I swung it closed as my attacker charged, blood rushing from his nose.
Like a linebacker, he slammed into the door, bursting it open and splintering the wood. I went flying back and hit my head on the edge of the desk. My body folded and fell onto the floor as pain exploded in my skull.
Rough hands grabbed me. I was thrown onto the desk.
I felt my clothes being ripped off my body and my legs shoved apart.
Inside I was screaming, fighting, and dying of horror. On the outside, I felt fuzzy and sluggish.
“Get her tits again,” someone said in the background.
I felt rough hands grab my breasts and pull them away from my body. He was so rough. Not at all the way Adam was.
Adam.
My eyes sprang open and a jolt of clarity came rushing through my head.
“No!” I roared and slid my body across the desk. The rough hands followed me.
I remembered the gun in the bottom of the desk drawer.
I let my arm fall down over the edge of the desk as a set of teeth closed over one of my nipples. I cried out in pain and pulled the drawer open. My hand closed around the gun.
Point and shoot. Adam’s words floated through my head with quiet clarity.
I swung up my arm and took aim at the man who was getting ready to spread my legs and rape me.
And then I pulled the trigger.
32
Adam
I called the cops the day after Roxie told me everything. I had a buddy on the force, a guy I’d known for several years, and I told him everything.
Later that day, we went down to the station and I had Roxie fill out papers and make a statement. A protective order was being issued and that scum bucket wouldn’t be allowed anywhere near Roxie.
I didn’t think he was the type of guy to follow the order, but so far it worked to keep him out of my club so I hoped it might help.
But in reality, that paper was just insurance that when Craig came around, he’d be breaking another law.
A week went by and every night Roxie was in my bed. I’d grown so accustomed to having her there with me I was dreading when she would go back to her own apartment. I thought about asking her to move in permanently, but I knew it was too soon. I had to be smart about this.
I was determined that this relationship was going to last.
I was going to do this right, take things slow. I was going to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that we were meant to be together and I would never hurt her.
Plus, I figured I should wait until she was able to tell me she loved me before we lived together. It would be years if I ever asked her to marry me, but I’d come to realize that marriage itself didn’t matter. It was the commitment between two people. It was the unwavering love that mattered most.
It was kind of liberating to realize that. To know that I’d finally found someone who I didn’t have to prove she was the one to myself. I didn’t have to get married to convince myself we’d be together forever.
We would be.
I glanced at the clock. There was still over an hour before the Hatter II opened. It was doing well so far. The first couple nights we opened the place had been packed. I was going to work my ass off to make sure it stayed that way.
My cell rang, and I snagged it up, hoping it was Roxie. One glance at the screen told me it wasn’t. It was my lawyer.
“This is Adam,” I answered.
“Adam, it’s Sherman,” the man on the other line spoke.
“Sherman,” I said, sitting back in my chair and wondering how much this call was going to cost me. Sherman was the best lawyer and well worth the money, but fuck, he was expensive. “What do I owe the pleasure?”
“I don’t have very good news, I’m afraid,” Sherman spoke.
I sat up a little straighter. “What?”
“I was contacted by the PD a few moments ago. It seems they are having trouble locating Craig Ascott. They have been unable to serve him with the protective order.”
Fear spiked in my veins and my heart began thumping a little harder. “What do you mean they can’t find him?” I cried. “It’s been a goddamned week!”
“Yes, well,” Sherman said, clearing his throat. “It seems they’ve tried contacting him daily and all attempts have turned up empty.”
What the fuck was he up to? I knew he wasn’t dead. I couldn’t be that lucky.
“They said they would keep attempting, but they are beginning to suspect he left town.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Thanks for the call, Sherman.”
“I’ll let you know if and when he is found.”
I disconnected the call and slammed the phone on the desk. I didn’t like knowing no one knew what he was doing. I thought the cops had this under control.
I thought about Roxie over at the club by herself. She needed to know so she could be extra cautious. I grabbed my keys and phone and jogged out to my car.
As I pulled out of the lot, I called Ty. He picked up on the first ring.
“Hey, boss.”
“Ty,” I said. I didn’t have time for pleasantries. “Can you come in to work early? Roxie’s been working there all week before we open. I don’t like her being there alone. I’ll increase your wages if you can start coming in early to cover security while she’s there.”
“Sure, boss. Anything for Miss Roxie.”
He was as southern as they came. He respected women and he was tough as nails.
“I really appreciate this, Ty.”
“I appreciate the raise,” he said.
I laughed. “I’ll see ya in a bit.”
“Yes, sir,” he said, and then the line went dead.
Next I punched Roxie’s number into my cell. I needed to hear her voice.
Her voicemail picked up on the first ring. I pulled the phone back and looked at it. Then I tried to call her again. Same thing.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood and my foot pressed down on the gas. She was probably just on the line with a supplier or something. She was probably working her ass off, and I was being paranoid.
Still, I didn’t slow down.
I broke all the traffic laws on my way to the Mad Hatter. I figured if a cop saw me, he could chase me all the way to the bar. His services might be needed.
But no police officer fell into the path behind me, and I made it to the bar in record time.
As soon as I pulled into the parking lot, I saw a black Honda sitting by the entrance. Beside it was a red car.
Craig’s car.
My tires squealed when I slammed the brakes and got out of the car, leaving it running. He was in there with Roxie and they weren’t alone.