He smiled.“I’ve been thinking about this day for two years, Rebecca.Thinking about seeing you, the woman I loved.I’ve been picturing it in very vivid detail.So believe me, I have some ideas.”He leaned in and whispered very softly into my ear, so that no one else could hear, “I’m going to take you to my home.I’m going to strip that tight body of yours naked.And then I’m going to tie you up to my bed, real tight, and fuck you in every hole while you writhe under me.I’m going to fuck you within an inch of your life, until you scream for mercy.And I’m not going to let you go until I’ve made sure you respect me.And once I do that, we can begin to heal and move on from this.”
All I could think was that this was the man I once thought loved me.And this was what he’d planned to do to me for these past years.Tears welled and flooded my cheeks, and all the emotion I’d held in for so long—so that I didn’t fall apart because I’d needed to remain alone and strong—came out in loud sobs.
This was the future I’d run from, been so afraid of.I hated myself for letting him see me losing my shit, because I knew he liked making me like this, liked wielding his power and making me afraid of him, but I couldn’t help it.
From the look of euphoria on his face, the way he was clenching his teeth and his breathing was coming out as a rasp, I knew he was getting off on my distress.He leaned in, sniffing my hair.Pressing his body against mine.Moaning, he licked my cheek, catching the tears, a low growl of pleasure escaping his throat.All the while, pressing the gun into my side and his growing erection into my hipbone.How could striking fear into the woman he supposedly loved make him hard?Revulsion filled me, and nausea bubbled in the back of my throat.How could I have gotten entangled with him?
He wasn’t just vengeful.He was insane.So fucking sick.Sick beyond repair.
Somewhere in the distance, I heard sirens.A little spark of hope ignited in me, quickly fizzling when the sound abruptly faded without growing closer.
He saw it in my eyes.Knew me too well.Caught everything.“Baby.Sweetheart.Love of my life.No one is going to get in our way this time,” he murmured, nibbling his way up my jaw.“You belong to me.”
I swallowed hard.I knew what I had to do.As much as it disgusted me.It was our only chance.Claudia’s only chance.
“I know,” I whispered, licking my dry lips.“I do.I love you too, Anthony.”
He froze for a moment, surprise flashing on his face for only a second before he kissed my lips.I kissed him back, all the while suppressing the nausea.His breath was hot on my face.Stubble rubbed my lips raw as he said, “God, baby, I missed you.”
“I missed you too,” I said as sweetly as I could manage, snaking my arms around his neck as my stomach roiled and the room swayed around me.“How did you get out, baby?”
The corner of his mouth lifted in a sly grin.“The assholes in the system can’t keep us down.We’ve got ways around everything.We own this fucking town.”
“I’m glad.I’m so happy you’re out.”I managed to smile at him, all the while knowing that what I did next would seal my fate.I’d told myself that if I ever got into this position, I wouldn’t just let him take me.I’d spent two years as his girlfriend, taking it, being beaten down, and I knew that it never got better…it only got worse.
He kissed my mouth again, and I felt his hard cock pressing even harder against me.I shifted myself so that his erection was pressing into my abdomen, then took a deep breath.
I slowly loosened my grip on his neck, waiting…waiting…for the right moment.
When I could tell by the haze in his eyes that all his concentration had moved to his dick, with every bit of strength I could muster, I jammed my forearm into his throat.
He let out a guttural sound and clutched at his neck.“Fuck!”He staggered back, and using what I’d learned in self-defense classes, I followed with an elbow to his solar plexus.As he lunged forward, I kneed him in the groin.
I was stunned for a second, at how perfectly the moves had gone, just like I’d learned in self-defense class.Frozen, it was like a voice in my head was screaming at me make the next move.As he doubled over, I flew into motion and grabbed for his gun.I managed to push the barrel away from my direction as I dug my fingers into his eyes, scratching at his face.
I ducked as he reached out blindly, wildly for me, skirting away as I saw at the edge of my vision Claudia in a tussle with Malcolm.A thrill of adrenaline surged through me, and for the first time, I allowed myself to believe that we might actually escape this.
But as I ran for the door to try to summon help, it flew open, and an enormous man in mirrored sunglasses stormed in, gun drawn.He pointed it at me as another man followed close behind him.I took a step back as their guns pointed directly at me.
Of course.Anthony never went anywhere without his henchmen—the big, stupid men who used to follow him around, doing his bidding, making him feel important.
My spirits sank as my mind desperately cycled through my options.But there were none.
I held up my hands, breathing hard, desperately praying that help would come.
But the door remained closed.
“Bitch!”Anthony roared, his breath coming out as rasps.He had a bloody scratch from my fingernail near his nose.He wiped at it, and at the sweat on his forehead, before lashing out wildly at me, cracking the back of his hand across my face.
Stars exploded from the impact as I wavered on my feet, finally staggering backwards and against the wall.I brought my hand to my jaw and tasted the metallic tang of blood on my tongue.
He stalked toward me and drove the barrel of the gun into the top of my head, shoving me to my knees as Claudia fell next to me, whimpering.The two men from outside lifted her up at Malcom’s order and pointed their guns at her head.
Anthony didn’t forgive or forget.And neither did Malcom.Like father, like son.
“You’re a fucking bitch,” Anthony spat out.“I gave you everything.And you tossed it into the garbage.That’s twice now.Giving you another chance was my mistake.There won’t be a third time.”
I squeezed my eyes closed and waited for the gunshot, waited for the world to go black.I thought of Brent.I’d never been so glad than at this moment for the time I’d had with him.I hoped he’d forgive me.But there was no running from this, not anymore.This was all my fault, for even coming back here.And now, I would have to face my justice.