by Indigo Sin
Seth’s hips bucked firmly against her, and he went still, his muscles taut and rigid. She could feel him trembling as he grunted, gasping for air as his cock kicked inside her, throbbing with each pulse of his release. With a final shiver, he fell to the bed beside her and immediately pulled her into his arms to rest her head on his chest. Monica closed her eyes, falling asleep to the sound of his rhythmic breathing and the slow, deep beat of his heart against her ear.
Chapter Twelve
Monica emerged from the dressing room for the fifth time in a long, strapless, sapphire blue gown crusted with gemstones around the bodice, and wrinkled her nose. “I don’t know about this one either,” she sighed, tugging the top up. “I don’t have the boobs to pull this off, I’m afraid.”
Lounging in an overstuffed, floral print chair, Seth held back a chuckle. She was positively the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. She’d been stunning in every dress she’d tried on, but still she insisted that none would work. He wasn’t going to rush her though, even if it meant sitting in a frilly boutique for hours. He was enjoying his private little fashion show very much. “I like the blue on you. Brings out your eyes.”
Monica snorted and rolled those honey brown eyes. “That’s what you said about the yellow one.”
“Well, the yellow one did too,” he replied, letting a grin break free. “They all do.”
“That’s not very helpful, Seth.” Tugging at the top of the dress once more, Monica looked around the store. “There are thousands of dresses in here. There’s no way I’ll find one that will look good. You’re going to have to go to the ball alone.” Shaking her head as she threw her hands up.
Seth rubbed his jaw, chuckling at her theatrics. “Then you keep trying on gowns until you find one that works.” Glancing at his watch, he motioned to the racks of brightly-colored dresses lining every wall. “I’ve got all day, so.”
“Oh, that is absolutely stunning on you, honey!” Georgia, the shop manager for Ivory and Lace Bridals, appeared from the sea of satins and silks, holding four more gowns over her shoulder. The look on Monica’s face was priceless, forcing him to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. “I found four more you might like as well,” she chirped, hanging the new crop of dresses on the outside of the dressing room door. Propping her wrinkled hands on her hips, she shook her head and grinned from ear to ear, swinging her greying bobbed hair. “You’re one lucky fellow for sure. Miss Cassidy will be the belle of the ball.”
“I have no doubts about that,” he replied, winking at the perky little saleslady.
Monica stood to the side, crossing her arms over her chest. “I can’t do strapless,” she blurted out, blushing slightly when all eyes turned to her. “I mean…they don’t fit right. I need something with straps.”
Georgia waved a hand in the air. “Oh that’s not a problem, sweetie. What types of gowns have you worn in the past?”
Monica blinked back at the woman like she’d sprouted another head. “None.”
“None? What about in high school for your prom?” Georgia asked, pinching the material on the side of the dress Monica was wearing. “You’re a tiny little thing, aren’t you? I’ll have to take in the sides of whatever gown you choose.”
Monica’s gaze flickered to Seth’s while the woman fussed with her dress. She was nervous, and looking like she was one hundred percent done with shopping. “I didn’t go to prom.”
His brows lowered. Her statement irritated him. She was such a beautiful girl, but, chances were her not attending her prom had little to do with lack of attention from boys. Her stepfather had likely played a hand in depriving her of the experience that all young women should have the pleasure of having. It pissed him the fuck off. Holding back his anger, Seth gave her a comforting smile. “We’ll consider this your prom then.”
She lowered her head, but he caught the slight smile that touched her lips. God, he’d do anything to make her happy. When she smiled, she was radiant. Monica didn’t get a chance to say much else. Shortly after she was being shooed back into the dressing room by Georgia, who promptly followed her with the four new dresses she’d procured.
When the door closed behind them, Seth rose from his seat to wander the store. Reaching out to feel the luxurious fabrics, he made his way through the sea of colors toward the front of the store. It was when he was at the front display case, looking through the mass assortment of sparkling jewelry, that he felt it. That ominous tingle on the back of his neck like he was being watched. Careful not to make it obvious, Seth nonchalantly shoved his hands in his pockets and turned toward the massive display window near the exit.
He barely caught the movement of someone slipping out of sight, but he’d seen it. With slow progression, Seth approached the front door, stopping to feign interest in a bright pink scarf along the way. If they were being watched, he wanted to know who and how many he was dealing with. With the comforting weight of his gun at his back, Seth pushed through the exit and slipped his aviators onto his face. A discreet look in either direction showed him nothing, just the typical shoppers hefting their bags down the sidewalk. The sensation at the base of his neck didn’t subside, however. Whomever he had caught a glimpse of was still nearby, watching, and it put him on alert.
Two can play at that game. Turning around, he re-entered the shop, acting as though nothing was amiss. The last thing he wanted to do was show suspicion. Coming to a stop near the floor to ceiling mirror, Seth halted dead in his tracks.
Monica stood staring at her reflection in a crimson number that had his heart stuttering momentarily. Red satin flowed to the floor from an empire waist, decorated with glimmering crystals. Delicate spaghetti straps held the ensemble in place. The contrast of the dress next to her raven hair was gorgeous. The moment she met his gaze in the mirror, a deep blush bloomed over her cheeks and she ducked her head.
“That’s the one,” he ground out, his throat suddenly dry.
Georgia clapped her hands together with glee, practically bouncing. “Oh, I knew it. The moment she put it on, she just lit up the room,” she exclaimed happily. “It’s like it was made for you, dear. No alterations will be necessary. It’s…”
“Perfect,” Seth finished for her. Damn, he couldn’t stop staring. Everything he wanted to say got stuck in his throat, forcing him to stand there with his mouth open like a fool. Monica was turning side to side, taking it all in, and through it all, that little smile played at the corners of her mouth. “What do you think, sweetheart? Is it a go?”
She stared at her reflection for a moment, cocking her head to the side before nodding. “Yeah…I think it is,” she said softly.
Seth grinned. She would stop traffic at the ball, and she would be on his arm. “Good. Get changed so Miss Georgia can wrap it up for you.”
Moments later, Monica stood next to him at the register while Georgia tapped the numbers in. Wrapping his arm around her, he pulled her close and smiled. He couldn’t remember a time he’d been happier. In front of the saleslady, and everyone else in the shop, he lowered his head, and pressed his mouth to hers.
When he pulled away, Monica’s cheeks were pink, and Georgia was fourteen shades of giddy. “Young love,” she sighed, clutching her hands over her chest. “There’s nothing more beautiful.”
Love.
The word echoed in his head, as he looked down at her. He hadn’t thought about it in that way, but there was a definite chance that that was what he was feeling for Monica. When it had happened, he didn’t know, but the thought of it didn’t scare him in the least. He loved her. And it felt damn good.
A couple hundred dollars later, they were walking out of the store with the bagged dress hanging from his finger, while Monica held a black shoe box close to her chest. Stepping into the bright afternoon sun snapped him back to reality. He wasted no time helping her into his car, taking note of their surroundings as he closed her door. The urge to take her home and lock her away from all types of danger was a nagging sensation,
but he knew it wouldn’t do any good. The bastard had already come onto his turf once to make his presence known. Nothing would stop him from doing it again. This time, though, Seth would be ready.
Sliding into the driver’s seat, Seth started the car and backed out of his parking spot, keeping a close eye on the rearview mirror. Just as he had suspected, a black SUV pulled out directly after and stayed back just enough to try to deflect suspicion. Fuck. Monica sat quietly next to him for a block or two, but it didn’t last long. She was too observant to miss his body language, no matter how much he tried to hide his anxiety.
“Is something wrong?” she asked, her brow furrowed in concern. “You look tense.”
Seth swallowed hard, letting his eyes flicker to the mirror once again. “We’ve got someone tailing us. Call and make sure Sarah and Jack are okay,” he ordered gently, turning in a different direction than home. If this guy was intent on harm, he wasn’t about to bring it front and center to the kids. Monica made a move to turn around, but Seth caught her wrist. “Don’t look. I don’t want them to know we’re on to them. Just call the kids.”
Monica paled visibly and pulled her phone out of her pocket. Putting it to her ear, she bit her bottom lip. “Sarah? Just checking in. Is everything okay?” She nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear. “No, no. Everything’s fine. I just wanted to make sure you guys were good. We’ll be home in a little bit.” He could tell she was trying desperately to cover the tremble in her voice.
“They’re fine,” she whispered, allowing the fear in her voice to be heard. Her fists were balled so tight in her lap that her knuckles were white. “Dammit, why can’t he just leave us alone?”
Seth reached across the console, taking her hand in his, giving it a small squeeze. “He’s not getting anywhere near you. I mean it, Monica.”
Seth glanced at the rearview mirror and cursed when he discovered the SUV had decreased its distance, hanging back only a half block or so now. There was no front plate on the truck, so Seth had nothing to send to Evan so he could put a track on it. They were approaching the edge of town, and whoever was on his ass showed no signs of backing off any time soon.
“Where are we going?” Monica asked softly as they turned onto a gravel road.
Seth reached behind him to retrieve his gun from his waistband, and set it on the seat next to him. “I’m drawing them away from town. If they were smart they’d give up on following us now, but I don’t think we’re dealing with the brightest of bulbs.” The squeal of tires had him checking the mirror again. The vehicle behind him swerved back and forth, flashing its lights as it sped toward his back bumper. Holding his phone out of view, Seth punched in Evan’s number and hit speaker phone. When Evan’s voice came over the line, Seth stared straight ahead as he spoke. “I’m on one hundred sixth street north of the city, heading east. I’ve got a black SUV on my ass acting aggressively, and I need back up man.”
Evan didn’t even hesitate. “Can you get a plate number?”
“No.”
“Are you alone?”
Seth glanced at Monica and clenched his jaw. “No.”
Evan blew out a breath. In the background, Seth could hear keys and then a car door closing. “On my way. Hold tight.”
“They’re getting really close.” Grabbing the door handle tightly, Monica’s shook her head in panic. “They’re going to hit us, Seth.”
He was already going seventy miles an hour on a loose gravel road. One wrong move could send them into the ditch, but Seth maintained, counting down the minutes until Evan could get back up in motion. “Fuck!” Seth cursed as the truck slammed into his bumper, putting him into a fishtail momentarily before he got it back under control. Evan needed to hurry his ass up.
Seth watched as the vehicle fell back, but then accelerated once more, crashing into him harder. This time, Seth lost it. The car careened out of control, sliding sideways for a quarter of a mile before dropping off the edge of the road, and rolling several times in the ditch. The world spun in slow motion, glass shattered, and the sound of metal crushing ripped through the air. Seth braced himself for impact, and when they finally came to a stop, with the car on its top…there was only silence.
Dust and debris clouded the air around them making him cough and sputter, gasping for breath. His head throbbed, and his back protested when he tried to move, but adrenaline kept him going. Panic coursed through his body like white fire when he realized Monica hadn’t said anything. “Monica, baby? Are you okay?”
No response.
Working frantically to free himself from his seatbelt, Seth gave up and pulled his pocket knife from his pants to cut through the straps. Blood ran into his eyes, blurring his vision, but what he did see made his stomach turn.
Monica was hanging lifelessly from her seatbelt, her head and arms limp like a rag doll. Cuts and scrapes marred her beautiful face. Bile stung at the back of Seth’s throat at the sight. “Monica! Monica, please…talk to me baby,” he begged as he rushed to cut her free and pull her into his arms. Glass sliced into his body from all sides, sending shards of pain shooting through his injured limbs, but he ignored it and kicked the remaining glass from the windshield with a grunt so he could pull her free of the wreckage to safety.
Smoke began to roil from the engine, forcing Seth to move faster, dragging Monica’s limp body away from the crash, while he slid on his ass, bracing her against his chest. Laying her back on the grass a good distance from the car, Seth pressed his fingertips to her throat and sobbed a sigh of relief when he felt her faint pulse fluttering against his fingers. She was alive, but she was hurt.
“Yo, Seth…you okay?” Evan’s voice was a welcome sound.
Seth fell to his back next to Monica and winced in pain, barely able to force words from his throat. “I’m okay. Just banged up. Monica needs an ambulance. She’s unconscious.” Drained from the entire ordeal, Seth ground his teeth together and rolled to his side, desperate to bring her around. Cupping her face gently, Seth pressed his lips to hers. “Wake up baby, please.” Tears stung at his eyes. “Please be okay for me. Please, baby.” Letting his forehead rest against hers, he closed his eyes and let the tears fall. “I love you, Monica. Don’t leave me.”
Chapter Thirteen
Muffled voices drifted to her ears, but they sounded like they were a million miles away. Slowly she came to, her eyelids feeling like lead weights. She was being moved, jostled around, and it fucking hurt. Groaning in pain, Monica tried to reach for the nearest thing to ground her, but panicked when she found her arms and legs restrained. She gasped and pulled her eyes open to find people bustling all around her. A woman with an EMT badge on her shirt covered her nose and mouth with a mask, ramping up her panic even more. “Shh. It’s all right, sweetie. Just breathe the oxygen and don’t struggle. We have your arms under the gurney straps for your protection, okay?”
Monica’s gaze flew around the area wildly. She was outside…in a field? “Where am I?” she managed to rasp out. Her throat was dry and her tongue felt three sizes too big. The woman wiped a piece of gauze over her eyebrow. Whatever was on it smelled medicinal and stung like a bitch, making her hiss in pain. “Ow!”
“You’ve been in an accident. Can you tell me your name? Where you live?”
“Monica,” she whispered, flinching when someone prodded at her hand. Talking was becoming increasingly difficult, and being held down was pissing her off. Through the chaos, a familiar voice rose above all the others.
“I need to see her! Goddammit, let go of me! I need to see that she’s okay!” His voice was frantic, laced with anger.
Monica searched the sea of faces until she finally found him, being held back by two uniformed officers. “Seth!” She barely heard her own voice, but Seth’s eyes snapped to hers and a savage expression flashed across his face as he pulled free from the men holding him back.
He was at her side in an instant, holding her hand. “It’s going to be okay, baby. They’re going to take you to t
he hospital for x-rays and an examination, but I’ll be right there with you.”
Monica closed her eyes as tears welled, blurring her vision even more than it already was. “Sarah and Jack…” she whispered.
“They’re fine,” he stated. “They’re going to meet us at the hospital. Evan was sending a car to pick them up.”
Having him there helped calm her. The steady stroke of his hand over her hair was soothing, making her sleepy. Through the mask, she could smell the acrid scent of spilled gasoline and smoke when she took a deep breath. All at once, the memory of the accident came crashing back. “The truck,” she gasped, turning her gaze on him. “Where did they go?”
Seth’s expression turned icy. “Let’s not worry about that right now. We’ll talk about that when you’re feeling better. I don’t want to stress you out any more than necessary. You just focus on relaxing.”
Not like she had a choice anyway. Resting back, she let her eyes close while they began to load her into the back of the ambulance. Sleep was pulling at her, begging her to let go, but she fought it. Holding Seth’s hand tighter, she refused to release him. “Please go with me,” she begged, panicking. “I don’t want to go alone.” For the first time in her life, that was true. She didn’t have to do it alone. Seth made it okay to show weakness. Seth’s endless devotion became the driving force in her life.
Seth looked to the nurse, who smiled and nodded in approval. It was a good thing too, because she wasn’t getting into the ambulance without him anyway. He climbed in next to her and continued to hold her hand until they reached the hospital, whispering words of encouragement the whole time. The next several hours were a blur of tests, x-rays and needle pokes. Thankfully, she had only suffered a fractured wrist and minor cuts and scrapes. When everything had settled and she was resting in the recovery room, she finally had a moment to breathe, when a soft knock sounded on her door. “Come in.” What she really wanted was to sleep, but Sarah and Jack entering the room made her forget about all of that. Sarah looked terrified, and Jack was his usual passive self, moping in and slumping into the nearest chair.
