Page 12 of Big Red

I beg and plead for them to stop, but it falls on deaf ears. Even though I tried shielding my face, they still managed to get me a few times. I don’t know how much time passes before Vincent pulls Declan off me.

“Come on. We need to go to Dad’s. Michael threatened to take that footage to internal affairs. We need to see if he knows people who can help.”

Declan looks down at me with cold eyes. “If I lose my job, you’re dead!” he seethes.

They storm out of the house, leaving me a broken mess on the floor.

Run.I can hear my dad’s voice.Run, baby girl. It’s time. Don’t let my death be in vain.

I must be hallucinating from the beating. My dad has been gone for a while now. Whatever this is, it's exactly what I need.

Declan has made me fear leaving him for years, but no more. I’m going to take a leap of faith that Cara and Sara can help me. They said they’ve done this before, and I believe them.

Pulling out my phone, I grab the card that Cara gave me out of my back pocket. Dialing the number on the card, it rings a few times before she picks up.

“Hello.”

“Hi, umm... it's me, Alice... from the diner. Help… please,” I croak out.

“Alice? Where are you?”

“At home. Declan and Vincent are pissed they had to let you go. Please.”

I hear rustling in the background. I can’t make out everything that’s being said, but I can hear the sound of a man's voice as he and Cara go back and forth. Suddenly, the man is speaking directly to me.

“Alice, is your husband around?”

“No, he left with Vincent. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause trouble. I have no one else to call, and Cara said not to hesitate to call her.”

His voice turns gentle as he says, “It's fine. We’ll be there soon.”

I want to ask how they know where I live, but exhaustion takes over. My body hurts something fierce.

I hear Cara and Sara speaking to me over the phone, but I can’t muster up enough strength to say anything. Before I know it, the front door is slammed open as men rush inside.

I shrink back in a ball until I see Cara and Sara walk through the door and straight to me. Their eyes harden when they see the state I’m in.

“Can you walk?” Sara asks me.

I try and get up, but wince from the pain of feeling like my back is about to snap in two. The room spins as dizziness takes over. I feel as though I’m about to pass out any second when I hear the deepest voice I’ve ever heard.

“I got her.”

Chills shoot down my spine as I look up to what must be the sexiest man on this planet.

He has shoulder-length black hair and a five o’clock shadow. He has a chiseled jawline, and his hazel eyes are brown, infused with the softest shade of green. I could get lost in those eyes.

I must be losing my mind.

I can’t believe I’m sitting here noticing how handsome this stranger is after what I’ve just been through.

“Be careful, Red. We don’t know what her injuries are,” Sara says.

He grunts as he bends down and, oh so carefully, picks me up bridal style.

From the very second that he settles me against his chest, an aura of safety falls over me. In this stranger's arms, I feel safer than I have in my entire life. It’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever experienced.

He leads me out of the house and to the same truck from last night. Cara runs ahead and opens the back door for him. Whenhe settles me in the seat, our eyes connect as he begins to pull away.

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