Page 79 of Sheltered by the Lawman

He dropped his briefcase down onto the floor and it landed with a loud thump. Anger covered his features. “So, he gets an “I miss you” and I can’t even get you to look at me.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Burke, did you have a bad day?”

He laughed but it was raw and angry. “A bad day? Would you care?” He crossed the room, poured himself a scotch and emptied the tumbler to fill it back up.

A flash of a memory swept through her brain. Burke. A glass. It shattered on the wall. Did he have a temper? “I made some dinner. I thought we could sit down and talk.” She rounded the counter and started to plate the steak when he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her against him. She felt his erection through his pants. All she could feel was revulsion and guilt.

He nuzzled his nose in her hair. “Come on. Let’s go to bed. I need you,” he muttered.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not ready,” she admitted. “Let’s eat.” She grabbed both plates and moved away from him, but he gripped her elbow which made her drop one plate. It shattered on the floor. “Burke, what’s wrong with you?” She looked at him with narrowed eyes.

“What’s wrong with me? Are you kidding? You’re my fiancé. I want you and I should have you!”

Fear trickled down her spine. “And I’m telling you I’m not ready.” Overstepping the broken glass, she didn’t bother cleaning it up. She needed some space between the two of them. “You have to be patient.” But on the other end, she knew she’d never feel the same about him.

“Patience? I’ve been patient. Let me ask, did you sleep with the lawman?”

“Burke...” She turned to walk away but he was on her, clutching her shoulders and roughly turning her around.

“Did you fuck the lawman?” he ground out.

“I won’t talk to you when you’re acting this way. I’m going to the bedroom and I suggest you sleep off your drunk,” she said through tight lips.

“Like hell you will.” He grabbed her, this time ripping her shirt at the shoulder.

“Don’t touch me again! I’m leaving!” She didn’t know who this monster was, but he scared her.

“Leaving? You think you will. Over my dead body,” he slurred.

She felt both his hands on her, then he pushed her to the floor. She felt a sting on her elbow, but she reacted with a swift kick to his knee, sending him down as well. She scrambled to get back up and made it to her feet, but he was quick, seizing her ankle and knocking her down.

He climbed atop her, pressing her chest and cheek into the hardwood. He was heavy and she could barely breathe.

“Why are you doing this?” She could barely talk. Pain reverberated through her body.

“I’m tired of the amnesia act, sweetheart. We both know you remember how you left me, disappearing into the night. I’ve looked for you for six long months. You thought you could shack up with some fucker in the country and I’d never find you?” He laughed and it hurt her ears. “You’re mine and the sooner you realize that, the easier this will all be.”

“You’re wrong! I don’t remember you, but I’m quickly realizing why I left you from the start. Get off me. I won’t stay here with you!” She sipped at her breaths, trying to fill her lungs. When he finally lifted off her, she sucked in a deep breath. She rolled over and pushed herself a few feet away, scrambling to get off the floor. He was quicker and grasped her hair, his fingers woven in the strands. She tried to fight but each time she struggled, she heard roots rip from her scalp and pain washed over her head.

He dragged her down the hall, gave her a push into the bathroom and she hit the floor hard. Bringing herself up, she looked at his face and all she could see was pure evil. How could she have fallen for his manipulative attitude? He wasn’t nice. Not at all.

“Stay in here and cool off,” he said through clenched teeth.

“You won’t get away with this!”

“Do you think your hero lawman will come and save you?” He snorted. “He’s probably already forgotten you. Men like him don’t want a half-wit girl like you.” He closed the door and a second later she heard the lock click. How did she not notice that there was a lock on the outside? How could she have been so stupid?

Jumping up, she raced over to the door and tried the knob. She pounded on the door. “Let me out! Now!”

She was met with silence.

Pressing her ear to the door, she listened for any sounds and she heard nothing.

She started pounding harder until her hands ached. Stepping away from the closed door, she hurried to the window and pulled back the curtain. She gave the window a try, but it wouldn’t budge. A nail had been pounded into the wood to keep it from opening.

Tears filled her eyes and her heart slammed into her feet. How did she get into this condition? She should have listened to Cull when he warned her that she needed to be careful. In a hurry to get her memory back, she’d walked right into the wolf’s den.

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