Page 13 of Everything Christmas

Undeterred, Johnny shoved her against the door, pinning her with his body while covering her mouth with his hand. “You know how this game is played, bitch. I scratched your back by helping you out with your car, feeding you, and driving you home. Now it’s time you scratched mine.”

He got even more aggressive, his free hand creeping underneath her skirt. She tried to scream for help, but his hard palm was making it hard to breathe and muffled the sound. Afraid he was actually going to rape her right there on her porch, she clawed and kicked.

Abruptly, he released her and went careening wildly toward the railing.

Like a clap of thunder, a deep voice boomed from the darkness. “The lady said no, asshole.”

Johnny caught himself before he flipped headfirst off the porch into her bushes and glanced angrily over his shoulder. “Who the hell are you? And why don’t you mind your own business? This is between her and me.”

“I’m a police officer and making it my business.” Breathing heavily and leaning against the door so she didn’t collapse, Merry saw the glint of moonlight off of dark metal in Reese’s hand; he’d drawn his gun.

“Are you all right, Merry?” he asked, not taking his gaze or his weapon off her attacker.

“No,” she answered truthfully, her voice raspy and broken as she gulped air.

“You will be,” he said softly. “Let me take care of him then I’ll see to you.”

“Please, man,” Johnny implored. “You’ve got it wrong. She was begging for it.”

“I was not!” Merry exclaimed. “Like a caveman, you equated dinner with me owing you something.”

“She was all over me at the restaurant,” he lied, continuing as if she hadn’t spoken. “Then she begged me to take her home.”

“I don’t have a car!” she protested. The jerk wad still had it in his garage, for heaven’s sake!

“You were flirting with me all night,” Johnny snapped. “Showing off that banging rack and wiggling your ass at me.” He looked at Reese. “I thought she was one of those chicks who likes it rough or was just playing hard to get. You know how it is, don’t you, man? They give mixed signals and confuse a guy sometimes.”

“I know to stop when a woman says no.” He pulled his phone from his pocket. “Are you pressing charges, Merry?”

Just the idea of having to relive this ordeal at the police station then later with attorneys and in court made her shudder. “Can’t I just go inside and forget about it?”

Reece glanced at her sharply. “It’s assault and battery, minimum. You want to let him walk?”

“What I want is him gone and to never have to see him again.”

He moved to her side and said quietly, “Are you certain? I won’t know until I run his sheet, but he might make a habit of this.”

And attack another woman who wasn’t lucky enough to live across the street from a cop.

Reese tried one last to convince her. “I’m a witness, Merry. But the DA won’t charge without the victim’s cooperation.”

Her hands were shaking, her stomach was in knots, and all she could think of was a hot bath to wash away his touch and the slobber from her skin, a full-to-the-brim glass of wine, and her bed.

When she shook her head, Reese moved so that he stood between her and her attacker but left the top of the steps clear.

“This is your lucky night,” he advised curtly. “But she can change her mind anytime and press those charges. And I’ll be happy to give your jury a blow by blow of what I saw. Don’t call or come around here. You’re to have no further contact. I live in the neighborhood and will jack your shit if you bother her again. Better yet, forget you ever met her.”

“You can’t threaten me.”

“I just did, jack weed. Now get the hell out of here.”

He crept by them, giving Reese an especially wide berth before sprinting to his car and hauling ass out of there.

Once his taillights were gone, Merry released a ragged sigh and swayed on her noodle-limp legs. Reese was there to steady her, his long fingers curling around her upper arms.

“Let’s get you inside.”

“You think I was wrong for not charging him, don’t you?”

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