Page 7 of A Cold Fateful Night
"I won't hurt you Lasette," his voice lowered impossiblyso. "The very opposite in fact, I only want to keep you safe."
With her throat tight with suppressed tears all she could do wasnod. She felt terrible that she doubted him.
"Here," he reached in his back pocket taking out hiswallet. "Give me your phone."
Not really sure what he was going to do Lasette pulled her phonefrom her bag and handed it over.
"You said one of your Navy SEAL brothers is named Coreyright?"
Thoroughly confused she nodded. Leaning over she watched himscroll down her list of contacts until he reached her brother's name. Using hercamera, he flashed a picture of his driver’s license and sent it to herbrother.
"There," he handed her back her phone before tugging herby the hand towards the couch. "When you get your signal back the messagewill go through, and you will have someone you know and trust know where youare."
Guilt lanced through her. "You didn't have to do that. I'msorry…"
"You don't have to apologize. I told you I understand."Leaving her near the sofa Lasette watched him walk back to the far side of theroom.
"Can I at least help? She asked, wanting desperately to makesome sort of amends.
"Sure."
"Okay, what can I do?" Stepping forward prepared to helpwith whatever.
"Sit and relax," he replied simply.
Deflated she slowly walked around the large sectional and satdown. The sound of his movements began to wash over her in a lull as the softcushions beneath her reminded her body of its long stressful day.
Yanking the ripcord Dorian was relieved to hear the generatorsmotor roar to life. Hooking up the extension cable he ran the cable from thepatio to the kitchen. Plugging in the fridge, he ran another cable to a simplefloor lamp he took from his bedroom. Soft yellow light poured from the kitchenand softly touched the darkness of living area.
There was no response to the faint light.
Turning back towards the couch Dorian frowned at the silence, hewas quickly learning to be alarmed when she was quiet.
Only seeing the top of her head against the sofa, Dorian quicklyleaned over the back to get a better look. Tucked against the corner of thecouch Lasette was fast asleep still bundled in her hat, gloves, and coat. Shelooked so soft and fragile. She reminded him of one of those tiny birds thathopped delicately around picking up food; energetic, beautiful, and sweet. Shewas everything he didn't deserve but everything he craved. Her personalitycrashed against the rocks of his with an almighty force letting him savor thecool refreshing spray against his face. Not for the first time that night hefound himself mesmerized by her. Though he damn near blew it earlier. Studyingher sleeping face, he remembered watching her angrily argue with him at thestation. Regret never hit him so fast like it did tonight after seeing her hurtface at his anger, he was just so focused on getting her warm and dry he losthis patience.
Silently he walked around the sofa. Just a few hours ago she hadstared daggers at him with those gentle honey colored eyes before stomping awayfrom him to make her own way to the police station. It was absurd, never in hislife did he feel like shaking someone as much as he wanted to pin her against anearby wall and see what else her sweet plump lips could do besides talk.
The muscles in his jaw clenched when he thought of her scared facetonight. When he followed her back, he planned on grabbing the truck andquickly scooping her up, but the little songbird seemed to attract trouble muchfaster than he anticipated and certainly faster than he could hotwire a car.When he heard the men’s voices echo off the walls, Dorian could still feel theadrenaline slam through him as he ran through the snow in their direction.Dorian would have given any amount to follow those two pieces of shit down adark alley, but he couldn't take that risk with Lasette. He let them live, buthe remembered their faces.
Quietly he stepped away.
Using his flashlight, he gathered some items from his bedroom.
"Dorian?" The soft call of his name echoed throughoutthe empty living room.
"I'm here." Walking from the bedroom, he stopped next tothe couch.
"I'm sorry, I fell asleep," she laughed, her tired eyeslooked around embarrassed, avoiding his gaze.
He was more focused on her shivering. Though the house was nowherenear as cold as it was outside it was still dangerously cold especiallyconsidering her thin wet clothes she had on underneath her large fur coat.
"You need to get warm," motioning her to follow him,Lasette followed him to what she figured was the master bedroom.
Just like the living room the large master suite was virtuallyempty except for a large four-poster bed in the middle of the large room and atall chest of drawers to the side. The dark spartan room looked haunting andsomehow lonely with its high ceilings and double French doors that looked overa large frosty pond. From what little she could see out the dark windows thewind was still blowing millions of white flurries dangerously strong all butcovering the patio deck in a huge pile of snow.
"I just checked there is plenty of hot water, and I set achange of clothes out for you in the bathroom along with a small lantern."
Her immediate thought was to politely decline, but she was so coldit hurt to even move and she also knew that the domineering man would shut downany argument she presented.
