Page 25 of Don't Look Back

Within a few minutes, I feel sleep slowly start to descend over me. I tug Leslie a little closer and let out a soft sigh. I could get used to this.

Chapter 14

Leslie

A low groan has my body tensing and dread filling me. I panic as I try to move out of the arms holding me down, but I can't get away.

Jimmy must’ve found me. He broke into my house while I was sleeping and now, he’s holding me captive.

I flail against the strong body, doing anything to get away from him. I refuse to open my eyes. I don’t want to see him ever again. I don’t want a new image of him haunting my dreams for the rest of my life. I want him gone. All traces of him to disappear from existence.

“Ow! Baby, what the hell?” Colton’s deep voice washes over me and my eyes fly open. He’s rubbing at a red spot on his chest and frowning at me.

“I'm sorry,” I whisper as my bottom lip begins to tremble.

Colt’s been nothing but sweet to me and all I seem to do is hurt him. I'm so worried about Jimmy finding me, I can't even enjoy sleeping in his arms.

“What’s going on?” Colt slides higher in bed until his back is resting against the headboard.

He tugs me closer until I'm straddling his lap. I shake my head, not wanting to tell him anything. The less he’s involved, the better. The last thing I want is Colt becoming the target of Jimmy’s rage.

Colt cups my cheeks and stares deep into my eyes. His bright blue eyes aren’t sparkling with mischief like they normally do. Instead, they’re filled with worry and concern.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I whisper.

“You keep saying that and I'm really starting to get worried.” He wraps his arms around my waist and tightens them until I'm pressed against his chest. I snake my arms around his neck and hold onto him like he’s my lifeline.

The love and care he’s showing me has tears trickling out of my eyes and splashing against Colt’s bare skin. He must notice because he holds me a little closer and buries his face in the crookof my neck.

“You can trust me, sweetheart. But I can't help you if I don’t know what’s going on. You’re scared of something and I need to know what.”

“Why?” I whisper.

“Because it’s hard to protect you if I don’t know what’s after you… Please, babe?”

It’s the second time he’s called me that and it’s making me fall a little harder for the man who refuses to take no for an answer.

I pull back far enough to meet his eyes. He doesn’t waste a second. He’s brushing away any wetness on my cheeks, then he takes my hands in his large ones and squeezes them gently.

“What are you trying to get away from?”

“My ex,” I murmur quietly.

“Did he hurt you?” Though he asks it like it’s a question, based on how his eyes are darkening, he already knows the answer.

“A few dozen times.” I drop my gaze to Colt’s chest, more than a little embarrassed about how Jimmy treated me and how long I allowed it to continue.

“Fucking hell,” he mutters under his breath and squeezes his eyes shut. He takes a moment to composehimself, then he’s lifting my chin until he’s staring into my eyes again. “You know I’d never hurt you, right?”

I nod my head, knowing if I try to talk, I’ll start crying all over again and I don’t want to do that.

“How many times did you try to leave?”

“Fifteen. Each time he came after me. One time he pushed me off the road when the roads were icy.”

“And that made you think of Jenny’s accident,” he murmurs more to himself than to me. “Is that why you wanted me to come back here?”

“A little, but I could also tell you were struggling with that accident. I didn’t want you to be alone.”

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