Getting to his feet, he put the ring box on the counter and began pacing slowly in front of it, his movements jerky and erratic, like a man barely holding himself together.
She had made a colossal mistake.
“How can you mean that, Juniper?” he growled, his voice rising with each word. “You can’t mean that. That hearing was rigged. Tanner has the judge in his pocket. I know it. I know how these things work in a small town. But it doesn’t matter. You’re meant to be with me. I’ve been patient, waited years for you. I’m tired of waiting.”
The air in the bakery grew thicker, heavier. The cheerful morning light streaming through the front windows now seemed too bright, almost mocking against the tension coiling in the room. Junie could smell the faint sweetness of the vanilla and chokecherries from the kitchen mixing with the sharper, artificial scent of Preston’s cologne. It turned her stomach.
When would Tanner be there? She wanted her Daddy.
Preston stalked around the counter before she could stop him, trapping her between the counter and the wall. She backed up until her spine hit the corner between the two display cases, making them rattle behind her.
There was nowhere left to go. Her heart slammed against her ribs so hard she could feel it in her throat.
Preston grabbed her arms, his grip too tight, fingers digging into her soft flesh. He tried to pull her into a kiss, his face looming close, breath hot against her cheek.
Junie turned her face away desperately, struggling against him, pushing at his chest with all her strength. But he was so much bigger, so much stronger, that it felt useless. His body pressed against hers, solid and unyielding, and the scent of his cologne grew overwhelming, cloying.
“No! Stop!” she yelled, her voice cracking. “Preston, let go. You’re hurting me!”
The front door rattled violently. Tanner’s voice boomed from outside, full of raw fury as he beat his fist against the glass. “Get your hands off her, Lassiter! You’re a dead man. Let go of her!”
Why was he standing outside screaming? Then it dawned on her that the front door was locked. Preston must have locked it behind him when he came in.
Preston’s head snapped toward the sound, but he didn’t release her. Instead, a chilling, satisfied smile curved his lips. He pressed his mouth against hers anyway, hard and possessive. Junie shoved frantically at his chest, turning her head desperately to the side, tears of fear and revulsion stinging her eyes.
The banging at the front door grew louder, more frantic, then suddenly stopped. Footsteps pounded around the side of the building toward the back door, heavy and fast.
Preston cursed under his breath, the word ugly and sharp. “He never could leave well enough alone.” He looked at Junie again, his eyes wild now.
He was truly unhinged.
“Don’t fight me on this, Juniper. It’s going to happen. You’ll see. There’s nothing he can do to keep us apart.”
He released her abruptly. Junie’s legs gave out, and she slid down the wall, the cool wood pressing against the backs of her thighs as herskirt bunched around her hips. The back door slamming open echoed through the bakery like a gunshot.
The bell over the front door rang out again, and she knew Preston had run.
Tanner ran to her, kneeling at her side. “Are you okay?”
“Y-yes, he didn’t really hurt me.” Still dazed, she barely understood what he was saying.
“You stay here, and lock the doors,” said Tanner, then he saw the fingerprint marks on her arms. Tanner roared something she couldn’t quite make out, as he raced out the front door after Preston.
Shivering, she tried to press her skirt down as she stood and moved to the door, locking it. She was alone.
Her arms ached where Preston had grabbed her. She rubbed each arm in turn. She grabbed some napkins off a nearby table and began furiously wiping Preston’s kiss off her lips, going so far as to wipe down her tongue as well, just in case.
She felt dirty, violated, contaminated. Sitting down at the table, she took a deep breath.
Calm down. You’re okay. Everything is okay. What the hell had just happened to her?
The bakery was suddenly too quiet. The only sounds were her own ragged breathing and the frantic beat of her heart thundering in her ears. The cheerful morning light that had felt so warm earlier now felt harsh and unforgiving, illuminating every speck of flour dust in the air.
The forgotten ring box lay open on the floor where Preston had evidently swept it off the countertop when he’d dashed out the door. The diamond sparkled mockingly in the sunlight. Preston’s touch still lingered on her arms like a tick digging into her skin. His cologne clung to her clothes and made her want to gag.
But she was okay. Tanner had stopped him and chased him away. A fresh wave of fear crashed over her.
What if Tanner does something that gets him in trouble? What if Preston hurts him? What if he loses control and?—
