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“Do you mean it?” she finally questions.
He nods, not once moving his eyes from hers. “Every fucking word.”
She swallows and the tears finally drop from her eyes, making me realize I’m still sitting here in what should be a private moment between the two.
Brooke’s lips come down on his as I make a hasty exit.
I hurry down to my room and grab my phone off the charger before searching through my things for my keys. I know I put them here somewhere, the only question is where?
I find them kicked under my bed and grin at the little bastards. Gotcha.
I jam them down into my pocket before making my way back out. I stop by the kitchen and scrawl a little note, letting Brooke know that I’ll go to Nate’s mom’s place for the night to give them privacy to talk and… well, I’m assuming catch up for missed time.
I think I can safely say that they’re back together, and watching them now on the couch, I can see it’s a good thing. Maxen really has grown up from the foolish boy he was in high school. He’s a man now, a man who knows what he wants and how to get it. A man who knows right from wrong and is willing to do whatever it takes to earn trust and forgiveness.
Before that talk I was hesitant, but now, I can see that this is what’s best for her, and from the look in her eye, I’d dare say she agrees. He still needs to earn my trust back, but for now, we’re cordial.
I pull my phone out of my pocket as I finish up with the note and call Nate. He picks up on the third ring before his low voice cuts through the line, making all my insides swirl with need. “Hey, babe. What’s up”
“What are you doing?”
“Just finishing work. I was about to come home.”
“No, don’t bother,” I laugh, passing the two making out on the couch on my way to the door. “I think Brooke and Max just got back together and they’re fornicating on the couch.”
“Really?” he laughs. “About fucking time. He’s been pining over her for the past few months.”
I roll my eyes as I walk down to my car. “Yeah, well they could have waited until I left the house.”
“Are you coming here?” he questions.
“Nah, I thought I’d go to your mom’s place. Hang out with Jesse and Kaylah until you’re done. We might have to stay there the night.”
“Mom would love that,” he laughs. “I’ll be there in-”
My body is slammed hard into the door of my car. I cry out in pain, taking in the hand shoved hard against my back. What the hell is happening?
“Babe?” Nate questions.
A large body presses in behind me and not a second later, I see his reflection in the car window.
Josh Henderson.
“Nate,” I yell. “It’s Josh.” The phone is ripped from my fingers before it’s thrown down onto the pavement, smashing into tiny little pieces. His laugh sounds in my ear as his chest vibrates against my back.
I try to squirm from his touch but he’s holding on too tight. I don’t doubt my body is already covered in bruises. His hand curls around my mouth, clamping down and keeping me from screaming out as my eyes frantically search the street for anybody passing by.
It’s no use, it’s completely empty and Brooke and Maxen are way too caught up with each other to notice anything is going on outside the door.
“Night, night,” he says a moment later, meeting my eyes in the car window. The hand on my mouth curls around until the crook of his elbow is pressed against my neck. He pulls tight and I want nothing more than to let out an ear-shattering scream, but I can’t suck in a breath to make it happen.
His hold around my neck tightens as he flexes his muscles.
I take short quick breaths, breathing in what I can as I claw at his arm, but my mind soon grows foggy.
I’m running out of oxygen.
With wicked laughter in my ear, he completely cuts off my airway and the world falls into darkness.
Chapter 20
Nate
“Nate,” Tora yells, her voice filled with nothing but undeniable terror. “It’s Josh.”
My heart comes to an immediate stop as all my fears come to haunt me with those two simple words I’ve been dreading hearing over the past few months. I knew it was coming. I fucking knew it. I just hoped against it.
After a whole fucking year, he finally managed to get to her and there’s no knowing what he’s going to do.
“Get back in the house. Fucking run,” I roar down the line.
No response.
“Tora?” I demand, desperate to hear that angelic voice coming through the line.
I run to the car with the phone held tightly against my ear, launching myself over things that lay on the ground, desperate to get into my car. “Tora?” I yell again only to get no fucking answer.
