by Tia Wylder
The primary detective looked at his partner then at Mark. That wasn’t a good sign, Mark knew. “There isn’t much to go on, Mr. Gooden. Is there any other details you might know? Anything that might lead us to her before anything bad can happen?
Mark racked his brain for something, anything to tell the detective. Then he remembered. A minor detail he had overlooked when searching for the man who attacked him in his office.
“There’s a training ground behind the company headquarters,” he explained quickly. “It resembles a real bauxite mining site but it’s also linked to the old underground pipe system. That’s how the man who attacked me got into the building.”
“You think she might be there then?”
Mark couldn’t be sure of anything but … “We have to try. We have to find her.”
**
Pain was what she felt first. It sliced through her head, bringing those hateful tears back. Then she felt the cold, hard ground. No, metal. She was lying on something metal and very, very cold. Her mouth was gagged. And trailing down by her eye was what she was sure was blood.
Then she remembered. Someone had broken into her apartment, catching her off guard and though she had fought tooth and nail, he overpowered her, knocking her out.
She could see him now, a shadow standing a short distance away.
“What does he want us to do with her?” the shadow asked and that was when Crystal realized there was another one, one more blended in, standing right next to him.
“I don’t know,” the other responded. “Maybe he wants something like a toe, or a finger. Something to scare him a bit”
“How about we take her tongue? That would be a nice surprise, wouldn’t it be?”
“You’re sick. She can live without a pinky. A tongue is just evil.”
“God, I forgot you don’t know how to take a joke.”
“You weren’t joking.” Crystal didn’t think so either. The shadow moved, then came closer until she saw a face. “She’s awake.”
The first guy approached. Crystal didn’t recognize either of them and it wasn’t until she noticed that, did she realized that she was hoping to.
“Your boyfriend is too meddlesome,” the calmer of the two explained. He had a knife in his hand. “I don’t have a choice but to do this. I hope you understand.”
Crystal mumbled something against her gag.
“Oh, come on,” the other said. “Stop being so overdramatic and just get it over with. We’re lucky we even found this place but someone is bound to come down here soon. So choose. Pinky or toe?”
“Pinky,” the man said and began to move towards her.
It happened all so quickly. A shout, echoing so loudly that she didn’t know where it was coming from. But she heard it clearly and she instantly recognized the voice.
He came flying in, punching the man holding the knife right in the face. He fell hard but Mark was moving on, grabbing the other by the torso and throwing him over his body, a move she had taught him. His movements were wilder though, uncontained. He got on top of one and started pummeling, anger fueling his movements.
The police rushed in after him and one of them had to drag him away. The men had no time to react. With one angry man with flying fists and three guns pointing in their direction, they were outnumbered.
One of them said something. Crystal didn’t hear. Her eyes were on Mark who was now rushing over to her. “Did they hurt you?” he asked.
She shook her head. He untied the gag and she wet her tongue. “How did you know I was here?” she asked him weakly, the headache increasing tenfold.
“I didn’t,” he said. “I guessed and I was right. Thank God I was right.”
One of the policemen swooped in. Everything was a blur after that. Crystal held on for as long as she could, but the head wound she had was taking its toll. She needed to go to the hospital, she told them, but she detailed everything she could before then. She stayed close to Mark, not able to help leaning into him, taking in his scent, staring at him when he wasn’t looking after all that time spent wishing he was with her. He was here now, saving her from those men.
He didn’t leave her side the entire time. She loved every second of it. Even when she arrived at the hospital, no longer able to hold out, she reached out to him, brushing his hand just slightly. It comforted her like nothing else could.
“Is it done now?” she asked him as she was wheeled into the surgery room.
“It’s done,” he said, taking her hand. “One of them admitted to being the spy.”
“I’m happy for you.”
“Don’t talk,” he commanded lightly. “You’ll only make things worse.”
She’s had worse, but she didn’t say that. She only revealed in the feel of his fingers and when she went under for her minor surgery, she clung to the memory of it.
**
He was gone the next day. Crystal stared at nothing, not wanting to eat or do anything else as she laid in her hospital bed. Disappointment was seeping through her. Once again, he made her think he cared and then he left. No matter how much she waited, he didn’t come back.
That didn’t stop her from sitting up in anticipation when someone walked through her door. It was Jane. Crystal sagged.
“Jeez, can’t you look a little happy to see me?”
“I had several parts of my face busted open and a head wound,” Crystal said dryly. “I’m not happy about anything right now.”
“At least you’re alive,” Jane pointed out. “How are you feeling?”
“Like shit.”
“Because of the wounds or because of Mark?”
Crystal looked at her friend. “He’s horrible,” she said to her.
Jane sighed like an old woman. “I can admit he has his times when I want to club him over the head. This is not one of those times.”
“What do you mean?”
“He was out of his mind with worry, Jane. He showed up at my apartment looking for you that day. He showed me the threats and the first person he thought of was you.”
“Not Jennifer?”
Jane scoffed. “With the way he’s been acting, it’s as if he forgot my sister even exists. I can’t believe I’m about to say this, Crystal, but I think he loves you. I’ve seen him in love before and that is Mark Gooden in love.”
Crystal thought of the way he had started punching that guy when they found her. At the time, she thought it had been him taking out his frustration and anger at not being able to sleep or eat in peace with the spy around. Now she wondered if it was because of her.
“Then why isn’t he here?” she asked Jane.
“That, I don’t know. But I think it’s about time you two just sit and talk about your feelings like adults and stop hiding away from each other, thinking the other doesn’t feel the same way.”
The thought of doing that made her both sacred and anticipating. She wanted to tell him her feelings, but how would he accept it? Crystal didn’t know if she could handle his rejection. But what was the alternative?
Maybe Jane was right. It was about time she actually told him how she felt.
**
Crystal was leaving out to head to his penthouse a few days after being released from the hospital. She had dolled herself up, prepped herself in the mirror and practiced her lines over and over again even though she felt incredibly stupid. When she opened the door to see Mark standing on the other side, everything she had practiced flew out her head.
“Can we talk?” he asked.
She didn’t say anything. She just stepped to the side, allowing him to come in. She closed the door, watching him as he took in his surroundings before facing her again. “There’s a few things I want to say to you.”
“Okay.”
“Firstly, I’m sorry.”
She frowned. “For what?”
“I was rude to you, firing you like that. I should have done it better, especially seeing that we had become friends. You deserved better.”
/> “It’s fine, Mark.”
He began pacing. She stayed still, only her eyes moving back and forth as she watched him. “Okay, what I really want to say is that, you drive me crazy.”
“Excuse me?”
“I mean— I have feelings for you, Crystal. I’ve been denying it to myself all this time, pushing you away and it didn’t make it any easier for me thinking that you didn’t feel the same way.”
“Mark— “
“Wait, let me finish.” He was on a roll now. “I don’t know when I fell in love with you. I just know it was hard and fast and all consuming and you were all I could think about. After I told you to leave, I regretted it. I wanted— no, needed you around and I kept pushing you away because I was afraid. But I’m tired of running now. It’s time you knew the truth. I love you, Crystal.”
Crystal moved without thinking. All she knew was that, suddenly, she was next to him, grabbing his head and pressing her lips to his. She kissed him with everything in him, pouring every bit of her emotions into that kiss. When she pulled away, she didn’t need to say it but she did anyway. “I love you too.”
Surprise flickered in his eyes, but then he smiled, so wide and bright that she couldn’t help but kiss him again.
Epilogue.
How it started was how it all ended. Crystal was sure there was a poem about that somewhere out there. She should find it, maybe show it to Mark so he could marvel in it as well. At a party, months ago, she had met Mark Gooden in the worst way possible. A taser to the stomach. Now, at another party, thrown by the same people, she was his and he was hers and they were hopelessly in love.
She watched him on the other end of the room, shaking her head at the waitress who offered her champagne. He was talking to Jen, laughing with her and Crystal felt no jealousy. She was secure in their love, knowing that she had every inch of his heart as much as he had hers.
And almost as if he sensed her heartbeat speeding up, he looked over at her. The other partygoers fell away, disappearing into thin air. She watched him excuse himself and make his way over to her.
“Jen was just telling me that it was about time I tied the knot with you,” he said, taking her hand.
“Was she now? She wants to do a double wedding or something?”
“And risk us showing her up? She would be mad to even think about it.”
Xander proposed to Jen a week ago and, in true Jennifer fashion, she was now throwing an engagement party. She had spent the better half of the night showing off her ring to everyone.
“Why don’t we?” Mark said suddenly.
“Why don’t we what?”
“Why don’t we try to show them up?”
Crystal chuckled. “Oh, shut up.”
“I’m serious.”
“You couldn’t possibly be serious. Because you being serious means you’re proposing to me right now. As in, asking for my hand in marriage and that’s just crazy.”
“Why is that crazy?”
Crystal looked at him. “Mark, are you really…”
“Marry me, Crystal. Be my wife.” He took her other hand. “This isn’t really how I thought I would be proposing to you but I can’t help it. I want you to marry me. Right now, if it were possible.”
“Mark…”
“You don’t want to?”
“No, it’s not that. It’s just …” How could she say this? “I think I’m pregnant.”
He fell silent, just staring at her. Those few seconds were a few seconds of torture for Crystal and she squeezed his hands.
“I’m sorry.” He blinked. “Come again?”
“I think I’m pregnant.”
“With my child?”
“Yes, with your child.”
“Which means I’m going to become a father?”
“I think that’s how it works, yes.”
Mark crushed her against him, hugging her tightly. “I think you just made me the happiest man in the world right now.”
She smiled. “Slow your roll. I haven’t even said yes to your proposal yet.”
“Is it a yes?” he asked eagerly.
“Of course! I would love to marry you and I can’t wait to have your baby.”
They had a thing now. A kiss would be their answer. No words needed to be said to each other. Just by kissing they could say what they felt words couldn’t. Mark kissed her then, holding her tightly. The emotions she felt in that kiss could be boiled down to something basic, not giving it any justice at all. He expressed his love for her, his gratitude. Written across his lips were the words, things he didn’t have to say but she felt them deep in her heart.
I love you. Thank you. She kissed him back.
The End
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She has the look.
She has the voice.
She is a professional.
She’s everything… I ever wanted to be.
Except I really need this job to support my Mom’s treatment so even though she will probably get hired… I will not to give up this chance.
Well, against all odds, I got hired by the CEO himself!!
But before I celebrate, he asked me to prove my worth or be gone on the 2nd day at work?!
I never expected to fall in love with one of my father’s friends from the Navy.
But Lucas Crawford is very different.
He taught me about the pleasure I never knew existed.
Then he disappeared.
I swore to myself when he disappeared that I’d never let another man hurt me again, not the way he did. I was going to focus on my café, and my friends, then just when I was about to forget everything, he’s back…
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Table of Contents
Table of Content
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10