Overcoming Fear (Growing Pains #2)(108)

When they got to Krista’s house, with Kate’s worry in the back of his head, Sean said, “Why don’t I wait here?”

Krista flashed him a smile. “When are you going to learn that the boogie man doesn’t hang around these parts?”

His returning smile was less than sure. He didn’t want to let her go. “Want me to come with?”

Krista gave him a level gaze, “Sean McAdams, I love you, but you gotta give me twenty minutes, okay?”

Sean very nearly told her about Kate’s calls. Instead, he nodded. She’d just say Kate was overreacting and he was overprotective.

“Okay. Beach in twenty?”

“Sure.”

Sean watched her frolic to her door. He got the girl. I’ll be damned.

~*~*~*~

When Krista walked into her house, glowing from her weekend, she made a bee-line to her room to drop everything off. Then she headed out to the living room to see if Ben was home so she could talk about what Sean had said. She couldn’t understand why he wasn’t over the moon about it. She was!

When she got out there she heard Ben talking to someone. She couldn’t see who, but didn’t want to interrupt, so she went instead to the kitchen, got a glass of water, then headed back to her bedroom. She had a date to keep.

Passing the living room again she heard Ben call her name.

Intrigued to meet one of Ben’s art friends, she answered immediately, hurrying in. As she came into view Ben stood up. His body was slightly hunched and his face was etched with concern boarding on fear. Krista looked at his friend.

The world went black, then Technicolor, as she looked in disbelief at Jim.

In her house.

In San Francisco.

Nearly two years after she’d left.

It seemed like no time had gone by at all.

He was sitting on her couch as if he owned the place. Even now, even after all he’d done to her, he still looked as dark and handsome as he ever had. Except now she noticed the sleazy smile plastered on his sardonic face. His hair was a bit longer with that same familiar wave. His eyes looked sunken, but his features still bore that dangerous attractiveness that entrapped women from the word go. Danger lurked in those black eyes as he looked Krista over. Danger and possession. Nothing had changed.

“Jim. How did you find me?” she asked in fearful disbelief, wondering how she’d ever missed the crazy in those dark eyes.

“I have access to the Internet and a phone book, Krista. I knew you wanted to be found. You always liked playing hard to get. That’s what I like about you. But now it’s time you came home. Your vacation is over.”

Fear coursed through her hollow veins. She felt the shiver of it as it tumbled and pooled through her memories, lending new depth to past horrors.

“I have a court order, Jim. You aren’t supposed to contact me,” her voice quivered. She couldn’t help it. Fear was a strong deterrent to power.

“Trifles. Let’s chat in your room. I’m sure Ben has other things to do,” Jim’s flashing black eyes caught Ben like a hunter through a rifle scope.

Krista followed those knives to Ben, sitting in his chair like a cornered, trembling rabbit.

“I can hang out if you want, Kris?” Ben said. He had more courage than she did. He also didn’t know what Jim was capable of.

Jim stood up, all six feet, four inches of him. He was a powerful man, solidly built. He was a tower of muscle when Krista was with him, but now he had even more bulk. He’d been lifting weights. He was also mean, manipulative and vindictive. He would knock Ben into next Tuesday without much effort.

Suddenly Krista was not only afraid for herself, she was afraid for Ben, too.

“Her name is Krista, Ben. And I thank you, but I would like some time alone with my fiancée.” Jim grabbed Krista by her upper arm. His large hand fastened her with a grip she remembered all too well. A grip she had tried so many times to break, and only succeeded in giving herself nasty bruises in the process.

Ben moved as if to help, but Krista knew it would be fruitless. Jim saw it, too.

“Ben,” Jim said in a voice out of a horror movie. “I’d sure hate for anything to happen to Krista. I’m sure she would appreciate it if you let her be. It’d be easier for all of us in the long run.” Jim seemed to flex from head to toe with his last words, hovering over small, mousy Ben.

Ben gulped and his eyes got as big as his face. He wasn’t backing down. It must’ve been yet another entry in man-code: Do not try to reason—fighting is the only way. Man-code was not logic, however, and Krista didn’t want to see Ben hurt.

“It’s okay, Ben,” she said, trying to keep the fear from her voice.

Jim’s face split in a sarcastic smile. “You see Ben? My lady wants to be claimed.”

Krista was dragged from the room toward her bedroom.

She was severely f**ked. Jim took what he wanted. If he wanted her, then he would rape her without question. Had in the past. In his eyes, she was his. End of story. All the grief and hassle she caused him meant nothing to that need to possess her. It just meant it would be paid back to her in pain.

“Which one is it?” Jim snarled.

Krista stuttered and pointed, pushed toward the open door and was thrown to the ground. The door lock engaged behind her.

Jim paced the small room, surveying everything with a detailed eye, then settled himself on the bed.