Memories of the past screamed into the present as a lump clogged her throat.She’dbeen training with the others, but she wasn’t as strong or asinsaneas him.
“Where haveyou been?” he snarled.
Callie gulped back the lump in her throat as her mind spun. She struggled to come up with a response, but words failed her.
“Wherehave you been?” he yelled.
Callie refused to answer him. It was none of his damn business. “You’re not allowed here, Carter.”
Her gaze returned to her office. She could make it there before he grabbed her. She was fast, and she was terrified, and those things would give her the advantage.
“Don’t you tell me what I’m to do, you whore!” he spat. “Are you fucking him?”
Callie edged away from the bed and toward the door. Like a wolf on the prowl, his eyes tracked her every move.
“Who is he, Callista? What is he doing here?” Then his eyes went to the containers on her bed. “And where doyou think you’re going?”
Callie continued to edge away.Don’tlet your panic control you.
Those words ran on a loop through her head. Willow had said them during one of their training sessions, and they’d struck a nerve with Callie. Now, she grappled with abiding by them as her pulse raced like a runaway thoroughbred.
At the time Willow said those words, keeping control sounded like such a simple, easy thing to do. However, faced with Carter standing there looking as if he planned to rip her face off, itwasn’tso easy. Looking at him again, she clearly recalled his blows while she screamed, but no one heard.
“Do you think you can leave?” he demanded. “Do you think I’llletyou leave?”
When he stepped toward her, Callie bolted for the door. Not only did she recall every bit of her training from the past few weeks, but she also remembered her track days.She put her head down, pumped her arms, and ran like fire nipped at her heels.
When she crossed the threshold, she grasped the officedoor and swung it shut behind her. She sprinted through the room and skidded into the kitchen. She realized her mistake when she slid to a stop in front of the locked back door.
Not only had Carter already locked the door, but he hadn’tfollowed her through the office. Instead,he’dretreated through the living room and was coming across the kitchen when she reached the back door.
Her fingers fumbled at the lock as he seized her hair. Muscle memory from her training took over, and she swung back with an elbow. She jabbed him in the ribs at the same time he yanked her head back and smashed her forehead off the doorframe.
Stars erupted across her vision, and when something warm trickled down her face, she realized he’dsplit her skin open.
“Youbitch!” Carter exploded as his hand twisted cruelly in her hair.
Callie bit back a cry as she struggled against unconsciousness. If she passedout,she’d never open her eyes again because he’d kill her. She did not doubt that.
Enclosing his hand around her throat, he dragged her away from the door and pinned her to the wall. Callie clawed at his hand as the starbursts cleared from her vision. Finally, she saw well enough to take in the rage contorting his features into something inhuman.
His fingers constricted around her throat until her breath wheezed in and out of her.
“Are you fucking him?” Carter demanded.
When shedidn’t—more likecouldn’t—answer, his fingers cut off her air completely. Knowing she was going to die, Callie pulled back her arm and drove her fist into his face.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Lucien stackedthe three remaining containers outside the door of Callie’s shed. He glanced up the stairs toward the apartment as he leaned against the doorframe. He’dgiveher a few minutes to herself and her memories before returning.
He studied the building before turning his attention to the other homes lining the street. Fences separated most of the backyards, and this one was no exception. Thesix-footfence surrounding the property kept it neatly separated from the neighbors.
Lifting the two full containershe’dcarried downstairs, he walked to the closed gate and set them down to open it. He used his foot to keep the door open while reclaiming the containers and strode into the front yard.
He stopped at the back of the SUV, pulled out his keys, and hit the unlock button. Setting the containers down again, he lifted the back door as, down the street, another door slammed shut. He set the boxes inside and closed the door before turning to discover Saber stalking toward him.
“Don’t you answer your phone?” Saber demanded.
