Beck And Call (23 page)

front of her building. “As we work our way through the

pile of shit that got dumped on us, we make sure the

other knows what’s going on around us. We might just

make it of this mess.”

“Deal,” she smiled, then looked at him seriously.

“You look like you could do with a good night’s sleep as

well, Keith. Otherwise you won’t have the strength to

pick up the shovel tomorrow,” she grinned, hand on the

door.

His answer was his own bark of laughter and she

grinned as she got out and headed up the front steps.

Claire and Debbie opened the door and hugged her.

Keith pulled away, smiling as he saw the delivery

van come around the corner.

The entire walk to Serena’s apartment, Debbie cried

about how sorry she was for giving Serena so much

grief about her clothes, but also for not telling her what

was going on. Claire fussed over Debbie, and after a few

minutes Serena told them she was exhausted and going

to call it a night.

Deciding one lazy night was good for the soul, and

the rest of her, she started the tea kettle. At the knock,

she went to the door and saw a plain, brown box.

Blushing, she accepted the box from the super and

eagerly carried it into the kitchen. She cut the tape and

lifted the flaps. Her jaw fell open—cuffs, tethers, and

anchors. A blindfold. And at the bottom sat a typed

note.

I will be there at ten. I want you naked, cuffed to

your bed, and blindfolded, with the vibrator inside your

hot pussy for ten minutes on button one.

Master

Carefully, she put the bondage gear in her

nightstand drawer with the vibrator, the books, and his

previous notes. She hugged herself. He was coming to

her! Her exhaustion fled as she scurried about her

apartment, cleaning. Because she’d been with him all

weekend, she hadn’t done any of her usual weekend

chores and now rushed through them. She did yoga to

loosen her muscles before getting on the treadmill.

Anticipation had her jogging as she wondered what he

would do.

As she finished, she heard three knocks on the door.

Glancing at her clock, she saw it was just before eight.

Probably Claire or Debbie, she sighed, wondering how

long it would take her to get them to leave so she could

be ready for Master.

“Girls, I….” She opened the door and stared. “Who

are you?”

For a brief second, Serena’s heart leaped. It was

Master! No, it was a masked man a good six inches

shorter and thicker around the middle who stepped

forward.

“Bitch,” he snarled, grabbing her wrist.

Before she could take a deep breath, the man

shoved her back inside the apartment and slammed the

door shut.

Screaming at the top of her lungs, Serena battered

at his head with her fists.

“Help! Help! Somebody help me!”

“Troublesome little bitch,” he growled.

His gloved hand groped roughly at the neck of her

T-shirt. As the thin cotton ripped away, her panic

increased tenfold and she flashed back to Mark’s attack.

No! This couldn’t happen again! Adrenaline pumping,

she jerked her knee up. Connecting with his groin, she

felt his hold loosen. Shoving at him, she twisted away, if

only to get to her room. All she could think of was

Master’s phone. He would come. He would save her.

Her attacker staggered back and she sprinted for

her room. She grabbed the phone off the nightstand as

he reached the door.

“Oh, no, bitch,” came the low, gravelly voice.

Before she could flip the phone open, he was on her,

shoving her onto the bed. Frantically, she shoved at

him, unable to scream as fear clogged her throat. Again

self-defense lessons from her brothers came to her.

Gritting her teeth, she stabbed her thumb into his eye.

Now he screamed in pain as he rolled off her.

Scrambling off the bed, she stumbled into the living

room, the phone still clutched in her hand. Gasping for

breath, she got it open. Too late, she heard the

floorboard creak behind her. She whirled around as he

tackled her. The phone skittered across the floor.

Her head crashed against the wood as he landed on

top of her.

“Just be a good girl and keep your mouth shut,” he

whispered hoarsely in her ear. “I’m going to fuck your

ass.”

As his hands worked on the strings of her shorts,

Serena felt a new emotion. A will to survive surged

through her. No! She would not give in. She was not

going to quietly let him rape her!

“Help me!” she screamed, thrashing her body

around. “Help! Help!”

“Shut up!”

Pinning her legs, he reared up and slapped her

face. Wicked laughter filled her ears as he gave up on

the strings and just ripped her shorts and panties off.

“Help!”

His hand slapped across her cheek and knocked her

head against the wood. As she struggled to stay

conscious, his hands locked around her neck.

“No! Serena!”

The man turned his head as Claire and Debbie

appeared in the doorway. Swearing, he banged Serena’s

head against the floor once more before standing and

facing them. Debbie moved first and he laughed at her

efforts to punch him. Easily he grabbed her and tossed

her toward the living room. She crashed into the wall

and slid down it.

Claire jumped on his back, screaming for help, as

she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Get his mask!” Debbie yelled, trying to get to her

feet by holding onto the end table. “Claire!”

Nodding, Claire lifted one hand and caught at the

top of the hood. With a laugh, he grabbed her wrist and

tore her off his back. Her fingers clung to the hood for a

second and pulled it up enough for Debbie to see his

face before he jerked it back down. He threw Claire

toward the living room.

“What on earth is going on in here?” demanded

Serena’s across-the-hall neighbor. The middle-aged

man stared and punched in numbers to his cell phone.

“We need the police at—”

With a furious roar, the masked man rushed him,

punched his nose, and disappeared down the hall before

any of the other residents were able to think to stop

him.

Blood spurting from his nose, the neighbor gasped

for breath and staggered to Serena’s door. Seeing the

injured women and Serena not moving on the floor, he

moaned.

“Oh, my word,” his wife breathed, taking his cell

phone with the emergency operator’s voice trying to get

someone’s attention.

Claire and Debbie crawled to Serena’s still body.

“She’s breathing,” Debbie cried out. “Serena!

Serena, wake up.”

“Did you see his face?” Claire asked, pushing herself

up to stand and lurching to Serena’s purse. “I’ve got to

call her parents or someone.” She saw the open cell

phone and punched at the numbers. “This one won’t

take any numbers.”

“She’s coming around,” Debbie told her as the

couple came in. “Serena, how do we dial your phone?”

“Speed 1,” she whispered before her head lolled to

one side.

Claire pushed the buttons.

“Serena…”

“I’m Claire, a friend of Serena’s,” she said quickly.

“I…I don’t know your name, but Serena’s been hurt.”

There was a muttered curse.

“Claire, this is Keith MacLauren. What happened?”

“Debbie and I heard her screaming. There was a

masked man attacking her! He tried to strangle her,

but…”

“Is she alive? Is she all right?”

“She’s alive,” she nodded, falling to her knees next

to Serena. “But she’s unconscious.”

“Have you called the police? An ambulance?”

“Neighbors did.”

“Listen to me carefully, Claire. I want the two of you

to stay with Serena. Understand me? Do not let her out

of your sight. You go with her in the ambulance and

stay with her in the hospital. Tell her you called me and

that I’m on my way.”

“You think this is because of what happened today?”

“Yes,” he replied. “And that means the police will be

looking at a short list of suspects. Tell the neighbors

and the police if they get there before the ambulance

leaves that I will meet you at the hospital and give

them a list.”

“Debbie saw who it was.”

“Shit,” he breathed. “I’ll bring security to the

hospital. Ask the neighbors to watch your apartment

and Serena’s. I’m sorry, Claire. I never imagined this

would happen.”

Claire blinked as the line was disconnected. Debbie

looked at her in astonishment. Carefully, Claire

repeated the instructions. Several neighbors were in

the apartment, including a retired Army officer who

quickly took charge and organized things.

Medics and police arrived at the same time. The

police took preliminary statements from the roommates

before one of the medics said they were ready to take

Serena to the hospital. They held onto Serena’s hands

during the brief ride, whispering that Keith was on his

way. She murmured unintelligibly, but her eyes never

opened.

Serena felt fingers at her neck and was screaming

before her eyes opened.

“Shh, now,” came a woman’s voice. “You’re safe,

Serena. I’m Dr. Gordon.”

Panicking, Serena’s eyes darted about the

examination room.

“Where am I?” she tried to say.

Her poor throat had been so abused that she

couldn’t manage anything over a rough whisper. The

doctor tsked and continued her exam.

“St. Vincent’s,” she informed her. “We just got your

friends to leave your side so they could be checked. I

think the handsome man outside might have had

something to do with it,” she grinned. “Keith

MacLauren. Your boyfriend?”

Serena shook her head. “Boss.”

“Mm,” came the doubtful noise. “I don’t know of

many bosses who charge into an emergency room,

demanding that the senior doctor take charge of a

patient’s care. You sure he’s not your boyfriend?”

Serena nodded with a small moan. “Well, whoever he is,

he’s turned the hospital upside down, demanding the

best care for you.”

Serena didn’t understand, but Claire rushing into

the room distracted her.

“Oh, Serena!” she cried out. “I can’t believe it! It’s

just too incredible.”

“Quiet or leave,” Dr. Gordon said sternly.

“Sorry,” Claire whispered, holding Serena’s hand. “I

had no idea you had a direct line to Keith. I mean, it

does make sense in case he needed to reach you while

he was traveling or something, but you never

mentioned it. Not a single word!”

“What are you talking about?” Serena croaked.

“The cell phone, silly,” Claire giggled. “Speed 1.

Sheesh, I thought I was going to meet the new man in

your life. I nearly dropped the phone!”

Serena frowned. Claire had to be confused. Speed 1

was to Master’s phone. Her eyes went to the doctor who

understood the silent plea.

“All right, now,” she said briskly. “I think that’s

enough. Miss Traydon is going to be taken to her room.

She needs quiet,” she said sternly. “That means no

visitors.”

“I need to talk to her,” a deep voice behind Claire

said. “Claire, why don’t you wait outside with Debbie?”

Keith suggested.

“You’ll both need to leave,” the doctor told him. “She

has been through a traumatic experience and…”

“Just one moment, please,” Keith said urgently as

Claire moved toward the door.

“She needs her rest. The police are going to badger

her enough once she’s in her room.”

“I don’t want her to be alone,” he said. “I fired a

number of people today.”

“So I heard on the news,” Gordon replied, smiling.

“Good job sticking up for the women who work for you. I

think there was a huge cheer for you across the

country.”

“Thank you, but any one of them could come after

her. One already did.” He took Serena’s hand. “Is she

going to be alright?”

Relenting slightly, the doctor nodded.

“She has a mild concussion and the bruises on her

face, neck, and throat will be sore for about a week.

She’s a very lucky woman. If her friends hadn’t come

when they did, well,” she glanced down at Serena.

“She’s very lucky.”

“Yes, she is,” he whispered, his thumb gently

rubbing her hand.