AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I open my mouth to scream again, but a hand claps over it, muffling my voice.
“Shh, don’t scream. I’m not trying to hurt you.”
Holy shit. All those times I’ve imagined scenarios haven’t prepared me for the sheer terror coursing through my veins. Derek’s words do nothing to reassure me, especially since he’s got me in a vise grip. My body moves without conscious thought, twisting and fighting to get loose, to make him let go, but it doesn’t work. My muffled screams behind his hand send my hot breath back into my face. The arm he has wrapped behind my shoulders is like steel, trapping me against his chest while his other hand still covers my mouth.
There’s a metallic clatter as my keys fall to the ground. Shit, shit, shit.
The strap of my cross-body bag digs into my ribs, the buckle painful. My struggles pull it tight, hurting my shoulder and pulling my hair as it gets tangled in Derek’s fingers and the leather band. The sharp pain clears my focus until I bump my hip and elbow against the car, sending pain racing along my nerves.
My heart hammers in my chest, and I can’t see well in the dark, but instead of freezing up, I fight back. Derek is shushing me and telling me not to scream, to calm down, but it only makes me fight harder. I stamp my feet, trying to smash his, but he doesn’t seem to feel it. One arm is pinned between us, but I use my free one to push and shove at his chest, finally getting a grip on his index finger over my mouth and yanking it back.
“Fuck!” He roars as I free my face from his grip. “Stop, Frankie, stop! I’m not going to hurt you, I swear.”
I push back, and this time, he lets me go. My back slams into the car behind me, and I hit the back of my head. If I could see anything, I’d see stars. “What the fuck, Derek? Why are you even here? Did you follow me from work?”
The questions tumble out of me between heaving breaths. My lungs burn from fighting to get free, and my heart is beating so fast I might throw up. Derek takes a step toward me, but I hold up my hands and slide to my left away from him. Should I run? Where would I even go?
Do I really believe that he won’t hurt me?
“Frankie, listen. I just wanted to make sure you got home safe.” He takes another step toward me, and I slide further away. My purse catches against the door handle, then slaps back against me.
“So you followed me? What the fuck is wrong with you?” How did I not notice someone following me? I swear, there was no one else on the streets. “Just get the fuck away from me.”
“You need to be more aware of your surroundings, Frankie. What if I was a bad guy? What would you do? If I’d wanted to hurt you, I could have.” An icy tendril of fear runs down my spine. He’s not wrong.
“How did you know where I was?”
He hasn’t moved and my heart slows down a smidge.
Derek winces. I slide a little further away, still unsure if I’m going to make a run for it. He’s blocking the driver’s side door. I can’t get in without getting closer to him, something I’m not willing to do right now.
I don’t trust the look in his eye. There’s no guilt on his face, only smugness and a touch of irritation. “Does it matter? What matters is that you weren’t being careful. If I could figure it out, then who else could?” His expression changes, then he leans down to pick something up off the ground. My car keys. “You shouldn’t be alone this late.”
Anger takes over some of my fear. Is he fucking serious right now? “It’s not like I’m out this late for fun, Derek. I was stopping to get something to eat on my way home. From work.” I eye my keys dangling from his fingers. How am I going to get them back?
“Well, if your ‘boyfriend’ won’t do his job of taking care of you, I guess someone else will.” He jingles them and starts flipping my keys in the palm of his hand.
“Are you fucking serious? Julian doesn’t need to know where I am twenty-four hours a day. I’m an adult, last time I checked. I don’t need a keeper.” I don’t tell him that, right now, I’d give anything to have Julian here. That I’m so hopped up on a mixture of fear and adrenaline I feel sick, and all I want is to have Julian's strong arms hold me and make this all go away.
And a little part of me is pissed that I want that.
Derek steps closer, away from my car. “If he was your real boyfriend, you’d be calling him right now. Or he would have been there to pick you up after work.” He takes another step closer. If I can lead him away from my car, I can circle around the other side to climb in. “Why can’t you just admit it’s fake, Frankie?”
“Why do you care so much, Derek? It’s fucking creepy that you’re so invested. Can I have my keys back, please?” Just a few more steps.
Hands up in front of him, like he’s approaching a wounded animal, he follows me another step. My gaze locks on the metal dangling against the palm of his hand. “Because he’s not good enough for you. I bet he can barely read. You should be with someone on your level, Frankie.”
Doesn’t he have any new insults? “You mean, someone like you?” I clear the back corner of my car. Fuck, how am I going to get out of this?
He smirks. “Yeah, Frankie. Someone like me. As in, me specifically.”
I move backward, feeling for the curb behind me, terrified I’ll trip and land flat on my back in front of him. “Well, unfortunately for you, I’m already with Julian, and that’s not going to change. I’d like to go home now. Can I please have my fucking keys back?”
I probably shouldn’t antagonize him, but I’m desperate. And if I’m not snarky right now, I’ll break down crying.
Derek dangles my keys out in front of him, inviting me to come closer and take them. “All yours.”
I shake my head and hold out my hand. Instead of tossing them over, Derek sets them on the roof of my car. Dickhead. “I’ll see you on Monday, Frankie. Try not to think about me all weekend.”
