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Jerking my head upright, I muttered, “Fuck you, Bodie.” I slammed my forehead into his face, kneed him in the balls, and gripped his wrist, torquing it to bring him to his knees, and then I ran.
I snatched my purse and immediately turned to leave but remembered the missing keys. “Fuck,” I hissed. My mind scrambled through places to hide that would give me the most time.
I grabbed my phone out of my purse and pressed the buttons to call my emergency contact, not even remembering who it was until Austin’s name appeared on the screen. Relief washed over me only to be followed by dread. What if he didn’t pick up?
One ring.
With Bodie still clutching his groin, I held tight to my phone and made a break for it.
Two rings.
I focused on my bedroom door and made a plan. I’d lock it, and then I’d lock the bathroom door before barricading myself in my closet. Hopefully, three doors would be enough.
Three rings.
If Austin picked up.
Four ri—
Before the fourth ring could even complete, a hand latched around my ankle and jerked my feet out from under me. I smacked the ground, each point of collision sending its own thudding vibration through my bones. I took the brunt of the fall with my hands and cried out, pain shooting from my wrist up my arm.
Fingers dug into my legs, and I squirmed to break free, but it was useless. The fall knocked the wind from my lungs, and the room spun, making me wonder if I’d hit my head. I didn’t even hear the ringing anymore.
I didn’t even hear the ringing anymore.
I forced myself to ignore Bodie, pinning me to the ground, and looked for my phone. I caught sight of it less than two feet away—still connected.
“Austin,” I shouted.
“Rae?”
His voice was faint but there. Unfortunately, it caught Bodie’s attention too. I reached for it, but he lunged, beating me before I had the chance to even try.
“You fucking bitch,” he growled.
Before he could hang up, I shouted out the most pertinent information, hoping Austin would understand. “Bodie. My apartment. Help. Police. Crazy.”
“Nice try, Raelynn, but it’s just you and me. Douchebag Austin isn’t going to come save you. If he does show up, you’re going to be a good girl and tell him you’re done with him and that you’re with me now. Or else, I’ll fucking kill you. I’ll kill your whole fucking family.”
“You’re too weak, Bodie. My grandma could fight you off.”
The smack of his hand against my face registered before the pain did. In the year I’d managed to stay with him, not once had he actually hit me. I wasn’t sure I’d ever been hit in the face. With the way the world turned black at the edges and fire exploded along my cheek, burning its way through my skull, I never wanted it to happen again.
But I also needed to create enough time for Austin to get here.
“What do you think will happen, Bodie? You’re not always going to have a big fish to bring in. If you managed to sign my dad over to the sleazy lawyers you worked for, you’d have to keep him. You’d have to bring in more.”
“I would,” he proclaimed. “Once I had your dad, they would all come crawling. All I need is one.”
“And if they don’t?”
“Then you can help me get more. You can use your tits to sign them on. I can parade you around and maybe even let them play with you a bit as a signing bonus.”
My stomach convulsed, and I prepared to spew vomit. It was too much.
I couldn’t stand another second under his weight. Despite knowing I hadn’t wasted enough time for Austin to get here, I gave in, spewing my words instead of vomit. “I’d rather fucking die, you trashy piece of shit.”
“You dumb fucking bitch.”
He adjusted his weight to gain leverage for another blow. When he moved, it left enough room for me to take my chance at freedom. I shoved him off and scrambled to my feet, preparing to run.
Except, I barely made it two steps before he gripped my ankle all over again. This time sending me flying headfirst into the end table.
Right before I hit, all I could think about was how I hoped the girls let Austin know how much I loved him.
Chapter Thirty
Austin
Austin.
Bodie. My apartment.
Help.
The last words she said to me played on repeat over and over again. They mixed with the beeps from the various machines until I thought I’d go insane. If they weren’t the only things letting me know the love of my life—my best friend—was okay, I’d smash them all for even a second of silence.
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the edge of the bed, digging my fingers through my hair, recalling the frozen panic sliding through my veins when I picked up her call. When I saw her name on my screen, I hadn’t known what to brace for. Hell, I almost didn’t answer, scared she was calling to tell me off since she never got the chance before I kicked her out. I waited until right before it went to voicemail, holding my breath—bracing for impact, but there was no preparing for her shrill cries for help. King had just left, and I’d thankfully stopped drinking. However, even sober, I knew there wasn’t a chance in hell I’d make it to her on time. Bodie’s growled slur had been the last thing I heard before the line went dead, the silence slapping me into action.
