Chapter Ten
Savannah
A pounding headache wakes me out of a dead sleep, and I crawl out of bed feeling lightheaded. I make my way to the kitchen where Abigail has a stash of Advil in her personal cabinet above the stove. I down three and drink two glasses of water then sink into a chair, propping my head on my hands. A movement to my left brings me fully alert.
“Well, if it isn’t Savannah Miller, case number 22571,” York mutters, leaning against the wall and holding a beer. I immediately get the impression it isn’t his first.
I’m not in the mood for him, so I stand and move toward the hallway, but he slides over, forcing me to change route to the living room instead.
“You’re awfully quiet now, aren’t you, pretty lady?” He follows behind me then steps in my way. I stop trying to go around him and head for the stairs, going down two at a time.
I don’t know where I am going; I just don’t want to be alone with him. I slip into an office and shut the door behind me, but his shoe stops it from closing, and he slams it open. “Oh, Savi, you don’t seem so brave now.”
“Move, York,” I order. I raise my chin and square my shoulders as he steps toward me, taking a sip of his beer.
“Or what? You weigh a buck twenty soaking wet. I could blow and you’d fall over.”
I hold up my hands as I feel the desk hit the back of my thighs.
“Not so brave when you don’t have your knight here, huh?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I whisper, feeling like an ass. What a stupid line that is.
“So, you’re saying that you and Cole aren’t fucking?”
I cringe at his tone.
“Well, that changes things, then.” Before I know what is happening, he yanks me to him and crushes his lips to mine.
The mix of beer and his cologne nearly brings my dinner up. I push, pound, and kick, trying to get him off, but he has me pinned. His hands start to roam. Oh, shit. I shove my knee up and drive it in his crotch as I bite down hard on his lower lip. He cries out as he falls backward. I leap over him and dash for the hallway, not getting three feet before his arm snags around my waist, and he slams me into the wall. Air rushes out of my lungs from the impact.
He grips my arms hard and lifts me off my feet, looking angrier than I’ve ever seen him. Blood drips from his lip. I got him pretty good.
“You’re fair game, Savannah. There hasn’t been a woman like you here before—young and real pretty. I rather like it.” His grip tightens on my arms, and I can’t help but cry out. It only makes him squeeze tighter. “I think I’m going to claim you as mine.”
Oh, what? Seriously? We hate each other!
“Get your hands off me!” I cry.
He laughs as he drops me to my feet and presses his erection into my stomach.
“Screw off, York!” I hit his chest hard, but he reaches down and rips my shirt open as he traps my arms at my sides and slowly runs his gaze down my body. I am so thankful I wore a bra to bed tonight. He lets go with one hand to undo his belt.
“Stop it! No, York!” I start to cry when I realize he actually intends to follow through. “Please, York, no. Don’t do this.”
He is fumbling with the buckle, cursing at me to shut up.
I take the opportunity and knee him again, hard. This time he falls backward, tumbling into the wall. I run in a full sprint up the stairs, across the living room to the other set of stairs in the entryway. I wrap my ripped shirt around me. When I get close to the bedrooms, I hear Abigail’s door open just as I reach my door. I slam the door and lock it behind me, sliding down to the floor, sobbing and out of breath. Unable to think straight, I don’t know what to do. I haven’t been that terrified since I was back in my prison room.
“No,” I hiss, squeezing my eyes shut.Not now. I can’t go back there. Stay in the present!
“Savannah,” York whispers from outside my door.
My eyes pop open, and my heart pounds in my throat.
“Open the door.” He rattles the doorknob. “I can hear you breathing.” His voice is oddly calm, considering he has had two hard blows to the crotch. “You know I can pick this lock in a heartbeat.” I scramble off the floor, hop to my feet, and frantically feel around the wooden panel for the key code. The knob rattles again. Finally, the panel flips down, and I punch in the code 8986 twice before I get it right. The door pops open, and I slip into the darkness.
My trembling fingers feel my way around the wall. There must be a light switch, but I don’t want to chance anyone seeing me. I find the little library room that belongs to Cole’s mother. When the door closes behind me, a tiny glow shines from a light in the corner, and I flop down on the pillows, curl into a ball, and cry myself to sleep.