Dangerous (The Complete Erotic Romance Novel) (72 page)

* * *

Naomi ran back toward the door to the parking lot.

The best thing she could do is summon help. She saw her purse, flung against the wall opposite the fabric storage room. She picked up the receptionist’s phone even as she dug in the bag, but the line was dead.

Of course, he’d cut it. This bastard thought ahead.

“You’re fucking up everything!” the attacker shouted and Naomi heard someone slammed into the wall. She hoped like hell it wasn’t Reid.

“Where is that fucking whore?” he bellowed. Naomi scanned the area, knowing her phone had to be there somewhere, then saw its blinking red light. The shears fell to the floor with a clatter behind her and there was a grunt of pain.

She seized the phone and dialed 9-1-1, catching her breath at the sound of footsteps running down the hall. She ran for the parking lot, even as the dispatcher answered. “He’s going to kill us!” she cried before the woman could say much, then shouted the address.

“Whore!” he bellowed and slammed her into the wall. Naomi didn’t know if she’d managed to say the whole address or not before the connection was lost.

He grabbed the phone and smashed it against the wall, then dragged her back toward the workroom. He was panting, his eyes shining with insanity, but his grip was merciless.

Reid was on the floor, motionless, blood pooling beside his head.

He’d killed Alicia.

He’d killed Reid.

Naomi was sure the police couldn’t arrive in time to save both her and Kendra.

“I’ll take you both,” their attacker muttered, his agitation more obvious than it had been. “I’ll kill you both before they get here and take you dead.” He flung Naomi over a cutting table and secured her hands behind her back with a cable tie. She tried to get away but he hit her hard and bound her ankles together with terrifying speed. Naomi lay on the cutting table and knew she was bleeding. Kendra was watching their captor, her face pale.

She could see Reid more clearly from this angle, and it sickened her to see him this way. She fought against a sense of helplessness as their assailant paced. His erection was bigger than ever, which wasn’t a good sign. He was loving this, on some level. He stopped, smiled, then picked up the dildo from the floor. Then he went back down the hall, striding with purpose.

What was he doing? Naomi looked at Kendra, but saw that she was watching Reid.

Probably heartbroken that he was gone.

Naomi followed Kendra’s gaze, though, and saw Reid move ever so slightly. His eyes hadn’t opened and he didn’t look like he was breathing. There was a gun on the floor, fallen into the shadows behind the table, and Reid was inching toward it.

How could Naomi help? It was only with great effort that she dragged her gaze away.

Their assailant returned, waving the dildo before himself like a prize. It looked darker on the end than it had before. “I love buckets of sand,” he murmured, and for the first time Kendra looked terrified. She make a whimper and attempted to scream, which made their attacker chuckle. “You’re all mine,” he said with satisfaction and Kendra tried to squirm away from him, her eyes wide with terror.

But she’d hidden her fear before. Was she truly afraid? Or was she trying to keep his attention fixed on her? Naomi would have bet her last dollar on the second option.

Their attacker squatted in front of Kendra and turned the dildo before her face, as if wanting her to admire it. Naomi recalled the bucket of sand by the doorway for extinguishing cigarettes.

“A little reward for you, thanks to his interference.”

Kendra shook her head and eased backward. She moaned and squirmed, wiggling her butt so her puss was displayed. He looked and swallowed. She whimpered, looking more fearful than the woman in the video had, and his reaction was obvious.

Reid had the gun and was easing to his feet, his gaze steely.

Their captor chuckled and reached for Kendra.

“Don’t!” Naomi shouted, wanting to cover any sound Reid might make. She thumped her feet on the cutting table and thrashed.

“Don’t worry, whore: I’ll save some for you,” their attacker vowed, then seized Kendra and flung her to her stomach. She struggled and flailed, evidently trying to scream into her gag.

He had time to smile before Reid pressed the gun against his nape.

He froze, started to turn, then Reid seized him by the hair. He flung the other man backward, jammed the gun into his mouth and pulled the trigger.

The sight of his brains being spewed all over the shop was horrible.

But Naomi was glad to see it.

* * *

Kendra had never felt so cold in her life.

It was more than being naked on a concrete floor that had chilled her. Terror had taken its toll, as well. She liked to think of herself as a resilient person but she was crying by the time Reid had untied her bonds and wrapped his jacket around her.

He held her close as she got his shirt wet. “Where are your clothes, Kendra?” he asked softly.

She shook her head with uncertainty.

He checked her leg and cleaned the wound, his touch gentle and strong. The bleeding had stopped, although he frowned at the injury. “Okay for a moment?” he asked and she feared he would leave her alone. “Naomi needs a bit of help, too.” He indicated the other woman, though, still bound on the cutting table, and Kendra nodded understanding.

She shivered at the absence of his touch. He freed Naomi, whose voice Kendra recognized. That woman had eaten her the first time she’d come to the shop, an incident that seemed to have happened a million years before. Naomi left and returned with a length of soft woolen fabric, and Reid wrapped Kendra in it with such tenderness her tears flowed harder.

He picked her up and carried her through the shop. She buried her head in his shoulder, inhaling the scent of him, and wanted only to stay in his embrace.

The police were pulling into the parking lot when they left the workshop, their lights so bright Kendra closed her eyes tightly.

“He filmed it,” Reid said tersely to the detective. “It’s all there.” He didn’t slow his pace or stop, but simply settled Kendra into his car. She was vaguely aware of Naomi talking to the police, explaining what had happened, but she didn’t want to think about it anymore. Reid reached over and fastened her seatbelt around her. “I’ll get a doctor to come to the house about your leg,” he murmured and she let her exhaustion claim her.

Reid was with her.

Reid would take care of everything.

It would all be just fine.

* * *

Reid Stirling never made the same mistake twice.

It was his mantra. His guide for living.

He was haunted by that conviction as he solved details. A doctor came to the house and saw to Kendra’s gunshot wound. While deep, it was in the muscle and he said it would heal in time. He bandaged it as she fought against shock. Reid helped her to bathe, ensured she ate some hot soup, and then had tucked her into his bed. She’d reached for him, so he’d joined her there, his thoughts churning.

He laid awake all night with Kendra nestled against his side. He couldn’t sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the video of Alana’s last moments. It was sickening to see the horror of what she’d endured, and to see it over and over again.

He doubted he’d ever forget the sound of her pleas for mercy.

She had set out to deceive him, it was true, and had planned to take advantage of him. Alana wasn’t even her name. She’d been pregnant with another man’s child, and had planned to leave him. Still, no one deserved what she’d endured. Had Reid been alone, he would have tossed and turned restlessly all night long. As it was, he was reluctant to disturb Kendra, so remained absolutely still.

Staring at the ceiling lest he close his eyes and see his wife’s torment all over again.

Kendra slept deeply, exhausted by her ordeal. She smelled sweet in her sleep, feminine and fragile, and her hair was soft against his skin. She curled against him, clearly taking solace from his presence and his warmth. It felt as if he had too little to give her. He was consumed with affection for her and a sense of protectiveness.

As well as aware she could have met a very similar end as Alana.

The powerlessness he’d experienced in Alicia’s shop had shaken him. He would have gone insane if Naomi hadn’t freed him, if he hadn’t been able to put a stop to it all. Even the idea of being compelled to watch Kendra endure the same ritual, to be unable to affect the situation, had taken him perilously close to the edge of reason. Reid had always known he didn’t do well with being out of control. He hadn’t realized how vulnerable he was.

It troubled him. Deeply. He couldn’t even think of what would have happened if Naomi hadn’t been there.

They’d gotten lucky.

Luck was never good enough for Reid Stirling. He planned. He orchestrated. He compensated for weak spots and he took responsibility. There could be no doubt that in playing this dangerous game with Alana first and then Kendra, he’d risked too much.

And he’d very nearly failed again.

He pressed a kiss to Kendra’s head, troubled by the price she’d nearly paid.

His need for control and his trust of his instincts had led him badly astray.

It wasn’t going to happen again. He’d fallen head over heels for Alana, fallen hard and fast and ignored any warning signals he might have had. He’d leapt in and married her, and only much later realized his mistake. She’d been beautiful. She’d been charming and direct and funny, and very very obliging. His every dream come true—or so he’d thought.

No, he’d been certain of it.

And he’d been wrong.

Now there was Kendra Jones. Beautiful, surprising, vibrant. Reid had been intrigued from the moment he’d found those photographs of her, enticed by the sparkle of her eyes. Meeting her in person had only tightened the snare. He knew he was in love with her, and knew he would have been devastated if Alana’s killer had triumphed.

But what did he really know about her? He’d researched her, but he’d researched Alana. What did he know except that he had fallen hard and fast, one more time? She’d drawn him into unexplored territory without his ever meaning to journey there. He’d changed his plans to see her more, to indulge her dreams, to try to fulfill her fantasies. Discarding his intuitive attraction and trust led to many questions, questions he was too troubled to answer with confidence.

He’d once thought himself an excellent judge of character, but now he wasn’t so sure. Reid needed time. He needed to step away and see how tight of a grip Kendra had on his heart. Was this lust? An infatuation? Or could there be more between them? Were they really two of a kind, or had Kendra—like Alana—been telling him what he wanted to hear? Reid stared at the ceiling and knew he could lose her, simply due to this need. Time was of the essence in every connection.

But this time, he couldn’t proceed without a conviction he didn’t have anymore.

The best way to take Kendra’s measure was to give her free rein to rebuild Esperanza. Her business plan had been good, and she’d worked solidly to make it happen so far. Reid knew about rebuilding companies and he’d be able to understand her better by watching her performance and seeing how she confronted the inevitable challenges.

From afar.

If she succeeded—and he thought she would—saving Esperanza would also give her the credential she wanted and needed. Rebuilding companies in the real world, instead of in the safety of an MBA program, was the best experience anyone could have. If she pulled this off, Kendra would be able to choose from a dozen options.

She wouldn’t need him.

Reid had to see what she’d choose then. He loved her. She said she loved him. Reid had heard that before, so this time, he needed proof, and actions spoke louder than words. He needed not only to know more about Kendra, but he needed to be certain she wanted him for himself, not for what he could give her.

And the worst part was, he could only be sure if he didn’t confide his intention to her. That wrenched his heart, because he didn’t want there to be secrets or even a lack of information between them. He wanted it all, but his world had been shaken too much for him to reach out and accept whatever Kendra might offer him now.

He’d step away for six months.

Even though, the separation just might kill him.

Despite having made his decision, Reid still didn’t sleep. He held Kendra close, listened to the soft rhythm of her breathing and savored the warmth of her against his side. This night might be their last and he didn’t want to miss a second of it.

* * *

Kendra awakened alone in Reid’s bed.

She could hear the water running in the bathroom and the bed was still warm beside her. She got up and went to the bathroom, more than ready to have Reid hold her close again. She wanted to make love with him this morning, to celebrate being alive and together. Vanilla the first time, then they’d see.

To her surprise, he had already showered. He was finishing his shaving and wearing Jockeys. He flicked a glance at her in the mirror, then rinsed and dried his face.