Page 37 of Babydoll

And then I hear the door and boot clomps. “I got the order, asshole!” Slash yells. “Preach says I get to fuck her and mark her ours. All but her face. So screw you.” He laughs like a teenager who’s just schooled his best friend at some video game.

I move on wooden legs to get his beer. My eyes flick to the window, a blip of hope doused before it even starts. The window has bars. A large thump has my eyes darting back to the living room. Beer in hand, I move to the doorway to see a slumped Slash on the floor. My eyes flick up from his form and widen.

Jeff. He stands there, eyes wild, staring for five beats before he speaks. “Well, babydoll, I’d say it’s time to go.”

I clamp my lip between my teeth and for once don’t hold back the stinging behind my eyes. I rush him, launch myself into his arms and wrap my legs around his waist, ignoring his shockedoomph.

“Daddy Grizz,” I whisper and press my mouth against his. He kisses me back and I swallow a small groan at the pain in my cheek before he pulls back. His eyes, those gorgeous brown wells of care, fill with empathy.

“Let’s get you out of here before Slash wakes up.”

I nod and he sets me on my own two feet, grabbing my hand and pulling me behind him. I stop, yank my hand free and then turn back to Slash, kicking him as hard as I can in the ribs where I know he’ll feel it later. Grabbing my purse, I rush back to Jeff and grab his hand. “Now we can go.”

He huffs a laugh but doesn’t waste another second.

“How?” I blurt as we move through the house to the door.

“No time, babydoll. Let’s get you safe.”

Jeff’s steps falter and I look up to see Python, standing like a brick wall in the driveway. His thick arms are crossed, but thenhe looks at Jeff and his head cocks ever so slightly to the side as if he’s just recognising him, which is weird… They know who he is. They were going to use him to get me to talk, and there was that whole scuffle in the parking lot at the factory.

Python looks to me, snapping me out of whatever thought spiral I was heading down. His eyes land on my cheek and his brow wrinkles slightly before smoothing to an impassive state. Jeff tugs on me, but Python stops us with his big anaconda arm.

“You’re going to have to hit me,” he says. “And you better make it count.” He tosses Jeff… some brass knuckles? Both Jeff and I look at each other, but only for a second, then he slips his fingers into the metal finger holes and knocks Python out.

I blink at the big man splayed across the concrete drive, but Jeff tugs on me again.

“Come on.” This time he succeeds in getting me moving and we head for his truck parked under the streetlamp—the Grizzly Security emblem emblazoned on the side. I look back at Python. Still on the ground, but starting to rise, he nods. Wiping the blood from his mouth he gets to his feet and heads inside.

“What the hell was that?”

Jeff yanks open the door of his pickup, puts his hand on my ass and shoves me inside. I practically fly up and onto the seat and before I can even right myself, he’s plopped onto his side of the bench.

“Dunno. Don’t care. Seatbelt. Now.” He turns the ignition and peels out of there before I can click the belt in. I grab the door and hold on as he drives like a stuntman on the set of Fast and Furious. Several minutes pass before I can summon the ability to speak.

“Where are we going?” I say breathlessly, my eyes wide and my knuckles white against the door.

“Someplace safe,” he answers distractedly, doing a shoulder check and weaving across three lanes to get to the freewaycutoff. He takes a second to glance at my face and I must look terrified because he suddenly reaches out to take my hand in his. “You’re okay. Just breathe.” He squeezes, his large warm fingers enveloping my icy ones.

I nod and he looks back at the road for a few seconds before finding my face again. He scrutinizes, assesses, I don’t know, but it’s intense. I’m not sure if he’s looking at my battered cheek or reading my mind.

“Watch for anyone following.”

I nod and obey as he exits the highway. I see nothing suspicious, but I’m pretty sure he’s just giving me this job to keep me busy, and I appreciate it because I’m freaking the hell out.

I think ten minutes or so pass before he releases my hand to reef hard on the wheel, turning us down a dirt road with large evergreens and towering oaks. From there we take several abrupt turns, each taking us into thicker forest with more remote dirt roads and darkness. Without a car in sight, my anxiety lessens, but only slightly as I’ve never been a fan of the dark.

“I think we made it,” I say, but I’m not even sure what that means. I don’t know where we go from here. Python saw Jeff’s truck—the emblem. But then, he protected me and let us go, so does that even matter?

“My family cabin’s out here.” Jeff slows the truck a little and places his warm palm on my leg to rub. “You okay? Your face? Your… They didn’t touch you, did they?”

The words are barely out of his mouth before I blurt, “They didn’t… no.” I get a flash of the condoms in my mind’s eye and panic wells in me. My chest fills with pressure, anxiety crowding my lungs until I’m chasing after each breath.

Pull your shit together!I give my head a shake and just start yapping.

“I’m good. Just a few little slaps.” Nervous chuckle. “Not the kind I prefer, but I’ll live. Wink, wink.” I add the last part to lighten him up or maybe it’s to direct the conversation away from what happened. Make it seem less serious. Less terrifying. I try to swallow a dry patch in my throat, but it just constricts. And once more, I’m chasing oxygen. Nope, nope, nope. I can’t. Can. Not.

I start rambling again, my words coming out too fast.

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