Playing His Game Part 22

the operator picked up. "I need an ambulance at 1427 Flower de Boliva. My girlfriend has been

a.s.saulted."

Once he had hung up Bobby's phone, Roarke knelt by Mya and felt her neck. A sob ripped past his throat when he found a strong pulse. "Mya, baby, open your eyes."

She blinked up at him. "Roarke?"

He pulled off his t-shirt to gently wipe the blood from her forehead and eyes. "What did he do to you?"

"Hit me." She felt weak and half-wondered if he was really there. Her hand trembled as she lifted it to

touch his sable hair. "You're here?"

"Yeah. Katie Winslow called me." A shaky smile split his face. "She inadvertently let it slip that I had a tenant."

Mya's eyes closed as dread swept through her. "I'll leave. I have a flight..."

He touched his finger to her lips as he heard sirens. "We'll talk later. Right now you need a doctor."

Within minutes, someone pounded at the door, and Roarke reluctantly left Mya to let the two firemen in.

"Where's the ambulance?"

One of the firefighters said, "They'll be here soon. We all answer calls."

"Oh, yeah."

Thirty seconds after their arrival, two EMTs entered through the opened door. They were quickly

followed by two cops, who insisted Roarke speak to them rather than stay with Mya. He gave a quick statement, but broke away from them as he saw one of the EMTs head for the door. "What's going on?"

"We're going to take her to the hospital for x-rays. You can ride along if you'd like."

One of the cops came up behind Roarke. "Have you checked out the other guy?"

"Yeah. He's groggy, but there's no need for him to go to the hospital."

"It's okay to arrest him?"

"Knock yourself out." He hurried from the apartment before they could ask any more questions.

Roarke started to go to Mya, but the officer put up a hand. "We'll need a formal statement..."

"Tomorrow," Roarke said brusquely. "I'm going to the hospital with her right now."

The cop sighed. "First thing tomorrow, right?"

"Yes, sir." Roarke hurried to Mya and the other EMT. "How is she?"

"She'll be okay. Maybe a broken cheekbone though."

Roarke's rage bubbled up once more as he glared at Bobby. A surge of rage filled him, and he wished he had done worse than a couple of punches. "Will she need to stay in the hospital?"

"I doubt it."

The other EMT arrived with a stretcher, and they carefully loaded Mya onto it. She opened her eyes and reached for Roarke as they pushed her across the carpet. "Don't leave me."

He took her hand. "I won't." Not ever, he swore silently.

Chapter Twenty-Three.

The Game Ends.

Roarke ignored Mya's protests and carried her into his house from the car. He lowered her onto the leather sofa and winced once again at the white bandages on her forehead and across her cheek. Both covered st.i.tches, but Bobby hadn't broken any bones. "Do you want more pillows?"

She was propped against two of the throw pillows on the couch. "Less, please." After he removed one, she touched his hand. "I haven't had a chance to say thank you."

"You don't have to."

She yawned, winced at the pain in her face, and tried to fight off the effects of the pain medication for a while longer. "I do. You rescued me." A small smile formed across her lips, which made her wince as the abraded spot at the corner of her mouth stung with the movement. "And you haven't yet demanded an explanation for why I was squatting in your apartment."

Roarke grinned at her. "Squatting? What a charming phrase."

Her eyes turned serious. "I should have asked you, but I was afraid you'd say no. I didn't have anywhere else to go."

"We can do this later."

"No. I need to tell you now." Her forehead wrinkled. "Did you call my family for me?"

"You only asked four times." He squeezed her hand. "Yes. I told them you would call tomorrow."

She bit her lip, then winced as her teeth raked across the split area. "I hope I can get my flight changed."

"You're in no shape to leave yet." He let go of her hand and moved to the loveseat. "If you must go, at

least wait a few days."

She swallowed back tears, because she knew if she started to cry she wouldn't be able to stop. "I have to go."

"Why?"

"My reason for being here is gone." She dropped her head. "It probably never existed."

He frowned. "You must have a life here outside of the one you shared with Bobby."

"Not really. He didn't like me to make friends." She grimaced. "Oh, he always found something wrong

with anyone I introduced him to, but I knew he was just too insecure for me to have friends that weren't part of his life."

"Your job?"

She shrugged and felt a sharp pain shoot down her spine. "I can do that anywhere. I think I want to go back to school. I never got a chance to go to college because I was supporting Bobby's career."

"Go to UCLA."

A sharp laugh escaped her lips. "I can't afford that."

He raked a hand through his already mussed hair. "I'll pay for your tuition."

Mya studied him intently. "Why would you do that?"

He slid his eyes from her piercing gaze. "It's the least I can do after ruining your life."

"You didn't ruin anything. You freed me from my own stupidity."

Roarke's eyes widened, and he met her gaze once more. "What?"

"I would have stayed with Bobby, forcing myself to ignore his faults, because I thought I loved him." She

bowed her head so that her hair covered her face. "It wasn't until I met you that I realized what love

really is."

His throat grew tight, and Roarke's voice emerged as a squeak. "Huh?" She trembled with vulnerability. Once she said it, the words couldn't be withdrawn. "You never meant for me to, but I fell in love with you." A rueful grin tugged at her mouth, but she forced it away because she didn't want the flash of pain that accompanied it. "How could I not when you so enthusiastically set about seducing me?"

"Do you mean that?" His heart pounded in his chest, and Roarke struggled to breathe.

"Yes."

He shook his head. "You can't know for sure. We know so little about each other."

Mya lifted her head. "We know so much about each other," she corrected. "The rest will come in time. I

know I love you."

"How can you be so certain?"

"I've never felt this way before. My heart races when I'm with you, and I think about you all the time

when I'm not. I can't wait to see you..."

"...and hate leaving you when our time ends," he said.

Her eyes widened, and she held her breath. Did his words mean he felt the same? "How do you feel

about me?"

Roarke stood up. He came closer and knelt on the floor beside the sofa so he could put his arms around