His Agenda: Veiled Obsession Part 11

"Haley, sweetheart, you're shaking. Are you okay?" He pulled me away from him but only to gaze into my face again.

I shook my head and he pulled me to him again, pressing his lips to my ear, smoothing my hair. "Jesus, what has he done to you?"

I didn't respond. I could do nothing but break apart. He held me until I was all cried out, until I was completely empty. Then he gathered me up into his arms and settled me into the pa.s.senger's seat. I sat there still trembling, my hands pressed between my knees. So many emotions swept through me-joy, pain, and shame that he was seeing me this way.

Dustin got back behind the wheel, but his hands were so tight around it that his knuckles whitened.

He reached a hand toward me and I flinched. My common sense had returned with a bang. I had known Dustin years ago; he had been my first love. But I had no idea exactly what kind of man he was now. What if, in spite of what he'd told that man Jason, he was also one of Jude's puppets? What if he decided to return me back there? Could I really trust him? Could I trust anyone?

Fear coursed through my veins as I reached for the door handle. I couldn't stay long enough to find out.

He reached out and held my arm. "Where are you going?"

I gave him a bittersweet smile. "I can't go back to him. I need to go, Dustin."

His jaw tensed and he let go of my arm. "After seeing you like this, so devastated, you really think I'll let you go back there. You think I would take you back to him?" He removed his hands from the wheel and turned to face me. "You have to have been so frightened of him to hide inside a stranger's car."

I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. "I didn't see any other way. He's ... Jude is a monster."

"I'm just happy it was my car you crawled into." He turned his gaze ahead again and gunned the engine. "You're not going anywhere. You're staying with me. I'll make sure he never comes near you again. You're safe."

I recalled Jude saying something similar to me, back when I thought he was my knight in s.h.i.+ning armor. But this was Dustin, the man I used to love, the man I felt safe with. I had to trust someone. To be honest, I needed someone. I wouldn't be able to do it on my own.

"Whatever that man did to break your heart will never happen again." His words were edged with steel.

"He will stop at nothing to find me." No use hiding from the truth when it stared me straight in the face. "It's only a matter of time, but he will find me and he will-"

"I won't let that happen. You hear me, Haley? You have to trust me on that."

I leaned my head against the headrest and closed my sore eyes. After a day of cleaning and so much emotion, all I wanted to do was sleep. Just for a bit.

Dustin touched my cheek lightly, but I didn't open my eyes. I wanted to hold on to that little piece of comfort.

"Dial Jason," Dustin said again and the car filled with the sound of ringing.

"Dustin."

"Change of plans, Jason. Cancel all my meeting for the rest of the week. I won't be coming to Serendipity for a few days. I'm going away for a while."

"Wrong timing, I'm afraid, Mr. Brannon. Lordan Gales is coming in tomorrow. He's looking to spend big for advertising in the next issue of Spear. We have to s.n.a.t.c.h him before someone else does."

"Jason, I have pressing personal matters to attend to. Postpone the meeting."

"Yes, sir. Should I call off the jet?"

"No," Dustin said. "Make sure it's waiting at the airport in ten minutes. I'm on my way there now. No pilot. I'm flying myself."

There was a short pause on the other end. "Is everything okay?"

"It will be." The car picked up speed.

"Where are you going? Just in case I need to reach you ..."

"I'll give you a call soon. Take care of everything else for me, Jason. See you in a few days. In case of an emergency, a real emergency, Jason, send me an email."

"You got it, Sir. See you soon." A click and then the car filled with silence.

I forced my eyes open an inch and turned my head to him. "You don't have to put your business on hold for me."

"I would do anything for you, Haley. It's best you get used to it."

I sighed and closed my eyes again. This time, sleep welcomed me into its depths.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN.

Dustin held me firmly to his side as he led me down the tarmac to a white private jet with a TMT logo on its side. The logo was well-known, belonging to a magazine publis.h.i.+ng empire with big name magazines under its belt. Could he be the owner? Dustin had always said he was going to make it big one day. I had never doubted him. He'd had the brains and the determination and he also had a heart.

"Looks like you made it," I said and then coughed. "Good for you."

"I guess I have," he said, helping me up the steps as wind blew my hair from face and swirled it around my head. "I'm in the magazine business, just like I swore to you I would be one day. But we can talk about it later." We got to the last step. He didn't let me go until he had walked me into a room with Italian furnis.h.i.+ng and a comfy bed that invited me to fall into it. "I'm going to fly you somewhere safe. I want you to get some rest. Then you can tell me everything."

"Thank you, Dustin." I still couldn't believe he was standing in front of me, far from Jude's mansion. Before he left, I had to ask him one burning question. "Why did you meet with Jude? You told Jason that you were not interested in doing business with him."

He turned me to face him. "It's not Jude I went to meet. I was hoping to see you. When I saw you last, I got the feeling something was off. You looked frightened. And then, before I left, you blinked at me three times in succession." His lips curled into a heart-stopping smile. "Remember our little secret language back in high school? Three blinks meant I need you."

I lifted a hand to my lips and smiled completely for the first time in a while." I didn't even realize I did that." I had actually been blinking away tears, not trying to communicate with Dustin.

He paused. "I did a little research on your husband and found out he's a ruthless businessman who doesn't care who gets crushed in the process of acquiring his fortune. I just didn't like the sound of the guy. I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I was far from alright," I said, my sadness returning. "But now I am." For how long, I had no idea.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT.

The gentle sound of the wheels. .h.i.tting the tarmac woke me. I didn't even remember falling asleep. My last memory was of myself sitting on the edge of the bed, wondering how and when Jude would eventually find me.

Dustin came to me five minutes later. Knowing that he cared enough about me to bring his life to a screeching halt in order to be there for me, wrapped me in a thick, warm coc.o.o.n. His eyes were more intense with faint wrinkles fanning out at the corners, but the way he looked at me made me feel the same way I had when he had looked at me the very first time in the school cafeteria.

"How're you feeling?" He sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Truth is, I don't know. Lost?" I looked around the room for my purse and almost laughed when I realized that I didn't have it. I'd left Jude with only the clothes on my back. He took my left hand and traced the burn scar gently with his thumb.

"Tell me what happened."

I swallowed the lump inside my throat. "It's complicated. But I promise, I will tell you everything later." I bit my lip. "The only thing I can tell you now is, I married a stranger and paid dearly for it."

"Why didn't you say something when we met? I would have taken you away from that b.a.s.t.a.r.d a long time ago." He raked a hand through his hair.

"I didn't have the chance to tell you. He watches my every move ... or his people do."

Dustin kissed the scar on my hand. "You never have to suffer alone again."

"Dustin," I said, "if you're going to help me, there's something else you should know."

"Okay." He turned his body toward me so our knees touched. I ignored the electricity that sparked between us. I was still a married woman, even if I was married to the wrong man.

"Dustin, Jude is dangerous ... a heartless murderer. I think ... I think he killed the woman they found in the lake. Her name was Diana Maliano. I think there are others... He said-"

Dustin shot to his feet. "What? I know he's a son of a b.i.t.c.h, but a murderer? Why would he kill that woman?"

"She had been one of the people he hired to watch me. But she became useless to him when I managed to escape the first time."

"You ran from him before?" Shock deepened his voice as he paced the room.

"Yes, I went home ... to Serendipity. He found me the next day." I paused and bit my lip. "He made me pay for deceiving him."

"He beat you?" He halted in front of me and swiped his hand over his brow. "Did you ever go to the police?"

"I couldn't. He said I'd end up being the one behind bars. He has money, influence, power." I dropped my head and relived the pain he had caused me.

"Why would you end up in jail? He's the b.l.o.o.d.y criminal. He was just messing with your head. If he really killed that poor woman, we should call the police." He pulled his cell phone from his pocket. "I'll do that right now. You'll be safer with him behind bars."

"Don't ... please." I reached for his hand and clutched it. "He was right. If the police get involved, I will end up in jail. I killed someone, too."

The phone slipped from Dustin's hands and fell to the floor between his perfectly s.h.i.+ned shoes. "No, you ... You what?"

I licked my dry lips. "I killed a man. Jude covered it up. The man," I dropped my gaze so he wouldn't see the shame mirrored in my eyes. "He was my client." I paused. "Dustin, I used to be a prost.i.tute."

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE.

Jude pulled on a black cap and stepped out of the car into the cool night.

He wanted to rage inside, but from business and personal experience, he had learned that emotions drove people to make stupid mistakes. He didn't make mistakes.

Haley flashed in his mind and a small grin spread across his face. "Game over," he said and climbed out of his Rolls Royce. The b.i.t.c.h had dug her grave. Now she would have to lie in it.

He would not go after her this time. She would come back to him willingly. He just had to send a few clear messages. The longer he stayed away, the clearer those messages would be.

He walked into Allure, just another man out for a good time. He pressed a wad of cash into the sweaty hands of the owner, and he nodded and disappeared through a door behind the bar. Jude had called him an hour ago to tell him exactly what he wanted. And he paid the man more than he could ever make in a single night.

Jude slipped into a seat at one of the small tables and was served vodka on the rocks. He had never been one to drink much, but in the past months, his tongue was starting to like the taste of alcohol. After a single swig, twenty-something-year-old woman appeared before him. Waist-length hair, ample b.r.e.a.s.t.s, and green eyes. Just like Haley.

Haley could run, but he had found a way to still keep f.u.c.king her, even from a distance. Until he got her back.

He eyed the wh.o.r.e's b.r.e.a.s.t.s, thinking of Haley. Desire yawned inside him, and his pants grew tighter.

He didn't talk, just placed a bill next to the gla.s.s and took her hand. He led her to his car and drove away.

"Hi," she said once he had started the engine. "I'm Rosemary."

"Good," Jude said and kept his eyes on the road. Making conversation was not in his plans. He was definitely not going to tell her his name.

"You don't talk much, do you?"

"And you talk too much. That's not what I paid for."

That made the b.i.t.c.h shut up, and she turned to gaze out the window. He pressed a b.u.t.ton and cla.s.sical music filled the car.

Twenty minutes later, he led her into a secluded cottage by the river, into a room that was lit by a single shaded lamp.

He slid a finger into the front of her tight top and pulled her to him. Then he yanked at her hair until her face was upturned and her neck exposed. As she groaned with a mixture of pleasure and pain from being handled roughly, he ran his tongue from the hollow of her neck along her throat to her chin. Then he let go of the hair and turned her around. He pushed her onto the king-sized bed.

"Undress," he said quietly but firmly. She did as she was told.

As he watched the pieces of clothing falling to the floor and her milky skin becoming more exposed, he unzipped his pants, pulled out his hard c.o.c.k and ran a hand up and down the shaft.

When she was completely naked, he approached the bed, pushed her down with one hand, and used the other to push himself into her. Unlike Haley, she moaned instead of yelping. He didn't like it. He stilled and then thrust deep into her. She gasped and he smiled. He did it again, this time pressing her harder into the mattress.

"You're hurting me," she said as he drove into her.

"I thought your kind likes it rough. I paid for you. I can do whatever I want."

He heard her whimper softly, but it only made him hornier. He drove into her several more times, yanking at her hair, slapping her b.u.t.t until it turned red, pinching her nipples until she cried out, and he groaned with pleasure and exploded inside her.

Done, he got off the bed and found his favorite pen knife inside his jeans.

She didn't look up, just lay there whimpering like an inexperienced wh.o.r.e. If she couldn't deal with the heat, she should have stayed out of this business.

He sat on the edge of the bed waiting for her to look at him. He wanted her to know exactly what he was doing. When she finally rolled onto her back, eyes red and nose running, he sneered and climbed up on top of her. He took a deep breath and encircled her neck with his hands.

Like all the rest, she thought she was strong enough to fight him, but like the others, she failed. Pressing his forehead to hers, he dug his fingers into her throat.