Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 128801 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 644(@200wpm)___ 515(@250wpm)___ 429(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128801 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 644(@200wpm)___ 515(@250wpm)___ 429(@300wpm)
He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans, enjoying the feel of the cool breeze on his face.
He’d walked since he was only a couple blocks over.
It was about eleven-thirty, and most of the town was sleeping, only a few intermittent cars passing by, a peace in the air as he took a turn at Elm. He was almost to Manchester when something drew his attention to a deserted parking lot.
The glare of red taillights where a car was parked beneath a big tree and hidden in the shadows. He didn’t know what it was, but a stir of energy cut through the tranquility.
Tossed it into chaos.
A feeling that beat like a drum in the middle of his chest.
And he guessed he wasn’t even all that surprised when the front passenger door suddenly burst open and Dakota stumbled out, barely able to catch her balance as she wheezed, clutching at the top of her dress that was ripped at one side.
“Stay away from me. I said no,” she gasped through the jagged words.
Ryder was already moving that way by the time the prick climbed out from the driver’s side, the slur of his words that he spat over the top of the car dumping acid into Ryder’s veins.
“You think I’m going to let you play me like that? You bitch. You should be thanking me for even asking you out.”
A horrified sound scraped out of her lungs. “You’re such an asshole, Seaton. Screw you, I don’t want anything to do with you. Stay away from me,” she tossed back.
But it was already too late for poor Seaton.
Ryder descended before the bastard knew he was there, coming out of the darkness like the monster that he was.
Rage tore through his bloodstream.
Aggression breaking him in two.
He took the asshole by the back of the head and smashed his face into the edge of the roof.
Shock raked from Dakota, the attack coming from out of nowhere, while the prick wailed in agony. “What the fuck?”
It earned no sympathy from Ryder.
He kept him upright by the back of his shirt, spinning him around. “You think you can touch her when she said no, you fuckin’ pussy?”
Ryder tossed a blow to his already busted face. The asshole cried out, and he stumbled back from the force of the hit.
Ryder went after him, throwing another punch that sent him wheeling back before he dropped to his ass.
“Ryder, oh my God.” Dakota rushed around the car, her heels clattering on the pavement. “Ryder,” she begged. “Just leave him.”
There was no leaving him for Ryder, and he dove for him, pinning him to the ground. “Little fucker, I’m going to make you regret ever speaking her name.”
The asshole writhing on the ground spat blood in Ryder’s face. “Do you know who I am? You can’t touch me. I’ll destroy you for this. Over a fat fucking whore who’s terrible at sucking dick.”
Fury clouded Ryder’s sight. Darkness seeping in at the edges. Taking over.
Every time he’d ever sat with Dakota under the cover of that tree while she’d cried over something one of these ignorant pricks had said burst through the dam.
An assault of memories.
The comfort she’d found in him.
The way he’d always wanted to be there. Protect her. Every vain promise he had made.
The shame over walking away.
Every bit of it got taken out on this asshole.
Ryder threw fist after fist.
Dakota’s pleas barely dented into the mayhem.
“I’ll kill you, you piece of shit.”
And he probably would have, too, the way the bastard went limp and stopped fighting back, if it wasn’t for the blip of the siren and the blinding glare of the headlights and spotlight that cut into the madness.
It was an SUV pulling into the lot. Sheriff was painted on the side, and a crackled voice shouted from the speaker. “Hands in the air. Right now.”
Lungs heaving for air, he sat back, his knees digging into the pitted pavement as he slowly lifted his hands above his head.
“Oh, God, Ryder.” Dakota wept from somewhere behind him, and he could feel her fear. Her confusion. The horror of what had just gone down whirling around her sweet spirit.
Both doors on the SUV cranked open, and the sheriff on the driver’s side came around the front. He had his gun drawn and aimed at Ryder. “Slowly move to the side and lay down on the ground. Facedown.”
Ryder complied, nerves clattering through him as he did. He’d always been so careful. So fucking careful. But protecting Dakota was worth any cost.
Any consequence.
Except he cringed when the second officer came into view.
Ezra.
His cousin who’d just graduated from the academy and had gotten hired on at the department two weeks ago.
Shame poured down.
He knew what they were going to find when the older officer stepped over him and handcuffed his arms behind his back, before the officer began to pat him down, digging into his pockets.