“Do you trust me?”
No hesitation. “Yes.”
He spoke in a calm, reassuring manner describing how they were going to get off the ledge as if the maneuver was no more difficult than stepping out a door. Panic started to set in.
“Remy,” he murmured softly. “Look at me.”
She swung anxious eyes to his. Her fucking head was pounding. Her arm was on fire. She was tired, scared and had been through enough.
“I’m going to blindfold you.”
She shook her head frantically. Blindfold? Was he kidding?
“Easy, darlin’,” he said soothingly. “Just relax. Think of it like blinders on a horse. I can get us out of here but you have to just go with it. I can’t have you freezing up or reacting the wrong way. A blindfold and your trust is the cut-to-the-chase version.”
He was right. It was like riding tandem on a motorcycle. The temptation to fight every turn instead of leaning into it was natural. If she couldn’t see, she could focus all her energy on trusting him to save the day. Tall order but she had a shocking degree of faith in him.
He wrapped a piece of cloth that looked like it was ripped off a flannel shirt around her head. She touched it with her free hand as her sight went dark.
“Take a deep breath,” he told her.
Finn let a minute go by for her to get used to the blindfold. Her panicking wouldn’t be helpful.
Strapped to him and trusting that as a seasoned rescue worker he knew what the hell he was doing, she felt them start to move upward. They moved slowly as he yelled commands to Jace. When they cleared the top of the ledge and dropped awkwardly onto the ground, the rope keep dragging them until they were clear of the danger zone.
The blindfold came off and she found Jace and Finn hovering over her as she lay on the hard packed earth. The rope was quickly removed. She was too weak to do anything except lay there. When the duct tape came off she nearly blacked out.
There was talk. They made her drink more water. Then she was wrapped in a blanket, carried and placed in the seat of a truck. She heard more conversation.
Finn was beside her and the truck started to move. He explained that they’d be going straight to urgent care for an x-ray of her arm. She didn’t care if he drove them to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. The only thing that mattered was her relief that the shithead saloon owner rode in on his white horse and rescued her.
The truck stopped. She looked at Finn. He was staring at her strangely. He reached out and gently covered the hand she had resting on her thigh. It wasn’t until she tracked his movements and saw her hand violently shaking that she fully grasped what rough shape she was in.
He gave her more water to sip, pulled the blanket around her tighter, and brushed the hair off her face.
When the truck began moving again, she started drifting more from the release of anxiety than anything else.
She stayed mute during the emergency room intake process and let him handle everything. The only question she asked was about Jace. Finn explained that he stayed behind to drive the Polaris and photography stuff to her place.
His solid presence and reassuring manner made her stop and think. Why was her response to this guy so different? It’s not like he went out of his way to be nice and no matter how grateful she was for his assistance today, he was still a dick.
Keeping a watchful eye on her, he remained at her side while she waited for the nurse to arrive.When she did, immediate tension filled the room. Remy looked around. Finn and the nurse were squaring off with Beantown looking like an angry bear and the nurse cooing like a twit.
It took her a good minute to put it together. How ironic, she thought. Slutty nurse, the one she found inhaling a certain portion of Finn’s anatomy the night of Pete’s Halloween Party, was an actual nurse.
As the medical professional got down to business, the subtext ricocheting around the room was fascinating. And uncomfortable. Slutty nurse asked some snotty questions, which managed to enflame Finn. Remy gave up and let whatever was going to happen…happen.
“Is this work-related?” the nurse asked.
She started to answer but Finn put a hand on her and she remained silent.
“No. We were on a picnic when a storm rumbled through. Unfortunately, Remington took a tumble. Desert’s a dangerous place.”
After Slutty nurse finished the assessment and left, silence fell. She didn’t know what she was supposed to say. He’d more or less left the woman with the distinct impression she and Finn were more than friends.
Curious considering the last time she’d seen the arrogant Irishman his dick was in the nurse’s mouth.
He startled her when a stammered mea culpa of sorts came out of his mouth.
“She means nothing, Remy. Less than nothing. Am I a fucking pig? Yes. Sorry, babe but in this instance I plead the Y chromosome and fall on your mercy.”
Maybe it was the trauma or the fact that her filters were off, she wasn’t sure. But for some ungodly reason she blurted out the questions running around in her mind.
“Are you involved with her?”
“No.”
“Are you seeing anyone?”
“No.” When she gave him a dubious frown he added, “Swear to Christ.”
“Why were you with Jace earlier?”
“I went to your office.”
“Why?”
“To bother the shit out of you, Remy,” he drawled. “And to apologize for being a dick.”
That was all the chitchat they had time for. Over the next ninety minutes she was poked, prodded, x-rayed and evaluated. Luckily nothing was broken but her shoulder was dislocated. One painful manipulation later, she was in a sling, pumped full of anti-inflammatory meds and painkillers.
Probably not the best recipe for another truck ride with Finn but that’s what happened. Now all she had to do was watch her pain meds addled brain and not say or do anything stupid.
31
Where had the afternoon gone? Angie checked the clock on the wall. It was late. Past six o’clock, and she was tired and cranky. Last minute changes to the grand opening preparations ended up being an enormous handful. Next time she took on a huge event she was going to hire an assistant because this shit was killing her.
Stretching, she twisted and turned trying to work out the kinks. Couple of wavy windmills and some toe touches later, she shook head to toe like a dog after a bath and cracked her neck.
Anxious to be home where she could kick off her shoes and relax, it only took a matter of minutes to grab her stuff, turn off the lights and activate the security system.
The sound of her heels on the rustic looking wood planks making up the floors of the Double M main office reminded her that she wasn’t exactly dressed for comfort. With important meetings to deal with, she’d gone full Marquez, and wore a tailored dress. Her dad was the one who taught Angie the best way to handle business situations. Sneakers and jeans wouldn’t cut it. Not if she wanted the center to be taken seriously.
“Good evening, Ms. Marquez,” a voice called out.
She looked around. It was Miguel, one of the security guards Alex insisted be on-site twenty-four seven.
“You’re the last one.” He held up his phone. “Got a signal that the alarm was activated.”
Though the Double M Veterans’ Outreach and Family Center was constructed to resemble an old western town, it was outfitted with every imaginable technological wonder not the least of which was an ingenious security system custom designed by her brother and uncle.
“Enjoy the quiet,” she teased jokingly. “After the opening, this place will be hopping every night. Early registrations indicate a full house for most of the evening classes and activities. I think pick-up basketball in the gym will bring in a lot of people we wouldn’t ordinarily see.”
Miguel laughed with ease and made a goofy face. “Like my son, Tomas. That boy takes being anti-social to ridiculous lengths. But toss him a basketball and issue a challenge?” A scof
fing laugh filled the evening air. “Boys! Right?”
She couldn’t agree more. Even when those boys were pushing forty.
Luckily, it wasn’t a very long drive home. She cracked the sunroof and turned on Sirius. Running through the preset stations she stopped on Classic Rewind because the Hooters were singing And We Danced. It was one of her and Soph’s favorite sing and dance along tunes.
Goddamn but it had been a long day and she was sure as shit exhausted. Thinking over all that was still left to do, her thoughts stuttered to an uncomfortable halt when she remembered an awkward talk she had with Meghan earlier.
She wasn’t surprised her sister-in-law attempted a carefully worded intervention involving the concerns she knew many voiced about the shift in vibe coming off her and Parker.
She felt it too. Their relationship hadn’t changed. Not at all. But when they were around other people, her hunky lawyer was putting off strange signals. Maybe Tori was right.
Angie shifted uncomfortably in her seat and gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles went white.
The message in Red’s cautious manner was murky and confusing but the bottom line was simple. Stop fucking around and marry the man.
Sheesh. If only it could be that simple.
Parker’s car was in the driveway when she got home. Curious considering he usually parked in the garage.
Loaded down with her briefcase bag, an armload of Double M t-shirts, her purse and an Earl Grey latte she grabbed at Starbucks, Angie stumbled through the front door and emptied her arms.
Only the hot drink remained in her hand as she pushed hair from her face and started into the living room. She was about to kick off her heels when she found Parker sitting in the dark. Staring at her.
There was something about his expression that instantly made Angie nervous. She swallowed with difficulty and pasted a weak smile on her face.
“Hi.”
His answering silence felt like an accusation. When he eventually said something Angie had the distinct impression she was on the witness stand.
“What time is it?”
She turned her wrist to look at the rose gold watch, being careful not to spill her drink.
“Six forty-eight,” she responded and then mentally kicked herself for answering what had to be a gotcha question.
Meeting his shadowed gaze was like hitting a wall. He was giving away nothing and she froze knowing that somehow she stepped in it and had an angry alpha on her hands.
In a voice so quiet she strained to listen, Angie shivered at the bold anger disguised in his words.
“Didn’t we have a date?”
You know those National Geographic videos showing huge sheets of arctic ice breaking off an ancient glacier and crashing into the sea? Yeah, well that’s what she felt when the coldness in his hushed question made contact.
Oh.
Fuck.
No.
Did she?
Holy shit. Yes, she had.
She’d totally forgotten they had plans. Real fear ran rampant inside her. Was she insane? That had to be the explanation for why she’d blown off what Angie knew was a very big deal. To Parker.
She started forward but he held up his hand to stop her. “Stay where you are,” he barked.
The cup of latte shook in her hand. She wisely chose to set it down before it ended up down the front of the very conservative business outfit she had on.
His voice when he spoke was brittle. Accusing. Throwing herself at his feet started to seem like a really good idea.
“I waited for you a long time, angel.”
The oxygen left her lungs and she forced herself to breathe.
“I asked you to marry me in front of your family.”
He paused. She swallowed with difficulty.
“As I recall, your answer was yes.”
She didn’t like how calm he appeared.
“And then you dodged the issue for months. No ring. No plans. I let you run the show thinking for all the shit I put you through, you earned a bit of hoop jumping.”
“Parker,” she muttered.
“I’ll let you know when it’s your turn Angelina.”
Standing in the open while he remained in the shadows felt like an inquisition. She didn’t know what to do with her hands so she clutched them behind her back and continued to watch him although her head hung like a guilty child’s.
“I even tried doing the public dog and pony show at Pete’s. Asked you again—on stage—if you were going to keep your promise. To marry me.”
Her lip trembled and tears stung her eyes. She’d been a fool.
“Jerking me around in front of everyone isn’t a wise move, baby girl.”
“I’m sorry,” she murmured miserably.
He smirked. “I just bet you are.” There was a long, significant pause. “Is there some reason why you didn’t meet me at the jeweler’s? Is this a joke to you Angie? Letting me plan a romantic dinner and a private showing where you could literally choose any fucking ring on the planet and then to not show up? Or call. Or text. Do you have any idea how humiliating this evening has been for me?”
“I forgot.”
She knew it was a dumb ass thing to say before the words rolled off her tongue.
“How the hell do you forget only the most important thing in either of our lives?”
The yelling made her cringe but not enough to keep her quiet. This was too important.
“It wasn’t intentional, really. The family center…”
His hand slammed onto the arm of the chair with a mighty thwack.
“Enough! For the last fucking time Angelina. Are you going to marry me or not?”
What a question! Of course she was.
He stood up after she answered and stalked her like prey in the jungle, moving slowly around her. His eyes burned with a savage inner fire that made her tremble with a mixture of fear and excitement.
He was behind her, standing close when he leaned next to her ear and growled. The sound made her instantly wet.
“This ends right fucking now, angel. From here on out, we do things my way. You had your chance. Now it’s my turn to call the shots.”
His ominous declaration was still hanging in the air when he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. The serious smack on her ass stung like hell. She was struggling to catch up when she realized where they were headed. He marched them down the hallway toward the master suite but stopped short at the hanging panels with the antique iron scrollwork that looked like a clever decorating accent but actually concealed a shallow alcove and a locked door leading to the playroom she designed and outfitted. The playroom she had yet to unveil.
She heard the sound of the key unlocking the door and held her breath when he carried her into the room and switched on the lights. His immediate gasp followed by a pleased grunt went a long way to calming her nerves.
Parker’s first look at the wicked playground his naughty angel conjured up took his breath away when the realization that she’d artfully conned him became glaringly apparent.
Standing absolutely still he took in the amazing sight before him. Remembering finding her carrying a saddle down the hallway or the time she made sure he saw the stack of flannel print accessories on their way to the secret room, Parker had to hand it to her. She’d totally fucked with his head and done it beautifully.
Expecting some raunchy cowboy bordello with a few bells and whistles borrowed from the Marquez tack room, he was completely and utterly stunned to find himself in the midst of a brightly colored harem-inspired sex chamber.
Swaths of colored fabric were draped from a central spot above an enormous platform covered with sumptuous fabrics and piled with jewel colored pillows in every imaginable shape and size.
Along one wall a built-in of shelves and drawers that looked like it came from an Arabian nights movie set was filled with baskets holding who-knew-what. Visible on several shelves was the sort of ephemera and accents one would
expect in a desert harem.
An archway behind the bed-looking platform led to a full bathroom and much to his pleasure he saw a small lounge area with an ornately carved piece of furniture that could be either a wide sofa or a single bed. It too was covered with pillows.
But what got his blood pumping was the wicked equipment placed here and there around the room. He spied a low, cushioned platform with bondage hardware. What was best described as a harem-inspired version of a St. Andrew’s cross took up a corner.
And right there, under the focused glow of filtered light was exactly what this situation called for. He had no fucking clue what it was called but it was perfect for the scene in his mind.
Angelina needed to be taught a lesson. Call it what you will, obedience, submission—he didn’t care. After a great deal of thoughtful consideration he came to the conclusion that perhaps she wasn’t just jerking him around because she could. It might seem that way but it certainly wasn’t making her happy. She was miserable and he was getting more and more bent out of shape every day.
That’s when it occurred to him that giving her space and time had been a stupid move. She wanted him to sweep her off her feet and do the whole caveman thing. Letting her be in charge had fucked with the true nature of their relationship. She made a shitty dom and he was a horrible sub.
It was well past time to teach his wicked angel the way things were going to be. Fucking around and playing house was one thing. Being a married couple and spending a lifetime together was something entirely different. He didn’t want to end up in a communication crisis that could potentially destroy their marriage—like Drae had. Once he was through spelling it out—starting with shackling her sexy ass to that wicked padded apparatus—they would proceed from there.
He took her to the center of the open space and set her down carefully, eyeing her outfit and deciding how to start. His grand plan of tearing her clothes off required revisiting. The incredible setting she created demanded subtlety even if the result was the same.
She knew her cues because as he walked slowly around the periphery of the room she remained where he placed her. He tried to take in everything but there was just so much going on in their literal fucking playground that his mind couldn’t absorb it all.
Unforgettable (Family Justice Book 5) Page 39