The worst part was the image of that man staring at her. She didn’t think she’d ever get the picture of those deadly looking eyes from her mind. The moment had seemed to stretch on forever, their eyes locked together. A shiver ran down her spine.

Bree shut her eyes and shook her head, trying to dispel the man from her mind. Chad wouldn’t let anything happen to her. She knew that – she somehow had complete faith in the man – faith that he’d never let harm come to her – not if he could help it.

Finally, the shots stopped firing. She hadn’t realized she’d been counting them until the midnight silence. Ten shots – ten agonizing booms in the night. Each time the gun fired, she’d clenched, praying one of those deadly bullets didn’t hit Chad.

The silence was almost worse than the exploding sound of bullets. She at least knew something was happening, could pinpoint where the danger was when there were shots fired. In the silence, she strained her ears, trying to pick up any sound.

What were they doing?

Why wasn’t anyone coming to reassure her?

Were they dead?

She was terrified and hanging on by only a very short thread. She didn’t care what Chad had told her to do. If someone didn’t come soon, she was leaving the bathroom. She’d rather face the masked man than sit in the dark, not knowing, weak with trepidation.

“Bree, it’s me, Trenton. I’m going to open the bathroom door now. You can put down the gun, okay?”

It took a couple of seconds for the words to process in her head. She stared at the doorknob as it slowly started to turn. Her arms never moved - the gun still aimed straight for whoever came through the opening.

“Bree, can you answer me. I’d prefer not to get shot,” Trenton said with a nervous chuckle.

The door opened and he looked around the side of the door. She met his eyes; hers rounded in shock, the gun aimed toward him.

“Are you going to put the gun down, Bree? It’s over. You’re safe now.”

She didn’t move, didn’t say a word, just looked at him blankly.

“Listen, sis, you’re in shock. I need you to lower the gun. You don’t even have to let go of it, just lower it. Then I’ll come in and help you, okay?”

She couldn’t make herself move. She told herself to do what he asked, but she couldn’t make her muscles listen to her mind.

“Chad,” Trenton called. He wasn’t afraid of getting shot, but he didn’t want Bree traumatized any more than she already was. She obviously wasn’t coping, and if she did shoot at him, or actually hit him, she’d be filled with regret and sorrow.

Chad quickly came running through the house, arriving at the door and looking inside. Bree’s eyes seemed to clear a fraction when she saw Chad standing there.

“It’s okay, baby. I’m going to come in now, and I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t shoot me,” Chad said as if he were talking to a child. He slowly stepped into the bathroom and started walking to her. He stayed close to the wall, trying to keep out of range of the weapon, just in case her finger twitched and she accidentally shot it.

Upon reaching her, he quickly sat down. She turned her head and made eye contact with him, her body beginning to tremble in earnest.

“I’m going to take the gun now, okay?” he asked, reaching up and gently releasing her fingers from the weapon, sliding the gun across the floor to Trenton, who stood back and watched.

As soon as the weapon was taken away, her arms dropped and tears poured from her eyes.

“It’s okay, we’re all okay,” Chad reassured her as he pulled her onto his lap and started rocking her. “You’re fine, Bree. Your family is here, there’s no sign of the shooter.”

She fell against him as the shock turned into fear and she rocked in his arms. Her own arms wound around his neck and he continued to rock her, running his fingers through her hair, giving her time to cry out her fear and confusion.

Finally, Chad stood with her cradled in his arms and walked from the bathroom. Trenton had turned on the house lights, casting the eerie shadows away. Chad went straight to his room, where he gently laid her on his bed, continually whispering soothing words in her ear.

“We’ll make sure the area is secure,” Trenton said. It was obvious Chad couldn’t leave Bree right then. “The doctor is on his way.”

The doctor showed up within a half hour and gave Bree a sleeping aid. Chad held her in his arms until the medicine did its job and she fell asleep. He let Trenton and Mark lock up the place, neither of them would leave. They’d make sure the house was safe while he made sure Bree was alright. He didn’t want her to wake alone – not after the night she’d had.

Chapter Twelve

Bree woke up and stretched, a smile playing on her lips, as for one moment she blissfully forgot about the night before. She stretched her arms out and came into contact with solid muscles. She slowly turned her head and found herself staring into the piercing blue eyes of Chad.

She blinked, momentarily disoriented by the mesmerizing quality of his baby blues with thick black lashes. But as she leaned forward, the night’s events came flooding back and her body tensed. How could she have forgotten, even for a moment?

Chad didn’t say anything as she sat up. Bree slipped from the bed and padded over to the bathroom, quietly shutting the door behind her. She leaned her head against it, taking a few deep breaths.

She just needed a hot shower and a few minutes alone to put her thoughts in order. She nearly laughed at that idea, considering she’d love to have a slate of memories, instead of just the few new ones she’d obtained since waking in the hospital.

She climbed under the pulsing shower spray and it felt as if the water washed her worries down the drain. It was almost ironic how a nice shower could cleanse her mind and body. She stayed in long enough that she knew Chad would be getting worried, but she couldn’t seem to drag herself out.

When she eventually climbed out and brushed her teeth in the steam filled room, she was grateful the mirror was fogged and she didn’t have to look at her reflection. She was sure her face was gaunt, with dark circles underneath her eyes. It was a good thing Chad was too much of a gentleman to say anything about it.

Bree stepped out the door and found Chad lying in the same spot she’d left him. He watched her enter the room in his oversized robe she’d found hanging on the back of the door. She felt her spirits lift from the way his eyes narrowed in desire. It made her feel like a wanton woman instead of just a victim.

She walked toward the bed, her heart accelerating the closer she got to him. She wanted his hands all over her. She wanted answers about the night before, but her body needed him more. They could always talk later – hopefully, much later.

She leaned down - noticing his eyes never left her. They explored the opening of the robe, where only a hint of cleavage showed, then moved down to catch glimpses of her legs as they peaked out from the bottom of the oversized garment, exploring every inch of her.

He suddenly moved, causing her to tumble down on top of him. He didn’t hesitate in kissing her. He was rough with urgency as he worked his fingers into her wet strands of hair, using it to pull her closer.

He quickly twisted their bodies so he was on top of her – trapping her beneath his solid mass of muscles as he continued to ravage her mouth. She reached up and gripped his shoulders, her nails digging into his flesh, overwhelmed by the desire consuming her.

There was an urgency in their lovemaking, as if they both felt they wouldn’t survive if they couldn’t join together. It felt dangerous, hot and explosive – and she wanted more.

She moved her hands down his back, scraping along his flesh as she reached for his bare ass. She gripped him, pulling him into the heat of her thighs as she pushed against him.

He moved back a few inches to tear open the robe so they could touch – flesh to flesh. His pulsing erection was cradled at the heart of her, but not penetrating. She jerked her hips, hoping he’d take the hint and bury himself deep inside her more than ready body.

Still, he only rocked his hips, sliding his solid flesh along the outside of her aching core. He brushed against her, causing her to cry out in both pain and pleasure.

“Take me,” she demanded as she pulled her lips from his. He gave her a wicked smile and gave the slightest nod of his head, denying her.

Bree glared at him, her body on fire, needing completion. His touch was making her crazy.

She bent her head to his shoulder and nipped his skin, making him lean back and smile again. He thought he had all the power, but after a full day of lovemaking, she knew how to bring him to his knees.

She ran her tongue along his throat, before moving down his neck, causing him to arch up as he enjoyed the sensation of her exploring mouth. She circled his chest and took his nipple into her mouth and gently bit down, causing his stomach to shake.

When he was putty in her hands, she easily pushed him over to his back, then didn’t waste any time climbing on his upper thighs. She looked down into his lust filled eyes before she bent and kissed him again. Her lips ached to taste him while mating their tongues together.

He placed his hands on her hips, pulling her to him, trying to rub his manhood against her heat.

Finally!

She sat up, moving her hips forward so his swollen head was at her opening. Slowly, never taking her eyes from his, she slid down his hard staff, nearly exploding as he filled her up.

Chad’s entire body tensed as she settled fully on him, her slick heat making it easy for them to slide together.

“You’re the most stunning woman I’ve ever seen,” he said with a groan as his eyes traveled down her throat, breasts and smooth stomach. She beamed at him before rising up, then quickly falling back down, loving every inch of him moving inside of her.

Bree leaned forward as Chad raised his hands to cup her breasts. They bounced against his hands as she picked up her pace, moving steadily up and down his throbbing rod.

“Yes,” she hissed when he pulled on her so he could take her nipple into his mouth. He teased the swollen peak mercilessly before he moved on to the other one. She rode him faster and faster as he loved on her breasts.

She sat up, the sensation almost becoming too much to bear. She leaned her hands on his legs behind her, giving her more leverage and picked up her pace once more. She was so close, she needed to feel the explosion she knew was coming.

Chad reached his hand forward and flicked his fingers over her sensitive skin, sending her over the edge in a whirlwind of pleasure.

She sank against his thighs as she clenched around him over and over again. She couldn’t even open her eyes the pleasure and exhaustion was so consuming.

Chad suddenly flipped them over so she was beneath him, his body still fully inside her. He grabbed her leg, pulling it up high and started thrusting in and out of her. Too much, she wanted to cry as her orgasm intensified to the point her entire body felt on fire.

He pushed hard into her, reaching deeper than she thought possible, and the fireworks exploded again before her first orgasm even finished. She yelled out as her body shook with pleasure, every inch of her skin tingling.