My scalp was on fire, his unrelenting hold too powerful to break free from.
I’d hoped I'd broken his nose, but it still didn’t seem to be stopping him.
You could hear the cars kicking up gravel in the distance and the roar of their engines, as well as sirens closing in. The jackass got to his feet before me, my hair still wrapped around his fist. He landed a kick to my stomach that made me want to vomit.
I tried shielding my middle, but he got off another kick before I could. And then he began dragging me into the trees. Still fighting for all I was worth, I started to scream; he released my hair, but only to land another solid blow, this time to my face.
Stars began to swim in my vision and my body went numb as he pulled me further away from my home and the help that was so damn close.
Two thoughts crossed my mind.
At least my daughter’s safe.
Please find me Huntley.
And then darkness took over.
“Baby, can you hear me?”
Was I dreaming?
Huntley’s voice fluttered to my ears and I soaked in the sound.
“Come on, sweetheart, come back to me.”
I fought to find my way to him. My eyes felt heavy, like lead, but I willed them to open. I didn’t want to be dreaming. I needed to see him.
“Please let him be here,” I muttered.
“I’m right here, honey. Open those beautiful eyes of yours, please.”
The plea in his tone had me slowly blinking and his face came into view.
“Not a dream,” I whispered.
His crystal, green eyes filled with tears. It made my heart ache to see him so sad. I reached out to touch his face, trying to catch the salty liquid as it dripped down his cheeks. He caught my hand, turned it, and pressed a kiss on my palm.
“God, baby.” His voice was full of anguish. “I’ve never been more scared in my life.”
My head was fuzzy, but everything began coming back to me in a flash and I tried lurching up from where I was lying as I called out to Bre frantically. Huntley gently stopped my motion, and I realized then I was on a stretcher in the back of an ambulance.
“Shh, she’s okay,” he soothed softly.
Everything hurt, even my scalp. That’s when I remembered the cruel bastard's hand in my hair.
“Mom. I’m h-here,” I heard Bre’s sweet, shaky voice from outside.
Movement to the right of me had me slowly turning my head. I realized an EMT had been there and I hadn’t even known.
“Who’s riding to the hospital with Miss Roberts?” the guy asked. “We need to get going.”
I hate that name.
I turned to look at Huntley and could see the struggle in his gaze. He lifted up and leaned over me. “She needs you. I’ll be right behind you the whole way.”
It was killing him to get out of the ambulance, but he did it for my daughter. Or more like,ourdaughter. She was becoming his as much as she was mine.
“I love you,” he whispered before kissing my forehead and making way for Bre to get in.
