Club Desire: My Obsession Part 20

She was staring down at his shoes, refusing to meet his gaze.

He clenched his hands into fists to keep from reaching for her. Even when his mind was screaming for him to hold her, he would never touch her when she had told him she didn't want him to. "The fact that I've grown to care about you outside of the dungeon has nothing to do with ten years ago or turning me down for a high-school dance. I think once you move past your hurt and anger, you'll see that."

He took one step forward, hoping she would at least look at him.

She lifted the book and swung it, hitting him in the side of the head so hard his ears rang, and pain pierced his heart. When he raised his hand to touch his head and took another step forward, she threw the book at him and punched the b.u.t.ton to open the elevator doors.

"Just leave me alone." She stared at him over her shoulder. "I'm sorry if I hurt you all those years ago. I never meant to; I was too busy hiding my own secrets and too selfish to understand what you were going through. But that didn't give you the right to manipulate me, to trick me and to lie to me." She stepped inside the elevator when the doors opened. "I fell in love with you, d.a.m.n it, and now I find out it's not real. There's no trust between us."

She hit the b.u.t.ton inside the elevator repeatedly until the doors closed, hiding her from view.

Brent cursed and sat down hard on his desk chair. He'd known all along that he needed to tell her. Dex had even warned him about this, and now he had hurt her, maybe beyond repair. The woman he loved had just run from him and asked him to leave her alone. But how could he? Especially when she had just told him she loved him too.

It was what he had hoped for, but he didn't expect it this soon. And especially when she'd found out he'd been keeping secrets from her.

Brent slammed his hand on his desk before he picked up the phone to call Jake and fill him in.

If he couldn't watch over Sandra, then there were others here who could. If she stayed here.

His blood ran cold. She had already been attacked once, and even though the junkie was in jail awaiting sentencing, Diego was still out there just waiting to get his hands on Sandra.

He tried to call Dex but there was no answer.

d.a.m.n!

He grabbed his remote and cycled through the different views on the bank of monitors, searching for her. He wasn't sure what to do next, but he knew she had asked him to stay away, and that knowledge had nearly ripped his heart out.

- When the elevator opened downstairs, Sandra stepped out and then stood in the walkway, not sure where to go or what to do. Brent hadn't reacted the way she'd expected. He hadn't denied hiding it from her, or tried to turn it around and somehow make it her fault.

She remembered him telling her he'd gone to ASU and that he'd grown up here.

d.a.m.n. He had tried to tell her, and now that she thought about it she remembered other times when he had started to tell her and then got sidetracked. She hadn't recognized at the time that that was what he was trying to admit, but now she did.

He had asked her if it even mattered. They were both different people now. Did it matter?

All she knew was that her emotions were in turmoil and she needed some time away to figure out how she felt about it. Right now she felt like a fool. She wasn't sure if Brent had meant to pay her back or not. It didn't really ring true for the man she felt he had become. But it could have started out that way.

But again, did it matter if it had? She loved the man he was now, or at least the man she thought he was. But she had thought that man would always be honest with her. If she could get past all this, she would always have that niggling doubt about his honesty. Because even though he had tried to tell her, for something that important, he should have told her despite interruptions or anything else.

Dex.

She needed to find Dex. He said he would always be there for her if she needed him, and right now she needed someone she trusted.

She walked around the perimeter of the main dungeon level, seeing all the new faces most likely here for the Roman orgy. When she finally found one of Jake's security team, she asked if he knew where Dex was.

"He said he left something in his car. He just went down to the parking garage."

Sandra forced a smile and thanked him. At least now she had a destination and a purpose. She weaved through the crowd and made her way to the parking garage.

She remembered Dex's car, but with so many people here for the event she wasn't sure how she would find him. He and Brent had reserved s.p.a.ces, but she had only been down here once, and her sense of direction wasn't the best.

The security guard watching the door from the parking garage into Club Desire turned to smile at her. He had seen her several times over the past week. "Leaving already?"

"Just looking for Dex."

He nodded. "He went to grab something from his car." He pointed to the right and she thanked him and headed that way.

The garage was jam-packed tonight with cars. She realized this had to really be a huge event.

She edged along the wall, figuring she would eventually find Dex. He had to pa.s.s her to get to the entrance back into the Club.

She pa.s.sed several rows of cars and even some buses and a few motor homes. Some jacka.s.s had parked his truck right on the line so he blocked two s.p.a.ces. She edged around the bed of the truck to get by.

Someone grabbed her from behind. Strong hands grabbed her neck and squeezed as they pulled her back against a hard p.r.i.c.k. Her lungs were filled with the familiar scent of cologne she had hoped she would never smell again.

Diego!

She clawed at his hands, trying to get him to loosen his grip.

No, it couldn't be. How did he find her? She tried to take a breath to scream, but he squeezed her throat until she gasped and sputtered.

"You stay quiet or you'll end up quiet forever. Got it?" Diego's voice. She'd been right.

She nodded and said a silent prayer that Dex or Brent's security teams would find her on their multiple video cameras.

"You disobeyed me and caused me a lot of trouble, little girl. And you'll be severely punished. Do you understand?" Diego loosened his hold just enough for her to answer.

She knew what he expected, but she was done being a doormat and a punching bag. So she did the stupidest thing she had ever done. She took a breath and shouted, "f.u.c.k you!"

He immediately squeezed her throat and she thrashed, kicked, and fought with all her strength.

He squeezed her throat tighter and she thought he would crush her windpipe if she couldn't break free.

She stomped down on his foot as hard as she could and reached back trying to scratch and hit him, but it wasn't effective in this position.

Silver stars were beginning to sparkle behind her eyelids and her head swam.

Was this it? Was she going to die in a parking garage and never see Brent again? How stupid could she be to walk away from love over a decade-old secret? After, all she'd had her own. But she'd trusted him enough to tell him hers, even though it had been one of the hardest things she had ever done.

Blackness started to close in.

- Brent's heart nearly split in two when he rounded the corner and saw Sandra. A tall man-Diego?-stood behind her with his hands around her neck.

He started to rush forward, but a hand settled on his shoulder, stopping him.

He looked up at Dex, who motioned for him to circle around the other side.

Brent watched as Dex pulled his Glock from a shoulder holster Brent only saw him wear while not on duty, since FBI a.n.a.lysts didn't carry guns. And then Brent concentrated on circling around behind several cars to come up on the other side of where the man he a.s.sumed was Diego was choking Sandra.

"Take your hands off her or I'll put a bullet in your head, a.s.shole."

Dex's voice echoed through the parking garage and when Diego turned his head to look at Dex, Brent darted forward, finding a position just a few feet from Diego.

When Diego didn't react, Brent ran forward, striking him in the side of the neck. Not a lethal strike, but then he wasn't trying to kill him. Yet.

A gurgling sound from Diego, and then the pressure around Sandra's throat loosened just enough for her to suck in a small breath.

When Diego started squeezing Sandra's throat again, Brent lifted his foot and struck down and in against the side of the man's knee. A loud crunch sounded a split second before Diego's scream of pain.

When he still didn't let go of Sandra's throat, Brent grabbed Diego's right wrist, and using pressure points on the joint, inflicted severe pain until Diego finally let go of her.

Dex rushed forward and grabbed Sandra as Diego fell, leaving Brent to deal with the son of a b.i.t.c.h.

Brent wasn't sure if that was a mistake or a favor, but as soon as the man thunked against the concrete Brent kicked him in the side, a satisfying crack telling Brent he had broken a rib.

Diego cursed, yelled, and threatened to disembowel Sandra while Brent watched.

Rage rose inside Brent, and for a split second he thought about ending Diego's miserable life.

"Brent." Sandra's hoa.r.s.e voice stopped him. "He's not worth killing."

Anyone else who tried to talk him down might not have been successful, but Sandra's pain-filled voice helped him see reason.

Brent rolled the man over onto his stomach and planted his knee firmly on Diego's lower back, holding him down while pulling one of his arms behind his back. A lock that stressed the shoulder joint and caused extreme pain.

Diego yelled again and cursed until Brent yanked back nearly to the point where the joint popped out of its socket.

After another yell Diego fell silent, followed by only whimpering sobs.

Brent glanced up at Dex and heard the soft clink of metal against concrete to his right.

"Brent!"

Sandra's hoa.r.s.e croak only confirmed what he knew. Diego had pulled a knife or some other weapon out of his left pocket.

Brent grabbed Diego's wrist and twisted until the knife clattered to the concrete.

Dex rushed forward and kicked it away just as screeching tires echoed around them.

The sound of pounding boots on pavement echoed through the parking garage. Apparently Brent's security guys had seen what was happening on the cameras and had called the police.

Four men ran forward, surrounding them. Brent recognized two of them as the officers he and Dex had spoken to on the porch at Mich.e.l.le's house last week.

Diego started yelling for the police to help him. Saying he had been attacked and that Brent had broken his leg and rib and was trying to dislocate his shoulder.

Brent had been extremely tempted to dislocate the a.s.shole's shoulder, but figured he had dispensed enough pain for the day. Diego would get even more once he found himself in prison. The other two cops didn't look familiar, but from their dress he a.s.sumed they were Feds.

When they addressed Dex, and they all started talking, he figured his a.s.sumption was correct.

He couldn't hear what they were saying because Diego was still cursing, screaming, and outlining the horrors that Brent, Dex, and even Sandra had inflicted on him.

Finally one of the agents came forward and motioned for Brent to get off Diego and let him up.

Brent nodded and reluctantly released Diego's arm and wrist. Then with one last full weight lean on the man's lower back, Brent stood.

No one made any move to help Diego up, but Brent immediately made his way to Sandra, and only at the last minute did he remember she had told him to stay away from her. Instead, he opened his arms and she threw herself into his embrace.

Brent crushed her against him as the sound of a gunshot rang through the parking garage.

- Sandra was being moved from one place to another, but she didn't know how or why. She didn't even know where she was being taken, but she hoped it was to see Brent. She had been a b.i.t.c.h, and almost dying had made her realize that he was right. She did love the man he was now, and the past didn't matter for either of them.

She wasn't sure how she got there, but when her mind brought her back to reality she was in another d.a.m.n hospital bed. She hated hospitals.

What the h.e.l.l was wrong with her now?

She swallowed and pain flooded her, bringing back the memory of what had happened with Diego. Well, right up until the point where she had run into Brent's arms.

She tried to open her eyes to see if anyone was here in the room with her, but her eyelids wouldn't cooperate.

She opened her mouth to try to speak, but only a weak, painful rasp came out.

A strong hand brushed over her forehead. "I'm here, Sandra."

Brent. He came for her. Even after she'd lashed out at him and then run away. Her heart swelled and she wished she could speak to tell him everything she was feeling right now. Frustration burned inside her, which started the hot flood of tears.

Brent brushed away her tears with his fingers and then dabbed at them with a Kleenex. "It's all right. Your throat is a bit bruised, but it will heal with a little time." He pressed his lips to her forehead and held her hand. "Are you in pain? Squeeze once for yes and twice for no."

She exhaled, cursing the pain with that one action, then squeezed Brent's hand hard, one time.

"Hold on. I'll be right back."

What could have been minutes or hours later, she heard a woman's voice along with Brent's. Then something cold streaked down her arm and she realized she had an IV in her arm and that a nurse had just injected some meds into it.

Thankful that relief was on the way she relaxed and gave herself up to it, only wishing that Brent were still touching her.

And then he was. His strong hand caressed her cheek, and she floated off to sleep with happiness filling her chest.

- Brent sat behind his desk impatiently, waiting for Sandra to arrive. She was meeting him here after she got off work and he hoped he had planned things out perfectly.

So many things had happened since Sandra had come back into his life, and now he knew he never wanted to live without her.

The Feds had Diego in custody and he had been charged with murder, along with several other felonies. He awaited a harsh sentence from a judge who had lost his daughter to rape and murder several years ago. Looked like karma was about to visit Diego in a big way. The man was lucky that when he had grabbed one of the cop's guns out of the holster and tried to shoot at Sandra, the bullet hadn't hit anyone. Otherwise he probably would have been ripped limb from limb by several Feds and Phoenix police, just on principle.

Sandra had slowly healed over the last week until she was able to speak without pain. Brent hadn't seen her in a few days; he had been busy with preparations that he hoped she wouldn't mind once she knew about them. He wasn't sure what he would do if she rejected him. He hoped he didn't have to find out.

- When the elevator doors opened this time, Sandra was struck once again by that familiar blue gaze. The same one that had mesmerized her the first night here at Club Desire.

"Brent." She took a few steps forward, stopping herself from running around the desk and throwing herself at him.