by Livia Grant
His eyes were getting heavy when his cell phone rang loudly. He'd turned up the volume to make sure he wouldn't miss a call from Lukus. It was his best friend's ring tone.
"Tell me good news," Markus said.
"I fucking wish. What a damn mess."
"The police wouldn't approve the raid?" Markus was sure they'd had enough evidence to get a search warrant.
"Oh, they approved. We went in. We saved Hannah and the other hostages, but the prick got away."
"God dammit!"
"No shit."
"How?" Markus asked.
"He had a secret tunnel he could get in and out through. You need to up your game. He is in the wind."
Markus's heart rate inched up at the thought of Davenport walking free. "I was going to go into the office for a few hours in the morning. I'll cancel that."
"Yep. I'm having Ethan close down the club again tomorrow night. The members are gonna have my head, but it can't be helped. I sent Derek to pick up Hannah's kid and her babysitter and they're gonna be on a red-eye tonight, arriving early tomorrow morning. Sean's gonna pick 'em up at the airport and drive them to the loft."
Lukus took a break, placing his hand over his phone to have a muffled discussion with someone at the other end of the line before returning to the call with Markus. "I'm calling Aiden next. I'll have him update the CPD and make sure they are doing rounds downstairs. It's time they get involved officially."
"What about the girl you had going into the warehouse wired? She okay?"
Markus heard the guilt in his best friend's voice as he answered. "Yeah, Hannah's doing as well as she can be after living through the freak show he put her through. Her best friend, Mia, got shot, though. They're here at the hospital for observation, but I expect Hannah to be released tomorrow."
"That's good." Markus knew the answer to the next question before he asked it. He asked it anyway. "You want me to break the news to the girls that tomorrow night's baby shower for Rachel is postponed, right?"
Lukus's sharp intake of breath told Markus that his friend had forgotten about the girls' plans. "Shit, they're gonna be upset, but it can't be helped. No one leaves the loft until further notice. I don't even want others coming in right now. Lock it down."
"Agreed. I'll handle it."
Lukus was in boss mode, barking orders at the other end of the phone before giving Markus his next command. "Hold on. I'm conferencing in Aiden."
The call went silent without giving Markus a chance to even answer. He'd known his best friend since college. He knew Lukus needed to keep a tight control right now to keep himself from losing it by thinking about the horrible things that could happen to the people he loved.
Within a few seconds, Aiden's voice came on the joint call. "Hey, what's up?"
Lukus answered. "Shit went down out here and we raided the warehouse with the authorities. They are shut down, but... the fucker got away. He's out there, and he's coming for the girls. I know it."
Aiden was a hothead, so his calm response surprised Markus. "We don't know that. He's on the run, yes, but if he's smart, his priority is getting out of the country right now."
Lukus countered, "This is personal with Davenport. Trust me. He wants to get even with Markus and me. He wants to hurt our women. It's time to make this official. I want the CPD on alert. I want you guys staking out the loft. I want—"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You want. I get it," Aiden said.
"Don't be an asshole. I didn't have to call you, you know. I have other contacts at the CPD."
Aiden chuckled. "Yeah, so I've heard. Word has gotten around that my sister is engaged to you. I've had cops congratulating me all fucking week at having you 'in the family'—assholes."
Lukus chuckled, lightening the heavy mood. "See. I told you I was a good guy."
"Whatever. The only thing I care about is that you take good care of my sister and make her happy."
"I'm trying, but until I get back in town, I need your help keeping Tiff safe. Think you're up for it?"
"Listen, I've been keeping Tiff safe her whole life."
As usual, the two alpha men were devolving into a crude competition about who loved Tiffany more. Markus pulled them back to reality. "Can you two stop the pissing contest long enough to keep your eyes on what's really important here?"
He heard both men clearing their throats at the other end of the line. They got the message.
Aiden's cold response was all business. "Consider the CPD on the case. I'll call my boss now. I'll be on stakeout myself overnight. Let's talk in the morning."
Lukus replied with a simple, "Got it," just before Aiden dropped from the call. His best friend then continued on with the plan. "I'm gonna fly back tomorrow with Dylan and Hannah as soon as she's released. In the meantime, Markus..." Lukus hesitated slightly before continuing, "I need you to go the closet in my bedroom."
"It's late. Tiff and Rach are already asleep in there."
"Just go there, will ya? It's important." Impatience seeped through Lukus's tone.
"Fine." They remained silent while Markus let himself into the dark bedroom. He smiled as he noticed the women were snuggled close together, sound asleep. They'd left on a small lamp in the corner as if they might have been afraid of the dark. With Davenport on the loose, he couldn't blame them.
"Okay, I'm in your walk-in. What next?" Markus prompted his best friend.
"Go to the far right. There's a row of small cubby shelves right next to my suits. On the top shelf is a black case. Get it down."
Markus found it easily. It was heavy. He suspected what he would find when he set the case down on the nearby island in the center of the mammoth closet, now more full of Tiffany's belongings than Lukus's.
As expected, a Glock .45 caliber handgun greeted Markus when he opened the case. Boxes of ammunition were tucked in the case with the weapon.
Lukus's voice sounded far away as he let unwelcome memories invade. "You think you'll be able to use this if the occasion called for it?"
Markus picked up the gun and wrapped his palm around the unexpectedly light-feeling grip. A fierce need for vengeance coursed through his veins as he forced himself to relive listening to Jake Davenport fucking Brianna. Of the other man belting her to an orgasm; taking care of her sexual needs when he himself had been too clueless to recognize his wife's craving for submission and pain.
"Hell, yeah. I'll be able to use it when the time comes."
"Good. Get some sleep. I'll be there sometime late tomorrow to help. Until then, stay safe," Lukus said.
"Will do. You too." The call dropped.
Markus spent the next few minutes loading the weapon, making sure he felt comfortable with putting the safety on and off. He finally tucked it into the waist of his jeans at the back, pulling his black tee shirt over it to camouflage it for when the women were around. He'd be sleeping with it on the nightstand beside him that night.
I'm ready for you, asshole. You just try to get near Brianna again. I have a nice surprise for you.
Chapter Thirteen
Hannah
Sunlight streaming through the small window in her hospital room roused Hannah out of her slumber. She'd spent a fitful night, waking often in a cold sweat, nightmares of Jake Davenport never releasing her psyche long enough to let her rest.
The only comfort had been that Dylan had been there every time she'd awakened; ready to comfort her, to help her calm down and fall back asleep. It had to have been close to dawn when he'd finally insisted she let the nurse give her a sedative in hopes of getting some quality rest.
The sedative had helped, but Hannah smiled as she recognized that what had finally helped her relax enough to truly get rest had been when Dylan had crawled into her hospital bed with her, serving as her pillow. Once she'd snuggled into his arms, her head on his shoulder as he hugged her close, she'd finally been able to turn her brain off long enough to get some sleep.
Even now, she could hear the steady beating of his he
art under her ear. It was strong and sure, and she trusted it—trusted him.
She took her first real opportunity to be alone in her thoughts, reliving the last twenty-four hours of her life. If she had it to do all over again, she'd have let Dylan talk her into driving away yesterday for destinations unknown. Even as she thought it, she knew that hadn't been the answer then, and it wasn't right now, either. She'd been scared shitless going into that warehouse, but she'd do it again if it meant getting Mia and Lucy out alive.
Mia and Lucy.
Dylan's boss, Lukus, had provided updates the evening before on how her friends were doing. The fact that they were both going to make a full recovery was a weight off her shoulders. Dylan could tell her a million times that it wasn't her fault her friends had been in danger, but nothing would ever convince her it was true. She was the only reason their paths had ever crossed with Jake Davenport, and that put their abduction squarely on her. Hannah had no idea how she was ever going to make it up to them. After all, how does one ask for forgiveness at getting your best friend beaten and raped?
"Hey, beautiful. What has you so tense?" Dylan's strong voice comforted her.
She deflected, hoping to steer clear of uncomfortable topics. "I didn't know you were awake."
"Yeah, I've been awake for a bit. Just enjoying holding you. Knowing you're safe." Like he could talk. She could hear his own guilt weighing on him.
Self-doubt washed over her. "So I'm surprised you're still here. I didn't think you'd stick around now that I got you and your boss into the warehouse."
Dylan quickly turned them, sitting up while pressing Hannah's back to the mattress, hovering over her. The look in his eyes was intense. He looked angry, yet for some reason, she didn't feel threatened.
"Let's get one thing straight, Hannah. I was never in favor of sending you into the warehouse. Sure, I want Davenport behind bars, but never at the expense of putting you in danger. All I want to do is wrap you up in my arms and keep you safe and sound, away from all of this bullshit danger."
Unwelcome tears flooded her eyes at his impassioned speech. For a minute she believed him. "But you don't need me anymore."
"Baby, I've got news for you. I plan on needing you for a very long time to come. I'm just trying not to rush you or freak you out. You've been through hell."
Their faces were just inches apart. The feeling of Dylan stroking her right cheek with the backs of his fingers was heavenly. In that moment, she wanted to melt into his embrace, never to leave again. He must have felt the same way because he leaned in slowly until their lips brushed. It was a chaste kiss, but within seconds, she felt his tongue licking at the seam of her lips, requesting entry.
Her body flushed with an unexpected excitement as Dylan claimed her body as his own with his roaming hands, one weaving through her tangled hair, the other grasping her waist, pulling her closer so their bodies melded together.
The annoying beeping of an alarm tore them apart. She found herself panting with pent up excitement as they separated. He didn't go far, keeping his forehead pressed to her own as he reached for his watch and silenced it.
"What does the alarm mean?" she asked, still trying to catch her breath.
"Time to check in with Lukus."
Ah, yes. We still have to deal with the outside world.
The bed seemed empty when Dylan rolled out to stand next to her, stretching for a minute before reaching for his cell phone on the bedside table.
Hannah was suddenly self-conscious of what she must look like. She'd been through hell since her last shower. She was in desperate need of a toothbrush and a toilet. Embarrassed, she hoped her morning breath hadn't turned him off.
She was just rolling to the other side of the bed to try to escape to the bathroom when she felt his hand holding her back by gripping her bicep, holding her in the bed.
He shook his head, giving her silent instructions to stay put as he spoke to his boss. "Hey, checking in. Anything new?"
She couldn't hear the other end of the conversation and had to wait not-so-patiently while Dylan got an update.
"Yeah, well, I figured we weren't going to be able to put him off for much longer. I'll let her know he'll be here soon. You coming back, too?"
Silence.
"Sounds good. Oh, and Lukus, can you stop by Hannah's and pick up a change of clothes? And did you get her purse yet from the warehouse?"
More silence.
"Great. See you then." He ended the call and turned his attention back to her, a small smile on his lips. "Now, where were we?"
"We were just about to help me out of bed so I can go pee and brush my teeth, that's where we were."
He grinned now, a sexy smile that lit up his grey eyes with mischief. "Really? I don't remember that at all."
She poked back playfully. "Well you were, champ."
Hannah's muscles were aching. She felt like she'd run a marathon the day before as she tried to pull herself into a sitting position. It only got worse as she put her weight on her shaking legs. Dylan was there in a heartbeat, holding her up, slipping his arm around her waist, taking the bulk of her weight on himself.
They were halfway to the bathroom when she broke the silence. "Are you always this good at taking care of people?" She'd meant it to lighten the mood, but Dylan pulled them to a stop, keeping her weight balanced on himself.
"Not really. It's a rather recent development, but I find I want nothing more than to take care of you, Hannah."
His words shocked her. "Me?"
"You. Now, let's keep moving. Lukus told me the police captain is on his way over again this morning, and I'm afraid he isn't going to take no for an answer anymore."
They had made it to the bathroom by the time he'd finished his sentence. She'd expected him to just get her into the room and leave, but instead, he navigated her towards the toilet and stood there, holding her steady.
She broke the awkward silence. "Okay. Thanks for getting me here, but you can go now." She dared to glance up into his eyes as he watched her carefully.
"You're still unsteady on your feet. Let me at least help you get seated," he said.
Her cheeks flamed, but she accepted his help as he turned her, lifting her utilitarian hospital gown only to realize she had no underwear on anyway. Just great. She'd already been flashing her backside the entire walk there.
Dylan at least had the decency to blush. "For what it's worth, I enjoyed the view very much."
She slapped his chest playfully as she took a seat on the cold toilet. They'd been through so much together. He'd found her naked on the floor of the warehouse, for crying out loud.
Before he turned to leave he let her know, "I'll be right outside the door. Call when you're ready for help back to bed."
He didn't wait for her to answer, but turned to leave. Like a gentleman, he closed the door all but a small crack. After she'd finished at the toilet, she struggled, using the handrail to pull her aching body to a stand. She managed to inch her way to the sink to brush her teeth with a waiting toothbrush. As good as that felt, what she really wanted was a hot bath. She looked longingly at the shower in the far corner of the room, but knew she was still too wobbly to make it there on her own. Desire to wash away the remnants of Jake Davenport warred with her reticence to ask Dylan for help.
"Hannah, honey. You okay in there?" He knocked lightly before pushing the door open tentatively. She glanced his way before looking down at her bare feet. She didn't want him to see how much she was struggling with her erratic emotions.
His boots appeared next to her as he wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her. He didn't ask. Understanding what she wanted, he steered her silently towards the corner slowly, helping her step over the lip of the shower basin. She felt his fingers on the ties holding the ugly gown closed in the back. Her mind told her she should protest. They didn't know each other well. It was her heart that had her holding her tongue.
How long had it been since anyone had taken care
of her in any way? Her mom had died when she was eleven and her sister Holly was thirteen. Holly had tried her best to protect Hannah, to keep her safe from the horrors of being the daughters of a sex offender in their Columbus home. Holly had taken the brunt of her father's attention and bouts of rage, all to protect her younger sister, but she'd been gone for years now, making Hannah the caregiver.
So standing there, naked, waiting for Dylan to warm the water, checking to make sure it was the perfect temperature, a strange feeling of being home washed over her. Strange because she wasn't even sure where home was anymore. Memories from the last few weeks closed in, threatening to overwhelm her again.
Sensing her mood change, he reached to pull her forward into the steady stream of water. She felt instantly better when the water sluiced off her body as if it were washing away the horrors of the last twenty-four hours.
Dylan pulled her hand to the rail on the wall. "Hold on here while I take my shirt off. I'm gonna help you get washed up."
She was grateful when he stopped at just his shirt. Hannah tried not to stare at his lean, muscular chest, and the flexing eagle tattooed on his right bicep as he reached for a washcloth and lathered it up.
Dylan worked silently to wash her from head to toe. She should have been embarrassed at his close inspection of her body, but she wasn't. It was as if he were washing away the pain Jake had inflicted, and it was cathartic. When he turned her so her hair was under the spray, he left her long enough to reach for a small bottle of shampoo the hospital stocked on a small supply shelf.
Their eyes met briefly as he returned. "Close your eyes, baby. I'm gonna wash your hair for you."
She complied, enjoying the feel of his fingers massaging her scalp slowly, thoroughly washing her hair. He returned with conditioner and only once he'd rinsed her hair for the second time did he turn off the water and reach for a stack of nearby towels.
The room wasn't cold, yet she shivered. He took the large bath towel and wrapped it around her first to help warm her while he dried her hair with a second towel. He then dried every inch of her body, slowly... methodically... reverently. Just as he was kneeling to dry her feet, they both jumped as Lukus called their names from the connecting hospital room.
