CHAPTER 8
It had been seven minutes and twenty-one seconds, and no sign of Daisy. Luke watched the door to the bathroom close with a thud, and no one had gone in or come out since. She was probably being an intentional pain in the ass, primping her wild hair or putting that shit on her lips that made his dick twitch as she stroked it on. Her mouth was going to get her in trouble with her sharp tongue and pouty lips. He was going to take it hard, hot, and unapologetically to shut her up if she didn’t quit tempting the shit out of him.
He went to the women’s room, knocked, then entered when there wasn’t a response. Christ, she was making this as hard as she could. Quick to search the small space, he looked under the stalls – no feet. Then looked around for a window or some other exit route, and there were none of either.
“Son of a bitch,” he hollered, pounding a fist to the wall. “She’s a real fucking Houdini.”
“Liam, you were right, she’s gone. Ran again,” Luke said into his phone. “I dropped that thing in her purse when I pulled her off stage. Where is she?”
“Ah, that’s why she was on the move.” Liam chuckled. “I thought you had her.”
“I did have her, then she gave me the slip,” Luke said, already formulating a plan to prevent that from happening again.
“Well, she isn’t far. I still show her right there. Alleyway, but, bro, she’s not moving anymore,” Liam confirmed. “There’s gotta be a door right there. She’s only thirty feet away, roughly.”
“Get here. Now.”
Daisy froze in fear. Running out that door landed her in the clutches of a man three times her size who wreaked of booze and cheap cigars. Something about his thick seething accent made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. It was familiar, forever etched in her mind, along with blood and murder.
The man’s face wasn’t familiar, but that accent. Could this be one of the men from the Senator’s mansion? If he was, how did he know who she was? Better yet, how had he found her? Carter said it was a clean run – nobody followed them. All she knew in that moment was she needed Luke.
“Whoa,” he said, “where you going in such a hurry, pretty lady?”
“Uh…just waiting for my boyfriend. He’s coming.” Daisy hated herself for sounding so meek and scared.
The man looked over his shoulder at the door she came out of. “Really? He still in that bar?”
“Um…yes.”
He dragged the back of his finger down her arm. “I don’t know if I’d let a woman like you out of my bed, much less my sight at a bar. Never know what you’re going to run into.”
Daisy continued to step backward, until the cold brick wall abruptly stopped her. The man stepped closer, trapping her with an arm propped on either side of her as he leaned into her.
“M-My boyfriend…”
“Is coming out that door,” he taunted. “Right. Seems like he’s in a real hurry to get to you.”
“He h-had to pay the tab.”
“Uh huh. So, are you looking for work, or just a good time? You have that sexy good girl look – I can make either happen if you want it.”
“My…”
“We both know there’s no one coming through that door,” he said, nodding his head, trying to get her to agree. “So, let’s stop playing that game. It’s old already.”
Trying to fight back, she stomped on his foot, but all it did was piss him off. In one swift move, the man backhanded her before slamming his body against hers, his groin at her hip, his arousal evident. When he licked her face, a sob escaped.
“A fighter. We’re going to have fun, pretty lady.”
She spit in his face – anything to buy time. She knew the five minutes Luke gave her had to have expired by now, and he would be looking for her.
“You bitch.” He hit her again. “We can play dirty, if that’s how you like it.”
When she tried to scream, she couldn’t. His arm was resting against her throat, making it hard to breathe, much less anything else, while he squeezed her jaw. His other hand began to drift up her shirt, his dirty nails scratching her skin while the heavy weight of his body kept her pinned. Survive. That was all she could do. He would come for her. She just hoped it wouldn’t be too late.
Desperate, she tried to move beneath him. With part of her arm coming free, she started swinging as hard as she could. It didn’t matter that it was awkward, or had little impact, leaving him in laughter – it was a stall tactic.
The taste of blood in her mouth from his blows and the feel of his rough, calloused hands cupping her breast left her sobbing. Just as she cried out Luke’s name, hoping it was loud enough to draw attention, the weight of the man was lifted from her body and she fell to the ground.
Screeching tires and car doors at the end of the alley caught her attention. It was dusk, and the alley was dimly lit, but the sheer size and stature of the men headed her way brought relief. Wylie stopped, taking to one knee, and brushed the hair from her face before grabbing her shoulders, pulling her close so he could look her over.
“Are you okay?” he asked. She nodded, but he grabbed his light from his utility belt and flashed it her way, revealing the extent of the blows she took. “Son of a bitch. Wait right here. Don’t move.”
Wylie joined his brothers as they pulled her hero from the now bloodied man who tried to assault her. In a whirlwind of motion, she was swept off the ground in strong, familiar arms and rushed the waiting vehicle, which sped off the minute the door closed behind them. The scent of unmistakable perfume had her attention, and the long blonde locks confirmed her suspicion – City.
It was the rumble from the chest her head was resting on that brought her back to the strong embrace holding her.
“Are you okay?” Luke asked, brushing her hair back so he could see her face. What he saw had him nearly choking on his words. “Did he…”
“No,” Daisy said, shaking her head, the distraught look on Luke’s face overwhelming her already emotional state. “No. He just…scared…”
Painful cries drowned out her thoughts. She couldn’t even speak to finish her sentence because the injured sounds of despair were coming from her. Luke held her tighter, cradling her head against his chest, and let her cry. Cry for the assault she just endured. Cry for what she narrowly avoided. Cry for the man she watched die in Nashville. And cry for the life she once knew and would never live again – not the way she had before.
She had been breaking for weeks, and she finally broke, falling to a million pieces that Luke would help her collect and put together again – but not until she had her moment. He held her, comforted her, kissed the top of her head, and consoled her so she knew she wasn’t alone. But he let her have her cry. Daisy finally broke down for the first time since her world was turned upside down.
When they arrived at Watermark, Felicity pulled into the underground garage once the steel security gate lifted, and drove them to the elevator. She offered a sweet, tear-filled smile full of sympathy as they got out before driving right back out the way she came in. Daisy assumed it was to pick up the rest of the O’Reillys and deal with whatever mess Daisy had left.
They took the elevator beyond their floor, and it opened to a living space rather than a residential hallway. Luke held her hand and led her to a bathroom attached to a large master-like bedroom. He grabbed a first aid kit and a few clean washcloths, then lifted her to sit on the counter while he cleaned her wounds and decided whether she needed more care than they could handle in that bathroom.
“Where are we?” She winced at his touch, though she couldn’t bear to look in the mirror and see why.
“The vault.”
“The vault? Who lives here?”
“You do now,” he answered. “We’re at the top of Watermark on a hidden floor. The only way to get up here is a hidden button on the outside of the elevator. The only way down is if I let you down because the elevator is disabled once someone gets up here.”
“You’re locking me up? Like really locking me up this time?”
He started to toss used supplies in the trash and abruptly closed the first aid kit before tossing it in the cabinet under the sink. Luke turned his back to her. His hands on his hips, he dropped his head and shook it, letting out a deep breath. “I have to.”
“No. No, you don’t.” She shook her head vigorously. The idea of truly being trapped devastated her.
Turning to her, his arms out to his side in frustration, he replied, “I can’t trust you, Daisy. I can’t trust you to stay put. Do you have any idea what could have happened to you?”
Luke’s voice cracked, revealing an emotional state she’d never witnessed. It crushed her. As much as she was angry that he was locking her in his special tower, she was angry that she triggered such a response from him.
“That man could have been exactly who we’ve been hiding you from. You may have been made. Whoever is behind all of this might be right here in Portland now. Do you get that? What happened tonight is exactly what I’ve been trying to keep you safe from! I failed, Daisy. He got to you – he hurt you!”
“Luke…”
“You scared the shit out of me, Daisy. I am sorry you heard what you heard, but it wasn’t meant for you to hear. I said what I did to shut up my brothers because they figured it out. They figured out that you are more than a job to me, and I didn’t want to talk about it with them because I can’t even wrap my own mind around this – you. I shouldn’t have said it, but you shouldn’t have run.”
He walked into the living room, and she followed. “Luke, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have run but…but…when I heard you? I didn’t want to be a job. I don’t know what I want to be, but I know it’s not just a job.”
“There’s food in the kitchen and clothes that should work for you until I get back and move yours up here.” He punched a code into a keypad behind a framed picture across from the elevator before stepping into it. “I’ll be back.”
The elevator doors closed, and he was gone. There was no button to push to call the elevator back up. She was trapped. He’d made good on his word and left her there. She understood why, and if there was a threat nearby, it was wise to be in the vault. What upset her was she was alone.
Daisy wandered around the space, taking it in. It was not nearly as big as Luke’s or everyone else’s apartments, but it served its purpose, she supposed. Sitting on the couch, she gave into everything she was feeling. So much had happened. When had her life become so complicated and emotional? It was so foreign and hard to wrap her mind around.
Luke was right, though. Despite his sharp words, she had reacted carelessly, and she wasn’t weak or careless – never had been. If anything good could have come from the night, though, it was that Luke said more in a handful of minutes than he had in a handful of weeks. She learned why he said what he did, and it wasn’t because he didn’t care, nor was her reaction for that reason. There was something there, though neither of them knew what.
The sound of the elevator grabbed her attention. The doors opened, and Gibson ran out. Luke had sent her up.
After a few moments of reconnecting with Gibson, Daisy retired to the bedroom where she found something somewhat suitable to wear, and showered, washing the touch of that man from her body. The sight of his marks left on her face startled her at first glance. She was swollen, bruised, and had a split lip. She reminded herself it could have been so much worse – these wounds would heal, even if the memory wouldn’t fade.
It was quiet and lonely. Unfamiliar. When she had completed her shower and dressed, she found herself back in the living room where she laid on the couch and cried. Again.
She missed Luke. She didn’t like that she did, but what was she to do about it? He was gritty, grunted a lot, rarely smiled, but he’d gotten to her. He was a mystery she wanted to solve. She wanted to save him from whatever had a hold on him. And if she were being honest, that’s why his words stung.
She knew he would have came for her in that alley eventually, it was his job, but she didn’t anticipate his reaction. He didn’t just rescue her from an assailant, he took him to task like he had a score to settle. It took all four of his brothers to pull him from the guy. She caught a glance of the man rumpled on the ground, battered, bloodied, and unconscious. That wasn’t a simple rescue – that was personal. Sure, the guy had been manhandling her, and would have continued to had Luke not intervened when he had. But Luke went crazy, lost his mind.
Then there was the way he cradled and cared for her all the way back to Watermark. He was quiet by nature, but this had been different. He caressed her head, laid a kiss on it. It was personal.
Daisy woke to Luke carrying her to a room after falling asleep at some point. He came back. It was dark and she couldn’t see anything but a shadow, but the feel of his thick, strong arms and the beat in his chest was unmistakable. She smelled him, his essence arousing her senses — musk, sandalwood, and man that was purely Luke. His caring nature aroused her in other ways.
A gentle giant, she decided, as he laid her in the bed and pulled the covers over.
He paused and stood over her. She could feel his stare even if she couldn’t see it. His gentle touch brushed her hair from her face, and he leaned down to kiss her forehead. A gentleman.
He walked away, leaving her mind and heart at war – stop him or let him go. He called her a job, but his actions had said anything but. He cared about her; he so much as admitted it. To what lengths, however, she didn’t know, but the feeling was mutual. There was something about this tortured man, this gentle giant, that consumed her. After the assault on her assailant, she should have feared him and what he was probably capable of, but she was drawn to him…wanted him, needed him.
“Luke.”
He stopped in the doorway, his shadowy silhouette still.
“Stay?” she said softly.
He walked back to her bedside and sat on the edge. “Are you okay? Do you need something?”
“No, just…just don’t want to be alone.”
A deep sigh escaped him. She sensed he was having the same dispute between what his heart told him to do, and what his mind knew he should do. “I’ll be in the living room if…”
“No. Stay here.” Daisy pulled the blankets back and slid to the center of the bed. “Please?”
Luke kicked off shoes and lay beside her. With his hands on her hips, he turned her in quick motion and pulled her into him, her back to his front, before spreading the blanket back over them.
His arm draped over her hip, his large hand curved around her, sliding under the hip she was laying on – he was holding her tight, with purpose, and meaning…maybe even promise. The warmth of his body engulfed her, the scent of him enticed her, and the feel of every ridge and valley of his hard-built body owned her.
They lay in silence before she softly said, “Thank you…for today. I’m sorry, Luke. I didn’t mean to scare you or put anyone in harm.”
“I…uh, I was doing my job,” he said, his words full of emotion – words that lacked meaning. Intention, sure, he was pushing her away, but she could hear in his tone and feel with the strength he held her that he wasn’t just lying to her, he was lying to himself.
She turned to face him, stroking the length of his arm with her hand. “You came for me.”
“I had to.”
“No, not like that, Luke. All I could think of was you, that I needed you, and you came.”
“Daisy… I was just doing…”
Placing her fingers over his mouth, she cut him off before he could say anything more. “Don’t. You don’t do that for everyone. That was…there was something there, you—”
“Beat the shit out of some asshole. Daisy, you don’t want me. I’m not the guy you think I am.”
“I think you are, Luke.”
“I’m not. What you saw – what I did to that asshole – that’s nothing,” he pleaded. “I’m not good.”
“You’re more than good. I’ve watched you with your family, the kids, even the dogs. Luke O’Reilly, you are good in every way that counts.”
“They’re my family.”
“I’m not, but you take care of me like I am. Today, you fought for me like I was. You comforted me like…” Between her words, she peppered not one, or two, but three soft kisses on his shoulder, then his neck, and finally his mouth.
“Daisy…I can’t give you anything you want. You’re just grateful, caught up in the moment. The hero status will wear off and you’ll remember what an asshole I am and that I’m paid to watch over you, protect you.”
“And if you weren’t paid?”
He paused, struggling to find words and reason to convince her she didn’t want him, but he couldn’t. He pulled her under him, one leg between hers. “I still would have come for you.” He kissed her sweetly on the mouth, mindful of her injury. “I hate that he hurt you.”
“I’m okay. Because of you, I’m okay.” And she kissed him back.
It took all he had to break their kiss, but he had to make one thing abundantly clear. “I can’t give you any more than this. There’s nothing more – no relationships, dates, or forevers and happily ever afters. I’m not made for that. All I can promise you is tonight.”
She raked her hands down his body and pushed the waistband of his basketball shorts down. “Then give it to me, Luke. I want tonight, only tonight.”
Luke stared down at her, contemplating his next move. No matter what he did, he knew it would change everything and there was no going back. He didn’t want to go back, he just wanted her, right then in that moment. Luke took her mouth, gently, sweetly – there would be time for hard and hot when she healed.
Careful with her body, unsure whether there were any other hidden injuries, he stroked the length of her body with one hand while his kisses descended, taking him to her neck, then collar bone, before finally landing on her perfect breast, causing her to arch. He liked how reactive she was to his touch. It drove a virile thrill through him that was hard to contain.
Taking his time, he explored her body with his mouth, feeling, and tasting every inch of her. Luke wanted to know her in every single way. He wanted to know what touches she liked, and those which she craved.
Her breathy moans increased, so did his pace. Luke pulled his other leg between hers, spreading her wide as he laid between her legs. Resting his steely length against her, he stalled as he hovered above her, waiting for her okay. She needed to be sure. When she pulled his mouth down to hers, he knew her mind had been made up, and nothing pleased him more.
Pressing against her, he let her set the pace, taking him in little by little so she could adjust to his size. Daisy dragged her nails down his side and grabbed his ass, pulling him into her. Her touch was sensual, and her feel was tantalizing, threatening his control. He wanted her, needed her – all of her.
Like she could read his mind, she slid down the remainder of his shaft, taking all of him. He let her set the pace, giving her full control. He was studying her every move, her every sound, getting to know her as intimately as he could. Luke liked her slow and steady, but he sensed a primal need building in her and was ready to explore it.
Sitting back on his knees, he pulled her to his lap without losing contact. Her small body fit his large frame perfectly. With his hands on her hips, he moved her over him, setting their pace. Leaning back, she exposed her breasts, maybe offering him more, perhaps asking for more – either way, he was happy to take another taste of her.
Something changed, her movement quickened, and she held him tighter. Meeting her pace, soft and sweet was over as he stood on his knees with her legs firmly wrapped around him and lifted her up and down, as quickly as gravity allowed. Luke pounded into her until he felt her squeeze around him and cried out his name before crashing down around him. He met her at the top of her wave, and they rode it together, never letting go.
When the spinning world slowed around them, he gently laid her down and held her. Not a word was shared. Everything they needed to tell or show each other was done in that moment with no regrets. It wasn’t a beginning or end to anything in particular, but a new understanding and respect between them. They were who they were and nothing else mattered.