Chapter 35

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

She couldn’t sleep. Silvery moonlight streamed in through the curtains, spilling over the bed, deepening the shadows in the corners of the room. A shiver ran down her spine. Each time she closed her eyes she saw the man who’d broken in.

Was it Joel? What did he intend to do to her? Drug her and take her back to his house? Or worse, kill her?

Knowing she wouldn’t be able to fall asleep, Ainsley tossed back the covers and climbed from the bed. On silent feet she glided toward the door, then crept down the stairs. She moved stealthily through the formal sitting room at the back of the house, her gaze drawn to the large patio doors.

Beyond, fog swirled in the air, shrouding the landscape, and goosebumps sprouted over her arms. The silvery glow of the moon broke through the clouds and spilled over the lake. The water rippled as a gust of wind slithered over the land, sending shafts of light splintering over the surface. Leaves danced and branches rubbed against one another, but nothing was out of place.

She wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or disappointed. Part of her hoped he would come back, if only to catch him in the act. Ainsley tipped her head against the window and closed her eyes. The glass was cool, the effect almost soothing to her nerves. Her heart felt like it hadn’t slowed down, and she couldn’t relax.

The soft click of toenails on the floor sent goosebumps prickling along her arms, and Ainsley froze as the dog lumbered toward her. She’d completely forgotten about the giant German shepherd, and for a moment, crippling panic seized her.

She remained rigidly still as the dog padded softly forward, then leaned against her legs, clearly looking for attention. Or… to offer comfort.

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she regarded the large dog. She tentatively ran a hand over his head, and Sarge nuzzled against her as Ainsley scratched behind his ears.

“You’re not so bad, you know,” Ainsley whispered.

Suddenly a face appeared in the reflection, and she whirled around. A scream caught in her throat as her gaze locked on the broad figure looming in the doorway. She stumbled backward, her shoulder blades hitting the cool glass of the door.

She opened her mouth to scream just as her brain caught up with her eyes and the man’s face came into view.

“It’s just me.”

Her shoulders curved inward and her lungs deflated as relief rushed through her. She dragged in a shuddering breath and covered her face with her hands.

“I’m sorry.” Two strong hands curled around her elbows. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

The deep timbre of his voice wrapped around her, and she swayed into him. He took her weight easily, shifting her so one brawny arm banded around her waist. His free hand moved to her back and slid over her spine in a comforting motion.

He was so strong, so solid. For the past few weeks she’d been constantly on edge, leaving her drained both emotionally and physically. She tipped her head against his shoulder and breathed in his masculine scent, soaking up the heat of his body. It felt good to have a shoulder to lean on, someone to hold her when she needed it most.

“I’m sorry.” A ragged exhale filtered from her lips as she peeled herself away from him. “I’m a mess.”

“You’re not a mess. You have every right to be cautious.” Dare peered down at her, concern marring his brow. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, and he tipped his head toward the couch. “Do you want to sit?”

“Sure.” She reluctantly pulled from his grasp and settled in the corner of the couch.

Dare followed suit, leaving plenty of space between them. “Can’t sleep?”

She shook her head. “Every time I close my eyes…”

A shudder rippled down her spine, and Dare settled a hand on her shoulder and squeezed lightly. “You’re safe here. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

He dropped his hand away and she lamented the loss of his touch. “I know.” She swallowed hard then turned to meet his gaze. “I’m sorry if I woke you up.”

“You didn’t. I couldn’t sleep either,” he admitted. “I heard you walking around, so I figured I would come keep you company. If you want it,” he added.

Ainsley offered a little smile. “I appreciate it, thanks.”

Sarge settled next to the couch and Dare gave a little shake of his head. “Looks like he’s taken to protecting you, too.”

Her smile sipped away as she stared at the dog. “We used to have a German Shepherd just like that. A couple years ago,” she said softly. “His name was Ajax. We had to put him down.”

“I’m sorry. Was that how you got…?”

She couldn’t help her fingers straying toward the scar on her left arm. “Yeah. We…”

Ainsley closed her eyes as the memory of that day washed over her. “We had an argument about something. I don’t even remember what. But I was so fed up that I decided to leave. Joel refused to let me go. He…”

Her voice broke, and she swallowed down the bile that rose in her throat. “He sent Ajax after me. It could have been so much worse. He didn’t bite me very hard—I don’t think he wanted to at all, but Joel kept screaming at him to stop me.”

A tear slipped down her cheek as the memory washed over her. She remembered the terror, the pain, as clearly as if it had happened yesterday.

She shivered. “He called Ajax off, then took me to the hospital and told them I’d been attacked. He refused to leave my side, so I couldn’t even tell the doctors what had happened. Even if I did, they wouldn’t believe me. They were his coworkers; they treated him like a god. When I was finally released, he took me home but Ajax was gone. He’d had someone pick him up and taken away…”

She broke off again, and Dare’s hand slid over her knee. He didn’t say a word, just sat there in silence until she continued. “It wasn’t the dog’s fault. He’d never been violent until that day. But just seeing them…”

Goosebumps sprouted over her skin as she shook her head. “I can’t help but think about that.”

She could feel the tension radiating off Dare’s body though he kept his touch light as he gently stroked her knee. “I’m glad you’re okay. If you’d prefer I keep him away…”

She shook her head. “I’m getting used to him. It just... catches me off guard sometimes.”

Silence fell for several moments, both of them lost in thought. It was becoming increasingly clear that Joel wasn’t going to let her go. He’d found her, now he meant to drag her back to hell with him. Why? She wasn’t that special. She wasn’t particularly beautiful or smart. She was just obedient and na?ve enough to fall for his manipulative behavior. She’d been so stupid. But never again.

“Why won’t he just leave me alone?” Ainsley asked aloud.

Dare shifted to face her, then gathered her hands in his. “I don’t know, but I’ll make sure he stops. We’ll catch him.”

She shook her head. “I could have figured out a different way. I thought I covered my tracks. If I’d never reached out to Tess…”

Her voice broke as another tear leaked from her eye, and she blinked against the burning sensation. Sarge moved as Dare slid to the floor in front of her. “None of this is your fault. Honey, you have to know that. You did what you had to do in order to survive. Most women would have stayed; I’m so damn proud of you for having the courage to leave. What happened to Tess was tragic, but you didn’t cause that—he did.”

Regret welled up inside her. “I ruined everything. I shouldn’t have come here. I?—”

“This is exactly where you should be,” Dare cut in, his voice harsh. “I always want you to come to me. If you’d stayed... Christ. I don’t even want to think of what would have happened to you. I can’t stand the thought of losing you.”

His eyes blazed up at her, sending a flicker of warmth igniting around her heart. He sounded so sincere, so emphatic. She’d never met a man like Dare before. He was noble and strong, and he believed in what was right. He cared for her.

A dozen emotions ping-ponged through her chest, rapidly changing from grief to despair to need. Dare awakened a long-dormant emotion she hadn’t dared to hope for in years. She wanted to feel close to someone, wanted to be desired, even if it was just for tonight. Her gaze was drawn downward to where Dare still held her hands. Was she brave enough to ask for this?

Her hands shook as she drew in a steadying breath before meeting his gaze. “Earlier you said I don’t trust you. But… I do. I trust you.”

He stared at her for a long moment, his gaze searching. Ever so slowly, his hand lifted and curled around the back of her neck. “You trust me?”

Her tongue darted out to lick her lips, and she nodded. Her heart felt like it would beat right out of her chest, though not from fear this time. A different anticipation swirled in her stomach, sending fire licking along her nerve endings. Did he feel this thing brewing between them?

His thumb stroked along the cords of her throat. She sensed it was a test. It was such a delicate spot; he could easily hurt her if he wanted to. But he never would. She knew that. Dare would never lay a hand on her in anger.

His free hand moved to her hip and squeezed gently. “Let me show you how good it can be.”

His voice was little more than a whisper, barely audible in the stillness of the night. Ainsley nodded, and his grip tightened a fraction. The hand holding her hip shifted to her lower back and pulled her forward, until only a few inches separated them. He gradually increased the pressure on the back of her neck, silently urging her closer.

Her hands moved to his shoulders then slid around the back of his neck as she swayed into him. His lips met hers, just the barest brush of skin on skin. He gave her plenty of time to pull away, to tell him to stop. But that wasn’t what she wanted. Tonight, she wanted to be loved.

She pulled him back to her and pressed her lips to his, encouraging him to keep going. His hands moved over her body, their path slow and sure. He traced each vertebrae of her spine, molded his palms to every curve. When his hand slid upward and brushed her breast, she sucked in a breath. Her nipples tightened almost painfully, and warmth flooded her core. He hesitated, and worry crashed over her.

“Don’t stop,” she breathed against his lips, tightening her hold on his shoulders. “Please…”

“Never,” he promised. “We have all night, honey, and I’m going to make the most of it.”

He kissed her again, then lifted her into his arms as he stood. She’d never been picked up like this before, carried like she weighed nothing at all. It was scary yet exhilarating. Like this she was completely at Dare’s mercy, but she trusted him implicitly. His touch was nothing like Joel’s, and she fought to tune out the old memories, focusing instead on Dare’s hands cupping her bottom as they moved toward the stairs.

Ainsley wrapped her legs around his waist and arched into him. Dare let out a soft groan. “Soon, sweetheart.”

Sarge followed them upstairs, and Dare paused in the doorway of the bedroom. “Sorry, boy. She’s mine tonight.”