Chasing Air

by DeLaine Roberts

  “Are you on official business? I can’t comment unless its police work.”

  “Yep, I’m officially on her case. Brody called me when one of the guys got the 911 call. Her ex-boyfriend did this. He’s being held in custody, but she has to ID him before he can be charged.”

  “She’s not breathing on her own, but I think that will be resolved soon. Multiple broken bones and facial injuries. How could this happen? She was taking self-defense classes with me.”

  “Why were you taking Krav Maga classes, Mak? What spooked you so bad that you needed those classes?” The look on his face said he wasn’t letting up on the questions until he got the answer he was looking for.

  Makenzie had to be quick on her feet. “I’m a New Yorker, where creeps hang out on every corner. I knew someone who was coming out of work late at night and wasn’t prepared. Plus, it’s great control for my curves.” She laughed at herself.

  Even she almost bought what she was selling, but he didn’t. He was going to get to the bottom of what she was hiding, eventually.

  He held her as she cried. He saw the sadness and turmoil in her eyes, surrounded by dark circles. The pain was deeper than she was willing to confess, but it seeped from her heart. He declared he would stay with her the rest of her shift, hanging out in her office while she saw patients. The rest of the time, he sat on the sofa while she laid her head in his lap and napped in-between.

  When her shift was over, he gave her a ride home so that she could shower and change before giving her a lift back to the hospital to stay with Rachel.

  “I’m going home for a bit before going to the station. I’ll be back here as quick as I can. Call me if you need me. She’s going to pull through, I’m sure of it.”

  “I hope so. I don’t want her to wake up alone. You being here meant more than you’ll know, for the both of us.” She kissed him bye and he held on to her hand until she pulled away.

  ***

  It was late in the afternoon when Rachel started to stir. Makenzie was napping on a cot beside her and the nurse was checking vitals. Rachel seemed to be dreaming. She moved about in a restless fit. Makenzie stood by her bed encouraging her to open her eyes. She finally did for a few seconds, then drifted back off. It was another hour before she finally became fully conscious. She was frightened, and the staff was grateful Makenzie was with her.

  They were able to remove the respirator and assist her in getting good breaths on her own. She tried to talk, but her throat was sore. Makenzie convinced her to remain calm and wait on her throat to rest before talking. She assured her that she was safe there. Makenzie didn’t want to say anything about the ex-boyfriend, not wanting to taint her testimony.

  Makenzie sent a text to Ryler letting him know Rachel was in and out of consciousness. She went over all of the injuries and expectations with Rachel. It wasn’t long before Ryler arrived back at the hospital, reinforcing Makenzie’s decision to wait on the investigation. He needed Rachel to have a clear head and strong voice.

  After she was calm and fully conscious, they left her with her dad and cleared it for him to stay in the ICU room with her.

  In the waiting room, they ran into Brody who had been waiting to see Rachel.

  “Is it okay for me to see her?” Brody asked, nervously.

  “The nurses will take you back, it’ll take some time, but she’ll recover physically.”

  “Did she ID him, Ry?”

  “She’s not coherent enough for it to stand up in court yet. Need to wait a day. They’re holding him, though, but I’m sure you knew that. Don’t go near him, Brody,” Ryler’s said over his shoulder as Brody walked to the back of the ICU.

  Ryler winked at Makenzie. “Yep, Brody has been smitten with her ever since she played ball with us.” They said their goodbyes as the staff escorted Brody back to see her.

  “My place or yours?” Ryler asked. He wasn’t taking no for an answer. He was tired and needed sleep, but he needed her more.

  “Yours.” She didn’t even bother going to her car.

  Barely inside the door, he pulled her into his arms and held her tight. Neither of them spoke for the longest time, they just stood there in the comfort of each other. He was the first to break their stance. “Can I get you something, a glass of wine, or a beer perhaps?”

  She mumbled, “No,” and kept her eyes locked on him.

  Through her tears, she asked, “Do you have any of your mom’s pie?” with a slight laugh. How could she laugh? How could she be happy when that sweet, young girl had been so brutally beaten?

  “I’m sorry to say, I don’t. When you left the last time, I wasn’t sure you’d ever be back. I told Mom to put a hiatus on the pies.” Now he was the one beginning to laugh.

  “I’ll take the wine then, and you.”

  He got the wine part, but he wasn’t certain what her last comment entailed.

  “What do you want from me, Makenzie? I put my heart out there for you, but you clearly put up the walls. I can try to break them down, but you have to help me. I’m in deep here, I think you know that.” The look on his face said strong, committed, but his heart was exposed and raw.

  “I want you to hold me. I want to feel you next to me. No pressure to make things happen, I just want to be with you. Here. Together. Okay?”

  “Yup, wine coming up.” He knew she needed something. He knew what that something was. Rachel’s attack brought out something in her. That something was fear. He wasn’t certain of all the circumstances, but he had a good idea of who.

  ***

  Three weeks previously:

  Makenzie had been acting strange. She mentioned meeting Rachel at a Krav Maga class just before their softball game. Why was Makenzie taking a Krav Maga class, Ryler wondered? And what was Rachel’s story.

  When they gathered for the softball game, everything seemed normal with Makenzie. She was warm and inviting to all of his friends and played the role of his companion comfortably. He was sure that he sweetened the deal with taking the pie to her office. He was baiting her. He knew they had chemistry, he felt her desire whenever they were close. He could remember the way she felt sitting on the bar with his body between her legs. He felt her heat while she ate his lips with greedy passion. How could she just walk away? Or better yet, why did she?

  He really didn’t like the idea of having access to her personal life through his work, but at times, it was convenient. The background search revealed nothing extraordinary, but rather, didn’t reveal much at all. According to the hospital website, she had quite the pedigree, but he wasn’t finding much of a life. As he continued his search, he was left with more questions than answers. Before two years ago, Makenzie Holder really didn’t exist. Maybe she got a divorce and changed her last name? She was playing her cards close to her chest. That made his curiosity increase fourfold.

  She seemed even more rattled when she told him she had to go back to New York. That didn’t make sense. Why wouldn’t she be thrilled to see her family? After all, she hadn’t seen them in almost a year. And why hadn’t she mentioned them?

  He finally found something during a search that heightened his curiosity. He remembered her bio saying that she was trained in Trauma Surgery. He searched for female Trauma Surgeons in New York and within the results, he was able to view images. A photo appeared that looked like her identical twin: Judith Anne Bellonte Donati.

  “What the hell?” he mumbled out loud.

  Further research of Judith Donati revealed that she died in a house fire. Her husband was the number one person of interest, but had a strong alibi and was never charged. The crime was never solved. The authorities were unable to pin the murder on him. She was survived by her parents and a sister, Cessa, who lived in Manhattan.

  Drew Donati was an attorney and part of the Donati crime family, a long list of family characters with an enticing criminal history.

  Finally, he knew her story. It all made sense to him. She was in witness protection. He needed her to trust him to k
eep her safe while he put together a plan to take out Donati.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Present time...

  “Thank you for the wine. I needed to relax.”

  “I’m glad you’re here, regardless of the reason that brought you back to me.” He brushed the stray curls behind her ear. It was a tender gesture and she didn’t turn away.

  He opened a beer and sat down beside her on the couch. He took her hand and brought it to his lips. “Brody’s got a crush on your girl, you know.” He gave her a sheepish smile.

  “She needs someone like him to protect her. Such a beautiful girl. Why do guys think they can just beat women up?”

  “I don’t know, babe. It happens more than any of us know, that I’m certain.”

  Makenzie put her head down on a pillow in his lap. He threaded his fingers playfully through her long dark hair. As long as I’m breathing, I won’t tire of touching her, he thought to himself.

  It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep. He slipped out from under her to grab a quick shower. While in the shower, he heard a noise and killed the water. She was screaming. He grabbed the towel off the sink as he ran to her and found that she was having a nightmare. Damn the man that hurt her, he cursed to himself.

  “Makenzie, you’re safe with me. You’re safe, sweetie, wake up.” He wanted to touch her, but had been trained to avoid touching until the person became fully awake. He wasn’t certain if that was the best advice, but he didn’t know what else to do except to talk to her.

  Once she was awake, she tried to brush it off. “Bad dream, sorry to scare the shit outta you.” She tried unsuccessfully to laugh it off. “I’d have done it sooner if I knew I could get a look at you in a towel.”

  He knew what she was doing so he played along. “Come on, let’s get you upstairs and into bed.”

  “I want to sleep with you. Get me a t-shirt.”

  “Okay, sure.” Looking straight into her dark brown eyes, he recognized the stubborn look from the first night he met her. She meant business. He settled her in his bathroom with everything she would need for her shower and found her a t-shirt.

  He pondered taking another shower himself, a very cold one. It was going to be difficult to sleep with her and not make love to her.

  He loved her. He was certain of that. He was grateful that she was there with him, safe.

  When she came out of the bathroom, he was already in bed with his iPad, just reading. She climbed in bed and snuggled up beside him, without talking. He held her. The room was quiet, it was what they didn’t say that spoke the most. He turned out the light and held her in his arms until they both succumbed to a deep slumber.

  She remembered him muttering something about “my girl” right before she drifted off to sleep.

  ***

  When Ryler woke up the next morning, it was to an empty bed. However, he could hear Makenzie in his kitchen humming. He stood at the doorway wearing only his blue silk pajama pants and watched in admiration of her gorgeous legs extending out from his t-shirt while she was making breakfast. She seemed more rested and energetic than the day before.

  “Good morning, my girl.” He beamed. “What’s the news today?”

  “Rachel is being transferred to a private room today and the hospital arranged for private security. She doesn’t know that he’s in custody, but I hope you’re right and have the correct asshole locked up.” She let a heavy, cast iron skillet slam against the stove out of frustration. “They’re expecting you this morning for her statement. The staff said she had a good night and Brody stayed with her. That’s a secret, we aren’t supposed to know that.” She smiled big at him.

  “I love that smile of yours. Glad to see it back. Hey, you look great in my t-shirt, but, do you have anything on under it?” He was teasing her seductively, as he approached her slowly.

  “Hmm, no. But don’t get any ideas, mister.” She put her finger in his face. He simply pulled her hand down and lifted her on the bar and kissed her.

  “I like mornings with you. You taste deliciously like oranges.” He licked her lips.

  “That’s because I just ate your last one,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.

  “What’s the plan for today?” He looked into her dark brown eyes and saw life glimmering back at him, finally.

  “I don’t have one. I took the next two days off to work on my lecture, but I finished it early so I’m free and I think I like it,” she smiled. He noticed the twinkle in her eyes as she spoke, the sadness gone for the moment.

  “Then spend the time with me. If you want, you can join me while I get Rachel’s statement. Having you there would be calming for her. I’ll work the rest of the morning at the station and then take some time off. Sound good?” He ran his finger up and down her arm and she shivered at the connection.

  “I need to go home to change. I just realized my car is still at the hospital.”

  “I’ll take you. I had you captive, but I think I behaved, didn’t I? So that should score me some points?”

  “Um hm, the perfect gentleman, I suppose.” She winked at him.

  “Suppose, my ass. Do you know how hard it was on me last night?” He sighed.

  He wanted her. It had taken everything he had not to make love to her the night before, to spend time relishing in every inch of her flesh, to taste her, to take her over the edge and back again.

  He finally had the woman he craved in his bed and all she wanted was to be held. He realized that making a move would only send her running away. He was certain that she wanted him, but he needed her to trust him even more. He knew the rest would happen in due time.

  They went back to the loft for her to change and grab her things. His mind drifted to the sight of her in his t-shirt, naked underneath. The thought made him stiff in his jeans. Get your mind off it man, he uttered to himself.

  “Hey, whatcha say we do something fun and completely challenging this afternoon?” He shouted out to her while she was getting dressed.

  “Sure, what do you have in mind?”

  “Skydiving.” He heard a loud crash. “Mak, you okay?”

  No response.

  “Makenzie?”

  Silence.

  He ran to find her standing in her bathroom naked, and even more beautiful than he had fantasized. The crash he heard was her makeup hitting the floor. Her eyes were big and her face set like stone. She just stared at him.

  “God, you’re even more beautiful than I imagined.” He was in awe of her in all of her unpretentious glory, naked in front of him.

  “Did you say skydiving?” She was singly-focused and completely unaware of what he had spoken.

  “You’ve got a banging’ body, Makenzie. I can’t wait to touch you, taste you.” He tried to tease her, but he knew she wasn’t listening by the way she stared off into space.

  “Skydiving? Answer me, is that what you said?”

  He laughed out loud and pulled her in to him. His kisses left her breathless. She tossed the cosmetics she was clutching onto the counter and scrunched her hands in his hair. Her kiss back fueled his craving even deeper.

  She was feeling her own heat rise even higher. Her skin prickled at his touch. Every nerve she had in her body was completely stimulated.

  Ryler reached down and grabbed her legs, cradling her in his arms as he carried her to the bed. He hovered over her while he stroked the curve of her breast with his finger and his lips traced down her neck in restrained hunger.

  His teeth nibbled bites on her chin, her lips, leaving a stimulated trail. She moaned against his advances with her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. He traced the outline of her lips with his tongue, dragged his finger down the hollow of her throat. Her body reacted to his touch with a racing pulse, chased by tremors. She was on fire.

  With eyes wide in excitement, she smiled, “I want more.”

  “More?” he questioned.

  “Yes, I want more of you.”

  “Music to my ears,” he said wh
ile giving her a cocky grin.

  With permission granted, he explored her body, instilling pleasure with every nip, kiss, or touch. He tasted her and was hooked on a sweetness he’d never known before. He took his time pleasuring her. He didn’t want the experience rushed.

  What he would have given to have protection with him to be able to have her completely, but at that moment he made certain she was satisfied.

  Makenzie was completely dazed in bliss. The way he made her feel, the pleasure he provided, took her body to a whole new realm she had only read about. Completely unselfish sexual gratification he gave to her. As she rested in his arms completely sated, she was curious why he only gave her pleasure and took none for his own. “What if I still want more?” She teased him.

  He ran his finger quickly down her nose. “Greedy girl, aren’t you? More will come later, I promise. First, we have that errand to run before we go have some fun. Don’t think I’ve forgotten about skydiving and you’re not using sex to get out of going. It’s a perfect day for it. You’ll thank me later.”

  “I can’t. I’m afraid of heights,” she said, pouting.

  “I don’t care, you’ll get over it. You’re safe with me,” he said while trying to pacify her.

  He prodded her off the bed and rubbed her rear end. “Get dressed, we need to get a move on.” He figured he’d have to urge her or she would’ve dragged her feet because she didn’t want to go. He guessed she would’ve used sex to stall if she had to.

  He made the call while she dressed and scheduled their dive. He knew she would love it after it was over. It was a huge gamble, because if she didn’t, she was going to murder him.

  After the jump, he had planned an evening of seduction and she would finally be his.

  ***

  With the statement from Rachel completed naming her ex-boyfriend as the assailant, Ryler was able to file formal charges and work to see to it that he was tried in court and put away for a long time. Rachel tried to come to grips with what had happened, but as long as she faced full recovery, Makenzie could relax a bit and the hospital could release the security. With a room full of family, Makenzie and Ryler excused themselves.