She swallowed hard. “Yeah, but this isn’t about me. Maybe someday I can tell you.”
He leaned over and kissed her. It was a tender kiss but with heat behind it.
Chapter 6
Two days after Christmas, Noreen worked late at the clinic. Darkness had fallen and she’d turned out the lights in the clinic’s main room. She sat in the office in front of the computer finishing up the charts from the ten patients she saw today. Everyone else had gone home, though the night guard was outside in his car. She’d leave as soon as she finished because she was tired. Pregnancy was sapping her usual high energy.
Christmas had been exhausting. When Nick froze at the present Nicky had gotten, she knew something was wrong. After a bit, he rebounded, and everybody else had eyes on the kids, so they didn’t know that anything had happened. Poor Nick.
Since then, she’d given her pregnancy a lot of thought and decided to have the child. She planned to go straight to his house after she was done here and tell him tonight.
She made herself concentrate on the charts. It was slow though, when all she wanted was to be at Nick’s and cuddle with him.
When she finally finished, she switched off the computer then called the guard outside, who all the employees had on speed dial, to tell him she was leaving by the back door. She turned to get her coat. And saw a man standing in front of the closet. He was big and dressed in black. His face was covered with a mask.
Her heart started to gallop in her chest. After realizing her unpreparedness on Christmas Eve, she’d purchased Mace and rigged up her key chain to use it as a weapon if necessary. But they were both in her purse. “What do you want?” She hoped her voice was strong.
He came closer and removed his mask. What…what? She realized then that she had to handle this right. “Hello, Hank.”She folded her arms across her chest so he wouldn’t see her hands shaking. “Why did you come here tonight? You know the rules of a restraining order.”
“I didn’t like the way we left things on Christmas Eve.”
“Left things? What things?”
His dark brows rose and one hand fisted. “Our relationship.”
“Hank,” she said gently. “We don’t have a relationship.”
“Of course we do.” He stepped even closer. His eyes were frenzied. “I’ve come to get you. To take you to my house.”
“Look, Hank. I’m in love with another man.” She put her hand on her belly. Maybe this would sober him. “I’m having his baby.”
“You cheated on me?” He lifted his arm and slapped her face. She stumbled back and hit the chair. But she righted herself and raised her chin. He’d turned his back on her and was mumbling, “She cheated…She cheated…” He punched the wall.
She took a step back and her phone bumped against her from the pocket of her scrubs. She whipped it out and pressed the numbers in.
He whirled around. “What the fuck are you doing?”
“I called 911.”
He yelled, “You slut,” and stalked toward her. Fear curled in her belly. When he reached her, he slapped her across the face again. His hand was hard and cold. She put up her arms to shield herself but he yanked them away. “Slut, slut, slut.” He hit her on each word.
Dizzy now, she dropped to her knees. He did too. He was close enough to say into her ear, “I’m gonna fuck you like you deserve.”
Terror erupted inside her. She thought,No, no, no. This isn’t going to happen again.
He ripped at his belt and opened his pants. She leapt to her feet and when he reached out for her, she smashed her foot into his exposed groin.
He howled and clutched his genitals.
Again, she lurched toward the door.
He caught her leg and yanked. She fell—right on her stomach.
He turned her over and her whole body shuddered.
Sirens sounded in the distance. He stumbled to his feet. “I’ll get you alone again, whore.”
Then he raised his foot and kicked her in the stomach.
