by M. G. Morgan
"It's time we went down to dinner. I know what my brother is like. Given half an opportunity he will attempt to charm you right out of my arms."
I was a little stunned. This was the first time I had properly witnessed David's jealousy. The last time I had glimpsed a possibility of it was when Robert had tricked him into believing we had slept together.
Suddenly the tension in the room was raised by several notches. Aaron's face had gotten darker and I could feel the anger vibrating through David's grip. I touched his hand that lay around my waist and he jumped. When he looked at me it was as though he had been asleep and was only just waking up. He seemed to be looking at me as though for the first time.
"We should go." Aaron turned on his heel and made his way for the door.
With another touch on David's hand, I made to follow his brother but David held me back. He tilted my face up towards his and brushed his lips against mine. There was something in the kiss that let me know I was very close to finding out some of David's secrets. That he was indeed deep and that he had a darkness within him that I had yet to properly see.
"Now we go." He whispered the words against my lips before taking my hand and heading for the door.
Once in the lift the atmosphere seemed to relax. Aaron remained silent for the trip down to the lobby and I fidgeted nervously. If I could have avoided going to this dinner then I would gladly have done so.
The doors opened in the lobby and I caught sight of Angelica and Robert standing by the sofa at the far wall. From what I could make out they seemed to be arguing. Angelica was waving her hands about and her face was contorted in rage. Robert was as cold as I had ever known him to be. He jabbed one finger in Angelica's direction as we exited the lift.
Angelica's face changed the moment she saw David. It instantly softened and she lit up like a Christmas tree. I watched as Robert dropped his neutral facade into place. He seemed to know by Angelica's reaction that we had arrived. He spun around, a smile wreathing his face.
"David, Aaron. So lovely to see you. Carrie..." His voice turned husky as he addressed me, his eyes taking in each curve of my body beneath the black satin of my dress.
Angelica's reaction to me was far less warm. Her gaze left David for a second, flitting over to me. The look of adoration fled her face and was replaced with a grimace. Looking at her, if I wasn't mistaken, then it actually pained her to see me. I wasn't the only one who noticed this look. David squeezed my hand in his and I broke eye contact with Angelica to look up at him.
As though to prove a point he lifted my hand and pressed his warm lips to the back of it. The gesture sent warmth flooding down into my belly and turned my legs to jelly. There was a promise in David's eyes. A promise of what would come when this meeting was over and done with. He had started something tonight and who knew where it was going to end.
"Walk me in to dinner, David?" Angelica's soft breathy voice floated through my haze of lust and broke the connection between David and me. He turned startled eyes to Angelica. But the look quickly turned to one of disdain.
"Angelica, I am here with Carrie." He pulled me in front of him and wrapped his body around mine as though to emphasise his point.
Angelica visibly bristled at David's brush off and she opened her mouth to voice her complaint. Icy hate filled her eyes as she stared at me. She was obviously a very unbalanced person, I thought to myself. How could she hate me with such fervour when she didn't even know me?
"Angelica, Darling..." Robert's voice cut through the standoff and he stepped up and took her elbow. Pain flashed across her face and I glanced down at where he held her. His fingers had turned completely white and I could only imagine how painful it must be to have him dig his fingers into her small arm.
"I will walk you in to dinner. You are here with me, after all."
She opened her mouth but he silenced her with a look.
"We will deal with these indiscretions later." He pulled her arm over his in a very gentlemanly manner but I could see the pinched look around her eyes and I knew he was hurting her. I wanted to reach out to her, to tell him to get off and leave her alone, but she must have seen the look that entered my eyes. She shot me a dirty look and the look of pain disappeared from her face. It was replaced with one of haughtiness and she went willingly with Robert.
I leaned up to David and whispered my words against his ear, "Why does she stay with him if he hurts her?"
David shrugged his shoulders and looked sad. "I do not know. Robert is a very persuasive man. No one knows the true goings on in another’s relationship."
We followed the other couple to the dining room and took our seats at the large, round table.
David sat on one side, his hand tracing lazy circles on my legs through the satin of my dress. Aaron sat on the other side and Angelica and Robert sat almost entirely opposite us.
The men talked business and I only half listened. Several times it seemed that Robert might have the upper hand but David and Aaron quickly squashed him at every opportunity.
Half way through the main course Angelica leaned over to Robert and whispered something in his ear. He nodded and she stood.
"I'm afraid, gentlemen, I must retire for the evening I have the beginnings of a headache." She ignored Aaron and me, her gaze instantly going to David as she spoke. As she left I released a sigh of relief.
On one hand I pitied her and on the other I didn't like her at all. She made it very hard for me to feel compassion for her. I couldn't help but feel a little confused by her. Was I even meant to feel compassion for her? There was no way she could have any female friends and, if she did, then they had to be as cold as she was.
The hairs stood up on the back of my neck and I climbed out of my own thoughts. I glanced around the room but I could find no reason to feel so uneasy. It wasn't until I happened to look over at Robert that I realised the reason for my unease.
His eyes bored holes into me and I could feel the same icy hatred rolling off him as I had felt earlier with Angelica. David squeezed my leg and in that moment I was glad that he was here with me.
I turned to David as he lifted his wine glass to his lips. "I think I should allow you to continue your negotiations in peace." I quirked my eyebrow and slowly ran my tongue across my lips.
David spluttered and choked on his wine but he knew exactly what I meant. I had a plan and it involved the large Jacuzzi bath. David's eyes filled with heat as he drank in the swell of my breasts. He knew what I had to offer him. He certainly wasn't a stranger to my body. I stood and smiled at Aaron and Robert before turning and walking away.
Without looking back I knew David watched the swing of my hips and ass as I exited the restaurant and made my way back to the lift. Room service would send me up the champagne and I would run the bath. David wouldn't stay away for long. Not when I knew that he had already beaten Robert and there was no hope of him ever getting his grubby hands on the business. Not only that but I had intrigued David.
No one had ever initiated anything sexually with him before and I would be the first. Self-conscious me, would attempt to seduce someone as handsome and dominant as David. The thought gave me butterflies in my tummy.
Standing in the lift I entered the code David had given me for our room and I waited for the doors to open. Stepping into the darkened apartment a small sound caught my attention. I paused and listened closely. Another noise hit my ears and I made my way cautiously to the bedroom door. I pushed the door open and started to let my eyes adjust to the gloom beyond.
"David?" The voice came out of the darkness.
I flicked on the lights as anger coursed through my veins. Angelica lay across the top of the sheets. Her green dress from earlier was discarded on the floor and she was naked. She had scattered rose petals across the bed and she was idly playing with some of them.
She held one of the satin petals in her hands and she drew it across her erect nipples. Her eyes were closed. I cleared my throat and crossed my arms acro
ss my chest.
Angelica's eyes flew open and she stared at me as though I was the intruder and not her.
"What are you doing here?" Her voice was filled with accusation.
"What? Are you serious? Angelica, you're in my bed. I'm with David, not you."
She sat up and her expression turned murderous. "He feels sorry for you. He doesn't want you, not when he can have me."
"Get out!" I pointed to the door with a trembling hand.
She stood and stalked towards me. Even without heels she was far taller than I was and I couldn't help but take a step back from her. She was clearly crazy, crazy people were capable of anything.
"Can't handle the truth, Carrie?" Her voice had dropped and she spat the words in my face. "He doesn't want you. He never has. He told me to meet him here. He wants me in his bed and not you." She jabbed her finger into my chest sending a tiny flare of pain through me.
I stood my ground. I wasn't going to let her ruin what I shared with David. She wasn't worth it and I wasn't going to let her inside my head.
"I make him feel things that you can only dream of," she said. "Men don't just want me for my body, you know. I let him do dark things to me and he enjoys it. You can't make him happy, Carrie. You are far too vanilla and plain. You couldn't take the types of dark fantasies that David has. I can." She turned and showed me a long white scar that ran down the length of her back. It marred the perfect golden tan she had and my mouth dropped open in surprise.
"David marked me. He marked me as his own. I see no brand on you, Carrie. He doesn't want you the way he wants me."
I shook my head. There was no way that David had done this. She was with Robert. He was far more capable of this sort of behaviour than David was... Wasn't he?
The door opened and David entered with Aaron, both men laughing and slapping each other on the back. That all stopped when they spotted Angelica standing naked in the bedroom and me in the door. I turned to move towards David but a hand wrapped itself tightly in my hair, jerking my head back painfully.
"You can't have him."
I could hear screaming and someone knocked me to the floor and climbed on top of me. Blows rained down on me as I huddled in a ball trying to protect myself. The weight disappeared off me, then two strong arms wrapped around me, lifting me up from the floor.
Aaron held the struggling Angelica in his arms. She continued to struggle and fight, spitting venomous words of hatred in my direction. I watched in astonishment as two burly security men entered the room and hauled Angelica away.
David spun me around to face him, his hand brushing the frightened tears from my cheeks. My head was still ringing and a few moments had passed before I realised he was talking to me.
"Are you hurt? Carrie, are you alright? I'm so sorry." He hugged me tightly, practically crushing the air from my lungs.
"She was waiting for you. She said you had told her to wait here, that you would meet her here..."
David looked down at me, his eyes filled with sorrow. "And you believe that? You believe I would do that... to you?"
I shook my head and buried my face against his chest. But his fingers fitted under my chin and he lifted my face to look at him. "Tell me you mean that. Tell me you don't believe her crazy lies."
"I don't believe her." I spoke the words but something else niggled at me. The scar on her back and the way she spoke of David's dark side. She hadn't been the only one to mention it before. It couldn't be a coincidence... Could it?
I sucked in a long shaking breath before untangling myself from David's arms. "I'm going to take a walk and clear my head." I smiled at him.
"Uh, Carrie, after everything I don't know if that is such a good idea." David's voice was filled with worry.
I stood on tiptoe and pressed my lips to his in one fleeting kiss. "I won't be long. I promise. I just need some air and to get my head around how crazy Angelica was."
David nodded slowly. "Fine, but be careful. I have one last business call to make and then I am free for the rest of the week. I will be all yours and you won't be able to get rid of me." He grinned wolfishly at me and it sent heat racing through my body. I couldn't help but hope we could have a repeat of the night before’s fun on the beach.
I turned and headed for the door. I gave him one last look over my shoulder and left him to tidy up the final stray pieces of business with Aaron.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Walking along the beach I let my thoughts go. I didn't need to worry about David. He had shown me no side of his darkness, yet, anyway. There was no point in dwelling on something that a woman crazed with jealousy had concocted.
I carried my shoes as I let the cool water lap at my feet. Turning, I caught sight of the dunes that David had taken me to the night before. Unable to resist, I walked up to them in search of our place.
"Bitch." The drunken slurring of his voice made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck and my stomach lurched. I turned to see Robert standing at the entrance to the sand dunes. He swayed a little as he watched me with unfocused eyes.
"It's all his fault. He's taken everything... Angelica used to love me once... Until he came along. He gets them all... Lacey, Angelica, you... Why should he get everyone? And now the business too... Did he tell you? My father has cut me off."
As he spoke I could see him beginning to straighten. Whatever he had drunk was slowly wearing off and for that I was grateful. At least it meant he wasn't a threat if he had his faculties about him.
"I'm sorry, Robert. I'm sorry about Angelica and your father..." The name Lacey rolled over and over in my head but I couldn't place it. I had never heard of a woman called Lacey in David's life.
"Sorry? What are you sorry for? It's him I want to be sorry." Something changed in Robert's eyes and I could see the coldness that had concerned me before creeping back into his gaze.
"Let's see how he feels to lose something he loves."
"David!" I screamed his name as Robert pounced towards me. I ran as fast as the long dress would allow, my feet sinking in the white sand as I attempted to escape.
"Come here!" His voice sent fear racing through my veins.
My feet tangled in the hem of the satin dress, sending me sprawling to the sand. I struggled to get up, to crawl and escape somehow, but Robert fell upon me. Gripping my shoulders he turned me over and slapped my face, momentarily stunning me. Stars filled my vision and I screamed again.
Robert crawled over me and wrapped his hands around my throat, his grip tight and unrelenting, growing tighter. I struggled to breathe. My hands clawed at him, ripping and tearing at clothes and flesh—anything I could lay my fingernails on.
He lifted my head and slammed it down as his grip tightened further. I couldn't scream, couldn't breathe and pain exploded behind my eyes as my head hit something sharp and solid. I grew more tired, unable to fight. Darkness ate at my vision. Creeping in around me. I could swear I heard David's voice calling my name but it sounded very far away.
Darkness claimed me. My body went limp. The last thought in my mind was of David. I imagined him gathering me into his arms, calling out my name. Begging me not to leave him. Tears seeped out of my eyes. I wanted to touch his face. Brush the fear and pain from him. But I couldn't. I couldn't fight the darkness and I let go. It swallowed me whole. My one regret was I hadn't told David that I loved him. I did love him. It had taken me too long to figure it out and now it was too late. I drifted. At least in the dark it didn't hurt anymore.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The sound of beeping slowly roused me. My eyes felt heavy, as though they were weighed down with lead. The second I opened my eyes I instantly regretted it. Everything about the room was far too bright. The white walls and bed sheets seemed to create a glare that made the pounding in my head so much more pronounced.
Someone groaned. It wasn't until I felt a hand grip mine tightly that I realised it was me making the small, groaning, whimpering noises. I sounded pathetic, like a wounded anima
l.
I opened my eyes again and this time I tried to keep them open. I wanted to be awake... It was the reason I had fought so hard to survive in the first place. I wanted to be awake for the person gripping my hand so tightly I was sure it would be covered in bruises.
"David..." The word came out on a half choked, hoarse sob.
His face came into view above me. The concern and anguish that filled his eyes hurt my heart. I didn't want to see him so upset. He shouldn't have been so worried... Part of me wondered why he would be so worried... It didn't make any sense...
He ran his free hand down against the side of my face, cupping my cheek. It was such a tender gesture that I couldn't stop the tears from trickling from my eyes. I opened my mouth again but my throat ached and the words refused to form properly. I was so confused...
I tried to sit up and the world spun in sickening circles. Bright white lights exploded behind my eyes making me wince and forcing me to give up my attempt to sit up straight.
"Don't move, I'll get a nurse." He moved to release his grip on my hand. Panic flooded through me. I wasn't sure why but the last thing I wanted was for David to leave my side.
With a strangled sob of fear I grabbed at his arm and jacket, my fingers digging into his hard forearm leaving me feeling reassured. He was real. He wasn't just one of my dreams. I'd had plenty of them. Terrifying dark dreams filled with terror and pain. David had been my anchor but he had always disappeared just when I needed him most. He couldn't save me if he was a dream. But here in the white room he was very real.
"It's alright, Carrie, I'm just going to get a nurse to look at you. You've been out for three days. They were worried about your head trauma."
"Don't leave me, please..." The words finally left my tongue. The feel of the scalding tears running down my face made me feel alive. Everything did. Pain was both a blessing and a curse.
The door opened up and David turned relieved eyes to whoever had entered. "Aaron, she's awake. Can you get the nurse?"