Becoming His Slave (32 page)

And she stepped back, a graceful hand floating to her chest as if she was about to fan herself, but only succeeded in drawing his eyes down to soak up the sight of her cleavage peaking up past her blouse. “How long will you stay in Paris?”

He smiled warmly at her, “No more than a day perhaps. Then back to Morocco. Carac’s security is temporary. There's no way it will stay. But if we start looking at moving the plant to say—Morocco?” He paused to see how she liked the idea.

“Go on.” Her hand floated up to her chin and she brushed across her lips softly with a single finger tip.
She was interested.

“It's still close enough it wouldn't change shipping times or costs, and many of those who live and work in Carac would have the ability to move with the plant. That would save us from having to train an entirely new staff. We’d only need fifty percent to move with it to keep operations in motion with very little down time in the plant’s output.

She breathed in deeply, savoring the moment like she could smell success, “I do like how you think.” She straightened suddenly adjusting her grip on her attaché case, shifting back to all business, “Keep a record of your expenses there.”

“No need. I’ll be living in Morocco.”

“You will? I thought you were in Monte Carlo?”

“I am, but Morocco is only a half days sail away, I’ll have my girl moved by the end of the week.”

“You’re referring to your yacht?” She raised a brow; it wasn’t all an expression of distrust or amusement, but more like he had just pulled out a box of decadent chocolates. And in a sense he had. He knew on first account she had a thing for the water and fancy ships.

He grinned, “Yes, all 260 feet of her. You should come visit. Or maybe I’ll bring her when you call me to join you in New York. I’ll load your desk up and sail you away to some island in the keys.”

“You do that and I might not ever return home.”

“I wouldn’t mind that happening at all.” His voice darkened and he stepped in closer to her. And he watched her face turn flushed immediately and he definitely liked that.

But this beautiful moment he was about to have with her. When he had seen her body heat and she looked up at him, her eyes glassing over and those lips—red and swelling with a growing need to be kissed—kissed by him, came to a screeching halt. He thought for sure he’d turn around and belt the body guard a heavy blow when Payton stepped from the limo to remind her she had a plane to catch.

Rashawn bit off the need to curse and took a step back, watching her as she slipped that business composure suit back on, said her farewells and promises to be in touch with him soon, then let her men usher her into the car and steel her away from him.

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CHAPTER TWELVE

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Trenton made it through his surgery and the doctor had assured Diesel he was going to be just fine. The bullet had not done any damage to his vital organs. But he slept so Katianna was convinced everyone was keeping the truth from her. That’s what they always say in the stories—
he’s fine he just needs some rest,
but then they’re in a coma forever.
Stupid writers.

Katianna sat in the vinyl seat next to his bed refusing to leave—refusing to return to the hotel. She was so tired, she was nodding again. She tucked her feet up in the chair hugging her legs watching over him and waiting till he woke up. She wasn’t leaving, wasn’t going to sleep until he woke up and told her he was alive.

Her head snapped up when she nodded for the billionth time. Each time setting off some strange
boom
in her head. Like some mythical hammer that comes swinging and slams into your side to knock you back out of the dream world each time you stumble into it. She wondered if there was some bizarre metaphysical explanation for the sound or was she just hallucinating due to lack of sleep?

“Hey, when was the last time you had some sleep?” A voice horse and cracked from too much sleep and the pain meds being fed to him intravenously.

Katianna’s head popped up with a start only this time instead of the weird dream like phenomenon it was Trenton that called her awake, “Trenton!” Relief filled her lungs as she began breathing heavily almost as if she had also refused to breathe and had been holding her breath all this time.

“Come up here and lay next to me. You need to get some rest.” His hands fumbled to pull the covers aside for her. He just wanted to feel her body next to him. Aside from the effects of losing blood which he had no doubt that he lost a good amount taking a shot in the stomach, but he still felt groggy from the anesthesia and the nightmares he got under its effects. His head was leaden with dark images of someone taking Katianna away from him and it had made him fitful almost sickly feeling.

Katianna was instantly at the side of the bed, her fingers fisting into the sheets wrapped around him, but she didn’t dare crawl in next to him. Though he could see it in her eyes that’s where she wanted to be, as close as possible.

Even with just waking himself he could see the dark circles under her eyes and the blood shot from endless crying. He could tell she’d been crying recently and from the looks of it she hadn’t had any sleep either. And still she was beautiful to him.

“Come up here like I said.” He tried to command her but felt weak even as he said it. He rolled his lips trying to moisten them.

“I can’t—you’re wounded.” Katianna whimpered.

“And I’ll heal—that’s life for me. Now come up here.” His voice tightened trying to insist upon her.

“But you were shot.”

He could see she wasn’t gonna let go of this easily. “It’s my job.”

“To get shot?” Fresh tears began to stream down her face.

Trenton reached up to wipe them away, “If it comes to that, yes. It beats the alternative.”

“Which is?” She was pouting, getting shot was never acceptable.

“
You
getting shot. Now climb up here before I call the nurse and tell them you’re being mean to me.”

Katianna climbed up, but only carefully and settled down on the edge leaving as much space as possible between them, fearful she would hurt him if they touched or worse he would start bleeding again. But Trenton grabbed hold instantly dragging her against his body. She thought to protest, but his body was so warm, so welcoming that simultaneously she felt the jitters that had kept her in turmoil over the last forty-eight hours start to ease.

She tried to look up at him to watch his face. To look for any sign that the contact of her body was causing him any pain or discomfort, but he didn’t give her that either, his hand stroked at the back of her head smoothing down the tangle of hair and pulled her to rest on him. Pressing her cheek against his chest and she felt him relax against her just as she was relaxing against him.

She was so exhausted that once in his arms she felt sleep coming for her; she wasn’t going to be able to fight it back this time.

Diesel came back in after talking with Trenton’s doctors, he stilled at the door a moment seeing Katianna curled up next to Trenton, who was nearly purring to have her in his arms.

“She asleep?” He asked seeing how Trenton was not.

“Yeah.” He whispered.

“Good—saves me some trouble.” And he walked around the bed coming up behind Katianna. He pulled her shirt up tucked the waist belt of her pants down and pricked her in the hip with a syringe and injected a small amount of fluids into her. She was so deep in sleep she barely flinched from the needle.

“What’d you just give her?” Trenton eyed Diesel curiously as he dropped the used hypo in the red sharps box on the wall.

“Doctors whipped up a Diazepam and Valium cocktail for her.”

“That bad huh?” Trenton tucked his chin and kissed the top of her head.

“Worse. She hasn’t eaten and the only sleep she’s had was from nodding out while she waited here. I can’t get her to leave and trying to force her is a lot like trying to drag a cat into the water.” Diesel scratched his head a bit with a sheepish smile, “Which under different circumstances would have been a lot of fun.” It was no secret Diesel had a liking for
Imps
and
Brats
more than he did for Subs.

“What day is it?” Trenton shifted the subject on what had taken place. He was still out of sorts and needed to get his bearings straight.

“Sunday.”

“Shit I’ve been out for two days?”

Diesel nodded and started to roll Katianna over in his arms. Trenton’s arms tightened around her refusing to give her up so quickly.

“No. Let me keep her awhile.”

“She needs sleep. And so do you.”

“
Ah
come on. Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve had her in my arms like this? Let her stay awhile.”

“Yeah three days ago, when she crawled in bed with you at the hotel then too.”

Trenton grinned at that. That had been a damn good night; he even woke up with her still in his arms. He recalled how he had rolled over on his side taking her with him. She was still sound asleep when he woke and he was able to just lie there and watch her sleeping. Enjoying a deeper sense of what it was going to be like having her in his life. That each morning he would wake up with her blissfully sleeping in his arms. It was beautiful.

Diesel tried to pry Trenton’s arm off her, but he only tightened his hold, his arms snaking around the sleeping Katianna. He kissed her forehead while his eyes darted up at Diesel, “Just a little longer.”

“You know you’re starting to even pout like her.” But then Diesel’s face distorted with some deeper anguished pain.

“What is it?”

“It should have been me that took those bullets. Not you.”

“First you wanna take my girl now you’re jealous over my bullets too.” Trenton stifled back a cough when he was going to laugh, both hurting inside his gut.

Diesel shot him a glared look. He was really hurting from it and didn’t take kindly to Trenton’s attempt to laugh it off as if it was okay.

“Diesel, don’t do this to yourself. We can’t predict when people decide to strike or who takes the hit. What matters is I’m okay… you’re okay, Amelia is safe and so is Kat.” But he could see Diesel wasn’t going to be consoled easily, “Do you think I would want you to take the hit? It’s not your job to do so. You’re good at what you do and you’re my brother so I’m grateful you help when I need you. That I can always rely on you to be there. But I can’t have you getting shot up. I won’t stand for it.” Trenton watched him a long moment. He looked as exhausted as Kat did and probably the only reason why Diesel wasn’t arguing further on it, “Besides Patrice would never forgive me.”

He knew what Diesel was grieving over. The five shots the gunman had managed to fire off before they’d brought him down had been aimed in the direction of Diesel and Katianna and Trenton had made sure he was blocking them both. That he had taken a bullet for him was more than Diesel could bear.

“I go with you, because you place yourself in the epicenter of the worse danger and you need me to watch your back. You’d take all the risks to yourself if I didn’t.”

Trenton huffed, “You go so you can get out of the shop before you go stark raving mad.” He tried not to laugh, but it didn’t work when Diesel finally gave into his own smiles.

“Get some rest I’ll be back with her later.” Diesel reached for Katianna and again Trenton tried to hang on—again.

“Where’s Amelia?”

“She returned home late last night. Now—no more talk. Give her up so I can take her back to the hotel. I need sleep too you know.” And he rolled her off of Trenton and into his arms, “I’ll bring her back this evening after she’s had a shower and some food. I’ll bring you back something too.”

“Fine.” Trenton pulled the covers around him with a pout of his own.

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FRENCH HOSPITAL: ONE WEEK AFTER THE SHOOTING

On the television: International News Network

 “…And there’s been a jump in stocks when Ümran Global Endüstrisi announced today they would not be closing their plants located in Istanbul, Turkey and in Carac, Egypt. Vice President Amelia Quinneth of Quinneth Global Managements who over sees the Ümran Global Network spoke up saying her decision was based on new arrangements for alternative management sources. The new plan was put together by board member Rashawn Matisse, son of legendary artist Cardiff Matisse.

Ms. Quinneth says the Board's decision is based on the two year management plan provided by Monsieur Matisse and not influenced by recent attempts on her life.

Quinneth became the target of a disgruntled family member that would have been displaced should Ümran Global be closed down in Istanbul. Quinneth was later quoted having said the incident was tragic.”

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“Mom I swear, he’s
fine, he’s just sleeping that’s all.” Diesel was on the phone with his mother trying to console her over Trenton’s condition, while Trenton and Katianna watched the news and him with some amusement.

“I’m not just saying it to make you feel better—” He paused, listening as she continued to worry herself into a frantic, “Mom—”
a pause,
“Mom—”
a longer pause
, “Mom!” Diesel fought to get a word in edge wise, “No it’s not just like in the movies. He’s fine. He’s asleep… no I am not going to wake him up.” He grinned shaking his head at Trenton.

“I will, I promise, now put dad on the phone will yeah?”

A moment passed and he heard Trenton’s dad, Jonas mumbling something to his mom then took the phone, “
Deez? What have you done to her?”

“Me? Dad— Trenton is just fine. Doctors say he can go home in a day or two. She just refuses to believe me.”