Fighting to Survive (As the World Dies #2)(57)

“I’ll thank Nerit later,” Travis decided.

“Want to dance?” she asked.

Travis got the goofiest look on his face. It made her laugh.

“I have other things in mind, but dancing is good for now,” he responded.

Taking her hand, he guided her out onto the dance floor and drew her close. They danced slowly to a ballad sung by Patsy Kline, slipping across the highly-polished floor gracefully. Staring into each other’s eyes, they were oblivious to all the looks of approval they were receiving. Old Man Watson even applauded as they danced past his table. At last, to everyone in the room, it was clear that Travis and Katie were in love with each other.

When the song finished, and Travis kissed Katie softly, the room erupted into applause.

Giggling, a little too tipsy and stoned for her own good, Katie clung to Travis, embarrassed. Travis just looked dazed and happy and did a little bow to those in the room. The laughter that followed was heartfelt and warming. He turned and kissed her again. Katie was absolutely happy.

A few glasses of wine later, she found it harder to stand in her shoes. Plus, she was having issues keeping her hands off Travis. She was sure they were making a spectacle of themselves. When they sat down to eat some dinner, she had sat on his lap.

“Disgusting,” Jenni decided. “You two are disgustingly happy together.”

Old Man Watson sat nearby, nodding, pointing at them, and smiling. Peggy had finally ditched Calhoun onto Old Man Watson and she grinned at Katie and Travis.

“I always knew those rumors about you liking women was bullshit,” Peggy said with a wink.

Katie opened her mouth to correct her, but Travis lightly pinched her leg. She thought better of it.

Finally, she knew the wine had gotten the best of her and she excused herself to the restroom. Walking out of the ballroom, she felt even more lightheaded and giddy and was cursing herself for drinking too much and the hit of pot she had taken.

The foyer was empty when she entered it and she hesitated to fix her shoe. The elevator doors opened. Philip and Shane came into view.

“Fuck,” Philip said staring at her.

Katie looked up, saw their expressions, and her blood turned to ice. Ignoring them, she moved quickly to the restroom and slipped in. The last thing she needed was a confrontation with Shane and his sidekick when she was drunk and a little stoned.

Splashing cold water on her face, she took a deep breath and felt a little better. Realizing she had smudged her makeup, she picked up a hand towel and started to dab at her eyeliner. When she looked up into the mirror, she saw Shane staring at her.

Twisting around, she fell back against the counter top. “Get out.”

“It’s a damn shame that a fine piece of ass like you is a carpet muncher,” he said in a low, dangerous voice.

“Get out!”

“Look at those titties,” he said, and reached out and grabbed one of her breasts.

She thrust his hand away and repeated in a low voice, “Get out now.”

“And that ass,” he said. His gaze was dangerous and feral.

Katie felt horrifyingly sober at all at once. She knew this wasn’t another one of the stupid confrontations they had when they threw insults back and forth. This was damn serious. He had already touched her and it would now be easier for him.

“Get out now!”

He moved fast and she tried to duck away. His hand gripped the straps of her dress and he yanked hard. Her breasts fell free from her dress and she picked up a decorative candle holder from the marble counter top and swung it at his head.

Blood sprayed over her as she managed to hit his nose. Enraged, he tackled her full force, sending both of them sprawling across the long marble counter. Gripping her hair, he shoved her hard up against the wall and pushed himself between her legs. She beat on him with her fists, and began to claw at him.

“I’ll teach you to cock tease me, bitch,” he hissed.

Fumbling with her dress, he tried to grab hold of her panties.

It was then Katie started to scream.





***

Travis felt too happy for words. He now knew what it meant to be beaming with happiness. After Katie sashayed out in that damn hot dress, many of his friends had come to congratulate and wish him the best.

“You’re damn lucky.” Bill winked.

“I would say you have the hottest girlfriend in town, but Stacey would kill me,” Eric added as he got drinks for him and his girlfriend at the bar.

Travis laughed and flushed a little.

Jack, Pepe, and Nerit’s old dog, Tucker, scampered past him, dancing around with doggy delight. The party was in full swing now and everyone was having fun. Travis smiled as he saw Lenore and her best friend, Ken, dancing away in one corner and Katarina and Peggy line dancing to one side. Even Belinda had come out and sat at a table with Rosie and Linda, Juan’s cousin. Belinda’s eyes were red from crying. Travis couldn’t blame her mourning Mike’s death. If Katie had died yesterday, he didn’t think he would even be able to function.

He was so grateful they were both alive and together.

A minute or two later when Curtis approached he assumed the younger man was coming up to him to make some comment about what a lucky man he was. But then it became obvious that Curtis was really upset about something.

“Travis, I found contraband on the kids,” Curtis said in a low voice. “They were smoking pot out in the gazebo. I confiscated what they had, but there may be more.”