Chapter 8
Kara pulled the heavy wooden door of the restaurant manager’s office closed behind her and leaned against it with a heavy, broken sigh. It was her eleventh interview in the last ten days, all of which had been a complete waste of time, and this one hadn’t gone any better. No one wanted to hire a student who was only a few months away from graduation. No restaurant wanted a waitress who was likely to leave within six months for a position in her chosen profession. While Kara couldn’t blame the prospective employers for their judgment, she really needed a freaking job.
The familiar sounds of clanging dishes, barking cooks, and sharp-tongued servers filtered through her mind as she took yet another walk of shame through the back halls of another restaurant that wasn’t willing to take her on as even a part-time employee.
Okay, it wasn’t as if she would starve. She still had ten grand in her bank account, the loan she had given herself from Simon. Biting her lip as the pain of thinking about him crashed over her, she exited the main door of the restaurant, letting herself lean against the cool brick exterior to gather her thoughts after the disastrous interview.
Actually, she had more than ten thousand dollars in her account. Nine days ago, on her birthday, Simon had sent several delivery men and a messenger to Maddie’s home with all of the items that she had left behind. The delivery guys had been loaded with her belongings, all of which had been purchased by Simon, and the messenger came bearing several dozen red roses and an envelope with a note.
Kara,
I am returning your check. Please accept the money as a birthday present from me and don’t fight with the delivery people. They have been instructed to put the items wherever you want them or leave them on the doorstep. As they work for me, they will follow instructions.
I’m sorry about what happened with Sam. Please come home.
Happy Birthday. I wish we could spend it together.
Yours,
Simon
Kara choked back a sob and rubbed unconsciously at her upper thigh, feeling the stiff paper of his note that was resting in her front pocket.
I’m going to have to talk to him.
Kara had hoped that giving herself a little time might help her feel more grounded, less mired in depression. But it wasn’t working. Every day she didn’t see Simon seemed like an eternity, and she was just fooling herself if she thought that a week or two would help her get over her longing for him. If anything, she sank deeper into the darkness as each day passed.
I have to talk to him. Make him take my check. Work out terms to repay what I borrowed. Return the things he bought.
She had bawled like a baby when she had turned on the laptop he had given her and realized that Simon had downloaded every game that she had ever played on his computer lab. Myth World-both games-had been first on the list.
Wiping furiously at an escaped tear rolling down her cheek, Kara knew she had to stop mooning over Simon Hudson; she just wasn’t sure how to do it. The silly, thoughtful things that he did, such as taking the time to download all of those games, tugged at her heart. Then, she would remember the sight of the blonde supermodel on Sam’s porch pulling Simon’s lips to hers and she’d be pissed all over again. How could any man be so thoughtful, yet be such a dog when it came to women?
“Hello, Kara.” A deep, rumbling voice sounded right next to her. Her eyes jerked up to discover Sam Hudson leaning a shoulder against the wall next to her. Instinctively, she backed up several steps, putting distance between her and a man she didn’t like or trust.
Sam advanced, but left space between the two of them.
“What do you want?” Her tone was sharp and she put her hand up to stop him from coming any closer.
He raised his eyebrow at her defensive move. “I just want to talk.” He looked as arrogant as he had at the party, even dressed in casual jeans and a black t-shirt, but there was a thread of remorse running through his words, and his green eyes were clear and bright. “Please.” That addition actually sounded painful coming from Sam, as though he had to force it from his throat.
“I don’t know you and I have nothing to say,” she snipped at him, eager to get away. The last thing she wanted was to chat with Sam Hudson.
“I’m not going away until you talk to me, so you might as well do it now.”
Kara wanted to stomp her foot in frustration, but she wouldn’t give Sam the satisfaction. “Just say whatever it is you have to say and leave.”
He motioned toward the restaurant door. “I could use a cup of coffee. It’s been a long day.”
She shook her head. “I just interviewed there. I really don’t want to go back in there.”
He waved to the eatery across the street. “We can go there.”
Rolling her eyes, she answered, “Been there, done that one, too. There isn’t a place in this neighborhood where I haven’t interviewed.”
Taking her arm lightly, Sam led her into the fast-food place next door. She jerked her arm out of his hold, but followed behind him. It was obvious that she needed to let him have his say or he wouldn’t leave her alone. He had the same stubborn, Hudson male look that Simon got whenever he wasn’t going to budge until she relented or compromised.
They both ordered a coffee from the front counter and Sam took a small booth in the corner. She stalled, loading her coffee at a side table with cream and sugar before joining him. Fingering the disposable cup, she finally looked up to find Sam watching her with the intensity of a hawk ready to swoop down on its prey. Squirming and uncomfortable, she still refused to look away. Sam’s gaze wasn’t sexual. It was as though he was trying to examine a perplexing microbe underneath a magnifying glass. If he wanted to do some intensive search of her personality…so be it. It wasn’t as if she had done anything wrong, except fall in love with Simon Hudson.
Interestingly enough, Sam caved in first. “I’m sorry.” He diverted his eyes as he muttered the statement. It was sincere, but she could tell it wasn’t something this man said very often. “That was a shitty thing I did at Simon’s birthday party. I was so drunk I could barely stand, but that isn’t an excuse. A man needs to be responsible for his actions, drunk or not.”
“Why did you do it? Why are you doing this? Did Helen send you to apologize? I didn’t mention a word about what you did. I’m not sure how she would know.” Kara had only spoken to Helen once, and she hadn’t mentioned Sam’s appalling behavior that night to his mother.
Sam shot her a dark look. “My mother knows everything, and I appreciate the fact that you didn’t mention it. You didn’t have to. Simon figured it out and beat the hell out of me when I confessed. Our barroom brawl ended the party rather abruptly, soon after I came inside and you left.” He hesitated, taking a swig of coffee. “And no, my mother didn’t send me here. I’m here because I want to be. Because Simon is miserable and I was wrong. He doesn’t know I’m here and would probably smash my face in again if he knew I’d approached you.” He stared out the window beside them.
Kara searched Sam’s face, noticing the faint bruises above his left eye and his right cheek. Simon must have done a job on his brother. Ten days after the event, Sam still had a faint bruising to his face that she hadn’t looked close enough to see before. “Why? Why would Simon do that? He was already in the process of lining up another woman. I saw him kissing her on the terrace when I walked outside. It makes no sense.”
Sam’s head jerked back to her. “He didn’t line up anyone. What did she look like?”
“Tall, thin, blonde, perfect make-up but she’d probably look just as good without it.” Kara frowned at Sam. “Beautiful.”
His head nodded once. “Constance. I saw her march in as I was stepping outside. I saw you go out on the terrace, but I got caught up by a client for a few minutes before I could follow you. If it makes you feel any better, he didn’t take her up on her offer. Connie was coming in angry, and Simon was already gone.” Sam’s gaze dropped to his cup, fidgeting with the half-empty container. “Simon would never fuck Connie. She’s married to a man old enough to be her grandfather, but her husband isn’t exactly generous with his money. My brother doesn’t do married women. And if he was fu…uhh…having a relationship with you, he certainly wouldn’t be arranging another one. Simon may not get emotionally involved, but he only has one woman at a time.”
Kara sputtered, nearly choking on her coffee. Sam’s comment about Simon not getting emotionally involved hit her hard. She could believe that Simon wasn’t having an affair with a married woman. For some reason, she believed that just wasn’t something that he would do. Simon might not believe in relationships or marriage for himself, but he just didn’t seem like the type of man to step over that line. But really, did it matter? Maybe it made her feel better to know that Simon wasn’t tying up, blindfolding, and screwing the centerfold woman who had been kissing him at his party, but the fact that Simon didn’t do relationships hadn’t changed. She was so connected to Simon that she could barely breathe. In the long run, she would end up completely shattered when he moved on. “Thanks for telling me all of this. And for apologizing.” She tried to keep her voice flat, free from emotion.
Sam looked concerned, his eyebrows drawing together as he looked at her. “He cares about you. I didn’t know or I would never have made you an offer.”
“Why did you? I’m sure there are plenty of women who throw themselves at you every day.”
“Because I’m a billionaire,” he answered, his tone disgusted, his expression harsh. “I saw how happy Simon was after you came to live with him. I’ve heard my mother talk about you. I guess I thought that once you and Simon split, that I could grab a little happiness for myself. I was drunk. Feeling sorry for myself. I’m an asshole. You’re the first woman my brother has ever cared about and I betrayed him. And I insulted you. You didn’t deserve that.”
Kara leaned back against the hard plastic of the tiny booth seat, stunned. “Simon doesn’t care about me that way. But I admit, I was insulted. You can’t buy any woman you want, Sam. And I don’t believe it was really me you wanted.”
Sam released a ragged sigh. “I wanted…something. I guess in my drunken pity party, I was ready to try anything. And there’s only one woman who cared about anything except my money in the past. And I blew it.” His voice was filled with an aching sadness and remorse. “Are you going to accept my apology?”
The charming smile was back, lighting up his face, bringing back the Adonis she had seen at the party. Strangely, it didn’t bother her now. Sam Hudson was troubled and the radiant smile that he was throwing her way was nothing more than a cover for a man who wanted much more than monetary gain in his life. She had seen a small crack in his unemotional façade. “Yes, I accept. I guess we all say and do things that we wouldn’t normally do when we drink.” Her words brought back the day that she had told Simon he had an incredible body and that she wanted him after she had had a few drinks at the restaurant. “But I’m not sure why it matters to you.”
Sam’s eyes grew stormy and he grasped her wrist as she went to slide out of the booth and make her escape. “Kara, Simon cares. He’s had a rough time and he may not know how to express it. But he does. Please don’t judge my brother because I was an asshole.”
His detaining hold was gentle. She tugged lightly and he released her, a pleading look in his eyes. Dammit. She couldn’t leave Sam thinking that this was all his fault. It wasn’t. She was in love with Simon Hudson and it would have ended up a disaster even if Sam hadn’t caused things to fall apart. His actions had only hastened the bad ending. “It isn’t you, Sam. It isn’t what you did.” Shaking her head, she reached for her backpack.
“What is it? Tell me. I’ll fix it.” He sounded desperate.
She barked a short, humorless laugh. Maybe the brothers weren’t so different after all. He sounded just like Simon. Did they both think they could fix anything with money? “You can’t. Just know that it isn’t your fault.”
Nope. It’s my fault for being stupid enough to fall for Simon Hudson.
“You don’t like or respect me at all, do you?” He sounded resigned and slightly dejected.
She turned her body toward him as she scooted to the edge of her seat with her backpack. “I don’t know you well enough to like or dislike you. And money doesn’t buy respect for me.” Her lips turned up in a slight smile as she saw his surprised expression. “But I do respect you a lot for loving your brother.”
He stared at her as he answered gruffly, “Who says I love him? He’s a pain in the ass and he messed up my face so bad that I couldn’t step outside the house for a week.”
She gave him a sad smile and placed her hand over his on the table. “I’m sorry. I know you and Simon are close and I would never want to be the cause of any problems in your relationship.”
Sam shrugged. “We’ve been through tough times before. We’ll get through it.”
She pulled her hand back. “Are you speaking?”
He laughed weakly. “Trading insults. It’s a start.”
“Do you know what happened to him? How he got scarred?” The words flew from her mouth before she could censor them.
Sam’s jaw dropped, his expression shocked. “You’ve seen his scars? All of them? Is that why you’re avoiding him?”
Anger simmered and her palm itched to slap his face all over again. “Jesus, do you think every woman is that superficial?” Trying to get a grip on her irritation, she continued. “Your brother is the most attractive man I have ever met, scars or no scars. He’s hot enough to melt glaciers in Antarctica. Obviously, he suffered a severe trauma and I hate that for him. But I don’t give a damn about his scars.”
“You think he’s better looking than I am?” The question was arrogant, but Sam sounded damned delighted by the fact that she was hot for his brother.
“Yes. No contest. Sorry.” Her answer came out severe, but she was a little touched by the fond look in Sam’s eyes. Chewing her lip, deep in thought, she mused aloud. “I wonder if you could give Simon something for me.”
Sam shrugged and looked at her with curiosity. “What?”
“A check. I need to pay him.”
Sam snickered, his lips forming into a wicked grin. “That good, was it?”
“He put money in my account. I want him to have most of it back. I intend to pay back the rest later when I get a job.” Kara ignored his innuendo. Simon’s brother might look like a blond angel, but she already knew that he had a set of devil horns hidden somewhere in those loose, abundant curls.
“You want to pay Simon? Newsflash…in case you didn’t realize it, he’s a billionaire. If he wanted you to have the money, I’m not taking it.” He put his hands up in the air in a defensive gesture. “He’d really chew my ass up and spit it out. He’s in a lousy mood.”
Her shoulders sagging, she gave him a flimsy smile. “Yeah. I didn’t think about that. I don’t want him mad at you. I just wanted to get it back to him.”
“Without having to see him?” Sam hit the nail on the head. “Guess you’ll just have to do it personally.” He sounded pretty happy about that whole idea.
“I’d better get moving. I have studying to do.” She stood up.
Sam rose and stared down at her. “Are you living with Maddie Reynolds? Redhead? Beautiful?” He breathed the last two words reverently.
“Yes.” She was surprised. Sam didn’t sound nearly as hostile toward Maddie as her friend was toward Sam.
“How is she?” He was trying to sound nonchalant, but there was a brief glint of pain in his hooded eyes.
Kara hesitated, not wanting to betray Maddie. “She’s good. She has a private practice and does some work in a free children’s clinic.”
“She made it. She graduated from medical school.” Sam’s answer was quiet, almost as if he were talking to himself. He sounded like he admired Maddie.
“Yep. One of the best and kindest physicians I’ve ever met. And an awesome friend.” Sam looked like he wanted to ask more questions that Kara didn’t care to answer, so she scooted in front of him and headed for the door. “Take care, Sam. Bye.” She dropped her empty cup in the trash without breaking her stride and pushed on the heavy glass door.
It was dark as Kara slid outside, heaving a large sigh of relief as the light wind hit her in the face.
Everything and nothing had changed as a result of her conversation with Sam. While she was very glad that Simon hadn’t set up a liaison with the woman at the party, it didn’t alter the fact that she was just too emotionally involved with a man who didn’t do relationships. It was either going to hurt now or destroy her later. Simon was kind and Sam had said that Simon cared about her. Maybe it was true, but it wasn’t enough.
Please come home.
That line from Simon’s letter echoed in her head as a fist clenched around her heart, making it hard to breathe. Oh God, how she wanted to go home, back to Simon. They had started…something. He had trusted her, let her touch his naked flesh, let her see his scars, fucked her without restraints. How she wished she had the courage to finish it, help Simon find freedom from his past. But her self-preservation instinct was fierce, warning her away from danger, letting her know that in helping Simon, loving Simon, she would destroy herself.
She set her emotionally spent body in motion, heading toward Maddie’s house. Lost in thought, her spirits low, she wasn’t very aware of her surroundings. That was a mistake that Kara, a woman who had been raised in a less than desirable area, usually didn’t make. The lack of concentration bit her in the ass.
Two men approached quickly, one on each side. Her arms were seized and she was being dragged along the sidewalk before she even realized what had happened. She struggled, kicking out at the brutal men who were hauling her forcefully forward, trying to wrench her arms from their grips. With startled horror, she realized that they were pushing her toward a dark vehicle at the curb, the back door open, ready to claim her.
It was dark, but the area was lit just enough to see the faces of the two men who had broken into the clinic.
They’ll kill me. I’ll die. Have to fight.
She screamed without pause, trying to make her voice carry to anyone who was in the area, as she kicked out, trying to hit vulnerable places on the two hulking males.
“Shut the fuck up, bitch,” a menacing, foreboding voice grunted as her foot connected with his kneecap, an action that earned her a punch to the face.
Momentarily stunned from the powerful blow, she faltered as they shoved her forward.
Fight, damn it. Fight.
As the junkies hefted her body to toss her into the car, she raised her legs and planted her feet, one on the door, the other on the body of the car next to the open entrance.
Don’t let them get you into the car. If you do, you’re dead.
Her feet slipped, sliding lower as one of the men grabbed her by the hair and started slamming her head against the metal top of the open door. She could hear the horrific sound of her skull cracking against steel and her head swam, her vision starting to blur.
I should have told Simon that I loved him.
She was still screaming, but the sound weakened as the men continued their ruthless attempt to render her unconscious.
“Fucking bastards!” Another male voice sounded, one that she recognized.
A muscular arm wrapped around her waist, yanking her away from the two thugs. She was quickly jerked back against a hard chest, her head spinning like she was on a tilt-a-whirl. Looking up, her vision spinning, she could make out Sam Hudson’s furious face as he lowered her gently to the sidewalk and sprinted back to the car.
Panic rose as she realized that Sam was going to take on the two men by himself. Amazingly, the men looked unsure of what to do. Sam was slightly larger, but there were two of them.
Gotta help him. Gotta get up.
She couldn’t let Sam get killed after he had saved her life. Kara came to her knees, trying desperately to fight her obscured vision. Unable to stand, she started to crawl just as Sam engaged the first man, landing punishing blows to his face.
Pounding feet approached, hitting the pavement beside her. Two men she didn’t recognize entered the fray, grabbing Sam’s arm and subduing the man who Sam was hammering on.
“Don’t hurt Sam,” she whimpered, afraid they might injure Sam in the confusion.
“Sorry, sir. Didn’t recognize you.” The man released Sam’s arm.
One bad guy was on his stomach on the sidewalk, with one of the newcomers that had entered the fray on top of him. The other bad guy was scrambling into the driver’s seat of the car, a gun waving wildly at Sam and her other rescuer.
“No. No.” Tears were flowing down her cheeks, her heart slamming against her chest as she silently pleaded with Sam and the other innocent man not to provoke the junkie with the gun.
Sam lunged, but the man had already hit the gas and the dark vehicle sped into the night, the door yanking closed as he flew down the street, disappearing almost as fast as she could blink.
Her terrified eyes raking over the scene, she saw that the two rescuers and Sam were unharmed, though Sam was releasing a stream of obscenities as he raced to her side.
“Kara! Are you ok? Fuck! Your head is pouring blood. What were you doing?” Sam gently lowered her to the sidewalk to rest on her back. He continued to whisper soothing words as he pushed her hair from her face.
“Wanted to help you,” she rasped, her throat dry.
“Crazy woman.” Sam shook his head, but his voice was light and sweet. Then, in a harsh, booming voice he ordered, “Get an ambulance. Now. She’s hurt.”
Darkness started to encroach on her vision and she struggled, determined not to lose consciousness. “Tell Simon…” Her voice trailed off, her mouth so dry that her tongue was sticking to the roof of her mouth. Her eyelids fluttered. She tried to focus on Sam, but he became just a large, unfocused blur.
She sighed as Sam clasped her hand and grumbled. “You can tell him yourself. He’s on his way and pissed as hell.”
Simon’s coming?
Her heart skipped a beat and she gave Sam’s hand a feeble squeeze as a humming noise started in her head. It grew louder, so loud that she could barely make out the sound of approaching sirens that were screaming through the night.
“Kara. Are you still with me?” Sam’s voice sounded panicked and desperate. And distant.
A blanket of darkness completely consumed her as the low-pitched droning sound in her head reached the very top of its crescendo.
“Simon.” She whispered his name, not knowing if it was even audible, as she slid into complete darkness and blessed silence.
~*~ The End ~*~