“I’m glad you did.” He tilted her head back. “But don’t ever believe what that monster did was your fault. You’re not to blame. He is.”
“What about that other girl? The one who ran away.”
“She’s happy. I can get you more information if you want.”
Laura shook her head. “No. Sometimes it’s best to leave the pain of the past right there. I never loved him, Gabe.”
“I know. You don’t believe in love.”
She looked at him now and opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. When his lips brushed across hers, she closed her eyes, enjoying his touch.
“I need to make dinner,” she said, moaning.
“Dinner can wait. I cannot.” He lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bedroom. Gabe didn’t stop there, but walked her all the way back into the bathroom. “You’ve been sick, and I’m not going to fuck you until you’re feeling much better.”
****
Several weeks later, Gabe walked into one of the many nightclubs he owned with Laura on his arm. He’d picked out a brand-new red dress that was startling on her. The dress plunged between her breasts, dipped in the back, and sat just above her knee.
He put his hand on her ass, loving the way men watched her and knowing none of them stood a chance. He kept his hold on her even as they got to the VIP section.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this,” Laura said.
“What? Going out to nightclubs?”
“The special attention you receive. All of this around us.”
A couple of men held their glasses of whiskey up to him. Their eyes turned to devour Laura. Her natural sexuality was like a drug to men. He knew he was highly addicted to her.
So addicted that he had an engagement ring in his jacket pocket. He’d been holding on to it for a couple of weeks.
There hadn’t been a right time to ask her to marry him. In recent weeks, he had noticed her beginning to relax more within his company. She didn’t appear to be a flight risk, which alone was an achievement.
The waitress came to take their order, and Laura asked for some bottled water. Rarely did she drink. He asked for a whiskey and they were left alone.
Laura kept glancing over at the dance floor.
“Do you want to dance?” he asked.
“Can you dance?”
He stood up, held out his hand, and walked down to the main dance floor. Couples moved out of his way as he pulled Laura against him. The song was upbeat, but he had no interest in rushing this dance.
With his hand on her ass, he pulled her in close. She had no choice but to wrap her arms around his neck. Running his hands up and down her body, touching her naked flesh, he saw the flash of arousal in her eyes.
This was one of the many reasons he loved her. He knew deep down he shouldn’t love her, but he fucking did. Laura had gotten under his skin, and there was no other word for it.
When the beat changed, he let her go, spinning her around the dance floor until he drew her back toward him. With her back against him, he put his hands on her hips, guiding her over his cock. Her ass rubbed him.
He pressed his face against her neck, sliding his tongue across her pulse. She let out a moan.
“You’re not playing fair.”
“I don’t believe in playing anything.”
She spun around to him. “Is there anything you can’t do?”
“Yes.” He kissed her lips, sliding them down toward her ear. “I can’t cook.”
She burst out laughing. “I’m thirsty.”
He took her hand and led her back to their VIP section. They were enjoying their drink when Anya suddenly appeared.
“This is your newest whore?” Anya asked, sending a glare toward Laura.
“Excuse me?” Laura asked.
“He’ll get rid of you as well. You’re nothing but a passing phase. It’s what he does. He makes women fall in love with him and then he abandons them.”
Rage filled Gabe and he clicked his fingers, but Felipe was already coming forward. He grabbed Anya, but she brandished a gun, pointing it at his man.
Screams and cries filled the air as Anya looked ready to kill everyone. Men and women in the VIP section had sunk to their knees.
Laura tensed beside him.
“Don’t come any closer or I will shoot you.”
“Do you think I’m afraid to die?” Felipe asked.
Silence filled the tense standoff.
Gabe got to his feet, but Laura spoke up.
“He’s going to toss me aside?” Laura asked. His woman put a hand to her chest and stood.
Anya pointed the gun at her. “Yes. He’s a monster like that. He thinks he’s invincible. He doesn’t know how strong we women can be. I’ve been watching him and he doesn’t know. He thought he had a leak from the inside, but he never suspects us.”
“Then, maybe you and I, we can leave now. The two of us. He can’t hurt us then.” Laura stepped away from him, and Gabe glanced toward Felipe to see his man was already advancing toward Anya.
“Yes, that’s better. You have to leave.”
Felipe’s shoe squeaked, and as Anya turned to look at the man, Laura lunged, trying to distract him, but it didn’t work.
Anya pointed the gun, fired, and his woman still attacked her, shoving her to the ground.
Gabe rushed forward as Felipe retrieved the fallen gun, putting the safety back on and hiding it in his jacket. Next, Gabe grabbed Laura, aware of the blood seeping through the dress.
She swayed in his arms, and he forced her to sit down as Felipe removed Anya.
His manager came and told him the police had been called.
“Get a medic,” Gabe said.
He lifted Laura in his arms, moving toward the doors only allowed for the staff.
“Gabe, I can walk.”
“I don’t give a flying fuck.” He took her to the manager’s room. Sitting her on the sofa, he peeled away her shoulder strap and assessed the damage.
The bullet was still in there.
“We’re going to have to take you to the emergency room.”
“Stop it. I’m fine.” She glanced down at her arm. “That doesn’t look fine, though, does it?” She went a little pale.
He was tired of waiting for the medic. He went to pick Laura up, but she put her hand out, the one that wasn’t weeping from a bullet wound. “I can walk, and I want to.”
Gabe didn’t argue, just wrapped his arms around her. On the way, Felipe was already talking to the police. The ambulance had arrived, and rather than stay and deal with the police, he went with his woman to the hospital.
Time seemed to move so incredibly fast as she was X-rayed, and then the doctor was there, removing the bullet. He gave her a couple of stitches, and they were waiting to be released.
“She was an ex-lover?” Laura asked.
While the doctor had been working, he’d gotten an update on Felipe, who was waiting outside for them.
“Yes.”
“You didn’t love her.”
“No. I never promised her anything. Nor did I give her any reason to believe we were more.” The only person he’d chased was sitting here injured, in front of him, and it pissed him off. He didn’t protect her, and he should have.
“This isn’t your fault,” she said.