Ransom Ch. 07

"Look I know I've just woken up and all, but would you guys mind if I have a moment alone with Nathan?"

It was awkwardly quiet for a few moments after the door shut.

"I'm glad you're okay," Nathan eventually managed, his eyes not exactly meeting hers. Kailee glanced at the array of flowers on display.

"Pretty," she said casually. Nathan looked over at the display and nodded in agreement. "Which ones are from Jakob?"

Nathan looked at her, a confused frown marring his features. Then his eyes registered understanding. "How much did you hear?" he asked hesitantly.

"Enough," she answered

"Look, I did what I thought was right." Nathan said defensively.

"And I would have done the same."

Nathan frowned, "You would?"

Kailee nodded. "Of course. As Paul would have as well. And you know what, if it was Jake's father's business he would have done the same too."

Nathan took a seat next to the bed and let out a long exhale.

Kailee's eyes narrowed. "That doesn't change the fact that you kept it from me."

"Kailee..."

"No, don't interrupt!" She snapped. "I asked you to tell me why all of this happened, why they took me, what kind of vendetta they had against you, and you left me in the dark. And what's worse is that you didn't even act on it!"

"You never told me he had sexually assaulted you!" Nathan snapped. His eyes were stuck to the floor, as if he were too ashamed to look at her.

Kailee's mouth dropped open. It sounded so raw when spoken aloud. She'd never considered it as sexual assault. I mean, sure, she'd accused Dominic of rape, but she hadn't truly meant it. Had she? Could it be considered assault when she'd craved his touch?

Nathan brushed a hand through his ragged hair. "Look, I'm going to press charges. I'll wait for you to recover, and then we'll look into getting a statement from you for the police, okay?"

"What?" Kailee closed her eyes, trying to dull the nausea that had washed over her. "No... I don't want to press charges."

"Kailee, he won't get away with what he did to you."

"He didn't do anything!"

"Kailee?" Nathan reached out and grabbed her hand, but he still couldn't quite meet her eyes. "You don't need to feel embarrassed about this, what he did was wrong and he'll go to jail for it."

Kailee's snatched her hand away at the mention of jail. "I'm not making a statement, Nathan."

"Kailee..."

She turned her head away from him. "It wasn't assault."

She felt Nathan's weight on the bed as he sat beside her, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him.

"Are you certain? I mean... if you're just trying to be strong..."

Kailee remembered the way Dominic's strong hands had slid beneath her skirt, how her legs had opened for him as if they had a mind of their own; she recalled how she'd dampened just from the way he looked at her.

She turned and faced Nathan, feeling the shame behind her eyes. "It wasn't assault."

Nathan nodded once. She couldn't tell if his expression was one of relief or disappointment. Perhaps it was a mixture of both. He cleared his throat and she watched him think carefully about his next words. "I don't like the idea of you being with him." He opened his mouth to say more, but then shook his head.

"You don't need to worry about that," Kailee said firmly. "I'm not seeing him again."

***

She'd been awake now for almost a week. She was up and walking within days, even though the doctors had urged her not to. He'd caught glimpses of her from afar as she walked with Mira down the hallways and out into the fresh air. She looked healthy and strong, but what else should he expect from a woman like Kailee?

Now he stood outside the doorway to her hospital room. It was late. The lights in the hallway were off and the nurses scarce. Kailee's brothers had left only ten minutes ago, he'd heard them offering to stay but, of course, she wouldn't let them stay the night. His own eyes were weary; he'd slept only here and there the past week. Every time he'd left the hospital to sleep in his own bed, he'd tossed and turned, unable to rid her face from his mind.

He pushed against the door and it creaked softly as it opened. And there she was, bare-faced and hospital-gowned, as beautiful as the first time he'd laid eyes on her at the casino. He expected her body to tense the minute she saw him, but she was relaxed, sitting upright, as if she'd been expecting him.

"What took you so long?" Her expression was nonchalant, almost bored. He tried to read her mind. Was she happy to see him or did he disgust her? It wouldn't surprise him if he scared her. He stood there in silence, staring into her eyes. She stared back with such intensity that he started to feel nervous. If only Jake's father could see him now! The boy he'd sworn would bring the world to its knees without even breaking a sweat, and that same boy shaking at the knees from the simple stare of a woman.

Dominic stood taller and took a few steps forward, finally finding his voice. "I came to apologise-"

"No." Kailee stopped him mid-sentence.

Dominic frowned. "Pardon?"

"No." Kailee said firmly, her eyes burning into him and heating him to the core. "That's not how you start an apology. At least not one the size that you're owing."

"I don't know what you want me to say..." Dominic could feel himself becoming frustrated. He'd come here to apologise and make things right and she wouldn't even let him finish. His fists clenched tightly and he urged himself to calm.

"Find the words or get out." Even after all she'd been through, her pride still remained stronger than ever. It turned him on beyond reason, despite how much she exasperated him.

"Kailee," he said sternly. She lifted her chin slightly higher, daring him to challenge her. Her long hair was pulled back from her face, exposing her neck and highlighting her prominent cheekbones. He let out a long, controlled breath and then started again. "Kailee, I'm sorry," he said firmly, not breaking eye contact. "The way I treated you, the way I took advantage of you... I was wrong and I'm sorry." Each word came out with more difficulty than he could have imagined. He felt desperately exposed before her as his apology hung in the air like a bad smell.

"Okay." She said simply.

"Okay?" Dominic raised his eyebrows questioningly. He'd just given the first apology in his life and that's all she was going to say?

She crossed her arms in agitation. "What do you want, Dominic?"

"Well I thought it was obvious." Dominic could feel his face becoming heated.

Kailee half-laughed. "What? You think you can say sorry and suddenly we're holding hands and skipping off happily into the sunset together? God, what is wrong with you?!"

"I love you." He spat the unfamiliar words at her angrily, running a hand through his dishevelled hair.

Kailee frowned at the unexpected words, and then shook her head. "You love the chase. It's not the same thing."

"That's not true." Dominic kept his voice calm, but he was shaking with fury on the inside.

"The chase, the challenge, not getting what you want..." She waved a hand in the air, "It drives you so mad that you can't think straight. That's not love, Dominic, it's obsession."

"You're wrong," he lowered his voice.

"Am I?" Kailee raised her eyebrows. "What happens when I say yes? When I stop running?"

"It doesn't matter how I answer that question, you've already made your fucking mind up."

Kailee smiled, "I guess that makes me as stubborn as you then, doesn't it?"

"So you just want to walk away? Forget you ever met me?"

She shrugged. "I couldn't care less."

"Bullshit!" Dominic yelled, making her jump. "You have feelings for me too and you damned well know it!" Kailee opened her mouth as if to protest, but he powered towards her suddenly, bringing himself to stand towering above her bed. He saw her stiffen slightly at his proximity. "You can hide it from your friends and your family all you like and you can keep lying to yourself, pretending it's not true, but deep down you know."

"I... I think you should leave now," Kailee stammered, her chin still high, but the confidence in her stance wavering every second he stood above her.

"I'm not ready to leave." Dominic said firmly, his eyes threatening.

Kailee's hand reached out to press the button on the side of her bed that would call for the nurse, but Dominic caught a light hold of her wrist. It was at that moment that he fully saw the anxious excitement in her eyes, the thrill of not knowing; it burned strongly through her and he knew it.

He spoke deep and low, almost at a whisper. "Maybe you love the chase just as much as I do."

She snatched her hand out from his grasp and quickly pressed the button next to her, her chest rising and falling as she breathed deeply. "Get out."

Dominic stared at her a little longer, then nodded once and turned towards the exit.

He stopped in the midst of the doorway, and turned back for one final glance. She sat there, still feigning nonchalance, fingering the heart pendant around her neck. He didn't miss the uncertainty he saw in those pretty green eyes.

"I won't come looking for you again," he said decidedly, before closing the door behind him.

***