Her Dominant SEAL(29)
“I hear something.”
“I’m two miles away,” he assured her.
“I’m going to stay quiet.”
Dammit, she was whispering, he could barely hear her. He took another turn and was on Brookhollow. There were big trees down a narrow road. Oh for God’s sake, the lots were at least an acre a piece. Why couldn’t they be like they were in San Diego, where everybody lived on top of everybody else?
“Karen?”
“Karen!” No answer.
“Goddammit Karen answer me.”
He passed the mailboxes. Finally, he was up to nine, then eleven, then thirteen. He couldn’t go roaring in. He had to see what he was up against. He shoved the car into park amongst the trees and flung open the door. He could see his breath in the early morning air.
The houses were far from the street. He faded into the trees and jogged silently toward the back of the property heading right to Karen’s house. He saw her red truck in the driveway and near the road was a beat to shit Chevy truck without plates.
Drake did a quick sweep of the front of the house and saw that the front door and windows were intact. With the cover of the trees, he continued around to the back of the house, and that’s where he saw the point of entry. The basement window was open. He ran across the yard, and went in the same way, wanting to come up behind whoever was inside.
As soon as he dropped down to the basement floor, he heard a woman’s scream. He was through the basement door and up the stairs before the scream stopped.
“Answer the question, bitch!”
“I don’t know where Piper is.”
“Wrong answer.”
Drake heard the sound of flesh hitting flesh and Karen moaned.
It was dark in the hall, but he saw the gray hoodie of the man who was standing in a doorway. He hit him on the side of the head, and he went down in a heap. He had his gun out and ready when he went around the corner to the bathroom. He saw another man in a black sweatshirt backhand Karen. Drake shot him and caught Karen before she hit the floor.
She grabbed at his shirt.
“I knew you’d come,” she whispered hoarsely.
“Oh, Baby.” Her cheek was swollen. She was still in her robe, and was trying to grab it closed, but he could see where she had bruises on her ribs and breast.
“Honey, I need to get you to the hospital.”
“No. I’m all right,” she said as she clutched at his shoulder with her free hand.
“Honey, you need care.”
They both looked up as they heard a siren in the distance.
“If it’s the sheriff you need to leave,” she said.
“Fuck that. Let’s get you dressed.”
“I never had time to get my clothes on,” she said as her face crumpled. “They saw me and laughed.”
“No baby, they couldn’t have,” he assured her, his eyes dark with emotion.
He needed to get her out of the close confines of the bathroom. “Come on, Honey.” He helped her over the human garbage on the floor, kicking the man as he walked by.
The siren sounded closer. As soon as they were in the hallway, he was able to turn sideways and pick her up.
He saw a tear trickle down her face, and it gutted him.
“You’re always carrying me,” she mumbled. “Ow, it hurts to talk.”
“Then you shouldn’t talk,” he admonished. “Which way?”
More tears fell. Her left hand pressed against her chest, but he couldn’t tell if it was to cover her nudity or because she hurt. Dammit.
“How bad are you hurting?” he asked.
“I’m fine,” she assured him. “I just need to get dressed.” She waved him to the end of the hall, and he saw the soft peach light. He pushed open the door and put her down on the pretty yellow comforter.
The siren was right outside.
First things first.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
She covered her face with her hands and really started to cry.
“Don’t say that,” she stuttered, “they called me names.”
He’d kill them.
He gently pulled her hands down so he could look into her eyes.
“Beautiful, absolutely beautiful.”
She shook her head, but her crying lessened.
“Sweetheart, listen to me. Already, Karen, you’ve managed to blow others out of the water. I don’t think after being pawed by those animals you’re up for hearing your attributes, but trust me, Baby, you got ‘em in spades.”
“Drake, you don’t have to say this.” She hiccupped.
He ground his teeth and blew out a frustrated breath. “You need to hear me. You’re hitting all my cylinders. Pressing all my buttons. I actually hummed Hot For Teacher.”