by Julia Sykes
“Jonathan, whatever this is, I don’t want it. This is too much for me. Red.”
He smiled down at her, his blue eyes chips of ice. A shiver ran down her spine at the coldness she saw there, so different from the heated lust she was accustomed to.
“I already told you, Shay,” he said with a small smile. “You don’t get any safe words today.”
Something quaked within her at his pleased tone. “What?” She asked faintly, disbelieving. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that you don’t get to say no.” He paused, cocking his head at her. “Well, you can say no, but it won’t make any difference.”
Panic was clawing its way up her throat now, and she jerked again at her restraints.
“Jonathan,” she tried to keep her voice steady, to reason with him. “I don’t want this. Please.”
She pressed her elbows against the floor, struggling to gain some purchase so that she could move away from him.
She didn’t even see his hand move, but pain exploded in her head when his hand cracked across her cheek. The force of it knocked her back, and more pain reverberated through her as her skull hit the hardwood floor. She stared up at him, stunned.
“Stay down,” he ordered coldly.
Shay could taste something hot and metallic in her mouth. It made her want to gag. Fighting back nausea, she struggled to speak.
“Why are you doing this?” Maybe if she understood, she could convince him to stop.
“Because Lucas is about to destroy my life,” he said, his hands balling into fists. It was the first hint of emotion he had shown since she had awoken. “So I’m going to destroy a part of his before I have to leave.”
Shay had no idea what he was saying. Had he gone mad?
“What are you talking about? Why would he do that to you?”
“Because he’s going to find out soon,” he said cryptically.
“Find out what?” Shay’s voice was laced with frustration.
He looked down at her as though she was especially slow. “That I’m the one who spiked your drink.”
Shay’s mouth opened and closed. “You…?” She whispered finally. None of this made sense. “Why?”
“Why?” He repeated her question mockingly. “To make Lucas miserable, of course. To take away the one woman he’s cared about in years. To slowly tear him apart until I can get him pushed out of Augustan Technologies.” His mouth twisted down into a fierce scowl. “Well, that was the plan.” When his gaze fell on her, it was full of nothing but hatred. “But you had to ruin all that. If you had just been a good girl and come along to my room last night, no one would know what I’d done. Not even you. None of this would be happening.”
Shay’s brain was tripping over itself in an effort to process what he was saying. Sweet, caring Jonathan had been plotting to take Lucas down? She had only been a weapon that Jonathan was using against him?
No. Shay refused to believe it. She had seen how Jonathan had looked at her longingly, how he had lusted after her. Was he doing this because she had rejected him?
“Jonathan,” she said his name pleadingly. “I’m sorry that I hurt you. Truly I am. But I know this isn’t you. Please…”
His eyes softened at her words, and he reached out to cup her cheek reverently. “Shay,” his voice caressed her name. “I never wanted to hurt you.”
Relieved tears sprang to her eyes. “I know,” she whispered brokenly. “I know.” He did care for her. He was going to let her go-
He threw his head back and laughed, and her heart froze. He looked down at her, a mocking smile on his face. “Would that make you feel better?” He asked. “Do you want me to lie to you while I kill you?”
Oh god, oh god, oh god. Shay didn’t even realize that she was saying the words out loud, her voice high and panicked. He was insane. How had she ever thought she could care for such a monster? Burning bile rose in her throat, and she fought down the urge to be sick.
“That’s quite enough of that.” Jonathan’s tone was brusque, business-like. “We wouldn’t want to disturb the neighbors now, would we?
The neighbors. Shay swallowed hard, trying desperately to clear the tightness in her throat so that she could scream. But before she could get out a sound, Jonathan slapped duct tape over her mouth, silencing her.
It was only as she realized the full degree of her helplessness that his words sank in: while I kill you. She really was going to be sick. She gagged audibly.
“Don’t throw up while you’re on your back like that or you’ll choke to death,” he warned. “And I’m not ready for you to die just yet.” He glanced at his watch. “We don’t have much time, though, so we should probably get on with it.”
Small, terrified whimpers tore their way up her throat, and tears rolled freely down her cheeks. She shook her head back and forth, her mind rebelling against what was happening, refusing to believe that the man who had been so caring was now coldly discussing her death.
She watched in horror as Jonathan grasped the material of her nightgown in both hands. He roughly jerking them apart. There was a ripping sound as the fabric gave way, parting to reveal her naked breasts. Shay yanked at her restraints, desperately wanting to cover herself, to hide from his cruel eyes, but the unyielding metal only tore into the delicate skin at her wrists.
Lowering himself over her, Jonathan grasped her right breast in one of his large palms. The touch that once would have thrilled her filled her with disgust.
Something hard pressed against her leg. His cock.
Oh god. He wasn’t just going to kill her; he was going to rape her first.
Suddenly, her high, keening cries were drowned out by the sound of splintering wood followed by a deafening bang. There was a roar a rage, and Jonathan’s weight was lifted from her. Shay blinked rapidly, struggling to see through her tears.
Lucas!
Her relief was soon overshadowed by terror as the men grappled with one another, rolling over each other on the floor as each struggled to gain the advantage. Lucas was the larger of the two men, but murderous rage gave Jonathan extra strength.
Jonathan managed to get a swing in, and Lucas cried out in pain as his fist drove into his kidney. Shay’s heart sank when he stayed down while Jonathan rose to his feet. He viciously kicked Lucas in the stomach, and he let out a grunt, curling into himself and clutching at his gut where the blow had connected. Shay screamed, but the sound was muffled by the tape over mouth. It was enough to attract Lucas’ attention though, and his gaze met hers. The pain left his eyes, replaced by grim determination.
When Jonathan drew his foot back for another kick, Lucas grabbed him by the ankle and pulled, sending him tumbling to the floor. Lucas was on top of him in an instant, driving his fist into Jonathan’s nose. The sickening crunch made Shay’s gut turn. But Lucas didn’t stop. His face was twisted into a furious snarl, and his fist connected with Jonathan’s face again and again.
Shay had to stop him. If she didn’t, he was going to kill Jonathan. She didn’t want him to have to live with that.
“Lucas!” Shay tried to scream his name, to snap him out of his rage.
But she couldn’t speak. She had to do something. There was so much blood. Desperate to reach him, she forced herself up on her elbows. A strangled cry escaped her as searing pain lashed her wrists.
It was the sound of her pain that snapped Lucas out of his murderous trance. He was at her side in an instant.
“Shay,” his voice was raw with emotion as he said her name. He slid his bloody hand under her head, lifting it up. “You’re all right. You’re okay.” He sounded as though he was reassuring himself as much as he was her.
He traced his thumb down her cheek, and she winced as he touched the tender area where Jonathan had struck her. Lucas scowled and glanced over at his prone form. He took several deep breaths, visibly reigning in his fury.
“I’m going to call for help,” he told her, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket and dialing nine-one-one.
<
br /> “We need help,” he said. “My girlfriend has been attacked. She needs medical attention.” There was a pause. “Yes, he’s still here. But he’s not a threat any longer.”
He ended the call and looked down at her, his face twisted with anguish. “I’m afraid I can’t remove the tape without hurting you,” he said. “We’ll have to wait for the paramedics.”
But Shay didn’t care; it barely bothered her now. She fixated on two words to push back her panic and pain.
My girlfriend, he had called her. The warm glow that spread from her chest to her fingertips dulled her pain more effectively than any drugs ever could.
Chapter 6
The ten minute wait for the paramedics and police to arrive seemed to stretch on for an eternity. Lucas could hardly bear to see Shay bound and silenced, a bruise rapidly darkening on her soft cheek. All he could do was hold her and murmur soothing words, rocking her gently as she trembled in his arms.
It took all of his willpower to force down his rage at Jonathan for doing this to her, but he knew that showing his anger would only upset Shay. He watched his partner out of the corner of his eye, looking for any signs of him rousing, but he stayed down, his breathing shallow and ragged.
Lucas’ muscles thrummed with his fury. It wasn’t enough; he should have killed Jonathan for what he had done. He still yearned to do so. But Shay was more important, and he couldn’t bring himself to leave her side in order to finish him off.
Lucas could still hardly believe it, could barely comprehend that the man he called his friend had done this. He must have known that Lucas had found out about him spiking Shay’s drink, must have known that he was going to come after him and do everything he could to ruin his life. But to try to kill Shay to get back at him? The man had clearly gone mad.
Finally, the paramedics rushed through the splintered door that Lucas had kicked in to get to Shay. A burly man approached them and tried to pry Shay away from him, but Lucas shot him a forbidding glare and he backed away.
He gently cradled her in his arms, lifting her up so that he could carry her to the waiting ambulance. Shay still hissed in a sharp breath, obviously pained by the movement. White hot ire rushed through Lucas, but there was nothing more to do. He had to get her to the paramedics so that she could get help.
When they were outside, he set her down on the back of the ambulance, supporting her back so that she could sit up, preventing her from putting any more pressure on her bound wrists.
The medics used a special solution to weaken the tape’s adhesive, and they were able to pull it off without hurting Shay.
The cuffs were worse. She let out a whimper of pain as they pulled them from her torn skin, and Lucas couldn’t hold back a furious growl. They cleaned the wounds and wrapped her wrists in gauze before checking her for a concussion. Someone had retrieved her bathrobe from the house, and they wrapped it around her to cover her ripped nightgown, returning her modesty.
Her eyes widened, riveted on something directly ahead of her. Jonathan’s unconscious body was being wheeled out of the house on a gurney. She shuddered in Lucas’ arms, and he stroked his hand down her back soothingly.
“It’s okay,” he murmured. “You’re safe now. It’s over.”
Her trembling stopped as he soothed her, but her muscles were still tense. They were bringing Jonathan toward the ambulance, and they needed to move.
“Can you stand?” He asked quietly. She gave him a shaky nod, but he kept his arm around her waist to support her as she found her balance. Her eyes remained locked on Jonathan as the medics loaded him into the bus.
“Eyes on me, Shay,” he ordered, grasping her chin and forcing her to face him.
“Miss Greene?” A voice interrupted them. “I need you to come with us now. You need to come to the hospital for further checks.”
But Shay shook her head vehemently, her eyes widening with fear. “I don’t want to,” she whispered to Lucas. “I don’t want to go with… him.” Lucas knew she couldn’t bear being trapped in a small vehicle with Jonathan. He turned to the medic.
“She doesn’t want to go. Will she be all right to stay with me?”
The man appeared hesitant, but he took note of Shay’s distress. “Okay,” he said finally. “She’s all patched up, and she doesn’t seem to have a concussion. But bring her in if she starts feeling dizzy.”
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Two policemen stepped into the ambulance to guard Jonathan, and the sirens began to wail as they pulled out of the drive.
Lucas wanted to take Shay home with him right away, but the police stopped them. They had to answer some questions before they could go. Lucas didn’t want Shay to have to recount what had happened to her, to have to relive it, but he knew it was better to get it over with now than making her face it again later. He guarded her closely as they questioned her, his heart twisting as she clung to him for support.
They had questions for Lucas too. The police weren’t too pleased at the state Jonathan was in. They accused him of “excessive force.” But before he could explain himself, Shay squared her shoulders and rushed to his defense.
“How dare you accuse him of anything?” She asked angrily, her grip on his arm tightening protectively. “He just saved my life. Jonathan would have killed both of us if Lucas hadn’t stopped him.”
The policeman took a step back at the harshness of her tone, and his cheeks colored with his sheepishness.
“Of course. I’m sorry, ma’am.” He glanced down at his notepad, reviewing their statement quickly. He nodded, satisfied. “That’s all we need, then. We’ll call you if there’s anything else.”
“Good,” Lucas said, the word clipped. “I’m going to take her home now.”
He helped Shay into his car, careful not to bump her injured wrists. She clung to his hand for the entire ride back to his hotel, silent tears running down her cheeks. Lucas had never felt so helpless. He mulled over his dark thoughts as they drove in silence. He recalled his panic at learning that Jonathan had her home address, his fury and dread at seeing her lying on the floor, terrified as Jonathan held her down, leering. Her small hand squeezed his, and his heart twisted.
He had called her his girlfriend without thinking. That word didn’t seem sufficient to express the depth of his feelings for her. Yet he had hurt her so many times: rejecting her after London, hurling insults at her when he caught her with Jonathan, not trusting her enough to open up to her about Sandra.
He wrestled with himself as they rode up the elevator to his hotel suite. He had to heal things between them. Even if it would be painful for him, she deserved his honesty.
Leading her to his bed, he laid her down on her back, and she closed her eyes in exhaustion.
“Do you want to sleep?” He asked her softly.
Her eyes fluttered open.
“No,” she said quietly. “I couldn’t sleep. Not now.” She shuddered, her focus turning inward as she remembered what had happened to her.
“Shay,” he said her name gently, calling her back to him. He took a deep breath. Now might not be the best time, but he felt he had to tell her before he lost his courage. “I need to tell you something. About why I’ve treated you so inexcusably.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “You don’t have to-” She began, but he cut her off.
“Yes, I do.” He paused for a moment, and she covered his hand with hers, reassuring him, giving him the strength he needed to continue. “I haven’t cared about anyone as I care for you in three years. Not since…” He swallowed hard, trying to shove back the tears that suddenly pricked at the corners of his eyes. “Not since my wife died in a car crash.”
Shay’s lips parted in shock, and she gave his hand a little squeeze. Her eyes filled with sympathy. “I’m so sorry,” she said sincerely. “I didn’t know…”
“Why would you have known?” Lucas asked hollowly. “I never told you. All these years, I haven’t been able to move past it. I’ve kept wo
men at a distance.” His eyes met hers, and they were shining with unshed tears. He touched her cheek reverently. “Until you.” Guilt washed over him. “And I’ve treated you terribly.”
He stopped, unable to go on. Worry filled his gut. Would she reject him after learning that he had kept this secret from her? Could she ever trust him with her heart after he hadn’t trusted her for so long?
Amazement shot through him when she reached up to cup his cheek tenderly. “It’s all right,” she said gently. “I understand now.”
“You…” His voice broke. “You don’t know how much you mean to me, Shay.”
She gave him a small smile. “I think I have an idea.”
Joy bloomed within him, and he could no longer hold back. He lowered his lips to hers, kissing her fiercely. The kiss was filled with forgiveness and unbridled passion. Both their cheeks were wet with tears from the intensity of emotion between them.
They clung to each other. It was as though Shay was the only real thing in his world, grounding him and healing him. He could almost feel the hole in his heart where Sandra had been closing as he became whole again.
But the kiss wasn’t enough. He needed all of her, to bury himself in her and claim her as his, just as she was claiming his heart. Apparently she felt the same, because, never breaking the kiss, she reached down and unbuckled his belt, unzipping his trousers and reaching in to pull out his rapidly hardening cock. He shoved up the hem of her nightgown and immediately drove into her to the hilt, groaning as he entered her. They fit together perfectly, her warm pussy caressing his cock as her inner muscles rippled around him.
“God, you’re perfect, Shay,” he said, unaware that he had spoken the words out loud.
She moaned under him and wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing up against him and drawing him in deeper. Usually, he would have reprimanded a submissive for challenging his control, but this was different. They were truly meeting as equals for the first time, in the most intimate way.
He pulled almost all the way out of her before driving in again, establishing his claim over her body even as he felt that she owned his as well. He began to thrust in and out of her roughly, possessing her completely.