Freeing Her (A Hart Brothers Novel Book 1)

by A. M. Hargrove

  Gabby stood in the center of the trail that circled the Central Park reservoir. Her heart wasn’t pounding. It was flying apart within the confines of her rib cage, her breath trapped in her lungs. She fell to her knees and grabbed her throat, trying to ease the tension. All the techniques she’d found useful in the past were beyond her capability right now. She was in a full-blown panic attack, desperate for air.

  A young woman came to her aid, but Gabby couldn’t hear her. All she could do was gasp for air. Her cheeks and lips began to tingle, as did her hands and feet. The girl took her wrist and felt for a pulse.

  “I’m going to call 911,” the girl said. But it didn’t register with Gabby. All she heard was the blood pounding in her ears.

  Her mind was on Danny’s words. He knew where she lived and was waiting for her. The vicious cycle was set in motion with Gabby’s heart continuing to race. She felt like she wasn’t getting any air, when in fact her oxygen levels were too high. Hyperventilation set in, and she couldn’t remember her breathing techniques to increase her carbon dioxide levels.

  The EMTs arrived. Gabby was treated on site but refused to go to the hospital. When she calmed down and was able to speak, she thanked the girl and told the EMTs she suffered from anxiety and had forgotten to take her medication. She was so used to denying the truth, it came naturally to pretend that she was fine. They left and she moved to an obscure park bench and nearly had another breakdown. This time, she was able to identify it in time so she gained control before it controlled her. What was she going to do now? Danny knew her address—now she was anything but safe.

  When she checked her watch, she was surprised to find it was after lunch. She walked along East Drive and exited the park on 84th Street where she found a corner market and purchased a bottle of water and a granola bar. As she walked, she tried to come up with a reasonable solution to her problem. There was no doubt about it. She was going to have to find another apartment. If only she could move out of New York City altogether. But that wasn’t possible. It was where all her connections were, where she had trained in her residency, and where she had spent the last year trying to build up her practice. Though she was barely making it, starting over would mean bankruptcy for sure. She simply couldn’t handle the pressure of that. Moving out of her apartment was the only solution. It would be too risky to stay there with Danny knowing where she lived. Deep in thought, she was startled when she bumped into Sam.

  “Everything okay, Dr. M.?” he asked.

  “Oh, Sam, hello.” She was so relieved to see him, she hugged him.

  He could feel her trembling. “Dr. M., are you okay? With all due respect, ma’am, you don’t look so good.”

  Her eyes pinged around and her lips trembled as she attempted a halfhearted smile. “Please. You know you’re safe with us. Completely.”

  The hand that held her water bottle shook so much she had to hold it with her other hand too. Her large eyes landed on Sam’s and she choked out three words. “He found me.”

  She didn’t need to say anything else. Sam’s giant paw of a hand gently wrapped around her arm and he said, “Come with me, Dr. M.”

  She watched Sam pull out his phone and send a text message as they walked. She let him lead her around the block to a side entrance of a building. In her musings she hadn’t noticed where she was or that she was near Kolson’s apartment. Sam took her through a side hall to the elevator and waited for the doors to open. He entered a series of numbers and the elevator took them up to the penthouse. When the doors slid open, Kolson was standing there and she numbly drifted into his outstretched arms. It was almost like he was supposed to be there, waiting for her, and like she knew he would be.

  “What happened?” he murmured into her ear. She felt safe within the possessive cage of his embrace and now that she was here, it was where she wanted to stay.

  Without looking up, she handed him her phone. He read the text from Danny.

  Kolson’s flinty countenance didn’t come close to matching the fury that brewed within him. He tossed the phone to Sam. They exchanged nods and then he led Gabby through his bedroom and into his bathroom. He set to filling his enormous tub and piled fluffy towels next to it. From his closet, he pulled out clothes for her to change into afterward.

  When the water was high enough, he turned on the jets. “Take a bath and try to relax. I’m going to fix you some lunch. Take as long as you need. I grabbed some things for you to wear—choose whichever works best. Whenever you’re finished, join me in the den or kitchen. And Gabriella, please take your time. You’re safe here. He can’t touch you. Can I get you anything … something to drink, perhaps?”

  “No, and thank you.” She squeezed his hand.

  He nodded and closed the door after him.

  Sam was waiting for him in the den.

  “What the fuck, Sam? I left her there last night. Alone. I thought you had this handled?”

  “I thought I did too. I put Ovaltine on her place for the early mornings.”

  “Who the fuck is Ovaltine?”

  “He’s my little brother, Leroy. Ovaltine’s his nickname. Kid wouldn’t drink anything but Ovaltine growing up. He was supposed to be checking on her place every night from eleven to eight.”

  “Then how did Danny find her? Did Ovaltine report anything suspicious? And what about from five until eleven? Who was covering her then?”

  Sam looked at Kolson sheepishly. “That’s my responsibility, boss. Well, I handle it from eight in the morning to six or until she gets home. And if I can’t do it, I get Jimbo to cover for me.”

  “Then you had a break somewhere. We gotta get her out of there. Today.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “That prick has a file a mile long. He’s a fucking pervert. I don’t want him anywhere near her. Am I clear?”

  “Yes, sir. I may need an extra man or two.”

  “Get however many you need. And find her another apartment in one of our buildings. Make sure it’s one with a doorman and tight security. Scratch that. I’ll get one of our people to do it. We have to move her out today or tomorrow. She doesn’t know HTS owns her building. I’ll tell her.”

  Sam nodded. “Where will she stay in the meantime?”

  “She can stay here.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Go to her place and get the things she’ll need until she moves. I’ll get you through their security. I’m not letting her out of here and I need to fix her something to eat. Did you see the look on her face? Jesus. How the fuck?” Kolson rubbed his neck as he headed for the kitchen.

  Kolson’s mind was filled with all sorts of images as he thought of Danny breaking into Gabby’s apartment while she was there. What if he’d been there last night, when she’d had too much to drink and he’d left her there alone? It was a damn good thing she’d gone for that run. No telling what would’ve happened if she hadn’t.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Gabby stepped into the hot bath and let the water do its thing. It took some time, but eventually the tension eased out of her body. Little by little she allowed herself to put together the last few hours. How the heck had Danny found her? Did he follow her? She thought she’d been smart all this time, but apparently she hadn’t. Kolson had been right. Running in the early morning hours had been beyond risky. She was surprised Danny hadn’t gotten to her then. Where would she have gone without Kolson? Sky, most likely.

  But her mind had been so troubled, she hadn’t been able to think properly. Now what the hell was she supposed to do? If she went back home, she was sure she’d run straight back into Danny’s clutches. But he couldn’t stand guard all the time, could he? There had to be a moment when he wouldn’t be there. That was it! That’s what she would do. Figure out when he would leave and then she would go home.

  When the bathwater chilled, she turned off the jets and climbed out. After she dried off, she stepped into the shorts Kolson had given her. Yeah, they were huge, but she could cinch up the waist with th
e drawstring. Then she put on the T-shirt, also too big. She felt so sleepy now that the tension had dissipated. Padding through Kolson’s bedroom, she took a quick peek around. A giant four-poster bed sat against one wall and it was canopied with sheer creamy fabric. Her toes sunk into the plush cream carpet as she moved silently toward the door. Everything reeked of money. She had an urge to slip under the expensive-looking duvet and take a nap. But she didn’t. She walked toward what she hoped was the kitchen.

  Kolson’s back was to her.

  “Thank you for the clothes. They’re a bit large but they’ll do.”

  He turned to check her out and laughed. “You look like a street urchin from one of those old movies.”

  “I’m glad the shorts have a drawstring. I couldn’t hold them up otherwise.” She pulled up the shirt and he laughed again.

  “Sam’s going over to your place to bring back some of your things.”

  “My things?”

  “Yes. You can’t go back there with your cousin hanging about. It simply isn’t safe.”

  “Then what will I do?”

  “Gabriella, sit. Why don’t you eat first and then we can discuss this.”

  He set a plate of pasta with red sauce and chicken on the counter, along with a salad and ice water.

  “Did you make all this?”

  “Are you questioning my culinary abilities?”

  “No, but …”

  “Eat, Gabriella.”

  Her stomach let out a big growl and she nodded. Taking a seat at the huge stone counter, she scooted her stool in and began eating. He stood across from her and hovered, asking her if she needed this or that. He refilled her plate once and her glass twice. Soon, she patted her stomach and laughed.

  “I think I’m going to pop. I didn’t know I could hold that much food.”

  “I have a confession to make. I didn’t cook all that. My housekeeper did. She’s really great and leaves all kinds of food for me because she knows I don’t cook. By the way, when was the last time you ate?”

  Without thinking, she replied, “Last night. I had a cheeseburger. Along with my Sugar Tits.” Then she remembered what had happened as a result of said drinks and her face burned with embarrassment. She quickly dipped her head, twisting the napkin in her lap.

  Kolson didn’t say a word. He cleared her plate and took a seat next to her.

  “So tell me what happened.”

  Glad for the distraction, she said, “I went running. I figured it was okay since it was around nine. I knew there would be people out and about. So I headed to the park and was making my way around the lake, enjoying the beautiful weather, when I got the text.”

  “But that was hours ago. What happened between then and now?”

  Kolson watched the way her eyes looked everywhere but at him. He noticed how she grabbed her wrist and repeatedly slid her thumb back and forth over the scars. After watching her for a few seconds, he reached over and took her hand in his, stopping the action.

  “You’re safe, Gabriella. He can’t get to you here. Tell me. What happened?”

  “I got his text and then I panicked and couldn’t breathe. I’m a fucking psychiatrist and couldn’t control my stupid reaction to him. I allowed him to have that control over me. I went into a total meltdown. A massive panic attack. Some kind woman stopped and helped me. She called 911 and the EMTs came. The goddamn ambulance came.”

  By now she was shaking. Kolson couldn’t determine if it was because she was angry or frightened or a combination of both. She looked up at him; Kolson again found himself captivated by her eyes. Almond-shaped and caramel-colored, he thought them to be warm and inviting. But at this moment, they were alive and sparking with flecks of fire.

  “Deep breaths, kea.” He held her shoulders and watched the panic seep out of her.

  “Why do you call me that?”

  “Call you what? Kea?”

  “Yeah. You called me that once before.”

  “Do you know what a kea is?”

  “No.”

  Kolson laughed. “It’s one of the most beautiful birds in the world. It’s a member of the parrot family and it’s native to New Zealand. Its coloring is olive green to caramel brown but when it takes flight, the underside of its wings are a fiery orange and the tops are teal blue. They are spectacular. Your eyes remind me of a kea. When I look at them, they’re caramel brown, but I can see hints of olive green. However, when you get upset or angry, like you are right now, flecks of fiery orange and gold pop out. And that is why I call you kea.”

  Gabriella’s hand covered her mouth. No one had ever said anything so sweet or romantic to her before, and it settled into a place within her heart she didn’t know existed. Her fingers moved to the bridge of her nose and she pinched it as her eyes burned with unshed tears.

  Kolson didn’t say a word. He only wrapped his arm around her tightly and held her against his chest for a moment. When he was satisfied she wasn’t going into another attack, he asked, “Are we good here?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Can you finish telling me what happened?” He released her so she could talk.

  “They got my breathing under control. I couldn’t stop hyperventilating. My heart rate was at one ninety. Blood pressure through the roof. Classic symptoms. They wanted to take me in but I refused. So they released me AMA.”

  “AMA?”

  “Against medical advice.”

  “But you’re okay now?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Gabriella, what time was that?”

  She shook her head. “I’m not sure. Ten maybe.”

  “What happened between then and now?”

  “I walked.”

  “What. The. Fuck! Are you crazy?”

  She tried to pull her hand away from him. “You’re hurting me.”

  He immediately loosened his grip. Kolson was angry. Not particularly at her but at the fact that she didn’t come directly here. His eyes filled with remorse. “I’m sorry.” He lifted her hand and kissed it. “Why didn’t you come straight here?”

  She shrugged. “We … I … after last night, I didn’t think you’d want me to. Honestly, I hadn’t planned on coming here. I only ran into Sam by accident.”

  “What do you mean by ‘after last night’?”

  “You left me! Alone in my apartment. I didn’t think …”

  Kolson blew out his breath. “Because you had too much to drink. I’d never take advantage of you in that state. Gabriella, what exactly did Danny do to you?”

  She tried to pull her hand away from him again as she pushed her chair back from the counter and stood. “Nothing.”

  His voice softened as he asked, “Do you know how ridiculous that sounds? You get a text from him that sends you into a major panic attack and then you say he didn’t do anything to you?”

  “Please, just drop it. It doesn’t matter anyway.” She gave her hand another tug but had no success in freeing herself.

  “It does. Look at the effect it has on you. Tell me, Gabriella, does this matter?” He lifted her wrist with the scars on it.

  “Not to the people who were supposed to count in my life.”

  “Fuck them. Not everyone does what they’re supposed to do. What about to you? You’re the psychiatrist. If you were your own patient, what would you tell yourself?”

  He was right and she knew it, yet she didn’t respond.

  “You need to talk to someone so it might as well be me. Tell me,” he urged.

  She shook her head and he said, “I’ll find out. I have my ways. And you know what they are.”

  Gabby shivered at his words. “I won’t give up on you nor will I ever hurt you, Gabriella.”

  “Maybe not physically. But that’s not what I fear. It’s the emotional scars that hurt the worst, Kolson. They never go away.”

  Kolson eyed her for a long moment. His emotions were conflicted—part of him wanted to carry her into his bedroom, throw her on his bed, and fuck her silly. He luste
d after her and there was no use denying it. The urge to dominate her and force out every secret she ever had was compelling him to do just that. But the other part implored him to be gentle with her, to treat her like a fragile goblet, like one that could shatter with the slightest touch. It surprised him because he’d never thought of treating a woman like that before. The darker side of him emerged and he longed to seduce the mystery out of her. For the first time he could remember, he was at great odds with himself. The tension that mounted within him only served to fuel his desires.

  Kolson leaned in and touched his mouth briefly to hers. Then he followed an invisible trail that went from Gabby’s ear to her collarbone. When she sighed, he wound his arm around her waist and backed her against the wall. Then he took his time dragging his tongue across her lips, nibbling as he went.

  “Are you going to tell me now?” he asked.

  “Mmm. No,” she breathed.

  He lifted her shirt and pulled it over her head, trapping her arms behind her back. The cool air skimmed across her scorched skin and her flesh tightened as goosebumps flared. Then his mouth went to work on her chest. He tasted her skin, freshly scented from her bath, and moved to one of her breasts, taunting her nipple with his teeth. He blew his warm breath over her and she arched into him, giving him better access to her aching peak as he flicked his tongue across it.

  “Now?”

  “Uh-huh,” she panted.

  “Then I guess this calls for something even more drastic.”

  Gabby’s eyes were closed as her head rested against the wall. But when his fingers slid into her shorts and between her silken crease, the alarm bells went off. She struggled against him as she tried to pull away, but he only leaned against her and kissed her again until she moaned.

  “Tell me, Gabby,” he demanded against her lips.

  She was panting now, from both desire and unease.

  “I won’t hurt you. You know that. But I want to know what he did to you. Tell me,” he insisted.