Page 84 of Unorthodox
And just as I start to take off again, I hear the fence rattle.
As if in slow motion, I turn around, dread making my limbs sluggish. I can’t even breathe, although I desperately need air.
And there he is, dropping down from the other side of the fence, just as I did, in a crouch, one hand on the ground as he looks up at me.
He stands to his feet, his blue-grey eyes so pale in the light of the sun.
There’s sweat on his brow, but he doesn’t even look like he’s breathing hard.
Child’s play.This is child’s play for him.
I take a step back, forcing my body to move when all it wants to do is rest.
He takes a step forward, hands by his sides, head cocked as he appraises me.
I take another step back, dart my eyes around for something I could use as a weapon. Anything.
He has his gun on his hip, but he hasn’t drawn it. Still, there’s nothing here. Not even a fucking rock in sight.
I curl my hands into fists.
I don’t care what he does. I don’t care how he hurts me. I’m not going back to that house. He’ll have to drag me back, unconscious, to get me there.
I don’t care if he shoots me.
Better dead than a slave.
I take one more step back, then I still, knowing that running is useless now. Instead, I straighten my spine, and face him head on.
“Remember what I told you about bravery, love?” he asks me quietly, stepping closer.
“Stop talking, Max,” I tell him, throwing his words back to him. I see the gun to the back of Dante’s head. Hear Dante’s last, confusing words. Max opens his mouth to speak, but I beat him to it. “Stop fucking talking!” I lift my fists, shielding my face.
He smiles, but instead of fear, I feel rage. “Are you going to fight me, is that it?” he asks. We circle one another, and I’m forced backward with each step he takes forward. His eyes go to my throat. “That didn’t work out so well for you last night, Addison.”
Shame washes over me, and I want to tear my own skin off, just as I did all night as I stared at the fucking ceiling, hating myself. Just as I did with my father. But I force those thoughts from my mind. Instead, I focus on the monster in front of me. “You promised you wouldn’t hurt me again,” I remind him. “But of course you will, because you have no fucking integrity.”
His smile widens, his hands still relaxed by his side as I keep mine up to defend myself. “Are you trying to insult me?” Suddenly, he lunges toward me, closing the space between us as his hand knocks mine out of the way and his fingers circle around my throat. “You’re going to have to try a little harder.”
So,I fucking do.
I go for his face at the same time I knee him as hard as I can between his legs.
His grip on my throat loosens as I scratch my nails over his eyes.
I jerk out of his hands and I turn and run, knowing I won’t get far. But my eyes are on the ground, looking for a rock. A fucking stick. Anything so when he gets to me again, I have something to smash against his fucking face.
I find exactly what I’m looking for, just a few feet away. A jagged rock, the size of my hand. Small enough to wield, but big enough to hurt.
I run faster, snatch it up from the dirt and spin around.
Max isn’t running, but he’s close, walking slowly toward me with that stupid smile on his face. His eyes go to the rock in my hand and his smile widens.
Fuck him.
When he’s a few feet from me, he stops. I clench the rock in my hand, fingers curled tightly around it.
“Put that down, Addison.”
