Daring Dane (Intoxicating Passion #3) (2 page)

I jumped out, going around and unbuckling
her, then swooped her up into my arms. “Korah, I’m going to carry you up. Do
you have your keys?”

She nodded, pulling them out of the pocket I
didn’t even realize was on her dress. I took the one she handed me before
carefully making my way up the stairs. She clung to me, nails deep in my skin,
her arms tight around my body. Once I got her inside, I locked the door and
went to the bedroom to lay her down. She was traumatized, shocked, and I
suspected she was exhausted.

“Baby, just go to sleep. I’ll be here when
you wake up.”

I freaked out and left the one girl that
stirred feelings inside of me, but I wouldn’t screw this up. I would fix it.
She was hurt badly and I knew in this instant that she meant something to me. I
didn’t know exactly what they were but I did know they were here. I wasn’t
ready to go this time, so I settled in in the chair at the desk waited until
she woke up.

###

Soft snotty sniffles jerked me awake. I
peeled my eyes open to see Korah curled up clutching a stuffed elephant to her
chest and sobbing. Dashing over, I fell to my knees in front of her. Korah was
sweating, caught in a nightmare, she must have been reliving the trauma from
today.Gently shaking her, I said, “Korah, please wake up for me.”

She squeezed the animal harder, tears rolling
down her face and my heart broke in two. I caressed her cheeks, her forehead,
holding one hand for comfort--scared to get too close. I kept calling her name,
hoping it would pull her out of the dream. She finally relaxed, but didn’t wake
up. I had to wonder what exactly the hospital had given her.

I trudged back over and slumped in the seat.
Korah had started out as just another conquest, the girl that didn’t want me, a
challenge. And now? Well, things were definitely different. She’d somehow
worked her way into my heart, taking a piece of my soul, leaving her essence
all around me. I ran after we connected. Our bodies fit together too perfectly.
I had wanted to turn around. She didn’t want me to leave and that simple fact
made me do it.

My mother was behind it all. She cheated on
my father when I was barely 6 years old. She’d been nothing but a whore. She
hadn’t wanted me. She hadn’t wanted him. After walking in on her and another
man, well, it did something to a kid. I tried not to be this way, to hate all
women because of her, but after falling in love at age 17 and having my heart
stomped all over, I finally decided I didn’t need to do it. I didn’t need love.
I didn’t need a relationship. I didn’t need any of it. Only the physical
aspect, so that’s what I did. I charmed my way into as many pants as I could.
I’d loved, but not really, and left many women in the past few years. I
confronted my mother about six months after I caught her with the other man,
but she just laughed. I woke up one day, got ready for school, and when I
returned, she wasn’t there. My father had been broken by it, and I vowed to
never let that happen to me.

And now, well, it appeared Korah had taken up
residence in my heart. I didn’t want it. I fought it kicking and screaming.
Then seeing her tear stained face and the dark handprint around her neck. I
knew I cared about her, whether I wanted to or not.

A voice pulled me from my thoughts. “You must
be Dane,” a perky blonde said, hands on hips as she stared me down.

I nodded. “I am. And you are?”

“I’m Leela,” her blazing eyes ran over me,
finally settling on my face. “What are you doing here?”

Jerking my head to the side, I indicated we
needed to go out in the hall to talk. She raised a brow, but followed my lead
and actually tapped her toe, waiting for my answer.

“Listen… I don’t know what exactly happened,
but Korah called me, needing a ride from the hospital,” I started.

The tapping stopped, and her hands raised to
cover her mouth in shock.

“She…she’s got bruises on her,” I paused.
Telling this was harder than I anticipated. “On her neck…and I think on her
arms. She says it was from an old boyfriend.” I ran a shaky hand through my
hair.

“Christopher,” she whispered, tears welling
up in her blue eyes. “She never told me. She just said it ended badly,” she
muttered, shaking her head. “I pressured her to date and to go out and I’m a horrible
friend.”

I knew the tears were about to fall, and this
girl was going to get hysterical at any moment. I wasn’t good with this. I
didn’t know how to deal with women, especially ones that were crying. I patted
her arm gently, though awkwardly, and told her Korah had been asleep from the
medicine they had given her. She seemed the mothering type, not that I would
know. She instantly regained her composure and asked if I wanted anything to
drink or eat.

I politely declined going back and sitting
over Korah. She looked so peaceful; her dark lashes against her fair skin, the
waves of dark tresses all around her pillows. She really was a beautiful girl,
sexy and mysterious, a deadly combination. I just wanted to hold her and never
let her go. This Christopher guy would be sorry if he ever came near her again.

I sat there for hours, minutes, maybe it was
only seconds, but it felt like eternity. She finally stirred, stretching her
long limbs. When her eyes fluttered open, I softly spoke her name so she wouldn’t
be scared.

“Dane? You’re still here,” she stated,
confusion etching her gorgeous face.

I nodded, going over and sitting on the edge
of the bed near her feet. No wonder she didn’t trust men. “I couldn’t leave
you. We still have a lot to talk about, and to be honest, I’m really worried
about you.”

She bit her lip, a surprisingly sexy move,
and swallowed hard, her face pained after she did so. Her small hand reached up
feeling around the bruise. “How bad is it?”

“You’re still beautiful ,Korah. A bruise won’t
change that.”

“Are my roommates home?”

“One of them is, a bossy blonde that I
thought was going to kick my ass,” I chuckled. “I haven’t been out there in at
least an hour.”

“You don’t have to stay. And don’t worry,
Leela is like that with everyone.” She was still shaky, but at least she wasn’t
crying or wincing in pain. She threw her legs over the side of the bed,
intending to stand up, but lost balance when her wobbly legs wouldn’t hold her.

“Easy, there,” I said, catching her body in
my arms. She was so soft, delicate. She felt right.

She blushed, and asked, “Can you help me to
the bathroom? I want to see how bad this is.” Her eyes were sad, distraught,
terrified.

I led her where she instructed, and held her
after she saw the damage. Her sobs soaked my shirt, but I didn’t care. Korah
was hurt, in pain, and this Christopher character was going to pay.

        
It
had been a week since my run in with Christopher. Dane was thoroughly freaked
out over seeing me in that shape. Leela continued to mother me and refused to
let me be. I hated Christopher for doing this to me. He once again turned my
life upside down, shaking me to my very core and ruining any normalcy I had
achieved. The police still hadn’t found him, and I waited with bated breath for
him to make another appearance.

Scarves were my go to accessory. People
talked, I heard the whispers, but I didn’t care. Dealing with Christopher’s
abuse in the past made me weak and insecure. I knew now, after speaking to the
school counselor and the police, that it wasn’t my fault. Nothing I had done
caused this. Christopher was the weak and insecure one. Any person who beat,
choked, or abused another was a very messed up human being. The nightmares
still plagued me, causing me to wake in a heavy sweat every night. I refused to
let him win. One of these days I no longer would be afraid.

Elle was tucked securely beside me, my arm
wrapped tightly around her. Today was lab day and I knew Dane wouldn’t skip
this week. The thought caused my heart to race and made me feel slightly
nauseated. I hugged the elephant closer, not wanting to get out of the warmth
of my bed. I never dealt with a man like Dane Davidson before. Christopher and
I had sex, of course, but he had been the only one…until Dane. My hormones took
control in that moment. I didn’t know why I wanted Dane so badly, but I did. .
I’d avoided him since the night he took care of me. I felt embarrassed, ashamed
of him seeing me that way. I still was unsure of my feelings, but I knew I’d
see him today.

I finally crawled out of bed, showered and
dressed. I had hours before lab, but I headed to campus anyway. Being alone in
the apartment scared me. I hated feeling this way, constantly looking over my
shoulder. I kept Mace in one hand and my keys in the other, ready if someone
attacked, and dashed to my car.

###

I fidgeted in my seat as I eagerly waited for
Dane to show up. When he stepped through the door, his dark, seductive eyes
landed on me, sending a thrill through my blood, I thought I would pass out.
His dark hair was tussled, his polo unbuttoned showing a hints of his sexy
chest. Just thinking of our encounter made me squirm in my seat.

“Korah,” his deep voice rumbled. “I’ve been
worried about you.”

“Why?”

“Because, I…” He started, but got cut off by
the TA starting class.

It was an antagonizing hour. He kept brushing
his hand over mine, purposely I was sure. Each time he tried to speak, he was
interrupted by something in class. My curiosity was piqued over his
because.
I wanted to know the rest of
the answer. When we were finally released, his hand gently slid around my waist
and pulled me close.

“Korah, we have to talk. Please.” His eyes
darted between my own, the depth of them going further than I’d ever seen. They
pleaded with me, calling to me.

I nodded. “Okay. I’m kind of hungry.”

“Then we’ll go eat. Come on, I’ll drive.” He
took my hand in his, each touch sending electrifying thoughts through my head.

What you want to talk about?” I asked.

“Korah… I’m so sorry I left. I’m really a
screwed up guy,” he said, glancing around. “Can we wait until we have some
privacy?”

We wove through campus, the sea of bodies
making me slightly anxious. There were so many of them, and Christopher could
hide anywhere. Something told me Dane wouldn’t let Christopher hurt me again if
he was around. I inched closer instinctively. He opened the door for me, a
gentlemanly move I wasn’t expecting. Once inside, he pushed the key in the
ignition, but didn’t turn.

“I’m sorry,” he said again. “Korah, I have
feelings for you. I don’t know what to do with them, and honestly, they terrify
me. That’s why I left. I’ve never felt that before when being with a woman, and
for some reason I thought disappearing would make it go away.”

He stared at me, his chocolate brown eyes
full of fear, warmth, and feeling. This Dane was different. Something had
changed.

“It didn’t go away,” he confessed. He took my
hand in his linking our fingers together and squeezed. “It got worse. I think
about you all the time. And the day you called me… Korah, it made me realize
how screwed up I am. My mom left when I was little, I caught her with another
man, and eventually, my dad did, too. Something in me changed that day, but I
still tried. High school, I fell in love for the first time. I caught her in
bed with my best friend.”

I watched him, my heart heavy, my mind
confused. I wanted to believe him, to trust him, but how could I? He snuck out
the middle of the night after we made love. Now he was admitting he rarely had
feelings and when he did, he didn’t know what to do with them. What was I
supposed to do with that? “I’m sorry you’ve had bad luck in love, but Dane, we
all have. I mean…you know only a small portion of what I’ve been through. I
trusted you and you let me down.”

His face fell, and he nodded. “I know. I hurt
you. I’m sorry.” His thumb caressed my skin, sending chills all over. He
watched me, a fierce gleam in his eye that wasn’t there before.

Why did I want him so badly?

“Thanks,” I said, pulling my hand away. I
didn’t want to. Everything in me screamed to devour his lips, curl my fingers
around his hair, press my body to his. I couldn’t, though. He’d hurt me,
deeply, and though he said he was sorry, he would have to prove it.

“Can I take you out Friday?” he asked,
hopeful, linking our fingers once again.

I knew my answer would make him mad, possibly
ruin everything, but I wasn’t going to lie like him. “I have a date. It’s
Valentine’s Day.”

He dropped my hand like it burned him,
staring at me with an expression I was sure only his worst enemies had been
privy to. “You what?

“I have a date.” My voice was firm, steady.
It didn’t accurately convey my fast beating heart or how difficult breathing
was becoming.

“A date.”

I nodded, linking my hands in my lap. He was
definitely pissed.

“I don’t think we should go out tonight. I
need to study,” he lied.

Sure you do.
“Good plan,”
I snapped, grabbing my backpack and hurling the door open with my free hand.
“Maybe you should think about how you treat women next time you want to
actually go on a date, Dane. I’m not going to let you use me, hurt me, any more
than you already have.” I stomped off, hoping I looked more angry, and less
hurt.