Page 60 of Primal

He laughed then stopped. No smile graced his scary face.

“So am I,” he snapped. “It’s time to make your daddy sorry, too.” He closed the distance between us and raised his hand. I flinched, but he only ran his fingers through the ends of my hair.

I was shivering now. Bile rose into my throat.

“Please don’ttouch me,” I whispered.

His hand dropped. Gaze hardened. “I don’t rape,” he snarled, as if he had a code. As if I’d insulted him.

My breath stuttered out, and I wanted to cry in relief.

“I kill.”

Okay, well, that was bad.

“I was waiting for your daddy, but this is better. He needs to suffer like my brother’s going to suffer in his own caged hell. Call him and get him over here. He’ll watch while I put a bullet in your head.”

I shook my head without thinking. I didn’t want to have a bullet in my head. But he must’ve thought I was refusing to call Dad.

“CALL HIM!”

I jumped.

“Okay. Okay. My cell is in my purse on the counter.”

He nodded, waved the gun to indicate I should get it.

I walked back to the kitchen, pulled out my cell. My fingers were so shaky, I dropped it on the counter with a clatter. What was I going to do? If Dad showed up, he would die. We both would. I had to warn him.Something.

“No funny stuff.” He stood across the center island from me. I could try to run out through the garage, butthe door was down. I’d be dead before it made it halfway up. He was blocking the only other exit. “Tell him to come home because the water heater’s broken.”

“It got replaced over the winter,” I said. God, why had I said that? My thoughts and mouth weren’t in sync.

“Fine, then something that brings him here. Now.”

I nodded.

Unlocking my phone, I saw ten texts and three missed calls. All from Cody.

Cody.He could save me.He would survive being shot.He’d said as much after Dad threatened him.

He couldn’t die.

I hit the call button.

“Riley!”

That voice. That deep growl of anger and frustration filled my heart, wet my panties and gave me hope.

“Daddy. I, um, need you to come home. Right away.”

For long moments, Cody remained silent. All I could hear was my heartbeat in my ears. All I could see was the man and his gun.

“What’s the matter, Riley?”

“I broke up with Pete.”

He was quiet again, hopefully trying to figure out why I was sayingthe things I was.

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