Nicolas stared at the whimpering man on the floor with an impassive face, heaving in deep breaths to force the rage from his body. Samantha tore from Desmond’s arms and hurled herself at him. He caught her in his arms and clutched her against him, his face buried in her neck and her arms clenched him tight, her nails dug into his back as sobs tore through her body.
Nicolas lifted her in his arms and carried her all the way to his car. He got in the backseat with her still grasped in his arms, wishing he could take all the bad memories from her and into him.
It was nearly an hour later before Desmond joined them. Samantha had cried herself to sleep and a forlorn sob escaped her lips now and then. Her body was soft and relaxed in his arms. He watched unemotionally when the police took Wieldman away and later Elaine in the ambulance. He didn’t even spare her a thought or any concern for her condition. Whatever happened to her, she deserved.
Desmond drove them to the Ranch, Nicolas still clasping Samantha in his arms on the backseat and accepted Nicolas’s invitation to spend the night. Mary rushed out and cried in shock when she noticed Samantha, but Nicolas waved her away.
“Please prepare us something light for dinner, Mary and show Desmond to one of the spare rooms. Get him some of my clothes and something to sleep in as well. I am going to run Samantha a warm bath and then put her to bed.”
He carried her upstairs to her room, which they now shared and placed her carefully down on the bed. She sighed and curled on her side. He stood looking at her; the love for her charged through him and nearly crippled him. His heart contracted at what could have happened if they had not arrived in time.
He sighed and rolled his head back. Thank God her ordeal was over. Now their future was all they needed to concentrate on. He ran a hot bubble bath and went back to wake her up. He sat down at the edge of the bed and softly stroked down her back, angry that the weasel saw her naked. She moaned softly and he leaned over to kiss her on her shoulder.
“Honey, wake up. I ran you a bath.” She stretched and opened her eyes and immediately fear filled them. His eyes caught hers and she relaxed, love now shining at him. He tugged her up against him and kissed her with a desperation that wrenched at his heart.
She stroked her hands down his back, softly smoothing the tension and anger away, until he gentled the kiss and ended it tenderly. He picked her up and carried her to the bathroom, dragging the sheet off that Desmond covered her with and froze, noticing the cut edges of her bra for the first time. His voice sounded like death itself.
“He … used the knife on you! God I should have killed him!” Samantha took his face in her hands and forced his agonized eyes to hers.
“It’s over, my love! He didn’t touch me this time, except to slap me and cut my bra. Please, let us not talk about it ever again. I don’t even want to think of it ever again, and I can only do that if you do too.” She kissed him softly on his lips and peeked at the inviting bubble bath.
“You said something about a bath?” She looked up at him invitingly through her eyelashes. “Are you going to join me? I remember you telling me you are an expert at washing ba … eeekk.” She screeched and then giggled when he ripped her panties off and lifted her into the bath. She watched him undress and gasped when his full erection sprang free. Her hand rose as off its own to tenderly stroke down the velvet hardness and he gulped.
It was the best bubble bath she ever had, and she made him promise to give her one at least once a week for the rest of their lives! He was only too happy to oblige.
Chapter Eighteen
“Her social behavior most closely mirrors the antagonistic behavior of the antisocial-narcissistic-borderline-histrionic cluster of personality disorders. In other words she has the triarchic psychopathic personality strain disorder.”
Shona trembled so much she had to sit down. Samantha stared at the specialist with bewilderment.
“How … why now all of a sudden? She is twenty six years old.”
‘We were told … six years ago that she was bipolar! She has been on treatment since then, but I knew something was wrong over the past few months. She changed, became cruel then at times totally withdrawn. I just thought she had stopped taking her medication.” Shone cried out in near hysteria.
The doctor nodded. “The bipolar medication is probably what has kept her psychopathy contained. If she stopped taking it, let’s say eight to ten months ago, it stands to reason that her disorder has now culminated so quickly to this level. This type of strain is mainly hereditary … is there anyone in her immediate family with a similar condition?”
Shona’s complexion turned waxen. Oh God, not that too! She shook her head weakly and the specialist frowned.
“Which factors of her symptoms are dominant?” asked Nicolas, where he stood behind Samantha with his arm around her waist.
“I am sorry, but the Triarchic strain is the worst of the disorder. The factors that drive it are boldness, a low fear including stress-tolerance, toleration of unfamiliarity and danger, and high self-confidence and social assertiveness. Dis-inhibition that corresponds to impairments in frontal lobe systems and in her case this one is the strongest, meanness. She lacks empathy and close attachments with others, portrays a disdain of close attachments and uses cruelty to gain empowerment and violence … she has lost total control, which is why we keep her hands and feet strapped to the bed.”
”How do we treat it? Will she ever be normal again?” Samantha asked with sadness in her heart.
"Certain psychiatric medications may alleviate conditions sometimes associated with TPSD, or with symptoms such as aggression, including antipsychotic, antidepressant or mood-stabilizing medications. In Elaine’s case … it is ineffective on its own at this point. We’ll embark additionally with strong mental and electro therapy, but she will have to be admitted to a psychiatric institution.”
“Oh God, my poor little girl! How long?”
“For now … indefinitely. I am sorry, but that’s the best I can do at this stage. You are welcome to see her for a while. She is lucid, but I have to warn you, she jumps between the ages of twelve and current.”
Elaine was smiling happily when they walked up to the bed. She smiled broadly and her voice sounded like a little girl’s.
“Hi sis, did you bring me chocolates? Those one’s with the coconut around them?” Shona cried and ran out of the room.
Elaine chatted happily to Samantha about her pony and her naughty dog and she answered and played along. Then she fell silent for so long Nicolas indicated they should leave. She swung her eyes to him when she heard his voice, then glared at Samantha. Her voice was hard and brittle.
“You little slut! Get your hands off him! He is mine! I will kill him before I let you have him!”
Nicolas pulled Samantha with him to the door and the nurse rushed past them. She looked over her shoulder and winced at the sight of Elaine straining and pulling at the restraints, screaming hysterically.
“He’s mine! Slut! Whore!” The injection the nurse gave her worked within seconds and she slumped back on the pillows.
Shona sat in the foyer, desolation evident in the slump of her shoulders. She looked up when they walked up to her.
“It is my punishment. If I did not date both Alexander and Jason on varsity … I was so young, so … so full of myself! It felt so good to have two guys in love with you! But I knew from early on my heart belonged to Alexander. I should never have … none of this would have happened!”
Samantha sat down next to her and drew her into her arms. “No Mom, it’s not your fault. That man was the one to blame. You can’t take responsibility for what he did.”
She shook her head and looked at Samantha in despair. “But I am. When you were born, your Dad was so happy. You immediately crept into his heart and he adored you … he always did. It didn’t matter to him that you were not a boy … I was livid, you should have been a boy! A first borne should always be a boy! All the scans said as much, clothes, your
room, everything was for a boy. I was depressed, your father and I fought non-stop and four months later I walked out on the both of you.”
Samantha froze. “You what?” She still struggled to accept that her father adored her, having believed most of her life he also resented her for not being a boy.
“I was an easy target then … Jason … he talked me in to moving in with him … and I did. I don’t know why! To this day I don’t know why I did that. He was in the clouds. He won; he had taken me away from Alexander. When your father found out he was furious, he came to fetch me a week later and the moment he walked in I knew he was still the only man I loved.”
She cried openly now and sobbed loudly. “And you, when I took you in my arms and looked at me with those big violet eyes … I hated myself! The first baby to be borne with violet eyes, according to the doctors, not the usual baby blue-grey color … I loved you from that point … so much! Then I found out … I was pregnant, with Jason’s child.”
Samantha gasped, “No!”
“Your father was in a rage, but forgave me. I wanted an abortion, but he refused. Said it was not the baby’s fault and he would accept it as his own, as long as Jason never found out.”
“Elaine is his daughter?” Shona nodded at Nicolas and he winced, but decided not to say anything about the relationship they now had.
She turned to Samantha. “What you overheard that day … I was referring to Elaine, not you! At that time she had started to change, she was rude and mean and I now know why, it was the early symptoms of this disease. But even that was inexcusable, she carried no blame and I only realized it then. That is why I turned to her then, why I … favored her over you, because I felt guilty! Not because I loved you less or still resented you for being a girl!”
She shook her head and her eyes were sad. “That is the reason your Dad and I reacted so badly that night! He could not take it that you slept with Jason, the man that took me and gave us Elaine … I am so sorry!”
Nicolas pulled his hands through his hair. “She never slept with him, Shona. Elaine and he concocted a scheme to break Alexander. They drugged her, tied her to the bed and when she came to he had every intention of raping her, but then Elaine had drugged him as well and he passed out. Elaine set it up so Samantha appeared to just have woken sexually satisfied. She wanted to hurt Alexander, make him suffer for Samantha being his favorite.”
Shone shook her head in disbelief. “That is when she became worse … it was just after that we realized something was seriously wrong and took her to the doctor. He really didn’t … you really didn’t sleep with him?”
Samantha shook her head and Nicolas drew her in his arms. “No, he didn’t and I can attest for that. She was a virgin when we …”
“Nicolas … it’s my mother!” He glanced at her with warmth in his eyes.
“I know honey, and it is time we told her.” He lifted her hand and kissed the ring on her finger. Shona noticed the glittering diamond and jumped up.
“You and Nicolas? Oh God, I am so glad. Alexander can now rest in peace. This is exactly what he wanted. He said from the day we met you, that you were Samantha’s soul mate! Oh, I am so happy.”
She jumped up and hugged Samantha, then pulled back, remembering her feelings towards her.
Samantha smiled softly at her mother. “I need some time, Mom. This has all been too much … it is like a movie with more twists than turns and I need to … just give me some time.”
Shona nodded and relief shone in her eyes. There was hope for them yet. She turned to go to Elaine and asked over her shoulder, “Have you decided on a date yet?”
“No.”
“Yes.” Samantha speared a glare at him.
“And when did we do that?” He leaned down and gave her a hard kiss.
“Woman, I have waited for you for ten years. Enough already! Saturday, the tenth, at the Ranch.”
“What! No, that is impossible! We will never be able to arrange a wedding in three weeks! No honey! I want a big wedding, with all the trimmings! Flowers, bridesmaids, dancing and a white wedding dress!”
“Fine, I’ll concede. You can have your big wedding with all the trimmings. As long as you can arrange it in three weeks; and that is not negotiable!”
She started arguing loudly, but he yanked her hard against him, stared deeply into her passionate eyes. He leaned down slowly but Samantha lost her patience and reared up to reach his mouth. The people walking around them smiled and chuckled at the couple kissing so intensely and passionately at the hospital entrance. Shona watched them with tears in her eyes, clutching at her heart.
“She’s happy at last, Alexander. Our Sammy is happy at last!”
Samantha read her father’s letter that night and Nicolas held her tenderly in his arms when the tears of regret and loss fell down her cheeks. He had regretted all the words he threw at her the very next day and has been searching for her. He knew what really happened and about Elaine’s involvement. That was what caused his heart attack. He regretted never having the opportunity to tell her how much he loved her and apologizing for what he did to her. He urged her to open her heart and find the one true love … the one that would guide and protect her for all her days.
She smiled at Nicolas through her tears … softly whispering to Alexander … I did, Dad … I found my one true love!
He forgot to breathe. She took his breath away when she walked down the aisle on Pops’ arm. She looked like the most beautiful, sweetest angel and he could have sworn she floated to him.
And here, now again, where she leaned seductively against the door jam, wearing only a tiny see thru purple teddy. She couldn’t have been more alluring had she been naked. The see thru teddy hugged her breasts, her beautiful large nipples clearly visible and straining against the lace. He swallowed and his eyes caressed down her body and groaned when she walked towards him; the teddy had a slit in the front and opened from below her breasts as she walked, baring her stomach and her naked mound to his hungry gaze – she wore no panties.
He had seen her naked more times than he could remember, but tonight she took his breath away as if it was the first time. His body tightened painfully and tented the sheet covering his hips; Samantha ripped it off and threw it to the edge of the bed, her eyes and hands caressing up his legs to circle his shaft. He growled when her hands caressed his arousal slowly up and down, raking her fingers up the length on one side, then down the other.
She climbed on the bed and he reached for her, but she pressed him back down, leaned in and kissed him feather soft on his lips.
“I just want to see you naked, baby. Let me take off …” She leaned back, straddled his legs and pulled the teddy off slowly, inch by inch revealing her beautiful body to him. His eyes burned silver fire at her. “God, you are so beautiful!”
She smiled slowly, caressing down his torso to rake her nails up his shaft again; his deep growl indicating his pleasure.
Then he forgot to breathe … again! Samantha leaned down and her lips closed around the tip of his shaft. His whole body stiffened and he was scared to draw a breath in fear of combusting. She took him deeper and gently sucked the tip, her tongue folding and caressing down his length. He sucked air desperately in his lungs and clutched at the sheets below him and when she scraped her teeth upwards around his pulsing shaft he shouted in agony.
The next moment she was flat on her back and he loomed over her, his face fierce in his arousal. He panted and held himself above her with his hands on either side of her. His eyes glowed and he growled again when she opened her legs wider and he settled deeper in between. His face stiffened even more, and he shook his head at her, grinding the words out.
“I wanted to make slow, tender love to you tonight … you just made that impossible! You should know better than to do this to me after a week of abstinence!”
He plunged his shaft into her and the mewl she released was loud, husky and animalistic. Her tight walls closed around him so tightly he
wheezed and panted. She started rotating and grinding her hips into his.
“I want you, Nico. I want you now!” He needed no further invitation and plunged into her and they hurled towards their climax with vicious intensity.
He got what he wanted eventually and spent the whole night proving to her how much he loved her. Slowly, tenderly … any way she begged of him, he gladly complied.
Samantha woke him up with soft, tender kisses all along his jaw and his arms closed around her and pulled her on top of him, his eyes still half closed.
“Morning, Mrs. Forrester.
“Morning, Mr. Forrester.
They kissed long and leisurely; Nicolas gently pushed her hair aside and circled her face with his large hands, lovingly gazing at each other.
“I love you.” They said in unison and their smiles widened. Nicolas turned serious and searched deep in her eyes.
“Will you stop taking the pill?”
Her eyes flared and she leaned down to kiss him warmly on his lips.
“I already did a week ago.” She shrieked when he flipped her on her back and settled between her thighs. The smile on his lips blinding and the kiss he gave her took her breath away.
“You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. You know just how to make me happy.”
Eight weeks later she interrupted a Sales meeting he was busy with; negligently walked up to his chair and slowly sat down on his lap, folding her arms around his neck. He stiffened and glanced at the smiling faces around him.
“Samantha … I am in a meeting.”
She glanced around the table. “I can see that, honey, I might be an old married woman, but I am not senile yet, you know.”
The team burst out laughing. Desmond rose and said with a grin. “It seems Mrs. Forrester has decided the meeting is over.”
Love me if you dare Page 18