“All of this happened because you opened your legs,” he ground out and clasped his hands around my wrists, keeping them pinned to the ground. “You’re just like your whore mother.” He narrowed his eyes. “I bet I was the only person you wouldn’t open your legs for.” He thrust his hips forward, and I felt his erection scrape against my groin.
My mind flashed back to over a year ago when he held me in the same position, a knife to my throat, as he tried to tear my clothes off. Only this time, we weren’t in a house full of people. Ford wasn’t here to get him off me and make me feel safe with a lock on my door. No one knew I was here. I had to save myself…
I had to save my baby.
“Hut.” I tried to soften my voice, but the shaky tone was clearly evident in the way his eyes lit up at the sound. “Please, just let me go, and we can go home.” I let my body go limp so he wouldn’t think I was fighting him. “We can go home together.”
He blinked several times and hope spurred me on. Maybe he’d believe me enough that we could make it out of here and back to the house. At least that way I knew where I was. I could formulate a plan when I wasn’t in immediate danger. All I had to do was get him to believe me.
His one hand loosened on my wrist, and I managed to pull in a breath. All too soon, that hand was gripping my face, squeezing so hard I thought he’d crack my teeth. He lifted my head with his one hand and slammed it back down onto the ground. I was sure I saw stars as pain exploded on the back of my head, followed by some wetness.
“No.” His one word destroyed all hope, and when his knife flashed in front of my face, I knew I had a choice to make. “I’m gonna cut the bastard out of you and leave you here to bleed out.” He trailed the knife down my chest and stopped at the top of my stomach. “I’ll leave just enough of you so your boyfriend knows who you are.” He cackled an evil laugh. “And I’m going to enjoy every”—he dug the tip of his knife into my stomach—“second”—I winced at the sharp force and felt the blood trickle over my skin and soak into my T-shirt—“of it.”
The buzzing in my mind made way for complete silence. My mind was blank, and all I had to do was channel that energy.
It was me or him.
And I’d choose me each and every time.
He was focused on watching the blood leak through my clothes from his shallow cut, not concentrating on the fact that he’d let one of my hands go, so I took full advantage and scraped my nails down his face. The shock of it had his hands covering the scratches, and then I had two free hands. I could try and buck him off, but all that would mean was a fight. A fight I didn’t have the energy to take part in. Not when I could have the upper hand.
“I’m gonna kill you!” Hut shouted, looking at me through his fingers. He pulled them away, staring at the blood coating them.
I grinned, lifted my palms, and snatched the knife out of his hand. “Not if I do it first.”
I didn’t think about it, I didn’t hesitate, I let my instincts take over and thrust the knife into his neck, all the way to the hilt.
His eyes widened, a second of shock taking over, and then I pulled it away, letting the blood flow out and coating us both in bright red.
“Wh…” His garbled letters trailed off, and his body rolled off me.
I stood, staring down at him as he clutched his neck, blood escaping through his fingers. And only one thought was going around and around in my mind.
What did I just do?
* * *
BRODY
I twisted the cap off the beer and looked at the time on my cell. One hour until Lola would be here. My stomach was roiling, my palms sweating, and it wasn’t because I’d just moved more heavy furniture into my new house but at the prospect of seeing Lola.
“I like your new place,” Jord said, sitting on the couch next to me. “It’s more you.”
I glanced around, taking note of the light-gray walls and the light wooden furniture, mixed in with a comfy leather corner sofa. “It is.”
Kyle stood in the doorway to the kitchen that was big enough for an island and a dining table, talking to Cade. I wasn’t sure what Cade thought of everything that was going on, but I’d let him choose which bedroom he wanted from the three that were spare. It was no surprise he’d chosen the biggest one.
“So, what happens now?” Ryan asked, crossing his ankles as he leaned against the large window that looked out into my driveway. “You just gonna jump from Moira to Lola?”
Jord snorted. “Did you not hear that he tried to do that already? Lola shot him down.”
I grinned as I moved the bottle to my lips. He was right, she had shot me down, but I was glad she had. This was exactly what I’d needed. To concentrate on myself and Cade for a little while. “She’s coming over in an hour, so all you assholes need to—” The vibrating of my cell cut me off, and I glanced down at it, half expecting to see Lola’s name, but it was Ford that flashed on the screen.
“Ford,” I answered.
“Brody.” His voice was low. “Old man Jack said Hut has been at the warehouse most of the day and he just came back. I think he’s up to something.”
I looked at each of the guys, who were staring at me, paying attention. My shoulders sagged, and I knew we had to go and check it out. It would take us an hour to get there and an hour back, so there was no way I’d be back when Lola got here. I had to make a choice, but in the long run, it was all for her.