Page 69 of Wicked Lord

CHAPTER 28

DEPRAVED

Lorelei

“Get away from him, you asshole!”

My heart slammed against my ribs as I darted across the empty parking lot. Once I was close enough, I pressed the trigger on the pepper spray, holding my breath as I aimed it at Micah’s masked attacker.

Ever since that unexpected encounter with Brock, I never left home without it. If that monster thought he could shove me into the back of a car, he had another thing coming. Just like this guy. What the hell was wrong with people?

The guy managed to avoid the cloud of pepper spray dropping to the ground so quickly he hit the asphalt with a smack.

“Get out of here, Lorelei!” Micah shouted from beside his car, blood dripping from his temple and across various lacerations on his face.

He leaned against the tire, pinching the bridge of his nose to keep the deep crimson from flowing into his mouth. One eyewas already swollen shut and the other seemed to be blindly searching the parking lot.

“No way. I’m not leaving you.” I marched toward the masked assailant and pointed the pepper spray at his face. Even with the narrow eye holes, I was fairly certain I could do some damage. “Get the hell out of here, you lowlife scum.”

Why did big, strong men think it was okay to prey on the weak? I was so damned tired of it.

Blue eyes peered up at me, the brilliant gaze so familiar I startled. The tiny can slipped right from my fingertips. The metal hit the asphalt, the click-clack sharp against the sudden silence.

The man leapt up and tried to run, but something came over me, a need to unmask this asshole and show the world what a coward he was for hiding behind a polished mask. Okay, maybe my Brock trauma was kicking in here, but I couldn’t stop my feet from propelling me forward.

He jogged across the parking lot and back toward the library. I traced his broad shoulders, the familiar slope of his torso and narrow hips. I blinked quickly, shaking out the crazy thoughts. Damn, I really needed to get Axel out of my head.

Micah’s attacker clearly never expected me to follow him because when I grabbed a fistful of the back of his shirt by the thick copse of trees encircling the library, he spun around, eyes wide.

Again, those damned familiar spheres of pure sapphire.

“Get out of here before you get hurt,” he growled through clenched teeth.

Every nerve ending in my body lit up at that voice. It was deeper and rougher but… “Axel?”

No, it couldn’t be.

Why the hell would Ax be wearing some creepy stalker mask? And why would he attack Micah in the middle of the night?

The guy lunged at me, wrapping thick arms around my torso. My shoulder blades slammed into his unyielding chest, and he clapped his hand over my mouth.

“Shut up,” he snarled.

“Let go of me!” I squirmed and kicked, but the man was a beast.

He drew me further into the cover of the trees. Shit. Shit. This was not good. His arm tightened around my waist, stealing the air from my lungs. Bloodied, torn knuckles caught my eye before they disappeared beneath my jacket.

My heart climbed up my throat, my pulse a manic drumbeat. Why did I think this was a good idea again?

I wiggled an arm loose and tried to reach for the mask over my head, but the guy ducked and weaved, avoiding my fingers. He trapped both my arms beneath his, and I was stuck.

“Just let go of me!” I screeched and jabbed my elbow into his side. I barely did any damage since I couldn’t quite get any leverage considering my current position.

He backed us up against a massive trunk and pressed me tight against his body. Warm breath ghosted across the back of my neck, and a tingle raced up my spine. A swirl of heat kindled between my legs at the feel of him.

Oh, fucking hell. What was wrong with me? Maybe Brock was right, and I was as messed up as him. How could I be turned on by this?

Something thick and hard pressed against my ass, and I suddenly realized I wasn’t the only one. I should have been revolted, but I found myself rubbing up against the masked man’s hard on.