“You saved my life.” She tipped her head back and met his gaze. Her eyes were wet with tears. Mascara ran down her face. She’d never looked more beautiful in his eyes. She was alive.
He shrugged. “I’m kinda fond of you.”
She almost smiled. “Thank God.”
“Let’s get down from these stairs. I don’t want you to fall.”
“Okay.”
It took some effort, but she managed to descend on wobbly legs, hands on both railings, Mack guiding her with a hand at her lower back.
When they hit the ground, Bex came running forward. She slammed herself into her friend and hugged her tightly. “You scared the shit out of me.”
“Sorry.”
Bex rolled her eyes and glanced at Mack. “She’s sorry.”
He shrugged. “She’s a pleaser.”
It was going to be a long day, but he wished they could get through the red tape so he could get her home.
The lieutenant approached. “You failed to mention you knew the hostage.”
Mack met his gaze. “Didn’t figure you’d let me anywhere near if I told you that.”
“You would have been right.” He lifted a hand.
Mack shook it.
“Good work.”
Christa’s legs were wobbly, and she swayed into Mack’s side. “I need to sit.”
Tank and Sweets suddenly appeared out of the crowd.
“’Bout time you guys showed up,” Mack joked.
“Been here the entire time. Who do you think was communicating with Hatch?” Tank lifted a brow.
Mack rolled his eyes. “Should have known.” He glanced down at Christa. “Let’s get you inside.”
Chapter 29
Christa was beyond exhausted by the time Mack pulled up to his house. She had climbed into the back of his SUV and curled into a ball on the seat. It hadn’t been safe, but she hadn’t cared. She hadn’t been able to stop shaking.
Mack parked in the garage and opened the back door. He brushed the hair back from her forehead and leaned down. “I’m gonna lift you up, baby, okay?”
She nodded. She’d been aware of him parking. She just hadn’t cared.
He cradled her in his arms and carried her inside. He didn’t even hesitate at the guest bedroom. Instead, he carried her straight through to the master bedroom and then into the bathroom.
Without a word, he set her on his knee and leaned over to fill the bathtub.
She groaned, leaning her head against his shoulder. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this tired in my life, but the thought of a bath seems more important than sleep.”
He smiled at her. “Food, too. I’m going to make you something to eat while you soak.” He put the stopper in the bottom of the tub and lifted her to her feet, meeting her gaze. “Can you manage yourself while I go fix you some food?”
She nodded. “Yeah, but I don’t think I could eat. How about a protein shake? You still have some of that vanilla powder?”
“Yep. I’ll get it.” He rose, cupped her face, hesitating as if he had something else to say. Finally, he left, closing the door without speaking.
She stripped out of her uniform and dropped the clothes in a pile on the floor. As she lowered into the tub, she spotted a bottle of bubble bath in the corner and smiled. He must have purchased it at some point after she’d moved out.
After adding a capful and twisting her hair up into a bun, she leaned back against the far end and sighed.
Seconds later, Mack knocked. “Can I come in?”
“Yes.” She truly didn’t care. Why would it matter if he saw her naked? He had before. It was she who hadn’t seen him naked. She prayed, based on the way he’d been handling her for the last ten hours, that there was still hope for them. She was far too tired to discuss their relationship today, but she had hope.
He handed her the frothy drink. He’d even added a straw. In fact, she was pretty sure he’d blended it with ice. She groaned as she took her first drink. He was right. She needed the sustenance, but the thought of chewing and swallowing didn’t sit well.
He smiled at her. “Can I get you anything else?”
“No. This is perfect. I just need to soak a while. The hot water feels good on my muscles. After the adrenaline rush and being so tight all day, I’m physically crashing.”
“I’m sure.”
She glanced around. “Could I borrow a T-shirt?”
“Of course.” He turned around and left the bathroom only to return moments later with one of his Army T-shirts. He set it on the counter. “I’ll just let you soak then. Yell if you need anything. You won’t fall asleep in there will you?”
She shook her head as she finished the shake. “No. I’ll be fine.”
He drew in a slow breath as she watched and then backed out of the room and shut the door.
Christa closed her eyes. She wasn’t the only one who had been through an ordeal. Mack had been there the entire day. First, he’d managed to diffuse a potentially deadly situation, and then he’d stayed by her side every step of the way as they dealt with the police and the airline.
The four girls had been scared out of their minds, but Christa only saw them for a few minutes after Stone was taken into custody. The girls had asked to see her, to thank her. All five of them had cried while she hugged them. And then Christa had left them in the private room with the counselor who’d been called in while they waited for their parents to come get them from Los Angeles.
All Christa knew was that Stone had lured them into running away, with promises of working in a massage parlor while they started modeling careers. They’d all four known they’d made very poor choices soon after meeting up with Stone, but by then he controlled their every move. They hadn’t even known each other.
Bex had been a hot mess when she finally reunited with Christa. It had taken half the day for Christa to convince Bex she was okay.
Christa was a ball of confusing emotions concerning Mack. He’d come for her. He’d saved her. She was so grateful he’d been there. She also needed about a thousand answers she wasn’t going to get until after she’d slept.
It was late afternoon, but she needed to get out of this tub and sleep before she drowned. She moaned as she released the water and climbed out. Her body ached. There would be bruising around her neck. She tried not to dwell on that part while she dried off and pulled the T-shirt over her head. She didn’t care that she was naked under it.
When she entered the bedroom, Mack was sitting on the edge of the bed, the bedside lamp providing the only light. He jumped up. “I closed the shutters.” He pointed toward them. “Will it be dark enough for you?”
“Yes. It’s perfect. Those are amazing. I meant to tell you that when I, uh, slept in here.” Her voice trailed off.
He pulled back the top sheet and comforter. “Climb in.”
Apparently, he intended for her to sleep in his bed. She was good with that, and she followed his directions, sighing as she curled onto her side.
He sat next to her, setting a hand on her hip. “I’ll let you sleep.”
She swallowed and looked up at him. “Would you mind staying a while? Just until I fall asleep?”
He smiled. “Of course.” He kicked off his shoes, turned off the light, and climbed over her, spooning her from behind, except he was on top of the covers. He brushed her hair from her cheek as he often did and settled against her. “Rest, baby.”
She drew in several long, deep breaths, letting them out slowly. In minutes, she fell asleep.
Chapter 30
Christa blinked awake to the scent of coffee. For a moment she was disoriented, and then she realized where she was and the previous day flooded back to her. She glanced at the clock on Mack’s nightstand. It was six in the morning. She’d slept more than twelve hours. She couldn’t remember when she’d ever slept that long.
The bed was cool next to her, which meant Mack had been up for a while. Not surprising. She wondered if he’d come and gone
a few times. Surely he hadn’t fallen asleep so early last night and been dead to the world with her.
Christa slid from the bed, used the bathroom, and let her hair out of the messy bun. It fell down her back in a tangle of blond strands. She left it that way and tugged the T-shirt down enough to look at her neck. The only evidence she’d been nearly strangled yesterday was some slight bruising along her jaw. Not too bad. She padded from the room in search of Mack and hopefully coffee.
When she stepped into the hallway, she hesitated and drew in a deep breath, the scent of bacon joining the coffee. Someone was cooking. The last time she’d woken up in Mack’s bed and gone in search of him, she’d found his crazy neighbor cooking in the kitchen instead. Surely that woman wouldn’t be in the house this morning. Christa had to believe that.
She didn’t even realize she’d been holding her breath until she let it out when she stepped into the kitchen and found Mack at the stove. She cleared her throat as she approached.
He turned around and smiled at her. “Made you coffee. Hope I didn’t wake you.” He pointed at the glass on the counter.
She groaned as she snatched it and took a long drink. “Thank you. No, you didn’t wake me. Maybe the scent of coffee did, but I’m not sure how I could sleep longer. I don’t think I’ve ever slept that long or that hard in my life.”
He nodded. “You needed it. Your mind and body crashed.”
“Didn’t yours?”
He shrugged. “On the one hand, I want to say no. I’ve been through dozens of situations worse than that one yesterday. However…” He flipped the bacon and glanced at her, “…the hostage I was rescuing has never been someone I knew. Someone who…matters to me.”
She took another slow drink of the iced coffee, so perfectly made for her by this man who definitely cared. “Thank you. For everything. I was kinda shocked when I spotted you walking out of the crowd yesterday. You must have hauled ass to get there.”
“I did.” He grinned. “Can’t even remember it. I was fucking worried.”
She nodded. “Well, I appreciate it.”
“Sit.” He pointed at a bar stool. “I’m making you a huge breakfast. You need real food.”
She tucked his T-shirt under her butt as she did his bidding, grateful for the pampering. After a few moments, she spoke into the silence. “We need to talk, Mack.”
He twisted his body around. “I know. And we will. After we eat. You’re not the only one starving. I never did eat last night.”
The silence reigned as Mack made good on his promise of a huge breakfast and served them both. They ate in silence, too. By the time Christa took the first bite, she realized she was indeed starving and easily polished off everything.
After Mack deposited their dishes in the sink, he took her hand and helped her hop down from the stool. “Let’s go into the living room.”
She followed him, though he was still holding her hand. When they reached the sectional, she lowered onto one end, dropped his hand, and curled her legs up under her.
He sat next to her, turning his body to face her. He was wearing worn jeans that looked amazing on him and a T-shirt. No shoes or socks. Sexy. He leaned his elbow on the back of the couch and set his chin on his palm. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay.”
“About yesterday, I mean? You should probably make an appointment with that counselor they recommended. Soon.”
She nodded. “I will. I don’t have a choice. I can’t go back to work until I’m cleared.”
“Right. Good. That makes sense.”
She chuckled. “What? The Army didn’t make you go through a round of counseling in between hostage situations before you could return to combat?”
He returned the laugh. “Uh, no. But I went through rigid training, physical and emotional, before I ever landed in a situation like that. I was prepared. I guess you could say I got my counseling ahead of time.”
“Makes sense.” She glanced down and played with the hem of her T-shirt, uncertain what to say next.
“I know we have a lot of stuff to hash out, but it feels weird doing it after what you just went through.”
“I know.” She lifted her gaze. “But I’m okay, really. And the only way to eliminate the awkward is to get it all out there.”
He nodded slowly, holding her gaze. “I wanted to call you. Thought about it several times in the last couple weeks, but I thought it would be better if I let you have some time.”
“Yeah. I probably wouldn’t have answered your call.” She winced.
He swiped a hand down his face. “I deserve that.”
She couldn’t resist tackling the elephant in the room first thing and glanced in the direction of Tina’s house before facing him again. “What happened to your personal assistant slash cook slash plant waterer?”
He cringed. “I deserve that, too. She won’t be coming over anymore. We’ve had a few come-to-Jesus confrontations. I think I finally convinced her there never was and never will be anything between us, and informed her that her behavior ruined any possibility of a friendship, too. I changed the locks and the garage code and warned her that if she ever came over unannounced again or harassed any of my guests, I would call her parents and tell them everything.”
Christa cringed. “Yikes. Where did you find your spine?” She was impressed with her ability to ensure he understood how badly he’d hurt her.
He grinned. “It was in the back of the closet. I dug it out, stuffed it in my back through the hole at the base of my skull, and took care of business. I promise.” He reached out and grabbed her hand. “In a million years, I would never be able to apologize enough for being so damn blind to Tina’s shitshow. I’ve heard about everything she did to you.”
Christa sighed and flipped her hand over in his, enjoying the feel of his warm skin against hers. His touch was welcome. It grounded her. “I have to take some of the blame for everything.” She lifted her gaze to meet his. “I should have told you about my encounters with Tina instead of keeping them to myself.”
He shook his head. “I thought about that, but I obviously wasn’t open to hearing anything negative about her, which I’m sure you figured out, and that was why you didn’t want to rock the boat with me.”
“Yeah. But that’s no excuse. I still shouldn’t have let it escalate. I just kept hoping you would figure it out on your own without my help.”
“And the exact moment when I should have, I turned on you instead of her.” He closed his eyes. “Not my finest hour.”
“Not mine, either. It’s not like me to go full crazy woman on someone.”
“And that’s what I should have realized instead of accusing you. You’re far too kind to intentionally hurt anyone. It had to be very bad for you to snap. I knew that, and yet, I couldn’t see it.”
Christa frowned as another thought came to mind. “I don’t understand how you managed to date anyone before me. Didn’t Tina chase all of them off? I mean, her behavior toward me wasn’t personal. She didn’t want you dating anyone. She made that extremely clear on more than one occasion.”
Mack frowned, his brows drawn together. “She mentioned me having other women here?”
“I guess it was more or less implied. As if you picked me up at a bar and then disappeared the next morning to give me a chance to leave without embarrassing myself. She was burning up with anger thinking you’d slept with me.”
He cringed and shook his head. “I’ve never brought another woman here. You’re the first.”
Christa’s eyes went wide. “Never?”
“Well, I’m not counting high school of course. After all, I was raised in this house, but not in the past year since I moved back into the house alone.”
“Oh.” That was big, and it meant a lot. Several seconds went by. She was pretty sure he was waiting for her to say something else. She needed to make sure he understood how this entire thing had affected her. “I want to walk away from you and never look back,” she b
egan. “You hurt me. It still stings.” Even after everything they’d gone through yesterday, she needed to set those emotions aside and deal with their relationship as if they hadn’t gone through a traumatic experience together. This was important. This was the conversation she’d meant to have with him last night if only she hadn’t been taken hostage instead.
He nodded. “I know I hurt you, baby.” He stroked her hand.
“But I can’t get you out of my mind. I miss you.” She had to work hard not to let herself get choked up and start crying. “We have a connection. I miss that.” Her voice was softer now. “You’re the first man I’ve dated who I felt like really got me, and that’s saying something since you missed all the signs that your neighbor was playing house with you and you kept some sort of weird secret from me the entire time we were together.”
He licked his lips and drew in a breath. “You’re right, and you deserve to know. I do have a secret. I spent the entire time we were dating going back and forth in my mind trying to decide if I should tell you or bury my secret forever and never let it out.”
She gasped, stiffening. “Seriously? That’s messed up, Mack. Why would you do that? How bad can it be? Unless you’re married…” She jerked her hand out of his grasp and jumped up from the couch. This idea had never occurred to her. “You are, aren’t you? You’re fucking married or something. Wait.” She shook her head as she backed up. Her mind wandered in ridiculous directions. “You have a kid, don’t you?”
He stood also, a strange smile forming on his lips. “No. My God, no. I’m not married. I’ve never been married. I don’t have a kid. I haven’t even had a serious relationship for several years.”
She drew in a breath and let it out. “Okay. Good. Then what the hell is it?”
Mack ran a hand over his head and closed the distance between them to only a few feet. He met her gaze. “I’m a Dominant.”
She stared at him, trying to process his words. “Like BDSM? That kind of Dominant?”
He nodded and then rushed to continue. “I knew you were too innocent for someone like me from the very beginning. I don’t know why I asked Hatch to set us up. I just couldn’t help myself. You were so damn cute, and I was turned on by your shyness and innocence. And then that first night we went out, I knew I was in over my head. I really fell for you right off the bat.”
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