by J. A. Owenby
Jared and Tiffany laughed as I relaxed my stomach.
“Alright you two, hush up. It’s starting,” Tiffany said as she turned up the volume.
I leaned back into the love seat and propped my feet up on the coffee table. I was grateful that I didn’t have to pretend to smile for a little while. I didn’t even care that Jared’s leg was touching mine during the movie. I wondered if he’d kiss me again if he knew Walker was gone. I hadn’t told him.
After the movie was over, Jared drove me home. “Did you have a good day?” he asked as he pulled into the apartment complex.
“Helluva lot better than last year,” I said.
“You were in Oregon last year, right?”
I nodded. “Does it really get better? The bad memories?” I asked softly. I leaned back into the seat and turned my head toward him.
“Do you want me to be honest or lie?”
“Honest. Always be honest with me. I don’t want a bunch of sugar-coated bullshit.”
“Some days it gets better and others it doesn’t.”
“How long did it take you with your mom?”
Jared paused as a frown line creased his forehead. “I don’t remember how long. Maybe a year or two before they weren’t as frequent. But everyone processes differently, so it’s hard to give you a time frame.”
I nodded.
“Well, thanks for letting me hang out with you guys tonight.”
“Anytime.” Jared’s hazel eyes softened.
I smiled as I opened the car door and stepped out into the cold night air. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said and closed the door. I didn’t glance back at him as I walked up the stairs and into the apartment.
Chapter 31
Emma and I had begun the countdown to Christmas. She invited me to the Christmas party at her work and introduced Nathan to me. She was all smiles as he held her hand. I’d never seen her so happy. He stood about six feet tall, and his dark hair was cut close to his head. His eyes were a smoky gray, and he kept them on Emma unless he was speaking to someone else.
They were kind enough to introduce me to their other coworkers and not ditch me. That wasn’t Emma’s style anyway, but I wasn’t sure about Nathan yet. He probably wasn’t excited about a third wheel.
“What do you think?” Emma asked when Nathan left to use the men’s room.
“He seems really nice,” I said and smiled as I took a nibble from my cookie.
“Do you like him?” she asked. She couldn’t contain the excitement in her voice.
“I do so far.”
Emma frowned at me. “That’s not what I expected you to say,” she said.
“I just need time to get to know him is all,” I said as I patted her arm. “You have to keep in mind that my judgment of guys isn’t too good.”
“Don’t say that.”
“Say what?” Nathan asked as he joined us again and took Emma’s hand. He dried his other hand on his pant leg. At least we knew he washed his hands after he took a leak.
I smiled at Emma. I thought Nathan was going to be perfect for her, but only time would tell.
“Hey, some of the staff is going out for a few drinks, do you care if I go?” Emma asked.
“No, of course not. I think that would be really good for you.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes! Please go. I’ll enjoy some much-needed alone time.”
“Okay, we’ll drop you off at the apartment then. We’re meeting them at eight, so we should leave soon if you’re ready.”
I agreed, and Nathan and Emma dropped me off at the apartment. I was actually looking forward to curling up on the sofa and watching some mindless TV by myself. Between Emma and all the time I spent at the dojo, it was a rare luxury. At least she trusted me enough now. That was progress for both of us.
We’d forgotten to leave any lights on, so it was pitch-dark when I walked in. I closed the door behind me and stood still as I ran my hand up the wall to find the light switch.
I froze as I felt something cold against my throat.
“If you scream, I’ll slit your throat right here. Emma will never get your blood out of her floor.”
I gasped as his body pushed me backward into the door.
“Hello, Lacey from the South,” Xander said as he flipped on the light switch.
I squinted, temporarily blinded by the sudden light.
“You’re still so beautiful,” he whispered.
My heart hammered against my chest as I stood paralyzed. Xander Koffman was in my apartment with a knife to my throat. How? How was he here?
“I bet you’re just full of questions, aren’t you?” he asked, sneering. “You always were. It drove me fucking crazy. Would you like me to start at the beginning?”
“Yes,” I said, my voice cracking.
I racked my brain for anything Jared had shown me concerning a knife, but we hadn’t done any weapons-defense training yet.
“Well, as you can see, I’m out of prison. I can’t say the stay was pleasant,” he said. His eyes traveled across my face and to my chest. “It’s been a while,” he said as his finger trailed down my neck, collarbone, and to the edge of my top. “You were such a good fuck, too.”
“Please, don’t,” I whimpered. I swallowed against the knife and the bile that rose in my throat.
“We’ll save that for later,” he said, laughing.
“Why are you here? What do you want, Xander?”
“That’s a good question. I actually came here to catch up with your boyfriend.”
“I don’t have a boyfriend,” I replied.
“Hmm. I did wonder, since I haven’t seen him around the last few weeks.”
My eyes widened. He’d been watching me for weeks?
“He probably didn’t mention that even with his firsthand account, they only charged me with domestic battery. And as you know, I’m well connected. My attorney found a technicality, and they couldn’t exactly prove that it was me who set fire to the house. Unfortunately, too many people saw you beaten up, though. That was a detail I hadn’t counted on. You getting out alive. So instead of years in prison, I only got a few months, and then they released me for good behavior. Not to mention the overcrowding is ridiculous. But it worked out well for me in the end. So here I am, Lacey.”
He paused for a moment and licked his lips. “I think we’ll start with dessert first. When I’m finished with you, I’ll hunt Walker down and finish him too.”
He moved the knife against my throat as he grabbed my breast through my shirt. I squeezed my eyes closed as tears trickled down my cheeks. I scrambled for any training I’d learned, but my brain refused to cooperate.
Xander flicked open the buttons on my blouse and pulled it back, revealing my black lace bra.
“You definitely have an amazing pair of tits,” he said as he moved the material away and exposed me. His thumb flicked across my nipple. He leaned in and his erection pressed against me.
I closed my eyes and made myself focus. I calmed my mind as much as possible and felt my feet on the floor. I imagined the ball of energy swirling in my abdomen and remembered that every move I made came from that power.
Pain shot through me as Xander took my nipple between his teeth and pulled. My eyes shot open. Fuck him. I’m not going down like this.
Tiffany’s voice floated through my terrified thoughts, and I slowly slid my left arm in front of me, biding my time. Then in one swift move, I grabbed his nuts through his jeans, squeezed with every bit of strength I had, and twisted.
“Ah! You stupid bitch!” Xander said as the knife clattered to the floor and he stepped backward. I released his nuts as I brought the heel of my right hand up and struck the soft tip of his nose. He stumbled backward and fell to the floor. I pushed off the door and ran past him.
“I’m going to kill you, but this time, I’ll really finish the job. You just fucked up, little girl!” he said as he grabbed my ankle and I went tumbling to the floor. I kicked at his h
and as he started to regain his strength. I rolled over on my back and snapped a kick to his face. He screamed as he released me.
I scrambled to find my footing. I ran to my bedroom door, slammed it closed behind me, and locked it. I knew the flimsy door wouldn’t hold against his weight; I only had a few seconds.
I pulled my closet door open and threw the shoe boxes out until I found the one I needed.
“Open the goddamn door, Lacey!” Xander screamed as he kicked it.
The door rattled. My hands shook as I tried to shove the rounds into the cylinder. I cursed as the first one fell to the floor, but I managed to slip two others in. My legs trembled as I stood and walked over to my window. I faced the door and took a deep breath as I heard Jared’s voice in my head. Don’t draw your gun unless you’re ready to pull the trigger.
I jumped as the door flung open. Blood trickled down Xander’s face as he bolted into my room.
“Stop right there, motherfucker. I’ve had about enough of your shit,” I said and glared at him. I pointed the gun at his chest. I refused to go down again. This man had stolen my life from me, and I was about to take it back.
Xander’s laugh ripped through me. “Please. Who are you kidding? You won’t shoot me.”
“You forget I was born and raised in the South,” I said as I held it on him. “When someone breaks into our house here, we shoot them.” I tried to hide the tremble in my hands.
He grinned and took a step toward me.
Closer. Just a few steps closer.
“You think you’re hot shit because you have a few belts in karate? You’ll never get rid of me. I’ll fucking haunt your dreams for the rest of your days. Lucky for you, you only have one left. I won’t leave until I’ve finished the job.”
He took another step toward me. I didn’t hesitate as I stepped in and turned the gun in my hand as I moved. A crack ripped through the room as the butt of the weapon made contact with his temple. Xander dropped to the floor unconscious.
“That’s for calling me a bitch,” I said as I stood over him. I held the gun in one hand and stepped over him into the doorway. I grabbed a handful of his hair and tugged on it as I tried to move his body down the hallway, but he was too heavy. I didn’t want to put my gun down in case he regained consciousness. I tucked it into the back of my slacks and prayed it wouldn’t fall out.
I lifted his upper body, slipped my arms underneath his armpits, and pulled. His arms flopped around as I dragged him down the hallway and dropped him in the middle of the living room. I searched the room for something to tie him up with, but the only thing that crossed my mind was the string of Christmas lights, and that wouldn’t work.
I ran into the kitchen and rifled through the tool drawer that contained a hammer, screwdriver, nails, and some tape. I shut it and then pulled it open again. My eyes narrowed. I grabbed the duct tape and ran back into the living room. I reached for my gun and laid it on the floor next to me as I grabbed his wrists and wrapped the tape around them as tightly as I could. He moaned.
Shit. He was waking up.
My hands trembled as I finished with his hands and moved to his feet. Sweat dripped from my forehead onto the floor. I tore one more piece off and placed it over his mouth as his eyes fluttered open.
I took a deep breath as his eyes focused on my face. They darkened with hatred as he realized his hands and feet were bound.
I kneeled next to him and picked my weapon up off the floor. The cold metal felt good against my sweaty palm.
“Who’s a bitch now, Xander?” I cocked my head as he tried to talk against the tape. “Mm, sorry, I can’t understand a word you’re saying.”
I flashed the gun in front of him. He glared at me. “Still don’t think I’ll shoot you?”
I held it close enough for him to see. His eyes followed my hand as I lowered it and then nudged his crotch with the barrel.
“The laws in Arkansas are pretty clear, Xander,” I said as I applied more pressure to his dick. “Rape is illegal. Beating a woman is illegal. Killing your unborn baby is illegal. Breaking into someone’s apartment is illegal. Doesn’t sound like you have a lot in your favor right now.”
I paused as Xander tried to pull his wrists apart and struggled to say something against the tape. A cold mix of fear and rage swirled inside me. I wasn’t sure I’d have an ounce of remorse if I killed him right now.
“Unlike you, I don’t have a huge ego, and I don’t give a shit what you’re trying to say. I’m not taking the tape off your mouth, so shut the hell up.”
I stood up, brought my foot back, and delivered a snap kick to his ribs. He doubled over in pain. I kicked him again and again until I heard a rib crack. His eyes glistened with tears as I took a step back and stared at him. I raised the gun and aimed at his head. His eyes widened with fear. Maybe he’d finally realized that I wasn’t the same Lacey he’d left in Oregon to die.
“I have the legal right to kill you,” I said. “You beat me until I lost our baby and you left me to die in a fire. If I call the cops now, you’ll just get out and come after me again. I’ll never be free from you unless I put a bullet in your brain. At least then I’ll know that you’ll never hurt me or anyone else again. I’m pretty sure I can live with that.”
Xander’s chest heaved as he struggled to get free. Sweat trickled over his brow and into his eye.
I stood and stared at him as I thought about a bullet piercing his brain. I’d worry about the carpet later. Emma would freak when she saw it, but she’d have to deal with it. I refused to live in fear any longer.
And then a thought flashed through my mind. I continued to hold the gun on Xander as I stepped toward the small corner table that held our telephone. I’d almost forgotten it was there since I never used it. I dialed the number as I held it in my other hand.
“I need you, now. Can you get over here as fast as you can?” I asked. My voice didn’t sound like my own anymore. I tried to hang the phone up, but it bounced off the corner of the table and clattered to the floor.
I walked to the front door and waited. I jumped as the knock at the door finally came.
“Who is it?” I asked as I tried to calm the fear in my voice.
“It’s me. Open up.”
I opened the door and ushered Jared in.
“Lock it,” I said.
“What the fuck?” he asked as he caught sight of my gun. His eyes followed it to where it was pointed. “Shit, Lacey. What the hell is going on?” he asked as he ran his hands through his hair. His eyes widened as he took everything in.
“Jared, meet Xander Koffman from Oregon,” I said.
“What?” He glanced back and forth between the man bound on my living room floor and me.
He rubbed his chin and took a deep breath. “Have you called the cops?”
“No. I was about to unload my gun on him when I called you.”
“Holy shit. Give me the gun.”
I didn’t move. Part of me had called Jared to stop me from killing Xander, but now that he was here, I wasn’t sure I wouldn’t pull the trigger anyway.
“Lacey, listen to me. You don’t want to do this. Trust me.”
“If I don’t, he’ll just come back. I can’t live like that anymore.”
“You won’t be able to live with it if you pull the trigger, either. I don’t give a shit what you’re feeling right now. As soon as you kill him, you’ll regret it. You’ll never be able to take it back.”
“How would you know?”
“Because. I didn’t tell you everything.”
My eyes left Xander’s face and cut over to Jared.
“What do you mean?”
“My dad’s not in prison. I killed him.”
“What?” I asked as my arms faltered.
“Everything else I told you was true. Mom died in my arms, but I didn’t just hit Dad once. All my anger over the years came rushing out, and I beat him as many times as he’d hit her. I killed him. And you don’t forgive yourself for
something like that, even if they do deserve it.”
My arms trembled from his words and the exhaustion that was setting in.
“Why did you lie to me?” I asked as tears slipped down my cheeks. “I trusted you.”
“You’d been through so much and you needed something and someone to believe in. I protected my mom, and I’d do the same for you,” he whispered. “I’m the same man you’ve known all these months. The same guy who taught you to fight, protect yourself, and to use that gun. But you can be pissed at me later. Just give it to me.”
I stared at Xander’s bloody face and slowly lowered my weapon.
“Give it to me, Lacey,” Jared said softly.
I frowned as I handed it to him. He released a loud breath as he took it from me. He sat down on the sofa and rubbed his face with his free hand.
“Sit down. You’re in shock.”
I did as he said, but my eyes never left Xander.
“We have a few choices. First, we can call the cops, and you can give them your statement about Xander breaking in and attacking you. You’ll have to provide full details of the attack. They’ll question you several times, and they might be dicks about it and drag it out. You most likely won’t be charged, but sometimes it happens.”
“I could get charged?” I asked as my eyebrows rose.
“I really doubt it. You know I’ll testify for you, give my account, anything to get things cleared up. But there will be a lot of questions.”
“What’s the other option?”
“I make a few phone calls, and then you and I leave.”
“Why would I leave him here?”
“Because you don’t want to see the people who would come in here and pick up this sack of shit. What I promise you, though, is he won’t ever be able to hurt you, or anyone else, ever again.”
My eyes widened in surprise as I realized what he was saying. His friends would finish Xander and feed him to the gators. There would never be a trace of him to be found.
I glared at Xander for a moment and tilted my chin up. “Make the call.”
“You sure?”
“Yes,” I said as I turned to look him in the eye.