Page 77 of His Saving Grace

A creaking noise sent her spinning back around.

Nothing. Everything was the same.

A nervous laugh bubbled out of her, and she forced herself to relax. She didn’t have time for this. She needed to go and find Mason so they could talk.

Picking up her bags, she hurried to the bathroom. She flipped on the light, rummaging through one of the bags from the salon. She looked up, and the world stopped spinning.

WHORE was scrawled across the bathroom mirror in pink lipstick.

She stumbled backward, her shoulder bouncing off the door frame. The bags slipped from her fingers, thudding to the floor.

“Hello, beautiful.”

Her insides coiled into an inescapable knot at the sound of his voice. A voice she knew so well. One she’d hoped to never hear again. Her gaze skidded to the door that adjoined the bedroom.

David stood in the doorway, a sadistic smile twisted across his handsome face. He was the same, although his blonde hair was slightly longer than it had been the last time she saw him. His green eyes traveled the length of her, cold as ice.

“I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” His voice was quiet compared to the deafening thud of her heart. He stepped into the bathroom. “I’ve missed you.”

Move, move, move. Her brain screamed for her to get as far away from him as possible. But shock and terror kept her feet rooted to the bathroom floor. He found her. He was here.

David reached out and caressed her face. She was too numb, too scared, to flinch. His cold fingers on her cheek sent bile crawling up her throat, but she didn’t dare gag or move or breathe.

He pinched a lock of her hair between his fingers. “I’m glad you went back to the blonde.” His voice was smooth, deep, menacing.

Fear snaked through her. She had no idea how long he’d been here, but he’d been watching her. It was the only way he could know about her hair. Which meant he knew about…

He clenched his fist in her hair and wrenched her forward. She cried out. His warm breath on her face made her skin crawl.

“But you’ve been a very bad girl, haven’t you?”

Terror seized her. She would never forgive herself if anything happened to Mason and his family.

“Has he fucked you yet?” Contempt dripped from the words, a razor-wire of anger threaded through. “Have you welcomed him into your body like a whore?”

She stood stock still, silently sending a prayer of thanks to the universe that he hadn’t seen her and Mason together. She refused to breathe, lest she give something away. Experience had taught her there would be no reasoning with him when he was like this.

“It doesn’t matter.” He inched forward. “I’ll make you forget him.” He crushed his lips to hers, and she wanted to gag. His tongue brushed against her lips, but she refused to open. He yanked on her hair. She gasped. He used it to his advantage and thrust his tongue in her mouth. Instinct kicked in and she bit down.

He pulled back with a growl. “You bitch.” He yanked on her hair again. The force pulled her head back and it banged against the doorjamb. Pain exploded through her skull. She winced, biting down on her lower lip to keep from crying out.

“I gave you everything.” His eyes took on a feral glint in the bright bathroom light. “And this is how you repay me? You run and hide from me? Make me chase you? Without me, you’re nothing.”

“Da… David…” She needed to placate him. She’d never seen him this riled up. Terror at what he might do made her heart stutter to a stop.

“Get your things.” He shoved her into the living room. She staggered, but managed to remain on her feet. She turned to face him, looking for some way to get through to him. Convince him of… what, she didn’t know.

“I’m sorry.” The tremor in her voice was disappointing. “I didn’t mean…”

He backhanded her. The force of the blow sent her to the ground, blood spraying across her tongue. Her lip throbbed, her jaw ached.

“No, you’re not,” he said, reaching down to yank her to her feet. “But you will be. I’ll make sure of it.” He thrust her farther into the room.

She stumbled, but refused to go down. Eyeing the door, she weighed her chances of getting there and opening it before he grabbed her. She wasn’t sure she could make it, but she had to try.

Counting to three, she lunged, but he was on her in seconds, tackling her to the ground from behind. She fought for all it was worth, hitting and kicking and struggling against his hold. It was no use. He was stronger and outweighed her by a lot. Within seconds, he had her pinned.

“I don’t think so.” The words came out on a snarl, and he flipped her over and straddled her waist. He grabbed her wrists, holding them against the floor above her head in a vise-like grip. “You’re not running to him. I know that cowboy has had his hands on you and it doesn’t make me happy. You know I don’t like to share. If I was smart, I’d eliminate the competition and be done with it.”