Heart Breaker (Break on Through)

by Harper Kincaid

  “Yeah…I do.” I let out a happy sigh. “I love him.”

  His eyes grew wide, both brows shooting straight up. “Say that again?”

  I bit my bottom lip and shrugged my shoulders.

  He came over and pulled me into a deliciously suffocating bear hug. “So happy for you,” he said into the top of my head, giving me a quick kiss on my forehead. “Have you told him yet?”

  My face fell. “No. I’m afraid I’ll freak him out and then he’ll…”

  “He’ll what, Sam?”

  I looked away from my friend’s penetrating gaze. There were still a few stragglers from our group, gathering their belongings, making plans to grab dinner together. Schiller may have been a nightmare to deal with, but the one positive was that I and the other members of the cast were airtight. Having each other’s backs. Like war buddies.

  My gaze turned into one of those stares where everything blurred and you didn’t end up seeing anything in front of you.

  “I’m afraid he’ll leave me.” I closed my eyes and shook my head. “It’s not like he’s saying it so fast either.”

  “It’s only been a few months, baby girl. Give it time.”

  “Oh please—” I half laughed, half scoffed, “—you and Oliver were throwing around I love yous after two weeks. And you didn’t leave his apartment for an entire summer!”

  “That’s true.” He gave a sheepish grin. “Most couples aren’t so quick to jump in. Nothing wrong with taking things slower.”

  I gave him a small smile in response.

  “You know he’s crazy about you, don’t you?”

  “Sure,” I said, wanting to change the subject.

  “He is, Samantha! Trust me. I’m a man. I know men.”

  “Okay.”

  “And when I say I know men, I mean I know men. In every way there is to know them.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, all right.”

  “Psychologically. Emotionally…”

  “Understood,” I interrupted.

  “I know in the biblical sense too.”

  “You can shut up now,” I play-growled while burying my face into his chest. I tucked my arm around his waist and turned us toward the door. “C’mon, let’s get out of here. Even if Kyle’s going to be real late tonight, I still want to get home.”

  As Patrick and I strolled out of the theater that night and into the warming air of early April, we were so wrapped up in our own little world that we both missed, off to the side and in the shadows, Derek Schiller listening. Watching us. With a glint in his eye and a chilling sneer on his face.

  One and a half hours later

  By the time I got home and Patrick had completed a quick walkthrough of my house, I was definitely losing steam. Even so, I knew Kyle would be especially wiped after dealing with that meeting from hell, so I was in the kitchen, prepping dinner for the two of us. Jessica had left a message, reminding me she had her book club and wouldn’t be home ’til after ten.

  So, we’d have the place to ourselves, for a little while at least. Now that I was an adult, it really hit me how small this house was for a family of four, especially with the master suite on the same side as the other bedrooms. For all the years Jessica and I had lived here, I couldn’t recall one time hearing my parents having sex, even though I am sure they did. They were crazy about each other and it seemed my dad couldn’t be in the same room as my mother without touching her in some way. A kiss on the cheek. A playful slap on the backside. How they managed with these paper-thin walls and in close proximity to two particularly precocious and inquisitive girls, who didn’t understand the meaning of personal space, was beyond me.

  Needless to say, I spent most nights over at Kyle’s apartment so we could make as much noise as we wanted. “You’re a screamer, babe,” he liked to tease. “I’m a growler and your sister’s head is permanently stuck in a romance novel at home. Let’s not give her a soundtrack that’ll make her run into therapy.” I wholeheartedly agreed and would’ve been over there tonight as well, except I had the day off tomorrow and I really wanted to finish the kitchen backsplash. Jackson had been true to his word, as always, and helped me build the island and install the granite countertops. With their striations of golds and taupes with flecks of black and silver, they were totally stunning. Just as awesome was Kyle surprising me last week with boxes of gorgeous, Italian-crafted, red glass tiles to finish the job. They were the ones both Jess and I had loved when we had gone to the showroom, but couldn’t even contemplate buying because they were so outrageously expensive.

  His reason for the impromptu present? “Honey, I don’t need a reason to get you what you want. That’s my job and my pleasure.”

  God, I loved this man.

  The doorbell rang just as I was finishing roasting the brussels sprouts with pine nuts and a special blend of spices Jessica had perfected and taught me. I turned off the oven and wiped my hands on my apron as I skipped-slash-ran over to the door, so excited to see Kyle even though I just saw him this morning.

  Yeah, I know. I was such a girl. And I didn’t care.

  “Coming, babe!” I called out, dismantling the alarm. “I really need to get you your own key,” I said while opening the door wide.

  “Yes, Samantha, I think having my own key is a marvelous idea.”

  My smile died on my face and all the heat drained from my body.

  Derek Schiller was standing on my front porch. His pupils were completely dilated and he had a thin, sickly sheen of sweat covering his face. And with my boots off, he really loomed over me. Dread washed over me as I gripped the doorknob, trying to remain calm.

  “What are you doing here, Derek?”

  “Samantha, tsk tsk,” he chided, with a smile that was just off somehow. “Is that any way to treat your boss?”

  I straightened my spine, trying to emit a confidence I didn’t feel in the slightest. “Derek, it’s totally weird and inappropriate that you just show up unannounced at my home. And you look high as a kite too.” I looked over his shoulder to see if any of my neighbors were around. Unfortunately, I didn’t see a soul, and his car was parked half on my driveway and half on my front lawn. Further proof that he was on something.

  Shit, why hadn’t I checked the peephole before opening the door? And how in hell could I get rid of this creep without it affecting my job? I had to get him out of here.

  “Why don’t you wait here and I’ll call you a cab?” I offered, scared out of my ever-loving mind, eyeing the alarm panic button just off to the side and out of my reach.

  He may have been tweaked on God knew what, but he was still observant and he saw where my eyes went. His whole face grew even more sinister, if that was possible, and I knew I was in trouble. I dashed toward that button.

  “Oh no you don’t, you little whore!” he roared and rushed at me all at once, pushing me back hard. My head slammed on the hardwood, making me see stars for a minute, and a stab of pain shot through my neck.

  Before I even had a chance to catch my breath, he grabbed me by my hair and started dragging me through my house, muttering to himself like a man possessed.

  “Masterson thought he could fuck with me? Well, I’m gonna fuck with him by nailing his latest piece!” Some of my hair was ripped from the roots, and I started kicking and screaming for my life.

  “Derek! Please, please don’t do this! You can’t afford this kind of bad press. If you leave now I won’t say…”

  “Shut the fuck up, bitch!” he screamed and then whipped around, straddling me, still with my hair grasped in his hand so my head was raised up from the floor. Then he backhanded me across the face. Really hard. I whimpered, the pain searing through my lips, jaw and cheek like a brush fire. I could taste blood in my mouth and I tried not to swallow it.

  Then he got his face real close to mine, bending down in a low crouch. “I’m go
ing fuck you in every hole you’ve got, you stuck-up piece of shit. And then, I’m gonna wait for your punk bitch boyfriend to get here.” With his free hand, he went around his back and drew a Beretta handgun back around and up against my temple, the cold from the metal feeling just like a burn. “And then, I’m going waste you both. But not until after Masterson gets to see me fuck you again with my dick and the barrel of my gun.”

  I had to think fast. I was too far away from the panic buttons, the Mace or the Taser to make a run for them. And he had me in an iron-vise grip in the middle of the hallway. Behind me was my bedroom with the Taser and in front of me was the panic button and Mace.

  The options weren’t great, but I had to work with what I had.

  “Now, Derek, I thought you were smarter than that,” I cooed as best as I could muster, even offering a coy smile. “If you really want to mess with Kyle’s head, raping me is not the way to go.”

  His head came back a bit, definitely a bit thrown off. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  I blew my hair out of my face, almost as if I were bored with the whole exchange. “If it were me wanting to get even with someone, I’d make it look like his girlfriend was willingly cheating on him. That burns a man much more than what you have in mind.”

  He still had a firm hold on me, but I could tell by his expression that he was actually listening to what I was saying.

  “Make you a deal, Derek,” I continued, praying this was going to work. “You promise to spare him, and in return, I’ll let you fuck me five ways ’til Sunday. Right there in my bed.” I motioned with my chin. “Kyle walks in and sees that? It’ll ruin him. Trust me.”

  He narrowed his eyes, studying me. “Thought I heard you tell Patrick you love the guy,” he sneered.

  I swallowed hard and blinked a couple of times. “I do.” My voice was cracking. “I would rather him hate me and be alive than think I’m the best thing to ever happen to him and for him to be dead.”

  “How touching,” he spewed out, then got right in my face, the rancid smell of his breath almost making me gag. “How do I know you won’t try something?”

  I blew an exasperated breath. “Jesus, Derek, you’ve got a gun pointed at my head! And I’m five foot nothing and you’ve got eighty pounds on me. You’re the one in charge here. Not me. Okay?”

  If I could get him in my room, then I could use the Taser on him and call the cops. Then this whole nightmare would be over.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw—of all people—Jackson and Kyle’s buddy, Mad Max, by my front door, which was still open from when Derek had shoved me aside. I had only met him a handful of times, the first one being the night Kyle and I met at Lauren and Jax’s Super Bowl party.

  What the hell was he doing here? As much as I wanted to run to him or scream or just collapse in relief, I didn’t move a muscle. I just kept my eyes focused on Derek’s, thinking of how I could help Max get in without being noticed.

  “So, are we doing this or what, Derek?”

  He furrowed his brow. “I don’t trust you one bit, you fuckin’ bitch,” he spat in my face, still way too close for me. He was getting revved up. I could tell because his face was getting beet red. All the while, Max was coming in without a sound. I had to keep Derek focused on me and his hatred for Kyle.

  “Thought you’ve been wanting to fuck me for ages, Derek,” I taunted. “Now I’m offering myself up and you’re turning me down?”

  “I said, I. Don’t. Trust. You.” He pressed the gun harder against my head. But I was so keyed up, I could barely feel a thing. “On one hand, I really like the idea of Masterson thinking I scooped up his li’l whore right out from under his nose.” Even though he was looking right at me, he wasn’t seeing me. He was lost inside that fucked-up, crazy head of his. “On the other hand, the idea of making that prick deep-throat my gun and watching his brains splatter all over the place, fuck, I like that a lot. Makes me hard just thinking about it.”

  Suddenly, Max was right behind Derek, with his gun pointing at the back of Derek’s head. “Put the gun down, you motherfucker, or I will end you, right here, right now.”

  “Who the fuck are you!” Derek screamed like an idiot, although doing it while still not moving a muscle and still keeping his gun on me.

  “Doesn’t matter who the fuck I am, asshole,” Max said, looking eerily calm, like this extreme situation was a regular occurrence for him. “But I know you’ve heard of the Order.”

  All the red from Schiller’s face drained away, turning a ghostly shade of pasty white. Just like that. Then, in a flash, the gun was out of his hand, he was slammed facedown on the ground, and Max was putting cuffs on his wrists, hands behind his back.

  “You okay?” he asked me, his eyes scanning me from head to toe as I fell back on my haunches. I nodded, unable to say a word. Then the door swung out again and Kyle was there, shock on his face as he took in the scene in front of him.

  The minute he saw Schiller, the veins popped out of his neck and he clenched his fists. Even like that, my relief at seeing him again was so overwhelming that my body heaved with my sobs.

  Kyle rushed over, picked me up and took me away from Schiller. Cradling me in his arms.

  “Baby, I am so, so sorry,” he rasped in my ear, rubbing my back, trying to soothe me. “I got here as fast as I could.”

  I pressed myself into his warm, comforting body, and he immediately brought me to my room. Then he just held me. Stroking my hair. Pressing his lips to my forehead.

  “Thought I was dead,” I half-choked, half-whispered into his neck. “He pushed his way in, told me was going to rape and kill me. I tr-tried stalling for time, tried to g-get to the Taser. But I fucked up because I o-o-opened the door without ch-ch-checking to see who it was…thought it was you.”

  Kyle didn’t say anything, although the more I told him, the tighter his body got. By the time I was done, his whole frame was humming like a live wire.

  “Hey, man,” Max called to him. “Need you a sec.”

  I was still in a fetal position on his lap, on my bed, with my head resting on his chest. But I was calmer now.

  “I’ll be right back,” he reassured while gingerly placing me back down on the mattress. He held me by the back of my neck and peered into my eyes, checking if I was doing all right. “You okay in here for a minute by yourself?”

  I just nodded and offered a weak smile.

  He waited for a moment. “Then say it, babe.”

  I met his gaze, took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m all right, Kyle. Go talk to Max.” He seemed satisfied with my response, so he touched his mouth gently to mine.

  On his way out of my room, he closed the door behind him. All I could hear were their muffled voices. Quiet, at first. Impossible to decipher a word. I got up and went over to the mirror over my dresser. To see the damage.

  Sure enough, a bruise was already starting to form on my jaw and dried blood encrusted over my mouth.

  “Son of a bitch,” I muttered to myself, leaning in to get a closer look. There was a gash across my lower lip, about an inch wide.

  “Shut the fuck up!” I heard Kyle yelling, making me jump out of my skin. I rushed over to the door and swung it open to find Schiller on his knees, in handcuffs still, with Max holding him up while Kyle was slamming his left hook right into his nose.

  “Kyle!” I screamed, but I was still frozen in place across the house. “Stop it!”

  Kyle didn’t hear me. And he kept whaling into Derek, him groaning low, sounding like a wounded animal. It was a horrible sound.

  “Max! Stop him!”

  His eyes met mine and the fury in them was a palpable thing, reverberating in the air around us. I pressed my hand to my stomach, trying really hard not to throw up.

  “Max,” I pleaded. “Kyle’s an attorney. He can lose his license for this!”


  A shadow of awareness crossed over his face, finally sinking in. He gave a slight nod and then one of his arms came straight out, stopping Kyle mid-swing while pulling Schiller backward. I breathed a sigh of relief, placing my hand across my forehead.

  Derek started coughing, blood pouring out of his nose in a stream.

  “Jesus Christ, what have you done?” I hoarsely got out.

  Kyle looked up at me. Blood caked on his fist and clothes. Breathing heavy. He was here but not here. I didn’t know who this was in front of me.

  “Babe,” I choked out, “you could’ve killed him.”

  That seemed to bring him fully back to me. And holy shit, if I thought he looked enraged before, that was nothing compared to the daggers his eyes were throwing my way at that moment.

  “That son of a bitch was going to rape you and kill us both! What do you expect me to do, Sam? Just sit back and do nothing?”

  I didn’t even think. I came right over to him, even though he had this crazy-scary energy coming off him. I sucked it up, reminding myself that this was my man. This was Kyle. I placed my palm on his cheek, holding his face in my hand. Letting my touch soak in. And then, I saw it. The tension drained and he softened. He covered my hand with his.

  “Can’t even imagine my life without you in it,” he said to me, his voice cracking, his eyes getting glittery. “You’re it for me, Samantha.”

  “Baby,” I sighed. “It’s not that I give a shit about him. I just don’t want anyone taking you away from me. Okay?”

  “Hey,” Max interrupted and I reluctantly turned my head in his direction. “I already called the cops. They’re going to be here any minute.”

  I numbly just stared at him.

  His gaze darted back and forth between Kyle and me. “Our boy’s going to be fine. You’ve got nothin’ to worry about. And I’m your witness. Got it?”

  I nodded and sank onto the couch. The rest of the night was a blur, with the Vienna police arriving a few minutes later, carting Derek off, taking my statement. When Jessica got home and saw the scene, she completely freaked. Somehow, Max was the only one able to calm her down and, from that point on, she was making tea and shepherding well-intended neighbors away from the crime scene formerly known as our living room. She even managed to pack a suitcase so I could go home with Kyle. Because as much as I loved my family home, there was no way I was staying there.