Predator - A Stand Alone Suspense Romance(24)

I hurry into the cubicle and I close the door behind me. I turn to face the toilet when a sudden stab of alarm and horror rips the breath from my lungs.

All I can smell is piss and vomit.

All I can feel are the four walls closing in on me.

My whole world tilts to the side and wave after wave of terror makes my heart hammer painfully.

I sink to the floor and scoot back on my ass until I hit the toilet. I squeeze my body into the small space between the toilet and wall, and I press my face into my knees.

“No,” I croak in fear. “They’re not here.” I keep saying the words over and over, trying to fight the nightmare that’s enveloping me in its tormenting claws.

Depraved and ruthless memories rip through me. I can’t fight them off, just like I couldn’t fight the men off.

I hear a loud bang and I cover my head. I start to hyperventilate as I wait for the disgusting hands to claw at me, to rip me to shreds.



Damian~

I keep one eye on the toilets and the other on Jean.

“Who’s the girl?” Jean asks.

“Nobody.” I take a sip of my drink as I take a good look at Jean. She looks tired. It looks like this way of life is starting to catch up with her.

“So listen,” she says and she moves closer to me. “There’s something I need your help with. Is it okay if I come by tomorrow?”

I’ve known Jean for a couple of years now. We fucked a couple of times so she’s been to the house, but now Cara is living there too.

“Not to fuck,” she says, reading my mind. “I need your help with a problem. We need to talk where I know the walls don’t have ears.”

I never turn down work and I can’t stop working just because Cara will be around. “Sure, stop by.”

Jean reaches out to me and gives my hand a squeeze. “Thanks.” She nods to the stage. “I gotta get back.”

She downs the rest of her beer and then makes her way through the crowd. My eyes go back to the toilets and I frown. Cara’s been gone a couple of minutes.

I get up and stalk to the toilets. I don’t care what the women might think. I slam the door open and go in.

“Take a shit at home!” a woman hollers, and she slams a fist against one of the cubicles.

“Yeah, we all gotta piss!” another yells.

I scan the small space but there’s no sign of Cara. Fuck. There are only two stalls. The one closest to me opens and a woman comes out.

“The bitch still in there?” she asks the woman who’s banging on the door.

“Yeah, the cunt thinks she can take her sweet motherfucking time!” the woman shouts, her face going red.

I stalk to the stall and it’s only then the women notice me. “Hey, go get your dick sucked somewhere else!” I shove her out of the way, not caring where the fuck she goes, as long as it’s away from the door.

“Cara,” I call but there’s no answer. I slam my shoulder into the door once and the flimsy piece of wood gives way. I slam it all the way open and then my heart sinks.

“Fuck, Cara,” I breathe.

She’s somehow wedged her body into the small space between the toilet and door. I rush in, wondering how the fuck I’m going to get her out.

I touch her jerking shoulder lightly and it sets her off. She screams and rears back even further. Her arms swing out and her tiny fist connects with my chest. Her face is wet with tears and snot, and her breaths are strangled gulps.

I grab her face in both my hands and hold her steady. “Open your fucking eyes,” I bark at her and they snap open. There’s no recognition in her eyes, only terror.

“Cara, it’s Damian,” I try a different tactic but it doesn’t seem to work.

Her eyes jump wildly around the small space and the pain I see on her face eats at me like a fucking cancer.

“Cara,” I say in the neutral tone I used when I first found her, “you’re safe. I’ve got you.”

Two seconds pass before her eyes flick to my face. “Damian?” she squeezes my name out in a pathetic whimper.

“Come to me,” I say, my voice gentle.

She starts to struggle in the small space. Fuck only knows how she got herself in there. I grab her shoulders and I yank hard to get her out. Rather the quick pain than another panic attack because she’s stuck.

She comes free and with a broken cry she slams into me. Her arms go around my neck and she clings with all her might. I pick her up and when I turn around, the women scatter back. I give them a dark glare. If they were men I’d beat the shit out of them for what they did.

I stalk out of the toilets and I don’t stop until I reach the car. I quickly unlock it and place Cara on the passenger seat. She doesn’t let go of my neck and I have to pull her arms back. I put on her seatbelt and then close the door before I run to the driver’s side. I don’t care about speed limits as I race home.

My heart is pounding hard and anger burns through my veins. I’m angry at myself for pushing her to go out. It was too soon. Fuck, I’m an idiot. I’ve just undone all the hard work of the past month.

I glance at her small frame where she’s curled up on the seat. Her whole body is jerking and every few seconds a lost sob shudders from her.

All the rules I’ve lived by fly right out the window. None of them work for Cara. She’s not just another package. I don’t know what she is but she’s not a job anymore.