Maybe if I can convince him to give me a chance, that I’m willing to do things his way, he’ll calm down and I’ll have a chance to get away.
A fool’s chance for Matthew to realize I’m gone.
To find me.
Does he realize I’m missing? Is he out there looking for me?
If so, he probably feels guilty as hell. Thinks that this is somehow his fault, when it couldn’t be further from the truth.
But what if he doesn’t know? What if nobody realized I’m missing, and I’m left to figure it out on my own?
“No, you can’t,” he grinds out, tugging my hair harder. Dark, perverse pleasure shines on his face. “You’ve shown me that time and again. But this time will be different.”
His other hand slides down my neck. Revulsion spreads through me at his touch, making the bile rise in my throat as his fingers wrap around it.
“I’ll be b-better. P-please.”
His fingers tighten around my neck, squeezing lightly.
My lips part, tears blurring my eyes.
This can’t be happening.
But it is.
And there is nothing I can do to stop it. Stophim.
He leans down, crushing his mouth against mine as he straddles me. I can feel his hard-on pressing against my belly as he assaults my mouth with his.
Disgust and fear make me gag, and I can feel the burning in my throat.
I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to dissociate. From this moment. From the feel of his body pressing into mine. Trying not to think about what he might do to me…
A softbeepsounds in the air.
It’s so soft, I think I must have imagined it, but then he pulls back and grabs his phone out of his pocket as he bites hard into my lip. “Don’t go anywhere.”
Panic raises inside me at his words, at the implication of what’s coming. I rub my wrists, trying to get free as tears blur my eyes.
“He’s coming for me. Matthew will find me and?—”
My words are cut off as he backhands me again, fiery tingles spreading through my cheek as white spots dance in my vision.
“Shut up!” Aiden yells in outrage, pure hatred shining in his eyes. “He’s not taking you from me. I’m going tokillhim for putting his hands on what’s mine. Nobody is taking you from meagain.” His fingers dig into my chin as his spit splatters over my face. “Do you hear me? I’m going to kill him.”
Unadulterated rage seeps from his every word. Fear paralyzes me. I’ve never seen evil staring at me like that.
He’s lost his mind.
Then thatbeepsounds again. He glares at me for a moment longer before his gaze falls on his phone, and he curses loudly.
“Fucking hell.”
His balled fist slams next to my head.
“They know.”
I suck in a sharp breath at the sudden impact. At the fury and madness shining in his eyes as he glares at me. “Wh-what?”
