“Why don’t you just admit you’re afraid one of your people will find me and use me against you?”
They’d stayed at the cabin for well over a week and a half. Lando had taken care of her. He changed the gauze on her wrists and placed bandages on her cuts. He nursed her hurts while soothing her emotions. No doctor or therapist could have done better—in his opinion.
Thankfully, the cabin sported enough canned food and nonperishable items to last for longer than a few days or more if used sparingly. Christy’s appetite started to improve two days prior, much to Lando’s relief. Fearfully, he wondered if she may need the aid of an intravenous if she didn’t increase her fluid intake.
She asked him that morning for hot chocolate, but they had none. Lando asked her if she felt she could sit in the jeep for a while without being too tired. He wanted to scout the area for other cabins or stores. When Christy inquired about the use of cash, Lando evasively told her he’d think of something. Even adding armed robbery to his list of wrongdoings, he would still be forgiven, the police were that anxious for his testimony. Lando had come across a shotgun and shells in the closet of the cabin. The weapon was resting on the backseat.
“I won’t be used, Christy. I won’t let anyone hurt you either.”
They drove in silence for a short time. Lando turned down a smaller dirt road. He noted the wheel impressions from a previous vehicle and they looked fresh. It was a driveway. It wasn’t long before another cabin came into view. He approached with caution. There were no other vehicles around; it looked deserted.
“Stay put,” he said. Once again he leveled the ferocious gaze on her when he expected her to obey. He reached for the shotgun.
He hammered on the cabin’s front door. No one answered. There was no key to be found. Gripping the handle he smashed his shoulder into the wood and the door opened. Almost out of Christy’s sight he felt apprehensive, and cast a glance back at her before he disappeared into the cabin. Perhaps she was right about his incessant need to want her close.
He went from room to room checking to make certain it was empty and it was with great relief he returned to her.
“You’re gonna love this,” he declared.
Lando could see Christy’s surprise as she walked into the cabin. It was still warm. The people must have just left. The windows were shuttered and he could smell the fluid they poured down into the drains to keep the lines from freezing. An indication the owner wouldn’t be back until spring.
The cabin was larger than the one they were staying in. There were two bedrooms instead of one. There was a large Jacuzzi Christy gazed at longingly. Lando looked out a large bay window overlooking a small, pretty lake. Mist covered the top of the water. The trees surrounding were almost bare but many more were coniferous. A loon floated within sight. Christy came to stand beside him while absently tugging repeatedly on her sagging pants, struggling to keep them around her slender hips.
Lando noted her agitation and smiled at her. “Wait right here,” he declared, and raced off into a bedroom. He returned quickly. “Look, Christy,” he said, and held up a pair of women’s jeans, running shoes, socks, and a cotton shirt.
“What a relief,” Christy replied, reaching for the items with both hands. The pants she wore dropped to her ankles. Christy grumbled and tugged them back up.
“I’ll get the generator started, prime the pump, fill the hot water tank, and you can bathe once we get water warmed,” Lando said. He moved off, chuckling.
* * * *
It wasn’t long before Christy was soaking contentedly in the large tub. She could hear Lando banging around in the kitchen. Her tummy growled and she felt that was a good sign. Hopefully, the cupboards weren’t bare. She craved more than just soup. Christy looked at her wrists. They were scabbing over. The bruises from the crash were dulling in color. The pain between her thighs had disappeared. No doubt it would have worsened under Rick’s administration, she thought bitterly. Christy rubbed at her cheeks, regaining control of her emotions. She refused to shed more tears. Rick was dead; he could never hurt her again.
As she washed, she remembered for the first few days at the cabin it had been Lando who washed her battered body. She marveled that such rough, calloused, powerful hands could be so incredibly gentle and soothing. He wiped away her tears as she painfully recounted every sordid detail of what transpired between her and Rick. She hesitantly told him of how she had kicked and bit Rick and enraged him. With dismay she told him it had been her fault he became so angry. Lando crouched before her and, holding her chin up, he gazed into her eyes. He told her none of what happened was her fault, nothing. If she hadn’t fought back when she did, giving Lando the extra time he needed, she would have been brutally assaulted. She knew he was right. Feeling relieved, she just needed to hear him say it.
Lando promised to stay with her. She knew he was concerned for her, about what kind of life they would have. She wondered about their future. All she knew was she wanted to be with him. She knew what he was; she knew what he had been…she knew what he was still capable of. Christy understood if the bear hadn’t killed Rick, Lando would have. She also realized he would have done anything to save her. She could live with that.
She wasn’t afraid of him. Frightening or not, she was in love with him. She needed him; she wanted him to stay close. Christy’s thoughts were interrupted when Lando appeared at the bathroom door. He moved toward her with deliberate caution. Christy tried to hide an amused smile. Lando always seemed to move toward her as though he were afraid she might cower or run away. Sitting naked in a tub, she highly doubted she would flee anywhere. Lando picked up the washcloth and soaped her bruised back in sweet gentle circles.
“I’m guessing if I turned on the jets you’d be history,” Lando remarked.
Christy grimaced. At one point she would have enjoyed the relaxing vigorous massage. No doubt her bruises would be unappreciative of the assault.
“I think you’re right,” she mumbled in agreement.
“It’ll take time, sweetheart.”
“How much time do you think we have?”
“We can’t stay here forever, although the thought is definitely tempting. Eventually, we would run out of supplies. We’re going to have to show ourselves sooner or later. We have a little while, sweetheart. If I have to be away from you any length of time I’d like to know you could at least run for cover or hide until I could get to you.”
Lando lifted Christy from the water and wrapped her in a large bath towel. His brow furrowed and she knew he was again assessing her weight. The vigorous exercise with the lack of food, and then her loss of appetite had caused a dramatic weight loss.
“Thankfully, these people believe in stocking their shelves,” she heard him mutter, confirming her suspicions.
“Let’s get you dried and dressed,” Lando said while carrying her to the living room, where a huge fire blazed in the fireplace. He sat her on a black bear rug before the flames and retrieved the women’s clothing he’d found while rifling through closets and various drawers.
While Christy brushed her hair, Lando carried over a large patterned tray with different bits of food. Christy gazed delightedly as Lando sat the tray between them. There were pieces of cooked canned ham, warmed baby carrots, steaming sweet potatoes, also from a can. A tiny taste and she knew Lando had mashed them and mixed in a small bit of canned milk and brown sugar. The saltines were fresh and he told her everything was in plastic containers, no doubt to keep mice out. Last but not least, Christy gazed longingly at a small crystal dish filled with caviar.
“Please eat, sweetheart,” he encouraged. He rose to his feet to head to the kitchen. “I appreciate the open concept of the cabin,” he said as he walked away. “From anywhere I can almost see into any room. Apparently I’m not the only man who likes keeping his woman in sight.”
Christy dipped a quarter of a cracker into the caviar. She chewed, savoring the taste. “Do you know what would be wonderful?” she w
ished aloud, her eyes closed, feeling content.
“Wine?”
When Christy opened her eyes, Lando was crouched before her, holding two crystal goblets of white wine. He was looking very pleased with himself. Christy reached for the glass and, bringing it to her lips, she took a taste.
“This is wonderful,” she said on a soft sigh. The wine was fairly sweet, just the way she preferred.
“They have a good selection of alcohol. They must spend a great deal of time up here. Or maybe it’s where he meets his mistress for their trysts,” Lando said cheekily.
“If it is, we best hope she satisfies him elsewhere for the winter,” Christy declared.
Lando laughed, and she found the sound pleasant to her ears. Using a spoon, he scooped a large amount of sweet potatoes into his mouth. He then reached for a baby carrot with his fingers.
“No plates?” she inquired.
“I lied when I said I do dishes. Good plates are the kind you throw away,” he said sheepishly.
“I’m sorry I’ve been such a burden,” Christy said with embarrassment.
Lando looked at her with concern when she stopped eating. “When you feel better you can wait on me hand and foot. I’ll run you ragged and bed you ragged. So you better eat and get well soon. I’m very demanding.”
Christy knew all too well how demanding he was in bed, or at least on a cave and forest floor. She allowed him to put a small piece of ham into her mouth. She kissed at his fingers. The cut on her lip had healed to the point where it was almost unnoticeable.
When she stopped chewing and swallowed, Lando handed her a cracker with caviar. Christy dutifully ate his offerings. He was watching her, as he always did; only this time it was to make certain she chewed well. She knew her first attempts at something solid had him panic-stricken when she choked because of her sore throat. Thankfully, the coughing dislodged the small bit. Christy had been horrified at the thought of him performing the Heimlich maneuver on her agonized ribs. Though the bruising was fading on her throat, it was still noticeable, Rick’s fingerprints pronounced.
When Christy claimed she’d had enough, Lando retrieved more wine. They sat companionably by the fire. He held her against him, supporting her weight up against his chest. Christy sighed.
“What is it, sweetheart?” Lando asked.
“I wish you could make love to me, but I’m afraid you might cause more damage than the Jacuzzi jets,” Christy replied.
“Are you sore?”
“Not anymore. At least not there.”
“I could be very tender,” Lando mused. “I would love to hold you and make love to you again.”
“You could be very gentle?” Christy asked hopefully. Her breath quickened. She wanted all trace feelings of Rick’s hands on her gone. She knew it wouldn’t happen until Lando made love to her, yet she was concerned with his need to consume her when he took her.
Lando took Christy’s glass and his own and placed them off to the side.
“I’ll be very careful and tender, I promise,” Lando said, and he caressed her eager mouth with his lips.
Chapter 14
Lando pressed Christy’s shaking body back onto the fur rug. She stopped her eyes filling with tears, knowing it would cause him distress when he took extra care to move with tenderness. He undid the buttons on her shirt, exposing her breasts. With exquisite gentleness he traced his long fingers around one of the bruises near her nipple, gliding back and forth over her. Christy couldn’t stop the involuntary whimper, remembering the pain that caused the bruising.
“I won’t hurt you,” Lando soothed. He bent his head trailing kisses on the bruising; his lips felt like the feathered touch of a butterfly’s wing.
Lando removed Christy’s shirt, easing it over her shoulders, and trailed kisses down her forehead and cheeks. He whispered loving words into her ears, quashing the sounds of Rick’s evil, hateful, enraged voice. Christy rubbed at his shoulders and pulled at his shirt, wanting it removed.
Mistily, she gazed up at him. “I want to see you; I love to look at your beautiful, masculine chest. I love the feel of your power under my hands.” She reached for him, but he stilled her hands.
“I don’t want anything to tire you.” Lando sat up and, undoing his own buttons, he removed his clothing. Christy couldn’t keep her fingers from sliding up over the generous amount of coarse hair covering his chest. She tugged at him in a teasing fashion, wanting him closer. She trailed the tips of her slender fingers across each of his nipples, loving how they hardened to pebbles.
“I need you,” she whispered. It didn’t take him long to remove the rest of his clothing.
Lando explored her body with excruciating slowness. Again he checked her over critically, as he had done every night, making sure her wounds were healing and none had become infected. She saw him wince at the large, fist-sized marks high up between her legs, where Rick’s knee had pushed between her thighs so viciously to expose her to him. His gaze was such an intense emotion of gentle love she couldn’t stop the tears dripping from her eyes to trail down her cheeks.
“Honey, maybe we should wait,” Lando said, she saw his concern. One of his large fingers reached to stop the trail of one tear and bring it to his lips.
“Make him go away,” Christy begged, and she reached for him.
He stroked every inch of her body, not leaving one area untouched. He kissed at her with lingering passion in his sweet attempt to erase all thoughts of Rick’s hurtful actions from her mind. It would take time for her to heal, but she felt certain with his help, she would.
Lando positioned himself, he entered her while in deep concentration, she watched the lines furrow at his brow. Christy braced herself, waiting for him to plunge, filling her as he always did, yet she cried harder when he moved into her inch by slow inch, gliding himself deeper with each caring stroke. He rocked against her, making certain she was able and willing to accept him.
“Am I hurting you?” he asked, his face an open book of concern. As her flowing tears dropped, his fingers tenderly brushed a lock of her fine hair from her forehead.
“No, Lando, you are loving me,” Christy sobbed gratefully, and clasped his hard, rugged, powerful body to her own. He could be brutal if he chose, Christy thought, but instead she never felt such overwhelming sweetness. It was as though he were taking her for her very first time. He felt so wonderful as he moved within her. He kept his weight from her bruised body. His beautiful lovemaking helped her lose her abandon. She needed no more reminders she was his, that she was safe.
Christy moaned with her desire. His movements and tender pressure strove harder to help her find a release they both knew she needed. He looked for her special place. Christy could see his great joy as he became aware he could find enjoyment in being compassionate, knowing he could be aware of the needs of another while taking his own pleasure. He did this for her; the alighted wonder on his face was a gift just for her. The sheer depth of her feelings of surmounting tenderness toward him was almost her undoing. He found release before she did. But his slow sensuous movements didn’t stop until she went rigid, her body closing all around him. This was the safest place in the world for her to be.
“Lando,” Christy whispered. She shuddered and lay still. Lando shifted his body off her immediately and held her in his arms.
“Christy?” he asked, his voice filled with concern. “Did I hurt you? I tried so hard to be as careful as possible.” He cupped her face with a large hand, and she gazed into his eyes feeling adoration.
“You are so wonderful. I love you, Lando, I love you so much,” Christy whispered. She clutched his arm around her and was asleep soon after, feeling safe and secure.
Lando picked her up off the rug as she slumbered, moving to the master bedroom, and tucked her into a large, king-sized bed. He sat next to her hip and smoothed the hair from her warm, sweat-beaded forehead. She said she loved him. Him.
And he knew she meant it. No one had ever in his entire lif
e uttered those three words to him until now. How could she love him? He was mean, demanding, and rough. Tonight he hadn’t been. Tonight he had been overcome with a feeling of such intense protectiveness it consumed him. About time you were the one being consumed, a thought flashed through his mind.
Lando climbed into bed beside Christy. She reached for him and he cuddled her to his chest, feeling a sense of awe. Could he return the love? Absently, Christy was rubbing at his back. He knew she was asleep. Even in slumber she wanted him, she needed him close. Lando knew love wasn’t simple need. The feeling was so foreign. Confused, Lando gave his head a shake, and then closed his eyes. They had time. He could explore the feeling.
* * * *
Christy smiled when Lando brought her a mug of hot chocolate in the morning.
“You’re looking much better,” Lando said, he looked relieved.
“I feel better. I feel wonderful,” Christy declared.
He smiled cheekily at her. She knew he was feeling a bit smug. After all, it had been him who helped put the smile there.
“Lando,” Christy began, now feeling a bit apprehensive. “I know you want to wait, but I want to get on with our lives. I want to start a new life with you and put this behind us. When we get back, I’ll clean out my bank accounts and tie up any loose ends. I’ll be waiting for you while you do what you need to. I’ll do or say whatever you want me to. My apartment won’t be hard for you to find, or I can stay somewhere else.”
She watched as he appeared apprehensive, his brows knit into a fine line. It was more than apparent he chose his words with some hesitancy.
“I want to see if maybe a friend will stay with you,” he said evasively.
Christy became alarmed. She knew what his ‘friends’ did. Lando had been outspoken about some of his assassin acquaintances cruelty that didn’t just center on men, hinting some took out their anger on women. And never before had he used the term to describe them as friend. Obviously the word was meant for her benefit. He took great pains to point out how vulnerable she would be against assassins if they found her and questioned her about him. Both she and Lando knew if they were to be brutal, or even just malicious or cruel, Christy would cower in fear. She had been traumatized too often. These people were skilled in the art of another’s vulnerabilities. She was no match for them; hardly anyone was a match for them.
Assassin Territory [Assassins Book 1] Page 15
