Assassin Deception (13 page)

Her voice had softened in her terror, her absolute vulnerability was overwhelming, and she was completely helpless against him. She sounded like a small, helpless child.

“Damn you!” the man snarled, giving her a hard shake.

Chloe’s tears ran in a steady stream down her pale cheeks, dripping onto the man’s hand and knife. Her whimpered pleas increased. She clutched his shirt. Her frantic pleading words became incoherent.

Finally, Chloe slumped against him, her fear consuming and overwhelming her. Her thoughts took flight to the terror of the past, feeling as helpless now as she had then. Once more there was nowhere left to hide. She was trapped. Her head rested against his powerful chest, awaiting the worst to befall her.

“No more, Daddy, please no more, I hurt, I hurt,” she wept suddenly in the childlike voice, lost in terror. “Granny, please help me. Mommy?”

“Damn you!” the man snarled again, only softer. For a brief moment his grip loosened.

“Please,” Chloe sobbed.

“Chloe?”  She heard her voice called from faraway, penetrating her fear.

Chloe’s irrational thoughts were bombarded with hope. Salvator was calling to her. He would help her, he would save her. Once more the man’s hands tightened painfully onto her; he seemed to be making some sort of decision. Chloe knew she didn’t have much time.

Chloe opened her mouth to scream for Damien. A sudden searing pain crashed into her temple, felling her instantly when the man released her. Chloe hit the ground and fell down the three steps, banging heavily into the front door. Once more she was knocked into oblivion.

Chapter Seven

“It’s all my fault,” Damien said raggedly. “Dad told me to watch her when he left. I left her all alone. She’s blind, for God’s sake! I abandoned her and now she’s hurt again. How could I leave her all alone?”

“Damien you had just heard Dad was in a collision. A man has been killed, a friend. Candy was hysterical. Tyr was searching for guidance. None of us were thinking straight.”

Dirk was pacing Chloe’s bedroom floor; he was furious with himself. She was once more lying still, motionless and unaware in her bed.

“I should have told you to stay put. I took it for granted Wolf was organizing the men inside. Of course his main priority would have been to see to the safety of the children first, the women second. I should have assigned someone immediately to her in her vulnerable condition. Issued a command instead of taking off after my
daddy
like a frightened juvenile boy before I made certain the house was secure.

“Wolf would have thought I was looking out for Chloe, and I should have been. Under this roof she is my responsibility. Everyone under this roof is my responsibility, including you. I’m to blame here, I should never let my emotions cloud my judgment, too much is at stake for me to forget under any circumstances. Now look what happened because of my lapse in judgment.
Damn!
I should know better!”

“No, Dirk! Don’t you dare do that! Don’t you take the blame for my irresponsibility again. Always, always you cover for me, you come to my rescue and take the blame. You have enough responsibility; I should be more help. I’m your right hand like you were Dad’s. Chloe is mine to watch out for. I let her down. I let Dad down and you.”

“You have let no one down, Damien. This is not your fault. You are still learning your own responsibilities. Because there are so many of us now and things have been running so smoothly, we got lax. I never made my demands of you clear; again, it is my own fault,” Dirk said.

He stopped his pacing to stand before his haggard younger brother. He placed a comforting hand on his shoulder when Damien gazed up at him woefully.

* * * *

“She must have fallen down the stairs and hit her head again. She must have been so scared, left all alone. I promised I would never leave her. She must have come looking for me, to comfort me, wanting to help, you know what she’s like,” Damien said, feeling his guilt consume him.

His insides were torn apart. He pressed his fist to his chest in agony, and hung his head in shame. He had been so relieved when his father had walked through the door unharmed. Thankfully, the car was still close to home. His men had ushered James home quickly. His thoughts had only turned frantic when James had asked if Chloe was all right. Concerned, Damien had raced to the study. When he found her gone he had ripped through the house, screaming her name.

When Damien had heard Carrie’s howl of fear a knife went through his heart. He knew something had happened to Chloe even before he reached her. Her prone, motionless body lying at the bottom of the stairs had sent ice through his veins.

For one horrifying moment he thought she was dead. He had done this to her. He had failed her, again. He had lifted her into his arms, noticing blood, and hurried her to her bedroom. His tears had clouded his eyes. Damien had waited anxiously, hovering while the doctor was once more called to care for her.

“Damien, she’ll be fine. You heard what the doctor said. It’s a nasty bruise, yes, but she will eventually come to. She will need you then. To be strong for her. She’ll be afraid again and want your comfort.”

“She already needed me; I failed. I’m useless,” Damien insisted.

“You saved me,” Came a small, weak voice from the bed.

“Chloe!” Damien cried. He lowered himself to clutch her body gently to his own, while placing his head against her chest. “I’m sorry, Chloe. I’m so sorry for leaving you all alone. Please forgive me.”

“Salvator, he hurt me,” Chloe said, tears falling from her eyes. She reached for him.

“Who hurt you, babe?” Damien asked, confused. He grasped at her waving fingers, ceasing their flailing motion.

“There was a man, he had a knife. I felt it at my throat. He sounded so strange. He…he…wanted me dead…I think. But I heard your voice. I wanted to call for you. He hit me. I was so scared. He was in the house, Damien, inside. I’m afraid. Please don’t leave me, he sounded so angry,” Chloe cried.

Damien cast his brother a concerned look. Was there a new threat?

“What do you mean he was inside the house?” Dirk demanded.

“He grabbed me, then held a knife to my throat. I begged him not to hurt me or anyone else, I was afraid for the children. He was so angry, Dirk…my daddy was so angry with me, I was afraid he was going to beat me again. I called for Granny and my mommy, but they didn’t come, why didn’t they come?” Chloe sobbed.

Damien looked at Dirk sadly. She must be disoriented. It was understandable. Once more she had undergone a traumatic experience. Once more her head had been given a nasty bang. His shoulders relaxed with understanding; there had been no new threat.

“It’s all right, Chloe, your father can’t hurt you anymore, I’m here. I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again,” Dirk soothed.

* * * *

“No, Dirk, I was afraid. You don’t understand. Daddy was hurting me again, but he had a knife. I’ve seen him use a knife. He smelled different and was stronger than before, bigger somehow; he held me tighter. But, Dirk, it was him. His voice was different; it would be after all these years.”

The memory of the man hurting her collided with the memory of her father; the terror intertwined throughout her mind. Which was real? Her father was dead, wasn’t he? She saw him go up in flames.
She saw the car go up in
flames.
But her father never came back. Why wouldn’t he come back if he had been alive? Was the man even real? Maybe she had just fallen and dreamed it.

“Be still, sweetheart. I’ll stay right here beside you. Both myself and Salvare are here for you,” Damien promised.

“She needs to rest, Damien. Try to keep her as quiet and calm as possible. I need to check with Dad and the others. Carrie is terrified and Tyr is worried about her asthma. It’s under control for now. Candy is a basket case. Casey is afraid for everyone, and Wolf is thinking about sending her and Rhea to Lando. He’s torn, wanting them close, yet wanting them away. Everyone is fearful we’re under attack since we have proof the brake lines were cut on the limo. They need my reassurance.

“At least now I can tell them Chloe has come to. I’m certain Wolf will be up to see her in a while to give you a break; he feels awful about this. Hang in there. I’ll handle this, don’t worry, little brother,” Dirk said. “I’m planning on pulling in my men from other sectors to make certain they aren’t vulnerable out in the open. I won’t lose another man. I want everyone close and safe until this is sorted out.”

He leaned down and kissed Chloe before he left.

“Damien?” Chloe whispered. Her mind felt as though it was searching through a dense fog. Her confusion ran rampant. More pain to assault her already battered mind.

“I’m here. I won’t leave you, Salvare.” Damien carefully lay down beside her. He gathered her into his arms and stroked her face and hair until she slept.

* * * *

Chloe opened her eyes slowly, in confusion. She could feel the weight of someone almost on top of her, smothering her. “For heaven sakes, Damien, Salvator means one who saves, not one who squishes!”

“I’m sorry,” Damien muttered, easing himself away from her.

Chloe glared at him. “How long have you been on top of me? My ribs are killing me! You’re too big to be a lap dog,” she stormed. When she tried to move, she cried out in pain.

“Lie still, Chloe. For heaven's sake, where do you think you’re going in your condition?” Damien exclaimed, wide-eyed.

“What do you mean, my condition?” Chloe snapped. She rubbed at her aching ribs. It was then she noticed the bandage wrapped around her hand. “What the devil is this?”

“What’s going on?” Wolf barged into the room.

“You tell me, Wolf. Why am I in so much pain?” Chloe demanded, easing herself into a sitting position.

“Chloe, can you see me?” Wolf asked with excitement. He waved his arms up and down.

“Why? Are you wearing your invisible cape, getting ready for takeoff?” she asked sarcastically. “Because you’ll be disappointed to know it’s not working.
Of course I can see you!
”

Chloe found her face gripped between Damien’s palms, his face so close they almost touched foreheads. “Can you see me?”

“You two need to get out more,” Chloe said with a shake of her head, feeling frustrated. She disengaged his hands.

“You
can
see me!” Damien howled and crushed her to his chest in his excitement. Chloe squealed in protest.

“What’s going on?” Chloe demanded once more. She felt great relief when James walked through her bedroom door. “James, what is going on? Why are these two acting so weird?”

“You can see me!” James declared, astounded. Chloe sighed and allowed her head to slump to her chest. It must be a conspiracy. She felt the bed dip and was quite surprised when James sat as close to her as Damien. He gripped her chin into the palm of his hand and raised her eyes to his own. “Chloe, it’s a miracle.”

“It was a miracle you weren’t hurt in the car crash, James,” Wolf replied.

“You were in a car accident?” Chloe exclaimed alarmed. “When? What happened? Was anyone hurt?”

James eyed her critically. “Chloe, can you tell me the last thing you remember?”

Chloe’s face screwed up in deep thought. “I…I was at the house.” She looked at James guiltily. “I found a book yesterday, James. I read some last night before bed. I know I should have given it to you when I found it, but I was afraid of what you would say. I didn’t want you to be angry because I read some of it. It was my dad’s. It was a book he used to manipulate my mom. A book on executions.” Chloe became concerned at the look on all three of their faces.