How would she react to seeing him face-to-face? She didn’t know if her body would tremble from rage or she would charge up to him and spit in his face.
The emotions running through her made her stomach clench harder as she waited to be taken into the room where she would face her abuser.
That young, traumatized girl was no more after the years of therapy she had put herself through. She’d grown to accept that the abuse had not been her fault. She was a stronger woman now than she had ever been.
Dylan had been at her side every step of the way. He gave her even more strength than she already possessed.
When it was time, she stood, ready to be escorted into the room where she would face Harvey.
Dylan wore a fierce expression. “Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?”
“Yes.” She laid a hand on his arm. “I need to do this alone.”
He studied her and gave her a single nod. “I love you,” he said before she turned away and was escorted into the room.
Her stomach settled as she sat on one side of the window and looked at the empty seat on the other side. She felt a stillness in her heart that hadn’t been there before.
When he was escorted into the room she was only mildly interested in his bruised and battered face.
He sat in the chair opposite her. “If it isn’t the slut.” He sneered at her as he spoke. “I thought you were dead.”
She studied him. She felt no emotion, only a calmness she hadn’t expected.
“What the fuck do you want?” he reached down and she knew he was grabbing his crotch. “Come back for more of this, didn’t you.” It didn’t come out as a question.
“I wanted to see the pathetic excuse for a man who sexually abused a defenseless teenage girl.” The words came to her easily and firmly.
“You asked for it.” He leaned forward, a leer on his bruised, ugly features. “You wanted it.”
“I hope you enjoy prison, Harvey.” She tilted her head to the side. “It looks like you have already made new friends.”
His face grew red, making the swelling, cuts, and bruises look even worse. The fact that she wasn’t responding to his goads like she used to clearly rattled him.
He snarled the words. “If you came back to beg for forgiveness, slut, you’re not getting any.”
She leaned forward, her forearms folded on the table. She was glad the barrier was between them but she wasn’t frightened of him like she had been when she was young.
“I don’t forgive you, Harvey, and I don’t feel the least bit sorry for you.” She watched his expression shift as she spoke. She got to her feet and a little smile came out of nowhere. “Enjoy your new boyfriends.”
Her back was already to him as he spouted words that simply bounced off of her. The words didn’t register, she only knew they were hateful by the way he screamed them as she walked away.
She stepped through the doorway into a much brighter future.
~~*~~
As Dylan walked out into the sunshine with Belle, he felt a moment of the only satisfaction he could get out of everything that had happened. Dylan had let a couple of things slip. Not only had Harvey Driscoll killed two boys’ father, their mother’s husband, but he’d molested a young girl, his own stepdaughter.
One thing about it—child molesters didn’t last long in prison. Even criminals had standards and child abusers were the worst of the worst.
Yes, Driscoll was going to get exactly what he deserved.
CHAPTER 25
Belle cuddled in Dylan’s arms in front of the fireplace in their cabin at Diamond Peak Ski Resort near Lake Tahoe. Outside the big picture window, snowflakes drifted lazily down from a gray sky. Beyond were beautiful white slopes and a thickly forested skyline of trees heavy with snow.
Inside, the fire crackled in the hearth, heating her skin deliciously. Almost as wonderfully as the warmth of the man she was entwined with. The smell of cedar and pine filled the room.
She tipped her head back and smiled at him. She’d never felt so happy, so complete as she did in that moment.
He lowered his mouth to hers and gave her a soft, sweet kiss. “How are you feeling, Mrs. Curtis?”
“Sore, Mr. Curtis.” She snuggled closer to him. “Other than that, I feel wonderful.”
The first day of their honeymoon had been spent with Dylan teaching her how to ski. According to him, she had done fairly well for a beginner. She’d used muscles she didn’t think she’d ever used before, and no doubt she’d be even sorer over the next few days.
New Year’s Day had been the perfect wedding day—a wonderful day to start their new life as husband and wife. It had been just a little over a month since Belle had come back to Bisbee. They hadn’t wanted to waste any more time getting married after everything had gone down. Twenty-three years had been long enough.
A real estate agent was in the process of selling Belle’s home and after their honeymoon, she and Dylan would move all her belongings to Bisbee.
“I love how you remembered that we used to talk about snuggling up someplace warm while it snowed outside.” She put her palm on his chest. “Having grown up in southern Arizona, where it rarely snows, it always sounded like such a treat.”
“How could I forget?” He touched her face with his fingertips. “After you left, I dreamed of you, snowflakes in your hair and on your lashes. You would be smiling up at me and telling me you loved me.”
The backs of her eyes ached. The words “I’m sorry” sprang to her mind, but she didn’t say them. Dylan had told her time after time that there was nothing to be sorry about, nothing to forgive. She had made the only choice she had felt she could make at the time. That was the past and now they had a future to look forward to, a future together.
“Your mom looked so happy with her new husband.” Belle thought about Dylan’s family. “It was good to see Aspen, too.”
“They’re your family now, too,” Dylan said softly.
“I’m glad.” Belle smiled. “It was so good Christie was able to make it to the wedding to be my maid of honor.” Belle moved her palm over Dylan’s T-shirt. “It wouldn’t have been the same without her, if the FBI hadn’t figured out how to get her there and back safely. Back to wherever it is they’re hiding her.”
“It meant a lot that Marta could make it, too.” Dylan let his fingers slide down to the hollow of Belle’s throat. “She’s looking better.”
Belle nodded. “And Leon being there was important. All of us who are left in the CoS.” They would always think of themselves as the Circle of Seven even though there were only five of them now. “G.I. Joe being at the wedding felt like a tribute to Nate.”
They were quiet a moment, and Belle thought Dylan was probably wishing, like she was, that Nate and Tom could have been at the wedding. The irony was that if Nate hadn’t died, she and Dylan would probably never have ended up where they were now.
“Fate wanted us together.” Dylan seemed to read her mind or her expression, and his voice was low and earnest. “One way or another, we would have found each other.”
She smiled, feeling the truth of his words in her heart and soul.
Dylan grinned and shook his head. “The best man is in trouble though.”
“I’ll never forget the look on Trace’s face when he accidentally caught the wedding bouquet.” Belle giggled. “Total shock and then complete embarrassment.”
“He won’t live it down.” Dylan’s grin broadened. “Brooks captured it all on video. He has probably already shown it to all of the guys at the office.”
“I’ll bet Brooks has let everyone see it.” She tilted her head. “Now we just need to set Trace up with the right woman since he’s supposed to be the next one married.”
Dylan shook his head. “Now you’re matchmaking?”
Belle sniffed. “We are.”
He held up both his hands in a “not me” motion. “No way. I’m staying out of this.”
“We’re in
everything together now.” She poked his chest with her finger. “Don’t you forget that.”
He groaned and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling as if begging for guidance. She poked him again and he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her ear.
Then, with a thoughtful note in his voice, he said, almost as if to himself, “If there was anyone I’d like to see happy it would be Christie.”
“You’re brilliant!” Belle clapped her hands, delighted. “She and Trace would be perfect together.”
Dylan buried his face in one hand. “Me and my damned big mouth.”
“No doubt it would have to be a while.” Belle tapped her bottom lip with her finger. “Christie will need time to heal. And of course it will have to be after she testifies.”
He raised his head as he lowered his hand. “Please forget I ever said anything.”
“Yeah, right.” It was her turn to roll her eyes. “You just had one of the most brilliant observations ever.”
He gave an exaggerated sigh. “Promise me you won’t say anything to Trace?”
She gave him an impish grin. “I make no promises.” But then she grew serious. “Considering Christie is hidden somewhere, and Trace is still in Bisbee, it’s not likely anything is going to happen.” She perked up. “But once the trial is over…”
“One day at a time, sweetheart.” Dylan stroked a strand of her hair. “Let’s just wait and see what the future brings.”
She nodded. “Fate happened for us. You never know how things will work out.”
“Back to us.” Dylan shifted Belle so she was straddling his lap. “I have something for you.”
She watched him as he dug in his pocket and pulled out a small brown felt bag. Her stomach flipped as she held her breath in anticipation. He opened the drawstring and poured a small silver chain onto his palm.
A lump caught in her throat as he took her right wrist and fastened the bracelet to it. The bracelet he’d given her for her sixteenth birthday, the one she had left for him with her goodbye note. She stared at it and the pink heart dangling from the center of the bracelet. I love you, was engraved on the backside of the heart.
Tears filled her eyes and she flung her arms around his neck. “I am never taking this off again. Never.”
“I know.” He stroked her hair. “But, I do think we have something to work on.”
She straightened and wiped tears from her eyes with her fingertips. “And what’s that?”
He trailed his index finger down her nose to the tip. “What do you say to growing our little family? Beginning now.”
A burst of joy rose inside her. They had talked about having one or two children, but so much had happened that they hadn’t discussed when they would be ready to start.
“I say yes.” She gave him a hard kiss then leaned back. “Absolutely yes. Now.”
He grinned and stood, sweeping her up in his arms. He held her close and she clung to his neck, comfortable in his embrace. He hugged her to him.
It surprised her when he sounded a little choked up. “I love you, Belle.”
She snuggled against his chest. “Then get us to the bedroom so that I can show you just how much I love you, too.”
ALSO BY CHEYENNE MCCRAY
~Romantic Suspense~
"Lawmen" series
Hidden Prey
No Mercy
Slow Burn
“Riding Tall” Series
Branded For You
Roping Your Heart
Fencing You In
Tying You Down
Playing With You
Crazy For You
Hot For You
Made For You
Held By You
Belong To You
“Rough and Ready” Series
Silk and Spurs
Lace and Lassos
Champagne and Chaps
Satin and Saddles
Roses and Rodeo
Lingerie and Lariats
Lipstick and Leather
~Paranormal~
Dark Seduction
Night’s Captive
Future Knight
CHEYENNE WRITING AS JAYMIE HOLLAND
“Tattoos and Leather” ménage
Inked
Branded
Marked
Stranded
“Hearts in Chains” BDSM Series
Wounded
“The Auction” Series
Sold
Bought
Claimed (with bonus novella Taken)
“Taboo” Series
Wicked Nights: three Erotic Tales
Taboo Desires: three Tales of Lust and Passion
Playing Rough: three Stories of Sensual Submission
Paranormal
The Touch
EXCERPT…HIDDEN PREY
“Lawmen” series
By Cheyenne McCray
Almost absently, he rubbed his thumb along Tori’s delicate jawline while they both remained quiet. He liked the way she fit in his arms. It felt…right.
It was the right time to tell her about what happened with Brian. Landon knew he should do it now.
And then every good intention vanished as she tipped her face up to look at him. Her eyelashes glittered from the remainder of her tears and her brown eyes seemed even darker than normal. As their gazes met and held, he didn’t think he’d ever be able to look away from her again. She drew him to her in so many ways and he was helpless to stop himself from wanting to get closer to her.
The other agents were downstairs and he was upstairs, alone. With Tori.
This wasn’t smart.
Hell, it was a long, long way from smart.
He held his breath, then let out a slow exhale as he lowered his mouth to hers.
The moment their lips met, she gave a sigh, surrendering herself to his kiss. That sense of surrender fueled him, somehow making him desire her even more than he already did.
He moved his lips over hers, hungry for the taste of her, the feel of her. Her scent filled him, as if a part of her was now inside him. Her lips were so soft, her taste exquisite on his tongue. God, he knew he could never get enough of her.
She leaned into him as their body heat melded, fusing them together in a way that defied explanation. Her sighs turned into a soft moan as he moved his hands over her shoulders, down her arms, and to her waist. She was wearing one of her new T-shirts and he pushed the hem up just enough that he could feel her soft skin along the waistband. He gripped her slender waist in his hands, his fingers brushing the base of her spine where she’d been tattooed.
Her hunger and his grew in matching intensity. She moved her palms up his chest to his shoulders and gripped them like she was afraid she would slide away if she didn’t hold on tightly.
He slipped his palms from her waist to her ass, feeling the perfection of it as he squeezed her closer to him. His cock was impossibly hard, pressing against her, straining to get free from behind the tough denim of his jeans.
Their clothes—too much cloth was between them. He wanted to feel her warm silky skin against his, nothing keeping them apart. He wanted only to slide between her thighs and drive his cock deep inside her heat.
The rumble that rose up in his chest was like a lion staking a claim on his territory, and she made an answering purr, giving herself completely to him. Not just surrendering, but offering herself for his pleasure. She asked for nothing, just gave him everything she had.
She sighed again as he slid his lips along her jawline to her ear. She gasped when he nipped at her earlobe and shivered in a delicate way that told him he’d just found one of her erogenous zones. He sucked the soft flesh into his mouth and nipped at it again. He felt another shiver run through her body.
He moved his lips down the column of her neck to the hollow at the base of her throat. The soft purring sounds she made caused his cock to grow even harder and he rubbed himself against her in a slow deliberate movement, like what he’d do when he was inside her.
&n
bsp; A gasp escaped her as he cupped her breasts and flicked his thumbs over her taut nipples that pressed against the fabric of her T-shirt. She slid her fingers into his hair and encouraged him to lower his head so his mouth was even with her breasts. His body was close to shaking from the power of his need for her as he circled her nipple with his tongue, wetting the T-shirt and causing her to suck in her breath. She gave a small cry and gripped his hair tighter as he moved his mouth to her other nipple.
He had to taste the salt on her skin, feel its softness in his mouth. He pushed her T-shirt over her perfectly sized breasts and licked each of her nipples through her satin bra. She caught her breath as he pulled her bra beneath her breasts so they were bared for him.
She pushed his head down again, guiding him so that his mouth was directly over her nipple. He skimmed his lips over the hard nub and she moaned as he sucked it and flicked it with his tongue. Her nipples were hard peaks as he nipped at each one. God, but he loved the way she tasted. He loved that she wasn’t afraid to show him what she wanted. He loved everything about her.
EXCERPT…SILK AND SPURS
~Rough and Ready Series~
By Cheyenne McCray
Silk and Spurs ebook available FREE at all major ebook retailers
“Can I help you?”
A deep, masculine drawl from behind her send a shiver down her spine and she lowered her camera and let it hang around her neck. She turned to face one hell of a fine cowboy, easily one of the sexiest she’d seen in all of her twenty-nine years.
At least six-three with broad shoulders and a cowboy’s build, he had blue flame eyes and black hair that curled slightly beneath his cowboy hat. His skin was well tanned and his arms roped with muscle.
“Sure.” She smiled. “You can help me anytime.” He raised an eyebrow and she grinned as she held out her hand. “Jessica Porter,” she said. “But please call me Jessie. I’m here to photograph the ranch and the upcoming wedding.”
“You’re my kid sister’s friend.” The cowboy took her hand in a firm grip. “Welcome to the Bar C.”
No Mercy Page 25
