Arielle Immortal Struggle (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 7) (22 page)

“Where were you yesterday afternoon?” the older officer asked, as if he didn’t hear Sebastian’s statement, pinning him with a quizzical gaze. Sebastian’s eyebrows furrowed in disbelief.

“I was in a meeting with Dylan Jamison, along with Troy, my coworker. I was notified by our friend Ian that Arielle was brought into the hospital. I came here straight from the meeting,” he said curtly. He didn’t appreciate the tone of the officer’s voice.

“I’m sorry, sir,” the officer said. “I didn’t mean to sound as if I were accusing you of something. What I wanted to know is,” he paused and took a deep breath, “Mr. Gaulle, I was wondering if you actually knew her abductors?”

“No, I don’t,” Sebastian replied, his expression calm and open. “Didn’t Arielle see their faces?” Sebastian asked masking his expression.

“I didn’t see their faces,” Arielle said, pressing his hand softly.

“Baby, didn’t you see them when they were beating you up?” he asked, pretending surprise.

“No, the room was dark, and they were wearing masks,” she said firmly. “I texted Eva when I heard them leaving the house, and I was hoping she would find me before they came back,” she said in a high pitched voice. She was still affected by the memories.

“We did go to that location yesterday after we spoke to your friend,” the younger officer added, “but we didn’t find anything that would give us a clue. The place was all cleaned up but for some damage to an interior wall. The place was abandoned.”

Sebastian was thankful for making sure the bodies were disposed of and everything was put back in place before they left. He did wonder about Dylan’s detectives and what became of them, but he knew that Dylan was not going to discuss the details of this case with the authorities. He wouldn’t want them to interfere with this important case.

“We’ll do everything we can to try and find them, and we’ll keep you informed,” the older officer said to James Lloyd. The officers thanked them and left the room.

Arielle focused her thoughts on Sebastian. She could feel his hand pressing softly on hers, and his sweet scent consuming every sense awake.

“Sebastian, are they gone?”

“Yes, baby, they just left.”

James Lloyd leaned over her bed and pressed a kiss on her cheek. “Pumpkin, now that Sebastian is here, we are going home. We’ll be back later this afternoon,” he said, lovingly. They both patting Sebastian on his back and walked out.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Sebastian bent down, trying to scoop her in his arms carefully without disturbing the IVs.

“Arielle, I missed you so much. I’m going out of my mind. I hate that you’re here and in pain. I want you home with me,” he purred.

“I feel better when you hold me,” she whispered.

“I’ll hold you for eternity if that makes you feel better,” he murmured and gave her a soft squeeze.

“I need to see your face more than I need to breathe,” she whimpered.

“You will, baby, I’m not going anywhere.” His lips pressed hers softly, and she grimaced. He immediately pulled back and laid her carefully back down. “I can’t stand seeing you this way,” he moaned.

She reached up slowly, repressing the sting from the IV, and traced with her fingers the beautiful features of his face. A mixture of sensation and love coursed through her, alleviating every ache, every worry, every thought, away from her brain.

“Kiss me!” she said.

“I don’t want to hurt you, my love,” he murmured, his voice passionate.

“Please…I’ve missed you,” she whimpered.

He pulled her back into his arms and his lips covered hers with restraint. She sank into his embrace and she was unable to mask her desire. She forgot all about the pain and her lips moved awkwardly but demanding against his. He groaned and pulled his lips free.

“Stop, you’ll hurt yourself,” he moaned and laid her back on the bed. He was trying hard to rein in his desires that were screaming to be unleashed.

“I want to go home,” she pleaded.

“Arielle, you need to be here,” he said. He was breathing deeply, and his voice was filled with frustration. “For what I have in mind, you’ll need to be completely healed and strong” he snorted.

“And what is that?” she asked. Flinching, she forced a smile.

“Ah…that’s a surprise.”

“Hmmm…” she giggled softly.

“Well, if you won’t kiss me, then tell me what happened?” She pressed her lips together and grimaced again as she felt the pain sipping into her brain. “I need a pain shot.”

Sebastian jump off his seat, and before she knew it, Miss Walker appeared at the door. Her eyes fell on Sebastian and she halted for a moment. She stared, mystified, once again at the stunning man. Sebastian’s brows narrowed quizzically. She shook her head, exasperated, and gathered her wits. She refocused, and her eyes turned to Arielle as she stepped inside the room and approached her bed.

“Arielle, dear, I have your pain shot,” she said kindly.

“Thank you, Miss Walker.”

She gave Arielle her pain shot and swung toward the door. Drawing a deep breath, she felt a powerful urge to run as she swept passed him. He was standing too close not to be a distraction.
What in bloody hell is going on with me?
she thought. The sound of the door closing behind her made her blink and she exhaled in sheer relief. She rubbed her hand over her eyes and groaned. She picked up her pace and disappeared around the next corner.

“What was that?” Sebastian wondered out loud.

“What was what?” Arielle, asked.

“Oh…your nurse acted really strange toward me,” he added.

“Oh, and you’re wondering about that?” she snorted.

“Whatever do you mean?” he asked, clueless.

 “Sebastian, every woman acts weird around you. Me included,” she snorted again.

“You are beautiful, but you’re mine,” she added.

“That’s absolutely true,” he murmured, and leaning over her, he pressed his lips on hers lovingly. “Is the pain gone?”

“Yes…I feel much better,” she said joyfully.

“Arielle, I’m so glad you never said anything about who the guys were to the police officers. We wouldn’t want them to become involved with this problem.”

“Sebastian, I did know those guys. They were the same guys that Gabby and I met at a club, while you, Troy, and Nathan were in Brussels the first time.”

“I know…I know all about them. Unfortunately for them, they tried to hurt you, and they are not going to hurt anyone ever again.”

Arielle recoiled. “Are they…are…are they dead?”

“Yes, they are, and so are the two men that came to help them torture you. Arielle, they were going to kill you if I didn’t give up the documents. I’ll make sure they are all eliminated before I’m finished with them. I thought Dylan was going to do that for me last year, but he didn’t finish the job. Now… Troy, Christian, Ian, and I are going to make sure it is done.”

“Are you leaving me again?” she asked anxiously.

“No, not until you are well and at home. But you do know that I have to do this, don’t you?” Leaning down, he pressed another feather kiss to her lips. “I have to do whatever it takes to keep you safe,” he whispered against her lips.

Arielle remained silent. She was not sure she liked him going away, but she also knew that this couldn’t go on.

“Baby,” he murmured, “I don’t want you to overthink this. It’ll be an easy job for us.”

“I’m always worried about you,” she said.

“I’m the one that should be worried about you, not the other way around. I had been out of my mind ever since I received the call from Ian that you had not attended class.” He stopped and bending down he kissed her again. “My beautiful angel!”

Arielle smiled. “So tell me everything?”

“Well, Troy, Christian, Ian, and I were told by Dylan that some more assassins were flying into Brighton to assist with the extortion,” he said and swore under his breath. “They were going to force me to give up the company documents by threatening your life.” He took a shuddering breath.

“What is it?” Arielle asked, and her arm stretched slowly reaching for him.

“Oh, Arielle.” He pinched the tip of his nose, and his lips quivered. He clasped her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers. “Can’t you see that I’m the reason you ended up in this hospital? For God’s sake… Arielle, it has always been my fault. I’m a selfish man. I was going to risk everything, including your life to have you. I love you! I’m hopelessly in love with you!” He drew a quivery breath and continued speaking, “I can’t bear the thought of you with someone else.”

“Why would you ever entertain such a thought?” she asked, intrigued.

“You have been the joy in my life, the oxygen that I breathe, the reason that wake up each morning. You have filled my life with passion and excitement. Loving you is a pure bliss. I have never known anyone like you. I want you for my own. I want to protect you, but as you can see —
so far
—
I don’t seem to be doing a very good job of it,” he said sadly.

“Sebastian.” She squeezed his hand. “I feel the same way. You’re everything to me, I want to be in your life, and I don’t care about anything else. I don’t care about the people that want to hurt me. I can’t live without you, don’t you see?”

“Arielle, you are in the hospital. I have brought nothing to you but chaos. I have brought immortals and humans that want to hurt you because of me,” he said, his tone filled with frustration and rage. “I never believed that being with me would turn your world upside down. If I had thought of it, I wouldn’t have made that mistake. I’m so sorry, baby.”

Arielle immediately release his hand. “Sebastian, if you keep talking like this, I don’t want you here. If you think that being with me was a mistake, I want you to leave,” she said forcefully.

He felt her words sipping through his veins and he was mortified. “I’m not

going anywhere,” he said firmly and swallowed against the bitter taste in his mouth.

“Then you have to stop talking nonsense and continue with the story.”

He took her hand again and she let him. “All right then, you adorable creature you!” He gathered his thoughts and continued with the story.

“Dylan found out through his surveillance that the two goons that kidnapped you from campus were to meet the men that were flying in from Belarus at the airport. Then the four of them were going back to the location they were holding you.” He took a deep breath and pressed her hand softly. “I wanted to kill them at the airport, but I needed them alive so they could lead me to you. We heard their conversations, so we knew pretty well what they had done to you and what they were planning on doing.” He paused again for a moment. “Their words were slicing right through every muscle in my body, and anger took over. It took Troy, Ian, and Christian to keep me calm. When we arrived at the house, Troy and Christian climbed up to the second floor. Ian and I went around the back. We found you in one of the basement rooms, and you were unconscious. Ian brought you to the hospital while Troy, Christian, and I finished up all four of the assassins.”

Arielle jerked aware at the words.

“You’re safe now, baby,” he said warmly.

“I thought you were not going to come for me,” she whimpered.

“Arielle, I wouldn’t stop until I found you. How could you ever think something like that?”

Tears were streaming down her face once again.

“Why are you crying, sweetheart?” he whispered against her lips and brushed his thumbs against her cheeks, wiping the tears away. “Are you in pain? Where do you hurt?”

“No, I’m fine,” she sobbed. She felt the gentleness of his touch leaving her with an unexplained aching feeling of loneliness. “Why am I so tired?”

“Baby, they have given you meds to help you relax, and they make you sleepy,” he whispered closed to her ear.

“Please stay with me.”

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that. I’m staying right here until you’re ready to go home with me,” he said softly, gazing at Arielle’s bruised body. Putting his elbows on his knees he leaned closer and whispered, “I love you, baby.” He absolutely hated the thought that there was nothing he could do to make her feel any better.

Arielle was starting to feel sleepy again. “Stay with me. I thought I’d never see you again,” she said, lethargically. Another stream of tears rolled down her face, and Sebastian reached out and took her hand in his. “Sleep now baby, I’ll be right here.”

Miss Walker came in to check on Arielle, but she was already asleep. “I’ll take care of her,” she said. “I mean, if you need to go.”

Sebastian scoffed, quietly. “I’m staying right here,” he said firmly.

The nurse scowled but chose to remain quiet. She checked Arielle’s vitals and adjusted her covers, throwing a sidelong assessing glance at Sebastian she walked out.

It was a couple of days later when Arielle finally was able to open her eyes. She was a lot better and everyone was thrilled to have her back to normal. The swelling was down and the IVs were removed. The bump on her head had receded and the bruises had turned purple and yellow, slowly disappearing. She was released from the hospital five days after she arrived with a couple of prescriptions for pain from the broken ribs and the sutures on her face. She would have to go back in two weeks to have the sutures removed.

Sebastian was thrilled to death to take her home. He had filled the house with freesia.

Chapter 16