The Embrace Series: Romantic Suspense Box Set

by Dana Mason

  “She left with her dad. They’re gone,” she said on a breath as her chest heaved for more air.

  “Shut up!” He pushed her to the ground with such force; she skidded on the pavement and slammed her head and shoulder against the cinderblock wall. The blow made her head spin.

  “Call for her. She’ll come down if you call for her.”

  When she didn’t immediately respond, Jeffries came at her with a fist. Her eyes were adjusting to the darkness enough to see him coming. She tried to roll away, but he moved too fast. He straddled her with one hand on her neck, and another in her hair. He lifted her head and slammed it back down against the concrete floor.

  “Call her now!”

  “No!” Melissa cried.

  When he slapped her, she punched at both his legs with clenched fist. She wanted to hit the gunshot wound she knew he had. He cried out and jerked back, and that gave Melissa the opportunity to kick out. She nailed him in the crotch with the heel of her foot. Jeffries jolted sideways, wailing in pain.

  She scurried away and scrambled to get to her feet. Before she reached the door, he jumped her from behind and sent her to the floor. When his weight landed on top of her, the air was knocked from her lungs. She fought with everything she had, trying to keep her screams silent, afraid Erin would hear and come looking for her.

  “Call for her or I’ll go get her myself.” He had her face pushed against the floor and she could feel little concrete pebbles imbedded in her cheek from the pressure.

  “I have nothing left to lose and no reason not to kill you,” he said, and Melissa didn’t miss the desperate undertones to his statement. “I’d just as soon strangle you than look at you.” He lifted her head by the hair and slammed her face into the floor again. “Do it now!”

  Stars erupted and her vision blurred as the pain spiked through her temples. “No,” she said as her chest heaved, fighting for air against his weight on top of her.

  “Melissa,” Erin called from outside, and Melissa began fighting again. Oh God, please keep her outside. Melissa bucked up and down to force him off, but he was too strong.

  Erin’s feet scuffled on the pavement outside the door. Melissa wanted to cry out a warning, but before she got the words out, Erin was at the door. Jeffries gripped Melissa’s mouth and nose so tight, it cut off her airflow.

  “Melissa?” Erin called again. “Auntie Ali keeps calling your cell, should I answer it?”

  Melissa and Jeffries were hidden in the shadows, but when Erin pushed open the door, sunlight shone directly on Matt’s crumpled body. Erin rushed forward and let the door close behind her.

  “Oh God, Matty!” When the door smacked closed, Erin screamed for Melissa. Within seconds, the weight lifted off her, and she screamed out, but not fast enough.

  Jeffries grabbed Erin by the hair and shoved her hard against the cinderblock wall. Erin shrieked just as his hands looped around her neck. She shoved him off, but he punched her in the face so hard, she toppled over onto the concrete.

  Melissa scrambled up and dove at him, knocking him to the ground, too. She pounced on top of him and punched with everything she had, but it wasn’t enough. With one well-aimed swing to her face, he sent her sideways next to an unconscious Erin. Melissa cried out from the pain in her head. She couldn’t see anything between her blurred vision and the darkness. She felt blood gushing from her nose into her swollen mouth. She rolled to her side, coughing and spitting to keep the blood from choking her. When Jeffries came toward them, she rolled over again and leaned over Erin in a protective stance.

  Jeffries sent another blow across her face. She fell sideways. Her head bounced hard off the concrete and light flashed brightly into her eyes before they closed.

  Brian pushed the door in time to see Melissa hit the ground. He ran inside, tugging the light cord as Johnny pulled a gun on Jeffries. Ali went right for the girls, both unconscious on the floor next to each other. Brian had to force his lungs to take in air when he got a better look at them. Melissa was covered in dirt and blood, definitely the most hurt of the three of them.

  Looking at his girls—both knocked unconscious, and Melissa bleeding profusely—took his breath away.

  “Brian!” Ali screamed. “Oh God, Melissa.” Ali pulled her sweater off and used it to brush the dirt and blood off her sister’s face.

  Brian knelt down, first checking Melissa’s pulse, then Erin’s. Both were still breathing. Melissa was so bloody and bruised, he was afraid to touch her, but even more afraid not to. He lifted her head and shifted it, while Ali held the sweater to her nose to stop the bleeding. He checked her airway then felt around her nose. He brushed Ali’s hands away and checked for a break. He had to review the first aid steps one-by-one in his head to keep his cool. He couldn’t lose it, not when his girl was lying in a pool of blood. “It’s not broken. Here, Ali, hold tightly here, but keep her leaning forward, we don’t want the blood to block her airway. If you hold here, it’ll stop in a minute.”

  Brian leaned over Erin next, checking her pulse again. At his touch, she tried to shake her head. “Erin, honey,” Brian said.

  She shot up, but Brian leaned her back down. “No, stay down.”

  Her eyes welled up, and she lifted her hand and tried to touch the back of her head. “Melissa,” she cried out, looking around frantically.

  “She’s right here,” Brian said, holding her down. “Don’t panic, babe. It’s okay.” Brian glanced over at Jeffries. Johnny had him on the ground and cuffed. Blood ran from his nose, too. He looked almost as bad as Melissa.

  Brian scrambled back over to Melissa, lifting and resting her head in his lap. The bleeding had subsided, but she was still out of it. He took her face in his hands and swallowed back the lump in his throat. “Lissa . . . Melissa, can you hear me?” His voice cracked. “Please open your eyes.”

  Ali leaned over them, crying, and Brian grabbed her arm. “Ali, can you check on Matty? I have Melissa. Will you see if Matt’s okay?” Ali looked horrified at first then shifted quickly and rushed to Matt’s side. Johnny approached, too, and knelt next to Matt. He checked his pulse and at the same time, he leaned over to check his breathing.

  “He’s breathing.” Johnny examined him carefully. They all noticed the small puddle of blood at the base of his skull at the same time. “Don’t touch him, Ali. I’ve already called it in. Fire and paramedics are on the way.”

  Chapter Fifty-Four

  Melissa woke up in the dark. When she reached out, she found warmth. She inched her aching body closer until she got the skin-on-skin contact she’d been searching for. Once her face touched his bare chest, she felt at home.

  When Brian’s hand came up and caressed her, she tried not to openly flinch, but she couldn’t hold back the infinitesimal jerk as his finger brushed her sore cheek. “Sorry, baby.” He lifted his hand from her face and tilted to look at her. “How are you feeling?”

  Instead of answering, she looked around. “What happened?” The movement sent a sharp pain through her chest, and she remembered Jeffries’ body weight on top of her. She lifted and brought her hand to her throat and gasped. “Where’s Erin?”

  “She’s fine, sweetheart. She’s in her bed and in much better shape than you.”

  “Matt?” she said, turning to see him.

  “Matt is fine, too. He’s pissed as hell, but his injuries weren’t serious . . . a concussion.” Brian tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You certainly got the worst of it.”

  “What happened?” she asked again, feeling her face and rubbing her hand gently across the bruises there.

  “Jeffries hid out in your warehouse,” Brian said. “He broke in through a window.”

  “When?”

  “We’re not sure.” He shifted her slowly and leaned over, propping his head on his elbow. “How do you feel?”

  “Groggy . . . achy.” She winced and touched her nose. “And sore. I guess it can’t be too bad since I’m home with you and not in the hospital.”


  “You also have a concussion, but I promised the doctor I’d keep a good eye on you if he let you come home. You didn’t want to stay there. Don’t you remember?”

  “No, I don’t remember much of anything,” she said, finally able to see his face in the dark.

  “I’m sorry,” he said in a heavy voice. “I shouldn’t have left you unprotected.”

  “Unprotected? What are you talking about? You couldn’t have predicted this.”

  “I should have known. Jeffries is unstable. I should have expected something.”

  “Stop it.” She reached up to touch his face.

  Brian wrapped his hands around her and pulled her into his chest. “If something would have happened to you . . .”

  Melissa rested her cheek to his chest again, letting the feel of his beating heart relax her.

  “Your sister freaked out. It’s the only reason we got there so fast.

  She started screaming and grabbing her chest and throat. She couldn’t breathe and kept shouting your name.”

  When he shuddered, Melissa squeezed him, relieved they were all okay. “I guess this twin thing comes in handy sometimes.”

  “Yeah, no kiddin.’” Brian kissed the top of her head.

  “So . . . Jeffries was arrested?”

  “Oh yeah. Johnny got him” he said. “He’s going away for a long time. ICE got more evidence off his computer than I care to think about. He’s been producing child porn for years . . . selling to pedophiles all over the internet.” He sighed and said, “Johnny and I were working on the case before Julie’s death, but when ICE picked it up, we were pulled off.”

  “How on earth did he get away with it for so long?”

  Brian chuckled humorlessly. “He had a lot of people in this community fooled. A master-fucking-manipulator. Most of his biggest supporters were also parents of his victims, including Julie. I think that was part of his game. Gain fans and then abuse their kids. People were so sure of him; they never worried about their kids in his care. And, well . . . we’ve seen firsthand how he manipulated the kids.”

  “I’m sorry, Brian.”

  “No, baby, I’m sorry. I should have had Mark put a man on you . . . you and Erin.” Brian took her hand and kissed her palm. “It’s over though. We can rest easy now.”

  Melissa stared into his eyes and into her future, smiling.

  “We’ve gone full circle,” he said. “And I can’t wait to share the rest of this life with you.”

  Chapter Fifty-Five

  Ten months later . . .

  “Wake up.” Ali whispered, leaning in toward Melissa’s ear. “It’s your wedding day, sweetheart. Get up.” Melissa’s eyes blinked open and she looked into her sister’s smiling face. “In eight hours, you’ll be Mrs. Brian Hammel. Are you ready?” Ali was kneeling on the floor next to Melissa’s bed with a coffee mug in her hand.

  Melissa smiled and slowly sat up then reached for the coffee. “I’m more than ready.”

  “I have something for you?” Ali sat on the bed and lifted a white paper bag in the air in front of Melissa.

  Melissa squinted at the bag. “You brought me something from the drug store?”

  “Yes, ma’am, I did.” Ali opened the bag and pulled out a pregnancy test. “I’m not pregnant, yet I’m experiencing a lot of morning sickness.”

  Melissa laughed. “Welcome to my life.” She reached for the test and said, “This is some tradition we have going . . .” Her eyes locked on Ali’s. “You really think I’m pregnant?”

  “I believe you are, and there’s only one way to find out.” Ali grabbed Melissa’s hand and pulled her into the bathroom. “It’s simple. All you have to do is follow the directions on the box.” She handed her the test and turned out of the bathroom.

  Melissa followed the directions, then stared at the stick as she stepped out of the bathroom. “How long does it take?”

  Ali took the stick and held it up to the light. “It shouldn’t be long—Oh my God, Melissa, look!” Ali grabbed her sister and hugged her so fiercely Melissa had to fight for air. “Oh my God!” Ali pulled back and had tears in her eyes, as did Melissa.

  “What’s the racket about?” Brian asked as he stepped into the room. “What’s wrong?”

  Ali handed the stick back to Melissa and said, “Bye.” Then she rushed to hug Brian before leaving the room.

  “What was that about?” Brian asked.

  Melissa covered her face as uncontrollable tears rushed down her cheeks.

  “Hey . . .” Brian went to Melissa and put his arms around her. “It’s our wedding day. Why on earth are you crying? Why are you so upset?”

  Melissa held out the stick, burying her face in his neck.

  “What is this?” He took the stick and looked at it.

  Brian’s breathing pitched and his arm tightened around her. “Lis, what does this mean, sweetheart?” he whispered. “Is this good news or bad?”

  “That depends on how you look at it,” she mumbled.

  “Are we having a baby?”

  She nodded into his chest. “Yes.”

  “Oh my God, Lissa.” He withdrew from the embrace and looked into her tear-streaked face. “We’re having a baby?”

  She nodded again and smiled.

  “Are you happy?” he asked at the look on her face.

  “Yes . . . aren’t you?”

  “I’m thrilled, sweetheart. Only one thing could make this more perfect.”

  She looked at him, confused. “What else could you want?”

  “He kissed her lips then traveled down to kiss her bare mid-drift where her cami was too short. He knelt down in front of her and cupped her hips with his hands. He then turned his head to rest his cheek on her stomach.

  “Two,” he whispered.

  “Two?” she asked, running her fingers through his hair.

  “Two beautiful little girls would make this perfect . . .” He grinned against her stomach and said, “Twins.”

  About the Author

  Dana Mason is happily settled in a small valley amongst the California grapevines with her husband and three children. Author of the award-winning, romantic suspense, Embrace Series, she’s written about a group of friends from Northern California who learn just how short life can be when you don't hold on to what's important. Second chances don't come easy...but sometimes love is worth the risk.

  Books by Dana Mason

  Embrace Series

  Dangerous Embrace (Book #1)

  Precious Embrace (Book #2)

  Broken Embrace (Book #3)

  Table of Contents

  Praise for the Embrace Series

  Dangerous Embrace

  Precious Embrace

  Broken Embrace

  About the Author

  Books by Dana Mason