Angel (NSC Industries) (25 page)

In
shock, I laughed hysterically at her pale face. “My car, Leah! I called her
Betty” I answered her as if she was stupid.

She
huffed loudly; “Dear God, I thought it was your grandma or somebody sat in the
car waiting for you” she flopped down onto the floor.

“I’m
so sorry, Olivia” she sighed “Somebody has sure got it in for you, Hun.”

I
laughed bitterly again, “They haven’t got ‘it in for me’ Leah. Somebody is
trying to kill me” I laughed hysterically again, the shock muddling my brain
and the grief of losing Betty shutting down my already frayed emotions.

I
suddenly stopped laughing and stared at her “I need Nate, Leah. I need Nate” I
whispered.

She
nodded her head and hurried over to the phone as Grace came out of the office
and noted my face, “Oh bloody hell Sweetie, what now?” I just stared at her and
Leah walked back to me and handed me the phone.

“LIV?”
Nate shouted down the phone.

“I’m
here, Nate” I said quietly.

“Baby,
stay there, I’m coming to get you” he wheezed down the phone as I just nodded.
“Liv?” he persisted.

“I’m
here, Nate” It was all I could manage.

“Put
Leah back on, baby” he demanded gently and I passed her the phone.

Thirty
minutes later Nate charged through the doors to get to me just as the reality
of the situation dawned on me. The knowledge that it had been perfectly timed
to blow just as I was usually leaving work.

He
reached me as I vomited all over the luxury plush deep pile NSC logo carpet.

It
was DC Mandy Yale that came to interview me in the 44
^th
floor
conference room and I was grateful for that. Nate was sat at the side of me
refusing to let go of my hand, his expression troubled and furious both at the
same time. 

Mandy
reached across the table at the end of the interrogation and took my hand.
“Olivia, I promise I’m going to do everything I can to stop him” she smiled
tightly and I could read the truth behind her words, though I laughed without
humour.

“Sure
Mandy. I know you’ll try but tell me, do you think you’ll get any evidence of
his involvement in this?” I asked sceptically “Because I
know
you won’t.”

She
lowered her eyes in an admittance of my words and Nate stood sharply “Is there nothing
you can fucking do? Question him at least? Track his movements, anything for
god’s sake? He’s trying to fucking kill her” he shouted and I took his hand,
“Nate please” I pleaded and tried to pull him back into his chair.

“Mr
Carter, I
promise
that I will do everything I can…
and everything I
can’t!”
She added with a whisper.

He
slumped back down in his chair and huffed, running his hands through his hair
in exasperation and looked at her, “Well what do we do now?” he asked formally.

“Just
keep an eye on her” she said softly.

Nate
and he pulled a face as if she was stupid and shook his head slowly “I’ve hired
a bodyguard for her and she’s not leaving my sight” he told Mandy.

I
jumped up, glaring at him, “Nate! I’m not having a bloody bodyguard!” I
declared and he scoffed at me and pursed his lips as he glared back at me.

“Yes.
You. Are.” he growled and his expression was full of rage and determination,
making me wither slightly.

His
face softened when he picked up on my anxiety and he took my hand, “Liv, let me
do this. I need to do this.”

I
nodded slowly, pacifying him but a little part of me was grateful for what he’s
done, “Okay” I murmured.

He
nodded sharply and turned back to Mandy. “If that’s all, DC Yale, I’d like to
get Liv home” he addressed her formally, every inch of the billionaire mogul in
his stance and manner.

She
nodded and collected her papers and approached me “Olivia, please be careful.
Don’t do anything stupid,
please.
” I lowered my eyes to the floor and
she cocked her head, “Olivia, please.”

I
looked her straight in the eye, “Mandy. If he touches the kids or Nate… I will
finish him, if it’s the last thing I ever do.” The truth in my voice told her
that I would do just that, even if it meant prison or my own death.

We
arrived home a little after 7pm and I kicked off my shoes and slumped on the
sofa, “Ahhhh” I groaned, rolling my head on my shoulders.

Nate
walked in from the kitchen with a glass of wine, passing it me he sat down
beside me and lifted my feet to his lap and started the most delectable foot
rub I’d ever had. “That good, baby?” He chuckled as I groaned loudly.

“God,
yes. Where did you learn to do that?” I asked idly, closing my eyes and he
stiffened a little. Raising one eye to look at him I smirked, “I don’t think I
want to know.”

He
grinned sheepishly and slid his hands to my ankles, his fingers lightly
massaging my tight, pale skin. “You need some colour on these beautiful legs, baby.
What do you think about a few days away?” he asked cocking his head.

I
shrugged and sucked on my lips “I can’t Nate.”

He
frowned at me, “Why?” and I caught his gaze “I can’t leave Jay Nate, not with
James out there.”

He
hissed and nodded. “What about when Erin and Matt get back, we all go somewhere
hot and tranquil… together?” he asked apprehensively.

I
locked my eyes with him, “Yeah, okay” and I cupped his cheek “As a family Nate.”

He
caught a breath, his gaze intent on mine and then he grinned, a huge, powerful
megawatt beam. “As a family” he confirmed with a nod.

We
sat silent for a while, Nate still massaging my legs as I laid my head on the
arm of the sofa, my eyes closed and my breathing relaxed and steady. “You still
awake, Liv?” he asked on a whisper.

“Mmmm”
I replied languidly.

“Why
don’t I run you a hot bath and order some takeaway while you relax?”

I
opened my eyes and gazed at him for a long moment. “I love you, Nathan Carter”
I told him softly. What had I done to deserve this selfless, beautiful man?

He
eyed me sceptically “More than Haribos?” he asked with a fake scrutiny.

Narrowing
my eyes to contemplate I nodded. “More than wine?” He continued with a twinkle
in his eye, waiting for the answer.

Pursing
my lips and scrunching my nose in deep thought I slowly nodded and gave him a
lazy grin. He gasped and put his hand over his mouth in mock shock “Wow, that
much, huh?”

He
grinned and stretched out lethargically on top of me, pinning me to the sofa
under him and palming the side of my face “And I love you very much too, baby.”

His
lips brushed over mine, “You’re”
kiss
“The”
kiss
“Other”
kiss
“Half”
kiss
“of”
kiss
“Me.”

His
mouth covered mine in a hot, heavy kiss with his tongue sweeping mine “The
Angel of my soul, Liv” he whispered against my lips.

I
held his face in my hands and linked our eyes, gazing directly into his soul,
“That’s because you have a beautiful soul for me to protect, Nate and I promise
to never let it go.”

 He
took a breath and came down to kiss me again, his hand now twisting my hair
tightly into his fist as his thumb soothingly stroked across my cheek, as he
continued to devour me with control and affection.

Dominant
and submissive, both at the same time.

Pain
and pleasure, together as one.

Sorrow
and bliss, in synchronised unison.

***

We
were laid in bed relaxing after a bath, Chinese takeaway and making love. Nate
was working away feverishly on his laptop whist I was reading. He was huffing
and grumbling every few minutes and it was taking my concentration away from my
book.

“For
God’s sake” he grumbled again and I looked at him frowning, “What the hell’s
the matter with you?” I grumbled.

“You’re
bloody internet, it’s crap” he moaned.

I
scowled at him “No it’s not, there’s nothing wrong with it… usually” I told him.

“Well
something’s bloody interfering with it” he glowered and I shrugged and closed
my book, “Well I’m going to sleep now, babe. Don’t forget we’ve got an early
start tomorrow, we’ve gotta be at Jay’s at 10.”

He
leaned over and gave me a tender kiss, “Sleep well, Angel. I’ve just got a few
e-mails to send then I’m done.” I nodded and turned the lamp off.

Just
as I was dropping off I felt Nate shift in bed and start rummaging around.
Opening my eyes and glancing at him I could see him fetching the bedroom chair
and placing it near the wardrobe, he stepped onto it.

He
was completely naked and my insides flamed, his glorious arse perfectly on
display in the glow from his laptop. “What are you doing, Nate?” I questioned
but he didn’t answer me.

 He
reached on top of the wardrobe, took hold of something and studied it.

“
HOLY
FUCK!”
he sucked in a huge breath that made me bolt upright troubled, “What
Nate?”

He
stared at me, his eyes wide.

“
Holy
Fuck”
He repeated as I clambered out of bed, now panicking, “What?”

He
flicked a switch that was located on the side of it and the little red light
that was lit went out. He held out a little black box to show me. “What is it?”
I asked, frowning deeply.

He
sat on the edge of the bed; his face contorted in rage and thought. “For fucks
sake, Nate, Will you tell me what it is?” I demanded.

He
slowly raised his gaze to mine, “It’s a camera, Liv” he said on a whisper.

“WHAT?”

I
sat down next to him, and blew out a breath. “The fucking dirty bastard has
been watching you undress, watching us make love.”

He
was livid, the white rage in his eyes made them radiate and the firmness of his
jaw and tightness of his lips made him look chilling.

He
snatched his phone from the bedside table and tapped in a few numbers. “Bill,
Nathan Carter. I need you to call to Miss Adams house and collect something I
need investigating.” He paused, “Yes, it’s a portable camera of some sort. I
need a technical spec on it and see if you can trace where the signal is being
sent to.”

He
was pacing the floor, beautifully naked and lean. His power took my breath away
and I knew in that moment that Nate would protect me with everything he had.
“Okay, Thank you, I’ll see you in 30” he ended the call and slung his phone on
the bed.

“He
is really fucking me off now” he ground out, then taking a look at my pale face
he dropped to his knees in front of me. “Baby. I need you to not mention the
camera to the police; I need to deal with it myself. Okay?”  

I
frowned at him “But won’t the police be better equipped to investigate it,
Nate?”

He
shook his head “No Liv, I have a few connections. I need to ask you a serious
question now and I don’t want you to freak out at me, Okay?”

Curious,
I nodded slightly. “Baby, I need to know how far you… how far you want me to
go?” I wrinkled my brow, confused and he tried again. “I have connections, Liv;
I can take this all the way. I can take him down, baby” he added in an
undertone.

I
nodded slowly, suddenly realising what he was saying. “Is that a, yes I
understand or a, yes do it?” He needed to be sure before he gave the order.

I
didn’t hesitate, not for one second, I thought of all the years he had tortured
me, all the years he had hurt the kids, every ugly thing he had ever done; all
the fear he had instilled in me, all the rapes, punches, kicks and misery he
gave to me and all the times that had me feeling useless, ashamed and degraded.

I
nodded slowly, “Do it” I whispered.

He
sucked in a breath, lifting my chin to lock his gaze with mine while he
analysed my eyes. “Are you absolutely sure Liv, you need to be 100% positive on
this? There’s no going back.”

I
nodded again, more firmly and positively, “110% Nate.”

He
nodded and brushed my cheeks lightly with the back of his knuckles. “You get
some rest now. I’ll deal with Bill then be back okay?” he told me as he lifted
my legs and laid them on the bed, kissing me tenderly on the forehead as he
pulled the duvet up.

He
slipped on his jeans and t-shirt and turned off the lamp. “I love you, Angel”
he whispered against my head and I grabbed his hand, “Nate…”

He
ran his thumb over my knuckles. “What, baby?” he asked softly and I sighed
lightly, “Just… just…Thank you.” It was all I could manage but it said it all
and he understood it all as he said “I know, baby. It will soon be over, I
promise you.”

I
nodded as my eyes closed with exhaustion and weariness as I heard him softly
shut the door and walk down the stairs already talking on his phone “Mason, Nate
Carter, I need…”

***

The
next morning the sun was scorching, the birds were singing their usual morning
tune and Nate was very, very excited. “Liv, come on” he was trying his hardest
to wake me but my body was telling him to bugger off.

 “Liv!”

I
grumbled and rolled over, squeezing my eyes shut tighter, “Will you quit!” I
slurred.

 “Baby,
come on. Are you always like this in a morning?” he asked on a huff.

 “Only
when there’s a too happy man trying to get me
out
of bed instead of
into
bed” I waggled my eyebrows at him and grinned even though my eyes were still
shut tight.

His
hand slid under the duvet, slowly up my leg, his fingers inching their way up
my bare skin.

I
smiled to myself, my arousal already lighting up and turned on my back so he
could get better access as his fingers slid higher and higher; straight past my
crotch and up to my ribs as he began to torture me, digging in and tickling me.

 “Nate!”
I screamed and shot up.

He
grinned “Now you’re up.”