Page 66 of Ring Me

“I'm not sick!”

“You are. And you'll never find anyone who's a better match than me.”

My lower lip trembled as I held my head high. “If you're the best match for me in this world, I'd rather die alone.”

White-hot fury came to life in his glare. I don't know if he wanted to hurt me, or catch me, or if he was acting on impulse... I just knew his shoulder was flying at my face. I fell backwards, my shoulder connecting with something hard. The shatter of glass, then the rush of water, horrified me.

“Ariel!” I gasped, scurrying on hands and knees through the puddle on my kitchen floor. Glass shards cut my palms but I didn't care, I had to get my fish and make sure she was okay. I had to keep her safe.

Hands snatched at me. “Get up, I'm not done with you,” Ben snarled.

“Let go, let go let golet go of me!”

I screamed at the top of my lungs—a long, ear-splitting screech that went on and on until Ben was pale from fear. Once, he'd shouted insults for the world to hear. It was my turn to yell. My turn to warn everyone that there was a monster living among them.

“Shut up!” Ben hissed, clapping his palm on my mouth, wrestling me from the wet tiles. In my ears I heard the pathetic flapping of my fish as she struggled to stay alive.

My front door banged open so violently it bounced off the rubber stopper. Like a vengeful angel from a dream, Conner appeared, his fingers crushing the edge of the door, catching it before it bounced back into his face.

Ben's grip went still on me. He was gaping at Conner, his hold on me slipping. “Mmmf!” I sobbed behind his fingers, imploring Conner with tears falling down my cheeks.

He took half a second to take in the scene before he rushed at Ben at full speed. Before my ex could utter a sound, Conner wrapped his fists in his shirt and yanked him off of me, off the floor, into the air. “Get the fuck away from her!” When he roared, I saw every single one of his teeth; he was an apex predator about to shred its prey.

I backpedaled across my kitchen floor, wanting to get as far from Ben as possible. Even if Conner had control of the situation... I needed distance.

“Dude, let go of me!” Ben demanded. He tried to get a hold on Conner but the bigger man lifted my ex higher off the ground, his sturdy arms flexing, veins bulging. Ben had to weigh at least 180, but Conner handled him like he was a paper bag.

“Did he hurt you?” Conner asked, looking at Ben, talking to me.

“Just get him out of here.”

“Did he hurt you,”he rasped louder.

“She's fine!” Ben snapped. “I didn't do anything! I was being nice! I carried her food up five sets of stairs for her!”

I tried to catch my breath—I was hyperventilating. “Please, just throw him out. I don't want to see him anymore.”

“You heard her, put me down! Fuck! What are you doing?” Ben struggled as Conner manhandled him to the open front door. I saw motion out there; some residents had come to see what the commotion was about.

Conner brought Ben closer to him, ignoring how he was still swinging about, trying to get free. “If you come anywhere near Maya again, I'll make sure you can never climb another set of stairsin your life.”

Without anymore fanfare, he threw Ben into the hallway. I heard my ex grunt angrily, the crowd gasping, before Conner slammed the door and cut us off from the drama.

I stared in disbelief as he marched my way. How was this possible? Had he heard my screams across town, read my mind, sensed I was in danger? Why was he here? Why... why was I so lucky?

He crouched, but instead of hugging me or checking me for injuries, he scooped Ariel into his hands. “Get a glass of water,” he instructed. I hurried to do so. Handing him the glass, I breathed a sob of relief when my fish plopped inside, swimming in a rapid circle, but looking healthy.

“Are you really okay?” he asked me.

Unable to sum up an answer in words, I threw myself into his arms, hugging his solid chest like I needed to confirm this wasn't all in my head. “I'm so happy to see you, Conner!” I was fighting back tears. The last of my adrenaline left my body; I hung limp in his grip, wrung out like a dish cloth. “If you hadn't shown up...”

“Shh shh. You're safe now.”

I believed him.

---