Surrender (11 page)

He wrapped his arm around her waist and practically carried her to the dance floor where he placed both arms around her and started grinding his hips into hers.

“Um, I don’t feel too well. Maybe you should take me back to my friends,” Ari
slurred, surprised by how difficult it was to get the words out.

“Shh, you’re fine, sugar. Let’s just have a dance or two and then I’ll take you somewhere you can lie down,” he replied before his lips captured hers, preventing her from protesting any further. With her last bit of energy she tried pulling away, but it was useless. The world was starting to blacken, and she slumped in his arms as she began to pass out.

“That’s right. Don’t fight it…” were the last words she heard.

Rafe walked into the club, irritated to be there, but it was where his best friend wanted to meet. The man was constantly on the hunt for new women – one night stands being his preferred choice for satisfying his desires.

Rafe preferred to have exclusive women – there to do anything he wanted until he
became bored of them. Only Shane, the man he’d known since middle school could get him out to a club, and only because he was like a brother to Rafe. The two of them were good for each other, helped balance one another out.

Having two sisters who drove him crazy, it was nice having Shane to level the insanity out. His sisters were great, but they
could be too much to handle at times. Shane knew Rafe more than any other human being. He was there when Rafe had gone through the divorce, then by his side as he’d done what he needed to in order to pick the pieces back up.

“I can already tell by the expression on your face that you’re thrilled to be here.”

Rafe turned around and shot an irritated glance in Shane’s direction. Why he put up with the man, he’d never know. Really, the friendship should’ve never survived all the crap Shane was known for pulling. If Rafe didn’t know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Shane was a good guy, he’d cut ties and call it good.

“Let’s get this over with. I have plans this weekend.”

“Loosen up, brother. You have to stop and smell the roses once in a while. We’re two single guys out on the prowl and they only allow the hottest women in here. Let’s have some fun first, then discuss business later.”

Rafe sighed as a skimpily dressed hostess led them to a private table, bending down to show her ample cleavage as she asked them what they wanted to drink. Rafe normally would’ve enjoyed the view, but he still couldn’t seem to get Ari from his mind.

Never could he remember being so taken by one woman. It was the reason he should cut his losses and forget all about her. She’d said
no
– that should be the end of it – except, Rafe didn’t take rejection too well. Not that he could remember the last time he’d actually been rejected.

“We’ll take a couple shots of bourbon to start,” Shane said as his hand reached out and copped a feel on her round ass.

“Sounds good, baby. I’ll be right back,” the woman practically purred.

“Damn, I may not need to look any further. She’s hot enough to fry all my circuits,” Shane said with a
low, drawn out whistle as he watched her walk away, her hips swinging hypnotically.

“I don’t know how you screw so many women, then leave them in the dust and have them still thinking you’re their freaking prince charming,” Rafe grumbled.

“It’s all in the attitude, man. I just make them think it’s
their
idea for us to only have one night together. Then, when I run away a free man, they just think it was an exceptional night of sex, and we’re good friends.”

Rafe snorted as he looked around the club. It was quite crowded for seven
o'clock on a Friday night. He’d hoped to have a little peace for a couple more hours. As his bored gaze started returning to his friend, his eyes caught on a woman being led to the dance floor.

“No,” he uttered in disbelief.

“What?” Shane asked as he followed Rafe’s gaze and saw a small brunette being led out onto the dance floor. “Do you know her?”

The two men watched as the man held onto the woman, her body flopping against him as he felt her up. Rafe’s eyes narrowed further when it was obvious she was barely conscious.

“Son of a bitch!”

Rafe stood up so suddenly that his chair
bolted out from behind him, hitting the people walking by. The man grumbled something, but they just continued walking. It was smart of the man, because Rafe was seeing red as he watched the man start to drag Ari away from the dance floor.

“What’s going on?” Shane asked as he placed his hand on Rafe’s
shoulder, which nearly got him knocked out.

“She’s obviously drunk, passing out as they move and the bastard is taking advantage of her!”

With Shane right behind him, Rafe quickly made his way across the club and followed Ari and the stranger, coming up to them just in time to hear the man speaking to his pals.

“Hey, Chandler.
Looks like you got another one.”

“
Damn! She’s smokin’.”

“Yeah, if you liked the drugged out look.”

The four men started laughing as Chandler sent them a knowing glance, then headed for the back door. Rafe was right behind him. He followed them to the parking lot and saw as the Chandler guy began leading Ari to some run-down house behind the club.

Over his dead body.

“I dialed the police. I don’t think this is the first time this creep has tried something like this.” Rafe turned to see Shane right next to him as they approached Chandler and Ari.

“What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” Rafe thundered as he grabbed the guy’s arm.

“None of your damn business,” the man snapped as he tried to pick up his pace.

“From what I overheard your friends saying, it
sounds to me like you drugged this woman and now plan on taking her to your drug house to rape her.”

“Who in the hell are you? You don’t know what you’re talking about. This is my girlfriend. She just had too much to drink tonight and I’m taking her home to sleep it off.”

“Listen, jackass, if I were you, I’d hightail it inside without the girl and hide because my friend is about to kick your ass all over this parking lot. I’m mighty inclined to give him a helping hand,” Shane said with a smile of anticipation.

The guy’s eyes were darting around as if afraid of getting caught. Rafe could see he was trying to decide whether to fight for his victim, or drop her and run like hell. Fear won out when he saw the fury in Rafe’s eyes, and the determination in Shane’s. He suddenly pushed Ari toward the two of them,
then took off running to the shack.

Rafe caught Ari just before she hit the hard pavement, thinking for one moment of setting her down and going after the
punk. When she groaned in his arms, he knew he wasn’t leaving her.

“I’ll keep an eye on the
place, make sure he doesn’t run for it. You take care of her. Just give me a call later and let me know if she’s okay,” Shane said before he walked to the rickety steps of the house and leaned against the rail, intently watching the door.

“Ari?
Ari, are you okay?” Rafe asked as he scooped her up into his arms and slightly shook her. Slowly, her eyes came open, and it was obvious her vision was blurred as she squinted up at him. It took several moments for her to focus on his face.

“Rafe?
When did you get here?”

Her hand came up and patted his cheek, her fingernails trailing down the side of his face before she smiled at him.

“Mmm, you smell good,” she slurred.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded. Her brows puckered as if she didn’t have any idea and
it was a very difficult question for her to answer.

“I… I can’t remember.”

“I’m taking you home!”

Rafe was furious. What was she doing at a club on a Friday? And how had she allowed herself to get into the position she was in? If it wasn’t for him being there, she’d be getting
violated at that very moment. This was why she should just accept his generous offer. It seemed she wasn’t able to protect herself on her own.

He strode to his car and set her on the front seat where she quickly passed out again. With an angry turn of his wrist he pulled out his phone and sent Shane a message,
to let him know the minute the guy was arrested. He wanted to make sure the scumbag was locked up for a while, and hopefully never able to do this to another woman.

Rafe started driving toward his home,
then changed his mind. He’d never taken a woman there and he wasn’t going to start now. With a jerk of the wheel he turned down a side road and reversed the car, heading in the direction of her apartment.

When he pulled up to her address, his eyes narrowed in disgust. Why would someone choose to live in such a crappy location? She was being paid well at her job. She should’ve moved out by now. He knew she had expenses, but a safe place to live should’ve been at the top of her priority list.

Luckily, she was wearing a strappy purse which was still hanging around her neck. He searched it and found her key, then lifted her into his arms and carried her up the unstable staircase to the second landing, where he found her doorknob on the dark front porch. It took him a few tries before he managed to get the door open.

His disgust grew at her shabby, small living area which was sparsely furnished. He laid her down on the couch as there wasn’t a bed in sight, then picked up his cell phone and dialed his private physician.
The respected doctor said he would be right over, though the man paused when Rafe listed the address.

Rafe would’ve paused too. While he waited for Dr. Malroy to arrive, he searched her tiny space, only taking a few minutes. Her fridge was pretty much empty, her cupboards
bare, and her toiletries scarce. No wonder the woman was too skinny. She obviously didn’t know how to take care of herself. If anyone could benefit from being his mistress, it was her. She’d get a whole lot more out of their arrangement than he would. He couldn’t understand her repulsion to it.

At the very instant she agreed, he would
move her into a beautiful condo, where she’d have plenty to eat and not have to worry about money – not even after he was done with her. He paid his mistresses a nice settlement when their services were no longer needed, making sure they were still taken care of long after he tired of them.

His second call was to his assistant who assured him he’d have her fridge and cupboards stalked within a couple of hours. Rafe wanted her to come to him – he just wasn’t going to leave her in her current conditions while he waited for the inevitable acceptance.

Rafe sighed in relief at the knock on her door. He opened it and let the doctor in, who raised his brows at Rafe in question. Rafe didn’t bother explaining, just led the man to the couch so he could examine Ari. It didn’t take Dr. Malroy long to diagnose the problem.

“I won’t know for sure until the tests are confirmed, but it looks to me like she received a dose of some kind of date rape drug. The person most likely slipped it in her drink, causing her exhaustion and hypnotic state. More often than not it causes an almost amnesiac effect, causing the victim to not remember anything from the night before.”

Rafe’s rage rose to dangerous levels. That man who’d had her in his arms had drugged her and planned on doing who knew what with her, before dumping her somewhere where she wouldn’t remember a thing.

Once Rafe was done assuring himself Ari would be okay, he planned on making a visit to the would-be attacker. He had many friends at the police station
who wouldn’t have any problem turning their backs while Rafe got one good punch in – maybe two or three.

“Does she need to be admitted at the hospital?”

“It doesn’t look like she got a dangerously high level, but you need to keep an eye on her for the rest of the night. If she looks to have any trouble breathing then you need to rush her to the E.R., but they can’t really do any more than give her the same medications that I have with me. Some victims have been known to die from a bad reaction to the drugs, but she should be showing signs at this point.”

“I’ll take her there now.”

“I don’t see any allergic reactions. Honestly, I think she’ll be fine. I’ve been your doctor for a long time, and I’ve never steered you wrong. If I felt there was a need for her to go in, I’d tell you. She just needs fluids and rest right now.”

“If you think that’s what’s best, but if I get the slightest whim that she isn’t okay, I’ll rush her in.” With reluctance, Rafe took the doctor’s advice and saw him out. Afterward, he settled in for a very long night.

Ari woke up to
a pounding drum percussion in her head. She tried peeking through narrow slits in her eyelids, but the pain wouldn’t allow even that much movement. Her body twitched on the bed and she felt aches move from her head all the way to the ends of her toes.

“Take this, Ari. It will help.”

Ari froze at the sound of Rafe’s voice. What was he doing here? What was she doing in the same room as him? Where was she? For a moment, her mind was a complete blank, making the pain and panic escalate.