Aflame (Apotheosis) (7 page)

He set her down and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

“Wow,” Carrie exclaimed from behind the counter, “you two make a great couple. I love it when gym members hook up.” Grayce’s attentions snapped to the cheerful girl behind the counter. It was comical, almost, the way Carrie stared at Zander. Wide eyed, pink cheeked. It became less amusing the longer she ogled, downright irritating when she shot him a wink before turning back to her computer.

“Well, it seems you are my superhero.” Grayce struggled to stand steady. “That’s twice now you’ve saved me,” she joked, a feeble attempt to hide her embarrassment.

With a tender hand, he cupped her face and caressed her with his thumb. “I heard your conversation. Are you all right?”

“Can we get out of here?” she asked, pleading. “I don’t think I’m up for a workout.” Without a moment’s hesitation, he caged her hand in his massive palm and led her out the door.

They drove for several minutes in silence before Grayce released a huge breath. “He was a criminal. Oh my fuck...what if...what would have...he would have...” Unable to finish a sentence, she snapped her jaw shut and stared blankly ahead. Realization hit her like a frying pan to the face. Where would she be right now if Zander hadn’t rescued her that night? Would they be pulling her body from a ditch?

“I need to go home. Can you please take me home?” She hugged her gym bag to her chest as events from her past flashed before her eyes. Images best kept locked away, far from prying eyes. Her bed was calling and all she wanted to do was curl up in a ball under the blankets for the next fifty years.

* * * *

As they approached the door to her apartment, a tingle shimmied down the base of her skull and tiny hairs on her neck stood on end. Something wasn’t right. Then again, things hadn’t felt right for days.

Zander’s arm shot out to block her from touching the door. “Grayce, wait,” he commanded. Grabbing her keys from her hand, he scooted her behind him. Heat radiated from his body. “Go to the truck. Wait there.” His tone was so authoritative and frightening, she didn’t hesitate. Only after he watched her lock herself in, did he turn and reach for the doorknob.

With bated breath she watched Zander enter her home. Less than two minutes later, the door flew open and he barreled toward her carrying a duffel bag and wearing a grim expression. The revulsion in his eyes snapped her last cord of sanity, sending her emotions on a downward spiral and her heartbeat into about-to-explode territory. She jumped when he slammed the duffel in the truck bed and yanked his door open. He climbed in, punched the dash and pounded the steering wheel. “We have to go.” An order, not a request.

“Wait. Just wait a minute. What’s happening?” Grayce fumbled with the door handle as she tried to free herself. Zander grabbed her thigh and held her in place.

“I can’t let you go in there.” With jaw clenched tight, his eyes reflected pure animal rage.

She glared at him, temper rising. “What the hell do you mean? That’s my home. Let me out of here.” Grayce shoved his hand from her leg and jumped out of the truck. Before her feet touched the ground, Zander was at her side. Seriously? How did he do that?

With an authoritative grasp on her shoulder, he implored her to stay put. “Please don’t do this. Please trust me and come with me, right now.” When she met him eye to eye, there was no denying how much he cared. His expression was so sincere, pleading, filled with genuine concern.

“Zander, you’re scaring me.” She pulled his hand from her shoulder, held it in her own, and clung for dear life. The skin to skin contact gave her courage she wouldn’t have otherwise been able to muster.

At first glance, the apartment looked like a paintball battlefield where the soldiers were only allowed to use red paint. If only that had been the case. It was a bloody mess, spattered on the furniture, the walls, even the ceiling.

Photos were strewn throughout the apartment, taped to the walls, tossed across the floor and furniture. Images of her bruised and bloody face, pictures of her bound to Tyr’s bed, various shots of her in bondage where she appeared to be unconscious—all reminders of the evil that dwelled in the shadows of her past. The hallway was littered with pictures of Grayce at the bar, the gym and the grocery store. Handwritten in red ink at the bottom of each snapshot was the word
mine
.

Reluctantly, she headed toward the bedroom, hands shaking. Oh shit. Oh shit. Her bedding had been replaced with a blood red comforter like the one Tyr had in his playroom. On top lay handcuffs, a whip she knew all too well and a single crimson rose placed on top of a handwritten note. Lacking courage to pick it up, she stepped away. More photographs were tossed carelessly around the room. Pictures of her asleep in her bed in the apartment. For the second time that day, blood drained from her face and her knees wobbled and buckled under her. Zander caught her before she hit the floor.

* * * *

Jostled by the deep potholes in the dirt road, Grayce awoke, leaning against Zander’s warm shoulder in the spacious cab of his truck. Seemed like she needed to say something, but what? Where would she even start? Sure, she could thank him, again, but that was getting old. She could ask where they were going even though it didn’t matter, so long as it was far from where they’d come. It would be too exhausting trying to make sense of the horrors they found in her apartment. Not a single word or string of sentences would do justice to the mish-mash of thought and emotion that scene had stirred in her brain. So, she stayed silent, left her head on his firm shoulder, and concentrated on the addictive energy he emanated.

She heard a loud buzz and he grabbed his cell from the dash.

“Hi. We’re almost there... Ten minutes. Everything ready? Is Nikolas home?” His body rose and fell as he inhaled deep and exhaled with relief. “Good, good... No, there hasn’t been time, but soon. I promise.” He tossed his phone across the dash and cursed under his breath.

Grayce didn’t pay much attention to where they were going. Honestly, she couldn’t have cared less. She didn’t want to think, or feel or process any of the last forty-eight hours. Instead, she focused on Zander’s breathing and his soothing scent.

Up ahead, a bend in the bumpy dirt road veered left. To the right, nothing but dense woodland, dark and foreboding, stretched as far as the eye could see. Fir trees had grown thick enough to block the sun’s intrusion on the forest floor. Instead of turning left at the bend, Zander steered right and drove head on through the thick of trees. As the truck plowed through, the firs misted away like fog.

Oh God, please no more freaky stuff.

Unable to take anymore, she squeezed her eyes closed, hoping to shut out the world. She contemplated visiting her dark place for a while to escape. But if she did that, she’d no longer feel Zander’s presence, and right then he was the only thing keeping her sane. How fucked up was that?

Grayce thought back to her first encounter with Zander two weeks ago. He’d burst through the double glass doors of Armstrong’s Gym like a predator on the hunt for someone to devour. Aside from his overwhelming size, what had stood out most was his radiant blue eyes. Grayce had been certain he wore cosmetic contacts. Nature didn’t create an eye color as magical as his. Dirty blond hair laid a perfect mess on his head. He hadn’t struck her as the type to wear product in his hair, but no way could it look that sexy without a little effort. The man was huge, bodybuilder huge but without the bulky clumsiness. He’d prowled through the gym with grace and moved with a suppleness and confidence that commanded respect and a wide berth.

She’d been instantly attracted to him, which was highly unsettling considering the fact she hated men. Hate would be an understatement as neither word nor emotion came close to describing the affect the male species had on her psyche. In her opinion, they should be wiped off the face of the planet—gruesome and painful would do.

When he approached, her cells came to life, vibrating and humming, every last one of them, completely betraying her.

That was the first time she’d considered leaving Chastain. She couldn’t afford being attracted to anyone. Attraction had nearly killed her years ago.

She’d considered packing her bags and moving on, but dammit, she had liked it there. Quite frankly, she was tired of running away. She’d even resigned herself to the fact that if Tyr found her, she would fight him to the death rather than leave. Most likely, he’d kill her, but that’s how tired she was of running.

* * * *

The truck rolled to a stop, the engine shut down and Zander shifted in his seat. With a sweet tenderness, he rubbed his hand through her hair and planted kisses on her head. His lips were the catalyst to sinfully delicious shivers that frolicked across her skull and spread like a thousand lightning bugs dancing down her spine. “I need you to come back to me now, Grayce.”

Zander scooted out of the truck and effortlessly pulled her with him. Cradled in his massive arms, she was carried down a long dirt drive. “I can walk, I’m okay.” Not completely confident with her statement, she managed half a smile for him. A sensual groan rose in his chest.

“If you don’t mind, I think I’ll carry you. You’ve fainted on me twice today and I’d like to avoid a third occurrence.” Nudging her cheek with his nose, he chuckled. “I think I’ll carry you wherever we go from now on. This is kind of nice.”

“Where are we?” She averted her eyes from his massive chest to the sprawling palatial mansion up ahead. Or maybe it was a castle. Hard to tell. After the day she’d had, it could’ve been an alien spaceship.

“We’re home.” His voice resonated with sweet conviction, like he’d been waiting his whole life to say those two words to her alone. Gazing down at her again, he smiled like a smitten school boy. An unfamiliar sensation rippled through her chest. A flutter? A palpitation? Oh, hell no. She didn’t do this sappy love shit. No. Men were the enemy.

He opened large hand-carved double doors that revealed a grand entryway. An elegant, intricate design in different shades of hardwood graced the floor. Opposite them a giant window overlooked a plush garden. Up above, the arched glass ceiling allowed light from the bright blue sky to flood the impressive space.

“I’ll give you a proper tour later.” He turned right and made his way down one of many long corridors. “We’ll put your things in my room and then I’d like you to meet a friend of mine.” They continued down the hallway to a whole new wing. “This is where we’ll be staying for now. At least until I know you’re safe. Then of course, it’s your decision.” In awe of the enormous home, Grayce was helpless to do anything but gape at her surroundings.

Zander kicked a door open and they entered a ridiculously large but understated bedroom. He beelined for the bed and set her on the edge. His tension was palpable—he wanted to touch her. She felt it, felt his restraint. Instead, he sat with his right thigh pressing heavily against hers. Damn she looked small, so diminutive next to him. Her whole lower body could fit inside his one leg. Every muscle of his thigh strained through the fabric of his workout pants. A strong urge to touch him, feel his powerful body beneath her fingertips, had her clenching her fists at her sides. The disloyal body of hers wanted to be connected to his in every way possible. The voice in her head screamed at her to run for the hills.

“Well, it’s been one hell of a day, huh?” Clearly an attempt to break the tension between them, he laughed at himself and relaxed his shoulders. Leaning back on his arms, he sighed. “I can’t imagine what’s going through your head right now.”

What
wasn’t
going through her head right now? “He found me. How did he find me? I’ve been so careful. There were pictures of me...” After swallowing the golf ball-sized lump in her throat, she paused for the few moments it took to get her emotions in check. “While I slept in my bed. He’s been in my home. What kind of sick fucked up game is he playing?”

“Grayce.” When Zander brushed hair from her shoulder, she flinched and regretted it instantly. He jerked his hand away and dragged it through his own scruffy mop. “He can’t touch you here. He won’t find you again.” Leaning forward with eyes squeezed shut, he declared under his breath, “Fucker won’t live long enough to find you.”

Grayce gasped and turned to Zander. “He won’t stop. You don’t know him.” With dramatic flair, she threw herself back on the bed and covered her face with both arms to hide the fear. To hide the tears she’d been fighting. Just to hide.

“I know me.” Zander growled, his tone heavy with the promise of retribution. “I know what I’ll do to keep him from touching you, or even laying eyes on you again.” Zander lifted her arms and pulled her back to the sitting position. “He left a note, a warning.” The letter appeared from behind his back.

“Shit.” She didn’t want to read it, but curiosity got the best of her.

My dearest dove,