The Tangled Series Complete Digital Boxed Set (Bad Boy Rock Star, Millionaire, and MMA Fighter Bundle) (55 page)

Thane

Bella, the woman from the gym, was on her knees, her mouth on my cock, trying to make me come. I don’t know who was more frustrated, me… or her.

“I told you that you don’t have to do this,” I said, as she looked up at me. Her eyeliner was running and her lips were swollen from trying so hard. Too hard.

“I want to please you,” she said, rubbing my balls gently as she licked around the head.

Groaning, I sat back on the couch and closed my eyes, pretending the woman’s tongue was someone else’s.  “I won’t stop you then.”

Picturing Sera’s sensual lips instead of Bella’s thin ones, I started to get into it, until my cell phone began to ring. I opened my eyes and the spell was broken.

“Don’t get that,” she pleaded, pumping my cock, with her fist so hard it becoming painful.

I stopped her, thankful for an excuse to stop. “I have to. It could be important. Nobody calls after nine unless it is.”

She sighed and backed away on her knees.

I leaned over and picked up my phone from the coffee table. When I saw that it was Sera, I immediately answered it. “Hey,” I said, moving away from Bella, who I was suddenly disgusted with. “What’s up?”

“Thane?” cried Emma.

The blood rushed to my ears. “Yes, Emma? What’s wrong?”

“I think mommy’s dead,” she sobbed into the phone.

“What?” I hollered, my chest tight. “What do you mean?”

“He’s hurting her. Thane, you have to help, mommy!”

The room seemed to get smaller and I could barely breathe. I gripped the phone tightly. “Where are you?”

She sniffled. “I’m hiding behind Arlene’s shed.”

“Can the bad man hear you?”

“I… I don’t know.”

“Okay… Keep your voice down, honey and stay hidden. Where’s your mom?”

“In our garage. Hurry, Thane.”

***

I called nine-one-one as I raced to their house, my foot heavy on the gas pedal. When I arrived, I could already hear the sirens in the distance, growing near.

The garage door was shut and the place was darkly ominous. I pulled out my Ruger and made a dash toward the back of the garage where I knew there was a door. Right now, it stood wide open.

“I’ve got a gun,” I announced firmly.

No shots were fired from the inside and something told me that the person who’d attacked Sera was no longer around.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside with my gun pointed. “Sera?”

No answer.

I flicked on the light and my stomach dropped when I found her. She was unconscious and surrounded by blood. Fortunately, most of it looked like it was coming from her nose. I rushed to her side and bent down, to feel for a pulse.

“Thank God,” I muttered, finding one.

****

The police and ambulance arrived seconds later.

“I’m the one who called and I don’t know where her assailant is,” I told them, after hiding my gun under my shirt.

“We have a canine unit,” said one of the officers. “If he’s still around, we’ll find him.”

I stepped away from Sera and immediately dashed away, looking for Emma.

“Thane,” she cried, running toward me from Arlene’s house.

I bent down and she flung herself into my arms. I hugged her tight and closed my eyes, feeling my own tears welling up. The thought of anything happening to either of them was enough to shake my foundation. “Thank goodness. Are you okay?”

“Yes. Is my mommy okay?” she asked, pulling away. Her lips were trembling and her face was covered with wet tears.

“I think so. The ambulance people are with her now,” I replied, grabbing her hand. “Let’s go and see what they have to say.”

“Okay,” she said, wiping her face.

When we walked back into the garage, they had her on a gurney and were already getting ready to bring her down to the hospital.

“Is she going to be okay?” I asked.

“I think so,” said one of the technicians. “She has a nasty bump on her head and her nose is still bleeding a little. She has some pain in her ribs, and she’ll need to be x-rayed. Fortunately, she’s awake and doesn’t appear to be too confused.”

Emma moved closer to Sera. “Mommy?”

Sera opened the eye that wasn’t swollen shut. “Emma. Thank God you’re okay.”

Emma leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek as gently as possible. “I’m fine.”

Sera looked at me and tried to smile. “Thane…”

“Emma called me,” I explained, shoving my hands into my jean pockets.

“Thanks… thanks… for coming,” she whispered.

Her entire face was beginning to swell and she looked so damn vulnerable, I wanted to kill someone. “Who did this to you?”

“I’m not sure,” said Sera, looking behind me at the cop. “I think it was just an intruder.”

I stared at her in confusion. “It wasn’t anyone you knew?”

“No. It was a stranger,” she said firmly.

It was then that I remembered – Sera was on the run from Ray and didn’t want to be linked to him.

“Hopefully you guys catch that maniac,” I said, turning to look at the cop.

He nodded. “We’ve got a search team scouting out the area. She has given us a description of the perp. Well, as much as she could.”

“Good,” I replied.

“We’ll need to ask you some more questions at the hospital, Ms. Billings,” said the police officer as the medics got her ready to wheel out.

“I understand,” she replied. She looked at me. “Can you take care of Sera for me?”

“Of course. We’ll meet you down at the hospital, too.”

“Thank you,” she said, closing her eyes.

I watched as they steered her out of the garage, vowing to do whatever it took to put an end to Ray’s violence. Even if I had to take matters into my own hands.

Thane

Sera was admitted into the hospital and stayed overnight for a couple of days. Fortunately, she sustained mostly bruises and nothing was broken. The morning after the attack, I called Fred and Arlene, although Sera had asked me not to. I knew Fred would want to know, however, and ignored her request.

“That bastard,” snarled Fred. “Is she okay?”

“She’s hurting and pretty bruised, but she’ll be okay. Listen, I’m going have a security system installed in the house. Obviously, he’s going to return and Sera needs it.”

“He does and I’ll put a bullet between his eyes,” said Fred.

“Believe me, yours will be the second one that impales him.”

He sighed. “I can’t believe he attacked her like that. In front of Emma. The guy is truly psychotic.”

“Emma didn’t see too much, thankfully. Just the aftermath. Anyway, like I said, I’m having one installed before she returns home. I’m also going to stay with them. Until this fucker is caught.”

“Do you think she’ll let you?” asked Fred.

“If she wants to protect Emma, she won’t have a choice.”

“Well, we’ll be home later today. Arlene and I have both agreed.”

“Sera won’t be happy that you’re returning early from your honeymoon.”

“Frankly, I don’t care. She means more to us than that.”

“I figured you’d say that. It’s why I called. She didn’t want me to.”

“Of course not.”

After we hung up, I started calling around for prices on security systems.

Sera

I was still in a lot of pain when I left the hospital. They gave me some kind of prescription-strength pain medication, but I didn’t take it. I knew it would make me more nauseous than anything.

“Thanks for picking me up,” I told Thane as we drove away from the hospital. Emma was in the backseat, holding two balloons and singing to herself.

“Of course,” he replied. “You’re going to be seeing more of me than ever before, by the way.”

“What do you mean?”

He grinned. “I’m moving in.”

My eyes widened. “Excuse me?”

“Just until Ray is stopped,” he said, lowering his voice.

“But, you said you installed a security system.”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean he won’t still get to you.”

“Then why bother?”

“So you can sleep easier at night?”

I sighed. “Fat chance of that happening. Even with a security system.”

“Exactly, and that’s why you need me around.”

I stared out the window. “We’ll talk about this later. When we’re alone.”

“That’s fine. We’ll talk about it in your bedroom.”

I turned to look at him and noticed the wicked smile. “You’re incorrigible.”

“I’ve been called worse.”

***

When we arrived home, Fred and Arlene were waiting with flowers and cookies in the driveway.

“Arlene is cooking dinner tonight,” said Fred, kissing my cheek. “So you just relax and take it easy.”

“Thanks,” I said, limping toward the house. “I think a nap would do me good right now.”

“We’ll be over in a couple of hours,” called Arlene.

“Okay,” I replied, cringing from the pain.

After we got inside, Thane helped me into bed while Emma fluffed my pillows.

“You should take something for the pain,” said Thane. “You’re obviously in a lot of it.”

“Could you check the medicine cabinet?” I asked as I settled back against the pillows.

“Sure,” he replied, leaving the room.

“I’ll get you some water,” said Emma, skipping away.

Thane walked back in and looked around. “Where’d she go?”

“Emma? She went to get water.”

“So, I have you alone for a couple of minutes? In your bedroom and at my mercy?”

“You never stop, do you?”

He handed me two pills. “Not until you give in and succumb to charms.”

“Your charms, huh?”

He leaned closer and whispered into my ear. “Or my manhood. Whichever you prefer.”

I chuckled. “At least you’re consistent.”

“You mean persistent?”

“That too,” I replied as Emma walked in with a glass of water.

“Thanks, honey,” I said, taking it from her.

She nodded. “I’m going over to Arlene’s to help make dinner.”

I looked at Thane.

“I’ll walk you over,” he told her.

“Okay,” she replied.

“Thanks,” I said to him.

“You’re welcome. Why don’t you close your eyes and try to get some rest?”

“I will.”

They left the room, and soon I was fast asleep.

***

When I woke, I found Thane lying next to me on the bed, sleeping. He was facing me and snoring lightly. It almost felt normal.

Sighing, I stared at him, grateful for the way he’d been taking care of me and Emma. He was a good man in that sense. He was also a man who didn’t feel comfortable with commitment. After what he’d been through with Carrie, I almost couldn’t blame him.

As we lay there, I marveled at how long his lashes were and how boyish his face looked as he slept. I felt a sudden urge to touch the dark blonde shadow along his jaw, to feel the stubble under my fingertips. Then his eyes opened and we stared at each other silently.

“Hi,” he said, smiling.

“Hi.”

His eyes scanned my face. “You’re so damn beautiful, Sera. Even with all of the bruises.”

I didn’t reply. I certainly didn’t feel beautiful.

He lifted his finger and lightly touched the bridge of my nose. “Does it still hurt?”

“A little.”

He moved his finger to my cheek. “What about here?”

“A little.”

He moved his hand to my hair and smoothed it away from my face.

My eyes narrowed. “Why are you in my bed?”

He grinned. “I was hoping to wake up and find you molesting me.”

I laughed and then winced. “Thane…”

“I understand. You’re in a lot of pain. I’ll just stay here until you feel up to groping me. I can wait.”

I punched him playfully. “Quit trying to make me laugh.”

“Why?”

“It hurts.”

“I love it when you laugh.” His face turned serious. “Whenever it happens, your eyes light up and,” his eyes searched mine, “it’s like I’m looking into your soul. It’s unsettling and yet beautiful at the same time.”

I smiled.

“And then you do that,” he whispered, staring at my mouth. “You smile and I can feel it here.” He raised my hand and placed it over his heart. “Can you feel that?”

His heart was beating rapidly.

“Yes.”

He squeezed my fingers and then kissed them. “When I thought I’d never get to see you smile again, it tore me up inside. I was a complete wreck.”

My eyes filled with tears. Nobody had ever said anything like that to me before. “Really?”

He put my hand back over his heart. “Somehow your smile found its way here and when I thought that I’d lost you, it made me realize something.”

I waited, my own chest tight.

“It made me realize that I love you,” he whispered.

I sucked in my breath. “You… do?”

He nodded. “Yes, and I know I’ve gone about everything all wrong with us. I just hope that maybe… we can start over. That, maybe one day you’ll even feel the same way about me.”

“Are you kidding?” I whispered, smiling through my tears. “Thane, I love you, too.”

“You do?”

I nodded.

With his golden eyes glimmering with tears, Thane leaned forward and kissed me.