AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She took a deep, shaky breath. “I didn’t see him. Suddenly he was there, behind me. And then he…he put the stun-gun to me.”
“Christ,” she heard Crash growl, his arms tightening. “I didn’t know, Shannon. God, the other night…”
Now that she’d begun to talk, the story poured out of her. “Sometimes I can still feel that jolt stinging through my body.”
“Sweetheart,” Crash murmured, his hand stroking her back.
“My legs went out from under me. I hit the ground. I…I lost control of my arms and legs. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t talk.” She broke down in sobs. “I knew what was happening to me, but I couldn’t do anything to stop him.” She buried her face in Crash’s chest and felt his arms holding her, his deep voice soothing in her ear.
“Shannon, baby. I’m so sorry.”
“He…he pulled me into the van. The handcuffs, the gag…I couldn’t stop him. Oh, God, I couldn’t stop him. It was like I was paralyzed.”
“Baby, shh. I’m sorry I made you talk about it.”
“No, I need to. You’re right.” She took another breath. “There were three girls already in the van. It took him a couple hours to get the other two. I was so scared, Crash. I was so scared.”
“You feel my arms around you, Shannon? Hmm?”
She nodded.
“I’ve got you. No matter what, I’ve got you. You’re safe. You’ll always be safe here in my arms.”
“Don’t let go.”
“I won’t, baby.”
“I don’t want you to ever let go.” She knew he couldn’t promise her that. She knew. But it still hurt when he didn’t.
Crash held her for a long time. Until long after her trembling had stopped, until long after all he could think about was the feel of her soft body that fit so well against his. He wanted to turn the mood around and bring her out of the dark place he’d forced her to revisit. He knew it wasn’t the time for joking, but he thought maybe there was something else he could try. He started rocking, his hips moving from side to side. He felt her tense a moment before she relaxed back into him, moving with him.
“Crash?” He could hear the smile in her voice.
“Hmm?” The sound vibrated through his chest under her ear as her head pressed against him.
“Are we…dancing?” she asked hesitantly.
“Um hmm. Dancing in the moonlight. Isn’t there a song about that?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
He continued swaying.
“Crash?”
“Hmm?”
“There’s no music.”
“There will be if you sing to me.”
She smiled. “I can’t sing.”
His hand slid into his pocket, and he pulled out his phone. She pulled back and watched his thumb move over the screen as he pulled up his playlist. When the song began, he laid the phone down on the ledge, and he pulled her back into his arms, bringing her soft body up against him as he rocked her slowly.
“This is nice,” she whispered.
“Yeah, baby. It is.”
