“Shit,” I huffed a little embarrassed. When I finally found my footing, I looked up into his eyes. Rayce. My entire soul flipped as we looked at each other. I stumbled over my words. “Umm.”
“Thank you?” he asked in a teasing tone.
“Yeah. Thank you.” I giggled a little and realized his hands were still lingering on my hips. His touch gave me a pleasing shiver and I wanted to kiss him in that instant. I finally woke up out of my trance and reluctantly pushed his hands away from the intimate touch I craved. “See, ya, Rayce.”
“See you soon, Jessica,” he said deeply and I turned to walk away from him. I scanned the crowd for Gage. Finally spotting him, I made my way through the people. When I grew closer, I froze.
What I saw was a woman rubbing her hands up his chest. What the hell? She was rubbing her body on him like she was a cat in heat. He didn’t seem too bothered by her touching him until he saw me. “Stop!”
I could hear everything, even if they were being as quiet as they could. “Come on, baby. Why haven’t you called me? It’s been days,” she complained.
I was embarrassed. I looked around the room at everyone and they all seemed engrossed in the search, other than Rayce. He watched the entire thing play out with complete disgust on his face. I felt sick. I couldn’t believe this was happening to me.
The tramp had her hands all over his body, and her skinny little hands with the hot pink nails started to move south against him. I couldn’t take it anymore. I wasn’t going to do this again. I walked up to the two of them, snatched her hand off him, and pushed her back. She looked at me and then to Gage. “Who the hell does this bitch think she is?” she snapped.
“This is Jessica.”
“Only Jessica? Am I not your girlfriend?”
“Jess,” he tried to talk but I stopped him.
“And who the hell are you?”
Gage didn’t give her a chance to answer, “This is Jade. My ex-girlfriend,” he explained.
This was embarrassing, to say the least. Of course, his ex was a hellhound. I cut her a dirty look, “Then why in the hell does she have her hands all over you?”
“Because, he’s mine, bitch,” she growled and bared her teeth as she snarled. She put her hands on her narrow hips. She was wearing hot pink stretch pants, an off the shoulder shirt with tacky flowers all over it, and high heels. She actually reminded me of Dawn in a way. Her hair was a nasty grease pit. She looked like she belonged on a pole or on a corner for that matter. Her skin looked like boiled chicken, pale and dead. Her hip bones looked as if they were going to protrude through the stretchy material of her pants. She was a skeleton with skin.
“Jade, I don’t want you anymore. We broke up, IT’S OVER!”
Gage was looking down at her and put his arm around me. She looked up at him and I could see she was heartbroken. She looked at his arm around me and hate filled her face. She wanted to kill me. I couldn’t guarantee I would win but I was down for a fight if it came down to it.
“Oh, I get it,” she smiled.
“That’s a good thing,” I announced.
“This is the bitch you’re staying with now, huh?” she asked. “Did he tell you he was with me a few nights ago?” she asked, shaking her head with attitude.
I was shocked and shrugged out from under the weight of his arm. My mind was racing with the thought that I wasn’t good enough for him. I probably shouldn’t believe her but he did have a habit of taking off in the middle of the night. Gage looked like he was choking on a chicken bone.
“Jade, you need to shut the fuck up,” he commanded. He looked down at her with disgust and hate in his eyes. His face changed colors in an instant. He went to his tan color to a fire red, his breathing became deeper, and his nostrils flared. I have never seen him like this before. This side of him he hid well around me, I guess he had been hiding a lot of things from me, as I had suspected all along.
“Why should I? You came to my house and used your key to get in. You climbed in bed and said that no one could turn you on like me, and then we made love.”
“I said shut the fuck up, bitch,” he growled.
“You said you missed and loved me,” she said with tears in her eyes.
My jaw dropped, I looked to him and he couldn’t deny it, and he didn’t. I turned to her, “He isn’t worth your tears. Men like him never are,” I said cutting him a loaded look.
“Bitch, he is mine,” she snapped.
All my fight for our relationship was gone in a snap. “You can have him, honey,” I scoffed and walked away.
I left the gym and all my embarrassment behind as I began to walk toward home. Tears of betrayal flowed down my cheeks. I sniffled, “You have been here before, Jessica. Grow up.”
This only made me think about the last jerk I was with. He cheated on me and left me for another girl. Gage knew all about that. I told him everything, well, almost everything. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him about the pregnancy I had to abort. I was heartbroken after that happened, I never told anyone about it. Not even my mother knew and I told her everything about my relationship with Mr. Nobody.
“He is so full of shit! I hate men, I hate him!” I growled as I walked.
I heard the truck behind me. I looked back, expecting to see Gage coming after me, but it was someone else. I stopped walking and waited as they stopped on the shoulder. I was cold. My teeth chattered as I watched Rayce jump down out of the truck. He walked into the headlights, drowning out his features as he approached me. My body shook as he placed a heavy Carhart jacket around me.
“Thank you.”
His lips curved up in a tender smile, “Would you like a ride?”
I nodded as I shivered. It was beginning to sleet and I could see my breath in the air. “Please.”
He opened the passenger door for me and helped me inside. He had the heat on already and it felt great. I buckled my seatbelt and we started toward my house. I looked out of the window the whole time. I thought about things and I realized when Gage came to live with me was when everything got all messed up. I couldn’t believe I had opened my heart to him, I let my guard down when I told myself not to. I am my number one priority and I lost that to his seductive ways. His late-night kisses and sex. His words touched me and I thought they wouldn’t.
“What’s wrong with me?” I looked over to Rayce and shook my head in disbelief.
“Absolutely nothing.”
“How could I have been so stupid?”
“Gage has a way of slithering himself in. You are not the only one to suffer from his choices,” he scoffed and kept his beautiful brown eyes on the road.
“Leave it to me to trust a guy. What a dumbass.”
“Not all are like him, Jessica. I’m not like him.”
“I’m sorry. I know not all men are that way, but I sure do know how to pick them, don’t I?”
My cell phone rang but I ignored it.
“Are you going to get that?”
“No. I know who it is and I have no desire to talk to him.” My blood was boiling and my face burned in embarrassment. I couldn’t believe he did that to me, in front of everyone. My phone continued to ring but I couldn’t bring myself to answer it. Rayce stopped at the stoplight in town and as we waited, another ringing started. I looked at my body but it wasn’t my phone I was hearing. “It’s not mine.”
He smiled and leaned over, “Excuse me.” He pulled the jacket open and fished his phone out of the inside pocket. If I were in a better mood, I would have relished in our closeness. He swiped his thumb across the screen and pressed it to his ear. “Yeah.”
I could clearly hear Gage on the other end. “What does he want?”
Rayce smiled and shook his head as he listened. The light turned green and he drove toward my home. The entire time Gage was yelling at him, I was watching his reactions. Rayce didn’t have a care in the world. He put the phone down in his lap as he pulled into my driveway. I couldn’t help but giggle. He smiled and winke
d at me. His eyes were a gorgeous shade of chocolate. His smile was kind. I could see why I thought he didn’t like me. He seemed pleased to help me tonight.
“No, I don’t think she wants to talk with you.” My heart jumped. I cringed. “Matter of fact, I know she doesn’t.” He pulled the phone away from his mouth and began to mock Gage’s raging on the other end. I laughed softly. “I don’t have time for this. I’m driving.” He hung up the phone and looked over at me.
“Umm…thank you, Rayce.”
“He’s a dick.”
“No, I meant, for the ride.”
“Do you have my number?”
“No.”
“Get your phone out and put my number in your contacts. If you need me, for any reason, just call.”
“Oh, ok,” I said a little baffled by his offer. I couldn’t imagine why I would call him. I pulled out my phone and noticed Gage attempted to call eighteen times. Rayce gave me his number and I saved it. “Thanks again, Rayce.”
“No problem at all.” I hopped out of the T&J work truck but he stopped me before I could close the door. “Lock your doors tonight and I’m serious, call me if you need anything.”
“I will. See ya.”
I unlocked my back door but watched Rayce as he pulled away. In a million years, I would have never imagined Rayce being so kind to me. He flashed his lights at me before driving away. I should have given him my number in return.
I was beyond hurt and wanted nothing but to lock myself away from the world and lick my foolish wounds. I checked all the door locks, though Gage had a key to get it, he didn’t have one to my bedroom. I locked myself inside and stripped my clothes. I showered quickly and climbed into bed after taking an over-the-counter sleep aid. I needed rest. Tank was sleeping at my feet and before too long, I was as well.
Lips brushed mine gently. I could feel a weight on my right as the lips pressed into mine softly at first. I couldn’t open my eyes. They were exhausted with sleep. The weight shifted on the bed but I still couldn’t wake up as the tender mouth moved down my neck. Rayce’ adorable face played in my mind. If I were dreaming, I would enjoy it. As a tongue slipped against my throat, I lifted my hands to the body with me. It was hard and the heat was immense.
My shirt lifted, exposing my breasts to the air and an eager mouth. A pair of lips latched onto my nipples one by one. They tightened painfully but I loved it. My legs fell open and the hard body nestled between them. I drifted back to sleep for a moment but could feel everything. My sweatpants were removed, along with my cotton panties.
The sleep aid I took had a vise grip on me, I couldn’t wake. I wanted to but my mind continued to drift in the way of Rayce. I had to be dreaming. Soft kisses were placed along the inside of my thigh and slid closer to my heated core. My legs were shaking in anticipation. Finally, the hot mouth kissed me there.
“Mmm,” I whimpered as a skilled tongue began to flick my swollen mound. I gripped a handful of hair and held it there. I was moaning in pleasure. Suddenly, I was filled with two fingers. My toes curled as I imagined him between my thighs. “Yes, Rayce.”
Everything stopped. “What the fuck did you say?” Gage’s voice filled my ears. I was awake in an instant and froze. “You thought that asshole was here eating your pussy?”
“Gage?” I shoved him away and sat up. My head spun slightly. “How in the hell did you get in here? My door was locked.”
“I have my ways.”
I could hear the smile on his face. My eyes were tired and swollen. I couldn’t see him in the darkness. I felt his weight shift and he was on top of me again.
“Stop, Gage. Get off me.” I tried to push him away but he was too heavy. His mouth was greedily kissing my mouth and neck. “Stop!”
“You belong to me, Jess. You are mine,” he growled against my skin.
While shoving, I kicked my feet, trying to get him off. I felt him removing his pants. This couldn’t be happening. I had to wake up.
“Gage, get off me, now!”
Damnit, I wasn’t going to be raped in my own bed. Tank was barking but wasn’t in the room. Gage had locked him out and he was now clawing at the door. Gage was trying to pin me down but I was fighting with everything I had. He began to thrust against my already slick middle but I evaded his pursuit as much as possible. He was getting off on the simplest act.
“You will always be mine.” I was struck with a deafening pain on my shoulder. I bellowed a scream as his teeth ripped through the tender flesh. “Oh, yes.” His body stopped moving as he released against my thigh.
His weight pressed me into the bed but he wasn’t fighting me anymore. I reached to the bedside table and grabbed the first thing my fingers came in contact with, the lamp. He lifted his head from my bleeding shoulder and I hit him as hard as I could. He toppled to my left and I scurried out of the bed. He became enraged with me and lunged. I would never have thought he could move that fast. I was lying on the floor with him on top of me. One rough hand wrapped around my throat and the other struck my face so hard, I saw stars.
“You will learn to respect me, bitch.” He struck me again, splitting my lip. My face was already beginning to swell. I had been beaten up plenty of times by my ex but it was nothing like this. Gage’s punch was like being hit by a truck. “You will not ever embarrass me in front of my pack, and you will never mention Rayce again.”
He took my hair in his hand tightly. I hissed against the pain as he lifted me to my feet. His free hand slapped my cheek. I placed my hands on his shoulders, trying to push him away, holding him off the best I could.
“Who the fuck are you?”
“I’m your future,” he growled close to my face and kissed my sore lips.
CHAPTER
12
I remained in my room for two days with Tank by my side. My shoulder was torn up. I had lost a lot of blood when he bit me. The wound looked like shredded meat. I was sure to keep it clean but it hurt like hell. Gage had ripped my phone out of my room and was holding my cell phone hostage, so I couldn’t call the cops. If I wanted to tell anyone about what he did to me, I couldn’t. He brought me food I didn’t touch and he told Jay I wasn’t feeling well, so we put off the hunt for Dawn. I only left my room when my dog needed to go outside. I even fed him in my bathroom. I was a prisoner in my own home. I had fallen back into my old routine. I was afraid of being hit. I tread lightly and flinched any time he moved. I hated being afraid. Gage was sure to display his dominance any chance he got. He had confiscated all my weapons as well. The one thing he did give me was privacy. He hadn’t been inside my room since the night of the attempted rape.
In the dead of night, I made my way down the stairs to the kitchen cautiously. Gage was sleeping on the couch. I made it to the bottom floor. When I thought the coast was clear, his snore made me flinch. I watched as he turned over on the couch. The kitchen floor was cold on my naked feet. My destination was only feet away. I turned the knob of the back door carefully. With Tank beside me, I was finally outside. I crept along the side of the house as quietly as I could.
The police station was only a couple blocks away. I could make it if I ran. I heard glass smash from inside my house and I bolted. The cold February air cut through my lungs like razors as I sprinted. Gage’s angry voice echoed in my ears as I grew closer to the station. I ran up the stairs and burst through the door. The female dispatcher stared at me like I was crazy. I probably looked the part for sure. My hair was a mess, I was dressed in sleep clothes, and my face resembled pounded meat.
“I need help.”
“What happened to you?”
“Please, I need help.” I looked back outside and couldn’t see Gage anywhere. “My boyfriend beat the hell out of me and has been keeping me hostage in my own home. Please help me.”
She walked around the counter but Tank growled at her. He had become even more protective. “Put your dog outside.”
“Are you kidding me? I need help and you’re worried about my dog?”
/>
“He is vicious. Put him out or I will call animal control.”
“I can’t risk him getting ahold of him. Tank, down,” I commanded and he sat. She watched him closely as she put her arms around me. She sat me down in the back room. There were two desks with older computers on the top. “Thank you.”
“I will have an officer come and take your statement. Where is your boyfriend now?”
“I left him sleeping on the couch but I’m sure he’s up.”
Several minutes later, a policeman walked in. It was the cop who pulled me over. He cleared his throat and took one look at my face. He sank down into his chair slowly. “Ma’am, do you need medical assistance?”
“No, I need that asshole out of my house.”
“What happened to you?”
“My roommate slash ex-boyfriend beat the crap out of me for getting a ride home.” His cell phone rang and he pulled it out. He answered it without excusing himself. “Have all the cops in the town lost their minds?”
“Yes, sir.” He glared at me and finally hung up the phone, “And why would he do that? Did you do anything to provoke him?”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “This isn’t my fault.”
“I never said it was, ma’am. You said you got a ride?”
“Yes, a friend of mine gave me a ride home.”
“Was this friend male or female?”
“What does that have to do with anything?” This cop was trying to say it was my fault. “Listen, I want him out of my house. I will sign whatever sort of restraining order. I don’t care. I want him out.”
“Do you live together?”
“Yes, he lives in my house.”
“And exactly how long has he been there?”
“A little over a month. Why?” I felt like I was getting the runaround.
He put his pen down and sat back into his chair, “If he has obtained legal residence in the home, I can’t force him to leave.”
“Are you kidding me?”
Hunting Jessica Page 11
