[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

 I ve made my decision. You need to let me go. Her voice trembled as her gaze dropped to his
lips.
Rafe had a strict no-kissing rule, but he found himself wanting to devour her naturally plump pink
lips. He felt himself bending down as his will began to break.
Right before their lips connected, a drunken crowd of teenagers stumbled by, one of the boys
knocking into the two of them and breaking the moment. Ari slipped from his arms and tore off down
the sidewalk. But Rafe overtook her as she made it to the barely lit bus area.
 I m beginning to tire of chasing you, Ari. I said you won t be taking the bus, so that means that
you won t. I really have no qualms about causing a scene, but since you ve been hissing at me only
beneath your breath, I take it that you do. You can either come with me willingly, or I m going to pick
you up, toss you over my shoulder and drag you back to the restaurant. It s your choice, he said
brutally.
Ari recoiled from his words.  You wouldn t dare, she gasped as she twisted away and looked
around.
A few people were beginning to walk toward them. Rafe could see the bus approaching several
blocks down the street. She wasn t getting on it, not on his watch.
 Not only would I dare, but I d enjoy myself. You have until the count of three. One& two...
 OK, OK. I ll take your stupid ride, she relented as his hands began to reach out to her. She
turned back in the direction of the restaurant, grumbling underneath her breath about pompous men
who needed to learn self-control.
A smirk appeared on his lips as he pretended not to listen. She could have no idea how much self-
control he was actually using around her. He d been planning to take her to her new apartment tonight,
ravish her, and initiate her into his world.
If Rafe knew one thing, though, it was that plans changed. He didn t often have to adapt, but he
could make exceptions once in a while. And it seemed that if he wanted to pursue this matter with
Ari, he d have to do that now. He could live with that.
When he finally got her into his car, she refused to speak to him. She didn t give him directions,
and he didn t bother to ask for them. They both knew he was well aware of where she lived.
They traveled in silence, and upon reaching their destination, he slowed his car to park in the dark
parking lot. Ari jumped out, but Rafe was right on her heels. He wouldn t have her walk to the door
by herself. He watched her fumble with her keys and struggle to open the door. It took her a few tries,
but eventually she managed to get inside. Once he heard the sound of the lock sliding into place, he
left. It was going to be a long, painful night.
A mixture of irritation and excitement coursed through him as he drove home. Ari was unlike any
woman he d ever pursued, and he decided right then that she wasn t escaping him. He d be forever
haunted if he let go at this point. The two of them might have some explosions together  scratch that
 the two of them would have explosions together.
Chapter Six
Ari waited for Rafe to drive off and then quickly walked down to her car. She needed to go to the
hospital and see her mother. She was grateful the facility was only a few miles from her apartment,
because her knees were shaking and her heart was pounding and she had no business being behind the
wheel of a car. When she reached the hospital s parking garage, a shudder passed through her.
 You did the right thing. Having one amazing dinner with the guy doesn t oblige you to sell your
body to him. Yes, he makes you think that sex might not be such a bad thing, and the paycheck he s
offering is phenomenal, but that doesn t make any of it OK. Yes, you did the right thing. Just focus on
that and remember that you re not for sale. You re certainly not willing to do the kind of stuff he likes
to do, Ari lectured herself while resting her head against the steering wheel.
When she finished her pep talk, she stepped from the car and walked through the shadowy garage
to the elevator, grateful there were no protesters at this entrance. Some of them had been downright
frightening. Never before had the thought of being alone at night bothered her, but Rafe s warnings
had stirred up a sense of unease that made her even more irritated with the man.
The door opened and she stepped inside, pushing Rafe from her mind as she tried to silently
rehearse what she was going to say to her mother. She hadn t given up just yet. She d simply have to
try that much harder to work something out. There was no way she was letting go of her mom without
a fight. There had to be programs available to help her take care of her mom. The hospital
administrators had spoken of something of the sort. But, heck, she d sleep in her car if that s what it
would take.
With growing determination in each step, she walked down the long hallway to her mother s
hospital room, then paused outside her door to take a long steadying breath. She couldn t let her mom
know there was anything to be worried about. Her mother had raised Ari right; now it was Ari s turn
to take care of her mom.
She slowly opened the door, then sighed with relief to see that her mother was sleeping. It gave
Ari more time to think before she had to make conversation. She sat in the lounge chair in the corner
and waited for her mom to wake. With the lights turned off and the machines beeping rhythmically,
Ari fell quickly asleep no closer to getting answers. She didn t stir when a nurse came in and covered
her up.
*****
 Ari?
Arianna awoke instantly at the fragile sound of her mother s voice. It was beautiful, something
she d feared she would never hear again. She couldn t imagine life without her mother being a part of
it.
Ari s father had walked out on them when she was too young to remember him, and it had been
her mom and her ever since. She couldn t survive without the woman who d raised her  or at least
she wouldn t want to. Whom would she share her triumphs with, and who would hold her when her
heart was broken?
 I m right here, Mom. Ari scooted her chair next to her mother s bed and gently clasped her
hand.
 I m glad, baby. I m sure I ve put you through too much worrying already. If I know you, and of
course I do, then you ve been chewing off your nails and stressing out since the accident. It s my job
to take care of you, and I haven t been doing that these last six months.
 Mom, it s my turn to worry about you, not the other way around. I know you told me not to, but I
can t help it. If I hadn t gone to that stupid party and then called you up in the middle of the night, you
never would have been hurt. I know you told me to quit stressing about it, but it s still eating me alive.
I can t say enough how sorry I am, she sobbed as she leaned her head down and placed it on their
joined hands.
 Arianna Harlow, do you know how upset I d be with you if you hadn t called me? I m your
mother, and it s my job to protect you, watch out for you and ensure your safety. You may be twenty-
three now, but that doesn t mean you aren t still my little girl. Don t you know that I would die for
you? There s nothing a mother won t do for her child.
 But I screwed up, Ari sobbed.
 Ah, sweetheart, you ve been a perfect child from the moment you came home in my arms. You
rarely cried, were respectful, worked hard in school, and were always the dream child. You were
living your life, growing up a bit. Don t let this one small detour end with a roadblock. Must I keep
telling you, darling, to live your life to the fullest and achieve your dreams, no matter what happens to
me? [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]