I touched the blinds, pulling two slats apart to see better. Something was definitely reflecting the moonlight down there beyond the trees. I let myself think it might just be a scrap of trash or a bottle, but my heart stuttered at the thought of Knox watching me from down below
What if it was him?
What if he could see me now?
I took a step back from the window, convincing myself I was just imagining things. There was still some lingering doubt Knox could follow through. Maybe he wouldn't chicken out completely, but I worried he wouldn’t take this as far as I wanted. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d end it when it got too intense. When I thought of him, I kept seeing the man who still called my mom “Mrs. Rutherford” and blushed when anyone complimented him.
Did I really expect that same man to hold me down and force himself on me until I cried?
With a sigh, I walked over to my dresser and pulled out a thin, sage green tank and matching shorts. Closing the drawer with my hip, I looked in the direction of my closet door, wanting to see my half-naked body in the full-length mirror. But I’d left the closet door hanging wide open when I’d left earlier, per usual.
I took a few slow steps to close it, tucking my sleepwear under one arm as I reached for the knob. The old door creaked, but before it was even halfway closed, a hand shot out of the darkness.
There was no time to even think about what was happening.
Because that big, rough hand locked around my wrist like a vice, and a shadowy figure surged forward, driving me forward with terrifying force. The closet door slammed shut from the impact, and my body crashed face-first into the full-length mirror mounted on the back of it. One arm snaked around my waist while another hand clamped over my mouth, muffling my cry.
I wanted to scream, but I couldn’t.
I couldn't even suck in a breath.
His big hand covered the lower half of my face, and his hard body threatened to crush mine against the glass. The only sound I could make was a strained, desperate whimper against his palm.
Though I couldn’t see him, the unmistakable scent of Knox’s deodorant filled the space around us.
With both hands, I reached for his arm, trying with all my might to pull his hand off my mouth. My nails dug into the skin on his solid forearm, but there was no use. He was far too strong.
How long had he been here, waiting?
“Fucking hell, Hallie,” he growled, his chin pressing hard into my shoulder. His lips touched my neck as he spoke. “I knew you were depraved, but undressing in front of the window so the whole fucking neighborhood could see? You’re a bigger slut than I thought.”
I wriggled and writhed, struggling to catch my breath. My legs shook violently beneath me. I continued to claw at his arms, but it didn't even seem to faze him.
“You deserve every single consequence I’m going to make you take,” he said, pulling my back flush against his chest with a rough shake.
My knees threatened to buckle. At that very second, Knox’s grip around me loosened, and I managed to drop down and slip out of his grasp. It was almost like he was letting me go, but I didn’t have time toquestion it. I had mere seconds to make an escape, dodging away from his outstretched hand to crawl away. Though he managed to grab me by the hair, I rose to my feet and slipped away, crying out when a few strands came loose in his fist.
“Get away from me!” I broke into a run, the old, rough carpet practically burning against my bare feet as I sprinted into the dark living room past the tower of unpacked boxes. I made the split-second decision to duck behind the leather armchair in a dark corner.
The front door was right there.
It would've been my escape, but I’d turned the opposite direction.
Knox’s heavy footsteps made the floorboards creak as he entered the room. He wasn’t running. He didn’t have to. I tried as hard as I could to be still and quiet, but I knew he could hear my ragged, shaky breaths all the way across the room. “Oh, Hallie,” he said, his voice low and ominous.
He took a couple of slow steps toward me.
“You really thought you could hide from me?”
Another step. My body trembled, my knees shaking on that scraggly, thin carpet.
There was another heavy footstep in my direction, and I heard Knox clear his throat. “You should’ve run for the door when you had the chance, you little whore,” he said, sounding downright villainous.
Those boots inched even closer to the chair, and for a couple of seconds, he paused. I held my breath, feeling like this was my final moment of freedom. Of safety. There was no part of me that doubted his capabilities now. This man wanted to do sadistic things to me, and panic rose in my chest.
Knox took one more step, and suddenly the leather chair lifted away from me. He flipped it over like it was weightless, tossing it out of theway so he had full access to me. There was a whoosh of cool air in its absence.
I scrambled to crawl away from him, but he was too quick. Too strong. With a maniacal, humorless laugh, he bent down, clamping both his hands around my ankles before dragging me toward him. “Got ya.”
