by Leah Brooke
He reached for the doorknob and swung the door wide just as the man on the other side lifted a hand to knock again. “Don’t you think it’s a little late to be visiting?”
The expensively dressed man at the door looked stunned for a moment and more than a little shaken but quickly recovered and stepped forward. “Who the hell are you? Where’s Julianna?”
Nick planted his feet and folded his arms across his chest, effectively blocking the other man from advancing. “Who are you?”
The other man pushed against his chest with a force that surprised him. “Move out of my way. I want to make sure Julianna’s all right.”
Nick went on the offense, stepping forward and grabbing the other man by the collar. “Was she with you tonight?”
Steve tapped his shoulders, his voice cold. “Don’t hurt him yet. Give him a chance to tell us what the fuck he did to hurt her.”
Their late-night visitor paled. “She’s hurt? Get out of my way. Where the hell is she?”
Nick released the other man’s collar to push him back. “No. She’s in the shower. Who are you? What the hell did you do to her?”
The other man didn’t back off at all. Obviously shaken, he shoved Steve, having no idea that he was dealing with a pissed off ex-Army Ranger, and got thrown back against the wall for his effort.
Not backing down at all, the man Steve held pinned to the wall eyed both of them coldly. “Get the hell out of my way. I have to make sure she’s all right.”
Impressed despite his fury, Nick laid a hand on Steve’s shoulder and squeezed warningly, never taking his eyes from the other man. “Who are you?”
Clearly frustrated, the man sighed, raking a hand through his damp hair. “I’m Gabriel Durand, and I’m a friend of Julianna’s. Now, move aside so I can see her.”
Nick recognized the name. Gabriel Durand was a well-known investor, one whose business savvy and incredible luck had made him a fortune.
But what was he doing here?
Hoping his suspicions were wrong, Nick clenched his teeth at the tightening of his stomach. “How do you know Julianna?”
Gabriel’s patience apparently ran out. He shoved at Steve. “That’s none of your business. Now get out of my way so I can see her.”
Nick wanted to shake him and, for the first time in years, fought for control. “It took you this long to come find her and make sure she’s okay? She was so upset she almost wrecked her car on the way home. How the hell could you let her drive in that condition?”
Gabriel’s expensive clothes looked wrinkled, as though he’d thrown them on haphazardly in a hurry to get to Julianna, a fact that had Nick seething with jealousy. Gabriel’s eyes went cold, a muscle working in his jaw. “She wasn’t with me. She was with an acquaintance, who called me. Who the hell are you, and what are you doing here? How badly is she hurt?”
Nick looked back toward the hallway. Julianna would be getting out of the shower any minute, and he wanted some answers before she did. “Tell me what happened tonight before I pound it out of you. Did your friend rape her?”
Gabriel paled even more, all the fight going out of him. He recovered quickly, pushing against Nick, his eyes wild. “She was raped? I’ll kill him. I’ll fucking kill him. She needs me. Get the fuck out of my way.”
Nick sighed, dropping his hands. “I don’t know if she was raped.” He heard the shower stop and knew he had to get rid of this guy fast. “She says no, but I’m not so sure. She’s nervous and sore, but I don’t know her well enough to be able to tell what’s wrong with her.”
Gabriel’s eyes hardened. “I do. Move aside. I have to talk to her.”
Hearing the bathroom door open, Nick shared a look with Steve and stepped aside. “If she doesn’t want you here or you upset her, you’re gone.”
Gabriel nodded once and brushed past him, the tender smile on his face transforming his features as he rushed to meet Julianna coming down the hallway. “Hi, honey.” Looking over his shoulder, he glared at Nick and Steve, raising a brow. “You two can go.”
Unable to tear his gaze away from Julianna, Nick’s temper flared at Gabriel’s dismissive tone.
No one dismissed him anymore.
Fighting the urge to plow his fist into Gabriel’s mocking grin, he smiled coldly.
“I don’t think so.”
Steve came up beside him as a wide-eyed Julianna walked toward Gabriel carrying a first aid kit. “Feel better, sweetheart?”
Julianna shifted her feet, her face beet red. “Gabriel, what are you doing here? Damn it, David called you, didn’t he?” When he started to speak, she held up a hand. “Please. No lecture tonight. I couldn’t take it. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I knew you would try to stop me.”
Nick assumed that Julianna had dressed in a pair of loose shorts and an oversized T-shirt in an attempt to look unappealing.
She’d failed miserably.
Jesus, her legs were incredible. Looking them over, he winced at her raw knees. Her red-rimmed eyes looked huge in her freshly scrubbed face. Her bottom lip trembled, making his arms ache to hold her.
The vulnerability in her big, blue eyes nearly brought him to his knees, and he had to grit his teeth not to yank her against him.
Reminding himself that she was injured and that he had no rights at all with her, he forced himself to take a step back and watch her interaction with Gabriel. If she got at all upset, he’d throw the other man out, bodily if necessary.
He wanted the right to protect her. He wanted to be able to care for her. He wanted her to look to him for comfort.
He wanted her.
A warm calm spread through him, dispelling the anger. A predatory anticipation welled inside him.
Nothing in his life had ever felt so right.
The hunt was on.
He would have Julianna. He would know what it felt like to have those long legs wrapped around him and know the taste of those full lips.
The desire to have her turn to him for comfort grew to the point that he found himself staring at her, willing her to come to him.
Of course, she didn’t, but he promised himself that one day she would.
Watching her body language, he didn’t miss the lethargy in her movements as she made her way to the sofa or how she leaned closer to Gabriel when he knelt in front of her. It both amused and concerned Nick that she wouldn’t meet Gabriel’s eyes. As a matter of fact, she somehow avoided looking at all of them.
Gabriel lifted her chin, doing what Nick wanted to do. “What do you mean, what am I doing here? I’m worried about you. Why the hell didn’t you answer your cell phone?” Gabriel shot a glance over his shoulder before wrapping his arms around Julianna. “Can we talk privately? I promise, no lecture tonight, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have one coming.”
When Gabriel reached for her, Julianna curled into him, sending Nick’s jealousy into overdrive. All amusement fled. The fact that Gabriel obviously thought he had the right to lecture Julianna about something had him grinding his teeth as a coldness spread through him, originating in his stomach and spreading outward.
Julianna nodded, her eyes darting to Nick, the wariness in them like a kick to the gut. “We can talk in the kitchen. These men stopped to help me, but I’m okay. I promise.” Looking up at him and Steve, she quickly looked away, her fingers tapping on the lid of the first aid kit. “You can go now. I’m fine. Thank you for your help.” She stood and started toward the kitchen with Gabriel hovering close.
Nick clenched his jaw and walked into the kitchen ahead of them, his inexplicable jealousy growing. One day soon those eyes would look at him with trust, with passion…with love. He smiled to himself as he poured a small amount of cognac into a glass and handed it to her.
He’d bedded some of the most beautiful women in the world, only to have a disheveled woman with mile-long legs and sad eyes knock his legs out from under him. “Drink a little of that. Steve and I will be right in the other room.” He turned to glare a
t Gabriel. “You have five minutes. After that, we’re coming in.” Turning back to Julianna, he ran a finger down her cheek, frowning when she flinched. He smiled faintly to hide the inexplicable hurt. “If you need us, call out.”
Julianna blushed and looked up through her lashes at Gabriel in a way that made his jaw clench. “Gabriel would never hurt me. There’s nothing to worry about. You and Steve can go. Thank you for your help.”
Gabriel turned to him and lifted a brow, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Yes, you can go now.”
His air of superiority and proprietary tone made Nick desperately want to rearrange his pretty face, but he figured that wouldn’t go over well with Julianna.
Smiling at her tenderly, he lifted a hand to caress her cheek, regretfully dropping it when that wary look came into her eyes again. “We’re not going anywhere. Five minutes.” Afraid he would say or do something that would scare her, Nick took the bottle and the other two glasses, not even bothering to offer the other man a drink, and walked out of the kitchen. In the living room, he found himself too worked up to sit. He poured himself and Steve each a stiff drink before moving to stare out the window. Sighing, he looked back toward the kitchen. “She doesn’t seem scared of him at all.”
Steve paused with his glass halfway to his mouth. Looking toward the kitchen doorway, he kept his voice low and shrugged negligently, but Nick knew his friend well enough to see that he was clearly upset.
Not much ever upset Steve. Interesting.
Steve took a sip of his drink and grimaced. “Okay. I’m glad she’s not scared of him, and at the same time, it pisses me off. I just don’t understand what this is all about. You saw the shape she was in when we came across her. She’s hurt and upset, dressed for a hot date, and somebody, this David, calls another man, and he’s the one who comes to check on her. If she was with some other guy, where the hell is he?”
As if on cue, a knock sounded at the door. Nick set his glass on the coffee table with more force than necessary, glancing toward the kitchen as he went to answer it. He hoped like hell it was the mysterious David. He wanted to punch somebody, and David was the perfect person to be on the receiving end of his anger and frustration. Flinging the door open, he immediately blocked the man intent on rushing inside. “Nobody invited you in. Back up.”
The other man came to a halt, his eyes wide. “Who the hell are you? Where’s Julie?”
Nick hid his surprise that the man sported what looked like the beginning of a black eye. He’d seen and had enough of them in his life to recognize that this would be a beaut. Had Julianna been the one to give it to him? His fury mounted wondering what David could have done to her to earn himself a punch in the face. Nick narrowed his eyes as Steve moved in beside him, holding out an arm to keep Steve back. “Julianna is busy right now. Who are you?”
The man’s face hardened as he swallowed heavily, and Nick could practically see the nerves just below the surface. “I’m David Maxwell. Julie’s my property. Now move aside.”
Nick smiled coldly, the fury inside him growing as he took in David’s leather pants and the small whip dangling from his belt, the kind that shouldn’t be worn in public.
Fucking amateurs.
Grabbing the other man by his shirtfront, he lifted him to his toes. “You’re David? Julianna was with you tonight?”
David smiled smugly, a mistake he’d pay for. “Yes.”
Nick’s fist shot into his stomach with a force that took the other man’s breath and made him double over. He wanted a chance to deliver another, but hearing the sounds of hurried footsteps coming from the kitchen, Nick quickly pivoted toward them, snagging Julianna around the waist as she raced toward the door. He yanked her aside as David made a grab for her, keeping his body between the two of them.
She gasped, struggling to get free and looking around him at Steve. “Why did you hit him?”
Nick held on to her, trying not to think about how soft her skin felt or how delicious she smelled. Not bothering to correct her, he pulled her away from the commotion at the door. “Be still. He’s the one you were with tonight? How badly did he hurt you?”
Gabriel turned from where he helped David to stand, lifting the smaller man by the collar. “Did you rape her, you son of a bitch?”
Nick looked over his shoulder at David, keeping Julianna close as he waited for the answer. The tension between David and Julianna could be cut with a knife, and Julianna wouldn’t meet David’s eyes.
To his surprise, David’s face reddened. “No. Of course not. All of you can leave. I’ll deal with Julie.”
Out of the corner of Nick’s eye, he saw Steve shift his stance slightly, but kept his eyes on David.
“I don’t know what you did to her yet, but I will. Julianna was too upset to drive and could have been in an accident. She’s hurt and shaken, and you didn’t even bother to make sure she got home safely. That whip on your belt better be for show, because if you’re claiming to be a Dom, you’re a poor excuse for one.”
Julianna turned red and tried again to pull away. “Look, this is getting out of hand. I want all of you to leave. I’m fine. David did nothing wrong. I can fight my own battles.”
Steve’s eyes narrowed on David’s face. “So I see.”
David reached for Julianna, trying unsuccessfully to shake Gabriel’s grip. “Let go of me. Julie, we need to talk about this. We can work it out. Give me a chance to make you feel good.” When Julianna shook her head and looked away, his eyes hardened. “Listen, I didn’t do anything you didn’t want, and if you try to say otherwise, you’ll be sorry.”
Julianna lifted her chin and leapt toward him, her eyes full of fire. “Listen, you little prick, if you try to threaten me, I’ll blacken your other eye.”
Nick snagged an arm around her waist again to stop her. “Stay away from him.”
Steve yanked David from Gabriel’s hold, lifted him by the collar, and shook him. “You fucking asshole.”
David struggled against Steve’s hold, eyeing Gabriel warily. “Don’t listen to her. It’s not my fault the bitch can’t make up her mind.”
Steve lifted David slowly to his toes and bent, his voice icy. “You’re the one who’s going to be sorry if you ever think about threatening Julianna again. If I ever hear that you even tried to speak to her, I’ll pound you into dust.”
Gabriel stepped between them, sharing a look with Steve until he released his hold. With a hand on David’s shoulder, he turned him none too gently toward the hallway. “If he doesn’t, I will. Get out, and don’t ever let me see you again.”
David struggled against Gabriel’s hold, to no avail, cursing when he couldn’t get free. “Damn it, Julie—”
Gabriel pulled him out to the hallway with Steve following closely behind. “Get out of here before I change my mind about letting you walk out. Didn’t I warn you to stay the hell away from her?”
David stopped trying to get past Steve and straightened to his full height, a few inches short of Julianna’s. “She’s a big girl. I certainly don’t need your permission to see her.”
Gabriel smiled coldly. “Oh, but you do. Get the hell out of here so I can see to Julianna.”
David looked like he wanted to try to push past Steve again and appeared to change his mind. “Damn it, Gabriel. Who are those men? I need to talk to Julie. I don’t know what the hell got into her tonight. It’s not my fault she freaked out on me.”
Having his suspicions confirmed only enraged Nick further. He wondered now just how much Julianna had been hurt. Hiding his anger, he smiled gently as she blushed a fiery red, running his hand over her shoulder.
Turning his back to her, he let David see his rage. “What kind of Dom doesn’t respect his sub’s limitations?”
“Fuck you.”
Promising himself that he would beat the hell out of David at the first opportunity, he turned back to Julianna, knowing she needed him more.
Julianna blushed deeply as she moved away from him a
nd took a seat on the sofa. “Would all of you please leave? I’m fine. I just want to be alone.”
He followed her and picked up the first aid kit, ignoring the argument taking place in the hallway. “Let’s take care of these knees. It looks like you did a good job getting all the dirt and gravel out.”
She jumped as Steve punched David, and Nick stopped her when she tried to stand. Shoving his hands away, she turned even redder. “Look, uh, Nick, this really isn’t necessary.” She tried to stand, plopping back onto the sofa with a wince when he gave her no room. “Look, damn it, I appreciate your help, but I don’t appreciate the strong-arm tactics. Just go.”
Nick, in the process of applying antibiotic ointment, paused to look up at her, carefully keeping his face blank. The sound of his name on her lips had his cock stirring, something totally inappropriate under the circumstances. The fire in her eyes gave him a glimpse of the woman who’d given David a black eye.
A woman he wanted badly.
Blocking out the noise in the hallway, he studied her, unable to shake the feeling that this was the woman she showed the public. He’d seen it briefly in the parking lot, but she’d obviously been too upset to maintain it.
Something he’d bet his new hotel didn’t happen very often.
He’d also wager that lost little girl was just as much a part of her, a part she carefully kept hidden.
More than a little uncomfortable that both stirred him on so many levels, he carefully kept his expression bland as he recapped the tube. “I thought we already had this discussion. Emergency room or me?”
Without waiting for an answer, he went back to bandaging her knees, listening with half an ear to Steve quietly arguing with Gabriel just behind him, having already gotten rid of David.
Aware of Julianna’s interest in their hushed argument, he attempted to distract her, selfishly wanting her attention on him. Taking her hands in his, he ran his fingers lightly over her scraped palms. “These don’t look as bad as I feared. We’ll have to put some ointment on them before you go to bed. You’re shaking. Did you drink any of that cognac I gave you?”
