Run to Me (15 page)

Before Dr. Greyson could answer, Ethan nodded. “Yes, you did.”

Already knowing Ethan well enough to recognize his protective voice, she peeked around a broad shoulder and sent the therapist a questioning look.

The older woman smiled as if she knew what Shea was thinking, but nodded her agreement. “Actually, you did. You told us about his training facility.” She frowned. “And I’m beginning to get a clearer picture of how a lot of that training is done.”

Ethan’s voice rumbled, “Yeah, me too.” He dropped his gaze to Shea. “How are you feeling?”

Feeling like the biggest wimp born, she managed a weak smile. “I’ve been better … I think.”

His mouth curved up at her small attempt at humor, and despite the hammering headache, her heart leaped. Ethan didn’t give indiscriminate smiles. When he offered one, she felt as though she’d won a prize. The smile softened his stern, somewhat harsh face, making him appear almost boyish and carefree. Silly, really, but seeing him smile made her feel better.

“Let’s get you back to your room before the pain gets too bad.”

Despite her newly acknowledged need for independence, Shea could only halfway nod as a wave of nausea roared through her and her head pounded harder. Ethan lifted her into his arms and carried her down the hallway. She would have protested, but as in the previous sessions, the pain was fast becoming hideous. Now all she could do was hang on until she could get to her room, take the medicine waiting for her, and ride it out.

Thank God Dr. Norton had been able to prescribe a painkiller that didn’t interact with any of Rosemount’s drugs still in her system. The blinding pain was almost more than she could bear.

Shea shifted slightly to press her head more deeply into Ethan’s shoulder. Despite the agony radiating through her, she treasured the few moments of being in his arms. Each day, he seemed to retreat more and more from her.

Reaching her room, Ethan pushed open the door and gently deposited Shea onto the bed. “I’ll get your medicine.”

Closing her eyes against the pain, Shea took deep, even breaths. Underneath the fierce throbbing, her ears picked up the sounds of Ethan closing the blinds at her window. Seconds later, he said softly, “Here are your pills, sweetheart.”

Warmth swept through her at his endearment. He called her sweetheart when he was the most worried for her. She took the pills and water he held out to her and swallowed them quickly. She no longer marveled at her complete trust in Ethan. Taking any kind of drug after what she’d been through should have been impossible. But she trusted Ethan—he would never do anything to hurt her. And in turn, she trusted the doctors that Ethan trusted.

Praying for quick relief, she closed her eyes.

A warm, wet cloth settled on her forehead. “I’ll leave so you can get some sleep.”

Her eyes flew open. “Stay. Please”

Though the room was dim, she could still see his concern. When he nodded, she closed her eyes and allowed her head to sink into the pillow. “Tell me something good,” she whispered.

As was the custom since they’d begun their “Tell me something good” game, Ethan began to relay another of their adventures. His low, gravel-rough voice spread through her like warm honey, comforting and soothing. “We were on assignment in Missouri. Pretty routine. A woman wouldn’t return her children to their father, who had primary custody. He didn’t call the authorities because despite the fact that she was breaking the law, he didn’t want the kids’ mom going to jail.”

“Sounds like a decent guy,” she mumbled.

“Yeah, he was. Problem was, his ex-wife wasn’t all that decent.”

“So, what’d we do? Go in like gangbusters and nab the kids?”

At his low, rusty laugh, vibrations of pleasure caressed her senses. That laugh should be bottled and sold to women everywhere.

“I wanted to go in and nab them. You had a different idea.”

“Uh-oh. Hope it was a good one.”

“It was … though we argued about it.”

“Doesn’t surprise me. I’ve already discovered that you can be quite stubborn.”

To her astonishment, she felt a quick kiss on her lips. “Be quiet and let those pills work.”

Her heart hammering from the unexpected caress, Shea did her best to act normal. “Arrogant, too,” she murmured.

He chuckled and continued, “Anyway, your idea was to go in and talk to the mother. We had a little of their history. You were convinced that the woman still had feelings for her ex-husband, and that was the reason she was holding on to the kids.

“So you walked in—without any kind of protection, I might add—and confronted the woman. Took you two hours. I was getting antsy. Just knew she was going to pull something. But sure enough, you walked out with the two kids. They had cookies in their hands, chocolate on their faces, and didn’t appear to realize they’d been involved in any kind of drama.”

“I’m glad it had a happy ending. What happened to the mother?”

“You convinced her to go to therapy. Both of you looked as though you’d been through the wringer.”

“What do you mean?”

“Apparently, while the kids were feasting on chocolate chip cookies in the kitchen, you and the woman had a tear fest in the next room.”

Her eyes flew open. “I cried?”

“Buckets.”

“Why do you look so pleased about that?”

Something dark and heated touched his face as his eyes settled on her mouth. “Because I got to take you home and comfort you.”

The pills had worked their magic, easing the pain in her head. Now a new, pleasurable need arose. A hot flush of awareness raced through her.

Ethan’s deep voice added to the throbbing awareness. “You keep looking at me like that and I may have to—” He surged to his feet, an expression of anger replacing the sensual moment.

“What’s wrong?”

“That was inappropriate, Shea. I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t mind.”

Ethan leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Get some sleep. I’ll be back in a few hours. Since we didn’t get to go shopping the other day, if you feel like it, we’ll go out for a few hours this evening.”

He turned and stormed out of the room. Shea smiled. Ethan had his thundercloud expression back in place. Normally this would have upset her, and it had, until he’d stood. The erection pressing against his zipper wasn’t something he could hide. He wanted her. That should scare her, but it didn’t. She trusted Ethan with her life. And someday, very soon, she would trust him with her body.

Stalking to his room, Ethan pushed the door open and slammed it shut. Deciding that hadn’t been hard enough, he opened the door and slammed it again. Just what the fuck did he think he was doing? Shea had been sexually violated. Forced to do unspeakable things, and he’d practically come on to her as if nothing had happened. Disgust at himself, mingled with the hard throb of unsatisfied desire, resulted in a frustrated anger he could barely contain.

Stripping his clothes off, he pulled on shorts and running shoes and headed out the door. He might not be able to catch the demons that chased him, but he was damn well going to try.

“What the hell’s the matter with you?”

Ethan clicked the door closed and looked up to see Gabe in the hallway. Since he had an apartment in town, Ethan assumed Gabe was here either for an assignment or to talk to him. Suddenly all his anger was aimed at his former friend. The man who’d made no secret that he doubted every word that came from Shea’s mouth.

“I’d like to ask you the same question. What the hell’s the matter with you?”

Gabe shook his head and turned away. “You’re spoiling for a fight. I’m not in the mood.”

“No, you’d rather sit in your apartment, down a bottle of bourbon, and stare at pictures of your ex-wife.”

“She’s not my ex-wife.”

The hollow tone in Gabe’s voice calmed his anger. “What the hell do you mean?”

Gabe turned and shrugged. “Just that… . She’s not my ex-wife. She’s my wife.”

“I thought you got a divorce.”

“She never signed the papers.”

“When did you find out?”

“Few years ago.”

The stark emptiness in the other man’s eyes told the story. Gabe was still desperately in love with his very famous wife. A woman many considered to be the most beautiful and eligible woman in the world.

Ethan blew out a sigh, his anger now completely demolished. “Holy hell, Gabe. You’re even more screwed up than I am.”

Humor glinted in Gabe’s dark blue eyes. “Now, that’s about the meanest thing I ever heard you say.”

Ethan glanced at his watch … a little after four. “You want to go fall into that bottle of bourbon or take a run?”

“Neither. Noah called me in for an assignment. I was just about to go in and see him.”

Nodding, Ethan turned away.

“Ethan.”

Looking back over his shoulder, he said, “Yeah?”

“I know you want to believe she’s telling the truth… . Be careful, my friend. Lies are easy to believe when it’s what you want to hear.”

Ethan shook his head. “Someday you’re going to have to tell me exactly what your wife did to make you distrust every woman.”

Evidently not wanting to get into an argument neither would win, Gabe said, “Just be careful,” and walked away.

“It’s time to come home.”

The voice, horrible and familiar, sounded real and terrifyingly close. Shea swallowed a sob, willed herself to wake from the nightmare.

“You’ve been a bad little cat, but I won’t punish you if you get up and walk out right now.”

No, she didn’t want to leave. She felt good … safe here. Besides, Ethan was here… . She couldn’t leave Ethan.

The voice grew harder and louder.
“Get up before I have to hurt you … or what if I hurt that hero of yours? What would you do if Ethan Bishop died because you wouldn’t obey me?”

Tossing and twisting on the bed, Shea demanded, “You leave Ethan out of this … leave him alone.”

“Then get up … now!”

A slight sting on her arm jerked her awake. Shea rolled away from the pain.

A harsh feminine voice said, “Shit. I didn’t get it all in her.”

“Bring her!”
The harsh voice demanded.

“Who’s there?” Her muscles locked from fear, Shea’s eyes roamed around the room without her head moving. Darkness surrounded her.
A nightmare … just a nightmare.
A chillingly familiar voice had threatened Ethan. Was this a new kind of horror? Having Ethan threatened? Thank God, it was only a nightmare.

Rasping breaths filled the room. Shea held her breath … the sounds continued. Her heart thudded, threatened to break through her chest. Someone was in the room!

Bright light flooded the room. “Get up,” a female voice said.

A scream caught in her throat. Shea looked up at the hard-faced woman lurking over her bed. “Wh … what?”

“Get up. He’s waiting for you.”

“Who’s waiting for me?”

“The master.”

Cold doom and inevitability pervaded her senses. He had come for her … as she had known he would. Hadn’t he told her over and over that she could never escape him? The sting in her arm … already vague fogginess blurred her mind. The drug … she’d been given the drug again. How long before she crashed? She had to act.

Drawing on all her reserves, Shea sprang from the bed. Her feet had barely landed on the floor before she jerked the woman up by the shoulders. “Where’s Rosemount?” she snarled.

Eyes wide with alarm, the woman clawed at Shea’s fingers. “Let me go… . You have to come. The master is angry. He’s going to kill—”

Her vision blurring, fading, Shea shook the woman’s shoulders. “Tell me where he is.”

“Let. Me. Go!” The heel of a palm shot up, knocked against the side of Shea’s head.

Swaying, her mind beginning to whirl and swirl with memories of horror, Shea was swamped by visions that almost brought her to her knees. Quickly losing strength and coordination, she felt her hands loosen. Knees buckling, she stumbled back against the bed.

The woman made another grab for her. Though Shea’s vision wavered, she remembered the cup of tea she’d had before bed. Dodging the grasping hand, Shea sidled around the woman and reached out. Her fingers curled around the mug. As weapons went, it wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing. She waited until the woman came at her again. When she was within inches, Shea swung. The vibration of the impact and a satisfying thud told her she’d made a direct hit.

A howl of fury. Then the woman muttered, “I’m out of here,” and ran from the room.

Dark spots appeared before Shea’s eyes, grew larger, but she couldn’t let go. She had to stop her… . No one else to do it… . Had to be stopped. Legs stiff and uncooperative, Shea stumbled across the room and through the door. Her vision edged with darkness, she could barely make out the running shadow in front of her. Forcing uncooperative muscles to function, Shea followed.

At the entrance to the stairway, the woman turned back. “You’ll pay for this, bitch!”

Fierce determination forced Shea to stay upright and moving. The metallic flavor of blood filled her mouth as she bit the inside of her jaw to stay awake. An inhuman scream emerged from deep within her being as she plowed through the door and stumbled after the woman.

Ethan headed down the hallway toward Shea’s room. He’d checked earlier to see if she felt well enough to go shopping and found her still asleep. Despite his promise to take her out, he couldn’t help but be relieved that for one more day, at least, she was inside, safe and secure.

An eerie, high-pitched scream echoed down the hall. Ethan took off, knowing the scream came from Shea. He rounded a corner just in time to see her disappear around the stairway door.

“Where the hell are you going?” As he sprinted down the long hallway, Ethan’s heart pounded in rhythm with the rapid stomp of his feet. She’d told him she could walk out of here on her own. Was that what she was doing? Envisioning the horror of what could happen if she was actually alone, out in the open, Ethan shoved open the door.

What the hell?

Shea and another woman were halfway down the stairs. Shea’s arms were locked around the woman’s torso. The woman surged forward; Shea hung on, almost riding her back. As the woman tried desperately to pull away, her hands clawed and scratched at Shea’s face and arms.