Damaged and the Knight (Damaged #2)

Tommy continued to leer at me like he often did through the curtains while promising to make me squeal. I didn’t think he would give up his prize with just one guy standing in his way.

Even moving fast, Tommy never stood a chance. Judd effortlessly grabbed the freak and slammed his head against the SUV hood. The first impact shattered Tommy’s nose while the second strike splashed blood across the windshield. Tossing him to the ground, Judd yanked out a gun and used its butt to bash Tommy across the head.

When Tommy’s friends moved to help him, Judd pointed the gun at them. “Fuck off.”

“You don’t know who you’re messing with,” said one of the guys.

“I know enough to be sure if I blew this fucker’s head off, you’d dump him in a ditch somewhere instead of calling the cops. Now, either I’m dropping all four of you or I let you walk away. How loyal are you fucks?”

Apparently not very loyal, they backed away quickly. Judd held Tommy by the back of his jacket and hit him again and again until the freak who terrorized me for weeks hung limply. Dropping him on the ground, Judd stomped hard on Tommy’s groin. Finally, he wiped the bloody gun handle on Tommy’s jeans before returning the weapon to his jacket.

Walking leisurely around the SUV, Judd joined me inside. He said nothing while using the wipers to remove the blood from the windshield. Despite the violence, Judd looked bored. Hell, he wasn't even winded.

As we pulled away from the motel, I couldn’t take my eyes off Judd. He was both my handsome knight in shining armor and the scariest motherfucker I’d ever seen.





Chapter Two


Judd wasn’t a talkative man. We sat in silence for a long time then he turned on a CD by Wanda Jackson. A few times, I glanced in his direction, hoping he might say or do something to reassure me. Instead, he pretended I wasn’t in the SUV with him.

What I wanted more than anything was to talk to Farah, but Judd had my phone. Staring out of the window, I noticed hints of Tommy’s blood around the edges of the windshield. Smiling, I recalled the sound of his face smashing against the SUV. Judd picked this moment to finally look at me.

“We need to get you fed.”

“Okay,” I said then added after a long moment of silence, “I’m sorry if my clothes smell. I haven’t done laundry and I haven’t showered in a few days. I’ve washed off, but I didn’t want to be undressed with those guys outside.”

When Judd didn’t react, I stared outside again. Eventually, we reached a decent sized city and he pulled off the highway and into the parking lot of a Denny’s. I remembered Farah telling me recently how she quit her job at Denny’s after moving in with Cooper. Even after everything Farah told me, I couldn’t picture Ellsberg, her house, or even what Cooper was like. She had been afraid of him, but in love too. Sometimes, Farah seemed unsure of herself and their relationship, so I couldn’t be certain either. Soon, I would see her and meet him. The second part scared me, but it was still days away.

“You’ll eat then we’ll find a hotel. Once that happens, you can call your sister. Do you understand?”

I thought I nodded. When Judd only stared, I suspected I hadn’t.

“How long will it take to drive to Kentucky?”

“We’re catching a flight from Dallas..”

“I can’t fly.”

“Won’t, you mean,” he said, getting out of the SUV. Slamming the door, he waited for me to follow. “I’m not driving to Kentucky.”

Staring at him, I didn’t know what I showed on my face, but he cupped my cheeks and stared into my eyes.

“When did you last eat?”

“A few days ago.”

“Don’t pig out then,” he said, letting me go.

Following him as he walked swiftly to the front doors, I swallowed my fear and forced out the words.

“I’m afraid to fly.”

“I don’t care,” Judd said, holding the door open for me. “Pull your hair forward, so the waitresses can’t see the bruises on your face and think they need to ask questions.”

Hiding behind my long dark hair, I hoped Farah would make Judd understand. I was afraid of flying. While not pathologically afraid, I didn’t want my first time flying to be with a scary mean man while I felt sick. I could do it if Farah was with me. With Judd, I was too scared.

The waitress paid me little attention. Pretty with a great smile, she kept her eyes glued to Judd. He gave her a half smile then pretended she wasn’t there. She didn’t seem to mind and I didn’t blame her. When I waitressed, I liked looking at hot guys too. I never thought anything would happen, but looking was fun.

“Order something small.”

“Like what?” I asked, looking over the extensive menu.

“Get something on the value meal. Those are smaller. If you eat too much too fast, you’ll puke and I’m not getting puked on.”

After reading my few choices, I lifted my gaze to Judd’s handsome face. He looked at me with those cold eyes, daring me to annoy him.

“Can I have this?” I asked about the value meal.