Page 72 of Wrecked
Limbs still shaky with fear, she moved to the door, unlocked it, and, wrenching it open, started down the stairs.
It was still dark, but they’d turned on the outside lights, and she could see Cole clearly. Her breath got stuck in her throat. He looked devastated. There was no other way to describe it.
Oh God.
She opened her mouth to say something, to let them know she was okay, but the words wouldn’t come. Her legs shook, knees threatening to give out again with every step.
She reached the circle of light beaming from her small cottage, and Cole spun, pale gaze landing on her.
Then he was moving.
A sob broke free when he reached her and gently wrapped his fingers around her wrist. “Drop the knife, sweetheart. No one’s going to hurt you now. I promise.”
She released it, letting it clatter to the ground, and he scooped her up in his arms, burying his face against her throat.
“Thank God,” he rasped, voice rougher and deeper than she’d ever heard it. He pulled back, lifting his hands to each side of her face, gaze searching hers. “Are you hurt? Did he hurt you? There’s blood.”
“I’m fine. It’s not mine. I got away. I used Alex’s spare key again and locked myself in your apartment. But I dropped my phone. And I was…I was too afraid to open the door.” She wanted to be brave, but her lower lip started trembling uncontrollably.
He wrapped his arms around her again, lips against her hair. “You did good, baby. You did the right thing.”
Two patrol cars came flying down the street, coming to a stop beside them. Then her view was cut off because Deke pulled her from Cole’s arms and wrapped her in an unforgiving bear hug. “Fuck, Piper. You scared the shit out of me.” He held her so tight the oxygen was forced out of her lungs.
As soon as Deke released her, Cole pulled her back against him again. His big body shook, his relief palpable. “Come on, sweetheart, the police need to talk to you.”
She slipped her hand in his and squeezed. “Will you stay with me?”
“I’m not going anywhere.” The way he said it made it impossible to believe anything else.
They started across the lawn to the cottage when Cole’s head twisted toward the road. His face transformed before her eyes.
“What is it?”
“What the fuck? Isn’t that the guy you went out with?”
She followed Cole’s steely gaze to a beige Chevy Malibu parked a little way up the street. Gerald was sitting inside. She could see his shadowy form in the front seat. He was trying to covertly watch the action but was doing a crappy job, obvious as hell.
Cole growled and dropped her hand, heading straight for him. He wrenched the guy’s door open and dragged him out by his shirt, getting in his face. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
The cops swarmed, dragging Cole off.
Brian came up beside her. “Talk to me, Piper. Who is that guy?”
She took a good look at him. His size, the way he moved, and shivered, thinking about the man in the ski mask watching her, chasing her. “I…I went out with him once, his name’s Gerald. He phoned a few nights ago. He called me a bitch because I wouldn’t go out with him again.”
“Right.” Brian strode across the street.
“I didn’t do anything,” Gerald said as Brian interceded, shoving him against his car.
“What are you doing here in the middle of the night, Gerald?”
“I was just…” His mouth flapped.
“Answer me.”
“I was just driving past, and I…I saw the police cars. I wanted to make sure Piper was okay. We’re in a relationship, you see.” The guy was flushed. Face shiny with sweat.
Piper suddenly felt ill, but then Cole was back, arm wrapped protectively around her.
