Fleeting Moments(29)
“She’s not your daughter, and we both know it. You sick bastard!” I screech.
“Let’s go, Hayley,” he says, directing her with a hand to her upper arm.
“Let her go!” I cry, rushing after them. “You let her go, you dirty bastard!”
Security comes out, placing a hand on my arm. “Miss, please calm down!”
“You can’t let her go with him. He’s a pervert. A dirty creep.”
The man looks to the officer. “I’m sorry, my daughter and I were just shopping and this girl came out of nowhere. I think she’s confused.”
“Miss, is this your father?” the security guard asks Hayley.
“Tell them the truth, Hayley,” I plead. “They can help you.”
“He’s my father,” she says, her eyes going anywhere but near mine.
“She has to say that!” I cry as the officer pulls me away. “Please!”
“Thank you, Officer,” Creep says, glaring at me before disappearing with Hayley.
“Don’t let them go!” I scream.
The security guard jerks me into a quiet hall. “Calm down or I’ll be forced to call the police.”
No. No police. I’ve had enough police. They do nothing but lie to me.
He’s staring at me, and I know I have to play this one cool or I’m not getting out of here. I press a hand to my heart. “I’m sorry, I must have been confused. I recently lost my sister to a horrible man. I thought that was him.”
His face softens just slightly. “I’m sorry to hear that, but you can’t run around in malls yelling at people.”
I nod, looking up at him through my lashes. “I’m sorry.”
“I think you need to go home before any more drama is caused.”
I nod. “Sorry, sir.”
He nods, and I disappear back into the mall. I head in the direction the man took Hayley, but I run in circle for a solid hour. They’re gone. Frustrated, angry, and desperate, I go out to my car and drive home. I think about her the entire time. She was so scared. So alone. Someone has to help her—she’s trapped.
I can’t let this go on.
I have to do something.
CHAPTER 12
I know something is wrong the second I walk inside the house.
It’s a feeling more than anything. I can’t see anything disturbed, yet I know something is different. I glance around, my eyes darting back and forth across furniture, into the kitchen—nothing. I turn slowly and glance at the base of the stairs and there he is, standing, his arms crossed, glaring at me. It takes me by surprise and I leap backwards, one hand flying up to my mouth to smother my scream.
“Heath?” I finally rasp.
He steps down and farther into the light. He’s pissed. Like, majorly.
He knows.
I swallow.
“What. The. Fuck. Is. Wrong. With. You?” The words come out like a whip, and I take another step backwards.
“She was alone, scared . . . I was just trying to help.”
“I f*cking told you to stay out of it,” he roars so loudly I flinch.
He’s scary when he’s angry. Really scary.
However, I can be just as fierce. “Yeah? Well I got sick of listening to you, considering you never stick around long enough to make your point valid,” I scream back.
His jaw tics. “Do you want to f*cking get hurt?”
“Maybe,” I spit.
“Jesus, Lucy! What the hell is wrong with you?” he yells, so loudly, his big body is twitching with every word. “Screaming like that in the middle of a mall!”
“Fuck you.”
He blinks. “Pardon?”
“I said,” I scream, storming over and poking his chest, “f*ck. You.”
“Stop,” he warns.
“Or what?” I challenge. “You’ll run away again? Go right the hell ahead, Heath. I don’t care. That girl needs help, and nothing you can say is going to stop me from making sure she gets it. I’m invested now. So get the hell over it.”
His big body moves fast, hauling mine up and slamming me against the closest wall. I gasp as he presses into me, effectively pinning me. “Stubborn, pain in the ass, f*ckin’ beautiful woman.”
Then his lips crash down over mine.
I moan, so damned tired of pretending. I want him. I’m not going to wait any longer. I kiss him back, and when his tongue slides into my mouth, I welcome it with a whimper. The kiss is passionate, and angry, and a little desperate—the way all good kisses should be. I claw at his shirt, unable to stop myself for a second longer. I jerk it up and he pulls back just long enough to let me pull it over his head.
His body is so hard. His skin so hot.
I press my lips to his shoulder, trailing my tongue along his collarbone and up his neck. He groans and takes hold of my shirt, pulling it off as fast as I removed his. His big hand then finds my breast, covering it entirely. I moan and arch into him. With his free hand he unhooks my bra, letting it fall to the ground, then he lowers his head and sucks my nipple into his mouth while shuffling me out of my jeans.
“Oh God,” I whimper.
He bites me.
Pain shoots through my body, but I find myself arching into him even more, grinding my pelvis against his hand as he removes my jeans. My panties go quickly after them, and he growls in satisfaction as his hand finds the wetness pooling between my legs.