I hear a popping noise and then my car makes a sudden, violent jerk to the left, then the right, and back left again. The dark images along both sides of the road come into view as my headlights sweep back and forth with my out of control car. As much as I try, I can’t regain control of it—everything is suddenly gone. The steering feels like it is nonexistent, the brakes aren’t working, and the throttle seems to be accelerating on its own. My mind is flooded with thoughts and questions as to what the fuck is going on.
Did that car hit me? Is that what the popping noise was?
No, no way. That wouldn’t explain losing complete control of all drive systems.
Is there a mechanical failure?
Of every major system? Try again.
How do I stop, or even intentionally crash into the ditch, before something really bad happens?
Without steering, brakes, or control of your acceleration, you’re shit out of luck, buddy.
This entire conversation with myself lasts about three seconds and then, regardless of my attempts to change the course of my car, my headlights illuminate the rapidly approaching drainage ditch. The one I didn’t want to crash into, since it’s at the bottom of steep drop off, but I have no say in the matter. I consider jumping from the car and taking my chances, but the steering is so erratic, I’m pretty certain I would end up being run over by my own car. Taking my chances with the safety systems inside the car, I decide to remain inside and literally ride it out.
Chapter Nineteen
I absolutely love the feeling of flying. It’s so liberating and thrilling to soar through the air, feel absolutely weightless, and climb higher and higher. It’s the hurdling back to earth that breaks the magical spell. The knowledge that, at any moment, I will hit the ground and my heart will stop beating fills me with a panicky feeling.
Then, I see her and the panic completely disappears. She is all that matters in my world. My feet carry me toward her—she’s waiting for me in the den. Wearing the new lingerie I bought her, she is the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen. It’s pure white with lace in the most suggestive places. Her matching silk robe is untied and hanging open to show off all her assets. I ache to put my hands on her, to feel her, and to taste her.
She points to the balcony to show me what’s waiting for us. The table is set with lit candles, our dinners plated, and the champagne has been chilled and poured. Her glass is empty and mine is more than half empty. She’s grinning mischievously because she’s had more than one glass of the champagne, even though she knows it wasn’t allowed.
“You know you’ll have to be punished for that,” I warn her with a playful grin. “In fact, I think you did it just so you can be punished.”
I’m still trying to walk to her but I’m not getting any closer. It’s like I’m walking on a conveyor belt—I’m not making any ground and she still beckons to me.
“You can spank me all you want, if you can catch me,” she challenges me. It’s our game and it’s all in fun. She would never disrespect me like that. It’s simply playful foreplay that we both enjoy.
“Oh, I will catch you, don’t you doubt that, little one. And when I do, your ass will be red for a week,” I issue a mock threat while arching one eyebrow at her.
She laughs and turns to run from me. Breaking out in a fast sprint, I run as hard as I can but I can’t catch her. She runs to the balcony, and just as she reaches the rail, she turns and smiles at me. Without warning, she jumps over the rail and her robe catches on one of the spindles, tearing it as she falls the twenty-three stories to her death. It’s then that I’m instantly standing on the balcony, the torn piece of fabric in my hand as I lean over, screaming her name with all my might.
“Carol Ann!” I exclaim.
I blink and suddenly my eyes hurt from the flashing, bright blue and red lights that seem to come from every direction. Unfamiliar voices come from all around me, shouting orders and commanding more people to gather around. I try to move—I need to get away from all these strangers. I want to get away from all of these eyes that are peering into me, into my life, and judging me. Judging us.
But I can’t move. I’m immobilized and I can’t break free.
“Relax, sir,” the soothing female voice says. “Don’t try to move.”
Nothing makes sense. In my haze, a preposterous thought enters my mind as I momentarily question if the roles have been reversed and I’m now the one who has been bound with ropes in the playroom. The thought is so insane, I laugh out loud and then quickly grimace in pain.
“I’m glad to see that you find something funny,” the female voice says again, “but I really need you to remain still. We’ll have you out of here in just a minute.”
There’s no point in arguing and I don’t feel up to it, anyway. The muddled voices around me adopt an urgent pitch and I’m suddenly hoisted up in the air. This doesn’t feel like I’m flying, though. Pain shoots through my body, causing me to mumble curses under my breath. Being unable to move and jostled around like a child’s plaything is not my idea of fun.
“Sir, what’s your name?” the female voice asks, her tone louder and more authoritative this time.
“Powers,” I reply.
“Try to stay awake, Mr. Powers,” she says.
I think I’m being carried somewhere but I can’t see where or how. Everything is so confusing and I don’t have the faculties to try to figure it out right now. I decide to accept what’s going on—even if I don’t know exactly what’s happening at the moment. Suddenly, there’s a sharp pain to the middle of my chest.
“Mr. Powers!” she screams at me. “Move faster, people! Mr. Powers, you have to stay awake. Do you understand? I need you to stay awake!”
Yeah, right, lady. The overwhelming urge to sleep is taking over me and I don’t really want to fight it. It feels so warm and inviting, enclosing around me and shielding me from the harshness of the outside world. It’s peaceful and inviting as it pulls me under a black blanket of nothingness.
My damn head is fucking killing me and my body feels like it weighs a ton. Struggling to open my eyes, the bright light above my head is blinding and doesn’t help my headache. Something is attached to my arm when I lift it to rub my eyes and it takes me a second to make my eyes focus. There’s an IV sticking in my arm and I follow the tubing up to the bag hanging on a pole. That’s when I notice the heart monitor and the blips jumping across the screen.
Slowly turning my head to the other side, I see a blood pressure cuff on my arm and a pulse oximeter on my finger. I’m definitely in a hospital, and from the looks of my surroundings, I’m in some kind of intensive care unit. A nurse approaches my side and presses the call button. Another voice comes across the speaker and the nurse at my side speaks, “Can you ask Dr. Cole to come in Mr. Powers’ room?”
Addressing me, she says, “Mr. Powers, I’m your nurse, Jennifer. Do you know where you are?”
“I’m in a hospital but I don’t know which one,” I reply.
“You’re in Baylor Medical Center,” she says and watches my reaction, I presume for recognition, so I nod. “Do you remember what happened?”
I scrunch my brow as I try to recall the events that brought me here. I get short snippets of scenes but they’re jumbled and don’t make a lot of sense. “I think it was a car wreck. I don’t remember everything.”
“That’s right, it was a car wreck. It’s normal to not remember all the details right now,” she explains compassionately. “The doctor will be in to see you and explain everything in just a minute.”
Jennifer stays with me, monitoring my vital signs and all the machines that surround me as we wait for the doctor. “Can I have some water?” I croak out, my throat feels like it’s lined with cotton.
She looks at me sympathetically, “Not until the doctor approves it.” She turns her head toward the door and says, “Speak of the devil.”
A tall, older man with white hair walks in. His stride is confident and hurried. He’s o
n rounds, no doubt, and trying to make it through his day. “Mr. Powers,” he says as he approaches my bed. “I’m Dr. Cole, your neurologist. I’ve been in charge of your case since you came in through the emergency room,” he explains. “Has Jennifer told you anything yet?”
“I’m in Baylor Medical Center and I had a wreck,” I respond and he nods.
“Do you remember anything about it?” he asks.
“Just bits and pieces. Brief glimpses,” I respond, trying to speak as little as possible. “Can I have water?”
Dr. Cole steps closer and takes out his pen flashlight. After he’s checked my eyes, my coordination skills, and my vital signs, he tells Jennifer to get me some water. “What year is it, Mr. Powers?” he asks as he scribbles in my chart.
“2014. But I don’t know how long I’ve been here.”
“What city is Baylor Medical Center in?” he probes.
“Dallas. The state is Texas.”
“Good. You’re oriented to person, place and time—meaning, you know who you are, you know what year it is, and you know where you are. Your CT scan showed no brain bleed and we’ve been monitoring you for any swelling.
“You’ve been here with us for a few hours. When you didn’t show up for work, you had a lot of people worried. Your car had veered off the road and into a culvert. You’re very lucky they found you when they did.
“As far as other injuries, you have some significant bruising but nothing major. Our main concern has been your head. The paramedic said there was an indention inside the car where your head hit. You’ll be sore and may have headaches, so you’ll have to take it easy for a week or so. We’ll keep you here overnight to continue to monitor for swelling in your brain, but I don’t expect any complications.”
Jennifer returns with my water and the doctor says his goodbyes with a promise to return to check on me again later. Jennifer reviews the chart he left with her and says, “Dr. Cole has put you on a clear liquid diet for the rest of today. I can get you some broth or Jell-O. What would you like?”
I give her my most practiced disgusted look and answer, “So hard to choose between those fine menu choices. Why am I on clear liquids?”
“It’s standard protocol, Mr. Powers. Solid foods are unsafe if you should require emergency surgery,” Jennifer says with finality.
“Fine. Jell-O,” I concede.
Jennifer smiles knowingly and starts to leave but suddenly turns around. “There are a couple of people here to see you in the waiting room. Neither of them is family so we couldn’t let them in before. Would you like me to bring them in now?”
“Yes, please. Thank you, Jennifer,” I say, knowing exactly who’s waiting to see me.
Minutes later, Sophia rushes into the room with Tucker fast on her heels. Her eyes are red and puffy, and her beautiful cheeks are stained with tear streaks. When she sees me, her unshed tears pour down her face and she runs to my side. She’s suddenly unsure of what to do with all the tubes, wires, and gadgets everywhere.
“Where are you hurt?” she asks, her voice watery and she’s barely holding back the barrage of sobs that lie just under the surface.
“The doctor said I used my head to break my car,” I try to joke with her.
“Dominic, this isn’t funny! You were missing for hours!” she cries.
Jennifer comes back in with more water and my Jell-O with a plastic spoon. Dinner of kings, I think to myself.
Once Jennifer leaves the room, I put the bed rail down and pull Sophia into the hospital bed with me. She tries to resist but I just hold her tighter.
“Dominic, you’re hurt! And you have an IV stuck in your arm!”
“Then quit squirming and just lie here with me,” I reason. She relaxes and gingerly moves the IV tubing out of the way. “That’s much better. See, I’m healing already.”
She shakes her head and I hear her sniffle. She’s crying again but trying to hide it for my sake. “Hey, shhh, I’m okay, baby. Just a little bump on the head. The doctor says I may have headaches and need to take it easy, but that’s it. Other than a few bumps and bruises, I’m fine.”
This actually causes her to cry harder and confuses me even more. Before I have a chance to ask her what she’s thinking, Tucker pipes in.
“Sir, do you remember anything about the accident? Anything unusual?” he asks in his usual, straight to the point manner.
I shake my head slightly since any sudden movement makes me dizzy. “Not really, Tucker. I get quick flashes of it but nothing I can piece together yet. They said it was normal to not remember everything.”
“Do you mind if I ask you some questions to try to jog your memory? It’s important,” he states.
“If you say it’s important, I believe you. Go ahead,” I say, curious to see where he’s going with this.
“Was there another car that seemed to come out of nowhere?”
I try to focus on the events of the early morning, “I think I remember seeing headlights coming up behind me.”
“Did your car seem to have a mind of its own after that?” he asks, but it almost sounds more like a statement than a question.
Images of swerving but not being able to steer flash through my mind. “Yes, but how could you know that?”
“Just a hunch, sir,” Tucker responds ambiguously. “Let us do some digging and I will get back with you. I’ve already called in a favor and have another man who will be with us at all times. You may not always see him, but he’ll be there.”
“Who is it?”
Tucker walks over to the door and motions for someone to enter. The biggest man I’ve ever seen walks in. He’s tall, with bulging muscles everywhere, black hair, and blue eyes. His gait is confident and everything about him screams don’t-even-try-to-fuck-with-me. Tucker is a big man, but this guy dwarfs him in size.
“Mr. Powers, this is Shadow, with Steele Security. He flew in from Miami as soon as you didn’t make it to work this morning. Shadow, this is Mr. Dominic Powers,” Tucker makes our formal introductions and Shadow walks over to shake my hand.
“Is that your real name?” I ask the mountain standing beside me.
“As real as it gets,” he replies amiably and with a smile.
“Fair enough,” I chuckle. “I know Tucker wouldn’t call you unless he trusts you.”
“With my life, sir. Shadow has had my back more times than I can count. He won’t let us down,” Tucker confides.
“I have a few things I need to check out, but I will be back to help Tucker with your security detail. I’ll be around, Mr. Powers. I’m not always visible, but I’ll never be too far away,” Shadow says.
“How in the world can a man as big as you be invisible?” I ask incredulously.
Shadow and Tucker both smile, and I think it may be the first time I’ve seen Tucker smile like that. It’s the smile that says they know something I don’t know. They have an inside secret that I’m not privy to know, and they’re also not going to let me in on it.
“There are ways, Mr. Powers. Leave that to me,” Shadow says as he moves toward the door. The way he silently moves, especially with as big as he is, must be an indication of his skills. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Time is of the essence if this is what I think it is.”
“I’ll be right outside the door if you need anything, Mr. Powers,” Tucker says as he walks out the door.
Sophia’s head is on my shoulder with her face close to my neck. The warmth of her breath fans across my throat and I feel her tears dropping on my skin. “Talk to me, baby. What are you thinking?”
She laughs but it’s a humorless chuckle, “You shouldn’t be consoling me right now, Dom. You’re the one in the hospital.”
“Don’t worry about me, love. I’m fine, really. Now, tell me what’s on your mind,” I say into her hair.
“It’s been a really emotional day. When you didn’t show up at work, I knew something was wrong. I immediately called Tucker and we both left to search for you and met in the middle.
He noticed the tracks in the grass where your car went off the road, so we doubled back to search the area. He sent me off to call for help when he saw your car because our cells weren’t picking up service for some reason.
“I rushed back and Tucker was down in the ditch with you. He wouldn’t let me go down there with you, saying it wasn’t safe and that you would be mad if I went down there anyway. I felt so helpless. I couldn’t do anything but watch when the ambulance, the rescue trucks, and the police showed up.
“They had to extricate you from the car and they put you on a backboard. Then several of them carried you out of the ditch. The paramedic was yelling for you to stay awake. You weren’t responding so she had to stop and rub her knuckles in the center of your chest to try to get you to respond.
“You had been awake for a few seconds before that, just when they were getting you out of the car. That’s when you…” her voice fades away and her hand flies to her mouth to hold back a sob.
“That’s when I what?” I ask, but she can’t seem to answer me. “I’m here now, baby, and I’m not going anywhere. You can tell me what happened. Maybe it’ll help jog my full memory.”
She nods and wipes her face. Pushing up to a sideways sitting position, she looks me in the eye and says, “When they pulled you out, you yelled out for Carol Ann.”
Oh, fuck!
“That really hurt because I was afraid I was about to lose you and you were calling for someone you lost. It made me think two things. First, I thought that you were seeing her, like you really were dying, and that just about killed me,” she confesses.
“And? The second?” I press.
“That she’s the one you still want and I will never mean as much to you as she does,” she says sadly and hangs her head.
There is a good explanation for this, but I have to be careful with my words so that she doesn’t take them in the wrong context. She’s every emotional right now and she feels like she’s competing with a ghost. In a way, I guess she actually is, but not in the way she thinks.
Her Dom (Dominic Powers #1) Page 18