“Fuck, baby. Where are you?”
“I’ve left Lily and Michael’s about five minutes ago and heading back to the city.” I watch as the SUV pulls up to me again and clips the bumper, making me scream.
“Carla…Carla…Fuck, answer me dammit,” he shouts down the phone, sounding frantic. “I’m just ringing Michael. Hang on.”
“Okay. I’m here.” I wipe the tears from my eyes. “There’s no one around to help me.”
I can hear Sebastian talking to someone in the background.
“Baby, I’ve called Michael. Dad and Lucien are on their way to you right now and I’m leaving. I’m just getting into my car.”
I hear his car door slam then a screech of tires. It’s going to take him about twenty minutes to get to me. Time I don’t think I have as the SUV is speeding up to me again.
“Sebastian,” I cry, “I love you.”
“Carla, don’t you dare do this.”
The SUV hits the back end of my car at full speed sending me spinning across the road towards the ditch.
“SEBASTIAN!”
Chapter 24
Sebastian
As Carla screams, I swear to God that ten years were taken off my life. Carla is everything to me and the thought of her hurt and alone is killing me as I floor the gas pedal. The chance of getting a speeding ticket flitters through my mind, but following that, an image of Carla, broken and injured in her car nearly brings me to my knees.
Once I pull away from town, I speed dial my Dad and pray they’re with her.
“Dad–” I say as I hear my Dad’s voice.
“Carla’s fine, son,” he tells me before I can ask.
Everything becomes blurry so I pull over to the side of the road and swipe at my eyes.
“Son, you there?”
“Yeah. What…what did you find?” I need to know what’s going on as I put my head in my hands and listen to my dad tell me about the destruction of the car.
“It’s totally destroyed,” he says, “nothing but bent metal to the front of the car. She’s damn lucky she’s able to walk away from it. If you ask me a combination of her seat belt and airbag saved her life. I’ve tried to ring Ramon, but he isn’t answering.”
Ramon? Then it hits me that my parents and other brothers have no idea what’s been going on with Carla or that she’s mine.
“He’s flying Dad. I’m on my way and should be there soon. Can I talk to Carla?”
I stay sitting in my car at the side of the road as I let the engine idle, not knowing how I’m going to react hearing the voice of the woman I love.
“Lucien’s taken her back to the house while I wait for the Sheriff. She refused to let us call the EMT, refusing to go to the hospital so we compromised and they’re going to check her out at the house. Her shoulder is hurting from the seat belt and she’ll probably have bruising on one side of her face where she smashed into the airbag. You’ll see soon enough if you’re on the way. I’ve got to go son, the Sheriff is just pulling up.”
Fuck! He hung up on me.
Trying to calm down, I rest against the back of the seat and close my eyes, taking some deep breaths. The last thing she needs to deal with today is me getting involved in an accident. So with that thought in mind, I pull away and try to keep my speed down, which is difficult as hell.
Gary needs teaching a lesson. A lesson, which I wouldn’t mind teaching the bastard. After today, Carla isn’t going anywhere without someone, preferably me, with her. Even to the fuckin’ bathroom. I smack my fist against the steering column as my impatience to get to her starts eating at me.
My life before Carla was one long party. Other than my family I took nothing seriously, even work I’d blow off time and time again for the chance to spend a few days with a new hot body. Yeah, that was me. Fast cars and faster women. Women who knew the score and wanted what my body could offer them.
Until I met Carla I had no idea that all I wanted was a woman to call mine. A woman who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, bear my children and, most of all, a woman who would love me for myself and not because of the McKenzie name, which would lead to the McKenzie money, and today I nearly lost all that because of him.
Because of the accident that he caused trying to kill her, he is going to pay for that when I get my hands on the fucker.
Slowing down, I pull over to the side of the road and roll the window down, unable to take my eyes from the wreck of Carla’s car.
“Hey Sebastian.” I hear the Sheriff, but have trouble finding my voice. She could have been killed in that chunk of steel. “Sebastian? Are you alright?”
“No.” I shake my head, finally dragging my eyes away and locate the Sheriff, Thomas Jefferson. Yeah, his parents loved history. “You catch the bastard?”
“Not yet,” he says leaning through the open window, “but I will.”
Not if I find him first.
“Keep me in the loop will you, Tom?”
“As best I can.” He steps away from my car and stands back watching me drive off.
As soon as I turn the corner, I put my foot down, flooring the gas, praying Carla’s okay when I get there.
Chapter 25
Carla
I’m sitting on the sofa in the front room of Lily and Michael’s home with every bone in my body aching, but inside I just feel numb. When my car started to spin out of control, all I could see was Sebastian’s face and my heart broke because I honestly believed I wouldn’t survive.
Crashing the way I had was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life and was right up there with being beaten within an inch of my life. Both terrifying events caused by the same man. A man who I wanted to see dead and gone, which was not like me at all, but he’d tried to take my life twice now.
The thought of him trying again, which he will after having failed twice is causing my heart to race and a pain to lance my head. Fear courses along my body and is more apparent than the pain from being thrown around in the car. What if Sebastian gets in the way? Knowing Sebastian, he will do anything to protect me, so will his brothers by the sound of things.
I glance over to where Lucien, his father and Michael are standing arguing. About what I’ve no idea, but Lucien looks pale.
In fact, when he pulled me out of the car it was a tossup as to who had been in the accident as he’d lost all color and his hands had been unsteady. I’d also caught his father not just looking at me with concern, but Lucien. Once I’d gotten my befuddled brain to start working again, I remembered he’d been in a bad accident, which had left him scarred.
I also wasn’t the only one watching Lucien with concern. Sabrina had been standing in the doorway five minutes ago with Lucien the object of her gaze. She’d disappeared, the minute he caught her watching him.
“Carla, can I get you anything else.” Pippa drags my gaze away from the men and back to her as she passes me a mug of coffee.
I don’t want anything other than Sebastian, but I can’t say that to her as she has no idea I’ve kind of switched sons.
“No. Not really. Thank you, for your concern.” I start sipping the coffee Pippa handed me and notice the frown on her face.
“Honey, you don’t need to thank me for my concern. I care about you. You’re Ramon’s girl. Why wouldn’t I care for you? You’re like family.”
Now I feel bad as I watch her wipe a tear from her eyes.
“I’m sorry Pippa. I didn’t mean to upset you. It’s just that it’s been my brother and me for a long time, well when he’s around, and sometimes it feels strange being part of a family again. Ramon keeps telling me I’m part of his family.” I smile or at least I think it’s a smile. My whole body feels numb and I’m not sure what I’m doing.
“Thank you for telling me, and please know you will always be welcome in my home and I should imagine this one, even if things don’t work out with Ramon.” Her face-hardens up now. “He should be here with you. If he knew you were in trouble, like I overheard Lucien
mention, then he shouldn’t have gone off on business. He’s going to be answering to me when he gets home.”
I snort. Yeah, very lady like I know, but it makes Pippa laugh, which sets me off except I end up in tears. Pippa pulls me close and wraps her arms around me.
“Now, now, honey. You’re safe now. My boys won’t let anything happen to you.” She strokes my hair down my back, which makes me cry harder. Having a mother’s arms holding me tight, undoes me.
I cry for myself, for Noah, for my parents. I cry for the heartache I know I’ve caused Sebastian, not just today when he heard me crash, but for all the time he was tormented with me being with his brother.
It feels like I’ve been crying for hours, but in reality I’ve only been crying about five minutes. My tears finally start to dry up for now so I pull back and wipe my eyes before blowing my nose and offer Pippa an embarrassed smile.
“Why don’t you go and wash your face before the EMT’s arrive, they should be here soon.” Pippa pats my hand as I pull myself together and head off to the guest bathroom feeling my body start to ache even more than before.
After splashing cold water on to my bruised face, I walk back to the living room and collect my coffee before walking to the window, waiting for Sebastian. I need his arms around me, holding me tight, telling me how much he loves me.
I know everyone in the room is watching me, probably for signs of a breakdown, but I’ve already done that and will probably do it again big time when Sebastian gets here. Hopefully his family won’t be too pissed about us, because when he gets here there isn’t going to be any doubt in anyone’s mind as to whom I’m with.
“Are you feeling a bit better, Carla,” Pippa asks me, coming to stand at the window with me.
Before I can answer, I hear a car come to a screeching halt outside. I jerk at the sound, fear lancing through me, but as I glance outside to see Sebastian jumping from the car, a small whimper of relief escapes my throat.
All I know is that the man I thought I’d never see again is here for me. I don’t think. I just slam my mug of coffee down onto the windowsill and walk as quickly as my damaged and sore body will take me towards the front door, leaving Pippa stunned, watching my reaction.
I pull the door open just as Sebastian runs up the front steps. Seeing me standing there, his eyes fill with unshed tears as he walks towards me, taking my face into his hands in a lover’s caress.
“Hold me,” I whisper as his eyes run over me.
“I’m frightened of hurting you,” he tells me, his voice hoarse with his upset.
I shake my head and reaching up, I break the hold he has on my face and wrap my arms around his neck as his arms go around my waist. He pulls me into his body and holds me real tight as I start to cry against his chest.
“God baby. I love you,” he mumbles into my neck, which is starting to feel wet.
Chapter 26
Sebastian
I finally have Carla in my arms and I’m never letting her go. My hands shake as I hold her tight while my tears flow from my eyes onto her neck.
My family is probably witnessing our reunion and my coming undone, but I don’t give a shit. I very nearly lost the woman I love today. I pull her even closer and just stop myself from caressing over her body to make sure that it’s all still intact, still perfect.
“Sebastian, I’m not sure what’s going on, but you could do with coming inside.”
My mom. She’ll want an explanation and I don’t blame her. I just wish we’d had the chance to tell her before she found out about us like this.
Unwilling to let go of Carla, I pick her up in my arms and carry her to one of the armchairs, sinking down into it with her arms still wrapped around my neck and her face buried in my chest while I position her comfortably on my lap.
I take the handkerchief my father passes to me and wipe my face before looking around me. Lucien smirks when I catch his eye, Dad looks just as stunned as Mom and Michael looks delighted, probably because Mom has someone else to concentrate on for a while.
Clearing my throat, I sum up everything in a few short sentences, “I love Carla and she loves me. She was only pretending to be Ramon’s girlfriend, although I only found that out three days ago. Ramon can explain the reasoning behind it, because I’m too damn tired right now to deal with all your questions. I just want and need to take care of my woman.”
Mom sits down opposite me with a look on her face and when she catches me watching her, she grins and asks, “So another wedding.”
My eyes widen and I feel Carla still in my arms, but what the hell. “Damn straight there will be, but not until I’ve spoken in private with Carla.” I bend and kiss the top of her head, holding her to me.
Lucien comes over to me and after squeezing my shoulder in support, says, “At least your dry spell is over.” He grins as he starts to saunter out of the room.
Mom gasps. “Lucien Elias McKenzie, you come back here right now. You are not too old to go over my knee.”
Carla raises her head and starts to chuckle at Lucien who is frozen to the spot looking like a deer caught in the headlights.
“Sorry,” he mumbles. “I’m going to go check on Lily. I promised to let her know how Carla is. She’s going to love this revelation.”
“You’re an ass,” Sabrina says, drawing all eyes to her. She blushes as red as a tomato and manages a gruff, “I’m sorry,” before turning and going the opposite direction than Lucien is heading.
Well, she rendered my brother speechless, which is a first.
Without another word Lucien makes his way out to the stairs, running up them in temper by the sound of things.
Carla sits up in my lap and uses the tissues Mom’s just passed her to mop up her tears before meeting my eyes. She smiles then takes my face between her hands, sealing our lips together. I’m hit by a bolt of electricity. Having her wet, moist mouth against mine with her tongue seeking and finding mine has my jeans going from comfortable to uncomfortable in five seconds flat.
She tastes divine, of my woman. I’m really struggling not to take over because I don’t want to hurt her, but she’s killing me. I’m seconds away from grabbing her hips to rearrange her so I can rub against her. We’re broken apart by the EMT’s arriving.
“Wow,” I mutter, wondering how the fuck I’m going to rearrange the erection I have going on in my pants with everyone looking on, but before Carla stands, we all look towards the stairs hearing someone running down.
“Lily’s in labor.” Lucien’s words basically cause utter chaos.
My mom screams while Dad tries to hush her up in annoyance, Lucien looks ready to pass out with Sabrina rolling her eyes at his rather glazed look. The EMT’s freeze before starting towards Carla again, but she waves them away, pointing upstairs.
“Hey babe, you need to have them check you out.” The bruising on her face only seems to be slight around her left eye and forehead, which isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I’m also going to guess that she has a headache after watching her rub at her temples.
She climbs off me and holding her hand out, takes mine and tries to get me to budge from the chair. When I don’t move she raises an eyebrow. “You staying here?” Then she grins before sticking her tongue out, making a slow lick along her red lips. I can’t focus when she does that. This woman drives me to the brink of craziness. If it wasn’t for my family being here, I’d already have her naked and be buried between her legs.
Fuck. So not good having lustful thoughts while all hell is breaking loose.
“Don’t worry. I’ll get checked out at the hospital as that’s where we’re heading anyway.”
I’m not too keen on this idea. I’d prefer her to get checked out as soon as possible, but from what I can hear the EMT’s are going to take Lily with a stressed out Michael to the hospital in the ambulance.
“Michael, please calm down. Women do this all the time,” Lily chides, coming down the stairs supported by her husband and an EMT as t
hey lead her to the ambulance with Mom and Lucien fussing again.
Michael looks more in need of medical care than Lily does right now with his hair stuck up all over the place, not to mention his complexion being white as a sheet.
“I’ll drive there. Mom, Dad are you coming with me?” Lucien asks, running his hands through his already messy hair, then as an afterthought he asks, “Sabrina, you coming?”
“Of course.”
God knows what my brother has done to piss her off, but she’s pissed with him about something and if I’m honest I can’t wait to find out what an ass Lucien’s been. But coming back to my senses I realize there is no way Lucien can drive. He’s about as worked up as Michael.
Wrapping an arm around Carla, who I’m not prepared to let go of just yet, I lead her outside and come to a stop beside my brother and snag the keys out of his floundering hand.
“You can’t drive. One crash today is one too many.” I turn to my dad who is always level headed. “Dad, you drive.”
Dad catches the keys I throw to him, “Right. I think that’s probably for the best.” Turning to my mom, he takes her by the hand and drags her to Lucien’s SUV. “Lucien, you joining us.”
Carla pulls away from me and walks in front of my idiot of a brother and before I can say or do anything she lifts up and hugs him, a hug, which he eventually returns. “She’ll be okay, Lucien. You know that right,” she whispers to him, which I just catch.
He looks as though he’s just come out of a trance. “Shit, please tell me you’re not going to be having a baby anytime soon.”
Carla chuckles. “Lucien, get with it. Go sit in your car and be nice to Sabrina.”
He scowls at her words, but walks over to his car and holds the door open for Sabrina, after a slight hesitation she climbs in with Lucien following. I sure wish I was a fly on the wall for that car journey. I’m going to have to butter Mom up to find out what went on. She likes to gossip with the best of them, which I usually ignore, but I might need to start taking more notice.
Rapture (McKenzie Brothers) Page 11
