Almost Free (Whithall University Book 3)

by Lisa Helen Gray

  I flinch when he reaches out, swirling a lock of my hair around his finger. “You’re a very beautiful girl… until you open that mouth of yours.” He drops my hair, his eyes raking up and down my body. I cringe, looking away.

  “Did you want to go over my coursework or can I go?” I ask, not comfortable with our plan anymore. It doesn’t feel safe, especially when I don’t see Becky near the door.

  “I had something different in mind. I’ve seen you watching me,” he says softly.

  “I’m going. And for the record, I wasn’t watching you for the reasons you’re thinking. I like to keep an eye on the predator in the room.”

  He laughs in my face. I step around him, heading for the door, but his grip on my arm stops me. I wince when his fingers dig in, and I know they’re going to leave a bruise.

  “Don’t touch me,” I snap shakily, shoving his hand off my arm.

  He grins, a look of pure joy passing over his face as his hand goes to my throat. He doesn’t squeeze, just pushes me back until I’m forced up against the wall next to the door. My eyes widen as I begin to shake, closing them when memories of Darren come rising to the surface.

  Not now.

  Please, God, not now.

  The visions are gone when I open my eyes, breathing heavily. I grab his wrist, yanking it down. He releases his grip on me, watching me smugly. When I try to move out of his way, he steps with me, his body blocking me. He looks like he’s enjoying it, his eyes sparkling.

  Just like a hunter after his prey.

  “I’m going to have so much fun with you,” he whispers breathlessly, stepping closer, practically up against me.

  He runs his fingers down my cheek, watching his own movements with rapt fascination.

  Once I realise he isn’t going to stop, I slap his hand away, my lip trembling. “I said, don’t touch me.”

  He laughs like I just told the funniest joke in the world. He takes a menacing step forward, his expression hardening. My pulse races, but my breath gets trapped in my lungs when he grips my neck in an unyielding grasp. I don’t have chance to defend myself. I gasp for breath, my eyes widening when his fingers dig into my throat.

  In a blind panic, I lift my hands to his wrist, my fingers digging in as hard as I can manage.

  “Little sluts like you thinking they can speak to me that way…” He huffs out a humourless laugh. “When you speak to me, remember who you are talking to. You will respect me.” He brings his face closer, his lips nearly brushing mine. I try to look away, but he doesn’t let me. “We’re going to do something about your teasing. And like a good little girl, you’re going to take it.”

  He loosens his grip, and instead of using it to my advantage and running away, my eyes harden, and I spit in his face.

  “Fuck you!” I croak out hoarsely.

  “Oh, I will, right after I sort out that dirty mouth of yours.”

  He brings his hand up, slapping me sharply around the face. I cry out, covering the sting on my cheek, stunned for a moment.

  I look into his eyes, seeing a soulless monster staring back at me. I’d never even seen Darren this way—something made from nightmares—and even in them, my brain always woke me up. What I am seeing is what horror movies are made from.

  I didn’t need to be told twice when my mind screams at me to run. I glance at the door, to the side of me, seeing it so close yet so far away. It’s almost touchable. My feet are already moving, heading towards the door as fast as my shaky legs will take me. I don’t make it two steps before he’s pulling me back by my hair, trapping me against his hard chest.

  My heart begins to race so fast I begin to feel the symptoms of a panic attack coming on. I want to be able to close my eyes and wait for someone to save me, but I know it’s never going to happen. I’m on my own. Becky was supposed to be outside, but she hasn’t come.

  She’s gone.

  Banner will come.

  I don’t want to deal with what is happening. Not again. I barely survived the first time when Darren attacked me.

  A choked cry for help forces itself up my throat, but nothing but a rasp of air escapes. I feel completely paralyzed with fear. I should fight, run away, but the tighter he squeezes me against his chest, the more I feel detached from my own body, utterly terrified that he’s going to kill me.

  “Where are you going, Emma? I’m not finished. You tease me every week for two hours. Now you’re going to learn a lesson, but not before you satisfy me. If you please me, I might go easy with your punishment,” he growls, his breath on my ear as he pins my arms to my chest. I struggle harder, a tear falling down my cheek when he licks my earlobe.

  “Get off me,” I cry out, my eyes on the door, pleading for Becky to walk in and save me.

  His one hand grips my wrists to my chest, while the other slides down my chest to my stomach. Bile rises in my throat, but I swallow it back down, kicking him in the shin as he reaches the band of my jeans, his fingers teasing the waistband. He steps back with a hiss before he grips my hair once more, throwing me backwards. I put my hand out to stop the fall, but I land too hard, and I feel the burning pain in my wrist before crying out in agony.

  I look up, blowing the hair out of my face, terrified of what will happen next. He storms over, his hands clenched into fists, and I begin to tremble, clutching my arm to my chest.

  He kicks out, and I roll over from the force, grunting in pain, one I know all too well from when Darren broke a couple of ribs. I try to breathe, but the stabbing feeling in my ribs makes it hard.

  Another kick to the back has me rolling on my front, coughing so hard I can’t scream out from the pain. I feel him bend down next to me, pressing my face into the hard, cold floor before spinning me around to face him and straddling me.

  “Bitches like you need to learn the hard way. I’m going to enjoy this,” he whispers, his eyes glowing.

  I struggle to breathe but manage to get out, “Fuck you.”

  The punch he lands on the corner of my mouth has me spitting out blood. I feel weak, my vision blurring from the pain in not only my wrist but my ribs. The second punch has me drifting in and out. When I look up, fighting to stay awake, he has his fist raised. I blink when the weight of him on me is gone, finding him no longer above me.

  Feeling weak, I let my head flop to the side. I struggle to get up when I see Banner punching Mr. Flint in the face—repeatedly.

  He’s saved me.

  “Emma, it’s going to be okay. I’ve called the police. They’re going to send an ambulance, too,” Becky whispers. I don’t look at her, unable to keep my eyes off Banner as he falls back from the punch Mr. Flint managed to get in.

  I cry out, feeling a tear fall down my cheek, the sting bringing all the pain back. “Banner,” I croak out, feeling weaker by the second.

  Distracted by the sound of my voice, Mr. Flint manages to kick Banner in the stomach before getting up and rushing out of the room.

  From the look on Banner’s face, I can tell he’s ready to go after him. “Banner.”

  He drags his attention from the door Mr. Flint just escaped through and looks at me. His hair is a mess, and his T-shirt is torn and pulled, hanging off his shoulder.

  He crawls over to me, his expression filled with anguish and pain. “Emma, what did he do to you?” His hand shakily hovers over my head, his eyes watering. “Where does it hurt?”

  “I—” I lick my dry lips, tasting the coppery tang of blood, trying to grasp the words I want to say, but my tongue feels heavy and my vision begins to blur.

  “Stay awake, Emma,” he warns. “You need to stay awake.”

  “It—it hurts,” I croak out, before coughing, choking on the blood that fills my mouth from the gash on my lip.

  “I know, baby, but you need to stay awake. Do it for me, please.”

  I’d do anything for him.

  I love him.

  And despite the pain, despite the roaring in my ears as I battle to stay awake, my heart soars as I swea
r I hear him say, “I love you too.”

  I want to hold him, needing to know he’s ok and yearning to feel him against me. I raise my arms to do just that, when blinding pain lashes through my side, and I pass out.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Some of the shock from tonight has worn off. My mind, deep down, understands I was attacked, that I’m hurt, whilst a part of me still can’t believe it happened. It doesn’t feel real, or that it happened only hours ago.

  Slowly, I try to sit up, but quickly realise how futile it is when a sharp pain shoots through my ribs. Spots flash behind my eyes and I bite my lip to keep from crying out and showing Banner and Mark how much pain I’m really in. If they make me stay a second longer in this hospital, they’re going to need to sedate me. I just want to go home and curl up in bed.

  “Here, let me,” Banner says softly, helping me up. I swing my legs over the bed, before stopping to catch my breath.

  “Thank you.”

  “I don’t think this is a good idea,” Mark tells us from where he’s pacing.

  I look over at him, trying not to cry at his appearance. He looks like he’s aged ten years, and he can barely look at me. I don’t blame him, either. I caught sight of myself in the mirror, and it’s not pretty.

  “Mark, I just want to go home.”

  “You’re in pain. You need to be here where they can help you.”

  “There isn’t anything they can do that you can’t. Please, just get me out of here. I hate hospitals.”

  He nods but still doesn’t seem convinced. He glances at Banner, his jaw tight. “I’m going to go see what’s taking Levi so long. He said he’d call when he’s outside.”

  Banner nods and moves to kneel in front of me, sliding my shoes on my feet. Finally alone, I place my hand on his shoulder, getting his attention. The torment in his eyes has me closing mine briefly. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. I will be. I’m just pissed right now, Emma. Why didn’t you come to me?”

  I blink back tears, not needing to hear how stupid and naive I was in thinking I could deal with this on my own.

  “Honestly?”

  “It’s all I ever want from you.”

  I wince, even though I know he didn’t say that to be mean. “I didn’t want you to get into a fight. At first, I thought I was just being jumpy because of my past, but then he got in my personal space again. I didn’t want to be the reason a man got fired from his job because of my paranoia. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”

  “What happened after?”

  I look at him straight on. “I was a fool. When I found out he was the same with Becky, we decided to get proof. She already said uni wouldn’t believe me; his parents gave too much money to the school. We had a plan to record what he was saying to us, so they’d have no choice but to fire him.”

  His jaw hardens. “I know. I gave the police your phone.” He runs a frustrated hand through his hair. “But you still should have come to me, Emma. Do you know how hard it was not to kill him when I walked into that room? I never want to see that ever again.”

  A sob bubbles up my throat. “I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. I didn’t think it would get this far. I thought I’d record his suggestive remarks and be done with it. I’m sorry.”

  “Hey, please don’t cry,” he says, moving my head to lie on his shoulder. “Next time just let me protect you.”

  “I will. I don’t think I can go through something like this again. I wouldn’t survive,” I admit. “Have they arrested him?”

  He pulls back, standing up. “No. They can’t find him.”

  Shaking, I look away, not wanting to register his words and what they mean. “Where’s Becky gone?”

  “She got picked up by her dad an hour ago. She felt bad about leaving you.”

  My eyes flash. “She left me?”

  He steps closer, helping me to my feet. “When she heard you beg him not to touch you, she looked through the window of the door and saw his hand on your throat. She came running out to the carpark to find me.” He pauses, rubbing the back of his neck and inhaling. “I heard a fucking noise and went to investigate it.”

  “What?” I ask.

  He stares down at me, his eyes filled with pain. “I heard a noise in the bushes and went to see what it was. I kept thinking Darren was there. I didn’t see Becky until she started heading back inside. I heard her crying and knew something was wrong. When she explained what was happening and that she was on the phone to the police, I ran in to help you.”

  “You saved me,” I tell him, feeling breathless. “Again.”

  He grins, but I can tell it’s forced by the tight lines across his forehead. “We really should get me my own cape.”

  I giggle, then wince from the pain in my ribs. He didn’t break them, but they are badly bruised and will take a few weeks to mend. My wrist, on the other hand, is definitely broken, and I’ll have to keep the cast on for six weeks.

  “You would look good in tights.”

  “I’d look good in anything.”

  I blush, because he would. Even with a busted lip and torn clothes, he looks good. I look at him intently, taking his hand with my good one, and lick my lips. “Thank you for tonight. Thank you for always been there and protecting me.”

  His expression softens. “I didn’t really do a good job.”

  I shake my head at his words. “I knew you’d come. I knew it. And you did. So, get used to the fact that you’re my hero.”

  A cloud of lust flashes through his eyes. “I’ll always be there for you. Always.”

  He steps closer, bending down until we’re eye level. The tension between us is crippling. I want to pull him closer and devour him, but I also want him to be the first to make a move. I’m just going to follow his lead.

  “He’s ready,” Mark interrupts, stepping into the room, causing both Banner and I to groan.

  “Okay,” I croak out, letting Banner lead me to the wheelchair.

  *** *** ***

  I lean on Banner with a heavy sigh as he helps me up the flight of stairs. With each step, black dots dance in my vision from the pressure that shoots through my bruised ribs. By the time we reach the top, I’m sweating, in excruciating pain, and just want to go to bed.

  “Put her on the sofa,” Mark fusses, heading for the kitchen.

  “I just want to go to bed,” I complain.

  He pauses before the kitchen, turning to glare at me. “You’ll do as your told. The doctor said you need to eat with your medication, and unless you want to wait until morning to take some more pain meds, you’ll eat something.”

  Mutely, I nod, letting Banner steer me over to the sofa. Levi quickly places some pillows behind me to prop me up.

  “Do you need anything else?”

  “I think Mark has it covered,” I whisper, glancing towards the kitchen. He’s been distant, barely even looking at me. “He’s so mad at me.”

  Gently, Levi takes one of my hands. “He’s mad at himself, Em. Not you.”

  “Huh?”

  He forces a small smile. “He’s mad he couldn’t protect you,” he says, before briefly looking towards the kitchen, where Mark is banging around. “He spent years not being able to protect you. He not only hates his parents, but yours too. When we first got together he would tell me about them, about how he wanted you to live with him. But you were finishing school, and then everything happened. He would spend hours on the phone to your grandparents, trying to get them to talk you into moving here.”

  I wipe a lone tear. “They did. They gave me the option of either moving in with them, or here, with Mark.” I give a sad smile, remembering that low time in my life. “I chose Mark. He was always there for me as a kid. We were both the black sheep of the family.”

  “It was hard for him. He was kicked out, not forced to stay—like you. He hasn’t said anything, but he feels guilty about tonight. He was hoping with you here to watch over, he would be able to prevent anything bad from happening
to you.”

  “That’s stupid. He couldn’t have known what was going to happen any more than I could have. He shouldn’t feel responsible for me.”

  “He loves you,” he tells me softly, something I already know.

  “I love him too. I feel terrible for putting you all through this.”

  “Don’t,” Mark croaks from the doorway, holding a bowl with steam coming from it. “I should have been there for you.”

  I don’t take my eyes off him as he walks into the room, dropping the bowl on the table before leaning down next to Levi, placing his hand over my cast.

  “I’m sorry.”

  I don’t know what else to say. I feel awful for what they are all feeling. If I had been honest from the start, maybe we could have prevented this from happening, made a different plan to get the proof we needed to report Mr. Flint.

  “Don’t be. I’m the one who’s sorry. I’ve been a wanker all night.” Tears gather in his eyes. “Just let me look after you. I don’t want to hear any moaning, either.”

  I strain out a chuckle, glad the tension has eased some. “I won’t; I promise.”

  “Good. I’m going to get you some clean clothes to put on.”

  My eyes widen in horror. “Um, I can do that,” I tell him, not wanting my cousin going through my drawers.

  Levi stands, chuckling. “I’ll go do it. When you’re up tomorrow, I’ll help you shower.”

  “No, you won’t,” Banner blurts out.

  Levi raises his eyebrow. “I’m gay.”

  “I don’t fucking care. I’ll help her,” Banner tells him.

  “Banner, it’s fine,” I tell him, blushing. There is no way I’m letting Banner wash me.

  He doesn’t look happy, but he nods. “Okay. But wear a bikini.”

  I try to force myself not to smile, but it’s useless. I end up beaming, wincing when my cut lip cracks.

  “Eat your soup and I’ll be back,” Levi says, smirking at Banner.

  Mark hands me the bowl, and although I’m not hungry, I know I won’t be able to handle being sick if I take the tablets on an empty stomach.

  “I’m gonna go ring the police station to see if they have any updates. I don’t trust the fuckers to call back. They’ve got a shit ton of stuff going on with the murders. I want to make sure they’re doing their job,” Banner says grimly.