Worth It (52 page)

Leaning over, I kiss her chastely once she’s seated. “I’m going to hit the restroom.” I pat myself on the back for quickly coming up with the perfect excuse to seek out that lady.

“Okay, have fun.” She grins.

“I love you”—kiss—“so”—kiss—“damn”—kiss—“much.”

She giggles and scrunches up her nose.
I love that scrunch.

“I love you, too,” she whispers.

She kisses me back, slipping her tongue past my lips. I groan and deepen the kiss before I remember I have a problem that needs to be rectified, so I pull back and then give her one more quick peck.

“Be right back, gorgeous,” I murmur against her lips.

When I pull away, she’s smiling up at me with a soft face and shinning eyes. It’s a look of pure love.

My chest swells.
Fuck, yeah. I put that look on her face.

She replies simply, “Okay.”

I grin back at her and move in for one last kiss before I turn around to go fix this. I need to figure out a new plan to ask this woman to be my wife.

Watching Jed walk away, I can’t help the overwhelming happiness bubbling out of me. Well, I can’t help staring his ass, too. I can’t say I’ve ever really been an ass girl, but Jed’s ass in those dark blue jeans can turn any woman into an ass girl.

My eyes rake in his perfectly sculpted tight behind to his trim waist and up his well-defined back where I love to run my nails down. I admire his strong, broad shoulders and then his short black hair that’s just long enough to grip tightly. I want to pout as he rounds the corner, taking away my delectable view, a view that is only trumped by the front of him. Just the thought of his body makes me reminisce about all my favorite places to lick and—

My blood runs cold when I hear a laugh…a laugh I haven’t heard in almost seven years.

My face pales, my whole body freezes, my throat closes up, and a cold sweat breaks out all over my body as a sickening nausea rolls through my stomach. My heart is beating so hard that I fear it might jump out of my chest, and I think I might have lost fifteen years of my life.

Ice rushes through my veins, drenching me in pure, all-consuming fear.

My eyes frantically search around for the source of my nightmares, my panic, and my horror before they finally zero in on the monster.

There he is.

Todd is sitting casually at a table, laughing and joking with a few friends, like he didn’t break me, tear me down, and leave me in pieces.

I wonder if they know what kind of person he is, what kind of vile demon sits in their presence.

He must feel my eyes on him because to my absolute dread, his head slowly drifts in my direction, and when our gazes collide, I’m nearly bulldozed off my bar stool from the sheer force of his stare. I don’t fall though. I don’t move. I don’t even breathe.

A slow, evil smile spreads across his face as he begins to stand.

Oh shit! Move, legs, move!

I can’t move though. I’m cemented to my spot. Fear spears through me as I watch him take a step in my direction…then another step…and another.

My fight-or-flight response finally kicks in, and I nearly tumble out of my seat. Tearing my gaze away from him, I sprint toward the door as fast as my shaking legs will carry me. I push people out of my way as I go. I don’t know where the fuck I’m going, but I need to move. I need to leave. I need to get away.

I push through the door, and in a split-second decision, I decide to turn left toward the secluded parking lot that abuts a forested area. I try to move as fast as I can toward the trees, but every second feels like a month, and I can’t get away fast enough. As I’m taking the first few steps, I realize my mistake. I should have stayed in a public place, but I can’t change anything now, and fear has me sprinting in an effort to hide.
I’m going to hide in the trees. That’s my plan.
I want to slap myself for being so fucking blindingly stupid.
Fuck!

My heart is beating like crazy, and I make it about halfway there when my hair is yanked back, and I crash to the ground. I don’t have a second to scramble before he’s on me, caging me in with his huge body, his hand covering my mouth. My heart is racing, my whole body is trembling, and tears are springing from my eyes.

What the fuck am I going to do?
If I don’t do anything, he’s probably going to rape me in the parking lot. If I scream, he’ll probably punch me in the mouth and then rape me in the fucking parking lot.

Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh FUCK!

He smiles, and then he dips his head and licks my face, tasting my tears. “Mmm, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?” He lifts his head again to watch my tears fall harder. “I missed you so much, but you’ve turned into quite the little slut, haven’t you?”

He presses his body into me, and I can feel his hardness against me. My stomach lurches, and I know screaming is definitely my best option right now even if it’s muffled from his hand. I take in as much air as I can, preparing myself to scream bloody murder, when he quickly jabs me in the side, causing the air to whoosh from my lungs in a strangled cry.

“Don’t even think about it,” he says in a low, ominous voice. “I’ve been watching you and thinking about this for too long to have you ruin this. Seven fucking years, I’ve waited for this.”

Watching me?
I’m shocked and disgusted as he trails his hands up my exposed outer thigh, making my body tremble harder.

“Ever since my aunt threatened to call the cops when she heard us the night before I left, I’ve been thinking about fucking the shit out of you as punishment for crying too loud. I warned you that if you ever fucked someone else, you’d regret it. And you’ve been fucking Jed for a while now, haven’t you?”

He leans down and licks my streaming tears again while my mind whirls with his admission.

All that time I cried and tortured myself with why, it was his aunt. Through my horrifying terror, I realize that his aunt saved my life with that threat.
Who knows what would have happened had she not made that warning? And he knows about Jed? He’s been stalking me? For how long?

“You’ve always been a limp fuck, Savannah, but you’re my limp, weak fuck.”

He grabs my knee and wrenches my legs open. It hurts. I gag as he presses himself closer.

“I’ve been watching you for a while, you know. Like my notes? I jacked off in the car while watching you get scared.”

Jesus fucking Christ!
This can’t be real. No one is this fucked-up, but the ache in my body tells me otherwise.
I should have told Jed about the notes.

“Mmm, I’m so glad you’re wearing a skirt tonight.”

My blood runs cold. I don’t even think when I slam my palm into his mouth, and I begin twisting my body underneath him. He grunts from the force of impact, but he easily grabs my hand with his, so I reach up with my other hand to claw at his face, but he removes his hand from my mouth to capture that one. I suck in air to scream, but he slams his head into my mouth. Pain explodes in my face, and I taste the unmistakable metallic tang of blood.

“Please don’t do this, Todd, please,” I sob. “Please just let me go.”

“I’ve told you before, you’re mine. You’re my toy, Savannah. I know you missed my cock, and I’m going to give it to you.” He locks both of my wrists in one of his large hands, and then he reaches down under my skirt and runs his finger along my pussy. With an ominous smile, he adds, “Then, I’ll punish you for letting anyone else touch you.”

“Please, don’t do this,” I sob.

“Shut the fuck up,” he hisses.

He grasps my panties and tears them apart, leaving me completely bare and exposed. I try to twist and turn out of his grip, but he uses the hand that ripped my panties to wrap his fingers around my throat.

“This is happening. I like the struggle, but you should know that this is happening.”

He releases my hands and begins to work the button of his pants, but he keeps me contained with his large hand crushing my throat. I claw at his hand, struggling to breathe, as he pulls out his length and then forces my legs farther apart with his knees. Panic grips me as I try desperately to think of a way out of this.

No, no, no, no, no. This is not happening. This is not happening. Please, God, tell me this is not happening.

I feel him press his tip against my entrance. I try to draw in as much air as I can, but I’m starting to get light-headed because I can’t suck in enough oxygen.

I feel him rear back to thrust into me, and I clench my eyes closed as I brace for impact.

After I get everything situated with the owner, I make my way back to the bar, only to see Anna isn’t there. At first, I think nothing of it, and I figure she had to visit the little girls’ room. Just as I’m about to sit next to her seat, I notice her jacket and purse are still here. Now, the jacket I understand, but she never goes anywhere without her purse. Most women don’t. This detail sets off a little alarm bell inside my head, and I wave down the bartender.

“Hey, did you see the girl who was sitting here?”

“The smoking little brunette?”

I squash my irritation. It’s not like everyone doesn’t notice how hot
my
girl is, but it’s still annoying. I don’t have time to waste. My gut tells me something has happened.

I respond, “Yeah. Have you seen her?”

“She just left.”

“Left?” I ask, confused.

Why the fuck would she just up and leave? And without her coat and purse?

The alarm bells are starting to ring louder when I realize something is
definitely
not right.

“Yeah, she just ran out the door. I was gonna have someone go check on—”

I don’t even bother listening to anything else as I rush out the door, my heart pounding in my chest. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness, but when they do, I look around the parking lot. I don’t hear or see anything, so I start walking farther into the night, straining my ears to pick up any sound. The hammering of my heart is making it difficult, but the adrenaline rushing through my veins is making my senses clearer, sharper. I make it nearly halfway through the parking lot when I hear a muffled struggle. I move fast, but nothing prepares me for what I see when I come upon shadowed scuffling people.

Red-hot anger surges through my body. Even though I can’t see her and I really wish I was wrong, I know deep down to my bones that it’s my Anna underneath this fucking son of a bitch. I grab the fucking asshole off her with little effort.

I’m momentarily shocked when I realize who it is, but my body doesn’t blink, and I crush my fist into his face. I always knew this motherfucker was off, but I never would have guessed he would try to rape a woman in a parking lot. Guilt churns my gut.
Did I put her on his radar?
The guilt is easily taken over by fury though. My anger is blinding. I’m a living, breathing definition of rage as I pound his face. I can see nothing but destroying this scum who dared to put his hands on my girl.
I’m going to fucking kill him.
I barely even notice when his arms that were trying to block my blows drop to his sides, and his bloody face loses all signs of consciousness. Nothing can stop me from ending his existence.
Nothing.

Nothing except the croaking of Anna’s pleading voice as she says, “Jed.”

I swing my gaze to see her terrified and curled up into a ball as she’s still sitting on the pavement. My anger drains, and fear creeps in.
Jesus fucking Christ.
I could cry right now.
Please, God, tell me I got here in time. Please, God, this woman can’t have anything else happen to her.
I drop the piece-of-shit I’m holding and let him crumple to the ground. I approach her cautiously and hold up my hands that are covered in blood.

“Are you okay, baby?” I ask carefully. My gut churns, and I pray he didn’t hurt her.

She blows out a shaky breath and wipes the tears from her face. She puts a hand on her chest, and it takes her a minute to compose herself enough to nod.