One kind touch, p.3
One Kind Touch, page 3
Yeah, that’s why they are tearing. She wasn’t going to cry. No fucking way. She wouldn’t give this asshole the satisfaction. She squirmed against Gary’s hold again, aiming to give him an elbow or fist to something important, but that sharpness against her ribs came again and she realized he had a knife. In her haste to leave the hotel, she hadn’t put on her winter jacket. She only had a blouse and a suit jacket between her flesh and that blade.
But he wouldn’t cut her. Right? This wasn’t actually happening, was it?
I’ve always hated parking garages.
“Look, Gary. I’ll have dinner with you if you back up.”
“Here come the lies now.” Gary pushed the knife more firmly against her. “Typical.”
Dena gritted her teeth against the prick of the blade. “Not lying. I have time for dinner.”
“Really?”
“Sure. Back up so I can gather my things. You made me drop my purse.”
Gary stepped back as Dena’s heart raced. If she were going to do something, now was her chance.
“I’m sorry,” Gary said, pressing the back of his hand still holding the knife to his forehead. “My wife left me last month and I’m not doing well with that. She was cheating on me.”
Imagine. “Sounds as if it’s been a difficult time for you,” Dena said as she slowly lowered and shoved her things into her purse. As she went for her phone, however, Gary stepped on her hand and the phone. “I’ll take that.”
When he bent to pick it up, Dena launched the heel of her hand into his jaw. She’d been aiming for his nose as Dakota and Noah had once shown her for a quick self-defense move, but she couldn’t reach from her current position. This hit was enough, however, to make Gary stumble back in surprise. Enough to allow Dena to grab her phone and purse and take off at a run.
Gary was fast. Faster than he looked. Faster than she’d anticipated. He was on her heels in no time.
She spotted a security car the next row over from her location and headed for it, but Gary got to her first. He grabbed her around the waist, turned her around, and pinned her to a concrete support beam, her phone clattering to the parking garage floor somewhere in the process. Sweat dotted Gary’s forehead and a vein in his temple pulsed.
Pure fury blazed in his eyes.
“You spent the last three workshops flirting with me and now you act like this?” He was winded, but the arm that held her in place was like steel.
“Flirting? I never flirted with you, Gary. I was nice because that’s how people are supposed to be upon first meeting. I never gave you any indication I was interested in more.”
“You accepted my dinner invitation.” He had the knife back at her ribs so she didn’t dare scream for the security guard.
“To talk more shop with you and that presenter. Nothing else.” She swallowed around a throat gone completely dry. Why hadn’t Marjorie been a bit faster at that front desk? If Dena had left a few minutes sooner, she never would have crossed Gary’s path. Never would have been in her current situation.
Never would have been scared to death.
“This is what women like you—like my wife—do. You think we men don’t have feelings. That we’re here for you to play with, to make fools of.” His voice had risen and over his shoulder, Dena noticed the security guard getting out of his vehicle.
Yes, come this way.
“I’m sorry if you got the wrong idea. I really am.” Keep him talking. “As I said before, I’ll go have dinner with you.”
“You ran away from me.”
“I panicked, Gary. Try to see things from my perspective right now.” Yes, security dude, you do see something sketchy over here. Investigate. Hurry up!
Gary shook his head as he slid his hand up her blouse, his sweaty fingers groping. “No, you have to be taught a lesson.”
“A lesson? About what?” She backed up, but there was nowhere for her to go. God, she wished Carter was here right now. He had big muscles for a nerd and he’d use them to get this prick off her.
“Lessons about manners. About following through. About at least having the guts to cancel plans instead of just leaving, just walking out.” Gary’s jaw was clenched, his words barely escaping past his teeth.
“As your wife did.”
His eyes immediately filled with tears. “Why did she have to go?”
Because you’re a psycho?
“Have you talked to her about what happened?” Dena glanced at the security guard and gave a nod at his raised eyebrows.
“Everything okay over here?” the guard asked.
Gary stilled, his gaze boring into hers. “Yes, officer. Just didn’t want to get into the car without giving my lovely lady a kiss first.”
The guard angled his head. “I’d like to hear the lovely lady say everything’s okay, sir.”
Dena hesitated and the knife blade pressed against her side. Before she could say anything though, the officer put his hand on Gary’s shoulder in an attempt to turn him around.
An instant later, the hot sting of the knife blade ripped into Dena’s flesh. She screamed in pain as the officer yanked Gary back, taking the knife with him. She put her hand to the slice, warm blood seeping through her fingers.
Her warm blood.
She was vaguely aware of the officer wrestling Gary to the ground. Another officer had joined him, and Gary was soon handcuffed and escorted away. The first security guard came to her side. Somehow she’d slid to the ground and blood now pooled in her lap.
“Miss? Miss, can you hear me?” the guard asked as he removed her suit jacket, balled it up, and instructed her to press it to her wound. “I’ve called 911 and they’re on their way. Hang tight, okay?”
She managed a nod.
“Can I call someone for you?” He had a phone in his hand, ready to dial any number she gave him.
But all her loved ones were hours away. No sense in calling any of them. They couldn’t get here quickly.
Besides she didn’t want any of them to see her like this. Covered in blood. Shaking like a frightened little girl. Dena Brenton didn’t look like this. Ever.
The officer made a move to touch her shoulder and she jolted back, causing a spurt of blood to leak from her side.
Dena Brenton didn’t want anyone to touch her either.
Ever.
****
At precisely 10:49, Carter became officially concerned about Dena’s whereabouts. If she left when she’d said she was going to, she should have been in his arms right now. An hour delay he could rationalize away. Perhaps she’d gone to that dinner after all. Maybe there’d been traffic on the way home. Possibly she’d blown past a state trooper doing over a hundred miles per hour to get back to Vermont and had gotten a ticket.
But why hadn’t she called him if it had been any of those potential scenarios? And why hadn’t she answered her phone when he’d called her?
The only conclusion Carter could come to was that something much, much worse had happened to Dena. He’d tried calling her a few more times, but she hadn’t picked up. Texted, but she didn’t text back. Voicemailed, but still no reply.
Did she change her mind? Maybe he’d come on too strong with his welcome home proposition. She’d seemed into what he’d suggested though. Dena wasn’t the type to play along for the hell of it. She was far too goal oriented to merely talk the talk. If she had said she was leaving Rhode Island tonight to come to his cottage that was exactly what she’d planned to do.
So what had stopped her?
Carter picked up his phone from the arm of the couch and texted the only person he could at nearly 11:00 at night.
Have you heard from Dena?
He lowered to the couch to keep himself from pacing the length of the living room as he’d been doing for the past hour and a half. By now, the candles he’d lit were melted globs of white wax. The fire in the fireplace had died down, embers still glowing red, but the sexy roar of it had long since silenced. He glanced down when his phone vibrated on his thigh.
No. Isn’t she with you? Leah texted.
That had been the plan. She hasn’t shown up. I’m worried.
Did you call/text her?
Yes. She’s not answering anything. Did Dakota hear anything?
Hang on.
Carter drummed his fingers on his knee as he pictured his best friend waking her fiancé to ask questions. Maybe he should get in his car and search for Dena himself. This sitting in his cottage and waiting was making him insane. Dena was the most punctual person he’d ever met. She was never late for anything. In fact, most of the time, she was early.
Dakota hasn’t heard anything, but he’s calling his parents right now, Leah texted.
Carter stood and began pacing again. Didn’t mean to upset anyone.
Of course not, but we have to locate her. I’ll call you after Dakota talks to his parents.
Okay.
Carter felt like an ass for waking up Leah and Dakota and now Dakota’s poor parents, but it was probably better to do that than wait a second longer for Dena. He said a quick prayer she’d show up. He wanted nothing more than for a soft knock to sound at his door and to find beautiful Dena on the other side of it.
Where can she be?
His slightly warped video-game-world mind easily conjured up gruesome situations that could have befallen Dena. Shaking his head, he attempted to clear those images from his brain, but they were stuck there. Shit, when had he turned into such a worrier? He’d no doubt have Dena laughing her gorgeous ass off when he explained how he’d imagined fifty ways she could be hanging on for dear life. He needed to simmer down and think logically.
As Dena would. She wouldn’t get all dramatic and carried away. She’d look for the most logical explanation and then problem solve from there.
So what was the most logical explanation? That she’d chickened out. That she was afraid of leveling up with him. That she didn’t think he was actual boyfriend material. Carter guessed he had that coming. He’d been keeping things light and easy for the past two months. No wonder she hadn’t truly believed he was capable of more, that he wanted more. She’d probably seen this conference trip as a way to gain some distance from him and his suggestion she come back tonight was too little, too late.
It was his own fault. He’d told Dena everything about his brother and how he was afraid to depend on people too much. Any woman in her right mind would run in the other direction from a commitment-phobic video game developer who lived—and sometimes behaved—like a college student.
He was an idiot for contacting Leah and bugging Dakota. When it all came out that Dena was avoiding Carter, embarrassment would get a chokehold on him.
His phone rang and he nearly dropped it, the ringtone loud in the quiet of his cottage. His cottage that was supposed to have one Dena Brenton in it by now. He should be worshipping every inch of her stunning body at this very moment.
“Hey, Leah,” he said after swiping his screen. “What’s the word?”
“Stay calm,” Leah said.
Not the words he’d expected her to say.
“Come over and I’ll fill you in,” his best friend said.
“No. Tell me now. Is Dena okay? What happened?” His heart was pounding, and suddenly he was back in his apartment in New York watching the news of the airport shooter where his little brother was picking up his fiancée with Leah’s parents and sister. Carter’s breath came in rapid spurts and spots danced before his eyes.
“Carter.” Leah’s voice was stern. “Carter, don’t time travel back to losing Chase. We haven’t lost Dena.”
“So you found out where she is?” He wiped his sweat-soaked palm on the thigh of his jeans.
“Yes. She was attacked in the parking garage of the hotel, but—”
His legs wobbled and he lowered to the couch. “Attacked? What do you mean attacked?”
“Dakota’s father talked to a Providence police officer who explained that another conference attendee had invited her to dinner. She’d checked out of the hotel instead, intending to head home, but she ran into the attendee. He got upset that she was scooting out, so he came at her when she was at her vehicle in the parking garage. A security guard saw them, thought something was suspicious, and investigated. A slight scuffle followed and...”
“And what, Leah? Oh, God, and what?” Carter squeezed his eyes closed.
“Dena is being treated at a Providence hospital for a minor stab wound.”
Carter shot to his feet. “Stab wound! Jesus.”
“She’s okay, Carter. Nothing fatal. Some stitches. Dakota’s father and Jacy are headed to Rhode Island right now. They’ll probably stay overnight and head back to Vermont tomorrow.”
“Why didn’t she call any of us?” He would have hopped into his car and driven at warp speed to Rhode Island if he’d known what was going on.
“Her phone was dropped in the parking garage. The security guard picked it up, but it was broken. Priority one was getting Dena to the hospital.”
Did that mean the wound was worse than Leah was saying?
“I’m going to Rhode Island,” Carter said. Screw more waiting for Dena. He had to see for himself that she was all right.
“Carter.” Leah’s voice had taken on that teacher tone she used with her students. “There’s nothing you can do right now, and I can tell you’re upset. Not a good idea to drive for four hours when your head isn’t clear. Come over here instead, buddy, and we’ll wait together.”
“No. I didn’t go to the airport when Chase was...” His throat completely seized up and the words wouldn’t come out.
“I know, Carter. I know, but this is different. Dena is going to be fine. She’ll be home by tomorrow. The hospital said they’re keeping her overnight for observation. She really is okay. This isn’t like Chase. Not at all.”
But wasn’t it? With Chase he hadn’t been able to go to his brother’s side. He hadn’t been there when Chase needed him. He’d been waiting... for his brother to die apparently. Carter was sick of waiting.
“There’s nothing you can do by going to Rhode Island tonight, Carter,” Leah said.
He hated that Leah was right. “Can you at least give me a phone number? I’d like to call her. I need to call her.”
“I have the number for the hospital right here.” Leah rattled off the numbers and Carter jotted them down, hoping he’d be able to read what he’d written. “Are you sure I can’t convince you to come over here, Carter?”
“I’m sure. I’m okay. I’m worried about Dena though. I knew something wasn’t right.” Maybe if he’d called Leah sooner, there would have been time for him to drive to Rhode Island to be with Dena.
“If you change your mind,” Leah said, “stop by. We don’t mind.”
“Thanks, Leah.”
“Carter?”
“Yeah?”
“What you were planning tonight should definitely still happen,” Leah said. “I haven’t seen you that excited in a long, long time. Dena excites you. She brings you joy, and you deserve every ounce of that joy. When she gets back, you hit her with that romance and charm. You tell her what you’re feeling. We both know how quickly life can change.”
Carter’s eyes stung. He managed another soft thanks and hung up. After downing a glass of water at the kitchen sink—and wishing it were whiskey instead—he dialed the hospital number, asked for Dena Brenton’s room, and held his breath as each ring sounded.
“Hello?” A scratchy, weak voice filled his ears. A voice not at all like the powerful, successful, take-no-shit Dena’s voice he’d become accustomed to over the past two months.
“Dena, it’s me. Are you okay?” Of course she wasn’t. Even if the physical wound wasn’t bad, the emotional one caused by the horrific situation would fester for quite some time. Here he was, years after his brother’s unexpected death, and the emotional bruises were still black and blue, still tender. Sudden rage filled him. “What’s this bastard’s name?”
A puff of air resonated from Dena’s end. “His name doesn’t matter.”
“It matters if I’m going to hunt him down and—”
“You’re not a violent man, Carter Bennett,” Dena interrupted. “Besides, the police already have the asshole, and I’m fine.”
“I’m coming down to Rhode Island,” he said. “I’ll leave right now.”
“No. I’m so tired. I’m just going to sleep. My dad and sister are coming. I’ll be home tomorrow.” It sounded as if every word she said took a mammoth effort to utter. What shape was she in?
Carter wasn’t sure he could wait until tomorrow to make sure she was truly all right. He raked his hand through his hair as he slouched onto one of the stools at his kitchen island. “I’m sorry, Dena.”
“Sorry? You have no reason to be sorry, Carter.”
“It was selfish of me to ask you to come home tonight. You would have gone to the dinner that assclown invited you to and all this bullshit could have been avoided.”
“For all we know, I could have gone to that dinner and said assclown could have gone psycho at any point during the evening. It’s not your fault. It’s his fault.”
A few heartbeats of silence stretched between them and Carter thought Dena had fallen asleep. The hospital had no doubt given her something to make her more comfortable.
“Dena?”
“Yeah?”
“Are you in pain?”
“Everything’s... numb right now.” She yawned. “Listen, my eyelids weigh about two tons each so I’m going to catch some sleep before my father and sister get here.”
“Right. Okay.” He wasn’t nearly done hearing her voice, nor nearly convinced she was all right. “I’ll check on you tomorrow.”
“Sure.” And then she hung up.
Carter sat at the kitchen island, staring at his phone, wishing he could rewind time and change the course of this night. Only hours ago, he’d had a light, fun, playful conversation with Dena. A conversation in which he’d solidified plans to have sex with her tonight. To sail past the safe kissing phase directly into the exciting waters of making love.
Because that was what it would be with Dena. Making love. That was the kind of woman she was. The kind of woman a man made love to.
