Page 29 of Stalked By Raiden

“You didn’t think I’d find out?” He laughs softly. “You honestly believed no one would tell me that you’ve been spending every night with Raiden Sharpe?”

Heat floods my face despite my fear. He knows.

“Do you know what that does to a man’s reputation?” He rises again, adjusting the cuff of his jacket. “I have competitors. Enemies. People waiting for me to show weakness.”

He tilts his head. “If word gets around that some pretty little kindergarten teacher rejected me and happily moved on with another man…” He shrugs. “What kind of message would that send?” His expression hardens. “I don’t tolerate people telling me no.”

The room suddenly feels even colder.

“You made this personal. I don’t enjoy consequences.” He raises a hand. “But I do enjoy making examples.”

Tears blur my vision. Then, his hand closes around my throat and squeezes. I can’t move. Can’t speak. Can’t even beg him to stop.

My gasp for air gets trapped in my throat. My body jerks, and just when I think I might not survive this, a crash explodes somewhere below us.

The sound is loud enough to shake the floor. Drake freezes. Another crash follows. Then shouting.

He turns sharply toward the two men. “What the hell was that?”

They don’t wait for another order. Both rush down the hallway before their footsteps thunder down the stairs.

Drake releases my throat, and I breathe shallowly as I cough and gag, sweat rolling down my temple. He rushes toward the door, listening. Then he closes it and looks back at me.

A slow, menacing smile frames his lips. “I suppose they can handle it.”

He steps close again. Whatever’s happening downstairs no longer seems important to him.

“I’ll deal with them later.” His gaze never leaves mine. “You know…” His voice lowers. “I almost admired your spirit.”

He reaches toward my cheek. I squeeze my eyes shut. Then, a deafening bang echoes through the hallway. Not downstairs. Outside the bedroom. Drake spins around.

The bedroom door bursts inward so violently it slams against the wall. Two figures rush inside.

For one impossible second, my terrified mind can’t process what I’m seeing. Then I recognize him. Raiden. Our eyes meet, and everything else disappears.

“Freckles.” I’ve never heard something sound so desperate.

Drake lunges toward me. He never gets there. Roman intercepts him with a forceful tackle that sends both men crashing to the floor. Furniture splinters. Drake swings wildly. Roman blocks the punch before driving him back onto the floor.

I don’t look again because Raiden is already in front of me. He drops to one knee, his hands trembling as he reaches for the ropes around my wrists.

“Hey.” His voice is barely above a whisper. “I’ve got you.”

The rope falls away. Then the one around my ankles. Finally, he unties the gag. The moment it drops, I throw myself at him. He catches me before I can fall.

“I’m here.”

The words break something inside me. I clutch his shirt with both hands.

“I thought— My voice cracks.

“I know.”

“I thought I wasn’t going to—”

“I know.”

His arms tighten around me. He pulls back just enough to examine my face. “Are you hurt?”