Intense (Dark Hearts Book 1)

by C. M. Steele

  "No, he doesn't. I refuse to believe that."

  "I showed him this photo. Are you trying to say he doesn't believe his own eyes?" She presses the picture against my chest. I flip it over and gasp. There I am, smiling and laughing with my mother and this woman. I don't remember speaking to her ever. She made this up. I was talking to the local mayor running that event.

  "I can't believe it."

  "He was extremely upset with you."

  "No. I don't believe you showed him.”

  “Oh, I did." She presses play and she has a brief clip of them talking. I've heard all I need to hear. I slap the picture back in her chest and brush right past her, but I don't get far. I feel strong arms wrapped around me, and I look up to see the man that's been guarding me.

  "Oh my God," I yelp and see the smirk on his face.

  "You can call me that, beautiful, because your life is in my hands. That asshole doesn't know what's coming to him. Come on, or I'll force you." They drag me to a waiting car. Roman's birth mother jumps into the front passenger seat after they shove me into the back, closing the door. I try to yank on the handle, but it doesn't unlock. Son of a bitch.

  "What are you going to do with me?" I ask as the asshole opens the driver’s side door to climb in.

  "Well, he's gonna have some fun while we lead your mother on a pathetic wild goose chase. They will never find you. I’ve never had to try this hard to get rid of girls in Roman’s life. You’re just too stupid for your own good.”

  "You shouldn't tell your captives that you're gonna kill them. It gives them no reason to behave," I shout, kicking at the passenger window.

  "Bulletproof glass, little bitch. You better behave." I sit back in my seat, thinking about what's in my textbook bag. A cute pencil set that I didn't need but absolutely wanted. Smiling to myself, I close my eyes and say a silent prayer. They've turned up the radio so loud that people outside won't hear me scream, so they also can’t hear me open the package.

  I brace myself because this is going to be insanely dangerous and fucking nuts, but I don't have a choice. With a quick action, I grab the fucking asshole's hair and jab the pencil in his eye. He screams like a bitch, losing control of the car, and we go careening off the road into a grassy area and through a black fence.

  Momentum taking me, I fall forward, half landing on the bitch with my feet hitting the roof of the car. I barely fight him off when she grabs my hair. I slam her head against the dashboard and reach for the handle. He's going almost slow enough, so I move to jump out, but he slams on the gas and I fall hard out of the vehicle. Suddenly the world goes dark.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Roman

  My heart’s racing as I run through the hospital lobby. I’m met with security, and I snarl. “Tell me where Amelia Reeves is immediately.” I don’t have the patience for this.

  “The school called me. I’m her emergency contact,” I add when he’s looking at me with suspicion.

  “She’s just coming out of surgery.” Surgery? Fuck, I didn’t protect her.

  “What the hell? Please tell me she’s going to be okay.” My legs feel like they’re going to give out.

  Someone in hospital scrubs approaches. “Are you Mr. Edwards?”

  “Yes. Please tell me how my Amelia is,” I pant, demanding answers.

  “She’s in recovery now. We won’t know the severity of the head trauma until she wakes, but the surgeons were able to relieve the pressure on her brain.”

  My eyes slam shut as I process her words. “What happened to her?”

  “She was in a car accident. More like she jumped from a moving vehicle,” she says.

  “What? Did you guys get the license plate or anything? This is New York City, for fuck’s sake.”

  “Calm down, sir. The man and woman who were in the car with her are in the hospital as well. It happened near the far end of Central Park. At that time of day, there weren’t many people around to know what happened.”

  “I can’t fucking believe this. Can I see her?” Why was she in the car with anyone? She refused a personal driver. I can’t get a hold of her guard either.

  “Yes, let me take you there.” Those words are like music to my ears. She leads me to the ICU where my heart refuses to settle down. Amelia and I were supposed to meet today. She’d only been in New York one damn day.

  My guy was supposed to be watching her, and he failed. I’m going to have his head for this. The nurse opens the room and there she is, bandaged up pretty damn well. I wipe the first tear that runs down my cheek. I haven’t cried since Anna took me away from my dad.

  I move to her side and brush my hand down her forearm. “Princess, I know you tell me not to say I’m sorry, but I’m really fucking sorry. Sorry for not being there to greet you when you arrived. Sorry that I didn’t protect you enough. God, I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you I love you.” Tears have blurred my vision as I drop to my knees beside her bed.

  “How many times do I have to tell you not to say sorry?”

  I frantically wipe my tears from my eyes so I can see Amelia. “Forever, my love. Forever.” I give her fingers a squeeze, feeling like I could finally breathe again.

  “I’m sorry, Roman.” My head shoots straight up as I stare at her like she’s nuts. She has nothing to be sorry about, and then she gives me the slightest smile, righting my world.

  I wag my finger at her and playfully say as I stand up, “You should be, little girl. Who is ever going to make me whole but you?”

  “Roman, you’re crazy.” She closes her eyes and smiles, falling asleep. “She’s going to be in and out of it, but it’s good that she remembers you.”

  “Will she remember what happened to her?” I already have vengeance in my head. The bastard that did this to my girl is going to pay, but I’m going to make sure to keep that from Dr. Eames.

  “We can only hope.” I turn to the door to see a man in a suit. I don’t know him, but I don’t miss the badge on his hip. “Can we speak outside for a minute, Mr. Edwards?”

  “Yes.” I bend down and kiss Amelia’s cheek because I can’t help myself. Giving her one last look, I walk outside with the man.

  “I’m Detective Sotomayor. How do you know the woman?”

  “She’s my woman.”

  “She has you listed as her stepbrother,” the doctor interjects.

  “Yes. Well, that’s not important, but I must call my dad and her mother, and then we can talk. Excuse me.”

  I dial my father, knowing he’ll be calmer than Rachel.

  “Dad,” I choke out.

  “What’s wrong, son?”

  “Did you and Amelia have a fight?”

  “No. She’s in the hospital.”

  “What? What happened?”

  “I don’t know. She was in the car with some people, but she shouldn’t have been in the car with anyone. They said she jumped out of the vehicle. Fuck. I think someone tried to kidnap her.”

  “We’re on our way. How is she?”

  “I spoke to her briefly before she passed out. They say she’s gonna make it.”

  “Okay. I’ll get us there ASAP.”

  “Remember to take it easy. I’ll be with her. I’m not leaving her side.”

  “What happened to your guard?”

  “I don’t fucking know. He was supposed to be watching over her.” I can see the detective lurking over my shoulder. “I have to go speak to the cops.”

  “Okay. We’re on our way.”

  “Where are the other two people?”

  “The man is in surgery. He had a pencil jabbed in his eye. According to the bag in the vehicle, Ms. Reeves purchased it half an hour before the incident.”

  “Yes, the security guard I hired to protect her told me she was at the bookstore.”

  “Okay, so either it’s a feat of epic proportions that it landed in his eye as they crashed, or she stabbed him with it.”

  “Then he must have kidnapped her. I know her, and trust me, I have teste
d her goodwill. She wouldn’t do that.”

  “That’s what I was suspecting, since the man had a gun on him and this picture was found in the vehicle. I think he may have kidnapped both of them.” He shows me the evidence bag with the crinkled image.

  “That fucking bitch,” I roar. “She isn’t a kidnapping victim. She’s his partner. That evil wench is Anna Danvers, my biological mother. She just came to my office to create a scene and get me to leave Amelia. When I didn’t buy her shit, she must have gone straight for Amelia. I could kill her.”

  “Calm down.” I attempt to move past the officer, but he signals for the other officers who are nearby, and they hold me back. “Relax. If what you’re saying is true, she isn’t going anywhere but lockup after she’s released.”

  He looks over my shoulder at the other officer. “Call hospital security and make sure there’s a cop by her door at all times. Same for the guy if he makes it out of surgery.” So he’s not here.

  “Who is the guy? Do you have an image of him?”

  “This is his driver’s license.”

  “I can’t fucking believe it. This bastard. He’s the guard I paid to look after Amelia when I wasn’t around.”

  “Interesting. Do you think he had something to do with it or do you believe it was all your mother? Maybe she stabbed him with the pencil.”

  “No, she was most definitely involved. By the way, her name is Anna, not my mother. She should already be in prison. We can’t prove it was her, but back when I was a kid, my father had been poisoned. They were able to determine it was ethylene glycol, but they couldn’t find the source. I knew it was her because she’d thrown out the antifreeze that was in our garage the day he went to the hospital. Anna never went into the garage for anything. I mean anything. Of course they didn’t believe me, and after that she ripped me from his life.”

  “I see. Well, she won’t be getting away with this.”

  “I need to get back to Amelia. It’s all my fault she got in this spot to begin with.”

  “Take care. If I have any more questions, I’ll contact you.”

  I pull out my wallet with my business card. “Please do.” He walks away, and I walk back into the room. Seeing the love of my life like this has a whole new meaning. I pull up a seat next to her bed and hold her hand because I need to feel her. Tears fall from my eyes, and I can’t stop them. I don’t care to either.

  Every once in a while a doctor or nurse stops in to check on Amelia. “Sir, can I get you something to drink?”

  “Water would be great. I don’t want to leave her.”

  “I’ll be back in one minute.” The nurse is pleasant, and I don’t get bothered that she’s a woman at all. The sweetest woman in the world is lying in this bed, and I know now more than ever that not all women are out to ruin me. She’s the making of me, and I can’t let her go even if she tries to leave me.

  “God, please don’t leave me, Amelia.”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” she sighs.

  “Ah. You’re awake, Ms. Reeves. Here’s your water, Mr. Edwards.”

  “Thank you, Ms. Betty.” She smiles like I’ve made her day, but I’m just happy that my woman is awake and not demanding I leave.

  “You’re welcome.” She then directs her attention to Amelia. “How are you feeling, dear?”

  “Mostly my head hurts.” I grunt, knowing that she wouldn’t be hurt if it wasn’t for me.

  “We’ll give you something for that. Does anything else bother you?”

  “Nothing too painful, but I haven’t moved yet.”

  “That’s good. Let me take your vitals, and I’ll call in the doctor to see you.” She attends to her job while Amelia and I stare at each other.

  “Can I have a drink?”

  “Yes. I can get you some water.”

  “Here, sweetheart.” I stand and bring my glass to her lips.

  “Only a little for now.”

  “Okay.” I pull back after she takes a small sip.

  “That’s so much better. My lips felt so dry. Thank you, Roman.”

  “Don’t thank me.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “What’s wrong? Princess, you’re in here hurt and it’s all my fault.”

  “No, it’s their fault. Oh my goodness. What happened to them? What if they come back for me?” Her heart rate jumps through the roof.

  “Princess, calm down. They’re not coming after you. Please relax.”

  “They…they…” she cries, shaking uncontrollably. The nurse pulls something out of her locked drawer on the cart and injects it into the IV attached to Amelia’s hand.

  “You need to calm down, Amelia,” Ms. Betty says.

  “Roman, please don’t leave me alone.”

  “Never again.” I hold her hand tightly, and slowly she calms down, the medicine doing the trick.

  “I was worried about that. I’ll inform the doctor.”

  “What happened?” the doctor says.

  “She had a panic attack. I sedated her, but I think it’s best to keep the police out until she’s ready.”

  “Yes. I’ll inform the staff and the officer at the door.” My soul hurts for Amelia. She’s so fucking scared.

  “Her mother and my father will be here soon. I’m not leaving, but they will want to see her as soon as they arrive from Wisconsin.”

  “Don’t worry. We’ll let them up.”

  “Thank you.” My phone rings in my pocket, and I pull it out. “Speak of the devil.”

  “We’ve landed.” I give them the hospital information and an update, leaving out the outburst.

  “See you soon.” I end the call and focus on my sweet girl.

  “She’ll be out for a couple more hours at least.” The doctor pats my shoulder. “You look like you could use some rest.”

  “Thanks, but I’ll be fine here.” I take off my suit jacket, though, because it’s uncomfortable. Slowly, I lower my head to her bed, breathing in her scent. How will I ever make it up to her?

  Chapter Fourteen

  Amelia

  My head’s spinning, and I’m not all sure it’s from the injuries I’ve suffered. My mother and stepfather are sitting beside my bed, but I don’t see Roman. “Mom,” I croak out.

  “Sweetie, you’re finally awake.” My mom’s eyes are filled with tears, face blotchy, and it hurts to see her like that, but all I can think about is where Roman is. He promised he wouldn’t leave me, but I don’t see him.

  “Where’s Roman?” I shout louder than necessary, annoyed that no one has answered the question I’d only asked in my head.

  “Here, Princess.” He comes out of the bathroom in my room and moves straight to the other side. God, he’s handsome even though he looks haggard.

  “I’m sorry I freaked out.” He reaches me and cups my hand, bringing it to his lips.

  “Don’t be sorry. You’re safe,” he promises, rubbing my forearm as he never breaks eye contact. “Now, say hi to your mother before she cries some more.”

  “I’m sorry, Mom. I couldn’t make it a full day without staying out of trouble.”

  “I’m so glad to have you with us,” she says with tears and dread lodged in her throat.

  “So, you ready to bust out of here?” my stepfather asks, lightening the tension.

  “Sure. Who’s gonna carry me out of here?” I ask.

  “Me, of course. I want that privilege.” God, he’s gorgeous and looks so ragged. There’s hope in his eyes. It strikes me that he believes it’s all his fault.

  “I wouldn’t have anyone else. How bad do I look?” I ask my mother because I’m afraid of what Roman would say.

  “You’re still your beautiful self,” Roman answers.

  “Please.”

  “He’s right.”

  “You’re biased,” I insist. I can feel the bruising on my face and my head’s wrapped up. “I must look like a mummy.”

  “I’m not saying you’re not bandaged like a mummy who ran out of toilet pap
er, but you’re perfect to me.” That makes me smile, which in turn makes Roman do the same. He’s about to say something when his phone takes that moment to ring.

  “One second.” He steps away and says, “Yes, Grizelda, please bring it. Thank you.”

  “Why is she coming?” My eyes narrow.

  “Is she bringing food?” Theodore asks.

  “Yes. She’s bringing us some food. I don’t know if you can eat, but Grizelda wants to bring us some dinner.”

  “I don’t want your mistress’s meals,” I snap, slapping my hand to my mouth. I’m immediately mortified at the outburst. I don’t want him to know I’m jealous, but the look on his face is pure shock.

  “Mistress?” Theodore busts out laughing.

  Roman shakes his head and comes to the side of my bed again. “She’s my housekeeper, Amelia. I had no idea you thought that.”

  “Housekeeper?” I say just above a whisper, feeling like an idiot.

  “Yes, my older, married, housekeeper.”

  “Oh.” I blush, and so does Roman.

  “I think we’ll take a walk to the vending machines,” my mom says, getting up and dragging Theodore with her, who is still trying to hide his smile.

  As soon as they close the door, Roman sits. “Amelia, I didn’t tell you before, but I was a virgin too that night.” My mouth pops wide open in surprise, but he continues talking, “I’ve never been able to get close to a woman before you. You’re the first and only woman to arouse me enough to actually let down my guard.”

  “I can’t believe it. I’ve let myself be pissed this whole time. I heard you say for her to be ready for your return.”

  He pauses for a moment, thinking. When he figures it out, he says, “In the car. I remember. I wasn’t supposed to be home, so she wasn’t going to have to make any meals for me, so I was just letting her know that I was coming back early.”

  “Oh. I feel stupid.” I slam my eyes shut, hoping the bed will swallow me up.

  “Open those gorgeous eyes,” he growls. I shoot them wide open, surprised and turned on by his tone. “Don’t. I think it’s fucking sweet and sexy.”

  “Sexy, that I was mentally ripping these women’s hair out?”