“Maggie.” He fought to keep his voice even. “Time is short. You know that, right? If we can save two or three days and the whole back-and-forth with couriers and e-mail comments, don’t you think we should do that?”
She narrowed her eyes. Lord, I hate it when he’s reasonable. “I guess so.”
“OK,” he said, relieved. “So, I’ll drop by your studio on Friday morning. Does nine o’clock work for you?”
She shrugged. “Sure.” She turned to go.
“Wait. Maggie, wait. Please.”
“What?”
Joe struggled with his words. “Don’t you think – maybe we should – since we’re working together now, do you want to clear the air? Between us?”
Maggie crossed her arms. “I have nothing to say to you, except send me my damn money and I’ll see you on Friday at nine o’clock. If you have anything non-professional to get off your chest, go ahead.”
“Uh. OK.”
She stared up at him calmly.
“I – I just… oh, God, Maggie. I wanted to say I’m sorry. To finally apologize to you for what happened… that night.”
He dared to look at her. Her face was still and almost disinterested. There wasn’t even a hint of anger on it.
“I – what I did to you, the things I said to you, it was all unforgivable. I know that.” Joe took a deep breath. “You were – you were right to walk out on me. To break it off.”
Silence.
“But I’m different now, I swear it… I’d never treat anyone that way, not ever again. I was a fucking spoiled brat. An arrogant asshole. A womanizing dickhead.”
“And now you’re not?”
“No.” He shook his head. “Now I’m not. I’m – I’ve learned a lot in the past couple of years. I’ve been knocked around a bit by life, and I’m – I’m not the same man.”
“And you’re telling me this… why?”
“Because I know you hate me, and that’s fair enough. But we’re going to be spending lots of time together over the next few months and I was thinking, can we at least try to get along, get to know each other again? Maybe even be friends?”
“No.”
He paused. “Just – no?”
“Just no.” She turned again. “So, send me my damn money and I’ll see you on Friday at nine o’clock. Take care.”
She swept out of the restaurant, fighting to keep her anger in check. Friends? Holy fuck, was he serious? Nope, no way. Not ever. He was a commission that was going to save her mother’s life, and for that much, she could be grateful to him. Beyond that, it was all noise and distraction.
And I can’t afford noise or distraction. I need to meet every single term of my contract, hit every single deadline, get my full fee. One slip-up, and he gets to withhold ten percent right off the top. And don’t kid yourself, girl, he’d withhold it in a heartbeat and with a smile on that gorgeous face. I can’t relax. Not for one minute.
Maggie jumped on the light rail to the hospital. She needed to sign the final financial agreement, and then she had to get her ass to the studio and start sketching. She had lots of work to do, and her Mom’s surgery was scheduled for first thing the next morning.
I’ll stay up and work all night, so I can be there all day tomorrow.
Maggie closed her eyes, gathered her strength.
I can do this. I can do all of this.
Chapter Four
Mitchell Corrigan sat straight up in bed, startled awake by a shrill scream. He turned, heart pounding, to look at Reena.
Oh, Christ, no. Another nightmare.
He reached out to her, gently touched her shoulder. “Reena? Sugar, you awake?”
She jerked away from him, rolled over, her eyes closed tight. Mitch touched her shaking back, stroked her long blonde hair.
“Reena?”
She woke up with a gasp, and looked around the room wildly. When she saw Mitch, she pulled back for a second until she heard his voice.
“Baby, it’s me. It’s me… you’re OK.”
“Mitch…”
“Yeah.” He held out his massive arms. “Come here.”
Reena moved in to his embrace, needing his heat and strength. She closed her eyes and tried to relax on Mitch’s chest. She had known the nightmares would be back, but she hadn’t expected them to be so frequent. Simon ambushing her in her dreams was just one more violation the man was going to inflict on her, and that made her feel both helpless and furious.
She held on to Mitch, tried to calm down. “I’m OK, babe.”
He eased her away from him to see her eyes. “Yeah?”
“Uh-huh.” She gave him a tight smile. “It wasn’t so bad this time.”
“You screamed, Reena.” Mitch kept his rough voice gentle, trying to not upset her more. “It must have been bad enough.”
She dropped those gorgeous blue eyes.
“Sugar, you don’t need to pretend with me.” He touched her cheek. “Don’t put on a show, or play tough. You don’t have to…I’m never going to think you’re anything less than fucking amazing, OK?”
“I know,” she said, letting the tears come now. “Hold me, Mitch…please.”
“No problem,” he said as he pulled her close and tight. “I just want you to feel safe.”
“I do,” she whispered. “With you, I do.”
They stayed like that for a few minutes, Reena’s small body slowly loosening against Mitch’s muscular frame. He cradled her, kissing her forehead, waiting for her to calm down.
“I just want this to be over,” she said finally. “It’s going to be horrible, I know, but then it’ll end. One way or the other.”
Mitch nodded, but he was incredibly worried. He actually didn’t think that Reena fully understood just how horrible the trial was going to be. He’d tried to prepare her, and the D.A. Charlotte Graves had also made a real and honest effort to tell Reena just how bad it was going to be for her on the stand, but Reena didn’t seem to get it yet.
She kept insisting that she had no skeletons in her closet, and nothing in her sexual history to shame her with… the woman had never even had a one-night-stand, as it turned out, and she was in a loving and committed relationship now. But Mitch and Charlotte both knew too damn well that Simon Yates’ platoon of defense attorneys was going to plant seeds of doubt about Reena’s credibility, her sexual history, her whole life and every choice she’d ever made. The truth about Reena wasn’t going to matter, in the end, if they dropped enough ugly innuendo.
Oh, Charlotte would object, of course, and the jury would be instructed to disregard what they had just heard. But it wasn’t that simple, Mitch knew. If Yates’ lawyers threw enough mud, something was bound to stick. And it made Mitch furious to the point of rage that it was going to stick to Reena. To one of the victims, and the person with enough fucking guts to force Yates to account for his actions, for what was probably the first time in his whole life.
Mitch gazed down at her now, loving her curves pressed up tight against him. He stroked her back, and she returned his heated stare.
“Mitch?”
“Yeah, sugar?”
“Will you kiss me?”
“Always, Reena.” He took her mouth, gentle and slow. “Always.”
She raised her arms, wrapped them around his broad shoulders, pulling him down on top of her. And just like that, their sweet desire flared and rose to a burning, yearning blaze. Their kisses became hot and hard, and Mitch ran his large hands down her trembling body.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked. “After the nightmare?”
“I’m sure.” She tugged down his boxers and took him between her hands, stroking him, teasing him. “Make me feel good, Mitch. Make me forget. Just for a little while, OK?”
“OK,” he murmured against her mouth, lifting her t-shirt over h
er head.
Reena was naked underneath it, and his hands skimmed down her stomach, dipped between her thighs. She gasped and opened her legs to his touch, and her heat rushed at him, so strong and immediate, it was like a wave. Mitch found her taut little bud and rolled it under his thumb, holding her close as her whole body arched and stiffened with pleasure.
“Turn over,” he whispered. “I’m going to take you from behind. I’m going to go deep and make you come hard.”
She gasped again as he flipped her unresisting body. She raised herself on her knees, pushing her elbows in to the bed. She heard the crinkle of foil as he opened the condom, and she waited, breathless, for him to enter her.
Oh, please, Mitch… hurry.
It was like he’d heard her silent plea because he lifted her gently, resting her body against his. She felt his strong, steady heartbeat at her back, and she leaned in to him, loving knowing that he was right there, knowing that Mitch was always right there. He was never going to leave her back unprotected, and he’d never let her fall.
Mitch spread her knees with his own, guided the tip of his cock to her wet folds. His other hand gripped her hip, holding her in place, and she closed her eyes as he slid inside her body. He thrust hard, taking her whole, and she let her head fall back and rest against his broad chest.
“Baby,” he said softly. “You’re going to forget. I promise you.”
“I love you,” Reena said, already starting to come undone. “I love you so much.”
Mitch slipped his hand between her legs now, stroking her clit as he started to make love to her, deep and slow. He lowered his mouth to her shoulder, gave her a small nip. Reena cried out and he licked the red spot, soothing it.
“Reena,” he said. “I love you… and I love to see you come. Let it all go – let me feel you come on me.”
She reached behind her and gripped the back of Mitch’s thighs as he started to move in and out of her. She pushed him in to her body, pushed him harder and deeper, and they both started to moan. He circled her bundle of nerves faster, and she gasped, the pleasure shooting through her body like sparks of electricity.
Mitch wrapped his arm around her waist now, holding her still as he started to speed up. His thrusts got wilder, his thumb on her clit got more demanding, as Reena called his name over and over, louder and harsher as her climax rushed to meet her. He drove in to her, crazed with the need to come, and when she clenched on him, pulsing and pulling, he erupted with a loud groan.
Reena’s whole body went limp, and it was only Mitch’s arm around her waist that held her up. She trembled in the aftermath of orgasm, little aftershocks rolling through her, and he gave her clit one final teasing stroke before wrapping both arms around her, cocooning her in his body. She shuddered, let her head fall forward, her hair covering her face.
Still nestled inside her, he mouthed kisses across her upper back and heaving shoulders, and she smiled.
“Mitch…”
“Yeah?” he asked.
“You’re incredible.”
He laughed and she turned a bit to look at him, loving the warmth she saw in his dark green eyes. “Oh, Reena. I think that about you every single day.” Gently, he lowered her to her stomach and he followed her down, taking most of his weight on his large forearms as he rested on her. He kissed the back of her neck. “I’m not too heavy?”
“No,” she said. “Stay inside me for as long as you can… it feels so good.”
“For me too.”
They lay there for a few minutes, just breathing and kissing, and when Mitch finally pulled out, they both sighed. He went to the bathroom and returned with a wash cloth. He tenderly cleaned her, and she felt drowsiness start to come over her again at the heat and comfort of his touch.
Mitch curled up at her back, his arm around her waist, and waited for Reena to relax back in to sleep. It didn’t take long for her to drop off, and he closed his eyes when he was sure she was out. She slept well and deeply, and there were no more dreams that night.
**
The next morning, Maggie sat in the hospital waiting room, totally absorbed in her sketches. As much as she loved getting her hands dirty and getting down to sculpting, she always enjoyed drawing her vision first. There was something magical about putting pencil to paper and watching what was so vivid and strong in her imagination take physical shape. Those pencil strokes were amazing, beautiful. Powerful.
She worked steadily, not thinking about what was happening in the operating room two floors down. Her Mom was in the best hands, and Maggie’s sole job was to wait. So she did.
Her cell phone buzzed and she glanced at it. When she saw that it was Mia, she put down the pad and left the room. The hospital had a small kitchen for family and friends of patients; it boasted indifferent coffee and stale cookies, but she’d found some comfort in those things just that morning. It was empty, so she ducked in there for a bit of privacy.
“Hi, Mia.”
“How’s it going, Maggie?”
“I haven’t heard anything yet. I’m just hanging out, waiting to hear that she’s out of surgery.”
“I wish you’d have let me come and sit with you.”
“No,” Maggie said gently. “I actually really do have to work, and if you were here, I’d be distracted. You never shut up, you know.”
Mia laughed. “So, I see you’re fine. Insulting me is a good sign.”
“Yep. I’m good.”
“Right. You want me to drop by later? I have to do a few interviews for a magazine article I’m working on, and I’ll be not too far from the hospital.”
“Yeah, I'd love some company. What time?”
“Not sure. Four-ish? You’ll still be there?”
“Oh, for sure. I’ll stay with Mom until they kick me out tonight, and I’ll be back first thing tomorrow morning.”
“Should I bring you something to eat? Maybe some pasta and salad? I can’t imagine the cafeteria food is particularly awesome.”
“God, Mia, that would be great. I haven’t really eaten today, and the choice downstairs is dismal. I’ll grab a sandwich is an hour or so, I guess.”
“OK, sweetie. Hang in there. See you soon.”
When Maggie returned to the waiting room, she saw Doctor Langston standing there.
“It’s all done, Maggie.”
“Oh, God.” Maggie took a deep breath and sent up a quick wish to whoever might be listening. “How is she?”
“Good. No problems at all, so once she’s recovered a bit, we’ll move her to the transplant ICU, maybe in about an hour or so. OK? And we watch her.” Carrie Langston smiled at Maggie. “You’ve familiarized yourself with all the protocols for visitors?”
“Yes. I wash my hands, wear a face mask, learn how to check her temperature and handle her medications.”
“Right. And we’ll monitor her vitals. If she needs dialysis, we’ll deal with that. If she starts to reject the kidney, we’ll know and start to take steps to prevent that, if we can. The next two days are crucial, alright? If all goes well, we’ll discharge her anywhere from five to ten days from now.”
“I know.” Maggie bit her lip. “I hope it’ll all be OK.”
“Me too. So, just wait here just a bit longer, and I’ll have someone come and get you when Rita’s in the transplant ICU ward.”
“Thanks.”
Carrie glanced at the sketch pad on the chair. “You drew those?”
“Yeah.”
“What are they? Dancing women?”
“Apsaras. Female spirits from Hindu and Buddhist mythology, usually associated with water and air – with clouds, mostly.”
“Wow.” Carrie stared at the drawings. “They’re beautiful.”
Maggie blushed. “Thanks. They’re for that big commission I told you about.”
“Oh, right.” Carr
ie cocked her head. “If it’s none of my business, tell me to butt out – but I’m dying to know why you didn’t want to take it.”
Maggie sighed. “It’s for an ex-boyfriend.”
“Ah.” Carrie winced. “Ouch. Bad break-up?”
“You could say that. Two years ago, I caught him in bed with a waitress from his restaurant. Like, caught them. She was on top of him and they were just… uh… finishing.”
“Oh, God, Maggie.”
“Yeah. It was very noisy. That’s probably why they didn’t hear me walk across his gorgeous hardwood floors and up the stairs. I didn’t have a key, but they were in such a rush to get down to it, they’d left the front door unlocked.”
“And what did he say? I mean… what could he say, right?”
“Actually, he had plenty to say. He told me that I had no rights on him, and that we’d just been having a bit of fun, and it was own damn fault for thinking it was more than it was. Then… then he laughed at me.” Maggie’s voice shook. “Even two years later, that’s the part that still hurts the most, you know? He laughed. She did too, like it was all a massive joke, and for them, I suppose it was.”
“Wow.” Carrie stared at her. “And did you see him again?”
“No. I grabbed all my stuff out of the bathroom and the dresser drawers and walked out the door. Never called him again, never went to his restaurant again. And he never called me, or apologized, or anything. Then about a year ago, he started trying to contact me about this commission.” She shrugged. “He’s been unrelenting about it too. He really, really wanted me to do it, and now I’m actually grateful, you know?”
“Yeah. And how’s it going with seeing him again?”
“Fine, so far. But he’s not my priority right now.”
“Does Rita know that this cheating idiot is paying for her transplant?”
“Nope, not yet.” Maggie grinned. “I’ll fill her in when she wakes up and recovers a bit.”
“She’ll be OK with it?”
“Honestly, Carrie? She doesn’t have to be OK with it. She just has to get better. That’s Mom’s whole job right now, and it’s my job to deal with the cheating idiot.”
Fighting History (Fighting For Love Book 4) Page 3
