Burned by Passion (12 page)

“Oh?” Terrence murmured softly, eyebrows raised high. His dark expression had taken on a fearsome cast and Kira stared at him in horror. She cringed as he drew his face even closer.

“At least one thing I do know,” he said chillingly, “Is that you’re a fake, lying, cheating slut who’s been leading me on for months. Well I promise you, you won’t get away with it.”

Kira felt stung by his harshly voiced insults and she couldn’t stop herself from sneering thoughtlessly, “What are you going to do? Sue me?”

“No,” he said with icy rage. “Just something that will teach you not to fuck with me. A little something to remember me by.” And with equal precision, he drew his fist back and hit her in the face.

Chapter Twelve

Blake strode out of the elevator on his father’s floor. He’d been summoned and he wondered why. As far as he knew he’d been on his best behavior and hadn’t slipped up on the job lately, so what now?

He walked into the elegantly furnished outer office, stopping short at the sight of Kira’s empty desk. This was the third time this week he didn’t see her seated there during work hours. His cool mask melted into a frown of worry, and he quickly went to his father’s door, knocked and went in.

“Where’s Kira?” he asked without preamble, standing in front of his father’s desk.

Bretton Carter, seated behind it, had an equally worried look on his face. “That’s exactly why I asked you up here. She hasn’t reported in for work since Monday. It’s nearing the end of the week and she hasn’t even phoned. It’s not like her at all. Something’s wrong.”

Blake shrugged, faking his casual tone as he said, “So? Maybe her fiancé couldn’t wait until the wedding day and they decided to elope. They might be at some exotic honeymoon location, having the time of their lives.”

“Cut it out, Blake. You know her better than that.”

Blake cocked an ironic brow at his father. “Really? And how is that possible? When you’ve effectively shut her safely away from my evil clutches?”

His father didn’t seem ready to rise to the bait. “Well, this once I’m letting up. I’ve tried reaching Terrence but I was told he’s off on assignment somewhere each time I’ve called his office. So I have no choice but to send you down to her place and find out what could be wrong. I’m worried. This isn’t like her at all.”

Blake hid his surprise, reaching for the piece of paper his father had written on.

“That’s her address. I need you to go over there and see if everything’s okay,” Bretton said.

Staring down at the sheet, Blake’s forehead creased with unease. “Do you really think something’s wrong?”

“I know it,” his father stated. “I should’ve checked on her sooner. Now go out there and prove me wrong.”

***

Kira’s apartment was in a nice area barely a half hour’s ride from work. Blake glanced up at the building as he pulled to a stop beside it. He’d known exactly where to drive to because he’d already found out months earlier where she lived but hadn’t wanted to turn into a stalker by showing up before now.

Once inside the building he took the flight of stairs to the third floor where she’d rented her apartment.

He got to the door marked ‘22’ and knocked. When there was no response he knocked harder. Still, no response. His hand was already on the handle to check if he could let himself in, when the door at the far end of the corridor opened and a homely, robust woman leaned out.

“Hello,” Blake said politely, turning to face her. “I’m here looking for Kira Taylor. Do you know if she’s home?”

The woman scowled, iron-grey curls peeking from her scarf. “And what’s it to you? Are you her boyfriend?”

At the woman’s sharp question he knew better than to say yes. “No, ma’am. She’s an employee of my father’s. He asked me to swing by and check on her. She hasn’t showed up for work for a few days.” Blake replied. “She always calls in if she’s sick so we were getting a little worried.”

“Employee, huh?” the woman said, eyeing Blake speculatively. “Well I guess that’s different. I hope you’ll excuse my rudeness just now,” she said, stepping into the corridor and making her way down to where Blake waited by Kira’s door. “It’s just that after what happened to the poor girl we neighbors have to be careful with male visitors posing as friends.”

Blake’s eyes narrowed. “After
what
happened?”

“You couldn’t possibly have heard, hmm, being her employer and all,” the woman put in wryly. “Well, what happened was that she was found unconscious in her apartment three days ago. She’d been severely beaten.”

Blake felt like he’d swayed on his feet but it was just the earth shifting beneath him. That’s what it felt like hearing something had happened to Kira.

He could tell his face had blanched from the way the old woman was staring at him. Shoving his hands through his hair and praying for calm, he asked, “Where is she now? Where have they taken her? Is she okay?”

The old woman gave him the address of the hospital. “It was just pure luck that one of her next door neighbors normally goes out with her for a run on Thursdays or we’d hardly have found her in time,” she said. “Such a sad thing to happen to such a nice young lady…”

Her last words were lost on Blake because he was already moving fast down the stairs, out of the building and into his car. In moments he’d sped off.

***

Ten minutes was all it took to get him there. It had felt like hours. He was out of breath when he stalked into the hospital reception and he could tell he worried the nurse with his wild expression.

“Can…can I help you sir?” she asked hesitantly.

“I hope so. I was told you have a patient here, who was brought in a few days ago.” Blake hoped he was making sense because he wasn’t even hearing himself right now. His head was buzzing with fury, fear, worry and utter panic that Kira was hurt and alone.

Taking a calming breath, he added, “Her name is Kira Taylor. I need to see her.”

“And she happens to be my patient.”

The nurse turned thankfully to the white-coated doctor who’d appeared from round the corner. “Dr. Samuel, this…gentleman wants to see your patient,” she said unnecessarily.

“You’re her doctor. My name’s Blake Carter,” Blake said, also swiveling to face the man who was medium height, with blonde, receding hair and a calm handsomeness. “Where is she? I’d like to see her.”

Dr. Samuel’s eyebrows lifted at Blake’s authoritative tone, then glanced at his watch. “It’s hardly visiting hours. And she’s resting. May I ask who you are?”

“I’m a family member,” Blake lied smoothly. “She’s adopted.” He got that same look from the doctor that the neighbor at Kira’s apartment had given him. Blake swore beneath his breath. “Look, I need to know she’s okay. Please.”

When the doctor finally let Blake in to see Kira, it felt like the rug had been swept out from under him.

“She was beaten up pretty bad,” the doctor said as he watched Blake rush to the sleeping Kira’s bedside. At least Blake hoped she was sleeping. Her beautiful face was swollen with bruises and her eyes almost sealed shut by the swelling. She looked frail and paler than usual lying there in the plain blue gown with the equally plain sheets covering her up to her chest. Her arms showed signs of large purple bruises and Blake gently took her hand in his, finding it limp yet warm. He stared down at her devastated face and felt his head start to want to explode.

“But she looks far worse than she really is,” the doctor continued. “A few bruised ribs and then the swelling which will come down eventually. No real damage done to any internal organs.”

This was plenty damage, thought Blake as a black rage seemed almost to smother his senses. He could feel the doctor’s eyes on him, before the other man said, “You aren’t really her family, are you?”

“No, I’m not,” Blake admitted, tearing his eyes reluctantly from Kira. His grip on her slender fingers tightened slightly as he added, “But I swear to you on my life I’m not the one who did this.”

“For some strange reason, I believe you,” Dr. Samuel said. “She’ll be fine, given a few weeks or rest and treatment. But whoever did this to her needs to be brought to justice. She was unconscious when she was brought in and has slipped in and out for the past two days. This is a serious case for the police and we’re looking to any of her friends or family to come forward with information.”

“I’ll see that her family gets notified. I don’t think any of them know she’s here,” Blake said calmly while inside he was filled with a storm of anger huge enough to make him find who did this and…God help them, death would be a mercy for such a person.

“And I’m personally going to see to it that the man responsible pays dearly for this. Please spare no cost for her care as I’ll see to that myself as well. I want her well and out of here as soon as possible.”

The doctor nodded, hands in his coat pocket as he gave Blake another of his shrewd looks. “So if you aren’t her cousin Mr. Carter, just who are you?”

Blake sighed deeply, and then turned his gaze back to Kira as he replied, “I’m the man who loves her.” So much he could hardly breathe. And he wouldn’t rest until he had her safe and in his arms where he knew she belonged.

***

Kira awoke slowly from her sedative-induced sleep. When she saw the nurse let Blake into her room, any last traces of sleep escaped and her heart began to pound as she looked up into the face of the last man she’d expected to see.

“Blake,” she breathed, pushing herself back into her pillows as if to bury herself in them. She saw his lips go tight when he noticed her reaction. The urge to flee which she usually had around him had far from abated and she knew he could tell.

But his voice was calm as he thanked the nurse, who checked Kira’s vitals before nodding and leaving silently.

“Kira, baby,” he said, tenderness in each syllable as he came forward once they were alone.

His affection she didn’t need. Not now. “What are you doing here, Blake?” she asked angrily.

“Where else would I be?” he asked, sitting next to her bed and taking her hand in his, not letting go even as she pulled.

Sighing angrily, she stopped struggling and simply turned her face away.

“I’m sorry,” he said deeply. “If I had anything to do with this…”

“You had everything to do with it,” Kira snapped furiously, head whipping to face him again. “If you hadn’t sent that hateful gift of yours…” She shook her head, trying to ward off images of Terrence’s livid face…the way it had felt when the first blow came, and then the next.

“Cheating – lying – faking – bitch!” he’d gritted out, each word punctuated by a punch aimed indiscriminately on her face and other tender parts of her body that her hands could not protect.

The shock of what was happening to her made Kira feel incapable of trying to fight back or escape. And Terrence was too strong. Too full of rage.

Fear, disbelief and agony filled her whole frame and when she finally felt herself hit the floor still he came after her, almost pounding her into the ground.

“You whore!” he bit out, and the blows suddenly stopped. But now Kira found herself wishing he hadn’t, not until he’d made her senseless to the suffering that made it impossible to even let out a single scream.

She winced as she felt him wrap his fist around her wrist and then savagely wrung the engagement ring from her finger with his other hand.

“To even think I gave you this,” he snarled. “My grandmother must have been turning over in her grave.”

Kira found enough strength to cover her face with her arms, her body curling into a fetal position in fear that he’d continue his onslaught. Each breath felt like it was splintering her ribs.

“After this you’d better think twice about cheating on any man,” he said in her ear, even as she trembled when he muttered, “Just be happy I didn’t fucking kill you.”

She heard him leave and had almost wished he had killed her; the pain of living had turned unbearable. Tears streaming down her face, she sank into a welcome pit of unconsciousness.

When Kira thought of all she’d been through in the past several days she knew she was lucky to be alive. Lucky too that even with all that happened, her pregnancy was safe. That was the first thing she’d asked the doctor once she’d regained consciousness and he’d assured her that no damage had come to the baby. Only then had Kira felt true relief that her own life had been spared.

Now she felt nothing but anger, especially at Blake for even thinking he was blameless in any of this. “I still don’t understand why you’d do something like that,” she breathed, staring at him with eyes brimming with tears. “Why Blake? Was my rejection so hurtful that you just had to strike back? You saw my chance at happiness and you just had to destroy it. That’s why you sent that…that
present
of yours.” Accusation dripped from every word and she was glad to see him wince as if slapped.

“No,
no,
” Blake denied fiercely. “I was mad at you, yes. But I never meant for this to happen. How would I even predict that it would get to this? Did Terrence do this? I’m going to fucking kill him! How did Terrence find out about it?”

Kira glared at him. “He was right there with me when the gift was delivered,” she said. “He opened it and read your note before I could stop him. He wanted answers and I couldn’t give them to him. So he…snapped. You can imagine the rest.”

Blake’s head bowed for a moment and Kira glimpsed the shadow of pain that crossed his face. He sighed raggedly and then lifted his gaze to meet hers. There was fury beneath the bleakness in his eyes but she knew his anger was not against her. “Believe me; that I never guessed Terrence would be there when you got the gift. I guess it was just bad timing; a costly miscalculation I’ll regret for a long time to come.”

“How does that make this any better? You wanted to make your point by sending the underwear and you did,” Kira said bitterly.

He lifted her hands to his lips and kissed them with warm pressure. “I can’t blame you if you think I’m the worst creature to walk the earth. I’m sorry for the pain I’ve caused. And I’m going to remedy all that; if only you’d let me. Please let me try.”