Page 94 of In The Dark
The pain is coming, but I can’t help but smile at the thought of him.
I’ve had the best month of my life with him, and I wish I could’ve told him how much he means to me. I wish I could’ve told him how easily I would’ve fallen in love with him, if I had a little more time. How I’m already on my way there, so close to diving into the pool of infatuation, not caring how fast it is.
I wish, I wish, Iwish, but the wishes mean nothing now.
Not when Connor grabs my knee and digs his fingers into my skin. Not when he yanks his pants down and sneers, a drop of saliva dripping on my forehead.
I brace myself, waiting for what comes next.
Pain.
Loneliness.
So much ache.
“Max?”
I’m so far gone, I’m hearing things that aren’t here. Pretending I know someone I care about is nearby, when really, I’m all alone.
“Maxine? Where are you angel?”
My name echoes down the hall. Urgency behind every word, and it’sreal. It’s real and I let out a choked laugh joy radiating over me.
“Right on time,” Connor smirks.
Footsteps—lighter,determined—race down the hall. They match the beat of my sputtering heart. I blink and the door is flying open. Hunter is there, his eyes on mine, and I want to screamI love you. I love you, please keep me safe, but no words come out. His attention moves to Connor, a look I’ve never seen from a human flashing across his face.
In two steps he’s covering the length of the room. He’s hauling Connor off of me and shoving him against a wall, lifting him as if he’s made of feathers, not the pathetic excuse for a man.
“I warned you,” Hunter says, a knife pressed against his throat. It’s the same one he held the night I found out about the other parts of his life, a long and terrifying piece of steel. “I told you to stay away from her, but you couldn’t resist, could you?”
Connor tries to fight back. He kicks and he swings his arms, but his attack is pointless. Hunter keeps him there, feet off the ground. Struggling and cutting off the air to his lungs bit by bit.
“You’re going to be very sorry you ever touched her,” Hunter adds, then he bashes his head with the handle of the knife.
Connor falls to the floor, a crumpled body against the hardwood. Hunter kicks him in the ribs, and when he doesn’t move, he rushes toward me. He brings the knife to my hands, cutting my wrists free from the ropes binding them together. Gathers me in his hold and wraps his arm around me, a shield from the evil in this world.
“You’re here,” I sob. My shoulders shake with exhaustion and fear. I can’t stop trembling. “I can’t believe you’re here. I thought I was going to die.”
“I’ve got you, sweetheart.” Hunter’s voice cracks, pain lacing the words. He hugs me tight to his chest, stroking my hair. “You’re safe. You’re okay. He can’t hurt you anymore.”
“I should’ve told you where I was going. I didn’t think he would act like this, but then he roofied my drink. The next thing I knew, I was waking up with my hands tied to the bed and—this is all my fault.” I sob again. I’m so cold, so tired. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t?—”
“Baby. It’s not your fault. Do you hear me? You didnothingwrong. I should’ve taken care of him when I had the chance, but I didn’t.” He kisses my forehead, my cheek. “This is my fault.”
“How did you know where I was?” I wipe under my eyes, pausing when I see the raw skin around my wrists, a tattoo from my struggle. “I never shared my location with you.”
“You don’t think I put a tracking device on your car the minute that dirtbag was hanging around?” he says, and a laugh rattles out of me.
“You’re insane. Of course you did.”
“When you didn’t answer my texts before Fright Nights, I followed the GPS to your car. I realized it was his place and snuck in through the back door after doing recon to make sure this piece of shit doesn’t have an arsenal of weapons.”
“He said he wanted to kill you and use me to do it. He said you were poking into his life. Is that true? Why didn’t you tell me who he really was? I never—” I stop to gulp down another breath. It feels like I’m being held underwater. “I wouldn’t have come here had I known.”
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I should’ve. I thought I could protect you by not letting you know what he was capable of, but I was so, so wrong.”
“How many women has he hurt?” I whisper.
