by Layla Frost
I knew I felt safe, though.
When I came to more, I realized I was cradled in Jake’s lap.
His voice was harsh, but his touch on me was light, as though he worried the slightest movement might shatter me.
“Baby,” I rasped. My throat felt like I’d swallowed glass, then sea salt, and finished it off with a shot of flaming kerosene. As I leaned forward to sit up, the dull ache in my head turned into a jack hammering pain.
Though I tried to fight against it, the black edges pushed in again.
*******
Things were far less hazy the next time I woke up. I tensed when I felt strong arms around me until I saw the ink and realized they belonged to Jake.
I opened my mouth, but he spoke first.
“Don’t talk. I’ll get the nurse, yeah?”
Looking around, I saw that we were in a hospital room. I nodded as he hit a button on the bed.
“What happened?”
Before Jake could answer, an older nurse came in.
“Glad to see you’re awake. Let’s check you out, and then we’ll get you up and walking.” She gave me a reassuring smile as she stopped to wash her hands. “Mr. Hyde, if you’d wait outside, please.”
“No,” he said firmly.
“I’m sure Miss Skye would feel more comfortable tending to her needs without an audience.”
Jake looked down at me before sighing. He carefully shifted off the bed and stood. “I’ll be right back.”
“I’m Sally, your nurse for the day. Let’s get you up.” She helped me stand on unsteady legs.
After using the bathroom, I moved to the sink to wash my hands. I glanced up and caught sight of myself in the mirror.
Based on the look of pain and anger on Jake’s face, and the sympathy on Sally’s, I’d already guessed that I didn’t look too hot.
Still, I was surprised by how awful my appearance was.
My hair was a tangled, dry mess and with the exception of a nasty purple bruise on my swollen cheek, my face was pale. There was also a dark, angry looking ring around my neck.
Bringing my shaking fingers up, I touched the mark. As the dull pain turned sharp, I saw Z with his hand on my throat as he worked at his pants so he could…
I flung open the door, startling Sally. Her face went soft as she took in my wide eyes and heaving chest.
Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply and tried to remind myself I was okay.
Z’s gone. Jake’s here and he won’t let anyone hurt me. I’m safe.
Sally helped me back into bed and began taking my vitals. “How’re you feeling?”
“Thirsty.” My voice was rough, like the word had clawed its way up.
“I’ll get you some water when we finish here.”
“Thanks.”
She was removing the blood pressure cuff when Jake came back in.
Gently lifting me, he sat on the bed and positioned me in his lap. His mouth moved against my forehead as he asked, “You okay?”
“Yeah. When can I go home?”
At my own words, panic seized me again. More flashbacks, like the world’s worst slide show, played out in my head.
Jake’s grasp on me loosened, but he murmured to me in soothing tones until I knew I was safe.
I also knew I was never going to that house again.
“When can I leave here?” I rephrased.
Sally’s eyes were sympathetic and warm. “You have a concussion. There’s a specialist on her way to look at your throat to make sure there’s no lasting damage. You’ve already had an MRI, but you’ll be heading for another one shortly. They want to be sure that, between the concussion and the lack of oxygen, there’s no bleeding or swelling. If everything is okay, you could be discharged tomorrow.”
“I already had an MRI? How long was I out?”
“They gave you a mild sedative, hon. It’s only been a few hours. I’ll go get your water and see what time the MRI will be.”
After Sally left, Jake ran his hand through my hair, carefully avoiding the back of my head.
“James?” I asked.
“Slight concussion and a gunshot wound to the shoulder. But he’ll be fine and headin’ home in a couple days. We’ll go visit him later.”
Even though I hated to ask, I needed to know. “Chloe?”
“No,” he said with a slight shake of his head. He didn’t look too broken up about it.
“Z?”
Jake’s jaw clenched. “I’m assumin’ that crazy fucker is in a prison somewhere and headed for a padded room. It’s better I don’t know.”
Though I wanted to know more about what happened, I was too drained to ask.
Sally brought me water, which I was only allowed to sip.
She obviously has no clue what it feels like to have a desert in her mouth.
After I drank, Jake put the cup on the table and pulled me closer.
“She’s nice,” I whispered when Sally left again. “I bet Jet would wanna rock her arch supporting, nonslip shoes off.”
Jake let out a deep laugh that eased some of the tension on his face. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Get some sleep, sweets.”
“Yes, Mr. Bossy Pants.”
*******
“I’m gonna fuckin’ kill him.”
“Mr. Hyde, go wait in the hallway.”
“Fuck the hallway.”
“Go or I’ll have security remove you.”
“Try it,” he warned.
While he often issued the same challenge to me, there was nothing playful about it this time. I knew if anyone attempted to make him to leave, it would not end well.
That being said, the nurse he was threatening had been an asshole from the time his shift had started, so he was kind of asking for it.
Reliving everything as I talked to the specialist wasn’t easy. I didn’t want to go through it without Jake if he got himself kicked out of the hospital.
“Baby, it’s good news,” I tried. “The doctor says I should be better within the week with no lasting damage.”
“‘Cause you didn’t fuckin’ fight back. That’s the only reason there’s no lastin’ fuckin’ damage! Sweets, he could’ve…” His strained voice broke, tortured. “He could’ve—”
“He didn’t.”
“But—”
“It sucked for you to hear.” I grabbed his hand so he’d look down at me. “Imagine how I’m feeling talking about it. Now either shut up or leave. Please.”
“Fuck. You’re right. Shit, I’m sorry.” He lifted my hand to kiss my palm.
“This was an extremely difficult situation,” the doctor started, her eyes narrowing on the asshole nurse. “For you both. You deserve some patience and compassion.”
Ohhhhhh. Someone’s in trouble.
*******
After meeting with the specialist, I was able to convince Jake to bring me to visit James.
By bring, I mean, he literally carried me.
James was still pretty out of it, but was happy to see me. We only stayed a few minutes, but it was long enough for me to see he was alright and for him to see the same was true for me.
As we were leaving the room, Jake looked back to James. “I owe you.”
James shook his head. “Just keep her happy.”
When we returned to my hospital room, Kase was waiting. His back was to us as he looked out the window. Turning stiffly, his expression was grim as he looked me over. “You okay, Pipe?”
I nodded, my throat having started to burn.
Kase stepped away from the window and headed towards the hall, setting something on the table by the bed as he went. When he reached the door, he paused to look back at Jake and me. “I’m so sorry.”
Before anyone else could speak, he left like the room was on fire.
I looked at Jake, my face asking the question my throat was too sore to.
Jake set me gently on the bed before stretching out next to me. “I wanted to go to you. I knew somethin’ was off. Kase held
me back ‘cause he thought you just needed time. He feels like it’s his fault things got so far, and he’s not listenin’ to reason. He even put in his two weeks’ notice.”
I shook my head, cringing at the pain.
Jake pulled me to him and tucked my head into his neck. Reaching over to grab what Kase had set down, he slid my engagement ring back on my finger. He kissed my palm before placing my hand on his chest and covering it with his own.
“How?” I whispered.
“Kase. Don’t know how long he spent out there searchin’, but I know it was a long time.”
“Good friend.”
“The best.”
*******
Detective Oscar contacted us the following week to come in to the station.
“Did you know Z had a juvie record for stealing and stripping cars?” she asked Jake as soon as we sat down.
Jake nodded. “Yeah, why?”
“Given your law background and the high value of your business, it’s surprising that you’d have two employees with records.”
My brows shot up. “Two?”
I didn’t even know there was one!
I watched Detective Oscar and Jake look at each other, a silent conversation happening between them. “Who else?” I pushed.
“No one, babe. Don’t worry about it,” Jake murmured to me.
“No. Who?”
“Kase. And, before you ask, I’m not tellin’ you anythin’ else. It’s not my story to tell, and, more so, I know for a fact Kase seriously does not want you to know.”
As curious as I was, I knew getting the information from Jake wasn’t going to happen since he kept secrets like they were launch codes.
Plus, if Kase didn’t want me to know, I’d have to respect that. I knew the kind of man he was, and that was all that mattered.
“Sorry, I thought she knew,” Detective Oscar apologized, regaining our attention. “The reason I had you come in today was because with Z filling in the holes, we’ve been able to piece together what happened. I’m giving you the heads up right now, he’ll probably go for the insanity defense. I’m not your dad, Jake, but I’d say it’s also likely he’ll get it.”
“We already knew he was a fuckin’ sicko,” Jake muttered, his hand tightening on my thigh.
I looked at Detective Oscar. “It’s worse than that, isn’t it?”
She nodded her head slowly. “It’s messed up and ugly,” she warned before telling us Z’s heartbreaking story.
*******
Zachary Zane, then Double Z, before just Z, was Special Forces. In charge of a small group of men, he was known for being ruthless, conniving, and manipulative. He was also incredibly skilled with wires.
After his alcoholic father kicked him out when he was only eleven, he’d had to learn all of it to survive.
After spending seven years bouncing between juvie and neglectful foster homes, he put his skills to use by joining the military. Placing taps and traces, connecting and defusing bombs; if it had wires, he could do something with it. He had a high success rate. When he set a plan, he followed it to a T.
Until the one time he didn’t.
On a mission overseas, he met a local woman at the market. She’d looked up at him and smiled shyly when they both reached for the same container of milk.
Because of her perfect, sweet smile, he’d called her “Doll Face”.
Due to the nature of his job, they’d kept their relationship a secret. In a life full of hardness, she was the only soft he’d ever experienced. He fell quickly and deeply in love, to the point of distraction.
Leaving her one morning, he went to question a suspected terrorist. The interrogation was heavy on physical force. As the man hung by his bound wrists from a hook in his own warehouse, Z beat him. Savagely. Getting him close to death, one of Z’s men would patch him up before Z started again.
After more than forty-eight hours, they were getting nowhere and Z lost his patience. He wanted to get back to his love.
She always worried when he was gone too long.
He started punching, absolutely brutal hits, one after another after another. The man was close to death when a shriek filled the air.
Z turned, wiping blood and sweat from his face, to see the sister he hadn’t known the suspect had.
His Doll Face.
She was never supposed to be there.
She was never supposed to see what he did to protect people.
Her face was filled with fear as she dropped a basket of sweet breads. Turning, she ran from him.
He chased her without thinking, leaving his men behind.
Men he’d never see again.
His woman, in her frantic attempt at escape, ran off the path and onto the grass. Nearing the gate, she stepped on a landmine.
The blast blew Z back and knocked him unconscious. The detonation triggered another set of explosives wired to bring down the warehouse.
Z’s instincts were correct; the man had a lot to hide.
Z never told anyone what had really happened. He was hailed a hero when backup found him unconscious.
His actions, lies, and mistakes all weighed heavily on him.
When he began seeing me at events, his obsession started. My tanned skin, long, dark hair and sweet nature reminded him of her.
But it was my scent that broke him.
His Doll Face loved to bake for her large family. Z would climb into her bed after a bad day, and the scent of vanilla would fill his nose, calming him.
*******
I knew no one else felt any pity for Z. He’d hurt people and committed murder. On top of the emotional pain he’d caused, he’d almost killed me as he tried to hurt me in one of the worst ways you could.
In spite of all that, I mourned the loss of his Doll Face, his men, and the Z I thought I’d known.
The Z he could’ve been.
*******
When the nightmares started, Jake put his foot down about me seeing a professional counselor. Since I knew I needed it, I didn’t fight him.
It was hard to keep reliving what had happened, but my mind was doing it whether I wanted it to or not. At least when I went over it during therapy, I received the tools I needed to cope and move on.
Jake, just like Kase, felt incredible guilt for not protecting me. He knew I’d never have gone home alone had he not said such awful things.
While that may have been true, I explained that Z had intentionally goaded him into pushing me too far. He promised he’d try to tamp down his possessiveness, and I promised to keep being patient.
Keeping his word, I did the cake for Static in the Sun’s album drop party without a peep from Jake. It probably helped that Blake Green was freaked way the fuck out and wanted nothing to do with me.
Having a crazy dude use you in his plot to kidnap a chick would calm anyone’s shit down.
Jake understood why I’d been so harsh when I’d been forced to break up with him. However, I also knew the stuff that Z had made me say was real. They were insecurities Jake had and they ran deep. My vulnerable badass worried that I’d leave him and I knew that fear wouldn’t disappear overnight.
Lucky for him, I was ready to spend every day of my life proving to him how much I loved him. I wasn’t going anywhere.
Jake had wanted to get married right after we left the hospital. I wanted to wait until all the swelling and bruising was gone. It wasn’t a vanity thing.
Okay, it wasn’t just that.
I didn’t want to look back at pictures and see the reminder of what had happened. I wanted my wedding day to be brightness with no dark cloud looming over it.
When I told Jake how I felt, he understood.
It was almost a month before he mentioned marriage again.
I woke, as the sun was just touching the sky, to Jake’s fingers sliding slowly inside of me as his eyes studied my face intently. When I smiled sleepily up at him, he moved between my legs.
Tenderly, he eased into me as his fingert
ips drifted lovingly over my face and neck.
“Marry me tomorrow?” he asked, his lips brushing against mine.
“Yes,” I answered simply.
Then Jake did another thing he’d sworn he couldn’t do. His movements stayed slow as he savored me, worshipped me, made love to me.
It was beautiful in a way that was so profound I knew I’d remember it until the day I died.
Shortly after, I fell back to sleep with Jake’s body curved along mine.
It was a few hours later that he woke me to straddle him so he could fuck me bossy.
I’d be hard pressed to say which I preferred, but I was looking forward to a lifetime together to decide.
*******
When Jake said we’d get married the next day, he was not messing around. We were on a plane to Vegas that afternoon.
After getting in late, we checked into a gorgeous hotel that I barely saw through tired eyes. Collapsing into bed, we slept well into the next morning until a knock on the door woke us.
I lifted my head slightly and watched my fiancé pad across the room, the muscles in his back, ass, and legs flexing. He bent and scooped up his pants, pulling them on as he walked.
If I attempted something like that, I’d fall on my face.
Easing the door to our room closed behind him, his footsteps trailed off as he went through the rest of the suite to the main door.
I snagged his pillow and burrowed under the blankets. I started to doze back off when I heard voices filling the sitting room.
When Jake returned, I greedily enjoyed the view of his shirtless front.
His unbuttoned, loose jeans hung low on his hips. I knew where the deep vee of his pelvis and the sparse trail of blond hair led, but I still wanted nothing more than to explore.
My eyes slowly moved up the taut muscles of his abs, intricate swirls of ink, and the definition of his chest that had my name on it. I took in his broad, tattooed shoulders, masculine neck, and strong jaw with ever-present scruff that my fingers still itched to touch.
His full and slightly quirked lips, high cheekbones, and the harsh angles of his face made him so masculinely beautiful, I felt it was a disservice to womankind that he had yet to be sculpted in marble.
