The Running Series Box Set: Books 1-3

by DeLaine Roberts

  ***

  The friend Alex referred to had fur and short legs. Me, own a pet? No way? Or maybe, hmm.

  I gave it serious consideration and decided to visit the pet rescue center when I returned to Chicago. Certain I would walk in and confirm pet ownership couldn’t be for me, it stunned me that I fell so hard for a black lab named Max. Heartworm positive, the owner couldn’t afford the treatments.

  With a docile personality and already house-broken, I took him to the bar for a trial run. He made himself right at home in my office on his new bed. I never thought of myself as a pet owner, but from that moment, I couldn’t imagine life without him.

  We were saving each other.

  ***

  Deep into paperwork in my back office, Max alerted me to someone entering the bar. I followed him only to find a young woman bloody and beaten, standing inside the doorway, rain flowing in behind her.

  I rushed to her side as she collapsed on the floor.

  “I’m calling for help, don’t move.” I dialed 911. Soaking wet and bleeding profusely from her mouth, she didn’t respond to any more of my questions. Of all the days for it to be cold and storming like crazy.

  While the paramedics tended to the twenty-something-year-old woman, the female police officer took down my information and what little, if any, intel I could provide to the report. I didn’t know this girl or where she came from before thirty minutes ago.

  The wait at the emergency room seemed like an eternity. The police officer gave me her card on the way out, but provided me little information about the young girl. I decided to wait, didn’t seem right to leave the girl completely alone. Besides, I had unanswered questions.

  A couple of hours later, the ER Nurse came out to get me and escorted me back to the young woman’s room.

  “Thank you for helping me,” the girl mumbled softly.

  “You’re welcome. I’m Harrison Brooks. What’s your name?”

  “Nadia Kosalov,” she spoke with a thick Russian accent.

  “Is there someone I can call for you? Someone who needs to know you’re here?”

  She shook her head. “I have no one. All family in Russia.”

  “Are you here legally?” I wanted to know what I’d managed to get myself into and what help she would need legally.

  “Yes. I’m in a foreign exchange study program.”

  “So, you have a sponsor?”

  She nodded her head.

  “I need to call them and let them know what’s happened to you.”

  “No. Please. That’s who hurt me.” She started to cry and turned away.

  I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know how to handle the situation. Realistically, she hadn’t been injured on my property, so I couldn’t be responsible for her, but at the same time, the code of human kindness said I shouldn’t leave her alone without anyone to help her.

  I sat in the chair next to her and waited patiently. I shuddered while taking inventory of her injuries. Whoever did this to her would be punished by my hand when I found him.

  It suddenly occurred to me I had become the saint for young women in distress lately.

  I called in a few favors and made arrangements for temporary housing for her if she wanted it. The nurse came in and gave her the contact information for a grief counselor and told her the doctor had requested she stay overnight for observation of severely bruised kidneys. She would be able to go home the next day without any further complications.

  Home? Where would home be?

  After a little while longer, she finally decided to open up to me. She told me about her family in Russia. She shared with me their excitement regarding her finding a way to attend college. She’d been in the country for three years, studying pre-med, with a desire to become a forensic pathologist.

  Okay, so that forensic part carried a bit of darkness for me, but it was certainly a very interesting topic for conversation for another time.

  I spent the majority of the evening with her, making certain she ate something, and made arrangements to pick her up the next day.

  The party had started at Logan’s, gearing up for another great night, but in between orders, Luke wanted the full accounting of everything that had happened with Nadia.

  “I don’t know much about her, except she’s basically homeless. Her American sponsor beat the shit out of her, and if they didn’t have him locked up, I’d go after him myself.”

  “We could use someone here. Would she be willing?” Luke chatted while he unloaded the cases of beer into the cooler.

  “Not behind the bar. She’s tiny. Might weigh a buck if she’s lucky, if the crowd got rough, she’d be outsized for sure.” I shook my head at the thought. Nadia’s petite form made it possible for a man of any size to overpower her.

  “We could use a hostess or assistance in the office with scheduling reservations and ordering. Surely there’s a way to help her?”

  “Aren’t you the softy? I’ve been thinking about a solution. I’ll ask her tomorrow.”

  ***

  When I arrived at the hospital, a woman introduced herself as Rebecca Norton, Nadia’s school counselor. She informed me the school had filed the report, and Nadia had added me as legal contact. The three of us spoke about options. With the waiting list for school housing full, Nadia agreed she’d come stay in the spare room at the loft. It was the best of her options. Her exchange program required her to work part-time, but would allow her time to heal. I offered her the option of working part-time at Logan’s if she wanted to.

  The exchange office had already retrieved her belongings from her sponsor’s home and scheduled delivery to the loft. I was grateful someone cared enough not to make her revisit that horrible place again.

  I didn’t ask Nadia questions about her attack. I felt when ready, she would open up to me. While not life-threatening, her injuries were daunting all the same. With stitches in her lip and brow, those injuries were overshadowed by her right eye, completely swollen shut. Both her neck and wrists bore marks where it looked as though she’d been restrained.

  I sent Luke a text to let him know we were on our way and not to react to how she looked. He replied the school had dropped off her things.

  I helped her up the stairs and got her settled in the spare room of the loft. When I closed the door behind me, I heard her soft whimpers. With fists clenched and anger escaping my heated breaths, I knew I needed a workout with a punching bag in the worst way.

  When I got downstairs, Luke addressed me. “Hey boss, this envelope was slid under the door this afternoon. It’s addressed to you.”

  “Sure, thanks.”

  I took the familiar envelope from him and walked into the office and threw it on my desk without opening it. I picked up a half-empty bottle of bourbon and took a swig before throwing the bottle against the wall, watching as it shattered into a million pieces.

  With gym bag in hand, I disappeared for a long, over-due workout. The frustrations with Monica, the anger over Nadia, and the memories I’d possessed inside were holding me hostage. I couldn’t remember a time when I wanted to punch something or someone more than I did right then.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Several weeks had passed and life had found a new normal. Nadia had natural abilities when it came to working with people, even teaching me Russian in between working at Logan’s part-time and going to school. Luke tried his damnedest to learn as well, but being an Alabama boy only made him good for a laugh.

  I had two heavy boxes of liquor in my hands when I heard Max bark at whoever opened the front door.

  “We’re not open yet…” I said, while rounding the corner of the office with my boxes.

  There stood Monica, already making friends with Max.

  “Hey. What brings you by?”

  She stood up from her smooch session with Max and wiped her hands on her cute skirt. I noticed how her beautiful, toned legs seemed to stretch from the hem endlessly. My body instantly reacted to her, and I became painf
ully hard in my jeans simply at the sight of her.

  “Kaci and Shae are meeting me here tonight. They insist this is the place to be, and well, it’s Thursday, so Kaci says she has to be here. Look, I want us to be able to get along with our mutual friends. I don’t want a repeat of last time. Can we do that?”

  Luke walked in at that moment, interrupting our privacy.

  I took a deep breath and set the boxes down. I waited; the pause seemed to last forever. My heart felt like a Ferrari motor revving in my chest. As blood thundered through my veins, I knew I had to tell her how I felt or Chicago would be experiencing their first earthquake.

  “Come with me. We can talk upstairs.” I met Luke’s eye out of the corner of mine; his lips were turned up in a cocky grin.

  Monica absorbed the sleek renovations of the loft. “This is where you live now? I didn’t really look at it before, too shocked to be running into you.”

  “Yep. From a luxurious penthouse to a bar. How’s that for downsizing?”

  “It’s really beautiful. Did you do any of this?” She ran her hands down the antique wooden corbels that supported the tall bar-top of the kitchen.

  “No, actually Kaci did.”

  “She told me how you got her the job. She’s really happy. She’s got a crazy crush on Luke.”

  “Well, he’s got one on her, too. Can I get you something, wine perhaps?” I didn’t wait for her response.

  I had a bottle of our favorite wine chilling in the fridge, and I poured us both a glass. It reminded me of the weekend we spent in Fredericksburg, Texas. A beautiful place in the southern hills, crawling with wineries. We had a cute little cabin rented for a romantic weekend, which led to us finding Grape Creek Vineyards and some of the best Merlot I’d ever had.

  She didn’t talk, but she took a seat on the large, leather sofa. She hugged the red silk pillow that was in the corner of the sofa and stared out the window.

  No one ever sat in the oversized chair in the corner of the room, but it faced her directly, so I took it. The time had come for an apology and transparency. Nervous beyond measure, I knew this might be my last shot at making things right between us.

  I began with, “I’m so sorry. There’s no excuse for being so cruel and then running out on you, quitting on us.”

  With every nerve alive in me, I got on my knees in front of her and took both of her hands in mine. “I have a confession. I love you. I loved you then, I love you now, and I will love you forever. There will never be anyone else for me. Please say you will give us a second chance?”

  She watched me quietly, her eyes searching mine. Her breaths quickened, and I noticed her chin quivered. When a tear escaped the corner of her eye, my heart sank.

  Her reaction caught my breath. I wasn’t prepared, and immediately, I thought I’d done it all wrong. Years of law school had prepared me to anticipate reactions from others. Nothing had prepared me for the ache I suffered without her in my life.

  “I need to know one thing?” Her voice low, but strong, and her face showed determination, not bewilderment.

  “Ask anything.”

  “You didn’t stick around long enough for us to work things out; you ran. You done running?”

  “Yes.”

  My answer must’ve been the right one. She took my face in her hands and kissed me softly before pulling away. “I love you too, always. But while we’re confessing, I need to explain a secret I’ve been keeping from you. Alex tried to get me to tell you while we were away for their wedding in Bora Bora. I was terrified I would lose you because you desperately want babies, and I can’t have them.”

  All the time we’d spent together and she’d never said a word about not being able to have children. It ripped me to shreds to see what this secret had done to her, when it could’ve easily been resolved. We’d talked about a family. We even discussed how many children.

  My heart sank, and I felt my lip bead with sweat. I had to convince her it didn’t matter to me where our babies came from, blood didn’t make a family, only love did that.

  “There are plenty of fertility specialist in Chicago, I’m sure.”

  She began to crumble, sobbing into her hands. “It’s not fertility, Harrison. Being born without a uterus is a genetic disorder. If I harvest my eggs, I could pass on the disease to a daughter. Giving you a baby isn’t possible. I can’t give you the large family you want so badly.”

  “It’s you I want. Don’t you know that? I can’t imagine another day without you in my life. Nothing matters to me anymore if you’re not a part of it. Can’t you see that?” I reassured her.

  I kissed her lips, her cheeks, wiped away her tears, and finally held her in my arms. I knew then my life would never be complete without her in it. My body ached for her.

  I wanted to feel her skin, taste her, enjoy hours of making love, but we didn’t have long before the night shift would be in full swing. She must’ve read my mind because she ripped my shirt open, tearing the buttons away, leaving them to scatter on the floor. Her breaths were quick, and the kisses she left on my neck and shoulder became more and more aggressive.

  I wasted no time in carrying her to my bed. There were no words shared between us, only passion expressed through touch. Never again would I allow my insecurities to come between us.

  We made love like we’d never been apart. Wild and crazy at times and at other times, slow and bearing full emotion. My soul centered on her. I had to convince her she made me a better man and I would be with her forever, never to run again.

  We emerged arm and arm downstairs to a roar of cheers from our friends. Celebrations were in order and certainly on the house. With Nola performing, Logan’s had a full house, the party place for sure.

  “I need to help Luke until the crowd thins out. Don’t have too much fun without me.” I couldn’t control my smile.

  Her smile beamed back at me. “Never. Love you bunches.”

  I lifted her chin. Her dark eyes were full of light like glitter fairies danced in them. “I love you,” I said against her delicate, red mouth. I tasted the remnants of our favorite wine still lingering on her lips.

  I couldn’t concentrate on the drink orders with my future bride sitting across from me. She didn’t know it at that time, but as sure as I breathed, she would soon be my wife.

  “Hey, have you seen Nadia?” Luke yelled over the crowd.

  “No, come to think of it, she hasn’t been in.” Instantly, I started to worry. The fear of that bastard making bail always loomed.

  I sent her a text.

  Me: You okay?

  Nadia: Yes, sorry. Studying after labs. Been long day. Won’t be long.

  Me: K. Just checking.

  I realized I hadn’t mentioned Nadia to Monica. That could’ve been a blow up for sure. Talking over the crowd wasn’t easy, so I pulled her into my office. Max decided he needed her attention first, before I could talk seriously with her.

  “There’s this college girl, Nadia, staying here. She’s been here a while. She’s an exchange student from Russia. Her sponsor beat the shit out of her, and she found her way in here off the bus before collapsing on the floor.”

  “Oh my gosh, that’s horrible.”

  “I know. I couldn’t leave her homeless. But I swear, I’ve been faithful to you, and I’ve never laid a hand on her.”

  “I trust you. I’ve been faithful to you too. I’ve been on dates, but couldn’t allow myself to move on. It’s okay. If she needs help, then she’s in the right place.”

  “She can get a dorm for the spring semester, or I can get her an apartment. I kept her here for safety, and she’s teaching me Russian.” I shook my head and stifled my laugh.

  “You? An Italian speaking Russian?” She giggled.

  “You’ll really like her. She’s in pre-med. I’ll let her tell you what she wants to study. Hey, don’t spoil my dog.”

  Max had her full attention.

  “I couldn’t believe it when Alex told me you got a dog.”


  “Yeah, still wondering what came over me, but he’s a good boy.” I left her with Max, while I went back to finish the shift at the bar.

  After last call, I wanted Monica to stay, but she wanted to go to the hotel for an early start the next morning.

  Desire burned deep in me. I wasn’t ready to see her go. I must’ve kissed her goodbye twenty times before Tate finally drove her away. The instant she parted from me, I felt naked without her.

  I couldn’t sleep. My mind wouldn’t slow down, not even for a minute. I finally got up and did some work downstairs, trying to be quiet and not disturb Nadia. She had come home really late and looked exhausted. She said studying into the wee hours of the night had overcome her, but something seemed a little off with her.

  I managed to snag about four hours of sleep before Max decided he had to get up. He loved to go out for our morning run.

  Me, a dog owner? Who would’ve believed it? Now, I couldn’t imagine life without him or my girl.

  “How was your run this morning?” Nadia asked in Russian.

  I tried to respond, “Great,” but she corrected me and told me I’d said, “Soiled.” We shared a short belly laugh, and I was glad to see the light flicker a little brighter in her eyes.

  The hearty breakfast she prepared looked like enough for an army; although, I noticed she hadn’t eaten anything. Not like a little, I mean not at all. She hadn’t touched her food.

  “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

  “I’m a little tired. Lots of studying. Not hungry, I think too tired to eat.”

  “Nonsense. You have to eat something. Maybe you should see a doctor?”

  “No,” she yelled at me. Then she stopped herself abruptly before continuing in a softer tone. “Sorry, I don’t like them touching me.” She pulled her cardigan sweater together and the movements, along with the look on her face, told me something more serious had happened with Randolph. I didn’t want to pry, but I knew I needed to pay the man a visit at the jail.