Page 37 of On the Wild Side
“Let’s do this, then,” I reply with a nod, and we follow Chase down the road into town.
Polly decided to keep her little house near the high school and use it as a short-term rental property. I’m surprised that it’s empty right now, given that it’s the holidays and rentals are hard to come by.
But I won’t complain about it.
Abbi’s quiet as we make the short drive, and when I park in the driveway, she wiggles into her shoes, pushes the door open, and steps out. I take her hand to lead her inside, where Chase is already waiting.
“How are you doing?” Chase asks Abbi as I close the door behind us. Abbi sits on the comfy sofa, then drops her head in her hands. “Is that a stupid question?”
“No,” she says as I cross to the kitchen and open the freezer, pulling out ice to make a pack for her face. “I’m okay. A little shell-shocked. Sore. Dealing with some PTSD.”
Her eyes slide over to me, and she licks her lips.
“You don’t need to tell me about your past,” Chase says as he sits across from her. “I just need to know what happened today.”
“Okay.” She accepts the ice pack from me and gently presses it against her cheek and eye, sighing when the cold hits her skin. “Oh, that helps. Thanks, Brady.”
I sit next to her, not sure if she wants me to, but I’m relieved when she takes my hand and squeezes, holding on tight as if I’m a lifeline.
“I’m short-staffed,” she begins. “Some of my people are on vacation for the holiday. So, I’m cleaning places this week that I normally wouldn’t. I also don’t have a partner, and Idemandmy people team up for just this reason.”
She blows out a breath.
“Anyway, I had two short-term rentals to clean up there today. I knocked and called out that I was there, and the place felt empty. There was no response when I called out, so I started on the kitchen. It was a fuckingmess. I got the dishwasher packed up and had just turned to start on the stove when I heard him.”
She swallows hard, and her hand on mine tightens.
“He was a slimy piece of shit. Suggested I get in bed with him. I said absolutely not, that I’d just go and come back later, and he b-blocked my way.”
Her voice wavers, but she clears her throat.
“He said he’d fuck me whether I was into it or not, so I should just calm down and go with it. Grabbed me. Smacked me.”
Seeing red, I have to stand and pace the room. Christ, I want to hurt him. I want to tear his heart out through his fucking asshole.
“I reached for the frying pan on the stove and hit him, hard, and then I just ran. I didn’t stop to see if he was chasing me. I knew I had to get out of there because he was going to rape me, and I had to run.”
“Okay,” Chase says calmly when her voice rises, and it sounds like she might spiral into another panic attack. “You’re absolutely right, Abbi. You did the right thing. I can tell you that I did a run on his name, and it turns out this is not his first sexual assault. The fucker is a rich brat whose daddy paid for attorneysto get him a plea bargain on the last case, but part of his parole stipulation was that he not offend again. He’s going back to prison.”
“For how long?” My voice is a growl.
“Twenty more years,” Chase replies.
“You found all of that out?” Abbi asks. “That was fast.”
“My office does good work,” he says with a smile. “He can’t hurt you, or anyone else, again. I’m so sorry this happened, Abbi. Are yousureI can’t take you to the hospital?”
“No hospitals,” she repeats, shaking her head. “But thank you. Thanks for coming so quickly.”
Before he leaves, Chase takes his time, assuring Abbi that she can call him anytime and that everything will be okay. Then we’re alone in the quiet house.
Abbi stands, blows out a breath, and calmly walks into the kitchen to freshen up her ice pack, before turning to me with big, sad blue eyes.
Those eyes are going to be the death of me.
“So, I guess this means that anything you and I might have started is over.”
I blink at her and then scowl. “What? Why would you even think that? None of this is your fault.”