“It’s true,” said Emma, smiling. “Mommy can sometimes do that.”
“Impressive,” he replied. “Maybe you could do some kind of psychic reading for me one day? Tell me my future?”
“It’s not that easy,” I replied, leaning back in my chair.
“She has yet to hone her skills,” said Thane, finishing his beer. “Isn’t that right?”
“Something like that,” I said, wondering if he was being sarcastic.
Fred threw his napkin on top of his empty plate. He patted his stomach. “Now that was a very good burger. One of the best I’ve ever had.”
“It was,” said Arlene. “We’ll have to come out this way again for another one.”
He nodded and covered her hand with his. “Might be a good place to get married. Don’t you think?”
“That’s a wonderful idea,” I said, beaming at them. “You should!”
“I agree,” said Arlene. “We’ll have to start checking into it.”
I glanced at Emma, who had finished eating. “Drink your milk, honey.”
She raised her glass and swallowed the rest. Then she set it back down and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
“Use your napkin,” I said, nodding towards it.
“Too late now.” She turned to Arlene. “Can you bring me to the bathroom?”
“Yes. I have to go, too,” she replied, reaching for her purse.
“I’d better go, too,” said Fred, standing up. “It’s a long ride back.”
Mike threw some cash down on the table and also stood up. “I guess we should head out. I’ll call you, Fred. It was nice meeting the rest of you.”
“You as well,” I said, reaching into my purse for my cell phone, which had begun to vibrate.
“Have a safe trip,” said Arlene.
“Goodbye,” said Emma.
“Goodbye. I’ll meet you in the parking lot, Thane.”
“Sure, dad,” he replied, not making any move to get up. “I’ll be right there.”
All four of them walked away. After confirming an appointment that I’d made for Emma the following week, via a text, I shoved the phone back into my purse.
“So, can you read my mind now?” asked Thane. He was so close that I could feel his warm breath on my ear.
“Stop,” I murmured. I didn’t have to read his mind to know that he’d been undressing me with his eyes since we’d entered the restaurant.
“Your mouth says stop, but your nipples say something else,” he whispered, brushing his hand against my thigh.
I sighed in irritation and stared down at my chest. To my horror, I found that the bra I’d been wearing didn’t have enough padding and my nipples were indeed, standing at attention. He’d definitely caused that reaction after touching my leg.
“They seem to be lacking attention,” he said, smiling wickedly. “We should do something about that.”
I pushed myself away from the table and stood up. “How do you know they’ve been lacking attention? Maybe I have a boyfriend? One who isn’t afraid to be seen with me?”
His smile was cold. “Do you?”
I didn’t answer. Instead, I just walked away.
From that moment on, I decide to avoid Thane as much as I could. Even though I was dying for his touch, I wasn’t willing to be his secret fuck-buddy. It wasn’t until I was alone in my bed at night, with the gift Felicia had given me, that I allowed myself to pretend that he was the one making love to me. Unfortunately, the real Thane had no idea what love was. So, I went through a lot of batteries….
Chapter Thirty-Five
Thane
It had been eight months since Sera and I had been intimate, but the images were still fresh in my mind. Images of her beautiful body and the way she’d stared at me hungrily when we’d had sex. She haunted my dreams and ironically, now replaced the nightmares I’d had of Zack. Instead of waking up in a cold sweat, I now woke up frustrated, my balls blue. I even tried dating a woman I’d met at the gym, but instead of leaving me sexually satisfied, it only made me want Sera more. Nobody compared to her. I just didn’t know what to do about it. She knew how I felt about business relationships, and I knew how she felt about Tangled. She wouldn’t leave. Not even for me. Needless to say, seeing her every day without being able to touch her was torture. But it didn’t stop me from having a little fun. Although, we’d agreed to a platonic relationship, I couldn’t help but flirt and push her to the limits whenever we were alone.
“Don’t you have a girlfriend, yet?” she asked, one day when we were in my office.
“Would you care if I did?” I challenged.
“Of course not,” she replied, her jaw set. “There is nothing between us.”
My eyes moved to her chest and I grinned wickedly. “Just our clothes.”
“What would you do if I sued you for sexual harassment?” she said, crossing her arms over her breasts.
“I’d make more passes at you. To make sure you had a valid case.”
Rolling her eyes, she stormed out of my office, my laughter following her.
She wasn’t going to let me fuck her, but I could still fuck with her. At least it was something….
Chapter Thirty-Six
Sera
Fred and Arlene were married in July, in a private ceremony held at a resort near Lake Tahoe. It was small but beautiful and very romantic. When it was over, Emma and I drove back to the house, which was now ours, while the happy couple stayed for their honeymoon.
“So, Fred won’t live here anymore?” asked Emma, as we pulled into the driveway. It was after nine o’clock when we’d finally reached the house, and both of us were exhausted.
“No. But he’ll be right next door.” I smiled. “This is our place now, honey. And we never have to leave. Isn’t it wonderful?”
She yawned. “Yes.”
I pulled the car into the garage and yawned myself. “I’m tired, too. I can’t wait to go to bed.”
“Why didn’t Thane come to the wedding?” she asked, out of the blue.
“He was busy.”
“Doing what?”
I’d actually asked Fred not to invite him. Being around Thane still made my head spin and I didn’t want to risk doing something I’d regret later.
“I’m not really sure,” I answered. “I think his dad needed him to help paint or something.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You’re telling a fib.”
I stared at her in shock. “What?”
“You don’t like him anymore. I can feel it.”
I forced a smile. “Of course I do, honey.”
“No,” she said, opening up the car door. “You don’t like him but he really likes you.”
“Emma, that’s not true,” I said, getting out. “I like him.”
“Then don’t be mean to him,” she said in a surly tone.
Sighing, I hit the garage door opener again. “Emma…”
She opened the door and went into the house, leaving me alone.
Shaking my head, I walked around the car towards the doorway, when someone, wearing a dark ski mask, stepped out of the shadows and lunged at me.
“No!” I screamed.
The man was strong and he pulled me against him, his hand around my neck.
“You bitch,” he spat. “You fucking bitch. I’ve got you now.”
“Ray,” I gasped, trying to break free.
He grabbed the back of my hair and slammed my face against the hood of the car. The pain was excruciating.
He laughed. “I’ve been waiting for this for so long.” He did it again, this time much harder, and blood began to pour out of my nose.
The garage door opened and Emma stood there, staring at us in horror. “Mommy!” she screamed.
“Run!” I hollered, crying. “Run fast!”
Crying, she turned around and ran back into the house.
Ray released me, to chase after Emma, but I grabbed the back of his shirt and began hitting him with my fists.
Howling in rage, he turned around and backhanded me. I fell to the ground on my stomach and then he kicked me in the ribcage. I screamed in agony.
“Shut up,” he demanded, holding up a pistol. He slammed it into my skull and then there was only darkness.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Thane
Bella, the woman from the gym, was on her knees, her mouth on my cock, trying to make me come. I don’t know who was more frustrated, me… or her.
“I told you that you don’t have to do this,” I said, as she looked up at me. Her eyeliner was running and her lips were swollen from trying so hard. Too hard.
“I want to please you,” she said, rubbing my balls gently as she licked around the head.
Groaning, I sat back on the couch and closed my eyes, pretending the woman’s tongue was someone else’s. “I won’t stop you then.”
Picturing Sera’s sensual lips instead of Bella’s thin ones, I started to get into it, until my cell phone began to ring. I opened my eyes and the spell was broken.
“Don’t get that,” she pleaded, pumping my cock, with her fist, so hard that it becoming painful.
I stopped her, thankful for an excuse to stop. “I have to. It could be important. Nobody calls after nine unless it is.”
She sighed and backed away on her knees.
I leaned over and picked up my phone from the coffee table. When I saw that it was Sera, I immediately answered it. “Hey,” I said, moving away from Bella, who I was suddenly disgusted with. “What’s up?”
“Thane?” cried Emma.
The blood rushed to my ears. “Yes, Emma? What’s wrong?”
“I think mommy’s dead,” she sobbed into the phone.
“What?” I hollered, my chest tight. “What do you mean?”
“He’s hurting her. Thane, you have to help, mommy!”
The room seemed to get smaller and I could barely breathe. I gripped the phone tightly. “Where are you?”
She sniffled. “I’m hiding behind Arlene’s shed.”
“Can the bad man hear you?”
“I… I don’t know.”
“Okay… Keep your voice down, honey and stay hidden. Where’s your mom?”
“In our garage. Hurry, Thane.”
***
I called nine-one-one as I raced to their house, my foot heavy on the gas pedal. When I arrived, I could already hear the sirens in the distance, growing near.
The garage door was shut and the place was darkly ominous. I pulled out my Ruger and made a dash towards the back of the garage, where I knew there was a door. Right now, it stood wide open.
“I’ve got a gun,” I announced firmly.
No shots were fired from the inside and something told me that the person, who’d attacked Sera, was no longer around.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside with my gun pointed. “Sera?”
No answer.
I flicked on the light and my stomach dropped when I found her. She was unconscious and surrounded by blood. Fortunately, most of it looked like it was coming from her nose. I rushed to her side and bent down, to feel for a pulse.
“Thank God,” I muttered, finding one.
****
The police and ambulance arrived seconds later.
“I’m the one who called and I don’t know where her assailant is,” I told them, after hiding my gun under my shirt.
“We have a canine unit,” said one of the officers. “If he’s still around, we’ll find him.”
I stepped away from Sera and immediately dashed away, looking for Emma.
“Thane,” she cried, running towards me from Arlene’s house.
I bent down and she flung herself into my arms. I hugged her tight and closed my eyes, feeling my own tears welling up. The thought of anything happening to either of them was enough to shake my foundation. “Thank goodness. Are you okay?”
“Yes. Is my mommy okay?” she asked, pulling away. Her lips were trembling and her face was covered with wet tears.
“I think so. The ambulance people are with her now,” I replied, grabbing her hand. “Let’s go and see what they have to say.”
“Okay,” she said, wiping her face.
When we walked back into the garage, they had her on a gurney and were already getting ready to bring her down to the hospital.
“Is she going to be okay?” I asked.
“I think so,” said one of the technicians. “She has a nasty bump on her head and her nose is still bleeding a little. She has some pain in her ribs, and she’ll need to be x-rayed. Fortunately, she’s awake and doesn’t appear to be too confused.”
Emma moved closer to Sera. “Mommy?”
Sera opened the eye that wasn’t swollen shut. “Emma. Thank God you’re okay.”
Emma leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek as gently as possible. “I’m fine.”
Sera looked at me and tried to smile. “Thane…”
“Emma called me,” I explained, shoving my hands into my jean pockets.
“Thanks… thanks… for coming,” she whispered.
Her entire face was beginning to swell and she looked so damn vulnerable, I wanted to kill someone. “Who did this to you?”
“I’m not sure,” said Sera, looking behind me at the cop. “I think it was just an intruder.”
I stared at her in confusion. “It wasn’t anyone you knew?”
“No. It was a stranger,” she said firmly.
It was then that I remembered - Sera was on the run from Ray and didn’t want to be linked to him.
“Hopefully you guys catch that maniac,” I said, turning to look at the cop.
He nodded. “We’ve got a search team scouting out the area. She has given us a description of the Perp. Well, as much as she could.”
“Good,” I replied.
“We’ll need to ask you some more questions at the hospital, Ms. Billings,” said the police officer as the medics got her ready to wheel out.
“I understand,” she replied. She looked at me. “Can you take care of Sera for me?”
“Of course. We’ll meet you down at the hospital, too.”
“Thank you,” she said, closing her eyes.
I watched as they steered her out of the garage, vowing to do whatever it took to put an end to Ray’s violence. Even if I had to take matters into my own hands.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Thane
Sera was admitted into the hospital and stayed overnight for a couple of days. Fortunately, she sustained mostly bruises and nothing was broken. The morning after the attack, I called Fred and Arlene, although Sera had asked me not to. I knew that Fred would want to know, however, and ignored her request.
“That bastard,” snarled Fred. “Is she okay?”
“She’s hurting and pretty bruised, but she’ll be okay. Listen, I’m going have a security system installed in the house. Obviously, he’s going to return and Sera needs it.”
“He does and I’ll put a bullet between his eyes,” said Fred.
“Believe me, yours will be the second one that impales him.”
He sighed. “I can’t believe he attacked her like that. In front of Emma. The guy is truly psychotic.”
“Emma didn’t see too much, thankfully. Just the aftermath. Anyway, like I said, I’m having one installed before she returns home. I’m also going to stay with them. Until this fucker is caught.”
“Do you think she’ll let you?” asked Fred.
“If she wants to protect Emma, she won’t have a choice.”
“Well, we’ll be home later today. Arlene and I have both agreed.”
“Sera won’t be happy that you’re returning early from your honeymoon.”
“Frankly, I don’t care. She means more to us than that.”
“I figured you’d say that. It’s why I called. She didn’t want me to.”
“Of course not.”
After we hung up, I started calling around for prices on security systems.
>
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Sera
I was still in a lot of pain when I left the hospital. They gave me some kind of prescription strength pain medication, but I didn’t take it. I knew that it would make me more nauseous than anything.
“Thanks for picking me up,” I told Thane, as we drove away from the hospital. Emma was in the back seat, holding two balloons and singing to herself.
“Of course,” he replied. “You’re going to be seeing more of me than ever before, by the way.”
“What do you mean?”
He grinned. “I’m moving in.”
My eyes widened. “Excuse me?”
“Just until Ray is stopped,” he said, lowering his voice.
“But, you said that you installed a security system.”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean he won’t still get to you.”
“Then why bother?”
“So you can sleep easier at night?”
I sighed. “Fat chance of that happening. Even with a security system.”
“Exactly, and that’s why you need me around.”
I stared out the window. “We’ll talk about this later. When we’re alone.”
“That’s fine. We’ll talk about it in your bedroom.”
I turned to look at him and noticed the wicked smile. “You’re incorrigible.”
“I’ve been called worse.”
***
When we arrived home, Fred and Arlene were waiting with flowers and cookies in the driveway.
“Arlene is cooking dinner, tonight,” said Fred, kissing my cheek. “So you just relax and take it easy.”
“Thanks,” I said, limping towards the house. “I think a nap would do me good right now.”
“We’ll be over in a couple of hours,” called Arlene.
“Okay,” I replied, cringing from the pain.
After we got inside, Thane helped me into bed while Emma fluffed my pillows.
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