by Morgan James
To my left, Christopher was still rustling around, digging for something. Finally, I was rewarded by a tiny twitch of my foot. I was restrained, so I wouldn’t be able to just hop off the table and run away, even if I did have control of my muscles, so I focused on the next best thing.
I pushed my tongue forward, trying to get it to cooperate. I hadn’t seen much as he’d carried me into the trailer, but maybe if I could scream for help...
My hope was short lived as Christopher towered over me once more. “Open wide, doctor.”
It took barely more than a second for his words to sink in as he pried my jaw open and lifted the channel locks he held. I tried to scream as the cool metal pushed past my lips, but nothing came out.
The scrape of metal against bone filled my ears, and I mentally cringed as the grooves of the instrument grasped for purchase on my saliva-slickened tooth.
His face contorted in concentration as he adjusted his angle and pulled. The pressure was so intense it lifted my head off the table.
Christopher chuckled. “Sucker’s really in there, isn’t it?”
Tears burned my eyes and slipped down my cheeks as he pressed one hand to my forehead, holding me in place. “Don’t worry, Dr. Winfield. It’ll be over in... just... one... second.”
Blinding pain swept over me like a tidal wave, paralyzing in its intensity. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything except taste the metallic tang of blood filling my mouth and tremble from the pain radiating through my body.
The pliers were suspended in midair, the tooth clenched tightly between them, and I watched as a trickle of blood slipped down the side and fell out of sight. Every muscle in my body tensed, and my lungs contacted as a scream started low, then worked its way up my throat. It bellowed up and out of my mouth, startling us both when it coincided with the sound of screeching metal and splintering wood.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Gavin
I threw my weight against the door, and it finally gave way with a loud screech as the metal bent and the wood of the doorjamb cracked. My heart hitched, and the scene in front of me stole my ability to breathe.
The inside of the small trailer was almost completely empty. The floors were covered in cheap vinyl, stained dark in places with God knew what. The only thing of substance in the room was the stainless steel table in the middle of what should have been a kitchen, dated cabinets lining the wall. But that wasn’t what grabbed my attention.
Kate lay on the table, wrists and ankles bound, stripped down to nothing but her underwear. The red trails of blood were stark against pale skin that had been sliced open. She was still—so still. She didn’t move, didn’t scream, didn’t even look my way. Those azure eyes I knew so well stared vacantly at the ceiling, and a trail of blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, down her cheek and onto the table beneath her.
I felt my lungs constrict and my heart tighten as fury billowed up, radiating through every inch of my body. Ripping my gaze away from her, I slowly lifted it to the man standing over her. His eyes were crazed, his cheeks flushed pink, and in his hand he held a pair of channel locks. And was that...?
Oh, Christ. It was a tooth. Kate’s tooth.
I still couldn’t believe I’d beaten the police here, but I’d left the VA and driven like a bat of out hell, bent on reaching here before... I swallowed hard. Before this. This was the worst possible scenario, finding her too late. Even when I’d first broken down the door, I’d planned to hold the man until the police arrived. I told myself over and over what I needed to do—what I should do—but seeing Kate’s broken body lying there so lifelessly, all my plans flew out the window.
“You motherfucker!”
Christopher hurled the channel locks at me, probably hoping to slow me down, but I dodged them as I lunged forward. I slammed into him just as he snatched something from the counter behind him. We went down in a tangle of limbs, landing hard on the floor. He twisted beneath me, and I jerked backward as he swung at me. The glint of metal flashed in the light and I jerked to the side as the scalpel sliced through the air a second time, heading right toward my face. Grasping the man’s forearm, I dug one knee into the cavity of his stomach and fought the upward arc of the blade as he swung at me.
His free hand wrapped around my throat, and I used the opportunity to drive my fist into his face. He let out a grunt of pain but didn’t let go. Using all my weight, I threw as much power behind my punch as possible, this time connecting with his jaw. The scalpel waved perilously close to my face, and I lurched away from it, shifting my weight over his body. I let out a hiss of pain as the blade arced through the air and connected with my forearm, slicing through the fabric of my shirt and across my flesh.
Motherfucker. I gritted my teeth and landed another punch to his jaw. His head snapped to the side, and I grasped one of the fingers wrapped around my throat, yanking it backward as hard as I could. He let out a sharp cry and pulled his hand away from my throat before his finger snapped under the force of my hold.
He fought against me, shoving the scalpel at me, and I shifted my weight, trying to keep him pinned to the ground. His hips bucked upward, causing me to lose my balance, and I grabbed his arm for support as I fell forward. Under the force of my weight, the hand holding the scalpel sliced through the air, and there was a whisper of sound as it sank between his ribs and into his heart.
“Fuck!” I scrambled off of him, staring at the scalpel and the blood slowly saturating his shirt. Christopher’s eyes went even wider, and a gurgling noise welled up and out of his throat. His stunned gaze met mine, and his fingers tightened around the handle protruding from his chest.
“No, don’t—”
Before I could get the words out, he yanked the blade free, and blood spurted from the wound. It was my first instinct to put pressure on it to stop the bleeding, but my hand froze halfway to his chest. If the asshole wanted to take the easy way out and hemorrhage all over the floor in front of me, that was his choice. He didn’t warrant another second of my time.
Scrambling to my feet, I fought the fear and apprehension clutching at my throat as I turned my attention to Kate. Still frozen in that same position, she hadn’t moved an inch, hadn’t uttered a sound. I’d begun to think the scream I’d heard was just a figment of my imagination. I couldn’t bear to think of never seeing her smile again, never feeling her in my arms.
“Please...”
I blinked away the burning sensation in my eyes as I gently reached out a hand and settled it on her chest. For a moment, there was nothing. Then, as if God had answered my prayers, I felt a slight lift of her chest as her lungs filled with air.
Holy shit. She was alive.
I placed my hands on her cheeks and stared into those huge blue eyes. “Kate, can you hear me?”
She blinked once, long and slow, as if it took all the effort in the world, and relief flooded me.
I fumbled with the restraints as I released her hands and feet, all the while assessing her injuries. The sight of the deep cuts on her torso made my throat tighten with emotion. I wanted to scream, to lash out and strangle Chris with my bare hands. He’d kept her awake, fully aware of everything going on while he’d planned to torture and kill her.
The sound of sirens met my ears as I struggled out of my dress shirt and draped it over her. Seeing her like this, so helpless, I resorted to the only tactic I knew. “Always gettin’ me out of my clothes, babe.”
I tried for a teasing tone, but my levity fell flat as a tear escaped the corner of her eye and trickled down her temple, landing on the table with a tiny splash.
That tiny drop broke me, and everything in me shattered. “God, sweetheart. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
I bent over her, fighting the burning in the backs of my eyes as I gripped her hand and rested my forehead against hers. Her fingers twitched against mine, and I lifted my head to look into her eyes. There were no words of comfort that I could offer her. I refused to let her
see my weakness—I had to be strong for her, make her believe that everything would be okay. Somehow.
“Never again,” I promised. “I’ll never let anyone hurt you again.” I squeezed her fingers and lifted her hand to my lips. “We’ll get through this—together.”
Chapter Forty
Kate
I stared at the mirror, studying my face as I finished applying my makeup. The swelling in my jaw had gone down, but the implant the oral surgeon had inserted still felt strange inside my mouth, and I ran my tongue over the rough surface.
Feeling a presence behind me, I met Gavin’s familiar brown gaze in the reflection.
His eyes were filled with concern. “Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
I set the mascara down and turned to him with a small smile. “I’m sure.”
It’d been nearly two weeks since the incident, and Gavin hadn’t let me out of his sight more than absolutely necessary. He’d even taken several days off work before I finally threatened to move back into my condo if he didn’t go back. Since he very much liked having me in his home and his bed, he was less than pleased with my ultimatum. I wasn’t altogether sure that I would follow through with my threat, because I liked being here with him more than I probably should have. We hadn’t spent a single night apart for more than three weeks, and the idea of sleeping without him next to me was strangely disconcerting.
I lifted one hand and smoothed the twin lines of worry that had appeared between his brows. “I promise. Everything will be fine.”
Though this was my first foray out of the house since the incident with Christopher, I wouldn’t be alone. Victoria had invited me to go dress shopping with her, and I wasn’t about to turn down the opportunity to watch my best friend pick out her wedding dress.
My phone vibrated on the counter behind me, and I turned around to read the message on the screen. I tapped out a reply, then stowed my phone in my back pocket and faced Gavin again. Victoria is here. I’ll be back by the time you get home from work.”
I stretched up on my toes and planted a quick kiss on his lips, then started toward the doorway. Gavin’s arm shot out and wrapped around my waist, pulling me back to him. His free hand lifted to my face, his thumb slipping beneath my chin and raising my face to his. Dark brown eyes stared into mine for several long seconds. “I just want you safe,” he said softly.
I leaned into him and slid my arms up his chest until they were laced behind his neck. “I know. Both Victoria and I will be together at Lydia’s shop. Xander’s got plenty of security there, so we’ll all be safe.”
The threat of danger had passed, but Gavin was still intensely worried for my well-being. As much as it drove me crazy, I appreciated it at the same time. I knew he cared deeply for me, and over the past couple weeks my feelings for him had become crystal clear. I hadn’t found the right time or words to tell him, but now wasn’t the time either.
“Text me when you get there and when you leave.” I cocked an eyebrow at the demand. A small smile crooked his mouth. “Please.”
I grinned, then planted another swift kiss on his lips. “I don’t want to keep Victoria waiting. Have a good day at work.”
He still held my face cradled in one large hand, and he pulled me back to him, brushing his lips over mine in a sweet, lingering kiss. He broke away, then studied me for a long moment before finally releasing me. “Have fun.”
With that, I skipped downstairs and out the door, pausing briefly to pet Peanut on my way out. Victoria’s car was parked in the driveway, and I waved to her as I hopped down the front porch steps and cut across the lawn to meet her. I slid into the passenger seat, and she reached over the console, wrapping me in a welcoming hug. “I’m so glad you could come.”
“Are you kidding?” I said as I pulled my seat belt across my chest and snapped it into place. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
Our small talk turned to discussion of the wedding as we drove to Lydia’s bridal salon, discussing her venue, colors, and a million other tiny little details. Half an hour later, we parked along the street outside the salon, and Victoria looked over at me. “So, how are you? For real?”
The words stuck in my throat. What could I tell her? That I woke sometimes in the middle of the night on silent screams, tied to that table while Chris sliced through my flesh and ripped my tooth out? That wasn’t going to happen.
I shook my head, unable to stop the tears from welling in my eyes. “I can’t.”
She leaned over and pulled me into a tight hug. For several minutes, we remained that way. Finally, I dragged in a ragged breath and swiped the tears from my cheeks. “I’m sorry. I just...”
Victoria peered at me. “Whenever you’re ready, I’ll be here.”
If there was ever anyone who understood what I’d gone through, it was Victoria. I tried to smile but knew I failed miserably. “Thank you.”
Lydia herself greeted us with a smile as soon as we stepped in the door. She opened her arms for a hug and held me close. “You look amazing.”
I knew she’d been through trauma herself, so it meant the world to me that she offered a compliment instead of sympathy. “Thank you.” To deflect the attention away from myself, I gestured toward Victoria. “I can’t wait to see her in some gowns.”
Lydia’s grin lit up her whole face. “I have a few picked out, but feel free to take a look around. If you find something you like, you can bring it to the dressing room right over here.” She pointed to a room with the raised dais in front of it.
I meandered the racks for a few moments while Victoria went inside the room to get changed, and I fingered one of the model gowns with reverence. I remembered being young, with stars in my eyes, more excited about dressing up for my wedding than the man I was marrying. The lace was soft and delicate beneath my fingers, and I couldn’t help but wonder what Gavin would think of it.
My attention was splintered when Victoria swept out of the dressing room wearing a stunning ballgown. “Oh,” I breathed. “It’s beautiful.”
“Not too much?” she asked. Knowing how self-conscious of her voluptuous figure she was, I shook my head.
“I think it’s absolutely perfect. But try on a few more just to make sure.”
She inspected the gown from several different angles before retreating into the room. My gaze went straight back to the lace gown on the mannequin, and I heard soft footsteps approach as Lydia reached my side. “Would you like to try it on?”
I smiled ruefully. “I really shouldn’t.”
“It looks even better on,” she said. “And the ivory would really complement your skin.”
“You’re not helping my willpower,” I said with a roll of my eyes.
Her smile only grew, and I finally relented. “Oh, all right.”
She carefully lifted the gown from the mannequin, then carried it to the dressing room next to Victoria’s. Victoria stepped out, this time in a pretty sheath dress, and we admired the gown before she went into change again. Lydia tipped her head toward my dressing room, and I took the silent cue to enter.
I’d be lying if I hadn’t thought a lot about my relationship with Gavin over the past couple weeks. Things had happened between us so quickly, but I couldn’t imagine not having him in my life at all. He’d implied before that he wanted marriage, but he hadn’t said anything since the incident. I had a feeling he was waiting for me to come around to his way of thinking. The more I stared at the dress, the more I began to think it sounded exceptionally good.
I quickly shucked my clothes, then stepped into the dress, zipping it up as far as I could before stepping out. Victoria was already on the small round dais, and her eyes widened, her hands flying up to cover her mouth when she saw me. “Oh, Kate.”
Tears welled in her eyes, and I let out an uncomfortable little laugh. “That bad?” I joked.
There were no mirrors inside the dressing room, so I hadn’t had a chance to see what the dress looked like yet. My heart raced with anticipation,
and I braced myself, then slowly turned around to meet my reflection. My breath caught in my lungs, and I froze. Lydia had been right. It did look even better on. It fit perfectly, and it felt like a dream.
“I love that look,” Lydia said quietly, a soft smile on her face.
I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the mirror. “The dress?”
“Your expression,” she clarified.
I met my gaze in the mirror, wondering exactly what it was she saw. My eyes were bright, my cheeks flushed. I looked happy. I looked like...
“A woman in love,” Lydia said, finishing my sentence for me.
She was right; I was in love. I wasn’t about to let a man like Gavin slip through my fingers.
Chapter Forty-One
Gavin
I’d invited Dad to stay with us, but he’d declined—thank God—saying that Kate and I deserved our privacy. I didn’t mind having him around as much as I thought I would, and things between us were definitely better.
When I walked in that afternoon after leaving the office, the house seemed too quiet. I wasn’t sure if Kate was home yet, since she’d ridden with Victoria to the salon today. Home. I liked the sound of that, maybe a little too much. We’d been sharing a bed for the past twelve nights, but I hadn’t officially asked her to move in with me. Not wanting to push her, I hadn’t broached the subject since the incident.
I couldn’t even think of it without getting pissed. More often than not, most nights I dreamed of walking in on that scene, Kate strapped to the table and unable to move. More than once I’d dreamed that I was too late, and I’d woken in a panic, sweating and reaching for Kate to make sure she was still there. She had nightmares, too, but she seemed to be handling it like a trooper. I felt like a goddamn mess, and I wanted to lock her away in our room where I knew she’d be safe forever.