My blood runs cold as I freeze like a rabbit before slowly turning to look into brown eyes I recognize. My heart thunders wildly in my chest as I yank at my arm, trying to free myself. My nervous system screams in terror, the old fight or flight mode kicking in. It wasn’t paranoia. I’d known this would happen and I’d been an idiot to leave without calling Larry.
“I don’t know you,” I say, my voice shaking, desperate to end this interaction. “Let me go.”
Kevin immediately straightens and steps forward, his eyes narrowed on Ric. “Let her go. She says she doesn’t know you.”
I jerk against his hold harder and his fingers tighten to the point of pain. I whimper knowing there will be bruises there within the hour.
“This isn’t the time for games, Ava,” Ric says. He’s wearing a baseball cap pulled low over his face. But he makes sure I can see the warning in his eyes. “It’s time for you to come home.”
“Like hell she’s going anywhere with you,” Kevin growls. He shoves at Ric, forcing him to let me go and I stumble back, putting distance between us. Kevin prepares to swing, and though he’s not much of a fighter, he’s sweet for trying.
Ric holds up his hands and grins, stopping Kevin in his tracks. “My bad,” he says. “I thought I knew her.”
“You can’t just go grabbing strangers, man. No matter if you know them or not,” Kevin says.
Ric’s eyes flick back to me and my shaking gets worse. Julie and Maria seem to sense my fear and step in front of me, blocking his view. Women always know.
Ric grins. “It was nice seeing you, Ava. I’ll be around.” It’s a threat. I can hear it in his voice. He turns and starts walking back up the street without a care in the world, his hands in his pockets, fucking whistling.
“What the fuck?” Kevin says, staring after him.
“Are you okay?” Julie asks me, watching me carefully.
“Yeah, just spooked is all,” I answer but I’m shaking and sweating and I know I need to get away. I need to do something. He knows. He’ll find where we live and. . . oh my god! Elsie!
“I, uh, I need to make a few calls,” I say.
“I’m not leaving you out here alone in case that guy comes back,” Julie says, looking in the direction he disappeared. “Make the call in the bathroom.”
I nod and she escorts me to the bathroom in the burrito place we’d been going to. The moment we’re in the privacy of the bathroom, Julie levels me with her gaze.
“You wanna talk about it? You and I both know you knew that man,” she says.
I hesitate and then look over at the other stalls. They’re all open. “He’s my. . . ex-husband,” I admit softly. “Well, he hasn’t signed the papers, but. . . my lawyer is working on it.”
Julie’s brows shoot up. “Abusive?” When I nod, she blows out a breath. “Baby girl, you gotta report it.”
“The restraining order didn’t stick,” I say. “He overturned it because he knows the right people. He has too much influence. Apparently, the judge that dismissed it goes to the bar with him every Sunday.”
Julie takes a step back. “Our court system really be out here failing women,” she says, shaking her head. “Look, I’m not telling you what to do, but the way he grabbed you, he intends to come back. Those kinds don’t like when their prey escapes. He didn’t care that you weren’t alone.”
My heart stops. “You’re right.” I pull out my phone. “I’m gonna make a few calls.”
“You do that,” Julie nods. “I’ll be right outside if you need me.”
The moment she’s gone, I dial Elsie’s school. Relief fills me when they tell me she’s safe in class and reaffirm they know there are only two people allowed to pick her up, Tonya and me. The moment I hang up with the school, my finger hovers over Dagen’s phone number. He’d given me his personal number just in case, and I hesitate to use it, but this is important and directly impacts our plan.
“Fuck,” I rasp before hitting the green call button.
Fifteen
Ava
“He’s here,” I say the moment he answers. “He just tried to grab me outside of a restaurant near my office.”
“You’re outside without the security guard?” he growls.
“I’m with three coworkers and we’re only a few blocks from work. I thought it would be safe.”
