After the Hurt (20 page)

Tank lifted up on his elbows to give her room, shivering as her fingers stroked up and down his back. Gradually all his muscles slackened and he rolled onto his back, keeping his arm locked around her shoulders. Not ever wanting to let her go. Sweat gleamed on her tanned skin, making her look as if she had been dipped in gold from the light filtering through the blinds. Every few seconds she trembled in her afterglow.

“C'mere.” Tank pulled her closer and drew the covers over them.

“It's so good, Tank…” She snuggled into his side.

“What's good, love?”

“Us. Being with you again.”

She tipped her head and he caught his breath at what he saw reflected in her eyes. He nodded, not trusting himself to speak, choked up with a lump in his throat. He was moved beyond words. He swallowed. Her face told him everything. His teenage sweetheart lay in his arms again. Long after he thought he'd lost her forever. And just as he was about to let her go.

She smiled and raised her face to kiss him. The luminescent hue of her eyes glimmered with tears. “Tank. I'm back in your arms and I'm not leaving, ever.”

She rose and pressed trembling lips to his. He tasted the tang of her salty tears and sighed a deep, shuddering sigh. One that seemed to expel all his hurt and anger and replace it with tenderness and love. Flames from the hearth bathed them in flickering light, their soft crackle the only sound in the room other than their breathing. Pepper fit perfectly to his body, every curve and swell, like they were cast from similar molds and made just for each other. He deepened the kiss and she yielded as he pressed her into the pillows.

Slowly he pushed her back and disentangled himself from her arms. As much as he wanted to wait until the morning to tell her, he couldn't. It made him feel disloyal. He had to tell her now. Not doing so and letting her think they could be together, which wasn't possible as long as this lunatic was still running around, was wrong.

He lay on his back and stared at the ceiling. Tank felt her move beside him and turned to look at her. She lay on her side, still flushed and smiling. Her hair fanned over the jumble of pillows around her. He itched to push his fingers into the sexy tumble of the silky strands, but he gripped the sheets instead.

Serenaded by the crackle of fire and flickering glow around them, they lay side by side. Silent. Pepper's foot rubbed his and he sighed. He would have been content and peaceful, but that damn black cloud hanging over his head was killing him. He reached out, wound his arm around her shoulders, and pulled her close. Tank swirled his fingers over the smooth skin of her shoulder. She moved and draped her arm over his hip. The scent of sex hung in the air and he inhaled it. This moment in time was perfect. He felt a stirring for her again. Like a starved man finally being fed, he couldn't get enough of her. This amazing woman was back in his arms again. He knew she would want to nap for a little while and be raring to go again. He closed his eyes with a sigh. Pepper squeezed his hip and he pulled her tighter. Their breathing was hushed and the night noises of the old building creaked and cracked from the outside cold.

But he had to talk to her first. Before they got too carried away.

“Baby, I have to tell you something.”

“Mm-hm?” Her voice was muffled in the sheets.

“I think you should leave.” Shit, that didn't come out right. What was he thinking?

Tank felt her stiffen before interrupting him. “What? Leave? I don't understand.”

“Pepper, shh, let me talk. Please.”

“What is this? You fuck me and then want me to leave?” She pulled away and tugged the covers up to her shoulders.

“No, no. Listen to me. Just for a little while.” He paused, waiting for her to explode into anger. But she didn't, which surprised the hell out of him. “I hadn't wanted to tell you, but I'm concerned for your safety. That guy we saw a while back and a few other little things have me worried. I don't want you in harm's way.”

“How long have you been thinking about this? You never did answer me before about calling Joe.”

“Yes, I called him. And I had papers drawn up and a check for half of the business a while ago, actually just after you came back. Initially so we could split the business, but I changed my mind and was going to rip them up. Now, with this development, I want you to take it.” Tank reached for her and she shrugged him off. “That way you can be safe. Secure. Away from me. It seems I attract the freaks.”

“I can handle myself. I can help you with this.”

He shook his head. “No, I won't allow you to be exposed to danger. You know what it's like. This is the best thing for you.”

“But what about us, Tank? We finally get back together and you want to break us up.”

“Pepper, please understand.”

“I don't want the money. I want to stay here with you.” She looked at him, her eyes reflected the pain he was inflicting on her. His heart was breaking all over again. How ironic he'd been worried she'd hurt him again, when he was the one doing it this time.

He pulled her to him and didn't say anything. Pepper wrapped her arms around him as if she'd never let him go, resting her head on his shoulder. The pain he'd felt when she'd left him before was nothing compared to this new agony. Pushing her away when she wanted to be with him choked him up. It didn't help when he felt her hot tears fall onto him. He squeezed her tighter when he heard her soft sob. They lay quietly for a while and he drifted on the edge of sleep. Neither spoke but so much hovered between them. They'd sort it out; he was determined they would. But not until it was safe.

Tank didn't really pay attention to the quiet click in the other room, associating it with the other building sounds as he dozed. Slowly sounds unnatural to the building seeped into his sleepy brain. He didn't really register them. What sounded like soft footfalls blended into the shallow dream that floated behind his eyelids. As the steps got a little louder, he furrowed his brows and struggled to open his eyes, trying to tell himself the sounds were only in his dream. Another part of his mind shouted for him to wake up. But he stayed trapped in his soft, cozy dream world surround by Pepper's warmth.

By the time his subconscious recognized the noises were not intrinsic to his dream or the building, it was too late. A sharp voice cut him from the misty trance he'd fallen into, shattering their solitude. Tank's eyes flew open.

“Isn't this sweet.” The harsh, bitter tone pierced his brain like a spike. He turned his attention to the direction the sound came from, the bedroom door. A painfully bright light beamed into the room, blinding him. He had trouble processing the situation and the threat of danger flared in his chest. Alarm liquefied in his belly and raced up his spine in a glacial grip.

He tried to blink away the light spots marring his vision.

“What the fuck?” Tank surged up.

“What's the matter—,” Pepper mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.

Light from the fire glinted off the muzzle of a black gun.
What?
Was he seeing that right? A gun? It was pointed at Pepper too. The icy chill in his back shattered like shards of frozen glass, filling him with dread. He'd been right; she was in danger! Tank shouted a warning and shoved Pepper off the bed as a shot rang out. There was a loud thump on the floor and a puff of feathers exploded into the air around them. A high-pitched scream came from the far side of the bed, then eerie quiet.

Time slowed down and Tank roared, “Nooo!”

The recoil of the gun had ripped the shooter's arm up into the air and threw him off balance. It gave Tank a few precious seconds to scramble across the bed. He took him down. They crashed to the floor and rolled into the wall as another shot popped off, spewing shards of shattered glass everywhere.

This couldn't be happening! Tank felt like he was in a dream. Unable to process the situation yet reacting instinctively, he fought. Fought harder than he'd ever done in the ring. Pepper's life depended on it. Another boom and a searing pain ripped through Tank's thigh, stunning him momentarily and allowing the guy to scramble out from under him. He crawled through the bedroom door, the gun in his hand thumping on the floor.

Ignoring the pain, Tank lunged after him. This time he would pin him into submission. No way would this asshole get away. Both rolled on the floor until Tank got the guy under him. Pain burst through his temple and he wavered a bit. Goddamn prick must have hit him with the gun. Tank yelled out his frustration. Energy surged through his muscles and within seconds he had him pinned, holding the hand with the gun so the muzzle pointed away.

A third shot popped off and Tank flinched. His head exploded with the sound. He was nearly deafened and all he could hear was loud ringing. All he could think of was Pepper, hoping she'd stayed down and hadn't been hit. Gripping the wrist of the attacker, Tank hesitated and smashed the hand on the wooden floor until the gun clattered away.

“Who. The. Fuck. Are you?” Tank gritted out the words and managed to hold the struggling person beneath him. In the darkened room with only the streetlights illuminating the room, Tank controlled the flailing arms. He got his arms around the neck of the guy and choked him out, holding until the body went limp under him.

Tank kicked the gun away, and it skittered under the couch. He shouted out, “Pepper, are you okay?”

She didn't answer and panic filled him, his gut souring with fear. What if she'd been shot? What if she was dead? Oh, God, it couldn't be happening. Just as she'd come back into his life he could be losing her again.

“Pepper!” he shouted again. Desperate to go to her, he hesitated, not wanting to leave this guy in case he came to. But he had to go to her.

Broken glass ripped the soles of his feet, his thigh gave him mind-splitting pain, but he didn't care. Grabbing his phone that had fallen to the floor in the struggle, he called 911.

“Police, fire, emergency,” an operator answered.

“Police, now, gunshots,” he said and gave his address and the pass code for the back downstairs door.

“Is anyone hurt?”

“I don't know…checking.” He rounded the bed and Pepper lay sprawled before him, her head at an awkward angle next to the night table. Blood oozed down her temple. “Oh God, she's not moving. There's blood.”

He didn't hear any more questions and dropped the cellphone. Tank pressed his fingers to her throat and held his breath, feeling for a pulse. There! He found it and breathed a sigh of relief.

“She's alive,” he shouted so the dispatcher could hear. “I have the shooter; hurry.”

“Pepper, honey. Wake up.” She didn't and lay like a statue. He brushed feathers off her face from the exploded pillow. Her hair stuck to the blood dripping down her cheek. Tank dragged the comforter off the bed, covering her to conceal her nakedness. He grabbed tissues to wipe the congealing blood. She lay pale and quiet, but alive. He put her on the bed and glanced at the dude on the floor. Still out cold. Maybe he'd choked the life out of him.

He bent to Pepper; slowly she came around and her lashes fluttered open. Fear glazed her eyes and tears welled. “W…what happened?”

“Shh, it's okay. Are you hurt?”

“I don't think so.” She winced when she tried to sit up. “My head.” She lifted trembling fingers and touched her temple.

“The police and ambulance will be here soon. They'll check you out. Take it easy.” Tank held her and was pretty sure she hadn't been shot.

“You need to get dressed, and watch the glass on the floor; it's everywhere. This room will be swarming with cops any minute.”

Tank pulled on jeans, his thigh and feet screaming in pain. He pushed his feet into shoes, nearly buckling from the agony, and stood over the intruder. Tank watched Pepper drag on his robe. “Go sit in the living room.”

She gave the guy on the floor a wide berth, and when he moaned, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

“Tank!”

“It's okay. I've got him. Now go and unlock the door for the cops.” Sirens wailed outside and minutes later, emergency lights from the cruisers lit the loft in a swirling kaleidoscope of red and blue. Heavy fists pounded on the door before it opened and the place was overrun with cops.

Tank lay on the hospital bed in a private room. Pepper refused to leave his side. The cops had finally left after all the questions. The guy who had broken in was arrested. Apparently, Tank had been this guy's target for a while for being rich with celebrity status and a flourishing business. The guy had been jealous, unbalanced, and determined to take it all away from Tank. It was very disturbing to hear, but Tank was glad they were safe now. It made him realize they'd always have to be cautious in the future.

Finally, they were alone and Pepper closed the hospital room door. She gazed at him with love and humor now that all the drama had settled down. He looked so funny lying there with his feet hanging over the end of the bed.

Pepper laughed. “Look at you, Mr. Big in a bed too small.”

“Ha-ha, not too funny.” He winced when she gently touched his bandaged feet.

“Are you in pain?”

“Not as much as I would have been in if I'd lost you.”

She pressed her lips into a thin line, thinking of the preceding hours. It had been terrifying to discover Tank had been shot in his thigh and had the soles of his feet torn to shreds by the glass. She was lucky, just a gash on the head from when he'd pushed her out of bed and hit the nightstand. But if he hadn't…She shuddered, knowing she'd likely be dead right now.

“Oh, Tank, I can't believe all this. It's crazy.”

“Come here.” He held out his hand and she took it, sliding onto the bed next to him, careful not to jostle his thigh.

“Does it hurt a lot?”

“Nah, I've had worse. But it was like that doc was digging for gold trying to find that bullet.”

Pepper nodded and stroked his chest, resting her head on his shoulder. “At least it was fairly clean and you don't need surgery on it. But your feet!”

His laugh rumbled deep in his chest. “Actually, I think it will lead to a perfect situation. You'll have to wait on me for a little while.”

She gazed up at him and smiled. “I'll wait on you until the end of time, Tank.”

He squeezed her shoulder and pulled tight. Now with this nightmare behind them, maybe they could relax a little.

“We can focus on us now, right?”

She felt him nod. “That we can.”

“I'm not leaving, you know. You can rip up that check and the papers.”

He didn't answer her, but his body tensed.

She leaned up on her elbow and looked at him. Her heart jumped into her throat and her chin quivered. He had tears in his eyes. It was the first time she'd ever seen him cry.

“I almost lost you. After just getting you back.” She couldn't look away from him as he spoke. “If you had died, I would have died, but not before killing that bastard.”

She opened her mouth, but he shushed her. She let him continue to speak.

“Pepper, you have no idea how glad I am that you came back. It ripped me apart when you left, but I understand now. You're leaving has made us both grow. What happened tonight only cemented how important you are to me.”

He smiled, looking a little sleepy from the painkillers. In that moment she knew all she had to do was love him. Plain and simple. Love and cherish him for the rest of their lives.

“I'm sorry.”

His eyelids fluttered as he tried to open them. “For what?”

“For leaving.”

He gave her his crooked smile. “S'okay. I understand. I'm glad you came back.”

“Me too.” She gazed at him with love. “I won't leave again. Promise.”

“You'd better not.”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out something she'd almost forgotten she'd had tucked away in her suitcase. “For you. I found it while I was away and had to get it.”

She held out her hand. He took the roll of fabric and unraveled it, then burst out laughing. “This totally gives it away.”

“Gives what away?”

“That you were thinking about me after you ran away.”

“Of course I was.” She smiled and held the tie decorated with jellyfish and sea urchins up to his neck. “It's so you and reminded me of the Bahamas.”

“How you find stuff like this is amazing.” Then he grew serious. “But we have stuff to take care of.”

“Really? Like what?” She held her breath, dying to know what he was going to say.

“Pepper, I want you to stay. I want you safe, and this may not be the only freak out there with a hate-on for me.”

She smiled. “Oh, Tank, nothing and no one will ever make me leave you again. Creeps or no creeps.”

He pulled her back down into the curve of his side, held her tight, and nodded.

A knock at the door startled them and then a loud booming voice echoed into the room.

“Dog! You survived another attack, huh?” Joe swept into the room, his size and presence filling the space. “Pepper, you spicy creature you. I see you've decided to come back home and turn Tank's world upside down again.”