Sugar, Mine (Mine Series Book 3)

by Kay Maree

  The first bars of the song play through the speakers, I glance into the rearview mirror and connect with eyes as dark as night which hold so much emotion. I try to relax into the soft black leather seats, but no matter which way I move, pain shoots through me. I take a few deep breaths, hoping it eases.

  "I'll turn it off if you want," Sergio offers. "The radio I mean."

  I shake my head before finding my voice. "No p-please leave it on"

  He nods, keeping his eyes on me for a moment more before switching his gaze back to the road. I feel the loss of contact shoot through me and think, maybe it would have been best if he'd turned off the radio because as I listen to the words, I have all these crazy thoughts racing through my head telling me, maybe he could be my hero. Tears prick my eyes and I gaze out the window as the first one escapes. I quickly wipe it away so I don't look weak and desperate for any kind of connection.

  I wrap Sergio's coat tighter around me, his calming scent surrounds me. Leaning my head against the window, I watch as cars zoom past. I rub my hand, remembering the jolt I'd felt when he first touched me and wonder if he felt it too. I attempt to focus on the scenery as we pass instead of the silly thoughts filling my head.

  I'm not sure how long we've been on the road, my head is fuzzy and I feel nauseous. I jump at the sound of Sergio's voice and it takes me a moment to realize, he's on the phone. I don't want to seem rude, but I can't help overhearing part of the conversation. The words in English, that is. I try to pinpoint the other language he's speaking, but I'm becoming more and more lightheaded, the pain much worse. I wonder if now that the adrenaline is wearing off, I may be going into shock. It's a feeling which isn't unfamiliar, actually it's quite common. Sergio's voice sounds strange in the background, it's like I'm in a tunnel and no matter what I do, I can't quite bring myself out of it.

  "Boss... I'm on my way back… Call Doc… Joey figlia di madre… Antonio … Si Boss, be there soon."

  I glance up at the mirror again and see the worry in his midnight eyes. My head droops and a chill breaks out across my body causing me to shake uncontrollably. I welcome the feeling, because anything is better than the pain racing through me.

  "Kirsty, stay with me, Sugar."

  Sugar, such a special name for someone you care about. So, why does he insist on calling me, Sugar? I'm nothing special. Like I've been told thousands of times, I'm nothing, never have been and never will be. My head is spinning, my chest is thumping and I close my eyes needing to stop everything from moving so fast. It's no use, everything continues to spin behind my closed eyelids. I hear his deep husky voice, full of concern, but I can't respond.

  "Tesoro mio, come on stay…" The last words I hear before everything goes black and those midnight eyes follow me under.

  Chapter Six

  Sergio

  "Tesoro mio, come on stay with me"

  I watch as her head drops and know her body has gone into shock, I've seen it enough times in my life to know. I swerve to the side of the road, shove the car in park, jump out and grab a blanket from the trunk. Racing around to her side, I rip the door open and catch her before she falls out onto the ground. Laying her down on the seat, I wrap the blanket around her and rub her shoulders to warm her up before placing my fingers to the pulse point in her neck. A soft whimper escapes her lips.

  "I'm sorry, Sugar."

  At least she's still breathing and her pulse is weak, but regular. I blow out the breath I've been holding since I stopped the car and glance at the watch on my wrist. It's another half an hour before I can reach Dominic's home where Doc will be waiting. I need to get her home now!

  She's so tiny, so badly injured. I hope to fucking Christ I can get her to the house in time. I check she's secure, slam the door shut and jump in behind the wheel. I can't wait to get my fucking hands on Joey, the piece of shit, I want answers for my precious tesoro. Once Kirsty is settled with Miss Brooklyn, Dominic and I can and pay the cazzo a visit

  ***

  Pulling into the long drive leading up to Dominic's house, I feel my body tense, kick into gear like it does before a fight. I know Kirsty is still breathing, I've heard the soft whimpers she's been making, but I need Doc to see her right now.

  Not bothering to park the car in the usual place, I stop by the front door, switch off the engine, jump out and jog to the passenger door. Nobody, and I mean nobody, is going to be carrying Kirsty but me.

  "Sugar?" I breath into her ear before easing from the car and holding her up close to my chest. I get no response. Taking the front steps two at a time, I don't get a chance to open the door. Brooklyn is standing in the door way, wide eyed and staring at Kirsty in my arms. I shake my head to indicate things are bad.

  "Can you take Evie, she can't see Kirsty like this." Kirsty is wrapped in a blanket but part of her upper body is exposed, both it and her face are a mess.

  "Doc is upstairs." Brooklyn understands immediately, turns and hurries into the lounge area the best she can with the cane she needs to use because of her fucking piece of shit ex. She calls out to Dominic.

  "Big man, I need to take Evie to Gwen's, while you help Sergio."

  "Si, Angel." I'm surprised to hear Dominic speak, as I take the foyer stairs to the top floor, I'd assumed he'd be on his way to the docks to join Antonio. I meet up with Doc coming out of one of the spare rooms.

  "Sergio, in here." He indicates the room he's just come from.

  Nodding, I stride past him and note he has the room set up and ready. I take Kirsty to the bed and lay her down gently. I pause for a moment, not ready to let her go. Until I feel a hand on my shoulder.

  "Doc you need to…"

  "I know." He pauses, seeming to weigh his words. "Dominic needs to speak with you, I'll tend her. You know I'll do my best."

  I nod, but I'm reluctant to move. What if this is the last time I see her?

  "Sergio." I hear Dominic's deep voice from behind me and look towards him, he's in the doorway staring at Kirsty. He turns his eyes towards me and nods.

  "Doc," I growl low. "If she dies you're gonna wish you'd never been born."

  With my threat hanging in the air between us, I watch as Doc's eyes widen and he swallows before nodding.

  Grunting, satisfied he seems to get it, I take one last look at my girl before moving towards the bedroom door where Dominic is waiting.

  "Fuck," I growl. When the fuck did I start thinking of her as my girl. I shake my head, not giving two shits if it's too soon after meeting her. I knew she was mine the moment our hands touched. The sharp jolt to my insides was like nothing I've ever felt before.

  ***

  "What the fuck happened, what didn't you say over the phone?" Dominic demands to know as we step out into the hallway.

  "We went to the warehouse as planned, but Katherine wasn't there." I blow out a breath as everything hits me all over again. The blood curdling scream, Joey standing over Kirsty with a belt as she cowered against the wall like a scared animal. "Joey was there and he was torturing the poor girl."

  "Fuck," he growls, dragging fingers through his hair. "Do we know who she is?"

  I shake my head. "Not really. The only thing she managed to tell us is, her name is Kirsty and she is 25 years old before Joey yelled at her to shut her mouth if she knew what was good for her."

  "Where's Joey now?"

  "Antonio is taking him to the docks as I said on the phone, he wants you to meet him there."

  Nodding, he paces the floor before coming to a stop and staring at me. "Do you think Kirsty is still in danger?"

  "Si, I believe so, Boss."

  "We'll see what the fuck the Doc says about how bad her injuries are and go from there. I'll head to the docks and meet Antonio. I'll call Demetri and the rest of the men to meet us there."

  "Boss, I want to be there."

  He stares at me for a moment then, looks to the now closed bedroom door where Kirsty is. "She means something to you." It was a statement rather than a question.

>   "She's mine," I growl before I can stop myself.

  Studying my eyes, he must see something there and nods in understanding. "This is going to be a long path for you, are you sure you want to go down it again?"

  I don't even hesitate with my answer and it kind of pisses me off that he would even ask. "Fuck, Boss. I fucking felt it."

  "Watch it, Sergio," he growls back before squeezing my shoulder.

  I nod, not trusting myself to speak. I have never spoken to the boss like that before. His eyes soften a little as he glances towards the stairs leading down to the front door when we hear it close.

  "Si brother, I get it." Is all he says before stepping over to open the bedroom door.

  ***

  Following behind Dominic, we re-enter the room and I see Doc wrapping a bandage around Kirsty's arm where earlier I'd noticed fresh burns. A sheet was draped over the rest of her body, she looked so small in the big bed and all I wanted to do, was hold her.

  "Doc?" Dominic's voice draws my attention back to the Doc.

  The man finishes bandaging Kirsty's arm and turns to face us. "This girl has been through so much, I'm surprised she isn't dead. I had to remove the coat and her singlet before I could see the full extent of her wounds."

  "You fucking what?" I squeeze my hands into fists at my sides to stop myself from punching him in the face. How dare he see my girl naked!

  "Enough, Sergio." Dominic snapped.

  I breathe deeply to control the anger coursing through me as Doc continues speaking.

  "As I was saying. I had to remove her singlet so I could assess her injuries. I have applied cream to the wounds on her chest, as well as the burn to her breast, she was covered in bite marks and bruises. Human bite marks. The bruises will fade over time as will most of the bite marks, but some were quite deep lacerations and I would expect them to leave scars."

  I suck in a deep breath as everything the man is saying hits me square in the chest. I glanced down at my hand which reads cicatrici pari forza (scars equal strength) and I hope to fuck it's also true for Kirsty.

  "I found numerous old scars which appeared to form a pattern across her body. Some scarring is quite old. When I rolled her over to examine her back, I found numerous fresh welts as well as older, faded scars. Some asshole has been lashing this girl's back for a very long time."

  "Fucken shit," Dominic growls in anger.

  I'm barely holding myself together right now. "Doc will she be ok?"

  "At the moment…" his head cocks toward the tiny figure in the bed. "….as you can see, I have I.V. fluids containing antibiotics on run through. Once this bag is done, I'll set another to run through over twenty-four hours. I've given her a strong sedative so she'll rest and give the shock time to settle. If there are no complications, she should wake in about four to six hours. She'll be tired and in extreme pain when she does wake up so, make sure you have some painkillers handy for her. She's to have plenty of fluids, water preferably and if she wants to eat, keep it light. Try and encourage her to eat, it will aid her recovery. She's very malnourished so four or five small meals a day would be ideal.

  "Is Brooklyn coming back?" I ask Dominic, not wanting Kirsty to be alone while we take care of Joey.

  "Si, she wanted to drop Evie off and come back to see if you needed anything. You know how she is, she's a natural born mother."

  Nodding, I cross the room and take a seat in an armchair in the corner, needing to be near her until Brooklyn returns.

  "Doc, can we talk outside for a moment?" Dominic asks before leaving the room.

  I bend forward and rest my head in my hands, praying my girl wakes up. After everything the Doc has told us, I can't wait to find the cazzo who has done this and make him pay for every second of pain he has caused her. It was obvious her life had been harsh, but I saw a glimmer of her strength when Antonio was talking to her in the warehouse. I hope to fuck she can keep fighting and stay with me.

  Chapter Seven

  Kirsty

  I bite my lip and hold back the scream which wants to escape. If I don't, it will fuel her need for cruelty, her need to make me suffer for longer. So, I squeeze my eyes shut and allow the tears to stream down my face. I swallow the metallic taste of blood from my lip. I pull on my arms a little, but it's no use, I'm cuffed and chained to the wall, ensuring there is no escape from the onslaught.

  "You little bitch, are you really stupid enough to think you can escape?" Karen whips my back again, increasing the force and causing the strands to bite into my back.

  I rest my head against the cool concrete wall hoping for it to be over soon. I wasn't trying to escape, I only wanted to be out in the fresh air, to see the moon and the stars.

  I snap back to the present when I feel the heat of Karen's body pressed up against mine. I flinch when my back begins to sting with the pressure. She licks up the side of my face and the overpowering scent of her perfume surrounds me.

  "I love the taste of your tears, knowing I've caused them. Remember, there is no escape from here, from us. We would always find you." Her cackle is maniacal as she steps back and continues my punishment.

  ***

  Springing forward, I clutch the silken sheet to my chest. My entire body is trembling, sweat pours from my face, mingled with tears. I'm still half-trapped in my nightmare and I scramble back until my back hits something hard. I become more alert and darting my eyes around the semi dark room, I notice light coming from a small lamp on a table beside me. Confusion causes my heart to beat hard, I wait for my eyes to adjust to the dim light and look around. This is a beautiful bedroom, I finger the soft sheet, softness I've never felt before. Where the fuck am I?

  The door knob rattles and I begin to panic. Pushing my back against the hardness, the sheet slides through and I notice I'm wearing only my undies. I grab at the material and wrap it tighter around me. It's then I see the drip in my hand and when I glance up, a bag of fluid overhead. I brace myself, eyes fixed to the door, waiting for someone to enter and steeling myself for whatever may happen.

  "Hello, you're awake." The voice is soft, kind and I watch as the beautiful blonde approaches the bed. In her hands are a bottle of water and a sandwich in plastic wrap. She places them on the bedside table and speaks again. Her voice has a reassuring warmth to it.

  "I'm sorry if I startled you and I'm sorry the sandwich is wrapped instead of on a plate. It's difficult for me to carry a plate safely and use this at the same time." She indicates the cane in her hand which is supporting her.

  "It's okay," I whisper. I'm not ready to relax despite the kindness of this woman, it could be some kind of trick.

  "Do you mind if I sit?" She indicates the bed.

  I shake my head and watch as she slowly lowers herself. "My leg hurts if I put weight on it for too long."

  I nod in understanding and wonder if I can ask her where I am.

  "Would you like a drink? Doc said you need lots of fluids." She reached over, grabbed the bottle of water and unscrewed the lid before passing it to me.

  I hold out a shaking hand, accept the bottle and take a sip. Closing my eyes, I revel in the sensation of the cool liquid sliding down my parched throat. It alerted me to just how thirsty I was and I gulp a few more mouthfuls. I groan with satisfaction and hear a soft laugh. I feel my face heat with embarrassment, bow my head and let my hair fall around me.

  "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. Doc said you'd be thirsty and I was thinking, maybe I should have brought up an extra bottle. Then, I pictured myself trying to carry said extra bottle up the stairs. It was quite a challenge to carry what I did." She laughs again, at herself and her struggles.

  I can't help but laugh with her at the image she has placed in my head. I can't remember the last time I laughed and something inside me twists at the realization. I start to relax, convinced this beautiful, kind woman means me no harm.

  "Um, can you tell me where I am? What happened?" Her soft eyes stare at me and I notice a flash of sadness cro
ss her face.

  "You're in my home. My name is Brooklyn. Sergio and Antonio found you and Sergio brought you here to Newcastle. My fiancé, Dominic, along with Sergio, left to…." She pauses for a moment seeming to weigh her words before going on. "….meet up with Antonio to settle an issue, but trust me when I say you're safe now. No-one can hurt you here."

  She reaches for my hand and I automatically cower from her touch. The moment she sees my reaction, she pulls back. I feel bad about the way I reacted.

  "I'm s-sorry," I sob.

  "I understand, but please trust me. I promise you no-one will hurt you while you're here."

  Nodding, I wipe my face with the sheet and place the bottle down on the bedside table. "Why don't I have any clothes on?"

  "Doc removed them so he could treat your wounds."

  The sheet has slipped slightly, revealing the white bandages around my chest. I give Brooklyn a questioning glance."

  "Doc said you'll be in quite a bit of pain for a while, you have a lot of injuries. He's left painkillers and antibiotics to prevent infection."

  I lower my eyes, take a moment and lift them to hers as I speak. "I couldn't say no to what was happening. I had no choice, she would have killed me." My words tumble out and I finish on a sob. "I'm not weak."

  "It is obvious, you aren't weak. Doc said you have been tortured for a very long time." She sounds sad and I see it in her eyes.

  She eases closer to me, I remain still, tense. She reaches out and pats my leg before sliding nearer. "I'm just going to give you a hug," she whispers.

  I nod in understanding, she wraps her arms around me and smooths her hand lightly over my back.

  "I'm sorry this happened to you and I promise you, Sergio and Dominic won't rest until they find out what happened to you, why it happened, and deal with the people involved."

  "I don't want anyone to get hurt." I ease back from her hold.

  "You have to learn to trust us. I know it will be hard but I'll be here whenever you're ready to talk."