The last thing he saw as he boarded the elevator and the door closed was his beautiful Kitten watching him. At least he knew she was safe and back in his arms for good.
* * *
Kat stood with Ian in the hallway, her gaze fixed on the double doors which Benny and Eileen had disappeared through a few minutes ago. She shivered, wondering why it always seemed so cold in hospitals. Her T-shirt and Bermuda shorts, which had felt stifling during her time with the Russians, now seemed inadequate to keep her warm. Every time her father had gone for treatment, or had been admitted for one reason or another during his illness, Kat always made sure she brought an extra sweater with her, even in the summer.
Ian must have noticed her shiver because he walked over to a door marked ‘Linens’ and returned a moment later with a knitted blanket he’d taken from one of the shelves. Wrapping it around her shoulders, he stated, “It’s always seems cold in hospitals, plus your adrenaline from earlier has worn off and post-shock has kicked in. This will keep you warm for now. Marco and I are going to retrieve my truck and the com-van after Boomer and Eileen come back. I’ll grab a sweatshirt I keep in the trunk for you.”
She gave him a weak smile. “Thanks. I think you’re right. I’m suddenly very tired. Once they move him to ICU, I’ll try to take a nap in a chair for a bit.”
As he nodded his agreement, the doors to the Recovery Room swung opened and Benny and his mother walked toward them. Eileen was paler than before as she wiped her eyes and nose with tissues. But it was the look on Benny’s face which had Kat’s stomach clenching. He looked so livid that she half expected him to start yelling and punching things. She’d never in her life seen him so angry and it scared her.
She stepped forward to hug him, to comfort him, but he held up his hand, stopping her in her tracks. Her heart squeezed as tight as her stomach had and she held back a sob of grief. He blamed her. He blamed her for everything. She should never have brought this to his doorstep. She should have found a way to get out of the mess herself, and then, if she was still alive, she could’ve come to him without danger dogging her heels.
Benny didn’t say a word to anyone as he gave his mother’s arm to Ian, and then continued down the hallway to the elevator. She watched him punch the down button harder than necessary. When the car arrived, he stepped inside, and her happy future disappeared behind the closing doors.
Chapter 25
“Hey, Kat. Wait up.”
Damn it! Twenty feet away from avoiding the obnoxious asshole! She’d thought she could slip away without being hit on for the eighth or ninth time in four days, but apparently she wasn’t that lucky. If she could get rid of him now, she wouldn’t have to see him again until Tuesday. The Friday training ended at twelve-thirty today, so the officers with long commutes heading home for the Fourth of July weekend could beat rush hour traffic.
Pasting a not-too-friendly smile on her face, she turned around to face Officer Rob DaSilva of the Eugene Police Department as he stopped in front of her. He was just under six-feet tall and good-looking, but he also thought he was God’s gift to women, and was sexist. The worst part was the man couldn’t seem to take ‘no, thank you’ for an answer. “Yes, Officer DaSilva. Did you have a question about today’s training?”
“Uh, no. Look, I know you playing hard-to-get is just an act in front of the other guys, so now that we’re alone, do us both a favor and agree to go out with me.”
His leering grin and the way he talked to her chest had her temperature at a near boil. The only reason she wasn’t telling him where to shove his egotistical attitude was she tried very hard to be seen as a professional, aggressive-K9 trainer in a predominantly male-oriented career. But it didn’t mean he was allowed to harass her.
He must have placed his German Shepard in his department-issued, air-conditioned vehicle, since the beautiful animal was nowhere to be seen. She felt sorry for the dog, being partnered with an arrogant ass. Glancing around, she saw the rest of the trainers and trainees had either left, were still out on the practice field, or heading toward the kennels. At least fifty yards away, no one was close enough to be used as a diversion. She had been heading toward her little cabin on the large ranch, which was a mere twenty feet away. After returning to Portland two weeks ago, she’d sat down with her bosses and explained everything to them. They had been wonderful and offered her the use of the empty cabin instead of returning to her apartment where she no longer felt safe. Jeremy had also hooked her up with his attorney who was starting the process for her to be “Katerina ‘Kat’ Maier” again, now that she no longer had to hide from anyone. She’d been shocked when the deputy director of the FBI called her, at Ian’s request, to tell her the money in the Cayman Islands was hers to do with as she pleased. Any statutes which may have covered the money had expired, and since there was no one left alive who would fight her for it in a court of law, she was now a reluctant millionaire. Kat wanted no part of it. After she got over the shock and her name changed, she would look into charities which could benefit from the ill-gotten gains.
“Look, Officer DaSilva…”
“Rob.”
God, she hated his smirk. Gritting her teeth, she crossed her arms, making sure they covered her breasts, instead of thrusting them upward. He didn’t need any more encouragement, just the opposite in fact. What he did need was a two-by-four cracked over his thick skull. “Officer DaSilva, I’m here to train you, not date you. I’d prefer if you would please keep things on a professional level.”
Taking a step toward her, it was obvious he wasn’t deterred. “Com’on, babe. I’ll show you a real good time.” She saw something click in his eyes, like a light bulb went off in his dense brain, and he tilted his head. “Oh, wait a minute…I get it. I saw you chatting it up before with the dike from Salem P.D. You play for the other team, don’t you? Well, it’s all right. With one good fuck I can fix that. Why don’t you let me show you what a real man can do for you that other chicks can’t?”
“Oh, don’t worry. She knows what a real man can do. Don’t you, Kitty-Kat?”
At first she’d been gaping at Officer Obnoxious, but now she was opened-mouthed at Carter sauntering toward them. Where the hell had he come from? His stare was deadly, matching the tone of his voice, and she was so glad it wasn’t boring into her. Instead, it was aimed at the cop who suddenly didn’t look too sure of himself. Carter had a good four or five inches on the other man and was twice as broad in the shoulders. He looked like he could take DaSilva down with both hands tied behind his back and not even break a sweat. Wearing faded jeans, which fit like a glove, black leather boots, and a snug grey T-shirt from Jenn’s University of Tampa, the man was sex on two long legs. Add in his surfer-boy good-looks, hair pulled back into a small ponytail, and chiseled body, she was certain he left soaking wet panties, broken hearts, and satisfied women everywhere he went.
The hunky spy walked up to her, pulled her into his arms and…holy shit…dipped her! His lips locked on hers as he kissed the ever-living-shit out of her. Kat was so stunned, all she could do was hold on for dear life. Ending the kiss, he winked at her before setting her upright as she stared at him in utter shock. The corners of his mouth ticked upwards as if he was trying to hold back his laughter while his gaze never left hers. “Now if you’ll excuse us, we have better things to do. Come along, beautiful.” He took her arm and turned her toward the cabin, before glancing back at DaSilva. Like a coiled deadly cobra, Carter glared at the other man as if he were prey. “Oh, and by the way, if I ever hear you disrespect a woman the way you just did, especially this one, they’ll never find your body. Understood?”
Kat’s blood chilled at the unveiled threat, but apparently Officer Obnoxious was too stupid to know not to poke the viper who was more than ready to strike. DaSilva blustered, his face flushed blood red in his attempt at bravado. “You can’t threaten me! I’m a cop! I can have your ass arrested so fucking fast you won’t know what hit you.”
Releasing her
arm, Carter pivoted toward the other man. He took two deliberate steps forward and, faster then she could blink, grabbed DaSilva by the throat, leaning in so only the cop could hear him. She longed to know what Carter had whispered because the formerly arrogant man flinched and paled before being freed and taking a step backward. Without another word, he turned tail and scurried away like the weasel she thought he was.
“Let’s go inside, Kitty-Kat. We have things to talk about.” Carter gestured toward the door, waiting for her to lead the way.
As her shock faded, Kat’s pissed-off attitude returned. She crossed her arms again and stomped her foot, glaring at him. “What the fuck was that all about? I had it under control. What did you say to him? And who do you think you are, walking up and kissing me like that?”
A smirk appeared on his handsome face, and she couldn’t help but think it looked so much better on him then it did on Officer Obnoxious. The cocky bastard mirrored her stance, but left out the foot stomp. “Like what? I didn’t give you any tongue…well, not a lot of tongue. Just pretend we’re bowling partners again…who just happen to kiss when we want to get rid of pricks like him. The other option was to beat the shit out of him, but I doubt your boss would’ve appreciated it. And I know you had control, but mine was better.” He lifted a shoulder and let it drop again. “It’s a Dom thing, so you might as well get used to it. As for what I said to him, sorry Kitty-Kat, you’re better off not knowing—gives you plausible deniability if I ever have to follow through with it. And before you ask, Boomer doesn’t know I’m here. Now, we can have this conversation out here, or we can go inside and eat the lunch I’ve been keeping warm in your oven. Hope you like Italian, I was in the mood for pasta.”
Kat was blinking, twitching, and gaping at the man who strolled past her and held open her door. Furious, she didn’t even know where to begin. “You were in my cabin? How did you get in there? Wait…how the hell did you find me in the first place? And what do you mean, ‘it’s a Dom thing…get used to it’?”
An exaggerated sigh escaped him as he rolled his eyes. “So many questions. Uh, let’s see.” He ticked off the fingers of one hand. “The answers are—yes, I was; I picked the lock; and please, finding you was like finding a cat in a fishbowl—pun intended. We’ll discuss the ‘Dom thing’ after we eat. Now, either get your pretty ass inside or I’m going to spank it out here where anyone can see.”
Her eyes narrowed and she scoffed in disbelief. “You wouldn’t dare.”
He mimicked her stare and she shivered as a chill went up her spine, knowing his was more lethal looking than hers. “Oh, yes, I would, little Kitty. One thing I don’t do is issue idle threats. Would you like me to prove it to you? I can guarantee you’ll regret it.”
Holy shit! He really would do it. Refusing to lower her gaze, like the good submissives she’d been reading about, she held her head high and stomped into her cabin. The aroma of garlic, tomatoes, and oregano assailed her sense of smell as the door closed behind her. Her mouth watered, but she swallowed, not wanting him to know it smelled delicious. Brushing past her, Carter strode into her kitchen as if he belonged there. Plates, utensils, glasses, and napkins for two were set on her dinette table. She stared daggers into his back as he busied himself at the oven. Using her mitts which she kept in the bottom drawer, he removed several aluminum containers and a foil-wrapped loaf of bread.
“Make yourself at home, why don’t you?”
Transferring the food to the table, he gave her an impish grin which caught her off guard. “Thanks, but I already did. You can help by getting us something to drink. I brought beer and soda, since I didn’t know what you preferred or had already.”
Kat snorted and headed to the refrigerator. “What? That wasn’t in your investigation of how to find me and break into my home?”
“Watch your tone, Kitty-Kat. You’re in enough trouble with me at the moment, but again, we’ll discuss that after we eat. I’ll take a beer, please. Then sit, because I’m starving, and I’m sure you are too. You’ve had a long day.”
“How do you know?”
He shrugged his shoulders and then tossed the mitts on the counter. “Because I’ve been watching you all morning. The last thing you ate was a granola bar at six-thirty, unless you snuck something in while I ran for our meal, which I doubt. You still haven’t regained the weight you lost, and from what I can tell you’ve lost more. You can’t go that long without fueling your body, little one. And despite what advertising executives believe, most men like some meat on their women—gives us something soft to hold on to. Now, sit…please.”
Gaping at him again, she put two beers on the table and sat in the chair he was holding out for her. She was so confused about why he was here as she watched him fill her plate and then his own. Once he seemed satisfied all was in order, he took the seat across from her.
“Dig in.”
Like she’d noticed Benny had done every time they ate together, he waited until she picked up her fork and took the first bite of her lasagna. Her eyes rolled back into her head as the flavors hit her taste buds. “Oh my God, this is heaven. Where did you get this?” She didn’t wait for his answer before shoving another forkful in her mouth.
Carter chuckled then started on his own meal. “Glad you like it. I found a little Italian deli about five miles from here called The Red Pepper.”
“Wait a minute. I’ve eaten there before, and it’s never been this good.” Putting down her fork, she reached for a piece of garlic bread, offering him one, which he thanked her for.
“The sign said ‘Under New Management’, so maybe they have a new chef.”
They ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes until Kat started feeling full and her curiosity started getting the best of her. “Okay, so tell me why you’re here.”
Picking up his napkin, he wiped his mouth then took a sip of his beer. “That was going to be my question to you. What the fuck are you doing here, Kat, when the love of your life is moping around Tampa, driving everyone bat-shit crazy?”
Her gaze fell to the table. “I’m not the love of his life. Benny hates me. I almost got his parents killed. And Jake and Colleen and Murray and…and…”
She didn’t realize she was crying until he reached over and brushed away the tears on her cheek. Leaving the last of his meal, he stood and pushed her chair back from the table. Before she knew what he was doing, he’d picked her up in his arms and carried her to the couch. Sitting again, he settled her on his lap and gently guided her head to rest on his shoulder. The tender Dom held her while she sobbed until she slowly got herself back under control. “He doesn’t hate you, little one, and I don’t know why you would think that. I’ve known Boomer for many years, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen him depressed. He wasn’t this bad when he was laid up in the hospital and they weren’t sure if he’d lose his leg or not. Now, why are you here instead of with him? I know it’s not because you don’t love him. Anyone can see how much he means to you. So, talk to Master Carter, and we’ll see what we can do to fix this. And Rick is fine, by the way. He was discharged from the hospital the other day.”
“I know. I called the hospital every day. Before I left, I told the desk clerk I was his niece so I could check on him.” She took a shuddering breath. “I can’t face him and Eileen. And I sure as hell can’t face Benny. This was all my fault. I should never have gone to him for help.”
He let out a low growl. “It was not your fault. You weren’t the one working for the Russian mob and stealing money from them. And you sure as hell didn’t tell those bastards to go after Boomer’s folks. So, try again. Why are you here when you’re still wearing his collar?”
Her hand flew to her throat. She hadn’t been able to remove the simple collar Benny had placed around her neck. No matter what, her heart knew she would never love any man as much as she loved him. The collar was her last connection to him. Instead of throwing out another lame explanation, she concentrated on Carter’s question
this time, trying to find the real answer. “I guess…he was so angry at the hospital, I was afraid he’d tell me to leave. So, instead of giving him the chance, I left. Deep down, I was hoping he would come after me, but…but he didn’t.”
“Oh, Kitty-Kat. I am so going to make sure he spanks your ass for that. Do you know the reason why he didn’t come after you? The reason he’s been getting drunk almost every night at the club? Or why he’s turned down every sub who’s offered to help him forget you?” Feeling more miserable by the second, her gaze fell to her lap and she shook her head. “Because the first time you left him, it wasn’t your choice or your fault. But this time, Kat, you chose to leave. You walked out on him when he needed you the most. He wasn’t angry with you…he was frustrated at the situation. And I’m sorry you misinterpreted his frustration as anger. He loves you. But he’s hurting, thinking you don’t love him enough to stay with him.”
Her tears started again and she tried to wipe them away as fast as they rolled down her cheek. “Oh God, w-what’ve I done? I do l-love him and I’d never hurt him on purpose. I was j-just scared. Everyone I’ve ever loved is gone and…and the one person who’s still here, I pushed away. C-Carter, w-what am I going to do?”
Holding her head in his big, calloused hands, he forced her to look him in the eye. “What you’re going to do is go dry your eyes while I clean up, and then we have a plane to board in…” He glanced at his black military watch. “In a little over an hour.”
Her mind spun in five different directions. “What! What are you talking about? I can’t just get on a plane and leave. I have to work and…and…”
He lifted her from his lap until she was standing on her own two feet, and then rose from the couch. Grabbing her shoulders, he turned her toward her bedroom. “I spoke to your boss. I told him you were leaving and to consider this your resignation.”
Kat put on the brakes so quickly, he almost tripped over her. “When was this? And, holy shit, you can’t just tell my boss I quit. What if I didn’t want to go with you?”
Waiting for Him Page 24
