She gave him a sad smile and placed her hand over his on the table. “I’m sorry. I know you and Simon are close and I would never want to be the cause of any problems in your relationship.”
Sam shrugged. “We’ve been through tough times before. We’ll get through it.”
She pulled her hand back. “Are you speaking?”
He laughed weakly. “Trading insults. It’s a start.”
“Do you know what happened to him? How he got scarred?” The words flew from her mouth before she could censor them.
Sam’s jaw dropped, his expression shocked. “You’ve seen his scars? All of them? Is that why you’re avoiding him?”
Anger simmered and her palm itched to slap his face all over again. “Jesus, do you think every woman is that superficial?” Trying to get a grip on her irritation, she continued. “Your brother is the most attractive man I have ever met, scars or no scars. He’s hot enough to melt glaciers in Antarctica. Obviously, he suffered a severe trauma and I hate that for him. But I don’t give a damn about his scars.”
“You think he’s better looking than I am?” The question was arrogant, but Sam sounded damned delighted by the fact that she was hot for his brother.
“Yes. No contest. Sorry.” Her answer came out severe, but she was a little touched by the fond look in Sam’s eyes. Chewing her lip, deep in thought, she mused aloud. “I wonder if you could give Simon something for me.”
Sam shrugged and looked at her with curiosity. “What?”
“A check. I need to pay him.”
Sam snickered, his lips forming into a wicked grin. “That good, was it?”
“He put money in my account. I want him to have most of it back. I intend to pay back the rest later when I get a job.” Kara ignored his innuendo. Simon’s brother might look like a blond angel, but she already knew that he had a set of devil horns hidden somewhere in those loose, abundant curls.
“You want to pay Simon ? Newsflash…in case you didn’t realize it, he’s a billionaire. If he wanted you to have the money, I’m not taking it.” He put his hands up in the air in a defensive gesture. “He’d really chew my ass up and spit it out. He’s in a lousy mood.”
Her shoulders sagging, she gave him a flimsy smile. “Yeah. I didn’t think about that. I don’t want him mad at you. I just wanted to get it back to him.”
“Without having to see him?” Sam hit the nail on the head. “Guess you’ll just have to do it personally.” He sounded pretty happy about that whole idea.
“I’d better get moving. I have studying to do.” She stood up.
Sam rose and stared down at her. “Are you living with Maddie Reynolds? Redhead? Beautiful?” He breathed the last two words reverently.
“Yes.” She was surprised. Sam didn’t sound nearly as hostile toward Maddie as her friend was toward Sam.
“How is she?” He was trying to sound nonchalant, but there was a brief glint of pain in his hooded eyes.
Kara hesitated, not wanting to betray Maddie. “She’s good. She has a private practice and does some work in a free children’s clinic.”
“She made it. She graduated from medical school.” Sam’s answer was quiet, almost as if he were talking to himself. He sounded like he admired Maddie.
“Yep. One of the best and kindest physicians I’ve ever met. And an awesome friend.” Sam looked like he wanted to ask more questions that Kara didn’t care to answer, so she scooted in front him and headed for the door. “Take care, Sam. Bye.” She dropped her empty cup in the trash without breaking her stride and pushed on the heavy glass door.
It was dark as Kara slid outside, heaving a large sigh of relief as the light wind hit her in the face.
Everything and nothing had changed as a result of her conversation with Sam. While she was very glad that Simon hadn’t set up a liaison with the woman at the party, it didn’t alter the fact that she was just too emotionally involved with a man that didn’t do relationships. It was either going to hurt now or destroy her later. Simon was kind and Sam had said that Simon cared about her. Maybe it was true, but it wasn’t enough.
Please come home.
That line from Simon’s letter echoed in her head as a fist clenched around her heart, making it hard to breathe. Oh God, how she wanted to go home, back to Simon. They had started…something. He had trusted her, let her touch his naked flesh, let her see his scars, f**ked her without restraints. How she wished she had the courage to finish it, help Simon find freedom from his past. But her self-preservation instinct was fierce, warning her away from danger, letting her know that in helping Simon, loving Simon, she would destroy herself.
She set her emotionally spent body in motion, heading toward Maddie’s house. Lost in thought, her spirits low, she wasn’t very aware of her surroundings. That was a mistake that Kara, a woman who had been raised in a less than desirable area, usually didn’t make. The lack of concentration bit her in the ass.
Two men approached quickly, one on each side. Her arms were seized and she was being dragged along the sidewalk before she even realized what had happened. She struggled, kicking out at the brutal men who were hauling her forcefully forward, trying to wrench her arms from their grips. With startled horror, she realized that they were pushing her toward a dark vehicle at the curb, the back door open, ready to claim her.
It was dark, but the area was lit just enough to see the faces of the two men who had broken into the clinic.
They’ll kill me. I’ll die. Have to fight.
She screamed without pause, trying to make her voice carry to anyone who was in the area, as she kicked out, trying to hit vulnerable places on the two hulking males.
“Shut the f**k up, bitch.” A menacing, foreboding voice grunted as her foot connected with his kneecap, an action that earned her a punch to the face.
Momentarily stunned from the powerful blow, she faltered as they shoved her forward.
Fight, damn it. Fight.
As the junkies hefted her body to toss her into the car, she raised her legs and planted her feet, one on the door, the other on the body of the car next to the open entrance.
Don’t let them get you into the car. If you do, you’re dead.
Her feet slipped, sliding lower as one of the men grabbed her by the hair and started slamming her head against the metal top of the open door. She could hear the horrific sound of her skull cracking against steel and her head swam, her vision starting to blur.