AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I was so engrossed in my reading, I didn’t hear anyone come into the house or upstairs.
“Hello, Miranda. Long time no see.”
Declan stood in the library doorway, his arms crossed over his chest. He had an awful sneer on his face. His hair was slicked back per his usual look, and he had a beard growing. Guess he forgot a razor in his rush to follow me.
“How did you find me?” I asked in the calmest tone I could manage, despite feeling anything but calm. I marked the page I stopped at with my bookmark and stood quickly. I didn’t want to give him the upper hand by him standing and me sitting.
“It was pretty simple. I thought you might leave town, so I had a friend put a tracking device on your car. Sure enough, you ran.”
“And how did you find me here?” One of Austin’s men had checked out my car. I was sure he would’ve found the tracking device during his exam. I moved behind the chair and glanced around the room for anything I could use as a weapon. I wasn’t going to go with this villain willingly. He’d have to pull me out kicking and screaming.
“That took a little more finesse. Once we found your car, I removed the locator, so it couldn’t be used as possible evidence against me. When you weren’t in your vehicle, I followed your tracks in the dirt road, but then they disappeared. I had to visit a couple of farms, but after meeting that awful Austin Benson, I knew you were here.”
“How?”
I had heard his entire conversation with Declan. Austin hadn’t given any clues as to my whereabouts, and he hadn’t seemed nervous at all.
“The way he and his buddy were so sarcastic toward me. Everyone else was pleasant enough. But he acted like he had a chip on his shoulder toward a total stranger. No one does that unless they’ve been fed lies about said stranger.”
“I didn’t tell him any lies, only the truth,” I declared, glaring at the pathetic man who had been making my life a living hell for far too long.
Declan scoffed. “The truth?” he asked, taking a couple of steps forward so he was in the library and about six feet away from me. “You mean how your brother is a drug addict, ran away when things got too real, and left all of his problems at your feet?”
“You seem to have forgotten the part where I paid his debt and yet you still demanded more from me and, when I refused, you left me no choice but to run.”
He shrugged. “Sue me for needing to get creative to make you mine. A pretty, honest, and loyal woman like yourself only comes around once in a man’s life. I didn’t want to miss my chance.”
“You’re delusional,” I spat. “You never had a chance with me, and you never will,” I gritted out. If he thought he could claim me like some prize, he had another think coming. I’d rather die than call myself his wife.
“Ahhh, my sweet naive Miranda. You will learn. Don’t worry. I’ll teach you.”
He lunged at me at the same time I pushed the chair into him. He gasped at the impact, and it gave me a chance to rush out of the room, down the stairs, and into the kitchen.
I grabbed a knife and stood on one side of the counter as he stood on the other.
“You’re going to pay for that, you bitch,” he shouted.
He bared his teeth reminding me of an angry wolf trying to intimidate his prey by showing his sharp canines.
“No. You’re going to pay for what you put me through these last several months. All I wanted was to make right what my older brother had done, and you took advantage of that. I’m done letting you bully me,” I said with strong conviction.
His eyes blazed, and I stepped back from the counter in fear. This man was dangerous. I gripped the knife tighter, ready to use it if I had to.
“All I want to do is make you my wife and give you the best life you deserve. Coming from the foster care system, being with someone who beats you occasionally should be old hat.”
He walked around the counter, and I did the same, backing up, wanting to keep the distance between us and hoping Austin or one of his men would realize what was going on and come to my aid.
Declan grabbed a knife as well and said, “One last chance, princess. Drop your weapon, and I won’t have to mark up your pretty face.”
“Never.” If my number was up, at least I’d go out fighting.
He growled and charged at me. We wouldn’t be able to stay running around the island, so at my best chance, I ran to the front door, which was open. I managed to get past the screen, but just as I was stepping onto the porch, strong arms wrapped around me.
“I’ve got you, you bitch.”
“Help!” I screamed, but he put his hand over my mouth, stifling my cries.
“You’re going to regret running away from me, Miranda.” He shoved me against the doorframe, pinning my hand so I couldn’t use my weapon on him. He pushed his pelvis into my backside, grinding his hard cock into me.
