He has a history of assaulting women." Robert’s words hit me like a sucker punch. The implications were clear. This was not just some random creep; this was a predator with a pattern. And he had his sights set on Claire. Then the name Fremont College jumped off the page. He was at the same school with Evie. My mind was racing, trying to connect the dots. "Are you saying he could have something to do with what happened to Evie?" I demanded, my voice low and dangerous. Robert's face was a mask of fury, but his eyes held a hint of the same fear that had been gnawing at me. "I don't know for sure," he admitted. "But it's a lead we can't ignore." We sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the situation pressing down

I was so furious with Claire. She put herself in danger. I could not live my life without her. Now I am going to show her how much I love her. The best way I know how to do that is to be buried deep inside of her. Her eyes searched mine, a mix of surprise and need reflecting in their depths. I leaned down and kissed her, all the fear and anger I had felt earlier morphing into passion. Her lips parted, welcoming me in, and I deepened the kiss, my hands roaming over her body. With a gentle tug, I pulled her shirt over her head, my eyes drinking in the sight of her bare skin. Her bra followed, and my breath hitched at the sight of her breasts, the soft mounds begging for my touch. I cupped them, feeling her nipples harden under my palms as she arched into my touch. Rawls trailed kisses down my neck, sending shivers down my spine. His hands were tender but firm, his touch soothing the fear and tension that had been building inside me. I knew he was trying to distract me from the hor

When I get home from work, Mary is busy in the kitchen and I can see the table is set for four people. "What's going on?" I ask her, feeling a knot in my stomach. She looks up at me with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “Claire called and she wants to come over for dinner.” Robert’s heart skipped a beat when he heard Mary’s words. Despite the strain in their relationship, he knew how much it meant to her to have her daughter back in their lives. “I assume she is not coming alone.” Mary's smile faltered for a brief moment before she nodded. "Rawls is coming too. Honey, please let’s try to make this a civil dinner. I miss Claire. We may not approve of this relationship but maybe we can learn to at least get along.” “I will do my best, Mary," trying to sound more convinced than I feel. The tension between myself and Rawls is still there, but for Claire’s sake I will make my best effort. When Claire and Rawls arrive, there is already unspoken tension. Rawls nods stiffly a