Uncovering Hope (Uncovering Love Book 3) (31 page)

“We will be going through that door. You will not obstruct justice. Open the door.” Jon seethes and the man’s Adam’s apple works up and down for a long moment. He snaps from his stupor and pushes a button on the wall behind him. The security door to the hallway buzzes and clicks, and then opens wide.

Jon doesn’t hesitate and I trail close behind. The doors here have no windows but are thankfully marked clearly with the corresponding units. Jon puts his finger over his lips and nods down the hallway. Muffled words float and grow louder. We step, quiet and quick, to the closed door.

Jon twists the door handle at such a measured speed I want to scream. He’s wasting time. A man’s angered voice booms through the wall. Jon taps his index finger to his lips and then counts down, mouthing . . . three . . . two . . . one.

Jon throws open the door and pushes inside. He lunges at the doctor but all I see is red. Literally, red covers Carly’s scrubs, neck, hands, lap, and I charge to her body just as her eyes roll into the back of her head.

I cradle her into my arms and lift her to my chest.

“No, no, no, no, no.” This cannot be happening. She has to be okay. My eyes lift to see Jon’s knee push and hold the doctor to the ground as he simultaneously pulls his cell from his back pocket.

“Yeah. It was him,” Jon says. He pushes his body harder against the struggling Brooks. “I need someone here now. Now!” He looks over his shoulder to meet my gaze. “EMT’s, too. She’s lost a lot of blood.”

Jon pockets his phone and pulls a little harder at the doctor’s arms. “Don’t even think about trying to move, asshole.”

Brooks’ tenor voice sounds from where he’s being held down. “It’s not what you think—” Jon pulls and pushes and the doctor screams.

“How about you shut the fuck up?” Jon grinds from between clenched teeth. The vein at his neck pulses and it dawns on me that he’s using great restraint. I don’t know how, but he’s not beating Garrett to a pulp. The faint sound of approaching sirens gives way to the promise of hope. I need Carly to make it through this night.

“Wake up, mama. I need you to fight. Fight for Eli and Ez. Fight for me, for us.” She’s limp in my hands. Her blood, sticky crimson, stains her scrubs in an unruly pattern that grows by the second. Her chest rises, though shallow and strained. Her body is warm but lacks the heat, strength, and vitality I’m familiar with.

“Don’t leave me yet. You can’t leave, Carly. I just found you.” Each word is a prayer to the universe, a plea for more time, for my girl to not give up.

The sirens grow louder with each passing second.

“Derek. Derek!”

“What?” I croak out and my eyes meet Jon’s hard gaze.

“Bring her outside. Meet the paramedics. She needs blood. Now.”

His last word jolts my feet into action. One foot in front of the other. The steady beat of my steps in contrast to the erratic pulse of my heart.
Live. Live. Live.

“SO, LIKE, I GET THAT
hospitals are kinda our thing, but can we stop being patients now? It’s not a competition,” I say with a smile.

Carly shakes her head and her lips quirk up at the corners. The color of her skin is coming back from the ashen shade it was. She has a row of stitches down the left side of her neck and across her right palm. Thankfully, that’s the extent of her injuries. I squeeze her left hand.

“You scared me, mama.” Moisture gathers behind my eyelids and I don’t even bother trying to hold it in. The warm salty tears leak from my eyes. “I never want to feel that way again. I love you, Carly. I want you safe. I’m considering covering you in bubble wrap and changing my profession to your own personal bodyguard.”

At that she smiles. Her laugher fills the small room, the sound a balm to my soul. I swear, it’s now my life’s mission to be the reason for that joy as much as humanly possible.

“I was scared, too.” Her smile falls and her brow’s full of worry. “I didn’t think . . . Oh, Derek, I was sure he would kill me.” She swallows and I stand from my chair. Still holding her hand I dip my head so our foreheads just touch and I breathe. Inhalation. Exhalation. Her eyes flutter close and we stay like that.

“Thank you, Derek. For finding me. For saving me. For loving me.”

“Oh, mama.” Her eyes open, the deep green irises swim with feeling. “Thank you. For finding me. For saving me. For loving me.” My lips move to the skin above her brows. I pull back and sit on the edge of the bed.

“We’re quite the pair.” She laughs, points at my casted hand, then flips over her stitched up palm.

“It’s been a hell of a month.” I laugh too.

A knock pulls our attention to the door. A nurse steps in, two uniformed officers behind her.

“I know you guys are ready to get home, but these detectives have a few questions before we discharge you.”

Carly nods and then yawns, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.

“You okay, mama? We can deal with the police tomorrow.”

“No. Let’s get this over with. Then you can take me home.”

“I like the sound of that.” I kiss her lips. “Coffee?”

“That would be heaven sent,” she gushes.

I stand and leave Carly with the PD so they can get what they need for their investigation. Jon and I heard the full story when she gave her statement earlier. For now the crazy doctor is behind bars. After the incident with her ex, and now Dr. Brooks, we’ve had our lifetime fill of being attacked. There’s nothing much I can do. With both men in lockup I can only focus on the good, taking care of my woman. And to start, I’m determined to find the best damn coffee this hospital supplies.

“MERRY CHRISTMAS, MAMA,” DEREK WHISPERS
in my ear before rolling me onto my back. He climbs over me, and the thick blankets of the bed cover us like a tent. I bite my lip remembering how we celebrated Christmas last night, after playing Santa and setting the gifts around the tree.

“You thinking about last night?” he murmurs, and grinds his erection between us.

“What time is it?” I ask and then bite down to keep a moan from escaping my lips. He continues to rub himself between my legs and just like that my body’s fully awake and aroused.

“It’s early. A little after four.” My eyes widen and he grins.

“Derek, why on earth did you wake me up at four in the morning?”

“Because I wanted to give you your present,” he says. I giggle.

“I think you already gave it to me last night.”

“Yeah, I did.” He smirks, then kisses my lips. “But not that. I’m talking about my real gift.” He tosses the covers off and cold air hits my skin and sends goosebumps all over my flesh. He jumps off the bed and rummages around in his overnight bag.

He struts back to the bed, wearing only a cocky smile at his lips and boxer briefs that leave nothing to the imagination. I exhale, and a grin spreads across my lips. I don’t know how I got so damn lucky but I’m taking it.

I scoot back on the bed and cross my legs in front of me. He jumps onto the bed; his giddy energy fills me with excitement.

“Close your eyes, mama.” My lids shut and he kisses me hard, his tongue and metal bar moving inside my mouth. My sex tightens and I want him between my legs, inside me. God, will it always be this way with him? I can’t get enough.

“Keep ’em shut,” he whispers.

“You’re enough of a gift, Derek. You didn’t have to get me anything,” I say back.

His throaty chuckle fills the room. “I know, Carly, I know. But maybe just wait and see what it is first. Go ahead, open.”

My eyelids snap open and it takes a second for my sight to adjust.
Oh God!
He didn’t. It’s too soon. He can’t. My mouth drops open. Derek sits in front of me holding a box. A jewelry box. The size a ring goes inside.

“Derek . . . I can’t. I mean. It’s too soon. We just got together. I mean, I love you. I just—” I stammer. He doesn’t stop smiling. In fact, his grin widens.

“Carly, open the damn box.” He shoves it into my hands and I accept it.

I glance between the box and his face about a dozen times. He finally takes it from my hands and opens the lid so we both can see the ring—oh, dear God—
that
kind of ring.

I cover my mouth to dampen the sounds of my laughter.

“Oh babe, you shouldn’t have—”

“Is it what you’ve always wanted?” He waggles his eyes. “I’ve always wanted to try a cock ring, but you see . . .” He takes it out of the box and places it in my hands. “I guess I was waiting for the right girl.”

“Mmmm . . . I’ve always wondered about these.” I study the clear rubber and give a little jolt when it begins to vibrate.

“What do you say, mama? Will you let me fuck you with a cock ring?”

“Yes! She said yes!” With a grin I push to my knees and straddle his lap. I run my fingers down his strong jaw and then cup his face, tilting it so I can kiss, suck and bite his lips.

He flips me to my back with a growl and makes quick work of removing my clothes, all the while trailing his lips over every inch of my skin. His hands spread my legs and his fingers dip inside my wetness.

He groans, palms himself, and I roll my present over his erection so it fits snuggly at the base.

“I love you, Carly.”

“I love you, Derek.”

He pushes inside, holding tight to one of my legs so it’s between us, while he spreads the other out to the side. The angle hits deep and with every thrust the edge of the cock ring hits my clit.
Oh, God. So good.
It’s too much and not enough. The space between us closes in. It fills in all the pieces of my heart, even the shattered spots I pretend aren’t there.

“Shhh . . . mama. Shhh . . .” Derek leans over me, covering my body with his as my orgasm crashes and consumes. His lips cover mine and he swallows my screams. His hips increase momentum and I lift mine to meet him thrust for thrust. His kisses become more erratic and I know he’s close. His hands frame my head, weaving into my hair to hold tight. Our heads still touch and it’s the most intimate and erotic feeling.

“I’m so close,” he pants. “I need to pull out.”

“Don’t.” I’m on birth control and I want him, all of him. Us together.

“Yeah?” He gasps. I nod.

“Come, Derek. Come inside me.” Now it’s his turn to attempt not to shout and he buries his cries in my neck, into the blankets and pillows. I feel him fill me and that damn ring vibrates atop my most sensitive spot, trapped between his body and mine.