Choosing Rena

by Dakota Trace

  “Could be.” He flashed a grin, loving how her lips pursed and brow furrowed. “Maybe you should make a practice of looking at me, instead of burying your face in the menu, and I won’t have to resort to such drastic measures.”

  She tipped her head, confusion briefly flitting across her expressive face before finally giving a brief nod. “Old habits die hard.”

  He waited for her to expand on her answer but she didn’t. A moment later the waiter returned with their wine and asked if they were ready to order. He couldn’t help but notice Rena seemed a bit relieved by the interruption. After they ordered – Rena the Osso buco, a veal based stew and himself the Bistecca Fiorentina, and the waiter left, he decided enough was enough. They were supposed to be enjoying each other’s company, not sitting on pins and needles. His little peekôn needed to relax.

  “You know, you can relax. I’m not going to bend you over the table right here, Rena, even if you beg me. This date is supposed to not only set the ground work for our relationship, but also allow us to get to know each other better.”

  Wetting her lips, she finally smiled. “Well, I’m sure the management might have an issue if you did.” She visibly relaxed. “So what do you want to know?”

  He leaned forward and covered her hand with his. “Whatever you want to tell me? I know you’re from New York. Did you and your sister grow up there?”

  She nodded. He relaxed back against his seat, as she launched into an amusing tale of all the trouble she and her sister had managed to get into while growing up in the Bronx.

  * * * *

  Rena was pleasantly full as Jackson escorted her down the hall to her apartment. After Jackson had broken the ice between them, she’d thoroughly enjoyed their meal. Even though she was older than him and they’d grown up in two vastly different worlds, they had quite a few things in common. They both loved jazz music, comedies and trashy novels. She had giggled when he’d sheepishly admitted to reading erotic romance books, particularly Lora Leigh’s Bound Hearts and Elite Ops series. She could see him reading the Elite Ops books, the blend of intrigue, secret missions and sizzling sex would definitely appeal to a man, but the Bound Hearts series which revolved around The Club where men shared their lovers, didn’t seem to be something he would.

  Stopping at her door, he took the key from her. Unlocking it, he paused, a question in his eyes.

  “Would you like to come in? I have coffee, and we could talk a bit about the lifestyle.” The question came out more like a plea than the request she’d hoped for. All evening, even as they had been talking about everything from fiction to her doomed relationship with Louis, she hadn’t been able to forget the fact he was a Dom. More than once her mind had drifted to what he might do to her at the end of the night, if she was only brave enough to ask.

  He lifted his hand to lightly caress her cheek. “Are you sure? As much as I enjoyed tonight, I don’t want to ruin it by pushing you too hard. Talking about our limits can wait if you’re not comfortable yet. I’m willing to wait ‘til you’re ready.”

  She leaned into his touch. “I…I think I’m ready to talk about it.” Giving him an imploring look, she straightened. “I may not be ready to go into a full-fledged scene, but I’m strong enough to at least tell you what I like and don’t.”

  “All right, ma peekôn, we’ll talk.” He pushed the door open and guided her inside. “Would it bother you if I asked to hold you as we discuss your limits?”

  Before she could contemplate why he was handling her with kid gloves instead of being the outgoing Dom he’d been all evening, the hair raised on the back of her neck. Something wasn’t right. She just couldn’t put her finger on it.

  “Didn’t you leave the living room light on?” Jackson stopped beside her, reaching around her to twist the nob on the lamp.

  “Yes, I did…I wonder if the light bulb burnt out.” As the light flooded the living room, the familiar melody of Chopin’s Nocturne from the movie “The Pianist” drifted from her bedroom. Dread filled her stomach when a man’s figure appeared out of the shadowy hallway. “How the hell did you get in here, Louis?”

  Her former Dom stepped into the light, scowling when he spotted Jackson. “Never mind that. You’ve been a bad girl, little subbie.” Then he turned his attention to Jackson. “Did she forget to mention me? While I like to share, I do prefer women.”

  Furious now, she placed her hands on her hips. “What are you talking about, you idiot? I’m not yours. Remember? And I’ll be damned if I’m going to share with anyone.”

  The sound of leather hitting leather as Louis tapped his crop against the leather pants he was wearing had her flinching. She could vividly remember what it had felt like. It was his favorite tool to punish her.

  “And I remember telling you that we weren’t through, that I can share my subs with whomever I want.” Louis’s eyes darted towards Jackson. “So why don’t you tell your friend to leave, so we can discuss why you thought it was okay to go out with another man.”

  Her hands flew to her hips. “Like hell I will. Leave! I told you weren’t welcome the first time. What makes you think I’ve changed my mind?”

  Next to her, Jackson growled and she wanted to groan. This was the last thing she needed tonight. When they’d briefly discussed her past relationship with Louis over dinner, she had mentioned she’d run into him the last time she’d met with Elizebetta, but had deliberately omitted saying anything about the man coming to her home. Somehow she had a feeling Jackson wasn’t happy about the omission.

  Placing her hand on Jackson’s arm, she drew his attention to her. “I’m sorry, Jackson. I forgot to mention his visit. It was that unimportant to me. I tossed him out on his ear after telling him I didn’t want him back. I sure as hell didn’t invite him here. I honestly wasn’t expecting to ever see him again.”

  He lifted her hand to his lips, his eyes never leaving Louis. “Don’t apologize for him, ma peekôn. I believe you.” Then he dropped her hand. “And since you haven’t been invited, Mr. Vayarti, I suggest you explain how you got into Rena’s apartment. I’m sure Security didn’t let you in.”

  Louis shrugged. “When you have a key to your own apartment, you don’t need Security to do anything.” He smirked. “In fact, I happen to own the entire apartment building. So if I want to come in and check on tenants like Rena. I have every legal right.” He stalked over and tapped Jackson on the chest with his crop. “And there isn’t a damned thing you can do about it. Rena’s mine.”

  A low rumble escaping Jackson was the only warning Rena got before her new lover gently pushed her behind him. Then he caught the wrist holding the crop as it drew back and gave it a brutal twist until the other man dropped the weapon. Blood spurted from Louis’s nose and mouth as, in a flurry of motion, Jackson hit him not only in the face and stomach but also the side of his neck. In mere seconds, the other man was out cold on the floor while Jackson was barely breathing hard.

  Rena couldn’t help but stare. She’d known Jackson could be lethal and fast but had never expected him to take Louis out in such a brutal manner. Worry niggled at her. “I…was that really necessary? When he wakes up he’s going to be pissed and will want revenge…”

  Jackson slowly rubbed her upper arms with his palms. “He can want revenge, Rena, but it doesn’t change the circumstances. He came into your home without asking. Landlord or not, he doesn’t have the right to enter your home without proper notification. Then he threatened you. It’s not acceptable on any level.”

  “I can take care of myself, Jackson. You do realize that?”

  He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Of course I do. You can kick him out time and time again, but until someone bigger and stronger shows him it isn’t acceptable, he’s going to keep doing it.” He pulled her into a hug. “Besides if we’re dating, it’s my job to have your back and…” He pressed a kiss against her fingertips. “I didn’t want you to ruin your pretty nails.” A twinkle entered his blue eyes. “Because I remember wha
t you’re like if you break one because of someone else’s stupidity. You’d have done more damage to him than I did.”

  A slow smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “That’s true.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  “How long did you say it would be until the cops get here?” Jackson nudged aside the bound and gagged Louis, who was still on the floor when Rena came out of the kitchen carrying a tray full with a coffee pot, cups, creamer, and the biscotti she’d made earlier in the day. It had been nearly twenty minutes since Jackson had knocked the other man out. Now Louis was scowling and threatening everything, or would be threatening everything in sight, if Jackson hadn’t gagged him over ten minutes ago. Evidently there are only so many times one can threaten Jackson, before he’s had enough and stuffs a sock or whatever is convenient into your mouth. A lesson she idly wondered if she should remember. Not that she minded being gagged under the right circumstances.

  “They didn’t give me an E.T.A. Just said they’d be sending someone immediately.” As if her response summoned them, there was a knock on the door. “Why don’t you answer that for me? I’m assuming it’s probably the cops,” Rena asked as she edged around Louis.

  Jackson nodded and headed across the room. He was just opening the door for the police as she leaned in to set the silver tray down on the coffee table. Unexpected pain broadsided her from behind, and she stumbled forward, already off balance from the weight of the tray. Stumbling, she cried out as the corner of the coffee table rushed up to meet her. Dark spots exploded behind her eyes as the side of her head grazed the corner. Instinctively she rolled into the fall, relaxing as she hit the ground. She grunted as Louis’s weight suddenly was on top of her. Inwardly she cursed as she rolled to her back, wanting a better advantage. Lashing out with her hands, she managed to rake the side of his face with her nails as he straddled her body. She could hear his howl of agony from behind the gag while his weight against her chest restricted her breathing. Fresh pain exploded in her temple as he managed to club her with his tied fists.

  “Rotten son of a bitch!” The curse flew out of her mouth, but was barely heard over the raised voices of Jackson and the cop.

  “Rena!” Before Louis could hit her again, he was yanked up by a furious Jackson, his substantial weight lifting off her midsection. Sucking in a deep lung full of air, she acted without thinking. Before Jackson and the cop could stand him upright, she sat up and punched him with all her strength directly in the groin. A scream slithered past Louis’s gagged lips, barely muffled, as his face turned purple. His body crumpled forward and would’ve landing on Rena again if it hadn’t been for the restraining hold Jackson and the cop had on his shoulders.

  “Damn asshole!” Anger pushed aside the throbbing ache located in her temple. Lifting a hand, she wanted to do more than hit him in the nuts when it came away wet with blood. “Shit, I’m fucking bleeding!” She surged to her feet, intent on doing some serious damage to Louis when Jackson stepped in front of her. Behind him, she could see the cop wrestling Louis to the door. “Move, White Boy! I’m gonna castrate that son of a bitch…”

  “Calm down, sweetheart. He’s going to jail, I promise.” Jackson caught her with one arm, jerking her up against him as she tried to get to Louis, who by this time was being dragged out of her apartment by two uniformed cops. “Shhh…” As he pressed her head to his shoulder, she was tempted to bite at it. She wasn’t a damsel in distress! She was a highly trained security expert. She didn’t need him to coddle her!

  “Let go, before I get blood all over your pretty shirt.” She spoke through gritted teeth, wedging her hands between them and pushing against his chest. By the time she’d managed to pry herself loose, the door behind Jackson had closed with a thud.

  She narrowed her eyes up at Jackson and contemplated kicking the man in the shins. He’d known she wanted another piece of Louis. “What exactly did you think you were doing, Levough? I could’ve handled him. I ought to kick your…”

  “I wouldn’t if I were you.” His expression was calm. “Not unless you’re looking for an ass-warming punishment. You’d have done the same thing I did if the situation was reversed, and you know it.” He backed her up towards the couch. A startled oomph escaped her as he gently shoved her onto the suede-covered surface. “Now, let me take a look at your head.” He parted her braids to look at the wound. A low whistle escaped him. “Damn, ma peekôn, you’re going to need a couple of stitches.” Pulling out a handkerchief from his pants’ pocket, he pressed it against her head as one of the uniformed cops re-entered the apartment. “Hold it right there. Keep pressure on it, while I’ll deal with this.”

  When she opened her mouth to protest, he shushed her. “You’re hurt. Let me take care of you. You can chew my ass out later, okay?” She gaped at him after he brushed a kiss across her nose before standing. What the hell was she supposed to do with him? He had a valid point and she knew it.

  * * * *

  She wanted to strangle him. That’s what she was going to do with him. Rena was going to wrap her hands around his tanned throat and squeeze until he was the unconscious one. Sitting in the emergency exam room, she was ready to brain the fool. After all their talk about this ‘over protective, do as I say crap outside the bedroom’, what did Mr. Macho do? Turned into such a tyrant that she was surprised the emergency personnel hadn’t kicked him out.

  As he paced back and forth next to the exam table while the nurse cleaned her wound, she prayed for patience. The wash of the cool liquid cleaning out her wound had her catching her breath and Jackson stopping to glare at the nurse.

  The nurse, an older Greek lady, finally put her hands on her hips. “If you won’t sit down, Mr. Levough, I’m going to have you escorted from the E.R.”

  “Fine.” He gave Rena’s hand a squeeze. “I’m going to go out and see if your sister’s arrived, sweetheart.”

  She winced as the nurse checked the wound once more by wiping away the blood and saline solution. “I can’t believe you called her. This is nothing – just a minor wound. She’s nearly ready to pop out a kid and doesn’t need the extra worry right now.”

  “She’s your sister and deserves to know if you get hurt.” He lifted her hand to his lips, brushing a kiss across her fingertips. “What exactly are you afraid of? That she’ll see you with a white guy?”

  A short time after the nurse left the room to get the doctor, there was a loud noise, followed by some very colorful swearing before the curtain separating Rena from the entrance was ripped back. Keisha stormed into the room in full swing as only a very pregnant woman could. Then she proceeded to chew Rena a new asshole about the dangerousness of her job.

  “Enough!” Rena winced as the sound of her own loud voice echoing off the exam room’s walls made her head ache even more. “I’m going to survive.” She glared up at Jackson. “This is why I don’t ever call my sister when I’m hurt. She becomes a god–awful shrew who’d drive the pope to drink.”

  “I heard that, Rena Marie!” Keisha planted her hands on her hips and the curtain rustled again as Eddie came into the room. A tall attractive man in his late forties, he was only a few years older than Rena. The emergency room lights bounced off his shaved scalp. For a man of his age, he was in remarkable shape.

  “I wasn’t trying to keep it from you, so of course you heard it.” Rena turned her attention to Eddie. “Can you please take her out while the nurse finishes working on me?” Her plea seemed to appeal to the better nature of her brother-in-law until he caught sight of Jackson.

  “Who’s this?” His tone was sharp. “I thought you told me you were giving up that nonsense, Rena. Is he the reason you ended up in the Emergency Room?”

  If a hole would open up under me, I’d gladly dive into it, Rena thought as the two men in her life faced off. The only thing that could have been worse was if her father showed up. Ralph MacAllister was very protective of his daughters, including Rena.

  “Stop it, Eddie. This is my date and friend,
Jackson. He’d never hurt me like this.” She gestured to her head. “This is because of Louis. He’s in town and wouldn’t accept my refusal to resume our previous relationship. If anything, he deserves your thanks. He pulled the idiot off me.”

  Eddie stood stiffly. “Well, I guess I should thank you, Mr. Levough.”

  Rena winced. She’d deliberately left off Jackson’s last name in hopes that Eddie wouldn’t recognize the name of the man who’d sent her fleeing from her job at Larson’s Security. Evidently it’s too much to ask for.

  Jackson gave a short nod. “It was nothing. Only a fool allows a woman he cares about to be abused.” He picked up her hand. “I’m hoping I can convince her to press charges against him, and get a protection order…”

  Rena wanted to growl at the words. “How many times have I told you, White Boy, I don’t need a restraining order? If the ass is foolish enough to come after me again, he’s taking his own life in his hands…”

  Eddie burst out in laughter, while Keisha shook her head in exasperation. “Unbelievable.” She turned. “Perhaps Louis should be the one taking out a restraining order, not her.”

  The arrival of the doctor saved Rena from responding. A distinguished man in his fifties glared at the number of people in the room. “Out! There’s a two person limit and you’ve exceeded the number allowed.”

  Rena would’ve laughed at the comical look on her sister’s face, but she did the wise thing and kept her mouth shut as Eddie dragged her protesting sister out of the room.

  “Hello, Rena, I’m Dr. Tiernen, the E.R. doctor on call tonight. So why don’t you tell me what happened.”

  Jackson stood at her side as she once again reiterated what had happened earlier. He made soothing noises in his throat as he examined the wound once more. “Okay, you’re definitely going to need some stitches here. Give me a second while I prep everything.” Dr. Tiernen moved away checking his supplies.

  “Are you going to be okay, ma peekôn?” Jackson asked softly, pulling her attention away from the doctor. “It seems like your brother-in-law wasn’t happy about my presence.” He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.