by Elle James
Inside, she would never be the same again.
Reggie stepped beneath the shower’s spray and let the water run down over her skin. She didn’t try to scrub the filth of the Master from her body. No amount of scrubbing would ever get what he’d done to her out of her memory. Only time would heal that broken place inside. As Sam had said, she couldn’t let him rob one more minute of her life from her. The best revenge would be to live a happy life, in spite of what he’d done—after she made sure he didn’t hurt any other woman, ever again.
Reggie squeezed shampoo into her palm and worked it through her hair. It smelled like spring and wildflowers. She rinsed the suds from her hair and body, applied conditioner and rinsed again. By the time she left the shower, she was more relaxed and smelled like a completely new person.
After quickly drying with a large, fluffy white towel, she dressed in the soft pink nightgown and panties. Finding a new brush in one of the drawers, she ran it through her hair, smoothing the tangles. Feeling so much better, but tired, she walked into the bedroom and switched on the lamp on the nightstand.
That’s when she noticed a door at the side of the room. She walked to it and pressed her ear to the panel.
Sounds of movement on the other side made her pulse quicken.
Sadie had said Sam would sleep in the room beside hers to keep her safe.
Warmth spread throughout her body at the thought of Sam on the other side of the paneled door. After spending the past twenty-four or more hours with him, Reggie found she missed him. He’d made her feel safe, even while they’d been tromping through the woods.
Perhaps he’d showered and was climbing into bed right now. Did he sleep in shorts and T-shirt? Or was he one of those men who didn’t wear anything to sleep in?
Her core heated, desire pooling low in her belly. How could she be aroused when she didn’t know the extent of the damage that monster had done to her? She could be infected with a sexually transmitted disease. She could be pregnant. If she hadn’t had to play dead, she’d have had a rape kit run on her and reported directly to the police. They’d need every bit of evidence possible to convict the man and send him to jail for the rest of his life.
Reggie leaned her cheek against the cool panel. She wanted to be with Sam, to have him hold her in his arms.
A sharp rap startled her and made her cry out. Reggie jumped back from the door and pressed a hand to her chest.
The doorknob turned and opened. “Reggie?” Sam poked his head through the door. His chest was bare, and his hair was damp. Random droplets of water stood out on his shoulders.
Reggie swallowed hard but couldn’t get words past the knot in throat.
Sam frowned and stepped through the door. “Are you okay?”
He wore black boxer briefs that did little to hide the ridge of his cock beneath the fabric.
She shook her head.
He entered the room, gripped her arms and stared down into her eyes. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”
“I can’t…” She shook her head again. She wanted to say she couldn’t be with him until she had all the answers, but that would assume he wanted to be with her. Instead, she finished with, “I can’t sleep.”
“Do you want me to stay with you until you go to sleep?”
Her brow furrowed. “I’m not usually so wimpy.”
“You’re not wimpy at all.” He drew her into his arms. “You escaped a madman. I’d say that took a huge amount of courage.”
She lay her cheek against his bare chest, inhaling the clean, fresh scent of him. “Courage didn’t get me out of there. I’m not that brave.”
“Yes, you are.” Sam tipped her chin up and stared down at her. “You knew what he’d do if he caught you digging, but you dug anyway.”
“Because I was afraid of what he would continue to do to me, if I didn’t get out of there.”
“And yet, you’re trying like hell to go back.”
“I have to. I can’t abandon the others.” She rested her hand on his chest, her fingers curling ever so slightly into his skin. He felt so good, so right, she couldn’t stop touching him.
“Come on. I’ll tuck you in.”
God, she didn’t want to move. She wanted his arms to remain around her for as long as she drew air into her lungs. He was her lifeline in a sea of uncertainty.
When she made no move toward the bed, he bent, scooped her up in his arms, carried her across the room and laid her on the mattress.
She clung to him, her arms wrapped around his neck. “I can’t let go. Please, don’t make me.”
He chuckled. “Okay, then. But let me lie down beside you.”
She scooted over, making room for his big body on the bed.
He laid down and gathered her again in his arms. “You know you’re safe here in Hank’s house.”
She nodded. “My brain tells me I’m safe, but my heart…not so much.”
“I’ll stay as long as you need me,” he reassured her.
“And if that’s all night?” she whispered.
He sighed. “If it’s all night, I’ll be here.” Sam brushed a strand of her damp hair behind her ear. “Just know, it’ll be a struggle.”
She frowned. “I’m sorry. If you don’t want to, you don’t have to stay.”
He snorted. “That’s just the problem. I want to…too much.” He kissed the tip of her nose and frowned. “Sorry. I said I wouldn’t initiate a kiss again, and yet, I did.”
“Don’t,” she said, touching a finger to his lips.
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t be sorry.” She cupped his cheek in her palm and pressed her mouth to his. “I want you to kiss me,” she said against his lips. “I want you to hold me. But not because I want you to.” She brushed her thumb across his lip. “Because you want to.”
“Oh, baby, I want to hold you. I want to do more than hold you. But after what you’ve been through, I won’t go beyond holding you. Not until we see this through and get you the medical attention you need.”
She nodded, her heart swelling in her chest. “One good thing about all this is that I got to meet you.” Reggie snuggled into his side and laid a hand across his chest. “I’ll sleep for now, but tomorrow…we’re ending this chase.”
Sam laid a hand over hers. “Damn right, we are.”
Though her pulse raced, and she wasn’t in the least bit sleepy, she lay still next to him, knowing she could get up and leave whenever she wanted. Because she could leave, and Sam wouldn’t stop her, Reggie had no desire to move. Her desire grew for this man, giving her hope that the abuse she’d suffered wouldn’t affect her attitude toward her future sexuality.
Unfortunately, the women she’d wanted to help were being forced to spend another night with an insane man. She’d hoped that by escaping, she could get back to them with the help they needed to be free of the Master.
Hang in there, she prayed. Help is coming.
Eventually, her heartbeat slowed, and exhaustion claimed her. With Sam’s arms wrapped around her, her ear pressed to his chest and the steady beat of his heart marking time, Reggie drifted into a troubled sleep.
She woke in a dark cell, the scent of damp earth and urine filling her senses. She felt her way around the walls until she came to the door. It had no handle on the inside. Only someone on the outside could open it. Reggie tried digging her fingers into the gap between the door and the doorframe, but the fit was too tight. Back around the room she moved, feeling for something, anything she could use to pry the door open. All she found was a thin blanket and a tin cup.
Sounds of someone sobbing drifted in beneath the door. Heart wrenching wails echoed down the hallway beyond the door, adding pressure to the weight of hopelessness on her chest.
“We’ll never get out,” a voice called. “We’ll die here.”
“No,” Reggie said. “Help is on the way. Someone will come.”
“It’ll be too late,” another female voice cried. “Too late.”
&nb
sp; No. It couldn’t be. Sam and Hank would send help. They would get them out.
“They won’t find us in time.”
“Yes, they will.” Reggie argued. “They’re coming.”
Footsteps sounded on the stairs leading down into the dark, dank cellar. The crackle of the cattle prod sent a flash of fear through Reggie’s body.
“He’s coming for you,” a voice called out. “He’s angry that you got away.”
Reggie backed away from the door until she felt the cool damp wall of her cell against her naked back.
The footsteps stopped.
Her breath lodged in her lungs.
The door swung open, and a large man in a ski mask stood silhouetted against the dull yellow lantern hung on the wall behind him.
Reggie screamed.
Chapter 13
“Hey, Reggie.” Sam sat up and smoothed a lock of strawberry-blond hair away from her forehead. “Sweetheart, wake up. You’re having a bad dream.”
She tossed her head back and forth on the pillow. “No…please…no,” she cried, tears slipping down her cheeks.
Sam’s heart constricted. He didn’t like seeing her in pain. If he could, he’d take it all away from her. “Reggie,” Sam said, more insistently. “Wake up. It’s just a dream.”
Her eyes popped open, and a whoosh of air left her lungs. “Sam? Dear Jesus. Sam!” She flung her arms around his neck and pressed her face against his bare chest. “I didn’t think you’d get to us in time. He was there.” Her words drowned in sobs. “He’d come to get me.”
“Sweetheart, it was only a dream.” He leaned against the headboard, holding her in his arms, his hand sliding up and down her back. “Just a dream.”
“It was so real. The voices. The smell… Him.” Her body shook.
Sam knew exactly what she was talking about. He still had dreams of battles where he’d lost friends. In his dreams, he could still smell the dust, hear the cries of his teammates and taste the blood. “I know, baby. I know just how real it feels. But you’re not in that cellar. You’re here in Hank’s house, with me.”
Her hand on his chest clenched and unclenched, finally smoothing over his skin. Reggie drew in a ragged breath and tilted her head up to look into his face. “Thank you,” she said.
“For what?” He chuckled and pressed his lips to her forehead for a brief kiss. “I didn’t do anything.”
“You found me on the river. And you came in time to save me from my dream.”
“Agreed, I was on the river at the exact right moment to find you. But I’ve been here all night. You just had to come back from your dream. I didn’t save you then.”
She snuggled closer, still staring up at him. “I’m afraid to close my eyes again. He’s waiting for me. I can feel it.”
“Then stay awake with me. We can talk or play cards.”
She shook her head. “You shouldn’t have to give up your sleep for me. I’ll be okay. Please, go back to sleep.” She started to pull away.
Sam tightened his hold, ever so gently. “I’m awake. I wasn’t sleeping very well anyway.”
She seemed reluctant to move any further away.
Sam was glad. He liked holding her. But that short pink nightgown was doing crazy things to him. The longer she pressed her scantily-clad body up against his, the tighter his groin grew. He’d be in physical pain before long.
“Why were you awake?” she asked, her head resting on his shoulder.
“I couldn’t sleep. There was a beautiful woman in my arms, keeping me awake and aware.” He smiled down at her. “I told you it would be a difficult night for me, but I’m here for you.”
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“Don’t be. You didn’t ask to have a man kidnap you. It’s not your fault you’re having nightmares because of what he did to you.” He brushed his lips across her forehead. “I’m glad I could be here to help.”
Her eyes narrowed, and her lips twisted. “Were you this kind as a Navy SEAL?”
Sam stiffened. “Only to my teammates, women, children and dogs.”
“Do you have nightmares about the battles you fought?”
“All the time,” he answered, his words barely a whisper.
She snorted. “Aren’t we a pair. I’m a wreck, and you’re kind of broken, too.”
This time, he gave her a lopsided smile. “That’s why we work well together.” Settling back against the padded headboard, he sighed. “What do you want to do until daylight? Talk, sing, play cards? Although, I have to warn you, I can’t carry a tune. My friends liken my singing voice to the braying of a donkey.”
Reggie chuckled. “We can sleep,” she suggested. “I think I can close my eyes now without seeing him.”
“Are you sure?” Sam asked.
She nodded.
“Give it a try. I’ll stay awake in case you slip back into that dream.”
She nodded, took a deep breath and closed her eyes. For a moment, there was silence. “See?” she said. “No bad guys. No bad dreams.” She slipped lower into the sheets, her nightgown riding up her thigh to expose a shapely hip covered in lacy pink panties.
Sam swallowed a groan and pulled the sheet and quilt up over her and him to hide the evidence of his growing desire. He slid lower in the bed and held her close until her breathing deepened, and she slept.
Sleep for Sam didn’t come. He wanted to hold Reggie so much closer but knew he couldn’t. Only time and patience would see her through the damage that bastard had done to her. To get his mind off the beautiful woman in his arms, his thoughts turned to what they had to do when the sun rose, and they could get out to the river and backtrack to the house Reggie had escaped. He hoped they weren’t too late to help the women trapped beneath it. He figured freeing the others would go a long way toward helping Reggie recover from her own memories and lingering demons. They had to find them soon.
Sam curled his hands into fists.
They would.
He must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he knew, sunlight was pushing through the slits of his eyelids, urging him to rise.
Reggie lay with her head tucked into the crook between his shoulder and chest, sleeping soundly. The color had returned to her face, and the dark shadows had faded significantly.
Her eyelashes fluttered. She opened her eyes and stretched, her hand encountering his body.
“Hey,” he said. “You seem to have slept pretty good.”
She nodded and smiled up at him. “I did. No dreams that I can remember.”
“That’s a step in the right direction.”
“Yes, it is. I’m ready to start this day and make it count.” She sat up, remembered she was wearing a tiny pink nightgown and blushed. Her hands went to the sheet, and then paused. “I guess it’s a little late to cover up, considering I slept with you all night.”
“You do what makes you comfortable.” He laced his hands behind his neck and winked. “You can think of me as furniture.”
“You’re anything but furniture, Sam Franklin.” She settled back down beside him and slipped her hand over his chest. “Why didn’t I meet you before…?”
“You didn’t need me then,” he answered. “And it’s likely you won’t need me after we wrap up this case.” He lifted her hand and kissed the tips of her fingers. “Did you ever consider that? I mean, we barely know each other.”
“I know enough about you to know I like you.” Reggie frowned, her gaze on the hand he held in his. “Is it that I’m just a case to you? An assignment?” Her frown deepened as she gazed up into his eyes.
“No. Actually, how I feel is far from thinking of you as an assignment. I’m afraid I’m failing at my first job as a Brotherhood Protector.”
“How so?”
His jaw hardened, and he looked at the window in front of him. “First, we haven’t found the bastard who hurt you.” When he glanced back down at her, his face and voice softened. “Second, I’m pretty sure that I’m not supposed to fall for my client.
”
Her cheeks reddened, and she swept her tongue across her lips. “And are you?”
“Going to find the bastard?” He nodded, purposely answering the wrong question. “You’re damn right we are.”
He liked it when the color in her cheeks deepened. “No,” she said. “I meant are you falling for your client?”
He tilted his head as if considering her question. “Hmm. I’m lying in bed with her. She’s beautiful. And I haven’t tried to make love to her when my entire body and soul is begging me to.” He nodded. “Yeah. I’d say I’m in grave danger of falling for her.” He sat up and brought her to a sitting position with him. “You, or at least the idea of what we could be together, is the primary reason I left the military. I want a life. A wife. A passel of children and a place to call home.” He gathered her hands in his. “I know it’s too soon to hit you with all that, but that’s what went through my head all night long while I held my client in my arms, watching her battle nightmares and PTSD.”
She stared at their hands. “What if I’m not ready for all that?”
“I wouldn’t expect you to be ready. Like a physical wound, the emotional wounds take time to heal. Sometimes, those take more time than the physical ones.” He lifted her hands to his lips. “When I know what I want, I’m a very patient man. And I’m persistent. But don’t let me scare you. You might not want what I want. It’s my job to show you what a great guy I am. And if that doesn’t work, no worries. I’ll come up with another plan.” He winked. “Now, let’s get this day started. We have some women to free and a lunatic to catch and put away for the rest of his life.”
Reggie snorted. “You make it sound like it’s all by the numbers,” she said swinging her legs over the side of the bed, a smile pulling at her lips. “Find the bad guy. Rescue the women. Put the bad guy away.” She stood and clapped her hands together. “And done.” Her smile faded. “God, I hope you’re right. I hope we find him and bring him in without anyone else being hurt.”
