Party Crasher (5 page)

Blood spurted from her lips, and the taste of metal filled her mouth. She tried to cover herself from the oncoming blows. The phone fell from her hands.

The man grabbed her. He threw her over the wooden coffee table, splintering wood, destroying the furniture. All the air was knocked out of her, and the entire side of her face throbbed. She landed on her back and knew bruises were already forming all over her back and sides.

The robe slid open. The man kicked her in the side as she lay over the broken wood. She screamed. Each blow increased her torture.

He leaned over her and she cringed, thinking he was going to punch her in the face again. Instead he grabbed hold of her newest laptop and threw it on the floor with so much force a loud shattering sounded in the room. Metal, glass, and plastic scattered all over her and the ground.

“This is your second warning. There won’t be a third. If you write about the Seduction Party, you will regret it.”

The man disappeared before she had the chance to get air into her lungs. On her hands and knees, she crawled to the door and locked it. Shaking, she made her way back to the sofa. She picked up her cell phone, but Cole was no longer on the line. No way she could call him with her hands shaking so badly.

Pain racked her body, and tears filled her eyes once again. Fierce throbbing took over the entire left side of her face. It hurt so badly, it was as if someone had torn pieces of flesh off.

It was long minutes before she was able to take a breath without wincing. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about a new notebook—she always had a backup laptop and her file had been saved on her flash drive. Loud bangs rocked the door. She jumped in her seat, whimpering. Her heart thundered in her chest.

“Chris!” Cole’s voice came from outside her house.

She ran to the door, pulled it open, and threw herself into his arms. Thank God he and Drex both lived so close to her.

“Are you OK? What happened?” He looked down at her face and growled. “Who did this to you?”

She opened her mouth to reply, but pain made her shut her lips again.

Another vehicle’s roar made her look toward the street. Drex’s black, low-hung sports car was there. Slowly, she pulled away from Cole, watching Drex run to them. His gaze raked the side of her face. He lifted one hand to turn her head to get a better look at the swelling flesh. Their gazes met, and the deadly anger in his eyes made her shiver. He pulled her into his arms. Everything was better.

“Who did this?”

“I don’t know. I told you we were on the phone and then she started screaming. When I couldn’t hear her, I got in my car and called you on my way over.”

Drex’s look was soft, concerned. “Baby, who did this to your face?”

She wished she knew. She shook her head.

“Drex, let’s get her to a hospital. She looks terrible.”

Chapter Six

Drex leaned by the window in the hospital room, observing Chris, arms folded over his chest. She had been trying to fight off the drug-induced sleep and lost. Thankfully, her jaw had not been broken, but it’d been swollen enough she’d been kept overnight and given heavy pain medication.

Anger surged every time his eyes strayed to her cheek. Her normally pale, flawless skin was blotchy and mottled with purple and blue. He’d gotten some security for her to start the next day.

“Well, the police asked if we wanted someone patrolling her house. I declined. I think we’ll put some of our guys on her.”

Still watching her limp figure, he listened to Cole. Part of him wanted to mention about Chris and him, but everything was still so new.

“Yes, I think a few of our guys would probably be better than anything the cops can offer.” Best friends since grade school, the two men were more like brothers than anything. Nonetheless, Cole would likely be concerned about Chris and him being more than just friends.

“Drex.” Cole drilled his gaze into his friend and tightened the corners of his mouth.

Drex glanced out the window. He knew that Chris was not some woman to be played with, that she was Cole’s sister, that he’d kick his ass if he hurt her, and that he better take care of her.

“I know.” For now, that’s all he’d give. He’d been hooked on her since she was a teenager. Now that he was able to have her as his woman, he wasn’t letting go. Soon enough, she’d find out this wasn’t temporary. Until then, he was keeping a close eye on her.

After a long, silent moment, he opened his mouth. “I had a feeling this was going to happen.”

Cole frowned. “Why?”

“She didn’t tell you about her car, did she?” He shook his head.

“What happened with her car? What didn’t she tell me?”

“When we returned from the party in the morning, her car had been vandalized. All tires were sliced and it was spray-painted on the side. The windshield was broken with a rock and a nice little threatening note had been left behind.”

“Why would anyone do that?”

“Someone at the party recognized her. This was his way of telling her to keep her mouth shut, but she already told me she wasn’t planning to mention any names. Her approach was based on the charitable side. She said she might have recognized a face or two, but she wasn’t interested in giving people away.”

“I had no idea. We were having a conversation but she didn’t seem upset at all. She sounded kind of cheerful.” Cole walked to the bed and brushed some of the red tresses off her face.

“This isn’t the first time things like that have happened to her.”

Cole’s eyes narrowed. “What?”

“She said she was used to people trying to scare her off.” He looked back over her still form. “I’m not letting anyone get his hands on her again.”

* * *

“Put me down. I can walk.” Her husky voice by Drex’s ear didn’t help the raging hard-on he’d had since she’d opened her eyes and smiled at him. Ever since he’d picked her up from the car and carried her to her bed, he’d been one aroused mess.

“Relax. You just got more painkillers before we left the hospital. I’m sure any moment they will be taking effect.” He placed her on the bed and stepped back.

Her face was not as swollen as it had been, but she was clearly still in pain. A frown marred her brows, and she was pursing her lips, as if she were holding back a groan.

Cole had been adamant about staying with her, but Drex had taken the bull by the horns and told his friend he’d watch over Chris. She was his responsibility. His to care for. She just didn’t know it yet.

“Well, if you’re going to be here, babysitting me like I’m a useless invalid, you might as well get me some tea.” She was trying to bait him, but her soft words only made him feel worse. Her usual spunk was toned down to the point he barely heard what she’d said.

He made her tea and wondered if he should double her pain medication. He took a few steps and glanced out her window to look for the men he’d called. Exactly how he and Cole had planned, a car stood just feet from her door with two men inside.

Tea cup in hand, he walked back to her bedroom and found her lying back on her pillows with a silly smile on her face. The strong drugs were taking effect.

“Baby, come here, you sexy thing.” With a grin and a pat on the bed, she summoned him.

He put the cup on the dresser and walked over to stand beside the bed.

“Sit down next to me, cutie pie.” She pouted.

He sat next to her on the bed and was forced to lean back into the pillows when she snuggled into his side.

She peered up at him with glassy eyes and grinned. “I like you, you gorgeous man.”

“I like you too.” He wound an arm around her shoulders and relaxed into the pillows as her weight shifted more into his side.

“No, I mean I
really
like you. You’re hot. I’ve had a crush on you since I was fifteen…or was it fourteen?” She sighed. “Since forever.”

Held immobile, he listened as she rambled. She’d had a crush on him back then?

“You were so cute. Big and sexy, and I had all these fantasies about you. But you were so mean to me. Why were you so mean to me? I didn’t do anything to you.” She sounded ready to cry.

God, he was really fucked up. “I’m sorry. I was an ass. I liked you too, and I didn’t know what to do about it. You were too young.” But not anymore. There was no reason to deny his feelings any longer.

Tightening her hold on his waist, she sighed into his chest. “It’s OK. I’ve got you now.”

She had no idea. She definitely had him now and forever.

For a moment he thought she’d fallen asleep. A loud yawn broke the silence. “I was scared, you know. When that guy hit me?” Anger simmered in his blood. “I wished you were here so badly. I thought he was going to kill me.” She yawned again and her voice lowered. “And I wouldn’t get to tell you—”

His heart beat to the tune of a million drums. Waiting for her to finish her sentence, the air in his lungs had evaporated and he’d stopped breathing. After a moment, he looked down and realized she’d fallen asleep. Jesus. Of all the times for her to start saying something and stop, this was so not when he’d have picked. Tell him what? That she wanted more time with him? That she cared about him?

He tried to untangle himself from her, but she whimpered when he tried to move away. Dead in his tracks, he stopped and gave up the fight. Shifting so that she was more comfortable, he toed off his boots and closed his eyes.

Her warm, soft body laying half over him was enough torture to keep him awake for decades. He moved his hand to the curls covering her face and pushed them away. He brushed a soft kiss over her forehead, and his gut clenched when she smiled in her sleep.

“Drex.”

Lust and a more powerful emotion gripped him as he watched her.

Chapter Seven

Bright sunlight filtering through the windows was Chris’s first view when she opened her eyes. Who the hell had opened her shades? Not normally a morning person, she grumbled and turned on her side. A small stab of pain on her cheek made her snap her eyes open. Memories rushed through her brain like a movie on fast forward. Out of bed in seconds, she stood and looked at her face in the dresser mirror. Shit. She looked like an extra from
Return of the Living Dead
. Her hair appeared to have turned into clumps of dry straw.

The left side of her face was a rainbow of colors, her eyes were bloodshot, and her lip was cut. Definitely not sexy. She opened and closed her mouth without wincing. Good, that was good.

Her attention was caught by the sound of running water. Glancing to her left, she gazed at the half-open bathroom door. Drex. She glanced down at her cell phone resting on her dresser. There were several missed calls and messages from her assistants. She’d get back to them later.

Once again, she peered at her image in the mirror. Hmm, so what were the chances she’d get him alone in the shower again? Stripping off her pajamas, she hurried to join him in the big tub.

The curtain’s rustle must’ve alerted him of her presence, because when she walked in he didn’t seem surprised.

Scents of lavender and vanilla soap filled the enclosed space. Her gaze drank in the sexy, wet, naked man in front of her. Water dripped down his muscular torso to the thick erection between his thighs. He gripped his cock and gave it a few quick jerks while his gaze raked over her. Her mouth watered.

“Chris.” His voice was rough, hoarse.

She walked into his arms and let the warm water flow over her. Ignoring the slight pain on her lip, she kissed his neck and shoulder, sucking on the drops of water clinging to his flesh. He caressed her back, drawing her closer until their bodies were plastered together. Her nipples pebbled into tight buds, swollen and throbbing. She rubbed the tiny beaded points over his warm chest.

Deliberately slow, he trailed his hands up her sides and squeezed her breast, palming her flesh in his hands. He continued up her shoulders, trailing wet fingers over her neck, until he cupped her face.

She tilted her head back and looked into his dark aqua eyes. They blazed with passion. “I want you, Drex.”

He slid his thumb back and forth over her bottom lip, driving her to distraction. “Sweetheart, you’re in pain. You should be resting.”

“I’ll be in even more pain if you don’t take me already. I need you.”

Curling her arms around his head, she raked her nails into the short spikes of his hair, lifted on her toes, and latched her mouth to his. Their lips melded with a quiet desperation. She moaned when he deepened the kiss and his lips became demanding.

Warm water kissed her neck and shoulder and moved down to her breast. He palmed a breast, nuzzling his face over her chest, flicking his tongue over a nipple. She gasped when he sucked the swollen little bud into his mouth. He grazed his teeth over her nipple. A ragged moan tore from her throat when he did a suck, lick, and nip combination. She dug her nails into his shoulders in an attempt to hold her body upright. Electrical currents shot down to her cunt with every pull on her nipple.

“God, yes.” The words sounded needy, and she fought to get air into her lungs.

In a soft trail down to the area between her thighs, he parted her pussy lips and delved his fingers inside. She widened her stance and gave him more access to her cunt. He dipped his fingers in and out of her. She moaned. He nipped at her neck, licking wet trails on her heated flesh. Her pussy clenched around the digits.

“You’re so wet and hot. I need inside you.”

Panting, she lifted a leg and curled it around his waist, stroking his cock with her pussy. He wrapped an arm around her waist and hauled her up. She coiled her other leg around his waist, twined her arms around his neck, and held on for the upcoming ride. Her back hit the tiled wall and she winced, pain blasting up her spine.

“Are you OK?”

She smiled when she looked into his concerned eyes. She gave him a slow kiss, ran her tongue over his lips, and grinned. “I’m absolutely perfect.” With a sensuous wiggle, she rocked her hips until the head of his cock was right at her entrance. “But I’ll be even better when you’re inside me.”