Filthy Desires: A Romantic Suspense Collection

by Parker, Kylie

  What the hell happened to you, my little bird? Who did that to you? Why did they run? Damn it, Melanie… Did you have to tag along? Jean is going to be mad at me. Nah, who cares…? He’s always mad at me for something. I’m not going to bother with him. All that matters is that those two are okay. Hang in there, Marianne…

  Leaving his car at the parking lot, he stormed into the hospital and asked about them at the reception. Relief flashed in his eyes, as the elderly clerk told him that they were all alive. Marianne was in a hospital room on the second floor, whereas Melanie was on the third. Still, he was so upset that he would not even wait for the elevator. Dominic practically jumped up the stairs, in eager anticipation of seeing her again. He found his girlfriend sleeping, with an IV in her left wrist and a bandage wrapped around her head. A young, female doctor was standing over her, taking notes in a small notepad.

  “Doctor…” He gasped, his chest rising up and down, as he walked into the room. “I’m part of the family. How is she?”

  “She was lucky.” The doctor said in a voice deep as she looked up at him over her left shoulder. “She has a concussion, several bruises on her legs and torso, but no fractures. Monsieur Thierry Arden is in the next room. He has a fractured leg and four cracked ribs. He’s in some pain; we had to sedate him. His life is not in danger. The same can’t be said for the other passenger.”

  “What happened to Melanie?” Dominic asked in a voice filled with tension and fear.

  “She’s in the operating room.” The doctor heaved a long, heavy sigh. “She’s lost a lot of blood.”

  “Thank you.” He spoke, staring down at Marianne’s tranquil face, as the doctor brushed past him.

  “She will have to stay here for a while.” The doctor maintained. “We need to monitor her condition. I’ll check up on her later.”

  Dominic rolled his gaze down her body, as his slow, confident footsteps brought him closer to her. Fixing his gaze on her hand, he reached forward and took it into his own. Marianne’s eyes twitched, as her lips parted. He caressed her wrist and ran his thumb across her fingers, as their gazes met. Dominic took one last step towards her and sat down on a stool beside her.

  “Hi…” She managed to say in a soft, almost inaudible whisper. “Where am I?”

  “University Hospital of Grenoble.” He responded, lifting his other hand to her face. “You scared me.”

  “Melanie…” Marianne breathed. “Where is she?”

  “She’s going to be fine.” Dominic assured.

  “Always the optimist.” Jean interjected, knocking on the open door. “I’m happy to say you’re right, old friend. She just got out of surgery. The doctors told me she will have to stay here for the next 48 hours, but she’s going to be fine.”

  “Thank God.” She sighed in relief.

  “How did the accident happen?” Dominic asked, his voice calm and steady, as his friend approached. “Do you remember anything?”

  “Yeah…” Marianne sucked in a deep breath. “It wasn’t an accident.”

  “What?” Dominic furrowed his brow. “What are you talking about?”

  “There was this…” Her voice broke, as she blinked back tears. “Huge truck. I thought he was going to brake, but he didn’t. He rammed us. God…” She squeezed her eyes shut. “I can still hear that horrible noise.”

  “Why in the world would anyone try to do that?” Dominic wondered, unable to keep his voice down. “Who would want to hurt you?”

  “Dominic, may I have a word with you?” Jean requested, making his way towards the door.

  “I don’t know.” Marianne whispered, as he rose to his imposing, 6’3” stature. He turned around, troubled at the thought that someone had attempted to murder his girlfriend and Melanie. His friend got out of the room and took a few furtive glances around him, before addressing him.

  “There is something you need to know.” Jean said, his voice low, as he leaned closer to him.

  “Did the police find the truck?” Dominic inquired.

  “No.” Jean shook his head sideways. “But I’m sure they will, eventually. This morning, Melanie said that there was something off with Marianne. On the day they spent to Paris, she looked very upset. Whenever her phone rang, she would excuse herself and go outside. Clearly, she didn’t want Melanie to hear anything she had to say.”

  “Jean, someone just tried to kill that girl.” Frustration was lingering in his voice. “And you’re telling me she’s been keeping secrets from Melanie? What does that have to do with anything?”

  “In your car, Dominic!” Jean used an emphatic tone. “They tried to kill them in your car! They were not after them! Whoever was behind this, they wanted to kill you!”

  “So, you think she orchestrated this?” Dominic was struggling to maintain his composure. His friend’s words had made his blood boil in his veins. “First of all, if she had anything to do with it, she wouldn’t be anywhere near that limo. Secondly…”

  “I didn’t say she’s involved in this.” Jean interrupted, speaking in frustrated tones. “Dominic, you’re thirty years old. No one has ever tried to kill you. Don’t you think it’s too much of a coincidence that a reporter was here when they did?”

  “That’s your opinion, old buddy.” Dominic patted him on the shoulder. “Okay. Let’s say they were after me. Who would want me dead, Jean? Can you think of someone? Because I can’t.”

  “Oh, my poor friend.” Jean heaved a deep sigh, running his hand through his hair. “You seem to be forgetting the fact that you are the most powerful man in the Alps. You are the sole proprietor of the finest real estate in the area, your law firm is one of the most prestigious firms in Western Europe and our clients are some of the most influential people in the country. Trust me; you have a lot more enemies than you think.”

  Jean’s conclusion made perfect sense. Indeed, there were many people envious of his money and power. Still, just when he was about to ask him to give him some names, Dominic noticed a tall, aging policeman coming their way, accompanied by two, younger officers. He stopped behind Jean, whereas his colleagues stepped inside the room.

  “Your majesty.” He said, bowing lightly before him. “My name is Philip Ross, I’m Captain of the Grenoble Police Department. Please, follow me to the police station. I need to ask you a few questions.”

  17

  Dominic was still struggling to wrap his head around what had transpired, as he and Jean followed Captain Ross. No one had ever made an attempt on his life and, as one would expect, he was scared. On top of that, his friend’s words had annoyed him. He had not accused Marianne directly, but, on some level, Jean believed that the fact that she had interviewed him had bothered someone enough to have him killed. Dominic did not appreciate that. He thought that his friend was overreacting, as he often did.

  You and your theories, Jean… Every time something happens, you just jump to conclusions. Good or bad doesn’t matter. I agree; maybe someone wants to take me out, but it’s not due to the interview. Yes, sometimes there can be some really funny coincidences. This is just one of them. But anyway, the interview was your idea. If you’re looking for someone to blame, go ahead and blame yourself. Thanks for calling Marianne, though. She changed my dull life. It broke my heart to see her like that. The hint that someone tried to kill her because she happened to be in my car is driving me crazy.

  “Sorry to have kept you waiting.” Captain Ross said, closing the door to his office behind him. “My men just found the truck involved in the crash in a field, six miles east of ‘Les Bossons’.”

  “Have you recovered anything from it?” Jean’s voice was filled with anxiety.

  “It’s been completely destroyed.” The police officer groaned, seating himself in his chair. “They burnt it, but I was informed that there were traces of black paint on the front.”

  “What about the owner?” Dominic asked.

  “The number plate was a fake and the serial number had been scraped off.” Captain Ross replie
d, sadness written all over his face, as he leaned his elbows on his desk. “I’m sorry. We have no leads.”

  “Damn it…” A whisper of despair left Dominic’s lips, as he dropped his head into his hands.

  “Captain Ross, my client is famous for his lack of interviews.” Jean interjected. “I invited a reporter from the US here, a few days ago. I doubt they were targeting my fiancé and that reporter. In fact, I believe they were after my client. Maybe someone doesn’t want him to talk about his life.”

  “I agree.” Captain Ross nodded. “Did anyone else know that those two were going to Les Bossons this morning?”

  “No.” Dominic uttered. “Just me and my driver.”

  “Then that truck driver thought you were in the car, your majesty.” The cop’s stiff tone confirmed his friend’s theory, at the same time making Dominic feel even worse. In an instant, he was consumed with guilt, remembering Marianne’s image on the hospital bed. Nevertheless, he had one more question.

  “How could they locate my limo?” He inquired, his voice faint as he raised his eyes to meet Captain Ross’s gaze.

  “That’s easy.” The cop said. “Through the GPS tracker in your car. Who did you talk about in that interview, your majesty?”

  “Mostly about myself.” Dominic sighed.

  “Yes, but no one else knows about that.” Jean spoke his mind. “All they can do is guess.”

  “We’re not dealing with an enemy here.” Captain Ross raised his tone. “It’s someone you know. A friend, a girlfriend, a family member…?”

  “I don’t have any family.” Dominic muttered. “My mom died when I was three, my father died six years ago. My list of girlfriends is quite long I’m afraid. They were not good people. They were fortune hunters, sure, but murderers? I don’t think so. It sounds a little farfetched.”

  “Linda Collins could be responsible, if you ask me.” Jean’s statement hit him like a wrecking ball. In his confusion, Dominic had completely forgotten everything about her. “Captain, Miss Collins threatened to destroy him, if he ended things with her.”

  “I know the Brit.” The captain declared. “She was here a few days ago. When did you break up with her, your majesty?”

  “About a year ago.” Dominic spoke, his tone lower, the few moments of that night becoming more vivid by the second. “When I told her I wanted to break up with her, she turned into some kind of…” He faltered, “... wild animal. She kept swearing at me, throwing things at me… I couldn’t recognize her anymore.”

  “Why would she wait so long to make her move?” The captain spoke, his voice filled with curiosity.

  “Oh, no…” Jean hit his forehead with the palm of his hand. “Dominic, remember when you visited me the other day?”

  “Yeah?”

  “We had an appointment, but Linda had to leave in a hurry. She said something had come up. We rescheduled for the afternoon. I was talking on the phone with Melanie, when she walked into my office. She said something like ‘Dominic must like her a lot’. Linda must have overheard.” Jean finished his short narrative with a long, deep sigh.

  “And she would have me killed for that?” Dominic’s voice became high-pitched.

  “Never underestimate a hurting woman.” Captain Ross advised. “Anyway, we’re only speculating here. I need to talk to Miss Collins in person. Unless you can think of someone else who would try to hurt you, you are free to go.”

  Once again, Dominic was shocked to his core by his friend’s suggestion. This time however, he would not discuss it with him. The day’s events had taken a toll on him and an argument with Jean was guaranteed to make things worse.

  I can understand why someone in pain would do something desperate, but neither of you know Linda like I do. She may be a spoiled brat, but she doesn’t have what it takes to be a killer. I’m leaving you alone with your theories, Jean. I have to pay a visit to Marianne and Thierry.

  18

  Dominic stopped at a nearby florist and bought a large basket of Marianne’s favorite flowers: roses. He could still recall the impression his lush garden had made on her and in his mind, such a gesture would move her. More than anything though, he was trying to overcome his guilt. He could buy her all the flowers in the world and he would still not feel any better. Dominic had inadvertently put her in harm’s way and he could not forgive himself for that.

  Words can’t say how sorry I am for what happened to you, little bird. He thought to himself, stepping out of the empty elevator. You were just trying to do your job and you ended up in the hospital, because someone wanted to harm me. Wait until my people get out of here, you bastards. I swear to God I’m going to make you pay for what you did.

  Dominic found Marianne in the hospital bed, but this time, she looked much better than before. Her eyes were not drowsy and she even smiled up at him, as he entered her room.

  “Welcome back,” she said, her voice sweet as he walked up to her. “Are those for me?”

  “Well, I wasn’t intending on giving them to Thierry.” He joked, bending down to kiss her. “How are you feeling?”

  “Thank you. I’m still a little dizzy.” Marianne claimed, just before he briefly kissed her on the lips. “I asked about him. The nurses said he’s not up yet. What about you? How did it go with the police?”

  “It didn’t,” Dominic grumbled, bending back. “They don’t have a clue.”

  “Those two officers really got on my nerves,” she complained. “They kept asking me the same things over and over.”

  “I’m really sorry, Marianne.” Dominic said, his voice overcome with sadness. “This entire incident was my fault.”

  “Excuse me?” She squinted at him.

  “I was their target.” He pointed to himself. “Not you or Melanie.”

  “Okay, you lost me.” Marianne confessed. “Someone rammed your car and you’re saying you’re sorry? For real?”

  “Yes.” He gave a small nod.

  “Come here.” She curled her index finger. Dominic bent down again. Before he knew it, her smooth hands were on his face. Marianne closed her eyes, tilted her head slightly up and gave him a sweet, tender kiss. He gave a gasp of surprise, but very soon, he reached down and caressed her hair, as she stroked his cheeks. She lay her head back down on the pillow and opened her eyes, the happy smile on her face sending waves of bliss up and down his spine. “You shouldn’t feel sorry,” she whispered. “You were not driving that truck.”

  “Still…” Dominic squeezed his lips.

  “It happened.” Marianne added. “I’m okay. Melanie’s going to be alright. Don’t beat yourself up over it.”

  “I’ll try,” he assured, bending back. “What are you going to do now? Are you still going to Grenoble?”

  “I kind of have to, don’t I?” She smiled. “The interview’s not complete yet. I have a small issue, though.”

  “What’s that?”

  “The doctors won’t release me until Sunday morning.” Marianne elaborated. “The paper rescheduled my flight for Monday night; they couldn’t find another one until Saturday. I don’t want to spend my last night here typing.”

  “I can help you with that.” Dominic said, with a hint of mischief in his eyes.

  “You and I in the same room?” She laughed. “I doubt we’ll be doing much typing.”

  Lost in her warm, penetrating eyes, he pondered her response. There were a million things he could say to her, but he would not open his mouth. Instead, Dominic preferred to gaze upon her, feeling his heart thumping in his chest. Nevertheless, the thought that their relationship would soon become a memory brought tears to his eyes. Marianne Brewster had rocked his world and she was less than three days away from going back to New York City. He scanned her face first and then lowered his gaze, biting his lower lip, in a clear attempt to prevent himself from speaking.

  “Dominic, what’s wrong?” She asked with a hint of tension in her voice.

  “I, uh…” He sighed, staring down at the floor. “I�
�m going to miss you.”

  “I’m going to miss you too, my king.” Marianne’s confession forced him to lift his gaze back to her face. Her smile had vanished and her eyes had darkened with sorrow. “I called my editor, just before you showed up. He gave me an extra three days to finish up.”

  “I can call him, too.” Dominic spoke in a broken voice, blinking back tears. “I’ll ask him to give one more week.”

  “Work’s not the only reason I can’t stay.” She whispered, dropping her gaze from him, as a tear rolled down her cheek. Her words puzzled him. However, just when he was about to ask her, he heard commotion on the corridor outside. Dominic quickly turned around, as two male doctors sped by Marianne’s room. Two quick steps brought him closer to the wide window. A sliver of fear sliced through him, as they turned right and into Thierry’s room. Without wasting any time, he turned his body left and stormed out of Marianne’s room, as yet another, older doctor passed him by. He didn’t have the chance to speak to any of them. As soon as he reached the door to Thierry’s room, a nurse slammed it behind her and rushed to his bed. Dominic’s heart sank, as he looked through the window. The man he had known all his life, his trusted driver and one of his father’s good friends was having a seizure. Two doctors were holding him down, while the third had a needle in his hand.

  “No…” a whisper of utter despair fled his lips, as he shook his head sideways.

  “What happened?” Not even Marianne’s voice was enough to draw his attention. Dominic kept staring at Thierry, but, in a matter of seconds, his driver stopped moving altogether. Looking up and to the left, he saw a flat line on the electrocardiograph monitor. A doctor on Thierry’s left grabbed the defibrillator paddles and turned on the machine, as a nurse yanked down the old man’s robe, before slapping pads on his chest. The machine delivered a shock. Thierry’s chest arced off the bed. The line remained flat. Dominic ran his hands through his hair, watching as the doctors repeated the procedure to no avail. After two more failed attempts to resuscitate him, they quit.