Protecting Summer (17 page)

“Are there any more psychotic serial killers out there who will want to kidnap me just to taunt you?”

“Fuck no.”

“Then okay, I won’t get in a car with any again.” Summer brought her head up and looked at Mozart seriously. “I love you, Sam Reed.”

“Thank God.” Mozart crushed Summer to his chest again, just as a nurse entered the room.

“What do you think you’re doing? You aren’t allowed on the patient’s bed.”

Mozart didn’t even twitch. He wasn’t moving.

“Sir? Did you hear me?”

“Yeah, I heard you, I’m just ignoring you.”

“You can’t ignore me. I’ll call security!”

Mozart felt Summer try to get up, and knew he had to say something to appease the shrew of a nurse before it further upset Summer.

He picked his head up off the pillow while still holding Summer tightly to him. Mozart looked at the nurse and calmly stated, “My woman has been kidnapped and tortured by a serial killer hell bent on destroying me. She just spent the last thirty minutes telling me about how that sick fuck tortured her by taping her damn eyes open and jacking off on her. I don’t give a flying fuck if it’s against the rules of this hospital, but I wasn’t going to let her go through that without feeling safe in my arms. I’m sorry if you have a problem with that, but I’m not moving until I’m sure she’s okay and is comfortable with me getting up off this bed.”

Mozart put his head back down on the pillow and waited for the explosion he figured was coming. He hadn’t exactly been diplomatic.

“Uh, okay, I’ll just come back in a bit then.”

Summer and Mozart listened as the door opened and then shut again. Summer broke the silence by giggling again. “Uh, was that really necessary?”

“Yes.” Mozart wasn’t ready to let it go.

“I love you, Mozart. I don’t think our life will be easy and calm.”

“Yes it will. I can’t handle anything like this again. Oh and you should know, Ice is arranging to have all your things moved from Big Bear down to my apartment. She’s also been given carte blanche to get you anything else she thinks you need that she doesn’t see in your stuff. And I have to warn you, Sunshine, most likely you’ll have a shit-ton of new clothes and shoes when we get home.”

Not knowing what to expect from his announcement, Mozart tensed. He knew Summer was independent and didn’t like it when he bought her things. Telling her she was being moved into his apartment in a different city went way beyond “buying her things.”

“Okay.”

Mozart was floored. “Okay?” He lifted Summer’s chin so he could look into her eyes.

“Okay,” Summer repeated.

“You’re not freaking out. Should I expect a freak out later when you’re more yourself?”

“Mozart, I just went through the worst thing I’ve ever been through in my life. I was scared out of my mind that I’d never see you again. I was scared that Ben would rape, torture, and kill me before I’d get to tell you how much you meant to me. I didn’t really even like my job all that much and was already planning on leaving after the winter was over. I’m more than happy to move down to Riverton with you. I’ll stay with you as long as you’ll have me.”

“You’re such a pain in my ass.”

Summer just smiled up at him.

“Kiss me?”

“With pleasure.”

Mozart turned on his side until he was over Summer. He leaned down and gently took her lips with his own. He took his time, tasting and nibbling. When he felt her tongue reach out for his, he deepened the kiss, bringing his hand up to her cheek and holding her still, as the kiss turned carnal.

Before the kiss could go any further, they heard the door open again. Mozart reluctantly lifted his head. He didn’t look away from Summer’s eyes but brushed his hand over her head and tucked her hair behind her ear. He kissed each eye, each eyebrow, and finally her forehead before finally turning his head to see who had entered the room.

Seeing the doctor was leaning against the door jam, smiling, Mozart shook his head and smiled in return. He shifted until he could get his legs over the side of the bed and he stood up. He pulled the chair closer to the side of the bed and sat down, grasping Summer’s hand in his own before settling down.

“Doc, it’s good to see you,” he drawled semi-sarcastically.

The doctor laughed and pushed himself away from the door and came toward the bed. “Yeah, I bet. But I bring good news.” He looked at Summer. “You’re being discharged today. Your eyes will be okay. I’m prescribing some eye drops to help with the dryness. You’ll find in a few days they’ll be back to normal. Your other injuries will just take some time to heal. I’m sending you home with some pain killers. You need to use them if the pain gets to be too much. Don’t try to be a hero. Relax, rest, and you’ll be as good as new in no time.” He paused, obviously wanting to say something, but not knowing how to say it.

Finally, he just blurted it out. “I think it’s also a good idea if you talked to someone about what happened. I can get some referrals if you need them.”

“I’ve got it under control, doc.” Mozart said darkly.

When it looked like the doctor was going to protest, Summer broke in. “I will. I promise. Mozart is a SEAL, there are a lot of doctors on the base I can talk to. He’s going to set it up for me.”

“Okay then. Good. I wish you the best of luck. I would recommend that you follow up with your personal physician when you get home to make sure everything is healing up as it should. A visit to your optometrist would also be a good move, again, just to make sure everything is okay.”

“Will do,” Mozart answered. “I’ll get that set up for next week as well.”

The doctor held out his hand to Mozart. “It was good to meet you Mr. Reed. Thank you for your service to our country. We’re all better off for the job that you do.” Visibly flustered, Mozart shook his hand. Summer giggled again at his discomfort. Some badass SEAL he was.

The doctor turned back to Summer and held out his hand to her. Shaking her hand, he said solemnly, “And good luck to you, Summer. You’re an amazing woman and I’m glad you beat that son-of-a-bitch!”

Flushing, Summer didn’t say anything.

“Go ahead and get dressed and get your things together. We’ll discharge you as soon as we can. It can get crazy around here, but we know that leaving is generally people’s favorite thing to do.” He laughed at his own joke and turned to leave.

“Doctor?” Summer’s voice sounded loud in the room.

“Yes, Summer?”

“Can you tell me how Elizabeth is doing?” A knot formed in Summer’s stomach at the look on the doctor’s face.

“I wish I could, doctor-patient privilege and all of that.”

“Oh. Okay. I just…”

Mozart put his hand to Summer’s cheek and turned her head toward him. “I’ll find out for you, Sunshine.”

“I just wanted her to know…”

When she didn’t say anything else, Mozart prompted her to continue. “Know what?”

“That I wasn’t getting off on what he was doing.”

“What the fuck?” Mozart couldn’t have bitten off the words if he’d tried.

Summer hurried to explain, “
He
told her that. He told her that he was torturing her because I’d asked him to. That I wanted him to.”

“Sunshine, I’m sure she didn’t believe him.”

“But what if she did, Mozart?”

“She doesn’t,” the doctor spoke from beside Summer’s bed. He’d walked back over and was speaking in a low voice. “She isn’t doing as well as you are, Summer. She needed someone to talk to. I was there when she spoke briefly with the crisis counselor. She knows he was torturing you too. She told the counselor that she felt bad for
you
.”

Summer’s eyes burned with fresh tears. “Thank you for telling me.”

“You’re welcome. Now, get dressed and get out of my hospital.” He smiled as he said it so Summer would know he was kidding with her.

Mozart waited until the door shut behind him. “Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t feel guilty. What he did to you was just as bad as what he did to her. You were both innocent in all of this.”

“I know. I just feel…I don’t know what I feel.”

“Feel glad that you’re not there anymore. Feel relief that he can’t hurt anyone ever again. Feel happy that you’re going home with me.”

“I do, Mozart. I do.”

“Okay then. Let’s go home.”

Summer sat cross legged on the bed as Caroline, Alabama, and Fiona climbed on as well.

“How are you really doing, Summer?” Caroline asked somberly.

“I’m okay. Really. Thank you for giving me the name of your counselor. I thought I was doing okay talking with Mozart, but I realized I was still holding back with him because I didn’t want to hurt him. And I knew every time I had a nightmare he was hurting.”

“I know. I still feel that way sometimes. Having an unbiased person that you know you won’t hurt if you tell them the fears and thoughts in your head is really important.” Caroline patted Summer’s knee.

“I’m not sure how we got so lucky, but I’ll tell you this. I thank my lucky stars every day that I was kidnapped by those sex slavers,” Fiona said unexpectedly.

“What the hell?” Alabama exclaimed, smacking Fiona lightly on the shoulder. “How can you say that?”

“Because if I hadn’t been held hostage down there in Mexico, I never would have met Hunter. I would still be living my boring life in El Paso.”

“Yeah but…”

“No, no buts. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this. Things happen in our lives for a reason. Caroline, you were on that plane so you could smell that drugged ice. Matthew was sitting next to you so he could save everyone’s lives on board. Alabama, you saved Christopher’s life at that party. If you hadn’t been there to lead him to safety, he might not be around today. Yes, everything you went through with him sucked, but the bottom line is that he’s still around today because of you. I met Hunter as a direct result of what happened to me in Mexico. And Summer, there are so many ways to look at what happened to you, but the bottom line is that if poor little Avery hadn’t been killed when she was little, you never would have met Sam, and Ben Hurst might still be out there killing people today.” Fiona let her words sink in before she continued.

“We can piss and moan about our lives and the hell we each went through, but the bottom line is that we wouldn’t be with our men today if our lives hadn’t played out as they had. I’m dealing with my issues, and you guys are dealing with yours, but at the end of the day we get to fall asleep in the arms of our men…and I wouldn’t change one minute of my life if it meant losing that.”

“Wow.” Summer couldn’t really disagree with Fiona. She was right. It helped put everything in perspective for her in a way she knew she never would have come up with on her own. She sent up a silent prayer for Avery. She’d never get the chance to meet her, but she’d be grateful to her for the rest of her life.

When everyone was quiet for a bit, Fiona finally broke the silence. “Okay, enough of that. Caroline, get out the drinks. We need to party!”

Everyone laughed. Caroline had browbeat Matthew until he’d agreed to let her host their little get together in the basement of their house. Alabama had spent a lot of time there after she’d been arrested and Christopher had his head up his ass, and it had become the hangout place when the women wanted to get together and let loose. Their men weren’t comfortable with them going out all the time, so to appease them, they let loose in the basement while the SEALs were upstairs waiting them out.

Alabama and Christopher usually crashed in the bed there in the basement, and Hunter always took Fiona home. Since this was the first time Summer had been invited, she wasn’t sure what Mozart would do, but she figured he’d sweep her home as soon as she popped her head upstairs again. He’d been crazy protective, but Summer secretly loved every second of his Alpha protectiveness. She still sometimes looked over her shoulder thinking she saw Ben, but knew he was dead.

On their way home from the hospital, Mozart had explained what had happened at the cabin. Wolf had decided to bring Hurst in to face the justice system for what he’d done to not only Elizabeth and Summer, but for every woman and child he’d murdered over the years. Wolf knew every one of his teammates wanted to slit Hurst’s throat for not only what he’d done to Mozart’s woman and sister, but for all the women and children he’d tortured over the years. But when they’d gone to bring Hurst out of the cabin, he’d turned on Benny and tried to gut him with a knife he’d had in his pants pocket. Wolf had shot him right between the eyes and Hurst had fallen down dead.

They were all a bit pissed the man hadn’t suffered more, but it had been deemed a case of self-defense. There was no way anyone was going to put a SEAL team on the stand for murder, not with Hurst’s history and with the testimony of Summer and Elizabeth about what had gone on in the cabin.

Sitting in the basement of Caroline’s house, drinking Sex on the Beaches, Midori Sours, and Screwdrivers, Summer never felt safer. She knew her SEAL and three others were upstairs impatiently waiting for their female bonding to be over. They might gripe and complain about it, but they all knew they’d give their women whatever they wanted.

After another two hours, the women finally took pity on the men, at least that was what they said to each other. Summer chuckled, knowing the other women enough to know they were all horny as hell and wanted nothing more than to jump their men.

Mozart hadn’t wanted to rush her and they’d yet to make love, but Summer was hoping tonight was the night. She was more than ready. They’d had some pretty heavy make out sessions over the last two weeks, but she wanted more than that. She wasn’t sure what Mozart was waiting for, but she was determined to break through his resolve tonight.

The women all tripped up the stairs laughing and hanging off one another. They burst through the basement door into the kitchen and laughed anew at the looks on the men’s faces. Each woman stumbled over to her man.

Summer loved the smile that was on Mozart’s face. He’d turned in his seat as soon as he’d seen her, and he now pulled her to stand between his legs.

“Did you have a good time, Sunshine?”

“Yeah, you have the best friends.”

“They’re your friends too, Summer.”

“Oh yeah,
we
have the best friends.” Summer beamed at Mozart.

“Oh yeah, you’re ready to go.” Mozart looked around at his teammates. Yeah, they were going. Wolf and Ice were oblivious to anyone around them. They were locked in each other’s arms and in another five minutes would probably be going at it on the table. Abe had hauled Alabama up in his arms and was heading toward the basement door. Mozart bet they would also be more than occupied within five minutes.

He met Cookie’s eyes across the table and they smiled at each other. They were the poor saps that had to drive home. It’d take them at least another half an hour before they’d be able to crawl into bed with their women.

“You have a key right? Wolf is always too occupied to bother with locking the door behind us,” Mozart asked almost rhetorically.

“Yeah, I’ve got it. Go on, get Summer home. I’ve got this.”

Mozart laughed. Fiona was sitting in Cookie’s lap alternating between kissing his neck and sucking on his earlobe.

“God, I love girls-night-in,” Cookie said, as he tilted his head to give Fiona more access.

Mozart just shook his head and looked back at Summer.

“Ready to go?”

“Yeah. I’m ready.”

At the weird tone of her voice, Mozart took a hard look at Summer. She was grinning at him a little crookedly. He could tell she was tipsy, but she wasn’t falling-down drunk. “What?”

“Nothing, let’s go.” Summer took a step back and tugged on his hand. Mozart stood up and followed her to the front door and out to his SUV.

He watched as her eyes darted from side to side as he walked around the vehicle to get into the driver’s side. He hated that she still felt the need to get a sense of her surroundings. If she hadn’t been through what she had with Hurst, Mozart would probably be proud of her for being safe. But seeing her do it now just pissed him off. He knew he couldn’t erase all her memories of that night, but he hated seeing her scared or even uncomfortable.

Mozart climbed in and pulled on his seat belt before starting the car. He felt Summer’s hand on his as it rested on the gear shift.

“I’m okay, Mozart. Promise.”

He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. “You’re more than okay, Sunshine. Let’s go home.”

The car was silent all the way back to their apartment. Both Summer and Mozart were lost in their own thoughts. After parking the car, Mozart kissed Summer’s hand again.

“Stay put, Sunshine.”

Summer nodded, she knew the drill.

Mozart came around the car and opened her door. She slid out and put her hand in his. They walked up to the second floor to the apartment. Mozart didn’t let go of Summer’s hand as he unlocked the door and they walked in. He paused, as he usually did and tilted his head to listen to the quiet apartment. Not hearing anything unusual, and not feeling any bad vibes, he dropped the keys on the table beside the door and shut the front door.

Summer turned in his arms and looked up at him. Mozart was always saying to her that she could tell him anything, that he wanted her to be honest with him. Well, tonight she was going to be honest. The alcohol helped a bit, but the words were all hers.

“It’s time. I want you.”

“Summer, you’ve been drinking.”

“I don’t care. I’m not drunk. Not even close. I feel good. I feel safe. I need you, Mozart. I need you in my arms. I need you inside me. I’m starting to feel like you don’t want me that way…” Even she was surprised at the words that came out. She
had
started to feel like he might not see her in the same way as he had before she’d been kidnapped. Maybe being in Hurst’s clutches was too much for him.

Almost before the last word left her mouth, Mozart’s lips were covering hers. He yanked her into his arms. One arm went behind her back and up her spine, to hold her upper body to his, and the other hand slid into her hair, holding her head still for his assault on her senses.

Lifting his head after making her sway in his arms he growled, “Not want you? Jesus, Sunshine, I’ve spent every morning since we’ve left the hospital jacking off in the shower. The feel of you beside me in bed, your smell on my skin in the mornings and on my sheets, watching you laugh and gain your footing back after going through what you’ve been through…it’s almost been too much.”

When Summer jerked in his arms, Mozart refused to loosen his hold. “I want you to be sure. I want you to be ready for me. I can’t get inside you and then let you go. If we do this, I won’t let you go.”

“I don’t want you to let me go.”

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

“Yes, I’ve never been more ready in my entire life,” Summer paused a moment. “Have you really been…you know…in the shower?”

“Yes. But it doesn’t help. The second I walk into the room and see you in my bed I get hard all over again.”

“I do too.”

“What?” Mozart didn’t understand what Summer was saying.

“I do that too…in the shower…after you go to work…”

Mozart leaned down and swept Summer off her feet. Without a word he carried her into their room and set her on her feet next to the bed.

“Clothes. Off.”

Smirking at his lapse into caveman speak, Summer slowly pulled her shirt over her head. She watched as Mozart’s eyes widened and he stood stock still, his hands motionless on the button of his jeans. Enjoying the fact that her striptease was rendering him immobile, Summer reached down and pulled off her tennis shoes one at a time, bending low so he could see her cleavage. She toed off her socks next and then loosened her jeans.

Wanting to spur Mozart into action, Summer asked cheekily, “Am I the only one that’s gonna be naked tonight?”

“Fuck no.” Mozart finally jerked into action. He whipped his shirt over his head and let it fall behind him without a thought. He then ripped open the button on his jeans and jerked them down his legs.

Summer grinned and eased her own jeans down her legs. Finally, they stood staring at each other in nothing but their underwear. Summer could feel her own wetness; she shuffled her feet. She could see Mozart was excited too. He certainly was big, she could see the outline of his manhood clearly through his cotton briefs. She reached behind her and unhooked her bra. She let it fall off her arms to drop at her feet. That apparently was enough to push Mozart into motion.

As Mozart took a step toward her, she stepped back. Finally, he was almost touching her and Summer could feel the bed at the back of her knees. With one more step, she sat hard on the edge of the mattress. Mozart went to his knees in front of her. He grabbed the side of her panties and growled, “Lift up.”

Summer lifted her hips so Mozart could peel her undies down her legs. He wasted no time and as soon as the scrap of cotton cleared her ankles, he was up and pushing her back on the bed with a hand to her chest.

“Scoot back.” As Summer scrambled to move backward on the bed, Mozart ripped his briefs off and then came up onto the bed and over Summer. He crawled on his hands and knees over her as she wiggled her way up the bed.

Satisfied with her location, Mozart dropped his hips onto hers and pressed down. Summer could feel his length against her heat and stomach.

“I want to go slow, but I’m not sure I can.” Mozart put his forehead on hers and took a deep breath. “You can’t touch me. If this is going to work, you can’t touch me.”