Eleven
Chelsea
Two weeks later
“I was talking to Ryker last night.”
I raise my eyebrows because those two don’t do a whole lot of talking when people aren’t around.
“What? We talk! I mean we have sex too, but we do talk Chels!”
I laugh, and she smacks me in the arm. “Okay, okay. I believe you. So, you were “talking.” I say making the quote symbols with my fingers.
“Whatever. I’m not telling you. You’ll just have to wait until you get to work to find out.”
“Honestly, I think I’m ready to quit. I’m in a good place now, and Harrison keeps telling me to do what I want. There’s no reason for me to not use my degree. I miss playing with numbers every day. They make sense, ya know?”
“Sure, whatever you have to tell yourself. Your degree is bor-ing!”
“Anyway, what did you two talk about?”
“Funny you should bring up wanting to quit. He was busy in his office last night, working late like he has been for the past week. I don’t think he’s used to having me there taking up all his time because he’s gotten behind on billing and payroll. I may have told him that you have a degree in Finance and that he should probably talk to you about helping out.”
“And…”
“He liked the idea. Said he’d talk to you about it today when you came in for your shift.”
I hug my friend across the table. “Thank you Emersen! I was starting to get bored waiting tables. This will definitely give me more of a challenge.”
“I’ve got more news.” She says, bursting at the seams. Oh, here it is, she’s going to tell me she’s pregnant.
“I took a test this morning. Okay, I took three, because I couldn’t believe the first and the second. I’m pregnant! Can you believe it?”
I give her that look, the one that says, ‘you’re kidding right.’
“Shut up. Don’t even say it. I don’t want to be compared to bunnies or whatever other animal that has lots of sex and babies.” She says pointing at me before I even get a word out.
“I was going to say congratulations, you crazy lady. Hormones getting to you already?” She glares and throws a chip at me. I laugh and then laugh some more. The next nine months are going to be hilarious.
Emersen and I spend the rest of the afternoon stuffing our faces with chips and salsa, then doing a little bit of shopping before I drop her off at home so I can go get ready for work.
∞∞∞
When I arrive for my shift, it’s already seven o’clock and dark. I’m supposed to call someone to come escort me when I work these late shifts, and usually, I do. I’m too excited thinking about Emersen’s pregnancy and the new job I might be given that I don’t even think to do it. I hop out of the truck but forget to grab my purse, so I turn around to grab it. I didn’t realize the target I painted on my back.
“Did you think I wouldn’t find you?” A familiar voice snarls from behind me. I turn around quickly, but he’s there in front of me, grabbing me by the throat and pushing me up against my truck before I’m able to do anything. I know who it is before I can even see him clearly. He looks impeccable as ever in a suit and tie with his expensive watch and fifty-dollar haircut.
“Why did you leave me, Chelsea? How could you do that to me?” With every question he asks, his grip gets tighter. I’m scratching his hands trying to get him to release me, but my efforts are fruitless.
He steps closer and runs his free hand up my thigh. I squeeze my legs together praying he doesn’t touch me there. God, don’t let him, please. “Have you been spreading these thighs for all the bikers in that bar? Is that what they pay you for? Are you their hired whore?” I’m thankful that his grip loosens a fraction so I can take a breath. He must be fucking with me because he keeps squeezing my neck harder, then loosening up for a few seconds before making it difficult for me to breathe again. The sadistic fucker is getting off on this.
“Hey!” I Hear someone shout across the parking lot. That quick distraction is all that I need to get free. I knee him in his dick, and he hunches over from the pain. While he’s bent over, I push him to the ground and stomp his balls over and over until there’s no way he can get up. I stand there shaking, unable to move and get somewhere safe, unwilling to take my eyes off this piece of shit who took a part of me I can’t ever get back.
“Sweetie are you okay? Hey hun, look at me. Are you hurt?”
I finally look up and see a beautiful woman that looks like she could kick some serious ass.
“Yeah. No. I’m not hurt badly.” I croak, my throat sore from Eric choking me. She looks me over and winces when she gets to my neck. I guess it looks as bad as it feels.
“Why don’t you go inside and get some help.” She suggests.
“I’m not leaving you alone out here, not with him.”
She smirks and shrugs her shoulders. “I’m pretty sure I could take him.”
I begin searching for my phone and find it on the ground in a pile of things from my purse. I dial Harrison’s number, and he answers on the first ring.
“I just tried to call you. I thought I asked you to call me when you were going to be late, so I didn’t worry.”
“I need you outside. I’m in the backlot.”
Less than a minute later Harrison, Rash, and Jester come running out the back door of Spanky’s, guns drawn ready for anything. They size up the situation quickly. Rash and Jester walk over to the woman who begins explaining what she saw. As soon as Harrison gets to me he sweeps me into his arms.
“Angel are you okay? Look at your pretty neck. Shit, I’m going to call an ambulance. And who the fuck is that?” He keeps talking, but I just hold him tight, thankful that he’s here and he’s mine. Tonight could have been so much worse, but it wasn’t. I survived, able to spend the rest of my life loving the man holding me.