Chapter 8 #2
Her heart pounded. Her muscles trembled. She forced her steps to slow. Someone else could be here. Pressing her back to the wall, she stopped at the end of the hall and peeked around the corner so she could scan the living area.
Silence greeted her.
The only evidence of his entry was her apartment door hanging open an inch. She swallowed and ran to it. After closing and locking the door, she barricaded it with a chair. She needed two minutes to get clothes on. That was it.
Running back down the hall, she threw one look inside the bathroom to make sure he hadn’t somehow escaped. He lay twisted over the edge of the tub, his upper body partially submerged in the water, the jolting done.
Molly quickly threw on clean joggers and a crewneck sweater, not bothering with a bra. She crept out of the bedroom and made her way down the hall again. The chair hadn’t been moved. Bile hit the back of her throat.
A man was dead in her bathroom—and it very easily could have been her lifeless body lying there. Trembles shook her shoulders as she wiggled on her runners and moved the chair away from the door.
She needed to call Atlas, but she couldn’t stay in her apartment. Nor could she go to her vehicle. Someone could be waiting for her there. Or watching the building.
She couldn’t leave.
Her fingers froze on the door handle. Sandy’s apartment. Quickly she retrieved the key from the kitchen cupboard.
Back at the front door, she eased open the wood and peeked into the hall—empty. She skirted around the corner and moved toward Sandy’s place.
The scent of fried chicken was thick in the corridor, mixing with the smell of the old, tattered carpet.
Water dripped from her wet hair, soaking her sweater. Her pants stuck to her still-wet body. She stopped at apartment 307, two doors down, and pushed the key into the lock. She didn’t even knock.
The hairs on her neck sprang to attention. Every creaking floor and loud voice made her jump.
Glancing back to make sure she hadn’t been followed, she stepped into Sandy’s apartment and locked the door.
Meow, meow
Tension cinched her throat. She wanted to call for Sandy but couldn’t yet find her voice. Bending down, she scooped up Pheonix and held the cat to her chest. The animal nuzzled under her chin, demanding more attention.
She moved further into the tidy space. “Sandy?” she called softly.
No answer.
Peering into the kitchen, she found it clean and vacant. If Sandy were home, she’d either have something delicious in the slow cooker or fresh baked goods cooling on the counters. Molly searched the apartment to confirm she was alone, then sat at the kitchen table.
Her teeth chattered and she held the kitty tightly, stroking her silky fur. She sucked in one deep breath after another until her pulse no longer beat relentlessly against her skull.
She pulled the phone from her pocket and hit the only number in it, grateful she’d charged the device. The line rang and she waited, holding her breath. For all she knew, Atlas could be on his way to find Rex, had maybe even left town again.
“Hello?” His gravelly voice strummed her heartstrings, offering comfort.
“Atlas, it’s me.”
“Mol, you okay?”
Tears burned her eyes and collected on her lashes. “N-No. I mean, yes. I mean—”
“Honey, what is it? Are you hurt?”
“Someone was here,” she choked out, her voice a whisper.
“Where are you?” His sharp demand cut through the speaker.
“At my friend’s apartment. She’s not home.”
“Stay there. I’m coming for you now.” He barked something to people in the background, then returned to the line. “I’m staying on the phone with you.”
“Okay,” she managed.
“Where are they? How many?”
“Just one, I think. I was in the bath and—”
“Are you injured? Bleeding?”
She shook her head then scoffed, realizing he couldn’t see her. “No.”
The sound of an engine reached her ears. “I just got in the vehicle. What’s your address?”
She gave it to him, clinging tightly to the phone.
“I know you’re scared. I want to hear everything that happened, but right now, I need to know if there’s a threat. Tell me if you can see or hear anything. Check out the window if you can safely. The guys are coming behind me for backup.”
She got to her feet, her leg muscles as limp as spaghetti. Forcing her knees not to bow, she crossed to the window that overlooked the front of the building staying near the wall and out of view. Cars drove up and down the busy street, and the sides of the road were lined with parked vehicles.
“I don’t see anything suspicious, but I don’t know what to look for either.”
“Any cars idling? Look for a van or large SUV. If they planned to take you, they—”
“He didn’t plan on taking me.” The words rushed out with certainty, and the memory of his malicious grip shoving her beneath the water turned her blood to ice.
Atlas let out a slew of curses. “I’m almost there. Keep watching, okay?”
She perched on the arm of the couch, watching each parked vehicle for signs of someone waiting.
A black SUV rolled down the road and whipped into a parking spot. Atlas hopped out of the driver’s side, his phone pressed to his ear and his stride intent. Moments later he disappeared from view, entering her building.
Relief swept over her. He was here. Everything would be okay now. She wasn’t alone. “I saw you.”
“Taking the stairs now. You said 307?”
“Yes.”
“Elevator would be quicker, but I don’t want to be stuck in it if someone cuts the power.”
A silver sedan with tinted windows caught her eye—a luxury vehicle she hadn’t spotted earlier. A hand moved to the window and flicked a cigarette.
Her stomach dropped. “I think someone’s waiting.” She described the car.
“All right. Hang on, I’m going to pass that to the guys. They’re only five minutes behind me.”
“He could have a gun,” she breathed.
“Prolly does,” he said dryly. “They’ll handle him, don’t worry.”
Half a minute later, heavy footsteps pounded down the hall. Though common sense told her it was Atlas, fear still rushed through her. She moved quietly to the door, and a soft knock came next.
“I’m here.”
Ending the call and setting the phone on the table, she crossed the kitchen and flung open the door.
Atlas stood there, a scowl etched on his face.
His sandy hair was sexily mussed and his sea-glass eyes sparked with concern.
He wrapped her in his arms, lifting her off her feet, and shut and locked the door behind him.
She closed her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder, savoring every warm inch of him.
Gently, he lowered her. “You’re soaked.”
She sniffed and nodded. A tear rolled from the corner of her eye. Dammit, she hadn’t even felt the tears come. Hadn’t even been aware of the stinging in her nose until now. He swiped at her cheeks, then led her to the couch, where he pulled her onto his lap.
She leaned against his chest, her head on his shoulder. His fingers stroked the damp strands wetting them both.
“I’m so fucking sorry, Mol. This shouldn’t have happened. I shouldn’t have left you.”
“It’s not your fault. You didn’t know this would happen, and you can’t exactly babysit me while you do your job.” She wrapped her arm around his waist, gripping his shirt tightly.
“No, but I could’ve done better.” He kissed her forehead. “Now tell me what happened. I’m sorry I cut you off on the phone. I just couldn’t fucking hear you tell me everything without being with you.”
She closed her eyes and hung on to him for a minute longer, finding the strength to relive the scariest moments of her life. Scarier than being taken from the parking lot. Scarier than being beaten and threatened with being sold.
Because just minutes ago, her life had tangled with death. Had almost been lost. “I was in the bath,” she said tiredly. Just Atlas’s presence was enough to let her body rest. To give in to the exhaustion and shock that she’d fought so hard to keep at bay.
His other hand stroked the top of her thigh, urging her on. For a flicker of a second, she remembered her fantasy. How she’d come at the thought of these hands, his mouth, and all of him deep inside her.
But then it fell away, not staying long enough to even heat her cheeks. His breath was slow and steady, but the tension of his arm around her told her he needed her to continue.
“I was about to get out when I heard a floorboard creak, then the doorknob turned. I just . . . froze. God. I froze. I don’t know if those few seconds would’ve made a difference at all. I had no weapon near me. No time to make a call.”
She closed her eyes, wishing the whole thing would disappear from her memory. But it wouldn’t.
It’d live there until the day she died.
“What happened, baby?” Atlas urged softly, hating every tortured line etching her pretty face.
Watery eyes found his. “He rushed into the bathroom. I screamed, but he grabbed my throat. He saw me naked and— He said—”
Atlas straightened, shifting her to face him. “Did he fucking touch you?”
Tears rolled down her cheeks. She shook her head. “No. He said it was too bad my death needed to look like an accident.”
Rage turned his vision fuzzy. “Then what happened?”
She lowered her gaze to his chest. Impatience made his breath fast, but he’d let her do this on her own time if it killed him.
Absently, she brought her fingers to the ink on his neck and gently traced the lines that disappeared beneath his shirt.
He brushed her hair over her shoulder.
Swallowing, she met his eyes. Raw fear made her skin pale, accentuating the fading bruises he’d do anything to erase. Red streaks covered her neck. He placed a hand on her hip and moved his thumb in slow circles over her sweater to calm her as much as himself.
“He pushed me under the water. Tried to drown me.”
His fingers flexed on her slight hip but he kept his face blank—or so he hoped.
“How did you get away?” he finally asked.
She shook her head. “Everything happened so fast. I was losing consciousness. He had his hands around my throat—” She brought her fingers to her neck. “And I knew I had seconds to do something. I managed to kick him in the face and break his hold on me. Once I got up, I fought him until . . .”
A tremor shook her shoulders.
“Until what?”
“I pushed him into the tub and threw the phone charger into the water. It was plugged in.” Her voice was small, ashamed even.
Appreciation burned in his heart. “Jesus.” He pulled her to his chest. “You did the right thing, Mol. Okay? Don’t doubt that. You’re so goddamn brave.”
She curled tighter to him. “I’ve never killed anyone before.”
He brushed his lips over her cheek. “You’re in shock. You went through so much and I’m sorry you were alone. I’m here now and you’re safe. No one will come near you again.”
She wiped her palm over her cheeks.
“Molly, you did nothing wrong.” Hell, it’d been years since he first killed someone. Still, he hadn’t been as innocent as her. As fucking pure. “Saving yourself or someone else isn’t something to feel bad about. Ever.”
She nodded against his neck but didn’t say anything. He held her for several minutes, then shifted to retrieve his phone. “I’ve gotta let Rogue and Viper know I’ve found you.”