Heaven Sent
HEAVEN SENT
MahaliaLevey
Erotic Romance
Secret Cravings Publishing
www.sweetcravingspublishing.com
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A Secret Cravings Publishing Book
Erotic Romance
Heaven Sent
Copyright © 2013 Mahalia Levey
E-book ISBN: 978-1-61885-517-6
First E-book Publication: January 2013
Cover design by Dawne Dominique
Edited by Stephanie Ballestreri
Proofread by Stephanie Kinne
All cover art and logo copyright © 2013 by Secret Cravings Publishing
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Secret Cravings Publishing
www.secretcravingspublishing.com
Dedication
This book is dedicated to those who helped me behind the scenes and took the time to answer numerous questions. Thank you Ditter, Bill May, and KCFD for your time. I am humbled by the men and women who brave the unknown for every citizen in need.
The author acknowledges the trademark status and the following trademark owners mentioned in this work of fiction.
Uno®
Jell-O®
SCRABBLE®
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Rachel Hayes' father set out to prove the existence of the Miloni temple and the Jaguar people. Tumi is a descendant of the Miloni race and is sworn to protect their secret with his life. Will he be forced to uphold his vow at the cost of his heart and Rachel's life?
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HEAVEN SENT
MahaliaLevey
Copyright © 2013
Chapter One
“You’re too young for a New Year’s Eve party. You knew the answer before asking.” Mia flipped on her turn signal to move over a lane. “What Ash?” Her sullen teenage daughter muttered under her breath and turned away, closing off. Teenage angst—her least favorite part of parenting. What kind of parent lets their kid plan an unchaperoned party on one of the worst nights of the year to be away from home? Remember not to judge others by what you wouldn’t do. Paying her daughter no heed, she cast quick glance in her rearview mirror to find a spot she could edge her way into in the next lane. Mia moved her SUV in the tight space, continuing the slow crawl down highway 71. She refused to feel guilty for not giving into Ashland’s wants, reminding herself to be a parent not a friend. There wasn’t room for both, since she took on the roll as both mother and father.
As the light at the end of the exit ramp turned from yellow to red, a car clipped her back bumper, causing her to lurch into oncoming traffic. Ashland let out a scream as a vehicle with the right of way narrowly escaped slamming into her door. Mia heard the crunch of cars hitting each other. She fought to maintain traction, her grip clenching the steering wheel as they spun out of control while fending off the surge of terror whiplashing through her a second time.
“Mrs. Justice, help is on the way.” Her automated security system transmitted to the local enforcement and 911 dispatch. Mia turned to Ashland and lifted a shaky hand to her face. “Baby, are you okay?”
“I-I think so.”
Mia’s heartbeat thundered in her chest. Dazed, she spoke on autopilot.
“Can you move?” Mia unclasped her seatbelt and reached to unlatch her daughter’s. Ashland flinched when she touched her.
“Mama, your head is bleeding and my leg hurts really bad.”
Mia touched her head. Blood slid between her fingers as she explored a small gash on her forehead. “I’m okay love, it’s just a little cut. We need to get out of the vehicle. See if you can move.”
“I can’t, Mama. There’s a car blocking me from moving. I’m stuck.” The panic in her daughter’s voice sent shivers of dread down her spine. They were surrounded by vehicles, crunched in from all sides.
&n
bsp; Mia froze, paralyzed by fear. Blood trickled down her face. Her vision was hazed in one eye. Think. You have to stay awake to get Ash out safely. Unbuckling her safety belt, she looked around for something to break the windows with.
“My softball bat is in the trunk, isn’t it?” Her daughter calmed enough to help.
“No baby, we took it out to make room other things a few days ago.” She sucked back a moan of pain while maneuvering into the second row behind her daughter and worked on reclining the seat back. Red lights and the welcoming sound of help arriving eased her fears a little as she continued to work to get her daughter free. Mia leveled the seat out and hefted Ashland by her hips into the second row. When she looked up, flames licked along the windshield. All of the sudden they were stuck in a ticking bomb, each second counting against them.
Voices yelled over the sounds of sirens. Acrid fumes seeped into her vehicle. Instinctively, she knew if they didn’t get free, they’d die from toxic inhalation. She became aware of a shadow as it fell over them. “Get this car moved.” The orders were barked from the man’s lips.
“Ma’am, if there is something to cover your heads with, grab it. There are men working on putting out the fire while we get you out. Stay calm.” Mia watched a flood of foam hit her engine. Beside her, firemen worked to pull the vehicle out of the way. There wasn’t time.
“Ma’am.”
Mia snapped to at the commanding tone in his voice. She found her wool pea coat and placed it over their heads.
“Mama, what’s happening?” The SUV jostled as the car stuck to their door was yanked free. The uniformed man signaled for her attention.
“The firemen are putting out a fire in our engine and they’re going to break the window. I know you’re scared and hurt. Just breathe baby, they’re here to help us and will do everything in their power to get us out.” Deep down, she believed the words with her whole heart. She fought to keep positive, though tears coursed down her cheeks and pain threatened to drag her into the abyss of unconsciousness.
“Mom.Mom. Wake up. Mom, can you hear me. Hurry. Please, my mom isn’t answering me.” The distant sound of glass exploding met her ears. Sound slowed as her eyes drooped, too heavy to keep open. “Take her first.” In her mind her words resounded crystal clear.
“Backboards.”
“My daughter. Get her out.”
“Ma’am, breathe, that’s a girl, now save your strength. We have you both. They’re sliding your daughter out on a board now. She’s free. Backboard two in. I got you now. Lift her easy.” Strong hands hoisted her out of the back section of her smoldering vehicle.
“Whitier here, has some oxygen for you. Armstrong has your baby. She’s a little beat up but okay. Breathe as Whiter places on the mask.”
“Thank you.” Blurred vision kept Mia from making anything but his helmet out. She grasped the hand he held offered. Darkness descended, sucking her into its undertow.
Pain radiated from all parts of her body. Mia struggled to move her neck. A few machines beeped around her. She noticed the IV bag hanging on a stand with a steady drip of saline into the tubing connected to her arm. When she attempted to move, nausea swamped her. Bringing a hand to her forehead, she touched soft cotton and tape. Disoriented, her heartbeat quickened. Where was Ashland?
“Mia can you hear me?”
The voice.The same one from the wreck. The calm commanding voice that promised her safety spoke to her.
“Ashland.”
“Is having breakfast right now. One of the nurses took her for a walk. She’s okay, you’re both okay.”
“Thank you Jesus.” Tears filled her eyes. “Thank you God.” She pressed her hand to her eyes to wipe away the moisture.
“The doctor wanted to wait until you woke before removing your neck brace.” He pressed a button beside her head. “Mrs. Justice is awake.”
“Thanks, we’ll notify the physician.” The man with the calm collected voice moved directly over her. Slate grey eyes looked down at hers filled with compassion.
“Thank you for saving us.” Her lips wobbled as her emotions started to get the better of her. Her hero placed a steady hand on hers and Mia wanted to drown in the sympathy. “And for staying.”
“I went through your cell phone. The number in ICE was out of service.”
She didn’t want Ashland’s grandparents to come. “I keep forgetting to update my emergency contact just in case. There is no family or anyone to call besides my best friend.” The white lie bothered her more than she wanted to admit. Still, there was no way on God’s green earth she would allow her deceased husband’s emotionally distant parents to take her daughter from her. Mia forced a deep breath and studied the man before her. She had a guardian angel in him. This man, who not only performed his job by saving her life and countless others, also went out of his way to watch over her and Ashland. His dedication left her speechless.
“Friends?”
Shaking her head, Mia wanted to trust the man who saved her but withheld the information he asked for.
“How long have I been out?”
“Most of the evening. We brought you in just after three in the afternoon. For the last couple of hours you’ve been dozing. They cleaned up a nasty cut on your head.”
“I remember hitting my head and the sound of glass exploding but we were covered.”
“We had to move a car out of the way to get you both out. That was most likely the loud sounds you heard plus voices as they were taking care of the other injured parties.”
With his reply, she gained a visual of how they were freed. “When will Ash be back from breakfast?” She could care less about her injuries, and felt the motherly need to have a firsthand visual of her only child.
“One of my guys brought your things from your vehicle. Volante went to give her the backpack we found. Her cell phone was still intact. He has a daughter her age and figured she’s going crazy without something to occupy her time. She hasn’t been far from your side since she checked out okay. I’m sure they won’t be too long.”
Mia’s throat clogged. God, if anything had happened to that kid. It had been the two of them for quite some time now.
“Why are you here?”
“I wanted to be here when you woke up.” He reached over to her tray stand, poured a cup of water, and gingerly eased her up a bit to take a sip. The cool liquid eased the raw feeling in her throat.
“I appreciate all you’ve done and for staying with us.” She needed to know why he cared enough to sit with them instead of going home to sleep or back to work. “Being here, this isn’t part of your job, is it?” Mia took a second sip and eased back to put her head on her pillow. “I don’t even know your name.”
“Dire. Dire Sylis.” He scooted a chair up beside her. “To answer your question, watching over you and your kid is a pleasure. She is a shark at Uno, though. A nurse brought us a deck to pass the time while we waited for you to wake up, to keep her mind busy.”
Kind eyes regarded her. Mia lost herself in his stare but recovered quickly. “We have game night once a week at home or more depending on my work schedule and her cheer competitions. I hope she won’t have an issue competing, missing out would kill her.”
“She has some cuts but nothing bad. You did a good job moving away from the front seat of your vehicle. Ashland should be fine to go back to competition when the doctor clears her. Sometimes stiffness can set into the body a few days after a wreck. So far she’s doing well.”
“Have you been here the whole time?” Mia licked her dry lips to moisten them.
“Every second. She couldn’t leave you and I needed to see you wake up and shine those pretty brown eyes at me.”
Is firefighter guy hitting on me? No way, not in my current condition, I have to be the most unattractive mess ever seen. There was something deep, a reason why he’d hung around, he wasn’t copping to. She really wanted to know, but thinking exhausted her. In the end the reasons weren’t as important as his ch
oice to go above and way beyond the call of duty.
“Mom.” The door opened. Ashland rushed over to her side and instantly latched on. “I’m so glad you’re awake.” A smile spread over her baby’s face as the worry lines disappeared.
“Hi, Mr. Sylis.” Her boisterous daughter addressed their savior with ease. Mia watched the byplay with mild curiosity.
“I thought we agreed to call me Dire.” He gave her daughter a warm smile. “Why don’t we step outside now that you’ve seen she’s fine so the doctor can speak with her?”
“I have to address you with respect. My mom would have a fit if I called any adult by their first name. But I’ll call you that out of earshot.” Mia relaxed as they departed the room so the doctor could come in.
“Mrs. Justice. I’m Doctor Jacobi. Do you remember what happened?”
“I remember getting clipped by another car trying to move over, and then being punched again into traffic. After that my memory goes a bit hazy. I know we got out and I ended up here.”
“You were brought in a little over three hours ago. The good news is…every now and then you’d speak. We’ve watched you for perseverating and I’m glad to report your brain isn’t stuck in the moment of the wreck or shortly after. How are you feeling?”
“Perseverating? I don’t know what that word means. I’m sorry, I feel so tired and confused.”
“I apologize. Perseverating means repeating the same thing over even when we’ve already told you the answer previously. Kind of like a record stuck in one spot repeating the same line of lyrics. Confusion is to be expected with any type of head trauma. We’ve run blood work, a CAT scan and MRI to make sure you don’t have further injuries. We’ll keep you tonight. In the morning we’ll reevaluate you. Do you have anyone who can look after your daughter for the night? I’d really like for someone to stay with you and your daughter for at least a week or so to keep close tabs on you.”