Page 26 of Love in Pieces

?CHAPTER 9

Abby

The frantic thrashingon the front door wakes me up from a dream that I no longer remember. My racing heart sounds loudly in my ears, almost muffling the noise from the front door. My whole body freezes as the pounding continues. A muffled yell reverberates under the closed bedroom door, not allowing me to hear the words.

Sam should not be home yet. It’s only been a day. And he wouldn’t be pounding on the door either. I can’t put my thoughts together long enough to even begin to understand who might be outside that door. I don’t want to find out, at least not alone. My hand is on my phone before I process what I’m doing. I find Dallas’s name and start typing, hoping to God he is still awake. I glance at the time after sending an SOS text, realizing it’s almost three in the morning. There’s no way he’s still awake.

To my relief, my phone dings and I immediately hide it under the covers, clenching it so close to my body that I might absorb it. I hope to God whoever stands on the other side of that door didn’t hear my phone. My eyes go wide as I adjust to the dark room. I wouldn’t dare turn on a light. No one can know I’m here.

“Open the door, Abby!” I hear louder than before. A male’s voice. Not Sam’s voice. I don’t recognize the angry shout that threatens me. I glance at my phone, thankful to see Dallas’s reply.

D: I’m coming

Please hurry.Do I call the cops? They might listen to me on this one. No. Sam would surely find out. Who else knows I live here other than Meredith? Just Dallas now. Then it dawns on me. Sam’s friends. He’s threatened this before. I never thought he’d actually do it. When he called asking whose place I was at, that was enough motive for him to get suspicious. He doesn’t trust me. Not that I’m surprised.

“I have a key.” the man says calmer this time. A warning. He will come in. “Open the door and this will go much smoother.” A key? How? A useless question. I know exactly who gave it to him. Another knock, then silence.

A long enough period of silence tells me to get up and check the front door. My body moves, but my mind is still cowering under the covers. The bedroom door opens without a sound, and I peer out into the empty dark living room, the front door sitting just beyond the couch. It’s still closed. No more pounding on the door, but I keep my eyes trained on the spot where the handle would be. For a moment, I think I’m free, but then a small click sounds loudly in the quiet apartment as the latch unlocks, and the handle starts to turn.

Somewhere in me, my instincts kick in and I run to the door, pushing on it with all my strength. I’m met with strong resistance as the intruder pushes harder. “Abby, don’t fucking do this. Let me in, and we can talk.”

I don’t respond. I plant my feet behind me, angling my body even more, hoping the leverage will keep him out. My small frame does little compared to the force of the other guy. He pushes only a few times before I fall backward, bracing myself with my arms outstretched behind me.

“Now, why did you have to make this difficult? You probably woke up the whole building by not letting me in when I asked.” Shane stands in front of me with a smirk on his face. The darkness keeps me from seeing the rest of his features, but I can make out the outline of his shorts and tank top. The light from the hall makes his silhouette seem huge as I look up from the floor.

“What do you want, Shane?” I ask, hoping I put enough grit behind my question.

He snorts before answering. “What do I want? I don’t want anything. Sam, on the other hand, wants to make sure you’re keeping in line.” He closes the door behind him before finding the light switch. I squint as my eyes adjust to the light. His short brown hair sits messy on top of his head, and his dark eyes do little to soothe my fear. “Then again, since Sam’s not here, we could have a little fun.” He takes a step closer.

It’s an effort to gather the little bit of willpower I still have left. “Get lost, Shane.”

A wicked laugh echoes through the apartment. He purses his lips and nods lazily. “Sam saw that you went to someone else’s house after the party last night. You weren’t home when he left for the airport. Poor thing was scared you’d gotten lost. But to his surprise, you were only a few blocks away.” His conniving tone works its way into my head, making me start to panic. Where is Dallas?

“He already called me. This is between me and Sam. Not you. Now leave.” I don’t move but force a defensive eye at him.

“Now, now. You don’t really expect me to leave without getting a solid answer, do you?” He eyes me up and down. “And maybe a little extra.” He raises an eyebrow as he folds his arms, taking another step closer. “I just need to know whose house you were at.”

A sudden burst of anger makes me stand up, fists clenched, ready for a fight. It’s probably a comical scene from an outsider’s perspective, but at the moment, I feel like I’m ready to defend myself. “And then what? You’ll beat me like Sam does? I’m done with him. Done!”

---