“You did it,” I whisper into Trudy’s hair, rocking her. “You said no. You stood up.”
“I almost didn’t. I almost went to him.”
“But you didn’t. That’s what matters. That’s everything.”
“How the hell did he find me?” She grips my arms, and I hold her and let her cry because I understand the fear.
The front door shuts loudly, and stomping footsteps approach, my heroes appearing in the living room with us. They’re huffing, not injured from what I can see, and safe.
“He’s gone,” Brody says from the hallway. “But that doesn’t mean he won’t return. You can get a restraining order against him, or?—”
“It’s time for me to leave, I think.”
“But then you’ll be alone,” I insist, which is the opposite of what I was thinking days ago when I wanted her gone. Now look at me.
Corey crouches beside us. His jaw is already bruising where Kristian’s elbow caught him, and he reaches out and carefully touches Trudy’s hand.
“But you’re safer here than out there alone,” he says.
Jakob stands by the window, watching the street, arms folded, saying nothing. I catch his eye, and the raw fury there makes my throat tighten.
Time passes, but I don’t track how much. Trudy’s sobs subside into exhausted shuddering, then into silence, and finally into sleep. We get her to the couch, with a blanket, a pillow, and Damien curled against her stomach.
In the kitchen, Brody finishes the pizza. Corey sits on the floor with his back against the counter, ice pressed to his jaw, staring at nothing. Jakob watches over us, then says, “Tomorrow we’re putting in an assault report so it’s on file with the cops.”
“Agreed,” I say. My voice is steady, and I don’t know where the steadiness is coming from, but I’m grateful for it. “Tonight we just… be here. All of us.”
Soon enough, we’re all in the living room, eating pizza. Trudy has joined us, and we’re watching a comedy, with Damien tucked in Brody’s lap. Corey is dozing on the armchair, one leg draped over the side. And Jakob’s on his phone, saying he’s researching security upgrades and restraining orders.
I realize we’re going to spend the night here together and that my phone is at home. I want it in case Katie has any updates for me about the publisher.
“Back in a minute,” I say. “Left my phone next door, and I want to lock up so we can all stay here tonight.”
“Come, I’ll join you,” Brody says, already leading the way. He steps outside and it’s silent, peaceful in the yard, with no sign of Kristian.
Just then, Brody’s phone rings.
He glances at the screen, his expression shifting with recognition, and answers with a boisterous hello to who I can only assume is a friend. I wave for him to go inside, mouthing that I’m fine, then dart toward my place.
By the time I reach my door, my heart is still beating too fast. For once, it isn’t all from fear but from an excitement that I think these Alphas are my forever. Something I never thought I’d say when I told myself months ago that I wanted nothing to do with Alphas.
Key in the lock, I turn it and push inside. The hallway is dark, so I step in quickly, shutting the door behind me, when something moves beside me.
It’s fast. My heart slams into my ribs.
A hand clamps over my mouth before I can scream, hard enough to crush the sound back into my throat. Another armhooks around my waist and yanks me off-balance. My keys hit the floor with a useless jangle as I’m dragged backward.
I thrash, nails scraping at the hand over my mouth, lungs burning as I try to drag in air through my nose. My blood turns cold.
His lips brush my ear. “Finally,” Louis whispers. “Just us.”
28
CLAIRE
“Miss me, doll?” His hand stays firm over my mouth from behind, and my scream dies against his palm.Louis is in my houseis all I can think as panic shudders through me to my bones. “You’re mine now.”
I thrash against him, but he’s so much bigger than me, so much stronger, and he’s hauling me through the hallway and the living room. The lights remain out, the blinds pulled shut so the Alphas next door can’t see us, but I spot my phone on the living room table.