Page 19 of Sinners Keepers
“Sorry. Excuse me,” I forced out and attempted to shuffle around him and be on my merry way.
His gargantuan hand wrapped all the way around my bicep before he jerked me backward and forcefully shoved me against the wall. I squeaked in protest, but I knew the only people here who would even attempt to help me were nowhere near. Except maybe Leo… where the fuck washe?
“You look… familiar,” he growled, dipping to run his nose along the column of my throat.
If he recognized me as my father’s daughter, I was even more fucked than I’d originally thought. What a big fucking dumb oaf he was to touch a woman when he didn’t know who she might belong to in this world. Had he seen me with Alec before he ran off?
Cassidy’s breath reeked of liquor and expensive cigars, reminiscent of the way Mattia had always smelled, and I wanted to vomit. Even more so when he licked a long line across my collarbone. I jerked in his hold, but I knew there was no use.
I fought hard, attempting to knee him in the balls, but he seemed to know every move I would make before I made it.
Would screaming do any good at all?
Knowing my luck, it would probably just make things worse, and Alec had warned me that I’d be fair game here.
“Go ahead.Scream,” he said, reading my thoughts, probably by the look of sheer terror on my face. He reached down, bunching my dress up around my hips. “As loud as you fucking can, bitch. It’s my favorite part. And the best thing about it? Here, no one will give enough of a fuck to try and save you. Shit, they’ll probably want their own turns.”
I bucked harder against him, twisting like a fucking maniac. I’d been in this situationsomany times, but this was different. This wasn’t Mattia and I wasn’t that broken despondent girl anymore. Never again would I just relent and take it for the sake of my life. I’d rather die.
Suddenly, he stiffened, pulling back from me with a strange look of unease on his face.
“What the fuck?” he wheezed, straightening and stumbling backward.
I should have used this moment as an opportunity to run, but I stood frozen, my sick curiosity getting the better of me.
“What did you do?” He was panicky now, his face turning pale and blotchy.
“I… nothing. What’s wrong?” What a dumb fucking question. Why couldn’t I fuckingmove?My muscles were locked firmly in place and my feet seemed to be glued to the carpet. I was paralyzed.
Looking back, it was probably shock. But still idiotic on my part.
He opened his mouth to speak, but only a strangled gurgle came out. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead as he clutched at his throat. Panic danced in his eyes and for a brief moment I reveled in the control I had here. I could hear the wheeze in his breath beginning to worsen, and my heart skipped an excited beat as I recognized the signs of anaphylaxis. I didn’t need any more of an explanation; I knew he was running out of time.
I waited a beat longer before taking any action. An allergic reaction this severe could result in death in a matter of minutes, and I knew if I waited just long enough for him to drop there’d be nothing anyone could do to save him.
His body thudded heavily to the ground, and I resisted the urge to kick the shit out of him. I quickly rifled through his suit jacket, finding exactly what I was looking for in one of the pockets. I slipped my hand inside the split of my dress and shoved it in the sideband of my panties, hoping like hell no one would notice the odd shape of it in all the chaos that was about to ensue.
I ran back into the main room. “Is there a doctor here?” I asked loudly enough for the people in the general area to hear. So much for remaining incognito, but this was my best chance at helping the guys. They needed a distraction and I was about to give them one. Several people turned to look at me. “There’s a man. In the hallway. He needs help.”
I didn’t wait to see if anyone followed, I just turned and rushed back toward where I’d left him. A staccato of footsteps sounded behind me.
“Holy shit,” someone breathed and then yelled out, “It’s Cassidy! Fuck.”
Once his name passed through the man’s lips, the hall was overrun with men and I was forgotten in the mix as someone began compressions and someone else rifled through his pockets, cursing him for not having an EpiPen on hand.
With everyone distracted, I finally found it in me to pull myself away.
I turned away from the scene, grinning to myself, and searched for the bathroom again. I actually did need to go now before my frayed nerves made me upchuck shrimp onto the fancy carpet.
Maybe I could aim for Cassidy’s face since it was probably shellfish he was allergic to—to, you know, just doubly ensure he didn’t make it. Fucker.
I spied the bathroom a few doors down and moved briskly in that direction. Before I could take more than a few steps, a large hand clamped around my upper arm and yanked me into an adjacent room.
For. The. Love. I could not catch a fucking break.
I spun around, fully prepared to simply head butt whoever it was and give myself the chance to make a run for it this time.
“Law,” I breathed, relief washing over me. I threw myself into him, squeezing him tightly. He stood there awkwardly for a brief moment, and I’ll admit it probablywasan awkward thing for me to do, but I’d never been more grateful to see anyone.
