Page 17 of Neighbor DADDY

"Don't make me hurt you, honey. I just want us to be together, like we should be."

His free hand shoots out to grab my wrist, and he pulls me forward against his chest. He smells awful, like he hasn't showered in days, and the feeling of his skin on mine is clammy. Time slows to a standstill as he tries to lower his face to mine, lips pursed.

What would Cam want me to do?I think. The answer is as clear as day.Cam would want me to fight.

And fight I do.

I slam my forehead against his, and he yelps, pushing me away. I run for the door, but Frank is faster than me. He grabs me by the hair, butI fight back like a scalded cat, kicking and screaming. I scratch at his face hard enough to draw blood, and he finally releases me. I can hear sirens in the distance, but I've still got at least a minute before they reach us.

Everything after that seems to happen all at once, but in slow motion at the same time. Frank raises the pistol with a shaking hand, the other hand clasping his bloodied face, but before he can even aim, the basement door flies open and Cam slams into him, hard.

"Go!" Cam yells, trying to wrestle the gun from Frank without setting it off. "Outside, Kelly! Go!"

I run as fast as I can, my pulse thundering. The police car screeches to a halt in the driveway, and two officers jump out, guns drawn. I put my hands in the air, sobbing, and one of them lowers his weapon to intercept me.

"It's okay, miss," the officer says. "You're safe."

"Cam is still inside!" I cry. "You have to help him!"

I know Frank is no match for Cam, but Frank is armed. I'm scared and shaking, and all I want is for my protector to wrap me up in his arms and hold me close.

The other officer runs towards the house, and when I hear the crack of a gunshot, I scream.

The police won't letme back into the house, and when a pair of ambulances roll up, my hysteria only grows. It turns out the ambulance is for me, not for Cam. They insist on checking my vitals and try to tell me I’m in shock, but I don't care about that right now.

"Cam!" I sob. "Where is he? Is he okay?"

"Miss, please calm down," one of the paramedics says. "They'll bring him out shortly."

Shortly feels like an eternity. I keep my eyes glued to the front door of my house, praying for Cam to walk out safely. Finally, it opens, and I see Cam step outside. He looks a little battered, and I can see a bruise already forming on his cheekbone, but otherwise he looks fine.

I sob again, this time with relief, and the paramedic, trying to calm me down, laughs. "Looks like he's fine, miss."

He approaches the ambulance slowly, a grim expression on his face, and my stomach clenches. The joy of seeing him alive and unharmed drains away when I realize he's in cuffs, two cops flanking him, and tears fill my eyes again.

"What happened?" I yell, hoping someone will answer me. Paramedics run into the house, and while Cam is being led to the police car, another figure is brought out on a stretcher. I suck in a breath when I see that it's Frank, unconscious and bloodied.

They rush him to the second ambulance and hop in, doors slamming as they speed away. I stare after them for a long moment before turning back to Cam.

"Cam! What the hell happened? Why are you in handcuffs?"

"Kelly, baby," he murmurs. "Come here."

"No!" I shake my head, hair flying. "Not until someone explains what the fuck is going on!"

"Please, Kelly."

I want to refuse, but there is something in his voice that breaks down the last of my resistance. I go to him, and he leans down and presses a kiss to my forehead.

"I'm okay, sweetheart," he whispers. "It's going to be okay."

"You're in cuffs," I gulp. "That's not okay!"

"Kelly, look at me. The gun went off, but it went wide. No one got shot, but I..." He licks his lips, and when he looks away, his expression is equal parts satisfied and shaken. "I beat the hell out of him, Kelly, until he was out cold. They're got to take me in. It's the law, and it's not their fault."

By now, all of the neighbors are outside, either on their front lawns or porches, and Cam nods towards Mrs. Blevins, who is in her housecoat despite the Georgia heat. The older woman shuffles over as Cam tells me, "Agatha will take care of you until you've calmed down, but they've got to take me to the station now, okay?"

"No!" I sob. "No, no, no!"

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