“I’m telling the truth. I don’t know! I don’t come into this office often! I don’t know who you’re looking for!” Something I’ve said must have registered as truth because he pulls back slightly before looking me from head to toe. Shockingly, he starts to laugh, a laugh full of demonic tones. I can literally feel the color drain out of my face when his eyes meet mine again.
“Well, well, well… If it isn’t Denise Roberts, one and only owner of Roberts Insurance. You aren’t supposed to be here and it’s just like a stupid, fucking cunt to come nosing her fat ass where it doesn’t belong.” What the hell?
Before I can open my mouth to ask him… well, I don’t know what I would ask him, but before I even have the chance, his hand comes out and clamps tight around my neck. My airway closes as he lifts me off the floor with his hand. I reach up and grab his wrist, clawing and fighting for the air he is stealing from me. “You, little Denise Roberts, are a problem, and I don’t like problems. One of your employees has something of mine, and I want it. You see, my problem now is that he’s decided to vanish on me, and I don’t like it when I’m owed money, and I’ve got to play hide and fucking seek to find it. When he stopped answering my calls, I figured the greasy little shit was having a come to Jesus with his conscience. I can’t have that now. You will either find that bastard, or all of the money. And I mean all of it.”
I try to answer him, but I can feel my mind start to panic. My lungs burn, and my hands are desperately struggling against him, but are quickly losing strength. I try to communicate with my eyes that I understand him, but he just keeps tightening his hold, squeezing me so forcefully that I feel like my throat is about to snap in two. My arms and legs start to flap around helplessly, as I attempt to gain just a breath of air.
After another few seconds closer to eternity, he lets go, and I drop roughly to the floor. As I gag and gasp to breathe, tears stream down my face, and my throat burns like I’ve swallowed a ball of fire.
He gives my fallen body a swift kick right in the ribs, which snap with a sickening crack. “I wouldn’t think about crossing me. I know all about you. I mean every single thing about you. I know all about your little friends, too, and I’m not even slightly worried about those dumbasses. I’ve got to hand it to you; I never thought you would show up before I had a chance to cover my tracks.”
When he goes to grab me again I pull my body in tight and scream. Big mistake on my part, because all it does is piss him off more.
“Shut the fuck up, bitch!” Unfortunately for me, I don’t have the strength to block the blow that hits me right in the temple, and instantly, everything around me fades into darkness. I try to fight it, but when my vision starts going, I know that I’m at his mercy. I just hope that he gets bored with me and stops. I’m not ready to die. I have things I want to do. People I need to set things right with. And a man that I know would be devastated if this was my end.
My last thought before everything goes blank is how badly I want to live, and if I make it through this, I’ll do everything in my power to learn how to let love in.
When I start to feel the tugs of awareness, the first thing I notice is a shrill sound. The annoying beeping that won’t shut the hell up. I try to move my arms to find the offending noise, but they don’t move. When I attempt to open my eyes, nothing happens. I go through the checklist, trying to make something, anything, respond to my mental command. Nothing. I lay there trying to come up with a reason why I can’t feel anything, can’t move anything, and can’t see anything. Nothing.
I can hear the beeping start to pick up as my mind continues to panic. With every rapid burst, my mind and body start to freak out even more. I want to scream, but nothing happens. Right when I think my panic might be too much for me to control, I feel something cold hit my arms, and in seconds my heart calms, and my mind goes blissfully blank.
The blackness returns, and I fly off to dream again. This time, Beck’s here, smirking with his beautiful full lips and his brown eyes darkened with desire. My smile comes easy when I realize he’s here. He’s always here when I need him. I don’t waste a second before I rush into his arms and soak in his strength.
My last thought before I let my dream carry me away is that I’m so happy that his arms are holding me tight again. I’ve denied us this for so long, and even though he understands why, he still doesn’t deserve it. When his lips touch mine, I want to cry out against the unfairness, but the blackness clouds my vision again, and I fly away.
****
That damn beep is back.
What the hell is that noise?