Surrender My Love (42 page)

He didn’t ans
wer, but Chloe knew she was right. All those police cars outside the building were there for a reason.
Brad…, Is he okay?

“You should
not have asked so many questions, Chloe! You should have left the charts alone! And Mr. Kaplan—”

“That was you! You ran from his room. Yo
u knocked me down!”

“You left us with no choice!”

Chloe shook from head to toe, adrenaline like jet fuel in her veins.

“Let me ou
t of this car now!” she yelled, still not believing her friend was capable of this, of hurting her. “Why did you help me? Why did you take me to my mother’s apartment?”

He didn’t respond, and just by the look on his face, she knew the answer. “You knew those men were waiting there, didn’t you?
” She took several deep breaths and surveyed the landscape. Trees and buildings were whipping by her. “Paul! Let me out! Just let me go!”

Just as
the words flew from her lips, she heard sirens hollering behind them. She turned back and saw a line of police cars coming up fast.

“Stop this car!” she
pleaded.

Paul glanced in
his mirrors and floored the gas once more, his lips pressed into a taut line. The car jerked and revved, accelerating to a vibrating speed. Chloe screamed and pulled on his arm, trying to get him to slow down, but he shoved her roughly away.

She could hear the sirens behind as the police cars continue
d their chase, and fear wrapped tight around her as Paul pushed the car to break-neck speed down the road. They weaved and veered around cars that were trying to move out of their way.

“Please, Paul,
let me out!” 

She grabbed his elbow again,
crying out when his fist landed a blow on her temple, the force sending her crashing into the passenger door. Chloe saw millions of flashing stars wink before her eyes as dizziness overwhelmed her. She fought to pull her lids up. She needed to keep fighting, and needed to get back to Brad to make sure he was okay. She choked down her nausea and pushed herself upright, her gaze shooting out the front window. A blood curdling scream flew up from her belly, loud and despairing, as the large telephone pole came crashing towards the car.       

Detective Sullivan had to physical
ly pull Brad off Richard’s battered body.

“Enough!”

“If anything happens to her, I’ll fucking kill you!” Brad hissed low, keeping his voice from carrying into the other room. Rose was in there with Maria, who’d come as soon as Brad phoned.

“
I’ll pretend I didn’t just hear that,” the detective drawled. “We have to go. I just got a call.”

Brad’s
neck snapped back, and he shrugged out of the detective’s tight hold. The other officers were scattered around the room, staring apathetically. They’d all stood back while he vented his tremendous anger. When he found out what Richard had done, he’d lost it.
Her own fucking brother!

Detective Sullivan tugged him
towards the door, explaining the phone call. The police in Chester County were involved in a high speed chase with someone who’d crashed through a barricade in front of Epic Enterprises. There were two suspects in the car, one vaguely matching Chloe Bennett’s description, but they couldn’t be sure.

Brad couldn’t keep his knee from bouncing
restlessly as he settled again in the Grand Marquis. Detective Sullivan peeled out of his spot and veered back to the highway, headed north out of the city.

Brad swallowed the bile in his
throat, feeling as if he was going to unload his stomach contents. He tried to make sense of the confusing data coming in. There must be some mistake. The two men who’d taken her from the apartment were now dead, shot by the undercover cops. Whose car was she in? Why would she have headed to Fusso’s office? Was she so desperate to avoid the police that she’d initiate a high speed chase? He didn’t know what to think. His nerves were still sizzling with boiling hot fear. Needles scratched beneath his skin. But when the radio squawked again, all he could do was drop his head into his trembling hands and utter a whispered plea as Detective Sullivan tossed him awkward looks of sympathy.

Detective Sullivan pulled up to the crash site. Police cars were parked haphazardly, half on and half off the road
, while three officers stood in the middle of the street directing the creeping traffic and keeping horrified spectators at bay. Detective Sullivan had barely put the car in park before Brad opened the door and jumped out, his heart ramming his ribs hard, ready to smash them to bits. He ran to where several officers were gathered, ignoring the detective’s shout. He spotted the car first. It was only recognizable as such because the back tires were suspended in the air, still attached, but the entire front of the car had been demolished, pulverized to unrecognizable metal. Metal debris was scattered everywhere, haunting pieces of a giant steel puzzle.

His breath wheezed from his lung
s as the officers parted and more carnage was revealed. A policeman was kneeling on the ground. He was zipping shut a black body bag. Brad was afraid to get closer, but could see the top of a curly head. His legs started to give out, his mind telling him there was no way Chloe could have been in that car. No one could have survived that crash. He felt as though he was trapped underwater, swaying sluggishly while observing a hazy, unreal vista.

The heavy throb of his heart was deafening, a constant roar in his ears. Another group of officers was standing near another body, this one in jeans, blood everywhere. The victim’s head was turned to the side and he couldn’t see the face, but from where he stood it looked like a young boy with short cropped hair.

“W
ere there others in the car?” he questioned an officer, his heart banging now, a beast in his chest.

“No. Just the man and the woman.”

“
Woman?”
He quickly turned back to the victim on the ground and somehow, his brain recognized the shirt. His shirt. His Chloe. His love.

Oh God, no
…

Chloe…

He sank to his knees.

Almost a week later
, Brad was sitting in a chair, leaning over, his elbows braced on his thighs. He spent most of his time here at Chloe’s bedside. There were limited visiting hours in the Intensive Care Unit, but he didn’t give a shit. And they knew better than to ask him to leave.

Her private nurse had just left for her break
, and before that, Bea had brought by some paperwork. He was finally alone with her. He straightened from the chair, rolled his shoulders, then walked to the bed and encased Chloe’s delicate hand in his.

She was still unconscious. She hadn’t opened her eyes since being thrown from the car in
the accident almost a week ago. From all accounts, she was doing better. Her vital signs were stable, her lab work was good, and they’d even managed to wean her off the ventilator. Yesterday the critical care doctor had decided to take out her breathing tube.

H
er lungs were now functioning fully on their own. The naso-gastric tube was feeding her, but he thought she still looked frail and worried she was losing too much weight. He’d have to speak to the nutritionist again. He knew he was driving the staff crazy, but again, he didn’t give a shit. He had to stay on top of her care.

His fingers sieved through her short hair, then he trailed the back of his knuckles over her cheek, peering down at her angelic face. He was still getting used to her short hair. It showcased her beautiful face, but also made her look incredibly young and fragile, especially with the delicate purple bruising under her eyes and at her jaw.

“Come back to me, Chloe,
” He whispered hoarsely, his voice catching weakly in his throat.

He raised her hand and brought it to his l
ips, placing a gentle kiss on the back. He sat on the edge of the bed and started telling her about his last visit with Rose. He avoided the subject of her brother because he’d checked him into a rehab center. Richard had whined and protested his confined rehabilitation, but had been given no choice in the matter. He was lucky Brad hadn’t followed through on his threat.

Nigel had given the police all the information they needed to arrest Mr. Fusso and the men he’d hired to carry out his ill-conceived plan. The hospital was still scrambling to work on damage control, but at least now their focus was on the right culprits. New patient safety protocols were put into place. All the wards were now locked and could only be accessed with special IDs. Security was seen making rounds more frequently and checking in with the staff, and all medication and syringes were kept locked and could only be accessed with special codes.

It turned out that Paul had been
adding Memoram to patients’ medications. He would deliver the medications to the ward and the nurses would administer it, thinking it was the patient’s scheduled medicine.

T
he syringe found in Chloe’s apartment had contained Memoram. He’d been right. It was most likely the syringe she’d taken from Susan. Paul had been in Mr. Kaplan’s room that night to kill him. Fusso had wanted to make sure another death occurred during Chloe’s shift and couldn’t rely on the Memoram acting so quickly. Another death would throw further suspicion her way.

Nurse
Wall had been transferred. They couldn’t prove that she had anything to do with the scheme, but Brad had insisted on her assignment change. He wouldn’t be surprised if she’d been the one who’d planted the potassium in Chloe’s locker. He detested the woman and didn’t want her anywhere near the wards. She was now the nurse manager of an inpatient psychiatric center on Rikers Island.

Brad sighed, thinking about the events
of the past few weeks, and the futility of it all. So many people hurt, so many lives taken. He brought Chloe’s hand back to his lips, his tongue tracing her warm skin. He stopped suddenly when he thought he felt her flaccid hand move in his, giving him a feeble squeeze. His gaze shot to her face and he held his breath, afraid to hope, as her lids fluttered open. She stared up at him, her golden eyes the most beautiful gems he’d ever seen. He saw recognition light them and he smiled down at her, thickness welling in his chest.

“Chloe, I’m here, baby.”

The corner of her lips pulled in a slight smile that funneled warmth through him, encouraging his broken heart to beat again. But the wince that followed punched him hard.

“Are you in pain? Do you want something?”

“N…no dr...drugs,” she whispered hoarsely with a slight shake of her head.

He smiled
again, his heart filling with a radiant happiness that shook his fragile soul. He was full of such emotion that his voice trembled.

“You’ve come back to me, Chloe.”

Her
wavering gaze moved over his face and the muscles of her throat contracted. Her eyebrows furrowed and her slack grip grew firmer around his hand.

“
I…love…you.”  

Brad’s lips
tilted and he sniffled. He was forced to turn his head away as he blinked rapidly, because at that moment, he wanted to weep like a baby.

EPILOGUE

Brad pushed open the door to the kitchen and entered his favorite room of the apartment. He smiled and glanced at the granite countertop, knowing his memories with Chloe there had something to do with the sudden appeal of this particular space. The buildings on this side of his apartment complex were low and all he could see from the panoramic windows was a large expanse of twinkling, dark blue sky. It was a welcome change, because the city had been blanketed with snow for the last week and the overhead clouds had been stuffed full and dull gray. Today more matched his mood. He hummed a low tune as he opened and closed cabinets, looking for the Perrier-Jouet champagne he’d reserved for this special occasion. It had to be here somewhere.

He reached for a high cabinet just as a swell of
boisterous chatter from the party burst into the room and he knew someone had followed him into the kitchen. He stifled a groan, hoping to God it wasn’t who he thought it was. He knew Larry had been waiting for an opportunity to interrogate him since he’d arrived.

“Who the fuck is that with Bea?”

He turned with a sigh to stare into Larry’s questioning face. Larry’s brow was pinched and he was an alarming shade of red.

“You told me
she was coming alone!” he continued. “You didn’t tell me she was bringing a date!”

Brad shrugged, trying his best to appear contrite.

“I didn’t know she was bringing anyone. She must have told Chloe. Her RSVP said one.”

He watched his friend pace back and forth
across the hard wood floors, grumbling like a wounded animal. Bea had shown up to his and Chloe’s engagement party with a very large African American man.

The party was in full swing now and he couldn’t believe how many people had come to wish them well. His parents had even taken time from their busy schedule to attend. They loved Chloe and thought she was a good complement for him. They weren’t too happy with his career decisions
though, but he was, and that was all that mattered. He’d given up the lecture circuit and slowed down a great deal at work. Chloe had been right. He didn’t need the medication. He hadn’t had a problem with tremors…or other issues in months. He smiled, filling with joy. Chloe was his cure. His love. His world.

Larry stopped his pacing and looked at
Brad, his green eyes sad and hopeless. He tossed his arms in the air. “Well, I guess I got my answer. What am I going to do, Brad? I want her so bad!”

“Why didn’t
you ask her out a long time ago?”

Larry bowed his head in his hand
s. “I don’t know. I should have. Now I’ve lost her. What am I gonna do?”

Brad shook his head, irritated with his friend
’s passiveness. “Go out there and fight for her.”

Larry’s head snapped up. “What?”

“I said, go out there and fight for her. If you love her then go and fight for her. Love is worth it, Larry,” He said sincerely.

Lar
ry’s face scrunched up. “Surely you can’t be serious?”

“Do you want Bea or not?”

“Well, yes.”

“Then go out there and claim her.”

Larry’s head swiveled towards the door. “But…but that man’s huge! He must be, like, seven feet tall!”

“So? If you want Bea
, you will have to fight for her.”

Larry’s weight shifted to one foot
, his eyes wide and incredulous. “You expect me to fight Shaquille O’ Fucking Neal? He’ll kill me!”

Brad had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. The look on Larry’s face was priceless.

“Yes.” He managed to nod seriously. “Claim your woman.”

He wa
tched Larry’s chest puff out as he pulled up to his full height. He turned and shot one long look at the door.

“You got my back, right?”

Brad raised up both palms, shaking his head. “Dude, I’m getting married in a few months. I can’t be damaged. Best Men don’t have to worry about pictures.”

Larry gulped nervously and Brad bit the inside of his cheek.

“Well, Gabe Masters is here. He’s an ex-SEAL…think he’ll stand up for me? Maybe Nina’s husband, Wade? He’s a big guy too.”

“You don’t need
homies! You got this. Go, do what you should have done months ago.”

Larry chewed his lip nervously
.

T
he kitchen door pushed open and Chloe walked into the room.

Brad shot Larry a warning l
ook, but his friend was so deep in thought, he missed it.

Chloe walked over and Brad’s
eyes drank in her beauty. She was gorgeous in a short, black velvet mini dress with a string of pearls around her neck. He groaned inwardly, thinking about what he’d do with those pearls later. She wore a small amount of makeup, just enough to highlight her cheekbones and enhance her beautiful golden eyes. She radiated an air of confident sexiness that he loved. He wanted Larry gone. Now.

“What’s going on?”
she asked him, looking at Larry.

Larry was frowning deeply, his brows pleated in concentration as he battled with his decision.

Brad
straightened and grabbed her wrist, pulling her against his body. He buried his nose in her neck, loving her natural scent. She purred and melted against him.

“You’re right, Brad!
” Larry declared, then marched out of the kitchen, hands fisted at his side.

C
hloe laughed and turned back to him, lacing her arms around his neck. “What’s that all about?”

“
Mmmm…nothing.” His fingers traced along her neckline, dipping under the edge of her black dress to cup her breasts.

She
moaned and leaned into him, and he seized her lips, gliding his tongue over the seam. She opened for him and he groaned low, thrusting his tongue inside, tasting her delicious sweetness. She was heaven. He knew, because he’d been to hell. He never wanted to endure the pain of almost losing her again. He’d always treasure her because he knew he was truly broken without her.

“I love you.” He ran his fingers through her thick
, shoulder length hair and stared into her eyes. “I love you with all my heart.”

She sealed their bodies together and
smiled, her eyes lighting up. “I love you too, Brad.”

“You feeling okay?” He knew she’d say yes, but he always asked. The doctors had given her a clean bill of health
over two months ago, but he always needed to make sure.

“Yes, Nurse
Markson.”

He gr
inned and nodded toward the door. “When are all these people leaving so I can have you all to myself?”

She gave him a devilish wink and ran a palm over the bulge in his pants, tugging a groan
from his chest. “You’ll just have to wait a while longer.”

“Me?” he snickered
, now tracing his fingers along the hem of her dress. “You’ll be dragging me into a closet before our last guest leaves, horny girl.”

“I already have one reserved.”
Her laugh evolved into a throaty moan when he skimmed the edge of her thong and rubbed a finger pad slowly over her sensitive spot.

“I think we should head there right now.”

He captured her lips, slid the material aside, and delved two fingers into her moist heat, causing her to arch her back. She whispered a curse and he smiled against her lips. He fucking loved that. His body lit up in flames.

“Please
, can we tell our guests to leave? We can tell them we’re skipping right to the honeymoon.”

His words must have brought her back to the present
, because her eyes fluttered open and her gaze flew to the door.

“Speaking of
guests, we have an engagement party we have to get back to.” She sighed and took a step back, groaning when his fingers slipped out of her.

He looked down at his glistening digits, fighting the impulse to
lift her onto the counter and tuck his head under her dress. Instead, he held her gaze and brought his fingers to his tongue, purring at the wonderful flavor teasing his taste buds.

She shook her head and smiled
indulgently, but her pupils dilated with passion.

“
Did you find the champagne?”

“No. Who needs champagne?” H
e gave his fingers one last enthusiastic lick and grinned. Pulling her back into his embrace, he whispered, “I’m thinking we should save it for later. For just us. I can pour it over your body and slowly lick it off.”

Chloe laughed, her eyes wide and incredulous. “Brad! That bottle cost seven thousand dollars! I still can’t believe you spent so much on it. You’re crazy!”

He pushed back her hair and traced his tongue along the shell of her ear, imagining her delectable taste mixed with the flavor of champagne. He’d splurged and bought the champagne almost half a year ago, the week she’d been in the coma. He’d promised himself they’d celebrate their engagement with it. He’d enjoy it more at a private celebration with just the two of them.

Tomorrow they
planned on visiting Rose at the luxury wellness residence where she now resided with twenty-four hour care, and the next few months would be busy with planning the wedding. He needed to steal any private moment he could with her.

He lifted his head to explain when a woman’s scream and a loud crash came from the other room.

Oh, shit
… Larry!

Chloe’s eyes snap
ped open with alarm. “What’s the hell’s going on out there?”

Brad rubbed the back of his neck and raised a brow
warily. “Ahhh…well, I think Larry went to fight for Bea.”

Chloe looked horrified. “
What?
Fight that big guy? Where did he get such a crazy idea?”

He
shrugged innocently, but she speared him with a knowing look. “Don’t tell me you send that man to his death?”

“
He needed a little nudge.” Brad explained. “I’d be forced to listen to his pining my entire life.”

A loud voice
had Chloe rushing towards the door, and he reluctantly followed behind. He pulled up short right behind Chloe as they entered the living room, his gaze taking in the scene. The guests were all gathered around the small group, looking on with puzzled alarm.

Wade and Gabe were on either side of Larry, each holding an arm, restraining him as he squirmed and struggled, trying to break free of their iron grip.
Larry was brandishing a wine bottle, trying to get to the large man standing about fifteen feet away. The man looked idly unconcerned, probably because he knew he could level Larry with one effortless punch. He was pleasantly drinking a beer and looking around, no doubt wondering what sort of crazy party he’d ended up at.

Bea was yelling at Larry to calm down.

“I love you, Bea! I’ve loved you for so long!”

Bea’s eyebrows rose high into her forehead.

“Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“If I have to fight for you, I will! I need to claim my woman!”

Chloe’s head twisted towards Brad, her eyes wide. “Brad! Do something!”

Brad gasped, just then noticing
that it was the bottle of Perrier-Jouet that Larry had in his hand. Acting quickly he grabbed a bottle of wine from the credenza and rushed over to Larry, switching the bottles. He stepped back, thankful no harm had come to the champagne, and shot Chloe a promising wink.

She
gaped at him, horrified. Bea’s face scrunched as she shot him an irritated look.

“I’m sure yo
u had something to do with this,” Bea accused before turning back to the belligerent Larry. “Are you out of your damn mind?”

Brad
stared at Chloe, chagrinned as she pursed her lips and sent him a scowl. His gaze dropped to her pouting lips and he bit back a groan as he imagined them wrapped around his shaft. He mouthed the word,
closet
, and winked. He could tell she had trouble hiding her smile, and he watched a pretty pink color her cheeks.

God, I can’t wait to marry her.

Bea yelled at Larry, drawing his attention. She was telling him he was crazy while the besotted fool looked on doughy-eyed.

“I’m crazy in love, Bea
, and I’ll fight for you to prove it.”

“Why do you have to fight my brother?”

“
Brother?”
Larry sputtered and his jaw dropped.

“Yes!” Bea exclaimed. “My car broke
down and I needed a ride here. Dr. Markson said it was okay if my brother brought me.”

Larry turned on Brad, his red face growing redder. “You knew?”

Brad shrugged again, his lips tilting with a sly smile
. He pulled Chloe’s back against him, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Just ask her out already.”

Wade and Gabe stepped back, laughing and shaking their heads. Larry relaxed, straightening his ruffled clothes. He gazed at Bea lovingly.