His Safe Keeping (The Safe Series) (13 page)

“How did you get here?” he asked.

“I, um…rode in the ambulance with Mrs. Worley. Why?” she asked him back.

“How are you goin’ to get home?” He already knew the answer to that question, so before she could even answer, he did it for her. “You go, visit, then I’ll be back to pick you up,” he stated, kissed her forehead and turned to leave, not wanting to give her a chance to tell him not to come back again. Hearing that once from her was one time too fuckin’ many. He turned back toward her. “Krista!” he called out to her and when she turned to look at him, he informed her how it had to be. “Don’t leave this fuckin’ area.” He turned back and walked out the door. Yea, he had some making up to do, and he was starting on that shit right fuckin’ now.

Chapter Nineteen

Kade was back at the hospital a few hours later to pick up Krista. He walked into the waiting room, expecting to find her sitting and waiting for him. He’d called the hospital’s information line, to find out what time visiting hours were over. Now he was back, fifteen minutes after visiting hours had ended, looking around for her. When he didn’t see her anywhere inside, he went back outside and around the corner where he’d found her earlier in the day. She wasn’t there either. He returned inside, searching for her as he went to the information desk to find out if they’d extended their visiting hours, or if some patients were allowed extra time. When he got a firm, ‘no,’ he again went back outside to look for her. “Where the fuck could she have gone?” He looked across the street toward the café, started that way, but before he even crossed the parking lot, he saw her sitting at a window seat. She seemed to be staring out the window, lost in her thoughts. He hated seeing her like that. He hoped like hell tonight would change that.

He walked into the café, made a bee-line straight to her, and slid in the booth across from her. “Baby, you okay?” he whispered to her as he leaned across the table.

“Why do you always ask me that?” she answered his question with a question, still staring forlornly out of the window.

“Ask you what?” He wasn’t sure he knew what she was talking about.

“If I’m okay.” Before Kade could open his mouth to reply, she continued speaking. “I’m fine. I have been fine. I will be fine.” She recited the words, flatly, and he remembered her saying the same thing to him before. Those exact fuckin’ words! What was that about?

“Baby,” he said. There was no reaction from her. She just sat there, unmoving, staring out the window. He went to her side of the table, and turned her to face him. “Baby, you are not fine. You have not been fine. But, I promise you, I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure you’re better than fine.” He knew the first step was to get her to talk about her past, everything that had happened to her, to someone who could actually help her. That’s why, the second thing he did—the first being replacing his phone he’d busted throwing it against the wall—after leaving the hospital earlier, was to contact the Station’s shrink. He’d talked with her plenty of times and she did help him, and she also had her own practice outside of the station. So, his second step and step one for Krista, getting the help she needed, to get past her blaming herself for her mom’s death. “Will you come with me?” he asked her cautiously. She glanced up at him and nodded her head. They got up and walked together to his truck. They rode in silence, with her just staring out the windshield, until he spoke again, “Krista, I set you up with someone I want you to talk to. She can help you. Will you do that for me?” He kept his voice quiet and calm.

“Wait. What? Who? Why?” She didn’t look at him, but he could tell she was confused as to what he was talking about.

“A psychiatrist, baby.”

“What! You think I’m crazy?” she screeched, but before he could say anything, she looked him in the eyes. “Is that what you think of me?” Tears started to spill down her cheeks. Kade switched lanes and pulled into an empty parking lot. Once parked, he turned his body toward hers, and cupped her face in both of his hands. His thumbs wiped away the tears as they fell.

“My beautiful Krista.” He couldn’t speak another word. The hurt that reflected back from her eyes squeezed his chest so tight, he couldn’t breathe.

“You do!” she whispered softly, her voice filled with equal parts of shock and rejection, and she lowered her gaze.

“No!” he barked his answer, louder than he intended. He cleared his throat and tried again. “No, baby,” he spoke softly. “No, I don’t think you’re crazy. I think you’re holding on to so much pain and guilt from the past that it’s eating your soul. I think Dr. Davison can help you. She sure as fuck helped me on more than one occasion.”

“You?” Her head jerked back up, searching. Searching for what, he wasn’t sure. The truth maybe?

“Yeah, me.” He smiled at Krista. “You think I’m crazy?” he asked her teasingly. She shook her head, but her eyes were still roaming his face, still searching for what she needed. “What?” he finally asked, needing her to explain what she was looking for.

“I—” She started talking and then she stopped, and just shook her head. “Nothing.” She gave up.

“Baby, talk to me. What?” he asked her softly again, while using his thumb to raise her head back up so he could see her face.

“I never talked to anyone…about…uh…what happened…until…uh…you.” She managed to stammer out the words, force them out softly.

“What?” he growled and felt her jump, but this was too important. She had to have talked about it after it happened to the police, to at least a fuckin’ counselor, or social worker, or something! “Baby, how have you not talked to anyone? Ever?” Getting ahold of his temper, he lowered his voice. She stared at him for a minute, and then settled her gaze on something over his shoulder.

“I told them I didn’t remember anything.”

“But you did?” He watched her nod her head to what she was looking at over his shoulder. He was ready to get her to Dr. Davison. He started to turn back in his seat, when she spoke up.

“After it happened, I don’t know how long, my dad came in and found me on the floor, lying beside my mom, holding her hand. When he went to reach for me, I screamed, ‘don’t touch me, don’t ever touch me,’ over and over. I don’t remember much after that until the cops and EMT’s started coming at me, talking to me, asking me questions, trying to touch me. I screamed at them to leave me alone, not to touch me, then one came up behind me, and before I could move, he stuck a needle in me. I found out later it was a sedative, and then I was out. When I woke up, I was in the hospital and I overheard a nurse or doctor, or somebody talking with my dad, saying they had performed the rape kit and collected everything they needed. I guess I had gotten cut or hurt sometime during, because they told my dad they had x-rayed and nothing was broken and the cut had been stitched up and should heal without leaving a scar. Then, I heard someone say they couldn’t do anything else for me until I woke up and told them what had happened.” Krista looked at Kade. “No one ever knew I was awake.” Her whisper was filled with guilt and she moved her gaze to back over Kade’s shoulder. “They left my room thinking I was still out of it. I guess I did fall asleep, because the next thing I remember was waking up screaming. But, when they asked, I just said I was being ‘held tightly.’ She again glanced up at Kade.

“Nightmares,” she whispered the word, filled with fear. “When they started coming in and asking me all these questions about what happened, I told them I didn’t remember, that the last thing I remembered was being at school.” She looked right into his eyes, waiting for him to judge her. “I wish that were true,” she said so softly, he almost couldn’t hear her. She held his eyes, trying to look as deep into them as possible. Searching his face again. “I love your eyes. They remind me of spring, after the rain, when everything is washed clean and sparkling.” Then he knew what she was searching for.

“Baby, you are clean and sparkling. You don’t need to search for it, you already have it, and you always have.” He laid his forehead against hers. “My beautiful Krista. You sparkle every time you smile.” He touched his lips to hers. “Every time you speak.” He kissed her lips lightly. “Every time you flash those gorgeous blue eyes.” He brought her tight to his chest. “Every time you fuckin’ breathe. Baby, you sparkle.”

Chapter Twenty

“You don’t need that.” Kade announced as he pulled her nightgown from her bag. “And, you sure as fuck are not wearing these.” He pulled short-shorts from her bag and tossed them aside.

“Would you like to pack for me?” Krista asked, standing in front of her closet as Kade pulled clothes out of her bag she had just packed.

They had spent two hours talking to Dr. Davison. The first hour, Krista talked to her by herself, told her everything she’d told Kade, and some things she hadn’t. Not because she was keeping anything from him. Just, in talking to Dr. Davison, things simply came out, things she had forgotten herself, things that at the time hadn’t seemed so important. She didn’t realize her dad not hugging or holding her was more likely because she’d stated over and over that she didn’t want anyone to touch her ever again. He didn’t, but maybe it wasn’t because he didn’t want to, but because he was afraid it would bring back bad memories. She also remembered that every time she’d had another nightmare, her dad would sit in a chair beside her bed and hold her hand, after she’d reached for his. He would lay his hand on the bed beside of her, but not touching her, and she was always the one who reached out and grabbed his hand. He might have been giving her a choice, because she would always feel his hand squeeze hers. He would sit like that all night long. Every single time she had a nightmare, no matter how often, or how many nights in a row. Her dad was there for her.

Krista had also remembered that she’d told her dad she never wanted to go home again. At that time, she was still in the hospital and just the thought of walking back into their kitchen was too much for her to bear. So when one of the doctors, who still believed she couldn’t remember what had happened, suggested that maybe once she was back home it would all start to come back, she’d yelled at her dad and told him she never wanted to go home. Begged him to never take her back there again. She never wanted to remember, because she remembered too much already, and if going back there would make her remember even more, she never wanted to go back. And, she never did. By the time she was released from the hospital, her dad had moved them both to the apartment in Richmond that wasn’t too far from the hospital she’d been sent to.

The second hour was spent with Kade and her together, and they talked some about what happened to her, but mostly with Kade, they talked about the two of them together. And, even though they really hadn’t known each other that long, Dr. Davison seemed to not only be okay about it, but happy for her and Kade. Apparently, the Doc had been seeing Kade for some time now, and had grown fond of him. Krista discovered that not only did she like Dr. Davison, but she also felt this had helped her. Krista set up her next few appointments, starting with her very next one beginning on Tuesday.

After their time with the doctor, they went to a little diner just down the street from Dr. Davison’s office. While they were eating, Kade had asked—in his way, which was more like making a statement than asking a question—if she would stay the weekend with him at his ranch. She’d said ‘yes,’ but that was before she found out he had a problem with her clothes.

Kade looked up from her bag to Krista standing in front of her closet, her arms folded across her chest, hip cocked to the side, and he thought that was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen. Walking over to her, he cupped her ass, then spun around and tossed her on the bed, but before she got out a full squeal, he came down on top of her, catching his weight on his arms, slamming his mouth down on hers.

“Fuck, baby. Here, naked all weekend, works too,” he said against her lips. He heard her giggle and raised his head to watch a big beautiful smile spread across her face. And, he felt that grip on his heart loosen up a little. He was bringing his Krista back, or maybe his Krista had been lost since she was fourteen and he was helping her come back from that. He smiled down at her.

“If we’re here all weekend, I won’t get to see any of your ranch,” she stated logically. “We can get naked at your ranch, can’t we?” A sexy smile played across her lips.

“Damn straight, and I’m goin’ to have you naked every chance I get.” He took her mouth again. When he felt her hips start to move against him, he kissed a path across her cheek, along her jaw, and down her neck as his hands were busy pushing up her T-shirt. He raised his head to look at her. “But, I’m goin’ to get you naked here, now, and taste every inch of you. Then you pack whatever the fuck you want to pack.” He heard her catch her breath and then a moan of agreement. Then he did just that, along with a few other things, and after, he let her pack whatever she wanted, because he wasn’t letting her out of his sight for the whole damned weekend.

Chapter Twenty-One

Krista sat beside Kade in his truck on the way to his ranch. She tried to talk him into letting her drive her car and following him, so he wouldn’t have to take her into the city tomorrow when she would visit with Mrs. Worley and meet with Lance and Marissa for lunch. He told her he had a few things to do in the city, so he could just take her and pick her back up when she was ready. So, she was sitting beside him, as in right beside, her leg pressed to his, her hand on his jean covered thigh, his hand on her bare thigh because she was wearing her shorts.

His hand, which was a lot bigger, and almost wrapped around her whole leg, would glide up the leg of her shorts and his fingers would almost, but not quite, hit right
there
, but then he would glide his hand back down and away. “Your skin feels like fuckin’ silk, baby,” Kade said huskily on another glide up her thigh. This time the tip of his finger just barely touched her and her breath caught. He looked at her and smiled that sexy smile, and she knew he was doing it on purpose.

“You’re a tease,” she said, smiling at him.

“I’m not teasing, baby. I’m preppin’.” Just the tip of his finger touched her again.

“Oh, so that’s what it’s called.” Now she was teasing him as she moved her hand to glide over him, and felt him harden against her hand.

“Damn, baby, how the hell am I supposed to get out now?”

“Get out?” He did a chin lift to the windshield and when she turned to look at what he was nodding to, they were coming up on a wooden arch. His last name, McKaden, was burned across the top. “Your ranch?” She squealed and sat up in the seat to try and see everything at once. It was perfect! As soon as they passed under the arch, there were trees planted on each side, spaced out so they each had room to grow, but at the same time, close enough for them to shade the entire driveway. She could just imagine big pots filled with little flowers sitting in between each tree. Or, at least that’s what she would do, to add color. At the end of the drive, there was a ranch style house sitting in the middle of a small front yard with a white picket fence around it. “That’s your house?” She didn’t turn to look at him, because she couldn’t. That house, that yard, even the white picket fence was perfect!

“Were you expecting something bigger?” he asked tensely.

“It’s per—” She started to say, but at the tone of his voice, she turned to look at his face. “Perfect.” She ended on a whisper when she saw the way he looked. Jaw tight. So tight, she could see the muscles in his face jumping.

“What did you say?” As she watched his face while he asked the question, she could see his jaw start to relax.

“I…uh…said…it was perfect.” Krista was unsure what had happened. She heard him breathe out in a rush, like he’d been holding his breath. “Irish?” She wanted to ask him what the matter was, because for a minute he’d seemed angry. But, she never got the chance, because as soon as that last word left her mouth, his was on hers. He kissed her deep and long, and when he lifted his head from hers, she saw that whatever was bothering him had passed.

“I’m glad you like my house, baby,” he whispered to her softly.

“Are you going to kiss me like that every time I like something of yours?” Because if that was the case, she was going to like the dirt in the driveway, along with everything else she could possibly name. Then she heard him bust out laughing.

“Come on, baby, let me show you around, get you unpacked, then I’ll show you more for you to like.” He was smiling his beautiful smile at her.

“Well, so far, I like your arch, and your driveway, and your yard, and your little fence, and your dirt.” She was saying all this as she was getting out of his truck. She reached for her bag, when all of sudden, she was spun around, her back against the truck. Kade’s face was right in front of hers.

“You like my dirt?”

“For a kiss like that last one, yeah.” She tilted her head toward the front seat of the truck. “I like your dirt and each and every pebble in your driveway,” she said, smiling up at him. He didn’t smile back at her, instead his eyes roamed her face and then came back to hers.

“Fuck, baby, you’re amazing.” He lowered his head to hers and kissed her so sweetly, that she melted against him. Then he grabbed her hand and walked up to the house with her. When she came to the front door, she gasped—loudly—then dropped Kade’s hand and turned around in a circle, trying to take everything in. The wide open living room had a huge stone fireplace. She had to walk up to it and run her hands over the wooden mantel, touch it to make sure it was real. Then she practically ran over to the sunken dining area, with its floor to ceiling bay windows. She looked over to the left of the dining area and saw the kitchen, with new stainless steel appliances. It was a dream home. Her dream home. Looking back at Kade, she saw the look of confusion on his face, but she could only stare with her mouth slightly open in awe. She turned to look at more, and when she turned another circle, she heard Kade call her name and she looked back at him.

“It’s a dream,” she breathed.

“Baby,” he whispered.

“No, Irish, you don’t understand. This!” She spun around, arms spread wide indicating the whole house. “This is a dream. My dream! I’ve looked at hundreds of houses and none, not even one, came close to what I wanted. This!” She spun again. “This is beyond a dream.” She finished on a sigh. Kade felt pride well up in his chest. Krista liked his house. No, it was a whole helluva’ lot more than like. He’d always liked this house, even when he was a little boy and would stay with the Petersons. To him, it felt just as much like home as his real home did. And, of course, he’d updated the kitchen with the newer appliances when he bought the ranch. But, damn, his Krista liked it too. He wanted to tell her, wanted her to know just how much it meant to him, but before he could open his mouth, she spoke up again.