Quantum Boxed Set: The Complete Series

by Force, Marie

  Chapter 3

  Everything hurts, and I’m so cold, I can’t stop shaking.

  Addie puts another blanket over me and bathes my face with a warm washcloth that feels heavenly.

  “Mad at myself.”

  “Don’t you dare go there. This is not your fault.”

  Her fierce words bring new tears to my eyes. “Should’ve listened to the guys. They didn’t trust him.”

  “It’s not your fault, Marlowe.”

  “How is it not my fault? I put myself in a dangerous situation.”

  She feeds me a sip from the water Sebastian brought. “Had he ever given you reason to fear him before this?”

  The cool water feels like heaven to my parched throat. “Once, but… I should’ve known better.”

  “Stop it, Marlowe. You did nothing wrong.”

  “I fell for the wrong guy.”

  She runs the washcloth over my face, mopping up my tears. “I’ll give you that, but not the rest. That’s on him. He did this. Not you.”

  “Flynn and Hayden will kill him.”

  “I want to kill him.”

  “I don’t want anyone to know.”

  “Shhh, don’t worry about anything. We’ll take care of you. You know that.”

  I close my eyes and force myself to focus on breathing through the pain. Just breathe. That’s always been my mantra when things get to be too much for me, and I’m hoping it’ll help now. I must’ve dozed off, because I awake suddenly to realize Dr. Breslow has arrived.

  “We’ll be right outside,” Addie says as she and Sebastian leave the room.

  “Tell me what happened,” Breslow says without preamble. Her blonde hair is pulled back in a ponytail, and her blue eyes are filled with concern. It occurs to me that we’ve let her into the club without an NDA. I almost laugh from the foolishness of such a thought. What does that matter now?

  “I brought my boyfriend to our sex club, and he freaked out when he realized I’m a Domme. He beat the shit out of me and left me hanging in the ropes overnight.”

  If I’ve shocked her, she does a good job of hiding it from me. “I’d like to have you transported to the ER.”

  “No. If we do that, it’ll be all over the internet that Marlowe Sloane was beaten up by her boyfriend at a sex club.”

  “You may have internal injuries, and there’s no way for me to know that without X-rays.”

  “No hospital.”

  She sighs with resignation when she seems to get that I’m not going to change my mind. “You can’t let him get away with this, Marlowe.”

  “He’s probably halfway to France by now, and in the time it would take to extradite him for a trial, the internet would be on fire with my business.”

  Her mouth sets with displeasure, but she doesn’t pursue it further. For that, I’m thankful. “I need to examine you.”

  “Go ahead.”

  She pulls down the covers that were tucked around my shoulders and, like Addie did, she gasps when she sees the extent of my injuries. “Marlowe…”

  “I’m okay.”

  “You’re not okay. You’re badly hurt.”

  “I just need to rest. Please… Just do what you’ve got to do, give me something for the pain, and if it gets any worse, I’ll go to the ER. I promise.”

  Breslow carefully examines my arms, ribs and abdomen while I bite back shrieks from the pain of even the lightest touch. She asks if I can sit up so she can look at my back.

  “He used a whip on you?” She sounds like she’s trying not to cry.

  Biting my lip, I nod. I blacked out during that part of the assault, but the pain is the worst there.

  She helps me to lie back down. “Did he rape you?”

  “No.” I don’t tell her that he said he was so disgusted by my perversions that he couldn’t believe he’d ever gotten it up for me in the first place. Thank God for that.

  “I’d like to take photographs of your injuries in case you change your mind about pressing charges.”

  “I’m not going to change my mind.”

  “You don’t know that right now.”

  “Yes, I do.” My plan is to ruin him every other way I can—and there are several ways that can be done without exposing myself and my life to the relentless media scrutiny that would ensue from reporting something like this to the authorities.

  “Let me take the photos in case you change your mind about pressing charges. Please.”

  “Fine.” Whatever it takes to get this over with that much faster.

  She takes the photos and gives me a shot for the pain.

  I’m sure Addie, Sebastian and the doctor assume I’m in shock and not thinking clearly, but there’s nothing wrong with my brain. I’m thinking clearly and had a very long night in excruciating pain to plot my revenge.

  Not only am I going to make him sorry he fucked with me, I’m going to make him sorry he was ever born. I’m going to ruin him. That’ll satisfy me far more than any long, protracted, public airing of this incident ever could.

  Planning my revenge makes it possible to withstand the pain.

  “I need to tell Hayden and Flynn,” Addie says. “They’d want to know.”

  “She said not to tell them.”

  “We can’t keep this from them.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because!” Addie throws her hands in the air. “They see her practically every day when they’re all in town. How’re we supposed to hide this from them?”

  “I’ll take her home with me. You’ll tell them she got called away.” I have no idea what the hell I think I’m doing. All I know is that she should have whatever she wants right now, and what she wants is privacy—even from her closest friends. The more I think about this idea, the more committed to it I become.

  “Please don’t take this the wrong way… Marlowe loves you. Of course she does, but she’s going to need her girlfriends.”

  “Come visit her any time you want. Just you until she asks for someone else. We have to take our lead from her, Addie.”

  I can tell she’s not happy about it, but she concedes the point with a small nod. “I’m not comfortable with keeping something like this from my husband.”

  “Hell, neither am I. Your husband and the rest of the partners are my bosses, not to mention my closest friends. Keeping something like this from them is not cool for me either. When we tell him we were doing what Marlowe asked us to do, what choice will he have but to understand?”

  “You know how he can be.”

  “Better than anyone, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to put him ahead of her when she’s the one who’s been so badly hurt—in more ways than one.”

  “You’re right.” She sighs deeply. “Of course you are. But I do think we need to loop Gordon in, not just so he can put security on her, but in case the piece of shit decides to do something with the info he obtained here.”

  “He signed the NDA. I checked when I went down to get the water. It was sitting on the reception desk.”

  “Just because he signed it doesn’t mean he’ll honor it. If he’d do this to her…”

  “Yeah, true. Call Gordon and ask for his discretion. But no one else, Addie. She’ll tell the others when she’s ready to.”

  “Okay.” Her eyes fill when she glances up at me. “How could he do this to her?”

  “I’ll never understand how any guy could hurt a woman, especially one he’s pretended to care about for months.” And that he’d hurt Marlowe, of all people… The kindest, sweetest, most wonderful woman there ever was. She’d do anything for anyone. I’ve literally seen her give someone she’d never met the shirt off her back.

  We were at the beach once, and a homeless woman was shivering in the early evening chill. Marlowe unzipped her sweatshirt and handed it to the woman, who cried from the kindness. If you ask me who Marlowe Sloane is, I always think of that before anything to do with her fame or celebrity. That’s who she is to me and the rest of our crew.

  If y
ou’d asked me an hour ago if I’d ever admit to anyone, even myself, that my feelings for her go well beyond the bounds of platonic friendship, I would’ve laughed in your face. I’ve barely allowed myself to entertain those thoughts, as she’s so far out of my league as to be in another universe altogether. She’s Marlowe Fucking Sloane, badass woman, Academy Award-winning actress and the most magnificent human being on the planet.

  Sebastian Lowe, formerly of Compton, would have no business whatsoever setting his sights on a woman like her. I’ve never so much as considered doing anything about my overabundance of admiration for her. She’s one of the bosses and one of Hayden’s closest friends. The Quantum team puts up with me because I grew up with Hayden like brothers from another mother. But not for one second do I ever think I’m on the same plane with her or Hayden or any of them.

  They’re among the most accomplished people I’ve ever known. All I did was have the foresight to make a good friend as a kid and then listen to him when he got in my face and told me I was going to end up dead or in prison unless I went to work for him.

  I took the job to shut him up—and my mother—and have been with him ever since, as he went from wannabe to Oscar winner. I’m so fucking proud of him and what he and Flynn have built at Quantum. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for either of them, and I mean that sincerely. I’d fucking kill for them.

  Only for Marlowe would I risk my job and my friendships with them. It’s a lot to ask of Addie, who’s married to Hayden, to keep this from him. I understand that, but Marlowe is calling the shots, and we have to respect her wishes.

  “How do you propose to get her out of here undetected with everyone at the office?”

  “I’ll take her out tonight, after everyone is gone, and I’ll be with her every minute between now and then.”

  Addie thinks about that. “I guess that’ll work.” She’s obviously still reluctant to go along with my plan. “I’ll come by tonight and bring anything you need. Just send me a list.”

  “I’ll do that. Thank you.”

  She gives me an odd look. “Why’re you doing this, Sebastian?”

  I realize I need to be very careful here, lest I give away things I’ve never wanted anyone to know, especially to the always astute and intuitive Addison York Roth. “Because she needs help. I’m the lowest-profile member of our posse. No one would think to look for her at my place. It’s really the best place for her to hide out and recover. Don’t you agree?”

  “Yes, I suppose that’s true.”

  I can tell there’s more she wants to say, but Dr. Breslow emerges from the room, closing the door behind her.

  I move toward her. “How is she?”

  “She’s…” That the doctor is upset would be obvious to anyone. Breslow takes a deep breath and seems to summon her professional demeanor. “She gave me permission to update you both on her condition. As far as I can tell, nothing is broken. As I said to her, I can’t tell if she has internal injuries without X-rays, but she’s adamant about not being transported.” Breslow glances at me and then quickly looks away. “I gave her a shot for the pain that’ll knock her out for most of the day. She’s going to be in pain when she wakes up, so I’ve written a script for painkillers that’ll need to be filled and antibiotic ointment that’ll need to be applied to the wounds on her back.”

  Addie takes the paper from her. “I’ll take care of that.”

  “If there’s any sign of blood in her urine or stool or pain that seems excessive, I want you to call 911 immediately. She should be in the hospital.”

  I answer for both of us. “We agree, but she was insistent.”

  “Just keep a really close eye on her, and if you sense something is seriously wrong, make that call.”

  “I will.”

  “Now, about the person who did this…”

  “We’re on that. We’ll take care of him.”

  “I assume it’ll be handled through proper, legal channels?”

  “Of course.” I tell her what she needs to hear, but I honestly can’t promise that our treatment of Rafael Laurent will be entirely proper or legal.

  “I’m in a difficult spot as a mandatory reporter. I should be calling the police.”

  “We appreciate your discretion, as always, Dr. Breslow,” Addie says.

  Breslow glances back at the closed door. “Marlowe Sloane is one of the smartest, toughest women I know. She says she doesn’t want the cops involved, for obvious reasons, but no one should get away with what was done to her.”

  “We couldn’t agree more,” Addie says with the same fierceness that grips me.

  “We’ll be consulting with our security personnel about how best to handle this in light of Marlowe’s request for privacy.” I hope to set the doctor’s mind at ease so she’ll leave us to tend to Marlowe.

  “All right, then. I’ll check in with you later.”

  I shake her hand. “Thank you so much for coming.”

  “Of course.”

  While Addie walks her out, I go in to check on Marlowe, who’s sleeping peacefully. As I study her beautiful, bruised face, I think about what the doctor said, fearing we’re risking Mo’s life by not taking her to the hospital for a more thorough examination. What if something terrible happens to her because we didn’t do the right thing?

  “Stop. Take a breath.” I whisper the words to myself any time my lifelong struggle with anxiety threatens to suck me under the way it used to when I was younger and didn’t yet know it for what it was. Years of medication and therapy have helped me combat it to the point that it has very little effect on my daily life anymore. However, in stressful situations such as this one, it hovers just below the surface, ready to rear its ugly head to remind me there’re times when I’m powerless against its destructiveness.

  This cannot be one of those times. Marlowe needs me, and I’m going to be there for her, no matter what it might cost me personally. She and the others at Quantum have done everything for me, and it’s time to return the favor.

  My hands roll into fists that I want to pound into that arrogant Frenchman’s pretty face until he’s not so pretty anymore. How dare he do this to her? If I wasn’t so furious with him, I might feel sorry for him. When the Quantum team seeks retribution for Marlowe, which they will certainly do when they find out about this, the guy’s life won’t be worth living. That’s the very least of what he deserves.

  Addie returns from seeing the doctor out. “Is she asleep?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I need to get back upstairs before I’m missed.”

  “Okay.”

  “You sure you’ve got this, Seb?”

  I’ve never been more certain about anything in my life. “Yeah. I’ve got it covered.”

  “Call me if you need anything. Okay?”

  “I will.” I glance at her. “You gonna be able to keep it cool upstairs?”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “I know this is hard for you, Addie.”

  “It’s horrible!” She chokes on a sob. “How am I supposed to pretend like nothing is wrong when everything is? Hayden will take one look at me and know something’s up.” Swiping furiously at the tears on her cheeks, she makes a visible effort to pull herself together. “She’s going to be all right, isn’t she?”

  “Eventually. We’ll make sure of it.”

  She nods, takes another deep breath and turns on her three-inch heels to head for the stairs. I don’t envy her the task of having to pretend everything is all right when it isn’t.

  I sit next to the bed where Marlowe is sleeping, determined to keep watch over her for as long as she needs me.

  Chapter 4

  Everything still hurts, and I have no idea where I am. My mouth is painfully dry, my eyes feel goopy and I have to pee—urgently. I make the mistake of moving, and the sound that comes out of me resembles that of an injured animal. It all comes back to me in waves of memory, things I’d much sooner forget than have to relive over and over again.


  Where in the hell am I? The room is unfamiliar to me. I was in one of the private rooms at Club Quantum. So how did I get to wherever I am now? This room is painted a dark beige, and the quilt on the bed is red-and-tan striped. The sheets bear the fragrance of fabric softener.

  A soft knock on the door precedes Sebastian poking his head in. “Thought I heard something.”

  “You heard me groaning. Where are we?”

  “My place.”

  “How’d we get here?”

  “I brought you last night after everyone left the office.”

  “Wow, I slept right through that.”

  “Whatever Dr. Breslow gave you knocked you out cold.”

  “Thank God for that.” I try to sit up and nearly pass out from the pain that zips through every inch of me. Groaning, I sag back into the pillows.

  “Take it easy, honey.”

  “I have to pee.”

  “I’ll carry you.”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “I know I don’t. Let me help you.”

  I look up at him gazing down at me with worry in his soulful eyes that are so dark brown as to be almost black. I’ve always thought his eyes were beautiful, and the thick lashes women would kill for only make them more so. “Okay, thanks.” I concede only because I have to go so badly, and I’m not sure I could actually get there on my own.

  He’s super gentle with me as he slides his arms under my back and legs before lifting me carefully, so carefully I barely feel the twinge of pain that comes from being moved. In the hall bathroom, he puts me down slowly and waits to make sure I’m steady before he lets go. “Will you be all right if I leave you alone?”

  “I’ll be all right. Thanks for the lift.”

  “Any time, sweetheart.”

  He’s such a doll to take care of me this way. Some women would be taken aback by the big, burly, muscular body that bears its fair share of scars and tattoos. But anyone who knows him well can attest he’s a teddy bear in wolf’s packaging, and I adore him. We all do.

  “Call me when you’re ready for a lift back to bed.”