“Addie, is that you?” Erica called sweetly, stepping around the tree where she had just seen a shadow lurking. “I’ll forgive you if you just come out now and go back to the car with me.”
“Forgive this, bitch,” Daniel growled, sending his fist into Erica’s face. The tall blond woman dropped to the ground like a stone, knocked unconscious by the blow.
Daniel pulled his gun out of the holster and pointed it at her head. King put his hand on Daniel’s arm. “Not the time. We need to find Addison first.”
“She fucking took my woman,” he snarled, staring death at the woman unconscious at his feet.
“Trust me,” King argued. “This won’t be enough for you.”
“I’ll watch her, you go find Addison,” Jane panted, catching up to the two men who took one stride for every two of hers. “Boris is on his way, he’ll help me get her to the car. We’ll make sure she gets to the tower for you. I promise.”
Daniel gave her a hard look.
She shrugged. “You can pay for my services if it makes you feel better. Now go find my client!”
Addison liked to think positive and be proactive about life, but she was pretty sure that this was the worst blind person luck of all time. Now all she needed was a waterfall or something. Luckily she was pretty sure there were no waterfalls anywhere in the park. She decided screaming at the top of her lungs whenever she wasn’t being pulled under by deadly currents was a good plan.
Addison tried hard not to panic, but she wasn't a strong swimmer. She didn’t like pools, lakes, or oceans, so she didn’t go swimming often. There was something about not being able to see what was underneath her that always bothered her. Her parents hadn't objected to her unwillingness to take swimming lessons because she’d had more time for cello lessons. Now that she was rapidly drowning in a river, she regretted that choice.
Addison gasped for breath as she fought her way to the surface over and over again. The cold water was also beginning to affect her, numbing her limbs and disorienting her. At one point she began swimming down toward the riverbed instead of toward the surface and had to turn around in the water. She opened her mouth to scream in frustration and swallowed a bucketful of dirty river water.
She cried out as she was dragged along some rocks and desperately reached out to grab one. She managed to hang on for a moment, but the current was too strong and eventually she was dragged away from her momentary haven and back under the murky depths. She knew she was going to drown as soon as her head began to cloud and weary acceptance began to replace the panic.
A voice penetrated the fog calling her name. Erica! Panic overwhelmed Addison for a second and she began flailing her arms and sinking back under the icy cold surface. Then she realized it couldn’t be Erica, it was a man's voice that was calling her name. Erica’s voice was high-pitched and annoying. Except when she was making her freaky stalker calls, then she was whispering, like that voice from the movie Scream. Which ironically Addison had let herself be talked into listening to several years ago, but now really wished she hadn’t given her current circumstances.
Wake up, Addison!
“Here!” she called as loud as she could manage through a mouthful of water. “Help!”
“Addison!” the voice was closer. “Over here, I think she’s in the fucking river.”
“Daniel!” Addison screamed. “I’m here!”
She heard a splash and then seconds later bands of steel engulfed her. She knew instantly it was Daniel that held her tightly against him. His powerful muscles bunched against her as he pulled her toward the riverbank and safety. She tried to wrap her arms around him, but she was too cold. Her limbs just floated uselessly as he swam them toward the steep rocky shore. She sobbed weakly against his chest as he swam.
She felt herself being lifted away from Daniel and whimpered as his hands fell from her body. Tyson King chuckled as he cradled her against his massive chest, rubbing warmth back into her arms. “He needs to pull himself out too, girl, give him a few seconds.”
Before she had a chance to ask again, Daniel was reaching for her. Tyson handed her back over and she was once more wrapped in the familiar protective arms of her lover. She turned her face against his neck and let the tears fall. “I thought I was going to die,” she cried helplessly.
“Shh,” he murmured, kissing her head and holding her tightly. “You’re safe. She can’t hurt you.”
They took the path at the top of the riverbank out of the park. Addison was surprised at how short the walk was back to the car. Daniel explained that she had come quite far down the river. She shuddered at that knowledge and he held her tighter against his hard chest until she could hardly breath, which was fine with her. When her arms were warm enough that she could move them again, she lifted them and wrapped them around his neck, wincing as the wound over her collarbone pulled.
“How badly did she hurt you?” Daniel asked gruffly as they approached one of Tyson’s SUV’s.
He set her gently on the back seat and began examining her in the dim interior light. First he touched her cheekbone, where Erica had nicked it with the knife. He growled darkly. It unsettled her. She could feel death within him, and it was after he’d only seen that one little cut.
“It’s only superficial,” she assured him, stealthily pulling her shirt over her other cuts with her uninjured wrist. Panic flared in her when she realized she had no idea where Erica was. “Where is she? Where’s Erica?” she asked hysterically reaching out blindly.
Daniel took her hand in a reassuring grip and pushed her further into the vehicle, following her in and gathering her against his side. “She can’t hurt you again.”
She collapsed against him in relief. “You found her?”
He didn’t respond, instead speaking to King, who was driving them. “She needs a hospital.”
“There’ll be questions,” King rumbled, glancing back at Daniel meaningfully.
Addison’s heart sank. Did that mean they had Erica and were going to do something awful to her? She didn’t know how to feel about that. She was horrified at what Erica had nearly done to her, but she couldn’t be complicit in anything happening to the other women. She would much rather Erica go to prison than have Daniel do anything to her.
“Please, Daniel, about Erica…”
“There’s nothing to discuss,” he growled down at her.
She knew better than to argue with him. She would just have to find another way. Later, when she wasn’t so exhausted. She also didn’t want to have to go to the hospital and tried to tell him so, but once again he prevailed.
“You could have hypothermia, Addison,” he snapped impatiently. “We’re going to a hospital.”
Three hours later, after Addison had been thoroughly examined and briefly interviewed by the police, both under Daniel’s uncompromising supervision, Addison desperately hoped Erica really had gotten away. She’d truthfully told the police that she hadn’t heard Addison after she’d tumble into the river and for all she knew Erica was still out there in the park where the police were currently processing the ‘crime scene.’
When Daniel was asked if he’d seen Erica while searching for Addison in the park he crossed his arms and refused to speak. The only time he said anything was in relation to pulling Addison out of the river. He didn’t tell the police how he knew where to find her or how he found out who her stalker was. In fact, when it came to helping the professionals out, he was spectacularly unhelpful.
When confronted on his attitude, he commented blandly, “You’ll hear from my lawyer on the city PD’s mishandling of Ms. Sterling’s case. That’s how she got these injuries. Could have easily resulted in her death. Anything else?”
The two officers that were assigned to take Addison’s statement left quickly after that, assuring Addison that everything in their power would be done to find Erica Pennington and bring her to justice. Addison tried to soften Daniel’s words by smiling kindly and reassuring them of her belief in their abilities. She turned to Daniel and frowned up at him.
“Is it just your natural charm or do you make friends everywhere you go?” she asked sarcastically.
He brushed the messy fall of her hair back off her face and shoulders and gently pushed her back on the hospital bed. He sat next to her on the narrow bed and she rolled over, curling her body against his warmth. He picked up her injured wrist and stroked his fingers over the bandage so lightly it felt like a butterfly’s touch.
“Cracked wrist,” he said, then set her wrist down and lifted his blunt fingers to brush them over the stitches on her cheek. “Two stitches here.” He touched her collarbone. “Nine stitches.” His voice became harder, more uncompromising as he catalogued her injuries. His hand drifted over her ribcage, just beneath her breast. “Five stitches. Your feet are bruised and cut to shit.” He leaned forward and touched his lips to her forehead. “Possible concussion.”
“Addison versus tree. Tree won,” Addison said, trying to lighten the mood.
“Don’t.”
She sighed and nodded. “Make your point then, because I’ve had a really bad day and I’m over being terrified and sad, Daniel.”
“I want them to pay,” he growled.
“Who?” she asked.
“Everyone.” He thrust an agitated hand through his hair and leaned away from her as though not wanting to touch her with the swirling darkness that surrounded him. “I want to fucking tear out the guts of everyone that led you to this point. I want revenge, Addison. And I’ll have it.”
She touched his back and gently ran her hand down his spine, feeling the tense ridges of muscle. “What about me?” she whispered. “I didn’t tell you about the stalker. I’m equally guilty in leading myself to this point. I could have told you. You would have tracked her down and stopped her long before… this. Are you going to tear out my… ugh … anyway… are you mad at me, Daniel?”
His shoulders stiffened and he didn’t answer. He didn't need to. She already knew the answer. Of course he was mad at her. He was furious. She’d hid something from him, something that had nearly gotten her killed after he practically declared himself to her. As best as he was capable of declaring himself to anyone. She hadn’t trusted him. She’d disappointed him.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, tears choking her voice. “Please, Daniel…”
He turned to her on the bed and leaned over her, blocking out the light with his body. “Hush, Addison,” he growled down at her soothingly. “Don’t upset yourself.”
“But, Daniel…”
“Of course I’m angry with you. Should have told me you had a stalker when you first met me. Would have been the smart move to make. But you made your choice and, when you’re better, you’ll live with the consequences,” he said quietly, running his hand gently over the non-injured areas of her skin.
“Consequences?” she asked sleepily.
“My revenge on the most important, beautiful woman in my life. I’ll tie her to our bed every night and force her to come over and over again until she begs me to stop. And then I’m going to keep going until I think she’s learned not to keep secrets from me. She’ll probably try to escape my revenge by running away to some high-end hotel where they serve fucking strawberries and chocolate, but I’ll find her and torture her until she gives in.” He leaned down and kissed her jaw as her eyes fluttered shut and she began to drift off.
“That sounds terrible,” Addison said with a yawn. “Can’t wait…”