Crash Into Me

by K. M. Scott

  "Nina! Are you okay?" she asked as she cradled me in her arms.

  I heard Jenson's voice barking some order at Jordan as I closed my eyes in agony from the pain. A headache instantly tore through my head, making me cry. I don't know how long I laid there with Jordan, but at some point Jenson lifted me from the concrete porch and carried me to the car.

  The leather seat felt so cool against my skin as I lay there in the back of the Town Car while Jordan smoothed my hair from my face. Jenson returned a minute later and took off, driving quickly through the streets of Sunset Park.

  "Honey, how's your head?" Jordan asked quietly. "Let me see."

  I leaned forward, making me feel like my head was swimming, and Jordan lightly rubbed her hand over the back of my hair. "It hurts, Jordan. Am I bleeding?"

  Lifting my head, I saw a tiny red splotch on her palm. "I don't know, honey. It doesn't seem like you're bleeding a lot, but you're starting to swell up." She turned around to speak to Jenson. "Hey, are you taking her to the hospital? She might need a doctor."

  "Miss, Mr. Stone has been contacted and he wants her back at the house."

  Jordan wanted to say something more to the driver, but I grabbed her arm and shook my head slowly. "It's okay. I'm sure if I need something, Tristan will take care of it. But you get to see the house," I said with a smile, but even that made my head hurt even more.

  "How long will it take?" she asked as we raced toward the Taconic.

  "At the rate he's going, no time. Don't worry. Everything will be fine," I joked, trying to hide how terrified I was as my head began to throb all the way down to the base of my skull.

  Jenson held his hand back toward Jordan. "I found this on the steps."

  She took what sat in his palm and held it up to show me. "He got your phone, at least."

  I laughed a little. Leave it to Jordan. "Yeah. At least he knows what's important. Did he get my bag?"

  Leaning forward toward Jenson, she asked, "Did you get Nina's bag?"

  "Yes, miss." He held out his hand and passed my purse back to Jordan. "I'm afraid there's nothing left in it, though."

  She looked inside and saw Jenson had told the truth. Shrugging, she said, "At least he didn't get the bag. It's a gorgeous bag."

  I moaned in a mixture of pain and amusement. "Yeah. But my letter is gone. Now I'll never know if the IRS was going to audit me."

  "What?" she asked, confused by my inside joke.

  "Never mind. I think I'm just going to close my eyes and relax until we get there."

  I felt the car stop and then the door flew open and hands reached in and scooped me up from the seat. They were strong and I knew they were Tristan's. Opening my eyes, I saw his face and those brown eyes so full of concern staring down at me. I was in bad shape if his expression was any indication.

  "Tristan..."

  "Shhh. Don't talk. I want you to lay down while we wait for the doctor."

  I rested my head against his shoulder and closed my eyes again. Just knowing he was taking care of everything put me at ease, and I couldn't imagine feeling safer than in his arms. He placed me gently into our bed and sat beside me, still wearing a look of worry.

  "I'll be right back. I need to deal with Jenson," he said sternly.

  Reaching out, I grabbed his shirt sleeve as he stood. "Jenson didn't do anything wrong. Please don't do anything to him. If it wasn't for him, I don't know what would have happened to me or Jordan."

  Tristan studied me for a moment and then nodded his head. "He's supposed to make sure this doesn't happen, Nina."

  "Please. He's not to blame. It all happened so fast. He got to me as soon as he could," I pleaded.

  He leaned down and kissed me softly on the lips. "I'll send Jordan in until I get back."

  Chapter Nineteen

  Jordan sat with me and tried to make me feel better as Tristan reprimanded the driver right outside the door. I couldn't hear everything he said, but as Jordan raved about how beautifully the house was decorated, I heard Tristan say, "I want him taken care of. Now. Do I make myself clear?"

  I truly hoped he wasn't talking to Rogers about firing Jenson. It wasn't his fault Mrs. Phillps' crazy grandson was some kind of addict and probably stole my bag for money to buy his drugs. I tuned out much of what Jordan said as I strained to hear more of what Tristan was saying, but his voice was so low I couldn't make anything more out.

  When he returned, his expression was softer and he smiled when his gaze met mine. As he sat down next to me, he squeezed my hand. "How are you feeling? The doctor should be here any minute."

  "How did you get here before us?" I asked, realizing he couldn't have left the city before Jenson left Sunset Park.

  "I drive faster than Jenson," he said with a laugh. "Remember how fast my car is?"

  "Yeah." The memory of that first night and us racing up the highway toward this house flashed through my mind, and then I heard Jordan speak.

  "I think I need to go home, Nina. You look like you're in good hands here."

  All I could think about was her going back to where that asshole was. Who knew what might happen if he caught her alone? I looked over at Tristan and squeezed his hand. "Jordan can't go back there. That guy might be there, Tristan."

  "Honey, I have work. I have to go back to the city," Jordan protested.

  I silently pleaded with Tristan, hoping he understood the look in my eyes. When he spoke, I fell in love with him all over again.

  "Jordan, Nina's right. You can spend a week or two at my hotel downtown while my people find the man who did this."

  "Are you sure? That's really nice of you."

  I brought Tristan's hand to my mouth and kissed it, mouthing "Thank you."

  He looked deep into my eyes as he said to Jordan, "It's my pleasure. I think you'll enjoy one of the suites, and the menu for room service is second to none." Breaking his stare, he turned to face her. "I'll be sure to check in on you to make sure you're comfortable. Jenson will escort you back to Brooklyn and wait until you get your things."

  Jordan leaned over the bed and hugged me tightly against her. In my ear, she whispered, "Feel better, sweetie. And if you let this man get away, I'll never let you live it down."

  Rogers appeared as he always did, just at the right time, and took Jordan to the car. Alone again with Tristan, I pulled on his tie to bring his mouth to mine. Never before had I wanted to show someone how much I loved them as I wanted to at that moment. He kissed me like he'd missed me for ages, covering my mouth seductively as he caressed the inside of my mouth with his tongue. The feeling was sensual and caring at the same time.

  I pulled away and ran my hand over his cheek. "Thank you for what you did for Jordan. I can't tell you how much it means to me."

  "I would do anything to make you happy, Nina. I'll find the man who did this and he'll understand what happens when he hurts someone I love."

  Something in his eyes told me Mrs. Phillips' grandson was in danger, but before I could ask him what he planned to do about him, Rogers knocked on the bedroom door to announce the doctor had arrived.

  "Good. Show him in, Rogers," Tristan said in the butler's direction.

  The doctor examined me and pronounced me healthy, other than a tennis ball size goose egg on the back of my head. He assured me there wouldn't be any permanent damage and that I'd be fine. It took all of ten minutes for him to complete the entire examination and prescribe a pain killer, and Tristan thanked him and led him out to meet Rogers, returning to my side not a minute later.

  He looked at me oddly, and I realized I still wore my red dress and stockings. I didn't know where my shoes were, though. "I wanted to surprise you for our date. Do you like it?"

  He removed his black suit coat and tie and laid down next to me. Taking me in his arms, he slid his hands up and down my leg, feeling the stockings. His touch excited me as the pain killer began to dull my pain.

  "I do. Did you wear this just for me?" he asked in a voice heavy with sex.

/>   I ran my hand over his shirt and unbuttoned two buttons so I could touch his skin. It felt cool against my fingers. Lowering my mouth to his neck, I licked just below his earlobe. "I did. I thought it would be sexy."

  Tristan groaned and ran his hand further up my thigh to where the garter belt connected to the stockings and then between my legs, where my sensitive skin lay bare. "You went into the city like this?"

  His voice had a strange edge to it, and I lifted my head to see his expression had changed from just a minute earlier. His eyes had narrowed into angry slits.

  "It's okay. I just went to see Jordan, and you know what happened after that. Nobody else saw me." I didn't mention the guys across the street from the apartment or that the wind had blown my dress so high it was likely that at least a few of them had seen a bit more than I'd wanted to show.

  He slid his hand between my legs and stroked his fingers slowly over my tender folds. "I don't want you leaving the house like this without me."

  The odd mix of gentleness in his touch and the harsh tone of his voice confused me. "Okay. It's no big deal, though."

  One finger slid over my clit and sent a jolt of excitement through me. He stared down at me as my face showed the effect of what his fingers were doing to me. "It is a big deal. You're with me, Nina. No one else sees that part of you."

  The possessiveness he was showing me was new between us. Until that moment, I'd never gotten the sense that he was jealous or overprotective when it came to me. There hadn't been a moment since I'd met him when he didn't act as if he were the only man in my life. This change in him baffled me even while it excited me. I liked the idea that he was protective about the woman he loved, although I knew there was no reason for him to be jealous.

  I loved him so completely I couldn't imagine even thinking of another man touching me the way he did. Looking up into his eyes so intense, I smiled. "I don't want anyone else but you, Tristan."

  He drew circles with his fingertip over my excited clit and kissed me deeply before he pulled away and I watched him slide down my body and settle in between my legs. Lifting my dress around my waist, he lowered his head and whispered against my skin, "No other man, Nina."

  The feel of his mouth and tongue on me was exquisite. He slid up and down my moist folds, teasing me with the tip of his tongue when he reached my now swollen clit. His fingers thrust inside me, pushing against the tender spot inside that sent ribbons of pleasure racing through me.

  His mouth inched me toward my orgasm, taking me to the edge of oblivion just to ease me back again each time as if he knew the very moment my body would give in to his expert touch. Just as I felt the first tiny tug of my release, he pulled away and stood up from the bed.

  "Wha...What's wrong?" I asked trying to catch my breath.

  He slowly unbuttoned his shirt and slid out of his pants and boxer briefs, revealing his cock pressed against his belly. I wanted to feel him inside me and held my hand out for his. He sat down next to me and without a word, pulled me onto his lap. I straddled my legs over his hips as he held me above him by the waist.

  "Tristan, don't make me wait," I pleaded as I pushed against his hold.

  Pushing the thick head of his cock through my wet pussy, he teased me to the point that I could barely hold back, and then stopped, leaving me tense and needy. His gaze fixed on me, watching my reaction, as if all this was a game.

  "Don't tease," I cooed as I tried to lean forward to kiss him, stopped abruptly as he pushed me down on his legs. Confused, I attempted to feel some closeness from him, but his hands held me tight in place away from him.

  He stared into my eyes until I couldn't stand it anymore. "What's wrong? Why won't you even kiss me?"

  "I need to know you're mine, Nina. I've given you everything your heart desires, including enough money to ensure you can have anything I may not have considered. When I see something like this, I get concerned."

  His words stunned me. "Why are you saying things like this? I wore the stockings and the garter belt for you—to go to dinner with you."

  Tristan's gaze never wavered, telling me he was serious. He thought I'd done something. My mouth dropped open in amazement, and then a rush of defensiveness came over me. "As if I'd be able to do anything with your man hovering over me wherever I go. It's not like I'm ever alone, Tristan. You haven't trusted me from the very beginning of us."

  He said nothing for so long I worried he might never speak to me again, but finally, he said in a low, solemn voice, "Jenson is there to protect you. Your safety means everything to me."

  "Safety from what? I lived in Brooklyn long before I met you. I can handle myself."

  And with that, his part of the conversation was over. He placed me on the bed next to him and left to walk to the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Closing me out.

  Leaning back onto the bed, I covered my head with a pillow, angrier than I'd been in ages. I'd gotten all dressed up for him and then that fucked up asshole had mugged me, and all Tristan could think of was that I must be sneaking around behind his back? Hadn't I shown him every day and every night how much in love with him I was?

  When he didn't come out after five minutes, something inside me snapped. I loved him, but this jealous bullshit based on nothing wasn't going to work. If we were going to stay together after my contract was up, he had to know that.

  I marched to the bathroom, threw open the door, and stormed in to find him in the shower. I was all upset, and he was enjoying a nice shower at the end of the day! I stood there staring through the glass shower doors watching him until I became too impatient to wait any longer for him to notice me.

  "So that's what you think of me? That I would take your money and everything else and go with someone else?"

  He didn't even turn to face me at the sound of my voice, but I wasn't ready to let this go. Not yet. Opening the shower door, I walked in still fully dressed and stood in front of him, my arms crossed as the water hit me. "What? Now you're just going to ignore me? You basically accuse me of cheating on you and now I don't get to answer those charges?"

  "Don't, Nina. I'm not in the mood for this with you."

  I poked my finger into his chest. "Then you shouldn't have started it."

  He looked down at me, those dark eyes barely hiding his anger, as the water rolled down over the beautiful features of his face, making me want to reach out to touch him. I extended my hand to caress his cheek, but he caught me by the wrist and held my hand away from him. Stunned, I tried to pull away, but he wouldn't allow that either.

  "Nina, be careful with what you do now."

  Yanking my arm from his grip, I snapped, "How about I do nothing with you now?" I spun on the wet tile and moved to take a step, but his arm shot out and wrapped around my waist before my foot could hit the floor. In a flash, I was up against the wall with him staring wildly down at me.

  The man in front of me was different now—more powerful than I'd ever seen him. I knew I should have been frightened, but he looked so sexy, so commanding that I was more turned on than I thought I could be. His dark hair glistened with moisture, and I slid my hand over his head to feel its silky wetness. My touch made something break in him.

  "Nina..." he moaned deeply as he lifted me onto his hard cock, pushing into me with one fast thrust.

  I wrapped my arms around his neck and laced my fingers tightly as he kissed me hard, his mouth and tongue demanding mine respond with the same level of urgency, nearly taking my breath away. His cock pounded into my body, hard and fast like a piston as it stroked in and out of me, and he moaned and grunted into my mouth the sounds of a man driven by need. Our bodies bounced and slammed against the marble tile—my back, his legs—each in turn smashing against the hard surface, but neither of us cared.

  It was like all the frustration he'd endured in the past weeks exploded out of him and now he sought someone to share his pain. I knew he may never tell me what had been on his mind, but as we clung to one another's wet bodies and ra
ced toward our release, I felt him reach out for me like he never had before.

  Our sex was primal in a way that both thrilled and frightened me, but at that moment as he filled me and my body reacted as only he could make it, I felt closer to him than any other soul on Earth. His hands left the back of my head and skidded down the wet tiles behind me, making him sag against my body. I held his head to my heart, listening as he panted softly against me and murmured my name.

  He silently lowered me to the floor without saying another word. I stood looking up at his face that now wore a tortured expression. He gently wiped the pad of his thumb over my lips and leaned forward to press his forehead against mine.

  "Tristan, what's wrong?" I whispered.

  "Nothing," he answered quietly and walked out of the shower. His tone told me that was his only word on the subject, so I let it go, hoping that when he needed to tell me, he would.

  After I'd washed up, I found him sitting in bed, just staring toward the wall at the picture I'd painted for him. He seemed to be looking right through it.

  I crawled into bed and lay there wondering what to say. Instead of speaking, I let my actions say what was in my heart and curled up next to him. Drawing little circles on the hard ridges of muscle just above his hip, I waited to hear any words come out of his mouth, but as the minutes ticked by, there was nothing. Finally, I closed my eyes, content and safe in his strong embrace but so wishing to know what he was thinking.

  His words came out like a whoosh of air from his lungs. "Don't leave me like everyone else has. I'll do whatever it takes, but don't leave me, even if I screw this up."

  I knew as soon as the first word left his lips that this had been what was on his mind. Work had been bad recently, but this was what had been plaguing his thoughts. That I'd leave him.