The Chase

She folded her hands and tried to gather her thoughts. “You didn’t insist I meet you here for simple conversation. What do you want from me?”

His version of a laugh sent a shudder up his spine. “You promised me cherry pie…”

Maybe if she told him the truth, she would no longer be a novelty and he’d lose interest in the conquest. “I’m not a virgin anymore.”

He managed to arrange his face in a scowl. “That just means I can be rougher when I fuck you.” He leaned forward. “And I’m going to because you’re going to let me.”

She shook her head. “No, I’m not. Never.”

“So you don’t care if they go to prison for you?”

Of course she did, and he knew it. “I can pay you last month’s rent now.”

She’d come clean with Beck and Seth if she had to, beg them to help her make this go away. Anything was better than them suffering the consequences for simply protecting her.

“I don’t want your money. I want your pussy. You’re not worming out of what you owe me. Since your ‘friends’ messed up my face, I’m not getting any action and I’m horny as fuck. So we’re going to stand up, and you’re going to walk out the door with me. I’m going to take you home, cut those scrubs off your tight body, and tie you to my bed. Then I’m going to drive my fat cock in and out of your tiny pussy so many times you’ll beg me to stop. But I won’t. I’ll just keep fucking you and fucking you until you’re all cried out. While I’m doing that, I’m going to take pictures, puta, and send them to the motherfuckers who did this to me.” He gave her a cold smile. “Since I’ll bet they’re the ones who stole my cherry pie, I’ll make sure they know it’s not theirs anymore.”

“Oh, god…” Heavenly’s voice trembled with fear.

If she followed Sanchez, he’d make good on that threat, and Beck and Seth would come to her rescue. She didn’t kid herself. This time the clash would end with someone in a body bag. Heaven forbid, it might be the guys. She’d seen Sanchez cleaning his collection of guns when she’d lived there…

This situation had gone from bad to worse. She pressed a shaking hand to her mouth and tried to breathe through her panic.

Somehow, she had to get out of here, hope that if Sanchez called the police it would be his word against theirs, that there would be no evidence to convict Beck and Seth. Then if she could make the hospital bed situation go away, her odious ex-landlord would have nothing to hold over her head.

How had a day that started with such promise spiraled down so fast?

“Order up for Taylor,” a barista called out.

From the corner of her eye, Heavenly watched a smartly dressed professional in a pencil skirt rise from a nearby table and hurry to the counter. As the woman grabbed her coffee and headed toward the door, Heavenly focused on the huge, steaming cup in her hand.

Heart chugging, she bolted from the booth and pried the paper mug from the other woman’s grip. Sanchez was a mere half step behind her; she felt him closing in.

Despite her trembling fingers, she pried the lid off, then turned and tossed the blistering-hot java in Sanchez’s face. His blood-curdling yell filled the room. People turned. Someone near her gasped. Heavenly didn’t stay around to hear or answer the questions the other patrons started to utter. She shoved her way out the door, racing away from the coffeehouse and down the street as fast as she possibly could.

By the time she reached the hospital, her lungs burned. Her head spun.

Dear god, how was she going to get out of this situation?

She dashed into the ER, headed for her locker, and plucked up the phone, tossing it into her purse. Her hands shook so badly she could hardly retrieve her keys. She wasn’t in any shape to drive, but she needed to get back to Beck’s place and figure out what to do. There must be some solution that didn’t end with the men she loved either in jail or in a grave.

The car ride was a blur. Thankfully, the traffic was lighter than this morning. Still, when she reached Beck’s neighborhood, she found herself racing toward the house, as if somehow being inside the four walls she occupied with him and Seth could keep her safe. She turned onto his street, so grateful the house was almost in sight, and cut the corner too short, almost hitting a mom in a minivan.

With a wave of apology, she finished her turn and set her sights on Beck’s place at the end of the street. She stopped short of gunning the SUV toward it when she saw Seth stepping over the curb and into River’s truck.

Gnawing on a ragged nail, she waited anxiously until the vehicle pulled away. Heavenly knew she should be relieved he was gone. Now she had time to think. Part of her would far rather have thrown herself into his big, protective arms, told him everything, and begged for help.

But they’d been saving her for weeks now. She needed to save them for once.

When she saw them stop at the sign, then turn onto another road, Heavenly jerked the SUV into the driveway and came to a shuddering stop in the garage. Absently, she grabbed her purse before she burst into the house and slammed the door behind her.

Now what? She didn’t have long to solve this problem. She tossed down her purse, worried her locket on its chain around her neck, and began to pace a long path between the front and back door.

Going to Sanchez’s alone wasn’t an option. Calling Raine wasn’t, either. Besides not wanting to drag her pregnant friend into danger, the bubbly brunette no longer kept secrets from her men. The minute Hammer and Liam knew her situation, they’d make sure Beck and Seth knew, too.

What about River? When she’d asked him to take her virginity, he hadn’t told anyone…but he also hadn’t cooperated. Besides, now that River worked for Seth, he would likely be loyal to his new boss. She had to scratch him off her list, too.

Who else did she know? Dean Gorman? She’d spoken with the police officer in passing a few times. But she couldn’t very well ask a cop to break into an apartment she had no legal right to occupy. Plus, according to Raine, he and River trolled clubs and bars together, serving as one another’s wingmen. What were the odds he wouldn’t tell River…who would then tell either his sister or her two men, who would undoubtedly inform Beck and Seth?