Corporate Passion Page 10

  "You're the only one to ever get away from me. I look at what I do as an art form. It's the perfect blend of sex, pain and terror. You've spoiled it for me. Knowing I let one of my subjects get away without experiencing all three has clouded my muse. I need that muse back, and you're the only one who can do that for me."

  Without further comment, he slid the knife under the heavy velvet bodice of her dress. Like a hot knife through melted butter, the blade sliced through her gown until it fell to the floor, leaving her naked before him.

  Looking down in shame, Rachel saw the thin line of blood where the tip of the knife had scraped her skin. She hadn't even felt the blade cut her. Trying to think quickly, Rachel looked around for something to use as a weapon.

  As the rapist advanced, Rachel retreated. Her eyes frantically scanned the small room, searching for something, anything. Her gaze fixed on a shelf of cleaning supplies.

  Working her way towards the shelf, Rachel stopped when an aerosol can of tile cleaner was within reach. She slowly moved one arm behind her and tried to keep the pervert talking. “Why me? How did you pick me in the first place?"

  The rapist stopped in front of her and stared. He looked at her like she was stupid. “Because you were there. Hell, you could've been anyone. I don't give a fuck what you look like. It's not the face or the body I'm really after."

  He leaned closer until she could see the individual whiskers on his chin. “It's the fear. Fear's a beautiful thing. My mom taught me that when I was just a boy. She loved to study the different nuances of fear and how far a person could be pushed."

  Shrugging, the rapist tapped the knife against Rachel's chest, the point biting into her skin. “I'm now a collector of sorts. Everyone reacts differently. That's what drives me. You, for example. You're scared shitless, but you don't want me to know. You're braver than most."

  As he continued to talk, Rachel slowly reached for the can at her hip and waited for that split second when he'd let his guard down.

  "So you see, fucking you won't be enough now. Evidently the thought of that no longer frightens you. I guess I'll have to step up my game this time. Move on to a whole new phase of the performance. Prepare to die.” With those words, the rapist looked down at his knife as he swung it towards her.

  In that split second opening, Rachel brought the can up, and sprayed the foaming cleaner into his eyes.

  The rapist immediately dropped the knife and howled in pain, trying to rub the caustic substance from his skin.

  As he fell to his knees, Rachel bolted past him. Unlocking the storage room door, she ran naked out into the ballroom. From there, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Spotting Damon and Shane at the bar, she raced towards them.

  She was dimly aware of people shouting her name, but all Rachel cared about was getting to her husbands. She watched as their heads turned her way. Their drink glasses crashed to the floor, and they started towards her. The next thing she knew, Damon scooped her into his arms and ran out of the room with Shane yelling at someone in the crowd to call 911.

  Damon carried her to the hallway out of view of prying eyes. Shane removed his jacket and covered her while she was still in Damon's arms. “What happened?” Shane asked.

  Rachel couldn't believe she was safe. What if I'd died? I would've never again looked at this man's face. She lifted her hand to Damon's face and looked into his beautiful green eyes. “I love you."

  Turning his head, Damon kissed her hand. “I love you, too, but we need you tell us what happened?"

  Still dazed, Rachel pointed down the hall. “He was waiting for me when I came out of the restroom and pulled me into the storage room. He said he was an artist who collected fear, and because I didn't act frightened enough at the thought of being raped, he'd have to kill me instead."

  Shane stood and turned in the direction of the storage room. “Where'd he go, Rachel?"

  "I don't know,” she said, shaking her head. “I ... I sprayed him in the face with bathroom cleaner and ran."

  Shane looked from Rachel to Damon then headed down the hall.

  "It's okay, sweetheart. You're just in shock. Damon lifted the coat and looked at her torso. You've got some cuts, but I don't think they're life threatening."

  Rachel just smiled and snuggled up to him. Damon knew from the way she talked that she was likely in shock. The remote sound of her voice as she related her horrifying ordeal was unlike the woman he loved.

  Damon held Rachel closer and began to rock her as she closed her eyes. He heard the sirens stopping in front of the building. He knew physically Rachel was going to be okay. What he didn't know was how she'd deal with it emotionally and mentally.

  * * * *

  After a night spent in the hospital for observations, Rachel woke to find her husbands sharing the spare bed next to her. Spooned against Shane's back, Damon held an arm tight around Shane's stomach. Rachel smiled at the loving sight. How the two large men managed to sleep on the small hospital bed without falling off, was anyone's guess.

  A nurse came through the door and Rachel held her finger in front of her lips and pointed towards the two men. “Don't wake my husbands."

  The nurse smiled as she pulled Rachel's sheet down and looked at the stitched wounds. “They had a hard night. I finally convinced them about two hours ago to just stretch out on the spare bed. I think they were both asleep before I even made it out of the room,” the nurse commented.

  Pulling the sheet back up, the nurse took Rachel's temperature and blood pressure. “I never thought I'd have felt this way before, but you're one lucky woman to have two men who love you so much. I used to think of ménages as being all about the sex. You three have shown me an entirely new way to look at them."

  Rachel smiled at the nurse and took her hand. “Thank you.” She looked back over at the men. “They're my entire world."

  "And it's a beautiful world.” The nurse squeezed her hand. “The doctor will be in shortly. I imagine he'll release you this morning. You're stitches look good, but you'll need to be careful that they don't get infected."

  The nurse looked back over her shoulder at Damon and Shane. “Somehow I don't think the two of them would let a thing like that go unnoticed.” She winked at Rachel before slipping back out of the room.

  * * * *

  A little later, the doctor came by to check on her. His deep voice must have filtered through Damon's sleep-fuzzed brain because he immediately sat up and looked towards Rachel. Rachel couldn't help giggling. “It's okay. It's just the doctor."

  Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Damon shook Shane then got out of bed and walked towards the doctor and Rachel. “Are we going to be able to take her home today?"

  The doctor finished writing in the chart and clipped it back on the foot of the bed. “As soon as the necessary paperwork is finished, you can take her home.” He gave Damon and, a now awake but yawning, Shane wound-care instructions before leaving the room.

  As the door closed, Damon and Shane were at her side. Shane smoothed the hair out of Rachel's face. “How're you doing this morning?"

  She smiled at them both. “I'm good. I've had a lot of time to think while the two of you were sleeping. I don't want to stop taking the martial arts training."

  At Shane and Damon's worried looks, Rachel took their hands. “I'm not afraid of the city any more, loves. I asked ... him why he chose me. He said I could have been anyone. I just happened by at the wrong time. It made me realise that no one is really safe. The best we can do is to learn to protect ourselves and hope God is on our side when danger occurs. I just want to be prepared if I ever need to defend myself again."

  Leaning down, Shane kissed her. “You don't blame yourself for what you did to him last night, do you?"

  Taking a deep breath, Rachel let it out slowly. “I don't like what I had to do, but I don't hate myself for it. He would have killed me. I've no doubt about that."

  She smiled at the two men looking at her with love in their eyes. Ta
king a deep breath, Rachel let it out slowly. Shane had told her the previous night her attacker would most likely suffer permanent damage to his sight. “I don't like what I had to do, but I don't hate myself for it. He would have killed me. I've no doubt about that."

  She smiled at the two men looking at her with love in their eyes.

  Shane clapped his hands together. “I think we need to go back to our cottage in Jamaica for the holidays. What do you two think?"

  Rachel's face lit up. “I think Christmas in Jamaica sounds great, mon."

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  About the Author

  An avid reader for years, one day Carol Lynne decided to write her own brand of erotic romance. Carol juggles between being a full-time mother and a full-time writer. These days, you can usually find Carol either cleaning jelly out of the carpet or nestled in her favourite chair writing steamy love scenes.

  Email: carollynne@carollynne.info

  Carol loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and author biography at www.total-e-bound.com.

  Also by Carol Lynne

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  Campus Cravings: Broken Pottery

  Campus Cravings: Office Advances

  Campus Cravings: A Biker's Vow

  Campus Cravings: Hershie's Kiss

  Campus Cravings: Theron's Return

  Campus Cravings: Live for Today

  Good Time Boys: Sonny's Salvation

  Good-time Boys: Garron's Gift

  Good-time Boys: Rawley's Redemption

  Good-time Boys: Twin Temptations

  Cattle Valley: All Play & No Work

  Cattle Valley: Cattle Valley Mistletoe

  Cattle Valley: Sweet Topping

  Cattle Valley: Rough Ride

  Cattle Valley: Physical Therapy

  Cattle Valley: Out of the Shadow

  Cattle Valley: Bad Boy Cowboy

  Karaoke at the Tumbleweed

  Legend Anthology: Healing Doctor Ryan

  Joey's First Time

  Between Two Lovers

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