The next thing I knew, his hand was grabbing my hair. He wrenched my head back, and I screamed from the force.
Holy shit.My eyes watered rapidly.
The knife dropped from my slippery palm as he hauled me to stand, snarling at me. “It’s you. It’syou.You made me lose that contract. You poured that coffee on me.”
Fuck, my scalp.
“Because of you, I was late and rejected. Now, my fucking life is ruined. I’m in fucking debts.” A slap landed on my cheek, sending me to the floor. I cried out as the impact of the fall had the knife splitting my palm, blood spilling out across the cold tile. My head spun, pain radiating from my face and hand, but I had no time to dwell on it.
“You’re dead. I’m going to destroy your stupid life today.”
I scrambled backwards, my heartbeat pounding in my ears. My hand slipped on the slick floor as I frantically dragged myself around the counter, the knife clenched in my other fist.
With the maniac gleam in his eyes, killing and burying me would be a piece of cake. He was angry, veins popping out, and he didn’t seem like a sane type of person.
My hand trembled as I fumbled for my phone, slick with blood. My mind raced, searching for someone—anyone—who could help.
Theon.
His name crashed into my thoughts, clear and undeniable. He was my only hope in this town.
I unlocked the phone, desperately scrolling through the messages, my breath coming out in ragged gasps. His number wasn’t saved, but I remembered the time he texted me—that night. My hands shook violently as I found it and presseddial,hoping beyond hope he would answer.
But the second my finger hit the screen, I felt the man’s hand clamp around my wrist. I gasped, and my phone slipped from my grasp, clattering to the floor, spinning out of reach.
I swung my other hand, hauling the knife wherever. It connected with his flesh, and with a growl, he knocked me away. I hit the floor, immediately reaching for my phone.
He was on the line! It went through. I began to ramble into it without lifting it from the floor.
“The–Theon...Theon...Theon...I—” His leg knocked the phone away from me just as he grabbed the back of my neck, pulling me to stand.
The door burst open, a roar echoing through the room. “What’s the meanin’ of this?”
I jumped, realising Granger had stormed in with his friend. My shoulders loosened, a wave of relief passing over me just as he released his grip on me, his eyes burning into his grandpa. The air thickened with hostility. Granger’s friend slipped away quietly, sensing the tension between the two men as their glares locked, unyielding.
From the corner of my eye, I saw the friend kneel, picking up my phone with a soft sigh. His gaze shifted to my hand, a flicker of pity crossing his face. “I’m sorry, child,” he murmured, his voice heavy with concern. “Do you want me to take care of this? It looks serious—”
“I’m fine,” I bit out, forcing a tight smile as I took the phone from him. “Thank you.”
Without another word, I dragged myself towards the door, desperate to escape. It was when I got to Granger’s side that he spared me a sorry glance. Understanding, I nodded and walked out, my palm dripping red.
I hissed, my eyes on the gash as I made my way home. Every step sent a dull throb through my hand, the raw sting of the cut on my palm intensifying. My face felt no better, stinging from the slaps. But that was that. I was thankful he didn’t do worse, and I kept telling myself a hot bath and some painkillers would take care of it.
But then I stopped dead.
Across the street, I spotted him—Theon, head bent, phone in hand, his steps quick. He lifted his head, and his body froze when our eyes locked. I could feel his gaze travel over me, lingering on the red imprint across my cheek and the blood trailing down my hand. His face shifted—whatever calmness he had before vanished, replaced with a hard, visceral fury.
I stayed rooted, unable to move as he ate up the distance between us, almost afraid of what might happen next. His anger was palpable, raw and terrifying. His eyes darkened, jaw clenched so tight it looked like he might break his teeth. A muscle ticked in his cheek, and for a second, I thought he was about to explode, the kind of rage bubbling just beneath his skin that should terrify anyone standing too close.
His gaze flicked between my face and the blood on my hand, and he didn’t seem to be breathing. Theon wasn’t just angry—he was furious, his entire body taut with a tension that could snap at any second. He took a step towards me, slow, deliberate, his expression carved from stone. I didn’t move, my body frozen under his gaze.
“Let’s go,” I said, the words rushing out before I could think. My voice was small, pleading.
Because I knew. I knew that if I let him go—if I didn’t stop him—there would be a bloodbath in Granger’s spooky house.
“Who touched you?”
His tone made my breath hitch. I had to admit, there wasn’t any part of this man that didn’t scare me.
