Daring Dane (Intoxicating Passion #3) Read Free

brow, but followed my lead
and actually tapped her toe, waiting for my answer.
    “Listen… I don’t know what exactly happened,
but Korah called me, needing a ride from the hospital,” I started.
    The tapping stopped, and her hands raised to
cover her mouth in shock.
    “She…she’s got bruises on her,” I paused.
Telling this was harder than I anticipated. “On her neck…and I think on her
arms. She says it was from an old boyfriend.” I ran a shaky hand through my
hair.
    “Christopher,” she whispered, tears welling
up in her blue eyes. “She never told me. She just said it ended badly,” she
muttered, shaking her head. “I pressured her to date and to go out and I’m a horrible
friend.”
    I knew the tears were about to fall, and this
girl was going to get hysterical at any moment. I wasn’t good with this. I
didn’t know how to deal with women, especially ones that were crying. I patted
her arm gently, though awkwardly, and told her Korah had been asleep from the
medicine they had given her. She seemed the mothering type, not that I would
know. She instantly regained her composure and asked if I wanted anything to
drink or eat.
    I politely declined going back and sitting
over Korah. She looked so peaceful; her dark lashes against her fair skin, the
waves of dark tresses all around her pillows. She really was a beautiful girl,
sexy and mysterious, a deadly combination. I just wanted to hold her and never
let her go. This Christopher guy would be sorry if he ever came near her again.
    I sat there for hours, minutes, maybe it was
only seconds, but it felt like eternity. She finally stirred, stretching her
long limbs. When her eyes fluttered open, I softly spoke her name so she wouldn’t
be scared.
    “Dane? You’re still here,” she stated,
confusion etching her gorgeous face.
    I nodded, going over and sitting on the edge
of the bed near her feet. No wonder she didn’t trust men. “I couldn’t leave
you. We still have a lot to talk about, and to be honest, I’m really worried
about you.”
    She bit her lip, a surprisingly sexy move,
and swallowed hard, her face pained after she did so. Her small hand reached up
feeling around the bruise. “How bad is it?”
    “You’re still beautiful ,Korah. A bruise won’t
change that.”
    “Are my roommates home?”
    “One of them is, a bossy blonde that I
thought was going to kick my ass,” I chuckled. “I haven’t been out there in at
least an hour.”
    “You don’t have to stay. And don’t worry,
Leela is like that with everyone.” She was still shaky, but at least she wasn’t
crying or wincing in pain. She threw her legs over the side of the bed,
intending to stand up, but lost balance when her wobbly legs wouldn’t hold her.
    “Easy, there,” I said, catching her body in
my arms. She was so soft, delicate. She felt right.
    She blushed, and asked, “Can you help me to
the bathroom? I want to see how bad this is.” Her eyes were sad, distraught,
terrified.
    I led her where she instructed, and held her
after she saw the damage. Her sobs soaked my shirt, but I didn’t care. Korah
was hurt, in pain, and this Christopher character was going to pay.

 
Chapter Three-Korah
             It
had been a week since my run in with Christopher. Dane was thoroughly freaked
out over seeing me in that shape. Leela continued to mother me and refused to
let me be. I hated Christopher for doing this to me. He once again turned my
life upside down, shaking me to my very core and ruining any normalcy I had
achieved. The police still hadn’t found him, and I waited with bated breath for
him to make another appearance.
    Scarves were my go to accessory. People
talked, I heard the whispers, but I didn’t care. Dealing with Christopher’s
abuse in the past made me weak and insecure. I knew now, after speaking to the
school counselor and the police, that it wasn’t my fault. Nothing I had done
caused this. Christopher was the weak and insecure one. Any person