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She knew he kept the side door open, and if she could get to it she could lock it once inside. The bag hanging off her shoulder fell to the ground in her haste to escape.
Her breath sawed in and out of her, and she pumped her arms, trying to eat up the distance in the on the slippery ground.
The sound of Paul’s curse and then the heavy fall of footsteps behind her filled her ears. Lungs burning, she ran because her life depended on it.
The spotlight over the garage showed her the way, but when she rounded the side the darkness cloaked it like the dead. She ripped open the side-door and slammed it shut behind her.
Hands shaking uncontrollably, she turned the lock just as Paul threw his body against the door.
A scream left her as she watched the frame rattle. Sprinting to the car, she fumbled with her car keys, before slipping inside and shoving them in the ignition. She could hear Paul slamming his body against the door.
He called her every name in the book, and promised her he would beat her until she turned black and blue once he caught her. His words weren’t just a threat; they were a promise.
The car purred to life, and she sent up a silent prayer of thanks.
“Shit.” She stared at the closed garage door and then whipped her head to the right. The door practically bowed forward as Paul continued to muscle his way inside.
She had to give Deacon and Thayer credit, because their craftsmanship was sturdy and strong. The garage door opener was on the wall right by the freaking door that Paul tried to get through.
Jessa knew she wasted valuable time, so pulling up her courage she darted out of the car and ran toward the opener. She knew she would have to be quick, because once Paul knew what she was doing he’d attack with a vengeance.
Jessa reached out and slammed her hand on the opener, but just as she turned to make a mad dash for the car the door burst open, and Paul grabbed a chunk of her hair.
She screamed and reached back as he tugged hard enough to have fierce pain slamming into her skull and her body flying backward.
Her ass landed on the cement ground, and a burning agony climbed up her spine. Tears of pain, fear, and frustration pricked her eyes as she stared up at Paul.
A dark look crossed his face, a look she had seen so many times. It was the expression right before he hit her. Bracing herself for the blow, she saw his hand swing toward her right before it connected with her cheek.
Her ear rang, and floaters flashed before her eyes. She felt her lip split open, and then the tangy, metallic taste of blood filling her mouth.
“That was just a sample of what I’m going to do to you.”
Before he could say anything else, or move for that matter, two bright headlights filled the driveway.
She felt the floodgates open up as she cried hard and powerfully.
Deacon and Thayer were back.
Chapter
Twenty-Three
“What. The. Fuck?” Deacon slammed the truck into park, but Thayer had already jumped out of the cab and taken off at a dead run to the garage.
Deacon tore after his brother. He felt his animal clawing and roaring to be free. The sight of Jess on the ground with some male’s hands on her had his blood pounding.
The smell of her blood filled the air, and he saw her split lip and the nasty bruise starting to form on the side of her face. He couldn’t stop it from happening. His bones broke, and his muscles contorted.
He kept his eyes on Jessa as the shift took over him. Her eyes grew wide, and the tangy scent of her fear bathed the night.
Thayer was still in human form, but Deacon could tell his brother was on the verge. The scent of fear rolling off the man when he got a look at him in his snow leopard form would have had him grinning, if he could have.
He had a feeling the man trying to place claim on what was theirs was Paul. Deacon wanted blood, a lot of his fucking blood.
Thayer reached them first and lunged at the man. Fists flew in a flurry of movement, and although he wanted in on the action, he knew he had to get Jessa away from the violence.
He moved toward her, slow and steady, but her fear of him grew. She kept casting glances at Thayer. Deacon made a low sound in his throat, and she whimpered in response.
