Page 62 of Beautiful Envy

“I can’t stop thinking about you, Darcie. All day. All night. I can’t work because all I do is think about you. I realized I’d made a mistake when I walked away. We do belong together. But then you were gone. I waited at your apartment for weeks. When they packed up your belongings, I knew you’d run, too sad to live without me. I thought I’d never find you again, destined to live alone and miserable. But then my brother told me he ran into you with that rodeo guy. I knew it was a message. You wanted me to come and rescue you. It’s a good thing I did too. Why was that guy chasing you?”

My head spun as he talked, trying to sort it out. His words were so fast, they didn’t make sense. None of this day was making sense.

“I’m sorry you can’t find a job, Damon, but I’m not yours. I belong only to myself. Besides, you made your feelings clear when you said I had to choose only you. Call me whatever you want, but my heart is big enough to love more than one person.”

“You’re just saying that. You love me. I know it. They’ve convinced you to be their club whore. But you’re better than that,” he cooed like he was talking to a baby.

I shook my head, tired of his nonsense. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t have feelings for you. Damon, I’ve moved on. I’m sorry if that’s not what you want to hear, but I don’t want to be with you.”

Damon growled, his grip tightening on me. “You just need to get away from them. Then you’ll be able to think clearly. I know this is what you want.”

“No,” I shouted, fed up with this argument.

Damon yanked me, my feet clearing the other side of the cornfield as I tilted toward the ground. The knife dug into me, pricking my skin as his grip slipped with my momentum. I spotted his old pickup truck parked on the dirt path, fear gnawing at me. I couldn’t get into his vehicle. There would be no way for the guys to find me if I did.

Deciding to take my chances with his knife, I used all my body weight to fall to the ground, pulling him with me. The blade pierced me; the pain of it burning as he fell on top of me. Okay, that might’ve been the worst idea I’d ever had.

Ignoring the pain, I scrambled back, pushing him away with my feet. “Stay the fuck away from me,” I screamed, praying that one of the guys was here by now and would hear. Pressing my hand down on the wound, I kept pressure as I continued to move back in a crab walk. I couldn’t stop. I wouldn’t.

Damon grunted, getting to his knees. His eyes lifted, spitting fire as he looked at me from head to toe. He prowled closer, a sneer covering his face, the knife still held in his hand. It was coated in blood now—mine and the creep’s. Shit, I hope he didn’t have any bloodborne diseases.

I kept moving, not willing to stop, even if it was only an inch at a time. I grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it in his face when he neared.

“Fucking hell, Darcie. Why are you fighting me so much?”

“Because I don’t want to go with you. How much clearer do I need to say it?”

My heart pounded in my ears, my blood pumping hard as adrenaline and fear coursed through my body. I just had to hang on a little longer. They’d come for me. I knew it.

Damon stood up again; dirt and blood smeared all over. His once handsome face distorted as he sneered at me, obsession and hatred flashing in his eyes. He didn’t love me. He just wanted to conquer me to say he had. I was nothing but a trophy for him to win.

The world spun as my vision grew blurry. Shit, I couldn’t lose consciousness.

“I bet your pussy isn’t even worth all this trouble,” he spat, looking down at me.

Despite my hope to keep moving, it seemed I’d reached my limit.

“You’re right. I’m not. Just leave, and I’ll forget all about this. I promise.”

He stalled, and I hoped he was thinking it over.

“I’d do what she said if I were you,” a menacing voice said, my heart lifting.

I knew that voice. It meant I could let go now. That I wasn’t alone anymore.

My eyes fluttered closed, the sound of a scuffle occurring in the distance. Hands gripped me, and I whimpered until soft lips brushed against my forehead.

“I got you, Princess. Just stay with me.”

It was the last thing I needed to hear before I fell into the black hole I’d been circling.

Diary #18

Dear Lennox,

Once again, you saved me.

Or your father did this time.