by Nichols, A
He needed his child to have his name, so that meant paperwork. He was now actively hunting for Neville Houser to see if he was his own man or a stooge for someone else. The chess pieces were in play, and it was up to him to see that he made all the right moves. He would protect his child. His thoughts strayed to the red headed woman who lay in front of him. He admired her tenacity, her strength, and her acceptance of the unknown. He wished he were more like her, and he wondered yet again why he had been chosen to father the child.
He had buried deep the memories that he had of his little girl; they resurfaced with a vengeance with the news of the coming child. He found the thought of new life somehow comforting. A doctor’s visit was next on his list for Madison, and he would be by her side. The information about her pregnancy couldn’t get out; if it turned out that the child had special skills, it would endanger its very existence. It would make Madison more vulnerable than ever, and he had enough to deal with right now.
If he believed her, his son would have extraordinary powers, and how did he deal with that as a father? Fucking A. He was out of his element, and he still didn’t know if he believed her gift was real. But then, there was the pregnancy thing, and she had predicted that. He had a thought, and he picked up his phone, dialing David.
“Hey, man. How goes it?”
“I was just about to call you. You’re never going to believe it, but Myrna is pregnant. Your witch was right—can you believe it? I’m going to be a father around Christmas.”
Did predicting pregnancy fall inside the lines of the supernatural, Jordan wondered. That was a laugh. They talked for a few minutes, and then he hung up after congratulating his friend. He needed to have more proof of her insight; for some reason, he glanced at the healing wound on his arm; even the scar was disappearing. Unreal and unnerving!
Jordan’s emotions had been locked up for a long time. Love had not played a prominent role in his first marriage; it had been an arrangement that hadn’t gone so well. Maybe he was incapable of the L-word, but he had been taken with his tiny daughter; she had been everything good in his life, even if he were not absolutely positive she was his own.
A sigh escaped him. He felt warmth and turned his eyes to meet Madison’s open, pale blue ones; a frown marred her brow. “Having regrets?” She sat up. “I can leave.” He pushed off the chair and walked to her. His lips caught the corner of her mouth and then her forehead and then he kissed her full on; he found himself unable to keep his iron control. Her body was speaking to his in a way that he truly understood.
His hands ran a rapid path down her sides, and since she was wearing nothing, he had to continue to touch her intimately. The catch of her breath and her sweet sounds and moans as he continued his onslaught meant there was no turning back from this physical connection he had with her. He was quickly undressed and in bed with her, wrapping his body around her and claiming her, pounding into her body, never stopping to think. Her scream of release was his reward. How did she do this to him? She was a witch—but now she was his Witch.
The sunlight streamed in the window. She rested in his arms, relaxed, a soft smile on her face. That changed in an instant, her brow furrowing. “Jordan. You must get to David, now.”
“You have an event tonight.”
“This is a matter of life and death. He’s at his production plant. Please go, and hurry.” Her pleading eyes hit him in the gut, and he grabbed his jeans and shirt and fled, grabbing his shoes and his keys as he ran. It took him minutes to get to the site of David’s building. It was early in the morning, and no one was about. He pounded on the office door with no results. A night watchman came up to him yelling, asking him what in the hell he was doing.
“Get this damn door opened. I need to see David.” The man looked at him like he was nuts, so he added, “He’s hurt.” How he could say that was beyond him; he didn’t really know that it was true.
“All right, all right, but I’m coming with you.” He pulled the keys from his pocket and unlocked the door.
“David.” Jordan’s yell echoed off the walls. “David? Where are you?” Jordan rushed up the steps to the office, and called again. There was no one. He ran back down and out onto the production floor. He ran down three rows before he saw the spill of large wooden crates. His friend lay underneath the stack. “Call the ambulance,” he yelled to the night guard, and then he was pulling off the crates and throwing them, trying to get to his friend. When he reached him, he was still breathing, but his injuries appeared grave. He felt for the pulse point on his neck; it was slow and erratic. “Come on, David. Stay with me, “ he begged.
In minutes, the ambulance had rolled up outside and the guard was showing the EMT’s in. They sat their gear on the floor and began to treat David. The clock on the wall said 5:30 AM. What in the hell had David been doing here at that time of the morning? He picked up his phone to call Myrna, remembering then that she had just found out she was pregnant. He hesitated to make the call, but the need to do so raced through him. He would wait for the EMT’s to tell him how David was.
They had oxygen on David in seconds, an IV drip in his arm, and they were systematically going over his body for breaks. His arm lay at an awkward angle.
“Are you his family?”
“No. I’m a friend. Should I call his wife?”
“I think so. We’re moving him to Presbyterian Hospital. His condition is stable, but we’ll need to know a great deal more about internal injuries. Does he have a doctor?”
“I don’t know. I’ll get his wife and be right there.” The men nodded to him, and moved to take David out. Jordan collared the night watchman and told him to let everything as it was and to call the insurance company. Then he raced back to his car and called Madison.
“I need you.”
“I’m ready. Come and get me.”
He pulled up to the house, and she ran down the steps, climbing into the car.
“What’s wrong?”
“David’s hurt, but he’s in stable condition. I need to get Myrna to him.” Madison nodded. “I don’t know how to tell her about the accident; she’s pregnant.” The car raced through the early morning traffic. “How did you know about David?” he demanded.
She said nothing; he was just now beginning to see the world she lived in every single day. She had known David needed someone, but she hadn’t really seen the accident. “He flashed into my mind, and I could feel his pain. That’s all I can say.” She reached out her mind to garner the outcome of the accident. “He will be all right, but he will have a long recuperation—something has happened to his arm. He will need you.”
Jordan looked at her. “You’ll stay with me to talk to Myrna?”
She read his fear and his need. “I will.”
CHAPTER 14
Jordan contacted Myrna by phone and arranged to pick her up, only telling her that David needed her. She confessed to him that they had had a massive fight the night before, and that David had left early in the morning in a huff. Jordan was totally out of his element, having no clue what to say to her. Thank God, Madison stepped in.
“Myrna, there’s been an accident, and David has been hurt. We’re taking you to him; I feel strongly that he will be all right, but he will need you to stay calm and help him. We will be with you.”
Myrna looked at her. “You’re the white witch that David mentioned.” Her eyes filled with tears. “You can make sure he is OK, can’t you? You have healing powers; that’s what David said.” Another believer?
“I will help him. You have my word on that.” Madison reassured her.
“We argued about the baby; David doesn’t think he’s ready for it, but I know he is. We didn’t plan it, but I want it. David thought I intentionally became pregnant, but I didn’t. Can you help me to make him see that?”
“I will do everything I can for the two of you, I promise.” Madison’s calm demeanor and her deep concern for Myrna reached out and calmed her. Madison held her in her arms and just com
forted her, infusing her own strength into the other woman.
“I will do what you say, and I can be strong enough for both of us,” Myrna stopped her crying.
Jordan butted into the conversation. “I’m going to be a father, too.”
Madison’s eyes were huge as she grimaced at his announcement. What in the hell?
“It would really help him to know that, Jordan, to know that’s he’s not on his own with this fatherhood mantra.” Jordan smiled at Myrna, but then he saw the expression on Madison’s face. Damn. He had just announced her pregnancy without her permission. It wasn’t as if they were married or anything. Shit. Now what should he do?
“Is Jessica pregnant?” Myrna’s voice was surprised.
Jordan wished that the ground would just swallow him up. He hadn’t been with Jessica in two years, but he could understand how Myrna could draw that conclusion. He glanced at Madison, but she was looking out the side window, intentionally keeping her eyes from his. He could just imagine what she was thinking, but he was saved from making any reply because they pulled up to the emergency entrance at that point, and both women got out. “I’ll park the car and come right in.”
The women received room information and hurried along to David’s room. Jordan followed shortly thereafter. The doctor met them and went over what was being done for his injuries. Testing had shown a number of broken bones in his hand and arm, but the doctor wasn’t ready to operate because of his head injury. Once the testing came back on that, they would decide on a course of action. He was in stable condition for the time being.
Myrna chatted away to Madison, telling her all about the huge uproar last evening. She was crying when she was done, feeling responsible for the accident. Madison comforted her, reassuring her that David’s injuries were not her fault and that everything would be fine for the two of them. She suggested that Jordan go back to the production center to make sure everything there was all right. She literally threw him out of the hospital, and so he went, being thankful for something to do. He wondered how long it would be before Madison would speak to him.
Jordan spent most of the morning and early afternoon getting David’s affairs in order. He dealt with the insurance company and had the spill cleaned up. He discussed some problems with shipping that came up in the office. Periodically, he would receive a text message from Myrna that things were moving slowly along in the hospital. David had been cleared for surgery on his hand and arm and had even been awake one time, knowing who she was and apologizing profusely for his actions toward her and the baby.
There were no messages from Madison; that was not a good thing. Jordan got into his car and drove back to the hospital as soon as he could to wait with Myrna. Madison had taken a taxi and gone home right before he arrived; he didn’t have a good feeling about that. He messaged her that he would be home as soon as he could. His team had responded reminding him that she had a speech that night and that they would take care of it. Damn. He was always putting her last, but he trusted his men to keep her safe.
He was home at 10:30; David was resting comfortably and Myrna’s parents had joined her to get her home. The house was very quiet without Madison. He had asked Myrna not to say anything about his coming child, not even to David until he told her it was OK. He stressed the importance of that, and she apparently understood. He also explained that he and Jessica hadn’t been seeing each other, and that the woman who carried his child needed to remain anonymous for now.
He poured a drink and thought about those words, anonymous woman. Is that how Madison felt—no commitment, no support. He had already done what she needed him to do—impregnate her—and she could go on without him; she certainly was strong enough. He took a drink, and looking into the glass, he recalled that this was the first alcohol he had had in the last month. She was the difference. He paced the hall, wondering when she would be home. He checked his phone to find updates from his staff. She was just leaving the venue; there had been no incidents so far. Then another message came in:
Flak Jacket—subject is indicating she will go home with hosts. What do you want us to do?
“Over my dead body,” Jordan murmured. He messaged back that he would take over her close protection from this point on. He texted Mr. Connors, the host for this evening’s speech and discussion. It said only a few words: Miss Kelly needed close protection at all times, and he was on his way. He would bring her clothes with him. Would they please find someplace for him to sleep? The return message was very accommodating; they would expect him, and they completely understood.
When he walked into the Connors’ house, the look on Madison’s face was priceless. “Good evening. I’m Jordan Lassiter.” The Connors jumped up to meet him, shook his hand, and he was given a drink and asked to sit while the discussion continued; he noted that Madison was having difficulty keeping up with it, her wide eyes continually flitting to his nervously. He stood. “With your permission, I would like to check out the house for safety. May I go upstairs?”
“Certainly. Madison will be in the guest wing of the house. Turn right at the top of the stairs. We’ve put you in the room next to hers.” Jordan smiled and took the stairs two at a time. Madison almost fell off the couch watching him go. The discussion ended around midnight, and her hostess showed Madison to her room. She thanked her prettily and went into the room cautiously wondering where Jordan was. He wouldn’t dare try anything here. She knocked softy on the door next to hers, pushing it partly open to find it empty. Her small case sat on the foot of her bed, so he must have checked out her room. It was filled with her sleepwear, her bathroom toiletries and a clean change of clothes for the next day. She could smell his scent in the room.
She locked her door and went to the bathroom, putting out her things; when she was done, she sat on the bed. Where in the hell was he? She heard no sounds from the room next to hers. The lights went out throughout the house. She had no idea there was a connecting door between the two bedrooms and that the bath was a shared one.
Jordan knew; he had scouted the building plans for the house before arriving, accessing them on the construction company’s site. He waited exactly one hour before he unlocked the connecting door and walked into her room wearing only his jeans. She lay in bed trying to sleep, but having a bad time of it. She was used to having his body beside her. He said only one word: “Madison.” His low voice resonated right through her.
She turned to him and sat up, a cry on her lips that he effectively shut down with his mouth. “I missed you, so I thought I would come to be with you. You need to keep your voice down though.” She was in the camisole and lounge pants that he had brought. As he spoke, his hands moved over her face and down to her chest and to her breasts, circling them with his fingertips over her camisole top before pinching them roughly between his thumb and finger. A smothered cry left her mouth at the brief pain. He pulled her top up and ripped it over her head, leaving her bare for him, as his hands continued to play. He knew her body so well.
“No, Jordan.” she whispered as she tried to push him away. “Not here.”
“Oh yes, Madison—especially here because you tried to run from me again. I said ‘no more running.’ This will happen every time you do, no matter where you go. Be very quiet unless you want to invite an audience to watch us.” His mouth shut hers effectively as his nearly naked body pushed her covers aside to rest beside her. He wore only his jeans, his feet bare. Within seconds, his hands were on her shoulders, and he was over her body, her arms pushed above her head, his bare torso caressing hers. “Did you have a vision of this?” Witch—me here with you, ready to take you? “We go bareback tonight, Madison; I’m making a claim on you, so no more condoms. No more—just you and me and the child.”
She struggled ineffectively against him, keeping her lips tightly closed to stop her cries as his fingers moved under her pants and into her wetness, circling her. His mouth laved her breasts, sucking on them, first one and then the other.
He plung
ed two fingers into her to her soft cry, and then he carefully moved them in and out for long minutes keeping her effectively trapped and her arousal on the rise. His mouth continued its assault on her body, finding the tips of her breasts again and planting kisses on her abdomen. ”How’s my son?” His hand rubbed over the place where the baby lay, and her body stopped fighting as her hips thrust up to meet his fingers. “My call, little witch. You will wait.”
He pulled her body up out of the bed and stripped her of her pants. Then he took her into the bathroom, closing and locking both doors as he did so. He turned on the shower and pushed her with his body, moving her towards the steady water flow. He shut the glass door behind them as the water began to hit her. “Hands on the grab bar, Madison, and lean far over.” Her body was on alert, but she still tried to stop him with her words.
“No Jordan. We shouldn’t do this.” He was shucking his jeans as she protested, his hard body on view, and he was more than ready.
“We can, and we will.” He placed her hands on the bar and pulled her hips back stretching her body out as far as he could. “Don’t let go.” His hands were on her hips holding her firmly in place, and his fingers were back in her again, readying her. Her mind was all over the place; he pulled his fingers from her and his body crowded her from behind, pushing himself into her, inch-by-inch, skin on skin to her keening cry. “You will never run from me again.” Witch. “I am claiming you.” He was as deep as he could go, and he began a steady rhythm, her body pushed up by his strong thrust and pulled back with his hands on her hips as she held on to the bar. His lips were nibbling her back, and his hand moved from her hip to slap her hard on her backside. “Tell me you will not run again.” His hand came down hard on her again. “I want to hear it.”
She could feel her climax threatening, unable to scream or speak because of the situation, the water beating on her back as he maneuvered her exactly where he wanted her. His hand fell again, the sting sharp and radiating across her. His hand fell yet again, each blow harder than the one before it on her wet flesh. Tears filled her eyes as emotion flooded her. “Please, Jordan.”
