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My heart thumped in my chest soheavily I could hear it in my ears. I kept replaying Anna’s wordsover and over in my head about Ian coming to fight my battles. Ionly hoped it was true that he would show up any moment now. I keptdarting my gaze from the open door to Anna lying on the floor. Ishould have known better, really. Because the moment he noticed Iwas looking for someone to come rushing through the door his headsnapped in that direction.
“Ben, no.” I tried to calm him butit was no use. He brought his stare back to me and the menacinglook I found there had me cowering back.
“Are you waiting forhimtocome save you?” His voice was a lot calmer than it should havebeen. The tone frightened me even more than if he would havescreamed it. He jerked me to him roughly and that time I couldn’thelp the whimper of pain as he squeezed me so tightly it felt likemy arms would break. Ben wasn’t a huge guy by any means but he wasbigger than me, a point that was obvious right now.
“Ben, you’re hurting me,” Iwhimpered as I tried to pull away from him again. He simply heldtight as he walked up to the door.
Once he was close enough, hereleased one of my arms and grabbed the door. Taking that as my oneand only shot, I reared back and punched him as hard as I could.Pain exploded across my knuckles the moment I made contact with hischeekbone but I didn’t let that stop me. He grunted and cursed as Ikicked, clawed, and punched until he was forced to let me go. Ipushed him far enough away from me so I could make a move towardthe still-open door.
Victory was short-lived as herushed me again and shoved me back. I lost my footing as he slammedthe door and went careening into my work desk. My back slammed intothe corner before I fell against it. I cried out as sharp painradiated from the place of impact straight up to my neck. I didn’tgive my body time to ease the pain, though, as I pushed away andgot back to my feet.
Ben locked the door before facingme again, but I didn’t give him time to speak as I grabbed thefirst heavy thing I could find, which happened to be a stapler. Igripped my fingers around it and threw it as hard as I could athim. I hit my mark dead on as it smacked him in the mouth.Satisfaction surged through me when I saw blood dribble from hissplit lip. But that joy was quickly vanquished when he gathered theblood with a swipe of his thumb and his eyes darkened withfury.
My breath left me in labored puffsas he stalked toward me and I grabbed all the things I could todefend myself. I threw pencil holders, Trapper Keepers, books,anything and everything, but nothing slowed him down. He simplyswiped everything away from him as if nothing would stop him fromgetting to me.
The moment he grabbed me again Igripped a pair of scissors in my hand and thrust it forward as hardas I could. His eyes dilated in surprise before I saw a flicker offear. I screamed as I stabbed him in his belly with the scissors.He sucked in a harsh breath as he released me and staggeredback.
I gripped the side of the desk tohold myself up as I stared at them sticking out of his gut. Nausearose as blood trickled out and dripped to the floor. Panic stillthrummed thickly through me as Ben stared down at what I’d done tohim. His eyes mirrored everything from pain to anger as he flickedhis gaze back up toward me.
I’d never known true fear for mylife until that moment. He kept his hateful eyes on mine as hegripped the handle of the scissors. “All I ever wanted to do waslove you, Lindsey,” he seethed as he pulled the scissors slowly outof his belly. His shirt was covered in thick red blood and moreleaked out as he pulled the scissors completely free.
I could feel my entire body shakewith fear as he held the bloody weapon in his hand and scowled atme. “Ben—”
My words were cut off as he rushedme again. I had no time to fight as he yanked me to him with evenrougher hands. I tried to hit and scream but it was no use. I wasno match for his sheer size as he twisted me around and slammed thefront of my body to the wall next to the door. My head hit the wallwith a thud and my vision dimmed around the edges. He gripped mywrists behind my back and tugged them so harshly it felt like myshoulders might dislocate.
“Ah, please!” I shouted out inpain.
He crowded me from behind and Icould feel his blood seeping into the back of my shirt, making myback sticky and warm.I’m going to be sick. He pushed meagainst the wall so tightly I couldn’t get a full breath. I triedto think of my next move but it was impossible to move in thisposition.
“You think this is how I wantedthis to go?” he breathed in my ear. He was so close I could almostfeel his teeth against me. “I just wanted to talk to you andexplain why I was watching you. But you and that bitch”—he snarledin Anna’s direction—“made that impossible.”
“Ben, I can’t breathe,” I wheezed.My breath was fast and short as I tried to get the air I sodesperately needed.
“No!Ican’t breathe,Lindsey! You left me for someone else and took all my air with you.I just need you to see that I’m the one for you. Not some oldfucker who had his chance. Me!” he yelled into my ear so loudly Iwinced as far away from him as I could.
I wanted to thrash and fight as ifmy life depended on it because it did, but I could feel thescissors he still held in his hand. Though they weren’t pointed atme, they were still a threat. “Okay, let’s talk,” I whimpered,still trying to find a full breath while compressed against thewall.
Ben made a sound I could onlydescribe as a wounded animal on its last breath. I felt wetnesssplash against my neck as he buried his face there.Was hecrying?I held stock still as he inhaled deeply and nuzzled myhair that was trapped between my neck and his face. “I just wantyou so much, Lindsey. Do you know what I’ve done for you? How manypeople I’ve hurt just to protect you?” I quivered as his words sankin.Who did he hurt?Had he done something I didn’t knowabout? Did he hurt someone to keep them away from me? Suddenly allthe times I’d never heard from the guys I went out on dates withmade sense now. “Why won’t you love me like I love you?” he sobbedagainst me.
If I wasn’t in fear for my life Imay have felt saddened by this desperate ploy for affection. But asit was, I didn’t give two-tenths of a fuck how he felt right now.He’d knocked out Anna and was now holding me captive. There was noredemption for him in my eyes.But he doesn’t know that.
“I do love you, Ben,” I lied andtensed as he stilled against me.
He lifted his face from my now-wetneck before he spoke quietly. His breath puffed across my hair,making the ruffled curls move against me. “You’re lying.” He didn’tseem to believe his words even as they parted from his lips.
“No, I’m not.” I let the lie rollsmoothly from my tongue. I was amazed at my ability to lie so wellbut when the situation was either lie or get stabbed to death, aperson tended to learn to lie well.
“But, Anna’s da—”
“I knew you were watching me, Ijust wanted to get your attention.” I tried not to cringe at myselfas I wiggled against him. I needed to get him onboard with the ideathat I wanted him. Even if that meant making myself do somethingI’d never done before, act seductive.
I tried as best as I could to pushmy ass out against him. It was easier said than done as he held metightly but I managed to move against his groin enough to show himI wasinterested. He released a pent-up breath as he felt memove against him.
“Lindsey,” he groaned my name likea prayer before I felt him loosen his hold on me the slightest bit.I tramped down the thrill of excitement that surged through me. Itwas working. This could work. I could distract him long enough toget away. I just hoped I could look at myself in the mirrorafter.
“I wanted you too but I needed youto be jealous. I needed you to fight for me so I teased you withIan.” I hated the words that left my mouth. I wanted to call themback immediately and tell him I really hated him. I loathed thisperson I didn’t even recognize as my friend behind me. He was nevermy friend, he just wanted the one thing I’d never allowed him tohave—me.
“Fuck, I love you so much,” hemumbled as he pressed his lips to my neck. I felt tears burn theback of my eyes as he kissed and nipped the sensitive flesh hefound there. I squelched down the urge to push him away, the needto scream that I would never be his. The only thing that kept mefrom doing just that was when he released one of my wrists, movingit to be held with the other in his one hand, and snaked his armaround my belly. I could feel the scissors tap against my hip as ifhe hung the handle from his thumb.
