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Needless to say, we’d still make it to the bookstore, it was just a little delayed.
Chapter Forty-Two
Summer
Word of advice:never let your guard down.
Not even in your own home.
Over the last few weeks, things had been relatively quiet. I had not heard a peep from my parents, but I never thought I would so that was no shocker. My brother and I had spent some time together and although he still felt guilty that Dr. Lawson had been at the event and for not doing more to shield me from our parents, I insisted none of that was his fault.
And although I was worried about my brother and the choices I knew he was battling, I tried to stay hopeful that it would all work out and he would come out on the other side of it all and the decision he made would make him happy. I had not truly seen him that way in a very long time. In fact, it hadn’t been since he and Alley were still connected.
As for me, I wanted nothing to do with my parents and I think that between my brother’s and Gyth’s words at the country club that night, Dr. Lawson had got the hint, as I had not received any further notes. I wasn’t feeling like I was being followed and felt like everything had finally settled down.
Having Gyth just made it all that much better, and things were amazing between us.
I, however, was missing him right then, as I was home alone. He had some late classes atNo Surrender,then a monthly meeting where he and the guys had to go over stuff, so he wouldn’t be off until later. Alley had met up with some authors in the area and they had gotten together for dinner tonight, so she was also gone.
This time it really was just Ash and me. We had been curled up on the sofa together, watching tv when I had fallen asleep. Work was going well, but sometimes I did have a lot of fatigue and I was extra tired right then, so a little snooze wouldn’t hurt until Gyth showed up.
Suddenly a bang out front woke me up. Very groggy, I thought I must have imagined it until I heard it followed by a creaking sound that made Ash’s head pop up, and her ears going back, alerted to something as well. It sounded like someone was outside. Maybe Gyth or Alley had already got home. Looking at the time on my phone, I saw that it still seemed too soon, but maybe one of them had gotten done early.
Dragging my tired ass off the couch, I padded barefoot toward the front door, Ash following me. Something about her was on edge and I had grown to not only trust my instincts but hers as well. So, I peeked at the door, noticing that both locks were engaged before turning and heading to the back of the house to check the back door. Finding it locked as well, I felt marginally better, but Ash didn’t seem satisfied.
Running back to the living room, I snagged my cell off the coffee table and took off toward my bedroom, Ash following me once again, sticking to me like glue. I didn’t want to bother Gyth or Alley when they were busy and we were safe, but I figured I could at least shoot off a text to Gyth and just let him know I was a little spooked. If he saw it, maybe he would get here faster.
Once in my room with Ash, I locked my bedroom door and sat down on the bed.
Summer: Hey babe. Ash and I are okay, but I thought I heard something outside and got a little scared. The doors are locked and I am just holed up in my bedroom with Ash until you get here. The sooner the better. Love you.
Who knows when he would see it, but I felt better just sending it.
“Okay girl,” I said to Ash, scooting back against the headboard and motioning for her to snuggle close. Grabbing the remote off the bedside table, I hit the power button on the TV and scrolled through the channels to find something to watch, finally deciding on a Hallmark movie that was playing. I’d already seen it, but it was a good one, and I loved the sappy, predictable movies.
Between the warmth radiating from Ash and the plush, sherpa blanket we were wrapped in, fatigue set in, I almost fell back asleep… but then Ash started growling. Jerking straight up to a sitting position, I frantically looked around for what may have been causing her to get so upset, but everything was how it had been when we laid down.
“What is it, Ash?” I spoke as softly as I could to her even though my heart was racing, wondering why in the world she was so riled up. God, I wanted someone to get home. Ash put her paw on my leg and let out a little whine.
I wanted to call Jurnee so badly to just talk, but she would know from my voice something was wrong and would want to pack up the two kids and rush over here. With Braxton at work with Gyth, I wasn’t letting that happen. I couldn’t just ignore the way Ash was acting and the unsettled feeling in my gut, so I bit the bullet, moved to sit on the side of the bed, and picked up my phone again.
This time I dialed.
After several rings, Gyth’s voicemail picked up, so in a shaky voice, I started to leave a message. “Hey, Big Guy, something—” That was all I got out before my door swung open and Dr. Lawson stormed into the room, making it to my bedside so quickly he was almost a blur. Ripping the phone from my hand, he threw it down on the mattress.
Ash went nuts, barking, growling, lunging for the intruder. She knew Dr. Lawson meant to harm me and she wanted to protect me. “Shut that fucking dog up now or I will kill her!” the crazy guy said, with venom in his eyes. But Ash jumped for him again and when he backed up into the hall to get away from her, Ash followed. Somehow the evil man twirled around in a quick move and was back in my room, slamming the door shut and trapping Ash on the other side.
Two thoughts went through my mind in the few seconds before my world went from bad to worse. One, Ash would be safe now at least, and the second, I wasn’t sure I would survive whatever was going to happen next. But I knew one thing—I had so many things to live for and my life was rich with so many people who brought happiness to it, that I would fight to keep all that.
Then, there was no more thinking as rage rushed through me and I went on the defensive. As Dr. Lawson came at me, I jumped across the mattress to the other side of the bed to put space between us.
A sinister laugh came from his mouth., “You are not going anywhere this time, baby. This time you are mine and I warned you I would get what was coming to me. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”
I said I would fight, but that did not mean I wasn’t scared out of my mind. I tried so hard not to show him the terror inside me, as he would likely have fed off it. “Leave now, this isn’t going to end well for you,” I warned.
He didn’t seem to register a thing I said, they just looked focused on what he came for. That was when I really panicked and felt alarmed that my fight just wouldn’t be good enough. I noticed the phone on the bed and wondered if it was still recording. I screamed as though my life depended on it. “Gyth!”
“Your man isn’t going to save you, Summer. This will be over before he can even get here,” he taunted and then grabbed the cell. Hitting the end button, he then chucked it across the room. I watched it shatter into a million pieces as I listened to Ash bark and scratch at the door frantically, practically trying to tear it down.
