Plowed

by Kristen Luciani

  Daxton’s knees buckled and he collapsed onto the carpet. A warm, sticky liquid soaked his t-shirt, pooling around him. He tasted metal…his blood. “Who the hell are you?” he choked. His mouth was bone-dry, teeth chattering like he was trapped in a freezer. Violent tremors assaulted his body, an icy coldness slithering through him. Death. This was the end. And the attacker? For all he knew, it was the grim fucking reaper, who had shredded his chest with a sickle. He needed to get up, to scream, to run. Where was everyone? Couldn’t anybody save him?

  His eyes clouded over, bile rising in his throat. Waves of nausea pummeled him, his stomach ready to revolt at any second. There was no hope of moving; his limbs were all frozen, imaginary cement blocks weighing down his body. He was numb, immobile, and completely fucked.

  One last foggy thought flashed through his mind before his eyelids drooped closed. Who’s going to save Sara?

  IT WAS HARD TO DESCRIBE the charge of elation that had flowed through him when the knife impaled Sara’s chest. He knew she’d eventually be back looking for her phone, the one he’d palmed earlier. Stupid bitch had it coming, just like those other skanks and their little “accidents.” But then he heard Daxton’s voice, drenched in anguish and desperation. What the fuck? He was supposed to be on stage already!

  A flick of the light switch made Merrick crumble to the floor next to the bloody puddle surrounding the man he needed as much as air, food, and water. “Dax! Fuck!”

  He dropped the knife and grasped Daxton’s hand. It was stiff, cold, almost as if—No! Not now. Not when they were so close.

  “God, please! I can’t lose you, Dax. I love you.” He pressed his ear against Daxton’s chest. Nothing, except a seemingly endless flow of blood gushing from the wound. No, no, no!

  A rapid escape was unfathomable. Leaving Daxton…not knowing if he’d just killed the love of his life…

  He grabbed the knife and plunged it into his thigh. “Ahh!” Searing pain exploded down his leg, but it was nothing compared to the agony of seeing Daxton clinging to life at his own hand. It wasn’t enough. He needed to feel more, to let the anguish consume him for what he’d done. Gripping the handle, he jammed the blade into his side. Christ, there was so much blood.

  He wiped the handle of the knife with his jacket lining and slithered toward the couch. Numbness snaked through his insides, paralyzing his ability to move, to think, to weep. Tears blurred his vision. “Help,” he croaked. “Please help.”

  “SARA, THESE PRE-SHOW SHOTS are fantastic. They’re blowing up on Instagram. I’m already showing thirty thousand likes, and they were only posted an hour ago.” Kat shoved her iPhone screen in Sara’s face. “Unprecedented!”

  “That’s awesome.” She rubbed the back of her neck. Something was off, but it was evading her. Where was Tyler? Her eyes scouted the darkened space. Hordes of record executives, publicists, agents, and A-listers swarmed the suite, and it was hard to think above the commotion. Nope, he was there, surrounded by doting female fans, none above the age of twenty.

  “What’s wrong with your neck? Did Dax have you in some crazy ass position?” Kat snickered. “Wait, don’t answer. I really don’t want to know.”

  A strange feeling settled in her belly. Uneasiness? Nerves? It definitely wasn’t due to the cluster of butterflies that took flight whenever Daxton’s name was mentioned. “I just…I don’t know. Maybe it’s a stress knot.”

  “Mm-hm.” Kat cocked an eyebrow. “Maybe he can rub out your stress knot later.”

  Sara peered through the large glass pane overlooking the stage and then at her watch. Ten minutes had passed. How long would it have taken him to grab the phone and get backstage? A thudding in her chest grew more intense with each passing second. “Excuse me for a second, Kat.” She walked over to Sean, gnawing at her thumbnail. “Hey, Dax has been gone for a while. I’m going to check on him.”

  “No, he wanted you to stay put. I’ll send one of the guys to the green room.” Sean pulled out his walkie-talkie.

  “Please, let me just go. I’ll be careful. Maybe he’s in the bathroom.” She forced out a half-hearted giggle, desperate to ignore the chill that seeped through her insides. This was all wrong. He would have brought the phone to her or at least sent someone else. Too much time had passed. If something had happened to him…

  “Please, stay here, Sara. Let me—”

  “No.” She pushed past him and shoved open the door. “You can send them after me, but I’m going.” A sob rose in her chest, her heels clicking on the concrete floors of the arena corridors with each sprint. The door to his green room was closed. She gripped the handle and pushed it open, blood rushing between her ears. Oh God, please let him be okay. Please, please, please.

  The green room door slammed open. A strangled cry resounded in the expanse, followed by shrieks for help. Bright fluorescent lights from the hallway illuminated the space. His eyes opened a crack to see Sara crumble to the floor next to Dax. Merrick shifted his aching body, pain slicing through his now-jagged insides. He’d fallen unconscious behind the sofa, out of her view, so she couldn’t have seen him unless she ventured farther inside.

  “Dax! Oh God! Dax!” Sara’s voice pierced his brain. Merrick clutched his temples, the high-pitched sound reverberating through him. “Please wake up!”

  Nothing. No response. A chill slithered through him despite the numbness setting into his limbs. Say something Dax. Please.

  Fucking bitch. She was supposed to be lying there. Dead! Out of his life. Out of his way!

  Sean ran into the room, dropping to the floor next to Sara.

  “Is he going to be okay? He isn’t moving, Sean. Please help him!”

  Merrick pressed his hand against the self-inflicted gash in his side. Blood poured from the wound. Fuck, he must have nicked something important. “Help me,” he croaked.

  Five medics rushed into the room with bags of equipment minutes after Sean’s call for help, descending on Dax. He was the star of the show, after all. Who the fuck cared about the lovesick manager who might just be bleeding to death himself?

  He watched Sara grasp Dax’s hand, shoulders quaking. Her lips were moving pretty fast. Maybe she was praying. She should be.

  “We’ve got a pulse! He’s alive.” The welcome words permeated the thick fog surrounding Merrick’s mind. The medics cheered. “Let’s get him out to the ambulance.”

  “Oh thank God!” Sara’s raspy voice rose, relief lacing her words. “Sean, can you get Tyler? He’s still back in the suite.”

  Dax was alive. Thank fucking God. Merrick tried to slither closer, but his head was as heavy as a block of cement, impossible to raise, even the slightest bit. Shit, he’d lost so much blood. All sounds faded, morphing into white noise. His body felt like it was floating above the carpet, levitating, away from the agony he’d just inflicted upon himself and the man he adored.

  A medic hovered over Merrick, shouting questions about the attacker and the weapon lying next to him, but his mouth refused to form words in response. His brain couldn’t string together a single coherent thought. His fingers and toes tingled with the sensation of being pricked with pins and needles. The medic snapped his fingers, his face blurred, and then warmth. A welcome heat, one that flowed throughout his extremities, replaced the frigid chill that had previously accosted his body.

  Dax was safe. He could finally rest.

  Two months later…

  THE MASSIVE SWELLS OF THE Pacific Ocean crashed against the cliff overlooking the horizon. The setting sun provided an orange glow, soft rays reflecting off the glittering waters below. High walls of exotic flowers and foliage created a natural barrier to any paparazzi who dared creep close enough to snap a picture. And if the barricades didn’t deter them, the armed guards lining every corner were sure to send them running with their cameras swinging between their legs.

  A deep breath filled Sara’s lungs. The scent of the sea air provided serenity and peace, something they’d been lacking for the past co
uple of months since the attack. Those chilling moments, finding Daxton unconscious, drenched in blood, not knowing if she’d lost the love of her life…the haunting sequence of events was never too far into her subconscious to rear its ugly head. Nightmares plagued her since that night, the fear of losing the one person she needed more than food or air was constant.

  But tonight, all fears were put on the back burner. It was a celebration, of the most epic variety.

  “Have I told you how gorgeous you look?” Daxton’s warm breath fluttered against her cheek, tickling her skin like soft feathers.

  “Yes, but I never get tired of hearing it, so if you feel the need to repeat yourself, please do.”

  “You look gorgeous tonight.” The corners of his lips curled upward. “Although, I can’t wait to strip you out of that dress later.”

  She bit her lip. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.” He snaked an arm around her waist. “The doctor said it’s perfectly fine. You were there.”

  “I know, but I’m afraid. What if you rupture something? That could still happen months after the injury. You could die of internal bleeding before we even know there’s a problem! Maybe we should wait a little longer, just go to one more doctor.“

  “No way. I can’t hang on another second. In fact, I’m thinking about running you up to the house now. There are plenty of bedrooms to choose from.” He winked. “What do you say?”

  “I’m scared. If something happened to you…I just…I can’t lose you, Dax.”

  “Hey.” He cupped her chin, tilting it upward. His heady scent swirled around her head like a halo, making her woozy with repressed lust. “I’m not going anywhere. I promise. And if you don’t feel comfortable, we’ll wait.” He let out a deep sigh. “Although seeing you dance around in those lace thongs and matching bras every day is making me die a slow, torturous death. Worse than the threat of any rupture.”

  She giggled. “I didn’t realize you watched so closely.”

  “I’m a pretty observant guy.” His soft lips brushed against her forehead. “You win. We’ll go to the doctor on Monday. And once he says there are no risks, I’m tearing off those panties with my teeth, got it?”

  “Got it. I know how much you love that.” A chill zipped through her, his half-hooded gaze damn-near melting off the lace panties in question. The guy could sizzle her insides with nothing more than a suggestive wink. Jeez, was she ever weak. She slid an arm around his waist, silently cursing her choice of shoes. One false move, and her heels would be held prisoner by the cobblestones along their path back to the reception.

  A soft breeze swept through the thin material of her gown. She shivered against Daxton’s shoulder. A deep breath filled her with desire. That cologne; it was her favorite. The mere thought of burying her head into his neck, inhaling his essence…good Lord, and she was supposed to be the chaste one?

  “How about some champagne?” he murmured against her ear.

  Champagne and a cold shower, thank you very much. The bar was only a few feet away. It wasn’t like she could jump his bones right out in the open. Too many iPhones…and Tyler probably wouldn’t appreciate having the focus off Layla, his blushing young bride. “Sure.”

  Finn’s booming voice rang out over her shoulder, making her stumble into a stool. “Hey Daxy! Looking damned sexy tonight.” He nudged Dax’s arm.

  “Ahh!” Dax clutched his midsection. “Dude, what the fuck? You can’t just pound me like that.”

  “Come on, I barely touched you. Stop being such a pussy.” Finn nodded at Sara. “And now your old lady is gonna kick my ass, right?”

  She glowered at Finn and grazed Daxton’s arm. “Seriously, Finn? You know he’s still healing. Any little jolt will hurt like hell!”

  All the color disappeared from Finn’s face. “Dax, man, I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was still that bad. You’ve been so much more active lately.“

  “You’re such a jerk, Finn!” She touched the bandages under Daxton’s starched white shirt. “Are you okay? Do you want to sit down?”

  Daxton winked at her. “I’m good. I promise. I’m just fucking with him.”

  “You’re a real dickhead, man.”

  “Have some respect for the injured. Have you ever taken a knife to the chest? Had it slice up your insides like Carpaccio?”

  Finn drained the rest of his beer. “Still scrounging around for the sympathy votes, huh? It hasn’t gotten old yet?”

  Time could never erase the image of Daxton lying unconscious on the floor of his green room, in a pool of his own blood. After all they’d been through, the knowledge that she might lose him was crushing. Nightmares haunted her every time she closed her eyes, and would continue to do so until whoever did this was locked up behind bars. Better yet, dead. He was lucky the knife had missed his heart, but it did plenty of damage to his stomach and lungs. God, it could have been so much worse. And it wasn’t over yet. The sicko who’d done it would be back. Deep down, she knew it. And next time, would they be as fortunate?

  “You know he’s just trying to get a rise out of you,” Daxton whispered. “He’s jealous I have my own personal nurse, who likes to dress up in those sexy little outfits and take care of my needs.”

  “Or maybe I just want you to stop wallowing and get back into the studio so we can finish recording the next album.”

  Cooper stumbled over, tripping into Sara, a near-empty highball glass clutched in his hand. “I always knew she was a dangerous one. Kick his ass, Sara.”

  She snickered. “Sorry? I didn’t catch that through the slurring.”

  “Just trying to have a good time. It’s been a long few months.”

  “Have you heard from Laney?” Sara lowered her voice, but based on Cooper’s level of intoxication, the answer was pretty clear.

  “Nope.” A grimace shadowed his face, his bloodshot eyes narrowing. “It was a mistake. I never should have started anything.”

  “Coop.” Sara furrowed her brow. “I’m sorry.”

  He shrugged. “We just didn’t fit. Fuck her.”

  Laney still hadn’t returned from her trip off the deep end following Gia’s accident. Her career was crumbling, band members displaced, her livelihood in a shambles. For a guy like Cooper, who already had his own demons hot on his heels, she wasn’t the ideal mate. And the crash was devastating to watch.

  “You know the right girl is out there.” Sara squeezed his hand. Saying too much was almost as bad as keeping quiet. The last thing she wanted to do was tear open old wounds and douse them with salt, but the guy was a catastrophe waiting to happen. He needed help, not more booze.

  “Maybe…” His voice trailed off and he slammed his glass on the bar. “Another, please. Make it a double.”

  “Coop.” Dax’s eyebrows furrowed. “Maybe you should go easy tonight.”

  “Dude, I don’t need a lecture. Let the wifey look out for you. I’m good.”

  The hell he was.

  Merrick appeared behind Daxton, his normally spiked blue hair slicked back. “You look good, man. How are you feeling?”

  “Can’t complain. I’m getting daily sponge baths from my hot little nurse, complete with happy endings.”

  A hot flush heated Sara’s neck, traveling to her cheeks. These guys were like brothers, but still, they didn’t need those types of details.

  Merrick stiffened and clinked the ice cubes in his empty glass. “Great. I’m glad to hear you’re on the mend.”

  “You know, I still don’t get how that crazy motherfucker managed to escape without a trace. There were no prints left on the weapon, no eyewitnesses. Nada. Merrick, you really didn’t see anything?” Finn drained the rest of his beer.

  Merrick’s shoulders hunched, and he averted his eyes. “You guys already heard the story. I told the police everything I know. I was in the bathroom, and the noise must have startled the perp. I didn’t even know Dax was in there until Sara showed up.”

  Wait, what? “But Merrick, the lights were on whe
n Sean and I got there. And I thought you told the police you’d come into the room to find your phone.” That in itself had been a little hard to swallow, considering the guy’s device was permanently glued to his hand. Not that they would have any reason to doubt him, since he was Daxton’s best friend, but why was the story changing now?

  He ran a hand through his hair, his eyes flashing. “Look, I was bleeding and dizzy as hell. Maybe I flipped on the light before I collapsed. I told you, I didn’t see anything.”

  “Yeah, but then why didn’t you call for help? You must have seen Dax. Why would you have left him?” Sara’s fists clenched. And what was this about the bathroom? That wasn’t something he’d ever told them. Or had he? Jesus, she’d been so consumed with panic that night. Was it possible she misunderstood? Or was she just going nuts?

  Daxton wrapped an arm around her waist. “Babe, stop. It’s over. You know Merrick was behind the couch when he was attacked. He wouldn’t have seen me.”

  She took a deep breath, stomach churning. That gruesome imagery was forever branded into her memory. “You’re right. I’m sorry, I just…can we not talk about this anymore? Please?”

  “Yeah, I think it’s time for another round. Who else needs one?” Cooper’s words were even more slurred, if that was possible.

  “Cooper, why don’t you and the guys grab seats at the table where Liam is sitting? I’ll get the next round.”

  Cooper let out a loud snort. “I’m perfectly capable of getting my own drink, Sara.”

  Yeah, too bad you’re not able to stand.

  “You can get the next one.” She shook her head at Daxton. Jeez, were they going to need an intervention? Cooper was in a downward spiral, and they had to figure out a way to pull him out before it sucked him in permanently.