Perfect Rage (Unyielding 3)

I snarled. “What the fuck do you want?”

The screen went black.

“Where is she?” I shouted, looking around the room for the guy, but he was gone.

I hadn’t heard him leave because I’d been too focused on the video.

What did Alina have to do with me being here? How did they even know about Alina and me? Why did they care?

The screen lit back to life and her sobs started over again.

And again.

And again.

Even when I couldn’t watch it anymore, I heard her.

I fuckin’ heard her.

Hers cries echoed. Her words. The constant barrage of hatred, pain and despair tearing through me over and over again.

No. She was mine. I was supposed to protect her.PresentI HADN’T SEEN or heard from Connor since he’d shown up and we’d had sex. It had been a month and I felt every single second he’d been gone.

My heart skipped a beat every time I heard a motorcycle. I jumped when someone came up behind me and I constantly searched for him in the shadows of the bar. When I couldn’t sleep, I stood on the porch, hoping he’d come.

He didn’t.

Work was my savior. I took extra shifts when I could and the bar was usually busy, especially Wednesday to Saturday when Matt had bands playing.

I visited the Center with London once a week, and discovered how much I enjoyed interacting with the animals. I loved how honest they were and if they didn’t like you, you knew it.

I considered adopting a cat, an older one who needed a home. Something permanent. Something to love and care for and who’d love me back.

The goat, Rocket, was almost as cute as Bacon, but way more mischievous. He was impossible to contain because he’d get on his belly and wiggle under the fences. Even with only three legs he was agile.

If he was in a stall, he’d fiddle with the latch until it opened; for safety reasons, locking him in wasn’t an option. So, Rocket roamed free on the property, but he never went far as he’d formed a strong attachment with Bacon.

He wasn’t a problem until he jumped on the hood of Kai’s car.

London and I were in the barn when it happened. We heard a car door shut and then, “What the ever living fuck?”

Then there was a loud bleat and a rhythmic pitter-patter like tap shoes on metal.

When we came outside, Kai stood in front of his car in a stylish, dark blue pin-striped suit staring at Rocket who was staring at him while standing on the hood of his car.

“Get off,” Kai growled, but he made no move toward the goat.

Rocket stomped his hoof and since he only had one front leg, it meant he reared up, then he bleated. I winced because if you spoke goat, that was definitely a ‘make me’.

Kai didn’t say anything for a minute as they stared at one another then he grunted.

Then he chuckled.

He chuckled.

And that worried me because no man would chuckle and be that calm when his car was being trampled on by a goat. This was Kai though and he liked to throw people off as to what he was really thinking.

London leaned into me. “I think he’s impressed by Rocket’s bravery.”

“I’m not so sure. There’s a goat on the hood of his car.” A really expensive, beautiful car.

London nodded. “And he does love that car.”

Over the last month, I’d slowly warmed up to Kai and the reason was because I saw how he was with London. And that man didn’t love his car. I’m sure he liked it, but he didn’t care about it. All he loved and cared about was London.

The goat bleated again.

It was like Rocket laughed at him.

London laughed, too. I wasn’t so sure that was a good idea.

Kai walked toward us. “Babe. You can forget getting a pet.”

London asked, “What about a cat?”

I winced when hooves clonked. Rocket had leapt onto the roof.

Kai looked over his shoulder. “I swear he’s doing that on purpose. One dent and you know what happens to that goat.”

London smiled. We both knew Kai would never hurt the goat. She stood on her toes and kissed him. It was sweet because no matter how pissed he was, Kai still wrapped his arm around her, brought her into him and kissed her back.

And, yeah, my chest ached seeing it because I missed having that. Each day that passed, the hope that Connor would return faded, but the hurt didn’t. It hurt just as much as the first day, maybe more because with each day I missed him more and I worried more.

“How were classes? You feeling better today?” he asked, leaving the subject of the goat in order to find out how her day was.

“Feel great today. Classes are hard, but good. I didn’t realize how much I missed being in the lab. I’m going back later tonight to do some research.”