Taken, Kissed, and Loved [FREE and COMPLETED]

Chapter 16

David jerked awake, disoriented and breathing heavily. In his dream, he was chasing something and it kept slipping away, every time he was just about to reach it, it flinched and disappeared. He couldn’t remember what it was, or where he was right now for that matter, the room seemed unfamiliar and the bed… smelled like Christina. Of course, he fell asleep next to her, but she wasn’t here now.

He sat up, squinting in the dim lighting, looking around to find her sitting on a couch wrapped in a fluffy towel, reading the files on her father. Did he really sleep through her getting up and taking a shower? David was a light sleeper even under normal circumstances, the slightest noise waking him up, and it got only worse during the past few months, when he was on the run, constantly in danger of being discovered by Anderson’s men. He got out of bed and walked over to her, trying to make some noise, not wanting to startle her.

“Hey. Sorry, I didn’t want to wake you. I…,” she hesitated, looking down on the papers on her lap. “I looked at these, I hope it’s okay.”

David could see she was being cautious around him again, not knowing with what mood he woke up. Was she ever going to stop being afraid of him? Take it slowly, Parker. Give her time. “You didn’t wake me. And read all you want. I’ll just take a shower and be right back.”

As the streams of hot water washed down all the oil and sweat from the last evening, David realized he had no idea how horribly Christina must have been feeling right now. To find out someone you love is… evil? A lying psychopath, ready to sacrifice your life for his own gain? David tried to imagine finding something like that about Laura, but it was so absurd he had to stop. Maybe Christina would have been better off if he never forced her to face the truth? Of course she would. But you can’t change that now, no point in beating yourself about it.

When he came back to her, refreshed and completely awake, she was staring at a photograph, her long finger tapping on her lips. “Could you tell me more about her?” she asked nervously.

David closed his eyes and sighed. He really didn’t want to talk about Laura right now but Christina came here to ask questions and he felt obligated to respond. But when he came closer, he noticed it wasn’t Laura’s image Christina was holding. “Joan Blackwood?” He sat down next to Christina, putting one arm around her shoulders. “What do you want to know?”

She rested her head against his shoulder and he smiled when her long hair tickled his chest. “I knew her, you know? Not well, but still. She was alright, for a rich kid. How do you know she’s still alive? Didn’t the FBI search for her for months?”

David scratched his head, not sure how much he could tell her. Not that he didn’t trust her, but some secrets weren’t just his own, and even talking about them put people’s lives in danger. “We know.” She waited to see whether he would continue talking. When he didn’t, she sighed and shook her head. “I’m sorry, it’s not that I don’t trust you.” David didn’t know what to do.

“No, I understand.”

She sounded a bit frustrated and he decided to give her at least something. “Her father receives videos with her from time to time. He is forced to work in a lab that belongs to your father’s holding. If he makes problems, well… he did receive a finger once.” David hoped she wouldn’t ask how he knew all that, he couldn’t tell her about contacts they had inside Anderson’s companies.

Christina closed her eyes and exhaled sharply. “I still can’t believe it.” She suddenly turned to him with a determined look. “I can’t do anything for Laura and the other dead people. But maybe I can do something for her.” Her eyes slid back down to the photograph. “That’s why I have to go back. If I can find out something about her and let you know, can you help her?”

“No,” he shook his head. “I mean, yes, we can, but…” As if the thought of her going back to Peter Anderson was not scary enough, she wants to play a double agent? That was absolutely unacceptable. “You can’t do that, it’s too dangerous.”

“He’s still my father.”

“Who didn’t hesitate to sacrifice your life at the first opportunity available.” She might believe her father was a criminal, but she still didn’t understand just how dangerous he was.

“That was different. I’m not asking for your permission, David Parker.” Her brows furrowed.

He wanted to say he won’t let her go. It would be easy, he already had her here and if he decided to keep her from leaving, there wasn’t much she could do about it. She would hate you forever. But she would be safe. Would she? Her father won’t stop hunting you now and you won’t stop fighting him. Perhaps she is better off there for now. Perhaps. But if she starts snooping around Joan’s kidnapping, who knows what could happen? There was no answer to that. “I know,” he closed his eyes in defeat. “I just want you to be safe. A midnight snack?” he pulled out a box with the remaining pizza, trying to steer the conversation back into safer waters.

“Mmm, a cold pizza at 3AM, who could refuse that?” she giggled and took a bite.

They ate and talked about their childhood loves and crushes until every one of their sentences was interrupted by long yawning. That’s when they crawled back into bed and fell asleep holding each other again.

This time David woke up from a nice dream into an even nicer reality. It was still early, but Christina was already up, still lying next to him, watching him closely. “What?” One of his brows went up. “Did I snore?”

A shy smile curled her lips. “No. I’m just watching you.”

David could think of better things she could do than just watching him. His d**k agreed, rising in an exemplary morning wood, lifting the sheet creating a small hill. Christina looked at it and chuckled. “Very funny,” he tried to sound hurt but couldn’t stop smiling. “You laugh at a man instead of helping him out with his condition.”

“I could.” Her face suddenly grew more serious. “But… There is actually something I’d like to try, but you would probably hate it.”

That definitely caught David’s attention. Looks like the lady has some unfulfilled wishes. Given all that they have already done, he wondered what it could possibly be. “Just tell me.”

“If you don’t like it, I’ll just forget about it, okay? Just… don’t be angry.” What? Why would he be angry? “Do you trust me?” She sounded so nervous.

“I do.”

She hesitated for a second. “Enough to let me tie your hands?” she whispered and bit her lip.

His brows went up in surprise. Excuse me?