Daisy's POV

Last night was absolutely crazy. Amber told me it would be busy but I never thought it would be that busy. I had just finished breakfast and was cleaning up when my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey, babes! What are you doing today?" Amber squeaks across the line.

"Nothing really, just going to chill since I have the day off."

"That's awesome. How about we hang out together since we are both off?"

"That sounds great. I will meet you at your place."

"No, I'll come get you. My treat today."

"Mine is not the best."

"I don't care. Just give me your address and let me come get you."

"Okay, fine."

"I will see you in about an hour."

We hang up and I sit on the bed. What am I going to do? I won't be able to hide and she will not want to be my friend anymore. Just when I thought everything was going good. Guess I better face the music. After about an hour after I had finished getting ready, I heard a knock at the door. I go over and open the door and Amber is standing there with a big grin on her face.

"Come on in." She walks in and looks at me, noticing my puffy red eyes.

"Babe, what's wrong?" She takes my hands and we sit on the bed.

"I am so ashamed of where I am. You won't like me any more."

"Oh, sweetheart. I don't care where you live. Nothing has any bearing on you. You are my friend. I won't judge you."

"*Sniff* I am saving for a real apartment. I just got out of a bad relationship and left with nothing. This was all I could afford."

"Honey, be proud of who you are. You're a strong woman. I don't know your past. Maybe someday you will tell me. How about a day of pampering and some retail therapy?"

"Sounds like heaven to me."

"Let's get going and afterward you are packing up and coming to live with me. I need a new roommate and you need to get out of this part of town."

"I can't do that. I'm not a charity."

"That's not what I meant. I do need a roommate. My old one left me high and dry. It's a lot closer to work too."

"I'll think about it. Let's go."

We head out and she takes me to the spa first where we get our nails done and facials. She even gets me a massage. I admit that felt amazing. I didn't realize I needed one. Once we are done there, we head over to the mall for some retail therapy as she called it. I got a few cute new outfits and some new shoes for work. It was the best day. After we finish, we head back and she finally convinces me to move in with her. She helps me pack up the little items I have and I check out of the motel. I follow her to her apartment and she helps me take my things up. Her place is amazing. Well, I guess it is our place now. I follow her to the extra bedroom and set my things down. She shows me around and the place is amazing.

"Your place is beautiful."

"Our place now. I hope you don't mind the guys occasionally coming over to hang out."

"What guys?" I ask as my anxiety level starts to rise.

"Just the guys from the band. Elijah and I grew up together. We have been friends since we were kids."

"Oh, okay."

"Don't worry, Daisy. They are harmless."

"Alright, I guess if I get uncomfortable I can go to my room."

"Yes, you can. This way you can get to know the guys and make some new friends."

"Sounds great."

"They sometimes come over on Sunday nights. So don't be surprised if they show up."

"Really?"

What am I going to do? I guess I can hide in my room. I don't know if I'm ready to hang out with guys yet. I need to pull on my big girl panties and face my fears. Remind myself that not all guys are like Scott. These guys seem nice. I only saw them at the bar and they were busy most of the time, but they seemed okay.

"What do you usually do when they come over?"

"They guys like to play cards mostly. I am pretty good at poker and they can't beat me so they keep coming back to try. I don't mind taking their money though."

"I have never played before. He wouldn't let me."

"Is that he an ex. Is he why you ran?"
"Yeah." I say quietly.

"Whenever you're ready to talk, I am here."

"Hmm you know, I think it would make me feel better if I did."

"Okay, let's sit down."

We go sit down on the couch and I take a deep breath. It takes me a few moments and she just sits there quietly waiting for me to begin.

"So, Scott and I started seeing each other about six years ago. He was so sweet. We were always together. He spoiled me. I had no one. My parents had passed away when I was little and I went into the system. I guess he knew that. I had no one to care for me.Then after a year we moved in together and after about six months he changed. It started with him coming home late, sometimes smelling like a brewery, and perfume. He started getting angry and blamed me for everything. Then there were times he didn't come home at all. When he was home he was always yelling at me, then came the beatings. I would always have to cover up the bruises with makeup. Then the bruises became broken bones. If I didn't give myself to him he would just take it. He wouldn't let me go anywhere except the grocery store. It got so bad that I tried to take my own life. I finally got the nerve to leave. I slipped him some of my pain pills and after he passed out I packed everything I could, climbed into my car and just drove until I couldn't anymore and that's how I ended up here. I thought maybe I could hide better in a big city."

"Oh my, I am so sorry you went through that! He sounds like a monster."

"He wasn't at the beginning, but his true colors soon surfaced."

"Now I understand why you are so nervous around guys. You are amazing. How do you come to work every night?"

"Everynight, I have to remind myself that not everyone is like Scott."

She reaches over and hugs me tight and I give in and hug her back. It feels good to have a friend like her. It's been so long since I had a real one. This is a start to a new beginning. He is no longer in control and I finally feel alive. We had been sitting and talking for awhile and we heard a loud knock at the door, I flinched in response.

"I'll get it." She gets up and answers the door.

"Hey, Elijah! Come on in."

"Hey, Amber. Oh, hey Daisy."

"You will be seeing a lot more of her. She is my new roommate."

"That's awesome. What happened to Tasha?"

"That bitch just up and left. I couldn't stand her anyway. She was a revolving door."

"Hey guys!" Sam says as he walks in the door and is soon followed in by Jack and Dustin. Dustin closes the door behind him and as he turns he looks up to see me standing there and smiles.

"Hey doll, nice to see you again. Didn't expect to see you here."

"Good to see you too. I just moved in today. Amber needed a new roommate."

"That's awesome. I get to see you more. Much better choice of a roommate."

I blush as he walks in and sits on the couch near me. I feel at ease with him next to me. Heat radiates from him and warms me. What is this feeling? I can't let him distract me. I can't let anyone in. I don't want to get hurt again.

"Anyone want a drink?" Amber calls from the kitchen.

All the guys ask for a beer and I go help her bring in the drinks.

"So what are we playing tonight?" Sam asks as he places the cards and chips on the table.

"Texas hold'em" Amber grins as she takes the cards to shuffle.

"We always play that and you always clean us out." Elijah groans.

"Until you lot learn how to play, you can choose something else. It's my house so I make the rules."

"Let's set 'em up." Dustin says before they all can start complaining.

They are all sitting at the table getting ready to play as I sit back on the couch and break out a book to read.

"Doll, are you going to play tonight?" Dustin asks from the table.

"No, I don't know how, and I'm not feeling it tonight."

"You're missing out." Sam pouts.

"Maybe next time."

"Alright guys, are you ready to lose your shirts again?" Amber smirked.

"You're going down, girl." Jack laughed.

It was fun to hear their banter around the table. Amber was giving them a run for their money. I heard several of them accusing Amber of cheating. I just laughed at their antics. They had been at it for hours and I decided to go to bed.

"Night everybody."

"Good night, doll.

"Night, babe."

"Goodnight." The rest of them said together. I head off to bed, change into my pjs and climb into bed drifting off to sleep

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Dustin's POV

Sitting at the table playing cards with everybody and I look over to see Daisy curled up on the couch with a book. She looked so sweet and innocent. I just wanted to curl up with her and wrap my arms around her. I don't know what has happened to her in the past. It must have been bad, she seemed to be so guarded. We have been playing for a few hours and she says she is going to bed. We all say goodnight and I watch her walk away.

"Hey, the game is over here. You get distracted and that's how you lose." Jack says, trying to get me to focus back on the game.

"I'm not distracted."

"Then why are you looking behind you? She is gone, man." Sam says with a raised eyebrow.

I turn back to the game and try to get my head into it.

"So did you ask Daisy to move in?" I ask Amber.

"We decided to hang out today and I went to pick her up and she was staying at an extended stay motel on the wrong side of town. I couldn't let her stay there when I had room for her here."

"What's her story?"

"That's not my story to tell. She needs to be the one to tell it if she is ever ready. Let's just say she has had a rough few years."

"Something to do with her ex?"

"Yes, is all I'm going to say."

"I noticed the scars on her wrists."

"I can't tell you anything, but she needs some friends. She needs to know that she is an amazing and strong woman."

"What's with all the questions?" Sam adds.

"Just curious, that's all."

"Hmm, seems like it's more than being a little curious." Elijah smirks.

I just roll my eyes and concentrate on my cards. Do I have feelings for Daisy? I don't know what this is. It's not something I have felt before. We go back to playing for a while and all of a sudden I hear screams coming from her bedroom. I quickly get up before anyone and run to her room. I get to the door and throw it open. I look and see Daisy thrashing around in her bed and screaming.

"Aggghh! Stop, no Scott. Stop you're hurting me! I'm sorry! Stop! Please!"

I run over and sit on the bed pulling her into my lap. Wrapping my arms around her and I stroke her hair trying to calm her.

"Shh doll, it's okay. I got you. He is not here. He won't hurt you ever again. Shh." I sit with her in my lap for a while and she finally relaxes in my arms as she wakes up and begins to sob. She grabs my shirt as she slowly calms down, and looks up at me.

"I'm so sorry."

"It's fine. Are you okay?"

"Yeah"

"How long have you been having night terrors?"

"For a few weeks, ever since I came to town."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not right now."

"Okay, do you want me to leave?"

"Could you stay until I fall asleep again?"

"If it will help."

"It might."

I lay down and she lays her head on my chest and I rub her arm until she falls asleep. I wait until she moves away from me and I get up to go back out to everyone.
"Is she okay?" Amber asks as I sit down.

"For now, I guess."

"What happened?"

"She had a night terror. Something to do with a Scott. I don't know who that is."

"That is her ex. He messed her up pretty bad."

"I will kill him, if I ever see him."

I am so angry. I don't know what he did, but it must have been something bad for her to have these night terrors. It breaks my heart to know this. I will never let anyone hurt her again.

"You have got it bad for her, don't you?" Jack asks.

"No, shit I don't know. I just feel like I have to protect her. She seems to be fragile. Something just draws me to her. I don't know."

"Yep, you got it bad." Elijah laughs, shaking his head.

"I have never felt like this before."
"Just take it slow. She is a wounded deer and will run if she feels threatened." Amber says.

"I don't know if this is what I want. It all scares me, but I can't stay away."

"It's okay man. Just go with what you feel is right." Jack says.

We go back to our game for a few more hours before we call it a night. I haven't heard any more commotion from Daisy's room. We all get up to leave and it takes all my will to head out the door instead of going to her room and holding her in my arms. I know I would scare her off if she woke up and saw me there in her bed. This is going to take baby steps for the both of us. She may have some trust issues from whatever her ex did to her. I have to build her trust first before anything else. Is this something I want? What is she doing to me? I have never wanted anything like this. She needs to be shown that she is amazing. I want to be the one to do this. Show her she is worthy of being loved, that she is a queen. That she is my queen.

"You cleaned us out again."

"Yeah, one of these days we will take you down." Jack groans.

"Hahaha, I like to see you try. I am the queen of Texas hold 'em."

"I never should have shown you how to play." Elijah just shakes his head.

"Good night girl, see you next Sunday." Sam smiles."

"Yep, and maybe we will play for nickels next time. Save your egos."

"Too funny girl, goodnight." Elijah laughs as he hugs her.

We all head home, and once I am home I head up to my room and shedding down to my boxer briefs, crawl under the covers and quickly fall asleep.