Page 119 of Dozer

I grabbed my keys and popped open the door. “I’ll hurry.”

The grass needed mowed, and mail filled the box. Later. I promised to be quick. Unlocking the door, I rushed into the kitchen.

Hair prickled along the back of my neck. I paused and listened. Nothing but quiet. I rushed into my room and startled. The bed was gone. Only one person I knew would have come to take care of my disaster. Dozer. I loved him even more.

I rushed to the closet and squatted on the floor. I remembered keeping a beach bag in the back. I leaned in and grabbed it. As I reared back, I bumped into a pair of legs.

Breath instantly gushed from my lungs. I couldn’t move. I recognized the polished dress shoes. Fear pumped through me, and I blinked to keep tears from my eyes.

“Stand up.” The menacing voice grated over my skin, chilling me to the core. So cold, I froze. Just like in the classroom. I couldn’t move.

Metal glinted in the hand hanging at his side. Trembling started in my chest and overtook me.

His fingers fisted in my hair and dragged me away from the closet.

My gaze lifted. The fear was palatable. I’d never seen him so angry or his eyes so wild.

“Two choices, get up and come with me, or we wait for your friend to join us, and I take you both.”

“I’ll go.” Panic surged through me. I scrambled to get my legs under me.

His fingers gripped my neck and squeezed. “This is your fault, Pippa. I gave you every chance to work this out between us.”

I choked, trying to gasp a breath. “We can talk,” I spat out.

“Not here. Let’s go.” He gripped the nape of my neck with his hand and led me toward the back door. With the serrated knife in his right hand, he pointed to where he wanted me to go.

My legs didn’t want to work. I stumbled. He slid the knife into my side, penetrating enough to cut the skin and draw blood. My flesh burned with a hot sear then a flush of wetness. I flinched and gripped my side.

“I’m not afraid to take you in pieces. Next, I slit your throat.” He opened the sliding door.

“I’m not fighting you.” Fear. I couldn’t fight it. It slipped through my veins like fire. I grabbed the edge of the wall with my bloody fingers as he forced me out the door. I stumbled and collapsed to my hands and knees.

“Fuck you, Pippa.”

The sharp bite of his shoe slammed against my ribs, knocking the breath from my lungs. Pain exploded in my ribs as I felt the crack of bone. The force propelled me down the two steps to the concrete patio.

I thought of Dozer. He used pain to harness his anger. I sucked in a breath, fighting the stinging in my chest.

Quinn gripped my arm. Hunched over, I struggled to keep up as he dragged me around the far side of the house.

In the shelter of the neighbor’s hedge, he pulled me to the dark sedan waiting at the curb. I glanced over my shoulder.

“Don’t say a fucking thing, or I’ll gut you here and fuck your friend instead.”

I swallowed the bile in my mouth and focused on Gabi’s profile as her gaze shifted from her phone to the front door. Tears coursed down my cheeks.I love you, I mouthed to her. She wouldn’t hear me, but I hope she knew. I could only imagine how horrible it would be for her when she went into the house and found me gone.I’m sorry.

The door opened, and Quinn shoved me into the front seat. The door closed. He walked around the front of the vehicle. I could run.

I tugged on the handle and slammed my shoulder against the door. Nothing happened. I shoved again and again, bruising my arm but desperate to get away before I lost my opportunity.

Quinn started the car and pulled away from the curb. “You’re not getting away this time, Pippa. We’re going to work this out between us withoutinterference. You’re lucky I’m willing to forgive you for cheating on me.”

“I’m not cheating.”

He slowly dragged the knife along my arm. “You’ll forget about him.”

Never. I gripped my side and pulled away bloody fingers. If I wanted to find an opportunity to fight, I needed him to think I was injured. The cut stung, and my ribs hurt, but I was a Heller, and I would fight.

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