Because You're Mine(75)

Alanna dropped her cell phone back into her purse. Neila was so close. She had to find her. Glancing at the clock on the dash, she realized she’d been gone longer than expected. Accelerating, she took the last curve to the estate. As she came out of the curve and into the final stretch before the drive, she realized she was on the left side of the road again. The rhythmic swish of the blades had hypnotized her. She veered into her own lane, then glanced into the rearview mirror.

And gulped. Barry was behind her. She hated to disappoint him. He would never understand the nature of the errands she had to run today.

She couldn’t tell him either.





Thirty-One


Alanna turned into the driveway and drove to the garage, punching the button to open the door as she neared it. She pulled inside and turned off the engine, then closed the door again. Thunder rumbled overhead. Clouds roiled close and dark in a way she’d never seen, and she let out a sigh when she was safely in the garage.

When she got out, the building rumbled with the strength of the thunder. Barry pulled his Mercedes into the other bay. Through the window, she could see the muscle jumping in his jaw. Surely he couldn’t be that angry about her taking the car. Something else had to be upsetting him. Taking a deep breath, she waited for him to get out.

He slammed the car door and came toward her, blocking the exit. His fists were clenched at his sides, and his brows were drawn together. “Where were you, Alanna? With Jesse?” There was no kindness in his tone.

She’d wondered if he sensed the connection between her and Jesse. Now she knew. What would he say if he knew she suspected Jesse was Liam? He’d think she was quite dotty.

Her back stiffened at his tone. “No, I wasn’t with Jesse. He went to his house.” She started past him, and he grabbed her arm. His fingers bit into it. “Barry, you’re hurting me.”

Instead of releasing her as she’d expected, he pushed her up against the garage door. “Does he think I don’t see the way he looks at you? I want him out of my house. Out of our lives—for good! You’re not to see him again.”

“I’m not a possession, Barry,” she said, struggling to keep her voice even.

“You’re my wife!” He pressed her harder against the wall. His head lowered, and he delivered a punishing kiss, grinding his mouth against hers in an embrace that grew more painful.

She couldn’t breathe. Panic engulfed her, and she struggled to free herself. Her fists beat against his chest. He wedged his knee between her legs, and his fingers went to the waistband of her jeans. He began to pull her blouse free, and she heard the buttons give way.

No! She whipped her head from side to side and managed to free her mouth. “Let me go, Barry,” she panted, trying to force his hand away as it crept under her blouse and up her skin. “You’re too rough. You’ll hurt the baby.”

He wasn’t listening to her protests and continued to pull at her blouse until it was off her shoulders. The glaze over his eyes horrified her. He didn’t care what she wanted. He didn’t see her as a person, just a body. He lowered his head again, and his lips nuzzled her neck. Revulsion shuddered through her.

She cast her gaze to her right. If she stretched, she could just reach a hand shovel. Lunging for it, she wrapped her fingers around the handle and brought it toward his head. Before he saw what she had, she whacked the side of his forehead with it.

He reeled back with a groan. Blood spurted from a cut, but Alanna didn’t spare any sympathy for him. She leaped for the door and escaped outside.

“Alanna!” Barry shouted. He staggered from the garage with blood pouring down his face.

“Leave me alone!” Shrugging her blouse back into place, she buttoned it as she ran for the back door of the house that opened to the sunroom. The door was locked, and she’d dropped her purse when Barry grabbed her in the garage. She ran around the side of the house to the front, checking the side door on the way. It was locked too. Where was Grady? Was anyone else here? Even if she made it inside, he’d come after her if they were alone.

Lightning lashed the sky, crackling into a nearby tree. The horrifying crash made her jump. She needed to get inside. Rain was coming down in buckets now, and every inch of her body was drenched. She reached the porch and went to the door. It was unlocked. She practically fell inside, cradling her stomach protectively.

Shivering, she slammed the door shut and considered locking it, but that would only slow Barry down. And anger him. But maybe he was in control of himself again. Maybe it was his father’s death that had made him react so violently. She stood in the hallway and considered her options. She could talk to him calmly, sensibly. She could watch for him to come in, then go out the back door and leave. Or she could go to her room and lock the door.

None of the options was giving her any comfort. She needed thinking time. This was a big house. She could park herself somewhere until other people came back. It would give Barry time to cool off and herself time to think things through.

But where? Barry would look for her in her room right off. The ballroom was out for the same reason. There were other rooms in the house, but he’d be likely to search them all.

His locked room.

The thought came out of nowhere. What if he wasn’t mad anymore and decided to go there to do some work? But no, he’d been up there last night. He usually only went in every two or three days. It might be safe. Besides, if she had the key, he couldn’t get in anyway.