a onetime thing. Just get in the car and let me take
you home.” That was about all Ariel could stand.
Gritting her teeth, she whirled to face him, crossing
her hands over her breasts. She was more angry than
she could ever remember being, but she still felt
vulnerable beyond words.
“If you think for one moment I’m getting in that
car with you, now or ever again, you’re more stupid
than I thought. Leave me alone, Tom. I don’t want to
see you again.”
He revved the engine of the GTO hard, making
as much noise as he could. It was how he’d bullied her
8
Marteeka Karland
in the past. Knowing she detested scenes, Tom would
do something that would call attention to her. This
time, however, it wouldn’t work. If he woke half the
neighborhood, so be it. It wasn’t her fault. She was just
walking down the sidewalk. Immediately, dogs barked
all over the place. He continued to rev the motor, all
the while looking at her as if to dare her to defy him.
Ariel merely rolled her eyes and started walking
again. Inside, her heart pounded and she glanced
around nervously, but she absolutely would not give
in. She was going to her sister’s until she could get her
own apartment. Nothing would stop her.
Tom continued to keep pace with her, making all
kinds of racket with the souped-up car. It sounded like
a truck pull at the county fair. Fumes from the exhaust
made the back of her throat itch with the urge to
cough. She was about to just bolt for her sister’s three
blocks down the road when a light came on in the
house a half a block away. A huge, shadowy figure
stepped onto the porch, paused, then skipped down
the steps and headed their way. Ariel didn’t recognize
the man, but the figure was decidedly male and hella
big.
He strode toward them, confidence in his gait.
As he neared, Ariel noticed sleek, black hair streaked
lightly with silver and pulled back from his chiseled
9
One Night Forever
face. He wore jeans and nothing else. Bare chested,
and bare footed, his feet making little noise on the
sidewalk. Though his fly was zipped, the top button
was undone. She swallowed hard. The street lamps
gave glimpses of a determined line to his mouth and
slashing, silver eyes. This wasn’t really the kind of man
she wanted to run into at midnight on a deserted
street. Even Tom was looking good about now.
“What seems to be the problem?” His voice was
a deep, raspy rumble. He looked straight at Tom when
he spoke, inserting his body between her and Tom’s
car.
“It’s none of your business,” Tom snapped. “Me
and my girlfriend are having a discussion, so butt out!”
The stranger didn’t even glance at Ariel. “It
becomes my business when you disturb my sleep. If
the lady had wanted to talk to you, she’d be in your
car, so I recommend you move along before you have
problems.”
“What? You gonna call the cops?” Tom sneered
his question and Ariel’s heart sank. He was friends
with most of the guys on the force. They both were. It
was a small town and Tom had played sports with
most of the local guys in high school and college. Tom
knew no one would give him any grief. The stranger
didn’t.
10
Marteeka Karland
“No.” He didn’t raise his voice. He leaned down,
placed his hands on the door of the car, and looked
Tom dead in the eyes. “I’ll take care of you myself.
When I’m done, you can call the police.” He
straightened, a deadly smirk on his face. “If you’re
able.”
For once in his life, Tom didn’t argue. He paled
slightly, but grumbled as he put the car in gear and
took off down the road leaving Ariel alone with a man
more than twice her size, who was obviously capable
of violence when necessary. Tom was definitely a
bastard.
“You should really pick your boyfriends with
more care.” The man turned to her as he spoke, his
intense expression softening only slightly. “For all he
knows, I could be an ax murderer,
you home.” That was about all Ariel could stand.
Gritting her teeth, she whirled to face him, crossing
her hands over her breasts. She was more angry than
she could ever remember being, but she still felt
vulnerable beyond words.
“If you think for one moment I’m getting in that
car with you, now or ever again, you’re more stupid
than I thought. Leave me alone, Tom. I don’t want to
see you again.”
He revved the engine of the GTO hard, making
as much noise as he could. It was how he’d bullied her
8
Marteeka Karland
in the past. Knowing she detested scenes, Tom would
do something that would call attention to her. This
time, however, it wouldn’t work. If he woke half the
neighborhood, so be it. It wasn’t her fault. She was just
walking down the sidewalk. Immediately, dogs barked
all over the place. He continued to rev the motor, all
the while looking at her as if to dare her to defy him.
Ariel merely rolled her eyes and started walking
again. Inside, her heart pounded and she glanced
around nervously, but she absolutely would not give
in. She was going to her sister’s until she could get her
own apartment. Nothing would stop her.
Tom continued to keep pace with her, making all
kinds of racket with the souped-up car. It sounded like
a truck pull at the county fair. Fumes from the exhaust
made the back of her throat itch with the urge to
cough. She was about to just bolt for her sister’s three
blocks down the road when a light came on in the
house a half a block away. A huge, shadowy figure
stepped onto the porch, paused, then skipped down
the steps and headed their way. Ariel didn’t recognize
the man, but the figure was decidedly male and hella
big.
He strode toward them, confidence in his gait.
As he neared, Ariel noticed sleek, black hair streaked
lightly with silver and pulled back from his chiseled
9
One Night Forever
face. He wore jeans and nothing else. Bare chested,
and bare footed, his feet making little noise on the
sidewalk. Though his fly was zipped, the top button
was undone. She swallowed hard. The street lamps
gave glimpses of a determined line to his mouth and
slashing, silver eyes. This wasn’t really the kind of man
she wanted to run into at midnight on a deserted
street. Even Tom was looking good about now.
“What seems to be the problem?” His voice was
a deep, raspy rumble. He looked straight at Tom when
he spoke, inserting his body between her and Tom’s
car.
“It’s none of your business,” Tom snapped. “Me
and my girlfriend are having a discussion, so butt out!”
The stranger didn’t even glance at Ariel. “It
becomes my business when you disturb my sleep. If
the lady had wanted to talk to you, she’d be in your
car, so I recommend you move along before you have
problems.”
“What? You gonna call the cops?” Tom sneered
his question and Ariel’s heart sank. He was friends
with most of the guys on the force. They both were. It
was a small town and Tom had played sports with
most of the local guys in high school and college. Tom
knew no one would give him any grief. The stranger
didn’t.
10
Marteeka Karland
“No.” He didn’t raise his voice. He leaned down,
placed his hands on the door of the car, and looked
Tom dead in the eyes. “I’ll take care of you myself.
When I’m done, you can call the police.” He
straightened, a deadly smirk on his face. “If you’re
able.”
For once in his life, Tom didn’t argue. He paled
slightly, but grumbled as he put the car in gear and
took off down the road leaving Ariel alone with a man
more than twice her size, who was obviously capable
of violence when necessary. Tom was definitely a
bastard.
“You should really pick your boyfriends with
more care.” The man turned to her as he spoke, his
intense expression softening only slightly. “For all he
knows, I could be an ax murderer,
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