CHAPTER 2
CARA
I was ripped from the peaceful darkness by pain that tore through me. My eyes snapped open and instantly I balled my hands into fists and tried to push up to sitting, so I could get to my feet faster and make the decision of which was wiser – flight or fight.
“Cara! You’re alright! It’s me, it’s Cal!
” a voice cried, as I started to hit out at the hands trying to hold me down.
My eyes were open but my vision was dark and clouded.
Pain continued to rip through me, coming mainly from my left arm, I realised.
“Look at me, gorgeous. Look at my eyes. You’re home.
You’re safe,” the voice went on, and some sense returned to me.
I finally realised I knew the voice and stopped trying to hit out with my right arm, since my left wouldn’t seem to move.
“Cal?” I gasped as the pieces came together.
“I’m here Cara. I’m with you. Stop fighting, please. You’re going to hurt yourself even more.”
Breathless and exhausted I collapsed back to the mattress and let my exhausted arm drop to my side. The movement caused pain that only stole more of my panicked breaths.
“It hurts,” I whimpered as I fully took in just how much pain I was in. My head throbbed, as did my left shoulder and arm. My chest felt tight and there was a deep ache in my side.
“I know. I’m sorry, Cara. The doctor had to re-set your shoulder while you were out. He’s getting you some pain relief now though. It won’t hurt for much longer,” he soothed.
I blinked to clear my sight more, and when I looked again I could see Cal more clearly, sat at my side. He was leaning over me, his hand now resting on my right shoulder and his other holding down my left arm, clearly trying to stop me from moving it.
“Gia?” I questioned as I recalled what had happened.
The car repair shop, and those motherfuckers hurting Gia, and then me.
The shooting and then the bodies. Dante.
Was he calmer now? I hoped so. He had looked so scared underneath the savagery he displayed so clearly as he wielded that knife with deadly efficiency and effectiveness.
“She’s with Rafe. They’re on their way back now. They’ll be here soon, but from what I saw, she just had a few cuts and bruises. She seemed fine,” Cal explained.
“Good,” I nodded. “and the others?”
“Dario’s with Rafe and Gia. Dante went to get cleaned up, and Arran was making sure the house is secure and covered by people we can trust.”
“Jase…he…he was involved…knew the men who took me. Gia…she’ll be so upset.” I rambled as I tried to get my thoughts in a straight line.
“Why will Gia be upset?” Cal asked as he tried, pointlessly, to tuck some of my wild hair behind my ears, only for it to spring loose again instantly.
“Jase…he s-said they were together…he used her…Gia.”
“Jase and Gia were in a relationship?” Cal repeated, seeming shocked. I just nodded, then regretted the movement instantly when my head pounded and spun in tandem. “Okay, gorgeous. Enough talking for now. Here’s the doc with some good drugs.”
I looked past Cal and saw a slim, older man, dressed in a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, coming towards me with a syringe in hand.
“No!” I gasped. “Cal, no! Please! No drugs. I can’t…I…I won’t be like her! I don’t need drugs!”
“Hey, it’s okay. We trust Doctor Barnes, and you need pain relief right now, Cara. You’re in pain,” Cal soothed, but I just shook my head violently despite the pain it caused.
“Listen to your friend, young lady. The best thing you can do is sleep right now, and these drugs will help you to do that,” The strange doctor said, as he got closer to me.
My panic rose, and despite me knowing even at the time that it was an overreaction to a man Cal seemed to trust, I let out the loudest scream of my life.
It came out instinctively, and at the same time I slipped free of Cal’s hold and slid from the other side of the bed, dropping to the floor when my legs failed to catch me as I needed them to.
“CARA?” Cal yelled, but I was too focused on trying to get away to listen or even look for him. I pushed my weight onto my right arm and used it to drag myself backwards, aiming for the en-suite.
I paused when there was a loud crash moments later, and looked up for danger.
“Get away from her!”
The roar rattled through the room, but it didn’t scare me this time, because I recognised it easily.
The next thing I knew, Dante charged into the room, shoving the doctor - who had been trying to get near me - and launching him backwards hard.
I didn’t see if the doctor fell, but it sounded like he ended up on his arse, from the small cry I heard.
“Dante,” I squeaked with relief, and then he was coming towards me.
He dropped to his knees before me and I instantly reached for him, instinctively knowing he would protect me.
He gathered me up bridal style and held me close to his warm body.
He smelled as if he was fresh out of the shower, his hair looking slightly wet, and he had changed into jeans and a hugging plain navy t-shirt.
“What did you do?” Dante growled at Cal. I used my right arm to protect my left from being jostled, then snuggled closer to Dante, resting my aching head against his chest.
“Nothing. The doc just tried to give her some pain relief and she panicked completely,” Cal explained.
“I don’t w-want it,” I defended myself shakily. My voice was hoarse and my throat felt dry and scratchy.
“You don’t want the drugs?” Dante asked as he looked down at me.
“Not strong ones. I d-don’t like not being in control. I don’t want to…to be knocked out, Dante, please!” I begged.
“Hush now, love. No one will force you to do anything while I’m here,” Dante promised.
“I wasn’t forcing her into anything, Dante. I was just trying to explain that the drugs would help her rest,” Cal argued.
“She doesn’t want them. Find something else she can take that won’t knock her out, now!” Dante snapped.
“I haven’t finished checking over her injuries yet. Her arm needs to be in a sling, and there’s bruising down her side that I’d like to look at more closely.”
“Fine. Get her some tablets for the pain, then you’ll do the other stuff while I hold her. I want you out of here as fast as fucking possible.” Dante looked down at me again, and his features softened instantly. “Is that all okay with you, beautiful?”
“Thank you,” I whispered with a nod.
Dante kept me sheltered in the safety of his arms for the next half hour as the doctor checked my bruised side, put my left arm in a sling, and gave instructions to Cal and Dante for what to look out for over the next twelve hours, because he too agreed, I was concussed.
He gave me some strong co-codamol, which Cal helped me to take, and left a supply for the next week. I was so relieved when, finally, Cal showed him out.
I would have told Dante he could set me down now, but I didn’t want him to.
I had never felt safer or smaller and more protected as I did in his giant arms, pressed against his hard and vast body.
He was so warm, and just as I had suspected since meeting him - his chest rumbled deeply when he spoke in his deep, rumbly voice.
It was, without question, the most comforting and peaceful place I had ever found myself in my life, and I needed it right then. Needed him.
“How do you feel now?” Dante asked softly.
“A little better. The pain meds are kicking in, I think.”
“Good. I don’t like you being in pain,” he told me plainly.
“I don’t either, but I feel better when you hold me like this. Thank you.”
“For what? Holding you? I should be thanking you for giving me that.”
“For that,” I nodded. “And for having my back before. That…it meant a lot to me.”
“You don’t thank me for either of those things, Cara.
I’ll hold you any time you want. And I would never force or bully you into anything.
You’re a grown woman, who’s intelligent and more than capable of making your own choices.
I’ll always try to respect that, unless it regards your safety, but even then…
I like to bark orders and I definitely like being in charge, but I’m not a total arsehole.
I’ll never force you to do anything against your will, and I will kill anyone who tries to. ”
“You barely even know me, Dante,” I argued.
“Doesn’t matter. You’re mine now, and I always protect what’s mine,” he pledged.
“I d-don’t think you can just decide that I’m yours, big guy, nice as the sentiment may be,” I reminded him, but I was smiling despite my protest.
“Just did. You don’t have to accept it yet, but I have, and you will too, in time,” he told me plainly. “No more arguing for now. You should try to rest. Do you want to lie in your bed, or stay with me?” he offered.
“I’m happy where I am, at least until your arms start hurting,” I admitted.
“Pfft. That won’t happen. Are you warm enough?”
“I’m all good for now. Stop worrying,” I told him around a deep yawn that angered my bruised side and ribs.
“Don’t do that again! It caused you more pain,” Dante groused, and it made me smile.
“Don’t yawn?” I questioned, then laughed when he simply nodded. “Don’t think that’s in my control.”
He stunned me silent though when he lifted his huge hand and softly smoothed the side of his index finger down my cheek with such gentleness.
I moved my right hand over his and held it against my cheek, loving the feel of his sheer size beside me, and the contrast of how careful and gentle his touch was.
He made me feel delicate and precious in a way I had never felt before.
“Close your eyes and try to rest now. You’re safe. I won’t leave you.”