Page 12 of Claim Me

The symphony had been scheduled for five nights in the City of Angels, one of them I’d caught while wishing I’d bought tickets for all five nights. Karma fucking hated me. “Okay. She lives here.”

“Yes. I… I’m so sorry. I tried my… best…”

As the monitor beeped, his heart rate becoming erratic, a nurse flew into the room. “Mr. Valentine. I’m sorry, sir. You’ll need to leave.”

Backing away, I raked my hand through my hair. Every muscle was tense as I tried to lay out a plan. First things first. I’d need to locate his sister. After that? Well, fuck. I wasn’t certain at this point. We didn’t know each other and I’d been all but stalking her. That side of me ended at this moment.

I took a few strides toward the door, noticing a push of activity outside the large window. Medical professionals were rushing by, the hard thumping of heavy feet on the tile floor a reminder this was a death zone. That’s what hospitals meant to me, not places of healing. Bitter memories surfaced that I shoved aside just as the door flew open, a woman racing inside.

Long blonde hair flowed halfway down her back, her rose-colored lips twisted in horror. “Charlie! No. No!” She was hysterical.

“Ma’am. I’m sorry, but you’ll need to leave.” A nurse grabbed the young woman by the arm.

“Let go of me. That’s my brother!”

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Buzzzzzz…

Fuck. He’d flatlined.

“Charlie!” she screamed, her entire body shaking violently.

On impulse, I reached out, gently taking her arm and pulling her away just as a doctor and a nurse rushed inside with a crash cart.

“Let go. Just let go,” she insisted.

“No, come with me,” I told her, refusing to allow her the opportunity of breaking free. Yet she struggled, slamming her fists against me, wiggling to the point of almost escaping. “Marissa!”

She threw me a hateful look, pummeling her fists against me once again as I finally managed to drag her from the room and across the corridor. When I pressed her against the wall, she wrapped her long, perfect fingers around my shirt, twisting her hands the way her lovely face was doing.

Her eyes were open wide and her chest heaving as tears trickled down her porcelain skin. For a few seconds, I was caught up in her beauty.

The blip in my control allowed her to jerk free, but I caught her instantly, this time pushing her against the wall and crushing my weight against her. “Calm down.”

She was studying me intently, her heated and hateful gaze locked on my lips while she dragged the tip of her tongue across hers.

The subtle move was powerful, my balls immediately tightening. I did what I could to shut down all emotion. Craving something I couldn’t have during a moment of tragedy was a reminder that I wasn’t the kind of man she needed. I wasn’t certain I had the bandwidth to give her the comfort and stability required during moments of family strife. I’d shut myself off purposely other than to pleasures of the flesh.

Which is exactly what I’d wanted from her until now.

Fuck. Maybe running from the past was impossible. Or maybe the devil wanted me to suffer for my sins.

“No! Let go of me. That’s my brother.” She was already losing the fight, the heavy rush of adrenaline she’d experienced slowly ebbing.

“Marissa. There’s nothing you can do. Let the doctors and nurses take care of him. Come on.” I tried to keep my voice as soothing as possible, but I sucked at that as well.

The look of confusion in her eyes was also laden with fear. “Just stop.”

“I know this is difficult for you.”

She realized I’d said something and looked at me again. “What?”

I lowered my head and I’ll be damned if she didn’t lift hers until our lips were almost touching. The few seconds were frozen in time. Her scent filtered into my nostrils, creating a need unlike anything I’d felt in a very long time. The fragrance was sweet,yet sultry, exotic spices and jasmine fused together in a blissful gathering of her innocence.

Her innocence.

She was far too decent and vulnerable. Did she have an understanding she was in the crosshairs, a pawn in some act of control or contract signed? If I had to venture a guess, I’d say she had no idea. She wasn’t meant for a life of bad men and weapons, which was obviously what Charlie was doing in trying to protect her. If he’d denied Popov whatever promise made by his father, there would be more bloodshed.