by Hazel Gower
“I’m glad you like what you see.”
I didn’t reply. His ego was healthy enough. I turned my back on him and went to the door. “Let’s go. I want to see my brother.
*****
We hadn’t talked in the car. Richard had tried, but I was so anxious about Ethan, I wouldn’t have been able to hold much of a conversation. I felt terrible I was only seeing him now. I should have fought harder to see him yesterday. I shouldn’t have been so focused on Richard and myself and been more demanding about seeing him. Richard had been on the phone for most of the trip to the hospital. I tuned out when I knew it was business talk.
I now stood at the door to the room where my brother was staying. I was scared to open it and see what condition Ethan was in. The doctor had spoken to me when I arrived, telling me Ethan was now in stable condition, and it looked like he would make a full recovery. I told myself that was good, and maybe Ethan wouldn’t look that bad, but I was still scared. Ethan was the only family I had left. I didn’t want to ever have to live without him.
Richard stroked my back. “I can go in with you if you like? My appointment isn’t for another twenty minutes.”
I shook my head. I wanted to see Ethan by myself. I needed to talk to him just him and me. “I’ll be fine. I can do this.” Taking a deep breath in, I slowly let it out before I turned the knob and walked into the room.
Ethan lay in bed with machines surrounding him. He was hooked up to so many monitors. He looked small and weak and I couldn’t remember ever seeing or thinking of him as that. I walked slowly toward the bed so I could focus my eyes better to see him. His eyes were closed, but as I got closer, they fluttered open.
Smiling, I rushed the last couple of steps to him. “Ethan. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
He moaned and cleared his throat. I searched around and saw a bed table with a jug of water and a cup with a straw. I poured the water into the cup and brought the straw to Ethan’s lips. He sipped and I sat it back on the table.
“What are you sorry for?” Ethan croaked out
“Everything.” I looked around and spotted a chair in the corner. Going to it, I picked it up and brought it next to Ethan’s bed.
“Everything. Why everything?” his voice was a little stronger but still weak.
“This is all my fault.”
Ethan raised his eyebrow. “Yeah, how?”
I sighed and closed my eyes as guilt assaulted me. “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be an accountant, and you probably wouldn’t even be in Australia. You’d be in Hollywood being some big shot director by now, earning millions, in a ginormous mansion, fancy sport cars, with a gorgeous trophy wife and maybe even a baby, but because of me, you had to give up all your dreams and become my guardian, an accountant and have no life. When you finally get to have some time to yourself, you got shot at the job you should never be doing in the first place. I’m so sorry.” I opened my eyes, gazed at his hand, and reached for it holding it gently, careful of the drip.
He was quiet for a while and then I gazed up to see his chest shake and he was smiling, then a chuckle slipped from his lips. “I love how you put so much thought into all that, and that I would have a trophy wife.” He chuckled again and groaned in pain. “Don’t make me laugh, Bail. It hurts.” He sighed and closed his eyes, took a breath and opened his eyes. “Bailey, none of this is your fault.” He squeezed my hand. “I would do everything again in a heartbeat. When you were born, you were not only the best thing to happen to mum and dad, but you were the best gift to ever happen to me. From the first time I held you, I knew I would do anything for you.” He smiled, and then it turned into a frown. “Even before mum and dad died, I was missing you like crazy. I missed my little shadow. My magnet.” He winked at me. “Thanks to you I wasn’t short of a gorgeous woman. They all thought you were adorable and loved me for being such a good brother.” He chuckled. “Without you, I had a lot of time on my hands that year I was in Uni. I partied hard and had a lot of fun.” He closed his eyes. “When I got the call that night, I remember all I could think of was you. I prayed you were okay. I promised anything and everything. All the police had told me was that mum and dad had been in an accident, and I needed to come home. No one mentioned you. Do you know when I arrived at the hospital, it wasn’t mum or dad I had asked after, it was you, Bail.” He opened his eyes. “It didn’t even cross my mind that anyone else but me would take you when mum and dad died. Bailey, I could have taken you back to Newcastle and finished my degree. I could have done a lot of things, but I, me, I chose to change my study and take over dad’s firm. I’d chosen for us to stay here. I chose to take guardianship of you and if I were offered a do over, I would do it all the same again. And you know what else? I like accounting. I’m damn good at my job and I’m proud of what I’ve turned the company into.”
I nodded. I was proud of him and everything he’d done, too. Ethan intertwined our fingers. “You are the best thing to happen to me. You might be a brat sometimes, but you are not, nor were you ever, a burden.”
Tears slid down my face, and I reached up and swiped them away. I was so lucky. I had an amazing brother. “I love you. Thank you. Thank you for everything you do.” I stood and carefully leaned over and kissed his cheek. “You are the best big brother in the whole world, and I’m so grateful for you. I’m sorry for being a brat.” I brushed his hair to one side. “I just want you to start living your own life now.”
“I have a life.”
“Uh-huh. When was the last time you went out to a nightclub or a restaurant?” He went to answer put I held my hand up to stop him. “Not for work or with Britney’s mum, who don’t lie, I know you only dated because of me.”
Ethan grumbled and I laughed, feeling a weight lift of my shoulder. Ethan was going to be all right.
I left when the nurse came in to help him with some private things and waited outside his room, waiting before I got the okay to come back in.
This time, when I came in, Ethan was sitting upright with the help of the bed. He patted the bed and I went and sat.
“Come sit. Now the heavy stuff’s out of the way, do you want to tell me what’s going on with you? Tell me quick before the good stuff the nurse just gave me kicks in.” Ethan’s stern glare had the opposite effect of what it should have—it made me smile.
I shrugged, unsure if I was ready to tell Ethan about Richard and me. There was no way in hell I’d tell him I acted crazy last night and gave in to insatiable lust and wasn’t a virgin anymore. “Nothing much.” I shrugged again. “I broke up with Toby.”
“What! When? Why? I thought you liked him. He’s been your friend since primary school.”
“I do like him. I just don’t think we work as boyfriend and girlfriend.”
Ethan groaned. “This is his fault, isn’t it?”
I knew who the ‘his’ Ethan was talking of, but I wasn’t going to admit that. “Who?”
“Bailey, I’m not an idiot, and you are definitely not dumb either. Silvermans don’t know the word no. It’s not in their vocabulary when they want something. A guy doesn’t look at a girl the way Richard looks at you unless he wants something.” He moaned. “As much as I’d like to think you will stay away from him and stick to a guy your own age, I’m not stupid. Hell, I know the crush you’ve had on Zeck anytime he comes into the firm. But, Bailey, as much as I like the Silvermans, they are not what I would choose for you. The Silverman name is a very powerful one. They have lots of friends, but also many enemies. I mean, look at what happened.” He sighed. “I don’t blame them.” He lifted his hand to encompass the room. “I just don’t want you to end up in here.”
I knew the shooting had to do with the Silverman’s, but hearing it from Ethan when he was lying in a hospital bed with gunshot wounds was an entirely different ballgame. From the little I’d learned, this had to do with Stephan and Jade. Well, Jade testifying against some big name crime boss. Jade was doing the right thing testifying even if it did put lives
in danger, but when this trial was over, would it still be dangerous to be around the Silvermans?
“I’m staying at Zeck’s parents place.” I didn’t say Richard because I knew Zeck and Ethan were friends and hoped that friendship might help the situation.
“That will be the safest place until the trials over. Zeck called and told me you were there and that they had a room waiting for me when I’m ready to be released in a day or so.” Crap, I didn’t want to think of that. I knew Ethan wouldn’t be happy if he found out where I slept last night. “I just love you, Bail.” Ethan was talking slower, and I could see his eyes drooping. I didn’t think he’d stay awake much longer.
“I love you, too. Thank you for worrying, but I’m eighteen now. Old enough to choose who I want to have a relationship with.”
“I know. I know,” he mumbled with his eyes barely open. “I just want you to be careful.”
Standing up, I leaned over him and kissed his forehead. “I will, I promise. How about you rest, and I’ll come check on you tomorrow. I need to go rescue Jessica. She’s there at the Silverman’s house, too.”
“Oh, no. Those poor people,” he muttered.
I laughed and stepped away from the bed. Jessica was a force to be reckoned with. I don’t think she even knew what the word shy meant. “Don’t be mean. Bye. See you tomorrow. I love you.”
“Love you, too,” I heard him whisper as I backed closer to the door.
I felt a million times better now that I’d seen my brother and knew he was going to be okay. I could now focus on other things—like what I’d done last night and my new relationship with Richard. First, I needed food.
*****
Richard
Security swarmed the hospital. I’d gone and gotten myself tested and paid a nice bonus for them to have it to me within forty-eight hours. Bailey had been acting funny all morning, and I was starting to worry she regretted last night. She had been a virgin, which even now was mind blowing, but damn if I wasn’t happy about it.
I’d left Bailey with her brother so she could have some one on one time with him, and so I could not only get my exam done but also get a gift for her. My mother had called several times wanting me to take Bailey to get a dress to wear to the wedding this afternoon.
Cole was now up with me and Rafe was down on the Gold Coast helping with my clubs. With the trial starting tomorrow, my brothers were at my parent’s house, so I had to trust my manager and Rafe to deal with my club drama. With the trial this week, I thought it best to shut the clubs down, especially since no one from my family would be there to monitor them.
“Are you shutting the club in town down this week, too? It hasn’t been getting hit as bad as your Gold Coast clubs,” Cole asked as we rode up in the elevator to the floor Ethan was on.
“Since I’m up here, I’ll keep it open. With all the family here, I’m sure they can keep Bailey company.”
The elevator doors opened, Cole exited and went left, and I followed behind him, Brenton at my rear. “Your mother seems keen to get a hold of Bailey. Her friend is handling your mother better than anyone I know.”
“Ha, from what I’ve learnt of Jessica, I expected no less. She’s a firecracker that one.” She wasn’t shy for sure. “And Mother is excited she will finally get a daughter.”
Cole shook his head. “You Silvermans are crazy. If I hadn’t known you for so damn long, I wouldn’t believe all this gypsy curse, gift, soul mate stuff.” We arrived at the room and before I could open the door, Cole swore, “You have got to be fucking joking me.”
I paused with my hand on the handle and looked at Cole who was looking at the room through the large window. My heart sped up as images of Bailey hurt or being held hostage ran through my mind. I turned the nob and rushed into the room, only to stop when all I saw was Ethan asleep in bed. Where the fuck was Bailey?
I turned to Cole, who ran his fingers through his hair and swore over and over before he got his phone out and dialled Andy putting him on speaker. “Andy, please tell me she hasn’t left the fucking hospital.”
“I’m not an idiot. I like my cushy job.” Brenton chuckled next to me, and I shot him a glare. “She’s currently sipping hot chocolate at the café on the second floor.”
I didn’t bother waiting for the elevator. I took the stairs, not even waiting for my security, and rushed to the café on the second floor. Bailey sat in the back corner, her head down looking at a magazine, a mug sat to one side and a muffin on the other.
Going straight to her, I sighed in relief that nothing had happened to her, gathered her up, and sat down sitting her across from me. She gave a squeak until she realized it was me. “Don’t ever wonder off again. If I leave you somewhere, I damn well wanna find you there,” I growled.
“Hey.” She whacked my chest. “You don’t get to tell me what I can do and where I can go.” She tried to get off me, but I wasn’t letting her go.
“Yes, I do. You’re mine.”
She narrowed her gaze and glared up at me. “I am not anyone’s. I belong to myself.”
Leaning down close to her ear. “You, Bailey, belong to me. You’re mine. And when I tell you to stay with your brother, especially when you were goddamn shot at yesterday and your brother was shot, you will stay where I bloody well put you, and not wonder off and have me thinking the worst.” I growled against her ear. I squeezed her closer to me and kissed her neck.
She let out a loud sigh. “I shouldn’t have left without calling you to tell you where I was. But I am not a dog. I will not stay when you tell me to.” She shoved me hard and slid off my lap and onto the seat next to me. Her arms crossed over her chest—and if looks could kill, ha, let’s just say I wouldn’t be alive.
Chuckling next to me had me snarling at Cole, whose chuckle turned into a laugh. “I like you more every time I see you, Bailey,” Cole said between breaths of laughing.
Bailey rolled her eyes, but I didn’t miss the slip of her lips into a smile.
*****
Bailey
I stared at myself in the dressing room of the expensive dress boutique. The clothes in this store were not my style. The dress I currently wore was a definite no. It clung to every part of me. I wasn’t complaining I was fat, but I knew I wasn’t skinny, and I wasn’t below a size twelve. I was okay with that, and I chose clothes I was comfortable with, but everything that had been chosen for me from this shop, clung and I wasn’t a fan of skin tight clothes.
“Can I see this one?” Richard asked from the waiting room chairs.
“Hell no. This is worse than the one before.”
The woman outside of the curtain tittered. “Mrs. Silverman was very specific with what she asked me to put you in.”
I groaned at the mention of Richard’s mother and the reason I was in the shop instead of just looking through my own clothes. I had told her I had dresses I could wear to the wedding this afternoon, but she insisted I go to this boutique and get something.
Taking one last look at the red and black number, I stripped out of it. As it pooled on the floor the curtain open and Richard eased in with a dark blue flowing dress. “Try this.” He placed it on a hook.
“Richard. Out.” I covered myself, but not quickly enough. Richard’s eyes lit up and a growl slipped from his lips. He came at me until I hit the back of the change room wall and caged me in. His lips crashed down on mine claiming me as his hard hands ran over my body. Hot damn, he felt good. My body came alive and heat started to rise at his touch. What the hell had the man done to me? He’d turned me into a sexual deviant. Before Richard, I’d never been that interested in sex or the touch of men. I’d even wondered If I was a lesbian. I guess that’s why I tried by making out with Jessica, but I got nothing from that, too. Richard though, any time the man touched me, my body not only came alive, it went up in flames.
His fingers slid into my panties, and I closed my eyes as he brushed over my pussy lips causing me to shiver in need. His mouth ravaged mine, and I couldn
’t hold back any longer, my hands trailed up his chest and came around his neck anchoring to him. My leg came up giving him better access.
A finger sank into my core, and he ripped his mouth from mine. “Fuck, little Raven, you’re so wet.”
I moaned as he nibbled his way down my neck. Oh, he felt amazing. I opened my eyes on a gasp as he sucked on my neck sending a shot of pure need to my pussy. As the room came back into view, my fingers that were currently gripping his hair loosened and let go, and I tried to gain some control.
“Richard,” I panted. “We have to stop. We…oh.” He rubbed his rock hard erection at me. “In a change room. Please,” I moaned.
His finger was still inside of me. I blinked and gave my head a mental shake. Richard was darn lethal. I lost all sense around him. His head came to rest on the wall behind me. “You drive me crazy, my little Raven. You’re so beautiful.”
I felt my cheeks heat, and then I groaned that I blushed over him calling me beautiful but not almost having sex in change rooms. Argh, I really was going crazy.
His lips brushed against mine and slowly, he slid his finger out of me. I watched still, dazed as he brought his finger to his mouth, and sucked it clean. “Try that dress on. I promise it’ll be the last, and if you don’t like it, we can leave.”
I nodded, still unable to speak. Richard backed out of the change room, and I took a moment to gather myself. Since the day Richard kidnapped me, there had always been a crazy chemistry between us that over the weeks had seemed to heighten, but since last night, the lust and need I felt was now out of control. Right now, I didn’t know if I wanted this all to stop or to keep going.
Looking at the dress, I noticed this one was different from the others I’d tried. It was longer and had straps so I could wear a bra. Someone with my size breasts couldn’t go without a bra. I undid the zipper and slipped into this one easily. It sat perfectly and wasn’t so low that it showed too much cleavage. It didn’t cling, but still came in and gave me shape. It was a winner and I liked it.