Dangerous Embrace (Embrace #1) (38 page)

“We need to leave.”

He squeezed her hand. “We’re going. Please stop running. I’m not going to let him hurt you.”

When they were in the parking lot, Mark handed the ticket to the valet, and then Sarah handed him a one hundred dollar bill. “Hurry.”

“Sarah, it’s going to be okay.”

“It’s not okay,” she shouted and balled her hands into fists. “It is not okay.”

When the car came around the corner and stopped in front of them, Sarah took the keys from the valet and slid into the driver’s seat.

Mark gripped the dashboard when she ripped out of the parking garage. “You need to slow down.”

“I will when I get out of the city,” she said, angling the car onto the Golden Gate Bridge. She pushed the gas pedal of the Shelby Mustang and held the steering wheel with a white knuckled grip. “I need to get as far away from that city—as fast as I can. If you want me to pull over and let you out then I will.”

“Wow—seriously! I can just get out. Get out on the side of the fucking freeway.”

“What do you want me to do?” she shouted before taking a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “Let me get home, okay?”

“Sarah, I know you’re afraid.” He reached over and stroked her hair. “I won’t let him hurt you.”

“And who’s going to protect you, Mark? You don’t know what he’s capable of.” She was on the verge of hysteria as she went over their conversation in her head.

He visited Charlie...

He knew Charlie lied...

He knew Charlie was dead...

“I think he killed Charlie.” The realization brought tears to her eyes.

“What—why?”

“Didn’t you see him? The look in his eyes—Kevin said he visited Charlie right before he died.” Her heart was doing sprints in her chest. She could feel it pounding and pumping the adrenaline through her system.

“You need to calm down and think about what you’re saying.”

“He nearly beat me to death without so much as flinching. He killed one baby already. I have to...” She ran out of breath, forgetting to inhale.

“Sarah, pull over.” He wasn’t asking. She recognized the tone in his voice. It was the same tone he used when he directed his security agents.

“Fucking stop before you kill us both by crashing the car.”

She shook her head, making tears drop from her eyes. “I’m sorry, I can’t stop.”

When she exited the freeway in Santa Rosa, she drove through town toward her house instead of his.

“I have to pick something up at my house.” She felt calmer now. The few moments of silence gave her a chance to plan. “This won’t take long. You can wait here if you want.” She jumped out of the car and ran into the house.

Sarah rushed to her closet, but then turned and paced, her agitation growing with every turn of the room. She had to leave. Kevin would kill her when he found her; it was there in his eyes. She wasn’t in any doubt about this fact. She stopped pacing and stared down at her engagement ring, and at the same time, tears dropped from her eyes.

One way or another, she was going to lose everything.

“What are you doing?”

Sarah jumped at the tone in Mark’s voice. Without turning to look at him, she went back to her closet to grab a shoulder bag. “He’s going to kill us both if I don’t leave.”

“Sarah, what the fuck are you doing? You promised you wouldn’t do this to me again.” He grabbed her left hand and spun her as he held it up. “You agreed to marry me.”

She stared at the floor, unable to respond. What else could she do? It wasn’t just her life to lose this time. Mark, Jamie, her baby, they were all in danger. He’d kill them just like he killed Charlie. If she left, Kevin would come after her and Mark would be safe. She could hide again. She’d managed to hide from him until now, and she could do it again.

“You’re not fucking leaving me.” He grabbed her chin and lifted her face, trying to make her look at him.

She flinched and jerked out of his grip, all her composure slipping away when she saw the angry expression. “I’m pregnant!” she screamed.

“You’re pregnant?” His eyes grew sad as he looked down at the bag she was packing. “You were just going to leave and not tell me?”

“I planned to tell you tonight,” she said, holding in her sob.

“We’re having a baby and you want to leave.” Mark stepped back and the hurt look on his face broke her.

“If I don’t leave, he’ll kill all of us!”

“Why don’t you believe that I can protect you from him?” Mark jerked forward, forcing her to take a step back. “I told you, I knew you were going to do this—I can’t go through it again.” He got right in her face. She quailed again as his shouts brushed across her face. “You’re not using him as an excuse to leave me.”

When she flinched, he paced away from her.

“Mark, come with me.”

After a few minutes of silent pacing, he turned toward her, his voice now calm, almost too controlled and in complete contrast to his angry stance. “Do you expect me to choose between you and our baby—or Jamie. I can’t take Jamie away from his mother.”

Sarah didn’t know what scared her more, the controlled quiet or the shouting.

He stared at her, searching her face. “I won’t uproot my life for your ex-boyfriend.” When she didn’t speak, he shouted, “Fine! Fucking fine! You’ve made your choice, now live with it. Goodbye, Sarah.”

She hardly heard his goodbye over the sound of his footsteps as he stormed out the door.

Sarah watched as if in slow motion, and her mind raced with the reality of what she had done. When the front door closed, she let out an aching, body wrenching sob that pulled at every part of her soul. She fought not to hyperventilate on her own cries. When the car door slammed, it was like a knife slicing right through her.

She stopped breathing and looked around, placing both hands on her stomach. He was right. She would have to live with the choice.
Live
? There was no choice to make, she couldn’t live without Mark—she would rather die.

Sarah ran for the door as she heard the car start. She yanked it open and started screaming for him as the car began rolling.

“Stop! Mark...Stop!" She saw the brake lights and pounded down the steps of the porch. “I’m sorry. I love you—just stop.” She sobbed as he jumped out of the car.

He came at her and pulled her off her feet. Her legs wrapped around his hips and her mouth crushed his as the tears streamed down her face. Her hands clasped around his neck, pulling him to her and feeling like she couldn’t get close enough. She’d never let him go again, never again.

Mark moved his hands up her dress and clutched her hips, holding her against him with such force it took her breath away. He flung her on the car and pushed against her.

“If you want me—it’s forever. I’m not playing games.” He was out of breath from kissing her. “You know the deal.” He gripped her lace thong and tugged it down so hard, it ripped in two. “If you want me, tell me now, Sarah...tell me you want me or tell me to stop.”

Sarah held on, wanting him more than she’d ever wanted anything in her life. He unlatched his tuxedo pants and yanked on the zipper. “What do you want? Tell me now!”

She sucked in air as he yanked the front of her dress up. “I want you,” she cried. “I only want you. I only want to love you.”

When he opened her with his fingers, she arched against him, taking them without hesitation.

“Tell me to stop if you want me to stop.” He grunted and massaged her with his fingers while he nipped at the skin between her breasts. He reached up with his other hand and untied the straps of her dress.

Sarah wanted nothing more than for him to take her. She was open to him and needed the safety of his arms and the strength of his hands.

When his mouth found her hard nipple, she cried out again. “Mark, don’t stop. I don’t want you to stop. I just want you.” Her head dropped back, and she propped herself up on the hood of the car as he tasted her breasts one at a time. “I love you,” she gasped arching to him.

When she shuddered, he pulled her closer. “Tell me to stop, Sarah.” He said her name from his throat, the harsh tone sending a jolt through her system. “Either give me all of you or tell me to stop—now!”

She shook her head trying to form the words as he pushed her toward her peak.

“No...I want...Mark!” She shrieked out his name, her body moving with his touch. “I want you. You can have all of me...everything.” Her fingers fisted in his hair as the climax slammed into her. When her body arched against him, he pushed himself into her so hard and fast it made her gasp.

He gripped her hair, tugging her head back so he could suck and bite her neck. His fingers were wrapped in her curls and his body pushed, taking her wantonly without hesitation or apology. He throbbed and pulsed, thrusting one more time and moaning her name as he released inside her.

When she collapsed on his shoulder, he wrapped his arms around her. As Sarah’s tears came, so did his. They cried together, holding each other with an unrestrained grip.

“I just love you,” he whispered as his chest heaved and his body trembled against hers.

She pulled him closer, wanting to crawl into his warmth. “I love you. You have me, all of me...forever.”

Sarah found Mark lying on the bathroom floor in boxer shorts as white as the tile underneath him and hugging a bath towel as if it were his lifeline. At first, she felt a twinge of panic, but then she remembered the tequila. She knelt next to him and laid a hand on his forehead.

“Go away.” His voice was harsh, and she fought to suppress a smile when he pulled the bath towel over his head. “I don’t want you to see me like this.”

“I am not leaving you on the floor in this condition.” She tugged on his arm to get him upright. When he didn’t move, she grabbed his robe off the back of the bathroom door, laid it over him, and then sat down.

“What are you doing? Get off the floor.”

“If you’re going to stay down here, so will I.”

“No, go away. Leave me to die in peace.”

She laughed and stood back up, pulling on his arm.

“Okay, fine, just—just let me do it before you hurt yourself.” He slowly sat up and pulled his arms through the robe before standing. When he swayed, she reached out to help steady him. Mark pulled the robe tighter as he shivered and hobbled to the bed.

“I’m never drinking again—remind me to never drink again,” he said still with a hoarse voice.

Sarah went to the dresser and pulled out a thin, white box with a pink ribbon and then slipped back in bed with him. “Mark, I have something for you.”

He turned to wrap his arms around her and found her sitting up. “A hangover cure?” he asked, blinking up at her.

She handed him the box. “It’s sort of a Christmas present. I wanted to give it to you last night.”

“What’s wrong with you?” he asked at her shaking hands.

“Open it.”

“Okay.” He scrubbed his face with his hands and slowly sat up to examine the box. “It’s not Christmas yet,” he murmured, and pulled on the end of the pink ribbon. It drifted slowly to the bed as he lifted the lid. He ran his finger over the black and white ultrasound picture of their baby, fascination lighting his eyes.

He swallowed hard and looked up at her. “Is this our baby?” They stared at each other for a long time.

“It’s our baby.”

Mark’s eyes filled with tears. “I can’t believe we made a baby.” He cupped her neck and drew her to him. “I thought you couldn’t...are you okay?”

“I really didn’t think I could get pregnant. I would have been more careful. I’m sorry,” she said, gripping him to her tightly.

“You’re apologizing? Sarah, is it safe for you to carry a baby?”

She shrugged her shoulders.

“You don’t know?” he asked, fear creeping into his voice. “When did you find out about this? When did...” He looked at the picture. “This is dated over a week ago. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I wasn’t sure how,” she said. “I didn’t want to lie to you, but I didn’t know how you would feel and I wanted to be sure first. Mark, are you happy?” she finally asked.

“Am I happy? Baby, of course I’m happy. Are you happy?”

She nodded quickly, ashamed that she’d had any doubts about Mark being happy.

“How far along did they say you are?”

“Nine weeks today.”

“Nine weeks?” He appeared to calculate in his head. “So the first time?” he asked with a smile.

“I think so.”

“I guess this explains why you’ve been sick. It’s morning sickness.”

She threw her hands in the air with a slight grin. “Who knew?” Her smile faded. “I have to go back next week for some tests. Do you want to come with me?”

His mouth quirked into a smile. “Yeah, I want to go to every appointment. Tell me everything the doctor said.” He took both her hands. “He didn’t say anything about you not being able to safely carry a baby?”

“It is high risk...I have to avoid stress.”