Page 80 of Exposed to Him

Grady and the guys need to think I’ll never leave no matter what. I wish Grady would just take over for me, but that’s not how this works. My loyalty is to them. I took an oath, but in reality my loyalty lies with her always.

It’s been a good hour since she ran as I make my way back to the bar. I called her numerous times. I hope she just needs to cool off. I know now I have to be honest with her. I will tell her my plan to leave when I see her, but I have to straighten some business out first. I just hope I get to explain everything before she leaves.

Stay

Erica

I rush back to our house and hope I can get my things before he comes back. I will leave him a note, explaining that I need some time. Maybe a week or even a month. I will tell the diner that I work at part time and take what I have saved with me. This may not be my smartest move, but it’s something. I need to figure out who I am and what I want. I have no idea who I am without Jared anymore. I pray that he understands, and that he will wait for me. It’s imperative that I go and clear my head.

I’m almost packed, when I hear the door open and close.

“Shit,” I whisper.

I quietly make my way to the living area, then something at the corner of my eye has me stopping short.

It’s a man, and he’s in all black. That’s not Jared, and I freeze on the spot. I should have set the alarm like I always do but I was in a rush, leaving the door open.

I walk backwards and knock against the wall. The noise startles me, which makes the man whip his head in my direction. He can see me through the ski mask he is wearing. His head tilts to the side when he notices me, and I am internally freaking the fuck out.

When he walks closer I make a run for it.

“Shit!” I panic, locking myself back in my bedroom.

My hands start to tremble as I pull my phone out. I call Jared, knowing the police are not an option with these people.

He answers on the first ring.

“Babe! Where are you?” he yells, and I start shaking more.

Bang, bang, bang!The man is now banging on the door, so I run into the bathroom and lock it.

“Jared! There is a man in our house and he saw me!” I shout-whisper. “Jared, I’m scared,” I cry, and I hear him shuffling and his bike engine roar.

“Baby, I’m on the way. Stay on the phone with me. Grab anything that’s sharp, anything that you can use if he breaks in.” I start scurrying around in the bathroom. We had moved out of his condo last year, so our house is in a secluded area and there is no one to yell for.

I find tweezers and a razor. “Fuck, Jared! He’s breaking down the door!” I shout. I’m seriously starting to panic as I hear the roar of his engine speed up.

“Open this fucking door, you bitch, or I’ll break it down myself!” the man shouts.

“Baby, if he takes you I need you to shout out everything you see. Every single detail of him. If he has a mask you take it off and yell his features to me. Do you understand?” I nod, even though he can’t see me.

“Erica?”

“Yes, I heard you,” I whisper in defeat, knowing it’s only a matter of time before he makes it in here.

As he bangs and pounds on the door, I see it start to crack. I’m crying so hard right now.

“Baby, you have to be strong! I’m almost there!” I can’t even speak. I drop the phone while I can still hear him shouting my name.

The door splits open and in comes this huge beast of a man.

He comes at me and I rip his hood off. “Black hair! Brown eyes! Skull tattoo on neck!” I’m shouting what I see as he fights me, grabbing me and tossing my body around.. He punches me in my head and I fall to the floor. I feel him lift me over his shoulder and storm out of our house. I’m thrown into the back of a van, when I hear Jared’s motorcycle pulling up.

“I grabbed the girl because he wasn’t home, so move!” the man barks at someone else. My head is so dizzy I can’t see straight.

“Fuck, he’s gaining on us!” another man yells.

Gunshots are fired and I feel my body being tossed around. Finally my head clears, but I pretend I’m out. The man is shooting out the back door and I see Jared’s motorcycle speeding towards us, gun in hand. I then make my move.

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