Foreplay: Six Full-Length Standalone Novels from Six New York Times Bestsellers

by Vi Keeland

  That was all I needed.

  I ran from the room into the middle one and darted for the patio. They were close enough so I could climb over, but as soon as I stepped foot outside, a guy from the adjourning patio barked, “Hey!”

  I wavered. My heart was pounding. The blood was rushing to my head, but I couldn’t get that voice out of my head. Carter was in danger.

  “Emma,” Mike hissed from the room. He jerked his hand inside. “Get back here.”

  I couldn’t. The guy already saw me and had his gun drawn. I had no other choice except to climb the patio. If I darted back inside, he’d follow. Mike and Amanda would be in danger, so with my chest tight, I started to climb over. The other guy grabbed me around the waist and carried me inside.

  My heart stopped when we got there.

  Carter was on the floor. Blood was all over him and as he raised his head, he paled when he saw me. His skin was already sickly white and one of his eyes was swollen shut. His nose looked broken, but when he started to rise, a guy delivered a swift kick to his side. He fell back down, holding his arms over his ribs for protection. It was minimal. The guy kicked him some more and a third clipped Carter underneath his chin. His head reared back and his entire body flipped over from that last hit.

  He was unconscious.

  A shrill laugh came from the corner of the room.

  I sucked in my breath and turned. This guy, whoever he was, was going to die. He wore a tuxedo, with his belly extending over his pants. With thin graying hair, he narrowed his eyes at me, but he looked back to Carter. Sick enjoyment was in his gaze as he reached inside his breast pocket. A phone came out and he dialed a number.

  No one moved.

  My gaze skirted between the sick bastard and Carter. This guy was a guest of the Christmas event. I saw the invitation sticking out of his coat when he had pulled the phone out. He was Noah’s guest, Carter’s guest, and he did this to him?

  I jerked forward, but my captor held me close. He scooted back.

  NO!

  This wasn’t going to happen. Not to Carter. Not to me. This was not happening.

  A surge of adrenalin came over me. I couldn’t wiggle out. I couldn’t kick or hit so I sunk my teeth into the guy’s meaty arm. I went as far and as deep as I could. The guy yelled out and dropped me. Cursing, he scooted back and I was free. Rolling to my feet, I felt a second guy reach for me and I spun away. They were all shouting now.

  “Get her!”

  One reached for my arm, but I slammed my foot on his and then brought my knee up into his groin. He groaned and fell away. A fourth guy came next. I brought my elbow up, but he only chuckled and ducked. I twisted to the side. It didn’t matter. He dodged all my hits and wrapped his arms around me. I was held in another paralyzing hold again with a book shoved between my teeth and his arm now. “We’re not all stupid, honey.”

  I seethed and fought back. Nothing. My heart was pumping. My blood was racing. I had to get free. I had to protect Carter.

  “Oh, she’s a fighter, huh?” The leader chuckled some more but turned his back to me. He was completely disinterested with me as he spoke into the phone, “We’ve got him. And her too. We got them both.” He paused before nodding. “Yeah, sounds good. Be there in ten.” He turned back and waved a hand to the room. “Pick him up. He wants them both.”

  It was then that I looked around the suite. It was filled with men, all in black suits and the same bulges underneath. I knew it was his men that were in the hallway. As two guys moved forward to pick up Carter, the guy laughed to himself. “He’s a fucking idiot, showing up alone to this meeting. Carter Reed, thinks he can take on anyone. Not me, you punk kid. Not me.”

  As the guys reached down and one touched under his arm, Carter moved like lightning. He grabbed the guy’s hand, stuck something in his chest, and threw his body into the second man. Jumping to his feet, he pulled out a gun and shot at the three men in the room with me. The leader’s eyes got big, a strangled chortling sound came from him, but he backed against the walls with his hands in the air. At the same time, doors were kicked open. More men flooded into the room with guns already drawn. Mike and Thomas came in from the patio. A hand chopped at the neck of the guy who was holding me. I was released as he fell to the ground, but Mike caught me. He carried me from the room, back out onto the patio and over to the other room.

  “Emma,” Amanda cried out and rushed towards me. Mike released me as soon as we were in the room and it was then that everything clicked in me.

  Oh my god.

  My knees buckled and I slipped to the couch beside me.

  “Emma.” Amanda caught me and helped me sit down. She took my hands in hers. “What happened? What were you thinking?”

  “I…” I couldn’t even answer that. What had I been thinking? “I wasn’t.” Carter was hurt. I went for him. That’s all I had thought, but I blinked as I realized there was more. I would’ve traded my life for his. My chest swelled and my heart tried to burst from its place. I would’ve given my life for his.

  The image of Carter being kicked flashed before my eyes again. I flinched and reeled backwards.

  Mike stepped forward, his hand to his ear. “We’re supposed to move you back to the house. Emma, would you please come with me?”

  I stood without thinking. Carter had been beaten senseless and he got up. All his movements were precise, as if he knew what he was doing, as if he was waiting...Horror filtered in now. What had I interrupted?

  “Emma.”

  I should’ve trusted him.

  Amanda helped me stand. My legs still wavered when I got up from the couch. She held onto my arm. “I’m coming with her.”

  He frowned but nodded. “Fine.”

  And then we were shuffled into the hallway and down the back exit. As we headed into the back elevator, I glanced to Mike. They knew the hotel inside and out. They had gotten help from someone, who knew all the back hallways and staff shortcuts. We were bustled through the storage doors and into a SUV. Mike got into the back seat with us. It was large enough for four more people. The doors from the front opened and two more guards got inside. Mike touched his ear, “Clear.”

  The SUV shot forward.

  I glanced back, as if to catch a look at Carter, but there was nothing. The storage doors to the hotel had already closed by the time we turned a corner.

  When we got to the house, I turned to Mike. “Is he okay?”

  He nodded and gestured inside. “He’ll be back as soon as he can. Your other friend was notified of your departures.” Mike glanced at Amanda as well.

  Understanding dawned over her. “Oh, to Theresa. That’s good. She would’ve worried.”

  He nodded again, a silent clip of the head.

  I sighed. That was all we were going to get, so when we got back, I led the way inside. Amanda trailed behind me and as we went through the gym to the kitchen area, I heard her gasp behind me. This was the first time she had seen my home, my new home.

  “Is this where you live?” She was breathless.

  I nodded. “It’s Carter’s place.” But that wasn’t true. It was now my place too. There was no energy to enjoy this moment. Amanda was my first and would probably be the last to see the inside of my new home. I should’ve been proud, but all I could think about was him.

  “Is there a bathroom?”

  I nodded and showed her the one on the main floor. Then I went to the bedroom and changed clothes. My dress dropped to the floor. I didn’t care about picking it up. Carter was supposed to have been there to undress me. We were supposed to have spent the night making love and I had no idea where he was. After I pulled on sweats and a baggy sweatshirt, I grabbed another pair of each for Amanda. When I went back to the kitchen, she was searching through the cupboards. She gave me a sheepish grin. “I was going to make coffee.”

  I lifted the clothes for her. “Yeah, I can make some. That’s a good idea.”

  “Thanks for the clothes, not that I wouldn’t mind sit
ting around in this ball gown.” Giving me a crooked grin, she slipped past for the bathroom again. The coffee had started by the time she returned and it wasn’t long before I poured cups for both of us. And like my routine on the other mornings when Carter was gone for business, I took some coffee to Mike. He told me more guards had returned and taken point around the building so I filled up a thermos and climbed to the top floor. The guards didn’t even act surprised anymore. And then, I slid onto a seat beside Amanda at the table. We waited.

  It was hours later when people arrived, but they were the new guards. Mike went home. A different Mike took his place. He was positioned in the garage. The only reason I knew of the change was because the first Mike came in to warn me of the shift change. He gave me a tight but reassuring smile. “I didn’t want you to be alarmed.”

  “Any word from Carter?”

  He shook his head and left.

  Amanda asked once he was gone and we were alone inside, “Would he tell you anyway?”

  “Probably not,” I sighed.

  “Emma, I’m sure he’s fine.”

  “I know he is.” But that wasn’t the point. I wanted to speak to him. I wanted to feel him, taste him. I wanted to hold him in my arms again. The images of him being beaten hadn’t stopped. I kept seeing them over and over again. And I hadn’t been able to stop it. Arms of cement held me back. It sent a chill down my back because there would be another time, but Carter might not be able to get out of that one like he had this time. Whether he told me he was out or not, it didn’t matter. I knew that Carter would always be connected to the mob.

  I’d been kept in the dark. It was terrifying.

  I wouldn’t for the next time.

  “Look,” Amanda said. “Maybe I should head home?”

  “No, stay.” I grabbed her arm when she started to stand. “Please.”

  She caught my gaze, saw the pleading, and bent down. She pressed a kiss to the top of my forehead, skimming her hand over my hair. “It’s not the same, you know.”

  “What isn’t?”

  “Carter and Mallory.”

  My mouth went dry. I hadn’t realized I’d been putting the two together, but she was right. I lost Mallory, even though I’d been reassured she would be fine. I swallowed over a big ball of emotion in my throat. I was scared of the same thing happening to him.

  “Mallory was doomed from the beginning.”

  Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. Amanda had never spoken like this before. She sounded resigned as she pressed another kiss to my forehead. Turning, she rested her cheek to the top of my head and murmured, “She knew who Jeremy Dunvan was when they started together. And she knew he was a bad guy. That’s all she picked. She’s not the same as Carter.”

  I blinked back the tears.

  “And he’s not like her. He’ll fight for you.” Amanda stood. The corner of her lip curved up, but she was haunted. I knew it because I was the same. We were both haunted. She continued, “I was wrong before. Carter loves you. That’s obvious and if anyone’s going to get out of the mob, it’ll be him. That man isn’t one to be crossed.” She patted my hand again. “He’d move heaven and earth to keep you safe. I don’t agree with how he kept you safe before, but I know the lengths he’d go for you now.” Another yawn escaped her. “You should try to get some sleep too.”

  Later, we both snuggled into couches in the downstairs media room. I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep, but Amanda wasn’t having that problem so we compromised. She made me promise to try so we put a movie on. It was a tradition we used to do when we’d go drinking with Mallory and Ben. Mallory usually ended the night with some guy. Ben would storm home and Amanda stayed the night on the couch. We would both fall asleep to a movie.

  But I didn’t that night. I was awake for hours when a silhouette finally appeared in the doorway, and I almost cried out in relief.

  Carter came and took my hand. He led us to our room.

  THIRTY-TWO

  When we got there, he let go, but I took his hand again and led him into the bathroom. His face had been battered from the beatings. There was dried blood over him, in his hair as well, and he stood there watching as I inspected every wound. He winced as I probed his ribs, so instead of having him lift his shirt over, I took a firm hold at the top and ripped it. It fell to the floor. My eyes took it all in. His chest and ribs had taken the brunt of the kicks, at least the ones I saw. The tips of my fingers softly grazed over him, and he hissed from the pain.

  My eyes caught his. I saw the pain and took a deep breath. Strength surged inside of me. He needed mine so I pointed to the counter and murmured, “Sit.” My voice came out hoarse, and I bit down on my lip. Pain sliced me when he made a motion to vomit. When he didn’t, I let out the breath I’d been holding and warmed some washcloths.

  Pressing it to the cut on his nose, the washcloth immediately turned red from the blood. He hissed some more when I continued to his swollen cheek, then his swollen eye.

  “You should see a doctor.”

  He nodded, closing his one eye. Slowly, he leaned forward and rested his forehead on my shoulder. His lips moved against my skin as he answered, “I had to see you first.”

  My hand lifted to cradle the back of his head. I drew another deep breath in and rested my head against his. My eyes closed. I felt his pain and I hated it. He shouldn’t have been hurting, but I knew he put himself in that situation for a reason. So many questions flew in my head, but I refrained from asking. My fingers began to massage the back of his head, delicately at first and they grew stronger when he didn’t grimace or flinch away. Instead, his hand moved to the small of my back and he pressed me tighter against him. As I kept massaging, he grew more and more tired. His weight leaned on top of me until all of it was there. He had fallen asleep. I was holding him up and I stood there. I continued holding him. I would’ve stood there for hours, standing for him but a small movement caught my eye and I looked up.

  Amanda had a hand to her mouth. She watched from the doorway. As she did, a lone tear slipped down. Then she mouthed, “He’s asleep?”

  I nodded. The woman in me didn’t want to move, but logic kicked in. He needed medical attention, sooner rather than later, so I whispered, “Go out the doors and have them call a doctor for me.”

  She nodded, disappearing again.

  Carter groaned and stiffened on me. He lifted his head up, holding it in the palm of hand as he grunted. His eye was pressed tight. “I fell asleep.”

  He didn’t move all the way back, just enough so he could sit upright. Sliding my hands up his legs, more to test if there were wounds, I urged them apart and stood in front of him now. Front and steady. Then I began cleaning the rest of his blood. I started with his head first. Since there was so much blood, I went slow and dabbed so I wouldn’t reopen already healing cuts. When that was done, I got more washcloths and started on his chest.

  Carter sat there the whole time. His hands rested on my hipbones. As I continued to wash him, his eyes closed and his head bobbed down. He slumped forward, as if he’d fallen asleep. But when I moved to grab another handful of washcloths, his hands tightened on my hips to keep me anchored in front. I skimmed a hand over his cheek, cupping the side of his face, and his eyes opened to mine. He was drowsy, but he moved to the side and kissed the inside of my hand.

  “A doctor should be coming,” I murmured, my voice thick from so much damn love for this man.

  His eyes closed again, but he kept a firmer grip on me.

  Amanda came back and gave me the five minute signal. I wasn’t sure if we were supposed to leave or if the doctor would come to us, but I nodded. She left again and I took Carter’s hand. “You should shower and get different clothing on.”

  He nodded. When he moved to unbuckle his pants, I brushed his hand to the side and did it for him. His pants and boxer briefs dropped to the floor. Before I could take him into the shower, he stopped me. His fingers came to my clothes and he lifted the sweatshirt off. My sweats
were next and then we both stepped under the water. As it drenched us, more of his blood trailed down. The red circled the drain on the floor, turning the water pink. That seemed symbolic to me. Things were healing.

  Skimming a hand down my arm, he tugged me against him and hugged me. Then he murmured, “I almost lost it when I saw you being carried into that room.”

  My hand raised and slid back into its place, on the back of his head. My fingers dug in and grabbed a hold of his hair, but it was to hold him against me. I was cautious of all his bruising. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

  “He could’ve killed you.” His hand gripped me tighter. “He could’ve shot me and taken you instead. Franco wanted you too.”

  I didn’t say anything. He tried to keep me away. I should’ve trusted him.

  He growled into my shoulder. His other hand pressed me against him harder. “It’s why I didn’t tell you what was going on. I couldn’t have you anywhere near the situation. I needed you where my men were watching you.” A soft curse slipped from him. “I had to wait until he made that phone call. I needed to know Franco’s location. You could’ve been killed.”

  The horror from before rose in me again. I blinked back the tears at what I had almost done. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. You were hurting and I couldn’t handle it. I reacted without thinking. No one will take you away from me. I won’t lose you again, not now that I have you. My brother. Mallory. Not you too.”

  His lips moved against my skin, pressing a kiss there until he lifted his head. I gasped as I saw the agony in his depths. Pure agony. He choked out, his chest rising for a deep breath, “He could’ve killed you. You shouldn’t have been anywhere near that room. Why didn’t you just listen to me and stay away?”

  “Because I was looking for you.”