Chapter Twelve
India came awake with a fresh slap to the face. She tried opening her eyes, but a bright light burned them and her stomach roiled. Her head felt as if it floated ten feet over her body.
“Wake up, India.”
For a moment, she resisted. It fucking hurt when she opened her eyes.
“India, dammit.”
In the next instant, she realized it was Johnny yelling at her. She couldn’t remember much, but the attack rushed back to the forefront of her mind. She opened her eyes and swallowed as her stomach did another slow, uneasy roll.
“Ah, I see you finally thought to wake up. Get the fuck up. We need to get out of here.”
She stared at this man she had loved, had built a life with…or thought she did. It had never been about them, but about him. And now, he seemed to have slipped over into some kind of madness. The cool, collected Johnny now wore the expression of a hunted man.
Without any help, she pulled herself up to her knees. Another wave of nausea hit her and she hesitated.
“Goddamn it, woman! What the fuck is wrong with you.”
She shot the bastard a look, but his attention was glued out the window. It gave her time to study his appearance. He wore a suit that had seen better days. It was torn, dirty, and wrinkled. The neat freak had fallen to the wayside. Now his hair was greasy, his face smudged with dirt.
India pulled herself up completely and took stock of her injuries. Her head pounded where she hit it on the floor, and after a step, she realized she could function.
Now, he looked at her and sneered. “You never were that bright, were you? What the hell did you think would happen when I made bail?”
“I thought you would be smart enough to leave. Victor will get you, no matter where you go.”
His face mottled with anger, his eyes bulging out of the sockets. He took two steps and then wrapped his fingers around her upper arm. The gun was now aimed at her belly.
“Stupid? No. I’ll get out of here, but not before I take care of you and that pair of bastards you’ve been fucking.”
“They’ll hunt you down.” She knew that without a fact. No matter what happened now, whether she lived or not, Marc and Wade would not rest until Johnny paid and probably with his life.
“Ha, you think they care about you? You’re just another woman to them, one easily replaced.” He sneered. “Whores are easy to find.”
She opened her mouth, but she heard a car door slam shut, then another. Johnny dragged her to the window and smiled down. Marc and Wade were here, running up the walk to her front door. Johnny pulled the gun away from her body and took aim at Wade who was in front. Rage surged through her blood. She would not lose them, she would not allow this bastard to hurt them.
She grabbed his hand and pushed at it, using her body weight to send both of them falling to the floor. As they hit, the gun discharged. Her shoulder burned as she rolled away from Johnny.
The door burst open, and she thought she heard her name, and Johnny scream in agony. All of it blurred as the world slipped away.
* * * *
"Stop pacing," Marc said.
"I can't help it. If I don't pace, I'll go insane."
Marc sighed and said nothing else because he couldn't argue with Wade. Once they got to the hospital, the doctors hadn't been forthcoming with information. No arguing, threatening, begging got them any information. In the rational part of his mind, Marc knew that they had to wait. The wound wasn't bad, the bullet passing through, but he couldn't help it. From the moment he heard her on the phone screaming for help, his world had been shattered. Even in Afghanistan he hadn't felt such terror. The ride over had seemed like it had taken hours instead of fifteen minutes. His heart stopped the moment he heard the gunshot.
"That bastard got taken care of right away." He glanced at Wade who had stopped in front of him.
"Jesus, Wade, stop it. They had to treat him, and all he has is a concussion, which you gave him by pounding him into the floor."
"Gentlemen."
They looked at Officer Daniels, and he held up his hands. "He made bail. I told them to inform me if he did, but they didn't. I had no idea."
"Damn good that restraining order did her."
The younger man sighed. "Yeah, but this time, we have him for attempted murder, unlawful possession of a firearm...well, there is a long list."
"Mr. Jasper?"
Both Wade and Marc were up and moving toward the doctor. She was an older woman, gray sprinkled through her short dark hair. The dark brown eyes studying them looked weary.
"I'm Jasper."
She looked over at Wade. "And I take it you're Thompson."
Wade nodded.
"Hmm, lucky girl. She'll be fine. Bullet passed through. She lost some blood." Both of them opened their mouths, but she held up a hand. "No, she’ll be fine with rest. I take it you both will make sure she does rest."
They nodded and she smiled at them. "Oh, to be twenty years younger. She’ll be in her room in a minute or two. The nurse will come to get you as soon as she is settled."
When she left them alone, Officer Daniels cleared his throat. “We’ll need to have official statements from both of you and Ms. Singer. I’m assuming she’ll be staying at your apartment.”
Wade said nothing, so Marc said, “Yes. She’ll be with us.”
When they were alone, he finally convinced Wade to sit down. After a few minutes, he asked, “Do you think she’ll move in with us? Or that she even wants to be with us?”
The insecure tone was so out of character for Wade. Marc studied his friend. Apparently, today had really thrown him for a loop. Marc smiled. “She said yes earlier. And there is no damned way I am letting her go back to that house.”
A grim frown was all that Wade offered him. His jovial manner was completely subdued. “But we didn’t…”
Marc’s own smile faded. “Yeah, we didn’t get there in time.” And that still burned a hole in his gut. They both knew they had done a piss poor job of protecting her. They hadn’t been keeping tabs on Andersen.
“She has a right to tell us no.”
Marc’s smile returned. “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean we have to listen to her.”
* * * *
India came awake in a rush. The fresh antiseptic smell was the first thing she noticed. There was a beeping noise, the sound of some kind of monitor. Low murmurs surrounded her.
Men…Wade and Marc.
She knew without seeing them that they were there. It took monumental strengthen, but she lifted her lids and found two very worried men leaning down. Worry etched both their features and darkened their eyes. Her heart warmed the moment she saw them. They were safe and they were here.
“Hey, love,” Wade said. “How you feel?”
His voice was barely above a whisper, but it sounded like he was yelling to her.
She swallowed. “Like I’ve been shot.”
There was a beat of silence, then Wade’s lips curved. “That sucks.”
She tried to smile, but she wasn’t sure she achieved it.
“It’s nothing to laugh at,” Marc said. When she looked at him, she noticed he wasn’t touching her. He held himself back, and at one time, she might have thought it was because he thought less of her. She knew better.
She tried to lift her hand, but the energy just wasn’t there. “Let me have your hand.”
He hesitated for a second, then he slipped his palm beneath hers and brought it to his mouth. His lips glided over her fingers.
“Don’t do that to us again.” Marc’s order came out in an anguished whisper that brought tears to her eyes.
“He was going to shoot one of you…both of you. I couldn’t have dealt with that. I love you both too much.”
His eyes brightened with surprise, and he glanced over at Wade. His expression held no surprise, only a self-satisfied smirk.
“India.” Marc said her name as if it were a prayer. With care, he leaned down
and brushed his lips over hers. It was sweet, almost platonic, but she felt the need behind it and the love.
“Get out of the way,” Wade said.
Wade’s gaze never left hers as he leaned in for a quick kiss. He rested his forehead on hers and his smile faded. “Don’t ever do that again. Promise.”
Now she didn’t even try to hold back the tears as she nodded.
“Marc and I are going to be taking you home. You can’t go home by yourself.”
She sighed as he moved away from her. “That is really sweet, but I really don’t think that’s going to be possible. Besides, Delilah can help me.”
Wade opened his mouth. Marc interrupted him. “I talked to her when she called your cell. This is not negotiable. You go home with us, final decision.”
She was going to argue, but what was the use? And just how stupid of a woman was she that she would turn down two hunky guys who wanted to take care of her? Besides, Delilah was getting ready for her new job somewhere in the middle of West Texas.
“Okay.”
Wade brushed a kiss over her forehead. “You won’t regret it.”
* * * *
Three weeks later, India was ready to scream. From the moment they brought her home, both Marc and Wade had hovered. At first, it had been reassuring. She felt so vulnerable and she needed that comfort. But as the days turned into weeks, she realized they were avoiding touching her.
“Are you trying to kill that tomato?” Delilah asked her.
India looked down at what she had done and grimaced. “Sorry. Just thinking.”
“I hope not about me.”
India chuckled and looked at her friend. She’d shown up every day and had been about the only thing keeping India sane.
“The guys.”
“Yeah?”
“They won’t let me do anything.”
“What do you mean?” Delilah asked as she dumped her onions in the hot pan.
“This is the most activity I’ve had since I got out of the hospital.”
“Really?”
Just then, Marc wandered into the kitchen and looked things over.
“Everything going okay?”
Irritation marched down her spine. “Everything is fine.”
Silence descended over the kitchen.
“We should have the pasta ready in about twenty minutes,” Delilah said.
Marc offered Delilah a kind smile. “It smells delicious.”
Delilah giggled—and that was the first time she ever heard her friend giggle like that.
India rolled her eyes. “Go away.”
Marc looked at her with a knowing smile. Gently, he brushed his lips over hers, teasing her with just barely a taste of him. Before she was satisfied, he pulled away and walked out of the kitchen whistling a light tune.
“How can you complain about a man—correction, men—who treat you that well? I’m ready to conk you over the head and throw you into the river. What’s wrong with you?”
“What’s wrong?” She slammed down her knife. “Let me tell you what is wrong. Damn men. I cannot do a thing without them hovering, watching my every move.”
“It’s sweet.”
“This from the woman who dumped a guy because he wanted to know where she lived.”
“Hey, he could have been a serial killer.”
“You slept with him and you thought he might be a serial killer?”
She shrugged. “He looked like George Clooney.”
“Oh, good Lord.” Giving up, India grabbed the bowl with the ravioli she made and headed over to the Viking gas stove. It was the first time they let her cook, and she was going to take advantage. The kitchen was a dream come true with a six burner stove, two ovens, and a subzero fridge. And they had refused to let her have anything to do with it.
“So, tell me, what’s wrong?”
India slowly added the ravioli to the boiling water and sighed. “Nothing. You know I can’t sit still for long, and they have been keeping me tied to the apartment since the shooting.”
“When a woman complains about having two men dote on her, there is something wrong. Especially two who are so…hmm tasty.”
“Like I would know.” It was out of her mouth before she could stop it and she knew from the silence behind her that Delilah had heard it.
She stepped up beside India and looked over at her. “So, they won’t…?”
“No! It is driving me insane.” When she realized she had said it in a near shout, she lowered her voice. As if on cue, Wade appeared in the doorway, a concerned look on his face. Of the two, he had been the one who surprised her. He’d been an ogre, watching her every move, not allowing her to do anything.
“Is there anything wrong in here?” His tone told India that one word from her and he would throw Delilah out.
“No, everything is fine. Go away.”
He tossed a look at Delilah then turned around and walked out.
“You have your hands full with those two.”
“I wish. That kiss you saw was the most passionate thing they have done to me since I got here last week.”
Delilah cleared her throat, twice. When India glanced at her, she saw that her best friend was trying to hold back the laughter.
“You wouldn’t think it was funny if it were you.” India pouted as she tossed the rest of the pasta into the hot water.
Delilah snorted. “Only you would get involved with two men and not be getting any.”
“Bite me.”
“Honey, you are going to have to take the first step with them.”
India shook her head. “They won’t let me do a damn thing.”
“Then you are going to have to challenge those two. I have a feeling neither of them would back down from that.”
“That’s true, but I don’t want to play games.” It felt wrong, so wrong to even go down that path. “I want this up front. I mean, I already told them I wanted to spend my life with them.”
Delilah grabbed her by the arms and turned her to face her. “Listen to the girl who grew up with three older brothers. They are scared.”
“What do you mean?”
“They almost lost you. Men don’t take kindly to that, and they really can’t deal with the fear. They either yell at you, or they are overprotective. Just tell them what you want and don’t back down.”
* * * *
All through dinner, India thought about what Delilah said and what she needed to say to her men. Marc and Wade truly had not done anything wrong, but now with Delilah's comments, she knew they were afraid. Were they afraid to touch her sexually? They must be. She doubted either of them was happy with the situation.
After they said their goodbyes to Delilah, India wandered back in the kitchen but stopped short of the door.
"This is tougher than I thought," Wade said as he brought in a stack of dishes.
"Well, we have to wait. She was shot. You know how long it takes to recover from that."
"But how much longer?"
Figuring she heard enough, she stepped into the kitchen and said, "Yes, how long?"
Both of the heads whipped around at the sound of her voice. Silence stretched as both of them just kept staring at her.
"How much did you hear?" Wade asked.
"Enough to know you two are being stupid."
Marc almost growled as he walked toward her. The mean look in his eyes probably would have scared a lesser woman. The only thing it did was anger her more. Damn both of them for making a decision before discussing it with her. And that is exactly what they did.
"We talked it over and knew you weren't up to it. So we decided to wait."
She placed a hand on her hip and frowned at him. "And just when were you planning on doing anything about it?"
Neither of them said anything, but they continued to stare at her.
"So let me guess, you two had a long discussion and decided to ignore me when we got back home."
At the word “home” something flickere
d over Marc's face that she just could not decipher. "I've been wondering if you have lost all interest in me."
Wade snorted. "Not fucking likely."
"Then why..." She took a huge breath of air trying to get her courage up. "Why won't either of you touch me?"
Stunned silence filled the room after her outburst. The look of total shock made her feel better. Maybe Delilah had been right. They hadn't lost interest.
"You think we aren't interested?" Disbelief colored Wade’s voice. "That is just asinine."
"What do you expect me to think?" She couldn't help asking the question and felt the flare of embarrassment and shame wash over her. She hated sounding needy, but she needed an answer, needed to know. "Did what happened disgust you?"
"Talk about asinine," Marc muttered.
Wade walked toward her, his expression gentle.
"Honey, why would you think we weren't interested? Because that ass hurt you. That has nothing to do with you."
“But he would have hurt you. I wouldn't blame you—"
"Just stop. That’s stupid." Wade bit out the words, which told her a lot. The man was patient and easy going, but apparently he was irritated with her.
"We still want you." Marc's words were quiet but filled with conviction. “It's been killing us not to touch you."
"You want me?"
They both nodded.
"Prove it."
Chapter Thirteen
The stunned look on both their faces told her she shocked them.
Wade looked over at Marc, who stared at her with such intensity she was amazed he didn’t bore holes through her clothes. Heat shimmered on the air between the three of them. Even with them just looking at her, her nipples tightened against her bra.
A small quirk of Marc’s lips told her that she had pleased him.
“Are you challenging us?” Wade asked, his voice colored with equal parts amusement and dark need.
“I guess I am.” She offered him a mischievous smile and cocked her hip. “Of course, not sure the two of you are up to it.”
Another growl emanated from Marc. When she glanced at him, she almost laughed. That is, if she hadn’t been so turned on. Heat flared in his eyes as he studied her. Slowly, he approached her and started to walk in circles around her.
Conquering India Page 12
