Page 17 of One More Kiss

Jasmine

I tugged at my skirt,annoyed with the tightness across my derriere.

“I can’t wear this,” I exclaimed. I strode across my living room, thankful I’d refused the heels the girls had wanted me to wear for the more sensible half-inch pumps.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Kate said, slipping between the stairs and me. My own daughter clucked her tongue and wagged a finger. At me. My mouth dropped open. She giggled.

The air conditioner kicked on, humming as cool air bathed my overheated skin. It wasn’t just nerves about tonight. My dates over the last few months had been disasters. We were entering May, and I was more miserable than I’d been when I’d gone to the girls back in January.

“You look lovely, Mama.” Kate blushed, not uncommon with her fiery hair and pale skin.

Much as I loved her, I wasn’t wearing this tight a skirt. “No, I don’t feel right about this. I need to change.”

I headed toward the stairs, the knot in my stomach worsening. I wanted to call off the night, but I was the one who’d picked Frank. After the last two duds, the girls decided I needed more input about the men. Since I didn’t seem to be making any headway with the man I really wanted—I’d barely heard from Steve at all, in fact—I was over the entire process. So I’d pointed to the first attractive man they’d shown me. I’d liked his brown hair and firm chin.

Now, though, I wished I’d done some more research.

“He’s here,” Kate said.

I groaned. “I don’t wanna go.”

Kate studied me. She must have seen the misery in my expression because she said, “Then, don’t.”

I blinked at her. “You won’t make me?”

“Never. I don’t want you unhappy, Mama.”

I smiled as I hugged her. “Thanks, sweetie. I’ll tell Frank to take a hike and we can invite Jenna up for a glass of wine.”

“I’ll just walk down and grab her,” Kate said. “It’s nice out and I can use the exercise.” She pressed a kiss to my cheek and headed out the back door.

I straightened my shoulders and headed toward my front door. Now, to get rid of Frank.

I opened the door a little. “Frank?”

“That’s me.” His brown eyes were hard, and he studied me with an intensity I found disconcerting. When I didn’t reply, he gave me a toothy grin. A shiver inched down my spine. Nope. This man wasn’t for me. “All gloss, no substance”, as my mama would have said.

“Unfortunately, I can’t go out tonight. I’m…” I gasped, shocked as the edge of the door slammed into my shoulder. The pain radiated from there, and it took me a moment to realize he’d grabbed my wrist.

I tried to shake the dread even as the pain ripped a scream from my throat. Up until this point, I’d never feared for my safety.

But Frank squeezed my wrist harder.

“Here’s the way it’s going to be,” he murmured.

His voice was soft, kind, but his grip threatened to snap the bones. My mind struggled to mesh the two. I twisted, writhing against his continued hold on me.

“You’re going to invite me inside, first your house, then your body. And, when I say so, you’re going to give me access to your son.”

Tears threatened the corners of my eyes but I bit back my anguish. Time for that later. I didn’t know what this monster was capable of, but he wasn’t going to hurt me, and he most definitely wasn’t going to threaten Kate or Jenna. I reached out with my free hand, managing to snag the heavy brass lamp from the end table. It was bulky and difficult to hold but I caught the top, near the bulb. I lifted it and swung all in one motion, catching him off guard. The lamp slammed into his shoulder and he let go of my wrist. I tucked my injured arm against my chest and stumbled back, dragging the lamp with its trailing power cord.

“That was so fucking stupid,” Frank snarled.

He lunged and I screamed. I barely skittered out of his way and slammed the lamp against the back of his skull. He collapsed face down on my new rug, the rat bastard.

I heaved a breath.

In my own home. The man barged in, like he owned the place, and attacked me. Shock must have kicked in because next thing I knew, the back door opened, and Jenna and Kate’s laughter spilled inside. Frank stirred, and I snatched up the lamp I’d dropped. I pounded him with it again, making sure he wasn’t moving before I raised my wide, terrified eyes to meet Kate’s.

“Fuck,” Kate breathed.

Jenna had her phone out. “Cam,” her voice was calm. “Your mother just brained her date and I think her arm’s broken.”

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