9781631051289TemptedbytheCowboySullivan (19 page)

“I’ll call you tomorrow since you’ve been ignor
ing my text messages.”

“I wasn’t interested.”

“Are you now?”

“Maybe, but I need a couple of days to think things
through, Jason.”

He brushed his knuckled over the protruding tip of her
breast, stopping her breath in her throat. “No thinking.
Just feel.”

“I’m feeling a little overwhelmed with you right now.”

A deep sigh escaped his lips as he stepped back.
“All right.
I’ll leave you alone.
But don’t think you can ignore me.”

“I won’t. You’re a pretty persistent guy.”

He grinned as he noticed how the flood
light from the parking lot of the hospital shone on her
face. Her eyes sparkled with interest. Her body called to him to throw her up
on the hood of her car and fuck the daylights out of her, but not here. He
wanted their reunion to be special, soft, invit
ing,
with candles and soft music playing in the background.
Maybe a bubble bath for two.
He could be romantic
when the need arose.

“Let me call you when I’ve had time to think.”

“Two days, Peyton. I’m giving you two days. If I don’t hear
from you by then,
I’m coming after you.” He crushed
his mouth against
hers,
tasting her like he’d
die if he did get enough of her soon. The last two weeks had been hell on him,
wishing for her to be near, wanting her, dreaming of her, and all the while not
wanting to rush h
er. Well to hell with that, he was
done giving her space.

Her hands went up around his neck as she pushed her breasts
against his chest. Their kiss lasted a lifetime, but wasn’t long enough when he
finally lifted his head to look deep into her eyes. Yes, s
he wanted him, but fear mixed with confusion reflected in
her gaze.

“I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Okay. Be safe going home.”

“I will.
You
too.”

She slipped inside her car and shut the door before he
watched her back up. Red taillights reflected the slow drizzl
e beginning to wet the pavement.
Summer rain.
It would wash the
dirt, grime and evil out of the air, leaving things fresh and clean. He dipped
his head as he headed back inside to say goodbye to his family before heading
home.

His parents were inside visit
ing
Paige and the babies so he talked to the brothers standing nearby, told them
he’d see them at home and then headed out to his truck. He needed time to plan
the re-seduction of Peyton Matthews.

* * * *

Two days had passed and she still wasn’t any
closer to coming to a conclusion about Jason. She liked
him, liked him a lot, but did she want to try some relationship with him? She
still didn’t know. What about the emotional scars of Charles’ reign?

“So how are you feeling these days?” her therapist
asked as she sat down in the chair in her office.

“Good.
Physically,
anyway.
Emotionally, I’m not so sure.”

“Why? What’s going on?”

“There’s this guy.”

“Isn’t there always a guy who is a bane of our problems?”

She
laughed,
the sound coming from
her mouth hollow and without emotion.
“Seems so.”

“So tell me about this guy.”

“He’s sweet, gorgeous, about six-four, muscular and a
cowboy.”

“Not your typical man from what you’ve told me.”

“No, Charles was a suit.
Business man.
Law
yer.
He was always in
control, twenty-four seven about everything from his business to his personal
life. I think that’s part of the reason I let him control me so much. I’m not a
strong soul.”

“Yes you are, Peyton. You are one of the strongest women I
kno
w. You have to believe that about yourself.
Charles broke you down with manipulation.”

She blew out a long breath. “I know, but I don’t trust
myself where men are concerned. What if Jason turns out to be like Charles?”

“Do you really think that’s true?”

“N
o, but what if my perception is
so skewed that I can’t see it?”

“You’ll have to learn to trust your perception. Tell me
about how Jason treats you.”

Peyton glanced out the window to watch a bird flit from
tree to tree. “He’s kind, considerate, passionate,
and
he handles me with kid gloves sometimes. Other times he’s in my face forcing me
to meet my feelings for him head on.”

“And what are your feelings for him?”

“I’m not sure.” She got to her feet to wander near the
doctor’s bookcase to look through the vol
umes on
behaviors in adults and children. Recognizing a few of them, she picked one up
and flipped through it. Someday, she would be the one on the other side of this
conversation, she vowed silently. She wanted that more than anything.

“Are you in love wi
th him?”

“I’m not sure what love feels like. I loved Charles or
thought I did and see where that got me?”

“We all are afraid to let another person become
our everything
, Peyton.”

“He’s important to me, yes.”

“That’s a start.” The doctor wrote down somethin
g on her notepad as Peyton took the seat she’d vacated only
moments before. “Do you see your future with him in or out?”

“I’d like to think he’d be in it.”

“As what?
Partner, lover, husband?”

“Whoa. I’m nowhere near ready for a husband.”

“I didn’t say you
were. I asked
how you saw him in your future.”

“For now, lover.
I’m good with that.”

The doctor tapped her pen to her lips. “Somehow I don’t
think you are. I think you want more from him, but you’re afraid to ask for it
thinking he’ll deny you the way Char
les did.”

“Jason doesn’t want anything permanent, but he did ask me
to marry him a couple of weeks ago.”

“You didn’t tell me this in our last session.”

“Sorry. It was
spur
of the moment. He
didn’t mean it. I think he was feeling a little old at the time. H
is brother had been hurt in an auto accident and he
realized he might want to think about settling down. He rescinded the offer the
other night.”

“It all comes down to what you want from him.”

“I like having him in my life.”

“Then you
are
wanting
something
more permanent than
you are wanting to admit.”

“Maybe.”
She picked at the
fingernail on her right hand. Did she really want more?
Something permanent like marriage?
Did she love him?

“Our time is up for today. Think about what you want and
what he’s willi
ng to give. He sounds like the type of
guy you could do well with. Someone patient, understanding and willing to be
the strong one in the relationship when it’s needed, but also willing to let
you be yourself. You didn’t have that with Charles.”

“Thanks, D
oc. You’ve been very
helpful.”

“Of course.
See you next week?”

“Same time, same place. I’ll be here.”

“Oh, how is school signups coming along?”

“Perfect. I’m all registered to take classes in a few
months. It’s going to be a long haul, but I need to feel
like I’m helping. Being a therapist is important to me.”

“I know it is.” The doctor hugged her and then stepped
back. “You have my complete support.”

“Thanks again, Doc. You’re the best.”

“Call me if you need anything.”

“I will.”

“Good luck with Jason.”

Pe
yton nodded as she walked out
of the doctor’s office and onto the street. The sun shone bright overhead,
blinding her for a moment as she turned to go to her car.

A hand came down on her mouth, firmly blocking any kind of
scream as a man hauled her up
against his chest.
“Thought I’d never find you, didn’t you?”

Chapter Fourteen

Charles.

“You fucking cunt. You are the biggest worthless piece of
shit I’ve ever had the pleasure to know.”

Then why are
you here?

“You’re going to pay for leaving me. No
one leaves me.”

He dragged her to the car next to the curb in front of the
doctor’s office.
How the hell did he
find me?

With his hand over her throat, he cut off the oxygen to her
brain. She struggled against him, realizing she would die if she didn’t get
away from this crazy maniac. He wouldn’t have any qualms
about killing her, she realized.

Jason. I never
got to see him again.

Her world went dark with his face at the forefront of her
mind.

When she awoke several minutes later, she gasped for breath
as
she tried to bring her hands to her throat, but
couldn’t. She was tied to a bed in a dingy hotel room. She screamed as long and
as loud as she could.

“Ah, you’re awake finally.” He glanced around the room.
“Nice, huh?
About your speed I
would think. I’m su
re you know the place well since
it’s across from that shithole of a bar you work at.”

Fuck. He knows
where I work?

“Yes, darling.
I know where you work,
I know where you live, and I know who your friends are.” He studied the
fingernails on his left hand.
“You shouldn’t have
run.”

“I was tired of the way you were treating me. I’m not your
plaything.” She yanked on the rope, realizing she wouldn’t get anywhere talking
to him, but the bindings held tight, chafing the tender skin of her wrists.

“Oh, but you ar
e, my dear. You
are everything I want to play with until I get tired of you. You can go when
that happens. For now, you’re mine until I say otherwise.” He watched her
struggle against her bonds. “You’ll only hurt yourself by doing that, Peyton.”

“Let me go
, Charles, and I won’t
press charges for kidnapping.”

“I don’t think anyone will miss you anytime soon. Your
friends think you’re headed to your fuck buddy’s house tonight, do they not?”

“How?”

“You have a very active telephone line.”

“You tapped my phone?
”

“I have ways of listening, yes.”

“You bastard!
Why can’t you just
leave me alone? You’ve done enough damage already with your abuse. Find someone
else to fuck up!”

He shot up out of the chair. With him looming over her, he
pulled back his hand and smacke
d her across the right
cheek. “Shut the hell up! I’m not an abuser. You just can’t handle criticism at
all. You never could do anything right.” Her cheek stung where his ring cut
into the flesh below her cheekbone. Maybe she should just keep her mouth shut
and hope to get free when he left to use the bathroom or
something.

He cupped her cheek with his hand as he ran his thumb
across her lips. “Now see what you made me do? I don’t want to hurt you,
Peyton. You’re everything I wanted in a woman, but you have
to realize I love you and I want you to come home with me
of your own freewill.”

“I’ll never go anywhere with you.”

He sighed, moving his hand away. “So be it.” He grabbed a
bag off the table and pulled out a syringe. “I didn’t want to have to do this,
bu
t if I have to, I will. You see, you’re mine. No
way around it, but you have to realize that I will take you home one way or
another.” He drew up whatever was in the vile into the syringe, pushing the air
out the top of the needle once he withdrew it. “I’l
l
keep you anyway I must.” As he came closer, a knock sounded on the door. “Who
is it?”

“The manager.
I’ve had a complaint
about noise.”

Charles sighed and set the syringe down on the table, eye
level with her. “I can’t open the door right now, I’m not dr
essed, but we’ll keep it down.” He chuckled. “My lady
friend and I just got a little carried away.”

“Help me! He’s keeping me hostage. Please!”

Charles slapped his hand over her mouth to muffle her
cries.

“Is everything all right in there?”

“Yes, sir.
My fiancé and I are
playing a game of capture, is
all.
Nothing to be concerned about.
We are into a little
kinky stuff, but thank you for being concerned. It is much appreciated.”

“All right.
Just keep it down.”

“Yes, sir.”

Charles grabbed a roll of duct
tape
off the table, slapping a piece over her mouth before she could even take a
breath to scream again.

“No more fighting me, Peyton.” He tilted his head to the
side. “I like the piercings and the tats. They are kind of hot.”

She shot daggers at him with
her
gaze.

“I know. I’m such a bastard, but once I get you in the car
and we’re headed back to Austin, everything will be better. I can guarantee you
that.” He grabbed the needle from the table. “You’ll sleep soundly until we
reach Austin and I can take car
e of you. You’ll love
the set up I have for you, Peyton. It’s private, sound proof and no one knows
it’s mine because I rented it. It won’t be traceable at all. By the time your
friends realize you’re gone, I’ll have you safely ensconced in our private pla
yground where I can use you until my heart is content.”
After he stuck the needle deep into her thigh, he slowly pushed the medication
into her.
“Something to help you
sleep while we travel.
I know how much you
hate car rides for longer than an hour.” He
t
sked
several times with his
tongue. “You can be so needy.”

For the second time, her world rocked on its axis as her
thoughts shifted to Jason. Would she ever see him again? Would she see her
friends? She never did get to go see the babies. Would anyone eve
n miss her at all? As her thoughts jumbled, she thought she
heard Jason say he loved her, but that couldn’t be. Jason wasn’t there.

* * * *

Jason sat in the corner of The Dusty Boot waiting for
Peyton to show up for work. He’d made plans to whisk her
away after her shift finished, for a fun night of
debauchery, but as he glanced at his watch, he realized she was very late. He’d
never known her to be late for work before. He signaled Dan at the other end of
the bar. When the man moved closer, he asked i
f the
owner knew where Peyton might be.

“Nope.
She didn’t show for
work, which isn’t like her at all. I even tried calling her phone and all I got
was voicemail. Have you seen her today?”

“No. I had plans this afternoon and didn’t get to talk to
her.”

“Hav
e you called Mandy? Maybe she
knows where she might be.”

Jason snapped his fingers. “Good thought. I’ll give her a
call.” He grabbed his cell phone from his pocket and dialed Mandy’s number from
his address book. He had it from before he and Peyton started
seeing each other, not that he’d dated Mandy, but she’d
been his contact at the feed store for getting much needed information on the
equipment he needed for inseminating and storing the sperm from his bulls for
use later.

The phone rang several times bef
ore
she picked it up.
“Hey, Jason.
What’s up?”

“Have you seen Peyton today?”

“I had lunch with her this afternoon and then she had an
appointment at three. Why?”

“She didn’t show up for work.”

“What? Shit.”

“What’s wrong?”

“There was a creepy guy hanging around my apartment earlier
just watching things. I didn’t think anything of it at the time, but now I
don’t know.
He really
creeped
me out.
He had on a black
business suit, spit shined shoes,
slicked
back hair. You know
the
type.”

“Yeah, but why would
that concern you?”

“She hasn’t told you about Charles, has she?”

“No. Who’s Charles?”

“Where are you?”

“At The Dusty Boot.”

“I’ll be there in twenty minutes. We need to talk.”

He hung up the phone as trepidation rippled down hi
s back. Something was wrong. He could feel it.

Several minutes later, Mandy came through the door at a
dead run. “You haven’t heard from her all day?”

“No, why?”

“She said she planned to call you this afternoon after her
appointment.”

“Who did she have an
appointment
with?” he asked, taking a sip from his soda on the bar. He wasn’t drinking. He
needed his wits about him for Peyton’s sake.

“Her psychiatrist.
She hasn’t been seeing
her that long, maybe six months?”

“She’s seeing a psychiatrist? Why?”

“I have
to tell you about Charles
for you to understand about her seeing someone. She was with Charles for three
years. She thought he was the best thing since sliced bread.
Tall, rich, lawyer, and good looking to boot.
She thought he would
marry her and they wou
ld be this little happy
family.”

Jason growled.

“I’m glad you don’t like the thought of that. It tells me
you are in love with her as much as she is in love with you.”

“She is?”

Mandy nodded as she took a sip of Jason’s soda. “She is,
although she doesn’t want to admit it, but back to Charles. He fucked with her
brain. Emotional abuse is what they call it. It’s the reason she has the
piercings and tats except for the one on her br
east
for her mother. The others she did for him because everything she did wasn’t
good enough. He broke down her self-esteem so bad, she wouldn’t know love if it
smacked her in the face. He belittled her, called her stupid and made her feel
like she wasn’t
good enough for anyone, not even him,
but then he would build her back up only to tear her down again. She left him
two years ago to move here hoping the obscure remote town would fool him enough
he would eventually just leave her alone. Like I said, she’
s been seeing the therapist for the abuse about six months
now. That’s who she had an appointment with this afternoon.” She grabbed her
phone to scroll through the numbers. “I think I have her emergency number
here.” She stopped, hit the button and put the
phone
up to her ear. After the phone clicked, she held up her finger and said,
“Doctor Nash? Hi. I’m a friend of Peyton’s. I know she had an appointment with
you this afternoon, but have you talked to her since? No? A couple of us are
concerned. She didn’
t show up for work. Yeah. Huh.
Her car was outside your office when you left at five? That’s weird. Okay. We
are coming over there to check out her car and see if we can find some clues as
to her whereabouts. Yeah, I know about Charles. He’s a bad dude and
I hope he didn’t find her. Okay. Thank you.” She shut the
phone as she looked at Jason. “She hasn’t seen her or talked to her since
Peyton left her office at about three.”

“Something happened to her. I just feel it. What about this
Charles? Do you know an
ything more about him?”