Page 73 of Ruined
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
“If he tries anything funny, you let him have it.” Eli closed my fingers over the taser he’d pushed into my palm a few seconds ago. We were about three houses away from John’s, huddled behind a tree. “I’ll be right there, just scream and I’ll—”
“Eli,” I curled the fingers of my free hand around his wrist, “I know. Stop worrying.”
“Don’t ask me that, it’s something I’ll never be able to do.” His dark brows pulled together, his gaze intense. Using my thumb, I smoothed the frown that marred his forehead before touching my lips to his in a quick kiss.
I drew back and beamed at him. “Everything is going to be fine.” Even though I was nervous as hell, I truly believed the words I’d spoken.
“Just promise me you’ll use the taser.”
“Promise.”
Eli stared at me for a few moments, then wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me close. I could feel his heart thundering away inside his chest. “In case you didn’t know,” he said against my hair. “I’m so damn proud of you, sunshine.”
The emotion in his words somehow lodged itself inmythroat, I had to suck in a few deep breaths before I could speak, “Thank you.” Even though there was plenty more I wanted to say to him, now wasn’t the time.
I pulled free from his embrace. With my eyes locked onto his, I walked backward for a few steps, then tucked the taser into my back pocket and spun around. As I got closer to John’s house, I glanced over my shoulder. Eli wasn’t there anymore, but in my peripheral vision, I spotted Holden’s car.
My hands trembled as I pushed through the little white gate, my heart beating a mile a minute as I approached the imposing black door. I swiped my palms over my denim-clad thighs, “I can do this.” With those words, I raised my fist to tap my knuckles against the wood.
Seconds slowly ticked by while I waited and waited for him to answer the door. Again, I knocked, and again, I stood staring at the door while the birds chirping and the sound of cars driving by became almost deafening. How ironic was it that as soon as I finally,finally, found the courage to face him, he wasn’t even home?
With a snort, I shook my head and turned to leave. I’d made it two steps when the sound of wood creaking stopped me in my tracks. My heart quickened as I steadily turned around, I clenched and unclenched my fists before pressing my flattened palms against my legs.
And there he was, standing in the doorway, looking a lot less intimidating than I thought he would.I’m so damn proud of you, sunshine.Eli’s words, along with his and Molly’s faces flashed in front of me, giving me the strength to step forward.
“Well, well, well,” John drawled. “I knew you’d be back. Couldn’t find someone who does it like I do, eh?”
Straightening my spine, I looked directly into his cold, cold eyes. “You mean someone who is too much of a self-centered jerk to take no for an answer? Yeah, I’m having a hard time finding someone with your lack of morals.”
His eyes narrowed into thin slits. “You’d better watch your mouth.”
“Or what?” I reached behind me to grip the taser in my pocket. “You’ll take me against my will?” I cocked a brow, “Didn’t you do that already?”
He licked his lips. “You asked for it, shaking your ass around in that barely-there skirt.”
“Right,no, please don’tandstoptranslates to ignore the words coming out of my mouth and the tears streaming down my face, have your fill, because I’m wearing a short skirt.”
The veins in his neck looked almost ready to pop. “I said, watch your rancid little mouth.”
“What are you going to do? Set fire to my gallery? Oh, yeah, you did that too.”
John gritted his teeth, his jaw ticking at an alarming pace. The menacing look on his face while he took a step forward should have scared me, but for whatever reason, it filled me with determination. “You don’t scare me, John.”
Another step forward. “We’ll see about that.”
“You’ve done your worst and still I’m here. And while you’re rotting away in a prison cell, I’ll be living my best damn life.”
He threw his head back, a sinister laugh slicing through the air. “Oh, that’s real cute, kitten. And why exactly will I be going to jail? If memory serves, the police saw right through your little act that time you tried to get me arrested for somethingyouwanted.”
When John advanced on me, I dug my heels in and pulled the taser from my pocket. I never got to use it, because he’d made all of three steps when a powerful force yanked him back and slammed his head against the porch post.
I wasn’t even mad that Eli had chosen that exact moment to swoop in. I’d said what I’d wanted to say, and that was enough for me. John didn’t break me; he knew that now. Pinned against the post with his hands behind his back, he looked quite pathetic.
“You okay, sunshine?” Eli’s words drew my attention to him. When I’d left him on the sidewalk earlier, his unmasked concern had been written all over his face. Now, nothing but pride lit up his beautiful features.
A huge grin tugged at my lips. “I am.” I was better than okay; I was great, I was free.
