Test Drive (36 page)

Her tuition had officially fallen through last week, on her
birthday
, when she’d spent the night alone and lonely. “Nowhere to go, no one to blow,” she’d said with ill humor. Her friends and family had wanted to take her out, but she’d told everyone she had plans with everyone else, while the truth remained she wanted nothing to do with life in general. Even on Thanksgiving, she’d only put in a token appearance at her family’s, where she’d complained of feeling sick and neatly deflected questions about Johnny.

The past weeks, she’d sunk into class work and cleaned and babysat with an enthusiasm bordering on obsession, according to Kristin.

At least one good thing had come of her life lately. Kristin lashing out at her had opened her sister’s festering wound about herself. In other good Kristin news, her sister and Ron had come to an agreement, and papers had been signed. Kristin still had no idea what she wanted to do with her life, but she’d scheduled some counseling.

Smart move for such a dumb blond, Lara had teased her sister, who had blushed and accepted the compliment.

Since Lara had the night off from work, she was at loose ends. She planned to meet Rena and Del at six for a special Sunday night dinner. Just the girls, because if J.T. asked her one more time if she wanted him to beat up on Johnny, she’d lose it.

So what if she’d gone to talk to Johnny’s dad? All Jack Devlin’s explanations had done were to put that final nail in the coffin of her relationship. Johnny had been damaged as a kid. Knowing Jack felt responsible for his son’s inability to form lasting commitments hurt as well as helped. The poor guy had never been able to open up to the important women in his life, and he’d never recovered from the one who got away.

In leaving, that woman had damaged young Johnny’s tender heart. The imbecile clearly thought he was inferior in some way, never allowing himself to get hurt by keeping himself distant from women.

But even Jack had commented on how different Johnny had been with Lara. Hell. Dory and Jenna were in tears, begging her to take Johnny back. And when she’d said he’d broken it off with her, they’d asked her to be patient with him.

With that great big jerk.

Anger consumed her, and tears pricked her eyes. Someone banged on the door. Probably Lou, following Del’s stupid plan to make Johnny jealous. She checked her clock. Time to let him in and wait for Johnny to show. Did Lara really believe Johnny seeing them together would make him so enraged he’d realize how much he loved her?

She’d give Johnny’s friends credit for thinking the best of him. Personally, she wanted to brain him with a frying pan, then kiss him all better. Then kick his ass all over again.

A nurse probably shouldn’t want to cause harm, but he was being dense, so she felt entitled.

More banging. “Hold on,” she yelled to Lou.

She looked through the peephole but saw no one there. Great. He’d probably walked away.

She opened the door and stepped out, and something slammed into her jaw.

Stunned, she was draped over someone’s shoulder and forcibly carried back into her apartment, too dazed to function.

The door slammed shut. Then she heard it lock, and her heart raced a mile a minute.

“You little bitch.” Ron Howell was a lot stronger than he looked. He dumped her on the floor, and she landed hard on her hip. “Did you really think I wouldn’t get what I want?” He unbuckled his belt and removed it. “You and your friend aren’t the only ones who can make up an alibi.”

What the hell was he talking about?

“I reported your boyfriend to the police. But guess what? Apparently the assholes at Ray’s didn’t remember anyone bloodying up my face. Well you know, I’m pretty sure I’m at my country club right now, having a drink in a private room with friends.”

He tossed his belt to the floor, apparently not planning on beating her with it. She knew she should be more scared than she was, but after all her emotional drama over Johnny, she felt nothing but a building rage for all Y-chromosome-related stupidity. Ron’s hands went to the snap of his trousers, and he paused.

So he meant to rape her?
Oh, bring it on, little man.
Yeah, Kristin had shared. And none of it had been good.

Lara stared up at him, pretending confusion. “Ron?”

“I put an app on your phone to find your location, and a friend of mine with spy software disguised it as a ring tone.” He scoffed and unzipped his pants, showing an erection beneath silk boxers. “You really are stupid. Get on your knees and blow me, and I won’t hit you again. Or maybe I will…if you’re not any good.”

She cowed while feeling murderous. Best not to let him see her eyes. “P-please, Ron. Don’t h-hurt me.” She didn’t have to force angry tears and crawled toward him.

Yes, Ron kept in shape. But like most men of his ilk, he didn’t see women as a threat. Just as pawns he could use to do his bidding.

“That’s right.” His lust was impossible to miss, especially when he pushed his meager member through the slit in his boxers. “Suck me dry, bitch. You know you want to.”

“I w-want to.”

“Yeah, say it. You want to.” He widened his stance and held himself out to her.

“I w-want to…” And then she did what she’d
so
wanted to do for such a long, long time.

* * *

Johnny took a deep breath and let it out. He’d finished climbing the steps to Lara’s floor, and with each footfall closer, his heart threatened to leap out of his chest. Fuck, she loved him. He’d believed Del more each time he thought about how compassionate she’d looked sitting on his couch with Foley. Del knew what it was to almost throw something away. Or at least, her moron of a fiancé did. Johnny knew the story, of how McCauley had almost let fear of losing her cost him the woman he loved.

At the time, he’d wondered how McCauley could be so foolish.

“And now I know.” He had to make this right with Lara. With his last breath, he’d be sure to—

“
And that’s for my sister, you prick. And for Kay. And Amelia.
” He heard Lara yelling, and she didn’t sound as if she were playing.

He rushed to her door and tried to open it but found it locked. “Lara?”

“And if you ever touch me again,
I will fucking kill you
.”

He’d heard enough. Johnny drilled his shoulder into the door and broke through her flimsy lock with ease. To his shock, he saw her kicking the shit out of her ex-brother-in-law. The guy was on the ground, moaning, his dick out, as Lara pummeled him everywhere she could reach. Kicking, punching, his girl was whaling on the guy making broken sounds as he curled into a ball.

Knowing what that exposed dick meant, Johnny saw nothing more than the guy’s gravestone.

He marched forward and grabbed the hand she’d cocked back.

Lara started. “Johnny?”

“I love you, baby.” He saw the bruise on her cheekbone, and kissed it tenderly. Then he pulled her to the kitchen and handed her his cell phone. “Call 9-1-1. And hurry, before I kill him.”

She dialed, her eyes wide, and Johnny hauled Ron to his feet. He had to hold the guy away from him, because Ron started to piss himself.
Nicely done, Lara.

“Wait, Johnny.” She quickly reported the incident to the police, then hung up and stepped outside her door, yelling down the hallway for help.

Her apartment soon crowded with neighbors, and she told them what had happened. To Johnny’s surprise, one of the guys in the apartment happened to be a cop visiting family in the building.

“Well, well. One of the upper class slumming so far away from his grand real estate on Mercer Island.” Officer Brewer sounded way too pleased. “I know you, don’t I? You sold my grandmother’s property out from under her a few years ago.” The cop took a step toward Ron.

“Hold on.” Johnny pretended to drop Ron and slugged him in the same cheekbone Ron had bruised on Lara. “Oh, sorry about that. Nearly dropped him.”

“Drop-kick him off the roof,” Lara muttered. “He told me he has bigwig buddies who’ll vouch for his whereabouts. Of course, that was right before he tried to rape me.”

The cop’s face flushed, and Johnny dropped Ron on his ass before he did kill him.

“So you prey on old ladies and young women too?” Brewer growled. Now more worried for the cop than Ron, Johnny planted himself in front of the moaning mound of shit on the floor, keeping Brewer from reaching him. “Hey, can we get some pics of this guy for proof?” He heard a dozen cameras going off, the cop’s included. Then Brewer was on the phone. In less than ten minutes, two uniforms and some EMTs arrived to take Ron away.

Johnny introduced himself to Officer Brewer and described what he’d witnessed. “Lara won’t be in any trouble, will she?”

“Oh, hell no. I have witnesses and pictures as proof. From what Lara mentioned, he did this before at the bar where she works too.”

Next to him, Lara nodded.

“I was there,” Johnny said. “I’ll testify to it. So can Lara’s boss and a few others.”

Brewer smiled. “I can’t stand types like Howell. They take what they want when they want it and step over everyone in the way. Lara, I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Thanks, Matt.”

“I can’t promise he’ll do a lot of time, because he does have contacts in high places. But I can guarantee he gets in front of the right judge for attempted rape, assault, hmm, maybe robbery too? You were clearly here when he entered.”

“He’s a rich guy. Doubt that would stick,” Johnny had to mention.

Lara added, “My door was op—”

“Stepping away now. Can’t hear you. Gotta go book a dirtbag. You staying with her?” Brewer asked Johnny.

“Yeah.”

“Good. Lara, Johnny.” Brewer left her apartment with the others.

Then just Johnny and Lara remained.

She looked wild, her hair still in disarray, her poor cheek a purple oval. She had bruises on her hands and probably her feet too. She’d beaten the hell out of Howell.

Johnny couldn’t be prouder.

Lara, apparently, couldn’t be angrier. “Why are you here?” she bit out.

“Let’s get you cleaned up, hmm?”

“I don’t need your help. You shut me out, remember?”

She walked stiffly to the couch and sat, no doubt trying to look tough, in control. But he saw her tremor, and he wanted to kill Ron for it.

He sat on her rickety coffee table, facing her. He frowned when she clasped her shaking hands together. “Let’s take you in to see a doctor.”

“No. I’m not leaving my apartment. I’m staying. ’Cause that’s what I do.
I
have staying power.
I
don’t walk away when life gets rough.” Her eyes reflected unshed tears.

Johnny grew fiercer. “Fine. I’ll stay with you.”

“For how long?” she blurted. “Until you get scared again? Please. I can take care of myself. I don’t need you to do it.”

“Then why did you say you loved me?” he asked, confused. “You don’t need me.”

“No. I don’t.”

“So why then?”

“Because I love you, you idiot. I don’t have to need you to love you. When I told you it was too bad all of you wasn’t so pretty, I meant it. I could ignore just a pretty face. But you’re so much more than that. You care for people. You’re generous, kind, amazing in bed, and you make me laugh. And you’re so smart.” She scowled. “So how are you
so stupid
? Do you really not know how much I love you? You big m-moron.”

He sat and watched her spew anger and tears. She said something else, because he saw her lips form words, but he heard nothing more than that she still loved him.

She wiped her nose on her sleeve. “Well?”

“You’re even pretty when you cry.”

She blinked, her eyes swollen from tears, her nose red and stuffy, her cheek a purplish-blue. “Did you hear anything I said?”

“I don’t need you to tell me I’m spineless when it comes to relationships.” He sighed and rubbed her knees, being careful of her in such a frail state. “Lara, I’m good at sex. Well, and jokes. I’m a funny guy. I grew up watching my dad laugh off every bad thing that happened to him. He makes smart financial decisions, but when it comes to women, he’s clueless.”

“And so are you,” she accused and wiped her eyes again.

“And so am I.” He left his spot and returned with a box of tissues he handed to her.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” He just stared at her, and it all came pouring out. “I love you so much it hurts. I think I loved you from the first moment I laid eyes on you, if you can believe it.”

“Oh, Johnny.”

“I was glad you turned me down so many times. You didn’t want a hookup, which was all I was after at the time. I knew you were—and are—way too good for me. But I wanted you anyway. When that asshole assaulted you that first time, it let me be someone you could need. Someone who had something to give you. My help.”

“Your fists.”

He took her hand in his and kissed her bruises.

“Stop.”

He heard the quiver in her voice and set her hand down, then picked up the other and gave it the same attention. “I hear you missed me.” He looked into her eyes.

“Maybe I missed you a little. But I have no respect for someone who could—who could th-throw me away like that.”

The tears came down in earnest, and Johnny swore. He moved to the couch, took her carefully into his arms, and held her until the storm passed.

“I love you,” he said over and over until she subsided into tearful shudders. “Let me care for you, okay? I owe you.”

“You do,” came the quiet rejoinder.

He fixed her a bath, then helped her ease into it. With the exception of the bruise on her cheek and those from where she’d hit the bastard, she looked physically fine. But her sleepy eyes and little shakes hurt him deep inside. His poor woman had been through a lot tonight.

He finally took her from the bath and dried her off.

“Quit being nice to me,” she whispered.

“Quit being bitchy,” he whispered back and saw a smile she tried to hide.

Then he lifted her in his arms and took her to bed. He didn’t bother with nightclothes, just slid her between the sheets and lay with her, holding her close.