I get back out of the car. “No, he does not want your services. Remember, we’re taking you somewhere nice? I told you that just a few minutes ago.”
She walks right up to Reed and I flinch as she grabs at his crotch. He moves back just in time to avoid the grasp. “Hey!”
I go take the old woman by the arm. “This is my man. Okay? Now let’s get you in the car and to a place that will be much safer for you.”
I take her to the back seat and once I get her inside I get back into the passenger side and take in a deep breath then cough and gag as I realize the woman smells awful.
Reed looks over at me. “The rental company is going to charge me to clean this thing. You know that, right?”
I nod and smile. “But at least we’ll both know we did a good deed.”
He pulls back out of the dirt driveway and we head for town. “I can’t wait to get out of this damn state.”
“I’m going straight to the police station,” he says as I hear the old lady singing some song in the back seat. “I was told to take you in so they could get you to press charges on Rod and his gang for kidnapping.”
“Reed, do I have to? That will mean a trial and seeing them all and I don’t want that. I just want to go to California. Please, Reed. I’m tired and if I start something here it’ll mean coming back here over and over.”
He gives me a look like it’s not a thing he wants but he nods. “Then tell them you don’t want to press charges. But if Reed makes it to our home somehow, we will press charges. Okay?”
“Okay,” I say and lay my head back on the soft leather. “Tell your mom I’m burning this nightgown and I’ll buy her a new one. This one’s had it.”
“Yeah, I’m not talking to my parents. I don’t know if I ever will again,” he says and I pick my head up and look at him with my jaw dropped.
What the hell happened with them?
Chapter 26
REED
With Arizona far behind us, Jenna and I relax as we sit in a bathtub full of hot water. The trip home went pretty fast and now I’m feeling much better as I have her back in the mansion.
I told her about my parents and their take on the whole Rod thing. She thought we should stop by after we left the police station and talk to them to see if they had changed their opinion at all since he showed his true colors and kidnapped her.
But I just wanted to get her home. I think if their opinions had changed they’d have given me a call.
Her hand runs over my leg as she lies back on me in between my legs. “I’m glad that old lady was taken to the hospital and then to a nursing home. That was very nice of you to pay for all that.”
“Well, she was kind of like your crazy angel in the middle of the desert. It’s the right thing to do. She’ll like the nursing home much better than that shack I bet.” I run my hand through her wet hair and kiss her neck. “I’m so glad you’re back in my arms. I was a fucking wreck when I found you gone.”
“You a wreck,” she says with a light laugh. “Never.”
I run my hands down her arms. “Yes, me. A wreck. Jenna, I still think it would’ve been best to press charges on him.”
“Reed, please. The whole thing is so upsetting. I just want to forget about him and all of it. The things that were going through my mind and what I would have to do if he made it to that room before I could get away are haunting me. I just have to push it all away. I can’t deal with it. I just can’t.” Her body shakes as she shivers.
“Okay. Don’t think any more about it.” I kiss her neck and lie my head back on the cool porcelain.
What she must’ve been getting ready for as she was thinking about what he was going to do to her once he got to her had to be horrible. I can’t imagine. Or I don’t want to, anyway.
I lean up and take some shampoo and wash her hair. I’m going to pamper the hell out of her. She must have been getting ready to get her ass beat for hours and thankfully she got away and I got to her in time that she’s enjoying a nice hot bath instead.
I think Rod needs his ass beat for what he did to her. And for what he was going to do to her again if she hadn’t managed to talk that other girl into helping her escape.
Her hand is shaking as she reaches out to take the glass of wine I poured her. I put my hand in the water to get the suds off. “Let me.” I get the glass instead and put it to her lips.
She takes a drink then says, “Thank you, Reed. Thank you for everything. I don’t think I can ever repay you for all you’ve done for me.”
“Your love is more than enough. And I should be the one thanking you. Thank you for making me the happiest man in the world.”
And then she starts really shaking as I rinse her hair out. “Reed, I was so afraid I would have to have sex with him to get him to trust me. I was so damn afraid. But I was ready to do whatever I had to, to get him to trust me and think I was going to go back to him willingly. That way he’d let me have a bit of freedom and then I could run. Run back to you.”
My heart aches and I hold her tight to me. “Jenna, just put it all out of your mind for now. I’m going to hire a therapist who deals with things just like this to help you. You will never be alone to handle this on your own. I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
She turns in my arms and I see the unshed tears in her pretty eyes. “Reed, what happened to him to make him the way he is?”
“I wish I knew. Rod has always been wired differently. I’m pretty sure he has some kind of disorder. And my parents didn’t help anything with the way they treated him. He should have had some kind of evaluation done when he first started exhibiting that type of behavior.” I kiss her forehead. “Ready to get out of the tub and into bed? I’ll bring dinner up and feed you then we can do whatever you want to. Sleep, watch television, talk, whatever you want to do, Angel.”
She looks up at me and sighs. “Do you know what I really want to do?”
I shake my head. “No.”
“I want you to take me to the bed we will share forever and make love to me.” She moves her hands up my arms and then she takes my face in them and kisses me.
It’s an easy kiss and I can tell she’s gathering strength from our connection. It’s deep and magical and healing.
I run my hands over her back and pull her to me even more. Her mouth leaves mine, and she smiles. “I knew that would make me feel better. So what do you say? Want to take your fiancé to our bed?”
Without uttering a word, I get up and pull her up with me then take her in my arms and get out of the deep jetted tub and wrap her in a fluffy white towel.
She is mine to protect now. And now that I know the extent my brother will go to hurt her, I’ll have to amp up just what all I need to do to protect this woman from him.
Laying her back on our bed, I look down at her and smile. “Ready to let the magic happen?”
“More than ready,” she says with a moan.
Normally, I would think sex was not the right thing to do after an ordeal like she’s had. But we never have just sex. We have amazing chemistry that defies explanation. So I think making love to her will help her.
Her arms open and I go into them. Her lips brush my shoulder as she says, “Make it all go away, Reed, like only you can.”
Her body fades into mine as we connect at our junctures. She and I become one and I send my energy to her to help her get through this. Her breathing is soft as I enter her. Her words come out quiet, “Yes, there it is.”
I move slowly as I stroke her and hold my weight off her body. Her hands move over my pecs then her eyes meet mine. “Press your body to mine, Reed. I need to feel you entirely.”
Skin to skin, I move my body to cover hers. Leaning only a little on one arm to keep some of my weight off her, I move with slow strokes into her soft core.
Her hands run over my back and her lips press against my chest. “Yes, Reed. I love you, Reed.”
“I love you, Jenna. Nothing bad will ever happen to you again. I
swear that to you.”
Her hands move up my arms. “I believe you. I do. I’m safe with you. Always safe.”
“You are safe, Jenna.” I move so slowly that I can feel every last inch of her canal as my cock slides through it.
The vibration of our energy fills me. I have to heal as well. This took something out of me too.
We both have to get through this. We both were afraid of what might happen. And thank God she was left unhurt.
Her legs wrap around me as she moves up to me with a low moan. Softly she makes a purring sound then her lips touch my neck, and she kisses me.
I move to catch her lips with mine and kiss her. Our tongues move around together in lazy circular patterns. Our bodies glide over each other and it’s all very peaceful.
Her chest rises and falls as she takes in a deep breath then I let her mouth go and look down at her. Her blonde hair is fanned out on the pillow, beginning to dry.
“Reed?”
“Um hm.”
“What’s wrong with me?” Her green eyes move back and forth rapidly.
I run my hand over her forehead. “Not a thing.”
“I love this. I love how you and I have this tender way of handling each other. So why did I ever think I liked what Rod did to me? I must have something wrong with me.” A tear falls down her cheek.
I kiss it away. “You were young, Jenna. And I promise that I’ll get you the help you need to understand it all.”
Her red bottom lip goes between her teeth as she bites it. “I hope whoever you get can help me understand myself.”
I kiss her lips then say, “Don’t worry. Just relax.”
She closes her eyes and arches up to me. “Faster.”
As she’s asked I move faster, thrusting into her harder. Making her feel more. Her knees bend to take me in deeper and I groan as I feel her beginning to tremble inside.
“Yes, Reed.”
The way she moans out my name makes my dick jerk. She arches up and wraps her legs around me as her body starts to climb with the orgasm that’s coming. “Reed! Yes!”
I thrust into her as her body shakes with the orgasm. Then I follow along with mine and find myself screaming her name as I do. My cock jerks and spurts inside her squeezing walls.
Our ragged breathing is all I can hear until she whispers, “I love you, Reed. I love you so much.”
I kiss her forehead. “I love you more than you’ll ever know, Jenna.”
Then I roll off her and pull her to lie on my chest. Her heart is still pounding hard in her chest and I can feel it against mine. Her lips touch my chest as her hand runs over my chiseled abs.
“I’m the luckiest girl in the world.”
I rub her shoulder. “And I am the luckiest man in the world.”
“And our life together will be like a fairy tale,” she says then sighs.
“It will. You’re my angel and I’ll always treasure you.” I run my fingers along her backbone.
She shivers with the chill it gave her. “Hold me all night, Reed. Don’t let me go. Okay?”
“I will hold you. Don’t worry. Just sleep. I won’t leave you for a second. I swear it to you.” I kiss the top of her head.
Her heart slows down to a normal rate and her breathing gets deeper and slows too. My heart aches for her.
What she must’ve thought when they busted into that room, waking her up and finding four people there to take her. No clothes on. And I was nowhere in sight.
I should’ve never left her there alone without telling her a thing. And now the burden of that is on my shoulders.
I don’t know how I would’ve ever lived with myself if he’d have gotten to her. It would’ve destroyed me for sure.
Thinking about what might have happened isn’t a thing I usually do. But to know she would’ve been beaten and although she was preparing herself to give her body to Rod, she didn’t want to do it.
And it would’ve been all my fault for leaving her alone in the first place.
From now on I’m keeping her right by my side. Until I figure out how to get Rod permanently out of the picture.
And hopefully without taking his life. I’m not a murderer. But if he had managed to get to her and hurt her I think I could have easily killed him. Brother or not. I don’t think I’d have been able to stop myself.
Thankfully, it didn’t happen like that and I can fall asleep in this near fortress of a mansion and know I have her safe in my arms. Safe and sound and sleeping like a baby.
And now I can fall asleep too and tomorrow I’ll start to look for someone to help us, both mentally and physically to rid us of Rod and his threat to us.
Chapter 27
JENNA
Two months have passed since the ordeal Rod put me through and thankfully we’ve heard nothing about him. I talked Reed into calling his mother, a thing he fought me on. She told him that Rod had left with his gang a week ago and she had no idea where he was again.
With his whereabouts unknown, Reed hired a bodyguard for me so I can lead a somewhat normal life and don’t have to cling to him all the time. Also, our therapist said it was very unhealthy for me to become so dependent on Reed. And it was she who came up with the bodyguard idea.
I like Sam, my bodyguard. He’s quiet and unobtrusive. And very huge!
I believe those are good qualities in someone you want to keep you safe.
He’s sitting in the hallway like he does every day I do student teaching at a small private school in Bel-Air. I’m working under a teacher who’s been doing this for fifteen years, Lila Peterson.
The kindergarteners are out to lunch, leaving us alone for a bit. We clean up the messes while we wait for them to come back and mess it all up again.
“So I saw your wedding announcement in the paper, Jenna. You sure do stay tight-lipped, young lady,” she says as she picks up all the Barbie dolls which are strewn all over the classroom.
I roll the large, toy, dump truck back to its place with the other trucks and say, “I have my reasons for being so quiet about my personal life, Lila. I assure you. I wasn’t happy that it made it to the paper. That was Reed’s mother’s doing.”
“Reed Manning is a well-known real estate billionaire. So why are you still planning on being a teacher? I mean you don’t have to.” She kicks a small soccer ball back to the ball bin.
“I want to, though. I want my own thing. Have my own interests. I’m not looking to become a spoiled housewife.” A wad of pink chewed up gum I spot underneath a desk and shake my head. “How do the little imps manage to get gum past us?”
Lila hands me the butter knife she keeps in the desk drawer for just such an occasion. “Here, use this to get it off. And what I would give to be a spoiled housewife. My husband works at one of the oil refineries and has since we married seventeen years ago. Our three kids are all in their teens now and wreaking havoc most likely as we speak. They all remind me of my rowdy brother, Spike.”
The thought of our kids having any of Rod’s ways makes me shake. “That can happen? Kids can come out like your sibling?”
“God knows my husband, and I never acted the way they do. My brother was always doing what the hell he wanted to no matter the consequences. And all three of mine do the same damn thing. I just hope none of them go as far as he has and joins a motorcycle gang.”
My heart stops. “What?”
“My brother, Spike. He joined this motorcycle gang based out of Ohio. He found them at some biker rally in Sturgis, Wyoming about three years ago.” She takes the knife I hand back to her and places it back in the drawer.
“Really?” I try not to look like I’m freaking out and truth be told I don’t know why my insides are quivering. “What’s the name of the gang?”
“The Brothers of the Scarlet Dragon,” she says and I stumble backward.
“You sure?” I ask as I hold my hand over my heart.
She looks at me with an odd expression. “Yes. Why do you look like that? You just w
ent about five shades of pale, Jenna.”
I shake my head. “Nothing. No reason.” I sit down on one of the tiny chairs and my knees go up to my chin. “You don’t happen to know where that gang is right now, do you?”
Her eyes move over me as she says, “I talked to him last week. They were about to go on a road trip.”
“Did he say which direction they were heading?” I ask and look at her to find her looking quite confused.
She shakes her head. “I didn’t ask. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Maybe I’m coming down with something. I should probably call it a day. Do you mind?” I get up and realize I’m shaking and run my hands up and down my arms.
“No, you should go. I’ll see you tomorrow,” she says as I grab my purse out of the closet and leave without saying another word.
Because if I open my mouth again I think I might cry. I look at Sam as I walk out and he gets up and follows me. He drives me everywhere I go to alone now.
He opens the car door so I can get in. “Where to, Miss Foster?”
“Home, please,” I manage to get out without falling apart.
My hand shakes as I pull my cell phone out of my purse and call Reed.
“What’s up my angel?” he asks as he answers.
“Can you come home?”
“Of course, I can. Are you on the way there already? Schools not out yet.”
“I left just a minute ago. I don’t feel well. I’ll talk to you about it at home.”
“I’m on my way now. Have Sam stay there until I get there.”
“I will.” I end the call and try to stop shaking but can’t.
I don’t know how long I can live this way. Part of me wants to confront Rod and tell him to leave me alone and let me live my life. But another part knows that won’t work, anyway.
The fact that I’m with his brother is the thing that’s pushing him so far over the edge and I know that. If I had moved on with anyone else, I doubt he’d go as far as he has.
Traffic isn’t bad at all in the middle of the day so I find we’ve made it back to the mansion and Reed is pulling in right behind us. Sam comes around and opens the door for me. “I’ll make a quick check around the grounds since Mr. Manning is here.”
Hot Nights in Sturgis The Complete Series: A Billionaire, Bad Boy, Motorcycle, BDSM, Romance (Billionaire Romance Novels) Page 44
