Page 9 of Haven Bound
I immediately drop my hands from Austin’s shoulders and step away from him, putting some much-needed distance between us. “I’m, uh… gonna run to the restroom. I’ll… be right back.” I can barely get the words out as a wave of dizziness consumes me, my stomach churning like the waves of a storm-riddled sea.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Just breathe, Chelsea. In…2, 3… Out… 2, 3…
This can’t be happening right now.
The first time I make an attempt to let loose, and I can’t even enjoy more than a few songs on the dance floor withouthisthreats hanging over my head. Instead of heading for the bathroom, I’m making my way to the exit doors at the front of the club, trying to move quickly without drawing attention to myself.
The chilled night air hits me and acts like a shock to my system when I step outside of the club, my lungs fighting to take in a deep breath. The fear and anxiety coursing through me are all-consuming. It’s taking every ounce of energy that I have to not fall to pieces as my back presses against the wall of Club Obsidian. With my eyes closed, it’s a little easier to drown out the thumping bass of the music coming from inside as well as the noise from the street and the line of people still waiting to be let in.
Okay, 333 rule. I can feel… my feet aching from these damn ankle boots, the chilled night air, and the lace inset of my top against my skin. Threethings I can hear… music, people talking as they wait to get into the club, and…
“Chelsea,” Jason’s voice startles me and forces me to open my eyes. He’s walking towards me in a way that has me wishing I could disappear. There’s no way for me to get away from him now, at least not in a way that wouldn’t involve him chasing me down. I push off of the cool brick wall and face him.
“Leave me alone, Jason.” I do my best to keep my voice calm and steady, but it trembles as if the ground is quaking beneath my feet. Beads of sweat begin to dampen my forehead as I wring my hands together, shifting my weight from one foot to the other.
“Not a chance. What the fuck do you think you’re doing here with someone else?” He’s standing directly in front of me now, his arms folded across his chest as he examines me with narrowed eyes.
“Well, I was trying to have fun with my friends. In fact, I think I should get back to them before they come looking for me,” I snap back as I move to walk past him. Before I can even step around him, he reaches out a hand and grabs my wrist to pull me against him.
“I don’t think so, sweetheart. You’remine,remember?” A deep sick feeling roils in my stomach as the overwhelming scent of his cologne fills my senses. Bile rises in my throat as dark memories of being at his mercy cloud my mind.
“Leave me alone, Jason,” I repeat, struggling to pull my wrist free from his grasp.
Ethan, Hailey, and I have been going to places like shooting ranges as a way to relieve stress and anger for years, but for some reason, it’s just now occurring to me that I’ve never taken an actual self-defense class.I’m a fairly decent shot, but I have no idea how to safely get out of Jason’s hold.
“Doesn’t seem like your friends are missing you. I bet they don’t even realize you’re no longer in there. How about you quit being a fucking tease and come home with me?” he sneers, leaning in close.
“I don’t want to go anywhere with you!” I shout, again trying to rip my arm out of his grasp.
He jerks my wrist toward him, a yelp escaping me as he pulls my body toward his. My brow furrows when Jason's hand is suddenly ripped away from my wrist, mind racing to piece together what just happened.
Austin has one hand braced above Jason’s head and a forearm pressed firmly against his chest, pinning Jason to the wall. A deep scowl is painted across his face as he glares down at Jason and growls, “Do notfuckingtouch her.”
Jason manages to push forward against the pressure of Austin’s arm, but he doesn’t make it more than a few inches before Austin shoves him back against the wall with a loud thud.“Who the fuck are you?” Jason says, anger radiating off of him as he matches Austin’s glare.
“Somebody you don’t want to fuck with,” Austin says in a deep tone that would have me feeling a little hesitant to be around him if I didn’t already know who he was.
“I was just trying to take my girl home,” Jason lies, and I can barely contain the tears that are threatening to fall from my eyes as Austin looks over his shoulder at me.
“Do you want to go with him?” he asks, his grasp on Jason unwavering as he holds my gaze.
“No, I told him to leave me alone. I was trying to come back inside to find you when he grabbed me,” I say softly, dropping my gaze to the ground. Just when I was beginning to think that Jason may have moved on and forgotten all about me, he comes storming in and claiming that I’m his. I thought I was safe, I thought I had gotten away from him.
I moved out. I blocked his phone number and his social media accounts. He doesn’t even actually want me. He just doesn’t want anybody else to have me either.
“She told youno,and you werestillharassing her? You’re fucking lucky that I’m here with friends tonight. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be making it home in one piece.” Austin’s words should probably frighten me, but out of all of the emotions that are currently battling inside of me, fear isn’t one of them.
If anything, I’m thankful that he came looking for me when he did.
“Do not fucking talk to her. Don’t look at her. Don’t eventhinkabout her.” His forearm is pressed firmly against Jason’s throat now, and I can see the beginning tint of red creeping up Jason’s face as he nods his head. “Leave,” Austin growls, grabbing the fabric of Jason’s shirt and shoving him away. Jason nearly trips over his feet in his effort to quickly walk away. I fight back a giggle at the idea of him tripping and falling in front of us.
“Are you alright, Sunflower?” Austin walks slowly towards me. He reaches a hand out to me as though he’s seeking permission to touch me after that interaction. I nod and take his hand, letting him pull me into him before my arms wrap around his torso and my face buries into his chest. “I am now, thanks to you,” I mumble. His arms wrap around me as he presses a gentle kiss to my temple.
7
Austin
