Her Vigilant Seal (27 page)

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The Found Series

Revealed
, Book One

Forsaken
, Book Two

Healed
, Book Three

Beloved
, Book Four (November 2015)

Navy Seal Series

Her Vigilant Seal
, Book One

Fate Harbor Series Published by Siren/Bookstrand

Trusting Chance
, Book One

Protecting Olivia
, Book Two

Claiming Kara
, Book Three

Isabella’s Submission
, Book Four

Cherishing Brianna
, Book Five

“Tell me where you came from.”

It always started this way. First the question, then the excruciating pain as the electric paddles were held against her temples. The smell of her burning flesh. Then they would take the rubber bit from her mouth and ask another question. Another question she couldn’t answer.

“How many of you are there?”

She prayed to all the saints her mother taught her that this time she would pass out. It was the only thing to ever stop the questions. Stop the pain.

“I don’t know!” she wailed, as the bit was shoved into her mouth. She squeezed her eyes so tight she saw stars before the shocking red flames took over her very being.

“Where did you come from? Where are the rest of you now?” They yanked the bit from her mouth, making her lip bleed.

“Just tell me what you want me to say…” her voice didn’t sound like her own. For hours or months, she wasn’t sure how long she begged them to tell her what they wanted her to answer. The paddles were again placed on her temples. Fire exploded behind her eyes and her teeth actually tore into the rubber bit.

****

“Are you fucking stupid!?” Kelly shook from the ice water dripping off her body.

“Even if you get her to remember, you have her gagged, how in the hell is she going to tell you anything? I told you to wait for just two weeks, but you couldn’t, could you? Jesus Tara, go get a cat from the pound to torture if you need a fix that bad. We need this girl alive and talking.”

“Jared, I…”

“Shut up! You two, unstrap her. Get her cleaned up. Get her warm. And you, you dumb bitch, follow me.”

Kelly tried to breathe through the pain as the wrist and ankle restraints were removed from her raw flesh. The cell
, thank God
, she was going back to her cell. This time she wasn’t dragged, someone carried her like she was a child. It must be because of the yelling man, Jared, his name was Jared. Trying to figure out the reasons for changes in her routine were just little ways she tried to stay sane, ways she tried to remain connected to the here and now. No matter how happy those hallucinations made her, no matter how comforting she found them, she had to remember they weren’t reality.
They were not real
.

****

The vibration of the Black Hawk at his back kept him centered, kept the pain at bay. Helped to stop the rising panic. Two images merged in Sam’s mind. He saw the glossy picture the admiral had passed around of Kelly Wachowski, a family photo, showing her laughing at a family gathering, her straight white blonde hair flying around her face in the wind. She had the fair skin of a Scandinavian, but in this picture she was pink from the cold, and her eyes were a navy blue. Sam had another image of Kelly in his mind, it was of her as a small child, laughing up at him, teasing him, calling him Noah. Another jolt of pain, and he closed his eyes, knowing he needed to rest before they landed.

“Tell me where you came from.”

It always started this way. First the question, then the excruciating pain as the electric paddles were held against her temples. The smell of her burning flesh. Then they would take the rubber bit from her mouth and ask another question. Another question she couldn’t answer.

“How many of you are there?”

She prayed to all the saints her mother taught her that this time she would pass out. It was the only thing to ever stop the questions. Stop the pain.

“I don’t know!” she wailed, as the bit was shoved into her mouth. She squeezed her eyes so tight she saw stars before the shocking red flames took over her very being.

“Where did you come from? Where are the rest of you now?” They yanked the bit from her mouth, making her lip bleed.

“Just tell me what you want me to say…” her voice didn’t sound like her own. For hours or months, she wasn’t sure how long she begged them to tell her what they wanted her to answer. The paddles were again placed on her temples. Fire exploded behind her eyes and her teeth actually tore into the rubber bit.

****

“Are you fucking stupid!?” Kelly shook from the ice water dripping off her body.

“Even if you get her to remember, you have her gagged, how in the hell is she going to tell you anything? I told you to wait for just two weeks, but you couldn’t, could you? Jesus Tara, go get a cat from the pound to torture if you need a fix that bad. We need this girl alive and talking.”

“Jared, I…”

“Shut up! You two, unstrap her. Get her cleaned up. Get her warm. And you, you dumb bitch, follow me.”

Kelly tried to breathe through the pain as the wrist and ankle restraints were removed from her raw flesh. The cell
, thank God
, she was going back to her cell. This time she wasn’t dragged, someone carried her like she was a child. It must be because of the yelling man, Jared, his name was Jared. Trying to figure out the reasons for changes in her routine were just little ways she tried to stay sane, ways she tried to remain connected to the here and now. No matter how happy those hallucinations made her, no matter how comforting she found them, she had to remember they weren’t reality.
They were not real
.

****

The vibration of the Black Hawk at his back kept him centered, kept the pain at bay. Helped to stop the rising panic. Two images merged in Sam’s mind. He saw the glossy picture the admiral had passed around of Kelly Wachowski, a family photo, showing her laughing at a family gathering, her straight white blonde hair flying around her face in the wind. She had the fair skin of a Scandinavian, but in this picture she was pink from the cold, and her eyes were a navy blue. Sam had another image of Kelly in his mind, it was of her as a small child, laughing up at him, teasing him, calling him Noah. Another jolt of pain, and he closed his eyes, knowing he needed to rest before they landed.

Angelina Rugiero stood at the top of the grand staircase, waiting patiently to be announced by the MC. The exclusive country club her parents were members of was the prime location to have your big event. Her name being called through the speakers was her signal. She descended the stairs wearing a red steel-boned corset, with a short flirty black skirt, and a pair of red stilettos. She’d never felt so sexy and beautiful, butterflies danced in her stomach as she scanned the crowd looking for one man.

The ballroom was filled with familiar faces, from close friends and relatives, to casual acquaintances. Instead of having a sweet sixteen, she’d opted for a new car and a shopping expedition to Italy with her mom, and best friend Gia Delgado. Tonight was her night. Angelina was ready to show a certain someone that she was all grown up, and have him look at her like a woman, not the little girl who played with his baby sister. She was no longer the little girl that played with his sister. At eighteen, she was a woman in her own right, she hoped he finally saw that for himself.

“You look gorgeous.” Gia laughed.

Knowing she couldn’t come right out and ask, Angel hugged Gia. “You do too.”

After dancing and laughing with many, she was anticipating the opening of gifts. Even knowing what her parents had already gotten her, didn’t diminish the excitement as she opened each beautifully wrapped box. The last present on the huge table was a small square box, the distinctive Cartier insignia on the gold foil made her heart pound. Most of the gifts had been receipts for donations made on her behalf to some of her favorite charities. But this one was going to be all hers. She barely restrained herself from grabbing the gift up, and ripping into it like a child after she’d spotted the name of the giver. She’d seen the way her best friend had raised her eyebrows as she’d saved it for last.

With hands not quite steady, she opened the card. Seeing his masculine handwriting did funny things to her. The words blurred before her eyes.
Happy Birthday, beautiful
.
The significance of this gift is to always treasure you, and others will too. With love, Ren.

The fact he’d taken the time to write it himself was proof he cared, making her body tingle. She traced his scrawled signature lovingly, interpreting the meaning behind his words. Carefully she peeled back the tape, wanting to keep every piece of his gift for her keepsake trunk. When the red box was finally exposed, she popped open the lid and held her breath. There, nestled in the center, was a beautiful heart shaped necklace in platinum with tiny diamonds around the edges. Lifting it out, she admired the beauty, and noticed an inscription engraved on the back. The word Angel had been etched on the back.

Angelina slipped it over her head, loving the way it nestled between her breasts. She wished he had been there to have put it on her, and then hoped to see him standing with her family, but to her distress he was nowhere to be seen. Surely he hadn’t just dropped off her present and left? Disappointment hit her like a punch to the stomach.

Her parents and Gia rushed forward to look at her gift. She smiled and showed them the inscription. A feeling of being cherished had her heart beating hard in her chest as her parents murmured about how thoughtful Lorenzo Delgado was. The party was half over as she was rushed into cutting her cake, and thanking everyone for the wonderful gifts. Everyone except the one person she really wanted to thank. Lorenzo, or Ren to his family and friends, was still absent, but she wasn’t going to let that ruin her night. He’d show up, and then she’d show him how much she loved his gift.

“That is a beautiful necklace, Angel. My brother must have put a lot of thought into the gift.” Gia’s hand lifted the heart-shaped locket, her finger traced the edges.

“I wish he was here so I could thank him.” Angel stood on her toes, staring over the crowd as she searched for what felt like the hundredth time.

Gia’s eyes were all too knowing. “My brother is way too hard for my bestie. You’d be better off cutting your teeth on a sweet boy like Jack.”

Angel laughed. “You did not just suggest I go out with Jackson Wells, because if you did, then we are over.”

“Hey, just because he is most probably gay, and sorta in a relationship with a dude…” Gia stopped as Angel narrowed her eyes.

“I rest my case. Jack is a dear, sweet, young man, who I love like a brother. However, I think there would be a major issue, since he is clearly in love with Mark, and Mark is obviously the top in that relationship.” Angel finished.

“Fair enough, but that doesn’t mean you should be turning your sights on my big brother.”

She wished Gia would have forgotten where their original argument had started, but like a dog with a bone, her best friend wasn’t ready to give up. “Gia, I’m eighteen, and we graduate next week. It’s not like I’m a little kid anymore.”

“Angel, your mother is looking for you. Some of your guests are leaving. Come so you can say goodbye,” her father said.

Hours later, exhausted, but far from ready to end the night, she excused herself from the guy she’d been dancing with. When she said she needed to use the ladies room it wasn’t a total lie, since she hadn’t stopped long enough, except to drink a glass of water here or there, since her party began. Between stilettos and the non-stop dancing, a break was just what was needed. Weaving her way through the crowd, she tried the handle on the women’s, finding it locked. With a shrug of her shoulders she turned the knob on the family room, stepping into her own version of a nightmare.

The large room had a small couch for the women to come in and take a break during the day. However, tonight that wasn’t what it was being used for. There, seated on the couch, was none other than Lorenzo himself. His head was thrown back as a woman with short brown hair was bobbing up and down between his legs. She couldn’t actually see what was going on, but from his groans and the sounds coming from the woman she recognized as Candis, she knew.

Her stomach heaved and she tried to back out without being seen. She must have made some kind of noise that alerted them they were no longer alone. Lorenzo’s eyes snapped open, pinning her with a glare. Her hand flew to her mouth, suppressing the keening wail building in her lungs from escaping. Before she could make a hasty exit, he said two damning words that would forever be etched on her brain. “Get Out,” Lorenzo snarled.

Turning, Angelina yanked open the door, unable to form a reply as she ran out. She looked toward the grand ballroom, but the thought of returning and facing her family and friends was the last thing she wanted to do. Knowing her car was with the valet, she kept her head down and headed to the front doors.

Not paying attention to who or what was in front of her, she ran into a large man. His arms came up and kept her from falling. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled into his chest. Looking up she recognized him as one of Lorenzo’s friends.

“Hey, don’t apologize, birthday girl. Where were you going in such a hurry?” He held her by the arms.