Part 20 (2/2)

Dex's voice echoed through the parking garage and when Diego turned his head to look at Dex, Brent darted forward, finding a position just a few feet from Diego.

When Diego didn't react, Brent ran forward, striking him in the side of the neck. Not a lethal strike, but then he wasn't trying to kill him. Yet.

A gurgling sound from Diego, and then the pressure around Sandra's throat loosened just enough for her to suck in a small breath.

When Diego started squeezing Sandra's throat again, Brent lifted his foot and struck down and in against the side of the man's knee. A loud crunch sounded a split second before Diego's scream of pain.

When he still didn't let go of Sandra's throat, Brent grabbed Diego's right wrist, and using pressure points on the joint, inflicted severe pain until Diego finally let go of her.

Dex rushed forward and grabbed Sandra as Diego fell, leaving Brent to deal with the son of a b.i.t.c.h.

Brent wasn't sure if that was a mistake or a favor, but as soon as the man thunked against the concrete Brent kicked him in the side, a satisfying crack telling Brent he had broken a rib.

Diego cursed, yelled, and threatened to disembowel Sandra while Brent watched.

Rage rose inside Brent, and for a split second he thought about ending Diego's miserable life.

”Brent.” Sandra's hoa.r.s.e voice stopped him. ”He's not worth killing.”

Anyone else who tried to talk him down might not have been successful, but Sandra's pain-filled voice helped him see reason.

Brent rolled the man over onto his stomach and planted his knee firmly on Diego's lower back, holding him down while pulling one of his arms behind his back. A lock that stressed the shoulder joint and caused extreme pain.

Diego yelled again and cursed until Brent yanked back nearly to the point where the joint popped out of its socket.

After another yell Diego fell silent, followed by only whimpering sobs.

Brent glanced up at Dex and heard the soft clink of metal against concrete to his right.

”Brent!”

Sandra's hoa.r.s.e croak only confirmed what he knew. Diego had pulled a knife or some other weapon out of his left pocket.

Brent grabbed Diego's wrist and twisted until the knife clattered to the concrete.

Dex rushed forward and kicked it away just as screeching tires echoed around them.

The sound of pounding boots on pavement echoed through the parking garage. Apparently Brent's security guys had seen what was happening on the cameras and had called the police.

Four men ran forward, surrounding them. Brent recognized two of them as the officers he and Dex had spoken to on the porch at Mich.e.l.le's house last week.

Diego started yelling for the police to help him. Saying he had been attacked and that Brent had broken his leg and rib and was trying to dislocate his shoulder.

Brent had been extremely tempted to dislocate the a.s.shole's shoulder, but figured he had dispensed enough pain for the day. Diego would get even more once he found himself in prison. The other two cops didn't look familiar, but from their dress he a.s.sumed they were Feds.

When they addressed Dex, and they all started talking, he figured his a.s.sumption was correct.

He couldn't hear what they were saying because Diego was still cursing, screaming, and outlining the horrors that Brent, Dex, and even Sandra had inflicted on him.

Finally one of the agents came forward and motioned for Brent to get off Diego and let him up.

Brent nodded and reluctantly released Diego's arm and wrist. Then with one last full weight lean on the man's lower back, Brent stood.

No one made any move to help Diego up, but Brent immediately made his way to Sandra, and only at the last minute did he remember she had told him to stay away from her. Instead, he opened his arms and she threw herself into his embrace.

Brent crushed her against him as the sound of a gunshot rang through the parking garage.

- Sandra was being moved from one place to another, but she didn't know how or why. She didn't even know where she was being taken, but she hoped it was to see Brent. She had been a b.i.t.c.h, and almost dying had made her realize that he was right. She did love the man he was now, and the past didn't matter for either of them.

She wasn't sure how she got there, but when her mind brought her back to reality she was in another d.a.m.n hospital bed. She hated hospitals.

What the h.e.l.l was wrong with her now?

She swallowed and pain flooded her, bringing back the memory of what had happened with Diego. Well, right up until the point where she had run into Brent's arms.

She tried to open her eyes to see if anyone was here in the room with her, but her eyelids wouldn't cooperate.

She opened her mouth to try to speak, but only a weak, painful rasp came out.

A strong hand brushed over her forehead. ”I'm here, Sandra.”

Brent. He came for her. Even after she'd lashed out at him and then run away. Her heart swelled and she wished she could speak to tell him everything she was feeling right now. Frustration burned inside her, which started the hot flood of tears.

Brent brushed away her tears with his fingers and then dabbed at them with a Kleenex. ”It's all right. Your throat is a bit bruised, but it will heal with a little time.” He pressed his lips to her forehead and held her hand. ”Are you in pain? Squeeze once for yes and twice for no.”

She exhaled, cursing the pain with that one action, then squeezed Brent's hand hard, one time.

”Hold on. I'll be right back.”

What could have been minutes or hours later, she heard a woman's voice along with Brent's. Then something cold streaked down her arm and she realized she had an IV in her arm and that a nurse had just injected some meds into it.

Thankful that relief was on the way she relaxed and gave herself up to it, only wis.h.i.+ng that Brent were still touching her.

And then he was. His strong hand caressed her cheek, and she floated off to sleep with happiness filling her chest.

- Brent sat behind his desk impatiently, waiting for Sandra to arrive. She was meeting him here after she got off work and he hoped he had planned things out perfectly.

So many things had happened since Sandra had come back into his life, and now he knew he never wanted to live without her.

The Feds had Diego in custody and he had been charged with murder, along with several other felonies. He awaited a harsh sentence from a judge who had lost his daughter to rape and murder several years ago. Looked like karma was about to visit Diego in a big way. The man was lucky that when he had grabbed one of the cop's guns out of the holster and tried to shoot at Sandra, the bullet hadn't hit anyone. Otherwise he probably would have been ripped limb from limb by several Feds and Phoenix police, just on principle.

Sandra had slowly healed over the last week until she was able to speak without pain. Brent hadn't seen her in a few days; he had been busy with preparations that he hoped she wouldn't mind once she knew about them. He wasn't sure what he would do if she rejected him. He hoped he didn't have to find out.

- When the elevator doors opened this time, Sandra was struck once again by that familiar blue gaze. The same one that had mesmerized her the first night here at Club Desire.

”Brent.” She took a few steps forward, stopping herself from running around the desk and throwing herself at him.

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