15

Christina

I stood in an empty black hole with mirrors all around me. With the tip of my shoe, I touched the black water at my feet. A ripple tore through the floor and led down through a river of nothingness. "Hello?" I called out and my voice echoed in the darkness.

A chill ran through me and I rubbed my arms for warmth.

Where am I?

I stood all alone in the darkness with no one around me but reflections of myself. Inexplicably, the reflection didn't mirror the black dress I wore or my shoulder-length hair. In the first mirror to my left, I wore pigtails. I was about twelve years old. In the next, I was fifteen, and in each subsequent mirror, I became a little older until the last one reflected a withered and wrinkled face with deeply sad eyes.

But in all of them, I was alone. There was no one I could turn to but myself.

"Christina," someone whispered beside me. It was a man's voice, and I rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands.

Slowly, I opened them and saw Will's long brown hair brush against his jawline. As he pushed his hair back with his fingers, his lips tugged into a sheepish grin. "Did I wake you?"

It was obvious that he had, but I was so happy to see him, I couldn't be angry.

But Will was in the hospital. Was I still dreaming? Did he now haunt my subconscious?

Cautiously, I raised my hand to his jaw and gently pressed my fingertips to his lips. My skin felt the smoothness of his skin and my heart leaped out of my chest. "It's really you," I breathed out.

He smiled. "Were you hoping for someone else?"

I shook my head, threw my arms around his neck, and pulled him down. He stumbled, but quickly regained his stance. "Whoa!"

I ignored his chuckle and pressed my body against him, wanting to feel his heartbeat next to mine.

"You're OK. You're not in a coma."

"I was never in a coma. At least I don't think I was."

The white wall behind him and the smell of sanitizer reminded me that I was still at the hospital. The uncomfortable chair I'd slept in last night in the waiting room had numbed my butt.

He pulled away. "I felt your hand over mine last night and your head on my chest. I felt everything. I tried to touch you, but the doctor came in and then I lost my strength."

He ran his hand along my hair. "I wanted to do this. I wanted to touch you and console you."

"Console me?"

"You were crying."

I blinked. "No. I wasn't."

He grinned again, and my heart hammered against my chest. "I was just a little emotional after the scare you put me through."

"I'm sorry about that."

I playfully smacked his chest. "You should be. You could have been killed."

He pulled me into his arms again. I closed my eyes briefly and when I opened them, all the memories from last night came flooding in.

"I've got to check on my sister."

"She's fine. I checked on her while you were sleeping. They're going to keep her for one more day for observation."

I stared at the clean gray T-shirt and cargo pants he wore. "How did you—"

"Jake came by earlier this morning and brought me some clothes and toiletries. You were out cold on that chair."

"I guess. I must have missed all that. I'm going to pop in and see how my sister is doing."

"I'll come with you."

He held my hand as we walked down the hospital hallway. A few of the nurses smiled, and some even winked. I'd never been comfortable with attention—especially not because I was holding hands with a man.

"What's with all the eyes on us?" I asked.

Will shrugged. "The story of what happened yesterday has been making its rounds throughout the hospital. Jake had to pay off a reporter just to keep it out of the news."

"That was good thinking."

Will nodded.

When we reached the last room at the end of the hallway, he stopped in front of the doorway. "I'll wait here for you."

Inside, my sister lay on the hospital bed, staring out the window, but as soon as I stepped closer, she turned to face me. Her face was serene, showing neither a smile nor a frown. We were alike in that way, refusing to show people how we felt. She watched me as I sat down beside her.

"How do you feel?"

"Like I French-kissed a chimney."

"That sounds terrible."

"It was."

I wondered if she meant more than the fire. "Do you want to talk about what happened?"

She shook her head.

"I'm ready to nail the bastard to the wall in court whenever you're ready to tell your side of the story."

She turned toward the window again. "I don't know how I feel about sharing all of that in public. It's not something I'm proud of, you know."

"I know," I said.

"Is this where you tell me I told you so?"

"No."

She rolled her eyes. "I guess I should thank you for sending your boyfriend to the house to save me."

I frowned. "My boyfriend? Who said he was my boyfriend?"

She shrugged. "The way he talked about you when he came in to check on me. Said he would take care of any hospital bills and not to worry about anything except getting better. Figured you bagged yourself some hotshot lawyer."

I smiled wryly. "No lawyer I know would run into a burning house."

"Then he's not a lawyer, but he is your boyfriend?"

"I don't know. I don't want to think about that right now. The only thing I'm focusing on is making Simon pay for what he did to us."

"Us? I don't remember seeing you locked in that house."

Shit. Did I say ‘us'?

"I meant you. And you should testify. Don't let him get away with it. You owe it to yourself."

"That's just like you, Christina. You always think you know more than I do."

"How would you know anything about me? You haven't seen me since I was twelve years old."

She crossed her arms over the white sheets. "Oh, here we go again. You're going to complain about how we weren't there for you."

"I'm not complaining. It taught me a lot about the world."

"So, you're thanking me now?"

"No."

We both sighed but ignored each other's discomfort. "I didn't come here to argue, Donna. Just think about it."

"Fine. I'll think about it."

"What about the other women? Will they testify?"

"I don't know. You'll have to ask them."

Her lips tightened, and her eyes turned cold. I recognized that face. She was done talking. "All right. I'll check on you later."

She nodded and turned over, giving me her back.

I walked out of the room and found Will waiting near the visitor's lounge. He quickly stood up when he saw me. "How did it go?"

"Exactly the way I expected it to."

He watched me closely. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

I shook my head. "Nope."

I glanced down the hallway. "Do you know which room the other women are in?"

"I'll take you to them."

"You've checked on them, too?"

He nodded. "Of course."

Will's concern should have endeared me to him, but something told me there was more to it than just concern. There was a sense of obligation that I just didn't understand yet.

"The police were with them this morning. They may be a little tired."

I stopped. "Do you know if they gave them an official statement?"

"They did. Your sister said she wasn't ready yet, but she'll come around."

I snorted. "No, she won't. My sister has always just looked out for herself."

"Some people take more time than others."

I looked up, and he smiled at me.

"I'm nothing like her."

He smiled. "I didn't say you were."

"Are you playing mind games with me? Because I'm the wrong girl to play with."

His lips stretched roguishly and his hair fell over his eyes when he leaned against the doorframe. When he crossed his arms over his tight T-shirt and his muscles bunched, my throat went dry.

"Stop that."

"Stop what?"

I waved a hand in front of him. "Looking at me like that."

His smile grew wider and this time he flashed his teeth. My breath caught, and I remembered him covered in soot and carrying my sister's body through a black haze of smoke. And my heart squeezed. I inhaled sharply to loosen my chest, but the look in his eyes only made my stomach clench. My emotions were all over the place, but there was one thing that I knew for certain.

I wanted this man.

His smile disappeared as he read something on my face.

"Christina?" he asked softly.

I licked my lips, imagining his chest flexing as he held her, and then remembering the taste of him on my tongue when I kissed his shoulder…

He dropped his arms and caressed my cheek. "Let's go back to my place."

I shook my head, not wanting to wait that long. Yesterday's adrenaline rush at having rescued Donna and her friends, plus today's elation at seeing Will awake and well, caused a burning need inside of me that mixed with a gnawing emptiness when I left Donna's room. There was a coldness in my heart that was starting to form and I knew being with Will would keep it at bay. At least for a little while.

My gaze caught a stairwell through a small window by the door. I placed my hand in his and pulled him toward the exit. We were on the seventh floor. I didn't expect many people to take the stairs, but the excitement that someone could walk in on us only fueled my desire.

I gripped Will's T-shirt and pulled it over his head. His stomach muscles clenched, and I thought it the sexiest sight I'd ever seen. My nipples painfully pressed against my bra.

My body's instant reaction to this man both thrilled and terrified me. No one had ever done that.

His mouth found mine, and I trailed my fingers across his pecs, mapping out his body, memorizing every curve, muscle, and contour.

His fingers found the back of my bra and unclasped it. My chest loosened, and I breathed out a sigh. Kissing my neck, Will unbuttoned the rest of my dress and it fell to my feet. Standing in only my underwear, I watched as he unbuttoned his pants. My eyes blazed as hot as fire when he took himself in hand and guided his erection away from his briefs. I wanted him as naked as I was, but I wanted him inside of me more.

I grasped his stiff shaft and ran my hand down to the base. He hissed and bit his lip as I stroked him slowly. His eyes held mine, and I read a desire in them that singed me to the core.

My heart raced as I anticipated him entering me. He was larger than anyone else I'd been with, and I could hardly wait to have him fill me so tightly again.

But first, his fingers found their way to my slick lips, and he rubbed up and down my clit. I moaned and wrapped one leg over his waist. "Come on, Will," I panted. "Take me." I pressed my pussy to his palm and ground my clit against his hand. I needed more. I needed him inside of me. But he continued to tease me instead, dropping his head to my nipple and flicking it with his tongue.

I opened my mouth, but no sound escaped as the sensation left me speechless. The cool air against my sensitive flesh made my nipples pucker and harden. My soft breasts felt firmer as I ran my hands over them, and Will growled when he saw me.

"You're so fucking sexy, you know that?"

"Yes," I breathed.

He grinned, and I pressed his mouth to my breast, wanting his tongue to flick it again. He did, over and over. And my pussy clenched. "More," I moaned, reaching for his mouth. "I need more."

My body shook when he lifted me from the floor, both legs now wrapped around his waist. He guided his cock to my entrance and slowly pressed inside of me. He filled me with only his tip and I bit down on his shoulder, anticipating the rest.

"Yes," I panted. "Yes."

I nudged his back with my heels to push him deeper inside of me, but he was still only halfway in.

"Slowly, baby. I don't want to hurt you."

"Hurt me," I said, frustrated by his pace.

He pulled away to look at me and searched my face. I nodded when I read the question in his eyes. Yes, I was serious.

Lifting me higher onto the wall with a grunt, he pushed himself inside of me. My pussy stretched, and I gasped at the pain and pleasure of it both. "Fuck," I whispered.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes. Don't stop."

He moved his hips, in and out of me, while pressing his chest against me to hold me up. The pressure felt exquisite. Even though it felt like I couldn't breathe, I was lost in the heat and closeness of it all. I couldn't get enough of him next to me—against me—inside me.

I hugged him tighter, as though I wished him to come right through me.

I craved this closeness as much as I craved the air I breathed.

My desperate clawing spurred on his lust and he pounded me against the wall. The drywall creaked beneath my back and I thought he would break through it. "Yes," I shouted as the first spasm ripped through my body.

Will didn't slow down. Instead, he quickened his pace. I could barely catch my breath as a powerful wave of pleasure burst through me and left me breathless. Still, Will hammed his hips against me and squeezed out every last ounce of desire left inside of me until he finally groaned and stilled his hips.

His harsh breaths fanned my neck as I clung to his shoulders and lay limply in his arms. We didn't move for several heartbeats as we both tried to come back down from our high.

My core spasmed as it held his erection inside of me. My body didn't want to let go, even if my mind told me we should get dressed.

Eventually, Will stepped away and picked up my dress for me. We put our clothes back on in silence. I circumspectly watched him pull his tight T-shirt over his chest and silently cursed that we were in the hospital and not back in his apartment as he'd suggested.

"Do you want to grab some breakfast?" he asked.

I wondered if that's what couples did after having mad sex in the stairwell. I wouldn't know. I was never part of a couple.

"Yeah. Breakfast sounds good."