AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I swallow the bile as the metallic scent of blood enters my nostrils. My mother’s blood. It’s as if time stops. I can hear the blood as it drip, drip, drips onto the floor. And that’s when I see her. Her mouth is open in a scream, eyes rolled back into her head. A gaping hole at the front of her neck gives a glaring look into the back of her throat. Her dress is stained crimson like a disgusting bloody bib down the front of her body.
She’s dead and Gillian is gone.
“Baby, wake up,” I feel a hand on my sternum. I jolt to a seated position holding her body to me. Gillian tenses as I come back to the here and now. “It was a dream. You were dreaming.” Her fiery hair comes into focus, and then her emerald eyes. Christ, I’ve missed those eyes. Without thinking, I crush her mouth to mine and take long draws from her lips. If she’s in pain, she doesn’t mention it or push away. If anything, she’s pressing harder, taking the kiss further by licking the seam of my lips. I open for her. Always for her.
Gillian’s little tongue enters my mouth, and I groan. I clasp her head in one hand, tip it to the side and stake my claim. My fucking woman. Her lips are for me and me alone. She moans into my mouth and presses her body more fully into my chest. I can feel her pert nipples grate along my skin and my dick comes to life. It has been soft and unfeeling for days. With one press of her lips, it awakens as if it’s been taking a week-long nap.
Rubbing my lips across hers, I share it all. The fear, the grief, the gut-wrenching need for her in my life. The fact that I spent four days without her, a piece of me dying every second that she was gone. She takes it all and gives back joy, love, and a bright future to rejoice in. And I do, rejoice in all that is her as her lips control mine. Gillian is not the type of woman who just kisses you. With every touch of her mouth she shares her past. With every whisper of her breath she claims the present. With every ounce of her being she gives me her future. It’s all in her kiss.
I pull away gasping for air when the metallic taste of her blood registers. “Shit, I’ve busted open your lip.” I press the pad of my thumb against the swollen tissue. Regret is harsh, a cold bucket of water thrown over me.
“Worth it,” she licks my thumb and waggles her eyebrows.
“Saucy little vixen,” I rub my forehead against hers, trying to express what I’m unable to with words. “When can I go home?” she asks on a sigh.
“We’re not going home. We’re going to the Davis Mansion when you’re sprung out of here, but I think it might be a couple more days.” If I have anything to say about it, it will. I’ve got two fully-armed guards at her door, another four trolling the building and parking lots looking for suspicious activity. McBride’s still out there. The only thing we found when the area surrounding her shelter was searched was a brown satchel with provisions in it.
Her eyes turn a darker, leafy green. “I don’t know about you, but I’m going to be sleeping in our bed at the penthouse. I’ve been locked away in a god-damned cell for a week,” her voice shakes and it sends my temper ablaze. “I need to be home. With you. Where I’m most comfortable.”
I suck in a breath and try to control my anger. The fact that I have to worry about where my fiancée is going to be safest, instead of comfortable, after what she’s gone through is infuriating. “We’ll figure it out.”
“Like I’m trying to figure out how you thought it best to crawl into bed with my patient, Mr. Davis,” comes a grumbling voice from the door. Dr. Dutera enters, his rimless glasses perched on his bulbous nose. Even with the well-mannered doctor, I’m not going to justify his remark by giving him a response. Gillian is my woman. I go where she goes. Period. And after being faced with her abduction the last few days, anyone who gets in my way will pay dearly.
“I sleep better next to my fiancé doctor.” Gillian glances down to the wedding ring on the doctor’s left hand. “I imagine your wife feels the same about you.”
A slow smile fills the doctor’s face. As with any man, his woman is the way to his heart. Not a meal as the overused cliché suggests. Just the love of a good woman. Of course my woman would pick up on that. Gillian has always had a way with people. Most days I wish she didn’t. I’d prefer to have her all to myself.
“Yes, well, we need to check your vitals and go over your injuries,” he says while flipping through the pages on her chart. I slowly remove myself from the bed.
“I’ll just speak to security and grab a cup of coffee…” I barely have my hand on the door handle before Gillian screams.
“Chase no! Don’t leave me!” she screeches. In less than a blink, I’m back at her side and she’s in my arms. Tears pour down her cheeks and soak my shirt where she rubs her battered face into my sternum. “Just, please, don’t leave me,” she chokes back a sob and sniffles, wiping her face against my shirt. I don’t care. The violent response to my leaving is enough for me.
“I’m not going anywhere. Shh, it’s okay. I’m here.” I hold her until her sobs become soft hiccups against my chest. When I look up the doctor’s mouth is set into a grim line.
“We’re going to need to have psych come assist—” He starts, but I cut him off.
I point my finger at him, my tone menacing and firm. “Don’t say a word. Not aword. She’s fine. Just shaken up, which is understandable after what she’s gone through.” I pet Gillian’s hair and she shudders against me. The emotional waves tear through my own defenses and the lion comes out, claws sharpened and incisors ready to tear flesh. “Now, we have a great psychologist named Dr. Madison that I’d like you to call. Give him a brief rundown of the situation, and I’m certain he will be happy to assist in Gillian’s mental health. Do I make myself clear, Dr. Dutera?” My tone leaves no room for argument. If he does, we’ll get another doctor within the hour.
The doctor sighs, and his mouth tightens. “I understand,” he says, then proceeds to go through the laundry list of injuries she sustained. For the most part, the wrists, ankles, and face received the most damage. All will heal well as we continue her on the antibiotics and taper off the pain medications.
“According to my records, you’ve lost twenty-five pounds since your first visit with me when you got your stitches removed just under a year ago. That’s a lot of weight for a slight woman. I’d like to see you put at least ten of those pounds back on,” he suggests. She nods but doesn’t move her face from the position against my chest. If anything, she’s made herself more comfortable there. Again, I can’t complain. She needs me. Having this womanneedme is everything I’ve ever wanted. I just didn’t want it under these conditions or circumstances.
I settle Gillian back down on the bed but lean against her side. She clasps my hand, bringing it up to her lips, and holds it there. Just holds my hand against the abrasions on her chin and mouth as if it were a safety blanket. In that moment, I know we need Dr. Madison’s expertise far more than I had imagined.
Daniel
That rat bastard has hadmyprincess for two fucking days now. The hospital they’ve taken her to is crawling with fibbies and hired rent-a-cops. I’ll just bet all of them have my picture, too. Stupid fucks. Nothing a little brown hair dye, a pair of colored contacts, and a little facial hair won’t fix.
The white walls of the hospital corridor remind me of a psych ward. Up ahead, I see one of the rent-a-cops. Perfect test. He moves to walk past me, and I stop him with a hand on his elbow.
“Excuse me, do you have the time?” I ask looking him directly in the eye. He looks down at his watch.
“Sure Pal, it’s ten to four,” he says, then adjusts his belt. Something I find that security guards do. Somehow they believe it makes them look more powerful. Like they have to go through any actual training to carry a baton and a walkie-talkie. I try hard not to roll my eyes.
I look around and catch the uniform of another fake, first responder. “So what’s with all the security? Is there someone famous here?” I ask in a hushed tone making sure to use good voice inflection and prod his shoulder like we’re old high school buddies.
He scans the space for a moment, places his hands on his belt once more then leans forward. “You didn’t hear this from me, but yeah. A billionaire is here, and his wife is being treated. She was kidnapped.”
