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“Fuck this,” Mark grates out before he bolts toward the fleeing asshole.
Mark catches up to him easily, grabs him by the back of his shirt, and tosses Jason to the ground. Mark jumps on top of him and lands punch after punch, managing to dodge each of Jason’s wild attempts at returning the favor. Grim stalks toward them angrily, and after pulling Mark off of him, he delivers one precise punch to Jason’s temple and knocks him out.
The whole encounter felt like an eternity but was only a few minutes tops. Rogue and Thorn, both grinning like kids who were just given a thousand dollars to spend in their favorite toy store, collect ropes from the SUV and saunter to the knocked-out men. They tie them both up and slap duct tape over their mouths.
I shudder uncontrollably and step out of the way as Rogue and Thorn walk past me and throw the douchebags into the back of the SUV. I stare at them, trussed up like animals, and still, I can’t stop my fear.
They’re tied up, knocked out. They can’t get you.
A tap on my arm startles me, and I whirl around to see Malice standing there, looking at me with worry in his eyes.
“I’ve been calling your name.” Malice’s voice is low and comforting. “Are you okay?”
“No… I’m not fucking okay.” I’m trembling, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t stop it. “Why are they here? How did they find me?”
“I don’t know, but we’re going to find out,” he promises. “They willneverfucking hurt you again.”
I’m so distraught that I don’t even question how he knows that they hurt me. I curl into Malice as memories of that night terrorize me. My hands are clammy, and sweat drips down my face. Gasping for breath, I’m transported back to Indiana.
“You’re gonna be a good little whore and get on your knees and suck my dick. If you even think about screaming or biting, Jason here will slice your throat,” Travis threatens. “Then no one will hear that pretty little voice of yours ever again. Nod if you understand.”
A knife flashes in my peripheral and the flat part of the blade is slowly dragged down my cheek. I nod, and Jason pushes me to my knees as Travis yanks his cock out of his boxers and shoves it toward my face.
“Suck bitch!” Travis yells.
“Apple!” Malice shakes me, bringing me back to the present. “Breathe… slow breaths… you’re okay.” I follow his instructions, and he pulls me into his chest. “That’s it. I got you.”
I absently nod against him. “I’m sorry. I’m okay.”
“No need to apologize,” he says as he rests his chin on my head.
Holding onto him and absorbing the comfort he’s offering, I ponder my reaction. I can’t believe I freaked out like that and hate that Malice is a witness to it.
It’s been so long since I’ve thought about that night. After Mark knocked my attackers out, we got the hell out of Dodge. Gary said he’d take care of them, so I put it out of my mind. But without our statements, it’s unlikely the authorities were able to hold them for more than twenty-four hours.
And that’s if Gary even called the cops. I never bothered to check. Maybe a part of me was afraid of the answer.
But what bothers me more than anything is how long they’ve been after me. Days, weeks, months, years? I always assumed they’d wake up from their drunken night in a jail cell and forget all about me. Apparently, I was wrong.
They can’t hurt you.
I straighten my spine and unravel myself from Malice’s arms. “I’m good. Promise.” Lifting my eyes to his, I smile.
Soul comes to my side after peering at the two goons in the SUV. He levels his gaze on my face and lifts his chin. “Never again, Apple,” he assures me, and I nod even as my eyes slide to the vehicle.
How could this happen?
“Apple,” Malice calls out, knocking me out of my trance. “You’re riding with me.”
Malice’s reaches for my hand, but before he grabs it, Soul steps between us.
“She’s shaking like a damn leaf. It’s not safe for her to ride,” he snaps, his tone full of censure.
“She’s not riding in the fucking SUV with those assholes or are you forgetting that they already tried to rape her once?!” Malice roars.
“They’re tied up and gagged,” Soul points out. “She can ride in the front with Rogue. Thorn can take the backseat with Mark.”
“Fuck you, Soul,” Malice grinds out. “If that were Cece, would you put her in the same vehicle with her would be rapists?” Soul’s body tenses, and he grinds his teeth. “That’s what I thought,” Malice taunts.
