Sovereign (23 page)

He rose and popped his neck. “The coronation will be in a month at my estate. I’ll take delivery of Stella then, as well.”

“Delivery?”

“Oh, yes, forgot to mention. I’m taking Stella for a week or two before giving her to Dylan. I enjoyed our time today, but I want more of a private session. You don’t mind, do you?”

My hands demanded I choke the life out of him. “No, of course not. I will turn her over then.”

“Good man. I’m very pleased about your elevation, and I’ll let Sophia know. Just keep it under wraps until coronation day. You know I love surprises.” He grinned and turned to leave. “You coming to lunch? We don’t want to start off on the wrong foot.”

“I’ll be down in a moment. Just want to get here handled so she doesn’t bleed all over my suit.”

“You are such a dandy.” Cal laughed and walked out. As soon as he was gone, I jumped up to Stella and wrapped her in my suit coat.

When I picked her up, her head lolled back, her eyes still a glassy green. My chest burned as if my heart was being dipped in a vat of acid.

“Stella?”

She didn’t respond.

“Stella, please.”

Still no words as a tear rolled down her cheek. No, not hers. Another one landed at the corner of her lips, mixing with the blood there before moving down to her jaw. I blinked hard. My tears. The idea was so foreign to me. I hadn’t shed a tear since Brazil, and now the floodgates were opened. Tears flowed down my face as I clutched her to me, her bloodied and broken body drawing breath but otherwise devoid of life.

I rushed through the ballroom and kicked the doors open, knocking an attendant on his ass as I rushed past. It seemed like days had passed since we’d been in the bedroom at the end of the hall, waiting to meet our fate. I pushed through the door and lay her on the bed.

“Is she okay?” Gavin walked in behind me.

“Get the fuck out.” I picked the bloody strands of hair away from her busted nose and tried to gauge what sort of medical attention she needed. Not that I could give her any. I had to show my face downstairs.
Fuck!

“There’s a medic next door, fixing Bob up. I can get her in here.”

“Get her. Now. Bob can wait.” I turned back to her. “Stella, can you say something?”

She hadn’t blinked. He’d hit her in the head so many times. I wanted to scream and rage and burn the entire fucking house to the ground. But I had no right. I’d just sat there, the whores pawing at my dick as Stella took hit after hit. For me. “Oh god, Stella, please.”

“Move away from her.” A woman’s harsh voice cut through my misery. She wore bloody scrubs and had a flowery carrying case in one hand. “I said move.”

“Can you help her?”

“Up. Go.”

I stood, but wouldn’t leave.

She pushed past me and inspected Stella’s face, then opened my jacket and looked at the bloody wounds along her torso. “Jesus. At least she’s not the worst I’ve seen today.”

She set her bag on the bed and dug out a syringe. “Night night.” She hit a vein, no problem, and let the meds fly.

Stella’s eyes finally closed, and I was back in my mother’s room as she screamed and railed until I drugged her to sleep. “Not her, please not Stella.”

“I’ll need to set her nose, clean her wounds, and bandage her up. Some of these cuts could use stitches, but stitches aren’t my specialty.” She dug several implements from her bag, including alcohol, gauze, tape, and what looked like a tongue depressor. “I tend to leave ugly scars. So if in doubt, I’ll leave them out.”

“Will she be okay?” Gavin stood at my elbow. I’d forgotten he was there.

“Mister.” She shook her head, her black braids swaying. “I’ve seen some fucked up shit today that I hope I never see again for as long as I live. No amount of money is worth this. Don’t ask me stupid questions like that.”

She got to work as I stood glued to the spot.

“Why is she hurt?” Gavin shoved me back. “Why? I beat Bob unconscious. Brianne had to be pulled off Red. But you stand here without a scratch.”

“Get off me.” I couldn’t see Stella.

“No. Tell me why!” He shoved harder until my back hit the fireplace.

I swung hard and fast, my fist crunching into his cheek. He fell away, and I rushed forward to Stella again as the medic dabbed her wounds with alcohol.

“Stella, please.” I rested my hand on her shin.

“Motherfucker.” Gavin got to his feet and brought his fists up.

The medic turned a harsh eye on both of us. “If you two are going to fight, get the fuck out. The last thing this poor girl needs is more violence.”

I didn’t give Gavin so much as a glance. “Don’t try to keep me from her. I’ll kill you.” It wasn’t a threat, only a simple fact. If he tried to come between Stella and me again, I’d pound his face into a bloody pulp.

“Mr. Vinemont?” Someone spoke from the hall.

“What?” I couldn’t take my eyes off Stella as the medic wrapped a blood pressure cuff around her arm.

“Mr. Oakman is asking for you.”

I ground my teeth so hard I thought they might crack.

“I’ll stay here with her.” Gavin walked around the bed and sat next to her, taking one of her bloodied hands in his.

I wanted to kill him, to show Stella I could protect her. But that’s what he was doing. Protecting her. I’d failed. I’d watched it all. I’d done nothing.

“Go.” He didn’t look at me when he spoke. He blamed me. He was right to. I was at fault for all of it.

I stared, wanting to will some sort of comfort into her as the medic listened for her heartbeat. I rubbed my eyes.

“Mr. Vinemont?”

“I fucking heard you.” I whirled and walked to the door, but turned back before going through. “Don’t let anyone touch her or hurt her while I’m away.”

Gavin caught my gaze, hatred written in the narrowing of his eyes. “She’ll be safe as long as you’re gone.”

I turned and left. The worst part was that he was right.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

S
TELLA

T
HE HOT BREEZE ROCKED
the swing as I watched Lucius and Teddy toss a football back and forth in the yard. I stretched my arms above my head, ignoring the burn of pain that still sizzled from my healing wounds. Sin came out the front door, two glasses in his hands. He passed one to me, and I sipped as he settled next to me.

He pulled me gently into his side. “It’s not too hot out here, is it?”

“No. I’m glad to be out of the house.” I rested my head against his shoulder.

“Go long!” Lucius pointed to the tree line.

“I am long,” Teddy called back.

“Longer than that, asshole. I can throw farther than a peewee league quarterback.”

I laughed. Sin laced his fingers through mine as Lucius threw to a distant Teddy. He caught it, but had to dash up a few yards first.

“Fingers slipped.” Lucius threw his hands up and turned around to look at us. “Fingers slipped. That’s what that was.”

“Sure.” Sin nodded.

“You want to try it?”

“No.” He hadn’t left my side since we returned from the trial. I didn’t remember much. From what I could tell, my faulty memory was a blessing. My nose was still swollen, and Sin had taken me to a plastic surgeon in New Orleans to repair the cuts. The scars would be barely noticeable, but I would always know they were there.

Sin watched over me day and night during the weeks since the trial, letting his prosecutor position go untended. Sometimes, it was as if he were afraid I’d disappear if he weren’t looking right at me.

“Go on and throw the ball around. Show Lucius up.” I pulled my hand away. He took it back.

“No.”

“Don’t want to embarrass him?”

He kissed my forehead. “Exactly.”

The days were already growing shorter, the trees casting long shadows over the lawn. Sin rocked us slowly as the sun made its retreat down the sky. After a while, Lucius and Teddy, winded and sweaty, bounded onto the porch and collapsed into the rocking chairs. We chatted as the fireflies began to glow, an intermittent symphony of tiny lights.

“I think I’m going to go see what’s cooking for supper.” Teddy stood and made a show of rubbing his stomach.

“Try not to fuck her against the stove. It’s dangerous.” Lucius grinned.

Teddy’s cheeks reddened, and he hurried into the house.

“That wasn’t very nice.” I shook my head at Lucius.

“He’ll live.”

“Yes, he will.” Sin kissed my hair.

Lucius glanced to the door and then back at us. “He’s gone now. Let’s talk. I have all the goods collected and ready to be rolled into the estate as soon as the gates open.”

“Stella, is your guy on the inside ready?”

“Quinlan, yes. I spoke to him earlier. He took the money and hired his own trustworthy people for the job. They know the score and will get out of dodge when it all goes down. Some of the attendants won’t know, but he’s promised to keep them out of harm’s way when all hell breaks loose.”

“How do you know we can trust him?” Lucius asked.

“We don’t. But he’s an ex-Marine, and his uncle runs a security firm. They’re working together on this, and we’re paying them both a small fortune. They won’t get the money until the job’s done.”

Lucius seemed appeased and moved on. “The supplies?”

“Already loaded up in the caterer’s vans, ready to go.”

I’d been over the plan so many times in the past three weeks that it was in my mind like a well-worn path through grass. There was no missing it.

“I still think you should stay here.” Sin sighed.

“No.” I was going. I didn’t care how many times Sin tried to talk me out of it. Besides, it would look fishy if he showed up without Cal’s prize.

“Lucius, tell her she should stay.”

“You’ll get no help from me. She’s right. She deserves to be there.”

“She deserves more than that. Much more.” Sin pulled me into his lap.

Lucius scowled. “If you’re doing this, I’m out.”

“We’ll talk business later.” Sin waved him away.

Lucius grumbled and slammed the front door on his way in.

“Are you tired?”

“No.” I leaned against him and watched the fireflies spark. “I feel good.”

“What hurts?” He ran a hand up and down my thigh, goose bumps rising under the thin material of my pajama pants.

“Nothing.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Stop worrying.”

He kept rocking us at a leisurely pace. “I’ll never stop worrying about you.”

“I know, but I’m fine now. I’m healing. I want to get back to painting and walking and riding with you and Teddy. And mainly, I want you to stop feeling guilty.” I kissed his neck.

“I don’t think I’m capable of that.”

“You didn’t think you were capable of love, either.”

He canted his head to the side, the stubble along his cheeks looking even darker in the low light. “Touché.”

“You don’t have to be careful with me, you know? I won’t break.”

“I can’t hurt you.” He peered down at me, worry wrinkling the skin near his eyes.

I nibbled at his neck. “Take me upstairs.”

“No, you’re still healing. I can’t.”

I twined my arms around his neck and pulled myself up to his mouth. I licked along his bottom lip and bit down on it.

“Stella.” His voice lowered to a growl. “Don’t.”

“Make me stop.” I kissed him and ran my fingers through his hair, pulling close to the scalp where I knew it would hurt.

He slid his hand up my thigh and gripped my ass, then lifted me so I straddled him. He kissed me hungrily, like he’d been starved for me. I caressed his tongue with mine and moved my hips back and forth over his growing erection.

He dug his fingers into my waist and moved me faster on top of him.

“No.” He pulled away. “We can’t. You’re hurt.”

“I’m not.” I kissed down his neck.

He gripped the collar of my shirt and pulled it aside, the ugly red scar from Cal’s cut curving around my collar bone. “You are.”

“It’s almost healed. Give this to me. Please?” I dropped my eyes. “Unless you don’t find me attractive any longer, now that—”

“Don’t be an idiot.” He crushed my mouth with his, one of his hands tangling in my hair. Lifting me with ease, he walked to the door, his lips still pressed to mine, his tongue ruling my mouth.

I wrapped my legs around him as he pushed through the door and into the house. Making quick work of the stairs, he carried me to my bedroom and lay me down.

He pulled his shirt over his head. I stared at the broad expanse of his chest, the masculine V of his torso. I took the hem of my shirt and started to pull it, but he stayed my hands with his.

“I want to do it.” He pushed my shirt up slowly, dropping soft kisses along my skin with each inch he exposed.

By the time he reached my breasts, I was clutching his hair and arching my back. He kissed around the bottoms of each, keeping his slow pace. He paid extra attention to my scars, his breath tickling me as his mouth sealed his love to my skin.

He kissed my nipples, still taking his time as my shirt moved higher and higher until he pulled it over my head and tossed it to the floor. His eyes were reverent as he kissed my lips with the same soft pressure he’d used on the rest of me. My thighs were on fire, and I wanted him, all of him.

He ended the kiss too soon and dropped to his knees, pulling my pants and panties off. Starting at my toes, he kissed up each leg. The gentle caresses multiplied and reverberated through my body until all I could think of was him.

Spreading my legs, he lay his palms flat against my inner thighs. His warm breath grazed my pussy, and he kissed my bare skin, up and down until no spot was left untouched. I jolted when he slipped his tongue inside me.

He hesitated. “Is it all right?”

“Better than all right. Please don’t stop.”

He gave me the devious smile—the one I once loathed and now loved—before diving back down. His stubble scraped against my thighs as he licked me from entrance to clit. I moaned at the overwhelming rush of sensation. He did it again and put his hands under my ass, lifting me to his face as he devoured me.