AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The girl smiled and shouted, but her words were lost in the noise of the bar and the crash of the symbols and electric guitar. Charli slipped the tray under her arm and turned back to the bar, pushing past a couple basically sucking each other’s faces off. She dipped her head and pressed on.
The fine hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. It was the same feeling she’d gotten in the street when she’d thought someone was following her. She peered over her shoulder, searching the sea of faces. She froze. Her heart stuttered and her stomach dropped. Fear splintered through her, rendering her immobile. She became caged in past terror, locked in present panic. It had only been a moment. A flash of that familiar face she’d stared at until her world went black, believing it was truly the end. He was here. Her attacker.
She sucked in a strangled breath, her skin itchy and hot as she backed up. Two hands wrapped around her shoulders. She spun round, adrenaline and the primal need for survival spurring her actions. Lifting the tray, she readied herself to swing, to fight, but halted at the last second as Finn’s face came into focus behind her.
“Finn!”
His eyebrows formed a triangle, worry cinching them together. “What’s wrong?” His eyes darted behind her, searching for the source of her terror.
“He’s here,” she choked through the tremors that racked her body.
“Who’s . . .? Motherfucker!” Finn’s confusion warped into anger. He stepped in front of her to block her from the crowd. “Where?” he asked.
“C-call Bently.” She slipped her phone from her pocket.
“Where is he, Charli?” He pulled out his phone and texted. Mason’s name flashed on his phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Making sure he can’t leave. Come on.” Finn took her hand and walked her to the bar, waving over the other mixologist, Ken. “Take over.”
Ken nodded as Finn led her to the back room. “What does he look like, Charli?”
“He—he’s white with black hair and brown eyes. He’s tall, taller than you.” He looked different than before—a little older. His hair was longer than last time.
“Okay, you wait here in the office.”
She clung to his arm, panic snaking around her spine. “Don’t leave me, Finn.”
He pulled her into his chest, his hand holding her head as he kissed her temple. “I’m not leaving you. I got you. No one is going to hurt you again.” He pulled out his phone once more. “I just need to tell Mason what to look for. Bently is on his way. We’ll get him this time, sweetheart.”
She closed her eyes and relaxed into his arms. I’ll be okay. Finn is here.
Fifteen minutes later, there was a knock on the door to the office. Charli jumped. Finn stepped in front of her. “It’s just Bently.” He twisted the knob and let the sheriff in.
“I did a sweep with Vargas, and a couple guys are watching the exits from the outside. There isn’t anyone who looks like the sketch. Do you think you can come out and take another look? We’ll be right by your side.”
Her body trembled. “I was just saying to Finn, his hair has gotten longer.”
Bently nodded. “I know this is hard, but we won’t let anything happen to you.”
She sucked in a breath. This man had killed other women, and he was never going to stop. If she could do something to help catch him, she had to try. “Okay.”
Finn and Bently flanked her sides as they walked back to the bar. Charli’s eyes scanned the place where she’d seen him last. Several people turned and looked, most likely wondering about the police presence. The lights had been turned on, even the music was subdued. Charli searched the faces, but none of them were him. Had it been her imagination? Had she seen someone similar and panicked for no reason? Doubt crept into her mind. Anxiety twisted her belly into knots as she took one more hard look around the room. One man sat in the dark corner, his back to them, next to a blonde woman.
Charli’s pulse quickened. She pointed towards him. “Is that—”
Finn took off towards the man before she could finish her sentence, anger radiating from him. Silence descended upon the room as the music stopped and everyone turned to gawk.
“Finn!” Bently yelled. “Fuck! Vargas!”
“I got Charli.” Vargas, the beautiful deputy, sidled up to her protectively as Bently went after Finn.
Finn’s hand landed on the guy’s shoulder, whipping him around.
It was him—the man she had kicked out of the bar, the one who attacked her. Finn pulled him out of the chair by his collar, winding his fist back. But before he could release it, Bently tackled him to the ground. All three men ended up on the floor.
Curses and a muffled groan rang out. Gasps echoed each other as Bently growled, “Stop before I have to arrest you too.” Bently locked his arms around Finn placing him in a choke hold. “Calm down. We need this to be clean.”
