Page 101 of Love Me Gently

I turned and opened the door. Stepping outside into the hall, I turned, intent on heading straight back to Cole when a hand wrapped around my arm.

I froze as the cloying, familiar scent I’d hoped to never smell again, hit me so hard my stomach churned. I opened my mouth to scream, and a hand wrapped over my mouth.

“You didn’t think you could actually hide in plain sight and get away with it, did you?”

Jonathan.

All that bubbling hope popped like a thousand bubbles. I kicked my legs, tried to break away but he only dragged me harder and soon, there was the metal bang of the door and the frigid cold air of the night air sending goose bumps peppering down my arms beneath my sweater.

“Those men Kip sent, might have been large, but they’re idiots. And Kip should have known better than to think he had a chance in hell at keeping me from what I want.”

I screamed against his hand, fear flashing straight in front of my eyes. Jonathan spun me around, making me lose my footing. The world spun, and my vision went hazy. It took me a moment to grasp what I was seeing, what Jonathan had spun me around to see. Jim Bower. Lying splayed out on the ground, face down, a dark pool of what had to be blood, but I refused to believe it was, pooled on the ground beneath him.

“No!” I screamed against the hand still pressed to my mouth, and then felt the burning blast of pain and heat against my cheekbone.

“Shut up. You’re only making it worse for you. Should I tell you the things I’ll do to you once I get you back home? Should I tell you how much it’s going to hurt?”

“I think you should take your hands off the woman and let her go.”

Relief swelled inside of me at the new voice. Brock. Someone was here. ThankGod. My shoulders fell as Jonathan jerked me around again, this time with something hard pressing into my back. He adjusted so quickly his other arm wrapped around the front of my throat, and he held me against him as Rocco came crashing through the back door a second before Cole followed. Rocco had his own gun drawn, pointed directly at me and Jonathan, Cole’s was loose at his side.

Adrenaline rushed through me, making me warm and possibly psychotic because I burst out in a laugh and looked directly at Cole. “Probably shouldn’t have gone alone, huh?”

“Shut up!” Jonathan snapped and jerked me backward.

I cried out in surprise more than pain.

Cole showed no hint of humor and scowled instead. “You don’t think you’re getting out of here with her, do you?”

Jonathan chuckled, and the cold tone in his voice turned mocking. “You don’t think I’m leaving here without her, do you? It’s not like you’ve been that difficult to take down.”

With Jim still on the ground, unmoving, his point was clear.

“Takes a special kind of coward to shoot a man in the back,” Rocco retorted. “Good news for you, when I shoot you, it’ll be straight to your chest, so you see it coming and I get to watch the life bleed out of you.”

“Nonsense,” Jonathan clipped and stepped backward, away from the door to the tavern, away from the three men, all with their guns ready.

They wouldn’t shoot, though, and Jonathan knew it. Not with me as his shield. He could do whatever he wanted to me, and they wouldn’t do a thing to stop him.

His slow backward steps were mirrored by theirs. With very step he made away from them they made a small stride toward us.

“My wife and I will be headed home and trust me when I tell you I have plans to correct her behavior, so this doesn’t happen again. You won’t mind, will you, Mr. Paxton?”

“I think you’ll be the one who minds considering as soon as you cross state lines you’ll be arrested.”

“Lies. All lies,” Jonathan snapped, but he stopped moving. With his arm around my throat, his other swung out from behind me and his gun was now pointed directly at Cole.

“Cole!” I shouted and got jerked back against him with his hand tightening on my throat. I choked as he squeezed.

“Shut up.” His hand loosened enough so I could suck in a breath.

Cole acted like he wasn’t watching Jonathan choke me.

“Yeah, see, I got a text a minute ago. Apparently, an APB in Georgia has gone out on you. How many women have you assaulted in the last several years? I mean, other than your wife?”

“What?” I rasped, and my jaw fell open. I blinked at Cole, trying to make sense of his words, but it was Brock who filled in the gap.

“Eight women so far have come forward, thanks to the help of some of our team.” He turned to me. “Board meeting was called this afternoon, and all the evidence was laid in front of Mr. Wolf here. He’s been asked to resign immediately. Seems Kip and Valerie have been working hard on your behalf, Miss Mills.”

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