Page 23 of In His Veins

“Sorry, I had to look it up again. They just got an ID on him apparently. His name was Nathan Forts.” My body feels both hot and cold as undeniable dread settles over me, making me run to the bathroom and vomit in the only available stall. The other people using the bathroom hurry to leave. I can’t deny it anymore. The man who saved me in the alley is targeting me somehow, or at least people associated with me.

My legs quiver as I walk back on the sales floor, but I make myself perform my closing routine like normal. I’m getting ready to lock the doors when Sarah runs up to me.

“Ava! Ava, I’m so sorry but my dad just called me. He said my mom has been in a lot of pain since yesterday and they just called an ambulance to get her. I know the other closer called out tonight, but I really have to go.” I feel a pang of unease at having to close the store by myself, but brush off her concern.

“Things happen, I totally get it. I hope your mom is okay.” She gives me a quick hug and thanks me before running into the parking lot. I lock the rest of the doors and begin doing the final walk around the store when the timed lights begin turning off. The closing routine takes longer when it’s just one person, and I nearly jump out of my skin when I check every fitting room to ensure that it’s empty.

I’m almost done with my walk when I hear footsteps on the other side of the store, freezing and holding my breath to listen closer. Not hearing the sound anymore, I start walking toward the breakroom. Halfway there, I hear the sound again.

The footsteps are unmistakable as they get closer than before. I grab my keys from my locker, keeping my head on a swivel as I walk toward the exit closest to my car, so focused on looking for someone hiding in the clothing racks that I don’t notice the man standing in front of the doors before it’s too late.

He’s wearing dark pants again and a dark sweatshirt. The hood covers his face, but there’s no mistaking that he towers over me. I take a single step back, but it’s as if I set off the hunt instincts of a predator and he sprints toward me. My survival instincts finally kick in as I flee towards the women’s department, zigzag through the racks and manage to gain some distance.

Running toward the exterior door, sparing a glance behind me, I hope I lost him, only to turn back and see him waiting for me ahead. Pivoting to the opposite direction, I knock over racks of bras and lingerie in an attempt to trip him. I glance behind me again to see him leap over the fallen clothes like a professional hurdler.

My lungs burn, and I can’t help but feel like he’s letting me run away and will catch me whenever he feels like it. I sob at the hopelessness of the situation but keep running.

The home goods section has pillars of merchandise scattered throughout, and I again try to zigzag through the section to get some distance. Hearing him close behind me, I grab a frying pan from a shelf and hurl it in his direction. He lets out a grunt as it makes contact. I grab another pan and try again, but it flies wide, ricocheting against a display shelf.

Frantically brainstorming places to hide within the store, I realize there are several, but I can’t outrun him. My legs are tired and there’s nowhere to go. The perfume counter is in front of me, so I plan to run around it, but he catches up to me.

He grabs the back of my shirt, whipping me around so that my back is to the counter. He’s taking deep breaths, and I’m momentarily proud that I put up such a good chase. That brief pride swiftly vanishes as I finally take in his face. The hood of his sweatshirt has fallen down, revealing thick, dark waves of hair. His eyes are a deep color, but it’s impossible to tell the exact shade in the darkness of the store. His lips are full and parted as he catches his breath.

He’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. Too bad he probably wants to kill me.

“You could have just carted me off in the alley, too, you know. You didn’t have to cause such a scene by chasing me throughout the store.” He furrows his brows and stares at my lips as if he can’t believe they made such a sound. I’m suddenly aware of how close he is to me. His hands are braced on the counter, pinning me there. I can feel every hard plane of his body against me. Even though I’m terrified, a dark coil of desire settles in my stomach. He’s still staring at my lips when he responds.

“You infuriate me.” His voice is deep, and I feel like I could drown in it. It takes a moment for his words to register, but when they do, indignation overcomes any sense of desire.

“Me?” I ask, exasperated. “You’re the one stalking me!” If I hadn’t been studying his face, I might have missed the ghost of a smile on his full lips.

“Believe it or not, I’m trying to look out for you. But you defy me at every opportunity.”

Anger, pure undiluted anger, boils in my mouth and spills from my lips. “Defy you? I think the fuck not. I have no idea who you are, and even if I did, I’m not in the business of submitting to a man like you.”

“Oh, but you love to submit, don’t you? I’ve seen it for myself.” I gasp at the implication but I forge on.

“Why did you kill those men?” Another small smile. It feels like he’s telling me a secret with those smiles, and I hate myself for wanting more of them.

“You’re so sure I did?” I snort.

“You’re the one who’s obsessed with me, so I think it’s a pretty safe guess.” He doesn’t answer for a long moment as he scans my face. I find myself wishing I had more light so I could see the color of his eyes.

“I killed them for the same reason. Each dared to lay a hand on you. The first, died a violent, and extremely painful death, as he deserved. The second was to teach you a lesson.” My mouth is agape in horror. I don’t regret Eliott’s death, but Nathan?

“Nathan didn’t deserve that and neither did I. You don’t have ownership over me!” My voice breaks and I am suddenly terrified of this man again. He leans close enough that when he speaks, I feel his breath on my mouth.

“Did you like the way he touched you?” I want to ruin this man. In my rage, I give a stupid, thoughtless, answer. I stand on my tiptoes so that my lips brush against his as I speak.

“Yes.” He lurches forward, the sound of glass breaking is followed by the scent of a warm, spicy cologne filling the air. He holds a shard of glass at my neck, blood dripping down his palm.

My panties are damp, and I beg my body to stop reacting to this man. Despite my best efforts, I have never been more attracted to someone. Shard to my throat, I gaze up at him.

“And how wouldyoutouch me?” I don’t know where the words came from. I’ve never spoken to anyone like this, and I’m terrified yet thrilled by the violent light in his eyes.

He spins me around again, briefly abandoning the shard of glass. He doesn’t bother with the button of my pants as he rips them down. I hear threads snap, but can’t find it within me to care about ripped clothing as he forces my legs apart.

I feel his cock against my ass for a moment before he bends me over completely. My torso is against the perfume counter as he pushes himself into me in a single thrust. The force causes me to cry out, but I’m dripping down my thighs as he pounds into me. The power of his thrusts drives my pelvis into the hard edge of the counter. My hands flail, and I reach out for purchase, instead feeling the remainders of the broken glass. I search for a larger shard, hiding it under my palm.

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