Guarding Antonia Page 13
“Sir, I need you to move so we can attend to the patient.” A stranger’s voice sounded over his shoulder. He ignored it.
“Sir, please we need to get to the patient.” The voice insisted but now that he had Antonia back, he wasn’t going to let anyone near her.
“Robot. Let the paramedics do their job. You’re not helping Antonia.” It was Cowboy’s voice that finally got through the fog of despair he’d fallen into.
“Right, yes.” He stood and moved to allow the men in to do their job.
Minutes passed, and he observed everything as if he was watching a movie. When the paramedics had transferred Antonia to a gurney, the knives still imbedded in her body he came back into his body and strode beside them as they wheeled her out.
He went to climb into the ambulance the paramedic who’d first spoke stopped him. “I’m sorry, sir, you can’t ride with us.”
Robot glared at the young paramedic, and he took a step back. “That’s my wife. I’m not leaving her side.” He brushed past the man and climbed into the back. He maneuvered himself so that he could sit by her head.
Once again, he took her hand, kissing it carefully so as not to disturb the IV needle on the top of her palm. He kissed her cheek. “Fight, T. I need you. I love you. Fight to come back to me.”
Antonia didn’t want to wake up. Boss would only hurt her more. As it was, every single part of her throbbed and her face felt as if it was ten times it’s normal size. Had he used her as a punching bag while she’d been unconscious? The guy was a killer so of course he wouldn’t have any issues taking advantage of a passed out woman.
Slowly the fuzz that coated her mind cleared, and she became aware of a constant beeping sound and there wasn’t a spring digging in her back.
Her left hand was warmer than her right. Why was that? Nothing about her current situation seemed right.
Had Boss moved her?
She tried to open her eyes, but they seemed glued shut. Perhaps it was better she didn’t open them, then she didn’t have to see what hellhole she’d landed in.
Warm breath caressed her cheek and a familiar scent wafted past her nose. Now she was imagining Robot was with her. She must be hallucinating.
“Are you awake, T?” The words whispered softly and reverently in her ear.
No, it couldn’t be. Or could it?
Had her wish come true?
Had Robot found her?
“Robot?” Her mind formed the word, but she didn’t think the message got to her mouth. She licked her dry lips and tried again. “Robot?”
Fingers caressed her forehead. “Yeah, T. I’m here. How are you feeling?”
How did she feel? That was a very good question. She didn’t know how she felt. “I don’t know. Everything hurts and I’m too scared to move.”
The bed depressed beside her and a warm body aligned with hers. Memories of the last time she was in hospital assailed her memories. He’d done the exact same thing then as he was doing now. Unlike then, she welcomed his presence. Last time she’d shoved him and told him to get off her bed. Later she’d found out he stayed by her side until she’d woken up. Looks like he’d done the same thing again.
The need to see her husband, the man she loved, gave her the strength to will her eyes to open. She couldn’t open them fully and her vision was blurry, but she could see her man. A soft smile played on his lips, but he looked awful.
His face was covered with blond scruff. He had dark rings under his eyes and the lines around his mouth and across his forehead were deeper than she’d ever seen them.
Love for the man lying next to her filled her until she was sure it was flowing out of her. “You look like shit.”
That wasn’t what she’d planned to say, but he chuckled. “There she is. There’s my T.”
He lips brushed hers and when he moved away, she moaned. “More.”
“I would love to kiss you, but your lips are swollen and I don’t want to hurt you anymore than you already are.”
“Trust me when I say I’ll take that pain.” And she would. To have Robot’s lips on her, when she feared she’d never feel them again, was worth any pain.
“Boss.” She said his name on a gasp and Robot went from relaxed to combat ready beside her.
“Dead. I killed him.”
Her mind was beginning to register that she was safe. “What happened?”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s over and he’ll never hurt you or anyone else again.”
Antonia understood why Robot was doing what he was. He was trying to protect her, but she needed to know what happened to her.
“Please Robot, tell me what happened. He stabbed me in the leg.” A shudder rushed through her body as she recalled the pain of the knife entering her flesh. “The pain was so intense. So unbelievably intense and when he raised his arm to hit me again, I’d wished he would hit me hard enough to knock me out and he did. Tell me what he did to me after I was unconscious.” She couldn’t voice her biggest fear though. The words stuck in her throat.
“This is going to hurt,” Robot warned before he lifted her. Pain coursed through every part of her and she moaned loud, but the second Robot rested her against his hard chest and wrapped his arms tightly around her, every shard of glass breaking in her body was worth it. His warmth surrounded her and the sense of safety that only he could give her settled in her bones.
“Are you going to tell me now?”
She felt his sigh and waited. She’d rather hear whatever horrid things Boss did to her from him than from anyone else.
“I never want to remember what I walked in on ever again, but I know you need to know, so here goes.” He smoothed his hand up and down her arm as far as he could without disturbing the various tubes and chords surrounding her. “Apart from the stab wound to your leg, he also stabbed your upper left arm. Slashed your legs and hit you a bit more around the face.”
“That explains why I can’t open my eyes.” She swallowed and found the courage to ask the question she was afraid to know the answer to. “Did he—did he…”
Robot’s finger placed a finger on her lips halting her stuttering attempt to speak. “No, T,” he started softly. “He didn’t do what you’re thinking.”
Tears leaked out of her swollen eyes. “Thank God.”
Robot held her as she cried. A cleansing cry that washed away the horrid experience. Not completely, but for the moment the tears soothed her.
“I thought I’d lost you, T. It was bad enough when Bryan took you. But this time, this time I couldn’t keep my emotions in check.” With careful movements he laid her back down, the stabs of pain minimal this time. Robot turned on his side and faced her. Her breath hitched at the look in his eyes. “I walked into that room, saw what he did to you and didn’t think, just acted. I lifted my gun and shot him between the eyes. I didn’t care that the police wanted him alive. All I saw was a messed up fucker who hurt the woman I love, and I couldn’t let him live.”
Her mind took in everything he said, but her heart clamped down hard on four words and wouldn’t let me go: the woman I love.
He loved her.
She lifted her hand and placed it on his cheek. “I knew in my heart you’d come for me. I knew all I had to do was hang on and you’d save me. Thank you for killing him. Thank you for saving me and thank you for loving me, because I love you, too, Brendan. So much.”
Robot’s blue eyes lit up at her declaration. His hand framed her face and a smile she’d never seen stretched his lips wide. “So, you wanna stay married to me? You’re Vegas mistake?”
She laughed then winced, her ribs screaming at the motion. “Yes, I wanna stay married to you, my best Vegas bet.”
Robot rested his forehead against hers. She loved these little touches. “I love you, T.”
“Love you too, Brendan.”
Epilogue
Antonia sat at the table and sipped her champagne. Today had been a wonderful day. Carlos and Erin had gotten married in fron
t of family and friends. The ceremony had been beautiful and there wasn’t a dry eye in the church when they spoke their vows.
Fingers feathered down her arm and gooseflesh bubbled over her skin. She looked up and smiled at her husband. “Hey stranger.” His lips brushed hers, and when he pulled away, she pouted. “That kiss was way too short, Mr. Dean.”
Being best man and matron of honor, she and Robot had been busy looking after the bride and groom, and their time together during the day had been brief. Now that the end of the evening was upon them, they could relax with their duties and enjoy spending time together.
“If I did what I wanted to do to you, we’d be kicked out.” He leaned over and kissed her neck.
Heat rushed to her core. She’d finally reached the stage of her recovery where her ribs didn’t hurt if she breathed too hard. While they hadn’t exactly been celibate during her convalescence, the type of sex they’d indulged in before her kidnapping hadn’t been in the cards.
Tonight, though, she planned to thoroughly seduce her husband. “I’m going to hold you to that,” she teased.
The music changed from the fast tempo to a slow love song. “Shall we dance, my love?” He stood and held out his hand.
“I’d love too.”
They made their way to the dance floor. She spied Erin and Carlos wrapped up in each other’s arms. Suzie and Joker were the same, their wedding was in a couple of weeks. Brielle and T-Rex were seated watching everyone, Antonia wondered why they weren’t dancing but noticed the way T-Rex’s hand rested protectively over her stomach.
“Is Brielle pregnant?”
Robot looked over at the couple. “I didn’t think so, but by looking at their body language you might be right. T-Rex did say she’d quit her job. I wonder if this is why. I’ll have to ask him at PT in a couple of days.”
“No, don’t pester him. They’ll tell when they’re ready. They may be waiting until they pass the twelve week mark.”
Because of the wedding, the team was having a couple of days off from their normal routine. Antonia had plans to keep her man naked for those two days.
She snuggled into Robot’s arms and they swayed gently to the music. Her body grew warmer with every passing second and she tried to remember if there was a place she and Robot could sneak off to.
“Did you speak to the girl Cowboy brought to the wedding?”
Antonia looked over her shoulder and noticed the man in question dancing with his date. “Who Faith? Yeah, I met her briefly. From what I understand she’s visiting Texas to check out a rodeo or it could be a rodeo horse she wants to buy. She mentioned she and Cowboy were on the circuit together when they were younger, before he joined the Navy.”
“Really?” Robot cocked his head as he studied the couple. “Well, now that’s interesting.”
Antonia rolled her eyes. “I swear you guys all act like you’re in high school. I bet you’re going to give him a hard time about her when you see him next.”
He winked at her. “You know me so well.”
The music changed again and after a few seconds a chant started around the room.
“Robot.”
“Robot.”
“Robot.”
Her husband groaned and shook his head.
“What?” she asked confused at his reaction. “What’s going? Why are they chanting your name?”
“They want me to do the robot.”
It took a second for Antonia to register what he was saying. A vague memory of him telling her something in Vegas entered her mind, but she wasn’t sure. “Is that how you got your nickname?”
“Yes.” He sighed heavily.
She burst out laughing. “Oh yes, please, Robot. I need to see if you truly deserve your moniker.” The chant got louder. “Go on, do it for me, your loving wife.”
He laughed, and pulled her tight against him kissing her quickly, but enough to heighten the desire flaring to life in her. “Only for you, my love. Only for you.”
Robot handed her his jacket and made his way over to his teammates. She moved closer and laughed when he crooked his arm and bent to the side, just like a robot. Yep, he was pretty convincing after he made a few more moves.
He caught her eye and winked. She mouthed I love you and he responded with you too.
A few months ago, she’d wished she could turn back time to redo her Vegas mistake, now she wouldn’t change a single thing about her life.
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About the Author
On her very first school report her teacher said ‘Nicole likes to tell her own stories’. Many years later she eventually sat down and wrote her first book.
Nicole writes sexy contemporary romances, seducing you one kiss at a time as you turn the pages. She enjoys taking two characters and creating unique situations for them.
Learn more about Nicole Flockton at http://www.nicoleflockton.com.
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Also by Nicole Flockton
Guardian Seals
Protecting Lily
Protecting Maria
Guarding Erin
Guarding Suzie
Guarding Brielle
Guarding Antonia
Man’s Best Friend
Blind Date Bet
The Elite
Fighting to Win
Fighting to Dream
Fighting for Love
Fighting for Redemption
The Freemasons
The Victor
The Hunter
Sweet Texas Secrets
Sweet Texas Fire
Sweet Texas Series Boxed Set
Bound Series
Bound by Her Ring
Bound by His Desire
Bound by Their Love
Bound by The Billionaire’s Desire - Boxed Set
Lovers Unmasked Series
Masquerade
Rescuing Dawn
Seducing Phoebe
Emerald Springs Legacy Series
Daniel’s Decision
Emerald Springs Legacy Collection
Barefoot Bay
Swipe for Mr. Right
Wrong Time for Mr. Right
Standalone Titles
White Knight (Co-Written with Abigail Owen)
Novellas
Tangled Vines
Melt My Heart Anthology
Tango Love
A Vacation Affair
Medal Up: A Winter Games Duology
Christmas in Ghost Gum Valley
There are many more books in this fan fiction world than listed here, for an up-to-date list go to www.AcesPress.com
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