A Soul Redeemed

by Dakota Black

  “What?” Nash remained standing. “He said that?”

  “He did, however, he was maybe delusional last night. I don’t know. This morning, he was all smiles, asking me when he could go back to work. Just odd.”

  “Veronica, being on a rig for as long as some of these men have as well as extensive injuries could indeed create some form of delusion. I witnessed it in the jungle. I know what I’m talking about.”

  She nodded and swayed forward and backward. “I admit, I did too. I had no idea what to expect when I signed on with Doctors Without Borders, but what I experienced will never leave me. No matter how professional you try to be, you become intertwined with the lives of those you’re trying to care for. Notice I say trying,” she whispered as she absently brushed her hand through her hair.

  Nash could see such conviction in her eyes, a need to serve.

  “There were times that kids would come in screaming that they were being hunted by monsters. They really believed what they were saying. Their injuries were so severe, terrible. I realized within two days of being stationed there that so many of the wounds, burns, cuts and bullet holes had been inflicted on purpose. They were malnourished and had never seen a doctor in their sweet little lives. I did what I could trying to ease their fears. The night terrors were horrific. Given where I was stationed the first two months, we had to keep them silent. I’ve never seen such horrors and I never want to again.”

  The words were haunting, a telling of the woman sitting in front of him. He slid into the chair opposite her and moved the drink back and forth in his hands. “But you helped them.”

  She nodded several times before gazing into his eyes. “As best I could. I don’t know. Maybe I shouldn’t have come here.”

  For the first time in so long, he wanted to comfort her, take this woman into his arms. He remained aroused, hunger bubbling to the surface. “From what I’ve been able to tell, you’re an excellent doctor. We need you. Now, I have to keep you safe.”

  “Are any of us safe any longer?”

  The words were laced with her own level of sadness, as if she’d lived too many tragedies in her own life. “When I was in the Marines, I witnessed men being shot, arms and legs amputated, or decapitated by a single blow of a cannon. We had only a few medics on hand and they were overwhelmed.”

  “That’s why you were medically trained.”

  “Yeah. Not my first choice but there were so many men who were barely hanging on to life. Eventually you get used to the blood and gore, but the horrors change you forever.” Horrors. He had far too many tales to tell and few of which he could ever share with anyone, especially a woman.

  Smiling, she reached out, her fingers touching his. “I understand.” Her hand lingered, her index finger rubbing back and forth across his skin.

  Holding his breath, he accepted the soft touch, a gentle grace offered by few. “Do you?”

  As if the words stung, she pulled away. “You’re right. I don’t know you and you don’t have any clue about me. All we can do is work together to figure this out.”

  He sat back and tried to think the situation through as logically as possible. “You need to go back to the clinic, act as if nothing is wrong. I doubt anything else will happen at least for a few days. If there is a plan in action, I suspect it may coincide with the next scheduled event.”

  “Which is?”

  “Ramping up production to meet quarterly stats.”

  “What if you don’t meet your required production?”

  Nash contemplated the swift action. “I suspect Rush Enterprises will take this rig off line, re-haul everything. After that? I don’t know.”

  “Maybe you need to find out.”

  “Maybe I do.”

  They sat quietly for a few minutes.

  She polished off her drink. “I’ll keep an eye on Roger. The other two men will be released tomorrow but they’re not fit for work.”

  “I’ll assign them leave with the first team going home for a break.”

  “That’s good. That will help ease my mind.” Very gingerly she eased the glass onto the small coffee table. “I don’t like feeling out of control, at least not in this manner.”

  The words seemed practiced, as if directed towards him. “And I must have control over all things in my life,” he replied.

  Her body responded, her lower lip quivering. A line of perspiration popped along her upper lip and her nipples hardened, showing through her thin top. She licked her lips, the move every bit provocative.

  His cock was throbbing, giving him dangerous thoughts. This couldn’t happen. “You have no idea who warned you last night?”

  She exhaled and ripped the ponytail holder out of her hair. “There was a man on deck this morning. Larger than the rest. Texas twang. That’s the only one who could have fit the description.”

  “Tank. Goddamn the asshole.”

  “Tank?”

  Nash jerked to his feet, anger boiling through every cell. His gut was telling him Tank was smack in the middle of the situation and he knew, the crew leader was dangerous. This fit the way Camden didn’t talk about him. If Tank had set his sights on Veronica, Nash would use force if he had to. Damn it. He clenched his fist, attempting to keep his rage at bay. The last thing she needed was additional terror. “He’s my right-hand man.”

  “But you don’t trust him.”

  “Not in the least.”

  Veronica remained silent as she walked toward the door, her shoulders slumping.

  “Don’t worry about him,” he whispered, his skin prickling. She was vulnerable yet would push back. Dear God, he craved the woman.

  “Trust,” she whispered. “Trust seems to be an expensive concept. Difficult to achieve.”

  He stood behind her, a myriad of thoughts racing through his mind, but he knew the words had dual meaning. “Do you trust me?”

  She shifted until she faced him. “For some reason, I do.”

  The sexual tension between them became electrified.

  “You hunger for a man to trust, to be able to unlock your needs, desires you’ve been running away from.”

  The words caught her off guard. She brushed her hand down the nape of her neck. “Yes.”

  “You need a man to protect you, control you, use you.”

  Swallowing, her eyelids fluttered, her fingers rubbing across her pursed lips. “Oh, yes.”

  The scent of her perfume was intoxicating, driving him into a heightened state of desire, a series of sensations he wasn’t used to experiencing. He could hear his heart thumping in his chest, noticed the way her breathing remained ragged and reached out, yanking her into his arms. Crushing her mouth with his, he thrust his tongue inside, tasting her sweet essence.

  Moaning into the kiss, she clenched her fists pushing against his shoulders, her body wiggling.

  He gripped the back of her neck with one hand, her ass with the other, and pulled her tight against his body, his groin pressing into her belly. The moment of heated passion continued as he kneaded her buttocks, longing to shove his cock deep inside her pussy.

  She continued struggling yet she ground her hips, whimpering in his hold.

  He shoved her against the wall and cupped her chin and neck, pushing up as he broke the kiss. Dragging his lips and teeth down from her chin to her neck, he grunted as he sucked on her tender tissue. With the other hand, he pulled her arm over her head, gripping her wrist.

  Panting, her entire body trembled as he licked and sucked down her long neck. “Oh!” The single sound was muffled, laced with wild yearning.

  He broke the hold long enough to wrangle her other arm over her head, grasping both wrists together and in one hand. He tried to focus, blinking as she watched his every move. He yanked the shirt from her shorts and slid his hand underneath. The warmth of her skin made his mouth water.

  “Nash!” Rising onto her tiptoes, she shuddered from his touch.

  “Is this what you want?” He wasn’t certain he gave a shi
t about the answer.

  “Yes.” She arched her back and opened her legs wide.

  Reaching down, he rubbed the flat of his hand on her crotch, able to feel the wetness. He slipped a finger under the thick hem of her shorts, pushing past the thin slip of elastic.

  “Oh, God!” Her legs crumpled down as her head lolled.

  Nash swirled his finger only twice before plunging inside her cunt.

  “Mmm!”

  Pumping in and out, he drove her further onto her toes before he stopped, removing his hand entirely. “Look at me.” The command was harsh.

  She obeyed, her mouth pursed into an ‘O’.

  He slipped his finger inside his mouth, drawing in and out then he used the tip of the same finger to draw a circle around her lips. “No one else will ever taste you again. Understood?”

  “Yes.”

  Leaning over, he placed his lips on her stomach, dragging his tongue across her skin. He licked as he moved in a line up toward her breasts then bit down on her lace covered nipple.

  “I… we can’t.”

  “Yes, we will.” Replacing his mouth with his fingers, he pinched and twisted until she sagged, no longer fighting what they would become. He could sense her burning desire to be taken, dominated in a manner she didn’t understand, yet would submit and learn to obey. He rose to his full height. Out of breath, he issued a soft chuckle as he gripped her neck. “Tonight, you’ll come to me, offer me your body.”

  Veronica whimpered just once, her eyes darting back and forth. “Yes.”

  “And make no mistake. After tonight, you belong to me.”

  And make no mistake. After tonight, you belong to me.

  The words remained burning in the back of Veronica’s mind for the entire day. She found herself in a fog, confused as to why the incident with Nash had occurred. No, the confusion remained within herself. She’d just shoved a controlling asshole out of her life. That wasn’t entirely true. Derek was abusive in his actions and his words. Nash was… Groaning, she tried to push away her lurid thoughts and work on updating the files.

  Nash. His touch, his kiss was demanding in a way she’d never experienced. What he’d shown her had two distinct sides, anger and passion. The combination was explosive. This man she wanted more than any other she’d had. Oh, God! This was insane.

  She wiggled in her seat, imagining being with him, under him. Hell, she could envision him taking her in any manner he desired. And she’d say yes. Belong to him. What did the words even mean? Dear God, she was wet, her entire body aching with need. Her pussy clenched, causing a single moan to slip from her mouth. She laughed softly and dropped her head to the desk. They were in the middle of some crisis situation and she was allowing her personal cravings to interfere.

  What would her colleagues say? Her parents? Did she give a shit? For the first time in her life, she realized the answer was a solid ‘no’. Get to work. Finish the day. A quick glance at the clock gave her a needed boost. She’d be able to leave soon enough. Then what? You’ll obey him. The realization was startling. Yes, she would.

  She’d maintained a quiet calm around the patients as well as Sam, but she kept her own notes of any discrepancy in the files she’d found. And the list was growing. When she looked at the clock again, more than an hour had passed. She checked her email, breathing a sigh of relief. Sally had at least responded, her email short and sweet. The woman would need a couple of days to finish the tests. Whether or not there was a need to hurry remained a question in her mind. Roger certainly didn’t seem to have another meltdown, in body or mind. In fact, he’d asked twice if he could be set free. The other two had been dismissed. She only hoped that Nash would make good on his promise to require them to leave.

  “Roger’s condition seems to be improving. What you did was amazing,” Sam said as he walked into the room, his smile genuine. “He’s asking for real food. Thought I might grab him some dinner.”

  “Well, we caught the issue in time. The bleeding wasn’t significant. I think solid food would be a good idea. Just nothing too heavy.”

  “No cheeseburger and fries?”

  While the question was meant to be a tease, her hackles were raised. She hadn’t seen Sam in the dining area, which meant she was being watched. Was she just grabbing at straws? “Very funny and no, nothing greasy.”

  “Don’t worry, doc, I’ll make it light. Grab you a coffee?”

  “No. I need a long, hot shower.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll check on him tonight. For the record, what you really need is a good night’s sleep.” Sam held the smile.

  She loathed the fact she didn’t trust him. From all accounts, he was exactly who he portrayed. Maybe exhaustion was clinging to her rational faculties. “I appreciate that. We should work on getting the files updated in the computer tomorrow. I’ll need your help locating some of them.”

  A single eyebrow raised, a slight hesitation before he nodded. “You bet. I’m no computer whiz, but I can get around.”

  “You know the system. That’s all I need. I can certainly do the rest.”

  “Excellent. Until tomorrow.”

  “Yep.” She snagged another file, noticing he hadn’t moved. “Is there something else, Sam?”

  “Nothing that can’t wait.”

  Lifting her gaze, she held back a retort. His expression was now ominous.

  Camden rubbed his weary eyes. He remained anxious, disturbed and had been unable to grab a handle on what Zach had suggested. While the findings were inconclusive, the cloud of suspicion was growing wider, soon to become a suffocating blanket of death. He snorted at his thoughts and checked his watch. Hell, it was after five. He’d worked from home, fearful there would be a pair or two of eyes watching his every move. For what reason? Could be to report to the Board, gleefully sharing the latest company difficulties. Could be for more nefarious reasons.

  He walked toward the bar, determined to get away from his rambling ideas. They were getting him nowhere. While Nash’s last report hadn’t been glowing, at least a list of equipment had been provided and production was running fully operational for the first time in weeks. No small feat. Now, only time would tell. There would need to be all hands on deck and no additional issues in order to meet production quota. The issue of hiring qualified riggers was difficult. They’d have to hire from the outside and that would take weeks. Rush Enterprises didn’t have weeks before the shit hit the fan.

  After pouring a bourbon and coke, he walked toward the set of French doors. The afternoon remained hot, a scorching heatwave creating turbulent ocean waters. There was even talk of a hurricane. As if they needed another kick in the teeth.

  The sound of his doorbell grabbed his attention. Sulking, he walked toward the door, in zero mood for company. “Don’t you have a date or something?” he shot out, seeing Zach, a pinched look on his face.

  “Cancelled. This is far more important. I’ll take one of those.” Zach huffed as he nodded toward the glass.

  Camden slowly closed the door and remained in the foyer. A visit now meant more bad news. He wasn’t certain if he could stand another gripping bulletin. “Sure. Why not?”

  “Make it a double.”

  “Fantastic. Should I be sitting down when you tell me the good news?” He kept his gait slow as he trailed behind Zach and into the living room, nursing his drink the entire way.

  Zach shoved his briefcase down onto the couch and dragged out a set of files. “Let’s just say I’d refresh yours.”

  He took a huge gulp before shaking his head. After this shit, a vacation was in order. “Scotch?”

  “The best you have.” Zach rustled through papers.

  “Why don’t you just spit it out.” Camden fixed and refreshed drinks and when he turned, he raised an eyebrow. Zach was holding up a single piece of paper. “What am I about to look at?”

  “Two international and very lucrative bank accounts. They were hard to find, but then again, once I started looking, the trail led me
right to them. Want to guess where?” Zach asked.

  “Germany.” Of course, Canterfield Industries home base.

  “You win the Kewpie doll.” He took the drink out of Camden’s hand, holding the glass into the stream of sunlight. “Keep guessing.”

  Camden took another sip and grabbed the sheet of paper. “Two million dollars? That’s a hell of a lot of money.”

  “You bet and my guess is there might be more. Come on, guess who they’re linked to.” Now, Zach was grinning.

  “Brian Williams.” He felt his anger building.

  “Man, I should’ve purchased a lottery ticket. You’re good.” Zach grabbed another file, moving it in Camden’s direction.

  “More smoking guns?”

  “In a manner of speaking.”

  He sat down on the sofa and pored over the file. The information was filled with copies of emails as well as bank deposits. Everything was neat and tidy. He sat back, contemplating the information as Zach stared at him. Then he smiled. “You think this plot goes deeper.”

  “Much deeper.” Zach continued to stand stoically. “I know you guys don’t like Tank after what happened, but he’s a good man.”

  Camden exhaled. “I once thought of him as a good a friend as you or Mitchell. Then, everything changed.”

  “Yeah, with the two of you as well. You kept him out, kicked him to the curb.”

  “As if we had a choice!” he snapped then recoiled. “I know you’re trying to help.”

  “Camden, he…” Zach’s voice trailed off.

  “What? Spill it. If you know something, tell me.”

  Zach took a gulp of his drink and walked further into the room. “I can’t. Okay? Not right now. Just hear me when I say he had his reasons for going overboard, drinking, suffering.”

  Camden knew Zach would never betray a trust, but he believed in what his friend was saying. “Then what are we going to do?”

  Polishing off his drink, he allowed the ice to clink in the glass. When he looked down at Camden, his eyes were twinkling. “I have an idea to flush out the culprit. That is, if you’re up for a round of subterfuge.”