Duncan (The Protectors #3)(23)

Pam was one hell of a woman. The more he found out what had happened to her, the more his respect grew for the woman who had stolen his heart, a heart that had felt nothing for hundreds of years. And the more he found out, the more he wanted to find the bastard and send him to hell. Looking around the tiny apartment, he could see her touches here and there, but there was a heaviness…a sadness hanging in the air. The faster he got her out of here, the better. A bitter sound reached his ears. With a quickness, he was down the hall holding her head while she dry heaved, the toast she had this morning already spewed on the floor.

While holding her head, talking softly in her ear, his eyes searched for what had upset her; his rage reached new limits. Chains hung from the headboard posts, the white sheets were spotted with dried darkened blood. His eyes slammed shut, a curse so foul on his lips that he fought to hold back. Turning his focus back on Pam, he picked her up carrying her away from the horror of her past.

“I got you, babe,” he whispered gently in her hair, but his eyes were anything but gentle. They were black as midnight, with a hate and rage so deep, Sid and Jared stepped back. He sent them both a silent message which they got loud and clear.

Duncan walked out of the apartment and headed for his bike. Her shaking was scaring him, but her quiet heavy breathing worried him most. Standing next to his bike, he held her, his senses searching out to make sure they were alone.

“Babe, you have got to calm down.” Duncan rubbed her back. “Please.” He had never said please in his life, but her unresponsiveness was terrifying to him.

She pulled away from his chest, but her hands still fisted his shirt. “I hate him!” she wheezed out, her eyes unfocused. “I hate myself for letting him do…those things.”

“You did nothing, Pam.” Duncan gripped her chin forcing her eyes to meet his. “Do you understand me? None of this is your fault, and you know it.”

For a second, she just stared at him, disgust filling her face. She started to scramble out of his hold. “Let me go!”

It took everything he had not to drop her, her fierceness to get away from him strong. “Stop!” He gripped her as gently as he could to keep her from falling. “You’re going to hurt yourself. Think of the baby.”

Those words stopped her cold. Disgust left her face in a flash as pure fear and horror replaced it. Her hands flew to her stomach, defeat slumped her shoulders as her head fell forward in shame.

“What am I going to do?” She shook her head. “I was a fool to think I could handle this and be a mother. I’m so screwed up. I can’t take care of a baby when I can’t even take care of myself.”

For the first time in his long life, Duncan was at a loss. He didn’t know what to do, what to say. To tell her she was fine would be a lie, and he would never lie to her. Because anyone with eyes could tell she wasn’t fine. One thing he did know for a fact was he would be by her side through it all, no matter what.

“I’m not going to stand here and tell you that everything is going to be fine, but I swear to you, I will do everything in my power to help you make it fine.” Duncan knelt down slightly so he could be on her level. “I do know that you are one hell of a woman, who will be a wonderful, protective mother. Never doubt that. You have time to work things out, and you have good people behind you ready to help, wanting to help.”

Pam sniffed and nodded. “I know that.” Her chin crumbled. “I really do. I hate being like this. This is not who I am. I hate him!”

“Then don’t let him win,” Duncan said, wondering where that Oprah moment came from, but from the look on her face, he knew he’d hit a homerun. “You know I’m right.”

Her trembling hand reached up to cup his jaw. “Thank you.” A single tear slid down her pale cheek. “For everything.”

“Honey, I’m not done yet.” Duncan grinned, winking at her. “We will get through this. Just take it one step at a time, one battle at a time and you’ll be fine. When you’re not fine, I’ll be here, no matter what.”

“I don’t deserve you.” She leaned up and kissed his cheek.

“If I hear you say that again, I’ll take you over my knee and blister that sweet ass,” Duncan replied without thinking, the horror of what he said hit him hard. “Jesus…I didn’t mean…”

She placed one finger across his lips to silence him. “It’s my past that scares me, not you. I know you would never hurt me, Duncan Roark.”

Duncan leaned in, placing a light kiss on her lips. “Not one hair on that beautiful head.” He winked at her before leaning in for one more kiss.

*****

Jared and Sid quietly worked jerking the chains from the bed and ripping the soiled sheet away, disposing of it all. Standing there they both stared at the stripped bed, a sadness in their gaze.

“I know Duncan has dibs on the son of a bitch, but I swear as I stand here, I will kill the bastard a second time,” Sid growled, his eyes still black from what they had just had to do.

“I don’t think that’s possible,” Jared said, regret evident in his voice.

“I don’t care,” Sid growled. “The motherf*cker deserves ten times the pain he inflicted on Pam, and if it’s the last thing I do, I’ll make sure he is sent to hell where it will feel like a f*cking vacation compared to what I put him through.”