Reckless With Their Hearts
Anna Howard
&
Terri Anne Browning
Copy Write
Reckless With Their Hearts
Anna Howard
&
Terri Anne Browning
All Rights Reserved © Anna Henson 2013
This is a work of fiction. Any characters, names, places or incidents are used solely as a fictitious nature based on the authors’ imagination. Any resemblance to or mention of persons, place, organizations, or other incidents are completely coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any other means without permission from the Publisher.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Terri Anne Browning~
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Epilogue
Chapter 1
Snow covered the ground like a huge white blanket. Christmas lights reflect off it making beautiful multi-color patterns. Normally this was Eve Patel’s favorite time of year. But after the day that she had just lived through, she was seriously rethinking it.
The day had started out so well. She had woken early to do the last of her Christmas shopping. The day before she had called around to countless places looking for the right gift for a special someone and finally found exactly what she was looking for. So she had gone there first and then walked the rest of the day in an attempt to cross the last of her shopping off her list.
After a small lunch of an apple and bottled water at a little deli she had stopped by the bank to make a withdrawal. She had been patiently waiting in line, smiling at the woman in front of her and the chubby little baby in her arms. It was the last Friday before the big holiday and the place was pretty crowded. What happened next was enough to make anyone and everyone wish that they had not even gotten out of bed that day.
Eve had been at the front of the line when three large men with masks over their faces and scary looking guns had stormed into the bank. She knew zero about automatic weapons but even she was aware that the ones being waved around at her and thirty or more other people were not toys. The masked men started screaming for everyone to get on the ground and to keep quiet.
Just as Eve started to lie face down on the cold, dirty tiled floor she saw the only male teller pull out a hand gun and wave it at his co-workers. He started yelling at them to load up the large gym bags that the masked men had brought with them.
Eve had never been so terrified in her life, but she tried to stay calm. After all they only wanted the money…Didn’t they?
Eve watched in slow motion as a man in the line directly across from her jumped up from his position on the floor and identified himself as NYPD. He was dressed in street clothes and Eve could only guess that he was off duty. Before she could even suck in a deep breath, hope and relief that this ordeal would soon be over now, the masked man behind Eve fired twice. Both shots hit the cop in the chest and he went down.
Before the cop fell to his knees he fired two shots of his own. The masked man behind her gasped in pain before there was as sickening sound, as if the man was drowning. He fell beside of her, blood soaking the floor around him. She had to bite her bottom lip to keep from screaming as his eyes seemed to fade with the light of life.
The lady that had been in front of Eve in line was trying to hush her crying baby. Someone, a woman close to Eve began screaming hysterically. The cop was still making gasping noises and she prayed that help would arrive soon. The scent of blood and gun powder along with the fear pumping through her veins was enough to cause her stomach to roll and she was glad that she had had such a small lunch. But she swallowed her nausea; frightened to give these mad men a reason to shoot at her next should she suddenly vomit.
Outside sirens blared, causing the two remaining masked men to curse violently. Obviously they had planned to be long gone before the cops arrived. The male teller was still busy bagging up the cash, ignoring his partners.
“Gotta find a way out of here man!” The masked man who was the furthermost away from her, closer to the door called out.
“Relax, Frank.” The teller called back, sounding perfectly calm. Even with the fear coursing through her and her heart beat pounding in her ears Eve wondered if this was his first time of doing something like this.
“Relax?” Frank’s gaze was on the activity going on outside. “There are ten cop cars out there, Zach. Swat is pulling up as I speak!”
Eve recognized Zach’s name and gritted her teeth. She prayed that he didn’t look too closely should they need a hostage to take with them. If he should happen to spot her…well that meant huge trouble.
She was the stepdaughter of one of the most powerful man in NYC. This bank was only one of many that housed his money. That fact, which she was positive Zach was aware of; on top of her own sizeable bank account left to her by her mother when she had died eighteen months earlier made her an ideal candidate for additional ransom money later. A ransom that could keep him set for six life times.
But even as those thoughts floated through her mind a sniper had taken aim and dispatched Frank. No one screamed this time, but there were several whimpers. Eve bit harder into her lip, tasting the metallic flavor of blood on her tongue. She was trembling in fear and the bile was rising in the back of her throat.
“Fuck!” The last masked man yelled. “Zach, hurry the hell up man. I want to live to enjoy that money man.”
“Grab a hostage.” Zack told him, still as calm as before despite the new situation. He slung the gym bags over his shoulders. “Female. We might need some company.”
A whimper nearly escaped Eve. She was the closest female to the last masked man. He bent and grabbed a handful of her long hair, forcing her to her feet. But before she could completely straighten the masked man gasped. She raised her head to glance at him.
He coughed and blood splattered across her face. Eve blinked, both surprised and disgusted. People around her started screaming again. Most of them jumped up and started running toward the exits now that the biggest threat of being shot was eliminated. Cops quickly entered the bank and took Zach down, an easy feat as he was weighed down by the heavy, money filled gym bags.
Meanwhile Eve just stood there with blood covering her face and shirt. She gazed in horror down at the dead man at her feet. She had never seen anyone die before, had never personally experienced violence of any kind in her life. But now she was in a room with three dead men who had died in such a violent way right before her.
Someone placed a hand on her shoulder causing her to jump. A police man stood beside of her, a concerned expression on his weathered face. “Miss? Are you hurt?”
She
swallowed down the bile once more and mutely shook her head. Shock, she guessed, was setting in. She felt cold and numb. She was shaking, but she could only look down at the dead man again in an oddly detached sort of way.
“Do you think you can walk?” He asked in a gentler tone than before. She met his eyes and thought that they were kind. Funny how that was the one thing she noticed out of everything else going on around her. Not the paramedics rushing to treat the fallen off duty cop. Not the SWAT team rushing through the bank or the other officers assisting others outside. Just this man’s kind eyes. “Miss?”
With effort she cleared her throat. “I…I’m okay.” She whispered. “I…I may need your help though. I seem to be a little shaky.”
The cop gave her a small smile in understanding. “Of course.”
He led her from the bank with a steading hand on her arm. She gratefully leaned on his strength for the next several hours during which he took her statement and called her stepfather.
“Eve?”
She blinked, coming back to the here and now. She was home, standing in the family room, gazing out at the Christmas lights reflecting on the snow. Her stepfather was now standing behind her. She hadn’t even heard him enter the room.
She turned her head, wondering if he knew how much she loved him. When she had moved here with her mother five years ago she had been an angry, biter young teenager. She had been content to continue on at the boarding school in Paris where she had been most of her childhood. Then her mother, Giselle, had married Garth Savage and brought her back to the States to live in a monster sized mansion with a stepfather and three older stepsiblings.
Despite her coldness toward them, Garth and his children had quickly won her over. He had treated her like his own daughter, Quinn, from day one. Eve had never known her father, because he had died when she was just a few weeks old. So Garth’s love and affection had been welcome—reluctantly. When her mother had been killed by a drunken driver eighteen months ago Garth had become her legal guardian, even if she had been just a few weeks shy of turning eighteen.
“Are you alright, sweetheart?” He asked, concerned that she hadn’t responded to him yet.
Eve blew out a long, shaky sigh. “Yes, I’m fine.” She murmured, letting him pull her into his arms to comfort her. Although she thought it was to comfort him just as much as her.
“Quinn’s plane landed a while ago. She should be here soon.” He informed her.
As Christmas was so close her stepsister and stepbrothers had planned on coming home this weekend. As they were scattered around the globe for work at the moment, their flights had already been in the air before the news of the day’s events had gotten to them. Eve would much rather not burden them with the story of her brush with death. But Garth had already spoken to Quinn and also Cameron. The eldest of the Savage siblings Sebastian was still in the air. His flight wouldn’t even land until the early hours of the morning.
Cameron had already arrived having been the closest—Mexico on a photo shoot. He was an exceptionally talented photographer. He had heard the news on the radio in the cab on his way from the airport. Because of who she was and the severity of the robbery, her name had been all over the news. When he had opened the front door he had started shouting.
“Eve? Dad? Are you here?”
She had been hugged to within an inch of her life by the big man for nearly an hour. Then, true to Cameron form, he had gone in search of something to eat. That had been half an hour ago.
Quinn was on her way home from London. She was an advertising executive at the England branch for the Savage Corporation. She had been upset about what had happened when she had talked to her father on the plane. Quinn thought of Eve as a little sister as well as her closest friend despite the six years age difference.
“Where is everyone?” A sudden voice called out, but not the voice they had been expecting. This one was deeper, masculine. Sebastian. Eve tensed in Garth’s arms, almost nervous to face the eldest of her stepsiblings.
The door to the family room opened and there he stood in the doorway. Sebastian was a Viking warrior, something she had always teasingly called him. His extensive height, blond hair the aura of power and danger flowing off of him had intimidated her at first. Standing at well over six feet five inches, with his dark blond hair needing a trim, and his blue as a clear summer day eyes gazing at her she felt anything but intimidated these days.
Seeing her leaning against his father he raised a brow in that arrogant way that always made her want to slap his handsome face. “Having a snuggle before the kid goes up for night-night?” He teased.
“Having a snuggle so I can reassure myself that Eve is actually here and unharmed.” Garth shot back, in no mood for his son’s humor.
The slight quiver in the older man’s voice caught his son’s attention. He dropped his satchel on the floor and crossed to them. “What happened?” He demanded, noticing just how pale Eve was and how gray his father was under his tan.
“It’s a long story.” She tried to excuse, not wanting him to know just yet.
But Garth jumped in and filled him on the day’s event. She watched as Sebastian paled. He swallowed hard twice before reaching for her. She went willingly, melting against his hard body. And for the first time that day the tears burnt the backs of her eyes. Her throat grew tight and a sob escaped her. He held her close and she felt his lips caress her forehead. The first tear spilled from her eyes and the dam was open. She clung to him.
--
When he had thought about the upcoming holidays and going home to spend it with his family after more than a month of going around the globe checking up on various problems and what-not within the Savage Corporation he hadn’t once thought that he would be walking into something so mind numbingly horrific.
No, he had thought about the many presents he had picked up along the way; something different and special for each member of his family. Like the funny hats he had picked up for Quinn and Eve in Spain two weeks ago. Or the hand crafted watch he had gotten in Switzerland for his father. Or even the gag gift he had purchased for Cameron a month earlier. He had imagined the laughs and hugs and Eve’s unbelievably precious giggles when they opened up each gift.
But to come home just hours after Eve’s brush with death and to have her fall into his arms sobbing? That had not once crossed his mind. And now he sat on the sofa in front of the fireplace with her on his lap still clinging to him. Her sobbing had subsided to little hiccups and her tears had soaked into his shirt but he didn’t care. He stroked his fingers through her long copper red hair in the soothing way he knew she enjoyed.
Garth had left the room a few minutes ago to check up on Cameron and make some coffee, but mostly to keep busy. Sebastian knew that his father cared about Eve as much as he did any of his own children. Not only because she was all he had of the woman he had loved so much, but because Eve was special. She had the kindest, most caring heart he had ever come across. The day’s events had shaken him badly.
Just thinking about what might have happened was enough to make Sebastian tremble. He tightened his hold on her for a moment before continuing to comb his fingers through her gloriously beautiful hair. If he were honest with himself he would admit how much her hair alone affected him. As did the light scent of the perfume she wore; the same perfume he gave her every year for her birthday. Her perfectly shaped firm breasts pressed against him at the moment…Well if he were admitting things to himself he would have to admit that he was a weak man when it came to his reaction to every little detail about his beautiful stepsister.
Not that he would admit that to anyone, but especially not to Eve. Letting a female know that you were weak were they were concerned was dangerous. Sebastian liked all kinds of danger and took plenty of risks: Sky diving, swimming with sharks, rock climbing free style…But letting a woman know when he was affected was just too dangerous in his book. It was just desire after all…
“I’m sorry.” She wh
ispered suddenly and pushed herself off his lap and away from him. She wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands. “I guess it finally caught up with me.”
He felt the loss of her against him like a lost limb. But he hid it behind a cocky smile. “Yeah, it was just an excuse to touch my sexy body. Your secret’s safe with me.”
He meant it as a joke, like he always jokingly flirted with her. But he saw the flush creep into her beautiful face and her eyes lowered. Whoa! Did she want him? Just the thought was enough to make him ache.
Don’t go there, Sebastian! He mentally shouted at himself. She’s still a kid. Hands to yourself!
She slapped him on the chest. “You wish, pig.” She gave a forced little laugh and scooted over a little more, putting several inches between them.
The door to the family room swung open and Quinn hurried into the room. Her long caramel hair was pulled into a ponytail and the almost feral look on her beautiful face would have sent anyone running for shelter. It was the look of a mother bear in need of protecting her cub. In this case Eve.
“Oh honey.” She crouched down in front of Eve. “Thank God you are alright!”
Eve threw her arms around her, hugging her tight. “Quinn!” She cried. “I’m so glad you’re home.”
Garth and Cameron came into the room. The younger man carrying a bowl of popcorn in one hand and shoving the snack into his mouth with the other. To see all three of the Savage men was to witness a trio of Viking warriors, although Garth’s hair was more silver than blond now. They all stood close to six and a half feet with Sebastian the tallest. With their powerful builds, even Garth for his age, the power just exuded from them.
Even Quinn, though her hair was a lovely caramel color was unusually tall, standing an inch over six feet. Eve, above average at five feet eight inches felt like a shrimp around all of them. But they also made her feel incredibly safe and that was something that she need more than ever right now.
“Well, this Christmas has been eventful.” Cameron joked around a mouthful of popcorn. “Let’s try to keep the excitement level down though, okay? My heart can’t take anymore.”