Deadly Obsession (8 page)

Gage snorted and headed for the door. He stopped halfway into the hallway and turned back towards his brother. “Keep an eye on her. And whatever you do, don’t leave her alone. I won’t be long.”

Peter sneered as he watched Gage leave. “I don’t know what you ever saw in him. He’s got the manners of goat.”

Brooklyn
laughed. “That’s part of his charm. At least it was, when we were together.” She stared at the door, suddenly chilled. Gage hadn’t left her side all day, and his absence made her feel vulnerable.

“Hey. You okay? The colour just drained from your face.”

She smiled at Peter, pushing the unsettling feeling away.
“Just tired.
I haven’t been awake this much for days.”

Peter pulled a chair up beside the bed. “Then rest. I’ll stay until my brother gets back.”

“I’ll
lay
down, but I’d rather listen to you talk, if it’s just the same.”

Peter smiled and started up an easy conversation, his voice soft and deep. Brooklyn felt herself fade, the steady sound of his voice soothing her fears. When she finally managed to rouse herself, he was still talking, a smile tilting his lips. She watched him shift in the seat, drawn to the lines of his face. He reminded her so much of Gage she couldn’t drag her gaze away. They both had a strong, chiselled chin and smooth features. Their hair was same colour brown and longer than most men wore, and except for the larger dimensions, their bodies were both muscular and fit. The only physical difference was their eyes. Gage’s were a brilliant blue, while Peter’s were the deepest brown she’d ever seen.

But that’s where the similarities ended.

Peter was a sophisticated man, whose tastes lay in fine wine, good theatre, and stylish women. He was a corporate lawyer for an international commodities firm, and spent most of his time negotiating multi-million dollar contracts. He’d been in a steady relationship for three years and was now engaged to Maya, a legal secretary at his firm. He was formidable and strong, but rarely used his size to solve his problems.

In other words, completely opposite to Gage.

Gage was physical, in every sense of the word. His job had landed him in the hospital on more than one occasion, and he never tried anything unless he had to sign a waiver first. Brooklyn could still remember the day they met. She’d been doing research for her first book and had requested an interview with a Federal Agent to get a better understanding of what the job entailed. But her car had broken down on the way, and she’d shown up thirty minutes late, her clothes covered in grease and dirt. Gage had actually laughed at the sight of her, ushering her into his office with a huge grin on his face. She’d merely nodded, determined not to allow her circumstances to spoil her professionalism. She’d sat down across from
him,
pen poised in one hand, her expression calm, prepared to ask her first question when he’d reached across the desk and wiped a smudge of dirt off her left cheek.

It’d only taken that one touch to dissolve her composure. Her cheek had tingled beneath his fingers and her heart had kicked into high gear, racing so fast she’d found it hard to breathe. The heat had risen in her body and moisture pooled between her legs. He’d smiled again, and had asked her to dinner before the blush had faded from her cheeks. She’d accepted, and the rest was history. They’d spent three weeks glued to each other’s side, before Gage had asked her to marry him. It’d seemed so surreal at the time, but he’d merely told her he didn’t need five years to discover his love for her. And he didn’t want to take her into his bed until they were properly married.

She’d loved that about him. They’d had a quiet ceremony two weeks later, and then spent the next ten days in bed, discovering every inch of each other’s bodies. He’d been every fantasy she’d ever dreamed of. His body was hard and muscled, and she’d never grown tired of touching him, tasting him…

“Hey, Brooklyn?”

She looked up. She’d forgotten she’d been staring at Peter as she’d drifted into her thoughts. She smiled. “Sorry, Peter. I didn’t mean to stare.”

“That’s okay. It’s just, you looked sad.”

“I was just thinking.”

“About Gage?”

She sighed, shifting on the bed. “Is it that obvious?”

“To everyone but him.
He’s a dense as a damn tree. You deserve way better than him, you know that?”

“He made a mistake.
Nothing more.
Doesn’t he deserve a second chance?”

“No! Look, Gage may be my brother, but accusing us of having an affair was beyond ludicrous. Not that I don’t find you incredibly attractive, it’s just…I thought he knew me better than that. And hurting you is unforgivable in my book.”

“He was angry. I’m sure I would’ve acted the same way if I’d thought he was having an affair with someone I trusted.”

“But you wouldn’t have fucked him up the ass and called him a whore!”

Brooklyn
watched as Peter stomped up and stormed across the room, punching the couch as he stalked by it. She’d never intended to tell him that. But he’d cornered her at the party and she’d broken down, sobbing out the story before she’d realised what she was doing. “I never should’ve told you that,” she said.

“And I should’ve beaten some sense into him that night,” he countered.

“It’s not like he raped me, or anything.”

Peter snorted, clenching his fists at his sides. “Do you honestly think he would’ve stopped if you’d asked him to?”

“Yes. I do.”

Peter shook his head, stepping back over to the bed. “You’re far too kind a soul, and I don’t know what deal my brother made with the devil to ever get you in his life.” He arched an eyebrow at her. “So if you care so much for him, why are you getting a divorce?”

Brooklyn
sighed and looked away. “He won’t talk to me anymore. And I don’t know how to make him see past that night.” She looked back into Peter’s eyes, feeling the tears sting hers. “I forgave him long ago. But he won’t forgive himself.”

“I might be just a typical guy, who doesn’t know how to read other people’s feelings, but there’s no doubt in my mind Gage is still in love with you. He just needs to admit it.”

The door creaked.

They turned, expecting Gage to walk through, but watched a man dressed in blue enter instead.

“Glad to see you’re feeling better,” the man said, walking up to the other side of the bed. “You gave our medical staff quite a scare. That’s a rather imposing wound you’ve got on your back.”

Brooklyn
smiled despite the shiver running down her spine. She’d never seen this nurse before, but something about him made the hair on her neck stand up. “So I’ve been told.”

The man looked over at Peter. “I need to change the dressing on her back. We can’t afford to allow any infection to set in while the wound is still open. She’s far too weak for any setbacks.”

Peter looked at the guy then back at Brooklyn. “Gage told me to keep an eye on you. I don’t think he’d like it if I left. Not even for this.”

“Oh, you don’t have to leave,” said the man. “In fact, it’d be better if you stayed. I’m afraid the process may be a bit uncomfortable, and I’m sure she’d appreciate your support.”

“You’re not going to put that cleanser on it again, are you?” asked Brooklyn. Dr. O’Brian had changed it last night and she’d passed out halfway through.

“I promise you I’ll be as gentle as possible.” The nurse smiled and brushed his finger along her jaw. “I have no desire to hurt you.”

Fear tightened Brooklyn’s chest. Something about this guy wasn’t right, but she couldn’t seem to place it. It was almost as if he was familiar somehow. She turned to Peter. “Maybe we could wait until Gage gets back?” she suggested. “It’s already been over an hour. I can’t imagine he’ll be much longer.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m going off shift in a few minutes, and the head nurse was insistent I change your dressing before I left. I think they’re afraid it might get overlooked during the night rotation.” He smiled again. “All I need you to do is lie on your stomach for me. I’ll take care of everything else.”

Brooklyn
bit at her bottom lip as she slowly rolled onto her belly. “Gage won’t be happy about this.”

“Then perhaps he shouldn’t have left your side,” sneered the nurse.

Brooklyn
went to move when he untied the back strap of her gown. She tensed. “Peter?”

“
It’s
okay, Brook.” Peter bent down beside her, taking her hand in his. “I’ll stay. And I’ll explain it to Gage when he gets back. Now take my hand. Squeeze as hard as you need to, okay?”

She nodded, not trusting her voice as she felt the nurse pull the edges of her gown apart. His touch was soft and gentle, but something in the way he lingered against her skin made it crawl.

“First, I’ll remove the old dressing. This shouldn’t hurt at all.” He moved his fingers across the tape, holding her skin taut as he pulled the strips away. “See, nothing to it.” He tossed the old bandages on his tray, and then picked up a syringe. “Okay, now the part you won’t like. Just try to breathe slow and easy, and I’ll make this as
quick
as possible.”

Brooklyn
screamed the instant the liquid touched the incision. It burned and she could feel the world starting to spin. She clenched her fingers around Peter’s hand, aware she was gouging his skin with her nails. But she didn’t care. She was in too much pain to care about anything, but making it stop. “Please,” she whispered, wishing Gage was there to soothe her.

“God damn.
How does Gage stand here and watch you go through this?”

“He curses a lot,” she panted, screaming again as more cleanser soaked into her skin.

Peter leaned over her, lightly kissing her forehead. “I’m sorry,” he breathed.

Brooklyn
sobbed, wondering how long she could hold on when the rinsing stopped. She held her breath, waiting for another round to start, but felt a gentle dapping instead.

“Easy,” the nurse said. “It’s all over. Just some cream, but this won’t hurt. As a matter of fact, I think you’ll find it quite relaxing.” His voice was low and it sparked a memory.

Did you think you could escape me, Sarah?

She drew in a quick breath, trying to make sense of the sounds in her head.
A voice…his voice.

Don’t disappoint me, Sarah. I’ll be waiting.

Oh God. It was him…the voice from the bathroom.

“Gage!”
She tried to move, but her arms and legs felt numb. She cried out, fighting against the fog descending around her.

“Brooklyn?
What it is? God, you sound terrified.” Peter bent down over her again. “Easy…”

His voice trailed off into a garbled wail. She felt his body jerk hard against hers a second before he crumbled onto the floor, his limbs thrashing at his sides. “Peter!”

“Easy, Sarah.”

She stilled at the touch of his hands as he caressed her back, grazing his fingers across her shoulders and down her sides, probing the curve of her breasts. She tried to roll away, but only succeeded in exposing her right breast to him. “Who…”

“Don’t play games with me. You know who I am.”

Brooklyn
shook her head, sobbing into the pillow. “Please…” She cried out as he moved down her hips, skimming his fingers across her buttocks.

“You’re so pretty, Sarah. Your skin’s so soft and smooth. It’s like touching silk.” He trailed one finger down her crease.
“Such a perfect little pucker.
I can’t wait until you take me in here. It’s going to be so good.”

“No, please.”

He ignored her plea, moving lower. She heard him moan as he pulled back. “You smell so sweet. I bet you taste just as good.” He laughed. “I’ll find out soon enough.”

He moved away. She could hear him rattling something on a tray. “We don’t have much time. I’ll tape on a new bandage, and then we’ll take a ride together. How does that sound?”

“Who are you?” Oh God, she was fading. She could feel the edges of the fog getting closer, pulling her under.
“Gage.”

“Don’t worry. You won’t have to see him ever again. I’ll take care of you now. I’ll save you from the evil in the shadows. You don’t have to be afraid anymore, Sarah.” She felt him tape a new layer across her wound. “Now close your eyes. When you wake up, we’ll be home.”

“Gage,” she breathed again, clinging to his image as the world shifted and darkened.

* * * *

Gage met Sam at the elevator, holding the doors open as his friend dashed inside.

“Well that was a waste of an hour,” said Sam, straightening his jacket.

“At least Emma got through the first version before breaking into hysterics,” replied Gage, pressing the number six on the panel. “And the few details she did remember backed Brooklyn’s story.” He glanced at Sam. “Until Brook’s ready to leave, I want one of us staying with her. I can’t shake this feeling that the creep isn’t ready to give her up just yet.”

Sam nodded. “Damn good thing I brought you some clothes yesterday. Have you been home at all?”