Page 29 of Swallow Your Fear
Parallel parking my car outside the gym, I surveyed mysurroundings before turning it off. It was no secret I was on Chase’s radar, and the last thing I needed was an incident like what happened at the diner to occur out here. After grabbing the leggings and crop top I kept in my car in case of emergency from my back seat, I got out and locked the car.
Once I was inside, I changed in the locker rooms, stashing my discarded clothes in a cubby and throwing my hair in a ponytail, then got to my routine. There was only one other person occupying the space—an old man on one of the stationary bikes.
I started with a few stretches, then grabbed a ten-pound weight to do some squats and other various exercises. After thirty minutes of light weights, the burn in my thighs and butt forced me to stop. I set the dumbbell back in its spot, then hopped on the treadmill.
The old man on the bike slowed his pace, grabbing his small towel to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and got off. He didn’t glance my way as he left the gym, and then I was alone.
With no one else in the vicinity, I turned on some music from my phone’s speaker since I didn’t have headphones with me, keeping an eye on the front door in case someone walked in. There were windows lining the street-facing side of the building, but with the mist clinging to the air, I couldn’t see much through them.
I kept a steady pace as I jogged, then slowed to a walk after twenty minutes. With the memory of last night running on repeat in my mind, I should have sprinted to try to distract myself, but a big part of me wanted to keep remembering the way I’d felt with Austin and Booker bothhaving their way with me. I didn’t feel shameful of it either, not even with the knowledge that Henley watched the whole thing. I had to believe Booker did that on purpose—as a way of punishing him for losing the deed.
Once the timer hit thirty, I stopped the machine, getting off to clean up in the locker room. I splashed cold water on my face, cooling my heated skin, then grabbed a clean hand towel from beside the sink to dry myself off. I dabbed at my eyes with the soft cotton, then turned to toss it in the small hamper by the counter, but as soon as I did, I froze with my gaze locked onto the unfamiliar man that stood five feet from me in the doorway, blocking my only exit.
As if we both weighed our options, we stared at each other for a second or two. With the look on his face, it was obvious he wasn’t here for a simple workout after a long day. He was here for a job, and I got the feeling that involved me. Without thinking, I threw the towel at him, darting to the left. I should’ve known the distraction was pointless as he tossed it to the side and caught me around the waist, lifting me off my feet.
“Let me go!” I shouted, slamming my hands on his hard back after he tossed me over his shoulder like I was as weightless as the towel. He was a beast of a man, about as bulky as Booker. I had no chance against him.
“Your little boyfriend still hasn’t paid.” He pulled me back over, slamming me up against the floor-to-ceiling mirror. Glass cracked behind me, and my head pulsed where it made contact with the mirror. The man wrapped a hand around my ponytail, tugging so that my neck was exposed, my head at an awkward angle. “I don’t think mycoworker made it clear what happens when we don’t get our money.”
“I don’t know where he is,” I gritted out at the same time a clang echoed through the room. It sounded a lot like a pocket knife being popped open.
“I don’t believe you.” He tugged my hair harder, and I swore a shard of glass was digging into my scalp as something wet and warm trickled down my hairline.
I tried to keep my breathing calm as my eyes landed on the knife in his other hand, but it was nearly impossible. “I broke up with him the night he won it. I haven’t seen him since,” I said hurriedly. The man didn’t need to know about Chase coming to the diner the day after.
The cold tip of the blade met the skin on my neck, and I acted without thinking, kicking out, right between his legs. The guy let out a grunt, but he barely flinched otherwise before lashing out, slapping me straight across my face.
My cheek stung as he yanked my head forward, pressing it directly into his chest. Blindly reaching for anything to grab onto, for any way to hurt him, I found his chin and shoved, but at the angle I was in, I couldn’t get enough force behind me for it to do anything but only make him angrier. His hand tightened in my hair and a scream ripped past my lips as I was pushed back up against the wall.
Lights flashed behind my eyes as my ears rang, my body fighting to stay up as tremors wracked my limbs. The realization that I was at a disadvantage here, with no weapon and barely any strength, slammed into me like a freight train.
I was going to die.
Chapter 13
Booker
Brynne was supposed to be off work forty-five minutes ago and pulling up to the ranch half an hour ago, but yet, her car was nowhere to be seen. My laptop sat on the desk in front of me, the screen the same as it was when my eyes drifted to the driveway out the window a while ago, waiting for her arrival.
Another minute ticked by, and before I could stop myself, I was shoving out of my chair, leaving the computer open. I grabbed my black cowboy hat from the hook, shoving it on my head as I passed through the kitchen.
“Where are you off to in such a rush?” Austin called over the back of the couch. Henley wasn’t around, most likely off getting into more trouble, despite our advice to quit getting involved in that shit.
“Going to town.” If I said it was to look for Brynne, he’d know my feelings ran too deep for her.
He turned back to the TV, an arm draped over the back cushion. “Let me know how Brynne is.”
I grunted, walking out of the house to my truck.I wasted no time, the engine roaring to life as I buckled, then headed toward town. I passed by the diner first, but moved on once I saw the restaurant was closed with the parking lot empty.
My truck slowly cruised by every side lot, not finding her vehicle. What if she was at McKenna’s house, having some girl time? I was probably just overreacting when I had no business to. Turning down another block, my eyes landed on her sedan parked out front of the gym. The growing tightness in my chest eased a fraction as I realized she had only stopped for a workout after her shift. Now that I knew she was fine, I should’ve gone home, but instead, I pulled into the spot behind her car. A word with her definitely could have waited until she was back at the house, but I wanted it to be clear that she’d text if she was going to be late again.
Killing the engine, I got out, making my way around the front of the truck to head inside the building. The windows were foggy from the condensation outside, and there was old graffiti littering the brick. Right as I grabbed the door handle, a scream ripped through the air, and I was moving.
I crossed the gym in less than a second, following the panicked sound to the locker room. As soon as I stormed into the space and saw Brynne pinned by some man, my fists clenched so hard, my fingers nearly broke. I didn’t hesitate, rushing over to them and grabbing the man’s shoulder. With enough space to not accidentally hit Brynne, my fist swung, slamming into his nose. A satisfying crunch echoed as he let her go, but I didn’t spare her a glance as I shovedhim back, landing punch after punch into his sick fucking face.
He touched her, and that was a fucking mistake.
Brynne’s rushed breaths came from behind me as the man’s back hit the white cinder block wall. Blood sprayed from his mouth, nose, and other abrasions my fists brought forth. I wasn’t leaving until he was fucking dead.
