Sirens sounded in the distance, and Ella breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe help would arrive in time. Elvis One caught her eye and cursed under his breath.
"Get back in the car," he said, as he started to crawl towards her.
"No way in hell!" she hissed back. Peeking back around the car, she figured that now was her best chance to get away. Saying a prayer that the gunman didn't want to hurt her, she jumped up and ran for the street.
"Get back here!" Elvis One shouted, just as a gun went off, and brick exploded next to her head.
Ella yelped and ran faster, not daring to look back. When she hit the corner of the building, she turned back towards the venue, hoping that Zach was still there. He had the keys to the car. If she wanted to get back to the hotel and out of this mess, he was her best bet.
She heard gunshots from the alley behind her, and turned around as she reached the steps to the building. The lights from the police cars were only about a block away. Hopefully, they'd figure out what was going on, but she wasn't about to stick around and find out.
A figure emerged from the alley, and Ella took off up the steps. No. She was so close. If they got her, she'd never see Zach again. Never get to find out what was going on between them.
Ella kicked off her shoes as she ran up the enormous number of steps for this place. It felt like she was in one of those dreams where she was running toward a destination that just kept getting farther and farther away. She reached the door just as she heard her name.
"Ella!" the voice shouted again. She knew that voice.
"Zach?" she asked as she turned around.
He was a sight for sore eyes. His shirt sleeve was torn, and a bloody scratch lay underneath it. He was sweating, and his pants were filthy. But he was the most gorgeous man she'd ever laid eyes on.
"Zach!" she yelled, and ran down the steps. When she reached him, she threw her arms around his waist and squeezed.
He was barely breathing hard, but she could smell his musky scent.
"Are you ok?" he asked, pulling back so that he could examine her.
"I'm fine. Just shaken up, is all."
"Good. Let's get out of here."
"My purse," she said.
"Got it right here," he said, pulling it from the waistband of his jeans.
Well, that was one way of carrying it. Fortunately for Zach, she didn't have a big purse, more of a wallet on a strap.
"Thanks. What about those guys?" she asked, nodding towards the alley.
"They're both dead," Zach said in a matter-of-fact tone, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the car.
"Oh."
Ella wasn't upset that they were dead. But she wondered if this would cause more problems for Zach and the Castle team.
"Should we wait to talk to the police?"
Zach shook his head. "No. I'll call it in once we get to the motel, and I know we're safe." Anger seemed to ooze out of him, and Ella wondered why he was so irritated.
"What's wrong?" she asked as they reached the car.
Zach opened her door for her, and she slid in and waited for him to round the car to the driver's side.
"What's wrong?" he echoed, a little hysterically. "Seriously, you're asking me that?"
Ella was confused by his questions. Of course she was wondering what was wrong. Why wouldn't she be?
"Ella, you were just kidnapped by two Elvis impersonators. One of them had a gun. What the hell do you think is wrong with me?" he asked, almost shouting the question as he backed out of the parking spot and took off down the road towards their motel.
"I'm fine," she said.
"You're fine? Geez." Zach dragged his hand down his face and shook his head. "You could have been killed. What did they want?"
"The files."
"Tobias's men?"
Ella shrugged. "I assume so. Who else would it be?"
"But how did they find us?" Zach asked, more to himself than to her. "You haven't called anyone?"
Ella glanced down guiltily at her hands. "I just…well, I…"
Zach groaned. "You called your mom?"
Ella nodded. "I thought it was safe. I didn't think he'd be sending guys after us when we're on our way with the files."
"It seems that Tobias is impatient, and maybe he's a tad untrusting. Can't really blame the guy for that. I can blame him for putting you in danger, though. I'd like to rip his head off with my bare hands."
"Are you going to get into trouble for killing those guys back there?" Ella asked, worried that her plight would prove to be more than just an inconvenience for Zach. She didn't want him to get into any kind of trouble because of her.
Zach shook his head. "No. At this point, it's all speculation unless they have cameras back there, and I didn't see any."
"How did you find me?"
"When you didn't come back after a few minutes, I had a feeling that you'd run into trouble. I entered the hallway just as they were pushing you through the back door. I waited till I had a clear shot to take out that one guy."
"Elvis Two," Ella said.
"You named him?"
"I was trying to keep them straight in my head."
Zach chuckled. "Elvis Two, then. I saw you open the car door and climb out, and I was relieved when you took off running. Although I'm sure Elvis One—?" Zach looked to her for confirmation of her nickname for the man, and she nodded, a wide grin on her face. "Well, I'm sure he took ten years off my life when he turned his gun and shot at you. I was so glad that he was just trying to get you to stop running away, and that he hit the wall and not you."
"I didn't know who was shooting at us. But I knew I had to get away. They trapped me in the hallway of the bathroom and said they wanted the files. I hit Elvis Two and busted his nose. But I couldn't take on both of them."
"You are Mike Tyson," Zach said with a smirk.
"You do what you gotta do," Ella said.
Zach pulled into the motel parking lot.
"Stay here," he said, as he parked the car in front of their room.
He took his gun out and slowly made his way to the motel room door. Carefully, he put the key in the lock and swung his gun through the door. He disappeared for a few moments, then returned to the car.
"It's all clear," he said, as he opened her door.
Zach threw his arm around Ella, covering her as they rushed towards the door. As soon as they were inside, Zach closed and locked it. Then he was on her.
Zach's mouth landed on hers with a desperation she'd never before felt from a man. He moved her backwards until her back hit the wall behind her. He raised her arms above her head and caught her wrists in one of his hands. His other hand trailed a path down her neck, over her ribs, and around to her back. He pulled her closer, his lips moving over hers and stoking the fire within her.
She felt fully exposed, and yet she was fully clothed. How many times had a man held her hands in a firm grasp so he could do what he wanted? And yet, with Zach, it felt different. She knew that Zach wouldn't hurt her. He was cherishing her.
Ella whimpered, wanting to get closer, longing to feel more. Zach's mouth trailed a path of kisses along her jaw to a sensitive spot just below her ear. Warmth pooled in her belly, and she wished he'd let go of her hands so she could touch him.
Her breaths were shallow, fast, and furious as Zach ignited a passion she'd never felt. His free hand pulled her shirt free and then traced the edge of her pants, touching the skin there as goose bumps erupted on her flesh where he'd touched.
A moan escaped Ella as she tried to free her hands. His grip was firm but not tight. It was an illusion of bondage that excited her because she felt completely safe.
Zach smiled against her lips. "What do you want, Ella?" he asked.
Ella wasn't sure what she wanted. She knew what she felt right now, but she'd made a promise to herself when she’d escaped Bruno's hold. Never again would she allow a man to take something from her that she wasn't willing to give. The next man she gave hers
elf to, she would be giving herself to forever.
Was Zach willing to give her forever? Did she want him to?
The answer to the second question was quickly becoming a firm yes. But she didn't know what Zach felt for her.
They'd shared a few kisses. There was clearly an attraction and a friendship. But that didn't necessarily mean forever.
Zach stepped away, dropping her hands. She'd taken too long to respond, and she could see the hurt in his eyes.
"I want you, Zach. But…"
"It's ok. Why don't you take a shower and relax? I need to work on that encryption. I'm almost through."
"Wait," Ella said, putting her hands on his shoulders.
He flinched slightly, and she remembered his torn shirt and the blood she'd seen underneath.
"Are you ok?" she asked.
"I'm fine. Just a scratch."
"How did this happen?"
"A piece of brick flew off and hit me in the arm when Elvis One fired his gun, and the bullet hit the side of the building."
"You need a bandage."
"I'm fine. Really."
"Stop being a stubborn ass," Ella accused, and stomped toward the bathroom to get the first aid kit.
She retrieved some gauze and medical tape, as well as an antibacterial wipe to clean it. It wasn't bad, but she wasn't going to take a chance.
"Take your shirt off," she commanded.
"Are you always so bossy?"
"Only when I want to be," she said, and smiled sweetly.
Zach laughed, his warm chuckle making her insides flip-flop.
He pulled his shirt off, exposing an amazing body. Six-pack abs. Golden skin. Bulging biceps. Hubba hubba.
Then he turned around, and Ella gasped in horror.
Chapter 17
It was easy for Zach to forget about the scars on his back. Well, it was easy to forget the scars, just not how he'd received the scars.
He’d had yet to take his shirt off in front of Ella, but it was a testament to how comfortable he was with her that he would do it without thinking. The scars were startling to anyone who saw them.
Unfortunately, the story behind them was even more horrifying.
"What happened?" Ella asked, her voice soft as she spoke.
"War happened," Zach said, not really in the mood to talk about his past. He'd wanted Ella tonight. And yet, she'd hesitated before saying she wanted him, too. He'd promised himself he'd wait. Decide if he was willing to give her forever. Because that was what she deserved.
Zach knew that once he made that decision, she'd be his. He'd never let her go. He would marry her. Have babies with her. Spend the rest of his life adoring her. But it was the story behind the scars on his back that kept him from taking that plunge.
It was for the best. Until he knew what he had to offer, he needed to keep his hands to himself.
Zach sat on the bed, and Ella knelt beside him. She opened the antibacterial wipe and dabbed at the cut on his arm. He barely felt the sting as his mind tried not to go back to those days.
"Want to talk about it?" she asked.
"Not really."
Ella sighed, and Zach knew he was disappointing her. But he couldn't. If he started talking about that time, he would relive it. So he'd never spoken to anyone about the details.
Oh, sure, his team knew part of it. They knew what the Army had reported. But no one knew how truly horrifying those days had been. No one.
Ella placed the gauze over the cut, then stretched medical tape across it to secure it in place. When she was done, she sat still. Not talking. Not moving.
Zach moved to get up, and her hand shot out, staying him.
"I made a promise to myself when I left Bruno that the next man who touched me, who I was intimate with, would be my husband."
Zach stopped, not moving, and yet not looking at her, either.
"I want you, Zach. With everything in me, I want you like I've never wanted any other man. But I'm not sure you're ready to share yourself with me. And for that reason, I can't."
It made sense. When someone had been used and abused the way Ella had been, she'd want to make the decision for herself whom she'd let in again. He understood it. Respected it. It was exactly what he'd decided earlier tonight that he wanted for her.
He turned, taking her hands in his own.
"I'm sorry. I know. I want that for you, too. And I don't know, Ella. If I can…if I’m able to…"
"Shh," she said, placing her finger over his mouth. "I know."
She replaced her finger with her lips and kissed him sweetly. This time, it was a kiss of comfort. Tender. Soul-shattering.
Zach wanted to give her everything she deserved and more. But until he faced his demons, he wasn't sure he’d be able to.
Ella broke the kiss and sat back against the headboard. He followed her, taking a spot next to her. She reached over and took his hand in hers, just holding it. It felt right.
"When I was seventeen, my father died. I told you that already," she said, turning her head to the side to make sure he was listening. He gave a single nod in acknowledgement, and she turned to face forward again.
"What I didn't tell you is that he was murdered. In front of me."
The words hung in the room, heavy and expectant. Zach wasn't sure what to say. How to help.
"I'm so—"
"Sorry," she said. "Yeah, I know. Everyone is. No one knows what to say or how to help. I get it. It sucks. And with as much as I've been through over the last five years, still that day when I was seventeen will remain the worst day of my life. Always."
"How did you get away?"
"That is a long, complicated story. One I'm too tired to share tonight. But I will. Some day." Her voice took on a longing that Zach recognized. It was the emotion from someone who'd experienced something truly terrible and needed someone else to help bear the burden, and yet it was too overwhelming to share.
It was the story of his life.
"I will forever live with the guilt that I couldn't save him."
"That's crazy. You were seventeen. What could you have done?"
Ella shrugged. "Nothing. Something. I lie awake in the dark reliving that night, wondering what I could have done to prevent his death."
They sat in silence for a few moments, the cars passing by on the road outside the only sound in the room. Zach held tightly to her hand, his heart aching for her. He wished he could take away her pain.
He knew what it was like to live with that kind of regret. To live with that kind of agony.
"My best friend was in the Army with me. We were captured and tortured for several days. I made it out. He did not."
"Is that how you got the scars on your back?" she asked quietly.
Zach nodded. "Boiling water and sugar. They'd pour it on our backs while asking us questions. The sugar sticks to the skin, causing the burns to be far worse. It felt like your skin was burning from the inside out."
He felt Ella stiffen beside him. Then felt the slight shake of her hand as her emotions took over. He blocked it out. If he was going to get any of this out, he had to keep talking.
"They repeatedly burned us. Our backs, the backs of our thighs and buttocks. They'd choose a spot and lather us up with the burning substance. You could smell the flesh burning. We would scream until our throats were raw, and we had no voice left. Jake's screams would go on for an eternity. And then one day, they just stopped."
It was almost as if someone had turned off a switch, his screams had stopped so abruptly. Zach's mind went back to that day. He’d been recovering from his most recent torture at his captors' hands. His back was shredded. They'd also employed knives the previous day, cutting the flesh where it had burned. You'd think the pain couldn't get any worse, and then they'd find a way to make it so horrible that you knew you'd die from the pain. But you didn't. You kept living. Kept feeling it until you passed out, the blackness a welcome relief from the sheer agony.
He'd lain there, listenin
g to them as they covered Jake with the "napalm," as some had called it. Zach had begged God to rescue them. Begged him to take away the pain. Then he'd begged for death.
When they'd been rescued, and the Army had recovered Jake's body, his superiors had said that neither of them had been meant to survive the torture. The fact that Zach had was a miracle. But sometimes Zach wondered if it was a miracle or a curse. Jake had been freed from the pain and the memories. But Zach carried them on, unable to sleep. Unable to heal.
"There was nothing you could have done," Ella's soft voice said, breaking through the terrible memories.
Zach shook his head. "You don't know that."
"I do, because I know you. I know that if you’d had any way of helping him, you would have, even if it had meant forfeiting your own life."
She had no idea how wrong she was. It was his fault they’d been captured in the first place. Maybe he couldn't have helped him afterwards, but it was his ego that had gotten them into that mess.
"Besides, you said the same thing to me about my father's murder, but you can't possibly know what I could or couldn't have done to help him."
"But I know you," he said, mimicking her words.
"You know me now. You didn't know me then."
"You were a kid, Ella. Even if there was a small something you could have done, as a kid, you're not capable of making that kind of decision."
"Kids go to jail all the time for making poor decisions."
Zach nodded. "They do. But it was your father. The way you speak of him says you loved him very much. I know that if there was something you could have done that was in your power as a seventeen-year-old girl, you would have done it."
"And I know that if there was a way for you to have rescued your best friend, you would have. It’s not in your DNA to leave a man behind."
How he wished that were the truth. How he wished he'd been a better man then. He'd never make that mistake again. Never listen to his ego above his heart and mind.
Zach stood abruptly, letting go of Ella's hand. He saw the tearstains on her face, the red-rimmed eyes, the slightly pink nose. It broke his heart to know that she’d cried for him. He couldn't do this tonight, though. There were other, more pressing things to be done. Like break that encryption and access those files.
Castle Investigations Box Set Page 89
