Black Lace [Internet Bonds Series Book 7] Read online

  "That bitch!” she cursed.

  "Who?"

  "Jocilynne Sommersby."

  * * * *

  Reed moved to the side and out of the way yet close enough to still be there if Chelsea wanted him or needed anything. Once they'd been left alone, he took her hand and held it tightly, needing to feel their heated bond overtake them.

  They talked about what had happened but Chelsea naming Lynne Sommersby as her attacker took him back.

  "Are you absolutely sure?"

  "She made sure I knew. She told me I didn't deserve you."

  Reed closed his eyes. What the hell have I done?

  "I don't deserve you, Mistress. This is all my fault. If..."

  "Slave, hush. Trust me, I'm not blaming you for anything. I knew what was going on and I still wanted you. I went into this relationship with my eyes wide open because I wanted you so much it hurt."

  "And now?"

  "Only you."

  "Then marry me as soon as you're able. I..."

  "Yes, Reed, I will,” she said slowly, a hint of a smile crossing her face before she became serious again. “I'm sorry about the baby. I meant to tell you when I met you at the firehouse."

  "I'm sorry you miscarried."

  "I tried to..."

  "Shh, I know,” he said, comforting her, his hand massaging her stomach.

  "I feel a huge loss and I'd just found out right before she...” she said, tears streaming down her cheek.

  "I know. Hamlin keeps apologizing for telling me but she thought you'd already given me the good news."

  "I'm so sorry, Reed."

  "I love you, Mistress. We've got all the time in the world to try again."

  "But what if she hurt me? That bitch took a blackjack to me."

  "My God, no wonder. I couldn't figure out what weapon she used plus I haven't talked to Nicholson because of camping out here."

  "My God, my parents..."

  "...Are at your place unless they went home. I called them while you were in surgery. I offered to let them have your place and I'd bunk at the office but your mother wouldn't hear of it."

  "They really like you."

  "So it seems,” Reed said quietly. “Your dad made me feel like we'd known each other for a lifetime while your mother made me feel like family."

  "They're like that, especially if it's someone I like a lot."

  "And you like me a lot?” he asked cautiously.

  "No, slave, I love you a lot."

  "Do you know how much I want to fuck you right now?"

  "Probably about as much as I want you to."

  * * * *

  Chelsea's parents came in to visit their daughter. Reed told them he'd be back once he went back to the apartment and changed. He needed to call Chief Wickersham to bring him up-to-date on what was happening.

  He left the hospital, walking toward the gallery. The walk gave him time to think. What the hell are we going to do about Lynne? She's out of control.

  After entering the security code in the alarm panel, Reed let himself into the vestibule at the rear of the gallery. The door to his right led to the first floor showroom while the other one opened to a staircase leading up to Chelsea's apartment. His boot heels echoed on the hardwood steps but Reed didn't notice.

  The minute he entered the living room he sensed an invasion. A sense he'd had since childhood, he could always tell if someone had been in his house or his room, his office at work—anywhere a stranger didn't belong. He'd even felt it on firegrounds involving arson. He couldn't explain it—didn't want to. Right now, the feelings shifted into overdrive.

  Looking around, he saw things out of place on Chelsea's desk. He pulled out his cell phone and called Matt Nicholson, hoping his friend was on duty.

  "Nicholson."

  "It's Carrington."

  "Hey, how's your lady?"

  "Awake but still critical though Macy took her off the respirator."

  "Great news,” the cop said. “I sense something wrong though."

  "Can you come over to her apartment? Somebody's been here."

  "Are you positive?"

  "Very, things are out of place on her desk..."

  "Did her parents..."

  "No, they've been commuting between the hospital and their home in Merion and this is the first time I've been here since Chelsea went in the hospital,” Reed explained. “Can you check it out?"

  "I'm on my way. I'll bring one of the fingerprint guys, too."

  "Come to the alley entrance."

  "On our way,” Matt said. “I don't have to tell you—don't touch anything."

  Twenty minutes later, Reed let Nicholson and Mike Tobias into the vestibule then led them upstairs. Reed showed them the desk and indicated the misplaced items on it. While Tobias dusted a pen, Nicholson took a pencil and pressed the length of the point over a spot on the top piece of paper on a notepad sitting near the phone. Using a shadowing technique, he went over the area until a legible address and phone number appeared.

  "Do you know this address?"

  "It belongs to a friend of mine,” Reed said.

  "Go on."

  "I need to tell you something that must stay secret for as long as possible."

  "What?"

  "That's the city address I use."

  "No, you can't be telling me you've been pulling the wool over the city's eyes?” Matt said, amused. It had long been city policy that police and firefighters live within the city limits. Some guys had gotten away with living in one of the surrounding counties while using a city address but the administration had really cracked down on the practice.

  "Yes and no,” Reed said then, for the second time in as many days, he explained the truth about Reed Carrington.

  "Damn."

  "All I wanted to do was fight fire but with a society name and address..."

  "I know,” Nicholson said. “I know a detective who grew up on Kelly Drive, went to Drexel and caught hell at the Academy."

  "The Manayunk address is a friend's I went to college with and he's covered for me. In fact, Dan Wheldon is the only other one who knows."

  "You're good. No one's ever kept this kind of secret this long."

  "Matt, someone rifled the closet,” Tobias announced.

  Matt and Reed followed Mike into the bedroom, Reed groaning and cursing under his breath.

  "It's bad enough she damned near beat Chelsea to death, but this?"

  "Who do you suspect—as if I have to ask?"

  "Chelsea told me Jocilynne Sommersby beat her."

  "Is she positive?"

  "Yes, why?"

  "This case is starting to have all the earmarks of a stalker case. If this person is doing what you say, she'll become more dangerous with each attack. I mean, if our perp was careless enough to leave this, there may be a chance we can get prints. Then, it'll be a matter of time..."

  "Can we keep it quiet?"

  "Sure,” Matt said. “Wait a minute. I know that look. What are you thinking?"

  "I agree we've got a stalking case. From what I hear, she's been asking around trying to find me, then the attack and now this. She's not going to stop until she gets what she wants."

  "You may be right. I'll get hold of a detective I know who'll be able to handle this as quietly as possible. If she is doing what you think, she may have a good idea who's on what shift for both fire and police so she knows when to strike."

  "I don't think she knows where I run out of—yet."

  "She will soon enough,” Matt said. “Do you have anything else I can give him?"

  "Not much outside of the fact she has a reputation in the adult community. I heard one horror story..."

  "And you..."

  "Don't go there. I found out after the fact. If I had known..."

  "I see."

  They talked a few minutes more while Tobias finished up. They left and Reed locked up behind them. Before changing clothes, he straightened up after their visitor then took a long hot shower to ease the
tension in his neck and back. It didn't help.

  He chose jeans and another oversized but comfortable shirt. Grabbing a jacket, he left the apartment and headed back to Jefferson. While he walked, he pulled out his cell and called Chief Wickersham.

  "Reed, how are you?"

  "I'm tired."

  "How is she?"

  "They took her off the respirator and removed that god-awful tube from her throat."

  "What's the outlook?"

  "It's going to be a long road."

  "I'm sorry to hear that. What do you want to do?"

  "I'd like till the end of the week for now."

  "Okay, but after that, I'll need you back."

  "Thanks."

  "Keep me in the loop."

  "I will."

  Reed ended the call then crossed the street to enter the hospital where he met Chelsea's parents in the lobby. Together they went upstairs to see Chelsea, though not much was said in the elevator. Reed needed to say something but had no clue how to begin. They exited the elevator and started down the corridor. Suddenly, Martin Strawbridge stopped and faced Reed.

  "Son, I know you want to say something so—out with it."

  Reed gulped, his mind blank. Recovering, he took a deep breath, let it out and spoke.

  "I asked Chelsea to marry me."

  "And she said?"

  "Yes."

  Strawbridge pondered the nervous man standing in front of him, Reed beginning to wonder if he should quietly slip away into a nearby stairwell and leave.

  "Why?"

  "Sir?"

  "Why? Is it out of guilt or love?"

  "I love her, sir,” Reed said without hesitation.

  "Good,” Strawbridge said. “Let me welcome you to the family."

  After the shock wore off, Reed shook Martin's hand. Her mother hugged him, nodding her approval.

  "I...” Reed stammered.

  "I expect you to make her happy and keep her safe. She's our only child and I want to see grandchildren."

  Reed fell silent.

  "What's wrong, Reed?” Madeline asked.

  "I didn't tell you something when I first talked with you outside the operating room when we first met."

  "What?” they asked together.

  Reed leaned against the wall, the reality of what he had to tell them hitting him for the first time. He and Chelsea had talked about it and he'd been as strong as he could be for her but it finally set in to his exhausted mind that they had lost a child.

  "Sir, ma'am,” he slowly started. “Chelsea had only just found out that morning she was pregnant. She lost..."

  Tears overwhelmed him. Reed slid down the wall, sat on the floor and wept.

  Madeline knelt beside him, holding Reed while trying to comfort him.

  "None of this is your fault."

  "But if I hadn't met up with..."

  "Lynne Sommersby is a spoiled little rich girl who has ruined people on a whim. You had no way of knowing."

  "How can you be so damned forgiving?” Reed asked.

  "Because Chelsea loves you."

  * * * *

  Following Reed Carrington proved boring. Lynne Sommersby had learned absolutely nothing about the man who'd gotten the better of her after their one-night stand.

  Renting a black Acura, she drove to Manayunk in hopes of discovering something. Once she located Reed's address, she parked in the shadows then sat back and watched the apartment. She could see someone was evidently home so she decided to wait until his roommate left. Once that happened, she'd break in to see what she could find out.

  Finally, the lights went out in the apartment and she watched a man about Reed's age leave the building and drive off. Not caring if she'd watched the right apartment or not, she went to the door and let herself in using one of the many credit cards she never used. She cursed under her breath when she couldn't unlock the dead bolt above the doorknob.

  Checking the hallway, she slipped a lock pick set out of her handbag and went to work. A few moments later, she slipped into the apartment and started searching.

  She checked the bedrooms—one extremely lived in and the other looking like a guestroom. She found enough evidence of Reed Carrington to learn one important thing—he didn't live here on a full-time basis and only used it as a convenient address.

  "Who the hell are you?"

  She knew he had Old Philadelphia blood and had grown up on a huge estate in Fairmount Park. After his graduation from college and his father's death, he'd all but disappeared. Now, with a fake address, he turns up as a city employee driving an old muscle car and seeing a society outcast.

  "What the hell is going on?"

  Commotion in the hallway caught her attention. She quickly grabbed her things and ran back to the guestroom where she hid in the empty closet.

  "I'll talk to you later, Mrs. Barrett,” a male voice said just before the front door opened then closed.

  Lynne cursed, hating that she'd gotten trapped in a strange man's apartment but then it hit her—she loved this kind of excitement and the thrills which went along with it.

  Now, this is hot!

  * * * *

  Chelsea had fallen asleep, spent from the battery of tests she'd had to endure. The neurosurgeon had been concerned about the amount of trauma to her brain and wanted to know exactly what they might face down the road in Chelsea's recovery.

  She woke to see Reed standing at the window with one hand on his hip and the other on the wall by the window and over his head. He appeared so relaxed in jeans and an oversized shirt which he hadn't tucked in but she knew differently. She gazed at his gorgeous body wanting his cock buried inside her while she smacked him with his favorite flogger.

  A soft moan slipped out, Reed immediately picking up on it and going to her side. He took her hand, suckling her finger.

  "Chels, are you all right? Can I..."

  "Shh,” she said, stopping him. “My fantasies got the better of me."

  "And you were fantasizing about..."

  "You buried inside me while..."

  "Stop right there before I fulfill them."

  "I won't stop you."

  "That's what I'm afraid of,” he said, then kissed her hand before suckling another finger.

  "Can I always wake up to see you?"

  "As much and often as my work schedule will allow."

  "Great,” she said. “What about your job? You just started in that new position."

  "Wickersham's working with me. He's given me to the end of the week then..."

  "Don't argue with him. You need to..."

  "But I need to be with you."

  "I'm going to be here for a while and won't be going anywhere. It's okay,” she told him. “Really, it is."

  "You know I take the blame for you being here."

  "It's not your fault."

  "You might change your mind when I tell you this."

  "What?"

  "Matt Nicholson and I are almost positive Lynne broke into your apartment a few days ago."

  "Why?"

  "She took my phone number and my friend's address as well as going through the closets."

  "It doesn't surprise me,” Chelsea commented seconds before her breath caught.

  "Chelsea?"

  "What if she goes to your friend's and finds out you don't live there? Do you think she'd go so far as to out you with the department?"

  "Shit!” he cursed. “This is getting out of hand. How long is she going to make me pay for one night's indiscretion? What the hell do I do now?"

  "Change your address to mine. You and I are getting married so it's logical."

  "But if she drags in Ray?"

  "Then you tell your chief the truth and pray he understands."

  "And if he doesn't?"

  "We'll face that when it happens."

  "All I ever wanted was to fight fire. Now this bitch could take it all away from me."

  "Maybe not."

  "I wish I had your optimism."

/>   "You've got me,” she assured him, hoping he'd catch her meaning while she very definitely caught his as he teased her fingertips with his tongue.

  "Your undeserving slave loves you."

  "My slave is very good,” she complimented.

  "I have an outstanding mistress who has been lax in her duties."

  "Then I have a lot to make up for once I get out of here."

  * * * *

  Ray McGinley worked in Cheltenham at the hospital. He'd met Reed Carrington in college and they'd been friends ever since. Reed had told him the truth about himself and Ray readily agreed to help his friend if he needed it. When Reed asked to use his Manayunk address, Ray saw no problem.

  He'd gone to a nearby convenience store and returned about twenty minutes later. He met Mrs. Barrett, his neighbor across the hall and helped her with some packages. He said good-bye and put his key into the deadbolt lock.

  "I could have sworn I locked it,” he said as he inserted a second key into the doorknob. Something struck him as wrong but he couldn't figure out what.

  Ray went into the bathroom to take a shower in order to get ready for a date later on. After getting dressed, he grabbed his leys and left. Finding the deadbolt off again troubled him because he definitely remembered putting it on. He pulled out his cell and called the police followed by his date and then he called Reed Carrington.

  "I think your worst nightmare has been here."

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  Chapter 8

  When the day came for Chelsea to leave the hospital, Reed took her home to Carrington House. He hired a live-in nurse to care for Chelsea and be with her when he went to work. Chelsea would only get the best plus Ming-toi who showed his approval by curling up in her lap and loudly purring.

  Her parents visited them often and her mother stayed with her during the day while Reed wasn't home. Thanks to all this, her recovery went easily.

  At night, Chelsea's nurse went to the guesthouse while Reed took over her care, pampering his mistress. He refused to allow her to do anything until she finally gave him an order.

  "Slave."

  "Mistress?"

  "Relax."

  "But..."

  "Must I bring out the flogger?"

  "Yes, Mistress."

  "Take me to the playroom."

  "Gladly."

  Reed carried her to the secret room hidden by a panel in what had been his father's—now his—study.