Billionaire Romance: Spencer's Torment (A Seductive Alpha Billionaire Romance Book 2) (6 page)

I awoke to a sharp popping sound, my head snapping to attention. I immediately winced in pain—the response to a pounding migraine that was setting up a permanent residence at the base of my skull and I suddenly remembered why I had been unconscious in the first place.
Calvin
. The memory was still fuzzy, but it was there—the pieces slowly coming together in my mind, my heartbeat quickening in response.

Calvin had been in the middle of slapping me around, “building up to the final, bloody scene,” as he’d described it, when a series of loud, piercing alarms had gone off upstairs, distracting him from his current objective: killing-slash-torturing me.
Thank, God.
Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t still be breathing.

Calvin had made it clear to me that he was luring Spencer here only to reveal that he’d killed his wife, Lauren, all those years ago and then, as the Grand Finale, he was going to reveal
me
. Dead. I shuddered at the thought. I wasn’t sure if I believed him or not, but I didn’t feel like I had much choice. I was at his mercy and Calvin was crazy enough to do anything.

“Spencer,” I whispered, suddenly remembering that he was on his way. From the sounds of it, though, maybe he was already here. On the one hand I wanted more than anything for him to come to my rescue, but on the other I was afraid that something bad was going to happen to him, the sound of the gunshot still ringing in my ears. I had the urge to scream out and call for help, but I thought better of it. After all, if Calvin had been the one to fire the gun, I didn’t want to make him angry or remind him to come back and finish what he started. I knew what Calvin was capable of. So instead, I just waited in silence, my breath held, hoping for a miracle.

His logic was that if he could isolate Spencer from the ones he loved (and who loved him back), he’d finally be able to have things the way they used to be, like when they were kids. It would just be Calvin and Spencer Against The World—at least in his mind.

He had spent what felt like
hours
intermittently slapping me around and dishing out all the details about how the whole plan was going to play out and how I wouldn’t be around to witness it. I didn’t dare tell him that it sounded like a completely whack-job way of thinking and that Spencer would never forgive him for what he’d done. His Happily Ever After would never exist—no matter how hard he tried.

He hadn’t left anything to chance, though: before he had gone back upstairs to check on the alarms, Calvin had knocked me out with, what I assumed was, a chloroform-soaked rag and I was out like a light in a matter of seconds. Which probably explained why I had such an awful, pounding headache now. Or, you know, maybe because he’d beaten me over the head again and again. I couldn’t be sure which.

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard a man’s voice screaming, muffled slightly by the floor above me. As I listened intently, I heard a loud
bang
that sounded like an explosion—something being blasted?—and then the same voice screaming again, sobbing almost.

Every fiber in my being urged me to scream at the top of my lungs, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. It was just too risky at this point. As I talked myself into staying silent, that’s when I heard it.

“Emily!” a muffled, but familiar voice shouted.
Spencer’s voice.
My heart swelled in excitement and anticipation and relief and pain and all my emotions exploded at once.

Although my mouth and throat were dry and cracked from a lack of water, I managed to croak out a short, but painful call for help, “Yes! I’m here!” Speaking was so hard—yelling even worse—but I knew there was no other option. This was my only opportunity to live and I had to take it. “Spencer!” I screamed, “please help me!”

Spencer called my name again, louder this time, an edge of frantic elation in his voice as multiple sets of footsteps traipsed around upstairs searching and calling out for me. I could tell based on the sound of their footsteps that they were combing every inch of the tiny shack, but it didn’t seem like they were any closer to finding me.

A wave of panic came over me: why? Why hadn’t they come down the stairs yet? Why was it taking so long to find me?

“I’m here!” I called out. “I’m down here. Please hurry!”

“We’re coming Emily, sweetheart! Just hang on, okay? We’re going to get you out of here,” a faint voice reassured me.

As much as I wanted to believe them, I couldn’t fight the feeling of panic that had worked its way up my body, tightening and constricting my chest and then my vocal chords. The dirt “walls” of the hole I was trapped in were closing in all around me—getting closer and closer to suffocating me and I struggled to breathe.

Just when I thought I couldn’t take it anymore, I felt two, strong warm hands wrap around me in the darkness and I flinched away, expecting Calvin. I shrunk as far back as I could, turning my head in anticipation of a slap or a punch—whatever he felt like dishing out at that given moment, but it never came.

“Shh, shh. Emily, sweet Emily, it’s okay,” a soft whisper split the darkness and a sob escaped Spencer’s lips as the flashlight he was holding fell to the ground. I felt a hand reach out to brush my hair back from my face and I instinctively pulled away. I didn’t want to and logically I knew there was nothing for me to be afraid of, but I couldn’t help it.

“Dear God, what has he done to you?” he choked, wiping tears from his eyes. “I’m so sorry I let this happen. I never thought…I thought you were dead, Em…” he trailed off, his voice infected with a sorrow that would be hard to heal. I could only imagine how horrible I must have looked. I mean, after all, I was chained up inside of a hole and I hadn’t been able to eat, drink, or use the bathroom properly in I wasn’t sure how long. Not to mention, I could barely see because my face was so swollen and bruised from being beaten. I couldn’t imagine what Spencer was thinking about me at that moment and I felt utterly ashamed of myself. So ashamed that in a way, I wished I
was
dead.

I wanted to be happy that Spencer was here to rescue me, but at the same time, I didn’t feel like I deserved it. And I sure as hell didn’t want him to see me like this. He would never be able to feel the same about me as he did before. From now on I would always be damaged goods.

“Emily, please. Talk to me, sweetheart. I need to know that you’re okay,” he pleaded, searching my eyes for a confirmation—any kind of sign that things would be alright.

But I couldn’t give it to him. So instead, I stared blankly ahead, laying my head back against the wall, the only word I could muster up was a whispered, “Calvin.”

I couldn’t explain it, but something about being “free” just didn’t sit right with me. Clearly. I mean, what stable person’s first thought, moments after they’re rescued by their Knight in Shining Armor, is to whisper the name of their sadistically twisted captor?

The look on Spencer’s face was one that I would never be able to forget—a mercurial mix of anguish, sorrow and  disgust. I had hung my head in shame, but not before I saw the tears slipping down his cheeks as he tried to hold it together, pushing back his heartbreak. I doubted that was his anticipated first response during the culmination of my rescue, but it was a knee jerk reaction. Not something that I had planned. Maybe that made it even worse. I couldn’t have imagined that I’d ever feel this way about Calvin—especially now, but I couldn’t help how I felt.

Don’t get me wrong: I was grateful for Spencer coming to my rescue. I really was. At least, the logical side of my brain. But a part of me, deep down—the sick part—actually cared for Calvin. The longer I had been around him, the more I had fallen under his spell. I knew it wasn’t logical, but it was something that I couldn’t help. It was hard for me to admit to myself, but a part of me actually
enjoyed
the way he had treated me. Maybe because I thought I had deserved it, or maybe because Spencer had kept a large part of himself hidden from me—his past locked away like it had never happened—and I resented him for it. Whatever the reason, it unsettled me and left me wondering what the hell was wrong with me.

After the anti-climactic reunion between Spencer and I, he had called in reinforcements to help unchain me. I had been restrained like that for so long that my arms were numb and I had to have help bringing them back down to my sides. It was a painful ordeal, but nothing that wouldn’t heal with time.

As I sat in the back of the Escalade, being examined by one of the EMS crew that had been called to the scene, an image of Calvin’s bloody face flashed through my mind, the pool of blood surrounding his lifeless body. It all just seemed so surreal.

When Spencer and Agent Crawford carried me out of the basement and up the stairs, I finally understood why it had taken them so long to find me. The “basement” was nothing more than a square hole in the ground with stairs and a lightbulb, the door to it more like a hatch that was hidden in the floor boards and not easily seen by the unsuspecting eye.

My thoughts were interrupted as the EMS tech snapped his fingers in front of my face and said to me, “Miss? Hello?”

I shook my head and focused on his face looming, concerned in front of me. “Sorry. What?” I stuttered.

“I just need you to stare at the tip of my nose, please. I’d like to check your pupils to be sure everything is dilating properly,” he explained patiently, a warm smile on his face.

I nodded my head and followed his instructions, focusing my eyes on his nose as best as I could while he shined a flashlight in each of my eyes. I always felt weird when health professionals made such odd requests. Like they had some inside joke going on that us “average” humans didn’t know about and just liked to make a spectacle of us.

Finally he said, “Okay. All done.”

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Spencer in, what appeared to be, a heated discussion with Crawford. I wasn’t entirely sure what it was about, but if I had to guess I’d bet money it was something to do with me. Or Calvin. Or both.

Spencer glanced over at me, then, anger mixed with a tinge of concern and I jerked my eyes back to the EMS technician, acting like I was extremely interested in what he was saying to me.

“So yeah, I think you’re going to be okay. Your pupils are dilating fairly normally all things considered,” he finished, flashing me his friendly smile again.

I hadn’t seen myself in the mirror yet, but I could only imagine how hideous I looked, hence the sympathy I was getting from everyone.

I gave him a weak smile back, hoping it was convincing enough. Suddenly I noticed a blur of motion off to my left and turned to see what was going on. Spencer was coming toward us, his jaw set with determination causing a nervous panic to rise up inside of me.

For the first time, as Spencer Ford stood beside me, he seemed…
unsure.
Of all people, I never would have expected this from him, but I mean, I guess I couldn’t blame him. The situation was pretty bizarre. I just couldn’t believe he wasn’t more upset over Calvin’s death. They were
brothers
, after all. Although, the way Calvin had talked it didn’t seem like Spencer ever wanted much to do with him, hence why he constantly tried to get his attention and approval.

I shuddered at the thought of Calvin’s confession. How he supposedly killed Spencer’s high school sweetheart, Lauren. I still had no idea if he was telling the truth or not. Eventually, though, I was going to have to approach the subject with Spencer—something I definitely wasn’t looking forward to. I pushed the thought aside and turned to face him.

“Hey,” he said with uneasiness in his voice, his eyes darting between the EMS tech and myself. “How’s she look?” he asked, as if I was a totaled car being assessed by a mechanic. He wrapped an arm around me gently, but possessively and I had to steel myself from pulling away.

The EMS tech,
Daniel—
his name tag read, looked at me uncomfortably and then back at Spencer, clearing his throat before he spoke. “Uhh, well…with all due respect, medical assessments are confidential, sir,” Daniel replied, his tone all business.

I could feel Spencer tense beside me, amping up for a huge blowout. So before he could go off on the poor guy I replied, “It’s okay, Daniel. Spencer is my boyfriend. Whatever needs to be discussed can be discussed in front of him.” Then I quickly added with a smile, “But thank you for wanting to protect me.”

Daniel just shook his head and then turned pointedly to me and said, “You’re going to be okay Miss Prescott—all things considered. I’m not a doctor, but from my initial examination it appears as though there’s little to worry about as far as long term injuries or brain damage, but you really should get a CAT scan just to be sure. I think it’d be best to admit you at least overnight for some tests and further evaluation.” After seeing the look on my face he must have realized the impact of his statement and he added, “It’s all just precautionary, really. You’ll be in good hands.” There was that warm, comforting smile again. He had definitely picked the right field to get into.

Before I could respond, however, Spencer took over. “Oh, no, Daniel. That won’t be necessary. I’ll see to it that Emily gets the proper care that she needs. I’ve already ordered top-of-the-line lab equipment to be delivered straight away and I’ve also scheduled the best in-home nurse to be by her side until she’s feeling one hundred percent,” he said with a wink in Daniel’s direction, rubbing his warm hand up and down the length of my arm. Then he turned to me and said, “That is, if that’s okay with you.”

I was surprised, when I looked at him, to see nothing but love and understanding radiating from his eyes and I could tell that he only wanted what was best for me—even after everything that I’d put him through. Sure, I was upset with him for keeping secrets from me, but I didn’t even know if what Calvin had said was true. And besides, who was I to judge? After all, I’d kept the fact that I was engaged a secret from him, so I couldn’t be too upset. Finally, I noticed the silence and realized everyone was expectantly waiting for my response, causing a blush to creep up my already brightly bruised cheeks.

My heart skipped a beat and I replied with a whisper, “Are…are you asking me to move in with you?”

“Yes, Emily Anne. You belong with me. My house isn’t a home without you. Besides, I have to be able to keep you safe from harm and I can’t do that when you’re all the way across town in some hospital bed, now can I?” he said, brushing my hair gently out of my face, stroking delicately with his fingers as if all was forgiven.

In all my life I had never met someone like Spencer Ford—so loving and gentle and kind hearted and I couldn’t believe that he was all mine. And for a brief moment, the world felt normal again—like all of the horrible events of the last few months had been erased. That is, until Daniel cleared his throat, reminding us that we weren’t alone.

I hung my head in embarrassment, but Spencer touched me gently under the chin, being careful of my bruises until my eyes met his again. He always knew just what to do and say to make me feel beautiful—even with two black eyes, soiled clothes and virtually no sleep. I felt about as unsexy as I ever had, but yet Spencer looked at me as though I was the only girl in the world and a flicker of happiness was reignited within me and I was reminded why I had fallen in love with him in the first place.

“I uh…I’ll just leave you two alone,” Daniel said quietly, clearly embarrassed. “Miss Prescott, if you decide to come with us to the hospital—which again, is what I recommend-”

I cut him off before he could finish his sentence, still looking into Spencer’s eyes and replied, “No, Daniel. That won’t be necessary. Thank you for everything.”

Daniel turned on his heel and let out an exasperated puff of air as he walked away, back in the direction of the ambulance where the rest of the EMS team was waiting.

Spencer smiled a huge smile at me and pulled me in close to him for a tender kiss. Then he pulled back again ever so slightly, cupping my face in his hands and asked “So is that a ‘yes’?”

I contemplated the idea for a moment. I knew that this would mean potential awkwardness between Bridget and I and maybe even some uncomfortable talks with Spencer, but it seemed like the rational next step. Besides, I had had enough of the hospital for a lifetime and staying at Spencer’s sounded pretty damn good. I had to admit it would be nice to feel safe and protected again.

So I nodded and smiled back at him, even though it hurt.