by Opal Carew
Part 4 - Blissful Surrender
Tal parked the car, then walked along the sunny street a block down from the restaurant. This was officially their first date.
Sonny had come so far in a short while. After what they’d shared a week ago, where she’d actually bared herself to him, she’d been more relaxed around him.
They’d spent time together every day since then, and during that time she’d started casually touching him. Sometimes just a brush of her hand on his. Or she’d touch his cheek. She seemed to love it when his face was raspy with a dark shadow of whiskers.
And when they went to the pool and he took off his shirt, she would glide her fingertips lovingly over his scars, a wistful look in her doe eyes.
They were getting closer every day, and he knew that he wanted it to go on forever. They hadn’t known each other very long, but he knew, deep in his heart, that she was the woman he was meant to be with.
He turned the corner onto the main street and walked toward the restaurant only a dozen yards ahead. Sonny was waiting for him by the decorative wrought iron fence surrounding the outdoor patio in front of the restaurant, near a large planter of flowers.
She was talking to a man in a suit. Tal was behind her, but something about her stance… some aura he was picking up… sent his pulse surging. He picked up his pace and as he got closer, the guy looked up and saw him.
The arrogance in his eyes… with a cruel edge… put Tal on alert, every muscle ready to spring into action.
“Sonny, is everything all right?” he asked as he stepped beside her.
But he could see immediately that it was far from all right.
Her cheeks were flushed, her breathing shallow, and though she was looking at the man, not Tal, he could see the terror in her eyes.
“Sonny, who the hell is this?”
The monster standing in front of Sonny, who she had known as V, stared at her smugly, certain she wouldn’t say anything. She knew that with their money, none of the men would ever be charged with what they’d done. They’d reminded her of that over and over again. It would be a ‘he said, she said’ situation and no one would take her word over these men of prestige.
And the thought returned to her that he could easily hire someone to find her and kidnap her. And there was nothing she could do about it.
“Sonny?” Tal’s voice broke through her thoughts.
“He was one of them.”
The words, in a shaky whisper, simply slipped from her mouth. She didn’t mean for them to.
Tal’s blue eyes flared like blazing fireballs and he surged forward. Tal’s fist connected with V’s jaw and he went down.
Her heart thundered as she watched Tal start pounding V in the face, beating him with his huge fists. She’d never seen such rage in a man’s eyes and it terrified her.
Someone called 911 on their cell and a crowd formed around them, but no one seemed to quite know how to pull Tal off him.
Finally, she shook herself from her stupor and hurried forward.
“Tal, no. Please.”
He didn’t seem to hear her as his fist connected again.
“Tal. Stop this,” she cried.
He hesitated, then lowered his fist. He stared at the man in front of him, whose face was bloody and broken, and let go of his grip on V’s shirt. V slumped to the sidewalk.
Tal stood up and turned to Sonny. His eyes were haunted.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
Her gaze shifted to the splatter of blood on his face, to the smears of red on his fist.
She shook her head. Tears were streaming from her eyes. She wrapped her arms around herself, a chill running through her.
As he stepped toward her, concern washing across his face, she jerked back.
She didn’t mean to. But memories of the beatings. Of the more intimate assaults, had reared up her terror of men.
This was Tal and she knew he wouldn’t hurt her. But at the same time, this wasn’t Tal. This was a side of him… an aggressive, violent side… she’d never seen before.
He started toward her again, his blue eyes filled with anguish, but someone grabbed his arm.
Her hearing… her vision… all of her senses were bleary… and she felt faint. But she realized the man wore a police uniform and was talking sternly to Tal. Then handcuffs flashed.
Someone rested a hand on her and she jumped. But a calm, soothing female voice washed through her and the female officer guided Sonny with her to the car, saying something about getting her statement.
“Are you all right?” the woman asked. “Were you hurt?”
Tears flooded from her eyes as old pain, devastating and deep, surged to the surface.
“He raped me,” she sobbed, covering her face with her hands.
Sonny sat in the chair beside the detective’s desk. Someone had given her a blanket, which she clung to, holding it tightly around herself. Despite the fact it was a warm evening, she couldn’t stop shivering.
“Sonny, are you okay?”
She glanced up at Steve’s voice.
Steve hurried toward her, guided by the female officer. Sonny couldn’t remember her name even though she’d introduced herself. Sonny had been having trouble focusing on anything they’d told her since they’d brought her here.
Detective Jenson, who’d been typing up a report on her computer, grabbed a chair for Steve.
“I’ll get you both a coffee,” she said and strode away.
“What are you doing here?” Sonny asked.
Steve sat down beside her, concern etched on his face.
“Tal called me. His lawyer’s in talking to him now. He wanted me to check on you and make sure you get home okay.”
“What about Tal?” she asked.
“Sonny, he’s in some pretty deep trouble. The police told me they arrested him for an unprovoked assault. Messed the guy up pretty badly.”
She bit her lip, nodding.
“Sonny, is there anything you want to tell me?”
Her gaze turned to his and she trembled. She didn’t want to talk about V, or explain why she knew him, or the reason Tal had attacked him.
“Sonny, the police told me you said he raped you.”
She bit her lip and her gaze dropped to her hands.
“Sonny, look at me. Please.”
She raised her gaze to his, his face a little fuzzy.
“I don’t want to diminish what happened to you, or make you think I don’t believe you, but I’ve known Tal a long time and I just don’t understand—”
“Tal?” She stared at him, confused. Her head was spinning and she sucked in air.
“You said Tal raped you.”
Her eyes widened and she felt faint. She grasped his arm, needing something to hold onto. Someone to hold onto.
“Not Tal. The other man.”
All the swirling emotions… the violent memories… the fear… welled up inside her in an overwhelming maelstrom of fatigue, draining her of her last vestiges of strength. Everything around her faded to black.
Tal paced as he waited for Steve to return to the police station. All he could think about was the absolute terror in Sonny’s eyes as she’d jerked away from him.
When he’d discovered the guy was one of the animals who had raped and beaten Sonny, he’d wanted to kill the guy. Probably would have if Sonny hadn’t pulled him from his blind rage.
It had been his natural instinct to protect his woman. But what he had done was wrong. And the fact he’d frightened Sonny like that was indefensible.
He raked his hand over his close-cropped hair. What the hell had he been thinking? Not just when he went at the guy, but being involved with Sonny at all? She needed someone understanding and gentle. Someone she could feel safe with. How the hell could she feel safe with him when she knew he could fly into a rage and beat a guy to a pulp?
That violent nature that he’d thought he’d put behind him was obviously still very much a part of him.
He continu
ed pacing. The detectives had been set to keep him in jail, but then he was told they were dropping the rape charge. He’d been shocked when his lawyer had told him that was one of the charges in the first place, but Sonny had been pretty disoriented—he could hardly blame her, coming face to face with one of the brutal men who had hurt her—so something she’d said must have been taken out of context.
His lawyer had arranged bail, but he had to wait for Steve. Finally, a policeman opened his cell and led him back to the front desk where Steve was waiting for him.
“Hey, sorry for taking so long.”
“It’s okay,” Tal said. “Did Sonny get home okay?”
“Well, not exactly.”
Tal’s gaze shot to Steve.
“What do you mean not exactly?”
Steve’s lips formed a tight line. “She’s in the hospital.”
“What the fuck? What happened?” His chest tightened.
“She was in pretty bad shape. When I got here and started talking to her, she seemed confused and disoriented. The police told me she said you raped her and that totally threw me. But when I asked her about it, she explained that she’d meant the guy you hit. I take it that’s why you went at him.”
Tal’s gut clenched. “Yeah,” he admitted. “But why’s she in the hospital?”
“She was pretty traumatized. As we were talking, she fainted. I didn’t realize what was happening until too late and she hit her head on the desk. Apparently, it happened because she went into shock, but now they think she might have a concussion, so they’re keeping her in the hospital, at least overnight.”
“Dammit. I want to go over there. Make sure she’s okay.”
“Of course. Let’s go.”
Sonny’s head hurt. She’d just finished telling Leandra about seeing V and how that had caused the incident, then she’d found herself opening up to Leandra about the whole story of her past trauma. How she’d been kidnapped by the man who only went by D around her, and how she’d been used and abused by him and his friends. And that V had been one of them.
“Oh, my God, Sonny. I had no idea. No wonder you’ve always been so resistant when I try to set you up with a guy. I wish you’d told me.”
“It’s not something I like to talk about.”
“No, of course.” Leandra squeezed her hand. “Don’t you know any of their names?”
“I didn’t. I never knew where the house was. It could have been anywhere, since they drugged me when they took me there and when they got rid of me. The men were rich and they aren’t in the public eye. I did searches on-line to try and find him, but I really didn’t have enough to go on.”
“You said you didn’t know their names. You do now?”
“Just the guy called V. His name is Victor Langlon.”
“Is he going to press charges against Tal?”
“They don’t know yet. He’s pretty banged up. He probably will.”
Sonny’s stomach clenched at the thought. Tal had reacted to the man’s presence in a violent rage, but she knew it was because of his fury at the man hurting her. Tal wanted to protect and defend her. And now he would be punished.
“I talked to Detective Jenson about it and she said that they might have some leverage over V. They checked his background and found that another woman claimed he’d hurt her, too. Since it was going to be her word against his, with his resources and standing, she decided not to charge him, since there wasn’t a hope she’d win. Detective Jenson thinks that with two of us now, though, they might be able to make a case. Even pressure him into giving up the identity of D so they can bring him in.”
“That would be great. How do you feel about that?”
“Of course, I want to see D caught and punished, I’m just not up to thinking about what’ll be involved in getting there right now.”
The thought of having to relive the horror of the whole thing overwhelmed her.
“Yeah, of course.” Leandra squeezed her hand again.
“Right now I’m worried about Tal. I don’t want him go to prison for trying to protect me.”
Tal walked into the hospital, Steve by his side, carrying the flowers he’d picked up on the way there. A mix of bright pinks and purples with sunny yellow accents. They stopped at the information desk to ask where to find her, then proceeded to her room.
He peered in the door and saw that Sonny already had a visitor. Her friend Leandra.
“Sonny, I know you’re really taken by Tal,” he overheard Leandra say, “which surprises me even more now that I know your story—”
“Tal isn’t anything like those men.”
“Maybe not, but he is violent. You saw the article. It’s in his background and what happened tonight proves he’s still like that.”
“Leandra—”
“Honey, just let me finish. I’m just saying that maybe you should move on. That man, Bryan, I set you up with really is perfect for you and I could tell there was some chemistry between you. If you tell him you have a trauma in your past and that you need to move really slowly, I know he’d be gentle and understanding. He’d be the perfect man to help you get over this.”
Tal’s chest constricted and he turned and walked away. Steve followed him.
“Tal,” Steve said once they were out of earshot of the room, “I understand why you don’t want to go in there right now, but we can wait until Leandra leaves, then you can go in and talk to Sonny.”
Tal just shook his head as he stepped up to desk at the nurses’ station and put down the flowers.
“Would you take these to room 404?” he asked the nurse there. “She has a visitor right now and I don’t want to interrupt.”
“Of course.” The young green-eyed nurse smiled. “They’re beautiful. I’m sure she’ll love them.”
Tal just nodded his thanks, then continued on his way, Steve following in his wake.
As soon as he opened the outside door and stepped into the fresh evening air, he breathed in deeply. He knew what he had to do. He wasn’t the right man for Sonny. He knew it. Leandra knew it. Now he had to make sure that Sonny understood it, too.
Sonny unlocked her apartment door and walked inside, Leandra on her heels. Mia sat on the carpet watching her come in, then stood up and walked away, stiff legged, making it clear she did not approve of Sonny’s absence.
It had only been overnight, and Leandra had checked up on her, but Mia wasn’t a cat to be reasoned with.
Sonny placed the two sets of flowers she’d received on the dining table. Some nice cut flowers from Leandra and the big, bright arrangement from Tal. She smiled as she rearranged some of the stems. A clear plastic holder displayed the simple get well card that Tal had simply signed, with no note. The nurse had said he’d been at the hospital to visit her but hadn’t wanted to interrupt her visit with Leandra.
She wished he had come in. She really wanted to see him.
“Do you want me to stay and make lunch?” Leandra asked.
“No, I’m fine. They said I didn’t have a concussion, remember?”
“I know, but you’ve been through a lot.”
“I’m fine and I know you have to get back to work. I really appreciate you taking your lunch hour to drive me home.”
Leandra hugged her. “Of course. That’s what friends do.” She glanced at her watch. “Okay, if you really don’t need me for anything, I’ll head back to the office. I’ll call you tonight.”
As soon as Leandra left, Sonny walked into the bedroom to find Mia. She was curled up on the bed and Sonny picked her up.
“Hey, there. Sorry I was gone last night.”
She gave Mia a snuggle, but Mia wiggled until she worked her way free and bounded from her arms, then trotted off to the living room. Sonny walked to the kitchen, noticing that Mia was now perched on the top of her cat tree looking out the window.
She sighed. As she opened the fridge to see what she could pull together for lunch, someone knocked on the door. Had Leandra forgotten something?
She walked to the door and opened it.
Tal stood facing her.
Her whole mood brightened—it had taken a hit with Mia’s rejection—and her lips turned up in a wide smile.
“Tal, I’m so glad to see you.” She wanted to throw herself into his arms, but his expression was guarded. He was probably worried about her.
“Come in,” she said.
She stepped back, rather proud of herself that she didn’t even think twice at asking him into her apartment. She’d come such a long way in a short time.
“Would you like to join me for lunch?” she asked.
“No, thanks. I heard you arrive and wanted to come by and see if you’re okay.”
“Yes. They discharged me this morning. I don’t have a concussion.” Her fingers drifted to the bandage on her head. “Just a cut and a bit of bruising. I feel fine.”
“Good. I’m glad.”
He sat down in the big armchair and she sat on the couch facing him. Immediately, Mia leaped from her cat tree and bounded onto Tal’s lap. She curled up on his thick, muscular thigh and he stroked her furry body.
Sonny was jealous. Not because Mia chose to cuddle with Tal instead of her—that was Mia’s way of punishing Sonny for leaving her alone—but because she longed to be on Tal’s lap. And to feel his gentle strokes.
He pet Mia a little longer, then picked her up and set her on the floor, where she sauntered to the middle of the room and sat down to start licking her paw.
Tal leaned forward, resting his arms on his thighs, his hands folded. His expression was so serious a chill ran through her.
“Sonny, we need to talk.”
Oh, God.
“Are you going to be charged with assault?” she asked.
“I don’t know yet. One of the detectives is a friend of Steve’s and he understands the situation, so they’re going to do everything they can to help me out.” He shook his head. “But that’s not what I wanted to talk about.”
“Okay.”
“First, I want to apologize for that whole thing. I know that what I did made you uncomfortable. And it was wrong of me to physically assault someone. The thought of what he’d done to you drove me crazy and I just struck out. But that’s no excuse. You, and how you were feeling, should have been my first and only concern.”