Another squeeze, but this time something cold and sharp presses against my throat.
Does he have a knife? I’m shaking, the adrenaline kicking in. I try to speak around his iron grip, but nothing comes out. I don’t want to die here, not in this abandoned alley that smells of stale cat piss.
“And then, I think I’ll take you. I could find plenty of buyers for a feisty little piece like you.” His tongue snakes out, licking my cheek.
I feel violated. Dirty. And mostly, I feel terrified.
“I promise,” I gasp for breath beneath his hold. “We won’t bother you.”
Laughter sounds from behind me and I think of trying to scream for help again but when the cold blade bears down on my skin, I quickly decide against it. Lou (I’m taking a guess here, I haven’t sniffed around many properties here lately), shoves my face into the hood, grabbing my pussy in a bruising hold. “I’ll be back for you, bitch,” he growls right before he slashes my front tire, and flees behind a building.
I stay that way, face smashed against the hood, tears streaming down my face, reeling from the aftermath of what just happened. I don’t know how I’m going to get home. My tire is hissing as it expels the last bit of air. I don’t even know how to change of fucking tire. I’ve never had to.
The realization that I am not prepared for real life events is so overwhelming that I begin to cry. For the first time in my life I was held at knifepoint and I didn’t do anything heroic. I didn’t flip him over my shoulder or knee him in the balls. No, I stood there, shivering like a coward, my tears running down the hand that was choking the very life from me.
I am one of those women. A sheltered, spoiled woman who relies on a man for security. Pulling upright, I wipe the tears from my face, mascara smearing onto my fingers.
“I can change a tire. If Theo can do it, it can’t be that hard.”
I root through the back, determined to do something, finding the spare and some crowbar-looking thing attached to what I think is probably the jack. I pry it off and attempt to dislodge the spare, which proves rather difficult and I only manage to break a nail.
I want Theo. Just the sound of his voice would calm me but he’s on the field and won’t have his phone. And what could he do? Worry. Worry, is what he would do. And be helpless to do anything about it. I won’t let myself call his phone just to hear his asshole voicemail greeting, “This is Theo. Don’t leave a message, I won’t check it.”
I’m just gonna call Cade to come get me. I tried to change the tire and I couldn’t. There’s no shame in that. Before I can talk myself into trying again, I call Cade, sniffling a little as it rings. And rings. And rings some more until finally his voicemail comes on.
“Gorgeous. I…uh…need your help. My tire is flat and I can’t change it myself. Okay, so… call me back.”
After a few minutes and no return call, I decide I’m done waiting for someone to rescue me. I’m my own motherfucking hero! I’m getting the fuck out of here one way or another. I lock up my car and inhale a deep breath, digging deep for my buried courage. It’s only five miles to the plantation. I can trek through the woods and get there faster. Lou is probably long gone by now anyway. He won’t show again until Lawson or Cade give him a reason to.
Silent tears glide down my cheeks as I take the first steps toward home. Toward safety. My knees buckle a few times but I power through, swiping at the errant tears, squaring my shoulders, my ears peeled for anything that would signal Lou is following me.
“Don’t be a pussy, Anniston,” I tell myself in the worst pep talk voice ever.
But I am a pussy. For once, I crave comfort. I crave one of my guys. Their voices. Their strength. Anything to take away the fear Lou just created.
Thor.
Thor’s a hero. And he always answers his phone.
Dialing his number, I instantly feel better.
“Dr. McCallister,” he drawls out lazily.
Relief crashes over me as the sound of his voice soothes my fears.
“Hey, Thor.” My voice is over the top squeaky with fake cheeriness. “How’s the security team?”
He grunts on the other end of the phone, his way of laughing. “Well, they might be fantastic if I actually cared enough to ask.”
I chuckle, “Wonderful. I like to hear that the wellbeing of Theo’s staff is intact and not in need of therapy.”
“What’s wrong, Anniston?”
No bullshit. No beating around the bush. That’s the Thor I’ve grown to annoy.
I debate on just hanging up and sprinting the rest of the way. I’m still probably three miles from the plantation but if I run, I could be there in thirty-ish minutes or less. I could make it. Thor would be none the wiser and I could threaten Cade into not telling Theo. Problem solved. But when I cut through a sketchy backyard, I rethink it, deciding I would rather the guys find my body and bury me properly.
“Oh, nothing. Just taking a stroll. Thought I’d check in and shoot the shit with you for a little while.”
