Chapter Twelve
Elsa
His body is heaving as he stares at me with all the carnage around the room red and bloody as Jacob bleeds out.
My body is in the center of the room, curled up.
I’m afraid, but not of him, at least not that he’d hurt me.
I’m never worried that he would hurt me, but what if he hates me?
Slowly his eyes soften, and his steps move evenly toward me.
“Miles,” I mutter. “I… I…” I continue to stammer, but the words are unable to form.
Before I’m able to utter another syllable, his men follow behind him.
“Leave us,” he roars as his eyes stay focused on mine.
“Yes, Boss. Just wanted to let you know the house is clear and the family is waiting.”
“Good.” He crosses toward me. “Are you okay?” he asks me gently, as if he’s afraid of my answer. “Did they hurt you?” He doesn’t touch me for his own good or mine, but I need him.
“No more than you can see.” He swallows hard.
“That I can see? Baby, you have bruises on you. I should kill him again.” A tear slides down my face. He reaches out and wipes the wetness away. I lean into it, and he pulls me close.
“Miles, it’s okay. They’ll heal,” I whispered, trying to sound strong as I lay my face on his chest. His lips brush the top of my head and then I move to look at him again.
“They shouldn’t have been there in the first place, Elsa. You’re my princess, and they put their hands on your precious skin.” He raises my hand and then kisses my pulse. “No one should ever lay a hand on you.” Slowly he caresses my jaw and then my temple, each one sending a shiver through my body.
Our mouths hungrily meet in a soul devouring kiss. I cling to him, forgetting everything but the feel of his strength as he holds me in his arms.
“Oh, Miles, don’t stop,” I plead. My voice is filled with a need that is so deep and uncontrollable. I feel his hardness press against my heat; even in this situation, I’m equally aroused. “This probably isn’t the best time to have sex.”
He lets out a small chuckle. “No, our dads and others are outside.”
“But you’re so hard,” I whimper, grinding against him, trying to fight the sudden need for relief.
“Maybe I’m just so glad you’re in my arms right now. I was worried I’d never see you again. I’d destroy the world like they destroyed mine.”
I can’t control the sobs that leave my voice, and I’m choking on them.
“I love you so much,” he whispers against my ear. He pulls away and takes my hand, giving me some breathing room and that’s when reality comes back in full force.
The scene before me is stark and frightening. Jacob’s body is near the exit, and we can’t leave without passing it. The smell of iron wafts through the air, pungent and foul. I can’t handle it, and I nearly vomit in my mouth, but I contain myself.
“Can we go home?” I asked, wanting to get away from this awful place.
“Without a doubt. I just need to lie down in our bed and hold you to know you’re safe.” He scoops me up in his arms and carries me. “I can walk, Miles.”
“Yes, and I saw the way you looked at the exit. I won’t let you be upset again if I can help it.” I loved this man more than he could ever know.
“Thank you.”
We move toward the stairs where the piece of crap lies, and he kicks him in the balls.
My heart stammers and I panic, quickly clearing any doubts Miles might have. “He didn’t touch me like that, if you’re worried.”
We stop, and he stares deep into my eyes.
“Look at me, Elsa. I’m sorry, love. I would be worried that he violated you, but not for my sake.
It would be for your sake. I would never want you to deal with that pain and horror.
No woman should ever have to suffer such violation. However, I know he didn’t.”
“How did you know?” I asked, wondering how he could be so certain.
“Because he couldn’t. Maybe that’s why he wanted revenge so badly that he came back and was willing to risk everything. Your brother castrated him.”
I slapped my hand to my mouth so fast it hurt. “Oh my God.”
“Milo didn’t want him to live and then go on to rape other women.” I nod and press my head onto Miles’s chest. There are no words for my brother’s actions. I can’t say he’s wrong, but they led to today, so right now I can’t rationalize it. The pain of it all is too real.
“Princess,” my father sighs with relief when he sees me. There’s blood on his face, and I know that he had to do things to get it there. He reaches for me, but Miles refuses to let me go.
“Miles, I’m okay.” He sets me down and I go to my father who quickly throws his arms around me and squeezes me tightly.
“Baby, we thought we lost you.” I sob against him as his body shakes with his own unshed emotions. “God, your mother has been devastated.”
“Call her and let her know we have her,” Miles states.
“We will once we are in a clear zone.” We need to get moving. “We can’t let anyone trace us here. The clean-up crew will be here to dispatch these assholes,” Uncle Blade says.
“There had to be someone with power helping him. There was no way he was working alone. The guy was barely an adult,” my father says.
“I recognized one of the guys,” I add. Everyone turns to me with wide eyes.
“Who was it, baby?” Miles asks me, rubbing my back.
“I don’t remember his name, but he was at the hotel one time when I was there.”
“Does he work for us?” My father asks through clenched teeth. I could see the anger rolling off him, but thankfully the man didn’t work for us. At least that man didn’t.
“No, he was visiting you, and you two didn’t agree. He gave me strange vibes and eyed me like a creep.”
“Was he a Santos?”
“No. I know Mr. Santos from his son.” Miles growls next to me. He drags me to his side, taking me from my father as if he has to maintain possession of me. I can’t say I complain.
“Whatever, Miles. I went to school with Johnny so I’ve seen his father for years, but now that I think about it, this guy was at the school functions once or twice over the years.”
“Let me know if you recognize any of these guys.”
“I heard his voice too,” I add. I close my eyes and let the memory return. “He told me no one was going to come help me.”
“Sweetie, look at this and let me know if it’s one of these assholes.” My father hands me his phone, and I see a photo with a group of men that were sitting around Miles’ dining room table. My eyebrows raise, and then I look at him as if he betrayed me.
“We had a meeting where I warned them to stay away from you.”
“When was this?” I need to know when these people were in my new home.
“Before I went into surgery. Any sign of weakness to these men makes them want to strike at me.” That’s when Miles became like a second skin, always around, stalking me.
Was he really just playing as a love interest to keep them at bay?
“Sweetie, you were their interest, so I had Miles warn them off.” There’s a lump in my throat.
My heart doesn’t believe it. Still. I have to be sure.
“Is that why?” He presses a hand to my mouth.
Swiftly, I find my body flush to his with his gaze fixed on mine.
“No, baby, don’t do that. You know it’s not true.
The second they mentioned you, I nearly jumped over the table to clock them, giving away my feelings, and I knew damn well I was risking a lot.
” I nod, feeling his growing desire against my body again.
My uncle coughs beside us. “Um…any of them look like the guy?”
Miles releases me, and I look at the image again. “Yes, it’s him.”
“The bastard was wrong because we were always coming for you. Now he’s going to pay,” Milo says.
They shake their heads. “I can’t believe Novak thought he was slick,” my father says.
“The fool should have kept his mouth shut, and we wouldn’t have been onto him so quickly. Now, it’s time to get his ass.” Miles clamps his lips shut as he seethes with rage.
Minutes later the vehicles pull up and it’s Miles security with five SUVs. “Time go home,” Miles says. We load up, and I sit beside my fiancé. They are making plans as I rest my head on Miles’s chest, but I listen in.
“We’re going fly you and your mother out to the Steeleville compound, and then you’re staying put until we deal with our problem.” Honestly, that sounds great. As tough as I am, I’ve had enough.
I jolt up and ask, “What about Mistress?”
“Mistress?” Wrench asks.
“Our dog,” I answer.
“She’s coming with. Don’t worry, Princess. I wouldn’t leave our baby without her mama.” Miles kisses my forehead. “Now, we need to get moving before we draw any attention.” The vehicles finally started moving and the first crunch of the leaves drew my attention to where I was kept prisoner.
We move fast past the small metal shack into the middle of the woods.
When I look back, I can’t believe he’d taken me so far away from home.
I stare at the ground all around me. My body could have been lost to the earth below me.
I would be part of the foliage, permanently buried if they didn’t find me.
I don’t grasp that I’m crying until my face is wet. “Princess, what is it?”
“The reality…I just…” Miles tightens his arms around me, and the warmth takes away the sadness. I need him, but I understand that he needs to protect me and our future which means he has business to deal with. I sigh and close my eyes, resting on him again.
“Rest. We can talk about it when you’re ready, but know this. We wouldn’t have given up, Elsa. None of us.” He kisses my temple and my soul doesn’t ache as painfully as it did a moment ago.
“He’s right,” Boomer adds. “Not a one of us. Riders to the end, little girl.” With their words of reassurance, I relax just enough to stop crying, but I can’t sleep and I’m grateful for it because I can see how far he took me. We ended up forty miles from home.
As we pull into my parents’ home, my family is waiting for me. Even though I see my brothers, it’s the one person who I’ve always gone to comfort that I search for. My mother, whose eyes are red-rimmed and face blotchy, throws her arms around me.
“My baby,” she sobs. Those tears break me and make me whole all at the same time.
“Mommy,” I cry, needing her so much.
“I’m here. I’m here.” We walk inside together, and she takes me over to the sofa where we sit down and she cradles my upper body like a little girl all over again. “Elsa, I almost lost you.”
I sob harder and press my head into her chest. I need this.