Page 43

Chapte r 43

Chloe

The air in my lungs seizes, and I forget how to breathe.

“Back up,” the guy says in a raspy voice.

I do as he says, because what other option do I have.

My eyes fly to the street, but Gunner’s truck is long gone.

I stare at the front porch, wondering if I can be fast enough to rush past him and get to—

“Don’t even think about it,” the man says, pushing the gun into my stomach.

Fear wraps itself around me until I can’t think straight.

All I can hear is my own breathing.

My heart is pounding so hard, I feel like it’s going to beat right out of my chest.

“Wh-who are you?” I somehow manage to get out.

“I’m the one asking the questions,” he says in anger and pushes the gun towards me again.

“I’m only here to give you a message. Don’t cause any problems, and this will be painless.” I manage to give him a shaky nod.

“You’re going to call your fiancé and tell him it’s over.” Confusion crowds my mind, but I stay quiet.

“You got that?” he yells.

“Yes. Yes, okay.”

“Then you’re going to tell him that he’s going to claim Jenny’s baby as his own and pay child support for it. You got that?”

I stare at him as I try to connect the pieces.

“You-you’re with Jenny.”

His hand flies out and connects with my cheek, snapping my head back.

My eyes water in pain, and I suck in a breath, willing my tears not to fall.

I try to focus on him.

“I told you not to talk!” he screams at me.

He flails the gun around again, and I clamp my lips together.

He reaches out and grabs my hair and tugs my hair back, so I’m looking into his dark, cold eyes.

“You got all that?” Scared of the consequences if I speak, I nod.

He releases me and shoves me back.

“Do it then.”

I eye him warily.

“Now?” I manage.

“Yes. Now!” he thunders.

I slowly reach towards my pocket and pull out my phone.

He watches my movements, his gun trained on me.

As carefully as possible, I pull it out and unlock it.

“Call him and keep it on speaker.” I nod and pull up Gunner’s number.

He steps forward and jams his gun into my stomach.

“And if he doubts anything, you’re dead. You understand? Make it believable.”

I nod shakily and try to call Gunner, but my fingers are shaking too badly.

It takes me three tries to get it to work.

I hear it ring and try to calm my racing heart.

He answers a moment later.

“Hey, Chloe.” His voice is so calm and light, it makes my heart crack.

I wish he was here with me right now.

Of course, that would only put him in danger too.

“Chloe?”

The guy steps forward and gives me a warning look.

“Gunner,” I squeak out.

I immediately take a shaky breath, trying to calm my voice.

“I’m just calling to tell you that it’s over between us.” My heart cracks as I say the words, even though I know they’re not true.

I rush on, hoping he’ll somehow know what’s going on and be able to help me somehow.

“I can no longer be your fiancé.”

“What are you talking about?” he interrupts.

“Listen to me,” I say in as strong a voice as I can manage.

“It’s over between us, just like your dad said it should be.” He stays quiet, and I continue on, hoping he catches the clue I dropped him.

“And you need to do the right thing by Jenny. Claim the baby and pay the child support.” My voice is not nearly as calm as it should be.

When he doesn’t say anything, I watch the man in front of me.

He’s pacing back and forth like a crazy person.

I wonder absently how many drugs he has in his system.

He’s got all the signs.

Knowing just how dangerous the situation is, I try to stay completely still and not do anything to risk his wrath.

“Okay.” Gunner’s strong voice comes through the line, but it sounds different than it usually does.

“I’ll do the right thing, okay? I’ll do the right thing right now. I’ll make the call.”

“Okay,” I say breathlessly.

“I’m going to hang up now and call,” he says again.

I nod.

“Bye.” I hang up and drop my hands to my side.

I eye the man cautiously, still mad at myself for ever opening my door in the first place.

If I make it through this alive, I’m buying myself a Ring camera and never opening the front door again.

“I did what you said,” I say in a shaky voice and keep my gaze trained on his gun.

He pulls out his own phone.

“I’m going to call Jenny to make sure he actually calls.”

A sick feeling fills me because I’m pretty sure Gunner knew something was wrong and was just playing along.

I don’t know that he’s going to actually call Jenny.

Suddenly, I hear a siren; and my entire body freezes.

His head jerks up.

“What did you do?”

I take a step back at the fury in his eyes.

“N-nothing. I didn’t do anything. I made the call like you asked.” He steps forward and yanks my hair and calls me a nasty name.

He shoves the gun into my neck, and a scream works its way up my throat.

I can’t breathe.

I close my eyes tightly, willing it to be over fast.

Somebody bangs on the door, startling me so bad, my entire body jerks.

“Police, open up!”

He curses and throws me to the floor.

I cry out in pain, and the door bursts open a moment later.

Two police officers run inside, and I point towards the bedroom.

“He went that way.” They take off, and I try to get to my feet but my legs are too shaky.

“Chloe!” I hear a voice thunder outside.

Gunner runs inside a moment later, his eyes looking wild.

“Chloe!” He’s at my side a moment later.

“Gunner.” I cry out, and his arms wrap around me.

I wrap my arms around his neck and hold on as tight as I can.

He pushes me back gently and his eyes scan my face as he pushes my hair out of my face.

His eyes land on the bruise on my cheek, and I feel his muscles bunch.

He must see the shock on my face because he doesn’t even ask what happened.

He stands to his feet and pulls me up into his arms.

I can’t find it in me to protest.

I bury my face in his neck and just breathe him in.

“I’ve got you; you’re safe.” He walks towards the door just as an another officer steps inside.

“Ma’am we’re going to need a statement.”

The paramedics check me out, and the police take my statement.

I’m aware that I’m in some kind of shock or something, because my brain doesn’t seem to be working.

Gunner never leaves my side, not even for a moment.

He’s my rock and the only reason I get through the night.

Eventually, we get the clear that we can leave.

Somehow, Gunner gets me in his truck.

I don’t even know where we’re going; I don’t ask.

My entire body feels numb, including my brain.

Eventually, we stop.

I am aware of him opening my door and pulling me out of the car.

The next thing I know, we’re inside his house.

His hands are on my shoulders, and he drops his head so he can look me in the eye.

“What do you need?”

I stare at him.

“Can I sleep with you tonight? I just...I just want to be safe.”

“I was planning on it. Do you want a bath or shower before bed?”

I shake my head.

“Come on.” He takes my hand and leads me to his room.

I feel nothing as we step into his room.

He drops my hand and walks over to a dresser and opens a drawer.

A moment later, he hands me something.

“You can wear these to sleep in. I’ll get some pain killers.”

I don’t ask what the pain killers are for.

I wait for him to leave before I change into the sweatpants and shirt.

I pull off the sweatpants because they’re just too big.

The shirt falls to mid-thigh on me, so it’s fine.

I don’t bother to brush my teeth or take off my makeup.

I just crawl into his bed and pull the covers up and over my head.

He comes back into the room moments later.

“Are you still awake?”

I roll towards him and take the pain pills and swallow them down with the bottle of water.

He walks around to his side of the bed and pulls off his shirt and undoes his pants.

He looks at me before he pulls them down.

“Is this okay?” I nod and lay back down.

He climbs into bed a moment later and wraps his arms around me and pulls me in tight.

“I’m so sorry I left you,” he whispers against my temple.

“It’s not your fault.”

He doesn’t say anything, but I can feel the tension in his body.

“Thanks for coming for me,” I whisper.

He still doesn’t say anything, and I don’t either.

Now that I’m in his arms safe, the adrenaline is starting to fade, and I think I’m crashing.

“I’ll always come for you,” he says quietly.

“Sleep. I’ve got you. And Chloe,” he says a moment later.

“They caught him and took him into custody; he can’t hurt you anymore.”

His words should make me feel something, but I’m past being able to feel anything as sleep takes me and drags me under.

When I wake up, it’s obviously morning.

I stare up a the ceiling as all of it comes crashing back in full force, especially the pain in my cheek.

I glance at Gunner’s side of the bed, but it’s empty.

No surprise.

He's got a game tonight. I snag my phone and realize it’s after ten. I’m shocked. I’m not too worried about it; I know Gunner will have told them what happened. I climb out of bed, wishing Gunner was still here. I see the painkillers and bottle of water next to my bed, and I swallow them down gratefully.

It takes a ridiculously long time to work up the courage to walk out of the bedroom. I know logically that there’s nothing to be afraid of, but I can’t convince my mind of that. I just really don’t want to be alone right now. I'm not sure how long I stand in the room, afraid to move.

I finally convince myself that I have to leave his room.

I grip my phone tightly, making sure it’s unlocked and open the bedroom door.

I hear voices and freeze in the hallway.

Somebody comes around the corner into the hallway, and I squeak.

“Oh, Chloe! I’m so sorry. It’s just me. I just had to go to the bathroom. I didn’t know you were awake.”

I stare at Brielle as I try to slow my racing heart.

“What are you doing here?” I finally ask.

“Oh, Gunner called and asked if I’d come sit with you. He didn’t want you to be alone after last night.” Her eyes are so full of compassion.

I stare at her, unsure what to do.

She takes a cautious step towards me.

“Are you okay, Chloe?”

“Of course she’s not okay, Bri,” a new voice adds.