by Lena Hart
She could only stare at him, her mouth growing dry.
“Five years I thought about you,” he whispered. “Only you. And now you can’t even pretend to be happy to see me.”
Her eyes were trained on his hands. “I-I am happy to see you,” she lied.
“Bullshit. You won’t even let me touch you.” He set his jaw as his brown eyes bore into her. “Do you have a new boyfriend, Abby?”
She didn’t know what possessed her to blurt out that response, but she wanted him to know that truth. “Yes.”
She should have been prepared for his violent reaction, but she wasn’t. As quick as a snake, he came at her and grabbed her by the throat. Pulled at his hand, she bit her lip to keep from crying out. Though he didn’t apply any pressure, he refused to release her.
“No one is taking you away from me, Abby. Not again,” he said harshly. “Remember that.”
Suddenly, the front doorknob rattled, followed by firm knocking. “Judith?”
Carlos.
Her heady relief was abruptly replaced by horror when Ken released her and drew out a small gun. The sleek, black weapon was the most chilling thing she’d ever seen. Her eyes locked on the deadly weapon and her voice was lodged in her throat.
“Who’s that?” Ken snapped.
“No!” The strangled shout escaped her when he began advancing toward the door and she rushed to stand between him and the door. She couldn’t let anything happen to Carlos.
“Judith?” The single word came again through the door, and was filled with so much worry, it tore at her. “Open the door, muñeca.”
Ken’s eyes snapped angrily toward the door. “Is that the new boyfriend?” The eerie calm in his voice frightened her like nothing else could.
“T-that’s just my co-worker,” she said slowly.
Ken’s lips tightened as if he were deciding whether to believe her or not. “What does he want?” he asked, still staring at the door.
She shook her head, knowing the best way to keep Carlos from harm was to lie. “I don’t know.”
He glanced down at her, his eyes still blazed with angry suspicion. “Get rid of him.”
She nodded jerkily then, on barely steady legs, she went to the door. “Mr. Moreno, please go away.”
Long silence filled the air.
“Judith, what’s wrong?” Carlos asked, his sharp tone muffled through the closed door.
“Nothing. I don’t want you here.” She kept her focus on the door and added sharpness to her voice to mask the trembling creeping into it. “Now leave me alone. Please.”
“Open the door and say that to my face.” There was a challenge in his tone that said he wouldn’t leave until she did just that.
Judith glanced at Ken, debating whether she should do it. The gun in Ken’s hand twitched at his side, but there was a growing agitation in him that increased her own. If she opened the door now, nothing would stop Carlos from coming in. And then what? Watch him get shot? Her heart was now lodged in her throat, but she had to find a way to convince Carlos to leave.
“Come on, baby. Please open up.”
She winced at the anguish in his voice, and tears blurred her eyes. She didn’t dare glance at Ken. “No, I won’t,” she snapped forcefully, her voice catching. “Can’t you understand English? I don’t want you here. Cazador aquí. Do you understand that? ” She hoped with everything she had that he did. “Now go away!”
Silence once again fell on the other side of the door. Carlos said nothing else after that and she dimly wondered if he’d truly understood what she’d meant by those words.
She closed her eyes, briefly—whether in relief or despair, she didn’t know. She continued to face the closed door, distinctly aware of the monster breathing behind her.
In that moment, she felt more alone than she’d ever felt in her life.
****
Carlos had never known fear quite like this.
He pushed away from the door and reached for his cell phone. Calling the police could escalate the situation, and the lights and noise would likely aggravate Tate. Carlos closed his eyes, thinking of what was going on inside that apartment—and thinking of the last case his cousin had worked on that left a mother and her two year old son dead.
He couldn’t let that happen to Judith. Carlos ran his hand through his hair and called the one person he could trust.
“Tristan, he’s got her,” Carlos said without preamble as soon as he answered.
“Carlos? What the hell are you talking about?”
“That son-of-a-bitch Tate has her,” Carlos snapped. “The guy who was supposed to fucking be in California!”
“Jesus,” Tristan breathed. “How? Never mind. Where are you?”
“At her place. I need your help to get her out of there. Hurry up and bring your gear!”
“Carlos, listen to me. You need to calm down if you want this to all end well. Now tell me exactly what’s going on.”
Carlos clenched his teeth. He didn’t have time for this, but the last rational part of his brain said his cousin was right. He needed to calm down.
“He’s got her locked in her apartment. He probably has a gun on her or something because she refused to open the door.” There was no doubt in Carlos’ mind that the man had a weapon with him. He had tried to kill himself and Judith before. There was nothing or no one that could stop him from trying to do so again.
Carlos released a frustrated breath. “Damn it, Tristan. Where the hell are you? I need to get her out of there.”
“I’m in my car, not far from you now. I’m going to call my team and we’ll get her out. Just don’t do anything until I get there.” Tristan paused then asked, “Have you spoken to her since?”
“Not since she told me to leave.” Glancing at the closed apartment door, he blanched. “What if he…” Carlos’ gut twisted at the thought and he clenched his jaw to keep the bile from rising.
“Don’t think about that,” Tristan snapped. “I’m on my way. Just hang tight.”
As the minutes passed, Carlos thought of several ways he could get to Judith. But each one led to her potentially getting hurt if he failed. He watched the apartment door as if he could burn holes through it.
What was that bastard doing to her?
****
Judith blinked away the wetness from her eyes and stepped away from the door, keeping a good amount of distance between her and Ken.
“Okay, Kenny, he’s gone,” Judith said slowly, using her old nickname for him to calm him. “Please. Could you put the gun away?”
“Why did he call you, ‘baby’?”
Her stomach tightened, but she simply shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“I don’t believe you,” he said, his eyes watchful. “I think you fucked him. Did you fuck him, Abby?”
The rigidity in her body kept her legs from buckling beneath her. She was prepared to fight back if he slipped into one of his rages and came after her. She wasn’t ready to die and would fight him with every fiber in her being if she had too.
“Kenny, it’s just a word,” she said, trying to soothe him so he forgot about the gun he held in his hand. “It means nothing.”
Ken’s face hardened and he took a step toward her. “Do you like having sex with him? Can he make you come like I can?”
Disgust and disbelief rolled in her stomach, but she forced herself to stand her ground. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of letting him intimidate her or see her fear. The old Abby would have succumbed to her terror by now. But not now. Not Judith.
“Would you like something to drink?”
She surprised them both by the unexpected question, but she wanted any excuse to get away from him. She started toward the kitchen, but he grabbed her arm. His hand was like iron manacles and she hated that he was touching her.
“No,” he said, dragging her toward him. “What I would like is a kiss.”
Judith stiffened. Nausea threatened to rise again. She could preten
d that she wanted him, that he didn’t sicken her, just to soothe whatever neurotic desire he had for her. But what if he demanded more? She knew without a doubt, she wouldn’t be able to go through with it. She would rather die than let him touch her again.
“I don’t want to kiss you, Kenny,” she said, her mind racing to think of anything she could to stall him. “N-not with that gun in your hand.”
He frowned and looked down at his hand as if he’d just realized he’d been holding it. He laid it on the end table then reached for her again.
“Okay, now give me a kiss.” Wrapping his hand around her neck, he pulled her to him. She flinched as he pressed his mouth firmly against hers. His lips were eager and searching over hers, trying to elicit a response from her. It didn’t.
“Abby,” he groaned against her mouth. “I’ve missed you.”
He forced his tongue between her lips and she jerked away, clenching her teeth and fighting the urge not to gag. She glanced at the gun on the table. She needed to get to it. She had never held a gun before, but she would do whatever she had to convince him to leave her apartment—to leave her alone.
“Kenny,” she began slowly. “It’s too soon. Please, I need time to—”
He released a frustrated sound. “Enough time has passed. I’ve waited a long time to see you again. It was the only thing that kept me sane in there.”
Her heart thumped in her ear. But you aren’t sane. “Then why did you come here with a gun? Did you come here to see me or scare me?”
He frowned. “I came here because I love you, Abby. I don’t think you appreciate how much I do.” Something in his expression changed and tightened with resolve. “The gun is for my protection. I told you I wasn’t going back and I meant it. I just came to get you and then we can leave here for good.”
Oh, dear God. Did he come here to finish what he started? She didn’t want to die.
“Ken, please.” She couldn’t keep the earnestness from her tone. “Please don’t do this.”
He ignored her as his eyes ran down the length of her. “You’re going to marry me, Abby. Like you should have a long time ago.”
A mix of relief and dread washed over her. He hadn’t come to kill her, but he was truly insane if he thought she would willingly bind herself to him. The more she glanced at the gun, the farther away it seemed.
“But first,” he said, his eyes still travelling down her body. “I want to make love to you. It’s been too long.”
Before she could react, he grabbed her shirt and began tugging it over her head.
“No!” She wrenched free of him and the telltale sound of fabric ripping was loud in the room.
He cursed, grabbing her by the hair and jerking her back to him. She cried out at the stinging in her scalp.
“God damn it, look what you made me do,” he snarled vehemently.
Cool air rushed down her neck and inside her shirt and she vaguely realized that the collar of her shirt gaped open from where it had torn. Her chest and black bra were exposed and she frantically tried to cover herself while tugging the hand behind her head.
His grip tightened and she winced.
“Abby, don’t fucking pull away from me. I didn’t punish you for fucking someone behind my back, but don’t push me. I’m this close to losing my fucking temper.”
But she couldn’t go through with it. She couldn’t stomach the thought of having him inside her. In that moment she realized she would have to kill him or die trying.
“Okay, Kenny, I’m sorry,” she said calmly, trying to placate him. “I didn’t mean to. Can you please let me go now? My head’s hurting.”
He was rigid behind her, but he slowly released his tight grip on her hair. As soon as he released her, she jerked away from him and reached for the gun. He cursed and grabbed for it at the same time.
She was quick but he was quicker.
The taste of failure was bitter in her mouth as he held the gun in his hand. The blow that came next was jarring but not unexpected. His fists connected with the side of her face and a sharp cry escaped her as white sparks flashed behind her eyes. She managed to stay on her feet, but intense pain began to spread through her face.
She tried to clear her head, to orient herself, but she wasn’t allowed the time. Ken grabbed her arm and began dragging her to the back of the apartment, muttering insults and curses at her. Judith panicked as he continued toward the bedroom. She knew if she went in there with him, she would not come out alive.
“No!” she shrieked, tugging at her arm and trying to dig in her heels but he was stronger. He always had been.
But she was determined and she continued pulling at her arm and pounding on his back, all the while screaming for him to let her go.
****
Carlos’ world froze at the sounds of Judith’s screams.
It was as if someone had wrenched out his heart and the only thing that mattered was getting to her. Everything became a blur, and suddenly he was through the door and in her apartment.
His eyes quickly took in the scene before him. From the tall, wild-looking man pointing a nine millimeter directly at him and his other arm clasped around Judith’s neck. But it was the black bruise forming on the side of her face and the blood trickling down her cut lip that stole his attention. Her shirt was torn in the front and her eyes were glazed over with terror and pain.
He lost it.
With a violent snarl, Carlos charged toward the man, ignoring the gun leveled at him. Ken’s eyes widened as Carlos continued toward him with violent determination. Ken turned the gun on Judith, jabbing it at her side.
Carlos froze.
“Stay right there,” Ken snapped, his face contorting with fury and disgust. “Is that him, Abby? Is he the one you’ve been fucking?”
Judith didn’t respond. She just continued staring at him with a mixture of relief and regret. Carlos tried to tell her with one look that everything would be okay, but he didn’t know if he succeeded. The terror and rage burning through him made it impossible for him to think straight.
Carlos tore his eyes away from Judith. The gun at her side could end her life in an instant and if he wanted to stay calm, to redirect the man’s anger, he couldn’t look at her.
“Look man, I know you don’t want to hurt her. Why don’t you just keep the gun on me?” Carlos took a careful step toward them.
Ken swung the gun toward him. “I said stay right there.”
Carlos threw his hands up. “Okay.” At least now he had the man’s attention.
Ken still had the advantage, but Carlos was relieved the gun was no longer directed at her. He didn’t want to do anything to set him off the deranged man.
“Shut the door.”
Carlos did as he said, never taking his eyes from him or the gun. Now he just needed to get close enough…
“You can stop right there.”
Carlos stopped. “Look, why don’t you let Jud—Abby go? She’s hurt and scared.”
“Fuck you,” Ken snarled. “Don’t you tell me what to do with my fiancée. You think I’m fucking stupid. I know you’ve been fucking her. Did you make her come?”
He took his free hand and slid it down her breasts. Carlos’ jaw tightened and he forced himself to stay right where he was. He just needed Ken to take his eyes off him for a second then he would lunge. But the man held his gaze as he continued running his hand down to her crotch.
“I could make her come. All the time.” He unsnapped her jeans and slowly pulled the zipper open. “Let me show you.”
Judith cried out as he teased fingers on the edge of her panties.
“Son-of-a-bitch!”
“Don’t you dare come any closer,” Ken snapped, bringing the gun beneath her jaw.
Panic stopped him mid-stride and Carlos instantly glanced down at Judith. Her eyes were staring straight ahead, as if she was distancing herself from what was happening.
And what was about to happen.
A frustrated growl burs
t through Carlos as Ken’s hands disappeared into her pants. But there was an excitement in the man’s eyes that made Carlos’ blood curdle. His light brown cheeks were flushed slightly and he placed a lingering kiss on her hair.
“God damn you, let her go,” Carlos barked. “She doesn’t want this.”
“Yeah, she does.” Ken jerked her back against him and she winced.
Carlos’ blood boiled.
“She always wants me,” Ken murmured into her hair. “I’ll show you how much she wants me.”
****
Judith mind was numb.
She was locked in a nightmare that she couldn’t wake from. A nightmare she had pulled Carlos into. He didn’t look at her as Ken slid his hand inside her panties and a jolt of disgust coursed through her, but she tried to lock it all inside her.
Except she couldn’t anymore.
She couldn’t let him destroy what little of herself she had left. She couldn’t let him shame her in front of the man she loved. And in that moment, she forgot the gun, forgot her fear and disgust. She just wanted to get away from him. Her body became stone as his fingers slipped inside her panties, touching her, rubbing her.
Something in her snapped.
With a sharp cry of outrage, she jabbed her elbow as hard as she could into his abdomen. Ken grunted and she pushed away from him.
Carlos didn’t hesitate.
In a blur, he flew across the room toward them. Ken barely had time to raise the gun before Carlos was on him. Judith watched as the two men struggled for control of the gun.
Hate like she never felt consumed her and without thinking, she flew on Ken’s back, beating and clawing at him with all her pent-up rage.
Ken tried to shake her off him while still holding on to the gun. Everything was a blur and she tried with all her might to hold on, to inflict as much pain as he’d done to her. She managed to dig her nails into his neck and break skin. He yowled then jerked back violently as she scraped him raw.
With one hard swing, Ken threw her from his back and she bounced against the wall, her head connecting hard with the hanging mirror. Glass shattered all around her just as the gun went off.
The sound was deafening and a sudden chill ran through her body as she fell to her knees and onto the shattered glass, numbly wondering where all the blood had come from.
