Total pages in book: 150
Estimated words: 142818 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142818 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
I smelled him. As I brushed past the warmth of his body. He reeked of sweat. Of blood.
I was still jostling my keys as he reached for me. My goal was the hall, toward the door leading to the parking lot. There was more light there, I’d be able to see him. I’d have a better chance.
But I didn’t get there.
He grabbed me, yanking me back with a firm grip.
I let out a strangled scream, struggling like a banshee, unwilling to let him get his arms around me. I somehow knew that if he could get his arms around me, I was dead.
We were dead.
I’d never been more scared in my life. Never had I felt so hopeless, so aware of how easy it was for a man to overpower a woman. Never had I felt like such a victim.
No.
I wouldn’t be a victim.
Couldn’t.
I thought of my mom.
My baby brother.
My stepfather.
And finally, Elden. I focused on those piercing eyes of his. The ones that lit up for me. That had welled up when he saw our baby’s heartbeat. That had promised me whatever kind of future I wanted. That had promised me forever no matter how hard I tried to fight against it.
I would not let him find me like that.
Finally, I found a good grip on the taser, and I reached out wildly, ripping myself from his grip the same moment I pressed down. There was a loud buzz then a grunt of pain. I kicked out blindly with my legs, finding impact and earning me another grunt of pain.
I didn’t hesitate to run then, crying out as I misjudged the distance between the island and the walkway, my side jamming against it.
Pain and panic mingled as I cradled my stomach, burning with worry over the precious thing I was growing in there.
I didn’t let myself think, didn’t let the pain penetrate. Sticky with blood, my feet slapped against the floor as I ran. I made it to the common room just as I heard his loud footfalls behind me. It was dark and shadowy in there too; all I could make out were shapes. The blinds were pulled. They had been open when I walked in.
He’d prepared. He’d heard me come in from the start, maybe. Had been planning for this.
I ached to hear the rumble of motorcycles, the sign that I wasn’t facing him alone. But there was nothing but my ragged breathing, the horrific rhythm of our footfalls. I was halfway toward the door when he grabbed me, yanking me back by the hair.
I let out another cry of pain as I landed against his chest. I tried to take in details. He was taller than me. Bigger too. Stronger.
He reeked of blood. Something else too. A cologne that was bitter and cheap and vaguely familiar.
My body exploded with panic and terror as he held me tightly to him.
“Let go of me, you piece of shit,” I snarled, slamming my foot down on his. He was wearing boots, so the impact sent pain splintering from my heel. There was a shooting, burning pain in my shoulder too. I ignored this and lifted my elbow, just as Sariah and I had been taught in our self-defense course. There was a satisfying crunch as my elbow made impact with his nose. He stumbled back, loosening his grip, and I took advantage of that by pulling myself out of his grasp and sprinting toward the door.
I’d gained a few seconds, but the sound of him coming after me, his breath hot on my neck, told me I hadn’t done enough.
I heard the sound of motorcycles the second I found purchase on the door. I didn’t hesitate to open it, letting the light in.
And that was then I did something stupid. I didn’t run blindly into the parking lot. I turned around, knowing that he was already running from the sound, knowing he didn’t have time to kill me and escape from the bikers who would rip him limb from limb.
I knew that I needed to find something, anything that would give me a clue to his identity, give us the chance to avenge Jenna and the girls before her.
But all I saw was the flash of his black hoodie with an insignia on it I couldn’t decipher. He’d rounded the corner to the kitchen, toward the back door before I had a proper chance to look.
The clamor of the motorcycles was deafening now, and I blinked rapidly, my eyes adjusting to the light as the bikes pulled in with a dizzying, worrisome speed. My vision was blurry, unable to make out anything but the shapes until Elden threw his bike down on the concrete and raced toward me.
A lot of things would haunt me in the days, weeks and months after that. But the sheer terror on his face was something I could never shake.