Part 11 (1/2)

The SUV hits the back end of my car at full speed sending me spinning across the road towards the ditch.

”SEBASTIAN!”

Chapter 24.

Sebastian As Carla screams, I swear to G.o.d that ten years were taken off my life. Carla is everything to me and the thought of her hurt and alone is killing me as I floor the gas pedal. The chance of getting a speeding ticket flitters through my mind, but following that, an image of Carla, broken and injured in her car nearly brings me to my knees.

Once I pull away from town, I speed dial my Dad and pray they're with her.

”Dada” I say as I hear my Dad's voice.

”Carla's fine, son,” he tells me before I can ask.

Everything becomes blurry so I pull over to the side of the road and swipe at my eyes.

”Son, you there?”

”Yeah. What...what did you find?” I need to know what's going on as I put my head in my hands and listen to my dad tell me about the destruction of the car.

”It's totally destroyed,” he says, ”nothing but bent metal to the front of the car. She's d.a.m.n lucky she's able to walk away from it. If you ask me a combination of her seat belt and airbag saved her life. I've tried to ring Ramon, but he isn't answering.”

Ramon? Then it hits me that my parents and other brothers have no idea what's been going on with Carla or that she's mine.

”He's flying Dad. I'm on my way and should be there soon. Can I talk to Carla?”

I stay sitting in my car at the side of the road as I let the engine idle, not knowing how I'm going to react hearing the voice of the woman I love.

”Lucien's taken her back to the house while I wait for the Sheriff. She refused to let us call the EMT, refusing to go to the hospital so we compromised and they're going to check her out at the house. Her shoulder is hurting from the seat belt and she'll probably have bruising on one side of her face where she smashed into the airbag. You'll see soon enough if you're on the way. I've got to go son, the Sheriff is just pulling up.”

f.u.c.k! He hung up on me.

Trying to calm down, I rest against the back of the seat and close my eyes, taking some deep breaths. The last thing she needs to deal with today is me getting involved in an accident. So with that thought in mind, I pull away and try to keep my speed down, which is difficult as h.e.l.l.

Gary needs teaching a lesson. A lesson, which I wouldn't mind teaching the b.a.s.t.a.r.d. After today, Carla isn't going anywhere without someone, preferably me, with her. Even to the f.u.c.kin' bathroom. I smack my fist against the steering column as my impatience to get to her starts eating at me.

My life before Carla was one long party. Other than my family I took nothing seriously, even work I'd blow off time and time again for the chance to spend a few days with a new hot body. Yeah, that was me. Fast cars and faster women. Women who knew the score and wanted what my body could offer them.

Until I met Carla I had no idea that all I wanted was a woman to call mine. A woman who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, bear my children and, most of all, a woman who would love me for myself and not because of the McKenzie name, which would lead to the McKenzie money, and today I nearly lost all that because of him.

Because of the accident that he caused trying to kill her, he is going to pay for that when I get my hands on the f.u.c.ker.

Slowing down, I pull over to the side of the road and roll the window down, unable to take my eyes from the wreck of Carla's car.

”Hey Sebastian.” I hear the Sheriff, but have trouble finding my voice. She could have been killed in that chunk of steel. ”Sebastian? Are you alright?”

”No.” I shake my head, finally dragging my eyes away and locate the Sheriff, Thomas Jefferson. Yeah, his parents loved history. ”You catch the b.a.s.t.a.r.d?”

”Not yet,” he says leaning through the open window, ”but I will.”

Not if I find him first.

”Keep me in the loop will you, Tom?”

”As best I can.” He steps away from my car and stands back watching me drive off.

As soon as I turn the corner, I put my foot down, flooring the gas, praying Carla's okay when I get there.

Chapter 25.

Carla I'm sitting on the sofa in the front room of Lily and Michael's home with every bone in my body aching, but inside I just feel numb. When my car started to spin out of control, all I could see was Sebastian's face and my heart broke because I honestly believed I wouldn't survive.

Cras.h.i.+ng the way I had was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life and was right up there with being beaten within an inch of my life. Both terrifying events caused by the same man. A man who I wanted to see dead and gone, which was not like me at all, but he'd tried to take my life twice now.

The thought of him trying again, which he will after having failed twice is causing my heart to race and a pain to lance my head. Fear courses along my body and is more apparent than the pain from being thrown around in the car. What if Sebastian gets in the way? Knowing Sebastian, he will do anything to protect me, so will his brothers by the sound of things.

I glance over to where Lucien, his father and Michael are standing arguing. About what I've no idea, but Lucien looks pale.

In fact, when he pulled me out of the car it was a tossup as to who had been in the accident as he'd lost all color and his hands had been unsteady. I'd also caught his father not just looking at me with concern, but Lucien. Once I'd gotten my befuddled brain to start working again, I remembered he'd been in a bad accident, which had left him scarred.

I also wasn't the only one watching Lucien with concern. Sabrina had been standing in the doorway five minutes ago with Lucien the object of her gaze. She'd disappeared, the minute he caught her watching him.

”Carla, can I get you anything else.” Pippa drags my gaze away from the men and back to her as she pa.s.ses me a mug of coffee.

I don't want anything other than Sebastian, but I can't say that to her as she has no idea I've kind of switched sons.

”No. Not really. Thank you, for your concern.” I start sipping the coffee Pippa handed me and notice the frown on her face.

”Honey, you don't need to thank me for my concern. I care about you. You're Ramon's girl. Why wouldn't I care for you? You're like family.”

Now I feel bad as I watch her wipe a tear from her eyes.

”I'm sorry Pippa. I didn't mean to upset you. It's just that it's been my brother and me for a long time, well when he's around, and sometimes it feels strange being part of a family again. Ramon keeps telling me I'm part of his family.” I smile or at least I think it's a smile. My whole body feels numb and I'm not sure what I'm doing.

”Thank you for telling me, and please know you will always be welcome in my home and I should imagine this one, even if things don't work out with Ramon.” Her face-hardens up now. ”He should be here with you. If he knew you were in trouble, like I overheard Lucien mention, then he shouldn't have gone off on business. He's going to be answering to me when he gets home.”

I snort. Yeah, very lady like I know, but it makes Pippa laugh, which sets me off except I end up in tears. Pippa pulls me close and wraps her arms around me.

”Now, now, honey. You're safe now. My boys won't let anything happen to you.” She strokes my hair down my back, which makes me cry harder. Having a mother's arms holding me tight, undoes me.