Chapter 14

Chapter

Fourteen

February 18th

1:29 A.M.

The sounds of screams tore him from sleep.

Since Panther had been tossing and turning, sleeping lightly because he already knew that sooner or later his girls were going to need him, he woke instantly and came fully awake immediately.

Mrs. Pfeffer had insisted that Elle and Ruthie make use of her room for as long as the two would be staying with him and Andy, so he threw open his bedroom door and hurried down the hall. As much as he would have liked to have Elle sleeping in his bed beside him, he had completely understood her need to stay with her daughter. Ruthie was understandably clingy right now, and honestly, Elle was just as bad.

It had been a long month for both of them, and the only way they could heal was by being together.

Just as he reached the closed door to Elle and Ruthie's room, Andy's swung open and his sleep rumpled son stumbled out. Exhausted, both Elle and her daughter had fallen asleep within minutes of finishing their hot chocolate and snuggling under the dozen or so blankets Andy and Beth had piled onto the bed. Leaving the two to sleep, Panther had sat down with his son and had a long talk about some of the issues Ruthie would be facing, including the fact that she might have nightmares and wake up screaming or crying. The last thing he wanted was to freak his son out by being woken by screams in the middle of the night.

"It's okay, bud, go back to bed, I"ve got it," he told Andy.

Looking so very grown up, Andy shook his head. "No, Dad. I"m going to help."

Proud as he was of his boy and his desire to support and protect, he could hardly ask his eight-year-old to take on the responsibility of helping a traumatized child heal. Andy knew the basics, that Ruthie had been kidnapped, and he was old enough to understand what that meant. But he was still a child, Panther's child, and he wanted to shield his son from the harsh realities of life for as long as possible.

"It's not going to be easy, Andy, and it's going to take time." Maybe the reassurance was as much for his benefit as it was his son's. He genuinely liked Elle, admired her strength in enduring hell with her daughter missing, loved how natural and at ease she was with Andy, and thought she was the sexiest woman he'd ever laid eyes on. The desire to fix this problem for her was strong, but there was nothing he could say or do to ease either her trauma or her daughter's.

Slipping his hand into Panther's, Andy squeezed. "They just need us to be there for them, Dad. That's what Beth said. She said when you"re scared and you feel all alone, all you need is for people to be there. She said it doesn't matter if you know them or not so long as they're there."

"Beth said that huh?" Poor Beth had been through so much, yet she was the sweetest, most caring and compassionate woman. It killed every single member of Bravo Team that they couldn't wave a magic wand to return her memories. "All right then, let's get in there and show our girls that we're there for them."

Knowing it was way too soon to be calling Elle and Ruthie his girls didn"t seem to stop him from doing it. From wanting to do it. If he'd had any doubts about what he wanted he wouldn't have invited the two to stay with him. All he would have done was ensure that Prey had them covered, that they would be well taken care of and would have access to anything they needed.

But this was where he wanted them. Right here where he could make sure they knew they were safe and protected, where he could make sure Elle was taking care of herself as well as taking care of her daughter.

Together, he and Andy opened the door and walked into the bedroom. With all the fairy lights Beth and his son had strung up, there was plenty of light in there, and the TV was still on. He'd left it on when he and Andy snuck out because he wanted some background noise, hoping it might help stave off nightmares.

In the middle of the bed sat Elle with her arms wrapped around her sobbing daughter. Panther wasn't sure if it had been Elle screaming in her sleep, or Ruthie, or whether they had both been plagued by bad dreams, but both of them were currently crying. While Panther hesitated a moment, even as Elle's big brown eyes turned to him imploring him to do something to make her feel better, safer, reassured her daughter was home, Andy had no such hesitation.

His son just jumped up onto the bed and crawled over to the crying girls, wrapping his arms around them. With all his eight years of sweet innocence, his little boy just came right out and asked what he wanted to know. "Did you have bad dreams?"

Lifting her tear-stained face from her mother's neck, Ruthie nodded. The little girl had taken instantly to Andy, and Panther was relieved that she seemed to have taken to him as well, even though she was scared of men right now. There was no shadow of doubt in his mind, if Ruthie hadn"t been okay with being near him then she and Elle wouldn't be there.

"What did you dream about?" Andy asked.

"I dreamed about Jimmy, he was hurting me and my mommy," Ruthie whispered.

Andy patted her shoulder. "Jimmy isn't here, and even if he were, me and my dad wouldn't let him hurt you."

When did his son grow up this much? When had he gotten so smart and intuitive?

"In my room I have a special ring," Andy told Ruthie, and Panther smiled at the mention of the ring that had been a lifesaver when his son was younger.

Like most small children, Andy had gone through the stage of being scared of the dark. To help out, Panther had found a superhero ring. It had a little light to turn on and you could flip through several superheros and it would project their picture up onto the ceiling, making it seem like they were watching over you while you slept. It had been a couple of years now since Andy outgrew the ring and its uses, but he wasn't surprised that his son had kept it.

"You can use it if you want, it will keep you safe, and you know my dad is the best superhero of all, he won"t let anyone hurt you," Andy said confidently.

"How does your ring keep people safe?" Ruthie asked, obviously curious about the idea.

"It has all the superheroes inside it, and you can choose which one you want. There's Batman, and The Flash, Hulk, and Ironman," Andy said excitedly.

"Supergirl is the best superhero," Ruthie said, all full of seven-year-old sass.

"Supergirl is in the ring. You want to go see? I have bunk beds in my room, you can sleep on the top one if you want, that way you can have Supergirl and me keeping you safe," Andy offered.

"Can I, Mommy?" Ruthie asked.

Panther could tell Elle didn"t want to say yes. She wanted to keep her daughter close and be able to see and touch her. Ruthie might have been the one who had been kidnapped, but both of them had suffered equally just in different ways.

Despite her hesitation, Elle nodded, and smoothed a lock of hair off her daughter's wet cheek. "If you want to sleep in Andy's room, you can."

"Thanks, Mommy." Ruthie kissed her mom and then bounded off the bed with Andy and the two children ran off hand in hand to Andy's room.

The second Ruthie was out of sight Elle just broke.

Watching her battle to keep her sobs silent so she wouldn't upset her daughter broke his heart. She'd been so brave, so strong, and she knew she had to keep being brave and strong because her child needed her to be.

Reaching for her felt like the most natural thing in the world. Panther hauled her onto his lap and Elle came without hesitation. Her arms wrapped around his neck, her fingers curling into his bare shoulders as she clung to him. Tears wet his skin as she pressed her face into his neck, and her entire body shuddered as he held and rocked her, while murmuring soothing words in her ear.

"I was almost too late," she whispered through her tears. "I was one minute late and he had his hands around her neck as I walked into the house."

Even though he'd already heard her give her statement to the cops, hearing it again, so raw and painful, broke his heart. She'd been one minute late because she was here with his son. If Ruthie had died because Elle had been with Andy he never would have forgiven himself.

"But you weren"t late, honey. You saved your daughter's life, you did everything you had to to make sure you both stayed alive until I could come for you. I will always come for you, Elle. For you and Ruthie. Whatever you need, I"m there for you."

February 18th

2:03 A.M.

I'm there for you.

Those words sounded so wonderful … almost magical.

When had anyone ever offered her their unconditional support?

Certainly not her parents. Their support was conditional upon her following the path they had chosen for her. And certainly not her ex. His support had been non existent. In his mind, she should take care of the house and him, all while earning a good living for the both of them.

It was something Elle was used to, being strong for herself and her daughter, taking care of everything by herself, but now as she sank deeper into Rafe's embrace, she felt a knot inside her loosen and unravel.

She wasn't alone.

Rafe was here.

Even though they both knew she could take care of herself and Ruthie alone if she had to, she didn"t have to. Because Rafe was right there offering his unwavering support so she didn"t have to do this alone.

This was her safe place, a place where she didn"t always have to be strong and have it all together. Which was why she felt free now to cry out her pain, knowing she wouldn't be judged for it, something she wouldn't have allowed herself to do with anyone else.

Uncurling her fingers from where they were pressed much too firmly against Rafe's bare back, she lifted her hands and placed them on his shoulders. They were so broad, Elle was sure there was no limit to what he could carry. But if they were together she would never make him carry the load alone. They'd be partners in every sense of the word.

"I want you, Rafe," she whispered, allowing the need and desire brewing inside her to shine through.

Echoing desire flared in his golden-brown eyes making them look like two glowing gold orbs, but his touch when he palmed her cheek was light as a feather. "I didn"t ask you and Ruthie to stay with me because I expected sex, Elle."

"I"ve wanted you since the second I saw you, but I couldn't even let myself think about it because my daughter was missing and that was my priority. I couldn't have sex with a stranger while she was in danger."

"I"m still a stranger," he said softly, the fingers of the hand cupping her cheek never ceasing to caress her skin.

"You don't feel like a stranger." Crazy, but the truth. It reminded her of the song in Disney's Sleeping Beauty, where Aurora knew about Prince Phillip from her dreams. It was like there was a part of her soul that recognized Rafe. Never before had she experienced anything like it. Not with any of the boys she'd dated in high school, and not with her ex-husband.

"You're vulnerable right now, Elle, and I don't want to take advantage. I don't ever want to be something you regret, and I want our first time to be special."

His words only made her want him more. Everything he said, everything he cared about, everything he stood for, it was everything she had craved in a partner. Bobby had been a mistake, part of her knew it at the time, but he'd offered her an out of the life her parents were trying to force her into and she'd taken it.

Nothing about Rafe could ever be a mistake.

"This is the most amazing day of my life. I got my baby back alive, and it's all thanks to you. I want you, Rafe. I need you. Make love to me, please." Elle didn"t want to beg, and if he said no she would respect that, couldn't not when he thought he was doing the right thing, but she knew herself, knew this was what she wanted, it wouldn't be taking advantage.

"You"re hurt," he reminded her, but she could see his resolve weakening.

"So we'll go gentle, and I'll let you be in complete control, I know you won"t hurt me."

Fire burned in his eyes, lust mixed with desire. "Oh, honey, I don't know if you want to make me that offer. I like control in the bedroom and it's been a long time for me."

"Me too. Not since my ex. After the divorce I didn"t have the time or the interest in sex. I"m clean and I"m on birth control."

His other hand lifted to frame her face and he studied her gaze carefully. "You"re positive? Because I"m not going anywhere, this can wait until you"re ready."

"I"m ready now."

"All right, honey, then I got you. You want to do this here, on neutral ground, or in my room?"

"Your bed," Elle replied without hesitation. She didn"t want neutral, she wanted to be completely surrounded by Rafe. "That's where I want to be. I want to be completely surrounded by your scent."

"Oh, honey, you'll be covered in it," Rafe promised with a wink as he scooped her up and carried her down the hall to his bedroom.

Without her even having to ask, he paused at the door to Andy's room, balancing her in one arm so he could ease it open and they could both see their children asleep in the bunk beds, a projection of Supergirl on the ceiling. As shocked as she was that Ruthie had been willing to sleep anywhere but in her arms, Elle was glad that her daughter felt comfortable enough there, and with Andy specifically, that she was okay sleeping in the little boy's room.

Once they reached Rafe's room, he set her on her feet and stared down at her for a moment. Then he leaned down and touched the softest of kisses to the bruises covering most of the left side of her face.

"So brave," he whispered as he reached for the hem of her tank top. Carefully, he maneuvred it off her, doing his best to cause her as little pain as possible. Then once the top was off, discarded on the floor, he leaned in and kissed the bruises forming on her chest. The sweet touch made the cracked ribs more than bearable.

The tenderness emanating from Rafe as he kneeled before her, nuzzling the stretch marks on her stomach as though they were the most beautiful thing in the world, had heat pooling between her legs.

When had a man ever made her feel this sexy? This alive?

Never.

While she wouldn't say the sex she'd had before was bad, it wasn't the passionate, all-consuming experience she wrote about in her books. In her books, the heroes worshiped the heroines, they made love to them in the most exquisitely perfect ways, in the way she had always longed to be made love to.

In the way Rafe was slowly inching her fuzzy pajama pants down her legs.

Because her ribs had been sore when she'd changed into pajamas, she hadn"t bothered with underwear, and now she was glad she hadn"t. As soon as he had stripped her of the pants and tossed them aside, Rafe pressed his face to the apex of her thighs and breathed in.

The puff of air that escaped as he breathed back out again tickled her already throbbing bud and Elle sucked in a breath of her own.

"So beautiful, so strong," Rafe whispered, brushing his fingertips over her bruises as he stood. "So very brave. My gorgeous warrior woman."

That he respected her and found her bravery in doing what she could to fight for her and her daughter's lives as attractive as he found her body had to be the sexiest thing ever. Attraction was one thing, but she wanted so much more.

She wanted the soulmate, forever kind of love she wrote about.

Elle just hadn"t thought it was in the cards for her.

Now she wondered if it was.

"You"re my gorgeous warrior man, what you did for me and Ruthie, I can never repay you for that." Elle knew that if it hadn"t been for this man, her daughter would have been lost to her forever. She would have gone into that house alone, the cops wouldn't have come in time to save her from being raped, and her faith in them was low enough that she believed they would have bungled the whole thing, possibly getting her or her daughter killed.

"Don't want you to repay me, honey," Rafe said as his hands curled around her backside and he lifted her. His huge length strained against his sweatpants, held like this it settled snugly against her center making her already aching core grow wetter.

Laying her out on the bed, he shucked his pants, and then nudged her legs apart, settling between them.

That first swipe of his tongue was pure heaven.

Then he latched his mouth onto her bundle of nerves and sucked and licked, driving her wild. Elle's fingers curled into the sheets, and her body began to writhe as pleasure built inside her, and then it just … stopped.

When she lifted her head to find Rafe moving up her body, she looked at him in confusion. He was just going to leave her hanging on the verge of what she already knew would have been the best orgasm of her life?

"Trust me, beautiful," Rafe said just before his mouth closed around one of her nipples and she lost the ability to think of anything but the attention he was lavishing on her breast.

Time was nothing as she lay in Rafe's bed, her body his to do with as he pleased. It could have been minutes or hours before his mouth left her right breast and touched the softest of kisses to her left nipple before his hands went between her legs.

Her already sensitive bud throbbed when he rolled the pad of his thumb over it, and she was so wet that his finger slipped easily inside her. He pumped it in and out at a leisurely pace, pausing to play with her bundle of nerves, then added another finger. With every thrust he made sure he grazed a spot inside her that Elle hadn"t been entirely convinced existed even if she did include it in the spicy scenes in her books.

Just as she could feel an orgasm begin to shimmer to life inside her, Rafe withdrew his hands.

"Rafe," she whined, hating how needy she sounded, like she was begging him for pleasure. Only she was so close, so desperate for release that she was prepared to beg even if she didn"t like it. "I need?—"

"I know what you need, gorgeous, and trust me you"re going to get it. By the time I let you come its going to be so big it will devour you."

His mouth ravished her breast again, and then he kissed her as his hand went back between her legs, stroking, thrusting, rolling her bud between his thumb and forefinger. Elle felt like a mindless, throbbing, needy mess of sensations, she was so desperate to come and yet, at the same time, she loved the sweet torture he was inflicting on her body.

With each touch, each kiss, he was showing her how much he cared, how much he wanted to bring her pleasure. After all, she had no one to blame but herself for her delayed gratification, letting Rafe be in control was her idea.

"Are you ready, beautiful?" he asked as he settled between her spread legs again.

"Yes, Rafe, please, please let me come."

"You'll be coming all right." This time, when his mouth swiped across her center, delving deep inside her when his fingers spread her open, then latched onto her bud there was a fervency to his touch. Her pleasure wasn't the only one he was delaying, and when they both did come Elle had no doubts it was going to be out of this world amazing.

It was building quickly, her body already so sensitive it wasn't going to take much to push her over the edge. Her fingers clutched the sheets tight enough they ached, and her head moved restlessly on the pillow.

Crescendoing faster than she could have believed, when Rafe sucked hard on her bundle of nerves and flicked his tongue at the same time he thrust his fingers inside her and brushed against that special spot, the explosion hit.

It rocketed through her with the force of a tornado, tossing her about until she had no idea which way was up.

She couldn't think, all she could do was feel, and it felt so big, so strong, that it almost scared her.

"Rafe," she whimpered, needing him to join her on his crazy journey.

Aftershocks were still rippling through her when he plunged inside her in one smooth move.

"Come again for me, gorgeous," he commanded.

"Can"t." Her body was too strung out, too wiped out by the intensity of her orgasm that she was positive she couldn't come again so soon.

Rafe, on the other hand, was positive of the opposite. He thrust in and out of her, balancing his weight with one hand while his other began to touch her where their bodies were joined. Her overly sensitive bud still buzzed but Rafe just took it, worked it between his fingers and in mere seconds he had another orgasm building.

This one somehow managed to be even more intense, perhaps because Rafe found his release at the same time she did, and Elle clung to him as pleasure fired through her body, burning every single nerve ending, her heart, and her soul.

Branded.

That's how she felt. Like Rafe had branded her tonight in a way she would never be able to forget, never be able to outrun, never be able to escape.

Which was perfect because she didn"t want to escape what was growing between them.