Page 61 of Wickedly Tainted

Iwouldn’tallow him to take me.

All of my memoriesflashed back to me in a rush. Starting with the first time Jasonheld me from behind and I hadn’t been able to fight him off. Thencame Tom holding a gun to me as he gripped me harshly. Vince wasnext in the long line of men that tried to take advantage of me ina vulnerable state. Last was Damon, but I didn’t feel helpless whenhe had done it. No, he had done it to help me learn to protectmyself.

I took as deep abreath as I could as I planted my feet firmly, just like Damontaught me. I used all my strength to lean forward, bringing Jason’sfeet off the ground.

“Jill?” Damon’svoice sounded closer as I bent forward as far as I could.

Jason growled andsqueezed me even tighter, but it was too late.

I pushed up and offmy feet, flipping over and taking my abuser with me. He landed witha thud and I heard him sputter as his breath was knocked out ofhim. I spun just like Damon showed me, only this time I wasn’tgoing to pull my punches.

I crouched on hischest and pulled the knife up and over my head with both arms. Iwatched his eyes go wide with shock as I screamed and slammed theknife down as hard as I could. My aim was dead-on as the blade hithard resistance before sinking into his chest.

My breath shudderedout of me as I looked down at the man that had tormented my nightsfor years. His eyes were still open when he took his last breathbefore he went limp. I shook as I covered my bloodied hands over mymouth to stop the sob that tried to escape.

“Jill!” I heardDamon’s voice as he ran into the kitchen and slid across the groundto get to me. I glanced up into his chocolate eyes as I quivered.He searched me for evidence of any injury. He studied the blood allover me before looking down at the body that lay beneath me.

He looked on theverge of rage as he held his hands out to me. I released a harshbreath that ended in a cry as I flung myself into his arms. I couldfeel the sticky warm blood all over my arms and legs as I graspedonto him.

I shook as he called911, before he picked me up, cradled me to his chest, and walked usout of that house.

ChapterTwenty-Eight

Six Months Later

I smiled brightly atthe older woman that sat across from me, as the man I was madly inlove with sat next to me. He squeezed my hand and I glanced at himwith a knowing smile before leaning in to give him a quickkiss.

“You look likeyou’re doing well, Jill.” Dr. Yorker grinned at me over herglasses. I turned my gaze away from Damon as I smiled at the doctorwho had helped me so much over the years.

She was correct inher assumption of me doing great. It took some time, but I feltbetter now than I ever had in the last sixteen years.

After thealtercation with Jason, Damon had called the police and they’darrived within minutes. I was promptly taken to the hospital to beevaluated, despite my protesting. Damon had refused to take no foran answer. He wouldn’t even let us take the car. He had marchedright up to the ambulance with me in his arms and told them todrive. It was just my luck that Reid happened to be the one on callthat night.

Soon I was in the ERsurrounded by all the people I loved. Kate had flown through thedoors with both Heath and Lindsey in tow. Then, Emily had shown uplooking like she had been run over by a train.

I’d been in shock atthe time but I still remember when the doctor had asked everyone toleave the room. Damon had flat out declined to leave my side and hehadn’t budged. When the nurses threatened to call Security, he hadsimply flashed his badge and everyone had gotten quiet. Needless tosay, he stayed in the room with me the whole time.

I had gotten X-rays,tox screenings, and a nurse had helped me wash all of Jason’s bloodoff. They had, in fact, found a large amount of Ambien in my systemfrom the wine Jason had spiked. The doctor explained to me thatthat drug did have the horrible side effect of producing nightterrors. She explained that some complaints about the drug includedthe users’ inability to move upon waking. It was clear the nightterror had been real.

The fact that all ofit had really happened left me very unsettled, to say the least.How easily he had been able to drug not only me but Damon too was ascary thought. Damon had felt guilty after hearing what had reallyhappened, even though he had been unable to do anything aboutit.

After the doctor hadreturned with my scans, she proclaimed I was fit to go home at anytime. I had some severe bruising but nothing had been broken, thankgoodness.

I was still shakingand out of it when Damon promptly whisked me away to his privateoasis. My house had been labeled as an active crime scene, so Ihadn’t been allowed to return to it for a long while after. Thathad been fine with me, though. I could have waited ten years to goback there and it still would have been too soon.

Damon had taken histime that night. He’d soothed my achy soul with his lovingministrations. We hadn’t slept at all that night, not wanting tostop holding each other even when our brains tried to shutdown.

“I’m so sorry, Red,”he’d whispered against my hair as the early morning light streamedthrough his bedroom windows. “I should have never left you. Ishould’ve listened to you when you asked me to stay.” He trembledas he spoke.

“None of this isyour fault, Damon.” I’d looked up into his eyes. “Jason would havemade his move against me whether you had been there or not. He waspsychotic and there was no way you could have known he would goafter me in the first place,” I whispered against his neck as Iburied my face there, breathing him in deeply.

Damon said nothingas he held me tightly. I knew he was having a hard time taking mywords for what they were.

I rose above himafter that and straddled his hips, still in the robe the hospitalhad sent me home in. I traced the hard lines of his face as I gazedat his frown. I leaned forward and kissed the crease between hiseyes and then his harsh lips. I’d kissed all over his face until hefinally sighed against me, squeezing my bottom as he did.

I’d kissed himdeeply and begged silently for him to move his mouth with mine.When he did with a long, tortured groan, I melted against him. Ipulled back from him enough to pull the knot on the robe free andexposed myself to him before crashing my lips back to his.

He squeezed my hipsbefore letting his hands travel upward. When he came to my ribs, Iwinced as he lightly ran his fingers over the bruise that marred myskin. He pulled back with a hiss as he looked over my body. I lethim explore and watched his eyes assess the damage he foundthere.

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