“Let her go,” I urge. “She’s trying to provoke you. Don’t let her win!”
Rich’s shoulders tense. Then he takes a deep breath and lets them fall.
“You’re right,” he sighs. He shoots a disgusted look at Amanda and his father. “Let’s get the fuck out of here. I can’t stand seeing her, knowing what she’s done, and feeling so… so useless.”
Chapter Eighteen
Rich storms into our hotel room. He takes his jacket off and hurls it against a wall. He tears open the mini-fridge, and, finding it empty, roars and nearly rips the door off. He walks to the window, then spins into the corner and slams his palm repeatedly against the wall.
He’d kept his rage in check on the drive back, but now that we’re alone, it’s all coming out.
He slams his hand over and over again. It seems like the whole room shakes with every blow. I’m afraid if the wall doesn’t break soon, his hand will.
He doesn’t notice as I weave my way around the furniture and come behind him. I wrap both my arms around his body and lay my cheek against his back. All his muscles are tight.
He stops when he feels me. I breathe in his scent deeply and just hold him. He lets his hands fall. Then, he leans his head dejectedly against the wall.
We stay like that for a long, somber moment. Rich needs my support. I intend to give him all I’ve got.
“Penny…” Rich turns around and stares into my eyes. I see so many emotions stirring beneath their beautiful surface. “Thank you for being there today. Seeing Amanda in person, after seeing my father, was almost more than I could take. I only managed it because of you.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, Rich. I’m here for you. I love you.”
“I love you, too. I just can’t believe Amanda showed up there after us.”
“I think she was trying to ambush you,” I say. “She knew you could not do anything to her in there. She wanted to show herself as unafraid, maybe even gloat about what she’s done.”
Rich looks down at me. “You’re brilliant, you know that?” He picks up my hand and lays it against his cheek. I feel the warmth of his skin beneath his thin layer of stubble. He brings my hand to his mouth and kisses my palm. Tingles shoot down the length of my arm. “I don’t know what we’re going to do next,” he says into my hand. “I wanted to meet Amanda to give her an out. After today, I know she’s not going to take it.” Rich holds my shoulders, and then lets his hands drop to rest on the small of my back. “She is dangerous. To us, but also to herself. I don’t know what she’s capable of. The best place for her is probably a mental institution. But it’s not like she’s just going to check herself in.”
I stare up at Rich. He looks so conflicted, so pained over this. I know, on the inside, he’s got a heart of gold. He might have trouble showing it sometimes, but it’s the reason he is struggling so much over what to do.
He does not want to hurt anyone. Not even Amanda. That’s the internal conflict he’s dealing with. I know he wants to keep Min and me safe. But if that means he needs to harm Amanda in the process, things become difficult for him.
“She’s not just going to go away,” I tell him. “And I don’t want to feel like I have to look over my shoulder every time I walk down the street.”
“I promise you that you will not have to do that,” Rich says.
“As long as Amanda is free, I will. You know it, Rich. The same goes for you.”
“Yes.” He sighs. His breath feels hot on my face.
“She needs to be put away. Behind bars. Together with Victor. It’s the only way we can be safe.”
“I wish it were that easy, Penny. You know as well as I do that we don’t have enough evidence to go to the cops.”
“So make some!” I suggest. “You told me about all the connections and resources Calloway has when we were still in Oregon. You said he has people in the police force, informants in all levels of government. It should be easy for him to frame her on some trumped-up charges.”
Rich grits his teeth. “I can’t do that. God knows she deserves it. But, it’s not right.”
I can’t press him on the topic. I know it will be of no use. What’s more, I know it will upset him.
But I also know now what I have to do.
I take both of Rich’s hands and lead him to the bed. His eyes betray his true wishes. I sit down gently and pull him down with me. He smiles as his fingers brush my jaw, my neck. He puts one hand between my shoulder blades and eases me back, mindful of my ribs.
He lies down beside me and looks me over as his hands explore the soft curves of my body. I tilt my head toward him, lips parted. Rich takes notice. He kisses my mouth lightly. The touch of his lips against mine awakens my desire.
I edge forward, pressing my mouth to his. Our kiss deepens. He curls his fingers in my hair at the nape of my neck. I breathe him in as our tongues link together. I savor every moment of this slow, hot kiss.
When my hands sneak down his body, he pulls away slightly. He knows where I’m going with this.
“Are you sure?” he asks.
“Yes,” I answer in a heady breath as my fingers find his belt buckle. Rich watches me as I bring him out of his briefs. Blood quickly fills his appendage as I start to excite him with my hand.
Rich kisses me again and I feel his erection become thick and hard in my palm. He slowly unbuttons my blouse and bares my body. He looks down at the cast wrapped around my torso, just beneath my breasts. His fingers trail over it gently.
I give a little gasp when I twist the wrong way and pain shoots through me.
Rich instantly pulls his hand away. “Did I hurt you?”
“No,” I say. I close my eyes as I feel my chest swell. “I just moved wrong.”
Rich looks at me. Concern is painted in his eyes. “I don’t want to do anything if it’s going to hurt you.”
“A little pain will be worth it,” I breathe, “if it means I get to be with you.”
That is all the confirmation Rich needs. He removes my pants together with my panties. As I reach to unclasp my bra, he takes off his own clothes. He stands before me glorious in his nudity. His hungry eyes devour my body. That gaze alone is enough to incite the most sensual of my desires.
He leans over me. His chest brushes lightly against my sensitive nipples. He’s careful not to put his weight on me.
“I’ll go slow,” he promises.
Need is coursing through me and I don’t even care about the injury anymore. “Rich, just… go!” I beg.
He grins and positions his tip right at my entrance. His hard cock brushes against my folds, sending waves of unbridled ecstasy through my body. Whether it’s more from the anticipation than his actual touch, I don’t know. My breaths are as deep as my crack ribcage will allow.
Rich pushes into me. The air leaves my lungs in a rush.
He looks deep into my eyes. “Are you still okay?”
I smile at him like a drunk. His concern is touching. A part of me wants him to go wild, forcing me to endure all the discomfort for the sake of pleasure. Another part tells me to just satiate in the slow, sensual lovemaking the Rich promises me.
“Rich, I know you would never hurt me.” I swing my arms around his neck and pull his ear close to my lips. “Now fuck me, and don’t you dare hold back.”
Rich gives a short, knowing chuckle before turning his head to kiss me deep and hard. His hips ebb into me. He pushes in, then slowly pulls out, again and again.
Somehow, it seems like in the midst of all the uncertainty surrounding us, we have found the oasis where things are unhurried.
I squirm and twist and kiss him hard as he brings me closer and closer to the brink. He does not rush to get me there. Neither do I. By pure instinct, Rich has discovered that sweet middle ground that thrills my deepest senses while remaining mindful of my condition.
I cling to his shoulders as he supports himself above me. Sweat glistens on his brow. I feel the same perspiration co
vering my body. Every deep and full push, every slow and sensual retreat is marked by my ever-increasing pleasure.
As my breaths quicken, Rich rustles in my ear, “You’re close.”
“You’re getting me there, baby.”
“Good. I want you to feel the way you make me feel.”
I bite my lip and nod. Maybe I give a little whimper, too. I don’t know. All I know is that I doubt I can ever make Rich feel as amazing as he always makes me feel.
This time, the orgasm comes in a steady bloom of ecstasy. I gasp his name and arch my back as it washes through my body, cleansing away the accumulation of stress and fear. My core tightens around him in unyielding waves. With a heady, wordless cry, Rich bursts deep inside me.
He collapses next to me on the bed. He locks his fingers with mine, and he brings my hand to his lips to kiss it again. We’re both spent, exhausted, but oh-so content.
Chapter Nineteen
I wait until Rich’s breaths steady in the telltale sign of sleep before slipping out from under the covers. I’m careful not to make a noise as I put my clothes back on. I know how sharp Rich’s hearing is.
As I’m looking for my shoes, I stub my toe hard against the foot of the bed. I throw a hand over my mouth to muffle the unbidden cry.
Rich stirs. I curse myself and pray that he doesn’t awaken. His lips make a smacking sound. Then, he falls back into the pillow.
Idiot! I berate myself. At the same time, I exhale in relief. I know that if Rich wakes now, I will never get another chance to do what I need to do.
I debate leaving him a note. In the end, I decide against it. It will only make him worry more.
With all my clothes back on, I tiptoe out the door. I hold my breath as I pull it shut. Then I press an ear against the wood and count to sixty. If Rich wakes up now, I won’t get far.
When I don’t hear anything from inside, I finally turn away. As I hurry down the hall, I wonder if this is what Rich felt like when he left me and Min in his Oregon apartment.
--
The hospital is much busier during the day. I wait in line to check myself into the visitor center to be allowed further access. It’s worrisome how easy it would be for anyone to just slip in unseen.
I ask for Min by name. The nurse checks her computer and says there is nobody called that staying in the hospital. Damn, I didn’t think this would be a problem. When I insist that I’m Min’s friend, and that I was brought to the hospital with her, at the same time, and prove it by showing my driver’s license and the cast around my body, the nurse ushers me into a separate, empty room, and tells me to wait.
She closes the door, making me feel somewhat like a prisoner.
As I wait for God-knows-how-long, I start to finger the locket around my neck. I had a burst of panic after I woke up post-accident and found it missing. Luckily, somehow it survived the crash. The hospital staff had merely taken if off and placed it in a box with the rest of my belongings.
I haven’t forgotten about my father. But it seems that in the days since I met Rich, I’ve thought about him less and less. I smile. That has to be a good thing. Maybe it means that I’m more ready to live in the present, rather than dwell on a past I cannot change.
The door opens to admit a stocky, dark man in a police uniform. I swallow even though I know I have every right to be here. He looks intimidating.
“And you are?” he asks, crossing his arms. I tell him my name and show my ID. I explain the story of how Min and I know each other and how we were in the accident together. He watches me with a skeptical eye. Finally, he barks, “Follow me,” and leads me out of the room.
We take an unfamiliar path through the hospital to emerge in a hall with a lot of closed doors. The guard stops before one and raps his knuckles against it.
After a moment, the door opens, revealing another uniformed officer inside.
“Yes?”
“She’s here to see the patient.”
The guard holding the door looks at me. “Who is she?”
“She says she’s a friend. Her story checks out.”
I notice a large bouquet of flowers inside the room, behind the other guard’s feet. Who brought Min flowers?
The guard inside looks me up and down. After a long, tense moment, he pushes the door open just an inch wider. “Come in.”
I thank the man who escorted me and step inside. The smell of fresh flowers is overpowering. There is not just the one bouquet, but dozens of them, placed all along the walls.
The room is much bigger than I expected. On the far side, a drawn curtain separates us from what is probably the bed. The guard who let me in motions toward the curtain and settles back on his seat by the door.
I walk over to the curtained section and slowly draw the drape back. The scene inside surprises me.
Min is awake and speaking softly to a man I’ve never seen before. He stokes her hand gently as they talk. His blonde, slightly curly hair is just long enough to cover his forehead. He has long lashes and the brightest hazel eyes I’ve ever seen.
Min and the stranger turn to me at once. A great smile breaks out on Min’s face.
“Penny!” she exclaims. Her voice sounds tired but strong. I’m overcome by emotion. I can’t help myself. I run over and stop just short of throwing my arms around her in a hug. I have to grip the railing by the bed to prevent myself from doing so. Happy tears fill my eyes. “Penny,” Min says, looking at the man on the other side of the bed, “This is Joey.”
He smiles at me and extends his hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you,” he acknowledges.
I shake his hand in a kind of daze. Joey? How did he know?
He laughs when he sees my expression. “I know what you’re thinking. How did I discover Min was back?” He smiles at the girl in the bed and takes her hand again. His love for her shines bright in his eyes. “Her brother told me.”
I nearly stagger back from shock. Rich? Why would Rich tell Joey? By all accounts, Rich hates the man.
Min smiles at me. “Thank you for telling Rich what I told you.”
I blink. “I didn’t think he’d believed me.”
“Lucky for us, he did,” Min says, rubbing her thumb over Joey’s hand. “Seeing Joey here when I woke, I thought I was still dreaming.”
“So all the flowers out there are from him?” I ask Min. I look at Joey. “You sure know how to spoil a girl.”
He laughs. “It might be a little excessive. But I wanted Min to know how much I’ve missed her.”
“And I told you, you shouldn’t have done that,” Min says with a little smile. “I love you for you, not for your flowers.” She turns to me. “Joey hasn’t left my side since he got here. I keep telling him I’m bad company right now, but he won’t listen.”
“Baby, after going through these last few weeks not knowing if I’d see you again, there’s nowhere I’d rather be than right here. You won’t get rid of me that easily.”
Min giggles and shrugs at me. “He’s sweet like that.”
“I’m so happy for both you,” I say. “Min, how are you feeling?”
She gives a sour chuckle. “Maybe if they weren’t pumping so many pain killers into me, I’d be able to answer that properly. My whole body just feels numb. Although, given what I know about my injuries, maybe that’s for the best.”
“She’s lying,” Joey says. “I know she hurts. She just doesn’t want us to worry about her.”
“Everyone already has too much to worry about without adding me to the list,” Min mumbles. I can see Joey frown, but I understand what she means.
“Is Rich here, too?” Min asks. “I’ve been drifting in and out of sleep all day. Joey woke me up saying someone’s here to visit. I was hoping I’d see both of you.”
I shake my head. “Rich isn’t here, and I’ll tell you why…”
I tell her the story of everything that’s happened: Of how Rich discovered that Amanda and Victor drove the other car. About how Tam is now helping us. Ab
out how Amanda and Anthony have been seeing each other for years. And, of course, about the recent confrontation at the penitentiary.
Min hears me out to the end. When I tell her what I think I need to do next, she agrees.
“Rich would never be able to make himself do that,” she says. “But I know you have it in you. I wish I could help.”
“All you need to worry about is getting better,” I tell her.
“Pfft, that’s easy. With Joey here, I’ll be out and about within a few days, max. I don’t intend to spend weeks just wasting away in bed.” She looks him in the eye. “Now, I have a reason to fight.”
“Just promise me you won’t tell Rich what I’ve told you. Or even that you’ve seen me.”
“I swear,” Min says, crossing her heart. Joey agrees, too.
I smile at both of them. Their love for each other is clear. Circumstance may have pushed them apart in the past, but now that they’re together, I don’t think either of them will ever let that happen again.
I say my good-byes, confident that their relationship will blossom. I also have a new understanding of how Rich could leave Min alone. He knew Joey would be here with her. I don’t know exactly why he did not tell me, though I have my suspicions. It doesn’t upset me. Instead, I find it heartwarming that he had believed the story I told him and fought through the perception he had of Joey.
I leave the hospital quickly and hail a cab. The darkening sky overhead tells me that the day is almost over. I know that, right now, I am a long way from sleep.
--
I step onto the curb outside the RedArm building, take a deep breath, and buzz myself in.
A security guard in the lower lobby comes and opens the door. He knows who I am. Of course. Mr. Calloway wouldn’t have taken chances.
He leads me to the elevator and steps inside. It looks like I will be escorted all the way to the top floor.
As the lights designating each passing floor light up, I wonder if I’m making the right decision. Coming here is a risk. What I’m about to do next is a risk. But, I know that I am the only person who can set things in motion.
Uncovering You: The Complete Series (Mega Box Set) Page 219
