by Mia Hoddell
Regardless, it would have to wait another day since I’d agreed to meet Dustin at his photo shoot. They were doing something for next year’s line-up and had all of the Formula One drivers there. Dustin had left telling me he was taking me out for dinner tonight and who was I to argue with that? Between one thing and another we still hadn’t gone on a proper date.
I froze the moment I stepped into my flat.
My heart missed a beat then took off racing.
I felt lightheaded as I stared at the white envelope on the floor.
I slammed the door shut behind me, making sure it locked, and pulled out my phone. Reaching for the envelope with a trembling hand, I forced myself to pick it up.
My legs buckled the second I reached the sofa and I collapsed on it. I peeled back the envelope holding my breath.
There was no card this time, only a single sheet of lined paper folded in half. The perforated holes at the side showed it had clearly been torn from a notepad, but I was only stalling the inevitable by studying it.
I closed my eyes and unfolded it.
I had to dare myself to crack an eye open and peer down at the words.
I warned you not to get attached.
I threw the note to the table, wanting to physically distance myself from it. Picking up my mobile from my lap I dialled Dustin’s number immediately.
It rang.
And rang.
And rang.
Cursing, I hung up when it went to voicemail. I dialled him again seconds later, only to get the same response.
“Damn it!” I shouted, hanging up for the third time.
Figuring he’d check his phone at some point, I sent him a text.
Me: I need you to pick me up.
Despite my refusal of a bodyguard, I wasn’t stupid. Dustin probably thought I didn’t take things seriously, but no one would make me leave my flat without Dustin after that note. I knew when and when not to be cautious, and this was one of those times I had to be.
As soon as Dustin arrived he would understand. He’d want me texting him over risking going out alone.
With a determined huff I pushed off the chair and strode into my bathroom to get ready, not willing to allow anyone to derail my evening with Dustin.
* * *
I was dancing around to the radio in my towel and applying my make-up when someone knocked on my door. The sound was faint over the music the first time and I thought I’d misheard. Then it came a second time, louder.
Hurrying through the flat, I clutched the towel to my chest and peered through the peep hole, expecting to see Dustin on the other side. When I found Perry I paused and glanced down at my lack of clothing.
“Hang on, Perry.”
I hurried into my bedroom, throwing on the first outfit I saw—which happened to be the dress I’d picked out to wear that evening.
Returning to the door I cracked it open and poked my head through the gap. “Hey.”
He had his back to me and spun at my voice. “Hi. Sorry to bother you, Tazia, but I have my gran upstairs and I can’t leave her to run out to the store. You don’t happen to have any milk do you? I’m out and she’s going to drive me crazy if she doesn’t get her tea.”
“Oh, yeah, sure. Hang on a second. Does a cup work or do you need more?” I called over my shoulder.
“A cup will be fine. Thanks.” The door clicked shut as I reached into my fridge. “You look very dressed up. Are you going anywhere nice?”
I set the bottle on the table and searched for a jug. “Dustin’s taking me out for dinner. It’s kind of our first official date.” Walking back over to him I held out the jug. “Here you go.”
Perry’s eyes dipped between the jug and my face. His sinister expression had an unease settling in my stomach.
“Oh, Tazia. You didn’t really believe I wanted milk did you?”
I stepped back, fear chilling my body even at the speed at which my blood pumped through my veins.
Perry glanced over at the table and his grin grew wider. “You got my note then.”
“That was you?” I sidestepped in the direction of the sofa, my phone appearing in the corner of my eye.
Perry mirrored my movements. When he moved to close the distance between us I threw the jug at him and lunged for the phone. My fingers grazed the back, but Perry got there quicker.
He grabbed hold of my wrist and within a split second pulled it up behind my back to the point I had to stand on tiptoes to prevent it breaking. In my peripheral I saw Perry reach for the phone with his free hand.
“Can’t have you calling Coates now, can we?” His breath swept over my ear and sent a shiver snaking down my spine.
“What do you want, Perry?”
“I thought it was obvious. I want you, and I don’t like other people touching my property, especially Coates. I saw you first. I always see them before him, yet he still ends up with the girls.”
I counted to ten in my head, desperately trying to keep my cool.
“What time were you meeting Coates?”
“Not for a few hours.” I lied, hoping it would placate Perry and give Dustin time to get to me. He should have been leaving the studio any minute now.
I could hold out that long.
I had to.
Chapter
Thirty-Two
Dustin
“Turn to the left, Dustin,” Harry the photographer called out and I shuffled round. The flash went off and he directed me to a new position. We had been doing this for over half an hour. Being the newbie, I’d been scheduled last and had to wait for every other driver to have their shots taken. They were the images that would be used all over the media and promotions during next season. It wasn’t a massive change to what I’d done in GP2, but I’d never liked it then either.
“Take five, Dustin, we need to set up for the walk,” Harry said. That was a new thing. In GP2 it had been stills only. Formula One required us to film footage of us walking at the camera.
With a curt nod I walked off the backdrop and picked up my phone from Anthony to see three missed calls and two messages from Taz.
Taz: I need you to pick me up.
Taz: Don’t worry. I’ll meet you there, everything’s sorted.
I glanced up at the clock. We were overrunning slightly so her arriving here would work in our favour. I’d finished sending her a reply when Harry called me back in front of the camera.
It took another ten minutes before we were finally wrapping up. And with every minute that ticked by the more distracted I became.
Tazia should have arrived by now and I’d finally reached my limit.
“Dustin!”
I scowled at Anthony and continued to walk away without waiting to be dismissed. “Give me a minute.”
I snatched my phone up and stormed from the room. Halfway down the corridor I lifted it to my ear to listen to it ring.
“Everything okay, Dust?” Teo clapped me on the back as I hung up.
Ignoring him, I dialled Tazia’s number again, only for it to cut to her voicemail immediately.
“Tazia should be here and I can’t get hold of her.”
“Maybe she’s running late. You know how women are getting ready.”
I shook my head. I did know what women were like, and Taz had never been like that. She took time getting ready, but never to the point of being late.
“Dustin!” Anthony cried out behind us, jogging to reach me.
“What now? We’d finished,” I snapped.
“I got the results from the lab.” Dread seized me immediately at his pale complexion and worried gaze.
My arms shot out to grip his shoulders. I squeezed harder than necessary. “And?”
“It’s Perry. He has a prior conviction for cocaine possession and assault.”
“Shit.” I dropped Anthony to run to my car. All of the unease dwelling within me intensified. I didn’t know how I knew, but something within me told me something bad had happened and I needed to get hom
e as quickly as possible.
“Dustin, wait. What’s the rush?” Teo called, matching my pace easily.
“Tazia’s with Perry. He’s the guy next door and he hates me. I have no idea why, and he’s been after Taz since they met.”
I shot out of the car park, explaining everything about what had been going on as I raced home. I didn’t stick to the speed limit once, my imagination on overdrive, picturing various scenarios in which I could find Taz.
“Slow down, Dustin! You’re not going to get to her quicker if you get pulled over by the cops!” Teo shouted, clutching at the dashboard. He was the worst passenger ever. For someone so used to speed, he reacted badly when he wasn’t the one in control.
“We’re not going to get pulled over.”
Teo’s knuckles were white, his teeth clenched. “You aren’t going to be able to help her if we’re wrapped around a tree either.”
He should have known nothing would slow me down. He’d have been the same if the roles were reversed. “Give my driving some credit, Teo.”
I screeched the car to a stop in front of the flat, fighting with my seatbelt when my arm became tangled in my hurry to break free.
Slamming the door shut behind me I raced into the building with Teo at my heels. I was fumbling in my pocket for Tazia’s key when her scream pierced the doorway.
Chapter
Thirty-Three
Tazia
“Help!” I wailed. “Somebody, please!”
I fought against the restraints, but Perry had locked the handcuffs around my wrists and ankles too tight. My hands were becoming numb from the lack of circulation, although that was the least of my problems.
Perry knelt on the bed between my parted legs, leering at me. “Nobody’s going to come, Tazia.”
I bucked my hips, attempting to fight him off as he began crawling up my body.
“Get off me, you bastard!”
“I’d rather get you off.” He ran a finger over my jaw and I snapped to try and bite him. “Please don’t make me gag you, Tazia. I have plenty more things I want to do with your pretty mouth.”
I’d bite anything he put within reach, but I remained silent and fell back against the mattress.
“Good girl.” Perry shifted to straddle my hips and tugged at the hem of my dress.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because I can. Coates stole something from me so it’s only fair I steal something important to him too.”
“What did he steal?” I didn’t care, I only wanted to keep him talking for as long as possible, hoping to delay him and buy Dustin some more time.
“The love of my life.” He trailed a calloused finger over my bare thigh. “So I stole his love, then what he thought was his baby, and now you. I have to admit, you’ll be the worst one yet. I never realised how much he hated Elora, which was why I came up with the plan to lie about aborting my baby.”
I sucked in a strangled gasp. “You’re the one Elora cheated with?”
He grinned at me. “Coates deserved it. But enough about my past. I think it’s time I saw what’s mine, don’t you?”
“Dustin will make sure you spend the rest of your life rotting in jail if he doesn’t kill you first.”
I squirmed beneath him, struggling to pull free. He slid my dress higher and his breath swept over my bare stomach.
“Get the fuck off me!”
Suddenly his weight disappeared. Perry’s nails clawed at my leg as he was ripped from my body and a sickening crack echoed throughout the room. Then Dustin appeared above me, uncontained anger burning off him.
“Where are the keys, fuckwit?”
I jumped at the second voice, my eyes darting around the room to search for the owner.
“It’s Teo, babe. You’re safe.”
Dustin pulled my dress back into place and sat next to me. “I’ll get you out of here, Taz.”
A tear broke free, too many emotions surging within me. All of the fear I’d repressed trying to fight Perry, all of the relief at seeing Dustin, it hit me like a sledgehammer.
“Catch, Dustin,” Teo called, and Dustin glanced away from me only for a second. Soon he focused on me again and undid the handcuffs. When my wrists were free Dustin went to work on my ankles. I rubbed the raw welts, tears flowing freely down my cheeks now.
Dustin returned to my side and I threw myself into him, burying my nose at the crook of his neck.
“Did you hear him?” I murmured against him.
“Every fucking word. I swear I’ll make him pay, Tazia.” He held my head close, gritting out the words.
“Get her out of here, Dustin. I’ll wait until the police show up,” Teo ordered, and instantly I felt myself being lifted up.
* * *
It took a while for me to finally calm down enough to recount everything to the police. Thankfully, Dustin held my hand throughout the entire ordeal because otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to get through it. It also saved me having to repeat the parts he’d missed later on.
As I detailed everything Perry had done, Dustin’s grip on my hand became tighter. From the corner of my eye I saw his nostrils flare and his teeth grind together. I knew he wanted to kill Perry and it had taken an enormous amount of restraint to walk away from him.
“Thank you, Miss Nixon” the officer said, standing. “We’ll be in touch if we have any more questions. Are you going to be okay on your own tonight?”
I reached out to shake his hand. “I’m not alone. Dustin’s here.”
He gave a curt nod and scribbled down his direct number on a piece of paper he tore from his pad. “If you think of anything else or have any questions, you can reach me at the station.”
“Thank you, I will.”
As soon as they left, Dustin pulled me into his arms like he couldn’t quite believe I was still in the room. “How are you feeling? No, that’s a stupid question, forget I asked.”
“I’m okay, Dustin. You got there in time. He didn’t do anything.”
He squeezed me tighter. “If I had been a minute later—”
I pulled his head forcefully down to mine. “But you weren’t. You got there in time. I’m just a little shaken and bruised.”
His jaw tightened. “If anything had happened to you…”
“It didn’t.”
“But if it had…”
How we’d ended up in the position of me comforting him I’d never know. “Will you shut up? You didn’t, he didn’t. I’m okay. I’m not going to let that fucker get to me and neither should you. I want to forget the whole experience.”
Dustin opened his mouth to say something.
“If you say but one more time I’m going to punch you,” I growled.
With a weak laugh that was heavy with relief, Dustin dropped his forehead to mine. “I love you, Taz. You’re the bravest person I know.”
“I love you too.”
Chapter
Thirty-Four
Dustin
One Week Later
I leaned against the doorframe watching Taz whirl about my kitchen in nothing but my t-shirt and her panties. I had no idea what she was making, but it smelled heavenly and my stomach refused to allow me to stop her even if I was going to have to start cutting down in time for the Formula One season.
She hadn’t slept at her flat once since Perry’s attempted rape and I could understand why. Even to think the words attempted rape made me seethe and wish I’d been able to put my fist through Perry’s face like Teo had. However, I’d been more focused on Tazia and as much as I wished the bastard could suffer at my hands, I know I made the right decision.
I’d plucked up the courage to phone Elora one last time for the truth a few days after, seeing as Perry was indisposed, rotting in a jail cell. She’d finally owned up to the truth, and for once she had done it without shouting. Perry had been inserting himself into her life for weeks before she finally gave in and slept with him. She told me she felt me pulling away and thought she�
��d cut me out of her life first. When Perry knocked her up he hadn’t cared until the baby became a useful tool to hurt me.
I didn’t feel anything for Elora when she told me that. How could I? She’d made me think I had a child of her own accord, and none of it could excuse her violence. It had been Perry’s manipulation which got her to convince me she had an abortion. Like she’d said in Abu Dhabi, she just didn’t want to be alone, to which I gave her the advice that maybe she should see a therapist for her anger, otherwise she would remain on her own.
She said she’d consider the idea.
What I still struggled to wrap my head around were the lengths Perry went to over the fact one girlfriend left him for me. It took me a while to remember what he had been talking about since I’d been single for years until meeting Elora. However, finally I remembered, and I’d stolen no one. It happened six years ago for crying out loud, and she’d come to me on her own. I’d never even considered Perry’s ex until she pursued me. It certainly wasn’t enough to warrant Perry’s hatred, but he’d always seemed unstable, even before I knew he had a vendetta against me.
I half expected him not to be able to stand trial because of insanity.
That, or he still had a drug addiction fuelling his delusions.
My money was on that option, though either way, I finally had the answers I needed and I still had Taz.
She moved about my kitchen with ease, opening and closing cupboards. I loved she felt so comfortable, not only in making herself at home, but with me. After the attack a part of me expected her to crumble and become more reserved, probably because of seeing how Raine dealt with trauma, yet Taz was the complete opposite. I liked to think it was because she felt so at ease around me she didn’t feel the need to hide her body or cover up. And whilst that was part of it, I knew the majority of it was just Taz.
She was one of the strongest people I knew.
