Page 45 of Shadows of Obsession

My whole body screams from pain, but the adrenaline running through my veins is too high, so I manage not to make a sound. I feel some shards of glass in my palm, the pajamas blocking the rest of my body from other cuts.

"You fucking whore, I'm going to have fun with you before I take you to Devin." A sinister laugh echoes in the room.

I force myself away from the chest of drawers, every muscle screaming from the impact.

When I see him pull out the knife, I bolt for the living room. But I'm too slow - he grabs me by the waist and slams me onto the couch, pinning me down with his weight. Something warm and wet seeps onto my chest - his blood from where I managed to hurt him.

Oh God. I'm going to be sick.

Then my front door explodes inward, and for a split second, I feel relief, thinking it's the police. The next sound proves these aren't the saviors I was hoping for. All I see is my attacker jerking backward, a bullet in his left shoulder.

I'm in shock, or at least I think I am, because I can't move from the couch. A couch that's now permanently stained with the blood of a man who I'm sure would have killed me.

"Miss, are you okay?" a voice sounds, and when I turn my head, I see a blond man with the clearest blue eyes I've ever seen.

Fucking THOR broke down my door and saved me. I'm going to need a Xanax tonight.

I try to form words to explain that I'm okay, that he didn't manage to hurt me, not directly at least, but no sound comes out of my mouth. I spent so much time preparing, knowing something like this could happen, and now that it finally did, I'm not capable of forming a few words.

I hear a phone ringing, and I know it's not mine. I get up from the couch just as Thor answers.

"Yes, I'm here. Neutralized."

He hangs up, and I finally turn to him.

“Sorry, but who exactly are you and why are you in my house?”

Because this guy's definitely not a cop, and from his look, he knows I know it.

“Anton, miss. My boss asked me to watch the building.”

He doesn't finish before I realize exactly which boss.

I close my eyes, shiver running through me. Not from fear - from relief. After so long of having no one in my corner, no one protecting me, it feels incredible to have someone on my side.

Even if that someone has gun-toting employees.

“Anton, you want some coffee?” I ask, heading for the kitchen.

The intruder's still sprawled on the floor - if my knife didn't do the job, Anton's bullet definitely hit something vital, judging by all the blood.

He looks at me like I've lost it, probably wondering how I jumped from shock to casual conversation. Guess trauma shows up differently in everyone - in my case, it's wild mood swings, apparently.

“Police will be here soon,” I say, suddenly remembering my phone's on silent in the bedroom. I rush to grab it - sure enough, about a million missed calls from Roxy. I’d better call her back fast.

"Lunaaa, I'm almost there. You don't have to say anything. God, I hope you're well hidden. I told you we should put a secret door in the closet. I'm a couple of miles away." Her voice, crazed with panic, brings tears to my eyes because I feel how much she cares about me.

I know she would fight all my battles just so I wouldn't have to.

"I'm fine. Someone came. I don't have time to explain now, but I'm okay and I'll probably spend all night at the police station giving explanations."

I do everything possible to reassure her I'm fine and don't end the call until I solemnly promise to send her updates every hour.

When I leave the room, Anton is checking my attacker, and I see him putting a kitchen cloth on his shoulder.

"Is he dead?" My voice seems so devoid of emotion.

Although I hesitated to hurt him, I know he deserves what happened to him. I know what intentions he had toward me, and they weren't good. The fact that someone else hurt him is a relief.

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