“I meant what I said,” he whispered into my hair.
I spun in his arms to face him. Looking into his eyes, touching his skin, didn’t feel real. “If I’m dreaming, please don’t wake me up.”
He leaned out and feathered a series of kisses over my lips and jaw. It felt so good and so real. “How are you here right now?”
“Styx snuck me in.” His dirty blond hair was mussed and sticking up like he’d been raking his fingers over it over and over.
“Remind me to thank her.” I kissed him deep and hard letting myself remember the taste of him the way his body molded to mine so perfectly. How could I have given this up.
Reality crashed back down, and I broke away. “You have to go. If my mother finds out you were here, everything we’ve both sacrificed will be for nothing.”
He kissed my lips one more time lingering to brush his petal soft mouth against me like one might run a feather across their skin. “I’ll go, but don’t give up on me. Don’t let her win.
When I opened my eyes again, the cold had replaced his heat, and I thought maybe, for the first time, someone might beat her.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ash
Touching her last night seemed to give me room to breathe. My brain felt clearer, my heart a little lighter. She was okay, but I needed her to believe I was going to help her. It hurt she thought she needed to protect me as I did the same for it. It was obvious to me who was better positioned to do the helping.
I packed up a suitcase. The day would come when I could drive up to that hospital and escort her out. I wanted to be ready to take her anywhere, everywhere, whatever she wanted. She deserved to be pampered and coddled. She deserved to spend days on the beach and nights in my arms. I wasn’t sure I deserved that, but I wanted it for her. Hopefully, she wanted me with her for it.
A knock interrupted my packing. I answered the door to find a squat man in a blue polo standing on the other side.
“Can I help you?”
He held out a brown clipboard. “Sign here please.”
I took the clipboard requesting my acknowledgment of a delivery and scribbled my signature across the bottom. He handed me a manila envelope.
Once he left, I closed the door and ripped into the paper. Inside was a flight itinerary with a time and date. Donny flexing his muscles, ordering me to be here or be there. I didn’t have a choice with Kory’s life on the line. My pride ran second to what she needed.
I made it the hotel by the time Donny requested. This time I flew commercial and felt better for it. If he meant to tell me to fuck off, I’d rather not have to ask for a ride home afterward. This hotel sat twice as high as the one we visited previously. Inside, the stone inlay and higher class clientele made me uneasy.
I didn’t even have to identify myself this time. A woman approached, beautiful with long blonde hair and ice gray eyes, escorted me to Donny’s office. He sat behind the desk, a pair of glasses perched on his nose giving him a studious air I didn’t associated with him at all. He looked up when I entered and waved the woman away. She shut me in with him as I took the chair in front of his desk.
“You call me all the way out here so you can tell me to take a hike?”
He took his glasses off, a pink rim bridged his nose, and bags hung heavy under his eyes. “Of course not. I called you here to have you sign some papers and agree to the terms.”
“I thought we already outlined the deal. Why terms?”
He pulled a stack of paperwork from his desk and slid it over to my side. I took the stack and scanned the page. “Why does this say I can’t do anything involving the media or speak the Sito name ever again? I thought you said you fixed things.”
I let my anger simmer as I waited for an explanation. Surely, he wouldn’t spend his money and his time knowing I wouldn’t sign something like this. How did it benefit me?
He sat back in his chair and stretched his arms behind his head. “I made your deal. You get your girl and you don’t ever speak about her past or her mother again. How is that not satisfactory?”
I scanned the paged in my lap. The terms were clear and binding. If I didn’t stick to it this time, charges would be pressed against me and Kory would be locked away “for her own good” indefinitely.
How could this even be legal? I tossed the contract on the desk. “So she gets away with everything?”
Donny’s lips made a hard line now. “I gave you exactly what you want. You don’t get to be pissy because it’s not exactly the way you want it. I asked you to be specific, and I delivered. Sign the fucking papers and walk out of here.”
“And if I don’t?”
He shrugged and held his arms open. “I don’t give a fuck but I delivered, and you still owe me whether you collect your reward or not.”
“Don’t talk about her that way,” I snapped.
“And don’t bring your shit in my office and lay it on me. I didn’t put you in this situation nor did I compel you to hunt me down and ask my help. You came here voluntarily. Sign the papers or get out. I don’t have time for this crap.”
I snatched the papers off the desk and began to read them. He let out a frustrated sigh, but I wasn’t putting my signature to anything I hadn’t read first. Both Donny and Sito knew exactly what to put in writing to collect a man’s balls in a jar. I didn’t intend to add mine to either of their collections.
I read to the final sentence and stared at the last page. Demeter’s signature lined the bottom and a place for my name lay right above. Giving up revenge didn’t feel right, but I couldn’t walk away from this opportunity to delivery exactly what I’d promised Kory. We could run far away from all of this. I had money; she had money. Nothing could stop us especially if we hid beyond Demeter’s reach.
I gripped a pen perched on the edge of his desk, scribbled my name, and tossed the pages onto his thick leather blotter. “What now?”
He narrowed his eyes. “Expect a call from me soon. For now, get the hell out.”
According to the agreement, I could collect Kory now. Right now.
I scrambled out of the chair and rushed back to the airport. Even if I had to give Donny my soul, I could use that private jet right now. I rushed through the process, happy I didn’t bring anything with me, and then waited an excruciatingly long time for my flight to land.
The airport seemed packed with people. Everyone to old ladies pushing cards and young couples with kids. All seemingly lined up to block my way out. As if the world conspired against me. Or maybe it only felt that way since every second counted while I waited to be by her side.
The cab took me directly to my house, and I finished tossing my belongings into bag. I almost spun out, rushing to the hospital. And when I arrived, of course visiting hours were over. I considered calling Demeter and demanding they get the paperwork done and release Kory now, but I doubted she would answer my calls anymore. Not to mention the terms of the agreement included never seeing or speaking to her again. Easy once I held Kory in my arms.
I propped myself against the side of my car and waited. If anyone I knew came out, I’d bribe, cajole, and threaten until I got one of them to bring me inside. My nerves hummed, my fingers itched, I recognized the signs of adrenaline coursing through my blood. I could already feel her against me.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. And then another. All the while listening hard for the sound of the heavy doors to open or close. Patience was never a virtue I possessed, but for her, I could be patient. I could be whatever she needed.
Finally, the sound I’d been waiting for rang through the evening air. The cool breeze brushed my face as I opened my eyes and found luck had finally caught up with me. Nurse Styx stood with her back to the door, arms crossed, as she stared me down. I crossed the sidewalk and part of the grass lawn to get to her.
“What are you doing here? I told you letting you in here was a one-time thing. It could have cost me my job.”
I held my hands up in surrender
. “I am legal this time I promise. Check the computer for my name, and while you are at it, look for her release paperwork.”
Her brow furrowed. “What did you do, pretty boy?”
“That’s Doctor Pretty Boy to you, and I did what I needed to do to get her out of here. Badge me in so I can go break the news to her myself. And then help her start packing. I’m taking her out of here tonight, right now. And she’s never coming back.”
“You sure about that?” Her demand confirmed how much she wanted this to be true as well. How much she wanted Kory safe and happy. Despite her stern exterior, I suspected her heart to be pure gold.
She waved me toward her, and I followed her into the building. We took the stairs, and I itched to edge around her and take them two at a time. I kept pace with her and crossed to the nurse’s station like she expected me to. It took a few moments to open the files and print out some paperwork.
When she handed me the forms and a pen, she looked impressed. “I don’t know how you did it or what you did, but I’m glad it was you. According to the records, you are listed as her only contact. As if her mother has completely disowned her.”
I chuckled. “One can only hope we can get rid of her that easily.”
She threw her chin toward Kory’s door. “How do you want to tell her? I can go in first or you can do it.”
The papers were filed, and she braced her hands on the desk. “I think you should do it. I’m sure she would appreciate it more coming from you. Take some tissues. I have a feeling one of you might need them before you leave the building.”
I reached out and took her hand in mine. There were no words for how grateful I was for her being here while I couldn’t. Her fingers were cold and stiff in mine.
“Get in there, Doctor Pretty Boy, before I break down and tell her myself and you miss your chance. I’m sure you two have way better things to do than stick around here for a midnight snack.”
I released her hand and walked slowly toward her room. My heart choking me from the inside. The hallway seemed to stretch, pulling her away, and I walked faster until I stood outside. Her light was off and the door was shut. I knocked once and pushed it open. The light fell on her sight frame curled up on the bed.
She didn’t roll over or make any movements. “Kory,” I whispered.
Finally, she arched her face toward me, and then her whole body leapt up off the bed. I caught her in my arms.
She quickly pushed the door closed and spun to face me. I patted along the wall until the light turned on. She slapped it off. “What are you doing? If Styx snuck you in again, no one else can see you here. I don’t want to risk her getting in trouble for us. Worse, losing her career like I cost you.”
I cradled her face in my hands and scanned her features. She looked tired, and I brushed my lips against her forehead. “Stop, it’s okay. I’ve been cleared to see you.”
She reared back. “What? How? The last I heard, my mother wanted to skin you and hang you outside the White House on a flag pole.”
“She probably still does, but I did what I told you I would do. I kept my promise. Now I need you to do me a favor. A big favor.” I spun her around in a circle, lifting her weight easily.
Her smile brightened up the entire room. “What?”
“Pack your things, because I am taking you out of here. While you do it, think about where you want to go. Preferably where I can take all your clothes off.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Kory
The only thing I took with me was the copy of The Count of Monte Cristo and the clothes I was wearing. Styx waved us out, and when my feet hit the sidewalk outside the hospital, I resisted the urge to run until my lungs refused to support me any longer.
He held his car door open, and I climbed inside and buckled up. I watched him walk around the hood and get in on the left side. Once he settled in and buckled his own seatbelt, I truly felt maybe we were going to get away from here. Maybe this wasn’t a dream and someone wasn’t going to jump out at any moment to drag me back into the hospital.
“Do you have a place here in the city to get some clothes or anything?”
I shook my head. “I have a storage unit, but I lease out my apartment before I go inside so I can save the money and use it to travel when I get out. My mother bought me the apartment years ago. It’s in my name, so I don’t have to worry about an income.”
With the Sito money, I didn’t doubt the truth of that. “Well, where do you want to go? Do you need clothes or anything from your storage unit?”
I nudged him with my shoulder. “I thought you wanted me out of my clothes.”
He cleared his throat and pulled out of the parking lot. “To the hotel it is then. I wanted you to have a place you felt comfortable and safe while you stretch and figure things out.”
His compassion caused something in my chest to open up. I let him take me away from that hell hole, and I didn’t care where.
The hotel wasn’t simply a hotel. It had to be the nicest one in the city. I suddenly felt very conspicuous in my white canvas sneakers and the scrub like uniform I’d been living in for weeks. “Don’t worry about it,” he whispered, as he hugged me close and walked me into the hotel.
The staff didn’t even flinch at my outfit, or the rumpled slacks and button-down Ash wore beside me. They checked us in and gave us an actual metal key. The desk clerk smiled as she passed it across her granite counter top. “A note on the account said to put you in the penthouse suite complements of The Poseidon.”
I glanced up at him and watched him flex his jaw and tighten his lips. Obviously, something had been happening while he’d been working on getting me free. When we got the to the room, I inspected all the rooms and groaned when I reached the bathroom. The tub was bigger than the entire cell I’d been living in.
I started taking my clothes off before I even ran the water. He entered behind me, and I felt the hot touch of his eyes on my skin. I needed this.
He came around behind me and watched me strip off every inch of clothing. I met his eyes boldly now, until he glanced down and lingered over my breasts and lower. “Allow me,” he said, huskily.
With a flick of the wrist he turned on the faucets. His eyes never left my body while he tested the temperature and poured some of the bubbles from the side of the tub.
I approached, and he gripped my hand while I climbed inside. “We have some things to talk about once you’re settled and relaxed.”
I splashed water at his face. “There’s room enough in here for two.”
“Not if you want to eat tonight. I need to order room service, and then I’ll come back and check on you. Anything in particular you want?”
I thought about all my favorite comfort foods. “Grilled cheese with mayo, french fries, and chocolate pudding.”
He laughed and started to leave. “You’re on the first grader diet I see.”
“I’m on the I’ve been locked up and couldn’t eat what I wanted for the last few weeks diet. Get the food and don’t judge me.”
I sank into the warm bubbled and soaked until the doorbell of the suite rang.
“Food’s here,” Ash called.
I didn’t want to leave the tub, but my stomach growling alerted me to the necessity. I dried off and wrapped a plush robe around my still damp skin. He scanned me head to bare toes as he arranged the food on the table.
He uncovered a steak and fries for him and my request with a flourish. “Hungry?”
His eyes were hot and all for me, but I took the seat beside him and brought the sandwich to my lips. Delicious cheese assaulted my senses, and I groaned out loud. “That is so good. Now that I feel a little more human, what did you want to talk to me about?”
He put his cutlery down on the table, his steak only half eaten. “The terms of the deal I made with Donny to get you free required some negotiating with your mother. There were some stipulations in the contract you should know about.”
I took another bite a
nd spoke around the crispy bread. “What?”
He didn’t speak for a minute, and I swallowed my food. “Really what? It can’t be that bad. I’m free, for good, anything is worth that.”
“I hope you think that when I tell you what the terms are.”
“Then do it. You’re scaring me.”
He shifted in his chair. “Neither of us can ever talk to the media without permission, and we can’t see or talk to your mother without her reaching out first.”
I bit into a fry. “Done and done.”
“There’s more. You also have to assist in certain political functions.”
I dropped the fry, my stomach twisting, my body tensing. “What?”
“It was in the contract. You have to remain out of jail, and you have to attend functions when she needs your presence there. Talking isn’t necessary at the events, but you have to be properly dressed and show up. The time may be three months, but it’s likely her campaign season of six months.”
I pushed up from the table and paced around it to think. “So I’ve traded one prison for another?”
He knew better than to touch me right now. “Donny got her to agree to let you veto up to five events without explanation. I don’t think it will be that bad, honestly.”
I glared at him. “I’m glad you think so, because you’ll be going with me, to all of them, as my plus one.”
“Are you upset I made this trade?”
Part of me wanted to be angry, but I couldn’t with the rich fabric cocooning me and the delicious food filling my belly. A few handshakes and some over-priced catered food was a small price to pay for that freedom. “No. I’m not upset. I would have made the deal, too, if it had been offered to me. I hate we had to go through all this crap in the first place. I hate that my life will never truly be my own.”
Deranged: Twisted Myths Book One Page 14
