Free Soul by Audrey Carlan Page B
Authors: Audrey Carlan
it. Right ladies?”
“All right, chicas , let’s go pack our bags.” Maria turns, whistles at her bodyguard. “Hey, hot stuff, let’s hit it.”
I can’t help but chuckle. The woman is incorrigible.
“You know, Tommy’s not going to like you calling your bodyguard ‘hot stuff’,” Bree says as she waves at the Viking six-foot guard I have assigned to her.
Maria lets out a sound that mimics a tire losing air rapidly. “I gotta keep my man on his toes.” She clucks her tongue and sways her hips into a little dance.
Kathleen moves to turn away then faces me once more. “What you’re doing…” She swallows and starts again. “How you love her, it’s special. Beautiful. I’m glad she found you.” Then before I can respond she’s got me in her arms once again. This time I pull her against me and hug her tight. She hums, pulls back and kisses my cheek. “It will all be okay. Very soon. I can feel it.”
“I hope you’re right, Kathleen.”
“You know, you can call me Kat.”
“You’re name is lovely the way it is.”
“Charmer. Now I see how she fell so quickly. It wasn’t the physique, though since I’m bedding a member of your family, I can attest that’s a factor.” I chuckle. “It’s your charm, and your belief that she is meant solely for you.”
I look one of her best friends in the eyes. “I never believed in soul mates until I met her. Now I’m sorry for every schmuck out there who doesn’t find theirs. Do you think you’ve found that in my cousin?”
Kathleen smiles wider and winks before turning on a heel and walking away, question unanswered.
On heavy feet, I make my way back into Gillian’s room. She’s mumbling in her sleep. Every so often she says my name only she doesn’t say it with happiness. It’s said with desperation. Closing the door, I kick off my shoes, remove my pants and pull off my shirt. Then I press the button to bring the bed flat. There’s a chair that turns into a cot near the bed, but I can’t be away from her tonight. Not tonight. She needs to know I’m here for her, even in sleep.
I slip in cautiously. Before I can lie back she’s cuddling into my chest. Medicated sleep doesn’t prevent her body from knowing mine. Soulmates. I meant what I said to Kathleen a bit ago. Meeting Gillian almost a year ago at the hotel bar was like the universe opening up and delivering me a piece of heaven. It’s something I never knew I wanted or needed, but it was there. And I took it and made it mine. I will continue to protect what is mine until my last breath.
Holding her warm body to mine, I close my eyes enjoying the feel of her breath against my chest. Too many days have gone by since we’ve been skin to skin.
She snuffles against my chest and says in the most serene voice yet, “Chase…my Chase.”
I swallow down the emotion needing to be strong for her. The next few weeks, maybe even months are not going to be easy ones. We have absolutely no leads on McBride. The only thing all of the investigators and my men can agree on is that he will strike again. He’s going to come after Gillian or her friends in one way or another. We stole something he believes is his, from his property. To a psycho like Daniel McBride, that’s worthy of a death sentence.
Thoughts of him, what he did to her, how he kept her locked up prevent me from easing into sleep. Eventually, I change my thoughts to the wedding we never had and the honeymoon we’re currently missing. Right then and there I make a decision. We will be married and soon. I cannot let a madman keep me or Gillian from something that means more to us than anything else has in our relationship. The moment she’s better, I’m taking her way. Away from it all. Just the two of us.
Chapter Six
Gillian
T he morning frost crunches and the spikes of my low heels dig deep into the cold ground as we make our way up the incline. My healing ankles resist, but I tamp down any residual pain; clenching my jaw
“All right, chicas , let’s go pack our bags.” Maria turns, whistles at her bodyguard. “Hey, hot stuff, let’s hit it.”
I can’t help but chuckle. The woman is incorrigible.
“You know, Tommy’s not going to like you calling your bodyguard ‘hot stuff’,” Bree says as she waves at the Viking six-foot guard I have assigned to her.
Maria lets out a sound that mimics a tire losing air rapidly. “I gotta keep my man on his toes.” She clucks her tongue and sways her hips into a little dance.
Kathleen moves to turn away then faces me once more. “What you’re doing…” She swallows and starts again. “How you love her, it’s special. Beautiful. I’m glad she found you.” Then before I can respond she’s got me in her arms once again. This time I pull her against me and hug her tight. She hums, pulls back and kisses my cheek. “It will all be okay. Very soon. I can feel it.”
“I hope you’re right, Kathleen.”
“You know, you can call me Kat.”
“You’re name is lovely the way it is.”
“Charmer. Now I see how she fell so quickly. It wasn’t the physique, though since I’m bedding a member of your family, I can attest that’s a factor.” I chuckle. “It’s your charm, and your belief that she is meant solely for you.”
I look one of her best friends in the eyes. “I never believed in soul mates until I met her. Now I’m sorry for every schmuck out there who doesn’t find theirs. Do you think you’ve found that in my cousin?”
Kathleen smiles wider and winks before turning on a heel and walking away, question unanswered.
On heavy feet, I make my way back into Gillian’s room. She’s mumbling in her sleep. Every so often she says my name only she doesn’t say it with happiness. It’s said with desperation. Closing the door, I kick off my shoes, remove my pants and pull off my shirt. Then I press the button to bring the bed flat. There’s a chair that turns into a cot near the bed, but I can’t be away from her tonight. Not tonight. She needs to know I’m here for her, even in sleep.
I slip in cautiously. Before I can lie back she’s cuddling into my chest. Medicated sleep doesn’t prevent her body from knowing mine. Soulmates. I meant what I said to Kathleen a bit ago. Meeting Gillian almost a year ago at the hotel bar was like the universe opening up and delivering me a piece of heaven. It’s something I never knew I wanted or needed, but it was there. And I took it and made it mine. I will continue to protect what is mine until my last breath.
Holding her warm body to mine, I close my eyes enjoying the feel of her breath against my chest. Too many days have gone by since we’ve been skin to skin.
She snuffles against my chest and says in the most serene voice yet, “Chase…my Chase.”
I swallow down the emotion needing to be strong for her. The next few weeks, maybe even months are not going to be easy ones. We have absolutely no leads on McBride. The only thing all of the investigators and my men can agree on is that he will strike again. He’s going to come after Gillian or her friends in one way or another. We stole something he believes is his, from his property. To a psycho like Daniel McBride, that’s worthy of a death sentence.
Thoughts of him, what he did to her, how he kept her locked up prevent me from easing into sleep. Eventually, I change my thoughts to the wedding we never had and the honeymoon we’re currently missing. Right then and there I make a decision. We will be married and soon. I cannot let a madman keep me or Gillian from something that means more to us than anything else has in our relationship. The moment she’s better, I’m taking her way. Away from it all. Just the two of us.
Chapter Six
Gillian
T he morning frost crunches and the spikes of my low heels dig deep into the cold ground as we make our way up the incline. My healing ankles resist, but I tamp down any residual pain; clenching my jaw