Page 37 of Vaughn

"Where do you think you're running to, Valentina? You may have been able to leave your parents, but how could you leave me?"

"I had to get away." I whisper, trying to knock him loose.

He reaches forward, hooking his hand around my neck, jerking it back so that his lips are at my ear. "I love you, Valentina, how could you leave me?"

I'm shaking, trying not to gag as he runs one of his hands down the front of my body, cupping my breast. "Please stop."

"Let me do it." He insists. "I could show you things you've only dreamed of. Give me a chance."

I'm about to scream when someone turns down the hallway, and he eases off, separating our bodies. I take the chance to run to my cart, and grab it so that I can use it as a weapon if I need to. I'm shaking and shivering as I check out and head to Vaughn's truck.

I thought I was safe, but maybe I'm not safe anywhere. With shaking fingers, I dial Vaughn. His is the only voice I want to hear.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Vaughn

Her voice is quivering in a way I fucking hate. "Just tell me what happened." She called me a few minutes ago, and said the police are there. I'm going out of my mind trying to figure out what the fuck happened between her leaving, and this.

She blows out a breath. "I was in the grocery store, and I saw my uncle..."

"The one?" I question without saying the words.

"The one."

"Did that son of a bitch hurt you?" If he did, I swear I'll murder him with my bare hands. He'll wish he'd never decided to touch his niece. Who does that anyway? How fucking sick do you have to be?

"He touched me, and pressed me against the wall. He cornered me." She says the words in clipped tones.

I hate this. All of it. "I'm going to be there in a few minutes, and I'm bringing a deputy with me. I told you I know most of them. You need to make a report. Who knows what he's done to the rest of your family while you've been gone? He can be stopped, and you can be the one who does it. I'll be right there with you, babe. Let me help you."

"He'll hurt me." She cries, tears streaming down her face.

"He's already done that." I remind her. "He's already made you feel like you can't be safe in your own town. Fuck him. Show him who you are. I've seen the woman you're turning into. She's strong, she's intelligent, and she's ready to stand up for herself."

"I can't do this on my own." She whispers, wiping angrily at the tears.

"You don't have to. I'll be right there with you. Gabby will give me a ride, I know she will. Stay where you are, I'll be there in a few minutes."

It takes longer than I like to get to the store, but Gabby was on board as soon as she heard what was happening. On my way to the store, I call one of my friends who is a sheriff's deputy, and she agrees to meet us there when I tell him what's happening.

"She's going to be okay, right?" Gabby asks, worry evident in her voice.

"I'm going to make sure she's okay, and I'm going to make sure this motherfucker is gone from her life as soon as possible. He's messed with her for the last time."

Both us and the deputy friend I called get there at the same time, and before Gabby puts the SUV in park, I'm out and running for Val. She's struggling to get the door open, and when she does, she collapses out into my arms.

"You're safe." I tell her, stroking her hair.

"I know. I'm so glad you're here."

"So am I."

Val

I'm doing something I should've done before. Making a police report against my uncle. Vaughn sits at my side, holding my hand. "I don't know if I've waited too long."

The cop in front of me, gives me a look. "I'm making assumptions, and you can explain if I'm wrong, but the statute here for sexual assault is ten years if you're over the age of eighteen when it happened, two years if it wasn't."

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