“I’m being real fuckin’ patient with you, baby, but I don’t have an unlimited supply. If I don’t hear from you within the hour, I’m going to war and I’m gonna go for your brother first, then your nephew and then your son-in-law.”
The message ends and I suck on the white stick until my lungs burn. I can’t let Slade pay for my mistakes. Not anymore.
My hand trembles as I scroll through my contacts and hit Hopper’s number. Before I can change my mind, I hit call and press the damn phone to my ear.
I can already hear his laughter before he answers. “Hey, baby.”
“Hey.”
“You’ve kept me waiting. Tell me where you and my money are and then I’ll take you home.”
“Promise me you’ll leave town and won’t cause trouble for my brother or his club and I will.”
“All will be well, you have my word.”
I give him the address and a coldness washes over me. Tossing my phone on the couch, I run for the bathroom and hurl my guts up. There wasn’t much in my stomach and the retching hurts my chest and throat.
Brushing my teeth, I find myself anxiety cleaning the bathroom and then proceed to pace the small apartment.
The roar of motorcycles used to excite me. Now, they fill me with dread. I listen to Hopper and his club arrive and when the engines fall silent, a fear I’ve rarely felt before engulfs me.
Their boots in the communal hall echo like heavy drums beating. Hopper banging at my door pulsing through me like an earthquake, fracturing me from the inside out.
“Baby, open up!”
I don’t know how I manage it, but I make it to the front door and unlatch the locks. He knows where I am now, there is no going back and hiding.
I step back as I open the door and I’m not quick enough as he steps over the threshold and grips me by the chin.
“Where’s my money?”
“In the bathroom cupboard, under a fake shelf.”
Over his shoulder, he instructs Ryan, his VP, to go retrieve it, leaving us alone. His hand slides from the front of my face around to the back of my head, gripping hard onto my hair.
“You’ve had me running all over for you,” he sneers.
Ryan returns with the bag I stole and Hopper grunts, “Go wait outside and count what’s left.”
“Yes, Prez.”
There’s no point hoping he’d stay, Hopper does what he likes whether we’re alone or in a crowded room.
The moment the front door closes, Hopper slams his lips onto mine and sucks my bottom lip until his teeth bite into my soft flesh. I try not to let my pain show but my whimper urges him on. His tongue invades my mouth, and I listen as he works his belt. Wrapping his hand around the front of my neck, he applies enough pressure that begins to worry me and pushes me backward into the living area. My back hits the couch and I watch on as he undoes his jeans and shoves them, along with his boxer briefs, down his thighs.
“Knees. Now.”
There have been a few occasions men have taken what they want from me without my permission. I know better than to fight, I block out the pain and fear, the humiliation, and go to my happy place. My bare feet tread the warm, fine, sand and I tip my head back to bask in the sunshine. Walking down to the shore, I walk into the water, my hand skimming the surface the deeper I go. I listen hard to the crash of waves around me. I inhale the sea air. Nothing can hurt me while I’m here. As far as I am concerned, I’m the only one who exists in my happy place. Until, it’s safe to leave…
He wipes his tip on my sweatshirt and puts himself away. I’m starting to think this won’t be as bad as I had anticipated, and it’s my downfall. I don’t see his hand pull back and fly through the air, landing a handprint across my cheek. The impact knocks me back onto my ass and then he’s straddling me. One hand latches into my hair and the other backhands me.
The distinct taste of copper fills my mouth and not for the first time. Hopper’s not even the first guy to raise a hand to me, but I have a feeling this time that he’s going to be the last. I thought I had gotten away with facing his anger, but he just wanted to blow his load before splitting my lip open.
“You fuckin’ bitch. How long did you think you’d be able to hide from me, huh?”
“I-I’m sorry… I wasn’t thinking…”
He yanks me up like a rag doll and shoves me into the wall. My head bounces off of it and searing hot pain shoots around my neck and down into my back.
