Shattered (16 page)

Chapter
Ten

The hotel was small and shabby, a hole in the
wall with a scrappy awning and flickering neon sign. I hurried in
and slapped my cash on the counter. The concierge, a tired looking
old man with dark bags under his eyes, didn’t ask any questions. He
pushed a room key my way, and I hurried into the depths of the
hotel.

Our room was nothing special. A
loudly-printed comforter covered a threadbare mattress, some
terrible painting hung on the wall, and I could hear people
coughing and chattering through the walls. To say that the room was
dirty would be to dishonor dirt everywhere. This place looked like
it was contagious. I gingerly lowered myself onto the flimsy bed
and took a deep breath for the first time in hours. I had no idea
how Anderson was going to get us out of this mess, and I wondered
if even Anderson himself knew. But at least we were together, I
reminded myself.

One hour melted into the next as I waited for
Anderson to return. I didn’t move a muscle the whole time for fear
of drawing attention to myself. I kept replaying my conversation
with Robert as I sat there. I tried to imagine the bitterness, the
cruelty it must take to rob a child of his parents, his brother,
and his entire life. I could never have comprehended before meeting
Robert that such evil was even possible. The way he had smirked as
he told me about Anderson’s family had been so easy, so guilt free.
Thinking of it made me sick.

Just as I began to worry that something might
have happened to Anderson en route, I heard a key sliding into the
hotel room door. I froze, hoping against all hope that I wouldn’t
find a gun pointed at me when the door swung open. I nearly broke
into a fresh wave of tears when Anderson appeared across the
threshold. He hurried into the room, lugging a huge gym bag behind
him. He tossed down the bag and crossed the room, scooping me up
into his arms. I melted against him, feeling safe for the first
time since the cold kiss of that blade had touched my throat.

“Were you followed?” I asked.

“No,” he told me, “I made sure of it.”

“How?” I asked.

“I may have led Robert to believe that I’d
spotted you on the other side of town,” Anderson said, “The
flunkies went off to find you.”

“To kill me,” I said flatly.

“No one’s going to kill you,” Anderson said
fiercely, “No one’s going to lay a finger on you.”

“What are we going to do?” I asked him,
laying my hands on the firm planes of his chest, “This is so far
over my head, Anderson.”

“Mine too,” he said, “And that’s saying
something.”

“I can’t imagine what you’re feeling right
now,” I said, “Robert’s been like a father to you.”

“No,” Anderson said, “Robert doesn’t deserve
to be mentioned in the same sentence as my father. My father was a
hardworking, noble man. My mother was a hard ass and a saint. Toby
was the brightest, kindest person in the entire world. Robert is
scum. Robert deserves to rot in hell. Robert’s going to get his,
and I’m going to be the one who gives it to him.”

“You’re not going to kill him?” I asked
breathlessly. “That wouldn’t make things right.”

“No,” Anderson said, “I’m not going to kill
him. I’m going to do much worse than that. I’m going to ruin him.
Everything he’s ever built.”

“How?” I asked.

“I’m working on it,” Anderson said, “But
first, we have to make sure you’re safe. I checked the perimeter
when I came in, no one knows you’re here. Can I see your
phone?”

I handed my cell over to Anderson. He carried
it into the bathroom, tossed it in the sink, and turned on the
water.

“Hey!” I said.

“GPS,” he answered, “I won’t have you tracked
down.”

“How are we going to get away from them?” I
asked, “How are we ever going to escape?”

“First of all,” Anderson said, “We’re going
to change your look.”

“Change my...? I hardly think this is time
for a styling session,” I said incredulously.

“No,” Anderson said, grabbing the bag and
showing me its contents. I spotted a box of black hair dye, an
electric razor, spray tanner, a thousand other cosmetics.

“Oh,” I said.

“We’ll hide you in plain sight,” Anderson
said, “Let’s get started.”

I submitted to Anderson’s discretion. It was
the only thing to do. My life was in his hands now. And though we
were in more danger than I could even fathom, I trusted him to lead
me through it. I trusted him to the ends of the earth and back.

He helped me out of my torn and faded
clothes, tossing them in a heap on the dirty carpet. I shivered as
the air hit my skin. My nipples stood up at attention as Anderson
took me in. Even now, we couldn’t turn off our desire for each
other, but we had work to do. It would have to wait.

I stood in the hotel shower as Anderson shook
up the can of spray tanner. I had to fight to keep from getting
excited. There was a morbid sort of thrill to all of this that I
couldn’t deny. I closed my eyes as Anderson sprayed me down,
turning my milky white skin a dark shade of olive. I turned in slow
circles, giving him access to every inch of me. I was used to
submitting to him, after all. His ministrations now felt like
another expression of his love for me. I suppose that’s what it
was.

I scarcely recognized myself when I caught
sight of my reflection in the mirror. “Won’t this wash away?” I
asked Anderson.

“Maybe if you had a fire hose,” he said,
giving my ass a final spray, “I got the good stuff, don’t
worry.”

I approached my image in the bathroom mirror,
marveling at the transformation. “They still might be able to
recognize me,” I said.

“Oh, we’re not even close to finished,” he
said. “Sit down on the edge of the bath tub.” I did as he said,
watched as he drew a long pair of scissors from his gym bag. I
grabbed hold of my long blonde hair protectively. I’d been growing
it out since I was five, after all, and it had never even been cut
above my shoulders. “I know,” Anderson said, “But you can’t be
recognizable. The hair has to go.”

“OK,” I said softly, letting go of my locks.
“Whatever you say.”

Anderson approached and knelt beside me,
taking my long hair into his hand. I closed my eyes as he separated
the blades and placed them against my hair. With a sharp, clean
sound, the first cut was made. My hand flew to my head, and I let
out a little yelp of surprise as I felt my hair end just below my
chin.

“It’s OK,” Anderson said, “Just trust me.
It’s going to be OK.”

I kept my eyes closed for the rest of the
process, hearing the scissors clicking in my ears. Anderson
produced the electric razor to clean up the edges of my new cut,
the vibrating teeth sending little shivers around my spine. The
whole thing was so far removed from anything I’d ever experienced
before. I could feel a breeze against my neck, knew that Anderson
was taking everything off.

He set the scissors and razor down and
brought out the black dye. I was beyond the point of arguing with
him. Anderson covered my shoulders and began to apply the stuff
himself. He rubbed the stinging solution into what was left of my
scalp, the entire bathroom filled up with the foul smell of it. He
spread a tiny bit of dye onto my eyebrows as well, and cleaned up
as the minutes passed. We rinsed out my shorn locks, and I finally
decided to chance a look in the mirror. I approached the sinks,
taking a deep breath.

“Oh my god,” I muttered as I brought my eyes
up to the mirror.

“It’s still you,” Anderson said, “I
promise.”

I could scarcely comprehend that fact. I
stared at the woman in the mirror, trying to locate myself within
her. Her skin was tan and smooth where mine had been pale. Her hair
was even further beyond the realm of the conceivable. Whereas my
hair had been long and blonde, her's was chopped into a pitch-black
pixie cut. But as different and foreign as she looked to me, I had
to admit that she was stunning. I lifted my hand to my head,
watching as my reflection did the same. I ran my fingers through my
short black crop of hair, and was surprised at the freedom and
satisfaction that I felt. This might just do.

“You look beautiful,” Anderson said, coming
up behind me and laying his hands on my bare waist. I stood naked
before him, our reflections framed in the dirty mirror.

“Do you still...” I started, looking up at
him, “Are you still attracted to me?”

He flipped me around so that I was facing him
against the sink. My body lit up at his sudden show of force. He
looked down into my eyes with an intensity that I knew well. “Do
you think that something as small as how you look could change the
way I feel about you?” he asked.

“It’s a pretty significant change,” I said,
biting my lip.

“Listen to me,” he said, cupping my chin in
his strong hand, “Nothing will change the way I feel about you,
Kaela. I love you. Besides my family, you’re the only person that
I’ve ever loved and trusted in the world. You’re everything to me,
and I will protect you until the day I die.”

I brought my hands to his slender waist,
around the small of his back. Our sudden closeness was making me
dizzy. It had been days since we had touched like this, and desire
was coursing through me with an intensity that was brand new.
Anderson pressed in against me, pinning me against the counter. I
could feel him growing hard against my thigh, throbbing with need
for me. Despite the fear that had held me captive for so many
hours, in that moment I felt safe. I felt like I was home. And I
knew that I needed him right then and there.

Anderson brought his lips to mine, and I
hungrily accepted his kiss. Our mouths moved together, opened to
each other with abandon. I slid my tongue against his, savoring the
taste of him. He flicked his tongue against mine, sending little
tremors of pleasure through my body. I tightened my grip around his
waist as I brought my teeth down onto his bottom lip, nibbling
gently at him. He sucked in a deep breath as the tiny sting of my
bite coursed through him. With one easy motion, he scooped his
hands under my trembling thighs and hoisted me up.

He held me aloft as I kissed him deeper and
deeper, bringing my eager mouth to the skin of his throat. A low,
grating moan escaped his lips as I ran my tongue along his
collarbone, dug my fingers into the fine muscles of his shoulders.
He carried me from the bathroom and pressed my back up against the
hotel room wall. The bed was not an option and the floor was out of
the question. I grabbed onto the door frame as Anderson lowered his
mouth to my breasts. He flicked his tongue against my hard nipples,
driving me out of my mind.

“Have me right here,” I begged as he sucked
hard on my tender nipple. He didn’t have to be told twice. Holding
me aloft with one hand, he tugged off his shorts and boxers, and
his thick member rose up to meet me. I held my breath as Anderson
guided his manhood toward my eager wetness. We couldn’t wait, not
for a moment. In one graceful motion, Anderson slid into me,
drawing a deep, yearning moan from my throat. I arched my back
against the wall as he sank into me again, and again.

With my fingers tangled tightly in Anderson’s
short, black curls, I bucked against his thrusts. Deeper and
deeper, he drove up inside me, spreading me open with his long,
throbbing member. I reveled in the fullness of holding him inside
of me, grinning as he drove into the very core of me. I could feel
that hot, insistent pressure beginning to build and I knew that I
was getting close. As if he could sense it, Anderson began to
thrust harder, faster, his breaths coming out in wild primal
groans. The force of his wanting was making me high, and the room
seemed to spin around me.

I stifled a cry as the force of Anderson’s
pummeling thrusts sent me spinning into orgasm. I clutched his
shoulder as I came, pressing myself hard against his body. He could
feel me trembling in his arms, and my pleasure only drove him
madder. With a final, forceful thrust, I felt him come inside of
me. His member pulsed against my flesh, filling me with him. I held
on tightly, cherishing the sensation of feeling him release within
me. Finally, when we were both spent, Anderson lowered me to my
feet. We embraced, shaking and sighing, as the world came back into
focus.

“I’m so glad I met you,” I said, resting my
cheek against his chest.

“Why?” he asked, “I’ve brought you nothing
but trouble.”

I looked up at him, amazed. “That’s not
true,” I said.

“No?” he replied, “After I pulled those guys
off you that first night, shouldn’t I have brought you home and let
you get on with your life? Instead, I did the selfish thing. I
brought you into my life. My twisted, dangerous life. If I really
had your best interests at heart, I would have left you alone. But
I could only think about how much I wanted you.”

“Is that such a bad thing?” I asked, striving
to be playful.

“It’s my fault you’re in danger now,”
Anderson said, looking pained. “I can’t stay away from you, Kaela.
But I thought about this, and before anything else happens, I want
to give you the chance to walk away.”

“What?” I said, taking a step away from him.
He stood before me in all his unclothed beauty, a beseeching look
upon his face. Even in his grimy hotel room he was the most
beautiful man I’d ever seen in real life. Or otherwise, for that
matter.

“If you wanted to leave me now,” he said
slowly, “I would let you go. I wouldn’t blame you for wanting your
life back. I could give you enough money to get away, forever. I
could deal with all this without worrying about you. If that’s what
you want, just say the word.”

“Stop it,” I told him, suddenly angry, “You
can’t possibly think that I would leave you now, do you? I could
try, but it wouldn’t take. All that I want is to be here with you,
no matter what that means. You’re not going to shake me off, Mr.
Cole.”