“Okay, let’s go say goodbye to my wife and then get my son from school.”
Now she was smirking. She didn’t have to say anything for me to know that she’d caught on to my choice of wording: my wife and my son.
Once we made our way back to the front desk, I somehow ended up alone in the car on my way to get Griffin. Patience wanted to take Dusty to go by Capri’s bakery and Brinley’s bookstore before meeting up at home.
So, I stole another kiss from my wife.
And my wife stole Dusty.
Chapter Twenty-Five
PATIENCE
Safe.
Hadn’t it just been a couple of days ago that I thought about how much my friends had gone through and felt thankful I was safe?
As I clawed at the gloved hand covering my mouth, desperately needing oxygen, I wasn’t sure I knew what that word meant.
Things had been going great. Dusty and I were enjoying a little girl time before we headed home. I’d taken her to Brinley's bookstore and Capri’s bakery, which were side by side, so she could check them out.
We laughed at our new friend’s antics as she joked about the romance books. Dusty would pick one up, and after flipping through the pages to find the perfect spot—a sex scene, of course—she’d read it aloud. She was a hoot, and the ladies liked her as much as I did.
Before we left, Brinley decided she’d close up and come over to Capri’s with us, then presented Dusty with a gift—two of Alley’s books to take home. We told her she’d lovethem and promised we’d make a romance junkie out of her in no time.
Then, Capri closed her place, and the four of us talked while we stuffed our faces with Capri’s wonderful goodies and drank coffee way too late in the day. By the time we left, it was a toss-up as to whether we would stay wired on caffeine or fall into a sugar coma.
“Let me give you some stuff to take home for Jett and Griffin,” Capri said before we could leave.
“I can’t promise it will make it there,” Dusty teased.
Brinley gave us hugs goodbye before running off to use the restroom, and I told Dusty to grab the treats while I headed outside to call Jett to double-check on dinner. He’d mentioned grabbing stuff, but I wanted to be sure in case we needed to pick anything up.
I walked out the door into the early evening light, the area quiet since most stores closed by six on a Monday, and we’d surpassed that a bit. As I headed toward the corner where my car was parked, I rummaged through my purse for my cell and pulled it out.
Stopping next to the passenger side of my vehicle to dial, I paid no attention to my surroundings. It was a good area, and it wasn’t dark.
I had no reason to be scared.
Why would I when?—
My feet suddenly left the pavement as a gloved hand covered my mouth while another wrapped around my waist, dragging me backward around the side of the building. I kicked my legs, twisting and wiggling to try and free myself as I clawed at the hand that covered my face.
Unable to scream or barely breathe, panic rose as the front of my body was slammed into the brick building, my forehead crashing against the hard surface and causing stars to dance across my vision. The large figure behind me cagedme in, and fabric—maybe from a mask—brushed my cheek as a deep, muffled male voice began to speak into my ear.
“Don’t try to?—”
Strong arms that were around me seconds ago were gone; a thud and deep grunt sounded as my body dropped to the ground, my knees smashing against the concrete. Excruciating pain raced up my legs, the vibration of the impact felt throughout every part of me.
That same voice from a second before yelled, “What the fuck!”
Another thud and grunt echoed in the alley. “You’re going to think what the fuck even more in a second, asshole!”
Is that Dusty?
My heartbeat pounded in my chest, the sound pulsing through my head, and I couldn’t quite focus on what was transpiring. Panting for breath, I almost missed the crunching noise and scuffle of retreating feet before someone was on the ground next to me.
“Patience. Are you okay?” Dusty’s voice was filled with anger and concern as she peeked around me, my body still faced toward the wall. “Shit, you’re bleeding.”
