“Who the hell are you texting?”Eli barked.
Addie fumbled her phone, almost dropping it to the floor. Her eyes widened in panic, and I stepped between her and Eli. “I asked you to leave.”
He sneered at me, and for the first time, I saw the glimmers of true hatred in Eli’s eyes. “You think you’re too good for me? Just like that fucker of a brother of mine.”
He lurched forward, grabbing me by my sweater and lifting me off the floor.
Serena charged. “Let her go, you asshole.” She slammed her fists into his back, but Eli just let loose a manic sort of laugh.
I brought my knee up, aiming for his family jewels but missed. Eli swore, and his other hand came to my throat, squeezing. “You think you can hurt me?”
I clawed at his arm with my nails as Serena went for his face.
“The sheriff is on his way,” Addie cried.
That did it. Eli released me with a shove, his eyes wild. “I’m not done with you, bitch.”
I collapsed to the floor as he charged out the front door. Addie and Serena sank to their knees next to me as I struggled to suck in air. Addie’s hand trembled as she rubbed it up and down my back. “Slow breaths, nice and easy.”
She slid out her phone. “Beck? We need you at The Gallery.” She was quiet for a moment. “Just hurry.”
“Oh, God. Oh, God.” Serena said the words over and over. “Are you okay? He could’ve—”
“He didn’t,” I croaked.
The front door burst open, and Boden and Hayes charged into the room. Boden froze the second he saw me on the floor. Then, in a flash, he was in front of me. “What happened? Did he hurt you?”
“Your brother’s a fucking psycho,” Serena bit out. “He tried to choke her.”
Rage and fear filled Boden’s eyes as his hands went to my neck, his touch featherlight. “Laiken.” My name was a guttural plea.
“I’m okay.” It sounded as if I’d just smoked a pack of cigarettes.
His fingers gently prodded my neck. “Does it hurt?”
I couldn’t hide my wince.
“Beckett is on his way,” Addie said softly.
“Which direction did he go in?” Hayes clipped.
Serena pointed, and then Hayes was speaking into his radio. “What was he wearing?”
Serena and Addie described it, and Hayes recounted it for the bulletin going out to the department.
Everything hurt. In too many ways to count. I leaned into Boden. He moved fast, sinking to the floor and pulling me onto his lap. He cradled me as if he could protect me from everything bad in the world. Only he couldn’t. “I’m so sorry, Laiken. I’m so damn sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“It is. He wouldn’t have come here if it wasn’t for me. He wouldn’t have sought you out.”
Panic lit through me so fiercely it stole my breath. My hands gripped Boden’s sweatshirt hard. “Don’t. Don’t leave me. Please.” The tears came then. A dump of adrenaline so intense, I began to shake.
Boden held me tighter against him. “I’m not. I’m right here. You have me, Laiken. All of me.”
I cried harder. A release of everything that had transpired over the past few days and all I had been holding on to for years. I let it all free.
Some part of my brain registered the bell over the door ringing. Boots on the floor.