Page 16 of Beaten

“Em, you decent? Can I come it?” Chris asked through the door.

I opened my mouth to call for help, but Craig growled, “Tell him no.”

“No.” My voice cracked. I knew Jamie and Jack wouldn’t hesitate to run in and save me if I screamed, but I was too terrified to try.

“Okay, let me know when I can come in to help.”

“Say okay.” Craig pointed at me, a scowl on his face. He looked like shit; his hair was greasy, he hadn’t shaved in a while, and eyes were bloodshot.

“Okay.” My voice cracked with fear.Please God, let him hear the fear in my voice. Craig glared at me; head cocked towards the door as he waited for Chris to say something else. After a few seconds with no response, he started to circle the bed.

“You fucking bitch. You’re gonna pay for getting me arrested.”

I tried to back away but bumped into the bedside table. Craig would reach me in a matter of seconds.Please God, don’t let this happen. After what felt like an eternity, but was in reality only a few seconds, the door crashed open. Craig spun around as Jamie and Jack rushed in, guns drawn.

“On your knees.” Jamie ordered as he and Jack surrounded Craig. “Put your hands where I can see them!”

I cried out as my knees buckled underneath me. I wasn’t sure if it was from fear or relief.Probably both.I hugged my knees to my chest and tried not to think about how close I’d come to getting beaten again.

Looking over the bed, I watched as Jack shoved Craig roughly to his knees, grabbed his hands and yanked them behind his back, then zip-tied his wrists. Craig swore the entire time.

Jack stood, gun pointed at Craig, and said, “I got him. Check on Emily.”

Chapter 9

Jamie

Iwalked around the bed, intending to offer Emily a hand up, but I could see her shaking, so I holstered my gun and kneeled in front of her. I gently pried her hands away from her legs, then helped her to stand. At no point had I intended to hug her, but it felt like the right thing to do. So I did. She didn’t resist when I pulled her towards me and turned her face away from Jack, who was yanking Craig to his feet, then wrapped my arms around her, one hand holding her head to my chest.

“Shhhh…” I ignored the strong sense of possession I felt take over as she wrapped her arms around me and buried her face against my chest and cried. Words wouldn’t help her feel any better or calmer, so I simply held her. Using my body to tell her she was safe, since words wouldn’t help.

“Jack, get him out of here and call Houston PD.”

“No!” Emily cried out as she jerked back.

What the Fuck! Why would she want to let him get away with this, after everything he’d put her through?

Jack held Craig, and waited for instructions.

I cupped her face and forced her to make eye contact. My anger evaporated at the stark terror I saw in her eyes. “Emily, he violated his restraining order -”

“Jamie, please,” she begged as tears flowed down her cheeks. I had to resist the urge to wipe them away. “It’ll be worse if I have him arrested again. I have everything I need. Can’t we just leave? Please?”

My heart broke hearing the desperation in her voice. And worse, she was probably right. If we had Craig arrested again, they wouldn’t hold him long and he’d be even more determined to get revenge. I was torn, for the first time in my life I was considering ignoring the rules to help Emily.

I looked at Jack, wanting to know what he thought. He raised one eyebrow and nodded. I should have guessed he’d side with Emily.

Damn it. It went against my by-the-book instincts, but I conceded. I didn’t want to make things worse for Emily, and I’d feel better the sooner we got her back to Weatherford.

I called Chris in and asked him to stay with Emily while Jack and I escorted Craig out of the room. “It’s your lucky day.” I said through gritted teeth as we forced him out into the hallway.

Jack turned Craig so he was facing the wall, his hand on his pistol sending a clear message to Craig—don’t move.

Then, I got in Craig’s face. “If you try to fight or argue, we’ll call 9-1-1 and have your ass thrown back in jail. Understood?”

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” Jack pushed him into the wall, not hard enough to hurt him but hard enough to make it clear he could and would. I'd told him who we were when I called earlier, so we didn’t waste our time answering him.

“Consider that your only warning.” Jack said as he held Craig’s face against the wall, then said to me, “I’ve got him.”

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