Pinch Me

  It wasn’t the best option, especially considering Rob didn’t know how to break the news to Laura about their friends’ poly triad. But if they still hadn’t caught the fucker who attacked her by then, he would definitely give it serious thought.

  Hell, Leah and Seth, as well as Ross and Loren, and Tilly and her guys, had all volunteered to keep her with them. Ross worked, but said Loren and Laura could come to the office during the day. Tony had volunteered to take weekend watches as necessary, or even evenings. Unfortunately with his job he couldn’t watch her during the day or even bring her to work with him.

  He didn’t want to tell Laura all of that yet either. Yes, it was arranging a series of babysitters for her. Better that, and risk pissing her off, than taking the chance of the asshole getting another crack at her.

  She finally nodded before resting her head against his chest again.

  The deputy knocked before opening the door. “Rob, you have company.”

  He looked up as Craig and Sean stuck their heads in. “Hey, man,” Sean said. “Sorry, but we need to roll. Punta Gorda got a call and we need to get back to the station to cover.”

  “Okay. I’m coming.”

  Laura sat up and wiped at her eyes. “Do I know them?”

  Rob waved them in. “You’ve met them a couple of times before. This is Craig Jackson and Sean Bellows.”

  They stepped over and gently shook hands with her. “Hey, Laura,” Craig said. “How you feeling?”

  She shrugged. “Apparently I’ve had better days,” she said.

  Sean smiled. “Your sense of humor’s still there.”

  Rob carefully untangled himself from her before getting out of bed, mindful of her ribs. He leaned in and kissed her. “I’ll check in with you later, sweetheart.”

  “Okay.”

  He gave Shayla a hug before leaving and whispered in her ear, “Thank you.”

  She gave him a short nod before he headed out, Craig and Sean flanking him.

  They stood waiting for the elevator. “I’m really sorry, dude,” Craig said. He’d covered several shifts for Rob after the attack, and had been working with him that night when it happened.

  “Yeah,” Sean agreed. “Sorry.”

  Rob sucked in a deep breath. “Not a fraction as sorry as the fucker will be if I ever get my hands on him.”

  “Well, I don’t think finding an alibi will be a problem if you do,” Sean snarked. “Just make sure there aren’t any video cameras around.”

  * * * *

  Rob coordinated via phone with Tony, Seth, Leah, Tilly, Landry, Cris, Ross, and Loren. He’d given Seth a copy of the new keys for Laura’s condo. They were converging on it that afternoon to clean it and remove all traces of the attack.

  Shayla would stop by before they left to make sure everything was exactly as it had been, because she’d been there the evening before the attack watching a movie with Laura. Besides Rob, she was the only other person who would spot anything out of place. She’d also volunteered to go grocery shopping, knowing her friend’s preferences as well as Rob did.

  He took the jump seat in back while Craig drove them to the station. Giving up control of all of this had been almost as difficult as being unable to fix Laura’s memory or battered body. It had taken Seth verbally shaking some sense into him over the phone the day before.

  “Dude, let us help you. We want to help you. You can’t do this alone, and you shouldn’t have to. Believe me, if it wasn’t for friends, Leah and I couldn’t have handled what we went through. Use us. It’s what we’re here for.”

  Now he was on the phone with Seth again, mindful of his partners up in the cab.

  “We’ve already got the carpet cleaner going,” Seth reported. “I think we’ll be able to get all of the stain out. And Leah, Tilly, and Loren are out in search of a new carpet runner and picture frames to match as much as they can.”

  “What about the walls?”

  “Done. Cris and Landry tackled them first thing. You can’t even tell there was any blood.”

  Rob closed his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He’d had a perpetual headache the past several days, between the stress, worry, lack of sleep, and poor diet. “You have no idea how much I appreciate this.”

  Seth’s tone softened. “Like I told you yesterday, this is what we’re here for. Use us. Hell, Leah and I would move you two in with us if I thought you’d say yes. At the very least until they catch the guy.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

  After getting off the phone with Seth, Rob sat back, eyes still closed. There was so much to think about. He knew Steve would also want to be involved with helping keep an eye on her.

  While Steve and Carol had met quite a few of their closest kinky friends, for the most part he and Laura had kept their lives segmented. While their kinky friends were, admittedly, their closest friends, and the ones they spent the most time with, it was easier being able to be themselves around their kinky friends instead of subjugating all their kinky friends to having to watch every little thing they said and did in front of Steve and Carol and the others.

  They’d even been planning on taking a page from Tony and Shayla’s playbook and having their formal collaring and official wedding at the club, in front of all their kinky friends, and having the second, vanilla wedding later that evening with a mixed crowd of family, vanilla friends, and their closest kinky friends.

  Fortunately for him, he didn’t have to worry much about his own biological family. His parents had disowned him when he told them he wasn’t following his father’s footsteps and going into law like his two older brothers.

  Well, his father had disowned him, and his mom and brothers didn’t dare contradict him. Rob hadn’t even bothered telling them he was engaged, much less about Laura’s attack. The only contact he had with them was Christmas cards at the holidays.

  Moving to Florida from Arizona to go to college had been a massive change of scenery. He couldn’t have made it if not for the full academic scholarships.

  And he didn’t regret it in the least. He never would have met Laura, never would have met his friends, and never would have found the love of his life.

  He’d also be miserably cooped up in a Phoenix high-rise office building every day. He’d take Florida’s humidity and cool sea breezes over Arizona’s blistering summer heat any day.

  After they returned to the station, Rob stopped Craig and Sean when they got out of the ambulance. “Guys, I really appreciate you letting me do that and covering for me. I’m sorry if I haven’t said that yet.”

  He hated the pity in their eyes, but appreciated it at the same time. “Dude,” Craig said, “it’s all right. I know you’d do the same for any of us.”

  Sean reached out and gripped Rob’s shoulder. “Don’t sweat it.” He grinned. “Just be prepared to do more than your fair share of cooking for us when she’s back to normal.”

  Rob managed a laugh. “You got it.”

  * * * *

  Laura suspected whatever the nurses gave her to help with her pain was what made her sleepy, because her brain wouldn’t shut off that night.

  She lay there in bed, aware she was caught in a dream and unable to do anything about it.

  In this dream she was seated at the desk in what she suspected was her own den, looking around at the bookshelves, the walls, finally at the desk itself.

  Unremarkable, like any other mass-produced computer desk. The tower and monitor sat side by side on a low shelf while the keyboard slid underneath. Neat, tidy, nothing special.

  In this dream she was relegated to mere spectator status with no control. Dream Laura reached out and turned the computer on. The screen came to life and she brought the email window up.

  A message blinked at her and she clicked on it. Instead of text, a picture assembled like a jigsaw puzzle, forming a black skull inside a red circle with a slash through it. Once all the pieces were assembled, it blinked off and on, the skull’s empty eyes menaci
ng.

  She jumped as she heard someone pounding on a door. In the dream she stood and walked down a hallway. Yes, she suspected this was her home. And as she stared at the door, it rattled in its frame, bowing in and out under the force of the blows as someone knocked, and knocked, and knocked again until it started to open—

  Laura’s eyes flew open and she let out a startled cry at the form bent over next to her bed.

  The nurse put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s all right. I’m sorry I scared you.”

  Her heart thundered in her chest, eventually slowing as she got her wits about her.

  She was safe. In the hospital.

  “What time is it?” Laura asked.

  “A little after three in the morning.”

  She took a few more deep breaths and tried to go back to sleep, hoping there wouldn’t be any more dreams like that.

  Chapter Twelve

  “This might sting a little,” the PA warned as he carefully snipped at the stitches on her forehead Monday morning.

  Laura winced, but kept her eyes closed, her hand clamped around Rob’s. She was definitely going home today. Due to the size of the gash in her forehead and the urgency of her condition upon arrival, the doctors in the ER who treated her had used stitches that wouldn’t dissolve.

  The plastic surgeon’s PA studied the result. “I think you’ll have minimal scarring,” he said. “But you need to follow the care instructions. You can call our office to schedule a follow-up appointment for us to evaluate it and go over your options.”

  She blinked her eyes to clear them after they’d watered in pain. “Thanks.”

  Rob took the sheet and glanced through it. “We’ll follow it to the letter.”

  She squeezed his hand again. The comforting, protective way he’d said it only reinforced her trust in him.

  He’d already packed everything, including the dozens of cards and the flower arrangements and stuffed animals, and loaded everything into his car. He’d also got the prescriptions for anti-anxiety meds and painkillers filled. All they were waiting for was the final paperwork releasing her. Even the deputy had been sent home.

  “Det. Thomas will meet us at your condo,” Rob told her once they were alone again. “He wants to be there when you get home in case any memories are triggered.”

  She nodded, nervous. As anxious as she felt to get home, she wasn’t oblivious to the problems that presented. Her first firearm lesson was already scheduled for Wednesday. Sully would drive down and pick her up from the shop late that morning. Rob, unfortunately, had to work, but had assured her that Steve had met him before, and that Bill would go, too.

  Left unspoken, she knew Rob meant Steve wouldn’t let her go off with someone if he wasn’t sure of their identity.

  * * * *

  Despite her nerves, and, admittedly, her fear, she couldn’t help but be fascinated by the landscape as Rob drove her home to Englewood. Rob had taken charge of gathering all the release information for her. She was too overwhelmed and exhausted to process any of it.

  It was a relief to have him there taking care of her, and she wasn’t afraid to admit it.

  Their little community was located on the Gulf of Mexico, straddling the thin strip of land between the northern end of Charlotte Harbor and the Sarasota County line.

  “It’s beautiful,” she said as they crossed the bridge at El Jobean. When she looked past him, she could see south to the harbor.

  “You love it here. You grew up here.”

  “Where did you grow up?” In retrospect she felt bad that they hadn’t talked more about Rob’s family and history.

  She didn’t miss his pained expression, but his voice hid it well. “Phoenix.”

  “Your family’s there?”

  “Yeah.”

  He didn’t elaborate. “How long have you lived here?”

  “I’ve been in Florida since I started college at eighteen. I went to USF up in Tampa. I moved here after graduation and getting a job with the county fire department. I’ve been here ever since. About eleven years.”

  “Have I met your family?”

  His fingers tightened around the steering wheel. “No.”

  After a couple of minutes, she had to ask. “What happened with them?”

  “My father is a big-shot attorney. My two older brothers didn’t bother thinking for themselves and went to work for him. I didn’t want to be a lawyer. They basically disowned me.”

  “That’s horrible.”

  “Yeah.” He took a deep breath and let it out before glancing over at her. “Your parents sort of adopted me when we started going out.”

  “Did we invite them to the wedding? Your family, I mean.”

  He let out an amused snort. “We were still debating it. You were of the opinion we should at least send an invitation. If nothing else, to let my brothers know about it in case they wanted to come. But neither of us held high hopes for my parents coming.”

  “And your opinion?”

  “I could care less if they know or not. I think it burns my dad’s bacon that I managed to put together a great life for myself without becoming a lawyer.”

  “Are you happy being a paramedic?”

  They slowed to a stop for a red light. He looked at her and nodded. “Yeah. It’s not the most pleasant job in the world at times, but I help people. I make a difference. Sometimes I save lives. The one life I save makes up for all the times I get puked or peed or shit on by a drunk.” He smiled. “And if I hadn’t stuck to my guns, I never would have met you. And I wouldn’t give you up for anything.”

  * * * *

  Det. Thomas was parked in front of her condo when they arrived. He stepped out of his car when Rob parked next to him.

  Laura studied the complex from behind the safety of the windshield while Rob walked around and opened the door for her.

  Nothing. It felt familiar, but beyond that, no memories.

  Thomas walked over. “How are you feeling?”

  She slowly nodded, her eyes on the building. “I’m okay.”

  The men stood there until she realized they were waiting on her to get out. She unfastened her seatbelt and slowly turned, both men reaching out to help her from the SUV.

  Rob kept a steadying, comforting grip on her arm. “If it’s too upsetting, you tell me immediately, okay?”

  She nodded but didn’t reply.

  He led her toward the door, the unit in the middle of two others. After Rob handed the key to Thomas to unlock the door, she closed her eyes as the detective let the door swing open.

  “Are you okay, honey?” Rob asked.

  Laura nodded again before opening her eyes. In front of her lay the spot where she almost died.

  Thomas walked in first and turned on the lights in the living room as well as opened the blinds. She hesitated at the door and steadied herself on the doorjamb. Then, after taking a deep breath, she carefully stepped through.

  Bright sunlight filled the room while Laura stood in the front hall and looked around as if in a stranger’s house.

  Then again, I am a stranger.

  But she recognized it. It was the living room she saw in her dream the night before.

  Pictures lined the entry wall. Going from one to another, Laura touched each one in turn, whispering names to herself she’d learned while in the hospital. There was a picture of her and Bill standing in front of his airplane.

  “That was taken when you flew out to visit him shortly after your parents’ funeral,” Rod softly explained.

  It was obvious they were siblings, almost twins in appearance. He was two years older than her. According to Carol, they grew up with almost no sibling rivalry. She paused in front of it for a moment and caressed the outline of the plane.

  Rob gently touched her arm. “Shayla went to the store for you and stocked your fridge. She got you everything we could think of that you like.”

  “Thanks.” Laura focused on the rest of the living room. She let out a little laugh. ?
??Laura. Loren. Leah.” She turned to him. “How do you all keep us straight?”

  He smiled. “We manage.”

  Her decorating taste ran to tropical pastels, corals and mints and light yellows. Her couch was upholstered in these colors, and the end and coffee tables were white with flecks of color.

  “Everyone came over yesterday,” Rob said. “They cleaned it up. They reframed a couple of the pictures that fell and broke. And…” She turned to him as his voice choked. “They got the blood cleaned up,” he softly said.

  She returned her focus to the pictures for a moment, trying to absorb everything. No hard and fast memories returned, but more static swirled around the abyss, as if pieces wanted to lock themselves into place and just couldn’t quite fit.

  After a few minutes she took a deep breath and turned to Thomas. “Please tell me what happened.”

  The men exchanged an uneasy glance before the detective spoke up. “We think you either knew, or recognized, or didn’t feel threatened by the guy, at first. It looks like you opened your door for him.

  “Your next-door neighbor said he heard yelling before he heard screaming. It looks like once the guy went after you, you fought back tooth and nail. We think maybe he hit you from behind and stunned you, but you had a lot of defensive injuries and fought back.”

  He pointed to her hands. “You peeled some of your nails down to the quick. That’s why we think he ended up trying to strangle you first instead of raping you. You got in a few licks of you own. He probably wasn’t expecting you to fight like that.”

  She looked at her hands, examining them while he continued talking. “We were able to get scrapings from under some of your nails for DNA evidence. Your neighbor heard the fight and came over, found the door unlocked, and rushed in. It surprised the attacker and he took off out the back door.”

  He pointed down the hallway. “We think since he knew you had a back door, he probably scoped out the place beforehand.”